Manila Standard - 2017 February 1 - Wednesday

Bishops laud drug war lull

By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

VOL. XXX • NO. 354 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Video footage shows Lam ‘bribery’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta, Sandy Araneta and PNA

bribe as one of them broke into tears for being publicly accused of corruption.

During the resumption of the Senate THE Senate on Tuesday presented an al- Blue Ribbon committee hearing on the leged footage of two former Bureau of im- scandal, the Senate Blue Ribbon commitmigration officials receiving a P50-million tee led by Senator Richard Gordon played

th video showing former Immigration Associate Commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles receiving the bribe from an aide of gambling tycoon Jack Lam at a casino mall in Parañaque City on Nov. Next page 27 last year.

THE Catholic Church on Tuesday welcomed the suspension of the government’s bloody war on illegal drugs, saying this would encourage addicts who feared for their lives to surface and undergo rehabilitation.

About 7,000 drug suspects have been killed since the Philippine National Police launched “Oplan Tokhang” in July 2016, earning local and international condemnation from human rights groups that denounced the growing number of summary executions.

The program was put on hold Monday, after a scandal erupted over the

October 2016 kidnapping and killing of a South Korean businessman carried out by anti-drug policemen, who extorted P5 million from his wife, who did not know he was dead.

On Tuesday, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said it is the right thing for the PNP to stop the war on drugs as some police and law enforcers used the anti-drug campaign to cover their criminal activities.

He said he hoped the extrajudicial killings would also stop, now that the anti-drug campaign has been suspended.

“Many people didn’t want to come to the programs because of fear.

Now, if the fear factor is out, we can work more on rehabilitating them,” Pabillo said.

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BRIBERY ALLEGATIONS. Lawyer Michael Robles, former Associate Immigration Commissioner (left), and lawyer Al Argosino, former Immigration Commissioner (middle), say their piece at the resumption of the Senate

public hearing of the Committee on Accountability of Public Officers regarding the Jack Lam-BI alleged bribery scandal. At right is the purported closed-circuit television video shown by the committee chaired by Senator Richard Gordon. Lino Santos

‘Tokhang’ hits a snag SC issues protection order for QC victims

Crooked cops next target of new war

By Francisco Tuyay and Sandy Araneta A VETERAN of the Zamboanga City siege in 2013 has been appointed by Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa as head of the newly formed Counter Intelligence Task Force unit that will go after crooked cops.

Dela Rosa said Sr. Supt.

Chiquito Malayo, the current deputy of the PNP’s Firearms and Explosive Office, was tapped to lead the CITF with a mandate not only to weed out crooked policemen but also review cases of dismissed policemen who have return to the service.

Dela Rosa said he has ordered Malayo to recruit men of integrity, dedicated to pursue the CITF’s objective—to once and for all cleanse the ranks of rogue policemen.

Dela Rosa created the Next page

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE Supreme Court issued a writ of amparo Tuesday against Oplan Tokhang, the anti-drug campaign of the Philippine National Police that has led to the killing of about 7,000 drug suspects since July 2016.

NAE AEDO. President Rodrigo Duterte expresses condolences while he shakes the hand of Jee Ick Joo’s widow, Choi Kyung-Jin, when the latter called on the Filipino leader at the Music Room of Malacañang on Monday. Also in photo is PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa.

Enrile hits Ombudsman for ‘protecting Aquino’

Dumlao’s mastermind—NBI runner

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

AN ERRAND boy of the National Bureau of Investigation now in custody has tagged police Supt. Rafael Dumlao as the mastermind behind the abduc-

FORMER Senator Juan Ponce Enrile on Tuesday accused the Office of the Ombudsman of protecting former President Benigno Aquino III by filing graft and corruption charges against two former police officials involved in the Mamasapano operation that resulted in the killing of 44 Special Action Force operatives in January 2015.

“What is the graft and corruption there? The Ombudsman did it to protect its boss [Aquino],”

Enrile said.

Enrile said he was baffled why Ombudsman Conchita CarpioMorales filed economic crime charges against former Police Chief Alan Purisima and former Special Action Force Chief Getulio Napeñas.

“You know, there is an effort to protect the [former] President of the country,” Enrile said.

“He is no longer president. His immunity has been lifted because he can be challenged in court.

The courts are open to him. What makes him so special?” Next page twitter.com/ MlaStandard

By Sandy Araneta and Rey E. Requejo

tion and killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo. Jerry Omlang, alias Jerry, who was charged before the Angeles City Regional Trial Court Branch 58, also admitted his participation in the crime.

“Colonel Dumlao,” Omlang said

when asked who was the mastermind of the group, referring to the leader of the now disbanded AntiIllegal Drugs Group in Pampanga.

Omlang said he received threats from Dumlao, prompting him to seek protective custody from the NBI. Next page

NPA attacks disturbing, says peacenik

By Sandy Araneta and Lance Baconguis

said Tuesday they were disturbed by the recent attacks by the communists in Caraga OFFICE of the Presidential and Davao despite a standing Adviser on the Peace Pro- ceasefire. cess Secretary Jesus Dureza “We are distressed and ex-

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

S

thestandard.com.ph

tremely disturbed by the recent series of attacks and harassments by alleged New People’s Army elements in various areas nationwide,” Dureza said in a statement.

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In an en banc session, the justices also ordered PNP chief Dir. Gen. Ronald dela Rosa and other police officials to answer the petition filed by a survivor and the families of four drug suspects killed in an operation in Payatas, Quezon City last year.

A writ of amparo is a remedy available to any person whose rights to life, liberty and security are threatened.

The Court gave Dela Rosa and other respondents five days to submit their comments to the Court of Appeals, which has been tapped to hear the case and to submit its findings.

The appeals court was also ordered to decide on the relief sought in the petition and decide within 10 days after its submission for decision.

In the meantime, the Court granted the petitioners’ request for a temporary protection order against Quezon City antinarcotics police officers from Station 6 who conducted the operation in August last year.

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News

Death penalty debate blocked, postponed T

By Maricel V. Cruz

HE House of Representatives on Tuesday postponed deliberations on the Palacebacked death penalty on a question of quorum raised by Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza, a staunch anti-death penalty proponent.

But even as the House decided to reset the deliberations on the proposed bill, left-leaning lawmakers belonging to the Makabayan bloc said it would reject the proposed measure, saying its enactment will only empower police and military officials to commit human rights violations.

Atienza had insisted that there were only 162 House members present during the proposed debate, contrary to the claim of Deputy Majority Leader and Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo, who said that there were 224 members present.

Quimbo said the number was enough to proceed with the sponsorship speech to House Bill 4727 by Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, chairman of the House committee on justice.

Quimbo said the result of the roll call was accurate, but Atienza reject-

ed his claim, prompting the suspension of the session, The House instead reset the deliberations for today, Wednesday.

Atienza has found an ally in the Makabayan Bloc, which opposes the passage of House Bill 4727 which seeks to restore death penalty. The measure is among the priority legislation of the Duterte administration.

“We are against this measure because it is anti-poor; an historic tool for suppressing political dissent; prone to abuse by corrupt police, military, and other state agents; and ultimately, an ineffective deterrent against criminality, rooted in mass poverty and an unjust social system,” the group led by Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said.

Zarate said the revival of capital punishment “is a guillotine poised over the necks of the poor.”

“The poor, oppressed, and the

marginalized, who cannot afford adequate legal representation, will inevitably populate death row, rather than the plunderers and human rights violators with deep pockets and a phalanx of lawyers at their disposal,” Zarate said.

He added that the death penalty is prone to abuse by corrupt police, military, and other state agents.

“We have seen corrupt members of the Philippine National Police performed acts of extortion, kidnapping, extrajudicial killings, and other crimes, especially against the poor, in the name of this administration’s so-called war on drugs,” Zarate said.

The group stressed the broadened definition of heinous crimes in HB 4727 provides yet more opportunities for extortion, planting of evidence, filing of trumped-up cases, and the like.

The death penalty bill, principally authored by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, proposes to impose death penalty on more than than 20 heinous offenses, such as rape with homicide, kidnapping for ransom, and arson with death.

Alvarez earlier stressed the need for Congress “to reinvigorate the war against criminality by reviving a proven deterrent coupled by its con-

sistent, persistent and determined implementation, and this need is as compelling and critical as any.”

But the Makabayan Bloc pointed out that the restoration of capital punishment is not an effective deterrent against criminality.

“The deterrent effect of the death penalty has been repeatedly debunked by studies made worldwide,” the group said.

In the Philippines, they said, even with the reinstatement of the death penalty in December 1993, the crime rate increased.

In 1999, the year that Leo Echegaray was executed, the national crime volume, instead of abating, increased by 15.3 percent or a total of 82,538 (from 71,527 crimes in the previous year), the group added, quoting the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism.

“Reimposition of the death penalty, combined with the move to lower criminal liability; the rampage of killings of thousands of suspected drug offenders from among the poor; and the continuing offensive military operations by state security forces are alarming signs of rising state fascism in defense of an inequitable and unjust social order which the people must vigorously oppose,” the Makabayan Bloc stressed.

Video...

From A1 The National Bureau of Investigation had earlier filed charges before the Office of the Ombudsman against Argosino and Robles over the case.

“We have filed a case of direct bribery under Article 200, 2010 of the Revised Penal Code,” National Bureau of Investigation Dante Gierran told the Senate hearing.

“We have also filed cases of violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and another case for violation of Presidential Decree 46.”

Gierran made his statement even as Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Tuesday again denied the allegations of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV linking him to the bribery scandal.

Argosino and Robles admitted before the Senate panel they were the ones on the video with Lam’s representative, retired Police Senior Superintendent Wally Sombero Jr. Robles also confirmed that one of the three men carrying two paper bags, each loaded with P10 million in cash, was his seaman-brother who merely accompanied him to the City of Dreams in Pasay City.

But Robles said he and Argosino did not know the name of the third man aside from Sombero, who was also carrying another paper bag with P10 million in cash.

Despite receiving millions of pesos from Sombero, the two immigration officials denied they brought the money home for their own gain.

As Gordon and Senators Francis Escudero and Leila De Lima took turns grilling Argosino and Robles, the two denied that the money was a bribe to protect Lam who was involved in illegal gambling.

Lam was also found to have employed Chinese nationals who had been working at the Fontana Leisure Parks and Casino in Clark, Pampanga, without work permits.

UNIVERSAL BEAUTY. France’s Iris Mittenaere talks to members of the media upon her arrival at the Miss Universe after party red carpet event at the Okada Hotel in Manila.

‘Tokhang’...

From A1

The order bars Dela Rosa, Quezon City Police District director Senior Supt. Guillermo Eleazar and other named police officers from entering the residence and workplaces of the petitioners, and orders them to stay at least one kilometer away from them.

The order came one day after the PNP suspended Oplan Tokhang over a scandal in which police kidnapped and murdered a South Korean businessman and extorted P5 million from his wife, who did not know he was already dead.

The petition of the group led by Efren Morillo, the survivor of the police operation last year, and who is set to testify against police officials accused of murder and frustrated murder, is the first case to challenge

Enrile...

From A1

Bishops...

From A1

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II had earlier questioned Morales for absolving Aquino III of any culpability despite the findings of the two bodies investigating the Mamasapano operation.

The PNP Board of Inquiry and the Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs, then led by Senator Grace Poe, had found Aquino liable for the bungled operation.

Even after Aquino’s term ended in July 2016, Morales, who was appointed by Aquino, still had not filed any charges against him.

Enrile said he could send Aquino to jail for treason in connection with the murder of the police commandos butchered by the rebels from the MILF and BIFF if he was asked to be the lawyer for the government.

He said he believed Aquino would not be able to answer his questions if he took the witness stand. He said Aquino should be made accountable for the death of the SAF 44.

“He was in Zamboanga. He knew what was happening. He was still aboard the plane and they were already talking with [Interior Secretary Manuel] Roxas [II] and Defense Secretary [Voltaire] Gazmin.

They were texting [suspended PNP Chief Alan] Purisima.

Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines president Archbishop Socrates Villegas said violence cannot stop violence.

“When we condemn violence, we cannot ourselves be its perpetrators, and when we decry murder, we cannot ourselves participate in murder, no matter that it may be accompanied by the trappings of judicial and legal process,” he said.

The CBCP also reiterated the Church’s stand against the death penalty, saying it is no different from extrajudicial killings.

He said it is regrettable that there are “strident efforts” to restore capital punishment.

“Throughout the world, the trend against the death penalty is unmistakable, and international covenants, one of which the Philippines is party to, obligate us not to impose the death penalty,” Villegas said.

The Commission on Human Rights also welcomed the suspension of Oplan Tokhang.

“The PNP must rise to the challenge to remain faithful to their sworn duty to serve the people and protect their rights.

It cannot and should not be an instrument of abuse lest it be the oppressor instead of the protector of the people,” said the chief of the Public Affairs and

in court the PNP operations against illegal drugs.

The appeals court will decide on a petition for a temporary restraining order against the named police officers, and an order for the PNP to produce intelligence and surveillance reports, police blotters, video and all other documents involving police operations conducted on Aug. 21, 2016.

The petition was filed Jan. 26, one day after Chief Jutice Ma. Lourdes Sereno said there was a perception that the rule of law was being diminished by the unsolved killings of drug suspects.

Morillo was joined by the families of slain drug suspects Marcelo Daa Jr., Raffy Gabo, Anthony Comendo and Jessie Cule in filing the petition through the legal assistance of the Center for International Law. They sought relief under the writ of amparo from the Supreme Court to prevent further violation of their

constitutional and human rights to life, liberty and security.

Morillo said he fears for his life as he is being tapped as a vital witness in the cases being prepared against the police officials.

The 28-year-old vegetable vendor also cited the filing of charges of direct assault against him, which he insisted were trumped up and clearly part of the persecution by the perpetrators.

The petitioners further pointed out that the policemen in the actual operation were members of a police community precinct that did not have operational jurisdiction in Barangay Payatas.

The policemen hid this by fabricating death certificates of the four slain suspects showing that the incident took place in another barangay under their jurisdiction.

The petitioners said the four slain suspects were just garbage collectors and scavengers at the dump site.

Strategic Communications Office, Jacqueline Ann de Guia.

“The PNP must enforce rather than mock the law. It must gain the trust rather than instill fear. It must inspire confidence and support for rather than disillusionment with the criminal justice system. Despite this, we urge the PNP to ensure accountability for its action, and justice for all the deaths perpetrated.”

The suspension of the bloody war against drug is a “recognition that the campaign is fraught with flaws and susceptible to abuse,” the CHR added.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said the strategy of having policemen knock on the doors of drug suspects to convince them to surrender and change their ways would never succeed on a national scale because it infringed on human rights and allowed the police to conduct illegal searches.

He added that even with the campaign in place, the government would never be able to eradicate illegal drugs.

“What you can do greatly is to minimize illegal drugs. But to completely eradicate, that will never happen. Not under any president. Not under any chief PNP. Not under any NBI director,” Lacson said.

Senator Leila De Lima, a staunch opponent of the President, agreed with Lacson and said Oplan Tokhang was being used by rogue policemen to commit abuses.

She also said the police operations under the program have resulted in

more extrajudicial killings.

“The President is finally learning that short cuts are much more likely to worsen problems, rather than solve them,” De Lima said.

She said indiscriminately killing people to show the government’s hard stance was little more than “cosmetic machismo, lacking in substance.”

“Worse, it hurts our people more than it helps them. We started out with a drug problem, and here we are with mass serial killings and kidnap-for-ransom groups that shamelessly operate from even within the police ranks,” she said.

Akbayan party-list Rep. Tom Villarin said Oplan Tokhang was an illconceived program that was not comprehensive in its appreciation of the drug problem.

“From the start, it has to be a multidisciplinary approach from evidencebased, due process and rule of law enforcement that takes into account a PNP that has to rid its ranks of scalawags, to that of looking at the drug menace as a health problem,” Villarin said. “You need empowered citizens that do not fear our law enforcers but rather help those doing the right things and reporting the bad cops.”

Similarly, Villarin said the cases filed in the Supreme Court over human rights abuses committed in the war against drugs ultimately will be decided on merits. With Rio N. Araja, Sandy Araneta, Maricel V. Cruz and Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

No plan to build arms depot in PH—US envoy

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan THE United States ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim denied the allegations made by President Rodrigo Duterte that the Americans are establishing a permanent arms depot in the country.

Kim said that Duterte might have been fed the wrong information on the matter.

“I think some misinformation was given to the President and that’s why he gave that statement expressing concerns about a possible weapons depot,” Kim told reporters during a forum organized

by Manila Broadcasting Co. Duterte made the accusation last Sunday night claiming that the US military is sending weapons to a depot allegedly situated in Palawan, Cagayan de Oro, and Pampanga.

He then asked the US to stop the reported activity.

“I am serving notice to the United States Armed Forces. I will not allow it. It is not allowed,” Duterte said.

Duterte added that the alleged stockpiling of weapons in the country is prohibited under the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty.

“It is now allowed by the treaty,” he said, and warned the US that [if] “you do that and I will abrograte the treaty altogether.”

But Kim said that the US does not have any plan to build any type of weapons depot in the country.

“The fact is we are not building a weapons depot anywhere in the Philippines,” Kim said.

The envoy added that “nothing is being planned that even closely resembles the concerns about weapons depot,” and said that “upcoming projects” are mostly in the nature in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.

Crooked...

From A1 CITF Monday hours after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the dissolution of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Group that was at the center of a scandal following the kidnapping and killing by police of South Korean trader Jee Ick Joo Oct. 18, 2016.

Jee was strangled in Camp Crame, just a stone’s throw away from at the AIDG headquarters.

“He should first recruit his own men that are veterans whose integrity is not tainted,” Dela Rosa said.

After declaring a halt of the war on drugs, Dela Rosa told his lieutenants to concentrate on other forms of criminality while the internal cleansing was taking place.

Malayo is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1989 and the chief of police of Zamboanga City at the time of the bloody fighting that erupted between security forces and attacking Moro National Liberation Front forces in September 2013.

Malayo was among those taken hostage by MNLF rebels, who used him as a shield as the rebels withdrew from the scene of the battle.

However, Malayo was able to reverse the situation and convinced the rebels to surrender peacefully.

Dumlao’s...

From A1 Omlang admitted that he was the man seen in a closed circuit television footage with SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, the main suspect in the case, when the latter withdrew money from an automated teller machine in Greenhills, San Juan City.

Omlang told investigators in the NBI that he took part in the surveillance operations and in the abduction of Jee and his house maid, Marisa Morquicho, from the businessman’s Angeles City home on Oct. 18, 2016.

Omlang said Sta. Isabel, whom he described as a friend, had recruited him to the group.

“I did the surveillance first. About two weeks. In the first week of October,” Omlang said.

Dumlao has also been accused by Sta. Isabel of playing a key role in the kidnap-slay.

Sta. Isabel said it was Dumlao who told him to dispose of Jee’s body after he was strangled in police headquarters at Camp Crame, on the same day the businessman was taken by armed men

NPA...

From A1 In Cagayan de Oro City, an official said communist guerrillas in Caraga and Northern Mindanao launched coordinated attacked and harassed government troops who were undertaking relief operations to help flood victims.

Captain Joe Patrick Martinez, spokesman of the 4th Infantry Division, said communist guerrillas lobbed two hand grenades at the troops in Concepcion village in Valencia City, Bukidnon.

“The grenades landed a few meters from the evacuation center but did not explode,” Martinez said.

“Those could have caused casualties and added to the misery of the civilian flood victims.”

Dureza said the ceasefire was precisely set in place to provide an enabling environment for the ongoing peace talks.

“We do not wish to unnecessarily squander those gains that even saw President [Rodrigo] Duterte exercising strong political will to move the peace process forward,” Dureza said.

A Palace spokesman, meanwhile, said the Duterte administration plans to revive the Philippine Constabulary to continue the fight on illegal drugs.

“Nothing is official yet but I believe the forces will be supplemented,” said Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella. “As far as I know, the Philippine Constabulary may be reactivated.”

Abella also said that while the PNP has dissolved its anti-drug units, operations against illegal drugs will continue under the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency or PDEA. The PNP’s Internal Affairs Service (IAS) continues to conduct investigations into allegations that some policemen were involved in drug-related killings, he added.

Also on Tuesday, the leftist Bagong Alyansang Makabayan welcomed the suspension of the PNP’s war on drugs and its focus on addressing corruption within its ranks.

“The admission by the President that 40 percent of the police force is corrupt is an indication that the drug war will ultimately fail,” Bayan said in a statement.

“The PNP leadership must address the culture of impunity so deeply rooted in the police force,” the group said in a statement. on drug allegations.

Sta. Isabel said Dumlao ordered him to kill Morquicho, but they set her free instead.

Dumlao has repeatedly denied Sta. Isabel’s accusations.

NBI Director Dante Gierran denied claims that Omlang was an asset of the NBI and a driver of one of its officials.

“He is not an agent. Whoever said he is an NBI agent, it’s just a figment of his imagination, the one who said this is crazy,” Gierran said.

“If there are NBI agents involved, I will kill them. There are no NBI agents involved in the case,” Gierran said.

Investigating agent Darwin Camilo Lising said Omlang has been an errand boy at the NBI since 2005.

Lising said he met Omlang when he was assigned to the NBI Anti-Human Trafficking Division in 2007.

“He is not an employee of the bureau. He is a volunteer. One who makes coffee and ordered to buy food.

He comes and goes as he pleases. No definite time,” Lising said.

Gierran insisted that nobody from the NBI was involved in the kidnapslay of Jee.

“Either some in the National Democratic Front leadership talking to the government are not in full control of their own forces on the ground or they are themselves undermining these efforts for sustainable peace.

“The President will definitely walk the extra mile for peace, but our counterparts on the other side of the peace table must reciprocate.”

The Armed Forces’ Eastern Mindanao Command has alerted all its units after a series of attacks, abduction and killings in CARAGA and Davao despite the ceasefire.

Lt. General Rey Leonardo Guerrero said he had ordered all units to be on the alert against further communist attacks.

“In the meantime, we will continue to abide by our own ceasefire declaration and observe the suspension of offensive military operations,” Guerrero said.

Armed men believed to be members of the New People’s Army fired at the soldiers in Mat-i, Surigao City, at midnight of Jan. 30 and wounded three of them.

Shortly after, three more attacks took place in San Isidro, Mahayahay and Hinambangan in Agusan del Norte.

News

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Jelac to be reconvened for priority measures

By John Paolo Bencito

TOGETHER AGAIN. President Rodrigo Duterte presides over the meeting of the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council attended by Vice President Leonor Robredo, whose attendance is mandated by law, since she quit as chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council after being told to stop attending Cabinet meetings.

IN BRIEF SC junks Napoles ‘pork’ plea THE Supreme Court has again affirmed the indictment of detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, in connection with the anomaly involving billions of pesos in pork barrel funds of lawmakers.

In a resolution, the SC dismissed the petition of the jailed businesswoman seeking to stop her indictment on three counts of graft and malversation before the Sandiganbayan.

The SC instead sustained the resolutions of the Sandiganbayan’s Seventh Division in February and June last year finding probable cause in these additional cases filed by the Office of the Ombudsman against her.

This particular case involves the non-government organizations Masaganang Ani Para sa Magsasaka Foundation Inc. of Napoles, which allegedly benefitted from the pork barrel of former Oriental Mindoro First District Rep. Rodolfo Valencia.

From 2008 to 2009, Valencia funded three projects worth P6.5 million but allegedly turned out to have been non-existent.

The SC has earlier upheld the indictment of Napoles in the other plunder and graft cases against her before the other divisions of the Sandiganbayan.

Rey Requejo

Tolentino wants probe for collapse FORMER Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino is urging the Senate Electoral Tribunal to look into the “strange” incident of the collapse of a warehouse ceiling of Smartmatic Philippines Inc. in Sta. Rosa, Laguna last Dec. 30.

In a statement, Tolentino, who ran in the May 2016 elections and placed 13th in the senatorial race, said the ceiling collapsed and damaged the memory configuration room of Smartmatic and the Commission on Elections affecting the servers used during the May 9, 2016 national and local elections.

The servers were vital data subject of the election protest of ex-senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who lost to Vice President Leni Robredo, he said.

Tolentino also filed an election protest against Senator Leila de Lima with SET to unseat her for alleged poll fraud.

De Lima led Tolentino by about 1.3-million votes.

In a motion filed with SET, Tolentino requested the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a thorough probe of the “highly suspicious” collapse of the warehouse ceiling.

Rio Araja

CBCP calls on Filipinos to get involved in Charter

By Vito Barcelo

T

HE Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines on Tuesday called on the Filipino people to take part in amending the 1987 Constitution as it expressed concern over the attempt of some sectors to make hasty and substantial changes in the 1987 Constitution.

In a pastoral letter titled “Amending the Constitution,” the CBCP said the people’s involvement would ensure that democracy, human rights and the sanctity of the family would be protected, being the basic autonomous social institution.

The bishops said the process of amending the Constitution should not be left to politicians or to those who either by election or appointment would be tasked to draft the amendment.

“The Constitution is the single most important document of our

country. The Filipinos are the authors of this document,” the CBCP said.

“Those who are tasked to draft or amend it, the bishops stressed, are not the authors but the instruments of the Filipinos, and that it only becomes valid upon the people’s approval. We must be vigilant and watch over, and even suggest ideas and formulations that enter into the Constitution.

We have to make sure that the resulting document embodies our rights, our ideals, our aspirations, and our dreams,” the CBCP said

in its pastoral letter released after their three-day plenary assembly in Manila.

It added: “We want to tell you that the CBCP supported the ratification of the 1987 Constitution, while acknowledging its imperfections. However, we the bishops have come to the conclusion that the provisions of the new draft Constitution must be consistent with the teaching of the Gospel.

“We believe this new Constitution will provide firm basis for governance, a clear direction for national renewal and development, and a covenant towards peace.”

The CBCP also highlighted the need to study the issue of federalism, which President Duterte has been actively pushing for.

The CBCP letter said: “We cannot cite here all the provisions that we should be vigilant about. There is the big issue of federalism which we must all study.

“The clamor by many for it stems from the dissatisfaction of many people with the lack of equitable distribution of benefits, power

and financial resources in our present unitary system. Do we need to change from our present unitary system to a federal system of government?

“Or will it suffice to introduce amendments and laws which will make the present unitary system responsive to the needs of disadvantaged regions?”

The pastoral letter was signed

by CBCP president LingayenDagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas.

The bishops also asked the faithful to keep in mind that the drafting of a Constitution and amendments to it should be the concern of all, claiming the overriding concern should be that the provisions of the Constitution and all amendments to be incorporated should be consistent with the Gospel and promote the common good.

“Such concern is our right and duty as Filipinos as well as followers of Jesus Christ who wants for us all peace and life in abundance,” the bishops said.

TO SPEED up the reforms under the Duterte administration, the Judicial-Executive-Legislative Advisory Council (Jelac) will be reconvened soon to hand-walk and iron out the 33 government’s proposed priority bills, a Cabinet source told Manila Standard on Tuesday.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday reconvened the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council after more than a decade.

“There is a suggestion that like in FVR’s time, the Ledac invites the Judiciary as part of the group next time,” a senior Cabinet official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said.

The initials were in reference to President Fidel V. Ramos, the head of government from 1992 to 1998.

The Ledac will also be convened every quarter to check on the progress and settle differences in the proposed legislations while its various committees will meet once a month, the Cabinet source added.

Duterte previously held a mini-Ledac last December which identified priority bills of the government, including an income tax reform package, anti-money laundering law amendments, and the budget reform and government rightsizing bills.

Among those present during the Ledac on the part of the executive on Monday were the President, Vice President Leni Robredo, and seven Cabinet members—Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar and Transportation Secretary Arturo Tugade.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez led the delegation from the Legislative, along with Senators Franklin Drilon, Tito Sotto and Ralph Recto, and Congressmen Rodolfo Fariñas, Dax Cua and Danilo Suarez.

“All were present ... except sectors not yet appointed: The youth, LGU’s and private sectors,” the Cabinet source said.

Maid beaten to death in Kuwait SBMA’s Escolango

By Vito Barcelo facing malfeasance A FILIPINO household worker was allegedly beaten to death by her employer in Kuwait, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said and ordered labor attachés to conduct an immediate investigation on the incident and to assist the victim.

The OFW, identified as Amy Capulong Santiago, succumbed to injuries caused by beatings by her employer. She was brought to the Farwaniya Hospital but later died.

“I am truly disheartened that such tragedies happen. I assure the family of Santiago that we will provide all the necessary assistance they need,” Bello said in a statement.

The Philippine Embassy and the Philippine Over-

seas Labor Office in Kuwait will provide legal assistance to the family of Santiago in Concepcion, Tarlac to obtain justice for her death.

Bello also directed the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to ensure the necessary assistance will be extended to her family, including the provision of benefits due their departed kin.

Santiago’s family may receive benefit in the amount of P200,000 in death insurance and the burial assistance of P20,000.

The victim’s dependents will also be provided with educational benefits and livelihood assistance.

He also said the next of kin were already notified that repatriation expenses would be shouldered by OWWA.

EXPANDED LOTTERY. The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office launches Tuesday the expansion of

small-town lottery operations in 56 areas, to increase revenue and curb illegal gambling. Answering the presidential call to curb illegal gambling are (from left) PNP Deputy Director General Ramon Apolinario, PCSO Chairman Jorge Corpuz, PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan and PCSO board member Marlon Balite. (Story on A6) Manny Palmero

By Rio N. Araja DEPUTY administrator for legal affairs Randy Escolango of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority is facing a complaint of malfeasance, grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service before the Office of the Ombudsman.

The Citizens Crime Watch represented by its head Diego Magpantay and secretary general Carlo Batalla criticized Escolango for issuing orders and representation in the other transactions of SBMA. In an 11-page complaintaffidavit, the anti-crime watchdog said Escolango as the officer in charge of the Office of the SBMA Administrator issued several office orders “most of which pertain to movement, designation, detailing, reassignment and appointment of personnel, and memoranda.”

“Worse, respondent even executed and entered into contracts, agreements and instruments for and in behalf of the SBMA,” it read.

The complainants accused Escolango of malfeasance, saying the issuance of orders and memoranda was an exercise of discretionary functions of the duly appointed SBMA administrator or the head, “who is the chairman.”

They said Escolango was

just an officer in charge of the SBMA. According to the complaint, the SBMA deputy administrator for legal affairs also committed gross or grave misconduct “Moreover, the respondent is a member of the Philippine Bar. Hence, he knew that the acts of issuing the subject office orders and memoranda are all beyond his capacity as a mere officer in charge of the Office of the SBMA Administrator,” it stated.

Magpantay and Batalla alleged the respondent’s act of usurping official functions had tarnished the image and integrity of SBMA, therefore he must be held liable for conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

“We are filing a complaintaffidavit for usurpation of public functions before the Office of the City Prosecutor, Olongapo City, Zambales involving the same matter,” the duo’s attached verification and certification of non-forum shopping read.

Earlier, Malacañang clarified ex-Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption chairperson Martin Diño was not the SBMA administrator.

In a Nov. 28, 2016 letter, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra informed Diño that Escolango was the appointed officer in charge of the Office of the Administrator of SBMA.

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Opinion

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Better coordination needed

T

HE government’s war on corrupt police was off to a shaky start this week, with President Rodrigo Duterte offering a P5-million cash reward for a suspect who was already in police custody.

In a nationally televised press conference midnight Jan. 29-30, the President railed against Supt. Rafael Dumlao, a suspect in the kidnapping and killing of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo inside police headquarters in Camp Crame in October last year.

Fuming mad and hurling invectives, the President gave Dumlao 24 hours to surrender for “putting the reputation of the police in shambles.”

Addressing Dumlao directly, he said: “If you do not come out soon, I will offer… P5

million [for you] dead or alive. You deliver him to me dead, that’s okay with me. Bring him to the gate of Malacañang dead, alive, it’s all okay.”

Later, Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa was seen whispering to the President that Dumlao was already in custody.

“Latest story. He’s already in our custody. Better, Dumlao. You’re even a lawyer.

It would be a pity if your wife becomes a widow, and your son would lose a father,” the President said.

Asked why he was late in being informed about Dumlao’s whereabouts, the President again got it wrong, telling the press that he just met his police chief during the midnight briefing—when photos clearly showed the two together in the command conference that preceded that briefing.

The lack of coordination between the President and his PNP chief is a cause

for concern. At the very least, it proved embarrassing to the President. At worse, in another scenario, it could result in the President taking action that has been rendered moot by information that he did not have.

A similar lack of coordination has been seen between the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), both of which have been investigating the Jee case.

Often during the initial stages of the investigation, the two seemed to be talking at cross-purposes, with the PNP pinning the blame for strangling Jee on PO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel and his superior in the Anti-Illegal Drug Group (AIDG), Dumlao. But the Justice Department, which oversees the NBI, spoke of the possible involvement of higher officials and even raised the preposterous suggestion that Sta. Isabel—whom his cohorts had tagged as the one who strangled

Jee—be turned into a state witness.

In response to this mess, the President has ordered all anti-drug units in the PNP dissolved and told Dela Rosa to clean house. The PNP chief seems to be moving in this direction, with plans to create a Counter-Intelligence Task Force to go after police scalawags. In the meantime, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency will assume primary responsibility for waging war on illegal drugs.

It is unclear as yet how the new task force will be any different from the PNP Internal Affairs Service—or how, if at all, the two groups would coordinate. For the sake of the campaign against crooked cops, we hope all the concerned agencies would coordinate more effectively than they have to date. To rescue the PNP from irreversible damage, the time for embarrassing gaffes has passed; the time for effective and coordinated action has arrived.

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

Trump, TNTs, visas and envoy Kim

The next level LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES NATIONAL police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has indeed upped his game.

On orders from President Rodrigo Duterte, Bato has taken the fight against illegal drugs and criminality to the next level, announcing that this time, he will go after policemen involved in all sorts of crime.

On several occasions, I’ve written that Duterte’s muchballyhooed anti-crime campaign is doomed to fail if he doesn’t go after the corrupt policemen who not only serve as protectors of criminals but who have also decided to go into a life of crime themselves. Proving their resourcefulness and ability to adapt, these crooked cops have even repurposed Duterte’s fight against drugs in a bid to cover

their tracks by liquidating their own “assets” and—as in the case of that unfortunate South Korean businessman—to use the campaign to find new sources of illgotten income.

I hope Dela Rosa’s drive against criminal cops succeeds, even if I don’t think the odds favor victory. If Duterte’s own claim that upwards of 40 percent of all policemen are corrupt is correct, Bato will have to arrest, charge, dismiss and convict nearly half of all cops—a nightmare scenario for even the most determined of police reformers.

But it’s not as if it hasn’t been done before. Most law enforcement historians point to the example of the Hong Kong police, who were once even more corrupt than the Philippine variety, as the prime example of how even the worst law enforcement organizations can be reformed.

At the end of World War II, the Hong Kong police started to develop the unenviable reputation as one of the most corrupt law enforcement agencies in

all of Asia. But by 1974, Hong Kongers had had enough—they pushed their British governors to do something about the problem of corruption in the police and all other branches of the colonial

Reforming the police in the Philippines is no less challenging than the job that confronted ICAC in Hong Kong in the seventies. government and the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) was born.

In just over a decade and using a no-nonsense combination of prosecution and conviction,

forced retirement and even amnesty for minor forms of corruption, ICAC transformed the Hong Kong bureaucracy in general—and the colony’s police force in particular—into one of the most admired and respected in Asia and the rest of the world.

Several years back, before ICAC lost some of its luster with the appointment of controversial chief Donald Tsang, Hong Kong residents regularly rated their police force in the eighties in satisfaction. Crime statistics fell to negligible levels and complaints about corruption in the police force virtually disappeared.

ICAC’s success is even more noteworthy because it went against the Chinese practice of giving bribes and all sorts of gifts to government officials and policemen. It is also worth pointing out that, just like in the Philippines, the Hong Kong Chinese often made a distinction between ordinary crimes that should be punished severely and the “victimless” variety like gambling, prostitution and other vices,

whose operators the police routinely considered fair game for extortion.

The job of reforming the police force in the Philippines is no less challenging than the one that confronted ICAC in the seventies. But because ICAC never compromised with criminals in uniform and in the government service—and because it was given wide-ranging, independent authority to get the job done —the agency was hailed as a great success.

Dela Rosa’s creation of an ICAC-like agency to police the national police force, christened the Counter-Intelligence Task Force and headed by Superintendent Chiquito Manalo, is a good start. Let’s see if the Duterte administration will go after corrupt and criminal law enforcers with the same gusto that it has pursued suspected drug pushers and users in the seven months or so that it has been in office. *** If I were President Duterte,

UNCERTAINTY. That is the immediate impact of a series of orders issued by President Donald Trump. The orders, signed on Jan. 27, 2017, have two immediate effects: An effective ban on Muslims from visiting or living in the United States, and a crackdown on illegal immigrants.

The ban on Muslims, for 90 days, is supposed to cover Muslims from only seven Muslim majority countries—Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen. It also suspends processing of refugees for 120 days. Trump, though, did not include in the ban countries where his companies do or did business—Saudi Arabia (the source of 15 of 19 9/11terrorists; the assassinated Osama bin Laden was a Saudi elite), Egypt, and Indonesia.

The crackdown on illegal immigrants—known among Filipinos as tago-nang-tago (TNTs)—sends jitters among some 300,000 (probably more) Filipinos overstaying in the US. Being undocumented, many TNTs are confined to low-paying jobs as babysitters, housemaids, gasoline boys, busboys, and as mistresses of naturalborn American men (who titillate them with the possibility of becoming the legal wife of an American citizen. But the man and the woman must prove they have been living as husband and wife for a minimum of two years before the woman is given a green card.

During the wait, the hapless women must render sexual service and/or pay outright extortion).

While campaigning for president, Trump said he would target between two million and three million so-called criminal immigrants. Most of the illegals are not a burden to the local economy. In California, most of the over three-million undocumented aliens are estimated to make up 10 percent of its work force and contribute $130 billion to the Golden State’s economy.

To be sure, Trump is not the only anti-illegal immigration president. Barack Obama was No.1. Between 2009 and 2015, The Economist reports, Obama

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Opinion TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Killings must end PRESIDENT Duterte’s bru- politicians and other governtal war on illegal drugs, with ment officials. It’s not possible more than 6,500 already killed, to end this completely. And if we and more than one-half of this bring all of them to our courts, number by vigilante groups, is our justice system does not benow on hold. This is an attempt ing much comfort. Bring them to cleanse the ranks of the Phil- all to courts, impossible, with ippine National Police of rogue the kind of justice system we have? Kill them all, then? Santa cops.

What about the killings that Banana, that’s even worse. *** have already taken place?

The President should realize No doubt we need to take out the scalawags in uniform from that the Catholic Church and the PNP. The police force, the all its bishops and priests are President says, is corrupt to the his friends, not his enemies. He core. Take the case of the South should end the ranting.

If we analyze everything, the Korean businessman. It is the perfect example of how brazen Catholic Church and its priests cops can get. Imagine stran- and bishops have the same goal gling him right inside Camp as the President. They want to Crame! And then they had the rid the country of illegal drugs.

The President should realgall to ask for money from the ize that in every institution or victim’s wife.

There are many more in- organization, there are rotten stances when foreigners, mostly eggs. The clergy are no excepChinese, become victims of tion.

Within this context, the Presi“tokhang for ransom.”

Police chief Ronald dela Rosa dent should realize that the was quick to dismantle the Catholic Church founded some AIDG or Anti-Illegal Drugs 2,000 years ago is not the clerGroup. He will replace it with gy. The Church has withstood another unit. In the meantime, the test of time and as Jesus whether the Philippine Drug Christ said, “the gates of hell Enforcement Agency will per- will not prevail against it.”

Mr. Duterte continues to enform is a matter of speculation.

Some of them are also corrupt joy the support of the bigger segment of soto the core. ciety, who are So in the wake of efpredominantly Catholic. forts to re*** store the There is President people’s conDuterte’s war fidence in the now an effort on corruppolice, will to restore tion is another the killings thing. For so now stop? the people’s long as some I raise this people have question be- confidence in the greed for cause there police. money, there has been no will always be attempt on the corruption in part of Presigovernment. dent Duterte Corruption in government and his police chief to stop all the extrajudicial and vigilante is an endemic malaise. I have been a journalist for the past killings.

The killings must stop, pe- 66 years, and I think I have riod. Other countries are also seen it all. I know for a fact looking at us as a country that that corruption is the bane of does not respect human rights almost all presidents. They might have had good intenand the rule of law.

I am all for eradicating the tions, but their administradrug menace. If we don’t do tions were rocked with corrupsomething about this now, we tion scandals.

Just how the President will can make the country a narcotackle corruption at Customs, state.

But for once, President Du- Bureau of Internal Revenue, Deterte should listen to his crit- partment of Public Works and ics here and abroad. We do not Highways, Transportation, the want to give the impression that Philippine Charity Sweepstakes the government is a killing ma- Office, Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchine, do we?

President Duterte himself chising and Regulatory Board, must have realized how big the Energy Regulatory Commisillegal drugs problem is. He sion, the Armed Forces of the now wants to extend his war to Philippines and the PNP and the end of his term. Obviously, everywhere else, remains to be he has acknowledged that for as seen. There are always some gelong as there is demand, there niuses who can devise means to make money. will always be supply.

There are some things the The war on illegal drugs has become a worldwide phenom- President should understand. enon. Even the United States is Corruption in government is a still at war against the $36-bil- two-way street. There is always lion narcotics industry from Co- the one who offers the bribe, lombia and Mexico. Indonesia and the other, a government and Malaysia have drug mules functionary who accepts the bribe. on their death row.

Corruption can take place in I’ve said it before: President Duterte can only minimize the many other ways. Corruption in entry of illegal drugs and the lo- government is so deeply rooted cal manufacturing of shabu in and so pervasive that it will certhe country. He can never end tainly take the President more than the end of his term to at it all.

There are thousands narco- least minimize it.

The next...

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I’d consider former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile’s offer to serve as private prosecutor in the cases that the government may file against former President Noynoy Aquino concerning the infamous Mamasapano Massacre of 2015.

I’m not a fan of Enrile’s, haven’t been since he voted with the Aquino-supported majority in the Senate to convict the late Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona; but that doesn’t mean that the former senator from Cagayan will not be able to contribute to the effort to hold Aquino—as the Senate once found—ultimately responsible for the killing of the 44 Special Action Force commandos two years ago.

I take particular interest in Enrile’s declaration that Aquino can be held accountable for treason and for aiding and abet-

ting sworn enemies of the state when he allowed the commandos to die at the hands of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front by refusing to send in reinforcements. And I’d certainly like to see the still-sprightly Enrile demolish Aquino’s long-held argument that only former SAF commander General Getulio Napeñas should be held liable for the carnage because no chain of command existed that could link the president to the ill-fated Oplan Exodus.

At the advanced age of 93, I don’t think Enrile will have any reason to take on the job of Aquino’s prosecutor other than the get to the bottom of the incident. What’s more, I think that despite his age, Enrile still is in possession of all his mental faculties and the first-class legal mind that he has long been famous for.

I say give Enrile the chance to redeem himself by going after Aquino.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

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Refugees and migrants BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO “GIVE me your tired, your poor huddled masses yearning to breathe free…”

These words are inscribed in the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. The 305-foot Lady is a gift from France which fought alongside the revolutionaries against British rule. The crown on the statue’s head is forever lit as a beacon of enlightenment and hope for newcomers in search of a better life.

The United States of America is a country founded and strengthened by immigrants.

The first wave of immigrants sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to flee the onerous rule of the British king. They settled in the new country’s east coast to form the New England colonies. They were followed by the Irish who fled the famine and economic hardship in the Land of Ire. More immigrants from Europe and Asia also came to America to form the bedrock of freedom and democracy.

With the stroke of a pen, US President Donald Trump declared that forthwith, America will no

longer be a refuge for scoundrels—meaning immigrants who will maim, kill Americans and destroy American institutions.

The Donald’s executive order stopped the US refugee program and banned immigrants from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, and Somalia. Trump’s landmark order must be seen as the right of every state to protect itself from external dangers these terrorists pose.

Stopping the US refugee program and perfecting his plan to build a wall along the USMexican border topped the work schedule of President Donald Trump’s first two weeks. A US federal court, however, stopped Trump from implementing his order on migrants who still have pending cases appealing their deportation. Foreign travelers already granted US visas were not covered by the new executive order. Unclear in the Trump ban is the fate of immediate relatives being petitioned by US citizens and green card holders.

Protests and opposition mount because of the order’s clear religious and cultural bias. Trump’s said only Christians would be allowed as immigrants. Protesters massed at JFK airport and other major US gateways like San Francisco and Dallas. The film industry led by the Screen Ac-

tors Guild bashed Trump’s action as racially biased. Although the ban was meant to keep out Islamist terrorists from the US, human rights groups and civil libertarians around the world condemned the ban.

Trump’s “America First” policy is beginning to assume a xenophobic shade which could have dire consequences with confrontation from both sides of the religious divide.

“We welcome you, regardless of your faith,” said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, adding “diversity is our strength.” He was speaking to refugees fleeing persecution, terror and war. Canada is no stranger to terrorism. Last year, an Islamist terrorist went on a shooting rampage in the Canadian parliament in Ottawa. Despite this, Canada, the US neighbor to the north is still open to refugees of all faiths.

Former President Barack Obama weighed in to criticize Trump’s suspension of the refugee program. International coffee chain Starbucks also showed support for migrants by announcing it was ready to hire 10,000 refugees within the next five years.

Why doesn’t Trump impose the same strict requirement for migrants from the Czech Republic and Slovenia where his

two fair-skinned and beautiful wives, Ivana and Melania, come from? The answer is pretty obvious, no pun intended.

“The Wall” which Trump first announced during the presidential campaign has alienated next-door neighbor Mexico whose President, Enrique Peña Nieto unilaterally canceled his Washington meeting with Trump. Although his White House press office said it was a mutual decision to cancel, outside observers see it as prudent move

by Nieto to scrap what would have been an otherwise wasteful meeting. Of course, it doesn’t look good if a neighbor turned down your invitation to visit your house.

Someone asked: Why don’t oil-rich countries in the Middle East like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain take in some of the Muslim refugees considering that their integration would be seamless because of shared religious and cultural background?

The answer to that is because the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia, and the dynasty rulers of the other Gulf countries, are afraid their reign would be in endangered if they let newcomers into their societies. Osama bin Laden who was killed by US commandos in Pakistan was a Saudi Arabian who wanted to end the rule of the Royal family.

Investments and infrastructure SO I SEE LITO BANAYO THE textbook measurement of a country’s productivity is C + I + G, where C stands for consumption, I for investments and G for government spending.

In the Philippines, what has fuelled our economic growth over the last several years has been high consumer spending, principally because the main drivers of our economy have been our overseas Filipino workers who religiously send financial support to their loved ones here. In the past 10 years or so, the phenomenal growth of the business process outsourcing industry has also served us well.

The OFW-supported families are mostly from the poor and low middle-class sectors. Once they get their life support from their toiling relative abroad, tend to indulge in heavy consumption. They eat better, go to better schools, go shopping at those ever-proliferating malls, even put up houses which in turn fuel the real estate and construction boom.

The BPOs employ mostly young people, whose propensity to consume in turn fuel the service sectors—food, malls, sports and fitness outfits, even domestic travel.

But then, the OFWs and BPOs are vulnerable sectors to external events, be they war and conflict (as in the Middle East), or a wave of protectionism in the client countries, the immediate example of which is Donald Trump.

We cannot go on being a country providing services to the rest of humanity, or servicing the needs of the rich whose progeny disdain certain kinds of work.

That makes us too vulnerable to

Trump,...

From A4 deported an average of 360,000 a year.

The Filipino TNTs in the US should not worry that much, though. In California, where most of the Filipinos are, a TNT is given due process or court hearing before being deported and that usually takes years. The backlog of immigration cases is 500,000 as of July, according to The Economist. Also, Trump has frozen hiring of federal workers. The immigration ban will likely create 10,000 border patrol positions.

I believe Trump as president has the right to protect his country and its citizens from an invasion by terrorists. As leader of the most powerful nation on earth, he has awesome arsenal and options to enforce his views.

Meanwhile, the new US am-

externalities.

We have to develop internal strength in our economy. And going back to the classic formula of C + I + G, we cannot forever depend on high consumer spending to fuel our growth.

That is where I comes in. Investments, whether sourced from domestic savings, or from foreign direct investments (not the hot money coming from portfolio investments that move currency in and out depending on instant profitability), is what we need most.

We have a very low savings level. Because many live on a hand-to-mouth existence (the D and E sectors), and there is a very small real middle class (the C sector), low savings means less source of capital for investment purposes. Ours is a case of a huge population with very little savings per capita. Worse, this huge population creates great stress on needed social services, such as public health and education which perforce government has to subsidize.

This brings again the imperative of population management.

The Roman Catholic Church always rails against population control, even if its own priests know full well how difficult it is to “discipline” sexual urges.

They keep pointing to wealth concentration and corruption as demons which need to be exorcised first, so that government can provide for the ever increasing numbers. That’s another issue worth ten articles, and for now, all this writer will say is that Philippine priests are never good at arithmetic.

We have to compete with the whole developing world for a share of foreign direct investments. We have to make our economic environment friendly and inviting for foreign capital.

Our 1987 Constitution restricts rather than invites. But even as the President and Congress have signaled intent to re-write

the fundamental law, we have to act urgently to make it easy for those who are willing to invest given the current restrictions to come in.

It is in this regard that the economic zones created by special laws become so vital. Peza, Subic, Clark, BCDA, TIEZA, all these creations of law must work doubly hard to get those investors in.

But one dis-economy is the woeful state of our infrastructure. Public transport is dismal. It is as if, save for a flyover here and there, time has frozen on public transportation since Marcos left us. Agricultural infrastructure is just as bad. Irrigation serviced 1.4 million hectares in 1986. It now services 1.6 million hectares 31 years after the fall of Marcos. How’s that for pitifully minimal incrementalism? But look at how much government has budgeted for NIA in all these 31 years, and weep at the inefficiency. We need roads, bridges, ports, workable airports, railroads to link island with island, farms with markets, countryside to cities.

Not to mention interconnectivity and communication.

We have to catch up, and fast, because foreign direct investments, even timid domestic capital, require good infrastructure as conditio sine qua non.

That’s where the third component of national productivity, G or government spending comes in.

But G is a function of ways and means, that is, state revenue and public debt.

But one is also a function of the other. Debt is sustainable only if the wherewithal to pay is available, and that means, state revenues must have the ability to generate debt payments or servicing.

That is why the Duterte economic managers are asking the public through Congress (and media) to understand why tax

reform is necessary. No (temporary) pain, no gain, as I titled an article weeks ago. In the end, as the economy grows, people will realize how they contributed to such growth because they paid the right amount of taxes, just as they will realize how economic opportunities have meanwhile benefited the quality of their lives.

Duterte’s boldly independent foreign policy is producing results. China and Japan are opening up their financial vaults to fund vital infrastructure. Imagine if we hewed close to “mama” America, and then got Trump in return?

But all these opportunities need a concerted national effort, an energized bureaucracy which has to work doubly hard, cut the Gordian knots in the bureaucratic maze, and be driven in pursuit of quantum leaps in the national economy.

President Duterte, for all his long-winded speechifying, knows where we must go, and how to get there. No president in contemporary history has moved as fast and as purposive as the man from Davao in forgotten Mindanao. He is racing against time, and he wants the nation and the institutions of societal order to keep in step.

Whether it is to ride out the external storms happening all around us, or whether it is to finally take-off a laggard economy incapable of sustaining the needs of a huge and growing population, we must not lose the opportunity we now have.

Chinoys in this country used to say—the Philippines is a land of opportunity. It rains quite often, but when the rains fall, the earth swallows the water fast.

So to prosper, one must always be ready. When the rains of opportunity fall, be sure you have a huge basin to catch your share of the water, else it falls to the earth and is gone.

If we only had such an ethic.

bassador to the Philippines, Sung Kim, justified Trump’s actions. “This is only a very important matter of dealing with security concerns. This is not racism, this is not unfair prejudice. This is driven by our legitimate security needs and concerns,” he told a luncheon of the Makati Business Club yesterday. The US, he noted, is not the only country having the dilemma of making itself as open as possible while at the same time, making itself as safe as possible for its citizens. A Californian, Kim said he himself was an immigrant while Trump’s grandfather was a (German) immigrant.

In his MBC speech, Kim dwelled on the economic importance of US-Philippine relations.

He implied that the US is actually the biggest revenue maker and biggest employer in the Philippines. The US has something

to do with the three biggest dollar earners of the Philippines— semiconductor exports, business process outsourcing, and overseas remittances of overseas Filipinos.

Of $51.36-billion exports from January to November 2016, $18 billion came from semiconductors which has 37 companies, the largest of which is Texas Instruments, the single largest Philippine exporter. The BPO industry employs more than one million and generates $22 billion in revenues of which 70 percent is generated from clients in the US. The single largest employer in the Philippines, Convergys, is an American company.

OFW remittances amount to $26 billion yearly. One third of that money comes from the US. Ambassador Kim noted that doing business in the Philippines can be challenging. Among more than 150 countries surveyed, the

Philippines ranks 99th (or poor) in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business index.

It take 28 days to start a business in the Philippines. Compare that with 19 days in Malaysia and three days in Singapore.

Kim allays fears of Filipinos about not getting US visitor or immigrant visas. Last year, the US Embassy in Manila processed more 220,000 Filipino visa applicants. “We are working hard every day to make that process even more efficient and more comfortable for Filipino visa applicants and are totally committed to this effort,” he said.

As to America’s periodic crackdowns against immigrants, legal or not, well, the motto is: Weather, weather lang ’yan.

Trump should be good only for four years as president, if not shorter. biznewsasia@gmail.com

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Dacer murder suspect yields

By Francisco Tuyay FORMER police officer Cezar Mancao II, who is one of the suspects in abduction and murder of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito, has surrendered to the police Monday morning.

Mancao, the subject of an arrest warrant issued by Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 18 Judge Myra Garcia Fernandez on April 28, 2006, surrendered to the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Camp Crame.

Upon his surrender, Mancao was subjected to booking process and medical examination and was temporarily detained at the CIDG office pending the return of warrant to the issuing court.

Mancao, 53, is a Philippine Military Academy classmate of PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa.

Aside from Mancao, also accused in the double murder case were former PNP chief and now Senator Panfilo Lacson and former Senior Supt. Michael Ray Aquino, who have both been cleared by the courts.

Lacson, whom Mancao linked to the double-murder case, was cleared by the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court upheld the CA’s decision in 2015.

As for Michael Ray Aquino, the Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal of murder case against him in connection with the Dacer-Corbito case in 2014.

Dacer was killed after he met then President Joseph Estrada at Malacañang purportedly after discussing a media campaign because of an ongoing impeachment campaign in 2000.

After the meeting, Dacer was supposedly on his way to former President Fidel Ramos to show vital documents pertaining to the stock manipulation scandal involving the listed gaming firm BW Resources.

Dacer and Corbito were snatched Nov. 24, 2000 along Osmeña Highway in Makati City.

Rody eyes Chinese patrols P

By Sandy Araneta

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has asked China to conduct patrols in Southeast Asian waters to fight piracy and other cross-border criminal activities.

“I asked China if they can patrol international waters without necessarily intruding into [a country’s] territorial waters,” Duterte told newly promoted military officials at a reception in Malacañang.

Duterte made the proposal after an unidentified special emissary from Indonesia arrived Monday night to discuss the recent kidnapping of three Indonesian fishermen by the Abu Sayyaf Group.

“I just reminded them that we

have this agreement, we have this understanding. [We need to] put it into practice,” Duterte said, referring to the Philippines’ agreement with Indonesia and Malaysia over maritime border patrols.

Duterte said Chinese presence was helpful in the waters off Somalia to help prevent kidnapping and piracy in those shipping lanes.

“We would be glad if they have their presence there. [Even with only a] coast guard cutter, just to

patrol. Like what they did in Somalia. They helped. Somalia has toned down. But in the Malacca Strait, even in the Sulu Sea. It remains to be a big problem,” Duterte said.

The Philippines and China are in a dispute due to claims in the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea. The Philippines, seeking to improve relations with China, hopes a long-delayed framework for a Code of Conduct in the disputed South China Sea will be completed by the middle of this year, said Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay.

Yasay said the code would help de-escalate tension in the waters, where China has started militarizing artificial islands built after the Philippines filed and won an arbitration case against Beijing in The Hague.

Yasay said the Philippines, as chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year, will intensify efforts to fast-track the discussions on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and eventually complete the COC. In fact, discreet discussions are currently under way and China has been “very cooperative” in the process, he said.

“The formulation of the COC is precisely being discussed right now. I don’t want to preempt anything by revealing further information but I hope that it will be achieved by mid-2017,” Yasay said. “There is now a convergence of national interest to come up with the COC and we are fortu-

IN BRIEF DSWD starts rehab program

RESTORING DISCIPLINE. Elements of the Manila Police District fall in for a general inspection as officials devise ways to reinstill discipline in the ranks amid public criticism of an increase in the criminal activities of some policemen. Norman Cruz

Small Town Lottery to help campaign vs crime THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office has expanded the operations of the Small Town Lottery nationwide in a bid to generate more funds for charity programs aimed at helping poor Filipinos and help President Rodrigo Duterte’s drive against criminality.

At the press launch of the project in Mandaluyong City on Tuesday, PCSO chairman Jose Jorge Corpuz said aside from generating more revenues, the expanded STL operations may also put a stop to illegal numbers games and provide illegal gambling operators and workers a

legal source of income.

“Answering the call of President Rodrigo Duterte to eliminate illegal gambling and stop corruption in the country, PCSO expands its STL operations from 18 areas since it started in 2006 to 56 areas nationwide this year,” he said.

“Aside from curbing the proliferation of illegal gambling, the expansion of STL also aims to increase the revenues of PCSO to more than P27 billion in 2017 from the mere P4.7 billion in 2015 and P6.4 billion in 2016,” Corpuz said.

“The expected STL sales in 2017 shall mean more charity

funds for PCSO and will subsequently translate into more beneficiaries of the various health, medical and charitable programs of PCSO including the Individual Medical Assistance Program, assistance for medicines and medical supplies, Medical and Dental Mission and Ambulance Donation Program, among others,” Corpuz said.

Corpuz said the operation of the more than 50 STL outlets is the agency’s way of helping the government’s anti-illegal gambling drive.

On the other hand, PCSO

general manager Alexander Balutan urged the public for their support to be able to curb illegal gambling activities.

“We also encourage civil society groups, non-government organizations and church institutions to join hands with us in this battle of stopping illegal gambling and corruption,” he said.

With this, he warned those who are engaged in illegal gambling operations to stop their illegal activities or face arrest.

“To all illegal gambling operators, your minions and protectors, your days are numbered. I’m

warning you, “you can run but you cannot hide.” Go legal or else we will arrest you and file appropriate charges against you,” the PCSO official added.

Earlier this year, the 56 Authorized Agent Corporations (AACs) were approved by the PCSO Governing Board to operate the expansion of STL nationwide.

Prior to the approval of the 56 AACs, there were only 18 STL AACs in 14 provinces and four cities in the country.

The PCSO will be accepting applications for the STL operations until Feb. 16. PNA

Duterte tells Pagcor to fund poverty body PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said he will instruct the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to give a portion of its online gaming income to the National AntiPoverty Commission in order to fast-track NAPC anti-poverty programs and projects.

The President made the announcement as he convened the NAPC en banc assembly in Malacañang.

In a bid to cut down on processes in order to “help the poor directly,” Duterte said, “a percentage of the [Pagcor] income from online gambling will be given to NAPC.” As reported in the media, the gross revenue of Pagcor from its electronic gaming sites has reached P5.576 billion, as of the third quarter of 2016.

At the en banc, the President said the overall aim is to “reduce poverty by 25 percent in three years.”

NAPC lead convenor Liza Maza said that the President’s announcement is “immense good news for the grassroots organizations, sectors and the poorest of the poor.”

NAPC, along with its member government agencies, will ensure that the President’s philosophy of participatory governance is im-

nate to have gotten to this level.”

The COC has been in the works since 2002 but “intervening events,” as Yasay called them, prompted years of delays and prevented it from moving forward.

He said that the COC might “open the door to speed up bilateral engagement” with China to eventually enforce the ruling of an international arbitral tribunal in the disputed waters.

The framework, Yasay disclosed, will include key elements and principles for the legally binding COC. “I hate to think a party not to be bound by it or deviate from it. I’m sure that they will be bound by it,” he said, pointing out that the COC should be agreed by all the parties unanimously.

plemented, she said.

Maza added that with the Pagcor funds, NAPC will be able to implement with dispatch propoor programs and projects that “are hinged on a coordinated and sustained anti-poverty strategy anchored on the provision of 10 basic needs.”

“The 10 basic needs stand for the needs of the poor, namely: food, water, shelter, education, healthcare, work, social protection, healthy environment, and peace and participation. People’s participation is the key ingredient to achieving the 10 basic needs,” Maza said.

NAPC was created in 1998 through Republic Act 8425. It serves as the coordinating advisory body for the implementation of the President’s Social Reform Agenda.

The last NAPC en banc assembly was held on July 30, 2007, during the time of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. No en banc assembly was held during the entire six years of former President Benigno Aquino III. Duterte gave the directive that starting this year, NAPC en banc will be conducted once a month to maintain close coordination and monitoring of anti-poor programs of the government.

10 YEARS IN THE MAKING. President Rodrigo Duterte welcomes attendees of the National Anti-Poverty Commission en banc assembly at the Heroes Hall of Malacañan Palace on Monday. It was the first time the assembly convened in 10 years. PNA

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development has conducted a pilot activity for the reintegration of drug surrenderers in the community, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

“Last January 27, Department of Social Welfare and Development coordinated with the local government unit of Talisay, Batangas which led the conduct of ‘Linis Bayan’,” said Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella, during a press briefing in Malacañang.

The Linis Bayan or community cleanup drive is a pilot activity of the DSWD that aims to reintegrate drug surrenderers in the community by involving them in activities that will have a positive impact on their barangays, he said.

Other than drug surrenderees, the cleanup drive was also participated in by community volunteers, DSWD Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, barangay officials and staff.

DSWD field office has also provided ready-to-eat meals for the events’ participants.

Also in Tawi-Tawi, P1-billion infrastructure projects are seen to boost the Tawi-Tawi economy, he said. Sandy Araneta

Malls ready ‘traffic’ guards MALL operators have started sending to the Metro Manila Development Authority the list of security guards who will be deputized and help the agency in managing traffic along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue.

MMDA acting chairman Thomas Orbos said the agency is set to train the security guards this week on basic traffic management method used by its traffic constables and other volunteers from various local government units.

Among the mall and shopping center participants were Ayala malls such as Trinoma and Glorietta, Shoe Mart (SM), Robinsons, Centris, Fisher Mall, Star Mall, Eastwood, and Araneta Center, Podium and Walter Mart.

“They can issue citation tickets but the licenses of traffic violators will be submitted to the MMDA,” said Orbos.

At least 14 shopping malls and commercial establishments along Edsa have expressed interest to join the program.

In a meeting last week, the MMDA asked mall operators to participate on traffic management within the vicinities of their malls as it is also for their best interest that traffic is well-managed in their areas.

The agency will train mall security personnel on traffic management to augment the present MMDA enforcers deployed within the vicinities of their establishment. Joel E. Zurbano

Mariano probes farmer’s shooting in Negros

By Rio N. Araja AGRARIAN Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano ordered on Tuesday an investigation and fast resolution of a land dispute in Negros Occidental, the bastion of vast tracts of haciendas.

The order came following the shooting of 48-year-old farmer Wenceslao Pacquiao by a lone gunman in Barangay San Benito, Calatrava on Jan. 25.

Mariano directed Negros Island regional director Stephen Leonidas to look into the dispute and give justice to the victims.

“Necessary steps to hasten the resolution of

agrarian disputes are in place to avoid the death of another farmer in cold blood,” he said.

Based on reports, the Department of Agrarian Reform disclosed Pacquiao, a member of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas-Negros, and Paubaya were cultivating their lands when an unidentified armed man fired at them.

The land in question was originally owned by Angelina Bruce Laguda and is currently leased to several farmers by Agustilo Hullesa.

Laguda opted to sell the land through the voluntary-offer-to-sell scheme allowing DAR to process land distribution to qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries. The certificates of

land ownership awards were then distributed to beneficiaries.

The farmers who were not included in the list, such as Pacquiao and Paubaya, being one of these tillers, challenged the CLOAs. The shooting happened while the issued CLOA was questioned before DAR. Earlier, Alexander Ceballos, also a farmer from Negros, sustained a headshot that led to his death.

“We want to welcome the sunrise with lands in the hands and control of the farmers, but we certainly do not want to see the sunset with death of a fellow farmer,” Mariano stressed.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Cotabato players dominate PPS-PEPP

Diaz preparing for Asian tilt, World Championship

JOANNE Gornes and Arnie Joy Diaz hacked out a pair of threeset thrillers to lead the Cotabato aces’ romp in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Malaybalay regional age group tennis tournament at the DPWH and Freedom Park Tennis Club in Bukidnon last Monday.

Gornes rallied then outplayed fellow Pikit native Diaz, 2-6, 6-3, 10-7, to snare the girls’ 18-and-under crown while the latter foiled Gornes’ second round tormentor in the 16-U side Novi Melendez with a 6-1, 5-7, 10-8 victory.

Jilian Manangking, also from Pikit, edged Casey Padilla, 1-6, 7-5, 12-10, to claim the girls’ 14-U crown while Karl Palo from Kidapawan, Cotabato, and Rayman Saldivar Jr. from Kabacan, Cotabato took the 14- and 12-U titles in the boys’ side of the Group 4 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.

“The string of three-setters only underscored the level playing field among these young aces all hoping to make it big someday. Palawan Pawnshop will provide them the tournaments and exposure they need to realize their dream,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/COO Bobby Castro.

The No. 3 Palo upended top seed John Linsagan, 4-1, 1-4, 105, in the semis then held off Jed Durog, 6-1, 7-6(5), in the finals while top-seeded Saldivar thwarted Kyle Robeniol, 7-6(4), 4-6, 11-9, to annex the fifth crown for Cotabato in 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.

Other winners in the event, backed by new sponsor Asiatraders Corp. and sanctioned by Philta, were Al Rasheed Lucman and Cyrill Robeniol from Malaybalay, Bukidnon, Mark Malinis from Maramag, Bukidon, and Cagayan de Oro’s Casey Padilla.

By Peter Atencio

W

ITH the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur now out of her plans, Olympic silver medallist Hidilyn Diaz will focus her preparations on two other top tier events this year.

Diaz is set to join the weightlifting meet in the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Turkmenistan this September and the World Championship this Novembers in Anaheim, California.

It will be Diaz’s first in the

multi-event Asian meet and her third time to join the tournament organized by the International Weightlifting Federation in the United States.

Participating in the SEA Games is already out of the question since organizers have

deleted many women’s events from the calendar.

“I’ve moved on from SEA Games which will not have women’s events,” said Diaz as she talked of her plans during yesterday’s weekly PSA Forum at the Golden Phoenix Hotel in Pasay City.

Diaz said she is now training again with coach Tony Agustin.

Dondon Aldanete took over to help train her for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

“I will participate in competition while I’m also studying,” said the 25-year old Diaz, who has been busy not only with her

training, but with her studies since the start of the year.

Hidilyn is back to school, taking up business management after she accepted a scholarship offer from the College of St. Benilde.

The help came from another Olympian, La Salle alumnus Stephen Fernandez, who is the school’s athletic director.

“Time management is my problem now. I have the strength and stamina for this,” said Diaz.

Going back to school, according to Diaz, will help get a clear view of how she will chart her

Hotshots take on Mahindra Floodbuster

By Jeric Lopez

PSA Forum guests Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz (left) and IBF Super Flyweight Champion Jerwin Ancajas answer questions from sportswriters. Lino Santos

ONE chairman promises fireworks

ONE chairman Chatri Sityodtong promised that his promotion is preparing a blockbuster event for its tenth venture on Philippine shores. ONE Championship

WITH ONE Championship returning to Manila, Philippines on April 21, Asia’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) organization seeks to electrify the 20,000-seater SM Mall of Asia Arena once again.

Company chairman Chatri Sityodtong revealed that ONE Championship is preparing a blockbuster event for its tenth venture on Philippine shores.

“April 21st in Manila is going to be a massive, massive event.

We are going to have a crazy card for the fans in the Philippines.

You’ve got to come out and show your love. We’re going to see some fireworks. It will probably be our biggest event in the Philippines,” he said.

Sityodtong confirmed that Filipino fighter Eduard Folayang will be defending the ONE

Lightweight World Championship title for the first time against a yet-to-be-determined opponent in the main event.

Last November, the 33-yearold Baguio City native pulled off an upset victory over Shinya Aoki to become an MMA world champion after nine years of competing in the sport.

Folayang dethroned Aoki by way of third-round technical knockout, driving a hard knee to the head before unleashing a barrage of punches to coerce referee Yuji Shimada to wave it off.

“In order to become a legend, you have to beat a legend. He did that despite being dominated by Shinya Aoki in the first round.

Eduard Folayang showed what it’s like to conquer the odds,” Sityodtong said of Folayang’s

stunning victory over Aoki.

“He is going to defend it in his home country for the first time. I want the entire country, if you’re a Filipino or have a Pinoy heart, you’ve got to watch this fight,” he added.

Aside from Folayang, Sityodtong also confided that Ben Askren will make the third defense of his ONE Welterweight World Championship belt in the Philippines.

Widely regarded as one of the best welterweight MMA fighters in the world today, Askren is no stranger to fighting on Philippine soil as he already fought twice in the country.

Askren is coming off a unanimous decision triumph over Russia’s Nikolay Aleksakhin in April of last year, keeping his unblemished MMA record intact.

Arrogate wins world’s new richest race THE HOARSE WHISPERER JENNY ORTUOSTE HOTSHOT 3YO Arrogate bested 2016 Horse of the Year California Chrome to win the first Pegasus World Cup Invitational last Saturday (Jan. 28) at Gulfstream Park, Florida, and earn a purse of $7 million.

Noble Bird took the lead in the early stages of the 1-1/8 mile (1,800 meters) race with co-favorites California Chrome and Arrogate running off the pace.

Arrogate, under jockey Mike Smith, found some extra wind that allowed him to pull away down the stretch to win by 4-3/4 lengths in 1:47.61.

Shaman Ghost was second, $1.75 million prize, 3rd Neolithic, $1 million prize. California Chrome came in ninth for the poorest showing of his racing career.

Shaman’s Ghost owner Frank

life in the next four years, and on her journey to compete again in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Born February 20, 1991 Diaz competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics as the youngest competitor in the women’s 58-kg category. She won a bronze medal in the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand. She reached 10th place at the 2006 Asian Games in the 53-kilogram class.

She ended 20 years of Olympic medal drought in the 2016 Summer Olympics when she won the silver medal in the women’s 53-kg weight division.

Stronach, by the way, was the creator of the Pegasus World Cup concept. *** The Pegasus World Cup is unusual in that the “stakeholders”, horse owners interested in running in the race, themselves put up the “stakes” or prize money through a $1 million entry fee per slot. (This is where the term “stakes race” comes from.)

Usually nowadays the purse money comes from pari-mutuel sales and/or sponsors.

The total purse raised for the Pegasus was $12 million. Some of the horse owners bought slots even before deciding if they had an entry or not.

Aside from its bonafides as the new “world’s richest race”, setting aside the Dubai World Cup in that respect, another arc of the 2017 Pegasus World Cup narrative was that it offered fans a rematch between Arrogate and California Chrome. However, it turned out to be more of a rout than a rematch.

Chrome won all save one of

his races in 2016 and was named Horse of the Year. That race he lost was the Breeders Cup Classic, which was won by Arrogate, who, though not named HoY, was awarded champion 3YO Male of 2016 because he ran less races.

The Pegasus World Cup was California Chrome’s last race.

He has been retired to stud at Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky and will stand for a $40,000 stud fee. *** I’ve always fancied Arrogate over California Chrome.

Not to take away from Chrome’s impressive resume, but I had every confidence in Arrogate going into the Pegasus. Though lightly raced in comparison to his rival, in his brief career so far Arrogate has shown moves that are astounding for a horse his age and experience.

I am reminded of Bloodhorse columnist Steve Haskin’s words after Arrogate beat Chrome in the Breeders’ Cup Classic last

Nov. 5 at Santa Anita Park: “In the past three years,” Haskin said in his Nov. 6 piece, “what California Chrome has accomplished has been extraordinary. What American Pharoah accomplished was historic and spectacular.

“What Arrogate has accomplished in the Travers and Breeders’ Cup Classic has been, well, abnormal, meaning there is no way to gauge the true magnitude of his accomplishment because there has never been anything with which to compare it.”

“Abnormal.” This was the first time I’d read that word in connection with a horse race.

Perhaps the only other apt use of the word would have been in regard to the magnificent and legendary Secretariat, and I don’t believe Haskins would bandy about a word of that weight lightly.

Arrogate set a record in the Travers Stakes with a time of 1:59.36, the fastest in the 147 times the race has been held,

as well as winning it by 13-1/2 lengths. Only two months later, he pulled off his Breeders’ Cup Classic rout of California Chrome. His earnings for those three races—the Travers, BC Classic, and Pegasus—stand at $11 million.

Arrogate’s trainer Bob Bafffert says he has no immediate plans for the horse, but is considering racing him in this year’s Breeders’ Cup and in next year’s Pegasus.

Pegasus was the divine horse of Greek mythology, ridden by the hero Bellerophon (not Hercules; the Disney film took liberties in that direction), and is an apt name for a race featuring the best racehorses in the world.

Arrogate and his continuing exploits makes him a Pegasus for our times. *** Dr. Ortuoste is a Californiabased writer. Facebook: Gogirl Racing and Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @gogirlracing and @ jennyortuoste, and Instagram: @jensdecember

IN the last playdate of the elimination round, a lot is still at stake for three teams as they jockey for the best possible placing in the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup today.

Red hot Star Hotshots (6-4), winner of three straight, want to continue their surge to have a good shot at ending up with the No. 2 seed when they face already eliminated but still dangerous Mahindra (3-7) at 4:15 p.m. at the Cuneta Astrodome in a crucial tiff for the Hotshots.

Following that is an equally vital game as the Alaska Aces (6-4), also seeking to have a good shot at finishing as the No. 2 team, play struggling Rain or Shine (5-5), which needs to earn a victory to secure its place in the quarterfinals and avoid harm’s way, at 7 p.m. in the main event.

Both the Hotshots and the Aces, who are currently tied for second and third places, have good chances of having a shot at ending up as the No. 2 seed and claiming the last twice-to-beat incentive left with their fate all in their hands.

Should both of them take care of business against their respective foes and earn victories, they will arrange a hot duel and figure in a playoff to dispute the No. 2 seed.

If one wins and the other loses, the victor, whoever it may be between them, will automatically gain the No. 2 ranking and the incentive with it in the next round.

On the other hand, in the event that both of them lose, things will get interesting.

In that case, they will both end up in a wild six-way tie, or even possibly a seven-way logjam for second place with GlobalPort, TNT KaTropa, Phoenix and Barangay Ginebra as they will all finish with similar 6-5 records.

Should that happen, the quotient system will come to play and the top two teams with the highest accumulated quotient among all of them will then get the chance to figure in a playoff for the No. 2 seed.

To avoid all of that, the Hotshots and Aces are both motivated to list much important victories.

With Allein Maliksi continuing his ascent in leading Star, the Hotshots demolished Meralco by 47 points, 120-73. The Hotshots played like a juggernaut which could not be stopped in that contest.

Alaska likewise had the same outcome the last time out, routing Phoenix by 21, 106-85, last Friday.

While for the Elasto Painters, all they need to do is win to complete the eightteam cast for the quarters and avoid complications.

Whould they lose, they would have to face Blackwater (5-6) in a playoff for the No. 8 seed and last ticket to the playoffs.

The Painters aren’t exactly having the best of stretches, having lost three in a row coming in.

LOTTO RESULTS

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

P0.0 M+ P0.0 M+

Joven wants to end drought

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

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Sports Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) drives to the basket against the Dallas Mavericks on January 30 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. AFP

Dallas Mavericks subdue Love-less Cavaliers, 104-97 W

ASHINGTON—Struggling with star forward Kevin Love sidelined by back spasms, the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers were downed 104-97 at Dallas on Monday.

and Curry added 16 for the Mavericks.

The Cavaliers fell to 32-15 but still remained the top team in the Eastern Conference by 2.5 games over Boston, while the Mavericks rose to 18-30, third-worst in the Western Conference but only four games out of the last West playoff spot.

Meanwhile, Isaiah Thomas, the NBA’s top fourth-quarter scorer, netted 24 of his 41 points in the last period to lift the Boston Celtics over Detroit 113-109 despite squandering an 11-point lead.

Thomas was one point shy of joining Larry Bird and Paul Pierce as the only Celtics to average 33 points in an entire month.

“I was close but I wasn’t trying.

I was just trying to do what my team needed me to do,” Thomas said. “It doesn’t sound real. To

LeBron James led the Cavaliers with 23 points on 9-of-19 shooting while Kyrie Irving added 18 points and five assists but made six turnovers, only one fewer than the entire Mavericks’ squad.

But an up-tempo Dallas attack proved more than the Cavaliers could stand a night after defeating Oklahoma City. The Mavericks seized a 100-85 edge with 4:18 to play on a 3-pointer by Yogi Ferrell and coasted home from there.

Love, averaging 20.1 points and 11.1 rebounds, stayed home for medical tests Monday and no

structural damage was found in his back, but he will also miss the Cavaliers’ home game Wednesday against Minnesota.

Asked if he thought the Cavaliers would make a trade for another playmaker as he has sought, James replied, “If it happens, it happens. We’ve got what we got. We’ve got to get better every game.”

Dallas forward Harrison Barnes had a game-high 24 points and 11 rebounds, and guard Wesley Matthews added 21 points. Ferrell had 19 points

Charter change coming

Tabuena chases first TCC victory

By Peter Atencio CHANGING the functions of the president, vice president and the chairman, the age eligibility of officials and the composition of the athletes commission are among the concerns of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), which is set to amend its constitution and bylaws.

Philipine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco said this now that a three-man committee has been formed for this task.

He noted that the function of the president and chairman looks the same.

Under the planned changes, this won’t have to be.

This time, more powers and responsibilities will be given to the vice president in case there is a need for the latter to take over.

“If something happens to the president, the vice president takes over.

Not the chairman. But it’s there in the constitution,” said Cojuangco.

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

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.

MIGUEL Tabuena hopes to buck fatigue and a field teeming with talent as he seeks his first The Country Club Invitational championship beginning tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 2 at the newly refurbished TCC course in Laguna.

Tabuena struggled to finish at 16th the last time the rich event was held in 2014 before the exclusive layout underwent renovation. Now, 22 and winner of a number of pro tournaments, including the Philippine Open in late 2015, and toughened up by a series of stints abroad, Tabuena looms as one of the players to watch in the P5 million championship which gathers the country’s top shotmakers.

“There’s no doubt that I will give it my best shot. I want to win this tournament,” said Tabuena, relishing a “break” from a grueling campaign abroad that saw him compete in the Sony Open in Hawaii, the Singapore

have my name up there with those legends is unbelievable.”

Boston improved to 30-18, a game ahead of Toronto atop the Atlantic division.

Pistons big man Andre Drummond had a season high-tying 28 points and 22 rebounds in a losing effort.

At Phoenix, Mike Conley scored a career-high 38 points, hitting 7-of10 3-point shots, and Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph each added 18 as the Memphis Grizzlies downed the host Suns 115-96.

The Philadelphia 76ers, playing without team points and rebounds leader Joel Embiid, had 23 points and 10 rebounds from Robert Covington and 17 off the bench from Dario Saric in a 122-119 home victory over Sacramento.

Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins produced 46 points, 15 rebounds

Open and the Myanmar Open the last three weeks.

“Even if it’s still a tournament (TCC Invitational), I’m happy to be playing at home this week. The fatigue factor will be present but my game is in good shape and it should be fun playing with the country’s best,” he added.

The elite list includes the event’s three-time winners—Angelo Que and Juvic Pagunsan, two-time champion Cassius Casas and former titlists Tony Lascuña, Frankie Miñoza and Artemio Murakami.

Others seeing action in the event, put up by ICTSI boss Ricky Razon in 2003 to honor the memory of his father and ICTSI founder Don Pocholo, himself an avid golfer, are the rest of the top 30 players in last year’s Order of Merit ranking of the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour.

They include Clyde Mondilla, Jay

and five assists, but the Kings squandered a 16-point second quarter lead and the 76ers finished January 10-5—their best one-month mark since going 13-4 in 2012.

Embiid missed his fifth game of six with a left knee bruise.

A spectacular left-handed slam dunk by James Johnson in the final minute added an exclamation point to Miami’s eighth consecutive victory, a 104-96 triumph over the visiting Brooklyn Nets.

Johnson leaped high to rebound a missed shot and slammed the ball home in one motion to pull Miami ahead by the final margin.

Goran Dragic had 20 points and eight assists while Dion Waiters added 19 for the Heat, who improved to 19-30 while the Nets, with the worst defense in the NBA, slid to a league-worst 9-39. AFP

Miguel Tabuena is confident of a breakthrough win at TCC.

Bayron, Elmer Salvador, Zanieboy Gialon, Orlan Sumcad, Jhonnel Ababa, Jobim Carlos, Jerson Balasabas, Joenard Rates, Rene Menor, Marvin Dumandan, Michael Bibat,

Mars Pucay, Charles Hong, Rufino Bayron, Justin Quiban, Mhark Fernnado, Arnold Villacencio, Albin Engino, Randy Garalde, Erwin Arcillas, Rolando Marabe Jr.

FOR years, Cris Joven has always been a contender but never a winner. On this edition, Joven could finally end a long wait.

Joven will go all out to win the title that has eluded him in past campaigns as he will skipper the Team Army Kinetix Lab team in the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2017 starting on Sunday in Vigan, Ilocos Sur and ending on March 4 in Iloilo City.

“I’ve always dreamed of winning the Ronda Pilipinas and I’ll give it my best to win it this year,” said the 29-year-old Joven, a proud son of Iriga, Camarines Sur who have placed in four of five times he joined Ronda, in Filipino.

Joven said he is happy to have a solid back up in teammates Alfie Catalan, Reynaldo Navarro, Alvin Benosa, Lord Anthony del Rosario, Mark Julius Bordeos, Marvin Tapic and a fast-rising Ronnilan Quita.

“We’ve prepared hard for this race and I’m confident we as a team will have a strong chance of figuring well here,” said Joven.

A top purse worth P1 million prize awaits the champion courtesy of presentor LBC and in partnership with MVP Sports Foundation, Petron, Mitsubishi, Versa.ph, Victory Liner, Maynilad, Standard Insurance, CCN, Bike Xtreme, NLEX, PhilCycling and 3Q Sports Event Management.

The other teams seeing action are Philippine Navy Standard Insurance, Go for Gold, Bike Extreme, Ilocus Sur, Mindanao Sultan Kudarat, Iloilo, NCR RC Cola, Tarlac, Neopolitan, South Luzon and Zambales.

The main race starts on Feb. 4 with two stages in Ilocos Sur and will pass by Angeles (Feb. 8), Subic (Feb. 9), Lucena, Quezon (Feb. 12), Pili, Camarines Norte (Feb. 14 and 16), Daet (Feb. 17), Paseo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna (Feb. 19), Tagaytay and Batangas (Feb. 20), Calamba and Antipolo (Feb. 21) before wrapping up with a pair of stages in Iloilo City (March 2, 3 and 4).

Perpetual advances to finals REIGNING titlist Perpetual Help came back from two sets down to turn back San Beda, 18-25, 18-25, 25-20, 25-17, 15-11, and book the first finals berth in the men’s division of the 92nd NCAA volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Center yesterday.

Down two sets, power-hitting Rey Taneo Jr. took charge and unleashed a match-best 29 hits, the bulk of which came in the final three sets when the Altas mounted a huge comeback to escape with the win.

“We didn’t give up, that’s the most important thing,” said Perpetual Help coach Sammy Acaylar in Filipino.

Manuel Doliente chipped in 12 points while Esmail Kasim added 10 to help the Las Pinas-based spikers snatch the win.

Perpetual Help thus booked their sixth finals appearance in the last seven seasons and on course on winning their second straight crown and sixth championship in that span.

The only time the Altas failed to win the crown came two years ago when they failed to make it to the finals.

The Emilio Aguinaldo Generals, then led by MVP Howard Mojica, beat the St. Benilde Blazers to claim the crown.

Now Perpetual Help awaits its finals foe, which could be between top seed St. Benilde and No. 4 San Beda.

The Blazers and the Red Spikers were playing at press time.

Dancing footballers leave mark

Democratic Republic of the Congo’s forward Junior Kabananga (center) celebrates by dancing the Fimbu with teammates after scoring a goal during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations group C football match between Togo and DR Congo in Port-Gentil. AFP

KINSHASA, DR Congo—They may be out of the tournament, but the Democratic Republic of Congo’s footballers will be forever remembered by Africa Cup of Nations fans for their dance moves on the pitch.

DR Congo players danced the “Fimbu” seven times at the CAN 2017 tournament in Gabon—once for each goal scored—as their supporters in the stands cheered with delight.

After each goal, the players would gather side by side, hold their left arm up and wave their right as they moved down the pitch in unison.

The move is based on a much

more elaborate dance accompanying the Congolese pop hit “Fimbu”

by Felix Wazeka, which in a lighthearted music video with over half a million views on YouTube is performed by dozens of men and women in colourful dress.

“Everything about this dance is easy,” singer Wazekwa told AFP. “But what it expresses is huge.

It’s the fact that we won, and that we’re looking for the best way to celebrate our goals.”

DR Congo’s music is already known worldwide for its upbeat tunes—with superstar “rumba king” Papa Wemba leading the Kinshasa music scene for four de-

cades until he died last year.

In the Lingala language, the word “fimbu” refers to a type of whip that was once a symbol of Belgian colonial violence in the vast central African nation and is still used in many schools and homes, despite a ban on corporal punishment.

Despite the dark overtones, football stars and fans say the “Fimbu” dance is all about fun.

“The idea (behind the dance) was never to mock the opponent or to go against the spirit of sportsmanship or fair play,” said Kabulo Mwana Kabulo, director of sports at DR Congo’s national radio and television service. AFP

BSP contenders pledge stronger monetary tools B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

B1

Loans, liquidity increase strongly

By Julito G. Rada MONEY supply and bank loans posted double-digit growth in December 2016, reflecting the robust domestic demand, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Tuesday.

Data showed domestic liquidity or the money supply increased 12.4 percent in December to hit P9.5 trillion, driven by the sustained demand for credit from the domestic economy.

The December expansion, however, was slightly slower than the 12.7-percent growth in November. On a month-onmonth seasonally-adjusted basis, M3 increased 0.5 percent.

“The growth in M3 remains consistent with the BSP’s prevailing outlook for inflation and economic activity. Going forward, the BSP will continue to monitor monetary conditions closely to ensure that overall domestic liquidity dynamics stay in line with the BSP’s price and financial stability objectives,” Bangko Sentral said.

Meanwhile, outstanding loans of commercial banks, net of reverse repurchase placements with the Bangko Sentral, grew 17.2 percent in December, slower than the 18.6-percent rise in November.

Loans for production activities―which comprised about 89.3 percent of banks’ aggregate loan portfolio, net of RRP ― grew 16.8 percent in December.

The growth in production loans was driven primarily by increased lending to the information and communication (40.9 percent); real estate activities (20.6 percent); electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply (19.6 percent); financial and insurance activities (15.6 percent); wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (12.4 percent); and manufacturing (6.3 percent).

IN BRIEF Aboitiz unit cancels Indonesian venture ABOITIZ Power Corp. said Tuesday it withdrew from the greenfield geothermal exploration and development project of wholly-owned Singaporebased subsidiary Aboitiz Power International Pte. Ltd. in Ijen, East Java, Indonesia.

“Aboitiz Power has decided that it will focus and allocate its resources for other ongoing and pipeline projects and has agreed to step aside to allow its partner to proceed with the project,” Aboitiz Power said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

Aboitiz Power International earlier signed an agreement with PT Medco Power Indonesia to participate in the exploration and development of a potential 110-megawatt geothermal power plant in September 2015, which would have been the company’s first international venture.

Aboitiz Power, however, said it would still pursue a 127-MW hydropower generation project with SN Power AS and PT Energi Infranusantara along the Lariang River in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Alena Mae S. Flores

MPIC hikes stake in Delgado Clinic METRO Pacific Hospital Holdings Inc., the healthcare investment arm of conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp., infused an additional P133.5 million in Delgado Clinic Inc. through a subscription to preferred shares.

Delgado Clinic owns and operates Dr. Jesus C. Delgado Memorial Hospital, a tertiary general hospital in Quezon City.

Metro Pacific said in a disclosure to the stock exchange MPHHI’s subscription to preferred shares represented 65 percent of the total expanded capital stock of Delgado Clinic.

Metro Pacific said the cash infusion would enable the 68-year-old JDMH to upgrade its equipment and facilities and expand its capacity.

“We welcome the investment of MPHHI, the largest private hospital group in the country, into our hospital. The Delgado family will stay as a significant shareholder of the company and will continue to participate in its growth and strategic plans through our directorships in the board of DCI,” Violeta Delgado Cojuangco, a representative of the Delgado family, said. Jenniffer B. Austria

P60-B BDO SHARES. BDO Unibank Inc. concludes its P60-billion stock rights offering with a bell ringing ceremony at the Philippine Stock

Exchange. Shown during the listing ceremony are (from left) PSE chief operating officer Roel Refran, PSE director Alejandro Yu, SM Investments Corp. president Harley Sy, BDO president and chief executive Nestor Tan, BDO chairperson Teresita Sy, PSE chairman Jose Pardo, PSE president and chief executive Hans Sicat, PSE directors Ma. Vivian Yuchengco and Eddie Gobing, PSE treasurer Omelita Tiangco and BDO Capital & Investment Corp. president Eduardo Francisco.

Outsourcing firms staying—US envoy

By Othel V. Campos

U

S AMBASSADOR to the Philippines Sung Kim on Tuesday downplayed reports that American business process outsourcing companies are holding off expansion in the Philippines.

“We don’t see big downturn on BPO engagement here any time soon,” Kim told the Makati Business Club during the group’s membership forum in Makati City.

“What we see is a dedicated workforce in an environment of competitive wages and the cultural affinity that drive US com-

panies to set BPO operations here in the Philippines,” the US envoy said.

He said despite the relative policies that might come out from Washington D.C., the attractive positive advantage would not change US companies’ perception of the Philippines.

Majority of the BPO compa-

nies in the Philippines are headquartered in the US, including Convergys, the largest private sector employer in the country.

About 70 percent of revenues from BPO operations in the Philippines originate from American companies.

Kim also assured that the US Embassy in the Philippines would continue to accommodate US via applicants, despite the immigration ban issued by the US to immigrants from seven Islamic countries.

The embassy was processing at least 20,000 US visa applications on a monthly basis.

“Personally, I don’t see US engagement slowing down or halting

in the Philippines soon,” Kim said.

Meanwhile, research company International Data Corp. said the burgeoning and evolving to higher-value services around contact centers, medical transcription, software development, animation and game development, and global captive operations centers would still be very much viable in the short term, given the country’s inherent strengths.

IDC Philippines business operations head Jubert Alberto, however, said in the longer term, the sectors’ growth outlook could change due to the shift in pivot and policy changes in the Duterte and Trump administrations.

With Darwin G. Amolejar

BIR also starts probing Philip Morris, other firms MIGHTY Corp., the oldest and Filipino-owned cigarette manufacturer, described as fair and laudable the new Bureau of Internal Revenue order to include market leader Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. and other players in its fake stamps investigation.

Mighty vice president and spokesman Oscar Barrientos, a retired regional trial court judge, said in a statement Mighty, known for eating away a large share of its rivals’ market, had no problems with neither the BIR nor the Bureau of Customs in

welcoming their probe because its operation was transparent and in accordance with laws.

He said Mighty, an object of persistent demolition by its rivals, dismissed allegations that it was using fake strip stamps, claiming the BIR was closely monitoring production and withdrawal at its only factory in Bulacan.

The factory was the first one to install CCTV cameras to monitor its operations in compliance with BIR regulations, he said.

Barrientos said Mighty’s competitors, including the huge cigarette

manufacturing plants of PMFTC in Marikina and Batangas, had yet to install the same powerful electronic gadgets Mighty used at its tightly guarded factory.

“It is unfair to single out Mighty.

We should also investigate others to get to the bottom of the problem and determine where the counterfeits are coming,” BIR deputy commissioner for legal service Jesus Clint Aranas said.

Aranas said the BIR was expanding its probe into the widespread use of fake tax stamps on cigarette packs to cover all man-

ufacturers and importers.

Aranas said the government was losing billions of pesos in revenues yearly through the tax avoidance scheme as evidenced by seizure of large cache of various brands affixed with fake strip stamps since the requirement was reintroduced three years ago.

“It is not only here that Philip Morris is being investigated for fraud,” Barrientos said, adding that in Thailand and South Korea, the multinational company was also being probed for multi-million dollar fraud and tax evasion cases, respectively.

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing January 31, 2017

8000 7600 7200 6800 6400 6000

7,229.66 107.05

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing JANUARY 31, 2017 44.00 45.50 47.00 48.50 50.00

HIGH P49.730 LOW P49.780 AVERAGE P49.757 VOLUME 408.000M

P471.00-P690.00 LPG/11-kg tank P39.80-P48.90 Unleaded Gasoline P27.60-P33.55 Diesel

OPRICES IL TODAY

P28.50-P36.85 Kerosene P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Tuesday, January 31, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.8140

Japan

Yen

0.008794

0.4381

UK

Pound

1.248600

62.1978

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128898

6.4209

Switzerland

Franc

1.005429

50.0844

Canada

Dollar

0.762311

37.9738

Singapore

Dollar

0.703977

35.0679

Australia

Dollar

0.754700

37.5946

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652801

132.1466

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266731

13.2869

Brunei

Dollar

0.701508

34.9449

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028352

1.4123

UAE

Dirham

0.272301

13.5644

Euro

Euro

1.069500

53.2761

Korea

Won

0.000855

0.0426

China

Yuan

0.145311

7.2385

India

Rupee

0.014745

0.7345

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.225734

11.2447

New Zealand

Dollar

0.728100

36.2696

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031854

1.5868 Source: PDS Bridge

BSP says tax reforms to lift economic growth BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said Tuesday the tax reform program of the government will lift economic growth in the next couple of years.

Guinigundo said the tax reform program was expected to improve gross domestic product growth by 0.6 percentage point this year and 0.2 percentage point in 2018.

“The lowering of income tax and corporate tax will translate immediately to higher consumption. And on the part of the government, [it will be good for] infrastructure, human development and social protection for the poor.

That is the impact, immediately on consumption and investment,” Guinigundo told reporters.

The economy is expected to grow between 6.5 percent and 7.5 percent this year, driven by the government’s higher fiscal expenditures, robust domestic demand and investment, particularly on infrastructure projects.

The economy grew 6.8 percent in 2016, surpassing the 5.9-percent expansion in 2015.

Guinigundo said the tax reform program was expected to result in a 0.5-percentage-point increase in inflation rate in 2017, or from the earlier estimate of 3.3 percent to 3.8 percent.

He said in 2018, inflation was seen increasing by 0.7 percentage point to 3.7 percent from the earlier projection of 3 percent.

“The impact on inflation will be quite modest and within the target [of 2 percent to 4 percent]. There is a countervailing effect that when your potential capacity increases because of infrastructure or spending on social protection, there will be an impact on inflation in the sense that more people will be able to produce, there is more potential capacity to produce. So in the presence of better supply conditions, price movements will moderate,” Guinigundo said.

Julito G. Rada

NEW PAL FLIGHTS. Philippine Airlines launches new flights from Clark International Airport including daily flights to Caticlan and Seoul and four-times weekly service to Cebu. Shown during the symbolic cake-cutting ceremony for the inaugural flight from Clark to Cebu are Clark International Airport Corp. president and chief executive Alexander Cauguiran (left) and Philippine Airlines senior vice president for airline operations Ismael Augusto Gozon.

B2

Business

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market retreats; PSC tops gainers BDO plans to open S 70 branches this year TOCKS retreated Tuesday amid a global slump as Donald Trump’s firing of the US acting attorney general added to concern over the unpredictability of decisions in the new administration.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, fell 107 points, or 1.5 percent to close at 7,229.66. Despite Tuesday’s loss, the bellwether still gained 5.7 percent in the first month of 2017.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also dropped 47 points, or 1.1 percent, to settle at 4,367.81, on a value turnover of P5.3 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 126 to 66, while 43 issues were unchanged.

Five of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by convenience store operator Philippine Seven Corp. which jumped 6.1 percent to P140 and conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. which advanced 2.9 percent to P6.84.

Meanwhile, Asian markets also retreated, with fears growing about the impact of Trump’s presidency on the global economy as he faced a wave of criticism over his controversial immigration policy.

Traders fled for the exits for a second day after the new US leader signed an executive order Friday banning entry to travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries and imposing a temporary ban on refugees.

While the White House defended the move as aimed at fighting terrorism, world leaders and protesters around the world condemned it as a war against Muslims.

The overwhelming outrage spooked investors, who fear the announcement could be a sign the tycoon will press ahead with many of his protectionist promises, overshadowing economy-boosting measures such as infrastructure spending and tax cuts—which had fueled a rally in November and December.

All three main Wall Street indexes ended lower, while London, Paris and Frankfurt each lost more than one percent.

The sell-off continued into Asia, with Tokyo ending 1.7 percent lower. Dealers were unimpressed by the Bank of Japan’s decision to raise its economic growth forecasts through 2019 but delay any fresh monetary-easing measures.

Sydney shed 0.7 percent and Seoul sank 0.8 percent. Singapore, Wellington and Kuala Lumpur were also sharply lower.

Hong Kong and Shanghai were closed for holidays.

The dollar also lost ground against most of its major peers, with the yen getting extra support from the BoJ’s lack of action on monetary easing.

With AFP, Bloomberg

By Julito G. Rada BDO Unibank Inc., the country’s largest lender controlled by tycoon Henry Sy, successfully concluded a P60-billion common stock rights offering, the biggestever common equity capital raised from the domestic market.

BDO president Nestor Tan said in a news briefing in Makati City Tuesday the offer increased the bank’s common equity tier 1 capital, making it better positioned to fulfill its medium-term objectives and take advantage of

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 48.4 7,500 89.6 1,183,440 4.01 29,000 112.6 2,817,490 1.33 258,000 38.5 8,000 16.18 31,400 19.94 243,200 6.7 500 0.72 20,000 840 50 0.76 19,616,000 81.5 3,499,550 0.77 278,000 14.24 62,700 25 12,500 54.5 27,310 239 1,930 142 950 89.95 120 36.15 42,300 213.2 445,770 1,760 100 78.35 61,860

363,000 107,012,330.50 119,090 317,715,248 346,350 308,000 508,052 4,841,378 3,350 14,400 42,000 14,535,480 284,432,180.50 213,910 892,848 311,250 1,488,263.50 460,412 128,710 10,794 1,525,915 95,036,638 176,000 4,855,893.50

363,000 -57,861,560 8,952,811 188,650 2,178,756 -64,940 171,792,281 48,397.50 361,500 -36,271,736 -324,971.50

42.2 4.75 0.88 1.5 18.2 0.197 97 11.2 16.38 22.5 15.02 57 95 97.05 2.03 6.42 11.98 12.14 7.69 6.96 5.46 22.3 70.8 12.28 16.5 6.12 1.79 205.6 3.8 3.52 30 26.95 14.54 282 0.25 5.2 3.2 9.29 2.22 6.26 1.52 77.85 5.1 255 4.94 2.03 2.83 12.58 4.2 0.147 1.64 163 1.93 1.07

INDUSTRIAL 42.2 1,973,700 4.79 1,704,400 0.89 1,489,000 1.5 1,302,000 18.22 7,300 0.197 480,000 110 6,130 11.2 3,364,900 16.38 1,549,400 22.8 29,500 15.5 445,000 57 2,560 97 210 105 50 2.05 254,000 6.42 68,600 12.08 8,800 12.3 5,196,300 7.76 189,600 6.96 402,600 5.46 9,068,400 22.4 1,185,300 71 32,440 12.28 500 16.6 9,500 6.12 44,800 1.79 1,401,000 205.6 488,180 3.95 2,401,000 3.52 5,000 30.15 1,174,500 26.95 208,400 14.96 2,962,500 284.8 38,590 0.26 820,000 5.36 1,100 3.27 168,000 9.29 6,053,000 2.26 414,000 6.52 4,343,500 1.52 199,000 78.7 485,950 5.34 154,600 255 3,090 4.94 16,400 2.03 7,000 2.84 191,000 12.82 4,047,800 4.2 2,000 0.147 80,000 1.64 529,000 163 1,162,640 2 8,918,000 1.14 227,000

84,838,455 8,209,362 1,329,900 1,975,640 134,664 94,670 657,043 37,945,650 25,494,470 669,900 7,066,888 150,942 20,287 4,932 518,760 441,487 105,552 63,661,474 1,469,514 2,812,041 49,802,210 26,652,885 2,302,657.50 6,140 157,430 274,465 2,552,910 101,024,588 9,733,260 17,600 35,317,660 5,623,765 43,639,662 10,972,260 206,150 5,736 540,170 56,613,956 928,130 27,828,294 304,040 38,206,547 815,651 791,230 81,576 14,210 542,200 51,483,916 8,400 11,880 885,490 190,918,848 17,764,850 251,880

-61,842,575 -236,580 -451,760 566,780 -1,615,950 -4,560 31,940 6,200,558 409,410 -544,628 -5,828,441 2,419,780 -370,764.00 115,960 35,800 -2,037,622 -23,414,930 -4,911,890 12,953,496 -585,482 -167,850 87,630 -10,617,580 1,981,911 21,767,721 -29,000 630,000 51,000 -35,295,383 38,040 -

0.415 74.75 12.84 1.17 6.18 0.32 0.33 812 9.22 13.04 8.01 5.9 0.197 1,350 75.9 1.15 7.93 13.24 6.9 0.042 1.15 2 2.56 99.15 705 0.85 1.48 264.4 0.197 0.27

0.405 74 12.54 1.17 6.1 0.305 0.31 800 9.1 12.92 8.01 5.9 0.184 1,302 73.6 1.12 7.91 13.04 6.7 0.04 1.12 1.98 2.56 97.3 686 0.85 1.41 263 0.193 0.26

HOLDING FIRMS 0.405 8,890,000 74.3 1,253,500 12.54 4,529,400 1.17 1,000 6.18 1,400 0.32 5,360,000 0.33 840,000 800 175,850 9.18 886,900 12.92 4,294,600 8.01 1,200 5.9 100 0.188 290,000 1,304 189,840 74.3 758,050 1.12 4,001,000 7.92 1,867,800 13.1 5,556,600 6.82 18,607,100 0.04 107,000,000 1.12 35,000 1.98 92,000 2.56 30,000 98 143,190 690 266,070 0.85 10,000 1.47 1,200,000 264 3,380 0.196 840,000 0.265 390,000

3,632,800 93,228,332.50 57,004,000 1,170 8,556 1,698,250 261,800 141,387,455 8,119,212 55,622,442 9,612 590 55,660 247,846,580 56,301,971 4,510,550 14,793,691 72,928,202 126,132,861 4,308,500 39,450 182,600 76,800 14,023,969 184,135,080 8,500 1,737,000 890,864 164,620 103,200

-27,786,079.50 -34,929,648 108,500 -20,816,620 5,056,185.00 -19,907,898 -117,378,935 -22,407,688 -1,935,629 13,396,308 3,420,665 100,300 -172,591.50 -39,146,470 -360,664 -

7.3 1.34 6.57 2.73 0.84 35.85 3.28 0.56 1.05 1.37 0.191 0.58 51.9 0.75 1.66 1.02 1.23 3.71 0.181 0.285 4.9 26.1

7.26 1.27 6.11 2.63 0.81 35.55 3.21 0.54 1.04 1.26 0.188 0.56 51 0.73 1.62 1.01 1.18 3.61 0.172 0.28 4.67 25.1

370,926 14,100,490 97,544 3,967,470 9,788,700 292,217,295 2,415,350 2,190,740 151,200 1,409,850 1,926,990 4,160,980 21,124,151.50 94,990 5,727,050 399,030 481,600 92,238,780 5,086,650 95,300 13,316,840 56,404,470

-190,530 -621,050 -107,920 1,785,955 78,190 50,050 774,630.00 -988,323 -72,000 -5,110,420 -25,845,300 447,910 139,200 -4,121,610

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

48.4 92 4.1 113 1.36 38.5 16.18 20.2 6.7 0.72 840 0.71 81.55 0.77 14.24 24.5 54.5 240 135 89.95 36.05 213.8 1,760 78.7

48.4 92 4.17 114.3 1.36 38.5 16.18 20.2 6.7 0.72 840 0.77 81.55 0.77 14.24 25 54.5 240 142 89.95 36.15 215 1,760 78.7

48.4 89.6 4.01 112 1.33 38.5 16.18 19.82 6.7 0.72 840 0.71 80.6 0.76 14.24 24.5 54.4 238 134 89.95 36.05 212.8 1,760 78.35

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

44 5 0.9 1.55 19.2 0.198 97 11.48 16.8 22.75 15.9 59.4 97.9 97.05 2.08 6.45 12.02 12.3 7.8 7 5.61 22.8 71.55 12.28 16.5 6.14 1.87 209.4 4.4 3.52 30.1 27.9 15 286.2 0.255 5.2 3.2 9.5 2.26 6.26 1.54 78.05 5.33 257 5 2.03 2.84 12.7 4.2 0.149 1.68 165 1.96 1.15

44 5.03 0.92 1.57 19.2 0.198 118.8 11.54 16.8 22.8 16.7 59.4 97.9 105 2.08 6.45 12.08 12.32 7.86 7.11 5.64 22.9 71.55 12.28 16.6 6.14 1.88 209.8 4.4 3.52 30.2 27.9 15 287 0.26 5.36 3.27 9.5 2.26 6.52 1.55 78.95 5.35 257 5 2.03 2.87 12.82 4.2 0.149 1.73 165.1 2.01 1.15

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

0.415 74.3 12.72 1.17 6.1 0.315 0.31 806.5 9.2 13.04 8.01 5.9 0.184 1,350 75.9 1.15 7.92 13.2 6.74 0.04 1.15 1.99 2.56 99.15 705 0.85 1.46 264.4 0.193 0.26

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

7.3 1.29 6.11 2.7 0.82 35.85 3.23 0.55 1.05 1.34 0.19 0.58 51.9 0.73 1.66 1.01 1.18 3.71 0.179 0.28 4.85 26.1

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VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

1.69 3.24 30.1 1.06 6.4 0.99 5.02

1.74 3.26 30.25 1.07 7 0.99 5.07

1.69 3.24 29.7 1.03 6.4 0.92 4.94

1.69 3.25 29.7 1.04 7 0.95 5.07

82,000 112,000 7,820,500 5,201,000 1,600 944,000 1,297,400

138,830 364,480 233,425,940 5,481,670 11,140 903,730 6,503,602

-358,000 -22,016,795 5,200 -2,166,000.00

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CALATA CORP CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD 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 SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT

7.45 47.6 1.38 0.52 0.057 5.45 7.75 0.071 2.76 95 9.65 8.95 2.12 1,794 6.3 16.26 3.07 16.98 110 78 0.011 9.06 0.213 1.46 3.12 14.54 4.16 2.54 2.02 4.76 4.06 18.2 2.89 11.26 5.21 132.5 9.95 1,515 1.41 0.465 43.75 79 6.44 2.64 1.08 3.31 0.39

7.48 47.6 1.43 0.54 0.063 5.7 7.8 0.071 2.8 95.5 9.65 9.01 2.12 1,795 6.3 16.6 3.07 16.98 110 78.1 0.011 9.06 0.214 1.48 3.17 14.54 4.25 2.59 2.02 4.8 4.06 18.2 3.01 11.26 5.29 140 9.95 1,516 1.43 0.465 44.2 79.1 6.44 2.68 1.08 3.31 0.435

7.44 47.4 1.38 0.52 0.057 5.45 7.53 0.07 2.67 94.8 9.56 8.85 2.1 1,720 6.2 16.2 3.03 16.6 110 77.45 0.0099 9.05 0.21 1.42 3 14.54 4.12 2.5 2 4.58 4 18.2 2.86 11.26 5.15 132.5 9.71 1,470 1.39 0.46 43.05 78.7 6.28 2.62 1.06 3.27 0.39

SERVICES 7.48 47.6 1.43 0.54 0.061 5.7 7.74 0.071 2.7 94.95 9.6 9 2.1 1,720 6.23 16.54 3.03 16.62 110 77.45 0.0099 9.06 0.212 1.45 3.15 14.54 4.12 2.53 2 4.8 4 18.2 2.97 11.26 5.29 140 9.78 1,470 1.43 0.46 43.2 79 6.43 2.62 1.06 3.27 0.435

48,400 33,300 42,000 130,000 668,870,000 6,400 4,255,000 9,140,000 5,267,000 351,750 11,600 248,200 17,000 61,735 40,600 138,100 962,000 11,200 90 3,746,490 29,800,000 501,000 4,620,000 636,000 192,000 4,200 670,000 92,000 21,000 5,683,000 2,840,000 400 11,313,000 900 106,800 514,920 622,200 54,080 13,499,000 2,030,000 2,218,800 2,104,070 49,600 1,349,000 2,364,000 158,000 8,180,000

360,373 1,583,710 59,610 69,780 40,314,570 35,475 32,502,828 641,600 14,373,410 33,385,500 111,351 2,223,419 35,790 107,816,930 252,133 2,267,456 2,926,240 186,266 9,900 291,157,991.50 297,920 4,538,810 979,940 920,140 593,310 61,068 2,777,930 232,290 42,070 26,634,590 11,409,370 7,280 33,464,650 10,134 560,670 68,228,775 6,113,780 80,205,870 19,086,220 939,550 97,068,715 166,229,398.50 316,475 3,546,580 2,509,610 519,080 3,397,950

-1,188,500 -2,062,613 709.9999 88,980 -3,108,615 -5,112,615 -21,280 12,673,941.50 42,400 -1,230,870 -2,590 -2,794,550 -2,387,440.00 -309,810 0 34,214 -33,355,905 -9,836,290 37,200 34,604,335 89,262,967.50 -2,341,220 329,000 -82,000

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

0.0033 2.73 5.32 2.18 2.19 0.5 0.53 12.22 2.87 0.255 0.206 0.212 0.011 0.012 2.19 6.77 2.71 0.485 1.06 0.011 0.011 0.014 9.2 3.7 138.6 2.93 0.009

0.0033 2.76 5.32 2.18 2.19 0.5 0.54 12.24 2.87 0.26 0.206 0.214 0.012 0.012 2.22 6.87 2.72 0.485 1.06 0.012 0.011 0.015 9.23 3.7 138.6 2.99 0.009

0.0032 2.73 5.32 2.12 2.09 0.495 0.5 11.8 2.83 0.255 0.201 0.205 0.011 0.012 2.13 6.71 2.68 0.48 1.05 0.011 0.011 0.013 9.04 3.56 133.9 2.92 0.009

MINING & OIL 0.0033 50,000,000 2.74 953,000 5.32 154,500 2.12 76,000 2.09 52,000 0.5 1,008,000 0.53 21,880,000 11.8 18,700 2.83 911,000 0.26 1,170,000 0.202 16,670,000 0.212 2,100,000 0.012 29,100,000 0.012 1,100,000 2.13 1,151,000 6.8 4,396,300 2.71 30,000 0.48 50,000 1.05 69,000 0.011 20,100,000 0.011 18,000,000 0.014 188,900,000 9.23 607,600 3.58 2,250,000 135.2 514,290 2.92 28,000 0.009 1,000,000

164,800 2,617,860 821,940 163,740 109,610 503,720 11,352,810 221,454 2,582,210 302,900 3,386,640 438,270 344,100 13,200 2,482,740 29,851,668 80,810 24,050 72,550 228,900 198,000 2,644,600 5,576,907 8,145,530 69,541,250 81,880 9,000

19,800 -59,052 -37,820 -22,790 5,900 -1,345,630 108,000 -5,848,791 -20,390.00 -402,860 16,427,351 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B2 DD PREF FGEN PREF F FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2A PF PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2I

47.7 527 104 113 116 528 5.85 1,016 1,035 109.2 1,072 1,020 77 81.95 76.1 79.75 78 78

47.7 535 104 113 116 530 5.85 1,025 1,035 109.4 1,072 1,020 77 82 76.1 80 78 79

47.5 527 104 113 116 528 5.85 1,016 1,035 109.2 1,072 1,015 77 81.95 76.05 79.75 78 78

PREFERRED 47.5 74,600 535 2,010 104 3,500 113 30 116 2,500 530 250 5.85 517,800 1,025 68,695 1,035 500 109.4 1,410 1,072 5,000 1,015 2,000 77 3,680 82 50,450 76.05 5,900 79.85 558,360 78 2,000 79 282,920

3,548,500 1,059,350 364,000 3,390 290,000 132,300 3,029,130 69,847,125 517,500 154,172 5,360,000 2,034,220 283,360 4,136,846.50 448,817.50 44,583,735 156,000 22,186,810

-2,380,000 -290,000 -3,024,450 -197,730 -

LR WARRANT

2.21

2.21

2.2

WARRANTS 2.2 155,000

341,710

-

1,021,878 5,111,650 93,960 13,316,854

67,829 -19,800 -215,119

412,228

-

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 7.3 1.31 6.11 2.63 0.81 35.55 3.24 0.54 1.04 1.27 0.189 0.57 51.55 0.73 1.62 1.02 1.23 3.67 0.173 0.28 4.68 25.1

50,900 10,879,000 15,400 1,481,000 11,883,000 8,208,000 748,000 4,007,000 145,000 1,086,000 10,170,000 7,319,000 409,990 127,000 3,526,000 394,000 400,000 25,227,000 29,010,000 340,000 2,804,000 2,227,300

ALTERRA CAPITAL ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

6.78 4.19 2.94 8.25

6.84 4.19 2.94 8.4

6.7 3.98 2.93 8.08

FIRST METRO ETF

120.9

120.9

119

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS

SHARES

29,930,288 65,330,440 168,527,309

PROPERTY

141,959,082

SERVICES

783,769,196

MINING & OIL

362,533,595

GRAND TOTAL

1,555,131,239

6.7 3.98 2.93 8.4

SME

151,700 1,271,000 32,000 1,622,900

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 119.8 3,440

VALUE 1,752.24 (DOWN) 23.03 939,739,447.27 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,968.97 (DOWN) 158.16 921,752,764.16 HOLDING FIRMS 7,375.24 (DOWN) 96.90 1,232,468,199.322 PROPERTY 3,286.04 (DOWN) 32.96 SERVICES 1,423.54 (DOWN) 22.88 952,620,426.87 MINING & OIL 12,078.85 (DOWN) 93.75 1,068,082,100.19 PSEI 7,229.66 (DOWN) 107.05 141,985,867.98 All Shares Index 4,367.81 (DOWN) 47.87 5,276,607,136.79 Gainers:66; Losers:126; Unchanged: 43; Total: 235

the positive outlook on the Philippine economy.

Tan said BDO was planning to put up 50 to 70 branches in 2017, the usual target every year, depending on the growth prospects. He said most of the branches would be located outside the National Capital Region.

“The uncertainties subsided and we are more optimistic of growth, reflecting the size of this issuance,” Tan said.

Tan, however, said the bank was not contemplating on making another offering in the months ahead.

The capital-raising initiative is seen to provide a comfortable buffer over higher capital requirements with the imposition of domestic systemically important bank surcharge. DSIBs are those banks whose failure or collapse is seen to significantly affect the economy.

The offer was fully subscribed and led by major shareholder SM Group. The offer also attracted strong participation from the bank’s domestic and international investors.

The 716,402,886 rights shares were issued pursuant to the offer at a price of P83.75 each and listed on the stock exchange on Tuesday.

BDO’s total issued and outstanding common shares after the offering stood at 4.37 million.

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 & Investment Corp. served as issue manager and domestic underwriter.

Jollibee, STI set to form agri school

By Jenniffer B. Austria BUSINESSMAN Tony Tan Caktiong, chairman and founder of Jollibee Foods Corp., teamed up with STI Education Services Group Inc. to boost agricultural education in the country.

STI Education said in a statement posted on its website it signed an agreement with Tan Caktiong to establish an academic institution with programs in agro-entrepreneurship, agricultural technology, logistics and quick-service restaurants.

The joint venture partners will transform STI College – Tanauan in Batangas to be the initial vehicle for the collaboration.

The new school will house state-of-the-art agriculture facilities and equipment such as greenhouses, field laboratories, livestock and poultry farms and a rainwater harvesting system for irrigation and other uses.

It will also be equipped with industry-grade simulation laboratories, air-conditioned classrooms with flat screen TVs, student activity centers with internet connection, a covered basketball court and multimedia centers to provide a more conducive learning environment.

STI said agriculture sector was indispensable in the Philippine’s strategy for inclusive growth.

Both STI and Tan Caktiong envision a farm-totable school that will offer agricultural courses and courses on managing quickservice restaurants that are focused on developing the technical and entrepreneurial skills of students.

Business

B3

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

New GOCC sought to handle coco fund

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

CELL SITES. The National Telecommunications Commission and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board meet to address issues that

hamper construction of cellular sites inside private subdivisions. At the meeting are (from left) NTC director Imelda Walcien, NTC deputy commissioner Edgardo Cabarios, NTC commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba, HLURB vommissioner Linda Malenab-Hornilla, HLURB-PDG director Nora Diaz, HLURB-PDG’s Julie Torres and HLURB-ENCR’s Don Tamayo discussing ways on how to convince exclusive subdivisions to allow telecommunications companies build cellular sites in their communities.

BSP contenders pledge stronger monetary tools

By Siegfrid Alegado

T

WO of the main contenders for the job of central bank governor in the Philippines said global uncertainties require sharper monitoring of financial market risks.

Deputy Governors Nestor Espenilla, 58, and Diwa Guinigundo, 62, called for stronger measures to assess and analyze risks to financial markets. The nation’s “fundamentals” are solid, they said, referring to economic growth and inflation outlooks.

Their comments underline the risk of capital outflows from emerging nations as the US economic expansion prompts the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates. US President Donald

Trump’s protectionism may hurt outsourcing companies and remittances, key drivers that have helped Philippines rank among the fastest-growing economies.

“The world is confronted with a lot of uncertainties. Perhaps more than the usual,” Espenilla said in an e-mail interview. Policy makers must employ “extra sharp surveillance and analysis” of the impact of global development and sentiment on trade, commodity prices, energy cost,

remittances, and direct investment and portfolio flows, he said.

Guinigundo, in a separate email, said “sharpening our tools is crucial” due to “new challenges in the external sector” and changing dynamic and interaction among economic and financial variables.

The two are among five possible candidates based on discussions with central bank watchers and local media reports.

The central bank must strengthen data on household and corporate debt and will enhance monitoring of funds flow in the economy and markets, Guinigundo, who is in charge of monetary supervision, said. “Establishing interrelatedness and interconnectedness of both stress factors and markets is critical,” he said.

“More ambitious financial market structural reforms should be pursued,” including the phased exit of high reserve requirements for banks, said Espenilla. The deputy governor, who is in charge of bank supervision, also suggested further easing of foreign exchange rules to reduce the number of black market trades.

Tetangco, who has headed the central bank since 2005, has succeeded in taming inflation to less than 5 percent for more than five years, allowing for a recordlow benchmark interest rate. He has strengthened the country’s reserves, steered the economy through a global recession, and served as a pillar of stability for investors worried by President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on drugs. Bloomberg

Cusi urges govt agencies to switch to gensets

By Alena Mae S. Flores ENERGY Secretary Alfonso Cusi on Tuesday urged government agencies with power generating units to enroll under the Interruptible Load Program to augment supply when reserves are thin.

“Under our Government Energy Management Program or GEMP, the Department of Energy has required 140 government entities to submit their electricity consumption from 2015 to 2016 to assess usage,” Cusi said.

“We are closely monitoring their energy consumption so that we can provide strategies to help

them become more energy- efficient in their daily operations,” he said.

The ILP gives incentives to large power users to de-load from the electricity grid and use their own generating set instead to free up capacity when there is shortage of supply.

“The ILP seeks to convince big load customers of distribution utilities and electric cooperatives to register so they can run their stand-by generation sets in times of energy supply deficiency to prevent power outages,” Cusi said.

“Based on our GEMP survey, about 100 government buildings

have operational gensets and these total to 85 megawatts of power supply capacity,” Cusi said.

The department issued the directive amid 20-day Malampaya power project maintenance shutdown that began January 28.

Cusi also ordered government agencies to adhere to energy conservation measures, which include setting the thermostat of air-conditioners to no lower than 25°C; replacing aircon units with inverter-type, and switching fluorescent lamps with lightemitting diode or LED lights.

The DoE also asked nearly 70 malls nationwide to set their cooling system’s temperature to

25°C to temper the demand of their buildings for electricity.

“We, the government, have to be the best examples to our people in managing our energy consumption,” Cusi said.

“Government agencies will continue stewarding our kababayans and private companies in achieving energy security for the country through efficient and judiciously managing electricity usage,” Cusi said.

Power rates are also expected to go up during the 20-day Malampaya shutdown as the three natural gas plants will be forced to use more expensive fuel.

From DoH to duh A LOT of parents were relieved to hear that Education Secretary Leonor Briones has thumbed down the planned distribution of condoms in high schools, saying the Department of Health is the agency tasked with this responsibility.

DoH and its secretary Paulyn Ubial has come under fire for its proposal to distribute condoms to senior high school students to check the spread of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) cases especially among young people. Critics of the DoH proposal say the distribution of condoms would convey the message to students that engaging in premarital sex is acceptable as long as they “protect” themselves with the contraceptives.

Briones said the primary role of the Education department is to enhance gender sensitivity and strengthen the basic education curriculum—and rightly so, because the kids need to have the right mindset when it comes to sexual relationships. Teens have to drum it in their head that a few moments of sexual pleasure could result in a lifetime of hell.

Aside from the possibility of the girl getting pregnant (and then a shotgun wedding, who knows?), there is the threat of these kids acquiring sexually transmitted diseases. But like many parents, we disagree with the DoH strategy to distribute condoms. No matter how “confidential” or discreet the process would be—word will still get around on who asked for condoms—which would subject these teens to untold embarrassment if not ridicule and condemnation by their peers. To be fair, Ubial had ben saying that abstinence is still the best method to prevent unwanted pregnancies, but distributing condoms to young people seems to give a contradictory message.

In defending her position, Ubial talked about global studies reportedly showing that providing condoms did not promote promiscuity and instead, made teens who are sexually active more cautious. Duh? Just what are those studies, when were these made and who conducted them—these people have yet to see. Much earlier, the DoH said they have already piloted the school distribution in Quezon City, but we share the sentiment of many parents that

providing condoms would not give our youth the “necessary like skills” that would keep them from behaving in a risky and irresponsible manner.

We are more inclined to believe the position of Dr. Minguita Padilla (of the Eye Bank Foundation) that distribution is a “kneejerk” reaction that could eventually backfire. Citing Mexico and Brazil where attitudes among males is very traditional (sexual and reproductive issues are the concern of women, not men; child care is the domain of women; men decide when and where sex happens, etc.), Dr. Padilla disclosed that international and local NGOs engaged in programs that sought to redefine attitudes on “what it means to be a man”—making sure that being responsible, monogamous, respectful towards women are emphasized, as well as engaging in safe and loving sex. Women were also targeted through programs that highlighted positive perceptions of women about themselves.

The results were encouraging, with changed attitudes that translated into more responsible behavior towards sex and sexual relationships. Other countries have since adapted the program, the eye doctor said, disclosing that a manual and guide is available and downloadable from the Promundo website (promundoglobal.org) for teachers and facilitators to use.

We agree with Dr. Padilla that condoms belong in health centers, not public high schools, and that distribution is not the right solution because it reinforces the wrong message that sex is permissible among young people if they are careful and make sure that they are “protected.” A change in mindset is the lasting, and more sensible solution—and this is the challenge to both the DepEd and the DoH. ••• For comments, reactions, photos, stories and related concerns, readers may email to happyhourtoday2012@yahoo.com. You may also visit and like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ happyhourmanilastandard. Cheers!

COCONUT farmers urged Tuesday the establishment of a government corporation instead of a mere committee that will handle the coconut levy fund.

“The public trust fund of the magnitude of the coco levy fund will not need a mere committee but a full fledge GOCC (government-owned and controlled corporation) that has the requisite characteristic of stability, flexibility, autonomy, transparency, and accountability and therefore the capacity for good and effective governance,” said Confederation of Coconut Farmer’s Organizations of the Philippines executive director Charlie Avila.

The P75-billion coco levy funds were supposed to fund construction of projects for coconut farmers, but they were

used instead to finance the purchase of United Coconut Planters Bank and a majority stake in San Miguel Corp.

The Supreme Court in 2012 ruled that the coco levy fund was public fund and awarded it to the government solely for the development of the coconut industry.

The fund is currently with the national treasury and cannot be spent without congressional approval or a new law.

The government is currently is speeding up the release of the coco levy fund.

Earlier, Senator Francis Pangilinan, who is also the chairman of the Senate committee on agriculture, filed a bill seeking to allocate the proceeds of the fund for the development of the coconut industry.

The bill also aims to establish a perpetual trust fund that will only use the interest income earned.

The Bare Essentials LAST week in this column I shared part of a cheat sheet I prepared for students. It was meant to make a few accounting and finance topics more accessible.

This week, I am sharing the mnemonic I used to teach myself accounting—and the way I still teach accounting to youth, entrepreneurs and creatives. This in no way makes anyone an accountant or even a bookkeeper. But it does provide a handle on what it is accountants do, and how business transactions eventually translate to financial statements.

For the moment, we focus on the two financial statements that most business people review: the balance sheet and the income statement.

Before we continue, remember that the balance sheet is as of a certain date and the income statement essentially explains what transpires during a period. For example, to understand financial results for the year 2016, you would have balance sheets for the end of 2015 (beginning of 2016), the balance sheet for the end of 2016, and the income statement for 2016. The income statement shows how your balance sheet moved from beginning of year to end of year 2016.

The original cheat sheet was written primarily for creatives and the language, more informal and a bit cheeky, reflects this. This part of the cheat sheet I really think of as: Things you don’t really have to know unless you are a bookkeeper (but it helps).

Let me begin with this. There are two things you need to know in order to be able to follow this discussion. First, you need to know how to spell. Second, you need to be able to differentiate between left and right.

Why it’s called accounting It’s called accounting because all records are kept in lists called ‘accounts’ Wasn’t Debit the fellow who killed Goliath?

The heart of modern day accounting is the double entry bookkeeping method. This method relies on the use of debit and credit. So we begin with that. First and most important, we need to remember what debit and credit mean: Debit means left.

Credit means right.

Yes, Virginia. That is, in fact, the clearest definition of debit and credit, at least for non-accountants. Let’s go with it.

Now, there are two kinds of accounts: debit accounts and credit accounts. And, yes, this means debit accounts are left-hand accounts and credit accounts are right-hand accounts. These two types of accounts are then each associated with the two key sides of the corporate balance sheet: (a) assets, what the company owns and (b) capital, where the money to purchase the assets comes from. Note that capital can be either owner’s money (called equity) or debt. So capital equals debt (accountants call this liabilities!) plus equity.

The simplest way to remember which is which is to count letters.

Shorter words belong together: Left Debit Asset

Word Count 4 5 5

Right Credit Capital

Word Count 5 6 7

This helps you to remember which balance sheet accounts are left (debit) and which are right (credit). All assets are debit accounts. All liabilities and equity are credit accounts. Note that, because it depends on spelling, this little mnemonic will not necessarily work in other languages.

I know.. I know and we keep thinking credit is good—and now we find out loans are credits! And cash is in the debit column!! Hmmmmm…..

Okay, so just remember left and right—that’s easier!

Bookkeeping! Gosh! It’s just a list!

An account started out as nothing but a sheet of paper with a title— for example, cash—and three columns. There is a left column for—you guessed it!!! The debit entries!—and a right column for—yes!—the credit entries. The third column is so that, once in a while, accountants can draw a line and compute the current balance in the account. (This is what accountants do when they ‘close the books.’)

Why don’t they just use minus signs???? Well... all that working with numbers give accountants very poor eyesight so they might just miss that negative sign. Seriously...

Now, whenever a transaction occurs (a transaction is an activity— say, a sale or a purchase), you must record it twice. Why???? Because otherwise your balance sheet will NOT balance! Which is actually the first basic accounting statement. The balance sheet must balance! In accounting speak, assets equals capital, or assets equals debt plus equity.

This recording of every transaction is called making an entry. Literally, what this means is putting in numbers in an account. Now, there are two kinds of entries. Yes!!!! You guessed it! Debit and credit.

How does it work? Well, left entries increase left accounts and right entries decrease them. Right entries increase right accounts and left entries decrease then.

In the language of accountants, a debit entry increase a debit account but decreases a credit account and vice versa.

Here is the simple version. If you want to increase, use the same side.

If you want to decrease, use the opposite side.

The Income Statement Accounts!

Which brings us back to the Income Statement accounts.

If we look at the income statement, we have two kinds of accounts— revenue accounts and expense accounts.

Revenue accounts increase equity (which is a right or credit account)– therefore, revenue accounts are all credit accounts! This, I think, is why we think of credit as good. In terms of thinking of how the business is doing, we think of how the business has done over a period.

Expense accounts, on the other hand, decrease equity—hence, is a debit account.

That seems easy, right? Next week, samples and why they’re called T accounts.

Note to reader: I credit the Chairman (who shares my bedroom) for word play around debit and Goliath.

Readers can email Maya at integrations_manila@yahoo.com.

Or visit her site at http://integrations.tumblr.com. For academic publications, Maya uses her full name, Maria Elena Baltazar Herrera.

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

B4

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Cathay readies switch to biofuels

HONG KONG―Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific will switch to biofuels made from landfill rubbish on select long haul flights, reports said Tuesday, in an effort to cut harmful emissions.

Cathay flights to Hong Kong from the US, where the new fuel is produced, will use a Japanese exports as it makes well into this year, at least also kept monetary policy Shinzo Abe, who came to combination of conventional them more competitive abroad. as he sought to reassure over unchanged and their inflation office in December 2012 with jet fuel and biofuels starting in However, Trump’s arrival in the outlook for the domestic projections largely unchanged a blockbuster growth plan 2019, the South China Mornthe Oval Office has also fueled economy. as they struggle to bring an end of massive monetary easing, ing Post reported. confusion in world capitals, with While the BoJ did not to almost two decades of on-off government spending and redThe airline hopes to cut fears he will also follow through explicitly mention Trump in its deflation. tape slashing. emissions on those flights by on promises to tear up free-trade report, the future in a world with Earlier Tuesday figures While the measures had a 80 percent. agreements, throw up tariffs and the real-estate tycoon-turned- showed household spending positive initial impact, growth “Aviation biofuels will play spark a global trade war. president is clearly on the minds fell in December for the 10th remains fragile and inflation is a key role for Cathay and the On Tuesday Japanese of its policymakers. consecutive month, declining 0.3 still well below the BoJ’s two aviation industry’s quest for Finance Minister Taro Aso told “The BoJ is paying the most percent, although that was better percent target. lower emissions,” Cathay Paparliament: “The economy attention to what comes out of than expectations of 0.9 percent.

“What the BoJ really wants to cific biofuel manager Jeff Ovis a living thing and Trump Trump, though it doesn’t say this Last week, Japan logged its see is strong wage gains helping ens told the Post. uncertainty has emerged and is directly,” Maiko Noguchi, an first annual consumer price inflation pick up, but they are not The carrier had invested in globally recognized.” economist at Daiwa Securities, decline in four years. talking much about it because the US-based sustainable bioHowever, he stressed that the told Bloomberg News.

The data came as worrying there’s not much hope for fuel developer Fulcrum BioEnergy, which converts municyen’s weakness would continue As expected, policymakers reading for Prime Minister wages,” Noguchi said. AFP ipal solid waste into aviation fuel, in 2014.

“These fuels will have a lower carbon footprint than fossil fuels, and the pricing we have is competitive with traditional fuels, Ovens said.

Cathay and other airlines have also been facing volatile oil prices.

The company has suffered huge hedging losses in the first half of last year as the price of oil plunged from its peak.

Oil hedging is when an airline locks in price of fuel―a huge chunk of most airlines’ outlay costs―at a pre-determined level for a certain amount of time.

In the first six months, Cathay recorded hedging losses at HK$4.49 billion ($578.8 million), and saw its net profit drop 82 percent from a year earlier to HK$353 million.

Cathay shares plunged in October after it said it did not expect business to improve in the second half of 2016, citing competition and overcapacity.

In 2015, China’s Hainan Airlines flew from Shanghai CROSS-BORDER RAIL. President of the French southwestern Nouvelle Aquitaine region, Alain Rousset (right), and president of the to Beijing in the country’s first Spanish northeastern Aragon region government, Javier Lamban Montanes (left), sit on January 30, 2017, in Bordeaux, southwestern France, during a signing ceremony to apply for the European Union’s financing of the reopening of the Pau-Canfranc-Saragossa crosscommercial flight using biofuborder rail link, which would allow more accessibility in the region. AFP el made from cooking oil. AFP CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Japan hikes growth forecasts

T

OKYO― Japan’s central bank hiked its economic growth forecasts on Tuesday, citing an improved global outlook and a weaker yen but the country’s finance chief warned of “uncertainty” caused by the arrival of Donald Trump in the White House.

After its first meeting of the year the Bank of Japan also held off any fresh monetaryeasing measures, though earlier spending data highlighted the challenge facing officials trying to re-fire the world’s numberthree economy.

The BoJ tipped expansion to hit 1.4 percent in the current fiscal year to March, compared with its previous one percent estimate, and 1.5 percent growth in the following 12 months, from its earlier 1.3 percent forecast.

In the year to March 2019 it saw 1.1 percent growth, up from an initially flagged 0.9 percent.

“The projected growth rates are somewhat higher, mainly reflecting improvement in overseas economies and the yen’s depreciation,” the bank said in its quarterly outlook.

The yen has lost about 10 percent of its value against the dollar since the bank’s last forecast in November as traders bet Trump’s planned infrastructure spending, taxcutting measures will fire US inflation and force the Federal Reserve to ramp up interest rates.

A weaker yen is positive for Manila

Standard

Form 2B (Revised June 2014)

Trump’s order rankles US business

TODAY 16th to 19th Floors, Fort Legend Towers 31st Street corner 3rd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City 1634

By Luc Olinga

Statement of Condition (Head Office and Branches) As of December 31, 2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

AMOUNTS ASSETS

CURRENT QUARTER

PREVIOUS QUARTER

MR. JACK LEE Chairman

Cash and Cash Items PhP Due from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Due from Other Banks Financial Assets at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Available-for-Sale Financial Assets-Net Held-to-Maturity (HTM) Financial Assets-Net Unquoted Debt Securities Classified as Loans-Net Investments in Non-Marketable Equity Security-Net Loans and Receivables - Net Interbank Loans Receivable Loans and Receivables - Others Loans and Receivables Arising from RA/CA/PR/SLB General Loan Loss Provision Other Financial Assets Bank Premises, Furniture, Fixture and Equipment-Net Real and Other Properties Acquired-Net Other Assets-Net

428,066,148.87 6,078,965,188.87 2,129,327,639.14 567,093,084.55 950,519,886.54 530,419,396.35 42,139,297.74 12,440,816.63 23,987,528,653.94 480,828,198.40 22,117,638,119.07 1,676,463,551.00 287,401,214.53 118,381,243.19 210,321,395.63 93,728,682.94 734,202,318.85

383,924,242.65 3,968,161,419.01 908,865,869.66 445,264,109.18 320,711,100.01 265,856,170.56 59,695,483.20 12,440,816.63 25,320,717,009.91 2,323,129,033.00 23,296,444,534.40 0.00 298,856,557.49 86,392,402.34 201,348,656.95 76,674,687.91 882,082,544.66

TOTAL ASSETS

PhP

35,883,133,753.24

32,932,134,512.67

Financial Liabilities at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Deposit Liabilities Bills Payable a) Interbank Loans Payable Due to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Other Financial Liabilities Other Liabilities

PhP

32,592,766.64 26,967,086,351.18 0.00 0.00 0.00 126,941,148.61 1,851,724,847.14

111,080,754.26 22,183,618,352.32 1,940,000,000.00 1,940,000,000.00 0.00 161,174,146.66 1,498,070,559.54

TOTAL LIABILITIES

PhP

28,978,345,113.57

25,893,943,812.78

Capital Stock Other Capital Accounts Retained Earnings

PhP

2,533,200,985.17 79,175,327.83 4,292,412,326.67

2,533,200,985.17 212,577,388.05 4,292,412,326.67

TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

PhP

6,904,788,639.67

7,038,190,699.89

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

PhP

35,883,133,753.24

32,932,134,512.67

MR. OLIVER D. JIMENO Senior Vice President

Financial Standby Letters of Credit Performance Standby Letters of Credit Commercial Letters of Credit Trade Related Guarantees Commitments Spot Foreign Exchange Contracts Trust Department Accounts a) Trust and Other Fiduciary Accounts b) Agency Accounts Derivatives Others

PhP

2,099,944,412.67 780,604,971.79 656,635,886.74 174,701,976.92 1,448,982,857.00 575,705,483.70 1,617,017,370.37 750,350,234.07 866,667,136.30 9,405,442,446.00 1,513,179,350.42

1,212,750,000.00 1,246,505,795.72 768,190,806.40 3,102,224.80 0.00 2,259,056,470.92 1,634,662,720.83 785,841,346.10 848,821,374.73 16,094,170,628.17 980,953,079.85

MR. JOSEPH B. ESTAVILLO Senior Vice President

TOTAL CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS

PhP

18,272,214,755.61

24,199,391,726.69

PhP PhP

24,733,046,555.45 458,116,686.98

25,936,486,629.62 316,913,062.22

PhP

460,786,467.63 1.86% 2,669,780.65 0.01%

485,595,806.28 1.87% 168,682,744.06 0.65%

PhP

604,025,971.98

535,248,141.84

PhP

44,089,900.10

44,400,567.36

PhP

0.18% 354,832.98

0.17% 0.00

LIABILITIES

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Gross Total Loan Portfolio (TLP) Specific Allowance for credit losses on the TLP Non-performing Loans (NPLs) a. Gross NPLs b. Ratio of gross NPLs to gross TLP (%) c. Net NPLs d. Ratio of Net NPLs to gross TLP (%) Classified Loans & Other Risk Assets, gross of allowance for credit losses DOSRI Loans and receivables, gross of allowance for credit losses Ratio of DOSRI Loans and receivables, gross of allowance for credit losses, to TLP (%) Gross Non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables Ratio of gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivable to TLP (%) Percent Compliance with Magna Carta (%) a. 8% for Micro and Small Enterprises b. 2% for Medium Enterprises Return on Equity (ROE) (%) Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) on Solo Basis a. Total CAR (%) b. TIER 1 Ratio (%) c. CET 1 (%)

PhP

0.00%

0.00%

2.98% 4.60% 1.17%

2.95% 3.64% 3.78%

22.55% 21.68% 21.68%

21.54% 20.71% 20.71%

MR. WILLIAM B. GO Vice Chairman DIRECTORS MR. STEVE TSAI MR. FRANK SHIH MR. CHIH-CHUNG HUANG MR. EDWIN B. VILLANUEVA MR. NG MENG TAM EXECUTIVE OFFICERS MR. STEVE TSAI President and CEO MR. ISMAEL R. SANDIG Senior Executive Vice President MS. JAMIE WANG Executive Vice President MR. JIMMY ARSENIO Y. SAMONTE Senior Vice President MS. MA. GRETCHEN S. MACABASCO Senior Vice President MS. CECILIA E. TABUENA Senior Vice President MR. EDGARDO A.M. MENDOZA, JR. Senior Vice President

MR. DEOGRACIAS A. JACINTO Senior Vice President MR. REMO ROMULO M. GAROVILLO JR. Senior Vice President MR. ANDRE P. PAYAWAL Senior Vice President MR. MARVIN I. TIBURCIO Senior Vice President

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) TAGUIG CITY ) S.S. I/We, ANDRE P. PAYAWAL and STEVE TSAI of the abovementioned Bank, do solemnly swear that all matters set forth in the above statement of condition are true and correct to the best of my/our knowledge and belief.

(Sgd.) ANDRE P. PAYAWAL Chief Finance Officer, SVP (Signature Over Printed Name)

(Sgd.) WEN-HSIUNG TSAI a.ka. STEVE TSAI President and CEO (Signature Over Printed Name)

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this January 23, 2017 affiants exhibiting to me his/their TIN 150-031-779-000 and 462-868-631-000.

Doc. No. 356; Book No. V; Page No. 73; Series of 2017

(Sgd.) ATTY. MARY ANGELINE S. TOL NOTARY PUBLIC FOR TAGUIG CITY UNTIL DECEMBER 31, 2017 APPT NO.5 (2016 - 2017) / ROLL NO 51630 PTR NO. A-3253382 /01-03-17 / TAGUIG CITY IBP NO. 1019561 / 01-15-16 / CAVITE MCLE COMPLIANCE NO. V-0007014 / 03-23-15 16/F, Fort Legend Tower, 31st St. corner 3rd Avenue Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City

NERW YORK―Many American businesses are publicly breaking with President Donald Trump over his anti-immigration policies, saying they could damage competitiveness by limiting access to the best and brightest employees.

Criticism of Trump’s order has been most virulent in Silicon Valley, where chiefs of tech firms Apple, Microsoft, Airbnb and Google were among those to blast the policy, unveiled late Friday, which prohibits people from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States, and includes a temporary ban on refugees.

Protests erupted at airports nationwide over the weekend, while lawsuits led to judges blocking parts of the order, which initially prevented some legal US residents from returning home.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings called the policies “un-American.”

Executives outside of the technology industry have joined in pointing out the perils of the immigration policies as well, although they are more cautious about provoking the administration, which is expected to pursue favored policies such as tax cuts and regulatory relief.

Any criticism could trigger blowback from Trump, who has frequently lambasted individual companies, including Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Boeing and Lockheed.

Looking out for employees Company chiefs, in messages to employees, have emphasized the importance of a diverse workforce and promised to support employees.

“This is not a policy we support,” Goldman Sachs chief executive Lloyd Blankfein told employees in a recorded voice mail.

“I want to assure all of you that we will work to minimize such disruption to the extent we can within the law and are focused on supporting our colleagues and their families who may be affected.”

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, who is on a council of corporate chief executives tasked with advising Trump on job growth, promised “unwavering commitment” to staff in a statement.

Goldman and JPMorgan have vast international businesses that advise and provide financing to foreign governments, multinationals and private individuals.

Boston-based General Electric, whose chief executive Jeff Immelt, also sits on a Trump business advisory board, came out against the policy.

Stressing that it welcomes individuals of all races, nationality, gender, culture or sexual orientation, GM said, “Empowering these unique perspectives keeps GM on the cutting edge of technological innovation in the fast-paced automotive industry.”

And Ford, which also has sparred with Trump over its Mexican operations, criticized the immigration

Demonstrators protest against US President Donald Trump and his administration’s ban of travelers from 7 countries by executive order, during a rally outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on January 30, 2017.

Trump’s executive order suspended the arrival of all refugees for at least 120 days, Syrian refugees indefinitely--and bars citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days. Protests are taking place at airports across the country in opposition to the ban. AFP

“We have many employees from the named countries and we do business all over the region,” Immelt said. “We stand with them and will work with the US Administration to strive to find the balance between the need for security and the movement of law abiding people.”

Last week, Iraq signed a billiondollar deal with GE for the construction of two power plants. But the Iraqi government has criticized Trump for targeting the country in the ban, and parliament urged the government to retaliate against Americans entering the country if Washington refuses reconsider.

GM, which Trump has criticized for building cars in Mexico, sent a statement to all employees on Sunday saying a few are from countries affected by the order, and pledging to provide support to any worker who encounters difficulty while traveling.

policy, saying the company is “proud of the rich diversity” of workers.

“That is why we do not support this policy or any other that goes against our values as a company.”

Boeing, which has been a Trump target for high costs of the Air Force One presidential airplane, did not respond to AFP requests for comment.

ExxonMobil, whose former chief executive is in line to be Trump’s secretary of state, also did not respond to requests for comment.

ExxonMobil has projects in Yemen, one of the seven countries affected by the ban.

The US Chamber of Commerce said the policy is creating confusion for companies with employees who are legal residents or dual nationals.

A Chamber spokesperson told AFP “we hope the administration can quickly clarify how these will be handled.” AFP

Davao cables’ relocation readied

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

C1

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera DAVAO CITY—The City Council here is ordering all electric utility companies and communications carriers to put their cables underground in Davao’s downtown area.

On Tuesday, the council approved the underground cabling ordinance in the Poblacion area, to be implemented over three years until 2020.

Any company who violates it will be fined P5,000 or face a year of imprisonment.

Councilor Diosdado Mahipus, Council Committee on Energy chair, said since Davao is already a “world class city in the making,” it is about time to clear the city’s streets of hanging wires.

In late 2015, utility companies started putting underground cabling around the city hall area.

Mahipus said the councilors are looking forward to 2020, when the streets of Davao “will be clean from wires.”

“The different companies concerned personally volunteered to improve the quality of lives, environment and ambiance of the city of Davao, being the ‘Exhibit A’ of President Rodrigo Duterte,” he said.

Even though the utility companies volunteered to put their cables underground, the councilors still found the need to put it into law, to make other companies aware if they plan to put up wires.

Mahipusa said the ordinance will have four phases. The first phase starts this year at the junction of San Pedro St. and Ramon Magsaysay Ave., covering about 1,100 meters.

“The underground cabling in the city hall area was our experimental stage,” he said.

In 2018, the second phase takes place from C.M Recto Street to Magsaysay Park. The third phase starts the following year from the Roxas Avenue Rotunda up to San Pedro Street, and the fourth phase unwraps in 2020 from San Pedro Street to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas offices in Quirino district.

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

RELIEF EFFORTS. Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor Mujiv Hataman (right), Social Welfare-ARMM Assistant Secretary Pomabaen Karon-Kader, and the Humanitarian Emergency Action Response Team distribute relief goods to 6,900 families displaced by recent flooding in Datu Montawal, Maguindanao. Most of the families moved beside the national highway linking Datu Montawal and Pagalungan towns. Omar Mangorsi

Malapitan: City Hall ‘drug-free’

By Jun David

F

OURTEEN employees of the Caloocan city government have been dismissed for testing positive in random drug tests on all its departments, which ensures city hall remains “drug free,” Mayor Oscar Malapitan said Tuesday.

In an emergency meeting of the Caloocan Anti-Drug Abuse Council, Malapitan said the dismissal “goes to show that our anti-

drugs campaign starts at ‘home,’ and this should be followed by the various business enterprises and barangays in the city.”

Lawyer Sikini Labastilla, Caloocan’s Human Resources Management department OIC-chief, said the dismissed employees represent just 0.3 percent of the city’s 4,500 employees.

The urine samples of four regular employees and 10 “job order” staff tested positive for illegal drugs, Labastilla said.

Succeeding confirmatory blood tests yielded positive results.

The mayor instructed Labastilla to automatically dismiss the 10 job order staff, with the op-

tion of rehiring them after they undergo full drug rehabilitation.

The four regular employees went on compulsory leave, and the city government will assist them in their immediate treatment and rehabilitation, Malapitan said.

The mayor is encouraging Caloocan’s business establishments to conduct their own drug testing for all their officers and employees. The mayor, through CADAC, would then issue them a certificate or business plate with the stamp of a “drug-free

DoLE cites Caloocan City’s employment programs THE Department of Labor and Employment recently recognized Caloocan City among the local government units with the “Best Employment Program and Services.”

As part of DoLE’s 2015 Search for Best PESO (Public Employment and Services Office), Caloocan was awarded a plaque of recognition for implementing employment programs and services for its residents.

Caloocan’s Labor and Industrial Office-Public Employment Services Office is the city’s job-generation arm, and scored highly in the Best in Referral and Placement and Best in Career Guidance and Employment Coaching categories.

The citations indicate that among participating LGUs, Caloocan has the most referral approvals from its partner companies, and almost all ap-

plicants landed jobs with them.

Hired applicants from Caloocan were also among the best performing workers through the effective career guidance and employment coaching of LIRO-PESO, the DoLE citation said.

Caloocan Mayor Oscar Malapitan’s various infrastructural reforms invite business people and investors to establish their businesses in the city.

This creates jobs for residents, “which greatly help battle unemployment,” the Labor department said.

Moreover, the Caloocan City Manpower Training Center also gained a Certificate of Recognition from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for being the top contributor of enrolled students and graduates of community-based vocational-tech-

nical courses for the years 2015 and 2016.

CCMTC offers free vocational-technical skills to residents, and helps them get employed after they complete a course, Tesda said. To avail of the many employment, livelihood, skill training, and other services provided by the local government, residents only need to visit LIRO-PESO at city hall, Malapitan said. Jun David

‘More reclamations needed for Manila’

By Sandy Araneta THE reclamation projects in Manila Bay, including the Solar City urban center, will not only boost local tourism but will also provide thousands of jobs that will help people provide for their families and “decrease their urge to commit crimes,” a Manila city councilor said Tuesday.

Councilor Laris Borromeo, chairman of the Committee on Tourism, said Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada’s big-ticket projects, such as Solar City, are of strategic importance to the city government in terms of economic development, business growth, and job generation.

“It will serve as a catalyst, that spark we need to improve the city’s tourism industry. It will create more businesses, which would mean the city is doing well, and people are trusting Mayor Estrada for them to invest their businesses here in the city,” Borromeo said.

“Along with it comes jobs, which is what we want for Manileños. Jobs will result in people being able to provide for

their families, stand on their own feet, and decrease the urge to commit crime,” she said.

Solar City is a 148-hectare, state-of-the-art tourism, commercial and residential district.

It will host business centers, residential and commercial properties, and tourism facilities, including an international cruise ship terminal.

Two other reclamation projects in Manila Bay – the P7.4billion Manila Harbour Centre expansion of R-II Builders Inc., and the UAA Kinming Group Development Corp.’s 562-hectare mixed-use commercial and business district in the central area of the bay— are also underway.

Borromeo cited the case of Pasay City, which experienced “unparalleled economic and tourism growth” because of Manila Bay reclamation projects such as the SM Mall of Asia.

The SM Group is already planning another P100-billion project in Manila Bay, the reclamation and development of roughly 600 hectares of land in both Pasay and Parañaque cities.

Before

After

SIDEWALK CLEARED. The Makati Department of Environmental Services continues its sidewalk recovery operations as part of Mayor Abby Binay’s effort to restore order and discipline in the city’s streets. The photo on the left shows vendors and their wares blocking the path of pedestrians and impeding traffic along Mantrade in Barangay Magallanes, while the right photo shows the area after DES personnel cleared the obstructions.

establishment/business.”

Other local government units in Metro Manila have yielded two to four percent illegal drug “infections” among their workforce, Labastilla said.

Caloocan City has the distinction as the only LGU with an ongoing multi-sectoral, out-patient drug rehabilitation program. A drug rehab facility in North Caloocan is now under construction, financed and to be operated solely by the city government, the mayor said.

Grenades lobbed at Grey’s 3 houses

By Mel Caspe SAN JORGE, Samar—Grenades were hurled at all three residences here of Mayor Joseph Grey, apparently in retaliation for an ambush last week on his opponent in the May 2016 elections, Manila Standard learned Tuesday.

Unidentified suspects aboard a motorcycle and a van threw the grenades at the houses at 3 a.m., local police said. One policeman, identified as a certain “Rebato” and one of the mayor’s bodyguards identified “Jimmy” were reported wounded.

Police said the suspects first threw a grenade at Grey’s house in Barangay Mancol, then proceeded to lob another explosive at the mayor’s old residence in Barangay Aurora. The last grenade was tossed at Grey’s house along China Road, initial investigation showed.

On Saturday, Grey’s mayoral opponent, Lester Bisnar, and a certain Jeboy Romana were shot at by unidentified men as both were on a motorcycle. They were rushed to Samar Provincial Hospital in Tacloban City for treatment.

Running under the Liberal Party, Grey defeated Bisnar and Jovito Rosales in last May’s elections. Grey beat Bisnar by almost 1,000 votes, while Rosales got just 192 votes according to the official Commission on Elections results in San Jorge, where 9,100 residents voted.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017 Standard C2 TODAY Manila

Probe infra ‘slippage,’ Villar urged

By Dexter A. See

B

AGUIO CITY—Anti-corruption advocates are challenging Public Works Secretary Mark Villar to probe 91 infrastructure projects in the Cordillera region with slippages, which they said “compromise the quality of the projects” and “lessen their projected economic life for the welfare of the public.”

In a letter to Villar, Salvador Corruption said 56 major infra Liked of the Volunteers Against projects have slippages—de-

fined as the difference between the expected price of a project and the price at which the project is executed—of more than 15 percent.

Thirty-five other projects have a slippage of 0.01 to 14.99 percent, Liked added, “casting doubt on whether or not the projects were able to comply with the standard quality of the projects, to avoid the institution of repairs on the pavements and other components of the defective infrastructure projects.”

The infrastructure projects are part of the 2016 work program of the Department of Public Works and Highways for the Cordillera, the VAC official said. Slippages were determined based on the individual status reports of the projects prepared by various monitoring teams of the department.

Liked called on Villar to use the reports to gauge the performance of contractors in the region so those that incurred slippage should no longer be awarded projects to

implement in the 2017 national budget.

“Bad performing contractors should no longer be allowed to participate in future biddings or should not be allowed to be awarded projects this year because the slippage that they have incurred could be traced to their political benefactors, who demand from them excessive fees in exchange for the projects awarded to them through alleged rigged bidding,” he stressed.

Liked reminded Villar that President Rodrigo Duterte

has said politicians should not meddle in the bidding and implementation of government projects. “Thus, people should now be brave enough in reporting those politicians, especially congressmen, who continue to interfere in the bidding of projects so that their anointed contractors will be the ones to get the awards,” he added.

VAC attached a list of projects in the letter to the DPWH chief that include road improvement work, bridge work, and other infrastructure jobs.

Bacoor opens Barangay Liga ‘Bulwagan’ State of calamity over Sebu fish kill BACOOR, Cavite—Mayor Lani Mercado-Revilla led city officials in the blessing and inauguration of the new Bulwagan ng Liga ng mga Barangay at the Bacoor Government Center Grounds in Barangay Bayanan here.

Also present were Cavite second district Rep. Strike B. Revilla, Vice Mayor Karen Sarino, members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, and Hon. Victorio “Toto” Guerrero Jr., the Association of Barangay Captains President and Chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Barangay Affairs.

The building will help the city government oversee the barangays’ peacekeeping activities and serve as a training center to enhancing the leadership skills of the barangay officials in Bacoor.

The two-story structure is the new home of the Liga ng mga Barangay, Asosasyon ng mga Barangay Captains (ABC), Asosasyon ng mga Barangay Kagawad (ABAKA), Asosasyon ng mga Barangay Secretaries (ABS), and Association of Barangay Treasurers (ABT).

The barangays and the Sangguniang Kabataan will use the venue to make sure that barangay officials perform their duties and functions as mandated by the Local Government Code, Guerrero said. Benjamin Chavez

For the first time since he was elected as Cavite’s vice governor, Jolo Revilla (seated in background, center) was the guest of honor of the Bacoor City Government’s Monday flag raising ceremony on Jan. 23. Revilla’s mother, Bacoor Mayor Lani Mercado-Revilla, led local officials in welcoming the young vice governor.

Benjamin Chavez

Section I. Invitation to Bid

Section I. Invitation to Bid

Republic of the Philippines Philippine Rural Development Project

Republic of the Philippines Philippine Rural Development Project

Republic of the Philippines Philippine Rural Development Project

Invitation to Bid for the Establishment of Ice Plant with Cold Storage Building

Invitation to Bid for the SUPPLY, DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION OF COLD STORAGE FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT Loan No. 8421-PH PRDP-IR-R003-BAT -001-000-000-2015

Invitation for Rebidding for the

1.

The Government of the Philippines (GoP) has received a Loan from the World Bank towards the cost of Philippine Rural Development Project and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this Loan to payments under the contract for the Establishment of Ice Plant with Cold Storage / PRDP-IR-R003-BAT-002-000-000-2014.

2.

The Provincial Government of Bataan, implementing partner of the Department of Agriculture, now invites bids for the Establishment of Ice Plant with Cold Storage Building. Completion of the Works is required by 159 calendar days. Bidders should have completed, within the last five (5) years, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

4.

5.

Bidding will be conducted in accordance with relevant procedures for open competitive bidding as specified in the IRR of RA 9184 (R.A. 9184), with some amendments, as stated in these bidding documents and is open to all bidders from eligible source countries as defined in the applicable procurement guidelines of the World Bank. The contract shall be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during post-qualification. The Estimated Project Cost for this project is Eight Million Seventy-Five Thousand Pesos (PhP8,075,000.00).

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00am to 5:00pm, Mondays to Fridays.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from February 1, 2017 - March 2, 2017 from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the bidding documents in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (PhP5,000.00).

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

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

6.

7.

The Provincial Government of Bataan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on February 17, 2017 at 10:00 A.M at the Conference Room, Provincial Governor’s Office, Bulwagan ng Bayan, Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan, which shall be open to all interested parties.

Bids must be delivered on or before March 3, 2017,10:00 AM at the Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Securing Declaration or bid security in the amount of One Hundred Sixty Two Thousand Pesos (PhP162,000.00) in the form of Cash or Cashier’s/Manager’s Check or Bank Guarantee issued by a Universal or Commercial Bank.

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

8.

9.

Validation and assessment is ongoing for other affected fish cage operators, earlier estimated at more than 300.

Some operators were forced to conduct massive emergency harvests over the weekend to save the remaining tilapia for sale, he said.

Mayor Antonio Fungan has ordered Artacho’s office and the fish kill-hit barangays to prepare the necessary data for the declaration of a state of calamity.

The mayor specifically directed the affected barangays to fast-track their calamity declarations.

Fishery officials had blamed the fish kill in Lake Sebu to “kamahong,” a phenomenon caused by the sudden rise in the water’s temperature.

“Kamahong,” which usually occurs during the rainy season, triggers the rise of sulfuric acid in the lake’s waters, which eventually causes massive fish kill.

The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist said the phenomenon occurs when cold rainwater, which is heavier than warm water, settles at the abyssal zone of the lake. PNA

Section I. Invitation to Bid

Identification No. PRDP-IR-R003-BAT -002-000-000-2014 Loan No. 8421-PH February 1, 2017

3.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY— The municipal government of Lake Sebu in South Cotabato is planning to declare a state of calamity due to another major fish kill that has seen P6.5 million worth of tilapia destroyed.

Zaldy Artacho, Lake Sebu municipal agriculture officer, said Tuesday the fish kill started late last week in portions of the lake after its dissolved oxygen dropped to critical levels anew.

Artacho said the phenomenon, known locally as “kamahong,” came after a week of sporadic heavy rains in the area.

Several fish cage operators initially reported Friday that some of their tilapia appeared to be gasping for air, he added.

“By night time, the fish kill already started in a number of fish cages,” he said in a radio interview.

Artacho said a total of 72,335 kilos of tilapia have been destroyed, with the prevailing farmgate price for tilapia in Lake Sebu at P90 per kilo.

Artacho said the figures only come from 19 affected fish cage operators in Barangays Poblacion and Takonel.

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

For further information, please refer to: ENGR. JOSEPHINE R. VALENZUELA BAC Secretariat BAC / PEO Office, Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan 047-237-9316 bac@bataan.gov.ph

(MS-FEB. 1, 2017)

NEW CONSTRUCTION OF BARANGAY SAN ANTONIO-PARANGSAYSAIN Farm to Market Road

1.

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

2.

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

3.

Bidding will be conducted in accordance with relevant procedures for open competitive bidding as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”, with some amendments, as stated in these Bidding Documents and is open to all Bidders from eligible source countries as defined in the applicable procurement guidelines of the World Bank. The contract shall be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during postqualification.The Estimated Project Cost (EPC) for this project is shown below.

Lot No.

4.

Description

1.

1

Various Cold Storage Facilities and Equipment

P 5,351,500.00

2

Cold Storage for 5 tons dried/processed fish

P 3,988,500.00

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from February 1, 2017 to March 2, 2017 from the address below and upon payment of a non refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00).

3.

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

4.

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

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from February 1, 2017 to March 2, 2017 from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the bidding documents in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (PhP5,000.00).

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

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

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

5.

The Province of Bataan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on February 17, 2017 at 10:00 AM, Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan, which shall be open to all interested parties.

6.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before March 3, 2017 at 10:00 AM. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in the form of Cash or Certified / Manager’s check or Bank Guarantee issued by a universal! commercial Bank or Bid Securing Declaration.

Lot No.

Description

1

Various Cold Storage Facilities and equipment

P 108,000.00

Amount of Bid Security

2

Cold Storage for 5 tons dried/processed fish

P 80,000.00

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

6.

The Provincial Government of Bataan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on February 17, 2017 at 10:00 AM at the Conference Room, Provincial Governor’s Office, Bulwagan ng Bayan, Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan, which shall be open to all interested parties.

7.

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

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

7.

Bidders shall warrant that all items to be delivered are new, branded and free from any defects.

8.

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

9.

For further information, please refer to:

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

8.

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

9.

For further information, please refer to: ENGR. ENRICO T. YUZON Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee Office of the Bids and Awards Committee Provincial Capitol Balanga City, Bataan

(SGD) ENGR. ENRICO T. YUZON BAC Chairman (MS-FEB. 1, 2017)

The Government of the Philippines (GoP) has received a Loan from the World Bank towards the cost of Philippine Rural Development Project and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this Loan to payments under the contract for the New Construction of Barangay San AntonioParang-Saysain Farm to Market Road/PRDP-IB-R003-BAT-001-000000-2015-R1.

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

EPC

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

(SGD) ENRICO T. YUZON BAC Chairman

Identification No. PRDP-IB-R003-BAT -001-000-000-2015-Rl Loan No. 8421-PH February 1, 2017

February 1, 2017

(MS-FEB. 1, 2017)

(SGD) ENGR. ENRICO T. YUZON BAC Chairman

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

TODAY

World

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Defense chiefs back anti-missile system

C3

Lawyers help those affected by the ban N

SEOUL―South Korea’s defense chief and his new US counterpart vowed Tuesday to push ahead with a plan to deploy a US anti-missile system this year, Seoul’s military said, despite protests by China.

The two allies last year announced the plan to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system following a series of atomic and missile tests by nuclear-armed North Korea.

New US Defense Secretary James Mattis and his South Korean counterpart Han Min-Koo reaffirmed the plan in a phone conversation, Seoul’s defense ministry said, days before Mattis visits Asia.

How the incoming administration of President Donald Trump will approach the region has raised worries in South Korea and Japan, both of them longstanding US allies.

During his campaign, Trump threatened to withdraw US forces from the two countries if they did not step up their financial support for their defense.

Mattis and Han voiced grave concern over growing threats from North Korea and agreed on “a need...to push ahead with the deployment of the THAAD as planned”, the ministry said in a statement.

The two ministers also warned that the

EW YORK―Lawyers armed with laptops, smartphones and legal papers have since Saturday transformed an airport diner into a headquarters of resistance to Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban.

They have worked around the clock from the space of 20 odd tables at the restaurant in the arrivals hall at John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 4 to free travelers stopped or detained by the decree.

Work stations have been earmarked by small white signs -- a corner for Arabic language interpreters, another saying “habeas corpus” for lawyers filing requests for people’s release and tables set aside for new volunteers.

Even on Monday, by which time most of those stopped had been released, more than 20 volunteer lawyers were still

inquiring after new arrivals and fielding concerns from worried travelers by telephone.

About 20 more are working at other terminals in the airport, said Camille Mackler, a lawyer for a non-profit group that advocates for immigrants and who has been helping to coordinate the work since Saturday.

“I think more than anything it sends the absolutely wrong message to Americans and to the rest of the world,” the 37-year-old said.

Friday’s order unleashed chaos for refugees and visa holders already in transit and unaware that American borders had suddenly closed to those

from seven Muslim countries.

“But I’m also so proud of the lawyers, of all people, the butt of so many bad jokes -- who have just sort of stood up and helped,” said Mackler.

“One of my friends said it was our moment to be rock stars and I’m kind of feeling like a rock star right now.”

Jason Stump, 29, turned up with a friend to see if there was anything they could do to help.

He works as a hotel receptionist in Manhattan and had been stuck at work all weekend.

“This was the first day we could come out to show our solidarity with the lawyers who are doing such important

work,” he said.

“We need to figure out how we can best help people.”

Siobhan Atkins, 29, who specializes in criminal defense, greeted them with a smile.

Like lots of other lawyers here, some without immigration experience, it is the first time she has acted in protest against the government.

“This weekend, I felt so helpless, it feels the country is changing so quickly, we don’t recognize the place we love anymore,” she told AFP. She went onto Facebook, found a website for lawyers who defend people in detention, and volunteered her services. AFP

North may stage armed provocations at times of power transitions in the South and the US. Their conversation came after Trump and South Korea’s acting president Hwang Kyo-Ahn agreed Monday to strengthen their joint defense capabilities, but with the White House’s official statement making no specific reference to THAAD. The North’s leader Kim Jong-Un boasted early this month that the country was in the “final stages” of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The THAAD plan has infuriated China, which fears it will undermine its own ballistic capabilities and has slapped a series of measures seen by Seoul as economic retaliation.

It also sparked angry protests from residents of the area chosen to host the powerful missile system, with several South Korean presidential hopefuls vowing to scrap the plan if elected.

Mattis, during his first overseas tour since taking office this month, visits South Korea from Thursday to Friday before flying to Japan.

He is expected to meet with Han as well as Hwang, who has been serving as acting head of state since parliament impeached President Park Geun-Hye last month. AFP

Almodovar to head film festival jury PARIS―Pedro Almodovar, Spain’s most celebrated living movie director, will lead the jury at this year’s Cannes film festival, its organizers said Tuesday.

The flamboyant auteur, who made his name with a string of colorful and melodramatic black comedies including “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” and “Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!”, said, “I am grateful, honored and a bit overwhelmed.”

He is the first Spaniard to preside over the world’s top film event in its 70-year history.

“I can only tell that I’ll devote myself, body and soul, to this task, that it is both a privilege and a pleasure,” the 67-year-old director added.

Although Almodovar won the best foreign film Oscar for his powerful 1999 drama “All About My Mother”, which also won him best director at Cannes, he has

never taken its top prize, the Palme d’Or. The man who would become known as the “Tennessee Williams of La Mancha”, first began to make his mark during the “Movida”, the hedonistic Madrid-led cultural revival that followed the end of the Franco dictatorship in 1975.

“Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” (1988) brought him a cult international following, and his movies are often marked by the strength and warmth of his leading women, played by Carmen Maura, Victoria Abril, Rossy de Palma and Marisa Paredes.

As his films grew more ambitious and serious, Almodovar helped launch the Hollywood careers of the actors Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem.

Cannes film festival director Thierry Fremaux said his “20 films

form an incandescent work, a legacy of his punk, protest-filled youth, driven by an insatiable passion for female figures and the history of film itself.”

Born to a farming family in a small, dusty town south of Madrid where his mother wrote letters for her illiterate neighbors, Almodovar was sent to a Catholic seminary at eight in the hope that he might become a priest.

But the exuberant rebel later ran off to Madrid and joined a

parody glam rock duo, and began dabbling in film-making while he working as a telephone company clerk.

Fremaux said “with his dazzling and iconoclastic 35-year filmography, this virtuoso storyteller has forged a strong bond with film goers the world over.”

Although he is “ever surprising”, he said Almodovar never loses “sight of his pet themes: passion, friendship, destiny, guilt and buried secrets.” AFP

RESERVE YOUR AD SPACE NOW!

NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION Notice is hereby given that the amendment of the Articles of Incorporation of JTM PROPERTIES & RESOURCES CORP. (the Corporation) shortening the term of existence to November 30, 2016, thereby dissolving the corporation on said date has been approved by the Corporation Board of Directors and Stockholders on November 14, 2016.

All persons having any claims against the Corporation`s are requested to present their claims at the Corporation`s office at 183 Maude St., San Juan City.

This announcement will serve as a notice to all persons concerned of the legal dissolution of the aforesaid corporation.

(SGD) MING MING S. MAGUAN Corporate Secretary

email us at advertise@the standard.com.ph or call us at 832-5547

(MS-FEB. 1,8 & 15, 2017)

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC

Repub lic of t h e Philip p in e s

Notice is hereby given that AUTO-PHIL MARKETING CORPORATION, and AUTOPHIL ZONE SALES CORPORATION are two totally different, separate and distinct companies.

AUTO-PHIL MARKETING CORPORATION was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 14, 1969, and is engaged in the trading of auto spare parts, particularly Goodyear tires and its accessories, and service of cars and other vehicles since.

PREMIERE. Model Tanya Mityushina poses after her arrival for the

premiere of the film ‘John Wick Chapter Two’ in Hollywood, California. AFP

UN set to discuss Iran’s missile test UNITED NATIONS―The UN Security Council will hold urgent talks Tuesday on Iran’s test-firing of a medium-range missile, diplomats said.

The United States requested the emergency consultations after the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations called for council action.

“In light of Iran’s January 29 launch of a medium-range ballistic missile, the United States has requested urgent consultations of the Security Council,” the US mission said in a statement.

The talks on Iran will follow a meeting on Syria scheduled for 10:00 am (1500 GMT).

Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon said the missile test violated UN resolutions that bar Iran from launching ballistic missiles that could have a nuclear capability.

“The international community must not bury its head in the sand in the face of this Iranian aggression,” said Danon.

“The Security Council members must act immediately in response to these Iranian actions which endanger not only Israel, but the entire Middle East.”

It was the first request for council consultations made by the United States since new US Ambassador Nikki Haley took office.

US President Donald Trump has promised to strengthen ties with Israel and has sharply criticized the Iran nuclear deal that led to a lifting of international sanctions against Tehran.

Trump is due to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on February 15.

A Security Council resolution adopted a few days after the 2015 nuclear agreement bars Iran from developing missiles “designed to carry nuclear warheads.”

Iran has said its missiles would never carry a nuclear warhead as it has no plans to develop atomic weapons, but military officials have insisted on expanding the country’s missile program.

Britain, France and the United States have sought council action over Iranian missiles launches last year, but Russia and China opposed discussion of possible sanctions that they argued would jeopardize the hard-fought nuclear deal.

The deal reached with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States imposed curbs on Iran’s nuclear program in return for lifting sanctions. AFP

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INVITATION TO BID FOR THE JANITORIAL AND SECURITY SERVICES FOR DOST-CENTRAL OFFICE FOR CY 2017

Project A (DOST-CO-PB No. 2017-02-002):Provision of Janitorial Services for the Department of Science and Technology and its attached agencies within the DOST Compound at General Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City.

AUTOPHIL ZONE SALES CORPORATION was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 30, 2003, and is engaged in the wholesaleretail trading of general merchandise, auto and truck parts and accessories, lubricants, brakes, wheel reams, hardware and electrical supplies and motor oils and filters. It is not engaged in the sale of Goodyear tires and its accessories.

All transactions with AUTO-PHIL MARKETING CORPORATION or AUTOPHIL ZONE SALES CORPORATION should be made only with duly authorized representatives of said corporations as shown by their respective company identification.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST (DOST), through the DOST’s General Appropriations for FY 2017,intends to apply the sum indicated below, being the Approved Budget for the Contracts (ABC) to payments under the contract forthe procurement of the following:

1.

Project B (DOST-CO-PB No. 2017-02-003):Provision of Security Services for the Department of Science and Technology and its attached agencies within the DOST Compound at General Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City.

Project

01 February 2017 Pursuant to Rule 19.2.5 of the 2015 Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Securities Regulation Code, this is to advise you that, RYM Business Management Corporation, Caulfield Heights, Inc., Mr. Anthony M. Te and Mr. Macario U. Te, acquired 89.9891% of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Bright Kindle Resources & Investments, Inc. (formerly Bankard, Inc.) (“BKR”) from Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation and RCBC Capital Corporation (the “Transaction”).

The Transaction triggers the mandatory tender offer requirement under the Securities Regulation Code and accordingly, the Bidders will be making a tender offer for the 257,145,011 common shares of BKR held by the public as of the date hereof, representing approximately 16.82% of the total issued and outstanding capital stock of BKR. The terms of the tender offer shall be announced separately on the date of the commencement of the tender offer.

_____________________________ CAULFIELD HEIGHTS, INC. Represented by Mr. Isidro C. Alcantara, Jr.

A

Php8,933,810.00

B

Php16,935,425.00

February 21, 2017 (10:00 A.M.) February 21, 2017 (2:00 P.M.)

Participation Fee Php8,000.00 Php15,000.00

The DOST now invites bids for the Janitorial and Security Services of DOSTCentral Office for CY 2017.Delivery of the Services shall be for ten (10) months commencing within fifteen (15) days from receipt of the Notice to Proceed. Bidders should have completed, within five (5) yeas from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from DOST and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours or from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. from Monday to Friday except regular and/or special holidays.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on February 01, 2017 at 8:00 A.M. up to February 21, 2017, from the address below and upon payment of the participation fee as stated above.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the DOST (www.dost.gov.ph), provided that Bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6.

The DOSTwill hold Pre-Bid Conferences as stated above,which shall beopen to prospective bidders.

7.

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before 9:50 A.M. for Project A and 1:50 P.M. for Project B, of February 21, 2017. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be 10:00 A. M. for Project A and 2:00 P.M. for Project B, of February 21, 2017 at the DOST Executive Lounge, DOST Compound, General Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

The DOST reserves the right toreject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

9.

For further information, please refer to Engr. Clarissa C. Rivera, Head, BACSecretariat at the address below: DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY General Services Division-Procurement Unit DOST Compound, General Santos Avenue Bicutan, Taguig City Tel. No. (02) 837-2071 loc. 2049 or 2090 Email: ccrivera@dost.gov.ph and dostprocurement@gmail.com

_____________________________ MR. ANTHONY M. TE ____________________________ MR. MACARIO U. TE

Opening of Bids

February 09, 2017 (10:00 A.M.) February 09, 2017 (2:00 P.M.)

2.

Very truly yours, _____________________________ RYM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION Represented by Mr. Remegio C. Dayandayan, Jr.

Pre-Bid Conference

Bids received in excess of the above ABCs shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

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TO THE SHAREHOLDERS OF BRIGHT KINDLE RESOURCES & INVESTMENTS, INC. (FORMERLY BANKARD, INC.)

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(Sgd)Atty. Emmanuel S. Galvez Chairperson, DOST-BAC ( M S - F E B . 1, 2 017 )

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Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

C4

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

World

PROTEST IN LONDON. Demonstrators protest outside Downing Street in Central London against US President Donald Trump ‘s travel ban on seven Muslim countries. AFP

Graduate student deported in chaos LOS ANGELES―When Sara Yarjani handed her passport to an immigration officer at Los Angeles airport she was sure she’d be waved through customs, as had happened before.

Instead, 23 hours later, she was deported.

The 35-year-old Iranian graduate student became one of the first victims of the chaos unleashed by President Donald Trump’s executive order blocking citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, from entering the United States.

Yarjani, who spoke with AFP by telephone late Monday from Vienna, where she is a permanent resident, said her ordeal began shortly after her plane landed Friday evening and -- unknown to her -- Trump’s travel ban had kicked in.

“I had been on holiday in Canada to see my sister and then went to Austria and was coming back to resume classes,” said Yarjani, a student of holistic health at the California Institute for Human Science, located north of San Diego.

“I was not expecting to be stopped,” she said. “I had previously entered the country and was treated very well ... and gone through customs within minutes.”

This time she quickly realized that it would be different, as the immigration officer took her passport and ushered her to a waiting area. AFP

Trump fires US attorney general W ASHINGTON―US President Donald Trump on Monday fired the acting attorney general, a holdover from the Obama administration, after she ordered Justice Department attorneys not to defend his controversial immigration orders.

In a sharply worded statement, the White House called Sally Yates “weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration” and also criticized the Democrats for

not yet confirming the appointment of attorney general-designate Jeff Sessions.

“The acting attorney general, Sally Yates, has betrayed the De-

partment of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States,” the White House said in a statement.

“This order was approved as to form and legality by the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel,” it said.

“Tonight, President Trump relieved Ms Yates of her duties.”

Federal prosecutor Dana Boente will serve as acting attorney general “until Senator Jeff Sessions is finally confirmed by the Senate,

where he is being wrongly held up

by Democrat senators for strictly political reasons,” it said.

With Trump’s White House facing multiple lawsuits and worldwide opprobrium over an order banning migrants from seven Muslim nations, Yates had whipped the rug from under her boss in a defiant and damaging parting shot.

In a memo to Department of Justice staff, Yates -- a career government lawyer promoted by Barack Obama -- expressed doubts about the legality and morality of Trump’s

decree, which has prompted mass protests.

“My responsibility is to ensure that the position of the Department of Justice is not only legally defensible, but is informed by our best view of what the law is,” Yates wrote.

“I am not convinced that the defense of the executive order is consistent with these responsibilities nor am I convinced that the executive order is lawful,” she added.

“For as long as I am the acting

Iranians in California outraged by the ban LOS ANGELES―The members of California’s large IranianAmerican community expressed shock and disbelief on Monday at President Donald Trump’s travel ban, saying it would tear families apart and tarnish America’s image abroad.

“It’s affecting everybody from the community because everybody has family and friends that have been coming back and forth from Europe and all over the world to America,” said Alex Helmi, sitting in his carpet store in Westwood, an upmarket Los Angeles neighborhood dubbed “Tehrangeles.”

An estimated 300,000 to 500,000 Iranians live in southern California, many of them in “Tehrangeles,” and Trump’s executive order has had a chilling effect on the community.

Fahrad Besharati, who runs a travel agency along Westwood Boulevard, where almost all the signs above the shops are in Persian, said his phone has not stopped ringing since Trump’s order came into effect on Friday.

“We had a disaster in the last couple of days,” he said. “People are not able to come back.

“We have tried to explain that this is a temporary measure but they say that 90 days is not temporary, they say ‘we’re gonna lose the lives we have here’.”

He said the spouse of one of his clients had traveled to Iran to see family and had been unable to return.

“He doesn’t know if his wife can come back and they have children. It’s tragic,” Besharati said. AFP

attorney general, the Department of Justice will not present arguments in defense of the executive order, unless and until I become convinced that it is appropriate to do so.”

Yates’s directive meant that the government, for a few hours, had no authorized courtroom representation in lawsuits challenging the ban.

It was a remarkable act of defiance against a tough-talking president who has showed little sign of brooking insubordination. AFP

IN BRIEF Iraq calls on US to review its decision

ONSTAGE. Matthew Followill, left, and Caleb Followill of Kings Of Leon perform on AT&T at iHeartRadio Theater LA in Burbank, California. AFP

Many Republicans uneasy with the ban WASHINGTON―Several congressional Republicans have spoken out against President Donald Trump’s immigration and refugee restrictions, reflecting unease within the president’s party about the direction he is taking in his first weeks in office.

But it was not immediately clear if such internal opposition to Trump policy signals a crack in broader Republican support for the new president as he takes several controversial turns in steering his administration in the post-Barack Obama era.

By Monday at least 30 Republicans in the Senate and House of Representatives had publicly opposed or criticized the executive order signed last Friday which led to the detention

of more than 100 people at US airports and mass protests in many cities, and prompted a near unanimous castigation by Democrats.

Trump’s executive order at the conclusion of his first week in office bars US entry for travelers from seven mainly Muslim countries -- Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen -- for 90 days.

It also suspends the arrival of all refugees for at least 120 days, and Syrian refugees indefinitely.

Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer, who like several Democratic lawmakers met with newly arrived refugees at the weekend to highlight what they see as the danger of Trump’s order, warned on the

Senate floor that the “ill-conceived” order would only “encourage lone wolves here in America.”

Schumer urged a vote on a bill that would rescind Trump’s temporary arrival ban. His effort was blocked, but numerous Republicans have called out the new president over the action.

“There was an executive order that was put in place that was overly broad, and it needs to be fixed,” Senator Cory Gardner, a Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters, adding that he did not know about the order ahead of time.

That committee’s chairman, Senator Bob Corker, said he too was in the dark until Trump signed the

document in a ceremony broadcast live on US television.

Corker’s remarks suggested he believed the administration fumbled the roll out of the document, which reportedly was not cleared by relevant senior officials such as the secretary of homeland security.

“Hopefully they’re going to take action themselves over the next several days to help clean it up,” Corker said, adding that Congress may draft legislation to scale back the order if needed.

Senator John McCain, an occasional harsh critic of Trump, issued a statement Sunday warning the order could serve as a “selfinflicted wound” in the US fight against terrorism. AFP

BAGHDAD―Baghdad called Monday for the United States to review its “wrong decision” to prevent Iraqis from entering the country as parliament backed reciprocal restrictions if Washington does not change course.

The responses from Baghdad are part of a growing backlash against President Donald Trump’s executive order barring citizens of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen from entering the US for at least 90 days, a decision he billed as an effort to make America safe from “radical Islamic terrorists”.

The travel restrictions, which come on the heels of repeated assertions by Trump that the US should have stolen Iraq’s oil before leaving in 2011, risk alienating the citizens and government of a country fighting against militants the president has cast as a major threat to America.

“We reject... the decision to prevent the reception of Iraqis in the United States of America, and call for its review,” Foreign Minister Ibrahim alJaafari told US ambassador Douglas Silliman, according to a statement on his website.

But “we (also) confirm our commitment to establishing better relations between Baghdad and Washington,” Jaafari said.

The foreign ministry also issued a statement calling on the US to “review this wrong decision”.

“It is very unfortunate that this decision was issued towards an allied state linked by strategic partnership with the United States,” it said. AFP

A wide range of whitening and lightening products are on sale at Watsons until Feb. 22

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

FASHION & BEAUTY

R

UFFA GUTIERREZ is one of those celebrities who admit that 2016 wasn’t exactly a good year for them. Besides family issues, she also had health problems and even a near death experience, which prevented her from being more active in her showbiz career.

It can be recalled that in July, Ruffa fainted twice. Her mom, Annabelle Rama, even broke down because the second time she became unconscious, she had no pulse for five minutes.

“I’m very happy that 2016 is over because I had health problems last year,” she told Manila Standard in an interview at the media launch of the Watsons’ Big White Blowout on Jan. 10 at the Podium.

Ruffa says she hopes 2017 will be “much, much better, and busier. Aside from her family’s reality show It Takes Gutz to be a Gutierrez, which will air its fifth season this year, Ruffa says she wants to be back on TV, hopefully do a series and even a movie as well as finish some other projects.

When asked to elaborate about the mysterious illness, Ruffa cautioned readers not to freak out just like she did when she first discovered t h e truth.

BEAUTY TALK

Ruffa Gutierrez on bad spirits,

Miss Universe, her return to showbiz and the secret to her youthful glow Ruffa recalled she was rushed to St. Luke’s Medical Center by her brother, Richard, for a series of check-ups but the doctors couldn’t pinpoint her health problem.

“Kahit anong klaseng medicine, kahit anong klaseng ospital ang puntahan ko, wala silang mahanap,” she reveals.

As she was already running out of options she decided to consult an “ispiritista,” whose “diagnosis” was that she was being followed by spirits. “It was a good thing that finally nahanap nila, and they were able to get rid of the spirits,” she quipped. “Since then, no more spells at 3 a.m., and “…I’m just really happy and now, I’m super fine, healthy.”

Ruffa says she has just gone back to the gym to work out and get fit. “At my age hindi na pwede yung diet na lang, kailangan din change in lifestyle, take my supple-

Watsons team with Valerie Tan and the winner of iPhone 7 Nina Nuguid

ments—you really don’t wake up like this—looking fresh and young, its really hard work din. I’m doing it slowly but surely and thankfully I’m feeling stronger every day.”

As to the secret of her youthful glow, Ruffa says she’s glad it isn’t as hard as working out everyday. Her must-haves include glutathione for its antioxidant and whitening properties and collagen, and for that she takes Cosmo Skin dietary supplement everyday.

Watsons Big White Blowout

Ruffa Gutierrez reveals the reason why she went on hiatus last year as well as her beauty secrets

D1

As the beauty ambassador of Cosmo Skin, Ruffa also shared several “skintellectual solutions” to media guests on how to have fairer and youthful looking skin. To avoid dry and dull skin, Ruffa suggested vitamin C, which promotes natural collagen production that helps retain the skin’s natural moisture. For those who are above 30 and are concerned about sagging skin, she says the secret is ALA or alpha-lipoic acid, a universal antioxidant and one of the best beauty ingestives for skin tightening. And for those with uneven skin tone or brown spots, the best solution is

Watsons Big White Blowout returns for the second time this year in order to cater to the whitening needs of Filipinos

glutathione, dubbed as the master of anti-oxidants glutathione, it has numerous health benefits not to mention that it helps reverse production of dark melanin to give you fairer skin.

For the widest array of skin whitening and skincare products, Watsons invites everyone to be part of the Big White Blowout Sale running until February 22, 2017.

“The Big White Blowout is for the Filipinos who want to get the best and most complete skin whitening experience all in one stop,” says group category manager for Skin Care Kim Reyes.

“Watsons carries the widest range of products that address our consumers whitening concerns and needs from topical applications to ingestive products,” she added.

The Big White Blowout began last year and was one of Watsons most successful campaigns in 2016.

“The reception it got exceeded our expectations, and there was actually a lot of requests to bring it back so it will now be part of our regular campaigns every January,” adds Reyes.

“January because, its the start of the New Year and most people want to have a good start and to look good and feel better about themselves. It’s also to help

them get that that flawless look in time for the summer season,” she added.

This year, Watsons made the Big White Blowout a nationwide campaign and added more products to make it even better.

“We are going for a more holistic approach this year, so we included more whitening/lightening products. Now there are more than a hundred brands and SKUs that are part of the promo,” said Watsons group marketing manager Karen Fabres.

Among the participating brands are Cetaphil, Celeteque, Belo, CosmoSkin, L’Oreal, Olay, Ponds, SkinWhite, Dove, Kojiesan, Nivea and many leading brands.

Take your pick from shelves upon shelves of whitening soaps, facial creams, body lotions and deodorants.

And if you want to experience the next level of whitening, Watsons also houses a great selection of whitening beauty supplements you can drink such as Cosmo Skin.

The road to a fairer and better you begins at the Watsons Big White Blowout Sale. Head over to any Watsons store nationwide for great deals, offers and as much as 50 percent discount on the best whitening products.

Life

D2

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

Update your smart casual T

OFFICE ENSEMBLE

HE year 2017 is well underway and with it come new beginnings and exciting new developments in our lifestyles. Still, some of the more notable trends that made life easier for us in the year that just ended are here to stay. For instance, the ‘relaxed’ office environment, which has been proven by studies to produce happier and more productive employees— and the ‘smart casual’ office dress code that goes with it.

Dockers’ Clean Khaki, which comes in a full spectrum of colors, is ideal for the smart casual work environment

Thus, there’s no better time than now to finally update your wardrobe to suit the ‘smart casual’ trend in the workplace.

The ‘smart casual’ look entails mixing and matching casual and formal clothing pieces to create a look that is both ‘polished’ and ‘relaxed.’ Sounds easy enough, you might think, but the task can be quite tricky—especially for men. So what’s a genuine good guy to do to ace that ‘smart but effortless’ look?

Luckily, Dockers, a trusted men’s

clothing brand, is an expert in this area. In 1986, Dockers first introduced the khaki as a casual alternative to jeans and suits, particularly in the workplace. This jumpstarted the trend for what is widely known today as ‘casual Friday’ in offices, transforming a sea of suits into a place of relaxed clothing.

Today, with workplace fashion becoming even more casual, Dockers offers the Clean Khaki in fulfillment of its vision to be the world’s most loved and relevant khaki brand.

Dockers calls the Clean Khaki as “the new way to work,” having engineered the khaki for comfort and versatility. Designed to be every man’s new favorite work pants but given a ‘dress pants’ style, the Clean Khaki features minimal top stitching for a clean finish, an all-motion waistband and stretch performance for all-day comfort, and a no-wrinkles technology to keep the genuine good guy looking sharp from morning to evening.

Made with clean lines and classic styling, the Clean Khaki is available in

a full spectrum of colors for a hip vibe and a touch of modernity.

Easily the best option for men’s Monday to Friday pants, the Clean Khaki looks sleek enough for important office functions and laidback enough for the happy hour that follows. It even works for formal events, when paired with the right top.

So are you raring to revamp your wardrobe for today’s laidback work setting? Get several pairs of Dockers’ Clean Khaki—your new office must-have.

Get ready for Saint Laurent Women’s Spring-Summer 2017 Collection

Exaggerated sleeves take center stage

FOR his Spring-Summer 2017 collection, Anthony Vaccarello has let himself get carried away by the images of the designer in flashbacks and snapshots.

In his mind, the picture of Paloma Picasso landing in the life of the couturier, with her 1940s secondhand clothes and her own style, inspired the 1972 “Scandal” collection, which was irreverent and disturbing to the eyes of society then. It is this attitude that Vaccarello transposes in the present.

A Saint Laurent woman today, draws her references from the 1980s to make them her own; a girl who cultivates a taste for what is kitsch, the bizarrely beautiful, the great classics and has a highly individual style.

The starting point of this collection is a dress with exaggerated sleeves taken from the archives. From this thread, Vaccarello draws a contemporary silhouette, a sort of sensitive and personal collage as though this girl, whose fashion culture is part of her—and has restructured the model, brought the shoulders down, attached a sleeve to a bustier, wore it

with jeans or under a boy’s jacket—a distant evocation of Saint Laurent’s sailor coat.

Meanwhile, the corner stone of the fashion house’s lexicon, the tuxedo, inspired this collection; exploring the tailoring savoir-faire of Saint Laurent’s ateliers, Vaccarello deconstructs and revises the tuxedo.

There is a second degree in this collection, a collection within the collection of what Mr. Saint Laurent loved above all: twisting bourgeois conventions and f lirting with bad taste.

The Spring-Summer 2017 show which had music played by Sebastian, took place at Rue de Bellechasse in the 17th century Abbey of Penthemont, which until 2014 was home to the Ministry of the French Armed Forces. Today it is in full renovation to welcome the headquarters and showrooms of Saint Laurent in 2018.

In the Philippines, Saint Laurent is located at Shangri-La Plaza East Wing, Solaire and Rustan’s Makati.

Follow @ssilifeph on Instagram for more information.

Saint Laurent’s Spring-Summer 2017 collection was presented at Rue de Bellechase in the 17th century Abbey of Penthemont

Lady Falcons assistant coaches (from left) Angeli Tabaquero, Michele Gumabao and Cherry Macatangay

Girl power

FOUR statuesque and decorated athletes took center stage when Adamson University and Akari announced their all-women coaching team for the Lady Falcons in the upcoming season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).

American coach Airess Padda, founder and director of Malibu Palms Volleyball Club, is the head coach. Joining her are assistant coaches Cherry Macatangay, Michele Gu mabao, and Angeli Ta ba que ro.

K nown for their e x e m plary acc ompl i sh ments in Ph i l ip pi ne vol leyba l l , the all-star coaching team committed to steering the Lady Falcons to a stronger, more resilient finish in the upcoming UAAP season.

Present during the official introduction of

the Lady Falcons new coaching team were Fr. Marcelo Manimtim, C.M., Adamson University president, and Fr. Aldrin Suan, C.M., director for athletics and recreation, together with top executives of Akari led by Christopher Tiu, chief executive officer, and Russell Balbacal, sports director.

Akari, the country’s top lighting and technology brand, has been supporting the university’s basketball and volleyball teams for three years now as part of the brand’s youth development and sports program.

Apart from the UAAP, Akari also supports scholarship projects to rei nforce t h e i r commitment to education.

Airess Padda is the new head coach of Adamson Lady Falcons

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Liza not closing her doors to BEAUTY PAGEANTS M ISS Universe fever is far from over. And when we talk about sensational beauties, it’s a crime not to include Liza Soberano on the list.

In her recent public outing, the 19-year-old Kapamilya star talked about her plans this year, her upcoming movie with Enrique Gil, the rumor surrounding her being the next Darna, and of course, the question that people have been asking her all the time: Will she ever join the Binibining Pilipinas?

Consistently named one of the most beautiful faces not just in local showbiz but also in the world, fans have been suggesting that she can easily win the national pageant and represent the country at any international beauty contest.

“I’m not closing any doors. But for now, it’s a ‘no’ for me. I’m content being an actress,” Liza said during an interview with the press when she renewed her contract with Mega Global Corporation, a leading distributor of canned goods and ready-to-eat viands.

The young actress added that joining pageants entails a lot of responsibilities.

It will also take a lot of her time because she needs to prepare physically and mentally.

“I don’t think I am capable of doing that at the moment. But there are people who change their mind eventually but for now, I have to focus on my acting career, my school, and my endorsements. I like pageants, I even joined and won one when I was attending a regular school,”

she revealed.

Too beautiful to feel ugly Amid being complimented for her physical attributes, Liza still downplays all the positive comments she’s getting from people. She said she still feels “ugly all the time” and even compared herself to the character she plays in a new movie with Enrique.

In one of the scenes from the big screen project, the young actress tells Enrique, “Am I not enough? Panget ba ako? Kapalit-palit ba ako?”

“To be honest, humans are never content with how they feel and there are some days when you just don’t feel your best. Especially when I’m on my period. ...You feel bloated, and you just feel bad about yourself the whole time. I don’t know why but girls are like that,” she related.

The movie trailer, which went viral online with almost 800,000 views since it was uploaded on YouTube last week, generated a few numbers of memes that flooded social media.

“I saw the memes and nakakatuwa (sila). Out of all my lines, I didn’t think na iyon pa ang magiging viral,” she said.

She added that the scene was one of the most emotionally charged scenes in the movie that is why she was surprised to learn that many of her fans were

AMERICA’S no. 1 comedy movie for three consecutive weeks, Why Him?, opens today with an R-13 rating. It’s check-the-boyfriend and impress-the-dad family comedy starring James Franco, Bryan Cranston, Megan Mullally, Zoey Deutch, and Griffin Gluck.

Ned Fleming (Cranston) is cast into the world of millennials when he decides to visit her daughter at her dorm over the holidays.

But even before that, life becomes a little more complicated for Ned during his 55th birthday party when Stephanie joins the event via Skype to send well wishes to her dad from her Stanford dorm room. The Flemings and their party guests are surprised by an unexpected (and naked) introduction to her new boyfriend…or at least a part of him. Distraught over the fact that Stephanie has uncharacteristically been hiding something from him, Ned begrudgingly agrees to travel with the family to spend the holidays in California to meet his daughter’s first serious boyfriend Laird (Franco).

Cranston, himself a father could relate to Ned’s struggle and his reluctance to let go in Why Him? Ned is a good man motivated by a deep commitment to his daughter—and Laird is just not what he had in mind as a potential son-in-law. “It’s tough as a dad to see your child grow up and become an adult,” he says. “You’ve been responsible for them all of their lives and are expected to voluntarily let go of that grip and away they go.”

The tense tug-of-war between Ned and Laird—smalltown conservatism versus the anything-goes excess of Silicon Valley—forms the spine of the story. “The whole show really is about these two men and their stubbornness about how they maneuver around each other for the

laughing when they saw it.

“A lot of women who have been cheated on will be able to relate to that scene,” she said.

The film is entitled My Ex and Whys and it will be her fourth movie with her onscreen partner. According to Liza, the character she plays in the movie is the most mature role she’s played so far.

Directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina, the movie follows the story of how a former playboy (Enrique) tries to prove to his ex-girlfriend (Liza) that he is a changed man.

“It’s a more mature movie and more realistic compared to other projects I’ve done, we’re dealing with real-life scenarios. Before we did the movie, we interviewed some men and women about their relationship. From there, we used some of the scenarios from their stories and kind of established them in the movie,” she told Manila Standard.

From that experience, Li a said that she learned that love is hard and complex but yet it still a beautiful thing.

But when asked about her romantic life she only had a few words: “My romantic life…I don’t know how to describe it. It’s complicated,” she laughed.

Apart from the movie, which will hit the theaters next month, Liza is also working on another television series with her perennial screen partner and on a “very big project” and she clarified that it’s not going to be the Darna remake.

“I heard some rumors about it, but no, that role is meant for Ate Angel (Locsin). I have my own projects and we will have loop tests next month. I’m already training for it as early as now,” Starting off the year right, Kapamilya star Liza Soberano renews her contract with Mega Global she ended.

Bryan Cranston in ‘Why Him?’

Actor and film director Bryan Castron (second from left) stars in a romantic comedy ‘Why Him?” alongside Griffin Gluck, Zoey Deutch, Megan Mullaly and James Franco (not in photo)

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, February 1, 2017

ACROSS 1 Kept in shape 7 Fast-food acronym 10 S&L protector 14 Threat ender (2 wds.)

15 Gun owners’ org.

16 Unthought-out 17 List of typos 18 Wolf, say 19 Gen. Robert — — 20 Long time (2 wds.)

23 Censor 26 Loop trains 27 Stage awards 28 Aberdeen kids 29 Thousands of secs.

30 Snowmobile part 31 Luanda’s loc.

32 CD- — 33 Braced oneself 37 Lassie’s refusal 38 Yale athlete 39 Home page addr.

40 Strong alkali 41 Tiara 43 Commuter vehicle 44 Run a fever

45 Render assistance 46 Magna — laude 47 All, in combos 48 Unmanned spacecraft 51 Flight stat 52 Thick carpets 53 Unexpectedly (4 wds.)

56 — — speed 57 U.K. lexicon 58 Light one’s fire 62 Jeans partners 63 2001, to Livy 64 Ms. Fawcett 65 Shriveled from heat 66 Mach 1 exceeder 67 Rendezvous DOWN 1 Namath or Pesci 2 Bobby — of hockey 3 Belg. neighbor 4 Woodsy spaces 5 Legally impede 6 “Dizzy” of baseball 7 Pays homage 8 Noisy fights 9 Tigers, e.g.

10 Giveaway 11 Ocean, in Mongolian

12 Grenoble’s river 13 Board game 21 Muppet frog 22 Rustics 23 Alps’ Mont — 24 Veranda 25 Lawn tool 29 — up (in hiding) 30 Play banjo 32 What a —!

33 City neighbor 34 Animal that hisses 35 Gazing at 36 Reuben

purveyors 42 Last car on a train 46 Kind of card 47 Popular candy bar (2 wds.)

48 Sulks 49 Kashmir cash 50 Web-footed mammal 51 Throat clearers 52 Cake ingredient 54 Alley yowlers 55 Hitchhiker’s need

favors of the daughter,” Cranston says.

Why Him? is firmly rooted in Ned’s perspective, however, with Cranston’s traditional, small-town father approached, he is forced to accept that his daughter is an adult capable of making her own decisions. But coming to terms with her love for Laird also means navigating a Silicon Valley culture entirely foreign to his more conventional sensibilities. Says Cranston: “Ned is an analog man in a digital world and gets completely lost in the conversation. He’s not up on the jargon and isn’t really sure where something’s going or what it means. In my time, I’ve seen the milkman come and go and now records are a novelty.”

Finding the right actors to genuinely embody each of the generational perspectives was paramount.

Cranston and Franco had precisely the right chemistry.

For Cranston, the project offered the opportunity to return to comedy after several years steeped in heavy dramas that included his masterful portrayal of chemistry-teacher-turned-drug kingpin Walter White in the hit series Breaking Bad, as well as his recent turn as Dalton Trumbo in Jay Roach’s 2015 biopic about the screenwriter, for which he earned an Academy Award® nomination. “I love doing dramatic roles, but you don’t have as much fun as you do on a comedy,” the actor says. “When the objective of your job is to go to work and find different approaches to making people laugh, that’s a good gig.”

Why Him? is a 20th Century Fox presentation to be distributed by Warner Bros. that will open in cinemas nationwide on Feb. 1.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

ISAH V. RED

S

HE’S Viva Artists Agency star Kara Mitzki, this year’s featured beauty on the official calendar of Tanduay White, one of the leading drinks in the country.

She joins the likes of Heart Evangelista, KC Concepcion, Jennylyn Mercado, and Jessy Mendiola in the brand’s roster of ambassadors.

Kara is a multi-talented star who can sing, dance, and act.

She was born in the Philippines but raised in Sydney, Australia.

Her mom is Filipino-Japanese, while her dad is part Filipino, Spanish, and Greek, hence her very foreign-sounding last name.

She got more than her family name from her dad. “I was born into a family of musicians on my dad’s side,” she notes. “And I started singing and dancing very early, when I was around 3 years old.”

Kara had her first taste of showbiz in 2010 when she did some TV

New

calendar girl TANDUAY GIRL. Commercial model Kara Mitzki undresses for Tanduay White 2017 calendar. The up-and-coming actress is also into dancing and dreams to become a professional singer. commercials, print ads, and guest appearances on TV. But she had to discontinue after one year to finish her studies and take a role in the family business.

She couldn’t stay away for long. The self-described “born to be in showbiz” star returned to being a performer full-time in 2015, concentrating on her singing career.

“I love live performances talaga in front of the crowd,” she says. “Super saya ako pag nasa stage performing, sharing, and inspiring people.”

It was in one of those live gigs for Tanduay where she got noticed and the ball towards her brand ambassadorship started rolling.

But it wasn’t a walk in the park.

Kara had to work hard to be in the best shape to clinch the deal.

“Ang dami ko pinagdaanan para makuha ‘yung endorsement,” she says. “But I really put my heart to it. This is a major break for someone like me who’s just starting in showbiz. Now that

it’s finally here I consider it a big honor. Besides I really drink Tanduay White. I think it’s one of the best so far that Tanduay has ever created. Masarap sya gawing cocktail.”

Now Kara is ready for bigger things. Among her dreams for her showbiz career is a debut album with original songs, a major concert, a launching movie, regular TV shows, and awards. She would also love to work with her local idols like Sarah Geronimo, James Reid and Nadine Lustre, and actor-singer Sam Milby.

And she vows to keep working hard, perhaps harder than ever, now that more doors are starting to open for her. “I’m the type of person who doesn’t back down from challenges. I actually challenge myself and I’m always on the lookout for ways to make my life interesting. I would say that I’m very unpredictable in a good way.” *** Real stories of people finding their perfect match online come

aplenty. But there are also accounts of people who met harm because of Internet dating.

From Viva Films, in cooperation with Aliud Entertainment, comes Swipe, a movie about apartment neighbors whose lives take an unpredictable turn after developing a connection with someone through social media. It stars Luis Alandy, Maria Isabel Lopez, Gabby Eigenmann, Mercedes Cabral, Alex Medina, and Meg Imperial.

Cabral plays Loida, the new lady guard in Sunrise Apartments who got hired by Leo, the building supervisor, played by Alandy. The two met at a dating site and had a fleeting affair. Now, Loida’s OFW husband is coming home, and she just wants to keep her relationship with Leo strictly professional. But how can she avoid his advances when he threatens to expose their recorded illicit act online?

Lopez plays Gloria, a mother in her mid-40s whose marriage has recently been annulled. While her 19-year-old son is active

in online networking business, Gloria also keeps herself busy chatting with Ted, an investment consultant. When they finally meet in person, will the chemistry they’ve established online be just as strong?

Eigenmann plays Frank, a married man who leads a double life. He checks out gay social dating sites, and the young men who capture his attention get invited to his studio unit. One of them is Josh, a real but financially needy hunk. When Frank’s feelings for Josh grow deeper, how will he take it if the latter takes advantage of him?

Imperial plays Janet, a recovering drug addict married to Edward, a team leader in a call center. Moving into the apartment is part of their efforts to make a fresh start. But her dangerous craving persists, and she scouts online to satisfy it. Can they still save their fragile marriage when, aside from drug problem, jealousy is factored in?

Swipe opens in cinemas today.

Meg Imperial and Alex Medina are married couple in “Swipe”

Luis Alandy teams up with seasoned actress Mercedes Cabral in Sexy drama “Swipe”

Canadian film on Cinema World MY INTERNSHIP in Canada, one of Top Ten Films of 2015 at the Foreign Language Film category, about a boy escaping the floods and Toronto International Film Festival that won the Special Jury Citation making friends with an unlikely group of people, also airs on CinemaWorld. of Best Canadian Feature Film, premieres on CinemaWorld on SKY The Buffalo Boy is part of the showcase of celebrated international films every Saturday, along with In Your Wake, a story about the reconnection along with other critically acclaimed international films.

The film, which was nominated for nine awards at five different of an estranged father and son and their dream of putting up a “bar like no other.” international film festivals, is CinemaWorld, a about an independent Canadian cable channel that Member of Parliament (MP) presents a whole who travels his district with his new world of family and Haitian intern as he entertainment beyond tries to discern whether to send Hollywood, is seen his country to war or not. on SKYcable HD The Man from Oran, which channel 184 in Metro follows the story of two friends Manila, San Jose in newly independent Algeria Del Monte, Bulacan, and how betrayal will take Rizal, Cavite, and them apart.

Laguna and on HD Exciting and suspenseful channel 716 in Cebu movies, like Criminal Past and and Davao.

Death List, air every Friday Subscribers at 10 p.m. Criminal Past is can choose to add about a woman who discovers Cinemaworld on her partner is not really who top of their basic he says he is while Death plan via SKY Select, List features an ex-cop set on for only P150 per clearing his name. month.

Vietnam’s entry in the Oscar’s “My Internship in Canada” is a multi-awarded political satire film