Manila Standard - 2017 March 20 - Monday

GINA CHARGED WITH GRAFT FOR ACCEPTING GIFTS

By Christine F. Herrera

VOL. XXXI • NO. 38 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

ENVIRONMENT Secretary Regina Lopez has been charged with graft and corruption before the Ombudsman for accepting gifts from a private company in exchange for a favor that secured for the firm a multi-million-peso government contract.

Lopez was accused of graft for receiving an all-expense paid trip to Paris amounting to €38,380 or P2.05 million and for misusing her powers to speed the approval of her French-friend’s solar farm

project in Zamboanga.

Lopez’s French-friend and co-accused, Jean-Philippe Henry, then chief executive officer of Ecoglobal Inc., was granted a renewable energy service contract by the Energy department for a 30-megawatt solar farm after Lopez intervened on his behalf, said the complainant, Vienna Tañada, business development officer at Ecoglobal.

The contract would pave the way for a 300-mw solar farm that would also need Next page permits from Lopez.

‘Impeach-Leni’ gaining Her UN video an act Word war of treason—SolGen pits LP vs

By Christine F. Herrera and Macon Ramos-Araneta

A

WORD war has erupted between the Liberal Party and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez after he tagged Vice President Leni Robredo as being behind the impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte.

The LP hit back, saying Alvarez’s “orchestrated lies” about Robredo were baseless and meant to divide the country.

LP president Senator Francis Pangilinan reminded the President’s allies that Duterte himself last week declared that Robredo had nothing to do with what he called “destabilization efforts” against him.

“The President’s allies should take this cue from him and refrain from sowing lies, as this is infect-

ing the nation instead of uniting us,” Pangilinan said.

Pangilinan said this seems to be part of an orchestrated effort to spread lies.

“It is the same thing they did to Leila: Demonize and vilify with baseless accusations,” he said, referring to the President’s archcritic, LP Senator Leila de Lima, who is now detained on drug trafficking charges.

LP secretary-general Quezon Next page

Alvarez

By Rey E. Requejo and Sandy Araneta SOLICITOR General Jose Calida on Sunday backed Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez’s plan to impeach Vice President Leni Robredo for treason by slandering President Rodrigo Duterte and the government before a United Nations event, but the UN denied the video address prepared by Robredo was shown at the plenary of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs meeting.

“We would like to let you know that the video message of Philippines Vice President Leonor Robredo was shown during a side event at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs Next page

‘Robredo connection not surprising’

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera, Rio N. Araja and Macon Ramos-Araneta DAVAO CITY—President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday said he would not be surprised if Vice President Leni Robredo were behind last week’s impeachment complaint against him, but said he welcomed the move initiated

by Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, saying it was part of de-

mocracy.

“I welcome the development.

They can do their worst or better my performance as a worker in the government. This is a democracy,” he said.

On Thursday, Alejano filed the impeachment complaint against Duterte, accusing him of adopting the killing of drug offenders as state policy, and of corruption.

Duterte said that it is now up to destiny if he will keep his post for

only two years or if he will finish it.

Asked if he thought Robredo were behind the impeachment bid, he said he would not be surprised.

“But I will not also speculate that she is behind it. I don’t interfere with her life,” Duterte said.

Duterte also said he never asked any government official to move against Robredo, nor was he behind any move to impeach her.

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ROCK LEGEND: This file photo taken on March 28, 2008 shows Chuck Berry performing at a concert held in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Rock n’ Roll legend Chuck Berry died Saturday, March 18, 2017 at the age of 90, police in Missouri said. AFP

47 killed in three days as bombs rain on BIFF

By Sandy Araneta ABOUT 47 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and their allies were reported killed and wounded while five improvised explosive devices and components were seized during a three-day operation in Datu Salibo, Maguindanao, an official said in a statement Sunday.

The offensive against the BIFF started on March 13 and ended on March 16, Western Mindanao Command spokesman Jo-ann Petinglay said.

The series of military operations, which included artillery and air strikes, was conducted by troopers from the Joint Task

Force-Central, Petinglay said.

She made her statement even as President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday said it was not easy to target the Abu Sayyaf, the Maute Group and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters since they were hiding in places with a heavy civilian population.

“We have to go into selective targets. For example, if they are in the midst of populated areas or they are near where the habitation is quite high, we just cannot do it,” Duterte said before leaving for Myanmar and Thailand.

“That is what it takes us time to do it because we try to avoid hitting civilians. If there is no civilian, Next page

Carpio warns of China zone over Scarborough

By Rey E. Requejo and Sandy Araneta A MAGISTRATE on Sunday warned the government on China’s reported plan to install a radar station in the disputed Scarborough Shoal.

Senior Justice Antonio Carpio said the installation of an environmental monitoring station in the shoal would pave the way for the setting up of Beijing’s air defense zone in the South China Sea. “A radar station on Scarborough Shoal will immediately complete China’s radar coverage of the entire South China

Sea,”Carpio said in a statement.

“China can then impose an ADIZ or air defense identification zone in the South China Sea.” Carpio made his statement even as the fishermen’s group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipians on Sunday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to show extra vigilance because China’s building activities in the South China Sea might deprive Filipino fishermen of their ability to fish in the area including Scarborough Shoal.

Scarborough Shoal is part of the country’s exclusive economic Next page

WINNING TEAM. The Green Team’s Marty Romualdez (left) and teammate Anthony Filamor (right) keep the Blue Team’s Jun Juban in check during the Chairman’s Cup 2017 at the Enrique Zobel East Field of the Manila Polo Club in Makati City. Banking on the heroics of Filamor and Romualdez, the Greens pulled off a 5-2 stopping of the Blues to win the High-Goal game of the tournament. Lower panel shows Marty’s with his parents Martin Romuladez, Philconsa president and Leyte Rep. Yedda Romualdez along with his brother Andrew. Ey Acasio

Rody off to 2-day Asean trip PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday left for an official visit of Myanmar and Thailand.

“These official visits form the final leg of my introductory trips to my colleagues and friends in Asean [Association of Southeast Asian Nations],”

Duterte said in his predeparture speech at the Davao International Airport.

Duterte said his visit was timely as the Philippines prepared to host the 30th Asean Summit and Related Meetings in Manila this April.

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News

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Mining audit a’ghost’ kept secret—Barbers

By Christine F. Herrera

S

URIGAO del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers on Sunday tagged as a “ghost” the mine audit conducted by Environment Secretary Regina Lopez for not revealing to the public, to Congress and even to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau her findings up to now.

snippets the audit results, Barbers slammed it for grave irreversible errors, rendering the audit seriously flawed.

“At the outset, the membership of the audit team is of doubtful integrity and impartiality, counting among them members of the anti-mining NGO. How can you have an impartial audit from these people?” Barbers said.

Pimentel said the objective of the audit from the start was to close down mines.

He said nowhere in the audit report was the suspension and closure of mines recommended, but Lopez disregarded the MGB findings and closed down 23 mining firms and canceled 75 Mineral Production Sharing Agreements.

“The composition of the audit team was illegal. The name of the nongovernment organization alone, the Alyansa Tigil Mina, suggests that its agenda is to stop mining operations,” Pimentel said.

“Then they included the priests.

All priests are anti-mining. What do they know about mining? They are not experts, they knew nothing about the technicality of mining.

So what is their business being in the audit team?”

Barbers added: “Instead of putting independent, highly trained technical people like geologists and mining engineers who are not from the DENR, the secretary appointed people of dubious character and with zero knowledge of mining, that is why we now have an audit the results of which are suspect. Even corruption may have set in.’’

“Most suspicious of all, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau was not at all furnished a copy of the audit. How incredible! How can Undersecretary Jacinto know and review the findings if he was not courteously furnished a copy?

Remember that the MGB is the Bureau in-charge of all mining operations in the country. Highly suspicious indeed.”

He said the audit was done by “dubious characters,” hence making the results “seriously flawed.”

In a recent hearing of the House committee on good government and public accountability led

by Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, Barbers said he was shocked to find that, until now, “Lopez was keeping the audit results to herself and to a handful of consultants.”

He protested the “secrecy” that surrounded the audit and described as “illegal” the manner the audit was done and Lopez’s

rejection of the MGB’s recommendations.

“The audit was done based on perception and not on scientific basis,” Pimentel said.

Barbers said dismissed Environment Undersecretary Leo Jasareno, who was found to be illegally working on very sensitive assignments in the absence of any contract of employment, had revealed that he was in possession of the audit results while new MGB director Mario Luis Jacinto was not even furnished a copy.

When Jasareno revealed in

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ly, the carping VP Robredo has joined the ranks of the destabilizers,” Calida said.

Calida said he agreed with Alvarez that Robredo “should be rightfully condemned for slandering and selling out our country and its leaders before the UN.” Calida vowed to lend the legal services of his office to help in the proposed impeachment of the vice president, saying it is “unfortunate” that Robredo now “will reap the people’s wrath and contempt.”

Alvarez said he would have Robredo impeached after he linked her to the impeachment complaint filed last Thursday by Rep. Gary Alejano of party-list group Magdalo against President Duterte.

Both Robredo and Alejano quickly denied this allegation.

The super majority coalition in the House is expected to throw out Alejano’s complaint, but the coalition has the numbers to impeach Robredo.

Duterte’s allies also enjoy a majority in the Senate, which will try Robredo in case she is impeached by the House.

The speaker said the vice presi-

dent might have betrayed public trust in her video message to the UN that destroyed the image of the country before the international community.

Betrayal of public trust is one of the grounds under the Constitution for impeachment of an official, which law and political experts both consider as a numbers game.

Robredo’s video message, posted by the DRCNet Foundation on YouTube last March 13, was played at the “Human Rights Challenge: Responding to Extrajudicial Killings in the Drug War,” a side session for the 60th United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs annual meeting on March 16 at the Vienna International Center.

The Palace said an impeachment complaint against Robredo was within the purview of the speaker.

“The evaluation of the possible grounds for impeachment and the decision to file the complaint are the prerogative of the House of Representatives,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said Saturday night.

“The President is focused on governance and public welfare,

especially the building of an inclusive and progressive nation free from crime, drugs and corruption,” Abella said.

“He is leaving for Myanmar and Thailand tomorrow to enhance ties with two of our Southeast Asian neighbors, as our country hosts the Asean Conference this year,” said Abella.

Alvarez, a close Duterte ally, revealed on Friday that he was considering filing an impeachment complaint against Robredo.

Alvarez earlier linked her to a plot to unseat Duterte.

The House Speaker believed that Robredo should be impeached for “betrayal of public trust.”

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Sunday said Robredo should correct the figures she mentioned in her video stating that “more than 7,000 people have been killed in summary executions” since the drug war started in July 2016.

Data from the Philippine National Police said there were only 2,582 killed in legitimate drug operations while the remaining 4,049 were deaths under investigation. With PNA

fastest in the region, and therefore bilateral trade and investment would be the key areas of discussion.

With expanding Philippine businesses making their mark around the region and in Myanmar, Duterte said, they could encourage collaboration in mutually beneficial sectors of growth, including in pharmaceuticals and food and beverage.

“I look forward to discussions on these matters with President U Htin Kyaw,” Duterte said.

“I shall also meet State Counselor and Foreign Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Commander-in-Chief of Defense Se-

nior General Min Aung Hlaing.

“In my discussions, I will convey the Philippines’ support for the reforms being undertaken by Myanmar as well as its efforts to address certain problems in these regions.”

From Myanmar, Duterte will proceed to Thailand.

The Philippines has had formal relations with Thailand for 67 years.

“It is fitting that as chair of Asean, I make this important trip to a co-founder of Asean in the capital where the foundation of Asean was laid 50 years ago,” Duterte said.

In his visit to Bangkok, Duterte said, he will renew the Philip-

pines’ commitment to further enhance its relations with Thailand.

“We have to move forward together on shared interests in securing security and stability in the region as we seek to sustain growth and development for our peoples,” Duterte said.

He said he was looking forward to meeting Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to discuss strengthening defense relations, intensifying trade and investment and enhancing education and cooperation.

Duterte is also scheduled to meet the corporate sector in Thailand to discuss economic opportunities in the Philippines.

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meeting, at the Vienna International Center on 16 March 2017,” UN Information Centre Manila said in a statement.

“The side event, titled ‘Human Rights Challenge: Responding to Extrajudicial Killings in the Drug War,’ was organized by the DRCNet Foundation,” the statement said.

“It was not shown during the plenary and the United Nations was not responsible for it,” the UN Information Center added.

But Calida described as a “treasonous act” Robredo’s video message, which criticized President Duterte’s war on drugs and claimed that over 7,000 fell prey to extrajudicial killings by policemen and vigilantes.

“VP [vice president] Robredo debased her office and herself by betraying the trust of our people.

Worse, she shamelessly pandered to the desperate desire of Yellow Cult to depose President Duterte, which if successful, will immensely benefit her. Obvious-

Rody...

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The Philippines and Myanmar have had relations for more than six decades. Duterte said his visit will underscore the Philippines’ commitment to deepen its partnership with that country.

He said the Philippines could use stronger cooperation to combat traditional and emerging transnational crimes including terrorism and violent extremism, piracy and the illicit drug trade.

Myanmar’s economic development is recognized as one of the

Carpio...

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zone that China has been claiming.

Duterte on Sunday said he could not do anything to stop the China’s building activities in the West Philippine Sea including in the Panatag Shoal.

“We cannot stop China from doing its thing. The Americans could not even stop them,” Duterte said before his departure for Myanmar and Thailand.

Carpio said the Panatag Shoal was part of Philippine territory and that it had sovereignty over it.

He made the alarm after noting that China had just completed building its radar stations in Subi Reef, Mischief Reef and Fiery Cross Reef that are composed of concrete hexagonal structures with retractable roofs to house missile batteries.

“China will use its HQ-9 surface-to-air missiles to enforce the ADIZ. These missiles are now installed on Woody Island in the Paracels,” Carpio said.

HQ-9 is China’s medium-to long-range active radar homing surface-to-air missile system similar to the Russian S-300 and American Patriot systems.

“The Chinese will of course also use these same military installations to enforce the 9-dash lines as China’s national boundaries in the South China Sea. That means China will grab 80 percent of Philippine exclusive economic zone and 100 percent of Philippine extended continental shelf in the West Philippine Sea,” Carpio said.

Carpio recalled how China built in 1987 a radar weather station on Fiery Cross Reef (an outcrop in the Spratlys just a meter above water) ostensibly to help Unesco’s global oceanic survey. But about two years ago it turned the weather station into a 270-hectare military air-naval base.

Carpio said this move by China should prompt a stronger response from the government.

“These developments call for a national debate and consensus on how the nation should proceed with its bilateral relations with China,” he said.

Carpio was part of the legal team that presented the country’s case against China’s reclamation in the West Philippine Sea before the UN’s Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2015. He was also among those consulted by President Duterte on the territorial dispute with China.

‘Robredo...

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“I am beyond politics right now, I do not want to tinker with it. I just want to focus on the job given to me by the people,” Duterte said.

He said that he will only focus on his work and what he promised to the Filipino people, such as putting a stop to corruption, criminality and illegal drugs.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said Sunday the impeachment bid against Duterte would not prosper, saying the House committee on justice would not support or endorse the complaint.

But Alejano said Alvarez must not be overconfident.

I would want to emphasize that any coalition in this country, since time immemorial, is based on the interest of the parties. It is based on convenience,” he said.

“The moment that the interest of a party is not served, the coalition could break up. They should not be complacent that their coalition is that strong. Anytime, it may break up.”

Alvarez said there was no need for a loyalty check among members of the supermajority to

kill the impeachment complaint against the President.

He also ruled out another purging of allies to prevent the President’s ouster.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said he believed the impeachment complaint was filed not to oust Duterte but to gain publicity in the propaganda war against the administration.

“They were in the news, they got publicity. If that’s their target, they were already victorious,” said Pimentel in an interview over radio dzBB. Pimentel said any impeachment complaint against Duterte would not prosper because is is not only popular among the people, but also among congressmen.

This meant the impeachment complaint would not be able to gain any support from members of Congress.

For the complaint to reach the Senate for trial, one-third of the members of the House of Representatives must support it.

Pimentel said this was an impossibility.

Pimentel also pointed to the recent vote on the death penalty as an indication of the President’s support in the House, where only 54 members voted against the bill.

Gina...

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“Given the amount of influence that Secretary Lopez has over the entire process, I felt that it would therefore not be proper for her to be directly dealing with Mr. Henry and influencing the DoE for the processing of the application for an RESC,” Tañada said in her complaint.

Tañada, who filed the graft charges against Lopez and Henry on March 16, attested that as an employee of Ecoglobal, she was made by Henry to arrange the week-long trip to Paris for Lopez and her entourage.

This included obtaining a Schengen visa for Lopez and booking her flight and hotel accommodations at a five-star hotel in the heart of Paris.

The Paris trip, Tañada said, was to visit various wastewater treatment projects undertaken there that would involve renewable energy projects that may be undertaken by Ecoglobal.

Tañada submitted as evidence some screenshots of a conversation in a WhatsApp message thread between Henry and Lopez. Tañada was included in the thread.

“I was fully aware that… Secretary Lopez was assisting Mr. Henry in fast-tracking the release of the RESC approval with the DoE,” Tañada said.

A screenshot from a Sept. 6, 2016 conversation between Lopez and Henry, in Annex H of the

‘Impeach-Leni’...

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City Rep. Christopher Kit Belmonte said Robredo is not and will not be part of any destabilization moves.

“She was elected to serve the Filipinos and this she would do until the last day of her six-year term,” Belmonte said.

Alvarez, however, believed otherwise. The Speaker insisted Robredo had everything to do with the ouster plot since once the impeachment move succeeded, it would be Robredo who become president.

Alvarez said the LP and Robredo were behind the impeachment complaint filed by Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano.

Key allies of the President have been attacking Robredo following her video message to the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, in which she talked about the victims of the administration’s brutal campaign against illegal drugs.

On Friday, Alvarez threatened Robredo of impeachment for betrayal of public trust for her pronouncements before the international body.

Belmonte pointed out that the video message narrated true stories of people who have approached the vice president to seek help.

“They said rogue policemen were involved in the killings.

They approached VP because they have nowhere else to go,” Belmonte said.

The Speaker also accused Robredo of being behind the first impeachment complaint filed Thursday against Duterte by Alejano.

Alejano himself declared that the impeachment complaint was his initiative, and not anybody else’s.

Also on Friday, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Duterte’s running-mate in the last elections, tagged the LP and its allies as behind a “coordinated effort” to discredit the administration.

Cayetano questioned how an impeachment complaint was filed against the President soon after a video criticizing

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this has been over a long time ago,” Duterte said.

JTF-C head Brig. Gen. Arnel Dela Vega said an initial 21 terrorists were killed and another 26 wounded in their operations.

No casualties were reported among the pursuing government troops.

Five IEDs and many IED components were recovered in Tee village.

Dela Vega said the three-day offensive was designed to dislocate the forces under Muhammad Ali Bin Abdulrahman alias

complaint, went like this: Lopez: Hi JP [Henry]. I just talked to Mario. Your RESC is under him. He said he’ll take care of it. Thanks again.

Henry: Good afternoon, Gena, thank you sooo much, you are the best! I’ll keep you posted. Thanks again.

From Sept. 29, 2016, a screenshot marked Annex J showed that Lopez also relayed to Henry her text conversation with Energy Department Director Mario Marasigan, to whom she pitched Henry’s solar farm project, while complaining about the delay in the contract’s approval.

Lopez dropped the President’s name to put pressure on the Energy Department officials: Lopez: Mario [Marasigan] it’s important for the country to the route of renewable energy. Eco global is not even getting any subsidy for their putting in renewable is GOOOOOOOOOD for Zamboanga—and gooooood for the country!!!! It’s much better than coal where people get sick. I have the studies… So we should encourage this move.

And it’s noooooot good that they have been waiting for the contract for 10 months. IT GOES AGAINST THE DIRECTIVES OF PRESIDENT DUTERTE….

It’s also not good to make promises you can’t keep. That’s how I operate… Okay Mario I will take your word for it. Remember the President has given very clear instructions on bureaucracy..xxx. the government’s war on drugs was played during a UN meeting.

Drug Reform Coordination Network, the international NGO that organized the UN event where Robredo’s video was shown, explained that the forum was set months earlier, and that she did not have anything to do with the schedule.

“As the organizer of the event at the UN, I can attest that the date of our forum was scheduled months ago by UN staff, and the vice president’s office did not make any requests of us as to timing or any other matters.

We released it a few days before the session as a media strategy to draw attention to President Duterte’s atrocities,” said David Borden, executive director of the Drug Reform Coordination Network.

Alvarez noted that the filing of the impeachment complaint came on the heels of a video message Robredo sent to the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs where she criticized the conduct of the administration’s war against illegal drugs.

The Speaker said Robredo was likely worried that a recount of ballots cast for vice president in the last elections would show she was not the real winner.

Robredo is facing an election protest lodged by her rival, former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal.

Alvarez said while Duterte himself declared during the graduation rites at the Philippine Military Academy that Robredo is not involved in the destabilization plots against the administration, he believes otherwise.

Pangilinan said Duterte’s allies were trying to spook themselves, creating political uncertainty.

“They should stop destabilizing the administration and focus instead on the gargantuan tasks of delivering on its campaign promises such as end ‘endo’ and create jobs, finish the traffic nightmare and ease commuters’ lives, and stop corruption and move the country forward,” the LP president said.

Muawiyah, allegedly a foreign terrorist; Salahuddin Hassan, a bomber trained by the latter, and Esmael Abdulmalik alias Abu Toraype, the Dawlah Islamiyah Maguindanao founder and a BIFF brigade commander.

Validations are being made on the ground on the persistent reports that these terrorists were killed in the well-planned, wellcoordinated and well-executed massive air and ground operations.

The terrorists were reportedly the allies of Marwan, the target of the SAF PNP operations in January 2015, and were responsible for the series of bombing incidents in Mindanao. With PNA

News Benham teems with metals— lawmaker BENHAM Rise is of great economic value to future generations of Filipinos, based on the massive deposits of metalbearing nodules found around the extinct volcano ridge, House senior deputy minority leader and Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza said Sunday.

“The sea floor around Benham is covered with metal-rich chunks—manganese nodules that also contain nickel, copper, cobalt and other minerals,” Atienza, one-time Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, said.

The National Mapping and Resource Information Authority previously explored Benham, and found exceptionally high concentrations of manganese nodules on the seabed, according to the party-list lawmaker.

Atienza said he intends to file this week a bill proposing to establish a Benham Rise Protection and Development Authority.

“We had Benham surveyed

by Namria between 2007 and 2008, in connection with the Philippine government’s submission with respect to the limits of the Philippine continental shelf,” Atienza said.

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Atienza said the Philippines was required to tender for approval the particulars of the outer limits of its continental shelf.

“We had a May 2009 deadline to present the outer perimeters before the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, along with supporting scientific and technical data,” he said.

“And when the Philippine government under then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo finally submitted the limits of our continental shelf, we made it a point to include Benham as within our limits,” Atienza said.

“Mrs. Arroyo was aware of our decision to include Benham, because we elevated the matter to her, and she approved it,” he said.

Unlike the disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea, no other state was claiming Benham at that time, so the Philippine government’s submission was approved by the UN in 2012, Atienza said.

Con-Com members sought

By Rio Araja NOW that the bill seeking to restore death penalty has cleared the House of Representatives, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez says he believes that President Rodrigo Duterte will tackle other priority measures like naming the 25 people to be part of the Constitutional Commission who will do the job of drafting the amendments to the 1987 Constitution.

“After passing the death penalty bill, I am just waiting for the appointment of the commissioners [who will] rewrite the Constitution,” he said.

Earlier, Alvarez submitted a draft executive order to the Office of the President for the creation of a commission to help Congress in overhauling the Constitution.

He said Congress will convene into a Constituent Assembly that would study and scrutinize the Charter with an eye on a shift to federal system.

“When the draft Constitution is through, we can now convene into a Constituent Assembly for debate,” he said, referring to the proposal to shift the presidential-unitary form of government to a parliamentary-federal system through Con-Ass. Duterte signed Executive Order No. 10 seeking to create a Con-Com to review and propose amendments to the Constitution.

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017

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SC urged: Lift anti-RH order A SUPREME Court temporary restraining order stopping the Food and Drug Administration from recertifying contraceptive products already in use in the Philippines for years will result in population explosion, abject poverty and an increase in the 1,000 or so Filipino women who die each year from induced abortion.

The cause-oriented group Taumbayan Para sa Iyo led by activist Louis Biraogo issued this warning today, noting that at least 77 contraceptive products have already been taken out of the market since the SC issued the TRO in June of 2015.

“The Population Commission has already noted a big increase in the number of unwanted pregnancies in the last 18 months and it may be assumed this is so because the go-to contraceptive products used by poor Filipino couples have already been

banned because of this TRO,” said Biraogo.

“The doomsday scenario we are seeing is that there will be a total stock-out of all contraceptive products in about a year’s time if this TRO is not lifted ASAP by the Supreme Court,” added Biraogo.

He pointed out that if 1,000 Filipinas die each year from induced abortion according to data from the Guttmacher Institute based in the United States, hundreds of thousands more may die not only from induced and

spontaneous abortions but also from complications arising from pregnancy and childbirth.

Biraogo said the SC TRO rendered useless the Reproductive Health Law signed in 2012 because it deprives Filipino women and couples of universal access to contraceptive methods, sexuality education and maternal and child care.

“The TRO is the single most vile form of repression of the millions of Filipino women of reproductive age. That TRO violates the human rights of Filipinas because it removed from them the decision when to have children and what contraceptive methods to use,” said Biraogo.

Biraogo said that the TRO was a “shotgun removal from the market” of contraceptive products which are, in the past perfunctorily issued re-certifications by the Philippine FDA because of their proven efficacy and non-abortifacient nature.

“The fallacy of this TRO be-

comes very apparent when applied to other drugs because it would require the FDA to treat as new products and up for thorough scrutiny all drugs that are in the market for years,” said Biraogo.

“Due to this TRO the simple re-certification process of products already vetted by the FDA and the World Health Organization as safe will now take years to complete if at all they will be ever re-certified again because they are subject to unceasing harassment complaints by antiRH groups.”

Biraogo said that “the evil design of the anti-RH groups is just to stop the FDA from recertifying contraceptives by filing nonstop harassment complaints.”

TAYO lamented that despite numerous petitions by prochoice groups and by the Department of Health and Popcom, the SC has chosen to sit on the petitions to lift the TRO issued by one of its divisions.

“The original complaint was only for two products but the TRO shotguns all contraceptive products, including those up for mere recertification, out of the reach of Filipinos and even by the government whose family planning program based on the full implementation of the RH Law has been hijacked.”

“When would the SC lift the TRO? When there’s hundreds of thousands more dead Filipinas from abortions and complications from childbirth and unplanned pregnancies? If that happens, there’d be blood in the hands of our honorable justices of the Supreme Court.

Biraogo shot down the claim of the anti-RH forces that contraceptives induce or cause abortion because based on scientific and medical literature, most if not all of the contraceptives in the Philippines stop ovulation or the release of the female egg, thus no conception to be aborted takes place.

RAILWAY PLAN. China’s Vice Premier Wang Yang (C) speaks in front of a map of the Mindanao Railway Project in Davao City on March 18, 2017. The proposed infrastructure project will pass through Davao City, the hometown of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. AFP

FVR@89: His dreams for the Philippines

By Melandrew Velasco THERE are four birthday wishes that former President Fidel V. Ramos, who turned 89 last March 18, wants to happen sometime soon in the Philippines.

These are: 1. The establishment and institutionalization of the Freedom Learning Center proposed by the People Power Commission to be implemented by the administration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to inspire the Filipino youth to have a stronger sense of appreciation of the Spirit of Edsa; 2. For the Duterte administration and all the three branches of government to embrace the triune virtues of Unity, Solidarity, and Teamwork in building a brighter future for a better Philippines; 3. For the 104-million Filipinos to go back to the basics of “caring, sharing and daring” for love of God, country and for one another—all aboard one mother ship called Pilipinas; and, 4. For the West Philippine Sea to be developed into South East Asia’s maritime heartland for human development to save and improve lives, and to ensure mankind’s future survival anchored on his noble concept of Asia Pacifica where nations should concentrate on maritime law enforcement, safety of navigation and open commerce instead of military buildup.

Last March 17, family members, loved ones, supporters, co-workers in government and partners of the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation and friends trooped to Wack Wack Golf and Country Club to personally greet FVR on his 89th birthday. The event, organized

by RPDEV Executive Director

Former President Fidel V. Ramos

Mae Gaffud, was highlighted by the completion of the digitization of 18,000 Betamax and VHS tapes when he served as 12th President of the Philippines.

While FVR did not formally announce his four ardent wishes that evening, the summation was a result of constant exchanges and from the privilege of serving as the family biographer and historian of the former Philippine president in the last 16 years.

FVR is known not just for his thumbs-up sign, “Kaya Natin Ito” slogan, his ears or his tobacco as well as his push-ups and crunches and his administration program Philippines 2000. At a very ripe age of 89, he still plays golf and proudly displays his pacemaker that, he declares, makes him live longer by 25 more years.

Even in his octagenarian years, he has never failed to carry on what he has started, always a good soldier who likes to say that he would rather die serving his country with his boots on than sit idly to enjoy his retirement. He continues to inspire and stimulate, stir and enthuse, define and redefine, challenge and defy.

Eighteen years after he finished his term as president in 1998, Fidel V. Ramos, FVR or Eddie, the private citizen, refuses to be “tired even while retired.” He continues to be “a reformer despite being a former president,” and “ex” but not excess and not yet expired.

Other former chiefs of state write their memoirs and then fade into the sunset. He has written 30 books while in retirement and through keynote speeches, roundtable discussions, university convocations, etc., keeps reminding his successors and other leaders of the urgent things that need to be done for our country and people to achieve a better future.

Our relationship can be described as a wonderful journey that transcends beyond the books we have done together. Since 2000, FVR has commissioned me to write on the biographies of his loved ones: “Enduring Legacy,” on his father Foreign Affairs Secretary Narciso Ramos; “ In A Class of Her Own,” on his mother Angela Valdez Ramos; “Mommy: The Pillar of Social Work” on mother-in-law Josefa

Jara Martinez; “Simply Ming,” on First Lady Amelita “Ming” M. Ramos; “Uncle Sim” on Simeon Marcos Valdez; “Colors of Light” on his artist, poetess auntie Lucia Mangapit Valdez; “FVR Words of Wisdom;” and “FVR Wonder of Words.”

Among the best book projects we worked and produced together are Silver Linings, a story on the 25 Years of the 1986 Revolution and the history of the Special Action Force, and Teamwork for Enduring Peace and Sustainable Development chronicling ten years of the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation (RPDEV), a non-profit, non-political, nonpartisan non-government organization where he acts as chair, and then several books later.

Last Feb. 15, he launched FVR XYZ Files that feature trivia, issues and controversies as well as anecdotes from various authors.

On April 21 on the eve of World Earth Day celebration, we are launching 15 Years of RPDEV titled: Continuing the Voyage for Enduring Peace and Sustainable Development. Environmentalism has been one of FVR’s and RPDEV’s strong advocacies.

It not only a singular honor and privilege writing books but I always consider it is a gift and a blessing from the Almighty and from FVR himself who has served as a constant guide, inspiration, editor and prime mover of said book projects.

The past 16 years and the several book teams formed have been a great journey of rediscovering FVR and RPDEV. Together, we now form part of a new group called Fidelistas, ardent students of Fidel V. Ramos.

Working with him has allowed my team to experience some core

values such as CSW (Completed Staff Work), CSD (Caring, Sahring and Daring), and UST (Unity, Solidaity and Teamwork) - all advocated by FVR. As for his many sorties overseas, he continues to be admired, respected and adulated as former President and head of state. But there’s one unforgetablle experience I had with him that showed the stuff he is really made of. I remember one incident in June 2013 when we staged the Pilipinas Roadshow with my co-book authors former DILG Secretary Rafael M. Alunan III and retired Gen. now MWSD Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco featuring our book “Silver Linings: 25 Years of the 1986 People Power Revolution,” and “Tagaligtas: A Documentary on the Spercial Action Force” (long before the Mamasapano massacre happened) in eight key cities in the United States to promote Filipino values and instill patriotism to the Fil-Ams in time for the Independence Day celebration.

Inspite of the debilitating pain on his back and leg when he injured himself in San Diego, California while doing his usual crunch with some Fil-Ams, FVR, who was very well beyond his years, withstood the pain and committed to continue the 8-city tour to Atlanta, Georgia, Washington D.C., Virginia, New Jersey and New York without any complaints or grievance.

Beyond the pain, the show must go on. Such a kindred and brave soul and he taught the Pilipinas Roadshow Team a lesson on pain management, mind over matter, professionalism and honoring one’s commitment.

(The writer is the official biographer of the Ramos family.)

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Opinion

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Taking what is not theirs

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who must work hard, pay our taxes and save what is left over to rent or buy our homes, they only need to assert their “right” to free shelter, regardless of the laws that the rest of us must observe.

Thus, when more than 1,000 poor members of the leftist group Kadamay stormed into an NHA subdivision in Pandi, Bulacan, and occupied the housing units meant for somebody else, that, in their eyes, was all right. That was just a form of “social and economic justice.”

HE illegal occupation of government-built housing units in Pandi, Bulacan, by members of the urban poor group Kadamay is an example of two conditions that afflict our society.

On one hand, we have an inept and inefficient government bureaucracy that has left thousands of low-cost houses— earmarked for police and squatters whose houses had been demolished or those who had been moved out of danger zones—

unoccupied, presumably because the paperwork on them has not bee completed.

On the other hand, we have poor people who believe that the rest of society owes them free housing, and leftist groups that have convinced them that unlike the rest of us

That, in the opinion of the leftist Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, was not anarchy but a protest “done in an organized and deliberate manner.”

“The occupation seeks government recognition of the rights of the poor and the awarding of housing units to families that joined the protests,” the group said in a statement.

This is utter nonsense.

If a gang of armed men—let us say they are poor—rob a bank “in an organized and deliberate

manner,” does that make the act of robbery all right?

Would Bayan come to their aid and argue that the robbery seeks government recognition of the rights of the poor and insist that the stolen money be awarded to them?

What Kadamay, their constituents and their leftist supporters conveniently forget when they rail against the “blatant antipoor and neo-liberal” policies is that they, too, trample on other people’s rights. When squatter families occupy private

land, they intrude on another person’s legitimate property rights. When they do the same on government land, they impinge on the rights of taxpayers who fund the operations of government, and who rightly demand that the rules are for everybody, not just those who can afford to follow them.

In taking over government housing units in Bulacan, Kadamay and its followers have taken something that is not theirs. In most societies, that’s called stealing.

Toxic

open thoughts orlando oxales THERE was an abundant display of high-caliber statesmanship and upbeat engagement during a recent appearance of Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop in a forum hosted by the regional think tank Stratbase ADR Institute together with the Australian Embassy.

The audience, which included key representatives from government, the diplomatic community, the academe, the business sector, and civil society, sat enthralled by the visiting diplomat’s articulate handling of complex and potentially thorny issues, including the Association of South East Asian Nations, Philippine-Australia Relations, terrorism, mining, and the ongoing territorial spat with China.

Speaking on the topic of “Change and Uncertainty in the Indo-Pacific—Strategic Challenges and Opportunities for Australia and the Philippines,”

greater stability and avoid the escalation of tensions.

Bishop also cited the economic growth of both Australia and the Philippines as proof of “opportunities that arise when the region is peaceful and stable.”

Elsewhere, Bishop also provided a lucid voice in the ongoing row about mining after she assured President Duterte that Australia, which hosts one of the top mining economies in the world, is willing to cooperate in building capacities for responsible mining and use of energy resources.

The President, who recently expressed support for Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez, reportedly expressed interest in learning responsible mining from Australia.

The positive and productive tone represents a departure

THEY have long been sharpening their knives.

It started with trotting out a guy named Matobato. Their friends in the tri-media naturally whooped it up. They had grist for headlines and live feeds from Senate inquiries in aid of publicity.

Or perhaps it was a reactionary ploy because the noose was tightening upon the neck of someone who cavorted, videos and photographs as witnesses, with those who peddle dangerous drugs. Counter-offensive.

But peers didn’t buy the tale.

So they needed to invent someone else to fortify the “Killstone” script. They turned a keystone cop who admitted to being the devil himself touched by visions of sainthood. Lascañas to the rescue.

His “handler” promises there are more to come out. Virtually saying the other “witnesses” are still undergoing acting lessons in an ABS-CBN workshop. Abangan the next twist in a ho-hum telenovela whose viewer ratings might not last the season.

But then the “Empire” struck, and the “heroine,” the woman fashioned out by her diminished hordes as a reincarnation of Joan d’Arc, was detained by orders of a court of law. Now she makes herself relevant by writing notes (on yellow pad?) from a cell the likes of which would make her friends in the National Penitentiary drool with envy (though bereft of the good things she allowed them to enjoy in her time), and published deferentially by the cooperative media.

But in this day and age, handwriting has become quite passé.

Decades back, I asked an American classmate why his handwriting, like most all of them, was terribly illegible.

His retort: “whatever do you need good hand-writing for?”

Oo nga naman. There were typewriters, after all. And now that Moore’s Law has produced cheaper and better computers by the year, who still writes (on yellow pad)?

Clearly the dis-enfranchised and discredited elite puppeteers fighting a provinciano from the deep South who would not be their marionette needed another Joan d’Arc. So they prodded an amiable lady-in-waiting whose be-dimpled smile and gracious manners made her win in 2016 over one with a strongman’s fabled legacy, and even past more accomplished personalities.

They made her memorize tawdry scripts, and she mouthed

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High statesmanship Bishop was unfailingly clear and convincing, delivering her points from a position of strength but also openness to engagement. Her messages always sought to find a balance among contending sides, hitting you with respectful authority and credibility.

To those in attendance, it was clear that here was a seasoned diplomat attuned and alert to the vagaries and complexities of a changing world.

She was in top form, an irrefutable expert, and one who engages contending views with a proactive outlook.

Elsewhere during her visit, Bishop displayed the same judicious level-headedness in addressing relevant issues. On the issue of the West Philippine Sea, she criticized the scale of reclamation and simultaneous militarization in the region.

But constructively, she called

Here’s a positive and productive tone.

on the Asean to heed the landmark arbitration ruling last year, which she said “clarified the situation” in the disputed waters and thus set a clear “drive for an enforceable code of conduct.”

“The arbitration,” she said, “has set out some very clear recommendations and findings that can form a basis of a code of conduct.” Ten voices, she stressed, are “more compelling” than one.

This clarity may have encouraged President Rodrigo Duterte,

who expressed his commitment in ensuring freedom of navigation in the high seas and overflight, alongside other bilateral issues such as the fight against terrorism. This represents a much sharper position for the Duterte administration compared to what some had perceived as a lackadaisical approach to China’s intrusions.

Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. Del Rosario said the Philippines, as chairman of the Asean, could well set the agenda in favor of its claims but warned that any framework “will be futile if it does not include the arbitral tribunal outcome.”

For his part, acting Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said negotiators will be focusing on “cooperative mechanisms” in drafting the framework, geared to provide

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Opinion

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017

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Impeachment WHETHER the move to impeach President Rodrigo Duterte will pass muster in the House is doubtful given the administration’s grip on the supermajority in the lower chamber. It is in the House where the impeachment process is initiated. If passed with one-third of the total members voting yes, the proposal is submitted to the Senate which then convenes itself into an impeachment court.

The Palace and those who have spoken on the issue supporting the President are dismissing the impeachment case by Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano as baseless and wishful thinking. As usual, the sycophants are led by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Presidential Legal Adviser Salvador Panelo. It’s comforting that Miscommunications Secretary Martin “Pa-andar” Andanar no longer speaks for the President after a series of gaffes and conflicting statements The sober Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abello with his deep, clear voice is a welcome change. He, of course, also expressed the view that Alejano’s attempt to impeach Duterte will not succeed.

It is as it should be that Cabinet officials should defend the President. But of those who do, some do not seem to realize that their strident and banal utterances only come out as a disservice to their principal.

A recurring theme in their defense of the President is that

the impeachment move is all part of a grand scheme to destabilize the Duterte administration. The Liberal Party and its current highest official, Vice President Leni Robredo, are behind the ouster plot, so claimed the Duterte die-hards. Don’t these die-hards know, the Liberal Party is a spent force after the May elections? The LP ranks have been decimated and these political opportunists have jumped ship to join the party in power. Mining firms opposing the confirmation of Energy and Environment Secretary Gina Lopez by the bicameral Commission on Appointments are also blamed as funding the destabilization plot against Duterte. Only Mommy Dionisia, Manny Pacquiao’s mother, has not yet been linked to the destab stew.

There is a line of thought that when you cook using charcoal, you yourself fan the coals so they become red hot. Is the Palace itself fanning the flame of destabilization to declare martial law?

Duterte himself has floated the idea when he said he might declare martial in parts of Mindanao to stem the runaway lawlessness?

Is this a prelude to declare martial law nationwide ? The President. after all, can harness the full resources of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to fight the Abu Sayyaf, the Muslim secessionists

and the communist New People’s Army without declaring Martial Law. The bill of particulars in the impeachment case filed by Rep. Alejano includes the following: Betrayal of public, violations of human rights in the extrajudicial killings of suspects in Digong’s brutal war on drugs, graft and corruption for amassing P2.2 billion in various bank accounts during his term as Davao City mayor, and for allowing Chinese ships to ply the waters of Benham Rise which has been declared part of the Philippine continental shelf by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Only 250 kilometers off Aurora province in the country’s northeastern seaboard, the 13-million hectare ( the same size as Luzon) undersea landmass is potentially rich in minerals and natural gas. This could be an alternative source of revenue for the government if and when Duterte decides to stick with DENR Secretary Gina Lopez and impose a total ban on mining.

A total ban on mining is a shame, a waste of potential earnings and livelihood. The President can do better if he chooses to appoint someone who can strike a balance between protecting the environment and allow the mining companies to clean up their act and continue operating.

China claimed the Chinese ships were not surveying the under seabed of Benham Rise but were merely making innocent passage in international waters.

Yeah, right. When has China’s move ever been innocent? We have seen how China seized Scarborough Shoal from us and then turned the shoals, reefs and protruding rocks into military installations effectively fencing off the West Philippine Sea to stake their spurious claim to nearly the entire South China Sea. Alejano’s impeachment move may sound like a voice in the wilderness in the current scheme of things—a controlled Congress and still-entrenched President only nine months into his six-year term. Alejano’s impeach move may be suspect since he was part of the failed coup attempt of then navy mutineer Capt. Sonny Trillanes during the time of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The bold move, if at all, sends a message to the powersthat-be no one not even the most powerful man in the country is immune from accountability.

That is a fundamental precept in the country’s Constitution.

The impeachment move even it does not succeed could serve as a precursor to lay the basis for future charges in the International Criminal Court. The European Parliament has already weighed in on the alleged extrajudicial killings in Duterte’s brutal war on illegal drugs.

China’s worst trade abuses are hidden

By Christopher Balding CHINA is nothing if not creative in protecting its local industries. Although it has liberalized its economy in recent years, it has also erected a sophisticated set of barriers to safeguard companies it views as national champions.

Increasingly, this is a counterproductive approach.

The usual method of assessing protectionism is to look at metrics such as tariff rates.

And by that measure, China remains one of the least open major economies: According to the World Trade Organization, it maintains an average most-favored nation tariff of 9.6 percent on imports, compared with 5.3 percent in the European Union and 3.5 percent in the US. But tariffs only tell part of the story. China has also become adept in using non-tariff barriers to prop up favored companies. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in Beijing recently identified a raft of such measures China was using to protect manufacturers, including subsidizing local businesses and forcing foreign firms to turn over

technology to Chinese partners.

When China recently announced that it was granting a subsidiary of US-based asset manager BlackRock Inc. an additional investment quota, it touted the deal as a major liberalization in a sector almost entirely closed to foreign firms. In fact, it only accentuated the barriers that still exist: Even now, China limits the number of branches financial companies can open and imposes ownership restrictions to protect stateowned banks.

Such measures can border on the absurd. A recent administrative order barring foreign children’s books— including beloved titles such as “Guess How Much I Love You” and the Peppa Pig series—constitutes a non-tariff barrier to trade in intellectual property. Foreign firms have even been prohibited from selling products made in China to Chinese consumers, for fear they’ll take market share from domestic competitors.

Getting China to address these barriers is a challenge, as a recent report from the US Trade Representative’s

Toxic From A4 these with aplomb, always with that be-dimpled smile.

When the courtiers of the southern “outcast” got sufficiently miffed, they disappointed her from the lofty perch their southern boss generously gave her.

Her followers thought that would anger the public, cast her into the beloved “api” of the masa. It didn’t pan out that way. The southern outcast remained popular, while her glow diminished.

But desperate as these puppeteers were, they built up their noise leading to their annual “holiday,” their holy of holy event which commemorates the defeat of the strongman who once held sway over our lives. They were building a crescendo.

It flopped, not only because a handful commiserated with their commemoration, but because one of their knights “gallant” confronted a handful of “dutertards” in so condescending a manner, in full view of the nation through the magic of quick technology.

Not only was egg splattered on their faces; they looked pathetic. Even the champion they looked up to, whom they earlier roused from hibernation refused to speak before the handful they could muster. Why waste saliva?

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from the shrill and acrimonious tenor that had characterized the debate over the mining industry hereabouts, exemplified by what industry

office shows. WTO rules require countries to report industrial subsidies. But the report testily notes that “the United States has now counter notified over 400 Chinese subsidy measures,” while China “has included in its subsidy notifications only a small number of programs.”

Making matters worse, “China has refused to engage in bilateral technical discussions to address this issue.”

In other words, not only is China failing to disclose measures that may violate WTO requirements, it is refusing to even discuss them.

Perhaps the worst part is that these barriers don’t really work. Protectionism hurts Chinese consumers and retards the very enterprise the government wants to promote.

Chinese consumers stock up on Japanese toilets and European luxury goods partly because they’re cheaper than buying at home in a protected market. The price of milk powder in Hong Kong is roughly half that in my neighborhood megamart in Shenzhen, where corner convenience stores do a bustling business in graymarket goods from across the

So they had to mount the international stage. If people in these “miserable” isles who keep silent despite all the provocations upon “human” rights would not listen, the world might.

But out where the land used to overflow with milk and honey, the new leader was also quite un-attentive. He was focused on his “great wall” to stop “la invasion Mexicana” to bother about a former colony they had always taken for granted anyhow.

So they had to pander to the ancien regime, the veritable riche where “civilization” flowered once upon a fabled time—le grand Europe.

They seized upon an international conference, and quickly when Edsa was unraveling to their dismay, they asked their Jean d’Arc to mouth a five-minuter, a concatenation of anecdotal “evidence” about human rights violations and allegations of extra-judicial killings. They even invented a new patois —“palit-ulo,” which she tried to explain but which many suspected was a Freudian slip about wanting to “palit” the duly elected “ulo.”

And yes, even as she recounted the “horrors” her poor drug pushers suffered, she could not let go of the trademark be-dimpled smile and twinkling eyes. “Mater dolorosa” she could not ape, even before her select, target international “audience.”

Meanwhile, another temporary ally, once

stakeholders described as arbitrary closure and suspension of some of legitimate large scale mines.

If Bishop’s example can teach us anything, it is that a constructive and authoritative government official, by the sheer influence he or she wields, can be

border. This differential stems mainly from trade restrictions that drive up the cost of imported products and allow local firms to charge noncompetitive prices.

Dismantling this complex and multilayered system of protections will be a huge undertaking. Although lowering tariffs would be a good start, more fundamentally, the government needs to stop using hidden administrative means to protect local companies, reduce its vast subsidies and allow foreign firms to operate on a level playing field.

That may sound unrealistic.

But doing so would stimulate competition, innovation and entrepreneurial activity, while giving consumers more choices and cheaper products.

It would also help Chinese companies take advantage of cutting-edge technology and new investment from overseas. Delaying such reforms will only hurt consumers, anger trade partners and sustain noncompetitive businesses.

In short, China needs to ask a simple question: Who really benefits from all these barriers?

Bloomberg

a band of mutineers elevated into the halls of the traditional elite, mounted a Sancho Panza dulcinea—an impeachment complaint.

Not because it would prosper, but because it would make noise. And perfectly timed to coincide with the “agoniste” of a fiveminuter on the ageing theater of the ancien regime.

Meanwhile, the nation is forced to grapple with the vexations mounted against their leader just as the nouveau riche neighbors are pouring their attention and their money into an economy long consigned to rentseeking decay by previous leaders.

Toxic.

Which brings to mind what a diplomat once assigned to our benighted shores once frankly but apologetically remarked in private dinner (at the time mutineers were mounting attempts against a female president): “Your people seem to have a mysterious urge to inflict self-destruction upon your nation”.

Oh well.

An unsolicited piece of advice to the leader we elected because we are so tired of the ways of the puppeteers: Slay the toxicity.

Cut the Gordian knot.

You can never please everybody anyway, not the treacherous left, not the sneaky right whose privileges you have threatened.

Just do what is right by and for your people. Shut the toxic noise out.

a huge asset to a country. The bar set for state positions should thus be high, and only top-caliber talent with impeccable credentials should be appointed to high echelons of power.

While perhaps it is unfair to compare Bishop and Lopez, the two personalities

Destabilization I SHUDDERED at the horrifying way the 71-year-old aunt of our family driver was murdered by suspected drug pushers and users. Her mouth was covered with packing tape; her legs and skull were broken; some of her nails were pulled out; and her body bore stab wounds on the neck and other parts. The neighbors believed she was killed because she used to berate suspected drug dealers from plying their trade near her house. What this horrific murder suggests is that it could only have been committed by people who were so stoned or high on drugs they have lost the last bit of conscience in them. The drug problem is for real and still, obviously, thrives.

Before President Rodrigo R. Duterte embarked on a war against illegal drugs, heinous crimes were almost a daily reading in newspapers. There were cases of fathers raping and killing their own daughters; a father killing all his children and wife and attempting to kill himself; a grandmother being raped, and so many more incomprehensible acts of atrocities. Now, police records say, the rate of heinous crimes has gone down but apparently still happens as in the case of our driver’s aunt.

The war on drugs has generally made the Filipino people feel safer. They have expressed their approval of the President’s anti-drug campaign by consistently giving him high trust ratings in surveys. While it is true that the method initially employed by police officers to carry out the war has led to abuses, resulting in the killing of some innocent people, largely, it has netted a big number of arrests and surrenders by suspected drug violators. Yet, some sectors believed to be keen on bringing down the President, have used his war on drugs as a reason to discredit his leadership or altogether oust him from the presidency.

Citizens who are spectators in the recent events have been seeing an orchestrated effort to weaken the President’s hold on authority and leadership. An impeachment complaint against the president was filed by a representative in Congress of the Magdalo party-list. The President’s most vocal critic, Senator Antonio Trillanes, is seen by many to be behind such move as the senator has openly admitted supporting the impeachment move.

Almost simultaneously, Vice President Leni Robredo sent a video What the of herself addressing the UN Commission on outside world Narcotic Drugs on its 60th meeting denounc- is made to ing President Duterte’s believe about war on drugs. The Speaker of the House, the Philippine Pantaleon Alvarez, was situation is a far quick in saying that the vice president may have cry from how just committed an impeachable offense, add- the majority ing that it is obvious the of Filipinos see vice president is part of the move to oust Mr. what really Duterte as she would be obtains here. the beneficiary should the President be booted from his position. Netizens and many sectors were just as quick to criticize the vice president; some even staged an impromptu rally outside the vice president’s office on Saturday.

A former delegate to the United Nations General Assembly, Michael Francis Acebedo Lopez, assailed the vice president for “misrepresenting” millions of Filipinos as she claimed in her speech that she was speaking on behalf of each and every Filipino. According to Lopez, Robredo, whose mandate is in question for electoral fraud, wantonly painted a grim image of the Philippine situation to attract international attention and action with unfounded claims and unsubstantiated allegations.

Last week too, as if in concert with the moves of President Duterte’s detractors, the European Union, issued a Resolution calling on the release from prison of Senator Leila de Lima who is detained upon order of a court, on drug charges. The Department of Foreign Affairs, of course, issued a statement assailing the EU Resolution for tending to undermine the Philippine judicial processes.

Worse, the EU resolution has virtually encroached on the sovereignty of the Republic of the Philippines which is not even its member. One can only guess how the EU came to reach such a resolution without even conducting a factfinding investigation.

Listening to the general sentiment of Filipinos who cannot help noticing the recent unfolding of events, I sense a disgust about how some sectors are trying to rob them of their choice of the country’s leader. They say that their elected president should be given the chance to carry out his promise for change as he is their last hope. The Filipinos gave President Duterte the highest votes recorded for a presidential candidate and likewise gave him the highest trust rating of 91 percent. What the outside world is made to believe about the Philippine situation is a far cry from how the majority of Filipinos see what really obtains here.

Perhaps, the weakness of the administration lies in its inability to step up to the propaganda capability of the forces behind the moves to discredit the Duterte administration.

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do offer a stark contrast in competence and the way a government official negotiates the many sides of complex issues.

How I wish that members of the Commission on Appointments were there to experience a rare display of high statesmanship.

Fr. Aquino’s column will resume on Friday.

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News

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017

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Female NPA rebel killed in encounter

THE HEAT IS ON. At least 24 barangays in Mandaluyong City participate in a ‘Fire Olympics’ on Sunday to mark the Fire Prevention Month. Manny Palmero

‘Pray for our senators’ T

HE Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has urged priests to offer masses for members of the Senate who will deliberate on the administration-backed death penalty bill after it was passed by the House of Representatives.

Villar hails bird haven, mangrove

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Cynthia Villar has stressed the importance of the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Eco-Tourism Area as a bird sanctuary and mangrove site as the country marked the 4th anniversary of the habitat’s designation as a Wetland of International Importance.

“We don’t have to go out of Metro Manila for a place where we could commune with nature. Here is an internationally recognized place where one can go bird-watching in a setting where diverse species of trees and mangrove thrive,” Villar said.

Four years ago, the eco-tourism area became Site No. 2124 in the Ramsar Convention list of Wetlands of International Importance.

Over 2,200 sites in the world are included in this list as a recognition of their “significant value not only for the country or the countries in which they are located, but for humanity as a whole.”

Six other sites in the Philippines made it to the Ramsar list are Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park in Palawan, Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park in Sulu; Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary in Agusan del Sur; Naujan Lake National Park in Oriental Mindoro; Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary in Cebu; and Negros Occidental Coastal Wetlands Conservation Area in Negros Occidental.

CBCP president Archbishop Socrates Villegas, in a pastoral statement issued on Sunday, call on the faithful to pray for the senators so that God may touch their conscience into opposing the reimposition of capital punishment.

“Let us pray fervently for the legislators of our country as they prepare to vote on death penalty in the Philippine Senate,” Villegas said.

“Let us offer all our Masses for them, asking

our Crucified Lord who offered his whole life, body and blood, for the salvation of sinners, to touch their consciences and lead them to abolish capital punishment once and for all,” he added.

Villegas reiterated the Church’s stand against the revival of the death penalty, adding that “even with the best of intentions, capital punishment has never been proven effective as a deterrent to crime.”

“Let us not allow our wells to be poisoned by bitter water; let us uphold the sanctity of life and make a stand against death penalty,” he said. “Obviously it is easier to eliminate criminals than to get rid of the

root causes of criminality in society. Capital punishment and a flawed legal system are always a lethal mix.”

“And since in any human society there is never a guarantee of a flawless legal system, there is always the great likelihood that those without capital will get the punishment more quickly because it is they who cannot afford a good lawyer and a guarantee of due process,” the Catholic leader added.

The prelate also admonished lawmakers who approved the measure in the House of Representatives that their vote contradicted their faith.

“It was Ash Wednes-

day when members of the Lower House, on the second reading of the death penalty bill, outvoted by voice-voting the nays with their ayes. Ironically, they were captured on television shouting in favor of death with their foreheads marked with crosses made of ashes. Could they have forgotten what that cross meant? Could they have missed out the contradiction between their vote and the crosses on their foreheads, which were supposed to serve as a loud statement of faith in the God who, for love of us, chose to give up his life for our salvation, rather than see us perish?” Villegas said. PNA

STL expands operations in 35 provinces THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office is in the process of evaluating 35 more provinces with pending applications for Authorized Agent Corporations to operate under the expanded Small Town Lottery program.

“There are additional 35 areas still unsigned with AACs that are presently being evaluated by the STL-Supervision and Monitoring Group. After that, we can say that the whole country is now with STL,” PCSO Chairman Jose Jorge Corpuz said.

The expanded STL was launched in January with 56 approved AACs from the original 18.

With this, the agency expects its revenue collection to reach P27 billion this year, PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan said.

“Our actions are part of the previous arrangement on instruction of the President for us to produce money for this government for charitable services,” Balutan said.

Among the areas being evaluated are Western District of Manila in the National Capital Region; Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Apayao in the Cordillera Administrative Region; Ilocos Sur in Region 1; Batanes and Quirino in Region

2; Aurora in Region 3; Palawan and Romblon in Region 4B; Catanduanes and Masbate in Region 5; Capiz and Guimaras in Region 6; Siquijor and Cebu City in Region 7; Eastern Samar, Samar (western), and Biliran in Region 8; Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga City and Zamboanga Sibugay in Region 9; Lanao del Norte and Misamis Occidental in Region 10; Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Compostella Valley and Davao Occidental in Region 11; Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani in Region 12 ; Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur and Dinagat Island in

Caraga; and Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Cotabato City, Sulu and Tawi-tawi in ARMM. Balutan said that with a total of 91 approved AACs within the year, STL operations can also generate almost a million jobs for Filipinos.

One of the objectives of the expanded STL is to eliminate the “underground economy” perpetuated by gambling lords who rob the government of billions of pesos in taxes.

“The directive of the President is to stop illegal gambling in with line with his aggressive all-out war against corruption,” Balutan added.

ACHY-BREAKY HEART. The Philippine Heart Association, led by Dr. Victor Almazan and Dr. Ariel Valones, teaches cardio-pulmonary resuscitation to faculty members, students and employees of the Diliman Preparatory School in Quezon City on Sunday.

Revoli Cortez

PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur—A female communist rebel was killed during a clash between government troops and members of the New People’s Army Saturday afternoon in Kitcharao town.

Lt. Col. Glen Aynera of the 29th Infantry Battalion said they have yet to identify the slain rebel.

“The NPA group was earlier reported by the residents to be scaring their barangay which forced the community to evacuate to the town proper,” Aynera said.

An AK-47 rifle was recovered from the NPA member, Aynera added.

The skirmish happened even as both the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front struggle to revive the stalled peace negotiations.

But without any form of ceasefire in place, both sides vowed there will be no letup in the offensive operations against each other.

Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to scrap the peace talks following the killing of four police officers in Bansalan.

Duterte’s tough rhetoric— capped by his directive for the military to drop bombs and “flatten the hills” to eliminate the rebels—was followed by backchannel talks in Oslo where government and CPPNDF negotiators Both sides are expected to resume formal peace negotiations next month.

Aquino: Create job centers in all schools

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Benigno Aquino IV has underscored the need to pass into law a measure seeking to expand and strengthen job placement offices in schools.

“While we will strive to provide free, quality education to Filipinos, we should ensure this translates to jobs and job security, and the Trabaho Centers in Schools Act can help make this happen,” Aquino said, referring to his Senate Bill No. 1278, otherwise known as Trabaho Centers in Schools Act. Aquino said the bill will help address the problems of unemployment and underemployment by ensuring that suitable jobs await both high school and college graduates.

“By strengthen linkages between school and companies through the Trabaho Centers, we can lessen the number of unemployment and underemployment in the country,” he said.

By institutionalizing job placement offices in public schools and colleges, the senator said this will address the prevalent jobs mismatch in the country, serving as bridge between the job market and supply of graduates.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Office showed the country’s unemployment rate stood at 4.7 percent with over twomillion jobless Filipinos.

The number of underemployed Filipinos was pegged at 7.51 million.

“Clearly, there is a need, not only to generate employment opportunities, but also to address the jobs mismatch in the country,” he said.

Sports

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Notre Dame is new Best clinic venue

US duo leads at Palmer tilt MIAMI—Rory McIlroy made a charge into contention but Charley Hoffman closed with a 70-foot birdie putt to match Kevin Kisner for the lead after Saturday’s third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Hoffman curled in the shot of the tournament at the US PGA event on Orlando’s famed Bay Hill course to cap a closing run of three consecutive birdies to join his US compatriot on 11-under 205 through 54 holes.

McIlroy, preparing his bid for a Masters win next month that would give him a career Grand Slam, fired a seven-under par 65 to stand on 210 in a share of eighth after a 74-71 start to the week.

“At least I’ve given myself a decent chance,” McIlroy said. “At least I’m in with a shout and if I get off to a fast start I can be right in there.

“Hopefully the wind starts to get up and I can be somewhere close to the lead tomorrow.”

And it was a good sign as he looks toward a possible fifth major title and quest for a first green jacket in just three weeks at Augusta National. AFP

Gennady Golovkin (left) knocks down Daniel Jacobs in the fourth round during their Championship fight for Golovkin’s WBA/WBC/IBF middleweight title at Madison Square Garden in New York City. AFP

Golovkin’s KO streak ends

N

EW YORK—Gennady Golovkin earned a unanimous decision over Daniel Jacobs on Saturday to retain his middleweight belts but not before boxing’s knockout king was taken the distance for the first time.

Golovkin was forced to go 12 rounds as Jacobs gave the middleweight superstar all he could handle in front of a boisterous crowd of 19,000 at Madison Square Garden.

Golovkin retained his WBC and WBO belts as two of box-

ing’s pre-eminent punchers put on an entertaining show against the best opponents of their respective careers.

“I couldn’t destroy him,” said Golovkin. “He is a very clean, very good fighter. It is my first test for 12 rounds.”

Judges Don Trella and Steve Weisfeld both scored the fight 115-112 and Max DeLuca had it 114-113 for Golovkin.

Cancer survivor Jacobs was an underdog going in but he used his 10-pound weight and reach to his advantage and possibly provided the blueprint for Canelo Alvarez to use against the 35-year-old Kazakh in a future title fight.

Golovkin, who improved to 37-0, floored Jacobs early in the fourth round with two rapid fire overhand rights to record the only knockdown of the fight.

Golovkin denied suggestions that he should have thrown more punches in the early rounds.

“This is sport. I am a boxer, I am not a killer. I respect his game,” Golovkin said.

Golovkin had won 33 of his previous 36 fights by knockout as his 23 fight knockout streak, which dated back to 2008, came to a halt.

He has a 92 percent knockout rate, the best ratio of any middleweight in boxing history.

Golovkin’s IBF title was not on the line because Jacobs declined to attend the Saturday morning

Grabador sets fastest time A STRONG performance in swimming helped Carla Beatriz Grabador not only win her agegroup, but also register the fastest time finish in a field of over 320 women and girls in the 3rd Atleta Ako Women’s Aquathlon held Sunday morning at the Philsports Complex in Pasig City.

Grabador won the standard distance 500 M swim – 5 Km run competition’s 25-29 age-group title in 33 minutes and 5 seconds which includes a very swift 7:20 swim time.

The 35-39 champion Ines Santiago (WU CREW) and second placer Kaye Lopez (Fit + Academy) delivered the 2nd and 3rd best standard distance time finishes of 33:57 and 34:14, respectively, in the race organized by Bike King, headed

by Raul Cuevas, and presented by AtletaAko.com and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Other standard distance champions in the event supported by Smart, Timex, the official race timer, Standard Insurance, the group accident insurance provider, Klean Kanteen, Urban Ashram Yoga, Ogalala, Robinsons Supermarket, Gardenia, Del Monte, Neutrogena, Gatorade, Havaianas, E-Z Laces, David’s Salon, Dolfin, Bestway, Be #kidspirations, emco, Sante Barley, Flaming Wings, Certified Calm, Ceelin Chewables, Active Setyl, Sante Impact System, Razon’s, R. Lapid’s Chicharon & BBQ, Myra, 2XU, Fujifilm, Century Tuna, media partners Endurance, SwimBikeRun. ph and Gameplan, were Andrea Villanueva (1824), Ian Banzon (30-34), Ani Brown (40-44), Elaine Andaya (45-49), Celma Hitalia (50-above) and the JasTri Team (relay).

For the distance of 400 meter swim – 4.2 km run, Lauren Plaza won the 15-17 crown. In the Petite Distance (300 meter swim – 3 kilometer run) competitions, the champions were Monica Roa (18-29), Katrina Sarabia (30-39), Seevee Lastimoso (40-49), Gloria Labao (50-above).

In the kids’ distance competitions, categorical winners named were Franz Joves (13-14), Isabella Relf (1112), Janelle Blanch (9-10) and Sophia Relf (7-8).

Already on its 3rd year, the Atleta Ako Women’s Aquathlon has established itself as the biggest all-women multisport events franchise in the nation. Since its inaugural edition in March 2015, the franchise also served as a celebration of International Women’s Month and supports the PSC’s Women in Sports program pushed for by then PSC Commissioner Akiko Thomson-Guevara.

Complete race results can be viewed online at www.

BikeKingPhilippines.com, while official race pictures will soon be posted at Bike King’s Facebook page.

weigh in. Jacobs needed to be within 10 pounds of Friday’s official weigh-in weight or lose the chance to fight for the IBF title.

The 30-year-old Jacobs decided the extra weight in the ring was more important than fighting for all of Golovkin’s titles and the gamble almost paid off.

He dropped to 32-2, with 29 knockouts.

“At times I stood toe-to-toe with him to see what the power was like, what everybody was talking about, and it wasn’t that bad,” Jacobs said.

PBA PARTNER. GlutaMAX Men, the complete line of premium and advanced skin lightening products from Healthwell Nutraceuticals (an affiliate of YSA Skin Care Corporation), recently partnered with the Philippine Basketball Association.

PBA stars Sean Anthony, Alex Cabagnot, Cliff Hidge, JC Intal, and LA Tenorio use GlutaMAX Products that contain high amounts of Glutathione that makes them more effective compared to other whitening products. In photo are GlutaMAX Senior Brand Marketing Manager Love Narvaza, President of Healthwell Nutraceuticals Inc. (maker of GlutaMAX) Paulo Legaspi, PBA Commissioner Chito Narvasa and assistant to the commissioner Dita Dobles

Blazers use fast start to crush Hawks; Hornets nip Wizards, snap 3-game skid

Maurice Harkless the Portland Trail Blazers shoots a free throw against the Atlanta Hawks during the game at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

LOS ANGELES—The Portland Trail Blazers continued their quest to secure the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with a 113-97 win over Atlanta, that also snapped a five game losing skid to the Hawks.

Portland, who are trying to overtake the Denver Nuggets in the postseason race, led by 23 points just 10 minutes into the game and rolled to victory behind 27 points from Damian Lillard and 22 from fellow guard CJ McCollum.

“Well, the understatement is that the first quarter was really an outstanding quarter for us at both ends,” Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts said.

“Defensively, we were really locked in. It got us off to a great start. After that, the game was kind of methodical, but the first quarter was pretty impressive.”

The Trail Blazers, who are 7-2 in March, made 13 of their first 15 from the floor and shot 76 percent in the first quarter to 16 percent for the Hawks while going up 40-18.

Ersan Ilyasova tallied 23 points.

He started in place of Paul Millsap who experienced left knee tightness warming up and was a late scratch.

The Trail Blazers, who made 13 of their first 15 from the floor, shot 76 percent in the first quarter to 16 percent for the Hawks and led 6346 at halftime.

“It was the first quarter that we couldn’t recover from,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “I thought we were poor defensively. I thought we were poor offensively.”

Elsewhere, Cody Zeller scored 19 points and the Charlotte Hornets snapped a three-game losing streak with a 98-93 win over the Washington Wizards.

The Hornets trailed at halftime but built the lead up to as many as nine midway through the fourth quarter and then held for the victory.

The Wizards got as close as three in the final 20 seconds, but the Hornets’ Marvin Williams hit four free throws with less than 10 seconds left.

John Wall led the Wizards with 19 points and eight assists.

“Obviously it wasn’t pretty, but we had a lot better defence, good offence in the fourth quarter and we made the plays when we really needed to,” coach Steve Clifford said. AFP

THE award-winning Best Center added Notre Dame of Greater Manila in Caloocan City in its list of venues for its summer sports clinics.

The basketball clinics supported by Milo will be held on April 5 to 29, scheduled from 8 to 11:30 a.m. every Wednesday and Saturday for students in Preparatory Level, and Levels 1 and 2.

Early registration is set on March 24, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon.

Registration for the Best Center clinics in Starmall Alabang and at the Fortunata Village are also ongoing.

Basketball clinics are set April 4 to May 2 on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. for Preparatory Level, and Levels 1 and 2 (911 years old); and 1 to 4 p.m. for Levels 1 and 2 (12 years old above) and Levels 3 and 4 at Starmall Alabang.

Volleyball clinics are also offered from April 3 to May 1, every Monday and Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m. for Levels 1, 2 and 3 also at the Starmall.

Fortunata Village will host basketball clinics every Tuesday and Friday from April 4 to May 2 in Levels 1 and 2; while volleyball clinics will be held from April 4 to May 2, Mondays and Thursdays from 8-11 am for Level 1.

HEAD junior tennis meet starts in CDO MORE than 100 participants from different parts of Mindanao are expected to participate in the first leg of the 19th HEAD Junior Tennis Satellite Circuit starting today at the Nazareth tennis courts in Cagayan De Oro City.

Zamboanga’s Abdulquohar Allian, John Velez and Patrick Velez of Davao, Brent Cortes of Lanao Del Norte, Matt Palasan and Gennifer Pagente of Cagayan De Oro are going to headline the first leg of the annual tournament organized by HEAD Philippines distributor Dynamic Sport.

“We are so excited to start the opening leg in CDO this week and we’re expecting more young tennis enthusiasts from Mindanao to show their talents there,” said Liza TangYuquico, the Managing Director of HEAD Philippines. “It’s going to be a five-day of solid tennis competition.”

The three-month tennis satellite circuit is supported

by Chris Sports, the nationwide sports retail chain, Toalson strings, UBE Express, the Premium Airport Bus Service, media partners People’s Television, Aksyon Sports, Business Mirror, Philippine Locale, Cook, Health and Fitness, Pilipino Mirror and Philippines Graphic.

After the Cagayan De Oro City first leg that runs from March 20 to 24, the second leg goes to Davao City on March 26 to 30 and Isulan on April 1 to 5 before opening up its campaign for the Visayas region in Cebu on April 7 to 11.

The next stop will be in Iloilo on April 17 to 21 and Bacolod City on April 23 to 27.

Alkhaldi 2nd in Singapore swimfest, earns SEA Games berth LOTTO RESULTS

By Peter Atencio/Swimming JASMINE Alkhaldi will swim again in the Southeast Asian Games.

Alkhaldi earned a slot to the 29th SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur when she bagged her third silver medal on Saturday evening in the 48th Singapore National Age-Group Swimming Championships.

The 24-year-old Alkhaldi was second in the women’s 200-meter free-

style superfinals.

Her time of two minutes and 2.52 seconds was a qualifying B time clocking that also gave her a seat to the World Championships in Budapest this July.

It was Singapore’s Ting Wen Qah who won the gold in 2:01.79.

Ting, Alkhaldi and Thailand’s Natthanan Junkrajang have been dominating the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle events for the last five years in the Southeast Asian region.

And they are expected to fight it out for the gold again in the 29th SEA Games.

In the 2013 edition of the SEA Games, Alkhaldi won the gold against her two opponents.

But she was forced to give up the medal following a protest from Thailand because of a starting buzzer malfunction.

Philippine Swimming Inc. secretary general Lani Velasco said they have

high hopes not only with Alkhaldi, but also on the performances of age-groupers Armand Pierre Chan and Gianna Vivienne Garcia.

Chan made a B finals appearance in both the 100-meter butterfly and the 400-m individual medley events for the boys 13-14 division, and was 13th and 8th place in the said events, respectively.

Garcia reached the A finals of the 100-m backstroke girls 13-14 with an 8th-place finish.

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

P0 M+ P0 M

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

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Sports

Filamor, Romualdez lead Greens to polo title

By Peter Atencio ANTHONY Filamor and his student, 15-year-old Marty Romualdez, struck hard in the second half.

And their efforts paid off as they led the Greens to a 5-2 stopping of the Blues on Sunday at the Enrique Zobel East Field of the Manila Polo Club in Makati City.

The win allowed the Greens to clinch the crown in the high-goal game of the first ever Chairman’s Polo Cup tournament, held in honor of the club’s Polo Chairman Filamor.

The 34-year-old Filamor, who has been guiding the young Romualdez since last year, rose to the occasion in the third chukker.

With the count tied at 1-all at halftime, Filamor struck with two goals during a seven-minute period of the third chukker.

His followup of a defensive play broke the tie, giving Greens the lead, 2-1.

Then, he gave Greens some distance when Filamor hit a penalty shot in the last four minutes.

“We started out cold. The field was bouncy. We did not catch the breaks in the first two chukkers,” said Filamor, who is also the organizing committee chairman.

In the fourth and last chukker, the young Romualdez took over scoring.

Riding a borrowed horse named Samoa, he scored on two penalty shots in the last two minutes and his efforts allowed the Greens to gain a comfortable lead towards the end.

Romualdez said good conditioning helped him carry the team win the game.

“It was good (conditioning). I was practicing every other day since last week,” said Romualdez.

The Blues took the early lead at 1-0 when Ricardo Garcia struck from 40 meters in the second chukker.

After that, Romualdez said he got lucky when he tied the match at 1-all. That was when teammate Alfy Araneta missed an attempt, recovered the ball and sent it in on the closing seconds of the half.

The Chairman’s Cup is part of the many major tournaments held at the Polo Club, with the season beginning with the Enrique Zobel Cup in January, followed by the Fila Cup and Okada Manila Cup last February.

The season-ending President’s Cup takes place on March 26.

The High Goal championship trophy is considered the expert division in this event, held in partnership with the Manila Standard and supported by Martin Romualdez.

NU completes 4-peat in tennis Match Wednesday: (Rizal Memorial Tennis Center) 8 a.m. – UST vs UE (Men Finals)

NATIONAL University made it four in a row after a 3-0 victory over University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP Season 79 women’s lawn tennis Finals yesterday at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

MVP Clarice Patrimonio fashioned out a dominating 6-1, 6-3 win over Erika Manduriao in the second singles to seal the deal for the Lady Bulldogs.

“We are just focused on the game,” said Clarice Patrimonio, who bagged the league’s highest individual honor for the second time in three years.

In her farewell singles’ match, Christine Patrimonio, who like her sister Clarice has won two MVP titles, coasted to a 6-0, 6-3 victory over Precian Rivera to give NU the 1-0 lead.

“Nakakalungkot, nasanay ako na kasama si Tin,” said Clarice. “But I guess next year, I’ll try my best.”

The Lady Bulldogs also emerged victorious in doubles, as the pair of Jzash Canja and Apoul Polito defeated Shymae Guitaran and Erika Manduriao, 6-2, 6-0.

Now the second-winningest team behind De La Salle’s seven, NU has won 24 straight ties, which date back to Feb. 2015.

The championship was a great sendoff for the five Lady Bulldogs’ players, led by Christine to their collegiate careers.

“I told them to to make it count, make it memorable,” said coach Karl Santamaria, who also accomplished a four-peat for NU men’s lawn tennis from 2013-16.

Ateneo’s Nicole Amistad, meanwhile, took home the Rookie of the Year honors, the second Lady Eagles player to do so after Jana Pages last season.

James Yap of Rain or Shine wards off Mahindra’s TY Tang as he drives to the basket in a PBA Commissioner’s Cup game won by the Elasto Painters, 99-95.

Rain or Shine 5 turns back Mahindra, grabs solo lead

By Jeric Lopez

R

AIN or Shine muscled its way down the stretch to carve a difficult 99-95 escape win over Mahindra in a thrilling overtime showdown of the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Rosalie Pepito of Generika scores against Djanel Cheng and Ranya Musa of Sta Lucia.

Roman Prospero

Cignal nails PSL semis seat Games Thursday: (FilOil Flying V Center) 5 p.m. – Generika-Ayala vs Petron 7 p.m. – Sta. Lucia vs Foton

CIGNAL grabbed the second semifinal slot as it clobbered Cocolife, 25-15, 25-20, 2516, in the second match he Belo Philippine Superliga Invitational Conference Saturday at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex.

Jovelyn Gonzaga paced the assault as she finished with 10 kills and two aces for 13 points, while Honey Royse Tubino and Rachel Anne Daquis chipped in nine markers apiece for the HD Spikers, who joined idle Petron in the next round.

With that, only one semifinal seat is up for grabs with Generika-Ayala and Foton tipped to engage in a fullblown war to conquer it.

The Lifesavers will clash

with unbeaten Blaze Spikers while Foton battles winless Sta. Lucia in the final day of eliminations on Thursday at the FilOil Flying V Center in San Juan.

Jovielyn Prado served as the lone bright spot on offense as she finished with six markers for the Asset Managers, who will be relegated to the classification battle for 4th to 6th places after finishing the eliminations with 1-4 win-loss slate.

Shawn Taggart turned in another solid showing, scoring a gamehigh 29 points to go with 10 rebounds to lead the Painters again while getting help from James Yap and Beau Belga, who each added 12 markers.

Down, 90-93, after the first minute of the extension, the Elasto Painters kept their composure and delivered the most critical run of the game as they finished strong when it mattered.

Rain or Shine closed the game out with 9-2 run to steal Mahindra’s thunder and take the hard-fought game in the bag.

As a result, the Elasto Painters are now the early tournament leaders, improving to 2-0, while the Floodbuster dropped to 0-2 at the bottom.

Mahindra took a vital 86-60 lead after a 6-0 run in the fourth period, capped by a triple from Gary David with 2:34 left following an 80-all deadlock with less than five minutes remaining.

Rain or Shine fought its way back and tied the game at 88-all with just over 30 seconds remaining, paving way for a down-thewire finish.

The two teams then each had a chance to win the game but Jeff Chan and James White, one after the other, missed on their attempts in the final two plays in regulation, sending the game into overtime.

White also had 29 points for Mahindra.

Both teams were really keen to outdo each other as they clawed back and forth all the way with no team gaining significant advantage for most part.

The first half ended in favor of Rain or Shine, 45-43.

The scores: RAIN OR SHINE 99 - Taggart 29, Belga 12, Yap 12, Chan 10, Almazan 9, Ahanmisi 8, Washington 6, Ponferada 5, Tiu 5, Cruz 2, Norwood 1, Tolomia 0, Trollano 0.

MAHINDRA 95 - White 29, David 13, Galanza 10, Celda 10, Deutchman 9, Paniamogan 8, Mallari 6, Caperal 4, Revilla 3, Guevarra 2, Salva 1, Teng 0, Yee 0, Arana 0, Salva 0, Ballesteros 0.

Quarterscores: 22-24, 45-43, 68-66, 88-88, 99-95.

Rice: A Filipino can make it to NBA soon

GLEN RICE

IT’S just a matter of time before a Filipino player makes it to the National Basketball Association.

Retired NBA star Glenn Rice said this while taking a break from his next passion in life, which is managing and staging mixed martial fight promotions.

He said the quality of games in the NBA has changed and become more uptempo, and fast-paced.

“Filipino players have the speed.

They’re small. But the game now has kind of catered to the smaller players,” said Rice, during a three-day viewing party commemorating the first NBA Filipino Heritage Week at the Globe Icon Amphitheatre at the Bonifacio High Street inside the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

He talked about the possible entry of Filipino entries in the NBA during the game between the Miami Heat and Minnesotta Timberwolves.

Over Filipino breakfast fare (pan de sal with cottage cheese, ensaymada, a chocolate drink and taho), Rice noted that the NBA top players nowadays are point guards.

These days, it’s Oklahoma City Thunder Russell Westbrook who is

leading the NBA most valuable player race, with fellow guards two-time MVP Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and James Harden of the Houston Rockets not far behind.

The 6’8” Rice, now 50 years old, noted that two Filipinos are making an effort to join NBA teams, namely Kobe Paras and Kiefer Ravena.

Paras is now with Creighton University, and Ravena had a stint with the Texas Legends in the NBA D-League.

He said it’s the guards who are dominating the league.

“Filipino players are shooting threepointers very well. And they have the speed. Keep on doing that. I know for sure, there’ll be a Filipino player in the NBA (soon),” Rice went on.

He advised aspiring Filipino players not to give up.

“Continue believing and keep on working as hard as you possibly can.

Right now, the percentage of Filipino players making it is at an all-time great.

The possibility of getting in there is getting good,” added Rice.

During his time, Rice played as a small forward and believes that joining training camps helped him develop a consistent game as a wingman.

Federer guns for net crown INDIAN WELLS—Roger Federer’s resurgence has already out-stripped his expectations, but the Swiss great says relishing the game is more important now than chasing a ranking.

Sidelined some six months after knee surgery last year, Federer came back to win his 18th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January.

After a hiccup in Dubai, where he was stunned by world number 116 Evgeny Donskoy, Federer has emerged from one of the toughest draws in ATP history to reach the final of the Indian Wells Masters.

“I forgot how tough the draw actually was,” Federer said of the quarter that included him along with world number two Novak Djokovic and number six Rafael Nadal, along with former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, dangerous young Australian Nick Kyrgios and talented German Alexander Zverev. AFP

Business SteelAsia eyes National Steel S

By Othel V. Campos

teelAsia Manufacturing Corp., the largest reinforced steel bar maker in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, offered to acquire National Steel Corp. in Iligan City from the government and convert it into a state-of-the-art steel manufacturing complex.

SteelAsia president Benjamin Yao said the plan was to produce and deliver quality steel products to meet the rising local demand from a growing infrastructure sector of a fastindustrializing country.

“This will be a major step towards the development of a long overdue local steel industry which will generate new businesses and strengthen existing ones like the automotive industry, shipbuilding and repair, construction, and infrastructure that in turn will boost countryside growth and create more jobs,” said Yao. SteelAsia plans to put up a modern and environment-friendly factory in Iligan, producing steel products such as plates, beams, billets, slabs and sheet piles which are all currently imported.

Ma. Lourdes Rebueno, general manager of state-owned National Development Co., said it received a proposal from SteelAsia about its plan to negotiate with all valid claimants of National Steel, including the government, for an asset-purchase arrangement.

The Iligan City government recently took over the assets of National Steel for tax deficiency reportedly amounting to P5 billion.

Yao said if the arrangement pushed through, the Iligan facility would become SteelAsia’s seventh steelworks unit. Its six steelworks, located in key growth regions throughout the country, are all operating at full capacity.

“We grew exponentially in the past ten years, starting with a production capacity of 450,000 metric tons in 2006 to 2.7 million

metric tons in 2016 for rebars and billets. We are putting up new ones in the next two years to bring up our capacity to 5 million metric tons, which will be 60 percent of total annual demand,” Yao said.

The unrestrained growth came from plants it put up in Davao City and Meycauayan and from acquiring mothballed or existing plants in Carcar, Cebu; Calaca, Batangas; and Phividec, Misamis Oriental.

Yao said all these acquisitions were all fully paid as of last year.

“We have the expertise and the balance sheet to take over Iligan and re-start our quest for a steel industry that will serve as the backbone of our industrialization,” Yao said.

The company announced the full settlement of its P5.45-billion financial obligations for the Davao, Batangas and Cebu mills.

The mills were mothballed assets rehabilitated by SteelAsia to complement its overall production capacity.

SteelAsia’s expansion will address requirements for rebar, wire rods, small and medium sections and steel plates.

The total production capacity for all finished steel products in the Philippines is estimated to hit 11 million tons, enough to satisfy the demand until 2025.

“We see continuing growth in demand in the coming years that is why we need to expand. The Iligan plant will be a strategic maneuver for us as a company and the country as well in terms of industrialization,” Yao said.

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

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017

B1

Shining a Light on Business Presentations YOU’RE on your feet, your slides are ready, you’re all set to win over your audience—but your presentation falls flat!

What happened?

Well, millions of business presentations are made around the world every day, and it must be acknowledged that too many of them do not achieve their objective—which means an awful lot of wasted time and effort.

There could be several reasons for this sad state of affairs, but the solutions are not rocket science—and they’re actually readily available.

Technology It’s easy to overlook the importance of the one thing that is common to pretty much every business presentation—the projector. The technology driving this essential piece of hardware has evolved dramatically since the introduction of digital images.

Today, the dominant projection technology is 3LCD, pioneered by Epson, the world’s top projector maker for 15 years in a row and the market leader in Southeast Asia.

3LCD projectors produce amazing detail and unbelievably bright and natural colour, up to three times more colour brightness than other projectors and with a three times wider colour gamut. This means there is no need to lower the lights—Epson’s 3LCD projectors deliver dazzling high-definition images, vivid contrast and powerful colour intensity, even in bright ambient surroundings. With such a highly efficient light source, 3LCD laser projectors are ideal for large venues such as lecture rooms, auditoriums and concert halls as well as smaller meeting rooms.

Back to basics Now we’ve addressed the technology, let’s look at the software—which includes you, the presenter.

All presentations are an amalgamation of content, audience and delivery. When you seamlessly combine all these elements, your presentation has a higher chance of successfully delivering your message.

Remember, your objective is to inform, entertain and persuade. Unfortunately, the truth is that most people have a limited attention span, so try to boil the message of your presentation down to three key points that your audience absolutely must understand.

Your content obviously needs to be relevant to your audience. Are you delivering a marketing report or financial plan to a small group of colleagues in your own offices, or is your presentation a keynote at an industry conference with an audience of hundreds? The nature of the audience determines the appearance of your slides—graphs and charts are appropriate for a group looking at financials, product photography will work well for marketing, and video clips from the Chief Executive can help to deliver corporate messages.

Beware the PowerPoint toolbox Just because the software allows you to use special effects, animations and transitions doesn’t mean you should include as many as you can. Garish colours and over-busy slides distract the audience’s attention from your content. Stick to one colour scheme, one font of at least 30-point, and a single animation style throughout the deck.

In all cases, avoid filling your slides with dense blocks of text. One useful rule of thumb is the “six-by-six” rule—no more than six bullet points per slide, and no more than six

words in each bullet.

It’s a common mistake to assume that your slides are your presentation. They are not—they are there to help you deliver your presentation, serving as a visual support for what you’re saying. If your slides contain everything you’re going to say, it’s guaranteed that the audience will read those words. And when they’re doing that, they can’t listen to you.

And the depressing conclusion is that if your audience is not listening to you, the need for you as a presenter is gone.

Power Tools As a presenter, you can draw on a number of factors to supercharge your delivery. Body language is crucial—a confident stance, making eye contact and controlled movement that engages without distracting anyone can help to establish your authority. Your voice, too, is potentially a powerful tool. Well-judged projection, variation in volume, tone and pace, and the judicious use of the pause contribute to a convincing delivery of your message and your ownership of the room.

Overcoming Your Nerves Fear of public speaking is a leading phobia in every culture. Actually, if you can get them under control, preperformance nerves can help to energize your presentation.

There are numerous psychological and physical techniques to help you with this, including identifying and facing down your fears, deep breathing, gentle head massage and light exercise before speaking.

Most important of all is preparation. Make time to rehearse your presentation—as many times as possible.

Record yourself presenting and critique your own performance. Present to a trusted colleague, and insist they be honest with their feedback.

Preparation also includes familiarizing yourself ahead of time with the room and the equipment you’ll be using. Are the steps up to the stage secure? Does the remote control work? Do you have a back-up of your presentation on a thumb drive? And do you have confidence in the projector?

Epson 3LCD projectors If it’s an Epson 3LCD projector, your worries are at an end. As highlighted above, 3LCD is a sophisticated, innovative technology that utilizes three chips to deliver vibrant, true-to-life and consistent images for any audience, in any venue.

But beyond that, 3LCD projectors are highly efficient and much more reliable than competing technology. Compared to the rapidly spinning colour wheel in a single-chip DLP projector, 3LCD projectors have no moving parts in the image generation engine, so there is no risk of mechanical failure.

They also use 25% less power than single-chip DLP projectors. This in turn means lower operating heat, allowing the lamp in a 3LCD projector to last longer.

Epson has developed high brightness laser projectors in their range of 3LCD business projectors with a laser-light source that can deliver up to 20,000 hours of maintenance free use – products that will keep them way out ahead in a segment that’s forecast to grow 125% by 2020.

If you’ve created and rehearsed your presentation with our tips in mind, you can be confident that your Epson high brightness 3LCD projector will deliver mind-blowing image quality and make your presentation the star of the show.

B2

Business

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock index likely to test 7,400 level

By Jenniffer B. Austria

S

TOCKS are expected to become range bound this week, after the benchmark index closed above the 7,300-point level last week, as investors wait for stronger catalysts.

“Chartwise, the week’s close at 7,345.02 still suggests the market to remain range bound between the 7,000 and 7,400 levels in the near term. A break above the 7,500 levels could call the bulls back into play,” BDO Unibank chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said.

The US Federal Reserve’s pronouncement that the pace of interest rate hike would be gradual could still boost inves-

tors’ sentiment.

Analysts said following the Fed’s policy decision to raise interest rates, investors would also focus on the next move of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on the appropriate monetary policy on March 23.

Analysts said while Bangko Sentral was unlikely to change policy settings even as the US Fed raised interest rates to sustain economic growth, investors would look for hints on how long the former could delay a rate hike.

The PSEi, the 30-company benchmark index of the Philippine Stock Exchange, rose 2.8 percent over last week’s five-day market trading to close at 7345,02 on March 17, following the US Fed’s rate hike and expectations that it would not accelerate future tightening.

The boarder all-share index ended higher by 1.7 percent to settle at 4,417.20.

Except for the mining and oil index which declined 2.8 percent last week, all other

major sub-indices ended in the green, led by holding firms which jumped 3.6 percent, financials which advanced 3.2 percent and services which went up 1.8 percent.

Foreign investors were net sellers by P1 billion last week, as foreign selling reached P26.4 billion and foreign buying amounted to P25.4 billion.

Average daily turnover improved to P8.3 billion last week from the previous week’s P7.4 billion.

Top gainers were International Container Terminal Services Inc. which climbed 14.5 percent to P187, SM Investments Corp. which went up 10.5 percent to P662 and JG Summit Holdings Inc. which increased 9.5 percent to P81.05.

Heavy losers included Cemex Holdings Philippines Inc. which fell 12.8 percent to P7.50, GT Capital Holdings Inc. which declined 6.3 percent to P1,152 and DMCI Holdings Inc. which retreated 4.8 percent to P11.86.

Benguet proposes landfill in Antamok

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales Itogon and Baguio, but also BENGUET Corp. submitted a proposal to Baguio City and Itogon town the final rehabilitation plan for one of the Antamok open pits involving an engineered sanitary landfill and a renewable waste-to-energy project.

The mining company said the pit would have a capacity of 535,400 cubic meters and could easily handle the disposal of the expected daily volume of 150 to 200 metric tons not only from

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

MARCH 13-17, 2017 Close Volume

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. First Abacus I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp.

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ RCBC B Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

3.1 48.95 125.00 102.40 40.3 4.05 1.23 15.9 20.65 7.72 0.73 1.64 835.00 0.710 80 0.72 14.72 25.30 56.60 87 115 240 39 39 201 1750.00 79.65 1.22

223,000 94,400 19,410,350 5,354,180 1,168,800 53,000 550,000 170,700 969,000 3,300 20,000 70,000 580 12,715,000 11,234,760 889,000 245,600 25,500 301,900 15,620 730 7,740 289,700 104,200 4,731,060 1,195 405,230 30,000

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Basic Energy Corp.

Bogo Medelin C. Azuc De Tarlac Cemex Holdings Century Food Chemphil Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ Conc. Aggr. ‘B’ Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) EEI First Gen Corp.

First Holdings ‘A’ Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp.

Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A’ MG Holdings Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Pilipinas Shell Phinma Corporation Phinma Energy Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas Holdings San Miguel ‘Pure Foods `A’ Shakeys Pizza SPC Power Corp.

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

43.5 5.34 0.81 1.38 20.5 0.270 106 15.02 7.5 16.9 187 94 95.7 23.5 60 2.2 5.99 12.1 12.880 6.38 6.04 7.90 22.45 73.35 12.50 15.70 6.74 1.530 193.20 71.00 5.25 3.95 28.50 30.75 26.95 16.5 290.00 0.265 6.93 3.72 9.10 3.7 73 11.42 2.26 7.40 1.97 5 4.96 2.8 270.6 14.26 4.5 0.147 1.45 163 4.53 1.57 31.50 1.02

8,532,400 5,745,300 930,000 13,696,000 344,800 46,380,000 630 37,300 137,395,500 35,176,400 1,070 1,380 130 1,339,100 192,390 3,247,000 499,400 503,300 41,521,200 27,609,300 79,973,000 1,716,100 4,168,100 443,910 196,600 558,100 3,413,400 2,907,000 2,511,180 8,650 59,481,100 445,000 9,900 6,399,400 2,238,300 20,007,600 1,203,870 17,310,000 1,768,000 13,039,000 43,563,000 23,000 2,182,730 13,400 3,471,000 11,788,900 8,029,000 1,780,900 4,181,900 522,000 293,380 21,949,100 633,000 11,580,000 1,493,000 9,083,960 2,000 23,403,000 2,200 1,123,000

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A’ ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp `A’ BHI Holdings Inc. Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings Filinvest Dev. Corp.

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Keppel Holdings `A’ Keppel Holdings `B’ Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

LT Group Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

MJCI Investments Inc. Pacifica `A’ Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion Republic Glass ‘A’ San Miguel Corp `A’ Seafront `A’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. Transgrid Top Frontier Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.385 72.90 12.68 1.14 6.32 0.370 0.360 830 1002.00 8.88 11.86 8.08 0.178 1152 6.30 81.05 4.75 5.48 5.34 7.97 1.16 15 6.5 3.6 0.0580 1.090 1.970 2.49 103.00 2.93 662.00 1.48 199.90 270.000 0.2950 0.1870 0.242

17,720,000 14,080,370 58,190,700 733,000 1,651,400 7,100,000 2,700,000 1,608,170 10 12,292,000 59,739,000 172,000 2,350,000 992,540 141,800 10,800,020 13,000 3,200 1,400 4,071,200 100,771,000 17,575,700 315,697,200 23,000 390,320,000 68,000 2,437,000 21,000 704,910 5,541,000 2,787,350 2,249,000 40 52,300 2,910,000 1,660,000 1,000,000

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Cebu Prop. `B’ Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport `A’ Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

6.980 0.93 2.450 1.420 36.550 3.66 5.13 6.09 0.500 1.06 1.320 0.161 0.560 54 0.720 0.161 0.97 1.70 1.18 3.59 0.189 0.2950

10,138,400 22,574,000 661,000 79,384,000 64,845,700 18,171,000 85,200 500 29,722,000 123,000 764,000 52,450,000 11,993,000 2,380,090 490,000 3,570,000 8,272,000 47,255,000 352,000 155,499,000 594,560,000 1,880,000

Value FINANCIAL 714,360.00 4,603,715.00 2,399,864,771 533,932,785.50 46,910,385.00 211,450.00 686,690.00 2,656,208.00 19,954,565.00 25,476 14,600 117,200.00 476,300.00 8,727,770.00 884,165,259.50 652,690.00 3,569,710.00 645,150.00 17,009,999.50 1,378,233.50 82,780.00 1,865,898.00 11,307,540 4,103,175.00 668,712,817.00 2,115,250 32,300,690.50 36,600.00 INDUSTRIAL 369,566,645.00 30,823,255.00 753,940.00 19,278,730.00 6,981,096.00 12,909,150.00 61,606.50 548,122.00 784,120,003.00 601,897,706 211,689.00 129,204.50 12,441.00 30,938,055.00 11,544,555 7,029,470.00 3,017,783.00 6,195,548.00 522,420,582.00 178,217,401.00 479,605,007.00 13,625,801.00 93,396,070.00 32,024,772.00 2,453,008.00 8,825,930.00 22,890,305.00 4,640,100.00 489,629,423.00 607,850.50 350,099,300.00 1,739,760.00 276,945.00 193,628,950.00 60,337,160.00 319,461,364.00 350,070,844.00 4,464,550.00 12,281,525.00 48,842,610.00 386,712,070.00 88,790.00 159,482,544.00 154,190.00 7,980,200.00 85,524,054.00 15,992,570.00 8,701,748.00 20,680,933.00 1,512,430.00 78,603,988.00 315,138,462.00 2,860,830.00 1,669,150.00 2,146,610.00 1,474,394,630 9,060.00 37,214,470.00 69,230.00 1,144,360.00 HOLDING FIRMS 6,742,500.00 1,034,795,642.00 727,127,034.00 812,260.00 10,402,336.00 2,528,850.00 969,750.00 1,331,641,760 10,020.00 108,451,031.00 720,007,676.00 1,381,643.00 424,950.00 1,168,438,820.00 899,597.00 853,119,529.00 62,310.00 16,189.00 7,460.00 32,340,678.00 119,441,620.00 260,549,120.00 2,084,901,346.00 78,220.00 22,684,920.00 74,200.00 4,801,480.00 52,290.00 73,282,598.00 16,944,450.00 1,820,898,070.00 3,350,790.00 7,996.00 14,168,508.00 837,900.00 310,960.00 245,070.00 PROPERTY 67,755,396.00 20,981,990.00 1,596,430.00 114,246,000.00 2,355,992,195.00 66,800,130.00 426,899.00 3,045.00 14,937,010.00 129,510.00 996,350.00 8,362,000.00 6,573,480.00 128,120,035.50 342,190.00 543,040.00 8,075,930.00 79,073,160.00 420,600.00 564,610,220.00 110,194,960.00 561,000.00

MARCH 6-10, 2017 Close Volume Value 3.25 48.7 120.40 97.51 40.1 4.23 1.29 16.18 21 8.00 0.73 1.7 840.00 0.680 77.05 0.73 14.5 26.25 58.00 90 113 240 38.6

404,000 61,800 14,680,560 108,021,931 1,203,100 154,000 260,000 13,100 7,385,100 8,900 8,000 197,000 100 31,291,000 14,041,530 1,025,000 137,800 17,200 356,990 3,820 2,900 10,140 648,900

1,392,220.00 3,001,055.00 1,783,736,227 745,811,725.50 48,178,180.00 669,500.00 331,190.00 211,272.00 152,687,050.00 70,640 5,840 333,450.00 84,000.00 21,791,170.00 1,132,077,160.00 751,990.00 1,998,350.00 448,180.00 20,419,581.50 343,800.00 322,588.00 2,426,502.00 25,327,470

200 1790.00 79.20 1.22

6,023,320 1,035 362,180 17,000

1,229,213,624.00 1,846,625 28,870,158.00 20,740.00

43 5.55 0.82 1.44 19.22 0.270 97 15.06 8.6 16.7 165 94.5 9995 23.5 60.45 2.14 6.2 12.22 12.580 6.35 5.90 8.05 22.3 72.6 12.20 15.88 6.57 1.650 194.00 75.60 7.6 4.2

6,902,000 5,091,500 2,400,000 1,992,000 160,500 39,880,000 1,360 25,200 64,846,900 27,510,900 390 370 480 810,800 227,380 745,000 327,500 247,600 37,812,800 77,594,800 50,804,800 2,311,700 10,701,300 505,180 10,000 1,072,100 2,912,700 2,519,000 5,959,600 2,390 5,178,500 4,640,000

301,183,235.00 27,934,285.00 1,973,780.00 2,843,390.00 3,122,824.00 10,796,000.00 131,995.00 374,934.00 545,760,600.00 458,402,310 64,350.00 34,309.00 47,976.00 18,932,125.00 13,310,658 1,604,930.00 2,004,979.00 3,033,322.00 476,526,912.00 498,528,907.00 304,458,652.00 17,983,846.00 236,465,575.00 36,819,359.50 122,146.00 17,497,380.00 19,242,808.00 4,191,130.00 1,166,104,472.00 177,698.00 40,421,899.00 21,936,820.00

30 26.95 15.2 294.40 0.265 6.45 3.74 8.57 3.88 74.5 11.44 2.33 6.98 1.92 4.9 5.00 3 265 13.98 4.33 0.146 1.45 158.1 4.32 1.68

3,608,900 579,100 24,191,300 770,550 28,000,000 269,300 6,743,000 15,031,300 1,000 4,636,310 4,200 3,574,000 24,129,700 19,668,000 863,100 1,990,600 1,884,000 7,610 24,981,200 114,000 1,490,000 824,000 5,927,400 24,000 9,578,000

111,314,370.00 15,549,180.00 362,358,510.00 226,654,882.00 7,418,200.00 1,756,183.00 24,762,710.00 132,224,545.00 3,880.00 354,921,363.00 48,082.00 8,336,110.00 170,994,563.00 39,813,260.00 4,266,110.00 9,950,479.00 5,604,180.00 2,030,408.00 332,270,920.00 495,060.00 218,010.00 1,202,920.00 960,102,352 105,940.00 16,169,080.00

1.03

1,162,000

1,215,340.00

0.370 73.85 12.32 1.12 6.30 0.370 0.370 815 1001.00 8.58 12.46 7.93 0.184 1230 6.40 74.00

12,500,000 4,626,970 33,652,900 20,000 86,400 11,690,000 520,000 1,867,760 20 9,784,700 34,444,100 1,020,600 1,150,000 557,090 1,160,800 6,388,060

4,648,500.00 339,836,686.00 422,238,818.00 22,820.00 526,742.00 4,362,050.00 193,250.00 1,531,554,875 20,020.00 85,536,762.00 433,565,798.00 8,163,781.00 210,530.00 675,791,670.00 7,502,284.00 491,091,363.00

5.59

42,000

223,682.00

7.84 1.11 14.24 6.6 3.7 0.0570 1.100 1.980 2.49 106.10 3 599.00 1.53 185.00 272.000 0.2900 0.1950 0.250

2,876,500 48,495,000 46,418,000 113,108,200 303,000 1,107,480,000 16,000 791,000 25,000 648,580 18,671,000 2,859,340 1,054,000 210 72,060 2,890,000 1,170,000 2,860,000

22,697,533.00 54,673,150.00 672,666,254.00 762,357,183.00 1,100,010.00 66,549,510.00 17,600.00 1,566,180.00 62,290.00 68,900,737.00 68,447,940.00 1,810,658,685.00 1,625,750.00 38,850.00 19,385,398.00 846,900.00 222,520.00 721,000.00

6.800 0.98 2.470 1.510 35.500 3.75 5.13

1,435,400 10,794,000 821,000 154,365,000 71,854,600 71,801,000 150,000

9,505,265.00 10,744,080.00 2,019,920.00 724,014,930.00 2,585,055,330.00 273,573,810.00 754,920.00

0.500 1.30 1.300 0.159 0.550 53.4 0.700 0.163 0.98 1.66 1.26 3.68 0.168 0.3000

27,085,000 91,000 509,000 37,390,000 9,271,000 1,086,320 276,000 2,320,000 10,187,000 35,673,000 1,855,000 61,052,000 141,390,000 7,300,000

13,676,490.00 113,150.00 654,020.00 5,991,630.00 5,085,260.00 58,540,447.50 195,030.00 371,630.00 10,043,320.00 59,671,030.00 2,301,450.00 227,661,900.00 24,180,930.00 2,192,300.00

STOCKS

MARCH 13-17, 2017 Close Volume

Phil. Realty `A’ Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp.

Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

0.610 28.50 4.43 23.85 1.69 3.32 28.95 1 0.910 4.800

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Apollo Global Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Calata Corp.

Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ.

Discovery World DFNN Inc. Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Golden Haven Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ IPeople Inc. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. IPM Holdings Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones LBC Express Leisure & Resorts Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Broadcasting Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp.

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

8.4 46.45 1.47 0.520 0.051 12.2 5.5 7.52 0.0740 2.2 93.6 10 2.38 8.80 3.88 970 1910 6.12 16.10 15.12 3.54 86.05 3.79 12.38 0.0093 9.02 0.189 1.3400 3.43 14.4 3.72 1.02 3.85 18.00 2.41 5.78 3.73 2.980 11.28 5.35 3.35 165.00 8.70 1512.00 0.425 1.520 45.80 81.90 6.25 2.21 1.130 1.75 3.14 0.385

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Benguet Corp `A’ Benguet Corp `B’ Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto `A’ Lepanto `B’ Manila Mining `A’ Manila Mining `B’ Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Omico Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A’ Oriental Pet. `B’ Petroenergy Res. Corp.

Philex `A’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A’ Semirara Corp.

TA Petroleum United Paragon

0.0033 1.66 5.49 11.40 1.7700 1.8300 0.45 0.420 9.33 2.410 0.255 0.183 0.191 0.012 0.0120 1.78 6.47 2.15 0.4550 0.8800 0.0110 0.0120 4.05 8.94 3.10 0.0140 144.50 2.8 0.0088

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ Alco Preferred B DD PREF First Gen F First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H SMC Preferred I Swift Pref

45.85 529 539 107.5 105.5 107.1 118.8 525 5.86 1021 1045 1.04 105.2 1072 1123 1018 104.4 112 78.3 80 76.5 78.4 79.65 79 79 78 2.2

LR Warrant

2.060

Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Philab Holdings Xurpas

2.93 3.93 6.99 9.75

First Metro ETF

122

MARCH 6-10, 2017 Close Volume Value

Value

84,525,000 1,300 4,580,000 21,834,600 408,000 337,000 56,605,100 38,552,000 3,164,000 21,336,000

50,619,360.00 37,485.00 20,725,390.00 511,078,915.00 694,810.00 1,098,740.00 1,633,081,365.00 39,083,150.00 2,775,650.00 101,489,110.00 SERVICES 891,900 7,157,865.00 22,600 1,046,085.00 274,000 407,570.00 3,197,000 1,672,490.00 1,263,630,000 65,543,840.00 19,100 224,494.00 59,700 319,746 47,990,000 365,366,109.00 467,780,000 33,503,190.00 24,299,000 54,973,730.00 3,840,450 351,532,412.00 1,300 12,970.00 18,000 41,380 547,400 4,740,127.00 287,000 1,103,760.00 60 58,200.00 336,740 653,863,735 458,500 2,826,954.00 232,100 3,738,928.00 29,200 441,504 7,334,000 25,725,260.00 19,593,590 1,608,686,695.50 569,000 2,180,370 2,000 24,760.00 74,000,000 677,300.00 1,257,000 11,351,415.00 30,980,000 5,853,790.00 1,506,000 2,036,600.00 5,900,000 20,913,790.00 2,100 29,672.00 4,986,000 17,898,160 55,000 55,610.00 10,167,000 39,236,700.00 2,800 46,496 1,698,000 3,917,370.00 18,718,500 106,755,733.00 6,677,000 24,829,140.00 57,062,000 180,379,680.00 4,815,300 54,667,476.00 120,300 647,837 105,000 336,900.00 227,850 36,383,189.00 1,591,000 13,896,692.00 911,395 1,387,663,050.00 10,190,000 4,299,350.00 63,511,000 96,494,810.00 29,307,200 1,321,957,085.00 7,373,690 605,531,299.50 4,907,183 3,241,896.00 11,341,000 25,910,940.00 19,113,000 21,781,030.00 4,000 7,000.00 3,244,000 10,291,870.00 970,000 367,050.00 MINING & OIL 1,635,000,000 5,496,000.00 15,757,000 27,266,290.00 1,935,800 10,436,197.00 3,100 31,801.00 165,000 295,020.00 16,000 29,630.00 1,230,000 554,250.00 2,930,000 1,203,650.00 290,800 2,619,638.00 10,242,000 25,070,670.00 5,650,000 1,402,240.00 51,770,000 9,713,290.00 6,340,000 1,249,430.00 16,300,000 179,900.00 443,000,000 5,305,000.00 2,444,000 4,417,550.00 21,984,900 138,750,905.00 1,231,000 2,608,970.00 700,000 325,000.00 576,000 503,810.00 191,000,000 2,138,900.00 400,000 4,700.00 151,000 614,030.00 5,255,200 46,833,837.00 7,427,000 23,350,270.00 606,400,000 8,240,700.00 4,792,450 703,249,910.00 203,000 572,000.00 14,000,000 125,400.00 PREFERRED 1,544,500 70,975,935.00 21,200 11,202,100.00 8,090 4,271,740 88,830 9,518,202 46,110 4,861,527.00 33,030 3,560,155.00 40,000 4,607,200.00 42,520 22,439,940.00 7,639,300 44,781,861.00 5,570 5,686,975.00 9,200 9,583,500.00 305,000 317,200 510 53,660.00 10,015 10,691,060.00 7,340 8,242,970.00 10,990 11,199,765.00 76,000 7,919,240.00 150 16,350.00 21,200 1,659,760.00 108,080 8,804,044.50 3,300 252,775.00 47,330 3,713,262.00 78,890 6,384,805.00 156,040 12,319,980.00 113,790 9,026,933.50 743,850 59,436,469.00 13,000 28,400.00 WARRANTS & BONDS 916,000 1,923,830.00 SME 3,000 8,790.00 2,394,000 9,788,360.00 637,600 4,472,789.00 13,638,700 127,667,958.00 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 151,350 18,240,828.00

0.570 27.75 4.75 23.10 1.71 3.28 29.00 1.02 0.930 4.850

57,753,000 3,800 1,815,000 8,430,200 2,117,000 2,807,000 54,869,000 39,660,000 289,000 10,007,000

34,477,800.00 106,395.00 8,586,280.00 200,405,075.00 3,656,500.00 9,261,320.00 1,600,609,890.00 41,266,830.00 262,890.00 48,456,710.00

7.88 46.15 1.45 0.550 0.057 11.3 5.5 8.00 0.0670 2.33 90.4 9.8 2.44 8.63

170,300 28,200 154,000 1,653,000 1,525,860,000 17,800 438,500 46,908,300 181,440,000 32,471,000 2,740,250 27,900 24,000 441,500

1,346,134.00 1,308,350.00 227,570.00 885,980.00 89,120,850.00 200,992.00 2,603,787 363,591,407.00 11,777,690.00 78,024,170.00 249,333,289.50 282,683.00 57,780 3,891,472.00

1000 1910 6.10 16.30 15.12 3.33 75.1 3.93 12.48 0.0092 9.07 0.191 1.3600 3.2 14.5 3.71 0.95 3.93 18.20 2.3 5.7 3.77 3.100 11.3 5.33 3.4 151.00 9.00 1535.00 0.405 1.520 45.00 81.20 6.16 2.36 1.160

16,820 502,835 310,600 419,100 51,900 17,685,000 12,372,050 810,000 97,300 29,000,000 2,065,900 17,220,000 1,081,000 4,084,000 9,200 5,570,000 11,000 21,204,000 100 12,453,000 50,226,700 1,918,000 14,724,000 9,889,600 131,300 476,000 31,930 6,244,900 961,065 12,950,000 92,481,000 55,060,200 4,975,660 358,700 14,855,000 56,870,000

16,819,800.00 967,070,825 1,906,615.00 6,853,730.00 790,944 61,317,190.00 942,668,361.00 3,207,410 1,196,908.00 269,700.00 18,711,201.00 3,300,340.00 1,473,630.00 12,593,110.00 129,092.00 21,410,550 10,450.00 78,957,120.00 1,820 31,882,470.00 274,474,527.00 7,244,780.00 43,359,160.00 111,424,318.00 704,833 1,691,070.00 4,735,704.00 55,284,699.00 1,463,954,835.00 5,286,300.00 137,192,960.00 2,465,845,025.00 401,234,066.00 2,220,908.00 35,341,430.00 66,261,090.00

3.19 0.385

1,603,000 4,040,000

5,153,410.00 1,535,600.00

0.0035 1.89 5.48

7,318,000,000 13,366,000 1,571,200

25,435,200.00 25,271,560.00 8,792,661.00

1.8500 1.9800 0.47 0.430 9.49 2.610 0.260 0.191 0.206 0.012 0.0110 1.95 6.4 2.18 0.4700 0.8800 0.0110 0.0110 4.09 9.26 3.24 0.0140 147.40 2.86 0.0089

449,000 54,000 560,000 8,010,000 464,500 7,537,000 2,330,000 88,300,000 7,440,000 43,400,000 155,900,000 3,327,000 23,458,400 1,356,000 50,000 3,693,600 65,600,000 90,500,000 26,000 3,680,500 7,763,000 206,700,000 2,389,790 64,000 28,000,000

818,640.00 101,000.00 257,000.00 3,428,450.00 4,534,240.00 20,120,520.00 585,310.00 17,045,960.00 1,481,550.00 478,300.00 1,732,000.00 6,442,610.00 152,734,072.00 2,992,350.00 23,400.00 4,275,560.00 734,400.00 996,000.00 106,930.00 33,905,066.00 24,991,740.00 2,895,800.00 353,193,356.00 186,140.00 249,500.00

45.2 530 539 106.1 106 108.3 113.3 538 5.87 1020 1031 1.05 105.2

1,049,200 2,420 40 109,790 91,260 100 5,040 2,100 909,300 500 4,550 255,000 52,430

48,277,610.00 1,280,500.00 21,560 11,637,449 9,628,963.00 10,872.00 575,050.00 1,129,000.00 5,325,254.00 510,170.00 4,695,970.00 265,220 5,520,891.00

1114 1018 106 106.9 77.9 81.25 76.75 78 81 77.75 79.45 79.75 2.1

510 5,065 40 2,400 15,050 92,920 6,150 36,950 45,580 280,220 21,100 587,940 2,000

568,420.00 5,166,180.00 4,240.00 256,750.00 1,172,395.00 7,623,054.50 471,637.50 2,879,317.50 3,653,245.00 22,264,284.00 1,649,920.00 46,777,289.00 4,200.00

2.160

249,000

541,610.00

3.06 3.93 7.1 9.51

15,000 2,228,000 577,200 32,770,700

44,620.00 8,782,730.00 8,146,421.00 298,709,831.00

119.1

42,680

5,135,810.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining Apollo Global Philodrill Corp. `A’ MRC Allied Ind. Boulevard Holdings Manila Mining `B’ Pacifica `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Oriental Pet. `A’ Megaworld

VOLUME 1,635,000,000 1,263,630,000 606,400,000 594,560,000 467,780,000 443,000,000 390,320,000 315,697,200 191,000,000 155,499,000

STOCKS Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Ayala Land `B’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

SM Investments Inc. SM Prime Holdings I.C.T.S.I. Universal Robina PLDT Common Ayala Corp `A’ Puregold

VALUE 2,399,864,771.00 2,355,992,195.00 2,084,901,346.00 1,820,898,070.00 1,633,081,365.00 1,608,686,695.50 1,474,394,630.00 1,387,663,050.00 1,331,641,760.00 1,321,957,085.00

from the surrounding areas of La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay.

Benguet Corp. executive director Isidro Alcantara said the necessary project feasibility studies would be done in consultation with the LGU officials to ensure all their concerns were addressed.

Initial findings showed the ESL could provide a solution to the garbage disposal problem in Baguio and surrounding areas as it would provide and recycle bio-degradable raw material input to the WTE that was estimated to generate 25 megawatts.

“The ESL will avoid any potential health related issues that may arise from the ill effects of insufficient handling of garbage in a major city,” Benguet Corp. said.

Baguio currently sends its garbage to Capas, Tarlac which is155 kilometers away from the city. The city government also spends P80 million annually or the disposal of its garbage.

“The proposed Antamok site is only about 18.5 kilometers from Baguio and Itogon of which 12.5 kilometers is on a concrete all purpose road while only 2.5 kilometers only needs to be widened and improved to access the ESL site,” Benguet Corp. said.

SMIC gets nod to buy dormitory developer THE Philippine Competition Commission approved the acquisition by SM Investments Corp. of a 61.2-percent stake in dormitory builder Philippines Urban Living Solutions Inc. The PCC said in a statement its Mergers and Acquisitions Office found the transaction would not result in substantial lessening of competition in the relevant market.

“After the acquisition, sufficient competitive constraints on the merged firm remains from other market participants,” the agency said.

The PCC, the country’s anti-trust body, is mandated under the Philippine Competition Act to review mergers and acquisitions to ensure the deals will not prejudice the interest of the consumers.

SMIC said in October it planned to acquire a significant stake in PULS, a property developer engaged in the business of leasing bedspaces and units in purposebuilt dormitories around the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City and Makati.

The planned investment marks the entry of SMIC into the Philippine rental housing market.

PULS opened its first dormitory building in 2013. At present, it owns and manages five buildings in Makati and Bonifacio Global City with over 1,000 beds.

All buildings are operating under our MyTown rental brand. Five more dormitories that can offer 1,400 beds are currently under construction.

PULS targets to have 6,000 dormitory beds by 2018.

The company, backed by top emerging markets fund manager Mark Mobius, announced plans to raise as much as P700 million through an initial public offering in 2017 to 2018.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Business There is life after work…

ACCORDING to Confucius, choose a job you love, and you NIMFA BALTAZAR will never have to work a day in your life. It’s great advice, REEN IGHT but it’s not always that simple.

There are a lot of things to consider and difficult to parlay that into a viable source of income.

Ignoring passion Due to the scarcity of employment opportunities, people tend to grab whatever job was being offered to them that will give a higher salary. Passion has been ignored in choosing a job nowadays due to the pressing need to provide the basic needs of a person to be able to survive in this world.

According to Philippines Statistics Authority, the employment rate in January 2016 was estimated at 94.2 percent. Therefore the remaining 5.8 percent will have no job, which is about half a million people scavenging for job opportunities. Therefore, we do not really have the luxury to be choosy when it comes to employment.

Getting a life I envy those who have been earning from doing the things they love to do such as basketball players, professional divers and musicians. I could only hope that one day, I will pack my bags and just go do the things I want like swim, climb mountains and travel the world.

According to Paula Caligiuri who wrote a paper entitled “Get a Life, Not a Job,” the world is full of people who have done just that—they’ve taken their hobbies, originally enjoyed solely for personal pleasure, and turned them into income-generating career acts. Hobbies with tangible outcomes, such as art, sewing, baking, cooking, photography, playing a musical instrument, and the like, can easily move to incomegenerating career acts.”

She also mentions “people who enjoy what they do for a living tend to own their careers in the sense that they themselves have planned, developed and shifted their career focus to create the stimulating, secure, and balanced work situations they desire. They craft the career acts they like the best, over time. They also have tailored for themselves a sense of financial security by knowing that if one aspect of their career is losing steam (or interest) other career acts can provide a safety net.”

Being real But to be realistic whether we like it or not, we are tied up with obligations and responsibilities. We have bills to pay, rent to pay and family to help. I can’t just really go nomad and get out without a care in the world.

What I can do is to just maximize my time after office. I make sure that I have none to very minimal over time at work and I don’t take my work at home. Once I shut off my work laptop, I switch to another self, which is my “me” side of life.

I do not admire workaholic people. Some will say that being a workaholic implies that the person enjoys his or her work or feels compelled to it. But for me, I highly believe that it is a sickness that needs to be cured, because there is life after work.

Enjoying work I may not have the job of basketball or a tennis player, but my job provides for what I need. It is still enjoyable due to the work environment that my company gives to its employees. I may feel like dragging my feet to work in some days but at the end of the day, at least I have a job and can contribute to the society in some ways. For now, it is just proper mind setting on how I see my work.

Maybe one day, I will be free from all obligations and will be able to just go and do the things I love and not depend on my available vacation leaves. Someday.

G

L

B3

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Cavitex offers to build P30-b Kawit expressway

By Darwin G. Amojelar

C

AVITEX Infrastructure Corp., a unit of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. which operates the 14-kilometer Manila-Cavite Expressway, plans to build another toll road from Kawit to Rosario at a cost of P30 billion.

“We got a no objection already from the DPWH [Department of Public Works and Highways]. We are now preparing the business case and investment proposal and then we will submit it within the year to TRB [Toll Regulatory Board],” Cavitex president Luigi Bautista said.

The proposal involves Segment 5 of Cavitex, a 7.6-kilometer road that will link Kawit to Noveleta and to Rosario. “The expressway is a combination of coast way and viaduct,” Bautista said.

The company earlier allocated P1.7 billion in capital expenditures to expand the ManilaCavite Expressway.

“Cavitex’s capex this year is about P1.7 billon for C5 South Link’s work on the flyover and a number of Enhancement Works [lane widening for R1 Expressway, SN flyover near Pacific Drive and C5 access entry lane],” Bautista said.

Cavitex tapped FF Cruz Construction Inc. to construct the first phase of the Cavitex C5 South Link.

The first phase of Cavitex C5 South Link will connect C5 and Merville, Parañaque by way of a flyover.

The second phase will link Merville and Cavite at a cost of P9.5 billion.

Cavitex C5 South Link will al-

low residents from Cavite, Las Piñas and parts of Parañaque to avoid Edsa and take a direct link to and from C5 to Cavitex.

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

C5 South Link will ultimately connect with R1 Expressway (Coastal Road) and provide fast, safe and convenient travel for motorists going to and from Parañaque, Las Piñas and Cavite and for Paranaque residents in Multinational, Moonwalk and Merville villages.

Bautista said the new expressway would not only decongest the Parañaque villages, but would also provide easier travel from Taguig, Makati, Pasay, Pasig, Quezon City and other northern areas to Manila, Las Piñas and Cavite province.

It will also provide relief for

vehicles using the congested Edsa and C5 Road arteries of the metropolis.

When completed, the expressway will provide a seamless connection to Cavitex road network and to Cavite-Laguna Expressway slated for completion in 2020.

The new C5 Link is envisioned to spur further economic development in Parañaque and in Cavite and Laguna provinces by providing a safe and convenient link from the central and northern parts of Metro Manila to the high-growth industrial and residential centers in Southern Tagalog.

MPTC also operates the North Luzon Expressway and SubicClark-Tarlac Expressway.

MPTC won the bid for the 45-kilometer Cavite-Laguna Expressway and is set to implement the Cebu-Cordova bridge project that will provide a convenient third bridge from Mactan island to Cebu City.

SM LEGAZPI CITY.

Albay Gov. Al Francis Bichara and Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal lead the groundbreaking ceremonies of SM City Legazpi.

They are joined by Albay Bishop Joel Baylon and KBI president Mark Khe, along with SM Supermalls president Annie Garcia, vice president for design Fides Garcia and assistant VP for operations Jason Terrenal. SM City Legazpi (artist sketch in lower photo) will be strategically located in the city’s central business district in a 5-hectare lot in Hahao Road, Legazpi City. The three-story 84,413 square meter mall will bring shopping, leisure, and entertainment excitement with anchors like The SM Store and SM Supermarket, local and international shops, a cyberzone, and a food court with the view of scenic Mayon Volcano.

The author is an MBA student at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business. This essay is part of a journal she keeps in fulfillment of the requirements of the course, Lasallian Business Leadership with Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics.

Visit her blog at https://interiorempacemsite.wordpress.com/.

The views expressed here are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.

1598 M.H. Del Pilar corner Dr. J. Quintos Streets Malate, Manila Tel. Nos. 522-0000, 551-2200 connecting all departments

1-day electronic check clearing extended THE Monetary Board, the policymaking body of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, extended by one month the deadline for banks to fully comply with the one-day electronic clearing of checks.

The board advised clearing participant banks of Philippine Clearing House Corp. to “fully comply with the check image clearing system standard, or by April 21, 2017.”

Under the system, only the digital images of checks and their electronic payment information will be transmitted to the paying bank, allowing a shorter turnaround time for funds to be credited to the depositors’ accounts.

Depositors who transact with CICS-compliant banks may with-

draw on the next banking day against their validated check deposits.

Bangko Sentral earlier encouraged clients to get in touch with their banks about the new system and reminded banks on how to properly prepare checks under the CICS. To achieve faster transition to the new process, Bangoo Sentral enjoined the non-CICS-compliant banks to take necessary measures to meet the technical requirements of electronic check clearing.

The implementation of CICS forms part of the banking reforms to achieve a more efficient and safe payment system as this is critical to the promotion of the country’s financial stability, the central bank said.

PCHC on Jan. 24, 2017 issued

a memorandum to all clearing banks and financial institutions to clarify the advisories previously issued with regard to the handling of checks under the new system.

PCHC said checks which were folded or had staple holes should be accepted by banks as long as the image and the information on the check were still clearly visible upon inspection.

It said checks without the word “only” after the amount written on the check, with empty spaces not ruled out, or information not written in dark-colored ink should not be reasons for non-acceptance by banks. No standard format on the date on the checks is required.

Julito G. Rada

Smart’s mobile data revenues grow 26% SMART Communications Inc. said revenues of its mobile data business rose 26 percent to P25.5 billion in 2016 from P20.2 billion in 2015, boosted by attractive data offers and affordable smartphones.

Mobile internet revenues set the pace, rising 42 percent year-on-year to P17 billion.

“The shift to data and digital services continues to gain momentum. With access to PLDT’s extensive fixed line network, Smart is rolling out the country’s fastest mobile internet network to address the growing demand of our subscribers for data services at home, their schools and offices and while on the go,” said PLDT executive

vice president and chief revenue officer Eric Alberto.

Data revenues accounted for a third of the wireless business’ revenue mix last year from 25 percent in 2015.

The mobile data business for the first time edged out voice calls and text messaging as the largest revenue source for the wireless business Mobile data usage also improved to 148,000 terabytes last year, 49 percent higher than the 2015 figure.

“The steep rise in mobile data traffic highlights the popularity of data usage as well as the huge potential to grow mobile data revenues, particularly mobile internet revenues,” Alberto said.

To support the rapidly increasing data traffic, Smart accelerated its rollout of LTE and 3G data networks under a three-year program that includes the use of low-band frequencies, such as 700 Mhz for high-speed LTE services.

The network rollout program has been completed in Metro Davao where Smart subscribers now consistently enjoy average data download speeds of over 20 Mbps. The LTE upgrade is now underway in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu, where similar dramatic improvements in data speeds are being experienced in areas where new LTE facilities have already been installed. Darwin G. Amojelar

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 project: Items ITB - GS-20170313-01 518 Service Contract Workers

Approved Budget Bidding for the Contract Documents Fee (ABC) P 93,369,000.00

P

46,700.00

Delivery Period

Deployment: Ten (10) months to commence within thirty (30) calendar days after receipt of Notice to Proceed The Office Manpower Service Provider (OMSP) shall deploy personnel at various LANDBANK Units within ten (10) calendar days after receipt of request from LANDBANK Personnel Administration Department

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 20 to April 12, 2017 March 30, 2017 - 2:00 PM Bidding Room, 25th Floor, LANDBANK Plaza Building 1598 M. H. Del Pilar corner Dr. J. Quintos Streets, Malate, Manila April 12, 2017 - 11:00 A.M. Procurement Department, 25th Floor, LANDBANK Plaza Building 1598 M. H. Del Pilar corner Dr. J. Quintos Streets, Malate, Manila April 17 to 20, 2017 April 28, 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

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

B4

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017

Business

Balance of payments may top $1b this year

By Julito G. Rada

B

ANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas will review the target of a $1-billion surplus in the balance of payments this year to see if an upward revision is necessary due to the better outlook for global economic growth.

“We will recast that forecast, [taking into account] the world economic outlook showing that the world economy will grow by 3.4 percent from the earlier projection of 3.1 percent in 2017,” Guinigundo said in a quarterly briefing for the balance of payments over the weekend.

Bankgo Sentral drew up the $1-billion surplus target for the balance of payments this year after the second review of economic data conducted in November last year.

Guinigundo said the country’s BoP position was facing a better outlook in 2017 despite the expected three interest rate hikes by

the US Federal Reserve, an indication that the world’s largest economy was on its way to firm recovery. “... People will always expect that interest rates in the US will generate some outflows of capitals across borders but that did not happen. In fact, the peso appreciated Thursday [after the Fed hike],” Guinigundo said.

“The uncertainty has been reduced by those pronouncements by the US Fed led by chair Janet Yellen. Anyway, we will continue to monitor and see what else in store in the US,” Guinigundo.

Guinigundo said the Fed’s move cleared the air of any uncertainty in the world’s largest economy. He said in deciding to increase interest rates—the third time since the global financial crisis in 2008—the direction had been established in the normalization of monetary policy in the US. “... There will be interest rates hikes but the question of course is when and two, how many more. That decision of the Fed also reflected bullish outlook. The economy I think is strong enough to accommodate interest rates adjustments,” Guinigundo said.

The balance of payments summarizes the

country’s economic transactions with the rest of the world, with a deficit indicating foreign exchange payments outstripping receipts and a surplus the reverse.

Persistent surpluses help build up the country’s gross international reserves, an ample supply of which helps prop up the peso vis-à-vis the US dollar and keep domestic inflation at bay.

Th balance of payments in 2016 incurred a deficit of $420 million, a sharp reversal from the $2.616-billion surplus in 2015. The end-December figure also missed the $500-million BoP surplus target for the year set by Bangko Sentral.

Bangko Sentral in December revised downward the balance of payments surplus target in 2016 to $500 million from the previous assumption of $2 billion due primarily to lower global growth outlook and uncertainty in the US Federal Reserve policy tightening.

Other factors considered by Bangko Sentral for the lower BoP projection were the possible impact of US President Donald Trump’s policies on the global trade, reduced concerns on China’s near-term prospects, gradual recovery in oil prices and favorable domestic growth prospects.

IN BRIEF PH foreign debt declines to $74.8b THE country’s external debt as of end-December 2016 declined $2.7 billion to $74.8 billion from $77.5 billion a year ago due mainly to the net principal repayments by both the public and private sectors, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said over the weekend.

Data showed net principal repayments of public and private sectors stood at $3.4 billion.

Other factors that caused the decline in debt stock were audit adjustments due to late reporting (negative $168 million), and downward foreign exchange revaluation adjustments ($36 million).

Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said in a statement the external debt ratios “remain at comfortable levels in 2016.” External debt refers to all types of borrowings

by Philippine residents from non-residents, following the residency criterion for international statistics. Julito G. Rada

PNOC eyes national oil reserve program STATE-owned Philippine National Oil Co. is mulling over a national oil reserve program involving all oil companies to secure the country’s requirements during disasters, atrocities or fuel shortages.

PNOC president Ruben Lista told reporters the company was looking at the issuance of a law that would require oil companies to allocate a certain percentage of their oil stocks as “national reserves.”

Lista said PNOC was proposing a similar set-up implemented by the Dutch government.

“We are studying the model of Rotterdam... In their model, the government is not involved in stockpiling but they require all of their oil players... If this is their depot, there is a percentage in the depot reserved for national emergency,” Lista said. Alena

Mae S. Flores

PEPSI-7-ELEVEN PARTNERSHIP. Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc. president Furqan Ahmed Syed

(center) shakes hands with Philippine Seven Corp. president and chief executive officer Jose Victor Paterno after a signing partnership agreement on the production and sale of Pepsi-flavored Slurpee. Joining them are (from left) Cary Crook, vice president and general manager of 7-Eleven international customer management team, PepsiCo; Maricelle Narciso, country manager, PepsiCo Philippines; and Richard Lee, vice president for supply chain and operations, Philippine Seven.

Del Monte issuing $250-m shares

By Jenniffer B. Austria FRUIT grower and canner Del Monte Pacific Ltd. is pushing through with its plan to raise $250 million from the issuance of dollar-denominated preferred shares.

Del Monte said in a filing with the Philippine Stock Exchange it would issue 15 million preferred shares with an oversubscription of up to 10 million common shares at an offering price of $10 apiece.

The company set the offering period from March 22 to March 28 and the listing date on April 7.

Del Monte plans to use the proceeds from the offering to primarily pay the outstanding bridge loan facility extended by BDO Unibank Inc.

The shares will come from the 36 million dollar-denominated preferred shares earlier approved for sale by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Philippine Stock Exchange.

The balance of 11 million shares will be placed under shelf registration to be issued within the next three years.

The issuance of dollar-denominated preferred shares is in line with the company’s thrust to convert a substantial amount of short- to medium-term loan into longer maturities to significantly improve Del Monte’s current liquidity ratio.

The dollar-denominated preferred shares set to be listed with the PSE will be the first to be listed with the local bourse.

BDO Capital & Investments

Corp is the sole issue manager. Joint underwriters include ChinaBank Capital Corp., PNB Capital and RCBC Capital Corp.

The PSE last year issued the rules on the issuance of dollardenominated securities as part of a plan to expand its product offerings.

Del Monte booked a net profit of $8.5 million in the quarter ending January 2017, a turnaround from a net loss of $4.8 million year-on-year, as higher sales out of Asia offset lower revenue from the US business.

Del Monte booked a net income of $19.9 million in the nine-month period ending January, lower than $32.3 million on year due to nonrecurring items.

With President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (8th from left), Exec. Sec. Salvador “Bing Bong” Medialdea (7th from left), Cordova Mayor Mary Therese Sitoy-Cho (3rd from left), Cebu City Mayor Thomas Osmeña (3rd from right), CCLEC legal consultant Atty. Aris Batuhan (4th from left),Presidential adviser on Legislative Affairs Sec. Adelino Sitoy (5th from left),Sec. Michael Dino (6th from left) Gov. Hilario Davide III (2nd from right), MVP (9th from left), MPIC President and CEO Joey Lim (10th from left) MPTC President Rod Franco (behind Mayor Maty Sitoy-Cho),and other MVP Group Officers

A BRIDGE FOR TOMORROW MENTION bridges and the Flora Purim hit song from the 70s comes to mind. Or the actors Lloyd, Jeff, and Beau. Or the Oscar-winning “Bridge on the River Kwai” from 1957 and “A Bridge Too Far” from 1977.

But this bridge I am talking about has nothing to do with stars, though it will bring its host metropolis and province into greater heights, and nothing to do with the past, because it was started in the here-and-now.

For many years, the rapid growth and development of Cebu City as a metropolis also ushered in another impact of high urbanization: traffic congestion. This is true most especially when we speak of the roadways between the Cebu mainland and Mactan island where the international airport is located.

I remember in my frequent visits to Cebu and Bohol then that the first big bridge across the Mactan Channel was the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge, or what we locals often called the Osmeña Bridge, a truss bridge constructed and opened back in 1972. It connected both islands through Mandaue and Lapu-lapu City, and it was properly adequate for the vehicular density of the time.

Then as commerce and development expanded in the province, so too did the need for a new big bridge, to decongest traffic on the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge. Thus, the Marcelo Fernan Bridge was opened in 1999, a magnificently beautiful cable-stayed bridge inaugurated by no less than my former boss, then President Joseph Ejercito Estrada. I was there when that bridge was opened to the public, and I recall waxing nostalgia about it as I remembered the days when we would cross the Mactan Channel by ferry. The Fernan Bridge was one of the longest and widest bridges in the country and, to this day, I still marvel at its architectural beauty.

Of course, Cebu and the region still grew by leaps and bounds, so much so that the two big bridges across the channel were never enough. A new and bigger bridge was needed.

Recently, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte led groundbreaking rites for the 8.25-kilometer Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (“CCLEx”), the third bridge that would connect the Cebu mainland from the Cebu South Coastal Road to Cordova town on the southernmost tip of Mactan Island.

More than just a bridge, the project is said to be the largest single investment by a private company in the country today.

The CCLEx is a project of the Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corporation (MPTDC), a unit under Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC). The

bridge and its connecting roadways and ramps are expected to be completed by 2020 by MPTDC subsidiary, the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC), which will likewise operate it.

The fast-tracking of the bridge project is in line with President Duterte’s directive to speed up implementation of high-impact infrastructure projects. The President likewise mentioned of a plan to create a network of bridges inter-connecting islands of the Visayas and Mindanao.

In his remarks made during the groundbreaking rites, Metro Pacific Chair Manuel V. Pangilinan expressed interest in undertaking other bridge projects in line with the President’s plan, like a bridge to connect Cebu mainland to the Bohol island province. That brought a smile to the faces of Cebu Governor Jun Davide and Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto.

MPTDC President Rodrigo Franco likewise intimated that they were seriously considering a Light Rail Transit (LRT) project for Cebu.

The CCLEx is another sterling example of how the local government and the private sector act expeditiously to meet an urgent need. Credit for this project should also go to the mayors and sanggunian members of both Cebu City and Cordova town: the current administration led by Cebu City Mayor Tommy Osmeña and Cordova Mayor Techie Sitoy Cho; and the previous administration led by then-Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and then-Cordova Mayor Adelino “Adi” Sitoy (now Presidential Adviser on Legislative Affairs and Head of Presidential Legislative Liaison Office or PLLO).

All these infrastructure projects under the Private-Public Partnership (PPP) framework could only augur good tidings for the people of Cebu and its neighboring provinces. With the combined strength of the DPWH and DOTr under the able leadership of Secretaries Mark Villar and Art Tugade, respectively, one could only foresee positive results happening in this regard.

To quote the immortal hope in Flora Purim’s song: “There’s a bridge to tomorrow, there’s a bridge to the past; there’s a bridge made of sorrow, that I pray will not last. There’s a bridge made of colors, in the sky high above; And I think that there must be, bridges made out of love…”

Padayon!

Only 15,000 cell sites serve 140m phones in PH IN the world’s social media capital, there are only 15,000 cell sites covering 140 million phone numbers.

And so it is no wonder that mobile connectivity in the Philippines is among the slowest in the world, with efforts to improve telecommunications infrastructure hampered by misplaced fears on the purported damaging effects of cell sites on health.

National Telecommunications Commission Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba has identified community resistance to the installation of cell sites as among

major hurdles to efforts to improve mobile phone and internet service in the country.

The Philippines currently has among the slowest internet speeds in Asia Pacific at an average 4.2 Mbps, just above India. The International Telecommunication Union, the telecommunications body of the United Nations, meanwhile, ranked the Philippines a lowly 105th in the world in terms of information and communications technology in 2015.

“Right now, under the existing law, homeowners associations should give their consent before

a cell site or a telecommunications infrastructure is put up inside their village or subdivision,” Cordoba said, addressing the just-concluded Philippine Telecoms Summit 2017.

“But these homeowner associations do not give permits, that’s why there are no cell sites or telecoms infra in their backyard,” he said.

Cordoba said those most vocal against cells sites were curiously the loudest to complain about poor connectivity.

“The problem, too, is that the people who live in these villages

are the first ones to complain if they don’t have good connectivity,” he said.

Telecommunications companies face such problems as homeowners associations do not allow the construction of cell sites due to the commonplace fear that they emit harmful radio frequency.

For instance, in the posh Ayala, Alabang, only a single cell site serves the community of 700 hectares. In upscale Makati villages Forbes Park and Dasmariñas Village, there are no dedicated cell sites for the two neighborhoods about 300 hectares in size.

President Duterte and Manuel V. Pangilinan during the lowering of time capsule

Burying of time capsule with President Rodrigo Duterte

With Secretary Medialdea, MVP, MPIC Director Alfred Ty

LGUs

Taguig steps up disaster seminars

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

C1

By Joel E. Zurbano TAGUIG City Mayor Laarni Cayetano has ordered city government employees to undergo a refresher course on emergency responses in the event a calamity occurs.

With residents exposed to imminent danger in case a calamity like an earthquake happens in Metro Manila, the local government of Taguig initiated a series of Basic Life Support seminars and training.

“The forum aims to expand the city’s campaign to increase the survival knowledge of people and reduce the risks when disasters strike,” said Cayetano.

City Personnel Officer Jeanette Clemente said the idea of organizing a BLS seminar came partly from her own personal experience with her mother, who was found unconscious inside their house before her death in 2016.

Clemente said the primary goal of the seminar is to educate her fellow government employees on what proper procedures to do during different types of emergencies.

“These types of situations can happen anytime in our daily lives whether we are with our family or officemates,” Clemente said.

In coordination with the Taguig City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the Human Resource Management Office launched the city’s first BLS seminars.

These seminars started last January and will run until August 2017.

During these seminars, employees are educated about the various types of natural disasters and the aftermath, such as the number of casualties often left behind. They are also informed of the assigned evacuation areas per barangay, the importance of preparedness and several basic life support skills that they can use in case of emergency.

Trainers from DRRMO conduct intensive lectures about natural calamities and demonstrate simple first-aid treatments including cardiopulmonary resuscitation and how to apply tourniquets.

HELP ON WHEELS. Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco (center, in t-shirt) leads the distribution of wheelchairs and walkers to senior citizens and persons with disabilities at Navotas City Hall last week. Andrew Rabulan

‘Sorry,’ Erap tells vendors

M

ANILA Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada has turned down the request of a group of sidewalk vendors to be allowed to operate at the Baywalk along Roxas Boulevard and within Rizal Park.

Estrada said he would violate the law if he issues hawker’s permits to the vendors, who earlier protested at the Manila Police District headquarters and complained about the alleged extortion activities of several Ermita-based policemen.

“As much as I want to help you, I cannot allow you [to sell at Baywalk] at this time,” he told the vendors affiliated with

the urban poor groups Kadamay Manila and United Vendors Alliance during a dialogue at city hall last Friday.

Still, Estrada offered the vendors a glimmer of hope: “We will consider it. We will find ways to help you, find a suitable place for you. But for now, please listen to me. You cannot sell there yet.”

Estrada admitted he allowed

the vendors back then to operate in Luneta and Baywalk upon the request of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which came up with a livelihood program to provide vendors with uniform food carts.

The program failed though, Estrada said. “From then on, we never allowed any vendor in those areas.”

Explaining his decision, the mayor stressed he must also consider the rights of motorists and pedestrians affected by the proliferation of vendors along the sidewalks and roadways, as well as those of legitimate business owners.

“I’ve been honest with you.

If I can do it, I’ll do it,” he said.

“Those areas are part of our Tourist Belt and we want to keep it clean and traffic-free.”

However, the vendors said several members of the MPD-Ermita Station had been forcing them to pay P100 to P200 daily, threatening to drive them away from the Baywalk if they refuse to do so.

The vendors claimed they paid P1,500 for a hawker’s permit signed by no less than Estrada, which the city’s Bureau of Permits dismissed as spurious.

Bureau of Permits Chief Fortune Mayuga clarified that as a policy, no new vendor’s permits have been issued for Baywalk and Luneta areas.

The entire Manila portion

IN BRIEF

NEA to decide on town’s power coop

By Ferdie G. Domingo SAN LEONARDO, Nueva Ecija—The National Electrification Administration should decide if it will allow the town of Dingalan, Aurora to get its electricity from another electric cooperative.

Ramon M. de Vera, general manager of the Nueva Ecija Electric Cooperative Area 2 or Neeco 2, said this over the weekend after the Dingalan municipal government requested that it replace the “inefficient” Aurora Electric Cooperative or Aurelco as its power provider.

“Let the NEA decide,” De Vera said when asked if Neeco is willing to put Dingalan under its area of coverage.

De Vera explained that Dingalan is covered by the franchise of Aurora province, and said he expects NEA to conduct a hearing on the petition made by town officials.

He said he sees no problem if Dingalan is placed under Neeco 2, since it used to be part of the

areas the cooperatives serviced in 1997, until it was transferred to Aurelco in 2000.

“It wouldn’t look good if we pushed to get Dingalan. It would take a hearing at NEA,” he said.

The move to transfer Dingalan to Neeco 2 from Aurelco was triggered by a municipal council resolution and all 11 of the town’s barangay councils, citing the latter’s “poor performance and exorbitant power rates.”

In Sangguniang Bayan Resolution 2017-227 passed during the 25th regular session of the 17th town council at the municipal session hall, councilors asked De Vera to facilitate the transfer of electric services to Neeco 2 instead of Aurelco, which supplies power to Dingalan and seven other towns of Aurora.

The resolution was authored

by Councilor Shiela Taay, whose brother, Mayor Shierwin H. Taay, has expressed dismay over Aurelco’s “inefficient services.” Ferdie G.Domingo

Cavite drug pusher nabbed in Vizcaya

LIGHTING UP. Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte talks animatedly during the launching of the Special Drug Education Center program at SB Plaza along IBP Road in Batasan Hills. SDEC is a community-based facility that promotes preventive and developmental services for out-of-school youth and street children, It enables them to cope with the challenges of adolescence, particularly their vulnerability to substance abuse and illegal drugs. Manny Palmero

Coron halts activities in lake after 2 Czechs drown

By Robert A. Evora CORON, Palawan—The Coron municipal government has temporarily stopped all tourism activities, particularly diving, in Kayangan Lake after two Czechoslovakian nationals died from drowning last week, local officials announced.

OIC Mayor Joseph Armstrong Palanca ordered the temporary closure of Kayangan Lake from all tourism operations pending

the establishment of enhanced security measures, signage, deployment of additional safeguards and reiteration of compliance to existing ordinances by tourism stakeholders.

The suspension of tourism activities in Kayangan Lake came on the heels of a drowning incident that killed Martin Sefcik, 28, and Jakub Brazda, 24, all Czechoslovakian nationals, last March 13, when they went “free diving” there.

A search-and-rescue team

of Roxas Boulevard, Mayuga stressed, is a vendor-free zone.

“If they say they’re from Baywalk, which they claim they were, the city has not issued, last year or this year, permits to vendors because the mayor [Joseph Estrada] doesn’t allow it,” Mayuga said.

“We do not allow vendors in any park. Baywalk is considered a park, so we don’t know what they are saying about having a permit,” she stressed.

While leaving the investigation of the extortion charges to the MPD, Mayuga said last Tuesday’s “assembly” of the protesting vendors would make it illegal. Sandy Araneta

of the Philippine Coast Guard found the bodies of Sefcik and Brazda at a depth of 21.8 meters on the sea floor after an hour of underwater search.

Councilor Michael Sadhwani, who chairs the municipal council’s committee on tourism and heritage, said the victims “might have gone beyond the expected activities in Coron’s most popular tourism destination.”

The PCG said the victims went “free driving” on their own in the

lake after they parted from their 13 other companions on that day.

Free diving, also called as “breath-hold diving” or “skin diving,” is a form of underwater diving that relies on the diver’s ability to hold his breath until he resurfaces without the aid of breathing apparatus, such as scuba gear, said LCdr. Adrian Vargas, Coron’s PCG commander.

Sadhwani said he was “not sure” when the operations in Kayangan Lake will resume.

What was certain, he said, is that the lake “needs additional lifeguards, public display signages that warn visitors of do’s and don’ts, and for the management to have its own trained drivers, who will form a search-and-rescue team in case similar incidents happen.”

The Czech Embassy was immediately informed about the accident, and that the municipal government is just waiting for go signal to transport the remains of Sefcik and Brazda.

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan—Joint elements of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Cagayan Valley, local and provincial police have arrested an alleged drug pusher from Cavite who carried over P400,000 worth of suspected shabu after an operation in Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya.

Laurefel P. Gabales, Regional Director of PDEA Region 2, said authorities arrested Jessie Tabing alias “Jetong,” 47, a resident of Imus, Cavite.

PDEA Regional Office 2 operatives, the Nueva Vizcaya Police Investigation Bureau, Police Provincial Office, Drug Enforcement Unit, and the Bambang Police Station spent a month gathering intelligence and surveillance before arresting Tabing in a buy-bust operation along Maharlika Highway in Barangay Homestead, Bambang, Gabales said.

Confiscated from the suspect were a plastic sachet of suspected shabu and another pack weighing 74 grams of the alleged illegal drug, with a street value of nearly half a million pesos. Jessica Bacud

DoT 7 mourns new regional director CEBU CITY—Officials and employees of the Department of Tourism Region 7 are mourning the unexpected passing of their new regional director, Catalino “Butch” Chan III. Chan passed away Thursday afternoon at the Perpetual Succor Hospital here after suffering a stroke. He was 62. PNA

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manilaof the Philippines Republic REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region Branch 214 Mandaluyong City

Standard

TODAY

CRISTINA M. LEABRES Petitioner, -versusCIVIL CASE NO. MC16-11265 For: DECLARATION OF NULLITY OF MARRIAGE and DISSOLUTION OF COMMUNITY PROPERTY CHRISTOPHER M. RESPICIO, Respondent. x--------------------------------------x

ORDER This is a petition for nullity of marriage filed by Cristina Leabres (PETITIONER) against Christopher Respicio (RESPONDENT) on 30 September 2016.

PETITIONER prays that the after due notice and hearing, judgment be rendered declaring her marriage with RESPONDENT null and void ab initio on the ground of psychological incapacity of the RESPONDENT under Article 36 of the Family Code of the Philippines and for the dissolution of community of property, as a consequence thereof. PETITIONER further prays for such other reliefs just and equitable under the circumstances.

To support her claim, PETITIONER cites of the following allegations: (1) That the PETITIONER is a Filipino citizen and residing at Blk 41, Zone 3, Lot 1, Welfareville Compound, Mandaluyong City while RESPONDENT is likewise a Filipino citizen and a resident of Greenheights Subdivision, Alibagu, Ilagan, Isabela; (2) That PETITIONER and RESPONDENT were married on 04 March 2009 at the Philippine Embassy of Doha, Qatar and solemnize by Vice Consul Jabbar M. Adiong (Certificate of Marriage and Report of Marriage as Annexes “B” and “B-1” of the Petition); (3) That during their marriage, PETITIONER and RESPONDENT acquired a condominium unit with an area of 18.21 square meters, more or less located at España Grand Residences, España, Manila; (4) That in 2012, PETITIONER decided to separate from RESPONDENT; and (5) That RESPONDENT is psychologically incapacitated thus, he failed to comply with the essential marital oblications.

Consequently, Summons together with its annexes was sent to RESPONDENT at his given address. However, it was returned UNSERVED with the information that RESPONDENT is currently working as overseas contract worker in Doha, Qatar (Return of Service of Summons dated 25 November 2016).

WHEREFORE, finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance and pursuant to Supreme Court A.M. No. 0211-10-SC in rel. to Sec. 15, Rule 14 of the Rules of Civil Procedure, let SUMMONS be served upon RESPONDENT CHRISTOPHER M. RESPICIO by PUBLICATION in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines accredited by the Office of the Executive Judge of Regional Trial Court, Mandaluyong City once a week for THREE (3) CONSECUTIVE WEEKS and a copy of the summons and this Order be sent to RESPONDENT by registered mail to his last known address at the expense of the PETITIONER. Finally, RESPONDENT is directed to file his Answer to the Petition within SIXTY (60) DAYS from the last issue of this Notice.

SO ORDERED. Mandaluyong City 01 February 2017

(Sgd.) IMELDA L. PORTES-SAULOG Presiding Judge Copy Furnished: Office of the Solicitor General Office of the City Prosecutor, Mandaluyong City Atty. Marciano Bacalla, Jr. Cristina Leabres Christopher Respicio OCC, RTC, Mandaluyong City

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region Branch 214 Mandaluyong City CRISTINA M. LEABRES Petitioner, -versusJDRC NO.: MC-16-11265 For: DECLARATION OF NULLITY OF MARRIAGE and DISSOLUTION OF COMMUNITY PROPERTY CHRISTOPHER M. RESPICIO, Respondent. x--------------------------------------x

SUMMONS Christopher M. Respicio Greenheights Subdivision Alibago, Ilagan, Isabela G R E E T I N G S: You are hereby required, within fifteen (15) days after service of this summons upon you, to file with this Court and to serve on the petitioner your answer to the petition, copy of which is attached, together with the annexes. If you fail to answer within the time fixed, the petitioner may be granted reliefs applied for in the petition.

WITNESS my hand under the seal of the Court, this 10th day of October 2016.

(Sgd.) MILAGROS ILUMINADA EMILIANA P. ABAD Legal Researcher II / Officer-In-Charge

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region Mandaluyong City Branch

or relatives of Chris attended the affair.

And when petitioner asked Chris on why he had no guests in the affair, Chris just replied that he does not have friends in Qatar, which popped up a bubble on Thyn’s mind --- whatever happened to his claimed friends who often interrupted them on their dates? But Thyn chose to just leave it at that. But then far from her thoughts, this was only the tip of the iceberg.

3.1. Chris has a xxxxx who also lives in Doha, Qatar and is the same xxxxx who lived with petitioner and respondent throughout their union for three (3) years until he was forced to go home to their province in Isabela because he was ultimately convicted in Qatar for xxxxx as will be discussed later. He has a mother working as dean and a sister who is working as a receptionist in nearby Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Yet not one of them was invited by Chris nor did they go to the wedding out of their own accord to witness it.

4. After less than three (3) years of their marriage, petitioner and respondent have been living separately from one another although both are still contract workers in Doha, Qatar on the accepted proposal of Thyn who was already tired, stressed and nervous with the character of Christ and the treatment she had received from him as will be shown hereunder.

5. The marriage of Thyn and Cris is null and void ab initio. Chris is psychologically incapable of performing and complying with the essential marital obligations.

The root cause of the nullity is that Chris has no understanding of marriage, the responsibilities attached to it and his lack of appreciation of his essential marital obligations --- to live together, observe mutual love, respect and fidelity, and to render mutual help and support, which cause though predating the marriage became more manifest only during and after the solemnization of the marriage and still subsists to the present and appears to be incurable.

6. Respondent’s psychological incapacity was existing prior to, during and after the celebration of the marriage and is characterized by his selfishness, selfcenteredness, irresponsibility and/or refusal to assume responsibility, violent behavior, narcissism, his antisocial behavior, and drug addiction.

His psychological incapacity is grave, incurable, and permanent because it is a serious case of personality disorder explicitly demonstrative in his said characteristics, which failed to give meaning and significance to their marriage as may be discerned from, but not limited, to the following attitude/behavior of the respondent: 6.1. Chris does not honor his promises to petitioner, including his promise not to prohibit her from sending any money to her family which was broken on the first night of their wedding; his promise that they would rent their own apartment and not just a room so that they could live together alone as husband and wife but that never happened for they continued to live a small rented room together with Thyn’s brother, Chris’ brother and their cousin and with only a fabric cabinet separating them from the rest, and although they finally obtained a one bedroom apartment that did not change the arrangement for he bought his brother and his cousin along with him which left Thyn with no choice but to take along her sister also; and Chris reneged on his promise to build a family by telling Thyn that he doesn’t want ever to have a child or children for the reason that that would complicate their situation. And a host of other broken promises.

6.1.1. Chris’ never treated Thyn with respect but treated her as an underling rather than an equal.

And besides, respondent was selfish and self-centered.

For one, whenever he makes love to Thyn he only puts down her panties, insert his thing without any caress, kissing or feeling and after he has come he would wipe off his penis then go to sleep as if nothing happened. This became worst later on Chris would use a condom. This devastated Thyn and ruined her selfconfidence.

6.1.2. Worst, later on, Chris won’t make love at all to Thyn. Instead he gets his stimulation and satisfaction with pornography. Not once, not twice but it must have been three or four times that Thyn would catch him masturbating while watching his downloaded porn movies on Chris’ hard drives. And when petitioner would ask him what is he doing, Chris would retort back that his crotch was just itching. Petitioner would just cry but respondent would only chide her with the words “Ano ba?” Iiyak iyak ka dyan. Ang arte arte mo naman”. Again this leaves Thyn confused and hurt the very core of her femininity.

6.1.3. On the very first night of their honeymoon, Chris already demanded from Thyn that she would be paying half of whatever Chris spent for the marriage because according to him it was his mother who paid for that.

6..1.4. Also Thyn was made to pay the rent of the apartment, internet, electricity, and water utility without Chris’ contributing a single centavo.

6.1.5. For another, all the time that Chris’ drove Thyn to and from her office in their car, Chris would charge Thyn for the fare.

In fact, for every grain of rice and viand that Thyn would eat in their house, Chris charges her for this despite that the fact that it was Thyn who pays for their grocery and market.

6.1.6. Chris never spent for the spouses’ expenses and looks at Thyn as his investment to the future because Thyn earns almost earn twice than Chris.

Later on, when Chris was dismissed from his work as senior salesman due to his violent attitude, antisocial behavior, and narcissism, the discrepancy in salary almost trebled when he was at his latest employment.

6.1.7.

After passing the Architecture examination, Chris at one time used all Thyn’s books, references and notes and even some of Thyn’s clothes to be used as materials to secure the TV set he sent to the Philippines for his mother from breaking. Petitioner was insulted terribly for this because respondent treated her current clothes as if they are already rags and books and notes as junk without any sentimental value at all.

6.1.8. Chris evaded seeing or meeting with Thyn’s family whenever he is in the Philippines. And whenever he was with Thyn in the Philippines, Chris would get separate accommodations for himself only so that there would be no surprise visits from Thyn’s family, 6.1.9.

When the spouses brought a condominium in the Philippines, it was only petitioner who applied for the Qatar bank loan to pay the cash out of the unit. The unit costs Php 1.6M and she alone pays for that loan without any reimbursement from respondent.

6.1.10 Other like instances.

CRISTINA M. LEABRES Petitioner, -VsCIVIL CASE NO.: MC16-11265 For: Declaration of Nullity of Marriage & Dissolution of Community Property CHRISTOPHER M. RESPICIO, Respondent. x------------------------------------x PETITION Petitioner by the undersigned counsel, to this Honorable Court most respectfully states that: 1. Petitioner, hereafter referred to as Thyn, is of age, Filipino citizen, married to respondent, and resident of Blk 41, Zone 3, Lot 1, Welfareville Compound, Mandaluyong City; while respondent, her estranged husband and here referred to as Chris, is residing at Greenheights, Subdivision, Alibagu, Ilagan where he may be served with summons.

Annex “A” is petitioner’s clearance/certification.

barangay

2. Thyn and Chris were married on March 4, 2009 at the Philippine Embassy in Doha, Qatar which was solemnized by Vice Consul Jabbar M. Adiong.

Attached as Annex “B” is a machine copy of the parties’ marriage certificate and as Annex “B-1” is a machine copy of the Report of Marriage issued by the Philippine Embassy in Doha, Qatar.

2.1. Petitioner and respondent met in June 2008 in Doha, Qatar where both are contract workers. That early Christ already displayed where both are contract workers.

That early Chris already displayed his assertiveness, slyness, and easygoing ways ---traits that would later on spell doom to their marriage. But what caught the attention of Tyne was Cris’ flowery words and his persistent style in not letting go until he got her cellphone number.

2.2 From then on, Thyn only saw the good side of Chris and slowly they became friends ending up as very close confidants with each of them sharing their own problems with one another, likes and peeves. Soon both were always together even if their schedules were at odds with each other’s, this was no hindrance for they always find the time.

2.3. But although Thyn found some red flags in the man, she preferred to dispense with it as mere personal peculiarities. Even the fact that Chris was always wearing shades or sunglasses even indoors and even at nighttime, she did not give this much worry because he would explain this away that his eyes were red due to some allergy and that it was a good fashion statement. And although she notes that it was always her who shoulder the expenses of their meetings, she did not mind that since she was earning more than what respondent did and besides she was happy and greatly amused being with Chris. Further, she also noticed that most of the time when they were on a lunch or dinner date, some of his claimed friends would approach him and they would asked to be excused and go somewhere beyond her sight for 20 to 30 minutes and on his return to petitioner, respondent would just explain away that the guy had problems with his work, or family, or finances and that he was the only guy they know to give the right advices.

2.4 However, Thyn accidentally found out that Chris concealed from her that he has a current longtime girlfriend and she became terribly hurt. Thyne felt her heart break into pieces. She quarreled Chris for this despite the fact that this is the defining moment of Thyn’s feelings for Chris yet she held back her feelings and decided she would leave Chris rather than be a relationship wrecker.

But Chris seem to have felt the same way as he succeeded to convince Thyn to move on with their relationship promising that he will marry her and break up with his girlfriend. Thyn did not think twice and accepted the proposal.

2.5. Soon the lovebirds prepared for their wedding and together they dreamed of having a family, they can’t wait to begin the next phase of their lives as husband and wife, and together they secured all the requirements for the wedding. Chris went to Thyn’s father who was then also working in Dubai and asked for Thyn’s hand in marriage and respondent promised petitioner’s father that she would keep her safe always, take good care of her, protect and love her always. Respondent also assured Thyn’s father that he will never prohibit Thyn from supporting her family.

But since Thyn knew that her mother would not consent to the marriage specially when their relationship was almost a whirlwind affair, they decided to hide the affair a secret from her in the meantime.

3. Ultimately, petitioner and respondent got married. However, on the very day of their union, only the friends of Thyn appeared at the celebration and reception, no friends

6.2 Chris is violent in his behavior whenever he argues with Thyn or when he wants Thyn to succumb to his demands which are often unreasonable. He also has antisocial personality disorder and has no feelings for others.

6.2.1. Often, Chris would stand atop the rooftop and threaten to jump to the ground and tell Thyn that the same shall be attributed to her fault. Or, when driving, Chris would threaten that he would crash the car with another so that they can both die simultaneously and at once. And when Thyn is with her co-workers, he would threaten them with fatal harm if they don’t stop seeing petitioner. Also, Chris would detain Thyn in their apartment by locking her up so she does not leave home at all should such be his mood at the time.

6.2.2. When the spouses factually separated sometime in middle of 2012 as will be discussed later on, Christ would visit Thyn twice or even thrice a month at the late hours of the evening or the wee hours of the morning, drunk, and would throw stones at the door and on the window to wake up petitioner and harassed her to open the door. He would even kick and box the door until Thyn would feel embarrass before her neighbors and she would negligently open up for respondent despite the fact that she was already shaking in fear. Chris would shout and curse and even engage the neighbors to a shouting match when they call his attention to quiet down. This activity of respondent goes on until now.

6.2.3. When Thyn would find the courage not to open the door during Chris’ unholy and violent visits, Chris would call her and shout at her or he would go to her office demanding money from her always telling her that she owes him money to the amount of Php 120,000.00 and tells her to pay up or he will mess up her office.

6.2.4. Chris’ threatens petitioner that he will kill her if he found out that she has another man. Sometimes he would go to the office and tell Thyn’s male co-employees that he will kill whoever is courting his wife. Far from it, Thyn even if she has given up on Chris, remained faithful to her marriage vows.

6.2.5. Chris had already made three threats that he would be committing suicide in Thyn’s office and in front of her coworkers so that the incident would forever be in the conscience of petitioner.

6.2.6. Whenever they are in an agument, wherever they are in a convenience store, eatery or other public place, Chris will make it a point to make a scene and anybody who commits the mistake of looking at him he will challenge him to fisticuffs. Or, when they are in the car and if someone overtook his lane he will shout at the driver, show a dirty finger, curse and dares him to fight with him. There was even an incident wherein the driver got offended with Chris’ violent behavior, he pulled out a baseball bat and hit him with it which ended him in a hospital.

These actions of plaintiff are dangerous and threatens the safety of petitioner’s and other people’s lives and property especially since, as discussed hereunder, Chris’ is a suspected drug addict and that he displays this behavior while wearing his sunglasses to hide his stiff, red, and wide open eyes..

6.3. Chris does not love Thyn and he does not care at all for her. Although respondent has never admitted that he does not love petitioner or that he does not know love and how to express it, the actions and behavior discussed above show that he never performed this duty to the petitioner.

First, he never bothered or cared about their privacy as husband and wife because they continued living with respondent’s brother and cousin.

attitude and behavior that would make her believe that respondent is such a character.

6.4.2. First, xxxxx xxxxx who lived with them from the time of their marriage up to the time the parties were separated, was busted in Qatar as a xxxxx xxxxx. He was able to evade imprisonment because he was just deported by bribing the arresting officers by using xxxxx money.

6.4.3. The incidents at the time they were just dating when people would just pop up on their dates and Chris and the visitor would leave her beyond her sights from 20-30 minutes. And she finds it even more strange when Chris told petitioner that the visitor is always just one of his friends asking for help but when the time came for their marriage celebration, not one friend of Chris appeared at his wedding.

6.4.4. Chris was always wearing shades or sunglasses even indoors and even at nighttime. And whenever he took it up, petitioner noticed that his were red and often stiff.

6.4.5. Petitioner often notices Chris to occupy the bathroom most of the time and for long intervals. One time when he was in the toilet and forgot to his cellphone somebody called up so she looked at the phone for it might be Chris’ boss looking for him but it was not. After the call, the same guy texted Chris with this message “Asan ka na? Kita na lang tayo sa CR sa dating tagpuan”. This made Thyn very curious and she could not take this off from her mind since then although her husband already explained that it was his friend working from Crispy Crème who would meet up with at the CR where the caller would give respondent some complimentary doughnuts.

6.4.6. Oftentimes also when Thyn would get home and Chris was already there, she would notice that her husband’s eyes were wide open and and red and he was dazed but seem not to be himself.

6.4.7. Sometimes respondent would either go home early and not go to work at all for a number of days. Sometimes, it was the other way around, respondent would either go home late or not at all for a number of days and he would not give the reason why or the place or person he had been to. He would not be womanizing since he would go home with the same clothes, underwear and without any bath.

This was the ultimate straw that made petitioner decide to live separately from respondent since middle of 2012 because she feared for her and her sibling’s life and honor as they were living with a xxxxx who got caught but was able to skirt xxxxx because he xxxxx the arresting officers.

What more if her husband was also a pusher and an addict, aside from being already a non-living, non-caring, violent, selfish, irresponsible, disrespectful person.

6.5. Respondent is Narcissistic, admires and loves himself only and looks at discorn toward others especially to petitioner.

6.5.1. As already discussed, respondent is only gratifying himself whenever he makes sex to petitioner; that he does not want the marriage to produce a child for that would complicate matters; and that he makes Thyn pay for his driving, and housekeeping as if only his time and efforts are important and can be computed by money.

6.5.2. Even during their factual separation, respondent always ask money from petitioner eventhough he is gainfully employed telling her how miserable she had made his life without mentioning the issues about himself that brought out the marriage break up. He feels immaculate from any sin in the separation and feels he must be entitled to sort of compensation for this, financial or otherwise.

6.5.3. He blames petitioner for all the bad turns he has suffered. Even his eventual dismissal from his employment be blamed it on Thyn when he was separated from work because he got into a fight with his boss and the many warnings his employer gave him for his absences and tardiness.

6.5.4. Despite the fact that petitioner and respondent are always in a quarrel due to Chris’ attitude and despite the fact that they have factually separated, respondent still thinks that his relationship with petitioner was still okay and he would act as if nothing happened because to him he was not the cause of any harm.

6.5.5. When Chris found employment again due to Thyn’s intercession, he would call up petitioner and would tell her that he does not like his new work and that why is he not entitled to this and to that when deserves it being a hardworking and loyal employee.

He would make Thyn feel how debase the new employment she had given him when in fact it was his best job offer for someone with his qualifications, experience and recently separated employee.

6.5.6. One time, Thyn suggested to Chris that maybe he needs professional help with his attitudes and behavior. He agreed to see a psychiatrist was no good, that the doctor is stupid and the doctor did not find out that Chris was merely bull shitting his answers to the psychiatrist’s questions.

6.5.7. Petitioner’s logged calls was occupied by calls from respondent. Everyday her phone would register 10 to 30 missed calls from respondent.

6.5.8. Despite the fact that the marriage has already been crashed to the rocks, respondent kept on harassing petitioner to give him authorization for all Thyn’s transactions.

This also shows his unreasonable sense of entitlement just because he is still the husband of petitioner.

Chris wants to control all of Thyn’s finances.. He wants every cent to Thyn’s income be calculated. He even asked the petitioner to give him an agreement letter saying that Thyn is giving him the right to sign all the documents of their property on her behalf including the sale of the property.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 113, PASAY CITY

6.5.10. Even when Chris is arguing with petitioner about her brother or friends, Chris always ends the argument with saying “Ang bobo at tanga ng kapatid mo talaga” or “Huwag kang magsasama ng bakla dito ha, ang hirap kausap at nakakasuka!”, and “Mga walang kwenta mga kaibigan mo kaya hindi ka dapat magtitiwala”.

7.

All told and in fine, respondent’s psychological incapacity was manifested by his non-fulfillment of his promises to petitioner; he does not love petitioner and he never cared for her and the only thing he cared about for her is her money; he never treated petitioner with respect; he treated her as an underling; he does not love her and even refused to have a child with her; he engages Thyn in sex only for self-gratification; he does not recognize that he must share in the expenses of their relationship; he disregards petitioner’s rights and properties; he is violent in his behavior; he has anti-personality disorder; he violates petitioner’s right to locomotion; make threatening remarks against petitioner, her friends and co-workers, suicidal; he is a drug addict perhaps a pusher too; and he is narcissistic. Hence, the marriage between Thyn and Chris should be declared null and void.

8. The property regime of the null and void marriage is the absolute community of property. During their union, petitioner and respondent were able to purchase property consisting of a condominium unit at Espana Grand Residences, Espana, Manila sold by First Golden Achievers Realty and Development Corporation containing an area of 18.21 square meters, more or less still titled in seller’s name and covered by mother title.

Attached as Annex “C” is a certified true copy of the tax declaration of said property.

WHEREFORE, premises considered, it is most respectfully prayed that after trial, the marriage between petitioner and defendant be declared absolutely null and void pursuant to Article 36 of the Family code and that the property of the parties be disposed of between them as provided by the law.

Petitioner likewise prays for other reliefs and remedies that are just, equitable and humane.

Antipolo City for September 16, 2016.

Mandaluyong City,

BACALLA & ASSOCIATES LAW FIRM For Petitioner Unit S-1A Silicone Valley Building Sumulong Highway, Mayamot Antipolo City By: (Sgd.) MARCIANO S. BACALLA, JR. Roll No. 33948 IBP Lifetime Member No. 04237 PTR No. 4822683 (2016) MCLE V-0017217, 3.30.16 Telephone No. 4779512 REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) ANTIPOLO CITY ) S.S. VERIFICATION & CERTIFICATION OF NON-FORUM SHOPPING I, CRISTINA M. LEABRES, of legal age, Filipino, after having been duly sworn in accordance to law state that I am the complainant in the above-entitled case and all allegations are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and based on records.

I have not heretofore commenced any other action involving the same issues in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, or different divisions thereof, or any tribunal or agency except the instant case; and if I should hereafter learn singly or jointly, that a similar action or proceeding has been filed or is pending thereof, or any other tribunal or agency, I, singly or jointly undertake to promptly inform the aforesaid courts and other tribunal or agency thereof within five (5) days therefrom.

I have nothing to say at this point.

16 September 2016 at Antipolo City.

(Sgd.) CRISTINA M. LEABRES Complainant/Affiant SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 16th day of September, 2016 in Antipolo City. Complainant/Affiant exhibited to me her Passport No. EB5124374 issued by________ valid until 4-11-17.

Doc No. 398; Page No. 81; Book No. LXXI Series of 2016.

ANNEXES

6.3.2. Then, oftentimes in all their quarrels, whenever petitioner would ask respondent on whether he still loves her or not, the respondent would not answer and would only give Thyn a blank unexpressive face.

6.3.3 After their marriage, Thyn never heard Chris say to her “I love you” and whenever Thyn would be the one to say it to Chris, the latter would only remark “Huh um” or “ang corny naman!”

SUMMONS JOSE S. BOLANTE No. 4 J. Paredes St., cor.

Encarnacion St., B.F. Homes Brgy. Holy Spirit, Quezon City

CECILIA A. CATABAY-BOLANTE, Petitioner,

GREETINGS:

-versusCIVIL CASE NO. R-PSY-16-24548 CV FOR: Declaration of Nullity of Marriage JOSE S. BOLANTE Respondent. x-----------------------------------------x

ORDER

You are hereby required, within thirty (30) days after service of this summons upon you, to file with this Court and serve on the plaintiff your Answer to the Complaint, copy of which is attached, together with the annexes and a Civil Case Information Statement.

If you fail to answer within the time fixed, the plaintiff will take judgment by default and may be granted the relief applied for in the Complaint.

An Ex-Parte Motion for Leave of Court to Serve Summons by Publication was filed by the petitioner thru his counsel, copy of which were furnished the Office of the Solicitor Moreover, pursuant to the IBP-OCA General, and the Trial Prosecutor.

Memorandum on Policy guidelines, Allegedly, service of summons to dated March 12, 2002, you are the respondent cannot be served expected not to file a Motion to Dismiss personally, neither of substituted but instead, you are requested to service for the reason that the allege the grounds of such Motion as respondent is not residing at the given defenses in your answer. Likewise, you are expected to utilize the address.

WHEREFORE, as prayed for, let deposition-recovery measures under the Summons in the above-entitled Rules 23, 25, 26, 27 & 28 of the Rules case be served through publication of Civil Procedure. Failure to resort to in a newspaper of general circulation deposition by written interrogatories chosen by raffle at least once a week under Rule 25 and the request for admission of facts under Rule 27 may for two (2) consecutive weeks. be prejudicial to your interest.

SO ORDERED. WITNESS my hand under the seal of Pasay City, Metro Manila, March 1, the Court, this 1st day of March 2017.

2017.

(Sgd.) RENATO C. OCZON (Sgd.) CARIDAD H. GRECIA-CUERDO (OFFICER-IN-CHARGE) JUDGE (MS-Mar. 13 & 20, 2017)

CLASSIFIEDS RESERVE YOURAD SPACENOW! email us at advertise@ thestandard.com. ph or call us at

Applicant’s Name Syngenta Philippines, Inc.

2.

Applicant’s Address 12th Floor, Two World Square, # 22 Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Town Center, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, 1630 Philippines

3.

Telephone Number/ Facsimile Number, E-Mail Address of the Applicant Tel. +63 2 370 2100; Fax: +63 2 856 9260; E-mail: c/o ba_cau.duong@syngenta.com

4.

Name of Responsible Officer/Authorized Representative Duong Ba Cau, President and Commercial Unit Head, Philippines Felipe S. dela Cruz, Jr., Country Manager, Regulatory Affairs, Seeds, Philippines

5.

Description of the Regulated Article for Direct Use MZHG0JG is a corn cultivar that has been genetically modified to tolerate glyphosate and glufosinate-ammonium herbicides. MZHG0JG corn plants contain the transgene mepsps-02, which encodes a modified 5-enol pyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate enzyme (mEPSPS). It also contains the transgene pat-09, which encodes the enzyme phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (PAT). The enzyme mEPSPS was introduced specifically to confer tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate while PAT confers tolerance to glufosinate-ammonium herbicides.

6.

If to be imported, Country (ies) of Origin of the Regulated Article United States and/or Canada

7.

Brief Summary of Potential Effects on Human and Animal Health and the Environment MZHG0JG corn has been adequately assessed to demonstrate its safety as food and feed; and its safety to the environment. Compositional and nutritional analyses show that MZHG0JG corn is nutritionally and compositionally similar to, and as safe as conventional corn. Studies conducted show that the proteins produced in the MZHG0JG corn(mEPSPS and PAT) do not have homology to any known mammalian toxin orallergen. There is no evidence that these proteins will interact to form new toxin or allergen. In addition, Southern blot analyses demonstrated that the MZHG0JG is stably inherited from one generation to the next.Therefore, based on compositional/nutritional analyses, allergenicity and toxicity studies specifically conducted to assess its safety and from the data available from the scientific literature, MZHG0JG corn is substantially equivalent to and is as safe as the conventional corn, except for its built-in tolerance to glyphosate and glufosinateherbicides. Furthermore, the well-characterized modes of action, physiochemical properties, and a history of safe use demonstrate that the mEPSPS and PAT proteins present in MZHG0JG corn present no risk of harm to humans or livestock that consume corn products.

MZHG0JG corn will only be imported for direct use as food, feed, and for processing and will not be propagated in the Philippines. In the event that there is an accidental release of grains in the environment during importation, chances of survival of MZHG0JG corn grains is unlikely since it will generally occur in industrial areas that are highly disturbed habitats unsuitable for significant plant establishment. The spilled grain has to reach the soil and be exposed to specific favorable conditions, such as light, moisture, and temperature so that the germination and plant establishment to occur.

To date, MZHG0JG corn has passed the thorough evaluation of various regulatory institutions and has received approvals for propagationor release into the environment in 2 countries and approvals for import in 4countries.

8.

In relation to the conditions for the acquisition of the BKR Sale Shares and pursuant to the requirements of the Philippine Securities Regulation Code (“SRC”) and its implementing rules and regulations, the Biddersare implementing a tender offer to acquire the 257,145,011 common shares currently held by the public, representing approximately 16.82% of the issued and outstanding capital of BKR (the “BKR Public Shares”) from the owners thereof (the “BKR Public Shareholders”), subject to the SEC Form 19-1 filed by the Bidders with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”)(“Tender Offer”).

Brief Summary of Potential Benefits MZHG0JG corn will be imported as grains for direct use as food, feed, and for processing in the Philippines. Since MZHG0JG corn will be a traded commodity, the society will be the main beneficiary in case importation will be required to supply the industrywith grains of corn and corn products to feed millers, for use in poultry, livestock, aquaculture, and other industries.

9.

Countries Where Approvals Have Been Granted Country United States Canada Australia and New Zealand South Africa

The Bidders shall purchase BKR Public Shares which are tendered (the “Tender Offer Shares”) by the BKRPublic Shareholders (the “Tendering Shareholders”), at the price of P0.8575 per share (the “Tender Offer Price”), payable in cash (before deductions for customary selling charges of0.61% of the total transaction valueor P0.8523 after deducting the customary selling charges).The customary selling charges that will be deducted by the Bidders do not include the selling broker’s commission payable by the Tendering Shareholder, which is subject to mutual agreement between the Tendering Shareholder and its/his/her broker, and the taxes on the commission.

Use Cultivation, Food, Feed, and Processing Cultivation, Food, and Feed Food Food, Feed, and Processing

Director Bureau of Plant Industry San Andres, Malate, Manila E-Mail bpibiotechsecretariat@yahoo.com Approved for Publication: ___________________________ VICENCIO R. MAMARIL, PhD OIC Director Bureau of Plant Industry Date:

Lucky Securities Inc. 1902B West Tower, Philippine Stock Exchange Center, Exchange Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City a.

b.

c.

d.

Original BKR stock certificates duly endorsed; to be verified by the TO Agent as valid and authentic certificates. For those whose stock certificate/s is/are lost: (i) one (1) original of a duly notarized affidavit of loss; (ii) copy of the affidavit of loss as published in a newspaper of general circulation (in substantially the form of Annex E to the Application which is Exhibit A to the SEC Form 19-1 filed by the Bidders with the SEC); (iii) affidavit of publication (of affidavit of loss); and (iv) bond in the amount of P0.8595 covered by a lost stock certificate.

For Individuals: (i)

For shareholders acting through an attorney-in-fact, a duly notarized Irrevocable Power of Attorney (in substantially the form attached as Annex B to the Application, which is Exhibit A to the SEC Form 19-1 filed by the Bidders with the SEC). For married individuals who are Philippine citizens, their respective spouses must sign the space provided in the Irrevocable Power of Attorney to indicate marital consent to the sale of the Tender Offer Shares.

(ii)

Photocopies of two (2) valid identification cards showing the Applicant’s signature and photograph, i.e., driver’s license, tax identification card, Social Security Services/Government Services and Insurance System card, or passport.

(iii)

Duly accomplished signature card containing the specimen signature of the Applicant and verified by the Applicant’s broker or by an officer of the bank at which the Applicant maintains an account (the signature card must specify the name of the broker and the broker’s signatory or the name of the bank and the bank’s signatory, as the case may be).

(MS-MAR. 20, 2017)

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health CENTRAL OFFICE BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO BID

For Corporations:

PROCUREMENT OF VARIOUS GOODS

(i)

Notarized Board Resolution (in substantially the form of the Secretary’s Certificate attached as Annex C to the Application, which is Exhibit A to the SEC Form 19-1 filed by the Bidders with the SEC) authorizing the sale of the Tender Offer Shares, designating signatories for the purpose and indicating the specimen signatures of those signatories.

(ii)

Copy of SEC Certificate of Incorporation or equivalent constitutive document certified as true copy of the original by the Corporate Secretary or equivalent person having official custody of company records.

(iii)

Copy of latest Articles of Incorporation and By-laws of the Applicant or equivalent constitutive document certified as true copy of the original by the Corporate Secretary or equivalent person having official custody of company records.

(iv)

Duly accomplished signature card containing the specimen signature of the Applicant’s designated authorized signatories and verified by the Applicant’s broker or by an officer of the bank at which the Applicant maintains an account (the signature card must specify the name of the broker and the broker’s signatory or the name of the bank and the bank’s signatory, as the casemay be).

For Partnerships: (i)

Copy of SEC Certificate of Registration or equivalent constitutive document certified as true copy of the original by the Partnership Secretary or equivalent person having official custody of the partnership records.

(ii)

Copy of the latest Articles of Partnership of the Applicant or equivalent constitutive document certified as true copy of the original by the Partnership Secretary or equivalent person having official custody of the partnership records.

(iii)

Notarized Partnership Resolution (in substantially the form of the Partners’ Certificate attached as Annex D to the Application, which is Exhibit A to the SEC Form 19-1 filed by the Bidders with the SEC) authorizing the sale of the Tender Offer Shares, designating signatories for the purpose and indicating the specimen signature of the signatories.

(iv)

Date of Approval February 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016

The public is hereby invited to submit their comments to the BPI Director (within 60 days from date of publication) on the Proposal for the Importation of MZHG0JGcorn for direct use as food and feed,or for processing

Each BKR Public Shareholder as of any date during the Offer Period is entitled to sell its/his/her BKR Public Shares to the Bidders in accordance with and subject to the Terms of the Tender Offer, which is Annex A to the Application to Tender Common Shares in Bright Kindle Resources & Investments, Inc. (formerly Bankard, Inc.) to RYM Business Management Corporation, Caulfield Heights, Inc., Mr. Anthony M. Te and Mr. Macario U. Te (the “Application”).

The Tender Offer will commence at 9:00 a.m. on 20 March 2017 and end at 5:00 p.m. on 19 April 2017.The Bidders reserve the right to extend the Tender Offer with the approval of the SEC. Scrip shareholders (i.e., shareholders who hold stock certificates) of BKR who wish to sell their shares to the Bidders should complete the Application in triplicate and submit the same with the following attachments to Lucky Securities Inc. (the “TO Agent”) at the address set forth below, not later than the end of the Tender Offer Period:

Duly accomplished signature card containing the specimen signature of the Applicant’s designated authorized signatories and verified by the Applicant’s broker or by an officer of the bank at which the Applicant maintains an account (the signature card must specify the name of the broker and the broker’s signatory or the name of the bank and the bank’s signatory, as the case may be).

Scripless shareholders (i.e., shareholders of BKRwhose shares are lodged with thePhilippine Depository and Trust Corporation (“PDTC”) who wish to accept the offer must complete the Application in triplicate and submit the same with the attachments referred to in item (b), (c) or (d) above (as applicable to the TO Agent at the address set out above no later than the end of the Tender Offer Period. In addition, such scripless shareholders must instruct their brokers to electronically transfer their Tender Offer Shares to the TO Agent. The member broker(s) of the PSE who hold(s) theTender Offer Shares, should, upon receipt of the notice of the Tender Offer, immediately notify the relevant shareholder that should the shareholder wish to sell its/his/her shares in BKRto the Bidders, the shareholder must instruct said participating broker to electronically transfer its/his/her shares to the TO Agent, as custodian for such shares, not later than 5:00 p.m.on19 April 2017. When tendering shares, the participating brokers are required to submit the letter to the TO Agent (in the form of Annex 1 to the Instructions to Participating TO Agents, which is Exhibit G to the SEC Form 19-1 filed by the Bidders with the SEC) not later than 5:00 p.m. on 19 April 2017as well as the duly completed Application.

The terms of the Application (including the Representations and Warranties) shall form integral parts of the Terms of the Tender Offer, which in turn form integral parts of the Application.

The Tender Offer Shares shall be deemed accepted by the Bidder on 21 April 2017subject to the conditions that the TO Agent has determined that the Tendering Shareholders shall have submitted the required documents and obtained all the required approvals and authorizations to enable it to transfer the Tender Offer Shares to the Bidders before the expiration of the Tender Offer.

Acceptance of Applications is subject to the terms hereof. The Bidders, through the TO Agent, at its sole discretion, shall have the right to reject any Application that does not qualify and accept qualified Applications at any time before the Tender Offer Shares are sold to the Bidders through the facilities of the PSE. Applications (i) received after the Tender Offer Period, or (ii) that are not properly completed, or (iii) lack any of the required attachments, will be rejected.

The TO Agent will accept Applications on the condition that it is able to verify the signature/endorsement on BKRstock certificates by verifying the signature on file with BKR’s stock transfer agent, if such is available. The TO Agent will rely on the signature affixed on the Application and on the supporting identification documents or board resolution when it verifies the endorsement of the relevant BKRstock certificates. The TO Agent shall not be required to make further inquiries into the authenticity of the signature. If the TO Agent is unable to verify the signature on the Application or the endorsement of the BKRstock certificate, the TO Agent will also reject the Application.

Tendering Shareholders whose Applications have been rejected, in whole or in part, shall be notified of such fact by the TO Agent on or before 21 April 2017.

All Applications shall be accepted only in the Philippines.

Rejected shares shall be returned in the same form they were received to the Tendering Stockholder’s broker (for scripless shares) or to the Tendering Stockholder (for certificated shares) within three (3) trading days from the end of the Tender Offer Period. Any and all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the return of the rejected shares shall be borne by the Tendering Stockholder.

The accepted Tender Offer Shares are intended to be crossed at the PSE on 26 April 2017(the “Cross Date”), subject to the approval by the PSE and subject further to any extension of the Tender Offer Period with the approval of the SEC. Any change in the Cross Date shall be announced by the Bidders in Manila Standard and Philippine Daily Inquirer The settlement date shall be within three (3) trading days from the date the accepted Tender Offer Shares are crossed at the PSE (the “Settlement Date”), subject to any extension of the Tender Offer Period with the approval of the SEC. All accepted Applications shall be settled only in the Philippines.

The TO Agent will act as agent for the Tendering Shareholders for the purpose of receiving the check payments from the Bidders and transmitting the check payments to such Tendering Shareholders. The check payments to be issued to Tendering Shareholders shall be made available by the TO The TO Agent will act as agent for the Tendering Shareholders for the purpose of receiving the check payments from the Bidders and transmitting the check payments to such Tendering Shareholders. The check payments to be issued to Tendering Shareholders shall be made available by the TO Agent for pick-up by the Tendering Shareholders starting on Settlement Date at its offices.

When collecting payment, the Tendering Shareholders shall present the “Applicant’s Copy” of the Application as well as proper identification (e.g., driver’s license, driver’s license, tax identification card, Social Security Services/Government Services and Insurance System card, or passport). Duly authorized representatives shall be required to present an authorization letter from the Tendering Shareholders.

Tendering beneficial owners of Tender Offer Shares are advised to consult with their custodian, fiduciaries, or other similar agents on the manner by which they may collect payment from such agents.

In any event, no payment shall be made without the TO Agent having timely received the duly accomplished Application, the stock certificates evidencing the Tender Offer Shares and other documents required herein.

Any payment not collected within thirty (30) trading days from the Cross Date shall be dispatched via registered mail, to the address of the Tendering Shareholder indicated in the Application, at the risk of the Tendering Shareholders.

Tendering Shareholders shall have the right to withdraw any Tender Offer Shares at any time during the Tender Offer Period but only up to 19 April 2017 at 5:00 p.m., by submitting a written request for the withdrawal of the Tender Offer Shares to the TO Agent with a copy of the “Applicant’s Copy” of the Application issued by the TO Agent. If tendered Tender Offer Shares are not accepted by the Bidderson or before 21 April 2017,Tendering Shareholders may likewise withdraw their tendered shares.

For withdrawal of the tendered shares to be effective, a written notice of withdrawal must be received by the TO Agent before 5:00 p.m. on19 April 2017at the address set forth herein. The notice must specify the name of the Tendering Shareholder and the number of Tender Offer Shares to be withdrawn. If the stock certificates evidencing the Tender Offer Shares have been delivered to the TO Agent, the serial numbers shown on such certificates must be submitted to the TO Agent prior to the physical release of such certificates. No request for withdrawal of fractions of Tender Offer Shares will be considered. The TO Agent shall have the right in its sole discretion, to determine the form and validity of the notice of withdrawal, including the time of receipt thereof.

All expenses incurred by the TO Agent in respect of withdrawal of Tender Offer Shares shall be for the account of the shareholder making the withdrawal.

The terms set out in SEC Form 19-1 filed with the SEC on 01 February 2017shall form integral parts of the Terms of the Tender Offer. Copies of the SEC Form 19-1 are attached to the Notice of Tender Offer distributed to the shareholders of BKR. Any shareholder who wishes to obtain a copy of the said form may do so at the office of the TO Agent.

For inquiries regarding the Tender Offer, the number of shares and stock certificates, please contact the following: Lucky Securities Inc. Contact Person: Ms. Bee F. Ang Telephone Number: 634-6786 Telephone Number:634-5382

MR. ANTHONY M. TE MR. MACARIO U. TE (MS-Mar. 20, 27 & Apr. 3, 2017)

1.

RYM Business Management Corporation, Caulfield Heights, Inc., Mr. Anthony M. Te and Mr. Macario U. Te (the “Bidders”) acquired a total of 1,375,459,989 shares of common stock of Bright Kindle Resources & Investments, Inc. (formerly Bankard, Inc.) (“BKR”) (the “BKR Sale Shares”) registered in the names of, and/or beneficially owned by, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation and RCBC Capital Corporation. As of the same date, the BKR Sale Shares represented approximately 89.9891% of the issued and outstanding capital stock of BKR.

CAULFIELD HEIGHTS, INC. Represented by Mr. Isidro C. Alcantara, Jr.

6.3.5. And as already stated above, respondent does not like to have a child for to him that would complicate things.

PROPOSAL FOR DIRECT USE AS FOOD AND FEED, OR FOR PROCESSING MZHG0JG CORN

832-5547

RYM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION Represented by Mr. Remegio C. Dayandayan, Jr.

6.3.4. The only thing that respondent care about is petitioner’s money which enables him to live, be clothed, fed and cared for without spending a single centavo and this can be seen in the other discussions above.

PUBLIC INFORMATION SHEET FOR DIRECT USE AS FOOD AND FEED, OR FOR PROCESSING

NOTICE TO SHAREHOLDERS OF BRIGHT KINDLE RESOURCES & INVESTMENTS, INC. (FORMERLY BANKARD, INC.)

6.5.9. Chris doesn’t have a friend in Qatar.

In fact, he is treating all of his colleagues as a looser for not having an office job.

He never hesitates to criticize anyone and treats others poorly. He often trash talk his co-workers and his manager and in the end this led him into getting a lot warning letters culminated by his terminations. Chris had at least three (3) jobs which he lost through termination.

6.3.1. They fought over almost everything.

Even on the simple sanitation to take a bath, respondent would purposely not take a bath for days and, sometimes would not change his clothes for a week.

6.4. Petitioner has reason to believe that Chris is an addict and a pusher. Although Chris never admitted it nor did Thyn caught him in the act or that the latter knows how a drug addict looks like and behave, she has a lot of circumstances aside from his

C2 MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017

(MS-MAR. 20,21 & 22, 2017

1.

The Department of Health (DOH), through the General Appropriations Act CY 2017 intends to apply the sum of Two Hundred Seventy Million One Hundred Eighty Eight Thousand Seven Hundred Fifty Philippine Pesos (PhP270,188,750.00) for the projects listed below.

Bids received in excess of each ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening: IB No.

Name of Contract

IB No. Procurement of Auto-Disable 2017-199 Syringes 0.5ml with Needle IB No. Procurement of Auto-Disable 2017-200 Syringes 0.05ml with Needle IB No. Procurement of Mixing/ 2017-201 Reconstitution Syringes with Needle IB No. Procurement of Ultra Low Volume 2017-202 Aerosol Spray IB No. Procurement of Office Cabinet and 2017-145 Industrial Fan TOTAL

ABC (PHP) 87,500,000.00 25,000,000.00 12,500,000.00 80,000,000.00 65,188,750.00

Cost of Bidding Single Largest Documents Completed Contract (Php) At least Twenty Five 50,000.00 Percent (25%) of the ABC within the 25,000.00 specified period in the Section III. Bid 25,000.00 Data Sheet At least Fifty Percent 50,000.00 (50%) of the ABC within the specified period in the Section 50,000.00 III. Bid Data Sheet

270,188,750.00

2.

The DOH now invites Bids from eligible Bidders for the procurement of the above-caption projects. Delivery of the Goods as specified in Section VI. Schedule of Requirements.

Bidders should have completed, within the specified years from the date of submission and receipt of bids a contracts similar to each of the above-cited procurement projects stated in the Bidding Documents. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

3.

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

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the COBAC Secretariat, G/F, Bldg.

6, Department of Health, San Lazaro Compound, Sta. Cruz, Manila and inspect the Bidding Documents at 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents for each procurement package listed above may be acquired by interested bidders on 20 March 2017 to 11 April 2017 from the address above and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB Resolution No. 04-2012, dated 24 February 2012, in the amount specified above.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that Bidders who are interested to participate shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

Bidding Documents Fee may be refunded in accordance with the aforementioned Guidelines based on the grounds provided for under Section 41 of 2016 Revised IRR of RA 9184.

6.

The DOH will hold a Pre-Bid Conference and the Submission and Opening of Bids at the COBAC Conference Room, G/F, Building 6, Department of Health, San Lazaro Compound, Rizal Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila, which shall be opened to all interested parties on the schedule given below: Bids must Bids must be delivered to the address stated below. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated below: Form of Bid Security

Cashier’s/manager’s check issued by a Universal or Commercial Bank.

Bank draft/guarantee or irrevocable letter of credit issued by a Universal or Commercial Bank: Provided, however, that it shall be confirmed or authenticated by a Universal or Commercial Bank, if issued by a foreign bank.

Surety bond callable upon demand issued by a surety or insurance company duly certified by the Insurance Commission as authorized to issue such security.

Bid Securing Declaration

Amount of Bid Security (Not less than the required percentage of the ABC)

Two percent (2%) Five percent (5%) No percentage required

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

7.

The DOH reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

8.

For further information, please refer to: COBAC-C Secretariat Department of Health San Lazaro Compound, Sta. Cruz, Manila Tel. Nos. 651-7800 local 1625 to 1627; 1650 to 52 Facsimile No.: 741-9775; 740-6830 (SGD) NESTOR F. SANTIAGO, JR, MD, MPHC, MHSA, CESO III Assistant Secretary of Health COBAC - C Chairperson

(MS-MAR. 20, 2017)

ERRORS & OMISSIONS In Classified Ads section must be brought to our attention the very day the advertisement is published.

We will not be responsible for any incorrect ads not reported to us immediately.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

World

Manila

Standard

TODAY

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017

C3

Rock ‘n’ roll father Chuck Berry, 90 N EW YORK―Chuck Berry, one of the creators of rock ‘n’ roll who helped shape modern youth culture with his dance-ready rhythms but who struggled to overcome institutional racism, died Saturday.

He was 90.

Police in the St. Louis area, where Berry was born and lived most of his life, said that first responders found the guitar legend unresponsive when they answered an emergency call at his home.

“The St. Charles County Police Department sadly confirms the death of Charles Edward Anderson Berry Sr., better known as legendary musician Chuck Berry,” it said on Facebook.

Berry became a sensation in the years after World War II as the baby boom generation came of age in an increasingly prosperous America. The middle-class son of a carpenter and a high school principal, Berry grew up under segregation but instinctively sensed how to bridge the racial divide.

Berry had played blues guitar but found that his white audience was more interested in country.

He merged the styles with an electric energy and consummate stage showmanship, although he hesitated to say that he created rock ‘n’ roll.

“It used to be called boogiewoogie, it used to be called blues, used to be called rhythm and blues,” he later said. “It’s called rock now.”

Whatever the music was named, Bruce Springsteen, one of many artists heavily influenced

by Berry, said the man was indispensable.

“Chuck Berry was rock’s greatest practitioner, guitarist and the greatest pure rock ‘n’ roll writer who ever lived,” Springsteen wrote on Twitter.

His 1958 hit “Johnny B. Goode” was so influential and recognizable that the US space program chose it to represent rock music for potential extraterrestrial listeners on the Voyager spacecraft.

“Roll Over Beethoven” from 1956 was almost a manifesto of rock ‘n’ roll as the charismatic Berry urged the DJ to switch off the classical records and turn to the new genre of the youth.

Other hits included “Maybellene,” one of the pioneering rock songs that gave a guitar edge to a popular fiddle tune, and “Sweet Little Sixteen,” in which Berry hailed rock ‘n’ roll’s sweep across the United States.

Berry was one of the first African Americans to find a widespread white audience, with his gentle demeanor and the usually innocuous subject matter of his songs initially insulating him in a country where many black people lived under Jim Crow institutionalized racism.

But that changed as his fame grew. After a packed performance

in 1959 in Meridian Mississippi, a white crowd set upon Berry and forced him to leave through a side entrance after accusing him of kissing a white girl among his fans.

“One of the girls threw her arms around me and hung a soulsearching kiss that I let hang a second too long,” Berry later explained. He was arrested for disturbing the peace and left the city after paying a fine.

His career soon was interrupted when he was arrested in 1959 under an obscure law for taking a 14-year-old girl across state lines for “immoral purposes.”

Berry defended himself against allegations that he had slept with the young waitress. But he was convicted by an all-white jury and served a year and a half in prison. In a bitter

irony, he was incarcerated just as the United States was swept by white rockers influenced by him, including the British invasion led by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

Mick Jagger hailed Berry on Saturday as an inspiration, saying: “He lit up our teenage years, and blew life into our dreams of being musicians and performers.”

After his prison time, friends described the laid-back and funloving Berry as a changed man, and the conviction has long been viewed in the African American community as a warning sign for artists on the rise.

Berry mostly avoided the media limelight as he resurrected his career. In a rare 1987 interview with NBC television, Berry declined to describe himself as the father of

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

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

LnB President

ARMANDO P. PADILLA

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

LnB President

ARMANDO P. PADILLA

============================================================================== On motion presented by Hon. L.S. Javier, Jr., which was duly seconded by all Members present, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati approved City Resolution No. 2017-028 on second and final reading.

CITY RESOLUTION NO. 2017-028 Authors: Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, Hon. M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, Hon. D.A. Jacome, Hon. G.I.N. de Lara-Bes, Hon. N.S. Yabut, Jr., Hon. L.S. Javier, Jr., Hon. R.C. Medina, Hon. F.T. Eusebio, Hon. M.R.C. Tolentino and Hon. E.D.E. Villamor Co-Authors: Hon. S.C. Aspillaga, Hon. V.V. Hilario, Jr., Hon. L.M. Magpantay, Hon. M.A.M. Ortega, Hon. N.S. Pasia, Hon. E.J. Puno and Hon. A.P. Padilla A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE HONORABLE MAYOR MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY, TO NEGOTIATE, ENTER INTO AND SIGN A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU), ON BEHALF OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT OF MAKATI, WITH THE BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS (BSP), REGARDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BSP KNOWLEDGE RESOURCE NETWORK (KRN), SUBJECT TO EXISTING LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS. WHEREAS, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) plans to establish the Knowledge Resource Network (KRN), an initiative in information and knowledge sharing, which aims to enhance the public’s understanding of economic and financial concepts and issues; WHEREAS, BSP envisions KRN to be a catalyst for economic development by empowering the public to be informed and have a better economic and financial decisions through easy access to information and services; WHEREAS, to achieve the above said objective, BSP shall form partnership with libraries of local government units, national agencies and academic institutions all over the country to set up Knowledge Resource Collections that will house updated BSP publications such as books, reports, guides, manuals, primers and brochures, provide access to online publications and research assistance services to the public for free; WHEREAS, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the BSP and the Metro Manila Local Government Units, which includes the City of Makati, is necessary in order to implement and guide further the parties in achieving the abovementioned purpose; WHEREAS, Sec. 8 (a) (6), of Art. III of RA 7854, otherwise known as the Charter of the City of Makati states that: “(T)he city mayor as the chief executive of the city government shall represent the City in all its business transactions and signs on its behalf all bonds, contracts, and obligations, and such other documents upon authority of the sanggunian panlungsod”; WHEREAS, the Sangguniang Panlungsod, in consideration of the necessity of supporting the establishment of the Knowledge Resource Network (KRN), hereby authorizes Honorable Mayor MarLen Abigail S. Binay, pursuant to the abovementioned provision of R.A. 7854, to negotiate, enter into and sign such Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), on behalf of the City Government of Makati, with the BSP. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWERS VESTED IN IT

BY LAW, IN SESSION ASSEMBLED, to authorize the Honorable Mayor Mar-Len Abigail S. Binay, to negotiate, enter into and sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), on behalf of the City Government of Makati, with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), regarding the establishment of the BSP Knowledge Resource Network (KRN), subject to existing laws, rules and regulations.

Let copy of this Resolution be furnished the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), City Law Department and other concerned offices for their information, guidance and reference.

Chess sensed his crossover potential and signed him after an introduction from Muddy Waters. Berry late in his life stayed low-profile in St. Louis where he played two decades worth of shows at the Blueberry Club, with his son Charles Berry Jr. in his backup band. AFP

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

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

LnB President

ARMANDO P. PADILLA

======================================================================== On motion presented by Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, which was duly seconded by all Members present, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati approved City Ordinance No. 2017-043 on third and final reading.

CITY ORDINANCE NO. 2017-043 Authors: Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, Hon. M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, Hon. D.A. Jacome, Hon. G.I.N. de Lara-Bes, Hon. N.S. Yabut Jr., Hon. A.P. Padilla, Hon. E.J. Puno, Hon. M.R.C. Tolentino and M.A.M. Ortega Co-Authors: Hon. S.C. Aspillaga, Hon. V.V. Hilario, Jr., Hon. R.C. Medina, Hon. N.S. Pasia and Hon. E.D.E. Villamor AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING THE QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS (CSOs), NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS (NGOs), PEOPLE’S ORGANIZATIONS (POs) AND OTHER SIMILAR AGGRUPATION OPERATING WITHIN THE CITY OF MAKATI FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACCREDITATION FROM THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD, SUBJECT TO EXISTING LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS.

======================================================================== On motion presented by Hon. M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, which was duly seconded by all Members present, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati approved City Ordinance No. 2017044 on third and final reading.

CITY ORDINANCE NO. 2017-044 Authors: Hon. M.C.M. Yabut, Hon. M.A.S.J. Casal-Uy, Hon. D.A. Jacome, Hon. G.I.N. de Lara-Bes, Hon. N.S. Yabut Jr., Hon. M.A.M. Ortega and Hon. E.D.E. Villamor Co-Authors: Hon. S.C. Aspillaga, Hon. F.T. Eusebio, Hon. V.V. Hilario, Jr., Hon. L.S. Javier, Jr., Hon. L.M. Magpantay, Hon. R.C. Medina, Hon. N.S. Pasia, Hon. E.J. Puno, Hon. M.R.C. Tolentino and Hon. A.P. Padilla AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 1 (2), ARTICLE VI OF CITY ORDINANCE NO. 99126 SO AS TO INCLUDE IN THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COLLEGE/SCHOOL OF LAW IN THE UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI, SUBJECT TO EXISTING LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS.

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

rock ‘n’ roll, listing others including his contemporary Elvis Presley as well as Fats Domino and Little Richard.

“We’re all I think just a cog in the wheel. We all got the ball rolling,” he said.

Berry initially found success after record executive Leonard

WHEREAS, Art. II, Sec. 23 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that “(T)he State shall encourage non-governmental, community-based or sectoral organizations to promote the welfare of the nation.”; WHEREAS, Section 108 of RA 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, provides that “(T)he Sangguniang Panlungsod shall accredit non-government organizations subject to such criteria as maybe provided for by law”; WHEREAS, DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2016-97 dated 19 July 2016 entitled 2016 Accreditation of Civil Society Organizations and Selection of Representatives to the Local Special Bodies provides for the minimum qualifications and criteria in accrediting civil society organizations; WHEREAS, it has been the constant practice of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Makati to implement stringent measures for NGO/CSO accreditation to ensure that only legitimate civil society groups are accorded with recognition and avoid unscrupulous elements disguising themselves as legitimate CSOs, NGOs, POs and other similar aggrupation;

WHEREAS, the University of Makati (UMak) is the primary instrument of the City in delivering higher education that responds to the needs of its residents, the city and different sectors in the country;

WHEREAS, the City of Makati further realizes the importance of accrediting legitimate civil society organizations and qualifying them to be members of local special bodies in order to contribute in the development of better policies pertaining to the sector they represent.

WHEREAS, Sec. 1 (2) of Art. VI, of Makati City Ordinance No. 99-126, otherwise known as “An Ordinance Repealing City Ordinance No. 99-089 and Revising Municipal Ordinance No. 433” (Pamantasan ng Makati Charter), empowers the said educational institution to establish the necessary graduates and undergraduate colleges;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED AS IT IS HEREBY ENACTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD NG MAKATI, METRO MANILA, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWERS VESTED IN IT BY LAW, IN SESSION ASSEMBLED, that:

WHEREAS, UMak has consistently administered educational programs geared towards governance, leadership and public affairs;

Section 1. COVERAGE – This Ordinance shall cover all kinds of civil society organizations (CSOs), non-government organizations (NGOs), people’s organizations (POs) and other similar aggrupation operating within the City of Makati for a period of at least five (5) years prior to its application for accreditation.

WHEREAS, UMak has been successful in offering and administering post-baccalaureate program in public policy, education and business and has consistently engaged even nonresidents of the city in its educational offerings;

In this Ordinance, the terms “CSO” and “organization” are used interchangeably.

WHEREAS, the University aims to strengthen further its role in providing educational quality and competence by expanding its current courses;

Section 2. REQUIREMENTS –Any organization qualified in the preceding section which seeks accreditation shall present the original and submit five (5) photocopies of the following documents to the Office of the Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod:

WHEREAS, Art. IV Sec. 10 (a) of R.A. 7854, otherwise known as the Charter of the City of Makati, provides that the Sangguniang Panlungsod, the legislative body of the City, shall approve ordinances and pass resolutions necessary for an efficient and effective government;

a. b.

WHEREAS, the evident next step in strengthening and expanding its governance and public affairs educational program is the establishment of the UMak School/College of Law, a law school that will offer quality but affordable Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor degrees to deserving students within and outside the city;

c. d. e. f. g.

WHEREAS, the University is more than capable to meet the requirements of the Legal Education Board (LEB) in establishing a legal program; WHEREAS, the Sangguniang Panlungsod, considering the necessity of having a School/ College of Law in UMak, hereby enacts this Ordinance.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED, AS IT IS HEREBY ENACTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWERS VESTED IN IT BY LAW, IN SESSION ASSEMBLED, that: Section 1. Sec. 1 (2) of Art. VI, of Makati City Ordinance No. 99-126, is hereby amended and shall be read as: “To establish the necessary graduate and undergraduate colleges in the field of education, liberal arts, science and technology, law and such academic and technical vocational courses in the priority of community needs.”

Duly accomplished application form for accreditation; Board resolution signifying intention for accreditation for the purpose of representation in local special bodies; Certificate of primary franchise; List of current officers and members; Information on the primary and other sources of funds; Five (5) year audited financial statement (FS) prior application; Five (5) year accomplishment report prior application.

Provided, that the Office of the Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall have the right to refuse in accepting applications with incomplete requirements.

Provided further, that the requirements under this Ordinance shall be in addition to any requirement/s that may be required by any competent authority regulating CSOs. However, in case of conflict, the provisions of this Ordinance shall prevail.

Provided furthermore, that the applicant organization must not be profit oriented nor business related.

Provided furthermore, that the Sangguniang Panlungsod may, in the exercise of its sound discretion, relax the provisions of this Ordinance when the needs of the City so require or deny an applicant organization the purposes of which are not in conformity with the existing policy direction of the City Government of Makati.

Section 2. The School/College of Law shall start its academic offering of its program in Academic Year 2017-2018.

Section 3. The Sangguniang Panlungsod may, in its discretion, provide an organization a temporary accreditation provided that the City Mayor endorses the same, subject to the conditions that the Sanggunian may impose.

Section 3. The University of Makati is allowed to charge tuition fees and provide scholarships based on specific guidelines to be determined by UMak officials to encourage enrollment in the law school.

Section 4. Within the first week of August, the Sanggunian, thru the Presiding Officer, shall issue a Notice of Call for Accreditation to every organization listed in the directory of CSOs whether previously accredited or seeking accreditation for the first time.

Section 4. UMak is hereby authorized and directed to adhere to the requirements of the Legal Education Board (LEB) with regard to the physical, faculty and program requirements in establishing the UMak School/College of Law, among other requirements.

Provided, that in the event no organization filed an application within one (1) month after August of every year thereafter, the Sangguniang Panglungsod is not precluded from finding organizations which might be accredited upon submission of the necessary documents.

Section 5. The University will determine the rates of the salaries and allowances of the officials and faculty of the UMak School/College of Law and create its separate administrative manual and budget requirements.

Section 5. Only CSOs, NGOs, POs or aggrupation of similar functions holding Certificate of Accreditation from the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall be eligible to sit as a member of any local special body in the city subject to the latter’s guidelines in determining its members.

Section 6. If for any reason, any part or provision of this Ordinance shall be found to be unconstitutional or invalid, other parts thereof which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

Section 6. All ordinances, resolutions and executive orders which are inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 7. All existing ordinances, rules and regulations which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed, or modified accordingly.

Section 8. Let copy of this Ordinance be furnished to the University of Makati, through the Board of Regents, Human Resource Department Office (HRDO), Office of the City Administrator, City Law Department and other concerned offices for their information and guidance.

Section 7. If any provision or part of this Ordinance is declared invalid, other provisions or parts not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 8. Let copy of this Ordinance be furnished all departments, offices and agencies concerned for their information, guidance and reference.

Section 9. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon approval.

ENACTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, in its Special Session held on 15 March 2017.

Section 9. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its approval.

ENACTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, in its Special Session held on 15 March 2017.

HON. SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA

HON. ROMEO C. MEDINA

HON. MARIE ALETHEA S.J. CASAL-UY

HON. MA ARLENE M. ORTEGA

HON. SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA

HON. ROMEO C. MEDINA

HON. MARIE ALETHEA S.J. CASAL-UY

HON. MA ARLENE M. ORTEGA

HON. GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES

HON. NELSON S. P PASIA

HON. FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO

HON. ENRICO J. PUNO

HON. VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR.

HON. ON. MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO

HON. DIVINA A. JACOME

ON. EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR HON.

HON. LUIS S. JAVIER JR.

HON. MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT

HON. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY

HON. NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its approval.

ENACTED BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF MAKATI, METRO MANILA, in its Special Session held on 15 March 2017.

HON. SHIRLEY C. ASPILLAGA

HON. ROMEO C. MEDINA

HON. MARIE ALETHEA S.J. CASAL-UY

HON. MA ARLENE M. ORTEGA

HON. GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES

HON. FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO

HON. VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR.

HON. DIVINA A. JACOME

HON. GRAZIELLE IONY N. DE LARA-BES

HON. NELSON S. P PASIA

HON. FERDINAND T. EUSEBIO

HON. ENRICO J. PUNO

HON. VIRGILIO V. HILARIO JR.

HON. MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO

HON. DIVINA A. JACOME

HON. EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR

HON. LUIS S. JAVIER JR.

HON. MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT

HON. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY

HON. NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

HON. NELSON S. PASIA P

HON. ENRICO J. PUNO

HON. MARY RUTH C. TOLENTINO

HON. ON. EVELYN DELFINA E. VILLAMOR

HON. LUIS S. JAVIER JR.

HON. MARIA CONCEPCION M. YABUT

HON. LEONARDO M. MAGPANTAY

HON. ARMANDO P. PADILLA LnB President

HON. ARMANDO P. PADILLA LnB President

HON. NEMESIO S. YABUT JR.

Certified true and correct by:

Certified true and correct by: HON. ARMANDO P. PADILLA LnB President

ATTY. DINDO R. CERVANTES Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod

Certified true and correct by:

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

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

HON. MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer

HON. MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer

Attested by:

HON. MONIQUE Q. LAGDAMEO Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer (MS-MAR. 20, 2017)

Approved by:

Approved by:

MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY City Mayor

MAR-LEN ABIGAIL S. BINAY City Mayor (MS-MAR. 20, 2017)

(MS-MAR. 20, 2017)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

C4

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017

World

Xi and Tillerson vow to boost relationship B EIJING―Chinese President Xi Jinping and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson pledged in talks Sunday to work to strengthen a relationship strained by the disputes over North Korea and trade.

Xi met Tillerson in Beijing just hours after nuclear-armed North Korea tested US-China relationship anew by announcing a provocative rocket engine trial, and with delicate negotiations under way for a Xi summit with President Donald Trump.

Xi told Tillerson that he and Trump had resolved in a phone call last month “to make joint efforts to advance China-US cooperation, and we believe that we can make sure the relationship will move ahead in a constructive fashion in the new era.”

“I’m confident that as long as we can do this the relationship can surely move in the right di-

rection,” Xi said.

En route to Beijing, Tillerson visited US allies Japan and South Korea where he declared Washington would drop the “failed” approach of “strategic patience” with Pyongyang -- adding that US military action against the North was possible.

That marked a sharp break with China, which favors careful diplomacy over heated rhetoric.

Relations have also been strained by China’s fierce opposition to a US missile defense system being rolled out in South Korea and Trump’s Twitter accusation on Friday that China was not doing enough to control

Pyongyang, its neighbor and historic ally.

Trump has also repeatedly accused China of unfair trade practices.

But Tillerson has made nice while in Beijing.

“We know that through further dialogue we will achieve a greater understanding that will lead to a ... strengthening of the ties between China and the United States and set the tone for our future relationship of cooperation,” he told Xi. Earlier Sunday North Korean state media said the isolated regime had tested a powerful engine hailed by leader Kim Jong-Un as a “new birth” for its rocket industry, which experts view as cover for developing intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The announcement’s timing appeared intended to sour Tillerson’s China visit.

On Saturday Tillerson said after talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that tensions on the Ko-

rean peninsula had reached a “dangerous level”.

Tillerson and Wang pledged to work together to denuclearise Kim’s rogue regime, but offered no clear way forward.

Wang, however, chided Tillerson over his recent tough talk, saying “we hope all parties, including our friends from the United States, can size up the situation in a coolheaded” fashion.

It was not clear whether Xi and Tillerson discussed North Korea.

The North’s state news agency KCNA said Kim oversaw the rocket engine test and “emphasised that the whole world will soon witness what eventful significance the great victory won today carries” -- a possible veiled warning to Pyongyang’s adversaries.

Ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun splashed photos across its front page showing a beaming, baton-wielding Kim looking on as flames roared out of the engine.

AFP

FESTIVAL. Singer Cloves and The Roots perform during the Budlight Event SXSW Conference and Festivals on March 18 in Austin, Texas. AFP

Syrian refugees heading to Italy

Gunman shot dead in airport in Paris

BEIRUT―Just before midnight in a sleepy district of Beirut, dozens of Syrian refugees huddle in small groups around bulging suitcases, clutching their pinging cellphones and one-way tickets to Italy.

“Torino! Pronto! Cappuccino!”

They practice random Italian words in a schoolyard in the Lebanese capital’s eastern Geitawi neighborhood, waiting for the buses that will take them to the airport, and onwards to their new lives in Italy.

Under an initiative introduced last year by the Italian government, nearly 700 Syrian refugees have been granted one-year humanitarian visas to begin their asylum process in Italy.

The program is the first of its kind in Europe: a speedy third way that both avoids the United Nations lengthy resettlement process and provides refugees with a safe alternative to crammed dinghies and perilous sea crossings.

Compared to fervent calls for “extreme vetting” of refugees most famously made by US President Donald Trump, this “humanitarian corridor” is like a godsend.

“Turin is the city I’ve been dreaming of,” says Mohammed, 24, a Syrian refugee who has lived in southern Lebanon for five years and is travelling to the northern Italian city with his pregnant wife.

After poring over pictures on Google, Mohammed says Turin looks like a “beautiful” industrial hub where he hopes to work.

“This trip is a leap into the future. I can build my life anew,” he says as he fires off updates by phone to relatives anxious to hear about his journey.

“The most important thing we packed? Baby clothes.”

For 34-year-old Soha and her toddler Angelo, Italy will be an escape from the trauma of Syria’s six-year war.

“Four years ago a rocket hit our house and killed both my sons, Antoine and Michael.

When I got pregnant again, I wanted to take two letters from their names, so I named our new baby Angelo,” she says.

“We want to start a new life.

This is all for my son.”

Another refugee, Michel, was smuggled into Lebanon earlier this year after being shot in the chest and shoulder in Syria. AFP

PARIS―A man who said he was ready to die for Allah was shot dead on Saturday after attacking a soldier at Paris’s Orly airport, triggering a major security alert that caused travel chaos.

Ziyed Ben Belgacem, a 39-year-old French national, grabbed a female soldier and put a gun to her head, seizing her assault rifle, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins told a press conference.

“Put your weapons down, hands on your heads. I’m here to die for Allah. In any case people are going to die,” the attacker told the troops in Molins’s account of the attack.

He tried to use the soldier as a human shield but she dropped to her knees, giving her two colleagues an opportunity to shoot him.

Ben Belgacem was carrying a petrol can in a backpack as well as a copy of the Koran, Molins said. Officials say he had a string of criminal convictions and was previously investigated for links to radical Islam.

The incident comes as France remains on high alert following a series of jihadist attacks that have claimed more than 230 lives since January 2015.

Molins said Ben Belgacem had also fired at police in the northern Paris suburb of Gargesles-Gonesse earlier on Saturday, slightly injuring one officer in the head.

Prosecutors said they opened an anti-terror investigation.

The attacker’s father, brother and 35-year-old cousin have all been detained for questioning, Molins said. All three had made contact with the police themselves.

Flights were halted at Orly for several hours following the shooting, which happened just before 8:30 am (0730 GMT).

Around 3,000 people were evacuated from the building.

Incoming flights were diverted and thousands of passengers stranded at Paris’s second-largest airport, but normal service resumed by mid-afternoon.

France goes to the polls on April 23 in the first round of a two-stage presidential election in which security is one of the main issues on voters’ minds.

Witnesses described scenes of chaos as the shooting took place.

“There was total panic,” Sofiane Slim, a check-in assistant at Royal Air Maroc, told AFP. AFP

FOUL WEATHER. A girl walks across a bridge over the Rimac River, where sections of the central railroad suffered severe damage by rising water and flash foods in the town of Chosica, at the foot of the Andes mountains east of Lima, on March 18, 2017. The El Niño climate phenomenon is causing muddy rivers to overflow along the entire Peruvian coast, isolating communities and neighborhoods. Thousands have been affected since January, and 72 people have died. Most cities face water shortages as water lines have been compromised by the mud and debris. AFP

US communities crumbling in addiction crisis WASHINGTON―Of the 2,900 babies born last year in Cabell County, West Virginia, 500 had to be weaned off opioid dependence.

In Ohio, counties are renting refrigerated trailers to store the mounting number of bodies of drug overdose victims.

In New Hampshire, hospitals have so many overdose patients they have to treat them in operating rooms and neonatal nurseries.

And in Palm Beach County, Florida, where President Donald Trump spends his weekends, 10 people died of overdoses on Friday alone, likely from a batch of

heroin tainted by fentanyl, a powerful, synthetic opioid pain medication.

After a decade and hundreds of thousands of deaths, the US opioid addiction crisis is entering a new phase. With the government finally cracking down on the free flow of prescription pain killers fueling the crisis, addicts are turning to heroin pouring in from Mexico.

And towns, cities and states are being overwhelmed.

More than 33,000 people across the country died in 2015 from opioid overdoses, up 15.5 per-

cent from 2014. That equated to a record 10 overdose deaths for every 100,000 people -- 10 times the level in 1971, when the US government declared its “War on Drugs” after a surge in overdoses.

But whereas six years ago four out of five overdose deaths came from prescription painkillers like oxycodone and hydrocodone, now heroin and heroin-fentanyl deaths account for about half.

In Cabell County, the overdose death rate was about 30 per 100,000, not even the highest in West Virginia, the state hit hardest by the addiction crisis.

Lawyer Paul Farrell last week filed suit for Cabell and a neighboring county, Kanawha, seeking damages from drug companies for dumping massive amounts of addictive opioids into the state, fueling the addiction epidemic.

“My community is dying on a daily basis,” he said. Every sixth baby born locally suffers from neonatal abstinence syndrome, in which a mother’s addiction is passed on to her child.

“The hospital has to rock these babies 24 hours a day as they scream their way through addiction,” Farrell said. AFP

The rich flavors of seafood come together in this mouthwatering dish

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

FOOD

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017

D1

Everyday meals

to remember E

VEN if the holidays are over, every day can still be a feast worth celebrating with dishes and masterpieces that not only delight families, but also help bring out and year-round cheer around the dinner table.

Give your loved ones a hearty and tummy-filling experience with Crispy Menudo Lumpia and Seafood Lasagna Roll-ups, all whipped up using Hunt’s Spaghetti Sauces.

Crispy Menudo Lumpia

Make the crunchy fried lumpia dish even more delightful with this hearty filling.

Ingredients:

2 tbsps. cooking oil 5 cloves garlic, minced 1 red onion, minced 1/4 kg ground pork 250 g Hunt’s Spaghetti Sauce Pinoy Party Style ½ cup water 2 pcs. bay leaves 1 tbsp. soy sauce 1 carrot, diced 1 potato, diced 1 can liver spread 3 pcs hotdogs, diced ½ cup frozen green peas Salt and pepper to taste 10-15 pcs. square lumpia wrappers 2 pcs. egg whites

Procedure:

Start off by sautéing garlic and onions. Add pork and cook until lightly browned. Add Hunt’s Spaghetti Sauce Pinoy Party Style, water, bay leaves and soy sauce, bring it to a boil. Simmer, then add carrots and potatoes.

Cook until liquid is mostly reduced. Mix in liver spread, hotdog and green peas, and cover for 2-3 minutes. Next, season with salt and pepper to taste, then set aside and let cool. Spoon 2 tbsps of menudo over one lumpia wrapper, roll, and secure the edges by brushing with egg whites. Finally, deep-fry until golden brown.

Seafood Lasagna Roll-ups

Make mealtimes truly memorable with this shrimp-layered and crab sauce-filled lasagna dish.

Ingredients: Shrimp

Filipino’s favorite dishes menudo and lumpia join forces in this filling recipe

- ¼ kg shrimp, peeled and deveined - Salt and pepper to taste - 1 tsp. paprika - 1 tbsp. calamansi juice - 2 tbsps. olive oil White crab sauce - 2 tbsps. butter - 5 cloves garlic - 1 white onion - 2 cups cream - 1 cup crab meat - 2 tbsps. parsley, chopped - 8-10 pcs lasagna noodles Red sauce - 2 tbsps. olive oil - 1 red onion, chopped - 5 cloves garlic, chopped - 250 g Hunt’s Spaghetti Sauce Parmesan Cheese - 2 tbsps. basil, chopped Assembly - 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated - Basil leaves for garnish

Procedure:

Start by seasoning shrimp with salt, pepper, paprika and calamansi juice. Cook shrimps in olive oil for 1-2 minutes on each side, butterfly-cut each shrimp and set aside. Meanwhile, add butter to the same pan where shrimp was cooked. Sauté onion and garlic, add the cream and simmer until thick. Mix in the crab meat, cook for about 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper.

Turn off heat and mix in parsley. Set aside.

Next, sauté onion and garlic over medium heat. Add Hunt’s Spaghetti Sauce Parmesan Cheese, simmer until thick and season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and mix in basil. Set aside. Finally, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Set aside.

To assemble, lay lasagna noodles flat on a large surface. Spread about 3 tbsps. of the

white crab sauce on each and top with pieces of shrimp, while leaving an inch at the top of each lasagna noodle empty. Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top (about 1 tbsp. each). Roll each lasagna noodle while securing the filling inside. Spread half of red sauce at the bottom of baking dish. Place all the lasagna roll-ups on top of the sauce, seam-side down. Keep the lasagna rollups close to each other to prevent unraveling. Spoon-in the remaining red sauce. Top with more mozzarella and parmesan cheese and bake at 190C for 30 minutes. Garnish with basil leaves.

Simply satisfying, definitely delicious, but oh so easy to make—these dishes are a sure-hit for every home. Surprise your family and learn how to prepare these and other mouthwatering Hunt’s recipes by visiting BiteSized.ph on Facebook.

To learn more about the brand, visit its website at www.yummyhunts.com/

Life

D2

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

A Spicy Affair THE JOYCE OF EATING JOYCE BABE PAÑARES

I

N A 2011 CNN poll on the World’s 50 Most Delicious Food, Indonesian dishes beef rendang and nasi goreng took the first and second spots, respectively, besting Japan’s sushi, Thailand’s tom yam goong and pad thai, Hong Kong’s dim sum, and China’s Peking duck.

Rendang or dry curry traces its origin to Padang or West Sumatra province.

The beef is stewed in coconut cream and spices until splendidly tender. Nasi goreng, on the other hand, literally means fried rice. As Indonesia’s national dish, it can be found everywhere from high-end dinner parties to street hawker carts. The stir-fried rice is made flavorful with kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), shallots, garlic, tamarind and chili, and is served with egg and a choice of main meat of either chicken, prawns or salted dried fish.

At Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, you can enjoy authentic Indonesian dishes as part of its latest culinary series, Flavors of the World. Spiral restaurant flew in Chef Pradipta Bayu Primaputra of Hotel Pullman Jakarta for this limited epicurean engagement.

“The dishes represent heritage recipes from Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi and Bali,” said Chef Pradipta, a native of vibrant Jakarta who previously worked with Ritz Carlton Doha and the capital’s most prestigious catering company and provider of choice for culinary requirements for dignitaries and state visitors, Culture Royale.

The spiciness of the dishes offered at Spiral is toned down so as not to alienate guests who are not into that extra chili kick. Chef Pradipta, however, compensated by serving three kinds of sambal of increasing degree of hotness. Sambal is also a cornerstone of Indonesian cuisine, combining spices, fruits or vegetables with a variety of chili peppers. Because of the humid climate and volcanic soil, vegetables and spices are found in abundance in Indonesia. Dried spices such as coriander seeds, cardamom pods, cumin seeds, cloves and nutmeg are used every day in many dishes.

The Indonesian station of Sofitel’s buffet spread includes satay (tasty marinated meat on skewers grilled to perfection with a mix of exotic herbs

For feedback, send comments to joyce.panares@gmail.com

Chef Pradipta Bayu Primaputra of Hotel Pullman leads the team at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila in coming up with authentic Indonesian dishes for the first leg of its Flavors of the World series.

Indonesian dishes nasi goreng and beef rendang have been voted as the top two most delicious food in a CNN poll in 2011.

Salmon in taliwang sauce, gado-gado and baby fish in dabu-dabu sauce

Gastronomic experience THIS year, Palazzo Verde, located along Daang Reyna, Vista Alabang, Las Piñas City, makes days more memorable than ever with good food and enchanting ambience.

Undeniably one of the most romantic events venues in the metro, Palazzo Verde encompasses more than 2.3 hectares of lush, vibrant gardens. This events place is not only a top choice for weddings and unions, but also for life’s other milestones.

Palazzo Verde offers majestic ceremony venues: the Notre Dame De Vie Chapel, the Gazebo Garden, and the Grand Conservatory.

Meanwhile, the Buckingham Palace-

and bathed in a hearty dose of peanut sauce); noodle dishes such as the spicy mie goreng and the wok-fried vermicelli noodle and vegetables mix bihun goreng; and sup buntut or ox tail soup, which is delicious and filling, with tender meat and a flavorful broth that takes two days to prepare from scratch.

There is also gado-gado, which translates to “mix-mix” as you have to mix the vegetable salad (string beans, spinach, potato, corn, bean sprouts, cucumber, tofu and egg) with classic peanut sauce; soto ayam madura or yellow chicken broth with glass noodles and boiled egg; kambing guling or ovenbaked lamb with herbs; ayam taliwang which is Lombok-style spicy grilled chicken; the Sulawesi dish ikan dabudabu (deep-fried fish with spicy sauce mixed with fresh calamansi); and bebek betutu or roasted duck Balinese style.

For dessert, Spiral has es tebak, which is similar to halo-halo but consists of shredded avocado, jack fruit, ice and milk; kolak pisang or stewed banana in brown sugar served with sliced fruits; and eis chendol, which features shaved ice, tropical fruit, coconut milk and pandan-flavored jelly made from mung bean flour.

Next month, Sofitel will treat its guests to the flavors of Thailand in time for the Songkran festival (April 18 to 20) followed

by South American cuisine from June 13 to 20. The whole month of July is dedicated to French gastronomic offers with guest Michelin-starred Master Chef Daniel Galmiche while flavors of India will take the centerstage from Sept. 11 to 24.

inspired Colonial Ballroom, the two Byzantine gardens, and the two royal Victorian gardens can either be ceremony or reception venues.

Ideal for both intimate and grand events, Palazzo Verde has settings for events with guests ranging from 150 to 500.

Other features include hilltop and pocket gardens—perfect for taking romantic photos.

Palazzo Verde also has a gondola, horse-drawn carriages, dance panels, and suite rooms—amenities that can make any occasion truly unforgettable.

For table reservations, call (917) 870-3838 or email info@palazzoverde.com.ph.

B REWS

AND SIPS

Costa Coffee’s Mocha Latte offers a perfect taste of espresso, milk, and chocolate Chefs Rolando and Jackie Laudico have prepared five-course meal at Palazzo Verde

Latte

with a chocolaty twist GET your caffeine fix with just the right amount of Mocha Italia espresso, smooth milk, and rich, hot chocolate for a more decadent finish. That’s what’s the buzz is all about when you order a cup of Costa Coffee’s new Mocha Latte.

There are three flavors to choose from: Classic Chocolate and Coffee, Chocolate Hazelnut and Coffee, and Chocolate and Mint.

Making handcrafted coffee is what Costa Coffee baristas do best, whether it’s the new Mocha Latte, Flat White, Cappuccino, Corto or Frostinos. There is so much passion in what they do; you can actually taste the love that goes into every cup. Costa Coffee believes that better baristas craft better coffee.

Do check out their handcrafted coffee and pair them with new food Palazzo Verde is one of the most romantic events venues in the metro

items such as Cream Cheese Melt, Banana Hazelnut Crossini, Ham and Cheese Croissant, Brookie (Brownie + Cookie) and Crusted Cheesecake with Chocolate Chips.

Visit Costa Coffee branches at Robinsons Place Manila, Robinsons Place Antipolo, Robinsons Selections Venice Grand Canal, Tera Tower Bridgetowne in Q.C. One World Place Bldg. in Bonifacio Global City, Citywalk 1, Eastwood City, The Block, SM North Edsa, Robinsons Supermarket Robinsons Galleria, and UP Town Center.

Opening this April is Costa Coffee’s flagship store on the 2nd level of Robinsons Galleria sporting the latest Costa Coffee look.

Like Costa Coffee on www.facebook. com/CostaCoffeePH

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017

KC wants estranged parents to be friends, again

Boogie wonderland with EWF

Earth, Wind & Fire original member Al McKay (center, seated) with EWF tribute band, EWF Experience

B

RINGING back the glorious sounds of the ‘70s and ‘80s through the hits of the iconic Earth, Wind & Fire (EWF), Al McKay’s EWF Experience will be at Resorts World Manila’s (RWM) Newport Performing Arts Theater, 8 p.m. on March 27.

Original EWF guitarist, Grammy award winner and multi-platinum artist Al McKay has performed with the group for more than 25 years and has proven that the EWF Experience is more than just a tribute act as it blends the essential EWF chart toppers with the original sound of the veteran funkpop ensemble.

The group’s global success is of course centered

ABS-CBN Corporation, the country’s leading media and entertainment company, emerged as the most awarded TV network in the 52nd Anvil Awards, raking in a total of six triumphs in various categories for its campaigns across business units, including SKY Cable Corporation, which took home the Gawad Jose Carpio: Excellence in Reputation and Brand Building Management.

SKY won one of the highest and most coveted Anvils for its 25th anniversary campaign, “The Silver Sky: Paving the Road to Stronger Bonds and More Meaningful Connections with the Filipino Family,” which celebrated the connections that SKY’s content was able to build with Filipino families.

ABS-CBN Global won a Gold Anvil for its Vote4ASelfieWorthyPH campaign, which encouraged Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to vote in the 2016 Elections by anchoring on the selfie phenomenon to make OFWs realize that their vote can make a difference to make the Philippines more “selfie-worthy.”

Its digital terrestrial television service, ABS-CBN TVplus, was also honored with a Gold Anvil for its effort to introduce new innovations that feature quality content to Filipinos at home.

The company’s internal

on the veteran McKay’s expertise spanning five decades of great music. McKay played with EWF for eight years spawning hits such as “September” and “Sing A Song,” which he co-wrote with original EWF vocalist, the late Maurice White and has also collaborated with R&B royalties such as Ike and Tina Turner, Sammy Davis, Jr., Andy Williams. Isaac Hayes and The Emotions, among others.

With the EWF Experience, McKay is joined by a roster of prominent studio and road musicians including Tim Owens, DeVere Duckett, Claude Woods, Freddie Flewelen, Ben Dowling, Dean Gant, Anthony Beverly, David Leach, Ed Wynne, Luis Gonzales, Omar Peralta, and Justin Kirk who all continue to keep the fire of funk and the EWF vibe burning to this day.

Making waves in their recent world tour, the Al McKay’s EWF Experience continues to showcase the same intensity and showmanship as the iconic original. According to a Rolling Stone magazine

Kapamilya reaps Anvil Awards

WINNER. The people behind ABS-CBN Global's Anvil winning campaign, "Vote4ASelfieWorthyPH" communications campaign, “Kapamilya Hottie 2016: The Search for the Next Kapamilya Fitness Ambassadors,” was recognized as well with a Silver Anvil for promoting fitness among employees by putting

the spotlight on employee fitness ambassadors through its intranet site, e-Frequency.

Meanwhile, OTWOLISTA.com, an interactive site launched by ABSCBN’s Digital Media Division, for

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, March 20, 2017

ACROSS 1 “... borrower ___ a lender be” 4 Angus Young’s band 8 Yuck!

11 Keep under wraps 12 Shoe part 13 Stride 15 In a short time 16 Sea World orca 17 Racing sled 18 Rhine nymph 20 Discernment 22 Precincts 24 Mousetrap bait 25 Applies paint 28 What embers become 30 Whale’s diet 31 Minstrel’s instrument 32 Oz pooch 36 So far 37 Alligator pear 40 Moving truck 41 Health resorts 43 Without — — to stand on 44 Overhead honkers 46 Grinding tooth 48 Fake bullets 49 Outback maker 52 Like Georgia

review, “Al McKay has turned the page of Earth, Wind and Fire, but today he perpetuates the funk tradition with his own band”.

Expect to dance to more hits like “Boogie Wonderland”, “Fantasy”, “Let’s Groove”, and “Shining Star”, and sing to timeless ballads as “Reasons”, “Every Now and Then”, and “After the Love is Gone”, plus more.

Experience the one-night only concert at RWM with the Dine and Watch promo that gives you 20 percent off for a show and dining package. Get a show ticket with P400 food voucher honored at selected RWM signature restaurants and valid for one year at only P7,600 for SVIP; P6,800 for VIP; P6,000 for Premier; and P 5,200 for Deluxe.

For more information on the Dine and Watch promo, contact the RWM Sales Department at 0917-8728751 or 0917-8728309. For regular show tickets, visit the RWM Box Office and at Ticketworld outlets or call the Tourist/Visitor Hotline at (632) 908-8833.

Brown 54 Walden Pond dweller 56 Armchair adjunct 60 Orient 61 Coat racks 63 Kitchen staple 64 Ponder 65 Everglades wader 66 Wrist-to-elbow bone 67 Fictional collie 68 Whiskery animal 69 Make lacework DOWN 1 El — (ocean current) 2 Skunk’s defense 3 Extension 4 Plant parasite 5 IRS form expert 6 Half, in combos 7 Chewed noisily 8 Least attractive 9 Estimate 10 Fair-weather systems 11 Greer or Holbrook 12 Tech-support callers 14 Pierre’s head 19 Clapton classic

21 23 25 26 27

Hen or mare Cup holders The — the limit!

Trial run Meter maid of song 29 Just for guys 31 Kinks’ tune 33 Baker’s need 34 Small job 35 Small bills 38 Appraises 39 Gawks at 42 Stung 45 Goes for pizza,

say (2 wds.)

47 Natural resource 48 Brutal person 49 Wineglass part 50 Self-mover’s rental (hyph.)

51 — nova 53 Potter’s device 55 Try to influence 57 Earthen jar 58 Small change 59 Campground initials 62 Time span

fans of its 2015 hit series On the Wings of Love with James Reid and Nadine Lustre, clinched a Gold Anvil for giving Kapamilyas an ultimate content experience that extended beyond television.

WHETHER the planned reunion movie of Megastar Sharon Cuneta and Gabby Concepcion pushes through or not, what’s important for KC Concepcion is for her estranged parents to finally become friends in real life.

“Of course, it will be great to see them on the big screen after a very long time. After all, they are one of the local ‘biz’s most popular love teams of all-time. Their fans will surely get delighted. It will be one momentous event,” she says.

As their daughter, how does she feel about the possibility of seeing them work together in a grand silver screen project?

“Honestly, I will feel a little awkward. Imagine, you’ll be watching your biological parents sharing the screen in 2017! And their last film as a screen tandem was in 1992 (Tayong Dalawa) when I was still young. But as I’ve said, it’ll be a grand treat for their fans!”

KC is confident that Sharon and Gabby won’t treat each other as enemy no matter what happens.

“Well, it’s because I’m here. I will always be their bridge being their only daughter. All I wish is for them to really become good friends eventually. For me, that’s the most important thing.”

As for her own love life, she admits everything is smooth-sailing at present between her and Azkal player Aly Borromeo.

“It’s a very positive relationship,” KC relates. “Of course, you have to look for a partner who is your perfect match---someone who won’t drain or tire you in the process. It’s essential that he is happy with your success. Aly is like that, the reason why my mom is vocal in saying that she likes him for me. He is spiritual as well which is one of my foremost considerations.”

Does it help that they are in different fields?

“Yes, I think it does. He’s busy with football while I’m pre-occupied with my showbiz commitments. What matters is that he understands the demands of my job in show business and vice-versa. In the world of sports, Aly is also a celebrity in his own right. I guess, we have a perfect balance!”

Many are curious if wedding bells are in the offing.

“When it comes to that, all I can say is that only time can tell. Let’s see what the future holds for the both of us,” KC ends. ******** Lauren Young is happy being a Kapuso. In fact, she just inked another three-year contract with them.

“Yes, it’s another three years,” she avers.

“This 2017 is actually my fourth year with GMA. So far, so good. With them, work is consistent!”

How can she compare her stay in GMA with that of ABS-CBN? “You know, I will never, ever say anything bad about the Kapamilya network because that was my first home and that’s where I learned how to act and learned how to do everything that I know now. But I guess it’s just… I feel like it’s in GMA where I need to be right now.

This is where I’m comfortable right now. And I just really enjoy it here!”

After doing the remake of Marimar with her sister Maegan Young, Lauren is in the new GMA afternoon drama series titled Legally Blind with Janine Gutierrez.

“That’s right! Directed by Mr. Ricky Davao, we’re so happy because it’s doing well on its time slot. Apart from the consistent high ratings, we also get positive feedbacks from the viewers, story and acting-wise. All of us are very pleased with this development. Hope the public will continue to support the show because we have lots of surprises in store for them in the coming days,” Lauren states.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017

Accepting their recognition from Readers Digest executive are (from left) senior news anchor Mike Enriquez, broadcast journalist Jessica Soho, and television host Ryan Agoncillo

Filipinos trust Kapuso personalities more G

MA NETWORK won the ISAH V. RED most awards at the 2017 Readers Digest Trusted Brands Awards with Jessica Soho, Mike Enriquez and Ryan Agoncillo voted as the most Trusted Personalities in the country.

The Kapuso Network also received a Platinum Award for being the most Trusted TV Network as well.

It was the seventh award for Soho, the second for Enriquez and the first for Agoncillo who said it was the most special recognition he has received in his career.

“This has to be the most special (award) to date, because Miss Jessica, and Sir Mike were my bosses when I was still in public affairs. I think I was just 19 or 20 back then and I really look up to them,” Agoncillo told Manila Standard in an interview after receiving the award.

“The fact that it was from Readers Digest, a magazine I grew up reading, and to be able to share the stage with my former mentors, it really means a lot. It’s not just an award that takes into account what you have accomplished on TV, but more importantly because it means you were voted by the readers because they TRUST you. At a time when there are a lot of people on TV making a lot of noise and voicing out their thoughts, it feels really good to know that you are trusted, he added.

Wife Judy Ann Santos, whom he referred to as his “lovely date,” accompanied him.

“I’d like to thank my lovely date for tonight for coming with me thank you very much Ms. Judy Ann Santos. It’s an effort when you have three children already to dress up like this,” Agoncillo joked.

Enriquez on the other hand emphasized the importance of the event to all the awardees. “There is something that binds all of us in this room together. We all depend on Trust—from the consumers and our audiences. Without trust we are all nothing, the veteran broadcaster said in his speech.

“At a time when media is under threat, it matters where you get your news. So this (award) is very much appreciated and a humbling experience,” Soho said of her seventh consecutive award Now on its 19th year, the Trusted Brands Survey has become a benchmark in the industry for recognizing the brands and services Filipinos trust, above all others. It also honors the country’s most trusted personalities with the TV news Presenter, Radio News Presenter, and Entertainment/Variety Show Presenter category.

This year the RDTB awards added six more categories, to reflect the changes in the market and recognize the new brands that have made an impact on the consumers buying habits.

Among the new categories added to the Trusted Brands awards are Bakery/Pastry Shop; Dog Food; Remittance Center; Pawn shop; Coffee Shop/ Café; and Optical Shop.

Ryan Agoncillo during his acceptance speech for his first trophy from Readers Digest Trusted Brands Awards

Seasoned news anchor Mike Enriquez thanks Readers Digest for recognizing him for the second time as a trusted personality

“For nearly two decades, we have been surveying consumers in major markets across Asia such as the Philippines, to ask them about the brands they believe and expect to provide premium value and exceptional service,” notes Sheron White, Group Retail and Advertising Sales Director Reader’s Digest Asia Pacific.

“These respondents are not only composed of Readers Digest subscribers but also of random consumers and we rely on their answers as to which brands deserve their loyalty, support and most importantly their trust. Not only have we learned which brands consumers follow, but more importantly how important trust is in the hearts of people across Asia.”

“As such, being included in this prestigious list is a huge endorsement and one the winners should be very proud of,” Sheron added.

Trust and influence While certain brands sign famous celebrities to create a buzz about their products, the recipients of the Trusted Brand awards have gotten the endorsement of the most important people of all—their loyal consumers.

Much like loyalty, trust is something not easily measured by trends or likes on social media. Brands have to work for it for many years and goes hand-in-hand with a good reputation and delivery of customers’ expectations. It emerges out of the very best consumer experiences, and is achieved only by truly understanding your customers and not by mentions and hashtags.

“Trust is that emotion that helps us in making our final decisions whether we are conscious of it or not—it is that intangible quality that we associate with reliability and integrity. Whether it is a product or service, trust is what reassures us that we are making the right choice,.

“The Reader’s Digest Trusted Brand mark has become a trusted recognizable symbol globally. And we are honored to announce the winners of the latest survey, who will now be able to use this badge of recognition for 2016 to help consumers make the right choices,” Sheron said.

Platinum Trusted Brand Awards were given to brands that performed exceptionally, winning their category with a score that vastly outpolled their nearest competitor.

Platinum award winners included ABS-CBN and GMA Network (TV Network); Boysen (Paint); Carrier(Air Conditioner); Century Tuna (Canned Tuna); Executive Optical (Optical Shop) Magnolia Chicken (Fresh/ Frozen Poultry); Monterey (Fresh/ Frozen Meat); Pilot (Pen); PLDT Home (Landline Phone Services); SM Supermalls (Shopping Center/Mall); Uratex (Mattress); Mercury Drug (Drug Store/ Pharmacy) LBC Express (Airfreight/ Courier) Gold Trusted Brand Awards were given to brands that scored significantly higher than their rivals.

The Gold award winners include; Acer (Personal Computer); Asian Eye Institute (Eye Center); BDO(Bank); Baguio Oil (Cooking Oil); Bounty Fresh Chicken (Fresh/ Frozen Poultry); Camella Homes (Property Developer); Citibank (Credit Card Issuing Bank); Citibank (Personal Loans); Condura (Air Conditioner); Condura (Refrigerator); Goldilocks (Pastry/ Bakeshop); Insular Life (Life Insurance); Healthway(Ambulatory/ Multi-specialty Clinic); Ideal Vision (Optical Shop); Hi-Precision (Ambulatory/ Multi-specialty Clinic); LBC Express (Remittance Center); Manulife (Investment Fund Company); Panda(Pen); PLDT Home DSL (Broadband Services); San Marino Corned Tuna (Canned Tuna); Sharp (Washing Machine) and Whirlpool (Washing Machine).

Recipients of the Trusted Brand awards were given a Trophy and will be allowed to use the globally recognized Trusted Brand Logo in their marketing collaterals and merchandising materials.