Manila Standard - 2017 January 09 - Monday

All set for ‘Traslacion’ amid anti-terror security

By Sandy Araneta MILLIONS of devotees converge in Quiapo, Manila, Monday for the yearly procession of the Black Nazarene, as the government tightens security over fears of reprisal from a terrorist group whose leader was killed by government agents last week.

Communications Assistant Secretary Ana Maria Paz Banaag said there was no specific threat against the procession, which last year drew an estimated 15-million devotees, even as the Philippine National Police planned to block cellphone signals in the area during the procession as a precaution.

Last week, security officials led

by Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno

said a retaliatory attack was possible after government agents and police killed Mohammad Jaafar Maguid, leader of the Ansar Khalifa Philippines (AKP), which has sworn allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist group.

Banaag said the police were taking nothing for granted and were putting up measures to prevent a terrorist attack so that the faithful could focus on the event, and not the threat to their safety.

“The PNP is working so hard so that the devotees would not worry and will be able to focus on the event,” she said.

She added that President Rodrigo Duterte was satisfied with the security plans of the PNP and the Next page

A young devotee touches the foot of the image of the Black Nazarene during the traditional ‘pahalik’ at the Quirino Grandstand where hundreds of thousands of Catholic faithfuls form a long-queue to be able to touch the reverred icon on the eve of the ‘Traslacion’ or procession around Quiapo district. NORMAN CRUZ/EY ACASIO

‘Slain jihadist Syria-bound’

By Francisco Tuyay PHILIPPINE National Police chief Ronaldo dela Rosa said the jihadist Abu Naila, who was slain by security forces in Maasim town, Sarangani province Saturday, was on his way to strife-torn Syria.

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“The foreign national is believed to be a Sudanese national. He was on his way to Syria, but he dropped by here [in the Philippines] to conduct training,” Dela Rosa said.

Naila and his wife, Kadija, were killed when he tried to lob a grenade at government forces trying to arrest him. Next page

Romero faces arrest Romeros feud: Michael No bail for billionaire in theft case —court

By Christine F. Herrera loses HCPTI to his dad

By Christine F. Herrera BILLIONAIRE and 1-Pacman party-list Rep. Michael Romero has been barred by a Quezon City Regional Trial Court from claiming ownership of his family-owned Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc. He or his party was not available for comment.

The order marked a major setback in Romero’s protracted legal battle with his father, construction magnate Reghis Romero II, who sued his estranged son for allegedly falsifying ownership of the port facility.

Branch 222 Presiding Judge Edgar Santos ordered Romero and his affiliates, as well as their agents, employees and successors-in-interest to stop acting on behalf of HCPTI as shareholder or member of the board of directors of the Manila North Harbor Port Inc. The order exposes some possible challenges in the ownership

of Manila North Harbor Port Inc., which has been taken over by conglomerate San Miguel Corp.

SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said the group now controls a 78.33-percent interest in the contested port terminal firm.

Before the transaction, MNHPI was 65 percent owned by HCPTI and 35 percent by San Miguelowned Petron Corp. SMC eventually acquired an additional 43.44-percent stake.

Santos, in his Jan. 5 order, also prohibited Romero and other respondents in the case from exercising any rights as the board of HCPTI and from representing themselves as the duly authorized representatives, with the power to act for and on behalf of Harbour Terminal, including any sale, transfer or disposition of its assets and shares.

They were ordered to stop representing themselves as stockholders of Harbour Terminal. Next page

Anti-narcs keep an eye out on foreign druggies THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said Sunday it was continuing to tighten its monitoring of foreign nationals involved in illegal drug activities.

“In 2016 a total of 112 foreign nationals were arrested for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002,” said PDEA Director General Isidro Lapeña.

“The foreign nationals arrested for drug-related offenses nationwide more than doubled to 79 six months into the government’s war against drugs. During the first semester of 2016, 33 foreigners were nabbed.”

Lapeña made his statement even as an official said the National Bureau of Investigation was strengthening its forces to combat illegal drugs, a priority

of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“In line with the statement policy of President Rodrigo Duterte, NBI Director Dante Gierran already formed a task force. This is going to be a National Task Force Against Illegal Drugs,” said NBI spokesman Ferdinand Lavin.

“We are finalizing how the task force will be composed.

There will be three to four teams. This will handle all operations of the NBI in so far as the campaign on anti-illegal drugs is concerned.”

Lapeña said of the arrested foreigners, Chinese nationals still dominated the list with 44 followed by 29 Taiwanese, seven 7 Hong Kong nationals and 7 Koreans. The rest are other Next page

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MANILA court has issued an arrest warrant against billionaire and 1-Pacman party-list Rep. Michael Romero for allegedly stealing P3.4 million from his family’s Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc. The order was issued by Manila RTC Branch 11 Judge Cicero Jurado Jr., who recommended no bail for Romero and his two coaccused, Edwin Jeremillo and Felicia Aquino, for qualified theft.

Jurado also denied Romero’s motion for redetermination of probable cause, with an appeal to withhold the issuance of arrest warrant and to dismiss the case outright or suspend proceedings.

The lawmaker has been embroiled in a bitter legal battle with his own father, businessman Reghis Romero II, for the control of HCPTI,

Rep. Michael Romero

which operates the Manila North Harbor terminal. He couldn’t be reached for comment.

Jerome Canlas, corporate secretary under Romero’s father, has accused the estranged son of conspiring with Jeremillo and Aquino to stealing corporate funds by issuing 18 cheques— with each bearing the amount of P200,000 for a total of P3.4 million—supposedly for “marketing expenses” and payable to the “National Food Authority and/or Felicia Aquino.”

In a resolution dated July 1, 2016, Manila City prosecutors found probable cause to hold Next page

Kerwin entitled to protection—Aguirre

By Rey E. Requejo JUSTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Sunday justified the admission of self-confessed drug peddler Kerwin Espinosa to the government’s witness protection program.

He rejected Senator Leila de Lima’s claim that Espinosa, who

implicated her in the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison, was not qualified as a state witness under the program.

De Lima, who has been accused by Espinosa and other high-profile inmates in NBP of receiving millions of pesos in drug money, claims that the drug lord is not eligible for WPP

coverage because he is the most guilty among those accused in the illegal drug trade.

But Aguirre said De Lima, and his predecessor at the Justice department, “is absolutely wrong.”

He said De Lima was the one being tagged as the “most guilty”

by Espinosa and several other witnesses for being the alleged bene-

ficiary of drug money and protector of those involved in the illegal drug trade.

“Unless she has contracted amnesia, all NBP inmates including Jaybee Sebastian pointed to her as the instigator who induced and tolerated the distribution of illegal drugs nationwide,” Aguirre said in Next page a phone interview.

Storm warning up as ‘Auring’ hits land

By Rio N. Araja TROPICAL depression “Auring” made landfall over Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte around 5.m. on Sunday, weathermen said.

The storm’s center was near Cagdianao in Dinagat Islands, and it had maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph.

It was forecast to move northwest at 9 kph.

“Auring” is forecast to leave the Philippine area of

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responsibility late Wednesday or early Thursday.

Signal no. 1 was raised over Cuyo Island, Bohol Siquijor, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Southern Leyte, Cebu, Guimaras, the southern part of Iloilo, the southern part of Antique, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte including Siargao Island, Dinagat Island, Misamis Oriental and Camiguin Island.

Those within the tropical depression’s 300-km diameter must brace for moderate to heavy rain.

thestandard.com.ph

ANTIQUE CEBU NEGROS ORIENTAL NEGROS OCCIDENTAL

LEYTE CAGDIANO, DINAGAT ISLAND

AGUSAN DEL NORTE CAMIGUIN ISLAND MISAMIS ORIENTAL

SIARGAO ISLAND SURIGAO DEL SUR AGUSAN DEL SUR

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Economic team hit for SSS mess B

By Rio N. Araja

AYAN Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate on Sunday hit out at President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic managers for allegedly continuing the USinspired neo-liberal policies of the Aquino administration.”

FIRST STORM OF 2017. Weather forecaster Benison Estareja points to the location of tropical depression ‘Auring’ which made a landfall Sunday, the first typhoon to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility in 2017. MANNY PALMERO

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The court said it was inclined to believe that the 2011 deeds of assignments, which were used by the younger Romero’s camp to represent themselves as the rightful majority shareholders of Harbour Terminal, were forged and could not be valid bases for them to represent themselves as the majority shareholders of the company.

“Plaintiffs R-II Builders Inc. and R-II Holdings Inc. should, at this stage of the proceedings, be deemed as the majority holders of Harbour Terminal, whose rights would be greatly prejudiced if the defendants [Michael Romero et. al] would not be restrained from representing themselves as such pending the resolution of the main case,” the court ruling said.

The elder Romero secured last year a favorable ruling from the Court of Appeals, which declared as null a Pasig trial court order that banned the continuance of civil, criminal, and administrative cases that he filed in behalf of the port facility.

The appellate court said the ruling was issued with grave abuse of discretion as it unfairly relegated Romero “to be a mere spectator where he may no longer pursue his rights of ownership over HCPTI.”

the three accused liable for qualified theft for issuing the cheques on April 27, 2007 to non-existent payees.

But in September last year, the Department of Justice reversed the resolution to indict Romero and his co-accused before the Manila RTC Branch 28.

Canlas then successfully appealed for the presiding judge of Branch 28 to inhibit himself from the case, which was then raffled off again to Branch 11.

“The court rules to deny the urgent Motion for Re-determination of Probable Cause, considering that there is really no re-determination to be spoken of because the RTC of Manila has not yet issued a [previous] warrant of arrest against accused. Hence, there is nothing to re-determine,” Jurado said in his order.

“The urgent motion is denied.

Let a warrant of arrest be issued,” the judge added.

It was Romero and Jeremillo who signed and issued the cheques.

Manila prosecutors, in their earlier resolution, noted that the transactions for which the cheques were issued appeared to be bogus because no evidence was presented to show that NFA had any transactions with Harbour Centre.

The prosecutors also found that all cheques were encashed not by the NHA but by Aquino herself.

In a separate case, the Justice department last year ordered the indictment of Romero and two accomplices for eight counts

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He said under the law, Espinosa and the other inmates were classified as principal by participation, while De Lima was considered a principal by inducement based on the testimonies and evidence gathered by probers.

“The Supreme Court had ruled that the latter is the most guilty because without inducement, the crime would have not been committed,” Aguirre said.

He took exception De Lima’s statement that he was a mediocre lawyer and said De Lima “does not know the law.”

De Lima has also accused Aguirre of faking the evidence against her as he was fond of faking things like his hair.

Last week, Aguirre said Espinosa, who is a co-respondent of De Lima in the sixth criminal case filed against her, was accepted by the Justice department as a state witness after passing the criteria under the WPP. “The prosecution will later on ask for the dismissal of the charges against Kerwin or for the dropping of Kerwin as one of the accused. But it will still depend on the court,” he said.

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Armed Forces, and was confident they would do all they can to stop a terrorist attack.

Still, she said, there was no assurance that the devotees would be 100-percent safe.

“You know we are not God that we could protect everything,” she said.

Banaag declined to comment on Sueno’s warning that bombers from terrorist groups such as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, the Abu Sayyaf or the Maute group could already be in Metro Manila to launch attacks.

“I would prefer to not comment on that… Secretary Sueno would clarify those matters,” she said.

Banaag urged devotees to take the usual precautions during the procession.

Church officials estimate some 17-million devotees are expected to attend the proces-

of qualified theft amounting to P17.9 million committed against HCPTI. Acting Justice Secretary Emmanuel Caparas under the Aquino administration said the department found probable cause to hold the three for trial for the non-bailable offense.

In a resolution dated June 13, 2016, the DoJ said Romero, as then president of HCPTI, Jeremillo, as chief operating officer for administration and Edwin Joseph Galvez as chief finance officer, “conspired to take funds totaling to P17.9 million belonging to the company and placed the amount to their personal bank accounts.”

“We find that there is enough evidence to show that, more likely than not, the crime of qualified theft has been committed, the respondents committed the crime charged, and they should be held for trial,” Caparas said in an eight-page resolution.

Caparas also directed the Quezon City prosecutor to file the proper information for eight counts of qualified theft against the Romero group.

Romero’s group immediately branded the DoJ ruling as a “midnight resolution” prompting the HCPTI lawyers to protest and to claim that the case against Romero had been dragging for the last two years.

“In the administration of justice, there is no such thing as a midnight resolution. That is the reason why we have inquest cases and criminal cases that have to be resolved. Justice delayed is justice denied and even the Constitution guarantees speedy disposition of cases,” Marlon Cruz, counsel of HCPTI said.

Lawyer Jerome Canlas, who

sion of the Black Nazarene— or the Traslacion—on Monday.

Msgr. Hernando Coronel, rector of Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or Quiapo Church, said they hope the image will be inside the basilica in the evening of the feast day.

Last year, the Traslacion ended 20 hours after it left Quirico Grandstand at past 6 a.m.

For this year, the feast day will begin at midnight with a mass to be presided by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle at the grandstand.

The Traslacion 2017 will begin after the 5 a.m. morning prayer to be headed by the Quiapo parish priest.

The National Capital Region Police Office reported that as of Sunday noon, the crowd at the grandstand had already reached 24,000.

Most of the people were lining up for the traditional “pahalik” of the Black Nazarene.

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada called on the devotees to

acted as the complainant in the case in behalf of HCPTI, said the complaint filed against Romero has been ongoing for more than two years and that it was unfair to brand it as a midnight resolution.

“The resolution of a criminal case cannot wait for the next administration or the next justice secretary. There are aggrieved parties in a criminal case and that is why you have inquest cases, which should be resolved immediately. In our case, this has been dragging for more than two years and it is only now that it has been properly resolved,” he said.

Romero’s group was accused of issuing and cashing eight company checks on separate occasions between February 2007 to December 2008.

Court records show that Romero, then president of HCPTI, issued and cashed three of the checks, claiming it was for payment for advances he made for the company.

Five of the checks were issued and cashed by Jeremillo and Galvez, on instruction and approval of Romero.

However, Caparas said the group did not present any evidence that they were in payment of legitimate corporate expenses. “[I]f the subject checks were indeed issued for legitimate corporate expenses, they should have been issued directly to the persons and entities, who are the creditors of HCPTI, and the documents supporting the claimed legal obligations should have been attached to the relevant vouchers,” Caparas said.

“First, it is curious that the eight checks in question indicate Romero and Galvez as the payees. Romero claims three of

be mindful of their trash and keep the city streets as clean as possible.

“Let’s make this solemn feast of the Black Nazarene more meaningful by keeping our environment clean. We should refrain from carelessly throwing our garbage anywhere for it spoils the spirit of this revered tradition,” Estrada said.

Estrada said it would be a big help to the city government if the devotees, as well as vendors and others taking part in the religious activity, observe proper discipline in taking care of their waste.

Estrada said there will be portable toilets in strategic areas for the use of the devotees as well as a sufficient number of garbage bins along the route of the procession where they can throw trash like food and beverage containers.

He also advised devotees to avoid spitting and urinating in public places, especially near Quiapo Church. With PNA

the checks were issued to him as payee, two were issued for legitimate corporate expenses, while one was issued as payment for advances he made in favor of HCPTI. As pointed out earlier, the duly signed documents underlying the claimed legal obligations, e.g. contracts, were not presented,” he said.

“Romero did not present a credible and justifiable explanation why the purported payment had to be coursed through his bank account and not paid directly to the supposed creditor,” Caparas said.

Caparas added that even the supporting vouchers submitted in support of the supposed advances showed Romero and his two accomplices were the ones who prepared them.

“The purported supporting vouchers and requests for payment were couched in general and ambiguous terms. The signatories to the vouchers were the respondents themselves and the preparation of the request and vouchers were within their control as the responsible corporate officers. Other officers and employees of HCPTI could not have perpetrated the crime charged without the respondents’ direct participation and direction,” the Caparas order explained.

He said the three obviously colluded to take the company funds.

“Because of their positions in HCPTI, all three respondents were able to commit the crime of qualified theft. All told, the records show that there was unlawful taking by the respondents of funds that incontestably belonged to HCPTI,” the order added.

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Police say they found explosive devices, subversive documents and an ISIS (Islamic State) flag on the slain jihadist.

Authorities said they did not yet know how Naila and Kadija were able to sneak into the country undetected, or which international terrorist groups with which they had ties.

Dela Rosa said the killing of Naila and Mohammad Jaafar Maguid, alias Tokboy, commander of Ansar Al-Khalifa Philippines, an ISIS-linked terror group in Mindanao, was a major setback to the terrorists.

Maguid was killed in an encounter with security forces at the Angel Beach Resort in Kaimba town also in Sarangani province Thursday.

Reports said that at least 12 foreign terrorists have sought sanctuary in different areas in Mindanao, some of them being protected by the Abu Sayyaf Group.

He said National Economic Development Authority Director General Ernesto Pernia and Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno had been blocking the proposed 2,000-peso increase in the pension of retired Social Security System members and the moratorium on land use conversion of agricultural land, but were pushing for an increase on excise taxes on oil products and other mainly pro-business measures.

“Those are the same neo-liberal policies of the Aquino administration. It is very alarming that these are being perpetuated by the Duterte administration,” Zarate said.

“This mainly pro-elite and oligarchic economics runs counter and anathema to the previous pro-poor and pro-people pronouncements of President Duterte.”

Zarate asked if Pernia and Diokno were sabotaging the President.

“The only thing that these policies will sustain is the status quo of inequality in the Philippines,” Zarate said.

“As it is now, what these neo-liberal economic managers prescribe will only help dissipate the huge political capital of Duterte and eventually isolate him from the people.”

Zarate said Pernia and Diokno had not looked into the highly anomalous sovereign guarantees extended by the government to foreign companies under the public-private partnership program.

Neda allowed the Philippine Statistics Authority to sign a P1.59billion contract with the US-based company Unisys in September 2016 to computerize the civil registry system despite Unisys’ violations in phase 1 of the same project, and it was the only participant in the bid, Zarate said.

Pernia, Diokno and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez II claim that without an accompanying SSS premium increase, the proposed pension increase would unduly jack up the unfunded liabilities of the SSS to P5.9 trillion from P3.5 trillion.

But Zarate slammed the Finance department over its statement that all policy recommendations were anchored on sustaining high growth so that all sectors across all regions would benefit from more jobs, higher incomes and better living standards.

He said the 2,000-peso increase in the pension of SSS members was practical, and that the SSS must improve its collection efficiency to finance it.

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Asians, Americans, Europeans and Africans.

From 2010 to 2016, a total of 473 foreign nationals were arrested for violation of the antidrug law: 112 in 2016, 38 in 2015, 67 in 2014, 77 in 2013, 65 in 2012, 45 in 2011 and 69 in 2010.

“Out of the foreigners arrested in the last seven years, 227 or 48 percent were Chinese nationals.

They were either pushers, possessors, couriers, manufacturers or financiers,” Lapeña said.

To address the influx of Chinese nationals involved in the country’s drug trade, PDEA and the Narcotics Control Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China have signed a “Protocol On Cooperation” on Oct. 20, 2016, in Beijin to control drug crimes between the two nations.

The Protocol will be effective for five years. PNA, with Sandy Araneta

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MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017

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Laundering blitz targets pawnshops

By Julito Rada

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ANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas is requiring would-be pawnshop operators and their business partners to be fully aware of antimoney laundering regulations first before they can operate, a move intended to prevent money laundering activities in the country.

In a circular , Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said it would require pawnshop operators, partners and their personnel to attend a briefing on pawnshops regulations and a seminar on the Anti-Money Laundering Act. “As a prerequisite for the issuance of the authority to operate, the proprietors, partners, and directors of pawnshops are

now required to attend a briefing on pawnshops regulations and a seminar on the Anti-Money Laundering Act conducted

by Bangko Sentral or the AntiMoney Laundering Council, or their accredited service provider,” the circular said.

It said this formed part of the amendments of the provisions of the manual of regulations for non-bank financial institutions.

Pawnshop officers and personnel will particularly be briefed on customer identification, record keeping and reporting of covered and suspicious transactions. These officers and personnel should then relay what they learned to other employees to ensure effective compliance.

“Any violation of the provisions of these regulations shall be subject to the administrative penalties,” Bangko Sentral said.

Last November, Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said the regulator was eyeing to put in place 82 regulations this year to better manage risks and improve governance for its supervised financial institutions. He said the new regulations would not be all directed to the banking industry.

Apart from banks, Bangko Sentral also supervises and regu-

lates pawnshops, lending investors, non-stock savings and loan associations, venture capital corporations, credit card companies, investment houses, finance companies, investment companies, and securities dealers/brokers.

Bangko Sentral previously said it would upgrade the regulations on non-bank financial institutions in a bid to make the industry players comply with their anti-money laundering obligations.

Espenilla said this was in line with the move to prevent the recurrence of money laundering activities in the country, the latest of which involved $81 million that was stolen by cyber thieves from the account of Bank of Bangladesh in the Federal Reserve in New York.

The dirty money entered

the Philippine banking system through a branch of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. in Makati City in February 2016.

Espenilla also said the regulator was also monitoring the activities of pawnshops and non-stock savings and loans associations.

He said pawnshops, in particular, have actually evolved beyond the traditional construct of a corner establishment where anybody could bring their jewelry in exchange for cash.

He said a significant chunk of pawnshop business was actually derived from remittance activities and other kinds of cross-sold activities. He said pawnshops were the number one distributors of micro insurance more than banks, competing the traditional insurance agents.

Espenilla said the country’s

pawnshop law was based on presidential decrees that were issued during the Martial Law era and implemented by Bangko Sentral.

Espenilla said shadow banking was an area of growing interest and concern because an unintended consequence of strengthening oversight over the formal banking system might result in the potential enlargement of shadow banking.

Espenilla, however, said that tightening some laws might result in diminished services, for example, in remittance business.

He said there must be a thorough study on how to recapture the business by strategically modifying the foreign exchange regulations, such that more transactions could be done in banks rather than in money changers.

‘LeniLeaks’ probe gets under way

By Sandy Araneta HOURS after a Malacañang official said the so-called “LeniLeaks” wouldn’t be investigated, another official said the Palace would investigate online reports of supposed plots to oust President Rodrigo Duterte.

In an interview over television program, Communications Secretary Martin M. Andanar said Mr. Duterte was aware of moves to unseat him, and he would not be happy if such plans were proven to be true.

Andanar said that Malacañang has reached out to the sources of the information and it is already being looked into by National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. “Magbibigay ng rekomendasyon si Secretary Esperon kung ano ang nararapat na gawin. Hindi dapat na pangunahan ang rekomendasyon ni Secretary Esperon,” he added.

The “LeniLeaks” was supposedly “leaked e-mails” posted online which allegedly showed exchanges between Filipino-American philanthropist Loida Nicolas-Lewis and her sister, former Commission on Filipinos Overseas Chair Imelda “Mely” Nicolas.

Vice President Leni Robredo, who resigned as Housing Secretary after being barred by Duterte from attending Cabinet meetings last month, had denied any connection to the ouster plans.

Earlier on Sunday, another official said the Palace would not investigate the “LeniLeaks” controversy, saying the plan to oust President Rodrigo Duterte will likely not happen.

FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY. Impersonators of kings Balthazar, Melchor and Gaspar, royal visitors of the infant Jesus in a manger during the bibilical times, offer children with candies and gifts in the observance of the Feast of the Epiphany, marking the end of Christmas season, at the Saint Vincent de Paul churchyard in San Marcelino, Manila. Ey Acasio

Senate has a lot of work to do—Koko

By Macon Araneta SENATE President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III is upbeat about the prospects of having many bills enacted into law once Congress resumes session on Jan. 18.

While only two bills had been passed before Congress adjourned for the Christmas break, Pimentel noted that senators filed a huge number of bills which are now in various stages.

The first law passed by the 17th Congress was the postponement of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elec-

tions which was moved from Oct. 31, 2016 to Oct. 21, 2017.

The second was the P 3.35-trillion national budget for 2017 which allocated around P1.4 trillion or 40 percent of the whole budget to social services programs.

“So we have a lot of work to do,” said the Senate leader who is a partymate of President Rodrigo Duterte at PDP-Laban.

Since the start of the 17th Congress last July 25, Pimentel said the senators had filed a total of 1,283 bills and 253 resolutions, which are in different stages of legislation.

It also adopted 33 resolutions, most noteworthy was Senate Resolution No. 33, concurring in the ratification of the Articles of Agreement of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which Pimentel said provided “the government access to more sources of funding so we can usher in a golden age of infrastructure for the Philippines.”

“We opened the First Regular Session of the Senate of the 17th Congress by crafting an 11-point legislative agenda to guide us to Change. And this early, we can see results,” he said.

He said the Senate would continue pursuing priority bills under its 11-point legislative agenda such as the bills on Personal Income Tax Reform, the Amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act, as well as the bills granting emergency powers to address the traffic crisis, and the end of contractualization, among others.

Pimentel said the Senate would continue its “labor of love for the country,” adding that he would call for a senators’ caucus early next year to properly set the legislative agenda for 2017.

PH Arena amazing, say two hoops coaches “AWESOME,” “amazing,” “firstclass.”

These were the words used by champion Philippine Basketball Association coach Tim Cone to describe the Philippine Arena, which hosted two Holiday Season PBA games highlighted by the much-anticipated “Manila Clasico,” a matchup between Cone’s Gin Kings and the Star Hotshots.

Cone guided the Gin Kings to an 86-79 victory over rival Star Hotshots in front of a 20,000-strong crowd.

“Let me say this is an awesome facility. I’m so impressed with this facility. It’s so massive.”

Cone, who was born in the United States and went to college in George Washington University in Washington, D.C., was awestruck by the Philippine Arena, which he compared to other famous indoor stadiums in the US. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve been to a lot of stadiums in the United States, and I’ve never seen anything like this before,” the coach said.

“Even just pulling up and seeing the size of it... I’ve seen Staples (referring to Staples Center in Los Angeles, home of the NBA’s LA Lakers), I’ve seen the

one in Denver, I’ve seen a lot of coliseums; I’ve seen nothing like this,” explained Cone.

“It’s really a first-class facility. I can play here every day,” said Cone, who has coached in the PBA for over 25 years.

The sentiment was echoed by Mahindra Coach Chris Gavina, who coached the Floodbusters to

a 97-93 victory over Blackwater Elite, and hoped that the PBA could schedule more games in the Philippine Arena.

“I wish we could play here every week. I’ll play here any day as long as we win,” said Gavina.

Located in the sprawling 140-hectare Ciudad de Victoria

property in Bocaue, Bulacan, the Philippine Arena is the world’s biggest indoor arena. It can seat a maximum of 55,000 people and was inaugurated in July 2014.

Among the major events held in the Arena were the Prismatic World Tour of international pop star Katy Perry, which drew 30,050 people; the Guinness

Book of World Records-setting premiere of the multi-awarded biopic Felix Manalo, with an audience of 43,624; and the Eat Bulaga Alden Richards-Maine Mendoza special “Sa Tamang Panahon,” which attracted a 55,000-strong crowd. The Philippine Arena NLEX exit is also scheduled to open this year.

January is ‘Bible Month’ PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed Proclamation No. 124 “Declaring the Month of January of Every Year as National Bible Month Culminating in the Last Week Thereof as National Bible Week.”

Signed on Jan. 5, 2017, the Proclamation said, “the state recognizes the religious nature of the Filipino people and the elevating influence of religion in human society.”

While maintaining neutrality in its treatment of all religious communities, the government is not precluded from pursuing valid objectives secular in character even if it would have an incidental result affecting a particular religion or sect, the Proclamation read.

The 1987 Constitution calls on the government to support efforts to strengthen the ethical and spiritual values and to develop the moral character of the Filipino people, it said.

History bears witness to the profound impact of the Bible on the life of nations, and to how it has moved and inspired many people, including statesmen and social reformers to work for the betterment of their fellow human beings even at great cost to themselves, the Proclamation read.

It is fitting and proper, for the molding of the spiritual, moral and social fiber of our citizenry, that national attention be focused on the importance of reading and studying the Bible, it also read.

In November 2015, Duterte called Pope Francis his favorite insult—a “son of a whore”—for apparently exacerbating Manila’s already chronic traffic during an official visit. He then announced he wished to visit the Vatican to personally apologize to the Catholic Church leader. Sandy Araneta

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Opinion

MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017

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A serious business

EDITORIAL

T

HE newly formed National Privacy Commission has recommended the filing of criminal charges against Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista for the massive data breach in which the personal data of millions of voters were compromised in March 2016.

The move is a pointed reminder to those entrusted with sensitive data to do all they can to safeguard the privacy of that information and to make sure it does not fall into unauthorized hands.

In what has been described as one of the world’s worst recorded data breaches of a government office, hackers gained access to 16 databases kept in the Comelec website on March 27, 2016, and made these public.

Adelle Chua, Editor

The stolen archive was full of sensitive data, including personal and passport information and fingerprint data, leaving every registered voter in the Philippines susceptible to fraud, identity theft and other risks.

The stolen information included the voter database in the Precinct Finder web application with 75.3-million records and the voter database in the Post Finder web application with 1.38-million

records. Also stolen were a firearms ban database, with 896,992 personal data records and 20,485 records of firearms serial numbers, and the Comelec personnel database of 1,267 Comelec officials and employees.

The voter database in the Precinct Finder application contained each voter’s complete name, date of birth, gender, civil status, address, precinct number, birthplace, disability, voter identification number, voter registration record number, reason for deletion or deactivation, registration date, and update time.

The voter database in the Post Finder application contained information on each voter’s verified name, date of birth, gender, civil status, post of registration, passport information, with number and expiry date, taxpayer identification number, e-mail

address, mailing address, spouse’s name, the complete names of the voter’s mother and father, and the voter’s addresses in the Philippines and abroad, post or country of registration.

In its decision dated Dec. 28, the Commission said Bautista’s “willful and intentional disregard of his duties as head of agency” was tantamount to gross negligence, and recommended that charges be filed against him for violations of the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

In his defense, Bautista sought to pass on the responsibility to others in the Comelec, including his fellow commissioners and the IT Department on which he depend ed for expert advice.

“The chairman, after exercising the diligence required by law in supervising and monitoring all departments under him… is not the collector, processor, and custodian of the database,” Bautista said.

He added that as head of agency, he generally trusted the advice and recommendation of the Comelec’s IT experts. If those experts were not found liable, why should he be held responsible, he said.

The answer to Bautista’s query, however, can be found in Section 22 of the Data Privacy Act itself, which states that the head of each government agency shall be responsible for complying with the security requirements laid out in the law.

One clear sign that Bautista did not take data privacy seriously was his efforts to play down the impact of the website hacking in March 2016.

Then in June last year, Bautista’s fellow commissioner called him out for failing to act with urgency on the hacking of the Comelec website.

They said Bautista declined to assume direct control and supervision of the task force

created after the incident, “asserting that he is constrained by his limited information technology knowledge.”

In response, they pointed out that as the commission’s chief executive, he “is mandated to direct and supervise” operations and administration of the poll body, including that of the IT Department.

“The lackadaisical attitude towards complying with relevant laws fosters a suspicion of a complete abandon[ment] of the functions and duties of a head of agency. Further, even the National Privacy Commission has aired its complaint of the difficulty as well as slow pace in obtaining documents from the Commission relevant to their investigation,” the commissioners wrote.

Now, Bautista’s inaction seems to have caught up with him. All too late, he might finally realize that data privacy is a serious business, after all.

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Getting Naia’s P74-b project off the ground

PENSEES

have been or not is quite another issue, and lies in the realm of the hypothetical. Before the dawning of colonial government, what there were, historians tell us, were different tribes, each with its own normative customs and traditions.

But aside from their relevance to the claims of indigenous cultural communities or indigenous peoples, these arcana from Philippine pre-hispanic history are hardly of any juridical importance and currency today. Shari’a is quite a different matter, and that is why it is (or at least a large part of it) is part of the Philippine legal system.

The law calls a “prejudicial question” one the resolution of which is indispensable or, in the very least, relevant to the resolution of another. I am insistent that these prejudicial questions relative to our bid for federalism be paid serious heed and given the serious and scholarly attention they deserve.

Rewriting the Constitution on the basis of a policy of placation is not a good idea, for one thereby Turn to A5

Turn to A5

The premises of federalism

FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO LARGELY because President Digong has been insistent about it, moves towards changing our political configuration from unitary to federal have not only been picking up speed but dashing forward, alarmingly. No, federalism does not alarm me at all. But when you take a step as gigantic as this towards realigning the distribution of the powers of government, you do not want to do that in reckless haste, but astutely and certainly in a studied manner.

There are maps now making the rounds showing how the country is to be divided into “regions” or “states” (we have not quite decided how we are to call these components of the Republic of the Philippines), many even identifying the state capitals. Lately, there was a well-written, scholarly piece on the legal consequence of federalism: the possibility that each state may enact its own codes and laws on matters beyond the legislative competence of the federal government. So will the North Luzon State (or Region) have its own civil code, penal code, com-

FOUR months after the green light was given for a P74-billion makeover of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the project still has to get past the bidding process and off the ground.

Interested parties who are eager to submit their bids are wondering: What’s taking the Department of Transportation too long to get things going despite the go-ahead by the National Economic Development Authority. The three-year rehabilitation of Naia as approved by the country’s economic planners in September seeks to improve aviation safety, airport security and maximize arriving and departing passenger capacity, The problem is public bidding cannot take place without the prerequisite terms of reference being spelled out by the DOTr. To say the total rehabilitation of Naia is badly needed would be an understatement.

Considering the increasing number of air and passenger traffic worldwide, it is a shame the country is being left behind in providing a worldclass airport. For this, the Naia has earned the ignominy of being ranked by international travelers as the world’s worst airport.

The upgrade of Naia is not expected to be finished in time for two major international events this year—the Asean Summit and the Miss Universe beauty pageant both being hosted by the Philippines in 2017. But the government still has an obligation to redeem the country’s “premier” gateway from the rut it has fallen into.

The timeline for the completion of the P74-billion airport project is three years, midway into President Rodrigo Duterte’s six-year term.

It would be to Duterte’s credit if he could leave a new, improved Naia as his legacy. It should not be only to impress foreign and VIP visitors to the country, like heads of states and the Miss Universe contestants from various countries.

Filipino taxpayers also deserve to have an efficient, modern airport. Above all, it is the responsibility of any government to ensure air safety.

The Naia has only one runway and limited parking berths for jumbo jets. This has often resulted in arriving airliners being kept on a holding pattern

mercial code? And of course, will that mean that someone admitted to practice law in the North Luzon State must qualify herself to practice in other states as well—very much like lawyers in federal jurisdictions must do?

But before getting into the minutiae, I propose a return to a consideration of premises.

Many of those states that are federal are so because of historical antecedents: the cantons of Switzerland, the states of the United States, the regions of Germany, the provinces of Spain, the sultanates of Malaysia. So, what, if any, are the historical premises that support the thesis that going federal will be a step in the direction of “progress”, no matter that the latter concept may be muddled?

The sultanates of Mindanao offer themselves as a ready answer, except that historically, in respect to them, we deal with fluid borders and conflicting claims.

How many lay claim to the title of Sultan of Sulu—and how does

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I am insistent that these prejudicial questions relative to our bid for federalism be paid serious heed and given the serious and scholarly attention they deserve.

one resolve such conflicts? More vexingly, the assumption that a “region” or a “state” encompassing all of Muslim Mindanao will solve the so-called “Mindanao problem” appears to be, at best,

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highly disputable. But the alternative, of course, is to create as many “states” or “regions” as there might be clearly identified and self-identifying ethnicities and tribes—and quite obviously this raises a lot of problems, fiscal and economic not the least among them.

Recently, a friend returning to the Philippines on a sentimental visit after she was a Rotex student 35 years ago, gifted me with a treatise on Canadian Constitutional Law, and thus far, it has been a delight for me to be acquainted with the challenges of a “bi-jural” (Canada is both common law and civil law—corresponding to the British and French sections of the country) jurisdiction and how well—and how creatively (in many cases)—Canada has coped with these. And in a country like that, it should not demand too much higher order reasoning to see why federalism is a felicitous order of things. But we have never been bi-jural in the Philippines. Whether we should

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Opinion No pain, no gain THE new year unfolds with a lot of noise from those in media and the left who want to take the president to task for “reneging” on his campaign promise to increase monthly pension of SSS retirees by P2,000 monthly.

I was not into writing articles during the campaign proper because I was actively supporting the Duterte candidacy, but I sympathized with PNoy and the SSS chair and president then who stoutly maintained that the private pension fund would go dry in eight to 10 years if we listened to the legislators who insisted on the pension increase.

It’s nice to be populist; it’s always “politically correct” to give in to every clamor for pension increase, tax freeze (or reduction, even), and higher social benefits.

And in the heat of election campaigns, one could not alienate the voting public by being on the side of good economics and not good politics.

This is not to say that anyone, let alone myself, actually egged candidate Duterte to declare that he was for increasing the SSS pension as legislated then, but vetoed

by President Aquino. Truth is, all the candidates for president to my recollection, with the exception of administration candidate Mar Roxas who had to clam up for obvious reasons, promised to give in to the pensioners’ clamor.

So I fully sympathized with Budget Secretary Ben Diokno’s rather politically incorrect statement over a radio interview, when pressed about President Duterte’s campaign promise, that there is a difference between candidate Duterte and President Duterte. Ben was just being candid.

He further explained, and I agree, that in the heat of a campaign, one may not have actual data on the financial condition of the private SSS funds, as against when one already sits as president, and is made aware of the financial realities.

But media twitted Diokno, saying that one must bind a candidate to his promise.

Diokno was right in saying that actuarial science had to be respected, and that public funds should not be used to subsidize private pension funds, as that could lead to disastrous consequences not only to the public till, but is unfair to the taxpayer as well.

The SSS would be in a no-win situation here, if it allows itself to be pressured by

SO I SEE LITO BANAYO “clamor.” And the administration is in a damned-if-you do (later) and damned if you don’t (now) conundrum.

But then I always maintain that in the end, good economics equals good politics, even if it may be unpopular.

For government, it’s a “tighten your seat belt” strategy. It should not pander to populist rhetoric.

Then again, many in Congress balk at the proposed tax reform measures proposed by our economic managers. While these politicos are all for reducing the income tax rate and reducing corporate income taxes, they eschew revenue balancing measures such as an increased excise tax on petroleum products, again talking of how these will “impoverish” the poor.

They are against increasing “sin” taxes on sugared drinks because the “poor” will suffer, refusing to look at the toll on public health of ingesting too much sugar, whether in food or drinks. We have become a nation of diabetics, hypertensives, kidney dialysis hooked-ups, even obese people, because of our high-sugar, high-fat, high-sodium, high-cholesterol diet, and yet we “pity the poor” when government wants to tax these “sin” products.

The legislators want a two-tiered tax on tobacco products, because a single tax rate would be “unfair to the poor” who can only afford cheap cigarettes, while the rich can indulge in their vices even if they inhale nicotine and poison from more expensive brands. Mighty great reasoning, he he.

F**k! Why not tax all cigarettes to the highest heavens so no one but the foolish rich can afford them? Why not ban smoking in all public places, even in parks and sidewalks? And thus protect all from becoming potential cancer patients? And save the treasury from having to provide hospitalization to those who wasted their personal health on these “sin” products?

Will nothing but tobacco grow in the “solid north”? Is it really a mono-crop economy?

We want good roads, good and modern

mass transport systems, bridges to connect our islands, better public health insurance, better quality education accessible to the poor and middle-class, and almost everything else that government can provide only if the public will do its share in paying taxes and becoming upright citizens of the Republic.

We cannot grow as an economy if we want freebies and give little in return. No pain, no gain.

The same legislators whose hearts “weep” for the poor at each turn are also the guys who provide themselves, rather “their poor constituencies” hefty slabs of disguised pork, as Senator Ping Lacson discovered. As usual, in aid of reelection.

For once we have a president with strong political will yet is sensitive to the plight of the poor. Character, compassion, competence.

Finally someone who will do what is right, regardless of political fallout.

Someone who will have a balanced view of what the future should be, even if it may mean present sacrifices.

It is our hope that in the perpetual balancing act which is what governance is all about, populist demands will not discombobulate long-term economic good. *** I cannot end this article without an inyour-eye rebuke at those hypocrites who condemn the appointment of Mocha Uson as member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, where my wife was once briefly a member during the time of President Cory, and the chairperson was the ultra-conservative Manoling Morato.

Whatever is wrong with having a sexy dancer reviewing and classifying movies and telenovelas? Would not Mocha provide a new perspective in a multi-member board that would rate and classify popular audiovisual fare?

These “elitists” and their “trying-hardto-be elite” followers had better lay off Ms. Uson. MTRCB is not, repeat, NOT a censorship instrument of government. It is supposed to review and classify, not to censor or ban films and TV fare unless they are outright pornography or smut.

Miss Uson, who know what it means to be true to herself, is a perfect fit to be in the MTRCB.

Should China burn its ivory?

By Adam Minter CHINA’S promise to shut down its commercial ivory trade by the end of the year is good news for Africa’s elephants. For the Chinese government, though, it creates a strange problem: What to do with its 40-ton stockpile of ivory, worth about $150 million.

Although that may not sound like a lot, how China approaches that hoard may be almost as consequential for conservation as the ban on trade.

Nowhere is demand for ivory higher than in China, where it’s been used in handicrafts for thousands of years. Much of the trade is regulated, with the government occasionally allowing imports of seized and stockpiled ivory that is sold through a network of authorized workshops and dealers. Collectively, government and legal private stockpiles are now estimated to be worth about $600 million. Black-market supplies, which are sometimes laundered through the official system, may be much larger.

With the ban on trade imminent, though, China is left with two imperfect choices for its ivory.

One is to follow the example of several other governments: Burn it. Since the late 1980s, hundreds of tons of seized and stockpiled ivory have been incinerated or crushed worldwide, often in highly publicized events designed to get the attention of consumers, poachers and conservation groups. Despite

The premises...

From A4 puts oneself on a very slippery slope indeed.

Worse, federalism should not be the gambit of one with a cacique mind-set or just one more clever if costly maneuver in some surreptitious game-plan.

Finally, if we are indeed serious about going federal, then aside from the necessary mental energy that should now

the visceral appeal, though, 30 years of burning hasn’t appreciably reduced elephant kills or ivory consumption.

In fact, it may be worsening the problem.

Since 2011, there have been at least 25 public cases of ivory destruction, yet prices and poaching have both surged. One 2015 analysis found that of the 2,600 tons of ivory that were illegally exported from Africa between 2002 and 2014, roughly 1,000 tons remains in raw form in private stockpiles, suggesting that buyers were engaged in speculation. “Investors were hoarding raw tusks, betting prices would rise,” according to one of the researchers.

The high-profile destruction of ivory, in other words, may well act as a marketing campaign for black-market investors hoping to sell high. When Hong Kong destroyed a huge trove of ivory in 2014, it led to an initial price spike of about 10 percent. Similar spikes have been reported elsewhere. Longer term, unless demand is reduced, destroying supply in spectacular fashion seems likely to let dealers set higher prices in an opaque market—and to give poachers a greater incentive to kill.

Those perverse incentives are starting to dawn on activists. Last year, parties to a major treaty on protecting endangered species backed off a proposal that would’ve called for destruction of stockpiles. Even major wildlife advocates—such as the World Wildlife Fund—are calling for stockpiles to be “put beyond use” while

encouraging studies into the “perverse impacts” of stockpile destruction on consumer behavior.

That leaves China with a second option: Keep the legal stockpile, and maintain a studied ambiguity about its future. That might send a conflicting message when the government is otherwise trying to stand tall for elephants. But in leaving open the possibility that legal trade might resume at some point, it puts black-market traders in a bind: Their stockpiles could be devalued at any moment, making speculation far riskier.

A 2000 analysis in the American Economic Review recommended a similar strategy for governments that would otherwise struggle to stem poaching. It’s a particularly potent threat in China, where government policy has been known to change—or even reverse —without warning.

Such an approach could be combined with public-education efforts to curb demand.

A celebrity-oriented campaign against eating shark fins likely contributed to a 25-percent decline in the trade over the past decade, for instance. An effort aimed at stigmatizing ivory could produce similar results, especially if the ban on commercial trade starts to reduce its cache among casual consumers.

Although perhaps less satisfying than a high-profile bonfire, that combination is probably a better long-term bet for squeezing the speculators—and saving the elephants.

Bloomberg

go into the study of various models (a study I have myself commenced in dead earnest), it confounds me what all this talk about reviving BBL or “updating” it is all about. BBL, as far as I understand it, rests on a different premise. It presupposes a unitary state that devolves some of its powers to an autonomous region—where “autonomy” admits of a gradation from “severely limited autonomy” to “analogous to statehood”. So, for heaven’s sake, let us make up our minds!

Studied and well-considered moves— that is what re-writing the Constitution should be and re-configuring our Republic.

Such a huge project is not rushed, which is not to say that it must tarry for ages.

Festina lente… Make haste lowly, one Roman adage advised. That should be wisdom for us today!

Getting...

From A4 above and around the airport. There are more regional airlines coming up while the major carriers increase their present fleet and want more frequency to fly into Manila.

How will the country cope with the increasing number of arriving and departing passengers? It’s bad enough that major international carriers like KLM, Lufthansa and Swissair no longer fly into Manila because of air safety concerns.

The airport rehabilitation project covering the three international terminals plus the domestic terminal seeks to increase and improve airside and roadside facilities. Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade is seeking emergency powers for President Duterte to address

rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@outlook.com

road, railway and airport problems. But there’s really no need for emergency powers for the Chief Executive—if only his Transportation Secretary only acted with dispatch on projects already approved and funded.

The clock is ticking, Mr. Tugade. Do you have to have someone light a fire under your seat?

Black Nazarene Today is the feast of the Black Nazarene, the annual procession followed by Filipino devotees. The event has gained worldwide attention because of its religious fervor bordering on fanaticism.

The procession of the Black Nazarene starts from the Quiapo Basilica and then snakes its way through the streets in the district as the black icon, borne on the shoulders of men who swear by its mi-

MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017

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OUT OF THE BOX RITA LINDA V. JIMENO

How the US deals with allies HOW the US media have been taking liberties at bashing President Rodrigo Duterte is an attack not only on the Philippine president but also on the Filipino people.

A news article in Washington Times last week said that “the future of the once-solid US-Philippine defense alliance is uncertain as Duterte cozies up to China and a coup may be on the horizon.” The article went on to quote John Blaxland, a former Australian military intelligence official, as saying: “The question is, will the Philippine military, which is pro-American and already wary of Mr. Duterte’s flirtations with China, allow that and whether a Trump presidency would perhaps condone a coup to overthrow Duterte, if things turn so drastic.”

The US media are clueless about, or pretend not to know, the reality in Philippine setting. They think that the Philippine military is blindly pro-US and will not hesitate to stage a coup d’etat against the president because of his “flirtations” with China. The most recent survey by SWS says that despite a drop in President Duterte’s popularity (as he used to have a 99-percent popularity rating) he still enjoys a good rating of 83 percent. The reality is, Filipinos are now more aware of how the US really treats its so-called allies. To President recall history, General Duterte, it Emilio Aguinaldo was made to believe that seems to me, the US was the Philippines’ ally, coming has every to the Philippines to reason to start wage a war against Spain to liberate us. disengagement What turned out was from the US. a betrayal. We were subjugated and occupied by the US for 50 years; massive war atrocities were committed against the Filipino soldiers and civilians. Samar, in particular, was turned into a howling wilderness while Manila was burned to the ground. Manila was the second most devastated city next to Warsaw but the US paid higher war reparations to Japan—its enemy—than to the Philippines.

But let us check recent events around the globe showing how the US treats its allies. In an article, Francois Godement said that France under its last two presidents has been America’s staunchest ally on many fronts. No other country, he said, is closer to US views on Iran or Russia than France, even if French policymakers are fully aware of the untalented, sometimes hectoring, and sometimes compromising diplomacy in which the US now specializes. Yet, a New York-based court slapped a crushing fine on France’s and Europe’s leading bank, BNP Paribas, for dealing with countries under US embargo and of using remittances in US dollars in the process. The only legal ground for the bank’s prosecution was that it traded in US dollars. Yet, America’s non-ally, China, which is the biggest international holder of dollar reserves, of which two thirds flow through off-shore capital markets, was never the subject of any prosecution by the US, Godement said. He added, the US’s loyal and naïve allies need to learn a lesson about the US: it is more attentive to foes and to coalition partners than it is to its allies whom it takes for granted.

Rakesh Krishnan Simha said in a 29 March 2016 article: “It wasn’t long ago when the US secretary of State Henry Kissinger viewed Indians as ‘such bastards’ and President Richard Nixon described Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as ‘that bitch.’ Again, it wasn’t a long time ago when an American diplomat described Indians in a speech as ‘dirty and dark.” But now, the US wants to bring India on par with its Nato allies, passing a bill to expedite arms trade and technology with India. The real aim of the US, the author writes, is to end Russia’s dominance in India’s defense sector.

In another article, Henry Kamens writes that the US has now voted to take direct military action against the ISIS which it created and trained. All American allies will be obliged to play a part in this. Regardless of their feelings on the matter, the US will invoke existing defense agreements to ensure they play a full part. If that fails, other means will be used. The war against the US’s own allies, designed to make them bow to its will, will also be conducted on several fronts, Kamens said. The US makes great play out of being part of “allied forces” and “coalitions,” implying that the free world is voluntarily uniting against the bad apples threatening it, he added.

President Duterte, it seems to me, has every reason to start disengagement from the US. Perhaps then we would be treated better. Let us just hope that the US would not instead use its long arm to cause the ouster of the president elected by the Filipino people.

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raculous effect on them, is followed by the throng numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Attendees and devotees in the nearly 12-hour procession reach as much as a million and increasing every year.

Because of threats of terrorist acts, the Philippine National Police has deployed at least 5,000 policemen in uniform plus some more in civilian clothes to watch out for any suspicious activity during the procession. Such events with a gathering of a big crowd is the perfect place to explode bombs to exact the highest number of casualties.

With the recent spate of terrorist acts in Florida, Berlin, Istanbul, Paris and Brussels, Manila could be the next target and the police cannot be too careful Radio signals in the area affected by the route of the Black Nazarene procession has been temporarily turned off by authorities to preclude detonation of bombs activated by remote control from cellphones.

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MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017

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News

BI sacks 1k employees

By Vito Barcelo

T

he Bureau of Immigration will retrench more than 1,000 employees next week after President Rodrigo Duterte disallowed the use of revenues collected from the bureau’s express lane fund to pay for the salaries and overtime fees of the affected contractual and job order workers.

GET LUCKY. A customer holds a golden rooster lucky charm in Chinatown on Sunday, believing it will bring good fortune. Norman Cruz

On the average, the bureau has collected more than P1.2 billion annually from express lane fees—the only source of money to pay for the salaries of confidential agents as well as for overtime services rendered by BI personnel.

The House appropriations committee earlier insisted that BI express lane fees be deposited in the National Treasury as income of the general fund.

The Immigration Officers’ Association of the Philippines has already appealed to Duterte to reverse his decision, saying it would paralyze the agency’s operation in international airports, subports, field offices and main office.

The IOAP said the bureau should have at least 4,000 employees nationwide to carry out its mandated duties.

“At present, we have only 1,696 regular employees while there are more than 900 contractual, casual and job order workers,” the group said.

“These contractual and job order workers complement the BI’s workforce not only in the main office, airports, provincial offices but even in remote border crossing station and filed offices like Taganak.”

IOAP, in a letter to the President, warned that disallowing the use of express lane funds will automatically result to the displacement of about 1,000 or 37 percent of the bureau’s workforce before the second week of January this year.

“Undermanned subports, field offices and borders crossing stations will be vulnerable to terrorists and will compromise the national security,” the IOAP said. “Confidential agents, job orders and computer personnel comprise 37 percent of the total workforce of the bureau.”

Provide aid Lawmaker wants separate festival for indie films to Samar fishermen, BFAR told

By Macon Ramos-Araneta ies tradionally shown during who stole Christmas from our given its well-deserved spot-

By Sandy Araneta THE fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas on Sunday urged the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to assist fisherfolk in Samar who have been affected by the red tide for months now.

BFAR raised a red tide alert in the coastal waters of IrongIrong, Cambatutay and Daram in Western Samar as well as in Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar and in the coastal waters of Leyte and Calubian Bay in Leyte.

“BFAR should immediately mobilize its calamity fund to assist red-tide affected fishers in the form of economic aid and relief. They should also release its assessment on the numbers of fishers affected by this natural calamity,” Pamalakaya chairman Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya chairperson, said in a statement.

Last month, two people have been reported killed while 38 others were hospitalized in separate red tide poisoning incidents in Eastern Visayas.

Information from the Department of Health showed one of the fatalities was an 81-year-old man who ate the shellfish he bought from Carigara, Leyte.

The other victim was a nineyear-old girl from Barangay Tucdao in Kawayan town.

Boyd Cerro, chief of the DoH regional epidemiology unit in Eastern Visayas, said that most of the victims had gotten ill after eating shellfish they found floating in the bay.

SENATE Majority Leader Vincente Sotto III is pushing for a separate indie film festival after he criticized organizer of the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival for acting like the Grinch who stole Christmas from children.

Sotto lamented that children were not able to watch mov-

the holiday season, including “Enteng Kabisote-10” which was produced by the senator’s young brother, Vic Sotto.’’

In his proposed measure, Sotto said the absence of mainstream films in the 2016 MMFF was prejudicial to the regular film festival moviegoers, particularly the children.

“They were like the Grinch

kids,” the senator said.

He said the indie film festival may be shown during the semestral break in May instead.

“The audience turnout (during last year’s MMFF) has been low prompting a number of theaters to drop some films from its list of movies being screened,” Sotto said.

“Independent films must be

light—separate from the mainstream films that can take or divide the attention from them —from the public in general,” he added.

Now on its 42nd year, the MMFF introduced significant changes for entry criteria.

Previously, 50 percent was alloted to a film’s commercial viability.

FULLY LOADED. The driver of this motorcycle can barely be seen with his cargo of several used tires dwarfing him. Manny Palmero

PNP sets gun ban in Cebu ’til Jan 18 CEBU CITY—The Philippine National Police has imposed a gun ban in the entire city and province of Cebu starting today (Monday) until Jan. 18 as part of security measures for the Sinulog festival and the Ms. Universe pageant’s swimwear competition.

PNP chief Dir. Gen. Ronald Dela Rosa said gun owners are prohibited from carrying firearms outside of their homes.

Dela Rosa’s order was posted by Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, deputy mayor on police matters, on his Facebook account.

“Only members of the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other law enforcement agencies who are performing official duties and in agency-prescribed uniforms will be allowed to carry firearms,” he said.

Civilians, off-duty cops, military personnel, and security personnel who will be found carrying guns outside their houses will be arrested for illegal possession of firearms.

Police Regional Office director Chief Supt Noli Talino, earlier requested Dela Rosa to allow a special gun ban during the Fiesta Señor celebration, the feast of the Sto. Niño de Cebu and the Sinulog grand parade.

The gun ban period was extended after a decision was made for the the Ms. Universe swimwear competition to be held in Lapulapu City on Jan. 17.

Groups threaten to sue Lopez

By Rio N. Araja THE United Filipino Consumers and Commuters on Sunday criticized Environment Secretary Gina Lopez for her failure to act on alleged anomalous purchase of air quality monitors.

UFCC president Rodolfo Javellana said his group, along with the Coalition of Clean Air Advocates of the Philippines, have already met with Lopez in August last year to thresh out the details of the questionable purchase, but to no avail.

Javellana appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to look into the irregular procurement of air quality monitors.

“Consumers, commuters and environmental advocates will file charges against Lopez before the Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday,” the group told Manila Standard.

Javellana said since 2003, the Environmental Management Bureau made several purchases of air quality monitors.

He said the purchases were grossly disadvantageous to the government due to the “incompatibility of the monitoring system with the unique needs of the country.”

Most of the monitors were not properly working, he added.

“She promised us an immediate investigation. She even said this time there will be no whitewash [but to no avail],” Javellana said.

Sports

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MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Near-sweep for QC bets in Cebuana tilt IT WAS a near sweep for Quezon City bets in the postChristmas leg of the Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series held at the Camp Aguinaldo Tennis Club last Dec. 26 to 30, with the local players winning eight of the nine age-group categories contested, led by the trio of Mikah Rosales, Adeline Abadia, and Norman Gaspar, who won two titles each.

Rosales posted straight-set wins over separate opponents, beating Nicole Mercado from Bulacan, 6-3, 6-3, for the 18under girls’ title, while earlier, she also defeated Valenzuela’s Ruth Demafelis, 6-2, 6-4, in the 16-under finals of the tournament also supported by Dunlop Sport, with Dunlop as the official ball.

Abadia duplicated the feat, sweeping Alyssa Rosales, 6-2, 6-1 for the 12-under title and fashioning out a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Demafelis in the 14-under finals.

Meanwhile, Gaspar went home with the boys’ 18-under and 16-under crowns after sweeping Bacoor City bet

Rising star Thomas leads with 18-under LOS ANGELES—Justin Thomas is doing his best to avoid a repeat of his lacklustre start to 2016, shooting a six-under 67 Saturday to seize sole possession of the lead at the USPGA Tournament of Champions.

Thomas was at 18-under 201 after firing his third straight 67 heading into Sunday’s final round at the Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii.

The 23-year-old American had a two-shot lead over the hottest player in the game, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (66), who is seeking his fifth win in his last six tournaments worldwide.

Asked what it is going to take to win on Sunday, Thomas said, “I am not sure. That is the thing, you don’t know what everyone else is going to do.

“So saying that, I just need to go out and keep doing what I am doing.”

Second round co-leader Ryan Moore was tied for third at 14-under with fellow Americans Jimmy Walker and William McGirt.

World number one Jason Day of Australia has his work cut out for him as the Australian was tied for 13th at 10-under following a three-under 70.

After getting off to a flat start last season, when he missed the cut at the Sony Open in Waialae, Hawaii, and the Career Builder Challenge in La Quinta, California, Thomas was mindful of being ready for 2017.

“I am just looking for a chance to win,” he said. “That is why we enter each tournament, or at least why I do. It is nice to be able to put yourself in an opportunity in the first event of the year.”

A rising star on the Tour, he posted six other top-10 finishes last season. He’s got two USPGA titles to his credit, successfully defending his CIMB Classic title in Malaysia in October as the tour’s 2016-17 season was getting underway.

In Saturday’s third round, Thomas fashioned a string of three straight birdies beginning at the par-four third hole. He added an eagle on the par-four 14th and punctuated the round with a birdie at 18.

His only stumble came when he made bogey at the seventh.

“I am not disappointed but I left a lot our there,” Thomas said.

“That is always a good thing because I can just go work on it and improve.”

Matsuyama, who briefly held the lead in the second round, birdied all four par-fives on Saturday. His eight total birdies included five in a seven-hole stretch starting at the par-five ninth. AFP

Laurenz Quitara, 6-2, 6-2, in the 18-under finals, and another easy 6-2, 6-3 triumph over Aldwyn Rosales in an all-Quezon City finale in the 16-under.

“This year, we kept on seeing new names emerging champions in different tournaments and it shows that this Cebuana Lhuillier agegroup tennis series is indeed serving its purpose of discovering young tennis talents,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier and current Philippine Tennis Association Chairman.

Rosales consoled himself with his earlier victory in the 14-under finals, where he beat Rainier Angelo Selmar, 6-2, 6-4. Angelo Rosales, meanwhile, had an easy time beating Valenzuela City’s Daniel Mera, 6-3, 6-3, in the boys’ 12-under finale, while Valenzuela bets JR Salangsang and Edsef dela Torre prevented a complete sweep by Quezon City as they met in the finals of the 10-under unisex group with Salangsang prevailing, 4-1, 4-1.

GOLF CLUB READY. The Pradera Golf Club, the newest, gem of a course in Lubao, Pampanga, has been spruced up to championship condi-

tion and is ready to challenge the field clashing in the first-ever Pradera Ladies Golf Challenge on Jan. 15-17. The Ryder Cup-style format event pits the top Filipino junior and amateurs players against their counterparts from Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia with the perpetual Pradera trophy going to the first team to score 15.5 points in four-ball, best ball and singles matches.

Catalan expects big reward

R

ene Catalan expects big reward with win over Indonesian foe Aa Rene Catalan crosses paths with a highly-touted prospect like Adrian Matheis, the Filipino fighter sees a big reward if he will play his cards right.

The 38-year-old Iloilo City native is set to square off with Matheis on the undercard of ONE: Quest for Power, which takes place at the Jakarta Convention Center in Jakarta, Indonesia Jan. 14.

Catalan hopes that if he secures a decisive win over Matheis, it will grant him a date with Yoshitaka Naito for the ONE Strawweight World Championship belt later this year.

“Every fighter dreams to become a world champion. I really

hope that ONE Championship will give me an opportunity to fight for the title in the future.

This fight might be the door to a world title fight. Let us all hope for the best,” he said.

Matheis is one of the possible options to lock horns with Naito after winning the ONE: Titles & Titans Strawweight Tournament this past August.

The 23-year-old Indonesian standout defeated compatriots Rustam Hutajulu and Roso Nugroho via scintillating knockouts to bring home the tourney trophy.

A victory over Catalan will only strengthen Matheis’ campaign to secure a date with the reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion in 2017.

However, Catalan plans to derail his Indonesian opponent’s championship aspirations and cement his position as the rightful contender for

Naito’s gold-plated strap.

“I want that opportunity to fight for the title. If he wins, he might get the title shot that I seek.

You will never know if your next fight will be a title fight. That’s why you have to give your best in every fight,” he stated.

The Filipino Wushu veteran is confident that he will have his hand raised against Matheis, lauding his intense preparation for his first fight in 2017.

With the aim to be a more versatile fighter than his cage counterpart, Catalan revealed that he worked extensively on his ground game in training camp.

“For this fight, I added more emphasis to my ground game.

Even though I am coming off a win, I shouldn’t be complacent.

I trained with the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners in the country to hone my grappling skills,” he bared.

Although both men possess

superb striking pedigrees, Catalan believes that he still has the upper hand in the stand-up department.

“I still believe that my striking is better than his stand-up game. I am very comfortable in that aspect. If he wants to strike with me, it will be my pleasure,” he pointed out.

Catalan, who is coming off a lopsided decision win over China’s Zhang You Liang last September, looks to take ONE Championship’s growing strawweight division by storm.

“My win in September is the first step. There’s more to come.

I will not stop winning until I get the ONE World Strawweight Championship belt,” he ended.

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

Novak regrets throwing ball into Qatar net crowd

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic poses with the winner’s trophy after beating Britain’s Andy Murray during their final tennis match at the ATP Qatar Open in Doha. AFP

DOHA—Novak Djokovic said he did not intentionally hit a ball into the crowd during his Qatar Open final against Andy Murray, an incident which threatened to take the gloss off his victory.

The incident happened in the sixth game of the first set when Djokovic, upset at losing a point, fired a ball into the stands which then f lew into the crowd, apparently striking a female spectator.

The Serb received a warning for the incident and a further warning for smashing his racket in the second set saw him deducted a point.

Djokovic, who won the absorbing contest 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, told reporters he was unaware that the ball hadhit someone and said it was an accident.

“It was not intentional at all,” he said. “Of course people get hit, especially in the first rows, from big serves and so forth.”

Pressed on whether it was

acceptable behaviour, the world number two said no and added: “I definitely didn’t want to hit the ball at anybody.”

“I have to be more careful, I guess, in the future.”

But he admitted that the consequences could have been far worse, in terms of the on-court penalty he received.

It is not the first time he has been involved in such an incident.

Last year at the French Open, the Serb admitted he was lucky not to be disqualified in his quarter-final against Tomas Berdych.

During that match, frustrated at missing a break point, Djokovic went to smash his racquet into the ground but it slipped out of his grasp, flying into a backwall.

Had it hit a nearby line judge, who was forced to take evasive action, Djokovic would have been automatically disqualified. AFP

India gets 1st regular season live FB game NEW YORK—NBA fans in India will see the league’s first streaming of a regular-season game via Facebook Live on Sunday when Golden State visits the Sacramento Kings, the league announced Saturday.

The Kings, owned by Indiaborn technology businessman Vivek Ranadive, will be hosting their fourth annual Bollywood Night—celebrating India culture, music and cinema—around the contest.

The game will be geo-targeted to fans in India over the Facebook pages of the NBA, Kings and Golden State Warriors.

The stream will feature the new NBA Mobile View feed that delivers closer images of game action optimized for viewing on smaller screens of phones and tablets.

The NBA boasts more than one million Facebook likes from India and the first live sports program on Facebook Live, NBA TV coverage of training camps in 2015.

Golden State has the NBA’s best record at 31-6 and past Most Valuable Players Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. The Kings are 15-21, ninth in the Western Conference.

Forecasts for severe weather Saturday has prompted the NBA to postpone the scheduled Portland Trail Blazers home game against the Detroit Pistons, the league announced.

The contest was moved to Sunday night. Neither team has a game on Monday but both are on the road Tuesday.

Heavy snow, high winds and accumulating ice were predicted for the Portland area and much of Oregon on Saturday night.

The Trail Blazers, 16-22, own the eighth and final playoff position in the Western Conference by percentage points over Sacramento despite losing seven of their past 10 games. AFP

Color Manila at Mall of Asia grounds lures 12,000 runners LOTTO RESULTS COLOR Manila, the country’s biggest ‘concept fun-run’ organizer, just kicked off its fifth year with a sold-out event at Mall of Asia Grounds Sunday.

The event’s fifth year, which had a ‘tribal concept’ had 12,000 participants who witnessed fire dancers, break dancers and of course, the infamous ‘Color Manila Festival’.

The New Year’s theme was also carried over in the program, with hosts which included Sam YG, who yelled to the huge crowd “Are you ready for a fresh start, a new life for 2017?”

TV Host Karylle, who has been consistently joining Color Manila Run said: “I join the run every year because of its great vibe, it has the New Year’s vibe, such great energy.

You can come with friends and have a colorful, messy, but happy start for the year; at the same time, make positive changes in your life.”

Volcanoes’ Chris Everingham, the event ambassador said: “It is an amazing run, it is just a great event to be in.

If you want to kick off your year, it is the best way to do it. There’s party, there’s col-

or, there’s people; it is just all rolled into one.”

Celebrities who were also spotted during the event include Gerald Anderson, Jake Cuenca, Kuya Kim, Sheena Halili, Ms. Earth winner Angelia Ong, Valerie Concepcion, Ico Ejercito, Dyan Castillejo and Melissa Gohing.

For more information, please visit www.colormanilarun.com.

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

Sports

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

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MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017

Only NSAs with good results will get PSC aid

Rain or Shine’s Jeff Chan leaves Phoenix’s Cyrus Baguio behind as he attacks the basket in a PBA game won by the Elasto Painters, 97-82.

Painters maul Fuel Masters

By Jeric Lopez

G

IVEN the chance to firm its hold on second place, Rain or Shine had one of its finest performances of the conference, dismantling Phoenix with ease, 97-82, for its second straight win in the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

It was a relatively easy night for the Elasto Painters as they came out with the full arsenal, taking over from start to finish en route to securing another win.

Jericho Cruz was steady for Rain or Shine, scoring a team-high 21 points, including five triples, to go with eight rebounds off the bench as he continued to be solid all-around.

“Naka-adjust kami and I was just trying to play my game. I’m surprised coach played me more min-

utes since I had a flu and it worked well,” said Cruz.

He got help from veteran gunners Jeff Chan and James Yap, who scored 12 and 10 points, respectively.

This dominant victory allowed Rain or Shine to tighten its hold on second place as it improved to 5-2 for the tournament. It also kept in-step with league-leading San Miguel (6-1) as they are only separated by a single game.

At the other end, Phoenix continued to be inconsistent as it now fell to 4-4, down at the middle of the pack after splitting its last two games.

Rain or Shine already grasped a double-digit advantage at the end of the first frame, taking a 30-20 lead.

It never looked back and kept its safe distance the rest of the way, even leading by 20 points, 69-49, halfway the third, and avoiding any complications as the Fuel Masters failed to impose a serious threat.

NATIONAL sports associations, which will not be productive in the coming 2017 Southeast Asian Games, should consider looking for private sponsors and corporate backers to support their programs.

Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez said this after he and members of the board of commissioners concluded a three-day conference with officials of various national sports associations at the Tagaytay Highlands.

Ramirez said that once the SEA Games is over, the PSC will focus on at least 10 productive NSAs. He lauded the example made by NSAs like the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and the Philippine Taekwondo Association.

The three NSAs, according to Ramirez, have not relied much on government support and managed to get the private sector and their corporate backers deeply involved in their programs.

“The NSAs have to look deeper into their organization and younger people who can help them in their research, marketing and information technology and not depend totally on government because money is not enough, especially when we are going to focus on 10 to 20 sports. They should follow the support track of track and field, SBP and taekwondo,” said Ramirez.

Ramirez talked about the involvement of the private sector and the corporations involved in their programs with heads of NSAs like PATAFA chief and former PSC Chairman Philip Ella Juico present.

Juico, who was acknowledged for being the first chairman who pushed for the creation of the Philippine Sports Institute during his time with the PSC, was one of the NSA heads present along with gymnastics’ Cynthia Carrion, squash’s Robert Bachman and shooting’s Richard Fernandez.

The PSC chief told the NSAs that the corporations and the private sector should also have big roles in the programs of the NSAs, and not just government. Peter Atencio

Lim, Huey Thai, Saso run away joining 2017 with PH Am crowns Aussie Open

By Peter Atencio SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Alberto “AJ” Lim Jr., who climbed higher in the world rankings this month, will join Fil-American Treat Huey in his quest for glory in the 2017 Australian Open.

Lim, now ranked no. 38 in the International Tennis Federation junior rankings, will be taking part in the junior division for the second straight year.

The last time around, Lim lost in the first round to Spanish rival Eduardo Bartrina, 4-6, 0-6.

He climbed 18 rungs higher from no. 52 last month after joining the Metropolia Orange Bowl International Tennis Championship and making it to the first round.

Two months ago, reaching the quarterfinals of the Eddie Herr netfest in Florida, helped him move up in the rankings as well.

Also, two ITF men’s futures events in Hong Kong last December got Lim ready for action.

But an ankle sprain in the second set forced him to retire in his first-round match with British rival Jay Clarke.

“There will be a lot of risk with injuries if I continued playing that game,” said Lim in a radio interview.

SILANG, Cavite—Thai Sadom Kaewkanjana and Fil-Japanese Yuka Saso closed out with identical one-under 71s and completed their domination of their respective sides in the 2017 Philippine Amateur Golf Championship at the Riviera’s Couples course here yesterday.

Bracing for a shootout with Japanese Yuto Katsuragawa and Korean Joo Hyung Kim, Kaewkanjana instead romped off with a blowout as his rivals failed to mount a final round charge in ideal condition, enabling the Thai to cruise to a seven-shot victory on a 35-36 for a 72-hole total of 283 in the men’s division of the event held under the PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour.

He spiked his runaway triumph with a near-flawless 67 Saturday that saw Kaewkanjana surge from five-down to three-up as two-day leader Katsuragawa fumbled with a 75 with the latter failing to recover and finished with a 77 marred by a triple-bogey 8 on No. 11. Katsuragawa wound up third at 292 with Joo snatching runner-up honors with a 290 after a 70 in the country’s premier championship sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, Smart and Metro Pacific Investment Corp.

Aniceto Mandanas carded a 73 to place fourth at 294 while

Carl Corpus shot a 74 for fifth at 296 followed by Paolo Wong (72-299), Korean Junha Jang (75-304), Lucas Lam (75-305), and Dan Cruz and Ira Alido who tied for ninth at 306 after a 72 and 74, respectively.

Saso, meanwhile, completed a wire-to-wire victory in ladies play in the tournament organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines, coasting to a whopping nine-shot win on a 279 aggregate despite a double-bogey, bogey-par finish.

That shaky windup hardly mattered for the 16-year-old reigning World Junior Girls’ champion as she secured the crown with a four-birdie feat after 15 holes, posting leads of as many as 12 shots heading to the last three holes.

Hee Ji Kim of Korea rallied with two birdies at the back for a 72 as she took runner-up honors with a 288 while last year’s champion Harmie Constantino shot a second 72 to settle for third at 290 followed by Thai Pajaree Anannarukan (73-292) Malaysian Nur Durriyah Damian (74-296), Korean Ji Hyeon Lee (77-299), Hwang Min Jeong, also of Korea (70-300), Lois Go (71-304) and Katie Kim of Malaysia and Bianca Pagdanganan, who ended up tied at ninth at 316 after a 74 and 77, respectively.

Thai Sadom Kaewkanjana (left) and Fil-Japanese Yuka Saso hold their huge trophies after dominating their respective divisions in the 2017 Philippine Amateur Golf Championship.

Techwerk leads Atlanta Pipes cage champs POWERHOUSE Techwerk Basketball Club reigned supreme in the recent edition of the Atlanta Pipes Basketball Championship organized by the Brotherhood Basketball League at the Trinity Gym in Quezon City.

The Techwerk of Steven Lim swept their best-of-three finals against GPI [Guevara &Partners], 79-67 and 75-65 in the Blazemaster Division of Atlanta

cagefest.

Eton Five of Lucio Tan outclassed Ironcon cagers of Jimi Lim,74-66, in their winnertake-all encounter in the Flowguard Division for the title of the league headed by Atlanta Pipes President Hubert Chan and chaired by Erick Kirong of BBL. In the Duragon Division, Irontrade Ballclub pulled one for Jimi Lim’s franchise via

close victory against Alpha Seven ,45-42.

Tournament Commissioner is Rommel Divino.

Meanwhile, BBL head Erick Kirong announced the 2017 edition of BBL Invitational Basketball Tournament is open for registration/confirmation to participating teams starting tomorrow.

For details, contact tel. no.

09175840168.

Westbrook’s 17th triple-double leads Thunder past Nuggets; Spurs, Bulls, Celtics win LOS ANGELES—Oklahoma City star Russell Westbrook notched his 17th triple-double of the season Saturday, leading the Thunder to a 121-106 home win over the Denver Nuggets.

Westbrook, who leads the NBA in scoring and is averaging a triple-double, produced 32 points, 17 rebounds and 11 assists in the 54th triple-double of his career.

His seven three-pointers were one

shy of the career-high eight he delivered in a loss to Houston on Thursday, but the fiery point guard had plenty of help from the Thunder’s big men in the convincing win over the short-handed Nuggets.

“I think on both ends of the floor, we decided to go big,” Thunder reserve center Enes Kanter of Turkey said. “And we did an amazing job on both ends.

Not just offensively. Both ends we put

matchup pressure on them.”

Oklahoma City’s Kiwi center Steven Adams added 16 points and four blocked shots for a Thunder team that out-scored the Nuggets in the paint 56-48.

- Spurs notch 30th win In San Antonio, rookie reserve forward Davis Bertans of Latvia scored a career-high 21 points as the Spurs posted their 30th win of the season, 102-85 over the Charlotte Hornets.

The Atlanta Hawks extended their unbeaten run to six games with a 97-82 victory over the Mavericks in Dallas.

And the Boston Celtics won their fourth straight with another display of long-range fireworks.

The Celtics drained 18 three-pointers in a 117-108 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. They have made 71 three-pointers in their four-game winning streak.

Another big night for Chicago’s Jimmy Butler helped the Bulls erase a 19-point deficit in a 123-118 overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors.

Butler scored 42 points -- his second 40-plus point performance this week after a 52-point outburst against Charlotte.

The Utah Jazz also rallied from a double-digit deficit, downing the Minnesota Timberwolves 94-92 in Minneapolis. AFP

Malampaya funds eyed to lower rates B3

Business

IN BRIEF Govt defers new effluent standards THE Environment Department deferred the implementation of new effluent standards for all industries, including upstream petroleum exploration.

Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said the Environment Department acted on the request of the Energy Department to hold in abeyance Department Administrative Order No. 2016-08, or the Water Guidelines and General Effluent Standards.

“The DENR under the previous administration came out with new guidelines that were more stringent than international standards. In response, the DOE wrote to the DENR requesting to hold in abeyance the implementation of the said guidelines and the DENR agreed,” Fuentebella said.

He said the department proposed a memorandum of agreement with the Environment Department and the terms of reference that would be used in the sampling of liquids/fluid/water.

“The matter is now with the DENR,” he said.

The new standards earlier raised opposition from the oil and gas industry in the absence of technology that would allow them to comply with the requirements. Alena

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017

B1

SMC told to shut coal plant

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

T

HE regional office of the Environmental Management Bureau in Central Luzon ordered SMC Consolidated Power Corp., a unit of conglomerate San Miguel Corp., to stop any activity inside its coal-fired power plant in Limay, Bataan.

The agency said it also directed the nearby Petron Bataan Refinery to “stop from dumping newlygenerated bottom ash” in the area while the ash spill incident was being investigated.

The two directives, both dated Jan. 6, 2017, were issued by regional director Lormelyn Claudio of EMB Region 3 based in San Fernando City, Pampanga.

The coal power plant was being blamed by some residents for allegedly causing an ash spill.

“Not true news,” San Miguel president Ramon

Ang said Friday, when asked about the Environment Department’s plan to shut down the plant.

Petron’s 180,000 barrel-per-day 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 [Envirbnment], is surrounded by dikes and regularly watered to prevent dispersion,” Petron said.

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

EMB, a line bureau of the Environment Department, is responsible for the implementation of various environmental laws, rules and regulations, including Presidential Decree No. 1586 or the law establishing the Environmental Impact Assessment System that requires an environmental compliance certificate to ensure that a development project will not cause adverse environmental impacts.

EMB issued a notice of alleged violation to SMCCPC and asked the power firm to explain why the ECC for its Limay facility should not be revoked or cancelled due to the ash spill.

EMB gave SMCCPC seven days from receipt of the notice to explain why it should not be penalized under P.D. 1586 and why its ECC should not be revoked or suspended.

EMB also ordered the company to stop further undertaking any activity while the matters were being investigated.

The bureau also ordered the company to attend the technical conference scheduled Monday at the EMB Region 3 office in Pampanga.

“Failure to attend will qualify you to be considered in default and the case shall be resolved based in evidence on record,”EMB said.

Meanwhile, EMB said the latest order against Petron Bataan Refiner was based on the notice of violation it issued against the oil facility on Dec. 28 when the ash spill in Limay was first reported.

EMB said it was inclined to issue a new order against PBR “considering the most recent reports and information on the alleged skin diseases caused by the dumping of bottom ash at [SMCCPC’s] facility.”

SMCCPC and Petron Corp. are both subsidiaries of San Miguel Corp., one of the country’s most diversified and biggest conglomerates.

Mae S. Flores

Megaworld expands Iloilo condo project

PROPERTY developer Megaworld Corp. said it expects to generate P1.35 billion in sales from the newly-expanded residential condominium project in Iloilo Business Park.

Megaworld said in a statement it launched a new wing of Saint Honore residential tower as demand for condominium units continued to soar in Iloilo City.

“We are very happy with how the Ilonggo market has received our fourth residential project in Iloilo Business Park. To date, the North Wing of Saint Honore is now 85-percent sold. That is why we need to advance the launch of the South Wing as we continue to receive more inquiries about this project,” Jennifer Palmares-Fong, vice president for sales and marketing at Iloilo Business Park said.

The South Wing will offer an additional 155 units with shared amenities with the North Wing on the tower’s lifestyle amenity deck including a swimming pool and pool lounge, kiddie pool, Jacuzzi, fitness center, function rooms and a landscaped atrium.

Units in Saint Honore range from studio, one-bedroom to two-bedroom units, with select units having their own balconies.

Jenniffer B. Austria

PTT to open nine more coffee shops

PTT Philippines will open nine more Cafe Amazon coffee shops this year as a part of its diversification into the non-oil business.

PTT Philippines said in a statement Cafe Amazon was a popular coffee shop chain in Thailand being run by parent company PTT Public Company Ltd. Cafe Amazon opened its first branch in the Philippines at PTT Subic-Clark-Tarlax Expressway, the oil firm’s biggest station in the country.

PTT Philippines Corp. president and chief executive Sukanya Seriyothin said the company saw strong business opportunities for the coffee shop.

“Our objective is to complete our stations with facilities that are suited to the lifestyle of present generation. We want to have a full circle service hub where you cannot just gas up but also enjoy other facilities that address your needs,” she said. Alena Mae S. Flores

FISHERS’ LIVELIHOOD. Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol (fourth from right) urges the fishers of Pangasinan to team up with the government to ward off illegal fishing activities that have been threatening the livelihood of thousands of families living in the coastal towns of the province. Piñol said that in exchange, the Agriculture Department would provide livelihood programs to generate income even during the lean season. Shown with Piñol are government officials in Pangasinan and fishers.

MetroPac unit to start building Cavitex-C5 flyover

By Darwin G. Amojelar A UNIT of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. said it expects to start next month the construction of the first phase of the Cavitex C5 South Link.

“The remaining issues are right of way and the construction traffic management with Citra/Somco. With the help of TRB [Toll Regulatory Board], we are ready to start construction next month,” Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. president Luigi Bautista said.

Cavitex asked San Miguel Corp. and

the Citra group of Indonesia, the operator of South Luzon Expressway, for a permission to build a flyover across SLEx, but the two companies have yet to sign the memorandum of agreement.

The three other signatories―Public Works Department, Transportation Department and Cavitex Infrastructure― already signed the deal.

Bautista said the company had a meeting Thursday with TRB and the operator of SLEx. Construction of the first phase of Cavitex C5 South Link was supposed

to start in July last year to link C5 and Merville, Parañaque by way of a flyover. The second phase, which would start in 2017 to link Merville and Cavitex, would cost P9.5 billion.

Cavitex C5 South Link will allow residents from Cavite, Las Piñas and parts of Parañaque to avoid Edsa and take a direct link to and from C5 to Cavitex.

Bautista said the new expressway, which was expected to be completed in 2019, would add 40,000 to 45,000 vehicle traffic per day, on top of the 130,000 vehicles currently using Cavitex.

C5 South Link will ultimately connect with R1 Expressway (Coastal Road) and provide fast, safe and convenient travel for motorists going to and from Parañaque, Las Piñas and Cavite and for Paranaque residents in Multinational, Moonwalk and Merville villages.

Bautista said the new expressway would not only decongest the Parañaque villages, but would also provide easier travel from Taguig, Makati, Pasay, Pasig, Quezon City and other northern areas to Manila, Las Piñas and Cavite province.

SSS plans to redevelop Makati building

By Gabrielle H. Binaday STATE-RUN Social Security System said it plans to redevelop its idle and old properties such as an old building on a prime location in Makati City in partnership with real estate developers to gain better yield for the fund.

SSS president and chief executive Emmanuel Dooc said in an interview that redeveloping and renovating idle real estate properties would fetch their desired returns.

“The new investment plan may call for redevelopment of idle properties or existing properties which are not fetching the desired return,” Dooc said.

He said these properties could include the old SSS building along Ayala Ave. in Makati City.

“That’s an old building, but if we want to maximize the returns for that, we have to put up a new building. It could be in partnership with another named developer,” Dooc said.

Dooc said a property consultant would present this week before the Social Security Commission partnership plans with commercial developers such as Ayala Land Inc. and Federal Land. The consultant may also present a plan for developing the project on its own.

SSS chairman Amado Valdez also disclosed a plan to invest in infrastructure projects under the public-private partnership scheme.

The fund pushes for direct capital infusion in tollway construction under the PPP to generate lifetime income and to provide more meaningful benefits to members.

“In the past, SSS invested in South Luzon Tollways through corporate bonds which generated a yield of close to seven percent. This time, we want to explore the possibility of funding projects for new tollways, income of which is for a lifetime. We plan to invest 25 to 30 percent of our reserve fund in these road development projects and we expect the same rate of return, if not better,” Valdez said.

“SSS seeks to include new investment vehicles where SSS can invest their reserve fund without compromising the basic investment principles of safety, good yield and liquidity.

We hope that this legislation will be passed immediately to help us in our pursuit to increase the income of the agency and enhance the benefits for our members,” Valdez said.

Dooc said SSS invited the PPP Center to make a presentation on PPP projects.

He said SSS officials were aware of the liquidity requirement of the system. “We have many liabilities like this pension, so there must be balance between our liquidity position and our investment position which may give us better yield,” he said.

CEBUANA’S EXPANSION. Aiming to cultivate partner relations for its international remittance business, Cebuana Lhuillier executives embarked on a month-long visit in the Persian Gulf region. Led by Cebuana Lhuillier Services Corp. vice president Philippe Andre Lhuillier (second from left), the team traveled to the Middle East to meet existing, new and potential remittance partners.

B2

Business

MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market likely to keep momentum

By Jenniffer B. Austria

S

TOCKS are expected to sustain their upward momentum this week, after the strong rally in the first trading week of the year on the back of the recovery of emerging markets.

“With the Fed rate hike factored in, investors are seemingly focused on the Fed minutes’ emphasis on growth which should lead to improved funds flow,” 2TradeAsia. com said.

“Even as caution was raised on the pace of inflation, or with the incoming Trump administration’s policies, players have become more alert in reinvesting their cash, to partake on expected upward revisions in economic and

earnings outlook this year,” it said.

RCBC Securities said last week’s week’s steep ascent could make the market vulnerable to profit-taking.

“If that happens, 6,900 and 7,100 levels could offer buying windows. On the other hand, the market may sustain its gains until it tests the 7,300 resistance where failure may mean correction and success a shoot for 7,500” RCBC Securities said.

First Metro Investments Corp. also predicted that the index would reach 7,500 level this year on sustained economic growth.

First Metro assistant vice president Cristina Ulang said the catalysts for market’s strong performance this year would include positive GDP growth, implementation of various infrastructure projects and strong corporate earnings.

The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange index jumped nearly 6 percent in the first trading week to close at 7,248.20 on Jan. 6, supported by strong foreign buying.

The broader all-share index also climbed 4.8 percent as all counters ended in the green led by property which climbed 7 percent, holding firms which advanced 5.9 percent and services which went up 5.8 percent.

Foreign investors were net buyers by P1.6 billion as total foreign buying hit P15.2 billion while foreign selling amounted to P13.65 billion.

Average daily turnover improved to P7.2 billion from the previous week’s average of P4.35 billion.

Among the top gainers were DoubleDragon Properties Corp. which jumped 29 percent to P49.50, Security bank Corp. which advanced 15 percent to P218.40 and Globe Telecom Inc. which rose 11.6 percent to P1,684.

Heavy losers included Berjaya Philippines Inc. which lost 16 percent to P5.29, PhilWeb Corp. which declined 5.7 percent to P9.99 and Roxas and Co. Inc. which dropped by 3.9 percent to P2.25.

GMA-7, ABS-CBN claim higher ratings

By Darwin G. Amojelar GMA Network Inc. and ABSCBN Corp. both claimed higher television ratings in 2016.

GMA Network, citing the results of Nielsen TV Audience Measurement, said it registered a total day people audience share of 37.3 percent in National Urban Television Audience Measurement for the period January to December 2016, ahead of ABS-CBN’s 37.1 percent.

GMA grabbed the nationwide lead from ABS-CBN, based on people shares in September 2016

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

JANUARY 3-6, 2017 Close Volume

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. First Abacus I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp.

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

3.81 48.15 113.70 92.00 38.3 3.84 1.45 16.2 18.9 6.55 0.71 1.74 823.00 0.640 76.5 0.78 14.2 22.00 553.00 90.05 130 245 35 218.4 1691.00 75.00 1.23

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Basic Energy Corp.

Bogo Medelin C. Azuc De Tarlac Cemex Holdings Century Food Chemphil Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ Conc. Aggr. ‘B’ Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) EEI Euro-Med Lab First Gen Corp.

First Holdings ‘A’ Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp.

Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A’ MG Holdings Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Pilipinas Shell Phinma Corporation Phinma Energy Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings San Miguel ‘Pure Foods `A’ Shakeys Pizza SPC Power Corp.

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

43.45 4.47 0.87 1.38 19.5 0.200 86.05 19.10 11.68 16.04 160 91 118 23 60 1.99 6.46 12.26 11.800 7.30 5.18 6.36 1.78 21.85 68.5 13.00 16.48 6.11 1.620 213.00 70.05 2.8 3.8 28.80 29.9 28 14.86 277.60 0.249 5.21 3.21 9.75 3.8 71.45 11.70 2.35 5.78 1.48 4.96 5.00 2.25 2.76 229 11.66 4.39 0.143 1.53 169.2 4.48 1.86 34.65 1.15

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A’ ATN Holdings A Ayala Corp `A’ Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘A’ F&J Prince ‘B’ Filinvest Dev. Corp.

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Keppel Holdings `A’ Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

LT Group Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Pacifica `A’ Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion Republic Glass ‘A’ San Miguel Corp `A’ Seafront `A’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.415 74.80 13.40 1.19 6.00 0.305 786.5 8.79 13.10 5.34 6.5 8.14 0.186 1337 5.90 74.00 4.01 4.06 8.04 1.25 13.2 0.455 6.91 0.0380 1.200 2.020 2.60 97.70 2.5 690.00 1.27 0.89 264.600 0.3000 0.1860 0.255

8990 HLDG Anchor Land Holdings Inc. A. Brown Co., Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

Double Dragon Empire East Land Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc.

7.610 6.30 1.11 2.370 0.460 34.500 3.18 5.14 0.570 1.05 1.460 0.183 0.600 49.5 0.700 1.02 1.68

Value

FINANCIAL 3,468,290.00 18,825,420.00 1,848,038,639 690,136,133.00 9,156,620.00 26,460.00 2,176,080.00 2,553,744.00 16,232,836.00 3,930 7,780 145,230.00 998,390.00 40,794,930.00 930,089,314.00 348,510.00 1,651,512.00 28,635.00 5,108,628.00 1,370,666.50 138,126.00 14,581,060.00 3,531,695 1,331,826,156.00 800,770 13,453,338.50 122,550.00 INDUSTRIAL 15,697,900 678,618,820.00 3,556,000 15,879,430.00 1,827,000 1,569,440.00 4,487,000 5,943,530.00 34,000 654,333.00 1,260,000 248,440.00 270 23,428.50 45,800 911,040.00 38,289,500 435,087,638.00 10,140,000 162,991,460 1,010 143,409.00 2,670 242,435.00 930 102,865.00 207,500 4,712,775.00 847,370 50,752,344 649,000 1,258,420.00 1,806,600 11,685,056.00 118,000 1,450,332.00 18,276,500 215,265,138.00 3,490,400 25,215,125.00 37,183,500 191,951,373.00 1,870,500 11,611,209.00 4,000 7,090.00 7,556,900 164,231,795.00 724,580 49,395,216.00 19,800 254,290.00 1,940,300 31,923,588.00 1,164,900 7,102,506.00 3,350,000 5,570,190.00 2,986,290 623,158,976.00 1,550 110,976.50 219,000 567,270.00 17,000 61,560.00 6,000 164,685.00 5,506,500 162,924,660.00 2,310,600 61,805,655.00 4,765,000 71,139,036.00 1,778,470 493,352,592.00 130,000 31,300.00 6,100 30,951.00 27,045,000 87,087,690.00 38,667,000 384,818,139.00 10,000 38,900.00 4,982,520 354,201,864.50 4,000 46,850.00 18,191,000 41,750,240.00 1,845,700 10,568,253.00 2,062,000 3,031,080.00 1,090,700 5,275,783.00 25,020,000 125,104,421.00 7,000 15,450.00 424,000 1,177,260.00 17,200 3,953,902.00 10,818,800 126,397,910.00 68,000 291,950.00 5,080,000 732,180.00 1,377,000 2,170,840.00 6,870,410 1,147,521,370 22,000 97,120.00 73,570,000 130,980,920.00 6,600 218,540.00 157,000 168,950.00 HOLDING FIRMS 35,890,000 15,079,400.00 6,886,420 503,476,395.00 29,112,000 384,406,542.00 349,000 392,190.00 596,400 3,577,857.00 2,230,000 678,150.00 1,558,180 1,202,475,190 5,689,600 49,477,216.00 39,369,100 525,663,854.00 36,100 199,704.00 6,100 39,748.00 766,400 6,220,542.00 930,000 173,680.00 447,190 595,864,490.00 18,200 106,026.00 9,704,760 705,296,985.00 1,000 4,010.00 200 812.00 11,676,000 91,247,948.00 31,682,000 38,184,620.00 7,857,300 102,279,040.00 20,000 9,100.00 106,506,000 722,689,570.00 69,900,000 2,625,700.00 1,000 1,200.00 4,290,000 8,519,910.00 140,000 360,120.00 1,192,070 115,577,138.50 1,000 2,500.00 1,744,460 1,176,984,905.00 3,599,000 4,601,580.00 132,000 110,760.00 19,150 5,033,966.00 4,340,000 1,273,300.00 2,690,000 515,460.00 1,600,000 398,510.00 PROPERTY 705,700 5,311,741.00 25,800 159,489.00 4,302,000 4,723,590.00 2,678,000 6,416,660.00 45,486,000 33,605,650.00 42,685,000 1,448,778,750.00 16,431,000 52,433,770.00 30,000 153,950.00 26,846,000 15,185,240.00 130,000 135,870.00 6,308,000 9,114,250.00 321,400,000 57,416,320.00 36,499,000 21,671,600.00 5,278,200 243,836,385.00 142,000 99,690.00 26,119,000 26,836,500.00 66,672,000 105,635,590.00 912,000 392,200 16,335,670 7,599,610 239,100 7,000 1,574,000 158,000 867,100 600 11,000 83,000 1,270 63,896,000 12,291,340 450,000 115,700 1,300 92,510 15,220 1,020 60,730 101,000 6,305,730 480 179,480 99,000

DECEMBER 27-29, 2016 Close Volume Value 3.49 47.95 112.10 88.80 38 3.79 1.35 16.1 18.54 6.60 0.73

96,000 50,800 4,141,700 3,173,510 266,900 3,000 114,000 32,100 226,500 51,300 1,486,000

329,380.00 2,433,645.00 453,696,449 281,527,689.50 10,159,775.00 11,370.00 156,450.00 516,394.00 4,181,424.00 339,540 1,025,140

780.00 0.570 72.6 0.77 14.36 24.70 54.60 90 145 238.4 33.55 190 1631.00 74.60 1.25

10 3,962,000 3,866,040 593,000 148,000 1,400 196,720 2,720 1,520 79,550 387,300 1,680,120 515 148,780 28,000

7,800.00 2,251,450.00 279,946,590.50 456,020.00 2,105,448.00 32,220.00 10,733,383.00 242,630.00 218,880.00 19,088,612.00 13,052,130 325,130,635.00 841,940 11,100,227.00 35,380.00

41.7 4.6 0.85 1.23 19.6 0.195 97 22.00 11.1 16.18 142 90 121 22.9 58 1.85 6.47 12.9 11.400 7.00 5.15 6.12

4,901,400 10,449,000 1,516,000 1,258,000 37,300 1,810,000 1,030 3,900 14,048,300 5,422,000 250 970 1,800 13,205,800 33,640 980,000 212,300 255,100 14,261,100 6,508,100 20,713,500 1,848,500

207,395,600.00 47,995,880.00 1,228,460.00 1,565,030.00 741,595.00 337,220.00 91,438.00 83,160.00 158,571,550.00 87,060,610 35,740.00 88,995.00 223,270.00 300,513,600.00 2,013,800 1,821,070.00 1,362,934.00 3,172,416.00 159,159,402.00 46,369,539.00 104,811,281.00 11,360,741.00

22 67.9 12.70 16.50 6.08 1.580 194.00 74.95 2.58 3.83

11,058,500 232,340 2,100 348,700 697,900 1,121,000 1,237,290 1,130 27,000 4,000

237,308,430.00 15,747,514.50 26,680.00 5,753,350.00 4,226,743.00 1,688,100.00 244,383,191.00 81,755.00 70,310.00 15,320.00

29 25 14.8 265.00 0.249 5.10 3.24 9.95 4 69.8 11.80 2.13 5.64 1.37 5 5.10

4,442,500 1,455,100 1,148,800 527,020 20,000 4,200 6,719,000 2,892,300 384,000 3,515,350 4,211,000 3,193,000 1,280,600 287,000 298,000 5,541,000

126,691,030.00 36,136,250.00 17,035,552.00 140,029,288.00 4,840.00 21,588.00 22,148,120.00 28,804,898.00 1,465,190.00 245,229,059.50 9,067,190.00 6,801,950.00 7,273,843.00 395,280.00 1,484,015.00 26,899,450.00

2.75 231 11.5 4.59 0.140 1.42 163.5 4.6 1.36 31.50 1.12

37,000 12,940 14,479,800 33,000 1,500,000 255,000 2,016,610 18,000 10,780,000 200 123,000

99,300.00 2,966,912.00 166,171,440.00 144,000.00 210,490.00 359,340.00 324,420,470 79,250.00 14,389,080.00 6,300.00 134,000.00

0.415 70.80 12.78 1.20 6.00 0.310 730.5 8.5 13.26 5.75 7.5 8.24 0.190 1270 5.55 67.65 4.3

81,650,000 3,988,060 7,246,800 13,000 290,800 2,850,000 685,900 5,061,800 10,807,100 329,200 10,500 306,700 190,000 311,980 68,000 7,011,310 15,000

34,773,400.00 278,412,805.50 92,076,076.00 15,090.00 1,738,908.00 840,700.00 499,578,685 42,656,590.00 140,106,634.00 1,872,234.00 73,810.00 2,514,815.00 34,300.00 388,015,180.00 375,778.00 479,754,044.50 62,940.00

7.8 1.12 12.56 0.480 6.66 0.0380 1.130 1.900 2.62 92.30 2.5 655.00 1.22 0.83 262.000 0.2850 0.1940 0.249

3,399,900 25,224,000 7,208,400 170,000 104,353,200 26,900,000 1,000 2,233,000 5,000 669,770 79,000 695,910 499,000 220,000 113,960 900,000 100,000 1,290,000

26,337,472.00 29,012,100.00 92,268,154.00 77,300.00 675,163,120.00 995,600.00 1,130.00 4,246,290.00 12,690.00 63,213,373.00 196,450.00 449,855,900.00 602,160.00 180,710.00 29,810,612.00 254,100.00 19,280.00 314,070.00

7.510 6.98 1.04 2.350 0.400 32.000 3.2 4.9 0.550 1.05 1.360 0.156 0.560 38.4 0.690 1.00 1.53

618,600 100 828,000 15,621,000 14,510,000 22,305,500 8,668,000 64,600 9,214,000 160,000 2,462,000 6,950,000 6,866,000 1,146,600 555,000 5,792,000 26,186,000

4,700,305.00 698.00 854,680.00 32,202,270.00 5,810,700.00 698,960,100.00 27,505,750.00 321,720.00 5,042,320.00 168,660.00 3,304,960.00 1,067,350.00 3,819,640.00 44,239,750.00 378,420.00 5,738,470.00 40,352,670.00

STOCKS

JANUARY 3-6, 2017 Close Volume

Interport `A’ Keppel Properties Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’ Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp.

Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

1.20 4.20 3.75 0.147 0.2600 0.415 37.00 3.89 27.30 1.57 3.28 30.00 1.11 7 0.910 5.010

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Apollo Global Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Calata Corp.

Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ.

Discovery World DFNN Inc. FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Golden Haven Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ Imperial Res. `B’ IPeople Inc. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. IPM Holdings Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones LBC Express Leisure & Resorts Macroasia Corp.

Manila Broadcasting Melco Crown Metro Retail NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp.

SSI Group STI Holdings Travellers Waterfront Phils.

7.5 44.45 1.34 0.520 0.047 10.6 5.29 6.40 0.0690 2.55 92.95 9.9 2.2 8.10 952 1684 6.29 16.50 2.85 73.9 16.46 120 13 0.0090 9.00 0.229 1.3300 3.25 15.7 4.25 2.54 18.88 4.08 4.39 2.700 11.26 5.35 3.05 130.00 9.99 1474.00 0.480 1.350 41.00 76.00 6.08 2.73 1.050 3.27 0.345

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Benguet Corp `A’ Benguet Corp `B’ Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto `A’ Lepanto `B’ Manila Mining `A’ Manila Mining `B’ Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Omico Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A’ Oriental Pet. `B’ Petroenergy Res. Corp.

Philex `A’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A’ Semirara Corp.

TA Petroleum United Paragon

0.0034 2.87 5.10 11.00 2.2400 2.3500 0.51 0.480 12.28 3.260 0.265 0.216 0.217 0.0120 0.0120 2.58 8.25 2.87 0.4800 1.1400 0.0120 0.0110 4.15 8.93 3.72 0.0130 132.00 3.08 0.0090

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ Alco Preferred B DD PREF First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3A SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H SMC Preferred I Swift Pref

44.6 548 102.9 103.7 118.9 540 5.9 1020 1025 1.03 105.5 1165 1013 105.1 76.7 80.25 77 77.6 79.8 79.5 78 77.75 1.92

LR Warrant

2.300

Alterra Capital Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Xurpas

9.2 3 4.4 8.76

First Metro ETF

118.8

DECEMBER 27-29, 2016 Close Volume Value

Value

1,223,000 2,000 191,371,000 61,490,000 1,680,000 1,320,000 200 7,603,000 13,992,100 247,000 87,000 67,803,300 22,301,000 3,800 2,524,000 19,470,600

1,475,950.00 8,400.00 709,015,000.00 8,707,400.00 471,400.00 537,950.00 7,965.00 28,290,820.00 373,427,710.00 389,790.00 282,170.00 2,011,216,635.00 24,714,180.00 25,884.00 2,276,260.00 97,797,128.00 SERVICES 108,800 822,725.00 78,800 3,497,380.00 206,000 282,790.00 1,566,000 829,440.00 556,700,000 25,078,000.00 7,200 76,520.00 62,300 347,491 17,851,400 112,694,435.00 60,520,000 4,060,700.00 36,432,000 89,114,950.00 944,500 87,358,485.50 20,800 198,548.00 99,000 235,140 2,016,200 16,771,043.00 440 418,720.00 636,580 1,009,423,005 1,797,300 11,176,316.00 617,900 10,417,872.00 59,654,000 169,028,390.00 6,991,710 509,323,362.50 99,900 1,646,150 870 105,938 100,300 1,292,568.00 17,000,000 153,500.00 1,832,000 16,963,610.00 168,820,000 38,138,120.00 2,567,000 3,388,510.00 42,000 135,760.00 49,400 776,166.00 4,359,000 18,153,310 227,000 545,070.00 3,000 55,168 35,579,000 141,029,950.00 28,332,000 121,072,470.00 36,149,000 100,828,640.00 2,500 28,150.00 101,100 541,987 156,000 471,730.00 180 23,740.00 5,264,300 52,251,655.00 676,235 982,656,040.00 53,670,000 26,087,550.00 152,421,000 195,631,050.00 7,323,600 289,347,460.00 7,347,170 546,710,926.00 5,894,100 35,138,547.00 3,626,000 9,582,430.00 123,804,000 127,503,820.00 2,081,000 6,827,860.00 3,190,000 1,126,750.00 MINING & OIL 668,000,000 2,178,900.00 1,723,000 4,955,850.00 1,279,600 6,456,504.00 3,100 33,652.00 118,000 260,140.00 9,000 20,430.00 1,058,000 539,360.00 7,750,000 3,648,350.00 156,800 1,882,254.00 35,059,000 113,119,140.00 2,270,000 589,850.00 53,160,000 11,155,800.00 9,230,000 1,971,060.00 401,100,000 4,613,700.00 6,500,000 78,000.00 6,997,000 18,167,500.00 23,958,800 194,807,917.00 446,000 1,248,240.00 479,000 228,240.00 2,302,000 2,591,140.00 67,300,000 761,000.00 14,500,000 159,500.00 121,000 499,290.00 14,020,500 125,115,902.00 11,209,000 40,767,630.00 66,000,000 788,500.00 4,550,930 608,843,203.00 75,000 227,540.00 158,000,000 1,317,600.00 PREFERRED 1,002,600 44,221,790.00 410 215,880 127,510 13,132,905 71,350 7,411,722.00 20,030 2,286,500.00 10 5,400.00 3,815,900 22,539,426.00 9,100 9,269,520.00 10,475 10,695,775.00 622,000 640,660 53,820 5,679,014.00 120 138,800.00 1,155 1,180,580.00 1,100 115,610.00 3,470 268,022.00 61,120 4,915,061.50 46,100 3,549,700.00 70,700 5,479,450.00 74,280 5,918,965.00 25,900 2,034,050.00 90,970 7,045,220.00 254,660 19,737,630.00 5,000 9,600.00 WARRANTS & BONDS 904,000 2,026,450.00 SME 1,510,300 14,057,058.00 69,000 199,090.00 1,675,000 7,411,610.00 11,621,900 100,796,950.00 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 45,850 5,409,571.00

1.25

987,000

1,224,820.00

3.57 0.129 0.2800 0.415 30.00 3.38 26.00 1.56 3.27 28.35 1.09 6.95 0.860 4.950

78,996,000 10,800,000 160,000 650,000 900 1,596,000 3,090,600 308,000 9,000 24,310,500 22,998,000 1,000 6,601,000 15,543,000

280,563,810.00 1,386,200.00 42,650.00 259,350.00 27,000.00 5,300,580.00 79,621,370.00 474,440.00 29,270.00 684,049,210.00 24,509,940.00 6,950.00 5,537,960.00 75,735,100.00

7.64 43.8 1.36 0.480 0.042 10.56 6.3 6.15 0.0630 2.26 93

74,600 77,700 449,000 530,000 146,300,000 6,100 67,000 4,534,200 27,540,000 18,474,000 449,070

568,714.00 3,403,705.00 604,660.00 256,650.00 5,843,700.00 64,292.00 381,705 27,665,630.00 1,710,160.00 42,029,340.00 41,619,571.00

8.34 950 1509 6.27 17.00 2.65 71.95 15.48 100 12.48 0.0090 9.05 0.206 1.3100 3.52 15.88 3.96 2.41 17.30 3.78 4.05 2.490 11.24 5.16 3.08 135.00 10.60 1365.00 0.460 1.170 39.00 74.25 5.75 2.55 0.970 3.29 0.345

905,900 520 155,570 863,800 1,342,900 43,576,000 2,152,030 18,200 20 500 29,000,000 1,480,000 27,830,000 1,639,000 2,000 225,500 3,539,000 81,000 2,400 16,599,000 23,498,000 2,890,000 30,000 12,500 12,000 6,218,680 6,833,900 206,955 4,880,000 10,602,000 2,543,200 1,692,480 2,540,200 1,836,000 11,482,000 5,136,000 40,000

7,822,733.00 494,000.00 232,063,640 5,319,707.00 22,558,522.00 115,024,700.00 152,712,449.00 268,648 2,300 5,728.00 260,700.00 13,433,320.00 5,716,220.00 2,131,730.00 7,040.00 3,511,588.00 14,514,070 193,110.00 41,520 63,543,050.00 95,032,600.00 7,110,520.00 332,610.00 63,599 33,820.00 839,522,352.00 75,262,916.00 279,718,785.00 2,237,050.00 12,388,200.00 97,211,800.00 124,516,651.50 14,694,377.00 4,678,270.00 11,200,560.00 17,449,350.00 13,550.00

0.0032 2.62 4.99 10.38 2.2300 2.3200 0.55 0.450 12.38 2.860 0.260 0.196 0.200 0.0110 0.0120 2.43 7.98 2.83 0.5000 1.0600 0.0110

860,000,000 530,000 842,800 2,000 302,000 74,000 135,000 3,580,000 233,600 21,599,000 2,140,000 12,160,000 3,010,000 22,400,000 13,900,000 2,108,000 6,361,300 66,000 50,000 1,080,000 8,400,000

2,769,500.00 1,404,860.00 4,255,310.00 20,080.00 665,940.00 161,130.00 69,080.00 1,650,100.00 2,807,918.00 62,688,640.00 559,300.00 2,366,460.00 587,100.00 247,800.00 166,900.00 5,030,860.00 49,489,191.00 188,400.00 25,000.00 1,110,950.00 96,200.00

4.15 8.60 3.31 0.0120 130.00

61,000 1,951,600 2,371,000 13,600,000 1,610,440

245,590.00 16,787,125.00 7,947,040.00 206,400.00 209,440,011.00

0.0083

13,000,000

110,300.00

44 543 102.6 103.7 121 540 5.85 1016 1020 1.04 110.1

311,300 40 59,850 118,530 280 11,130 2,798,700 10 4,915 773,000 900

13,697,160.00 21,210 6,164,510 12,333,261.00 32,550.00 5,997,575.00 16,487,900.00 10,205.00 5,041,100.00 798,760 99,090.00

1028

15,200

15,647,100.00

80.4 76 78.2 79.5 79.5 77.1 78 2.4

28,970 1,000 41,000 2,500 50 293,750 300 15,000

2,332,662.50 76,000.00 3,205,500.00 198,750.00 3,975.00 22,568,346.00 23,280.00 29,910.00

2.100

699,000

1,489,940.00

9.1 2.84 4.39 7.99

740,300 59,000 2,121,000 12,482,300

6,785,999.00 167,770.00 8,900,960.00 94,047,688.00

113

20,950

2,326,209.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining Apollo Global Manila Mining `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Megaworld Island Info United Paragon Premium Leisure STI Holdings Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

VOLUME 668,000,000 556,700,000 401,100,000 321,400,000 191,371,000 168,820,000 158,000,000 152,421,000 123,804,000 106,506,000

STOCKS SM Prime Holdings Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Ayala Land `B’ Security Bank Ayala Corp `A’ SM Investments Inc. Universal Robina Globe Telecom PLDT Common Metrobank

VALUE 2,011,216,635.00 1,848,038,639 1,448,778,750.00 1,331,826,156.00 1,202,475,190 1,176,984,905.00 1,147,521,370 1,009,423,005 982,656,040.00 930,089,314.00

and has since prevailed over competition by consistently increasing margins.

Leading across all day parts, the Kapuso network said it recorded a people share of 40.3 percent in the fourth quarter, outranking ABS-CBN’s 35.2 percent by 5.1 points.

Coming from a 5.1-share point lead over ABS-CBN in November in NUTAM, GMA scored its strongest performance in 2016 in December with a people audience share of 41.7 percent, equivalent to a 7.8-point margin over ABS-CBN’s 33.9 percent.

Meanwhile, ABS-CBN said data provided by multinational audience measurement firm Kantar Media showed the Kapamilya network posted an average audience share of 45 percent, or 11 percent higher than GMA Network’s 34 percent.

Across all time blocks, ABS-CBN also remained on top especially in primetime where it scored 49 percent, a 16-point lead compared to GMA’s 33 percent.

The primetime block is the most important part of the day when most Filipinos watch TV and advertisers put a larger chunk of their investment to reach more consumers effectively.

ABS-CBN said it also led the morning block with 39 percent versus GMA’s 35 percent; the noontime block with 44 percent versus GMA’s 35 percent; and afternoon block with 44 percent versus GMA’s 35 percent.

Ayala to issue P10-b bonds CONGLOMERATE Ayala Corp. plans to issue P10 billion worth of fixed-rate peso bonds due 2025 to refinance maturing obligation.

Ayala Corp. said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission it would issue the second and the last remaining tranche of the P20-billion fixed-rate bond program approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2016.

Net proceeds from the bond offering will be used to refinance the company’s seven-year bonds maturing in April this year.

The conglomerate hired BPI Capital Corp., China Bank Capital Corp. and PNB Capital & Investment Corp. as joint issue managers and BDO Capital & Investments Corp., BPI Capital, China Bank, East West Banking Corp., First Metro Investments Corp. and PNB Capital as joint lead underwriters.

The bonds will be listed with the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp., the operator of the country’s fixedincome exchange.

Ayala Corp. issued in July the first tranche of the fixedrate bond program worth P10 billion due 2023 which was priced at 3.92 percent per annum.

Ayala Corp. is one the country’s largest conglomerates with core investments in banking, telecommunications, real estate and water utility. It has also ventured into electronics manufacturing, automotive distributorship and dealership and business process outsourcing and has made new investments in power generation, transport infrastructure and education.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Business

Malampaya funds eyed to lower rates

By Alena Mae S. Flores

T

HE government is considering the use of a portion of the P228billion Malampaya fund to reduce power costs in the Philippines, an energy official said over the weekend.

“The DoE was informed that about P228 billion was deposited to the special account of the fund three months ago. This can be verified with the Department of Budget and Management, which is the steward of the account,” Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said.

Fuentebella said previous disbursements from the proceeds of the Malampaya gas production field were made through Presidential Decree 910 that authorized the President to do so, but this was invalidated by the Supreme Court in 2013.

He said the use the Malampaya Fund was

one of the government’s options to reduce power rates.

“Use the Malampaya to subsidize universal charges. There are bills filed in Congress to effect such subsidy,” Fuentebella said.

Another option was removal of the value added tax on power systems loss.

“The DoE already wrote to the DOF/BIR (Finance and Internal Revenue Bureau) on this and there are several bills in Congress that aims to remove tax on systems loss,” he said.

He said the department was also speeding up the permitting process and classifying energy projects and assets with national significance.

Fuentebella said the department was addressing price volatility in the market by implementing mitigating measures.

Other plans include the pursuit of segregation of losses, both technical and non-technical, with the end of lowering the cap.

“Pending bills for such segregation are filed in Congress,” he said.

Fuentebella said the implementation of competitive selection process in power sup-

ply contracts would help decrease power costs.

He said the department, in addition, would revisit the pricing methodology.

“The distribution and transmission costs approved by ERC is being re-examined,” he said, adding an improvement in the operations of electric cooperatives would help.

“Lower costs can be achieved in the long term with improved operations and robust distribution facilities of ECs,” he said.

Meanwhile, Shell Philippines Exploration B.V.’s arbitration case against the government on the Malampaya gas project’s corporate income tax issue has started to move forward.

Spex, operator of the Malampaya gas project in northwest Palawan filed the arbitration case with the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes or ICSID on June 27, 2016.

“It is pending before the International Centre for the Settlement on Investment Disputes. Parties to the case recently went to a process of selecting arbitrators,” Fuentebella said.

NO TO ILLEGAL FISHING. Agriculture

Secretary Manny Piñol declares an all-out war against illegal fishers during his first Biyaheng Bukid for the year on January 4, 2017. Piñol vowed to strengthen the fishing industry in the province of Quezon, which posted a significant decline in production for the past four years due to several factors, including illegal fishing activities such as cyanide and dynamite fishing.

Finance expects stable inflation in 2017

By Gabrielle H. Binaday The Finance Department said over the weekend it expects inflation rate to remain stable this year after settling at 1.8 percent in 2016.

Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran said in an internal economic bulletin the department saw consumer prices remaining favorable in 2017.

He said sufficient food production through investments in infrastructure was crucial to stabilizing the inflation rate.

Beltran said the government should ensure that credit and insurance coverage were available to the agriculture sector.

“Food production is crucial to maintaining this favorable mac-

roeconomic scenario. Support to production through infrastructure development, credit availability and insurance coverage is necessary to sustain this,” Beltran said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority earlier reported that inflation in December grew at its fastest pace in two years due to higher food and transportation costs.

Inflation stood at 2.6 percent in December, up from 1.5 percent in the same month in 2015, and 2.5 percent in November, bringing the average rate in 2016 to 1.8 percent.

The inflation average was below the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ target range of 2.0 percent to 4.0 percent.

“For two consecutive years, the average inflation rate has

fallen below 2.0 percent, largely on the back of lower fuel and energy prices,” Beltran said.

“Stable rice prices also muted inflationary pressures.”

Food in the past two years contributed 1.1 percentage point to the inflation rate, while the share of non-food items doubled from 0.2 to 0.5 percentage point.

Meanwhile, Beltran said inflation would slightly pick up in the coming months because of the normalization of oil prices in the world market.

“In the foreseeable near-term, the general price increase may be above 2.0 percent as indicated by above 2.0 percent core inflation, [which is] an indicator of inflation outlook,” Beltran said.

He said Bangko Sentral had

“significant credibility” in managing price expectations, aided by the newly-implemented interest rate corridor system that would make its operations more efficient.

“This and the government’s prudent fiscal management will continue to help maintain macroeconomic stability in the country, which in turn fosters a conducive environment for generating investments,” Beltran said.

Rice inflation year-on-year fell 0.3 percentage point.

“Rice inflation has dropped due to production recovery and timely importation,” Beltran said. “Programs to enhance vegetable farming are needed to temper the double-digit inflation in this sector which has continued for more than a year now.”

B3

MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

THE M.A.P. MANAGEMENT MAN OF THE YEAR With M.A.P. Search Committee Chair Francisco F. Del Rosario Jr., M.A.P. President Perry L. Pe, M.A.P. Management Man of the Year Awardee for 2016 Teresita Sy- Coson, and M.A.P. MMY Judging Committee Chair Edgar O. Chua.

… Is a woman. You read that right: The Management Association of the Philippines (M.A.P.) Management Man of the Year for 2016 is a woman.

Every year since 1977, and previous to that in 1967, the Management Association of the Philippines bestows the “Man of the Year” award to recognize outstanding achievements in the field of management. The award has been called the “M.A.P. Management Man of the Year” to distinguish it from other Man of the Year awards given by other bodies or organizations.

For the past five decades the M.A.P. has presented the award to recognize outstanding achievements of any individual, whether s/he be a M.A.P. member or not, who has exceptionally distinguished herself or himself in the practice of management. A quick perusal of the list of awardees through the years reads as a Who’s Who in Philippine business.

Tessie Sy-Coson is one such lady that is a welcome addition to this distinguished pantheon of sorts. And rightfully so.

As the second woman recipient after retired PEZA Director-General Lilia B. De Lima in 2010, Tessie Sy-Coson was chosen, according to the award citation, “for steering the SM Group’s retail business to greater heights with her over four decades of retail experience; for transforming the SM Group’s property business into one of the largest integrated property developers in Southeast Asia with investments in malls, residences, commercial buildings, leisure and tourism; for her valuable contribution in sustaining the BDO’s position as the leading bank in the Philippines; for her leadership role in the substantial contributions of the SM Group of companies to national development, job creation and income generation through its huge investments in real estate, banking, shopping malls, hotels, convention centers, and gaming; for strengthening the identity of companies under the SM Group as socially responsible corporate citizens through the SM Foundation’s developmental programs on education, livelihood, health and wellness, and the BDO Foundation’s programs in the areas of relief operations, education, shelter and livelihood which have improved the lives of many Filipinos all over the country; and for her contribution to reshaping national values through her track record of integrity, professional competence, and strong leadership.”

In my mind’s eye, I had no doubt that Tessie Sy-Coson would bag the award last year, just as her father did in 1999. She would easily ace the selection process given her qualifications and achievements, considering that the process of choosing an

Acceptance Speech of M.A.P. Management Man of the Year Awardee for 2016 and SM Investments Corporation Vice Chair Teresita Sy-Coson

awardee was, in itself, a daunting task that was not only very secretive but time consuming as well. The nomination and selection process was quite tedious; thus, to be named Management Man of the Year by the M.A.P. was like passing through the proverbial “eye of the needle”.

Other previous M.A.P. Management Men of the Year were Washington Sycip, Geronimo Velasco, Philex Founder Henry Brimo, Jose Soriano, Cesar Virata, Jaime Ongpin, Vicente Paterno, Dante Santos, Cesar Buenaventura, Roberto Villanueva, Jaime Zobel de Ayala, Ramon del Rosario Sr., Jose Fernandez Jr., Raul Concepcion, Oscar Hilado, Alfonso Yuchengco, Juan Santos, David Consunji, Rizalino Navarro, Gabriel Singson, Delfin Lazaro, Henry Sy Sr., Oscar Lopez, Tony Tan Caktiong, Jesus Tambunting, Rafael Buenaventura, Manuel V. Pangilinan, George S.K. Ty, Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala II, Jose Cuisia Jr., Antonio Aquino, Jesus Estanislao, Lilia de Lima, Ramon del Rosario Jr., Erramon Aboitiz, Aurelio Montinola III, Edgar Chua, Albert del Rosario, and Amando Tetangco Jr. Worthy to note that, aside from the father-and-daughter tandem of Henry Sy Sr. and Tessie Sy-Coson as awardees, we also have the father-and-son tandem of Jaime Zobel de Ayala (1987) and Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala (2006), as well as Ramon del Rosario Sr. (1988) and Ramon del Rosario Jr. (2010).

As it is said, awards are awards are awards, but what matters most with these winners and all officers and men of the M.A.P. is to ensure that the lives of our countrymen are lifted from the bowels of poverty.

Gatchalian seeks bill on ‘competitive’ power cost SEN. Sherwin Gatchalian is pushing for a legislation that will standardize the competition selection process for distribution utilities and electric cooperatives.

“In our consultations, it is a very good mechanism to bring competition to the grassroots level, especially the ECs. This is one way to harmonize everything,” Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian, who heads the Senate Committee on Energy, said a standardized CSP would promote “fair play and transparency.”

“What’s important is standard-

ization and transparency because we don’t want any cloud of doubt in the PSA (power supply agreement),” he said.

He said the legislation would be complementary with the Energy Regulatory Commission regulation on CSP “so we will make sure the law is broad, it covers the necessary framework but the details.”

“We will make sure they have flexibility so in the future, so that if there will be new technology or mechanism, they can adjust,” Gatchalian said.

ERC earlier said the CSP for the procurement of supply of

distribution utilities would ultimately result in lower power costs.

ERC chairman Jose Vicente Salazar said the CSP, or bidding out the power requirements of distribution utilities and electric cooperatives, had clear goalslower the cost of power and transparency.

“The process has clear goals.

First, to bring down the cost of power. Two, to make sure that the process with which power distributors buy the electricity they sell to end-users is transparent,” Salazar said.

Under the CSP, all distribu-

tion utilities are required to conduct an open and competitive process in selecting the power generating company that will sell the output to the socalled captive markets.

Under this process, the PSA can be awarded only after a successful transparent and competitive selection process.

The ERC will determine that a CSP has been successfully done when the distribution utility receives at least two qualified bids from generation companies.

Direct negotiation with a supplier may only be resorted to after at least two failed CSPs.

Former Foreign Affairs Secretary and M.A.P. Management Man of the Year Awardee 2014 Albert Del Rosario , M.A.P. Management Man of the Year Awardee 2013 Edgar Chua, and M.A.P. President Perry Pe

MVP was named MAP Management Man of the Year 2005

Former Amb. to the U.S. and MAP Management Man of the Year 2007 Jose Cuisa and MAP Management Man of the Year 1985 Cesar Buenaventura

With Abundance Providers Entrepreneurs Corporation (APEC) chair Noel Oñate and SM Prime Holdings, Inc. and SM Development Corporation chair Henry Sy Jr.

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

B4

MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017

American oil drillers in cautious comeback NEW YORK―The US oil industry is feeling guarded optimism going into 2017 as it pivots from a brutal two-year slump prompted by crashing crude prices.

As the new year kicks off, industry insiders describe a tentative recovery, with some low-cost drilling basins starting to pick up even while others remain depressed.

The downturn, among the worst since the 1973 Arab oil embargo, led to bankruptcies, layoffs of hundreds of thousands of workers and a significant pause on the American shale boom.

Energy producers have been cheered by the election of Republican Donald Trump, whose cabinet picks include oil industry allies like climate-change skeptic Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency and ExxonMobil chief executive Rex Tillerson as secretary of state.

“Operators are still being guarded with their money,” said Jason McFarland, president of the International Association of Drilling Contractors in Houston.

“But certainly we’re seeing a loosening of the grip on investments as the price of oil rises.”

Even more important, sentiment got a boost from the November 30 agreement by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut production to address a supply glut that had threatened to push oil prices back to multi-year lows.

After the Opec deal, “it is meaningfully different in sentiment,” said David Pursell, a managing director at the Houston energy investment bank Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. “Before November 30, this was like the Bataan Death March,” he said, referring to the grim outlook in the industry.

Now, “People are cautiously optimistic, which is light years from where we were eight weeks ago.”

US oil prices, which tumbled to close to $25 a barrel a year ago, closed at $53.99 a barrel on Friday.

Part of the industry’s hesitancy is due to skepticism about whether Opec members and countries outside the cartel, such as Russia, will actually comply with the agreed production cuts. AFP

Business

China’s forex reserves drop by $41b to $3.01t C HINA’S foreign currency holdings remained above $3 trillion in December even as the yuan capped its steepest annual decline in more than two decades.

Reserves fell $41.08 billion to $3.01 trillion, the People’s Bank of China said in a statement Saturday. That matched a $3.01 trillion estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists.

China may take measures to keep its foreign-currency stockpile from slipping too far below the key $3 trillion mark to avoid hurting investor confidence and spurring further declines in the yuan, according to economists at major banks. Policy makers have recently rolled out extra requirements for citizens converting yuan into other currencies after the annual $50,000 quota for individuals reset Jan. 1.

“China’s government is well positioned to control outflows more effectively if it wants to,

though it may not want to be seen as reversing China’s ‘opening’ strategy,” Wang Tao, head of China economic research at UBS Group AG in Hong Kong, wrote in a recent note. “In the long run, it may not have much choice if FX reserves fall more sharply on the back of intensifying capital outflow pressures.”

Central Bank The decline of foreign exchange reserves in December was mainly because the central bank supplied funds to maintain balance in the foreign exchange market and the depreciation of non-US dollar currencies, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange said in a separate statement on Saturday. For the full year of 2016, the SAFE said

the central bank’s effort to stabilize the yuan was the key reason for the drop in reserves.

“The combination of policyinduced yuan stabilization and higher reporting requirements for households buying FX will buy the PBOC a little breathing room, preventing escalating outflows in the first month of the year,” Tom Orlik, chief Asia economist at Bloomberg Intelligence in Beijing, wrote in a note.

Policy makers intensified new measures at the beginning of the new year to choke capital outflow including extra requirements for citizens converting yuan into foreign currencies.

Last week, the currency posted greater volatility, with the offshore rate notching up its biggest two-day gain on record just days after completing its worst yearly performance against the dollar.

The yuan fell 0.9 percent last month, capping a 6.5 percent drop over the year.

Policy makers now may prefer using capital controls instead of burning through foreign exchange reserves to defend the yuan, said Gao Yuwei, a researcher at the Bank of China Ltd.’s Institute of International Finance in Beijing.

Dollar Rally There are still uncertainties facing the yuan as to whether the resurgent dollar will continue its rally in January and the Federal Reserve’s future US interest-rate hikes, said Wen Bin, a researcher at China Minsheng Banking Corp. in Beijing.

China’s gold reserves stood at $67.9 billion by the end of December, compared with $69.8 billion a month earlier. The nation kept gold reserves unchanged at 59.24 million troy ounces for a second month in December, the first time it halted purchases for two consecutive months since disclosing holdings as of June 2015. Bloomberg

LAS VEGAS SHOW. A Candy Bean, one of the interactive Beam robots that are operated by an actual person from a remote location, dispenses candy to a show attendee during the 2017 Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 7, 2017. AFP

US jobs growth in December slackened WASHINGTON―Job growth in the world’s largest economy slowed in the final month of 2016 and the already-low unemployment rate rose marginally, the Labor Department reported Friday.

The US added a solid 156,000 jobs in December but the jobless rate nudged up to 4.7 percent, reversing some of the sudden drop in November, when unemployment fell to 4.6 percent, its lowest level in nearly a decade.

The figures provide the final official snapshot of the US labor market during Barack Obama’s presidency and confirm a picture of the relative health of the economy he will hand over to President-elect Donald Trump later this month.

In all of 2016, the US added 2.2 million jobs, down from the 2.7 million in 2015, and 10.5 million have been added since December 2008, just before Obama took office amid the financial crisis.

The job gains in December were short of the consensus forecast for 175,000 new positions, but while the jobs engine may have cooled in the month the report also pointed to positive trends.

The November figure saw a major upward revision of nearly 15 percent to 204,000 net new positions added for the month, bringing the average job gains for the past three months to 165,000.

Wages also crept up, with average hourly earnings rising to $26.00, an unusually-large increase of 10 cents from November.

Wages gained 2.9 percent compared to 2015, the largest 12-month increase in seven years.

The strongest job gains were seen in healthcare, which added 33,000 positions for the month; in bars and restaurants, which added 30,000; and in manufacturing, which added 17,000 new positions.

The manufacturing sector has declined by 63,000 positions since January, however, and the sector has been a primary focus of Trump’s.

The data showed little change in the share of long-term unemployed, or those without work for 27 weeks or more, which stood at 1.8 million people. The rate of participation in the labor force was also little changed at 62.7 percent.

In a separate report, Commerce Department data showed the US trade deficit edged up in November as a strong dollar helped the US import more goods and made exports more expensive. AFP

Burgundy stirred but not shaken by sale to US billionaire

By Marjorie Boyet PERNAND-VERGELESSES, France-He may be American and own a major football club, Arsenal, but Stanley Kroenke, the new boss of a prestigious Burgundy vineyard, says he knows his wine and won’t mess with tradition— and locals say they believe him.

The Bonneau du Martray vineyard “shares the same philosophy as ours in California, based on the quality of the land and the wines,” said his manager, Armand de Maigret. “We are winemakers, not a marketing machine.”

A point well taken by Louis-Fabrice Latour, head of Burgundy’s wine federation BIVB, who says he is “reassured” by Kroenke’s status as a wine professional who makes some of the world’s most expensive wine.

“He will respect the Burgundy tradition,” Latour said.

The sporting empire of Kroenke, 69, also includes gridiron team the Los Angeles Rams and basketball’s Denver Nuggets and his fortune was estimated at $7.7 billion (7.3 billion euros) by Forbes magazine last year.

‘Californian tricks’ De Maigret said Kroenke’s team would “maintain the domain while adding a few Californian tricks and transferring some Burgundy tricks to California.”

Kroenke bought an 80-percent share in the Bonneau du Martray vineyard, which has been run by the same family for nearly 200 years, for an undisclosed sum.

De Maigret earlier told the French financial newspaper Les Echos that Kroenke’s first foreign acquisition in

This picture taken on January 6, 2017 shows the vineyard of “Domaine Bonneau du Martray” in the Bourgogne region near Pernand-Vergelesses, eastern France. In the absence of heirs, the owners of a prestigious wine estate in Burgundy contacted ten potential buyers on the planet. And it is an American billionaire, owner of the Arsenal football club, who spent a fortune on 11 hectares of great wines. PHILIPPE DESMAZES/AFP

the wine-making world was “the product of love at first sight.”

Located near the picture-postcard town of Pernand-Vergelesses, the vineyard produces two highly regarded grand crus: a white wine, Corton

Charlemagne, and a red, Corton. Both are mostly for export.

Its vines are spread over 11 hectares (27 acres) on the prestigious Corton hill near Beaune.

Kroenke bought the vineyard from

four brothers, all in their sixties and none of whose offspring were interested in taking on the business.

With no heirs to pass the property on to, they contacted 10 potential buyers around the world.

The best offer came from Kroenke, who is married to Wal-Mart heiress Ann Walton Kroenke and also owns vineyards in Napa Valley in California, where he produces the cabernet sauvignon Screaming Eagle.

In 1995, wine guru Robert Parker awarded the 1992 vintage of Screaming Eagle a near-perfect 99 points.

‘Event on the hillside’ The size of his new acquisition is rare in Burgundy, where the trend has been for large domains to be divvied up into ever smaller plots.

Meanwhile the sum of the transaction is a well-guarded secret.

A spokesman for the Le Bault de la Moriniere family would say only that the figure was “very, very high.”

Some local winemakers are talking about a price tag of 100 million euros, but when asked about the rumor the spokesman told AFP: “You’re way off”—implying that the sum was even higher.

Latour said news of the sale was “an event on the hillside,” noting that only around 1.5 percent of the winegrowing region changes hands—outside of families—each year.

A Chinese investor bought the Gevrey-Chambertin chateau and vineyard for eight million euros in 2012, and two other sales stood out in 2014: the LVMH luxury group snapped up the Clos des Lambrays and the 20-hectare Pommard chateau was bought by Silicon Valley boss Michel Baum.

Other American neighbors for Kroenke will be the Kopf family, who bought the Maison Louis Jadot in 1985. AFP

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

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IT’S ALL GOOD. A young surfer flashes the ‘hang loose sign,’ a common greeting among surfers, after a gloomy afternoon in Cantilan, Surigao del Sur despite incoming Typhoon ‘Auring,’ which made its presence felt in the waves slamming into Cantilan’s San Pedro Beach (inset). As of Saturday, ‘Auring’ was spotted 420 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. Lance Baconguis

PNP: Cebu gun ban for Sinulog, Miss U C

EBU CITY—The Philippine National Police will impose a gun ban in the entire city and province of Cebu starting Monday until Jan. 18 as part of the security measures for the Fiesta Señor celebration, the Sinulog festival, and the Miss Universe pageant’s swimwear competition.

In his order, PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa prohibited gun owners from carrying firearms outside their homes in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.

Dela Rosa’s order was posted

by Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, deputy mayor on police matters, on his Facebook account past 9 p.m. on Saturday.

“Only members of the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other Law Enforcement Agencies, who are performing official duties and in agencyprescribed uniforms will be allowed to carry firearms,” Tumulak’s post said.

Individuals, including civilians, off-duty cops, military personnel, and security, who will

be found carrying guns outside their houses will be arrested for illegal possession of firearms.

Chief Superintendent Noli Talino, Police Regional Office 7 director, earlier requested Dela Rosa to allow a special gun ban during the Fiesta Señor celebration that lasts until Jan. 15, the feast of the Sto. Niño de Cebu and the date of the Sinulog grand parade.

The gun ban period was extended after the Miss Universe swimwear competition in LapuLapu City on Jan. 17.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Council on Friday passed a resolution to implement a “No Parking Zone” within the perimeter of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño to ensure the safety of devotees.

Councilor Tumulak, who chairs the council’s committee on public order and safety, said the area 10 meters away from the perimeter fence of the Basilica was declared a no parking zone starting Friday until Jan. 15.

Earlier, city officials said they want to ban drones along the parade route and at the Cebu City Sports Center, where some 10,000 people in the grandstand will watch the different contingents in their final performance in front of judges.

Some 8,000 security personnel will be deployed in the city during the Sinulog Festival.

They include police and military personnel and “force multipliers” such as reservists and military cadets in training. PNA

Pangasinan to honor WW2 veterans today

By Dexter A. See LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—World War II veterans are set to be honored on the 72nd Lingayen Gulf Landing and 10th Pangasinan Veterans Day commemoration today at the Veterans’ Memorial Park within the Capitol Complex here.

Governor Amado “Pogi” I. Espino III will lead the wreathlaying ceremony along with Dr. Vivencio Villaflor Jr., who is the guest of honor and speaker, and Philippine Veterans Affairs Office Administrator Ernesto Carolina, Philippine Veterans Federation Association president Bonifacio De Gracia, and Australian Embassy Counsellor Kerry Anderson.

An ASNA awardee and a son of a World War II veteran, Villaflor is currently the chairman of the Pangasinan Red Cross and the Dagupan Doctors Villaflor Memorial Hospital.

we have seen that their local chief executive is also progressive,” she said.

Lambunao Mayor Jason Gonzales expressed his thanks to Robredo and the program’s partners for choosing his town among its first recipients. He pledged to work hard to see the projects through.

The program will see 15,000 farmers in Lambunao getting the opportunity to bring their products to the market. The town has 24,000 hectares of rice land, 90 percent of which are rain-fed.

Under the feeding program, 731 malnourished children in the town will be fed for 120 days.

Robredo was optimistic better nutrition would help the children improve under the program.

The vice president also encouraged the Municipal Health Officers and the Barangay Nutrition Scholars to work more for the program to succeed.

Meanwhile, Barangay Pajo was first area to receive the play garden project. It will be constructed in a 600-square meter lot, which will be a venue for “unstructured play” for the children, Robredo said.

She assured a second batch of local government units would be chosen by October to receive projects under “Angat Buhay.” PNA

Turn to C2

Caloocan pushers perish in buy-bust

VP Leni takes ‘Angat Buhay’ to Iloilo town ILOILO CITY—Vice President Leni Robredo on Saturday launched “Angat Buhay” projects in Lambunao, Iloilo, which is among the 50 pilot areas of her “Angat Buhay Program” and the only recipient town in the province.

Robredo said the program is an anti-poverty partnership with local government units and private corporations, which covers five areas of advocacy: education, universal health care, food security and nutrition, rural development, and women empowerment.

Eleven corporations have pledged to partner with the town of Lambuano, but Robredo said they launched three projects first—linking of farmers to markets, a feeding program for malnourished children, and establishing play centers in every barangay across the town.

The private partners of Lambunao include the Feed the Hungry Foundation and the Negrense Volunteers for Change Foundation.

In choosing the beneficiaries, the program observed how the town works to become progressive, since Robredo believes it is important the pilot recipients would succeed with their private partnerships.

“We chose Lambunao not because they are poor, but because

PVAO-Lingayen Field Office chief Romeo Madriaga expressed his gratitude to Rep. Amado T. Espino Jr. of the fifth district, who is also Pangasinan’s former fovernor, for institutionalizing the event for the unsung heroes, and Espino’s son—the incumbent governor—for carrying on the tradition.

“I was previously assigned to Region 3, But it is only here in Pangasinan that I have seen that support from the local government for our veterans aside from the national government,” Madriaga said.

Apart from cash incentives, war veterans in the province have enjoyed free medical services from the 14 provincial government hospitals.

Madriaga said that PVAO, the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office and the Provincial Health Office

RPOC-NCR CHAIR. President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista (third

from right) as chairperson of the Regional Peace and Order Council in the National Capital Region. The appointment was hand-delivered Thursday by DILG NCR Director Ma. Lourdes Agustin (handing Bautista the certificate) and NCR Police Office Director Oscar Albayalde. The officials were escorted by DILG Quezon City Director Jovian Ingeniero and QCPD Director Guillermo Eleazar.

Suspect in rape, murder caught INDANG, Cavite—The suspect in a brutal crime in Trece Martirez City was arrested Sunday by provincial police at his rented apartment here.

Alvin Delos Angeles, a student of Cavite State University Main Campus in Indang, was arrested by elements of the Trece Martires Component Police Station in Indang, station chief Supt. Egbert Bawar Tibay-

an said.

Delos Angeles was wanted for the rape and murder of Mitzi Joy Balusay, a second-year Tourism student of Cavite State. Her body was found dismembered by a security guard near Eirinville in Barangay De Ocampo, Trece Martires on Friday.

Initial investigation said Balusay went to CavSU to enroll for the coming semester, but after

days of going missing her body was found in a rice sack and boxes near Eirinville by the subdivision’s security guard.

Crime scene operatives said the crime apparently happened on Friday morning at Balusay’s boarding house in Indang. They also confirmed from Balusay’s remains that she had been molested before her death. Benjamin Chavez

TWO alleged drug pushers were killed in a buy-bust operation at the BMBA Compound Caloocan City on Saturday morning.

Jimmy Villamor, 45, and Benedicto Anas, reportedly in his 60s, both died on the spot.

Senior Supt.

Johnson Almazan said both men were under surveillance for alleged illegal drug activities. Police recovered sachets of suspected shabu, one .38-caliber homemade revolver, and an improvised shotgun from the scene.

Investigators led by PO3 Edgar Manapat showed that Caloocan Police Community Precinct-1 operatives led by SP04 Bernard Bautista conducted a buy-bust inside the compound.

Villamor noticed them and alarmed Anas, who allegedly drew a firearm and fired at the operatives. In the exchange of gunfire, both died at the scene, the police report said.

But Anas’ relatives claimed otherwise, saying Villamor was already a senior citizen and does not have the strength to exchange gunfire with the lawmen. Jun David

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

LGUs

Standard

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TODAY JANUARY 9, 2017 MONDAY,

Ecija’s Umali: PDAF properly spent C

By Ferdie G. Domingo

that when Governor Umali was still congressman, his PDAF was used to alleviate the plight ABANATUAN CITY—The camp of of poor farmers in the third conformer three-term Nueva Ecija governor gressional district,” Reyes said.

The Ombudsman released a Aurelio Umali on Saturday broke resolution last week ordering its silence on accusations of misuse of his graft and malversation cases bePriority Development Assistance Fund, citing fore the Sandiganbayan against Umali and five co-accused. his “unblemished record” as a public servant Aside from the criminal inuntainted by corruption and irregularities. dictment, Umali—husband of incumbent Gov. Czarina UmaAtty. Honorio Eduardo Reyes the former governor misused his li—was also found guilty of adIII, Umali’s counsel, said there P15-million PDAF when he was ministrative offenses of grave misconduct, gross neglect of is no truth to the findings of the congressman in 2005.

Office of the Ombudsman that “Records will bear him out duty, and conduct prejudicial to

Pangasinan...

From C1 go as far as conducting houseto-house visits to war veterans just to hand them the cash incentives and do on-site checkups if they failed to come to the ceremony.

Following the ceremony, a luncheon and medical mission for the veterans will be held at Sison Auditorium. A navy ship collection exhibit

the best interest of the service.

The Ombudsman ordered Umali perpetually disqualified from holding public office and forfeited his retirement benefits.

However, Reyes said all of Umali’s PDAF was legally utilized in helping his constituents.

“We categorically deny all the allegations of irregularities in the use of the PDAFs allocated to then-Congressman Umali,” he said.

As far as Umali is concerned, he has an unblemished record not only as a member of Congress “but likewise during his

full three terms as governor of Nueva Ecija from 2007 to 2016,” Reyes said.

The Ombudsman’s findings “are farthest from the truth,” he added, taking exception to its field investigation supposedly revealing that the irrigation pumps and fertilizers were never given to the farmers.

“The projects were received by the farmers, contrary to the reports,” Reyes said, and while they disagree with the Ombudsman’s ruling, they will file a motion for reconsideration.

The Ombudsman’s findings

are not final but are merely part of a legal procedure, he stressed.

“What is troublesome here is that the public may already perceive that Umali was already found guilty by final judgment both criminally and administratively even when the legal proceedings are just beginning. The political implication is manifestly unfair and oppressive as it creates an impression of guilt before there is final judgment,” Reyes said.

“We are absolutely confident that in due time, the findings will be overturned,” he added.

donated by the Australian gover nment will also be installed for viewing.

Madriaga said Pangasinan and Cebu had the most number of war veterans during the World War II. Data shows that number of veterans is dwindling, from 499 in 2016 to just 370 as of this January.

During last year’s commemoration, Carolina had lauded Pangasinan as the “Philippine Cradle of Heroes.”

MARKETS AND SECURITIES REGULATION DEPARTMENT IN THE MATTER OF AUDIOWAV MEDIA INC.

: : :

REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES (ln Relation to an Initial Public Offering)

AMENDED NOTICES This updates the Notices dated September 8 and 15, 2016 published in Manila Standard and likewise published on September 7 and 15, 2016 in The Daily Tribune and further published on October 25 and 31 , 2016 in Manila Standard and Daily Tribune on October 24, and 31, 2016 and most recently published on November 25, and December 9, 2016 in Manila Standard and Daily Tribune on November 25, and December 2, 2016 disclosing that on 30 August 2016, a sworn Registration Statement and on 6 December 2016 an updated Registration Statement were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on behalf of Audiowav Media Inc., for the registration of up to Three Billion Nine Hundred Million Three Hundred (3,900,000,300) common shares with par value of Php0.01 per share.

The purpose of this amended notice is to include the increase of outstanding shares broken down as follows: Originally filed of August 30, 2016 Primary Offering (To be 900,000,000 offered and sold by way common shares of Initial Public Offering, unissued shares) Issued and Outstanding shares (these are not included in the offer)

3,000,000,200 common shares

Total

3,900,000,200

At an initial public offering price of Phpl.77 to Php2.96 per share.

With par value of Php0.01 per share

As amended December 6, 2016 Primary Offering (To be 900,000,000 offered and sold by way common shares of Initial Public Offering, unissued shares) Issued and 3,000,000,300 Outstanding shares common shares (these are not included in the offer) Total

At an initial public offering price of Php 1.77 to Php2.96 per share.

With par value of Php0.01 per share

3,900,000,300

Likewise recently elected Ms. Maria April Lorelei Anna T. Wycoco, as Independent Director, was included in the list of key officers/directors of Audiowav Media Inc., to wit: Originally filed on August 30, 2016 As amended December 6, 2016 Name Carlos Jose G. Hinolan

Position Name President/Chief Executive Officer/ Carlos Jose G. Hinolan Director and Chairman of the Board

Benigno G. Hinolan II Mary Lanie Joie S. Hinolan

Director Director/Treasurer and Vice President for Purchasing, Procurement and Music Licensing Jimmy Francisco P. Perez Director and Investor Relations Officer Alma A. Jadie Director/Comptroller and Vice President for Finance Rufino D. Dela Rosa Independent Director Reynaldo C. Lugtu, Jr. Independent Director

Benigno G. Hinolan II Mary Lanie Joie S. Hinolan

Position President/Chief Executive Officer/ Director/ Chairman of the Board and Investor Relations Officer Director and Sales Manager Director/Treasurer and Vice President

Ebenezer D. Gener Alma A. Jadie

Director/Chief Finance Officer Director and Comptroller

Ebenezer D. Gener

Rufino D. Dela Rosa Independent Director Maria April Lorelei Anna T. Independent Director Wycoco Corporate Secretary, Chief Legal Mark S. Gorriceta Corporate Secretary, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Office Officer and Chief Compliance Office Chief Finance Officer Arnold Ray K. Alagar Chief Technology Officer

Arnold Ray K. Alagar

Chief Technology Officer

Mark S. Goriceta

Said Registration Statement and other papers/documents attached thereto (collectively known as “RS”) and the subsequent updates are open to inspection by interested parties during business hours, and copies thereof, photostatic or otherwise, shall be furnished to every party, upon request, at such fees as the Commission may prescribe. Said RS may also be downloaded from the website of the corporation at www.wav.global VICENTE GRACIANO P. FELIZMENIO, JR. Director (MS-JAN. 9 & 16, 2017)

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT NATIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY Invitation to Bid The National Housing Authority (NHA), through the Corporate Budget approved by the NHA Board for the year 2017 intends to apply the sum of the Approved Budget for the Contracts (ABCs) to payments for the following contracts: ABC/ Source Duration Required Work of Funds (P) (c.d) PCAB License Description 2 0 1 7 - Construction of Fourteen (14)- 173,794,702.21 Cat. “A “ & Construction 001 Three Storey Low Rise Buildings NG Subsidy Medium “B” for of Fourteen (14) Three and Land Development, Site 4, 360 Buildings Storey Low Package 1 in Brgy. Bignay, Rise Buildings Valenzuela City 2 0 1 7 - Construction of Eight (8) -Three 90,742,593.47 Cat. “B “ & Construction 002 Storey Low Rise Buildings NG Subsidy Medium “A” for of Eight (8) and Land Development, Site 300 Buildings Three Storey Low Rise 4, Package 2 in Brgy. Bignay, Buildings Valenzuela City 2 0 1 7 - Construction of One (1) Unit- 39,996,395.71 Cat. “B “ & Construction 003 Five Storey North Sector 2 C o r p o r a t e Medium “A” for of One (1) Unit 300 Five Storey Office Building in Bangus St., Receipts Buildings Office Building Brgy. NBBS, Navotas City Ref. No.

PROJECT/S

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. The NHA now invites bids for the above-cited projects. Completion of the Works is required within the duration herein cited. Bidders should have completed a single contract similar to the Project costing at least fifty percent (50%) of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (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.

A complete set of Bidding Documents shall be issued only to bidders/authorized official representatives or employees of the Contractor who can show proof of Notarized Authority to secure bid documents for the specific Project and Official Company ID upon submission of a Letter of Intent (LOI), presentation of original PCAB License, Contract Agreement and Certificate of Completion/Acceptance for completed similar project/s and upon Cash Payment of non-refundable fee of P30,000.00 for Ref. No. 2017-001, P27,500.00 for Ref. No. 2017-002, P22,500.00 for Ref. No. 2017-003, at the Office of the NHA-BAC1 Secretariat, 3rd Floor NHA Main Building, Diliman, Quezon City from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. starting on January 9, 2017.

Deadline of submission of LOI is on January 19, 2017. The BAC1 Secretariat may be contacted at Tel/FAX No. 929-80-16.

The NHA will hold a Pre-bid Conference on January 20, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. at the NHA Operations Center, 3rd Floor NHA Main Building, Diliman, Quezon City, which shall be OPEN ONLY to bidders who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

To facilitate the opening of bids, prospective bidders are requested to register with the NHA BAC1. Bidders are reminded that applications for registrations are processed on a “First Come, First Serve” Basis. The BAC1 will only process applications for registration for bidders with complete supporting documents. The registration forms may be downloaded at the NHA website at www.nha.gov.ph.

Bids must be delivered at the NHA Operations Center, 3rd Floor NHA Main Building, Diliman, Quezon City, not later than 9:00 a.m. February 6, 2017. Bid opening shall follow immediately at the same venue.

All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and amount as stated in Bid Data Sheet (BDS).Bid opening shall follow immediately after the deadline of submission of bids at the same venue. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

The NHA 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/s.

(SGD) VICTOR C. BALBA Chairperson, Bids and Awards Committee 1 (BAC1) Group Manager, NCR NATIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City (MS-JAN. 9, 2016)

KIDS AND KINGS. Children and police officers of the Rizal Municipal Police Station in Laguna enjoy the ‘Paskuhan ng Paslit’ program on Friday—the feast on the Three Kings on the Catholic calendar—led by Rizal police chief Sr. Insp. Katherine J. Ilao. Spiced up by the appearance of mascots PO1 Bato, PO1 Matapat, and PO1 Magalang, SPO3 Christopher Incarnacion led the police group that mingled with the children at the Rizal Elementary School covered court in Barangay Pooc, Rizal. Roy Tomandao

Baguio wants BCPO shortlist BAGUIO CITY—The Baguio City Peace and Order, Justice and Human Rights Committee has passed a resolution requesting the leadership of the Philippine National Police to immediately submit to Mayor Mauricio Domogan the shortlist of qualified senior police officers for the next Director of the Baguio City Police Office.

The committee, chaired by Domogan, enacted the resolution after the unceremonious relief of Senior Superintendent George D. Daskeo, who was duly screened and selected by the screening committee as the permanent BCPO chief in June 2016.

The resolution said that the absence of a permanent police chief “has derailed the implementation of long-term peacekeeping, anticriminality and anti-terrorism campaign in the city over the past several months.”

The status of Senior Superintendent Ramil Saculles as officerin-charge of the BCPO “is not a guarantee on the effective and efficient implementation of peacekeeping and anti-criminality ini-

tiatives to make sure that the city will be a worthy place to work, study, live and do business.”

In March 2014, Senior Superintendent Jesus D. Cambay, who was also selected by the screening committee created by Domogan to be the permanent BCPO chief, was unceremoniously relieved from his post and replaced with Senior Superintendent Rolando F. Miranda, who served as officer-in-charge of BCPO until January 2016.

Daskeo was installed as BCPO officer-in-charge in January 2016 before he was selected by the screening committee chaired by the mayor as the permanent Baguio police chief in June 2016.

However, on Sept. 30, 2016, Daskeo was relieved from his post as he was reportedly “overranked” for the position. He was reassigned to the PNP national headquarters “without the position promised him in exchange for his relief,” the Domogan-led committee said.

The mayor said it is better for the committee to have passed the

resolution to air the local government’s disappointment over the spate of abrupt reliefs BCPO chiefs to avoid the perception that he is the one interested to have a change in the BCPO leadership.

The selection of the BCPO chief lies with the mayor, Domogan stressed, and that the maximum period for an officer-in-charge to stay in his post is only 30 days, “thus, the PNP has been constantly violating its own law.”

The committee wants a permanent BCPO chief to be appointed “because it is the sustainability of the peace and order programs that are being jeopardized with the fast transition in police officers to be assigned in the local police force,” he said.

Once the shortlist is available, Domogan will reconvene the screening committee with the necessary criteria to select the next BCPO chief “because Baguio does not deserve a police official on an OIC or acting capacity as he will not be effective in the implementation of peacekeeping strategies.” Dexter A. See

SBMA in coral reef protection pact

By Butch Gunio SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority will work hand in hand with agency leaders, investor-locators, and nongovernment organizations to ensure the growth and propagation of coral reefs that are already degenerating all over the country.

SBMA Chairman Martin B. Diño signed a partnership agreement with the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Brighterday Subic LTD Inc., the locator-investor of the All Hands Beach Resort inside the Freeport, and Sangkalikasan Producer Cooperative, a non-government organization engaged in reef restoration and monitoring activities based in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.

“For as long as the SBMA, the community leaders, and the business owners around the

Zone are responsive and responsible enough in preserving our coral reef beds, the condition and future of our ecosystem is sustainable” Diño said, following the signing of the agreement held at the All Hands Beach Resort on Dec. 23, 2016.

Dr. Melvin Carlos, Technology Transfer Division Director of PCAARRD, said the degeneration rate of coral reefs across the country has already reached 80 percent.

“This means that it has breached its ecological condition that is dangerous to plants, animals, and other organisms living in our waters,” Carlos said.

The agreement aims to enjoin the partner organizations to transplant some 5,000 coral fragments to restore damaged reef areas and set-up and deploy about 10 coral nursery units.

It also tasks the partner organizations to identify, document, and establish a stream of dive sites, develop a pool of human resource for coral restoration

and promote science based coral reef management.

The partnership agreement was forged to strengthen current coral reef restoration efforts by the BLSI and Sankalikasan at the All Hands Beach Resort.

Each to its own commitment, the DENR serves as the lead implementing agency that will provide the necessary technical assistance in monitoring and evaluating the project activities.

Sangkalikasan serves as the project implementer in delivering project outputs, results reviews, information dissemination, and technology transfer.

SBMA and PCAARRD are supporting bodies in monitoring, maintaining, and protecting the identified and established sites, also in baseline assessment and monitoring of coral transplants.

BLSI is the adaptor in maintaining and protecting the identified and established sites for the growth and propagation of the coral transplants.

IN BRIEF Mayor, firm hit for coal plant ashfall LIMAY, Bataan—The CoalFree Bataan Movement has lambasted Mayor Ver Roque and Petron Corp. for hazardous surroundings brought about by a coal-plant operation that it said has caused lung and skin diseases in Sitio Pexsite, Barangay Lamao here.

Residents of Pexsite have complained of ashfall and foul odors coming from the nearby 140 MW-capacity Bataan Refinery Master Plan 2 and the San Miguel Corp.-Global Power plant. They also complained they cannot even eat properly owing to the ashfall since September 2016.

The waste product of the power plants, called bottom ash, is kept in the area. According to the group Limay Concerned Citizens Inc., about 500 residents of Sitio Pexsite got diseases due to plant ash wastes.

Roque and Petron could not be reached for comment as of presstime. Butch Gunio

Caloocan ’cracker injuries drop 44% CALOOCAN City’s health department reported a 44-percent drop in fireworksrelated injuries during the New Year revelry, based on a partial surveillance report

by Aksyon Paputok Injury Reduction for 2016.

Caloocan Mayor Oscar Malapitan said the APIR “Iwas Paputok” campaign was a success, considering this year’s revelry resulted in only 84 injuries against the 151 recorded in 2016.

Of the 84 injuries, 43 to 51 percent involved the “piccolo” firecracker. Malapitan was glad no stray-bullet injury was recorded.

The mayor said the stricter implementation and information education campaign through posters and the distribution of health advisories led to the lessened number of injuries. Jun David

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

World IN BRIEF Suicide bomber kills 11 people in Baghdad BAGHDAD-A suicide bomber blew up a car at the entrance of Baghdad’s main vegetable market on Sunday, killing at least 11 people and wounding dozens, security officials and medics said.

“A soldier at the gate of Jamila market opened fire on a suicide car bomb after noticing a suspect vehicle but the terrorist blew up his car,” interior ministry spokesman Saad Maan said.

A police colonel and a hospital official said at least 11 people were killed and 35 wounded. Maan said the soldier who opened fire on the attacker was among the wounded.

Jamila is the main wholesale vegetable market in Baghdad and lies in Sadr City, a vast, mostly Shiite, neighbourhood in the northeast of the capital which has been repeatedly targeted.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack but all such recent bombings have been claimed by the Sunni extremists of the Islamic State group.

The most recent major attack claimed by IS was on January 2 -- also in Sadr City -- when a suicide bomber blew up a vehicle packed with explosives among a crowd of day labourers waiting for work, killing 35 people. AFP

Accused shooter could face death M IAMI―US authorities have charged the Iraq war vet accused of shooting five people dead and wounding six at a Florida airport with federal crimes that could carry the death penalty.

The Justice Department on Saturday charged Esteban Santiago, 26, with firearms offenses and carrying out an act of violence when he opened fire at the busy Fort Lauderdale airport.

Santiago, who had earlier shown signs of “erratic behavior,” arrived Friday on a flight from Alaska.

At baggage claim he retrieved a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and ammunition that he had declared and stowed inside his checked luggage, then allegedly loaded the weapon in a bathroom and opened fire in the crowded baggage claim area of Terminal 2.

Once his ammunition was exhausted Santiago lay on the floor with his arms and legs spread out and peacefully surrendered when a sheriff deputy approached him, witnesses quoted in US media

said.

The hail of bullets sent thousands scrambling for safety and shut down the airport, a major gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America, for about 16 hours.

If convicted of the charges Santiago could face the death penalty or life in prison, US Attorney Wifredo Ferrer said in a statement.

“Santiago started shooting, aiming at his victims’ heads until he was out of ammunition,” Ferrer said.

FBI special agent George Piro said agents were looking into the motives for the attack, including “continuing to look at the terrorism angle.”

Piro said Santiago appeared to be acting alone and that “every indication” is that he followed rules in flying with the weapon.

Santiago is scheduled to make an initial court appearance on Monday.

A former member of the Puerto Rico and Alaska National Guard, Santiago served in Iraq from April 2010 to February 2011. He ended his service in August.

On November 7, Santiago walked into the FBI’s office in Anchorage, Alaska and complained that his mind was being controlled by national intelligence agencies, which were forcing him to watch Islamic State jihadist videos, authorities said.

This “erratic behavior” led agents to contact local police, who took him for a mental health evaluation, Piro said.

Anchorage police chief Christopher Tolley said Santiago came to the FBI office with a loaded magazine, but left his gun and newborn child in his car.

Police took Santiago’s weapon for safekeeping at the time, but he was able to reclaim it on December 8.

Tolley said it was unclear if that gun was used in the airport rampage. AFP

4 Portuguese tourists killed in bus crash

LA PAZ―Gunmen burst into a hotel in the popular Los Cabos resort area on Mexico’s northwestern Pacific coast, killing three men and a woman, authorities said Saturday.

The killings took place in a small hotel in San Jose del Cabo, one of the towns referred together as Los Cabos.

The area is especially popular with American tourists visiting for sun and surf and sand.

Authorities in Baja California Sur state said the three men were found dead in the room, and that the woman was severely wounded and died en route to a hospital.

There was no motive given for the crime, but Mexico’s violent crime rate is high and the Pacific coast area has seen a lot of bloodshed as rival drug cartels fight for dominance.

The government says that since 2006 more than 170,000 people have been killed in Mexico and more than 28,000 have been reported missing in the federal crackdown on drug trafficking. The data does not indicate which cases are related to organized crime. AFP

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Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR CONFIRMATION AND APPROVAL OF EMERGENCY CAPITAL EXPENDITURE PROJECT FOR 2015, RE: REPLACEMENT OF DAMAGED POWER TRANSFORMER AT THE BATAC STATION ERC CASE NO. 2016-138 RC ILOCOS NORTE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. (INEC), Applicant. x-----------------------------------------------------x

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on 09 June 2016, the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative, Inc. (INEC) filed an application for the approval and confirmation of its emergency capital expenditure (CAPEX) project for 2015, relative to the damaged power transformer at the Batac Station.

In the said application, INEC alleged the following: 1.

INEC is a non-stock, non-profit electric cooperative duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, with principal office at Brgy. Suyo, Dingras, Ilocos Norte.

2.

It holds an exclusive franchise from the National Electrification Commission, to operate an electric light and power distribution service in the municipalities of Adams, Bacarra, Badoc, Bangui, Banna, Burgos, Carasi, Currimao, Dingras, Dumalneg, Marcos, Nueva Era, Pagudpud, Paoay, Pasuquin, Piddig, Pinili, San Nicolas, Sarrat, Solsona and Vintar and the cities of Laoag and Batac, all in the Province of Ilocos Norte.

3.

This application is being filed pursuant to Article III (3.4) of ERC Resolution No. 26 Series of 2009 as well as other pertinent laws and rules.

4.

INEC has a pending application with the Honorable Commission for the approval of its Capital Expenditure Program for 2015-2017 under ERC Case No. 2014-079 RC.

5.

Among the proposed projects in said application is the Repair/Rehabilitation of the 10 MVA Batac Substation with Project Code No. SUB-001, which involves the immediate repair/rehabilitation of its 10MVA power transformer, at estimated cost of PhP6,000,000.00 and schedule of implementation in 2015.

6.

Incidentally, on May 3, 2015, the alarm device of the Batac Substation was triggered by high oil and winding temperature which reached 75 degrees Celsius during day time at a load of 6.5 MVA.

7.

The First Philec, Inc., manufacturer of the busted transformer, gathered oil sample on the subject power transformer, and its analysis showed that based on furan levels, paper condition is severely reduced and performing oil degassing is risky considering that the estimated DP is already below 350ppm. First Philec, Inc. recommended to replace transformer based on the estimated DP value. Copy of its Furan Analysis Report dated June 8, 2015 is attached hereto and made integral part hereof as Annex “A”.

8.

First Philec, Inc. likewise prepared a Transformer Oil Laboratory Test Report. Based on the analysis the possible cause of high value of hydrogen (H2) content was the stray gassing of the oil and partial discharge in the transformer. First Philec, Inc. recommended to conduct retest six (6) months after oil sampling date to establish trends and confirm condition.

Copy of the Transformer Oil Laboratory Test Report dated June 8, 2015, is attached hereto and made integral part hereof as Annex “B”.

9.

Unfortunately, on the night of June 16, 2015, the substation power transformer got busted. Incident Report on the matter dated June 17, 2015 is attached hereto and made integral part hereof as Annex “C”.

LEGAL BASIS FOR THE APPLICATION

CAUSE OF ACTION

10. Restoration was immediately undertaken on the areas affected. Two (2) adjacent substations with combined capacity of 25MVA (1-15 MVA and 2-5 MVA) were extended to cover the affected areas. However, problems on power quality and reliability occurred, which could not be possibly addressed.

LYON―Four Portuguese tourists were killed and some 20 others injured Sunday when their bus crashed off a highway in central France known locally as the “road of death”, authorities said, revising an earlier toll.

The 40-seat bus was on its way to Switzerland when tragedy struck, the local CreusotInfo website said.

Authorities had earlier reported five deaths, but rescue workers were able to resuscitate one of the passengers, local authorities said.

Before dawn, the bus crashed off the Central Europe Atlantic Road in the Saone-et-Loire region, that sees several accidents a year, many of them deadly.

It appears the driver may have lost control of the vehicle because of ice on the road.

As a cold wave hits much of Europe, a weather alert has been issued for central and eastern France.

In March last year, 12 Portuguese passengers died when their minibus collided with a lorry on the same motorway. AFP

Mexican gunmen kill 4 in hotel

MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017

11. The only solution to the problems is the replacement of the busted power transformer with a brand new unit.

12. Considering the urgency to immediately restore a reliable and efficient power supply in the affected areas, there is an urgent need to purchase the new power transformer to replace the busted unit.

13. Accordingly, INEC undertook the publication of an Invitation to Bid for the Supply, Installation and Commissioning of a 10 MVA power transformer for the Batac Substation.

14. INEC duly informed and manifested to the Honorable Commission about the foregoing problems by filing an “Urgent Motion to Withdraw the Proposed Batac Substation Repair/Rehabilitation Project” in ERC Case No. 2014-079 RC. Copy of the motion is attached hereto and made integral part hereof as Annex “D”.

15. The contract for the supply, installation and commissioning of a 10 MVA power transformer for the Batac Substation was eventually awarded to PPI Pazific Power, Inc. Copy of the Contract for the Procurement of Supply, Delivery, Installation and Commissioning of a 10MVA 69/13.2kV Power Transformer at Quiling Sur, Batac Substation is attached hereto and made integral part hereof as Annex “E”.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION, JUSTIFICATIONS and COST 16. The cost of the project is Sixteen Million Three Hundred Fourteen Thousand Nine Hundred Sixty Four Pesos (PhP16,314,964.00) and a detailed description, justification and cost of said project is provided in the Executive Summary, attached hereto and made integral part hereof as Annex “F”.

PROJECT SCHEDULE 17. Considering the urgent necessity to restore a safe, reliable and efficient power in the affected areas, the replacement of the busted power transformer was immediately undertaken. Accordingly, the new power transformer was delivered to the site on December 4, 2015 and installation was started on December 9, 2015. Energization of the Batac Substation is being targeted on January 18, 2016.

PROJECT FINANCING 18. The total cost of the project was funded from the Reinvestment Fund for Sustainable Capital Expenditure (RFSC) of lNEC. COMPLIANCE WITH PRE-FILING REQUIREMENTS 19. Finally, in compliance with the pre-filing requirements for the instant application, INEC is submitting herewith the following documents which shall form integral parts hereof, as follows:

GALA. Camilla Belle attends Art of Elysium’s 9th annual Heaven Gala in Los Angeles on January 7. AFP

Mutinous soldiers release official BOUAKE―Mutinous soldiers released Ivory Coast’s Defense Minister Alain Richard Donwahi late Saturday after detaining him for two hours in a tense standoff over pay.

Donwahi, who flew into the west African country’s second city Bouake earlier Saturday in a bid to defuse an escalating crisis, was whisked out on a plane from the local airport shortly after his release, an AFP photographer said.

President Alassane Ouattara had announced a deal to end the dispute Saturday evening following talks between Donwahi and the soldiers, who took control of Bouake early Friday.

But angry troops rejected the terms of the agreement, firing Kalashnikov rifles and heavy weapons outside local government offices where they were meeting to block Donwahi and his team from leaving.

Ivory Coast, the world’s top cocoa producer, has been rocked by two days of unrest after soldiers seized control of Bouake’s streets early Friday, firing rocket-launchers and terrifying residents, in a mutiny that spread to other cities including the economic capital Abidjan.

The soldiers are seeking bonuses, pay rises, housing and faster promotion.

Bouake was the headquarters of an armed rebellion that broke out in 2002 and split Ivory Coast in two until 2011, sparking a decade of clashes and crises.

The current mutiny appears to have been spearheaded by former rebel fighters who have now been integrated into the army.

Shortly after Donwahi’s release, troops lifted the barricades that had blocked entry to Bouake since Friday, and the automatic rifle fire that had rattled all through the previous night and into Saturday fell silent.

Neither Donwahi nor the mutineers made any comment as the minister was released. Donwahi and his aides headed straight to the airport and their plane took off immediately, an AFP photographer said.

Ouattara had given no details of the deal offered to the mutineers, saying in a brief televised announcement earlier that it took into account “the demands relating to bonuses and improving the living conditions of soldiers”.

“Having given my agreement, I

ask all soldiers to go back to their barracks to allow decisions to be carried out calmly,” he added.

In Abidjan, national television reported earlier that shots had been fired at the northern Akouedo barracks, as soldiers put up barricades in the bustling commercial hub that is home to the presidency, government and parliament.

Troops closed off a major junction nearby, leaving the surrounding roads gridlocked, although images broadcast on national television late Saturday showed traffic returning to normal.

Schools and businesses remained shut Saturday in Bouake, where the unrest erupted early Friday when troops broke into a weapons depot, arming themselves with rocket-launchers and other weapons mounted on pickup trucks before attacking police posts, manning strategic junctions and putting up barricades.

Soldiers also took to the streets of Daloa and Daoukro in the country’s center as well as Korhogo and Odienne in the north on Friday. Though the protests there eased, the unrest had spread to Man in the west as well as Abidjan by Saturday.AFP

Nature of Document Proof of furnishing of copies of the Application Annexes “G” and “G-1” to the Sangguniang Bayan of Dingras and Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Ilocos Norte Publication of the Application in a newspaper of general circulation within INEC’s franchise area Annexes “H” and series or where it principally operates, with Affidavit of Publication 20. INEC prays that the Commission, after due notice and hearing, confirm and approve the installation of a new Power transformer at its Batac Substation in replacement for the damaged unit, and funding of the project with the cooperative’s Reinvestment Fund for Sustainable Capital Expenditure (RFSC).

The Commission has set the application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, pre-trial conference, and evidentiary hearing on 26 January 2017 (Thursday) at ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 A.M.) at Brgy. Suyo, Dingras, Ilocos Norte.

All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the proceeding may become a party by filing, at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements in the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, a verified petition with the Commission giving the docket number and title of the proceeding and stating: (1) the petitioner’s name and address; (2) the nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding, and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and (3) a statement of the relief desired.

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the proceeding may file their opposition to the application, or comment thereon, at any stage of the proceeding before the applicant concludes the presentation of its evidence. No particular form of opposition or comment is required, but the document, letter or writing should contain the name and address of such person and a concise statement of the opposition or comment and the grounds relied upon.

All such persons who wish to have a copy of the application may request from the applicant that they be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing. The applicant is hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during standard office hours.

WITNESS, the Honorable Chairman JOSE VICENTE B. SALAZAR, and the Honorable Commissioners ALFREDO J. NON, GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAPTARUC, JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT, and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 7th day of November, 2016 in Pasig City.

ATTY. NATHAN J. MARASIGAN Chief of Staff Office of the Chairman and CEO Standard – Jan. 2 & 9, 2017

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

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MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017

World

Israelis protest over soldier’s conviction J ERUSALEM―Israeli police made seven arrests overnight following an unruly protest against the manslaughter conviction of a soldier for shooting dead a wounded Palestinian assailant, police said on Sunday.

Those detained are accused of public order offenses during a demonstration outside the Jerusalem residence of President Reuven Rivlin following a reconciliation rally in Tel Aviv.

An eighth person was arrested on charges of seeking to disrupt Saturday’s rally in the commercial capital.

Another was detained on suspicion of taking part in a hate campaign against armed forces chief of staff Lieutenant General Gadi Eisenkot, who ordered the prosecution of Sergeant Elor Azaria that angered many on the Israeli right.

“During the night dozens of demonstrators arrived opposite the president’s residence where they wanted to carry out an illegal pro-

test in support of the soldier Elor Azaria,” a police statement said.

“Some of them blocked the road and refused to obey police instructions. Seven demonstrators were arrested for breach of public order.”

Since a military court found Azaria guilty on Wednesday, there has been a wave of public protest and threats against officials involved in the prosecution of the 20-year-old French-Israeli infantryman.

After the verdict was read out, protesters scuffled with police outside military headquarters in Tel Aviv.

Radio and television channels broadcast recordings of the demonstrators chanting that the chief

of staff should beware unless he wanted to share the fate of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated by a Jewish extremist in 1995.

“Gadi, Gadi be careful, Rabin is looking for a friend,” they shouted.

Saturday’s unity rally, convened after a moving Facebook appeal by reserve Captain Ziv Shilon, was held in Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square.

Azaria’s conviction has deeply divided Israeli public opinion between those who believe he was wrongly tried and those who say the conviction was the right and proper consequence of his actions.

Right-wing politicians -- including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -- have already called for Azaria to be pardoned, even though he has yet to be sentenced and his lawyers say he may appeal.

He faces up to 20 years in prison.

Public radio said about 1,500 people gathered in Rabin Square following the appeal by Shilon,

who was seriously wounded in 2012 by a Palestinian roadside bomb as he patrolled Israel’s border with Gaza.

Shilon said he was appalled at the wave of hate unleashed in the wake of the verdict against Azaria, caught on video delivering a shot to the head of a Palestinian attacker as he lay wounded on the ground.

But even the attempt at reconciliation was marred by a small but vocal group of Azaria supporters who screamed abuse at other participants they perceived as being insufficiently sympathetic.

“You are the cancer of the country,” they were heard shouting in radio reports. “You have no right to exist.”

Earlier in the week, police arrested two people in connection with online death threats against a military judge and other officials.

Another two, both minors, were arrested on suspicion of daubing graffiti, including calls to kill Arabs and police officers. AFP

PERFORMANCE. A belly dancer smokes a shisha during a wedding in

the Egyptian Qalyubia governorate, north of Cairo. Under a large colorful tent set up in farmland, lit up with bright white bulbs, about 500 attendees sit in a fog of smoke from hookah water pipes and cigarettes.

Such parties have become more common in Egypt in recently. AFP

Mexico hunts shooter of US consular official GUADALAJARA―Mexican authorities are on the hunt for a gunman who was disguised as a female nurse when he shot and wounded a US consular official in the city of Guadalajara.

The US consulate in Guadalajara posted a video on Facebook Saturday showing the shooter, dressed in blue and wearing a wig, waiting outside a shopping center’s garage at 6:20 pm on Friday (00:20 GMT Saturday). He then raises his gun and fires at the car before fleeing.

The shooting left a bullet impact on the car window while the US consular official is seen opening his door.

Moments before the shooting video from different cameras showed the official, dressed in shorts and a sleeveless shirt, paying his parking ticket at an automated machine. The gunman is seen following him.

“According to the four videos, it was a direct attack,” Jalisco state attorney general Eduard Almaguer Ramirez said.

The gunman was wearing a wig and a blue nurse uniform, Almaguer said.

The US official, who is in stable condition, interviews visa applicants at the consulate, Almaguer said.

A US government official told

AFP on condition of anonymity that the official is a vice consul, adding that no motive for the shooting has been established.

The western city of Guadalajara has been hit by violence perpetrated by the powerful Jalisco New Generation drug cartel in recent years.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation offered a $20,000 reward for information about the shooter. The FBI is helping with the investigation, Almaguer said.

The Mexican attorney general’s office said it was in contact with the US embassy and consulate in efforts to locate the shooter.

“The safety and security of our employees overseas is among our highest priorities,” the US embassy said in a statement.

“We are working closely with Mexican law enforcement i‎ n this matter,” the statement added, saying it would provide more details “due to privacy considerations.”

The embassy issued a security message later Saturday urging US citizens in Guadalajara to “restrict their movements outside their homes and places of work to those truly essential.”

“They should also take care not to fall into predictable patterns for those movements that are essential.

They should vary the times and routes of their movements.” AFP

Monk sets himself alight at anti-president protest CELEBRATION. Alex Pall, left, and Andrew Taggart of The Chainsmokers perform during the iHeartMedia CES 2017 celebration in Las Vegas. AFP

Obama heads to Chicago to bid farewell CHICAGO―Barack Obama travels to Chicago for his farewell speech Tuesday, returning to the town where his meteoric rise to become America’s first black president all began.

The third largest US city is also important to his post-presidency: it will be home to the Obama presidential library and foundation.

Obama began his political career in the Windy City, working first as a community organizer in poverty-stricken black neighborhoods, then serving in the state legislature before becoming a US senator from Illinois.

“I came of age, I understood my mission, when I moved to Chicago,” Obama said Thursday in a TV interview with Chicago’s CBS affiliate.

As a community organizer,

he worked in poor neighborhoods, witnessing “frustration and hope,” as he put it in his 1995 autobiography “Dreams from My Father.”

Obama wrote of the signs of decay among Chicago’s predominantly black neighborhoods, which were “shabbier, the children edgier and less restrained, more middle-class families heading out to the suburbs, the jails bursting with glowering youth.”

In the state legislature, he looked for ways to help, including expanding access to health care and reforming law enforcement practices.

While still a state senator, he also famously opposed the Iraq war and won the US Senate seat in 2004.

Just four years later, when he made history as the first AfricanAmerican president, Obama

chose Chicago on election night as the place to celebrate that singular moment.

Decades earlier, a young Barack Obama met his wife Michelle when they were both working at a law firm in 1988. They married in 1992 at Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ. Both of their daughters were born here.

The Obamas lived in a wealthy enclave in Chicago’s south side, near the University of Chicago where the president taught law.

His presidential library will be located nearby, which will keep the Obamas tethered to the city.

“I will always be a citizen of Chicago,” the president said in the TV interview.

“I will be investing a huge amount of effort and time and

energy to making (the library) a world-class center in a world-class city, to help train the next generation of leaders to bring about social change,” Obama said.

And in a presidency with many important moments, two of the most iconic took place here.

It was in Chicago’s expansive Grant Park that Obama first spoke publicly after winning the White House for the first time.

“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer,” Obama told a crowd of more than 100,000, some in tears, on that chilly November evening. AFP

SEOUL―A South Korean Buddhist monk is in critical condition after setting himself on fire during a mass protest against the impeached President Park GeunHye, officials said Sunday.

The monk, in his 60s and whose name was not released, set himself alight late Saturday night in central Seoul where hundreds of thousands returned to the streets for the eleventh week to demand Park’s ouster.

He left a note urging authorities to arrest the scandal-hit president for committing “treason”, the Yonhap news agency reported.

Park was impeached by parliament last month over an influence-peddling scandal that sparked a storm of public fury and nationwide protests, and the Constitutional Court now has to decide whether to confirm the impeachment.

The monk also slammed Park as a “traitor” for forging a deal with Japan to settle compensation for women forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops dur-

ing the World War II, according to Yonhap.

Critics say the 2015 deal did not go far enough in holding Japan responsible for wartime abuses.

Tensions between the two countries spiked on Friday when Tokyo recalled its ambassador over a statue of a “comfort woman”.

The monk suffered third-degree burns across his body and remains unconscious, according to police and staff at Seoul National University Hospital where he is being treated.

Self-immolation is not unheard of as a means of protest in the South, and was particularly common during the pro-democracy movement of the 1980s and early 90s when a number of activists set themselves on fire during public demonstrations.

Park is accused of colluding with her secret confidante, Choi Soon-Sil, to coerce top local firms to “donate” tens of millions of dollars to non-profit foundations which Choi then used as her personal ATMs. AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

FOOD

MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017

D1

The Pantry Gang

Sharing food is love: from the occasional boodle fight to a whole cochinillo (roasted suckling pig).

Food Is Love THE JOYCE OF EATING JOYCE BABE PAÑARES

I

EAT when I’m happy. I eat when I’m stressed. I eat when there’s nothing else better to do. (And there’s very little that’s better to do than eat.)

Personalized donuts – one bearing the Manila Standard logo

A rice cooker creation: tuna carbonara

I am my mother’s daughter, after all.

And my mother is one heck of a great cook. It is from eating the dishes that she prepares that I’ve come to the conclusion that food is love.

Love is nilagang tadyang ng baka and buttered prawns on Sunday mornings after her weekly trip to the market.

Love is the smell of garlic waking me up. Love is opening my lunch box (yes, I am 33 years old and I am proud to say my mom still cooks lunch for me) at the office, feeling my mother’s presence as I eat through my baon that’s enough to feed at least three persons.

In my 13 years as a reporter, a decade of which I spent in Malacañang covering the Arroyo and Aquino presidencies, I have made true friends who all, obviously, enjoy eating food,

too. It’s a common denominator. On bad days when we have to write six or seven stories ranging from the economy to the peace process, expect us to be equipped with lomi, potato chips, chicharon, soft drinks and siopao, among many others that have made us battle-ready in the field.

And ever since I joined the desk in March 2015, I have been happily breaking bread with my colleagues here at Manila Standard. We call ourselves the Pantry Gang. Or to be more precise, that is what we eventually called ourselves.

First, there was MATH. This acronym for Merienda, Almusal, Tanghalian at Hapunan was coined to describe the number of times you’d find one of us in the pantry, munching our way until

several ideas, including Rated PG for parating gutom (always hungry), until we settled on Pantry Gang.

Pantry Gang felt right. There was a certain naughty streak to it that just about captures the good vibes that sharing food brings. Sure, the stories and narratives we shared while eating were not always happy ones, but somehow, our sense of resilience and unity as a team were strengthened after every meal. Sharing food is also an expression of love.

Our cooking skills were also honed as we started preparing merienda from scratch instead of just buying cooked food outside. While we do have an induction cooker generously donated by our lifestyle and entertainment editor Isah V. Red, somehow we

the newspaper was put to bed. Between 3 to 5 p.m., it was common to hear questions such as “Ano ang MATH natin?

(What is our MATH today?)” or “NagMATH na ba kayo? (Have you already had MATH?).”

More than a quick merienda, MATH for us became a time to bond together. What usually took 15 minutes to conclude was extended to half an hour, prompting one exasperated editor to declare, unsuccessfully, a ban on MATH. Perhaps because of the deeper friendship formed over all the food we have shared—from good old pan de sal with Reno liver spread to a show stopper of a cochinillo—we felt there was a need to come up with a name that we can identify ourselves with. We toyed with

gravitated toward our two trusty rice cookers, cooking everything from pasta to macaroni soup to Bavarian cheese sausages. Unconventional, yes, but the set-up works for us.

Over the holidays, there was an abundance of ham that quickly became fried ham served with bread, fried ham served with rice, and sliced ham tossed with fettuccine to make one mean carbonara. Pantry Gang has survived a roller coaster of a coverage that was 2016. And armed with our rice cooker and nourished by the food we share, we are ready for whatever this Year of the Chicken, I mean Rooster, would bring.

For feedback, send comments to joyce.panares@gmail.com

Festive Flavors at 49-B Heirloom Kitchen SINCE the holiday is a season to gather family and friends, it is certain that the choicest menu were aplenty. A get-together at 49-B Heirloom Kitchen at Sct. Gandia Q.C. until the end of this month for Executive Chef Erica Aquino’s four-course menu inspired by Doña Elena Olive Oils is a great idea to end the festive season.

Try Olive and Chorizo Stuffed Chicken (P550), a Mediterranean inspired dish that comes with a generous filling of olives and chorizo. It is also marinated in Doña Elena Pure Olive Oil bursting with juicy and rounded flavors that’s perfect with a creamy mashed potato.

For a dose of Latin-American inspired dish, the Cuban Beef Stew with Yellow Rice

Try Chef Erica Aquino’s Mediterranean inspired dish, Olive and Chorizo Stuffed Chicken

(P340) sautéed in Doña Elena Pure and Extra Virgin Olive Oil won’t disappoint. A plateful of fork-tender beef with a side dish of savory black beans and fried saba bananas; the long grain turmeric rice completes the festive formula of this bright and filling recipe.

The Grilled Tilapia Fillet with Red Onions and Olive Relish (P420) is tasty but light, filling and totally guilt-free. Wonderfully conspires a Mediterranean taste, this pasta dish is refreshing and punctuated with Doña Elena Extra Virgin Olive Oil no less.

Equal parts velvety and creamy, the Cheese Panna Cotta with Lemon-Infused Olive Oil and Pistachios (P225) is brimming with layers of cheesy goodness. A mix of cream cheese and crumbled kesong puti on a pool of Doña Elena Pure Olive Oil, it’s finished off with a zest of lemon to cut the richness of this extremely decadent dessert.

For an elegant but easy to prepare dishes, all diners availing this menu will get a chance to receive a complete trio of Doña Elena Olive Oils that will surely inspire recipients to dish out a hearty but healthy menu for the holidays.

Ten lucky diners at Heirloom Kitchen will win special Doña Elena Olive Oil gift packs.

Doña Elena Cuisinera Club social media followers will also have a chance to win gift certificates for Heirloom Kitchen so make sure to follow @donaelenacuisineraclub and @49bheirloomkitchen for updates and anGrilled Tilapia Fillet with Red Onions and Olive Relish nouncement of winners.

Life

D2

MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

MAKANSUTRA HAWKERS opens at SM Megamall

H

ERITAGE street food from Singapore can now be enjoyed in Manila at the Makansutra Hawkers on the second level of SM Megamall’s Mega A.

Singaporeans take their food very seriously, and at its more than a hundred hawker centers, you can get a hearty, authentically Asian meal for less than Singaporean $3. Here, one can find food stalls representing Singapore’s major ethnic groups – Indian, Malay, Chinese and Western, while bigger center also serves Thai, Indonesian and Filipino cuisines.

Hawkers trace their roots to itinerant street food vendors herded into government built hawker centers in the 1970s and 1980s. KF Seetoh founded Makansutra, a Singapore-based company that celebrates and promotes street food culture in 1997.

Says Seetoh, “Heritage street food culture has never been more empowered than it is today. A heritage street food dish is about culture, lifestyle, traditions and identity. It also represents myriad opportunities for both the humble cook and the savvy investor.”

Regional heritage food The Makansura Hawkers at SM Megamall features 12 hawker stations, much like those found in the regional hawker centers in Singapore and Malaysia. The 12 stalls, which will serve about 60-heritage street fare including halal dishes, feature several first-timers in Manila’s dining scene. Here, one can find Teochew Kway Chap and Braised Duck (rice noodle with pig offal and braised duck) and Singapore’s Bak Kut Teh (pork rib broth) cooked with sugar cane.

Four stalls, which were big hits during the recent World Streetfood Festival 2016 will also be at SM Megamall to offer their specialties like Singapore’s Alhambra Padang Satay (halal) and their rare satay bee hoon. Hong Kong Street’s Old Chun Kee, on the other hand, will serve Cantonese-style stir-fry dishes and Ha Cheong Kai or, Bagoong Chicken Jin Ji Kway Chap and Braised Duck. Mallgoers can also have a taste of Nonya Mee Siam and Laksa by Donald & Lily from the historic city of Malacca. For the past few weeks, stall owners have been training local Philippines chefs to run these stalls.

Singapore’s well-known Geylang Claypot Rice, at Lorong 33, Geylang Road, will make its international debut at the mall. It was featured on Makansutra TV show, on AFC (Asian Food Channel) with Seetoh. It was also televised on Anthony Bourdain‘s food and travel TV series The Layover. This clay pot rice stall, as recommended by Seetoh, has been personally selected by Bourdain to be installed in his upcoming Bourdain Market in New York.

Prices of dishes range from P100 to market rates for seasonal seafood like crab and deep-sea fish items. Many one-meal dishes are affordably priced around P200 each.

A choice of home-brewed drinks like lemon barley will be offered in addition to a standard selection of soft drinks and beers. Little alluring bites include

From left: Makansutra Hawkers founders JJ Yulo and KF Seetoh, with SM Supermalls AVP for Operations Christian Mathay cut the ceremonial ribbon at the opening of food establishment

Mian Ji, Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee

Nasi Briyani

Crispy Oyster Omelet from the Ah Tee stall

All comfort and funky – Peanut Butter and pork floss sandwich at the refreshment and snack station.

Beef noodles with thick beef gravy sauce

Kaya (coconut egg custard) and Peanut Butter Toast and the iconic Roti John (spicy egg baguette with chicken curry).

Traditional desserts like Pulot Hitam (black glutinous rice in palm sugar) with coconut ice are also available.

Makansutra Hawkers is spread over 14,000 square foot of prime space in Megamall. It sits up to 500 people and has two

cozy alcoves, ideal for private dining events.

Each alcove can accommodate around 35 people. Operating hours of food stalls are from 10:00 a.m to 10:00 p.m.

cooks to operate the 12 stalls. Makansutra is poised to play an instrumental role in the exchange of heritage culinary skills with local chefs. The aim is to seed the growth of an indomitable heritage street Culinary exchange and growth food culture and industry in The Philipof heritage street food pines and around the world.

About 80 Filipino cooks and chefs will Makansutra Hawkers is located at be trained to assist top hawker chefs and SM Megamall 2L, Mega A.

B ITES

Baskin-Robbins’ delicious warm cookie ice cream sandwich SATISFY your cravings with the latest offering from the world’s favorite ice cream brand, Baskin-Robbins—the delectable warm cookie ice cream sandwich.

Don’t miss out on the limited edition freshly baked chewy cookies paired with any of your favorite Baskin-Robbins ice cream flavors for only P169. You can choose from any of these mouth-watering cookie flavors: Dark Chocolate, Double Fudge or White Chunk Macadamia. Get your own warm cookie ice cream sandwich at any of these participating Baskin-Robbins stores at Bonifacio High Street, Glorietta 5, Glorietta 2, Greenbelt 5 and Central Square BGC for a limited time only.

Citi rewards Booky app users with discount credits to casual and fine dining establishments in the metro

You can also visit any Baskin-Robbins store every 31st of the month and get 31 percent off on all fresh packs. Drop by the store on Pink Day every Wednesday and show something pink to get a free scoop of your favorite Baskin-Robbins ice cream for every purchase of the double junior scoop. For more information, log on to www.baskinrobbins.ph and follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @baskinrobbinsph.

Dining made rewarding LOOKING for an amazing restaurant to celebrate a special occasion or simply want to dine out with someone special?

Citi Credit Cards makes eating out even more exciting with a special offer of P1,500 discount credits when you download and activate Booky, your offline restaurant finder, for the first time. Existing users can also get P500 additional discount credits upon using the activation code. Use your discount credits to avail of up to P500 off at more than 500 of your favorite restaurants for a minimum bill of P1,000.

Simply download the Booky app on your smartphone via bky.ph/app and enter your mobile number. You will

then receive a validation code via SMS. Input the validation code as well as the activation code CITIBOOKY, and eat well with P1,500 discount credits.

Use your discount credits from now until Feb. 28 and enjoy your muchdeserved casual or fine dining experience. Use these credits when you dine in at some of the country’s premier restaurants such as Vikings, which offers a variety of flavors from around the world; Todd English Food Hall where you can find the finest fresh, prepared and gourmet European food; or Your Local which is famous for its PanAmerican cuisine.

Citi and Booky’s discount credits are also accepted at Four Seasons Hotpot

City, which boasts of fresh and healthy dishes; Morganfields, home of delectable sticky ribs; or even Antonio’s where fine dining can be enjoyed while overlooking the scenic beauty of Tagaytay.

With Booky, you can access over 16,000 restaurants and 9,000 menus in the metro even if you are not connected to the Internet.

Get this amazing discount now by using the promotion code in your Booky app and book at your favorite restaurant around the metro. Citi and Booky will definitely make dining out more exciting and meaningful.

For more information, log on to www. citibank.com.ph or call (02) 995-9999.

Enjoy freshly baked chewy cookies paired with any Baskin-Robbins ice cream flavors

MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017

New Director New Films Festival is on

Former drug dependents are given the chance to be part of a rehabilitation program administered by DSWD and TESDA

‘Paskong walang bato’ A STORY OF HOPE AND RECOVERY

ByLoreto B. Concepcion and Emmakris D. De Guzman

S

INCE the PNP’s Oplan Tokhang started, more than two million houses have been visited resulting in the surrender of more than 700,000 drug suspects, of whom more than 600,000 were users. Hope springs eternal that the country will become drug free under a sustained intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

Concerned barangays have implemented a community-based rehabilitation program with the help of community volunteers and relatives of the drug users.

Total rehabilitation includes an “after-care” program to prevent any relapse so drug patients can be integrated slowly back into society; and provision of cashfor-work program by DSWD or livelihood training program from TESDA for former drug dependents.

While these processes intend to eliminate fears of drug surrenders that they could be killed, such apprehensions are ever present in most of those who answered the call of the authorities to surrender and undergo treatment.

Couple Jason Gonzales, 38, and Maricris Guevarra, 31, both of Barangay 309, Rizal Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila, are self-confessed drug users who surrendered and now undergoing rehabilitation under the government’s anti-drug campaign. Jason, a former funeral driver and now earns

a living as a ‘barker,’ like his wife Maricris, has no permanent residence. He originally lived in Tondo, Manila, while Maricris was from Sta. Mesa, Manila.

The couple has a six-year-old daughter. They admitted to using drugs when Jason was 25 and Maricris at the age of 18. They used drugs only occasionally, when they were with the barkada (group) and would stop using whenever they found work.

“Nagpapasalamat po ako sa Barangay 309, kahit hindi po ako tagarito, inalok nila kaming magbago, para iwas droga.

Binigyan nila kami ng suporta na ‘wag kaming matakot, para mag-tuloy-tuloy ang pagbabago namin,” (We are thankful to Barangay 309, even if we are not originally from this place, they offered to help us to get away from drugs, assured us not to be afraid, so we can be totally changed), Jason said.

“Thank you sa buong staff ng Plaza Miranda, especially, kay Sir John Guiagi. Thank you sa lahat ng tumutulong para maidiretso natin yung plano ng

Couple Jason and Maricris thank their barangay coordinated with the police and now thankful that the government helped them to come clean

Tokhang. Sana hindi lang kami at marami pang iba na puede nyong matulungan. Sa mga tao, sana ‘wag kayong matakot sa mga pulis, hindi naman sila nakakatakot (Thank you to all the staff of Plaza Miranda, especially, to Sir John Guiagi.

Thank you to all those who are helping to achieve the goals of Oplan Tokhang. I hope they can help others who need help. For the others, they should not be afraid of the police, because they are not to be afraid of),” Maricris said.

“Kausapin n’yo lang sila ng maayos at makikipagtulungan din naman sa inyo ang mga katulad namin. Dahil, unanguna, pag nakita nila na nakauniform kayo, iisipin nila nakakatakot kayo.

Maging friendly din kayo sa mga tao

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, January 9, 2017

ACROSS 1 Before, in combos 5 Handyman’s supply 10 Canute’s foe 14 Wheedle 15 March follower 16 Just 17 Out in — field 18 Colorful candy 20 Kind of conservative 22 Go bad 23 White heron 24 Lake Nasser dam 26 Mauna — 27 Gum arabic trees 30 Goes for pizza, say (2 wds.)

34 Kind of floss 35 Tykes 36 Veld grazer 37 Pops 38 Billy’s mate 40 Monaco’s Grand — 41 Compass dir.

42 Nomad dwelling 43 Strike out 45 Fix the roof 47 Scorns the manual, perhaps 48 Happy sighs

49 Polite address 50 Kind of physicist 53 Afr. neighbor 54 Surprise win 58 No kidding!

(3 wds.)

61 Modicum 62 Seacoast eagle 63 Chilled (2 wds.)

64 Its HQ is Brussels 65 Aldebaran or Deneb 66 Large-beaked New World parrot 67 Pate de foie — DOWN 1 Freedom org.

2 Caroler’s tune 3 William Howard — 4 Pulls out 5 — Mahal 6 Puccini works 7 Synthetic fabric 8 Cheerful tone 9 Devious 10 Bulova rivals 11 Tragic monarch 12 “Rule, Britannia!” composer 13 Oktober ending 19 Borscht veggies 21 Where Hong

Kong is 25 Muffin morsels 26 Evening serenader 27 Viper 28 Refrain from 29 Lake Titicaca backdrop 30 L-o-o-n-g time 31 Horrible bosses 32 Merge or marry 33 Formal wear 35 NBA channel 39 — you serious?

40 Soaking raisins 42 Lout

44 Hairy twin 46 Pantry 47 Musical gourd 49 — to my ears 50 Nay opposites 51 Arrange 52 Salad fish 53 Long-active volcano 55 Gliders do it 56 Soul singer — James 57 Art colony town 59 — de plume 60 Evergreen

para matuto rin silang sumunod sa inyo (Talk to them in a nice way and they will cooperate (drug dependents). You know because when they see you in uniform, you will strike fear. Be a little friendly so they will turn to your side),” Maricris added and advised the men in uniform.

Jason and Maricris said t they are sincere to follow the process for rehabilitation for their and their daughter’s future. They have been under the program for two, three months now. Rehabilitation includes periodical reporting to the Chairman of Barangay for attendance and community works such as street cleaning, canal clearing and center decorating for the Christmas season.

“OK naman kami.

Napatunayan namin na kaya naming kumilos, kaya naming

maglinis kahit wala yun. Kaya naming i-assure sa sarili namin na makakapag-move on kami at i-uplift ang aming mga sarili (We are doing alright. We have proven that we can work, we can be clean even without it (drug).

We are able to reassure ourselves that we can move on and we can uplift our spirits and well-being), the couple proudly said.

Jason and Maricris is one couple who has known hardships and poverty and continued to face an unsecured future. They are only two of millions of Filipinos who have suffered injustice and neglect from previous governments which promised them heaven but left to wallow in misery and deprivation.

They continue to hope for the government which will finally bring them redemption.

THE 13th edition of FEST - New Directors | New Films Festival, announced it is accepting entries for this year’s competition, which will take place between the 19th and the 26th of June in the Portuguese seaside town of Espinho.

Known as the film festival for emerging filmmakers, the weeklong event focuses on new faces on the international film scene, with a complete and widespread competition program that will be giving out 10 awards in total.

The organizers are currently accepting feature films, fiction and documentary, from directors who are on their first or second production, regardless of age.

They are also accepting short and medium length films (of up to 54 minutes) for the fiction, documentary, animation and experimental sections, which are open for directors up to the age of 30.

Running parallel to the filmfest are educational events like Industry Meetings (for one on one meeting with film producers), Training Ground (a high level film training program) and Pitching Forum, which connects filmmakers with producers and financiers.

Established in 2003, FEST is considered as one of the most important cultural events in Portugal, it serves as a great opportunity and an excellent forum for the new filmmakers who wish to establish themselves in this industry by providing them a venue to show and promote their work, develop their skills, offer new opportunities, and develop new public for independent cinema.

After a record-breaking number of submitted entries, the organizers of the event decided to expand the submission alternatives. Thus, alongside online submissions via www. fest.pt and the traditional physical submission process, applicants can also use partner platforms: Film Festival Life (http://www.filmfestivallife. com/FEST-New-DirectorsNewFilms-Festival), Film Freeway ( https://filmfreeway.com/festival/FestNewDirectorsNewFilmsFestival), Click for Festivals (http:// www.clickforfestivals.com/ fest-new-directors-new-filmsfestival) Festhome (https://festhome. com/f/1524).

The deadline for submission of entries is on Feb. 28. The fee for submission is €4 for short films and € for feature films.

Fees are not applicable for national films.

Visit www.fest.pt. for further details.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017

BARBIE FORTEZA

gets not 1 but 4 leading men in new series

F

OUR boys, one girl… How can a girl choose only one?

What will happen if four equally handsome guys fall for one girl? How can that girl choose just one?

GMA Network makes the year’s first quarter an exciting time for all with the launch of the light-hearted, romantic drama Meant To Be. Beginning tonight, this series will make Kapuso viewers’ believe that there is one person out there meant for them.

In the primetime soap, Barbie Forteza is Billie, a typical millennial with issues in life.

Her parents Wilton (Keempee de Leon) and Amelia (Manilyn Reynes) are not in good terms. Her brother Bats (Sef Cadayona) is jobless. So, she works hard to make ends meet for her family. She is strong, intelligent, and independent and will stop at nothing to realize her priorities.

Billie is thankful to Mariko (Mika dela Cruz), her cousin, who has been her confidant and pillar of strength. Mariko is the daughter of Suzy (Tina Paner), her mother’s fraternal twin sister. The sisters’ relationship has been strained since they were young. In spite of this, Amelia tried her best to connect with her sister. She even formed a singing trio together with Suzy and her friend Beatriz (Sheryl Cruz). However, Amelia had to leave the group because she got pregnant with Bats. Their group eventually disbanded.

However, Billie and Mariko are very close unlike their mothers. Billie is the cheerleader of Mariko who is soft-spoken and shy. But their relationship and friendship will be put to the test when Billie meets four guys of different nationalities who will try and compete against each other to win her heart.

Ivan Dorschner plays Ethan Spencer-Hughes from the UK, the ideal guy/ perfect boyfriend.

He is charming, romantic, and ultimately loyal. He comes back to the Philippines hoping to reconnect with his mom after his dad passed away who left him with a huge amount of inheritance.

Addy Raj breathes life to the role of Jai Patel from Mumbai whose life resembles a character in a Bollywood film. He’s hyper, friendly and does not

After the recently concluded primetime drama “That's My Amboy,” television darling Barbie Forteza is back on the boob tube as she stars in "Meant To Be" with four up-and-coming leading men in GMA Network

Ken Chan

Jak Roberto

ISAH V. RED

take life seriously, not even girls.

Jak Roberto is Macoy dela Cruz, the only pure blooded Filipino in the group. Among the boys, he is the only one who comes from a middleclass family. He’s shy and just follows what he is told to do.

Lastly, Ken Chan is the Filipino-Chinese Yuan Lee, a hotheaded guy with lots of angst and frustrations in life. He’s an illegitimate son of a Chinese businessman, and even as a kid, he had always tried to live up to his father’s standards but always fails. He becomes rebellious against his father and turns his attention to sports.

As destiny would have it, all four will eventually fall in love with Billie and their friendship will be jeopardized. Cultures will clash and various problems will arise in their respective families and love lives. How will the four boys compete for the love of one girl and how can that girl choose just one?

Entertainment royalty Gloria Romero appears as Lola Madj.

Also playing important roles are Stephanie Sol as Cacai and Zymic Jaranilla as Toti.

Meant To Be airs beginning tonight right after Alyas Robin Hood on GMA Telebabad. *** The annual Walk of Fame previously spearheaded by the late Master Showman German “Kuya Germs” Moreno has taken on a new road as it is now under a new leadership.

The late icon’s son Federico Moreno is determined to continue what Kuya Germs has started and decided to form a Board of Trustees for its induction last year. The Board, headed by Federico as President, promotes Walk of Fame with the addition of personalities in Theatre and News and Public Affairs.

According to Federico, the inductees are not limited to being an icon, but rather representing their significance in the industry.

“To be inducted (to) the Walk of Fame, (means) you have really become the epitome of success wherein it’s not about the length of you being in showbiz, but how you made an impact on the industry,” he explained.

Kapuso stars who earned their star on the Walk of Fame are Jennylyn Mercado and John Arcilla for Movies, Bar-

Ivan Dorschner

Addy Raj

bie Forteza for Television, and Susan Enriquez for News and Public Affairs. hosts.

“The Walk of Fame Foundation of our dear Kuya Germs is our own small way of continuing his legacy. This is one of the best contributions my family and the close friends of my father can offer to the Philippine Entertainment Industry.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we are deeply honored to continue his notable cause,” Federico concluded.

Zac Efron is Hugo Fragrances new ambassador HUGO Fragrances introduces its newest ambassador – Zac Efron.

The ultimate embodiment of millennial masculinity, the multi-talented actor and producer will inspire the next generation of trailblazers as part of the innovative new digital campaign #YourTimeIsNow launching this year for the brand’s iconic male fragrance, Hugo Man. Bringing to life the authenticity and passion

that lies at the heart of the Hugo brand in line with the powerful boost of daring freshness that the scent Hugo Man delivers, Zac will kick-start a digitally-focused and multi-faceted campaign set to encourage younger generations to act on their passions to achieve their goals. An intriguing mix of classic movie star with an irreverent, urban edge, Zac’s unique style, confidence, charisma and wit make him the perfect choice

for this fragrance biggest venture yet.

A movement for all those who aspire to live their dreams, Hugo Man will empower millennials the world over to explore and embrace every opportunity for the ultimate achievement – a life defined by their hopes and dreams, and no-one else’s. Further details about the campaign will be revealed over the coming months on official HUGO BOSS channels.

Hollywood A-List Zac Efron now wears Hugo's iconic male fragrance