Manila Standard - 2017 February 2 - Thursday

‘Jihadists invade Mindanao’

By John Paolo Bencito and Florante S. Solmerin PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday confirmed the presence of Islamic State jihadists trying to spread extremism in war-torn Mindanao.

In a speech before newly promoted

officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Duterte expressed alarm over verified reports not only from the military but local officials claiming that Indonesian and Malaysian jihadists, along with their Middle East counterparts, have already entered Mindanao through the country’s southern backdoor.

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VOL. XXX • NO. 355 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Reds gear up for hostilities Call off five-month truce effective Feb. 10

munist Party of the Philippines will notify the Duterte administration of the withdrawal of the interim ceasefire set to expire by Feb. 10, Friday.

OMMUNIST rebels “With this declaration and notice, the Aug. 28 unilateral ceasefire shall said Wednesday that effectively expire on 11:59 p.m. of they would end by Feb. 10,” the group said.

Feb. 10 the unilateral ceasefire The NPA said that they will remain supportive of the peace negotiations they declared during the the National Democratic resumption of peace talks last between Front and the government, even as it year, accusing the Duterte terminated its unilateral ceasefire.

“In our experience and in the expeadministration of failing to rience of other peoples, it is possible keep its promise to release to negotiate while fighting until the more than 200 political substantive agreements are forged to address the roots of the armed conflict prisoners. and lay the basis for a just and lasting In a statement, New People’s Army peace,” he said. spokesman Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos With the lifting of the ceasefire, said that the armed wing of the ComNext page

By John Paolo Bencito and Florante S. Solmerin

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PHOTO OP. President Rodrigo Duterte,

commander in chief of the Armed Forces, poses Tuesday with newly appointed military officers after their oathtaking ceremony at Rizal Hall of Malacañang.

PNP, solons slam Amnesty charges of cop killings

STIFF AND STRAIGHT. Troops from the

4th Infantry Division, known officially as the Diamond Division in northern Mindanao, stand at attention during their 47th anniversary Wednesday, with the soldiers in a forestalling mode after the communist rebels declared to terminate their five-month-long ceasefire with the government. Lance Baconguis

Aguirre tirades turn off CA panel

By Macon Ramos-Araneta JUSTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre III on Wednesday failed to get confirmation from the powerful Commission on Appointments for cursing Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and calling him “a son of a bitch,” “gagong senador” [stupid senator] and “sundalong kanin” [useless soldier].

He told reporters he felt disappointed at not being confirmed.

“Well, I would be untruthful if I said I was not disappointed.

The opposition against me has no basis,” Aguirre said.

He justified his tirades against Trillanes and said it was okay to call someone a son of a bitch because the Supreme Court had ruled that the expletive was not Next page libelous.

‘Leila case too hot to handle’

By Rey E. Requejo SENATOR Leila de Lima’s petition filed with the Court of Appeals is like a hot potato that no magistrate wants to handle.

The petition, which seeks to stop the Justice Department from proceeding with its preliminary investigation of the cases filed against De Lima on allegations that she protected the illegal drug trade in the national penitentiary, has triggered a series of inhibitions by justices to whom her case had been assigned.

When the case was filed Jan. 23, the case was raffled off to CA Associate Justice Danton Bueser, who was tasked to Next page write the decision.

Agence France Presse with Francisco Tuyay, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rio N. Araja

Bato vows to resume war after ‘cleansing’

By Francisco Tuyay and Macon Ramos-Araneta PHILIPPINE National Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa vowed Wednesday to go after drug syndicates once a reform program to ride the police force of scalawags is completed.

“We will fight another day,” Dela Rosa said, after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered him to dissolve all anti-drug units in the PNP, following a scandal in which policemen kidnapped and strangled a Korean businessman, Jee Ick Joo, inside police headquarters then extorted P5 million from his wife, who did not know he was dead.

Dela Rosa shortly suspended Oplan Tokhang, the PNP’s much-maligned anti-illegal drugs campaign.

“To the drug lords, this is your day.

You may have achieve your victory right

now, but I have said this momentary victory on your part,” Dela Rosa said.

The Jee scandal brought to surface another instance when eight policemen robbed and extorted three other Koreans in their temporary residence at the Friendship Plaza in Angeles City in December 2016.

Dela Rosa said President Duterte’s decision to temporarily suspend the fight against illegal drugs was a temporary setback but assured the public that they would eradicate the drug menace once they cleanse their ranks of misfits.

He said weeding out police scalawags and eventually enlisting good men in the organization is a paradigm shift towards attaining victory against peddlers of illegal drugs.

“This a momentary defeat on our part, but we will continue the war later once we retool our troops [and] cleanse our ranks,” Dela Rosa said.

On Tuesday, Dela Rosa urged all policemen to do some soul searching.

At a mass in Camp Crame, Quezon City, the PNP chief said it is important for policemen to have a clean conscience.

“We are embarking on an internal cleansing at the PNP. So I must acknowledge that I myself need internal cleansing. Before we can clean the entire organization, we need to cleanse ourselves first,” Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa added that because policemen are too busy in their work they might have forgotten to ask for guidance from God. UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial and summary killings, Agnes Callamard, called on the government to investigate unlawful acts committed under President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, which was recently suspended.

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PHILIPPINE police may have committed crimes against humanity by killing thousands of alleged drug offenders or paying others to murder as part of President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war, Amnesty International said Wednesday.

The Philippine National Police and top lawmakers strongly disputed the human rights movement’s claim, saying the killings were “obviously not the norm” and the assertions were based on “loose talks.”

An Amnesty report, which followed an in-depth investigation into the drug war, also outlined what it said were other widespread police crimes aside from extrajudicial killings that mainly targeted the poor.

“Acting on orders from the very top, policemen and unknown killers have been targeting anybody remotely suspected of using or selling drugs,” Rawya Rageh, a senior crisis adviser for Amnesty, told AFP. “Our investigation shows that this wave of extrajudicial killings has been widespread, deliberate and systematic, and therefore may amount to crimes against humanity.”

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Dumlao et al told: Attend case review

By Rey E. Requejo THE Justice department on Wednesday summoned Police Supt. Rafael Dumlao and the other accused in the kidnapping and killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo to attend the reinvestigation of the case that it set on Feb. 3.

Dumlao aside, Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera also required the presence of SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, SPO4s Roy Villegas and Ramon Yalung, PO2 Christopher Baldovino, Gerardo Gregorio Santiago and Jerry Omlang.

The department also summoned Jee’s housemaid Marisa Dawis Morquicho and one Christopher Alan Gruenberg, who was reportedly the owner of the Nissan Exalta vehicle that was allegedly in the convoy of vehicles used in abducting Jee and Morquicho from the businessman’s Angeles City home.

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PRONE POSITION. At the PNP headquarters in Angeles City in Pampanga, Director General Ronald dela Rosa (left) keeps tab on the push-up exercises done by seven police officers implicated in the kidnap for ransom case of Korean nationals Min Hoon Park, Lee Ki Hun and Lee Jun Hyung. Manny Palmero

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

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Total log ban mulled P RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the creation of a tripartite committee to study the possible implementation of a nationwide logging ban, Malacañang said Wednesday.

He cited the massive flooding in parts of Mindanao as a result of the denuded mountains and heavily silted rivers, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

“The President ordered that a tripartite convergence committee be formed and composed of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture and the Department of Interior and Local Government to discuss a total log ban to protect our watersheds,”

Abella said.

Duterte ordered Environment Secretary Regina Lopez to implement a logging ban during a meeting of the Climate Change Commission on Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said.

“Aren’t we already in a total log ban? Stop all logging operations with no exemptions,” Piñol quoted Duterte as telling Lopez.

He also quoted Lopez during the meeting that the licenses to

cut down trees were approved under the Integrated Forest Management Agreement and the Community-Based Forest Management contracts during the previous administration.

Lopez, in a text message, said Duterte wanted a total logging ban because he “deeply feels for the welfare of his people.”

“It’s the suffering that logging results in. He had gone to Sultan Kudarat and met with the lumad there and they have been super suffering,” Lopez said.

“The President’s commitment is to social justice and to eradicate corruption and he is going for it with determination.

It should be rightly applauded.”

In the same meeting, Piñol brought up the implications of prohibiting farmers from cut-

ting trees in their plantations.

Farmers in Davao and Caraga, for instance, depend on the harvesting of trees for their livelihood.

Lopez said forest management practices in places like Finland allow people to use the trees but still preserve their forests.

A moratorium on logging in natural or residual forests throughout the country is now in place through Executive Order 23 signed by former President Benigno Aquino III in 2011.

The EO, however, does not provide for a total logging ban since it allowed logging companies with unexpired licenses to continue logging. It also allowed logging in plantation forests or forests planted by man. John

Paolo Bencito

Jihadists...

From A1 “Now I’ve heard, not only from

your report, but from the politicians who are there that there are about four to six Arabs… lecturing. They’re the most dangerous. Political officers are dangerous for us,” the President said.

“We cannot just afford to allow them to spread [extremism].”

In the same speech, Duterte revealed that an Indonesian emissary had been sent to Manila to press him for action on the continued spate of kidnappings on the high seas by Islamic militants operating in the Philippines.

“There was a new report that an Indonesian was kidnapped, so a special emissary was sent by the [Indonesian] central government. And [the message was] urgent: What are we doing?” Duterte said after a late Monday night meeting with the visiting official.

In November, the Philippines agreed to allow Malaysia and Indonesia to conduct hot pursuit of pirates in the country’s territorial waters as part of joint efforts to stop piracy and kidnapping.

“So I reminded him that we have this agreement. We have this understanding. Put it into practice and allow more ships,” Duterte said.

Over the weekend, the President admitted he could not control the ISIS problem and threatened to call off the ongoing peace talks with Moro rebel groups should they provide refuge to the Abu No. 2 leader, Isnilon Hapilon, who has been the rising figurehead of a handful of ISIS followers based in Basilan, Sulu and Central Mindanao.

PNP,...

From A1

PATHETICALLY HELPLESS. This picture taken on Jan. 18, 2017, shows a body of an alleged drug user on the ground after an unidentified gunman shot him dead in Manila. Philippine police may have committed crimes against humanity by killing thousands of alleged drug offenders or paying others to murder as part of President Rodrigo Duterte's drug war, Amnesty International said Feb. 1, 2017. An Amnesty report, which followed an indepth investigation into the drug war, also outlined what it said were other widespread police crimes apart from extrajudicial killings. AFP

Dumlao...

From A1

Reds...

Morquicho and Gruenberg were summoned as respondents in the case.

Navera also compelled the attendance of NBI investigators Julio Cajigan, Eufemio Martines, Emelito Santos, NBI agent Mamerto Tello, special investigators Nestor Gutierrez and Allan Elepante, Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group head, Senior Superintendent Glenn Dumlao, Jee’s wife Kyungjin Choi, PNP-AKG member SPO3 Reynaldo Curampez and Senior Inspector Jonathan Rabanal.

Santiago is the owner of the funeral parlor in Caloocan City where Jee’s body was brought after he was reportedly killed inside the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame.

Omlang was the errand boy at the National Bureau of Investigation who admitted his participation in the abduction of the Korean businessman by conducting surveillance on him.

He also said he was the one seen at a CCTV footage withdrawing from Jee’s ATM account.

Omlang said he was invited by his long-time friend, SPO3 Ricky Santa Isabel, to join in the job.

Santiago and Omlang have surrendered to the NBI while Santa Isabel was also brought to the bureau after the Angeles City court ordered his transfer from the PNP. Branch 58 Judge Irineo Pangilinan Jr. ordered a reinvestigation of the case based on the request of Santa Isabel.

The court also gave the Justice department 60 days to conduct its reinvestigation and set the arraignment of the accused on April 19.

Madlos said NPA fighters are tasked to “counteract, frustrate and punish” all state military operations in their areas.

All NPA units were also ordered to “take full initiative in planning, coordinating and carrying out military campaigns and tactical offensives” against soldiers, policemen, the “various paramilitary units and death squads of the Duterte government,” drug traffickers, private armed groups, and spies.

The CPP and the New People’s Army on Aug. 28 declared the unilateral interim ceasefire in a bid to promote and accelerate peace negotiations between the NDF and the government.

The government declared its own unilateral ceasefire soon afterward.

But in December 2016, CPP founder Jose Maria Sison threatened to call off the truce they declared if the government fails to release all political detainees by January next year.

Madlos scored the administration for its failure to release more than 200 political prisoners, and the alleged military advances on NPA-held areas and accused the military of “treacherously taking advantage” of the cease-fire to conduct “hostile actions and offensive operations” in areas occupied by the NPA. Madlos said the NPA declared the ceasefire on Aug. 28 on the understanding that the govern-

Aguirre...

From A1 Senator Panfilo Lacson had confronted Aguirre for calling Trillanes “a son of a bitch.”

He again cited the alleged Supreme Court decision.

“That’s what the Supreme Court said, that it’s not libelous. It’s okay for the Filipinos to use it,” he said.

“I will not deny that I have called Senator Trillanes sundalong kanin, gagong senador or duwag. It will not be me if I don’t tell you the truth. I’ve been raised to tell the truth no matter how inconvenient it may be,” Aguirre told the CA panel.

He said he made those remarks only because of the baseless attacks against him.

Trillanes, who is on official business in the United States, had accused Aguirre of possible involvement in the P50-million bribery

From A1

scandal hounding the Bureau of Immigration.

Lacson moved to recommend Aguirre’s confirmation, which was immediately seconded by Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri.

But Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto opposed Lacson’s motion saying Trillanes, who is a member of the Senate minority, should be given the opportunity to confront Aguirre when he arrives on Feb. 11.

The CA panel agreed to hold another hearing on Feb. 15.

In his supplemental sworn opposition dated Jan. 30, 2017, Trillanes said Aguirre “lacks the required demeanor befitting the position of Secretary of Justice.

“His spiteful reaction clearly shows that he is vindictive, vengeful and that he completely lacks the required equanimity for him to be entrusted with the power and authority of the government, as Secretary of Justice.”

ment would free political detainees within 60 days.

The Duterte administration, he said, failed to do this even after the NPA extended the truce for another 150 days.

Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza said that while it respects the decision of the NPA to withdraw its unilateral cease-fire with the government, he would ask President Rodrigo Duterte not to lift the government’s own ceasefire.

Dureza, admitted that the government was “dismayed” by the NPA decision despite ongoing peace talks.

“This cancellation came just after some progress were made in the third round of talks in Rome, where negotiating panels from both sides agreed to further discuss a bilateral ceasefire in the Netherlands sometime end of this month,” he said.

In a speech before troops at the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Batallion at Cagayan de Oro City, Dureza denied that the government neglected its promise to effect the release of political prisoners.

The President, he said, has already released 20 jailed communists so they could particpate in ongoing peace talks and would try to free more of them.

“The problem is they are all facing criminal charges in court and the President cannot just order the opening of the prison to let them go. There are judicial processes that must be observed,” Dureza said.

Dureza remains optimistic that

‘Leila...

From A1 On Jan. 27, Bueser inhibited himself from handling the case, saying he was a former member of the Liberal Party to which De Lima belonged. Bueser served as congressman for Laguna before he was appointed as associate justice of the appellate court.

During the Jan. 30 raffle, the case was assigned to CA Associate Justice Jose Reyes, but he also recused himself, bringing about a new raffle on Jan. 31.

But when the case was raffled off to CA Associate Justice Aurora Jane Lantion, she also inhibited herself from the case, saying she is a relative of one of the lawyers in the case.

On Wednesday, the case was raffled off to Associate Justice Nina Antonio Valenzuela of the CA Sixth Division, which is chaired by CA Associate Justice Fernanda Lampas-Peralta.

the two parties would be able to resolve the issue in pursuit of peace in war-torn areas.

“We must go into a bilateral agreement where you have independent monitors, you have mechanisms and you have bases when you call a violation.”

“We are looking at the end of February as another opportunity.

Now with the unilateral ceasefire being declared by the CPP-NDF as canceled, what should the government do?”

Recently, a third round of peace talks ended in Rome, Italy last week with no deal on a joint and permanent ceasefire. Both sides agreed to meet for a fourth round of formal talks in Oslo by April 2-6.

Officials dealing specifically with the ceasefire will meet again sooner, in Utrecht in The Netherlands on Feb. 22-27.

On Jan. 21, a firefight broke out as the military launched offensive operations against an NPA platoon in Makilala, North Cotabato.

Eight soldiers and a communist rebel were reported killed.

Army spokesman Colonel Benjamin Hao lamented the NPA decision.

“They are also terminating their desire for peace,” Hao said.

The military has also accused the NPA of attacking their forces in some parts of the country, including Tuesday’s attack in Echague, Isabela that killed two soldiers.

The Philippine National Police also expressed regret over the NPA decision to end its ceasefire.

With Francisco Tuyay

De Lima has argued that it is the Office of the Ombudsman, not the Justice Department, that has jurisdiction over her case.

The drug charges against De Lima were filed before the Justice Department by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and former National Bureau of Investigation deputy directors Reynaldo Esmeralda and Ruel Lasala.

De Lima also argued that even Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II himself admitted that the cases will still be forwarded to the Ombudsman.

Besides, De Lima said the DoJ has already manifested bias against her, citing pronouncements made by Aguirre before the media.

Because of this, De Lima pleaded for the immediate issuance of a temporary restraining order or writ of preliminary injunction to stop the proceedings before the Justice Department pending resolution of her case on the merits.

Among a litany of alleged crimes, Amnesty accused police of shooting dead defenseless people, fabricating evidence, paying assassins to murder drug addicts, and stealing from those they killed or the victims’ relatives.

It also said police were being paid by their superiors to kill, and documented victims as young as eight years old.

In a press conference, Wilson Papa of Amnesty Philippines said several police officers sanctioned the killings “to the extent they would give ‘cash incentives’ to vigilantes to kill a drug user for P5,000, and a pusher from P10,000 to P15,000.”

“There have been direct links between paid killers and state authorities,” Papa told Manila Standard.

The police “are behaving like the criminal underworld that they are supposed to be enforcing the law against,” the Amnesty International report said.

Duterte won the presidential elections last year after promising during the campaign to eradicate drugs in society within six months by killing tens of thousands of people.

However, PNP spokesman Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos said the deaths were not the norm, “despite a higher number of police operations that have resulted in inevitable fatal encounters with criminal elements lately.”

Philippine police have always observed and upheld human rights “as a fundamental principle in policing,” Carlos said.

But the police “cannot help being typecast as alleged violators of human rights, partly because of the basic nature of its law enforcement function that constantly places [the policeman] in cross-swords engagement or armed contact with criminal elements,” the PNP spokesman added.

‘Loose talks, not their business’ In Congress, Senator Panfilo Lacson, a former national police chief, dismissed Amnesty’s claims, but stressed he was not defending the Duterte administration.

“There were loose talks but that’s just about it. I don’t know where AI got their information,” Lacson said.

The senator said accusing the police “is one thing, proving it is another thing. There should be evidence. Unless [Amnesty] can present evidence, it will just remain loose talk or rumor.”

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, a close ally of the President, was more direct in attacking Amnesty.

“Why meddle with us?” Alvarez said. “They are not the ones having the problem, we are the ones having the problem. What business do they have here? We are a sovereign country.”

Alvarez, who recently called for

Bato...

From A1 “A pause in the war on drugs is welcomed,” said Callamard in a Twitter post.

“It must include investigation of all unlawful death, accountability, [and] reparation,” she added.

Callamard was set to visit to the Philippines to look into alleged extrajudicial killings in the country amid the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

Her planned visit and remarks about drug-related deaths drew tirades from Duterte, who asked her where she got her “garbage” about police vigilantes in the Philippines.

On Wednesday, Negros Oriental Rep. Arnulfo Teves Jr. said President Duterte should be given a free hand to cleanse the ranks of the PNP. “I don’t think he has completely lost trust in the PNP. But he is definitely realizing that some personalities in the organization are rogue and that these people will be detrimental to the success of his programs,” Teves said.

House Deputy Speaker and Batangas

The military has reported the death of several foreign jihadists in recent operations.

Hapilon recently left his lair in Basilan and moved to Central Mindanao to find out if the area is conducive to the establishment of a provincial caliphate for the ISIS. Security officials said the homegrown terrorist groups had been uniting and evolving into just one group called Dawlatul Islamiyah Waliyatul Masrik or DIWM, and had chosen Hapilon as their sole leader in their aggressive efforts to be recognized by the ISIS. Duterte called on Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to contain the fighting inside Marawi City and Lanao del Sur. “I told Delfin Lorenzana, we have to contain the fighting. We cannot afford to allow it to spread, there are many who will die,” he said. “I said limit the fighting inside Marawi.”

On Wednesday, the Western Mindanao Command said at least five Abu Sayyaf gunmen were killed in fighting in Barangay Pugad Manual, Panamao, Sulu.

Lt. Col. Franco Alano, spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command, said the soldiers encountered the group of Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Alhabsy Misaya at 8 a.m.

Nine other bandits were wounded, as were to soldiers on the government side.

“Government troops are now in pursuit of the said terrorist group while other military units cordoned the area to restrict the movement of the fleeing terrorists,” Alano said.

The military has been carrying out an all-out offensive against the terror group in Sulu and Basilan upon orders of President Duterte.

PNP Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to resign after the recent abduction and killing of Korean Jee Ick Joo over supposed drug links, said Amnesty “are not the ones suffering because of all these crimes.”

“They must not meddle because they are not affected by these. They are far away from us,” the Speaker said.

Lacson said until Amnesty shows evidence to back its claims, Congress could not exercise its oversight function over the police.

“We have the obligation to our countrymen to stand up also, and ask for the necessary evidence to prove [Amnesty’s allegations]. If there are evidences, that is the time we should take action as a people.

Senator Leila de Lima, who opposes Duterte, said she “always thought” the Amnesty report “was the reality,” reason why she objected the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.

“It’s clear to me the police are behind the killings, or their agents or their assets. Probably paid or not [to kill drug suspects],” De Lima said. “I’ve known that all this time because we also got this information [that Amnesty has]. I wanted it to be pinpointed in the EJK [extrajudicial killings] hearings, which unfortunately were terminated.”

‘Murderous war on poor’ On one occasion, Duterte vowed that 100,000 people would be killed and so many bodies would be dumped in Manila Bay that the fish there would grow fat from feeding on them.

Duterte launched his crackdown immediately upon taking office seven months ago. Since then, police have reported killing 2,555 people, while nearly 4,000 others have died in unexplained circumstances, according to official figures.

PNP spokesman Carlos said the latest figures were 4,744 murders under investigation “that both local and foreign observers wrongfully refer to as ‘extrajudicial killings,’ with 3,459 determined to be “non-drug-related incidents.”

Only 1,285 of these incidents “had something to do with the victim’s association with drug activities,” added Carlos. He claimed “significant breakthroughs” in investigating the killings with the arrest of 694 suspects and the identification of 467 others believed involved in 1,212 deaths, with criminal cases filed in the courts.

The PNP and every law enforcement agency in the world have different methods and systems of reporting crime data, the police spokesman said.

“I guess we are just more transparent and liberal in reporting ours, such that we are more prone to deeper scrutiny, especially by foreign observers who have very little understanding of the peculiarities and dynamics of the crime and drug situation in the Philippines,” Carlos added.

Rep. Raneo Abu said the President’s decision to suspend the war on drugs was a temporary setback.”

“I am hopeful that the recent orders of President Duterte to disband the antiillegal drugs group would just be the start of the sustained efforts to purge the PNP organization. The President’s war on drugs will not be successful without a credible PNP organization,” he said.

“The latest atrocities committed by the authorities in uniform, particularly within the PNP, reflect the reality that the sense of morality of the group and individuals involved has long been lacking and calloused that need continuing and in-depth reforms.”

Senator Panfilo Lacson, however, expressed apprehension over Dutere’s plan to enlist the military to perform anti-drug law enforcement through the revival of the Philippine Constabulary.

“This would seem to be a long legal process. First, it is clear that the PNP is in accordance with the constitutional mandate, establishment of one police force that should be national in scope and most importantly purely civilian in character,” said Lacson. With John Paolo Bencito and Rio N. Araja

News IN BRIEF Energy dept monitoring LPG market THE Energy Department is closely monitoring the local liquefied petroleum gas market to make sure that only reasonably priced LPG products are being sold to consumers.

This, after oil companies increased LPG prices by as much as P5.40 per kilogram or P59.40 per 11-kilo tank effective Feb. 1.

“Our Oil Industry Management Bureau is closely assessing the global trend of supply and demand, while also taking into consideration other factors affecting the prices of LPG,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said in a statement.

Cusi said the hefty LPG price hike this month “was due to the increased demand by the cold weather continents such as North America, Europe and even Northern Asia.”

“LPG is primarily being used as a heating fuel in these regions, especially with the extended cold weather or winter attributed to La Niña,” he said.

“Large consuming countries are having a hard time getting their supply because even the transportation of these LPG products, mostly through railway, is also affected by the cold weather. This curbs supply, then affects the demand, and ultimately the prices,” Cusi said. Alena Mae S. Flores

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

NBI files raps vs Unilever, organizers of 2016 concert

By Rey E. Requejo and Sandy Araneta

C

RIMINAL complaints have been filed before the Department of Justice against 31 officials officials of Unilever Philippines and event organizers of the CloseUp forever summer concert last year in Pasay City.

Five partygoers died in that incident which has thrown the focus on the use of illegal synthetic drugs in the country.

In a complaint, the National Bureau of Investigation sought the prosecution of Rohit Jawa, Unilever Philippines Chairman and CEO and currently the Executive Vice President for Operations South East Asia; Jesus M.

Canlapan, Unilever Philippines Manager for Workplace Services and Facility Security; Alberto Curnelius Trinidad, Unilever’s Marketing Director for Close-Up; Joy Dalanon-Ocampo, Country Manager for Safety, Health and Environment; Procurement manager Melissa Alcayaga; Close-Up Assistant Brand Manager Bea Lagdameo

for criminal negligence and violation of the Corporation Code.

Also charged with the same offense are Michelle Suzanne Claire Quintana; Anna Kristina Doctolero; Baby Majalia Ahamadul, senior accounts manager of Activation Advertising Inc.; Reginald Soriano; Eduardo Muego; John Paul Demontano; the owner and President of HypeHouse Production Corporation and Alexis Engelberto Aragon, owner of Delirium Manpower Services.

“The above-mentioned respondents from Unilever-CloseUp, Activation advertising and the others appears [sic] to be criminally liable based on the responsible officer doctrine for they held a position of responsibility and authority in their re-

spective corporations and had the ability to prevent the unwanted incidents but failed to do so,” the complaint said.

According to NBI, the Unilever executives and organizers of the rave party failed to consider several factors despite their assurance of a security master plan and ‘code red scenarios.”

“Given the history of rave parties and the several prior iterations of the ‘Close Up Forever Summer,’ the danger of drugs entering the venue in rave parties is not alien to all persons recommended to be charged herein.

They cannot rely on said prior iterations nor on previous large-scale events that they handled to excuse them from adopting additional measures to address said entry of illegal

drugs,” the NBI stressed.

According to the NBI complaint filed before the DoJ, the respondents were responsible for the deaths of the five victims since they had the ability to prevent such deaths.

“The above-mentioned respondents ... appear to be criminally liable based on the responsible officer doctrine (ROD) for they held a position of responsibility and authority in their respective corporations and had the ability to prevent the unwanted incidents but failed to do so,” the NBI said in the complaint.

The five dead were: Ken Migawa, 18; Eric Anthony Miller, 33, an American; Ariel Leal, 22; Bianca Fontejon, 18; and Lance Garcia, 32.

Govt seeks justice for Santiago THE Philippine government is seeking justice for Amy Capulong Santiago, an overseas Filipino worker who died after she was allegedly beaten by her Kuwaiti employer.

In a text message, foreign office spokesman Charles Jose confirmed Santiago’s death from alleged beating and later brought to the Farwaniya Hospital.

“The Embassy is working closely with Kuwait police in investigation and eventual prosecution of the suspect,” Jose said.

The report came from Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III that a Filipino household service worker in Kuwait died of alleged beating in Kuwait.

According to reports from the Assistance to Nationals Unit of the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait, records of the Abdullah Al Mubarak Police Directorate General of Criminal Evidence showed old and fresh bruises on various parts of Santiago’s body, mostly on her back.

DFA Office of Migrant Workers Affairs executive director Raul Dado said upon learning of the unfortunate fate of Santiago, his department instructed the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait for a full investigation.

Dado also said aside from the DFA order to hire a lawyer who will represent the case, he also ordered the suspension of the agency and black list the employer of Santiago.

Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

PERSISTING DEMAND. Thousands of fishermen

and green activists march Wednesday to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources office in Quzon City to continue their demand for the cancellation of large-scale mining projects and the closure of fish pens. Manny Palmero

CoA clears ERC over bidding

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Commission on Audit has cleared the Energy Regulatory Commission over the bidding for its audio-visual project that was raised by a former official in his suicide note because it “was not consummated.”

“There were no further actions taken by the ERC after the two failed biddings. As such, no further action could be undertaken because the transaction relating to the AVP was not consummated,” the commission says in an evaluation report.

The report was signed Vivencio Quiambao Jr., CoA state auditor IV and Audit Team Leader and Flovita Felipe, supervising auditor of the DoE Audit Group.

ERC chairman Jose Vicente Salazar wrote CoA in November last year seek-

ing a thorough investigation of the issues raised by the late ERC director Jose Francisco Villa from his suicide note.

Before his suicide, Villa led the ERC Bids and Awards Committee or BAC which supervised the procurement of office supplies and professional services.

Villa claimed in his note that his greatest fear in the bids and awards committee was the audio-visual project or AVP of Luis Morelos whom Salazar chose through a “rigged selection system.”

Villa claimed that he had been under pressure to approve a contract from Morelos for the production of the AVP. Morelos had previously acted as an ERC consultant.

But the CoA report did not mention any rigging in the selection process for the supplier for the P300,000 AVP project.

CoA also noted that a memorandum

of agreement for the services of Morelos as ERC consultant was terminated by the ERC in January 2016, and only a few weeks after it was signed.

It added that the amount set aside to cover Morelos’ fees was not paid out and “will be reverted [to the ERC] as the transaction did not materialize.”

CoA said the AVP bidding failed twice, first because no prospective bidders submitted their quotation. The second posting was also a failure because “it was alleged that the preparation of the second Terms of Reference failed to indicate the passing rate which was a vital information to determine the most responsive quotation.”

The CoA report observed, however, that there was no document submitted indicating the funding source for the project.

Govt ready to help 310,000 migrants

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

OCULAR SURVEY. Congressmen inspect Wednesday the proposed Unified Grand Central Station (North Extension Project) in Quezon City while DoTr general manager Deo Leo Manalo explains to the members of the House Committee on Metro Manila Development progress in the construction. Manny Palmero

THE Philippine government is ready to assist the 310,000 undocumented Filipinos in the United States who may be deported due to US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

In an interview, DFA spokesman Charles Jose assured that the Philippine Embassy and consulate in the US would continue to extend consular assistance to Filipinos who would be affected by the newly elected president’s immigration policies.

“Our embassy and consulates in US will continue to extend all possible consular assistance to Filipinos who may be impacted by the new US immigration policies,” Jose said.

Although the Philippines is not in Trump’s executive order banning the entry into America of citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries, but the American president mentioned during his campaign that he would deport all illegal immigrants there.

The DFA’s Office of the Migrant Workers executive directors Raul Dado said the Philippines respect Trump’s order.

“Immigration and deportation are sovereign prerogatives of the US, just like any country, including the Philippines, and are left to the discretion of the host country,” Dado said.

BoC seizes ritzy gadgets, Indian onions

By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Customs seized more than P45 million worth of smuggled high-end communication and electronic gadgets and Indian red onions in Tondo, Manila and at the Manila International Container Port.

The confiscated communication and electronic gadgets were seized by BoC in a building in Lakandula Street, Tondo, Manila, while the 11 shipment of fresh red onions were held at the MICP for lack of import permit.

Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon said the importers have no corresponding import permits at the Department of Agriculture.

The BoC chief said the seized imported onions were consigned to Mheriban Sales Corporation and Malaya MultiPurpose Cooperative.

The firms have no valid import permits from the Bureau of Plant and Industry to import onions.

The agency also confiscated expensive cellular phones, laptops, cameras tablets, music players, and other electronic gadgets from an online shop.

Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service Director Neil Estrella said that Kim Store sells smuggled units of Iphone 7 cellular phones, Macbook laptops, Samsung Galaxy S7 series phones, Nexus 6Ps phones, Zenfone 3 Ultra phones, Sony Xperia phones, Canon cameras, tablets and music players, audio accessories, and gadgets for safety and security.

A4

Opinion

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

‘In loco parentis’

T

HE University of Santo Tomas is in the news for taking the side of a fifth-year engineering student accused of molesting a thirdyear fine arts student in a public vehicle in June 2016.

The girl’s brother narrated the incident, as told to him by his sister, on his Facebook account.

She was on her way home from school and took a van. She did not have enough sleep the previous night so she napped. And then she felt a hand brushing up her leg. She ignored it and repositioned her leg and felt the hand go away. After a while, however,

it was back on her leg.

There are many options available to a woman who finds herself being touched without her consent. This girl took a photo of her molester, who happened to be her school mate. She posted the photo on Twitter and typed a short warning to commuters.

The school’s Student Welfare and Development Board got wind of the post and subsequently asked that the girl take it down. She was called to its office and accused of “falsely accusing another student of wrongdoing,” under a provision of the university code of conduct and discipline. The case dragged and the board soon reached a resolution. The girl was made to apologize to the boy. The Notice of Resolution required her parents’ signature,

as well, as proof that they accept the board’s decision.

In its official statement, the university said that the facts and evidence mentioned by the brother on Facebook “do not conform to the records on file.” It then proceeded to emphasize its obligation to keep the confidentiality of student discipline cases but said it observed due process.

The statement is logical—but glaringly lacks a condemnation of the ills that continue to hound our society today.

Since no official records—even the actual Twitter posts have since been taken down—will be made available, the public is made to assume that the contest was a she-said-it-said: The words of a young woman who must have thought a thousand times wheth-

er or not to come forward with her story, and a 400-year-old educational and religious institution whose word is rock. Whom we choose to believe is a matter of personal choice.

The parties concerned will eventually come to terms with their versions of what actually happened. Meanwhile, we are left aghast at how much more attractive it is to keep silent about abuse, particularly when going up against a powerful, and self-righteous institution.

Sadly, it is still all to common to blame the victim.

Any institution, big or small, old or new, that claims to act as guardians of the youth but perpetuates this thinking has no business acting “in loco parentis”—in place of parents.

DUTY CALLS FLORENCIO FIANZA

Revisiting Mamasapano

munists by just jettisoning the talks and embracing the Moro insurgents in Mindanao; it was a simplistic and simple-minded “solution,” but the strategy made the dream of peace with the Communist rebels more elusive than ever before.

I still think that peace with the local Communists, who have degenerated mostly into discrete, autonomous bandit-like groups after they lost their ideological moorings with and financial backing from a no-longer-Red China, is still attainable. But unless the NDF and the NPA stop being unreasonable and actually start working for a lasting solution to this never-ending war, it won’t ever happen.

The Communists would be wise to remember that they, too, have a stake in making peace come to pass. Their once-formidable mass base has long been eroded and if war once again erupts, they may find that the citizenry is no longer sympathetic to their unending demands and discredited ideology.

IT IS just proper that Mamasapano be revisited. The story is not yet complete. If the President recruits people of proven integrity and competence to form the Commission, there is really no reason why it cannot get to the bottom of that ill-fated operation.

The primordial issue in this new inquiry will be to find out the exact participation of former President Benigno Aquino III before, during and after the operation. We already have a good idea of this based on the two reports from the Philippine National Police Board of Inquiry and the Senate Committee report of Senator Grace Poe. Although both reports took pains to minimize the culpability of the former President, it was clear that Mr. Aquino had a direct hand in the operation. The tremendous power of the Aquino administration, however, was mobilized to deflect blame from Mr. Aquino.

This effort proved successful. No charges were filed against him. The blame fell on the one person who from the beginning of this sordid episode was honest, truthful and was the only one prepared to own up to his own responsibility. Now that Mr. Aquino is no longer president with no more immunity, it is time to dig up his role in the operation.

He has always claimed that he was deceived and lied to by Police Director Getulio Napeñas and that if Napeñas followed instructions, the operation would have been successful. It is therefore an issue of who is telling the truth. One of them is lying and I do not think it is Napeñas.

Closing this sad chapter in our history is not only necessary to bring closure to the families, but also to define once and for all the issue of chain of command and whether purely civilian agencies can second-guess decisions made by ground commanders in the heat of a battle. Whether the military and police likes it or not, the Mamasapano operation will affect future military and police operations. Future field commanders will think twice in conducting operations for fear that people with no experience and training in combat will be second guessing their combat decisions.

Such issues must only be investigated within the military

Turn to A5

Turn to A5

Why the Reds need peace LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES MAYBE the Aquino administration got something right, after all. Perhaps there is just no talking peace with the homegrown Communists or their armed rebel force, the New People’s Army.

The NPA, through its national command spokesman Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos, declared yesterday that it was terminating the unilateral ceasefire it declared with the government of President Rodrigo Duterte effective next week. The rebels said the government had failed to release all the political prisoners whose freedom had been promised and had allowed the military to encroach on rebel-held territories under the guise of conducting law enforcement operations.

Those who’ve been keeping tabs of the on-again, off-again peace negotiations conducted by various administrations with

the longest-running Communist insurgency in Asia consider the NPA’s lifting of its ceasefire a sign of bad faith. Not since Cory Aquino, who had to repeatedly fight off rightist attempts to oust her from the presidency in part because she was perceived to be too soft on the Reds, have the Communists been given as much wiggle room as they have under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, after all.

And many believed that Duterte, more than any president in recent history, had the street cred to pull off a permanent peace with the Communist movement.

Duterte has long maintained excellent ties with the rebels as mayor of Davao City and even in his short stint as president has bent over backwards to accommodate them.

It was Duterte who openly invited the Communists to join his Cabinet, an offer that has allowed them to secure at least three important portfolios and many other sub-Cabinet positions. And it was Duterte who broke bread with the leader-

ship of the National Democratic Front in Malacañan Palace itself, something no other president has done before.

As far as releasing political prisoners who were given the blanket description of “NDF

The Communists would be wise to remember that they have a stake in making peace happen. consultants” by the rebels, Duterte has done a great job of facilitating that, as well. Even in difficult cases involving rebel leaders facing criminal charges, like those that were filed against

spouses Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, this administration was able to convince the courts to allow their release, along with dozens of others whom the Left knew had absolutely no chance of getting out of jail under any other administration.

And yet, the NPA has continued its depredations in the countryside, despite its declaration of a truce under a government where they never had it so good.

As chief government peace negotiator Jesus Dureza declared this week, the rebels have conducted at least nine attacks on government and private installations and personnel in the past month alone, leading him to suspect that perhaps the members of the NDF politburo that they have been negotiating with in Oslo and Rome may not be capable of controlling their armed partisans on the ground.

Noynoy Aquino, of course, had no such problems. After going through the motions of negotiating with the rebels early in his term, Aquino responded to calls for the release of key Com-

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Opinion

*** PRESIDENT Duterte said his I can only sympathize with bloody war on illegal drugs would be put on hold. This is Manila Overseas Press Club because of a cleansing process president Babe Romualdez, who to weed out rogue cops. Be- has declined President Duterte’s cause of this, we had the im- offer for him to become an ampression that at long last, there bassador to the United States would be a lull in the killings because of health problems.

Romualdez has a delicate eye that have become the new norailment. He could go blind if mal for Filipinos.

We were mistaken. The this is not addressed. And being bloody war on illegal drugs will an ambassador in Washington continue but under the auspices is a stressful job. Babe’s docof the Philippine Drug Enforce- tors told him that flying would endanger his ailment because of ment Agency or PDEA. Having the police undertake air pressure—he is supposed to the war on illegal drugs was bad rest for at least six months.

With the ambassadorship to enough. We have many scalawags in uniform who victimize Washington now open, there are the very people they are sup- speculations that property developer Joey Antonio, who has posed to protect.

And now the President has been appointed special envoy to ordered the Armed Forces to ar- the US, may be inclined to take rest and even neutralize rogue the Washington job.

But Antonio is associated cops.

In having two institutions— with US President Donald the military and the police—at Trump. Note that one of the luxodds with each other, we can ury buildings put by Antonio is called “Trump Towers.” They expect even more killings.

For one thing, why involve have business connections.

Another speculation is that the AFP in the drug war, Mr. President? Its mandate is to pro- come July 2017, Senator Alan tect the country from external Peter Cayetano who lost his vice presidential bid may be invasion and terrorism.

Does this tell us that the po- tapped to replace Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay. lice has become useless?

There are talks that Yasay is What is clearly dangerous is that soon enough, we may have also interested in the Washingthe military and police fighting ton post.

We see Cayetano clinging to each other. The proposed solution to end the drug menace is the President like a leech just to ensure his appointment to the worse than the problem!

DFA. Actually, *** In a breakCayetano is no fast forum longer acting as a senator. for members He is frequentof media, Why pit the ly absent from with both sessions, and former Sen- police and the always with ate President the President, Juan Ponce military against in and outside Enrile and Malacañang. former Sena- each other? *** tor Kit Tatad The governas guests, the issue of the ment and the members of Mamasapano (Maguindanao) massacre came the National Democratic Front, the political arm of the comto fore.

Forty-four members of the munist movement, ended their PNP (Special Action Force) Rome panel discussions without were killed when they were sent any substantial agreement.

I have always been wary to serve warrants of arrest on Marwan, a Malaysian terrorist, about any peace discussions of government with the NDF. The and another Filipino terrorist.

Ombudsman Conchita Car- latter asserts what it wants at all pio Morales, an appointee of BS costs, like the release of its prisAquino, indicted only former oners. Thus, no bilateral ceasePNP Chief Alan Purisima, who fire was made.

In the wake of all these peace was suspended at that time, and SAF Chief Getulio Napeñas, movements by both government and the NDF, the New Peoand only for graft.

So why charge the subor- ple’s Army, went on a rampage dinates of then-President BS against government forces in Aquino when it was Aquino Mindanao, even harassing govwho should have the ultimate ernment troops on a relief misresponsibility for the massacre? sions for flood victims.

As I have said, while the NDF He was the one who ordered it.

Santa Banana, can the water talks peace with government, the NPA continues it attacks against rise above its source?

Enrile also said BS Aquino government troops, a clear indicould be charged with treason for cation that the communist movethe massacre. Clearly the former ment in the Philippines is no President sending the SAF force, longer monolithic. There are even without coordination with the talks that Joma Sison no longer AFP which was not too far way, has full control of the movement, and that there are NPA commandis a treasonous act.

BS Aquino blamed Napenas ers who have cut ties from him.

If that’s the case, the Duterte for not coordinating with the military, which Napenas de- government should reassess its nied. But, Santa Banana, BS position.

As in many instances in the Aquino as President and Chief Executive is both top cop and past, the communists always Commander-in-Chief.

Why come to the negotiating table didn’t BS Aquino do that coor- with blood on their hands. In peace negotiations, it’s a simdination himself?

I’m glad Enrile raised these ple matter of give and take. But, points. The commission that in the case of communists, it’s President Duterte wants to cre- clearly take and take.

The bottom line is sincerity. ate will give us the answers.

Why...

From A4

Peace will also stop the steady decline to irrelevance of a local Communist movement

that can no longer count on the support of the masses or even support itself without resorting to extortion and other criminal activities. They should understand this, if they don’t understand anything else. *** Just how brave is the former coup plotter, Senator Antonio Trillanes?

Not brave enough to confront Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre in the Senate, Trillanes’ own home court, apparently.

Nearly forgotten during the tearful and bombastic Senate

hearings last Tuesday on alleged corruption in the immigration bureau was the fact that Trillanes, who originally called for the investigation of the attempt to extort from casino mogul Jack Lam, wasn’t even in the session hall. Aguirre, on the other hand, whom Trillanes had long accused of masterminding the extortion attempt on Lam, was there—and he rebutted the senator’s allegations point by point, while Trillanes was conveniently absent.

This is why the Senate has gotten such a bad rap in recent years as the ultimate forum for the political bullying and trolling that Trillanes does so well. And the fact that he can’t even face the people he so boldly accuses when they arrive to refute him speaks volumes about this “sundalong kanin’s” mettle.

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

The challenge of having more

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

From bad to worse

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

OVERSIGHT DANILO SUAREZ THE continuous growth of the business process outsourcing industry in the Philippines creates millions of direct and indirect jobs for the people. This results in earnings which augment government revenues each year. Economists have attributed the country’s economic boost during the past decade to the expanding BPO sector which, at this point, grows anywhere from 15 to 20 percent.

OFW remittances still provide a stable and strong source of income for the government. While

there was a slow monthly growth rate on remittance flow seen last year due to the fluctuations on foreign exchange rates, analysts maintain that dollar remittances will continue to contribute to the bulk of the country’s Gross Domestic Product in 2017. ING Bank Manila forecasts a 6.6-percent growth in the GDP of the Philippines for the year 2017, at a rate of 6.2 percent on the first quarter and 6.1 percent on the second quarter.

Clearly, BPOs and OFWs are considered the primary driving forces in the growth of the national economy.

The improving economy generates greater government revenue. Increased revenue means more money to spend. As leg-

islators, we must ensure that the people’s money is allocated properly. Last budget hearing, we discussed the problem of low absorptive capacity of government agencies. Underspending persists as government projects are being delayed or denied due to unreasonably prohibitive procurement policies. As a result, the delivery of basic goods and services are delayed.

At the time we implemented the Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act (GPRA) in 2003, our country did not have as much money as it has now. The rampant and extensive corruption worsened the economic situation back then. RA 9184 was enacted to curb corruption and safeguard

the limited money that we had.

Times have changed.

We have seen aggressive prosecution of allegedly corrupt public officers. Active social media makes reporting, and exposing irregularities, instant.

The circumstances justifying 2003 Procurement Law no longer prevail. Hence, it is necessary for us to amend this law to reflect demands of our country’s present situation.

This amendment comes timely with the advent of the “Golden Age of Infrastructure.” We anticipate aggressive spending in much needed projects all over the country. Our laws should encourage and support the Golden Age of Infrastructure and not stand in its way.

Governance by tweet FOR the first time in the world’s history, the ideas, opinions, and activities of the president of a country are being communicated to the world instantaneously through social media without checks and verification.

Donald Trump, who has been in office as US president for less than two weeks, has continued unabated his habit of live-tweeting his thoughts, from politics to media as well as his feelings and emotions, on his personal account, @ realDonaldTrump.

He opened the account in 2009 and used it heavily before his presidential run. It got even more wear during his campaign. Trump became infamous for conveying inaccurate and misleading messages to the point where it was suggested that his aides take his phone away from him before he could do himself further damage.

His tweets showed his naked personality, warts and all.

They were sexist: “27 Jan 2016: I refuse to call Megyn Kelly a bimbo, because that would not be politically correct. Instead I will only call her a lightweight reporter!”

Fabricated: “6 Nov. 2012: the

concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese to make US manufacturing non-competitive.”

Offensive: “8 May 2013: Sorry losers and haters, but my IQ is one of the highest—and you all know it! Please don’t feel so stupid or insecure, it’s not your fault.”

There are more tweets worse than this, many contradictory and insulting, written by a man who does not think before he tweets.

As it happens, none of his blunders had a negative effect on most of his staunch supporters, and Trump won the general election to his own surprise, as it looked like Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton had clinched the win.

As his tweets reveal, the world is now dealing with a loose-cannon leader who unfortunately happens to be the head of a global superpower.

The problem here is not with the tweeting itself, but with how Trump is using it as a platform to convey messages as a head of state.

He uses Twitter to spread his increasingly narcissistic point of view: “22 Jan 2017: Wow, television ratings just out: 31 million people watched the Inauguration, 11 million more than the very good ratings from 4 years ago!”

He uses it to announce important and relevant news, such as his choice for a Su-

preme Court justice: “31 Jan. 2017: Getting ready to deliver a VERY IMPORTANT DECISION! 8:00 P.M.” followed by an invitation to view a White House video, then, “Hope you like my nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch for the United States Supreme Court. He is a good and brilliant man, respected by all.”

Seriously, the nomination for a new SCOTUS was tweeted as if it were just another episode of “The Apprentice.”

The most dangerous of his Twitter practices is that his tweets are posted without confirmation nor verification. His tweets do not seem to be preinspected for accuracy (he is not known for being factual, anyway).

He has declined to use the position’s official account, @ POTUS (acronym for President of the United States), which was set up for the first time during the first term of former President Barack Obama and that Obama used while he was in office.

Trump’s non-use of @POTUS is another sign of disregard for the protocols of the position, a trait we can observe in his other behaviors. He signs executive orders without having them checked and run by the proper officers and instructs the implementation of orders that might be unconstitutional and unlawful, causing widespread outrage and ani-

mosity.

This lack of an inspection and confirmation procedure of these EOs and other instructions reflect the way he uses Twitter—off hand, immediate, and without forethought of consequences.

Twitter, Facebook, and other forms of social media allow instant transmission of a message and reception of feedback. Its openness allows participation and builds community. In the case of such high officials as presidents and popes, there are checks and approvals made before anything is posted online, as communications from such personages could have farreaching ramifications.

Trump, however, has dismissed those considerations.

That’s why his undisciplined use of Twitter makes him dangerous—if, in a fit of pique, he tweets “Let’s nuke [insert country here]”, what would the likely consequence be?

The world will have to get used to this though, because it looks like Trump’s penchant for tweeting without thinking is a habit he’s loathe to break.

He has changed the way governance is communicated— and in this case, for the worse rather than better.

Dr. Ortuoste is a Californiabased writer. Follow her on Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Instagram: @jensdecember

‘America First’ can’t mean America alone Bloomberg editorial ON HIS first official foreign trip, Secretary of Defense James Mattis is going to the continent that presents the White House with one of its most immediate and one of its most long-term challenges. North Korea is racing to develop a working nuclear-tipped ICBM, while China is growing as a regional hegemon and global rival.

Both issues will require close cooperation with the US’s longstanding allies in Japan and South Korea, where Mattis will be visiting. President Donald Trump’s main response, however, has been to vaguely threaten

Revisiting...

From A4

and police chain of command and not by other agencies for the purpose protecting a guilty party. I know from a good source that there was an attempt to destroy all the records of the Mamasapano operation.

Fortunately, all files were not destroyed. Some records do exist and these must be ferreted out by the Commission.

One memo that I saw was written sometime January 2015

by Mr. Aquino to Ochoa to call a meeting sometime on the third week of that month with specific instructions to exclude Mar Roxas, the DILG secretary and Leonardo Espina, the PNP OIC in a meeting to discuss the operation. This shows that Mr. Aquino was running the show.

There are other documents out there and the commission must

China and promise to invest additional billions to expand the US military. Neither is an adequate response.

No matter how much Trump tweets, China isn’t going to press sanctions that might fatally undermine the regime in Pyongyang and result in a unified, US-allied Korea on its doorstep.

Nor are Chinese leaders going to cave in to trade threats or negotiate over Taiwan. Meanwhile, it’ll take years to build all the new submarines and battleships Trump is promising. And in any case, while US allies favor a stout American presence in the region, they have no appetite for military action.

The most effective way to strengthen the US position in Asia is by doing exactly what Mattis is doing: cultivating and reassuring allies. It’s encouraging that he reportedly doesn’t plan to question the contributions that South Korea and Japan make to support US troops in their countries, as Trump has done repeatedly.

Collaboration among all three allies is key: Any effort to contain North Korea will be much more effective if they can coordinate their missile-defense networks and present a unified front to Pyongyang.

Mattis’s trip should be only the first of many. It will be

critical for diplomats, Cabinet members and Trump himself to reassure Asian allies and rally them to a coherent policy. The US will need to work harder to encourage greater military cooperation in the region. And Trump can (somewhat) mitigate his ill-considered decision to withdraw from the TransPacific Partnership by pressing bilateral trade deals, in particular with Japan.

Trump claims to have the same priorities abroad as he does at home: to make the US stronger and safer. But he won’t succeed—especially not in Asia —if “America First” means, as it once did, America alone.

be diligent so that we will find out the exact nature of the participation of former President Aquino. This is the only missing piece in the jigsaw puzzle. *** The Philippine National Police and the President seem to have arrived at the same conclusion that have been obvious to the public for some time—that abuses are being committed by rogue policemen in the war on illegal drugs.

It is time to pause and take a hard look at what has been happening. It took the brutal murder of a South Korean business executive for the President to realize that abuses are being committed.

The war on illegal drugs should be pursued vigorously but it was wrong to have given the police the almost unheard of carte blanche to wage the war. With about 7,000 deaths for varying reasons, abuses

were bound to be committed.

The more because of the leadership style of President Duterte. To him, loyalty is a twoway proposition. If you want your subordinates to be loyal and to die for you, you must also be willing to die for them.

He has shown this is in the case of Supt. Marvin Marcos.

In addition, he has made it a point to visit the wake of soldiers or policemen who have died in the line of duty. We could say that his leadership style is to a fault. Contrast this with the leadership style of his predecessor who would rather attend the inauguration of a car plant than meet the remains of his policemen whom he sent to fight his war.

What is important now is that the President and his principal henchman Bato dela Rosa realize that there is a serious problem in the PNP. More important, however, is how the

problem would be tackled. It is a problem that cannot be solved overnight. It will take years.

Forming a counter intelligence unit to go after scalawags is not enough. Sometimes, it is hard to analyze the problem by people within the organization.

My unsolicited advice is for the PNP to bring in outsiders to help in identifying the major focus of any reform program.

Corruption has been in the bureaucracy for many years.

It will be a herculean effort to erase or lessen it to a degree that the people will again have complete trust in their police.

I do not know where the President got his figure that a good 40 percent of the whole police force is corrupt. The figure seem generous because the perception is that it is bigger than 40 percent. Whatever the number, the important thing is that there must now be a serious effort to reform the PNP.

A6

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

Health stops free condom scheme

By Macon Ramos-Araneta HEALTH Secretary Jean Paulyn Ubial on Wednesday said the Department of Health respects the decision of the Department of Education to develop and disseminate an age-appropriate reproductive health education in schools after abandoning its plan to distribute condoms in schools.

The DepEd’s decision, Ubial said, will raise awareness on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) among the youth.

She noted that a strengthened curriculum which focuses on reproductive health education is an essential component of the DOH’s comprehensive prevention and control program focusing on abstinence, condom use, early HIV testing, counseling, antiretroviral treatment and ending stigmatization and discrimination, and acceptance by families and communities to Filipinos living with HIV. The health chief also said the provision of services in schools to improve condom access is not a primary consideration anymore after the DoH and DepEd agreed to take different options that shall complement each other’s respective mandates.

According to Ubial, the DepEd will focus on the strengthened development of its curriculum especially on reproductive health whereas the DoH will work with other partners to ensure information is linked to service provision including but not limited to condom access.

“We can stop HIV transmission only through a collective societal effort, focusing on widespread HIV awareness among the youth and vulnerable populations, establishing test and treat service delivery networks nationwide and ending stigmatization and discrimination in workplaces,” said Ubial.

Solons oppose ‘common’ MRT-LRT station

PICKET LINE. Members of National Confederation of Labor held a picket outside the Department of Labor building in Intramuros, Manila on Wednesday as they called for the abolition of contractualization in all forms, directly or indirectly. The militants said labor-only contracting breeds discrimination and injustice and it also violates human rights. Norman Cruz

CHURCH OPPOSES LOWERING AGE OF CRIMINAL LIABILITY

Go after criminals, not minors T

By Vito Barcelo

HE Catholic hierarchy said it opposes a measure to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility of a person, saying the government should instead go after criminal syndicates and not minors.

This was after President Rodrigo Duterte is said to be considering to reduce the criminal liability age of a person from 15 to nine years old and be prosecuted as an adult due to the perceived growing numbers of crimes committed by minors.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines instead called on the Duterte administration and its allies in Congress to

rethink their stance on lowering the age of criminal responsibility.

The CBCP said reducing the minimum age of criminal liability will not curb the use of children 15 years or below in criminal activities.

CBCP president Archbishop Socrates Villegas said the government should instead go after the syndicates who exploit vulnerable children.

“The fact that criminal elements make use youngsters up to 15 years old to commit crimes is no argument against the present benevolent provisions of the law, but about the resoluteness of criminals in using even the young for their purposes,” Villegas said.

“The sins and failings of young and immaturity should not mar the possibilities of one’s future nor stand forever in the name of an honourable and noble reputation that well can, in later years, very well build,” he said.

The CBCP leaders also believe that the provisions of the Juvenile Delinquency Act of 2006 remain adequate in addressing criminal activities of the youth.

“The purpose of the law is laud-

going after scalawag cops.

“While the Catholic church welcomes the suspension of the government’s war against illegal drugs and summary killings of drug suspects have eased, extrajudicial killings will continue, this time with the bad cops as victims.

“I hope they will follow the law the due process. I am worried that they will use the EJKs on police suspected in drugs and corruption. What must be done is internal cleansing according to the law,” he said.

He said scalawag cops should undergo due process by being charged, jailed and dismissed from service.

“They should be charged and not killed),” Picardal said in an interview over Radio Veritas.

Trucks can now use another lane in C-5

By Rio N. Araja SEVERAL members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday expressed their opposition to the proposed construction of a common station to connect three main railways between two malls in Quezon City.

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, House committee on Metro Manila development chairman and Deputy Majority Speaker Danilo Suarez, branded the new site for a common station of the Light Rail Transit and Metro Rail Transit line 3 as very “uncommon.”

The two were earlier joined

by Buhay Rep. Joselito Atienza, Kabayan Rep. Harry Roque and Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera Dy in inspecting the area to determine if Congress should approve the billions of pesos needed for the project construction.

According to Roque, the location would only favor the business interests of the two malls located within North Avenue.

Atienza also opposed the project’s site.

Other lawmakers, however, backed the plan to revert the 2009 location of the common station in front of SM North Edsa.

The construction of the common station is slated to start in December, after the government and the private builders finally signed a memorandum of agreement last Jan. 18.

The MRT-LRT common station, which will cost P2.8 billion, is a 13,700-square meter project to be built between SM North Edsa and TriNoma malls in Quezon City. It will connect the LRT1, the MRT3, and also the MRT7, which is targeted for completion in 2020.

able; its present provisions, beneficial,” the Villegas said.

“The correct response, we believe, is vigilance on the part of parents and stiffer penalties for those who exploit the young in the perpetration of crime,” he added.

Meanwhile, a Catholic priest expressed apprehension over the government’s move to clean the ranks of the Philippine National Police, fearing that “erring cops” who were allegedly linked to illegal activities would become victims of “extrajudicial killings.”

Fr. Amado Picardal, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Basic Ecclesial Communities, said he hopes the PNP will follow the law in

By Joel E. Zurbano

MOTORHEADS. Students from the University of the Philippines Engineering (Dagisig and Alab) led by team leader Rangel Daroya present Vehicle Siglo, an innovation in the Battery Electric and Internal Combustion Engine Categories which the group will enter in the upcoming Shell Eco Marathon 2017. Manny Palmero

DoLE sets rules on text/calls after work THE Department of Labor and Employment said it is up to an employee whether he or she will respond to work-related messages from their employers after office hours.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III noted that the “right to disconnect” or employees disregarding such is, technically, a voluntary engagement between employers and their employees.

“Answering or ignoring texts, emails from employers after working hours is a voluntary engagement of an employee, and they are

not obliged to respond. The right to disconnect is a choice of an employee,” he said in a statement.

Bello said the proposed measure before the House of Representatives might ease burnout and stress of the employees by drawing a clearer line between work and home.

“Employees and employers know that there’s time for connection and so does a time for disconnection. It’s always up for the employees to oblige themselves to work even after office hours,” the DoLE chief added.

But he noted that completely disconnecting would not apply for cer-

tain jobs, and the employers must be the one to implement a policy in accordance with the standards of the labor code, which will benefit both parties.

“It’s the employers’ own assessments and evaluations to reduce out-of-hours work. They either implement policy that will prevent their employees to work after office hours or compensate them for extra workload,” Bello added.

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo authored House Bill 4721, which aims to amend the Labor Code of the Philippines. PNA

THE Metro Manila Development Authority announced on Wednesday it will allow trucks to use additional lane along Circumferential Road-5 (C-5 Road) from 12 midnight to 4 a.m. this month to avoid delays of delivery of goods.

The move, according to MMDA acting chairman Thomas Orbos, came following his meeting with members of the Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines last Tuesday.

Orbos said the measure is aimed to facilitate faster transport of delivery trucks in the whole stretch of C-5 Road which has seen a huge increase in the volume of trucks passing through during truck hours.

The MMDA, in close coordination with the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group, is presently implementing a one truck-lane policy along C-5 Road and Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City.

But during the meeting held at the MMDA main office in Makati City, CTAP officials led by Alberto Suansing raised the need for an additional truck lane along C-5 Road as the existing one is not enough and has caused delay in the delivery of goods.

The additional truck lane, which shall be the right side of the existing one, shall be implemented as soon as appropriate signages and road markings are completed by the MMDA’s Traffic Engineering Center.

The MMDA and CTAP also agreed on the following: that the CTAP shall provide their

own crane to be used during road emergencies, Conduct of meeting with container yard operators, hold a dialogue with International Container Terminal Service Inc. to re-evaluate the effectiveness of the Terminal Appointment Booking System (TABS), even as the MMDA would provide CTAP a list of accredited towing companies and matrix of towing fees and conduct an an ocular inspection along Radial Road-10 (R-10 Road) and Mindanao Avenue within the month.

Orbos pointed out that at no time during the whole day will trucks be allowed to park on any part of C-5 Road and that private vehicles are allowed to use the truck lanes during truck ban hours.

The MMDA imposed the one truck lane scheme after it observed the success of the policy especially in terms of the traffic volume in the area and the reduction of vehicular accidents.

Before the agency implemented the policy, there was an estimated 27 accidents daily along C-5 Road and Katipunan Avenue.

Under the scheme, all cargo trucks with a gross weight of more than 4,500 kilos will only be allowed to use the roads’ innermost lane every day, including Sundays and Holidays, from 10 am to 5 pm and from 10 pm to 6 am.

The MMDA also closed the U-turn slots along C-5 Road and Katipunan Avenue except those located under flyovers and replaced them with signalized intersections.

Violators will be fined P2,000 and the MMDA shall recommend the blacklisting truck firms of erring drivers.

Sports

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Surging Wizards blast NY W

ASHINGTON—Bradley Beal scored 28 points and the surging Washington Wizards defeated New York 117-101 Tuesday, stretching their NBA-longest home win streak to 15 games.

Beal, who made 12-of-18 shots, said this season’s edition of the Wizards is the best ever for a team that has not won more than 46 games in a season or advanced past the second playoff round since winning the NBA crown in 1979 when nicknamed the Bullets.

“For sure,” Beal said. “Just the joy that we have and the fun we’re having is amazing. It’s always positive in here and we want nothing but the best for one another. It’s great camaraderie.”

Markieff Morris added 24 points and 10 rebounds while John Wall had 15 points and 13 assists for the Wizards, who have won five in a row and 12 of their past 14 starts, improving to 28-20, fourth in the Eastern Conference.

“We play for each other, don’t care who scores, who gets the most points,” Beal said. “We don’t care who has a good night, who has a bad night just as long as it’s a win at the end of the night.”

The Knicks, playing without ill

Kristaps Porzingis and injured Derrick Rose, were led by Carmelo Anthony’s 26 points and 21 more from Brandon Jennings, but fell to 21-29, 11th in the East and three games out of the last playoff spot.

“You got to find it every night. Find energy every night,” Anthony said. “You got to dig deep and find it. Even when you don’t have it, you got to find it.”

Toronto’s Kyle Lowry sank a step-back jumper with 4.3 seconds remaining in overtime to give the host Raptors a 108106 victory over New Orleans.

Lowry finished with 33 points and 10 assists as Toronto took a second victory in eight games.

Jrue Holiday, who missed

a four-foot jumper as regulation time expired, led the Pelicans with 30 points while Anthony Davis had 18 points and 17 rebounds.

Spurs silence Thunder At San Antonio, Kawhi Leonard scored 36 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 25 as the host Spurs downed Oklahoma City 108-94.

The Spurs improved to 37-11, the NBA’s second-best record behind Golden State (41-7), while the Thunder fell to 28-21, seventh in the Western Conference. The two teams would meet in the first round of the NBA playoffs if they hold those positions at season’s end.

Russell Westbrook sparked

the Thunder with 27 points and 14 rebounds, while New Zealand big man Steven Adams added 16 points and 12 rebounds.

At Houston, Ryan Anderson delivered his second doubledouble of the season with a team-high 25 points and 11 rebounds as the Houston Rockets routed Sacramento 105-83.

The Rockets improved to 36-16 but had an injury scare involving James Harden, who added 10 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.

Harden made an awkward landing after a pass to Clint Capela in the opening minutes.

Harden lay along the baseline but stayed in the game and played 32 minutes. AFP

NBA bet to lead Mighty 5 in Dubai HASHEEM Thabeet, drafted ahead of Golden State star Stephen Curry and Houston’s James Harden during the 2009 N B A Draft, is a r r iv i ng on Saturday to beef up Mighty Sp or t s’ campaign in the Thabeet Dubai International Basketball Championship on Feb. 16 to 25.

The 7-foot-3 Thabeet, according to Mighty Sports coach Charles Tiu, had requested to come earlier than the team’s two other imports so he can adjust his body to the kind of weather in the country.

“I was excited to hear about that because it shows how professional he is,” said the former assistant coach of Gilas Pilipinas. “Hopefully, we can put him through some individual workouts before we even start team practices.”

A Tanzanian native, Thabeet was picked No. 2 overall by the Memphis Grizzlies while Curry was drafted No. 7 and Harden No. 3 by Oklahoma City.

Despite his lean frame, Thabeet will play a key role in the team being a solid blocker.

“He will provide us a huge defensive presence down low and hopefully some inside scoring, too,” added the younger brother of Rain or Shine star Chris Tiu. Tiu will be assisted by University of the Philippines mentor Bo Perasol.

Mighty Sports’ two other imports—ex-Ginebra import Justin Brownlee and Dominic McGuire—are expected to plane in on Monday in time for the team’s official practice.

“We have seen what Justin can do, he’s a proven scorer and a great all-around player while McGuire is another versatile player,” added Tiu. “Dominic can do a bit of everything.”

Proponents of the 7-Eleven Run 2017 are shown here. They are (from left) 7-Eleven marketing communications division head Emmanuel Esguerra, 7-Eleven special support to the president Jackie Lai, 7-Eleven vice president for supply chain Richard Lee, Filinvest City senior assistant vice president and project head Don Ubaldo, 7-Eleven president Jose Victor Paterno, Crimson Hotel general manager Gerhard Doll, Skyway customer experience head Maria Barbara Aragon, Crimson Hotel director of sales Kirk Llamas, and 7-Eleven general merchandise division head Jose Ang Jr.

Filinvest City to host 7-Eleven Run on Feb. 5 EXPERIENCE a healthy dose of the outdoors as Filinvest City, the premier lifestyle destination in the south, once again plays host to 7-Eleven Run 2017 on Feb. 5.

The main expo area will be in the newly developed Filinvest City Events Grounds, now ready to give the participants a more pleasing and fun experience.

The event will also showcase Filinvest City’s innovative new “green spine,” a foliage walkway that spans across the north and south ends of the township.

Now on its fifth run, participants can definitely look forward to a bigger and more exciting set of race courses across the city.

Runners can choose from a

category of 500 Meter for kids, 3KM, and 5KM along tree-canopied roads of Filinvest City while 10KM and 10KM Buddy Run, 16KM, 21KM, and 42KM courses will happen along Skyway.

Top three winners per category will get a chance to take home cash prizes and medals while the first three male and female

runners in the 21KM and 42KM division will be sponsored by 7-Eleven to join an international marathon overseas.

So get your running gears ready and gather your family and friends for a day of fitness and freebies at Filinvest City, the garden central business district of South Manila.

FOR YEARS, Cris Joven has always been a contender but never a winner. In 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 has placed in four of five times he joined Ronda.

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).

PH team slots at stake in Smart taekwondo

White: Rousey probably done

SLOTS for the Philippine team will be up for grabs when the country’s outstanding jins see action in the SMART/MVP Sports Foundation/PLDT Home Ultera National CPJ (Carlos Palanca Jr.) taekwondo championships on Sunday at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

According to organizer Philippine Taekwondo Association, around 800 athletes will display their wares in two events—kyorugi (free sparring) and poomsae (forms).

Kyorugi will feature senior, junior and Cadet male and female fighters while poomsae competition will be divided into three divisions—individual, team and pair.

PTA Secretary General Mon-

LOS ANGELES—Ronda Rousey, a former Olympic judo medalist who became a top mixed martial arts star, will likely not fight again in the octagon, UFC president Dana White said Tuesday.

Rousey has not announced her plans after a humbling 48-second loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 in late December.

“If I had to say right here, right now—and I don’t like saying right here, right now because it’s up to her, it’s her thing—but I wouldn’t say she fights again. I think she’s probably done,” White said on the UFC Unfiltered podcast.

White said the former Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s bantamweight champion was in good spirits after recent conversations, but he had the sense she did not want to return to competition.

The 29-year-old American helped widen the sport’s global appeal, becoming the first UFC female champion in 2012 and defending her title six times before being knocked out by a kick to the head from Holly Holm in November 2015 at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.

Rousey drew attention for her comeback fight against Nunes but suffered her second loss in a row after winning her first 12 UFC bouts.

“She changed the world,” White said of Rousey. “She put female fighting on the map.” AFP

sour del Rosario says the best performers will qualify for the national team for 2017. The competition will serve as a tune up for Philippine team members who will compete in the World Taekwondo Championships in Muju, Korea as well as the Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia this August.

Del Rosario, many-time national jin and former internationalist who had delivered numerous medals for the country, expects exciting action since the participants will be aiming for slots on the national team.

Among those who are expected to display their experience and skills are Elaine Alora, Pauline Lopez, Francis Aaron

UFC-Baguio’s Breyanne Danglosi hits Mountain’s Peak TKD Center’s Beyonce Abelgas with an axe kick in a previous competition.

Agojo, Robert Kristopher Uy, Samuel Thomas Morrison Harper and Ronna Ilao.

Parents interested to enroll their children in taekwondo and other sports enthusiasts

are invited to watch the prestigious event sponsored by PLDT, Meralco, Philippine Sports Commission and Milo.

Competition will start at 9 a.m.

Lavazza wins 2017 Open Teams in Canberra

FOR the second time in a row Lavazza won the National Open Teams Championship in Canberra. In the final match Lavazza defeated the team captained by Reese Milner.

Lavazza played with Norberto Bocchi, Antonio Sementa, Giorgino Duboin, Agustin Madala, Dennis Bilde, Alejandro Bianchedi.

It was a successful debute for the partnership Bocchi-Sementa.

Reese Milner played with Hemant Lall, Justin Lall, Jacek Pszczola, Jacek Kalita, Michael Nowosadzki.

The 45th Canberra Summer Festival was held from January 10 to 22 in Canberra (Australia).

The next edition of the Festival will be held from Wednesday 10 January to Sunday 21 January 2018.

-oOoTAR dimisses the request of Fantoni & Nunes

Joven goes all out in Ronda PH

TAR (Regional Administration Tribunal) in Rome has dismissed the precautionary request (application for precautionary injunction) of Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes. In addition, the Italian players shall bear the costs of the current proceedings, for a total of 1000 EUR. At the end of last year, Fantoni and Nunes filed an appeal to TAR (Regional Administration Tribunal) in Rome against the Italian Federation (FIGB) and the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), asking for the suspension of their ban (3years) and a substantial compensation for their losses.

TAR has not taken its definitive decision yet about the appeal.

Whilst they wait for TAR’s final decision about their appeal, Fantoni and Nunes have requested that their ban is suspended (precautionary injunction).

TAR has dismissed the application for precautionary injunction: Therefore, ban remains in force until TAR makes its final decision.

-oOoHommage a Patrick Jourdain

In one of the early Bulletins we reproduced a story by Patrick Jourdain entitled ‘Keep Losers, throw Winners’. If you want proof that reading the Bulletin can seriously improve your IMPs look no further than this deal from session four of the Women’s final between France and USA: Board 30 Dealer East None Vul West ♠AK86 ♥10864 ♦QJ3 ♣93 ♣AJ1052

North ♠Q1097 ♥95 ♦1072 ♣KQ64

East ♠J5 ♥KQ ♦K985

South ♠432 ♥AJ732 ♦A64 ♣87

In the Closed Room EW stopped in 1 NT, scoring eight tricks, +120 Open Room

West Rees 2♣* 3NT

North East South Palmer Zochowska Shi 1NT Pass Pass 2♦* Pass All Pass

South led the three of hearts and declarer won with the queen and played a diamond to dummy’s jack. When it held she played the three of clubs to the jack. A diamond went to the queen and declarer exited with a diamond to South’s ace. Back came the two of spades and declarer played low, North winning with the queen. So far the defence had been perfect, but now North went wrong by returning a spade. (The winning defence is to play a heart, when South must win and play a second spade.)

Declarer won with the jack, to reach this position: North ♠109 ♥5 ♦♣KQ6 West ♠AK

East ♠-

♥1086 ♦♣9

South ♠4 ♥AJ72 ♦♣8

♥K ♦8 ♣A1052

At this point declarer cashed the eight of diamonds and pitched a heart from dummy. She followed that by cashing the ace of clubs and exiting with the king of hearts, but South took the rest for two down,-100 and 6 IMPs to the USA. All declarer had to do was throw one of dummy’s winning spades on the eight of diamonds.

After cashing the ace of clubs she exits with the king of hearts and South can choose her poison. If she wins s4he will have to surrender the last two tricks to dummy, but if she ducks declarer changes tack and exits with a club, forcing North to lead a spade to dummy’s ace at trick thirteen.

Comments to: sylvia.alejandro@yahoo

LOTTO RESULTS

6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M+ 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M 4 DIGITS 0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

Top PH golfers clash in rich TCC tilt

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

A8

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Sports Miguel Tabuena (left), easily the hottest Filipino player today with stints in the Sony Open, a US PGA Tour event, the Singapore Open and the Myanmar Open of the Asian Tour the last three weeks, and Juvic Pagunsan (right), will be leading the charge in this week’s P5-million event.

Maliksi scores career-high 34 pts, fuels Star past Mahindra S

By Jeric Lopez

TAR continued its rampage, steamrolling ousted Mahindra, 124-87, for its fourth straight win to put itself in a position to claim the No. 2 seed in the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City last night.

Continuing to brighten his star, Allein Maliksi once again led the way for the Hotshots, exploding for a career-high 34 points.

The victory elevated the Hotshots to sole possession of the No. 2 ranking as of this report, finishing their elimination-round campaign at 7-4 through this late surge.

They still have to wait for their fate for a bit though.

The No. 2 seed and the twice-tobeat advantage along with it in the quarterfinals are up for grabs between Star and Alaska.

As of this writing, Alaska (6-4), the other team with a good shot at grabbing the No. 2 ranking aside from Star, is in a

heated battle with Rain or Shine (5-5) in the last game of the eliminations.

Star is hoping that Rain or Shine takes the win against Alaska for the tides to be in its favor.

Should the Aces take the win, they will automatically claim the No. 2 ranking due to a superior quotient.

Otherwise, if Alaska ends up on the losing end, that will outright give Star the No. 2 seed and the Aces will drop to No. 3.

Star bursted out of the gates, racing to a commanding double-digit lead right away, a 20-point bubble, 33-13, after the game’s first 10 minutes and it never looked back, taking care of business the rest of the way against the Floodbuster and dominating.

Midway in the second, the scorching

Hotshots were already ahead by an insurmountable 32-point distance, 58-26.

For the Elasto Painters, they are fighting for their spot in the quarters and are looking to complete the eight-team cast with a win.

Should they lose, they will still have another crack at the last ticket as they will have a playoff with waiting Blackwater.

Whoever ends up at No. 8 will have a tall order in the quarters as that team will take on San Miguel Beer with a twice-to-win disadvantage.

It will only be after these two games today that most teams who are already in the quarterfinals will know where they will stand.

Defending champion San Miguel Beer has long secured the top seed,

Adamson forfeits 11 wins for using ineligible player

Responders claim seat in UNTV Cup quarterfinals

By Peter Atencio

Games Sunday

(Pasig City Sports Center) 3 p.m. PNP Responders vs BFP Firefighters 5 p.m. Malacañang Kamao vs. AFP

THE PNP Responders overpowered the Malacañang Kamao, 71-63, for their eighth victory in 10 games in the UNTV Cup Season 5.

With the win, the Responders matched the record of early semifinalists BOC Transformers and the Judiciary Magis, but will claim a quarterfinal seat only in the process, the same as their victims.

Anton Tolentino was hailed as the Best Player of the Game after burying 19 points, grabbing 5 boards and making 2 steals.

Meanwhile, the BFP Firefighters did not allow the NHA Builders to force a do-or-die game as they clinched the final ticket for the quarterfinals.

BFP’s Gilbert Malabanan sank the game-winner in the last 1.9 seconds as the Firefighters pulled off a thrilling 80-79 win.

The Builders ended their campaign with a 4-6 mark.

The AFP Cavaliers, the PNP Responders, the Malacañang Kamao and the BFP Firefighers begin their quarterfinal battles on Sunday.

In the meantime, the BOC Transformers and the Judiciary Magis now comfortably wait for the semifinal round.

Team Standings: BOC Transformers (8-2), Judiciary Magis (8-2), PNP Responders (8-2), Malacañang Kamao (6-4), AFP Cavaliers (6-4), BFP Firefighters (6-4)

finishing with an astounding 10-1 record as it dominated the eliminations.

Mahindra ended its campaign at 3-8, only good for a 10th-place tie with Meralco, as it is now headed to an early vacation along with the Bolts and NLEX. The scores: STAR 124—Maliksi 33, Lee 16, Melton 11, Ramos 11, Jalalon 11, Sangalang 10, Abundo 8, Barroca 7, Brondial 6, Reavis 5, Pingris 2, Javier 2, Dela Rosa 2, De Leon 0.

MAHINDRA 87— Salva 15, Mallari 15, Yee 14, Paniamogan 9, Revilla 7, Ballesteros 6, Teng 6, Celda 5, Apinan 4, Elorde 2, Eriobu 2, Galanza 2, Nimes 0.

Quarterscores: 41-19, 68-40, 9365, 124-87

SANTA ROSA, Laguna— They’re all here. From the past greats to the present and future stars—all in pursuit of what has become one of the country’s most prestigious, coveted golf championships.

This guarantees a shootout right from tee-off as the rich The Country Club Invitational unfolds today at the TCC layout turned into a world-class championship course after undergoing a major facelift the last two years. It can play to a maximum yardage of 8,000 yards from the back tees.

It could also be a survival of the fittest with the dreaded wind expected to blow from all over, particularly during the weekend, which can alter the character of the holes in an instant.

The layout’s sleek, undulating putting surface, unsettling hazards and the roughs are the other elements that make the TCC tougher and battle for the top P1.5 million purse fierce among the best in the land.

“It will be a new course for everyone and it will be fun to play against the country’s best,” said Miguel Tabuena, easily the hottest Filipino player today with stints in the Sony Open, a US PGA Tour event, the Singapore Open and the Myanmar Open of the Asian Tour the last three weeks.

Juvic Pagunsan, Angelo Que and Tony Lascuña also vied in the first two legs of the region’s premier circuit with Pagunsan besting Tabuena with a strong joint runner-up finish in Singapore. But the 22-year-old ace shotmaker rebounded with a tied for third effort in Myanmar to build some kind of momentum and confidence heading to this week’s P5 million event.

The four Asian Tour regulars are actually set to join the Bangladesh Open also slated this week but all took the first flight back home after the Myanmar tilt to prime up for what has long been considered as one of the country’s premier championship, put up by ICTSI chairman and president Ricky Razon in 2003 to honor the memory of his father, ICTSI founder Don Pocholo.

TCC is hosting a tournament for the first time since undergoing renovation the last two years.

The face of NHA Builders’ Alvin Vitug (9) is covered by the ball as he tries to recover it during their game against the BFP Firefighters.

Bulldogs try to hold ground vs Warriors THE National University Bulldogs expect to come out in top fighting form when the 79th University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s football tournament kicks off on Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Their new coach Mari Aberasturi hopes that they can hold their ground against the University of the East Warriors in their opening game at 2 p.m.

From there, the team will take it one game at a time, and hopefully, reach the semifinals.

“We would not want to have high expectations. We would like

to win and prepare hard against UE, and from there, we’ll try to get the next game,” said Aberasturi, who presented members of the team last Wednesday at the Kamayan West Ave. At the presentation were NU athletics’ director Chito Loyzaga, assistant director Mark Galido and new team manager BJ Manalo.

He will be backed up former Philippine Azkals players Ronald Pinero and Florante Altivo.

Aberasturi, was an assistant coach of Aris Caslib of the San Beda Red Lions, which won six of seven championships since 2010. Peter Atencio

THE Adamson Baby Falcons forfeited 11 won games after the board of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines declared one of their top players ineligible.

According to eligibility committee chairman Rodrigo Roque, top MVP candidate Florencio Serrano failed to submit the required secondary student’s permanent record that would show his complete high school records.

Because of this, Serrano can no longer see action in the ongoing 79th UAAP junior basketball tournament.

With the forfeiture, the defending champion National University Bullpups emerged as the top qualifier to the Final Four semifinals with 11 wins and a loss.

The Far Eastern University Baby Tamaraws assumed the

second seeding with their 11-1 card and the Ateneo Blue Eagles earned the third seeding at 9-3.

The final slot to the Final Four is now under dispute by La Salle-Zobel, University of the Philippines Integrated School and University of Santo Tomas, which all share fourth with similar 5-7 slates.

The Baby Falcons, who were on top at 10-1 before the forfeiture, bounced back Wednesday morning with a 92-58 smashing of the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs at the Arena in San Juan.

Gerry Abadiano shot 27 points for the Baby Falcons, who picked their first win in 13 games.

The Baby Falcons started strong and were ahead by 24 points, 51-27 at halftime.

Two other teammates, Jojo Antiporda and Rence Padrigao, scored in double digits with 11 and 10 points.

Suson, Milliam lead Cebuana winners ACTION in the 2017 Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series, now on its 11th year, shifted from the inaugural leg in Cebu to Iloilo City with Cebuana Marc Nicole Suson and La Carlota City bet Alexa Miliam leading the winners in this nationwide grassroots tennis developmental program.

Suson lorded it over in the boys’ 16-under and 18-under age groups, retiring Rupert Ohrelle Tortal in the second set, while leading, 6-1, 2-1 in the 16-under.

He also swept Karl Baran from La Carlota City, 6-4, 6-4, in the 18-under finals.

Miliam eked out a close 6-0,

3-6, 10 4 win over citymate JufeAnn Cocoy in the girls’ 12-under, but had an easier time beating Jaro City bet Avril Andrea Suace, 6-0, 6-1, in the 14-under finals of the tournament supported by Dunlop as the official ball.

“We are happy that as early as this second leg, we are already discovering new potentials in the Visayas area. We hope to continue seeing more new faces emerging winners in future legs,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier and current Philippine Tennis Association Chairman.

A familiar name, Elizabeth Abarquez from Carcar, Cebu, took home one singles’ title

and shared a doubles’ crown to emerge double winner.

Tortal Abarquez won two titles too, pulling off a three-setter over Tracy Cheldette Lamas, 6-2, 3-6, 10-8, for the girls’ 16-under and partnered with her opponent to win the girls’ 18-under doubles’ event.

Abarquez missed out on a third win as she lost to Bliss Bayking of San Carlos City in the 18-under championship match, 7-5, 6-3.

Tortal, a native of Surigao, meanwhile swept Marben Earl Mosquera, 7-5, 6-3, in the 14-under boys’ finale. Tortal teamed up with Drxcyn Jann Guillano to win the 14-under doubles’ event for his second title.

Megaworld sees P20-b rental income B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

B1

High-end property firms bullish

By Othel V. Campos

D

evelopers of luxury residential buildings, with units costing at least P15 million each, are building more projects in Metro Manila as prices continue to rise toward Singapore’s level.

JLL Philippines chairman Lindsay Orr said the fast growing upper middle class developed a spending force to acquire properties near luxury or at luxury levels.

“There is more or pent-up demand for luxury spaces until the next five years. In fact,

Park Central, the residence building the Ayala Group is building at the previous spot of Mandarin Oriental is going by at Singapore prices, one of the most expensive luxury residences to rise in Makati CBD [commercial business district],” Orr said in a news brief-

ing that announced the holding of the 2017 Philippine Property Awards.

Orr is the chairman of the 5th Philippine Property Awards 2017.

Recent market estimates placed the luxury residences entry level price at P15 million per unit. A unit at Park Central was quoted at a minimum of P32 million or P300,000 per square meter.

Property developers said demand for condominiums and office space was still very high as half of the 2017 projects were already pre-committed.

Net Group executive vice

president Raymond Rufino said his company was very bullish on the property sector particularly on premium office developments.

“We cannot compete with the bigger players like Megaworld and SMDC [SM Development Corp.] on regular office space.

So we thought we’ll go for the higher price office in a better environment within a premium location. And now that we’ve run out of space at the BGC, we’re looking at developments outside BGC,” he said.

Net group has seven buildings in Fort Bonifacio that are almost 100-percent leased-out.

Megaworld Corp. also cited its strong presence in Fort Bonifacio, where it had a land bank of 105 hectares and several developments.

Orr said the concern over a bubble in the local real estate sector was farfetched, despite the expected entry of 1 million square meters in 2018.

“The fact of the matter is that demand is increasing as well.

Over the next three to four years, you’re going to see supply and demand leveling which bodes well for the sector particularly.

All in all, the prognosis on the real estate market is good,” he said.

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing February 1, 2017

8000 7600 7200 6800 6400 6000

7,227.45 2.21

Closing FEBRUARY 1, 2017 45.00 46.25 47.50 48.75 50.00

HIGH P49.700 LOW P49.835 AVERAGE P49.783 VOLUME 386.200M

P39.80-P48.90 Unleaded Gasoline P27.60-P33.55 Diesel

OPRICES IL TODAY

PAMI MEETS ECONOMISTS. Philam Asset Management Inc. in partnership with The Asset Magazine hold their first economic forum for

the year entitled “2017 Unboxed: Unleash the Market’s Potential” at the Blue Leaf Events Pavilion in Taguig City. Shown during the forum are (from left) Pami president and chief executive Eric Lustre, AIA head of investment strategy and onvestment advisory Kevin Ng, Philam Life head of fixed income and corporate finance Vincent Daffon, academician and economist Bernardo Villegas, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Pami head of investments Eduardo Banaag Jr. and The Asset Magazine editor-in-chief Daniel Yu.

P28.50-P36.85 Kerosene P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG

Security Bank’s income climbs 11% to P8.6b

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Wednesday, February 1, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE

By Julito G. Rada

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.7570

Japan

Yen

0.008859

0.4408

UK

Pound

1.258600

62.6242

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128886

6.4130

Switzerland

Franc

1.010714

50.2901

Canada

Dollar

0.768521

38.2393

Singapore

Dollar

0.709774

35.3162

Australia

Dollar

0.758000

37.7158

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652801

131.9954 13.2721

SECURITY Bank Corp., the country’s fifth-largest lender in terms of assets, said Wednesday net income in 2016 grew 11 percent year-onyear to a record P8.55 billion, driven by the sustained strength of core businesses.

Security Bank said in a disclosure to the stock exchange net interest income increased 28 percent to P15.9 billion which more than offset the P1.1-billion decrease in trading gains.

Gains on sale of securities, however, went down to P1.8 bil-

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266738

Brunei

Dollar

0.707264

35.1913

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028489

1.4175

UAE

Dirham

0.272301

13.5489

Euro

Euro

1.079800

53.7276

Korea

Won

0.000869

0.0432

China

Yuan

0.145311

7.2302

India

Rupee

0.014817

0.7372

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.225836

11.2369

New Zealand

Dollar

0.733500

36.4968

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032077

1.5961

Sucat power plant up for new auction

STATE-RUN Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. will hold another auction to sell the decommissioned 850-megawatt Sucat power plant in Muntinlupa City in May in compliance with the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001.

PSALM issued the notice to bid for the sale of the structures, plant equipment, auxiliaries and accessories of the decommissioned plant on an “as is, where is” basis.

The agency said interested parties must submit letters of interest not later than 12 p.m. of April 24, 2017. Interested parties can conduct the due diligence for the Sucat facility from Feb. 6 to May 29 while a pre-bid conference will be held on March 20.

PSALM said disqualified from the bidding are parties having “unresolved issues arising from the renegotiation of contracts with IPPs” or those with “unpaid account arising from contractual obligations with the DOE [Department of Energy], PSALM, NPC [National Power Corp.] and TransCo (National Transmission Corp.)”

PSALM manages the assets and liabilities of National Power Corp.

Alena Mae S. Flores

RCBC redeems $275-m bonds

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

P471.00-P690.00 LPG/11-kg tank

IN BRIEF

lion in 2016 from P2.9 billion in 2015. Net interest margin was steady at 3.1 percent.

“We are pleased with the quality of our earnings. Our 2016 results show steady progress in our core recurring income. The growth in our net interest income more than offset the lower trading gains,” Security Bank president and chief executive Alfonso Salcedo Jr. said in a statement.

“Notably, the growth in our net interest income has accelerated to 30 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2016 from

28 percent in previous quarters.

Our loans and deposits are growing robustly. Our asset quality and cost-to-income are in good shape. We continue to invest in growing the business,” Salcedo said.

The bank said in the fourth quarter 2016 alone, net income jumped 18 percent year-on-year to P1.9 billion, on the back of a 30-percent increase in net interest income to P4.4 billion.

Meanwhile, Bank of TokyoMitsubishi UFJ Ltd., Japan’s largest bank and a shareholder in Security Bank, said it was highly

optimistic of sustained growth in the Philippines as the Philippines emerged as one of its most important markets in Asia.

Takayoshi Futae, managing executive officer and chief executive of BTMU for Asia and Oceania, said in a news briefing in Makati the growth of the Philippine economy was “amazing.”

“The Philippine economy is one of the fastest-growing in the region. It is amazing, and we commit to support that growth through our strong partnership with Security Bank Corp.,” Futae said.

Source: PDS Bridge

NGCP set to spend P52b to link islands

By Alena Mae S. Flores

KPMG MARKS 10TH YEAR. KPMG R.G. Manabat & Co. chairman and chief executive Roberto Manabat (center) briefs newsmen about the company’s 10th anniversary in Makati City. Manabat is flanked by KPMG RGM& Co. co-vice chairman and chief operating officer Emmanuel Bonoan (left) and covice chairman and head of audit Sharon Dayoan. KPM RGM& Co. is a member firm of KPMG International which provides audit and assurance services and advises clients across a diverse range of industries on multifaceted business and tax needs. Ey Acasio

NATIONAL Grid Corporation of the Philippines, operator of the country's power transmission lines, is spending P52 billion for the Visayas-Mindanao interconnection project until December 2020.

NGCP, a private consortium led by Henry Sy Jr., commissioned a hydrographic survey from September to November last year which identified the most viable route to link the islands.

The new route, beginning in Cebu and terminating in Dipolog, was determined as viable to interconnect the Visayas and Mindanao grids.

The project, which will unify the three grids including Luzon and allow power sharing, is the biggest and most ambitious transmission line project to be undertaken by the company.

“NGCP can now proceed with next step which includes survey overhead transmission line component. The hydrographic survey has been completed but there is still the overhead line from southern part of Cebu going to center of Cebu which is Naga,” Redi Remoroza, head of National Grid Transmission Planning Department.

The project has three components, including a 92-kilometer submarine cable and overhead lines spanning 214 kilometers.

The Luzon and Visayas grids have long been connected via National Grid’s Naga – Ormoc High Voltage Direct Current line.

An earlier study conducted by NGCP revealed eastern routes as unsuitable for submarine cable ground laying because of a significant quantity of live ordinance – torpedoes and high explosive shells – from the Battle of Surigao in 1944, an underwater volcano, fault lines, and seismic hazards, such as unstable rock slabs that can cause landslips and tsunamis.

RIZAL Commercial Banking Corp. said it paid a 5.25-percent $275 million senior unsecured bond without the need for refinancing as a part of the goal to reduce overall debt and cost of funding.

“RCBC’s solid liquidity position allowed it to completely satisfy this financial obligation. In addition to the bank’s significant liquidity position, lowering cost of funding was also a major consideration. Paying down higher cost debt is a key priority in light of this important objective,” RCBC president and chief executive Gil Buenaventura said.

He said moving forward, the bank would continue to be opportunistic in exploring low-cost funding alternatives.

The bank has one of the highest net interest margins among the peer banks. As of the first nine months of 2016, the annualized net interest margin of RCBC was 4.12 percent.

RCBC had total consolidated assets of P504.35 billion as of endSeptember 2016. The bank had 481 branches and 1,488 ATMs nationwide as of end-December.

RCBC is rated BB+ with a stable outlook by Fitch and Baa3 (or investment grade) with a stable outlook by Moody’s.

FF Cruz to build Cavitex C5 link

By Darwin G. Amojelar A UNIT of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. tapped FF Cruz Construction Inc. to construct the first phase of Cavitex C5 South Link.

“We hope to start construction this month. Our contractor FF Cruz is already notified,” Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. president Luigi Bautista said.

“With the guidance of TRB [Toll Regulatory Board], we are having weekly coordination meetings already to agree on the traffic management plan with Somco [Skyway O&M Corp.],” he said. Somco operates and maintains the Skyway project.

Construction of the first phase of Cavitex C5 South Link was supposed to start in July last year to link C5 and Merville, Parañaque by way of a flyover. The second phase, which would start in 2017 to link Merville and Cavitex, would cost P9.5 billion.

Cavitex C5 South Link will allow residents from Cavite, Las Piñas and parts of Parañaque to avoid Edsa and take a direct link between C5 and Cavitex.

Bautista said the new expressway which was expected to be completed in 2019 would add 40,000 to 45,000 vehicle traffic per day, on top of the 130,000 vehicles currently using Cavitex.

B2

Business

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market falls; Arthaland, SBS rise Cemex borrows S $280m from BDO tocks declined for a second day, as investors weighed the impact of Donald Trump’s policies ahead of a Federal Reserve policy decision.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, lost 2 points to close at 7,227.45 Wednesday.

This trimmed total gains this year to 5.7 percent.

The heavier index, representing all shares, picked up 1 point to settle at 4,369.51, on a value turnover of P5.1 billion. Advancers outnumbered losers, 96 to 83, while 54 issues were unchanged.

Twelve of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by developer Arthaland Corp. which surged 18.5 percent to

P0.96 and chemical producer SBS Philippines Corp. which jumped 6.7 percent to P6.86.

Geothermal power producer Energy Development Corp. gained 3.5 percent to P5.65.

Meanwhile, most Asian stocks traded higher Wednesday. Japan’s Topix gained as the yen weakened, while Hong Kong stocks slumped as trading resumed after a holiday.

The greenback strengthened against almost all its major peers, after dropping Tuesday as the Trump administration reiterated its preference for a weaker currency.

Oil stayed below $53 a barrel, while gold retreated after its best rally since June. European equity futures pointed higher and Apple Inc. shares jumped in after-hours U.S. trading as earnings beat estimates.

The dollar slid Tuesday after Trump said China and Japan play their money markets and trade adviser Peter Navarro called the euro “grossly undervalued.”

Several currency strategists alleged the claim against the euro is “false” and urged people to “ignore” Navarro, while Japan’s top currency official said the country doesn’t manipulate the yen and its monetary policy is done for purely domestic reasons.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 gained 0.56 percent, or 106.74 points, to 19,148.08, while the Topix index of all first-section is-

sues was up 0.40 percent, or 6.10 points, at 1,527.77.

The Nikkei tumbled on Monday and Tuesday with investors around the world spooked by US President Donald Trump’s flurry of executive orders that have fueled worries about the outlook for the global economy.

“You look at what China is doing and what Japan has done over the years, and they played the money market and the devaluation market and we sit there like a bunch of dummies,” he said at a White House meeting with business executives.

The remarks sent the dollar falling to as low as 112.08 yen at one point in New York, from 113.44 yen earlier Tuesday in Asia. On Wednesday the greenback recovered to 113.32 yen by mid-afternoon. With AFP, Bloomberg

By Jenniffer B. Austria CEMENT manufacturer Cemex Holdings Philippines Inc. said Wednesday it secured a $280-million term loan facility from BDO Unibank Inc. to refinance debt.

Cemex Holdings said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it signed a senior unsecured peso term loan facility agreement with BDO Unibank for the peso equivalent of $280 million to refinance a majority of the outstanding long-term loan with New Sunward Holding B.V., a related company.

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.72 6,000 48.2 18,800 90 1,101,590 4.16 1,000 110.5 3,339,670 1.39 402,000 38.5 16,000 16.1 10,100 19.9 199,400 6.76 6,900 1.66 23,000 840 110 0.76 6,518,000 83 3,333,950 0.77 259,000 14.26 24,300 25 33,500 54.5 61,820 240 260 89.5 1,480 36.35 206,300 209 695,430 1,770 545 78.95 97,830 1.3 15,000

22,190 907,115 99,396,314 4,160 368,294,925 533,970 615,995 162,124 3,963,594 46,605 38,090 92,650 4,934,200 272,949,270.50 198,930 345,150 847,230 3,374,669 62,320 133,011 7,470,735 145,790,370 967,650 7,712,981 19,540

348,025 -50,735,287.50 -220,920,519 -385,000 1,213,370 456,000 147,314,673.50 11,400 -1,519,938 -113,145 -370,645 -65,208,828 1,794,154 -

104,011,360 4,367,590 563,730 1,017,830 40,698 235,780 206,600 16,859,154 27,585,324 2,047,900 2,364,202 71,995 43,750 2,269,430 218,044 296,058 20,459,530 2,905,581 7,685,129 87,831,342 5,460 11,979,190 15,089,075.50 20,876 2,429,016 465,011 904,080 70,358,916 1,400 4,883,890 120,140 12,052,560 52,044,560 13,984,652 11,197,612 200,000 482,160 33,199,385 1,404,690 23,759,968 41,080 36,827,674 2,882,971 6,481,494 94,060 224,500 367,700 20,452,494 42,000 35,280 936,950 190,263,890 48,770 19,223,230

-12,771,185 52,030 9,790 -5,368,058 3,858,176 770,268 16,700 10,218,392 946,141 -2,122,570 45,681,136 7,184,785 8,916,521 2,337,640 1,224 21,600 22,353,610 2,607,825 15,787,260 4,485,748 -1,141,718 -200,000 139,920 -11,727,706 3,046,845 14,783,368.00 292,737.00 -128,500 -2,072,012 47,820 -89,986,233 203,500

2,993,550 94,656,743 41,915,030 12,200 7,446,700 1,451,550 140,986,060 88,352,839 53,159,252 191,475 59,460 350,459,610 79,832,761 2,163,520 4,971,180 9,013,936 83,650 42,121,681 2,950,500 535,540 10,440,478 125,274,200 520,670 1,495,880 629,338 100,300 9,750 54,600

-71,661,925 -9,644,060 -33,400 43,071,115 -518,036 2,069,770 -203,553,340 -33,606,388.50 -612,197 1,816,324 7,188,449 40,000 -648,060.50 24,746,765 -400 7,310 -78,600 29,500 -

1,635,742 5,123,990 12,220 2,286,470 106,184,420 269,654,910 19,372,990 86,673 30,008,110 107,660 434,410 8,726,250 2,964,240 9,463,219.50 263,530 52,910 1,991,930 2,446,410 63,430 65,765,390 5,670,790 132,100

-994,358 -1,409,730 -48,702,605 -3,439,540 -22,430,680 19,570 569,680 3,534,558 -241,630 -174,240 -24,772,640 181,860 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

3.71 48.4 92.1 4.16 112.5 1.33 38.55 16 19.94 6.75 1.67 845 0.76 81.5 0.78 14.2 25 54.6 237 90.3 36.05 214.4 1,780 78.4 1.29

3.74 48.4 92.1 4.16 113 1.39 38.55 16.18 19.94 6.76 1.67 845 0.78 83 0.78 14.26 25.5 54.6 240 90.3 36.5 214.4 1,780 79.2 1.32

3.6 48 89.65 4.16 108.5 1.32 38.45 16 19.82 6.75 1.65 840 0.74 80.8 0.76 14.18 25 53.8 237 89.5 36.05 208.4 1,770 78.4 1.29

VOLUME

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

43.65 4.75 0.89 1.5 19.16 0.198 110 11.3 16.5 22.75 15.48 59.5 96 2.05 6.42 12.08 12.2 7.76 7.1 5.51 1.82 22.4 71.3 12.28 16.6 6.2 1.78 209 70 3.95 3.52 30.2 27.45 14.94 285 0.25 3.26 9.3 2.23 6.58 1.52 78.5 5.35 255 4.99 2.04 2.85 12.82 4.2 0.147 1.64 166.2 4.53 2

43.65 4.88 0.9 1.54 19.16 0.198 110 11.36 16.56 22.8 16 59.5 97.8 2.08 6.42 12.14 12.38 7.95 7.1 5.65 1.82 22.8 71.5 12.28 16.7 6.2 1.82 209 70 4.29 3.81 30.4 28.05 14.94 285.6 0.25 3.27 9.38 2.28 6.79 1.53 79.75 5.6 259 4.99 2.07 3 12.94 4.2 0.147 1.7 166.2 4.53 2

42.35 4.73 0.88 1.49 18.22 0.191 108 11.22 16.46 22.5 14.8 59.5 96 2.05 6.41 12 12.2 7.7 6.9 5.51 1.82 22.4 71 12.28 16.6 6.11 1.77 205.6 70 3.91 3.52 30.1 26.95 14.62 284 0.25 3.22 9.25 2.23 6.58 1.52 78 5.28 255 4.94 2.03 2.85 12.68 4.2 0.147 1.6 160.1 4.31 1.9

INDUSTRIAL 42.35 2,424,300 4.82 909,000 0.89 638,000 1.52 674,000 18.32 2,200 0.197 1,210,000 110 1,880 11.3 1,493,400 16.46 1,671,700 22.8 90,200 15.08 156,100 59.5 1,210 97.8 450 2.08 1,106,000 6.41 34,000 12 24,500 12.3 1,660,400 7.83 371,000 6.91 1,109,600 5.65 15,664,400 1.82 3,000 22.75 529,900 71.4 211,380 12.28 1,700 16.6 146,300 6.14 75,900 1.8 505,000 207 340,350 70 20 4.1 1,180,000 3.81 33,000 30.2 398,800 28 1,866,700 14.7 952,100 285 39,320 0.25 800,000 3.26 148,000 9.25 3,572,900 2.27 619,000 6.79 3,549,800 1.53 27,000 79.75 465,000 5.58 528,800 258 25,190 4.94 19,000 2.03 110,000 2.85 126,000 12.9 1,585,600 4.2 10,000 0.147 240,000 1.64 568,000 160.1 1,179,090 4.51 11,000 1.9 9,961,000

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

0.41 74.8 12.64 6.1 0.325 0.33 810 9.22 12.9 8.01 0.186 1,304 74.95 1.12 7.9 13.1 0.445 6.85 0.041 1.97 99 698 0.85 1.47 263 0.295 0.195 0.26

0.41 74.8 12.7 6.1 0.37 0.37 815 9.44 13.08 8.1 0.186 1,327 74.95 1.14 7.95 13.1 0.445 6.86 0.041 1.99 99 700 0.98 1.47 263 0.295 0.195 0.26

0.4 73.05 12.56 6.1 0.325 0.33 804 9.21 12.82 8.01 0.184 1,284 73.05 1.12 7.9 13.02 0.44 6.71 0.039 1.97 98.3 696 0.85 1.43 262 0.295 0.195 0.26

HOLDING FIRMS 0.405 7,400,000 74 1,279,420 12.6 3,326,000 6.1 2,000 0.36 21,480,000 0.36 4,170,000 815 174,350 9.34 9,438,200 13.08 4,094,100 8.1 23,900 0.184 320,000 1,289 270,625 73.9 1,080,760 1.14 1,911,000 7.9 628,100 13.04 690,600 0.44 190,000 6.86 6,159,000 0.04 74,100,000 1.98 270,000 98.8 105,750 700 179,310 0.91 569,000 1.46 1,037,000 262 2,400 0.295 340,000 0.195 50,000 0.26 210,000

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

7.26 1.31 6.11 2.64 0.82 35.5 3.24 5.01 0.54 1.03 1.27 0.186 0.57 51.5 0.73 0.143 1.66 1.02 1.23 3.67 0.172 0.4

7.26 1.34 6.11 2.69 0.96 35.5 3.29 5.01 0.54 1.06 1.31 0.189 0.58 51.7 0.73 0.143 1.66 1.02 1.23 3.67 0.176 0.405

7.24 1.26 6.11 2.51 0.82 34.8 3.23 5.01 0.52 1.02 1.27 0.184 0.56 51.2 0.73 0.143 1.63 1.01 1.2 3.61 0.169 0.4

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

4.67 25.5 1.67 3.28 30 1.04 0.96 5.06

4.8 25.5 1.67 3.28 30.1 1.05 0.96 5.06

4.6 24.6 1.65 3.23 29.45 1.02 0.94 4.96

4.69 24.65 1.66 3.27 29.9 1.04 0.95 5.03

2,306,000 1,974,800 66,000 239,000 7,681,000 2,418,000 104,000 1,889,900

10,947,610 48,932,340 109,950 774,520 228,188,450 2,496,100 97,980 9,449,295

37,600 -26,255,195 8,300 9,690 -60,624,440 -9,500 -3,412,166

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

7.43 47.8 1.44 0.54 0.061 7.64 0.07 2.72 95 9.6 9 2.15 960 1,724 6.23 16.3 3.05 16.6 110 79.1 0.01 12.2 9.08 0.212 1.45 3.15 4.2 2.55 2.03 4.79 4.05 2.99 11.26 5.29 3.02 8.21 135 9.78 1,497 1.43 0.46 43.05 79.2 6.38 2.63 1.08 1.8 3.26 0.435

7.47 47.8 1.45 0.54 0.062 7.71 0.071 2.8 95 9.65 9.2 2.15 960 1,778 6.23 16.92 3.19 16.68 110 79.1 0.01 12.2 9.08 0.212 1.45 3.55 4.2 2.55 2.03 4.79 4.05 3.03 11.26 5.29 3.15 9.23 135 9.88 1,503 1.43 0.465 43.8 79.5 7.51 2.68 1.1 1.8 3.27 0.445

7.41 47.5 1.43 0.52 0.058 7.48 0.069 2.68 94.8 9.6 9 2.01 960 1,700 6.2 16.3 3.03 16.12 110 77.1 0.0097 12 9.05 0.207 1.42 3.1 4.11 2.5 2.03 4.68 3.87 2.87 11.24 5.29 3.02 8.21 135 9.68 1,440 1.4 0.45 43.05 78.85 6.38 2.61 1.05 1.8 3.25 0.405

SERVICES 7.41 47.5 1.45 0.52 0.06 7.5 0.069 2.7 94.85 9.65 9.1 2.01 960 1,700 6.22 16.92 3.16 16.16 110 77.5 0.0097 12 9.05 0.208 1.42 3.15 4.11 2.55 2.03 4.77 3.87 2.9 11.24 5.29 3.15 8.53 135 9.7 1,450 1.41 0.465 43.3 79.15 6.86 2.61 1.06 1.8 3.27 0.415

12,700 5,400 58,000 481,000 120,400,000 7,409,400 18,460,000 4,552,000 290,820 13,900 567,300 35,000 7,310 53,990 35,500 183,400 4,088,000 8,400 30 2,970,170 2,000,000 6,200 500,000 14,270,000 102,000 1,936,000 860,000 41,000 1,000 2,248,000 3,398,000 5,792,000 5,900 7,600 13,000 1,700 91,220 445,100 81,575 6,137,000 4,280,000 471,200 1,268,490 30,615,200 2,792,000 14,594,000 31,000 66,000 3,770,000

94,184 257,040 83,550 250,160 7,184,030 55,805,486 1,277,730 12,435,950 27,594,859 133,920 5,148,839 71,500 7,017,600 92,642,055 221,123 3,062,732 12,839,150 137,612 3,300 232,246,230 19,700 74,640 4,525,150 2,983,670 145,850 6,495,960 3,554,400 103,160 2,030 10,671,880 13,350,500 17,187,390 66,356 40,204 39,460 15,159 12,314,700 4,343,587 120,078,615 8,672,270 1,953,400 20,434,220 100,405,721 217,501,095 7,382,740 15,628,380 55,800 214,590 1,622,250

-8,640 104,000 -12,000 -15,240,581 83,490 132,500 -6,484,492.50 -8,203,410 17,806,812.50 301,900 -1,249,860 -1,680,910 -2,138,720 380,890 -29,700 147,300 -61,281,910 -5,671,280 69,000 -2,074,725 82,700,472 -1,886,947 -3,590,460 5,143,990 36,000 -3,250 33,900

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

0.0033 2.76 5.4 11.48 2.12 2.09 0.495 0.53 11.82 2.85 0.26 0.202 0.214 0.012 2.1 6.82 2.71 1.05 0.011 0.011 4.18 0.014 9.17 3.55 137 2.93

0.0033 2.81 5.63 11.48 2.12 2.09 0.5 0.55 12.22 2.91 0.26 0.206 0.214 0.012 2.19 6.97 2.74 1.06 0.012 0.011 4.18 0.014 9.3 3.65 137 2.93

0.0032 2.75 5.27 11.48 2.11 2.09 0.49 0.51 11.8 2.84 0.25 0.202 0.214 0.011 2.06 6.8 2.67 1.05 0.011 0.011 4.18 0.013 9.12 3.55 134 2.93

MINING &OIL 0.0033 190,000,000 2.75 2,430,000 5.59 2,513,800 11.48 100 2.12 24,000 2.09 6,000 0.5 374,000 0.51 10,575,000 12 26,100 2.89 2,175,000 0.25 70,000 0.204 1,910,000 0.214 310,000 0.012 14,000,000 2.07 2,099,000 6.85 6,209,900 2.74 19,000 1.06 153,000 0.011 24,400,000 0.011 2,000,000 4.18 4,000 0.014 38,900,000 9.2 2,893,500 3.64 979,000 135.6 558,050 2.93 4,000

626,800 6,737,820 13,962,318 1,148 50,860 12,540 185,915 5,517,150 308,676 6,256,360 17,850 390,430 66,340 162,000 4,405,890 42,701,058 51,230 161,310 268,600 22,000 16,720 544,300 26,713,059 3,522,040 75,700,930 11,720

-6,400 -1,677,699 23,030 10,200 2,402 496,340 16,780 -490,532 -3,656,384 117,480 -20,610,699 -

ABS HLDG PDR DD PREF FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR 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

47.5 104 116 530 5.85 1,045 109.8 1,072 1,020 77.3 82.5 76.5 80 78 78

47.5 104.1 116 530 5.9 1,045 109.8 1,072 1,020 77.3 83.5 76.5 80.1 78 79

46.5 104 116 530 5.85 1,045 109.8 1,072 1,020 76.65 81 76.1 79.8 78 78

PREFERRED 46.5 315,900 104.1 100 116 100 530 2,000 5.9 1,545,600 1,045 1,000 109.8 3,950 1,072 8,000 1,020 50 76.65 31,700 81 172,910 76.1 3,300 79.8 4,830 78 6,800 79 6,010

14,999,990 10,406 11,600 1,060,000 9,112,680 1,045,000 433,710 8,576,000 51,000 2,435,347 14,198,090 251,154 386,348 530,400 468,790

-136,640 -9,112,090 -5,534,665 -

LR WARRANT

2.2

2.21

2.2

WARRANTS 2.2 76,000

167,450

-

ALTERRA CAPITAL ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

6.7 3.98 2.93 8.38

6.7 4.05 2.93 8.38

6.55 3.98 2.93 8.15

6.65 3.98 2.93 8.15

1,225,828 810,170 11,720 7,581,306

-2,628 60 -1,235,399

FIRST METRO ETF

119.8

119.8

118.8

362,491

-

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 7.24 1.27 6.11 2.53 0.96 35.05 3.25 5.01 0.53 1.06 1.28 0.189 0.57 51.6 0.73 0.143 1.63 1.01 1.22 3.62 0.175 0.405

225,400 3,947,000 2,000 892,000 119,373,000 7,690,900 5,951,000 17,300 56,219,000 105,000 338,000 47,060,000 5,213,000 183,690 361,000 370,000 1,215,000 2,422,000 52,000 18,123,000 32,890,000 330,000

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

17,323,808

INDUSTRIAL

59,178,569

HOLDING FIRMS

139,818,392

PROPERTY

326,669,182

SERVICES

257,407,342

MINING & OIL

302,656,444

GRAND TOTAL

1,104,370,867

SME

185,200 203,000 4,000 921,500

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 119 3,040

VALUE 1,745.56 (down) 6.68 996,249,259.986 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,990.56 (up) 21.59 919,082,675.975 HOLDING FIRMS 7,416.23 (up) 40.99 1,081,245,454.49 PROPERTY 3,270.62 (down) 15.42 1,412.86 (down) 10.68 859,117,021.03 SERVICES MINING & OIL 12,152.57 (up) 73.72 1,053,780,024.10 PSEI 7,227.45 (down) 2.21 188,439,726.365 All Shares Index 4,369.51 (up) 1.70 5,107,906,891.346 Gainers:96; Losers: 83; Unchanged: 54; Total: 233

The seven-year term loan consists of a fixed-rate and a floating rate tranche.

“We are pleased to secure this long-term peso loan with BDO Unibank Inc.,” said Cemex Holdings president Pedro Palomino.

“We are confident that this endeavor underscores the strength of our operations, as we seek ways to further solidify our business position and improve our capital structure,” Palomino said.

BDO Capital & Investment Corp. was the sole structuring agent and sole mandated underwriter for the refinancing.

BDO Capital was also the sole domestic underwriter for Cemex Holdings’ P25.1 billion initial public offering in 2016.

“This deal is a testament to our continued solid support of CHP’s business and positive long-term outlook for CHP’s prospects. We believe that the financing structure that we’ve put in place further strengthens the financial position of CHP,” BDO Capital president Eduardo Francisco.

Cemex Holdings is one of the leading cement producers in the Philippines based on installed annual capacity.

CIC says net profit rose 34% last year APPLIANCE maker Concepcion Industrial Corp. said Wednesday it posted a double-digit growth in both net income and revenues in 2016.

CIC, which manufactures air conditioning units, refrigerators and freezers, said in a disclosure to the stock exchange preliminary figures showed its 2016 net income surged 34 percent while sales jumped 16 percent from a year ago. The company did not disclose the actual numbers.

CIC said the strong 2016 performance was boosted by margin expansion, cost reduction, efficiency gains and low commodity prices, allowing the business to continue investing in long-term capabilities.

It said the double-digit growth was seen across all business units.

CIC earlier projected it would beat its target of 15-percent full-year growth in sales and net income for 2016.

“2016 was a milestone year for CIC in many respects as we continue to be on track in meeting our objectives not only financially but organizationally. We sold over 1 million units reinforcing our resolve to grow our consumer appliance business,” said CIC chairman and chief executive Raul Joseph Concepcion.

Concepcion said the group’s building and industrial segment showed great potential on continued increase in pipeline and orders.

“We invested in stronger fundamentals―furthering our green footprint program, securing ISO certification for our project management capabilities, launching the foundation for future shared services, and implementing a strong culture campaign throughout the year, to name some of them. These investments show an affirmation of our faith in the country’s strong economic prospects over the medium term,” Concepcion said.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Business

B3

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Govt readies review of NGCP concession

By Alena Mae S. Flores

UCPB-HARIBON ADVOCACY. United Coconut Planters Bank teams up with Haribon Foundation to donate seedlings that the non-government organization will plant in two protected areas in Nagcarlan, Laguna. UCPB president and CEO Higinio Macadaeg Jr. (third from left) signs the bank’s commitment to support the foundation’s Road to 2020 program, an initiative to restore the country’s rainforests using native tree species. With him are (from left) vice president and marketing group head Charina Balanquit, VP and human resources group head Stella Fulgencio, Haribon Foundation chief operating officer Maria Belinda de la Paz and Haribon’s constituency and resource development manager Arlie Jo Endonila.

THE newly-appointed president of National Transmission Corp. wants to review the government’s concession agreement with National Grid Corp. of the Philippines in a bid to create a stronger and smarter power grid and generate additional earnings to the government.

“We have to review the concession agreement or the franchise agreement of NGCP so that we (can) take a closer look of compliance if it’s being done religiously... We have to ensure the development of our transmission grids so that it will be significant to the national development of the agenda of President Duterte,” Transco president Melvin Matibag told reporters.

National Grid operates the country’s transmission network under a 25-year concession agreement signed in 2009. National Grid offered $3.95 billion for the TransCo concession when it was auctioned in 2007.

National Grid under Republic Act 9511 obtained the franchise to operate, maintain, manage and to engage in the business of conveying or transmitting electricity through a high-voltage backbone system or interconnected transmission lines.

The consortium is comprised of Monte Oro Grid Resources Corp. led by Henry Sy Jr., Calaca High Power Corp. led by Robert Coyiuto Jr., and State Grid Corp. of China as technical partner.

Matibag said the review would determine if the concession agreement was serving its purpose and how it could further help the government and the public.

National Grid welcomed the appointment of Matibag and vowed to work with him to further improve the grid.

Megaworld sees P20-b rental income

By Jenniffer B. Austria

M

egaworld Corp., a leading urban township developer and the biggest lessor of office spaces, expects rental income to reach P20 billion by 2020 as it adds close to 1 million square meters of leasable space in its portfolio.

Megaworld said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the P20-billion rental income target was more than double the P9 billion profit generated in 2015.

IN BRIEF Salceda: Reform IT, computer sciences ALBAY Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda issued an urgent call for a congressional inquiry into the state of the country’s information technology and computer science education and its impact on the software industry, and the noted low quality graduates, by global standards, these courses have been churning out lately.

Salceda recently filed House Resolution 772, urging the House committees on higher and technical education and information and communication technology to immediately formulate measures to improve the quality of learning in these fields.

The lawmaker said enrollment in Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) have registered a disturbing downtrend and the quality of education tested dismally poor, affecting the state of the software industry in the country and its global competitiveness.

Computer science and information technology are frontier development disciplines in which the Philippines should be able to develop at par, if not ahead, of other countries specially the Asean community, he said.

Aramco, Enactus launch challenge ARAMCO Asia, a full subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, and Enactus, an international non-profit organization dedicated to improving the world through entrepreneurial action, launched the “Aramco-Enactus Innovative Challenge.”

The program aims to empower university students in Asia to develop innovative solutions addressing issues related to climate change, environmental sustainability, and energy efficiency in their respective communities.

“At the heart of this citizenship program is our core belief in protecting and preserving the environment for the future generation, and effecting positive change on a global scale. Empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators to come up with solutions that help their communities reinforces our belief and reaffirms our commitment to Asia where we have a strong presence,” said Nabil Al-Nuaim, president of Aramco Asia.

The “Aramco-Enactus Innovative Challenge for Energy, Environment and Climate Sustainability” will run from December 2016 to September 2017 in five Asian countries, including China, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and the Philippines.

The property giant said the 1 million sq. m. of additional rental inventory to be completed over the next three years would come mostly from office, lifestyle malls and commercial

spaces that will be built within its 22 townships and integrated lifestyle communities across the country.

The additional area will bring the company’s total rental space inventory to more than 2.5 million square meters by 2020.

“While we remain strong in our residential condominium business, it is also imperative for us to also fortify our rental portfolio. This direction will not only allow us to become a stronger and more sustainable company, but at the same time, we address the increas-

ing demand for these spaces in our various townships,” Megaworld senior vice president Jericho Go said.

Around 1.5 million sq. m. out of of the 2.5 million sq. m. leasable space by 2020 will come from office spaces and 1 million from malls and commercial centers.

“By the end of this year, we will breach the 1-million square meters of office space inventory as we continue to experience a demand for office spaces,” Go said, Megaworld currently has over

130 companies in its office rental portfolio, occupying around 850,000 square meters of offices spaces, making it the biggest lessor of office spaces in the entire country.

Its office spaces also enjoy a high occupancy rate of 99 percent, while pre-leasing rates of office buildings that are still under construction stand at an average of 80 percent.

On the retail side, Megaworld plans to add 18 malls and commercial centers by 2020, covering close to 390,400 square meters of fresh retail spaces.

The company this year expects to complete 200,000 sq. m. of mall and retail spaces from various township projects.

“We see a continuing rise in consumer spending especially on food. While each of our townships has its own growing population, we have experienced influx of people visiting our townships because our lifestyle malls also become leisure attractions like the Venice Grand Canal,” said Kevin Tan, senior vice president and head of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls.

Investors swarm BSP’s auction of P180-b term deposits

By Julito G. Rada THE P180 billion worth of term deposits offered by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Wednesday remained highly oversubscribed as banks and trust entities swarmed the auction amid excess liquidity in the financial system.

Data showed that the sevenday P30 billion deposits lured total bids of P59.172 billion and fetched a weighted average accepted yield of 3.03 percent, matching the policy rate of Bangko Sentral. The 28-day deposits worth P150 billion, meanwhile, attracted total tenders of P181.29 billion with a weighted average accepted yield of 3.43 percent.

The P180-billion deposits offered were oversubscribed by over P60 billion.

“Ahead of FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee meeting) tonight, there is market preference for the shorter tenor, even as it is widely expected that the Fed will keep rates steady,” Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said in a text message to reporters.

“Just like the market, we will look out for the Fed’s assessment of labor conditions and outlook on inflation. We will take any relevant information

into consideration in our own assessment of domestic inflation dynamics at our policy meeting next week,” Tetangco said.

Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo earlier said the weekly P180-billion volume would be kept for the meantime as 2017 was seen to be a tough year for financial markets. One thing to consider, he said, would be the expected three interest rates hike by the US Federal Reserve this year.

The auction calendar for the first quarter 2017 showed that the P180billion weekly volume would be maintained during the auction set for the month of February.

Previous over-subscriptions prompted the regulator to increase the weekly volume by P50 billion from the previous P130 billion to P180 billion starting Dec. 1, 2016 to more effectively siphon off excess liquidity in the financial system.

The amount of week-long deposits was increased by P20 billion to P30 billion from P10 billion, while the month-long deposits were raised by P30 billion to P150 billion from P120 billion. The adjustment on Dec. 1 was the sixth time that Bangko Sentral increased the volume.

From the original volume of P30

billion, it was increased to P50 billion, P70 billion, P90 billion, P110 billion and P130 billion.

The US Fed in December raised interest rates for the first time in a year, and only the second time since the 2008 financial crisis on economic recovery and lower un-

employment. The previous rate increase occurred in December 2015 when the benchmark rate was lifted from near-zero for seven years since the crisis.

Earlier, Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. ruled out the possibility of reducing

the current reserve requirements of banks despite siphoning off significant amount of liquidity previously parked at overnight facilities since the start of the interest rate corridor system in June 2016, saying it was “not the time to reduce the RR.”

GLOBE TAPS RITEMED. Globe

Telecom inc.s international business group partners with RiteMed Philippines Inc. to offer a service that allows Filipinos overseas to purchase RiteMED medicines while abroad and be able to deliver to their dependents in the Philippines.

Globe Telecom senior vice president for international business Nikko Acosta (right) and RiteMED general manager Vincent Patrick Guerrero sign the partnership agreement.

Joaquin G. Bernas, S.J.: A tribute I have believed that Filipinos who have made outstanding contributions to the progress of their country and the welfare of their countrymen should be recognized and honored during their lifetimes, and I have long disfavored the practice of rewarding such Filipinos in posthumous fashion. An outstanding citizen of this country should, in my view, be afforded an opportunity to enjoy the fruits of his life’s efforts while he is still on the ground, not six feet below it.

It is with this belief in mind that I decided to devote this column to Fr. Joaquin Bernas of the Society of Jesus. Fr. Bernas, former head of the Philippine province of the Jesuit order and president emeritus of the Ateneo de Manila University Law School, is very much alive and kicking, though feeling the effects of incipient old

age. At the rate that he is going, Fr. Bernas may well outlive us all.

He has his critics and naysayers, but it is probably correct to say that most Filipinos regard Joaquin G. Bernas as an icon. It is in the field of law—more specifically, the law of the Constitution—that Fr. Bernas has made his iconic contribution to Philippine society. Today, when the topic under discussion is constitutional law, the name Joaquin G. Bernas immediately comes to mind.

The young man from Goa, Camarines Sur who rose to become head of the Society of Jesus in the Philippines is one of a handful of members of the Society who are lawyers. A member of the Ateneo Law School class of 1962, Joaquin G. Bernas is clearly the pre-eminent member of that special group of Philippine Jesuits.

Fr. Bernas’s contribution to the development of Philippine law has come in two areas, constitutional interpretation and legal

education. He has devoted as much devotion to the first as to the second. As two-term president—the two terms were not consecutive—of the Ateneo Law School—Fr. Bernas sought to make ALS the leading law school in the nation and to produce a succession of lawyers who would personify St. Ignatius of Loyola’s concept of “(men) for others.” Without being a terror-dispensing professor, Fr. Bernas sought to make his students develop a healthy respect for the law, especially the Constitution.

Everything that Joaquin G. Bernas feels and knows about constitutional law is contained in his masterful “Commentary and Cases on the 1973 Constitution.” It is a constitutional law text recommended to and used not only by ALS students but by students of other law schools as well.

The recurring theme of Fr. Bernas’s book is the need for vigilance by the citizenry against violations, actual and per-

ceptible, of the Basic Law by the political departments of the government as well as the judiciary. Although he is a member of the Bar, Fr. Bernas has not, in his book, spared the judiciary from censure for its occasional intrusion into areas reserved by the Constitution to the Executive Department and the legislature. In his longrunning column in a major newspaper, Joaquin G. Bernas railed against—and received much credit for—instances of overreach on the part of various elements of the government of this country.

This brings me back to the opening lines of this column. Joaquin G. Bernas, S.J. has made an enormous contribution to the progress of this country and the welfare and wellbeing of the Filipino people. Let us tell him so and give him the appropriate awards, while he is still able to savor them.

E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

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

B4

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Business

Japan slams Trump’s yen claim

T

OKYO―Japan on Wednesday denied Donald Trump’s accusation Tokyo “played the money market” to give it an unfair trade advantage, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe saying the claims of currency devaluation were untrue.

The remarks, which also targeted China, are the latest by the tycoon against the United States’ global partners and come just before a meeting with Abe in which trade is expected to top the agenda.

In a speech to business executives at the White House Trump, he said: “You look at what China is doing and what Japan has done over the years, and they played the money market and

the devaluation market and we sit there like a bunch of dummies.”

The comments sent the dollar plunging towards 112 yen briefly Tuesday, with traders taking them as further evidence Trump will press ahead with a protectionist agenda many fear could spark a global trade war.

Questioned in parliament about the outburst, Abe, with a diplomatic eye on next week’s

meeting, said: “We have tasked the Bank of Japan under Governor (Haruhiko) Kuroda with an appropriate monetary policy to achieve the two percent pricestability goal.

“We have repeatedly said their criticism that we are guiding the yen lower is not true.”

However, chief government spokesman Yoshihide Suga was a little more forthcoming saying the comments were “completely off the mark.”

Suga, a key Abe ally, noted that Group of 20 members had agreed to avoid currency depreciation as a policy tool.

“Foreign exchange rates are moving in line with the current and mid-to-long term economic situation.”

Separately, senior finance ministry official Masatsugu Asakawa flat out denied Trump’s assertion.

“Foreign exchange rates are determined by the markets,” he told reporters, according to Japanese media. “We are not manipulating them.”

He added: “I don’t quite understand what (Trump) actually meant” and noted Japan had not intervened in currency markets for several years.

While campaigning for the presidency Trump often targeted China for destroying US jobs with its trade practices and accused Beijing of being a currency manipulator. But the dig at Tokyo suggests he is preparing for a new relationship with traditional partners.

Abe, speaking about his meeting with Trump, told lawmakers he intends to discuss “how Japan can create jobs” in the US as well as broader economic cooperation with his country’s key security ally.

He also stressed Japanese investment has greatly contributed to employment in the United States, including “1.5 million jobs in the auto industry alone.”

Trump has threatened punitive tariffs on imports into the US in a bid to force manufacturers, domestic and foreign, to produce and hire there.

He targeted Toyota in one of his fiery tweets, criticizing a project to build a new factory in Mexico and threatening it with levies. AFP

China trade gap cost 3.4m US jobs WASHINGTON―A yawning trade deficit with China cost 3.4 million US jobs between 2001 and 2015, according to a report published Tuesday which coincided with abrupt White House efforts to retool trade policy.

Mounting American reliance on Chinese imports and unfair Chinese trade practices have also helped hollow out the US manufacturing sector, which accounted for nearly three quarters of all the jobs lost due to the trade gap, said the report by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI).

The nonpartisan think tank’s report jibed with President Donald Trump’s blunt moves to upend prevailing policies on trade, which he has blamed for the export of American industrial jobs, chiefly to China and Mexico.

Peter Navarro, a top Trump economic adviser, has long accused China of adopting trade policies that directly undermine the US economy.

In helping launch the report, Leo Gerard, president of the United Steelworkers union, told reporters that Trump, a Republican opposed to trade liberalization, had been victorious among traditionally pro-Democrat voters in industrialized areas of the United States.

“And the reason for that shift is that they understand the economic anxiety that has been brought forward by this model of trade, whether it was Mexico, China, South Korea or any others that has resulted in their jobs’ being insecure, their wages’ being pushed down,” he said.

“And primarily that’s the result of China.”

Between 2001 and 2015, the US trade deficit with China more than quadrupled to $483.2 billion, according to the report.

While Labor Department data show the US manufacturing sector is smaller than when former president Barack Obama took office in January 2009 in the midst of the financial crisis, it has added 800,000 jobs since February 2010.

Computers and electronic parts were among US manufacturing industries that suffered the most from displacement, according to the EPI report, losing 1.2 million jobs during the period covered in the report.

“The vast bulk of the manufacturing jobs lost were in so-called durable goods industries, high-tech and very capital-intensive industries that provide very good jobs with excellent benefits in industries like steel and machine tools and electronic appliances,” said the report’s author, Robert Scott. Bloomberg

Salon du Chocolat. Visitors wait to purchase various chocolates on offer at the 15th Salon du Chocolat trade show in Tokyo on February 1, 2017. Some 100 brands from 17 countries are participating in the four-day event. AFP

Airlines stocks lose $4.9b after travel ban IN TWO days, President Donald Trump’s travel ban wiped out $4.9 billion in market value for the country’s biggest airlines.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 airline index slumped 3.8 percent combined on Monday and Tuesday, five times the 0.7 percent drop in the S&P 500.

American Airlines Group Inc., the world’s biggest carrier, led the industry group with a 5.8 percent decline over the two days.

The developments hold several concerns for investors.

One is that the US restrictions would expand or spark retaliation by other nations; another, outlined by the International Air Transport Association, is the prospect of higher costs for carriers to enforce the rules, and potential ramifications if they don’t. While it’s hard to quantify, there’s also a risk that some people will forgo travel to the US. “To the extent that America is becoming a less welcoming place, a less hospitable place, that could hurt leisure travel demand,” said Jim Corridore, an airline analyst at CFRA Research. In a similar vein, Cowen & Co. analyst Helane Becker wrote in a note that any financial hit to US airlines probably will come through their international alliance partners, who provide passengers to the US carriers for connecting flights.

Airlines were caught in a whirlwind starting Friday evening after the Trump administration set temporary restrictions on entry to the US from seven countries it said had ties to terrorism. Because the decree came with no warning, some US-bound travelers had to be barred from getting on planes and others who were already en route were denied entry. Protesters decrying the ban as anti-American and anti-Muslim swarmed airports, adding to a chaotic weekend.

“Crews, reservations agents and airport teams have witnessed turmoil in our airports that shows how divisive this order can be,” Doug Parker, American’s chief executive officer, said in a letter to employees.

“It is the current law of the US, and so long as that is the case, we must comply.” Bloomberg

iPhone sales lifted Apple to record revenue of $78.4 b in Q4

By Glenn Chapman SAN FRANCISCO―Apple on Tuesday reported a rebound in iPhone sales to lift the tech giant to record revenue in the past quarter in quarterly results that eased concerns of slowing growth.

The results showed strong demand for Apple’s iPhone 7 models launched last year, with demand outpacing supply.

Revenue climbed to an all-time record $78.4 billion compared to $75.9 billion in the same period a year earlier, the company said in its earnings update for the quarter ending in December.

Compared with the same quarter a year earlier, profit dipped 2.6 percent to $17.9 billion.

Apple shares were up nearly three percent to $124.80 in aftermarket trades that followed release of the earnings results.

Apple said that it sold 78.3 million iPhones―the most ever in a quarter―up five percent from the same prime holiday shopping period the prior year.

The sales made Apple the world’s top smartphone vender in the final three months of last year, overtaking Samsung, according to industry tracker Strategy Analytics.

The growth promised to assuage concerns by investors that iPhone sales, which account for the bulk of Apple’s revenue, were softening due to three quarters of sequential decline.

“We’re thrilled to report that our holiday quarter results generated Apple’s highest quarterly revenue ever, and broke multiple records along the way,” said Apple chief executive Tim Cook.

The California-based company said it “set all-time revenue re-

This file photo taken on September 14, 2016 shows the Apple logo at the entrance to the Fifth Avenue Apple store in New York. Apple on January 31, 2017 reported that its profit for the past quarter slipped 2.6 percent to $17.9 billion even as iPhone sales jumped to a new high. AFP

cords for iPhone, services, Mac and Apple Watch.”

The amount of money taken in from online services and digital content grew strongly, led by unprecedented buying at Apple’s online App Store, according to Cook.

“I have not yet done the numbers, but I think Apple had the best quarter in the history of humanity,” Asymco analyst Horace Dediu said in a comment fired off on Twitter.

Apple, however, saw revenue

in its important China market drop 12 percent to $16.2 billion, according to the earnings report.

The company’s performance in China improved from the previous quarter and but was hampered by a strong US dollar, according to Apple.

Cook said he was encouraged, though Apple still faces challenges in mainland China.

Apple also intends to “invest significantly” in India, he told analysts during an earning call. iPhone 7 ‘a success’

Neil Saunders, managing director of the research firm GlobalData Retail, said Apple’s strong report eased concerns it had hit a bump in growth.

“The iPhone 7 will be a much steadier contributor and we would argue that the new model has been a success,” Saunders said in a note to clients.

“It is clear that Apple did enough to stimulate interest and persuade many consumers to upgrade.”

But Saunders said that Apple

“competitors, including Google and Amazon, are still nipping at its heels with new products and ideas―so it needs to speed up, even if it is just to stand still.”

Some analysts say Apple remains too dependent on the iPhone and that it needs to better diversify revenue amid a sputtering smartphone market and intense competition.

Smartphone lives The success of the iPhone sets the stage for Apple to be at the heart of smartphone lifestyles in which people synch with homes, security systems, cars, health care and more with mobile devices.

It also puts Apple in position to make money from digital content, services, or online commerce.

“Our ecosystem is broadening to more and more of the areas where people spend their time: at the gym, on the go, in the home, and on the job,” Cook said.

Apple said services revenue grew 18 percent from a year ago to $7.2 billion, while “other” products including the Apple Watch, brought in $4 billion.

“Apple’s dependence on sales of hardware to drive revenue is a future pitfall for the company,” said Colin Gillis of BGC Financial.

In response to an analyst query, Cook said that he was “optimistic” about the potential for tax reform that could entice Apple into repatriating some of the more than $200 billion in profit it keeps outside the US. Cook said such a scenario would be good for Apple and the country, but declined to expand on how the company might spend the money. AFP

LGUs

Manila goes after negligent taxpayers

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com thurSday, february 2, 2017

LoCAL govErnmEnt unitS

C1

By Sandy Araneta MAnILA Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada is now going after delinquent taxpayers, whether individuals and corporations, to further increase the city’s tax revenues, after recently stopping a new round of tax increases.

Estrada directed City Treasurer Rizal Del Rosario and City Assessor engineer Jose de Juan to identify and track down “every negligent taxpayer in Manila,” and see to it that they settle their dues.

“I have ordered the City Treasurer and the City Assessor to improve collection efficiency and go after delinquent taxpayers, to ensure sufficient funds for projects and services to Manila residents,” Estrada said.

If warranted, the mayor warned Manila “may initiate legal actions” against delinquent taxpayers as provided for under the law.

“We’ll see to it that everyone pays the correct taxes,” Estrada pointed out.

He underscored the necessity to augment Manila’s present revenue collection to enhance the delivery of basic services and facilities to its residents.

In one of his first actions as mayor back in 2013, Estrada formed a Committee on Auction to auction off the properties of delinquent taxpayers.

A total of 66 delinquent real property owners, whose total uncollected payments amounted to P143 million, were sent urgent notices to pay their taxes. This was followed by a second batch of 99 property owners over unpaid taxes amounting to P281 million.

In an unprecedented move, Estrada approved on Jan. 23 the passage of Ordinance no.

8516 that cancelled a planned 40-percent increase in real property tax rates that was supposed to take effect this January.

He pointed out that this second-period increase “is no longer needed at this time because of the improving financial capacity of the city.”

‘LILOK.’ Carvers examine their work at the Vergilio Handicrafts shop in Paete, Laguna, the woodcarving capital of the Philippines. ‘Manlililok,’ as the workers are called, earn their keep creating statues of saints and other images, and their shops are tourist attractions. roy tomandao

P1.56b for Makati schools

By Joel E. Zurbano

T

HE city government of Makati on Wednesday announced it has allocated P1.56 billion to fund public schools in the city and other education and youth development programs.

Mayor Abigail Binay said education has remained one of the top priorities of the city government, as the amount will fund programs, services and innovations across all levels in the city’s public schools.

Speaking at the 2017 national Convention of the Association of Local Colleges and Universities at the University of Makati, Binay committed to provide quality education that is “accessible and highly relevant” to the youth of Makati.

“This year, we have allocated P1.56 billion for Youth, Culture and Education Services. Fiftythree percent, or P824.91 million, will go to UMak programs and operations,” she said.

Binay also asked UMak president and concurrent ALCU head Tomas Lopez to study opening two new courses at the university to address the need for more social workers and emergency medical technicians and paramedics.

“I am proposing that the university open a two-year certificate course on Social Work that will eventually lead to a bachelor’s degree, because our country needs more social workers,” Binay said.

She also urged the UMak administration to consider opening an EMT Paramedic course, considering the worsening impact of climate change not only on Makati but the entire country.

“We ought to be more responsive and train more EMTs and paramedics to address the growing need for highly capable emergency and disaster response personnel,” the mayor said.

Binay said her administration will provide UMak with adequate funding to promote more innovative programs and curriculum enhancement, and strengthen partnership with the private sector to increase the employability of UMak graduates.

“Today’s industries and enterprises are largely driven by technology. We need to make

sure that students of our public schools would possess skills tailor-fit to the demands of the job market,” she said.

“We will continue upgrading our facilities and providing free school supplies, books and uniforms, and other needs of our schoolchildren. We will strengthen connectivity through internet facilities in our public schools, and make sure that each Makati student receives cuttingedge and relevant education, at no cost to them or their parents,” she added.

The mayor also vowed to continue supporting and improving the K to 12 program, which she considered “crucial to the empowerment of the youth.”

In 2012, UMak pioneered the Turn to A2

Ombudsman dumps case against Puerto’s Hagedorn OMBUDSMAn Conchita Carpio-Morales has approved the dismissal of a graft complaint filed against former Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn, several councilors and two private respondents for leasing out two public markets and a slaughterhouse in 2013.

Morales signed the order on Dec. 15, 2016, but the 19-page resolution was released only this week after current Puerto Princesa Mayor Clarito Bayron was dismissed from the service for another graft case.

The resolution, written by graft investigator Zarnette E. Sanceda, was dated June 30, 2016 and approved by Sanceda’s superior Joaquin E. Salazar on July 1, 2016.

Bayani H. Jacinto, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Assistant Ombudsman, signed it on Aug. 3, 2016, and Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Gerard A. Mosquera approved it two days later.

Aside from Hagedorn, the Ombudsman also dismissed the case against city admin-

istrator Agustin M. Rocamora, councilors Miguel Cuaderno IV, Henry Gadiano, Modesto Rodriguez II, Vicky T. de Guman. Fernnie Max C. Asuncion, Eleutherius L. Edralino, Mark David M. Hagedorn, Rafaelita S. Oliveros and Patrick Alex M. Hagedorn for lack of probable cause.

Teresa A. Gabayan of the Mga Magtitinda ng Puerto Princesa Inc. filed the graft complaint, claiming then-mayor Hagedorn conspired with the city councilors, Rocamora, acting city legal officer Shirley R. Daganta, and private respondents Cesar Areza and Alexander M. Cruz of ARCDCI to approve the lease contract for the public markets and a slaughterhouse.

Gabayan said the contract “was grossly disadvantageous to the Puerto Princesa city government and the people.” Her charge that Rocamora was a conspirator was dismissed by the Ombudsman for lack of cause of action, while the complaint against Areza and Cruz were dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.

Quezon City, Yangon firm up sister city ties QUEZOn City Mayor Herbert Bautista and Mayor Maung Maung Soe of Myanmar’s Yangon City have forged a sister-city agreement for the advancement of socio-cultural, trade and economic development.

During their visit to the Quezon City Hall, representatives of the Yangon City Development Committee presented an overview of projects and accomplishments of the QC government.

It showcased Quezon City’s development efforts to increase its competitiveness ranking in terms of ease of doing business, solid waste management and pollution control, disaster risk reduction and management and traffic management.

City Administrator Aldrin Cuña led Quezon City government officials in welcoming

the delegates from Yangon—Than, YCDC joint secretary; Thit Sar, public relations and information department head; Myo Thien, deputy department head of engineering; Myo Thurein, assistant head of the engineering department; Soe Htay, YCDC administration department section head; and Thenin Toe Aung, pollution control and cleansing department section head.

In establishing sister-city relations, Bautista said Quezon City “has been vigorously pursuing the promotion of socio-cultural, trade and economic development, especially in the areas of transportation and tourism; education, culture, youth and sports; environment and urban management and human resources, science and technology.”

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thUrsday, febrUary 2, 2017 th Standard C2 TODAY Manila

Talavera asks for flyover project, too t

By Ferdie G. Domingo

ALAVERA, Nueva Ecija—This first-class town in northern Nueva Ecija, one of only four towns in the province where President Duterte won in last May’s elections, is eyeing the construction of a flyover to solve the daily traffic in its major thoroughfares.

Mayor Nerivi Santos-Martinez ones built by the national govsaid she hoped a flyover like the ernment in Malolos City and

Baliuag town in Bulacan would lighten the heavy volume of vehicles passing through Maharlika Highway here.

“Hopefully, the national government would bless us with a flyover project so traffic would loosen up in Talavera,” SantosMartinez said.

The town’s rapid urbanization has also attracted more vehicles from Metro Manila, Baguio City, and Central Luzon provinces, the mayor added.

She said the flyover should be akin to the P96-million BaliuagCandaba Flyover built 15 years ago, which solved traffic in the area, or the prefabricated steel flyover in Malolos built in 2004.

This town, at 14,256 hectares, is considered the largest municipality in the province. The fastpaced economic activity here has seen an influx of big business establishments such as WalterMart and Save More, as well as resorts, restaurants and hotels.

However, Santos-Martinez said the daily traffic “has seriously affected its ability to function normally, with the lengthy traffic jams slowing down commerce.”

Talavera covers 24.7 kilometers of national roads, including the 16.9-kilometer Maharlika Highway. As it is centrally located, the town is one of the pivotal transport gateways of the region.

Santos-Martinez said the provincial government, through former governor Aurelio Umali

and his successor, Gov. Czarina Umali, has jump-started the construction of a P174-million bypass project traversing a remote portion of Talavera as alternative route of vehicles.

The project, started by R.Z. Roncal Construction Corp. last Oct. 5, 2015, will be finished in June.

“Maybe, we would be needing another by-pass road parallel to the other side, so we could further ease the traffic,” the mayor said.

trinidad IPs OK bineng plant

signing the agreement for the first 1,000 days Program are (seated from left) dr. Mila bautista, past president, Philippine Pediatric society; Quezon City Mayor herbert bautista; Vicky Wieneke, president, Kabisig ng Kalahi Inc.; dr. Mayumi bismark, vice president, Philippine Obstetrics and Gynecological society. standing from left are QC Councilors Gian sotto, alexander Herrera, Godofredo Liban, Elizabeth Delarmente, Eric Medina, Allan Francisco, and Lala Sotto, with Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte and Dr. Verdades Peña Linga, QC health officer III.

QC hosts first 1,000 days Program vs malnutrition Republic of the Philippines Province of Bataan City of Balanga BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE OFFICE INVITATION TO BID NO. GOODS-014-2017 The Provincial Government of Bataan, intends to apply the below listed procurement w/ corresponding Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected a bid opening.

Name of Project

Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC)

1. One (1) Year Security Services for Bataan – Baseco Joint Venture Inc. Property, Mariveles, Bataan

=P=23,000,000.00

The Provincial Government of Bataan now invites bids for the above listed Procurement.

Services is required on or before the maturity date stipulated on contract. Bidders should have completed, at least one (1) contract that is similar to the contract to be bid.

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

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

Bidding is open to all interested bidders, whether local or foreign, subject to the conditions for eligibility provided in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Office of Bataan Bids & Awards Committeeand inspect the Bidding Documents from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the same office.

Bid documents will be available only to eligible bidders upon payment of a non-refundable amount of using standard rates approved by GPPB as stated on their Resolution No. 04-2012 listed below.

Approved Budget for the Contract

Maximum Cost of Bidding Documents (in Philippine Peso)

500,000 and below

500.00

More than 500,000 up to 1 Million

1,000.00

More than 1 Million up to 5 Million

5,000.00

More than 5 Million up to 10 Million

10,000.00

More than 10 Million up to 50 Million

25,000.00

More than 50 Million up to 500 Million

50,000.00

More than 500 Million

75,000.00

MALNUTRiTiON in children remains a major concern in the Philippines, particularly during their first 1,000 days from birth when irreversible health risks occur.

To combat the menace and apply “nutrition-specific interventions” to mothers and their infants in marginalized communities, medical and private health organizations recently signed a memorandum of agreement with the local government of Quezon City.

The agreement is for the “First 1,000 Days Program,” a joint project of the QC government, the Philippine Obstetrics and Gynecological Society, the Philippine Pediatric Society, and Kabisig ng Kalahi inc.

The pilot program will run in Quezon City for three years until Sept. 30, 2019, with the intention of improving the program for all the city health units and its constituents. it will run interventions to address the lack of adequate nutrients received by Filipino children during their first 1,000 days of their lives, which also cause gaps in their physical and

mental development.

The program will feature micronutrient supplementation, exclusive breastfeeding, immunization, and proper nutrition.

“We are glad to participate in this public-private initiative to address maternal and child health concerns of our constituents, particularly since it is among the key priorities of our city government,” said Quezon City Councilor Lala Sotto-Antonio, who will file a resolution to back the program.

Mayor Herbert Bautista, who signed the MoA, reiterated what he said in his 7th State of the City Address that public health service “is a necessity in poverty alleviation.”

“Our objective has been to improve the survival rate of our newborns and reduce maternal mortality. The Batang 1000 program that our City Health Department operationalizes in partnership with various groups seeks to provide the health protection and nutrition needed to ensure the normal development of a child from the time he is born to two years of age,” Bau-

PEACE TALKS. arMM Police regional director Chief supt. artie C. sindac (second from left) poses with Moro Islamic Liberation Front first vice chairman for political affairs Gadzali Jaafar (beside sindac) after he visited the MILf’s Camp darapanan in sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao. they continued discussions on the peace agreement and strengthened their partnership against illegal drugs in the region.

Mark Navales

The Provincial Government of Bataanwill hold a Pre-Bid Conference on February 8, 2017 at 10:00 A.M. at Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan.

Bids must be delivered on or before February 21, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated on IRR of RA 9184 or Bid Securing Declaration in standard form.

The winning bidder has the option to deliver the items requested by the end-user with higher technical specification & better technology provided it will be beneficial to the government & will not incur additional expenses on the part of the procuring entity.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend opening of Bids at Bataan BAC Office. Late bids shall not be accepted.

In case of the above dates is declared a special Non-Working Holidays, it will automatically reset on the next working days.

Other necessary information deemed relevant by the Provincial Government of Bataan Activities 1. Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid 2. Eligibility Check 3. Issuance and availability of Bidding Documents 4. Request for Clarification 5. Opening of Bids

Schedule February 1 - 7, 2017 Refer to date of Opening of Bids February 1 - 21, 2017 February 10, 2017 February 21, 2017

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.

MARANAW LUZON SHIPPING COMPANY, INC. Notice of Resignation/Election

For further information, please refer to: Engr. Josephine R. Valenzuela Provincial BAC / PEO Bataan Provincial BAC / PEO Office, Capitol Compound, BalangaCity, Bataan 047-237-9316 bac@bataan.gov.ph

1. Hiroshi Arai - Director - Resigned as of December 31, 2016 2. Satoshi Kusunoki - New Director as of January 1, 2017 (SGD) ENRICO T. YUZON BAC CHAIRMAN

(MS-FEB. 2, 2017)

tista said.

The mayor urged all mothers in Quezon City to register in their barangays to receive comprehensive care packages from their pregnancy to their birthing time, and for their children as well.

According to program manager Dr. Maria Christine Joy B. Tanteo, participation and compliance “is very crucial” to the success of the program.

“The mothers really have to avail of the interventions that we are offering and to comply with the entire program. That is the key in getting all the health and nutritional benefits for themselves and their child. There are no shortcuts. They have to go through the entire program,” Tanteo said.

“We are hoping with this kind of program, we can increase the awareness of mothers, help them adopt the right attitude towards motherhood, take active participation in their pregnancy, and care for their children,” said Dr. Luz Ma. Theresa Garcia, medical director of SafeBirth Lyingin Clinic.

(MS-FEB. 2, 2017)

P1.56b...

From C1 implementation of the Department of Education’s K to 12 program in the National Capital Region, and two years later produced the largest first batch of graduates of senior high school in the country. Today, K to 12 is fully implemented in seven more public schools of Makati.

Other guest speakers at the ALCU Convention included Rep. Ann Hofer, chairman

LA TRiNiDAD, Benguet— The management of the Hydroelectric Development Corp. or Hedcor, the Cordillera office of the National Commission on indigenous Peoples, and the La Trinidad indigenous Peoples Organization recently signed an agreement to rehabilitate and upgrade the company’s Bineng hydropower plant.

The rehab would increase the plant’s power production from 5 megawatts to 19 megawatts using the water from the Balili River.

Hedcor’s proposed project within the La Trinidad ancestral domain has a projected annual power generation output of 59 million kilowatts per hour.

Among its requirements is the certification precondition from the NCiP, pursuant to Section 59 of the indigenous Peoples Right Act. To get this, Hedcor needed the free and prior informed consent of the indigenous cultural communities in the area.

The La Trinidad indigenous folk did not object to the permits per NCiP Administrative Order No. 3, Series of 2012, paving the way for the plant’s construction and operation.

Under the agreement, the iPs are entitled to a royalty of 1 centavo per kilowatthour, which increases by a half centavo per kwh every five years of the plant’s operation. The actual annual share may be different from the iPs’ projected share of P591,577 in the plant’s first year since the royalty will depend on its actual power output as indicated in Hedcor’s audited financial statements.

The iPs will also receive a fixed special development fund of P792,713.70 throughout the operation of the power plant, which goes directly to the LTiPO within two months from the last day of the plant’s operation.

Per the agreement, the iPs will use their annual monetary shares for programs and projects as indicated in the Community Royalty Development Plan “that redound to their well-being and benefit, ensuring that not less than 30 percent shall be allocated for livelihood and social development projects,” the agreement adds.

Hedcor shall also provide the iPs projects such as a multipurpose building, an annual scholarship fund of P240,000 for deserving iP students who hail from the domain, P100,000 for the purchase of iP musical instruments and native blankets needed in the performance of their traditional dances, annual medical and dental missions and lectures on family planning, funding support for the iP month celebration, “Lakbay-Aral” for LTiPO and the elders or leaders, and the construction of an iP viewdeck in strategic locations to view the project and other nearby scenic spots. Dexter A. See

of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education; Mayor Philip Tan of Tangub City; Mayor Arman Panaligan of Calapan City; and Dr. Patricia Licuanan, chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education.

Through UMak, the country’s first iSOcertified local university, quality tertiary education has been made accessible to all, including children from poor families in the city. The city government has invested billions in modernizing its facilities and expanding its course offerings to keep abreast of prevailing trends in the workplace.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Abducted tycoon sparks fear in HK H

C3

ONG KONG―The mystery over the reported abduction from Hong Kong of a Chinese billionaire deepened Wednesday after a newspaper advert appeared in his name pledging loyalty to China, in a case that has heightened fears over Beijing’s meddling.

The whereabouts of financier Xiao Jianhua—one of China’s richest men—are unclear after reports in overseas Chinese-language media that he was taken from Hong Kong by mainland security agents last week.

The reports suggested Xiao’s disappearance was part of China’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign, which some critics believe has been used to target President Xi Jinping’s political opponents.

A front-page advert in the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao, attributed to Xiao, said Wednesday he had “always loved the (ruling Communist)

party and the country” and would soon meet with media.

“I personally believe the Chinese government is civilised and has rule of law,” the advert read.

“I have not been kidnapped.”

Xiao, who said in the statement that he was a Canadian citizen, insisted he was being treated for an illness overseas, repeating a denial he had been abducted that had been published on his company’s WeChat account Monday.

The founder of the Beijingbased Tomorrow Group, Xiao has previously denied allegations that he fled to Hong Kong in 2014 to escape a corruption

crackdown by President Xi. He is reported to have acted as a broker for the Chinese leadership, including for the family of president Xi. It is illegal for mainland agents to operate in the semiautonomous city, but the disappearance of five Hong Kong booksellers known for publishing salacious titles about Beijing’s leadership in 2015 prompted widespread criticism that China had overstepped that line.

One of the men, Lee Bo, vanished from Hong Kong, triggering international condemnation and local protests that the city’s autonomy and

rule of law was under fire.

Lee always insisted he had gone over the border voluntarily.

“After the Lee Bo fiasco people are very concerned about whether Hong Kong residents or people lawfully staying in Hong Kong will be protected,” James To of the Democratic Party told AFP. To said there was a “credible suspicion” that Hong Kong’s semi-autonomous “one country, two systems” deal had been breached.

The Financial Times reported Xiao had been led away by Chinese public security agents from an apartment at the harbor-front Four Seasons hotel. AFP

Teenager taking on the might of China LOS ANGELES―A scrawny millennial with gaunt features and a studious frown, Joshua Wong looks like he’d struggle to take on a large steak, let alone the might of Communist China.

Yet the bespectacled activist is the unlikely hero to a generation in Hong Kong, where he led a movement inspiring hundreds of thousands to join his cause for elections free from Beijing’s interference.

At the age of just 17, he spearheaded mass blockades that brought parts of the Asian financial center to a standstill in 2014, sparked by restrictions from Beijing on how Hong Kong’s next leader will be chosen.

Hailed as one of the world’s most influential figures by Time, Fortune and Foreign Policy magazines, he is now the focus of an award-winning Netflix documentary due for release later this year.

“We hope people around the world recognize that social movements can make things happen. They can make things change,” Wong, now 20, told AFP by telephone from Hong Kong.

“People may be depressed or downhearted with the political situation in their own country, but it’s still optimistic to see hope and seek change by street activism.”

“Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower”

tells the story of how Wong became one of China’s most notorious dissidents after the mainland Communist Party backtracked on its promise of autonomy to Hong Kong.

Critics say the 79-minute documentary could not have picked a better moment, with political engagement piqued in the West as protesters take to the streets to decry the policies of new US leader Donald Trump.

“You have a lone teenager taking on China and it’s one of the things that attracted me to the story. The odds don’t get much bigger. Talk about David and Goliath,” Los Angeles-based director Joe Piscatella said in an interview.

At the age of just 14, Wong campaigned successfully for Hong Kong to drop a pro-China “National Education” program, rallying a crowd of 120,000 to his cause.

He was one of the 78 people arrested in September 2014 during another giant pro-democracy protest after China reneged on a pledge made during the handover to give Hong Kongers the right to choose their next leader.

Umbrellas were used to shield activists from waves of police pepper spray, giving the nascent “Umbrella Movement” its banal yet iconic symbol of resistance. AFP

Indonesian women at risk of joining IS

LAUNCHING From left, actresses Chelsea Kane, Aly Michalka and AJ Michalka attend Tyler Ellis Celebrates 5th Anniversary And Launch Of Tyler Ellis x Petra Flannery Collection at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles, California. AFP

JAKARTA―Indonesian women are taking on a more active role in violent extremism, with some seeking to become Islamic State group suicide bombers, a leading security think tank has warned.

The growing problem was highlighted after the arrest in December of two women with links to IS allegedly planning suicide attacks in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, according to a report from the Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC).

Many from Indonesia -- which has long struggled with Islamic militancy -- have flocked to join IS in the Middle East, while radicals in the country have pledged allegiance to the group and attacks and plots have been linked to the jihadists.

But the increasing eagerness of Indonesian women to get involved in radicalism themselves, rather than merely support their extremist husbands, poses new risks, said the report from IPAC, which is headed by veteran Indonesian security analyst Sidney Jones.

“Indonesian women in extremist organizations are now catching up with the lethal practices of their sisters in other parts of the world,” according to the study.

Increasing female involvement is linked to the appeal of IS but also to the growing sophistication of social media, which allows

IN BRIEF

Easing of corruption law spurs protests BUCHAREST―Thousands of Romanians took to the streets Tuesday night after the government issued a controversial emergency decree reducing the penalties for corruption in a move which will allow several politicians to avoid criminal prosecution.

In Bucharest protesters gathered spontaneously in front of the seat of government, chanting “thieves” and calling for the resignation of the social democrat government, which has been in power for less than a month, AFP reporters saw.

Protests also took place in several other cities, including Cluj, Sibiu, Timisoara and Iasi, according to Romanian media reports.

They erupted immediately after the announcement of the emergency decree which could allow many politicians to escape criminal prosecution.

Justice Minister Florin Iordache justified the changes, which bypass parliament and will enter into force almost automatically, as needed “to bring the legislation in line with the decisions of the constitutional court”.

Earlier this month the government of Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu published the emergency decrees, sparking angry protests across the country and criticism from Romania’s centreright President Klaus Iohannis,

who was elected in 2014 on an anti-graft platform.

“It is a day of mourning for the rule of law, which has received a hard blow from the opponents of justice and in the fight against corruption,” the head of state said in a statement Tuesday.

Iohannis had even taken part in the first demonstrations against the legal changes.

“This government has chosen to pass its ordinances secretly because it is afraid,” said Martina, an international relations student at the demonstration in Bucharest, fearing a “backtrack” in the fight against corruption.

“Nothing gives them the legitimacy to do that ... It’s a return to the period of 15 years ago,” echoed Cristian Clot, an IT employee.

The gatherings dispersed without incident.

The legal changes decriminalize several offenzes and makes abuse of power punishable by incarceration only if it results in a monetary loss of more than 44,000 euros ($47,500).

The changes will notably allow social democrat leader Liviu Dragnea, who went on trial Tuesday for abuse of power, to avoid prosecution.

Prosecutors have put the amount of money involved in his case at 24,000 euros, well below the new threshold. AFP

more women to read the jihadists’ propaganda and take part in radical chat forums, said the report, which was released late Tuesday.

The most high-profile cases were the arrest of two former domestic workers, Dian Yulia Novi and Ika Puspitasari, who had allegedly volunteered to become suicide bombers in Jakarta and Bali.

Leading Indonesian IS radical Bahrun Naim, who has been accused of directing a series of mostly botched terror plots in his homeland from Syria, had given them instructions and financial support, the report said.

Authorities detained Novi and her husband the night before a planned attack on the presidential palace in Jakarta and later picked up Puspitasari, who was part of the same network and had been planning to carry out a bombing on the holiday island of Bali, the report said.

Other women have been arrested for offenses including setting up a pro-IS charity, helping to make a bomb, and being fighters with a militant group on Sulawesi island.

IPAC called for the Indonesian government to try to find out more about female radical networks, including interviewing the many women who have been deported from Turkey after allegedly trying to cross into Syria to join IS. AFP “The need to know more about

Record year for Myanmar’s drug seizures

PRESENT. Actress Dianna Agron attends NY Poison Club hosted by Dior in New York City. AFP

YANGON―Myanmar police made record seizures of synthetic drug tablets last year, data obtained

by AFP showed Wednesday, underscoring the country’s ongoing and pivotal role as a major global narcotics producer.

Police confiscated a record 98 million tablets, nearly double the 50 million seized in 2015, according to police data.

Myanmar is one of the world’s top drug-producing nations, churning out huge quantities of methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs as well as heroin, opium and cannabis -- much of it bound for consumers in Asia and beyond.

Most production takes place in remote border territories controlled by ethnic minority militias or rival armed groups allied to the powerful military.

While low-level smugglers are often arrested, few cartel leaders have ever been brought to justice over the last three decades.

Given the powerful vested interests involved, tackling the trade remains a major hurdle for the newly installed civilian administration of Aung San Suu Kyi. In addition to the tablets, documents show some 759 kilograms of heroin, 945 kilograms of opium and 2,464 kilograms of pure methamphetamine—or “ice”—were seized last year. AFP

IN BRIEF Wall awakens patriotism of Mexicans

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

C4

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

World PERFORMANCE. This picture taken on December 11, 2016, shows dancers performing at the opening of the Astana Ballet Theater in the Kazakh capital of Astana.

In the snowy foreground of a brand-new steel and glass building in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, a dancer in national dress stands frozen in a dramatic flourish, her body arching towards the sky. The cast-iron abstract sculpture stands at the entrance of the second major ballet theater to have opened in the new capital in the last few years. Together they point to the energy-rich country’s ambition to stamp its own mark on an art form inherited from its Soviet past. AFP

MEXICO CITY―Mexicans are replacing profile pictures on social media with their country’s flag. Others are calling for boycotts of American products like Coca-Cola and Starbucks.

US President Donald Trump’s vow to make Mexicans pay for a massive border wall has not only caused a diplomatic row, it has sparked patriotic fervor south of the border.

On Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, people are using the hashtag #WeAreAllMexico, punctuating anti-Trump tweets with cries of “Viva Mexico!” and boasting that they live in “the best country in the world.”

President Enrique Pena Nieto’s spokesman, his foreign and finance ministers, and government departments have made the country’s green, white and red flag their profile photo on Twitter.

A slew of hashtags encourage Mexicans to stay away from American goods: #AdiosProductosGringos (goodbye gringo products), #AdiosStarbucks, #AdiosMcDonalds and #AdiosCocaCola.

Telecommunications magnate Carlos Slim, the world’s fourth richest man, called a rare news conference to express his “great pleasure” at the burst of national pride and support for the president, even though Pena Nieto’s economic reforms have chipped away at the billionaire’s telephone empire. AFP

Trump looms over EU’s summit B RUSSELS―Fears that US President Donald Trump’s policies pose an existential threat to Europe are set to overshadow EU leaders’ talks on multiple crises at a summit in Malta this week.

Curbing migration from Libya and dealing with the aftermath of Britain’s vote to leave the European Union were meant to be the dominant themes of Friday’s summit in Valletta.

But at their first meeting since the new US president took office, the national leaders will now also discuss the need for unity amid worries about Trump’s commitment to the

decades-old transatlantic alliance.

In an extraordinary sign of concern, EU President Donald Tusk on Tuesday ranked Trump along with Russia, China, Islamic extremism and domestic populism as the biggest “threats” to the bloc in its 60-year history.

From his controversial ban on migration from seven mainly Muslim countries, to backing a breakup of the EU and dismissing NATO as obsolete, Trump is barely able to open his mouth without ringing alarm bells in Europe.

“Worrying declarations by the new American administration... make our future highly unpredictable,” former Polish premier Tusk wrote in an almost apocalyptic letter to the EU leaders.

One EU diplomat told AFP: “This is a new way of governing —is each tweet a political act, or just the expression of a particular mood?”

The letter sets out European Council chief Tusk’s thoughts in relation to a debate on the “future of the EU” that 27 of the lead-

ers —minus British Prime Minister Theresa May—will have in Malta.

Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, whose country is one of the EU’s founding members, also confirmed that “transatlantic relations” including Trump’s migration ban would be on the agenda.

“I have spoken to several of my European partners and we share the same position: we do not approve of any order that also concerns Europeans with dual

Unions criticize travel ban LOS ANGELES―Two of the most influential unions in US film-making spoke out Tuesday to denounce President Donald Trump’s ban on immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations.

The criticism follows a White House decree on Friday suspending the US refugee program and banning migrants from Syria, while calling a 90day halt on entries from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen .

“The DGA strongly believes that artists—regardless of their national origin, faith, or gender —should be able to come to the United States to showcase their work,” the Directors Guild of America said in a statement.

“Policies that prevent this, without due consideration, should be of concern to all who care about art and cinema. The open exchange of art is core to who we are, it’s what motion pictures and television are increasingly about—drawing humanity together, transcending borders and cultures.”

SAG-AFTRA, which represents some 160,000 performers, echoed the criticism, avowing “equality of opportunity regardless of race, gender, creed, disability, sexual orientation or country of birth.”

“This immigration policy is misguided and we will support our fellow artists every step of the way,” the guild said, according to Variety magazine.

Sunday’s SAG Awards—one of the major ceremonies of Hollywood’s annual prize giving season—was marked by speeches denouncing Trump’s immigration policy. AFP

nationality,” he said.

Yet one question facing the EU leaders will be how strongly they can condemn Trump’s migration policies, when they are themselves discussing how to put up their own barriers.

The EU slashed migrant numbers coming through Greece through a controversial deal with Turkey, and the Malta summit will discuss how to stop those making the dangerous crossing from north Africa, especially from Libya. AFP

Ban says will not run for president

BIONIC CAT. Pooh, a one-year-old cat, who lost his hind legs in an accident and has been given bionic paws, walks in a vet clinic in Sofia. Pooh, who is thought to have lost his legs in a car or train accident last April, is back on the prowl thanks to Bulgarian veterinary surgeon Vladislav Zlatinov. He is the first vet in Europe to successfully apply the pioneering method of Irish neuro-orthopaedic surgeon Noel Fitzpatrick, who shot to fame in 2009 when making Oscar the first bionic cat by fitting him with new hind legs in Britain. AFP

Israel approves 3,000 new settler homes JERUSALEM―Israel has unveiled plans for 3,000 new homes for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank, the fourth such announcement in less than two weeks since US President Donald Trump took office.

The late Tuesday announcement came as security forces were preparing to evict the hardline occupants of a wildcat settlement outpost in line with a High Court ruling that determined the homes were built on private Palestinian land.

The planned eviction has been deeply unpopular with hardliners within the government, widely regarded as Israel’s most rightwing ever, and the new building

plans were widely seen as a sop to their supporters.

Dozens of security personnel were seen approaching the Amona outpost, northeast of Ramallah, headquarters of the Palestinian Authority, early on Wednesday in readiness to move out its residents.

Hundreds of hard-line sympathisers, who had slipped past army roadblocks on foot, lit tires around the outpost, an AFP correspondent reported.

Some threw stones at the media as residents started packing their belongings.

The former US administration of Barack Obama despaired of Israel’s accelerating settlement

expansion and, in a sharp break with longstanding policy, withheld its veto on a critical UN Security Council resolution in its final days.

But since Trump took office with top aides sympathetic to the settlement enterprise, the government has announced a string of new projects that will add more than 6,000 homes for Jewish settlers.

“Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have decided to authorize the construction of 3,000 new housing units,” the defense ministry said in a statement.

According to the statement,

2,000 of the units are ready to be put on the market, while the rest are in various stages of planning.

“We’re in a new era where life in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) is returning to its natural course,” said Lieberman, who himself has long lived in a West Bank settlement.

Since the January 20 inauguration of Trump, Israel has approved the construction of 566 housing units in three settlement neighborhoods of annexed east Jerusalem and 5,502 more elsewhere in the West Bank.

On Thursday last week, Israeli officials gave final approval for 153 settler homes in east Jerusalem. AFP

SEOUL―Former United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon ended his attempt to seek South Korea’s presidency Wednesday, dropping a lifetime of diplomacy to denounce his country’s political establishment.

Ban returned home last month after a decade in New York and was widely expected to run in elections due this year, but his putative candidacy ran into a series of stumbles and he struggled for backing.

“I will give up my pure intention to bring about a change in politics under my leadership and to unify the country,” he told reporters at a hastily arranged press conference.

“I’m sorry for disappointing many people.”

Although he never officially declared he was running, the former UN chief embarked on a series of public appearances and repeatedly spoke of the need to bring about a “change in politics” in a country where a wide-ranging corruption scandal has seen President Park Geun-Hye impeached.

As recently as Tuesday he was urging a change to the constitution to dilute the sweeping executive powers of the presidency and ensure more co-operative governance.

The 72-year-old was widely expected to join Park’s Saenuri party or an emerging conservative breakaway group for presidential elections which are due this year, whatever the outcome of the impeachment process. AFP

Life

Globe Platinum customer Ronald Cang received his brand new iPhone 7 from Globe Platinum Brand head Kaisie Del Carmen and Relationship managers Zachary Ballaran and Faye Mattus

health & wellness

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com thuRsday, feBRuaRy 2, 2017

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Giving back to the community F

oLLoWING the official announcement of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus offers, Globe launched the latest smartphones differently this year with Globe of Good bundle.

Through Globe of Good bundle, customers were able to get the new iPhone and at the same time have the opportunity to give back to various communities.

With the customer’s support for Globe and the new iPhone 7, they were able to contribute a special Globe of Good gift to selected partner causes.

Participating recipient organizations include KIVA, an online crowdsourcing platform to support micro-enterprises; the Global Filipino Schools program that brings 21st century learning in public schools through ICT; and finally the Hineleban Foundation for the rehabilitation of forests in Northern and Central Mindanao.

Upon receipt of their new phones, customers received the voucher that confirms their donation to all three organizations.

“We are grateful to all our customers who renewed their postpaid plans for the new iPhone 7. With their help and support, we were able to make this year’s launch extra special. It is truly an incomparable feeling to be able to contribute to the greater good just by doing a simple thing such as renewing a postpaid plan. So many communities will benefit from this gift, from students to entrepreneurs and of course, for the environment,” says Globe Senior Vice President for Consumer Mobile Business Issa Cabreira.

True to its brand of differentiated customer experience, Globe Platinum customers were able to receive their brand new smartphones on the first day of the iPhone 7 launch.

Their iPhone 7 units were personally delivered by Globe VP for Emerging Strategic Businesses Coco Domingo, and Globe Platinum Marketing Head Kaisie Del Carmen together with their respective Platinum Relationship Managers.

Globe ambassadors Ida Anduyan, Bjorn Bedayo and Kaila Estrada with the winners of the Globe iPhone 7 Midnight Photowalk challenge

Suzy Gamboa, Nikko Ramos and Aaron Atayde take part in the photowalk challenge

During the midnight countdown, Globe also organized a fun midnight photo walk challenge that had different teams from the media, influencers, and partners completing various photochallenges to win the new iPhone 7. The activity consisted of riddles that needed to be solved as a team as they go around BGC, Taguig. The winning team got to be the first ones to bring home an iPhone 7 prior to the actual launch day.

Customers can purchase their iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus via www.globe. com.ph/iPhone7. They are available through the Globe myLifestyle plans that already come with unlimited texts and calls to Globe/TM, mobile data and free access to content such as Netflix, Disney Channel Apps, HooQ and NBA, among others.

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are considered as the best, most advanced iPhone ever, featuring an all-new advanced camera system, dust and water resistant design, stereo speaker system and the A10 Fusion chip which is the most powerful chip on any smartphone while delivering the best battery life ever in an iPhone.

Postpaid customers can enjoy a more seamless mobile browsing as

Globe continues to expand its Long Term Evolution (LTE) footprint and migrate its customers to the LTE network. For postpaid customers who have yet to switch to LTE, they will receive their new LTE SIMs together with the new iPhone 7. The SIMs are free of charge and still carry their current mobile number.

More customers can still take part in creating a Globe of good even without renewing postpad plans. To help contribute to the Global Filipino Schools program, text GFS to 2158-0437 (GFS) and your contribution will be charged to your prepaid load or postpaid bill. To empower a micro enterprise through Kiva, just text Kiva to 2158-5482 (Kiva), and finally to help reforest the Mountain Ranges of Mindanao with Hineleban Foundation, text Tree Gift to 2158-8733 (TREE) and a seedling code will be received which can be registered to www. map.hineleban.org/registration.

For more information about these programs, visit www.globe.com/ globebridgecom. For complete details on pricing, visit www.globe.com. ph/iPhone7. For more information on iPhone, go to www.apple.com/iphone.

Pampering your canine and feline friends FoR the cherished four-legged members of your family, high-quality, allnatural, and innovative accessories and grooming products can go a long way. Give extra special thought to the safety, comfort and satisfaction that your furbabies may derive from using them. Here are some pet product recommendations from Bow & Wow, the go-to place for pet parents seeking functional and safe products.

1. a cozy spot for your pet

A pet with its own bed sets boundaries. Ensure that your pet’s bed is a safe, secure, comfortable, warm spot to stay in. A pet bed provides support for a dog’s back and joints, especially older dogs that may be arthritic. Having a separate bed for your dog will also help control the spread of hair and dander.

Among the top product picks at Bow & Wow is the Midwest Quiet Time orthopedic Bed. The quality overstuffed, extra thick, orthopedic pet beds are washable with material, stuffing and stitching that last. MidWest beds keep pets warm when the weather is cold, and cool throughout summer.

vides dogs a soothing, healing, nonirritating bathing experience. on the other hand, the Earthbath Shampoo is a gentle 2-in-1 conditioning shampoo for cats. It is pH-balanced for mildness. The luxurious shampoo contains the finest blend of natural cleansers, supple conditioners, and aloe vera.

2. tasty and nutritious treats

4. snug and cute pet apparel

Finding the right treats for your canine and feline home companions takes a little investigation, but the benefits are worth the effort. Whether you are using treats to grab your pet’s attention during training or just showing your affection, pet nutrition experts recommend that a dog get 90 percent of daily nutrition from a complete and balanced dog food and only 10 percent from treats. Bow & Wow recommends Doggy Delirious dog treats made of all-natural, human-grade ingredients. For cats, worthy options include the Purebites Cat Treats that are freeze dried to lock in the aroma, texture and freshness furry felines crave. The treats are 100 percent pure and rich in nutrients.

3. all-natural products

When choosing a shampoo for your pooch, keep in mind that a dog’s skin is more alkaline than human skin so it is important to use a shampoo that is pH balanced for use on dogs Cloud Star Buddy Wash is made with pure, all-natural ingredients and botanical extracts. It proThe Outward Hound Lucky Dog Slots is an interactive dog food dispenser

Dressing up pet dogs in a fashionsavvy way can be delightful. Bow & Wow recommends Butter Dog Wear, a line of casual wear and accessories for dogs that look snug and cute on them.

Another useful wearable item for your dog is the outward Hound Fun Fish Lifevest. It features the ‘safety’ orange high-visibility colors, reflective accents, adjustable side release buckles and dual grab handles. The Fun Fish Life Jacket is designed to keep your pup safe in the water while looking cute. The product is perfect for pool parties and trips to the beach.

Cloud Star Buddy Wash provides a soothing and non-irritating bath experience

5. Quality toys for your very best friend

Bow & Wow also carries innovative play stuff like the outward Hound Lucky Dog Slots, an interactive, treatseeking doggy fun item. It can keep pups engaged and playing longer. The product is made with durable food-safe plastic and has three treat chambers. on the other hand, a cute product for your Kitty is the Kong Active Puzzle Cat Toy that promotes healthy exercise and fulfills a cat’s instinctual desires to chase, hunt and capture.

Let your puppy play and enjoy his treats at the same time with the Outward Hound

Life

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thursday, february 2, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

I

MAGInE waking up to a beautiful sunny day, perfect for a run. You take a quick shower, put on your running clothes, tie your shoelaces, and head out. You make your way to the BGC Greenway Park.

It’s still early, it’s peaceful. Great, no distractions.

You breathe in the fresh air and feast your eyes on the lush greenery lining the length of the park with the beautiful BGC cityscape as a backdrop. You look over to the other side and see a group huddled in laughter at the Manila Golf Club.

Ahh, this is the life.

So you begin stretching, and slowly work up your pace. One step, then another, until you lose yourself in the moment. then you slow down, take a deep breath, and stop. that was a good run. You haven’t had anything like it in a while. that is the BGC Greenway experience.

Metro Manila has become an urban jungle. the once green and healthy city is now too crowded and chaotic as open spaces have taken a backseat to make room for skyscrapers and condominiums. urbanites are finding it difficult to pursue a sound and healthy lifestyle when the air they breathe in is a mixture of hazardous, exhaust gas from various modes of transport; plus there’s always the danger of encountering accidents on the road due to oncoming vehicles. this is one of the scenarios that Bonifacio Global City wants to address. Being a safe and walkable city, BGC’s master planner and developer, Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation (FBDC), collaborated with its very own community to bring us BGC Greenway Park, a 1.6-kilometer stretch of landscaped expanse that is poised to be the longest urban park in the Metro—its length close to new York City’s the High Line.

BGC Greenway Park lies at the western part of the city. From one end, it connects McKinley Parkway to different offices and residential buildings such as the Bellagio, Bonifacio Ridge, and all the way to the net Plaza.

Stroll, lounge, and workout

BGC Greenway Park provides BGCitizens a quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of daily living. Here, one can peacefully enjoy a midday stroll just to drown out the noise—either at home or at work.

At the same time, the patches of green spaces dotted along the urban park serve

Longest

urban park

in Metro Manila

QUIET RESPITE. BGC Greenway Park provides BGCitizens a place to peacefully enjoy a midday stroll or a spot to engage in hearty conversations with family and friends

as perfect lounging areas for families and friends to spend time with one another—for hearty conversations on laidback days or a place to go for a picnic.

BGCitizens living an active lifestyle will find BGC Greenway Park as a safe place to run/jog, bike, or walk the dog.

It’s also a place to hold outdoor events such as Sunday markets, film screenings, and other social functions.

FBDC is set to transfer the management and maintenance duties of the park to the Bonifacio Global City Estate Association, as part of the latter’s mandate to keep the BGC community a safe and suitable place for residents, workers and visitors alike.

Knowing the plight of urban city dwellers, FBDC hopes that the BGC Greenway Park can serve as a haven for BGCitizens where they can stop and relax from the worries of living in the city.

BGC Greenway Park is open to the public daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, contact Bonifacio Global City’s Community Manager, Armie Candado through 0917 5591749 or email info@bgc.com.ph.

Officials of the Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation present a certificate of turnover to the Bonifacio Estate Services Corporation for the maintenance of BGC Greenway Park. From left: FBDC chief finance officer Lourdes Reyes, Ayala Land Inc. Strategic Landbank Management group head Meann Dy, FBDC Commercial Operations head Manny Blas, Taguig City Councilor Hon. Edwin Eron, Bonifacio Global City Estate Association general manager Rodney Medrano, BGCitizens Karla Kangleon and Jan Llamado, and National Bicycle Organization director and founder Benedict Camara

New Dean of Benilde School of Diplomacy and Governance Hope in a Bottle, Kayumanggi Organics and Theo & Philo chocolates, among others are sold at Rustan’s Supermarket under its Super Goods category

Uplifting Filipinos out of poverty RuStAn’S Supermarket is the country’s premier supermarket, where everyone goes to get the highest quality products sourced from all corners of the globe. While loyal customers come to their stores for a taste of the best that other countries have to offer, the supermarket does not hold out on proudly showcasing our own Philippine products.

In partnership with one of the country’s largest nation-building movements, Gawad Kalinga (GK), Rustan’s Supermarket has become the first major retailer in the Philippines to develop a whole new category for accredited social enterprises that pledge to push forward local businesses and sustainable practices. Its line called Super Goods, curated by the leading social enterprise in the Philippines, Human nature, carries products that pass strict requirements in order to ensure that the sale of these products deliver genuine impact and uplift Filipinos out of poverty for good. the Super Goods roster includes brands like Bayani Brew, Villa Socorro, Holy Carabao, Sweet & Fit and many others, which bring our land’s bounty into homes while forging genuine partnerships with Filipino farmers and adopting practices that go beyond fair trade. Each steaming cup of Hineleban Coffee is an investment in transformative programs for marginalized groups and sustainable development. Sourcing their ingredients from Davao and Bacolod, theo & Philo chocolate products champion Filipino artisanship in each bite. Meanwhile, Hope in a Bottle and Wellness Water do more than

quench your thirst, each aiming to fill the basic needs of communities.

For a product to be considered into Super Goods, it must be responsibly sourced.

An example of this is Hineleban Coffee from Hineleban Foundation. they promote a wholesome environment for their crops to grow through their reforestation initiative in partnership with the indigenous tribes of Mount Kitanglad, where one coffee bag sold means one tree planted in a bid to restore the natural habitat for wildlife to flourish, while also creating a sustainable livelihood system.

In order to bring to life a vision of transforming the country, the campaign takes on brands that pay employees above minimum wage, with full benefits that enable them to enjoy a dignified, comfortable and secure quality of life. Dr. Gerry’s, another brand under the Super Goods category, for instance, sells coconut jam and coconut nectar, which helps the farmers from Quezon earn ten times more than from their usual copra production.

Important to any social enterprise is business integrity, and this is required of the Super Goods brands. Good corporate ethics must be in place, and the proper documents acquired. All carry FDA permits to ensure safe high-quality products, and some have gone further to obtain permits for export to the uS and Europe.

Being part of Rustan’s Supermarket, any product under Super Goods must be of world class standard. Sabanana Banana Chips is a product that sets itself apart with its focus on freshness. Only the finest bananas are harvest-

ed and used to produce these banana chips. It only takes a day for the banana on a tree to end up as chips in an air-tight sealed bag.

At the heart of the Super Goods campaign is uplifting the Filipino people. A great example of this is Hope in a Bottle, a brand of bottled water that addresses the education problem in our country. One hundred percent of profits of Hope in a Bottle go into building public school classrooms that are 30-50 percent less than usual costs.

While all these amazing brands are already out there, Rustan’s Supermarket aims to bring them under the same roof as a onestop-shop for their customers. With the partnership of Gawad Kalinga, which lends a wealth of experience and expertise to the program, Rustan’s Supermarket finally puts social enterprises in the spotlight, giving them the support they need to further their individual missions nationwide.

Super Goods is an example of the brand’s focus on bringing value and excellence to the industry, by giving shoppers the option to choose goods that do good at the same time.

In line with its core values, from innovation and quality to responsible corporate citizenship, the initiative brings to the shelves the best things made by Filipinos for the benefit of Filipinos.

If you know a good social enterprise that needs the extra support and passes the requirements, or if you simply want to learn more about Super Goods, visit www.rustansfresh.com, or like and follow @rustansfresh on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

tHE newly established School of Diplomacy and Governance (SDG) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde recently announced the appointment of George Binay as dean.

DLS-CSB President Br. Dennis Magbanua FSC reported in a letter signed by DLS-CSB Vice-Chancellor for Academics Geronio G. Ulayao.

In 2003, Binay was an assistant professor and prior to his latest promotion, he was program chair of the Consular and Diplomatic Affairs Department. He has been with the institution in the last 13 years.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Development Studies from De La Salle university, and Master’s Degrees both in Education and Philippine Studies from university of the Philippines-Diliman.

Binay is also concurrently the Dean of the School of Multidisciplinary Studies (SMS) for Academic Year 2016-2017 DLS - CSB founded the SDG to provide a holistic and balanced education, as well as critical knowledge and cutting edge training essential for effective engagement in the practice of diplomacy and governance, within the context of a highly competitive global environment.

Dean George Binay

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

O

SCAR winning actor Kevin Costner stars in the highly-inspiring movie based on the lives of real women who dared the odds in Hidden Figures along with Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominated Taraji P. Henson, Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, Grammy nominated Janelle Monáe , Golden Globe nominee Kirsten Dunst, and Jim Parsons with a powerful score from multiple Grammy winning musician/ composer Pharrell Williams.

In Hidden Figures, Costner plays the head of NASA’s Space Task Group, (the fictional) Al Harrison, who needs the best possible mathematicians regardless of gender or race.

Harrison wants Katherine Johnson (Henson) to work on John Glenn’s mission, because she has the skills needed to calculate the astronaut’s trajectory, which entails writing new formulas, making sure Glenn returns to Earth safely. As the movie unfolds, we discover that although Johnson is working on the mission, she is given little credit and is hamstrung in her endeavors because of endemic prejudice.

During the turbulent 60s, battling discrimination at home and in the workplace, Katherine Johnson, (Taraji

Kevin Costner stars in “Hidden Figures,” a biographical drama based on the non-fiction book of the same name. (Inset) A scene from the film that talks about the moving and empowering story of female African-American mathematicians at NASA.

KEVIN COSTNER breaks chains of discrimination

P. Henson) Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe), all stellar mathematicians, were undeterred in their pursuit of academic excellence.

Instrumental in helping America to eventually win the space

race, they broke down barriers, laying the groundwork for future generations.

Costner reveals that his role helped break barriers at a time when discrimination was thickly embedded in the nation’s culture. “He doesn’t care about

color. What’s most important to him is the math and the science.

He just knows that America is behind in the space race and he understands that they need to get ahead and he does not care where the great ideas come from: whatever the person’s

sex or color. He is a pragmatist and sometimes pragmatists like him are so focused, they are not even aware of the racism that’s going on around them. Harrison would look up from his desk and see this woman saying: ‘don’t you see that I can’t drink coffee

here? Don’t you see that I have to go to another bathroom a long way away from here [because of segregation]?’ Harrison is oblivious and is not even looking or thinking of any of that. And that’s when somebody says to him: ‘well take a look now!’ So he does. And yet Harrison is also the kind of person who has a high level of empathy and fairness, so that when the injustice is put right in front of his eyes, he says: ‘Of course, that’s wrong, that should be fixed.’”

“People like Al Harrison succeed because they have a strong desire to compete, along with a national vision and a level of personal pride. This is somebody who does not want America to lose [the space race]. Competition is a really healthy thing and, make no mistake, this was a competition and we (America) were losing.

Only a person who’s losing is really looking at things carefully, deciding that they’ve got to do something different. He thinks the best thing is to get to the top.

But he realizes that NASA wasn’t even allowing the best people (like Katherine Johnson) to have their voice,” concludes Costner.

Hidden Figures opens Feb. 22 in cinemas nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Ayala SureSeats partners with Globe Digital Ventures CONSTANT moviegoers now have a more convenient way of planning their movie dates and buying their tickets online as SureSeats seals its recent partnership with Globe Digital Ventures at Raffles Hotel, Makati.

Reinforcing the telco’s ties with its Ayala Corporation family, Globe Digital Ventures signed a contract with Ayala’s Sureseats for Globe Digital Ventures’ acquisition and management of its movie schedule and ticketing website, SureSeats.com. This latest partnership allows patrons to experience a faster and hasslefree process of purchasing movie tickets to Ayala Malls Cinemas with the technology that also powers GMovies.

“At Globe, we continue to strengthen our proposition to offer services that will enhance our customers’ digital lifestyle.

Innovations like GMovies alongside our strategic partnerships allow us to achieve our objective and provide

services that will upgrade the connected experience,” said Ernest Cu, Globe Telecom president and CEO. “We are very excited with the partnership of Ayala Malls Cinemas with Globe. We look forward to a rejuvenated Sureseats.com that will elevate the customer experience of our cinema patrons and bring significant growth in membership,” said Amir Precilla, Ayala Malls Cinemas general manager.

SureSeats is a complete online ticketing service for all Ayala Malls Cinemas in the country, allowing customers to reserve and purchase their movie tickets ahead of time.

This kind of service lets everyone plan ahead, choose their preferred cinema, date, time, and even their seats. SEALING THE DEAL. (From left) Ayala Groups’ Amir Precilla, Rowena Tomeldan, and Jose Emmanuel Jalandoni, with Globe Telecom’s Ernest Through the partnership Cu, Ruby Chiong, and Glenn Estrella contract signing of partnership between GMovies and SureSeats in Raffles, Makati. with Globe Digital Ventures, “Partnering with Sureseats milestone for us as we are certain Globe Telecom Digital Ventures cinema without the need for SureSeats users will be able to falling in line nor having tickets experience a new level of digital - a pioneer brand in the online we can take the Sureseats brand to vice president.

Through this partnership, printed. For more information, convenience and enjoy a more convenience space for Ayala a whole new digital entertainment malls movie theaters, is a experience,” said Glenn Estrella, customers can simply enter the visit www.sureseats.com. rewarding user experience.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Thursday, February 2, 2017

ACROSS 1 Pickle juice 6 Metallic sound 10 Fencer’s weapon 14 Brain parts 15 Livy’s route 16 Bird’s crop 17 It divides to multiply (var.)

18 Roquefort hue 19 Vacuum part 20 Be all ears 21 Meadow blossom 23 African nation 25 Rural sights 26 Make a lap 27 Eats sparingly 29 Skimpy pullovers 32 Pithy 33 Two-piece part 36 Director — Kazan 37 Gatsby descriptor 38 Spiky hair style 39 Not like Abner, really 40 Weed whackers 41 High-IQ group 42 Know intuitively 43 Pantry container 44 Nerdy cap

47 Cure-all 51 Test tube site 54 DEA operative 55 Borodin prince 56 Put on 57 Take a powder 58 Fishtail 59 Orbit segments 60 Kid around with 61 Uses hair rollers 62 Senate votes 63 — Park, Colorado DOWN 1 Dissatisfied feeling 2 Bard’s teen 3 Steel girder (hyph.)

4 Kearney’s place 5 NASA counterpart 6 Shinbone 7 “— never fly” 8 Have to have 9 Surliest 10 Bounces back 11 Roam stealthily 12 Paved the way 13 Wide-mouthed pitchers 21 Life of the party 22 Lo-cal 24 Fleur-de- — 27 Tractor pioneer

28 Subj. of rollovers 29 Util. bill 30 MacGraw of the movies 31 None at all 32 Crowd, in Madrid?

33 Cinnamon goody 34 HMO staffers 35 Rap-sheet letters 37 Left (2 wds.)

38 Hair shirt occasions

40 Next in line 41 “Aqua Velva —” 42 Night noises 43 Coral islet 44 Utter delight 45 Birdie beater 46 More or less 47 Bear down 48 Jeweler’s weight 49 Get the lead out?

50 High points 52 Ripped 53 Killer whale 57 Sault — Marie

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

‘We’re still NO. 1’ —Kapuso network

NICE

pre-Valentine date movie

ISAH V. RED

G

MA Network remains defiant in its claim as the current leader in the network ratings contest claiming it led the game well into the New Year, citing recent data from what it insists as the industry’s trusted ratings service provider, Nielsen TV Audience Measurement (NUTAM). The figures, it says, show the Kapuso network remaining as the no.1 in the country.

From December 2016 to January 15, 2017 (with January 8 to 15 based on overnight data), GMA led competition in National Urban Philippines with a people audience share of 41.7 percent, besting ABS-CBN’s 34.2 percent by 7.5 points.

All time blocks – from morning to primetime – were dominated by GMA as most Kapuso programs continued to rule over competition by strong margins.

Based on National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM) data, seven out of the top 10 programs were on GMA. Encantadia, still in no.1, is followed by Alyas Robin Hood in no. 2.

Leading primetime news program 24 Oras alongside weekend topraters Pepito Manaloto, Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, and Magpakailanman also kept their winning streaks in the NUTAM figures.

GMA’s opening salvo for 2017, the romanticcomedy Meant To Be, premiered with high ratings on Jan.ry 9, landing a spot in the Top 10.

Other shows in the list of top programs in the survey period were Hay Bahay!, Kapuso Movie Night, Tsuperhero, 24 Oras Weekend, Someone To Watch Over Me, Wowowin, Eat Bulaga, Pepito Manalotalk,, and Imbestigador.

Other shows with significant ratings included Superstar Duets, Sunday Pinasaya, Bubble Gang, and another recently launched, now muchtalked show Kapuso program, Ika-6 Na Utos.

The GMA Christmas Special, Magic of Christmas, and New Year Countdown, Lipad Sa 2017, also earned high ratings and beat all other TV programs in the same timeslot. Both Kapuso specials made it to the list of most-watched programs in NUTAM and Urban Luzon.

GMA emerged as the no.1 TV network in 2016 following its consistent and increasingly strong performance since September when it grabbed the nationwide ratings lead from its main competitor.

The Network’s fourth quarter ratings, with people share soaring

Britt Robertson and Asa Butterfield in “The Space Betwen Us”

“Encantadia” lead stars Gabbi Garcia, Glaiza de Castro, Kylie Padilla, and Sanya Lopez during the GMA Christmas Special

TWO of the fastest rising stars in the millennial era, Britt Robertson and Asa Butterfield who starred in blockbuster movies Tomorrowland and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, respectively, team up for the latest out-of-thisworld adventure in The Space Between Us, an interplanetary adventure.

On man’s first mission to colonize Mars, and after takeoff, one of the astronauts is pregnant.

Shortly after landing, she dies from complications while giving birth to the first human born on the red planet – never revealing the father of the child.

Thus begins the extraordinary life of Gardner Elliot (Butterfield) – an inquisitive, highly intelligent boy who reaches the age of 16 having only met 14 people in his very unconventional upbringing. While searching for clues about his father, and the home planet he’s never known, Gardner begins an online friendship with a street-smart girl in Colorado named Tulsa (Robertson).

When he finally gets a chance to go to Earth, he’s eager to experience all of the wonders he could only read about on Mars – from the most simple to the extraordinary. But once his explorations begin, scientists discover that Gardner’s organs can’t withstand Earth’s atmosphere. Eager to find his father, Gardner escapes the team of scientists and joins with Tulsa on a race against time to unravel the mysteries of how he came to be, and where he belongs in the universe.

The Space Between Us is in cinemas nationwide now, from Pioneer Films.

Trailer link: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ko7Ry6FEmS4

Anchors Iya Villana, Vicky Morales, Mike Enriquez, and Mel Tiangco help cement “24 Oras’” position as the number one news program in the country

The successful Broadway production “Wicked” is back in town

Ticket discounts to ‘Wicked’

The Dingdong Dantes starrer “Alyas Robin Hood” is the second most watched TV drama on local TV according to AGB Nielsen

“Ika-6 na Utos,” top billed by Sunshine Dizon, Gabby Concepcion, and Ryza Cenon, debuted to high ratings and was among GMA’s ratings drivers from December to the first two weeks of January

to 40.3 percent compared to ABSCBN’s 35.2 percent, was the main driver for GMA’s top ratings last year. GMA ended 2016 with a full year average people audience share of 37.3 percent in NUTAM, ahead of ABS-CBN’s 37.1 percent.

In December, GMA recorded its best ratings performance for 2016 as its people audience share reached 41.7 percent versus ABS-CBN’s 33.9 percent, capping off another milestone year for the Kapuso Network.

It likewise remained undefeated in Urban Luzon, which represents 77 percent of all viewers in urban TV homes in the country, with both its full

year 2016 and partial January 2017 performance showing that it is still largely ahead of competition across all day parts. From December 2016 to partial January 2017, GMA’s people share stood strong at 47.7 percent, 18.9 points higher than ABS-CBN’s 28.8 percent.

Nielsen data is gathered through a greater number of sampled homes nationwide in comparison to Kantar Media. With approximately 900 more homes surveyed in Total Urban and Rural Philippines compared to Kantar, Nielsen data is statistically considered more representative of the total TV population.

THE West End and Broadway musical phenomenon Wicked is back in Manila after its outstanding engagement in 2014. Presented

by Globe LIVE together with Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, Globe customers can receive exclusive ticket discounts of up to 15 percent off.

Globe Broadband and Platinum customers can enjoy a 15 percent discount, while Globe Postpaid and Prepaid customers get 10 percent off when buying up to six tickets. Broadband simply have to enter their broadband account number at ticketworld.com.ph or present their Globe billing statement upon payment to any TicketWorld outlet nationwide.

Globe Platinum, Postpaid and Prepaid customers on the other hand can text GLOBEWICKED to 2363 to receive a unique discount code that can be used at TicketWorld.com.ph, or presented upon payment in-person at any TicketWorld outlet.

Wicked’s runs begins today at The Theatre at Solaire. It is onstage Tuesday-Friday at 8:00 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. The by-invitation gala evening is on Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m.

For a chance to win tickets to Wicked, stay tuned to the Globe official social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

For more information, text GLOBEWICKED INFO to 2363 for free.

Tickets can be purchased via www.ticketworld.com.ph or visit any TicketWorld outlet, or call 891-9999.