Manila Standard - 2017 March 09 - Thursday

YASAY BOOTED OUT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

By John Paolo Bencito, Sara the Department of Foreign Affairs unanimously rejected Yasay’s con- swers you did not fully intend. For [DFA] by 8 a.m. tomorrow,” Abella firmation for failing to disclose his that I apologize,” Yasay said.

Susanne D. Fabunan and said, with an announcement expect- American citizenship during an earJose said Yasay’s failure to win Macon Ramos-Araneta PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will appoint an acting Foreign Affairs secretary to replace the outgoing Perfecto Yasay Jr., who was rejected by the Commission on Appointments Wednesday for lying about his American citizenship, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said.

“The Office of the Executive Secretary will communicate with

ed soon after that.

DFA spokesman Charles Jose said if there is a need to have an officer-in-charge, Undersecretary Enrique Manalo would be next in line.

“We respect the decision of the CA and will await the President’s appointment of a new secretary of Foreign Affairs,” Jose said in a statement shortly after the CA

lier hearing.

A day after that hearing, Yasay insisted that he was a Filipino citizen.

On Wednesday, Yasay maintained that he did not lie about his citizenship, saying that he merely failed to disclose some information because he was nervous.

“I did not lie. I may not have fully disclosed...but this is normal...you get nervous, you come up with an-

confirmation would have no effect on the country’s foreign relations.

“Confirmation is an internal process and other countries know better than to comment on it,” he said.

“The Philippines’ conduct of foreign relations will continue,” he said. “And our foreign policy remains unchanged under the leadership and direction of our Next page President.”

LAST DEFENSE. Foreign

Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. makes a last-ditch effort Wednesday to defend his citizenship and other issues during the deliberation on his appointment before the Commission on Appointments which eventually rejected his appointment by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Ey Acasio

Next page

CLOSE CONTACT.

Environment Secretary-designate Gina Lopez (right) meets Tuesday UP National Institute of Geological Science Director Dr. Carlo Arcilla, one of her staunch oppositors, shortly after the suspension of the hearing for the confirmation of her ad interim appointment as head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources by the Commission on Appointments. Ey Acasio

VOL. XXXI • NO. 27 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Aguirre spares Mighty—for now

By Rey E. Requejo and Vito Barcelo THE Justice department has not arrested Mighty Corp. owner Alex Wongchuking for alleged tax evasion as ordered

by President Rodrigo Duterte because no case has been filed against him, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Wednesday.

Wongchuking and his lawyer Sigfrid Fortun had met with Aguirre on Tuesday to assure government authorities he was ready to cooperate with them re-

garding his case.

We just talked. He expressed his willingness to fully cooperate with any investigation that may involve him,” Aguirre said in a statement.

“Why he was not arrested?

At the time of our meeting yesterday [Tuesday] there were no cases filed against Mr. Alex Wongchuking yet. That is why I did not order his arrest.”

Aguirre made his statement even as Customs agents seized a shipment of cigarettes with fake tax stamps in Cebu and Next page Tacloban.

Gina’s ‘sacred cow’ bared Round One: CA hearing tested her competence

By Christine F. Herrera, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Lance Baconguis

T

HE members of the Commission on Appointments on Wednesday tested Environment Secretary Regina Lopez’s competence after a scientist and other groups exposed the special treatment she gave to her family’s business during her confirmation hearing.

Solon wants Aquino charged for DAP

By Maricel V. Cruz FORMER President Benigno Aquino III should also be charged for the controversial P72-billion Disbursement Acceleration Program, which was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Bayan Muna pary-list Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate said he would file a motion for reconsideration to appeal the exclusion of Aquino from his former Budget secretary, Florencio Abad,

who was indicted for usurpation of legislative powers before the Office of the Ombudsman.

“We will file a motion for reconsideration before the Ombudsman [to hold Aquino liable for using government savings on priority projects without congressional approval],” Zarate said.

Aquino and other Palace officials earlier claimed that the DAP stimulated the economy in 2011, with DAP contributing to 1.3-percentage points to gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the last quarter of 2011.

But a World Bank report said the 1.3-percentage point gain referred to the total government consumption and public construction, and was not the result of DAP alone.

The think tank IBON Foundation, on the other hand, estimated that the real contribution of DAP-related spending to economic growth was “likely just one-fourth of a percentage point at most in the fourth quarter of 2011 and less than a tenth of a percentage point for 2011 as Next page a whole.”

Grilled by CA members Senator Franklin Drilon and Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato, Lopez admitted she was not well-versed about the technical issues on mining even as she insisted she could change the definition of what a “watershed” is.

Drilon and Sato said she could not just do that as the law clearly provides that mining is not allowed only in “critical watershed” areas.

“A watershed is a watershed is a watershed,” Lopez replied, saying it was within her mandate to change the policy and definition of terms such as watershed.

Despite Lopez’s claim that she had no sacred cows, University of the Philippines professor and scientist Dr. Carlos Arcilla testified that Lopez’s family-owned First Balfour was doing open pit quarrying on a 13-hectare Lobo watershed area in Batangas.

Arcilla said the Lopez open pit quarrying involved blasting, and was next to another open pit mine whose mineral production and sharing agreement was canceled by Lopez.

“The Lopez-owned First Balfour is mining aggregates in a watershed area in Lobo. You may check its website and it’s there, boasting that the quarrying is ongoing,” Arcilla told the CA. Next page

Another Bedan named as high tribunal justice

By John Paolo Bencito and Rey E. Requejo PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday named another contemporary in San Beda College law school as the latest addition to the Supreme Court.

Court of Appeals Associate Jus-

DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR.

President Rodrigo Duterte administers Wednesday the oath of office to newly appointed Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Martires during a simple ceremony at the Music Room of Malacañan Palace.

In 2011, Martires wrote the decision dismissing a case against then-Davao City mayor Duterte over the demolition of a park installed by his political rival in 2008.

Malacañang Photo.

tice Noel Tijam, the Court’s 176th Associate Justice and newest member, will fill the post vacated by retired Justice Arturo Brion, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 on Dec. 29, 2016.

“The Chief Justice and the associate justices of the Supreme Court welcome Next page

WOMEN’S DAY. Members of the Kaisa women’s group gather quickly Wednesday in front of the Catholic Church in Quiapo, Manila, then quickly disperse, to celebrate International Women’s Day. (Story on A3) Norman Cruz

PH, China set Reds kill 4 cops in Davao ambush for trade deals CHINESE Vice Premier Wang Yang will visit Manila in mid-March to sign agreements with the Philippine government following the recent trade and investment missions from China, an official said Wednesday.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said among the deals that will be signed here are the $1-million Chinese donation for the rehabilitation projects Next page

SUSPECTED communist rebels killed four policemen and wounded a fifth in an ambush on Wednesday morning in Davao del Sur, an official said.

Sources said that incident could derail the possible resumption of the peace talks between the government and the rebels that were stalled following a series of cease-

fire violations by the rebels.

Chief Supt. Manuel Gaerlan said the four policemen were in a patrol car and responding to a murder case in Bansalan town when they were attacked around 7:30 a.m.

The slain policemen were identified as PO3 Jayden May Rabor, a member of the Davao del Sur Scene-of-the Crime Operatives; PO1 Rolly

Benelayo, PO1 Saro Mangutara and PO1 Joe Narvaza, all members of the Bansalan Municipal Police Station.

The wounded policeman was identified as PO3 Allen Arnado.

Reports said the policemen had been tasked to respond to a murder case involving a civilian, a former police informer.

Next page

A2

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Yasay...

From A1 Jose also said any documents signed by Yasay would remain valid because he was effectively the secretary of Foreign Affairs at the time as a result of his ad interim appointment from the President.

Jose said there will be an urgent meeting with all the DFA officials regarding the matter.

In a TV interview on ANC, Yasay maintained that he was not an American but admitted that he was able to acquire US citizenship, which he said was invalidated by his actions afterward.

“Taking my oath does not make me a US citizen if precisely the basis upon which the grant of American citizenship is flawed and is defective,” he said in an earlier interview with ABSCBN. When he was questioned about his citizenship during his confirmation hearing in February, Yasay said he did not legally acquire US citizenship.

He later admitted that he was granted US citizenship in 1986 but said he was later disqualified because he had the “preconceived intent of abandoning his US residency.”

He took an oath of allegiance to the United States on Nov. 24, 1986 but returned to the Philippines three months after, in January 1987.

Yasay said he applied for US citizenship after former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. was killed in 1983. He said he never expected that President Ferdinand Marcos would be ousted.

Yasay’s rejection was the first time that a nominee for the position of DFA chief failed to get the CA’s nod.

He is also the first Cabinet member appointed by Duterte to be rejected by the bicameral body.

Jose said, after this, the President will select a DFA undersecretary as acting secretary or the Executive Chief may appoint another official from outside the DFA. Former President Benigno Aquino III in March 2016 tapped Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras to replace then-Secretary Albert del Rosario, who resigned due to health concerns.

Duterte has already announced that he will replace Yasay and appoint his running mate in last year’s elections, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as the DFA chief.

Yasay said he will return to his job at the University of Hawaii, where he was employed before being asked to head the DFA. The 15-member CA ordered Yasay to immediately vacate his post.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the CA’s committee on foreign affairs, said all 15 members of the panel present during the executive session voted to reject Yasay’s appointment for being a US citizen and for lying before the commission.

He noted that Yasay violated Sec. 45 of Executive Order No. 292, as amended, otherwise known as the Administrative Code of 1987, which requires that all Cabinet secretaries be citizens of the Philippines.

In an interview with reporters after the closed-door session, Lacson said Yasay was not being forthright in the question and answer portion of the two hearings conducted. Because of this, he said they decided to reject his ad interim appointment.

“He’s [Yasay] been rejected, he was just rejected, he will have to vacate [his office],” Lacson said.

“The President should appoint [someone] even in an acting capacity.

There’s a succession, there’s a senior undersecretary who can take over,” he added.

Lacson said the decision of the CA panel showed that the body is not a rubber stamp of Malacañang.

Aguirre...

From A1 They claimed the cigarettes were among the products that were sneaked out when Customs and Internal Revenue agents raided several warehouses in Pampanga and General Santos City recently.

Customs spokesman and Intelligence and Investigation Service chief Neil Estrella said the cigarettes bore the name Mighty.

He said those were seized from the m/v Don Alberto Sr. that was docked at the Port of Cebu from Manila via Tacloban, while another shipment was seized in Tacloban.

Estrella said the cigarettes with fake stamps were also found in the yard of Gothong Lines at Pier No. 4 in Cebu.

Duterte earlier ordered Wongchuking arrested for “economic sabotage.”

He is being investigated by Customs and Internal Revenue for alleged tax evasion and violation of other laws.

Aguirre said instead of immediately arresting Wongchuking, the representatives of Mighty Corp., Internal Revenue, Customs and the Justice department should sit down and fully determine the exact liabilitiesof the tobacco firm, if any.

He vowed to collect Mighty Corp.’s tax obligations once it was established it had been avoiding paying taxes.

There is no reason to have Alex Wongchuking arrested as of the moment. While the Department of Justice is at the forefront of ensuring that our laws are faithfully obeyed, there is a process that has to be observed under the law,Aguirre said.

Customs earlier said it was readying smuggling charges against those behind the shipments of Mighty cigarettes bearing fake tax stamps that were seized in successive raids in Pampanga, General Santos, Cebu and Tacloban.

Authorities had also seized 11,044 master cases of Mighty cigarettes worth P215 million in General Santos City and 62,200 master cases worth P1.98 billion in San Simon, Pampanga.

News

Alvarez pushes House purge

By Maricel V. Cruz

S

PEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez on Wednesday said he is determined to effect his policy to purge allies who did not vote for the passage of the Palace-backed death penalty bill.

“Policy is policy,” Alvarez told reporters, saying the House in plenary session would soon declare positions vacant for the House leaders they wish to replace.

House deputy speaker and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is one of those in danger of losing post. “[House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas] and I will talk about changing the chairmanship of the committee and the deputy speakers who voted against the

death penalty,” Alvarez said.

A lawmaker who refused to be named said that Alvarez appeared to have a hard time implementing the policy to remove some House leaders of their posts after his key allies in the super majority coalition asked him “not to rock the boat.”

“We had a meeting last night [Tuesday] immediately after the voting and we politely asked the Speaker to set aside the planned revamp because we will only create unnecessary enemies.

We should not rock the boat,” the House official said.

The House in Tuesday night approved on third and final reading House Bill 4727 with a 217-54 vote and one abstention.

“Former President Arroyo is still an influential leader who has direct access to President Duterte,” the source added.

Fariñas confirmed that he had talked with Alvarez, who is the secretary general of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDPLaban), even as he advised the Speaker not to rush the revamp.

“No big items today (Wednesday session). No replacements in the leadership positions will happen, yet. I made a plea to the Speaker to allow me to handle the matter, which he has kindly granted while saying only be-

cause I trust your judgment,” Fariñas said.

The source said majority of the party members from the supermajority coalition like the Nacionalista Party, Nationalist People’s Coalition, Liberal Party, National Unity Party, PartyList Coalition and others “have delivered significant votes” to support the measure.

“In fact, 70 to 80 percent of the total membership of the parties within the supermajority delivered a significant support for the bill’s passage. We don’t see any reason to be harsh to our allies who failed to toe the line because we are definitely creating enemies,” the House leader said.

Aside from Arroyo, other House leaders who voted against the death penalty bill’s

Gina’s...

From A1

FOR AND AGAINST. Groups either opposing and supporting the confirmation of Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary-designate Gina Lopez picket outside the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City. The groups made known their respective positions during Lopez’s confirmation hearing Wednesday before the members of the Commission on Appointments.

Ey Acasio

Another...

From A1 the Hon. Noel G. Tijam as the Court’s 176th Associate Justice and its newest member,” the Court said in a statement.

Tijam’s appointment came just two days after Duterte named Sandiganbayan associate justice and fellow Bedan Samuel Martires to the Court.

Tijam graduated magna cum laude from San Beda College in 1967, with a bachelor of arts degree in Philosophy and Political Science. In 1971, he graduated salutatorian from the San Beda College of Law. In 2011, Tijam wrote the CA resolution that upheld the inclusion of former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. in the list of respondents in the Maguindanao massacre case, where 57 people were killed.

The CA junked Ampatuan’s petition, which sought to dismiss two resolutions by the Justice Department that found probable cause to indict him for one of

Reds...

From A1 At exactly 6:30 a.m., the policemen on board two patrol cars were sent to the crime scene, and while on their way the other patrol car fetched a team of SOCO technicians.

An hour later, the patrol car car-

Solon...

From A1 Ombudsman Conchita Morales cleared Aquino and former Budget undersecretary Mario Relampagos over the DAP issue, citing lack of jurisdiction.

Zarate said Aquino was the “architect” of the DAP since he chose the projects to be funded as documents have

PH,...

From A1 in earthquake-hit Surigao; the $1-billion purchase agreement for agricultural products; the $10-billion business projects of Chinese investors in the Philippines; and the Six-Year Development Program for Economic and Trade Cooperation.

Lopez made his statement even as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday the relations between China and the Philippines had returned to the right path to benefit the two peoples and

the worst cases of election-related killings in Philippine history.

He also became one of the CA justices who handled the case of Reynald “Jojo” Lim, the brother of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles and wrote the CA resolution reaffirming its earlier ruling on the closure of the thrift bank Banco Filipino in 2011, after it failed to settle its obligations.

Before his appointment to the appellate court in 2003, he served as presiding judge of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221. He has also held various positions in the private sector and in government.

The 68-year-old justice earned four votes from the Judicial and Bar Council during the panel interviews last November.

Questioned about the President’s move to appoint more graduates of the San Beda College of Law at the high court, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said there was nothing wrong with it “as long as they’re quali-

fied.”

Like his fellow appointee Martires, Tijam will have two years to serve before he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70.

Both Martires and Tijam were graduates of the San Beda College law school, like Duterte. They are also both insiders in the judiciary whose appointments brought back the tradition of promoting justices to the Supreme Court from the ranks of the judiciary.

During his interview with the JBC, Tijam said his decisions will be independent from the influence of his law school classmate, Duterte.

Tijam and Martires join two other San Beda law graduates in the Court, Associate Justices Jose Mendoza and Bienvenido Reyes, who are both fraternity brothers of Duterte.

The two new appointments came as the Court is set to hear oral arguments next week in the petition of detained Senator Leila de Lima, political nemesis of the President, in connection to drug cases against her in court.

rying the SOCO personnel were ambushed while 100 meters from the crime scene.

Davao del Sur Police Chief Samuel Cadingan said the four policemen were apparently shot at close range.

“They all had gunshot wounds in the head and they were not shot from afar,” Cadingan said.

He said PO3 Arnado fell off the car

during the initial volley.

“He fell and rolled into a ditch and the gunmen did not see him,” Cadingan said.

On Feb. 21, four members of the Kalinga Provincial Police were killed in a firefight after a high-value target they were ordered to arrest resisted.

Francisco Tuyay and Florante S. Solmerin

shown.

Anakpawis party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao shared Zarate”s view as he expressed discontent over the decision of the Ombudsman to clear Aquino.

“We are used to hearing about the exoneration of the powerful and influential from liability,” he said.

Casilao said that the issue of DAP is not limited to a legal issue, but a political one, as it mainly concerns corruption in the government.

“We should recall that the massive anti-DAP and pork barrel protests since 2014 compelled the high court to decide on its unconstitutionality, logically, holding those guilty responsible would require similar if not more heightened mass actions,” Casilao said.

Casilao said that there is no legislative and legal indication for graft and corruption can be cut when the DAP architects and beneficiaries are being cleared by the Office of the Ombudsman.

other countries in the region.

Since President Rodrigo Duterte came to office, he had handled the South China Sea issue properly and actively improved relations with China, Wang said.

“The Philippines has extended a hand of goodwill, so China of course will embrace it with open arms of cooperation, Wang told a press conference on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People’s Congress.

Lopez said Chinese Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan mentioned during the 28th Joint Commission on Economic and Trade Cooperation that China will be donating $1 million for the reha-

bilitation projects in Surigao.

On Feb. 10 Surigao was hit by a 6.7-magnitude earthquake that caused a P720-million damage to infrastructure.

China plans to import from the Philippines products such as durian, avocado, bananas, pineapples, coconuts, mangos, dragon fruits, mangosteen, marang, rice, coffee, cacao, fish, chicken and duck meat under the $1-billion agricultural products purchase deal.

The $10-billion business deals involve five Chinese firms that presented their letters of intent to the Board of Investments to establish their businesses in the country. PNA

Shortly after Arcilla’s testimony, the portion about the Lobo quarrying in the First Balfour website was taken down.

But Lopez said First Balfour did not have an MPSA or any permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

“The First Balfour is in the area for site preparation to keep the place clean. There is no activity for the past five months, no extraction activity,” Lopez said.

But Senator Alan Peter Cayetano replied: “If First Balfour, which operates in a watershed, did not get a closure order just like the rest of the 75 MPSAs that were canceled, then that is a sacred cow.”

Senator Panfilo Lacson expressed dismay after Lopez failed when asked to define MPSA and lay down the requirements to acquire one.

“I am not a miner. I am not familiar with the terms and issues about mining but I have consultants,” she said as she called on a consultant to provide her with the information.

“We have to test her competence, Mr. Chair,” Lacson said as the CA was waiting for Lopez’s response.

Arcilla also said Lopez has not acted upon the issue of a pipe leak in Bangkal, Makati, where some 100 residents were evacuated and have yet to return home.

Residents in the West Tower already returned because “they have nowhere to go to,” he said.

“The issue of the pipe leak that involved the Lopez-owned First Philippine Industrial Corp. remains unresolved to this day and I wonder how the DENR secretary stands on the issue,” Arcilla said.

“This is a clear case of conflict of interest, just like in the case of First Balfour.”

Lopez said the issue had been addressed and that her family had spent $1.5 million to remedy the problem, adding that as far as she was concerned, the problem was “finished.”

“It is unfortunate to know that the DENR secretary is going around the country closing down mines but she has not been seen in Makati to check on the safety of the residents,” Arcilla said.

Sato said Lopez could not on her own decide to cancel the MPSAs and close down mines without allowing the operators to correct their supposed violations.

“No. I can. It is in the Mining Act. It is within my mandate,” Lopez said.

Lopez admitted there was a “gray area” in the law as to when the decision becomes “final and executory.”

She said the President has the last say on whether or not to close down the mines. Once the President made a decision, it becomes final and executory, she said.

Manny Galvez, managing partner of Airboard Co., also expressed his strong opposition against Lopez for refusing to act on the anomalous P1-billion air monitoring projects awarded to a “favored” supplier Electrobyte.

“The DENR secretary is busy closing down mines and passionate about the watershed. But what about the air we breathe? There is a case here of a supplier that provided non-working air monitoring stations that gave out inaccurate data but the Secretary simply ignored our complaint since Aug. 2, 2016,” Galvez testified.

Senator Vicente Sotto III asked Galvez if he would no longer oppose her confirmation if she acted on their complaint.

“We would still oppose her confirmation. This boils down to competence. She is incompetent to be the DENR secretary,” Galvez said.

Lopez came prepared and hit back at those who opposed her confirmation. She accused Galvez of being a supplier of air monitoring stations, which Galvez denied as he said his business was involving the publication of the data on the density and quality of air.

Galvez complained that they could not do business because the data being supplied by the expensive air monitors was inaccurate.

Lopez also accused Arcilla of being pro-mining because he was a consultant of a mining company.

The CA members also had a glimpse of Lopez’s attitude of insisting on what she wanted, asking the CA to move her next hearing to May 3 because she was flying Friday to the United States for a vacation.

“You should prioritize the CA,” Drilon said.

“Hmmmm… Sige, till tomorrow night,” Lopez said.

CA House contingent chairman San Juan City Rep. Ronaldo Zamora said the CA members rejected Lopez’s request to postpone the confirmation hearing.

“We have scheduled hearings for her [Thursday], and additionally Monday and

passage included: Reps. Vilma Santos-Recto of Batangas (chairman of the House committee on civil service), Carlos Isagani Zarate of Bayan Muna (chairman, House committee on environment and natural resources), Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers (chairman, House committee on public information), Arlene Bag-ao of Dinagat Island (chairman, House committee on people participation), Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman of Anak Mindanao (chairman, House committee on Muslim Affairs), Josephine RamirezSato of Occidental Mindoro, member of the Commission on Appointments, and Mariano Michael Velarde Jr. of Buhay (chair, House committee on overseas workers affairs), among others.

Tuesday if needed, with Wednesday set for voting, to confirm or to reject,” Zamora told the Manila Standard.

Because there were so many parties opposing Lopez’s confirmation, the CA’s committee on environment chaired by Senator Manny Pacquiao suspended the hearing, which is set to resume 9 a.m.

Thursday.

She will be considered bypassed if she fails to get the CA nod before Congress goes on a break on March 18.

On Wednesday, only Galvez and Arcilla were able to explain their objections to Lopez’s confirmation.

At the start f the hearing, Lopez apologized to the CA for saying that some of its members were purportedly offered P50 million each to reject her appointment.

“I also like to take this opportunity to deeply apologize to the members of the Congress because I had originally made a statement of P50 million. I know many members of the Congress personally and I can truly vouch for their integrity, their sincerity, their love of country so that was not meant as an allusion at all,” she said.

“It was a remark done without any evidence so again, if I had hurt anyone’s feelings, I want to apologize for that in front of everyone,”she said.

Virgilio Tanigue, 58, president of ATUM (Alyansa Tulay Mina ng Mindanao), assailed Lopez for the arbitrary order to stop mining operations. He said Lopez should have talked first to the owners of mining companies and ordered them to rectify any violations.

“She should have said these are our requirements, these are our laws, these are our policies and if the owners did not comply, it’s the only time to order a cessation of the mining operations,” Tanigue said.

Orlan Mayor, 43, president of the Coalition of Mine Workers and Families ang Communities, decried the absence of due process as she heard only the side of antimining people.

“With her decision, we can see how many were affected, which she did not consider,” he added.

Local officials in mining areas around the Caraga Region also voiced their opposition to Lopez’s appointment.

Caraga Region stands to lose 20,589 mining jobs if Lopez’s mine closure orders become final, said Evelyn R. Ramos, regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment.

Officials from Surigao and Dinagat provinces, where all the 14 Caraga-based large-scale mines that Lopez closed are located, said the closure will hurt their local revenues and affect the delivery of basic services.

Surigao del Sur Gov. Vicente Pimentel said he feared that the loss of mining jobs would result in an increase in criminality and illegal fishing in the province’s mining towns of Cantilan and Carrascal.

“In Carrascal, where I used to be mayor, highway robberies and dynamite fishing were prevalent because people had no livelihood,” Pimentel said. “It all changed when mining operations started.”

Pimentel noted that Carrascal alone will lose P198.3 million, or 62.3 percent of its total operating income, citing the figures from the Department of Finance.

In Surigao del Norte, Gov. Sol Matugas said the province had no jobs for an estimated 5,000 mine workers who would be displaced by the DENR order.

Rep. Ace Barbers (2nd district) was more direct, saying Lopez had overstepped her bounds by “failing to observe transparency and due process.”

“I initially supported her bid for DENR, but now I must say I cannot support her for several reasons, one of which is her inability to separate her personal cause from her task as a government regulator,” said Barbers, whose district hosts seven largescale mines, three of which were ordered closed by Lopez.

In Dinagat province, meanwhile, Vice Governor Benglen Ecleo said they cannot support Lopez following her decision to close down seven large-scale mines in the province.

Vice Gov. Ecleo said Dinagat stands to lose 75 percent of its annual revenues, noting that mining is the primary driver of economic growth in the province—a declared mineral land since 1939.

“The impact on our towns will also be devastating. The municipality of Tubajon alone earns P38 million in annual taxes from mining operations, which amounts to 55.4 percent of its total operating income,” Ecleo said.

Lopez held consultations in Surigao and Dinagat provinces late last month, promising mine workers alternative jobs under her “green economy” program. She said jobless miners can be employed under the agency’s National Greening Program.

News

A3

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF NBI nabs man for phishing THE National Bureau of Investigation Wednesday said its operatives from the Cybercrime Division (NBI-CCD), NBI Isabela District Office, and Dept. of Justice Office of Cybercrime have arrested a man for phishing.

This is an act of illegally obtaining sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details in an electronic communication.

The NBI identified the suspect as Christian Ian Salvador, a 22-year-old Computer Science student of Isabela State University, Cauayan Campus, arretsed on March 3, 2017.

On the strength of a search warrant issued by the Cybercrime Court of the Regional Trial Court of Manila, operatives raided the apartment of the suspect in Cauayan City, Isabela.

Salvador was arrested after being found violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act, Access Device Regulation Act, and Data Privacy Act. Suspect had illegally obtained online banking username and password, personal information, and credit card information including card number, security code and expiration date of customers of a local bank. Suspect sent thousands of e-mails to various customers of the bank making it appear that the e-mails came from the bank itself.

Sandy Araneta

2 graft cases vs Echiverri THE Office of the Ombudsman on Wednesday filed two counts of graft raps against former Caloocan City Mayor Enrico Echiverri before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the alleged anomalous P4.7-million drainage project in 2011.

Named co-respondents were former city accountant Edna Centeno and former city budget officer Jesusa Garcia for two counts of graft and two counts of falsification of public documents.

The Ombudsman recommended a P30,000 bail for each count of graft or a total of P60,000 bail for each of the respondents.

For falsification filed against Centeno and Garcia, a P12,000 bail recommended for each count, or a total of P24,000.

The Ombudsman said Echiverri, Centeno and Garcia gave “unwarranted benefits and advantage” when they awarded a P2.7-million contract to E.V. & E. Construction for the improvement of the Molave Street drainage system from May to December 2011.

During the same period, the accused also awarded a P1.9million contract to Golden 3T Construction for the improvement of the Saplungan Street drainage system.

Echiverri, then the city mayor, approved the project implementation without the consent and knowledge of the city councilors.

On the other hand, Centeno and Garcia “feloniously” made false statements in the allotment and obligation slips as to the existence of appropriation and obligation of allotment for both projects. Rio Araja

CONTRA DEATH PENALTY.

Women from the Akbayan Party-list and Miriam College students squawk and shriek Wednesday a noise barrage along busy Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City against the death penalty, a day after the controversial measure was passed on third and final reading by the House of Representatives with a 216-541 vote. Manny Palmero

Minority bloc urges Duterte: Attend to pressing issues

By Maricel V. Cruz

T

HE minority bloc in the House of Representatives urged Wednesday the Duterte administration to attend to other pressing issues plaguing the Filipino people, such as unemployment; and prioritize them in the same manner he did the war on drugs.

Minority leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, at a news conference, said President Rodrigo Duterte’s approach must transition from a local government perspective to that of a leader of a nation.

“With the resumption of the PNP’s campaign against illegal drugs, we are concerned that the

needs of marginalized and unemployed sectors might receive less attention,” Suarez said.

Suarez said the increasing rates of unemployment and poverty had gone at an alarming level that needed an immediate attention of the administration.

“Hunger, poverty, and unemployment should be dealt with

the same intensity and aggression as the war on drugs, if not more,” Suarez said.

“The government should exert more efforts on providing additional job opportunities and find creative, out-of-the-box alternatives to persons considered unemployable,” he added.

Suarez cited the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2017 joint report by different United Nations commissions which recognized the country for being one of Asia’s best economic performers, with an estimated seven-percent growth in September last year.

“We must see these numbers in light of the present unemployment rate to determine whether the recorded growth is ‘inclusive growth’,” Suarez said.

According to an SWS survey in December 2016, Suarez said,

unemployment rate increased to 25.1 percent, which equates to 11.2-million adults jobless during the last quarter of 2016.

Suarez said: “This was deemed the worst in two years. The national annual average unemployment rate was 22.3 percent.

“Among the unemployed, 12.2 percent or 5.5-million people voluntarily left their jobs, 8.7 percent or 3.9-million people lost their jobs for economic reasons beyond their control, and 4.3 percent or 1.9-million people were first-time job seekers.”

The same survey showed an increased poverty level, with 44 percent of families considering themselves poor, while those who are food-poor increased four points from the September 2016 statistics, he added.

“Most of the unemployed be-

Malampaya fund ‘distribution’ backed

By Maricel V. Cruz A PARTY-LIST lawmaker on Wednesday batted for the distribution of Malampaya fund following the filing of malversation charges against former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes and 41 others in connection with the misuse of P1.53 billion in royalties from the special fund.

Deputy Minority Leader and Kabayan Rep. Harry Roque said the distribution of the Malampaya fund was in accordance with the Local Government Code.

“This was the motive for the killing of Dr. Gerry Ortega, who I believe was murdered after he sought to expose the plunder of the funds that should have been intended for the energy needs of Palawan,” Roque said as he welcomed the filing of charges against Reyes.

Roque served as counsel for the family of the slain environmentalist.

“Palawan deserves a fair share of the Malampaya fund. President Rodrigo Duterte should ensure the proper distribution of the fund to avoid its misuse,” Roque said.

Roque is also one of the petitioners, along with members of the Palawan-based nongovernment organization Kilusan Love Malampaya, in a case pending wtih the Supreme Court since 2006 questioning a compromise agreement forged between the national government and the provincial government of Palawan under Reyes.

The compromise agreement allowed Palawan no more than 20 percent of the royalties from the proceeds of the Malampaya oil and gas fields, contrary to the provisions of Republic Act 7160 or the 1991 Local Government Code, which allocated local government units 40 percent of the royalties from the use of natural resources in their areas.

Ortega himself was one of the petitioners when the case was first filed with the Regional Trial Court in Puerto Princesa. Reyes is one of the principal suspects now being tried for the murder.

Under the Local Government Code, 80 percent of the local government’s share should go to the funding of energy projects.

“Instead, what happened in Palawan’s case is that the funds went to many ghost projects not related to energy,” said Roque.

“That’s why Reyes and his cohorts now stand charged in court.”

Roque said it was time the Supreme Court resolved the pending controversy on the disposition of the Palawan funds, noting that after the high court held oral arguments on the case on Nov. 30, 2009, Janet Napoles helped herself to nearly P900 million of the Malampaya funds.

SC sustains decision on clustering scheme

By Rey E. Requejo

READ THEIR HANDS. Public Works Secretary Mark Villar (left) and Manila North Tollways Corp. president Rodrigo Franco inspect the North Luzon Expressway Harbor link connector road segment 9 and 10 in Karuhatan, Valenzuela for motorists’ convenience. Manny Palmero

THE Supreme Court has sustained its decision last year nullifying the Judicial and Bar Council’s scheme of clustering nominees for multiple vacancies in the judiciary.

In a resolution dated Feb. 17, the SC denied the motion for reconsideration filed by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines questioning the appointments of Associate Justices Geraldine Faith Econg and Michael Frederick Musngi in the Sandiganbayan by former President Aquino last year.

The high court also denied a similar appeal filed by the JBC, which defended the clustering

of nominees in its shortlists for separate vacancies.

While the tribunal affirmed the appointments in the antigraft court, the SC upheld its ruling to strike down the clustering of nominees for one shortlist per vacancy.

“The declaration of the court that the clustering of nominees by the JBC for the simultaneous vacancies that occurred by the creation of six new positions of Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan is unconstitutional was only incidental to its ruling that President Aquino is not bound by such clustering in making his appointments to the vacant Sandiganbayan Associate Justice posts,” the resolution stated.

long to families in the marginalized sector. These people find it difficult to get jobs as they lack the required education or experience. If they are lucky, they get to work contractually as laborers,” Suarez said.

“Once their contract expires, they revert to being jobless. What these people need are regular jobs that offer fair salaries which will serve as a consistent source of income for their families,” he added.

Suarez said that while the statistics cited seem to favor the government, it is not real growth if a vast majority of our nation’s population wallow in poverty and endure hand-to- mouth existence.

“The rate of poverty, hunger and unemployment must decrease. Otherwise, we are a nation standing on a downward spiral,” Suarez stressed.

Women answer ‘daunting challenge’

By Macon Araneta FOR the past few months, Senator Nancy Binay said the Philippines witnessed great developments nationwide as the country’s women answered President Rodrigo Duterte’s call for progressive change.

And during this transition phase, she said the women were at the forefront of what she called daunting challenge.

“To date, we have seen the election and appointment of extraordinary women in government—strong individuals who stand by their ideals and continually fight for gender equality and women’s rights,” said Binay.

For her part, Senator Loren Legarda said the Philippines could lead the global effort to achieve gender equality and women empowerment.

Legarda also hailed the Senate’s approval of the Expanded Maternity Leave Law, which she co-authored.

“The Senate’s approval of the Expanded Maternity Leave Law is timely as we celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8 and National Women’s Month.

This is a multi-pronged measure on improving maternal healthcare, reducing child mortality, and promoting breastfeeding,” she said.

Binay said: “As we celebrate the National Women’s Month, she said the Senate voted 22-0 for the approval of Senate Bill 1305 or the Expanded Maternity Leave Law of 2017.

A4

Opinion

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Eyes on the Senate

I

MAGINE if there were just one House of Congress. If it were so, then the death penalty would have been reimposed already—despite the uproar about how it sets us back by decades, how it violates religious norms, how it does not deter crime anyway and how dangerous a tool it would be for those who play god over the lives of others.

Fortunately, the railroading of the death penalty bill at the House of Representatives this week is not enough reason for its advocates to celebrate just yet. Senators have to take their turn in deliberating the bill and voting on it.

It’s good they don’t have a leader like their counterparts in the lower House. Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez is dead-set on dealing with his

colleagues who did not vote as he wished. He says he would strip House leaders who said no to the death measure of their plum posts.

That should be easy to check, especially since the list containing the names of those who said no has been making the rounds of social media, and people are actually looking at how their own district representatives voted.

By contrast, the senators’ constituents are the entire nation, and so more eyes will be trained on them as they vote for or against the reimposition of the capital punishment.

We have of course seen many times how the senators themselves play to the gallery, how they make spectacles of themselves when they conduct hearings obviously not in aid of legislation, grandstand, take down their enemies or simply utter nonsense.

This time, for this too-important piece of legislation, however, we wish they would shed theatrics and vote according to what they think and feel is right—assuming they are capable of doing so.

Yes they are politicians and must toe the line of their parties and political patrons. But politics is temporary; the consequences of their vote on the death penalty bill will outlast their current terms.

Yes they have their affiliations, but they have their own minds, too and must not be cowed by threats, real or imagined, should they vote a particular way.

Our senators have frustrated us so many times but here is a good opportunity to redeem themselves a little. No other consideration should determine their vote on this one—not perks, not loyalty— outside of their sense of right and wrong.

DUTY CALLS FLORENCIO FIANZA

Tokhang 2

Everybody unhappy LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES THE approval by the House of Representatives this week of the proposed law bringing back the death penalty for drugrelated crimes is one of those examples of Congress acting —and abjectly failing to make anyone happy by its action.

And that’s what happens when our lawmakers look at their job as simply one of follow orders in exchange for personal gain, even if they can’t seem to please even the people who gave them orders.

The people opposed to the reimposition of the penalty are, quite naturally, incensed at the passage of the measure. Most of those opposed to the move to reinstate the ultimate punishment, after all, conflate its return with what they believe is the state’s policy to take life, under the administration of a

supposedly bloodthirsty President Rodrigo Duterte.

But those who want the penalty returned aren’t ecstatic, either, about the proposed law that Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez labored mightily to get approved. These people are led by no less than Duterte himself, who publicly questioned the failure by the House to impose the same penalty on other serious crimes such as rape, plunder and treason.

Alvarez and his allies have had to come up with the justification that they wanted to pass the measure as soon as possible with the biggest majority they could muster, which was why the penalty was making a comeback only for drug-related crimes. But this explanation makes a mockery of the lawmaking process —it stinks to high heavens of soulless and mindless legislation, the kind that is produced by congressmen who are perfectly happy just to provide minimum compliance with the least amount of

effort in order to receive the maximum in personal gain.

This is just the sort of legislation that makes many wonder why we need a Congress at all.

And yet the people who inhabit the Lower House almost always take offense when their cham-

This is just the sort of legislation that makes many wonder why we need a Congress at all.

ber is called a rubber stamp of Malacañang.

I actually think the congressmen are correct to take offense.

A rubber stamp is infinitely cheaper to purchase and main-

tain than an entire collection of about 300 lawmakers who cannot seem to understand that they represent the people, instead of just their own selfinterest.

These are the congressional “initiatives” that fuel the occasional calls to abolish the legislature. If this is all that Congress can come up with after all its posturing and bloviating, I’d have to agree that maybe we don’t really need it at all.

Administrations come and go. But Congress’ single-minded objective to feather the nests of individual legislators remains a political constant. *** The communist New People’s Army struck with murderous intent yesterday, killing four policemen who were responding to a call for assistance in a remote part of the town of Bansalan, Davao del Sur. Reports said PO1 Rolly Benelayo, PO1 Joe Narvaza and PO1 Saro Mangutara, all members of Bansalan police station, and PO3 Jayden May

Rabor, of the Scene of the Crime Operatives team in Digos City, were on their way to investigate a reported murder when they were set upon by the insurgents.

I don’t know how the NPA and its supposed leadershipin-exile in Europe is going to spin this atrocity, assuming they will claim authorship of it at all. All I know is, this is the sort of uncalled-for attack that has caused the Communists over the years to lose adherents to their discredited ideological cause.

There is simply no way for the rebels to justify this latest brutal attack. And I’d like to see them explain to the families of the four policemen why the cops had to die when they weren’t even pursuing the NPA. The irony of it all is that the NPA never gets called out by the human-rights crowd for perpetrating such gruesome crimes.

It’s only the security forces who go after them who get accused of violating the human rights of Turn to A5

AFTER a month of hiatus, Oplan Tokhang is back. This time, it is called Double Barrel Alpha Reloaded.

A day after the announcement of its return, eight people were killed in various anti-drug operations. So much for a bloodless Tokhang 2. It is not an auspicious relaunch.

Philippine National Police Chief Bato dela Rosa in a press briefing last Monday made several important distinctions between Tokhang 1 and 2 to make sure that the so-called mistakes committed in Tokhang 1 will not be repeated. This time, effort was undertaken to at least select the personnel that will compose the new Drug Enforcement Unit. Starting from its chief, all the personnel were vetted in a way that it was never done before.

One wonders, however, how the vetting was done and where the personnel came from. If the personnel came from units within the National Capital Region, then I have strong misgivings. After all, the temptation of drug money is so strong that it can easily melt the resolve of principled individuals.

They say the operational procedures will now be different. Operations at the barangay level will have to be coordinated with the barangay captain who will be required to accompany the raiding team.

A parish priest or a pastor will be requested to be present to enhance the credibility of the operation. The PNP Chief further said that the primary operating units will be the territorial police forces. He did not, however, elaborate how this new PNP-wide drug enforcement unit will fit into the overall Tokhang 2 campaign. Can this unit conduct operations anywhere by just informing the territorial force before the operation, or does the territorial force have to be present during the operation?

The press briefing failed to clarify this.

Also, will a search warrant be required before the police can enter the houses of suspects or will the presence of the barangay captain be sufficient. We have to remember Turn to A5

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

Benjamin Philip G. Romualdez Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

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

ManilaStandard

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

ONLINE MEMBER

PPI

Chairman Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Treasury Manager OIC-Ad Solutions Circulation Manager

Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares

Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor City Editor

Emil P. Jurado

Adelle Chua Honor Blanco Cabie Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion Editor Night Editor Art Director Chief Photographer

Opinion TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Rejecting Lopez GINA Lopez is heiress to the If these are not acts of graft wealthy Lopez clan of the and corruption, I don’t know ABS-CBN broadcast net- what are. work. The former drug addict If the CA does not reject is now Secretary of the De- Lopez, the only conclusion partment of Environment and that people can form is that Natural Resources. She faces Malacañang intervened. the Commission on Appoint*** ments as some 20 oppositors Ombudsman Conchita have submitted documents; Carpio-Morales’ act of givthey do not want her appoint- ing former Budget secretary ment confirmed.

Florencio Abad a slap on I wrote the other day that the wrist for his role in the the Lopez case would be a Disbursement Acceleration good opportunity for Presi- Program is perplexing. Abad dent Rodrigo Duterte to re- was found guilty of simple ally effect change and end misconduct and was ordered graft and corruption in gov- suspended for three months. ernment.

Worse, she even found forUnfortunately, the more mer President Aquino not lihe talks about change, the able for it. more things seem to stay the Would Abad have implesame. Mr. Duterte even made mented the DAP without a pitch for Lopez’s confirma- Aquino’s participation and tion. He wants her to be able approval? to explain her side after she The Ombusdman is really violated due process in sus- soft on the former President, pending mining operations. who appointed her. Isn’t she?

This reminds us of Presi- This is the same way she exdent Benigno Aquino III’s cluded him in the Mamasapabrand of selective justice. He no case where 44 members of always defends his allies and the Special Action Force were persecutes his political en- killed. This is also confoundemies. ing since he is commanderI was happy when Mr. Du- in-chief! terte exhibited political will *** in firing T h e r e ’s two Immithis Amerigration ofcan televificials even sion series though they c a l l e d If she is not were his Ma d a m f r a t e r n i t y rejected, the Se c r e t a r y b r o t h e r s . people can only depictThe two ing the accepted a conclude that Philippine bribe from Malacañang president gambling as groping mogul Jack intervened. the secLam. He retary of also fired State. She his former punched campaign manager, Peter Tiu him, resulting in his bloodied Laviña, on accusations that nose. he had extorted money from The Philippine Embassy in contractors of the National Ir- Washington has already cried rigation Authority. foul over this.

Why is the President The implications are serimaking an exception for ous. It depicts the Philippine Lopez? president as a womanizer.

Lopez is now being accused Malacañang was right of accepting a bribe—which when it said through its I cannot understand, given spokesman Ernesto Abella how rich her family already that the producers of the is. Lopez supposedly went to series are confused.

Paris in October, right around Our President is not that the time she intervened for brazen to be groping women her French friend’s company Cabinet members. What is Ecological Foundation Inc. demeaning to President DuThere is also the accusa- terte and to Filipinos alike tion that she was involved is that the reference is made in a P1-billion air monitor- to a Philippine president. We ing device that did not work. should protest this.

She also granted an environIn the same vein, there was mental clearance certificate also a comedy series in one to her family’s Energy De- of the television networks velopment Corp. for its geo- in Taipei which made fun of thermal efforts.

President Duterte. The charHer failure to act on that acter used expletives to empipeline leakage at the West phasize a point.

Tower Condominium in But the Manila Economic Bangkal, Makati also puts her Cultural Office, now chaired into question. The company by Duterte propagandist Lito involved is also owned by the Banayo—who also writes Lopezes. for this paper—did nothing.

Everybody...

From A4

the rebels, whenever they seek to bring the rebels in to account for their truly heinous and offensive actions.

You could argue, as the bleeding-heart rights groups do, that only the military and the police could be held legally accountable for violations of human rights. But if you accept, as the rebels claim, that they are combatants in a long-running war, then the Communist forces should also be held liable for their atrocities.

The people, who have long suffered in silence while the NPA has continued its dep-

redations in the countryside, know better than to sympathize with the NPA, however.

Between the businessmen who have to pay off the rebels in order to buy peace and the ordinary citizens who are caught in the crossfire when they stage their attacks, it’s easy to see why the insurgents’ numbers keep decreasing and their once-large mass base has been whittled down to nearly nothing.

See, this is why the call for the government to go back to conducting peace negotiations with the Communist rebels is not getting any traction. The NPA doesn’t want peace; perhaps it’s time to give them the war that they deserve.

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Hunger and unemployment OVERSIGHT DANILO SUAREZ WITH the resumption of the Philippine National Police’s campaign against illegal drugs, we are concerned that the marginal and unemployed sector will again be ignored.

I have consistently reiterated that the President should devote equal attention to other pressing issues in the country. The President’s approach has to transition from a local government perspective to that of a leader of nation. He is the Chief Executive. In all matters of government, the buck stops with him.

I am sure the President is aware that we have one of the worst unemployment rates, despite being alleged as one of the Asia’s fastest growing economies. The World Economic Situation and Prospects 2017 joint report by different United Nations commissions recognized the country for being one of Asia’s best economic per-

formers, with an estimated seven percent growth in September last year. The growth is not inclusive in light of the unemployment rate.

The latest SWS survey conducted in December 2016 showed an increasing rate of unemployment in the country with 25.1 percent, that equates to 11.2-million adults jobless during the fourth quarter of 2016. This was deemed the worst in two years. The national annual average unemployment rate was 22.3 percent. Among the unemployed, 12.2 percent or 5.5-million people voluntarily left their jobs, 8.7 percent or 3.9-million people lost their jobs for economic reasons beyond their control, and 4.3 percent or 1.9-million people were first-time job seekers.

Based on the same survey, the poverty level increased, with 44 percent of families considering themselves poor, while those who are foodpoor increased four points from the September 2016 statistics. The link is material.

Most of the unemployed

belong to families in the marginalized sector. These people find it difficult to get jobs as they lack the required education or experience. If they are lucky, they get to work contractually as laborers.

Once their contract expires, they revert to being jobless.

What these people need are regular jobs that offer fair salaries which will serve as a consistent source of income for their families.

We cannot dismiss entirely the possibility that the US-based overseas Filipino workers and those employed in the BPO sector might lose their jobs if the US President follows through on his campaign promise to nationalize jobs that have been “offshored” or given to migrant workers. This will increase the country’s unemployment rate, and impact negatively on our country’s main source of revenue. We hope this is mere speculation.

With all these factors at play, we call the President’s attention to the increasing levels of poverty and unemployment.

We are aware of the President’s EO 5 “Ambisyon Natin 2040.” Ambisyon Natin 2040 aims to eradicate hunger and poverty by 2040. However, the increasing rates of unemployment and poverty are so alarming that it needs immediate attention and urgent action. Hunger, poverty, and unemployment should be dealt with the same intensity and aggression as the war on drugs, if not more. The government should exert more effort on providing additional job opportunities and find creative, out-of-the-box alternatives to persons considered unemployable.

While the statistics cited seem to favor the government, it would not be true growth if a vast majority of our nation’s population wallow in poverty and endure hand-to-mouth lives. It is not true growth if most of our country are unable to find gainful, productive, and stable employment.

In my opinion, we are not growing. If the poverty and unemployment rates are ominous of the future, we are in a downward spiral.

The pale horse: Tokhang and the death penalty IS THE Philippine government looking to retroactively seek permission for the thousands of tokhang murders committed since the beginning of the present administration?

The House of Representatives voted the other day for the reimposition of the death penalty for heinous crimes.

The proposed Death Penalty Law specifically points to drug-related offenses related to the sale, importation, manufacture, and distribution of dangerous drugs; the maintenance of any establishment where dangerous drugs are used or sold; possession of 10 grams or more of such substances; and certain crimes committed under the influence.

This law also defines heinous crimes as “grievous, odious, and hateful offenses, which by reason of their inherent or manifest wickedness, viciousness, atrocity, and perversity are repugnant and outrageous to the common standards and norms of decency and morality in a

Tokhang 2...

From A4 that the presence of the barangay captain or a priest will not make the operation legal. And why do we have to include a priest? This is not a good idea.

Sure, the church is a big critic of Oplan Tokhang but getting them involved in police operations is not the way to go. The church leaders therefore, were right to refuse participation.

If the PNP wants credible police operations, all it has to do is follow old and established police procedures like securing warrants instead of simply gunning suspects down. The PNP must realize that the outcry in Tokhang 1 was due to the numerous occasions wherein the killing of so-called suspects were so incredulous that very few people believed the police version of the story.

The PNP has a lot of work to do before it can convince the public that the effort will be dif-

just, civilized, and orderly society.”

The specificity of the law as it relates to drugs gives rise to the suspicion that this will be a blanket approval for more extrajudicial killings.

If heinous crimes are to be punished to the fullest extent of the law, why not other similarly “grievous, odious, and hateful” offenses such as murder; vicious, atrocious, and perverse ones such as rape and wife-beating; and the manifestly wicked crime of plunder? The victims of these crimes would certainly describe them as “repugnant and outrageous.”

Why cherry-pick some offenses and not others as worthy of the extreme sanction, unless it is to serve a certain agenda or purpose?

The Philippine Constitution, under Art. III, Section 1, provides: “No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law… Sec. 2: “the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses…against unreasonable searchers and seizures of whatever nature and for any purpose shall be inviolable, and no search warrant or warrant of arrest shall issue except without probable cause to be determined personally by the judge…”

Tokhang maneuvers flout due process of law and the right of people to be secure in their persons and houses, even as the police tramp through communities and break doors down to shoot users, who should have been rehabilitated rather than summarily executed, as thousands of them have been and continue to be.

As many have pointed out, it is a war against the poor.

How many wealthy and influential drug users have been shot in the streets? Why are the posh residential enclaves spared from tokhang operations? Why haven’t there been any big fish drug dealers put behind bars?

The injustice of EJKs has not gone unnoticed by the international community.

The international media have published many in-depth stories that describe the EJKs for what they are—human rights violations. And instead of halting them, is the Lower House paving a way to legitimize them, by way of reinstating capital punishment?

The members of the Lower House should reread Art. XIII of the Constitution, on Social Justice and Human Rights: “Sec. 1: The Congress shall give highest priority to the enactment of measures

that protect and enhance the right of all the people to human dignities…”

There is nothing more undignified, and inhumane, and unjust, than to slay a Filipino citizen in cold blood, without due process. And of the innocents killed by mistake, many of them were the flower of Filipino youth, our country’s future. How high will the toll be five years hence?

Moreover, death-dealing is final and cannot be taken back. How sure are the lawmakers that the Death Penalty will not abused to further EJKs? Shouldn’t they first read the research findings that capital punishment is not a sufficient deterrent for crime? Why don’t they evaluate whether this drug war is in fact the right thing to do by our people, given that it has failed in other countries?

As I look at photos of those slain in the name of the drug war, I am reminded of Rev. 6:8: “I looked, and there was a pale horse, and its rider’s name was Death. Hell followed him.”

ferent the second time around.

As they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. If Bato means what he is saying, then he must do it because no amount of deodorizing will help if in the end if the campaign will be the same banana.

Less than a year before the retirement of Bato de la Rosa, I would hope that he starts thinking of his legacy. How will he leave the police organization in a much better situation than when he started to head it? *** What should we make of the latest testimony of retired SPO3 Arturo Lascañas? Is it believable as critics of the administration are saying or a perjured story as claimed by supporters of President Duterte?

This is the problem when a story is changed. The problem of credibility always comes up.

Why should people believe the new story when the original narration was different? In the last Senate hearing, the senators

rightfully questioned his motivates, chronology of events and inconsistencies in his affidavit.

Still, the story is not necessarily false. He claimed to have participated in over 300 killings with him personally killing about 200 people, a shocking number even to an old foggy like me.

It puts to shame the record of someone I used to know who claimed to have killed about 75 people during the anti-dissident campaign in Central Luzon.

Senator Ejercito pointed out that the reason Lascañas changed his original story last October was that he failed to get any concession in four business ventures that he attempted to broker with the administration.

In other words, sour grapes. Another is that Lascañas is just being used by those interested to topple President Duterte from power. On the other side of coin is repentance as the principal motivation. It is a powerful reason especially when Lascañas thought that he was about to

meet his maker. Intimations of mortality does change people.

The other reason is that what possible gain Lascañas could get except criminal charges for murder and retribution from the administration?

It is probably hard to find an impartial observer here.

Either one is for or against President Duterte. There is no middle ground. But what can the public really expect from the hearings? That a case be filed against the President or perhaps impeach him from office? As any average observer of politics would point out, this is simply not going to happen. Unfortunately, Justice in the Philippines depends on the political weather. A crime in the previous administration may not be a crime in the current administration. It is simply a fact of life in this country of ours. So, sit down, relax and watch the circus and hope that these misfortunes will not happen to you.

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

A6

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

Issues hinder P170-b program

Alvarez asks courts not to restrain infra projects

By Mynardo Macaraig

By Maricel V. Cruz

DESPERATELY needed airports and trains are part of President Rodrigo Duterte’s envisioned “golden age of infrastructure,” but graft, red tape and other perennial problems threaten the $170-billion plan.

Unprecedented influxes of money from China and Japan are key planks of the hoped-for building frenzy, which aims to rectify decades of underspending that has been one of the main anchors on the Philippine economy.

Decrepit light rail lines in the capital of Manila, which snake above ever-worsening traffic that has come to be known as “Carmageddon,” are among the most obvious symbols of the infrastructure problems.

“The city is really suffering now from lack of mobility, not only in terms of mobility, it’s really the total absence of infrastructure,” Duterte said last week as he described Manila as “decaying.”

Duterte and his aides have repeatedly said the six years of his administration will be the “golden age of infrastructure,” with a record $168 billion to be spent on 5,000 projects across the nation.

If the plans come to fruition, infrastructure spending would reach 7.2 percent of the gross domestic product by 2022, when Duterte is due to step down—a huge increase from 1.8 percent in 2011.

The Philippines ranks 95th out of 138 countries for quality of infrastructure, and behind most of its Southeast Asian neighbors, Japanese-based financial services group Nomura said in a recent report.

It said the lack of infrastructure was a huge drag on economic development, citing a Japan International Cooperation Agency estimate of traffic costs in Manila alone as equivalent to four percent of GDP. Infrastructure spending started to rise during the administration of Benigno Aquino, who stepped down last year, but his much more ambitious plans were curtailed by many problems that will also confront Duterte. AFP

PEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez on Wednesday pushed the Department of Transportation to proceed with the bidding and construction of the common MRT-LRT terminal regardless of the possibility of a temporary restraining order that may be issued by a court.

S

“Itayo nyo na yang terminal na yan. Keseh*** yung mga TRO diyan, gawin nyo na yan [Put up that terminal already.

What the f*** with the TROs. Do it already],” Alvarez told DOTr officials during a hearing conducted of the House committee on transportation.

“Pera ng gobyerno yan, Project

ng gobyerno yan. Bakit iti-TRO? Subukan nilang i-TRO di i-impeach natin. Hindi ako nagbibiro dito [That is government funds.

That is a government project.

Why the TRO? Let them try and we will impeach them. I am not kidding],” Alvarez said.

Under Republic Act 8975, only the Supreme Court can

issue any TRO, preliminary injunction or preliminary mandatory injunction against government infrastructure projects.

Alvarez said the DOTr should not waste time in implementing a project which would benefit many Filipino commuters.

However, Alvarez stressed that the common MRT-LRT terminal project should be constructed as originally envisioned during the 14th Congress, when it was determined that the best location for the common station is in the middle of the Edsa-North Avenue-West Avenue intersection, fronting SM Department store.

But under a recent Memorandum of Agreement signed

among the DOTr, other concerned government agencies and with private companies, namely, San Miguel Corp., North Triangle Depot Commercial Corp.Ayala Corp. Light Rail Manila Corp. and SM Prime Holdings Inc., the common terminal will be built between SM North Edsa and Trinoma in Quezon City.

Alvarez also warned DOTr not to push through with the intended bidding for the development, operations and maintenance of five unbundled airport projects, namely Bacolod-Silay, Davao, Iloilo, Laguindingan, and New Bohol (Panglao) under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme.

Earlier, Alvarez said the PPP

IN BRIEF 2% growth in building projects THE Philippine Statistics Authority reported a 2-percent growth in construction projects in the fourth quarter of 2016.

Data released by PSA on Wednesday showed that the total number of construction projects based on approved building permits in Q4 2016 increased to 32,282 from 31,638 in the same period in 2015.

The bulk of these construction projects were in the Calabarzon area, accounting for 7,510 projects or 23.3 percent of the total in the last quarter of 2016.

It was followed by Central Visayas with 3,342 construction projects; Central Luzon with 3,097; the National Capital Region with 2,694; and Davao region with 2,559.

On the other hand, the value of construction during the quarter rose 20.2 percent to P82.4 billion from P68.6 billion in the same quarter in 2015.

The number of residential projects during the quarter reached 24,572, worth P47.5 billion, while non-residential projects reached 3,981, valued at P29 billion.

Construction that involved addition, alteration and repair of existing structures numbered 3,549 projects, with a combined value of about P6 billion. PNA

BOOK LAUNCH. Summit Publishing president Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng hands over to Edgar Injap Sia II a copy of the newly released book entitled Life Principles by Injap Sia. The book is now available in bookstores.

844 new HIV cases in January New coding plan exempts all PUVs THE Department of Health said Wednesday there were 844 new human immunodeficiency virus cases recorded in the HIV/AIDS & ART Registry of the Philippines (HARP) last January.

“This is 5 percent higher compared to [the figure in] the same period last year, which is 804,” the HARP said in its report.

It is also the highest so far since 1984, when the first case of HIV was reported.

According to HARP, 96 percent of the cases were male and that the patients’ ages ranged from three years to 66 years, with a median age of 27 years.

More than half belong to the 25 to 34 age group and 31 percent to the 15 to 24 age bracket.

Metro Manila registered the most number of cases with 307 (36 percent), followed by Cala-

deals look disadvantageous to the government as winning bidders will operate the airports for 35 years when most of these have already been built using government funds and only need improvements.

In contrast, Alvarez noted that in similar airport projects in the past, when winning bidders had to start from zero, the National Economic and Development Authority determined that 25 years would be enough for recovery of investments with profit.

He directed the DoTr to submit the terms of reference of the bidding for the airport deals, saying it would be reviewed by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.

barzon with 151 (18 percent); Central Luzon with 91 (11 percent); Central Visayas with 62 (7 percent); and Davao with 50 (6 percent).

Some 826 of the patients contracted the vir us through sexual contact, while 16 caught it through needle-sharing with injecting drug users (IDU). There were two cases of mother-to-child transmission.

A total of nine pregnant women were among those who tested positive for HIV, seven of whom were from the NCR, one from the Ilocos region, and one from Central Visayas.

The number of cases has spurred the National Youth Commission to call the development a youth crisis because at least one young Filipino is infected with HIV every hour.

National Youth Commission

chairman Aiza Seguerra said around 24 young Filipinos are infected with the virus every single day and 85 percent of new daily infections are accounted for by infections among young Filipinos aged 15 to 30.

“Of 28 Pinoys who get infected, 24 to 26 of them are from the youth. [Around] 62 of new infections [are from]…15 to 24 years old,” she said.

The increase in the number of Filipinos living with HIV has been exponential in recent years, and Seguerra attributes this to greater awareness and testing among the young.

In the hopes of stemming the increase in HIV prevalence among young Filipinos, Seguerra said the NYC is now pushing for the lowering of the age limit for obtaining HIV testing without parental consent to 15 years old.

By Joel E. Zurbano ALL public utility vehicles plying Epifanio de los Santos Avenue will be exempted from the number coding under the modified oddeven scheme being proposed by the Metro Manila Development Authority.

More than two million private vehicles will be affected if the government enforces the new plan, dubbed “Windows 2,” but the Metro Manila Council said it will only give the program a go signal if the MMDA succeeds in clearing secondary Metro roads of illegally parked vehicles and other road obstructions.

The new odd-even scheme stated that private cars, aside from complying with number coding, would also be banned for three two-hour intervals along Edsa from Monday to Friday.

Cars with registration plates ending in odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7 and 9) will be banned on Edsa from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. while those with plates ending in even numbers (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8) can’t use the highway from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“We will not implement this unless we are ready to do so. We are just putting it on the table for discussion,” said MMDA acting chairman Thomas Orbos who believed the scheme would cut vehicular traffic on Edsa by half and increase travel speed from the present 19 kilometers per hour to up to 40 kph.

Also under the proposal, PUVs like jeepneys, provincial and city buses plying Edsa will be exempted from the coding scheme to ensure that the public will have various transport options once the modified odd-even traffic scheme is enforced.

“If the majority speaks, we are willing to listen, but we have to know what we have to accept. If they don’t like it, fine but we need to do our part.

If it will be implemented today, that will be chaos that is why we’re giving enough time for this to be discussed and for this to be internalized accepted or not accepted,” Orbos said “If we make a mistake here, forgive us because we are trying and this is part of what we need to do,” he added.

Senator Ralph Recto on Wednesday urged the MMDA to study carefully if the new proposal to decongest Edsa traffic would work.

Asean officials arrive for meet ECONOMIC ministers and senior trade officials of 10 member states of Asean are now in Manila for the 23rd Asean Economic Ministers’ Retreat and Related Meetings from March 8 to 10.

On Wednesday, Asean has kicked off the Senior Economic Officials’ Meeting in preparation for the 23rd AEM Retreat.

The SEOM was lead by Philippines’ Trade Assistant Secretary Anna Maria Rosario Robeniol and Asean Deputy Secretary General Lim Hong Hin. During discussions, senior trade officials have refined the agenda for Thursday’s AEM Retreat, which include increasing trade and investment, integrating micro, small, and medium enterprises into the global value chain, and creating an innovation-driven business environment in the region.

Trade officials who joined Asean Secretariat’s Lim and Philippines’ Robeniol in this day’s SEOM were Lao PDR’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce Deputy Director General Sayakone Saysana, Malaysia’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry Deputy Secretary General Datuk Isham Ishak, Myanmar’s Ministry of Finance Director General Htun Zaw, Thailand’s Department of Trade of Negotiations Deputy Director General Ronnarong Phoolpipat, Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade Deputy Director General Nguyen Thi Quynh Nga, Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry Director Sulaimah Mahmood, Brunei Darussalam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Assistant Director Narussa’adah Muraharram, Cambodia’s Ministry of Commerce Deputy Director General Prasith Suon, and Indonesia’s Ministry of Trade Director Donna Gultom. PNA

Tagaytay radar fixed Saturday

‘TYPE NG BAYAN.’ Metro Manila Mayors’ Spouses Foundation Inc. president and wife of Parañaque City

Mayor Edwin Olivarez, Janet Olivarez (right) receives a blood typing kit from Edwin Ubial (center), representing his wife Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial, during the launching of the ‘Type ng Bayan,’ the national blood typing program, held at the Parañaque multi-purpose gym recently. Looking on are members of the Duterte Cabinet Spouses Association Regina Bello and Marisol Tugade and philanthropist and businessman Ricky Reyes (left), who conceptualized the project for the Duterte administration.

THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has assured the ongoing repair of the Tagaytay en-route radar will be completed on or before the deadline Saturday.

Deputy director general for operations Capt. Manuel Antonio Tamayo made the assurance after he and other CAAP officials inspected the progress of the maintenance work being done at the facility located in Barangay Neogan, Tagaytay City last Tuesday.

“Work are in progress, so far we are right on target and expect that flights at Naia [Ninoy Aquino International Airport] and Clark

international airport will soon normalize after calibrating the system by Saturday,” Tamayo said.

The facility is one of the three radars being utilized in guiding flights approaching airports at Naia and Clark, the other two are in Laoag and Mt. Majic in Cebu City.

CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio said the Tagaytay radar repair is necessary as it will be integrated with the soon to launch satellite-based Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/ Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) systems. He added the repair covers the overhauling of antenna and replace-

ment of its drive motor and rotary joint.

Apolonio said the CNS/ATM system enable aircraft operators to meet their planned times of departure and arrival and adhere to their preferred flight profiles with minimum constraints and without compromising agreed levels of safety.

The system improve the handling and transfer of information, extend surveillance and improve navigational accuracy that will lead to, reductions in separation between aircraft, allowing for increased airspace capacity and achieve reduced flight operating costs and delays. Joel E. Zurbano

Sports

A7

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Kamao take Game 1; Magis settle for 3rd Meanwhile, the Judiciary MaM A L AC A Ñ A N G Game Tuesday gis, led by Joey Yabut, claimed Kamao toppled the PNP Responders vs third place following a 100-97 PNP Responders after 6 p.m.

Malacañang Kamao win over the BOC Transformers. a neck-and-neck bat“We thank all, who suptle, pulling off a close 82-81 win at the start of their UNTV Cup ported us. Even though we just finished best-of-three title series at the Pasig City third place, you’re all still there,” Judiciary Magis’ Joey Yabut said.

Sports Center on Sunday.

Judiciary’s Chester Tolomia and The Policemen led in the first three quarters, but the Kamao woke up in Warren Ybañez were both hailed as the the fourth after three of their players in Best Players of the Game.

The Judiciary Magis received P1 milIan Garrido, John Michael Jimenez and Vishnu Das Javier fouled out, with Eric lion cash prize, while the BOC TransformDela Cuesta stepping up to the plate ers earned P500,000, which will be donatand nailing back-to-back baskets in ed to the teams’ selected beneficiaries.

The Scores leading Malacanang to victory.

GAME 2: For this, Dela Cuesta was hailed as Malacañang Kamao (82)—C. the Best Player of the Game, together Luanzon 29, E. Dela Cuesta 23, J. with Christian Luanzon.

“Hindi kami pine-pressure ni coach Jimenez 17, I. Garrido 6, P. Yamamoto (Louie Gonzales). Sinasabi lang niya 3, J. Besa 2, R. Abalos 2, V. Javier 0, N. for us to have fun sa loob at i-enjoy lang Javier 0, G. Gadong 0 PNP Responders (81)—O. Omiping namin ang game, makukuha din namin 36, R. Ongutan 10, J. Criste 8, A. Tolenang panalo,” Dela Cuesta said.

Find out if the Malacañang Kamao tino 7, H. Sta. Cruz 5, R. Abaya 4, J. can finally take home the UNTV Cup Misola 3, J. Cabahug 2, A. Bayabao 2, Season 5 trophy in Game 2 on March R.Cabrera 2, A. Yanquiling 2, J. Tacsay 0, 14 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum or C. Elopre 0, H. Decena 0 QUARTER SCORES—15-23, if the PNP Responders can extend the 39-39, 59-63, 82-81 series up to Game 3.

Celebs spice up Century Tuna 70.3 triathlon

A PACK of celebrities signed up for the Century Tuna Ironman 70.3, raring to showcase their sporting skills and talent in the premier swim-bike-run event firing off Sunday in Subic Bay. Dingdong Dantes, Drew Arellano, Gerald Anderson, Kim Atienza, Gretchen Fulido and Jake Cuenca, among others, take a break from their busy schedule to compete in relay division side by side with the premier 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21km run event featuring some of the world’s top and upcoming triathletes.

Dantes, Arellano, Anderson, Atienza and Fulido are regular triathlon campaigners while Cuenca has been drawn into the sport after playing the role of a triathlete in a recent TV show.

The organizing Sunrise Events, Inc. and sponsoring Century Tuna are expecting the third staging of the event to hit close to 1,000 entries after the inaugural run drew 902 and the next attracted 823 participants.

“With triathlon gaining tremendous popularity the last few years, we do expect to lure a record crowd for Century Tuna Ironman’s 70.3 third staging,” said Princess Galura, general manager of SEI. The CT Ironman 70.3 will actually cap a three-day weekend of fun and competition with a 2GO Bike Service and Expo slated on March 10 and the Alaska Ironkids and the highly popular Century Tuna Superbods: The Underpants Run spicing up the action on March 11.

Great Britain, the US and Australia, noted for their top triathletes, are fielding in 23, 22 and 20 entries, respectively, Singapore has 16, Guam 14, Japan 12, Germany 11 while Switzerland has 10.

Other countries participating in the event presented by Century Bangus, Department of Tourism and Tourism Promotions Board, are Argentina, American Samoa, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Spain, France, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Monaco, Mexico, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Thailand, Uruguay and Vietnam.

The PNP Responders’ Ollan Omiping (4) gets blocked from behind by Malacañang Kamao’s Christian Luanzo (33) in Game 1 of their teams’ best-of-three UNTV Cup Season 5 Finals series at the Pasig City Sports Arena.

Titans clash early in Superliga A N early clash of the Philippine Superliga titans happens today as heavyweights Cignal and Petron clash for a hold on the lead of the Belo-PSL Invitational Conference at the FilOil Flying V Center in San Juan.

Two of the strongest teams, the HD Spikers and the Blaze Spikers collide at 7 p.m., following the 5 p.m. battle between Cocolife and Foton in this prestigious women’s club tourney bankrolled by Mikasa, Asics, Senoh and Mueller with TV5 as official broadcast partner.

After a string of unfortunate finishes, the HD Spikers made an off-season revamp and netted three of the best players in the country in Jovelyn Gonzaga, Honey Royse Tubino and Rachel Anne Daquis. They also tapped Maica Mo-

rada to join an already solid crew, led

by Paneng Mercado, Janine Marciano, Cherry Vivas and Jheck Dionela.

The outcome of their debut match was very impressive as they eked out a pulsating 26-24, 20-25, 26-24, 13-25, 15-9 victory over powerhouse Foton on opening day of this tourney that also has Gold’s Gym as official fitness partner and UCPB Gen as official insurance provider.

Gonzaga led the way with 17 points, while Paat and Daquis had 11 and 10 markers, respectively, as the

HD Spikers displayed solid blocking prowess and a well-balanced offensive thrust in the marathon match that lasted two hours and 20 minutes.

The HD Spikers’ resolve would be tested as the Blaze Spikers will also be marching with sky-high morale.

After acquiring stars the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s Ms. Volleyball Mika Reyes and Carmela Tunay during the off-season, Petron flexed its muscles right away and made quick work of Sta. Lucia, 25-19, 25-19, 25-21, in its first match.

Reyes and Tunay delivered nine points apiece while team captain Frances Molina chipped in eight markers for the Blaze Spikers, who dominated the Lady Realtors from start to finish despite drawing limited offensive output from veteran Aiza Maizo-Pontillas.

Games Today

(FilOil Flying V Center) 5 pm – Cocolife vs Foton 7 pm – Cignal vs Petron

Cignal coach George Pascua said they have done their homework and will use their experience and deep familiarity with Petron’s system to win.

Pascua had guided Petron to a historic 13-0 sweep of the All-Filipino Conference in 2015 while Daquis and Morada served as his key players.

Gonzaga, for her part, is also quite familiar with her counterpart, MaizoPontillas, after playing with her in the beach volleyball competition of the Southeast Asian Games in 2011.

“We’re very familiar with Petron and we will use it as our biggest asset,” said Pascua, adding that he is excited to face the Blaze Spikers

after guiding them to a pair of titles and three finals appearances before moving to Cignal in the off-season.

“Also, one of our advantages over them is that we have reliable leaders on the floor. The experience and leadership of Rachel, Jovelyn and Maica is something you can’t ignore.”

Also tipped to draw a massive weekday crowd is the battle between Cocolife and Foton.

Despite falling short against Generika in their debut match, hopes are still high on the Asset Managers as Michele Gumabao delivered some flashes of brilliance while newly crowned NCAA champions Andrea Marzan, Rhea Ramirez and Mary Anne Esguerra of Arellano University proved they can play beautiful music with veterans Wensh Tiu, Rosemarie Vargas and Erika Alkuino.

MVP, Vargas get fresh mandate

National class and overall champions of the 2016 Race Motorsports Club Phoenix Slalom Championships display their championship trophies during the event’s simple awards rites at Kowloon House, West Avenue Quezon City.

THE Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines, Inc., the national association for boxing, on Saturday afternoon held elections at the Microtel by Wyndham-MOA in Pasay City.

Re-elected for a third term were Manuel V. Pangilinan as chairman and Ricky Vargas as president.

Pangilinan and Vargas are two of the highest executives of the MVP group, which has been the association’s private sector benefactor for the past eight years.

Also elected were Rep. Raul Daza (Northern Samar) as vice-chairman, John Patrick Gregorio (Maynilad) as vice-president.

Appointed treasurer was Atty. Oscar P. Moreno, Jr. (Cagayan de Oro), corporate secretary Atty. Leonardo Aguilar Jr. and secretary-general/executive director Ed Picson.

Attending as observers were Philippine Olympic Committee Secretary-General Stephen Hontiveros and Philippine Sports Commission Commissioner Ramon Fernandez.

The elected members of the Board of

Trustees are : Region I-Atty. Liberato Reyna, Region III-Vice-Gov. Jose Gay Padiernos, CAR-Mr. Reinaldo Bautista, NCRMr. Jose Jorge Vargas, Region IV-A-Mr. Venerando Rea, Region IV-B-Mr. Roger Castro, Region VI- Mr. Angel Verdeflor, Region VII-Mr. Lorenzo Sy, REgion VIIIRe. Daza, Region IX-Dr. Cecilia Atilano, Region X-Atty. Oscar Moreno Jr., CARAGA- Mr. Freddie Dacera, AFP-Col. Ruben Candelario, MVPSF-Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan, PLDT-Mr. Ricky Vargas and Maynilad-Mr. Patrick Gregorio.

“I am honored and humbled by the continued support of our members.

While we were disappointed at our failure to win medals in the Olympics, we offer no excuses. Rather, we pledge to move forward and ramp up our efforts to energize the national boxers into a more potent force in the international arena. Our grassroots program, which has been the centerpiece of our administration, will be even more active and our already warm relations with our international federations AIBA and ASBC will be further enhanced,” said Vargas.

Phoenix national slalom champions get their awards NATIONAL class and overall champions of the 2016 Race Motorsports Club Phoenix Slalom Championships received their awards last Feb. 4 at Kowloon House, West Avenue Quezon City.

Present to award the winners were Astrid Vislenio, Katits Rivas and Tik Padonan of Phoenix Petroleum Phils Inc. and Samantha Regino and Lariza Pabulos from Federal Tyres.

Crowned the 2016 Phoenix National champion for the third consecutive year was Milo Rivera, followed by Dr. Peewee Mendiola and Estefano Rivera.

Rivera received one set of Federal Tyres and Outlast battery.

Richard Gallardo of AF Racing received his Front Wheel national crown, followed by teammate Dion Ortiz and Mike Santos.

Meanwhile, Dion Ortiz got his novice slalom title, followed by Joseph Ortega and Jopat Bayot.

The champions received an Outlast battery and gift checks from Hotel Sogo.

Here are the champions: Novice Stock Carburated Class Champion Joseph Ortega; Novice

Modified A Class Champion Dion Ortiz; Pro Stock A Class Champion Dr. Peewee Mendiola; Pro Stock B Class Champion Dr. Pewwee Mendiola; Pro Stock C Class Champion Dr. Peewee Mendiola; Pro A Class Champion Dr. Peewee Mendiola; Pro B Class Champion Dr. Peewee Mendiola; Pro C Class Champion Dr. Peewee Mendiola; Group 5A Class Champion Abet Reyes; Group 5B Class Champion Richard Gallardo; Front Wheel Injected Novice Class Champion Jopat Bayot; Front Wheel Injected

Class Champion Mike Santos; Front Wheel Modified Novice Class Champion Dion Ortiz; Front Wheel Modified Class Champion Richard Gallardo; Front Wheel Pro Stock A Class Champion Richard Gallardo; Front Wheel Pro Stock B Class Champion Richard Gallardo; Front Wheel Pro Stock C Class Champion Richard Gallardo; Group 2A Class Champion Steven Valenzuela; Group 2B Class Champion Mike Satos; Open A Class Champion Abet Reyes; Open B Class Champion Abet Reyes; Open C Class

Local bets out to dominate La Carlota tennis tournament LOCAL aces Tracy Llamas and Alexa Milliam hope to ride the momentum of their romp last week as they banner the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala La Carlota leg regional tennis tournament cast at the Lacta Tennis courts in Negros Occidental Thursday.

Llamas and Milliam came away with two victories each in the Roxas City leg of the nationwide circuit with the former eyeing another sweep of the girls’ 16- and 18-andunder crowns and the latter also out to stamp her class in the 12- and 14-U classes of the

Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.

“While Llamas and Milliam remain the favorites owing to their top form, we also expect a number of reversals this week with a host of others out to prove their worth and earn ranking points,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

They include Kiana De Asis, Jewel Milliam, Faith Callao and Valerie Desoyo in the top two girls’ divisions while Arian Picaoco, Wendy Galaza, Jufe-ann Cocoy and Jazel Gavituya seek to topple Alexa Milliam

in their own side of the event sanctioned by Philta and backed by Asiatraders Corp.

A toss-up also looms in the boys’ side with top seed Karl Baran having his hands full in the 18-U play against the likes of Reyniel Marcellana, Reynan Mahusay and Prince Dimate, while No. 1 Troy Llamas will be up against RJ Dejilla, Jewel Justiniani and Mahusay in the 16-U section of the event serving as the eighth leg of the 54-stage circuit hosted by Mayor Jacky Jalandoni and Vice Mayor Rex Jalando-on.

Khenz Justiniani and Pete Rodriguez,

meanwhile, banner the field in the 14-U side which also drew Joshua Raymundo and Kerwin De Asis while Chad Cuizon and Aiz Pacheco will crowd Khenz Justiniani and Kerwin De Asis in the 12-U category.

Cuizon, on the other hand, is the player to beat in the 10-unisex group.

Meanwhile, action shifts back to Mindanao next week with the staging of the Davao leg, another Group 2 tournament, set at the GSIS Tennis Club. For details, call Bobby Mangunay, the PPS-PEPP sports program development director at 0915-4046464.

Champion Joseph Ortega; Clubman Class Champion Angelo Sison.

RACE Motorsports Club is thanking Phoenix Petroleum Phils Inc., for being the Event Presentor for 2016-2017; Federal Tyres the official tires used by the slalom drivers and Outlast Battery. The event was also supported by Auto Transporter, Starbright Body kits, AEROMED, Hotel Sogo and media partners C! Magazine, Stoplight TV, Ride And Drive Phils., Power Wheels Magazine and Auto Car Magazine.

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

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

A8

Sports

Meet Rimau, SEAG mascot

By Randy Caluag

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

Thai Kanphanitnan Muangkhumsakul flashes awesome off the No. 10 mound

Thai bucks wind, leads Champion Tour with a 69 T

AGAYTAY —Thai Kanphannitnan Muankhumsakul defied gusty wind that lashed the course all day, birdying three of the last six holes to fire a three-under 69 and seize a one-stroke lead over Mia Piccio at the start of the $75,000 ICTSI Champion Tour at Splendido here yesterday.

The 18-year-old ace from Bangkok gunned down four birdies inside eight feet to negate a missed-green bogey on No. 12 as she turned in a 35-34 to wrest the lead from Mia Piccio, who shot six birdies but settled for a 70 on a hot but blustery day.

big start and the early lead in the 54-hole championship presented

by Champion as she gunned down three birdies against a bogey at the back for a 36-34 card but failed to match the Bangkok lass’ fiery windup.

“The wind was really strong and I’m lucky made good,” said the 18-year-old Muangkhumsakul, who placed third here last year topped by Korean Lee Jeong-hwa.

Piccio also expressed satisfaction over her round given the exacting condition at the Greg Norman-designed layout with only four players breaking par and three carding even par 72s.

“The win really blew hard from the start and I was also lucky to

“I played pretty good today.

My putting and irons were simply good,” said Muankhumsakul, who also campaigned in Morocco, Abu Dhabi and India.

Piccio, the Symetra Tour veteran also seeking her first victory on the LPGT, looked headed for a

have shot a 71,” said Piccio.

Pauline Del Rosario marked her pro debut in style, birdying three of the first five holes to wrest early control. But the former amateur hotshot slowed down with a rollercoaster stint in the next nine holes marred by a triple-bogey on the par-3 12th and a bogey on the next. Del Rosario, however, bounced back with back-to-back birdies from No. 15 and finished with a 71 in a tie with Taiwanese Yeh Hsin-ning, who also sizzled with three birdies in the first five holes but fumbled with a bogey and a double-bogey at the back, needing to birdie the 18th to save a 33-38 card.

Save for Muangkhumsakul,

New faces emerge in Cebuana netfest EXCEPT for a couple of names, all the other winners in the recent 6th leg of the Cebuana Lhuillier Age-Group Tennis Championship Series at the Phil Am Tennis Club and the Veterans Tennis Club, were new faces led by doublechamps Samuel Nuguit, Alion Talatayod and Adeline Abadia.

Nuguit, from Las Pinas, took home two boys’ age-group titles, beating visiting Prince Luis Salvacio from Lucena, 6-1, 6-0, in the 12-under finals, while taking the measure of Bacoor City bet Rainier Angelo Selmar, 7-5, 6-3, in the 14-under.

Sampaloc, Manila bet Talatayod, meanwhile, ruled the 16-under and 18-under boys’ categories. He swept Bacoor’s Laurenz Quitara, 6-1, 6-4, in the 16-under and posted another straight-set win over Jeremiah Macias III from Las Pinas, 6-2, 6-4, in the 18-under championship match of the tournament supported by Dunlop as official ball.

majority of the stellar 70-player field, that included nine amateurs, turned in roaring starts only to falter as the wind whipped up from mid-noon to the finish, keeping the next 13 players within striking distance of the leader at the end of the day.

Amateur Yuka Saso also went three-under after 10 holes but the reigning World Junior Girls champion stumbled with a double-bogey on the par-5 11th and dropped another stroke on the next to settle for a 72 in joint fifth with Thais Thanuttra Boonraksasat, who fought back with two late birdies for a 38-34, and Titiya Plucksataporn, who had two birdies against two bogeys.

TOP FEMALE TRIATHLETE.

Standard Insurance’s triathlete Monica Torres won the Asian Middle Distance Duathlon Championship at the Powerman Malaysia, organized by the Asian Triathlon Confederation in Kuala Lumpur, Sunday. Placing second was Japan’s Aira Sawada, while the Philippines’ Mirasol Abad placed third. Torres, who was cited recently by the Philippine Sportswriters Association for triathlon, also placed second in the elite female behind Hungary’s Anna EberhardstHalasz.

In the distaff side, Quezon City’s Abadia reigned supreme in the 12-under, beating citymate Kaye An Emana, 6-4, 6-0, for the 12-under title and followed it up with another straight-set victory, this time over Justine Maneja, 6-4, 6-6, for the 18-under crown.

“It is a good balance. We are discovering new talents and at the same time, previous winners continue honing their skills,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier.

Familiar names Olongapo City’s Althea Ong had a close 6-4, 6-4 win over Nueva Ecija’s Jhastine Red Ballado for the 16-under girls’ crown, and Valenzuela City’s Patricia Lim posted a two-set win over Blanche Lagrisola from Sta. Rosa, Laguna, 6-3, 6-4, to take home the girls’ 18-under title.

The other winner in the tournament was another Valenzuela City bet JR Salangsang, who took out Carson Bagadiong, 4-1, 4-1, in the finals of the 10-under.

Pacman likely to revert to original plan of fighting Aussie

Philippine boxing icon and Senator Manny Pacquiao gestures as he asks questions to retired police officer Arturo “Arthur” Lascanas at a Senate hearing in Manila. AFP

LOS ANGELES—A potentially money-spinning bout between Philippine boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and Britain’s Amir Khan has collapsed, The Los Angeles Times reported on Tuesday.

Pacquiao’s long-time promoter Bob Arum told the newspaper that the proposed $38 million fight staged by the United Arab Emirates in April had proven to be “pie in the sky.”

“When they contacted me, I told them it was pie in the sky, that this is crazy, it’s not going to happen,” Arum said.

“Manny wanted to roll the dice.

He rolled the dice and it came up

snake eyes. If something is too good to be true, it’s too good to be true.”

Arum still held out the possibility of a fight between Pacquiao and Khan later this year, for “realistic numbers”, stating that the suggested purse for the UAE fight had never been likely.

In the meantime, welterweight champion Pacquiao was likely to revert to an original plan to fight Australia’s Jeff Horn at a venue to be determined, the Times reported.

Both Pacquiao and Khan had announced their fight within minutes of each other on Twitter last month.

“My team and I have agreed terms with Manny Pacquiao and his team for a super fight #pacquiaokhan #April23rd”,” Khan tweeted on February 26. Khan, 30, has not fought since being knocked out by Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez last May. Pacquiao, 38, announced a brief retirement last year but made a successful comeback against Jessie Vargas in Las Vegas in November, saying he still felt like a youngster.

Pacquiao had said he was retiring to focus on his new role as Philippine senator, after winning elections last year on the back of his sporting fame. AFP

NATIONS from the Southeast Asian region will again come together to celebrate the spirit of competition and unity when Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia hosts the biennial SEA Games in August.

Philippine Chief of Mission Cynthia Carrion of gymnastics just arrived from a meeting among member countries as organizers finalized the details of the Games last hosted by Malaysia in 2001, when it became overall champion.

“The competitions and event have been laid out and now we are getting ready with our athletes,” said Carrion, who brought with her an image of the KL Games’ official mascot.

Named Rimau, the mascot is inspired by the graceful yet powerful Malayan Tiger.

“Rimau is gracious, friendly, competitive and athletic.

Most importantly, Rimau is a true athlete,” according to the official website of the Kuala Lumpur 2017. “Rimau stands for respect, integrity, move, attitude and unity.”

The organizers also recently unveiled the Games’ logo based on Malaysian symbol Wau Bulan, a moon-kite synonymous with the east coast states of the country.

“Graceful, beautiful, powerful and rising high above, the Wau establishes itself as something that uniquely represents the transcendent power of sports. “ The theme of the Games is “Rising Together”, signifying the coming of age for Southeast Asia as a united community.

Philippine Chef de Mission Cynthia Carrion shows off an image of the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games mascot, Rimau.

Gilas will hold 3-day cage camp

By Jeric Lopez FOR the first time since being assembled by national team coach Chot Reyes last January, the newest version of Smart Gilas Pilipinas is finally set to have its first gathering.

The Gilas Pilipinas training pool is set to have a three-day training camp next week to gauge the strengths and assets of the team in an initial evaluation.

In an out-of-town setting, the training pool will assemble from March 14 to 16 for them to get accustomed to each other and with the coaching staff as well.

The Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas planned this initial get together of the National team hopefuls since the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup already concluded last Sunday.

While the National pool is composed of a lot of new and young blood, familiar names such as three-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Terrence Romeo, Calvin Abueva and Jayson Castro will still be at the forefront of the team’s nucleus.

Other members of the training pool are Troy Rosario, LA Revilla, Norbert Torres, Bradwyn Guinto, Paul Lee, Raymund Almazan, Mac Belo, Mike Tolomia, Kevin Ferrer, Matthew Wright, Roger Pogoy, Arnold Van Opstal, Fonso Gotladera and Russel Escoto.

BSP set to launch new retail payments system

B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

B1

Meralco to announce big rate hike

By Alena Mae S. Flores

P

OWER generation charges in the franchise area of Manila Electric Co. are expected to increase P0.58 per kilowatthour this month, reflecting the impact of the Malampaya natural gas field maintenance shutdown, sources said Wednesday.

Meralco’s generation charges will go up to P4.90 per kWh in March from P4.32 per kWh in February, including the impact of the P0.22-per-kWh fuel cost recovery approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission this month.

A government source confirmed an almost P0.40-per-kWh increase in generation charges, including the spot prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market and Meralco’s other suppliers.

WESM prices historically go up when demand is tight.

“The total gen [generation] charge increase is P0.58 per kWh, but excludes system loss and taxes,” the source said.

ERC on Monday approved a fuel cost recovery of P0.66 per kilowatthour, equivalent to P1.752 billion.

This was lower than the P2.417billion application of Meralco as a result of the 20-day Malampaya maintenance shutdown.

ERC approved the implementation of the fuel cost recovery in three installments, or P0.2211 per kilowatt-hour each for March, April and May. Meralco earlier sought ERC’s approval to stagger the implementation of fuel cost recovery,

after generation companies shifted to more expensive fuel when Shell Philippines Exploration Corp. shut down and repaired the Malampaya natural gas facility on Jan. 28 to Feb. 16.

The Malampaya shutdown affected the supply of natural gas to the power plants of South Premiere Power Corp.-Ilijan, Sta. Rita, San Lorenzo, San Gabriel and Avion natural gas plants.

The Malampaya gas field located in northwest Palawan fuels the said natural gas plants with an aggregate capacity of 3,211 megawatts. Of the total, 2,565 MW is supplied to Meralco’s franchise area.

Meralco had to source its power requirements from other power suppliers that use liquid fuel which is more costly than natural gas.

The shutdown coincided with the scheduled maintenance of the other power plants such as SEMCalaca Power Corp. Unit 1 and Quezon Power (Philippines) Ltd. which collectively contribute 585 MW to Meralco.

“We were able to calculate based on actual bill of suppliers…Meralco’s petition was based on projections or forecast,” ERC spokesman Floresinda Digal said on the lower fuel recovery approval.

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing March 8, 2017

8000 7600 7200 6800 6400

7,294.56 0.04

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing MARCH 8, 2017 45.00 46.50 48.00

P50.340 CLOSE

51.00

HIGH P50.260 LOW P50.340 AVERAGE P50.291 VOLUME 338.000M

P500.00-P760.00 LPG/11-kg tank P40.15-P49.25 Unleaded Gasoline P28.75-P34.65 Diesel

OPRICES IL TODAY

FILIPINO TIRE. Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol (seated, left) signs a memorandum of understanding with Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. chief executive Dennis Uy (seated, second from right) and Philippine Rubber Farmers Association president Armando Zaragoza (right) for the establishment of Pilipinas Agila Tyre Manufacturing—the first local manufacturer of cargo tires in the country. Witnessing the event at Malacañang Palace are President Rodrigo Duterte (second from left) and Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.

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

NFA wants to import 800,000 tons of rice

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Wednesday, March 8, 2017

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

50.3190

Japan

Yen

0.008773

0.4414

UK

Pound

1.220900

61.4345

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128798

6.4810

Switzerland

Franc

0.987557

49.6929

Canada

Dollar

0.745490

37.5123

Singapore

Dollar

0.708918

35.6720

Australia

Dollar

0.758800

38.1821

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652520

133.4722

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266724

13.4213

Brunei

Dollar

0.706414

35.5460

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0038

Thailand

Baht

0.028481

1.4331

UAE

Dirham

0.272316

13.7027

Euro

Euro

1.057100

53.1922

Korea

Won

0.000870

0.0438

China

Yuan

0.144837

7.2881

India

Rupee

0.015012

0.7554

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.224972

11.3204

New Zealand

Dollar

0.695700

35.0069

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032338

1.6272 Source: PDS Bridge

NLEx extension to open December MANILA North Tollways Corp. pushed back the completion date of an elevated highway linking Mac Arthur Highway in Valenzuela City and C3 Road in Caloocan City because of right-of-way issues.

“By end of the year [we expect to complete the Segment 10 of NLEx], but subject to the delivery of the right-of-way. Our previous target was middle of 2017. We are moving that to end of the year,” MNTC president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco told reporters.

He said the government committed to deliver the remaining 35 percent of the right-of-way in the second quarter.

NLEx Segment 10 is a 5.6-kilometer elevated highway in northwest Metro Manila linking Mac Arthur Highway in Valenzuela City and C3 Road in Caloocan City. Daily traffic for Segment 10 is projected to average 30,000 vehicles.

The company targets to start commercial operation by January 2018.

MNTC is also building additional toll lanes in three major toll plazas at North Luzon Expressway.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Alveo to launch P40-b projects

6000

49.50

IN BRIEF

THE National Food Authority plans to import 800,000 metric tons of rice to augment stock for the lean season, administrator Jason Laureano Aquino said Wednesday.

Aquino said in a news briefing NFA’s buffer stocks by the end of June would be three days short of the required 15-day buffer stock.

“That’s why we are pushing for the approval of the 250,000-metric-ton importation because by the end of April we will be short by three days. The importation will be used to beef up the buffer stock of the NFA,” Aquino said.

Aquino said the initial volume

would be a part of the 500,000ton standby volume approved by the NFA Council in 2015.

“That is the volume that we want to be approved for importation to somehow increase the draining supply of the NFA because when calamity strikes, we will not be able to supply the government agencies,” Aquino said, referring to the Social Welfare Department and local government units.

He said on top of the 250,000 metric tons, the NFA would also propose the importation of an additional 550,000 metric tons to meet the 30-day buffer stock requirement for the lean season.

Under the law, the NFA is mandated to maintain a 15-

day buffer stock at any given time. For the lean season which starts from July and ends in September, the NFA is required to have a buffer stock good for 30 days.

Aquino said NFA’s current buffer stock at 400,000 metric tons would be good for 13 days.

Total buffer stock is estimated at 2.6 million metric tons, including 948,000 metric tons in commercial warehouses and 1.269 million metric tons with the households.

“That [550,000 metric tons] will come later. For 15 days, we need more or less 400,000 metric tons, multiply by two, so more or less 800,000 metric tons so that we can satisfy the 30-day buffer

stock. It is better if it’s government to government importation,” he said.

Aquino said the 250,000 metric tons should arrive by April.

He said the remaining 550,000 metric tons volume should be bid out after the arrival of the initial volume. The NFA Council has yet to approve the importation.

The NFA chief was earlier accused by the NFA Council of “being liable for making a cash cow out of government-led importations.”

The NFA Council also accused him of defying the council due to his continued refusal to extend the deadline of the arrival of rice imports under the Minimum Access Volume.

China buying $1b worth of PH crops

By Othel V. Campos

BACOOR SCHOLARSHIP. Cavite’s 2nd District Rep. Strike Revilla (center) meets with Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director-general Guiling Mamondiong (left) and deputy directorgeneral Diosdado Padilla on helping more Tesda scholars in the city of Bacoor. Among those discussed are free technical trainings offered to Bacoor residents in areas such as welding, masonry and carpentry. The project, initiated by Revilla when he was still city mayor, provided scholars the opportunity to enhance their skills and become more productive citizens.

CHINA is set to sign an agreement to buy $1 billion worth of agricultural crops from the Philippines starting this year, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said Wednesday.

Lopez said the agreement would be signed mid-March in time for the state visit of China Vice Premier Wang Yang.

“I believe they are interested to buy most of our agricultural products. It might as well be the entire tariff line,” Lopez said, adding that the agreement was a part of the Joint Commission on Economic and Trade Cooperation signed by the two countries in Manila Tuesday.

China expressed interest to import durian, avocado, banana, pineapple, coconut, mango, dragon fruit, mangosteen, marang, cacao, rice and coffee.

It is also keen on buying Phil-

ippine poultry such as duck and chicken as well as fishery products.

Ministry of Commerce Minister Zhong Shan said the Chinese government would donate $1 million for the rehabilitation of earthquake-stricken Surigao.

China also committed to provide the Philippine government $3.4-billion credit facility to finance major infrastructure projects critical to push economic growth.

Meanwhile, the Trade Department opened Wednesday the first of the three-day Asean Economic Ministers Meeting in Pasay City.

Lopez said the Trade Department, as the lead agency for this year’s meeting, would promote one of the current thematic priorities of the bloc on “inclusive, innovation-led growth” for shared prosperity. The other two pillars touch on politico-security and socio-cultural.

ALVEO Land, a unit of property developer Ayala Land Inc., plans to launch P40 billion worth of residential and office projects this year, a top executive said.

Alveo Land president Jennylle Tupaz said the group would offer 5,000 units this year from nine projects across Makati, Bonifacio Global City, Pampanga, Laguna, Cavite and Davao.

She said the nine projects would include seven residential developments, comprising of residential lots and condominiums, and two office-for-sale projects.

“Alveo will continue to strengthen its presence in major growth centers and in Ayala Land estates. We are expanding our footprint across the nation as we venture into new territories, and launch more compelling formats capitalizing on the synergies within the Ayala group,” Tupaz said.

The company will expand its presence in Alabang and Cavite in the south, Bulacan in the north and Cagayan De Oro in Mindanao in 2017, after making eight land acquisitions last year.

Tupaz said with the planned launches this year, Alveo Land was expected to register P45 billion in reservation sales in 2017, up from P38 billion in 2016. Jenniffer B. Austria

Thrift banks remain bullish

By Julito G. Rada THRIFT banks expect sustained growth this year amid the robust domestic economy and the government’s plan to bring development to the countryside, an official of the Chamber of Thrift Banks said Wednesday.

“The outlook for the thrift banking industry is very, very bright, given the country’s sustained strong macroeconomic fundamentals and the government’s plans to bring progress to the country. That will really help us widen our coverage nationwide,” CTB president Gregorio Anonas III said in a news briefing in Makati City.

Anonas said lending growth this year could surpass the 13-percent expansion in 2016.

He said real estate lending would be one of the group’s strength, partly driven by sustained remittances from Filipinos working overseas.

“For deposit, we grew by 9 percent last year and we see it increasing to a double-digit growth,” Anonas said.

Anonas said thrift banks would remain competitive with the larger universal and commercial banks.

“Our relationship with our clients is more personal compared to the bigger banks. We are also able to customize our services to our clients’ needs,” he said.

B2

Business

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Aboitiz Group’s net profit rises to P22.5b

By Alena Mae S. Flores CONGLOMERATE Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. said Wednesday consolidated net income increased 27 percent in 2016 to P22.5 billion from P17.7 billion in 2015 as the group’s revenue stream became more diversified.

AEV said in a statement to the stock exchange core net income last year reached P22.8 billion, up by 25 percent from a year ago.

“Through our value creation efforts, we are poised to take advantage of the tailwind our growing economy brings. The gains we recorded over 2016 affirm the soundness of our business strategy of creating a diversified income stream,” said AEV president and chief executive Erramon Aboitiz. “This year,

the group will take even more deliberate steps in bringing progress to communities in line with our strategic objectives,” Aboitiz said.

AEV said power accounted for 65 percent of the group’s income, followed by banking and financial services with 21 percent, food with 7 percent, infrastructure with 7 percent and land strategic business units with 1 percent.

AEV’s power subsidiary Aboitiz Power Corp. reported a 14-percent growth in 2016 income to P20 billion from P17.6 billion in 2015, on strong performance of its generation business.

Aboitiz Power’s core net income also rose 12 percent to P20.6 billion from P18.4 billion in 2015.

Stock market closes flat

S

TOCKS closed flat Wednesday, after inflation rate surged to a 27-month high of 3.3 percent in February and investors continued to assess the impact of the likely interest rate hike in the US.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, closed at 7,294.56 Wednesday, as two of the six sectoral indices—services and property—advanced.

The heavier index, representing all shares, was also flat at 4,401.30, on a value turnover of P6.6 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 98 to 81, while 49 issues were unchanged.

Nine of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led

by PLDT Inc. which climbed 6.6 percent to P1,550 and tech-

nology company Xurpas Inc. which gained 6 percent to P9.01.

Globe Telecom Inc. advanced 4.7 percent to P1,988.

Meanwhile, Asian markets staged an afternoon recovery Wednesday following upbeat Chinese trade data, but gains were patchy with drugs firms hit

by Donald Trump’s promise to slash prices.

This week has seen equity and forex traders take a step back after February’s rally, with Friday’s US jobs data in focus and the Federal Reserve preparing

for a much-anticipated policy meeting on March 14.

Pharma firms tumbled in New York and across Europe after Trump tweeted: “I am working on a new system where there will be competition in the Drug Industry. Pricing for the American people will come way down!”

That came as Republicans released plans to tear up key parts of Obamacare, fuelling worries about cutbacks.

The losses seeped through to wider stock markets in the morning but news that Chinese imports had surged 38.1 percent in February— almost twice as much as forecast in a Bloomberg survey—provided a platform for recovery.

The import jump, along with a 1.3-percent fall in exports, led to a shock trade deficit and fuelled hopes that the world’s number two econo-

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.4 17,000 48.7 13,700 99.55 1,768,450 123 2,257,170 1.28 31,000 40 94,200 16.18 5,300 20.8 1,491,500 1.69 32,000 0.72 13,514,000 80.2 2,074,620 0.74 137,000 14.56 300 58 650 238 130 111 1,720 90 230 39 31,800 203 1,607,210 79.65 82,730

58,680 665,980 176,041,127 277,292,366 39,770 3,768,320 85,754 31,004,080 54,080 9,499,330 167,015,907.50 101,380 4,336 37,354.50 31,160 189,789 20,700 1,239,155 326,440,444 6,589,499.50

520,120 35,451,617 28,505,788 -11,970,300 -284,000 9,396,061.50 1,456 -1,147 4,464 50,715 -155,969,464 -17,502

43.5 5.48 0.82 1.41 18.92 0.27 97 8.23 16.54 165 23.3 14.7 59 94.45 2.12 6.1 12.2 12.48 7.5 6.79 5.89 1.69 21.65 72.9 16 6.62 1.65 193.7 72.15 7.4 4 30.65 26.5 14.74 293.2 0.26 6.5 3.62 8.7 3.88 11.56 2.31 7 2 77.2 4.9 266.4 5 2.91 12.74 4.32 0.148 1.46 161 1.66

INDUSTRIAL 43.8 1,660,700 5.55 586,500 0.84 295,000 1.44 757,000 19.36 12,800 0.28 4,650,000 97 510 8.36 10,010,700 16.6 3,937,800 165 100 23.5 140,700 14.7 6,900 59 2,690 94.45 10 2.15 398,000 6.1 1,000 12.3 79,600 12.56 6,893,500 7.59 389,200 6.82 1,473,400 6 6,845,900 1.69 2,000 22 2,876,100 72.9 209,090 16 276,700 6.69 196,300 1.69 99,000 193.8 1,777,480 73.5 2,030 7.5 772,000 4 625,000 30.65 392,600 27 74,200 15 2,819,600 293.8 146,680 0.265 4,160,000 6.57 29,100 3.69 482,000 8.7 1,154,800 3.88 1,000 11.56 400 2.33 831,000 7 7,008,400 2.04 5,561,000 77.55 614,260 4.96 155,000 266.4 30 5 1,699,500 2.91 909,000 13.08 10,422,900 4.33 8,000 0.148 130,000 1.47 157,000 162.9 784,280 1.66 1,555,000

72,732,935 3,254,708 242,500 1,074,270 244,559 1,258,700 49,470 83,707,029 65,472,118 16,500 3,289,600 101,590 158,780 944.5 863,840 6,100 978,756 86,530,978 2,948,075 10,041,334 41,125,677 3,380 63,312,455 15,253,763.50 4,456,100 1,318,649 165,280 344,777,307 149,151 5,921,836 2,622,370 12,106,755 1,998,645 42,353,654 43,086,438 1,093,750 190,473 1,759,810 10,130,229 3,880 4,624 1,935,450 49,699,793 11,648,250 47,625,021.50 768,470 7,992 8,498,060 2,812,390 136,949,578 34,610 19,240 230,160 127,765,847 2,589,900

-9,381,205 279,977 -28,400 17,045,483 5,499,030 -4,700 -156,420 -41,509,192 -1,240,371 -5,179,601 12,189,552 32,257,305.00 -1,101,687.50 -4,191,990 33,250 -26,910,752 -42,000 -4,650,880 187,030 27,391,848 -1,978,050 773,100 745,980 838,800 -4,156,325 14,680 -2,474,140 371,450 -688,456 5,420 24,445,772 -52,232,890 -961,900

0.38 74.2 12.66 6.3 0.38 830 8.85 12.78 8.1 0.184 1,219 6.16 78.3 1.13 7.9 14.74 6.83 3.97 0.061 1.98 2.5 106.6 4.16 671 0.9 1.56 270 0.295 0.195 0.25

0.37 73.2 12.38 6.06 0.37 820 8.77 12.36 7.94 0.182 1,205 6.16 75.55 1.08 7.8 14.5 6.68 3.3 0.058 1.98 2.49 104.9 3.6 655 0.87 1.54 267 0.29 0.194 0.25

HOLDING FIRMS 0.375 3,450,000 73.2 676,690 12.38 7,447,100 6.06 63,500 0.37 3,930,000 822 282,380 8.78 2,743,400 12.4 6,492,000 7.94 107,400 0.182 480,000 1,208 77,110 6.16 2,800 75.55 785,690 1.08 11,097,000 7.89 174,400 14.68 10,535,800 6.69 16,805,800 3.95 200,000 0.058 135,510,000 1.98 122,000 2.49 25,000 106 122,260 3.75 671,000 655 237,760 0.9 2,000 1.56 65,000 270 31,900 0.29 1,030,000 0.195 450,000 0.25 120,000

1,278,650 49,688,245 93,336,326 385,418 1,461,250 232,801,235 24,099,107 80,986,394 854,464 87,790 93,165,070 17,248 59,911,149.50 12,124,420 1,371,814 154,699,276 112,899,948 735,080 7,951,690 241,560 62,290 12,926,428 2,577,490 156,541,810 1,770 100,220 8,543,244 298,900 87,350 30,000

3,700 -20,052,265 -13,524,816 28,002,465 385,267 -42,261,560 9,150 -43,014,620 4,986,565 116,540 208,987 2,987,830 -78,561,688 -1,120 21,000 -35,640 3,086,888 122,990 -52,032,300 7,700 -2,116,500 87,350 -

6.65 1 2.53 1.53 36.25 3.96 5.92 0.51 1.31 0.161 0.55 54.5 0.72 0.164 1.71 1 1.22 3.78 0.171 0.31 0.6 4.81

6.58 0.99 2.44 1.34 35.6 3.78 5.92 0.5 1.29 0.159 0.54 53.65 0.7 0.157 1.66 0.98 1.18 3.71 0.166 0.3 0.57 4.67

4,189,803 2,005,240 672,480 72,519,280 85,599,340 133,222,020 2,368 2,068,330 20,940 1,156,490 1,628,130 21,723,675.50 91,520 28,590 7,125,270 1,499,990 193,400 40,914,470 2,011,180 126,650 4,125,210 3,582,820

-1,196,795 627,810 612,310 -24,936,570 65,100 5,225,729 3,689,510 -2,775,130 -49,800 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

3.48 48.6 99.25 121.5 1.29 40.1 16.18 20.75 1.69 0.67 81 0.74 14.4 57.35 240 113 90 38.95 206 79.8

3.49 48.7 99.8 123.7 1.29 40.1 16.18 20.9 1.69 0.72 81 0.74 14.56 58.5 240 113 90 39 206 79.8

3.4 48.2 99.25 121.5 1.28 40 16.18 20.7 1.69 0.66 80.2 0.74 14.4 57.35 238 110 90 38.9 202.4 79.6

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS ASIABEST GROUP BASIC ENERGY BOGO MEDELLIN CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EEI CORP EMPERADOR ENERGY DEVT EUROMED FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETRON PHIL H2O PHINMA PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PHX SEMICNDCTR PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP PUREFOODS RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG SHAKEYS PIZZA SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VITARICH

43.5 5.55 0.83 1.43 20.1 0.28 97 8.29 16.58 165 23.35 14.72 59 94.45 2.12 6.1 12.22 12.64 7.65 6.82 5.9 1.69 21.65 73.5 16.38 6.74 1.67 195.2 73.5 7.86 4.4 30.95 26.7 14.74 293.8 0.27 6.55 3.62 9.02 3.88 11.56 2.33 7.14 2.15 77.9 4.95 266.4 5 2.99 12.78 4.32 0.148 1.47 163.4 1.67

43.9 5.61 0.84 1.45 20.15 0.28 97 8.44 16.86 165 23.5 14.76 59.5 94.45 2.19 6.1 12.5 12.64 7.65 6.84 6.04 1.69 22.1 73.8 16.38 6.76 1.7 195.2 73.5 7.94 4.49 31.15 27 15.12 294.2 0.27 6.72 3.69 9.02 3.88 11.56 2.34 7.14 2.2 78 5 266.4 5.01 3.23 13.42 4.33 0.148 1.5 163.6 1.68

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

0.38 73.45 12.58 6.3 0.375 820 8.81 12.76 8.1 0.184 1,208 6.16 78.3 1.13 7.89 14.5 6.78 3.5 0.061 1.98 2.5 106.2 4.12 671 0.87 1.54 268 0.29 0.194 0.25

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

6.65 1 2.45 1.51 36.15 3.85 5.92 0.51 1.31 0.159 0.55 53.85 0.71 0.164 1.67 0.99 1.19 3.75 0.167 0.31 0.6 4.8

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

28 24 1.71 3.39 29 1.04 6.99 0.9 4.83

29.95 24 1.76 3.39 29.3 1.05 6.99 0.93 4.86

28 23.2 1.71 3.29 28.85 1.02 6.99 0.9 4.8

29.95 23.3 1.74 3.3 29.05 1.03 6.99 0.9 4.85

3,000 489,300 331,000 69,000 8,022,400 8,899,000 500 66,000 1,616,000

84,195 11,477,425 577,100 228,610 233,234,135 9,132,180 3,495 59,460 7,803,050

-7,229,850 39,480 -47,700,680 -3,389,030

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

7.95 46.2 1.48 0.55 0.056 11.28 7.61 0.064 2.41 91.4 10 8.9 2.45 1,000 1,900 6.14 3.6 3.88 76.5 0.0093 11.92 9.02 0.192 1.36 3.1 13.14 3.9 0.95 3.75 2.39 5.59 3.78 18.2 2.74 11.26 5.35 3.6 145.5 9.15 1,470 1.42 0.41 44.2 80.8 6.25 2.39 1.18 3.22 0.39

7.95 46.5 1.48 0.55 0.06 11.3 7.76 0.065 2.47 92 10 8.9 2.45 1,000 1,989 6.14 3.63 3.98 76.85 0.0094 12.6 9.06 0.192 1.37 3.12 14.5 3.9 0.95 3.87 2.79 5.6 3.78 18.2 2.87 11.52 5.35 3.79 148 9.86 1,550 1.49 0.415 44.2 81.5 6.25 2.4 1.18 3.25 0.4

7.84 46.2 1.48 0.54 0.056 11.26 7.59 0.063 2.35 90.35 9.99 8.8 2.44 1,000 1,900 6.13 3.47 3.85 76 0.0093 11.9 9.02 0.19 1.35 3.01 13.12 3.87 0.95 3.5 2.35 5.41 3.73 18.2 2.74 11.2 5.34 3.4 145.5 8.88 1,469 1.42 0.4 42.9 80 6.17 2.38 1.16 3.22 0.39

SERVICES 7.85 46.2 1.48 0.55 0.058 11.3 7.7 0.064 2.39 90.8 9.99 8.8 2.44 1,000 1,988 6.13 3.5 3.98 76.5 0.0094 12.5 9.06 0.191 1.36 3.01 14.5 3.88 0.95 3.73 2.41 5.51 3.78 18.2 2.84 11.3 5.34 3.5 148 9.1 1,550 1.48 0.405 43.6 80.8 6.17 2.4 1.17 3.23 0.4

56,500 7,300 1,000 666,000 301,310,000 9,100 2,959,500 18,890,000 2,349,000 619,340 400 307,100 11,000 14,940 172,690 33,300 1,988,000 65,000 6,059,820 5,000,000 92,600 422,000 3,180,000 200,000 234,000 5,700 1,624,000 5,000 3,867,000 9,058,000 7,906,500 392,000 100 1,747,000 6,557,500 7,900 72,000 10,540 4,149,200 360,435 17,839,000 6,420,000 9,241,900 367,780 84,300 1,072,000 5,586,000 539,000 740,000

444,763 337,490 1,480 365,300 17,382,110 102,602 22,726,926 1,209,120 5,606,520 56,274,507.50 3,999 2,710,780 26,890 14,940,000 338,763,785 204,213 6,980,270 253,530 462,075,345.50 46,600 1,140,548 3,820,440 607,080 272,470 711,160 78,664 6,304,300 4,750 14,511,140 23,810,570 43,263,491 1,472,150 1,820 4,929,020 74,103,912 42,250 258,490 1,534,532 38,839,952 550,342,930 26,120,450 2,605,450 403,225,195 29,650,483 522,387 2,562,500 6,539,070 1,743,670 290,600

109,760 158,160 -765,870 2,560 5,988,156 1,715,500 -14,435,000 140,274,645 175,500 7,760 11,461,816 738,596 4,050 -2,522,450 -924,790 -1,020,300.00 24,836,601 -437,140 -146,080 64,813 -3,494,267 268,805,285 -764,980 243,000 -235,950,645 212,379 -366,280 351,000 -1,439,730 -

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

0.0032 1.9 5.71 1.84 1.85 0.465 0.45 10.26 2.71 0.25 0.186 0.193 0.011 0.011 1.97 6.6 2.31 0.88 0.011 4.21 0.014 9.2 3.2 147 2.95

0.0032 1.94 5.71 1.85 1.85 0.465 0.45 10.3 2.71 0.255 0.189 0.202 0.011 0.011 1.99 6.6 2.39 0.93 0.011 4.21 0.014 9.28 3.23 148 2.95

0.0031 1.88 5.57 1.8 1.85 0.465 0.445 9.6 2.62 0.248 0.184 0.193 0.011 0.011 1.87 6.53 2.18 0.87 0.011 4.2 0.014 9.16 3.15 147 2.85

MINING & OIL 0.0032 45,000,000 1.94 6,731,000 5.6 498,300 1.84 213,000 1.85 31,000 0.465 70,000 0.445 40,000 9.96 113,200 2.66 1,267,000 0.25 1,020,000 0.186 7,030,000 0.201 5,050,000 0.011 1,700,000 0.011 500,000 1.92 600,000 6.55 5,204,800 2.28 229,000 0.91 1,524,000 0.011 29,500,000 4.2 4,000 0.014 55,300,000 9.28 798,900 3.2 833,000 147.2 402,560 2.85 10,000

143,800 12,671,810 2,803,807 393,840 57,350 32,550 17,900 1,096,236 3,371,740 253,170 1,314,370 1,011,750 18,700 5,500 1,143,400 34,117,198 508,050 1,342,700 324,500 16,820 774,200 7,372,492 2,653,030 59,455,353 28,600

-46,413 -88,780 24,800 950,940 -17,295,855 62,590 1,457,660.00 -12,800 1,373,431 -

ABS HLDG PDR DD PREF GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR LR PREF MWIDE PREF SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

46.1 106.4 530 5.84 1.04 106 77.9 82 77.5 80.8 79.5 78.5 79.6

46.35 106.4 530 5.84 1.04 106 77.9 82 78.95 80.8 79.5 79.45 79.6

45.9 106.4 530 5.84 1.04 106 77.9 82 77.5 80.8 79.45 78.5 79.6

PREFERRED 46 265,700 106.4 21,110 530 100 5.84 156,000 1.04 70,000 106 10,000 77.9 2,340 82 30,050 78.95 550 80.8 500 79.45 211,770 79.45 1,100 79.6 60

12,237,100 2,246,104 53,000 911,040 72,800 1,060,000 182,286 2,464,100 42,697.50 40,400 16,834,376.50 86,920 4,776

-6,118,700 -911,040 2,782,500 -

LR WARRANT

2.17

2.2

2.15

WARRANTS 2.18 88,000

191,150

-

ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

4.09 7.33 8.6

4.21 7.33 9.08

3.84 7 8.6

3.85 7.17 9.01

3,876,780 198,972 116,777,445

35,525 -26,231,481

FIRST METRO ETF

120.5

121

120.1

1,107,071

6,005

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 6.6 1 2.53 1.4 36 3.85 5.92 0.5 1.29 0.16 0.55 53.8 0.72 0.157 1.7 0.98 1.22 3.76 0.167 0.3 0.58 4.79

634,500 2,017,000 273,000 51,266,000 2,375,400 34,601,000 400 4,089,000 16,000 7,230,000 2,975,000 401,290 130,000 180,000 4,219,000 1,516,000 162,000 10,914,000 12,040,000 420,000 7,046,000 762,000

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

23,361,255

INDUSTRIAL

85,967,808

HOLDING FIRMS

203,987,566

PROPERTY

162,798,197

SERVICES

422,902,127

MINING & OIL

163,750,821

GRAND TOTAL

1,076,767,179

SME

964,000 27,600 12,997,200

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 120.7 9,160

VALUE 1,841.84 (unchanged) 0.00 1,041,477,635.70 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,043.86 (down) 27.75 1,344,228,244.76 HOLDING FIRMS 7,280.74 (down) 78.15 1,128,964,905.59 PROPERTY 3,276.87 (up) 13.54 SERVICES 1,470.46 (up) 36.67 649,391,837.27 MINING & OIL 12,343.02 (down) 24.96 2,183,287,891.35 PSEI 7,294.56 (up) 0.04 130,957,662.544 All Shares Index 4,401.30 (up) 0.73 6,600,273,952.71 Gainers:81; Losers: 98; Unchanged: 49; Total: 228

my and key driver of global growth is showing signs of improvement on the domestic front.

Beijing is trying to reconfigure the economy from one driven by exports and state investment to one based on domestic consumption. The figures follow upbeat reports on 2016 growth and factory activity.

Shanghai closed 0.1 percent down—having shed 0.4 percent at one point—while Hong Kong was up 0.3 percent in the afternoon.

On Tuesday, the People’s Bank of China said its foreign exchange reserves unexpectedly bounced back above $3 trillion in February, indicating tighter controls have staunched a flood of cash out of the country as the US prepares to raise borrowing costs.

The bank has spent hundreds of billions trying to curb the capital flight, with the yuan struggling at eightyear lows against the dollar.

“It suggests that Chinese authorities have indeed managed to stem the capital flight that so many investors are worried about. Naturally it’s done that through capital controls,” said Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at CFD and forex provider AxiTrader.

“It doesn’t mean China is out of the woods, especially with the Fed about to embark on a rate hike cycle, but it seems the pressure has been released for the moment.”

Sydney was flat, Seoul added 0.1 percent, Singapore gained 0.3 percent and Wellington put on 0.2 percent.

Taipei climbed 0.2 percent.

With AFP, Bloomberg

PSC set to open 412 stores in 2017

By Jenniffer B. Austria PHILIPPINE Seven Corp., the local franchise holder of convenience store chain 7-Eleven, said Wednesday it will spend P3.5 billion this year to open 412 stores across the country.

PSC president and chief executive Jose Victor Paterno said the company would remain aggressive in store openings as it aimed to grow its store network by 20 percent annually over the next few years.

“We will be growing at the same pace by about 20 percent over the next few years. Consumption remains strong and we remain bullish on the consumer sector,” Paterno said.

The company said of the 412 stores, 50 stores would be in Mindanao, 50 in the Visayas and the rest in Luzon.

The company on Wednesday opened its 2,000th store at LV Locsin Building in Legaspi Village, Makati.

From opening its first store in 1984, 7-Eleven became the country’s leading convenience store chain. With only 500 stores seven years ago, PSC expanded the stores to 1,000 in 2014 and 2,000 in just over two years.

It said of the 412 stores for opening this year, half would be company-owned and the other half would be franchised-stores. PSC said sales in 2016 grew 23 percent to P32 billion.

The competition in the convenience store industry intensified over the past two years with the entry of new players such as FamilyMart which is being operated by SSI Group and Ayala Land, Lawson which was brought into the local market by Puregold Price Club Inc. and Alfamart, one of Indonesia’ biggest mini-market operators, which was brought to the Philippines by SM group.

Business

B3

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Coal as major power source is here to stay

LOCAL ONION. The Agriculture Department, with the help of Go Negosyo, finalizes an agreement with supermarket and restaurant

chains to source directly from local onion farmers and help them sell their produce. SM Markets ordered and successfully moved 20 metric tons of Nueva Ecija onions and placed a new order of 90,718.5 kilograms of red and white onion from Nueva Ecija-based Bonea multipurpose cooperative, the local source endorsed by Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol. Shown are Bonea chairman Israel Reguyal and SM Hypermarket store manager Mary Ann Sacramento sealing a supply deal with a handshake at SM Hypermarket Mall of Asia.

BSP set to launch new retail payments system

By Julito G. Rada

T

he Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will launch a new national retail payments system this year in line with its goal to supplement the use of cash in payment transactions.

“There’s something big that’s going to happen by the end of the month. The NRPS project basically creates a shared clearing and settlement system that will allow banks to offer digital financial services in an inter-operable way,” Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. told reporters in an interview.

“It means from one single account, you can do all of your transactions and deal with anyone,” Espenilla said.

“There are two priority cases we have identified and we will

be working with banks to establish [them]. What we’re targeting to happen is to have the signing of agreements by end of the month to set this up and within the year to actually operationalize the schemes,” Espenilla said.

These schemes include the batch electronic fund transfer and instapay.

Espenilla said the batch electronic fund transfer pertained to the replacement of checks.

“You can transfer from your account to any other account online payments, remittance, but it

will happen frequently so there’s clearing and settlement,” he said.

Instapay pertains to the immediate availability of funds.

“There will be mechanisms to make it happen real-time. Those are two cases but there are others down the road. These will be the priorities because we think these are the ones that have the most traction for retail payments system,” he said.

He said Bangko Sentral’s ultimate goal was to drive retail payments from 1 percent (when a survey was done in 2014) to 20 percent of total volume of transactions by 2020.

He said there would be multilateral agreements signing between banks that would allow them to transact with one another digitally. He said after the signing of documents, the next step would be setting up the structures.

Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. earlier said the proper implementation of the national retail payment system would not only contribute significantly to financial inclusion efforts of the government, but would also improve the balance sheet of domestic banks.

Recent data from the BetterThan-Cash Alliance showed that of the 2.5 billion payment transactions per month in the country worth $74 billion, only one percent was done electronically.

A study also showed that 8.5 percent of earnings of commercial banks could be saved if 99 percent of the 2.5 billion transactions were done electronically.

Also, banks could have a cost savings of 25 percent to 26 percent of invoice processing per annum because of NRPS. This not to mention the reduced cash handling cost.

Air-con maker pushes electronic waste disposal

By Othel V. Campos DAIKIN Airconditioning Philippines Inc., a high-end air cooling solutions provider, said Wednesday it supports a proposal to compel manufacturers of electronic gadgets and appliances to collect used, worn-out and antedated consumer products.

Daikin manager for sales operations Jed Caburian told Manila Standard the company was willing to abide by the measure, once it was approved and imple-

mented.

“Right now, there is no detailed law about proper electronic waste disposal. We heard there are proposals for manufactures to collect e-waste and charge the users or owners for collection, so as to properly manage e-waste,” he said.

“However, Daikin, even before these talks on proper ewaste disposal came out, had already been complying with international standards. We design our products to last a long time, maybe a lifetime’s worth should

I say it. Therefore, our e-waste is not as problematic compared to other electronic manufacturers,” he said.

Caburian said Daikin, in complying with international standards, was always a step ahead in terms of considering the environment and consumers’ health and safety as well as value for money.

He said while the Philippines has yet to implement a 4-star rating for energy consumption efficiency, Daikin ready earned an award in the Japan market for

this.

He said what the Philippines was implementing was the orange tag program of the Manila Electric Co. in cooperation with the Trade Department.

The orange tag is a system that rates the electric efficiency of electronic appliances and converts it into savings in terms of peso value.

Daikin will offer entry-level air-conditioning units using inverter technology under the Cooling King series by the third quarter of 2017.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is one pragmatic man when assessing the rising energy requirements of the Philippines. Despite the hysteria created by self-proclaimed environment advocates, Mr. Duterte sees the Philippines continuously tapping coal sources to generate power.

The President in clear terms posed no objection to the use of the fuel in the Philippines during a visit to Sarangani province in late January this year for the groundbreaking of the coal plant of Alsons Consolidated Resources Corp.

“But for as long as the most viable fuel is coal and cheapest so that the power can also be delivered... to the people at a much lower price, then we’ll have no other alternative except to upgrade the technology to its fullest―to limit,” says Duterte.

“At this time, whoever is the president of the Philippines would always contend with coal. There’s so much coal... that can be utilized by civilization for the next 50 to 70 years. And to be worrying about pollution, well, we just have to come to terms with that in our time, in our generation, it is really what it is. There is nothing you can do about it,” he adds.

Mr. Duterte called for a balance, acknowledging that coal was not the cleanest source of energy yet. “Wee would like to have a clean planet but that would be impossible really to insist on it because civilization needs to have light. We have to find that balance, not everything can be renewable.

Coal remains the most reliable source of baseload power in the Philippines. The fuel accounted for 45 percent of the country’s electricity output in 2015, with natural gas at 23 percent. Geothermal, hydro and other renewable sources contributed a combined 25 percent.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi knows the value of coal as a dependable source of electricity. The proposed energy mix until 2030, he says, will remain the same even after the Philippines signed the Paris Agreement on climate change last week.

“It won’t (change the mix). Our concurrence is with condition that we won’t sacrifice our energy source to meet the country’s demand,” the energy chief said.

Cusi noted the intermittent supply of power when some major plants undergo their regular maintenance shutdown. Philippine grids are often placed on an alert status, especially when major gas power plants are taken off from the main lines.

Inexpensive electricity The Energy Department expects coal-fired power plants to provide inexpensive, reliable and competitively priced electricity that will result in significant savings for households. Sufficient supply generated by coal-fired power plants results in lower electricity rates, which in turn encourages more foreign and local investors.

Across the globe, coal is still the least-cost option for baseload power generation. The development of coal-fired power projects is still critical to the Philippines to ensure lower production cost to the manufacturing and industrial sectors.

Electricity from coal-fired power plants, meanwhile, are much cheaper than renewables given the feed-in tariff (FIT) and FIT Allowance (FIT ALL) rates paid mandatorily by by all electricity consumers.

The Filipino electricity consumers are held hostage by the imposition of a 20-year FIT and FIT ALL, an incentive given to renewable companies to encourage them to build renewable energy facilities. The rate is collected from power consumers long before they are able to enjoy the benefits of RE. Wrong notion Claims that coal is a dirty source of fuel is wrong. Coal-fired power plants have come a long way in terms of efficiency improvement, emissions reduction and adverse impact to the environment through the reuse of combustion by-products.

The misconception that coal is bad for the environment because it emits black smoke is no longer an accurate concern. With the advent of advanced technologies for coal-fired power generation, production of reliable, stable, cost-competitive and highly efficient supply with minimal impact to the environment is now achievable.

The latest coal technology addresses pollutants and minimizes CO2 emissions. SMC Global Power, the power generation subsidiary of conglomerate San Miguel Corp., recently reported that testing since January of its new clean coal technology power plant in Limay, Bataan, yielded emission results that were way below government and World Bank standard limits. Unit-1 of the Limay Plant consistently produced low levels of sulphur oxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is dead serious in protecting the environment, requiring power plants utilizing coal to comply with stringent standards set by the Environment Management Bureau. Power plants must also secure Environment Clearance Certificates from the department before the construction and operating phases.

E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or business@thestandard.com.ph or extrastory2000@yahoo.com

Business leaders should support Philippine sport THE general expectation is that as the development of a society proceeds, its sport sector is benefited by the improvement in the social environment and the resulting increase in available financial resources. But this has not been the experience of Philippine sport. Why this has been the case is explained by two events related to the sport sector.

One was the reelection of Jose Cojuangco Jr. to a fourth term as chairman of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC). There have been insinuations that Mr. Cojuangco’s re-election was attended by tactics similar to those employed by the former president of the International Olympic Committee, Sepp Blatter, before his ouster following his re-election to a fourth term.

Whether or not the insinuations have basis is not what is important. What is important is that Mr. Cojuangco was re-elected again and again despite a dismal record as the head of the Olympic movement in the Philippines. That record consists of one bronze medal and one silver medal – that was won by weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz in the 2016 Olympics – during his entire tenure of the POC

presidency. Anyone with that kind of record of performance has no business allowing his name to be put forward for re-election as POC head. That position is not a family heirloom, nor is it a reward for non-performance.

The other event that serves to explain why Philippine sport has not kept pace with the development and progress of Philippine society was the decision of Jean-Philippe Lhuillier to withdraw his candidacy in the recent election for president of Philta (Philippine Lawn Tennis Association). The scion of the Cebuana Lhuillier fortune, a steadfast and generous supporter of Philippine tennis, apparently withdrew in view of the decision of the longtime Philta president to not withdraw his candidacy in the election. Mr. Lhuillier obviously wanted a chance to try and bring back the time when the Philippines was a power in the Asian tennis scene; today this country no longer figures prominently in Asian tennis. The incumbent Philta president cannot be faulted for not doing his best, but his best has not been good enough. The result has been a continuing slide in the fortunes of Philippine tennis.

Clearly, there is a need for a change of leadership in Philta, just as there is a clear need for a new man at the helm of POC. When he has not

performed well, an incumbent should give way to someone with the potential to turn things around.

Philippine sport has no place for individuals who think that they are irreplaceable. It is precisely the “I am irreplaceable” mindset that has brought Philippine sport to the non-winning situation that it is in today.

The leaders of Philippine sport need a change of attitude toward a greater sense of shared vision.

More than that, each of the sports especially the sports in which this country has the best prospects, needs a padrino (godfather) who, with his deep pocket, will provide it with sustained financial support. The government cannot be depended upon to answer for the financial needs of the numerous sport associations; the budget provided by Congress for the PSC (Philippine Sports Commission) simply isn’t sufficient for the associations’ needs.

The SBP (Samahan sa Basketbol ng Pilipinas) and the Gilas Pilipinas, the national basketball team already have a padrino: Manuel V. Pangilinan of the Metro Pacific/PLDT/Smart conglomerate.

Tennis has Lhuiller, who has picked up where the late Manuel Elizalde left off. Boxing and taekwondo also have their benefactors. More than a dozen other sports, including soccer and running

still don’t have benefactors.

It is a great pity that other conglomerates are so focused on basketball, in which, for physical reasons, this country is unlikely ever to win Olympics acclaim. Sports that are sorely in need of sustained financial supports are soccer, swimming, weightlifting (in which Hidilyn Diaz’ training without assistance, brought this country its first silver medal in several decades), archery, sailing and the track-and-field sports. In terms of value for money sustained support for these sports would make very good business sense for the captains of Philippine industry. Just look at Mr. Pangilinan: the public approbation he has garnered for his steadfast generous support of Gilas is every public-relations man’s dream.

The Tokyo Olympics is only three years away.

To deserve their long tenures as heads of their organizations, Mr. Cojuangco and his counterpart at PSC should go out and actively win support for Philippine sport among this country’s business leaders.

The bottom line, is, without the support of the business community, Philippine sport will continue to flounder in international competition.

E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

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

B4

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

Business

OECD warns vs trade pullback

P

ARIS―Any rollback of international trade deals would hurt global growth which is already soft with only a modest recovery on the cards this year, the OECD said on Tuesday.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development did not mention US President Donald Trump by name, but warned that ripping up trade agreements hurts everybody, especially those who put up new obstacles to trade.

“An increase in trade barriers in the major global trading economies... would have a major adverse impact on trade and GDP, particularly for those economies that imposed

new trade barriers,” the OECD said in an interim version of its Economic Outlook.

The Paris-based OECD advises its 35 members, mostly developed countries, on economic development.

“There is significant uncertainty about the future direction of trade policy globally, in part because of falling public support for trade in advanced countries,” the report.

“A rollback of existing trade

openness would be costly, with a significant share of jobs in many countries linked to participation in global value chains,” it said.

Only last week, the Trump administration made clear it did not feel bound by World Trade Organization rulings, saying it “will aggressively defend American sovereignty over matters of trade policy.”

Trump has also repeatedly trashed the North American Free Trade Agreement and threatened to slap tariffs on imports from Mexico.

Trump also complained that the US gave up too much in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, an Asia-Pacific regional deal he scrapped immediately after tak-

ing office.

Meanwhile, the OECD said it stood by its 3.3-percent estimate for global gross domestic product growth this year. It first gave the figure in November.

Most individual country forecasts were unchanged from the earlier estimate, but Britain is headed for 1.6 percent growth this year, up from the OECD’s earlier 1.2 percent projection.

But several obstacles could still get in the way of the global recovery.

“Confidence has improved, but consumption, investment, trade and productivity are far from strong,” it said.

“Disconnect between financial markets and fundamentals, potential market volatility, fi-

nancial vulnerabilities and policy uncertainties could, however, derail the modest recovery.”

One remedy would be for governments to use any leeway in public finances to help struggling demand.

“Countries should use increased fiscal space to implement effective fiscal initiatives that boost demand and make government taxes and spending more supportive of long-term growth and equity,” the OECD said.

European powerhouse Germany, which is running a record-high budget surplus, has recently come under increasing pressure from its EU partners to loosen its purse strings to push imports and consumer spending. AFP

US fines ZTE for exports to Iran WASHINGTON―The US government has slapped $1.2 billion in fines on Chinese telecom giant ZTE for violations of US export controls for selling goods to Iran and North Korea, officials announced Tuesday.

It is the largest criminal penalty in US history in an export control case, US officials said, though there have been larger fines involving financial firms. The company will immediately pay $892 million, while another $300 million in penalties are suspended for seven years.

ZTE also agreed to plead guilty to three charges, including obstructing justice for hiding information from government investigators, the officials said. The agreement is subject to court approval.

From January 2010 to March 2016, the company shipped $32 million in US cellular network equipment to Iran, and made 283 shipments of cell phones to North Korea, with the full knowledge of the highest levels of company management, officials told reporters.

The company “conspired to evade the long-standing and widely known US embargo against Iran” and do business with entities affiliated with Tehran “to supply, build, operate, and/or service large-scale telecommunications networks” in the country using US equipment and software.

The five-year government investigation into ZTE’s actions violating restrictions on exports to sanctioned countries involved the US Justice, Commerce and Treasury departments, and was first revealed in March 2016.

While the investigation was conducted entirely during Barack Obama’s presidency, the case provides an opportunity for Donald Trump’s government to showcase its aggressive rhetoric on trade policy, which it has painted as a national security issue.

“We are putting the world on notice: the games are over,” Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement.

“Those who flout our economic sanctions and export control laws will not go unpunished―they will suffer the harshest of consequences,” he said.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, we will be aggressively enforcing strong trade policies with the dual purpose of protecting American national security and protecting American workers.” AFP

A truck is driven into a cargo ship at a pier in Tokyo on March 8, 2017. Japan’s economy expanded by a revised 0.3 percent in the last quarter of 2016, government data showed, as company investment and a weaker yen propped up growth. AFP

Japan’s economic growth is stronger JAPAN’S economy expanded more in the final quarter of 2016 than initially reported, due to an upward revision in business spending.

Gross domestic product grew 1.2 percent on an annualized basis from the previous quarter in the three months through December, according to data released by the Cabinet Office on Wednesday.

Measured quarter on quarter, GDP rose 0.3 percent from preliminary figure 0.2 percent. Business spending rose 2 percent against the preliminary figure of 0.9 percent.

For 2016, the Japanese economy grew 1.0 percent, unchanged from the initial estimate, after posting 1.2 percent growth the previous year, the Cabinet Office said.

Government stimulus measures and capital spending were key growth drivers.

A weak yen also helped prop up the economy by driving exports, but inflation and consumer spending remain weak as cautious firms avoid big pay hikes.

“Private non-residential investment was revised up significantly as we’d expected, and so overall there is little surprise” to the revised figures, said Taro Saito, senior economist at Tokyo’s NLI Research Institute.

“The Japanese economy is on track for moderate recovery and we expect (the Bank of Japan) will keep the current policy for the time being,” he added.

Japan’s economy contracted in the last three months of 2015, before bouncing back last year although the recovery has been wobbly.

Japan’s economy has expanded for four consecutive quarters, the longest run in more than three years. But the growth has been modest and mostly driven by exports, while private consumption at home remains soft. The yen’s decline following Donald Trump’s election is expected to support corporate profits, but economists are skeptical that companies will pass that along to workers via significant wage gains. Bloomberg

Trump slump? At least some foreign tourists put off US travel

By Thomas Urbain NEW YORK―Donald Trump and his travel bans are dissuading some foreigners from vacationing in the United States, but a decline in visitors is also linked to the dollar and may be limited, experts say.

Although solid data is not yet available, the Republican president’s first travel ban sent a jolt through the world tourism industry when it came into effect in late January.

Besides travelers from the seven Muslim-majority countries initially targeted, anecdotal shows evidence of a knockon effect further afield.

The online tour operator Kayak saw a 23 percent decline in flight searches from Europe to the United States the day after the ban was enacted.

And worldwide bookings to the country of the Statue of Liberty, Hollywood and Disney World fell 6.5 percent in the week after the restrictions took effect, industry analysts ForwardKeys found.

Twenty-nine percent of Britons―who make up the largest number of foreign visitors to the United States after Canadians and Mexicans―said in mid-February that they were less likely to visit the country now Trump is in power, a Cheapflights survey reported.

Still, even though the US president signed a revised travel ban on Monday to take effect on March 16―with the White House hoping this one avoids the legal challenges that blocked the first attempt―the picture is not all bleak.

If British holiday bookings to the United States for the summer are down year on year, a spokesman for the Brit-

ish Travel Agents Association (ABTA) said, that’s “always the case when sterling falls in value against the dollar.”

That’s been the case since shortly after Trump’s election in November, when his plans to slash regulations along with corporate taxes boosted the dollar.

“It may be that the election of Donald Trump has changed the travel plans of some customers, but it needs to be remembered that he has supporters as well as detractors in the UK,” the spokesman said.

Bookings from Germany also dropped when the euro-dollar exchange rate fell in 2016 with Barack Obama still in power, a spokesman for the German Travel Association (DRV) said.

But the exchange rate doesn’t explain everything, according to the CEO of the French travel association Voyageurs du Monde, Jean-Francois Rial.

“We prefer to go to Mexico or Canada because of Trump,” he said. “We still have people every week who tell us that.”

New York braces for fewer visitors Ironically, Mexico―so often in Trump’s firing line―may benefit from the US president’s poor image: Cheapflights has also seen a rise in Mexico-related searches.

The first ban had “a broad chilling effect” on international travel demand to the United States, the US Travel Association said.

It expressed regret that the Trump administration did not take advantage of its revised ban to assure those not affected that they are welcome in the United States.

“If undecided voters need to hear certain things to be moti-

This file photo taken on January 7, 2017 shows a man in costume waits for tourists to take picture with him under a snowfall in Times Square during a winter storm in New York. Donald Trump and his travel bans are dissuading some foreigners from holidaying in the United States but decline is also linked to the dollar and may be limited, experts warn. While solid data is not yet available, the Republican president’s first travel ban sent a sudden jolt through the world tourism industry when it came into effect on January 27, 2017. AFP

vated to get out and vote, then the same is true for undecided travelers,” it said.

NYC & Company, the official marking organization for New York, expects 300,000 fewer international visitors in 2017 “in light of the recent travel ban and related rhetoric,” it said.

If confirmed, it would be the first decline since 2008, the start of the global financial crisis.

That’s especially significant for the economy because if foreign tourists number fewer than American visitors to New

York―12.4 million compared to 49.3 million expected this year―they spend an average of four times more per visit, the organization says.

Still, the market research company Euromonitor predicts only a mild slowdown that would deprive the United States of several hundred thousand visitors a year and up to one million fewer in 2020, the year of the next presidential election.

In France, Travel & Co director Carole Ange says she is not expecting a catastrophic

year for US visits, just a flat one with no growth in 2016.

“We should have a good late fall once Mr Trump calms down a bit,” she said.

And north of the US border, the administrator of the Montreal-based travel agent Beltour, Hamza Belhajali, even sees reasons to celebrate a “Trump effect.”

There’s increasing demand for trips to New York and Washington, he said, among those “curious to go and see what’s happening” in Trump’s America. AFP

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

C1

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

PRETTY IN PINK. Women walk the streets of Laoag in pink straw hats and T-shirts as Ilocos Norte celebrated International Women’s Day on Wednesday. The parade was a prelude to the provincial government’s ‘Kinni-Kinni’ parade organized by the Gender and Development Office, with the theme ‘Make Change Work for Women.’ As the Ilocano term for walking with swaying hips, “Kinni-Kinni” aims to highlight its residents’ femininity.

QC tips hat to great women Q

By Rio N. Araja

UEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Wednesday reaffirmed his administration’s continuing commitment to fight for women’s rights, as he acknowledged the important role that women play in the city’s development efforts.

“With women and girl empowerment representing half of the development equation, the fight for women’s rights should continue,” Bautista said.

The mayor recently honored

10 extraordinary women of Quezon City who have “rendered valuable contributions to society through their commitment and passion in their fields of specialization.”

The awardees—all labeled “extraordinary”—were Glenda Monleon, community organizer; Mabel Napoles, health worker; Myrna Rivas, street sweeper and Emelita Balasbas, Rose Abao, Dolores Cabral, Carolyn Gaspar, Annie de Guzman, Amy dela Cruz and Emma Barja, microentreprenuers.

He noted how women in Quezon City “have become more participatory in various governance programs and projects,” and actively participated in the city government’s growing workforce.

More women are becoming

heads of the family based on the growing number who have taken the obligation of providing shelter for their families, the mayor said.

Citing records of the Housing, Community Development and Resettlement Department, he said 887 women have acquired socialized housing in Quezon City, a “closer number” to the city’s 965 male homeowners.

More women in QC are also becoming business owners, with 14,576 registered compared to 13,607 male counterparts.

According to the Sikap Buhay Entrepreneurship and Coopera-

tive Office report, 96 percent of its loan borrowers are women.

At city hall, female employees have outnumbered males in both executive and legislative departments, 7,945 to 6,116.

“We need to support the advocacy of the women [sector].

Without their whole participation, we, as a city cannot fulfill social and ethical development.

We must always remember that women’s rights are the rights of all gender,” Bautista said.

He also led the distribution and turnover of copies of the Magna Carta for Women to barangay officials.

Cagayan CAVRAA athletes rewarded

By Jessica M. Bacud TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan—The province of Cagayan retained the championship in this year’s Cagayan Valley Regional Athletic Association or CAVRAA as the weeklong regional sports meet ended at the Ilagan City Sports Complex in Isabela.

Cagayan was declared overall champion among the nine competing CAVRAA school divisions, earning 95 gold, 80 silver and 91 bronze medals. It bested the country’s second largest province, host Isabela, which had an 83-57-89 tally, and Nueva Vizcaya, which posted 51-58-81 in medals.

Gov. Manuel N. Mamba congratulated the Cagayano delegates for a job well done, saying: “I know personally how hard it is to be an athlete, that is why I have provided all the support they need by putting all our resources together to further motivate them.”

Santiago City was fourth with 40 gold, 29 silver and 32 bronze medals, followed by host city Ilagan with 38-53-39. Quirino was sixth at 29-41-41, followed by Tuguegarao City (24-36-60), Cauayan City (8-15-18), and Batanes with two gold, one silver and three bronze medals.

Mamba said athletes who bagged individual gold medals will receive P10,000 from the provincial government, while those with silver and bronze medals will get P5,000 and P3,000, respectively.

FESTIVAL ENTRY. The town of Nagcarlan, Laguna, headed by Mayor Nelson Orsuna, joins the yearly Anilag Festival in Laguna with its ‘Anakalang’ statue, which uses flowers, and the walls of its booth that are festooned with different seeds. Nagcarlan has placed first for its creative booth in previous editions of the festival. Roy Tomandao

Maginhawa St eyed as arts, food hub MAGINHAWA Street in Quezon City will be revitalized and developed as the city’s arts and food hub, the city government announced recently.

The revitalization plan, provided for under Ordinance 25592017, underscores the need to support the development of the

Maginhawa Art and Food Hub in terms of site development, security, and other improvements to foster growth and progress.

Mayor Herbert Bautista approved the ordinance on Feb. 16.

The Maginhawa Arts and Food Hub covers the 2.2-kilometer-stretch of Maginhawa

Street up to V. Luna Extension, including the adjacent Malingap, Magiting and Mayaman streets.

The measure, principally authored by Councilor Allan Benedict Reyes, seeks to amend Ordinance 2439, which declared Maginhawa Street and its adjacent streets as a tourism district.

“With Maginhawa Street and the streets adjacent to it becoming one of metro’s top art and gastronomic destinations, it is but proper and fitting for the city government to support the area in terms of site development, security and other improvements to foster growth and progress,” Reyes said.

Repairs head off U-Belt flooding

By Sandy Araneta THE city government of Manila, led by Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada, has completed repairing and upgrading a strategic but flood-prone street within the University Belt area to lessen the suffering of the public, especially students, during the rainy season.

Padre Campa Street, from A. Mendoza Street to España Boulevard, was rehabilitated through a P9.6-million fund approved by Estrada, part of his P2.5-billion road and drainage infrastructure projects in 2016 under the city’s Department of Engineering and Public Works.

“Whenever it rains hard, the public suffer—motorists and commuters, especially students.

While we may not be able to totally prevent flooding in this area, at least we can have the floodwaters subside quickly,” Estrada said.

Among the prominent schools in the España section of the “U-Belt” is the University of Santo Tomas, Far Eastern University and the University of the East, which combined have thousands of students traversing or living in this area.

The DEPW bid out the P. Campa Project on Feb. 11, 2016 and was recently completed.

Manila has been beset with floods since the city is literally a catch basin for floodwaters from adjacent cities during heavy downpours.

In his first three years in office, Estrada has secured P1.7 billion worth of projects from the Department of Public Works and Highways, with most of the infrastructure directed at solving the decades-old flooding problem of the country’s capital.

Estrada’s administration also recently completed P1.086 billion in flood control and drainage system projects.

Valenzuela councilor leads young solons group

By Jun David VALENZUELA City first district Councilor Marlon Paulo Alejandrino was elected president of the National Movement of Young Legislators during the 22nd National Congress and Election of National Executive Committee held at

the Marriott Grand Ballroom last month.

Alejandrino is the first Valenzuelano president.

NMYL is a 7,000-strong league of elected young lawmakers 40 years and younger—including vice governors, vice mayors, provincial board members, city and municipal councilors, and Sanguni-

ang Kabataan and Association of Barangay Captains federation presidents.

Alejandrino took the post as interim national president on July 1, 2016 when Councilor Kirk Asis of Bayugan City, Agusan Del Sur resigned.

Alejandrino ran unopposed, as proclaimed by NMYL commission on elec-

tions chairman Manuel Gotis.

“This just proves how united we are in our organization and right now, there is no other person fit to lead us but president Marlon,” Davao City Councilor April Marie Dayap, the NMYL National Secretary General, said.

Vice President Leni Robredo graced the event.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017 Standard C2 TODAY Manila

ARMM hails ‘venerable’ women C OTABATO CITY—In observing International Women’s Month, the Regional Governor of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao on Wednesday praised “the venerable women of Mindanao who have long played a pivotal role in fostering their Muslim heritage.”

In his message, Gov. Mujiv S. Hataman said the autonomous regional government is joining the rest of the nation and the world in celebrating Women’s Month, as “the world has always regarded women in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao highly for their grace, courage and resilience.”

“These are the women who, for centuries, have boldly stood by their male counterparts to

resist the countless attempts of foreign powers to establish dominion over their homeland. And today, they persist amidst the on-and-off conflicts of our time, and in the everyday struggle that life throws at them,” Hataman noted.

Notable women in ARMM such as Lanao del Sur Gov. Soraya Alonto Adiong, Lanao del Norte Gov. Imelda Quibranza Dimaporo, Deputy House speaker Rep. Bai Sandra Sema,

Sur) Mayor Nashiba Areefah Gandamra-Sumagayan, lawyer Samira Gutoc-Tomawis, regional agrarian reform Sec. Amihilda Sangcopan, and Fatmawati Tulawie Salapuddinare are “great examples of leadership and femininity,” he added.

Hataman also paid tribute to all mothers and woman nurses, doctors, scientists, teachers, and workers in ARMM on this special day. “I salute you and your achievements from wherever field of endeavor you hail in the four corners of our beautiful globe,” he said.

The governor also said women themselves “have risen beyond the perception of beARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman ing helpless victims to adverRep. Ruby Sahali, Anak-Mind- sities, as they have emerged anao party-list Rep. Sitti Djalia to take on a more meaningful Turabin, Taraka (Lanao del role in society.”

“I would like to take pride in the record number of women who are occupying key posts in the regional government—all very capable women,” he said.

“In the same breath, I salute all our women workers in the rank and file of the Autonomous Regional Government, whose contribution to the success of our everyday work is immeasurable.”

“We also take cognizance of all Moro women who are venerated in their respective fields, as they champion causes ranging from education, health and human rights, to securing durable peace in Mindanao.”

Hataman pointed out that while women have become “indispensable in establishing peace, stability and economic and social progress,” he acknowledged that

a significant number of women in the region “still remain subjects of repression in varying degrees and forms today, due to illiteracy, displacement, and poverty.”

He expressed ARMM’s commitment to protect women from all forms of abuse, and to enable them to take their rightful place in the society.

“Not only do we recognize their capacity, we promote, at all times, their active involvement and participation in the entire development efforts we do,” Hataman said. “We believe their involvement is indispensable in rooting out some of the lingering problems we face, and this can only be possible if they are empowered and allowed adequate influence.”

Ayunan G. Gunting-Al-Hadj

Puerto Galera’s wind farm is newest tourist attraction

By Robert A. Evora PUERTO GALERA, Oriental Mindoro— Eight tall towers of a wind farm power project being built on a mountain top here will help boost the ecotourism industry of this resort town, local officials said.

The wind farm is on the highland village of Baclayan, 900 meters or 2,700 feet above sea level. It overlooks the famous coves within the Verde Island Passage, the center of the world’s marine biodiversity area called the Coral Triangle.

Mayor Rockey D. Ilagan said the “the towering 230-foot-tall wind towers, once completed this year, will have a commanding view of our town’s famous white beaches and many coves that will become a spectacle to our visitors, foreigners and locals alike.”

Ilagan and his staff inspected the project site of the 48-megawatt wind farm power project in Baclayan together with engineers of the Philippine Hybrid Energy Systems Inc. (PHESI), which runs the farm.

The officials also inspected the source of spring water in Baclayan, the primary source of fresh water supply in Puerto Galera. The local government is planning to construct a major water facility here for distribution to local consumers, including residents and business owners in the town proper.

An eight-kilometer, 10-meter wide access road starting from the national road to the mountain top of Baclayan is also under construction. “The access road straddles the forests and hills where one can hear chirping of birds,” Ilagan said.

Of PHESI’s 220 employees at the wind farm, 118 are indigenous people receiving a minimum salary of P330 daily. The Mangyans are employed either as flagmen, safety or environmental aides, or nursery workers. None of the IPs are employed as skilled workers “because they are still being trained,” com-

pany representatives explained.

Mangyan Mayor Radencio Banaag, 61, the local tribe’s representative to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, said barangay health centers, basketball courts, multipurpose hall and other facilities are either being built or repaired by PHESI in Baclayan under its corporate social responsibility program.

“This project will help us a lot, especially the road they’re building. It would make it easier for us to bring our products down from the mountains to sell in the town market,” Banaag, the leader of the Iraya sub-tribe in Baclayan, said.

He said the important thing for PHESI “is to follow the rules and the right process in doing its project.”

Eric Epa, PHESI site manager, said the wind rotors with three blades, with a diameter of 80 meters or 234 feet, will start arriving this June. The erection of the towers and the installation of the blades is slated for July, lasting for 65 days in a parallel construction, he added.

The first phase of the 48-megawatt wind farm is the construction of two separate towers, each with a height of 78 meters (234 feet), capable of generating 16 megawatts of electricity.

The whole project has eight towers whose construction will come in three phases. The first phase, which is ongoing, will be completed this December.

“Once completed, it is expected to reduce the present power rate in the area from P13 per kilowatthour to only P6.50 per kwh,” an official of the electric cooperative here said.

“Tourism is one of the best drivers of inclusive growth. Puerto Galera will become conducive for expanding business in tourism, thereby improving the economy of our town. This wind farm project, aside from providing us cheap and clean power derived from renewable energy such as wind, will also infuse more economic opportunities to our people,” Ilagan said.

1598 M.H. Del Pilar corner Dr. J. Quintos Streets Malate, Manila Tel. Nos. 522-0000, 551-2200 connecting all departments

READY FOR THE RAINS. Mayor Guia Gomez leads officials of San Juan City in breaking ground this week at Barangay Progreso, as the city government gets pumping stations in the different barangays ready—as those previously marked in barangays Balong Bato, Salapan and Rivera—two months before the rainy season starts. The city’s efforts under Gomez have raised residents’ hopes floodwaters would no longer bother them during the monsoon season.

INVITATION TO BID The Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK), through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites consultants/ suppliers/manufacturers/distributors/contractors to bid for the hereunder projects: Items ITB - GS-20170215-01 Automated Card Kitting Services for EMV LANDBANK Visa Debit Card Lot 1 - 2,000,000 Pcs. Lot 2 - 2,000,000 Pcs. ITB - GS-20170216-01 Air Transport/Chartering Services

ITB - GS-20170227-01 Enterprise Vulnerability Management Solution

Approved Budget Bidding for the Contract Documents Fee (ABC)

Delivery Period

To be discussed during the Pre-Bid Conference P

6,720,000.00 6,720,000.00

P

3,400.00 3,400.00

P 13,688,640.00

P

6,900.00

One (1) year from date of contract signing

P 15,160,000.00

P

7,600.00

Within sixty (60) calendar days after receipt of Notice to Proceed Installation Period: Ninety (90) calendar days to start seven (7) calendar days after delivery

Prospective bidders should have experience in undertaking a similar project within the last five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, with an amount of not less than 50% of the ABC. The Eligibility Check/Screening as well as the Preliminary Examination of Bids shall use non-discretionary “pass/fail” criteria. Post-qualification of the lowest calculated bid shall be conducted.

All particulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bidding Conference(s), Evaluation of Bids, Post Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRRs).

The schedule of activities are as follows: ACTIVITIES 1. Issuance of Bid Documents 2. Pre-Bid Conference

3. Submission / Opening of Bids 4. Post-Qualification 5. Notice of Award

SCHEDULE March 9 to 30, 2017 March 16, 2017 - 2:00 PM Bidding Room, 25th Floor, LANDBANK Plaza Building 1598 M. H. Del Pilar corner Dr. J. Quintos Streets, Malate, Manila March 30, 2017 - 11:00 A.M. Procurement Department, 25th Floor, LANDBANK Plaza Building 1598 M. H. Del Pilar corner Dr. J. Quintos Streets, Malate, Manila March 31 to April 6, 2017 April 11, 2017

Bid documents will be available to prospective bidders upon payment of the applicable Bidding Documents fee to the LANDBANK Cashier.

LANDBANK reserves the right to (a) reject any and all bids at any time prior to the award of the contract; (b) waive any minor formal requirements in the bid documents; (c) accept such bids, it may consider advantageous and beneficial without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

INVITATION TO BID No. 07-2017 The National Irrigation Administration (NlA), BiIiran-Leyte del NorteLeyte del Sur Irrigation Management Office, Marasbaras, TacIoban City through the GeneraI Appropriations Act (GAA) 2017 intends to apply the sum corresponding to the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC), to payment for the following contracts listed hereunder. The National Irrigation Administration (NlA) now invites bids for: Item/Description Approved Budget 1.BNLSL-LCB-23-2017 - Construction of 18,800,000.04 Diversion Works, Canal, Farm Level, Drainage and Road System of Busay CIP, San Miguel, Leyte 2.BNLSL-LCB-25-2017 - Repair of Diversion 22,712,603.68 Works and Construction of CanaI Lining of Tagbawto CIS, Hilongos, Leyte

Duration 270 cd

300 cd

Bidding will be conducted in accordance with relevant procedures for open competitive bidding as specified in the IRR of RA 9184. Bids received in excess of ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The contract shall be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during post-qualification.

Interested bidders may submit a Letter of Intent together with the Class “A” documents addressed to the Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee, NIA, Biliran-Leyte del Norte-Leyte del Sur Irrigation Management Office, Marasbaras, TacIoban City.

The schedules of BAC activities are as follows: BAC Activities 1.Issuance of Bid Documents 2.Pre-Bid Conference 3.Receipt and Opening of Bids

Schedule Starting March 9, 2017 March 16, 2017 March 28, 2017

Time 8:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

2:00 p.m.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by the interested bidders from the address above and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee of P25,000.00 for Contracts above P10.0M up to P50.0M to the Cashier.

NIA reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: CATHERINE G. MACANIP National Irrigation Administration Marasbaras, TacIoban City (053) 323-6210 Noted: (Sgd.) FERMINA B. ALING Division Manager A, IMO

(Sgd.) CATHERINE G. MACANIP BAC Chairman

(MS-MAR. 9, 2017)

NV public safety plan approved

By Ben Moses Ebreo BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—The Provincial Peace and Order Council is set to approve the province’s Peace and Order and Public Safety or POPS Plan to guide multisectoral actions on the implementation of programs, projects and activities toward the reduction and prevention of crimes here.

Engineer Edgardo Sabado, Provincial Planning and Development coordinator, said the POPS Plan was a result of a series of consultations and workshops by the PPOC Technical Committee.

“This will serve as our basis in addressing major peace and order concerns and issues in the province. By maintaining our peace and order on a manageable level and status, the influx of investors as well as increase on economic development activities will thrive, thereby propelling our province toward progress and development,” he said.

Sabado said the POPS plan was already presented during the 1st Quarter Meeting of the PPOC, but more inputs from other government and civil society organizations are expected to be submitted to validate and finalize the plan.

The 2017-2019 POPS Plan is required by the Department of the Interior and Local Government from local government units to ensure the sustained and focused protection of villagers from crimes, emergencies and natural and manmade disasters.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

World

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

C3

Venezuelans desperate for food C

PRIVATE EVENT. Madison Reed, AnnaLynne McCord and Victoria Justice attend a private event hosted by Hudson at Hyde Staples Center for a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert in Los Angeles, California. AFP

‘Angry’ summer weather breaks Australia records SYDNEY―Australia endured a summer of record-breaking extremes, scientists said Wednesday, with climate change tipped to increase the frequency and severity of such phenomena.

Intense heat waves, bush fires and flooding plagued the December-February summer season with more than 200 records broken over 90 days, the independent Climate Council said in a report.

“Climate change -- driven largely by the burning of coal, oil and gas -- is cranking up the intensity of extreme weather events,” the “Angry Summer” report said.

“Days of extreme heat and heat waves will become even more frequent and severe in Australia, and will increase the risks to critical infrastructure (e.g. electricity), the economy, health and ecosystems.”

Australia has warmed by approximately 1.0 Celsius since 1910, according to the biannual State of the Climate report from the Bureau of Meteorology and national science body CSIRO released in October.

While bush fires are common in

Australia’s arid summers, climate change has pushed up land and sea temperatures and led to more extremely hot days and severe fire seasons.

“For Australia, it’s harder to see the impact of climate change because we have a very variable climate anyway,” Will Steffen, a climate scientist at the Council, told AFP. “But our extremes are becoming so extreme that we can actually see the influence of climate change quite clearly.”

Steffen added that such weather phenomena would worsen “over the next couple of decades” while efforts to reduce emissions catch up with rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.

Australia is one of the world’s worst per capita greenhouse gas polluters, due to its heavy use of coal-fired power.

The Bureau of Meteorology said last week the country’s largest city Sydney had just experienced its hottest summer ever as “records were broken for numbers of hot days and nights across the city”. AFP

Explosions as insurgents attack military hospital KABUL―Explosions and gunfire rattled Kabul’s diplomatic district Wednesday when insurgents dressed as doctors attacked Afghanistan’s largest military hospital, officials said, as growing insecurity beset the war-battered country.

No insurgent group immediately claimed responsibility for the ongoing assault on the Sardar Daud Khan hospital, but it comes as the Taliban ramp up attacks even before the start of their annual spring offensive.

At least two people were so far reported killed and 12 others wounded, the health ministry said around two hours after the raid began, with medical staff trapped in the facility posting desperate messages for help on social media.

“Attackers are inside the hospital. Pray for us,” a hospital staff member wrote on Facebook.

Hospital administrators told AFP three gunmen wearing white laboratory coats were on the loose after the first explosion struck, sparking chaos inside the 400-bed facility.

“The attackers are shooting everywhere,” administrator Abdul

Hakim told AFP by telephone.

“We are trying to bring the situation under control,” he said in a frantic hurry before hanging up.

At least two other loud explosions were heard as Afghan special forces sought to rein in the attackers.

“This is a criminal act. Nothing can justify an attack on hospitals,” said Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.

“We will never forgive these criminals. Unfortunately, this attack has resulted in some casualties. The attackers entered the back door disguised as doctors.”

The attack comes just a week after 16 people were killed in simultaneous Taliban suicide assaults on two security compounds in Kabul.

Dozens of others were wounded as a suicide car bomber struck an Afghan police precinct in western Kabul and a five-hour gun battle ensued after another attacker snuck in, sending clouds of smoke billowing into the sky.

In the second attack, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the gates of an Afghan intelligence agency branch in eastern Kabul. AFP

ARACAS―The garbage truck brakes and desperate teen Rebeca Leon runs up to root hungrily through the bin bags.

Venezuela is rich in oil but an economic crisis has reduced her and millions of others to extreme poverty.

Instead of doing homework, the 18-year-old is hunting for food in the streets to feed her two-yearold son and her disabled mother.

“My mom is putting weight back on now because I have been searching for food like this,” she says.

Rebeca has been doing it for six months as inflation and shortages have worsened. When the school day finishes, she heads to Caracas’s posher districts to pick up what the richer citizens have thrown away.

“My mother did not want to accept it,” she says. “But what else can I do with the way the country is?”

Some 9.6 million Venezuelans are living on two or fewer meals a day, according to the Living Conditions Survey.

And 1.5 million are living on food given to them or found in bins, says one of the report’s authors, nutritionist Maritza Landaeta.

Nearly 52 percent of the population lives in extreme poverty, says the study by a group of universities.

Seven out of 10 people in the country have lost weight -- 8.7 kilograms (17 pounds) on average.

Rebeca says her mother “had got to the point where her bones were showing through. My son was becoming undernourished so

at last I said, I have to go and look for food in the street.”

Rebeca waits in a small crowd of 70 people, including several children, for the rubbish trucks to come.

The group shares out the food from those and from the bins in the restaurants.

“I used to cry because I felt humiliated. But I don’t care about that any more,” she says.

“If you don’t have a job, and you don’t look in the bins, then you don’t eat.”

Outside one restaurant, unemployed builder Jose Godoy, 53, anxiously licks a disposable plate he has found.

His daughters of seven and nine drink juice found in a can.

They are suffering from anemia. They are used to eating just banana or yucca once a day.

“One night, we had to go to bed without eating. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. The children were crying: ‘I’m hungry,” he says.

“I sold my tools and everything, and in the end I came out searching in the streets. There are thousands of us living off garbage.”

The crisis caused by falling oil prices has raised pressure on Socialist President Nicolas Maduro.

Opponents blame corruption and his economic management for the crisis.

Supermarkets sell rations of food and household supplies.

But even at state-subsidized prices they are unaffordable for many. AFP

Manila

Republic of the Philippines Standard GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM

TODAY

GSIS Building, Financial Center, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City 1308 GSIS ACQUIRED ASSETS FOR DISPOSITION

PROVINCE

District/Subdivision

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54

Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna

ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso JUANA COMPLEX, Halang JUANA COMPLEX, Halang JUANA COMPLEX, Halang JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco ADELINA COMPLEX II ADELINA COMPLEX II ADELINA COMPLEX II ADELINA COMPLEX II ADELINA COMPLEX II ADELINA COMPLEX II ADELINA COMPLEX II ROSARIO COMPLEX, San Vicente ROSARIO COMPLEX, San Vicente ROSARIO COMPLEX, San Vicente ROSARIO COMPLEX, San Vicente ROSARIO COMPLEX, San Vicente ROSARIO COMPLEX, San Vicente ROSARIO COMPLEX, San Vicente ROSARIO COMPLEX, San Vicente ROSARIO COMPLEX, San Vicente ROSARIO COMPLEX, San Vicente SAMPAGUITA VILLAGE, Sampaguita

City/Municipality Property Location

TCT/CCT No.

Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan Binan San Pedro San Pedro San Pedro San Pedro San Pedro San Pedro San Pedro San Pedro San Pedro San Pedro San Pedro San Pedro San Pedro San Pedro San Pedro San Pedro San Pedro San Pedro

B002 L017 Ph 3 Sampaguita St. B002 L029 Ph 3 Sampaguita St. B004 L019 Ph 3 Santan St. B005 L012 Ph 3 B013 L020 Ph 3 B016 L002 Ph 3 B017 L010 Ph 3 B018 L011 Ph 3 B018 L014 Ph 3 B019 L008 Ph 3 B019 L014 Ph 3 B021 L025 Ph 3 B021 L047 Ph 3 B005 L018 Ph 1 B006 L014 Ph 1 Agate St. B010 L026 Ph 1 B003 L010 Ph 6 Samuel St. B003 L012 Ph 6 Samuel St. B003 L014 Ph 6 Mark St. B006 L001 Ph 3A B006 L007 Ph 6 B010 L002 Ph 6 Abraham St. B010 L006 Ph 6 Abraham St. B010 L008 Ph 6 Abraham St. B010 L009 Ph 6 Abraham St. B010 L010 Ph 6 Abraham St. B010 L015 Ph 6 Moses St. B010 L019 Ph 6 Moses St. B010 L021 Ph 6 Moses St. B011 L027 Ph 6 Moses St. B011 L034 Ph 3B B011 L036 Ph 3B B011 L038 Ph 3B B011 L039 Ph 3B B013 L019 Ph 3A B014 L029 Ph 3A B003 L009 Ph 2SHT1 Camella St. B003 L016 Ph 2SHT2 Carnation St. B003 L021 Ph 2SHT1 Goldfield St. B004 L002 Ph 2SHT1 Adelina cor. Goldfield St. B004 L020 Ph 2SHT1 Goldfield St. B005 L010 Ph 2A Jasmine cor. Cattleya St. B010 L014 Ph 2SHT1 Dahlia St. B001 L006 Ph 1 Our Lady of Immaculate Concepcion St. B001 L017 Ph 1A Our Lady of Piat St. B003 L019 Ph 1 Our Lady of Manaoag St. B004 L004 Ph 1 Our Lady of Immaculate Concepcion St. B012 L018 Ph 1 Our Lady of Carmel St. B020/4 L004A Ph 1A (48) Our Lady of Candelaria St. B021 L015 Ph 1 Our Lady Of Pillar St. B022 L007 Ph 1 Our Lady of Candelaria St. B024 L008 Ph 1 Our Lady of Grace St. B026 L048 Ph 1 Our Lady of Marian St. B014 L008 Dahlia St.

Minimum Acceptable Offer / CMV ( ₱ )

Property Classification

Occupancy Status

Bidding Date

Place of Bidding

Lot Area/ Floor Area (sqm)

T-306023 T-299506 T-306001 T-306009 T-306010 T-306013 T-306014 T-306006 T-306002 T-306020 T-306012 T-306007 T-306016 T-125857 T-126005 T-125297 T-206384 T-206387 T-206395 T-189056 T-192909 T-206398 T-213596 T-213597 T-202104 T-202119 T-200029 T-202107 T-206372 T-213619 T-202101 T-198040 T-198060 T-198032 T-201490 T-195411 T-134065 T-131509 T-134031 T-135550 T-135472 T-142625 137341 T-106460 T-115153 T-106404 T-105393 T-107511 T-115219 T-115170 T-112069 T-115106 T-112099 T-41122

88.00 91.00 88.00 80.00 106.00 98.00 80.00 80.00 80.00 88.00 88.00 75.00 120.00 180.00 294.00 180.00 268.00 302.00 240.00 329.00 306.00 169.00 150.00 150.00 150.00 150.00 150.00 150.00 150.00 306.00 160.00 150.00 150.00 150.00 180.00 180.00 159.00 153.00 150.00 188.00 150.00 243.00 151.00 475.00 180.00 208.00 240.00 230.00 224.00 180.00 192.00 192.00 292.00 180.00

511,200.00 438,900.00 415,200.00 362,000.00 539,600.00 569,800.00 378,666.67 378,666.67 378,666.67 486,000.00 411,200.00 450,000.00 605,333.33 1,696,000.00 2,254,000.00 1,307,500.00 1,745,200.00 1,939,000.00 1,585,600.00 2,243,266.67 2,080,200.00 1,188,080.00 995,000.00 1,029,080.00 1,029,080.00 1,072,600.00 1,029,080.00 1,029,080.00 1,082,500.00 1,918,280.00 876,000.00 825,000.00 825,000.00 825,000.00 1,098,000.00 1,098,000.00 1,660,400.00 1,000,800.00 1,428,000.00 1,746,200.00 1,587,500.00 1,588,300.00 1,045,600.00 3,828,500.00 1,611,000.00 1,695,000.00 1,938,000.00 2,155,000.00 2,174,666.67 1,513,000.00 1,571,400.00 1,864,000.00 2,437,000.00 1,416,000.00

House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot

Occupied Occupied Occupied Unoccupied Unoccupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Unoccupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Unoccupied Unoccupied Unoccupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied

02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17 02-May-17

Level 8, Narra Room, GSIS Building, Financial Center, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City

Level 8, Narra Room, GSIS Building, Financial Center, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City

GENERAL GUIDELINES: 1.

Disposal of GSIS Investment Properties – Retail Units (IP-RUs) is through a competitive public bidding process. Acceptance of Purchase Offer shall start on the scheduled bidding date and time.

2.

Dropping of bid envelopes inside the designated bid box will be on the date of auction from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Opening of Bids will immediately follow.

3.

Disposal of GSIS IP-RUs is on “As-Is Where-Is” basis. Interested bidders are enjoined to personally inspect the GSIS IP-RUs for sale. “As-Is Where-Is” is defined as the present physical condition of the retail unit that GSIS is selling and the buyer is buying, “with all attendant faults, if any,” whether or not immediately apparent and without any express or implied warranty. The buyer takes this condition at his or her own risk, without recourse against the GSIS as to their condition. This includes knowledge by the buyer of the presence of occupants in the retail-unit being purchased.

4.

Strictly, “One bidder, One specific property” only, which means that a bidder cannot submit two (2) or more bids for one property. A bidder may submit one bid each to as many properties as he wants to buy, as long as, he posts a bidder’s deposit for each property in an amount provided below. The bidder must present valid government IDs upon registration on the date of public bidding.

5.

Purchase offer may either be in Cash or through External Financing Institution.

6.

A downloadable bid form shall be properly accomplished with the following data: a. b. c. d. e. f.

Name and complete address of the bidder Exact address of property you are interested to bid Transfer Certificate of Title No. Amount of bid (in numbers and in words) 10 % Bidder’s Deposit equivalent to 10% of the total amount of Bid Offer Signature of the bidder/representative

7.

Bid proposal shall be written in words and in figures and shall not be lower than the Minimum Bid Price of the property published in the newspaper or posted in the GSIS website. Should there be a difference in the amount in words and in figures, the amount in words shall prevail.

8.

Bidders’ deposit equivalent to at least 10% of the Bid Offer shall be in the form of MANAGER’S CHECK payable to the Government Service Insurance System

9.

The following shall be inserted in the sealed bid envelope: a. properly accomplished Bid Form (form can be downloaded from www.gsis.gov.ph) b.

Manager’s Check payable to Government Service Insurance System representing deposit equivalent to at least 10% of the Bid Offer c. duly notarized Special Power of Attorney (SPA), if the bidder is an authorized representative d. pre-conditional approval from PBCOM, if applicable

10.

The following information shall be clearly written outside the sealed bid envelope (mailing envelope) (Address of Property you want to bid) Block No. ______ Lot. No. ______ Phase No.____ Name of Subdivision Address of Subdivision TCT NO. _______ Mode: __________ Cash __________ thru External Financing Institution Name of Bidder: Mailing Address:

11.

Interested bidders planning to purchase the GSIS property through External Financing Institution (EFI) shall first secure certification from accredited banks stating that he/she is qualified to avail of a loan from External Financing Institution and insert inside the bid envelope.

12.

The existing tenant or occupant or his duly authorized representative through a valid Special Power of Attorney (SPA) has the right to match the offer of the declared highest bidder, provided: a. he/she is present during the bidding b. participated in actual bidding c. presently occupying the property subject of bidding supported by the following proofs of occupancy: c.1 c.2.

Barangay certificate that he/she is occupying or residing in the subject property Any valid government identification document with his/her address similar to the address of the property he/.she is bidding.

13.

If the occupant will exercise his/her right to match the offer of the declared highest bidder, he/she need not secure another bank pre-qualification corresponding to the matched offer. Instead, he/she shall pay the equity in cash as stated in Notice of Approval of Sale (NOAS). The equity shall be computed as the difference between the Letter of Guarantee from the bank and the offered bid amount.

14.

The declared highest/winning bidder shall submit within the day of the actual bidding, the following documents: a. duly accomplished Personal Profile/Company Profile/Corporate Profile, whichever is applicable (form can be downloaded from www.gsis.gov.ph); b. photocopies of two valid IDs (one should be a government-issued ID); c.

Articles of Incorporation/Partnership, By-Laws and current General Information Sheet, for corporation/partnership, if applicable; d.

Registration Certificate from SEC for corporation/partnership, DTI for sole proprietorship and CDA for cooperatives, or any proof of such registration, if applicable; e. current Mayor’s permit issued by the city or municipality where the principal place of business of the winning bidder is located, if applicable.

15.

A Notice of Approval of Sale (NOAS) shall be issued to the highest/winning bidder on the day of bidding. In case the bid is thru EFI, the equity shall be paid in cash within thirty (30) calendar days from receipt of Letter of Guarantee (LOG) by the GSIS. The equity is the amount corresponding to the difference between the LOG and the Offered Bid Amount.

16.

Upon issuance of the NOAS to the highest/winning bidder, the Bidder’s Deposit of the other non-winning bidder/s shall be returned immediately.

17.

Non-compliance with the terms and conditions stated in the NOAS shall result in the forfeiture of the bidder’s deposit.

18.

In case the highest/winning bidder fails to comply with the requirements within the specified time, the GSIS shall write the second highest bidder to confirm if he/she is still interested to acquire the property. If still interested, GSIS will require him/her to pay the non-refundable deposit equivalent to ten percent (10%) of his/her previously submitted bid amount and will be issued NOAS.

19.

GSIS reserves the right to waive any formality or to reject any or all bids received. The list of properties available for sale may be updated without prior notice.

20.

For inquiries, you may call Real Property Accounts Management Department at telephone nos. 479-3536 or 976-4619.

(MS-MAR. 9/10/11, 2017)

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

C4

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

World

N. Korea goes ‘my way’ with missiles amid row

S

EOUL―Dealing with a notorious murder by detonating a huge diplomatic row, and firing missiles as a practice assault on US bases in Japan― North Korea’s recent actions demonstrate its willingness to escalate tensions whatever the consequences, say analysts.

Pyongyang on Tuesday banned all Malaysian citizens from leaving North Korea, its latest move in an increasingly heated feud over the assassination of leader Kim Jong-Un’s half-brother in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysian police are investigating the death of Kim JongNam, who was killed last month by two women using VX nerve agent, but all fingers have pointed to Pyongyang as the culprit behind the murder.

The North has denied any involvement, denouncing the Malaysian probe as a “smear campaign” to tarnish the country, before the two engaged in tit-for-tat expulsions of their ambassadors.

Daniel Pinkston, an analyst at Troy University in Seoul, said the North’s belligerent response followed its textbook method of using force to handle political disputes.

“There is a famous quote in their literature: if someone brings a pistol, bring a cannon. That’s how they operate,” he said.

The travel ban on Malaysians came on the same day that Pyongyang described the launch of four missiles -- three of which came down in waters that are part of Japan’s exclusive economic zone -- as a practice drill for a strike on US military bases in the country.

The direct challenge to Washington comes with a new, famously unpredictable president in the White House who is still formulating his approach to North Korea.

On the campaign trail, Donald Trump at times implied that negotiations could be an option, but in phone calls Tuesday reaffirmed Washington’s “ironclad commitment” to allies Japan and South Korea and warned of “very dire consequences” for Pyongyang.

“It would seem common sense to behave well before Trump sets his policy, but North Korea is just going its own way regardless of the consequences,” said Koh Yu-Hwan, a professor of North Korea studies at Dongguk University. AFP

Video of son or murdered Kim appears

SEOUL―A video of a man describing himself as the son of assassinated North Korean exile Kim Jong-Nam emerged Wednesday, apparently the first time a family member has spoken about the killing.

The video was uploaded to the YouTube page of a previously unknown group, Cheollima Civil Defense (CCD), which claimed to have “extracted” vulnerable members of Jong-Nam’s family with the help of the Dutch, US and South Korean authorities, and was keeping them under protection in an undisclosed location.

South Korea’s intelligence agency confirmed the individual on the video is Kim Han-Sol. His father was murdered at Malaysia’s main airport last month by two women using the banned VX nerve agent, with Pyongyang widely blamed for the assassination.

“The man is indeed Kim Han-Sol,” a spokesman for the National Intelligence Service told AFP. The spokesman declined to give further details, including Kim’s current whereabouts or any information about CCD. In the video, the man says in English: “My name is Kim Han-Sol, from North Korea, part of the Kim family.

“My father has been killed a few days ago.

I’m currently with my mother and my sister.

We are very grateful to...” he says, before the audio cuts off and his mouth movements are blacked out.

He shows his North Korean diplomatic passport as evidence of his identity but the page that shows his particulars is digitally covered.

The 40-second video wraps up with him saying: “We hope this gets better soon.”

There was no indication where or precisely when the video was made.

Han-Sol, 21, is believed to have graduated from Sciences Po university in Paris and had been living in exile with his parents in the Chinese territory of Macau before he disappeared with his mother and sister following his father’s death.

Because of his bloodline, Han-Sol could be seen as a rival figurehead in a state ruled by his uncle Kim Jong-Un and roiled by bloody purges. AFP

KL wants dialog over Kim’s murder

PREMIERE. Actress Kristen Stewart arrives at the Flux and Cinefamily-hosted premiere of IFC Films’ PERSONAL SHOPPER at The Carondelet House in Los Angeles, California. AFP

KUALA LUMPUR—Malaysia’s prime minister on Wednesday ruled out severing ties with North Korea and said his government would seek to negotiate a way out of a rapidly escalating diplomatic row over the assassination of Kim Jong-Nam. North Korea and Malaysia Tuesday banned each other’s citizens from leaving their countries, with Kuala Lumpur saying its nationals were effectively being held “hostage”.

The Malaysian foreign ministry said 11 of its citizens were currently in North Korea -- three embassy staff, six family members and two who work for the UN’s World Food Program.

Responding to questions from reporters outside parliament on Wednesday, Prime Minister Najib Razak ruled out severing ties with North Korea.

“At the moment [diplomatic ties are] still on because it provides us with a channel,” he said.

“We have to maintain ties because we have means to negotiate,” he added. “We now need to examine what are the needs of the North Korean government.”

In the meantime the Malaysian government would stand by its decision not to allow North Koreans to leave the country, he said.

On Tuesday Najib condemned Pyongyang’s ban, calling it an “abhorrent act, effectively holding our citizens hostage...in total disregard of all international law and diplomatic norms”.

Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur had unusually strong links for years, but ties have rapidly deteriorated in the weeks since two women, who have been charged with the murder, wiped a deadly chemical on Kim Jong-Nam’s face.

An autopsy revealed that to be VX nerve agent, a substance so dangerous it is classed as a weapon of mass destruction by the UN. Seoul has blamed Pyongyang for the assassination, and Kuala Lumpur wants to question several North Koreans, although the only one it has arrested so far was released last week for lack of evidence. AFP

Lining up to challenge Trump’s ban WASHINGTON―States’ attorneys general, civil liberties groups and others are already lining up to challenge President Donald Trump’s revised ban on refugees and travelers from six mainly Muslim countries.

But can they succeed in overturning a measure that was deliberately crafted to remove the red flags raised by US courts over the first attempt? That may be more difficult.

The White House has rolled out a process that aims to avoid a repeat of the confusion caused by its first travel ban, imposed with no notice and little preparation one week into Trump’s presidency.

This time, it’s unlikely there will be a backdrop of airport chaos and mass detentions to help lawyers make the case that people’s rights are being trampled.

The new order issued Monday suspends US entry for all refugees

for 120 days, and suspends the issuing of new visas for nationals of Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Sudan for 90 days.

Although similar to the first travel ban, it has been changed in significant ways to pass muster with the courts.

For one, the new restrictions do not go into effect until March 16, giving travelers 10 days to prepare for the changes.

Crucially, the new order exempts permanent US residents and existing visa-holders and allows for waivers on a caseby-case basis. It also drops Iraq from the list.

The strategy appears designed to address the situations that ignited outrage and made the earlier travel ban politically radioactive.

Among the prominent cases was that of an Iranian baby who could not travel for specialized

medical treatment in the United States. That could now be dealt with using a waiver.

Foreign students and Silicon Valley executives were also stranded abroad, and entire families detained at airports. As long as they have visas under the new rules, they should no longer face that risk.

Lawyers for the state of Hawaii on Tuesday told a US district court there of their plan to file a challenge to the revised ban on Wednesday, which would probably make it the first legal test.

The state has asked for an expedited process to consider a motion for a temporary restraining order on the ban. If the judge agrees, “this schedule will allow the court to hear the state’s motion before the new travel ban goes into effect on March 16,” Hawaii’s attorney general Douglas Chin said in a statement. AFP

WOMEN’S DAY. Young Indian women wear traditional Punjabi dress as they perform the ‘Giddha’ dance during celebrations on the occasion of an International Women’s Day function in Amritsar. AFP

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

D1

Life HEALTH & WELLNESS

The Sunshine Place offers Loop Band Exercise program, which includes warm up exercises for arms and leg stretching, especially designed for seniors

Qi Gong and Loop Band

EXERCISE CLASSES S

TAY young and fit with new exercise and relaxation classes especially designed for seniors at the Sunshine Place. The recreation center under the Felicidad Tan Sy Foundation now offers Loop Band Exercise classes and Qi Gong sessions as part of its continuous effort of bringing wellness to one’s mind, body and soul.

The Loop Band Exercise, also known as the Resistance Band exercise, is a total body workout routine using a giant rubber band.

Each session includes warm-up exercises for arm and leg stretching, and the “ABCD” exercises consisting of archery movements, biceps routines, arm raising and bending techniques—all using the rubber loop band with elasticity fit for seniors.

Apart from improving muscle strength, endurance, balance, coordination and flexibility, this routine created by Alex Causapin of Life-Care Fitness also serves as a good cardio exercise.

The full course of the Loop Band Exercise Program includes eight sessions with instructor Danica Ducay of Life-Care Fitness Management Inc. every Monday at 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., 4th floor Dance Studio of the Sunshine Place.

The art of Qi Gong, on the other hand, of-

fers relaxation for the body and mind that creates harmony. Qi Gong, an activity practiced in preparation for Tai Chi, helps the body open its energy centers; allowing energy to flow efficiently from within and releasing it.

Its basic principles include correcting one’s body posture and breathing with exercises, poses and techniques. Here, one learns how to inhale and exhale properly and how to keep the body upright. This avoids pressure on the internal organs, hence avoiding stress while preserving energy and keeping oneself feeling light and young. Particular poses in Qi Gong can also be beneficial to the heart, intestine and the back.

The Qi Gong Program at the Sunshine Place includes eight sessions with instructor Jose Antonio Anonas who has been practicing this energy art for 16 years. These sessions take place

every Wednesday and Saturday at 10 to 11 a.m., 4th floor Dance Studio of the Sunshine Place.

Sunshine Place, a senior recreation center under the Felicidad Tan Sy Foundation, is a venue for adults to live actively, through engaging in recreational classes and age-appropriate physical training programs. It is the venue to be entertained, to socialize and to reflect; a place of happiness and wellness for one’s mind, body and soul.

It offers a wide range of activities for its members and guests. There are music classes and voice lessons; Jazz, Yeba and social ballroom dance classes; and nutrition counseling and customized fitness training programs.

One can also take time to reflect in the chapel that is open every day and holds a 12:15 p.m. mass every Friday.

Sunshine Place is an accredited Merchant Partner of the Philippine Retirement Authority; with this, PRA members can enjoy certain privileges when they visit the recreation center.

For more information, visit the Sunshine Place at #56 Jupiter St., Bel-Air, Makati City; or call (02) 856-4144 and (0917) 515-5656; and email seniorhubjupiter@gmail.com.

Qi Gong offers relaxation for the body and mind through correcting body posture and breathing

Top-notch surgical services at The Surgery Center THE high cost of surgical procedures today can be daunting, especially if you are on the hunt for top-notch service. The pressing question then is, where could one possibly secure high quality, patient-centered services through advanced medical equipment and first-class healthcare at non-prohibitive prices?

The simple answer is this: The Surgery Center at Centuria Medical Makati (CMM). It is managed and operated by Amatus Surgicare Inc. in a joint-venture partnership with Centuria Medical. This new Center of Excellence at Centuria Medical is a stand-alone, out-patient surgical facility that caters to the needs of specialties such as Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic/Cosmetic Surgery, Dermatology, ENT-HNS, Gastroenterology, OB-GYN, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics and Urology. Over 500 highly skilled and board certified doctors from different medical practices have already been accredited by the Center and the number is expected to grow by the end of the year.

Also, adding to the accessibility of the surgical facility is its openness to use by other doctors in Centuria Medical, as well as those from anywhere in the Philippines. If an accredited dentist is in need of a sterile environment to perform a dental implantation surgery in Metro Manila, he/she need only reserve an Operating Room for the expected date of procedure at TSC. Depending on the nature of the procedure, a reasonably priced corresponding fee is charged.

At present. the center has a total of nine spacious and fully-equipped operating theaters on Centuria Medical’s 7th floor, occupying more than half of the facility space.

On why they chose to locate at Centuria Medical, TSC President Dr.

The Surgery Center at Centuria Medical Makati has Post Anaesthesia Unit and Nurse’s Station, among other facilties and amenities

James Joaquino stated that it has to do with the facility and center’s same values and vision.

“By bringing in the best surgeons of different specialties, I believe that The Surgery Center at Centuria Medical

Makati envisions the same goal, and that is to strengthen the quality of life through advanced medical facilities and affordable healthcare procedures. We cannot go wrong in this partnership as our team only partners with the best,” Dr. Joaquino said.

At Centuria Medical, doctors own the spaces, so they are able to democratize the practice and open the possibility of getting quality care at attainable rates.

In instances when a patient wishes to or needs to stay within the premises to anticipate the procedure or enjoy recovery, Centuria has built a total of 10 Executive Suites, one of which is

dubbed as the Ambassador’s Suite, the biggest one in the entire cluster. Those availing of regular suites need not worry, as all suites are equally modern and well designed, just with relatively minimal space. The finishes are hotel grade, the facility attended by Centuria’s concierge service, a practice that has made the developer, Century Properties known in the industry.

But apart from its respected medical practitioners and cutting-edge facilities, The Surgery Center at Centuria Medical Makati also provides accessibility to patients, as it is located within the country’s financial business district and close to other significant landmarks in the Metro.

It also able to benefit from Centuria’s premium healthcare service that is the patient queuing system. This allows walk-in visitors to book doctors of their choice, thus speeding up the usual process of booking an appointment. Doctors’ clinics are also pre-wired with high-speed communication systems enabling them to save and transmit patient data from electronic medical records (EMR) and utilizing the picture archiving communication systems (PACS). Patients are also assisted with their travel and accommodation bookings by the medical concierge.

Centuria Medical Makati is a 28-story medical arts building located on Kalayaan Avenue in Makati City. The ITpowered outpatient center houses more than 500 doctors’ clinics and premier facilities which include, aside from The Surgery Center, a breast clinic and executive guest suites.

For more information, contact the Centuria Medical Makati concierge at (02) 793-8611 or at ask@centuriamedical.com.ph.

Life

D2

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

Philam Vitality Active mobile app I

F THE Philippines’ decline in last year’s Healthy Living Index is any indication, the country’s health situation remains at a crucial point.

The study showed that while Filipinos have an awareness of various health risks, it was their unhealthy habits and poor lifestyle choices that caused the country’s rank to plummet to the ninth spot among 15 Asia-Pacific countries.

It is this pressing concern that led Philam Life shift its focus to improving the quality of life of every Filipino through health and wellness efforts such as the Philam Vitality program.

Introduced in 2015, the Philam Vitality Program seeks to help its customers make better decisions that contribute to their overall wellness, and rewards them along the way.

To make living active easier and more accessible to many Filipinos, Philam Life formally launched the Philam Vitality Active app.

The app is a simplified version of the Philam Vitality program designed to reward its users for every personal health goal they achieve.

Every user is tasked to complete a short questionnaire to calculate one’s Philam Vitality Age as a gauge of how well he/she lives. They will then be given weekly challenges that they can accomplish by completing a certain

number of steps as measured by a fitness device or free fitness app. For every challenge successfully completed for two consecutive weeks, users will receive exciting rewards such as free passes to SM Cinema, SM Ice Skating, SM Bowling, Blink, and Exploreum.

The Philam Vitality Active app is in keeping with Philam Life’s mission to change public perception towards life insurance policies. “Realizing how important good health is and how it is central to human happiness and economic progress; the Philam Group, together with our parent company AIA, will reinvent life insurance by changing our and our customers’ attitude towards health,” said Philam Life CEO Aibee Cantos.

By positioning insurance in the space of “living better,” Philam Life believes the program will help Filipinos be more comfortable with getting insured for the future. “As we move further into 2017, we will level up life insurance by promoting the concept of living longer, healthier, and better lives in the things we do. We will help people take charge of their health so they can live life to the fullest and enjoy more

Tricks

to maintain regular exercise habits

LIVING a healthier lifestyle is not only about eating the proper kinds of food; it is also about exerting the right amount of physical activity per day.

Recent studies have shown that adults need at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, to maintain a healthy and active outlook.

Unfortunately, not everyone is able to practice regular exercise habits. Most individuals argue that they simply do not have the time for it; while others say that they don’t know where to start. This delay in exercise, in effect, encourages sedentary lifestyles, which can later cause adverse effects to the body.

XSTM Rhodiola 110 helps However, it’s not too late maximize mental and physical to avoid these potentially performance during exercise harmful outcomes and start practicing regular exercise.

Here are three simple tricks to get started in achieving proper daily exercise regimen.

Set-up alarms for your physical activities

It can sometimes get challenging to exercise on a busy day, but it’s not impossible. By simply setting up alarms on your watch or mobile phone, you can easily get reminded of your commitment to do more physical activities.

Keep in mind, though, that these activities can also be divided in time increments to fit into your daily schedule. For example, by setting off an alarm for five-minute walks across the room after an hour of work, you can easily accomplish your needed dose of physical activities within the day.

So, whether you opt to schedule in time increments or workout continuously within the advised thirty-minute time span, having an alarm can help condition your body to a regular routine.

Find fun in exercise

Quietly jogging on a treadmill can be a bit of a bore; so when you exercise, be sure to find something that will make the activity more fun for you.

For one, this can make exercising seem like less of a hassle and more of a treat. Second, it can make you better appreciate your everyday physical routine.

Whatever you choose to occupy your mind—be it through listening to music while you work out, or by finding a friend to join your training sessions—be sure that it is something that will keep you smiling until you reach the end of your exercise scheme.

Supplement your workout sessions

Sudden physical activities can sometimes startle your body.

So, take the proper vitamins and supplements before working out, to help your body adjust better to the activity at hand.

The XSTM Rhodiola 110, for instance, helps maximize mental and physical performance during exercise. By taking just one to two tablets of this supplement, before workouts, you can surely feel a change in the way you begin exercising.

So don’t be afraid to jump into the healthier and more active lifestyle today, enjoy practicing regular exercising habits with XSTM Rhodiola 110.

Volleyball player Alyssa Valdez is one of Philam Vitality Active’s ambassadors

quality time with their loved ones. This way, we can make a real difference in people’s lives,” added Cantos.

To further this advocacy, Philam Life enlisted two of the country’s greatest volleyball players: Alyssa Valdez and Mika Reyes as Philam Vitality Active’s ambassadors. Like the app-based

H E A LT H

The Philam Vitality Active App is designed to reward its users for every personal health goal they achieve

wellness program, Alyssa and Mika are aiming to bring out the best in every Filipino by encouraging them be more fit and active. With these powerhouse athletes on board, Philam Life hopes to encourage more Filipinos to start their fitness journey with the Philam Vitality Active app.

Are you #ActiveAlyssa or #ActiveMika? Take your fitness to the test and join the Live Active Challenge. Download the Philam Vitality Active app on App Store Philippines and Google Play, and get a chance to win one of eight Garmin Vivofit 3 watches. Promo period is until April 30.

BULLETIN

Stress and other reasons why you can’t sleep INSOMNIA is due to a variety of reasons.

Here are some of them, according to MediCard President Dr. Nicky Montoya.

Stress

Stress as well as overthinking can keep you from getting a good night’s sleep. To ease anxiety during bedtime, try to meditate and exercise during the day. If you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back to sleep, get out of bed and do something that relaxes you like reading a book or listening to music until you feel sleepy again.

Nighttime distractions

Noise, complete silence, temperature and mobile devices can also be reasons why you can’t sleep. Make sure the temperature in your room is conducive to sleeping and opt for a night light instead of bright bulb. Avoid using your gadgets before bedtime as they emit a type of blue light, which can make you more alert. For those who have trouble sleeping in total silence, try listening to relaxing music of leave the electric fan on.

Irregular sleep schedule

Sleeping and waking up at different times, or sleeping in on weekends to “make up for lost sleep” on weekdays may be confusing your body clock thus you have trouble fall-

Get a good night’s sleep, every night, by knowing the things that you should avoid before bedtime

ing asleep on a regular schedule. To combat sleep. Work out three to six hours before insomnia, make sure to go to bed and wake bedtime to get the maximum sleep benefits. up at the same time every day.

Lack of exercise

Engaging in physical activities are beneficial to the body as they help fight off stress.

Be wary though, and do not exercise prior to bed, as this won’t give your body enough time to cool down, making it difficult to

Midnight snack

Late night snacking or eating a heavy meal before you sleep can cause insomnia, as metabolism is slower at night. It’s best not to eat within two to three hours before sleeping as well as drinking less water at night to avoid getting up to go to the bathroom.

Things you need to know about heart attack HEART attack remains one of the main causes of death every year. It happens when there’s a lack of oxygenated blood flow to the coronary arteries due to plaque of buildup, causing permanent damage to the heart.

It can strike anytime, reason why it’s crucial to know the important things about it.

are at risk of having potentially greater and fatal heart attacks.

chew an aspirin—which can prevent blood clotting—if you are not allergic to it.

First aid

Heart attack prevention

Acting quickly and getting help immediately can help lessen heart damage and heighten the chances of survival. First, dial the emergency hotline immediately. If the The warning signs person is unconscious, administer cardioSome heart attacks are sudden and in- pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). If you are tense while others start slowly. That’s why the one suffering a heart attack, do not atyou need to spot its early warning signs tempt to drive on your own. Keep calm and and symptoms: chest discomfort, shortness of breath, nausea or lightheadedness, cold sweat, and pain in one or both arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach. Even if you’re not sure that you’re experiencing symptoms of heart attack, it is better to consult your doctor about it because patients usually make the mistake of ignoring these signs or waiting too long before they ask for help.

Silent heart attack

Maintaining a healthy blood pressure, monitoring your cholesterol, quitting smoking, exercising, eating a balanced diet— which contains fruits, vegetables, fiberrich whole grains and fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids—and most importantly, having regular check-ups are some of the several ways to prevent heart attack.

It can be as dangerous as a recognized one because the attack often leaves scarring and serious damage to the heart. Signs of a heart attack can easily be shrugged off because they are common aches, like experiencing extreme fatigue, indigestion, flulike symptoms and jaw, shoulder or neck pain. People who experienced silent heart attacks realize it only after going through tests like Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or electrocardiogram (EKG). Further, those who suffered silent heart attacks Don’t ignore any heart attack symptoms and instead consult a doctor immediately

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

I

N THIS digital age, the search for “ forever” is everyone’s shout-out, properly hash-tagged, of course.

But, “forever” really boils down to that which matters most, the precious life moments that need to be captured, printed, preserved, and kept in one’s wallet, the family album, or in the case of first-time moms, in a baby picture book.

In recent years, instax cameras have evolved from something cool, hip, and fun into a musthave. It has edged its way into the center of all things family and dear, an essential partner to capture all moments held close to the heart.

It could be that perfect vacation, perhaps a day or two in Iloilo in time for the Dinagyang Festival in late January. Or it could be a family dinner to celebrate a young daughter’s good grades.

Special moments abound and they happen fast. It is best to capture them with an instax and revel at the printed snaps right there and then. One of the best things about instax prints is that they are waterproof and they will not fade.

Even stars like James Reid and Bea Alonzo, Fujifilm Philippines brand ambassadors, are great fans of the instax. Along with her mirrorless cameras for snaps that can be readily transferred from

BEA ALONZO and JAMES REID print keepsakes camera to phone to post on her social media accounts, Bea also makes sure to take her instax with her when she travels.

The beautiful ABS-CBN star also needs her instax when she hosts get-togethers for friends and family. “The prints also serve as a perfect give-away after the party,” Bea shares.

James, for his part, believes that instax prints are a proof of his love for friends, family, and reel and real life sweetheart Nadine Lustre. “It’s nice to have these mementos that you can keep for a long time,” shares James.

The year has just begun so it is best to start it with a dash of love and an ounce of hope and positivity. All precious moments should be preserved since these occasions, these milestones, are fleeting. A moment gone is gone forever but instax prints will always be there – a physical evidence of precious times shared and important occasions celebrated. In an age when we

Matinee idol and budding photographer James Reid keeps his travel memories intact by printing his pictures out

tend to use a lot of words, and type them on our mobile phones in record speed to show our love, there is a more tangible way of proving it. When you love

someone, make sure that you have an instax photo of that person and yourself together; when a great moment in time stood still and was captured forever.

Bea Alonzo is one of Fujifilms Philippines celebrity brand ambassadors

YouTube Kids channels kids enjoy

A scene from “The Teenage Psychic”, HBO Asia's first Chinese language original series, which premieres across Asia in April

Original Mandarin series on HBO

HBO Asia’s first Chinese language original series, The Teenage Psychic jointly developed with Taiwanese broadcaster, Public Television Service (PTS), and award-winning Singaporean production company, InFocus Asia (IFA), will premiere across Asia on April 2, at 10 p.m. on HBO. Subtitled in English, the series will also be available on HBO Go. New episodes will air every Sunday ending with a twoepisode finale on April 30.

Shot on location in Taiwan, all six hourlong episodes of the series is directed by 29-year-old rising Taiwanese writerdirector, Chen Ho-Yu. The entire Taiwanese cast include Kuo Shu Yau, Kent Tsai, Chen Mu Yi , Alina, Nana Lee], Michael Huang, and Sylvia Hsieh.

The coming-of-age story revolves around Xiao Zhen, played by Kuo Shu Yau, a 16-year-old girl who just wants to

lead a typical teenage high school life. Born with the ability to see spirits, her life will never be normal. Xiao Zhen must juggle the pressures of teenage life – first love, academic success and peer pressure - with the demands of the spirit world. As Xiao Zhen learns to use her abilities to help the living deal with their loved ones on the other side – spirits who are lost, forgotten, angry or just crying out for help - this teenager finds that fixing other people’s problems gives her the strength she needs to navigate high school and her first major romantic encounter. Xiao Zhen’s powers become a danger for her as others seek to use her abilities for their own greed.

The Teenage Psychic is HBO Asia’s second Original production this year after the second season of Halfworlds, the dark action fantasy drama series set in Bangkok, which premiered in January.

A brand-new comedy series, Sent, set in Singapore will premiere later this year.

BEING a parent is tough, so Globe At Home has chosen top 5 kid-friendly YouTube Kids channels kids can enjoy. No need to worry about what they watch even when parents are not around.

With Globe At Home, kids learn fast and surf fast anytime with first world broadband connection.

Here are the top 5 shows Globe At Home recommends for kids to watch: 1. HooplaKidz TV - https://www. youtube.com/user/HooplaKidzTv HooplaKidz TV is perfect for adventurous kids who want to have fun in the comfort of their own homes! They can follow adorable characters like Gazoon, an elephant living in the wild; the Om Noms, a duo of green creatures who go on zany adventures outside the game Cut the Rope; and Annie, Ben, and Mango, a young girl, dog, and monkey who travel the world making new friends and music.

2. Little Baby Bum - https://www. youtube.com/user/LittleBabyBum Little Baby Bum is made for kids who love music. This channel is filled with nursery rhymes, complemented by entertaining videos. Viewers can watch individual videos, but they can also check the compilations, which can last up to an hour. Apart from being entertaining, the songs are also educational – kids can sing and learn by following nursery rhymes for getting dressed, learning the alphabet, learning to swim, and taking a bath.

3. Finding Stuff Out - https://www. youtube.com/user/FindingStuffOutTV Finding Stuff Out is for the inquisitive child with so many questions. The show is hosted by Harrison Houde who

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Thursday, March 9, 2017

ACROSS 1 Turn pancakes 5 Sumptuous repast 10 Fountain or Seeger 14 Car import 15 Less green 16 Bleacher shouts 17 Coagulate 18 Freshman course word 19 Latin 101 word 20 Flattened circle 22 Purple-red 24 Watch pocket 25 Whiz leader 26 Broke the rules 30 Less expensive 34 Fence part 35 Ocean birds 37 Dance wear 38 Web addr.

39 Email provider 40 Tavern 41 Famous lithographer 43 Limerick writer — Nash 45 Agree with 46 Import taxes 48 Warps 50 Tyke 51 One of the Three Stooges 52 Went quietly

56 Apartments, usually 60 Part to be played 61 Consumer advocate Ralph — 63 Ad award 64 Old Roman road 65 1980 awardwinning musical 66 Greek goddess 67 Is on the go 68 Drive away 69 Fiscal period DOWN 1 Model’s asset 2 Quiet time 3 Not just a star 4 “Poor Poor — Me” 5 Lawn game 6 One, in Munich 7 Pertinent 8 Peasant 9 Stock feeders 10 Get ready to bake 11 Listener’s need 12 Siamese, now 13 This, in Havana 21 Lobster trap 23 Average grade 26 Orchard yield 27 Cocoon dweller

28 Edmonton puckster 29 Party poopers 30 Media star 31 Iris center 32 Debussy music 33 Bumpkins 36 Get sleepy 42 Kid watchers 43 More frequently 44 Digit 45 Incomplete 47 Egg — yung 49 Scam 52 Math subj.

53 Kappa preceder 54 Answered a judge 55 Brubeck of jazz 56 Nerve network 57 Toward shelter 58 Milan money, formerly 59 Glide like an eagle 62 Ice-cream serving

answers science-related questions from its viewers. Throughout the show, Houde has answered questions like “Why can’t humans fly?”, “Why do people have hair?”, and “Why do bats sleep upside down?”.

4. Kid Made Modern - https://www. youtube.com/user/KidMadeModern Want to make your kid’s TV time productive? Let him or her watch Kid Made Modern! Kids can learn things like how to make wire flowers, tie dye shirts using magic markers, and even how to make a sweater. The instructions are safe and easy to execute, and will be a great bonding session with the parents!

5. Pocoyo - https://www.youtube.com/ user/POCOYOUSA Enter the world of Pocoyo, the fouryear old boy who goes on adventures with his friends Pato the duck, Elly the elephant, and Loula the dog. Together, they go on adventures on land, air, sea (and even space), and involves the viewers in their adventures. It’s a fun and interactive show filled with trips, games, music, and lessons.

Let children discover these shows on YouTube Kids, free with Globe At Home subscription.

Apply for a Globe At Home’s Plans 1299 and up and let your kids be entertained on a bigger screen with fast and reliable internet connection of up to 10Mbps.

For more information on Globe At Home, call 7301010, visit the website at www.globe.com.ph/broadband, or any Globe store.

Top Youtube channels recommended for kids by Globe At Home

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

THEY MADE THIS YEAR’S OSCARS GLITTER DESPITE

Best-Picture blunder

By Bernadette Lunas

Pop star Justin Timberlake looking dapper on the Oscars red carpet

T

HE 89th Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theater in LA was, to say the least, an unforgettable one.

Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars were present, expectedly; a major blunder occurred when the winner for Best Picture was mistakenly announced, unexpectedly.

Despite the glitch, one thing remained the same: the invitees made sure to bring their fashion A-game to the most prestigious night in the US film industry.

Among the all the stars present here are 10 who shone and stood out from the pack and won the red carpet of Oscars 2017.

Taraji P. Henson The Hidden Figures star channels the glorious old Hollywood style in custom Alberta Ferretti dress. The cut of the midnight blue velvet off-theshoulder number is undoubtedly classic—sexy not tacky; and fits Taraji like a glove. Her choice of accessory matches her dress perfectly, going for a diamond Nirav Modi necklace. She finishes off her look with Jimmy Choo shoes and clutch.

Emma Stone Not only did she win the Best Actress nod, she also won in the fashion category in this gilded gown from Ricardo Tisci’s final couture collection for Givenchy.

Emma’s dress has the right amount of metallic, and the fringes on the skirt make for an ideal outfit you’d wear if you were dancing to jazz music or winning an Oscar. Accessories are kept to a minimum, as she opts for Tiffany & Co. diamond drop earrings.

Nicole Kidman Fair-skinned Nicole dared to wear a nude Armani Prive highneck column gown, which could easily make someone with the same skin tone as hers washed out. But the Lion actress proves why she’s a red carpet mainstay by pulling it off. She perfectly finishes the look with Stuart Weitzman shoes and bold red lipstick.

Mahershala Ali The Moonlight star shows he’s not only good at acting— after winning Best Supporting Actor—but has great style too.

Mahershala looks sharp in monochrome, going all black on his tuxedo jacket, shirt, pants and

Kirsten Dunst brings some serious vintage glamour on the Oscars red carpet Nicole Kidman lights up the red carpet with her vintage look

Best Actress winner Emma Stone is also a stunner with her classic fringe ensemble

Taraji P. Henson slays the Oscars red carpet in a sexy midnight blue gown, a reminiscent of the old Hollywood

Actor Mahershala Ali arrives at the Oscars in a monochrome suit

Best Supporting actress nominee Naomie Harris stands out in cocktail length white sequined gown

oxfords shoes. The houndstooth pocket square adds dimension to his Oscars outfit.

Naomie Harris In the sea of long gowns, Naomie goes for a Raf Simmons for Calvin Klein white sequined dress in cocktail length.

The cape adds drama and fun aspect to her outfit.

Her sunflower yellow

suede sandals with asymmetrical crystal straps meanwhile spiced up her sleek look for the evening.

Viola Davis Oscars 2017’s Best Supporting Actress is definitely a standout in this elegant red Armani Prive gown. The color and simplicity of Viola’s look made Viola Davis chops her locks and a strong statement on the red dons a stunning red gown for the carpet. Accessories are kept to a Oscars red carpet event

Brie Larson channels a femme fatal vibe with her velvet long gown

minimum, only opting for gold bracelet. We however think she could have gone for a gold clutch to achieve a more cohesive look.

Brie Larson Brie looks every bit a major movie star in this velvet Oscar dela Renta dress, whose ruffled hem adds a feminine appeal to its timeless cut. Much like Taraji, who also gives velvet a gorgeous comeback on the red carpet, Brie looks sexy in this number—showing just the right amount of skin without bordering into tacky or corny. She opts out of wearing necklace to emphasize the gown’s neckline. Her entire look makes for a perfect canvass for her bold red lips.

Justin Timberlake Before stealing the show with his upbeat performance of his song “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” Justin first took the spotlight wearing a well-fitted tuxedo and black patent oxfords. Needless to say, he’s our suit and (bow) tie goals.

Auli’i Cravalho The 16-year-old upcoming star from Hawaii enters the Hollywood with a bang. Her angelic voice in Moana, and this white with metallic details dress from Rubin Singer show us that this new face has a long and exciting Hollywood journey ahead of her.

Kristen Dunst When they say you can never go wrong with black, Kristen took it to heart and walked away triumphant. The Dior Haute Coutur silk faille strapless corseted gown with round neckline and asymmetric skirt gives off a princess feel. Kristen’s hair, makeup and choice of jewelry are definitely on point.

Gerald Anderson runs on his 28th birthday SLATED to join a full marathon on March 19, Gerald Anderson made sure to include his supporters in his journey towards being the Skechers’ official Philippine representative to the Los Angeles Marathon.

Anderson’s five-kilometer run, “siGE takbo! Anderson’s Road to LA Marathon” last Sunday at the McKinley West Park, also coincided with his 28th birthday on Tuesday.

“The concept came about when I started training for triathlons… I wasn’t really into running at first but it eventually grew on me,” he explained why he decided to organize a run.

Just last year, Anderson organized an adventure-packed and interactive boot camp for his supporters in Subic. This year, he once again gathered his fans together to continue leading a healthy lifestyle.

Even Ikaw Lang Ang Iibigin co-stars Jake Cuenca and Grae Fernandez made time to join Anderson’s pre-birthday run.

According to the actor, it took him and his hard-working team about a month to mount “siGE takbo.”

“This event is very important for me because the people I

care about will be there to share it with me,” said Anderson.

The fun gathering started with a Zumba warm-up session and later on, the announcement of the special prizewinners and the friendly run’s fastest runners.

Declared fastest runners were Froilan Enriquez, Alvincent Bendanillo and Rommel Malimban, while the winners in the female category were Aida Valeña, Janina Garcia and Robin Reyes who placed first, second, and third respectively Anderson will be in LA for another week of training before facing his newest challenge.

“I’ve been training and running a lot. In terms of what I feel, well, I’m both excited and very nervous,” he said.

“But I will surely enjoy the entire experience,” Anderson continued.

Apart from his 5KM run, Anderson’s fans can see more of what he’s training for on his upcoming soap Ikaw Lang Ang Iibigin in which he plays the role of an aspiring triathlete together with Kim Chiu, Coleen Garcia, and Cuenca.

Anderson will also be on the big screen soon in a film with Arci Muñoz titled Can We Still Be Friends?.