Manila Standard - 2017 January 21 - Saturday

DONALD TRUMP ERA BEGINS AS 45TH US PRESIDENT WASHINGTON—Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States Friday evening capping his improbable journey to the White House and beginning a four-year term that promises to shake up Washington and the world.

But hundreds of protesters demon-

strating against Donald Trump also clashed with guests leaving an event in honor of the new US president on the eve of Trump’s inauguration, prompting police to use chemical spray on the crowd.

The protesters, who heckled guests and shouted foul language at people

leaving the “Deploraball,” also burned protest signs, creating a smoke-filled scene in front of the National Press Building, where the event was held.

Dozens of police, many in riot gear, were on scene, with some trying to help ball-goers, dressed in tuxedos and evening dresses, leave the area as demonstrators chased them down the street.

Although largely peaceful at first, the protest grew more ragged as the night drew on.

The inauguration ceremony began 10:30 p.m. (Manila time) at the west front of the Capitol with musical performances.

Attendees included members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, diplomats and the public. Former presidents Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton and Trump’s election opponent Hillary Clinton attended the inaugural but ailing former President George H.W. Bush was absent.

Sixteen-year-old soprano Jackie Evancho sang the national anthem.

The Rockettes dance troupe also performed.

At 12:30 a.m. Saturday, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas swore in Vice President Mike Pence. Half an hour later, Trump recited the oath of office, administered by US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

He used President Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration Bible, as well as the Bible that Trump’s mother gave to him at his Sunday school graduation in 1955.

Afterward, in keeping with tradition, Trump and Pence attended a congressional lunch in the Capitol.

FIREWORKS APLENTY. The inaugural celebration for President-elect Donald Trump at the Lincoln Memorial has begun, with fireworks exploding and lighting up the Washington, D.C. Sky. AFP

NEW PAGE. In Manila, causeoriented groups march toward the US Embassy protesting against what they call neoliberal plunder policies under the Trump presidency. Ey Acasio SENTIMENTAL SALUTATION.

Outgoing President Barack Obama and wife Michelle make a stirring sight in their last few minutes at the White House, their official residence for eight years.

Palace hails Pres. Trump, sees better ties with US

By John Paolo Bencito

States of America.

“Congratulations, Mr. Trump. It’s [an] MALACAÑANG on Friday con- unexpected but overwhelming victory gratulated Republican billionaire for you. We hope that his administration Donald Trump, who was sworn in would be a success because his success Next page as the 45th President of the United

IN ONE’S GRASP. US President Donald Trump and wife Melania walk down the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to the soundtrack of the Rolling Stones’ Heart of Stone, the group’s 1965 hit, on the eve of his inauguration. AFP

VOL. XXX • NO. 343 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Cops in Jee slay arrested Alvarez demands resignation of PNP chief Dela Rosa

By Rey E. Requejo, Maricel V. Cruz and Francisco Tuyay

T

HE authorities arrested in Friday three policemen tagged in the kidnapping and killing Korean executive Jee Ick Joo in October 2016 as ordered by a regional trial court in Angeles City.

Cayetano: No plot to oust Koko

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

The arrest warrant issued by Angeles City RTC Branch 58 was served on SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, SPO4 Roy Villegas, SPO4 Ramon Yalung as Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez demanded the resignation of Philippine National Police chief Ronald Dela Rosa over the killing of the Korean businessman.

“The commission of a heinous crime right under his very nose is not only an insult but a clear indication that he has lost the respect of his people,” Alvarez said after learning that Jee was killed at the PNP’s Camp Crame headquarters.

“Social media like Youtube is now replete with the booboos of General Dela Rosa including his running away Next page

Reds divided over peace talks issues

POLICE CUSTODY. Police on Friday take custody of SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel (middle wearing helmet), one of seven people accused in the abduction and killing of South Korean businessmern Jee Ick Joo last Oct. 18. Norman Cruz

SENATOR Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday denied allegations of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV that he is behind a plot to oust Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and replace him as head of the Senate.

“It’s a figment of the imagination of Senator Trillanes. I don’t have any plans to get the leadership,” Cayetano said in a press conference in BGC, Taguig.

Cayetano said that aside from the fact that Pimentel is trusted by senators and President Rodrigo Duterte himself, he said he has “too much work.”

“Is Senator Koko doing a good job? Yes. Is it perfect? No,” Cayetano said, saying it was too early to judge his colleague.

“Even if I do get to be Senate President, I have too much work that pulls me out of the Senate,” he added.

Cayetano earlier said that he would gladly accept any assignment offered Next page

‘Read Duterte’s true intentions’

By Francisco Tuyay THE communist movement is again racked with divisions with at least three factions seeking to prevail in the ongoing peace talks in Rome, reliable sources told the Manila Standard.

The sources said Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Ma. “Joma” Sison and NDF chief Luis Jalandoni are at logger-head against spouses Benito and Wilma Tiamzon and a separate group of NPA top leader Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos.

“It appears that they are not united on some key issues,” said the source who is privy to ongoing debates in commuNext page nist movement.

THE government’s top lawyer advised the public to “read between the lines” to know Duterte’s true intentions amid the confusion over his statements that he will or will not declare martial law to accompany his war on illegal drugs.

“Sometimes, what you hear from him is not really what he wants to communicate,” Solicitor-General Jose Calida said in a recent interview.

“So we have to read between the lines, but the bottom line here is, if this country is put in danger and nobody acts, he will act.”

Over the weekend, Duterte said he will declare martial law if the drug problem turns into something violent.

But in a speech in Cabanatuan on Wednesday he agreed with the military that there was no compelling reason yet to declare martial law.

Duterte had made previous pronounce-

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ments about declaring or not declaring martial law.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella, who is tasked to interpret Duterte’s messages, said Duterte could declare martial law but right now he would not. “[The President] has said if conditions are ripe, it will happen but he will not [declare martial law]. He is simply saying at this stage, he will not,” Abella said. “[The President] is stating that he could but he will not. In other words, he’s just simply addressing the enormity… it’s a graphic way of addressing the enormity of the drug problem.”

Under the 1987 Constitution, the President may declare martial law only on two grounds:invasion and rebellion. The period cannot exceed 60 days without congressional approval, and the Supreme Court may review the declaration of marNext page tial law.

S

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EMOTIVE DIALOGUE. Miss Universe candidates, hearing the struggles of former cleft patients from Smile Train have bounced back from, get overwrought during a dialogue at Conrad Hotel in Pasay City. Lino Santos

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Govt to press land reform M

ALACAÑANG on Friday vowed there will not be a repeat of the Mendiola Massacre 30 years after it happened as the Duterte administration is committed to resolve land-reform cases that the previous administration failed to do.

“With respect to the Mendiola Massacre, I think it is a lesson that we should learn that you cannot stop citizens from protesting, which is a guaranteed right under the Constitution,” Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo told reporters.

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It was followed by an inaugural parade where the newly minted president and vice president made their way 2.4 kilometers along Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House, trailed by some 8,000 parade participants.

They included members of all US military branches, as well as

“No government can abuse its right to enforce the law to use it as an excuse to maim, kill or injure protesters. That will not happen under this government.

Panelo made his statement even as Rep. Ariel Casilao urged President Rodrigo Duterte to compen-

sate the victims of the Mendiola Massacre on Jan. 22, 1987, by issuing an executive order or a presidential proclamation.

“If it was done for the [human] rights victims of martial law, it is possible for the victims of the Mendiola Massacre [to be compensated because] it was carried out under the Cory Aquino regime,” Casilao said.

The Mendiola Massacre took place on Mendiola Street in San Miguel, Manila, on Jan. 22, when security forces violently dispersed a farmers’ march to Malacañang to protest the lack

of government action on land reform.

According to reports, antiriot personnel disguised as civilians fired on the unarmed protesters, initially killing at least 13 and injuring almost a hundred.

Former KMP leader and Mendiola Massacre survivor Rafael Mariano, now Agrarian Reform the secretary, gave 13 seedlings to farmers to commemorate the lives lost during the bloodbath.

“There will be an “Agrarian Justice on Wheels” so there

will be a faster response on agrarian- reform cases,” Mariano said.

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas said justice was still to be served 30 years after the massacre.

The group said no one was arrested and indicted in the case.

“The Cojuangco-Aquinos are still in power in Hacienda Luisita. Landlords are still in control of vast tract of land and haciendas remain intact,” group secretary general Antonio Flores said. John Paolo Bencito and Maricel V. Cruz

high school and university marching bands, equestrian corps, first responders, v e t e r a n g r o u p s a nd even a tractor brigade.

Trump, Pence and their wives will make appeara nces at three official inaugural balls, two of which were held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and the other at the National Building Museum.

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Nevertheless, Calida said the President may declare martial law even outside the parameters of the Constitution and even without the approval of Congress and the Supreme Court.

Amid the confusion over Duterte’s pronouncements, Calida said the President will declare martial law if “the people’s welfare is on the line.”

“When there is really a clear and present danger to our country and nobody will help the President do his job as the father of the nation, then he will not allow us Filipinos to suffer,” Calida said. John Paolo Bencito

Cayetano:...

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to him by Duterte and serve him “in any capacity.”

In December, Duterte said he would appoint Cayetano, his losing vice presidential running mate, as secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Cayetano said the public should “expect weekly intrigues” from Trillanes and crticized him for claiming he was power-hungry. “[Trillanes] is making it look like I’m hungry for power. I can prove I’m not hungry for power by leaving the Senate now. Can he do the same?”

Trillanes responded by saying Cayetano should go first.

In a text message, Trillanes said: “He should resign first.” He reminded Cayetano about his promise that he would quit the Senate if the problems of crime, corruption and illegal drugs were not solved within three to six months of the Duterte administration.

Earlier, Trillanes claimed that Cayetano was leading some senators in the majority bloc to oust Pimentel after debates on which Senate committee should lead the investigation into the reported bribery at the Bureau of Immigration.

The Senate on Wednesday agreed to allow two Senate committees hold separate inquiries.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, who is also chairman of the Senate committee on rules, moved to refer the resolution of Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon, to the Senate committee on civil service government reorganization and professional regulation and the Senate committee on justice and human rights.

The Civil Service Committee is chaired by Trillanes while the Justice committee is chaired by Senator Richard Gordon.

On Tuesday, Trillanes and Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri had a heated exchange in the Senate after the former claimed that the latter was whitewashing the proposed Senate probe of the bribery scandal.

Zubiri insisted that the probe should be conducted by Gordon’s committee.

Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri and JV Ejercito, who were also named

by Trillanes as being behind the move to unseat Pimentel, both denied the allegation.

Zubiri said there was no plan to oust Pimentel.

“As a fellow Mindanaoan I will not support such a move,” he said.

“I’d like to put that on record that we have never discussed any plan for the change of leadership,” Zubiri added.

Ejercito also denied claims that he was part of a plot against Pimentel.

NOT AS EASY AS IT SEEMS. Communist party founder Jose Maria Sison (right) exchanges pleasantries

with Peace Secretary Jesus Dureza during the opening ceremony of the formal peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front in Rome on Jan. 19. AFP

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from a press conference like a headless chicken after the pyrotechnic device he was holding started to smoke,” Alvarez said in a statement.

“How can we believe the stern statements Dela Rosa had been making against criminals like in the aftermath of the Davao City bombing when he was the first to run in the slightest possibility of danger?

“General Dela Rosa seems more interested in having a showbiz career and in landing on society pages of newspapers with his being everywhere doing mundane things like singing videoke and watching concerts,” Alvarez added.

Alvarez noted that four more suspects–known only under the aliases “Pulis,” “Jerry,” “Sir Dumlao” and “Ding”–have yet to be arrested.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said a team from the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group served the warrant against Sta. Isabel at the National Bureau of Investigation where he was detained while Villegas and Yalung got their warrants while in detention at Camp Crame.

The RTC issued the order just two days after the Justice department filed the complaint for the complex crime of kidnapping for ransom with homicide against the accused.

Aguirre said the PNP would take physical custody of Sta. Isabel and Villegas and submit a return of warrant to the RTC informing the court about the custody.

The Justice secretary said Sta. Isabel, who cited threats to his life, may opt to ask the court to allow transfer of his custody to the NBI through his three public attorneys provided

by Public Attorneys’ Office chief Persida Rueda-Acosta.

“That is an option his PAO lawyers can pursue,” he added.

Aguirre said the case was filed after the Justice department issued a resolution finding probable cause in the complaint filed by the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group in November last year.

“They [accused] did not submit

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“Joma and Jalandoni really want to make a negotiated political settlement with the Duterte government, but the Tiamzons are only making use of the peace talks for the release of all political prisoners. Madlos, on the other hand, wants the armed struggle to topple the government by violent means,” he added.

The sources noted that there is even growing criticism of the Tiamzons who supposedly flew business class on an Emirates flight to Rome on Jan.

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would be the success of the American people,” Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said Friday.

The Palace official said he also expects President Rodrigo Duterte to get along better with Trump than with President Barack Obama, who criticized his war on drugs.

“From the body language of the two Presidents, I think there will be a harmonious relationship between the two countries,” Panelo said.

“I think [there will be a better relationship.] Given the fact that the incoming President expresses his admiration for the President of our country,” he added.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the economic priorities of US President-elect Donald Trump resonate with those of Duterte.

“Trump, viewed by many as someone who talks straight and authentic, gets things done and does what’s good for his countrymen, were attributes mentioned of US President-elect Trump and these sound familiar,” said Lopez, who is in Davos, Switzerland for this year’s World Economic Forum meeting.

Duterte earlier revealed snippets of his phone call with Trump last Dec. 2. According to Duterte, Trump said they should fix “bad relations.” “[Y]ou just set something good here and you’re doing great. I know what’s your worry about these Americans criticizing you.

You are doing good; go ahead,” Duterte said, quoting Trump.

Duterte said he considers Trump a friend.

“That’s why I’m very impressed with you, Mr. President,” Duterte quoted Trump as saying. “Oh yes, when you come to Washington, D.C. or New York City, look me up and we’ll have coffee.”

counter-affidavits, so the inquest proceedings were resolved without them submitting any countervailing evidence,” he said.

Asked if Sta. Isabel could qualify for witness protection program as he suggested a day earlier, Aguirre said he could not yet say until the policeman submits his affidavit to the Justice department for assessment.

Villegas reportedly confessed that it was Sta. Isabel who strangled Jee. The AKG initially filed a complaint only for kidnapping for ransom against Sta. Isabel, Villegas and company.

However, when investigators discovered that Jee was already killed and cremated, the Justice department upgraded the case to the complex crime of kidnapping for ransom with homicide and recommended no bail for the accused.

In a seven-page resolution issued earlier this week, the DoJ said Villegas gave a detailed narration of the abduction and the eventual killing of the victim in police headquarters in Camp Crame.

Villegas said Sta. Isabel brought packaging tape and surgical gloves and ordered them to cover the head of the victim and follow him.

“He finally recalls seeing respondent Sta. Isabel strangling and killing the victim,” the DoJ resolution said.

Last Tuesday evening, the NBI, together with the Caloocan police, went to the funeral parlor after receiving information that Jee’s body was taken there on the same day he was abducted on Oct. 18, 2016. Jee’s body, however, had already been cremated last year.

The AKG complaint said the 53-year-old Jee was forcibly taken by eight armed men on Oct. 18 last year from his residence in Angeles City.

His family paid P5 million ransom money on Oct. 30 but the businessman was still not released as the kidnappers asked for an additional P4 million.

But when Jee’s wife Choi Kyunghin asked for proof of life and the abductors failed to give it, she sought police assistance.

In his affidavit, Villegas said it was Sta. Isabel who strangled Jee in-

side Camp Crame, the headquarters of the Philippine National Police.

On Tuesday, the NBI announced Jee was dead after getting a tip from an informant that led government agents to a funeral home owned by Gerardo “Ding” Santiago, a barangay chairman in Caloocan City and a retired police officer.

No body was found during the search but the South Korean foreign ministry, citing a supposed Philippine government report, learned that the businessman was strangled and cremated.

A Palace officials on Friday played down suggestions that Jee’s death was an example of how the government’s war on drugs could be used as cover by crooked cops and was a sign that the rule of law was breaking down under the Duterte administration.

“In a 100-percent scenario, its’ totally less than one percent, so how can that be a breakdown? Definitely, its an isolated case,” Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo told reporters in a chance interview.

Panelo added that the recent incident will not impair the success of the government’s war on drugs through Oplan Double Barrel Alpha, or Tokhang being done in communities.

“Not really. It has been successful so far. So any impairment by reason of this incident will not affect the success of the project,” he said.

On Thursday, New-York based Human Rights Watch said that Duterte’s “war on drugs” only “widened the gateway” for policemen to get away with murder without being made accountable for the thousands of deaths in this administration.

Teresita Ang See of the Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order said that at least 11 “tokhang for ransom” cases committed by scalawag policemen have been reported following the government’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

While policemen were admittedly using Duterte’s war on drugs, Panelo said these incidents were limited.

“When you say they are, you only refer to very limited number of policemen,” Panelo said.

“That’s very small. There will be of course people using the drug operation for their own advantage but they will eventually pay,” he added.

Panelo added that those guilty for Jee’s murder inside Camp Crame would pay.

“The President will not tolerate any police abuse. All these police scalawags will be dealt with and prosecuted to the fullest under the law,” Panelo said. “They will pay for that.”

“There is one policeman who executed an affidavit detailing what happened. That’s enough to prove the case against the suspects,” he said.

“If the testimony says that the body was burned, cremated, then you have testimony that there was no body…that will substitute for the production of the corpus delicti,” he added.

Lawmakers on Friday said they were alarmed by Aguirre’s statement Thursday that Sta. Isabel had pointed to the involvement of a higher PNP official in the case.

Reps. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. of Quezon City, Rodolfo Albano III of Isabela, Tobias Tiangco of Navotas, Harry Roque of Kabayan party-list and Tom Villarin of Akbayan partylist urged the DoJ to look into the issue at the soonest possible time and file appropriate charges against those guilty.

“This a very serious case involving a member of the biggest foreign community in the Philippines, and National Police officials,” Belmonte said.

Belmonte also urged the House leaders to initiate a congressional probe into the matter.

Tiangco said the Justice department should move swiftly on the “higher official” involved.

“That official has a criminal liability and he must be jailed and removed from the service as soon as possible,” Tiangco said.

Villarin said the bucks should stop at Malacañang.

“I believe responsibility goes as high as Malacanang because of President Duterte’s policy to let PNP officials get off the hook starting with Senior Superintendent Marcos even

if they are involved in murder. Now the crime of kidnapping and murder is committed within the PNP headquarters itself,” Villarin said.

Like Belmonte, he believed Congress needs to investigate the case.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said the PNP leadership should lose no time in addressing the issue by going after all rogue cops “with hammer and tongs” who only care about their personal gain to the detriment of the entire police organization.

The priority, he said, must be to go after those taking advantage of the President’s “all-out, mostly bloody war on illegal drugs.”

“Seventeen years ago, when I was the Chief PNP, I really hit hard on the inept, corrupt and undisciplined policemen, regardless of rank, or what I referred to at that time as ICUs. My primary concern was to do justice to the sacrifices of the overwhelmingly many honest and hardworking police officers,” said Lacson.

“Director General Dela Rosa knows that, and I’m certain he knows how to do it because he was one of those at the forefront of our no-nonsense internal cleansing of the police,” Lacson added.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said police allegedly involved in the killing must be held accountable.

Senator Francis Escudero called the murder inside Camp Crame “not only embarrassing” but “outright wrong and unacceptable.”

“This shows the absence of respect and sheer arrogance of some police officers not only with their PNP chief but for their uniform and organization,” Escudero said.

“This is what happens when you handle with kid gloves abusive PNP officers and coddle and protect them. General De la Rosa said it himself once before: ‘Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely,’” he added.

Escudero referred specifically President Rodrigo Duterte’s defense of Supt. Marvin Marcos, who led a police raid on a jail that killed Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. in what the NBI described as a rubout. With Macon Araneta

14 while other members of their negotiating panel got economy seats for the 3rd rounds of peace talks with the Duterte administration.

“The Tiamzon couple boarded business class on EK 335 flight. The other members of the NDF negotiating panel got economy tickets on board Royal Dutch Airlines (KL 808) flight,” one of the sources said.

The peace talks resumed early this week between the communists and government led by chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III in tandem with Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Secretary Jesus Dureza.

Bello, also Secretary of the Depart-

ment of Labor and Employment, and his team has high hopes the ongoing talks would be successful despite recurring disagreements on some major issues.

As a good start, the government looks forward to the signing of a bilateral ceasefire agreement that will supersede the existing unilateral ceasefire declared in August 2016 by both sides.

But, in Rome, Norwegian Special Envoy Elisabeth Slattum said members of both panels have shown great willingness, dedication and courage to work for peace in the Philippines.

Seeing the draft documents of the third round-of-talks agenda of both pan-

els, Slattum said GRP and the NDFP are ambitious and want a better future for the Filipinos. Based on the drafts, Slattum is positive both panels are a few steps closer to achieving a common goal of a just and lasting peace.

She also cited a few achievements of the peace talks from the first round.

In just a few months, Slattum said, the parties already made history with each side’s declaration of a unilateral ceasefire, the release of 19 NDFP consultants that boost the peace talks and the reaffirmation of the previous agreements to accelerate a final peace agreement.

For the third round, Slattum hoped both panels would reach consensus on

the socioeconomic, political and constitutional agenda items to address the root causes of the conflict.

Amid unresolved issues on releases and the bilateral ceasefire, Slattum urged them to jointly solve problems and work together for a common goal.

Slattum reminded that a peace process is not a zero sum game where there is one winner and one loser.

“A successful peace process is when both parties come out on the winning side,” she said, adding, however, that either side may not perfectly content of the outcomes because some decisions they have to make will not be popular. With PNA

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Dureza to return P1m disallowed MedCo payments PEACE Process Secretary Jesus Dureza on Friday vowed to return close to P1 million in funds disallowed payments after the Commission on Appointments ruled with finality the disallowance of some disbursements during his term as chairman of the Mindanao Economic Development Council, now the Mindanao Development Authority.

“I take full responsibility for CoA disallowed payments to MedCo employees some 10 years ago,” Dureza said in an emailed statement.

Dureza, currently in Rome for peace talks with the CPP/ NPA/NDF, said he would return close to P1 million in illegal allowances.

“Today, I was informed that CoA with finality, denied MedCo’s appeal and ruled that I together with other MedCo officials are liable for the illegal release,” he said.

“Although I already returned what I personally received myself while still at Medco years ago, I will promptly return the remaining total amount due from my own personal funds immediately upon my return to the country,” he added.

In Dureza’s case, the Commission on Audit in a decision released Thursday said MedCo showed that under Dureza’s chairmanship from 2001 to 2004, the council illegally released P456,000 as staple food assistance and P540,000 as amelioration allowance to officials and employees. John Paolo Bencito

RELIEF OPERATION. Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez (7th right) turns over sacks of rice and boxes of noodles to Tolosa, Leyte ABC president Bebot Cinco (9th left) and Vice Mayor Jun Legazpi (10th left) for relief assistance to residents in barangays affected by flash floods recently. Ver Noveno

Asean urged to decisively act on Rohingya plight

By Sandy Araneta

Duterte appoints 11 new judges PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed 11 judges to be deployed in various courts in Southern Tagalog and Bicol regions.

The 11 would be the first batch of Duterte’s appointment this year, after designating two regional trial court judges in Pangasinan last year.

In a transmittal letter dated Jan. 17, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea informed Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Aranal-Sereno of the President’s appointment of new RTC judges for Region 4 and 5.

Judge Mary Jane ValezaMaranan has been assigned to RTC Lemery, Batangas, while Niven Canlapan was appointed RTC judge of Carmona, Cavite.

In Laguna, Tomas Ken Romaquin was appointed RTC Judge of Binan; Mary Jean Cajandab-Pamittan RTC Judge of Sta. Cruz, Rosauro; Angelito David RTC judge of Sta. Rosa, and Gil Jude Sta Maria RTC judge of Sta Rosa.

In Puerto Princesa, Arnel Cezar was designated judge for RTC, Branch 163, Anna Leah Tiongson-Mendoza, RTC Branch 164, and Ramon Chito Mendoza, RTC Branch 165.

Also appointed were Alma Balilla Operio of RTC Labo, Camarines Norte and Erwin Dimayacyac of RTC Mindoro Oriental. Rey Requejo

I

F THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations is sincere to give life to its vision of establishing a “people-oriented, people-centered” region, it must do so by paying greater attention to peoples’ issues like the dire plight of Rohingyas in Burma, currently one of the world’s most persecuted communities, a non-governmental organization said Friday.

“Now that Asean is turning 50, it must take its golden celebration also as a golden opportunity to address issues that

concretely matter to the Asean peoples,” said Gus Miclat, executive director of the Initiatives for International Dialogue, a re-

gional advocacy and policy NGO based in the Philippines and Regional Initiator of Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict in Southeast Asia.

The Rohingyas are a Muslim minority group residing in Rakhine state, also known as Arakan inside Burma (Myanmar).

The Rohingya people are considered “stateless entities” by the government and majority Buddhist population and have been victims of sectarian violence, as the Myanmar government refuses to recognize them as an ethnic group in the country.

The Philippines has taken over as chair of the Asean on its 50th founding anniversary this year with the theme “Partnering for

Change, Engaging the World.”

President Rodrigo Duterte has identified six thematic priorities for the Asean which include: people-oriented, people-centered Asean; peace and stability; maritime security and cooperation; inclusive, innovation-led growth; resilient Asean; and Asean as a model of regionalism, a global player.

Miclat added: “While we welcome the Asean celebration of its 50th year, the bloc, under the leadership of the Philippines, can concretize its peace and stability theme, by moving towards a collective and more decisive conflict prevention and mitigation approach in dealing with conflicts happening on a regular basis in

76 firetrucks to be given to DILG

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan AN AUSTRIAN firefighting manufacturer is scheduled to turn over 76 brand new Rosenbauer firetrucks to the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Interior and Local Government

by March, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced Friday.

The turnover schedule was made after DILG Secretary Ismael Sueno and BFP OIC Chief Supt. Bobby Baruelo visited the headquarters and factory of Rosenbauer International AG in Austria and inspected the prototype firefighting vehicle.

“The first batch of deliveries is expected in March 2017,” the DFA stated.

During the inspection, Sueno expressed satisfaction with the quality of Rosenbauer firefighting vehicles.

He is also eyeing a possibility to acquire

another firefighting vehicles to supply some 300 towns that currently do not have firefighting vehicles, the DFA bared.

The DILG-BFP Capacity Building Program is funded by the Austrian government through a mixed grant-loan package with Rosenbauer International AG as the contracted supplier.

Rosenbauer is the world’s largest manufacturer of firefighting vehicles, exporting more than strong vehicle manufacturing countries such as the United States and Germany.

The procurement is under Phase II of an Austrian-Assisted BFP Capability Building Project through an Official Development Assistance with a grant element of 76 percent.

The Rosenbauer TLF 4000 fire trucks to be purchased under the contract boast of improved features.

Considered as one of the finest and top-of-

the line brand of fire trucks that can respond to fire incidents in high rise buildings, this firetruck model has a water cannon that can reach at least 62 meters distance horizontally and 24 meters vertically.

It has a higher water pump discharge capacity of 2,400 liters per minute with higher engine power that can fully navigate even highly inclined areas with its 240-horsepower engine.

Under the contract, each unit of the firefighting vehicle includes one set of firefighting and rescue equipment, one set of spareparts and comes with a training program for the buyer’s operators and technicians upon delivery.

The units also passed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ standards for the equipment of Euro 4 engines and Euro 4 emission standards.

Jinggoy asks SC: Boot graft charges

By Rey Requejo

ALLEGATIONS DENIED. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano denies allegations of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV he is behind a plot to oust Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III then challenges the latter to file their resignation together during a news briefing in Taguig City. Ey Acasio

FORMER Senator Jinggoy Estrada has asked the Supreme Court to order the Sandiganbayan to dismiss the graft charges since he was already facing plunder case based on similar allegation of misuse involving his Priority Development Assistance Fund scam.

In a petition, Estrada appealed to the SC to direct the anti-graft court’s Fifth Division to junk the graft cases against him for lack of merit.

“The Sandiganbayan’s refusal to dismiss the indictments against petitioner Estrada in the Graft cases, notwithstanding the indictment for plunder based on very same allegations of ‘overt or criminal acts’ is nothing less than a defiance of this Honorable Court’s rulings and an attempt to place itself and above

the law and in violation of petitioner Estrada’s rights,” Estrada stressed.

In particular, Estrada sought the dismissal of the graft cases filed against him docketed as Crim. Case Nos. SB-14CRM-0256 to 0266.

According to him, the Sandiganbayan committed grave abuse of discretion when it issued a resolution dated July 14, 2016 and Oct. 4, 2016 denying his plea to dismiss these graft charges.

The SC recently dismissed Estrada’s appeal questioning the preliminary investigation conducted by the Ombudsman, which eventually indicted him before the Sandiganbayan.

The SC also denied the petition of Estrada questioning the arrest warrant earlier issued against him.

the region. These are particularly stark in countries like Burma [Myanmar], Mindanao and even South Thailand.”

“Institutionalizing mechanisms where Asean can partner with civil society and other peoples organizations to address regional conflicts at its roots could be a pioneering start,” Miclat said.

“Slogans and visions are void without them being felt by the most vulnerable, conflict-affected sectors in the region. For us in civil society, the challenge for the Asean is not to devise or rehash a new slogan but to consistently make these refrains breathe with sincere compassion to the people they profess to serve and champion,” he said.

‘Addicts are useless slaves’

By John Paolo Bencito and Macon Araneta TO WARN Filipinos about the evils of illegal drug abuse in the country, President Rodrigo Duterte compared drug addicts to useless slaves who burden this country of 106 million people.

“What is wretched about this [is they are] actually they are slaves. Even slaves are better, because if you buy them in the African market, you can make them useful. Here, they are slaves eternally to a chemical sponsored by a criminal, his pockets full of money at the expense of the Filipino,” Duterte said.

In the Senate, Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros slammed President Duterte for being “racist” when he compared drug addicts to African slaves, saying at least African slaves could be put to work.

She also said this remark of the President belittles the value of human life.

“This is the height of absurdity. The President tries to make light of slavery, which is universally frowned upon and condemned. His remarks were callous, insensitive and uninformed,” Hontiveros said.

“Abuse is abuse. Whether drug addiction or slavery, the lives of the people that are trapped in these circumstances are incomparable. It is wrong to trivialize people’s suffering and judge which situation is ‘better’ than the other,” Hontiveros added.

In the same speech, Duterte named another mayor involved in illegal drugs, Licerio Antiporda, of Region II (Cagayan Valley) in his list.

A4

Opinion

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Melting in shame

A

SKED how he felt about the discovery that a Korean businessman was strangled inside Camp Crame, the headquarters of the Philippine National Police, top cop Director General Ronald dela Rosa said he wants to melt in shame.

Arrest warrants were issued Friday against three policemen—Special Police Officer 3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, SPO4 Roy Villegas, Ramon Yalung and four others identified only under the aliases “Pulis,” “Jerry,” “Sir Dumlao” and “Ding.”

The accused had allegedly

taken Jee from his home on Oct. 18, 2016, on the pretext that he was involved in illegal drugs. Later, his wife paid a ransom of P5 million, but sought police help when the abductors could produce no proof of life.

Sta. Isabel reportedly strangled Jee Ick-Joo with his own

hands; the others brought the body to a funeral home in Caloocan and later on had the remains cremated.

Palace officials said President Rodrigo Duterte will ensure those behind the killing will be prosecuted even as presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo immediately branded the incident as isolated.

We beg to differ.

Since President Duterte took office, there has been a climate of fear as the PNP carries out his war on illegal drugs in a manner that has been described as indis-

criminate, scorched-earth and abusive. Nearly 6,000 people have been killed in the past seven months. One suspected drug lord was shot to death inside his cell in Leyte, and no less than Mr. Duterte defended the cops who carried out the killing.

He reinstated them even as his own police chief had relieved them of their posts.

In the operations conducted among poor communities, an all-too frequent justification for the killings is that the individuals being invited for questioning “fought back.”

As a result, eight in 10

Filipinos are afraid they or someone they know might be the next victims in the government’s war.

We deplore the fact that the headquarters of those sworn to protect the people has turned into a venue for murder, carried out by rotten police officers who may or may not be executing orders from their superiors.

To what depths have we descended?

And so we say to Director General Dela Rosa: Melt away, sir—and get off your post if you still have some decency left in you.

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

Updates on the legal battle for Green Cross

Stop tokhang for ransom POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO NEWS of the murder of Korean businessman Jee Ick-Joo by a rouge policeman exploded in social media culminating in the call for Philippine National Police Chief General Bato dela Rosa’s resignation.

According to news reports based on the findings of the Department of Justice, police officers arrested the businessman purportedly in line with this government’s war on drugs using a fake warrant of arrest. The officers demanded P8 million in ransom but Jee was killed by strangling on the very same day. Jee’s family paid P5 million without knowing that he was already dead. The murder happened inside Camp Crame, the PNP’s headquarters. The testimony of

accused Senior Police Officer 4 Roy Villegas pointed to SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel as Jee’s murderer.

Tokhang, an operation conducted by the PNP to ferret out users and peddlers of illegal drugs in communities has been turned into a money-making scheme by the bad eggs in the police force. Tokhang for ransom is the name of the “game.”

The case of Jee Ick-Joo is just one. Teresita Ang See of the Movement for the Restoration of Peace and Order, in a separate report, has revealed that she knows of at least 11 cases of police officers involved in illegal activities using anti-drug operations as their cover. According to her, these officers extorted money or demanded ransom from Chinese nationals in exchange for them not to face drug-related charges even if the victims were not involved in drugs.

I personally know Ang See from way back as a courageous

anti-crime advocate. Her credibility cannot be questioned.

She is a respected leader of the Tsinoy community and, therefore, has access to important information pertaining to Chinese-Filipinos, and Chinese nationals in the country.

The President must stop siding with the rouge men in uniform.

Ang See spoke of several cases of police abuse. In one, she said that the Chinese national arrived in the country on Nov. 6 and arrested on Nov. 7 making it impossible for the police to do preliminary work

in ascertaining the victim’s involvement in illegal drugs. The victim’s family allegedly paid P1 million (of the demanded P3 million) on Nov. 9 to make the “case” go away.

In another case, the police stormed the victim’s store accusing him of selling fake goods. When this was disproven, the police “confiscated” goods with the threat that the victim could be charged with possession of illegal drugs and that they could claim that the store was a front for illegal drug trade. The victim was brought to the police station but released through the intervention of MRPO. Still, the rouge police officers demanded P100 thousand. The victim gave them P10 thousand.

Still in another case, a Chinese national was arrested and detained in the Ongpin police station. Ang See claimed that CCTV footages showed police officers withdrawing money from an ATM using the vic-

tim’s ATM card.

Certainly, because information on these cases are second-hand, it is important that an honest to goodness investigation is done. Ang See expressed willingness to help and this should be welcomed by those mandated to look into these problems.

The murder of Korean businessman Jee, as well as the abuses on Chinese nationals (if Ang See is to be believed) show that this war on drugs spearheaded by no less than President Duterte is being used by scalawags in the police force for their own illegal purposes dubbed as “tokhang for ransom.”

From the time that news about Jee’s killing broke until the South Korean government issued statement demanding justice for its national, President Duterte has yet to issue any statement on the matter.

This is quite interesting given Turn to A5

LAST year, readers of this column were informed about the ongoing legal battle over the rightful ownership of the corporation which manufactures and sells Green Cross, the iconic rubbing alcohol brand which virtually every Filipino is familiar with. Almost every home, clinic, and hospital has a bottle of Green Cross.

Pharmacies, supermarkets, and grocery stores nationwide have it on their shelves.

Green Cross rubbing alcohol was created in 1952

by Gonzalo Co It. Realizing the importance of legal protection for his business, Co It registered his Green Cross trademark with the Philippine Patent Office. After that, Co It established Gonzalo Laboratories, a sole proprietorship, to manufacture and distribute Green Cross rubbing alcohol throughout the country.

From the start, Gonzalo Laboratories was the exclusive brainchild of Co It. This is obvious, because the sole proprietorship Co It created carried his name Gonzalo, and not the name of either of his parents, or any of his siblings. Indeed, Green Cross was Gonzalo Co It, and Gonzalo Co It was Green Cross.

Because his disinfectant enterprise started small, Co It worked hard to promote Green Cross rubbing alcohol nationwide. Co It sought out all the pharmacies, grocery stores, and supermarkets, and gave free samples along with his sales pitches. He also befriended the owners and managers of these establishments.

Co It’s nationwide marketing strategy eventually bore fruit, and endless orders for Green Cross rubbing alcohol increasingly came in.

Because of its immense profitability, Gonzalo Laboratories was incorporated in 1971 as Gonzalo Laboratories, Inc., with Co It subscribing to about 20 percent of the authorized capital stock.

Since the law on stock corporations requires a minimum number of board directors, Co it registered a few of the corporation’s shares of stock in the name of his parents and his siblings, who all held the shares as his trustees.

Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher can be accessed at: thestandard.com.ph

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Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

Anita F. Grefal Baldwin R. Felipe Edgar M. Valmorida

ManilaStandard

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www.thestandard. com.ph; e-mail: contact@thestandard.com.ph

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Opinion Editor Night Editor Art Director Chief Photographer

Opinion

THERE is no reason for the for the Light Rail Transit public to thank the coun- Authority, to integrate them in try’s oligarchy for chopping the future for the purpose of up the country’s light rail reducing fare and in providing system that is causing them the general public one central much suffering and inconven- station in the metropolis. ience. The decision to build a To connect them altogether “Grand Central Station” is not would now be impractical. meant to ease the clogging of It would practically require commuters who are forced to the dismantling of the entire transfer to another rail way railway system.

One need not be an engineer transit, but is meant to maximize their profit. Passengers to see the havoc done to the will continue to be “tran- original plan of the Marcos adshipped” and undergo the ministration for our light rail same agonizing gauntlet of transit system. One could see being crammed with the rest the greed behind the scheme of the proletariats like chat- to chop the railway lines to tels to reach their workplace. accommodate the competing The Memorandum of Agree- greedy oligarchy. People ask ment was signed by SM Prime why the railway line at Edsa Holdings, Inc., Universal LRT was detached from the railCorp. unit of San Miguel Corp., way line connecting it to Taft Light Rail Manila Corp. and Avenue. In fact, both the LRT North Triangle Development and the MRT are using the Commercial Corp as well as same overhead railway structhe Department of Transpor- ture. The same is repeated at tation, Department of Public the LRT station at Roosevelt.

Works and Highways and the MRT discontinued its rail line Light Rail Transit Authority. going to Monumento thereby It envisions to link the LRT-1, compelling commuters to MRT-3 and the future MRT-7 transfer. They are forced to to a common station that will walk or take a short ride from have three components: Area Roosevelt to Trinoma and vice A where the platform and con- versa, thereby causing a botcourse for LRT-1 and MRT-3 tleneck in the area because will be located; Area B which buses and jeepneys clog to will consist of two common pick up passengers from both concourses connecting Area terminals.

The same can be said about A and C; and Area C, the platthe traversing route for LRT form concourse of MRT-7.

Looking at it, the common 2. Instead of constructing terplan is merely an attempt to minals close to the terminal whitewash the corruption that of LRT 1 and MRT 3 in those marred the early stages in the crossing points at Edsa, Cubao privatization of the industry. and Rizal Avenue in Manila for passengers Whether our to just cross light rail sysand transfer tem would be to another operated as a train, they s t a t e - ow n e d One need not are forced to cor poration walk causor would be be an engineer ing traffic in privatized is the vicinity. i m m a t e r i a l . to see the havoc I n t e r e s t i n gOne thing done to the ly, the Edsa sure, when railway line the Ramos original plan. between the administrai nt e r s e c t io n tion decided of McKinley to privatize it, and Pasay he firmly subscribed that only the private Road is the only portion where sector can deliver the goods; our light rail tracks have been that it can be run more effi- placed underground. Accordciently and cheaper, and that ing to the late columnist Luis the government would be able “Louie” Beltran, the country’s to collect more revenues. None premier subdivisions which are all located in the area do of his hoot happened.

Ramos began by extending not want to be disturbed by the railway line as planned, the noise caused by crossing but handed over that portion trains.

To make sure commuters to the private operator. The privatized light rail transit will pass through either of called MRT 3 made its maiden the two competing malls at run from Baclaran, Paranaque Edsa, each wanted to have the to Monumento, Caloocan via proposed Grand Central StaEdsa. It was supposed to com- tion located to a place most plete the loop that began by the convenient to the commuting construction of LRT-1 starting customers. The Memorandum in Baclaran to Monumento of Agreement did not concern via Taft Avenue. There was itself with the interest of the no competition, for in fact it commuters. Moreover, before broke the monopoly by shar- the abominable B.S. Aquino ing a portion of the railway to administration faded away the private operator, accom- for good, he sold the origiplished after much lobbying nal government-owned light and behind the scene haggling. rail transit built by the MarThe second phase came about cos administration to a tyby the awarding of MRT 3, an coon who is fond of naming entire railway line from Santo- streets in his palatial enclaves lan, Marikina to Abad Santos, after Spanish conquistadores who oppressed and butchered Manila.

Part of the condition de- Filipino natives during the manded by the private opera- colonization period. The sale tors was to have the industry to Ayala Corp. of LRT 2 and chopped to several portions MRT 3 reinforced its position for them to meet the capital in the entire North Edsa area requirement. That came about which was once reserved as after the yellow government the future site for government allocated the proposed ex- offices.

Finally, the so-called Grand tended railway line to other bidders. That means the ex- Central Station will not solve tended portion will build its the problem of the commutown terminal station to col- ers: that they will no longer be lect fare from passengers who transferring to another train are mostly transferees and or walk to another terminal bound towards the same des- and queue just to buy another ticket; or that it would help tination.

To make matter worse, the save them time to reach their private operators sought to hire destination at reduced fares. different builders/contractors Rather, it only assured the and expectedly submitted stakeholders that each will different standards and have his share of the pie that specifications for rail tracks, generates an assured profit of coaches and operating system, P1.8 to P2.5 billion annually. thus making it difficult for rpkapunan@gmail.com the government, particularly

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

America in my heart

BACKBENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN

Our chop-chop light rail system

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017

YESTERDAY, Jan. 20, 2017, the United States of America began a new chapter in the its life as a Republic with the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as its 45th President. It is a good day for his supporters but for many others, in America and the rest of the world, there is a sense of uncertainty, even fear of what lies ahead.

The New York Times describes the angst many in Washington DC are feeling. Among the places it mentioned as bracing for the coming of the Trump Administration, probably the most conservative and right-wing of American administrations, is Takoma Park, the city where my family and I lived for eight years from 1999 to 2006. The Times reports: “In free-spirited Takoma Park, Md., a ‘nuclear-free zone’ since 1983, a left-wing resistance movement is taking shape.

Nadine Bloch, an activist and artist, is running pre-inaugural training on nonviolent protest— complete with mock police officers wielding rolled up newspapers as batons . . .

Just over the Maryland line, Takoma Park is a ‘sanctuary city,’ which refuses to prosecute undocumented immigrants. Mr. Trump does not look kindly on that. Days after the election, Ms. Bloch, 55, the organizer, helped pull together Takoma Park Mobilization, a new grass-roots group aimed at ‘standing up for our neighbors,’ she said. More than 500 people attended the first meeting.”

Today, Saturday, the day after Trump’s inauguration, a huge women’s march is being held in the US capital, possibly dwarfing the crowds that will witness Trump’s oathtaking tomorrow.

Meantime, all over the world, foreign capitals wait in anticipation of possibly radical changes

Updates...

From A4

According to Co It’s available documentation, since an increase in the capitalization of Green Cross, Inc. became necessary when the enterprise became even more profitable through the years, Co It’s siblings deceived Co It into waiving his pre-emptive rights over the additional subscription through an arrangement which ended up reducing Co It’s shareholdings in the corporation to a minority, and which ultimately enabled his siblings to seize the controlling interest in Green Cross, Inc. Co It’s documentation also indicates that after his parents passed away, his siblings appropriated for themselves their parents’ shares in the corporation, to the exclusion of Co It. In June 2009, Co It filed a complaint for reconveyance with damages against his siblings before the Regional Trial Court in Pasay City. A year later, the trial court ruled that Co It’s right to sue his siblings had already lapsed. After the Court of Appeals affirmed the ruling

Stop...

From A4

Digong’s unwavering support to the police force especially in relation with his “war on drugs.”

It will be remembered that despite the findings of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that the late Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. was killed by personnel of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group inside his prison cell, the President still sided with the police and said that he would not allow any policeman to be jailed.

PNP Chief Bato said that the killing of Jee by his men in their police headquarters has put the country to shame.

in US foreign policy: a more inward-looking and protectionist America, hostile to Muslims, dangerously aggressive against China (who is ironically now the champion of globalization and will become the undisputed global leader on climate change), distant from and intentionally dividing Europe, and friendlier to the Russians and other authoritarian regimes.

On the climate change front, we are preparing for the worst as the Trump administration could derail or slow the progress we have made since the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015.

Luckily, there is global momentum in favor of addressing the problem; a single country, no matter how big or powerful, cannot stop that.

While Presidents Trump and Duterte, because of their personalities, might have a better personal relationship than the latter had with outgoing US President Barrack Obama, the Philippines is now up against an America that will not hesitate to bully us for its own interests. The threat, for example, to our BPO industry and to Philippine immigration to the United States cannot be underestimated, not to mention the escalation of tensions with China that is likely to affect us.

What should we make of all of this? How should we respond?

Thankfully, the United States of America I know is not just the America of Donald J. Trump.

What I know is not just the misogynistic, racist, and angry America that seems to prevail right now.

The America that I know more is that of Yale Law School, one of the gentlest learning places in the world.

It’s the America of Myres Mcdougal, Michael Reisman, Harold Koh, John Cavanaugh, Robin Broad, Henry Schwalbenberg, David Fairman, Lawrence Susskind, Bill Moomaw, Owen J. Lynch, and other public intellectuals of the highest caliber, especially those who have taught and mentored many generations

of Filipinos.

It’s those Americans who came to the Philippines and stayed here permanently to build this country, people like William Henry Scott, Susan Evangelista, and Steve Rood. It’s the hundred of American Jesuits, Maryknoll Priests and Nuns, protestant pastors, young Mormons, and missionaries of many faiths who came here to serve and bring their good news.

It’s the America of the World Resources Institute where I worked for many years and the Center for International Environmental Law whom I serve as Trustee, both of which have done so much good for the world.

It’s people like Jennifer Morgan, now co-Executive Director of Greenpeace International, and Jonathan Pershing, the outgoing Special Envoy on Climate Change of the US who have done so much to move the world forward on climate change. It’s people like Frances Seymour, Taryn Fransen, Colleen Chien, David Baxter, and other friends whom I will continue to trust and rely on for the truth and their commitment to developing countries.

It’s the America of Barrack Obama, who as Senator shared a fitness gym with me, and whose election in 2008 made me desire, for the first (and only for a day or two) time, to be an American.

It’s the America of Martin Luther King and other modern-day heroes who had dreams, fought injustice, and continue to inspire many to continue the struggle.

The America I know is those Filipinos who are dual citizens or migrants in the US. They are good people, patriots all: Loida Nicolas Lewis, Ted Laguatan, Rodel Rodis, Benjamin Pimentel, and others that have been recently and falsely maligned in the #LeniLeaks controversy.

It’s Filipinos/Filipino-Americans like Vicente Rafael, Diane Desierto, Joyce Hermoso, and David Forman, who work in American universities while continuing to contribute to the motherland.

It’s the America of my LGBT

friends, and especially those whom I lived with when I was a student, who now must face new challenges with the backlash unleashed by their legal victories.

It’s the America of the La Viñas in Baltimore, the Bontos in New Jersey, the Jacots in California, and the Ebarle clan in New York. These relatives of mine, as many other families, lives their American dream with pride and dignity.

The America I know is the land of contradictions that the great Filipino migrant writer, Carlos Bulosan wrote about so eloquently. In “America is in the Heart,” Bulosan writes words that today are still relevant: “America is not bound by geographical latitudes.

America is not merely a land or an institution. America is in the hearts of men that died for freedom; it is also in the eyes of men that are building a new world. America is a prophecy of a new society of men: of a system that knows no sorrow or strife or suffering. America is a warning to those who would try to falsify the ideals of freemen.”

Never to forget his roots, while clear-eyed about what was wrong about his adopted country, Bulosan proclaimed: “America is also the nameless foreigner, the homeless refugee, the hungry boy begging for a job and the black body dangling on a tree. America is the illiterate immigrant who is ashamed that the world of books and intellectual opportunities is closed to him. We are all that nameless foreigner, that homeless refugee, that hungry boy, that illiterate immigrant and that lynched black body. All of us, from the first Adams to the last Filipino, native born or alien, educated or illiterate - — We are America!”

This is the America in my heart. And Trump and his ilk will not change that.

of the trial court, Co It filed the corresponding petition in the Supreme Court. That was back in 2011, when Co It was already 91 years old.

Soon after the filing of the petition, Co It was enticed by his lawyer to withdraw the petition on account of an alleged offer from his siblings to reconcile with him, and to settle the case amicably, in view of the 2011 yuletide season.

Sadly, after Co It withdrew his petition, the reconciliation and amicable settlement promised to him, and which he was looking forward to, were illusory. Worse, the Supreme Court declared the case closed and terminated as of January 2012, thus leaving Co It with the proverbial empty bag.

Co It never lost hope. He retained the services of another lawyer, Ramon Maronilla, to protect his interests. Maronilla is an ex-president of Club Filipino and a member of the Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines. Citing pertinent jurisprudence on the matter, Maronilla asked the Supreme Court to reinstate Co It’s petition.

The lawyer of Co It’s siblings

is Estelito Mendoza, a famous high-end legal practitioner, and the solicitor general during the martial law administration of President Ferdinand Marcos.

Mendoza opposed the reinstatement of Co It’s petition on the ground that what has been ruled upon by the Supreme Court should not be amended or reconsidered. Many observers found Mendoza’s argument ironic because on past occasions, Mendoza figured in some prominent cases where the final decisions of the Supreme Court got reconsidered and modified.

In November last year, the Supreme Court sided with Co It, reinstated his petition, and ordered Co It’s siblings to file their responsive pleading. Although Co It had passed away in the meanwhile, his family is determined to continue his legal battle.

The case in the Supreme Court is just one aspect of that legal battle. There is another one pending in the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) concerning the ownership of the Green Cross trademark, as well as the Zonrox trademark which Co It conceived and registered for a cleansing agent he marketed

decades ago.

Co It’s siblings are staking a claim on both trademarks, a move Co It opposed. His family is now represented by lawyer Lorna Kapunan in the IPO case. Their adversaries are represented by a law firm based in Makati.

In the course of the proceedings in the IPO case, Co It sought leave from the IPO to file his Supplemental Appeal Memorandum. As expected, his adversaries vehemently opposed this. Last October, however, IPO Director General Josephine Santiago issued an order allowing Co It to file his Supplemental Appeal Memorandum, and directing his adversaries to file their comment if they wish to. Santiago held that every party-litigant must be afforded the amplest opportunity to have his case properly and justly appreciated, free from the constraints of technicalities.

Co It’s family is very pleased with this latest development in the IPO case. In a recent press statement, the family vowed to pursue both the IPO case and the one in the Supreme Court until the justice long denied their patriarch is finally his.

If the cases mentioned by Ang See get verified, Chief Bato’s headache is much bigger. This should also be the President’s problem. After all, Digong sees his friendship with China as important.

This administration is already being severely criticized by human rights groups because of the more than 6,100 killings, without due process, of suspected drug users and pushers in this fight against illegal drugs.

Ordinary people are scared because anybody can be a victim of mistaken identity, and get killed. And now, foreigners are also abused and killed by rouge police officers.

Apologizing to South Korea is a correct move by General Bato. However, this is not enough. Jee, like the other

victims of this war against drug must be accorded justice.

Those criminals in uniform must face the consequences of their actions. South Korea’s demand for justice must be addressed by this government.

I will not be surprised if South Korea will caution its citizens who want to visit here.

We must remember that Koreans make up the single biggest tourist group to the country.

Also remember that South Korea is the Philippines’ fifth biggest trading partner. It is to our interest that Jee’s murderers get what they deserve.

I will not be surprised if other countries also issue warnings to their citizens about visiting the country. After all, if we can kill more than 6,000 Filipinos on mere suspicion

of being drug addicts and/or pushers, how hard is it to extort money from, kidnap, or even kill foreigners?

There are many good men and women among our police force. But they are all overshadowed by those who choose to commit crimes while in uniform. We need Gen. Bato to clean the PNP of scalawags.

We need President Duterte to stop his policemen from being the killing machines that a number of them have become.

The President must stop siding with the rouge men in uniform and order a stop to tokhang for ransom.

Facebook: deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs

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

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News

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF MIAA bans regular cabs HUNDREDS of regular or white taxi units are banned from lining up and picking passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport due to various complaints of abuses and illegal activities, the Manila International Airport Authority announced Friday.

“We imposed a total ban policy when the taxi drivers committed overcharging and other rude behavior,” said MIAA Curbside Management Operations officer Michael Baloso, noting the prevalence of reckless driving, refusal to convey passengers, contracting, arrogance, no proper queuing and death threat to their clients.

“If they [banned taxis] persist on lining up at the taxi bay despite the ban, our security personnel drive them away or are issued traffic citation tickets by our airport police department,” he said.

Once the drivers committed grave abuse against the passengers, the MIAA will report the case with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to go against the driver and the operator of taxi.

A total of 177 taxi units were penalized by the MIAA management as of Jan. 17. Most of the infractions committed happened during the socalled “ber months,” the time when most overseas Filipino workers are going home to spend the holiday season. Joel E. Zurbano

BI nabs fake DPWH girls IMMIGRATION officers barred two fake employees of the Department of Public Works and Highways from leaving the Ninoy Aquino International Airport after they presented spurious government travel documents apparently allowing them to travel to Japan.

The two, identified as Lorena Sagum and Rowena dela Peña admitted that they intend to work in Japan and that their travel documents, including travel authority, identification cards and leave applications from the DPWH signed by Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, were prepared in Claro M. Recto.

BI-Port Operations division chief Red Mariñas said the two also admitted that they were not employees of the DPWH and will work as house helpers in Japan.

He said that many Filipino “tourist workers” were using the same modus by posing themselves as government employees and presenting bogus government travel orders supposedly signed by their department heads.

POLICE SCALAWAGS. Quezon City police director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar interrogates three policemen and their informant over their alleged extortion of businesswoman Illumida Leetiong. The cops were identified as PO3 Aprilito Santos, Ramil Dazo, PO3 Joseph Merin and informant Gaudencio Yu. Manny Palmero

Crisis still grips Mindanao C

By Lance Baconguis

AGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The Misamis Oriental provincial government declared a state of calamity as the death toll from continuing floods in nearby Zamboanga del Norte increased to 10, authorities said Friday.

Fernando Dy, chief of the Misamis Oriental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said the province suffered massive infrastructure, personal and agricultural losses caused by flood and landslides.

Dy said that 2,573 families or 11,852 individuals were internally displaced across the province.

Dexter Yasay, Overseer of the Provincial Information Office said that three towns declared a State of Calamity.

“Four also died during the incident and there are three persons missing,” Yasay said.

Dy said infrastructure damage is pegged at P103 million and the au-

thorities fear that may still increase as reports come in. “We are getting updates twice every day so there could be more,” Dy said.

“Agricultural damage as of Jan. 20 is at P13 million with 241 hectares of crops damaged, 82 hectares of which are rice,” Dy said.

Yasay said that Provincial Health Officcer Gerry Calingasan and his team are already distributing doxycycline medicine to prevent leptospirosis.

Meanwhile, in Zamboanga del Norte, the death toll in the flood that submerged five towns the past four days increased to 10 as another person was recovered dead while a child remained missing as of Friday.

Supt. Charise Yabo, Zamboanga del Norte police chief for community relations, said that they have yet to determine the identify the person who was recovered dead Friday in Roxas town.

The cadaver was the seventh fatality recorded in Roxas town while three others were from the towns of Katipunan, Manukan and Rizal.

The flood spawned by heavy downpour from Monday until Thursday has inundated 17 barangays in the towns of Jose Dalman, Roxas, Piñan, Katipunan, and Labason.

Twelve people were reported injured in the municipality of Jose Dalman.

Office of Civil Defense Region 9 Director Manuel Luis Ochotorena

PCSO taps cops vs all STL fronts

Orbos scores motorist discipline

By Joel E. Zurbano ACTING chairman Thomas Orbos of the Metro Manila Development Authority said lack of discipline among drivers hampers the implementation of measures to improve the flow of traffic along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue.

Orbos made the statement following Friday’s dry-run operation of the Edsa southbound zipper lane (counterflow) for motorists going to Makati City, which observers described as a “failure.”

Among the infractions were the loading and unloading of bus passengers to non-designated areas and the wanton disregard of both public and private motorists to traffic rules.

“I don’t think it’s a failure, but it’s a lack of improvement. Probably half of those who especially on the southbound I guess it is a success, [and] for those in the northbound, I would understand if they would call it a failure. But again, we are doing our best and we are doing what we can given our situation right now.

If we made a mistake, we are sorry but while I am here I will have to do what I could,” said Orbos.

The MMDA chief said he is planning to cancel the full implementation of the scheme on Monday to prepare some mechanism to improve the traffic measure.

“We we will go back to our drawing board and we will try it again.

With the lessons learned from now, we saw certain things, not just the zipper lane, but the behavior of the public utility transport,” he added.

“We are not saying we were wrong, what we are saying is for the convenience of everyone we will go back and try to make it even better for motorists.”

disclosed that the number of casualties was high due to complacency of the communities despite warnings from authorities to seek refuge.

The victims were swept by strong current when rivers swelled and overflowed due to torrential rains.

In a phone interview, former Dipolog City Councilor James Verduguez said weather condition in Zamboanga del Norte only improved a bit on Friday.

It rained heavily from Jan. 16 to 19 across the Zamboanga del Norte province.

Early on, the towns of Roxas and Jose Dalman were placed under the state of calamity due to severe effects of the flood.

PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT. Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chairman Jose Jorge Corpuz (left) and general manager Alexander Balutan (right) brief Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa about the expanded STL operation that will be launched next month inside the latter’s office at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Taiwan offers scholarships

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan THE Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines is inviting all qualified Filipino students to pursue graduate and post-graduate studies as part of Taiwan’s “New Southbound Policy.”

“Taipei Economic and Cultural Office [Teco] in the Philippines has announced various scholarship programs which are now open to qualified Filipino students,” the Teco said in a statement.

“As the Republic of China [Taiwan] under the leadership of Dr. Tsai Ingwen, is pushing forward the “New

Southbound Policy,” it has opened more slots and types of scholarship programs- giving more chances for Filipinos to study in Taiwan, learn the traditional Mandarin language, experience the rich and vibrant Taiwanese culture and broaden their international perspectives,” the Teco added.

The Teco said available scholarships are master’s and doctoral degrees or even for those Filipinos who wanted to learn the Mandarin language.

Since the introduction of these scholarship programs to the Philippines, Taiwan has partnered with Philippine

institutions and universities to attract more young and capable talents to study in Taiwan.

Most of the scholars who successfully finished their degrees now hold various key positions in the government, business and other sectors.

In a statement, Dr. Gary Song-Huann Lin, Representative of Taiwan/ROC to the Philippines said that he hopes that “more and more” Filipinos will seize these opportunities to study and experience Taiwan, as the two countries share a lot of commonalities and could really work together.

THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office has tapped the Philippine National Police as lead law enforcement agency in its nationwide all-out war against illegal gambling using Small Town Lottery as fronts in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against corruption, Chairman Jose Jorge Corpuz said Friday.

Corpuz met with PNP chief General Ronald dela Rosa last Tuesday at Camp Crame in Quezon City to discuss the government’s war against illegal gambling vis-a-vis the PCSO’s launching of the government-sponsored expanded STL operations in the country.

Also in the meeting was PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan who will lead the crackdown against all forms of illegal gambling operations using STL as front.

“Let us not fail the President,” Corpuz asked Dela Rosa, disclosing that the PCSO has approved 38 new corporations in addition to the already 18 existing STL Authorized Agent Corporations.

“Aside from Lotto and other game products of PCSO, the only legal numbers game in the country is STL,” Corpuz stated.

Balutan said the PCSO will officially launch the expanded STL operations next week at Malacañang and this will be followed by a media briefing on Jan. 31.

“All the 56 STL Authorized Agent Corporations will start operations on Feb. 1. We have clear directives from the President to rid STL of any form of illegal operations. We’ve asked PNP chief Bato to support us and all other law enforcement agencies such as the Armed Forces of the Philippines and National Bureau of Investigation to do their share to support us as ordered by the President,” Balutan said.

The expanded STL operation is expected to generate billions of pesos of revenue for the government that Duterte has promised to use to buy medicines that will be given free to the public.

“Rest assured of PCSO’s serious campaign to stamp out illegal numbers game in the country related to the STL,” Balutan added.

In the same meeting, Corpuz also asked Dela Rosa to order his men on the ground to crackdown and arrest illegal gambling lords and their minions operating “peryahan ng bayan,” “sakla,” “jueteng,” last two, bookies, and others.

Dela Rosa, on the other hand, said the PNP fully supports PCSO to eliminate illegal gambling operations.

SolGen makes pitch to get best and brightest lawyers SOLICITOR General Jose Calida bared his plans to further improve the caliber and quality of solicitors under his watch as he invited the country’s brightest lawyers to join the Office of the Solicitor General.

“We have embarked in a campaign to lure the best and the brightest lawyers in the Philippines to join us,” Calida said. “We will accelerate their entry from associate solicitor I to associate solicitor III. And we have capacity-building seminars and conferences. We send our so-

licitors abroad to study the recent trends in law especially now the arbitration law,” he said.

“Of course, our main mission here is to defend the Republic of the Philippines from its enemies whether internal or external,” he added.

Calida said that the OSG needs to increase its manpower, considering the cases that are filed in court every day.

“I have six years as my tenure in the office. So hopefully within my term, I will be able to increase not only the number but the quality of

our legal services,” he said.

According to the Solicitor General, there should be at least 30 assistant solicitor generals. Currently, however, the OSG has only 24.

“We are still short of the minimum number of assistant solicitor generals,” he said.

According to Calida, among the recent accomplishments of the OSG include the West Philippine Sea case.

“This case is the crowning glory of international law and the law of the seas as well as the

rule of law,” he said.

Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella welcomed the Asia Business Outlook survey for 2017, which showed that 39.4 percent of the respondents said that they will increase investments in the country as compared to the 4.3 percent who said that they will reduce levels.

“We continue to look at the Philippine socio-economic political landscape and note that based on evidence, there were business [that] seems to be affirming the ad-

ministration’s aggressive efforts on nation-building,” Abella said.

“The Duterte administration’s economic pronouncements appeared to be clear and consistent and want to achieve an economic growth that’s not only robust and sustainable but actually inclusive for more Filipinos,” he said.

Just this week, the Palace official had announced that more foreign banks have expressed interest to enter the Philippines this year, which is expected to help potential investors to set up shops in the country. PNA

Sports

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Is Djokovic’s era finally over?

M

ELBOURNE—Former coach Boris Becker claimed Novak Djokovic has lost his aura of invincibility and his era of dominance is over after his seismic early exit at the Australian Open.

The tennis world was abuzz over six-time champion Djokovic’s stunning five-set loss to the 117th-ranked Uzbek Denis Istomin, his earliest exit from a major since Wimbledon 2008.

The 12-time Grand Slam champion’s latest calamity comes on the back of a troublesome second half of last season where he lost his world number

says the door is now open to the next generation as the Serb nears his 30th birthday.

“I’m really shocked that Novak Djokovic lost,” said Becker, who is part of Eurosport’s live coverage of the Australian Open.

“I thought he was playing much too defensive and never really took the initiative and never really fought for it.”

Becker, a six-time Grand Slam champion and twice winner of the Australian Open, said Djokovic’s fall offers his younger rivals the incentive to push on.

“It’s a big door open now,” Becker told the New York Times in Melbourne. “We talked about the

one ranking to Andy Murray and relinquished his Wimbledon and US Open titles.

After winning the French Open in June for the first time, Djokovic held all four Grand Slam singles titles, but he has not won a major since.

Becker, who split with Djokovic at the end of last year after three years as his coach,

next gen for a long time, and now is the time for these 19-, 20-, 21-yearolds to go through the door.

“When the top dog is struggling a bit—and no disrespect to Andy Murray, but Novak was the top dog —the way was blocked. But now it’s a shift.”

‘Take my bags and go’ Becker said Djokovic was missing his trademark intensity and will to win in Thursday’s match, and wasn’t “mentally going crazy” as he used to.

Australia’s former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash was adamant that Djokovic’s time as a dominant force was over.

“His defeat just shows that Novak

has absolutely lost his edge, there’s no doubt about that,” Cash told the BBC. “I’d love to see him competing, to be a true number two fighting for that number one spot, but at this rate I don’t think we will see that.”

Djokovic, who faced the media moments after coming off the Rod Laver Arena court where he has won six finals, agreed that his opponents now know he is beatable.

“Sure. They wouldn’t be playing against me or any other opponent or any other tournament, for that matter, if they don’t believe that they can win,” he said. “They go out and they try their best.”

Asked what he would take from the defeat, he said: “Take my bags

and I go home.”

Rafael Nadal, a 14-time Grand Slam champion and the 2009 Australian Open winner, and one of those who can capitalise on Djokovic’s early departure from the draw, said he saw nothing significant about his great rival’s loss.

“What Novak did here is just amazing. Six victories, six titles.

For a lot of years he has been in the semi-finals, finals and winning here,” Nadal said after reaching the third round.

“This is probably an accident, that’s all,” added the Spaniard.

“He’s playing well. Everybody has the chance to lose when you go on court.” AFP

Russell snubbed for Curry, Harden NEW YORK—Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, averaging a triple double, was snubbed for a Western Conference starting spot in next month’s NBA AllStar Game in voting announced Thursday by the league.

LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, who led the Cleveland Cavaliers to last season’s NBA title, were named to the Eastern Conference starting five while Golden State teammates Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant were voted onto the Western Conference opening lineup.

The 66th NBA All-Star Game will be played February 19 at New Orleans. A revamped selection format took 50 percent from fan voting, which concluded Monday, and 25 percent each from player and media ballots.

Out of more than 38 million fan votes—a 146 percent increase over last year—James was the overall winner with 1.89 million votes, while Curry had 1.84 million, Durant 1.77 million and Irving 1.69 million.

Thunder guard Westbrook leads the NBA with 30.6 points a game, ranks second with 10.4 assists a game and pulls down 10.6 rebounds a contest as he tries to become only the second player to average a triple double for an entire campaign after Oscar Robertson in the 1961-62 season.

But the West starting backcourt will be 3-point Warriors sharpshooter Curry and Houston’s James Harden, who ranks second in NBA scoring with 28.9 points a game and leads the NBA with 11.6 assists a contest.

Westbrook was level with Curry and Harden in the weighted point totals but lost out based on fan ballot totals that served as the tie-breaker. Curry and Harden with 1.77 million were more popular with fans than Westbrook with 1.57 million.

“Dude averaging a triple double and not starting in the all star game is wild,” tweeted Memphis Grizzlies forward Chandler Parsons. AFP

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic reacts after a point against Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin during their men’s singles match on day four of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne. AFP

Solaire’s Sky Range Shooting Club open to the public Metro Manila AS part of its first anniversary celebration, Sky Range Shooting Club at Solaire Resort and Casino will open its doors to all shooting enthusiasts for a one-day Club Shoot.

Sky Range chief operating officer Gerry De Belen said that today, Saturday will be the first time the exclusive shooting club will be opening its doors to the public.

“We want to give non-members an opportunity to experience this world-class tourist facility through a one-day tournament,” De Belen said while citing that their facility was made by Action Target and that they have 99 different programs.

For his part, Sky Range Shooting Club President Michael Ray Aquino emphasized that they promote responsible gun ownership.

“This tournament promotes target shooting as more than just a hobby, but also as a sport and Sky Range provides the perfect training facility,” Aquino said.

The tournament is composed of three courses of fire with a total of 34 rounds with Virginia Count being used as the scoring system.

Sky Range chief operating officer Gerry De Belen (left) with Sky Range Shooting Club President Michael Ray Aquino.

The winner of the tournament will take home a 45ACP 1911 A1 Pistol, second place will receive a Carbine Mini Riffle (22lr), and third place will get a Sky Range Day Pass Gift Card worth P10,000.

Registration fee is at P5,000, which

includes use of firearm, ammunition, tournament shirts and cap, meals and a chance to win raffle prizes. Those who want to come and watch the Club Shoot may register for P1,000.

The P200 million shooting range is the first indoor accredited rifle range in

the country and is also the first to be attached to a hotel.

For the meantime, Sky Range has limited its membership to 2,000 individuals with 100 slots exclusively for experts. Other packages available are those for Sharpshooter and Corporate membership.

Day pass is available for non-members.

Some of Sky Range’s more frequent visitors are those from China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, the United States, and Australia with a number of them only first time gun users.

Sky Range has firearms ranging from pistols to long firearms including the M16 and M4 sniper automatic with individuals using the target range first given a gun safety seminar and shooting fundamental course. There is also one-toone supervision between them and their range officers.

The shooting club has 15 lanes, 25 meter long pistol shooting bay, five lanes 50 meter long rifle shooting bay, deluxe automatic target retrievers controlled with the patented Smart Pad System, total containment bullet traps, and tactical safety baffles.

Murray ramps up bid for 1st Australian Open crown MELBOURNE—Andy Murray saw off giant-killer Sam Querrey on Friday as he ramped up his bid for a first Australian Open title after the shock departure of six-time champion Novak Djokovic.

On a cool day in Melbourne, the men’s number one and women’s top seed Angelique Kerber both hit a hot patch of form as the final rounds beckoned.

Murray will have watched from the sidelines as second seed Djokovic, his conqueror in four Melbourne finals, suffered a stunning defeat to 117th-ranked Denis Istomin on Thursday.

Querrey also shocked Djokovic at Wimbledon last year but Murray, made a knight in Britain’s New Year honours, never looked like slipping on any banana skins in round three.

Murray put Querrey away 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 in just under two hours, winning 77 percent of points on his first serve and facing only three break points in a clinical display.

The Scot also showed no signs of discomfort in his right ankle, after he rolled it painfully during his second-round win over Andrey Rublev.

“I felt better and better as

the match went on in terms of my movement,” he said. “The ankle was a little sore and I was a little tentative at the start but it got better and better through the match.”

Next up for Murray is an assignment with Mischa Zverev, the elder brother of highlyrated German teen Alexander who came through in four sets against Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri.

The winner of that meeting will play either Roger Federer or Tomas Berdych, the old Grand Slam rivals who will play the night match on Rod Laver Arena later.

Stan Wawrinka, the 2014 champion, survived a four-set tussle with Viktor Troicki 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (9/7) and now faces Italy’s Andreas Seppi, who ousted Steve Darcis of Belgium. AFP

Judiciary shoots for UNTV Cup semis TWO-TIME champion Judiciary Magis aims to claim an automatic slot in the semifinals as it takes on the MMDA Black Wolves at 3 p.m. on Sunday in the UNTV Cup 2017 at the Pasig City Sports Center.

The Judiciary Magis are at second spot with 7 wins and 2 losses, alongside the PNP Responders.

“Kailangan namin dobleng paghahanda, kasi hindi na kami puwede ng matalo sa MMDA dahil kapag natalo kami, laglag kami sa semifinals na hinahangad namin. Must-win kami sa MMDA. Kailangang doblehin namin ang kayod para manalo

Games on Sunday 3 p.m. Judiciary Magis vs MMDA Blackwolves 5 p.m. BOC Transformers vs AFP Cavaliers

kami doon,” said Judiciary coach Dennis Balason.

The Magis suffered their second loss at the hands of the AFP Cavaliers on Jan. 15, 80-72.

“Mag-eensayo ulit kasi galing nga sa bakasyon, medyo nagkaroon ng lapses. So this coming Sunday sa MMDA, siguro todo preparasyon ito at talagang gagawin naming lahat para makapasok kami sa semifinals,” said Balason.

The MMDA Black Wolves are at the bottom spot, alongside the NHA Builders with four games won and 5 games lost.

The battle between Judiciary Magis and the MMDA Black Wolves will be aired live on UNTV, with live streaming via untvweb.com.

The Bureau of Customs Transformers take on the AFP Cavaliers at 5 p.m.

The top two teams at the end of the second round will automatically advance to the semifinals, while Judiciary’s Don Camaso protects the ball away from his defender in teams from 3rd to the 6th places this UNTV Cup game. The Magis will try to secure a semifinal slot on Sunday against the MMDA Black Wolves. will battle in the quarterfinals.

Athletic meet starts table tennis event ST. PAUL University Manila will defend its table tennis conference title as the Metro Manila Athletic Conference resumes its 2016-2017 Season after concluding its basketball event recently.

MMAC will hold its table tennis tournament today at St. Joseph College Quezon City Gym, where World Citi College, SJCQC,Asian College Quezon City, SPUQC and Siena College Quezon City will try to snatch the title from SPUM tablenetters.

The Asian College woodpushers will try to keep their overall chess championship when the MMAC chess event pushes through Sunday at the SPUM Hall in Pedro Gil, Manila, while its badminton crown will be at stake on Feb. 5 at the Valencia Badminton Courts in Quezon City.

WCCQC, which successfully defended its men’s basketball championship after beating SPUQC five in a one-game final during the initial stage of the season that concluded last December, will also try to keep its men’s and women’s titles in volleyball events set from February to March at the WCCQC volley courts.

Netball (Feb. 4), flag football (Feb.26) and streetdance competition will be finally introduced this season, capping the MMAC Championships on April 2, where all MMAC-member institutions will vie for the crown.

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

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

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017

Sports

Rain or Shine’s James Yap drives against Meralco’s Jonathan Grey in a PBA Philippine Cup game won by the Bolts. Yap led the Painters with a team-high 17 points, but didn’t get much support form his pals.

Bolts stay alive with huge victory over Elasto Painters

By Jeric Lopez

D

ESPERATE times call for desperate measures.

Meralco showed its survival skills as it staved off elimination, upsetting Rain or Shine, 8272, in a dominant win to snap its six-game losing streak and stayed alive in the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup last night at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

Three starters led the charge for the Bolts, with Chris Newsome grabbing a game-high 19 points, four rebounds and six assists, while Cliff Hodge had a monster double-double of 17 points and 16 rebounds and Jonathan Uyloan also had a splendid

game of 14 points, six rebounds and five assists.

The win was huge for Meralco, which not only stayed alive, but lifted the Bolts to 10th place and out of the cellar with an improved 3-7 card.

The loss was costly for the

slumping Painters as they are now in a four-way logjam with Phoenix, Blackwater and TNT KaTropa from third to sixth places on similar 5-4 marks. It was also Rain or Shine’s second straight defeat, which might have jeopardized its bid of making the Top 2.

Only the top eight teams will move forward in the next round with the bottom four getting the boot.

In a desperate need to survive, the Bolts showed the requisite urgency right from the get-go, as they didn’t need any warm-up to take control of the contest.

They launched a vital 25-11 blast to end the opening period to instantly carve a commanding 3520 double-digit lead heading into the second stanza.

Meralco kept its big lead at the

half, 49-35, and eventually never looked back as it had its best game of the tournament.

James Yap led the Painters with a team-high 17 points, but didn’t get much support form his pals.

Action shifts to the Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu today as leagueleading San Miguel Beer (8-1) and second-running GlobalPort (5-3) figure in a battle of the top two teams at 5 p.m.

Not much will be at stake for the Beermen as they are already in the quarterfinals and have already secured a Top 2 finish along with a twice-to-beat incentive in the next phase. Still, they want to remain hot as they seek their eighth straight victory.

The Batang Pier, on the other hand, wants to remain in second and enhance its chance of ending

up in the Top 2 as well once the dust settles.

Tomorrow, two more critical encounters take place at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City as Alaska (4-4) and Mahindra (2-6) tango at 4:30 p.m., while Phoenix Petroleum (5-4) and Barangay Ginebra (4-4) follow suit at 6:45 p.m.

The scores: MERALCO 82—Newsome 19, Hodge 17, Uyloan 14, AlHussaini 10, Chua 9, Hugnatan 4, Dillinger 3, Daquioag 2, Grey 2, Amer 0.

RAIN OR SHINE 72—Yap 17, Ponferada 11, Chan 9, Cruz 9, Belga 7, Trollano 7, Washington 6, Tiu 4, Norwood 2, Ahanmisi 0, Matias 0.

Quarterscores: 35-20, 49-35, 68-56, 82-72.

Red Spikers book at least a playoff for Final 4 slot SAN Beda College fended off a fierce challenge put up by an already-ran Mapua and eked out a 25-16, 25-15, 22-25, 20-25, 15-9 win Friday to book at least a playoff for a Final Four berth in the women’s division of the 92nd NCAA volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan City.

Francesca Racraquin fired 16 hits, all of which came on kills, while Satrianni Espiritu scattered 13 points, including a match-best five on blocks to help push the Red Spikers closer to barging into the Fi-

nal Four with a 6-3 record. lano U Lady Chiefs also Games Monday San Beda could clinch on Jan. 25.

(Filoil Flying V Center) an outright spot in the next If either or both LPU 9:30 a.m.- EAC vs CSJL (m) 11 a.m.- EAC vs CSJL (w) round if Lyceum of the and Perpetual Help 12:30 p.m.- SSC vs LPU (w) Philippines University and manage to get their 2 p.m.- SSC vs LPU (m) 3:30 p.m.- SSC vs LPU (jrs) Perpetual Help, currently at sixth win, all ties will fifth and sixth places with be broken by playoffs.

5-3 and 4-3 records, respectively, would “We took care of business, that’s the lose a game. most important thing. Now we’ll just wait,” The Lady Pirates face off with the San said San Beda coach Nemesio Gavino.

Sebastian Lady Stags, the current leader The Lady Cardinals closed out their with a perfect 7-0 record, on Jan. 25, campaign winless in nine outings. while the Lady Altas will tackle the ArelIn men’s action, San Beda turned back

Mapua, 22-25, 25-23, 25-13, 25-13, to complete the Final Four cast.

Mark Christian Enciso unloaded a match-best 16 hits, while Gerald Zabala, Adrian Viray, Limuel Patenio and Mark Lorenze Santos contributed 12, 10, 10 and 10 points, respectively, to help the Red Spikers book a spot in the Final Four and join early entrant St. Benilde (7-1) there with a 7-2 mark.

The win also clinched Arellano University (6-2) and defending champion Perpetual Help (6-1) slots to the next round.

Resorts World kicks off Year of Rooster with 9-cock derby

Organizers and cockfighting enthusiasts Charlie ‘Atong’ Ang and Gov. Eddie Bong Plaza square-off during the 2017 World Pitmasters Cup 9-Cock International Derby happening at Resorts World Manila’s Newport Performing Arts Theater until today.

RESORTS World Manila started off the Year of the Rooster with a monumental event in the country’s cockfighting history as the 2017 World Pitmasters Cup 9-Cock International Derby kicked off Sunday for one week of action at the Newport Performing Arts Theater.

With more than 300 local and foreign cockfighters joining the prestigious sporting tournament, the first 150 rounds of 2-cock eliminations started Sunday as eliminations conclude the next day with another 150 rounds.

The 4-cock grand finals will be held today.

Cockfighters vie for a guaranteed cash prize of at least P15,000,000, with every entry receiving a Zandro Castrillo World postmaster-piece worth P10,000 each.

Among the homegrown contenders in the international

cockfighting championship are Dan Padilla, the duo of Sonny Panaligan and Mike Sta. Ana, RJ Mea, Eric Dela Rosa, Gengen Arayata, Jerico Camasura, Mayor Jesry Palamares, and Mike Decena among others.

Also in for the world cup event are international cockers and breeders Victor Manuel Negrete Castañeda and David Salvatierra Galvez of Peru, Antonio Calvo Romero of Spain, Byrom Espinoza Aguirre of Ecuador, Tu Guong of Vietnam and Americans Norland Blount, William Nall of Kentucky, Howard Belk Jr., Norman Rockwell of Tennessee and Carol Nesmith of Alabama.

Built as a world-class theater to accommodate topnotch musicals and concerts, the NPAT was temporarily transformed into a first-class rueda for the cockfighting event. Due to its

magnitude, RWM has also set up air-conditioned cockhouses with proper lighting near the rueda for the prized cocks.

The organizers were thrilled to stage the world-class derby at RWM. “Our chosen venue is the complete package when it comes to its offerings be it hotels, the mall, food or entertainment,” said organizer Mr. Charlie “Atong” Ang. “This is the first time that a cockfight is going to be held in an integrated resort,” shared another organizer Mr. Gerry Ramos. “The ‘rueda’ (ring) is large on the stage of the NPAT, and there will be LED screens from where everyone can watch everything. We ourselves are excited for the event because it’s really a show that has to be witnessed by every cockfighting enthusiast in the country,” he added.

So nails 3rd win, grabs Tata Steel chess lead GRANDMASTER Wesley So was one pawn down early in the game, but he hardly minded it as he went on to beat a time-pressured Pental Harikrishna in 48 moves of a King’s Indian Defense.

So’s third triumph against a draw in five rounds gave him the solo lead in the 2017 Tata Steel Chess Masters in Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands.

He moved ahead of world no. 1 Magnus Carlsen, who drew with Ian Nepomniachtchi in 28 moves of the Kramnik-Schirov variation of the English Opening.

Carlsen shares 3.5 points in second position with Pavel Eljanov, who bowed to Levon Aronian in 37 of the Reti.

Analyst Daniel King of chessbase.com said So played a matured game and did not make a move to win back a pawn he lost in the sixth move.

He added that So handled his pieces “beautifully” throughout the course of his encounter with Harikrishna.

An exchange of major pieces followed and soon his knights were in control of the left flank by the 35th move, and Harikrishna became pressed for time afterwards.

Harikrishna then resigned when So checked the king with a knight to c7 move.

Aronian moved up to lone third with 3.5 points, while Anish Giri is in fourth, sharing 2.5 points with Harikrishna and four others.

Giri drew with Wei Yi in in 37 moves of a Caro Kann Defense. Peter Atencio

Lim 16th seed in Aussie Open tilt ALBERT “AJ” Lim Jr. is seeded 16th in the junior division of the 2016 Australian Open Tennis Championships.

Visa issues with the Australian embassy in Manila have kept him from leaving for Australia early, according to his father, Alberto Sr. “Dito na siya nagpractice sa Rizal Memorial habang nag-hihintay ng visa,” said Alberto Sr. Lim, who will also compete in his first-ever Davis Cup competition this February, is currently no. 35 in the world, a ranking that has risen by two notches over the past month.

He will take on Bang Shuo Yin in the first round of the main draw.

For now, daily workouts at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Vito Cruz are keeping Lim in shape.

Meanwhile, promising John Bryan Otico reached the finals in the boys’ singles of the International Tennis Federation Grade 4 Junior Tournament at Victoria Park in Hong Kong.

The 17-year-old Otico is set to face doubles’ partner Nathanasith Kunsuwan of Thailand in the championship round.

The top-seeded Otico hurdled Denton Ho, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 7-5, in the semifinals. Before that, he disposed of Chang Lin Tsai, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, in the first round, and then disposed of Arthur Chau, 6-4, 6-1, in the second round.

Then, he put away Ki Lung Ng, 6-1, 7-6 (4), in the quarterfinals.

Earlier, Michael Francis Eala lost to Shan Yuan, 6-1, 6-1, in the first round. Peter Atencio

SSI bares deal with Japanese company B2

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017

Imported auto sales rose 60% last year

JG SUMMIT CERTIFICATES.

The Board of Investments approves three petrochemical projects of conglomerate JG Summit Holdings Inc. worth P15.8 billion. Two pioneering projects of wholly-owned JGSHI unit JG Summit Petrochemical Corp. received the nod under the preferred activities of the Investment Priorities Plan.

Trade Undersecretary and BoI Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo (third from right) awards the certificates of registration to JGSPC officials led by president and chief operating officer Patrick Henry Go (third from left). With them are BoI executive director for industry development Service Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa (second from right) and BoI director for manufacturing industry service Evariste Cagatan (right).

By Othel V. Campos

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing January 20, 2017

8000 7600 7200 6800

45.50

Agri production fell 1.4% in 2016—PSA

47.00

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

6400 6000

7,232.66 13.42

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing JANUARY 20, 2017 44.00

48.50 50.00

HIGH P49.860 LOW P49.980 AVERAGE P49.907 VOLUME 716.700M

P471.00-P690.00 LPG/11-kg tank P36.34-P48.44 Unleaded Gasoline P27.60-P33.55 Diesel

OPRICES IL TODAY

P28.50-P36.85 Kerosene P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, January 20, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.9530

Japan

Yen

0.008712

0.4352

UK

Pound

1.233200

61.6020

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128917

6.4398

Switzerland

Franc

0.994135

49.6600

Canada

Dollar

0.751145

37.5219

Singapore

Dollar

0.701557

35.0449

Australia

Dollar

0.755800

37.7545

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652450

132.4978 13.3237

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266724

Brunei

Dollar

0.699105

34.9224

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028253

1.4113

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.6016

Euro

Euro

1.066100

53.2549

Korea

Won

0.000851

0.0425

China

Yuan

0.145455

7.2659

India

Rupee

0.014687

0.7337

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.224871

11.2330

New Zealand

Dollar

0.718000

35.8663

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031661

1.5816 Source: PDS Bridge

F

ARM output in the Philippines contracted 1.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2016 as typhoons Karen and Lawin reduced the production in the crops and fisheries sectors, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Friday.

The PSA said the poor performance in the last quarter resulted in a 1.41-percent drop in agriculture production in the full of 2016 from a contraction of 0.11 percent in 2015.

“That is the total sum of the damage of typhoons and tropical storms which hit the country’s agricultural areas,” said Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol.

Total production value based on current prices amounted to

ISTANBUL, TURKEY—The Turkish Flour Yeast and Ingredients Promotion Group, or TFYI, is bullish on exports to the Philippines with the launch of a new quality certification system in March.

TFYI chairman Turgay Unlu told reporters said the new certification system would help Turkey achieve its target of increasing exports to the Philippines.

The group aims to raise exports to the Philippines to $50 million from the current $27 million a year.

“By increasing the basis of quality... you will see us rising to the different segments because of the quality. There will

P456.4 billion in the fourth, up 1.35 percent from P450.3 billion year-on-year.

The PSA said the crops subsector which accounted for more than half of total farm production posted a 2.62 percent contraction in the fourth quarter of 2016.

Palay, or unmilled rice, production fell 3.62 percent to 7.01 million metric tons last year from 7.27 million metric tons in

2015, after typhoons Karen and Lawin damaged some rice-producing areas, including Cagayan Valley, the Bicol Region and other farms in Luzon.

“There were also reports of unrealized plantings in the provinces of Isabela, Misamis Oriental and Misamis Occidental as a result of inadequate irrigation water. In Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas, area harvested to palay was lower due to excessive rainfall during the planting period,” the PSA said.

Corn production dropped 0.15 percent to 1.728 million metric tons from 1.730 million metric tons on year due to the adverse effects of typhoons Karen and Lawin. The PSA noted a contraction in areas harvested in the Cordillera Autonomous Region,

Cagayan Valley and Bicol Region.

Coconut production also dropped 5.22 percent from 3.97 million metric tons in the fourth quarter of 2015 to 3.77 million metric tons in 2016 due to the extended effects of the dry spell.

Other output losses were reported for sugarcane, coffee, mango, tobacco, mongo, onion, cabbage and rubber.

The PSA, however, said production gains recorded noted in banana, pineapple, abaca, peanut, cassava, sweet potato, tomato, eggplant and calamansi.

The fishery sub-sector declined 2.95 percent in the fourth quarter from a negative 3.90 percent in 2015 as tilapia, skipjack, seaweed, and round scad production all dropped during the period.

BSP: Tax reform package to raise inflation to 4%

By Gabrielle H. Binaday THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Friday said the tax reform package of the Finance Department that includes higher fuel and automobile excise taxes is expected to increase inflation to nearly 4 percent in 2017 and 2018.

Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo told reporters in a media briefing the first package of the tax reform proposal, which includes the reduction of the personal income tax rate and some revenue-compensating measures, would in-

Turkish flour group sees exports to PH increasing

By Alena Mae S. Flores

B1

be Turkish flour in every segment, whichever quality you are looking for, we will provide ,” Unlu said.

The new certification aims to provide high quality Turkish hard wheat flour to the current and target markets under the guarantee of TFYI, and improve the quality perception of Turkish flour in the export markets.

TFYI, established in April 2012, is promoting Turkish flour, yeast, starch, soups and ingredients globally to improve brand image and increase the export of value added products.

The Philippines will be the first market to put into practice the quality system, bing one of the most important markets of Turkey.

crease inflation rate by 0.4 to 0.5 percentage points in 2017 and 0.8 to 1.0 percentage points in 2018.

Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed inflation in 2016 settled at 1.8 percent, or below the government’s target of 2.0 to 4.0 percent.

“All the numbers, our preliminary estimates indicate that should it be implemented, the first package on fuel and automobile, that is expected to contribute between 0.4 to 0.5 percentage points for 2017,” Guinigundo said.

“And then for 2018, 0.8 to

87th year.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol leads the ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the celebration of the Bureau of Plant Industry’s 87th anniversary on January 18 in San Andres St., Malate, Manila.

With him are (from left)) BPI assistant director Jennifer Remoquillo and officer-in-charge director Vivencio Mamaril.

one percentage points. So basically if that’s the case, then we will be close to the upper end of the target. And therefore we need to assess how monetary policy can respond to these changes,” he said.

Diwa said the higher inflation cause by higher oil prices would not necessarily alter the current monetary policies.

“Unless we see some signs, particularly on petroleum products, moving on into inflation expectations or second round effects, monetary policy will not be commissioned to deal with this inflation pressure coming

from the tax reform package,” he said.

Diwa also noted that the effects of the tax reform package was a one-off development that would fund projects for development in the country, especially infrastructure.

“But I think we need to also understand that it is important that we also consider those tax reform packages because that will be the source of funding the proposed reduction, particularly, in personal income tax, which is also expected to result to higher domestic demand moving on,” he said.

SALES of imported vehicles jumped 60 percent to 98,179 units in 2016 from 58,256 units in 2015, data show Friday.

The Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors said fourth quarter sales rose 26 percent to 24,434 units from 19,374 units year-on-year.

“2016 was indeed a banner year for the automotive industry as AVID sales surged with an impressive 60 percent growth.

As such, AVID looks forward to 2017 with limitless possibilities and opportunities, as we continue to delight the Filipino market with an array of innovative and value-laden products and services,” said association president Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo.

Sales of passenger cars increased 60 percent in 2016 to 35,770 units from 22,316 units in 2015.

Fourth-quarter sales of passenger cars also climbed 40 percent to 9,341 units from 6,664 units on year.

Hyundai sold sell 6,063 units in the fourth quarter 2016.

Meanwhile, sales of light commercial vehicles surged 60 percent in 2016 because of strong demand due to low oil prices.

Sales in the last three months of 2016 also increased 19 percent, with Ford emerging as the best-selling brand.

AVID said the Philippine economy sustained its upward trajectory on solid macro-economic fundamentals.

“For 2017, several international institutions with the likes of S&P Global, the Asian Development Bank and the International Monetary Fund painted a rosy outlook for the economy as most of the heavy fiscal spending has been earmarked for infrastructure and social services. This sanguine economic outlook bodes well for the automotive industry as it is packed with exciting product line-up for 2017,” it said

IN BRIEF Money transfer limited to P500,00 THE Monetary Board, the policymaking body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, on Friday limited the maximum cash payout of money transfer business to P500,000.

MB said the cap was part of the updated comprehensive framework for money service businesses amid tighter compliance with the AntiMoney Laundering Law. Monety transfer business include remittance and transfer companies, money changers and foreign exchange dealers.

Large value payouts of over P500,000 or the foreign currency equivalent in any single transaction with customers should be made through check payment, or direct credit to deposit accounts.

The Bangko Sentral is also limiting the sale of foreign currencies to a maximum of $10,000 or its equivalent and to $50,000, or its equivalent per month per customer.

Gabrielle H. Binaday

Rail operator ready for higher demand

LIGHT Rail Manila Corp. said it is ready for increased demand resulting from the planned Common Station Project of LRT Line 1, MRT3 and MRT7.

“The project will mean LRT-1 will be able to service an additional 45,000 LRT-1 commuters or 10 percent of the current 450,000 average daily ridership,” LRMC president and chief executive Rogelio Singson said.

The government plans to build the P2.8-billion common station

by December and complete it by 2019.

He noted the existing rail system had already increased ridership by 19 percent and passenger capacity per hour by 26 percent after implementing strategies to increase the number of operational LRVs, complemented with the increase in number of trips daily.

Darwin G. Amojelar

B2

Business

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market slips; Bloomberry up T HE stock market slipped Friday in mixed trading ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration and on the poor performance of the agriculture sector in 2016.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index lost 13.42 points, or 0.2 percent, to 7,232.66 on a value turnover of P5.7 billion. Gainers beat losers, 94 to 84,with 45 issues unchanged.

Farm output contracted 1.11 percent in the fourth quarter of 2016 as typhoons Karen and Lawin pulled down the production in the crops and fisheries sectors, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Friday.

The poor fourth quarter output brought agriculture production in the full of 2016 down by

1.41 percent from a contraction of 0.11 percent in 2015.

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-biggest lender in terms of assets, fell 0.8 percent to P76.40, while Universal Robina Corp., the largest snack food maker, tumbled 4 percent to P166.10.

SM Investments Corp. of retail tycoon Henry Sy Sr. dropped 1.5 percent to P670, while conglomerate Ayala Corp. declined 1.5 percent to P788.

Bloomberry Resorts Corp. of port tycoon Enrique Razon Jr.

advanced 2.9 percent to P7.05.

Shanghai stocks, meanwhile, jumped Friday, but traders in most other Asian markets were subdued ahead of Trump’s inauguration.

After a tepid start to the day, mainland Chinese traders rallied after official figures showed growth came in at 6.8 percent in the final quarter of last year, the first improvement since the end of 2014.

For the year, the world’s top economy expanded 6.7 percent, in line with projections in an AFP poll and meeting government targets. However, it did mark the slowest rate since 1990.

There was also a note of caution as Trump heads to the White House, having spent most of his election campaign digging at

China over what he considers unfair trade practices and his accusations of currency manipulation.

“China’s economy was within a proper range with improved quality and efficiency. However, we should also be aware that the domestic and external conditions are still complicated and severe,” the National Bureau of Statistics said in a statement.

However, Shanghai ended the day 0.7 percent higher, although Hong Kong struggled to gain traction and was down 0.4 percent in the afternoon.

In other markets, Tokyo ended up 0.3 percent despite fresh weakness in the dollar against the yen and another hefty plunge in car airbag maker Takata. The firm shifted 21 percent, a day after losing 17 percent, on fears of

a drawn-out bankruptcy restructuring following the biggest-ever auto safety recall.

Sydney shed 0.7 percent, Seoul lost 0.4 percent and Wellington gave up 0.2 percent.

After a two-month rally following Trump’s election win, uncertainty has gripped trading floors in recent weeks as they try to gauge what sort of president he will be in the wake of a series of outbursts against China and global trade deals.

While he promised a bigspending, tax-cutting drive to fuel the world’s top economy, the tycoon has failed to provide any detail, leading to worries about his ability to deliver.

But analysts said investors were keeping their powder dry until the new president provides something concrete. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017

NAME

OPEN

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.79 1,000 48.25 14,500 90 2,588,770 111 2,166,730 1.37 404,000 38.5 448,100 16.2 300 19 384,700 6.6 100 1.69 157,000 0.75 81,236,000 76.4 3,047,360 0.77 1,550,000 54.5 5,210 239 1,440 36.1 36,800 213 456,220 1,747 620 78 164,250 1.23 35,000

3,790 698,285 232,993,909 240,650,251 535,640 17,218,125 4,860 7,310,128 660 264,360 62,399,730 234,349,109 1,196,900 282,726 346,230 1,325,550 97,010,098 1,083,850 12,841,872.50 43,300

611,630 -32,699,422.50 5,206,687 180,780 619,780 -5,413,810.00 16,510 -25,227,003 -145,880 432,000 20,230,540 471,980 81,956.50 1,290

43.55 4.44 0.86 1.41 17.02 0.21 11.44 15.98 22.55 18 59.95 2.01 6.46 12.02 12.3 7.6 7 5.41 21.8 68.85 12.9 16.3 6.13 1.69 203 2.71 3.66 29.7 26.7 14.18 283.8 0.25 5.19 3.19 9.54 2.25 5.8 1.54 75 5.05 237.6 4.9 2.28 2.8 12.24 4.15 0.148 1.56 165 4.46 1.75 1.06

INDUSTRIAL 43.6 1,359,300 4.5 1,276,000 0.92 2,600,000 1.48 11,153,000 18.8 34,800 0.21 100,000 11.48 8,011,300 15.98 2,120,200 23 145,900 18 32,700 60 268,120 2.01 284,000 6.66 139,700 12.02 26,800 12.6 9,413,500 7.9 3,872,500 7 919,900 5.46 19,143,200 22 3,647,800 68.9 287,510 12.9 800 16.3 140,500 6.2 28,100 1.8 1,338,000 203 542,100 2.78 146,000 3.66 3,000 29.8 2,905,300 27.5 128,400 14.2 1,488,000 284.4 114,500 0.25 3,890,000 5.2 107,400 3.23 3,000 9.56 6,277,100 2.28 785,000 5.9 220,500 1.54 159,000 75 237,590 5.06 95,500 242 11,230 4.95 610,000 2.3 27,000 2.9 771,000 12.56 7,443,300 4.16 240,000 0.148 2,660,000 1.56 988,000 166.1 1,261,410 4.47 7,000 1.8 4,591,000 1.06 200,000

59,297,635 5,711,090 2,368,150 16,478,740 636,716 21,000 92,120,832 33,982,498 3,328,300 604,346 16,078,870.50 576,000 908,101 323,340 117,414,564 30,479,245 6,459,394 104,543,192 80,341,860 19,864,381 10,320 2,296,766 174,149 2,390,950 111,053,552 402,600 10,980 86,940,035 3,502,260 21,152,600 32,591,028 976,500 563,520 9,650 59,902,482 1,781,040 1,295,765 245,390 17,903,491.50 482,365 2,675,032 3,006,280 61,980 2,205,390 92,852,082 999,090 398,670 1,584,560 209,796,442 31,280 8,226,270 213,590

-22,234,580 17,820 -1,370,760 -60,733,790 2,438,876 35,640 -225,600 31,804,760 8,035,392 -4,026,504 14,448,112 -13,579,590 17,369,435.50 -2,290,246 -154,400 -14,191,996 -40,786,450 -1,173,860 -7,880,742 4,840,404 -840,000 3,190 239,100 4,626,817.50 -2,432,360 22,620 1,843,030 957,490 13,640 -62,509,736 -107,560 -

0.425 74.95 12.88 1.19 6.1 0.315 0.33 794 8.9 13.18 8.1 5.9 0.181 1,351 6 77.2 1.14 8.04 12.4 6.9 0.046 2 98.05 2.29 684 0.91 1.35 264 0.183 0.25

0.415 74.5 12.72 1.15 6 0.3 0.31 785 8.82 12.96 7.9 5.9 0.181 1,330 5.86 75.2 1.11 7.96 12 6.81 0.043 1.97 96.6 2.29 670 0.87 1.3 262 0.18 0.25

HOLDING FIRMS 0.42 13,000,000 74.9 1,280,290 12.76 4,391,200 1.15 35,000 6.04 321,500 0.315 350,000 0.33 20,000 788 277,150 8.89 318,500 13.06 8,987,600 8.1 57,700 5.9 500 0.181 10,000 1,340 55,775 5.95 18,200 77.1 1,784,520 1.13 877,000 7.96 322,500 12.12 3,978,200 6.84 33,398,900 0.046 158,100,000 1.99 390,000 98 255,670 2.29 2,000 670 222,410 0.89 304,000 1.32 629,000 264 13,330 0.18 20,000 0.25 130,000

5,464,900 95,896,427.50 56,122,718 40,490 1,930,020 108,250 6,400 218,615,395 2,823,402 117,365,404 457,101 2,950 1,810 74,803,380 108,166 137,011,271.50 984,130 2,575,957 48,207,874 228,630,371 7,069,700 774,410 25,045,626 4,580 150,306,725 271,070 825,430 3,508,234 3,630 32,500

250 -27,938,637.50 -17,797,044 3,100 48,934,210 981,306 -23,460,376 19,938,280 64,482,421 -1,184,812 -24,429,910 -4,200,936 -500 -156,000 4,652,217.50 8,206,785 328,626 7,500

7.39 1.19 6.11 2.5 0.83 35.2 3.38 0.58 1.05 1.4 0.198 0.65 52 0.72 0.155 1.65 1.02 1.19 3.73 0.168 0.265 0.415

7.3 1.17 6.1 2.45 0.77 34.35 3.22 0.56 1.05 1.33 0.189 0.58 51.25 0.72 0.141 1.62 1.01 1.18 3.63 0.163 0.265 0.415

PROPERTY 7.34 151,100 1.19 841,000 6.1 7,500 2.49 269,000 0.8 37,358,000 35.2 12,258,100 3.25 8,873,000 0.57 21,405,000 1.05 29,000 1.39 39,000 0.189 141,880,000 0.59 76,224,000 51.85 146,120 0.72 17,000 0.145 1,300,000 1.64 6,904,000 1.02 965,000 1.18 441,000 3.73 9,940,000 0.164 17,370,000 0.265 150,000 0.415 20,000

1,112,571 996,380 45,770 664,660 29,727,840 427,533,955 29,076,840 12,216,220 30,450 52,130 27,376,960 46,498,600 7,559,251.50 12,240 190,950 11,316,320 975,330 521,390 36,774,760 2,866,550 39,750 8,300

84,680 590,290 149,124,870 -1,441,800 -6,500,280.00 -184,330 258,460 -2,624,996 2,900 -9,711,610 9,789,460 -

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

AG FINANCE 3.79 ASIA UNITED 48.15 BANK PH ISLANDS 91.5 BDO UNIBANK 110.8 BRIGHT KINDLE 1.36 CHINABANK 38.4 COL FINANCIAL 16.2 EAST WEST BANK 19 FILIPINO FUND 6.6 IREMIT 1.67 MEDCO HLDG 0.79 METROBANK 77.4 NTL REINSURANCE 0.78 PHIL NATL BANK 53.4 PHIL STOCK EXCH 242 RCBC 36 SECURITY BANK 213.2 SUN LIFE 1,747 UNION BANK 77.8 VANTAGE 1.24

3.79 48.25 91.5 111.5 1.4 38.5 16.2 19.06 6.6 1.69 0.81 78 0.78 54.5 242 36.2 214 1,750 78.6 1.25

3.79 48.1 89.9 110.4 1.3 38.4 16.2 18.98 6.6 1.66 0.73 76.4 0.77 53.3 239 36 211.6 1,747 77.8 1.23

ABOITIZ POWER 43.55 AGRINURTURE 4.46 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.87 ALSONS CONS 1.41 ASIABEST GROUP 17.58 BASIC ENERGY 0.21 CEMEX HLDG 11.5 CENTURY FOOD 16 CIRTEK HLDG 22.7 CNTRL AZUCARERA19.8 CONCEPCION 60 CROWN ASIA 2.05 DAVINCI CAPITAL 6.6 DEL MONTE 12.02 DNL INDUS 12.4 EEI CORP 7.6 EMPERADOR 7.15 ENERGY DEVT 5.44 FIRST GEN 22.3 FIRST PHIL HLDG 69.05 GINEBRA 12.9 HOLCIM 16.3 INTEGRATED MICR 6.26 IONICS 1.69 JOLLIBEE 206.2 LMG CHEMICALS 2.71 MABUHAY VINYL 3.66 MANILA WATER 29.7 MAXS GROUP 26.9 MEGAWIDE 14.3 MERALCO 284 MG HLDG 0.265 PANASONIC 5.19 PEPSI COLA 3.19 PETRON 9.6 PHINMA ENERGY 2.25 PHX PETROLEUM 5.8 PHX SEMICNDCTR 1.54 PILIPINAS SHELL 75.9 PRYCE CORP 5.05 PUREFOODS 237.6 RFM CORP 4.96 ROXAS AND CO 2.28 ROXAS HLDG 2.8 SHAKEYS PIZZA 12.24 SPC POWER 4.2 SWIFT FOODS 0.153 TKC METALS 1.56 UNIV ROBINA 170.1 VICTORIAS 4.46 VITARICH 1.77 VULCAN INDL 1.09

43.75 4.52 0.93 1.52 19.98 0.21 11.62 16.22 23 19.8 60 2.07 6.66 12.1 12.7 7.96 7.15 5.49 22.3 69.15 12.9 16.46 6.26 1.84 208 2.8 3.66 30.3 27.5 14.32 285 0.275 5.28 3.23 9.6 2.29 5.9 1.55 76 5.07 242 4.97 2.3 3 12.66 4.2 0.153 1.67 170.8 4.47 1.82 1.09

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

0.42 74.9 12.88 1.19 6 0.31 0.31 790 8.9 13.14 7.91 5.9 0.181 1,350 5.86 75.8 1.13 8.04 12.4 6.9 0.044 1.97 98 2.29 684 0.87 1.32 263 0.183 0.25

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

7.39 1.19 6.11 2.45 0.79 34.8 3.27 0.57 1.05 1.33 0.194 0.64 51.4 0.72 0.141 1.63 1.01 1.19 3.7 0.165 0.265 0.415

VOLUME

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

4.4 25.9 1.63 3.28 31 1.03 0.93 5.04

4.26 25.15 1.61 3.28 30.45 1 0.91 4.93

4.31 25.15 1.62 3.28 31 1.02 0.93 5.04

4,098,000 939,100 151,000 3,000 7,659,500 10,120,000 114,000 1,780,800

17,773,630 23,773,185 245,870 9,840 236,490,480 10,309,610 104,580 8,896,554

-266,070 -1,954,240 66,605,670 3,070 -3,145,520

2GO GROUP 7.5 ABS CBN 47.8 ACESITE HOTEL 1.35 APC GROUP 0.54 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.056 ASIAN TERMINALS 10.6 BERJAYA 5.34 BLOOMBERRY 6.85 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.071 CALATA CORP 2.58 CEBU AIR 95 CENTRO ESCOLAR 9.8 DFNN INC 8.6 DISCOVERY WORLD 2.1 EASYCALL 2.96 FAR EASTERN U 1,000 GLOBE TELECOM 1,689 GMA NETWORK 6.28 GOLDEN HAVEN 16.2 HARBOR STAR 3.05 IMPERIAL A 15.66 INTL CONTAINER 73.85 IP EGAME 0.0095 IPEOPLE 12 IPM HLDG 9.07 ISLAND INFO 0.209 ISM COMM 1.36 JACKSTONES 3.23 LBC EXPRESS 15.3 LEISURE AND RES 4.27 MELCO CROWN 4.34 METRO RETAIL 4.17 NOW CORP 2.81 PACIFIC ONLINE 11.26 PAL HLDG 5.09 PAXYS 3.18 PHIL SEVEN CORP 139.9 PHILWEB 10.04 PLDT 1,505 PREMIUM LEISURE 1.42 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.47 PUREGOLD 40.35 ROBINSONS RTL 73.05 SBS PHIL CORP 6.38 SSI GROUP 2.6 STI HLDG 1.1 TRAVELLERS 3.22 WATERFRONT 0.375

7.5 48.3 1.37 0.54 0.057 10.6 5.65 7.09 0.073 2.76 96 9.8 8.6 2.1 2.96 1,000 1,716 6.28 16.2 3.05 16.18 73.95 0.0096 12 9.07 0.219 1.4 3.23 15.32 4.33 4.45 4.25 2.84 11.28 5.2 3.3 139.9 10.74 1,540 1.43 0.48 42.1 76 6.38 2.6 1.11 3.26 0.39

7.48 47.8 1.35 0.52 0.053 10.6 5.34 6.7 0.071 2.52 94.85 9.8 8.3 2.1 2.91 1,000 1,666 6.25 15.9 2.95 15.66 73 0.0094 12 9.05 0.201 1.36 3.23 15.3 4.25 4.29 4.17 2.75 11.26 5.09 3.18 139.9 9.94 1,490 1.4 0.455 40.25 73.05 6.3 2.56 1.08 3.22 0.35

SERVICES 7.5 27,900 48.3 9,700 1.37 10,000 0.52 265,000 0.054 135,770,000 10.6 100 5.64 10,900 7.05 38,387,100 0.072 5,780,000 2.75 6,771,000 94.95 269,320 9.8 2,300 8.5 68,900 2.1 18,000 2.91 6,000 1,000 2,000 1,682 73,100 6.25 79,200 15.9 9,200 2.95 3,816,000 15.68 2,200 73.9 507,230 0.0094 35,000,000 12 200 9.07 522,000 0.218 52,740,000 1.4 153,000 3.23 51,000 15.3 2,700 4.25 888,000 4.42 13,348,000 4.2 1,422,000 2.78 780,000 11.28 1,800 5.1 3,600 3.3 41,000 139.9 40 10.52 4,394,000 1,507 42,420 1.43 14,057,000 0.465 13,480,000 41.9 1,542,200 75.8 849,960 6.3 82,000 2.57 1,123,000 1.1 1,878,000 3.26 217,000 0.35 2,020,000

209,145 464,785 13,680 139,540 7,450,670 1,060 60,380 268,488,835 415,760 17,893,130 25,602,787.50 22,540 582,967 37,800 17,570 2,000,000 123,745,130 495,576 146,560 11,379,240 34,932 37,482,142.50 332,100 2,400 4,733,240 11,118,980 210,680 164,730 41,320 3,782,510 58,639,520 5,973,150 2,178,330 20,300 18,417 132,340 5,596 45,951,641 64,072,630 19,999,350 6,250,350 64,242,530 64,168,925.50 520,757 2,886,630 2,048,860 703,350 754,300

57,200 54,000 -1,060 16,294,257 -213,080 -9,164,427 7,360,210 -15,680 1,338,558.50 -191,450.00 639,000 -17,972,090 -3,424,260 -170,400 65,050 -20,936,564 10,032,290 3,424,350 187,000 35,622,505.00 8,364,434 -117,392 -629,900 744,740 38,760 -

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

0.0034 2.75 5.22 2.2 0.51 0.47 12 2.95 0.255 0.213 0.221 0.013 0.012 2.21 6.75 2.77 1.06 0.011 4.07 0.012 8.95 3.54 137.3 2.92 0.0092

0.0034 2.83 5.24 2.2 0.52 0.47 12.14 2.95 0.26 0.216 0.223 0.013 0.012 2.3 6.75 2.85 1.07 0.012 4.07 0.013 9.08 3.6 140 2.92 0.0092

0.0033 2.75 5.22 2.2 0.5 0.46 11.68 2.88 0.248 0.212 0.216 0.013 0.012 2.16 6.48 2.67 1.06 0.011 4.07 0.012 8.92 3.5 137 2.91 0.0092

MINING & OIL 0.0033 1,264,000,000 2.79 50,860,000 5.22 356,800 2.2 3,000 0.5 1,428,000 0.465 1,500,000 12.02 4,800 2.88 4,235,000 0.255 2,850,000 0.216 2,390,000 0.222 2,300,000 0.013 100,000 0.012 1,200,000 2.23 1,310,000 6.6 7,248,200 2.78 1,212,000 1.06 129,000 0.011 16,000,000 4.07 3,000 0.013 28,000,000 9 1,756,500 3.59 1,083,000 139.7 998,870 2.91 27,000 0.0092 7,000,000

4,171,500 140,005,850 1,862,946 6,600 718,330 697,000 57,572 12,324,380 713,380 507,560 502,160 1,300 14,400 2,894,350 47,790,361 3,386,650 137,150 181,200 12,210 336,900 15,826,120 3,821,440 139,172,117 78,720 64,400

46,200 17,010 -130,510 -1,214 2,265,250 -435,780 77,300 3,009,569 -914,292 10,500 75,538,587 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B DD PREF GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B PCOR PREF 2A SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F

48.2 526 104.5 104.3 535 5.9 1,030 1,060 77.4 81 77 77.6 79.65

48.2 535 105 104.5 535 5.9 1,035 1,060 77.4 81 77 78.2 79.7

48.2 526 104.5 104.3 530 5.9 1,030 1,060 77 81 77 77.6 79.65

PREFERRED 48.2 25,200 535 600 105 15,250 104.4 12,310 530 10,020 5.9 998,700 1,035 820 1,060 30 77 14,790 81 22,180 77 4,000 78.2 101,900 79.7 15,300

1,214,640 318,210 1,599,445 1,286,305 5,310,700 5,892,330 848,600 31,800 1,141,586 1,796,580 308,000 7,961,720 1,218,650

453,080 5,300,000 -5,833,330 308,000 -

LR WARRANT

2.28

2.31

2.24

WARRANTS 2.31 81,000

182,260

-

ALTERRA CAPITAL 6.77 ITALPINAS 4.19 XURPAS 8.64

7.17 4.2 8.77

6.68 4.13 8.6

SME 6.95 4.13 8.65

3,770,070 79,400 10,671,676

164,580 -4,474,438

FIRST METRO ETF 119

119.8

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 118.7 119.8 7,250

864,093

-

NAME

OPEN

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

4.31 25.55 1.61 3.28 30.5 1.03 0.91 4.98

MS TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

SHARES

92,698,480

INDUSTRIAL

103,977,394

HOLDING FIRMS

229,870,933

PROPERTY

364,371,332

SERVICES

337,843,370

MINING & OIL

1,396,009,185

GRAND TOTAL

2,526,570,544

543,400 19,000 1,230,000

VALUE 1,725.49 (up) 0.03 910,579,674.49 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,013.66 (down) 132.24 1,308,695,578.997 HOLDING FIRMS 7,360.21 (down) 28.31 1,192,643,059.15 PROPERTY 3,333.57 (up) 36.17 SERVICES 1,405.41 (up) 13.36 1,023,024,508.08 MINING & OIL 12,248.27 (up) 15.03 868,263,989.35 PSEI 7,232.66 (down) 13.42 375,311,295.93 All Shares Index 4,365.63 (up) 3.42 5,693,904,705.80 Gainers:94; Losers: 84; Unchanged: 45; Total: 223

SSI bares deal with Japanese company

By Jenniffer B. Austria RETAILER SSI Group Inc. formed a joint venture with Ryohin Keikaku Co. Ltd. of Japan to further develop the MUJI retail business in the Philippines.

SSI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it would acquire a 51-percent stake in the joint venture, with RKJ holding the balance. The new company will will own and operate MUJI stores in the Philippines.

The new joint venture company to be called MUJI Philippines Corp. is expected to start operations on April 1, 2017.

“The joint venture with RKJ is expected to strengthen the MUJI brand in the Philippines and enable cost efficiencies,” SSI said.

SSI under the agreement will provide the joint venture company with operational knowledge and apparel and retail sales expertise specific to the Philippines, while RKJ will extend brand management expertise and retail experience specific to the MUJI brand.

SSI will invest P89.25 million for its 51 percent stake in MUJI Philippines while RKJ will spend P85.75 million for its 49 percent interest.

RJK is a Japan based company engaged in the planning, development, procurement, logistics and processing of goods under the brand name MUJI, as well as the operation of MUJI retail stores and the wholesale of MUJI goods to its trade partners.

SEC stops securities sale of two Elite firms THE Securities and Exchange Commission issued a cease-and-desist order against Elite 360 Int’l Holdings Inc. and Elite Global Invasion Trading Corp. for engaging in a Ponzi scheme.

The SEC in an order posted on its website ordered the companies, their officers and agents to immediately stop the sale and offering of unregistered securities to the public.

The corporate regulator said it would initiate administrative and criminal action against any persons or entities found acting as solicitors, information provider, salesmen, agents, brokers, or dealers in behalf of the companies and their officers.

SEC identified Ryan Manuit, Jesus Abejar, Michael Galaraga, Atoz Del Rosario, Farrah Ongkiko and Rizal Vin Manuit as officers of Elite 360 and Elite Global.

Elite 360, according to complaints received by SEC, promised investors to double their investments after 45 days or a 40 percent to 60 percent interest per month on their investments.

The complainants said postdated checks issued to them were dishonored because the account had been closed.

The SEC said Elite 360 and Elite Global were not registered with the corporate regulator, while its agents are not licensed brokers.

The SEC also issued an advisory on alleged investment scam in Marinduque.

The agency said it received inquiries and information that some individuals, operating in Marinduque were offering investment opportunities to the public.

They are reportedly luring investors to invest P150,000 to P300,000 on a promise of a guaranteed return at a rate of 5 percent per month for a period of three months.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Home / Design

B3

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

BOOM TIMES. New businesses flooding into emerging countries in 2017 could ramp up urbanization in ASEAN countries, further growing the profitability of real estate projects in the region.

PH real estate faces bright future in 2017

F

or many, 2016 was a year of change. A year of turbulence no doubt, but for others, it was a year of prosperity. What do the events of last year mean for the real estate market of the future? What predictions can be made for 2017? How is technology shaping the face of Asian online real estate in particular?

Looking forward to the year ahead in a hopeful way, one can learn from both the successes and the alarm bells of 2016.

A new US Presidency may bring uncertainty for global real estate investments in some markets. But other events from the last two years will be encouraging, especially where Asia is concerned.

Below are some likely highs and lows of the year ahead for emerging real estate markets in Asia.

ASEAN cooperation The formation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 had a positive impact on foreign investment in ASEAN in 2016.

The good news is that the AEC will continue boost real estate investment between Asian countries both in 2017 and beyond. The formation of the AEC

HOUSE-HUNTING VIA FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM.

More buyers will be using the internet in 2017 to troll for their ultimate property discovery. Developers and agents know a good tool when they see one, the better to boost their brand’s visibility.

has removed certain trade barriers between countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

According to aseanbriefing. com, real estate investment in the AEC “is poised to continue growing at impressive rates in the coming years as restrictions

BLITZING THROUGH 2017. DMCI Homes will complete 19 buildings in various projects in 2017, 16 of

which are slated ahead of time while three will be delivered as scheduled. In 2016, DMCI Homes completed almost a dozen buildings, shoring up its commitment to deliver quality homes on, or ahead of time, For the first half of 2017, DMCI Homes projects with completed buildings include one building in Verdon Parc in Davao City, and two buildings in the following properties: The Birchwood (Taguig City), Mirea Residences (Pasig City) and Asteria Residences (Paranaque City). A total of 12 buildings will be completed in the remaining half of next year. These include the Viera Residences, (Quezon City) the South Tower of Sheridan Towers (Pasig City), the East Tower of Lumiere Residences (Pasig City), and South Tower of Zinnia Towers (Quezon City); two buildings in The Birchwood and three more buildings for both Mirea Residences and Asteria Residences.

Shown in photo is the Mirea Residences.

on foreign investors are eased and the region’s emergent middle class exercises increased spending power. This effect will apply to emerging markets (e.g.

Indonesia, the Philippines, and Myanmar), as well as more established markets.

FDI increasing in the AEC Trading Economics estimates that FDI in the Philippines will reach PHP 150 000 million by the end of this quarter. The same time last year, figures were below PHP 100 000 million.

In the long-term, FDI “is projected to trend around PHP 197000 million PHP in 2020”.

The difference between 2015’s FDI results and 2016’s is less prominent in Indonesia and Myanmar.

But 2017 could make all the difference with new businesses flooding into emerging countries now that the AEC is more mature. In addition, 2017 will witness ramped up urbanization in ASEAN countries, further growing the profitability of real estate projects in the region.

Relaxed laws on foreign ownership of property 2016 also saw some promising results with some Asian governments taking steps to relax laws governing foreign investment in real estate. Indonesia is the prime example. Those who wish to own property there now can (as long as they meet certain wealth requirements).

Internet penetration According to survey results from 2015, 50% of house-hunt-

ers in Pakistan now use real estate websites and apps to search for property. This is likely to be a direct result of increased internet penetration in Pakistan.

Similar trends can be observed in Bangladesh, and elsewhere in Asia. In the Philippines, internet penetration grew by 26% between 2014 and 2015 and it now stands above 45%. This increase in internet usage has led to property hunters becoming more and more reliant on the internet for their house hunt. As a result of this, real estate professionals are now spending more on digital than ever before.

According to a Lamudi.ph market report, 88% of real estate agents have noticed the internet being used very frequently during the house-hunting process in the Philippines.

How will this trend pan out for real estate in 2017? Well, it is likely that users’ dependency on technology will increase and that property portals and apps will become practically indispensable both for property seekers and agents.

Online advertising on the rise Data collected in 2015 showed that 92% of homebuyers used the internet as an information source, 65% of Internet homebuyers drove by or viewed a home they saw online, and 44% of buyers first found their home on the Internet. ( 2015 NAR Profile of Homebuyers and Sellers). Many of these homebuyers will have used social media to lead them on their search and their ultimate property discovery.

This effect is only going to get stronger in 2017. This trend will lead to increased social media usage for real estate, both among buyers and sellers. Developers and agents are finding out that increasing their brand’s visibility and boosting quality traffic through social media is boosting their sales.

Virtual reality Virtual Reality (VR) s already transforming the face of real estate, just as it has in so many other sectors since VR goggles were first released.Today’s home buyers want more than photos, and with VR technology, buyers can now experience their prospective home in a 360° environment from home or while on the move. Thanks to this revolutionary new technology, real estate markets are now opening up to international buyers.

PARTNERING WITH THE BEST. Concepcion Building and Industrial Solutions (BIS) recently awarded

its partner contractors, referred to as Building Solutions Partners, for their excellence in the construction industry, and commitment to work with Concepcion BIS in catering to the demands of the market. The top two awardees were Escaño Builders and Developers, Inc. and Powertech Refrigeration, Air-Conditioning, and Industrial Services, Inc. Both awardees worked with Concepcion BIS on projects that were worth over Php 10 million. Escaño Builders and Developers, Inc. provided services to a performing arts center in Bonifacio Global City, while Powertech Refrigeration, Air-Conditioning, and Industrial Services, Inc. serviced an electronics manufacturing facility in Laguna. Shown in photo are Rajan Komarasu (far left), group director of BIS, and Raymond Lavarias (far right), senior manager of the building solutions partner division.

FROM SINGLE-USE TO A RESIDENTIAL RESORT COMMUNITY. Palafox

FIRST STEP TO MODERN RAILWAY SYSTEM IN PHI.

The first major upgrade by the Philippine National Railways of its diesel engine locomotives fleet kicked off recently with the turnover of two Philippine National Railways locomotives by MRAIL Inc. and partner Desco, the sole distributor of General Electric Transportation (GET) in the Philippines. An “all-Filipino” team of MRAIL and Desco performed the rehabilitation works for PNR for almost 24 months. At the turnover were (from L-R): Nick Largo-Official Representative of MDJV, Ferdinand Inacay-President & CEO of MRAIL, Joseline Geronimo-OIC of PNR, Roberto Lastimoso-Chairman of the PNR Board, Sherwin Mendiola-President of Desco

Associates is planning to expand an existing resort previously used for teambuilding activities in Laurel, Batangas, into a mixed use development that will include condotels and townhouses. Aside from recreation, home offices with a view of Taal volcano and mountains surrounding the area, will be built, as well as a proposed chapel, nature walk and commercial areas.

The master plan integrates the development into an interconnected walkable and bike-able community.

TOWNHOUSE WITH A MEDITERRANEAN TOUCH.

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com

B4

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017

More commonly known in the West as terraced houses or row houses, the townhouse style is one the most common house designs in the Philippines’ urban areas where they are commonly referred to (quite inaccurately) as “apartments” or “door apartments.” Mediterraneanstyle townhouses houses are commonly seen in upscale neighborhoods, and are characterized by wrought-iron balconies, terracotta exteriors, heavy wooden doors, tegola stone roofs, and colorful tiles as accents.

HOUSE DESIGNS FILIPINOS F LIKE

ilipino homes are becoming more refined with globalization. Yet despite the modern edge, there’s an underlying element of being truly Filipino.

Like many Asian-design houses, the emergence of sleek and sophisticated Filipino architecture followed the trends of adapting to the climate. At the start of the 20th century, Singapore, for example, built bungalows to connect with the climate, and shut out the rain and sun.

In the mid-20th century, air conditioning took over. People designed enclosed houses, and it had an effect on people relying on air conditioning.

In recent years, with the global crisis, Filipino architects and builders have been turning back to sustainability: planting greenery around the house; using less reflective surfaces; extending the roof; making shaded spaces to live in; making one room wide with windows on both sides. Natural ventilation is applied a greater part of the day. In the evening, one closes the windows and hits the aircon for sleeping in.

The coming of the internet has greatly influenced architects’ perspectives over the past years. In the past 25 years, the pace of communication has changed. Now, architects can get ideas from the world in the flash of an eye.

Below are some house styles Filipinos like most.

ASIAN MODERN. Minimalist houses have gained popularity over the years in the Philippines, as seen in

the latest developments in real estate here. This is probably because it fuses perfectly with Asian architecture with its wide windows, simple lines, and color palette of earthy tones like rich browns, ecru, and brassy colors.

Townhouse Style More commonly known in the West as terraced houses or row houses, townhouse style is one the most common house designs in the Philippines’ urban areas . This house design has

MAKE MINE A BUNGALOW. Perhaps the one house design that many Filipinos are familiar with, the term “bungalow” comes from Bengali that roughly translates to “house in the Bengal style. This particular architectural style has a second floor built into a sloping roof, and is quite common in gated communities, or subdivisions in the Philippines.

dominated the early residential developments in Phil- have also been enticed to have their homes built in this ippine cities and urban areas as it requires relatively fashion, incorporating shabby chic or vintage elements smaller lot area (per unit) and is more economical. into the overall home design and its interiors.

This house style is also a popular as rental properties, as starting families opt to purchase or rent townhouse Mediterranean units before moving into larger properties later on.

Heavily influenced by the region from which the home design was named after, Mediterranean-style Minimalist home designs have gained popularity over the years in The term “minimalism” sprouted during the late upmarket resorts and beach-side properties; and while 1960s and was mainly used to describe architecture this is so, it has been getting quite popular with homethat uses natural and pared-down design elements builders and architects, too, because of the refreshing highlighted by simple silhouettes and lines. This type vibe this house design exudes especially if it is built in of design also aims to utilize space so it addresses the middle of a busy city. our problems of clutter and the limits of smaller-thanaverage spaces especially in Metro Manila.

Mid-century Modern Another concept Filipinos adopted from American Country Style architecture is mid-century modern design that flourCountry-style homes evoke that understated ished from the 1940s—an era when two new materials charm, reminiscent of cottage-style houses in Old utilized in this type of house design were introduced: America, which were heavily influenced by 18th- steel and plywood. Marked by simplistic and symmetricentury European colonists. It has then since been cal patterns (though it should not to be confused with deeply ingrained in American architecture, that it is minimalism), it is marked by open spaces, huge glass now the classic template for most traditional homes windows, and the flawless incorporation of nature. This in the States. type of house design, along with the MediterraneanHere in the Philippines, country-themed cafés and style homes, has shown an increase in popularity in coffee shops have been the trend lately. While it has been posh subdivisions and upscale communities, especially an “in” thing with these establishments, homebuilders those outside Metro Manila.

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

C1

OVERLOADED. A tricycle

carrying more than 10 passengers—including the children riding on top of it— travels the Kabacan-Matalam national highway in North Cotabato on Sunday, Jan. 15.

It’s a precarious trip considering this stretch is one of the most accident-prone on the highway, which has no speed limit for vehicles using it. Omar Mangorsi

Binay eyes lower Makati biz taxes M

By Joel E. Zurbano

AKATI City Mayor Abigail Binay on Friday ordered her financial team to study the possibility of lowering taxes for the city’s businesses.

“I can assure you that your city government will continue extending quality services by means of good governance, proper fiscal management and efficient collection, without in-

creasing taxes,” said Binay following a meeting with members of the Rotary Club of Makati.

Binay said lowering taxes would be a way of rewarding all businesses that have stayed in and

remained loyal to the city. The city’s financial managers were already considering the feasibility of her proposal, she added.

The mayor ran down the reforms her leadership put in place to promote lawful, equitable and clean governance and restore efficient and compassionate public service for the benefit of Makati citizens, including members of the business community.

“As soon as I assumed office, I ordered that no contracts with the city government be extended.

All [contracts] should go through a new round of public and transparent biddings. All purchases must be in accordance with procurement laws. All shortages, particularly at the Ospital ng Makati, should be replenished.

No excuses, no extensions, no exceptions,” Binay said.

Earlier, the city government uncovered contracts amounting to over half a billion pesos that were merely extended by the administration of former mayor Romulo Peña Jr., without going

through public bidding and regular procurement process.

These include medical and laboratory supplies for the cityrun hospital, which suffered from shortages in supplies and decline in quality of services under the previous administration, Binay said.

Steps have been taken to address the shortages and repair or replace non-functioning equipment, the mayor added. The new hospital administration has coordinated with her office to

‘Manila’s future is Solar City’

QC extends biz tax deadline to Feb. 3

By Rio N. Araja THE Quezon City government announced on Friday the extension of the deadline for the first quarter tax payments in the city from Jan. 20 to Feb. 3.

Mayor Herbert Bautista approved City Ordinance 2550, granting taxpayers until next month to settle their unpaid obligations without penalties.

The extension was deemed necessary to accommodate the large number of taxpayers paying their business taxes “which continue to remain as major income source for the city,” the city government said.

“The extension also proves necessary in providing taxpayers the opportunity to avail of the benefits of prompt payment under the city’s existing tax relief ordinances,” it added.

Section 167 of Republic Act 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, provides that all local taxes, fees and charges shall be paid within the first 20 days of January or of each subsequent quarter “but the Sangguniang Panlungsod may, for a justifiable reason or cause, extend the payment period not exceeding six months.”

District 1 Councilor Victor Ferrer Jr., along with Councilors Franz Pumaren and Allan Benedict Reyes of District 3, authored the measure to extend the tax payment deadline.

On orders of Bautista, the city government extended the working days and hours of the different offices involved in tax assessment and payments in time for the first quarter deadline for the payment of business taxes and fees.

By Sandy Araneta

TAXPAYERS thoroughly check their forms before submitting them for assessment at the Quezon City Treasurer’s Office. Quezon City Hall is extending the deadline for paying business taxes to Feb. 3, is already observing extended working hours, and is even open on weekends to accommodate taxpayers.

Don’t shut down Payatas dump, city asks Lopez THE Quezon City government appealed on Thursday to Environment Secretary Gina Lopez to reconsider her plan to shut down the Payatas dump by the first quarter of 2017.

In a statement, the city’s Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department said

Quezon City is making “every necessary step to address the concerns of the DENR secretary.”

“To this extent, the Quezon City government is appealing to Secretary Lopez that the city government be given sufficient time to prepare for all the vital adjustments to ensure minimal impact

to the city’s solid waste management plan,” the department said.

The city’s waste hauling contract due to end this September “will serve as a pivotal moment to ensure the smooth transition for the city to dispose of its wastes in other alternative landfill sites.”

City administrator Aldrin Cuña

said they have been studying feasible alternative landfills even before Lopez’s ordered Payatas’ closure.

Frederika Rentoy, EPWMD head, said the city generates 2,700 tons of trash a day, with 500 trucks deployed daily.

“Such number of vehicles would

invariably affect the traffic situation in the alternative landfill to be utilized by Quezon City, be it in the Rizal provincial landfill in Rodriguez, Rizal, the NavotasTanza sanitary landfill via Manila North Harbor’s Pier 18, the Vitas Marine loading station, or elsewhere,” Rentoy said. Rio N. Araja

Taguig gives more help to storm-hit areas in Bicol MORE local government units are extending help to communities devastated

by Typhoons “Nina” and “Lawin.”

Taguig City officials led by Mayor Laarni Cayetano recently visited the provinces of Albay and Camarines Sur to personally turn over calamity assistance checks amounting to P9 million.

ensure that immediate reforms are implemented “to bring back efficiency, professionalism and compassion” at OsMak. Binay also reported many taxpayers were satisfied with the city’s frontline services, after changes that made transactions more systematic and faster than the previous year.

“Our clients have also noted that there were no fixers roaming freely and offering their illegal services, unlike the past year,” she said.

“We want to personally see the situation of the people in Bicol region after the devastation of Typhoon “Nina.”

Seeing the typhoon’s aftermath, we saw that the residents really need assistance.

We hope that from the amount and aid we have given them, it would help them build a new life,” said Cayetano.

Cayetano, whose hometown Tiwi in Albay province was one of the hardest hit areas of the typhoon, said Taguig also donated toys to the children of the cities and municipalities they visited.

Vice Mayor Ricardo Cruz Jr., who assisted Cayetano, also expressed his sympathy to the victims of the calamity.

“It’s really overwhelming—there’s no electricity, you can see buses and trucks turned upside down, light posts and schools were also destroyed. As we were giving checks for the calamity assistance, one of the Mayors of the municipalities we visited even cried,” he said. Joel E. Zurbano

THE City of Manila stands to regain its lost image as the country’s “Pearl of the Orient” and its status as the center of economic activity once the three major reclamation projects underway in Manila Bay, particularly the multibillionpeso Solar City urban center, are completed, a city councilor said Friday.

Majority Floor Leader Councilor Casimiro Sison of the sixth district pointed out that Manila will beat its neighboring cities of Makati, Taguig, and Quezon in terms of financial growth in less than a decade’s time with these developments.

“I think we will be able to surpass all the other cities and it could be, you know, this is bringing back the ‘Pearl of the Orient’ tag Mayor [Joseph] Estrada wants for the city. This would be bringing back the status of the city of Manila as a highly progressive business and commercial center,” Sison said.

Over the years, the councilor said Manila has been overtaken by its neighbors in economic development.

Makati, for instance, already has Ayala Center; Taguig has its Bonifacio Global City, and Quezon City has the Araneta Center and Eastwood commercial district, he said.

Manila, an old city, does not have its own major business hub, Sison added.

“Well, there would be a dramatic increase in all of our tax revenues. I think this can be realized later on, maybe five to six years from now,” the councilor said.

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017

LGUs

Davao sees Japan investing influx D

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera

AVAO CITY—The city government is expecting an influx of Japanese investments after the successful visit of Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe here last week.

“We are confident as Davao City has successfully gained more interest from the Japanese businessmen,” said Davao City Investment and Promotions Center head Lemuel Ortonio.

Ortonio said Japanese businessmen should “invest, live, and play” in the city and take advantage of Davao’s robust economy and ease of doing business.

In a video presentation, Ortonio showed the top 10

preferred investment areas in Davao, the diverse tourism activities, and priority government programs of the local government during the forum that Abe attended.

The investment areas are the agriculture business sector; tourism and recreational facilities; light manufacturing and assembly; property development; health and wellness, educational, and sports facilities; environmental protection and green projects; information and communication technology;

generation of new sources of energy; transportation and infrastructure; and public-private partnership projects.

Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang, speaking for Mayor Sara Duterte during the PhilippinesJapan Investment Forum held at the Waterfront Insular Hotel, said one reason for Japanese businessmen to be confident in investing in the city is the stronger peace and security programs laid down by the current administration.

At least 20 Japanese busi-

nessmen and representatives from companies such as Marubeni, Mitsubishi, Itochu, Sumitomo, Toyota, and Mizuho attended the forum.

Executives from Chodai Company Limited, Sumifru (Philippines) Corp., and Concentrix, which have all established businesses in the city, also shared their success stories to the Japanese delegation.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez supported the city’s pitch by presenting the country’s growth trajectory and in-

vestment opportunities. He emphasized the Philippines should be a great trade and investment partner for Japan because of its growing and stable economy, improved competitiveness and investment grade, strategic location in Asia, and human capital advantage.

Lopez likewise noted several key programs under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, particularly the “10 plus 1” economic agenda and the Comprehensive National Industrial Strategy.

‘Laot’ film to vie in B’ladesh festival

By Mel Caspe TACLOBAN CITY—The short film “Laot” (High Seas) of Leyte National High School has been chosen as as finalist in the 10th International Film Festival in Bangladesh from Jan. 24 to 30.

The film will be one of the country’s three entries under the Child Filmmakers’ Section.

Last October, “Laot” cleaned up at the Second Adolescent Health and Development Independent Film Festival conducted by the Commission on Population in Eastern Visayas or POPCOM-8.

The independent film took Best Poster, Best Trailer, Best Editing, Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Film.

Directed by Peter Am Alre Gaylon, “Laot” was produced by students of LNHS, the region’s biggest secondary school.

The film focused on adolescent health issues and environmental advocacy. It juxtaposed the changing climate through the locals’ experience during Super Typhoon “Yolanda,” and emphasized how the environment affects the health and well-being of young people.

“I was elated with the official finalist selection of the region’s entry. This will open new opportunities for young people to further their advocacy on adolescent health and environmental concerns,” said POPCOM-8 Regional Director Elnora R. Pulma.

The filmfest centered on population, health and environment and its relations to young people in the context of sustainable development.

ARRIVAL HONORS. Police Deputy Director General Francisco A. Uyami Jr. (third from left), PNP Deputy Chief for Administration, passes by a row of flags escorted by Laguna Provincial

Director PSSupt. Joel C. Pernito (left) and PSupt. Norman T. Rañon, Chief of Police of Sta. Cruz, Laguna, in arrival honors for Uyami at Camp Gen. Paciano Rizal in Barangay Bagong Bayan, Sta. Cruz. Uyami visited Laguna ahead of his retirement in March as a three-star police general, as he served in the province in 1993. Roy Tomandao

Human milk bank in Baguio proposed

By Dexter A. See BAGUIO CITY—The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance establishing a human milk bank in the city to support children in need of breast milk.

Authored by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot Jr., the ordinance states it shall be the policy of the local government to promote and advance the health of women, as well as their children, by providing for their basic needs.

Breastfeeding is the natural way of providing infants with the nutrients for healthy growth and

development, it added.

A human milk bank section under the City Health Services Office Pediatric Section will collect, screen, process, store and distribute donated human milk. It should also implement guidelines issued by hospital officials together with the City Health Services Officer with the donation, collection, screening, processing, storing and distribution of donated breast milk.

The health office would also coordinate with breastfeeding support groups and barangay health workers within the city to spread awareness and encourage

mothers to donate breast milk.

Yangot said the milk bank should operate as a non-profit, but a minimal processing fee may be charged to cover the screening fee, processing and administrative cost. However, inability to pay the said fees should not be a reason to get milk for patients in need, the councilor added.

Trained and dedicated health personnel in human milk banking and location management, consultants and physicians would make up the section. One of them would be the human milk bank section head, and the

others would be the coordinator or administrator, lactating specialist or counsellor nurse, midwife, and medical technologist.

The milk bank would also draft the necessary rules and regulations for the qualifications, disqualifications and benefits of a milk donor. It would maintain, review and regularly update a manual of procedures for the rules and guidelines related to the donation, collection, screening, processing, storing and distribution of donated breast milk.

Yangot added in the distribution of donated breast milk,

Foundation rebuilds Northern Samar health unit

IN BRIEF Pusher dies after Rosario buy-bust ROSARIO, Cavite—A suspected drug pusher died in a buy-bust operation after he fired at policemen trying to arrest him at Marseilla Street in Barangay Bagbag 2 here on Thursday.

Ronald Barron, 48, of Barangay Bagbag, traded gunshots with authorities as he was being arrested by PO1 Robert Legaspi after a Double Barrel Alpha operation in the area, Rosario police investigators said.

Bar ron f ired at Legaspi, who posed as a buyer, with a caliber .38 pistol but missed, and died on the spot. Recovered from the scene were one sachet of suspected shabu Bar ron sold for P500 plus four more sachets inside a coin purse, money and other parapher nalia. Benjamin Chavez

BDO Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of BDO Unibank, has rehabilitated Allen Rural Health Unit in Northern Samar as part of its rehabilitation program in provinces severely affected by disasters.

The rural health unit was damaged in 2015 by Typhoon “Nona” (international name “Melor”), considered one of the strongest to make landfall 6 arrested in in the province.

Imus pot session The health center was inaugurated and IMUS, Cavite—Four men turned over in an event attended by BDO and two women having a Eastern Visayas area head Albert Chu, BDO pot session were arrested by Foundation program director Rose Espinosa, elements of the Imus City and BDO Samar-Catarman branch head Hazel Police Station in Barangay Divinosa, who recommended the health center Bucandala 3 here after a to the foundation and assisted in coordinating buy-bust operation with ofwith local officials. ficers of the Philippine Drug Local officials were represented by Allen Enforcement Agency.

Mayor Laureana Suan, Vice Mayor Arturo Arrested were Rommel Dubongco Jr., and Municipal Health Officer Fauni, 43; Eliseo Marcial, Dr. Daisy Abasolo.

42; Larry Pulgado, 30; AbBDO Foundation rehabilitated the health unit’s elardo Sarreal Jr., 36; Joann offices, clinics, consultation rooms, treatment Sarreal, 38; and Christy rooms and facilities, as well as its spaces for chilManicio, 36. Officers on dren and senior citizens. case PO3 Jun Colorado and The foundation refurbished its birthing faciliPO1 Mark Joseph Jader ties and breastfeeding station so mothers and baCYAN MAGENTA BLACK said YELLOW the suspects were all bies “are afforded the Manila on the community drug best care possible,” said Extrajudicial Standard Settlement of the watchlist.

Espinosa.

The improveTODAY Estate of the Deceased Fauni sold a sachet of susments will enable docAlfredo D. Cruz pected shabu to policemen tors and nurses to proNotice is hereby given posing as buyers and led the vide patient care more that the estate of the late Alfredo D. Cruz was authorities to the house they effectively, she added.

Extra-Judicially Settled were using for the pot sesby his heirs Marilou C. Allen Rural Health Webster, Alan A. Cruz sion, Colorado said. RecovUnit benefits more & Josephine Jesusa C. Del Rosario as per Doc. ered there were four more than 26,000 people No.330, Page No.67; sachets of suspected shabu in 20 barangays.

The Book No.436, Series of 2017 before Notary and drug paraphernalia. health center averPublic Atty.Virgilio R. Benjamin Chavez ages approximately 22 Residents of Allen, Northern Samar join local government officials and representatives of BDO Foundation in celebrating the Batalla births per month. rehabilitation of their Rural Health Unit, which benefits over 26,000 people in the area hit by Typhoon ‘Nona’ in 2015.

(MS-JAN. 21,28 & FEB. 4, 2017)

World IN BRIEF Man harasses workers with 3,000 calls LOS ANGELES―A California man who clearly had time on his hands was found guilty on Thursday of harassing federal employees with more than 3,000 expletive-filled and threatening phone calls.

Kulwant (Ken) Singh Sandhu, 56, placed the calls to employees at the US Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, leaving at least 350 lengthy voice mails, officials said.

Apart from the 3,000 calls made since at least 2012, he also placed hundreds of calls to another person outside government, officials said.

“Many of Sandhu’s phone calls to employees and his voice mails were profanity-filled tirades that repeatedly called for SEC personnel and others to be, among other things, rounded up, publicly hanged, water-boarded, burned alive, shot and blown up with rockets and tanks,” federal prosecutor Phillip Talbert said in a statement.

Sandhu was found guilty following a three-day trial.

He faces up to two years in prison at his sentencing in April on each of two counts of making harassing phone calls. He also faces a fine of $250,000.

It was unclear what prompted the calls. AFP

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017

Drug lord extradited to US N

EW YORK―Mexican drug baron Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, one of the world’s most notorious criminals, was extradited to the United States on Thursday to face charges on the eve of Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Royal Navy disposes of bomb LONDON―Britain’s Royal Navy has disposed of a suspected World War II bomb discovered in London’s River Thames close to parliament, leading to the closure of two bridges, police said Friday.

“Victoria Embankment has now reopened after police and the Royal Navy worked together to remove a suspected WWII ordnance,” London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

Police were called at 5.15pm (1715 GMT) on Thursday to reports of a suspected WWII bomb.

The involvement of the armed forces came hours after police temporarily evacuated Westminster underground station, which serves the Houses of Parliament.

The rush hour shutdown also saw the closure of Westminster Bridge, in the shadow of parliament’s Big Ben clock, and Waterloo Bridge, both of which have since reopened.

The ordnance was spotted after coming to the surface of the water in the tidal flow of the Thames, a police spokesman told AFP. It was found in the river by Victoria Embankment, close to Horse Guards Avenue where the Old War Office Building is located, which was used by the British government during World War II and was bombed. AFP

Desperate search for firefighters TEHRAN―Rescue workers pressed a desperate search on Friday for around 20 firefighters trapped under the rubble of a Tehran high-rise that collapsed the previous day.

One firefighter, who had managed to escape the 15-story Plasco building before it fell, died in hospital from severe burns, the official IRNA news agency reported.

The building, which was Iran’s oldest high-rise and contained a shopping center and hundreds of clothing suppliers, came down after a four-hour blaze.

Rescue workers, soldiers and sniffer dogs worked through the night in a desperate bid to locate around 20 firefighters who were still inside when it collapsed.

They had so far been unable to reach any survivors or find any bodies, despite the frantic clearing effort and two tunnels being dug under the wreckage of the building. AFP

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PRESENT. Hermione Corfield attends the premiere of Paramount Pictures’ ‘xXx: Return Of Xander Cage’ in Los Angeles, California. AFP

US Congress criticized over Guantanamo WASHINGTON―US President Barack Obama delivered an angry parting shot at Congress on Thursday, berating Republicans for blocking his efforts to close the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay. The facility “never should have been opened in the first place,” Obama said in a scathing two-page letter on the eve of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

“There is simply no justification beyond politics for the Congress’ insistence on keeping the facility open,” he added.

Trump has vowed not just to keep Guantanamo open, but to boost the number of terror suspects housed there -- even raising the prospect of US citizens

being sent to the facility.

“We’re going to load it up with some bad dudes; believe me, we’re going to load it up,” Trump famously said while campaigning last year.

On another occasion, he said “it would be fine” if US terror suspects were sent there for trial.

One of Obama’s first acts as president in 2009 was to issue an executive order to shut the controversial jail within a year -- a move that once enjoyed bipartisan support.

But Republican opponents, sensing a political vulnerability, quickly reversed course after Obama took office and blocked moves to close Guantanamo.

In his letter, Obama blasted the cost of running the prison

-- approximately $7 million per prisoner annually -- and said it projected a negative view of America to the rest of the world.

“Terrorists use it for propaganda, its operations drain our military resources during a time of budget cuts, and it harms our partnerships with allies and countries whose cooperation we need against today’s evolving terrorist threat,” he wrote.

Despite failing to close Guantanamo, Obama massively reduced the prison population.

On Monday, 10 former detainees -- eight Yemenis and two Afghans -- were sent to Oman, bringing the remaining Guantanamo population to 45, down from 242 when Obama

took office.

In his letter, Obama said that only 41 detainees now remain at Guantanamo.

The Pentagon confirmed later Thursday that three prisoners -- Ravil Mingazov of Russia, Haji Wali Muhammed of Afghanistan, and Yemeni Yassim Qasim Mohammed Ismail Qasim -- were transferred to the United Arab Emirates.

A fourth, Jabran al Qahtani, was repatriated to Saudi Arabia, the Pentagon said.

Of the 41 men still at Guantanamo, five are cleared for transfer and another 26 remain in legal limbo -- the so-called “forever prisoners” who have not been charged with anything but are deemed too dangerous to release. AFP

Guzman heads the Sinaloa cartel, which is accused of generating much of the deadly violence in Mexico’s decades-long drug war and providing tons of narcotics to the United States.

The drug kingpin landed at MacArthur Airport on Long Island, the US Justice Department said. US television broadcast footage of what appeared to be his convoy arriving outside a New York jail, the street outside bristling with heavily armed US Marshalls.

His extradition caps a Hollywood-worthy cat-and-mouse game between Mexican authorities and the slippery 59-yearold drug lord, who escaped from prison twice.

His feats turned him into a legend of Mexico’s underworld, with musicians singing his praises in folk ballads known as “narcocorridos” -- tributes to drug capos.

US prosecutors said Brooklyn federal attorney Robert Capers will hold a news conference at 10:00 am (1500 GMT) -- less than two hours before Trump’s inauguration -- to announce his extradition and arraignment.

Guzman is charged in six separate indictments throughout the United States, one of which is in New York.

The drug baron had fought desperately against extradition since being recaptured almost exactly a year ago in his home state of Sinaloa following his second daring jailbreak.

President Enrique Pena Nieto previously refused to extradite Guzman, but he changed tack after his latest escape in July 2015.

He had been held most recently in prison in Ciudad Juarez, which borders Texas, after being abruptly transferred from a penitentiary near Mexico City last May. The Mexican foreign ministry said he was handed over to US authorities after the Supreme Court and a court of appeals rejected his latest bids to avoid extradition.

The appeals court ruled that the extradition conformed with a bilateral treaty and that Guzman’s rights had not been violated, the statement said.

The US Justice Department extended “its gratitude to the government of Mexico for their extensive cooperation and assistance.”

But one of Guzman’s lawyers, Silvia Delgado, told Milenio television that she was surprised by the extradition, calling it “illegal” because another legal petition was pending.

In May, the Mexican foreign ministry approved extradition bids from California, where he is wanted for drug distribution, and Texas, where he faces a slew of charges including murder and money laundering.

Trump, who takes office on Friday, has publicly clashed with Mexico over trade and immigration issues. The Republican president-elect has pledged to build a wall on the US-Mexican border.

Alejandro Hope, a prominent Mexican security expert, said the decision to extradite Guzman in the last hours of Barack Obama’s presidency and before Trump takes office was “not a coincidence.” AFP

Brazil troops deployed as prison riot spreads NATAL, Brazil―Stick-wielding inmates hurled stones and lit fires Thursday in a Brazilian jail where dozens were previously massacred, as authorities struggled to contain a wave of gang violence.

Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to try to separate two groups of inmates as they fought a pitched battle in the courtyard of the Alcacuz prison, AFP reporters overlooking the facility saw.

Unrest also erupted overnight in the town of Natal near the jail, prompting the government to order the armed forces to deploy to the town.

“The troops will reinforce the patrols in the streets of Natal after the riot in Alcacuz prison,” President Michel Temer’s office said in a statement.

Globonews television channel showed pictures of injured inmates being evacuated from the jail.

Rioting had also broken out overnight in six towns in the state, a spokesman for local authorities told AFP. Rioters set on fire 21 buses plus other vehicles and seven people were arrested in that unrest, the spokesman said.

One person died and five were

hurt during another prisoner uprising in the nearby town of Caico, he said.

On Wednesday, elite officers entered the Alcacuz prison near the northern city of Natal and transferred 220 inmates to another jail.

In the town, groups allied with the imprisoned gang members “attacked buses in revenge for the decision to separate the prisoners,” state governor Robinson Faria said.

“The situation got much worse last night.”

The Alcacuz facility was the scene of gruesome violence between two rival gangs last weekend when 26 inmates were massacred, most of them beheaded.

That was the third major mass killing in a Brazilian prison this year.

So far this year 134 people have been killed in prison violence, according to the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper, citing justice ministry figures.

Authorities are accused of allowing gangs to run the overcrowded jails.

Defense Minister Raul Jungmann called the situation a “national emergency.” AFP

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS. TV personality Ellen DeGeneres, left, and actress Portia de Rossi attend the People’s Choice Awards 2017 at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017

World

Search for avalanche survivors to continue P ENNE, Italy―Rescuers have vowed to keep looking for survivors of a devastating avalanche that buried an Italian mountain hotel, as they begin a second day of searching.

At least 25 people, including several children, were feared dead after a barrage of snow hit the Hotel Rigopiano on Wednesday afternoon, ripping the threestory building from its foundations and moving it 10 meters.

Rescue work continued Thursday night but the prospects of anyone being rescued alive looked bleak, with search efforts hampered by heavy snow that blocked access roads to the remote site until the early hours of the morning after the avalanche hit.

“We’re holding on to hope that there are survivors inside,”

Deputy Interior Minister Filippo Bubbico told reporters Thursday in the town of Penne, where a camp for rescue workers has been set up.

“Firefighters and alpine rescuers are working tirelessly and now the army is doing everything to improve access to the route,” he said.

Special army mountain rescue teams were seen riding in vehicles with caterpillar tracks.

“A small avalanche has created a wall of snow across the path to the hotel, we are heading up there now to knock it down,” said army

Major Nicola Cappozolo.

“As long as there is hope of finding survivors we’ll be there” Two bodies have been extracted from the rubble and two survivors suffering from hypothermia taken to a hospital.

Italian broadcasters showed images of piles of masonry and rubble in the entrance area of what they dubbed a “coffin hotel”.

The region was hit by four seismic shocks measuring above five magnitude in the space of four hours on Wednesday. Quake experts said the tremors almost certainly triggered the snowslide.

The hotel’s guests had been assembled on the ground floor awaiting an evacuation following the quakes that was delayed by snow-blocked roads when the avalanche struck.

Local officials confirmed two guests who were not inside

when the avalanche hit had been rescued.

One of them, identified as Giampiero Parete, 38, was quoted by friends in Italian media as saying his wife and two children, a girl aged six and a boy aged eight, had been inside the hotel.

Officials said there had been between 20 and 22 guests staying and seven or eight staff on duty at the hotel on the eastern lower slopes of the Gran Sasso mountain. It was unclear if there were any additional people in the hotel.

The hotel, a four-star establishment with its own spa and indoor pool, was located at an altitude of 1,200 metres (3,900 feet) around 90 kilometers east of the epicenters of Wednesday’s earthquakes.

They were also centere near Amatrice, the town devastated in an August quake in which nearly 300 people died. AFP

SUNDANCE FESTIVAL. Recording artist Kenny Loggins performs onstage during An Artist at the Table Benefit during the 2017 Sundance Film Festival at DeJoria Center in Kamas, Utah. AFP

Girl who vanishes captivates Iceland

3 dead, 20 hurt as car rams shoppers

REYKJAVIK―A young woman vanishes in the Arctic night, elite police chase down a trawler at sea, and three sailors are jailed: Iceland, with one of the world’s lowest crime rates, is fearing a tragic outcome to a rare crime.

On this tranquil North Atlantic island, home to medieval stories of murders and barbaric beatings, the police patrol the streets unarmed and homicides are extremely rare.

“It’s a really safe country, no war or anything like that. The crime rate is low,” says Tomas Kjartansson, a 26-year-old salesman in a men’s clothing shop.

And so the disappearance of 20-year-old Birna Brjansdottir has captivated the country.

The media has reported on little else in recent days, and a solemn march in her honor, tracing her last known steps, was held in Reykjavik on Wednesday.

The auburn-haired young woman was last seen around 5:00 am on Saturday after a night of drinking and partying in Reykjavik’s bars.

Dressed in black trousers, a hooded parka and black Dr Martens, Brjansdottir was captured on video surveillance cameras around dawn, stumbling in the snowy and foggy streets as she bought herself a kebab, struggling to stay on her feet.

Then, all trace of her is lost.

She fails to show up for work a few hours later in the clothing boutique where she’s employed.

Her shoes are found in the port of Hafnarfjordur, south of Reykjavik, not far from the dock where a Greenlandic trawler, the Polar Nanoq, is moored.

Her cell phone signal is later tracked to that area, where someone has turned it off.

Video surveillance cameras also show a small red car, a Kia Rio, parked near the vessel around 6:30 am -- identical to a vehicle observed near the spot where Brjansdottir was last seen.

The Polar Nanoq lifts anchor the same day.

It is later summoned at sea to turn back to Iceland, and, escorted by the Danish coast guard, returns to Reykjavik on Wednesday.

Just in case, members of Iceland’s elite police force, known as the Viking Squad, fly out to the ship by helicopter to question the crew.

Three sailors end up arrested, “suspected of possessing information about the disappearance,” Icelandic police wrote on Twitter. AFP

MELBOURNE―A car ploughed into pedestrians on a popular shopping strip in the heart of Australia’s second-largest city on Friday, killing three people including a young child and injuring dozens more.

Police said they were not considering the incident an act of terrorism.

Witnesses described “bodies flying through the air” and people running out of the path of the speeding vehicle in the central mall area of Melbourne.

Moments before, passers-by had watched astonished as the driver gesticulated out the window and spun the maroon-colored saloon round a major intersection, blocking traffic.

The trail of violence took place barely a kilometer away from Melbourne Park where the world’s top tennis stars were playing the opening Grand Slam of the year in a city teeming with tourists.

Police shot the 26-year-old male driver -- who has a history of family violence, mental health and drug issues -- in the arm and arrested him.

“This individual is not related to any counter-terrorism or any terrorism-related activities,” said Graham Ashton, chief commissioner for the state of Victoria.

“He is not on our books as having any connection with terrorism and we’re not regarding this as a terrorism-related incident.

“What we do know of the person is there is an extensive family violence history involved.”

Three people were killed at different locations on Bourke Street, a man and a woman in their 30s and a child whose age was not given for privacy reasons, Ashton said.

Fifteen others were hurt. Five of them were in a critical condition, including an infant, he added.

The Royal Children’s Hospital said it was treating four children aged three months, two years, nine years and 12 years.

“The prayers and heartfelt sympathies of all Australians are with the victims and the families of the victims of this shocking crime in Melbourne today,” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in a statement.

The driver allegedly stabbed his brother in the suburb of Windsor six kilometers south of Bourke Street early on Friday, Ashton said.

Police had tried to intercept his car before it entered the city about 1.45 pm local time (0245 GMT) and he was seen driving erratically outside Melbourne’s main train station in the afternoon. AFP

PREMIERE. Actress Ariadna Gutierrez arrives at the premiere of Paramount Pictures’ ‘xXx: Return of Xander Cage’ at the Chinese Theater on January 19, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Ivanka asks US to give her dad a chance NEW YORK―Give Donald Trump a chance, incoming first daughter Ivanka is asking fellow Americans as her father readies to be sworn in as president of a sharply divided country on Friday.

Yet in an interview with ABC News, aired on the eve of the inauguration, the businesswoman and mother of three also admitted to urging her father to cut out some of his more controversial tweets.

“My father is an incredible unifier. For every critic, I would say give him time. Let him come into office. Let him prove you wrong,” the 35-year-old told ABC as she

prepares to move to Washington.

Asked what she would say to tens of thousands of protesters expected to march across the United States Saturday who are worried that the incoming Republican administration will roll back rights, she replied: “I say, give my father a chance.”

Ivanka, whose husband has been appointed a White House advisor, is stepping down from both the family business and from running her fashion label to avoid conflict of interest accusations.

Known to be a calming influence on Trump, she said she gave her father “my feedback, solicited

or otherwise” when it came to his twitter feed, adding “of course, at times, I tell him not to.”

Yet she also sought to dispel press speculation that she will become de facto first lady as her stepmother Melania stays in New York until the Trumps’ 10-year-old son, Barron, has at least finished the school year.

“There is one first lady and Melania will be an incredible first lady. I’m proud of her. She is intelligent, warm, caring and a remarkable person,” Ivanka told ABC. But she was equally careful not to rule out a role for herself.

“My focus is moving to Wash-

ington, traveling around the country and listening and getting great feedback on how I can add positive value,” she told ABC. She praised her husband Jared Kushner, whose White House appointment raised fears about nepotism, as a “remarkable human being.”

She also maintained that Chelsea Clinton was still “a very good friend,” despite the bitterness of the general election between her father and Chelsea’s Democratic mother Hillary Clinton.

Asked whether she will call her father Mr President, Ivanka replied: “He is always Dad.” AFP

I

N 2014, The World Post named Metro Manila one of the world’s “10 FastestEmerging Global Cities” because of its eclectic lifestyle, metropolis vibe and world-class shopping.

Rediscover the tourism gems of the 16 cities and one municipality in the Metro Manila Tourism Forum (MMTF), which will gather government and private stakeholders in the National Capital Region to help draw a comprehensive framework in tourism development.

The Automobile Association Philippines (AAP), the country’s national auto club, has organized the event along with the host local government unit, Quezon City, led by Mayor Herbert Bautista on Feb. 9-10 at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria.

Supported by the Department of Tourism (DoT), the Forum will be participated in by local tourism council officers, local government executives, and members of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines (HRAP) in Metro Manila.

According to AAP President Augusto Lagman, the two-day confab is themed “ASEAN: Enhancing City Tourism Destinations towards Sustainable Development” in line with the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s observance of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

Lagman said the MMTF will integrate tourism in the promotion of inclusive and sustainable growth; employment and poverty reduction; resource efficiency, environmental protection and climate change; cultural values, diversity and heritage; and peace and security.

Topics include Changing the Tourism Face of City Destinations for a Quality Visitor Experience, Enhancing City Tourism Destinations Competitiveness through Improved Accessibility, and A 360o View: Positioning City Tourism Destinations in the ASEAN and Local Marketplace.

Lagman added that the Forum would tackle ways in putting in place the DoT’s thrust of “Accessible Tour-

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017

TRAVEL AND LEISURE

D1

Rediscovering metro’s

TOURISM SOUL The upcoming Metro Manila Tourism Forum aims to draw a comprehensive framework in tourism development

ism for All,” especially for persons with disability and the disadvantaged sectors of the society.

DoT Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo will lead the keynote speakers, which also include UNWTO Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific Xu Jing, The Wallace Business Forum President Peter Wallace, Singapore’s Co-

ordinating Minister for Infrastructure & Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan, and Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) immediate past President Gregory Duffel.

Other keynote speakers are International School for Sustainable Tourism President Dr. Mina Gabor, Homestay Philippines, Inc. President Rose Li-

bongco, TravPax Solutions Pte Ltd. President Dror Maytal, and DoT-NCR Officer-in-Charge Cathy Agustin who will present the best metropolitan tour packages.

The MMTF has also invited participants from other ASEAN member countries in support of the Philippines’ chairmanship of this year’s ASEAN Summit

and 50th anniversary celebration.

The event draws to a close with a dinner hosted by Manila City Government and Mayor Joseph Estrada, host of next year’s Forum.

For details, contact AAP at 705-3333 and 0928-5074288 or email metromanilatourismforum@gmail.com.

Metro Manila is home to some of the Philippines’s tourism gems such as (from left) Club Intramuros in Manila, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and Quezon Memorial Shrine in Quezon City.

Baguio in full bloom for Miss U outing MISS Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach and 28 candidates of the 2016 Miss Universe pageant arrived in the City of Pines on Wednesday to the delightful scent of flowers in full bloom and the festive sound of traditional Cordilleran music reverberating in the cool and crisp mountain weather.

Cadets of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in full gala uniform met the candidates at the Loakan Airport drawing their swords in silent drill to welcome the guests onboard three Platinum Skies’ Dornier planes from Manila.

Four specially-designed floats, bedecked with tons of assorted blooms— roses, chrysanthemums, daisies, among other flowers reminiscent of the annual Panagbenga Festival, carried the

candidates and Wurtzbach for a parade down the city’s nostalgic Session Road with heart-stomping drums from bands and street dancers while crowd that patiently lined up the three-kilometer stretch cheered them.

After almost an hour of motorcade in the chilly Baguio weather, the ladies and their entourage sought warm shelter at the rustic and homey Baguio Country Club (BCC).

The BCC laid out a reception fit for royalty, with an interesting line up of activities as part of the pre-pageant extravaganza leading to the much awaited coronation night on Jan. 30 at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB) and BCC General

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach and Miss Barbados Shannon Harries tried their hands on the solar pyrography.

Manager Anthony de Leon welcomed the candidates, defining their presence as an important milestone for their hotels’ illustrious history.

Representing Department of Tourism (DoT) Secretary Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo were Undersecretary Falconi Millar, Assistant Secretary Frederick Alegre and DoT-CAR Regional Director Marie Venus Tan. Wurtzbach later led the celebrity tee off signaling the start of the equallyawaited golf tournament. She also took part in a tree-planting activity at the sprawling BCC golf course.

Meanwhile, some of the ladies, in cool outdoor outfits complete with boots, baskets and sun hats, gamely buckled down at the BCC’s very own strawberry farm to acquaint themselves with the iconic fruit of Baguio.

DoT’s Alegre, who joined the candidates at the strawberry-picking and tree-planting activities, shared how amazed the ladies were with Baguio, and that “it has so much to offer.”

Miss Kosovo Camila Barraza likened the mountain ranges of Baguio to the highlands of her country, while the Philippines’ tropical weather suited Miss Mauritius Kushboo Ramnawaj, calling it “ideal to all types of tourists.”

Other than the leisurely activities at BCC, the ladies were also treated to an interaction with Baguio-based artists, including the world renowned Kidlat Tahimik, also known as the grandfather of the Philippine New Wave and a pioneer of postcolonial essay films.

Meanwhile, the Tam-Awan Village artists showcased the culture and arts of the Cordillera. They also witnessed a weaving demo from an indigenous artist while Pia and the other ladies tried their hands on the solar pyrography.

The ladies and their entourage capped the day at a gala dinner at the BCC Cordillera convention hall.

The 65th Miss Universe Baguio ancillary event was the effort of HRAB and other private partners .

The candidates proceed next to Davao and Batangas for the Mindanao Tapestry Presentation and Sunset photo shoot.

Miss Universe 2016 candidates with Governor Luis ‘Chavit’ Singson wave to the crowd during the fluvial parade

The ladies greet the crowd from speciallydesigned floats decked with flowers

Pia Wurtzbach riding a mini jeepney

Some of the Miss Universe 2016 candidates try the cultural dance of the Cordilleras

Life

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

TOURISM and ECOLOGY The placid Lake Sebu in South Cotabato is an example of an Ecotourism site

I

DEALLY, these two should be partners regardless of where in the world the observation is made. But experts and those concerned with the environment are quick to say that these two, MERCURY RISING because of present-day practices,

BY BOB ZOZOBRADO are farthest from being partners.

Whereas Ecology is mindful of keeping any place in its pristine form, free from destruction by humans, Tourism brings to a place the multitudes of curious visitors who are, most of the time, careless with what they do while in that place, leading to its destruction.

On one hand, experts concerned with the environment complain about tourism decision-makers who give more importance to income-generating activities, even if it leads to the eventual destruction of the tourist site. On the other hand, Tourism officials also complain that the environmentalists’ concerns limit, and sometimes, prevent economic progress.

Since both sides agree that there has to be some balance between the two seemingly opposing goals, Ecotourism was born, designed to give rise to a sustainable Tourism Industry that would meet the standards of both factions.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Ecotourism is a nature-based form of tourism in which the main motivation of the tourists is the observation, appreciation and preservation of nature, and of the indigenous culture of that area. In fact, its popular mantra, which applies anywhere in the world, is: Take nothing but pictures, Leave nothing but footprints, Kill nothing but time.

Ecotourism is meant to be a lowimpact and small-scale activity, as a safeguard for the conservation of the environment going hand-in-hand with

the improvement of the wellbeing of the locals. This is in contrast with the usual mass tourism, which brings in big groups to a place, without any care for the preservation of the locale and the welfare of its inhabitants.

Among the many Ecotourism destinations in our country, the most popular that come to mind is the beautiful, idyllic province up North…Batanes. The smallest province in the country offers awesome, breathtaking views that have been featured in so many local movie and television productions, and magazines.

Among the many must-see destinations in the province are: the towering Basco Lighthouse, the Marlboro Hills scenery, and the boulder beach of Valugan Bay. Sure to attract tourist also are the stone houses of the Ivatans and the unique and petite Mt. Carmel church, which is also made of stone and limestone.

Simply because Batanes is an island, it can easily be damaged by the negative effect of unsupervised tourism, thus, it has become a protected area. Ecotourism sees to it that the province’s bountiful natural resources are preserved and that the Ivatans (villagers) share in the resulting economic activities, giving them enough funds to maintain their desired standard of living.

Another Ecotourism site in the country that is now increasingly gaining popularity is Lake Sebu in South Cotabato, home to the Manobo, T’Boli, and the Tiruray tribes. Many tourists call it a “jewel-of-a-destination” because it

An Ivatan stone house, the oldest in the province of Batanes

has seven marvelous waterfalls, which one can get a breathtaking bird’s-eyeview of on the long zipline over it. The place also has three amazing lakes, which are perfect for kayaking, and a dense rainforest rich in flora and fauna.

Recent developments are very encouraging because it’s not only the people in our Tourism Industry that are now giving importance to Ecology, even designers and architects have joined the bandwagon. One such architect is Philippine Institute of Interior Designers President James Jao, who earned his post-graduate degree in City Design and Social Science from the London School of Economics.

After returning to the country from his academic pursuits, he ventured into construction of “Eco Houses” which were not yet popular then.

What gave him the break and has made him a pioneer of sorts in urban ecology was his iconic design of a

Alviera’s SandBox opens at night

Thrill-seekers looking for adventure can try out the rollercoaster zipline at Sandbox in Alviera

unique Eco-friendly house, which became a main feature of the 2008 Manila Construction Show at the SMX Mall of Asia. His Eco Houses are carbonneutral, using materials that are sustainable, and can be built anywhere in the country, whether by the sea, or on a mountain, or right in the middle of the metropolis. What is even more significant is that his Eco Houses can withstand a Magnitude 9 earthquake or a Signal no. 5 typhoon. An Eco House he built survived the Bohol earthquake with nary a scratch, and another one he

built in Tacloban was untarnished by super-typhoon Yolanda.

With pioneering architects like Jao, and similar-minded individuals, it looks like the gap between Ecology and our Tourism Industry is beginning to narrow, as more and more people are now conscious of the importance of an area’s sustainability, and its preservation. If you want to help out, just sing out Ecotourism’s popular mantra.

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

YOUR SATURDAY CHUCKLE Why are there no Olympic medalists from Mexico? Because everyone from that country who can run, jump, or swim is already across the border.

ALVIERA has announced that SandBox guests can now enjoy all the attractions at the outdoor adventure park until 9 p.m. every Friday and Saturday.

Li’l People, a new entertainment facility welcomes children up to 12 years old. The air-conditioned indoor playground is filled with colorful play areas where children can interact with each other. Educational toys abound to help them learn while playing.

“SandBox in Alviera is popular with families, especially those with small children. Our newest facility will service the needs of families with little kids. This way, all family members, not just the adults, can have a great time in Sandbox,” said Jomi De Guzman, Alviera Project Development manager.

Alviera, an Ayala Land sustainable estate in partnership with Leonio Land, is located in Porac, Pampanga.

The estate is accessible via NLEX-SCTEX and is envisioned to become a regional growth center of Central Luzon.

New dining choices have also opened in SandBox. El Pedro Cubano is an authentic Cuban restaurant that offers Cuban sandwiches, arroz, mariquitas (chips with salsa), tucca fritas (cassava fries with salsa), tamales and empanadas.

Another new dining option is Morgan’s Comfort Food. A visit to a Kapampangan household will not be complete without good food, animated laughter, and loud conversations. Inspired from what a Kapampangan lola, or apu will prepare on a typical Sunday lunch gathering, dishes are filling, uncomplicated

and comforting, like giving you a hug from home.

Those with a sweet tooth will appreciate Monster Milkshake’s creations.

They serve over-the-top milkshakes, ice cream, and bubble waffles, along with savory snacks like hotdogs and waffle fries to complement the icy comfort goodness. With the unique infusion of flavors in each milkshake, Monster Milkshake creates an unforgettable experience for everyone.

“We continually strive to make SandBox a place where everyone, young and old, can enjoy their time and appreciate the outdoors. There is something for every member of the family here,” said De Guzman.

Through the years, SandBox has attracted not only visitors from Pampanga, but also those coming from Manila and nearby provinces. The longer and now tougher Aerial Walk takes visitors through an obstacle course above ground.

The Giant Swing keeps riders thrilled 10 meters up, and many are lined up for the Adventure Tower’s offerings: rappelling, wall climbing and free fall. Other thrill seekers enjoy Avatar One, Asia’s first roller coaster zipline at 180 meters long.

The open fields of Sandbox are ready for outdoor activities like camping, kite flying, field games, and other sports.

For more information on SandBox at Alviera, visit www.alviera.ph and www. facebook.com/AlvieraPH. For inquiries, email info.alviera@gmail.com or contact 0917-803-3099 / (045) 432-0014.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017

Will Maxine Medina speak Tagalog or English?

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach arrives at the pageant’s Governor’s Ball held Monday night at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City

Ms. Universe 2016

is at HOME with PLDT L

ONG before Miss Universe 2016 landed on the islands of the Philippines, the Filipina beauties vying for this world-class beauty pageant have always been at HOME with PLDT, enjoying a confidently beautiful and fruitful partnership with the leading Philippine telco and digital services provider years ago.

2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach and 2014 Bb. Pilipinas Universe MJ Lastimosa have been ambassadors for PLDT HOME since winning their titles of Bb. Pilipinas Universe.

When they bagged their crowns and started their respective reigns, PLDT has been and remains to be their staunchest supporter, ever.

Pia and MJ, accompanied by their courts, always happily remember how much fun they had, going around the country promoting the PLDT Home broadband service even in the remote areas of Mindanao. Pia says, “I am really very happy I have this kind of relationship with PLDT. I believe in what they stand for. They have always been there to support me and I am truly grateful.” MJ echoes the same sentiments.

She says, “PLDT has truly become my family, my HOME. To this day, I join them in their events and it has been as wonderful as the first day we started this partnership.”

This year, our very own Miss Universe candidate Maxine Medina continues to carry the “Universe” torch for PLDT HOME. Wurtzbach shares the Filipino audience’s excitement. And as a way of thanking PLDT HOME subscribers for all their support, she spearheads a promo to handpick lucky subscribers who will win tickets to watch the prestigious beauty pageant live at Mall of Asia Arena. “The PLDT subscribers will be my VIP guests come coronation night on Jan. 30,” she said.

The groundbreaking partnership, between PLDT, Smart Communications, TV5, the Miss Universe Organization and Solar Entertainment, brings the much anticipated Miss Universe 2016 closer to Filipinos everywhere. PLDT Fibr, the leading and most powerful broadband network in the country, and mobile leader Smart will provide fixed broadband and mobile

TV5 Executives led by Manny V. Pangilinan (center) with Solar Entertainment’s Wilsong Tieng (second from left) seal their partnership via Smart Communications’#SmartMissU that will offer exclusive contents and behind-the-scenes coverage of Miss Universe 2016’s events

connectivity to power the Miss Universe pageant throughout their stay in the Philippines.

With the country’s widest Fibr broadband network, which delivers symmetrical speeds of up to 1Gbps and Smart’s superior mobile LTE network, consumers can be assured of the best real-time Miss Universe experience.

PLDT Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan has been credited for his advocacy of ushering the country into the international map in the field of sports. Today, MVP’s dream is a day closer as the Philippines takes a shot at hosting the Miss Universe pageant. The PLDT Group will enable the best viewing experience of the pageant in the Philippines through its various terrestrial and digital channels, across multiple screens at home and on the go. The world is watching and the Philippines is prepared.

“With the Miss Universe crown currently in our homeland, the enthusiasm for and connection of Filipinos to the global pageant is now stronger than ever,” Pangilinan said.

“With the combined reach of PLDT, Smart and TV5, we are providing our countrymen more ways to enjoy the pageant. We are giving them exclusive access to behind-the-scenes and key events such as the very popular swimsuit and long gown competitions, and of course, realtime viewing of the much-awaited coronation

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Saturday, January 21, 2017

ACROSS 1 Bank transaction 5 Herr’s missus 9 Pedro’s coin 13 “Son of the Sun” 14 Fumbler’s word 15 Come clean 17 Dele canceler 18 Have lots of status 19 Pansy 20 Lecterns 22 Laugh up one’s sleeve 24 Not mention 25 Keys in data 26 Good brandy 29 Rocky ledges 31 Gather together 32 Car-wheel lock 33 Lah-di- — 36 ER personnel 37 Celeb status 40 Period 41 Brief immersion 42 Tints 43 Gems of superstition 45 Throat clearers 47 Blob of mayo 48 Crystal-filled rocks 51 Numbers game 52 Duds 54 Grabs the phone

58 Don — de la Vega 59 — spumante 61 Somali supermodel 62 Fallen-rock debris 63 Equal 64 Ricci or Foch 65 Get smart with 66 El —, Texas 67 Firm hold DOWN 1 Kiddie talk 2 Aware of 3 Zipped through 4 U.N. part 5 Antacid?

6 Facetious tribute 7 Quick to learn 8 “Has 1,001 —” 9 Blacktop 10 Royal decrees 11 Cure salmon 12 Edmonton puckster 16 Old salts 21 Amherst sch.

23 Groovy 26 Ask for ID 27 Old Dodge model 28 Breathe hard 29 Geologic samples

30 Steiger and Stewart 32 Tree, to Fritz 33 Bargain 34 The younger Guthrie 35 Padlock adjunct 38 The ones here 39 Gazes dreamily 44 Farm work 45 Traditional sayings 46 Hoagies 47 “Goodfellas” actor 48 Flits about

49 They have many extras 50 Kind of house or hat 51 Winslet and Capshaw 53 Reindeer herder 55 Anagram for rime 56 Sari sporter 57 Be impatient 60 Where fishes play

night. With our robust network capabilities and the largest consumer base of over 75 million Filipinos, millions of fans can watch the pageant events via multiple platforms, whether on TV, laptop or mobile—whenever they want, wherever they want. For years, we have been revolutionizing the way entertainment is consumed in the nation, offering our subscribers an extensive entertainment portfolio featuring top digital entertainment partners. Miss Universe is one platform we would not miss out on.”

On top of the complete broadcast coverage of the coronation night, TV5 will give viewers access to the preliminary show, specifically the swimsuit and long gown rounds. “Filipinos can look forward to watching their favorite contestants compete even before the grand finale, something only TV5 can offer,” TV5 President and CEO Chot Reyes said. “We aim to bring the pageant to life by bringing it closer to the hearts and enthusiasm of every Filipino.”

TV5 signed with Solar for the partnership which encompasses on-air, on-ground and PR values—the blocktime airing of the Coronation Night on Jan. 30, the exclusive airing of the long gown and swimsuit preliminary competitions on Jan. 28 and 29 which will also be available online on the same day, powered

by PLDT and Smart.

IS BINIBINING Pilipinas Charities Inc. playing “deadma” if Philippine bet Maxine Medina would have an interpreter in the Miss Universe 2016 pageant if she lands in the top five finalists?

That has been the subject in the social media especially after Maxine was heavily criticized with the way she answered questions in English, which many netizens said she needs a crash course in the English language.

There’s a rule that says the beauty organization will decide whether a delegate needs an interpreter or not.

Sounds confusing and intriguing, but how come we didn’t know of this in previous years?

Some sources informed us that Binibining Pilipinas Inc, the local franchisee of several international pageants has long declared Philippines as an English-speaking country, ergo, interpreters are not necessary.

But shouldn’t we listen to previous winners of Miss Universe who said an interpreter could ensure a delegate’s victory and, at the least, save the delegate from embarrassment if she couldn’t answer the question in grammatically correct English? ***** If a trailer tells of how good a film is, then Across the Crescent Moon is good.

Several issues are tackled in the action-packed film, like the Muslim-Christians conflict, human trafficking syndicate, and military mission that runs into conflict with his family and tests his fidelity to Islam and even endangering his life.

We can’t believe its producers (and even the actors) saying it’s an indie production because it looks like a “mainstream movie,” in look, appeal and yes, with those expensive car and sea chasing scenes, and explosions and all.

Across the Crescent Moon is Baby R. Nebrida’s first action film after making a name as a screenwriter. She is the lady who wrote Langis at Tubig, Init o Lamig, My Only Love, Epimaco Velasco:NBI, Chop-Chop Lady: The Elsa Castillo Story, Sana Bukas Pa Ang Kahapon and other memorable and now classic films.

The movie is top billed by Matteo Guidicelli, playing Abbas, a Muslim Special Action Force (SAF) Exemplary Officer married to a Christian woman.

Also in the cast are Christopher de Leon, Dina Bonnevie, Gabby Concepcion, Sandy Andolong, Jason Abalos, Alexandra Godinez, Joem Bascon, Ivan Carapiet, Jerico Estregan, Leo Martinez, Rez Cortez, Jackie Aquino, and many more.

Baby also has Topel Lee (director of photography), Erwin Sanchez (production manager), Von de Guzman (musical scorer), Mike Idioma (sound) and John Wong (editor) to help her out in crafting his film.

She even flew to Hollywood and hired stunt directors Shawn Bernal and Tim Waid to devise the fight scenes.

Across the Crescent Moon was shot on location in Tanay, Subic, Zambales, Clark and Tawi-Tawi, including Sheikh Makdum Mosque in Simunul Island, which is the first and the oldest mosque in the Philippines.

It will hit the theaters on Jan. 25. It is one of those snubbed by the MMFF last year, but is now believed would make a killing at the tills. ***** We were shocked and deeply saddened upon hearing the news last Jan. 17 of Tita Donna Villa’s demise.

At first, we wished that somebody was just playing dirty tricks on us but it was confirmed when we called up Ate Nene Mercado, direk Carlo J. Caparas’ and Tita Donna’s lady Friday.

Tita Donna was in and out of the hospital since last December upon discovering of a cancer in her uterus, which was in a grave stage.

“She just doesn’t want people and friends in the industry to worry. Hindi nga ba nung Christmas ay aligaga pa ito at hindi kinalimutan ang mga kaibigan niya,” said Ate Nene.

The Golden Lion Films producer, who is Donna Marian Hazel Patalinghug in real life, is married to writer-director Carlo J. Caparas and mother to CJ and Peach Caparas. She was 57 when she died.

She was an actress in the 80’s and established Golden Lion Films, the producer of real-life stories and komiksbased novels, since her marriage to Caparas. The so-called “massacre movies” made the couple very famous and wellloved.

Hay! Indeed, we felt like losing a dear sister and friend, who is truly among the very, very few dearly loved and respected in this industry.

Thank you for the good friendship and love Tita. May you rest in Peace and Bon Voyage to Eternal Happiness.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017

“Ilawod” lead cast member Iza Calzado tries horror thriller once again, but this time, she’s the one being haunted

ISAH V. RED

P

EOPLE would surely be talking about Ilawod, the exciting and much-awaited horror movie offering from Quantum Films, MJM Production, Tuko Films and Butchi Boy Productions.

Written by Palanca award-winning Yvette Tan and directed by box-office director Dan Villegas, it brings together a potent combination of talented actors led

by Ian Veneracion, Iza Calzado, and Epi Quizon.

Not to be dismissed by their adult counterparts are awardwinning young actors Xyriel Manabat, the multi-awarded Therese Malvar and the new but equally competent actor Harvey Bautista, who is being introduced in the movie.

One of the most sought after leading men in various romcom teleseryes, Ian Veneracion tries the horror genre in a role of a writer of an Internet website tackling supernatural phenomena. Accidentally, he brings home the water creature ilawod home wreaking havoc on his family.

In Ilawod, Ian gets to display his skills as a drama actor. He is playing serious role compared to his rom-com movies and in the teleserye Pangako Sa ‘Yo where his performance drew praise from critics. But here, he gets to display his mettle as a serious actor. After all, he was an awardwinning child actor.

Perfectly cast as the successful mom who undergoes an agonizing experience in Ilawod is Iza Calzado. She has done several horror movies before like her award-winning role in Sigaw and the blockbuster Haunted Mansion. There is a mystique in Iza’s personality that fits her to a T in a horror film - it is in the way she looks, moves and speaks.

And even in the quiet scenes, you feel the fire and fear in her.

Epy Quizon is also perfect in his role as photographer who witnesses, together with Ian the mystery of ilawod. Epy is an award-winning actor (a grand slam winner at that) and lends his superb presence in many eerie scenes.

Not to be left behind are the young stars led by Moscow Film Festival Best Actress Therese Malvar, the cute and awardwinning child actress Xyriel Manabat in her first teen role, and the talented Harvey Bautista who is very natural in the film.

These formidable actors

THE FABULOUS CAST OF

‘Ilawod’ Child actors Xyrel Manabat, Therese Malvar, and Harvey Bautista

comprise the cast of Ilawod and they will take you into a different kind of horror experience in theaters now. *** Across the Crescent Moon is a meaningful action-drama, tackling problems facing the country, including human trafficking and differences in religious beliefs.

The crescent moon symbolizes the Islam faith, while the cross personifies Christianity. Human trafficking is rampant in the South – men women, and children are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor.

Matteo Guidicelli portrays the dedicated and brave Muslim soldier who fights criminality, married to an enlightened Christian girl, played by a theater actress (Alex Godinez who is introduced in the movie).

Also in the cast are Christopher de Leon and Sandy Andolong playing parents to Matteo’s character, and Gabby Concepcion and Dina Bonnevie as the Catholic parents of Alex.

Written and directed by Baby R. Nebrida, Across the Crescent Moon does not pass judgment on the Muslim and Christian religions but rather shows unity in diversity.

That Muslims and Christians can live in harmony and peace,

as exemplified by Matteo and Alex, who fight for their love and marriage.

Joem Bascon plays the sparring partner, the comrade in arms of Matteo as they face crime syndicates, showing their fine action forms in thrilling and

“Ilawod” male lead actors Ian Veneracion and Epy Quizon

suspenseful encounters on land and sea.

Across the Crescent Moon combines hard action and stirring drama, capturing the beauty of Tawi-Tawi and nearby undiscovered islands in Mindanao.

Baby Nebrida says that the film is

of drinks from juice blends, mocktails, cocktails, craft beers and liquors by the bottle.

But a must-try is their ‘Mega Milkshake’. The boys will see how they prepare their ‘Ferrero Nutella Landslide’.

Plus, who among the Taste

“Taste Buddies” hosts Solenn Heussaff and Rhian Ramos are joined by “Meant To Be” hotties Ken Chan, Jak Roberto, Ivan Dorschner, and Addy Raj in yet another gastronomic episode of the weekly show

A scene from “Across the Crescent Moon” featuring Matteo Guidicelli and Alex Godinez

at once entertaining, enlightening, and inspiring. It’s an eye-opener for all Filipinos in their quest for lasting peace. *** A fresh, fab and fun board game date awaits viewers of Taste Buddies tonight as the boys of the newest top-rating GMA show Meant To Be join hosts Solenn Heussaff and Rhian Ramos.

Ken Chan, Jak Roberto, Ivan Dorschner, and Addy Raj are set for an intense tournament with hot and sizzling consequences.

Aside from the more than 700 games to choose from, Onboard Game + Gastro Pub offers a mouthful of food selections.

Japanese food lovers Solenn and Ken will definitely take this opportunity to learn how this resto prepares their best seller Nacho Hai—fried wanton chips with Japanese toppings and sauces.

Onboard Game + Gastro Pub also offers a wide selection

Buddies will be chosen in the show’s “Guess Where” segment on Facebook and will have the chance to join in the sampling of these sumptuous dishes?

Catch Taste Buddies, Saturdays, 8:15 p.m. on GMA News TV. *** Experience the best live music with the exciting line-up of Pinoy performers at Hard Rock Café this January.

Leading the pack is Area One in a special concert tonight.

Area One is the country’s premiere Beatles tribute band and hard rockers can look forward to an evening of the greatest hits of The Beatles and a selection of standard favorites and party anthems from the 60s and the 70s.

Other featured artists are Part 3 (Sundays and Fridays), Arpie & The Multivitamins (Mondays and Saturdays), Silk (Tuesdays), Kudos Love 80s (Wednesdays),

and First Five (Thursdays). All shows start at 9:30 p.m. *** Antoinette Taus and Archie Alemania are husband and wife on the brink of separation in today’s episode of Karelasyon.

Their problem stems from the series of text messages Arturo (Archie) sent to a certain “sweetie.”

Outraged, Ofelia (Antoinette) not only resolvs to throw her husband out of their house, she even ends up destroying their marriage contract.

Helpless, Arturo can’t do anything to calm his furious wife.

Just as they are about to go on separate ways, their respective mothers drop by and decide to stay with them temporarily. Not wanting to hurt or involve their parents in their dispute, Ofelia and Arturo are forced to pretend they are living a happy married life, when in reality, they despise each other very much.

Will the couple really end up in splitsville? What will be the role of their moms in resolving their conflict?

Joining Antoinette and Archie are Nanette Inventor and Mitch Valdez, twith Roanna Sarinas and April Tanhueco.

Karelasyon with Carla Abellana as host every Saturday, a f t e r #LIKE o n GMA 7.

Actress and product endorser Carla Abellana