Manila Standard - 2017 January 11 - Wednesday

VOL. XXX • NO. 333 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

NAVOTAS NETHERWORLD. Two of several firefighters are seen battling a fire that gutted down 600 tumble-down shanties at Northbay Blvd. in Navotas, Metro Manila, dubbed the nation’s ‘fishing capital,’ affecting an estimated 1,200 families in the hellfire Monday night, a week before it celebrates its foundation day. Manny Palmero

Du30 hikes SSS pension De Lima gets 10 days to defeat disbarment

Two-step raise starts with P1,000 this month

By Rey E. Requejo

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has approved an immediate P1,000 pension increase this month to members of the Social Security System, to be funded with a staggered increase in members’ contributions and salary credits, officials said Tuesday.

THE Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered Senator Leila de Lima to comment on a petition filed by a fellow lawyer seeking her disbarment following her admission that she had an affair with her married former driver Ronnie Dayan.

During its en banc session, the Court gave De Lima 10 days from receipt of notice to submit her comment on the complaint filed by lawyer Fernando Perito late last year.

Perito filed the disbarment complaint with the SC’s Office of the Bar Confidant accusing De Lima of gross immorality in

violation of Code of Conduct of Lawyers because of her illicit relationship with Dayan.

Perito cited as evidence the public admission of the affair by De Lima in a TV interview in November 2016.

De Lima broke her silence and confirmed that she had a relationship with Dayan for “a few years” in an interview with GMA News TV’s “Bawal ang Pasaway kay Mareng Winnie” show.

Asked why she fell for Dayan, De Lima said it is due to the “frailties of a woman.”

“We became so close, that’s it, because I trusted him and of course I fell for him,” she said during the Next page TV interview.

By John Paolo Bencito

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To soften the possible impact of the pension increase on the financial viability of the SSS, a twotiered increase of P1,000 might take effect in 2022 under “conditional implementation.”

“The President seeks to fulfill a social contract with the Filipino people especially the elderly and the poor, to give them their best lives in service,” presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said

Lawmakers cheer Du30 high rating

Narco-mayors told: Resign or get killed

By John Paolo Bencito SOME 1,400 mayors were summoned to a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañang on Jan.18, Wednesday, after he warned those who were involved in the illegal drugs trade to resign or die.

A senior Cabinet official who asked not to be named told the Manila Standard in a text message that the country’s mayors will be invited to the Palace for a “meeting.”

“Yes, all of them,” the official

said.

Another source said the President might pay particular attention to some mayors he has often referred to in his speeches.

“The meeting is concerned about narco-politicians. They were invited,” the source said.

On Monday, the President said that he plans to confront mayors who are on his final list of suspected drug personalities, and warn them to resign and abandon their drug trade, or face death.

“I will call the mayors, I will Next page

in a press briefing.

Starting this January, an SSS pensioner will be receiving an average of P4,276 per month.

Along with the approved P1,000 pension increase, a corresponding annual 1.5 percent hike in premiums will be implemented

by May 2017 from the current 11 percent contribution rate, over a stretch of six years until it reaches 17 percent.

Next page

CHARACTER CERTIFICATE. President Rodrigo Duterte reads the credentials of one of the ambassadorsdesignate he is to meet shortly Tuesday at the Music Room of the Palace.

MANY Filipinos continued to trust President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration six months into his term despite a significant drop in his scores in Metro Manila and among the masses, according to the latest Social Weather Stations survey.

The Fourth Quarter Social Weather survey, conducted among 1,500 adult respondents, revealed that 73 percent of Filipinos were satisfied with the national government’s general performance while 12 percent were undecided and 15 percent were dissatisfied.

The administration yielded a +61 net satisfaction rating in December or five points lower than its +66 maiden satisfaction marks in September.

Lawmakers on Tuesday cheered the continuing high trust rating of President Rodrigo Duterte despite the sharp criticisms of his war on drugs Next page

Massacre House drops Romero’s in Zambo: immunity from arrest Eight dead By Christine F. Herrera

RECORD HIGH. This undated photo, received Tuesday, shows Philippine Coast Guard people inspecting a fishing boat whose crew (center, background) were allegedly killed by pirates off the coast of Laud Siromon in Zamboanga. Security officials say the number of maritime kidnappings hit a 10-year high in 2016. AFP twitter.com/ MlaStandard

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

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AUTHORITIES are hunting down five men who fired on a boat carrying 15 fishermen off Siromon Island in Zamboanga City Monday night and killed eight of them instantly, police said Tuesday.

Five of the fishermen remained missing while two survivors were rescued by passing fellow fishermen near Laud on Siromon Island, police said.

Western Mindanao Command spokesman Felimon Tan Jr. said the incident happened around 7 p.m. when the five men on board a motorized pump boat strafed the fishing boat.

“Five of the fishermen died on the spot. The others jumped off the boat and survived,” Tan said.

thestandard.com.ph

Next page

THE House of Representatives will not provide parliamentary immunity to embattled 1-Pacman Rep. Michael Romero after a Manila court issued an arrest warrant against the billionaire.

House Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Fariñas said the House

leadership could not guarantee parliamentary immunity from arrest and would respect and abide by the orders of the court.

At the same time, however, Fariñas said Romero would not be facing expulsion or suspension proceedings because no ethics complaint will be filed against Next page

Arrest order issued vs Indian 5-6 lenders PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday ordered the arrest and deportation of Indian nationals involved in lending money at usurious interest rates.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said Duterte wanted to save the poor Filipino

vendors being victimized by the usurers Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Duterte ordered the crackdown on the Indians.

“They can be arrested for operating without any permits,” AguNext page irre said.

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

Abe sets two-day visit J APANESE Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will be making stops in Manila and Davao City when he visits the Philippines on Jan. 12 to 13, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said on Tuesday.

Abe, who first met President Rodrigo Duterte at the Asean Summit in Laos in September, had requested to visit Duterte’s home, Abella said.

“They struck a resonant chord and apparently, Prime Minister Abe wants to visit the President’s house,” he said.

Abe will arrive at noon on Thursday and will be received

by Duterte in Malacañang.

A state dinner will be held for him on Friday.

Abella said Abe will also be meeting with business groups in Manila and in Davao City, where he will visit Duterte’s house in Matina and the Japanese Cemetery.

Japan has been active in helping the Mindanao peace process and is the Philippines’ biggest source of Official Development Assistance.

Japan is also supporting the Philippines’ anti-drug campaign and is interested in extending assistance to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the fight against illegal drugs.

Abe will be the first head of state to accept Duterte’s invitation to visit the Philippines.

Duterte has also invited Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. John Paolo Bencito

De Lima...

From A1

A similar disbarment complaint against De Lima was filed before the Court by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and former National Bureau of Investigation deputy directors Reynaldo Esmeralda and Ruel Lasala, who were also complainants in the drug trafficking and graft charges against her in the Department of Justice.

In 2012, Perito also filed a disbarment case against De Lima for her alleged defiance of a Supreme Court temporary restraining order issued in November 2011 when she stopped former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her husband Jose Miguel Arroyo from leaving the country.

De Lima on Tuesday said if she gets killed or something untoward happens to her, President Rodrigo Duterte should be held responsible, after he made “veiled threats” on her life.

“I’m making him [Duterte] responsible, if something happens to me.... If something happens to me, he’s the one responsible, directly or indirectly because he has repeatedly demonized me,” said De Lima.

While talking about mayors who benefit from the illegal drug trade, Duterte challenged his listeners to “ask any policeman here” if he ever said “you have to kill De Lima.”

“I take it as a veiled threat.

Why, all of a sudden, will he mention me [in relation to] the killings?” she said. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

From A1

An increase in monthly salary credit to P20,000 will be implemented based from P16,000, Abella said.

SSS Chairman Amado Valdez said that a second tranche of increases will be implemented by 2022, if the SSS gets ‘favorable results’ following a reform of the whole pension system.

“The first P1,000 [will be implemented] this January. We projected the next P1,000 in 2022 but if we are able to implement and get favorable results, maybe it won’t take until 2022, maybe by 2019 we can already comply with the next P1,000,” he added.

The President decided to grant a P2,000 pension increase during Monday’s Cabinet meeting amid immense pressure to keep his election promise.

“Just ensure to me that this is sustainable, and this is an unambiguous instruction here from the President,” Valdez quoted Duterte as saying.

With the pension increase, Valdez said that the actuarial life of the private pension system will be shortened from 2042 to 2040, to be augmented and reformed through increased members’ contribution and an

House...

From A1

Massacre...

From A1

“The motive of the gunmen was said to be a grudge between two fishing groups. Another angle being considered is extortion.”

In Kuala Lumpur, the International Maritime Bureau said Tuesday the number of maritime kidnappings hit a 10-year high in 2016, with the waters off the southern Philippines becoming increasingly dangerous.

While the overall number of pirate attacks has declined in recent years, the IMB said 62 people worldwide were kidnapped for ransom at sea last year compared to only 19 in 2015 and nine in 2014.

“The kidnapping of crew from ocean-going merchant vessels in the Sulu Sea and their transfer to the southern Philippines represents a notable escalation in attacks,” the IMB said in a report.

It urged shipowners to avoid the Sulu Sea, which lies between eastern Malaysia and the Philippines, by routing ships to the west of Borneo island.

In a string of incidents in the Sea last year, groups of armed men―said to be either from or linked to the Abu Sayyaf―ambushed ships and seized crew for ransom.

The Abu Sayyaf are based on remote and mountainous southern Philippine islands.

Their leaders pledge allegiance to the Islamic State group, but analysts say they are more focused on lucrative kidnappings.

Noel Choong, head of the IMB’s Kuala Lumpur-based Piracy Reporting Center, said groups linked to militants were carrying out the kidnappingsparticularly off West Africa and in the Sulu Sea. Florante S. Solmerin, with AFP

Du30...

UKRAINIAN BET. Ms. Spodyniuk Alona, 19 years old, representing Ukraine in the 2017 Ms. Universe beauty pageant arrives from Bangkok on board PAL flight PR 731. Eric Apolonio

Arrest...

From A1

During the Cabinet meeting Monday night, Duterte asked Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. to inform the Indian ambassador of his decision to stop the Indians’ usurious lending scheme in the Philippines.

“They are violating Philippine laws by indulging in a money-making business without the necessary permits,”

Lawmakers...

From A1

In separate interviews with the Manila Standard, Reps.

Rodolfo Fariñas of Ilocos Norte, Rodolfo Albano of Isabela, Tobias Tiangco of Navotas, Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar, Jericho Nograles of the PBA party-list and Fred Castro of Capiz hoped the SWS findings that President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration remained “very good” in the last quarter of 2016 would be sustained.

Despite Duterte’s “very good”

Duterte said.

Piñol said that after he discussed poverty in the countryside and the desperate moves of small businessmen to borrow money from usurious money lenders just to survive, Duterte announced an initial release of P1 billion for a micro-lending program.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez had earlier said the government would this month initiate a micro-lending program to replace the Indian lenders.

The government is also

launching a Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso or P3 program in Mindoro, Leyte and Sarangani following Duterte’s order to eliminate usurious lenders.

“The P3 is designed to bring down the interest rate at which micro-finance is made available to micro enterprises,” Lopez said.

The loanable amount starts at P5,000 for start-ups to a maximum of P300,000 with an interest rate of 26 percent per annum with no collateral requirement. John Paolo Bencito and Rey E. Requejo

overall net satisfaction numbers, SWS noted a 13-point drop in his satisfaction rating in Metro Manila, where it plunged to +53 from +66.

His ratings stayed “very good” in the Visayas at +58 and in “Balance Luzon” at +56, both down 4 points from the September scores.

His satisfaction marks stayed “excellent” in his bailiwick in Mindanao at +78, although this was three points down from his record-high “excellent” +81 in September.

The satisfaction with the government stayed “very good”

across socioeconomic classes from a +62 for the poorest class “E” and +55 for the richest class “ABC”, but dropped seven points down to +61 among respondents from the “masa” or class “D.” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar nevertheless welcomed the results of the latest survey.

In the same survey, the Duterte administration got “very good” scores in six subjects under the Governance Report Card, “good” ratings in eight and “moderate” in two others. John Paolo Bencito and Maricel V. Cruz

him as the alleged offenses were purportedly committed before he was elected as congressman.

“The House of Representatives will protect the rights of its members as well as those of any person, but will respect and obey the laws and legal orders promulgated by the duly constituted authorities,” Fariñas said.

Fariñas was reacting to the arrest warrant issued by Manila RTC Branch 11 Judge Cicero Jurado Jr., who recommended no bail for Romero and his two co-accused, Edwin Jeremillo and Felicia Aquino, for qualified theft.

Romero allegedly stole P3.4 million from his family’s Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc. In issuing the statement, Fariñas said parliamentary immunity of members of Congress is clearly defined under the Constitution.

He said Section 11, Article VI of the Constitution provides that, “A senator or member of the House of Representatives shall, in all offenses punishable by not more than six years imprisonment, be privileged from arrest while the Congress is in session. No member shall be questioned nor be held liable in any other place for any speech or debate in the Congress or in any committee thereof.”

“The immunity from arrest applies only while the Congress is in session ‘in all offenses punishable by not more than six years imprisonment.’ Since [the order] stated that no bail has been recommended, it is obviously for an offense not covered by the immunity,” Fariñas said.

Congress resumes its sessions on Monday, Jan, 16, after a month-long Christmas and New Year break.

On Jan. 5, a Quezon City Regional Trial Court also issued a ruling barring Romero from claiming ownership of his family-owned Harbor Centre Port Terminal Inc. It was a major setback for Romero in his protracted legal battle with his father, construction magnate Reghis Romero II, who sued his estranged son for allegedly falsifying ownership of the port facility.

In a 12-page order, Branch 222 Presiding Judge Edgar Santos ordered Romero and his affiliates, as well as their agents,

Narco-mayors...

From A1

lock them in so it’s just us. I will really tell them, ‘The list I gave you is this thick. Look for your name there, mayor. If your name is there, son of a bitch, you have a problem. I will really kill you,” he warned.

“Either you resign or make a clean break of everything, come up with clean nose and we’ll talk,” he added.

If he will be remembered as a

investment reserve fund.

While exercising fiscal responsibility, Abella rejected suggestions by militant lawmakers to use taxpayers’ money to fund pension increase “since the SSS is a private pension fund.”

“The proper perspective is to view SSS as a long-term savings and not as an expense,” he said.

As of October 2016, the SSS had 34.7 million members and total assets of P487 billion. Its liabilities amount to P18.24 billion while its reserves amount to P468.9 billion.

SSS president Emmanuel F. Dooc vowed to improve the collection efficiency of his agency, which has some P13.5 billion in delinquent premiums.

Valdez also said they would look into the pay scale of SSS executives, after the agency came under fire for giving its top officials huge salaries and bonuses.

SSS officials have also urged Congress to pass laws to help the agency improve its collection, including the condonation of penalties to encourage delinquent employers to pay.

“We are asking Congress to expedite the legislated reforms in the SSS giving us the power of condonation to employers... because in some cases, the penalty is higher than the amount owed,” Dooc said. employees and successors-ininterest 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.

Before the transaction, MNHPI was 65 percent owned by HCPTI and 35 percent by San Miguel-owned Petron Corp.

SMC eventually acquired an additional 43.44-percent stake.

Fariñas said the House could not make the court ruling as basis for an ethics case against Romero until the ruling becomes “final and executory.”

“The court ruling is not final and cannot be the subject of an ethics case since every person enjoys the presumption of innocence until otherwise proven guilty by final judgment,” Fariñas said.

He also said the House has no jurisdiction over acts committed by a member before becoming a member of the present Congress.

Fariñas said the House could not look into the Securities and Exchange Commission’s decision to allow the sale transaction to proceed between Romero and Ramon Ang-owned San Miguel Corp. and Petron unless a member filed a bill or a resolution calling for a probe.

The House, he said, can only act on bills or resolutions duly filed.

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

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.

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. murderer, so be it, he added.

“I might go down [in] history as the butcher. It’s up to you,” the President said.

Duterte earlier admitted that he does not have any evidence to prosecute politicians he tagged as being involved in the illegal drug trade.

Duterte said the country is already a narco-state, but he cannot just leave the problem alone.

In various speeches, Duterte said that congressmen, governors, mayors, and barangay captains are included in his final narcolist, which is being validated.

News

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Peza sets investment roadshows next month

TONS OF TRASH. Only hours after the police estimated 3.5-million devotees passed by the Traslacion streets and the square fronting the minor basilica in Quiapo, garbage collectors, quick like some thunderclap, start hauling truckloads of dregs and debris, drawing the ire of environmental activists. Norman Cruz

IN BRIEF Ombudsman upholds graft raps vs former Sibuco officials THE Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday upheld the filing of graft raps against a former mayor and members of the Sangguniang Bayan of Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte before the Sandiganbayan.

In a nine-page resolution, the Ombudsman found probable cause to indict ex-mayor Norbideiri Edding; SB members Norbryan Edding, Malik Tutuan, Nasser Mahamod, Absar Caril, Jaapal Dodong, Abbas Samson, and Misal Hawari for violation of Section 3(a) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act or Republic Act No. 3019.

The raps arose from the act of the respondents in authorizing Edding to sign checks and approve disbursement vouchers and payrolls.

In September 2010, SB member Norbryan Edding, the mayor’s brother, authored a resolution authorizing only the mayor to sign checks for the municipality. ”Since the provisions of the Local Government Code plainly speak of the authority of the Vice Mayor to (1) sign all warrants drawn on the municipal treasury for all expenditures appropriated for the operation of the SB, and (2) approve vouchers and payrolls relative to funds over which the Vice Mayor has administrative control, this authority cannot be taken away from the Vice Mayor and be conferred upon the Municipal Mayor by a mere report or resolution of the SB,” the resolution read. Rio Araja

DA bans entry of imported poultry products THE Bureau of Customs is strictly monitoring the entry of all imported poultry products from four countries after the Department of Agriculture ordered the ban of importation due to the outbreak of the Avian Influenza in Asia and Europe.

The BoC said it received a directive from the DA to effect the ban of all poultry products— including dressed and deboned chicken, eggs and ducks—from South Korea, Germany, France and The Netherlands.

In a statement, the BoC said it would immediately destroy seized illegally imported food products to secure the safety of the Filipinos.

DA Secretary Manuel Piñol said the department put up in place some emergency measures such as the “immediate suspension of the processing, evaluation of application and issuance of Sanitary and Phytosanitary [SPS] Import Clearance to import the aforementioned commodities from said location; and stoppage and confiscation of all shipments of aforementioned commodities from said locations, except heat-treated products.”

Vito Barcelo

Erap lauds security officials, devotees for calm Traslacion

By Sandy Araneta and Joel Zurbano

M

ANILA Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada on Tuesday praised security officials, organizers, and even devotees for the peaceful observance of the Black Nazarene Feast, especially the 22-hour long Traslacion where no one was reported killed.

Estrada, the designated Hermano Mayor of the Quiapo Fiesta, attributed this to “God’s miracle.”

“It’s a God’s miracle that no one was seriously hurt, no one died. No matter how excellent our preparations are, it is God’s doing that we’re able to hold the Traslacion safely and peacefully,” Estrada pointed out amid threats of violence from various terror groups in Mindanao.

After more than 20 hours and a procession route that was almost six kilometers long, the annual Traslacion ended early Tuesday morning.

As the Hermano Mayor, Estrada lauded the Manila Police District, National Capital Regional Police Office, Armed Forces, and other government agencies, Church officials, government and private rescue groups, volunteers, and other participants—and even devotees—for their “cooperation and hard work.”

“We’ve been preparing for Traslacion as early as July and I can say this is the product of their hard work and cooperation. Definitely, we will make more improvements next year so we can achieve ‘zero casualty’ again,” Estrada said.

Meanwhile, the police-estimated 3.5-million devotees who joined the Traslacion of the Black Nazarene in Manila on Monday left tons of garbage, which drew the ire of environmental health activists.

Francis Martinez, head of the Metro Manila Development Authority-Metro Parkway Clearing Group, said as of 2 p.m. Tuesday, 34 truckloads or 202 tons of garbage were collected along the routes of the procession.

The trash collected—composed mainly of plastic food wrappers, food leftovers, bamboo skewers, plastic bags, soiled newspapers, cigarette butts, styrofoam materials,, empty mineral water bottles, tetra packs and canned soft drinks—were hauled to Pier 18 in Manila in coordination with the city government.

Martinez said the clearing operation was quite efficient as the MMDA personnel followed the main bulk of the procession and collected thrash.

“We begin clearing as soon

as the procession moves along.

The dump truck is also nearby,” he said. “Last year, we collected a total of 35 truckloads [of garbage].”

Martinez added a fire truck sprayed water on the procession route to clean and remove the stench.

Environmentalist group Ecowaste Coalition expressed disappointment with the people who participated in the annual religious event and decried the assorted discards that had piled up along the procession route.

“We are saddened by the lack of respect for the environment by some of the devotees who simply left their discards lying on the ground for others to pick up,” said Ochie Tolentino, Ecowaste Zero Waste campaigner.

“From Luneta to Quiapo, we managed to take photos of mounds of garbage that have kept waste workers and volunteers busy and tired,” she reported.

“We even found ...bottles and plastic bags filled with human urine in Luneta.”

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority has scheduled investment roadshows in the Middle East next month to attract investors to explore the Philippine market.

This will be in preparation for President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to visit the Middle East on Feb. 26 to March 3, according to Peza director general Charito Plaza.

Plaza told reporters the agency would have investment seminars in Riyadh on Feb.11 and 12, in Dubai on Feb. 13 and 14, and in Qatar on Feb. 15 and 16.

“Because President Duterte is tentatively eyeing a state visit in the Middle East on Feb. 26 onwards up to March 3 for these three countries—Riyadh, Dubai, and Qatar,” she said.

“These are still plans, that’s why the dates are still tentative, but Peza will already be doing the investment seminars for these investors of these different countries, and then hopefully we can already find a match to our local investors, Filipino investors, especially our new economic zones created in provinces and cities in Mindanao,” she added.

The Peza chief mentioned that the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, local government officials, and economic zone developers would join the investment promotion agency in its roadshow in the Middle East.

“Because it was Peza who initially talked with some sheiks and businessmen in these countries, DFA is asking us to be in the frontline in formalizing the possible investments to the Philippines prior to the state visit of President Duterte,” Plaza noted.

In a previous interview, the Peza chief mentioned that royal families from Qatar and Dubai were looking into establishing economic zones in Philippine islands, developing cities within islands, as well as putting up their own oil deposit facilities and refineries in these islands.

“So when the President comes, there will be signing of MOUs [Memoranda of Understanding] [for] whatever investments we’ve finalized during our investment seminars in these countries,” she said.

Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman are also planned to be visited.

PNA

DU30 wants to revise PH history Bayan to AFP: Disclose

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan contents of new Oplan PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte wants to revise all history text books by scrapping the portion where the Spaniards discovered the Philippines on March 16, 1521.

In a chance interview, the eldest child of 33th Sulu King Jamalul Kiram III, Jacel, said Duterte, who has repeatedly told crowds he has Chinese blood in his lineage, had agreed to correct the Philippine history where the country had a government through a Sultanate even before the Spaniards arrived in the 16th century.

“It’s high time to correct history and include some points in history that were not included in the books,” Kiram said in the interview.

Kiram said she was able to talk with the Presi-

dent and was surprised how Duterte was very aware of the Philippine history.

“I was able to speak to him [Duterte] about this...I was so delighted with the response of the President. He knows the history,” she added.

Kiram said China would help in revising Philippine history textbooks and that would happen in September.

There was no immediate reaction from Filipino historians.

Kiram said the Philippines had “trade relations with neighboring countries and we had diplomatic relations in 1417 in Ming Dynasty.”

Legal experts say diplomatic relations refers to the customary diplomatic intercourse between nations which involves permanent contact and communication between sovereign countries.

JUSTICE SOUGHT. Relatives and close kin, including Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption

Chairman Dante Jimenez raise their fists during a press conference Tuesday as they demand justice for the four slain small-scale miners of Barangay Gata in Caramoan, Camarines Sur who were murdered—the case still unsolved—on March 23, 2014. Norman Cruz

By Sandy Araneta THE Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of National Defense should disclose the actual contents of their new campaign plan, Development Support and Security Plan Kapayapaan, launched last week at a top level command conference, the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said on Tuesday.

If it is a sequel to Oplan Bayanihan, claiming to put primacy on the peace negotiations and so-called non-combat “development” work, but continuing the militarization of communities, then it is not new nor will it succeed, Renato M. Reyes Jr., Bayan secretary-general said.

Reyes said: “Will DSSP Kapayapaan cause the pullout of troops from lumad and other occupied areas? Will this cause the suspension of military operations masquerading as noncombat, development operations in civilian communities?

“Will this end the “IP-centric” approach adopted by Oplan Bayanihan that has resulted in human rights violations in indigenous communities? Will this make the AFP stop targeting legal activists, whether through trumped-up charges or by extrajudicial killings?

“Will the AFP disband para-

military groups especially those most notorious for rights abuses such as massacres?”

“If the answer to all these questions is No, then we are in for more of the same. Maybe even worse,” Reyes said.

Reyes said Oplan Bayanihan of Aquino also claimed to recognize the primacy of the peace process but instead unleashed war on the people.

“It was an utter failure as the peace talks were stalled while the AFP failed to stop the advance of the revolutionary forces.”

He added it was “this reality that served as the basis for the Duterte administration to enter into peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines,” Reyes said.

According to Reyes, the AFP should upload and make available the new DSSP Kapayapaan to allow its scrutiny by all stakeholders and interested parties, including human rights groups, peace advocates, and members of Congress.

Kapayapaan’s predecessor Oplan Bayanihan was made available to the public by the previous regime and can be found at the AFP’s website.

Reyes claimed people in the countryside continued to call for the pull-out of AFP troops operating in civilian communities.

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Opinion

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Promises to keep

W

AS Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno being pragmatic or cynical when he urged the public last week to differentiate between President Rodrigo Duterte and candidate Duterte, who made promises during the election campaign?

Diokno made the statement after the President—on the urging of his economic advisers—balked at granting one of his key campaign promises, to raise the monthly Social Security System (SSS) pensions of millions of retirees by P2,000.

Asked about the political fallout that the President might suffer if he did not keep his word, Diokno suggested this phenom-

enon was not all that uncommon.

“Candidate Duterte is different from President Duterte,” the Budget chief said in Filipino. “And you see that all over, even worldwide. Candidate [Donald] Trump is different from President Trump. You promised something that, when you see the data, it’s not doable.”

Some might say there was nothing controversial in the Budget secretary’s observation. After all, the public has long grown accustomed to politicians who will promise anything to gain office, then renege on those promises once elected.

On the other hand, candidate Duterte ran and was elected on a platform of change, one of which presumably was to do away with cynical and untrustworthy politicians and replace them with government officials who actually kept their promises.

One of Mr. Duterte’s allies on the left,

the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), denounced Diokno’s statement as “unacceptable.”

“No one would believe candidates’ promises, then,” the group’s secretary-general, Renato Reyes, said.

More pointedly, no one, eventually, would believe President Duterte, whose credibility would be eroded by his inability to keep his word. This would be a truly problematic situation, given that Mr. Duterte still has more than five years left in office.

The President did announce on Tuesday a P1,000-hike—hardly enough to augment the pensioners’ rising cost of needs. It was a clear compromise after seeing the public’s reaction to his going back on his word.

The pension hike isn’t the only promise candidate Duterte has thus far failed

to deliver in his new persona as President. He also promised to jet ski to the Spratly islands and plant a Philippine flag to challenge China. A few months later, President Duterte is all but licking China’s boots, even offering to set aside a UN tribunal’s favorable ruling in an effort to appease Beijing.

This wasn’t a mere broken promise, it was a complete reversal of what Mr. Duterte said he would do.

The perilous thing about Mr. Duterte’s broken promises are that they eventually pit his supporters against each other.

On one side, there are those in his government who, like Secretary Diokno, see the folly in some of the President’s promises. On the other side are the millions of supporters who elected Mr. Duterte into office—precisely because they believed in his promises.

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

2016 surprises, 2017 outlook

Out of step LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES PERHAPS it’s time for a serious rethink of Vice President Leni Robredo’s political strategy. If current survey trends continue, she may be in dire danger of frittering away all the goodwill she has generated since her surprise election last May. The Pulse Asia polling outfit released on Monday the results of its latest quarterly trust and approval ratings survey of top government officials and institutions, conducted from September to December last year.

The only significant statistical change was a precipitous seven-percent drop in the trust rating of Robredo, from 65 percent to 58 percent.

The political events coinciding with the period, for Ro-

bredo, were her resignation from the Cabinet of President Rodrigo Duterte, after she was asked to stop attending its regular meetings; and the Supreme Court decision allowing the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos, which Robredo strongly opposed. Both were supposed to improve Robredo’s stature in the eyes of the public —but the survey shows that the reverse was actually true.

Robredo and her backers, most of them closely identified with former President Noynoy Aquino and derisively referred to by Duterte as the Yellows, used both events to rally the people against the new president. The same survey showed that Duterte’s trust and approval ratings, released last week, were statistically unchanged and remained the high eighties for an “excellent” rating.

This leads to the inescapable conclusion that the Yellows failed to use both the Robredo resignation and the Marcos bur-

ial to bring down the president.

Instead, the anti-Duterte protests and publicity backfired on Robredo, as shown by the plummeting of her own ratings during the same period.

The new poll shows just how seriously out of touch Robredo and her gang are with the citizenry.

Robredo, of course, was basically fired from the Cabinet because of reports that Duterte believed she was attending protest actions calling for his resignation. The Yellows

milked the resignation for all it was worth in a bid to generate sympathy for the vice president and to paint her as the victim of a power-mad, chauvinistic Duterte; obviously she didn’t get that sympathy.

Robredo also led the chorus of Yellows protesting the Supreme Court ruling allowing the burial of Marcos and the burial itself, which the vice president compared to something that “a thief in the night” would do. Robredo and the Yellows badly wanted to make a federal case out of the Marcos burial issue, but the Pulse survey found that it even cost her points in the public’s eye.

If the trend continues, Robredo could fall even lower in public opinion surveys. The new poll did not even cover the period of Robredo’s controversial absence when Typhoon “Nina” hit her hometown of Naga City and its environs and the so-called “LeniLeaks” debacle.

There is no way that Robredo

is expected to stage a comeback in the ratings game, given these two new events, unless a complete overhaul of the vice president’s image and strategy is implemented. Most analysts already assume she will shed even more points in this quarter compared to the previous one.

The new poll shows just how seriously out of touch Robredo and her gang are with the citizenry, who clearly dislike them and the causes they espouse.

And now that it has become clear to the people that Robredo is acting against their beloved Duterte, they will not look kindly upon her as the occupant of the position one heartbeat away from his post.

Perhaps its time for the Yellows to do a reboot of Robredo’s image and message, if they truly expect her to replace Duterte—soon or in 2022. If they decide to carry on as before, Robredo may not even make it out of the starting gate.

Turn to A5

IF 2016 WAS a year of surprises, 2017 is the full year when those surprises take their toll or make an impact.

The major surprises of 2016 are: 1. The election of Rodrigo Roa Duterte becoming the first Philippine president from Mindanao and the one with the most number of votes ever cast for a winner—16.6 million.

He also claims to be the first leftist and the first socialist Filipino president.

He is the first president to install leftists/communists in key Cabinet positions and subpositions. They include Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr., a former priest who became a New People’s Army guerrilla commander in Mindanao; Social Welfare and Development Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, a former member of the central committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP); Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano who headed the communists’ peasant organization; Education Secretary Leonor Briones, who used to be a Marxist communist.

2. The election of Donald Trump as president of the most powerful nation on earth, thanks to Russian hacking and his divisive and vitriolic rhetoric.

3. Brexit or the exit of England on June 23, 2016 from the 22-nation European Union 4. The Philippines winning on July 12, 2016 before the Permanent Court of Arbitration which rejected outright China’s “Nine-Dash Line” claim over the South China Sea under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 5. The election of political upstart and widow Leni Robredo as vice president of the Philippines, upstaging the popular senator and bearer of the most famous political name Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., by a mere 220,000 votes (14.023 million vs. 13.803 million) or half percentage point, and triggering an electoral protest from the loser.

As president, Duterte has been unconventional. He has vowed to stamp out the drug menace and corruption until his last day in office.

He regularly mouths expletives which has made his favorite charity rich because Turn to A5

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Opinion

SOMEBODY asked me: Why saints. is President Duterte still getWhen I was a business editing excellent trust and satis- tor of the defunct Philippines faction ratings?

Herald in the 70s and 80s, I I must confess I find that used to walk to Plaza Miranquestion difficult to answer. da from Intramuros, to take a Duterte won by a plural- jeepney back to Quezon City ity of 38 percent. This means where I lived. On occasion, I that the 83 percent who trust would drop by Quiapo Church and who approve of his perfor- to pray. mance includes those who did When I saw the faithful not vote for him. walking on their knees, I then Many people see Duterte as knew what faith was. the antithesis of former Presi*** dent BS Aquino III, whose So what will be the future of regime was marked by incom- our economy this year, considpetence, lack of compassion, ering all the global uncertainselective justice and vindic- ties? tiveness.

One thing is clear: The DuMore importantly, a lot of terte administration needs to people see in Duterte a dedi- attract foreign investments, cated and committed Presi- which can help solve poverty dent. No other president after and unemployment. Among Ferdinand Marcos has adopted all other Southeast Asian draconian measures to pursue countries, the Philippines canhis goals, despite all the con- not seem to compete in the demnation for alleged viola- matter of foreign investments. tion of human rights.

The country continues to get Duterte has been President crumbs as compared to Indofor only six months, after all. nesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Truth to tell, I like Presi- even Vietnam. dent Duterte despite his foul Duterte’s economic managmouth. Sometimes he could be ers need to look into this. They confusing and contraditcory. also need to address business For me, however, he is an in- competitiveness vis-a-vis our teresting personality. Opinion neighboring countries. writers love to analyze such While our Gross National complex people.

Product may seem imposing with In fact, I would like to more infrastructure and consummeet Presier spending, dent Duterte there’s still and get to problem of know him. the widening He is the I have met gap between and talked to the rich and antithesis of many other the poor.

Aquino. presidents There may during my be tax remore than six forms, but decades as a that’s only journalist. part of the No, I did not vote for Du- problem. We still have restricterte, but I am interested in tive policies on foreign investgetting to know somebody ments and the growing protecwho can bring real change. tionism on the economy.

His unorthodox ways are defi*** nitely good subject matter for You may not believe, but columnists like me. somebody close to Malacañang If there are indeed moves told me that businessman Robto oust Duterte, they might as erto “Bobby” Ongpin is rewell forget it. lated to President Rodrigo Du*** terte on the Roa side.

It’s difficult to explain The President’s Roa ancestry why more than three million can be traced to Cebu, and also Catholics would ignore terror from Bicol, which can validate threats and still join the annual the claim of my Palace source procession of the centuries-old that the two are related. statue of the Black Nazarene.

I can believe my source They did it again last Monday. since even my wife, a CapistIs it their Catholic faith or rano from Cagayan de Oro, is fanaticism? related to the Roas by affinity.

I have asked some Black The late actuary, Dr. Emeterio Nazarene devotees this ques- Roa, was married to an aunt of tion, and I believe it’s faith in my wife. This also makes me God. They believe God will related to Duterte by affinity. make their lives better and Recall that Duterte said heal them.

Ongpin was an oligarch that It is also part of the Filipi- must be destroyed. I think that no culture of honoring patron statement was patently unfair.

Out...

From A4

*** The Washington Times, the conservative newspaper owned and controlled by the Unification Church of Sun Myung Moon (whose members are known collectively as the Moonies) is the latest American media outfit to run a lengthy article critical of President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on illegal drugs. Under the byline of one Guy Taylor, the Times article was mostly a rehash of the unflattering stuff that’s been written about the six-month Duterte administration’s drug war in the Western press.

But with a small twist. Taylor told of how he joined a group of reporters who went one rainy night to the scene of a murder of a young drug suspect, whom he identified as Darwin Canete, in Caloocan City. “[A] plainclothes officer had

entered [a two-storey building] to purchase crystal meth from Mr. Canete before the 20-year-old suddenly pulled a .38 caliber revolver,” Taylor wrote. “The officer then shot him in self-defense.”

If you’re one of those who keep a list of the thousands who have reportedly died in Duterte’s anti-drug campaign handy, you will not find Canete’s name in it. That’s because Canete is actually a prosecutor in Caloocan often called upon to perform inquests at the scene of drugrelated crimes in the city.

Canete, who is a good friend and a celebrity on the social networking site Facebook because of his trenchant political views, had a good laugh over Taylor’s error. But I wonder: if “parachute journalists” like Taylor can’t even get the names right in their stories, what else are they getting wrong in their reports that invariably put Duterte and the Philippines in a bad light?

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘Conspiracy’ tales

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Why Duterte remains popular

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO IT’S mind-boggling that during the holidays season just past, the public was swamped with “conspiracy” tales that purportedly plan to topple President Rodrigo Duterte from power.

Now, unseating an incumbent president is par for the course.

Any chief executive should come to terms with it. But it is amazing that the Palace itself is fanning the flames of an alleged plot to unseat President Duterte within the next six months. Unsubstantiated claims are awash that the cabal of plotters are going to do it through a military coup or civilian “People Power,” reminiscent of the ones that ousted Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada. For sure there are certain elements in society who want to see Duterte go before his six-year term is over.

Certainly, the opposition Liberal Party would like this to happen.

But the LP, even if only by wishful thinking, is a spent force, its own credibility washed out by Noynoy Aquino’s six years of misrule.

But it does not help that Malacañang and its minions are abetting all these loose talk of a plot to oust Digong. The Palace has even conscripted some members of the mainstream press to

end credence to the conspiracy theory. Read how some columnists are doing the work of Communications Secretary Martin “Pa-andar” Andanar for him.

Christ, the man already has his own column in a major newspaper which he uses as mouthpiece for his master. What is appalling is how some members of mainstream media have allowed themselves to be used by Malacañang.

Read these columnists’ opinion pieces and somewhere between the lines you can detect the hidden agenda the Palace itself wants them to toe. This is not going to endear me with these columnists, some of whom are my friends. Some could of course be merely expressing their take on the matter. This is consistent in a democracy which we still delude ourselves to be living in.

Loida Nicolas Lewis, a FilAmerican philanthropist based in New York, has been dragged into the conspiracy tale as one of the ringleaders behind the oustDuterte move. Ms. Lewis has denied any role in the alleged conspiracy.

“Dissent is an essential element in a democracy; it need not be seen as a conspiracy,” said Ms. Lewis as she denied any role in the intrigue and tale of conspiracy.

Now, why would anyone of Loida Nicolas Lewis’ stature get involved in such a sloppy story of conspiracy? Loida has better things to do like running the food

conglomerate business empire her late husband Reginald Lewis left her. Why waste her time, money and effort to save a benighted land like the Philippines? This may sound like a I do not care about happens to our country. I do— which is why I still write this column, perhaps in that false hope I could make a difference.

Aside from being cursed by having so-called leaders like the accidental President Cory Aquino, her hairless apparent Noynoy Aquino, the philanderer and plunderer Erap Estrada, the country is also cursed by millions of illiterate voters who choose presidents based on popularity instead of competence.

Except for being a Bicolana like Vice President Leni Robredo whom she campaigned for during the May elections, there is no proven link to a Leni-Loida-led conspiracy to oust Digong. Leni is from Camarines Sur while Loida is from Sorsogon. The fact that Robredo under the Constitution is just a breath away from the presidency, should not point to her as being involved in this sinister, if not laughable, plot. Why is it laughable? It is if only because everyone (except those mindless minions in Malacañang) knows that Digong is entrenched, in charge and in full control of the situation.

Take, for instance, his relentless and take-no-prisoners war on illegal drugs. Never mind

what the United Nations, US, EU and other human rights groups say. The hell with their concerns about extra judicial killings.

Digong does what he does best— which is to run the entire country like his fiefdom of Davao when he was city mayor.

Going back to Robredo as the beneficiary if and when Duterte is dislodged. What duly elected Vice President is not the successor under the Philippine Constitution? Yet, for being the constitutional successor, poor Leni has been the subject of many not too subtle columns suggesting she’s salivating to replace Duterte before his time. Leni does not have do that or anything. If the report is true that Duterte is making a swift and secret trip to China for cancer treatment during his private time, then all Leni has to do is sit and wait. There is a saying that things will come to those who wait.

Duterte’s close-in aide—the perennially present Bong Go— has denied the cancer treatment story that first came out in the column of former Senator Francisco Tatad. Kit has reminded Digong not to follow former President Marcos, who even when he was operated on for a kidney transplant, still repeatedly denied he was in poor health.

Kit should know what goes on inside Malacañang. He was, after all, the press secretary and later information minister of Marcos.

Things we would like to see in 2017 SO I SEE LITO BANAYO THE extended holidays are over. Even the annual Feast of the Black Nazarene, that crush of humanity unparalleled for its socio-cultural fervor in this part of the world, mercifully transpired without much untoward incident.

Now the nation rolls its sleeves and buckles down to work. One of the biggest surprises of 2016, the Trump victory in November, will usher in a new administration in the US of A one week before the Lunar New Year begins.

And the whole world anxiously anticipates.

In our country, 2016 ended with Senator Loren Legarda promising to legislate a separate department for culture and the arts. The issue may sound trivial to many, but this writer agrees with the good senadora.

We should be serious about our history, culture and the arts, and government should put together the disparate agencies in charge of our cultural heritage under central management. We have the National Museum, the National Library, the National Historical Institute, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the Cultural Center, several film development agencies, and God knows whatever else.

Yet we are a people with little sense of history. Worse, many have a distorted knowledge of our history. We have little appreciation for our own culture, ape Hollywood and everything foreign, and confine our art to the latest telenovela. Many regard culture as something for the “rich and highly educated.”

Nothing could be more false.

2016...

From A4 he pays fine for the put*ng inas and f*ck yous. He has been indiscriminate in his profanity, directing his ire as such notables as President Barack Obama, former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the UN rapporteur for human rights, and the European Union.

They are classed in the same league as the drug lords and drug addicts whom he regularly sends to hell. (In less than six months, some 6,000 have died in Duterte’s drugs war, making his the most violent presidency ever).

In a departure from the habit of his predecessors, Duterte has weaned away from America, veered towards China, and sought rapport with Russia.

Relatedly, Duterte is using the Philippines’ arbitral victory in The Hague as a leverage with China. He has told the Chinese he won’t mention the victory in reining them in from making further incursions into reefs and islets claimed by the Philippines as part of its exclusive economic zone. However, once the Chinese find something valuable in the waters like fish, minerals and oil, Duterte says he will ask the Chinese for Manila’s share of the loot.

Proper knowledge and deep appreciation of our history and culture are vital to a sense of nationalism which should be engendered among us even at an early age. The Department of Education should be at the forefront of this, and current head Professor Liling Briones is one imbued with a deep sense of history and is a nationalist with few equals, but the department is too big and too saddled with day-today operational and administrative responsibilities due to the huge population it must put to school each day. A Department of History, Arts and Culture can be the principal pivot in this very much needed national endeavor. *** We need to pursue the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program of the Duterte administration with a zeal and an urgency never before seen in contemporary history. We have a huge gap to fill, if only to catch up with our Asean and Asian neighbors.

People suffer daily because of our woefully inadequate public transport system. Goods are expensive because transporting these through our archipelagic territory is a difficult and disjointed mess.

The Duterte plan to spend heavily on infrastructure modernization will not only create jobs, but also counterbalance the gloom in the world economy brought about by a recessionwracked Europe, a stagnant Japanese economy, a yet wobbly recovery in the US of A, the end of cheap money with the US Fed upping interest rates, and the end of cheap oil. And China, the world’s second largest economy, will also be affected by the slump in its export markets.

This is why in my previous article last Monday, I harped on the need to pass revenue enhancement legislation, because this catch-up game on infrastructure

is our lifeline amidst the harbingers of world economic difficulties as we enter the Year of the Rooster. And we cannot rely on just foreign loans and aid.

We need domestic wherewithal. And with Duterte instilling a sense of urgency and exercising utmost political will in cutting through the tedious bureaucratic malaise that has been an albatross upon our development efforts, we hope 2017 will signal new vigor and determination. *** Let us begin the process of revising our Constitution. Get the preparatory commission for constitutional change organized soonest, and appoint the best minds from the different sectors (please, not just the legal minds) to craft the proposal that should be sent to Congress, which has been agreed upon as the constituent assembly to revise the fundamental law.

We need a Constitution that is not reactionary but is forwardlooking, not so rigid that laws and policies cannot adjust to the uber-fast changes that transpire in the world economy.

This is not going to be easy, as we have written in previous columns. There are so many contentious political and economic issues surrounding the shift from unitary to federal. What we should not have is a sudden transition from the present system to federalism.

Kinks in implementation should be ironed out gradually, as systemic change is not easy and can be messy. The transitory provisions will be significant. *** Government must pursue the full implementation of the Reproductive Health Law that was passed after so much bitter and acrimonious debate during the previous administration, and despite several attempts beginning with the Ramos and Estra-

da governments to legislate the same.

While the President is enjoying high trust and popularity ratings, he must damn the Roman Catholic torpedoes and prioritize the implementation of the RH Law, not only to protect our women’s health, but to significantly reduce in the medium and long-term the multiplication of mouths to feed, clothe, shelter and educate.

It is a numbers issue. In 1978, Thailand and the Philippines had almost the same population, at the mid-40 million range. Thailand seriously pursued population planning and implemented it with the late King Bhumibol’s blessings. The Philippines had Tita Cory, who scuttled the nascent population management programs of Ferdinand Marcos, in submission to the Cardinal Sin and the powerful church hierarchy whom she mistakenly believed to be the progenitors of Edsa One that put her in power. FVR and Erap tried, but the implementation, and even the resolve, were patchwork. GMA, threatened by so many threats to her stay in power, caviled to the conservative bishops who stood by her. PNoy to his credit pushed vigorously for the RH Law to pass.

Thailand, with 50 million hectares of contiguous land and ample water resources, has a population of 68 million now.

The Philippines, with 30 million hectares separated by salt water into 7,100 islands and little freshwater resources, has to feed 104 million. When the Rooster gives way to the Dog next year, we will be all of 105.3 million mouths to feed.

It’s the numbers, stupid.

Duterte should teach the bishops simple arithmetic.

There are more in our wish list for the Year of the Fire Rooster, President Duterte’s banner year.

These are but some.

Trump is another divisive president.

The 45th American president hates the Democrats. He loves the Russians and their president, Vladimir Putin who according to US intelligence agencies, personally “ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election,” first tried to “denigrate” Hillary Clinton but later shifted to “a clear preference for Presidentelect Trump.” Trump is probably the most ethically challenged US president since Nixon.

Duterte and Trump, if you believe our President, seem to be friends. “We have the same mouth,” jokes Duterte.

Trump’s election could reset Philippine-American relations which hit its low point in the last few months of Obama.

From my viewpoint, it is not clear to me what is the impact of the Brexit, except that the British pound is now 14 percent cheaper and London is a better bargain to visit. The UK embassy charges the highest visa fee, by the way.

Combined with Trump’s victory, Brexit means nations are getting insular and protectionist. Free markets are now mere discussion ideas, not freer and cheaper flow of goods and services globally. Globalization is now in reverse.

The result has been turmoil we have never seen before. Scared money is flowing back into the US. This has, in turn, raised US interest rates and raised the value of the dollar against nearly all other currencies.

In 2013, if you borrowed, say, $1 million, it would have cost you only P42.44 million. Today, you pay that P42.44 million back with P50 million. You lost P7.56 million or 17.8 percent plus the interest cost. If you are big company, you did not just borrow $1-million, you borrowed probably $100 million because the economy in 2013 was booming with a 7.1-percent growth rate. So you multiply your P7.56-million loss a hundred times, to P756 million.

Interestingly, Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco yesterday cited the 7.1-percent GDP growth in the third quarter 2016 to show sustained economic momentum and the strength of the economy.

True, we have a strong economy, but does high economic growth mean more dollar income from exports? No. In January to September 2016, exports reached only $41.69 billion, down $2.769 billion or 6.2 percent from $44.46 billion earned from exports in the first nine months of 2015. Meanwhile, in the same period, imports

were up 14 percent or by $7.3 billion, from $52.193 billion to $59.505 billion.

As a result, the nine-month trade deficit widened, from $7.73 billion to $17.8 billion. The deficit was charged to the country’s foreign reserves, which is now down (from $83.8 billion in 2012) to $81 billion, good for nine months of importations.

Finally, we have Vice President Robredo. I have a feeling Duterte wants her ousted not just from the Cabinet but from second highest position of the land and bring Aquino’s Yellow Army down to its feet. That is why she is being accused of all kinds of political shenanigans, from attending antiDuterte rallies to plotting to overthrow Digong himself.

Now, what are going to tell your banker when he comes knocking to collect your loan? My suggestion: Stand your ground, negotiate tough.

After all, our banks have about P2 trillion more loanable money than they can handle, with no borrowers. Obviously, they cannot spirit that money away. They have to lend it locally somehow.

Happy birthday to my daughter, Ivy Lopez, today. biznewsasia@gmail.com

News

A6

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Ubial unveils school program

By Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Department of Health is targeting 42 million schoolchildren aged 1-18 years as beneficiaries of its nationwide deworming program under the school-based immunization program.

During Tuesday’s press briefing at the DoH media relations unit in Tayuman, Sta. Cruz, Manila, Health Secretary Dr. Paulyn Ubial said they are looking forward to carrying out “Oplan Goodbye Bulate” this month among 19 million children aged 5-18 years in public schools, as well as 23 million preschool (1-4 years) and school-aged children who are not in public schools.

Another deworming will be conducted in July as part of the National School Deworming Month.

A total of P106.3 million has been allocated in the DoH budget for this year’s deworming program. “This includes everything—the health information, training, IEC materials and also the response for side effects and surveillance and for research,” said Ubial.

Of the amount, P82 million will be spent on the tablets, which cost P2 each, she said, noting that the amount is higher than the P59.8million budget allocated last year.

The DoH will collaborate with the Department of Education in the deworming in public schools, while private schools may receive the deworming pills from the health centers, rural health units, and barangay health stations.

Mass deworming is done to help prevent the discharge of “ova” or eggs of parasitic worms to the environment to decrease reinfestation rates among children.

“If we can reduce the volume of ova/eggs, we can reduce the infestation,” Ubial said, adding that deworming should be coupled with proper hygiene and sanitation.

DoH: 53 Zika cases posted T

HE Department of Health recorded one new Zika case as of Dec. 30, bringing to 53 the total number of Zika cases reported in 2016.

Health Secretary Dr. Paulyn Ubial said Tuesday 65 percent of the cases involved females, three of whom were pregnant, and the patients’ ages ranged from 7 years to 59 years. All of them have recovered from the disease.

Ubial said the department has been monitoring the pregnant patients and their babies and will continue to do so until two years

after childbirth, as part of a study to find out if abnormalities linked to the Zika virus could appear after the baby is born.

She noted that ultrasound tests conducted on the pregnant women indicate that their babies are normal.

“There are no signs of microcephaly and mental disorder or neurological findings on the

three fetuses,” she said.

“We’re still awaiting the other three pregnant women but there are no signs of microcephaly or any mental disorder, neurological findings among the three fetuses,” she added.

Microcephaly, a condition where a baby’s head is much smaller than expected because a baby’s brain has not developed properly during pregnancy or has stopped growing after birth, has been linked to the Zika virus.

Last month, a 16-year-old woman from Las Piñas City who caught the virus when she was

pregnant, gave birth to a baby boy who did not show any microcephaly or congenital effect.

Mother and baby will be monitored in the next two years.

Although the World Health Organization announced last November that the Zika virus outbreak and related clusters of microcephaly are no longer a public health emergency of international concern, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health remained concerned it may reach pandemic levels this year.

Tran Dac Phu, head of Vietnam’s Ministry of Health’s

IN BRIEF Cop detained over Korean’s disappearance

BACK TO THE GRIND. After enjoying brisk business during the Christmas season, ambulant vendors return to the normal pace of business at Manila’s Quiapo district. Ey Acasio

1,300 cops deployed for Miss Universe beauties

By Francisco Tuyay SECURITY preparations for the 67th Miss Universe pageant went to high gear as the Philippine National Police deployed more than 1,300 personnel to the Mall of Asia in Pasay City ahead of the pageant that kicks off Jan. 15.

Senior Supt. Emmanuel Licup said the 1,300 cops will be deployed in different areas of the pageant venue and entourage to ensure the safety and security of the 247 participants, including 88 candidates and their relatives, organizers, judges, among others.

General Department of Preventive Medicine, said infections have recently been on the rise in southern Ho Chi Minh City with over 200 cases and health officials are expecting more infections this year.

However, Phu urged local people not to panic as most of the Zika infections in Vietnam have been in mild condition, and caused no casualties.

Although no travel limits were issued among localities, those who have arrived from Zika-hit areas should monitor their health in 14 days’ time, Phu warned.

“We don’t have direct threat but our monitoring is continuous. We can provide their security just like what we did during the Papal visit [on January 2015], APEC Leader Meeting in November 2015, the ongoing Asean summit, and the Traslacion [of the Black Nazarene] which has just ended,” Licup said.

Licup said they are coordinating with other government agencies to include Metro Manila Development Authority, Department of Health, Philippine Coast Guard and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency for security concerns involving the beauty contest.

Licup said they are setting-up an intelligence fusion center linking information to concerned agencies involved in the international event.

The Police Security and Protection Group, Licup said, will serve as close-in security for the candidates while the Highway Patrol Group, Airport Security Group, Intelligence Group, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and other units will provide support services.

The Miss Universe candidates are expected to visit various historical and tourist sites including Vigan City, Baguio City, Boracay, Cebu, Batangas, Davao and some parts of

Metro Manila’s entertainment areas such as Solaire, Okada Hotel, City of Dreams and Hyatt Hotel.

Licup said one policeman will be detailed to each Miss Universe candidates.

“The PNP will spearhead security arrangements in all venues.

From the airport, we will provide route security, secure them in their billeting places and tourist destinations. We will be strict with their movements,” Licup said.

Licup said signal cutoff in areas where the candidates will visit has not yet been discussed during their meetings. “We will come up with a final security plan by

Wednesday,” he added.

Licup said there will be no special budget for the PNP for this event.

“We are just relying on our regular budget but we can always request for additional funds for reasonable expenses for security,” he said.

Licup said there is nothing to worry about the travel advisories given by some countries to its nationals since it only covers the southern part of the country.

“All eyes will be focused on the Philippines and we would like to take this opportunity to showcase our tourist destinations and the peace and order situation,” Licup said.

Solon protests conditional tuition

By Maricel V. Cruz A LAWMAKER urged the Duterte administration to fulfill its promise to provide free education to underprivileged yet deserving students especially at the tertiary level, denouncing the “conditional implementation” of the new free tuition policy in state universities and colleges (SUCs).

Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Elago said she will seek an audience with President Rodrigo Duterte to clarify the matter as all 1.6 million SUC students must benefit from the new free tuition policy.

Elago protested the conditional implementation of free tuition in SUCs starting the first semester of school year 2017-2018 and said Republic Act 10924, or the 2017 General Appropriations Act, clearly spelled out that no tuition should

be collected from public university students starting next school year.

Citing Special Provision 1 for the budget of SUCs, Elago said RA 10924 states that “starting the first semester of SY 2017-SY 2018, no tuition fee shall be collected from undergraduate students.” In lieu of tuition collection, SUCs are given P8.3 billion in the 2017 budget to cover for said fees.

However, in his veto message, Duterte only ordered a conditional implementation, Elago said.

“Yet as with all new programs, there is a need to safeguard the proper implementation of the provision of free tuition fee. It is important to underscore that we must still give priority to financially disadvantaged but academically able students.”

“Accordingly, the CHED and the Department of Budget and

Management shall issue necessary guidelines which shall include, among others, the standards and procedure for entitlement and availment of free tuition by students of SUCs as well as proper mechanism for the SUCs to tap the Higher Education Support Fund,” Duterte said in the 2017 veto message.

Elago voiced concern that the President’s message on conditional implementation might counter the essence of the provision which clearly qualifies all SUC students for free tuition.

“If we read the president’s message very carefully, he did not explicitly state that not all SUC students will be able to avail of free tuition.

He only stressed that financially disadvantaged students should be prioritized. Yet the intention of said message might indeed be to limit who will be covered,” Elago said.

A POLICEMAN assigned to fighting drugs has been detained over the alleged kidnapping of a South Korean businessman who went missing nearly three months ago, authorities said Tuesday.

The businessman’s wife reported the abduction to the police after he disappeared from his home in Angeles City last October, they added.

“The [Philippine National Police] chief has ordered the placing under restricted custody of the policeman allegedly involved in the kidnapping of a Korean businessman,” national police spokesman Dionardo Carlos told AFP. Philippine police chief Ronald dela Rosa said on Monday the policeman alleged to have taken part in the abduction was a lowranking officer assigned to a special unit going after drug traffickers in Angeles.

Police have asked the justice department to file criminal charges against him, said Dela Rosa.

Police did not identify the missing South Korean or the officer under investigation for alleged kidnapping. The South Korean embassy in Manila also did not comment on the case. AFP

MMDA set to shut down 9 bus firms NINE provincial bus stations in Pasay City may be closed by the government for continue defying a traffic policy aimed to further ease traffic along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue.

On Tuesday, Metro Manila Development Authority acting chairman Thomas Orbos inspected the bus stations and found the nine out of the 16 terminals still violating the “nose-in, nose-out” policy despite the warning gave to them last week.

“Two bus companies said they will be the ones who will demolish the wall, we offered ourselves but they refused. The other one wish not to talk and the rest promised they will transfer to a common terminals,” said Orbos.

The nine bus companies include Aranda Line, RMB Liner, Grand Transport, Diamond Star, Ma Victoria Transport Inc., DLTB Co., Dimple Star, St. Jude Bus Lines and C. Bragais/Pamar Bus Co., which terminals are situated near Tramo Street corner Edsa.

Orbos said the bus companies failed the “Nose-In, Nose-Out” test during their first surprise inspection Wednesday last week. He added most of these firms also lacked the maneuvering space at their own terminals, a clear violation of the policy.

“No more second chance. We already gave them enough time.

The Nose-In Nose-Out is under the law and this is a coordinated campaign with other agencies, that’s why we have the LTFRB [Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board] on our side. If we have to close them down we will do it,” he said. Joel E. Zurbano

Official: Drug lord funded Kidapawan jail break

NO COIN TOSS SETTLEMENT. Bocaue Mayor Joni Villanueva and her lawyer Romulo Makalintal show off the decision of the Malolos Regional Trial Court which affirmed the coin toss settlement of the recent election after Villanueva and her opponent Jim Valerio garnered an equal number of votes of 16,694. Valerio, however, protested the settlement. Ey Acasio

KIDAPAWAN CITY—A jailed drug lord financed the assault of the Cotabato District Jail that resulted in the escape of 158 inmates last Jan. 3, Cotabato Gov. Shirlyn Macasarte-Villanueva said Tuesday.

Villanueva named the moneyed inmate as Melvin Casangyao, alias “Hapon,” who allegedly paid the group of a certain Esmael Nasser, alias Commander Derby, to “rescue” him from the prison facility.

Nasser is the leader of a ragtag bandit group based in Kabacan town who was a former

NCDJ inmate who escaped last year.

According to Villanueva, Casangyao contracted Nasser the sum of P1 million for the attack on the penitentiary.

The governor said the “deal” included an additional P1 million and two M60 machine guns should the mission to get Casangyao out of jail succeed.

Villanueva is certain that the attack was drug-related based on record that 94 of the 158 inmates who escaped were facing drug charges.

The provincial government has offered a bounty of P2 million for the recapture of Casangyao and another P1 million for the arrest of Nasser.

Added to this, the official also offered P10,000 each for the remaining 98 inmates who remain at large. The provincial council approved the bounties for the escapees.

Currently, a total of 49 escapees were recaptured, 10 died and one was wounded during the continuing military and police pursuit operations. PNA

Sports

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Responders gun down Wolves; BOC still ahead RESIDENTS of Biñan, Laguna witnessed an action-packed UNTV Cup Season 5 triple-header at the Alonte sports arena on Sunday, with the PNP Responders gunning down the MMDA Black Wolves’ offense and dominating the game from start to finish.

Ollan “The Sniper” Omiping led the Responders to the 13-point win, 86-47 as PNP raised its record to 7-2.

The Black Wolves dropped to the bottom spot, with 4 games won and 5 games lost.

In the second game, the NHA Builders bulldozed the AFP Cavaliers, 86–73.

After the long holiday, NHA’s preparations paid off.

“Pinaghandaan namin lahat ng teams, lalo na ‘yung dalawang susunod kasi kailangan naming dumiretso para makapasok sa apat,” said NHA Builders’ Head Coach Silverio “Benneth” Palad III. The Builders were led by Marvin Mercado, who made 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Ariel Vitug, who buried 25 points and

hauled 8 boards.

In the third game, with PBA Legend Kenneth “Captain Marbel” Duremdes and Gherome Ejercito leading the charge, the BOC Transformers remained on top after knocking down the Malacañang Kamao in a neck-and-neck battle, 71-70.

Ejercito, himself a former pro player, made the game-winning shot that lifted BOC to its eighth win in as many games.

The Malacañang Kamao now has a 5-3 record.

THE SCORES: GAME 1 PNP Responders (80)—O. Omiping 22, A. Yanquiling 12, J. Criste 11, A. Bayabao 5, H. Sta. Cruz 5, J. Cabahug 4, A. Tolentino 4, R. Abaya 4, C. Elopre 4, J. Misola 4, H. Decena 3, R. Cabrera 2, R. Ongutan 0 MMDA Black Wolves (67)— C. Santiago 18, J. Sanders 16, A. Olaya 10, P. Villanueva 7, E. Idria 7, H. Monzon 5, A. Nodado 2, J. Cardel 0, M. Guittap 0, J. Fortu 0 QUARTER SCORES: 22-14, 48-32, 69-45, 80 – 67.

BOC’s Gherome Ejercito scores the game-winning shot that lifted the Transformers to their eighth win in as many games.

Yuka, Pau clash in key golf duel T

HE Philippine Ladies Open Golf Championship 2017 unwraps today, Wednesday, Jan. 11 with Yuka Saso and Pauline del Rosario facing off in an early clash of the fancied bets and Thai Atthaya Thithikul seeking a hot early start at Wack Wack Golf and Country Club’s West Course in Mandaluyong.

Saso and Del Rosario, who finished tied for second in last year’s edition of the country’s premier championship ruled by Princess

Superal at Midlands, drew each other in the featured 8 a.m. flight on No. 10 with Abegail Arevalo and Lois Kaye Go completing the crack

group in the 54-hole championship presented by Champion Infinity.

What makes their early duel worth watching is that the country’s top two amateurs are coming off impressive victories with Saso fresh from her runaway triumph in the Philippine Amateur Golf Championship at Riviera last Sunday on top of winning the third World Junior Girls championship and a local pro tournament.

Del Rosario, on other hand, swept her last three international

events last month, including the Penang and Melaka Open in Malaysia and the Singapore Juniors.

“I don’t give too much consideration on who I would be playing with. I want to focus on my game and be the best out there, especially in this big event,” said Del Rosario, 18 and now the spearhead of Team The Country Club as Superal moved to the pro ranks late last year.

Focus will also be on Thitikul, the emerging star from Ratchaburi who is raring to launch her bid at

7:10 a.m. in the company of club bet Felicia Medalla, Katie Kim and Zoe Campos, also on No. 10.

Bernice Olivarez-Ilas, winner of a pro tournament last year, and TCC teammate Sofia Chabon will play alongside Kristine Torralba and Thai Tunrada Piddon, all seeking a strong start in the centerpiece Open division of the country’s premier championship backed by Lexus, Metro Pacific Investments, CranUTI, Texas Eagle, San Miguel Corp.,

Maroons get big with Bright

Ramirez: Fate of Rizal sports complex decided next month

By Peter Atencio DECISIONS will be made by the end of the month on the fate of the ageing Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

The Philippine Sports Commission will not take the lead in selling the ageing sports facility owned by the City of the Manila.

Through a usufruct agreement, the government sports agency will just get a big percentage of the money that will be earned from its sale.

PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez said this after last weekend’s directional meeting between the agency and the national sports association in Tagaytay City.

He said consultations are

now going on with the Department of Justice on how to proceed with their deal with the City of Manila.

“That’s after consultation with the DOJ on this land that is owned by the City of Manila.

That’s when the Office of the Executive Secretary will authorize me to finalize the negotiations,” remarked Ramirez.

Under article 562 of the Philippine Civil Code, Usufruct gives a right to enjoy the property of another with the obligation of preserving its form and substance, unless the title constituting it or the law otherwise provides.

If the talks are fruitful with the City of Manila, Ramirez said negotiations to build fa-

cilities inside the Clark Green City will push through with the Bases Conversion Development Authority, The PSC chief was informed that sports facilities can be built inside the proposed Clark Green City in Capas, Tarlac.

But, it will not be ready when the Philippines hosts the SEA Games.

Good locations have been identified on places where the proposed site of the national sports training center inside the Clark Field in Pampnaga can be built.

Three sites have been proposed on a 100-hectare area which the BCDA will allocate to the PSC from the 9450 hectare Clark Green City.

NO-SHOW. New York point guard Derrick Rose was a mysterious no-show at Madison Square Garden on Monday, and that was just one of the Knicks’ problems in a 110-96 NBA defeat to the New Orleans Pelicans. The Knicks started Brandon Jennings at point guard instead of Rose, the team tweeting only a terse announcement that “Derrick Rose is not with the team.”

SBC Red Booters boost bid of scoring 2nd-round sweep FIL-BRIT Connor Tacagni scored two goals to lift San Beda College to a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over upset-conscious Lyceum of the Philippines University yesterday, boosting its sweep bid in the 92nd NCAA football tournament at the Rizal Football Field.

With the Red Booters down by a goal after LPU’s striker Riel Mark Subebe came through on a set piece on the 15th minute, Tacagni, a 24-yearold native of Manchester, England,

came to the rescue and unloaded a San Beda faces off with defending pair of rockets—one coming on the champion Arellano University to41st minute and the other morrow and St. Benilde on the 81st. next week and if it could Games tomorrow hurdle both teams, it will “I just focused on help(Rizal Football Field) 8 a.m.- AU vs SBC (jrs) ing my team win,” said Taclinch a league-best 22 10 a.m.- Letran vs CSB (jrs) cagni. seniors titles.

12 nn.- AU vs SBC (srs) It was a win that pushed And San Beda nearly 2 p.m.- LPU vs CSB (srs) the Red Booters closer to blew it.

“I have to commend sweeping their way to the championship after winning all their LPU, they prepared against us matches in the first round to win the well,” said San Beda coach Michael Pediamonte. opening-round pennant.

In juniors’ action, Arellano University shocked reigning titlist La SalleGreenhills, 1-0, on a 64th -minute goal by Kent Talam to stay in the title hunt.

The Junior Chiefs will need to beat the Junior Red Booters, who ruled the first round, tomorrow and top the Final Four for it forge a one-game title duel against the latter.

San Beda routed Letran, 5-0, on a hat-trick by Christopher Villanueva, to close in on its 17th juniors’ crown.

It’s a boy! American Pharaoh’s first foal is born THE HOARSE WHISPERER JENNY ORTUOSTE IS THIS the start of a racing dynasty?

Triple Crown winner American Pharoah extends his legacy with the birth of his first foal on Jan. 3 at Brookdale Farm, Kentucky.

The foal out of Tizway mare Kakadu is said to be doing well. Photos in the barn taken

by American Pharoah’s jockey Victor Espinoza show a handsome bay colt with a white blaze and four socks.

Brookdale Farm’s Fred Seitz

Jr. says, “For a first foal, he’s a very nice, very attractive type.

Personality-wise, I think he seems like he’s going to take after his dad with that mellow-type personality.

Most babies are kind of skittish and want to run around behind their mother but he’s not that type.

You walk in the stall and he comes right up to you and starts chewing your hand. He seems to be real bold and have that fun personality.

“He’s what you look for if you’re breeding Thoroughbreds, I think.”

The colt, as yet unnamed, is owned by the Sumaya US Stable of Jerusalem-native Oussama Aboughazale, who made his fortune as a major fruit producer in Chile.

American Pharoah covered 2018

mares in 2016, his first season, at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud, with a fee of $200,000. His fee for the 2017 season has now been listed as private. It seems that demand for this champion’s bloodline might have driven up the costs to acquire his covetable DNA. With 47 Grade 1 winners and producers in foal to American Pharoah at the end of breeding season, expect a herd of his progeny to compete against each other two or three years hence.

Will any of them be as powerful as their sire? As the breeding credo goes, “Breed the best to the best and hope for the best.”

Meaning, of course, the best that you can afford, because few horseowners can plunk down hundreds of thousands of dol-

Botanika, Enclave and Taishan Insurance Broker’s Inc. Harmie Constantino, the former national champion who also won a pro tournament last year, is also out to redeem herself from a mediocre showing in last week’s Philippine Amateur as she tees off at 7:30 a.m. at the back with Erika Layson, Liyana Durisic of Malaysia and Sofia Legaspi, her teammate with Saso in the winning Phl squad in the World Junior Girls in Canada.

lars for the services of the topclass sires or to purchase the elite broodmares.

The rule of thumb is that the best runners make the best sires and broodmares, in general, and there are studies that support this. American Pharoah certainly is an impressive racehorse. During his career under Bob Baffert’s trainership, he not only copped the Triple Crown, he also won the G1 races Breeders’ Cup Classic, Arkansas Derby, Front Runner Stakes, Del Mar Futurity, and William Hill Haskell Invitational. In 2015, he received Horse of the Year honors. He won nine out of 11 starts and earned $8.65 million.

Kakadu had only one start and career earnings of $400,

but she has good blood in her pedigree. Her great-grandsire’s sire was Relaunch, and she also has Seattle Slew and Danzig on that side. Her dam Alpha Spirit is by AP Indy, giving the foal a double dose of Seattle Slew, and Alpha Spirit’s dam Wild Spirit, who was champion 3YO in Chile, has won G1 and G2 races in Chile and in the US. We look forward to the career of this new colt, and to more news of American Pharoah’s other progeny later this year. *** Dr. Ortuoste is a Californiabased writer. Facebook: Gogirl Racing and Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @gogirlracing and @ jennyortuoste, and Instagram: @jensdecember

THE University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons will have two foreign players practicing with them when they prepare for the coming 80th season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament.

Fighting Maroons’ coach Bo Perasol said this after members of the alumni managed to convince former University of Perperual Help big man Bright Akhuetie to come aboard and join the squad.

“He has committed na. He will take a one-year residency,” said Perasol.

The 6’7” Akhuetie will join Mali big man Ibrahim Outtara in fighting for slots for next season’s roster.

Perasol confirmed that he has already enrolled for the second semester. He is expected to play for the Maroons in season 81.

Akhuetie saw action for two seasons with the Altas in the National Collegiate Athletic Association before he left the school following a reported misunderstanding with the coaching staff.

On the other hand, Outtara is one of three players from Team B being groomed to replace graduating veterans Jett Manuel, Henry Asilum and Dave Moralde.

Cebuano point guard Jun Manzo, according to Perasol, is already a shoo-in with Team A next season.

A third replacement will come from Team B as well.

Perasol added that more changes in the roster are expected this season with UP, which will undergo tryouts in the coming months.

Akhuetie is seen as one of the best foreign student-athletes in collegiate basketball and his presence is expected to have an impact in UP’s bid to reach the Final Four, along with Outtara and Manzo. Peter Atencio

LOTTO RESULTS

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

P0.0 M+ P0.0 M+

Sports

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

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) glides to the basket against the Chicago Bulls on January 9, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. AFP

OKC Thunder rocks Chicago

L

OS ANGELES—Russell Westbrook fell one rebound shy of his 18th triple-double of the season, but his 21 points were plenty in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 109-94 NBA victory over the Bulls in Chicago.

Davis also pulled down 18 rebounds and blocked three shots, but the buzz at Madison Square Garden centered on the player who wasn’t there—Knicks guard Derrick Rose.

Rose was a late, unexplained scratch, and his absence apparently took the Knicks by surprise. New York coach Jeff Hornacek could do little to clarify the situation after the game.

“Right now we don’t have enough information to really give you anything,” Hornacek said. “So that’s just going to have to wait until we hear something from Derrick himself.”

The rest of the Knicks didn’t really step up in Rose’s absence.

Veteran Dwyane Wade scored 22 points, Michael Carter-Williams added 15 and Jerian Grant an Cristiano Felicio contributed 11 points apiece for the Bulls.

But it wasn’t enough to keep pace with the Thunder, who had

three players besides Westbrook score in double figures.

Center Steven Adams of New Zealand scored 22 points, big man Enes Kanter of Turkey added 20 and Victor Oladipo contributed 13.

“All year long, they continue to make my job easy on both sides of the floor, defensively as well as offensively,” Westbrook said of Adams and Kanter. “(Adams) is a force. Like I’ve said before, when he plays like that it’s tough to beat us.”

Oklahoma City led most of the first half, building a 17-point margin in the second quarter and taking a 61-46 lead into the locker room at halftime.

A three-point play by Taj Gibson with 6:51 left in the third pulled the Bulls within 67-57, but Chicago would get no closer.

Star forward Carmelo Anthony was ejected for arguing about the officiating late in the third

NBA scoring leader Westbrook maintained his sizzling form, adding 14 assists and nine rebounds in the win.

It’s the fourth time this season he has finished one point, one rebound or one assist shy of a triple-double.

The anticipated clash between Westbrook and red-hot Bulls forward Jimmy Butler didn’t materialize, with Butler hampered by the illness that prevented him from attending Chicago’s morning shoot-around.

Butler, who was named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week earlier Monday,

played just under 29 minutes and finished with just one point.

He went 0-for-6 from the field and was taken out of the game in the second half because of the illness.

“Obviously, we appreciate him going out and giving it a shot,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said.

“But he was obviously really struggling and they sent him home after we took him out in the third quarter.”

In New York, New Orleans forward Anthony Davis produced another big game, his 40 points leading the Pelicans to a 110-96 victory over the Knicks.

Melbourne welcomes Murray

Engelen nears crack at ONE championship

MELBOURNE, Australia— Newly knighted Andy Murray will bid to end a run of heartbreaking defeats at the Australian Open and see off his chief rival Novak Djokovic as he enters his first Grand Slam tournament as world number one.

‘Sir Andy’, knighted in Britain’s New Year Honors list after a magnificent 2016 saw a second Wimbledon crown, a successful Olympic title defense and the year-end top ranking, has lost five Melbourne finals, four of those to Djokovic.

But after years of playing second fiddle to the 12-time major-winning Serb, Murray is coming off a break-out year when he knocked Djokovic off the top spot to become world number one for the first time.

The 29-year-old Scot may have relinquished his unbeaten run of 28 competitive matches to Djokovic in this month’s lead-in Qatar Open, but feels he’s in the right shape to finally hoist the trophy at Melbourne Park.

“I think physically it was a good test to start the year, and I did good in Qatar,” Murray said. “My body feels all right just now, so that’s positive. Still think there are things I can do better.”

As the top two seeds, Murray and Djokovic will be on opposite sides of the men’s draw and seeded to meet each other in the January 29 final. AFP

MIXED martial arts standout Anthony Engelen (5-2) acknowledges that there will be no shortcuts to achieving his dream of becoming a world titleholder in ONE Championship.

But after pulling off a sensational victory over Egyptian journeyman Sami Amin five months ago, Engelen moves closer to a crack at the title when he squares off against Malaysian stalwart AJ “Pyro” Lias Mansor (2-3) on the undercard of ONE: QUEST FOR POWER in Jakarta, Indonesia on January 14.

Engelen sees his three-round featherweight encounter with Mansor as a chance to raise his stock as a featherweight title contender in ONE Championship.

“AJ might be a veteran of the sport, but I don’t think I will get a title shot if I win. But it will definitely appreciate my value in ONE Championship’s featherweight division,” he disclosed.

“I would like to remind myself to keep growing as a fighter. I always try to watch all my fights and constantly evaluate myself. I want to improve in the things that I was not happy about and work harder on it every time.”

The 31-year-old Dutch Indonesian fighter believes that he has to prove himself worthy of a title shot as ONE Championship’s featherweight bracket has a long list of contender.

ONE Championship has a stacked featherweight division, which has been often described as a shark tank.

The aforementioned weight class houses ONE Featherweight World Champion Marat Gafurov, Eric Kelly, Ev Ting, Jadambaa Narantungalag, Rob Lisita. Martin Nguyen and Christian Lee. “I think that I still have to prove myself in this division. There’s a long line of contenders in ONE Championship’s featherweight division,” Engelen said.

quarter, shortly before reserve Kyle O’Quinn was thrown out for a hard foul from behind on Davis that sent the Pelicans star flying into some courtside seats.

Davis left the contest, having posted his 25th double-double of the season. His five 40-point games this season are secondmost behind Westbrook.

“I’m being aggressive,” Davis said. “We got a lot of good looks, so when we play like that we are a tough team to beat.”

He and coach Alvin Gentr y were hoping the hip injur y he suffered won’t prove to be serious.

“The X-rays were negative,” Gentry said. “So, obviously it’s going to be sore, but we’ll know more tomorrow.”

Davis, who said he hit a chair, said he’d have treatment and hoped to be ready for Thursday’s game against the Nets in Brooklyn. AFP

FIFA considers expanded World Cup ZURICH, Switzerland— FIFA’s governing council is set to decide on Tuesday whether to expand the World Cup, a controversial idea that has created deep divisions among global football’s most powerful camps.

Making the tournament bigger for 2026 is a top priority of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who took over the scandal-tainted body last year with a vow to grow the game worldwide.

He has floated several plans to enlarge the competition from its current 32-team format, but ultimately decided to push for a 48-nation contest.

Infantino’s initiative may prove most popular in Africa and Asia, which want wider access to football’s showcase event.

But some, especially in Europe, have voiced concern that a larger tournament would dilute the quality of play and overburden already exhausted players—while boosting FIFA’s coffers.

Infantino insists that money should not drive the decision, but has noted that his preferred 48-team format would have a significant upside in terms of revenue.

A confidential FIFA report seen by AFP projects a 48team tournament would bring a cash boost of $640 million (605 million euros) above projected revenues for next year’s finals in Russia.

The report forecasts television rights also rising by $505 million and marketing revenue by $370 million.

FIFA’s 30-member council will weigh five scenarios at Tuesday’s one-day meeting: maintaining the 32-team status quo, two options for a 40-team tournament and two more options with 48 teams.

Late last year there appeared to be momentum behind a 48team format which envisages 16 teams pre-qualified, and another 32 playing a one-game knock-out round—with the winners joining those 16.

That raised concern about teams mobilising a full World Cup effort, including travel and training, only be sent home after one match.

Infantino’s preferred option —16 groups of three with the top two in each progressing to a round of 32—appears to be more palatable to FIFA’s 211 member associations. AFP

Anthony Engelen acknowledges cheers of fans after being introduced before his bout against Egyptian journeyman Sami Amin. Engelen prevailed to move closer to a crack at the title. ONE Championship

Alaska, Star break deadlock

By Jeric Lopez

Alaska Aces forward Calvin Abueva (8) sprints downcourt while Star Hotshots defender Marc Pingris tries to give chase.

THE Alaska Aces and the Star Hotshots, tied at seventh, battle out of their deadlock while cellar dwelling teams Meralco Bolts and Mahindra FloodBuster fight for survival.

These four teams in the lower half of the team standings plunge into action with a sense of urgency as the homestretch of the elimination round in the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup approaches.

After having their three-game winning runs snapped, Star and Alaska, both at 3-3, want to bounce back as they test each other out at

7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight in a crucial outing.

Meralco (2-5) takes on Mahindra (1-5) at 4:15 p.m.

Both gaining steam following slow starts in the tournament, it seemed that the Hotshots and the Aces are both well on their way to the upper half of the race. However, both squads tripped in their previous assignments.

Star bowed to Barangay Ginebra, 79-86, on Christmas day while Alaska stumbled against TNT KaTropa, 109-100, two days earlier.

They are both hoping to start 2017 with a bang and earn a needed victory.

The Hotshots and the Aces are both very fresh coming in, having a break of more than two weeks.

Meralco isn’t exactly enjoying its best time as of the moment. The team is riding a four-game slide that saw it slip down to 11th place.

It last suffered defeat against GlobalPort, 89-97, last week in the league’s first game of the year.

On the other hand, after losing its first five games, Mahindra was finally able to break into the winning column last Christmas, keeping its dim hope of making the quarterfinals alive.

The Floodbuster tripped Blackwater, 97-93, last Christmas to notch its first win.

Political risk in PH more unpredictable B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

B1

ICTSI to expand Manila terminal

By Darwin G. Amojelar INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services Inc. said Tuesday it will pursue the expansion of its port in Manila to handle bigger vessels.

“We will be pushing the expansion of MICT [Manila International Container Terminal].

It’s in our contract,” ICTSI senior vice president and MICT head Christian Gonzalez said.

“We still have 21 years in our contract,” he said.

The MICT expansion was put on hold because of the traffic problem and the previous administration decided to promote Subic and Batangas as alternative ports.

Gonzales said with the new administration, ICTSI would work with the Philippine Ports Authority for the expansion of MICT particularly on the water side. The project would also complement the proposed Cavite Gateway Terminal.

ICTSI completed the yard expansion of MICT in November 2015 to address the growing volume at the Port of Manila.

A part of MICT’s P5-billion expansion project, Yard 7 expanded the terminal’s capacity to 2.75 million twenty-foot equivalent units from 2.5 million TEUs. ICTSI also submitted an unsolicited proposal to the government to build Cavite Gateway Terminal within a six-hectare property in Tanza, Cavite.

IN BRIEF SMC’s coal plant not yet operational SAN Miguel Corp. on Tuesday questioned the motives of some groups calling for the suspension of the operations of its power plant in Bataan for alleged environmental and health violations when the plant has not started commercial operations yet.

The 600-megawatt power plant that will utilize the state-of-the-art circulating fluidized bed clean coal technology is targeted to start full commercial operations

by August 2018. Unit 1 will be commissioned May 2017, Unit 2 by August 2017, Unit 3 by June 2017 and Unit 4 by August 2018.

SMC said these groups must have been misled into making unsupported claims concerning its operations in Bataan, adding that what it currently produces from its co-generation plant―that primarily supplies power and steam to the adjacent Petron Refinery―is predominantly limestone powder.

This has been certified by the Environment Department as non-hazardous and is used as raw material for manufacturing cement, the company said.

The company said reports of “tons of ash” found along the coastline of a river, which is about a kilometer away from Petron’s facility, were far from the truth. It said that based on a report from the provincial health office, the reported skin diseases of residents were actually scabies which were in no way connected to exposure to ash.

2 Cirtek executives get Asia CEO awards SEMICONDUCTOR manufacturer Cirtek Holdings Philippines Corp. said two of its executives were recipients of Asia CEO Awards.

Cirtek founder and chairman Jerry Liu the 2016 Asia CEO awardees were both known for dedication, foresight and good leadership in their respective field of expertise. He said it was only this year when the two management leaders became affiliated with the firm but they already created a clear technology roadmap and strategic acquisition plan for the company.

The board of judges chose Diosdado Banatao as this year’s Lifetime Contributor (private sector) awardee. Banatao is well-known as a “pioneer and innovator in the semiconductor industry” and currently the adviser to Cirtek board of directors. He is a renowned Silicon Valley engineer, entrepreneur and venture capitalist who has been credited with developing several key semiconductor technologies.

Roberto Juanchito Dispo, the group vice chairman and president of Cirtek, was awarded as the Global Filipino Executive in 2014 Asia CEO Awards. He has been an investment banker with more than 17 years in capital raising, investments, strategic acquisition and asset management with First Metro and Metrobank Group.

“As Cirtek moves from strength to strength and scales up its business activities, technology capabilities and geographic presence, Dado Banatao’s expertise and industry foresight will be invaluable to the company’s future,” said Liu. “Likewise, Jojo Dispo’s proven track record as an investment banker, capital markets expertise, and extensive business network will further strengthen Cirtek’s already very capable management team as it pursues strategic asset acquisitions here and abroad,” he said.

PH-FRANCE RELATIONS. Filipino senators led by Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III (fifth from left) and the delegation of the FranceSoutheast Asia Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group led by French Senator Gérard Miquel (fourth from left), meet at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila to discuss the two nations’ 70 years of bilateral relations. With them are (from left) French Ambassador Thierry Mathou, French Senators Bernard Saugey, Simon Sutour and Jean-Claude Lenoir, Senate Pro-Tempore Franklin Drilon and Senators Loren Legarda, Cynthia Villar, Juan Miguel Zubiri and JV Ejercito along with Ma. Theresa Lazaro, Philippine Ambassador to France.

Nickelodeon to build Palawan theme park A MERICAN children’s television network Nickelodeon has announced it will build an underwater resort and theme park in Palawan province, the Philippines’ last ecological frontier, alarming environmentalists.

The firm behind SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer said the park on Palawan island would be part of a 400-hectare (1,000-acre) undersea development showcasing the area’s marine life that would give fans a chance to “interact with the brand and the iconic characters they love”.

Palawan was chosen for the development because it “is known to have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world today,” Ron Johnson, an executive vice president

with Viacom International Media Networks, which owns Nickelodeon, said in a statement emailed to AFP on Tuesday.

Viacom’s initial statement announcing the project on Monday said the resort would open in 2020 and feature restaurants and lounges six metes (20 feet) below sea level.

The development would “advocate ocean protection,” the statement said.

But environmental group Greenpeace said it would destroy the area’s world-famous marine ecosystem.

“It’s sad and alarming because a theme park that big will not promote environmental protection by building those structures,” Vince Cinches of Greenpeace Southeast Asia told AFP. “Why build a viewing deck when you have the whole paradise to enjoy?”

Conservation groups call Palawan “the last frontier” because of its pristine coastlines and forests, which are among the oldest and most diverse in Southeast Asia.

Palawan is home to two Unesco World

Heritage-listed sites, a subterranean river and the Tubbataha coral reefs.

Palawan-based environmental activist Grizelda Mayo-Anda also expressed concern.

“I am wary because we have had problems already with resorts built in mangrove areas,” Mayo-Anda, executive director of the Environmental Legal Assistance Center, told AFP. “I’m really concerned because sometimes, with all due respect to the local government unit, we get captivated by new projects and we do not judiciously study the impact.”

Viacom’s Philippine partner, Coral World Park, insisted the resort would not hurt the environment.

“We are taking very, very careful measures to ensure that the biodiversity is kept intact,” Coral World Park chairman Paul Monozca told AFP. The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, a government body, said the project had yet to be approved.

AFP, Othel V. Campos

11-month trade deficit widens to a record $22.4b

By Gabrielle H. Binaday THE country’s trade deficit widened to a record $22.4 billion in the first 11 months of 2016 from $10.7 billion a year ago, as imports grew strongly and exports sank, data from the Philippine Statistics Office show.

Trade deficit in November hit $2.6 billion, with imports rising 19.7 percent year-on-year to $17.3 billion and exports tumbling 7.5 percent to $4.7 billion.

Data showed total merchandise exports contracted 5.2 per-

cent in January to September to $51.4 billion from $54.2 billion a year ago, while imports climbed 13.7 percent to $73.7 billion from $64.8 billion. The National Economic and Development Authority said the surge in trade transactions with East Asia and Asean boosted the performance of imports, which also signaled an increase in the purchasing power of Filipinos.

Neda said imports grew in November due to the swell in demand for capital goods (up 29.7 percent), consumer goods (32.6

percent), raw materials and intermediate goods (11.1 percent), and mineral fuels and lubricants (1.3 percent).

Export earnings dropped to $4.7 billion in November mainly because of the 10.6-percent decrease in the value of manufactured goods, mostly electronics that declined 7.9 percent.

“While we are expanding our trade relations with potential markets, we need to further harness our existing free trade agreements and continue to push for reforms. This will improve

our business environment and increase our attractiveness to foreign investors,” Neda directorgeneral Ernesto Pernia said.

Neda expressed optimism about exports growth this year.

Agro-industry exports are expected to increase with the renewed and improving relations with China and Russia.

Pernia said the positive global growth outlook paired with the upcoming Asean integration would be a perfect opportunity to expand the Philippines’ exports portfolio.

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing JANAUARY 10, 2017

8300 7840 7380 6920 6460 6000

7,364.34 88.00

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing JANUARY 10, 2017 43.00 45.40 46.60 47.80

P49.505

49.00

CLOSE

HIGH P49.470 LOW P49.615 AVERAGE P49.548 VOLUME 669.500M

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

OPRICES IL TODAY

P28.50-P36.85 Kerosene P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Tuesday, January 10, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.6160

Japan

Yen

0.008618

0.4276

UK

Pound

1.216400

60.3529

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128931

6.3970

Switzerland

Franc

0.985610

48.9020

Canada

Dollar

0.755972

37.5083

Singapore

Dollar

0.696573

34.5612

Australia

Dollar

0.735500

36.4926

Bahrain

Dinar

2.653012

131.6318

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266709

13.2330

Brunei

Dollar

0.694155

34.4412

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.027972

1.3879

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.5098

Euro

Euro

1.057100

52.4491

Korea

Won

0.000832

0.0413

China

Yuan

0.144238

7.1565

India

Rupee

0.014674

0.7281

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.223464

11.0874

New Zealand

Dollar

0.701000

34.7808

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031241

1.5501 Source: PDS Bridge

’16 car sales jumped 24% to 359,572 units

By Othel V. Campos

VEHICLE sales jumped 24.6 percent last year to 359,572 units from 288,609 units in 2015, amid the expansion of the automotive market and introduction of new models, two industry groups said Tuesday.

The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association said in a joint report the 2016 sales also exceeded the two groups’ target of 329,300 units for the year.

“We are very glad that we were able to surpass the target this year.

Successful introductions of new models complemented by various events and promotions enabled us to meet the increasing customers’ demands in an expanding Philippine market,” said Campi president Rommel Gutierrez.

The 2016 figure excluded the sales of Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors Inc.

Campi said it was positive the combined industry sales with the vehicle importers group would meet the 2016 target of 370,000 units.

The passenger car segment sold 133,188 units in 2016, up by 14.4 percent from the 2015 total sales of 116,381 units. The commercial vehicles segment sold 226,384 units, representing a 31.4-percent increase from 172,228 units sold in 2015.

Campi said month-on-month sales went up 3.5 percent to 34,104 units in December from 32,996 units in November. The December figure also increased 27.8 percent from 26,679 units sold a year ago.

Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. remained the top seller with 44.14-percent share of the market. Mitsubishi Motor Philippines Corp. captured 17.08-percent market share while Ford Motor Company registered 9.37-percent market share.

AIR JUAN EXPANSION. Aviation company Air Juan announces direct daily seaplane service from Manila to the country’s top tourist destinations such as Boracay, Coron, Puerto Galera and Subic. Taking off from its dock at the Manila Harbour, the airline operates a fleet of new nine-seater Cessna Caravan Amphibian that can land and take-off from airports and from the water. Shown is an Air Juan seaplane in Coron, Palawan.

B2

Business

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market sustains climb; Globe up Audiowav pursuing S IPO in first quarter TOCKS rose for a fifth day, as Asian markets tracked a strong lead from New York where two of the three main indexes closed at record highs.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, gained 28 points, or 0.4 percent, to close at 7,276.34 Monday. This pushed up total gains this year to 6.4 percent.

The broader all-share index also advanced 12 points, or 0.3 percent, to settle at 4,366.15, on a value turnover of P5.2 billion.

Advancers outnumbered losers, 104 to 88, while 48 issues were unchanged.

Eleven of the 20 most active

stocks ended in the green, led by mining company Pacifica Inc. which surged 31.6 percent to P0.05. Globe Telecom Inc. jumped 6.3 percent to P1,790, while rival PLDT Inc. rose 4.2 percent to P1,536.

Meanwhile, Asian investors followed their US counterparts, who remain upbeat that President-elect Donald Trump will introduce measures that will fire the world’s top economy.

Friday’s

US

jobs

report

provided mixed signals as it showed fewer than expected posts created last month but that November’s figures were upgraded. It also said average hourly earnings rose from the prior month.

On Wall Street the Dow moved to within 0.37 points of the 20,000 mark before easing back slightly but the Nasdaq and S&P 500 each ended at alltime highs.

The upbeat readings filtered through to Asia, where Hong Kong added 0.3 percent in the morning, Sydney surged 1.2 percent and Singapore put on 0.4 percent.

Shanghai and Seoul were marginally higher, while there

were also gains in Wellington and Jakarta.

Stephen Innes, senior trader at Oanda, said the focus would now be on a speech by Federal Reserve boss Janet Yellen on Friday, which would be pored over for clues about the bank’s outlook for its next interest rate hike.

With Trump’s promises of big spending and tax cuts expected to fuel inflation, bets are on the Fed to hike rates at least three times this year, after December’s increase.

“Given the markets focus on all things Feds, we could be in for bustling (Asia-Pacific) session at the end of the week,” he said.

AFP, Bloomberg

By Jenniffer B. Austria Technology company Audiowav Media Inc. will proceed with a plan to raise up to P2.66 billion from an initial public offering in the first quarter of 2017, sources said Tuesday.

Sources said the company expected to secure regulatory approval for the maiden offering within the next two weeks.

The company initially planned to conduct an IPO in November last year, but the plan was delayed

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.86 961,000 48.2 23,600 92.4 631,790 3.93 1,000 113.8 2,752,760 1.52 340,000 38.4 344,400 16.2 12,800 19.18 434,300 6.56 300 1.75 77,000 0.68 40,846,000 80.15 3,830,520 0.78 4,087,000 14.18 10,000 55.3 12,380 240 7,870 142 240 90.3 980 35 73,500 215 784,360 1,661 5 75.75 53,800 1.25 20,000

3,841,720 1,136,305 58,372,682.50 3,930 313,997,671 499,890 13,192,080 205,728 8,329,292 1,968 135,480 28,848,430 306,563,617.50 3,285,120 141,800 684,341 1,914,240 34,104 88,494 2,587,055 168,562,156 8,305 4,078,323.50 25,100

40,000 914,870 -12,154,264.50 71,377,901 10,969,145 -29,160 -5,535,260 539,900 30,359,597.50 -43,000 -44,240 -371,140 -880,265 -3,039,722 -52,250 -

43 4.4 0.86 1.42 18.02 0.205 90 11.64 15.92 22.3 20.5 59.95 93 109.1 1.95 6.69 12.14 11.7 6.38 7.23 5.2 21.25 68.1 12.52 16.48 6.1 1.6 214.6 71.5 2.56 29.3 27 14.84 278 0.249 4.94 3.27 9.7 3.72 11.7 2.3 5.7 1.55 71.4 4.9 225 5 2.2 2.76 11.5 4.3 0.148 1.54 168.3 4.31 1.7

INDUSTRIAL 43.7 1,483,400 4.56 1,543,000 0.89 1,698,000 1.45 751,000 18.88 56,000 0.205 760,000 90 10 11.88 8,608,100 16 1,984,600 23 198,600 20.5 4,300 60 62,790 95.9 210 109.1 10 2 255,000 6.7 1,790,000 12.14 8,800 11.9 5,255,800 6.53 1,243,700 7.39 704,200 5.25 19,650,800 21.6 4,889,700 68.4 121,560 12.52 100 16.5 244,000 6.14 217,300 1.65 569,000 219 1,109,890 71.5 240 2.56 2,000 29.9 8,644,700 28.3 560,100 14.88 2,880,000 288 365,100 0.275 6,460,000 5.19 200 3.27 14,000 9.81 8,520,300 3.72 2,000 11.7 2,300 2.31 644,000 5.7 664,600 1.61 2,043,000 72.5 1,159,630 5 247,000 226 130 5.02 188,000 2.2 1,000 2.76 89,000 11.5 10,208,300 4.39 32,000 0.149 10,260,000 1.57 647,000 170 1,949,420 4.5 8,000 1.79 16,581,000

64,812,480 7,001,950 1,498,030 1,080,970 1,038,914 156,640 900 101,618,280 31,754,442 4,517,040 89,670 3,767,624 19,559 1,091 508,730 12,257,090 107,206 62,667,172 8,112,412 5,179,945 103,202,119 105,157,815 8,316,335.50 1,252 4,025,888 1,327,384 931,030 239,302,778 17,220 5,120 259,009,480 15,631,495 42,973,054 104,277,104 1,718,290 1,013 46,120 83,837,186 7,470 27,020 1,484,770 3,790,726 3,241,560 83,738,164 1,228,510 29,300 947,639 2,200 247,090 119,090,816 137,690 1,538,960 1,037,830 330,046,929 35,770 29,299,790

10,860,540 155,580 -4,350 -750,966 11,693,232 -9,441,234 -3,000,000 -21,393,914 -1,359,340 -2,406,162 -20,404,770 9,240,885 -3,423,389 -2,344,650 320,250 121,600 -48,744,384 -37,115,810 -9,696,330 15,484,294 46,406,582 -157,500 -16,480 -33,773,296 531,150.00 -1,186,870 28,220,925 924,400 7,215,014 44,700 -16,200 -25,552,588 -6,664,820

0.45 75 13.9 1.21 6 0.31 797 8.8 13.2 8.2 5.34 0.19 1,330 6.18 76.3 4.3 1.33 8.05 13 7.1 0.053 1.2 2.03 99.9 694.5 0.87 1.27 264 0.3 0.198 0.28

0.425 74.85 13.38 1.21 5.96 0.305 784 8.72 12.88 8.03 5.2 0.186 1,301 6.17 74.6 4.15 1.27 7.96 12.72 6.91 0.044 1.2 2 94.9 682 0.83 1.23 262 0.295 0.19 0.25

HOLDING FIRMS 0.43 14,880,000 75 3,825,910 13.7 6,695,800 1.21 1,000 6 339,900 0.31 230,000 793 392,630 8.8 3,033,200 13 18,204,400 8.15 22,800 5.2 8,300 0.187 270,000 1,320 180,065 6.18 1,500 76.3 1,945,810 4.15 3,000 1.29 5,733,000 8.04 1,246,400 12.8 4,852,300 7.1 59,862,600 0.045 820,490,000 1.2 1,000 2 337,000 99.55 726,490 690 452,490 0.87 62,000 1.26 333,000 264 3,320 0.3 70,000 0.191 920,000 0.275 2,810,000

6,502,600 286,920,671 91,919,462 1,210 2,039,380 71,150 310,761,885 26,531,878 236,306,440 186,721 43,656 51,080 237,685,650 9,256 147,291,573.50 12,650 7,406,170 10,011,589 62,506,988 421,984,682 39,170,890 1,200 674,180 71,702,127 312,036,660 52,440 415,010 875,290 20,800 178,690 751,200

-24,726,157 -22,035,892 23,666,645 13,276,866 -32,670,066 -62,851,530 10,269,327.50 -246,050 1,470,218 -9,904,868 -121,385,907 -180,400 22,917,617 15,356,810 -97,500 5,000

7.78 1.13 6.3 2.38 0.56 34.5 3.2 5.15 0.58 1.04 1.45 0.196 0.6 48.7 0.71 0.125 1.68 1.03 1.2 4.6 3.98 0.155 0.415 3.95

7.71 1.11 6.3 2.28 0.485 33.95 3.09 5 0.57 1.04 1.37 0.18 0.58 47.15 0.7 0.125 1.65 1 1.19 4.6 3.75 0.147 0.4 3.84

1,805,205 980,220 3,150 216,290 24,196,650 280,878,330 3,839,810 62,435 7,541,010 1,040 289,370 34,931,050 1,290,590 32,269,985 74,940 1,250 33,091,170 5,327,250 763,420 46,000 281,655,040 2,717,240 1,558,850 1,720,510

271,547 -734,200 -84,485,795 -66,210 -4,901,250 -1,910 59,000 1,301,250 -52,540 10,360,270 -3,841,540 17,980 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

3.84 48.05 91.5 3.93 114.5 1.37 38.3 16.04 19.2 6.56 1.8 0.74 78 0.76 14.18 55.4 249 144.4 90.3 35.2 215.2 1,661 75.05 1.26

4.19 48.2 92.5 3.93 115.5 1.52 38.4 16.2 19.24 6.56 1.8 0.75 80.9 0.88 14.18 55.4 250 144.4 90.3 35.35 218.4 1,661 76 1.26

3.83 48.05 91.5 3.93 113.5 1.37 38.3 16.04 19.1 6.56 1.75 0.67 78 0.76 14.18 55 240 142 90.3 35 213.6 1,661 75.05 1.25

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS ASIABEST GROUP BASIC ENERGY BOGO MEDELLIN CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A CONCRETE B CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EEI CORP EMPERADOR ENERGY DEVT FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR LMG CHEMICALS MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETRON PHIL H2O PHINMA PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PHX SEMICNDCTR PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP PUREFOODS RFM CORP ROXAS AND CO ROXAS HLDG SHAKEYS PIZZA SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH

43.5 4.45 0.86 1.42 19.66 0.208 90 11.68 15.98 22.3 21 60.9 93 109.1 2 6.69 12.16 11.9 6.38 7.35 5.22 21.55 68.5 12.52 16.5 6.11 1.68 215 73 2.56 29.3 27.3 14.9 279.6 0.249 4.94 3.33 9.78 3.75 11.8 2.33 5.77 1.55 71.4 4.9 225 5 2.2 2.78 11.66 4.3 0.148 1.54 169 4.31 1.8

43.85 4.59 0.89 1.45 19.66 0.21 90 11.98 16.08 23 21 60.9 95.9 109.1 2 6.9 12.3 12.08 6.57 7.39 5.31 21.8 68.75 12.52 16.5 6.14 1.68 220 73 2.56 30.25 28.3 15.06 288 0.275 5.19 3.33 9.94 3.75 11.8 2.33 5.77 1.62 72.7 5.01 226 5.1 2.2 2.79 11.92 4.39 0.152 1.64 170 4.5 1.84

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

0.45 74.95 13.4 1.21 6 0.305 787.5 8.8 13.1 8.2 5.34 0.186 1,330 6.17 74.7 4.3 1.32 8.05 13 6.94 0.052 1.2 2.03 94.9 688 0.83 1.25 262.8 0.295 0.19 0.25

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

7.73 1.12 6.3 2.32 0.5 34 3.18 5 0.57 1.04 1.37 0.18 0.59 48.7 0.7 0.125 1.65 1.02 1.2 4.6 3.75 0.152 0.415 3.86

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

PTFC REDEV CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

32 26.95 1.56 3.3 30.65 1.11 0.93 5.03

32 27.35 1.57 3.3 31.5 1.13 0.94 5.11

31 26.95 1.56 3.27 30.6 1.1 0.9 4.99

31 27.35 1.57 3.27 31.3 1.12 0.9 5.09

800 1,867,100 209,000 121,000 26,834,900 3,753,000 354,000 3,512,400

25,200 50,863,250 327,970 396,090 841,472,480 4,188,450 324,110 17,843,763

9,013,965 -157,000 -327,050 239,637,180 -112,000 -4,661,173

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

7.65 44.95 1.34 0.51 0.052 5.18 6.33 0.069 2.58 93.5 9.87 8.18 2.2 3.06 974.5 1,760 6.25 16.76 2.89 16 111 74.25 0.0091 9.05 0.225 1.38 3.2 15.52 4.22 0.98 2.39 4.04 4.29 19.2 2.76 11.3 5.3 3.05 131 10.08 1,540 1.32 0.49 40.6 75.2 6.19 2.72 1.04 1.9 3.29 0.36

7.65 46.2 1.42 0.51 0.056 5.7 6.33 0.074 2.69 96 9.88 8.3 2.2 3.06 975 1,875 6.3 16.76 2.92 16.1 120 75.5 0.0096 9.05 0.244 1.5 3.6 15.52 4.28 1.06 2.44 4.19 4.35 19.2 2.86 11.3 5.3 3.18 135 10.2 1,618 1.38 0.51 41.35 77.5 6.19 2.72 1.07 1.9 3.29 0.365

7.5 44.95 1.34 0.51 0.05 5.18 6.14 0.069 2.58 93.05 9.87 8.16 2.2 3.06 974.5 1,730 6.25 16.3 2.85 15.66 111 74.25 0.0091 9 0.224 1.37 3.2 15.24 4.2 0.98 2.35 4 4.19 19.2 2.71 11.3 5.07 3.03 131 9.95 1,540 1.32 0.48 40 75.2 6.12 2.68 1.02 1.9 3.26 0.345

SERVICES 7.56 46.2 1.37 0.51 0.05 5.7 6.18 0.071 2.58 95 9.88 8.3 2.2 3.06 975 1,826 6.3 16.6 2.85 15.82 120 75.45 0.0092 9 0.24 1.45 3.57 15.26 4.2 1.03 2.43 4.1 4.19 19.2 2.8 11.3 5.3 3.18 131 10.04 1,590 1.38 0.495 40.9 77 6.15 2.69 1.04 1.9 3.26 0.345

8,300 29,200 717,000 79,000 349,450,000 2,900 4,034,800 97,550,000 13,778,000 763,270 11,300 506,600 3,000 4,000 1,230 328,150 100,600 60,900 3,818,000 18,100 590 826,490 132,000,000 452,000 46,620,000 4,832,000 43,000 4,200 681,000 29,000 47,000 10,707,000 7,125,000 1,000 2,549,000 3,600 10,700 3,000 383,500 2,118,700 271,570 21,928,000 16,150,000 1,791,000 812,990 133,200 848,000 14,918,000 2,000 274,000 770,000

62,573 1,336,205 983,860 40,290 18,436,600 15,731 25,063,672 7,041,070 36,267,380 72,592,272.50 111,573 4,144,240 6,600 12,240 1,198,750 598,354,875 629,802 1,006,554 10,991,760 286,710 70,710 62,117,650.50 1,237,600 4,068,100 11,103,080 7,051,880 148,550 64,370 2,878,640 30,410 112,050 43,809,370 30,353,090 19,200 7,094,670 40,680 55,775 9,260 50,292,535 21,271,174 432,372,370 30,051,520 8,031,600 73,394,500 62,245,165.50 821,011 2,282,570 15,524,140 3,800 896,610 270,750

-31,000 -7,887,601 73,000 652,000 12,038,540 19,744.00 81,950 226,243,800 1,660 -69,370 -19,911,722.50 37,300 -106,750 -37,700 -760,840 -13,426,560.00 -9,355,110 -16,410 0 -137,330 3,411,324 -12,856,800 -1,431,060 198,000 3,696,905 7,825,807.50 92,550 -379,630 4,224,510 -

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

0.0036 2.9 5.2 2.3 0.52 0.465 12.32 3.17 0.265 0.217 0.222 0.012 0.013 2.62 8.14 2.89 0.49 1.14 0.012 0.012 4.16 0.012 9.17 3.72 133 2.96 0.0093

0.0037 3.25 5.36 2.3 0.54 0.48 12.42 3.24 0.27 0.222 0.226 0.013 0.013 2.7 8.27 2.9 0.49 1.16 0.012 0.012 4.16 0.012 9.55 3.72 136.8 3 0.0097

0.0034 2.9 5.2 2.14 0.52 0.465 11.86 3.11 0.265 0.216 0.222 0.012 0.013 2.6 8.08 2.83 0.49 1.1 0.011 0.012 4.16 0.012 9.17 3.63 133 2.95 0.0088

MINING & OIL 0.0034 2,984,000,000 3.05 2,376,000 5.33 568,800 2.3 22,000 0.53 86,000 0.475 920,000 12.18 92,000 3.19 7,220,000 0.27 230,000 0.221 26,000,000 0.226 5,440,000 0.013 32,100,000 0.013 128,100,000 2.6 1,583,000 8.19 3,731,600 2.87 122,000 0.49 80,000 1.13 628,000 0.011 33,500,000 0.012 21,100,000 4.16 1,000 0.012 26,200,000 9.25 7,660,000 3.67 1,266,000 135 2,699,970 2.95 77,000 0.0095 42,000,000

10,443,800 7,357,450 2,990,893 48,160 45,460 438,100 1,111,898 23,002,440 61,050 5,714,740 1,221,800 416,300 1,665,300 4,181,360 30,523,093 349,250 39,200 708,950 379,200 253,200 4,160 314,400 71,923,910 4,654,360 364,672,957 227,680 393,700

105,000 3,684,130 -245,084 -38,960 1,479,630 -127,180 -98,680 -7,691,986.00 47,980 -339,000 -243,600 17,240,716 38,886,778 -

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

45 103 103.8 114 5.9 1,020 1,028 1.04 105.5 2.39 76.9 80.6 78 77.9 80 78 77.6

46.75 103 104.4 114 5.9 1,040 1,030 1.04 107 2.4 76.95 80.6 78 77.9 80 78.75 78

45 103 103.8 114 5.9 1,020 1,026 1.03 105.5 2.3 76.8 80.25 77 77.5 80 77.2 77.6

PREFERRED 46.55 108,700 103 49,450 104.4 14,570 114 4,000 5.9 709,100 1,040 170 1,026 700 1.04 156,000 107 960 2.4 17,000 76.8 13,460 80.25 19,290 77 10,000 77.5 84,400 80 15,690 77.2 154,970 78 75,220

5,010,185 5,093,350 1,519,649 456,000 4,183,690 174,550 719,200 161,210 102,634 40,670 1,034,993 1,551,804.50 772,000 6,545,304 1,255,200 12,029,570 5,851,160

1,342,000 -4,183,690 52,000 40,250 616,000 155,300 -800,000 -1,544,000 -

LR WARRANT

2.3

2.33

2.27

WARRANTS 2.27 143,000

327,960

-

1,820,590 132,340 24,080 21,936,205

9,000 -7,383,590

1,323,997

-

MS

PROPERTY 7.78 1.12 6.3 2.36 0.51 34.4 3.16 5.15 0.58 1.04 1.39 0.188 0.59 48.5 0.71 0.125 1.66 1.02 1.19 4.6 3.92 0.149 0.4 3.93

233,200 874,000 500 93,000 45,960,000 8,183,600 1,214,000 12,200 13,057,000 1,000 209,000 183,950,000 2,187,000 674,000 106,000 10,000 19,948,000 5,262,000 637,000 10,000 71,877,000 18,170,000 3,880,000 440,000

ALTERRA CAPITAL ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

9.19 4.4 3.01 8.9

9.2 4.55 3.01 8.91

9 4.31 3.01 8.58

FIRST METRO ETF

120.1

121.1

119.7

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

SHARES

55,306,014

INDUSTRIAL

125,407,637

HOLDING FIRMS

948,308,245

PROPERTY

413,726,604

SERVICES

740,340,646

MINING & OIL

3,328,502,034

GRAND TOTAL

5,614,367,970

9.19 4.4 3.01 8.6

SME

200,100 30,000 8,000 2,527,500

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 121.1 10,960

VALUE 1,765.04 (UP) 7.06 916,558,295.80 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,171.74 (UP) 111.01 1,852,530,251.74 HOLDING FIRMS 7,456.55 (UP) 59.71 2,304,104,082.06 PROPERTY 3,338.24 (UP) 57.05 SERVICES 1,434.37 (UP) 29.72 1,637,373,768.32 MINING & OIL 12,583.95 (UP) 198.83 1,678,846,942.41 PSEI 7,364.34 (UP) 88.00 533,189,221.344 All Shares Index 4,417.13 (UP) 50.98 8,947,841,777.27 Gainers:129; Losers:74; Unchanged: 41; Total: 244

after it failed to obtain approval from regulators. This forced the company to move the IPO schedule in the first three months of 2017.

Audiowav plans to sell up to 900 million primary common shares at an offer price of P1.77 to P2.96 per share.

The offer shares represent 23 percent of the company’s total authorized capital stock after the IPO. The company tapped SB Capital Investments Corp. as the sole issue manager and book runner for the IPO. At least 30 percent of the offer shares will be sold to trading participants while the remaining 70 percent will be distributed by SB Capital to clients.

Audiowav said it intended to use majority of the proceeds from the IPO to fund expansion in the evolving markets in Asia such as Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and China.

Audiowav, established in 2003 by businessman Carlos Hinolan, is a technology firm that developed its own proprietary platform consisting of internally-developed software programs and hardware devices designed to enable businesses to create their own customized branding environment.

Its pioneering status in providing sensory branding solutions enabled it to team up with a diverse range of clients such as the largest fast-food chains and restaurants, a leading drugstore chain, the largest convenience stores, major shopping malls, hotels/hospitality/leisure businesses, health and wellness centers, car dealerships, department stores, hypermarkets and supermarkets, real estate firms and other retail establishments.

Premiere raising P1b for resort projects PREMIERE Horizon Alliance Corp. said Tuesday it will raise P1 billion to finance tourism and infrastructure-related projects this year.

PHA said in a disclosure to the stock exchange tourism development unit West Palawan Premiere Development Corp. would spend P400 million to make its foray into the fast-growing tourism sector via a township development in Palawan.

It said the planned integrated township development would include serene mountainside and beachfront resorts and residential projects in the emerging West Palawan corridor.

The project is master planned by AeCom, the world’s leading land use design company.

The group said real estate veteran Danilo Antonio with over 30 years of experience in the property sector would lead WPP. WPP also acquired a fivehectare beach front property in Nagtabon Beach and is finalizing a comprehensive development plan to complement WPP Development’s landmark beachfront loop attractions.

Nagtabon Beach is 35 minutes away via fully cemented roads from Puerto Princesa City International Airport.

PHA infrastructure subsidiary Redstone Construction and Development Corp. plans to spend P200 million for infrastructure development projects.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Business

B3

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Foreign investments rise by 22% to $6.2b

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PARTNER. The Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, long with the Columbia

University Alumni Association of the Philippines, team up with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to co-host a forum highlighting the economic strengths of the Philippines and impact of a Trump presidency on economies, among other issues. Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. (fifth from left) graces the event on December 8 at the central bank headquarters in Manila as keynote speaker.

Political risk in PH more unpredictable G

By Julito G. Rada

LOBAL debt watcher Moody’s Investors Service said the unpredictability of political risk in the Philippines could negatively affect economic and fiscal reforms and eventually threaten the sustained expansion of the economy.

In its 2017 Outlook for the Asia-Pacific region released Tuesday, Moody’s said political risk in the Philippines remained low “but more unpredictable than before.”

Since Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte came to power in June 2016, he has clashed with legislators over extrajudicial killings linked to the war on drugs and sparked controversy over allowing a hero’s burial for late president Ferdinand Marcos,” Moody’s said.

“While Mr. Duterte has high approval ratings, a prolonged focus on political matters could detract attention from economic and fiscal reforms,” it said.

Moody’s, however, said the Philippines was on the right track of making significant improvements in the business operating environment and greater infrastructure investment.

It said the thrust of fiscal policy has been to increase revenue and provide space to

increase spending on projects including transportation and electricity generation. “In both cases, poor infrastructure has been a significant constraint on the economy,” it said.

Duterte earlier expressed his intent to pursue a more independent foreign policy— including by ending joint military exercises with the US—and signaled closer ties with Beijing, dismissing the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling in July 2016 that invalidated China’s territorial claims to much of the South China Sea. “While this has yet to translate to official policy changes, political risks are more unpredictable than they were before,” Moody’s said.

Moody’s also said that the risk that tensions in the East or South China Seas lead to outright conflict involving China

on the one hand and Japan, the Philippines or Vietnam on the other was extremely low.

Overall, Moody’s said the 2017 outlook for the creditworthiness of sovereigns in Asia Pacific was stable, reflecting a mix of credit-supportive and creditchallenging factors. It said rising income levels and strengthening institutions would offer support to several sovereign credit profiles in the region.

“However, although GDP growth in the region remains relatively robust, lackluster growth in global trade and capital outflows may weigh on the credit profiles of those more dependent on external demand or financing. Given this context, credit outcomes in 2017 will be determined by the effectiveness of ongoing reform efforts and the evolution of political risks,” it said.

Factory output up 14.6% in November

By Gabrielle H. Binaday FACTORY output rose 14.6 percent in November 2016 on the back of higher production of petroleum products, transport equipment and food, the National Economic and Development Authority said Tuesday.

Manufacturing output increased a 10-month high of 14.6 percent from last year’s 4.4 percent growth, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries.

The value of production index for manufacturing rose 10.6 percent from a 2.2 percent decline last year.

“The manufacturing sector is expected to exhibit even stronger growth in December 2016 because of increased consumer demand during the Christmas season of 2016 compared to 2015. Looking ahead, we see the sector benefitting from strong private and public investments,” said Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia.

Pernia said low inflation and unemployment, and strong remittances would also continue to drive domestic demand and boost manufacturing in the Philippines.

The food sub-sector registered double-digit growth in both production and sales due to favorable farming conditions. It registered a volume of production growth rate of 24.6 percent, and a value of production growth rate of 26.7 percent from a 10percent decline in both volume and value last year.

The production value of petroleum products in the intermediate goods sector, the has been growing steadily for three consecutive months, following consistent declines since 2015. The petroleum subsector posted 80.3 percent and 68.8 percent growth rates in volume and value of production, respectively.

RESORTS WORLD DONATION. Urdaneta City University school officials led by President Elizabeth

Montero (seventh from left), Resorts World Manila chief legal officer Georgina Alvarez (sixth from left) and Urdaneta City councilor Tet Naguiat (far right) flank Urdaneta City Mayor Gregorio Amadeo Perez (fifth from left) as he hands a plaque of appreciation to RWM director Darius Manlagnit. Resorts World on December 8 turned over a newly completed 24-classroom and four-storey school building to Urdaneta City University.

Cebu Pacific requests flights to India

By Darwin G Amojelar CEBU Air Inc., operator of Cebu Pacific, wants the Civil Aeronautics Board to reallocate the unused flight frequencies of rival Philippine Airlines to India.

The Gokongwei-owned airline filed with the CAB an application for allocation and re-allocation of entitlements to India from PAL. Cebu Air’s request made the request in accordance to the existing air agreement between the governments of the Philippines and India.

PAL flights to New Delhi were stopped in June 2013 amid low demand from local travelers.

No Philippine carriers fly between Manila and India now.

Philippines Air Asia Inc. filed

with the CAB an application for designation as official Philippine carrier and grant of seven weekly flights to New Delhi, nIndia.

Cebu Pacific earlier said it was studying to acquire an Airbus 350 and Boeing 788 in the third quarter this year for its long haul operation.

Cebu Pacific launched its long haul operation in 2013, with A330-300 services to Dubai. It now operates five long haul routes to the Middle East and Australia and also uses its A330 fleet on several short haul routes.

The airline last March launched four times weekly flights between Manila and Guam, its first US destination.

Cebu Pacific currently offers

flights to a total of 36 domestic and 30 international destinations, operating an extensive network across Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and USA. Its 58-strong fleet is comprised of six Airbus A319, 36 Airbus A320, six Airbus A330, eight ATR 72-500, and two ATR 72600 aircraft.

Between 2016 and 2021, Cebu Pacific expects delivery of two more brand-new Airbus A330, 32 Airbus A321neo, and 14 ATR 72-600 aircraft.

Cebu Pacific earlier reported a net income of P7.09 billion in the January to September period, up 99.6 percent from P3.56 billion in the same period last year.

Revenues increased 10.5 percent to P46.69 billion from P42.30 billion last year.

NET inflows of foreign direct investments in the first 10 months of 2016 increased 22 percent to $6.2 billion from $5.1 billion a year ago on sustained confidence of investors on the country’s strong macroeconomic fundamentals, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Tuesday.

Data showed that the year-todate figure was inching closer to the recently-revised net inflow target for 2016 of $6.7 billion.

“Investment inflows continued amid investors’ confidence in the resilience of the economy, backed by sound macroeconomic fundamentals,” Bangko Sentral said in a statement.

Nearly two-thirds of net inflows were in the form of availments of debt instruments by local affiliates, which increased by 34.9 percent to

$3.9 billion from $2.9 billion a year ago. Net equity capital grew 9.3 percent to $1.7 billion.

The bulk of gross equity capital placements came mainly from Japan, Singapore, the United States, Hong Kong and Taiwan. These were channeled to real estate, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, electricity, gas, steam and airconditioning supply, and human health and social work activities.

Net inflows in October yielded $342 million but lower than the $399 million a year ago. The October figure was also lower than the net inflow of $469 million in September. President Rodrigo Duterte announced his independent foreign policy in October which, experts said, might cause investors to shy away from the Philippines.

Julito G. Rada

Cerno IT’S the first full working week of the year.

In this country with purportedly the longest Christmas season in the world, coming back to work after the holidays often means coming back to a full inbox. Work usually piles up during the holiday break and the first working week of the year is catch up time. So this week, I’m thinking about workloads and priorities.

It’s a question that certainly crops up often enough – how do I manage my workload? Here are a few tips.

Make a list. First, make a list. Go over all of your roles, accountabilities, responsibilities, and projects and make a to-do list. Make sure you have a list for personal targets. These will need to find their way onto your calendar as well.

Revisit, review, trim. Now look at this list. Do you really want to do all of this? In particular, focus on any items that have been on your list for a long time. Which tasks do you procrastinate about?

Ask yourself whether you truly want to do them. Figure out how you can remodel your life so you do not have to do the things you don’t really want to. The reality is that you will keep on putting off the things you don’ want to do. If that things is exercise, for example, find a workout routine that you can really enjoy. Find someone to do it with.

Classify. Second, differentiate between activities, outputs and outcomes. This is important because, for the most part, we are dealing with a truly finite input – time. For certain activities, the amount of time is a given – e.g. two hours for a meeting or an hour for a class. While it is true we can sometimes influence the length of time a meeting runs, there are many times when we can’t. If you are a student, however, the amount of time a class runs is essentially fixed.

Delegate. Now, ask yourself: Do you really need to do this yourself? Maybe this is something that’s not even your job? Do not take on responsibilities that are not properly yours. It takes you away from your own responsibilities and increases the probability of undesirable outcomes. Even if this is part of your sphere of accountability, consider whether it can be delegated. Remember that effective delegation does two things – provide a developmental opportunity to the delegate and frees up your own time. This is especially important for owners and managers of growing firms, which are constantly needing to develop new managers.

Plan and chunk. Now, break down the large projects into activities, Again, ask yourself whether any of these activities require the contribution or inputs of others. Can they be delegated?

Make sure that you are clear about what must come before what. It is important that your own activities are synchronized with the others working on the project. By now, you will know what chunks of activities need to be parceled out into your calendar.

Carve out time. Before you can parcel out your time, you must need to figure out how much free time you actually have. First, you must carve out the time devoted to regular activities. This means taking out sleep time, commuting time, regular meetings, and the like.

Don’t forget to carve out time for important activities such

as exercise, or quiet time for meals, or even time to respond to correspondence.

The problem with not carving out time for activities that will need to get done anyway, such as responding to email, is that you will end up eating into your rest or sleep time. As for not carving out time for exercise or relaxation, you pay for this in terms of stress and ill health, which, of course, also affects productivity. On an annual basis, you need to carve out time for your annual physical exam and your annual vacation.

Give yourself space. There are those who think that a jam-packed calendar is a sign of success or importance.

Unfortunately, a calendar with no space can be dangerous.

There needs to be space in your calendar for the unexpected and for development. There are two reasons for this. First, of course, is that there will almost always be something unexpected and you will need time to deal with it. The second is that much of the unexpected will be opportunities for learning or advancement or growth for your enterprise. If you have no space in your calendar to even examine opportunities, you will have substantially hampered your ability to grow.

Typically, it is a good idea to free up daily, weekly, monthly and annual space. On a daily basis, part of the daily space could be lumped with the day’s endpoints. Each day could begin with a quick review of what needs to be done for the day and maybe a check of incoming correspondence. The end of the day would be a quick review of the day, a list of things for the next day, and any final correspondence. The Monday beginning of day and Friday end of day can be lengthened to take into account the week’s work.

On a weekly basis, it makes sense to carve out some time in the middle of the week in order to handle any changes and any unexpected matters. This is the time for any meetings and discussions.

One of the most important things is to ensure that there is malleable time – this is time that flexible. Essentially, this means time that is not pre-committed to meetings. This provides you with time for creating new things.

Understand your attention span and energy levels. For many activities, too short a time frame is not enough. For example, if you are writing out a report, giving yourself five-minute chinks would not work. Most people will need at least a solid hour to even begin to plan what will go into a report. Similarly, there is such a thing as putting in too much time on one thing. For example, overlong meetings on a single topic can very quickly wear out your energy.

Review. Mow do a final review. Does this make you happy? Is there enough time for the activities you enjoy? Will this bring you closer to your longterm goals? No? Maybe you need to take a step back and see whether you are even in the right place. After all, if we don’t like where we are going, why should we even take that first step?

As we sift through what needs to get done, we also have occasion to think through our priorities, what we want to accomplish, and what we want to change. It is a time for discernment and resolutions.

Cerno is a Latin verb meaning sift, separate, or discern.

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

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

B4

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

Business

Drillers expanding again after oil slump THE oil industry is expected to boost spending for the first time in three years after slashing almost half a million jobs globally during the downturn, according to industry consultant Graves & Co. More than three quarters of the 440,131 oil jobs eliminated around the world through the end of 2016 came from the oilfield service providers, drilling contractors and equipment makers, said John Graves, whose Houston firm assists in oil and gas deals with audits and due diligence. He has tracked announcements of layoffs from all parts of the oil industry since the downturn began in the middle of 2014. Roughly a third of the cuts came in the US, Graves estimates.

Oil companies are starting to hire back workers as they add rigs to the shale patch in North America to take advantage of oil prices above $50 a barrel.

After unprecedented spending cuts over the past two years, explorers are forecast to boost capital expenditures by 7 percent this year, David Anderson, an analyst at Barclays, wrote Monday in a note to investors.

The number of US workers employed in the oil and gas extraction industry has increased slightly after hitting a five-year low in July, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“Aggressive cost cutting this downturn has reversed much of the ‘ boom town’ employeerelated inflation,” Anderson said in the note. “Attrition of qualified labor into less cyclical industries with greater job security, more stable income and better work/life balance could create cost inflation and bottleneck in a sharp recovery.”

After the world’s four largest service companies spent $3.12 billion in severance costs over the past two years, the industry is acutely aware of the heavy reliance on manpower in the oil patch, Art Soucy, president of products and technology for Baker Hughes, said last month at an investor meeting. Bloomberg

Chinese auto manufacturer GAC unveils its GS7 SUV during the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, January 9, 2017. AFP

Toyota, auto makers offer US investments D ETROIT―Auto executives rushed to offer fresh evidence of US investments at the start of the Detroit auto show on Monday, amid pressure from President-elect Donald Trump to repatriate manufacturing jobs.

Trump, who has threatened and singled out for scorn automakers seeking to sell Mexican-built cars on the US market, cast a long shadow over the 29th annual US auto showcase, a key opportunity for companies to display new models and technology.

Car industry executives representing Asian, German and American brands all touted US investments, as the automotive conclave opened to media and industry insiders. It opens to the public on January 14.

Early in the day, Trump offered an encouraging tweet praising Fiat Chrysler and Ford for their plans to invest in American auto plants.

“Thank you Ford & Fiat C!,” Trump tweeted.

Trump campaigned last year by blasting the North American Free Trade Agreement and other trade policies he blamed for the loss of American manufacturing jobs, and has not hesitated to criticize specific companies.

Ford last week scrapped plans to open a new $1.6-billion factory in Mexico. Late Sunday, Fiat Chrysler announced it was creating 2,000 jobs in the United States, investing $1 billion in factories in two states key to Trump’s victory, Ohio and Michigan.

That move came just days after Trump lambasted Toyota in yet another tweet.

The Japanese car maker said

Monday it would invest $10 billion in US plants over the next five years.

“This investment also includes our new headquarters in Plano and research into autonomous vehicles and robotics,” Toyota spokeswoman Amanda Sawyer Roark said in an email to AFP. While representatives of German car makers touted the virtues of free trade on Monday, Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne struck a conciliatory tone with Trump.

“I appreciated the comment that he made today,” he said.

“We haven’t forgotten how we got here. We owe a lot to this country.”

Trump’s actions appeared to already be having an impact beyond the spate of investment announcements.

Marchionne said for now it would be “foolish” for Fiat Chrysler to make additional investments in Mexico, pending clarity from an incoming administration about its trade plans.

Carlos Ghosn, chief of the Renault-Nissan alliance offered a different take, saying moving back to the US made business sense as a hedge against currency volatility.

“What we heard so far from the Trump administration is: America’s first, jobs in the US. What you’re hearing from us is: no foreign exchange risk,” Ghosn said.

“I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of disruption.”

Ford piled on Monday with more news of expanded US production, saying it will reintroduce the iconic Bronco sports utility vehicle and Ranger pickup truck, which it will build at a Michigan factory, displacing the production of Focus sedans, which will relocate to Mexico.

Ford executive chairman Bill Ford said while production decisions were based on business needs, he was having “frequent” conversations with the presidentelect to keep him informed of what the company was doing. AFP

Japan’s Takeda buying US drug firm TOKYO―Japan’s top pharmaceutical company Takeda said it is buying a US cancer drug maker for $5.2 billion, as its top executive left the door open to more overseas acquisitions.

Takeda is paying $24 a share for Ariad Pharmaceuticals, a premium of about 75 percent over Ariad’s closing price on Friday, the companies said in a joint statement on Monday.

Ariad specializes in developing therapies for patients with rare forms of chronic and acute blood cancer leukemia, lung cancer and other rare cancers.

The deal will give the Japanese buyer Ariad’s drug brigatinib, an experimental therapy being tested in lung cancer, and already-on-themarket Iclusig, which is used to treat leukemia.

Ariad has submitted brigatinib to US drug regulators for review with the firms saying the treatment could draw annual sales of more than $1.0 billion if approved for sale.

Takeda has been looking to refill its drug pipeline after patents have expired on some of its biggest medicines.

Japanese drug makers are facing pressure in their home market as the government tries to cut prices of many branded medicines and put a greater focus on cheaper generics to rein in its health spending.

Takeda, led by Frenchman Christophe Weber, has been actively looking overseas, including its 2011 takeover of Swiss rival Nycomed for 9.6 billion euros (then $13.6 billion).

Canada’s Valeant Pharmaceuticals had been in talks to sell its Salix gastrointestinal drugs business to Takeda for about $10 billion, although the talks broke down last year reportedly because of disagreements over the price.

Takeda’s Weber said “potentially” there could be more deals ahead. “(But) we are very strategic and very disciplined buyers,” he told Bloomberg News in an interview.

“We are not scared to walk away if we feel all the conditions are not there.”

AFP

Asiana, PAL among the world’s worst-performing airlines

By Nikki Ekstein FOR those who insist that traveling is all about the journey, we say this: It really depends on which carrier you’re flying.

Aside from variations in cabins and service quality, there’s the major concern of how likely you are to get delayed. Fly on the wrong airline and your odds of a delay are as high as 55 percent; choose the right one and that number shrinks way down to just 11 percent. That’s enough to make or break a vacation’s spell, no matter where you’re sitting on the plane.

But how do you know which airlines to steer clear of, and which ones to prioritize?

Every year, the aviation insights company FlightStats puts together a list of the international airlines with the best on-time performance records. It’s the capstone to the company’s year-round efforts to track delay and cancellation patterns for airlines across the globe. We’ve asked them to share all of their annual findings so we can point out the losers, too. Without further ado, here are the full results, along with your likelihood of getting delayed on each carrier: The Worst 10 International

Airlines of 2016 10. Hainan Airlines – 30.3 percent 9. Korean Air – 31.74 percent 8. Air China – 32.73 percent 7. Hong Kong Airlines – 33.42 percent 6. China Eastern Airlines – 35.8 percent 5.

Asiana Airlines – 37.46 percent 4. Philippine Airlines – 38.33 percent 3. Air India – 38.71 percent 2. Icelandair – 41.05 percent 1. El Al – 56 percent.

The Best 10 International Airlines of 2016 10. Qantas – 15.7 percent 9.

TAM Linhas Aéreas – 14.93 percent 8. Delta Air Lines – 14.83 percent 7. Singapore Airlines – 14.55 percent 6.

ANA – 14.46 percent 5.

Austrian – 14.26 percent 4.

Qatar Airways – 13.66 percent 3. JAL – 12.2 percent 2. Iberia – 11.82 percent 1. KLM – 11.47 percent According to Jim Hetzel, vice president of aviation and distribution at FlightStats, compiling the list is no small feat. The only comparable resource is the monthly report that the US Department of Transportation puts out on major domestic carriers, relying uniquely on self-reported data from the biggest carriers in the United States; it doesn’t factor in any of those airlines’ international flights.

“We stitch data together from

A Qantas Airways Ltd. flies in front of gantry cranes as it takes off at Sydney Airport in Sydney, Australia, on Monday, June 22, 2015.

Bloomberg

500 different sources,” said Hetzel, likening the process to creating a giant quilt.

Among those sources are flight-tracking and positional services, airport runway times, radar services, airline records, airport data, and such governing bodies as Eurocontrol and the Federal Aviation Administration.

“All of these pieces come in in different formats, all with different elements of value, and

a lot of times the sources don’t agree,” said Hetzel as to why his business is so unrivaled.

“We’ve built the technology and logic to sort that out and validate information across multiple sources. It’s a pretty interesting process,” he said.

As for this year’s results?

Hetzel says they’re the best numbers yet. “I’m seeing a big improvement in overall performance across the board as the industry becomes more

and more competitive,” he said, noting that on-time performance has become a major selling point for airlines. “It’s a huge win for travelers.” (Air India disagrees with the above assessment, spokesperson Dhananjay Kumar said in a statement.)

In an especially impressive coup, Delta still ranked in the top 10 carriers after suffering a days-long system outage in the summer that made headlines around the world. Other results

go against the grain of local reputations for punctuality.

Latin American carrier Copa would have taken the top spot on this list if its route network were larger; it didn’t qualify it as a truly international carrier because it doesn’t serve three or more regions with a substantial route network. And Swiss fell in the middle of the pack, notwithstanding Switzerland’s identification with precision clockwork. Bloomberg

LGUs

Davao adds P3m to ‘Nina’ aid to Luzon

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera DAVAO CITY—The city government of Davao extended more financial assistance to victims of Typhoon “Nina” in Luzon.

On Tuesday, the 18th City Council approved through suspended rules P3 million in assistance to three provinces devastated by “Nina” last month, to be distributed to towns in Marinduque, Quezon and Batangas provinces.

The municipalities of Gasan, Boac, Mogpog and Torrijos in Marinduque will receive P250,000 each, while Quezon and Batangas will each receive P1 million.

In December, the City Council also approved P11 million in assistance to the provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, Marinduque and Catanduanes. Davao also sent 20,000 food packs to these provinces last year, which were distributed before New Year’s Eve. Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang, the committee on finance, ways and means chairperson, said the office of Mayor Sara Duterte asked to use a portion of Davao’s Quick Response Fund to help the three provinces.

“We receive a letter of urgency from the Mayor’s office for the approval of the additional P3 million financial assistance, for the victims of Typhoon “Nina.” The fund will be coming from the calamity fund of the city for this year,” Dayanghirang said.

Before Davao can extend financial aid to calamitystricken provinces, the areas must declare first that they are under a state of calamity, the councilor said.

“There were 43,620 families affected by the typhoon or 192,146 individuals. Central 911 Chief Emmanuel Jaldon will deliver the financial aid to the victims,” Dayanghirang said.

“We also authorized Mr. Jaldon to check the condition of the provinces and to monitor that the money will be used for the benefit of the people,” he added.

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

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MOUNTAIN MONKEY. A monkey sits alone on an outcropping on the slopes of Mt. Bontok in Hindang, Leyte. A fifth-class municipality, Hindang boasts of the caves of Mt. Bontok where the wild monkeys live. These caves are more accessible than any other in the Philippines, local officials say, and this one in Hindang is just 300 meters from a national highway. Mel Caspe

CL body keen on turning on BNPP S

By Romeo Dizon

AN FERNANDO, Pampanga—The Regional Development Council in Central Luzon is now open to recommissioning the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant in Morong, Bataan.

Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, newly appointed chairman of the RDC in Region III, on Tuesday said opening the nuclear plant “will soon open much needed foreign investment for the country.”

Pamintuan said the 621-megawatt capacity plant “will remain a stumbling block to our progress and development if it will

remain mothballed, because our electric rate is one of the highest in Asia, if not in the world.”

“During the administration of former president, now Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, as overseer of major investments in Subic and Clark, I had a hard time persuading Hanjin and Texas Instruments to invest in the country because of

the high cost of our electricity,” said Pamintuan.

Until there is an assurance that foreign investors will be given tax incentives and direct transmission line to their companies to keep them free of brownouts, “they won’t agree to do business in the country,” the mayor added.

Despite proposing the opening of the $2.5-billion plant, which sits on 369 hectares of protected land at Napot Point in Morong, Pamintuan stressed that the safety of Filipinos from any nuclear or environmental disaster “must be assured.”

The regional council chairman said even President Rodrigo Duterte was open to the idea of reviving the BNPP, “but the safety

of the people must come first before anything else.”

Instead of a nuclear plant, the structure, which was finished in 1984, “is now a tourist spot with P27 million in annual maintenance expenses,” Pamintuan said.

He said other countries are building more nuclear plants “despite their bad experiences” with nuclear energy, while the Philippines “has no experience at all and has one available [nuclear plant] but refuses to operate it.”

“We have to be practical, so let us recommission the plant so that our electricity rate, especially for those in Central Luzon, will be reduced,” the mayor said.

Critics of the power plant and the residents of Bataan peninsula and nearby areas are worried about reopening the BNPP since the plant is 40 years old—it was constructed in 1976—and is near a major geological fault line and close to the dormant Mt. Pinatubo, which erupted in 1996.

But an inspection led by several senators last year saw the BNPP’s foundations remaining “solid and safe” until now, even its nuclear reactor that has never been fueled.

Last month, experts with the Department of Science and Technology and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said more studies needed to be carried out before

Fire guts 600 houses at Navotas Fishport MORE than 1,000 families were affected by a fire that broke out early Tuesday in Market-3 at the Navotas Fishport Complex, Northbay Boulevard North, a fire official said.

No casualties were reported at presstime, but Senior Supt. Wilberto Neil Kwan Tiu, Bureau of Fire Protection-National Capital Region director, said at least three persons, including a fire volunteer, were hurt and were being treated at the Navotas District Hospital. The victims’ names were not immediately available, he said.

Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco said affected families were temporarily housed at the nearby covered court and vacant lot, as the local social welfare office gave them aid.

Witnesses told Manila Standard there could be casualties from the fire,

QC cops, Muslim leaders sign pact

as some people were overheard asking for help, but there was no prompt response because the fire got too big for firefighters to handle.

The fire struck a few minutes before 4 a.m. at a “booking area” of a house at Block -9 in Market-3. It suddenly engulfed the area, razing 600 houses made mostly of light materials, firemen said.

It was the first fire to strike the Camanava area this month, fire officials said.

Some residents told mediamen that the house where the fire was believed to have started was being “rented” by drug users having a pot session.

While this was being verified, Tiu said an investigation will focus on if the fire could have started in this house. Jun David

QC grants Pandi P10m for 4k resettled families THE Quezon City government will extend P10 million to Pandi, Bulacan for the 4,982 informal settler families relocated from the city to a National Housing Authority-designated resettlement there.

Of that amount, P6 million was earmarked to pay for the operational requirements of the Department of Education-Region III’s Division of Pandi North.

It would cover salaries and honoraria of local school board teachers and costs for power bills, installation of a water pump, sports equipment and audio-visual room with equipment, other supplementary teaching materials, and construction of school fences.

The remaining P4 million will be set aside to fund various health, sanitation and livelihood programs that

Pandi’s local government will implement in the resettlement sites.

The 36-member City Council has given Mayor Herbert Bautista the green light to enter an agreement with Pandi Mayor Celestino Marquez to formalize the grant by virtue of a resolution confirmed by the council in December 2016.

Prior to the approval of the measure, Marquez sought Quezon City’s assistance for the delivery of basic services to the nearly 5,000 relocated residents.

Taking into consideration that such relocation activity “leads to a significant increase in the demand for support services, especially in the areas of education, health, sanitation and livelihood,” Bautista said Quezon City deemed it necessary to grant financial assistance to Pandi. Rio N. Araja

the BNPP can be cleared for revival.

The plant was constructed

by American firm Westinghouse on order of then-President Ferdinand Marcos, who cited the world oil crisis of 1973 that seriously affected the Philippine economy.

Work on the plant was completed in 1984 but it was never launched, as it was caught up in the political turmoil that led to Marcos’ exile in 1986 following the Edsa People Power Revolution. Succeeding governments have not activated the BNPP over several concerns, leaving the country with debt payments the government finished paying off in April 2007.

JUNIOR COPS. Calamba Municipal Police Station chief Supt. Albert Tapulao, Councilor Cha Hernandez and elementary students of Parian Elementary school sign a covenant for a ‘Junior Model Cops’ program dubbed ‘Kabataan ay Pag-asa ng Bayan, Iligal na Droga ay Iwasan’ at Barangay Parian in Calamba City, Laguna. Roy Tomandao

LEADERS of the Muslim community in Barangay Culiat have signed a peace covenant with the Quezon City Police District to ensure a closer working relationship in maintaining peace and order in the area, especially in the fight against illegal drugs.

The covenant enjoins all parties to ensure 24/7 security and protection inside and within the Salaam Compound, with the QCPD deploying at least 10 policemen and creating a police detachment in the area.

QCPD’s peacekeeping efforts will be beefed up by civilian volunteers duly endorsed by community leaders.

In his remarks after the covenant signing, Mayor Herbert Bautista underscored the need for Muslim communities to become more organized.

The mayor also underscored the need to expand the covenant with other Muslim communities in the city, including those in Batasan, Payatas and Novaliches.

“We should also go to the other Muslim communities in the city,” Bautista said.

The covenant, signed at Monday’s f lag-raising ceremony at QC Hall, also stipulated the need to provide all residents of Salaam Compound with identification cards for monitoring purposes.

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LGUs

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

Bill to boost science in PH filed A LBAY Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda has filed House Bill 4581, titled “Science for Change Program (S4CP) Act,” which aims to boost the country’s scientific innovations and inventions, research and development toward social progress and global competitiveness.

The measure filed in Congress projects a budget for its programs that could reach P672 billion by 2022, Salceda said.

The measure focuses on “science and technology education, training, and services” and supports “indigenous, appropriate, and self-reliant scientific and technological capabilities, and their application to the country’s productive systems and national life,” the lawmaker said.

S4CP is Salceda’s fourth bill that seeks to pursue a strong sci-

ence and technology drive in the country as an essential tool for national development and progress.

His three other bills seek the creation of a nuclear commission, the revival of the “Balik Scientist” program, and the creation of metrology institute to modernize and standardize the country’s measurement system.

Salceda also filed an earlier bill that seeks to create the country’s space agency.

The Albay solon said S4CP seeks to enhance and achieve a

higher standard of science and technology in the country to “contribute to the development of the economy and society and towards the improvement of the nation’s welfare, by prescribing the basic policy requirements for the promotion of S&T and comprehensively and systematically promoting policies for progress.”

He said S4CP consists of four components: Program Expansion in seven areas, New Programs in six areas, a Grand Plan for S&T Human Resource Development, and an Accelerated R&D Program for Capacity Building of Research and Development Institutions and Industrial Competitiveness.

The country’s projected total research and development budget for 2017 is P5.8 billion. The Salceda bill proposes and estimates the R&D budget starting at P21 billion this year, doubling yearly

over a five-year period and reaching P672 billion in 2022.

In the last six years, Salceda pointed out, the Philippines’ scientific and technological indicators have improved significantly, based on the benchmark of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

UNESCO prescribes a developing country should have 380 researchers, scientists and engineers (RSEs) per million population, and the percentage of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expenditure on research and development (GERD), should be one percent at least.

The number of RSEs in the country has increased from 180 in 2009 to 270 in 2013, while the budget of the Department of Science and Technology has increased from P5.7 billion in 2009 to P20.8 billion in 2017, with R&D budget allocation in-

creasing from P1 billion in 2009 to P5.8 billion in 2017.

Salceda noted that for the DOST HRD, the Philippine Science High School and the Science Education Institute have significantly contributed to the RSEs. PSHS increased its number of regional campuses from 11 in 2010 to 16 in 2016, with now one PSHS campus per region.

The number of students in PSHS has increased from 1,840 in 2009 to 8,083 in 2017, and is projected to hit 9,500 in 2021.

SEIs have likewise increased its freshman scholars from 1,250 in 2010 to 5,590 in 2015.

The institute has crafted the Grand Plan for S&T Human Resource Development that aims to enable the Philippines to achieve 380 RSEs by 2022, the lawmaker added.

The DOST, Salceda said, must endeavor to significantly

accelerate S&T and Innovation in the country through massive increase in investment on S&T HRD and R&D through the S4CP. The program, he stressed, must be provided sufficient budget to underwrite all R&D efforts for the 5-year period, as follows: 1) Niche Centers in the Regions for R&D (NICER), P3.2 billion; 2) R&D Leadership Program (RDLead), P6 billion; 3) Collaborative R&D to Leverage PH Economy (CRADLE) for RDIs and Industry, P3.2 billion; 4) Business Innovation through S&T (BIST) for Industry, P14.25 billion (25 industry sectors, at P50M to P100M per sector x 75); and 5) S&T HRD (STRAND, STAR, SRCUR). PNA

Cagayan climate change meet set TUGUEGARAO, Cagayan— The provincial government here will conduct a two-day Agriculture and Climate Change Summit at the Events Place in Carmelita Hotel here on Jan. 26 to 27.

Gov. Manuel Mamba said the summit will address the lessons learned during the onslaught of Super Typhoon “Lawin” and to plan for a more disaster-resilient province.

“There is more to be learned and there is a need for a more encompassing plan on disaster management,” Mamba stressed.

Cagayanos once again showed to the country their resiliency and preparedness when it comes to disaster, as seen in the low number of casualties from the typhoon, the governor said.

Mamba said that among those affected, the agriculture sector’s concerns were immediately responded to and restored through the assistance of the Department of Agriculture and civil society organizations that have reached out to farmers.

He said the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and other stakeholders are helping Cagayan carry out the summit.

Mamba assured that financial support donated by different groups and personalities to Cagayanos will be spent judiciously, as this manifests their trust in the provincial government.

Initially, the summit was planned at educating the public regarding climate change in agriculture and damages in infrastructure, including disaster preparedness and risk reduction management. Jessica M. Bacud

Manila

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Standard REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

TODAY NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION MAKATI CITY BRANCH 136

PETITION FOR ADOPTION OF MINOR SAMANTHA RUSSEL AKUT AND CHANGE OF NAME FROM SAMANTHA RUSSEL TO ELISA ROSE

WATER FUN. A child plays with the sand on Buho Beach, which the municipal government of Tabango, Leyte has declared a tourist destination in Eastern Visayas. Home to several beach resorts, Tabango is a fourth-class municipality on the northwestern tip of Leyte, facing Cebu and the Visayan Sea. Mel Caspe

Cabiao plans to turn Nabao Lake into tourist hub CABIAO, Nueva Ecija—The municipal government will develop the area around the 38-hectare Nabao Lake here into a premier tourist attraction.

Mayor Ramil B. Rivera said they plan to set up a floating market like the ones in Thailand and hold dragon boat race festivals to turn this historic hotbed of rebellions during the Spanish and Japanese eras into a tourist hub in southern Nueva Ecija

land, which have been attracting tourists in that country.

Rivera said the markets offer a carnival-like atmosphere with a wide array of goods, snack houses and live music to keep tourists in high spirits. They are considered the perfect antidote to the shopping mall culture spreading across Bangkok, he added.

Instead of international brands and franchise restaurants, the float-

ing markets offer local items mostly crafted by skilled artisans, making them popular to the younger set.

Rivera said a 210-meter portion of the lake will be cleared for road widening as part of a plan to set up souvenir shops, food courts and two zip lines.

“Hopefully, we can open Nabao Lake to tourists within this year,” he said. Once operational, the lake could provide jobs to at least 300

families, the mayor added.

Known locally as “Lawa ng Nabao,” the lake in barangays Sta. Rita and San Carlos has become popular for boating and fishing, with a panoramic view of Mt. Arayat as a backdrop.

In 2013, a movement called “Save Cabiao Lake” was formed to save the then-dying lake by Rivera’s predecessor, Gloria Congco. Ferdie G. Domingo

CAR livestock production rises by 4.5% Board sets

SP. PROC. CASE NO. R-MKT-16-03292-SP

ORDER A verified Petition for Adoption of minor Samantha Russel Akut (with application for change of name to “Elisa Rose Smith”) was filed in Court on December 8, 2016 by petitioner Spouses Mark Robert Smith and Keutsavanh Smith, British and French citizens, respectively, both of legal age and residents of Makati City. Petitioner have no child of their own. They wish to adopt Samantha who was born on November 17, 2015. The child was declared legally available for adoption by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on July 18, 2016 and was placed under petitioners’ care since November 3, 2016.

Petitioners aver to be qualified to adopt under the law and that they possess all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications to adopt.

They desire to change the name of the child from Samantha Russel Akut to Elisa Rose Smith, should the petition be granted.

The Court finds the Petition to be sufficient in form and substance.

WHEREFORE, notice is hereby given that this case is set for hearing on February 10 and March 3, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. at this Family Court located at the 12th Floor, Makati City Hall, at which date, time and place, all interested persons may appear and be heard.

The petitioners are required to cause the publication of this Order in a newspaper of general circulation to be determined through raffle, once a week for three (3) successive weeks before the abovescheduled hearing.

The Court Social Worker is DIRECTED to manifest in Court whether he/she is adopting the previous Child and Home Study Reports regarding this matter.

SO ORDERED. Makati City, December 9, 2016.

(SGD) RICO SEBASTIAN D. LIWANAG Presiding Judge

daily wage earners’ minimum

tons. Abra was the major goat producer during this time with a 60.6 percent contribution.

For the first semester of 2016, PSA-CAR said hog growers contributed more than three-fourths of the total livestock production, while cattle, carabao and goat production shared the remaining output at 12.2, 8.6 and 2.6 percent, respectively.

BAGUIO CITY—Only daily Total volume of chicken prowage earners receiving the duction during the same period minimum wage in the Cordilwas at 3,470 metric tons, lesser lera Administrative Region CYAN MAGENTA BLACK by 2.9 percent than the previous will YELLOW be covered by adjustyear’s level of 3,575 metric tons. ments to be made by the ReA smaller supply of day-old gional Tripartite Wages and chicks to broiler contract growProductivity Board, the ageners in Ifugao led to the decrease, cy said Monday after consultPSA-CAR said. Dexter A. See ing with various sectors.

RTWPB-CAR Board Secretary Augusto Aquillo said the answer to the numerous queries on why the adjustment is only applicable to minimum wage earners is that it is defined under the provisions of Republic Act 6727, or the Wage Rationalization Act of 1989, together with the Guidelines on Wage Fixing.

The law only allows regional wage boards to adjusting the level of minimum wage rates prevailing in the region, and nothing more, Aquillo added.

Once adjusted or increased, the lowest wage rates shall become the minimum that employers are to pay their workers, he said, adding that no workers shall be paid lowWINNERS ALL. Calamba City Mayor Timmy Chipeco (third from left) flashes the thumbs-up sign together with champions in the er that the adjusted minimum recent Calamba Employees Sports Fest, led by badminton ladies category winner Pinky Panganiban (second from left) and the runnersup for volleyball and basketball. Roy Tomandao rates. Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY—Total livestock production in the Cordillera region increased by 4.5 percent for the first semester of 2016, but poultry sector production declined by 3.3 percent, the regional office of the Philippine Statistics Authority reported.

PSA-CAR also noted that in 2015, agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing contributed 9.5 percent to the total Gross Regional Domestic Product of the region at constant year 2000 prices. Of the total agriculture output, 14.3 percent came from livestock and 5.5 percent from

SPS. MARK ROBERT SMITH and KEUTSAVANH SMITH, Petitioners. x-------------------------------------x

MS-JAN. 11,18 & 25, 2017)

Rivera said they also plan to organize other water sports activities, and that experts from the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST) are crafting the master plan for lake’s development.

The floating market will be patterned after floating markets of Damnaen Saduak, Amphawa, Talin Chan, Khong Lat Mayom and Bang Nam Pheung in Thai-

the poultry sector.

The agency noted that Cordillera’s total carabao production during the first half of 2016 was 1,418 metric tons, up by 1 percent over the previous year’s level of 1,404 metric tons. Higher demand for carabeef was observed during the period, which could be attributed to election-related activities, PSA-CAR said.

Higher carabeef production was reported in Apayao with a share of 27.3 percent, followed

by Abra at 24.8 percent.

Cattle production in the region for January to June 2016 was estimated at 2,023 metric tons, 2.7 percent higher than the

previous year’s output of 1,969 metric tons. Higher demand due to election-related activities also was cited as the reason, with Abra having the biggest share in total production at 35.5 percent.

Hog production rose 5.2 percent to 12,667 metric tons last year during the first half of 2016 from 12,041 metric tons in 2015.

Kalinga and Abra were the major producers in the region, contributing 24.4 and 22.3 percent to total hog production, respectively.

Goat production in the region during the period was pegged at 429 metric tons, an increase of 5.1 percent from the 2015 firstsemester output of 408 metric

World IN BRIEF Iran finally receives invite from Saudi TEHRAN―Iran said Tuesday it had finally received an official invitation from Saudi Arabia for its pilgrims to attend this year’s hajj, two weeks after Riyadh announced it.

There was no official Iranian delegation at last year’s pilgrimage to the Muslim holy places after Sunni Saudi Arabia severed relations with Shiite Iran following the torching of its missions in Tehran and Mashhad by protesters last January.

It was the first time in three decades that Iranian pilgrims had been absent and the culmination of years of worsening relations over the conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

The tone is “not that much different from past letters”, hajj affairs representative Ali Ghazi Askar said, adding that Iran would respond in the coming days.

“All matters regarding the hajj -- including accommodation, food, medical affairs, transport, pilgrims’ security, banking and consular issues -- must immediately be studied and appropriate solutions put forward.”

Negotiations for Iranian pilgrims to join last year’s hajj broke down over the questions of where their visas should be issued and how their security could be assured following the deaths of 464 in a stampede at the 2015 hajj.

The Saudi-owned Al-Hayat newspaper reported on December 30 that Saudi Pilgrimage Minister Mohammed Bentin had opened discussions with more than 80 countries, including Iran, on the arrangements for the 2017 hajj. AFP

Thousands mourn Rafsanjani TEHRAN―Tens of thousands of mourners led by Iran’s supreme leader gathered at Tehran University early on Tuesday for the funeral of former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

State television showed people pouring on to the streets around the campus where Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will lead the eulogies for Rafsanjani despite their “differences”.

The heavyweight politician, who died on Sunday at the age of 82, will be buried inside the crypt of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution.

Khomeini’s mausoleum is in south Tehran.

Leaders of all of Iran’s competing political factions were expected to attend the funeral.

Black banners were raised in Tehran and some posters showed the supreme leader and Rafsanjani together smiling. Another poster said “good bye, old combatant”.

Free bus or metro travel was provided to the funeral venue.

Since Rafsanjani’s death, messages of condolences have poured in both from at home and and abroad.

Even the White House sent a message, unprecedented since the 1979 revolution that led to cutting of ties between Tehran and Washington. AFP

1.2m punished in China for corruption BEIJING―Nearly 1.2 million people have been punished in China’s ongoing anti-graft campaign, a senior official has said, promising that the government will double-down on the drive that some say is a political purge.

As part of the campaign, nearly 2,600 fugitives have been extradited or repatriated, and 8.6 billion yuan ($1.2 billion) worth of assets have been recovered, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), said in a statement published on the organization’s web site Monday.

China has extradition treaties with 48 countries in total, including Spain, Italy, and France, which returned a fugitive to China last September.

Speaking at a press conference Monday, Luo Dongchuan, a senior CCDI official pledged that the campaign would continue, saying that the government should “keep the crushing momentum against corruption,” according to a press briefing transcript posted on the group’s website.

But in 2016 the number of corruption cases reported to the watchdog decreased for the first time since 2012, another official, Xiao Pei, said, without giving a specific figure. AFP

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

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‘Donald Trump facing risks’ W

ASHINGTON―The incoming Donald Trump administration faces a world of greater risk of conflict, slower growth and more anti-democratic pressures than ever since the Cold War, a new US intelligence report released Monday said.

BEST ACTRESS. Emma Stone poses with her award for best actress in a musical or comedy for her role in ‘La La Land’ in the press room during the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017, in Beverly Hills, California. AFP

Norway prepares for FM radio shutdown OSLO―Norway on Wednesday will become the first country in the world to start shutting down its FM radio network in favor of digital radio, a bold move watched closely by other countries around Europe.

Supporters of Digital Audio Broadcasting say DAB offers better sound quality and more channels at an eighth of the cost of FM (frequency modulation) transmission, which was first launched in the US in 1945.

The authorities also say DAB offers better coverage, allows listeners to catch up on programs they have missed and makes it easier to broadcast emergency messages in times of crisis.

“The big difference and the main reason behind this big technological shift is that we want to offer a better radio service to the whole population,” Ole Jorgen Torvmark, the head of Digitalradio Norge, a company owned by public broadcaster NRK and commercial radio station P4.

Norway, generally a technologyfriendly country, has been preparing for

the switchover for years -- DAB and FM have existed side-by-side since 1995.

There are currently 22 national digital stations, along with around 20 smaller ones. The FM spectrum has room for a maximum of only five national stations.

The big switch-off begins in Nordland, in the country’s north, at 11:11 am (1011 GMT) on Wednesday before expanding to the rest of the country by the end of the year, making millions of old radios obsolete.

But many think the shift is premature.

A poll in Dagbladet newspaper in December found 66 percent of Norwegians are against shutting down FM, with only 17 percent in favor.

While around three quarters of the population have at least one DAB radio set, many motorists are unhappy, as only about a third of cars currently on the road are equipped.

Converting a car radio involves buying an adaptor for between 1,000 and 2,000 kroner (110 to 220 euros), or getting a whole new radio.

“It’s completely stupid, I don’t need any more channels than I’ve already got,” Eivind Sethov, 76, told AFP in Oslo.

“It’s far too expensive. I’m going to wait till the price of adaptors comes down before getting one for my car.”

So while the switch to digital will reduce the cost of transmission for broacasters, it is listeners who will pick up much of the cost of the transition.

But Torvmark insists the time is right.

“It’s clear that when there’s a big technological change, some people ask difficult questions and are critical,” but “most listeners are ready,” he said.

“Every week more than 2.1 million listeners -- half of the listeners -- listen to stations that wouldn’t have existed without this technological transition.”

Part of the reason Norway is the first country to switch away from traditional analogue transmission is to do with topography -- it is expensive to get FM signals to a small population scattered around a landscape riven with fjords and high mountains. AFP

US leadership is ebbing amid the shifts in economic, political and technological power, deep changes in the global landscape “that portend a dark and difficult near future,” according to the National Intelligence Council’s “Global Trends: Paradox of Progress” report.

“The next five years will see rising tensions within and between countries,” said the report.

“For better or worse, the emerging global landscape is drawing to a close an era of American dominance following the Cold War.” The National Intelligence Council, a research group under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, issues its global assessment every four years, and the new one came 11 days before Trump is inaugurated as president.

It painted a gloomy picture of the challenges pulling at the post-World War II global order, including extreme income disparities, technological dislocation, demographic shifts, the impacts of global warming, and intensifying communal conflicts.

Moreover, Western democracies will find it harder and harder to stick to their principles and avoid being pulled apart from each other.

“It will be much harder to cooperate internationally and govern in ways publics expect,” it said.

More countries will be able to “veto” cooperative efforts and the myriad channels of global communication will leave large numbers and groups of people misinformed and divided.

“Information ‘echo chambers’ will reinforce countless competing realities.”

The report, whose authors comprise analysts from the intelligence and academic communities, also says that the liberalism that defined the West and allies after World War II is under threat from populism on both the right and left, as governing countries and societies gets harder.

“Publics will demand governments deliver security and prosperity, but flat revenues, distrust, polarization and a growing list of emerging issues will hamper government performance.”

Those trends underscore the need for Washington to shore up traditional Western alliances and friendships as Russian and China test their resolve to preserve their influence.

Yet, the report said, US leaders not to be tempted to try to resuscitate the kind of Pax Americana that steered the global order from the 1950s.

“It will be tempting to impose order on this apparent chaos, but that ultimately would be too costly in the short run and would fail in the long run,” eroding US political strength.

The report was released three days after a US intelligence community report said Moscow undertook an unprecedented effort to interfere in the US presidential election and support Trump that was directed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump has criticized the intelligence community and has yet to publicly say if he accepts that conclusion. AFP

Rain and floods cut off links to Thailand’s south SURAT THANI, Thailand― Overland routes to Thailand’s flood-hit south were severed on Tuesday after two bridges collapsed following days of torrential rain that has killed at least 25 people, including a five-year-old girl.

The heaviest January rains for three decades have lashed the country’s southern neck for more than a week, affecting 1.1 million people across eleven provinces.

The unseasonal downpours have also put a dampener on Thailand’s peak tourist period, prompting cancellations on popular resort islands including Samui and Phangan.

On Tuesday morning the main road heading down Thailand’s southern neck -- Highway 4 -- was closed in Prachuab Kiri Khan province, four hours south of Bangkok.

“We stopped all vehicles from passing after two bridges collapsed on Highway 4,” a Highways Department spokesman told AFP. Trains south have also been stopped by the rising floodwaters, increasing demand on already stretched flights to and from the flood-ravaged region.

The death toll has crept up over recent days as floods have reached roof-top level in some areas.

A five-year-old girl in Prachuab

province became the latest victim when a flash flood hit a van she was traveling in late Monday.

“Her family climbed to the roof of the van to avoid the water but she fell in with her mother,” relief worker Rawiroj Thammee told AFP. “The girl was swept away... villagers found her body 200 meters from the van this morning (Tuesday).”

January usually brings visitors flocking to the south’s islands and pristine beaches as monsoon rains abate and temperatures ease.

But the region has been battered by what junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha described as the heaviest January rainfall in 30 years.

Vast tracts of the south -- which is also an agricultural hub for rubber, palm oil and fruit plantations -- have been left under water while flash floods have caused deaths and widespread damage.

Television images have shown villagers wading through muddy water in remote flooded hamlets, with a few salvaged belongings held above their heads.

Soldiers have been deployed to provide relief packages and rescue stranded people in the worsthit areas.

Patients were evacuated by canoes as a hospital was swamped with waters in Prachuab province. AFP

PRESENT. Lisa Edelstein appears on Amazon’s Style Code Live on January 9, 2017, in New York City. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

World

Obama to bid farewell to supporters in Chicago W ASHINGTON― Barack Obama closes the book on his presidency Tuesday, with a farewell speech in Chicago that will try to lift supporters felled by Donald Trump’s shock victory.

Obama’s last trip on Air Force One will be a pilgrimage to his adoptive hometown, where he will address a sell-out crowd not far from where he accepted the presidency eight years ago.

Diehard fans -- many African Americans -- have braved Chicago’s frigid winter to collect free tickets, which now sell for upwards of $1,000 a piece on Craigslist.

The First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden will come along on for the ride.

Obama’s cross-country trek would be a sentimental trip down memory lane, were it not slap-bang in the middle of a tumultuous presidential handover.

Trump has smashed conventions, vowed to efface Obama’s legacy and hurled personal insults left and right.

The 2016 election campaign has raised serious questions about the resilience of US democracy.

In a virtually unprecedented move, US intelligence has accused the Kremlin of tipping the electoral scales in Trump’s favor.

Democrats, cast into the political wilderness with the loss of the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives plus a majority of statehouses, are struggling to regroup.

With an approval rating hovering around 55 percent, Obama will hope to steel them for new battles ahead.

Lead speech writer Cody Keenan said the address will be about Obama’s vision for where the country should still go.

“It’s not going to be like an antiTrump speech, it’s not going to be a red meat, rabble rousing thing, it will be statesman-like but it will also be true to him,” Keenan told AFP. “It will tell a story.”

Trump’s unorthodox politics has thrown 55-year-old Obama’s transition and post-presidency plans into flux.

Obama, having vowed a smooth handover of power, finds himself being increasingly critical of Trump as he prepares to leave office on January 20.

After that there will still be a holiday and an autobiography, but Obama could find himself being dragged backed into the political fray if Trump were to enact a Muslim registry or deport adults brought to the United States years ago by their parents.

Having vowed to take a backseat in politics, Obama’s second act could yet be as politically engaged as Jimmy Carter -- whose post-presidency has remade his image as an elder statesman. AFP

Critics renew their assault on Maduro CARACAS―Venezuelan opposition lawmakers sought to trigger early elections by passing a key censure motion Monday against President Nicolas Maduro, who is ruling over a national economic crisis and consequent food shortages.

The opposition majority in the National Assembly legislature declared that Maduro effectively “abandoned his post” by failing to stem the “economic devastation” in the oil-rich country, according to the speaker of the legislature, Julio Borges.

However, the Supreme Court, which has consistently sided with Maduro, was expected to overrule the motion. It has stated that “the National Assembly is not qualified to remove the president.”

The opposition blames Maduro for an “unprecedented economic crisis” that has prompted deadly riots and looting amid shortages of food and medicine.

And it plans to hold a session Tuesday on the grounds of Vargas Hospital, one of the 320 public health facilities wracked by shortages. “People need to know that we are there with them,” Borges said.

Maduro has blamed the crisis on a US-backed conspiracy against his socialist policies inherited from his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez.

The opposition wants to hold early elections, saying the situation is too serious to wait until Maduro ends his term in 2019.

“An electoral end to Venezuela’s crisis is needed. So that the people can express themselves through a vote,” Borges said.

The lawmakers’ declaration accuses Maduro of trampling citizens’ rights and “breaking with the constitutional order.”

Maduro’s ruling party brass laughed off the opposition drive in the assembly.

“When they demonize the president’s actions, they are implicitly acknowledging that he is in fact governing. It’s just another comic opera,” quipped pro-Maduro lawmaker Pedro Carreno.

Under Venezuela’s constitution, the National Assembly can force the president’s replacement by declaring he has “abandoned his post.” Elections are then meant to be held within 30 days.

But Maduro has easily swatted down the opposition’s other maneuvers against him so far.AFP

Israeli troops shoot dead Palestinian

PREMIERE. Actress Elle Fanning arrives at the Premiere Of Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Live By Night’ at the TCL Chinese Theater on January 9, 2017, in Hollywood, California. AFP

Monk who set himself on fire dies SEOUL―A South Korean Buddhist monk who set himself on fire during a protest against impeached President Park Geun-Hye has died, hospital officials said Tuesday.

The 64-year-old monk set himself alight on Saturday night in central Seoul where hundreds of thousands of people had gathered to rally for the 11th week to demand Park’s immediate removal.

He suffered severe burns across his face and body and died Monday night, according to Seoul National University Hospital where he was being treated.

The monk, who has been identified as Venerable Jung-Won, left a note urging authorities to arrest the scandal-hit president for committing “treason” and criticizing policies of her administration.

He also slammed Park as a “traitor”

for forging a deal with Japan to settle compensation for women forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops during World War II, according to Yonhap news agency.

“Ven. Jung-Won... sacrificed his life to convey people’s sentiment including... the demand for President Park Geun-Hye to resign. We hope that no lives will be lost like this and the whole country will be stabilized soon,” the social justice committee of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism said in a statement.

Self-immolation is not unheard of as a mean of protest in the South, where many pro-democracy activists set themselves on fire in the 1970s and 80s during demonstrations against military rule.

Park was impeached by parliament

last month over an influence-peddling scandal involving a secret confidante that sparked a storm of public fury and nationwide protests.

Park is accused of colluding with a longtime friend, Choi Soon-Il, to strong-arm donations worth tens of millions of dollars from top firms which were then funneled to dubious foundations which Choi used as her personal ATMs. The president is also accused of letting Choi -- currently on trial -- meddle in a wide range of state affairs including nomination of top officials.

The Constitutional Court is reviewing the validity of the impeachment bill.

Both Park and Choi have denied any wrongdoing. AFP

JERUSALEM―Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank shot dead a Palestinian who attacked them with a knife overnight during an operation to arrest suspected militants, the army said on Tuesday morning.

A military statement said that no soldiers were injured in the incident at Al-Fara Palestinian refugee camp, northeast of the city of Nablus.

“An assailant, armed with a knife attempted to stab soldiers on operational activity to arrest suspects,” the English-language statement said.

“Forces called the attacker to halt and, upon his continued advance, fired toward him, resulting in his death.”

It added that others in the camp hurled explosives and shot at the soldiers.

Since October 2015, 248 Palestinians, 40 Israelis, two Americans, a Jordanian, an Eritrean and a Sudanese have been killed, according to an AFP count.

Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out attacks, according to Israeli authorities. Others were shot dead during protests or clashes, while some died in Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip.

Many analysts say Palestinian frustration with the Israeli occupation and settlement building in the West Bank, comatose peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have helped feed the unrest.

Israel says incitement by Palestinian leaders and media is a leading cause.

The Al-Fara incident comes less than 48 hours after a Palestinian rammed a truck into troops visiting a Jerusalem tourist site, killing four soldiers in a stark reminder of tensions despite a recent lull in violence.

The attacker was shot dead at the scene. AFP

Park’s say on ferry disaster rejected SEOUL―The court hearing South Korean President Park Geun-Hye’s impeachment trial on Tuesday dismissed as “unsatisfactory” attempts to explain her whereabouts during the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster.

Parliament voted to impeach Park last month over an influencepeddling scandal that has brought hundreds of thousands of protesters onto the streets every week demanding her removal.

At the time of the vote lawmakers also said allegations that Park failed to carry out her official duties as the head of state during the ferry sinking were also grounds for her removal from office.

The Constitutional Court last month urged Park’s defense counsel to clarify the mystery surrounding her seven-hour absence during the disaster that claimed more than 300 lives, mostly

school children.

Unconfirmed media reports have suggested a wide range of theories about her whereabouts, including a romantic liaison, participation in a shamanistic ritual, cosmetic surgery or a 90-minute hair styling.

Park’s lawyers said Tuesday that she had felt unwell on the morning of the disaster and stayed at her residence instead of her office -- both within the presidential Blue House complex.

They submitted documents to the Constitutional Court showing time lines of her receiving reports by phone or from her aides about the disaster and issuing directives.

But Justice Lee Jin-Sung, one of the nine members of the court, told Park’s legal team that the time lines failed to clarify exactly when and how she first came to learn about the sinking.

“The answer from the president’s side fell short of expectations and was somewhat unsatisfactory”, Lee was quoted by Yonhap news agency as saying.

Lee noted that TV channels broke the story just after 9:00 a.m. local time and said Park should clarify whether or not she was watching the news at the time. “(Park) received numerous phone calls from the chief of the National Security Office and gave orders,” Lee Joong-hwan, a lawyer representing Park, told reporters on the sidelines of the hearing.

“She took appropriate steps.”

However, representatives from parliament told the hearing that neither the top national security advisor nor the chief of the presidential secretariat knew where Park was at the time of the disaster. AFP

MURAL. A workman measures up a mural of British musician David Bowie by Australian street artist James

Cochran, also known as Jimmy C, in Brixton, south London, on January 9, 2017, before mounting an acrylic sheet to protect the art work.January 10, 2017 will mark one year since the death of rock music legend Bowie who died of cancer on January 10, 2016, at the age of 69. AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

FASHION & BEAUTY

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Look and feel great with Levi’s Lot 300 Shaping Jeans PERFECTLY SKINNY. Levi’s has created a solution to women’s slim-fit pants dilemma in the form of high-stretch Lot 300 Shaping Jeans that provide shaping effect while offering comfort.

A

DMIT it, most women will do almost anything to look good. And one of the biggest stunts they need to do is trying to fit into skinny jeans.

Each pair of Lot 300 jeans is made of advanced fabric stretch technology

The dreadful experience begins with shopping for the perfect slim-fit pair.

You hog the store’s fitting room trying to find one that looks and feels like second skin. Then, you must get used to the idea that skinny jeans are too snug to let you slip your phone or wallet into its pockets.

Your woes do not end there. There’s the constant struggle with the muffin top and finding the perfect blouse to hide it. And you are later horrified to realize that you can’t fit into your jeans after your favorite burger snack.

Finally, at the end of the day, you

have to face one last battle—taking the tight thing off.

Despite the ordeal, women continue to raid stores for slim-fit pants—and for a good reason: they look great in it.

Luckily, Levi’s has a solution to this recurrent dilemma: the Lot 300 Shaping Jeans, a pair that is designed to smoothen and enhance one’s silhouette, trim the tummy, lift the butt and lengthen legs.

With an advanced tummy-slimming technology, the Lot 300 jeans holds you comfortably in all the right places.

For Levi’s, looking great is about feeling great, too, which explains why the Lot

Forever 21’s androgynous revival and hero pieces AMERICAN retail brand Forever 21, one of the most recognized and largest independent fashion retailers in the world, launches a new collection globally featuring up and coming models Lucas Satherley and Peyton Knight.

The campaign presents Satherley and Knight in key trends that revive androgynous style and celebrate hero wardrobe pieces. There is a play on proportions and a focus on depth through layering. The color palette is a mix of tonal groups of traditional fall hues complemented by bright pops of color.

Forever 21 has paired classic fashion trends—boho, military, prep and sporty—with ‘90s street-grunge, resulting in a wardrobe that fuses men’s and women’s pieces into one.

The women’s collection is a juxtaposition of soft delicate fabrics and tough elements. Here, distressed denim and slip dresses can be worn alone or layered; as faux fur statement jackets, oversized bombers, hoodies and sleek trench coats, which can be worn with tees.

The men’s collection features fall staples that are perfect for everyday wear: bombers, graphic tees, torn and ripped paint-splashed denim and trenches. These are frayed and distressed styles with small touches of color.

In the Philippines, Forever21 has been the ultimate choice of the style savvy since it opened its first store at SM Megamall in 2010. Through its partnership with the SM Retail Group, Forever 21 has made it easier to have access to trendy yet affordable fashion with branches around the country.

Find Forever 21 in SM Megamall, SM Makati, North Wing of SM City Cebu, The Block at SM City North Edsa, SM Mall of Asia, SM Lanang Premier, SM Aura Premier, SM City Fairview, SM City Clark, SM Southmall, SM Seaside City Cebu and its newest branch at SM City Iloilo.

Get connected with fashion label through forever21.com, facebook.com/Forever21PH and via Twitter @Forever21PH and Instagram @f21philippines.

ANDROGYNOUS. The fall collection combines classic fashion trends and ‘90s street-grunge resulting in a wardrobe that fuses men’s and women’s pieces into one.

300 jeans, and the rest of Levi’s women’s collection are built around advanced fabric stretch technology.

By listening to consumers and doing intensive research, Levi’s was able to develop innovative clothing pieces— with better fabric recovery and softer hand-feel—for a wider array of body types, from I-shaped to curvaceous.

To eliminate the problems that arise from choosing skinny jeans, Levi’s utilized an improved technology that divides the stretch ability of its pants into three: low, medium and high.

These three types of stretch indicate how much the fabric can expand with the body, and the greater the amount of stretch, the greater its range of comfort and movement.

Low-stretch pair of jeans has more

solid construction and gives the look of non-stretch but with added comfort.

Medium-stretch, meanwhile, provides a greater range of motion and comfort.

High-stretch jeans offer additional comfort and softness, while still providing that smoothing and shaping effect.

Most of the jeans in Levi’s women’s collection are made with mediumstretch fabric, and jeans constructed from low-stretch or high-stretch fabric will have such information called out on the packaging.

Check out Levi’s Lot 300 Shaping Jeans and have the slim-fit and skinny jeans you have always wanted—the pair with greater range of motion and comfort.

Up-and-coming models Lucas Satherley and Peyton Knight are featured in Forever21’s fall campaign

Life

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

BOBSON’S

latest COLLECTION looks to the PAST for INSPIRATION P

URE Japanese denim brand Bobson heavily references its heritage and the uniqueness of Japan’s denim industry with the new Cattlehorn Collection for men and women. Old meets new in the latest line of must-have jeans, which combine inspirations from the past with the denim innovations of today.

The new styles are created with signature Japanese craftsmanship that proves exceptional quality, from then until now.

Representing Japan’s strong agricultural roots helmed by highly skilled and passionate workers, the latest anthology’s name puts together symbolisms such as “cattle” for the worker, and “horn”—also used as the line’s brand mark—which generally signifies power into the brand’s newest style solutions.

Bobson’s new Cattlehorn line for gentlemen includes the Kinagawa Slim

Straight made with a stretch indigo fabric and a deep faded design and wash, the Tokyo Tapered that gives a good fabric stretch and recovery because of its special stretch fiber, and the Fuji Skinny rendered in stretch indigo fabric and featuring a vintage wash, handscrape, Abbrasion, whiskers and chevron.

Ladies can choose between two styles of the Tami Low Skinny Tapered —including one made of stretch indigo knitted denim fabric with a medium wash and deep faded design; and another

featuring power stretch indigo fabric, vintage wash, handscrape, Abbrasion, whiskers and chevron. There’s also the classic Reika Regular Tapered, in a dark wash stretch indigo with Lyocell fiber that strengthens the fabric and keeps it clean and crisp.

Get ready for the new fashion season with Bobson’s latest superiorly crafted Cattlehorn Collection that’s inspired by the past, crafted today.

Bobson is available in Metro Manila, Ayala and Harbor Point Subic, Robinsons Palawan, SM Megacenter Cabanatuan, Mindoro CitiMall Zamboanga, Felcris Centrale Davao and Gaisano Mall Davao and Tagum, and LKK Mall Cagayan de Oro. For more updates check out BOBSONJapan on Facebook, @bobsonjapan on Instagram and @BOBSONJAPAN on Twitter or visit www. bobsonjapan.com/ph.

The Cattlehorn collection features new styles created with signature Japanese craftsmanship

Women can choose from Bobson’s Tami Low Skinny Tapered and Reika Regular Tapered

Morales’ new collection to mark her Identity AT THE Green Sun at Anima, Makati City, streetwear designer Kaye Morales unveiled her newest collection, Identity, a collection of clothes, bags and accessories.

Identity embraces people from in-and-out of the gender binary through counter-culture statements in her newest and most personal collection to date. Drawing from the primary facets of Kaye’s personality—adventurous, individualistic

and driven—Identity is a collection that inspires people to embrace their true selves.

Drawing from Kaye Morales’ love for music, the collection pays homage to the pop culture.

The playful colors of the Identity collection bring out rush of adrenaline that will make people feel and look androgynous.

The event gathered Kaye Morales’ muses and models, showcasing the collection. KZ Tandin-

gan entertained the crowd with her performance.

DJs The Zombettes (Sanya Smith and Ornussa Cadness), MC Marga Bermudez, and Jose Cuervo’s own Kat DJ also contributed to make the event memorable.

The event also celebrated the launch of Kaye Morales’ newly revamped ecommerce website, making her collection available to people from all corners of the globe.

Kinagawa Slim Straight, Tokyo Tapered and Fuji Skinny are the denim choices for men

VA N I T Y C O R N ER

MEET YOUR NOURISHING MATTE CELETEQUE DermoCosmetics makes it possible to create matte lipsticks that nourish lips all day and all night. The matte lipsticks are cocreated with dermatologists.

Each product under the line is infused with Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E) that moisturizes lips, Bisabolol that reduces flaking and restores suppleness, and Candelilla Wax that nourishes lip skin.

Celeteque’s latest Matte Lipsticks come in three shades—nude to match any skin tone; ruby to make a statement wherever you go; wine for those who are vying for that regal look with deep mauve shade.

Celeteque Matte Lipsticks are exclusively available at Watsons for P595 each. ***

HAIR CARE IN EVERY DROP

Sophie Ramos checks out mascara and eye liners available at the section

Get your eyes on fleek at SM Beauty MAKE your eyes talk with SM Beauty’s Get your Eyes on Fleek, which brings together some of the most exciting eyebrow grooming and eye makeup finds and trends.

After all, they say that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Your eyebrows are frames for your eyes, and their shape can make your eyes appear to be certain shapes as well. Pluck, thread, or wax your eyebrows to give them shape. Be careful, though, not to over pluck your brows.

Eyeliner illuminates your eyes. Black is so basic, and sometimes basic is a good thing, but there are an infinite amount of pretty looks you can create with eyeliner. Eye shadows, on the other hand, add mystique and allure to your look.

You can also transform your lashes with the magic of mascara. Create drama, volume and curl, with a wave of the mascara wand that paints your lashes in an extreme finish like no other.

Get your Eyes on Fleek with these trends to remember from SM Beauty: Bold shadows — Deep toned eye shadows that create eye-popping statements is something every girl should try. Or go glossy, shimmery and sculpted.

Eye-catching liners — Take risks and draw outside the lines with sleek, graphic and kind of retro strokes. Try colored lines with bright colors to make sure you stand out.

Sultry brows — Get your brow game on, so don’t forget to define, fill-in and tame!

Lush lashes — Vivid colored lashes that are either curled or dolled to accentuate your eyes make a huge difference!

Visit the SM Beauty Section in all SM Stores to get these eyebrows PRETTIFY YOUR EYES. The SM Beauty of all SM Stores offers a wide range of eye makeup. and eye makeup essentials.

PRECIOUS oils have been the centurieslong secret of many Oriental women for keeping their skin and hair beautiful, a tradition that inspired L’Oreal Professionnel to bring this ancestral beauty arsenal into today’s modern hair care in the form of Mythic Oil. Mythic Oil provides deep nourishment, intense shine and longlasting anti-frizz protection. It is enhanced by a combination of avocado oil, known for its extraordinary nourishing properties and unique lightness; and grapeseed oil, highly concentrated in essential fatty acids and linoleic acid. The result is a highly absorbent and lightweight formula that gives off a floral and fruity fragrance.

This nourishing oil can be used in four ways: before shampooing to keep hair’s moisture, before blow-drying to protect and detangle the tresses, while styling to seal the look with intense shine, and throughout the day to keep it healthy and frizz-free.

L’Oreal introduced the power of Mythic Oil in three products for a holistic hair care. The Mythic Oil range is composed of Mythic Oil Shampoo, Mythic Oil Rich Masque Thick Hair, and Mythic Oil Nourishing Oil. Available in supermarkets, drugstores and beauty stores nationwide.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

SHAWN MENDES

Tops Spotify Philippines’ 25 Under 25 List

Eight talented celebrity kids transform into popular music icons in the latest season of “Your Face Sound Familiar"

With kids, you can never go wrong T

HE third season of singing and impersonation contest Your Face Sounds Familiar premiered last Saturday this time training the spotlight on a fresh crop of talented kids that left the viewers and live audience entertained from start to finish.

Still led by Billy Crawford as host, the show introduced AC Bonifacio, Alonzo Muhlach, Awra Briguela, Elha Nympha, Justin Alva, Lyca Gairanod, Sam Shoaf, and Xia Vigor as the eight youngsters who will transform into pop stars and iconic celebrities every weekend.

While the new season premiere telecast was loaded with so much cuteness and interesting talents, there were a few performances that left an impressive mark on the audience.

Most notable performances were of Elha Nympha who impersonated Beyoncé, and Justin Alva who attempted to sound like and mimic the moves of Michael Jackson.

Elha, who is known for winning The Voice Kids Season 3, performed “Love On Top,” which is regarded by most singers as one of the most difficult pop songs to sing. The 12-year-old singer belted out the upbeat Beyoncé hit with ease. Meanwhile, former The Voice Kids contestant Justin imitated the King of Pop performing “Beat It” while showing off his flair in dancing.

But among the eight performers, there’s this young impersonator who strutted his stuff before an adoring audience and definitely stole the whole show. Awra Briguela’s prod trended on YouTube garnering 1.3 million views in less than 24 hours. It is also the top

trending video on the popular video sharing site this week.

Awra, also known as “Makmak” in FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, stole the show as he performed Miley Cyrus’s hit “Wrecking Ball” while impersonating Mommy Dionesia Pacquiao in reference to the latter’s performance in 2014 when she guested in Gandang Gabi Vice. After the young actor’s performance, judges Sharon Cuneta, Ogie Alcasid and Gary Valenciano were left in awe.

Sharon thinks Awra gave his 150 percent in his performance for copying Mommy Dionesia. Gary, on the other hand, said Awra is a star when he first saw him in viral video. And Ogie Alcasid, who also performed during the show’s premiere telecast, said Awra gave a great entertainment value to his performance.

Awra instantly charmed the crowd when he appeared onstage with prosthetic and makeup that made him look so much like Mommy D. He also attempted to sound like Manny Pacquiao’s mother by using a voice raspy.

The next day (Sunday), Awra was named the first weekly winner after receiving the most number of points given by the judges.

Like the previous editions of the YFSF, Awra took home a cash prize, half of which will be given to his chosen charity.

The first week of YFSF Kids Edition showed how fresh faced, talented youngsters can serve as an antidote for our weekend viewing after a long week of primetime TV dominated by boring reality shows and television dramas which all have the same plot.

And perhaps we need the ratings data now to show these networks that the audience also like to see more kid-centric shows like the latest edition of YFSF that feature nothing but raw talents and pure fun. It’s a show that can be enjoyed by both the young and grown-up viewers.

Really, when properly done, with kids, you can ever go wrong.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, January 11, 2017

ACROSS 1 Soda fountain treat 5 Piece of bread 10 Spy — Hari 14 End of a CSA signature (2 wds.)

15 Mystiques 16 Welsh form of “John” 17 Frankfurt’s river 18 Burro alternative 19 Calcium source 20 Sci-fi tunnels 22 Prepare eggs 23 “— — Woman” (Helen Reddy) 24 102, to a centurion 25 Varmint 29 Go faster 33 Flood barrier 34 Buffalo’s lake 36 Auction shout 37 — — nutshell 38 Mountain — (perennial herb) 39 Sleazy newspaper 40 Cafe handout 42 Zwieback 43 Couric of “Today” 45 Burns’ mouse 47 First American

in space 49 “2001” computer 50 Half of deux 51 Peeved 54 Creamy-petaled flowers 60 Treasured 61 Drop by 62 While away 63 La femme 64 Hunger for 65 Shaq’s teammate 66 Gave the onceover 67 Snagged a dogie 68 Zest for life DOWN 1 Kitty’s greeting 2 Tough-guy actor — Ray 3 Knowing look 4 Home wrecker?

5 Seven-veil dancer 6 Quiet spell 7 Latin hymn word 8 Engine parts 9 That senora 10 Ghosts often work on them 11 Reebok rival 12 Chalky mineral 13 Nile symbol of enduring life

21 Detest 22 Indy 500 area 24 Poolroom supply 25 Shinny 26 Ms. Zellweger 27 Onetime Trump 28 Stage show 29 Porkers’ plaints 30 Major artery 31 “— de Lune” 32 Crept 35 Home, in the phone book 38 Seed covering 41 Led down the

aisle 43 Casino game 44 Hulking 46 Smidgen 48 Stalked prey 51 — fixe 52 Feel sure of 53 Leafy vegetable 54 Dali colleague 55 Cousin of PDQ 56 Collapse 57 Artifact 58 “Sin City” actress 59 Observed 61 Old TV hookup

SPOTIFY revealed the list of the 25 most influential artists under the age of 25 who are dominating the music industry in the Philippines right now.

Taking a look at the Spotify data, 18 year-old Canadian singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes tops the list, boasting 25 million Spotify listeners each month and over 500 million streams of his breakout smash, “Stitches.”

Following Shawn Mendes at the top of the list are Ariana Grande, Martin Garrix, Justin Bieber and Alessia Cara.

To determine the 25 under 25 list, music experts at Spotify looked at a variety of factors such as the number of people listening to an artist each month, artists with songs featured in Spotify’s top playlists and topperforming artists by genre.

The top 25 list also includes newcomers bursting onto the scene, such as Ylona Garcia, who at just 14, proved everyone that age is just a number. Her single “Dahan Dahan Dahan Lang” is definitely creating waves amongst Spotify users. Also

included are mainstays Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato.

“These young artists have broken boundaries and are certainly leading global culture regardless of age, making an impact across the world with their creativity and music. We are excited to see music from all over the world – international, regional and local – resonate amongst our Spotify users in the Philippines. With so many young listeners on Spotify, it’s always fascinating to hone in on the peer artists they’re listening to and looking up to,” said Chee Meng Tan, director of Label Relations, Spotify, APAC. In Spotify’s 25 Under 25 (Philippines Edition) list apart from Mendes (1), Grande (2), Garrix (3), Bieber (4) and Cara (5) are local artists James Reid (16), Nadine Lustre (17), Julie Ann San Jose (18), Leanne & Naara (19), Moira Dela Torre (20), Morisette Amon (21), Ylona Garcia (22), Daniel Padilla (23), Janella Salvador (24) and Darren Espanto (25).

Rebel with a cause

Talented Filipino artists who have banded together to create art pieces to be auctioned off with proceeds going to a chosen foundation

FIVE talented artists with a passion for Star Wars united for a charitable cause to create unique art pieces from crafted rebel pilot helmets reminiscent of those worn by X-Wing fighter pilots.

The artists are Allen Geneta, an illustrator, digital artist, and game designer with Ubisoft and Naughty Dog. A Darth Maul enthusiast, Allen directs his team of Star Wars hero costume enthusiasts who give back to the community through works of charity and volunteerism.

The auction features Kasaysayan, a piece by Andrew Villar, creator of Agents of Ambush and art director of Batibot, whose imaginations are ignited by Darth Vader and R2D2 Kenner toys. Ruben Nacion, an art teacher, cartoonist, and editorial illustrator for newspaper

publications also participates in the auction through his design called Anting-Anting.

Pinagmulan, a design by JB Casakop, a Star Wars card game artist and co-founder of Artisans of the Force, is also part of the auction. Jeepney by Ronald Tan, creator of MidKnight and Muelle de Misterio and creative director of Ritual Design Studios, will be auctioned off as well.

Proceeds of the auction go to the Brighthalls Foundation – a foundation dedicated to the care and housing of kids , fours years old and below abandoned, neglected or surrendered.

Auction is online via https://www. facebook.com/pinoyrebellion Help support Rebel with a cause – Philippine Charity Auction and may the force be with you.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

ISAH V. RED

G

MA Network rounded out another milestone in 2016 after leading competition in nationwide TV ratings based on full year data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

For the period January to December 2016 (with Dec. 25 to 31 based on overnight data), GMA registered a total day people audience share of 37.3 percent in NUTAM (National Urban Television Audience Measurement), ahead of ABSCBN’s 37.1 percent.

GMA grabbed the nationwide lead from ABS-CBN based on people shares in September 2016, and has since prevailed over competition by consistently increasing margins.

GMA’s remarkable performance in the fourth quarter drove the Network’s dominance in the full year 2016 ratings.

Leading across all day parts, GMA 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 last December with a people audience share of 41.7 percent, equivalent to a 7.8-point margin over ABS-CBN’s 33.9 percent.

Encantadia remained the no.1 program nationwide last month, leading other Kapuso entries that made up majority of the list of highest-rating programs and specials in December.

Also in the top 10 are Alyas Robin Hood, 24 Oras, Pepito Manaloto, Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, Magpakailanman, and Hay Bahay!.

Completing the list of most watched Kapuso programs in NUTAM are Tsuperhero, 24 Oras Weekend, Someone to Watch Over Me, Kapuso Movie Night, Lipad sa 2017 (Kapuso New Year Countdown), Wowowin, The Magic of Christmas (Kapuso Christmas Special), Eat Bulaga, Sunday PinaSaya, Imbestigador, Pepito Manalotalk 2016, and Superstar Duets.

In Urban Luzon, which accounts for 77 percent of all viewers in urban TV homes in the country, GMA sustained its strong showing as its full year 2016 people share reached 42.6 percent, 11.2 points more than the competitor’s 31.4 percent.

GMA won against ABS-CBN in all day parts in Urban Luzon from January to December 2016.

Meanwhile, the Kapuso Network opens the New Year on an exciting note with a new lineup of programs starting off with the light romantic-drama Meant to Be top billed by Barbie Forteza. Also in the offing are, among others, the much-awaited first TV series with Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza, Destined To Be Yours, as well as the Filipino adaptation of the phenomenal Koreanovela My Love From The Star, starring Jennylyn Mercado and Gil Cuerva. *** Kate Valdez fits the costume she dons for Encatadia as Mira, the warrior. Netizens were very excited to see their idol in another costume that resembles the one worn by Glaiza de Castro who plays Pirena, mother of Mira.

Now, it seems we are given hints to what direction her career on television is headed. Good job, Kate! *** Joyce Ching says ‘time out’ from crying as she celebrated her birthday on the set of

GMA leads

Dingdong Dantes plays the titular role in "Alyas Robin Hood," which is part of the 10 most watched programs on TV based on nationwide ratings

competition in full year 2016 nationwide ratings

The lead cast of the county's most watched TV show on primetime, "Encantadia"

GMA Network, Regal Films reach agreement on film output Michael V (left) and the anchors of "24 Oras" Iya Villana, Vicky Morales, Mike Enriquez, and Mel Tiangco

The cast of the sitcom "Hay Bahay" led by Vic Sotto and AiAi delas Alas

Hahamakin ang Lahat.

Her fans surprised her with an instant celebration. They came to visit her on the set that made the actress overwhelmed with gladness. She felt the support of her fans for her afternoon show on GMA 7.

Her leading man, Kristoffer Martin, also greeted her on her birthday. On his Instagram account, he posted. “Happy Birthday to this ever mapagmahal girl!!! Madaming nagmamahal sayo alam mo yan. Kasi sobra mo ring mahalin ang tao. Salamat kasi nandiyan ka. Salamat sa mga advices and all. Deserve mo lahat ng love ng taong nakapaligid sayo and deserve mong maging happy. Happy Birthdaaaaay Joyching!!!” ***

The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) brouhaha hasn’t died.

Now, Senator Tito Sotto wants a Senate investigation on how the films that were shown in the annual MMFF was chosen, and that is apart form the Senate bill he is proposing that would create a separate film festival for independently produced films during semestral breaks for the students.

Meanwhile, he also wants to investigate how the MMFF overlooked the alleged criminal act of slaying a dog for a scene in Oro. The MMFF Execom has resolved to issue a strong reprimand on the Oro production people for misrepresenting and disregarding the prior agreement that they should include a

disclaimer that no animal was harmed during the shoot of the film. It is suspending Feliz Productions (Felix Guerrero, Mark Shandii Bacolod, and director Alvin Yapan) from participating in future MMFF) for a year.

The MMFF Execom also said that it is not releasing figures of box office results and the data people read on social media were erroneous and unofficial.

Senator Sotto asks why not release the figures even if they are much lower than the box office takes in previous years.

In the spirit of transparency, I think the MMFF should release the figures in order for the public to know, if indeed the festival was an epic flop.

GMA Network further strengthens its partnership with Regal Films with the renewal of their movie output deal last year at the GMA Network Boardroom.

With the renewal of this deal, GMA Network will be able to acquire a number of Regal Films’ upcoming movies top-billed by GMA’s pool of artists.

Present in the contract signing were GMA Chairman and CEO Felipe L. Gozon, GMA Films President Annette M. Gozon, Regal Films Founder Lily Y. Monteverde and Regal Films Vice President Roselle Y. Monteverde.

Monteverde is one of GMA Network’s most loyal partners, “I am very happy to be with GMA. Our partnership has gone for more than 35 years and I can say that this is for a lifetime. This is a new beginning for me with GMA and continuous ang support namin sa isa’t isa.”

Meanwhile, Roselle Monteverde acknowledged her company’s history with the Kapuso Network. “We’ve been here since the Mother Studio days and dito rin kami nag-Regal Shocker so continuous ang partnership namin with GMA. And I’m glad that we renewed today kasi we also have artists sa GMA 7 and we’re looking forward to produce the movies for these artists.

Magagaling kasi sila. I always watch Kapuso shows like Encantadia and Alyas Robin Hood at talagang nagugustuhan ko ang mga artista ng GMA 7.”

Atty. Gozon affirmed that Regal Films has proven its stature in the industry. “Of course tayo ay always happy dahil itong Regal ni Mother Lily has been known to produce quality movies that people really look forward to watching. Kaya’t isang malaking karangalan sa atin na maging partner ng Regal,” he concluded.

From left: Regal's Mother Lily Monteverde, GMA's Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, Roselle Y. Monteverde, and Annette M. Gozon