Manila Standard - 2017 January 27 - Friday

PH ECONOMY SURGES BY 6.8%

By John Paolo Bencito

VOL. XXX • NO. 349 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

THE Palace on Thursday welcomed data showing that the Philippines maintained its status as one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies in the fourth quarter of 2016.

(Related story on B1) “Our GDP has posted a 6.6 growth in the fourth quarter of 2016 driving the economy to grow by 6.8 percent for the entire year. The last quarter of an election year is usually weak with the gov-

ernment transition. However, in our case, it has actually improved,” presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said.

“This is higher than the 6.3 growth recorded during the fourth quarter of 2015 and the 6.6 growth in fourth quarter is a testament that our economy remains robust and is growing at a healthy and steady rate.”

“Overall, we believe that the target of 6.5 [to] 7.5 percent for 2017 is highly Next page

Aquino lied about SAF debacle, says Aguirre

By Rey E. Requejo and John Paolo Bencito JUSTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II accused former President Benigno Aquino III Thursday of lying about his role in the covert Mamasapano operation in which 44 police commandos died two years ago and dared him to submit his mobile phone for forensic examination.

“He [Aquino] said he never gave instructions to then suspended PNP Chief General [Alan] Purisima. That is a lie. He was on top of the situation. He [knew] what [was] going on,” Aguirre said.

“If he is telling the truth, he should allow the forensic examination of his mobile phone,” he added.

The Justice secretary also assailed Aquino for insisting that the liability should end with former Special Action Force chief Getulio Napeñas.

“He was always saying that.

But he is the one telling a lie,”

said Aguirre, a cousin and onetime lawyer of Napeñas.

Aquirre asked why Aquino cleared then PNP chief Purisima despite the findings of the Senate and the Office of the Ombudsman.

“He said he did not give any order, but what was he telling General Purisima in their text message exchanges? He was giving orders and asking for updates on Marwan. That means he was on top of the situation.

He knew everything that’s going on,” Aguirre said.

Aguirre noted that of all the officers involved in the Mamasapano tragedy, only Napeñas had his mobile phone examined.

On the other hand, the Ombudsman cleared Aquino right away, even though the Senate found him ultimately responsible for the debacle.

Aguirre said he would inhibit himself from any reinvestigation because of his relation to Napeñas.

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MORE MONEY. Young students from Tiong Se Academy wearing rooster hats toss coins Thursday in front of the Prosperity Tree at the Chinatown Walk in Manila’s Binondo District in the belief, pushed by tradition, that would bring abundant wealth and good fortune in the Year of the Rooster which begins tomorrow. Norman Cruz

Test case vs drug war SC urged to rein in Oplan Tokhang

By Rey E. Requejo

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HE Supreme Court has been asked to issue a writ of amparo to stop the Quezon City police from conducting further anti-illegal drug operations under President Rodrigo Duterte’s “Oplan Tokhang” program in Payatas, Quezon City.

The petition, filed by families of alleged victims of “tokhang” operations and a survivor, is the first case filed with the Court since the Duterte administration launched its war against illegal drugs in July 2016.

The petitioners also sought the issuance of a temporary protection order prohibiting the police

from entering within a radius of five kilometers of the residence and work addresses of the petitioners, and asked the Court to order the Philippine National Police to produce and permit inspection and copying of intelligence and surveillance reports, police blotters, coordination, video and all other official and unofficial docu-

ments and material pertaining to the police operations conducted on Aug. 21, 2016 against the victims in relation to their being suspected drug personalities under Oplan Tokhang.

Among the petitioners was Efren Morillo, who survived the government’s “tokhang” operations and is now being considered a vital witness in the murder and frustrated murder cases being readied by the Center for International Law against the respondents.

Besides Morillo, the other petitioners are Martino Morillo, Victoria Morillo, Ma. Belen Daa, Marla Daa, Maribet Next page

KFR suspect had P17m in assets

By Macon R. Araneta DESPITE a monthly salary of only P8,000, SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, the principal suspect in the kidnapping and killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo, declared more than P17 million

in assets in 2015, including five houses, a four-story commercial building and four vehicles.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director Chief Supt.

Roel Obusan said Sta. Isabel has P14.443 million in real properties and P2.885 million worth of

personal properties in his 2015 statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

Testifying before the Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs, Obusan told the panel Next page

CRIME CULTURE. Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa, on the spot Thursday before a Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, reiterates the killing of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo indicates the existence of a crime syndicate using legitimate police efforts to mask outrageous activities. Lino Santos

Ping: Video clip shows Abu leader cops planting evidence expanding

By Macon Ramos-Araneta police officers robbed the victim

OUT ON LIMB. (left to right) Choi Kyung Jin, widow of murdered Jee Ick Joo; Police Supt. Raphael Dumlao;

and SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, display different facial gestures at the Senate hearing Thursday on the kidnapping with murder of the long-time Philippine resident Korean businessman, which has, in the PNP chief’s comment, indicated ‘an elaborate web of criminal activity.’ Lino Santos

Finger-pointing begins at Senate probe

By Macon R. Araneta THE chief of the Philippine National Police’s anti-illegal drugs group Supt. Raphael Dumlao and his subordinate SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel could do no more than point at each other as the Senate started its investigation of the kid-

napping and murder of Korean executive Jee Ick Joo last Oct. 18.

The Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs, chaired

by Senator Panfilo Lacson, convened the probe as President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday publicly apologized to South Korea for Jee’s untimely death and vowed the full twitter.com/ MlaStandard

prosecution of the perpetrators.

“I apologize for the death of your compatriot. We are very sorry that it had to happen,” Duterte said in a speech during the inauguration of a power plant in Sarangani.

But I can assure you. I will see to it... Better if they escape from

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

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SENATOR Panfilo Lacson on Thursday said he had video clips showing policemen not only planting evidence but also robbing their victims, clearly showing the illegal activities being committed by rogue members of the Philippine National Police.

During a hearing of the Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs that he heads, Lacson said the kidnapping and murder of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo was not an isolated case.

“I have in my possession a CCTV video of other illegal activities of policemen,” Lacson said.

His video showed a man who put shabu inside the drawers in an office, and a few minutes later operatives of the raiding team arrived there.

After planting the shabu, the

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of P7 million and then ordered him to cough up P2 million more.

The video showed that the raid took place on Oct. 26, 2016.

But Lacson, a former police chief, said he would no longer reveal the identity of the victim who did not want to file a complaint out of fear for his life.

“He was very scared. He did not want to complain,” Lacson said.

“That’s what I am talking about.

Trust is something that you should earn. It can’t be demanded. You can’t tell the victim to file a report.

You should show them that you’re able to address their problems.”

Lacson told the Senate hearing, which was looking into the kidnapping of the South Korean national, that rogue policemen would not be charged if their victims refused to file a complaint.

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reach—DND

By Florante S. Solmerin ABU Sayyaf Group sub-leader Isnilon Hapilon, an ardent supporter of the jihadist group ISIS, has moved to Central Mindanao, the lair of the Moro rebel groups, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Thursday.

“Isnilon Hapilon has allegedly moved to Central Mindanao at the behest of the [ISIS] people in the Middle East. That’s the report that we have received,” Lorenzana said.

He said Hapilon left Basilan for Lanao del Sur in December 2016.

“We tried to find out why he is there, why he left the safety of his traditional area of operation from Basilan and went to Next page

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Another ‘PROVE THAT I HAVE TWO WIVES, YOU’LL GET P10M’ OFW faces execution in Kuwait By Vito Barcelo

Bacani dares Duterte

By Joyce Pangco Pañares

A DAY after a Filipina was hanged in Kuwait after she was found guilty of murdering the 22-year-old daughter of her employer in 2007, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said on Thursday that another overseas Filipino worker faces the same fate in the emirate.

Bello, who was en route to Kuwait from Rome where he led a government panel in peace negotiations with communist rebels, told Manila Standard that OFW Elpidio Lano is on death row for killing a fellow Filipino in Kuwait in 2014.

“We will try to make an appeal.

We are hoping to get a favorable response since the victim in this case is not a Kuwaiti national,” Bello said in a phone interview from Dubai.

“We are hoping to get a commutation [of sentence],” Bello added.

Lano was found guilty of stabbing to death his housemate, Filipino engineer Nilo Macaranas.

According to their landlady, Lano and his partner, a Filipina identified only as “Xylene,” had a quarrel on June 17.

Xylene reportedly wanted to break up with Lano after finding out he has another girlfriend.

The suspect, on the other hand, became jealous of Macaranas, accusing him of texting his partner.

Bello said he will also take the time to visit the grave of Jakatia Pawa, who was hanged Wednesday afternoon in Kuwait.

Pawa, a native of Zamboanga del Norte, was accused of stabbing her employer’s daughter 28 times.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said the government has tried to negotiate with the family of Pawa’s supposed victim but they refused to accept blood money in exchange for the OFW’s life.

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OVALICHES Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani Jr. said on Thursday that he is willing to give President Rodrigo Duterte P10 million if the chief executive could prove that he has “two wives.”

In an interview over Radyo Veritas, Bacani asked where did the President obtain the information and said that he will even borrow money if “he can produce even just one wife of mine, I will give him five million pesos. and if he can produce two, he will have ten million.”

The Novaliches prelate said President Duterte should be careful of his

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MORE HELP TO COME. President Rodrigo Duterte delivers a message of hope to 1,000 victims of the 2013 Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ who took delivery of the houses the government built for them at the New Hope Village in Tacloban City. With him are Philippine Constitution Association president Martin Romualdez (2nd left) and DPWH Secretary Mark Villar (right). Ver Noveno

Test...

likely and that our strong economic performance is likely to be sustainable in the long run,” he said.

Gross domestic product, or the sum value of goods and services produced by the economy, grew 6.6 percent in the fourth quarter. This brought GDP growth for the full year to 6.8 percent, government data showed.

President Rodrigo Duterte seeks to grow the economy by 50 percent in real terms during his six years in office to lift six-million people from poverty and to bring the Philippines to upper middle income status, Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said.

Pernia said investors usually adopt a “wait-and-see” attitude during the last quarter of an election year, when a new government assumes power.

Bartolay, Lydia Gabo, Jennifer Nicolas and Marilyn Malimban.

Named respondents in the petition were Philippine National Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Director Police Senior Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, (QCPD) Police Stattion 6 Commander P/Supt. Lito Patay, and several other policemen namely P/SI Emil Garcia, PO3 Allan Formilleza, PO1 James Aggarao and PO1 Melchor Navisaga.

In seeking protection under the writ of amparo, the petitioners said Morillo continues to fear for his life considering the police filed trumped up charges of direct assault against him.

“The other petitioners suffer the same violation of their right to life,

KFR...

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headed by Senator Panfilo Lacson that based in their financial investigation, Sta.Isabel and his wife Jinky had assets of P17.328 million in 2015 and declared P3.3-million liabilities.

The Senate panel is investigating kidnap-for-ransom operations carried out by police.

Obusan said Sta. Isabel owned five houses in Caloocan City, a commercial building in Cubao, Quezon City, a 2014 Toyota Hilux, a 2012 Toyota Vios, a 2014 Honda motorcycle and a 2012 Kawasaki motorcycle.

Obusan said they are still investigating Sta. Isabel’s bank accounts.

During the hearing, Senator Grace Poe fired questions at Sta. Isabel, who at first was evasive about how much he

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earned as a policeman. Later, he said he was receiving P8,000 monthly.

He also said his wife ran their businesses, including branches of Western Union and Bayad Center and a lotto outlet.

“My wife is running our businesses. My salary in the PNP is just an addition to our businesses,” he said.

When Poe asked were they got their seed capital to bankroll their businesses, Sta. Isabel said he acquired loans from the PNP to fund. He said their businesses grew bigger due to the industry and skills of his wife who was a law graduate and who sold insurance on commission. He also said his wife graduated cum laude in college.

Poe said the authorities must conduct lifestyle checks on Sta. Isabel and his superior, Supt.

Rafael Dumlao of the PNP AntiIllegal Drugs Group, and other police officers involved in the

Finger-pointing...

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prison. I’ll send their heads to you, t*** i** kayong mga pulis. Just watch. I won’t let you escape. You will suffer.”

Duterte said he would be working to have Jee’s murderers get the punishment they deserved. “There is no death penalty because of [the] Church.

I’m asking for its restoration,” he said.

“You give the power back to me [and] I’ll execute them. I’ll hang them in one day, 20 a day. I’ll gladly send you the cadavers to fuel the burners,” Duterte added.

During the Senate hearing, Dumlao denied any involvement in Jee’s

words because he’s the president and even quoted a verse from the Bible that says that “the truth will set you free.”

“He’s a president and not just an ordinary gossipmonger and when that happens, he is degrading his leadership, the people will think lowly of a president who is a gossipmonger, with gossip that is not even true,” Bacani said.

“Churchmen are not perfect.

Nevertheless, they are supposed to proclaim what is right and proper even if they themselves fall short of what they teach,” the Lipa prelate said in a statement.

“The fault of some should not be blamed on all,” Arguelles added.

The archbishop was responding to President Rodrigo Duterte’s fresh attack on the Catholic hierarchy for criticizing his “war on drugs” which had claimed thousands of lives in nearly six months.

The recent 4th World Apostolic Congress on Mercy (WACOM 4) was dominated by talks on President Duterte’s war on drugs as cases of extrajudicial killings keep escalating.

Aquino...

PH...

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Bacani is one of the four leaders of the Catholic Church who claimed that they will not stay silent against the government’s continues war campaign against illegal drugs because of the increasing human rights violations in the country and the rising number of deaths.

Bacani, together with Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Cardinal Quevedo, Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, and Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said they can’t talk about mercy without talking about life itself.

Arguelles said the Church, with all its imperfections and weaknesses, will continue to teach the Gospel of life because they have a crucial role to play for their flock.

kidnapping and killing of Jee, who was taken from his house in Angeles City, Pampanga on Oct. 18 and later strangled inside police headquarters in Camp Crame.

Poe also said the SALN of the accused policemen should be made available because President Rodrigo Duterte has already issued an executive order on freedom of information.

“General [Ronald] dela Rosa said he has a list of rogue policemen. So...we can start there.

They have to compare the SALN of those in the list because if they have cases which were dismissed but in the list, they can be cross-checked,” said Poe. Poe added that there was an obvious “breakdown in the chain of command” as the rogue cops killed Jee right under the nose of the PNP chief, using the administration’s anti-drug campaign as a cover.

abduction from his house in Angeles City and bringing him to Camp Crame where he was supposedly strangled to death.

Dumlao belied the claim of Sta. Isabel, who was initially tagged as the principal suspect in the killing of victim.

Dumlao said he did not authorize any anti-drug operation against the Korean businessman.

“In fact, the people I was with were not from my unit. I do not know about their claim that they were shown a warrant. I don’t know them for that long,” said Dumlao.

Lacson told the PNP and NBI leadership to hold a case conference and thresh out their evidence. He advised them to reconcile the evidence to

“Why stop tokhang? Would you want the return of the drug problem?” he said.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said they would follow the legal process in responding to the case.

“The President allows all these things. He is very allowing right?

Even the protests, he will allow,” he added.

Data from the PNP show that more than 6,700 people have died in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

As of Jan. 9, the PNP said at least 4,146 of these cases were not legitimate police operations.

Abella also insisted the government was not behind the spate of extrajudicial killings linked to the PNP’s war on drugs.

“Of course. We’re not into that. I mean really, we’re not into that,” he said. With Macon Ramos-Araneta and Sandy Araneta

liberty and security. They are terrified for their own lives and the lives of their family members, relatives and loved ones because the perpetrators keep returning to intimidate and harass them into silence,” the petition stated.

“They are violated in their own homes because the perpetrators freely barge in. They could not go to work because they are afraid to leave their children alone in their houses.

Their lives are at a standstill,” it said.

Dela Rosa said there was no basis for filing for a writ of amparo, noting that not all of the anti-drug operations end the way they did for the South Korean who was kidnapped and killed by crooked policemen.

He dared critics of their operations to ask the 1.3 million drug users who surrendered to authorities.

“Were they kidnapped?’ Were they asked for ransom? Nothing like that,” he said.

Ping:...

From A1 He said nothing was worse than what happened to Jee who was strangled to death inside Camp Crame and was later cremated.

Jee was taken from his house in Angeles City on Oct. 18 last year along with his maid Marisa Morquicho and brought to Camp Crame.

“This is not an isolated case but just one of many others,” Lacson said.

He said there were 12 other victims of rogue policemen based on a report given to him by Teresita Ang See of the Movement for the Restoration of Peace and Order.

All the victims did not file a complaint out of fear.

“It takes time to earn the trust of the people, of the civilian populace, especially the victims,” Lacson said.

“If you hear about a kidnapping or extortion, don’t wait for the victims to volunteer to complain.

Pursue them, find conduits, an emissary to convince them that you can solve the case. That’s the only time you will earn the trust of the people to voluntarily complain.”

He reminded Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa of his huge responsibility.

Dela Rosa vowed to rid the PNP of rogue cops.

He promised to form a strong counter-intelligence unit to monitor policemen.

strengthen the case in order to give justice to the victim and his wife.

Despite positive identification by the victim’s house helper Marissa Morquicho, Sta. Isabel said it was not him.

Morquicho taken along with her Korean employer, but later released and given P1,000 for her fare in order to go back home.

She testified seeing Sta. Isabel as among those who entered the house of her employer during the kidnapping.

He also heard him talking to a “boss” through a phone call on the night they were kidnapped.

She remembered that during the last call, she heard Sta. Isabel replied, “negative, no drugs were found.”

“It’s all Dumlao’s handiwork.

When Dumlao called me, he told me to go to the grandstand. That’s where his car was parked,” Sta. Isabel told the hearing.

Sta. Isabel said he personally saw Dumlao beating Jee with a .45-caliber pistol inside an SUV parked in the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame.

Confronted by the senators if he did something to stop Dumlao from hitting the victim, Sta. Isabel replied, “none.”

“He’s a colonel, my superior and he has his men with him. I’m just alone there,” Sta. Isabel testified. He also thought it was a legitimate anti-drug operation and was not there when the businessman was killed.

Sta. Isabel said he was never in-

Aquino issued a statement Thursday again blaming Napeñas for the Mamasapano tragedy while shielding his shooting buddy Purisima from any accountability.

“If I was at fault as President during that time, it was this: Never did it enter my mind that Napeñas would lie to the President of the Philippines,” Aquino said.

“I trusted a two-star police officer, who I myself promoted. I believed this graduate of the PMA would live up to the school’s values of ‘Courage, Integrity, Loyalty’,” he added.

Even if he was the commander-inchief who knew entirely of the preparations, Aquino said Napeñas falsely guaranteed him that ‘Oplan Exodus’ would have sufficient backing from the Seaborne Unit of the 84th SAF company.

An investigation showed this was not so, the former president said.

“If only my logical and legal orders were followed, the tragedy of Mamasapano would not have happened,” Aquino said.

The former president also denied any US involvement in the mission to neutralize the terrorist Marwan, who carried a $5-million bounty.

Aquino said he never spoke to any Americans about and that any US assistance was limited to the “equipment and hardware” used to gather intelligence on the targets.

Aquino also refuted President Rodrigo Duterte’s claim that then peace adviser Teresita Deles gave a stand down order for reinforcements to support the pinne commandos, to prevent a collapse in peace talks with Muslim rebels.

“Secretary Ging Deles was not involved in the mission because that was a law enforcement operation,” Aquino said.

On Tuesday, Duterte said he would create a seven-man commission to look into the culpability of Aquino and his officials.

In the same speech, Duterte asked Aquino to explain what really happened.

“Let it be brought in the open. It was an American adventure, with the cooperation of some. And apparently with your blessing,” Duterte said, de-

Even if Duterte continue to unleash tirades on the bishops for criticizing his drug war, the prelates said they can’t stay silent in the face of increasing human rights violations in the country.

Arguelles compared the Church’s moral teachings to a sick doctor, who is still expected to cure the sick.

“Even a sick doctor must still try to cure ailments of others, and, of course, his, too,” said Arguelles.

But the prelate added that this should not be seen as the Church defending those who committed wrongdoings.

He said the Church is determined to police its ranks and will continue to express indignation and sanction erring priests. scribing the raid to neutralize Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, as a CIA operation.

“You said ‘It’s my fault.’ But that’s not enough. Tell me how you sinned,” he added.

A Senate committee report earlier said that Aquino was ‘’ultimately responsible’’ for the botched mission.

Despite Duterte’s tirades, Aquino never mentioned Purisima in his three-page statement.

Aquino’s former spokeswoman Abigail Valte played down this omission.

“The exclusion of the former PNP chief, Alan Purisima, it’s not because of anything,” Valte told GMA News.

“The President felt that it was Napeñas who was the ground commander and who should have given the information to the chain of command and reiterated a number of times in the past that all people above him were dependent on the information and calculations made by Napeñas,” she added.

Napeñas, however, insisted that all officials involved should be held liable, including Aquino, who approved of the covert operation.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, meanwhile, scored former presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda for saying that the commission to be formed on the Mamasapano case would produce “alternative facts.”

“There is no such thing as alternative facts; there are only true facts,” Panelo told radio dwIZ. “What we’re finding here is the truth. If you can remember during the Senate hearings, and the investigation by the PNP, both investigations point to the ultimate accountability and responsibility of the former president. We want to know the truth.”

Also on Thursday, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano shot back at his colleagues for saying that the reinvestigation of the Mamasapano debacle aimed to divert public attention from abuses of the present administration.

“It is hypocritical on the part of Senators [Antonio] Trillanes and [Leila] De Lima to oppose the reopening of the investigation, when they pretend to be the staunchest advocates of human rights and justice,” Cayetano, Duterte’s losing running mate, said. With Macon RamosAraneta and Rio N. Araja

Lanao,” Lorenzana said.

“He just brought [with him] a small band of his people. The bulk of his people are still in Basilan.

I think he went there just to see the area, to find out if it is conducive to move there and establish a caliphate.

Fortunately we found out that he is there, so we are pursuing him there in Butig.”

Earlier reports said Hapilon had been the rising “figure head” of a handful of ISIS followers from different groups such as the Abu Sayyaf based in Basilan and Sulu, the Maute Group based in Butig, Lanao del Sur; the BIFF based in Central Mindanao, Ansar al-Khilafa Philippines and rogue MNLF and MILF groups.

Just recently, security officials

said those homegrown terrorist groups had been uniting and evolving into just one group called Dawlatul Islamiyah Waliyatul Masrik or DIWM, and had chosen Hapilon as their sole leader in their aggressive efforts to be recognized by the ISIS. Lorenzana said the ISIS had prodded Hapilon “to find out if Central Mindanao is conducive to the establishment of an organization [provincial caliphate].”

“According to the report, Basilan and Jolo are too small, they can be easily cornered there. So they are looking for a bigger area.

“Now Hapilon is already there perhaps trying to rally the Maute Group to support the daeshor to become part of daesh. Now we are conducting operations against them in Lanao del Sur, particularly in the Butig area beside Lanao lake.”

Lorenzana said the military was also pursuing the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan and Sulu.

volved in any case. He said there were mere allegations. He also denied his links to the kidnapping of a certain Arlene Tan where he was named a suspect.

The PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group had earlier mentioned records from the NBI which indicated Sta. Isabel was involved in the Tan kidnapping.

PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa also said Sta. Isabel was involved in the said case, but also admitted the case was dismissed.

“Sta. Isabel was already involved in a kidnapping case in March 2007 in the abduction of one Arlene Tan in Monumento, Caloocan,” Dela Rosa said. However, he said the case did not prosper.

Sta. Isabel also denied that he

withdrew cash from the victim’s ATM account, but footage from a closed-circuit television camera shows otherwise.

A presentation by the PNP AntiKidnapping Group indicated four ATM withdrawals on the BPI Master Card of the victim on the night he was abducted with P20,000 in each transaction. This information was provided by the victim’s wife Choi Kyung-jin.

Sta. Isabel insisted that he be allowed to play the recording of the telephone conversation between Dumlao and his wife to prove that it was Dumlao who killed the Korean national. He said the recording would also prove he has nothing to do with the case. With John Paolo Bencito

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Govt starts clearing Laguna de Bay THE government started Thursday the massive operation to clear Laguna de Bay of illegal structures.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ National Anti-Environmental Crime Task Force, together with the Laguna Lake Development Authority, National Bureau of Investigation-Environmental Crime Division, the Philippine Army and the Philippine Coast Guard conducted the dismantling operation.

DENR said the demolition team was able to tear down two huge fish pens occupying 100 hectares in Binangonan, Rizal.

Authorities were joined by 150 coast guard personnel, 14 NBI agents, five Army contingents and PNP officers at Talim Island detachment for the operation.

The PCG also deployed 15 aluminum speedboats, three rubber boats, and two skipper vessels. Anna Leah E. Gonzales

ANXIOUS WAIT. Beneficiaries of the New Hope Village Housing project in Tacloban City—all victims of the powerful Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ which cut a swathe of death and destruction

in the Eastern Visayas in 2013—are apprehensive the other day as they wait for President Rodrigo Duterte to look at the pace of resettlement program by agencies.

PET asked to set poll protest vs Robredo for conference

By Rey Requejo

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HE Supreme Court, acting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal, has been asked to set the electoral protest of former senator and losing vice presidential bet Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. against Vice President Leni Robredo for preliminary conference.

Marcos, through his legal counsel Vic Rodriguez, filed on Thursday before the PET an ex parte motion seeking a preliminary conference so that his poll protest could now proceed.

“Today, Senator Marcos presses on with his quest and march for truth with the filing

of an ex-parte motion to set the case for preliminary conference.

The motion is very important as we expect the PET to usually dispose of this incident with such dispatch and urgency so that the case will come into motion,” Rodriguez said when interviewed after filing the motion.

“The importance of our exparte motion is a prayer to have a continuing hearing of the election protest and we hope the Tribunal would set a date for the preliminary conference,” he added.

According to him, once the case is submitted for preliminary conference, then both parties will submit a preliminary conference brief.

A preliminary conference is intended to consider and address the following issues: --The possibility of obtaining stipulations or admissions of facts and documents to avoid unnecessary proof; --The simplification of the issues; --The limitation of the number of witnesses;

--The most expeditious manner for the retrieval of ballot boxes containing the ballots, election returns, certificates of canvass and other election documents involved in the election protest and other matters that may aid in the prompt disposition of the electoral protest.

The lawyer explained at present, the electoral protest of his client was not moving because the PET had yet to issue a date for the preliminary conference.

“No movement yet on the case because we are waiting for the Court to issue an order for the preliminary conference. Once the preliminary conference is held, the election protest can no longer be stopped,” Rodriguez stressed.

Based on the 2010 Rules of the

PET, a preliminary conference is held after the last pleadings from the parties to the case have been submitted.

Rodriguez said the last pleading had been filed and served as early as September last year.

Marcos earlier said he decided to file the electoral protest due to the series of frauds, anomalies and irregularities that marred the May 9 elections and that such activities made sure he would lose to Robredo, the vice presidential candidate of the administration’s Liberal Party.

Robredo came away as the winner of the vice presidential race with 14,418,817 votes or 263,473 more than Marcos who got 14,155,344 votes.

‘More Pawas seen with revived death penalty’

By Maricel V. Cruz and Sara Susanne Fabunan AN OPPOSITION lawmaker on Thursday urged the leadership of the House of Representatives to rethink its position to pass the death penalty bill as a greater number of Filipino citizens on death row abroad were bound to be executed by foreign governments once Congress revived the penalty at home.

House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza warned: “It saddens us to say that once Con-

gress reinstates death sentences here, and once President Rodrigo Duterte makes good his threat to execute five to six malefactors every day, there is a high likelihood we would have more Jakatia Pawas,” Atienza said.

Jakatia Pawa, 44, and a native of Zamboanga Sibugay, was hanged by the Kuwaiti government on Jan. 25 for the murder of her Kuwaiti employer’s 22-year-old daughter.

But Jakatia’s brother, Air Force Col. Angaris Pawa, speaking from Zamboanga City, said his sister was framed by her Kuwaiti employer.

Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose

said Thursday Pawa, following the Islamic law, would be buried in Kuwait.

Pawa left her husband and two children to work as a domestic helper in Kuwait. She later lost her husband, who was shot to death in their home province in Mindanao in 2012.

The President’s plan to renew judicial executions would “emasculate” in a big way the Philippine government’s efforts to redeem the lives of overseas Filipino workers who are on death row abroad for ordinary offenses committed in their host countries, Atienza warned.

Tarlac police on a chase for NBI officer POLICE are in hot pursuit of an officer of the National Bureau of Investigation alleged to have shot dead Wednesday a fellow officer during an altercation that started inside and ended bloody outside a cockpit arena in Capas, Tarlac, police said.

Supt. Fe Grenas, public information officer of the Central Luzon Police, identified the suspect as Boy de Castro, intelligence officer of NBI-Manila.

She said De Castro’s last known address was at Green Village in Concepcion, Tarlac.

The victim was identified as Lavernie Vitug, 53, security officer of NBI-Tarlac and a resident of San Sebastian, Tarlac City. Florante S. Solmerin

Malacañang hopes US will delist Sison MALACAÑANG on Thursday hoped the United States would remove Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria Sison from its list of international terrorists to pave the way for his return to the country.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the request for Sison’s delisting was in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s wish to hold peace talks with the leadership of the local communist group.

“The government maintains its position that there is no reason for the US to deny this request, bearing in mind that Mr. Sison is part of the negotiating panel,” Abella told a Palace news conference.

John Paolo Bencito

Firm warned for defying laws on agrarian reform

By Rio Araja AGRARIAN Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano warned on Thursday the Lapanday Foods Corp. of contempt for what he called violation of the agrarian reform laws.

He vowed no one could prevent the Department of Agrarian Reform from installing the farmers to their lands.

He said he would personally lead the return of the farmers.

“Rest assured that DAR will stand by its principle. We will protect [farmers] as long as there is a strong and solid basis to do so,” he added.

Last Dec. 16, amid the wave of attacks on the farmers’ encampment by alleged personnel of Lapanday, DAR issued a cease-and-desist order prohibiting the agribusiness firm from forcibly evicting members of the Madaum Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association Inc. from the banana plantation.

The 145-hectare land that was previously awarded under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program in 1996 was successfully turned over by DAR to the Marbai farmers last Dec. 19.

However, the farmers were reportedly

dispossessed of their farms 12 days after when around 300 security guards forced them out of the land.

“Since there was a very clear violation of the cease-and-desist order, DAR will anchor its action on the formal complaint of contempt to be filed by Marbai against Lapanday and its representatives,” Mariano said.

The agrarian reform chief visited the farmers and assured them of their peaceful return to their landholdings.

A series of assaults to the farmers in December, however, prompted DAR to probe and demand from its regional and provincial units the appropriate measures.

Lapanday Foods Corp. earlier applied for a temporary restraining order and a writ of preliminary execution order before the Court of Appeals to challenge DAR’s cease-and-desist order.

On Jan. 6, the court denied the application.

All 159 Marbai farmers have been staging a camp-out protest in front of the banana plantation since Dec. 31.

They joined almost 5,000 farmers from the Southern Mindanao region for the fourday protest “Kampuhan sa mga Mag-uuma” in Davao City.

Aeta Community Village. In their quest to reach out to fellow Filipinos in far-flung areas, the Wong Chu King Foundation (WCKF) held a simple gift-giving rite to the indigenous Aeta community in the inward barangay of Aggugaddah, Peñablanca, Cagayan. Seventy-five Aeta families were given packs containing gifts, food, rice and water supplies. The WCKF is driven by the core value of malasakit (concern) instilled by its founder towards the deserving and less fortunate members of society.

In photo are Aeta Beneficiaries together with Mr. Camelo Noel H. Navarro (WCKF Volunteer) and Fr. Hugo Aggabao.

A4

Opinion

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

A resilient economy

T

HE Philippine economy is holding up despite global challenges and the unpredictable political risk created by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The economy expanded 6.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2016, bringing the fullyear gross domestic product growth to 6.8 percent, probably the second-fastest in Asia after India’s.

HSBC Holdings Plc in Hong Kong described the Philippine performance as a trans-

Adelle Chua, Editor

formation to a “stronger, more developed economy,” adding that previous administrations “worked hard to ensure macroeconomic stability which serves as its anchor.”

The 6.8-percent growth in 2016 was the fastest since the 7.1-percent expansion in 2013, and was with-

in the government’s target of 6 percent to 7 percent for the year. It was faster than China’s 6.8 percent and Vietnam’s 6.2 percent and would likely be second behind India’s over 7-percent growth.

The GDP numbers are impressive. Household spending, which makes up about 70 percent of GDP, rose 6.3 percent from a year earlier. Government spending gained 4 percent, services in-

creased 7.4 percent, industrial production rose 7.6 percent, while investment surged 15 percent.

A low-inflation and -interest rate regime and strong inflows from the business process outsourcing sector and tourism and remittances from migrant Filipino workers are fueling domestic consumption in the economy.

Revenue reforms that started with the impo-

sition of a higher valueadded tax during the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the investor-friendly atmosphere fostered by ex-President Benigno Aquino III are paying off for the economy.

The government of President Duterte, meanwhile, will have to craft its own tax-reform agenda to fund an ambitious $160-billion infrastructure program to sustain economic

growth. President Duterte should focus more on the economic agenda. It’s the only way to reduce the widespread poverty incidence in the Philippines, generate more employment and expand social services.

A strong economy can also keep the Philippines safe from the dangers of trade protectionism being espoused by the United States and the United Kingdom.

PENSEES FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO

Tuition and state universities

Vintage Noynoy LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES IF THE rebuttal was intended to be a prelude to a legal defense anchored on a plea of insanity, I will accept it. Otherwise, it just sounded like an explainer for an entirely different incident, something that probably happened in another country or even in some alternative Aquino universe.

I’d forgotten how different former President Noynoy Aquino sees things from most people. Then I read his response to the allegations made

by President Rodrigo Duterte earlier this week and I suddenly got a full dose of Aquino’s unique worldview to make up for the seven or so months that he’s been quiet in his Times Street man-cave.

What roused Aquino from his self-imposed seclusion was

Duterte’s decision to create a commission that would revisit what is probably the worst military debacle of any contemporary administration—the slaughter of 44 police commandos that became known as the Mamasapano Massacre. You’d have to go all the way back to the treacherous Patikul Massacre of 1977 to find a similar incident, and then you’d “only” end up with 35 Army soldiers slain.

(Strangely, not a lot of people seem to remember that the Mamasapano carnage was not the only black eye suffered by our troops under Aquino’s term.

Nineteen Marines were killed in Al-Barka, Basilan in October 2011, also at the hands of Moro rebels enjoying superior numbers; but that is another story that will, unfortunately, require another outrageously incredible Aquino exegesis.)

Going back to Aquino’s defense yesterday, it actually succeeded in raising more questions

about his and other people’s roles in Oplan Exodus, that illplanned and terribly executed Special Action Force operation that led directly to the massacre in a lonely Maguindanao cornfield, than answering the ones posed by Duterte. And that, by

I’d forgotten how different former President Noynoy Aquino sees things from most people.

itself, is compelling testimony in favor of the severe detachment from reality that Aquino always seemed to suffer from, whether

things go bad for him or not.

But let’s go to the tape, as they say. Aquino, first of all, gave a blanket denial that he did anything wrong or was even directly involved in the entire sad affair, from soup to nuts.

The only mistake that he allowed, he said, was in trusting former SAF chief General Getulio Napeñas to get the job done. He even made it sound like Napeñas—the designated scapegoat of the Aquino administration for everything that went wrong in Mamasapano—stabbed him in the back because he had previously given him a promotion.

But while Aquino was lavish with his blaming of an ordinary general, he exonerated his favorite man in uniform, who was neck-deep in all of Exodus. PNP chief Alan Purisima, Aquino’s former personal bodyguard who was serving out a suspension on corruption charges when the massacre happened, had vital informa-

tion on the operation, he said, and “it would be the height of negligence if I deliberately omitted and disregarded any information coming from respondent Purisima.”

But neither he nor Purisima were to blame for anything, Aquino insisted. Because he was not the “proximate cause,” he claimed (meaning he didn’t kill any of the SAF 44 himself), he could not be held accountable.

Like the victims of supertyphoon Yolanda, the SAF 44 were apparently in the wrong place at the wrong time, it seems. It was the Noynoy Show all the way. *** Aquino even had an answer (well, sort of an answer) for why only two of the 44 were given the Medal of Valor, the highest citation that the government can give its uniformed personnel. He said the process Turn to A5

IT IS the State that the Constitution obligates to provide its citizens with a “complete, adequate and integrated” system of relevant education. To this end, the Legislature charters state universities and colleges. A more recent phenomenon in the scheme of public education have been local colleges and universities (LCUs), funded and maintained by local government units.

This is as it should be—the State performing its bounden duty to school its citizens. Unlike other jurisdictions that forbid private higher education institutions—Germany, being one example that easily comes by—our Constitution recognizes that the State cannot do it all and that private enterprise is necessary. But it cannot and should not be such that state universities and colleges close or phase out their programs to allow private higher education institutions to flourish.

That would be a clear violation of a constitutional duty. Rationalization, of course, may require a university to leave to private HEIs courses they already adequately provide to which “access” is not an urgent issue.

Five years ago, at the Cagayan State University, it was thought that we could do away with tuition. And so, to much fanfare, a no-tuition system was announced. Of course, the university continued to collect what it calls “fiduciary fees”—but, having been collected for specific purposes (sports, medical and dental fees, athletics, etc.) they had to be reserved for such purposes. Five years after, it can now be said that the experiment was not altogether felicitous. Because we did not collect tuition fees, we could not avail ourselves of the scheme set forth in a CHED memorandum that would have allowed us to apply the income to various university purposes.

Then too, there is the problem of paying the fees of part-time instructors (often called ‘lecturers’) whose salaries are not provided for in the national appropriation for state universities.

It is true that many who should otherwise be in university or college are not — having been “knocked out,” in the words of Chair Pat Licuanan, earlier by such factors as financial restraints and stringent admission policies coupled by poor preparation for college work.

But that of course is not an argument against revisiting the scheme of tuition fees in state universities and colleges. It is rather an occasion to review the criteria we use to determine who should benefit from public university or college education as well as address the causes of attrition. During the incumbency of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, a study she commissioned showed that, as a general rule, it cost much more to school a young Filipino in a state university than in a private institution. There is nothing surprising really about that finding, for state universities and colleges, on the average, pay better than their counterparts in the private sector, if one does not include the HEIs that charge astronomical fees. You pay for quality, and if you want professors with Turn to A5

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Opinion FORMATION GARY OLIVAR

Gordian knot at PNP

THE President’s luck continues to run high.

As scandalous 1findings surfaced about the involvement of rogue PNP elements in the kidnap-slay of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo, the second anniversary of the Mamasapano massacre came due the other day. It served to remind the public about the often-tragic heroism on the battlefield of the Special Action Force, an elite PNP unit.

It also gave Duterte an opportunity to displace those negative headlines with the more dramatic news of his decision to resurrect the official inquiry into Mamasapano. In effect, we were asked to weigh the death of one individual (a foreigner at that) victimized by grossly corrupted cops, on one hand, versus the deaths of a large number of Filipino troopers victimized by gross negligence abetted by outsized ambition at the very top, on the other.

I don’t know where the balance of public opinion will tilt. But it’s revealing that former President Aquino decided to speak out—his very first material public statements since stepping down last year—after his former spokesman Edwin Lacierda accused the Duterte administration of hunting for “alternative facts” (the derisive phrase used these days by mainstream American media against the spinmeisters of President Trump).

Clearly these are matters of some gravity. And since it was PNoy who popularized the notion of presumptive guilt of one’s predecessor, I know he won’t begrudge Duterte the same conceit—not only on Mamasapano, but also on the question of when exactly the PNP started going to the dogs.

“Identify and segregate likely scalawags who already have records. Validate this with lifestyle checks.”

Would it be asking too much to involve military counter-intelligence units as well, perhaps supervised by a joint task force at the highest level? The problem in PNP may be that serious. This could be the kind of police-military cooperation that might have saved troopers’ lives in Mamasapano.

“Internal cleansing. Early retirements to separate those with records, in part because the filing and processing of cases takes a lot of time.”

This is where the (perhaps overly) popular General Bato De la Rosa may have to bite the bullet. He ought to be able to enforce the principle of command responsibility by ordering his regional commanders to purge their respective commands within a definite period of time.

“Don’t rush recruitment ahead of the cleansing process. Hire quality, not quantity, even if it means dispensing with the usual networks of classmates and mistahs.”

General De la Rosa has in fact already breached network etiquette by being promoted over the heads of several classes. The injunction on quality is timely, although I doubt that we have an excessive number of policemen, in relation to both our population and our crime rates.

It may thus also be timely to conduct a r ig ht-si zi ng audit of the organization, redefining duties and reporting lines as well as reshuffling personnel, in order to put more cops on the beat, among other objectives.

One suggestion for SOPP: “Ensure that raw material in ‘Information Reports’ is thoroughly processed and validated, from the lowest ‘F-6’ grade (reliability of information unknown/unconfirmed) up to “A-1” grade (completely reliable/confirmed by other sources) intelligence, before this information is used to make arrests.”

Another SOPP suggestion: “To avoid malpractices by antidrug operatives, the PNP should conduct debriefings alongside investigation of drug suspects as part of the post-operations protocol for buy-bust operations. This is to ensure that the Rules of Engagement or PNP Operational Procedures are strictly followed.”

I don’t know where the balance of public opinion will tilt.

*** The death of Jee-san is repulsive, not only because each life matters, but also for the circumstances under which it was taken: an unsuspecting foreign visitor preyed upon by men in uniform whom we’re obligated to trust (on pain of punishment for resisting arrest), the crime committed within the confines of a secure police facility in which we ought to be able to feel at our safest.

I do not believe there are any more bad eggs in the PNP than there are in any other human organization. But the special rights and powers entrusted to them— including the authority to take human life—magnify the import of individual sins among them to literally life-and-death proportions.

This is why the PNP has set forth rules of engagement, operational procedures, even varying categories of intelligence-gathering. These are all intended to constrain the capacity for individual wrongdoing in their ranks within clear and very binding rules of behavior. This is non-negotiable.

But when those rules seemingly start being observed more often in the breach, what is to be done?

*** Other comments were also proffered by civilians, some helpful (set up a special hotline for victims of potential shakedowns), others probably less so (restore the Philippine Constabulary and put it under the military’s Articles of War, to facilitate summary court martials of scalawags).

It’s heartening to see the depth of public concern for the PNP, that they will be able to flush out their scalawags and reduce if not eliminate the reasons for the public not to trust them. I see no reason to expect this sentiment not to be reciprocated by officers and gentlemen of General Bato’s evident sincerity, provided they understand that today is a time to apply the toughest kind of love to their men.

*** I recently observed an online crowd-sourcing exercise that yielded up the suggestions below from two former PNP chiefs, both of whom had served under PNoy’s predecessor (that might be significant in the context of blame-finding).

Readers can write me at gboliLet me paraphrase the most var1952@yahoo.com. important ones below:

Tuition...

From A4 good credentials, you must make a good offer, something that state universities and colleges—with their system of incentives and the guarantee of security—can offer more readily than private colleges and universities. And you do not ease the strain on the public purse by charging the students more because you would then be making access a very pressing issue and be remiss in your duty to provide “complete, adequate and integrated” education for young Filipinos.

So while media wanted to see sparks fly in the exchange between Pat Licuanan and Poppy de Vera, I hear both making valid points that need studied responses. On the one hand, there is the issue of getting more people to avail themselves of the benefits of post-secondary schooling. But this need not take the form of university education, for we must strengthen vocational schooling in this country and, by making evident the ready employability of those who complete trade and craftsman courses, to show that tech-voc is not some sorry recourse for those who do not make

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Spittle BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO THERE is a saying: “If you spit at the heavens, the same spittle will come raining down your face.”

President Rodrigo Duterte does not seem to know this.

Digong said most recently the Catholic church is full of sh—t coming right after he described members of the clergy as “hypocrites.” Yet, he went the extra mile to appease the Vatican with a personal letter delivered by his errand boys to Pope Francis. The letter’s intent was full of (no, epithets this time) his reaffirmation of love and respect for the head of the Roman Catholic Church.

For a while there, I thought the man was not beyond redemption. But Duterte, it is now clear as the light of day, is incorrigible. The letter to Pope Francis from all indications was conciliatory after Duterte cursed His Holiness for causing him to be stuck in traffic during the papal visit in January 2015. Not that Digong feared the wrath of God might smite him with a thunderbolt from the sky. He must have thought of the 16-million Filipinos in this dominantly Catholic

country who voted him into office.

But no, the man is incorrigible even after Pope Francis blessed the Philippines and its president.

Soon after his envoys Perfecto Yasay and Jesus Dureza left the Vatican, Digong went back to his virulent attack on the Church.

Outspoken actress Agot Isidro once called Rodrigo Duterte as a psychopath who needs professional help. Duterte might have confirmed Agot’s description of the him when he himself said he was “gago” like US President Donald Trump. Now, the Tagalog word “gago” in street lingo does not necessarily mean a man is stupid. It is in this case straight out of Digong’s neighborhood toughie talk that he does outrageous things for effect.

At the Senate public order committee hearing chaired by Senator Panfilo Lacson, it is turning out that despite an available list of rouge cops there was no earnest effort to cleanse their own ranks by Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa and other ranking PNP officials who had direct supervision of their men. A lack of coordination between the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation also became evident in the horrific Jee Ick Joo case.

Senators Grace Poe, Bam Aquino and Leila de Lima helped Lac-

son ferret out the inconsistencies and lame defense of those linked to the kidnap-killing of the Korean businessman who was killed right inside PNP headquarters in Camp Crame. This is the second brazen crime committed by the police in recent months. The other one was the gun slaying of detained drug suspect Mayor Roland Espinosa right inside his detention cell in Leyte. Why kill a man who’s already in detention and in government custody if not to silence him from implicating police and other public officials in the narcotics trade? The case against the policemen involved in the Espinosa killing is still in the preliminary investigation stage.

Jee was abducted and arrested by members of the PNP AntiIllegal Drugs Group allegedly on suspicion of drug-trafficking.

He was brought to Camp Crame where he was strangled. His body was brought to a mortuary in Caloocan City where it was cremated. His ashes were flushed down the toilet to get rid of the evidence—what is known in legal term as corpus delicti.

The Senate hearing on police involvement in criminal activities is a continuing unraveling of their involvement in murder, kidnapping for ransom, carnapping, robbery and rape. Three other cases of kidnapping for

ransom of Koreans were also revealed but did not receive the same media attention after the victims paid ransom and were released.

PNP chief Dela Rosa told the Senate hearing he cannot be held responsible for the Jee Ick Joo killing as he only assumed his post six months ago on the assumption of President Duterte on June 30. But that’s no excuse . The PNP general should have reviewed the cases of scalawag cops as soon as he assumed the PNP post. If he did, perhaps the Jee case might not have happened.

Erring cops, records would show, are merely suspended or transferred to another police unit where continue their nefarious ways. This would appear to answer the senators’ concern as to why these crooked cops have no fear of punishment from their superiors. They have been getting away with it for so long that recidivism has become the norm for these rogue cops.

An examination of suspect Ricky Sta. Isabel shows he has several pieces of property and P70 million in his bank accounts. This runs counter to the adage “crime does not pay.” On the contrary, it seems to pay off if one is armed with a police uniform, a gun and badge as PO2 Sta. Isabel is.

Violence VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ BEFORE his six-year term is over on June 30, 2022, Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s is on track to become one of the most violent, if not the most violent presidency in Philippine history.

The tough-as-nails commander-in-chief of both the armed forces and the Philippine National Police will exceed this year the 10,000 or so alleged human rights violations under the 20-year presidency (1965-February 1986) of Ferdinand Edralin Marcos. While campaigning for president, Duterte vowed to drown as many as 100,000 drug addicts and drug lords in already-polluted Manila Bay. To his credit, Duterte enjoys enormous popularity and public approval ratings which translate into an almost inexhaustible political capital to wage the ethnic cleansing equivalent of the drug-using community (four million Filipinos in his count, with one million of them having surrendered voluntarily, he says).

It seems the public will not mind the unprecedented scale of killings because it has produced one benefit people have been yearning for—a dramatic drop in the crime rate, by 49 percent in one notable month.

His economic team, however, is pushing through a pliant Congress a menu of taxes many of them onerous—like the proposed P10-per-liter tax on diesel (diesel is supposed to be the

Vintage...

From A4 was followed and only two made the cut; if Duterte wanted to give out more medals, he could do so, Aquino allowed, following the same process.

Of course, the rebuttal begs the question of why, if Duterte can review the process, why didn’t Aquino? But there was no explanation from Aquino, who could only say that he would “like to it to university, but is as promising and fulfilling an option as pursuing an academic track. It has long been pointed out that there is something amiss with our system of scholarships and grants, because these are usually granted by selecting from competitors by means of a test. But as between the graduate of a barangay high school and one from the classy high school in our provincial urban centers, it is the latter who has a better chance to getting the grant, but who needs it less.

As importantly, serious studies should be made that take a look at the attrition rate to discover what the reasons

fuel of choice of the rich for their SUVs, but it is also the staple fuel of jeepney drivers, fishermen, farmers using irrigation pumps; in other words by the poorest of the poor), the P10 per liter tax on soft drinks and juices (disguised as anti-diabetes measure; but it is the money, stupid), and a hefty increase in the taxes paid by the country’s businessmen—our biggest employers.

If the taxes are not accompanied by a dramatic improvement in public services (like mass transport and better traffic management) and a sharp reduction in corruption, then the populist Duterte risks facing public fury no president has ever encountered.

Marcos was never formally convicted, in a competent Philippine court, for the alleged violations of the rights of the alleged 10,000 victims (a Hawaii court wanted a detailed tally; the count did not exceed 8,000, meaning a good number of the alleged violations were speculation). Yet, the charge appears to have tarnished Marcos’s otherwise unblemished sterling record as one of the country’s best presidents. A figure often cited is 3,257 deaths under Marcos.

The 3,257 figure appears in two major books authored by an American historian, Alfred McCoy—“A Question of Torture” (2006), and “Policing America’s Empire” (2009).

In the 2009 book, McCoy describes in detail how martial law enabled Philippine police and military forces to operate with impunity and engage in systemic human rights abuses.

On page 403, he claimed: “Un-

der Marcos military murder was the apex of a pyramid of terror with 3,257 killed, an estimated 35,000 tortured, and some 70,000 arrested.”

During his presidency, Benigno Simeon (BS) Aquino III formed a commission to hand out bounty or reward money to anyone who claimed his/her human rights were violated in some form of another—like loss of job, torture, injury, or outright murder. The scheme, of course, unwittingly raised the number of alleged human rights victims – to an astronomical 75,730!

Under the American Declaration of Independence, the basic rights are three—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Happiness could mean property, wealth or even a job. Sometimes, it could mean the right to have more than one wife. Duterte says he has two wives. He claims some bishops have also two each.

Under Duterte’s no-quarters drugs war, from July 1, 2016 to Jan. 22, 2017, media reports claim over 7,000 deaths linked to the “war on drugs.” More than half of the victims were killings under investigation – meaning the police didn’t own up to them. The police trace the blame to vigilantes or an internecine war among the drug lords. But most of the unexplained killings were perpetrated by so-called riding in tandem killers. They are so efficient and merciless one cannot but suspect the riders had formal training to kill and were under guidance, if not protection, by the police.

Per the Philippine National Police (PNP), the toll at this

writing (July 1, 2016 to Jan. 22, 2017) under Duterte’s Drugs War: 7,028 killed, of which 2, 503 were killed in police operations, 3,603 killed in cases under investigation, and 922 in cases where investigation had been concluded as of Jan. 9, 2017.

The PNP calls its drive against illegal drugs “Oplan Double Barrel.” More insidious though is Project “TokHang” —a contraction of “toktok” and “hangyo” (Visayan words for “knock” and “request” respectively). Tokhang enables the police to make house-to-house calls in search of drug users, users and lords and their cache of illegal drugs.

Usually, houses visited take their aggravation meekly, while praying to God that nothing more serious than a violation of one’s right against unreasonable searches and seizures befall them. Sometimes, such operations go awry, resulting in deaths to victims who were invariably trying to shoot it out with the authorities (usually, the victims, said to be hardened criminals, were so incompetent they could not even fire their guns or hurt or kill their police assailants).

Per averages so far, raids on poor men’s houses end up in killings; visits in upscale villages of the rich result in nothing more than a newsletter or appeal. No deaths reported so far in rich subdivisions, except for a certain friendly subdivision in Angeles, Pampanga where Koreans and other nationals keep residence and who have become a favorite prey for the lucrative kidnap for ransom racket by the police.

somehow believe” that his government addressed concerns of the survivors and relatives of the slain troopers through the grant of benefits, and livelihood and housing assistance.

Noynoy also responded to Duterte’s claim that Exodus was a CIA operation by saying that, as far as he was concerned, he talked to no Americans about the plan and afterwards. Does this mean there was no American government involvement?

Of course not; it only meant that

Aquino himself never talked to any American before, during or after Exodus.

A flat—and totally unconvincing—denial was also the response to the long-running charge that government peace negotiators convinced Aquino to order reinforcements to rescue the trapped SAF commandos.

Chief negotiator Teresita Deles, Aquino said, was never involved; you could almost hear Aquino telling the lawyers drafting his statement: “next question.”

Finally, Aquino hit back at those “who choose to take advantage of the pain and grief of the families.” “This serves no purpose other than to reopen wounds for their own personal motives,” he added.

So, move on na lang, sir? Explain that to the commission, Noy. And get ready with whatever outlandish and post-truth plea you’re eventually going to end up making to avoid a long jail term. Good luck.

are that many youngster do not move higher up in schooling!

Having acknowledged this important dimension of Chairman Licuanan’s position, Commissioner de Vera’s insistence about shunning elitism is serious and well-intentioned. It is in fact an argument for access—one of the reasons that state universities and colleges exist. In fact, the Catholic Church in the Philippines must still struggle with the paradox of its preferential option for the poor and the clear elitism that prevails in many of the country’s leading Catholic institutions! No amount of prestidigitation

can attenuate the painful contradiction. Of course, the question then becomes one of fiscal policy: Can the budget take the added strain of making the state provide for what SUCs would otherwise earn from tuition fees? State institutions generally have three classes of funds: those that come from the General Appropriations Act, those that are realized from fees collected, and those it receives for scholarships, researches, extension programs and development from motley sources. When you adopt a free tuition fee scheme, you automatically close down one of the sources of

SUC funds. Can the state make up for this short-fall? And then too there is the important principle that students value education for which, somehow, they pay. This challenges our creativity, because it calls on us to device a scheme whereby students and graduates of SUCs in some significant and no merely token manner contribute to the viability and feasibility of SUCs. No, I see no looming conflict, no fisticuffs. I hear rather two thoughtful people making very important points about the future of public higher education in the land and the very important deal of educating tomorrow’s Filipinos.

News

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Mayor resists arrest, flees

By Francisco Tuyay

and then Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police director Chief Supt. Agripino Javier, HE police are now hunting down Mayor but was later released without Rasul Sangki of Ampatuan town in charges purportedly because there was no evidence against Maguindanao after lawmen who were the mayor. dispatched to serve a warrant were met with But the new regional police director Chief Supt. Reuben Sindac gunfire from his supposed supporters in Barangay said the court has since issued a Salam, also in Ampatuan town. search warrant against Sangki and the police tried to serve the procSangki was one of the five cotics trafficking last August. ess Thursday morning at BaranMaguindanao mayors whom Sangki later surrendered to gay Talisawa but they were fired President Rodrigo Duterte Maguindanao provincial police upon by Sangki’s supporters. claimed was involved in nar- director Supt. Nikson Muksan On Thursday afternoon, po-

T

licemen interdicted two of Sanki’s supporters—Mudjahid Bailan of Cotabato City and Abdulrahim Ampatuan of Datu Abdullah Sangki, Maguindanao —at a checkpoint set up by the Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur police.

The police seized two caliber .45 pistols, 16 ammunitions and 10 magazine from Bailan and Ampatuan.

Sindac said police operatives reported that there were about 30 fully-armed members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Free-

dom Fighters in the vicinity of Barangay Tuayan in Datu Hoffer, Maguindanao under a leader identified as Samar or Samad Simpal.

The police said residents informed them that the 30-strong group was planning to reinforce Sangki but they could not pass through the security dragnet in the area.

When he first went to the police August last year, Sindac said Sangki wanted to clear his name of accusations that he was involved in illegal drugs.

Sushmita Sen back in Manila

MISS Universe 1994 Sushmita Sen of India, who won when the pageant was last held in the country, arrived in Manila on Thursday to be one of the judges of the 65th Miss Universe pageant on Jan. 30.

The beauty queen expressed her joy on returning to the Philippines, saying it’s like her second home and that the hospitality of Filipinos has not changed.

But the 41-year-old beauty queen who later became an actress was surprised to see the changes at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

She said she told her companions she would show them how the airport works upon landing.

“Suddenly, when we came here, I didn’t recognize anything,” Sen said, adding that the airport has changed so much.

The Indian film actress told journalists she remembered the question that was asked of her during the semifinals of the 1994 pageant: “What is the essence of being a woman?”

She said she understands her reply—“the origin of a child is a mother, and is a woman”—better now that she has two daughters of her own. “That [motherhood] is a lifelong commitment,” she noted.

Sen said she is looking forward to seeing former Miss Universes.

“I know Dayanara [Torres] is here.

I was also hoping to see Charlene [Gonzales],” she said.

Torres is currently in Manila to be one of the judges in the pageant’s preliminary competition.

She was the 1993 Miss Universe who crowned Sen 23 years ago.

Charlene Gonzales, meanwhile, represented the country during the 1994 pageant. Though Sen admitted she’s not friends with her, she said she will never forget how nice and helpful Gonzales was to her.

Sen also said she’s very thankful for the opportunity to come back to the Philippines, and for the opportunity to help crown the next Miss Universe. PNA

IN BRIEF Military eyes Russian rifles, aerial drones DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Thursday the Armed Forces of the Philippines is planning to acquire Russian sniper rifles and unmanned aerial vehicles under the new defense cooperation policy announced by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The country has little need for new rifles because it recently bought around 50,000 new Remington M-4 carbines, leading the AFP to pull out older M-16 automatic rifles which may be distributed to reserve military and militia units if needed.

Lorenzana said they are still evaluating the Russian offer to sell the Philippines naval vessels, aircraft, helicopters and diesel electric submarines to determine whether the country is capable of using, maintaining and operating these equipment in the long term. PNA

Pollution still health danger

WELCOME TO BENGUET. Officials and employees of the province of Benguet, led by Gov. Crescencio Pacalso, welcome United States Ambassador Sung Y. Kim who visited the capitol at La Trinidad. Dave Leprozo

Forfeiture case vs Ampatuans start

By Rio N. Araja OMBUDSMAN Conchita CarpioMorales ordered the filing with the Sandiganbayan of a forfeiture petition against the estate of the late Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his wife Bai Laila Uy-Ampatuan for P54.9 million worth of properties.

Investigators of the Ombudsman found Ampatuan Sr.’s wealth to be “manifestly out of proportion to respondent’s salary as former governor of Maguindanao and to their other lawful income and income from legitimately acquired properties.”

Details of the investigation showed that Ampatuan only paid taxes ranging from P304,721.91 in

2001 to P1,631,128.06 in 2008.

Yet, Ampatuan’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth from 2000 to 2007, the late governor reported a net worth ranging from P6,221,950 in 2000 to P26,705,250 in 2007.

The Ombudsman found Ampatuan failed to declare 15 real estate properties in Cotabato and Davao cities with a total declared value of P55,134,283.10.

“Not only that, the former Governor failed to declare 25 vehicles, 10 of which were paid in cash by the Ampatuans. The total value of the 25 vehicles is P27,567,000. In addition, the Ampatuans failed to declare ownership of 23 firearms valued at P3,838,000,” the resolution read.

The Ombudsman dismissed the criminal raps for perjury, falsification of public documents, and violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees and the AntiGraft and Corrupt Practices Act or Republic Act 3019 against Ampatuan were dismissed because of his death on July 17, 2015.

Morales said Ampatuan amassed total ill-gotten wealth amounting to P54,965,526.88.

The Ampatuans “challenged the Ombudsman findings and reiterated that the properties he allegedly owns were either registered in the name of another person or lacked evidence to support the claimed ownership thereof,” Morales said.

Respondents also defended themselves saying that Ampatuan’s father “was an affluent man” from whom “he inherited several properties,” she added.

Andal Sr. claimed the firearms “were given by friends, relatives and political allies through the years without monetary consideration.”

“There is clear and convincing evidence that Ampatuan accumulated wealth manifestly disproportionate to his lawful and legitimate income for 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007, and he and his family failed to lead modest lives appropriate to their positions and income due to their extravagant and ostentatious display of wealth,” Morales said.

AIR pollution is the singlebiggest health risk, says Ruth Marie Atienza, operations manager of Mapecon Philippines, quoting a report by the World Health Organization which had earlier said smoke from vehicle tailpines to dung-fired stoves in India claimed seven million lives the world over in 2012.

WHO said one-third of deaths occurred in the fastdeveloping Asian countries where rate of cardiovascular and pulmonary disease have been on the rise.

The Mapecon executive urges a more concrete action against climate change saying we are lacking enforcement of environmental laws.

“We are aware of the grave threat posed by the phenomenon but it seems we tolerate it,” says Atienza.

Atienza says that at this stage there are still lots of vehicles roaming the roads belching carbon monoxide and factory buildings emitting black smoke. Carbon dioxide is the main culprit in air pollution.

Atienza’s stance jibes with the view of World Bank president Jim Yong Kim who said pollution is not being taken seriously and time is running out to avoid consequences like flooded cities and dried out farmlands.” He also said “we are quickly coming to a point where we are not going to be able to keep global warming below two degrees Celsius.”

Villar opens eco-waste summit

ALL KINDS OF COCKS. Businessman Manny Tangco shows the different kinds of cocks he has in his Malabon Zoo and Botanical Garden, including a 2.5-feet tall super giant red rooster, a six-inch tall red rooster and other roosters from Japan, England, France, USA, Poland, China, Italy, Malaysia and Indonesia ahead of the start of the Year of the Rooster on Saturday. Andrew Rabulan

SENATOR Cynthia Villar opened on Thursday the four-day Third National Integrated Eco-waste Management Exhibition with the theme “Engaging Response to the Changing Environment” at the Quezon City Memorial Circle.

The four-day exhibition, spearheaded by Director Eli Eldifonso of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-NCR, showcases initiatives, best practices, emerging technologies, lectures and presentations by experts on varied subjects of interest will also be conducted.

After the opening on Thursday, there will be product demonstrations and explanations from sponsors on Jan. 27, an e-concert with True Faith and Sponge Cola on Jan. 28, a bikathon dubbed “Padyak Para sa Kalikasan” on Jan. 29 and a Zumba dance exercise.

The summit aims to shed light on environmental and ecological

issues that disrupt the processes of Mother Nature and the creatures living within it. In light of the celebration of the Waste Management Act anniversary and the Zero Waste Month every January, the summit seeks to educate the public on the destruction of the environment and what they can do to help alleviate this situation.

One of the highlights of the summit is the “Walkthrough the Environment,” an interactive activity with 10 stations that will make you experience what the environment is going through right now and will help you reflect on what you can do to save Mother Earth.

Along with raising awareness, the E-Summit works with government agencies and non-government organizations to urge the public, especially the youth, to participate in effective solid waste management, healthier lifestyle programs, and other initiatives that would help

save the environment and promote a healthy way of life.

Officials of the DENR-NCR, Environmental Management Bureau, Climate Change Commission, National Solid Waste Management Commission, Metro-Manila Development Authority and other national agencies and local government units, as well as CEOs and senior managers of private companies participating as exhibitors are also attending the opening day of the event.

This event was made possible by sponsors LG Lopez JFE, Landbank, Cemex, Development Bank of the Philippines, Maynilad, JJ Esteban Enterprises, Cleanway, Metroclark Waste Management, Plantex, LG Lopez Industrial Sales and Services Inc., Eco-system Technologies Inc., and EEI Corp. Our minor sponsors, Malabon Soap, Full Advantave Phils international and media partners WhenInManila.com and Buhay Pinoy at PTV4.

MMDA only has 2,368 enforcers out of 5,000 needed vs congestion

By Joel E. Zurbano THE worsening road congestion in Metro Manila is partly caused by lack of enforcers to manage traffic, prompting the Metro Manila Development Authority to seek help from various volunteer groups to complement the agency’s traffic enforcers in managing and directing traffic.

MMDA acting chairman Thomas Orbos said

his agency is already spreading its workforce thin just to meet the requirements for field personnel on the major roads in Metro Manila.

“We have coordinated with the several volunteer groups for the purpose of augmenting our traffic force,” Orbos said.

He said the ideal number of traffic enforcers should be at least 5,000 to man and to manage traffic flow on major thoroughfares but currently the agency could only afford to

deploy around 2,300.

To date, MMDA has only a total of 2,368 traffic enforcers doing three shifts. These personnel are spread to the 197 kilometers of major roads and thoroughfares in Metro Manila.

Orbos said that traffic enforcers are also needed because there are only 424 major roads with traffic signals as compared to the more than 1,000 main intersections.

Furthermore, MMDA is considering seek-

ing assistance from the Armed Forces of the Philippines for its various operations due to high security risks involved. Such operations include clearing of illegal vendors which in the past has resulted to violent incidents where numerous agency personnel were hurt and even died after clash with resistant vendors in recent years.

According to Orbos, fire volunteer groups also committed around 300 personnel for de-

ployment during weekends, from Friday to Sunday, in strategic places in Metro Manila.

The volunteers will operate under the direct supervision of the MMDA but will be at no cost to the government. Hence, costs related to equipment, vehicles, radio, and even uniform will be at the expense of the groups.

All of the deputized traffic force multipliers will undergo training and will be supervised by senior traffic enforcers of the agency, he added.

Sports

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

So extends lead at Tata Steel Chess F

By Peter Atencio

ILIPINO grandmaster Wesley So showed confidence to beat Polish GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek in 34 moves of an English Opening in round 10 of the ongoing 2017 Tata Steel Chess Masters in Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands.

He gained a full point advan- included world no. 1 GM Magtage over five close rivals which nus Carlsen.

It was So’s 53rd straight win since winning the Sinquefield Cup, the London Chess Classic, and taking the overall crown in the Grand Chess Tour last year.

“Today went very well. I’m safe with it,” said So in an interview with chessbase.com.

So said Wojtaszek went by the book until the 2808 ELO-rated So pushed a pawn to b4 on the 18th.

The Polish GM could have

played to a draw, according to So. Wojtaszek’s Qe7 move put pressure on his queenside.

In the next moves, So developed and tried to protect a three pawn advantage.

Three pawns advanced, Wojtaszek got rid of two. But he missed the winning line when a second pawn was promoted into a queen, checked his king, and the bishop gobbled it up.

Wojtaszek conceded after real-

ized that he won’t be able to stop So’s remaining passed pawn at b4. The Polish GM already lost his major pieces while going after two other passed pawns.

“I’d like to thank the Lord for letting me win today. Before that I had a series of four draws. So I was kinda worried if I was gonna win today,” said So. Carlsen drew with Pentala Hariskrishna in 37 moves of a 4-Knight’s Game, shares second

spot with four points with Sergey Karjakin, Pavel Eljanov and Wei Yi. Wei missed a winning line and a drew with Eljanov in 55 moves of a Reti.

Meanwhile, So’s supporters told the Manila Standard that this year will be a turning point in his campaign to make it to no.1 in the world.

They said that this he will be the first time he has been able to afford some serious help.

Alaska, Fuel Masters gun for second place

By Jeric Lopez THE battle for the No. 2 seed is bound to further intensify as Alaska Aces and the Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters figure in a crucial tussle in the homestretch of the elimination round of the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association.

With several teams still in the running for the No. 2 ranking and the twice-to-beat incentive that comes with it, the battle between the Fuel Masters (6-4) and the Aces (5-4) at 7 p.m. at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City tonight will have a lot at stake.

Preceding that is a no-bearing game between already ousted teams Mahindra Floodbuster and NLEX Road Warriors, which share the bottom with 2-7 marks, at 4:15 p.m. to open the show.

Phoenix, which is currently tied for second and third places with TNT KaTropa, is already assured of a seat in the quarterfinals but looking further, it wants to finish strong and possibly claim the No. 2 seed when the dust clears.

For Alaska, wants to formalize its entry to the quarters when they battle the Fuel Masters. A victory will allow Alaska to safely advance to the next phase while also

keeping alive its hope of landing the No. 2 ranking.

At the moment, there are only several things certain with defending champion San Miguel Beer already a lock at No. 1, Phoenix and TNT KaTropa are the other two teams who have locked up slots in the quarterfinals. Meralco Bolts, NLEX and Mahindra are already eliminated.

Five more tickets are available.

Six teams: Alaska, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, GlobalPort Batang Pier, Star Hotshots, Blackwater Elite and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters are all neck-to-neck and battling to move forward with one of them eventually being ousted.

“We need this win to give ourselves a chance at landing at No. 2,” said Phoenix coach Ariel Vanguardia of his team’s game against Alaska.

“We’re grateful to still have our fate in our own hands at this point.

Hopefully we can have a strong finish to end up with the best possible placing for us,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton.

Both Phoenix and Alaska won convincingly last Sunday.

The Fuel Masters earned a huge win over the Gin Kings, 79-73. The Aces took care of business as they Alaska Aces forward Calvin Abueva (8) soars past Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters defenders. Alaska and Phoenix figure in a crucial tussle today at the Cuneta Astrodome. dispatched Mahindra, 107-91.

Tiger excited to play with Day

Tiger Woods speaks to media during a press conference at Farmers Insurance Open Preview Day 3 at Torrey Pines Golf Course on January 25, in La Jolla, California. AFP

SAN DIEGO, United States— Tiger Woods is excited to play his first US golf tournament in 17 months at familiar Torrey Pines and teeing off Thursday alongside Jason Day and Dustin Johnson adds to the thrill.

The 14-time major winner, an eight-time winner at the famed Southern California course, plays his first full-field event since August of 2015 at the US PGA Farmers Insurance Open after playing in the Bahamas last month.

“It’s hard to remember when I was this excited because I hadn’t played in a few years. It has been a few seasons since I was in this position,” Woods said Wednesday. “I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.”

Woods, who turned 41 last month, has won at Torrey Pines eight times,

including the 2008 US Open, the most recent of his major titles. He noted several changes in the layout in a practice round on the eve of the opening round.

“Just overall it felt very good to get out there and play,” Woods said. “They’ve added a little bit of length to it. The greens are absolutely perfect.”

Woods, who will play four of the next five weeks, says his main goal is to peak for the year’s first major tournament, the Masters in April at Augusta National, where he has won four times, most recently in 2005.

“I’m looking forward to getting off to and playing and trying to keep improving and getting my game better, more consistent, rounding into form and making my way to that first full week in April and getting everything ready for that,” Woods said.

“I miss trying to beat these guys, I really do. We’re a fraternity out here. We see each other all year and some of us have seen each other for decades out here. It’s just fun to be competitive and fun to go out there and compete at the highest level and against the best.”

Playing alongside Australia’s Day, the world number one, and thirdranked Johnson, the reigning US Open champion, adds to Woods’ joy because it lets him measure his rebuilding game against the sport’s best quickly.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Woods said. “To get a couple of the best players, and Jason being the best player in the world right now, man, it’s going to be a lot of fun. You always want to play against and with the best players.” AFP

ONE Championship leading player in social media IN the 21st century, social media has become the game-changing marvel in communication. Today, people and organizations remain connected and updated through various forms of social media networks.

Social media is so pervasive it has transformed sports. Although sports businesses traditionally seek to benefit from hospitality, sponsorship and networking, social media offers greater reach and direct engagement.

A large part of MMA’s success worldwide comes from its aggressive social media strategy, with platforms such as Face-

book and Twitter aiding its mainstream development.

Since its inception in 2011, ONE Championship has been utilizing the flexibility of social media to promote its unique brand and to tap a wider audience.

Along with the rise of MMA as a whole, ONE Championship has taken the sport in Asia to new heights. The biggest local and global brands in the world have been attracted to ONE and a number of key partnerships have formed over the years.

The list includes Disney, Marvel, LG,

Kawasaki, Panasonic, Haier, Universal Music Group and Tune Talk, to name a few. The company’s ability to form deals that are mutually beneficial to all parties has been essential in its growth.

With innovative content and marketing initiatives, ONE Championship has been able to bring world-class MMA action much closer to diehard and loyal fans.

Asia’s largest sports media property has further extended its influence on Facebook, which has 1.79 billion monthly active users as of the third quarter of 2016.

In 2014, ONE Championship’s total reach on Facebook was 75 million. It grew to 926 million in 2016, having an exponential growth rate of 1,134 percent.

On the other hand, its total impressions raised the bar up high in 2016 with a 268 percent progress. From 352 million impressions in 2014, 2016 had an astonishing figures of 1.3 billion.

ONE Championship also released an array of informative and in-depth videos in 2016, which gained 130 million views in total. It grew significantly from 312,000 in 2014.

Gorayeb has right to forbid players from attending tryouts SPORTS CENTER REUEL VIDAL COACH Roger Gorayeb, mentor of the ladies volleyball teams of San Sebastian College and National University, is being raked over the coals in social media over his decision not to allow his players to join the tryouts for the Philippine National Team to the 29th Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Comments range from accusations of selfishness, that he’s only thinking of personal interest and not the national interest; to malice that he is forbidding his players from joining the tryouts because he was not named coach of the national team.

I disagree completely with these comments. Gorayeb is already a

many time national team mentor and is just concerned that attending practices with the SSC and NU teams and then going to equally grueling tryouts increase the chance of players getting injured. He would rather his players just rest or attend school activities.

The Manila leg of the tryouts will be held January 28, 29 and 31 at the Arellano University gym in Taft.

The Visayas and Mindanao leg will be held sometime February.

SSC open spiker Grethcel Soltones and NU middle blocker Jaja Santiago, who were both members of the last edition of the biennial meet and practically shoo-ins to the next national team, will both miss the tryouts.

Right now Gorayeb is focused on getting his teams ready for collegiate wars.

SSC advanced to the step-ladder finals of the National Collegiate Athletic Association women’s volleyball tournament after posting a nine-

game sweep of the elimination round.

Make no mistake. The charge to the finals wasn’t easy. SSC needed to scramble past College of St. Benilde in four sets, 22-25, 25-22, 25-13, 25-14 in Game 9 to post the sweep. And the Lady Stags only managed to pull out that comefrom-behind win after Soltones virtually carried her team to victory.

Gorayeb just cannot afford to let Soltones’ focus wane or worse get injured in the tryouts. Last year’s debacle, where SSC similarly advanced to the step-ladder finals only to lose two consecutive matches and the title to CSB, is too real to be ignored.

NU and Santiago are similarly situated. The Lady Bulldogs are deep in training for the opening of the UAAP wars where the squad is among the top contenders after narrowly bowing out in the Final Four last year.

Losing Santiago to an injury during the tryouts is only too real.

Santiago was in fact sideline just a few months ago. After elder sister Dindin Santiago-Manabat graduated the NU offense is anchored on the younger Santiago and losing her effectively renders NU an also-run in the competitive UAAP volleyball competition.

With these considerations Coach Gorayeb is certainly within his rights to forbid his players from attending the tryouts.

The only thing that I disagree with is coach Gorayeb allowing himself to be quoted that he won’t allow his players to try out. It just left him open to harsh criticisms on social media.

A better way would have been to discuss the matter in private with his players who I’m sure would have come to the same decision to forgo the tryouts and instead meet their commitment to their schools first.

But that’s just coach Roger for you. He’s an outspoken, principled

man who will speak out his mind on things that he believes in.

This sudden call for the tryouts just emphasizes the ad hoc mentality of the decision makers at LVPI as they called for national team tryouts without consulting their constituents like the UAAP and the NCAA. This is in sharp contrast to the way the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas consulted with basketball stakeholders like the Philippine Basketball Association months in advance before forming national teams for international competitions.

But even without Soltones and Santiago I don’t see any real problems in forming a women’s national team. Right now there are actually enough talent in the Philippine Super Liga and the Philippine Volleyball League (formerly Shakey’s VLeague) to form a competitive team for the coming SEA Games.

POC considers charter change A REVIEW of the constitution and bylaws of the Philippine Olympic Committee is in the offing.

A three-man committee has been formed for this task. It will find out the changes that need to be done.

POC legal counsel Ramon Malinao will head the panel, which was formed some two months after the POC held its elections.

POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. said, during the POC General Assembly at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong last Wednesday, disagreements which took place at that time will be tackled during the review.

At that time, the camp of boxing chief Ricky Vargas sued the POC after he was disqualified from running as president.

Their group even filed a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO), but the Pasig Regional Trial Court did not issue any.

Because of their absence in numerous meetings of the POC General Assembly, the three-man election panel of the POC, disqualified boxing chief Ricky Vargas and cycling president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino from seeking the POC’s two top posts.

“What caused this disagreements will be clarified. Liliwanagin ito. What it means and what we want,” said Cojuangco.

He added that more clarifications will shed light on what will make an official of a national sports association to be a candidate.

On the other hand, POC vice president Joey Romasanta provisions will also be made on the eligibility of the athlete who can be part of the POC athletes commission. Peter Atencio

LOTTO RESULTS

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

Sports

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

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Tough field joins PH Open AN elite international field, including some of the Asian Tour and Asian Development Tour’s leading players and the country’s top shotmakers, will vie for supremacy in the rich Solaire Philippine Open in March where the new-look The Country Club course will once again pose a daunting challenge.

The last time the TCC hosted an Asian Tour event in 2014 for the $300,000 Solaire Open, Angelo Que and Miguel Tabuena fell apart in severe condition in the final round after taking the 1-2 posts in 54 holes with the former limping with an 82 and the latter hobbling with a 76. That enabled Canadian Richard Lee to snare the crown from Thai Chawalit Plaphol by one.

And there is no better course to hold Asia’s oldest National Open than the exclusive par-72 layout, now longer and tougher after undergoing a major facelift the last two years. It can play to a maximum yardage of 8,000 yards from the back tees when it hosts the country’s premier championship on March 2-5.

“With the increase in yardage also came a significant change in individual hole strategies to take better advantage of the wind as well as the old and new bunkers, lakes, streams and planted native areas,” said TCC general manager Colo Ventosa.

While no hole was left untouched, some underwent either a more dramatic strategic or appearance change than others, meaning all holes are now more competitive than before, according to Ventosa.

“One thing is certain, the recently refreshed and enhanced course will be a more competitive layout than the last time it hosted The Country Club Invitational and Solaire Open,” said Ventosa.

That should guarantee four days of great theater of golf and a wild finish with the title chase also tipped to boil down to living with the subtle terrors lurking on its sleek putting surface, unsettling hazards and the unpredictable wind that could alter the character of the holes in an instant.

Although the $350,000 event, which used to be the kickoff leg of the Asian Tour, won’t be a part of the region’s premier circuit, the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. has guaranteed an elite cast of 120-130 international players to clash for top honors in the blue-ribbon event.

Venus Williams of the United States hits a return during her semifinal match against CoCo Vandeweghe of the United States on day 11 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 26 in Melbourne, Australia. Venus prevailed in three sets. AFP

Williams sisters battle for Australia Open title M ELBOURNE, Australia—Unstoppable Serena Williams zeroed in on a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title Thursday by setting up an Australian Open final against her older sister Venus, as the siblings’ dream came true.

The ruthless world number two proved one step too far for unseeded Croat Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, whose fairytale tournament was finally ended in a crushing 6-2, 6-1 defeat in just 50 minutes.

In swatting aside the 34-yearold, in their first meeting since 1998, Serena, 35, stayed on track for a seventh Australian title which would take her past

Steffi Graf’s Open-era record of 22 major wins.

She has refused to talk about the possibility of finally surpassing the German, but now has a golden chance of further cementing her place in history.

Winning the title would also mean the world number one ranking would be hers again, after Angelique Kerber de-

dream come true for us.”

She also paid tribute to LucicBaroni, a former teenage prodigy when the Williams sisters were emerging in the 1990s before her career was derailed by personal problems.

“Mirjana is an inspiration, she deserves all the credit today.

To get this far, after everything she has gone through, that just inspires me.”

Despite her serve not being up to scratch in Melbourne until now, Williams has so many other weapons in her armoury that her opponents have been unable to cope.

Lucic-Baroni was no different.

Her left thigh was again heavily strapped and the problem put

her at an immediate disadvantage, restricting her movement against a player known for her pounding forehand winners.

They both held serve comfortably to shake off any early nerves but Williams was looking sharp, capitalising on an unforced error to get the first break and go 2-1 ahead.

She consolidated her lead by holding serve again, and a Lucic-Baroni double fault handed her a 4-1 lead.

It was one-way traffic as the second seed asserted her authority, unloading some powerful groundstrokes to unsettle the Croat and easily take the first set in 25 minutes. AFP

Cavaliers bow to Kings in overtime, 116-112

PPS-PEPP tourney reels off A SLEW of rising stars gear up for a spirited battle for top honors against the regular campaigners as they clash in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Malaybalay regional age group tennis tournament at the DPWH and Freedom Park Tennis Club in Bukidnon today, Friday, Jan. 27.

Arnie Joy Diaz and Joanne Gornes headline the girls’ 18-and-under cast that includes Gianne Saavedra and Christine Gumilao, each raring to chalk up not only a win but also ranking points in this Group 4 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.

“We’re inviting all tennis players and fans in Bukidnon areas to watch and support the PPS-PEPP Malaybalay leg, which features not only our young, upcoming stars but also the leading players in the region,” said Mayor Inaki Zubiri, who also cited PPS-PEPP’s continuing effort to develop and promote the sport through a nationwide circuit.

Close to 200 entries are vying in the four-day tournament serving as the second leg of the 58-stage nationwide tour put up by the country’s leading pawnshop and remittance center to boost the sport and help produce future national players.

“By holding this nationwide circuit, we believe we are able to help develop the sport and discover talents, especially from the countryside,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/ COO Bobby Castro.

posed her late last year.

Only Venus stands in the way after the elder Williams rolled back the years to beat fellow American Coco Vandeweghe 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-3 in the other semi-final.

It ensured another chapter in their eventful family history as they meet for their ninth Grand Slam final on Saturday, eight years after the last. Serena holds a 6-2 advantage.

“I didn’t watch (Venus). Obviously I was really proud, she’s an inspiration, my big sister,” said Serena.

“She’s my world, my life, she means everything to me. I couldn’t be happier for us both to be in the final. It’s the biggest

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) glides to the hoop against the Sacramento Kings at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. AFP

LOS ANGELES—LeBron James notched his second straight triple-double but it wasn’t enough to stave off an upset as the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers fell 116112 in overtime to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.

After Aaron Afflalo’s threepointer with 30.8 seconds left in overtime put Sacramento up 115-112, James missed a three-pointer with 10 seconds remaining and Kings star DeMarcus Cousins capped the scoring with a free-throw with five seconds to play.

It wasn’t the response James wanted to see when he called out teammates in the wake of their loss to New Orleans on Monday.

He notched his second triple-double in as many games with 24 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, but the champions lost for the sixth time in

their last eight games.

Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook notched the 60th tripledouble of his career in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 114105 victory over New Orleans on Wednesday to pass Larry Bird for fifth place on the alltime list.

Westbrook posted 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists to fuel the Thunder with his 23rd triple-double of the season and his second in three victories over the Pelicans this season.

Despite Westbrook’s effort —and another early injury exit for Pelicans star forward Anthony Davis—New Orleans challenged until the end.

Oklahoma City led by 22 points in the second half but withstood a 9-0 Pelicans scoring run in the fourth quarter that cut the deficit to 105-100 with 5:33 remaining.

In Charlotte, Kevin Durant

scored 16 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter as the Golden State Warriors rebounded from an upset loss to the Miami Heat with a 113-103 NBA victory over the Hornets.

The Warriors trailed by 10 halfway through the third quarter and were down by five going into the final period.

But an impeccable finish lifted the Warriors to a leagueleading 39th victory of the season in 46 games, with Durant playing a key role.

He gave Golden State the lead for good with 5:25 remaining, draining two free-throws to make it 95-94.

Golden State out-scored the Hornets 22-9 over the final six minutes.

NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry was also outstanding in his annual visit to his hometown, finishing with 28 points. AFP

Kawasaki’s San Andres scores double win KAWASAKI JBS Motocross Team’s Kenneth San Andres, who is coming off a triumphant ride in 2016 FIM Asian Supermoto Championship, fortified his billing as the country’s no. 1 rider when he ruled both the premier events of the NAMSSA 2017 National Motocross Development Program at the Speedworld MX Circuit, SM Bicutan.

San Andres, a many-time motocross awardee of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA), was peerless as he ruled both the Pro Open (MX1) and Pro 125 (MX2) of the series held under the auspices of the National Motorcycle Sports and Safety Association or NAMSSA.

The Valenzuela native, who is backed by Kawasaki Philippines, Motorad WRD Racing, Taichi Suit, Pirelli Tires, Motul PH, Bell Helmet, Troylee Design, Protaper, GoPro, Leatt, GAME OVER, Foilacar Industries, R33 Car Exchange, Kia Global, Halrey, R&E , JM Stickers, ProPipe, JBS Motorcycle Parts & Accessories, thereby picked up from where he left off after a triumphant 2016 season.

“I just knew the Speedworld circuit like the palm of my hand,” said San Andres, who last month earned his 9th straight National Motocross Rider of the Year title.

“It’s where I train most of the time, so kabisado ko na.”

Making it a double-celebration was Kenneth’s father/coach Junjun San Andres, who clinched 1st place in the Veteran’s Class.

In what could be San Andres’ most important win in 2016, he cruised to victory in the Asian Supermoto’s seven-rider production class that was sprinkled with a couple of Asian riders and top locals that included Raniel Resuello and Moymoy Flores.

His first international stint this year happens on March 24 and 25 as he takes part in the FIM Asia Motocross Championship Rounds 1 and 2 in the state of Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia.

Kenneth San Andres soars to victory in the premier Pro Open (MX1) category of the NAMSSA 2017 National Motocross Development Program at the Speedworld MX Circuit, SM Bicutan.

Market rises; Puregold, BDO climb B2

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

B1

IN BRIEF SMIC to increase local investments

THE FILIPINO, SETTING A GLOBAL STANDARD IN PORT MANAGEMENT.

SM Investments Corp., the holding company of the Sy family, will focus more on local expansion over the next five years, instead of bringing its investments abroad, a top executive said.

SMIC vice chairperson Tessie Sy-Coson said her company was looking forward to a blissful domestic expansion, in the medium term, with plans to develop another consumerdriven sector.

“All of us should look at Philippines first.

And I don’t think President Trump’s campaign slogan of ‘America First’ will affect consumer companies like us. Maybe it will have an impact on the manufacturing sector, but his new policy will only have mild effect on us,” Sy-Coson told reporters Thursday night at the sidelines of the Asean Business Advisory Council welcome dinner at Conrad Hotel in Pasay City.

She said Trump’s policy of getting all American companies back to the US and making America the center of all businesses would not hinder the expansion plans of SM as a conglomerate. “What we are envisioning as a Philippine company is to be able to maximize the great potential of the Philippines. There is a great many opportunities here. So Philippines first, and after that we go Asean,” she said. Othel V. Campos

The Manila International Container Terminal combines leading-edge technologies and decades of port management expertise to provide the country with port services at par with the world’s best.

Alsons expanding Mindanao coal plant

MAASIM, Sarangani–Alsons Power Group on Thursday started the civil works for the second 105-megawatt section of the 210-MW Sarangani Energy Corp. coal-fired power plant here.

President Rodrigo Duterte led the kick-off ceremonies at the Sarangani Energy plant site.

The second unit is expected to start operations in 2019, thus providing power to an additional three million residents in provinces of South Cotabato, Davao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, North Cotabato, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur including the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Dapitan, Digos, Dipolog, Koronadal, Kidapawan and Pagadian.

The first unit started delivering power in April last year and currently supplies power to more than three million residents of the provinces of Sarangani, Compostela Valley, Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur; the cities of General Santos, Iligan, Bayugan, Butuan, Samal and Tagum, as well as some key areas in Davao del Norte and South Cotabato.

Duterte also led the ceremonial switch-on of the first unit of the $570-million power plant.

Alsons Consolidated Resources and Sarangani Energy Corp. chairman Tomas Alcantara said in a statement that “access to safe, reliable, and affordable power is essential to development.” Alena Mae S. Flores

The MICT is one of the best examples of Public-Private Partnerships, offering the best value for the government and the Filipino people.

De Leon returns as national treasurer

FORMER National Treasurer Rosalia De Leon will be back as the head of the Bureau of Treasury, the Finance Department said.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III confirmed De Leon’s return as the country’s treasurer during the Foundation for Economic Forum fellowship meeting at Manila Golf and Country Club in Makati City.

De Leon will replace Roberto Tan. “I said it is up to them when they want to decide to hand over,” Dominguez said.

De Leon served as a senior advisor to the Executive Director for Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, the Philippines, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago in the World Bank.

De Leon served as the National Treasurer from 2012 to 2014. She was replaced by Tan, who also came back from the World Bank.

De Leon earned her Master of Arts in Development Economics from Williams College Massachusetts and Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of the Philippines. Gabrielle H. Binaday

MICT is the flagship operation of ICTSI, the Philippines’ leading port operator with a portfolio of 30 terminals in 20 countries.

T

HE gross domestic product expanded 6.6 percent in the fourth quarter, bringing the full-year growth to 6.8 percent in 2016 and making it the second fastest growing economy in Asia, the government said Thursday.

Last year’s Philippine growth exceeded China’s 6.7 percent and was outpaced likely by India’s growth of more than 7 percent. India, which saw an expansion of 7.3 percent in the third quarter, has yet to report its official fourth-quarter GDP numbers.

“We are seeing a transformation to a stronger, more developed economy,” Frederic Neumann, co-

head of Asian economic research at HSBC Holdings Plc. in Hong Kong, said, referring to the Philippines.

“Recent administrations worked hard to ensure macroeconomic stability which serves as its anchor.”

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed the 6.8-percent growth in 2016 was the fastest since the 7.1-percent expansion in 2013 and eclipsed the 5.9-percent growth in 2015. This was also within the government’s target of 6 percent to 7 percent for 2016.

“For the full year of 2016, we could be the second fastest, with China growing at 6.7 percent and Vietnam at 6.2 percent for the whole year,” Economic and Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said in news briefing.

The gross national income, which includes foreign exchange inflows, grew 6.1 percent in the fourth quarter and 6.6 percent in the whole of 2016.

The National Economic and Development Authority said the 6.6-percent expansion in the fourth quarter was supported by higher investment and consumption.

“Although this is lower than the 7 percent growth in the third quarter of 2016, this is higher than the 6.3 percent growth recorded during the fourth quarter of 2015. Let me note that the last quarter growth of an election year is usually slower than the first half due to the transition of government, and as investors adopt a ‘wait-and-see attitude,” Pernia said.

Economic growth in the fourth quarter, however, was behind China’s 6.8 percent and Vietnam’s 6.7 percent.

The government said public construction surged 23 percent in the fourth quarter while private consumption picked up 6.3 percent, on strong consumer confidence, modest inflation and interest rates, and improving labor market conditions.

Fourth-quarter growth was affected by the 1.1-percent contraction in the agriculture sector which suffered from the impact of typhoons. Services expanded 7.4 percent while the industry sector grew 7.6 percent in the quarter.

January inflation may exceed 3% on sin tax adjustment INFLATION rate may hit as high as 3.2 percent in January, on higher fuel prices and after the government increased the excise tax rates on alcoholic beverage and tobacco products this month as a part of the Sin Tax Law. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said Thursday infla-

PHILIPPINES

www.ictsi.com

Economy grew 6.8% in 2016

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

MICT

tion rate would likely settle within a range of 2.3 percent to 3.2 percent in January, compared with 2.6 percent in December 2016.

“Downward price pressures include a slight decline in rice prices and lower power rates in Meralco-serviced areas,” Tetangco said in a text message.

“However, higher domestic prices of gasoline, diesel and LPG as well as the excise tax adjustments for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products would likely exert upside pressures on inflation during the month,” he said.

The tax on cigarettes went up to P30 per pack starting Jan. 1. The previous rates were P25

for brands selling for P11.50 and below and P29 for those selling above P11.50 per pack.

For beer, lager beer, ale, porter, and other fermented liquors, the levy increased to a uniform P23 per liter.

Tetangco said Bangko Sentral would continue to monitor emerging price conditions to ensure price stability condu-

cive to a balanced and sustainable economic growth.

Bangko Sentral earlier said the tax reform package of the Finance Department, particularly the adjustment on fuel and automobile excise tax was expected to increase inflation, to nearly 4 percent in 2017 and 2018.

Gabrielle H. Binaday

Think tank warns vs privatizing Naia

By Darwin G. Amojelar AVIATION think tank Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation advised the Philippine government to abandon a plan to privatize the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as this may result in higher airport fees.

Capa said in a report that while the privatization of the country’s main gateway could be considered, the government should be careful and only proceed with the public private partnership scheme if the new owners would make the appropriate investments without significantly raising the costs for airlines or passengers.

Capa said the PPP proposal was somewhat controversial and had not yet secured airline support because the concession was only for 15 to 20 years–a relatively short length for an airport privatization project.

“However, a longer concession at Naia could impact investor appetite in the new airport project,” Capa said.

“The Philippines may ultimately be best to retain ownership in Naia and invest in upgrades under the current structure, while proceeding with a PPP scheme for the new airport,” it said.

San Miguel Corp. earlier proposed a $10-billion airport in Bulacan province, while All-Asia Resources and Reclamation Corp., a consortium led by tycoon Henry Sy and the Tieng family, plans to build an international gateway in Sangley, Cavite to replace Naia.

B2

Business

FRIDAY, FRIDAY, JANUARY JANUARY 27, 27, 2017 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market rises; Puregold, BDO climb SEC prepares rules S on PPP bond listing TOCKS rose Thursday, ending a two-day slump, after the government announced the economy grew 6.8 percent last year, exceeding China’s 6.7-percent expansion.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, gained 9 points, or 0.1 percent, to close at 7,332.64. This pushed up the market’s gains this year to 7.2 percent.

The heavier index, representing all shares, picked up 4 points, or 0.1 percent, to settle at 4,410.80, on a value turnover of P7 billion.

Gainers outnumbered losers, 95 to 84, while 50 issues were unchanged.

Ten of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by developer Suntrust Home Developers Inc. which jumped 10.9 percent to P1.02 and retailer Puregold Price Club Inc. which climbed 5.4 percent to P44.25. BDO

Unibank Inc. advanced 2.7 percent to P115.

Meanwhile, a global equities rally gathered speed as Asian stocks climbed to the highest level since July 2015 after the Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 20,000 for the first time. Gold and bonds continued a selloff while the dollar advanced.

Stocks from Tokyo to Hong Kong jumped as US corporate earnings reignited investor optimism in economic growth. Japan’s Topix capped the biggest two-day gain since November as financial shares soared. The dollar moved higher after Wednesday’s decline, while the yield on 10-year Treasury notes continued its climb above 2.50 percent. Gold extended a two-day drop, and oil clawed back past $53 a barrel.

After weeks of unease across trading floors, investors around the world have refound the optimism that fueled a surge in the two months after Donald Trump was elected president.

The latest lease of life comes after the ty-

coon signed a series of executive orders pushing his pro-growth agenda, including giving the green light to two huge, controversial oil pipeline deals through the United States.

There are hopes he will press on with other promises to ramp up infrastructure spending, cut taxes and do away with various regulations he considers a hindrance to businesses.

Added to this were a series of upbeat earnings reports from big-name firms including Boeing and United Technologies.

In New York, the Dow ended above 20,000 for the first time in its history, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq also closed at all-time highs as investors shift back to higher-yielding investments and away from safe bets such as bonds.

Asian dealers tracked their counterparts on Thursday, with Tokyo ending 1.8 percent higher. Hong Kong added 1.3 percent in the afternoon and Shanghai gained 0.3 percent on the last day before a week-long Lunar New Year break. With AFP, Bloomberg

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission said it plans to come up with rules that will allow companies with infrastructure contracts under the publicprivate partnership scheme to issue and list “project bonds” with the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp.

SEC commissioner Ephyro Luis Amatong said in a forum sponsored by PDEx regarding project bonds that the corporate regulator aimed to approve rules on alternative funding source

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review thurSday, January 26, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.72 25,000 48.2 12,200 92.2 2,155,880 4.12 2,000 115 2,834,560 1.4 197,000 38.5 29,000 16.2 26,300 19.52 641,900 1.68 190,000 850 320 0.74 6,953,000 77.7 2,197,450 0.77 645,000 14.3 5,800 24 15,100 53.85 40,470 240 1,280 90.3 160 36.1 230,600 214 559,530 1,770 360 78.1 24,130

90,840 585,870 198,736,761 8,240 323,832,933 272,280 1,116,485 423,440 12,491,902 320,550 273,000 5,147,360 171,157,399.50 496,750 82,940 361,420 2,179,590 307,190 14,447.50 8,322,390 119,879,624 636,775 1,886,645

216,795 -138,650,566.50 161,245,361 5,600 677,600 -54,740 1,797,024 15,000 23,866,748 -1,497,561.50 50,400 -867,645 -20,104,338 -93,674

43.85 4.7 0.9 1.48 18.8 0.207 11.28 16.5 140.7 22.5 14.2 55.9 98 2.06 6.43 12.04 12.2 8.05 6.96 5.62 22.5 69.3 12.48 16.48 6.11 1.75 206.6 68.05 3.1 3.65 30 26.8 15.24 285 0.255 3.17 9.63 11.26 2.25 5.92 1.52 76.95 5.25 240 4.9 2.84 12.56 4.19 0.147 1.56 166.3 4.36 1.96

INDUSTRIAL 43.85 1,459,700 4.75 1,712,000 0.92 467,000 1.5 325,000 19.18 800 0.207 230,000 11.3 8,554,300 16.8 4,383,900 160 280 22.8 132,000 14.22 141,900 56 218,510 98 20 2.06 262,000 6.6 148,000 12.04 7,700 12.4 8,271,500 8.16 1,192,000 6.96 1,575,900 5.63 12,003,200 22.75 1,343,400 69.9 137,300 12.48 3,000 16.6 332,600 6.18 79,000 1.8 131,000 207 1,844,970 68.05 260 3.95 3,432,000 3.83 17,000 30 4,787,800 26.95 184,700 15.28 613,300 285 167,880 0.26 250,000 3.17 76,000 9.68 1,294,200 11.26 100,500 2.31 1,071,000 6 161,400 1.52 124,000 77.95 1,110,910 5.34 64,300 240 6,920 4.9 49,000 2.84 33,000 12.7 5,311,900 4.2 46,000 0.147 1,350,000 1.6 75,000 167 1,681,150 4.48 10,000 1.97 11,934,000

64,168,555 8,147,400 425,650 486,900 15,232 47,670 97,083,974 73,686,986 44,548 2,984,745 2,107,070 12,293,039.50 1,960 545,560 960,672 92,934 103,274,978 9,697,103 11,019,087 67,976,641 30,508,425 9,582,112.50 37,558 5,505,796 486,276 233,130 383,041,600 18,881 13,041,100 62,440 144,700,895 4,981,145 9,428,266 48,140,954 64,550 241,200 12,525,530 1,143,162 2,458,670 967,525 188,540 86,323,538 342,820 1,671,268 240,140 93,970 67,615,756 193,110 198,480 118,850 281,660,544 44,560 23,975,950

49,088,830 167,160 -34,786,574 43,482,378 -4,560 -10,493,915 18,930 3,612 -49,886,652 -282,432 -7,091,348 32,806,516 7,988,210 2,181,266.50 -620,724 75,136,120 720 -43,852,395 -4,168,360 796,418 4,507,374 -19,120 -3,497,415 -602,792 7,600 56,091,509 19,620 -16,798,842 27,239,000 58,200

0.43 75.65 12.88 1.13 6.18 0.305 0.31 817 9.3 13.14 8.15 0.184 1,368 6.1 77.1 1.2 8 12.82 6.89 0.044 1.99 99.2 713 0.85 1.42 264.2 0.29 0.189

0.415 74.9 12.76 1.13 6.18 0.305 0.31 808.5 9.1 12.82 8 0.183 1,341 6.05 76.1 1.15 7.87 12.42 6.77 0.043 1.99 97.65 701.5 0.85 1.39 262.8 0.29 0.183

HOLDING FIRMS 0.415 11,020,000 75 1,735,970 12.8 2,677,100 1.13 12,000 6.18 200 0.305 160,000 0.31 30,000 811 226,080 9.19 6,636,900 13 9,545,300 8 48,600 0.183 40,000 1,364 230,380 6.07 13,000 76.5 2,515,690 1.16 2,155,000 8 553,300 12.68 18,003,600 6.8 29,491,400 0.043 46,200,000 1.99 52,000 98.95 381,120 710 285,680 0.85 4,000 1.4 707,000 264.2 7,300 0.29 2,370,000 0.183 160,000

4,604,500 130,502,390 34,322,406 13,560 1,236 48,800 9,300 184,040,110 61,252,155 123,969,222 389,074 7,330 314,237,935 78,693 192,451,734.50 2,502,870 4,413,046 227,577,348 200,765,385 2,020,300 103,480 37,498,448.50 202,756,975 3,400 994,140 1,927,290 687,300 30,060

53,797,689 316,546 9,300 19,494,525 -11,455,432 -45,834,478 53,688,135 13,076,678 -606,296 -58,893,778 3,795,540 -184,800 -8,947,258.50 45,691,775 106,400 -554,740 -

7.35 1.22 2.48 0.85 36.1 3.37 5.13 0.57 1.08 1.36 0.192 0.58 52.9 0.75 0.145 1.67 1.03 1.18 3.7 0.179 0.28 0.41 4.66

7.28 1.19 2.43 0.81 35.6 3.24 5.01 0.55 1.04 1.33 0.187 0.56 52 0.71 0.145 1.63 1.01 1.18 3.63 0.168 0.26 0.4 4.25

1,681,046 862,480 102,990 17,670,280 262,566,720 8,445,650 135,296 4,310,680 2,302,320 1,859,270 1,926,540 3,370,880 20,123,504.50 343,690 2,900 7,352,440 2,109,890 1,180 100,628,870 33,359,380 215,250 16,200 19,373,400

-1,309,220 -50,434,770 1,074,150 -280,000 699,300 570,000 6,549,687.50 -5,967,760 9,132,510 -1,305,320 -561,100

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

3.63 48.2 91.6 4.12 112.6 1.36 38.45 16.1 19.38 1.7 853 0.75 78.2 0.78 14.3 23.8 54 239.8 90.25 36.1 214 1,770 78.5

3.72 48.25 92.55 4.12 115 1.4 38.5 16.2 19.54 1.71 860 0.76 78.35 0.78 14.3 24 54 240 90.3 36.15 215.8 1,775 78.5

3.63 47.8 91.6 4.12 112 1.36 38.45 16.1 19.24 1.68 850 0.73 77.7 0.76 14.3 23.8 53.85 239.8 90.25 36 213.4 1,760 78

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS ASIABEST GROUP BASIC ENERGY CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EEI CORP EMPERADOR ENERGY DEVT FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PEPSI COLA PETRON PHINMA 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

44.05 4.7 0.9 1.48 19.18 0.208 11.4 16.66 159.8 22.65 15 57.05 98 2.13 6.44 12.06 12.26 8.13 7.1 5.66 22.55 69.65 12.5 16.6 6.11 1.76 208 73 3.1 3.66 30.2 27.55 15.4 290 0.255 3.17 9.69 11.58 2.26 6 1.52 77.3 5.35 246 4.91 2.85 12.76 4.19 0.147 1.59 167.6 4.45 2.08

44.1 4.8 0.93 1.5 19.18 0.208 11.52 16.88 160 22.8 16.2 57.05 98 2.14 6.6 12.08 12.66 8.21 7.1 5.7 22.85 69.95 12.6 16.6 6.2 1.81 210 73 4.32 3.83 31 27.55 15.44 290 0.26 3.18 9.75 11.58 2.34 6 1.53 78 5.35 246 4.91 2.85 12.88 4.2 0.148 1.6 169 4.48 2.08

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG 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 ORION SAN MIGUEL CORP SM INVESTMENTS SOC RESOURCES SOLID GROUP TOP FRONTIER UNIOIL HLDG WELLEX INDUS

0.43 75 12.86 1.13 6.18 0.305 0.31 810 9.1 12.86 8.08 0.184 1,341 6.05 76.2 1.2 8 12.42 6.85 0.043 1.99 99.2 701.5 0.85 1.42 263 0.29 0.187

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

7.35 1.21 2.45 0.83 35.9 3.32 5.01 0.56 1.06 1.36 0.188 0.58 52.1 0.71 0.145 1.65 1.01 1.18 3.64 0.169 0.265 0.41 4.28

PROPERTY 7.28 1.22 2.47 0.82 35.9 3.25 5.13 0.55 1.06 1.34 0.191 0.58 52.2 0.75 0.145 1.65 1.01 1.18 3.64 0.171 0.26 0.4 4.66

VOLUME

229,600 716,000 42,000 21,276,000 7,321,900 2,571,000 26,900 7,772,000 2,211,000 1,381,000 10,140,000 5,904,000 385,320 468,000 20,000 4,469,000 2,079,000 1,000 27,479,000 191,250,000 770,000 40,000 4,354,000

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

30 26 1.65 3.28 30.2 1.08 6.97 0.9 5

31 26.6 1.68 3.28 30.6 1.08 6.98 1.04 5.1

30 25.5 1.65 3.23 29.7 1.05 6.97 0.9 4.98

31 26.2 1.68 3.23 29.8 1.06 6.98 1.02 5.1

800 1,339,700 174,000 30,000 13,901,500 2,761,000 10,000 243,966,000 2,068,000

24,300 35,186,185 288,850 97,010 416,370,040 2,930,760 69,780 222,693,190 10,469,810

3,240,210 -6,600 -40,269,675 -213,844,510 1,924,860

2GO GROUP ABS CBN APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL 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 MANILA JOCKEY MELCO CROWN METRO RETAIL MLA BRDCASTING NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PHIL RACING PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT

7.5 48 0.54 0.054 5.48 7.7 0.072 2.8 97.85 9.92 9.05 2.13 960 1,769 6.28 16.08 3.05 15.96 119 77.85 0.0098 9.07 0.212 1.44 3.15 14.54 4.18 2.61 2 4.8 4.01 18.4 2.75 11.28 5.1 9.89 130 10.06 1,488 1.45 0.47 42.95 77.8 6.2 2.78 1.09 3.28 0.375

7.5 48 0.54 0.055 5.48 7.8 0.073 2.87 97.85 9.92 9.06 2.14 960 1,793 6.28 16.48 3.13 16.38 119 78.55 0.01 9.08 0.215 1.47 3.2 15 4.22 2.61 2 4.88 4.15 20 2.82 11.28 5.11 9.89 130 10.08 1,498 1.46 0.475 44.8 78.95 6.3 2.81 1.09 3.29 0.39

7.47 47.5 0.52 0.053 5.47 7.61 0.072 2.79 93.8 9.92 8.8 2.04 960 1,750 6.25 16.08 3.05 15.8 119 77.45 0.0097 9.04 0.21 1.43 3.15 14.52 4.12 2.55 2 4.65 4.01 18.2 2.75 11.28 5.1 9.89 130 9.92 1,457 1.44 0.465 42.9 77.5 6.2 2.75 1.08 3.27 0.375

SERVICES 7.5 48 0.52 0.055 5.47 7.7 0.072 2.84 94 9.92 8.88 2.04 960 1,780 6.26 16.48 3.08 16 119 78.55 0.01 9.06 0.215 1.45 3.2 15 4.19 2.59 2 4.83 4.15 18.2 2.78 11.28 5.11 9.89 130 10 1,461 1.45 0.465 44.25 77.5 6.3 2.78 1.09 3.28 0.375

13,700 17,900 254,000 28,430,000 6,000 3,172,500 2,840,000 8,919,000 721,900 300 253,800 38,000 30 33,235 32,600 163,800 3,410,000 10,600 10 2,714,430 12,000,000 512,000 6,160,000 237,000 120,000 10,300 280,000 24,000 2,000 6,073,000 1,419,000 5,900 851,000 2,000 700 100 140 616,100 164,680 12,451,000 1,850,000 4,108,700 1,342,680 12,000 2,865,000 2,194,000 156,000 490,000

102,447 852,020 132,120 1,535,160 32,870 24,597,422 204,490 25,166,330 68,447,542.50 2,976 2,267,998 77,800 28,800 59,058,775 204,148 2,686,546 10,515,870 170,618 1,190 212,699,514 117,500 4,638,512 1,312,080 344,720 382,860 149,798 1,162,910 61,550 4,000 29,201,030 5,823,140 108,448 2,364,130 22,560 3,571 989 18,200 6,157,050 242,643,100 18,035,370 865,050 181,612,880 104,783,692.50 75,389 7,991,220 2,378,220 511,480 185,250

37,440 50,760 -3,982,586 -195,700 -1,653,925.50 185,390 24,198,515 -73,050 6,678,518 -51,210 -6,540,810 -1,148,120 27,950 511 -18,200 -138,095,580 -8,900,400 36,452,395 49,033,134 -3,061,950 805,440 -350,960 -

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

0.0033 2.71 5.45 10.98 2.12 0.5 0.455 12.38 2.91 0.26 0.22 0.221 0.012 0.012 2.24 6.89 2.75 1.05 0.011 0.012 0.012 9.13 3.64 139 2.97 0.009

0.0033 2.74 5.51 11 2.17 0.51 0.465 12.38 2.91 0.26 0.226 0.223 0.012 0.012 2.3 6.89 2.76 1.07 0.012 0.013 0.015 9.16 3.87 139.3 2.97 0.009

0.0033 2.7 5.45 10.98 2.11 0.5 0.45 11.88 2.88 0.255 0.214 0.218 0.012 0.012 2.21 6.62 2.71 1.04 0.011 0.012 0.012 9.06 3.62 138.4 2.9 0.009

MINING & OIL 0.0033 260,000,000 2.73 1,088,000 5.46 423,400 11 2,100 2.11 62,000 0.5 432,000 0.465 770,000 12.26 2,200 2.89 1,193,000 0.26 470,000 0.218 6,260,000 0.223 1,250,000 0.012 100,000,000 0.012 1,000,000 2.27 839,000 6.82 7,136,000 2.71 36,000 1.07 507,000 0.011 24,100,000 0.013 60,400,000 0.015 1,316,800,000 9.13 565,300 3.72 7,532,000 138.6 1,043,350 2.97 19,000 0.009 1,000,000

858,000 2,964,050 2,320,812 23,080 131,130 218,100 347,350 26,392 3,453,680 121,650 1,360,090 273,430 1,200,000 12,000 1,917,170 48,092,480 98,430 540,940 268,200 751,200 17,798,500 5,161,792 28,283,240 144,600,454 55,940 9,000

8,130 -933,178 -131,130 -9,200 402,130 -18,648,494 -301,400 1,061,723 -120,450 -18,145,485 -

ABS HLDG PDR ALCO PREF B DD PREF GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2B SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2I

48.4 106.7 104.5 5.89 1,020 1,040 1.04 109 1,180 77.1 81.6 76.1 79.7 77.6

48.4 106.8 104.6 5.89 1,020 1,045 1.04 109 1,180 77.1 81.6 76.1 79.7 78

47.95 106.7 104.5 5.84 1,020 1,040 1.04 109 1,180 77 81.6 76 79.7 77.6

PREFERRED 48 920,800 106.8 10,000 104.5 6,280 5.85 8,405,800 1,020 1,000 1,045 5,515 1.04 21,000 109 370 1,180 2,800 77 55,200 81.6 5,500 76 15,000 79.7 1,000 77.6 47,200

44,153,880 1,067,460 656,528 49,284,293 1,020,000 5,760,620 21,840 40,330 3,304,000 4,251,000 448,800 1,140,500 79,700 3,664,255

-43,442,900 -19,867,856 -

LR WARRANT

2.29

2.29

2.25

WARRANTS 2.25 103,000

232,430

-

ALTERRA CAPITAL ITALPINAS XURPAS

6.98 4.29 8.36

7.1 4.32 8.65

6.8 4.25 8.36

6.8 4.32 8.5

2,031,576 304,660 23,610,609

27,706 489,694

FIRST METRO ETF

120.8

121.2

120.8

657,000

-

NAME

Trading Summary

SME

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 121 5,430

SHARES

VALUE

FINANCIAL 18,117,837 INDUSTRIAL 78,918,247 HOLDING FIRMS 137,964,293

965,749,177.39 1,588,288,197.243 1,838,884,076.985

PROPERTY SERVICES MINING & OIL GRAND TOTAL

555,208,674 115,258,569 1 ,793,252,320 2,701,867,566

296,400 71,000 2,772,600

1,178,651,591.715 1,162,122,861.591 260,927,063.499 7,021,235,017.981

FINANCIAL 1,760.89 (UP) 17.65 INDUSTRIAL 11,126.23 (DOWN) 25.37 HOLDING FIRMS 7,518.47 (UP) 13.55 PROPERTY 3,312.82 (DOWN) 5.73 SERVICES 1,430.74 (DOWN) 1.76 MINING & OIL 12,238.95 (DOWN) 8.95 PSEI 7,332.64 (UP) 9.28 All Shares Index 4,410.89 (UP) 4.16 Gainers: 95; Losers: 84; Unchanged: 50; Total: 229

for infrastructure companies aside from bank loans.

Amatong said while there was adequate liquidity at the moment, the capital markets should still be able to offer rich and practical alternative funding source for capital intensive infrastructure projects in case the liquidity diminished.

The SEC also approved last year the PPP listing rules of the Philippine Stock Exchange to allow companies with PPP contracts to raise funds through the stock market.

First Metro Investments Corp. executive vice president Justino Ocampo said there was a need to offload some of the financing requirements on infrastructure firms.

“The projects are growing and we expect them to grow as the economy grows.

Meanwhile, the banks have not grown as fast. So you have a case of requirement increasing and supply of debt financing not growing as fast,” Ocampo said.

“So for us investment banks, holy grail is project bonds to retail, if possible.

The objective is to offload most of the financing to the capital markets,” Ocampo said.

PDEx said data from the Public-Private Partnership Center showed the country had vast requirements for funding infrastructure projects amounting to nearly P6 trillion.

“While these capital intensive endeavors are currently served by the traditional route of commercial bank loans, the long-term nature of projects, the constant overhang of banks’ single borrower limits and the tightening regulations on bank capital and liquidity could throw into question the sustainability of this funding structure,” PDEx said.

BDO raises P60b BDO Unibank Inc. said it completed its P60-billion rights offering of common shares following the close of the offering period on Jan. 24.

BDO said this represented another milestone for the bank, with the transaction considered as the largest equity capital markets transaction by a Philippine corporate entity to-date.

The offering saw strong participation from the bank’s domestic and international investors and was oversubscribed. A total of 716,402,886 rights shares are expected to be issued at a price of P83.75 each. The listing of the rights shares on the Philippine Stock Exchange is scheduled on Jan. 31.

BDO said the offering strengthened its common equity tier 1 capital and supported the bank’s mediumterm growth objectives amid the country’s favorable macroeconomic prospects.

“Additionally, this provides a comfortable buffer over higher capital requirements with the imposition of the domestic systemically important bank surcharge,” BDO said.

Credit Suisse, UBS and BDO Capital served as joint global coordinators and together with the joint global coordinators, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and HSBC acted as joint bookrunners.

BDO Capital served as issue manager and domestic underwriter.

Motoring

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

B3

Future’s bright for driver-less cars E

VANGELISTS for driverless cars see a bright future coming down the road: thousands of lives saved, countless driving hours freed up, cityscapes transformed with traffic jams vanquished.

But the new technology also threatens millions of jobs and raises a slew of ethical dilemmas -- prospects that were on the minds of business chiefs and politicians meeting at the World Economic Forum this week.

“Companies are going to have to start thinking about it, governments are going to have to start thinking about it,” said Missy Cummings, the director of the Humans and Autonomy Lab at Duke University in North Carolina.

“The reality is we can’t just keep our head in the sand like an ostrich,” she told AFP in Davos,

singling out the coming impact on employment.

In the United States alone, an estimated four million people work as truckers, taxi drivers and in other jobs that are under threat when the driverless vehicles come into widespread use -- a matter of years, experts predict.

In October, delivery drivers got an uncomfortable glimpse of the future when a self-driving truck built by Uber’s Otto unit successfully delivered a beer shipment.

- New game, new players Cars with some autonomous

functions -- such as the ability to adjust the speed -- are already on our roads, and more than a dozen automakers including BMW, Kia, Volkswagen and General Motors are racing to get fully self-driving cars to market by 2020.

Champions of the technology point to its potential to reduce the 1.3 million road deaths worldwide each year -- too many of them at the hands of a tired or distracted driver, or one who simply did not react fast enough.

The auto industry is already changing fast thanks to the advent of services like Uber and electric vehicles, and carmakers are eyeing both the threats and opportunities.

Renault-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn summed up the transformations as a “reshuffling of the cards” for the industry.

“There is a new game, let’s

see who is going to be able to prevail,” he told an audience in Davos.

The dash for driverless technology is bringing new players into the car business, notably Google, Apple and BlackBerry.

The disruption will create jobs too -- engineering posts and roles in any number of new services. There is talk of mobile doctors’ surgeries and moving nail salons.

But the transition will be painful, not least because most cabbies and truck drivers are not qualified to slide seamlessly into new engineering roles.

“We don’t have, at this point, really well designed (plans) for re-education,” said EU transport commissioner Violeta Bulc at a panel in Davos.

“All this massive change that has not been experienced before, because digitalisation is really

making dramatic shifts.”

- Offices on the move How to regulate the new vehicles is already giving a headache to authorities around the world.

Inga Beale, CEO of the Lloyd’s of London insurance market, said in Davos that insurers were having to grapple with the question of liability in case of an accident The US government unveiled a regulatory framework in September, but the carmakers are having to deal with ethical and legal dilemmas too.

At the extreme end, if an intelligent car is faced with the terrible choice of killing one person to swerve around a crowd of five, what should it do?

There was some relief for the industry when the US government this week found no safetyrelated defect in a fatal crash involving a Tesla car on autopilot

last May. In public, auto bosses are focusing on the ways that going driverless is going to change our lives for the better.

Ghosn painted a picture of a world where we are liberated not only to check our emails or watch TV while in the driver’s seat, but also run an entire office on the move.“You can be in the car and do everything you’re doing in the house or in the office -- except that it’s mobile,” he enthused.

Eventually, automated transport systems and innovations such as shared car ownership could free up our congested cities and clean up our air, promoters say.

For now, the approach is safety-first: the beer-delivering Uber truck had a human watching from the cabin, and a police car in tow. AFP

The SUV: How long will it reign?

THE past year saw record car sales on both sides of the Atlantic and a huge jump in demand for crossovers and SUVs in particular, to the point where they account for over 40% of US car sales and 25% of European sales. But even with unprecedented levels of demand, not all consumers are sold on the idea of owning an SUV. Of the 17.5 million vehicles sold in America over the last 12 months, 6.7 million were crossovers or SUVs and 2.7 million pickups.

And as sales of 4x4s increases, all other vehicle types have started sliding in popularity. Sales of large cars have plummeted 44.7% in the US over the course of 2016 while sales of large SUVs have jumped 21.6%.

Honda has sold 357,335 CR-V crossovers, Nissan 329,904 Rouges, and Toyota 352,139 RAV4 models. To put those figures into perspective, America’s most popular car, the Toyota Camry, managed 388,616 sales, and while it’s still ahead of the chasing crossover pack, it has seen sales fall 9% over the past 12 months, while Nissan has seen a 14.9% spike in demand for the Rogue.

According to J.D. Power, it’s taken five years for the SUV and crossover to move from a 34% to a 42% market share. “Low fuel prices, favorable lease deals and the availability of low-interest loans are attracting buyers to SUVs,” said Dave Sargent, vice president of global automotive at J.D. Power.

And the crossover craze is now sweeping through Europe too. For the first time, high-sided vehicles accounted for one in every four cars sold on the continent in 2016. JATO Dynamics says that registrations of these types of cars grew by 21.4% over 2016 -- a year where car sales were at their highest across all sectors for nearly a decade. “[It] was a great year for the industry, with the second highest volume of registrations since 2007. European car registrations have shown good momentum, with 27 out of 29 markets in Europe recording positive growth last year,” said Felipe Munoz, JATO’s Global Automotive Analyst.

Over the next 12 months, car companies will be betting even more on the persuasive powers of the SUV with new models coming from Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Mercedes-Benz Nissan, and Volkswagen among others.

However, J.D. Power notes that the majority of US car shoppers are actively trying to resist the lure of SUVs. Just 24% of the 27,500 car owners who took part in its most recent Auto Avoider Study said that they went out to buy a new SUV rather than any other type of car.

“Since consumers, on average, pay a 9% premium for an SUV compared with a comparably equipped sedan, many consumers still are not considering an SUV,” said Sargent.

What’s more, in US car-buying circles, SUVs struggle to build the same levels of loyalty that other vehicle types achieve -- 38% of SUV owners are new to the vehicle’s maker. AFP

BMW sets 2017 in motion with an exclusive trip to Munich For years, Asian Carmakers Corporation, the official importer and distributor of BMW in the Philippines, has paved the way in pushing the boundaries of premium mobility in the Philippines. In 2016, the brand continued its 14-year streak as the leader of the luxury car segment. To mark this milestone,

BMW is providing its valued clientele with an exclusive opportunity to visit its hometown, Munich, Germany.

From January 19 to February 28, 2017, buyers of any brandnew BMW vehicle will be flown to visit the birthplace of sheer driving pleasure to join an exciting tour of the BMW Welt and

Museum, and explore the rest of Germany’s best in culture, food, and architecture.

The Munich Travel Experience reinforces BMW’s dedication to redefining customer experience by helping its customers form a deeper appreciation and understanding of the brand’s fervent spirit, its

remarkable heritage steeped in storied roots, and the bright future it has ahead.

To learn more about this special program, log on to the BMW Philippines website (www.bmw. com.ph) or the follow BMW Philippines’ official Facebook page (BMW.Philippines).

NLEX lights more tollway portion THE Manila North Tollways Corporation has lighted more portions of the tollway with the view of enhancing road safety in the northbound and soutbound sections.

MNTC has extended the lighted portion of the NLEX by putting up lampposts and installing lights at the Balagtas section and at the widened areas of the expressway from Sta. Rita in Bulacan to San Fernando in Pampanga. This adds 33 kilometers of lighted area to the previous lighted 15 kilometers of the NLEX from Balintawak to Bocaue.

Close to 800 LED lights are being installed at the mainline and bridges of the said segment of the NLEX in a bid to keep the expressway safe for motorists, particularly for those driving at night.

“Adequate roadway lighting makes the NLEX safer as lights enhance the visual acuity of drivers especially at night,” said MNTC president and chief executive officer Rodrigo Franco, adding that “this project forms part of the overall upgrade of our expressways to further improve customer service to our motorists.”

The roadway lighting pro-

ject will also help NLEX traffic monitoring teams and patrol officers in observing traffic conditions, and spotting and responding to road incidents since the lights will make the road highly visible at nighttime.

In another move to step up its road safety campaign, MNTC is replacing over 100 road signs in both northbound and southbound directions to remain highly visible through those signs, motorists immediately know applicable road regulations and directions. Old road signs suffer from reduced retro-reflectivity over time.

MNTC recognizes the importance of precise and appropriate road signs for safe and efficient expressway travel thus ensure that signs installed along the NLEX, as well as at the SCTEX, are consistent with the international standards.

NLEX is the premier roadway in the country, featuring modern features that enhance traffic management and communications, aside from superior pavement and other physical structures stretched to the entire length of NLEX, Subic Tarlac Expressway and Cavite Expressway .

Can Lamborghini maintain momentum?

THE past 12 months will be remembered as a record year for Italy’s most flamboyant supercar builder but what has Lamborghini got planned to keep its customers satisfied in 2017?

For the first time in its 54-year history, Lamborghini has sold more than 3,400 cars in a single year. Even with China cooling as a market for the world’s most exclusive and desirable automobiles, Lamborghini managed to sell 3457 cars; that’s a 7% increase on last year’s sales and a 200%+ increase on sales as recently as 2010.

“In 2016 Lamborghini has proven to be in excellent shape,”

said company CEO, Stefano Domenicali. “This new all-time high is once more confirming the substance and sustainability of our brand, product and commercial strategy.”

It’s phenomenal growth but with competition at the highest echelons of the automotive market at its fiercest for decades, how will Lamborghini maintain this momentum?

The first move is a complete refresh of the Aventador. After five years and 6000 unit sales, even a car with 700hp can start to seem stale.

So the new Aventador S will come with 740hp, a 0-100km/h

time of 2.9 seconds and a 350km/h top speed. And for good measure, Lamborghini is also adding a new four-wheel steering system to complement its all-wheel drive.

Alongside the new Aventador, the company is readying a lightweight, more aggressive, trackfocused version of its Huracán (in both hard- and soft-top form) that’s expected to make its debut in Geneva.

And while these supercars will keep the company’s oldest customers very happy, Lamborghini believes that the only way to continue posting record years is to move into the burgeoning SUV market with the Urus. AFP

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Edi tor DIN O DIREC TO III A ss t . Edi tor

B4

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Motoring FASTLANE Black Rhino’s new lineup debuts

The Honda BR-V compact sport-ute gamely absorbed the rough and twisty roads of Baler.

BRaVing Baler Text and photo by Dino Ray V. Directo III

W

HAT better way is there to take a vehicle through its paces than to drive it to the limit and attack the mountain passes of Cauayan, Isabela and Baler, Aurora.

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) shepherded select members of the motoring media and did just. Members of the motoring media drove 490kms to see if the newest SUV in town can take the punishment of lead-footed motoring scribes.journalists.

Our journey started with a plane ride to Isabela and then we drove the entire length of the popular surfing destination of Baler. The mediamen were divided into groups of three individuals, with strategic driver changes throughout the route.

The organizers saw to it that we experience the BR-V in different modes that tested the SUV’s comfort levels, handling and acceleration. I rode in SUV number two, with colleagues Anjo

Perez of Wheels Ph and Eggay Quesada of Autocar Ph. Joining the ride and drive was Atsushi Arisaka, Chief Engineer of the all-new BR-V, who flew in from Thailand just for the event. “The All-New BR-V has exclusive components designed for SUVs, such as revised suspension geometry, enhanced body rigidity, heightened air intake duct position, large tire size, and functional roof rails,” explains Arisaka, during a brief respite during

the drive as he talked about Honda’s sub-compact SUV. The scenic mountain roads of Baler provided the appropriate venue for us to test the overall performance of the SUV. Powered by a 1500cc iVTEC engine, the BR-V’s power plant aggressively roared as we accelerated up the hilly portions of the road. The tires screeched in anger as we took fast corners and clipped the apex of the twisty mountain pass. Despite the aggressive driving, the car felt stable and comfortable enough for my passengers to doze off in la-la land.

As parts of the new road to Baler were still under construction, the experience felt like a rallye stage for us, as it brought back memories of the Honda Media Challenge, where most of us veteran motoring scribes acquired our knowledge in dirt driving. The BR-V took it all in stride, as confidently drove pass the muddy construction works thanks to the 201mm ground clearance.

The drive provided us some engaging experience with the SUV and it allowed us to fully appreciate the BR-V’s innovative technologies, engineering and design inside and out. On top of this, its spacious interior, Honda ‘s latest SUV can accommodate seven people with relative ease, plus an additional 223 liters for cargo space on the third row.

The seats can be reconfigured to fit the various cargo hauling needs.

“With this test drive experience, the All-New BR-V proved to be the perfect affordable 7-seater SUV that offers powerful driving performance, comfortable ride, drivability, and versatility with its class leading features,” adds Masanao Kataoka, SAVP and HCPI Adviser for Sales. Kataoka also revealed that 700 units have already been delivered to satisfied customers since December 2016. Prices of the BR-V starts at P989,000 for the entry level 1500cc CVT and up to the top tier 1500cc Navi CVT Modulo variant.

Strada pick-up levels up its game MITSUBISHI Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) took the challenge of spicing up its game in the Pickup segment with the introduction of an additional variant, the Strada GLS 2WD. Known for possessing the power and reliability of a traditional pick-up while having carlike comfort and ease of handling, the new Strada makes exploring outdoors more convenient and enjoyable. The Strada GLS 2WD is now equipped with the 4N15 MIVEC (Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control) Clean Diesel engine and is available either in 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmissions.

Last year MMPC introduced the 4N15 MIVEC Clean Diesel equipped Strada GT 4WD variants and was chosen as the Best 4WD pick up in the Truck of the Year Awards of the Car Awards Group, Inc. Features of the new Strada GLS 2WD variants are as follows: Engine & Transmission The new Strada GLS 2WD brings forth a new level of performance as it is equipped now with the 2.4 liter MIVEC Cleand Diesel engne. The new MIVEC Clean Diesel maximizes power through its Variable Geometry Turbo at the same reducing fuel consumption and emissions with its variable valve timing and lift system, the only one in its kind in a diesel engine. Power output is rated at 181PS at 3500 rpm and 430 Nm of torque at 2,500 rpm.

The new MIVEC Clean Diesel engine keeps the Strada GLS ecofriendly without sacrificing its

speed and power which enthusiasts demand in a pick-up.

Complementing the new MIVEC Clean Diesel engine is the new 6-Speed Manual Transmission and 5-Speed INVECSII Automatic Transmission with Sports Mode. The 6-Speed Manual Transmis-

tegrated LED turn signals and power fold function. It also shows off a Foglamp-Integrated Daytime Running Lights and Rear Foglamps. To complete the whole package of sportiness, 17-

in its class when it comes to riding comfort. This variant also sports a 4-Spoke Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel mounted with audio and cruise controls. Magnesium Alloy Paddle Shifters are also equipped to the steering wheel (for GLS A/T variant only).

Safety Features

sion lets the driver feel in total control of the vehicle with its wide gear ratio and highly efficient clutch operation. Meanwhile, the 5-Speed Automatic Transmission lets the driver handle the vehicle with ease without sacrificing sportiness with the Sports Mode feature which lets the driver shift up or down with a flick of the lever for sporty, spirited driving.

Exterior The Strada GLS 2WD variant is given a New Dark Chrome Grille and a New Design Side Step Plate, giving it a classier look while still upholding its sportiness. The variant is also equipped with Power Side Mirrors in chrome with in-

inch Alloy Wheels are equipped to the new Strada variant.

Interior Complementing the sporty exterior of the Strada GLS 2WD variant, the Black High Grade Fabric Seats give the Strada a high-class look on the inside. The new seats, combined with the class-leading legroom of 1,745mm, make travelling cozy for all occupants with its enhanced leg support, greater side support, stable body-hugging fit and deeper center trim. Also contributing to the roominess of the Strada is the J-Line design. With the J-Line design, the seating position of the second row seats is improved, making the Strada the top

Aside from the undoubtedly powerful engine and sporty appearance, the Strada GLS 2WD also boasts first-class safety features as it is equipped with Anti-Locking Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Mitsubishi Motors’ proprietary RISE (Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution) Body Construction. The RISE body structure’s crumple zone ensures the safety of all passengers by effectively absorbing collision force and dispensing crash energy from all directions, thus completely protecting the interior cabin from the impact.

BLACK Rhino, the world’s most recognizable and popular off-road wheels recently debuted its latest line-up at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas recently. With design cues and engineering derived from actual offroad testing from proving grounds in the United States and in the Philippines, Black Rhino’s latest wheels reflects the toughness, reliability and looks required by off-roaders.

Each Black Rhino wheel is engineered to carry the heavy loads often associated with Trucks and SUV’s. All wheels are either hub-centric or supplied with centering rings to ensure a smooth vibration free ride. The latest designs come in a variety of 17”, 18”, 20” and 22” sizes in a variety of finishes - Matte Black, Gloss Black with Machine, Matte Black with Matte Machine, 5,6 and 8

Lug, all depending on what perfectly suits your truck, lifted truck and SUV. Each were designed for maximum rolling resistance and performance on and off the road.

Prior to the SEMA launch, Wheel Gallery, the exclusive importer and distributor of Black Rhino wheels in the country, was accorded the privilege of introducing some of the designs ahead of SEMA. “Notably one design was launched in SEMA last November and is called the Pinatubo due to our offroad influence with Black Rhino Wheels USA. That is such an honor and privilege for the Philippine wheel aftermarket,” says Sam Liuson of Wheel Gallery.

Those who want to level up their game, Black Rhino wheels are available in dealers nationwide or log on to w w w.conceptonewheels. com

Blade supports grassroots development IN OBSERVANCE of Blade’s 12th Anniversary, the company gave something back to the local community of Sta Rosa in Laguna by way of promoting environment preservation. Held at the Xavier in Nuvali, Sta Rosa, Laguna, Blade corporate officers and personnel planted 500 trees to promote a greener environment and cleaner air. “It is our way of saying thank you to the loyal patrons of Blade, and I have always been a nature lover. I want the future generation to enjoy walks in the park amid lush greenery,” says Robertson Sy Tan, Blade President and CEO. The Nuvali Tree planting campaign is part of the company’s CSR program which aims to strengthen grassroots development and environment protection.

Blade Auto Center, the country’s premier automotive lifestyle store is now the top destination for quality accessories and parts. Strategically located in Ayala, SM and Robinsons Malls nationwide, more branches are expected to be put up on top of its 50 operational stores offering top tier brands such as 3M, Pioneer, Sony, Kenwood, Meguiars, Mothers, Goodyear, Sparco, OMP, Dub, Bosch, Garmin, PIAA, 3M and more.

“We offer shopping convenience by way of its location which is inside a mall and in a clean and climate controlled environment.

Our well trained staff are always on hand to answer any product inquiries, as well as provide insightful information to help you in your purchase,” says Albert Go.

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Duterte hands out ‘Yolanda’ houses

By Mel Caspe TACLOBAN CITY—Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez and city government officials on Wednesday welcomed President Rodrigo R. Duterte, who led the turnover of houses for Typhoon “Yolanda” survivors at the New Hope Village in Barangay Sta. Elena here.

Fulfilling his promise to return to check on projects related to “Yolanda” rehabilitation, the President distributed Certificates of House and Lot Allocation to 1,062 beneficiaries of six permanent housing sites in the city.

In a coordination meeting for Duterte’s visit at the City Engineering Office presided

by Presidential Management Staff Head Evelyn Clarin, it was learned that of the 1,000 houses at New Hope, 900 units were already raffled off to beneficiaries, while about 500 are now occupied.

NHA Regional Project Manager Rizalde Mediavillo said the CELA beneficiaries came from five housing sites in Tacloban—Villa Sofia, Villa Diana, Guadalupe, Greendale, and North Hill Arbor.

Mediavillo added the CELA beneficiaries complied with the requirements set by the NHA. The President’s itinerary on Thursday included a turnover and inspection of houses in New Hope Guadalupe.

Romualdez gave the welcome address during the ceremony and was to outline the city government’s project for the resettled families to Duterte.

Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. also reported on the status of projects committed by the President during his Nov. 8 visit.

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

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

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Zhao to join Manila CNY fete

By Sandy Araneta

I

N LINE with President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to build stronger ties with China, Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada has invited Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua to the Chinese New Year festivities in Binondo this weekend.

JOB FAIR. Caloocan City residents line up in a job fair at city hall hosted by Mayor Oscar Malapitan on Thursday. The Department of Labor and Employment recognized Caloocan’s Labor and Industrial Office- Public Employment Services Office in its search for the Best PESO in 2015, and Malapitan said the city is gunning for the honor again. Andrew Rabulan

QC animation and IT fair set THE Quezon City government announced on Thursday the Second QC Animation and Information Technology Fair in February.

About 5,000 educators and animators are expected to take part in the fair organized by the city government in partnership with the Korea-Philippines Information Technology Training Center.

The event aims to produce

creative animation talents for outsourcing competitiveness in the global market. It will feature animation and IT exhibits and galleries, lectures and workshops, virtual reality experiences, and on-the-spot creative contests.

The event is set from Feb. 23 to 25 in the Quezon City Interactive Museum at the Quezon Memorial Circle. Mayor Herbert Bautista will be the keynote speaker.

Reynald Paul Imjada, Quezon City Information and Technology Department Office head, will spearhead the activity.

The event is expected to stimulate career opportunities for the city-based educators, out-ofschool-youth, and career shifters to the animation and IT industry to generate a more creative digital economy environment for the city. Rio N. Araja

Estrada, a former President, said Zhao confirmed joining the Chinese New Year’s Eve countdown and traditional “Unity Parade” on Friday and Saturday, along with other Chinese embassy officials.

“Of course, it’s a must that we invite the ambassador because he is the highest Chinese government official in the Philippines,” Estrada said.

Amid the still-heated issues on the West Philippine Sea and Duterte’s continuing bid to forge closer links with Beijing, Estrada said China “can help us more.”

“As I have said, we will gain more being close to China than with any other countries.

They can help us more,” the mayor said, echoing Duterte’s earlier pronouncements that China has already committed to extend more assistance to the country.

As to the parade in Binondo, Estrada said Zhao even gave him “a Chinese costume” to wear to the event.

Estrada also said he is “very close” to Zhao. He recalled that the ambassador invited him to the 2017 Spring Festival dinner

reception at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel last Monday.

In 2014, a year after being elected mayor of Manila, Estrada went to Hong Kong to apologize on behalf of the city government over the bloody Luneta hostage-taking incident on Aug. 23, 2010, where eight Hong Kongite tourists were killed.

Estrada’s visit paved the way for Hong Kong officials’ decision to lift the sanctions they imposed on the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Manila Tourism chief Liz Villaseñor said the New Year’s Eve Countdown today at the Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz will start at 5 p.m. with lion and dragon dances.

It will be followed by performances by the Manila City Repertoire and other cultural performances up to the countdown that will begin at 11:20 p.m., which will be led by Estrada, Zhao and other city and embassy officials.

Estrada will also distribute around 2,000 boxes of “tikoy” or sticky Chinese cakes to the crowd after the countdown, Villaseñor said. The New Year Unity Parade will start by 3 p.m. on Saturday, she added.

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LGUs

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Drug-free Baguio by end of year?

By Dexter A. See

B

AGUIO CITY—Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan wants the Baguio City Police Office to work double time and for residents to cooperate with the city’s anti-drug campaign to make the city drug-free by the end of this year.

Domogan said the increasing number of drug surrenderers and arrests for involvement in the illegal drug trade only shows that law enforcers “still have a lot of homework to do.”

The support of the residents, who should provide vital information that will lead to the arrest of those involved in the lucrative drug trade, is invaluable in this effort, the mayor added.

As of last week, Domogan noted a total of 2,390 drug surrenderers from the city’s different barangays, with 1,984 drug users and 406 drug pushers.

About 206 individuals were arrested by combined police operatives and anti-narcotics agents in various anti-drug operations, with 182 drug pushers and 24 users, he added.

Domogan also claimed more than P4.4 million worth of shabu were confiscated in various anti-drug operations, while the amount of marijuana seized by

authorities remain at P729,729.

“We appeal to everyone to continue to be vigilant relative to the government’s anti-drug campaign so that we will be able to achieve of making our city drug-free by the end of this year,” the mayor said.

“Residents must cooperate in identifying those involved in the illegal drug trade in their barangays so that they could be immediately arrested and charged, because we want to spare our youth from the serious negative effects of the use of illegal drugs,” he stressed.

The government’s anti-drug

campaign “has greatly contributed in improving the peace and order situation in the city with the significant reduction on the volume of crimes,” Domogan said. However, he also noted the negative effects of the campaign, particularly the loss of innocent lives and the seeming use of the anti-drug campaign for vengeful persons to get back at their detractors, among other issues.

Arresting individuals involved in illegal drugs would be easier on the part of the police, the mayor said, once residents and barangay officials cooperate with them.

By the end of 2016, the local police force reported around 2,360 drug surrenderers in the city, but the series of anti-drug operations resulted in the increase of arrested drug personalities, coupled with the rising number of drug surrenderers in the different barangays.

The government’s anti-drug campaign will only be successful once barangay residents will cooperate with the ongoing police operations so the drug personalities will be neutralized and the supply of the prohibited drugs will be minimized, Domogan said.

‘Wetlands important for migratory birds’

By Butch Gunio BALANGA CITY, Bataan— The Balanga wetlands and marshlands are important to the existing migratory bird ecosystem in this part of the country, the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines said here.

“These wetlands and marshlands in Balanga villages of Tortugas, Puerto Rivas Ibaba, and Sibacan are important to the ecosystem involving migratory birds,” WBCP member Karen Ochavo pointed out during the water bird census here on Saturday.

“What the city government doing here in Balanga to protect and conserve migratory birds and their habitat is commendable, insofar as not disrupting the balance of the ecosystem,” Ochavo added.

City Administrator Rudy de Mesa said Mayor Francis Garcia and Vice Mayor Vianca Venzon-Gozon, as presiding officer of the city council, are committed to protecting the migratory birds and their habitat in the city.

“Our Ibong Dayo Festival is a Hall of Fame awardee as Best Notice of Extrajudicial Settlement Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late Eduardo O. Zabanal consisting of real property and personal property was extra-judicially settled and distributed among his heirs, Shalimar Rosary N. Zabanal, Angelica Almira Zabanal, Regina Tatiana Nabor Zabanal, Lorelei Blossom Nabor Zabanal, Eduardo O. Zabanal, Jr. and Leorosie Nabor Zabanal by means of a public document executed on November 25, 2016, before a Notary Public in the State of Hawaii, authenticated by the Clerk of the Circuit Court of the First Circuit and by Roberto T. Brenardo, Consul of the Philippines in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA as per Doc. No. 4885, Page 212, Book No. XLIII Series of 2016.

(MS-JAN. 13,20 & 27, 2017)

Tourism Event City Category from Department of Tourism, thus protecting the migratory birds is aligned with our tourism thrust,” De Mesa said.

“The mayor is also thankful for the villagers and visitors for not harming the birds and cooperating with the city in its drive to protect the environment,” he added.

The census counted 15,075 migratory birds in one day at the wetlands in four seaside villages of this city, lower than last year’s number, as tallied by representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and WBCP. Cristine Cingco, WBCP secretary, said not all the migratory birds have arrived at Balanga.

“It was very windy, only a few fishponds were dry, and the tide was high,” she added.

Cingco said the census still came up with a good number, considering the counts in Candaba, Pampanga, and other birdwatching sites were much lower.

There were 34 bird species spotted in Balanga but egrets, terns and plovers were the most seen in the wetlands.

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NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION Notice is hereby given that Sonagi Enterprises, Inc. located at BCPI Compound, PTC-SEZ Gov. Drive, Bo. Maduya, Carmona, Cavite was dissolved effective October 31, 2016.

QC TRANSPORT AUTHORITY. Quezon City Councilor Ramon ‘Toto’ Medalla (middle) together with Atty. Ariel Inton of the Lawyers for

Commuters Service and Protection (right) and Danilo Mangahas (left) of the transport group Kongreso ng Mananakay at Transportasyon, present to the media copies of the ordinance creating the QC Transport Service Authority, which aims to help the Department of Transportation in planning the needs of the city’s transport sector. In the Jan. 25 issue of the Manila Standard, on page C1, we mistakenly captioned this photo by Andrew Rabulan as saying Medalla, Inton and Mangahas “were calling on President Rodrigo Duterte to remove Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chairman Martin Delgra from office” for planning the phaseout of old jeepneys. Medalla and Inton clarified they were only presenting several proposed ordinances to create the transport authority and regulate the sale of motor vehicles in Metro Manila, among other measures. The Standard regrets this error and sincerely apologizes to Councilor Medalla, Atty. Inton and Mr. Mangahas.

Flood project held up in Pampanga P1.45-m

By Romeo Dizon SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga—A flood mitigation project on a river in Barangay San Felipe here is being held up by a landowner and a “nervous sheriff,” Antonio V. Molano Jr., regional director of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Central Luzon, said here Thursday.

Molano said at issue is the onehectare Zapata property, which runs through the middle of the river in San Felipe. He said the area needs to be dredged or its debris removed because it is impeding the flow of floodwaters downstream into Manila Bay. The landowner, however, is selling the property to the government for

P12,000 per square meter when its appraised value is just P16 per sq m, the DPWH regional chief added.

Moreover, Molano said the “sheriff of Pampanga refuses to implement or serve the writ of execution against the property, despite it already being expropriated in the name of the government last year.”

The sheriff has not acted, the director added, because the landowner has reportedly imported armed men believed to be New People’s Army rebels operating in Isabela to harass authorities going to the property.

“They have held the province of Pampanga hostage for over five years now,” Molano said. “We need to implement these flood control projects to save this

area from massive flooding this coming rainy season, which can cause several million pesos in damages both to government and private properties, aside from loss of human lives.”

“We already expropriated the property and deposited P6 million with the bank so that we can proceed with our projects, but the owner continues to refuse [to help the DPWH] by maintaining his asking price, while the sheriff refuses to serve the writ of execution until now,” he complained.

Dredging “must be done at all costs” to prevent flooding in Pampanga and specially this city, which hosts billions of pesos in investments that provide employment to its residents, Molano stressed.

(MS-JAN. 13,20 & 27, 2017)

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that 8990 HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, with office address at 8990 Corporate Center, Negros St., Cebu Business Park, Cebu City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as New Developer of Economic and Low-cost Housing Project (Urban DecaHomes-Marilao Subdivision) with a capacity of 822 economic and low-cost house and lot units on a nonpioneer status, with project site located at McArthur Highway, Abangan Sur, Marilao, Bulacan.

Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Office-In-Charge Infrastructure and Services Industries Service (MS-JAN. 27, 2017)

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that JG SUMMIT PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as New Producer of Bimodal Polyethylene Resins on Pioneer status, at annual capacity of 251,712 metric tons with project site located at Barangay Simlong and Barangay Pinamucan Ibaba, Batangas City.

Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) EVARISTE M. CAGATAN Director Manufacturing Industries Service (MS-JAN. 27, 2017)

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KAWIT MEDICAL MISSION. The Provincial Government of Cavite, through the Provincial Health Office and the Office of the

Provincial Governor, conducted a medical and dental mission in Barangay BantayanTramo, Kawit, Cavite on Wednesday. A total of 320 constituents under Barangay Captain Hilbert L. Derudar benefited from the free services rendered by volunteer doctors, dentists and nurses from Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital and other provincial government employees. Constituents were also given medicines, vitamins and mosquito-repellent lotion. Councilor Atty. Simon Victa also supported the event. Benjamin B. Chavez

DoLE aid to town in Quirino SAGUDAY, Quirino—This town recently received P1.45 million in livelihood assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment for its displaced workers.

“This fund will provide livelihood projects for 181 displaced workers such as solo parents, farmers and beneficiaries of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program [4Ps],” said Maria Theresa Ronquillo, DoLE provincial chief.

She said the funds will be used to produce fossilized f lowers and bamboo crafts made by the beneficiaries.

Ronquillo said the livelihood assistance was rolled out through the DoLE’s Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program, which aims to reduce poverty in the country through self-employment and augmentation of incomes.

The emergency employment also provides immediate source of income for the displaced workers, she added.

Mayor Marcelina Pagbilao said the residents are very grateful for DoLE’s help for the poor in her municipality. She also challenged the beneficiaries to use the assistance for their welfare and the improvement of their economic status.

“I have seen other beneficiaries of DoLE’s programs succeed in improving their lives. I hope you will too by showing honesty, hard work and patience,” Pagbilao said. Ben Moses Ebreo

World IN BRIEF Cambodia urged to free rights workers PHNOM PENH―United Nations envoys have urged Cambodia to release five human rights workers, detained in the fall out of a sex scandal that engulfed the country’s floundering opposition movement.

Four current and one former employee of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association were jailed in April for allegedly encouraging a 25-yearold hairdresser to deny having an affair with acting opposition leader Kem Sokha.

The case was seen as PM Hun Sen’s latest effort to hamstring an opposition vying to end the strongman’s 31-year domination of Cambodian politics, though the politician was pardoned last month by the king.

On Tuesday two UN rights experts questioned the “legal basis” of the rights workers’ detentions, describing them as “arbitrary”.

“They have been held hostage long enough, it’s time for their release,” Rhona Smith, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, said in a statement.

She alleged that Cambodian authorities have used criminal provisions as “a pretext to suppress and prevent the legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of expression”. AFP

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Obamacare repeal opposed W

ASHINGTON―Most US doctors oppose President Donald Trump’s bid to repeal Barack Obama’s signature health care reform law, saying it needs to be fixed rather than eliminated, a study released Wednesday found.

Students charged with defamation YANGON –A group of Myanmar students has been charged with defamation over a play containing jokes about military wives having affairs while their husbands are away fighting.

Nine students were in a court near the southern city of Pathein on Wednesday, where they were told they would face trial over the performance that was staged during a workshop promoting peace.

A local army lieutenant-colonel lodged the case because the play “could disgrace and destroy the image of the Tatmadaw” and their families, police officer Zaw Min Tun said.

Tatmadaw is another name for Myanmar’s army.

Video footage of the January 9 performance has gone viral.

In one scene, an army wife says she supports war because “my husband has been away fighting for a long time... so I can have affairs freely as I like”.

The trial starts in a fortnight, with the case adding to concerns about freedom of speech in Myanmar since a civilian government, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, came to power.

On Sunday, lawyers and journalists joined a Yangon protest demanding the government overturn a controversial online defamation law known as section 66(d).

Days earlier UN rights envoy Yanghee Lee criticized the authorities for using the defamation law against people “merely for speaking their minds”. AFP

Six killed battling forest fires SANTIAGO―Six people -among them four firefighters and two police -- have now been killed battling vast forest fires in central Chile, officials said Wednesday.

“I can now say officially that there are two more fatalities -- two Chilean police who were found in the Maule River,” said Interior Minister Mario Fernandez, raising the total death toll to six.

Earlier in the day a firefighter died after getting stuck while trying to help a family escape from their home near the city of Constitucion, a source in the fire service told AFP. And over the past week three other firefighters died and another three were injured, authorities said earlier.

Multiple blazes have ravaged 238,000 hectares (588,000 acres) and are growing, the National Forestry Corporation said in a statement.

Frantic locals have been joining in efforts to tackle the blaze to save their homes, animals and farmland.

President Michelle Bachelet Tuesday ordered extra funds to fight what she called the country’s worst forest fires ever.

At least 4,000 people have been evacuated, the National Emergency Office said on Tuesday.

The fires have struck mainly in sparsely populated rural areas in the central regions of O’Higgins and El Maule. AFP

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READY FOR THE SPRING FESTIVAL. Residents select flowers at a traditional flower market in Taipei on January 26, 2017, ahead of the Lunar New Year. Taiwanese decorate their homes with flowers and pray for good fortune at temples to celebrate the Lunar New Year, which starts on January 28. AFP

The report in the New England Journal of Medicine was based on a survey of 426 physicians randomly selected from the American Medical Association’s Physician Masterfile, a database of more than 1.4 million doctors, residents and medical students in the United States.

“What we heard is that the majority of primary care physicians are open to changes in the law but overwhelmingly opposed full repeal,” said lead author Craig Pollack, associate professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Just 15 percent of responding physicians supported complete repeal of the Affordable Care Act of 2010.

Meanwhile, 74 percent of respondents favored making changes, “such as creating a public option like Medicare to compete with private plans, paying physicians for value rather than volume and increasing the use of health savings accounts,” said the report.

Just 29 percent of doctors were in favor of increasing the use of high-deductible health plans, whereby patients pay lower monthly fees for insurance but may have to pay thousands out of pocket annually for medical services until they meet their deductible.

One of Trump’s first actions as president was to sign on January 20 an executive order aimed at limiting the “burden” of the Obamacare health law.

During the signing in the Oval Office, Trump’s chief of staff Reince Priebus described the order as aimed at “minimizing the economic burden” of the Affordable Care Act, “pending repeal.”

Doing away with Barack Obama’s signature domestic achievement is a top priority for Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress.

Doctors in the survey were asked about their political affiliation, and 38 percent of those who voted for Trump said they supported repealing the law. No Democrats supported a complete repeal.

The overall 15 percent of doctors favoring repeal is lower than the 26 percent of the general public that feels the same, according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll.

“Primary care physicians are on the front lines of health care -they are physicians that patients know best and turn to first when they are sick,” said Pollack.

“With primary care physicians often helping patients navigate challenges with their insurance, it is critical to understand their perspectives on the repeal of the act.”

Most doctors expressed support for parts of the law that have increased health insurance coverage, adding some 20 million people who previously did not have health care.

A total of 95 percent said they support a ban on denying coverage or charging higher prices on the basis of pre-existing conditions.

Another 88 percent supported allowing young adults to remain on their parents’ plan until age 26.

A large majority of doctors also favored tax credits and subsidies to small businesses and individuals.

“We don’t yet know what provisions may be repealed or modified, but we have started to see signs of what could be coming,” said co-author David Grande, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.

“And what has been absent in the conversation so far is how physicians feel the law has impacted their patients’ and the care they are able to deliver.” AFP

US television icon Nazi-themed cafe in Indonesia closes Mary Tyler Moore dies of diabetes LOS ANGELES―Legendary actress Mary Tyler Moore, who delighted a generation of Americans with her energetic comic performances and broke barriers with her iconic portrayal of a single career woman, died Wednesday after years of ill health.

She was 80.

Moore’s eponymous sitcom -- set in Minneapolis -- ran for seven seasons in the 1970s and was named by Time Magazine as one of 17 shows that “changed television.”

She died in hospital in Connecticut, according to media reports, after battling diabetes for years and undergoing brain surgery in 2011.

“Today, beloved icon Mary Tyler Moore passed away at the age of 80 in the company of friends and her loving husband of over 33 years, Dr. S. Robert Levine,” her longtime representative Mara Buxbaum told AFP in a statement.

“A groundbreaking actress, producer, and passionate advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Mary will be remembered as a fearless visionary who turned the world on with her smile.”

“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” was radical in its time -- featuring a single woman, living on her own, and chasing her dream as a television reporter.

It also spawned numerous spin-offs for its popular supporting cast of quirky, slightly neurotic characters, launching Moore’s behind-the-scenes career.

As top executives of MTM Enterprises, Moore and then-husband Grant Tinker created and produced “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and its spinoffs, and were also responsible for hit shows including “Hill Street Blues,” “St. Elsewhere” and “Remington Steele.”

“A minute’s silence as we remembered one of the true greats of TV comedy,” tweeted actor Stephen Fry, who was rehearsing on the Hollywood stage made famous by Moore’s show.

Michael Keaton described her as “iconic, my boss, castmate and a friend” while filmmaker Kevin Smith said she was a “tireless defender of animals, and scourge of diabetes.”

“Truly she turned the world on with her smile,” he added, referring to the lyrics of her show’s theme song.

Talk show host and actress Ellen DeGeneres said Moore “changed the world for all women” while Congresswoman Betty McCollum of Minnesota described the actress as one of the state’s “favorite honorary daughters.” AFP

BANDUNG, Indonesia―A controversial Nazi-themed cafe in Indonesia with swastika-bearing walls has closed over a lack of customers, a lawyer said Thursday, but pledged it would reopen at a bigger location.

The SoldatenKaffee (“The Soldiers’ Cafe”), which also sports a painting of Adolf Hitler, sparked global outrage when reports about the unusual venue in the city of Bandung surfaced several years ago.

The owner Henry Mulyana voluntarily shut the cafe in 2013 after receiving death threats, but it was reopened a year later, with the image of the Nazi leader still in place and three huge iron eagles with swastikas on display.

But in the end it was not the controversy that forced the cafe to close its

doors again -- but a lack of interest.

Mulyana’s lawyer Rohman Hidayat confirmed that the SoldatenKaffee had shut as there were not enough customers to support it, but said he did not believe people had been put off by the theme.

“The public interest is low because the current location is not very strategic,” Hidayat told AFP, adding the cafe was shut six months ago and the decision was taken purely for business reasons.

He said Mulyana was looking for a better location in downtown Bandung -- the previous site was in a quiet area outside the centre -- and for new investors to build a bigger cafe, although he did not say when it would reopen.

Hidayat insisted the SoldatenKaffe, which takes its name from cafes where

German troops used to hang out in occupied Paris during World War II, would still display the Nazi memorabilia when it opened again.

“Those objects are not illegal,” he said.

“It’s not because we love Hitler, we only love things related to World War II.” When Mulyana reopened the cafe in 2014, he sought to escape criticism by broadening the theme, adding images of other World War II figures like Winston Churchill and Josef Stalin alongside Nazi-related memorabilia.

The cafe first opened its doors in 2011, but only found itself at the centre of controversy two years later when the English-language media began highlighting its Nazi theme. AFP

SWEARING IN. Austria’s president Alexander Van der Bellen is sworn in by the federal assembly at the parliament in Vienna on January 26, 2017. Van der Bellen, 73, narrowly won a run-off against Norbert Hofer from the Freedom Party in May but the antiimmigration party got the result annulled due to procedural irregularities. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

World

Pena Nieto mulls over canceling meeting MEXICO CITY―President Enrique Pena Nieto weighed on Wednesday whether to cancel a meeting with Donald Trump next week as he condemned the US president’s decision to build a massive border wall.

Lawmakers are pressuring Pena Nieto to scrap Tuesday’s talks in Washington after Trump made good on his campaign pledge to quickly order the construction of the barrier.

“I regret and condemn the decision of the United States to continue construction of a wall that, for years, has divided us instead of uniting us,” Pena Nieto said in a nationally televised message.

“I have said it time and again: Mexico will not pay for any wall,” he said, referring to Trump’s vow to make the southern neighbor pay for the barrier.

“Mexico gives and demands respect as the completely sovereign nation that we are,” Pena Nieto said.

Pena Nieto said he would wait for a report from a high-level Mexican delegation holding meetings in the US capital this week and consult with governors and lawmakers before deciding on “the next steps to take.”

Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray, who was in Washington, told the Televisa network that Pena Nieto will weigh whether to travel to Washington but that “the meeting stands for now.”

The last time Pena Nieto met with Trump, things did not go well for the Mexican leader.

Pena Nieto came under massive criticism at home for hosting the Republican billionaire during the US presidential election in August even though Trump had called Mexican migrants “rapists” and drug runners.

Videgaray resigned his post as finance minister at the time after it emerged that he had orchestrated the trip, but he was named chief diplomat after Trump was elected.

Now, Pena Nieto is under pressure to avoid meeting Trump again, with Senator Miguel Barbosa, of the leftist Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), saying Pena Nieto should not let Trump “impose his conditions” in negotiations.

Barbosa described the wall and measures against “sanctuary” US cities that protect migrants from deportation as “acts of aggression against Mexico, against Latin America, against the world, against freedom.” AFP

REPUBLIC DAY. Indian school children perform in the Republic Day Parade at Rajpath in New Delhi on January 26, 2017. Motorbike stunt riders and herds of camels wowed the crowds gathered in the center of New Delhi on January 26 to celebrate Republic Day, an annual showcase of India’s military hardware and cultural diversity. After the presidents of the United States and France attended the last two extravaganzas, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was this year’s chief guest as everyone from elite troops to schoolchildren paraded down the landmark Rajpath boulevard. AFP

Trump order to build wall angers Mexicans W ASHINGTON―President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered work to begin on building a wall across the Mexican border, angering his southern neighbor with his hard-line stance on immigration.

The US leader instructed officials to begin to “plan, design and construct a physical wall along the southern border” and -- perhaps more problematically -- see how it could be funded.

“A nation without borders is not a nation,” Trump said, echoing former president Ronald Reagan, as he visited the Department of Homeland Security to sign two executive orders.

“Beginning today, the United States of America gets back control of its borders,” the Republican president said.

Hours later, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto demanded “respect” for his country in a nationally televised address.

“I regret and condemn the decision of the United States to continue construction of a wall that, for years, has divided us instead of uniting us,” Pena Nieto said.

“I have said it time and again: Mexico will not pay for any wall,” Pena Nieto said.

A Mexican government official told AFP that Pena Nieto will weigh in the coming days whether to maintain a meeting with Trump in Washington on Tuesday.

Stemming immigration was a central plank of Trump’s election campaign.

His signature policy prescription was to build a wall across the 3,200-kilometer border between the United States and Mexico.

Some of the border is already fenced, but Trump says a wall is needed to stop illegal immigrants entering from Latin America.

The policy has become a clarion call for the US right and far-right -- the core of Trump’s support.

A Morning Consult/Politico poll released Wednesday said 47 percent of voters support building a wall, with 45 percent against.

Experts have voiced doubts about whether a wall would actually slow illegal immigration, or if it is worth the billions it is expected to cost.

“I suspect that a lot of Trump supporters would be just as happy with a big statue of a middle finger pointed south,” said Congressman Luis Gutierrez.

“Both are about equally effective as national security strategies.”

Despite the high-octane rhetoric, Trump’s action was piecemeal, looking to identify existing funds that could be diverted toward the project.

The Republican-controlled Congress would need to supply billions of dollars more if the wall is to be anywhere near completed.

Trump’s party has spent the last decade preaching fiscal prudence, so cuts to existing programs would likely be required.

Trump also ordered a survey of the border to be completed within 180 days.

Much of the land needed to build the wall would have to be seized from private citizens in Texas, the state of Texas or tribal authorities.

That could lead to lengthy legal proceedings, political blowback and substantial expropriation payments.

“The only real solution to reform our immigration system is to pass comprehensive immigration reform that provides a path to citizenship for the 11 million” undocumented people in the United States, top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said. AFP

Mayor welcomes help but not federal troops

STUDENT’S DAY. Participants prepare for the annual ‘Marine Glory of Russia’ ball to mark Student’s Day at Admiral Makarov State Maritime Academy in Saint Petersburg on January 25, 2017. AFP

CHICAGO―Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Wednesday that he would welcome federal law enforcement help to deal with a spiking murder rate, in response to a tweet from US President Donald Trump promising to “send in the feds.”

But he strongly rejected the notion that Trump might employ the National Guard.

Political leaders in Chicago were abuzz over the president’s tweet promising to act if the city cannot “fix the horrible ‘carnage’ going on.”

Chicago has struggled with a soaring murder rate and rampant shootings. Last year, there were more than 750 murders and 3,500 shootings, and this January has proven deadlier than last.

“The president has offered, and repeated, that he wants to offer federal help as it relates to public safety. I’m going to take him up on that offer,” said Emanuel, a prominent Democrat who was former president Barack Obama’s first White House chief of staff.

The mayor said he had spoken as recently as last week with White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and Vice President Mike Pence.

“What we do agree is in using federal law enforcement resourc-

es to help and support local law enforcement,” Emanuel said at a news conference.

But the president’s “send in the feds” comment prompted speculation among some that the National Guard could be called upon to help police the city, a notion the mayor rejected.

“I’m against it, straight up,” Emanuel said. “It’s antithetical to the spirit of what community policing is.”

At the White House, press secretary Sean Spicer said the president was suggesting various forms of aid to Chicago to help it better enforce the law, “either through the US Attorney’s office or other means that will ensure that the people of Chicago have the resources to feel safe.”

“I think up next we’ll get a dialogue started with Mayor Emanuel and figure out what a path forward can be so that we get -- we come up with a plan that can keep the people of Chicago safe and help ease the problem there,” Spicer said.

But the president’s tweet rankled city leaders, some of whom expressed dismay over Trump’s penchant to address complex issues via Twitter’s 140-character dispatches. AFP

Directive to restrict Muslims defended WASHINGTON―US President Donald Trump said late Wednesday that his plan to limit the entry of people from several Muslim countries was necessary because the world is “a total mess”.

Interviewed on ABC News, Trump denied that it was a ban on Muslims.

“No it’s not the Muslim ban, but it’s countries that have tremendous terror,” Trump said.

“And it’s countries that people are going to come in and cause us tremendous problems. Our country has enough problems without allowing people to come in, who in many cases or in some cases, are looking to do tremendous destruction.”

Trump refused to be pinned down on which countries he was talking about, but did say that he believed that Europe “made a tremendous mistake by allowing these millions of people to go into Germany and various other countries, and all you have to do is take a look, it’s a disaster what’s happening over there.”

According to a draft executive order published in US media, refugees from war-torn Syria will be indefinitely banned, the broader US refugee admissions program will be suspended for 120 days, and all visa applications from countries deemed a terrorist threat -- Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen -- will be halted for 30 days.

Trump was asked if he was concerned that this would anger Muslims around the world.

“Anger? There’s plenty of anger right now. How can you have more?” he said.

“The world is a mess. The world is as angry as it gets.

What, you think this is going to cause a little more anger? The world is an angry place. All of this has happened. We went into Iraq. We shouldn’t have gone into Iraq. We shouldn’t have gotten out the way we got out. The world is a total mess.”

According to the draft decree, Trump intends to halve the number of refugees entering the United States during the 2017 fiscal year, which ends on September 30.

While the administration of former president Barack Obama had set a target of accepting more than 100,000 refugees this year, the Trump administration aims to slash that to 50,000. AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

SHOPPING

D1

BLUE AND WHITE

Classic color combo for a reason C

RATE and Barrel is giving the classic blue and white its moment, capturing the serene cloud-dusted sky and Mediterranean shores, and pairing these with pure and warm white.

The color signifies strength, wealth, and dependability. However, in skilled hands and in combination with Crate and Barrel’s signature white with wood look, blue can just as easily be used to create a casual atmosphere.

Think blue-and-white nautical stripes at the classic seaside beach house, with white dinnerware on a

rustic wooden table. Or white slip covered sofa on a natural wood floor, or a ceramic farmhouse mixing bowl and a well-aged cutting board. No matter how you use this powerful color, the result is always clean and fresh, calming and timeless.

Crate and Barrel Philippines stores are located at SM Mega Fashion Hall, SM Aura Premier and SM Makati.

Feng shui master Hanz Cua will conduct a one-hour feng shui seminar for Araneta Center malls' shoppers

ONCE IN A BLUE ROOM. These blue and white home items will add a clean and timeless look to your home. From top, clockwise: Colette Bedroom collection, Navajo kilimsinspired throw pillows and Indigo batik plates

A bright and prosperous year of the FIRE ROOSTER WOULD you like some tips and insights on how to activate good energy for an auspicious year ahead?

The Araneta Center ushers in the colorful Year of the Fire Rooster with a Feng Shui seminar and other practices to bring in a bright and prosperous 2017.

On Jan. 28, prominent Feng Shui expert Master Hanz Cua, dubbed as “the youngest Feng Shui Master in the Philippines and Asia,” will conduct a one-hour Feng Shui seminar for shoppers at the Araneta Center malls. Drop by at 3 p.m. at the activity areas of Ali Mall, 4 p.m. at New Farmers Plaza, and 5 p.m. at Gateway Mall to learn about this ancient art and science that developed in China

nearly 5,000 years ago. Master Hanz will reveal the secrets of using the Qi energy to attract luck this 2017.

Discover practical Feng Shui tips that can come in handy to invite good health, wealth and love into your homes, schools and offices.

Also, get insights as to how you will fare this year under your Chinese Zodiac sign, as he talks about the 12 animal fortunes forecast for each sign.

The Chinese New Year 2017, which is characterized by lucky colors gold, brown and yellow, is considered to be a Yin year. With rooster being the sign of dawn and awakening, free palm and tarot card readings will also be available at the event for insights about your

future when it comes to career, love life and health.

Moreover, ring in the Year of the Fire Rooster with free fortune cookies for the first 1,000 visitors to the new Tweet Shop at Gateway Mall Activity Area. Simply visit the Tweet Shop and tweet your new year’s wish using the hashtag #MyAranetaCNYstory.

The festivities will not be complete without the traditional Lion and Dragon Dance that will snake around the streets of the Araneta Center. A spectacular fireworks display will also be held at 7 pm to cap off the festivities.

To know the latest happenings at the Araneta Center, visit www.aranetacenter.net and follow Araneta Center on Facebook and Twitter.

OMD bags back-to-back win at Campaign Southeast Asia for 2 years in a row PRIMED by its commitment to deliver fearless and aggressive media campaigns and innovations, OMD Philippines, led by General Manager Carla Cifra, wins another Media Agency of The Year award (Silver awardee) at the 2016 Campaign Asia-Pacific Agency of the Year Awards at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia, Singapore.

The two-consecutive wins from 2015 Silver award to retaining this year’s Media Agency of The Year spot, Cifra talks about OMD’s bold media reinvention, “The pursuit of game-changing improvement has been at the heart of our product development in 2016. OMD embraced

change through fearless creativity and delivered sharper insights, smarter ideas, and stronger results powered by data. We’ve reaped the results, as we have shown our clients how creative media can bolster business growth.”

Both wins of OMD Philippines were under the leadership of Omnicom Media Group Philippines CEO, Mary Buenaventura, whose strong background in the creative industry has fostered the agency’s media reinvention.

“2016 for Omnicom Media Group was a year of media reinvention.

Our objective was to take our media brands in the forefront of creativity in media services. The recognition that we

received is very humbling, and a testament of unparalleled passion by our exceptionally talented team who put in a lot of hard work into delivering a creatively diverse and effective work, which made our media better. There are exciting innovations to look forward to in 2017 as we embark on heightening our talent competence, as we continue to strive to future-proof our talents and services,” said Buenaventura.

Campaign Asia’s Agency of The Year Awards is a prestigious media and creative award giving body that is widely recognized to honor the best in advertising and communications industries in the region.

OMD Philippines general manager Carla Cifra and Omnicom Media Group president and CEO Mary Buenaventura receive the Media Agency of the Year award (Silver) for OMD

Life

D2

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

MISS UNIVERSE CANDIDATES B

receive upcycled neckpieces

EAUTIFULLY handcrafted neckpieces by the Artisan Women of Tondo made from upcycled Coca-Cola pull tabs recently took center stage during one of the preliminary events for the 65th Miss Universe Pageant. The artisan women presented each candidate with her very own neckpiece during a sunset cruise around Manila Bay and a dinner at the exclusive Pico de Loro Cove at Hamilo Coast in Batangas.

Beyond the glitz and glamor that surround the prestigious Miss Universe event is its heart – women empowering women. During the sunset cruise, the candidates took time to talk with the artisan women to know their stories and admire their handiwork, while also sharing their personal experiences and journey through the pageant.

“This is a great way of showcasing the artistry of the Filipino women artisans to the world and it also highlights how women are contributing to the empowerment of other women, wherever they may be in the globe,” said Atty. Adel

Tamano, Coca-Cola Philippines vice president for Public Affairs and Communications.

Each of the neckpieces was individually crafted by the women artisans in their workshop in Tondo, a district in Manila known as one of the most densely populated and economically-challenged areas in the country. The work of art they produce provides additional income for the artisans. The women engaged in the workshop

The Miss Universe 2016 candidates meet the artisan women of Tondo who presented neckpieces made of upcycled Coca-Cola pull tabs

Beauty queens open their special gifts from Coca-Cola Philippines

are mostly single mothers and sole breadwinners; they play a challenging role in order to support their respective families.

The Artisan Women of Tondo is among the various women economic empowerment programs supported by Coca-Cola Philippines under the 5by20 global initiative. The women artisan program was made possible in partnership with ASA Philippines Foundation, one of the leading local microfinance institutions in the country that help uplift the poorest of the poor communities.

“In line with its commitment to empower women across the globe under the

5by20 initiative, Coca-Cola will continue to provide an enabling environment for women in its value chain so they can help themselves and their families become sustainable, and uplift their communities,” said Gilda Custodio-Maquilan, CocaCola Philippines 5by20 Lead, Sustainability and Community Affairs manager.

Other than neckpieces and accessories, the artisan women also produce handbags, clutches, and other home décor from the pull tabs found in Coca-Cola beverage product cans. The Artisan Women of Tondo, through the help of Coca-Cola Philippines and its partners,

is planning to further expand its product line and market reach in order to achieve sustainable livelihood.

The Coca-Cola 5by20 Artisans is part of the global initiative of the Company to empower 5 million women around the world by 2020. In the Philippines, the Company is enabling thousands of underprivileged women through the 5by20 Artisans and the 5by20 Sari-Sari Store Training and Access to Resources (STAR) Program.

For more information about the artisan women of Tondo and their products, visit Gifts That Give Back on Facebook.

BEST FINDS

at Passionfly Bazaar START the year with the best weekend finds as Karl Edward International invites you to the first “Passionfly” for 2017!

Enjoy shopping at The Axon, Green Sun, Makati from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Jan. 28-29.

Organized by Karl Edward International, “Passionfly” addresses the discriminating taste of today’s shoppers and buyers.

“We have been organizing bazaars for 16 years,” shares Karl Edward International President Florian Enriquez, “and we have seen the changing retail landscape.

Because everything is on the internet, shoppers go for items that are very unique but budget-friendly.”

“Passionfly” features products from manufacturers, licensed sellers and entrepreneurs around the country.

Get the best in food, fashion and style along with workshops and fun activities, plus a chance to win exciting prizes from partner merchants. No need to bring cash, the bazaar accepts credit cards.

The shopping experience continues on Feb 25-26 and March 18-19.

Kung Hei Fat Choi

at Century Mall

CENTURY City Mall is welcoming the Year of the Fire Rooster from now until Jan. 29 with events sure to usher in a prosperous 2017.

Learn what the year holds for you at the Year of The Rooster exhibit on the ground floor. Know the forecast based on your Chinese zodiac sign and get your lucky charms plus other New Year must-haves at the pop-up stalls. Enjoy authentic Chinese food from Dec’s Chinese Deli and when you see the Prosperity Tree, don’t forget to write down your wishes for this year.

On Jan. 28, seize the opportunity to find out how you can achieve good fortune from Feng Shui consultant Rhys Suiz Schmidt, who will give a talk from 2 to 4 p.m. on the 4th f loor Events Place of the mall. To usher in good health, fulfillment and prosperity, the Golden Ying Yang Club will perform a lion and dragon dance at 5 p.m. on the ground f loor.

If you’re in for some deals and bargains, take delight as Century City Mall offers a New Year Sale on Jan. 27 to 29.

Century City Mall is located within Century City on Kalayaan Avenue cor. Salamanca St., Makati City.

For more details, visit centurycitymall.com.ph/contactus. html or call (02) 705-6200 local 111 or 112.

COLORFUL DIET. Robinsons Supermarket's promo supports DOSTFNRI's 'Pinggang Pinoy' campaign that encourages proper portioning of different food groups to guarantee a balanced and healthy diet for Filipinos.

‘Eat the Rainbow’ shopping promo START the year right with Robinsons Supermarket’s “Eat the Rainbow” promo till the end of the month. Promo features different bundled fruits and vegetables every day priced at P99.00 only. The promo aims to encourage more consumers to add color to their daily diet.

The promo supports the Department of Science and Technology – Food and Research Institute’s (DOST-FNRI) “Pinggang Pinoy” campaign that encourages proper portioning of different food groups to guar-

antee a balanced and healthy diet for Filipinos. Customers will also get a free Eco Bag for their purchase of at least three bundles.

“We are very happy to be working with Robinsons Supermarket with this promo.

This will not only help promote healthy eating, but also make people realize that wellness is affordable and within their reach,” said Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, director of DOST-FNRI. Robinsons Supermarket and the DOST-FNRI partnership has been going strong for the

past 10 years. The partnership aims to make it easier for Filipinos to make healthier choices.

Head on to the nearest Robinsons Supermarket and start your wellness journey by eating healthy, varied and nutritious food.

To find out more about the “Eat the Rainbow” promo, like us on Facebook at www.facebook. com/RobinsonsSupermarketOfficial or visit the official website at www.robinsons-supermarket.com.ph to stay updated on the activities Robinsons Supermarket has in store.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

FUN MOVIE TO START YEAR OF THE FIRE ROOSTER

‘Kung Fu Yoga’ hits Philippines cinemas Feb. 1

Action comedy superstar Jackie Chan returns on the big screen via "Kung Fu Yoga," a multilingual actionadventure comedy film directed by Stanley Tong

G

ET ready to watch a high-octane, adrenaline-pumping action-adventure for the whole family as Star Cinema releases Kung Fu Yoga starring legendary Asian action superstar Jackie Chan.

Directed by renowned Hong Kong film director, producer, action choreographer, screenwriter, and philanthropist Stanley Tong, who directed Chan in Police Story 3: Super Cop in 1992, Kung Fu Yoga marks the much-awaited reunion between Chan and Tong since their mega-blockbuster collaboration in Chinese Zodiac 12 (CZ12) back in 2012.

Kung Fu Yoga is centered on the exploits of Chinese archeology professor Jack (Chan) who teams up with beautiful Indian professor Ashmita and assistant Kyra to locate lost Magadha treasure. The team travel across

Asia, Europe and the Middle East as they dodge one obstacle after the other until they are ultimately led to a remote mountain temple in India where they will use a rare diamond as a key to unlock the real treasure that will culminate their quest.

During their Dubai press conference, director Tong revealed that they employed 70 super sports car during the car chase in the streets of Dubai, amounting to $30 million. The said scenes feature luxury brands including Bugatti Veyron, Lamborghini, Bentley, and Ferrari.

Tong has always been interested in India’s culture.

He integrated traditional Indian magic tricks, including the rope

Lead actor Jackie Chan with his female "Kung Fu Yoga" co-stars

trick and the levitation into the action choreography.

A scene in Iceland made Jackie Chan dive into the water beneath the ice cave, then stayed underwater for hours at a subzero temperature to achieve the best effect of the scene.

With an illustrious career that

spans more than five decades, Chan was honored by the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences an honorary Oscar for his extraordinary achievements in film at the 8th Annual Governors Awards ceremony in November 2016 and Kung Fu Yoga marks his

very first full-length feature film this 2017.

The movie features an international cast that highlights some of Asia’s most talented and accomplished actors led

by Hong Kong actor and singer Aarif Rahman, who was catapulted to stardom after

winning Best New Performer and Best Original Song at the 29th Hong Kong Film Awards in 2010, for his superb performance in the critically acclaimed drama Echoes Of The Rainbow; and three of Bollywood’s biggest stars: Amyra Dastur, who is considered today as the fresh face of Bollywood; former Indian beauty queen and now rising Bollywood star Disha Patani; and character actor Sonu Sood. Who is a household name in India and has appeared in 70 movies, Chinese multimedia star and Korean pop band EXO member Zhang Yixing and China’s “Most Beautiful Yoga Instructor” MuQi MiYa are also featured in the movie in unforgettable supporting roles.

Follow the journey Jack and his incredible team and discover what dangers and treasures await them in this gargantuan action movie that will open 2017.

And start the year of the Fire Rooster with Kung Fu Yoga starting Feb. 1.

PEOPLE …are talking about

…are not talking about

65th Miss Universe At least nine titleholders will be present at the pageant venue on Monday to witness the crowning of the new queen. We heard that this number might still change as more previous winners expressed their intention to be part of the momentous event. Miss Universe Organization must be content with the way the Philippines is hosting the prestigious beauty contest. Not only that the pageant gets too much attention, the host country helped validate Miss Universe’s status as the biggest and grandest beauty competition in the world.

The Greatest Love If there’s one drama series that unquestionably deserves an extension, this would be it. Numbers don’t lie, The Greatest Love is winning the ratings race based on the data provided by TNS Kantar and AGB Nielsen. That’s not all, the primetime drama is also a big hit online with netizens continuously praising the plot development and the exceptional acting skills of its lead cast.

‘Nung Ako’y Bata Pa’ Shortly after it’s gone viral, the video of quarreling siblings Deniel “Bunak” Tiongson and Danica “Bilog” Tiongson, hundreds of parodies flooded the Internet. And based on our notes, even Vice Ganda, Maine Mendoza, Tirso Cruz III, and other young celebrities like Ruru Madrid, Jak Roberto, and Maris Racal have come up with their own version of the “Nung Ako’y Bata Pa, Ipapasok Ko To sa Facebook” video. Basically, it’s everybody’s diversion at the moment.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Friday, January 27, 2017

ACROSS 1 Wiretaps 5 Purple-gray 10 Not bumpy 14 Peace Prize city 15 Sidled past 16 Extreme 17 Fanatic’s feeling 18 Parcels out 19 Podium 20 Everyday 22 Grinds down 23 “Scrabble” block 24 Taxi rider 26 Subway hanger 29 Seventh heaven 33 Polygraph flunkers 34 Quoth the —, “Nevermore” 35 Kind of steer?

36 “Dear” columnist 37 Floors for good 38 View as 39 Kan. neighbor 40 Storm drain 41 Like a chipmunk’s eyes 42 Bermuda — 44 Crowning points 45 Nosegay 46 Modicum 48 Radiant 51 Hampering

55 Music category 56 Protective layer 58 Inkling 59 Work like a dog 60 Mrs. Eisenhower 61 Benchmark 62 Lhasa — 63 Technical details 64 Mashed potato serving DOWN 1 A real clown 2 Internet surfer 3 Summer bulb 4 Remote 5 Citation 6 Light incense to 7 Like gargoyles 8 Plunging neckline 9 Newsroom VIPs 10 Swirled around 11 Tiny bottle 12 Buffalo’s lake 13 Monsterhunter’s loch 21 Barely beats 22 Funny — Lebowitz 24 Like better 25 Warmonger of myth 26 Lean 27 Rome’s river

28 Torah reciter 29 Check endorser 30 Hardhat’s support (hyph.)

31 Like Elvis’ blue shoes 32 Tube trophies 34 In an unrefined way 37 Nail containers 38 Composting 40 Natural crystals 41 Quilt stuffing 43 Twin of Artemis 46 Column type

47 Curved moldings 48 Whodunit terrier 49 Gunk 50 San — Obispo 51 Nest or burrow 52 Artifact 53 Orchid-loving Wolfe 54 Big umbrella 56 Mantra chants 57 Jolt of electricity

Kylie Padilla She’s pregnant and she’s now also engaged. Kylie momentarily stole people’s attention when it was confirmed she’s carrying Aljur Abrenica’s baby, which used to be just a rumor that had circulated for weeks before she and her boyfriend broke their silence. While fans express their well wishes, people are more concerned about what is going to happen to Encantadia and on how Robin Padilla would react on this rather shocking news.

Jean Garcia Oh no, she’s not dating anyone. In fact, her being sweet with her rumored boyfriend was just a made-up story of people who see them regularly. And we cannot put malice on their occasional rendezvous and their public display of affection because they are just friends. Perhaps Jean just doesn’t want people to notice their age difference that’s why she keeps on denying the real score.

Claudine Barretto She’s taken to social media to announce her parental issue yet again. This time, she’s called out her estranged husband’s attention by calling him a deadbeat dad.

It’s interesting how she puts a lot of her personal affairs out in the open for the public to feast on and yet she always begs for privacy when people start giving her unsolicited advice. It’s not surprising that people give no empathy because they know what she’s really up to.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

2 nd Wish 107.5 Music Awards airs

Sunday on UNTV

T

HE word-class talent of Filipino artists was held in high esteem as Wish 107.5 staged a successful awards night on Jan. 16 at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

The station, which took social media by storm through its YouTube Channel known for outstanding “WISHclusive” videos, held a music revelry fittingly themed, “Your WISHclusive Gateway to the World.”

The event honored a total of 75 acts who vied in 13 different categories.

The winners for these awards were chosen by the Wishers (50 percent online votes) and by a select panel of judges (50 percent judges’ votes).

I was invited to be a member of the panel being the president of the Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors, Inc. (SPEEd) along with Mitch Valdes, chairman of the Board of the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM); Alvin De Vera, president of the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI); Noel Cabangon, a board member of Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Inc. (FILSCAP); Gary Valenciano, ambassador of UNICEF Philippines, Francis Reyes, editor-in-chief of Billboard Philippines; and Miss Earth 2015 Angelia Ong. Morissette’s thrilling performance of “Secret Love Song” bagged the special social media awards, “Wish Reactors’ Choice” and “WISHclusive Viral Video of the Year.” The video, which reached the million mark only a week after it premiered, andmgave the power belter a slot in the newly launched WISHclusive Elite Circle.

The highest recognitions were given to the artists who became the inaugural members of the prestigious group composed of acts with WISHclusives with at least 10 million views. Apart from Morissette, whose cover of “Against All Odds” also made it to the cut, Darren Espanto and Bugoy Drilon each received Bronze WISHclsuive Elite Circle awards for their performances of “Chandelier” and “One Day,” respectively.

Annually, an artist can receive the following citations based on their videos’ YouTube hits every year-end: Bronze (10 million views), Silver (25 million views), Gold (50 million views), Platinum (75 million views) and Diamond (100 million views).

More than music and entertainment, the awards night witnessed yet another “wish-granting” moment as the winners

The jam-packed Smart Araneta Coliseum during the 2nd Wish 107.5 Music Awards

ISAH V. RED

MOST DECORATED. Rising diva Morissette Amon bags a total of eight awards during the second annual Wish 107.5 Music Awards

4TH Impact members accept their award for Best Wishclusive Performance by a Group

BoybandPH performs its debut single adding zest to the grand musical event

of the 11 major categories (Best WISHclusive Performances - Group/Duo, Young, Female, Male, Collaboration; Original Songs of the Year - Group/Duo, Female and Male; Wish Artists of the Year - Young, Female and Male) donated P100,000 to their chosen beneficiaries.

Over P1 million was granted not only

to key charitable groups but also to the major awards winners, who each took home a cash prize of P25,000.

“Everything that you have witnessed tonight started with just a wish and of course a fervent prayer that we will always be able to take the first step to complete a noble deed, that we will be able to

introduce innovations and transform them into something more rewarding for a greater number of individuals,” Daniel Razon, chairman and CEO of Breakthrough and Milestones Productions International - Wish 107.5, remarked in a special audio-visual presentation.

The 2nd Wish 107.5 was hosted by DJ Robin Nievera, Alex Diaz and Gretchen Ho. DJs Ray Holiday, Alice, Faye and Kim, along with the judges, served as the awards’ presenters. The official tabulators for the night were the faculty members of the Department of Mathematics, School of Science and Engineering of the Ateneo De Manila University.

We have heard a lot about the WISHperiences on the 2nd Wish 107.5 Music Awards. It’s time to watch the full coverage of this highly-commended awards night which is set to have its world premiere on Sunday, at 8:30 p.m.mon one of its media partners, UNTV News and Rescue, and also on live streaming viawww.untvweb.com and simultaneously beamed live on Wish 107.5’s official Facebook (www.facebook. com/wishfm1075) and YouTube (www. youtube.com/wish1075official) accounts.

2nd Wish 107.5 Music Awards Winners: Wish Promising Artist: Sam Mangubat Best Wish Cover: “Be My Lady”— Jason Dy Best Wishclusive Performance by a Young Artist: Darren Espanto—“I Believe” Best Wishclusive Performance by a Group or a Duo: 4th Impact—“Love The Way You Lie” Best Wishclusive Performance by a Female Artist: Morissette—“Secret Love Song” Best Wishclusive Performance by a Male Artist: Jason Dy—“Love Yourself/ Sorry/What Do You Mean/Baby mashup” Best Wishclusive Collaboration: Morissette and Arnel Pineda—“I Finally Found Someone” Wish Original Song of the Year by a Group or a Duo: “Prom”—The Juans Wish Original Song of the Year by a Female Artist: “Throwback”—Morissette feat. KZ Tandingan Wish Original Song of the Year by a Male Artist: “7 Minutes”—Darren Espanto Wish Young Artist of the Year: Darren Espanto Wish Female Artist of the Year: Morissette Wish Male Artist of the Year: Jason Dy Wish Reactors’ Choice: Morissette— “Secret Love Song” Wishclusive Viral Video of the Year: Morissette—“Secret Love Song” Wishclusive Elite Circle (Bronze Awardees—more than 10 million views): Morissette—“Secret Love Song” and “Against All Odds” Darren Espanto—“Chandelier“ UNTV News and Rescue may be viewed on UHF Ch. 37, Sky Direct Ch. 40, Cignal TV Ch. 92, Sky Cable (A) 33, Sky Cable (D) 58, Cable Link CH 77.

‘Fun Home’ returns for limited repeat run in March ATLANTIS Theatrical Entertainment Group together with Metrobank Card Corporation are proud to announce that, after its sold out run last November, the critically acclaimed Tony Award winning musical Fun Home is returning to Manila from March 10 to 19 for a limited repeat run of 12 performances.

It will feature its original cast who all gave unforgettable

performances including Tony Award winner Lea Salonga, Eric Kunze, and Cris Villonco.

Fun Home was the most awarded and acclaimed musical of 2015 winning 5 Tony Awards including Best Musical. When her father dies unexpectedly, graphic novelist Alison dives deep into her past to tell the story of the volatile, brilliant, one-of-akind man whose temperament

and secrets defined her family and her life. Moving between past and present, Alison relives her unique childhood playing at the family’s Bechdel Funeral Home, her growing understanding of her own sexuality, and the looming, unanswerable questions about her father’s hidden desires.

Fun Home is a based on Alison Bechdel’s best-selling graphic memoir, Fun Home

and features music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by Lisa Kron. The New York Times calls it, “The Best Musical To Open On Broadway.”

Meanwhile, the Manila production was hailed as, “Terrific Theater!” and “Undeniably moving, piercing through our core,” and played a sold out run last November.

Also in the cast, delivering acclaimed performances, are

Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante, Yanah Laurel, Laurence Mossman, Katie Bradshaw, and Andee Achacoso.

Fun Home is directed by Bobby Garcia with Musical Direction by Ceejay Javier, Vocal Direction by Man Man Angsico, Choreography by Cecile Martinez, Light Design

by Adam Honore, Set Design

by Faust Peneyra, Costume Design by Oz Go, Sound

Design by Kevin Heard, Projection Design by GA Fallarme, and Hair and Make Up Design by Johann dela Fuente.

The limited repeat of Fun Home runs from March 10 to 19, at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati. Tickets are now available at Ticketworld by calling 891-9999 or online at www.ticketworld.com.ph.