Manila Standard - 2017 January 24 - Tuesday

PLEASURABLE PRESENCE. Candidates of the 65th Miss Universe 2016 pageant call on President Rodrigo Duterte, all smiles as he welcomed them to the President’s official residence Monday, saying ‘it is a privilege and an honor and I hope that this day will never end.’ Lino Santos

TELCO LEADERS ADD GLITZ AND GLAM TO MISS UNIVERSE 2016.

PLDT Home and Smart Communications flew in Miss USA 2015 Olivia Jordan and Miss USA 2014 Nia Sanchez for an exclusive coverage of the Miss Universe 2016 pageant. As the official provider of world-class internet for a world-class event, PLDT Home Fibr is all set to bring the ultimate Miss Universe 2016 experience to its subscribers, with Smart as its official mobile counterpart.

VOL. XXX • NO. 346 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

2 more victims known Korean, Chinoy fall prey to rogue cops

Du30 mesmerized

by Melania Trump

By Francisco Tuyay and Maricel V. Cruz

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T LEAST one other Korean was kidnapped by crooked policemen, Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa admitted Sunday night, following revelations that businessman Jee Ick Joo was abducted by cops and strangled inside police headquarters in Camp Crame in October 2016.

By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said Sunday night he envied US President Donald Trump for having the “very beautiful” First Lady Melania Trump.

In a speech during the birthday of top cop Ronald dela Rosa, Duterte said Melania was Trump’s “ace.”

“Billionaire, his wife is very beautiful. I’m envious. Really, it’s true,” he said.

“You become a billionaire, your mouth is like that, your wife is that beautiful. You’ve become president and you have a wife [that is]... you’re in heaven. That’s where he has an edge over me.”

Trump’s third wife Melania is a former model who became the second foreign-born woman to become American first lady.

Born in Yugoslavia, she became a permanent resident of the United States in 2001 and a citizen in 2006.

Duterte recounted his speech wherein Trump called him to congratulate him on his recent inauguration and blasted the critics who are doubtful of the new US president.

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Dumlaos probed over Jee murder

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By Rey E. Requejo EXPRESSION OF HONOR. President Rodrigo Duterte, in his toast, offers the Miss Universe candidates the Philippines’ brand of hospitality then, discarding the draft of his speech, gives the toast ‘to your beauty and to your brains. Long live all of you.’ Lino Santos

‘I hope this day will never end’

Melania Trump

By John Paolo Bencito and Loreto B. Concepcion PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte admitted being overwhelmed by the most beautiful women in the world on Monday and Next page

Truce holds despite clashes with rebels

By John Paolo Bencito THE government will observe its unilateral ceasefire with communist rebels despite a clash in Makilala town in North Cotabato that the guerrillas said left one of their own and eight soldiers dead, the Palace said Monday.

“The ceasefire holds. It should not affect any of the

ongoing talks,” said Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella, referring to ongoing peace negotiations between the government and the communist National Democratic Front in Rome.

In a statement, Rigoberto Sanchez of the New People’s Army Southern Mindanao Regional Operations Next page

BI exec: No idea on P50-m Lam bags

By Macon R. Araneta SENATORS on Monday berated a dismissed Immigration official and called him “stupid” for insisting he did not know that the bags they received from a police oftwitter.com/ MlaStandard

“We have uncovered another incident where a South Korean was held by many policemen,” Dela Rosa said, without offering any details, including the identity of the second victim.

A party-list lawmaker, meanwhile, said a businessman close to President Rodrigo Duterte was also a victim of police extortion.

Kabayan party-list Rep. Harry Roque said the victim, who he refused to identify, was a Filipino-Chinese sugar trader who was taken by members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Bulacan.

Roque said he personally knows the victim and interceded on his

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ficer whom they met at the City of Dreams in Parañaque City contained the P50-million bribe from gambling tycoon Jack Lam. Testifying at the Senate Blue Ribbon committee investigation of the alleged

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bribery at the Bureau of Immigration following the arrest of more than 1,300 Chinese illegally working for Lam, former Immigration Associate Commissioner Al Argosino initially denied Next page

JUSTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Monday that two top police officials are being investigated in relation to the kidnapping and killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo in October 2016, after a suspect in the case submitted evidence allegedly showing their involvement.

Aguirre said a National Bureau of Investigation probe into the case now covers PNP Anti-Illegal

Drugs Group-Pampanga (AIDG) head Supt. Raphael Dumlao and PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group head Senior Supt. Glenn Dumlao (no relation) because of evidence submitted by a key suspect, SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel and his wife.

The NBI, Aguirre added, was looking into Sta. Isabel’s claim that he was a “fall guy” to cover the involvement of higher ranking PNP officials.

Aguirre said Sta. Isabel Next page

Leila facing Senate inquiry over Ronnie

By Macon RamosAraneta SENATE Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said Monday they will investigate Senator Leila de Lima for allegedly preventing her former aide and boyfriend Ronnie Dayan from attending the House probe on illegal drugs.

But Sotto rejected probing De Lima for immorality and protection of drug dealers.

Sotto said the Senate ethics committee decided to investigate De Lima for stopping Dayan from participating in the House inquiry on the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the Next page

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No evidence, Espinosa suspects argue

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE policemen accused of killing Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa and fellow inmate Raul Yap asked the Department of Justice on Monday to dismiss the criminal charges against them for lack of evidence.

During a preliminary hearing conducted by the DoJ, 23 out of the 24 respondents charged with murder, robbery, malicious procurement of search warrant, perjury and planting of evidence submitted their respective counteraffidavits denying the complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation.

Speaking on behalf of the 12

other lawyers representing the respondent-policemen, Atty. Roland Inting described the NBI complaint as reckless.

Inting said the NBI failed to substantiate that there was conspiracy among the 24 police officers.

“Conspiracy has to be proven with the same evidence as what they say about the alleged murder

Davao Sur gov hit over 'harassment'

By John Paolo Bencito DAVAO del Sur Gov. Douglas Cagas allegedly harassed and threatened a Digos-based radio announcer of possible arrest even without any warrant following his criticisms over alleged massive anomaly inside the provincial capitol, an official said Monday.

In a statement, Presidential Task Force on Media Security executive director Undersecretary Joel Egco said that around 3 p.m. on Jan. 20, elements of the Digos City police along with some people identified with Cagas went to the office of 105.3 Radyo Kastigo in Barangay Cogon, Digos City and demanded that broadcaster Jun Paneiro be turned over to them for alleged

Du30...

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“Tingnan mo yung inaugural speech niya, he will stop drugs.

T*****a! Hindi kami magkalayo... papatayin ka talaga niya. Yang si Trump, wag niyong anuhin na parang bugoy. Pero hindi yan magiging billionaire kung talagang bugoy ang utak niyan,” Duterte said.He likewise warned his audience not to underestimate Trump.

“You know Trump, he tries to look nonchalant, like a bum but he would not have become a billionaire if his mind was really the mind of a bum.”

In the same speech, Duterte blasted his critics for criticizing his antidrug campaign.

“I have a barge there at the Pasig River. I can throw you there, you

BI...

From A1

knowing that the bags that were left with them for two hours by retired police officer Wally Sombero had money.

He also said he did not know there was money in three more bags.

Argosino kept denying he knew what the bags contained until Senator Richard Gordon, committee chairman, blurted out: “You know there was money?”

When Argosino finally admitted he had an “idea,” Gordon fumed, “Are you not surprised? You are a lawyer and commissioner of Immigration, are you dense? Have you not noticed [there was money]?”

Argosino said he never asked what were in the bags because he was not interested. He insisted he met with Sombero only to investigate and he merely wanted to help the Chinese nationals arrested by the Bureau of Immigration for working without permits.

He said the Chinese Embassy had been complaining about the poor conditions in the detention are due to the lack of toilet facilities.

But Gordon did not buy the “story” of Argosino in meeting Sombero at the City of Dreams on the night on Nov. 26 after coming from his home.

Earlier the same date, Argosino joined Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, who also met with Lam, two interpreters and Sombero, at the Shangri-La at the Fort at 5 p.m.

After the meeting at the ShangriLa hotel, Argosino said Sombero approached him and repeatedly told him that Lam needed a sponsor or godfather.

He did not speak to Sombero who asked him if they needed P50 million or even P100 million. He said Sombero came back to him later and requested another meeting at the City of Dreams.

Aguirre and Argosino, who are fraternity brothers at Lex Taniones, attended the San Beda Alumni homecoming at the same hotel.

After the Shangri-La at the Fort meeting, Argosino said he and another Immigration official, former

malicious broadcast against Cagas. The policemen reportedly did not present any warrant.

Deputy governor Arvin Malaza also allegedly threatened to shut down the station unless Panerio is turned over to them, Egco said.

Rick Torrecampo, the station owner, however, said there was no warrant, or any formal charges, against Panerio but lawyer Flor Sardido, a lawyer for Cagas, insisted that the police take custody of Panerio.

Egco said that the PTFoMS, which is under the Justice Department, has already instructed the PNP through the directorate for investigation and detective management and Task Force Usig to immediately conduct an investigation on the incident. mischievous people. I can throw dead people there, but some even alive,” he said referring to a campaign promise to throw drug personalities on Manila Bay. Duterte earlier said he would likely get along with Donald Trump whose protectionist stand was expected to disturb the geopolitical dynamics in Southeast Asia.

Trump, in his inaugural speech, promised not to interfere in the affairs of other countries, choosing to focus on US interests.

Duterte added that he looked forward to renewed Philippine ties with the US under the Trump administration.

“Trump was talking from the heart, a very frank person,” Duterte said, adding that he liked people who were brutally frank.

Associate Commissioner Michael Robles, also a fraternity brother, agreed to meet with Sombero at the City of Dreams.

Gordon taunted Argosino for being “foolish” in keeping the company of Sombero, the supposed representative of Lam, from around 10 p.m. until past 5 a.m. the next day if he did not know the real intention of the police officer.

“You know that clearly. You know there’s something illegal,” Gordon told Argosino.

He also criticized Argosino and another Immigration officer, lawyer Michael Robles, for accepting from Sombero the two bags containing P10 million each.

Robles also followed them in a bar at the City of Dreams where they stayed until 12 midnight before moving to another restaurant after the bar closed.

“Are you not ashamed that you are two commissioners who kept on following that [person] carrying the bags?” Gordon told Argosino who said they did not touch the bag after accepting them.

Argosino also told the Senate panel that while they were in another restaurant, Sombero kept on leaving them. He even left them for two hours. He admitted that they waited for him because of the bags and called him several times and told him they were leaving.

When Sombero returned around 5 a.m., he was carrying three more bags with him.

“Past 5 a.m.? That was long? From 10 until 5 a.m.?” asked Gordon.

But Argosino repeatedly told Gordon’s committee he did not ask Sombero where he came from and where the bags came from because he was thinking about his purpose.

At this juncture Gordon shot back, “you know that already!”

Argosino said Sombero later informed them there was P20 million inside the two bags that he left with them and another P30 milliom in the three bags.

Argosino later admitted Robles got P20 million while he took home P28 million since Sombero got P2 million for himself.

[but] they have not come up such an evidence,” the lawyer told reporters.

He said the respondents gave a detailed account on what they were doing and where they were on the day Espinosa was killed inside the Baybay jail.

The lawyer also claimed that the NBI included as respondents in the complaint several policemen that were either wrongly designated, or on leave during the incident or who were not at all part of the Nov. 5 operation.

He cited, for instance, the names of Police Officers 1 Jane Briones Gisma and Divine Grace Baclas Songalia, who were not present during the incident.

The lawyer added that another accused identified as Police Officer 2 (PO2) Niel Patrimonio

Centino has been absent without official leave since Oct. 5, 2016 or exactly a month before Espinosa and Yap were killed inside the Baybay Jail.

Centino was the only accused who failed to submit his counter-affidavit during yesterday’s proceedings.

The panel of prosecutors gave the police officers up to Feb. 2 to respond to Espinosa’s affidavit.

Charged before the DoJ in connection with Espinosa and Yap’s killing were Supt. Marvin Marcos, who led the operation; Superintendent Santi Noel Gaspang Matira, Chief Inspector Leo Daio Laraga, Senior Inspector (SI) Deogracia Pedong Diaz, SI Fritz Bioco Blanco, Senior Police Officer 4 Juanito Ampado Duarte, SPO4 Melvin Mendoza Caboyit,

SPO4 Eric Palattao Constantino, SPO2 Benjamin Layague Dacallos, SPO2 Alphinor Milla Serrano Jr., PO3 Johnny Abuda Ibanez, PO3 Norman Tiu Abellanosa, PO2 Niel Patrimonio Centino, PO1 Bernard Rodriguez Orpilla, PO3 Lloyd Ortinez Ortiguesa, PO1 Jerlan Sadia Cabiyaan, Cristal Jane Briones Gisma, Divine Grace Baclas Songalia, all assigned at CIDG Regional Office No. 08, Port Area, Tacloban City as well as PCINSP Calixto Cabardo Canillas, Jr., PINSP Lucresito Adana Candelosas, SPO2 Antonio Romangca Docil, SPO1 Mark Christian Castillo Cadilo, PO2 John Ruel Baldevia Doculan, and PO2 Jaime Pacuan Bacsal, all assigned at Regional Maritime Unit 8 Port Area, Tacloban City.

Solons hit Bato's 'lack of leadership'

By Christine F. Herrera PARTY-LIST lawmakers on Monday tagged the Philippine National Police as a haven for uniformed criminal syndicates and intensified the call for PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa to resign over his “failure of leadership.”

At the Kapihan sa Manila Hotel by the Plaridel group, House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Lito Atienza of Buhay, House Deputy Minority Leader Harry Roque Jr. and Party-List Coalition co-president Sherwin Tugna of Cibac said the public has had enough of Dela Rosa’s incompetence and that the “murder for ransom” of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo was the last straw.

“The crime happened right under Dela Rosa’s nose, and a stone’s throw away from his house. The heinous crime happened in his own backyard. This beats them all,” Atienza said.

While the lawmakers expressed full support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s all-out war against ille-

Dumlaos...

From A1 and his wife Jinky have submitted to the NBI several pieces of evidence supposedly proving that the policeman did not participate in the kidnapping and killing of Jee in October last year and that he was only being used to cover up for the crimes.

“Based on his [Sta. Isabel’s] statement, he was only framed and had nothing to do with the killing of Jee,” Aguirre said.

Among the evidence submitted

by Sta. Isabel were a receipt from a bookstore issued at the same time when Jee was kidnapped from his house in Angeles City, Pampanga.

Sta. Isabel insisted that he was at the bookstore in Metro Manila accompanying the child of his superior, Supt. Raphael Dumlao, when the kidnapping took place on Oct. 18, 2016.

Aguirre also said Sta. Isabel’s wife also met with him and claimed that Dumlao and Glenn Dumlao asked her to convince her husband to just follow the “script” on Jee’s case.

Jinky also said the AIDG official told her in a phone conversation that they were planning to tag another policeman in the crime and they would all be spared later on. A recording of the conversation has been submitted to the NBI, Aguirre added.

But Glenn Dumlao denied the allegations against him and scored Sta. Isabel’s wife for telling “outright lies and fabricated statements.”

“I did not go to their house. It’s a big lie. They called me when Sta. Isabel was cornered. The discussion did

'I hope...

From A1 wish that day when he can forget about the burdens of his office “will never end.”

“I must say that God is really good. Aside from the worries of governance, all the troubles in the world, when we look at you, we forget the universe,” the President said when 84 candidates of the 65th Miss Universe pageant paid him a courtesy call at Malacañan Palace.

“I usually do not read my speeches but I have to this time because they told me that I must behave in my language, in the adjectives that I would be using to characterize or define your beauty, all of you,” the President said.

“I’d like to make an admission that never in my life have I been in a room this full of beautiful women. This is both a privilege and an honor and I hope this day will never end,” Duterte said to the laughter and applause of his audience.

The President thanked the Miss Universe Organization for allowing the Philippines to host again the 65th edition of the most prestigious international competition.

gal drugs, they took turns in hitting Dela Rosa’s refusal to observe “delicadeza” by voluntarily relinquishing his post to spare the President and the country from embarrassment.

“It is quite alarming that the PNP has become the haven for criminal syndicates because the perpetrators of heinous crimes were identified as policemen and most of the crimes took place in a prison cell, the latest of which was in Camp Crame headquarters in Manila,” Atienza said.

Tugna said Dela Rosa’s priority was not his job but to attend to wineand dine-extracurricular activities.

“When the Albuera, Leyte mayor [Rolando Espinosa Sr.] was killed in a prison cell, Bato [Dela Rosa’s nickname] was in Vegas watching the Pacquiao fight,” Tugna said.

He added that when the scandal over Jee broke, Dela Rosa was watching a Bryan Adams concert.

“It looks like the PNP chief does not know his priorities. In fact, he seems to love to do junkets and watch concerts while his men were busy doing EJKs[extrajudicial kill-

ings] and his men were emboldened to do these crimes in line with the President’s directive to kill the criminals, particularly those involved in illegal drug trade,” Roque said.

Roque said six months into office and the Duterte administration already recorded 7,000 killed under extra-judicial killings.

Roque, Tugna and Atienza lamented the country’s criminal justice system such that the law enforcers were encouraged to take justice into their own hands.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who had earlier called for Dela Rosa’s resignation, changed his tune Monday, saying the police chief should devote his “undivided attention” to cleansing the ranks of the PNP of scalawags.

“I have said my piece. And I would agree to the suggestion of other camps that the PNP chief should be given the chance to fix the mess at the PNP,” Alvarez told a radio interview after Duterte ruled out moves to oust Dela Rosa.

With Maricel V. Cruz, Macon Ramos-Araneta

not take place in the office because media people might see him,” Glenn Dumlao said. He also said he was not related to AIDG chief Raphael Dumlao, who has been restricted to headquarters over the Jee case.

In a press conference, PNP chief Dir. Gen. Ronald dela Rosa urged the press to stop portraying Sta. Isabel as a hero, and the police investigating him and his cohorts as villains.

Dela Rosa said he visited Sta. Isabel in his detention cell and said he was obviously lying.

“He was all alibi but I know when someone is lying,” Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa said they also have the goods on Sta. Isabel’s immediate superior, AIDG’s Raphael Dumlao.

“He was there when the Korean was killed. We have a witness who testified that he [Dumlao] talked with Sta. Isabel thrice before the Korean was killed, once at the Camp Crame oval, another time at the Training Service and also near the PNP-AIDG headquarters.”

He also scored AIDG’s Dumlao for defending himself before the press when he knows he is not telling the truth.

“He speaks English with a twang when he speaks before media, but he almost cried when I spoke with him.”

The PNP chief said they would consider Mrs. Sta. Isabel’s submissions, but would not take them “hook, line and sinker.”

Aguirre earlier said Jinky showed him photo grabs from a CCTV footage proving that the Toyota Hilux used in the surveillance and actual kidnapping of Jee was not hers.

“She submitted proof supporting her husband’s defense, particularly a CCTV footage showing two identical Hilux units with the same

license plate number and color but have a few differences,” he said.

Jinky also submitted to the NBI CCTV footage showing the alleged visits by Dumlao (Raphael) and Senior Supt. Allan Macapagal of the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group to their house.

“If this evidence is true, then this was a well-planned operation,” Aguirre said.

Aguirre also raised questions on PNP’s sudden discovery of Jee’s golf clubs from the funeral parlor where he was reportedly cremated.

“According to the NBI, they already searched that funeral parlor and did not find anything there. The following day when the policemen went there, the golf set suddenly appeared,” he said.

Asked if he believes the golf set could have been planted by the policemen who inspected the funeral parlor, the DoJ chief said this possibly has cropped up based on the statement of NBI agents, which was corroborated by workers in the funeral parlor.

He added that Sta. Isabel’s wife and their family would be secured by the NBI due to “very serious threats” against them.

Aguirre also said there was some credibility to Sta. Isabel’s statements, including his claim that he was ordered by his superior to kill Jee’s maid, Marisa Morquicho, who was taken along with him.

“If you think about it, if he [Sta. Isabel] is really the killer, why would he free someone who could identify him and testify against him? That would be stupid,” Aguirre said.

“That’s why we really have to look into this angle that he is just a fall guy,” he added.

“I hope that the contestants had a wonderful time visiting places such as Vigan, Cebu, Baguio, Batangas and Davao. It is truly a great honor for us to be sharing you your most beautiful destinations including the rich culture and history behind each of these gems,” the President added.

The Philippines, which already produced three Miss Universe title holders, hosted the Miss Universe Pageant in 1974 and 1994.

“It is an event which has undeniably brought enormous pride and joy for the countries of winning candidates. We all share of fame to our very own Ms. Gloria Diaz, Ms. Margarita Moran, and the reigning Ms. Pia Wurtzbach,” Duterte said.

Diaz brought home the country’s first Miss Universe title in 1969 while Moran won again in 1973 and Wurtzbach brought back the prestigious title only in 2015.

“More than presenting beauty and brains, the Miss Universe competition or any beauty contestant for that matter is an opportunity for you to represent your country, to promote your advocacies, and to advance women empowerment to a greater audience,” Duterte said.

Leila...

From A1 New Bilibid Prison when she was Justice secretary.

Sotto, also chairman of the ethics committee, said the investigation would be based on the consolidated supplemental complaint of lawyer Abelardo De Jesus, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas and Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, chairman of the House Committee on Justice that investigated the illicit drug operations in Bilibid.

Umali’s committee had summoned Dayan to its hearing in the wake of allegations that he received money from convicted drug lords in Bilibid to bankroll De Lima’s senatorial bid.

Dayan, who went into hiding, never showed up in the congressional hearings, and reportedly at the prodding of De Lima sent through text messages.

De Lima is accused of violating Article 150 of the Revised Penal Code, which penalizes any person “who shall restrain another from attending as a witness, or who shall induce disobedience to a summon or refusal to be sworn by any such body or official.”

GMA son Mikey hurt in car crash FORMER Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, son of former President Gloria Arroyo, was injured in a vehicular accident Monday afternoon in Bacolor, Pampanga, according to police reports.

The Toyota Hilux carrying Arroyo, his driver John Macaraig and an unidentified companion collided with a Honda Civic being driven by a policeman. The policeman died in the collision.

Police could not reveal other details of the incident but said Arroyo and his unidentified companion were injured in the accident and were rushed to the Mother of Calcutta Hospital but were later transferred to St. Luke’s Hospital in Metro Manila.

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behalf with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to gain his release.

The victim, a businessman, was among Duterte’s closest friends and attended his inauguration.

Reports said the suspects forcibly accosted the victim in August and claimed they had a warrant for his arrest on suspicions that he was involved in illegal drugs.

Roque said the police threatened to take a photo of him with 20 kilos of shabu if his family refused to pay any ransom.

The family of the victim paid a total of P1.6 million, Roque said.

The killing of Jee prompted members of Congress, including Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, to call for Dela Rosa’s resignation, a call the President has rejected.

Dela Rosa said Sunday he would be investigating the newly uncovered kidnapping incident and vowed to punish policemen involved in the kidnapping syndicate.

Alvarez, who had earlier called for Dela Rosa’s resignation, attended the police chief’s 55th birthday party Sunday night, where the two shook hands.

“I understand his side,” Dela Rosa said. “He’s very professional.”

When the President arrived, Dela Rosa said he again offered to resign, but Duterte turned him down.

“When he [Duterte] arrived, I told him that I’m being asked to resign. Should I resign? The President said no,” Dela Rosa said, with Duterte and Alvarez seated right beside him.

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Command accused the 39th Infantry Battalion of provoking the hostilities by entering a remote area where the rebels operate, despite the ceasefire and peace talks.

“They fool no one by claiming that their combat operation was merely in response to reports by local authorities of the presence of lawless groups: for the entire day, they actively maneuvered to engage the evading unit of the NPA,” he added.

But the military denied the reported casualties.

The military’s 10th Infantry Division said that while a combined team of soldiers and police clashed with armed men in Barangay Biangan, Makilala, North Cotabato, no soldier died in the incident.

“There were no casualties in that encounter between the soldiers and the lawless armed men. I don’t know where they got that information. It’s a hoax,” said the Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion commanding officer Lt. Colonel Harold Argamosa.

Army spokesperson Col. Benjamin Hao also said that benefits of the soldiers cannot be processed “if there was no report of casualties in the first place.”

Government troops and rebels clashed at 5 p.m. Saturday. Another encounter erupted Sunday at around 5:30 a.m. the next day, military reports said.

“After the 30-minute firefight, the troops recovered three highpowered rifles, several personal belongings and a body of an unidentified man at the encounter site,” the military said.

The Armed Forces said that on Jan. 20, government forces were responding to a report of rebels commandeering a vehicle of the Santos Land Development Corporation in the village of Malasila.

The 10th ID said as the soldiers were heading toward Barangay Biangan at 5 p.m., they were fired upon by still undetermined number of rebels. An hour-long firefight erupted.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza said he would verify the facts of the encounter.

“I have to verify first what actually happened, but from initial reports reaching me here in New York City, a bilateral ceasefire with guidelines and mechanisms in place are becoming all the more needed,” he said. With PNA

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Bishop says CBCP open to dialogue with DU30

By Vito Barcelo A MEMBER of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines said the Catholic Church was open to have a dialogue with President Rodrigo Duterte even after the President branded the Church as the “most hypocritical institution.”

“We will not stop spreading the Gospel of life in defense of human dignity. We are open to dialogues. This is always the better solution to anything.. we have to sit and talk,” Bataan Bishop Ruperto Santos said in a statement.

The Bishop said the Church BRIBERY SCANDAL. Before the Senate on Monday, (left to right) former Bureau of Immigration executive assistant Charles Calima Jr., former BI associate commissioner Al is open towards dialogue on isArgosino, and former BI associate commissioner Michael Robles testify on the arrest of illegal Chinese casino workers and the alleged bribery of Immigration officials by gambling sues affecting the country and financier Jack Lam. Ey Acasio stressed the need to preserve the Church’s uncompromising pro-life stand.

During the closing of the 4th World Apostolic Congress in Mercy in Bagac, Bataan, Santos said that “You listen to them, present everything, and let’s observe what are the things that we can work together [on] and things that we are going to avoid.”

The prelate said the Church could not be silent on the increasing number of extrajudicial killings in the country and property should not be returned the property that was registered our laws are to be interpreted and the government’s push for the

By Rey Requejo to the Marcos heirs yet pending under the names of former Sena- applied with meaning and purpose. revival of the death penalty. resolution of Civil Case No. 2 tor Ferdinand “Bongbong” Mar- The day that our courts cease to “It is to sustain life, not to HE Supreme Court has overturned against them. cos Jr., Ilocos Norte Gov. Maria breathe life to this fundamental make it suffer. It is to prolong life, not to suppress it. It is to The tribunal stressed the Imelda “Imee” Marcos and Irene principle is the day that we erode a 2010 Sandiganbayan ruling that maintain life, not to murder it,” the public’s confidence in the Sandiganbayan “should have Marcos-Araneta. allowed the return to the Marcos family issued an order of preliminary Santos said.

“Procedural rules are not mere ability of the law to render justice,” The bishop added if someof a 25-hectare property in Cabuyao, Laguna attachment considering that the technicalities that can be disre- it said. one had a shameful or scandalrequisites of the law—includ- garded at whim by the parties Aside from voiding the Sansequestered by the government more than ous past, “remember that pering that of Executive Order No. or by our courts. Neither should diganbayan ruing, the high court son can still be redeemed and two decades ago.

14—have been substantially they be applied so mechanically also ordered the Register of renew his life.” met, and that there is factual ba- without any appreciation of their Deeds of Cabuyao, Laguna to re“Even if he is the worst sinner In a decision penned by As- called Marcos Mansion in the sis for the issuance of the pre- purpose and object,” stated the annotate the notice on the prophe can still be sorry and correct sociate Justice Marvic Leonen, preliminary attachments in the liminary attachment.” ruling. erty’s TCT. his life. There is hope,” he said. the SC’s Second Division grant- pending civil suit on the ill-got“There is still help. And there The SC held the Sandigan“Every part of our law—whether Associate Justices Presbitero ed the appeal of the Presidential ten wealth of the late strongman bayan erred in ordering the can- substantive or procedural—is the Velasco, Jr., Mariano del Castillo, is still healing. It is because our Commission on Good Govern- Ferdinand Marcos.

God is God of mercy.”

MAGENTA BLACK Mendoza concurred YELLOW cellation of the notice written in outcome of reasonable deliberation. and Jose Catral CYAN ment seeking to keep the soThe high court ruled the the Transfer Certificate of Title of As the outcome of human agency, with the ruling.

Marcos heirs can’t reclaim Cabuyao mansion yet—SC

T

Negros Occidental mayor, 11 others convicted

By Rio N. Araja THE Office of the Ombudsman announced Monday the conviction of a Negros Occidental mayor and 11 others for a 60-million loan deal.

Canlaon City Mayor Jimmy Clerigo; treasurer Luisa Luza; incumbent Sangguniang Panglungsod members Diego Santiago, Jose Chubasco Cardenas, Aldin Avila and Mamerto Bermil Jr.; former mayor Judith Cardenas for two counts, and SP ex-members Edgar Estampador, Roberto Bolo, Amado delos Reyes, Pedro Montero and Wagner Bekim Cardenas were convicted of violation of Section 3(g) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act or

Republic Act No. 3019.

They are facing a jail term of six years to nine years and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

The Ombudsman prosecutors were able to prove the respondents forged two deals in December 2005 under terms and conditions manifestly and grossly disadvantageous to the government.

During trial, the Sandiganbayan found Clerigo authorized and contracted a P60-million loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines intended for livelihood projects of city hall workers.

Subsequently, the funds were re-loaned to the Canlaon City Government Employees

95 BI personnel to assist arrivals

By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Immigration has eased its rules in conducting immigration formalities for arriving foreign delegates due to the upcoming summit of leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as it deployed additional 95 BI personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to support and assist in processing arriving foreign visitors.

A memorandum issued by BI Commissioner Jaime Morente prescribes the guidelines that immigration officers at the airports should follow when processing foreign delegates to the meetings which have started to occur in various places of the of the Philippines, the host and chair of this year’s Asean summit.

The Philippines is host and chair of this year’s Asean summit, to be attended by delegates from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and

Brunei.

BI commissioner Jaime Morente directed the conduct of “less restrictive” immigration formalities for Asean delegates and their companions, such as their spouses and dependents.

The bureau chief said it waived the imposition of the six-month rule on passport validity, which means any Asean delegate can be admitted even if the latter’s passport is valid for less than six months.

Also waived is the requirement to procure a return or outbound plane ticket, which is normally imposed on foreign tourists who come here for business or pleasure.

As regards foreign delegates who have no entry visa (for visa-required nationals) and those whose names might appear in the BI’s derogatory list, they shall not be automatically excluded or turned back to their port of origin, said Marc Red Mariñas, BI’s acting port operations chief.

Multi-Purpose Cooperative.

As loan collateral, the accused gave DBP the unqualified authority and power to apply the loan guarantee against special savings deposit of the city, including its share in the internal revenue allotment.

“Effectively, the situation was tantamount to assigning the full control of the city’s coffers to an entity that had nothing to do with the administration and management of the city,” the decision read.

Republic of the Philippines NATIONAL FOOD AUTHORITY REGION 10 Baloy, Cagayan de Oro City

INVITATION TO BID FOR THE SUPPLY OF IN-WAREHOUSE HANDLING SERVICES FOR NFA-REGION 10 FOR CY 2017

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 109, PASAY CITY MARISSA SAMSON DAGAMI Petitioner, -versus –

CIVIL CASE NO. R-PSY-16-23464-CV For: Declaration of Nullity of Marriage If you fail to answer within the time fixed, as per the Rules Under Art. 36 of the Family Code of Court, the petitioner shall take judgment against you and ZHANG WEI, demand from this Court the Respondent. relief applied in this petition. x------------------------------------x Moreover, you are reminded SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION of the provision of the IBPOCA Memorandum on Policy TO: MR. ZHANG WEI guidelines dated March 12, #43 Lourdes St., 2002, to observe restraint in filing a Motion to Dismiss and instead F.B. Harrison St., alleged the grounds thereof as Pasay City defenses in the answer. If you GREETINGS: fail to answer within the time You are hereby directed to fixed, the Court shall order the enter your appearance in the Public Prosecutor to investigate above entitled case within whether or not collusion exist thirty (30) days from the last between the parties and issue of publication hereof intervene for the state to see to in a newspaper of general it that the evidence presented is circulation in the Philippines not fabricated or suppressed. once a week for two (2) Witness the HON. consecutive weeks and answer TINGARAAN U. GUILING, the Petition filed by petitioner Presiding Judge of this Court Marissa Samson Dagami this 20th day of December 2016. wherein the petitioner prays

The NATIONAL FOOD AUTHORITY, through its Corporate Operating Budget for CY 2017, intends to that judgment be rendered declaring the marriage between apply the sum of TWENTY MILLION NINE HUNDRED THIRTY SIX THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED TWENTY petitioner and respondent as SEVEN PESOS AND 29/100 (Php20,936,527.29) being the aggregated APPROVED BUDGET FOR THE null and void onBLACK the ground CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW CONTRACT (ABC) to payments under the contracts of in-warehouse handling services for NFA-Region 10 for CY 2017: Republic of the Philippines APPROVED BUDGET FOR THE National Capital Judicial Region CONTRACT (ABC) REGIONAL TRIAL COURT CONTRACT TOTAL NUMBER OF BIDDING FEE Mandaluyong City (INCLUSIVE OF VAT), (PhP) PROVINCE Branch 211 REF. NO. STOCK MOVEMENTS (PhP) PER BAG IN RE: PETITION FOR ISSUANCE OF TOTAL SECOND COPY OF THE OWNER’S PER MOVE DUPLICATE CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF BUKIDNON 591,530 4.55 2,691,461.50 TITLE NO. 27260 CAMIGUIN 318,000 4.48 1,424,640.00 LRC Case No. MC16-861 CONLANAO DEL NORTE 514,384 4.62 2,376,454.08 25,000.00 SPS. RICARDO B. VALDEZ and HS-2017-001 CAROLINA VARGAS VALDEZ, MISAMIS OCCIDENTAL 565,765 4.55 2,574,230.75 Petitioners, MISAMIS ORIENTAL 2,569,208 4.62 11,869,740.96 -versusTOTAL 4,558,887 20,936,527.29 THE LAND REGISTRATION Bidders should have completed within the immediate last three years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly in Section II. Instructions to Bidders (ITB).

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested bidders on January 23 to February 13, 2017 (working days only) from the address below and upon payment of a non refundable bidding fee as specified in this Invitation.

National Food Authority Region 10 shall hold a Pre-bid conference on January 31, 2017 at 10:00 A.M. at the 2nd Floor, Regional Office 10 Bldg., Baloy, Cagayan de Oro City, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

Bid must be delivered to the address below on or before February 13, 2017 at 1:30 P.M. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.Late bids shall not be accepted.

Bid opening shall be on February 13, 2017 at 1:31 P.M. at the 2nd Floor, Regional Office 10 Bldg., Baloy, Cagayan de Oro City. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend.

The National Food Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: Ms. Beverly M. Navarro BAC Secretariat Head National Food Authority Region 10 2nd Floor NFA Regional Office 10 Baloy, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. No. (08822) 732215 (088) 8552721 Fax No. (088) 8552723 (Sgd.) VICTORIA R. DURAY Assistant Regional Director and Chairperson, BAC Standard – Jan. 24, 2017

of the parties’ incurable psychological incapacity under Article 36 of the Family Code and furnish a copy thereof to petitioner’s counsel, Atty.

TREBONIAN C. TABANG with address at CATRAL TABANG & IRAL LAW OFFICES, Suite 505 Artex Bldg., 435 Gen. Luna St., Binondo, Manila.

AUTHORITY, THE REGISTRY OF DEEDS OF MANDALUYONG CITY, Respondents. x-------------------------------------------x

ORDER

This is a verified petition filed by the petitioner praying that after due notice, publication and hearing in accordance with the provision of PD1529 and other allied and applicable laws thereon, judgment be rendered as follows: 1) Granting the instant petition; 2) Ordering the Registry of Deeds of the City of Mandaluyong to forthwith issue a Second Copy of the Owner’s Duplicate Certificate of Transfer Certificate of Title No. 2760 in favor of SPS. RICARDO B. VALDEZ and CAROLINA VARGAS VALDEZ, both of legal age, Filipino, and a resident of 715 Pantaleon St., Hulo, Mandaluyong City; 3) To release the issued Second Copy of the Owner’s Duplicate Certificate of Transfer Certificate of Title No. 27260 as no longer valid and effective; 5) Other reliefs just and equitable are likewise prayed for.

That petitioners are the registered owner of a parcel of land located at the Bo. Of Hulo City of Mandaluyong covered by TCT No. 27260.

(Sgd.) CLEOTILDE P. PAULO Officer-In-Charge (MS-Jan. 24 & 31, 2017)

That sometime on December 2015, petitioner CAROLINA VARGAS VALDEZ tried to retrieve and/or locate the Owner’s Duplicate Certificate of TCT No. 27260 from her personal files at the house but the same could no longer be found in the said files.

That efforts were exerted by petitioner to locate the missing Owner’s Duplicate Certificate of Transfer Certificate of TCT No. 27260 but said efforts were all in vain as it could no longer be found.

That after consultation and advice of counsel, petitioner executed an Affidavit of Loss which was duly annotated in TCT No. 27260.

That the TCT No. 27260 was valid and effective at the time it was lost and duly registered and covered by the torrens system of land registration. That the said realty is declared for taxation purposes.

That the said realty has no other existing mortgage except the registered mortgage to the National Housing Authority which was already cancelled. It has no other liability and encumbrances of whatever nature or kind and either it is in the possession of a third person who has a lien or negotiations and/or transactions over the real property pending registration with the Register of Deeds.

That the petitioners tried to cause the registration and annotation of the Deed of Cancellation and Release of Real Estate Mortgage Contract executed by the National Housing Authority but the Register of Deeds of Mandaluyong City refused to act as there is a need to present the Owner’s Copy of TCT No. 27260. Petitioners cannot present the same because it was lost sometime on December 2015.

That there is an imperative need to secure a Second Copy of Owner’s Duplicate of TCT No. 27260 in order to remove any cloud or doubt as to its existence, validity and efficacy thereof and in order to protect the property rights and interests of the registered and lawful owner.

That said realty was acquired by the petitioners from the National Housing Authority and was paid in installment.

The National Housing Authority required the petitioners to execute a Deed of Real Estate Mortgage in their favor to secure the payment of the balance in the amount of P28,424.00. The Real Estate Mortgage Contract was duly annotated in page 2 of the Certified True Copy of TCT No. 27260 under Entry No. 60686-T 27260.

Acting on the petition, this Court hereby orders petitioners to cause the publication of a copy of this Order at their own expense before the hearing on February 28, 2017 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning before the Regional Trial Court, Branch 211, 2nd Floor, Old Municipal Hall Building, Maysilo Circle, Mandaluyong City. Let a copy of this Order be published in the Manila Standard, a newspaper of general circulation in Metro Manila selected by raffle pursuant to PD No. That sometime on February 2005, 1079, once a week for three (3) consecutive petitioners have completed the payment weeks. of the mortgage obligations to the National Any interested person may appear and Housing Authority. As a result of the full oppose the petition. payment of the Mortgage Obligation, the Petitioner is further directed to cause the National Housing Authority executed the Deed of Cancellation and Release of Real service of copies of this Order together with Estate Mortgage dated February 4, 2005. the petition and annexes upon the Register of Deeds of Mandaluyong City, the Director That after the issuance by the National of the Bureau of Lands, the Commissioner Housing Authority of the Deed of of the Land Registration Authority, the Cancellation and Release of Real Estate Secretary of the Department of Environment Mortgage Contract, the National Housing and Natural Resources and the Office of Authority released to the petitioners the the Solicitor General, the proofs of service Owner’s Copy of Transfer Certificate of to be duly proven and established to the Title No. 27260. satisfaction of the Court.

That after the acquisition of the said SO ORDERED. Owner’s Copy of TCT No. 27260 from Mandaluyong City, January 03, 2017. the National Housing Authority, petitioner (Sgd.) OFELIA L. CALO CAROLINA VARGAS VALDEZ was Judge Copy Furnished: entrusted the custody and kept the Owner’s - Atty. Julian T. Tutanes; - Register of Deeds; - Bureau of Lands; Copy and other documents related thereto - Dept. of Envl. & Natural Resources; - Land Registration Authority in her personal files at their house.

- Office of the Solicitor General (Manila Standard 1/24,31 & 2/7,’17)

2 cols.YELLOW x 15 cms.

CYAN MAGENTA BLACK

A4

Opinion

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Fair-haired boy

T

HE country is familiar with presidents coddling chiefs of the Philippine National Police even when they become involved in controversies that call into question their integrity, competence and ascendancy.

During the previous administration, President Benigno Aquino III continued to rely on the counsel of his friend, PNP chief Alan Purisima, even as the latter had been ordered suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman for an anomalous transaction.

Purisima supposedly signed a questionable deal with a courier for the delivery of firearms license cards without proper ac-

Adelle Chua, Editor

creditation. At that time, the PNP chief was also fending off accusations he had amassed wealth illegally.

Aquino’s continued reliance on Purisima had fatal consequences. He provided consultancy services for a sensitive police operation we now know as the Mamasapano massacre.

Forty-four members of the Special Action Force of the police were left to die in the lair of the Muslim rebels

after trying to serve a warrant on terrorists.

Through it all, Mr. Aquino never held his friend accountable for what happened; nor did he accept any responsibility for his allowing a suspended officer to direct a crucial operation.

It’s a different administration and we now have a leader who promises to bring about change—but why are things uncannily the same?

President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday announced that his PNP chief, Director General Ronald dela Rosa, continues to enjoy his complete trust and confidence

amid the backlash of the killing of a Korean right inside Camp Crame. The death of Jee Ick Joo, reportedly strangled by cops in October, gave rise to calls for Dela Rosa’s resignation.

Some of the calls came from even the President’s staunchest allies.

The PNP chief has refused to step down and instead criticized those calling for his resignation. At his birthday party, he got a fairly good present—the President’s announcement that he was standing by him.

Instead of firing him, the President said, he instructed Dela Rosa to go after

rogue cops who give a bad name to the police force.

Dela Rosa is quite a character. Since his appointment middle of last year, his words and his demeanor have attracted the attention of Filipinos—mostly in a good way. He projected himself as a top cop who connected well with the people and did not have qualms showing his emotion. Over the holidays, he dressed up as Santa Claus and distributed toys to children. This capital allowed the public to brush aside the fact that he was in Las Vegas watching a boxing match while a suspected drug lord was murdered in

a Leyte jail.

But no, he stayed on, and despite a brush off from the president who reinstated a provincial cop Dela Rosa relieved for his involvement in the Leyte killing.

Not that we are used to officials taking their honor seriously and giving up their posts in shame when they fail to perform or figure in some scandal.

We wonder, then, what further message is Mr. Duterte sending to the nation by saying he still trusts and is confident in Dela Rosa, who by his failure in leadership has failed to perform his sworn duty to protect the people.

Three crimes in Crame

game and take the anti-crime campaign to the next level. And he can do that by focusing on the ninjas in the ranks of the police —and probably stop drawing attention to himself as some sort of celebrity-cum-police mascot. *** Dela Rosa can look to his former boss in the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, Lacson, as a model. After all, Lacson has an obvious soft spot for his former junior officer— the senator can act as Dela Rosa’s mentor and save him from himself, while helping Duterte’s anti-crime campaign besides.

The knock on Bato is not that he doesn’t do a good job as the country’s top cop. It’s that he seems to want to be in the news so much—and even when he isn’t seeking publicity, it seems to find him, especially when he gets involved in controversies that he wished he had not gotten into.

For instance, Bato landed in the center of a recent kerfuffle when he accepted the invitation

THREE crimes seem to have been committed in Camp Crame, now nicknamed by many as Camp Crime. The first is the kidnapping and murder of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo. The second is what looks like a coverup operation being mounted by criminal policemen. The third is the lack of accountability by the top officials of the Philippine National Police, not just for this incident but what are likely similar cases that have been occurring in the last few months, arguably a criminal offense as well under our graft and corruption laws.

It is unfortunate that President Duterte has quickly exonerated PNP Chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, dousing speculation that would be compelled to resign in the wake of the slaying of the Korean inside Camp Crame, the headquarters of the PNP. This was a crime committed apparently by uniformed officers a few meters from De La Rosa’s office and residence.

The President stamped his foot to calls for Bato’s resignation when he told the latter not to resign but to continue doing his work. Bato enjoyed his full trust, he said.

It is clear that the President is satisfied with Bato’s performance and that he would stand by him come hell or high water. In Duterte’s own words: “He stays there. Bato has my complete trust.” This explains why the police general’s response to the call for his resignation by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and others is a confident: “Ask President Rodrigo Duterte to remove me.”

Duterte’s response is reminiscent of his predecessor who, despite the involvement or alleged involvement of some of his men in imbroglios and scandals, would not let go of them to the chagrin of the public. In particular, we recall the stubborn insistence of President Aquino to keep General Alan Purisima at his post. It took the Ombudsman to finally suspend Purisima, and even then, President Aquino continued to rely on Purisima on such sensitive matters as terrorism. We know where that led the country with the massacre of the SAF 44 and the slain Muslims in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Indeed, there are consequences when basic rules of accountability and command responsibility are not respected.

There is something wrong when there is no more distinction between police operatives and criminals in prosecuting their “jobs”; when police authorities perform their mandate

Turn to A5

Turn to A5

Bato must level up LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES WITH great power, the comicbook hero was advised, comes great responsibility. No one can deny that national police chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa wields immense power under the lawand-order administration of President Rodrigo Duterte—but now it’s time for Bato to take his job to the next level by going after rogue policemen who may reverse the gains of Duterte’s war on illegal drugs.

Dela Rosa has basked in the national limelight as chief implementor of Duterte’s anti-drug campaign. No less than a former PNP chief who made a second career out of politics, Senator Panfilo Lacson, has implied that Bato could seek elective office when he retires next year, if he does his job well.

But Lacson correctly observed

that Dela Rosa should focus on the job at hand, which now includes going after so-called “ninja cops.” These are the lawmen who are using the anticrime drive as a means to keep doing what they’ve been doing —illegal stuff like drug dealing, kidnapping for ransom, grand and petty extortion and providing protection for all sorts of unsavory activities like gambling and prostitution that have given the police force a bad name.

Here I must state that I remain convinced that majority of the members of the PNP are not involved in illegal “sidelines.” But the sad fact is, the corrupt and criminal cops have never left us—and any campaign against criminality will fail unless Duterte and his sidekick Bato rid the police ranks of these embarrassments to the force.

Now, the PNP (the righteous as well as the corrupt) have mostly gotten a free pass from Duterte, as long as they are focusing on ridding the country of the scourge of illegal drugs.

But the killing of retired Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo, right inside the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame late last year at the hands of policemen who had earlier arrested him for alleged

Dela Rosa’s Job Number One is taking down the corrupt cops hell-bent on sabotaging Duterte’s anticrime campaign. involvement in the drug trade, has shone a bright light on abuses that could be committed in the name of Duterte’s signature campaign.

Even Duterte has been given pause by the killing of Jee, who was allegedly strangled to death by one policeman even after his wife had paid millions in ransom money. “Are they not afraid of me?” Duterte asked in wonderment, amid calls to make the cops involved in the sensational crime accountable just like the drug suspects targeted by the campaign against illegal drugs have been.

Naturally, the outraged citizenry—and some opportunistic anti-Duterte politicians who will jump on anything that could take the President down a notch or two in the eyes of the public—have demanded that Dela Rosa should also take some of the heat and possibly even resign. But now that Duterte has declared that he would retain Bato, the PNP chief should not believe that nothing else is expected of him and that he can carry on as before.

On the contrary, Duterte’s decision to keep Dela Rosa carries with it the unspoken directive that the latter should now up his

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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 TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Duterte, Bato are responsible MANY are calling for the res- sent out to serve a warrant on ignation of Philippine National terrorists, were killed by the Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa in Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the aftermath of the strangula- the Bangsamoro Islamic Freetion of Hanjin executive Jee Ick dom Fighters and private armed Joo right inside Camp Crame. groups.

Until now, a Cotabato court President Rodrigo Duterte, however, has spoken: Bato has his has not issued arrest warrants on some 100 individuals responcomplete trust and confidence.

But trust and confidence are sible for the killings. It has not not the issue in this killing. It yet found any probable cause is, instead, whether or not Dela against those already identified.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Rosa is still respected by his subordinates when they can Aguirre II has been directed by commit so brazen a crime right the President to update him on the status of the Mamasapano at the PNP headquarters.

I’m not saying that President debacle. The secretary wants the Duterte must be blamed for case transferred to Manila.

I’m not too sure if the families what happened to the Korean.

He should, however, be aware of of the 44 slain men will ever get the fact that the police force is justice. They could easily go the one of the most corrupt agencies way of those killed in Ampatuan in the government, and there are town in Maguindanao in 2009.

Until now, the cases have not many scalawags in uniform.

As top cop, the President been resolved.

Will justice ever be served? should also ensure that the police will not taint his image as We will see whether this will he carries out his war on illegal happen under the watch of President Duterte. drugs. *** When Mr. Duterte said Bato I’m not too sure whether still had his trust and confidence, he assumed full responsibility Solicitor General Jose Calida knows his law. He says the for all actions of the police.

As for Dela Rosa, if he has President can proclaim martial any self-respect left, he should law even without invasion or go. But no—he is leaving it up rebellion when public safety demands it. to the President.

Calida says the President can In the days of the Roman Empire, when generals committed proclaim martial law as he sees anything that tainted the integ- fit—especially if it is to save the rity and image of the emperor, country. Under what circumstances, he did they fell on not say. their swords.

If the governI don’t know ment’s top lawDela Rosa yer can justify personally, alTrust and martial law if though I met President him when he confidence are not the has to “save the spoke once becountry,” Santa fore the Manila the issue in this Banana, anyOverseas Press killing. thing can hapClub where I’m pen! chairman emerCan the itus. I know, procla mat ion however, that a police chief has full responsibil- of martial law be justified because the drug menace has ity for what his people do.

In a way, President Duterte become virulent? It appears encouraged the killing of the President Duterte and Solicitor South Korean and every other General Calida believe this is killing in the war against illegal the answer. That’s stretching the drugs. The President keeps tell- imagination!

The President said that if Coning the police that he would progress and the Supreme Court tect and defend them.

The President has been known cannot agree on the justification to say that between a criminal of martial law, he would need to and a cop, he would rather be- declare it. But doesn’t Duterte lieve the latter. This was after the realize that the Supreme Court assassination of Albuera, Leyte is the final arbiter of the 1987 Mayor Rolando Espinosa inside Constitution? Read the Constihis cell. Those responsible were tution again, Mister President, neither relieved nor prosecuted. and realize that the Supreme Court has the final say, whether They were reinstated.

So can we still believe the you like it or not. *** PNP when it says it can be made The inauguration of Donald responsible to serve and protect the people? Can President Trump as the 45th President of Duterte and General Dela Rosa the United States has highlightrestore the people’s faith and ed uncertainties in our econoconfidence in the police? If we my and in Philippines-US relacannot trust our cops to pro- tions. Trump has emphasized tect us in our homes and on the he would follow an America First policy. streets, whom can we trust?

Under this policy, our busiThe President enjoys the support of the people, a survey has ness process outsourcing indusshown. The killing of the Ko- try will be adversely affected. So rean businessman will test that. will foreign investments here.

Even American aid to the PhilFrom hereon, Dela Rosa must realize that he should not go gal- ippines will suffer, although the livanting, like what he did when United States has reiterated its he and his family went to attend solid commitment to the Philipthe boxing match of Senator pines. Will the US abandon us?

While President Duterte says Manny Pacquiao in Los Angeles. Last week, he was seen at- he supports the Trump presidentending a concert. Does he not cy, only time will tell whether care about his responsibilities as our fears will come to pass. One thing is sure, though: the United police chief?

States cannot afford to abandon *** Nearly two years have passed its allies in this part of the world.

I guess we just have to wait for since the Mamasapano massacre. This was when members of Trump to warm his seat at the the PNP Special Action Force, Oval Office.

Bato...

From A4 of Senator Manny Pacquiao to watch the latter’s last fight in

Las Vegas, Nevada, paid for in full by the lawmaker. And then there was Bato’s appearance at a recent concert, while the Jee murder by his own cops was already hogging the headlines.

I think Bato is still titillated by his own celebrity and enjoys talking to the media and guesting in variety shows, where he invariably explains the need for the public to support Duterte’s anti-drug campaign. But perhaps Dela Rosa is still unaware that the same media that made him a household

name—and which is now picking him as a shoo-in for a Senate seat in the midterm elections in 2019 —will also turn against him the moment he becomes the bad guy.

So far, the novelty of Bato has not yet totally dissipated. He is still one of the most popular policemen to have held the position of PNP chief; he is not perceived to be corrupt or lazy and has even gained fans for his perceived sincerity and empathy.

But now the shine of Bato’s celebrity is no longer matched by the gleam on his shaved pate. It’s time to buckle down to work—and Job Number One is taking down the corrupt policemen who are hellbent on sabotaging Duterte’s anticrime campaign.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

The ‘federal idea’ (2): Parliamentarism FORMATION GARY OLIVAR LAST week I talked about the federal idea as an alternative system of government in lieu of our current unitary republic. Today we’ll look at the parliamentary form of government in lieu of the current (strong) presidential set-up.

From a helpful history of parliamentarism published in the Inquirer last Sunday, we learn that this form of government was attempted twice in our country: from 1935-1941, when “a strong presidency and bicameralism [House and Senate] were abandoned for unicameralism”; and from 1973-1987, during the Batasang Pambansa under President Marcos.

Obviously the Marcos-era Batasang Pambansa isn’t our model of choice. But it certainly bears out the flexibility of the parliamentary form, which can—and perhaps must—be integral to the proposed opposite of dictatorship: a highly decentralized, federal system. *** What distinguishes the parliamentary form is that both executive and legislative powers are lodged in the legislative body, which is (generally) unicameral.

In the Philippine context it’s a concession to reality, where the muchvaunted separation of powers is mocked after every presidential election when all the congressmen and senators switch their loyalties

to the new president’s party, no matter how small that party used to be.

Lifting from the Inquirer this quotation from Apolinario Mabini: “[Authority] needs an intellect to guide and direct it: the legislative power. It also needs a will that is active and will make it work: the Executive. It needs, too, a conscience that judges and punishes those who are bad: the judicial power…

“These powers should be independent of one another, in the sense that one should not encroach on the functions of the other. But the last two should be subordinated to the first, in the same manner that both will and conscience are subordinate to the intellect.” *** Now I wouldn’t go so far as to claim that the country’s best intellects are to be found among the congressmen. What Mabini’s saying, with all his profound democratic instincts, is that the guidance and direction of our affairs ought to come from the many legislators who represent our people in all their quarrelsome diversity, rather than a single president elected by all whose job is really to reconcile and translate that diversity into action.

Put differently, the parliamentary form brings us closer to subsidiarity: the principle of bringing down the level of decision-making as close as possible to the constituencies affected. It’s a principle that’s invoked in the federal system, which would transfer the majority of governmental powers

and resources one step down to the state level.

It is also invoked under a parliamentary form, where the prime minister as head of government—together with the rest of his cabinet wielding Executive authority—are drawn from, and selected by, the legislators whose first loyalties are to their respective grassroots electorates.

No more passing the buck or finger-pointing between Congress and the Palace. You make the laws, you enforce them too, you take the blame if they fail. That ought to bring back some overdue honesty into government. *** The other reason why the parliamentary form ought to accompany the federal system, is that this seems to be the only institutional setting under which we can put teeth into our political parties. In turn, it is only strong political parties that have a chance of breaking the feudal stranglehold of dynasties on our politics.

As an institutional proposition, strengthening the party system is actually quite straightforward.

There are several mechanisms available: campaign finance reform, grassroots political education and activism, requirements for majority/minority party distribution and proportionate [party-list] representation, encouragement of coalitionbuilding, provisions for recall and by-elections.

There is no shortage of lessons in other countries to learn from. But what many of us here fear is the possible shortage of political will among our countrymen, beaten

down by centuries of dependence on patronage, to reclaim their democratic franchise.

The shift to federalism will make many issues local that are now national. Most public services, as well as the bulk of the budget, will reside at the state and sub-state levels. This gives voters the power to much more closely measure the performance of their leaders, who ought to be drawn from their communities, who should campaign on locally relevant platforms, and who may be recalled as soon as whenever they fail to deliver. *** Political parties can provide the mechanism to institutionalize this new-found voter power. But will this guarantee that voters will in fact respond positively to the opportunity?

Of course not. As the old adage from the American West puts it: You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t force it to drink. A lot more work would have to be done, especially in terms of winning hearts and minds. But for starters, putting that water in front of the horse is no small achievement.

Over the long run, my own view is that the only way to unlearn the habits of patronage is to get rid of patronage itself. And that can only happen as and when more and more people are empowered by rising prosperity to think for themselves.

But that’s another story for a future column.

Readers can write me at gbolivar1952@yahoo.com

More on the ‘Comeleak’ exposé HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA IT’S about time that Andres Bautista, the Commission on Elections chairman, is held to account for anomalies committed by the poll body during his watch.

In March 2016, the Comelec data bank was hacked by outsiders in a data breach that compromised almost 77 million voter registration records, including voters’ full names, addresses, passport entries, birthdates, and other personal information. Observers call this anomaly the biggest breach of a government-controlled data base.

This scandal was brought to the attention of the National Privacy Commission which, after a thorough investigation, found that the wholesale data breach was the result of Bautista’s gross negligence as contemplated in Republic Act No. 10173, otherwise known as the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

In addition, the privacy commission recommended the criminal prosecution of Bautista for his gross negligence. It was reported in the news media that the evidence against Bautista had been turned over by the privacy commission to the Department of Justice.

Bautista played down this recent irregularity by claiming that he merely relied on the advice and recommendations of information technology experts in matters which were beyond the scope of his expertise.

What hogwash! If the excuse offered by Bautista is to be sustained, then public interest will be compromised wholesale. Following the

Three...

From A4 in utter disregard of the rights of the very people whom they are supposed to serve. There is something seriously wrong when salvaging and extra-judicial killings become part of the so-called legitimate police operations. There is something wrong when police and criminals alike take advantage of the war on drugs to cover their tracks or perpetrate their evil agenda. There is something wrong when due process of law is ignored to punish or enforce laws, or state policy. Finally, there is everything wrong when the sacrosanct principles of justice, respect for the rule of law and accountability are swept under the rug by the state to in furtherance of dubious state policies.

Of course, after all is said and done, the buck stops with the President. The thousands of victims, robbed of their humanity and of justice, will be the responsibility principally of the President and, secondarily, of his henchmen, including the Chief PNP. Without diminishing the role of the President, I emphasize that Bato dela Rosa plays an essential if not a pivotal role in enforcing state policies on peace, order and security. He

Bautista excuse, all that the head of an administrative or quasi-judicial body similar to the Comelec will need to do, to escape criminal liability, is to hire so-called “advisers” (paid at taxpayers’ expense) and claim that he merely followed their “advice” in a matter beyond his expertise. Good grief!

Despite its status as a constitutional commission, the Comelec is still a government body and its top official is still subject to public accountability. This means that at the end of the day, the Comelec chairman must own up to “Comeleak.”

Although the Constitution provides that the Comelec chairman may be removed from office only by impeachment, there is no legal impediment to an investigation of the wrongdoing attributable to him.

In other words, Bautista must answer for “Comeleak,” and if his alleged “advisers” really exist, then those advisers ought to be prosecuted as well. After all, these advisers are not in the Constitution’s list of officials removal only by impeachment. If these officials are not Comelec officials, but they received compensation from the Comelec anyway, jurisprudence posits that they can still be subject to criminal prosecution.

Evidently, not only must Bautista face the music; He must identify those “advisers” whose advice and recommendation triggered him to let “Comeleak” happen.

The problem does not end there.

Since millions of voters lost their private data to hackers, they are entitled to seek damages against Bautista and his cabal. A class suit and some complaints in intervention against them should teach the Comelec and other government agencies which handle confidential data obtained from private citizens

to be more prudent in handling such information.

So far, the government is on the defensive on issues relating to privacy rights. Just recently, the Supreme Court upheld the right of a law firm to fair play regarding the privacy of its bank accounts, despite the law against money laundering.

The foregoing pronouncement of the Supreme Court and the recent findings of the privacy commission against Bautista are tell-tale warnings to some telecommunications companies which share the mobile phone numbers of their subscribers to business enterprises who text unsolicited promotional materials to those numbers. Requests from subsribers for a halt to this irritating practice are summarily ignored by management. Perhaps the requests will now be entertained in the light of these recent developments in the legal realm.

Bautista has taken a dismissive attitude towards “Comeleak” in the same way that he summarily ignores serious complaints regarding the Comelec’s blatant disregard of both the election laws and the rules of elementary fairness.

For example, Bautista has not provided a satisfactory explanation as to why the Comelec billeted several foreign executives of Smartmatic (the foreign service provider of the automated counting machines used in the May 2016 polls) at the Novotel Hotel at the Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City days before and during the actual canvass of the elections. This is a serious issue because Novotel is owned by the family of Mar Roxas, who was then running for president under the pro-Aquino administration Liberal Party (LP), and moreso because the LP national campaign headquarters are

located at Novotel.

Other questions linger.

Who paid for the Novotel expenses of the foreign Smartmatic executives? If Bautista’s Comelec paid for it, was this expenditure of taxpayer money subjected to public bidding as required by law?

The Comelec mouthpiece says that the foreign Smartmatic executives were to assist in the actual election. How is this possible when the Constitution prohibits aliens from interfering in Philippine elections?

Since the nerve center of the national canvass was located at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City, why weren’t these foreign Smartmatic executives billeted at any of the numerous hotels near the PICC? Sofitel is just beside the PICC. Novotel is far off in Cubao, Quezon City.

Remember the news story which revealed that several voting machines were kept at Novotel prior to election day and on the election day itself? Although Bautista went to the hotel to supposedly investigate the incident, Novotel management merely allowed him to inspect a few hotel rooms pre-selected by the hotel management, and kept many other rooms uninspected. After his sloppy investigation, Bautista paid no further attention to this irregularity.

Recently, the Comelec hinted that it failed to obtain sufficient funds for the recount of the votes in the election protest filed by vice presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. before the Supreme Court sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal.

Perhaps Bautista intends to use the administrative incompetence of his agency as a possible ground to dismiss the Marcos election protest. If that is so, another explanation from him is due.

may well be responsible for its consequences. The recent occurrence in Camp Crame and the runaway cases of EJKs are patent reasons for the Chief PNP to resign. As said

by Speaker Alvarez, even Bato’s subordinates have lost respect for him if they have the temerity to do their crimes at the very heart of the PNP. In this case, as Representative Harry Roque is quoted to have observed, the Philippine government is internationally liable as well.

From a human rights point of view, this is also a breakthrough in the investigation of extrajudicial killings. The smoking gun is the testimony that the policeman-turnedwitness thought it was a legitimate operation. Strangling a person in a car in Camp Crame can never be a legitimate operation in the same way that killing a young man sleeping in a shanty can never be a legitimate operation.

It’s seems also now to be a pattern —“tokhang for ransom.” Teresita Ang See of the Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order knows of several Chinese nationals who have become victims of the scheme and in all cases paid ransom in exchange for not facing drug-related charges, though they were not in fact involved in illegal drugs.

It’s systematic, the infestation of criminal elements and corruption

in the Philippine National Police.

For the record, not all officers are tainted and I personally know good and honorable men in police uniform. But even they have always told me that there are bad eggs in their agency. But like in the Bureau of Customs, those bad eggs become bolder when they think they can get away with it. That is what happened here.

It must also be said that criminality and corruption have been systematic for a long time in the PNP, even before the Duterte administration —in fact, long before. But I fear it will become worse because the police, in the war against drugs, have been given absolute immunity and total power. And what do you expect when you give absolute power to the agency that has so many corrupt and criminal elements? Sadly, even the ones who are upright are also now being corrupted. By giving them license to kill pushers and addicts even when clearly illegal, they too are tainted. The price that our police agency and police officials are already paying and will pay in the future for what is happening now will be enormous. Aside from facing multiple human rights cases, reversing the culture of noncompliance with the law will be very difficult.

I actually like General Bato. I thought he, having a doctorate, had

both vision and strategy. I even appreciate his showbiz antics as they seem endearing, making him an effective communicator. Being from Mindanao myself, I badly want Bato and President Duterte to succeed.

But with the three crimes committed in Crame, Bato has lost the respect of his peers in the police and the military. And the public, minus the die-hard supporters, will no longer believe anything he says.

Tokhang now will be forever attached to ransom and murder; the war against illegal drugs is now clearly transformed as the opportunity for criminal elements in the police to make money. Telling the police to kill the criminals, because that means police officers killing each other, cannot solve this. They won’t do that. They are classmates in the Philippine Military Academy or the Philippine National Police Academy, and classmates don’t turn against each other.

Three crimes were committed in Crame. Most likely, these three crimes were not the first time and were not stand-alone. Most likely, they will be repeated. Think about that and where that will lead the country.

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CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

News

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017 Standard A6 TODAY Manila

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Republic of the Philippines Province of Bataan City of Balanga BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE OFFICE Section I. Invitation to Bid Republic of the Philippines Philippine Rural Development Project Invitation to Bid for the NEW CONSTRUCTION OF BARANGAY SAN ANTONIO-PARANGSAYSAIN Farm to Market Road Identification No. PRDP-IB-R003-BAT -001-000-000-2015-R1 Loan No. 8421-PH January 24, 2017 1.

The Government of the Philippines (GoP) has received a Loan from the World Bank towards the cost of Philippine Rural Development Project and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this Loan to payments under the contract for the New Construction of Barangay San Antonio-ParangSaysain Farm to Market Road/PRDP-IB-R003-BAT -001-000-000-20 15R1.

2.

The province of Bataan, implementing partner of the Department of Agriculture, now invites bids for the New Construction of Barangay San Antonio-Parang-Saysain Farm to Market Road. Completion of the Works is required by 393 calendar days. Bidders should have completed, within the last five (5) years, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

3.

Bidding will be conducted in accordance with relevant procedures for open competitive bidding as specified in the IRR of RA 9184 (R.A. 9184), with some amendments, as stated in these bidding documents and is open to all bidders from eligible source countries as defined in the applicable procurement guidelines of the World Bank. The contract shall be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during post-qualification. The Estimated Project Cost for this project is One Hundred Fifty-Seven Million Five Hundred Seventy-One Thousand Pesos (Php 157,571,000.00).

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Bids and Awards Committee Office of the Provincial Government of Bataan and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00am to 5:00pm, Mondays to Fridays.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from January 24, 2017 to February 23, 2017 from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the bidding documents in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (PhP5.000.00).

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the PRDP website (http://www.daprdp.net) provided that bidders shall pay the nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

As part of the transparency measures being instituted by the Department of Agriculture (DA) the bidders can virtually visit the site of the above-described subproject at http://www.daprdp.net where geotagged base photographs on 50 meter interval and track are viewable. The DA, however, requires that all potential contractors who will be awarded contract under the project shall have undergone geotagging training provided by the PRDP Project Support Office.

6.

The Provincial Government of Bataan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on February 10, 2017 at 10:00 AM at the Conference Room, Provincial Governor’s Office, Bulwagan ng Bayan, Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan, which shall be open to all interested parties.

7.

Bids must be delivered on or before February 24, 2017 at 10:00 AM at the Office of Bids and Awards Committee, Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Securing Declaration 0,[ hid security in the amount of Php 3,152,000.00 in the form of Cash, certified (Cashier’s or Manager’s) Check or in the form of Bank Guarantee issued by a universal or commercial Bank.

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

The Provincial Government of Bataan reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all’ bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

Number coding extended

By Joel E. Zurbano

T

HE Metro Manila Development Authority on Monday announced it is extending for another six months its “no window hours” policy for the number coding scheme.

The agency made the decision following a consultation meeting with members of the Metro Manila Council, the supervising board and policy-making body of the MMDA, and officials of the Inter-Agency Council on Traffic (I-ACT).

The number coding scheme, also known as the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program, was devised to keep vehicles out of major thoroughfares on certain days based on the last digit of the license plate.

The system corresponds to 1 and 2 for Monday, 3 and 4 for Tuesday, 5 and 6 for Wednesday, 7 and 8 for Thursday, and 9 and 0 for Friday.

The window hours refer to the five-hour (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) period, but removing this means the vehicles covered by the Number Coding Scheme may not pass Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and other major thoroughfares.

The suspension period of window hours, which was implemented late last October and ended this Jan.

PRESENT: Vice Mayor Councilor “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “

MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO - Presiding Officer MARIE ALETHEA SJ. CASAL-UY GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR. LUIS S. JAVIER JR. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY ROMEO C. MEDINA MA. ARLENE M. ORTEGA NELSON S. PASIA MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

LnB President

ARMANDO P. PADILLA

ABSENT: Councilor “

SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA-Sick leave DIVINA A. JACOME-Vacation Leave

(SGD) ENGR. ENRICO T. YUZON Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee Office of the Bids and Awards Committee Provincial Capitol Balanga City, Bataan

By Vito Barcelo

==========================================================================

On motion presented by Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, which was duly seconded by all Members present, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati approved City Ordinance No. 2016-A-037 on third and final reading.

CITY ORDINANCE NO. 2016-A-001 Author: Hon. M.C.M. Yabut Co-Authors: Hon. M.AS.J. Casal-Uy, Hon. G.I. De Lara-Bes, Hon. F.T. Eusebio, Hon. V.V. Hilario Jr., Hon. L.S. Javier Jr., Hon. L.M. Magpantay, Hon. R.C. Medina, Hon. M.A.M. Ortega, Hon. N.S. Pasia, Hon. E.J. Puno, Hon. M.R.C. Tolentino, Hon. E.D.E. Villamor, Hon. N.S. Yabut Jr., Hon. A.P. Padilla

WHEREAS, Section 11, Article V of R.A. 7854, otherwise known as the Charter of the City of Makati, provides that “(O)n the first regular session following the election of its members and within ninety (90) days thereafter, the sangguniang panlungsod shall adopt or update its existing rules of procedure.”

WHEREAS, a similar provision can be found in Section 50 of R.A. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT: RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, to adopt the Internal Rules of Procedure of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati for C.Y. 2016-2019, which is hereto attached as Annex “A”, subject to all laws and existing legal rules and regulations.

Republic of the Philippines Province of Bataan City of Balanga BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE OFFICE Section I. Invitation to Bid Republic of the Philippines Philippine Rural Development Project Invitation to Bid for the SUPPLY, DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION OF COLD STORAGE FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT Loan No. 8421-PH PRDP-IR-R003-BAT -001-000-000-2015

This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its approval.

APPROVED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA MANILA, in its Regular Session held on 11 August 2016.

HON. ROMEO C. MEDINA

HON. SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA

2.

3.

The Government of the Philippines (GOP) has received a Loan from the World Bank towards the cost of Philippine Rural Development Project, and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this Loan to payments under the contract for Supply, Delivery and Installation of Cold Storage Facilities & Equipment.

The Provincial Government of Bataan, implementing partner of the Department of Agriculture, now invites bids for Supply, Delivery and Installation of Cold Storage Facilities & Equipment. Delivery and installation of the Goods is required within Fifty (50) calendar days from receipt of the Notice to Proceed for Lot 1 and Lot 2. Bidders should have completed within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project.

The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted in accordance with relevant procedures for open competitive bidding as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Ad (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Ad”, with some amendments, as stated in these Bidding Documents and is open to an Bidders from eligible source countries as defined in the applicable procurement guidelines of the World Bank. The contract shall be awarded to the Lowest- Ca1culat-ed Responsive Bidder (LCRBJ who was determined as such during post-qualification.

4.

EPC P 5,351,500.00 P 3,988,500.00

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound) Balanga City. Bataan and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from January 24, 2017 to February 23, 2017 from the address below and upon payment of a non refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00).

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the PROP website http://www.da.prdp.net/, provided that Bidders shall pay the nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

5.

HON. MARIE ALETHEA S.J. CASAL-UY

HON. GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES

Co-Authors: Hon. S.C. Aspillaga, Hon. F.T. Eusebio, Hon. V.V. Hilario Jr., Hon. L.S Javier Jr., Hon. L.M. Magpantay, Hon. R.C. Medina, Hon. M.A.M. Ortega, Hon. N.S. Pasia, Hon. E.J. Puno, Hon. M.R.C. Tolentino, Hon. E.D.E. Villamor, and Hon. A.P. Padilla

HON. FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO

HON. ENRICO J. PUNO

HON. VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR.

HON. MAR MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO

HON. DIVINA A. JACOME

HON. EVEL EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR

HON. LUIS S. JAVIER JR.

HON. MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT

Various Cold Storage Facilities and equipment Cold Storage for 5 tons dried/processed fish

P 108,000.00 P 80,000.00

Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted Bidders shall warrant that all items to be delivered are new, branded and free from any defects.

8.

9.

The Provincial Government of Bataan reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids .at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to:

HON. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY

(MS-JAN. 24, 2017)

WHEREAS, it is indubitable that the said position entails numerous duties and responsibilities and as such, it needs to be filled by a competent and reliable person who shall lead the office with pride and honor for the welfare and well-being of the City Government of Makati and its constituents;

WHEREAS, Atty. Maribert Q. Pagente, being an experienced lawyer, is a person of proven integrity, professional competence, probity and independence of mind; WHEREAS, it is mandated by the Local Government Code of 1991 and the Charter of the City of Makati to submit such appointment to the Sanggunian for its concurrence;

HON. ARMANDO P. PADILLA LnB President Certified true and correct by: ATTY. DINDO R. CERVANTES Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod Attested by:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWERS VESTED IN IT BY LAW, IN SESSION ASSEMBLED, to concur with the Honorable Mayor Mar-len Abigail S. Binay in her appointment of Atty. Maribert Q. Pagente as City Government Department Head II (Business Permits and Licensing Office), subject to civil service laws, rules and regulations.

RESOLVED FURTHER, that copy of this Resolution be furnished the Civil Service Commission, Human Resources Development Office (HRDO) and other offices, departments and agencies concerned for their information, guidance and reference.

This Resolution is subject to existing civil service laws, rules and regulations and shall take effect upon approval.

HON. MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer

APPROVED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, in its regular session held on 24 August 2016..

Approved by: HON. SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA

HON. ROMEO C. MEDINA

HON. MARIE ALETHEA S.J. CASAL-UY

HON. MA ARLENE M. ORTEGA

HON. GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES

HON. NELSON S. P PASIA

HON. FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO

HON. ENRICO J. PUNO

HON. VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR.

HON. MAR MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO

DECLARATION OF POLICIES I.

HON. DIVINA A. JACOME

HON. EVEL EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR

The Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati is the legislative arm of the city government. All enactments shall be made for the advancement of the public good and general welfare, and promote the interest of the community and the City Government of Makati.

II.

HON. LUIS S. JAVIER JR.

HON. MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT

Public office is a public trust. The Sangguniang Panlungsod and every Member thereof are accountable to the people at all times. The mandate granted to them by law should be performed with utmost competence, efficiency, effectiveness, integrity and fidelity to the people’s welfare.

HON. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY

HON. NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY City Mayor

We, the Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati, in order to fully realize our purpose of enacting policies that will respond to the needs of our people and fulfill their aspirations for a just and humane society, hereby promulgate and pledge faithful obedience to these Rules.

III.

HON. ARMANDO P. PADILLA LnB President

Efficient and effective access to and dissemination of appropriate and accurate information and imperative in lawmaking. The development of institutional capabilities to harness technology to improve the legislative process and to continually inform the public of legislative performance in all facets of legislative work shall be pursued vigorously.

IV.

V.

(SGD) ENGR. ENRlCO YUZON BAC Chairman

WHEREAS, based on records, there exists a vacancy in the position of Business Permits and Licensing Office Head;

HON. NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

The continuing development of the capabilities of Members to craft and secure the passage of the legislative enactments is of utmost importance. Various continuing educative programs in disciplines relating to legislative work and its effective management shall be implemented. The establishment of institutional continuing education instrumentalities and systems and the pursuit of cooperative and coordinative networks with academic communities and the private sector for the purpose shall be fostered and strengthened.

Engr. Enrico Yuzon BAC.Chairman BAC/ PEO Office, Capitol Compound, Balanga City Bataan 047-237-9316 bac@Jataan.gov.ph

A RESOLUTION CONCURRING WITH THE HONORABLE MAYOR MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY IN HER APPOINTMENT OF ATTY. MARIBERT Q. PAGENTE AS CITY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT HEAD II (BUSINESS PERMITS AND LICENSING OFFICE), SUBJECT TO CIVIL SERVICE LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS.

WHEREAS, the Honorable Mayor Mar-len Abigail S. Binay appointed Atty. Maribert Q. Pagente as the Head of Business Permits and Licensing Office pursuant to the authority given by R.A. 7854, otherwise known as the Charter of the City of Makati;

PREAMBLE

Amount of Bid Security

CITY RESOLUTION NO. 2016-A-003

HON. NELSON S. P PASIA

The Province of Bataan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on February 10, 2017 at 10:00 AM, Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan, which shall be open to all interested parties.

Description

ARMANDO P. PADILLA

Authors: Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, Hon. M.AS.J. Casal-Uy, Hon. G.I. de Lara-Bes, Hon. D.A Jacome and Hon. N. S. Yabut Jr.

Annex “A” INTERNAL RULES OF PROCEDURES SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD CITY OF MAKATI C.Y.2016-2019

Lot No. 1 2

LnB President

HON. MA ARLENE M. ORTEGA

The DA requires that all potential contractors and suppliers who will be awarded contract under the project shall have undergone geo-tagging training provided by the PROP Project Support Office.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before February 24, 2017 at 10:00 AM. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in the form of Cash or Certified/ Manager’s check or Bank Guarantee issued by a universal/commercial Bank or Bid Securing Declaration.

MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO - Presiding Officer SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA MARIE ALETHEA SJ. CASAL-UY GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR. DIVINA A. JACOME LUIS S. JAVIER JR. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY ROMEO C. MEDINA MA. ARLENE M. ORTEGA NELSON S. PASIA ENRICO J. PUNO MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

On motion presented by Hon. G.I. de Lara-Bes, which was duly seconded by all Members present, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati approved City Resolution No. 2016-A-003 on second and final reading

The Estimated Project Cost (EPC) for this project is shown below.

Lot No. Description 1 Various Cold Storage Facilities and Equipment 2 Cold Storage for 5 tons dried/processed fish

PRESENT: Vice Mayor Councilor “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “

==========================================================================

January 24, 2017 1.

THE Commission on Elections said it will set aside P10 million to buy new voter registration machines and peripherals to accommodate the rising number of new voter applicants, reactivation, transfer and correction of names of voters for the coming village and Sangguniang Kabataan elections this year.

The Comelec said the poll body has received a total of 490,892 applications for registration for a period of nine weeks from November 2016 to January 2017 during the ongoing satellite registration of voters nationwide.

In all regions, with the exception of Cotabato City and Isabela City, there were 81,318 applications received from regular registrants,

72,745 applications from SK, 1,636 from Persons with Disability, 6,278 from Senior Citizens, and 801 from Indigenous Peoples for the months of November and December 2016.

During the satellite registration over the same period, 122,558 voter’s identification cards were also released through the election officers.

The resumption of the system of continuing registration started last Nov. 7, 2016 and will end on April 29, 2017.

The poll will purchase 130 units each of desktop computers, uninterruptible power supply units, web cameras, signature pads and fingerprint scanners.

Prospective bidders are required to have accomplished a contract similar to the project in the last five years.

A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE INTERNAL RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF THE CITY OF MAKATI FOR C.Y. 2016-2019.

WHEREAS, the adopted Internal Rules of Procedure must not go beyond the dictates of the Charter of the City of Makati, Local Government Code of 1991 and other existing laws.

(MS-JAN. 24, 2017)

and radial roads in Metro Manila.

Areas covered by the scheme are Circumferential Road-5 (C-5 Road), Alabang-Zapote Road, Roxas Boulevard, and in the cities of Mandaluyong, Makati, and Las Piñas.

Other main roads included are Rizal Avenue, Claro M. Recto Avenue, Taft Avenue, Del Pan Street, President Quirino Avenue, Araneta Avenue, Marcos Highway, MacArthur Highway, Shaw Boulevard, Ortigas Avenue, Quezon Avenue, Commonwealth Avenue, Magsaysay Boulevard, Aurora Boulevard, A. Bonifacio Avenue and South Luzon Expressway.

Areas covered by the “no window hour” policy are the following: Edsa, C-5 Road, Roxas Boulevard and Zapote Road as well as the cities of Makati, Las Piñas and Mandaluyong.

Poll agency to buy P10-m new machines

WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of the abovementioned laws, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati is hereby mandated to adopt its own Internal Rules of Procedure to achieve the highest degree of efficiency during deliberations of the Sangguniang Panlungsod;

For further information, please refer to:

31, was made to decongest traffic in the National Capital Region during the holiday season.

MMDA acting chairman Thomas Orbos said the decision to extend the No Window Hours scheme will not result in people buying another vehicle because the extension will only be temporary.

“We do not see motorists resort to buying another car just to avoid the No Window Hours policy. It is just impractical,” he said.

Orbos said it will be taken up and discussed again at the next regular meeting of the MMC, which is made up of the 17 Metro Manila mayors.

With the consensus of the MMC and I-ACT, the five-hour window for the UVVRP has been suspended.

Under the existing UVVRP, the Number Coding Scheme is also expanded to cover all circumferential

The harnessing and development of a competent and efficient corps of professionals able to provide necessary legislative support services is a paramount concern. Programs for the continuing recruitment, training and development of qualified professionals and the establishment of appropriate organizational systems to best utilize their talents and skills to enhance institutional legislative performance shall be undertaken.

(MS-JAN. 24, 2017)

Certified true and correct by: ATTY. DINDO R. CERVANTES Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod Attested by:

HON. MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer Approved by:

MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY City Mayor

(MS-JAN. 24, 2017)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Sports

Manila

Standard

TODAY

A7

Serena stays on track M ELBOURNE —Serena Williams kept up her pursuit of a record Grand Slam title and a return to world number one on Monday as she reached the Australian Open quarter-finals without dropping a set.

A day after defending champion and top seed Angelique Kerber fell by the wayside, Williams overcame Barbora Strycova 7-5, 6-4 to set up a last-eight clash with Britain’s Johanna Konta.

The American great would gain much from winning in Melbourne, as she would overtake Steffi Graf’s Open-era record of 22 Grand Slam titles and end Kerber’s short reign as world number one.

In hot conditions, she fought off the tenacious Strycova in two tight sets, following her sister Venus into the quarter-finals and staying on track for a possible all-Williams final.

“I have absolutely nothing to lose in this tournament,” said Williams, 35. “Everything here is a bonus for me. Obviously I’m here to win. Hopefully I can play better, I can only go better.”

Konta, the ninth seed, also

reached the last eight with a perfect record in sets after a convincing 6-1, 6-4 victory over Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova.

Despite the task facing her, Konta was delighted to be playing Williams, a childhood idol, for what would be her second straight Australian Open semi-final.

“I’m really looking forward to the challenge, and I’m looking forward to being on court, out on court with her and competing against her,” Konta said.

‘Tough little cookie’ Meanwhile Mirjana Lucic-Baroni wrote another chapter in her fairytale career revival when she beat American qualifier Jennifer Brady 6-4, 6-2

to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in 18 years.

The former teen prodigy, now 34, won the 1998 Australian Open women’s doubles with Martina Hingis but she fled her abusive father and suffered a series of injuries to put her career on hold.

Her joy was unbridled at beating Brady as she reached the last eight at a major for the first time since 1999, when she lost to Graf at Wimbledon aged 17.

“I hope no one is going to pinch me and wake me up because this is just incredible,” said Lucic-Baroni, who screeched with joy and jumped up and down to celebrate the win. AFP

Suns burn Raptors; Wolves rally past Nuggets LOS ANGELES—Eric Bledsoe exploded for 40 points as the Phoenix Suns claimed another win over the Toronto Raptors with a 115-103 victory on Sunday at the Air Canada Center arena.

The Suns are riding a modest two game win streak and have now taken both games of the season series against the Raptors.

Devin Booker added 20 points

for the Suns. Tyler Chandler had 16 points and nine rebounds.

DeMar DeRozan had 22 points for Toronto, while Jonas Valanciunas contributed a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds for Toronto who lost a third consecutive game for the first time this season.

“If you’re a true competitor you hate this feeling, you hate leaving the arena like this,” DeRozan said. “It sucks at

PRESENT: Vice Mayor Councilor “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “

MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO - Presiding Officer SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA MARIE ALETHEA SJ. CASAL-UY GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR. DIVINA A. JACOME LUIS S. JAVIER JR. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY ROMEO C. MEDINA MA. ARLENE M. ORTEGA NELSON S. PASIA ENRICO J. PUNO MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

LnB President

ARMANDO P. PADILLA

======================================================================== On motion presented by Hon. N.S. Yabut Jr., which was duly seconded by all Members present, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati approved City Resolution No. 2016-A-004 on second and final reading.

CITY RESOLUTION NO. 2016-A-004

night, having that on your mind, having consecutive losses, especially three that you’re not used to having.

Elsewhere, Karl-Anthony Towns had 32 points and hit a go-ahead jump shot with 42 seconds left as the Minnesota Timberwolves rallied to beat the Denver Nuggets 111-108 in a showdown between two of the youngest teams in the NBA. Shabazz Muhammad came off the

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CLOSURE OF CHED ZONAL RESEARCH TRUST FUND WITH ACCOUNT NAME TF-CHED-DLSU ZONAL AND ACCOUNT NUMBER LBP-CA NO. 3452-1004-00, THE REMAINING BALANCE OF WHICH IS NINE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED FOURTEEN PESOS & 1/100 (Php 9,514.01), AND THEREBY AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF THE SAID AMOUNT TO TRUST FUND PROPER, INCLUDING ITS INTEREST EARNED, WITH LBP-CA NO. 3452-1000-28 SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS. WHEREAS, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), through its CHED-DLSU Zonal Research Grant Aid, granted fund for the Zonal Research Study of the University of Makati, WHEREAS, based on Memorandum No. 2015-059 dated 12 January 2015, then Acting City Accountant Raydes B. Pestaño, only eighty percent (80%) of the approved budget was released to the City Government of Makati; WHEREAS, based on the Project, Work and Financial Plan, the remaining twenty percent (20%) of the approved budget shall be transferred to the City upon submission of the required deliverables/ outputs to CHED by the University of Makati; WHEREAS, due to non-compliance of the Committee handling the subject research, only the eighty percent (80%) of the project was deposited to the Land Bank of the Philippines, Makati City Hall branch under TF-CHED DLSU ZONAL with LBP-CA No. 3452-1004-00; WHEREAS, the bank account mentioned in the preceding clause is currently below minimum balance and as a consequence thereof, the LBP is deducting additional charges; WHEREAS, to avoid incurring further penalties and other bank charges, the Accounting Department of City Government recommends that the closure of the abovementioned account and thereby transferring the remaining balance amounting to Nine Thousand Five Hundred Fourteen Pesos & 1/100 (Php 9,514.01) of the said account to Trust Fund Proper with LBP-CA No. 3452-1000-28; WHEREAS, in compliance with the banking requirements for the approval of the closure and transferring of government accounts, the City Government of Makati, through the Sangguniang Panlungsod, deems it appropriate to adopt a resolution for that purpose.

TENIELLE Madis and John David Velez kicked off their Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group tennis campaign in emphatic fashions, coming away with a pair of victories each in the Dangcagan leg in Bukidnon yesterday.

Madis, one of the rising stars from M’lang, Cotabato, dropped just one game in three matches to run away with the 10-unisex crown, capping her romp with a 4-0, 4-1 victory over Novie Malinis. She later took the girls’ 12-U title with a 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Angela Buyante.

Velez, a prized find from Davao, matched that big start in the 58-stage circuit sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger with victories in the boys’ side, beating Peterson Linsagan, 6-2, 6-0, for the 14-U plum then routing Vince Dandasan, 6-1, 6-2, in the 16-U finals of the Group 4 tournament held at the Dangcagan, Kitatao and Kibawe courts.

“These two talented kids could become the country’s next stars and this circuit will provide them the support, motivation and exposure they need to live up to their promise,” said Palawan Pawnshop

president/COO Bobby Castro.

Their siblings also shared the spotlight with Jazzelle Madis ruling the girls’ 16-U division with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Ma. Angelica Novis and Patricia Velez scoring a 6-1(ret.) win over Novis in the 18-U finals of the event backed by new sponsor Asiatraders Corp. and sanctioned by Philta.

Novis, from Malita, Davao Occidental, earlier copped the 14-U diadem with a 6-3, 6-0 romp over Buyante while Andre Kenny Sing, also from Davao City, pocketed the boys’ 12-U title with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Cedric Pamplona, and Maramag, Bukidnon’s Mark Ivan Malinis claimed the boys’ 18-U plum with a 6-1, 6-1 rout of Cyrill Robeniol.

Meanwhile, listup is ongoing for the second leg set Jan. 26-29 in Malaybalay, Bukidnon to be followed by the Butuan City and Cagayan De Oro legs on Feb. 2-6 and Feb 9-13, respectively, according to tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay, also the PPSPEPP sports program development director. For details, call 0915-4046464.

For complete schedule, visit www.palawanpawnshoptennis. com.

PRESENT: Vice Mayor Councilor “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “

MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO - Presiding Officer SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA MARIE ALETHEA SJ. CASAL-UY GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR. DIVINA A. JACOME LUIS S. JAVIER JR. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY ROMEO C. MEDINA MA. ARLENE M. ORTEGA NELSON S. PASIA ENRICO J. PUNO MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

PRESENT: Vice Mayor Councilor “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “

MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO - Presiding Officer SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA MARIE ALETHEA SJ. CASAL-UY GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR. DIVINA A. JACOME LUIS S. JAVIER JR. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY ROMEO C. MEDINA MA. ARLENE M. ORTEGA NELSON S. PASIA ENRICO J. PUNO MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

LnB President

ARMANDO P. PADILLA

LnB President

ARMANDO P. PADILLA

================================================================ On motion presented by Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, which was duly seconded by all Members present, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati approved City Resolution No. 2016-A-OOS on second and final reading..

Authors: Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, Hon. M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, Hon. G.I. de Lara-Bes, Hon. D.A Jacome and Hon. N. S. Yabut Jr. Co-Authors: Hon. S.C. Aspillaga, Hon. F.T. Eusebio, Hon. V.V. Hilario Jr., Hon. L.S Javier Jr., Hon. L.M. Magpantay, Hon. R.C. Medina, Hon. M.A.M. Ortega, Hon. N.S. Pasia, Hon. E.J. Puno, Hon. M.R.C. Tolentino, Hon. E.D.E. Villamor, and Hon. A.P. Padilla

bench to score 20 for Minnesota. Canadian star Andrew Wiggins had 24 points for the Timberwolves, who improved to 16-28 on the season and have won five of their past seven games.

Gary Harris returned from an ankle injury to score 22 points and Nikola Jokic had 18 points and eight rebounds for Denver, who had won four of their previous five games. AFP

Madis, Velez kick off tennis bids with wins

CITY RESOLUTION NO. 2016-A-005 Authors: Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, Hon. M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, Hon. G.I. de Lara-Bes, Hon. D.A Jacome and Hon. N. S. Yabut Jr. Co-Authors: Hon. S.C. Aspillaga, Hon. F.T. Eusebio, Hon. V.V. Hilario Jr., Hon. L.S Javier Jr., Hon. L.M. Magpantay, Hon. R.C. Medina, Hon. M.A.M. Ortega, Hon. N.S. Pasia, Hon. E.J. Puno, Hon. M.R.C. Tolentino, Hon. E.D.E. Villamor, and Hon. A.P. Padilla A RESOLUTION CONCURRING WITH THE HONORABLE MAYOR MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY IN HER APPOINTMENT OF ATTY. CLARO F. CERTEZA AS CITY ADMINISTRATOR, SUBJECT TO CIVIL SERVICE LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS. WHEREAS, based on records, there exists a vacancy in the position of City Administrator; WHEREAS, it is indubitable that the said position entails numerous duties and responsibilities and as such, it needs to be filled by a competent and reliable person who shall lead the office with pride and honor for the welfare and well-being of the City Government of Makati and its constituents; WHEREAS, the Honorable Mayor Mar-len Abigail S. Binay appointed Atty. Claro F. Certeza as the City Administrator pursuant to the authority given by R.A. 7854, otherwise known as the Charter of the City of Makati;

================================================================== On motion presented by Han. G.I. de Lara-Bes, which was duly seconded by all Members present, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati approved City Resolution No. 2016-A-006 on second and final reading.

CITY RESOLUTION NO. 2016-A-006 Authors: Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, Hon. M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, Hon. G.I. de Lara-Bes, Hon. D.A Jacome and Hon. N. S. Yabut Jr. Co-Authors: Hon. S.C. Aspillaga, Hon. F.T. Eusebio, Hon. V.V. Hilario Jr., Hon. L.S Javier Jr., Hon. L.M. Magpantay, Hon. R.C. Medina, Hon. M.A.M. Ortega, Hon. N.S. Pasia, Hon. E.J. Puno, Hon. M.R.C. Tolentino, Hon. E.D.E. Villamor, and Hon. A.P. Padilla A RESOLUTION CONCURRING WITH THE HONORABLE MAYOR MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY IN HER APPOINTMENT OF ATTY. MICHAEL ARTHUR R. CAMIÑA AS CITY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT HEAD II (CITY ATTORNEY), SUBJECT TO CIVIL SERVICE LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS. WHEREAS, based on records, there exists a vacancy in the position of City Government Department Head II (City Attorney); WHEREAS, it is indubitable that the said position entails numerous duties and responsibilities and as such, it needs to be filled by a competent and reliable person who shall lead the office with pride and honor for the welfare and well-being of the City Government of Makati and its constituents; WHEREAS, the Honorable Mayor Mar-len Abigail S. Binay appointed Atty. Michael Arthur R Camifia as the City Government Department Head II (City Attorney) pursuant to the authority given by RA. 7854, otherwise known as the Charter of the City of Makati;

WHEREAS, Atty. Claro F. Certeza, being a renowned litigator and an expert of law, is a person of proven integrity, professional competence, probity and independence of mind;

WHEREAS, Atty. Michael Arthur R Camiña, who handled the same position in another city in NCR, is a person of proven integrity, professional competence, probity and independence of mind;

WHEREAS, it is mandated by the Local Government Code of 1991 and the Charter of the City of Makati to submit such appointment to the Sanggunian for its concurrence;

WHEREAS, it is mandated by the Local Government Code of 1991 and the Charter of the City of Makati to submit such appointment to the Sanggunian for its concurrence;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWERS VESTED IN IT BY LAW, IN SESSION ASSEMBLED, to concur with the Honorable Mayor Mar-len Abigail S. Binay in her appointment of Atty. Claro F. Certeza as City Administrator, subject to civil service laws, rules and regulations.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWERS VESTED IN IT BY LAW, IN SESSION ASSEMBLED, to concur with the Honorable Mayor Mar-len Abigail S. Binay in her appointment of Atty. Michael Arthur R. Camiña as City Government Department Head II (City Attorney), subject to civil service laws, rules and regulations.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWERS VESTED IN IT

BY LAW, IN SESSION ASSEMBLED, to authorize the closure of CHED Zonal Research Trust Fund with Account Name TF-CHED-DLSU ZONAL and Account Number LBP-CA No. 3452-1004-00, the remaining balance of which is Nine Thousand Five Hundred Fourteen Pesos & 1/100 (Php 9,514.01) and thereby authorizing the transfer of the said amount to Trust Fund Proper, including its interest earned, with LBP-CA No. 3452-1000-28 subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations.

RESOLVED FURTHER, that copy of this Resolution be furnished the Civil Service Commission, Human Resources Development Office (HRDO) and other offices, departments and agencies concerned for their information, guidance and reference.

Let copy of this Resolution be furnished the Office of Mayor, City Treasurer’s Office and other offices, departments and agencies concerned for their information, guidance and reference.

APPROVED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, in its regular session held on 24 August 2016.

This Resolution is subject to existing civil service laws, rules and regulations and shall take effect upon approval.

RESOLVED FURTHER, that copy of this Resolution be furnished the Civil Service Commission, Human Resources Development Office (HRDO) and other offices, departments and agencies concerned for their information, guidance and reference.

This Resolution is subject to existing civil service laws, rules and regulations and shall take effect upon approval.

APPROVED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, in its regular session held on 24 August 2016.

This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its approval.

APPROVED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, in its regular session held on 24 August 2016.

HON. SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA

HON. ROMEO C. MEDINA

HON. SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA

HON. ROMEO C. MEDINA

HON. MARIE ALETHEA S.J. CASAL-UY

HON. MA ARLENE M. ORTEGA

HON. MARIE ALETHEA S.J. CASAL-UY

HON. MA ARLENE M. ORTEGA

HON. GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES

HON. NELSON S. P PASIA

HON. GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES

HON. NELSON S. P PASIA

HON. FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO

HON. ENRICO J. PUNO

HON. VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR.

ON. MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO HON.

HON. DIVINA A. JACOME

ON. EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR HON.

HON. LUIS S. JAVIER JR.

HON. MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT

HON. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY

HON. NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

HON. FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO

HON. ENRICO J. PUNO

HON. VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR.

HON. MAR MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO

HON. DIVINA A. JACOME

HON. EVEL EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR

HON. LUIS S. JAVIER JR.

HON. MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT

HON. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY

HON. NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

HON. SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA

HON. ROMEO C. MEDINA

HON. MARIE ALETHEA S.J. CASAL-UY

HON. MA ARLENE M. ORTEGA

HON. GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES HON. NELSON S. P PASIA

HON. FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO

HON. ENRICO J. PUNO

HON. VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR.

ON. MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO HON.

HON. DIVINA A. JACOME

ON. EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR HON.

HON. LUIS S. JAVIER JR.

HON. MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT

HON. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY

HON. NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

HON. ARMANDO P. PADILLA LnB President

HON. ARMANDO P. PADILLA LnB President

HON. ARMANDO P. PADILLA LnB President

Certified true and correct by:

Certified true and correct by:

Certified true and correct by:

ATTY. DINDO R. CERVANTES Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod

ATTY. DINDO R. CERVANTES Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod

ATTY. DINDO R. CERVANTES Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod

Attested by:

HON. MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer Approved by:

Attested by:

Attested by:

HON. MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer

HON. MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer

Approved by:

MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY City Mayor

Approved by:

MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY City Mayor (MS-JAN. 24, 2017)

MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY City Mayor (MS-JAN. 24, 2017)

(MS-JAN. 24, 2017)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

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

A8

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017

Lady Stags a triumph shy of finals SAN Sebastian College moved a win shy of sweeping its way straight to the finals in the women’s division of the 92nd NCAA volleyball tournament after Games tomorrow (Filoil Flying V Center) turning back 8 a.m.- CSB vs SSC (jrs) Lyceum of 9:30 a.m.- CSB vs SSC (m) the Philip11 a.m.- CSB vs SSC (w) pines Univer12:30 p.m.- AU vs UPHSD (w) 2 p.m.- AU vs UPHSD (m) sity, 25-21, 3:30 p.m.- AU vs UPHSD (jrs) 25-19, 25-17 at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan City yesterday.

Reigning back-to-back MVP Grethcel Sotlones and Joyce Sta. Rita paced their team with 13 hits apiece to help propel the Lady Stags to their eighth straight victory, one win away from booking an outright spot to the championship round where they will enjoy a thrice-to-beat edge.

San Sebastian can only accomplish it if it could hurdle defending champion St. Benilde in the final elimination-round playdate set tomorrow.

Interestingly, the Lady Stags also swept last year’s elims only to lose to the Lady Blazers, the eventual winners, in the finals.

San Sebastian coach Roger Gorayeb, however, is thinking more of their St. Benilde game than anything else.

“Our focus is in that one game against St. Benilde and we have a day to prepare for it,” said Gorayeb.

LPU absorbed its fourth defeat against five wins that eliminated it from the Final Four.

Racal mauls Blustar by 50

PLAYER OF THE WEEK. Phoenix rookie Matthew Wright, shown here driving against Ginebra’s Jayjay Helterbrand, is the Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for the period of Jan. 16 to 22. The 6’4” Wright stepped up big-time to help Phoenix beat NLEX and Barangay Ginebra as he averaged all-around numbers of 15.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists for Phoenix.

Torre to receive Lifetime Achievement PSA award L IKE wine, Grandmaster Eugene Torre gets better with age.

Showing he’s still a force to reckon with at 65, Torre carried the country’s campaign in the 2016 Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan just like he did during his heydays as the top chess player not only in the Philippines but also in Asia.

RACAL took advantage of its experience and dealt Blustar Detergent with a 51-point beatdown, 109-58, Monday in the 2017 PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.

Rey Nambatac got himself going early and fired six of his 16 points in the first quarter as the Tile Masters established an early 25-8 advantage. He also had nine rebounds and three assists as the team took turns on eviscerating the young Dragons crew.

Racal extended its edge to as high as 53, 109-56, after Sidney Onwubere nailed a trey late in the game.

Despite the Tile Masters’ dominant win, Codinera said he’s still looking for the right mix with the roster he has on hand.

Appearing in another recordbreaking 23rd appearance in the biennial meet, Torre emerged as the best player out of the fourman Filipino team and in the entire tournament for that matter, after finishing undefeated behind a spectacular 10 points out of the possible 11 on nine victories and two fighting draws.

While, the total score was the

biggest among anyone in the meet, Torre ended up notching just the bronze medal on Board 3 since the format awards winner (gold medalist) to the player with the highest performance rating.

Nonetheless, the performance served as among the few bright spots to the country’s campaign in the 42nd edition of the Olympics of chess. It was also Torre’s

first medal in the event since winning the silver on Board 1 (9 wins and 10 draws) during the 1974 Olympiad in Nice, France where the Filipino achieved his Grandmaster norm, the first ever to do so in Asia at the time.

For turning back the hands of time behind his excellent performance in Azerbaijan, Torre will deservingly be recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award in the coming Philippine Sportswriters Association Annual Awards Night presented by San Miguel and MILO. The most accomplished Filipino chess player of all time is among the top awardees to be feted by the country’s oldest media organization in its annual gathering of sporting heroes and

heroines co-presented by CIGNAL/Hyper TV on Feb. 13 at the LE PAVILION in Pasay City.

Rio De Janeiro Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz is the recipient of the 2016 Athlete of the Year award, an honor once bestowed to Torre in 1982 when he was the toast of Philippine sports along with bowler Bong Coo and former world boxing champion Frank Cedeno.

As Lifetime Achievement awardee, Torre joins a list of distinguished personalities also conferred with the same honor in the past such as the 1973 PH men’s basketball team, the late cage great Carlos Loyzaga, coaching icon Virgilio ‘Baby’ Dalupan, Francisco Elizalde, Mauricio Martelino, and Carlos Padilla, among others.

GM So splits point with Karjakin, keeps hold on lead

By Peter Atencio FILIPINO grandmaster Wesley So settled for another draw, this time with Sergey Karjakin in 22 moves of a Reti in Round 8 of the 2017 Tata Steel Chess Masters in Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands.

This kept So in the solo lead with 5.5 points after he posted his fifth draw against three wins in eight matches.

But it was the game between

Hungarian GM Richard Rapport and world no. 1 GM Magnus Carlsen, which stole the limelight.

Rapport, who has been playing a so-so game, pounced on a series of errors by Carlsen to post a 33-move upset in their Reti opening game.

Because of this, Carlsen dropped out of his share of second position, allowing Pavel Eljanov and Wei Yi to move up behind So with five points.

Ejlanov drew with Radoslaw Wojtaszek in 46 moves of a Sicilian Defense, while Wei Yi halved his point with Pental Harikrishna in 27 moves of a Petrov Defense.

Good moves by the whiteplaying Rapport with his pawn and rook gave him control of the center on the 29th.

When it was over, Rapport was holding off the advance of a passed pawn at e3 with his knight.

Carlsen is tied from fourth to eighth spot and shares 4.5 points with Levi Aronian, Baskaran Adhiban, and Karjakin.

Experts from chessbase. com, who analyzed the game (Daniel King) said the game was quite balanced, with no real edge going to either.

“Yet in the space of five moves, the world no.1 made one error after another, losing a piece at the end,” observed King.

Wesley So

PSA Forum has a new home in Golden Phoenix Hotel NEWLY-named Chef De Mission to this year’s Southeast Asian Games, Cynthia Carrion and members of the SEA Games Task Force grace today’s session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at its new home at Golden Phoenix Hotel near the Mall of Asia Arena.

Carrion will be joined by Task Force members Raymund Lee and Tom Carrasco as they talk about the country’s campaign in the biennial meet set this August in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Also with them is former taekwondo national team member Monsour Del

Rosario, who is the country’s Chef De Mission to the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.

Others in the guest’ list in Tuesday’s edition of the public sports program aired live over DZSR Sports Radio 918 and presented by San Miguel Corp.,

Accel, Shakey’s, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. are International Master Ronald Bancod for the coming UP Rapid and Blitz Chess Open and a representative of Under Armour as it celebrates ‘Armour Day’ this weekend.

Vivo taps Curry as brand ambassador VIVO, a top five premium smartphone brand, tapped international basketball superstar Stephen Curry as the brand ambassador and official endorser of all Vivo phones, including its breakthrough f lagship product Vivo V5 Plus, considered the perfect selfie phone as it is equipped with the world’s first 20 megapixel dual front cameras.

“With Vivo being a premium brand, it’s only fitting that we choose the best ambassador for it,” Vivo brand director, Annie Lim, said of Curry.

The NBA superstar, two-time MVP and Golden State Warriors’ point guard had earlier expressed his excitement in the Vivo grand launch last November, when he was first revealed as the official ambassador for all upcoming Vivo phone models.

“I’m really thankful for being part of the Vivo family and I’m looking forward to more activities with Vivo,” Curry said.

The Perfect Selfie phone comes with 20-megapixel primary and 8-megapixel secondary front cameras

and advanced selfie features, such as the ‘bokeh’ effect, face beauty mode 6.0, and selfie soft light.

Designed with a 5.5-inch large display, ultra-slim bezel technology, and 5th generation Corning Gorilla glass with enhanced scratch resistance, Vivo V5 Plus is the perfect blend of style, convenience, and function.

For speed and efficient performance, the Perfect Selfie phone is run by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, paired with Vivo’s Funtouch OS based on Android 6.0, with a 4GB

RAM and 64GB ROM, to boot.

Sound-wise, the V5 Plus uses the Vivo’s premium Hi-Fi system, the AK4376.

Finally, the newest Vivo model has an updated fingerprint technology for quick launching, and a fastcharging feature.

For inquiries about Vivo V5 Plus, visit the Vivo website at vivoglobal.ph, or check out their Facebook ( ht t p s:// w w w.f a c e b o ok . com/VivoPhil), Instagram (ht t ps://w w w.i nst ag ram. com/vivophil/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/vivophil) accounts.

Last year, legendary baseball and softball player Filomeno ‘Boy’ Codinera was cited with the same award, eight months before he passed away.

Torre has long been elevated too, in the Hall of Fame of the sports organization first established in 1949.

Awards for Executive of the Year, National Sports Association of the Year, Mr. Basketball, Mr. Golf, Mr. Football, Ms. Volleyball, and the special choice of the current PSA president Riera Mallari of The Standard will be handed out during the formal rite backed by Smart, Foton, Mighty Sports, PBA, ACCEL, Gold Toe, SM Prime Holdings Inc.,. Globalport, Rain or Shine, ICTSI, and MVPSF.

La Salle netter wins HK title LA Salle student John Bryan Otico took the boys’ singles of the International Tennis Federation Grade 4 junior tournament at Victoria Park Sunday in Hong Kong.

The 17-year-old Otico pulled off a 6-1, 6-3 triumph over doubles’ partner Nathanasith Kunsuwan of Thailand in the championship round.

Otico told the Manila Standard in an email that he earned his first championship this year with the help of the Philippine Tennis Academy and his coach Jun Toledo, who guided him all throughout the tournament.

It was his third crown after winning a pair of doubles’ championships in the two-leg Phinma-Philippine Sports Commission juniors’ netfest in Manila last November.

In the first leg, he and Japanese teammate Seito Watanabe beat Christian Didier Chin and Digvijay Singh, 4-6, 6-2, 10-7, in the boys’ doubles’ finals.

In the second leg, they prevailed over Japanese tandem Tomoya Ikeda and Keisuka Seito, 6-4, 3-6, 10-5, for their second title together.

During the Hong Kong meet, the topseeded 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. Peter Atencio

LOTTO RESULTS 6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 4 DIGITS 0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

P0 M+ P0 M

New cigarette tax proposal constitutional B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017

B1

SSS premium hike to hurt workers

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

A layoffs.

n industry group on Monday warned the increase in members’ contribution rate may hurt some companies and trigger

“An increase in employer contributions will increase overhead costs raising the pressure to restructure the organization and that this may eventually bring about possible layoffs or workforce reduction,” People Management Association of the Philippines president Ramon Segismundo said in a news briefing in Ortigas Center.

PMAP, a national organization of human resources management practitioners, said while the recently approved P2,000 across-the-board SSS pension hike was pro-poor and pro-business, some of its implications could also harm the workforce.

“An increase in employee contributions may not be beneficial for workers as this will re-

sult in a smaller take home pay,” Segismundo said.

“This will then prompt workers to demand a wage increase, but taxes and additional contributions will take up a bigger portion of any wage increase,” he said.

SSS member contribution rate is currently at 11 percent of the monthly salary credit not exceeding P16,000 and this is being shared by the employer (7.37 percent) and the employee (3.63 percent).

The SSS, in a bid to compensate losses from the pension increase, is set to increase member contributions by 1.5 percentage points every year in four years to

reach 17 percent by 2020.

PMAP said to address the need to improve social security benefits, there was a need for a threepronged action plan such as the increase in profitability in the investments of the funds, increase collection efficiency in contributions and credit loan payments and reduce the administrative fixed costs.

“There is no substitute for a high level of governance for any fund more so social security funds. We have to benchmark SSS with GSIS and social security funds in other emerging and advanced economies. That way, lessons can be learned to deter-

mine ways on how to improve the management of the fund,” Segismundo said.

Meanwhile, an owner of a publishing company is now in jail for non-payment and non-remittance of employees’ social security and employees’ compensation contributions to SSS after the agency started an intensified campaign with the Philippine National Policeto run after delinquent employers for violation of the Social Security Act of 1997.

“Together with the PNP, we served warrants of arrest last week against two erring employers due to a final and executory judgement and findings of prob-

CebuPac increases flights to Mindanao

IN BRIEF DA opposes higher tax rates on tobacco THE Agriculture Department opposes the imposition of a higher tax on the tobacco industry.

“The DA supports the position of the tobacco farmers,” Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said Monday.

“I will direct the National Tobacco Administration administrator to explain why the agency is taking a position which is not supported by stakeholders,” said Piñol.

Reports earlier said the NTA expressed support to House Bill 4144, which aims to impose higher taxes on cigarettes.

House Bill 4144 authored by Rep. Eugene Micheal de Vera would introduce two new increased tax tiers, one at P32 per pack and the other at P36 per pack.

The house bill also included an annual increase of 5 percent on these rates.

Republic Act No. 10351 also known as the sin tax law earlier restructured the excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco products, which started in January 2013 with the goal of shifting to unitary taxation by 2017.

The Philippine Tobacco Growers Association earlier said the House-approved bill on cigarette taxes would only bring hardship to local tobacco farmers.

PTGA president Saturnino Distor also denied recent reports that he was supporting the proposed bill.

“We have not changed our position. We strongly oppose House Bill 4144 as this will only bring hardship to the farmers who are still reeling from the huge tax increase in 2013,” Distor said.

Anna Leah E. Gonzales

By Darwin G. Amojelar BUDGET airline Cebu Pacific said Monday it will expand its operations in Mindanao with the launch of two more routes in March.

The airline unit of the Gokongwei group said it would fly four-times weekly between Cagayan de Oro and Tagbilaran starting March 15 and threetimes weekly between Cagayan de Oro and Bacolod starting March 16.

Both new routes will use the new ATR 72-600 aircraft that is expected to arrive in early March.

“Cebu Pacific stays committed in providing the best connectivity options for our valued passengers at the lowest fare available in the market,” CebGo president and chief executive Alexander Lao said.

CebGo, formerly SEAir Inc., is a now a unit of Cebu Pacific.

“At the same time, passengers from Tagbilaran and Bacolod will now be able to explore Mindanao without the hassle, through the gateway that is Cagayan de Oro,” Lao said.

Cebu Pacific is offering an introductory P799 all-in seat sale, for travel from March 15 until May 31, 2017. Travelers may book their flights from today until January 27, 2017 or until seats last.

The promo fare is inclusive of taxes and fees, while bags, meals and other ancillaries may be added as preferred.

After the sale period, the lowest all-in year-round fare, one-way from Cagayan de Oro to Tagbilaran is P1,235, while Cagayan de Oro to Bacolod will cost P1,806.

Cebu Pacific operates flights out of six strategically placed hubs in the Philippines: Manila, Cebu, Davao, Clark, Kalibo and Iloilo.

able cause. This is to warn all employers that no one is above the law and SSS will no longer tolerate blatant disregard for social security protection of its member-workers,” said Social Security Commission chairman Amado Valdez.

The Makati regional trial court convicted Victor Caluag, his 83year old mother Conchita and Ma. Antonietta Henson, board of directors of Silver Stream Publishing Corp., for non-remittance of contributions.

Henson remains at large and the case against accused RealizaHenson was sent to the archives since she was not arraigned.

NEW ECOZONE IT ENTERPRISE. Virtus Logic Consulting and Services Inc. president Jun Kato (third from left) receives a

certificate of registration from Philippine Economic Zone Authority director-general Charito Plaza (second from left) as an ecozone information technology enterprise to engage in business process outsourcing using e-commerce at the 20th floor of Zuellig Building in Makati City. With them are Marie Magno of Gulliver Integrated Outsourcing Inc. and Andy Koo of Z.Com.

Japan firms dislodge PH auto parts makers

By Othel V. Campos LOCAL automotive parts makers feel left out in the development of the Philippine automotive industry, as some car assemblers decided to tap Japanese parts suppliers.

The Philippine Parts Makers Association asked the government and the private sector to boost the supply capability of local small and medium enterprises particularly in the automotive sector.

“It seems that the local car assemblers have totally ignored the local SME supply chain and have just focused on their own Japanese-affiliated suppliers. When Toyota was asked on the possibility of other local parts makers to be a supplier, they said it will take four years for the development and if it gets approved, supply phase-in would be in the middle of production life which will be sometime by the end of 2021,” said PPMA president Ferdinand Raquelsantos.

“As for Mitsubishi, a scheduled Wave 1 to 3 phase-in is targeted for the year

2018. Unfortunately right now, no plan for local development of SME suppliers is apparent or forthcoming,” Raquelsantos said.

PPMA, previously known as the Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing Association of the Philippines, welcomed the forecast of an increase in employment, including the new in-house production activities that the two car assemblers embarked on.

The group, however, said there was a noticeable downsizing in the operations of small and medium enterprises that might be considered tantamount to, if not near, to closure.

“When the 20 invited Japanese suppliers visited Mitsubishi Motor Philippines Corp. in March of 2016, the local parts association urged them to, not only take over our local businesses, but also to enter into a joint venture agreement or TLA [technical licensing agreement] with local parts maker, especially the SMEs,” Racquelsantos said.

PPMA said there was an observation

that Japanese suppliers partnered with their fellow Japanese suppliers who have established operations in the Philippines.

It also noticed that some Filipino local parts suppliers were dislodged in favor of the Japanese companies that were offered TLA by the original foreign suppliers.

PPMA said despite these observations, it was acknowledging the efforts of the Trade Department in supporting and promoting SMEs to the original equipment car assemblers.

PPMA said it remained optimistic that the car assemblers would recognize the importance of developing the SME local parts makers especially via the ongoing incentives scheme―the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (program.

“Our large companies-members are preparing and looking forward in making true forecast of increase in production of about 55 percent. They will definitely be benefitted from this Cars program while the SMEs will continuously strive for their existence,” Raquelsantos said.

Three foreign groups ‘extremely interested’ in Subic airport The Subic Bay International Airport’s P2-billion redevelopment and upgrade into a major international gateway received proposals from three “extremely interested” companies, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman Martin Dino said in a statement.

“Believe me, three companies wanted the project. We want the airport to be fully operational again, and to be at par with the best airports in Asia and the world,” Dino said.

SBIA boasts of a long runway fitted to handle long-haul wide-body jets and heavy air transport, but it has been mostly idle since mid-2009 when USbased logistics giant Federal Express closed down its Asia-Pacific transshipment hub.

Dino said three of the airport’s equipment valued at half a billion pesos could not be accounted for by the

previous administration, which turned over the Freeport facility to Dino in September last year.

He said the new SBMA leadership was pushing ahead with the airport’s upgrade, “because we want to make the Subic International Airport operational anywhere from six months to one year.”

Dino, in a letter last month to Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, identified the three interested companies as AIA Airways, Intercontinental Pacific Airways and RIL International & Global Link Co., Ltd. AIA Airways wanted to build a $1.5-billion logistics center and transshipment hub for cargo airline operations, supported by a maintenance repair station and a world-class aviation institution in the tradition of the US Dallas Forth Worth. It is projected to generate 800 new jobs.

RIL International & Global Link Co. Ltd made a $1.5-billion proposal to lease, develop, upgrade, modernize and operate SBIA to include provisions for a modern airport terminal, hotels, theme parks and a sports complex.

Intercontinental Pacific Airways wanted a $48-million airlines operations center including maintenance, repair and overhaul operations. It is projected to employ 610 workers Redeveloping the airport including modernizing its facilities and technical equipment is among the five priority projects of SBMA that Dino proposed to President Rodrigo Duterte to decongest land and air traffic and port congestion in Metro Manila.

The redevelopment would raise Subic airport’s facilities to international standards capable of handling thousands of passengers and all types

of cargo, he said.

“It could serve as an inter-modal [airport-seaport] logistics hub and a strategic area for cruise destinations [mother ports], junket trips, VIP Jet services and other-related air travel,” Dino said.

Dino said his goal was to make the former US naval facility a major contributor to the nation’s economy by attracting more business locators and generating thousands of jobs.

He said new tourism and manufacturing investments could generate 100,000 new jobs and exports, including those from nearby economic free zones in Luzon, could increase to $43.35-billion a year.

“By enhancing Subic’s importance as a gateway, it could generate foreign direct investments estimated at $13.5-billion,” Dino said in a letter to Tugade.

Europe’s Chick Outlet woos Filipino travelers TOURISM and aviation trade promotions company Aviareps Corp. is bringing the representatives of Chic Outlet Shopping to the Philippines for business-tobusiness discussions with the country’s biggest travel agencies and tour operators.

A team from Chic Outlet Shopping Europe will be in Makati City on Jan. 25. The team will include tourism managers from Chic Outlet Shopping villages including Ingolstadt in Munich; Wertheim, Frankfurt; La Vallee, Paris; Fidenza, Milan; La Roca, Barcelona; and La Rozas, Madrid.

Aviareps Philippines Office director Jean Luga said the event would provide local travel agencies and tour operators with the some of the best shopping experiences they could offer their clients who had plans to travel to Europe.

“This is an opportunity to get to know Europe more and leave some of the misconception behind. The Philippines has a growing middle class and they are looking to explore more places with Europe increasingly becoming an attractive destination to them,” she said.

Othel V. Campos

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Business

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market rebounds; SMIC advances The Big Chill plans S P500-m public offer tocks rebounded Monday, sending the benchmark index above the 7,300-point mark, following a positive lead from Wall Street.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, jumped 141 points, or 2 percent, to close at 7,374.35, the highest in nearly three months.

The bellwether was up 7.8 percent since the start of the year.

The broader all-share index also gained 60 points, or 1.4 percent, to settle at 4,426.14, on a value turnover of P5.6 billion. Advancers outnumbered losers, 108 to 79, while 45 issues were unchanged.

Sixteen of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by conglomerate SM Investments

Corp. of the Sy family which climbed 5.4 percent to P706.

Casino operator Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corp. rose 4.8 percent to P4.63, while Bloomberry Resorts Corp. gained 4.3 percent to P7.35.

Meanwhile, the dollar retreated against most of its peers Monday, with warnings of wild volatility ahead as Donald Trump began his presidency promising to put America first and hitting out at global trade deals.

While trading floors are ravaged by uncertainty over the ty-

coon’s plans, shares in most Asian markets rose following a positive lead from Wall Street, though Japan’s Nikkei tanked as the greenback slipped against the yen.

Trump’s inauguration speech Friday continued his campaign rhetoric, saying “every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs will be made to benefit American workers and American families”.

On Sunday, he vowed to start renegotiating the North American FreeTrade Agreement during upcoming talks with Mexico and Canada.

“Markets are now waiting for more evidence that Donald Trump will deliver on fiscal stimulus and deregulation,” Shane Oliver, Sydney-based global investment strategist at AMP Capital Investors, told Bloomberg News.

“Shares remain vulnerable to a further correction or consolidation in the next month or so.”

But the dollar—which soared in November and December on expectation Trump’s big-spending, tax-cutting, deregulation plans would fan inflation—continued to struggle in January.

In afternoon trade Monday it bought 113.40 yen, well down from 114.60 yen Friday and more than four percent down from the highs touched late in December.

It was also well down against the euro and pound despite ongoing concerns about Britain’s exit from the European Union.

“I suspect we’re entering extremely volatile times for the dollar,” Stephen Innes, senior trader at Oanda, said in a note.

With AFP, Bloomberg

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Big Chill Inc., a subsidiary of publicly listed Agrinurture Inc., plans to raise P500 million to P600 million from an initial public offering this year to finance expansion in China.

Agrinurture president and chief executive Antonio Tiu said in a text message the company planned to revive the proposed listing of TBCI, the operator of Big Chill and Fresh Bar and the franchisor of Tully’s Coffee in the Asia Pacific region.

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.72 4,000 48.3 28,300 91 1,755,220 114 2,727,000 1.35 246,000 38.5 33,000 16.1 500 18.98 96,000 6.65 20,000 830 10 0.72 14,102,000 78 4,650,910 0.78 500,000 14.24 4,200 54.1 18,520 240 1,320 144.6 320 36 40,100 213.8 845,400 1,760 540 78.35 19,750 1.25 3,000

14,660 1,365,030 158,672,230 308,372,108 327,560 1,269,780 8,060 1,824,486 133,000 8,300 10,156,220 362,748,396.50 386,610 59,768 1,002,415.50 316,800 46,392 1,444,950 180,457,280 950,400 1,546,314.50 3,750

1,201,135 -8,378,441 86,053,535 500,445 -1,620 -501,960 -39,350 -73,172,477.50 -733,055 -264,000 43,500 397,000 -25,053,538 1,042,733.00 -

43.6 4.47 0.94 1.52 18.02 0.2 90.15 11.5 16 22.7 17.02 57.35 94.05 96.5 2 6.46 11.98 12.4 7.7 7 5.41 1.75 21.95 68.9 12.9 16.1 6.1 1.73 204 3.66 29.75 27 14.28 284.4 0.25 5.25 3.2 9.59 2.23 5.9 1.52 75 5.01 242 4.91 2.84 12.32 4.17 0.149 1.57 162.9 4.27 1.79

INDUSTRIAL 44 1,096,600 4.68 3,229,000 0.95 11,112,000 1.55 8,142,000 19 8,400 0.21 240,000 90.15 3,010 11.6 10,232,300 16.1 1,136,100 22.8 112,500 17.02 29,900 60 91,440 95 1,450 96.5 10 2.01 78,000 6.47 103,000 12 19,800 12.42 2,369,800 7.73 1,992,000 7.02 305,500 5.5 16,025,000 1.75 2,000 22.1 1,412,900 69.15 118,820 12.9 200 16.5 308,300 6.1 480,000 1.8 437,000 207 287,470 3.66 8,000 30.4 3,002,100 28.2 339,500 14.5 1,615,300 287 287,380 0.25 2,210,000 5.35 9,200 3.22 559,000 9.7 3,532,700 2.24 522,000 5.95 616,400 1.56 185,000 77.3 1,042,150 5.17 218,000 249 142,890 4.97 480,000 2.84 264,000 12.38 2,835,900 4.17 33,000 0.149 940,000 1.6 197,000 171 1,118,290 4.28 20,000 1.79 1,121,000

48,264,105 14,825,290 10,692,430 12,657,680 159,122 48,260 290,819.50 119,504,354 18,289,968 2,558,960 533,260 5,485,208.50 137,893 965 156,680 666,502 237,664 29,574,412 15,820,824 2,144,652 88,142,379 3,500 31,303,015 8,212,129.50 2,580 5,086,402 2,931,390 778,860 59,380,822 29,310 91,029,970 9,511,710 23,391,708 82,463,414 553,000 49,060 1,809,160 34,324,591 1,169,650 3,667,055 288,240 80,059,212 1,129,681 35,195,108 2,382,340 782,660 35,267,700 138,270 140,750 314,260 187,339,885 85,460 2,024,040

17,401,740 -427,580 -19,200 580,980 -10,000 -9,862,542 1,275,102.00 -266,760 181,850 65,078 -8,000 -13,974,216 3,413,347 -1,468,925 69,655,654 -10,719,795 3,164,223.00 -2,905,850 1,926,990 -180,000 -9,609,504 46,613,050 -6,930,885 -1,195,870 19,875,834 -25,500 1,722,060 8,092,700 223,000 37,284,202 891,650 122,790 -8,613,636 9,000 -49,623,431 -

0.42 74.8 12.6 6.12 0.305 0.305 790 8.87 12.96 7.95 0.18 1,334 6 77 1.13 7.97 12.14 6.86 0.045 1.15 1.99 97 2.21 670 0.85 1.29 264 0.285 0.183 0.25

HOLDING FIRMS 0.435 25,250,000 75 1,393,330 12.6 9,488,100 6.12 6,100 0.305 670,000 0.31 630,000 812 262,890 8.89 609,900 13.1 7,845,400 8.16 136,300 0.182 110,000 1,345 130,765 6 7,100 77.9 1,142,040 1.14 8,765,000 8.03 690,400 12.18 5,887,400 7.05 12,390,500 0.045 57,300,000 1.22 8,000 1.99 282,000 99 402,290 2.21 100,000 706 283,620 0.85 7,000 1.32 74,000 264.2 6,580 0.29 90,000 0.183 690,000 0.25 20,000

10,965,800 104,457,029 119,860,226 37,450 205,050 193,600 211,310,825 5,420,290 102,854,950 1,087,801 20,000 175,359,435 42,600 88,782,537.50 10,069,490 5,534,705 71,827,122 86,783,533 2,613,100 9,670 562,500 39,710,019 222,060 197,820,865 5,950 96,530 1,738,692 25,800 131,950 5,000

-18,481,489.50 -76,657,480 -9,792 22,400 -12,365,725 2,018,435 -45,156,710 -10,476,060 51,973,437 -10,720 -1,368,059 -5,173,104 31,493,766 194,300 -214,250 -3,945,066.50 46,527,650 3,960 -187,582 -

116,214 3,414,020 1,034,390 45,371,840 295,059,040 22,823,920 18,870 13,026,040 72,340 2,480,320 55,225,760 6,864,425.50 710 24,310 4,287,930 2,312,860 61,760 133,387,100 3,950,680 21,100 4,050 3,630,320 30,002,865 147,800

-255,520 116,079,935 -5,075,240 -1,713,220 -72,340 -79,570 4,302,940.00 -2,784,363.50 -3,851,040 -61,121,770 -67,040 17,944,765 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

3.5 48.2 90 110.5 1.33 38.5 16.2 19.02 6.65 830 0.75 76.5 0.78 14.22 54.5 240 145 36.1 213 1,760 77.85 1.25

3.72 48.3 91.5 114 1.35 38.5 16.2 19.02 6.65 830 0.75 78.35 0.78 14.24 54.5 240 145 36.1 214.8 1,760 78.6 1.25

3.5 48 89.8 110 1.33 38.4 16.1 18.98 6.65 830 0.7 76.5 0.77 14.22 54 240 144.6 36 211.8 1,760 77.85 1.25

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

44.5 4.5 0.94 1.53 18.8 0.2 95.5 11.5 16.12 22.7 18.5 57.35 95 96.5 2 6.48 12 12.54 7.91 7.15 5.45 1.75 22 68.9 12.9 16.1 6.25 1.79 206 3.67 29.75 27 14.36 284.4 0.255 5.25 3.22 9.59 2.29 5.94 1.52 75 5.01 242 4.91 2.9 12.6 4.38 0.15 1.6 166.2 4.27 1.8

44.5 4.68 0.99 1.59 19.46 0.21 98 11.78 16.3 22.8 18.6 60 96 96.5 2.02 6.55 12.04 12.54 8 7.15 5.59 1.75 22.5 69.15 12.9 16.5 6.25 1.8 208 3.67 30.8 28.2 14.56 287.8 0.255 5.45 3.24 9.8 2.29 5.99 1.58 77.4 5.24 250 4.97 3.49 12.6 4.38 0.15 1.63 171 4.28 1.84

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

0.425 74.9 12.76 6.14 0.315 0.31 793.5 8.88 13.04 8.15 0.18 1,350 6 77.2 1.13 8.04 12.28 6.86 0.045 1.15 2 97.7 2.29 670 0.85 1.29 264.6 0.285 0.19 0.25

0.445 75 12.76 6.15 0.315 0.32 812 8.92 13.26 8.16 0.182 1,350 6 78 1.19 8.04 12.28 7.05 0.047 1.22 2 99 2.29 706 0.85 1.32 264.8 0.29 0.193 0.25

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

7.4 1.18 2.5 0.81 35.2 3.25 5.1 0.57 1.04 0.187 0.59 51.7 0.71 0.143 1.65 1.02 1.18 3.73 0.168 0.26 0.405 4.31 25.85 1.6

7.41 1.27 2.5 0.86 36.5 3.27 5.1 0.57 1.04 0.191 0.62 51.7 0.71 0.143 1.65 1.02 1.19 3.8 0.171 0.265 0.405 4.33 26.2 1.65

7.4 1.18 2.4 0.8 35 3.18 5.1 0.55 1.02 0.185 0.54 51.15 0.71 0.143 1.63 1.01 1.18 3.73 0.164 0.26 0.405 4.19 25.6 1.6

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

3.24 31 1.03 6.97 0.92 5.04

3.28 31.2 1.04 6.97 0.92 5.04

3.24 30.9 1.01 6.97 0.92 4.96

3.28 31 1.02 6.97 0.92 5

4,000 12,208,100 4,618,000 100 12,000 1,548,700

13,000 378,505,265 4,725,250 697 11,040 7,726,702

-87,508,665 22,450 -5,186,038

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

7.6 48.3 1.38 0.52 0.054 10.94 5.48 7.07 0.072 2.75 94.85 9.8 8.59 2.1 1,048 1,705 6.26 15.5 2.95 15.7 110 73.95 0.009 9.05 0.217 1.4 3.21 15.3 4.25 2.48 4.42 4.2 2.79 11.28 5.34 3.29 139.9 10.68 1,491 1.42 0.46 41.9 75.8 6.35 2.61 1.1 3.27 0.355

7.6 48.8 1.38 0.53 0.055 10.94 5.48 7.35 0.073 2.93 95.4 9.8 8.88 2.1 1,048 1,750 6.26 16.38 3 16.48 119 75.2 0.010 9.07 0.217 1.41 3.21 15.3 4.31 2.61 4.64 4.2 2.79 11.28 5.35 3.3 139.9 10.86 1,535 1.46 0.47 43.5 76.95 6.38 2.81 1.11 3.3 0.37

7.6 47.5 1.35 0.52 0.053 10.94 5.48 7.07 0.071 2.75 94.85 9.63 8.55 2.1 953 1,672 6.23 15.5 2.86 15.7 110 73.5 0.009 9.05 0.209 1.36 3.2 15.2 4.05 2.48 4.41 4.12 2.73 11.28 5.08 3.2 139.9 10.18 1,490 1.42 0.455 41.9 75.35 6.19 2.61 1.08 3.26 0.355

SERVICES 7.6 48 1.35 0.52 0.054 10.94 5.48 7.35 0.071 2.91 95.3 9.8 8.55 2.1 953 1,750 6.25 16.38 2.88 15.92 115 75.2 0.010 9.07 0.215 1.41 3.21 15.2 4.16 2.56 4.63 4.16 2.75 11.28 5.3 3.2 139.9 10.28 1,518 1.46 0.47 43 76.5 6.33 2.77 1.1 3.29 0.37

1,400 47,200 24,000 601,000 35,470,000 100 5,700 20,911,200 6,870,000 11,458,000 575,690 1,700 419,500 9,000 75 40,995 447,000 55,000 5,480,000 12,600 540 1,653,720 42,000,000 511,000 13,750,000 59,000 8,000 700 1,713,000 286,000 21,962,000 883,000 576,000 3,400 12,000 37,000 710 2,033,100 50,915 30,535,000 4,170,000 2,109,300 1,220,240 168,400 13,830,000 7,857,000 161,000 320,000

10,640 2,264,220 33,080 312,630 1,925,500 1,094 31,236 152,022,304 489,330 32,670,840 54,775,810 16,643 3,670,078 18,900 72,425 70,226,035 2,791,847 897,576 15,988,100 200,416 60,100 122,634,290.50 411,300 4,634,168 2,913,910 82,510 25,670 10,690 7,093,080 737,930 99,142,340 3,676,320 1,584,990 38,352 63,055 118,960 99,329 21,382,842 77,237,010 44,252,730 1,930,200 90,772,515 93,199,138.50 1,058,513 38,081,060 8,592,550 528,110 116,000

31,200 -11,000 -14,003,389 -169,180 -15,023,638 -435,286 -20,072,420 -145,000 -56,236,974 91,020 -1,115,900 95,680 -18,536,560 -647,670 32,180 -4,168,624 -8,542,125 -764,960 -5,723,890 5,423,281.50 -173,564 3,728,430 4,071,120 -

ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK 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 OMICO CORP ORNTL PENINSULA ORNTL PETROL A PHILODRILL PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING TA PETROLEUM UNITED PARAGON

0.003 2.82 5.22 10.9 2.18 0.5 0.465 11.98 2.89 0.255 0.216 0.223 0.012 0.012 2.22 6.58 2.77 0.495 1.06 0.011 0.012 8.99 3.59 139.9 2.91 0.009

0.003 2.94 5.22 10.98 2.18 0.51 0.47 11.98 2.92 0.255 0.222 0.224 0.013 0.012 2.25 6.66 2.81 0.495 1.08 0.012 0.012 9.12 3.59 140.3 2.93 0.009

0.003 2.75 5.2 10.9 2.18 0.5 0.455 11.68 2.82 0.25 0.216 0.223 0.012 0.012 2.15 6.39 2.71 0.49 1.03 0.011 0.012 8.97 3.51 138.6 2.91 0.009

MINING & OIL 0.003 107,000,000 2.78 2,210,000 5.22 296,500 10.98 600 2.18 14,000 0.5 1,729,000 0.465 790,000 11.8 26,000 2.88 11,646,000 0.255 260,000 0.222 7,310,000 0.224 20,000 0.012 1,800,000 0.012 105,700,000 2.24 1,149,000 6.5 6,914,900 2.78 205,000 0.49 30,000 1.03 306,000 0.011 180,200,000 0.012 22,600,000 9 1,157,600 3.55 988,000 139.5 707,310 2.93 48,000 0.009 1,000,000

353,500 6,219,050 1,542,934 6,556 30,520 864,700 365,650 305,890 33,569,720 65,800 1,608,590 4,470 21,700 1,268,400 2,513,300 44,923,162 567,910 14,750 323,030 2,061,900 271,200 10,443,829 3,498,180 98,463,550 139,800 9,000

23,960 -104,200 200 0 638,820 -10,022,243 -880,295 1,364,410 16,701,059 -14,550 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF F GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2B PF PREF 2 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

48.2 535 105 104.5 112.9 535 5.9 1,040 1.03 108 1,180 1,016 80.55 78.5 78.2 79.7 78.5 78.8

48.4 535 105 104.6 112.9 535 5.9 1,040 1.03 108.8 1,180 1,016 80.55 78.5 78.2 79.7 78.7 78.9

48.2 535 105 104.5 112.9 535 5.89 1,040 1.02 108 1,180 1,012 80.25 78.5 78.2 79.65 78.5 78.8

PREFERRED 48.4 25,000 535 8,300 105 3,520 104.6 67,520 112.9 10 535 30 5.9 514,500 1,040 20 1.02 16,000 108.8 6,800 1,180 815 1,012 1,000 80.55 25,510 78.5 3,000 78.2 56,490 79.65 11,600 78.7 64,070 78.9 61,070

1,209,740 4,440,500 369,600 7,061,428 1,129 16,050 3,035,530 20,800 16,420 739,785 961,700 1,013,810 2,051,897.50 235,500 4,417,518 923,960 5,029,507 4,818,386

968,200 -1,129 -3,023,750 20,800 -

LR WARRANT

2.3

2.33

2.25

WARRANTS 2.29 174,000

397,200

-2,260

ALTERRA CAPITAL ITALPINAS XURPAS

6.95 4.15 8.65

7.2 4.16 8.77

6.8 4.1 8.39

6.98 4.11 8.61

2,179,353 1,133,030 8,080,511

140,865 -85,840 -2,133,419

FIRST METRO ETF

119.7

121

119.7

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 7.4 1.24 2.49 0.83 36.5 3.21 5.1 0.56 1.02 0.188 0.57 51.2 0.71 0.143 1.64 1.02 1.19 3.73 0.169 0.26 0.405 4.24 26.2 1.62

15,700 2,757,000 419,000 54,453,000 8,211,900 7,123,000 3,700 23,395,000 70,000 13,180,000 97,020,000 133,890 1,000 170,000 2,615,000 2,288,000 52,000 35,496,000 23,430,000 80,000 10,000 856,000 1,154,000 91,000

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS

SHARES

25,096,537 80,787,706 134,920,898

PROPERTY

291,494,131

SERVICES

229,382,692

MINING & OIL

454,563,577

GRAND TOTAL

1,217,908,091

SME

308,500 275,000 938,900

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 121 139,950

16,757,355

VALUE 1,751.33 (up) 25.84 1,031,150,694.48 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,174.45 (up) 160.79 1,094,380,949.377 HOLDING FIRMS 7,526.72 (up) 166.51 1,259,776,663.21 PROPERTY 3,383.36 (up) 49.79 SERVICES 1,427.60 (up) 22.19 1,021,787,218.51 MINING & OIL 12,215.03 (down) 33.24 963,647,135.48 PSEI 7,374.35 (up) 141.69 209,488,324.816 All Shares Index 4,426.14 (up) 60.51 5,608,382,622.67 Gainers:108; Losers: 79; Unchanged: 45; Total: 232

Agrinurture said proceeds from the planned IPO would fund the capital expenditures TBCI needed to expand in China amid the improving bilateral relations between Manila and Beijing.

Agrinurture said that as a part of the planned listing, it notified its shareholders Monday that it would receive one warrant of TBCI, with five-year American call option from date of board approval.

Argrinurture acquired TBCI in 2011 and announced during the same year plans to list the fruit shake chain with the Philippine Stock Exchange by way of introduction.

TBCI was established in 1994 as a new concept serving premium quality blended shakes made with 100-percent fresh-cut fruit, targeting mainly the AB and upper C market segments through its extensive network of shops and kiosks.

The Fresh Bar is an expanded concept of Big Chill which offers the same fresh fruit shakes along with a line of hearty gourmet soups, healthy pasta offerings, fresh salads and sandwiches.

Victorias expects reduced income

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales VICTORIAS City, Negros Occidental―Listed sugar miller Victorias Milling Company Inc. expects a lower income in the crop year 2016 to 2017 amid the drop in sugar harvests and prices.

“Our original outlook was about P1 billion, but I think we’ll go somewhere around P700 million,” said VMC chief financial officer Teresita Ilagan.

“We don’t expect so much growth as our production level is also down from what we originally projected,” said Ilagan.

VMC posted a net income of P798 million from 3.14 million tons of cane milled in the crop year 2015 to 2016.

Raw sugar production reached 6.21 million 50-kilogram bags while produced refined sugar amounted to 5.21 million bags.

VMC president Eduardo Concepcion said for the current crop year, raw sugar production was expected to decline to 5.7 million bags while refined sugar production was expected to drop to 4.2 million to 4.5 million bags.

“Overall picture now is that the country’s total sugar production will just be the same as last year. As far as Victorias is concerned, we expect a drop in production,” Concepcion said.

Concepcion said sugar prices also went down from its last crop year’s level.

“As I mentioned earlier, prices have softened this year compared to last year. Last year prices was good but this year it went down but is still on a profitable level,” said Concepcion.

Concepcion said traditionally, sugar prices were going down during the peak season of milling.

“When we started milling, the prices are high. Normally, November to February is the peak season of milling. Practically everyone is milling so prices went down,” he said.

Concepcion said there was a time when sugar prices reached P1,800 per bag.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Business

Manila

Standard

TODAY

B3

New cigarette tax bill constitutional

T

ING says economy to grow 6.2% in ’17

By Julito G. Rada THE Philippine economy is expected to grow 6.2 percent this year mainly on the back of sustained domestic demand and significant contribution from the agriculture sector, ING Bank Manila senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng said in a report Monday.

Cuyegkeng also projected gross domestic product to expand 6.2 percent in the first quarter of 2017.

“We expect agriculture to recover with a 3.3-percent growth in 2017. Domestic demand would remain strong,” Cuyegkeng said.

He said 2017 would rely on more normal economic activity unless strong investment growth in 2016 was carried over this year.

“We expect construction activity to sustain its pace of activity that was seen last year. Private and government construction activity would continue but

base effects would keep growth from posting a faster than 2016 growth. Durable equipment investments this year may eventually slow after a torrid pace of investments in durable equipment in 2016,” he said.

DBS Bank of Singapore, meanwhile, said net exports might have some implications on GDP growth momentum ahead. It said investment growth might slow to 10.5 percent in 2017 and although still strong compared to elsewhere in the region, it could be just half the projected pace recorded in 2016.

Government data showed Philippine exports declined 7.5 percent from a year ago to $4.73 billion in November of 2016, following a 3.7-percent growth in October. It was the first drop in three months, as sales declined the most for woodcraft and furniture (-28.9 percent), chemicals (-26.2 percent) and machinery and transport equipment (-25.4 percent).

HE recently passed amendment to the Sin Tax Reform Law to revert to the equitable two-tier excise system is constitutionally mandated, according to a veteran lawmaker.

Quezon City 1st District Representative Vincent “Bingbong” Crisologo said House Bill No. 4144 was in accordance with the 1987 Constitution, specifically Article VI, Section 28 that requires Congress to evolve a progressive system of taxation.

“Any product must be taxed according to classification.

If the product is classified

premium, it must be meted with a higher tax and if a product is non-premium it must be taxed lower. That’s based on fundamental law,” Crisologo said during Congress deliberations.

HB 4144, authored by Rep. Eugene de Vera of ABS Partylist, proposes a two-tier tax system where cigarette packs priced P11.50 below will be levied P32.00 and

MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO - Presiding Officer SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA MARIE ALETHEA SJ. CASAL-UY GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR. DIVINA A. JACOME LUIS S. JAVIER JR. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY ROMEO C. MEDINA MA. ARLENE M. ORTEGA NELSON S. PASIA MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

PRESENT: Vice Mayor Councilor “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “

MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO - Presiding Officer SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA MARIE ALETHEA SJ. CASAL-UY GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR. DIVINA A. JACOME LUIS S. JAVIER JR. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY ROMEO C. MEDINA MA. ARLENE M. ORTEGA NELSON S. PASIA MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

LnB President

ARMANDO P. PADILLA

LnB President

ARMANDO P. PADILLA

ABSENT: Councilor

ENRICO J. PUNO

Councilor MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO - Presiding Officer SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA MARIE ALETHEA SJ. CASAL-UY GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR. DIVINA A. JACOME LUIS S. JAVIER JR. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY ROMEO C. MEDINA MA. ARLENE M. ORTEGA NELSON S. PASIA MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

ENRICO J. PUNO

==========================================================================

On motion presented by Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, which was duly seconded by all Members present, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati approved City Ordinance No. 2016-A-037 on third and final reading.

CITY ORDINANCE NO. 2016-A-036 Authors: Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, Hon. M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, Hon. D.A Jacome, Hon. G.I.N. de Lara-Bes, Hon. N.S. Yabut Jr., Hon. F.T. Eusebio, Hon. L.S. Javier, Jr., Hon. V.V. Hilario Jr. and Hon. R.C. Medina

CITY ORDINANCE NO. 2016-A-037 Authors: Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, Hon. M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, Hon. D.A Jacome, Hon. G.I.N. de Lara-Bes, Hon. N.S. Yabut Jr., Hon. F.T. Eusebio, Hon. L.S. Javier, Jr., Hon. V.V. Hilario Jr. and Hon. R.C. Medina

Co-Authors: Hon. S.C. Aspillaga, Hon. L.M. Magpantay, Hon. M.A.M. Ortega, Hon. A.P. Padilla, Hon. N.S. Pasia, Hon. M.R.C. Tolentino, Hon. E.D.E. Villamor and Hon. E.J. Puno

Co-Authors: Hon. S.C. Aspillaga, Hon. L.M. Magpantay, Hon. M.A.M. Ortega, Hon. A.P. Padilla, Hon. N.S. Pasia, Hon. M.R.C. Tolentino, Hon. E.D.E. Villamor and Hon. E.J. Puno

LnB President ABSENT:

ARMANDO P. PADILLA

Councilor

ENRICO J. PUNO

WHEREAS, during the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference held at Paris, France, governments agreed to strengthen societies’ ability to deal with the impacts of climate change;

WHEREAS, considering the necessity of espousing Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MAKATI DRRMC) Resolution No. 2016-03 Series of 2016, the Sangguniang Panlungsod hereby adopts the aforecited Resolution.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ADOPTED AS IT IS HEREBY ADOPTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI CITY, METRO MANILA, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWERS VESTED IN IT

BY LAW, IN SESSION ASSEMBLED, THAT: Section 1. The Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati hereby adopts Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (Makati DRRMC) Resolution No. 2016-03 Series of 2016, which is hereto attached as Annex “A” and shall form an integral part hereof.

Section 2. The Members of the Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (Makati DRRMC) headed by the Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (Makati DRRMO) shall formulate the Implementing Rules and Regulations within thirty (30) days after effectivity of this Ordinance.

WHEREAS, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), enlisted as an enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response as one of the priority area in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM); WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 9729 or the Climate Change Act of 2008 and the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP, 2011-2028) espouses for an enhanced capacity for climate change adaptation and mitigation at the local level; WHEREAS, Section 8 (a), Article III of R.A. 7854, otherwise known as the City Charter of Makati to wit: “ to exercise those powers necessary, appropriate, or incidental for its efficient and effective governance of the City, and those which are essential to the promotion of the general welfare; WHEREAS, it is declared policy of the City Government of Makati to uphold, adopt and incorporate people’s constitutional rights to life and property by addressing the root causes of vulnerabilities to disasters, strengthening the city’s institutional capacity for disaster risk reduction and management and building the resilience of local communities to disasters including the impacts of climate change; WHEREAS, in the aforementioned framework, it is important for local governments to pursue the development, periodic review, and update of disaster preparedness policies, plans and programs with the consideration of climate change scenarios and their impact on disaster risk; WHEREAS, under Section 12 of RA 10121, otherwise known as the “Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010”, it is the function of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (LDRRMC) to manage the adverse effects of emergencies and carry out recovery activities in the affected area; WHEREAS, Section 15 of the same law mandates the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (LDRRMC) to take the lead in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from the effects of any disaster; WHEREAS, one of the identified activities under Outcome 10 of the Preparedness thematic area of the Makati Disaster Risk reduction and management Plan is to develop and/or enhance preparedness and response plan based on scientifically sound scenario-based assumptions;

HON. GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES

HON. NELSON S. PASIA

HON. FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO

HON. ENRICO J. PUNO

HON. VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR.

HON. DIVINA A. JACOME

WHEREAS, on 23 February 2016, the Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (Makati DRRMC) approved Resolution No. 2016-02 Series of 2016 entitled as “Approving the Makati EI Nino Preparedness Plan”; WHEREAS, considering the necessity of espousing Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MAKAT! DRRMC) Resolution No. 2016-02 Series of 2016, the Sangguniang Panlungsod hereby adopts the aforecited Resolution.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ADOPTED AS IT IS HEREBY ADOPTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI CITY, METRO MANILA, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWERS VESTED IN IT

BY LAW, IN SESSION ASSEMBLED, THAT: Section 1. The Sangguniang Panlungsod hereby adopts the Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (Makati DRRMC) Resolution No. 2016-02 Series of 2016 which is hereto attached as Annex “A” and shall form an integral part hereof.

WHEREAS, one of the identified activities under Outcome 10 of the Preparedness thematic area on the Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan is to develop and/or enhance and simulate scenario-based preparedness and response plan; WHEREAS, it is imperative for the Makati DRRM Council to ensure the delivery of timely and effective response in times of disasters; WHEREAS, in 2014 the Makati Earthquake Contingency Plan was approved by the Makati DRRM Council through Resolution No. 2014-06 and was adopted by the Sangguniang Panlungsod through City Ordinance No. 2014-074; WHEREAS, the Collective Strengthening on Community Awareness on Natural Disasters (CSCAND) agencies composed of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOCS) through the Greater Metro Manila Area Risk Analysis Project (GMMA-RAPJ, provided new data on the hazard and risk of Makati; followed by an enhanced template for contingency plans; and more localized;

WHEREAS, considering the necessity of espousing Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MAKATI DRRMC) Resolution No. 2015-06 Series of 2015, the Sangguniang Panlungsod hereby adopts the aforecited Resolution.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ADOPTED AS IT IS HEREBY ADOPTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI CITY, METRO MANILA, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWERS VESTED IN IT BY LAW, IN SESSION ASSEMBLED, THAT: Section 1. The Sangguniang Panlungsod hereby adopts the Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (Makati DRRMC) Resolution No. 2015-06 Series of 2015 which is hereto attached as Annex “A” and shall form an integral part hereof.

Section 2. The Revised Makati Earthquake Contingency Plan, which is hereto attached as Annex “B”, is likewise adopted and shall form an integral part hereof.

Section 3. All existing ordinances, rules and regulations which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 3. All existing ordinances, rules and regulations which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 4. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its approval.

Section 4. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its approval.

HON. SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA

HON. ROMEO C. MEDINA

HON. MARIE ALETHEA S.J. CASAL-UY

HON. MA ARLENE M. ORTEGA

HON. GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES

HON. NELSON S. PASIA

HON. FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO

HON. ENRICO J. PUNO

HON. VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR.

HON. MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO

HON. DIVINA A. JACOME

HON. EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR

HON. LUIS S. JAVIER JR.

HON. MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT

HON. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY

HON. NEMESIO S. Y YABUT JR.

HON. MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO

HON. MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT

HON. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY

WHEREAS, Section 15 of the same law, mandates the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (LDRRMC) to take the lead in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from the effects of any disaster;

Section 2. The Makati EI Nino Preparedness Plan, which is hereto attached as Annex “B”, is likewise adopted and shall form an integral part hereof.

HON. EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR

HON. LUIS S. JAVIER JR.

WHEREAS, under Section 12 of RA 10121, otherwise known as the “Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010”, it is the function of the Local Disaster Risk and Management Council (LDRRMC) to manage the adverse effects of emergencies and carry out recovery activities in the affected area;

WHEREAS, on 23 November 2015, the Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (Makati DRRMC) approved Resolution No. 2015-06 Series of 2015 entitled as “Approving The Revised Makati Earthquake Contingency Plan”;

ENACTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, in its Regular Session held on 1 December 2016.

HON. MA ARLENE M. ORTEGA

WHEREAS, it is the declared policy of the City Government of Makati to uphold, adopt and incorporate people’s constitutional rights to life and property by addressing the root causes of vulnerabilities to disasters, strengthening the city’s institutional capacity for disaster risk reduction and management and building the resilience of local communities to disaster including the impacts of climate change;

WHEREAS, the Makati DRRM Council underwent a series of consultative meetings to craft the Makati EI Nino Preparedness Plan;

Section 5. Let copy of this Ordinance and its attached Annexes be furnished to the Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MAKATI DRRMC) and other concerned offices for their information and guidance.

ENACTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, in its Regular Session held on 1 December 2016.

HON. MARIE ALETHEA S.J. CASAL-UY

WHEREAS, Section 8 (a), Article III of R.A. 7854, otherwise known as the City Charter of Makati to wit: “ to exercise those powers necessary, appropriate, or incidental for its efficient and effective governance of the City, and those which are essential to the promotion of the general welfare;

WHEREAS, the Makati DRRM Council underwent a series of participatory and consultative meetings and workshops to revise the Makati Earthquake Contingency Plan;

Section 5. Let copy of this Ordinance and its attached Annexes be furnished to the Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MAKATI DRRMC) and other concerned offices for their information and guidance.

HON. ROMEO C. MEDINA

AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING MAKATI DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT COUNCIL (MAKATI DRRMC) RESOLUTION NO. 2015-06 SERIES OF 2015 ENTITLED AS “APPROVING THE REVISED MAKATI EARTHQUAKE CONTINGENCY PLAN”, SUBJECT TO ALL LAWS AND EXISTING LEGAL RULES AND REGULATIONS..

WHEREAS, it is imperative for the Makati DRRM Council to ensure the delivery of timely and effective response in times of disasters;

Section 3. All existing ordinances, rules and regulations wh’ich are inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 4. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its approval.

HON. SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA

==========================================================================

On motion presented by Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, which was duly seconded by all Members present, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati approved City Ordinance No. 2016-A-036 on third and final reading.

AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING MAKATI DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT COUNCIL (MAKATI DRRMC) RESOLUTION NO. 2016-02 SERIES OF 2016 ENTITLED AS “APPROVING THE MAKATI EL NINO PREPAREDNESS PLAN”, SUBJECT TO ALL LAWS AND EXISTING LEGAL RULES AND REGULATIONS.

========================================================================== On motion presented by Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, which was duly seconded by all Members present, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati approved City Ordinance No. 2016-A-035 on third and final reading.

CITY ORDINANCE NO. 2016-A-035 Authors: Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, Hon. M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, Hon. D.A. Jacome, Hon. G.I.N. de Lara-Bes, Hon. N.S. Yabut Jr., Hon. F.T. Eusebio, Hon. L.S. Javier, Jr., Hon. V.V. Hilario Jr. and Hon. R.C. Medina Co-Authors: Hon. S.C. Aspillaga, Hon. L.M. Magpantay, Hon. M.A.M. Ortega, Hon. AP. Padilla, Hon. N.S. Pasia, Hon. M.R.C. Tolentino, Hon. E.D.E. Villamor and Hon. E.J. Puno AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING MAKATI DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT COUNCIL (MAKATI DRRMC) RESOLUTION NO. 2016-03 SERIES OF 2016 ENTITLED AS “INSTITUTIONALIZING THE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM (ICS) AS AN ON-SCENE DISASTER RESPONSE AND MANAGEMENT MECHANISM IN THE CITY OF MAKATI”, SUBJECT TO ALL LAWS AND EXISTING LEGAL RULES AND REGULATIONS. WHEREAS, Section 8 (a), Article III of R.A. 7854, otherwise known as the City Charter of Makati to wit: “ to exercise those powers necessary, appropriate, or incidental for its efficient and effective governance of the City, and those which are essential to the promotion of the general welfare; WHEREAS, it has been a National Policy, under Section 2 (p) of Republic Act 10121, otherwise known as the “Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management act of 2010”, to adhere to and adopt the universal norms, principles, and standards of humanitarian assistance and the global effort on risk reduction as concrete expression of the country’s commitment to overcome human sufferings due to recurring disasters; WHEREAS, it is declared policy of the City Government of Makati to uphold, adopt and incorporate people’s constitutional rights to life and property by addressing the root causes of vulnerabilities to disasters, strengthening the country’s institutional capacity for disaster risk reduction and management and building the resilience of local communities to disasters including climate change impacts; WHEREAS, the Incident Command System Model was introduced under the ASEAN - US Cooperation on Disaster Management and thereby adopted by the ten ASEAN member states under the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response; WHEREAS, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Memorandum Circular No. 04, Series of 2012 provided the implementing guidelines of the Incident Command System as an OnScene Disaster Response and Management Mechanism; WHEREAS, Department of Interior and Local Government memorandum dated 05 June 2014, encouraged the local government units to practice the procedures and prescribed forms of the Incident Command System; WHEREAS, the Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, in its Regular Meeting held last 14 April 2015 resolved that the Incident Command System be institutionalized as the on-scene disaster response and management mechanism in the City of Makati and further resolved that the Incident Management Team shall be comprised of Members of the Makati DRRMO; WHEREAS, the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of the City of Makati, in a regular meeting held last 23 February 2016, resolved to re-adopt the aforementioned agreement of “Institutionalizing the Incident Command System as the On-Scene Disaster Response and Management Mechanism in the City of Makati”;

Section 5. Let copy of this Ordinance and its attached Annexes be furnished to the Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MAKATI DRRMC) and other concerned offices for their information and guidance.

ENACTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA MANILA, in its Regular Session held on 1 December 2016.

HON. SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA

HON. ROMEO C. MEDINA

HON. MARIE ALETHEA S.J. CASAL-UY

HON. MA ARLENE M. ORTEGA

HON. GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES

HON. NELSON S. PASIA

HON. FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO

HON. ENRICO J. PUNO

HON. VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR.

HON. MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO

HON. DIVINA A. JACOME

HON. EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR

HON. LUIS S. JAVIER JR.

HON. MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT

HON. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY

HON. NEMESIO S. Y YABUT JR.

HON. NEMESIO S. Y YABUT JR.

HON. ARMANDO P. PADILLA LnB President

HON. ARMANDO P. PADILLA LnB President HON. ARMANDO P. PADILLA LnB President

Certified true and correct by:

Certified true and correct by:

Certified true and correct by: ATTY. DINDO R. CERVANTES Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod

as the administration plans to lower income taxes; and third, farmers will be able to continue their main source of livelihood,” he said.

A Senate sin tax presentation from Sen. Ralph Recto on Oct. 10, 2012 stated that although the main objective of sin tax law was to ‘crush’ cigarette smoking, it was an impossible feat to accomplish in the real world.

It also said that banning cigarettes altogether would weaken the government’s revenue and result in a fiscal shock, and added that a twotier system sought to “get more bucks out of fewer packs.”

PRESENT: Vice Mayor Councilor “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “

ABSENT: PRESENT: Vice Mayor Councilor “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “

those priced P11.50 above will be levied P36.00 plus a five percent annual price increase thereafter.

The current law only imposes a unitary tax of P30.00 regardless of cigarette pack net retail price and a four percent annual increase.

Crisologo attributed the bill’s swift passage to a move to balance multiple issues, particularly in health, government revenues and the plight of lowly tobacco farmers.

“First, if prices are higher, it will discourage smokers to buy harmful products; second, it will help fill up lost government revenues

ATTY. DINDO R. CERVANTES Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod

ATTY. DINDO R. CERVANTES Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod Attested by:

Attested by:

Attested by:

HON. MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer

HON. MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer HON. MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer

Approved by:

Approved by: Approved by: MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY City Mayor

(MS-JAN. 24, 2017)

MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY City Mayor

(MS-JAN. 24, 2017)

MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY City Mayor

(MS-JAN. 24, 2017)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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

B4

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017

Business

Trump to begin talks on Nafta

W

ASHINGTON―US President Donald Trump pledged Sunday to begin renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement in upcoming talks with the leaders of Mexico and Canada.

“We’re meeting with the prime minister of Canada and we will be meeting with the president of Mexico, who I know, and we’re going to start some negotiations having to do with Nafta,” Trump said while addressing White House staff on his second full day in office.

Trump will receive his Mexican counterpart Enrique Pena Nieto on January 31. No date has been given for a meeting with Canada’s Justin Trudeau, but it

is expected “soon,” according to a readout from a call between the two leaders on Saturday.

Trump praised the Mexican leader, saying: “The president has been really very amazing and I think we are going to have a very good result for Mexico, for the United States, for everybody involved. It’s very important.”

As a candidate Trump made a surprise visit to Mexico in a bid to portray himself as a capable statesman on the international stage.

The meeting turned controversial after Pena Nieto and Trump contradicted each other’s accounts of the encounter.

Trump told reporters that the pair did not discuss who would pay for the hotly contested border wall he has promised to build, while Pena Nieto said he “made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall.”

The real estate magnate vowed throughout his campaign to construct a massive wall along the US-Mexican border to stem illegal immigration, promising that Mexico would foot the bill.

Concerning Nafta, the White House website was updated immediately after Trump’s swearing-in to reflect his campaign commitment to renegotiate the

free trade agreement that has linked Canada, the United States and Mexico since 1994.

On the campaign trail, Trump called Nafta the worst trade deal the United States has ever signed and vowed to renegotiate or rip it up.

The rules governing the free trade agreement allow any country to withdraw simply by notifying other parties. This would start a 180-day clock to allow for new negotiations.

If no new deal is reached by then, the accord would be dissolved.

Since Trump’s November victory, both Canada and Mexico have announced that they are willing to sit down with the new US administration to reexamine the free trade agreement.

Canada has said it expects to keep its 1989 bilateral free trade agreement with the US even if Trump withdraws from Nafta.

Pena Nieto, meanwhile, spoke with Trudeau by phone on Sunday to coordinate efforts to protect an economically integrated North America, the Mexican leader’s office said.

In the call, Pena Nieto “stressed how important Mexico’s relationship with Canada is, as well as (the importance of) the free trade agreement and free flow of investment capital.”.

The Mexican and Canadian leaders “agreed to redouble efforts to continue fostering economic integration in North America,” the Mexican president’s office statement said. AFP

Travel sector zooms in on lucrative gay and lesbian market

By Emmanuel Michel MADRID―The travel sector is jazzing up its offer for gay tourists, who tend to spend more than most when away from home, taking it beyond parties in sunny hubs like Ibiza.

The trend was underscored at the Fitur tourism fair in Madrid, one of the world’s largest, which wrapped up on Sunday, where tourism boards plugged cultural attractions and nature activities to this market.

Spain’s western region of Extremadura for example featured posters promoting annual gay pride festivities in the city of Badajoz which began in response to homophobic comments made by a local politician.

But it also promoted bird watching trips, local architecture and rural tourism to gay and lesbian travelers at a special section of the fair dedicated to the market segment.

The goal is to appeal to the growing number of gay and lesbian couples who are having children, said Hugo Alonso of the Extremadura’s tourism promotion agency at the fair.

“We are interested in volume,” he said. Gay and lesbians make up around 10 percent of all tourists, he said.

But for most destinations this segment is attractive because gays travel all year round since they are rarely tied down by school holidays, and spend more on trips.

“The have more disposable income” since there are fewer couples with children, said Juan Pedro Tudeal, the director of Diversity Consulting International, a Spanish firm which advises firms targeting the gay

Samsung fires due to faulty batteries SEOUL―The world’s biggest smartphone maker Samsung blamed faulty batteries on Monday for the fires that hit its flagship Galaxy Note 7 device last year, as it sought to draw a line under the humiliating recall.

Samsung Electronics was forced to discontinue the smartphone, originally intended to compete with Apple’s iPhone, after a chaotic recall that saw replacement devices also catching fire.

The debacle cost the South Korean company billions in lost profit and reputational damage, during a torrid period when it has also been embroiled in a corruption scandal that has seen President Park Geun-Hye impeached.

Internal and independent investigations “concluded that batteries were found to be the cause of the Note 7 incidents,” Samsung said in a statement.

“We sincerely apologize for the discomfort and concern we have caused to our customers,” Koh Dong-Jin, the head of its mobile business, said bowing before hundreds of reporters and cameramen at a press conference in Seoul.

Samsung Electronics is the most prominent unit of the giant Samsung group, South Korea’s largest conglomerate with a revenue equivalent to about a fifth of the country’s GDP. It announced a recall of 2.5 million units of the oversized Galaxy Note 7 in September 2016 after several devices exploded or caught fire, with the company blaming batteries from a supplier, widely believed to be its sister firm Samsung SDI. replacement When phones―with batteries from another firm, largely thought to be Chinese manufacturer ATL―also started to combust, the company decided to kill off the Note 7 for good.

As many as 1.9 million of the phones were sold in the United States, where authorities banned the device from use on planes and even from being placed in checked luggage. Airlines around the world issued similar prohibitions. AFP

People stand outside the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Madrid on January 18, 2017. AFP

and lesbian market.

Thomas Bomkes of Diversity Tourism, a German consultancy, said gay tourists spend “even more when they know they’re accepted”.

‘Dynamic segment’ While it is difficult to estimate how much gay travelers spend, the United Nations World Tourism Organization said in a recent report that “there is no denying” that they “are a dynamic and influential segment within the tourism sector.”

The Spanish capital generated about 150 million euros ($160 million) from its annual gay-pride festivities last summer which feature one of the world’s biggest pride marches.

The windfall is expected to be even higher this year as Madrid will host World Pride in late June and early July.

Some three million people are expected to take part in the event.

Spanish airline Iberia as well as several hotels have launched special offers for this time of the year to appeal to gay travelers.

Pride festivities are used by many Spanish coastal destinations to attract gay travelers outside of their high season.

The beach resort of Maspalomas on Spain’s Canary Islands stages three pride events each year, which generate up to 20 million euros each, said the organizer of the event, Fernando

Ilarduya.

There has also been a boom in the number of cruises, vacation clubs and bungalows geared specifically at the gay market.

“Certain details make the trip more enjoyable, like for example a hotel that does not provide separate beds to two women who book a room together,” said Marion Couturier of event management agency Hansen&Partner.

‘Difficult to target’ While destinations like Spain―which was one of the first nations to legalize gay marriage―Thailand and Bali are already well established as “gay friendly,” others are seeking to follow their example.

At Fitur, Argentina’s tourism board highlighted in its brochures that it was the first nation in Latin America to approve gay marriage while Colombia promoted several destinations specifically for gays.

But Bomkes warned that some gay people may actually be turned off by special offers and package tours that openly target the gay community.

“It can be difficult to reach the target group: some people don’t want these special offers,” he said.

“Most of them are very educated. They know how to book everything by themselves.”

The “gay friendly” reputation

of a hotel trails location and the price-quality relationship as the most important factor when a gay tourists books accommodation, according to Community Marketing, a US gay marketing firm.

Some firms have begun to focus exclusively on the lesbian segment, which is now “booming” after initially lagging behind the gay male segment, according to Couturier.

“Men prefer urban tourism, while women are looking for outdoor activities, culture, gastronomy,” added Sylvia Lacosta who runs a travel agency in Tenerife that focuses on the lesbian market. AFP

Like Muslims, Ping detests pork The Almighty has not endowed Senator Panfilo Lacson with any of the characteristics of a canine being, but there is one capability that the former Philippine National Police chief shares with dogs.

He has become very good at sniffing. And Sen. Lacson’s nose is very busy these days.

The Senator is sniffing pork—pork of the kind that has come to be associated with the preparation of the annual national budget, more formally known as the GAA (General Appropriations Act).

He has declared that the 2017 GAA is full of fiscal pork, which the Supreme Court declared as unconstitutional in a landmark 2013 ruling. Secretary Benjamin Diokno and his Department of Budget and Management are insisting strongly that this year’s national budget is pork-free but Senator Lacson is insisting with equal strength that that document is full of the flesh of pigs. And he has said that he will not stop trying to expose the porkiness of the 2017 national budget—and the pork-distributing proclivities of its authors— even if that means having to bring the entire sordid matter back to the Supreme Court.

Was Senator Lacson merely making a threat or

is the High Court likely to have to rule on another petition relating the erstwhile PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund)? I think that the Court has another PDAF-related petition in its near-term future. I have two reasons for saying so. The first is that Mr. Lacson feels very strongly about Congressional pork—so strongly that he has not availed himself of his share of the pork during his entire stay in the Senate. The second reason is that he has a very strong suspicion that the P1.35-trillion 2017 GAA is heavily laden with the flesh of pigs.

Ping Lacson believes—and rightly so—that the No. 1 place to look for pork is the budget of the department that deals with physical infrastructure.

The budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways contains the allocations for the construction of things that are highly visible to the legislators’ constituents—roads, bridges, airports, seaports and government buildings—and it is in the procurement operations of DPWH, more than those of other departments, that constructors (formerly contractors) are most prominent.

If Mr. Lacson is particularly vociferous about the pork barrel this year, it is because of the hu-

mongous increase in the budget of DPWH, which has catapulted that department to the position of No. 2 component of the 2017 GAA, after the Department of Education. DPWH’s 2017 pork, which translates into a tremendous amount of potential kickbacks for contractors (from DPWH) and members of Congress (from contractors).

During the budget hearings Senator Lacson was particularly suspicious about two 2017 GAA realignments involving DPWH. These were the transfer of budgetary allocations—billions of pesos—from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF) and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to DPWH. The amounts involved were P21.5 billion and P8.0 billion, respectively. His highly developed sniffing capability has convinced Ping Lacson that these billions are very probably pork funds. These sums are additions to a DPWH 2017 budget that, as indicated above, are humongously large. Pork barrel allocations are usually parked, Lacson says, within the DPWH budget.

Ping Lacson’s feeling of certainty about the highly porky character of 2017 GAA has been re-

inforced, the Senator says, by what he has heard from some Representatives of ARMM. These legislators have told him, he says, that some ARMM Representatives have been given project allocations totaling as much as P5.0 billion.

Mr. Lacson has every right to seek out and destroy the pork items in this year’s budget. As stated above, he has never availed himself of the usual P300 million pork allocation for Senators.

In the past he was joined in this highly laudable attitude by the late Joker Arroyo. Two of his current colleagues—Senator Francis Pangilinan and Vicente Sotto III—have indicated disinterest in participation in the annual porkfest.

Predictably, the Secretary of Budget and Management has been denying to high heaven that this year’s national budget is laden with pork. But Ping Lacson is not about to accept Benjamin Diokno’s protestations of non-culpability. Like all Muslims, the Senator detests pork, and he looks all set to expose the pork that his keen sense of smell tells him abounds in the 2017 GAA. E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

LGUs

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

C1

QUIET GENERATOR. Argie Alboro, a

37-year-old electrician, demonstrates how his invention—a noise-free power generator—works at his shop in Las Piñas City. Alboro claims the generator can run for 24 hours using just a car battery, and produces enough power for 200 lampposts. The high school graduate, who originally hails from Quezon Province, said he’s spent P200,000 in developing the generator and donated one model to Cotabato City. Norman Cruz

Manila dads declare ‘win’ over VM Honey T

By Sandy Araneta

HE majority bloc of Manila’s city council on Monday said it scored a victory against Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna and her allied councilors who have tried but failed to delay the approval of the P14.8-billion city budget for 2017.

Councilor Casimiro Sison of the sixth district, the Majority Floor Leader, pointed out the Manila Regional Trial Court ruled that the approval of Ordinance 7810 appropriating the Executive Budget of Manila for 2017 is valid and legal.

“We call it a victory. It was just a good passage [of the ordinance], and maybe, I could say is that our process is correct, and what we did in the council,” Sison said.

In an earlier decision, RTC Branch

173 Judge Armando Yanga junked Lacuna’s petition-complaint asking the court to nullify the city budget ordinance, on grounds the council passed it illegally.

Sison said the court’s decision was clear: The council complied with the law and the required legislative processes in voting for the approval of the budget ordinance.

“The court said there was no cause for action, the ordinance was approved in the third and final reading, and that it was the vice mayor

herself who presided over the session,” the councilor stressed.

Sison stressed they had to “act with urgency” in passing the city budget because any delay in its approval and implementation “will affect the operation of the city government, particularly the delivery of services to the people.”

“If there is a delay, I pity the people,” Sison said. “This [budget ordinance] is the most important and the centerpiece legislation.

If the approval and implementation of the city budget is delayed even by just a single day, there’s already a damage on the part of the constituents.”

Sison said he hoped Lacuna and her allied minority councilors “will have time to reflect on their moves.”

“They should look deeper into what they are doing. And I hope if they’re going to do that,

look whether if it’s a hindrance, delaying... you know that there is a delay,” he said.

Even if Lacuna’s camp would appeal the decision, Sison stressed it would be just “an exercise in futility.”

In a nine-page resolution, Judge Yanga dismissed with finality Lacuna’s petition for a temporary restraining order and a writ of preliminary injunction against Ordinance 7810.

Yanga declared as valid and legal the City Council sessions held on Dec. 15, 2016 and Jan. 3, 2017 approving the budget ordinance that Lacuna, who presides over the council, had questioned.

“As far as this Court is concerned, the session, or passage of the ordinance done on Dec. 15, 2016 and Jan. 3, 2017 by the herein defendants are valid and legal,” Yanga said.

Taguig programs to fight ‘5-6’ habit

By Joel E. Zurbano THE city government of Taguig is supporting the campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte to eliminate the “5-6” lending practice and other loan schemes with programs to help city hall employees properly handle their daily expenses and save money.

City Personnel Officer Jeanette Clemente said Taguig’s policy direction on the issue conforms with the recent pronouncement of the Duterte administration to eliminate “5-6” through micro-lending facilities to be set up by the national government.

Clemente observed that most employees lack skills in handling their daily expenses, saying they usually overspend and are compelled to borrow money or pawn their payroll ATM cards to pay for their living expenses.

Late last year, the city government hosted a financial literacy seminar to instill basic

terms of response to police matters. The Manila Police District came in next followed by the Eastern Police District, Northern Police District, and the Quezon City Police District.

In the ranking on response and accessibility, Muntinlupa placed third, trailing Las Piñas and Mandaluyong.

The National Capital Region Police Office’s public trust and respect rating rose by 1.22 percent, as well as its level of public safety (by 13.4 percent) and crime reporting from the public (19.8 percent), the survey added.

Muntinlupa Public Information Officer Tez Navarro said the public’s confidence in their local police station can be attributed to the community’s participation in the city’s peace and order efforts.

HELP FOR SANTA CRUZ. Muntinlupa City Councilor Louie Arciaga and members of the city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office hand a symbolic check of P1 million to Mayor Marisa Red of Santa Cruz, Marinduque, Muntinlupa’s sister city that was hit hard by Typhoon ‘Nina’ last year. The donation was part of P2.5 million in total assistance the city also provided to the local governments of Pola in Oriental Mindoro, Sagñay in Camarines Sur, and San Andres in Catanduanes.

Banawe hosts QC celebration of Chinese New Year QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista joins leaders of the ChineseFilipino community and embassy officials from the People’s Republic of China in this year’s celebrations for the Chinese New Year in the city’s Banawe district come Jan. 28.

A firework display, cultural and musical performances, and lion and dragon dances will

highlight the celebration, the city government said.

Business establishments along Banawe Street, touted as Metro Manila’s second Chinatown, will mount a bazaar where shoppers may enjoy special discounts.

“All roads lead to Banawe Street on Jan. 28 for Quezon City’s celebration of the Chinese

Turn to C2

Pag-IBIG Annual Report on Jan. 27

Munti police ‘second most trusted’ in NCR BASED on the latest survey of the National Police Commission, the Muntinlupa City Police Station ranked second as most trusted and respected station in the National Capital Region, the city government said Monday.

Among 570 respondents surveyed under the jurisdiction of the five police districts in the NCR, 66.7 percent “trust and respect” Muntinlupa police, trailing only the Pasay City police at 83.3 percent.

The cities of Mandaluyong, Navotas, Malabon and Pateros, Caloocan, Pasig, Taguig and Makati, Manila, Valenzuela, Parañaque, and Quezon City followed Muntinlupa in the survey.

The Napolcom survey also revealed the Southern Police District is the most trusted police district in Metro Manila, in

concepts like proper budgeting of their monthly income, investing on essential needs, and acute awareness of the need to save for its employees.

To get rid of the “sangla ATM” habit, the city government supported the formation of a private credit cooperative among its employees.

In March 2016, they formed the Taguig City Employees Credit Cooperative, and began giving out small loans worth P5,000 starting the last quarter of 2016.

The employees’ cooperative offers short-term loans of up to nine months at just one percent interest per month. The employees’ cooperative does not require the borrower to surrender their ATM salary card, and the loans are paid through automatic salary deduction.

The total volume of loans may still be small, but the cooperative

New Year,” Bautista said.

The Quezon City government is hosting the event in partnership with the QC Association of Filipino-Chinese Businessmen Inc., QC Chinatown Development Foundation Inc., and QC Chinatown Business Association Inc. Among the schools performing in the event starting at 1 p.m.

are Grace Christian College, Philippine Institute of Quezon City, Pace Academy, Philippine Cultural College, Philadelphia High School, Lourdes School of Quezon City, Philippine Buddha Care Foundation, Ramon Magsaysay High School, and the National Orthopedic HospitalSchool for Crippled Children.

Scholars of the QC Performing Arts Development Foundation, Inc. will also render a special number.

Quezon City has been hosting the Chinese New Year celebration at Banawe Street for the past three years to transform the area into a “world-class” Chinatown.

Rio N. Araja

PAG-IBIG Fund will hold its 2016 Accomplishment Report on Jan. 27 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City to present its milestones to its stakeholders.

The report will gather PagIBIG stakeholders from both the public and private sectors,” said Pag-IBIG Fund president and CEO Atty. Darlene Marie B. Berberabe. “This annual event gathers together the Fund’s partners and stakeholders who will hear the state of the Pag-IBIG Fund.”

With the theme “36 Years of Improving the Lives of the Filipino Workers,” the event also celebrates Pag-IBIG’s 36th anniversary since its creation on Dec. 14, 1980. The Fund will report milestones achieved in 2016, including having its highest housing loan take-out and performing loans ratio in its history.

“We hope to see our partners in this meaningful occasion. Our stakeholders include our members, as well as our partners such as housing developers, employers, banks, collection agencies, government agencies, and other associations,” Berberabe added.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017 Standard C2 TODAY Manila

‘Republic Day’ holiday sought

By Orlan L. Mauricio

M

ALOLOS CITY, Bulacan—The mayor of this historic city wants every Filipino to be aware of the founding day of the First Philippine Republic, calling for Jan. 23 every year to be declared a national nonworking holiday.

Mayor Christian D. Natividad emphasized this “urgent need for historical awareness” during the 118th commemoration of the First Philippine Republic at the Barasoain Church here Monday.

“It is lamentable that this year alone, we have more than 18 declared national holidays that recognize heroism,” Natividad

said, citing National Heroes Day (Aug. 28), Araw ng Kagitingan (April 9), Bonifacio Day (Nov. 30), Rizal Day (Dec. 30), Independence Day (June 12), the EDSA People Power Revolution (Feb. 25), and Ninoy Aquino Day (Aug. 21).

The mayor, however, lamented that the founding date of the

Taguig...

Philippines gives Taguig City employees another loan facility—the “Land Bank Mobile Loan Saver” plan in which permanent employees may allow the government-run bank to automatically deduct a certain amount from their incomes and deposit it to their savings account.

From C1

hopes to gain more members to increase its capital base and the amount of loans it can offer city employees.

A Memorandum of Agreement between the city government and Land Bank of the

PRESENT: Vice Mayor Councilor “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “

MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO - Presiding Officer SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA MARIE ALETHEA SJ. CASAL-UY GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR. DIVINA A. JACOME LUIS S. JAVIER JR. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY NELSON S. PASIA MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

LnB President

ARMANDO P. PADILLA

Natividad

Philippine Republic—the first constitutional republic in Asia— “has been completely ignored.”

“It was at the Barasoain Church, where our first Constitution was drafted, approved and proclaimed on Jan. 22, which led to the establishment of our Re-

public the following day—Jan. 23, 1899, exactly 118 years ago today,” Natividad recalled.

Philippine Republic Day is a non-working holiday only in the province of Bulacan and in this city, the mayor said.

“We even celebrate and pay homage to religious events like Christmas Day, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Black Saturday, All Saints’ Day, and even Oct. 31, declared this year as a special non-working day to give time to Filipinos to visit the graves of their loved ones,” the mayor pointed out.

“Every Filipino should be made aware of the significance of the birth of our Constitution and the Republic. Jan. 23 should be observed yearly all over the

country by all Filipinos and not just by Bulakenyos,” Natividad stressed.

Local Government Secretary Ismael D. Sueno, who represented President Rodrigo Duterte in the rites, lauded the brave efforts of our forefathers who fought against colonizers to free the nation from colonial rule.

The program started with a flag raising ceremony and a wreath laying activity at the monument of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, the first Philippine president.

Also present were Vice Gov. Daniel R. Fernando, board members, congressmen, National Historical Commission OIC Dr. Rene Escalante and NHCP Executive Director III Ludovico D. Badoy.

AGRI-TOURISM TALK. Senator

Cynthia Villar (second from left) receives a certificate of recognition after being guest speaker at the Farm Tourism Consultative Meeting at Costales Nature Farms in Majayjay, Laguna. Josephine Costales, chairman of the Costales Nature farm (second from right), joined Villar in meeting farm owners in the Calabarzon region with the Go Negosyo Kapatid Young Entrepreneurs Agritourism Cluster.

Roy Tomandao

Lucrative job for honest cabbie

By Dexter A. See BAGUIO CITY—A taxi driver from Rosario, La Union is getting a guaranteed job in Australia after he returned some luggage to an Australian who left it in his vehicle several days ago.

Reggie Cabutotan, 30, received a certificate granting him a six-month scholarship in a local training academy based in Kalye Uno here, with the scholarship worth P220,000.

Trent Shields, the Australian businessman whose bag Cabutotan returned, then guaranteed the father of four a job at a coder factory Down Under that would pay him a starting salary of P1.7 million monthly.

Both men were present at City Hall on Monday, with Cabutotan overwhelmed by the Australian’s generous reward for his honest act.

“I was surprised to receive information from my operator that I have to be present at City Hall early Monday morning,” said Cabutotan. “I did not expect that I will receive the surprise of my life from what I think was a simple thing that I had done in returning the luggage of my Australian passenger.”

Cabutotan has been driving the taxi, owned by an overseas Filipino worker who lives in Victoria Village here, in Baguio for six years now.

ABSENT: Councilor “ “

ROMEO C. MEDINA MA. ARLENE M. ORTEGA ENRICO J. PUNO

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AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING MAKATI DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT COUNCIL (MAKATI DRRMC) RESOLUTION NO. 2017-03 ENTITLED AS “APPROVING THE GUIDELINES FOR INITIAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO DISASTER AFFECTED AREAS IN THE PHILIPPINES”, SUBJECT TO ALL LAWS AND EXISTING LEGAL RULES AND REGULATIONS.

PRESENT: Vice Mayor Councilor “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “

MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO - Presiding Officer SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA MARIE ALETHEA SJ. CASAL-UY GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR. DIVINA A. JACOME LUIS S. JAVIER JR. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY ROMEO C. MEDINA MA. ARLENE M. ORTEGA NELSON S. PASIA ENRICO J. PUNO MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

PRESENT: Vice Mayor Councilor “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “

MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO - Presiding Officer SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA MARIE ALETHEA SJ. CASAL-UY GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR. DIVINA A. JACOME LUIS S. JAVIER JR. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY ROMEO C. MEDINA MA. ARLENE M. ORTEGA NELSON S. PASIA ENRICO J. PUNO MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

WHEREAS, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) advocates for the prevention and reduction of disaster risk through cooperation among localities and/or cities;

LnB President

ARMANDO P. PADILLA

LnB President

ARMANDO P. PADILLA

WHEREAS, Section 10 (a) (4) of R.A. 7854, otherwise known as the Charter of the City of Makati, to wit:

ABSENT:

“Section 10 (a) (4) - The Sangguniang Panlungsod shall approve ordinances and pass resolutions necessary for an efficient and effective government and, in this connection shall adopt measures to protect the inhabitants of the City from the harmful effects of man-made or natural disasters and calamities, and to provide relief services and assistance for victims during the aftermath of said disasters of calamities and in their return to productive livelihood following said events.

Councilor “

On motion presented by Hon. V,V” Hilario, Jr., which was duly seconded by all Members present, the Sangguniang PanIungsod of the City of Makati approved City Ordinance No. 2017-006 on third and final reading.

CITY ORDINANCE NO. 2017-006 Authors: Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, Hon. M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, Hon. D.A Jacome, Hon. G.I.N. de Lara-Bes, Hon. N.S. Yabut Jr., Hon. F.T. Eusebio, Hon. L.S. Javier, Jr., Hon. V.V. Hilario, Jr. and Hon. RC. Medina Co-Authors: Hon. S.C. Aspillaga, Hon. L.M. Magpantay, Hon. N.S. Pasia, Hon. M.R.C. Tolentino, Hon. E.D.E. Villamor and Hon. AP. Padilla

WHEREAS, Section 21 of R.A. 10121, otherwise known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, provides: “Section 21. Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF). - The present Local calamity Fund shall henceforth be known as the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF). Not less than five percent (5%) of the estimated revenue from regular sources shall be set aside as the LDRRMF to support disaster risk management activities such as, but not limited to, pre-disaster preparedness programs induding training, purchasing, life-saving rescue equipment, supplies and medicines, for post-disaster risk activities, and for the payment of premiums on calamity insurance. The LDRRMC shall monitor and evaluate the use and disbursement on the LDRRMF based on the LDRRMP as incorporated in the local development plan and annual work and financial plan.

Upon recommendation of the LDRRMO and approval of the sanggunian concerned, the LDRRMC may transfer the said fund to support disaster risk reduction work of other LDRRMCs which are declared under the state of calamity.

Of the amount appropriated for LDRRMF, thirty percent (30%) shall be allocated as Quick Response Fund (QRF) or stand-by fund for relief and recovery programs in order that situation and living conditions of people in communities or areas stricken by disasters, calamities, epidemics, or complex emergencies, may be normalized as quickly as possible.

WHEREAS, in the interest of social justice, it is imperative for the City of Makati thru the Makati DRRM Council to ensure the delivery of timely and effective assistance to disaster affected areas in the Philippines; WHEREAS, On 05 January 2017, the members of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DRRMC), during their meeting, agreed to adopt the guidelines standardizing the amount of initial financial assistance to be given to disasteraffected areas; WHEREAS, considering the necessity of espousing Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (Makati-DRRMC) Resolution No. 2017-03 Series of 2017, the Sangguniang Panlungsod hereby adopts the aforecited Resolution.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ADOPTED, AS IT IS HEREBY ADOPTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWERS VESTED IN IT BY LAW, IN SESSION ASSEMBLED, that: Section 1. The Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati hereby adopts “Makati Disaster Risk, Reduction and Management Council (Makati -DRRMC) Resolution No. 2017-03, Series of 2017 which is hereto attached as Annex “A” and shall form an integral part thereof.

Section 2. The Guidelines for Initial Financial Assistance to Disaster Affected Areas in the Philippines, which is hereto attached as Annex “B”, is likewise adopted and shall form an integral part hereof.

Section 3. The implementation of the abovementioned guidelines shall also be subject to the provision of the “Guidelines on the Provision of Assistance to Disaster Affected Areas in the Philippines” as adopted thru City Ordinance No. 2016-A-034.

Section 4. All existing ordinances, rules and regulations which are inconsistent with the provision of this Ordinance are hereby repealed, or modified accordingly.

Section 5. This Ordinance shall take effect imqtediately upon its approval.

Section 6. Let copy of this Ordinance and its attached Annexes be furnished to Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (Makati-DRRMC) and other concerned offices for their information and guidance.

ENACTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, in its Regular Session held on 11 January 2017.

HON. SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA

HON. ROMEO C. MEDINA

HON. MARIE ALETHEA S.J. CASAL-UY

HON. MA ARLENE M. ORTEGA

HON. GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES

HON. FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO

ABSENT: Councilor “

FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT-Vacation Leave

========================================================================

========================================================================

On motion presented by Hon. M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, which was duly seconded by all Members present, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati approved City Ordinance No. 2017-002 on third and final reading.

On motion presented by Hon. M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, which was duly seconded by all Members present, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati approved City Ordinance No. 2017-001 on third and final reading.

CITY ORDINANCE NO. 2017-002 Authors: Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, Hon. M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, Hon. D.A. Jacome, Hon. G.I.N. de Lara-Bes, Hon. N.S. Yabut Jr., Hon. A.P. Padilla, Hon. E.D.E. Villamor, Hon. V.V. Hilario Jr., Hon. RC. Medina and Hon. M.A.M. Ortega

CITY ORDINANCE NO. 2017-001 Authors: Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, Hon, M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, Hon. D.A. Jacome, Hon. G.I.N. de Lara-Bes, Hon. N.S. Yabut Jr., Hon. AP. Padilla, Hon. E.D.E. Villamor, Hon. V.V. Hilario Jr., Hon. RC. Medina and Hon. M.A.M. Ortega

Co-Authors: Hon. S.C. Aspillaga, Hon. L.S. Javier, Jr., Hon. L.M. Magpantay, Hon. N.S. Pasia, Hon. E.J. Puno and Hon. M.R.C. Tolentino

Co-Authors: Hon. S.C. Aspillaga, Hon. L.S. Javier, Jr., Hon. L.M. Magpantay, Hon. N.S. Pasia, Hon. E.J. Puno and Hon. M.R.C. Tolentino

AN ORDINANCE DECLARING THAT, AFTER REVIEW, BARANGAY URDANETA APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE NO. 01-2016 (ANNUAL BUDGET FOR C.Y. 2017), IS IN CONFORMITY WITH EXISTING LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS.

AN ORDINANCE DECLARING THAT, AFTER REVIEW, BARANGAY KASILAWAN APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE NO. 02 SERIES OF 2016 (ANNUAL BUDGET FOR C.Y. 2017), IS IN CONFORMITY WITH EXISTING LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS.

WHEREAS, Section 10(a)(1) of R.A 7854, otherwise known as the Charter of the City of Makati, provides that the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall: “(R)eview all ordinances approved by the sangguniang barangay and executive orders issued by the punong barangay to determine whether these are within the scope of the prescribed powers of the sanggunian and the punong barangay”;

WHEREAS, Section 10(a)(1) of R.A. 7854, otherwise known as the Charter of the City of Makati, provides that the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall: “(R)eview all ordinances approved by the sangguniang barangay and executive orders issued by the punong barangay to determine whether these are within the scope of the prescribed powers of the sanggunian and the punong barangay”;

WHEREAS, the Annual Budget of Barangay Urdaneta for C.Y. 2017 underwent extensive review from the following departments/offices: Urban Development Department, Accounting Department, City Budget Office, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (for the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan) and Department of Interior and Local Government (for the GAD Plan).

WHEREAS, the Annual Budget of Barangay Kasilawan for C.Y. 2017 underwent extensive review from the following departments/offices: Urban Development Department, Accounting Department, City Budget Office, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (for the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan) and Department of Interior and Local Government (for the GAD Plan).

WHEREAS, after review, Barangay Urdaneta Annual Budget for C.Y. 2017, Appropriation Ordinance No. 01-2016 had been declared to be in conformity with the budgetary requirements pursuant to Section 324 of the Local Government Code of 1991.

WHEREAS, after review, Barangay Kasilawan Annual Budget for C.Y. 2017, Appropriation Ordinance No. 02 Series of 2016 had been declared to be in conformity with the budgetary requirements pursuant to Section 324 of the Local Government Code of 1991.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, AS IT IS HEREBY ORDAINED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI CITY, METRO MANILA, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWERS VESTED IN IT BY LAW, IN SESSION ASSEMBLED, to declare that, after review, Barangay Urdaneta appropriation Ordinance No. 01-2016 (Annual Budget for C.Y. 2017), is in conformity with existing laws, rules and regulations.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, AS IT IS HEREBY ORDAINED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI CITY, METRO MANILA, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWERS VESTED IN IT

BY LAW, IN SESSION ASSEMBLED, to declare that, after review, Barangay Kasilawan appropriation Ordinance No. 02 Series of 2016 (Annual Budget for C.Y. 2017), is in conformity with existing laws, rules and regulations.

ORDAINED FURTHER, that copy of this Ordinance be furnished the City Treasurer’s Office, City Budget Office, Accounting Department, Liga ng mga Barangay Office, Sangguniang Barangay of Barangay Urdaneta and other offices, departments and agencies concerned for their information, guidance and reference.

This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its approval.

ENACTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA in its Regular Session held on 6 January 2017.

HON. SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA

HON. MARIE ALETHEA S.J. CASAL-UY

HON. DIVINA A. JACOME

HON. EVEL EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR

HON. LUIS S. JAVIER JR.

HON. MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT

HON. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY

HON. NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its approval.

ENACTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, M ANILA, in its Regular Session held on 6 January 2017.

HON. SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA

HON. ROMEO C. MEDINA

HON. MARIE ALETHEA S.J. CASAL-UY

HON. MA ARLENE M. ORTEGA

HON. GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES

HON. NELSON S. P PASIA

HON. FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO

HON. ENRICO J. PUNO

HON. VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR.

HON. MAR MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO

HON. DIVINA A. JACOME

HON. EVEL EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR

HON. LUIS S. JAVIER JR.

HON. MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT

HON. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY

HON. NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

HON. MA ARLENE M. ORTEGA

HON. GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES

P HON. NELSON S. PASIA

HON. FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO

HON. ENRICO J. PUNO

HON. VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR.

MAR RUTH C. TOLENTINO HON. MARY

HON. DIVINA A. JACOME

EVEL HON. EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR

HON. NELSON S. PASIA P

HON. MAR MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO

ORDAINED FURTHER, that copy of this Ordinance be furnished the City Treasurer’s Office, City Budget Office, Accounting Department, Liga ng mga Barangay Office, Sangguniang Barangay of Barangay Kasilawan and other offices, departments and agencies concerned for their information, guidance and reference.

HON. ROMEO C. MEDINA

HON. ENRICO J. PUNO

HON. VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR.

FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT-Vacation Leave

LEAVE HON. MARIA ON CONCEPCION M. YABUT

HON. LUIS S. JAVIER JR.

HON. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY

ON LEAVE

HON. NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

HON. ARMANDO P. PADILLA LnB President

HON. ARMANDO P. PADILLA LnB President

Certified true and correct by:

HON. ARMANDO P. PADILLA LnB President

Certified true and correct by: ATTY. DINDO R. CERVANTES Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod

Certified true and correct by:

ATTY. DINDO R. CERVANTES Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod

Attested by:

ATTY. DINDO R. CERVANTES Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod

Attested by:

Attested by:

HON. MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer HON. MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer

HON. MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer Approved by: Approved by:

Approved by:

MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY City Mayor

MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY City Mayor

MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY City Mayor (MS-JAN. 24, 2017)

(MS-JAN. 24, 2017)

(MS-JAN. 24, 2017)

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TODAY

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017

Weekend storms kill 18 in southeastern US W ASHINGTON―Powerful weekend storms roared through the southeastern United States, killing 18 people as violent weather left a trail of destruction, authorities said.

Families in Dougherty County in the state of Georgia huddled on the side of a road Sunday, surveying the wrath of a storm that destroyed mobile homes and downed trees, according to video posted by county commission chairman Chris Cohilas.

“This is absolutely devastating,” Cohilas said in the video uploaded to Facebook. “It looks like a nuclear bomb went off.”

“I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The county’s emergency management agency tweeted that shelters were being set up for displaced residents.

At least 14 people had died in south-central Georgia over the weekend, according to the state’s Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency.

And five were still missing according to Adel Mayor Buddy Duke, amid a scene of flattened houses and trees and cars thrown in a heap like toys.

Four others died and 20 were injured on Saturday morning by a tornado that swept through southern Mississippi, according to that state’s emergency services agency.

President Donald Trump told reporters Sunday he had offered his condolences to

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, calling the storms “vicious and powerful and strong.”

“On behalf of all of us, condolences,” Trump said, noting that Florida and Alabama had also been impacted.

Deal had declared a state of emergency in Georgia for seven south-central counties. He said in a statement that the state would request federal assistance in the storms’ aftermath.

“These storms have resulted in loss of life, numerous injuries and extensive property damage,” Deal said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Georgians suffering from the storm’s impact.”

“I urge all Georgians to exercise caution and vigilance in order to remain safe and prevent further loss of life or injuries,” he said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it had issued “only the 3rd High Risk [tornado] threat issued since

2000 that includes FL. Be safe.”

FEMA said that it had sent liaison officers to Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and Florida “to support response activities and additional teams are on alert.”

Tornado activity in the United States historically has been at lower levels in January and February.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported extensive damage in some parts of Georgia, with numerous felled trees and downed power lines in several counties.

Authorities warned that more severe weather could threaten parts of the Carolinas, southern Georgia and much of Florida with strong damaging gusts, large hail and a risk of tornadoes.

The agency noted that tornadoes at night were “particularly dangerous” because they are often fast-moving and difficult to see. AFP

PRESENT: Vice Mayor Councilor “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “

MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO - Presiding Officer SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA MARIE ALETHEA SJ. CASAL-UY GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR. DIVINA A. JACOME LUIS S. JAVIER JR. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY NELSON S. PASIA MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

LnB President

ARMANDO P. PADILLA

C3

ABSENT: Councilor “ “

ROMEO C. MEDINA MA. ARLENE M. ORTEGA ENRICO J. PUNO

======================================================================== On motion presented by Hon. F.T. Eusebio, which was duly seconded by all Members present, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati approved City Ordinance No. 2017-004 on third and final reading.

CITY ORDINANCE NO. 2017-004 Authors: Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, Hon. M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, Hon. D.A. Jacome, Hon. G.I.N. de Lara-Bes, Hon. N.S. Yabut Jr., Hon. M.AM. Ortega, Hon. F.r. Eusebio, Hon. L.S. Javier, Jr., Hon. V.V. Hilario, Jr. and Hon. RC. Medina Co-Authors: Hon. S.C. Aspillaga, Hon. L.M. Magpantay, Hon. N.S. Pasia, Hon. M.R.C. Tolentino, Hon. E.D.E. Villamor and Hon. A.P. Padilla AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING THE AMOUNT OF FIFTEEN MILLION PESOS (Php15,000,000.00) OR SO MUCH THEREOF AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR RELIEF ASSISTANCE TO THE VICTIMS OF TYPHOON “NINA” IN VARIOUS CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES OF THE PROVINCES OF CAMARINES SUR, CATANDUANES, AND MARINDUQUE, DECLARED AS UNDER THE STATE OF CALAMITY, FUNDS OF WHICH SHALL BE TAKEN FROM THE C.Y. 2017 EXECUTIVE BUDGET UNDER THE LOCAL DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT FUND-QUICK RESPONSE FUND, SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE LAWS AND AUDITING RULES AND PROCEDURES. WHEREAS, Super Typhoon “NINA” (International name: Nock-ten), which according to PAGASA had maximum sustained winds of 120 kph near the center and gustiness at 180 kph, was one of the strongest typhoons to hit the Philippines last year 2016; WHEREAS, this typhoon left devastating and depressing marks in the southern part of Luzon, specifically in the provinces of Quezon, Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes and Marinduque, on 25 December 2016. Trees were uprooted, buildings were stripped of their roofs, crops flattened to the ground, landslides and flash floods occurred and families were rendered homeless because their houses were crashed by strong winds; WHEREAS, Section 21 of R.A 10121, otherwise known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, provides:

PRESENT: Vice Mayor Councilor “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “

MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO - Presiding Officer SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA MARIE ALETHEA SJ. CASAL-UY GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR. DIVINA A. JACOME LUIS S. JAVIER JR. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY NELSON S. PASIA MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

LnB President

ARMANDO P. PADILLA

MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO - Presiding Officer SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA MARIE ALETHEA SJ. CASAL-UY GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR. DIVINA A. JACOME LUIS S. JAVIER JR. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY NELSON S. PASIA MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

LnB President

ARMANDO P. PADILLA

Of the amount appropriated for LDRRMF, thirty percent (30%) shall be allocated as Quick Response Fund (QRF) or stand-by fund for relief and recovery programs in order that situation and living conditions of people in communities or areas stricken by disasters, calamities, epidemics, or complex emergencies, may be normalized as quickly as possible. xxx” (Emphasis supplied.)

ABSENT:

ABSENT: Councilor “ “

PRESENT: Vice Mayor Councilor “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “

“Section 21. Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF). - The present Local calamity Fund shall henceforth be known as the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF). Not less than five percent (5%) of the estimated revenue from regular sources shall be set aside as the LDRRMF to support disaster risk management activities such as, but not limited to, pre-disaster preparedness programs including training, purchasing, life-saving rescue equipment, supplies and medicines, for post-disaster risk activities, and for the payment of premiums on calamity insurance. The LDRRMC shall monitor and evaluate the use and disbursement on the LDRRMF based on the LDRRMP as incorporated in the local development plan and annual work and financial plan. Upon recommendation of the LDRRMO and approval of the sanggunian concerned, the LDRRMC may transfer the said fund to support disaster risk reduction work of other LDRRMCs which are declared under the state of calamity.

Councilor “ “

ROMEO C. MEDINA MA. ARLENE M. ORTEGA ENRICO J. PUNO

WHEREAS, the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of the City of Makati promulgated Resolution No. 2017-01, Series of 2017, which recommends the appropriation of funds for the purpose of giving financial assistance to the victims of typhoon “Nina” in several municipalities and cities of the provinces of Quezon, Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes and Marinduque;

ROMEO C. MEDINA MA. ARLENE M. ORTEGA ENRICO J. PUNO

========================================================================

======================================================================== On motion presented by Han. M.C.M. Yabut, which was duly seconded by all Members present, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati approved City Ordinance No. 2017-003 on third and final reading.

CITY ORDINANCE NO. 2017-003 Authors: Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, Hon. M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, Hon. D.A Jacome, Hon. G.I. de Lara-Bes, Hon. N.S. Yabut Jr., Hon. F.T. Eusebio and Hon. M.A.M. Ortega Co-Authors: Hon. S.C. Aspillaga, Hon. V.V. Hilario, Jr., Hon. L.S. Javier, Jr., Hon. L.M. Magpantay, Hon. N.S. Pasia, Hon. M.R.C. Tolentino, Hon. E.D.E. Villamor and Hon. A.P. Padilla

On motion presented by Hon. D.A Jacome, which was duly seconded by all Members present, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati approved City Ordinance No. 2017-005 on third and final reading.

CITY ORDINANCE NO. 2017-005 Authors: Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, Hon. M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, Hon. D.A Jacome, Hon. G.I.N. de Lara-Bes, Hon. N.S. Yabut Jr., Hon. M.A.M. Ortega, Hon. F.T. Eusebio, Hon. L.S. Javier, Jr., Hon. V.V. Hilario, Jr. and Hon. R.C. Medina Co-Authors: Hon. S.C. Aspillaga, Hon. L.M. Magpantay, Hon. N.S. Pasia, Hon. M.R.C. Tolentino, Hon. E.D.E. Villamor and Hon. AP. Padilla

AN ORDINANCE EXTENDING THE DEADLINE FOR ASSESSMENT UP TO 25 JANUARY 2017 AND PAYMENT OF BUSINESS AND REALTY TAXES, LICENSES, FEES AND CHARGES UP TO 31 JANUARY 2017, BOTH WITHOUT PENALTIES OR SURCHARGES, SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS.

AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING THE AMOUNT OF TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (Php200,000.00) OR SO MUCH THEREOF AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR RELIEF ASSISTANCE TO THE VICTIMS OF TYPHOON “LAWIN” IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF SALLAPADAN, PROVINCE OF ABRA, DECLARED AS UNDER THE STATE OF CALAMITY, FUNDS OF WHICH SHALL BE TAKEN FROM THE C.Y. 2017 EXECUTIVE BUDGET UNDER THE LOCAL DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT FUND-QUICK RESPONSE FUND, SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE LAWS AND AUDITING RULES AND PROCEDURES.

WHEREAS, Section 7 A.03 of the Revised Makati Revenue Code (City Ordinance No. 2004-A-025) provides that, unless provided in the Code, all city taxes, fees and charges shall be paid within the first twenty (20) days of January or of each subsequent quarter as the case may be;

WHEREAS, Super Typhoon Lawin (International name: Haima), which according to PAGASA had maximum sustained winds of 225 kph near the center and gustiness at 315 kph, was the most powerful storm to hit the Philippines last 2016;

WHEREAS, the aforementioned section further provides that, for justifiable reason or cause, the Sangguniang Panlungsod may extend the time of payment of such taxes, fees and charges without surcharges or penalties;

WHEREAS, this typhoon left devastating and depressing marks in the Municipality of Sallapadan, Province of Abra on 20 October 2016. Trees were uprooted, buildings were stripped of their roofs, crops flattened to the ground, landslides occurred and families were rendered homeless because their houses were crashed by strong winds;

WHEREAS, upon the request of the City Finance Department, through a letter dated 28 December 2017, and on the ground of lack of material time to process all permit applications before the deadline for payment due to holidays and volume of transactions, the Sangguniang Panlungsod deems it proper to extend the period for payment of local business and real estate taxes, licenses, fees and charges to the following schedules; 1.

For assessment of business permits without penalty, instead of 20 January 2017, it will be extended up to 25 January 2017;

2.

For acceptance of payment without penalty of business licenses, instead of 20 January 2017 deadline, it will be extended up to 31 January 2017, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. only;

3.

For Real Property Tax (RPT), assessment and collection taxpayers may avail of ten percent (10%) discount up to 31 January 2017 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. only.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED, AS IT IS HEREBY ENACTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWERS VESTED IN IT BY LAW, IN SESSION ASSEMBLED, that: Section 1. The deadline for assessment and payment of business and realty taxes, licenses, fees and charges are hereby extended, to wit: a)

For assessment of business permits without penalty, instead of 20 January 2017, it will be extended up to 25 January 2017;

b)

For acceptance of payment of business licenses without penalty, instead of 20 January 2017 deadline, it will be extended up to 31 January 2017, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. only;

c)

For payment of Real Property Tax (RPT), instead of 20 January 2017 deadline, it will be extended up to 31 January 2017, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. only, and taxpayers may avail of the ten percent (10%) discount provided that payment thereof shall be made in full.

Section 2. Let copy of this Ordinance be furnished the City Treasurer’s Office, Accounting Department, City Administrator’s Office, Business Permit Office (BPO), Budget Department and other offices concerned for their information, guidance and reference.

Section 3. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its approval.

ENACTED BYTHE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, in its Regular Session held on 11 January 2017.

WHEREAS, Section 21 of R.A 10121, otherwise known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, provides: “Section 21. Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF), - The present Local calamity Fund shall henceforth be known as the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF). Not less than five percent (5%) of the estimated revenue from regular sources shall be set aside as the LDRRMF to support disaster risk management activities such as, but not limited to, pre-disaster preparedness programs including training, purchasing, life-saving rescue equipment, supplies and medicines, for post-disaster risk activities, and for the payment of premiums on calamity insurance. The LDRRMC shall monitor and evaluate the use and disbursement on the LDRRMF based on the LDRRMP as incorporated in the local development plan and annual work and financial plan. Upon recommendation of the LDRRMO and approval of the sanggunian concerned, the LDRRMC may transfer the said fund to support disaster risk reduction work of other LDRRMCs which are declared under the state of calamity.

WHEREAS, pursuant to abovementioned provisions of the law and considering the recommendations of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (LDRRMC) of the City of Makati, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati hereby appropriates the aforesaid amount to be used as relief assistance to the victims of typhoon “Nina” which aims to provide the necessary respite from the devastation caused to them by this powerful typhoon, and while in the process of recovery and rehabilitation.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED, AS IT IS HEREBY ENACTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWERS VESTED IN IT BY LAW, IN SESSION ASSEMBLED, that: Section 1. The Amount of Fifteen Million Pesos (Php15,000,000.00) or so much thereof as may be necessary to be made available for relief assistance to the victims of typhoon “NINA” in various Local Government Units (LGUs) declared as under the State of Calamity, to wit: 1. Mulanay, Quezon 2. San Andres, Quezon 3. Libon, Albay 4. Daraga, Albay 5. Tabaco, Albay 6. Sto. Domingo, Albay 7. Malinao, Albay 8. Legazpi City, Albay 9. Canaman, Camarines Sur 10. San Fernando, Camarines Sur 11. San Jose, Camarines Sur 12. Balatan, Camarines Sur 13. Bato, Camarines 14. Caramoan, Camarines Sur

15. Goa, Camarines Sur 16. Bula, Camarines Sur 17. Libmanan, Camarines Sur 18. Minalabac, Camarines Sur 19. Nabua, Camarines Sur 20. Pili, Camarines Sur 21. Bato, Catanduanes 22. Viga, Catanduanes 23. Virac, Catanduanes 24 Gasan, Marinduque 25. Mogpog, Marinduque 26. Sta. Cruz, Marinduque 27. Torillos, Marinduque

funds of which shall be taken from the C.Y. 2017 Executive Budget under the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund-Quick Response Fund, subject to applicable laws and auditing rules and procedures.

Section 2. The abovementioned amount shall be divided to the local government units, as follows: Municipalities and Cities (Beneficiaries)

Amount of Assistance per municipality/ city

Total

Quezon - Mulanay and San Andres Albay - Libon Camarines Sur - Canaman, San Fernando and San Jose Catanduanes - Bato and Viga Marinduque - Gasan and Mogpog

P250,000.00

P250,000.00

Albay - Daraga and Tabaco Camarines Sur - Balatan, Bato, Caramoan and Goa Marinduque - Sta Cruz and Torillos

P 500,000.00

P4,000,000.00

WHEREAS, the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of the City of Makati promulgated Resolution No. 2017-01, Series of 2017, which recommends the appropriation of funds for the purpose of giving financial assistance to the victims of Super Typhoon Lawin in the Municipality of Sallapadan, Province of Abra;

Albay - Sto. Domingo Catanduanes - Virac

P750,000.00

P1,500,000.00

WHEREAS, pursuant to the abovementioned provisions of the law and considering the recommendations of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (LDRRMC) of the City of Makati, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati hereby appropriates the aforesaid amount to be used as relief for assistance to the victims of Super Typhoon Lawin which aims to provide the necessary respite from the devastation caused to them by this powerful typhoon, and while in the process of recovery and rehabilitation.

Albay - Malinao and Legazpi Camarines Sur - Bula, Libmanan, Minalabac, Nabua and Pili

P1,000,000.00

P7,000,000.00

Of the amount appropriated for LDRRMF, thirty percent (30%) shall be allocated as Quick Response Fund (QRF) or stand-by fund for relief and recovery programs in order that situation and living conditions of people in communities or areas stricken by disasters, calamities, epidemics, or complex emergencies, may be normalized as quickly as possible. xxx” (Emphasis supplied.)

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED, AS IT IS HEREBY ENACTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWERS VESTED IN IT BY LAW, IN SESSION ASSEMBLED, that: Section 1. The Amount of Two Hundred Thousand Pesos’ (Php 200,000.00) or so much thereof as may be necessary to be made available for relief assistance to the victims of typhoon “Lawin” in the Municipality of Sallapadan, Province of Abra, declared as under the State of Calamity, funds of which shall be taken from the C.Y. 2017 Executive Budget under the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund-Quick Response Fund (LDRRMF QRF), subject to applicable laws and auditing rules and procedures.

Section 2. Let copy of this Ordinance be furnished the City Budget Office, Accounting Department, City Treasurer’s Office and other departments, offices or agencies concerned for their information, guidance and reference.

GRAND TOTAL

P15,000,000.00

Section 3. Let copy of this Ordinance be furnished the City Budget Office, Accounting Department, City Treasurer’s Office, City Administrator’s Office and all other departments, offices or agencies concerned for their information, guidance and reference.

Section 4. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its approval.

ENACTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, in its Regular Session held on 11 January 2017.

HON. SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA

HON. ROMEO C. MEDINA

HON. MARIE ALETHEA S.J. CASAL-UY

HON. MA ARLENE M. ORTEGA

HON. GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES

HON. NELSON S. P PASIA

HON. FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO

HON. ENRICO J. PUNO

HON. VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR.

HON. MAR MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO

HON. DIVINA A. JACOME

HON. EVEL EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR

HON. LUIS S. JAVIER JR.

HON. MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT

HON. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY

HON. NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

Section 3. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its approval.

HON. SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA

HON. ROMEO C. MEDINA

HON. MARIE ALETHEA S.J. CASAL-UY

HON. GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES

ENACTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, in its Regular Session held on 11 January 2017.

HON. MA ARLENE M. ORTEGA HON. SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA

HON. ROMEO C. MEDINA

HON. MARIE ALETHEA S.J. CASAL-UY

HON. MA ARLENE M. ORTEGA

HON. NELSON S. P PASIA

HON. FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO

HON. ENRICO J. PUNO

HON. VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR.

HON. GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES

P HON. NELSON S. PASIA

HON. MAR MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO

HON. FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO

HON. ENRICO J. PUNO

HON. DIVINA A. JACOME

HON. EVEL EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR

HON. VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR.

MAR RUTH C. TOLENTINO HON. MARY

HON. LUIS S. JAVIER JR.

HON. MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT

HON. DIVINA A. JACOME

EVEL HON. EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR

HON. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY

HON. NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

HON. LUIS S. JAVIER JR.

HON. MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT

HON. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY

HON. NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

HON. ARMANDO P. PADILLA LnB President

HON. ARMANDO P. PADILLA LnB President Certified true and correct by:

Certified true and correct by:

HON. ARMANDO P. PADILLA LnB President

ATTY. DINDO R. CERVANTES Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod

Certified true and correct by:

ATTY. DINDO R. CERVANTES Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod

Attested by:

ATTY. DINDO R. CERVANTES Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod

Attested by: Attested by:

HON. MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer

HON. MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer

HON. MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer

Approved by:

Approved by: Approved by:

MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY City Mayor (MS-JAN. 24, 2017)

MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY City Mayor

MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY City Mayor (MS-JAN. 24, 2017)

(MS-JAN. 24, 2017)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

C4

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017

Strongman accused of plunder

World

Baby boom in China in 2016 BEIJING―China last year saw its highest number of births this century, officials said, a baby boom that came after the country relaxed its family planning policies in 2015 to allow more families a second child.

The country welcomed 17.86 million new children in 2016, an annual increase of 7.9 percent, with nearly half of the new births occurring in families which already had one child, Yang Wenzhuang, an official from the National Health and Family Planning Commission, said Sunday.

The figure was 1.31 million higher than in 2015, according to an article in the state-run China Daily.

The proportion of newborns born to parents who already had a first child rose from around 30 percent in 2013 to 45 percent in 2016, Yang said, attributing the increase to the rule change.

According to statistics released earlier, new births were concentrated in the first half of the year, before the policy could have had an effect. In addition, 2016 was the lunar year of the monkey -- considered a particularly auspicious zodiac sign to be born under.

Since the late 1970s, strict measures in the world’s most populous country restricted most couples to only a single child, with violators facing fines and even forced abortions.

The country loosened restrictions on the repressive “one child policy” a little over a year ago in response to concerns about an aging population and shrinking workforce. AFP

100 golf courses ordered closed BEIJING―China has ordered the closure of a sixth of the country’s golf courses since 2011, its top economic planner said, in an ongoing crackdown on a sport controversial for its links with wealthy elites.

China’s ruling Communist Party has an ambivalent relationship with golf. Local authorities have profited from selling land for courses, but they are seen as venues for shady dealmaking between elites and politicians.

Central authorities ordered a nationwide freeze on new golf courses in 2004, which was largely ignored.

Since a fresh crackdown was launched in 2011, 111 of China’s 683 golf courses nationwide were ordered shut, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said in a statement posted on its website Sunday.

Operators voluntarily closed an additional 11, it added.

Courses were taken to task for illegally using arable land or nature reserves, extracting groundwater in prohibited areas, and other violations.

The NDRC ordered an additional 18 courses to return illegally occupied land, as well as 47 others to stop further construction.

Golf courses are present in all of China’s provincial-level regions except Tibet, according to the NDRC. The country boasts worldclass fairways and an emerging crop of young players, but expensive club memberships mean that only a tiny minority of Chinese have swung a golf club.

In 2015, the country’s 88 million Communist party members were banned from joining golf clubs in a corruption crackdown which also targeted banquets and lavish gift-giving. AFP

FULL DRESS REHEARSAL. A tableaux of the northern Indian state of Punjab takes part in the full dress rehearsal for the coming Indian Republic Day parade in New Delhi on January 23, 2017. Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will be the chief guest of honor at India’s 68th Republic Day celebrations on January 26. AFP

BANJUL, Gambia―Gambia’s exiled strongman Yahya Jammeh plundered millions of dollars in his final weeks in power leaving state coffers “empty”, an aide to new President Adama Barrow said as West African troops prepared to secure his arrival.

Jammeh flew out of The Gambia on Saturday, ending 22 years at the helm of the small west African nation, and headed for Equatorial Guinea where he is expected to settle with his family.

A West African military force entered The Gambia Sunday -- greeted by cheers from relieved residents -- to provide security and allow Barrow, who has been in neighboring Senegal for more than a week, to return and take power.

But amid growing controversy over the assurances offered to Jammeh to guarantee his departure, Barrow aide Mai Fatty said the new administration had discovered that some $11 million had recently been stolen.

“The coffers are largely empty,” he told reporters in the Sengalese capital Dakar.

“Over two weeks, over 500 million dalasi ($11 million) were withdrawn” by Jammeh, he said.

“As we take over, the government of The Gambia is in financial distress.”

Following Barrow’s win in the December 1 election, Jammeh refused to step down, triggering weeks of uncertainty that almost ended in a full military intervention.

Jammeh slunk off in the early hours of Sunday on an unmarked plane. Barrow is eager to return “as soon as possible”, Mai Fatty said, warning however, that “the state of security in The Gambia is still fragile.”

On Sunday, “additional forces crossed into The Gambia to beef up the numbers already on the ground,” Barrow said, according to a statement read out by Mai Fatty.

The new administration wants the Economic Community of West African States forces to stay on.

“We want their mandate to be extended,” Mai Fatty said, adding that Barrow was waiting for assurances of loyalty from the security forces, including the police and the army. AFP

Trump gets down to work W

ASHINGTON―President Donald Trump gets down to work Monday, signing a slew of executive orders to start rolling out his policy agenda after a tumultuous first few days put his administration on the back foot.

As he embarks on his first full week in office, the 45th US president will try to steady the ship, seeking support from lawmakers, business leaders and unions at the White House.

Since he was sworn in on Friday Trump’s White House has been pilloried for lying to the public about crowds at the inauguration, and the president himself for making a campaign-style speech before a memorial to fallen CIA officers.

Some two million Americans have poured into the streets for women-led demonstrations the scale of which were unseen in a generation.

“Why didn’t these people vote?

Celebs hurt cause badly,” Trump tweeted angrily on Sunday morning.

An hour later, adopting a more conciliatory tone, he noted “peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy.”

“Even if I don’t always agree,” he said, “I recognize the rights of people to express their views.”

Trump aides say the next week will see a steady if not daily drip of executive actions designed to get back to Trump’s agenda.

Already there have been moves to roll-back President Barack Obama’s health care reforms and freeze some regulations in the pipeline.

On Sunday Trump vowed to swiftly start renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico.

But reality has also bitten. A pledge to move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem has been put on the back burner for now.

A Washington group of law-

yers and researchers plans to file a federal lawsuit against Donald Trump Monday, alleging that the US president is violating a constitutional ban on accepting payments from foreign governments.

In a statement released Sunday the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) said the newly swornin Trump was in violation of the Constitution because his business properties abroad operate partly based on goodwill from foreign governments and regulators.

And a petition on Whitehouse. gov demanding that the billionaire president immediately release his tax returns passed 100,000 signatures, the threshold at which the White House is supposed to respond within 30 days.

More quick legal tweaks -- in the form of executive orders -- are expected on immigration and limiting environmental legislation.

But more substantive changes will need buy-in from the Republican controlled Congress.

On Monday, Trump will host separate meetings with business leaders, unions and members of both houses of Congress.

He will also meet the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Paul Ryan.

Tax reform is likely to be high on the agenda.

Some in Congress want to lower the corporate tax rate to 20 percent and pay for it by ending tax breaks on imports.

That is likely to come up against fierce opposition from big retailers who depend on cheap imports and could well run up against WTO rules. AFP

BEST ACTRESS. Adult film actress Kleio Valentien reacts as she accepts the award for Best Actress during

the 2017 Adult Video News Awards at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on January 21 in Las Vegas, Nevada. AFP

Myanmar asks for time to solve Rohingya crisis SINGAPORE―Myanmar’s deputy defense chief on Monday urged the world to give his government “time and space” to solve a crisis involving the Rohingya Muslim minority amid concerns jihadists could exploit the situation.

Rear Admiral Myint Nwe told a security forum in Singapore his government is “fully aware of the growing concern about the widespread reports on [the] situation in Rakhine state” where the Ro-

hingya live, and was committed to address the issue and punish wrongdoers.

Since October Myanmar’s army has carried out “clearance operations” in the north of the western state to root out insurgents accused of deadly raids on police border posts.

At least 66,000 Rohingya have fled to neighboring Bangladesh, alleging rape, murder and torture at the hands of security forces.

Myanmar has long faced international criticism over its treatment of the Rohingya. Most people in the majority Buddhist community consider them illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

“The government does not condone rights abuses against innocent civilians. Legal action will be taken in response to any substantiated claim,” Myint Nwe said.

The admiral was responding to a keynote address by Malaysian

Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein at th Fullerton Forum organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Hishammuddin warned that the situation in Rakhine—if not addressed properly—could be exploited by the Islamic State group as it seeks a base in Southeast Asia.

“This horrific possibility has the potential to cause death and destruction well beyond the borders of ASEAN,” he added, referring

to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Answering a delegate’s question, Hishammuddin said the Rohingya issue “is going to test ASEAN solidarity... It needs to be resolved, we cannot sweep it under the carpet, it affects a lot of Muslims and it’s very emotional”.

Myint Nwe said both Yangon and the international community should focus on finding a “lasting solution” to the problem.N AFP

Life

T

RADITIONALLY, devotees of the Black Nazarene flock to the Catholic church in Quiapo, Manila on the first week of January to venerate the image said to have been brought to the Philippines from Mexico during the times the Spaniards ruled the archipelago.

This January at the ArtistSpace, the year starts with a commemoration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene in Manila through Panata (Vow), the solo exhibition of Cebu-based visual artist and portraitist Jun Impas.

The exhibition gives tribute to the much-celebrated tradition where devotees of the life-size statue of the dark-skinned, cross-bearing Jesus Christ in Quiapo Church, would f lock to catch its procession in Manila. Held annually, it is said the Black Nazarene procession is the largest gathering of fiesta devotees in the Philippines.

The focus of the exhibition is a single, sprawling and panoramic canvas that spans a breathtaking width and length of 90 x 160 inches. According to renowned art critic Cid Reyes, the painting’s colossal size contained in a small gallery reflects the energy of the actual spectacular feast. Depicted in the painting are thousands of barefoot men that follow behind the Black Nazarene, some, in a frenzy to clamber up the carriage to physically touch the Nazarene. The work was created in a painterly fashion, and is seemingly influenced by the Chiaroscuro style.

Panata serves as the climax of the body of work that the artist has created to document and celebrate as many of the country’s fiestas. This is because last year saw him showcase multiple canvasses depicting a particular town or a region’s fiesta.

Also, what makes this work worth seeing as much as his other works is the genuine creative process involved in creating the piece. It is said that for all of his works, the artist paints from personal, first-hand experience of a particular fiesta.

Impas studied the arts at Surigao del Norte School of Arts & Trade and later became the youngest member of the Cebu Artists Inc. (CAI).

He won Grand Prize in the prestigious Petron Art Competition (2004) and Excellent Award in the China

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017

CULTURE & MEDIA

D1

HONORING

the Black Nazarene

LIFE-LIKE. Visual artist Jun Impas mounts his 90x160 panoramic painting that depicts the thousands of barefoot men who follow the Black Nazarene in his solo exhibition ‘Panata’ ASEAN Youth Artwork Competi- in several contests sponsored by the (CAI) as well as the former PresiExhibition runs until Feb. 2 at tion (2008), among his other local Portrait Society of America in 2013, dent of the Portraits Artist Society ArtistSpace, Ayala Museum in recognitions. A multiple awardee 2014 and 2016, he is the former of of the Philippines.

Makati City.

Photo exhibit on Benilde athletes PATH to Glory, an exhibit of photographs taken by Miguel Sy, features the hard work and dedication of the student-athletes of the De La SalleCollege of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB).

It will open on Jan. 26, 6 p.m. at the sixth floor gallery of the School of Design and Arts (SDA) Campus.

The show is curated by Architect Gerry Torres.

Members from the Blazers’ 21 teams were handpicked to serve as representatives of their respective sports, such as arnis, athletics, badminton, basketball, chess, fencing,

football, lawn tennis, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, and cheerdancing.

Robin Serrano, Benilde’s Vice President for Advancement, says, “This is an opportune time for the exhibit, it gives the members of the community a glimpse of the hardships of the those who vie for honors.”

“This all possible due to the guidance of our alumni who worked with us on this project, and the support that Smart Communications Inc. has extended to us all these years,” he continues.

Afernee Lopena of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s Men’s Athletics

Photographers Veejay Villafranca, Andy Spyra and Thies Rätzke mentored Sy, who in 2014 graduated at Benilde’s AB Photography program.

“This is what we don’t often see about players: their hard work, the point when they push themselves more just when they are about to give up.” he reveals.

He admits that working with nonprofessionals as models proved to be a challenge, although this enabled him to delve more into each athlete’s character. Sy said, “The photos were focused on their eyes and their body

language, because these are at the heart of the picture.”

He now runs his own 361 Degrees studio.

Path to Glory, which will run until March 25, is produced by the Center for Partnership and Resource Management (CPRM) and Center for Sports Development (CSD) through the Center for Campus Art (CCA). The exhibit is made possible through the collaboration of the Office of the Vice President for Advancement and Smart Communications Inc..

Miguel Sy captures the hardships of student-athletes in photographs

Life

D2

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

The winning images of FFCCCI’s online photo contest convey the depth of Filipino-Chinese relationship

Photographers

FFCCCII President Angel Ngu checks out the winning photos mounted in the exhibit

capture evolving

Filipino-Chinese culture

I

NSPIRED by images and colors that beautifully reflect how Chinese traditions and cultures have been embedded in the everyday lives of Filipinos, a group of photographers used their skills to capture images that convey the depth of this relationship.

Apart from the noodles, lanterns and fireworks that have become part of Filipino traditions, the Chinese influence can be felt in just about every aspect of the Filipino way of life down the generations. Armed with their cameras, these photographers captured vignettes of this dynamic relationship.

As a living representation of this phenomenon, the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII), in cooperation with the Camera Club of the Philippines (CCP), recently launched an online photo contest that aimed to promote the ever-changing Filipino-Chinese culture.

Entitled “Connected Community,” it perfectly encapsulated the FilipinoChinese ties. “Connections” loosely translates to guan xi, a relationship of one person or party to another with obligation built overtime or simply— reciprocity.

The online photography competition ran from August to October last year.

It garnered 300 entries from photographers all over the Philippines.

In Nov. 3, the FFCCCII feted the winners. In the professional category, Froiland Rivera was hailed the best and took home P70,000, Emerson Catindoy bagged the second place and was awarded P40,000, and Dante Peralta the third place with P20,000.

Seven other professional photographers made it as finalists namely Noel San Andres (4th), Mary Grace Anne Batalla (5th), Carlito Galamgam, Jr. (6th), Joselito Riñoza (7th), Josefino Mario de Guzman (8th), Richmond Chi (9th) and Romado Javillonar (10th).

Apart from the cash prizes awarded to the first, second and third placers, all 10 photographers in the professional category were given Chinese tea sets and plaques.

Meanwhile, in the amateur category, Catherine Aragoncillo bested hundreds and took the top spot, taking home P40,000. Ysabel Victoriano was in second place with P20,000 prize, while Bernard Recirdo II bagged the third place and brought home P15,000.

Seven other photography hobbyists were named finalists in the category including Alyssa Uy (4th), John Christian Alvariño (5th), Emman Foronda (6th), Gaea Lei Osilao (7th), Douglas Lopez (8th), Jerrica Sabariaga (9th), and Ryan Malabonga (10th). They brought home Chinese tea sets and plaques.

The photos of the finalists were also posted on Facebook. Garnering the most number of positive reactions and shares was “The Rockstar Treatment’ by Mary Grace Anne Batalla, who claimed the special prize of P5,000 and plaque.

“We were amazed at the talent and artistry of the winners in capturing the theme, ‘Connected Community’,” said FFCCCII President Angel Ngu. “Through this competition, the Filipino-Chinese ties really stood out. The photographers went beyond the obvious Chinese elements. Each photo that made it into the finals really had a compelling story to tell.”

“The entries are all works of art, and serve as a testament to the special bond between the Filipino and Chinese people. Each image showed how deeply interwoven FilipinoChinese culture is, and will continue to be, in the generations to come,” said CCP President Philip Clayton Yu.

The top 3 winners in the Professional category

The top 3 winners in the Amateur category

Special Prize Winner Mary Grace Anne Batalla (center) gets a plaque and P5,000 cash

An afternoon of bonding, learning, and charity Taiwanese jewelry designer Cheryl Yee held a successful charity event, which gathered members of the Taiwanese community, for the benefit of MovEd’s programs for underprivileged communities in the Philippines.

Cheryl Yee’s ‘Fly With Flying Colors’ charity workshop raised P100,000

A GROUP of five friends, five beautiful ladies made “Fly with flying colors!” charity workshop such a huge success that left people talking about it even days after the event, and those who were not there regretted not joining it.

The event achieved its goal of raising P100,000 from ticket sales donated to MovEd, an NGO that provides early childhood care and education development programs in underprivileged communities in the Philippines. Hasbro also joined the efforts and donated 118 sets of Play-Doh worth P12,000, which made Ma. Theresa “Bukay” Urra-Lagman, executive director of MovEd very happy while receiving donations at the event.

On Dec 7, “Fly with flying colors!” was attended by close to 70 guests including diplomats’ families, local celebrities and Taiwanese community in an over-crowded function room in Pacific Plaza Condominium, Makati.

Seats were limited to 50 initially, but due to overwhelming response, the number just grew.

Guests paid P2,500 each to enjoy a fun filled afternoon tea party of a large selection of refreshments; some were donated by people, and a program with Chinese song performances, raffle draw, and a DIY tutorial. There were 35 draw prizes, with less than 70 guests, one of every two people stood a chance to win. BreadTalk donated a total of P15, 000 worth of gift checks, valued from P500 to P3,500. The grand prize was a China Airline air ticket (Manila-Taipei or Kaohsiung). At the end of the event, each guest went home with a goodie bag of shampoo and detergent donated by Simeon C. Tiu, president and CEO of Peerless.

In the tutorial session, guests learned how to make a birds-of-paradise bracelet with Chinese knotting cords and replica of ancient Chinese coins. It was jewelry designer Cheryl Yee’s idea to share her passion for DIY jewelry making, and she turned the session into such a fun activity that even guys at the event were happy and willing to make their

own bracelets, let alone the ladies. To everyone’s surprise, all the guests finished the bracelets on their own, well, maybe with a little help from tutorial assistants. Many guests are now wearing the bracelets with pride.

Birds-of-paradise is one of Yee’s collections inspired by vibrant Philippine culture and warm, passionate and fun-loving Filipinos. The bracelet has a signature tail, like the tail feathers of a birds-of-paradise. When she completed the very first piece in her Makati home, she had already decided then she would dedicate the collection design to charity work, and help underprivileged Filipinos, especially kids in the country.

So she initiated “Fly with Flying Colors!” charity workshop with a group of four friends who became event partners: Angela Hsu, Sotheby’s Philippine representative, helped lay the foundation for the event. Chim Namjildorj, a PR consultant, who also manages Oriental Palace Chinese restaurant in Quezon City raised more than P25,000 by herself. Andrea Wei, wife of Winward Chu, managing director of BreadTalk, recommended and helped to decide the beneficiary. Yvonne Yu, wife of successful toy businessman Albert Yu, donated Play-Doh sets to MovEd. Yee, a Taiwanese TV journalist for two decades, left her job while based in Singapore as the Southeast Asia bureau chief for China TV Company in 2012 to pursue her dream of becoming a designer. In 2015, she founded her own jewelry brand, Zhen Pearl. Zhen means being genuine in Chinese. Yee moved to Makati when her husband Samson Chang, minister of TECO (Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines) was posted here in 2013.

Never before in the Philippines, could a charity event be filled with so much fun and inspirations. It has been receiving compliments from happy and contented guests for days after the event and Yee and her partners were congratulated time and again.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017

Birthdays made more meaningful

by Kapuso stars A

American actors Clayne Crawford and Damon Wayans

‘Lethal Weapon’ now a series on TV

S THE Yuletide season brought in the merriment of gift giving, GMA Artist Center stars celebrated their birthdays in December and spread joy to other people through their chosen charities.

For Pinulot Ka Lang Sa Lupa star LJ Reyes, she spent a day with the students of Papaya Academy Inc., with fun, games, and food. This way of giving back reminded her of Aki, her only son, whom she offers her birthday wish to. “I pray that God can give me more time with him, kasi he’s getting more serious with school and sometimes I can feel the separation anxiety.”

Ika-6 Na Utos star Mike Tan paid it forward by celebrating his birthday with the elderly of Infinite Blessed Home Care Center. He serenaded the entire community, shared a meal with them, and took time in listening to their different stories. He only wishes to tour around the Philippines and spend quality time with his family.

Meanwhile, David Remo celebrated his special day with the kids of Kaisahang Buhay Foundation in an afternoon filled with games and prizes, like any10year old kid. The pre-school kids of his chosen charity enjoyed playing with him and the Kapuso child star felt overwhelmed with the warmth he received from the community. At a young age, he is learning to commit himself in reflecting and sharing his blessings to other people as a way of giving back.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATORS. Kapuso stars spread joys to other people as they celebrated their birthdays.

Clockwise: LJ Reyes, Mike Tan, and Migo Adecer

Lastly, Migo Adecer decided to gather his loyal supporters in a restaurant in Quezon City to fulfill the promise of an intimate afternoon of music and laughter.

They all shared different conversations, helping the fans get a little bit more personal with him. It’s been

SHEENA Halili, who is co-managed

by GMA Artist Center, continues her journey as a Kapuso as she renewed her contract with GMA Network recently.

Sheena said she is very happy to renew her contract with GMA 7 which has been her home network for many years.

“I’m really happy kasi everytime naman na nagre-renew ako ng contract dito, nafi-feel ko talaga na dito ako sa GMA; that I am meant for and to be with GMA. Kasi second family ko talaga ang GMA Network.

This is where I grew up talaga, where I developed my talent and skills as an artist. ” Sheena is in the upcoming primetime series, Destined To Be Yours, starring the phenomenal love team—Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza.

“Excited ako kasi ang ganda ng start ng year ko since makakatrabaho ko sina Alden and Maine sa Destined To Be Yours. Wala akong masabi sa dalawang yun kasi napaka-professional nila. Nung first taping day nga namin, basang-basa na kami sa ulan, maputik pero wala akong narinig sa lahat ng Sheena Halili renews her ties with her mother network kasama ko,” she added.

Gil Cuerva

SHEENA HALILI

renews contract

now a Kapuso

with GMA Network

GMA Network Inc. officially welcomed international model Gil Cuerva to its roster of talents after signing a comanagement contract with GMA Artist Center recently.

The newly signed Kapuso star feels happy to be officially part of the GMA Network family. “I’m honored and I’m very much thankful for the opportunity given to me by GMA Artist Center as well as Cornerstone. I know that I’m in good hands and I’m very excited for my upcoming projects. I look forward to the way the things will go for my career. I’m proud to be Kapuso,” he declares.

Cuerva will play alongside Ultimate Star Jennylyn Mercado in the local adaptation of the Korean drama hit, My Love From The Star, which will air soon on GMA 7.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Tuesday, January 24, 2017

ACROSS 1 Hunter’s wear 5 Speeder’s bane 10 Actor — Guinness 14 TV host — Trebek 15 Uniform color 16 Quote 17 Antony or Chagall 18 Tip-to-tip measure 20 Staff members 22 Horse 23 Game fish 25 Cargo space 26 Fairy tale locale 27 1865 yielder 28 “— — Old Cowhand” 32 Whisper loudly 33 Rushes 35 Irene of “Fame” 36 Sporty truck 37 U.K. country 38 Speaker pro — 39 Joker or ace 41 Decree 43 Fish-eating flier 44 Lightweight toy 45 A thousand G’s 46 Not in the country 48 Unattach 50 Globe features

51 More than one 54 Operates a ferry 55 Right-triangle side 57 In that case (2 wds.)

61 Bearded flower 62 Pounds the keys 63 XII, on a sundial 64 Advanced, as cash 65 Barely enough 66 Firms up DOWN 1 Engine part 2 Menu term (2 wds.)

3 Debussy subject 4 Farm vehicles 5 More noisy 6 Non-earthling 7 Rackets 8 Dow Jones fig.

9 Saves from disaster 10 Plastic 11 “Instead of” word 12 Depot info 13 Yield, as territory 19 Chum 21 Not up to snuff 23 Rum drink (2 wds.)

a year since he won the Ultimate Starstruck Survivor title and Migo feels grateful for these fans that stood by him from the beginning. He will be focusing on his music career and his fans were the first ones to get a glimpse of what he has to offer this year.

24 State boldly 25 Beat around the bush 26 Norris or Berry 27 Tennis great Ivan — 29 She runs the house 30 Rock concert venues 31 Titled 34 Hair-raising 40 Thaw 41 Brunch favorites 42 Most suggestive

43 VCR function 47 Honey maker 49 Wharf denizen 50 Ole of “Hellzapoppin’” 51 Noted groundhog 52 Harp kin 53 Go — — smoke 54 Cocoon dweller 56 Wall St. locale 58 Hostile party 59 Our sun 60 Add- — (extras)

CoMBINING action and drama with friendship and humor, Lethal Weapon, the series, follows the classic cop duo Riggs and Murtaugh.

It airs 8:10 pm on WarnerTV every Thursday.

It stars Clayne Crawford as the exNavy SEAL-turned-detective Martin Riggs and Emmy® nominee Damon Wayans as cautious, by-the-book cop Roger Murtaugh.

Based on the hit movie franchise, Lethal Weapon tells the story of detectives Riggs and Murtaugh as they work a crime-ridden beat in modern-day Los Angeles.

Grief-stricken after the loss of his wife and unborn child, Riggs moves to California to start over at the LAPD. He’s paired up with Murtaugh, who’s just returned to the job after a near-fatal heart attack. As soon as they meet, Riggs’ penchant for diving headfirst into the line of fire immediately clashes with Murtaugh’s prudent technique. It’s clear from the moment they meet that their partnership is doomed. But despite Riggs’ recklessness, Murtaugh has never felt more alive than he has in years.

Creating a TV series after four successful films posed a challenge for producers Matt Miller, Dan Lin, Jennifer Gwartz and McG. At the Television Critics Association summer press tour, all four are positive about reviving the Lethal Weapon franchise in a fresh, new way.

Finding the perfect Riggs and Murtaugh was the biggest challenge for the producers. “We sat down with Richard Donner, who had directed all of the movies, and just kind of wanted to get his blessing on things. He told us, ‘It’s great. But you have to have the right actors for the job.’” Miller said.

Wayans came on early in the process, but the search for Riggs wasn’t as serendipitous. The producers had to go through a lot of candidates in Los Angeles, New York and Australia. Eventually, they found Crawford in an independent movie and the rest, as they say, is history.

“We think that of all the challenges of remaking a show and remaking this iconic franchise, I would say the casting is what I’m most proud of.

That you watch this show and you don’t think about Mel Gibson and Danny Glover at all. You just watch these two - and they’re amazing together on screen,” Miller added.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017

Joel Lamangan’s “Foolish Love” tests the onscreen chemistry of Angeline Quinto and Jake Cuenca

JAKE and ANGELINE in

‘Foolish Love’ T

HEY say that’s what Joel Lamangan, the director, told them when they were shooting their intimate scenes. “Or you will do that again and again,” they remember the director ISAH V. RED telling them. So, they did everything to make that a perfect take and, they sighed in great relief when after Lamangan shouted “cut’ told them they did just as they were told and he was very happy.

Jake Cuenca and Angeline Quinto think the audience will love what they will see in Regal Entertainment, Inc.’s initial offering for 2017, Foolish Love.

The pair went all out in their kissing and love scenes, unmindful of other people’s presence on the set while shooting the Joel Lamangan film.

Though quite jittery at first, Angeline dropped all inhibitions and threw all cautions to the wind to give justice to her and Jake’s steamy lovemaking

scenes in the movie.

In Foolish Love, Angeline plays a character obsessed to meet the guy in her dreams. She then meets Jake, who shares a name with the guy in her dreams. Thinking he is indeed her destiny, Angeline falls madly in love with Jake. Theirs was a happy relationship until Angeline realizes Jake is not the man in her dreams.

The public will see a different Angeline Quinto in the movie.

The singer-actress has evolved into a daring performer who met

the demands of her character without reservations.

Jake, meanwhile, showed his passion for the craft. He didn’t mind getting soaked in the rain while waiting for Angeline in one scene. For that display of dedication to finish one of Foolish Love’s highlights, Jake earned nothing but good words from the director.

In Angeline’s case, the director has nothing but admiration for her growth as an actress. Lamangan worked with Angeline in the Regal rom-com

He says, “First time man nilang umarte sa big screen, pasado sila sa panlasa ko. Wala nang arte ‘pag sinabi kong kailangan nilang maghalikan sa scene.

Bigay na bigay nga sila at ramdam ang pagiging in love nila sa isa’t isa.”

On and off cam, the pair is inseparable. The sweetness displayed on screen is even double offscreen. No wonder they are a hit in the daily Kapamilya morning series, Langit at Lupa. Though they may be an unlikely pair, there is no denying that Tommy and Miho are in love with each other.

Foolish Love opens on Jan. 25 in theaters, nationwide. *** Comedienne AiAi de las Alas adds another product to her growing portfolio of endorsements. Actually, she bagged the deal late last year.

The comedienne said she agreed to endorse the product because it fits her “healthy lifestyle” these days.

So, Glomar Entertainment Production Head Bing Espino signs the comedy queen as endorser for Natural Blend Coffee along with young talent Jelai Espino. GLomar manufactures Natural Blend Coffee now available in supermarkets and convenience stores nationwide.

It’s noticeable how much Ai Ai has slimmed because of her healthy lifestyle. She avoids meat and dairy and tries to eat more natural food. She says that Natural Blend Coffee, her latest endorsement, is also good for her.

“Hindi na ako nagpapapayat, kung ano na lang yung kinakain ko, parang natural na,” she said.

In 2017, she said she’d just be in relaxed mode.

“Ia-appreciate ko lahat ng binigay sa akin ni Lord.

Kumbaga, relaxed mode ako sa 2017. Kung madaming work, siyempre gusto ko pa din. Pero more of relaxing mode ako this year,” she said.

Meanwhile, Angelica “Jelai” Espino is an aspiring singer and actress, She is in grade seven at San Beda (Taytay, Rizal). She’s attending an workshop at ABSCBN Star Magic and singing lessons from Vehnee Saturno, who wrote a song for her, “Huwag Mong Biruin.”

Jelai’s parents are Butch and Bing Espino. Sportsentertainment writer Nap Gutierrez is managing her young career.

That Thing Called Tanga Na. Apart from Jake and Angeline, the film also stars the love team of real-life couple Miho Nishida and Tommy Esguerra.

The Tommy Esguerra and Miho Nishida love team is a big discovery of Pinoy Big Brother.

The pair instantly gained a huge following, which led to the birth of the ToMiho love team.

The public’s interest in the tandem didn’t escape Lily and Roselle Monteverde’s eyes ,and, so, they offered the duo their first acting break on the big screen via this year’s first romantic comedy movie, Foolish Love.

Tommy and Miho play the roles of baristas in the movie.

Their boss is head over heels in love with Miho, who, however, chooses Tommy over him.

Fans and supporters of the Tomiho love team won’t be disappointed as the film showcases a lot of romantic scenes involving the tandem. Real-life couple and former “PBB” love team Tommy Esguerra and Lamangan made sure of that. Miho Nishida, otherwise kinown as ToMiho

Martin del Rosario tackles new role in new Kapuso reboot

Martin del Rosario adds tension in the new Kapuso series, “Pinulot Ka Lang Sa Lupa”

COUNT on Martin del Rosario’s acting brilliance to breathe life to a new role in GMA-7’s remake of the 1987 flick, Pinulot Ka Lang Sa Lupa, which originally starred Lorna Tolentino, Gabby Concepcion, and Maricel Soriano.

For this year’s reboot, the new Kapuso TV drama finds Martin sharing top billing with Benjamin Alves, Julie Anne San Jose, LJ Reyes, and Jean Garcia. He plays Arthur “Kiko” Villaraza.

“I think they wanted to give the plot a different twist,” Martin reveals.

“Kasi in the original plot, it’s the usual triangle. They thought it would be more interesting to see someone else adding tension to that equation.

That’s me.”

“I will play Santina’s (Julie Ann)

best friend who will fall for her in the process, but she sees me as just a friend, especially when Ephraim (Benjamin) comes into the picture.

I’ll play a fighter here. I will fight for Santina in the course of the story.”

Since he will be playing a totally new role, Martin finds it liberating not to be pressured into referencing the original story.

“More of an advantage, less of the pressure, since there will be no basis for comparison with the original version. So I’m free to tackle the role the way I want to. No need to stick to formulas,” he adds.

And just how challenging is this new role for him?

“Very challenging,” he admits.

“Because my role is yung medyo

bugoy na makulit. I rarely play that character, and I’m also not like that in real life. That’s why I really put a lot of effort and detail in my role here.”

The Kapuso actor was also intrigued by the original story, which he reviewed out of curiosity.

“Yes, I got to read the plot of the original story. Yung basic story lang.

Just for me to have a reference on the story’s theme. But then again, the remake is an entirely new story altogether. Not at all faithful to the original,” he clarifies.

Being a perfectionist, Martin actually watches most of their outtakes to nitpick and find areas for improvement.

He says, “I watch the actual takes, and if I have time, I also do watch the

episodes on TV, just to see if I need to improve my execution.”

Martin also feels thankful for Direk Gina Alajar’s professionalism.

He shares, “Masarap katrabaho si direk Gina. You can feel her passion for her craft, and she knows to motivate her actors and bring out the best in all of us. I feel lucky working with her.”

When not busy shooting, he puts on his entrepreneurial cap and heads out to The Armory where he remains hands-on with his management duties. The bar, located at the new Congressional/Commonwealth Ave. stretch, continues to attract a steady customer base since it opened last year.

ALV Talent Circuit is managing the career of Del Rosario.