Manila Standard - 2017 March 29 - Wednesday

PH, China okay sea talks

By John Paolo Bencito

VOL. XXXI • NO. 47 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

CHINA has agreed to enter into a bilateral mechanism with the Philippines to resolve disputes in the contested waters of the South China Sea, Malacañang said Monday.

Following the courtesy call of Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Ji-

anhua to President Rodrigo Duterte at Panacan, Davao City, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said the two countries agreed to further strengthen cooperation on the handling of the South China Sea dispute, defense and capacity building, infrastructure financing, and anti-poverty and anti-illegal drugs camNext page paigns.

Mindanao assured of P3.5-b US projects THE US government has pledged more than P3.5 billion in various development projects in Mindanao in the next few years, a statement released Tuesday by the US Embassy in Manila said.

These include the efforts to build the Roll-on, Roll-off or RO-RO Nautical Highway, which will connect the cities of Davao and General Santos to Bitung in Sulawesi Island, Indonesia.

The statement said the bilateral partnership has expanded from cooperation on counterterrorism, child protection and piracy, to a broader domain of economic development in Mindanao.

At the luncheon meeting of the American Chamber of Commerce- Mindanao, US Ambassador Sung Y. Kim also conveyed the US government’s support for “the vibrant US-Philippine ecoNext page nomic relations.”

Mines closure to hurt tax efforts—Tetangco

By Julito Rada and Anna Leah E. Gonzales THE suspension and closure of mining companies ordered by Environment Secretary Regina Lopez will affect the economy, particularly the tax collection which is essential for implementing the government’s development projects, Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said Tuesday.

“It has implications on the taxes collected by the government,” Tetangco said at the sidelines of the Management Association of the Philippines’ general membership meeting in Makati City.

“This can [also] affect the implementation of the programs of the government,” he said.

He made the statement even as the Mining Industry Coordinating Council will finish next week the Next page

CHERISHED GIFT. President Rodrigo Duterte looks with regard at the painting of him and his partner Honeylet Avanceña and their daughter Veronica as it was presented to him Monday at the Presidential Guest House in Davao City by Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua as a birthday gift. Malacañang Photo

EU hits Du30 remarks Drive out Speaker to critics: Pull trigger, give your best shot Requires PH envoy narco-pols to explain from polls

By John Paolo Bencito —Palace and Sara Susanne

By John Paolo Bencito NARCO-POLITICIANS should be kept out of local politics, Malacañang insisted Tuesday following President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to end the terms of all barangay officials and replace them with his appointees.

“I suppose the President’s intention is to keep them [barangay officials] out of active politics,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said when asked about the status of the President’s crackdown on the politicians in his drug list.

He said the postponement of the barangay elections was a Palace priority.

Duterte had reiterated a claim he made last year that 40 percent of all the barangay captains in the country were involved in drugs based on police intelligence.

He postponed the barangay elections scheduled in October last year, saying many barangay officials were included in his list of personalities involved in the illegal drug trade and that it had only been five months since the last general elections in May 2015.

The regional police directors last received the copies of Duterte’s “narco-list” in January, with the police getting the go-signal for their distribution.

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“PULL the trigger and give your best shot,” Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said Tuesday following the rumors his critics wanted him replaced after he purged the House members who voted against the death penalty bill that was passed last month.

Alvarez has also filed a graft complaint against Davao del Norte Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr.

following an allegedly anomalous deal between the government and Floirendo’s Tagum Agricultural Development Co. or Tadeco.

He accused Floirendo of having an unlawful business interest while serving as an elected official.

Alvarez is from Davao del Norte’s first district while Floirendo, the biggest campaign donor of President Rodrigo Duterte, comes

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte and Moro National Liberation Front Chairman Nur Misuari on Monday tackled possible scenarios for Mindanao in a federal form of government, including the creation of three states for Christians, Muslims and highlanders.

The idea of having three states in Mindanao in a federal form of government was devised by MNLF

In a statement, Tadeco said the allegations its deal with the Bureau of Corrections was grossly disadvantageous to the government was entirely false.

Alvarez said he was optimistic he would remain Speaker when the House sessions resume on May 2 from a month-long Lenten break and up to the end of Duterte’s term.

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when the areas become independent, the issue is how to bring them back into unity,” Cerveza said.

Although the President has said he wants to lead the country into a federal system, political leaders are uncertain about what kind of setup will be adopted.

Cerveza said it was also uncertain what would happen to Misuari and his future in a federal sysNext page tem in Mindanao.

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Disbar-Ombudsman bid lacks basis—high court

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the disbarment case filed against Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales because she could only be removed by impeachment.

“The Ombudsman is part of the short list of public officers

T

HE European Union summoned the Philippine envoy based in Brussels to explain President Rodrigo Duterte’s “unacceptable” comments that he would be happy to hang foreign officials who oppose his antidrug campaign and the reinstatement of the death penalty.

who may be removed only by impeachment,” the high court ruled.

The case was filed by losing senatorial candidate Greco Belgica, but the magistrates said his complaint had no basis.

Belgica had accused Morales of violating the Lawyer’s Oath and the Canon of Professional

ordnance briefing regarding France-based FDS Mines and Unexploded Ordnance Risk Reduction Project Manager Markus Schindler who turned over a ‘school bell’ as replacement of an old Japanese ‘bombshell’ hitherto known as ‘airdrop weapon.’ Mark Navales

spokesman Absalom Cerveza.

Cerveza was officially in Misuari’s party, but failed to attend the meeting due to health reasons.

Other topics that Misuari and Duterte could have discussed is the establishment of four federated states comprising Mindanao, Visayas, South Luzon and North Luzon, Cerveza said.

“In the federal form of government, the modality of dividing… could easily be managed, but

Fabunan

In Manila, EU Ambassador Franz Jessen slammed Social Welfare Assistant Secretary Lorraine Badoy for suggesting that the EU just engage in child pornography “because that’s what they’re good at.”

The EU also denied Duterte’s claim that it wanted him to put up “shabu clinics” where addicts could get their fix, similar to the “supervised injection sites” in several countries in Europe.

“This afternoon, the European External Action Service asked the chargé d’affaires of the Philippines, Mr. Alan Deniega, to come to the EEAS this afternoon for a meeting with Deputy Secretary-General Jean-Christophe Belliard, as we wanted to receive an explanation for the recent, unacceptable comments of President Duterte,” EU spokesperson Maja Kocijancic said in a statement.

The move came after the President again lashed out at the EU last Friday for criticizing his anti-narcotics crackdown that resulted in the death of thousands of drug suspects.

ORDNANCE ORIENTATION. Pupils at the Malapag Elementary School in Carmen, North Cotabato attend Tuesday bombs and unexploded

Misuari camp pushes federal shift

By Francisco Tuyay

from the second district.

The graft complaint arose from the joint venture agreement between the Bureau of Corrections and Tadeco. Alvarez claims a 25-year lease contract signed by Tadeco and the bureau was grossly disadvantageous to the government.

Tadeco on Tuesday denied allegations it was ill-treating and exploiting its workers.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

Palace, DTI’s Lopez assail New York Times editorial “It’s beyond the scope of the NYT to be able to make comments like that,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said.

Abella insisted that some individuals, including politicians, had paid the US-based publication to carry out its “demolition work” against the President.

“It seems to be orchestrated ... who would benefit from that? Who has rational links,

I would not speculate on that, but somebody would be benefitting in that situation,” he added.

In an editorial piece titled “Accountability for Duterte,” the newspaper urged Manila’s trading partners to follow the European Union’s example of threatening to revoke trade privileges to hold Duterte accountable for his alleged support of the killings in his war against drugs.

But in a statement, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the “editorial calling for trade sanctions against the Philippines is baseless and unfair.”

Echoing the Palace’s sentiments, Lopez said that “there are no extrajudicial killings and human rights are not being violated in the government’s campaign to cleanse the country of drug elements.

The government does not sanction the killings that are occurring, mainly due to actions by criminals and drug syndicates to purge their ranks. While some drug elements have been killed during police operations, this is a result of the criminals fighting back with force and leaving our police force with no recourse but to protect themselves.”

EU...

Among the DSWD’s key concerns is the protection of children, including those victimized by the sex industry.

But Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo defended Badoy, saying that the issue “has been twisted out of context and sensationalized.”

“Asec. Badoy loves children and cares about their welfare, so to even imply that she trivializes the issue is unfair and misleading,” Taguiwalo said.

“She is an outspoken critic of social injustice, and we have no doubt as to her stand against child pornography.”

Taguiwalo likewise raised that it is “unfair” to question Badoy’s personal character “because of one sarcastic sentence she wrote in her own social networking page.”

The Palace, meanwhile, defended the President, and told the EU not to meddle in the country’s affairs. It also bragged of “excellent” relations with the EU despite Duterte’s recent tirades.

Duterte lashed out at the EU Friday for raising human rights concerns in his war on illegal

drugs, and claimed in a speech that the EU proposed “a healthbased solution” to the drug problem that involved dispensing methampetamine, also known as shabu, cocaine or heroin.

He branded the alleged EU proposal a “government-sponsored idiotic exercise.”

He also criticized the EU for raising concerns over a plan to reimpose the death penalty.

“I will just be happy to hang you. If I have the preference, I’ll hang all of you,” Duterte said in an arrival statement after his visit to Myanmar and Thailand.

“You are putting us down. You are exerting pressure on every country with the death penalty.”

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said the President’s remarks should be taken in the context of “non-interference with national, sovereign affairs.”

He added that Duterte’s statement should not be taken literally.

“I’m sure by this time we understand it’s more than being literal. Basically, he speaks of an attitude of emphasizing that we should be left alone to be able to

By John Paolo Bencito

T

HE Palace on Tuesday cried foul over an editorial piece by US daily The New York Times calling on Manila’s trade partners to hit the government “where it may hurt the most”—by suspending trade incentives and impose tariffs on Philippine goods.

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Without mentioning Duterte, the EU Delegation to the Philippines issued a statement saying it has not “suggested, discussed, proposed or considered the use of any substitution drugs when treating addiction to methamphetamine... or any other drug addiction in the Philippines.”

Contrary to Duterte’s claims, the EU said that they are working with the Health department and the Dangerous Drugs Board, in cooperation with the World Health Organization, in implementing a pilot program addiction recovery in select barangays.

In a post on Facebook, Badoy of the Department of Social Welfare and Development said EU officials who criticize Duterte should “just do online child porn” because “that’s what you’re good at, anyway.”

In a text message, Jessen said: “The issue of child pornography is extremely serious and a grave crime. It should be addressed in a serious and responsibly manner.”

Lopez also noted that the number of deaths reported, many of these are categorized by the Philippine National Police as Deaths Under Investigation, or deaths that don’t involve police operations. The government does not condone these.

“That’s why we believe the accusations made by the US broadsheet is based on unverified media reports, and is creating a general perception that there are extrajudicial killings taking place in the country.

There is no such thing in the country.”

The Trade secretary said that the Philippines “is verging on an economic breakout, pointing out that business confidence is high, with investor confidence more than 34 percent.

“The confidence is there,

as evidenced by the record high foreign direct investments at $7.9Bn in 2016 or 44 percent higher than previous year. The Board of Investments also reported a 21 percent hike in registered investments, and the foreign investments part of it during the second half of 2016 [under Duterte administration] posted much higher growth rate versus previous semester and versus same period in 2015 indicative of the foreign investors’ confidence in the Philippines and how conducive the business environment is in the country.”

He ended his statement by saying that “any form of trade sanction against the Philippines is uncalled for, unfounded, and undeserved.”

do our part,” he said.

Abella said that the relationship between EU and the Philippines remains “excellent.”

“In fact, they offered rehabilitation centers, which is sociotherapy-based. They also have European businessmen over here.”

“However, the European Parliament seems to be creating its own brand of noise. Basically, if you’re talking about relationships with Europe, our relationships are quite solid and economically based,” he added.

The Palace official also took back Duterte’s claims that it was the EU that suggested that the Philippine government should put up “fix rooms.”

“I clarified this. The European Union itself is not offering that particular therapy program.

However, there was a European nation that apparently offered technical assistance along that line, which we have not taken up,” he said.

Abella would not say which country that was, however.

“Let’s leave it alone,” he said.

The EU is currently reviewing

whether the Philippines can still qualify for trade incentives that are pre-conditioned on compliance with international agreements, with a monitoring team arriving in the country for an assessment of the country’s trade perks under the Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP+).

The Philippines, which was given preferential status under the European Union-GSP+ in December 2014, allows the Philippines to export of some 6,000 eligible products to the EU without duties.

Also on Tuesday, Vice President Leni Robredo said she wanted to discuss the “palit-ulo” scheme with Interior Secretary Isamel Sueno, despite his denial that such a scheme existed.

In her video message to a side event of the annual meeting of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Robredo said palit-ulo was a scheme by which police would take a member of the family if a drug suspect could not be found.

The government has denied using this scheme in its war on drugs. With Rio N. Araja

PH,...

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“He conveyed that China looks forward to the convening in May 2017 of the first meeting of the bilateral mechanism set up to properly handle the SCS issue,” Abella said.

“Through this bilateral mechanism, mutual trust and maritime cooperation will be forged and misunderstandings will be avoided,” he added.

Duterte is set to visit Beijing during the One Belt One Road Summit in Beijing in May 2017.

During the meeting, the Chinese envoy also expressed its determination to work with the Asean “in finalizing the Code of Conduct Framework on the South China Sea middle of this year.”

Duterte had earlier vowed to finish within the Philippine chairmanship the final crafting of a framework for a legally binding “code of conduct” among members of the Association of South East Asian Nations and China as he stressed the need to maintain peace and stability in the region.

The Philippine leader, who chairs the 10-nation Association of South East Asian Nations this year, likewise insisted the need to respect for freedom of navigation and overflight within the disputed waters.

In the same meeting, Beijing expressed its readiness to implement the memorandum of understanding it signed with the Philippines during Duterte’s visit last year on the joint coast guards patrolling in the disputed waters, Abella said.

Also discussed during the talks were the implementation of infrastructure grants by China to the Philippines and the donations for anti-poverty programs and anti-illegal drugs operations, Duterte’s spokesman said.

Discussions on the code between China and Asean, four of whose members—the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei—have claims in the South China Sea that overlap those of China, have taken place for over a decade already, amid the lingering tensions in the waters.

Mindanao...

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Misuari...

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“We have our own proposals on federalism, but it is a long process as to whether it would be adopted and remains to be seen until the modality... is perfected,” he added.

“I don’t think it will be set up during Duterte’s term,” Cerveza said.

The Palace said the meeting between Duterte and Misuari went well, with both reaffirming their commitment to bring last-

Drive...

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But none had been heard from the authorities on the government’s crackdown against the barangay officials identified in the drug list.

Mines...

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vetting of those who will join the team that will review the operations of the mining companies.

Finance Undersecretary Bayani Agabin said the members of the MICC had agreed to form a subcommittee that will vet the members of the technical team.

“We start as soon as we can and we set ourselves a deadline of three months and we’re going to pursue that target,” Agabin said.

“We agreed within the body to act really fast and so the agreement by next week will try to fin-

ing peace in conflict-torn Mindanao.

“Basically it was a reaffirmation of the importance of securing just and lasting peace and development for Mindanao,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella told reporters in a Palace briefing on Tuesday. “It was warm, cordial and positive.”

Misuari was accompanied by his wife Tarhata and son Abdul Karim in the meeting, which took place at the Presidential Guest House in Davao City on Monday night.

In the past, Duterte had ex-

pressed his intention to talk with Misuari on the administration’s effort to change the form of government to a federal system.

The first time Duterte, as president, met Misuari was in November last year in Malacañang.

The MNLF leader faces rebellion charges for the Zamboanga siege in 2013 where at least 200 persons were killed.

Misuari’s arrest warrant was temporarily suspended by the court last year and this enabled him to travel from Jolo to the Palace in Manila.

The US State Department had earlier questioned the “accuracy” and “legitimacy” of Duterte’s “narco-lists,” saying the government had not revealed the source of this information.

Asked what the Palace had done to pin down the barangay officials in the narco-list, Abella said the Justice

Department had yet to initiate prosecution against those officials.

“I’m sure they can take the initiative,” Abella said.

“This particular move to postpone the barangay elections is what the President has said again and again to make sure they won’t enter active politics.”

ish the vetting process and with that we hope that the team having been finalized, then we hope that they can start as soon as they have been chosen.”

On Feb. 2, Lopez ordered the closure of 23 mine sites and the suspension of the operations of five mining firms across the country. A week later, she ordered the cancellation of 75 mineral production sharing agreements that were still in the preoperation stage that the government had forged with the mining companies.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III earlier warned it would take five years to cover the government’s revenue shortfall from the mining clo-

sures and suspensions.

At a caucus of the Commission on Appointments committee on environment and natural resources, Dominguez told lawmakers they would have to look for more revenue sources to cover the shortfall.

Dominguez had said the review of the mining operations in the country by the Mineral Industry Coordinating Council would push through despite Lopez’s bid to suspend it due to legal issues.

Lopez had previously asked President Rodrigo Duterte to suspend a Cabinet oversight body’s review of her decision to either close or suspend 28 mines while the legality of such a review was

Speaker...

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“They can go ahead and unseat me, make my day. I have no problem about that,” Alvarez said.

“I did not ambition for this post and I will do my very best for the nation, even if this would mean risking my post.”

Many lawmakers were disgruntled after Alvarez purged the House leaders, including Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, for their “no” vote on the death penalty.

So far, 12 lawmakers including Arroyo, who held the position of deputy speaker, have been replaced after House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas declared their seats vacant on March 15. Maricel V. Cruz, Rio N. Araja and Anna

Leah E. Gonzales

Responsibility after she dismissed the graft case filed against former President Benigno Aquino III in connection with the Disbursement Acceleration Program.

But Supreme Court spokesman Theodore Te said the magistrates cited several decided cases where they repeatedly said that a member of the Bar who holds office that may only be removed by impeachment may not be charged with disbarment during his or her incumbency.

under question.

Lopez reiterated in a memorandum that Executive Order 79, which called for the creation of the MICC, delegated review powers on the mining industry to the Environment Department not to the MICC. Tetangco said it would be better for the government to announce the name of the next central bank governor at the soonest possible time.

“I think the name of the successor should be announced as early as possible. In my case it was actually earlier. February of the same year. The earlier, the better,” Tetangco said.

Tetangco was first appointed in 2005 and reappointed in 2011.

By July 2, 2017, Tetangco would be completing his 12 years as central bank governor.

“There are some from within the BSP, there are some from outside the BSP. But there’s no decision yet at this point in time. As the President said, he’ll be basically relying on the recommendation of the DoF [Finance Department],” Tetangco said.

Some of the frontrunners for the position are Deputy Governors Diwa Guinigundo and Nestor Espenilla Jr., East West Banking Corp. president and chief executive Antonio Moncupa Jr., and former Trade secretary and monetary board member Peter Favila.

Disbar-...

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The ambassador said in honoring Women’s History Month, the embassy through the US Agency for International Development supports a training program for women in net-weaving.

The woven abaca rope finished product is used to reinforce the natural vegetation fiber in preventing erosion and landslides along the roadways in Ramon Magsaysay, Zamboanga del Sur. This will strengthen economic ties and generate increased revenues and savings on exports, the statement noted.

The ambassador also cited a few concrete examples of Philippines-US economic cooperation, including the business process outsourcing industry in which US-based clients generate an estimated 40,000 BPO jobs in Mindanao.

Cargill, a US agricultural corporation, exports P7.5 billion worth of coconut oil every year, much of which comes from Mindanao, supporting tens of thousands of Mindanao farmers, the statement said.

Together with its partners GIZ and BASF, Cargill has trained more than 1,000 coconut farmers since 2011 on improving agricultural practices, it said.

The statement said 300 small farmers from the region have been certified to produce the world’s first Rainforest Alliance certified copra, raising their incomes by 15 percent.

Nash B. Maulana

News

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

De Lima ‘violated jurat rule’

By Rey E. Requejo

S

ENATOR Leila de Lima’s petition before the Supreme Court might be dismissed— for what a magistrate hinted Tuesday was a violation regarding duly notarized “jurat” where a petitioner must personally appear before a notary public.

During the continuation of the oral arguments, Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco hinted out this possibility after he noted that the detained senator violated the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice when she submitted a notarized petition to the SC without personally appearing before the lawyer who notarized it.

Velasco cited the affidavit of notary public Maria Cecille Tresvalles-Cabalo who admitted the petition had been signed by the senator when it was given to her by her staff.

Cabalo, in her affidavit, said while she was already familiar with De Lima’s signature, she still asked for a government issued identification card to compare the signatures.

However, Velasco stressed that under Section 6 of the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice, the person must personally appear before the notary public to personally subscribe to her document.

The Court rules required that a jurat should be attached on the petition filed by De Lima.

The jurat is an act where an individual appears in person before the notary public and presents such instrument or

document.

Said person, who must be personally known to the notary public or identified by the notary public through competent evidence of identity, signs the instrument or document in the presence of the notary and takes an oath or affirmation before the notary public as to such instrument or document.

“So, the petition was already signed at the time she met Senator De Lima. She did not sign the petition before the notary public,” Velasco observed.

“From the very affidavit alone [of the notary public Atty.

Maria Cecille Tresvalles-Cabalo], there was non-compliance of our 2004 Rule on Notarial Practice,” Velasco pointed out.

According to Solicitor General Jose Calida, with a falsified jurat, De Lima’s petition was good as not having been filed and therefore should be dismissed.

Appearing as counsel for respondents Muntinlupa City RTC, Philippine National Police and Department of Justice, Calida asked the SC justices to dismiss De Lima’s petition, assailing the validity of the warrant of arrest and stop her trial for drug trafficking charges.

FOR EFFICIENCY. Department of Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Denis Villorente (center) Tuesday with the government’s partners for the implementation of a new GovCloud project, a public service cloud infrastructure aimed at setting up systems and services that would enable efficient operations. Lino Santos

Palace mum on how to evict settlers

By John Paolo Bencito THE Palace on Tuesday remained mum on how it would act on President Rodrigo Duterte’s orders to evict families authorities said illegally occupied idle government housing units in Bulacan.

“Let us leave it to proper authorities,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said, when

pressed for the government’s plan against the occupants.

Duterte earlier said the protest dubbed as the “Occupy Pabahay” would not be tolerated, and warned that force might be used to settle the dispute, but his official mouthpiece thought otherwise.

“The NHA [National Housing Authority] has exercised patience. Let us hope the

Kadamay will be faithful to their contract. Let us not use force,” Abella told reporters.

This, even after the NHA has agreed to backtrack on its eviction notice and must now look for ways to accommodate the nearly 6,000 who occupied various relocation sites.

Gloria Arellano of the urban poor group Kadamay said: “This initial victory has come from the

bravery and strength of the urban poor Filipinos who have been holding their ground for nearly a month. Collective action amid the worsening crisis of poverty and housing is more just than ever.

“The poor are powerful and our demands will not be denied.

Eviction is one thing, we will continue to push for free and mass housing for all urban poor Filipinos as a matter of right.”

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Opinion

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Loose tongues

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T A time when everybody seems keen on outdoing himself or herself, an assistant secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development has gone too far in defending the administration to which she belongs.

Social Welfare and Development official Lorraine Marie Badoy, in a Facebook post, exalted President Rodrigo Duterte’s early lead in TIME Magazine’s survey of the 100 most influential people in the world.

The polls opened Friday and will close on April 16.

Badoy pointed out that Duterte leads other global celebrities such as Pope Francis, Russian president Vladimir Putin, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

She also cited a survey that said nine out of 10 Filipinos approved of the way he is running the country.

“Nothing and no one can stop it right now,” Badoy gushed. “He [Duterte] is beloved.”

She could have stop there. She said: “Wrap your dim minds around that, you clowns.”

She aimed her stinging words at

the President’s critics: Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, who filed an impeachment complaint against Mr. Duterte, and Vice President Leni Robredo who told the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs that Filipinos were hopeless and helpless living under Mr. Duterte’s war on drugs.

She described the men as snotty children, and Robredo as having a singsong voice and a creepy smile.

She told them to join a knitting club or bake red velvet cupcakes instead.

What took the cake, however, is her message to the European Union officials who criticize the President’s methods: “Just do online child porn.

That’s where you’re good at, anyway.”

Badoy’s brand of sarcasm has gone viral and has only done much to bring down the conversation to the gutter, even as sarcasm is normally seen as a thinking man’s humor.

Stating facts would have sufficed.

Then again, this is the Duterte era.

Anything goes.

We wished Badoy were just a vociferous social media personality—but she is not. She represents an agency of government tasked with ensuring children do not fall victim to predators in any form.

We know she is joking, of course.

But there are some things that should not be joked about—not even in her desperate attempt to show her fierce devotion to her infallible president.

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

How 8990 became the largest home builder

Trillanes’ trap LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES IT’S just dinner, for crying out loud. It’s not the end of the Yellow world as we know it.

Sometimes I wonder if the people who claim to be allies of Vice President Leni Robredo are not actually preventing her from becoming a productive member of government, instead of remaining just a perennial critic supported by taxpayers’ money.

Their response to the reported invitation by President Rodrigo Duterte for Robredo to have dinner in Malacañan Palace is a perfect example of the refusal of her supporters to even consider an end to the debilitating and energy-sapping partisan squabbling that has been the hallmark of Philippine politics for ages.

Senator Antonio Trillanes, for instance, urged Robredo not to break bread with Duterte, warning that this could be a “trap.”

Trillanes said that the invitation could end up like Robredo’s joining the Duterte Cabinet, which resulted in the vice president’s quitting after she was told to stop attending meetings in Malacañang.

But to me, Trillanes’ warning sounds more like a demand for Robredo to remain a thorn on Duterte’s side, just like he is, until the end of his term. In Trillanes’ twisted world, there can be no peace with Duterte, even if the entire country goes to hell.

The senator’s position is actually classic Yellow, an ideology which neatly divides the country into those who have bought into the worldview of the Aquino family and its various hangerson and those who haven’t, who are (in their view) beyond political salvation. In other words, Trillanes is testing Robredo’s faith in the somos o no somos policy of the Yellows—and her decision to accept or to decline a simple dinner invitation could be used as a barometer of her fidelity to the cause.

Duterte, of course, is nothing

if not the antithesis of Yellow political practice. While it is true that he and Robredo have had a very public falling out over the vice president’s decision to become the president’s chief critic and de facto leader of the opposi-

Leni’s decision to accept Digong’s invitation could be used as a barometer of her fidelity to the Yellow cause. tion even within the Cabinet, he is still apparently willing to seek a common ground and to work for a higher purpose with her, thus the dinner invitation.

I have time and again criticized Robredo’s various actions since

she assumed office. I was among those who applauded her decision to leave the Cabinet, since she cannot seem to decide if she wants to be a government critic or a partner of the administration in working towards its goals.

I don’t think Robredo will suddenly become a “Dutertard” after a mere dinner, is what I mean. But I understand that, as president, Duterte must still try to convince Robredo that they should work again together if they both want the country to move forward.

However, I see no trap being laid for Robredo, who is after all only being asked to have dinner and not being offered marriage by the president. (That salty joke

by Duterte about Robredo marrying him if she wants power is just another of those zingers we’ve come to expect from the President—even the Yellows don’t fall for those throwaway lines anymore.)

I only see an offer of friendship and perhaps a political rapprochement between the top two officials of the land, who are,

while estranged, both facing impeachment charges. The choice of accepting the offer of mending fences is really Robredo’s.

Robredo can succumb to the Yellows’ call of remaining Duterte’s chief critic and salivating successor in office, refusing to share anything with him, not even a simple meal. Or she can act like she can actually go beyond politics and listen to what the President wants to say this time, after the breakup.

Now, it would be different if Trillanes was invited to sup in Malacañang. If Duterte’s claims of the senator’s exploits as a former putschist are at all true, the Presidential Security Group should keep close watch on the palace silverware the moment Trillanes sits down at the table. *** Robredo has not said yes or no to dinner with Duterte. But she has shown signs that she may be soon be easing up on the criticism, if her radio interview with broadcaster Ted Failon yesterday is any indication.

Turn to A5

IN TODAY’S column may I excerpt from a lecture delivered at Ateneo Graduate School of Business, March 16, 2017 by JJ Atencio, president and CEO of 8990 Holdings, the country’s largest home builder: “It’s really more fun in the Philippines when you consider a nation of 7,107 islands with 175 dialects, each with their own distinctive cuisines; a young population of 104 million, 13 million living in Metro Manila and 4 million overseas Filipinos responsible for foreign currency remittances totaling P3 billion in 2016, raising per capita incomes to $3,500, achieving a GDP growth of 6.5 percent every year for the past 15 years.

But it is also the country, where 50 percent of adults do not own any kind of property, a housing backlog of 5.5 million growing 5 percent every year, and a housing industry that can only produce 250,000 homes annually. You know right away that something is amiss, or that you realize a great potential in a market that is severely underserved.

In our 13 years as 8990, we’ve grown from one branch in Cebu to 8 across the nation, 49 completed projects and 18 ongoing, we’ve delivered more than 50,000 housing units, making us the largest homebuilder in the affordable housing space in the Philippines today.

Behind this growth is a vision that’s way bigger than the business. I’ve always believed that in order to be successful in mass housing, you’ve got have a sense of mission, because there are easier ways to make money in real estate, honestly. When we started 13 years ago, we wanted to run a business that was not only profitable, but also had tremendous social impact. We are continuously driven by the idea that housing is not about houses, it’s about people, and how we use housing as a vehicle to transform people’s lives for the better.

Eighty-two percent of our market are primary or first-time home buyers who want to stop renting and move up the social ladder to become property owners paying a monthly amortization.

Fifty-eight percent of our buyers are young. Without a doubt, the new and emerging market for affordable housing are millennials.

That means while these young, tech-oriented, information-driven Filipinos have adequate cashflows for housing, and will have increasing income levels as they get older, they don’t have the savings for a huge downpayment today. To be successful today is to tap into the Turn to A5

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Opinion

SANTA Banana, here we go again, in the fourth round of peace talks between government and the National Democratic Front and the Communist Party of the Philippines, with their armed insurgent group, the New People’s Army.

The negotiators are scheduled to meet for the fourth time, this time in Norway.

So will they finally agree to have peace or will the communists impose impossible conditions? They previously demanded that all 400 political prisoners be released.

The Reds are reportedly set on declaring their own ceasefire, preparatory to the peace talks, during the first week of April. The President seems ambivalent because he still would want to meet with security officials and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. I believe this is necessary.

President Duterte says that unless the communists accept his conditions, there will be no fourth round of peace negotiations.

Among the conditions of the government is a bilateral ceasefire agreement, stoppage of extortion activities by the NPAs, the release of all hostages the NPAs continue to hold, the opening of so-called NPA territories where the government force cannot go, and the stoppage of ambushes on government forces and raids on military and police camps.

So can the communists comply with these?

The next question now is, can the communists comply with all these conditions, especially to stop the communist insurgents’ collection of “revolutionary taxes?” Many of them have become bandits—in the guise of espousing the communist ideology.

That’s why many political analysts believe that peace negotiations with the Reds is next to impossible.

The only recourse of government is to continue its allout war against the communist i n s u r g e n c y.

Their ideology is a thing of the past.

In Russia, China and Vietnam, communism has turned into capitalism. It is only in the Philippines where a homegrown communist movement has existed for decades now.

The first mistake the Philippine government made was to make an entirely domestic problem like the communist insurgency an international affair. Why conduct the peace talks abroad?

All things considered, I’m not optimistic that the fourth round of talks between the government and the communists will ever amount to anything. My gulay, peace should never be attained at all costs! *** Malacañang should not easily dismiss the New York Times’ publication of what is happening to the Philippines in President Duterte’s war on illegal drugs and alleged violation of human rights. The Palace claims it is all part of a well-funded demolition job by those out to oust the President. A reporter came to the Philippines to analyze what’s happening in Davao.

This implies the prestigious and influential American publication can be bought.

The Times is read by policy makers worldwide. Now it calls on the country’s trade partners to hit the government where it may hurt the most by suspending trade incentives and impose tariffs on Philippine good.

The New York Times is also calling on the country’s trade partners to hit the government where “it may hurt the most”—by suspending trade incentives and impose

tariffs on Philippine goods. It urged Manila’s trading partners to follow the European Union’s example of threatening to revoke trade privileges and to hold President Duterte accountable for his alleged killings in his war against illegal drugs.

Malacañang should understand that what the New York Times is saying is also in the minds of world leaders. I believe the President should listen to what the world is saying about him.

While the majority of us Filipinos may agree on the need to stop the country from becoming a narco-state, it’s also important to note outside voices are heard.

Santa Banana, the President must realize that the problem of illegal drugs and criminality can be traced to the high incidence of poverty and joblessness.

Illegal drugs is a worldwide phenomenon. It can be minimized but not totally eradicated. The President’s vow to end illegal drugs and to kill the last pusher can never be achieved; so long as there is that demand for illegal drugs, cartels and syndicates from abroad will always be willing to supply that. *** The plan of the President to have barangay executives end their terms by further postponement of the barangay elections scheduled anew this coming October is a dangerous move. Many of these barangay executives are allegedly in the President’s narco-list of politicians.

My gulay, to have executives in the barangay level beholden to the President is not the way to make the country drug-free. To make political patronage the norm in the barangay level is as dangerous as having officials involved in illegal drugs.

The move is also unconstitutional.

The Constit ution is clear on the need to elect barangay executives at the local level. Thus, if Mr. Duterte wants to appoint barangay officials, the Constit ution must be amended. And this can only happen once there is a move to end the Constitution.

The quandary of Congress is now how to amend the barangay law and the further postponement of the barangay elections.

“Abangan,” as the saying goes. *** Because of space constraints, I failed to mention these other billionaires, whom I know personally, who are in the list of 14 Filipinos in the Forbes list.

One of them is John Gokongwei, a Cebu trader, who went into diversified businesses and became one of the largest conglomerates.

The other billionaire I know personally is David Consunji, who prospered in his construction business, and then diversified into mining, property development and power.

The third is my good friend Manny Villar, who has housing projects nationwide, now also going into power and other diversified businesses.

There are the Ayalas—Jaime and Fernando—who are well-known in banking, land development and property development and diversified businesses.

There’s also the husband and wife team of Lucio Co and his wife, Susan, who were my friends when they were struggling. Now, they are in retail and banking.

Finally, there are the Aboitizes, who are low-profile, but known to be billionaires in power, banking and so many other businesses.

All these billionaires have one common denominator. They know their corporate social responsibility. May their tribe increase.

Trillanes’...

From A4

forum of the UN; saying that she meant “extrajudicial killings” instead of drug-related deaths is just making too fine a distinction.

Robredo also insisted that she had no regrets in making the videotaped speech, which could form the basis of a new and more substantial impeachment complaint against her when Congress reopens in May. And she wished that Duterte, who celebrated his birthday yesterday, would enjoy good health and have a successful presidency.

But she didn’t say anything about the dinner. Maybe she wants to take it really slow and have coffee and an informal chat with Duterte first—assuming the Yellows backing her will allow even that.

The communist ideology is a thing of the past.

For the first time, Robredo spoke directly about the impeachment complaint filed by Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano against Duterte, saying that the move will only distract the government from its job. Of course, Robredo also said in the same breath that impeaching her would also have the same effect, but that was really to be expected.

And Robredo still lied when she told Failon that she never said that the 7,000 deaths she mentioned in a videotaped speech of hers played back recently at a United Nationssponsored forum were not drugrelated. She was, after all, giving a speech at an anti-narcotics

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Betrayal of public trust

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Will there ever be peace with Reds?

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO DETAINED Senator Leila de Lima lashed back at President Rodrigo Duterte as the one who’s guilty of betrayal of public trust for selling the country to China.

Claiming President Duterte had sold the country’s sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea and agreed to allow Chinese warships in Benham Rise, De Lima said accepting huge amounts of development assistance funds from China does not justify sacrificing territorial integrity. China is getting its fair share of trade when it sold millions of pesos worth of train carriages from the Chinese company Dalian to augment the short handed Metro Rail Transit. It could make more money with its offer to build two bridges across the Pasig River to ease traffic congestion on Edsa. The funding for two more bridges across the Pasig River is anidea whose time has come. The government, however, need not be too dependent on China. Funding could be sourced from other foreign governments, or

from the P73-billion annual revenue from mining if the industry is managed well, instead of closed down, by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

De Lima, a former Justice Secretary who’s facing drug-related charges, said Duterte’s verbal attacks against her is only a coverup for his own inadequacies and even more serious crimes. The President had called her “Satan’s Queen” but the senator has yet to turn the table on her tormentor on this latest tirade.

Did I hear someone say “I did not know Digong himself had crowned her as his queen?” Or De Lima saying “better to sleep with a driver than the devil himself?”

This piece is not in defense of De Lima. We leave to the proper court to decide her guilt or innocence in the serious drug-related cases during her watch as justice secretary. But until the court verdict is out, De Lima is still a senator of the realm. What she says cannot be taken lightly and dismissed by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez as the “ranting of someone who belongs in a mental institution.”

There’s much to be said of those who give free psychiatric diagnosis particularly if they are not

qualified to do so. There’s a thin line between those calling others as crazy and those really needing professional help themselves.

There’s much to be done by government to move this country forward instead of politicians fanning the toxic air of trash talk. At no time in the country’s political history has so much badmouthing, led by the President, been so pervasive. We did not hear or witness such vitriolic verbal exchange during the time of the Aquinos, Macapagal Arroyo, and Ramos. These past presidents conducted themselves in a demeanor that was at least civil. Even Erap with his colorful one-liners was never heard to say a single expletive during his shortlived presidency.

Nothing is sacred anymore as far as name-calling is concern. Pope Francis and former President Barack Obama were not spared from the expletives of a foul-mouthed president. Nearly every presidential press conference was laced with the “P…..i and kill” words. The result is that the intent and the message the President wants to convey to the citizenry gets lost in the torrent of cuss words. The worst part is that the people get used to such unpresidential and crude language.

How then can parents and teachers admonish children to watch their language when the country’s leader talks like a common street thug? In the old days, parents wash the mouth of kids with soap when they utter even just a single obscene word. So much for good manners and right conduct they have been thrown out of the window.

For his expletive-laden tirade against the European Union, the EU summoned Philippine Charge d’ Affaires Alan Deniega of the Philippine Embassy in Brussels to explain President Duterte’s foul language. Our CDA must be in a bind on how to explain his president’s conduct. No one, not even a competent diplomat like Deniega, can explain how this President behaves.

NYT editorial The New York Times in a recent editorial also took Duterte to task for his brutal war on drugs. The NYT suggested to hold Duterte accountable “where it hurts most” by suspending trade incentives and imposing tariffs on Philippine products.

That, however, would only drive Duterte even closer into the embrace of China and even farther away from the Philippines’ long and traditional allies like the US and the UK.

‘Sayang’ SO I SEE LITO BANAYO THIS article was written early yesterday morning. Events that would make this plea obsolete may have hopefully transpired between the time it was written and the time it sees print.

One front-page news item on Monday was the advice of Senator Antonio Trillanes addressed publicly to Vice President Leni Robredo not to accept the dinner invitation of the president last Saturday, during the graduation ceremonies of the Philippine National Police Academy.

Thus far, the Vice President has not publicly accepted the invitation; neither has she publicly declined.

It is one of those “pour la patrie” opportunities that the Vice President should not miss. She should graciously accept the dinner invitation, a grand gesture on the part of the President, a “bon mot.”

The political air these days has been quite toxic. Toxic for the major players, since both our President and the Vice President are major players in the politics of this country. Worse, it has been toxic for the nation.

A useless impeachment complaint has been filed against the President installed just nine months ago, after winning a stunning electoral mandate. His allies reacted by saying that they shall file an impeachment complaint against the Vice President as well, for embarrassing (shaming may be the more appropriate descriptive) the country before the international community.

The impeachment complaint

MAIL MATTERS

filed against the president by the party-mate of oppositionist Senator Trillanes will not reach first base in the House of Representatives. But it makes for good theater, clearly a publicity stunt meant to damage, dent perhaps, the President’s local popularity.

The five-minute script mouthed by the vice president on the international stage, whether she knowingly did it without comprehending its impact, or whether she was just “used” by desperate puppeteers, hoped to further damage the international reputation of a president who does not care for such to begin with because he is convinced he is doing what they look upon with opprobrium, justifying his “harsh” methods to “save the country and save the next generation of Filipinos.”

Was the Vice President “used”?

Did she, without realizing the negativity of it all, just agree? Or was she part and parcel of an insidious scheme to destabilize? These are matters that she could clear with the President in a private meeting.

Just when the economy is at a critical junction, when focus should be on sustaining the momentum of growth and making the fruits of such growth inclusive in a sea of poverty, the politics of the nation has become more toxic.

Let us not drop the ball on the cusp of greater things coming.

Publicly, the President has declared that the impeachment complaints against him as well as the Vice President ought to be stopped. Never mind the fact that he won by an overwhelming margin over the presidential candidate whom the Vice President supported in the last political exercise. Never mind the fact that she won by a squeaker over her closest political rival. The fact, as he adequately expressed, is that they both had an electoral man-

date, and this should be respected.

It was not so much worry about himself, for his numbers in the House of Representatives were legion. The same numbers could easily send the complaint against the Vice President to the Senate for public trial, as the previous president did with adverse enthusiasm against Chief Justice Renato Corona, who died with a broken heart.

The President clearly wants the political air cleansed of the vituperative toxicity which now engages the nation in useless debate.

His adversaries would say the administration started it with the cases filed against Senator Leila de Lima, who is now under detention. Yet everyone knows that the President’s adversaries started plotting from Day One of his administration, squirming against human rights violations which the President always justifies as necessary to save the next generation of Filipinos.

Unable to dent his massive popularity, with public research saying that people feel safer, and that his popularity remains high, his political adversaries and their puppeteers have gone to the international stage instead.

They have gotten the human rights watch organizations to condemn what they insist to be extrajudicial killings leveled “against the poor.” They have gotten a major newspaper to do a hatchet job on the President. They have gotten European parliamentarians to brazenly interfere upon the internal affairs of the nation, “demanding” that our justice system release what they call a “political prisoner” in the person of Leila de Lima, even as evidence has mounted that she, wittingly or unwittingly (that is for our courts to decide) participated in the horrendous drug menace that we

grapple against these days. And of course, though he is largely inconsequential as compared to the days when his idol the Cardinal Sin hugely imposed his presence in the political scene, Archbishop Soc Villegas wades in with his corny Edgar and Art fable.

And all these are happening in not-too-coincidental cacophony.

Still and all, President Duterte offers a bon mot, a grand gesture of reconciliation, to his vice president.

It would be “sayang” for her sake and for the nation more so, if she disdains his invitation to dine and talk.

In contemporary history, one recalls how the relationship between President Cory Aquino and Vice President Doy Laurel soured early on in her reign. Unlike Digong and Leni who come from two adversarial political camps, Cory and Doy challenged the giant Marcos together. Doy in fact played the “baptist” to the returning Ninoy who was mercilessly gunned down in the tarmac.

The antecedents of the Cory hostility upon Doy are too many for an article to do justice upon. Maybe some day I shall write about this chapter in our sad history from the vantage point of one who was very close to one of them.

Suffice it to say for the moment that there were mutual friends who tried to mend the personal and political fences, but they did not succeed. Things turned for the worse. And the country gained nothing out of the animosity between the top two leaders. It was, as a diplomat remarked then, “self-destructing.”

I just hope the Vice President sits down with the President and, together with him, clears the political air that divides rather than unites. Pour la patrie.

Otherwise, “sayang.”

Lopez story had erroneous details

THIS refers to the news article “Gina’s order favored family business” published in your paper on March 16. It quoted Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as saying that First Balfour was a “sacred cow.”

The story contained erroneous details, which could have been avoided if DENR Secretary Gina Lopez had the chance to refute the allegations therein before its publication.

Our records show that First Balfour or any name under which it operates has secured neither a Min-

eral Production Sharing Agreement nor an Environmental Compliance Certificate from the DENR for any quarry in Lobo, Batangas.

Hence, First Balfour was not operational and will not be operational in the near future for lack of a permit. The exclusion did not allow First Balfour to operate a quarry so there was no conflict of interest in this situation. Nevertheless, the DENR is committed to stop illegal operations reported to it, but the article says there were no such operations seen.

Moreover, the DENR is currently considering draft guidelines for the Environmental Impact Statement System that treats quarries in the same river system through a programmatic impact assessment that looks at cumulative data. It intends to ensure that the provincial governments granting quarry permits for quarries covering five hectares and below are aware of the available volumes and replenishment rates so that they do not grant permits in excess of what can safely be taken.

The exclusion was intended to be

issued together with the new guidelines but national infrastructure projects are in constant need of supply, and the new rules still requires consultations before issuance.

How...

in ways never thought possible, it’s about the courage to try new approaches, and the creativity to see new ways to solve people’s old problems. It’s about being a market disruptor. It’s about knowing the rules and then breaking them.

Our business model is anchored on the basic concepts of FAST delivery, CHEAP finance, and GOOD paying behavior.

FAST, CHEAP and GOOD. Have you ever heard of this theory before? In every product or service, there are three characteristics that consumers look for: FAST, CHEAP and GOOD. The reality is, however, you can only get two out three. Meaning: If it’s fast and cheap, it cannot be good.

If it’s cheap and good, it won’t be fast. And, if you want to good and fast, it won’t be cheap.

But just what if, you are able

to innovate your business model so that you could actually have a product that is all three? Fast, Cheap and Good?

At 8990, we’ve developed our building technology using precast monolithic panel walls that give us the capability to erect solid houses in as fast as eight days.

Then we developed our own inhouse financing program that offers the lowest equity and interest rate, and the longest terms in the industry, allowing our buyers to move in at the shortest time possible, with monthly amortizations that are the lowest and therefore the easiest to pay over the long term.

In the Tagalog context, the word CHEAP doesn’t mean “MURA”, it means “SULIT.” Our business model brings to reality our unique business proposition that low cost can also

mean high quality. We are able to build townhouses, single-attached units, 4-storey MRBs (mediumrise buildings), and high-rise condominiums that sell for below $35,000 per unit. It is a price that’s less than a good second hand SUV, or a monthly amortization equivalent to two cups of Starbucks coffee per day.

Using economies of scale, we are able to provide high value amenities such as wakeboard parks, basketball courts, impressive entrances, churches, swimming pools and clubhouses. And our buyers understand that for as long as their monthly amortization payments are current, they can use any of our amenities for free.

It’s not about “MURA”. It’s about “SULIT”.

From A4

millennial market, and we’ve got to know who they are, what they value, how they behave, and how they make their choices.

Key to this is communication.

Part of the core message is affordability. And so we must communicate this effectively. For millennials, it’s more about the HOW of things, not just the WHAT of it.

It’s giving them infographics that they can understand at a glance, and information that they can easily relate to. It’s about using social media, Facebook, Viber and Instagram, hand in hand with traditional fliers, brochures, billboards and tarpaulins.

This brings us to innovation. It’s about adding value to the business

MARLO MENDOZA Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Department of Environment and Natural Resources *** (The newsdesk stands by the story.)

biznewsasia@gmail.com

A6

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

Mariano again hits Aquino over sacada in sugar estate A

By Rio N. Araja

GRARIAN Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano hit out on Tuesday former President Benigno Aquino III for keeping silent on the recruitment of seasonal contractual sugar farmers, locally called sacada, from Mindanao at the Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac.

“Why is ex-PNoy mum on slave-like condition of sakadas in Hacienda Luisita?” Mariano asked, demanding that Aquino and the rest of the Aquino family answer the sacada complaints of unfair labor practices.

“The Cojuangco-Aquino clan has a lot of explaining why Central Azucarera de Tarlac allowed the illegal recruitment of some

1,000 sacada [workers] from Mindanao and subjected these sacada to slave wages and slavelike working conditions in Hacienda Luisita,” Mariano said.

“This problem has been festering since November 2016 and to this day, the Cojuangco-Aquino family has brazenly brushed aside efforts to remedy the situation,” he added.

He said the former president has “turned a blind eye and a deaf ear” toward the gross social injustice and violation of human rights committed by his family against the Mindanao sacada.

Former Tarlac congressman Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. told the media in January that Hacienda Luisita did not need to hire laborers, including cane cutters from Mindanao, because the estate has been using mechanical harvesters to cut and collect sugar cane.

Cojuangco is one of the owners of the remaining lands not covered by agrarian reform in Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac province.

But Mariano said a probe conducted by the Department of Agrarian Reform and Department of Labor and Employment proved

Cojuangco’s assertion to be false.

In August 2016, Agrikulto Inc. requested the recruitment agency Greenhand Labor Service Cooperative to procure on their behalf some 1,000 sugarcane workers or cane cutters to work in Hacienda Luisita with Agrikulto business manager Lito Laus signing the request letter.

Agrikulto Inc. is a whollyowned subsidiary of Central Azucarera de Tarlac, the biggest sugar mill in Central Luzon. The clan of the Cojuangcos-Aquinos and the Lorenzo family jointly own company.

Of the approximately 1,000 sugarcane workers recruited in Mindanao, some 160 sacada came from the province of Bukidnon.

They arrived in batches to Hacienda Luisita since the first week

of November 2016.

The Organisasyon sa Yanong Obrerong Nagkahiusa, a local affiliate of the Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura, affirmed a number of their member-farmworkers were recruited as cane cutters or sacada and transported to Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac.

“Many of the recruited [Mindanao tribesmen called lumad] were unable to read and write and were recruited through verbal agreements or upon endorsement of lumad chieftains,” DAR said.

Recruited lumad were promised a “Tarlac package” of a daily wage of P450 plus benefits, including free meals and lodging, plus travel to and from Hacienda Luisita. They were also promised P7,000 cash advance in three tranches.

Solon supports Red tack in talks

GRANT FOR CHILDREN. Japanese Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa shakes hands with Unicef Philippines Representative Lotta Sylwander after an agreement on Japan’s $6.2-million donation to the UN agency to support peace-building and education for conflict-affected children of Mindanao.

Witnessing the agreement are Acting Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo and Peace Process director Arvin Chua.

Customs to skip carry-on baggage

By Joel E. Zurbano CUSTOMS bureau personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport will no longer open or subject to inspection the carry-on baggage of arriving passengers unless it was marked “X” indicating it may contain taxable items.

The bureau, according to Naia Customs Collector Edgardo Macabeo, also designated two lanes—red and green—for passengers and crew of arriving international flights to choose where to exit.

The Green Lane is designated for passengers and crew who have nothing to declare or have no goods for purposes of import duties and

taxes, with goods that can be admitted free of import duties and taxes or do not carry any goods which are subject to import prohibition, restriction or regulation.

The Red Lane, on the other hand, is intended for passengers of international airlines with goods to declare for purposes of import duties or taxes, those with goods above the exempted Customs limits, or carrying goods or articles prohibited, controlled or regulated by several statues.

Macabeo said the new policy came on the heels of the first National Anti-Poverty Commission en banc meeting in Malacañang when President Rodrigo Duterte directed the Bureau of Customs

to refrain from opening the luggage of passengers arriving in the country.

He, however, said if the luggage has a marking of “X” after going through the X-ray scanning “we will ask the passenger to open his or her luggage for inspection because it may contain illegal drugs, guns or even highly taxable items.”

Republic Act 10863, otherwise known as Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, states in Section 420: “Conditions for Physical Examination: This section allows physical examination: No. 1) If directed by the Commissioner, No. 2) the goods are subject to alert order, and

No. 3) there are controversies surrounding the declaration.

Macabeo explained there were times that passengers with something to declare passed the Green lane to avoid paying taxes but alert examiners who are experts in “profiling” caught them and asked the passenger to open their luggage for a thorough inspection.

If the examiners found taxable items, the passengers will pay duties and taxes with corresponding additional charges for misdeclaration trying to commit smuggling.

Arriving passengers on international flights who have nothing to declare will no longer be required to fill out a Customs Declaration Form.

SC fines retired judge over CCP rental case

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has imposed a fine of P500,000 against a retired Pasay City Regional Trial Court judge after finding him guilty of gross ignorance of the law, undue delay in rendering an order and evident bias and partiality despite strong grounds for his inhibition.

The SC found retired Judge Pedro DL. Gutierrez, formerly of Pasay City RTC, Branch 119, guilty of gross ignorance of the law, undue delay in rendering an order, and bias and partiality.

The P500,000 fine would be deducted from his retirement benefits.

The SC imposed the fine against the Pasay City judge after the Court of Appeals on Nov. 11, 2013 ruled that Gutierrez have committed grave abuse of discretion when he issued a writ of preliminary injunction in a civil case involving an expired lease contract between the Cultural Center of the Philippines and one of its tenants.

The appellate court held the lease contract itself would have shown, at first glance, that the tenant “was not entitled to the writ, even without a full-blown trial.”

Despite the pronouncements of the

Court orders detention of Matobato DAVAO CITY—The Regional Trial Court of Panabo City issued an arrest warrant against supposed death squad hit man Edgar Matobato and Sonny Custodio over a kidnapping case in 2002.

The court order was issued on March 27 by Presiding Judge Dorothy P. Montejo-Gonzaga of Branch 4. The court did not grant bail for the two accused.

“No bail bond is recommended for the provisional liberty of each accused in the above-entitled case,” the court ordered.

The kidnapping was supposedly perpetrated against alleged international terrorist Sali Makdum, who was living in Island Garden City of Samal along with his family.

Makdum’s wife filed the complaint before the National Bureau of Investigation against Matobato and Custodio. F. Pearl A. Gajunera

NBI arrests 10 in human trafficking OPERATIVES of the National Bureau of Investigation-AntiHuman Trafficking Division have recently arrested 10 individuals in two separate operations for human trafficking and large scale illegal recruitment respectively.

On March 20, NBI-AHTRAD operatives arrested three suspects identified as Danica Bucaling, Mary Ann Buan and Jayvy Badeo for human trafficking.

In a subsequent operation on March 22, seven suspects identified as Marie Alvarez, Mercy Galedo, Crisanto Diroy, Joel Gallezo, Kristine Fernandez, Claudia Arnente, and Ramona Castro were arrested in Pasay City for large scale illegal recruitment.

Based on a formal referral from US authorities concerning a person who was offering under-aged Filipino girls for sexually-related shows online in exchange for certain amounts payable through money remittance centers, the NBI conducted an entrapment operation in Taguig City. Sandy Araneta

By Maricel V. Cruz A MILITANT lawmaker on Tuesday backed the government’s resumption of peace talks and rallied behind the working draft of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines on the Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms in the ongoing peace talks.

The NDF draft primarily pushes for “free distribution of land” to farmers and rural industrialization as stated on Section 7, of Part I, Declaration of Principles, “the Parties realize the need for immediate common and separate/unilateral measures to undertake agrarian reform in order to dismantle land monopoly and to distribute land to the tillers for free.”

“We urge traditional farmers’ organization, irrigators associations, municipal, city and provincial farmers associations and rural-based groups to support the NDF Caser as it sincerely pushes for the welfare of poor peasants in the country,” Anakpwis Rep. Ariel Casilao said.

At the same time, Casilao urged officials of local government units in the provinces to support the draft agreement.

He stressed that the socioeconomic reforms agenda of the government—NDF peace talks is an opening for fundamental reforms in the country and to address the root causes of the armed conflict involving the New People’s Army.

“Majority of the NPA are farmers who were victimized by displacement, feudal and semi-feudal forms of exploitation, driven to bear arms to fight oppression and exploitation,” Casilao said.

IN BRIEF

appellate court and CCP’s repeated motions for his inhibition, Gutierrez proceeded with the case and even enjoined the parties to make a compromise agreement relative to the removal of the fence placed by the CCP outside of the leased premises.

He also granted the tenant’s motion for removal of the fence erected

by CCP, and denied anew CCP’s motion for his inhibition.

Because of this, the SC found Gutierrez liable for evident bias and partiality.

“Based on the foregoing, the respondent judge manifested ignorance as to the propriety or impropriety of issuing a writ of preliminary injunction,” the SC ruled.

The SC also found it “equally disturbing” the judge’s “stubbornness to cling to the subject case for unknown reason,” noting that Gutierrez inhibited himself from the case only on Nov. 25, 2014, or only after numerous motions for inhibition filed by CCP, the receipt of the SC Resolution dated June 2, 2014 which upheld nullification by the CA of Judge Gutierrez’s issuance of writ of preliminary injunction against CCP, and after the filing of the instant administrative case against him.

SCHOOLHOUSE FOR TACLOBAN. Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez hands a plaque of appreciation to Thai Ambassador Thanatip Upatising after Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn gifted a school building to Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ victims at Dagami, Leyte. Ver Noveno

Poll body improves privacy compliance

By John Paolo Bencito THE Commission on Elections has improved its compliance with privacy requirements after the controversial “Comeleaks” where hackers accessed the Commission on Elections database of over 70-million registered voter records last year, a National Privacy Commission official said Tuesday.

“If you ask me, the compliance of the Comelec has gone a long way from when it happened,” NPC Commissioner Raymund Liboro told reporters in a news briefing at Malacañang.

The Comelec’s measures to strengthen its safeguards against any future data leaks were being finetuned, including the appointment of a data protection officer, coming up of their own privacy management program, and an ongoing privacy impact assessment is already underway, Liboro said.

Organizational and physical measures to avoid any future possible data breach is already being implemented in the poll body, he added.

Last year, the group Anonymous Philippines defaced the Comelec’s website while another one, the LulzSec Pilipinas, accessed the Comelec’s database containing over 70-million registered voter records, both active and deactivated.

Robbers also broke into the office of the election officer of Wao, Lanao del Sur and stole a computer containing a copy of the national list of registered voters and biometric records, including photos, of all 55,000 registered voters of the town.

Despite appeals from the Comelec, Liboro said that they found sufficient evidence “to recommend, initiate proceedings against Comelec chairman Andres Bautista” for failing to implement then provisions under the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

Manila

Standard

Manila

Standard

TODAY

TODAY

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

Manila

Standard

TODAY

A7

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

M

Sta

DepEd, host Antique assure a safe ‘17 Palaro T HE safety and security of the delegates will be the priority of the Department of Education and Antique when the province hosts the 60th edition of the Palarong Pambansa from April 23 to 29.

This was the assurance made security in coordination with the

by Education Assistant Secretary police, armed forces and other Tonisito Umali on Tuesday at the concerned agencies.

Philippine Sportswriters AssociaAn estimated 12,000 delegates tion Forum at the Golden Phoe- from the 18 regions of the counnix Hotel, where he appeared on try will be headed to Antique for Tuesday with Cesar Abalon, head the annual sports conclave featurof the School Sports Division of ing the best elementary and high DepEd. school student/athletes.

Umali said their department “Safety and security are the top and the host province of Antique concern of the authorities, host will be beefing up the games’ province Antique and our SecreNOTICE OF DECREASE OF AUTHORIZED CAPITAL STOCK

tary (education) Leonor Briones,” said Umali, also the Palaro Secretary General, in the weekly public sports forum backed by San Miguel Corporation, Golden Phoenix Hotel, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and Accel.

Umali emphasized that security personnel will be stationed in Antique’s all ports of entry (air, land and sea) and strategic areas in the province. Uniformed men and women will be on board for each delegation transport vehicle. Police escorts will also be provided to the delegates and VIPs. Umali said a team of medical paramedics will also be stationed in strategic areas.

To avoid injuries due to the

summer heat, the education department, with proper consultation with the department of health, science and technology, is also planning to have a break in hostilities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“We are seriously studying the possibility for temporary stopping all field events during those period,” said Umali, who added that playing venues are compliant with international standards.

In fact, he said the DepEd central office has allotted an additional P30 million for the rehabilitation of some venues, aside from the P40 million appropriated by host Antique, and the P10 million financial aid from Philippine Sports Commission.

Velez, Madis earn tennis MVP honors NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC is hereby given by SAN CARLOS BIOENERGY, INC., a corporation duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, with principal addressDavid at SanVelez Carlos Ecozone, Barangays Palampas and Punao, bowed to No. 7 NiloSan Ledama of Pagadian, 6-0, 6-4, in JOHN and Tennielle Madis susCarlos City, Negros Occidental (the “Corporation”), that:

tained their form and nailed victories in emphatic the 16-U finals of the Group 2 tournament sponsored

by Palawan Pawnshop fashions1.asDuring they shared top honorsof inthe the Board Pala- of the meeting Directors of theand presented by Slazenger.

Corporation held on 18 May 2016 Pera in Makati City, atVelez which meeting a went on to bag the MVP and Madis also wan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Padala quorum wasCity present, at least age-group a majority of the members the Board honors inoftheir respective sides, duplicating their Kidapawan leg regional tennis of Directors approved the decrease in the Authorized Capital Stock feats in theMILLION Davao leg of the circuit backed by circuit the KC Tennis lastHUNDRED Monday. EIGHTY-EIGHT of the atcorporation fromClub TWO Asiatraders Corp. and the new Unified tennis DavaoHUNDRED City’s Velez, priming up for aPESOS three- (PhP288,850,000.00), EIGHT FIFTY THOUSAND led by PESOS PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilmonth training at the Tennis Philippine currency, to Macs TWO Crankit HUNDRED FIFTYgroup, MILLION (PhP250,000,000.00), Philippine currency, theToby’s passage and and B-Meg. Academy in Australia, overpowered John Son-withson approval thefor following resolutions: “These two young players have been reaping sona, 6-1, of 6-1, the boys’ 14-and-under crown of their while Madis crushed Reicy 4-1, 4-1,RESOLVED, to the fruitsthat “RESOLVED, AS Bentillo, IT IS HEREBY the hard work and determination to better each run away with the 10-unisex title. star get Authorized Capital Stock of The the rising Corporation shall be,inas it tournament. We hope their sucdecreased HUNDRED cess EIGHTY-EIGHT will inspire the other young players to strive fromhereby Mlangis,also held offfrom JilianTWO Manangking, Manila Manila MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS for more,” said PalawanStandard Pawnshop president/ 6-1, 6-4, to clinch the girls’ 12-U crown.

Standard (PhP288,850,000.00), Philippine currency, to TWO HUNDRED TODAY TODAY Castro.

Velez, however, failed to match Madis’ feat as he CEO Bobby FIFTY MILLION PESOS (PhP250,000,000.00), Philippine

Danna Abad, another emerging star from talent-rich Davao, also scored a twinkill, upending top seed Carlyn Guarde, 6-4, 6-1, in the girls’ 16-U finals and repulsing Minette Bentillo, 6-1, 4-6, 10-5, for the 18-U diadem.

Other winners were Sultan Kudarat’s Bentillo, who stunned No. 1 Sydney Enriquez, 6-2, 6-2, for the girls’ 14-U title; Heinz Carbonilla from Tubod, Lanao, who took the boys’ 12-U crown with a 6-1, 6-1 romp over Sonsona; and top seed Jose Maria Pague, who survived Klyde Lagarde, 3-6, 6-2, 10-4, for the boys’ 18-U diadem.

Abad and Bentillo also took the two other slots in the Aussie training camp as three-time champions in their categories of any grouping.

currency, at the par value of TEN PESOS (PhP10.00) per share.

Alcantara, pal 2nd place in Bahrain

“RESOLVED, FURTHER, that in accordance with the next preceding resolution, Article Seventh of the Articles of Incorporation shall be, as it hereby is, amended to read as follows: DAVIS Cup bet Francis Casey natjon Shofayziyev of Uz-

Bangkok, Thailand.

Alcantara “SEVENTH: and Zimbabwe’s bekistan, 7-6(2), 6-0, in the Boyoung Jeong shut out That the authorized capital stock of Benjamin Lock reached the Two semifinals.

Ma. Carmencita Carlos in the the corporation is Pesos: Hundred Fifty Million men’s (PhP250,000,000.00) doubles finals of the earlier out sec- first singles, 6-0, 6-0. in lawfulThey money of the eased Philippines, Common Shares with ond a parseeds value Anis of TenGhorbel Pesos of $15,000allBahrain Futures.

Then, Yeonwoo Ku gave per share, can be issued sold to, of Korea its second win--a 6-2, They(PhP10.00) put up a good fight,which Tunisia and JorgeorMontero irrespective of nationality, any individual or corporation, but eventually tookoraassociation 3-6, 1-6 Chile, 6-1, 6-2,and in the quarter- 6-4 victory over Alexandra partnership duly organized existing loss tounder the top-ranked pairor any final.

Eala.

Philippine laws other foreign laws. (As meetingMeanwhile, of the Boardthe of Directors Markusamended Erikssonduring and the Milos Philippines Jeong and Ku ended it by during the meeting of the Sekulic.on 18 May 2016 and ratified absorbed a 0-3 loss to Korea by turning back Carlos and stockholders on the same date.)”

Alcantara and Lock made in Group A in the ongoing Eala in the doubles, 6-1, 6-0. it to the2.championship round Juniorswith Tennis ChamThe Philippines is set to This Notice is being givenWorld in compliance the requirements for the beating Corporation’s application decrease of its authorized capital after third seeds for pionship Asia/Oceania Final meet India in its next game. stock. Fayziev and Shonig- Qualifying tournament in Peter Atencio Sanjar

LOTTO RESULTS

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

P0.0 M+ P0.0 M+

The Department of Education, Region IV-A, through the 2017 General Appropriation Act intends to apply the sum of Seven Million Eight Hundred Twenty Thousand Pesos Only made him a shoo-in for 3YO (Php7, 820,400.00) only being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to eligible Male Eclipse Champion. payments under the contract for the provision of venue for the Board & Lodging of the participants to the Regional Enhancement Training on Developmentally It’s quite likely thatAppropriate he’ll be Practices in Early Language, Literacy and Numeracy (Batch 2). Bids received in 2017 Horse Year. He cerexcess of the ABC per Cluster shall be automatically rejectedofat the bid opening.

THE HOARSE WHISPERER JENNY ORTUOSTE

RESERVE YOUR AD SPACE NOW!

The Juddmonte Farms-owned reminds me of Secretariat in the The Department of Education Region lV-A, through its Bids and Awards Committee colt broke theforstart un- 1973 Preakness—he (BAC), now badly invites at bids the herein-mentioned Goods. Biddersalso must broke have completed, within five Mike (5) yearsSmith, from the date “ submission and receipt of bids, last,ofmade a fast break at the first der regular rider a contract similar to the Project with an amount of at least 50% of the ABC to be bid. turn to the lead, and went and ran in dead during The description of anlast eligible bidder the is contained in take the Bidding Documents, i.e., on in Section ll, lnstructions to Bidders. Bids received that exceed the ABCof shall be rejected to win by a couple lengths. initial stages.

He started moving at bid opening *** up soon after on the outside of a Contract duration -------April 28, 2017 As - May I’ve4, 2017 mentioned several field, racing wide until he was times in my columns before, Bidding be conducted bidding.procedures usingthe a able to will shoot through through a hole open in competitive non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the lmplenrenting Rules and DWC usedknown to be the“Government “world’s the middle(lRR) of the pack halfway Regulations of Republic Act (RA) 9’184, otherwise as the Procurement richest race” and was billed as through theReform race.Act.” such proprietorships, until the Pegasus put up Downis the stretch, Arrogate Bidding restricted to Filipino citizens/sole partnerships, or organizations with percent (60%) interest or outstanding stock a $12 million purse. capital My sister, narrowed the at least gap sixty between belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country who worked in Dubai forcitizens, over a himself the rail, withgrant Gun the laws orand regulations of which similar rights or privileges to Filipino pursuant toracing RA 5183right and subject to Commonwealth Actpredicted 138. that the EmiRunner beside the decade, would try to atregain lost rail.

Arrogate pulled away may in beratis A complete set of Bidding Documents inspected or purchased DepED lV-A BAC final Secretariat, at Supply Office, Gate 2 Karangalan Cainta, RizalDWC upon prestige

by Drive, upping the the fewlocated meters, winning accomplishing a bidders information sheet and payment in cash of a non-refundable prize money.pesos I scoffed.

It turns the 2,000-meter raceinby fee by interested bidders theabout amounta of One Thousand (PhP1, 000.00) to the DepED Cashier. Only bidders who purchased the Bidding out she was right.Documents will be length andIV-A a half. allowed to submit bids.

Yesterday, it was reported by Gun Runner came in second It mayNeolithic be viewed third, or downloaded free of charge the website the Philippine The from National that ofSheikh Moand for a 1-2-3 Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS), www.philgeps.net, and the hammed bin Rashid, ruler of finish for American horses. website of the Procuring Entity, / www.depedcalabarzon.qov, provided that bidders shall pay the fee forvictory the Bidding in Documents later than the submission theirmake bids.

Dubai, “has pledged ofto Arrogate’s the not The schedule and venue of the procuring activities are as follows: $10 million Dubai World Cup the [DWC] the world’s most Activity Date and Time Venue valuable Supply raceOfflce-DepED once more…

(DWC) to the luster his 24,2017 lssuance adds of Bidding Fromof March lV-A , Documents - April 10,2017 8:00am to asked Gate 2 Karangalan When whether heVillage, would many recent victories, including 5:00pm (Mon. - Fri.) Cainta, Rizal purse of the World the 1,800-meter Pegasus World increase the Pre-Bid Conference March 29, 2017 - 10:00 a.m.

RDs Conference Room Cup to supersede the Pegasus Cup Invitational (G1) at GulfSubmission and April 10, 2017 - 10:00 a.m.

-sameOpeningPark of Bidslast Aug. equivalent Sheikh Mohammed stream 28.

Prospective biddersArrogate’s are strongly encouraged to order or“Definitely download the electronic we willcopy do This brings career replied: of the Bidding Documents from the PhiIGEPS website: www.philgeps.net, for them to The future is conference open. We earnings sevenList ofthat. be includedtoin$17,084,600 the Document for Request the project.

The pre-bid is open-to-all parties who may have or have not bought the documents. have a vision andbidding we dream for wins andinterested one show (third place) in place out eight His of theandthat.

Bidsof must be starts. delivered to share the address on theWe datewill and put time plans stated herein.

All bids must be accompanied by a bid security to in any of the acceptable forms andDubai in the improve this race—the DWC purse was $6 million. amount stated in the ITB Clause 18. A valid Bid Securing Declaration must accompany bred

by Clear- World Cup.” theArrogate bid(s) in lieuwas of a bid security.

There you have it, racing fans, sky Farms (Kentucky) and Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to straight horse’s mouth, foaled inopening 2013 out of at Bubbler by date attend the of bids the address, and timefrom statedthe herein.

Late bids shall not be accepted.Song. At 3YO, in as it were. Now it’s a race to see Unbridled’s regain its 2016, he won thelV-A Breeder’s Cup The DepED Region reserves the right towhether reject anythe and DWC all bids,will declare a failure of bidding, not the award the contract(s), or annul theasbidding process without thereby title the world’s richest race Classic and Travers Stakes. incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. next year or the Pegasus keeps *** ForI further information, please refer am in tremendous aweto:of the distinction. In any case, it Arrogate. horse is incredibly looks like big and bountiful races Ann GeralynThis T. Pelias BAC Chairman gifted, almost like another Sec- are in the offing.

Virginia O. Bagacay *** retariat but without the drama.

BAC Secretariat lV-A Travers, A r rogate Dr. Ortuoste is a CaliforniaIDepED n the Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta, Rizal destroyed the field, winning by based writer. Facebook: Gogirl 6458406 13-1/2 lengths over 12 other Racing and Jenny Ortuoste, @gogirlracing and @ (SGD) ANN GERALYN T. PELIAS horses and setting a new track Twitter: BAC Chairman and Instagram: record of 1:59.6 for 10f (2,000 jennyortuoste, meters). His exploits as a 3YO @jensdecember (MS-MAR. 29, 2017)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Please be informed of the following New Set of Directors/Shareholder of BOURBON MARINE SERVICES MANILA effective 15 February 2017

RENATO M. SANTELICES PAMELA S. ALBANO SALVADOR S. ALBANO EVELYNE MARIE ILIOU MARK HENRICK F. HILVANO

email us at advertise@the standard.com.ph or call us at 832-5547

Corporate Secretary: KAREEN FE PIOQUINTOENRIQUEZ Asst. Corporate Secretary : ARCANGEL CHRISTIA REYES-MARCOS

tainly has my vote. Here’s why:

Cluster I-----------------------------------ABC -----Php1,873,200.00 please go to Youtube and watch Cavite-------------223 Pax ll----------------------------------ABC------Php2,007,600-00 the Travers and the DWC. In the AS Cluster expected, Arrogate won Laguna-----------239 Pax the Cluster Dubailll World Cup (UAE- latter, look where Arrogate makes --------------------------------ABC------Php1,402,800.00 Batangas(March -------167 25) Pax at that tremendous rally on the outG1) Cluster last Saturday lV--------------------------------ABC------Php2,536,800.00 side. It’s a spectacular run that Meydan Racecourse.

Quezon ---------302 Pax

NOTICE OF DECREASE OF AUTHORIZED CAPITAL STOCK NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC is hereby given by SAN CARLOS BIOENERGY, INC., a corporation duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, with principal address at San Carlos Ecozone, Barangays Palampas and Punao, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental (the “Corporation”), that: 1. During the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Corporation held on 18 May 2016 in Makati City, at which meeting a quorum was present, at least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors approved the decrease in the Authorized Capital Stock of the corporation from TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY-EIGHT MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (PhP288,850,000.00), Philippine currency, to TWO HUNDRED FIFTY MILLION PESOS (PhP250,000,000.00), Philippine currency, with the passage and approval of the following resolutions: “RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, that the Authorized Capital Stock of the Corporation shall be, as it hereby is, decreased from TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY-EIGHT MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (PhP288,850,000.00), Philippine currency, to TWO HUNDRED FIFTY MILLION PESOS (PhP250,000,000.00), Philippine currency, at the par value of TEN PESOS (PhP10.00) per share.

M

M Sta Sta

“RESOLVED, FURTHER, that in accordance with the next preceding resolution, Article Seventh of the Articles of Incorporation shall be, as it hereby is, amended to read as follows: “SEVENTH: That the authorized capital stock of the corporation is Pesos: Two Hundred Fifty Million (PhP250,000,000.00) in lawful money of the Philippines, all Common Shares with a par value of Ten Pesos (PhP10.00) per share, which can be issued or sold to, irrespective of nationality, any individual or corporation, partnership or association duly organized and existing under Philippine laws or any other foreign laws. (As amended during the meeting of the Board of Directors on 18 May 2016 and ratified during the meeting of the stockholders on the same date.)”

(MS-MAR. 29, 2017)

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC

Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REGION IV-A CALABARZON Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta, Rizal INVITATION TO BID

Division of DepEd. Ey Acasio

2. This Notice is being given in compliance with the requirements for the Corporation’s application for decrease of its authorized capital stock.

(MS-MAR. 29, 2017)

Arrogate breaks badly, still wins Dubai World Cup

Education department Tonisito Umali briefs sportswriters of the coming Palarong Pambansa in Antique during his appearance at the PSA Forum. At Umali’s left is Cesar Abalon, head of the School Sports

For more information: CALL US at 720-1000 or VISIT US at 8F Sage House 110 V.A. Rufino St. Legaspi Village, Makati City Philippines

Notice of Extrajudicial NOTICE OF Settlement of Estate

(MS-MAR. 22, 2017)

(MS-FEB. 22, MAR. 1 & 8, 2017) (MS-MAR. 22,29 & APR. 5, 2017)

NOTICE TO SHAREHOLDERS OF BRIGHT KINDLE RESOURCES & INVESTMENTS, INC. Republic ofofthe Philippines Republic the Philippines (FORMERLY BANKARD, INC.)

MUNICIPALITY MULANAY National IrrigationOF Administration

RYM Business Management Corporation, Caulfield Heights, Inc., Mr. Anthony M. Te and Mr. Macario U. Te (the “Bidders”) PANGASIWAAN PATUBIG) Province of Quezon acquired a total of 1,375,459,989(PAMBANSANG shares of common stock of Bright Kindle NG Resources & Investments, Inc. (formerly Bankard, Regional Office No. IIIbeneficially owned by, Rizal Commercial Banking Inc.) (“BKR”) (the “BKR Sale Shares”) registered in the names of, and/or Corporation and RCBC Capital Corporation. As of the same date, the BKR Sale Shares represented approximately 89.9891% March 29, ofOffice Address: the issued and2017 outstanding capital stock of BKR. Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan Email Address:niar03@yahoo.com (044) 766-2467 766-4839, 816-6808 InTelephone Nos. : relation to the conditions for the acquisition of the BKR Sale Shares and Telefax No.(044) 766-2467 pursuant to the requirements of the Philippine Website: Regulation Code www.region3.nia.gov.ph Invitation toand Bidregulations, for theTIN: 000-979-570-000 Securities (“SRC”) and its implementing rules the Biddersare implementing a tender offer to / Concreting of Invitation SitioBagongPook – Maralahay – Brgy.Bagupaye – and acquireRehabilitation the 257,145,011 common shares currently held by the public, representing approximately 16.82% of the issued to Bid outstanding capital of BKR (the “BKR Public Shares”) from the owners thereof (theRoad “BKR Public Shareholders”), subject to Anonang – Burgos Farm-to-Market Participatory Development Project Offer”). the SEC Form 19-1 filed by the Bidders with theIrrigation Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”)(“Tender Loan No. 1. Bidders Theshall Local Government Unit of Mulanay, Quezon through theOffer 2016 DILG byBuB The purchase BKR Public Shares which are 7709-PH tendered (the “Tender Shares”) the Fund& BKRPublic Shareholders “Tendering Shareholders”), at the of P0.8575 (the “Tender Offer Price”), payable in LGU(the Fund Counterpartsintends to price apply the sumperofshare Sixteen Million, Eight Hundred cash Replacement (before deductions for Thousand, customary selling charges of0.61%Motorized of the total transaction valueor P0.8523 deducting of Sluicegate with Lifting Mechanism at the Thirty Seven Three Hundred Ninety Eight Pesos and Twentyafter Nine Cents customary(Php16,837,398.29) selling charges).The customary sellingthe charges that willBudget be deducted by the Bidders (ABC) do not include the selling only being Approved for the Contract to payments Magsaysay Dam and Concrete Lining at Tanggal Kumon Lateral P-12, broker’s commission payable by the Tendering Shareholder, which is subject to mutual agreement between the Tendering under the contract Rehabilitation / Concreting of Tarlac SitioBagongPook – Maralahay – Camiling Camiling, Shareholder and its/his/her broker,for and the taxes on RIS, the commission.

Brgy. Bagupaye – Anonang –Burgos Farm-to-Market Road/2017-01. Bids received in Each BKR Public Shareholder of anybedate during the Offer Period isatentitled to sell its/his/her BKR Public Shares to excess of the ABCasshall automatically rejected bid opening.

ITBtoNo. PIDP3-C-CAMRISN-2 the Bidders in accordance with and subject the Terms of the Tender Offer, which is Annex A to the Application to Tender Common Shares in Bright Kindle Resources (formerlynow Bankard, Inc.) bids to RYM Management 2.

The Local Government Unit &ofInvestments, Mulanay,Inc. Quezon invites forBusiness Rehabilitation/ 1.

The Government the has received Loan from the World Bank toward the Corporation, Caulfield Heights, Inc., Philippines Mr. Anthony M.(GOP) Te–and Mr. Macario U.Brgy.

Tea (the “Application”).

Concreting of of SitioBagongPook Maralahay Bagupaye – Anonang –Burgos cost of Participatory Irrigation Development Project –and it intends to apply part of the proceeds The Tender Offer will to commence at 9:00 a.m. on March 2017 and end at 5:00isp.m.

19 April Bidders reserve the Road.

Completion offorthe Works required by2017.The One Four of Farm-to-Market this loan payments under the20contract Replacement of on Sluicegate withHundred Motorized Lifting right toMechanism extend Tender Offerdays. with theBidders approval of the SEC. (104)thecalendar should haveLining completed a contract similar toP-12 the Project. at Magsaysay Dam and Concrete at Tanggal Kumon Lateral Camiling Camiling, The description of an eligible is contained thewish Bidding Documents, Scrip RIS, shareholders (i.e., Tarlac. shareholders who holdbidder stock certificates) of BKRinwho to sell their shares to theparticularly, Bidders should complete in theSection Application triplicate andtosubmit the same with the following attachments to Lucky Securities Inc. (the “TO II. inInstruction Bidders.

2.

Only those Letter of Intent with a company profile, submitted by the owner or its duly authorized Agent”) at the address set forth below, not later than the end of the Tender Offer Period: 3. liaison officer, will be accepted to participate in the bidding.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using nonLucky Securities Inc. discretionary pass/failStock criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations 1902B West Tower, Philippine Exchange Center, 3. The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) now invites bids for the bidding for the Replacement (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Exchange Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City9184), of Sluicegate with Motorized Lifting Mechanism at Magsaysay Dam and Concrete Lining at ReformKumon Act”. Lateral P-12 Camiing RIS located at the municipality of Camiling, Tarlac.

Tanggal a.

Original BKR stock certificates duly endorsed; to be verified by the TO Agent as valid and authentic certificates. For Completion ofrestricted the Works required Hundred Eighty (180) calendar days.

Bidders those whose is stock certificate/s is/are lost:citizens/sole (i) in oneOne (1) original of a duly notarized affidavit of loss; (ii) of the should affidavit Bidding to is Filipino proprietorships, partnerships, or copy organizations have completed, five (5) years,circulation a contract similar tothe the Project. description of loss asatpublished inwithin a newspaper of general (in substantially form ofcapital AnnexThe Estock to the Applicationof which with least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding belonging toan eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to 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 ofamount the Philippines.

Bidders. (iv)citizens bond in the of P0.8595 covered by a lost stock certificate. b.4. Bidding will be conducted in accordance with relevant procedures for open competitive bidding as ForInterested Individuals: bidders may obtain further information from Local Government Unit 4.

Quezon andaninspect the Bidding Documents at the General Servicesthe specified in the IRR of RA 9184 (R.A. 9184), with some amendments, as stated in these bidding (i) of Mulanay, For shareholders acting through attorney-in-fact, a duly notarized Irrevocable Power of Attorney (in substantially Section-Procurement Unit from 8:30 to A4:30 during working days. documents and is open to all bidders from eligible source countries as defined in the applicable form attached as Annex B to the Application, which isAM Exhibit to the PM SEC Form 19-1 filed by the Bidders with the SEC). For procurement guidelines the World The contract shall awarded Lowest married individuals who areof Philippine citizens,Bank. their respective spouses must sign be the space providedto in the the Irrevocable 5. Calculated A complete set of Bidding Documents acquired Bidders on March Bidder (LCRB) was determined as interested such during post-qualification.

Power ofResponsive Attorney to indicate marital consent towho themay sale ofbe the Tender Offerby Shares.

29,Estimated 2017 toProject April 17, AM to 4:30 PM Seven from the address below upon The Cost2017; (EPC)8:30 is Thirty Four Million Hundred Thirty Nineand Thousand (ii) payment Photocopies (2) valid identificationfee cards Applicant’s signature and photograph, i.e.,to driver’s Nineteen Pesos and 63/100 (PhP 34,739,019.63). of ofatwononrefundable forshowing the the Bidding Documents, pursuant thelicense, latesttax 5. c.

6.

6.

identification card, Social Security Services/Government Services and Insurance System card, or passport.

Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Pesos Interested bidders further information from ofthe Bids and Awards Committee and (iii)(Php25, Duly accomplished signature card containing the specimen signature the Applicant and verified by the Applicant’s broker 000.00)may to theobtain Cashier of the LGU- Municipal Treasurer Office.

inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., Mondays or by an officer of the bank at which the Applicant maintains an account (the signature card must specify the name of the to It Fridays. brokeralso and the signatory or the name of the bank andthe the bank’s signatory, as the case may be). may bebroker’s downloaded free of charge from website of the Philippine Government

Procurement System (PhilGEPS), provided that bidders shall pay the fee for ForElectronic Corporations: A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by the interested bidders starting the Bidding Documents not later that the submission of their of bids.

February 28, Board 2017 from the address below payment a nonrefundable fee for the (i) Notarized Resolution (in substantially the form and of the upon Secretary’s Certificate attached as Annex C to the Application, bidding documents in the amount Thirty Five Thousand Pesos (PhP 35,000.00). 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, Thedesignating Local Government Unit ofandMulanay will hold signatures a Pre-Bid Conference signatories for the purpose indicating the specimen of those signatories. on April 6,

It 2017; may also free from the website of the Philippine Government 9:00be indownloaded the morning at of thecharge Municipal Budget Office, LGU Bldg. Egualidad (ii) Copy ofProcurement SEC Certificate of System Incorporation(PhilGEPS) or equivalent constitutive document certified as (http://www.nia.gov.ph), copy of the original by the Electronic and the NIA open website Street, Poblacion Mulanay, which be to all true interested parties.

Corporate Secretary or I,equivalent personQuezon, having official custodyshall of company records. provided that bidders shall pay the nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than 7. the submission of their bids. must beArticles delivered to the address on or orbefore April 18, 2017; 9:00 in as the (iii)Bids Copy of latest of Incorporation and By-lawsbelow of the Applicant equivalent constitutive document certified true copy of the original by the Corporate Secretary Office, or equivalent person having official custody ofStreet, company records. morningat the Municipal Budget LGU Bldg., Egualidad Poblacion

7.

An I, organized field visit by the contractors and NIA will be conducted on March Quezon. mustthebe accompanied a bid designated security in any06, of 2017. the (iv) Mulanay, Duly accomplished signatureAll cardbids containing specimen signature of theby Applicant’s authorized signatories Prospective bidders are advised to coordinate with the BAC Secretariat regarding the itinerary acceptable and in broker the amount stated ITBat which Clause Error!maintains Reference source not and verified forms by the Applicant’s or by an officer of theinbank the Applicant an account (the signature of the field visit. Attendees will include representatives from the Regional Irrigation Office (RIO), 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 found..

Irrigation Management Office (IMO) and Irrigators Associations.

8. d.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend The NIA will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on March 08,2017, 09:00 A.M at the Conference Room, For Partnerships: at the address below.

Late bids shall not be accepted.

NIA-Region III, Brgy.

Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan, which shall beopen to all interested (i) Copy of SEC Certificate of Registration or equivalent constitutive document certified as true copy of the original by the parties.

the casemay be).

8.

9.

ThePartnership Local Government Unit of Mulanay, Quezon no responsibility whatsoever Secretary or equivalent person having official custodyassumes of the partnership records. indemnify bidders for any orexpenses incurreddocument in the certified preparation of the Bids must be delivered at the Conference Room, NIA-Region III, Brgy. Tambubong, San Rafael, (ii) to compensate Copy of the latestor Articles of Partnership of the Applicant equivalent constitutive as true copy of the bid.original by the Partnership Secretary or equivalent person having official custody of the partnership records.

Bulacan on or before March 21, 2017, 10:00 A.M. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Securing

Declaration or a bid security in the amount of Six Hundred Ninety Four Thousand Seven Hundred (iii) Notarized Resolution (in substantially the of formCash, of the Partners’ Certificate attachedCheck as AnnexorD Bank to the PesosPartnership (PhP 694,780.00) in the form Cashier’s/Manager’s 9. Eighty TheApplication, Local Government Quezon reserves to accept reject which is Exhibit AUnit to the of SECMulanay, Form 19-1 filed by the Bidders with thethe SEC)right authorizing the sale or of the Tender Guarantee issued by a universal or commercial Bank. any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract Offer Shares, designating signatories for the purpose and indicating the specimen signature of the signatories.

award, without thereby incurring anyof liability to the affected bidder/s.

Bids will accomplished be opened in the presence the bidders’ who choose attend (iv) Duly signature card containing the specimen signaturerepresentatives of the Applicant’s designated authorizedto signatories immediately after the deadline for the submission of bids at the same address above. Late bids and verified by the Applicant’s broker or by an officer of the bank at which the Applicant maintains an account (the signature 10. shall not be accepted.

Forcard further information, please refer to: must specify the name of the broker and the broker’s signatory or the name of the bank and the bank’s signatory, as Engr.

Delio the case may H. be).De Leon

Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REGION IV-A CALABARZON Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta, Rizal

EXTRA JUDICIAL

SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby OF given that the ESTATE estate of the late Lamberto Armenio Flores Jr., Notice is ofhereby given consisting real property that the estate of thesettled late was extra-judicially and distributed among his Josefina Fruto Binalla heirs – Eduardina Montilla has been extra judicially Flores, Christopher Lambert settled among her heirs M. Flores, Justin Edward M. Flores, Michael Anthony on 15and March 2017 as M. Flores, by means of a per Doc. No. 86; Page public document executed on th No. 18; Book 27 January 2017, No. before 3; a Notary Public in Quezon City, Series of 2017; before Philippines, under Notary Atty. Alysha Grace M. Public Atty. Jonna O. Guiang, Zulueta, Notary Public with Document No. 506, Page No. BookofNo. III, Series for 103, the City Manila. of 2017.

10. The NIA reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject LGU Bldg., Municipal Engineering Officeshares are lodged with thePhilippine Depository and Trust Scripless shareholders (i.e., shareholders of BKRwhose all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected 4312 Poblacion Mulanay, Corporation (“PDTC”) who wishI, to accept theQuezon offer must complete the Application in triplicate and submit the same with the bidder or bidders.

Cell Nos. 0998-975-5275 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 endFor further information, please refer to: ofTel. the Tender Period. In addition, suchNos. scripless shareholders must instruct their brokers to electronically transfer Nos.Offer 042-319-7122/Fax 042-319-7610 11. their Tender Offer Shares to the TO Agent. The member broker(s) of the PSE who hold(s) theTender Offer Shares, should, deliohapordeleon@gmail.com The BAC Secretariat upon receipt of the notice of the Tender Offer, immediately notify the relevant shareholder that should the shareholder wish to sell its/his/her NIA-Regional Office 3 shares in BKRto the Bidders, the shareholder must instruct said participating broker to electronically transfer its/his/her Region III, Brgy. Tambubong, shares to the TO Agent, as custodian for such shares, not later than 5:00ENGR. p.m.on19DELIO April 2017. tendering (SGD) H.When DE LEON Rafael, Bulacan shares,San the participating brokers are required to submit the letter to the TO Agent (in the form of Annex 1 to the Instructions to Telephone No. which (045)766-4839 Chair Participating TO Agents, is Exhibit G to the SEC Form 19-1 filed by the Bidders with the BAC SEC) not later than 5:00 p.m.

(SGD.) VIRGILIO J. ILAO Municipal Engineer on 19 April 2017as well as the duly completed Application.

Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee (MS-MAR. 29, 2017) (MS-MAR. The terms1,of2017) 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

Y

REN SALV

INVITATION TO BID The Department of Education, Region IV-A, through the 2017 General Appropriation Act intends to apply the sum of Seven Million Eight Hundred Twenty Thousand Pesos Only (Php7, 820,400.00) only being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to eligible payments under the contract for the provision of venue for the Board & Lodging of the participants to the Regional Enhancement Training on Developmentally Appropriate Practices in Early Language, Literacy and Numeracy (Batch 2). Bids received in excess of the ABC per Cluster shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

Cluster I-----------------------------------ABC -----Php1,873,200.00 Cavite-------------223 Pax Cluster ll----------------------------------ABC------Php2,007,600-00 Laguna-----------239 Pax Cluster lll --------------------------------ABC------Php1,402,800.00 Batangas -------167 Pax Cluster lV--------------------------------ABC------Php2,536,800.00 Quezon ---------302 Pax The Department of Education Region lV-A, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), now invites bids for the herein-mentioned Goods. Bidders must have completed, within five (5) years from the date of “ submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project with an amount of at least 50% of the ABC to be bid.

The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, i.e., in Section ll, lnstructions to Bidders. Bids received that exceed the ABC shall be rejected at bid opening Contract duration -------April 28, 2017 - May 4, 2017 Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding.procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the lmplenrenting Rules and Regulations (lRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9’184, 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.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be inspected or purchased at DepED lV-A BAC Secretariat, located at Supply Office, Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta, Rizal upon accomplishing a bidders information sheet and payment in cash of a non-refundable fee by interested bidders in the amount of One Thousand pesos (PhP1, 000.00) to the DepED IV-A Cashier. Only bidders who purchased the Bidding Documents will be allowed to submit bids.

It may be viewed or downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS), www.philgeps.net, and the website of the Procuring Entity, / www.depedcalabarzon.qov, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

The schedule and venue of the procuring activities are as follows: Activity lssuance of Bidding Documents Pre-Bid Conference Submission and Opening of Bids

Date and Time From March 24,2017 - April 10,2017 8:00am to 5:00pm (Mon. - Fri.) March 29, 2017 - 10:00 a.m.

Venue Supply Offlce-DepED lV-A , Gate 2 Karangalan Village, Cainta, Rizal RDs Conference Room

April 10, 2017 - 10:00 a.m.

-same-

Prospective bidders are strongly encouraged to order or download the electronic copy of the Bidding Documents from the PhiIGEPS website: www.philgeps.net, for them to be included in the Document Request List of the project. The pre-bid conference is open-to-all interested parties who may have or have not bought the bidding documents.

Bids must be delivered to the address and on the date and time stated herein. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in the ITB Clause 18. A valid Bid Securing Declaration must accompany the bid(s) in lieu of a bid security.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend the opening of bids at the address, date and time stated herein. Late bids shall not be accepted.

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For further information, please refer to:

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Ann Geralyn T. Pelias BAC Chairman Virginia O. Bagacay BAC Secretariat DepED lV-A Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta, Rizal 6458406 (SGD) ANN GERALYN T. PELIAS BAC Chairman (MS-MAR. 29, 2017)

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Bolts, Painters dispute solo lead

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

A8

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017

By Jeric Lopez SOLO leadership will be up for grabs as co-league leaders Rain or Shine and Meralco dispute first place in the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup. Both enjoying early success, the Elasto Painters and the Bolts, both sitting at the top with 3-0 starts, go there separate ways when they meet at 7 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

In the opening game, Alaska (2-0) will try to keep in step with the previously mentioned teams as it clashes with rejuvenated Mahindra (12) at 4:15 p.m.

Following disappointing campaigns in the Philippine Cup, both the Painters and the Bolts are making sure that they will have a better run in the current tournament.

Both squads have showed strength in their first three games, topping all of their opponents to remain unbeaten up to this point.

But only one of them are bound to stay flawless as the loser will be dealt with one in the loss column.

The Aces are likewise enjoying a splendid start and solo second place is what they are looking at when they take on the Elite.

Sports Francis Obiena clears the 4-meter bar in the pole vault event of the 2th Southeast Asian Youth Athletics Championships Tuesday to deliver the Philippines’ lone gold in the two-day meet.

Obiena lives up to family name, wins lone PH gold I

LAGAN CITY —Francis Obiena delivered a sparkling finale for the host country as he struck gold in the boys’ pole vault event of the 12th Southeast Asian Youth Athletics Championships Tuesday at the Ilagan Sports Complex here.

Coming out of a family with rich athletic pedigree, the 17-yearold Obiena tallied 4.00 meters en route to a golden finish in the final event of this prestigious eightnation tourney that also serves as final tryouts for future members of the national team.

Singaporean Saciin Esan Maran tallied 3.80 meters to grab the silver medal, while Filipino John Emmanuel Reyes registered 3.40 meters to settle for the bronze medal.

Obiena’s feat lit up the Philippines’ medal haul in the final

Under Armour to hold FIBA tilt HIGH performance sportswear label, Under Armour announced its partnership with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) to empower the next generation of cagers through the FIBA 3x3 U18 Asia Cup presented by Under Armour.

Organized by Under Armour in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines, the tournament is open to all U-18 male and female basketballers. Registration locations are available online at www.ua3x3.com and can be made at all Under Armour Brand Houses and partner stores until April 9.

Streetball or 3x3 basketball is the largest urban team sport of the world.

With 12-second shot clock, and 10-minute or first team to 21-point format, the games are usually fast, accessible, and entertaining for the players and audience alike.

The format made its global competitive debut at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore and the World Championships have been regularly organised by FIBA since then.

“The Under Armour 3x3 Southeast Asia 2017 Tournament is put together for every passionate basketballer with the Will to own the court,” said Michael Binger, CEO of Triple Pte Ltd, exclusive distributor of Under Armour in Southeast Asia. “From outfitting our next generation athletes with the latest innovations, to organizing activities that inspire them to succeed on and off the court, we want to align the future game changers with the values of passion, grit, and determination to perform.”

“This one is for the country,” said the Grade 12 student of Chiang Kai Shek whose father, Edward, holds the pole vault record in the National Collegiate Athletic Association and is a decathlon bronze medalist in the SEA Games.

His uncle, Emerson, is a silver medalist in the SEA Games while his cousin, 21-year old Ernest John, is billed as one of the country’s brightest hopes in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, now training in Italy under the watchful eyes of Olympic legend Vitaly Petrov.

“I was trying to seize up my Singaporean opponent in the final stretch. But when he failed to clear the bar at four meters, I knew I could make it. I just tried to attempt 4.35 meters to somehow overcome my personal best of 4.30 meters.”

day of competition of this battle presented by the City of Ilagan and sponsored by Ayala Corporation with Milo, Philippine Sports Commission and International Amateur Athletics Federation as co-presentors.

It was such a dramatic finale for Obiena as he even made a bid to tally a new personal best of 4.35 meters in his final jump, much to the delight of the massive crowd that showed up to support the home squad in its battle against future SEA Games competitors.

With Obiena’s late-tourney heroics, the Philippines shut down its campaign in this tourney that also has Foton Pilipinas, UCPB Gen and Run Rio as minor sponsors at sixth place with one gold, nine silver and 15 bronze medals while mighty Vietnam remained as the overall leader with 13 gold and eight silver medals.

Prior to Obiena’s impressive performance, the big guns of Palarong Pambansa fell apart.

Last year’s Palarong Pambansa champion Jessel Lumapas settled for the silver medal in the girls’ 400-meter run before storming back to claim the bronze in the girls’ 200-meter run while John Carlo Yuzon scored the bronze in the boys’ 200-meter run.

A Grade 10 student at Paliparan National High School in Cavite, Lumapas registered 58.94 sec-

Pru Life denies expansion of football project

onds, a heartbeat away from the 58.16 seconds tallied by Thi Hong Han Le of Vietnam who claimed the gold medal in the girls’ 400-meter run.

Lumapas said her performance was quite below her personal best after she tallied 58.65 seconds in Batang Pinoy in Tagum City last year, or a few months after reigning supreme in Palarong Pambansa in the province of Albay.

“Medyo hindi po maganda ang itinakbo ko ngayon,” said Lumapas, who battled coughs and colds a few days leading to this tourney presented by the City of Ilagan and sponsored by Ayala Corporation with Milo, Philippine Sports Commission and International Amateur Athletics Federation as co-presentor and Foton Pilipinas, UCPB Gen and Run Rio as minor sponsors.

PRU Life UK, the wholly-owned Philippine subsidiary of British multinational financial services company Prudential plc., has not entered into an agreement with Spears Activation and PR Co., which owns the Football for a Better Life, to jointly expand further the program.

Pru Life was reacting to the article “Football for Better Life wins big in sports, PR,” which appeared on the sports sections of both the print and online versions of the Manila Standard last March 21 and March 20, respectively.

“Together with its partners, the Azkals Foundation, Pru Life UK, the Philippine Sports Commission, local government units, and the provincial football associations, FABL is planning to expand the program further to include more areas have training for the local football coaches.”

3,000 instructors ready for summer taekwondo classes THREE thousand Philippine Taekwondo Association certified instructors are raring and ready to handle the two-month 2017 SMART/MVP Sports Foundation Taekwondo Summer Class nationwide.

The most popular martial art sport in the country today, taekwondo is one of the best activities for the kids this summer. The sport instills discipline and respect in an environment that is fun and friendly.

Lessons in the summer class include the two basic Poomsae(forms) moves and five basic self-defense tactics.

The beginner or white belt program introduces young participants to the Korean martial art including basic commands, blocks, stances and kicks. After about 20 to 24 sessions, beginners will be ready to take promotion test for yellow belt.

For colored belts, basic sparring shall be taught in the program. For the promotion test at the end of the summer program, sparring will already be included.

The Taekwondo Summer Class will be held in Metro Manila, Regions 1 to 12, CAR, ARMM, CARAGA, PNPA and AFP.

La Salle, UST in key match-up DEFENDING champion De La Salle and University of Santo Tomas collide in a key match-up today in the UAAP Season 79 women’s volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Centre.

The 9-2 Lady Spikers are the only unbeaten team in the second round, having won all their four matches.

A De La Salle victory in the 4 p.m. match will also hand idle Ateneo the semifinals incentive and tie its fierce rivals in first place anew at 10-2.

The Lady Spikers need to work extra hard to get one of the two twice-to-beat slots in the Final Four, as the Tigresses are going all-out to get closer in attaining their goal of making it to the semifinals.

“Ang UST, talagang every game, nag-iimprove,” said De La Salle coach Ramil de

Games today (Filoil Flying V Centre)

8 a.m. – NU vs UP (Men) 10 a.m. – UST vs DLSU (Men) 2 p.m. – FEU vs UE (Women) 4 p.m. – DLSU vs UST (Women)

Jesus. “Dapat paghandaan nang husto kasi isa sila sa mataas ang standing.”

Far Eastern University tries to check an alarming two-game losing skid and wheel back in Final Four contention against alreadyeliminated University of the East at 2 p.m.

The Tigresses, meanwhile, are sporting a 7-4 slate and are seeking their first winning record since the 201213 season, where the España-based squad won eight games—but still missed the Final Four.

A win will give UST a one-game cushion over joint

Shown are two of the youngest participants in the previous summer program who have already registered for this year’s event.

PTA is the national sports association (NSA) recognized by the Philippine Olympic Committee, the Philippine Sports Commission, the Department of Education, the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It is also affiliated with the World Taekwondo Federation, Asian Taekwondo Union, Asean Taekwondo Federation and the International Olympic Committee.

For inquiries on accredited PTA instructors near your location, interest parties may contact the Central Gymnasium office at 522-0519.

fourth placers University of the Philippines and National University, both holding 7-5 cards.

Heading into the crucial stretch of the season, Tigresses mentor Kungfu Reyes is looking forward in getting better, and this key clash with the Lady Spikers will be a good gauge on how his team has gone so far.

“Medyo umaangat na kami pero wala pa rin kami doon sa talaga sa 80 percent. Nasa 70 to 75 percent pa lang,” said Reyes. “Hopefully, sa last three games namin, at least pumalo kami ng 80 percent sa iginagalaw namin.”

The Lady Tamaraws’ quest for a third consecutive Final Four stint looks dim, as the 29-time champions (5-6) are now trailing the Lady Maroons and the Lady Bulldogs by one-and-a-half game.

JTF Pacific crowned slo-pitch champion LAST year’s second placer JTF Pacific dominated the recent three-day Pureplay Slo-pitch Softball International Tournament held at the Clark International Sports Complex in Pampanga by beating local team Cebuana Lhuillier, 21-7, in the finals.

Organized by Pureplay Sports Management, co-presented by the Global Clark Assets Corporation and sponsored

by Tequila Reef Cantina, Gail Print Corporation, and Palazzo & Company LLC, the event attracted 15 teams, including 4 local and 11 foreign teams.

The South Korea-based K6 Athletics’ team ruled the A Division with a 16-8 beating of Shanghai in the finals, while the Bangkok Soi Dawgz outhit the Hong Kong Turkeys, 12-6, in the Club Division championship match.

En route to the finals, JTF clubbed the Guzzlers, 14-5, while Cebuana Lhuillier edged out Fattboyz, 13-12 in the semifinals of the tournament that was also held in memory of the late Shirley Prado, the heart and soul of the tournament since it began as

the PANGAEA Cup 24 years ago, together with founder George Hodges.

“Shirley will surely be missed by all the participating teams and that is why we honored her with this year’s staging of the tournament, “ said Leslie Suntay, President of Pureplay Sports.

In the A Division, K6 Athletics disposed of local team Entom Tigers, 24 -1, in a lopsided match to set up a finals’ meeting with Shanghai, which defeated the Kings team from Taipei, 16-8.

Entom took third place by outlasting the Kings, 14-7.

At the Club Division, champion team Soi Dawgz knocked out another local team, the Gapan Blue Boys, 19-1, before entering the finals against the Turkeys.

Tournament Manager was Angelo Prado, son of Shirley, who carried out his mother’s work in organizing the tournament.

The other teams in the field were the Singapore River Rats, Saigon Buffalo, Tokyo Stingrays, Shanghai ShwaAack, and the VuQo Bartenders.

SMC plans 2 Cordillera dams B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017

PLDT expects to recover this year

EAGLE CEMENT’S DONATION. Eagle Cement

Corp. commits support to save Philippine Eagle with P1.5-million donation to the Philippine Eagle Foundation.

Shown during the ceremonial turnover of the check are (from left) ECC marketing officer Kitzi Mendoza, ECC vice president for sales and marketing Ed Uy, ECC chief operating officer and general manager Manny Teng, PEF executive director Dennis Salvador and PEF research and conservation director Jayson Ibanez.

By Darwin G. Amojelar PLDT Inc. expects core earnings to rebound this year, as it transforms into a digital telecom, internet and media company, a top executive said Tuesday.

“We believe that PLDT’s turnaround is gathering momentum and heading towards core earnings growth starting 2017,” PLDT chairman and president Manuel Pangilinan said.

“2017 will see stabilization at PLDT as it enters a new phase in its transformation into a digital telecommunications and internet/media company,” he said.

PLDT and its subsidiaries undertook a ‘digital pivot’ in 2016 to maintain and enhance its market leadership, amid major shifts in technologies and market.

Pangilinan said margins were compressed and were unlikely to reach the levels of 60 percent in the foreseeable future, even as surging volumes of data brought the promise of upward pressure on revenues.

PLDT said half of its cellular service customers were now using smartphones.

Pangilinan said PLDT increased capital expenditure to keep up with the fast-increasing demands for high-quality data services and would continue spending heavily this year and in 2018.

PLDT targets to expand the reach of its LTE mobile telecommunications standard to 70 percent of the country’s population by year-end and 97 percent by end-2018.

IN BRIEF GMA Network declares dividends

GMA Network Inc.’s board of directors approved the declaration of cash dividends totaling P3.548 billion, or P0.73 per share, in a meeting held at the GMA Network Center in Quezon City on March 27.

The dividend will be paid on May 15, 2017 to shareholders of record as of April 20, 2017.

GMA Network chairman and chief executive Felipe Gozon said the declaration of cash dividends reaffirmed the company’s commitment to provide the best returns to shareholders. “Since our IPO launch in 2007, we have been paying out cash dividends equivalent to almost 100 percent of our net income every year,” Gozon said.

The network declared total dividend per share and total dividends amounting to P3.91 and P19.004 billion, respectively, from 2008 to 2017.

Gozon said while the network’s financial performance reached unprecedented levels in 2016, highlighted by a 72-percent increase in net income, the company was poised to achieve its financial targets in 2017.

“Even without political advertisements this year, we are expecting GMA’s financial performance to be even better than last year,” Gozon said.

Avida Land bullish on projects in 2017

AVIDA Land, the mid-range housing unit of property developer Ayala Land Inc., said it expects to raise P3.6 billion in sales this year from 1,200 residential units launched in southern part of Luzon.

Avida Land assistant vice president for project and strategic management group Herbert Herrero said the company was focusing on South Luzon area which accounted for 70 percent of total house and lot sales.

“In Batangas, majority of house and lot buyers are growing families who want to upgrade their lifestyle.

They usually need bigger living spaces and search for a secure and quiet community for their children,” Herrero said.

Herrero said including projects in northern part of Luzon, sales could reach as much as P6 billion.

Herrero said demand for midscale housing projects in South Luzon remained strong which encouraged the company to accelerate the launching of a 21-hectare residential community called Avida Settings Lipa.

Herrero said Avida Settings Lipa would be its seventh project in the province, offering house and lots in three different models and lots only.

Jenniffer B. Austria

B1

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing March 28, 2017

8000 7600 7200 6800 6400 6000

Economy to extend strong growth—BSP B

By Julito G. Rada

ANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said Tuesday the Philippines is on track to extend the 72 consecutive quarters of economic growth as macroeconomic fundamentals remain strong.

“Barring external shocks, we are on track to extend that streak [of 72 consecutive quarters of economic growth],” Tetangco said in a speech during the Management Association of the Philippines general membership meeting in Makati City.

Tetangco, however, said external challenges continued to threaten the economy, including the recent rate hike by the US Federal Reserve. “The

prospects of higher interest rates in advanced economies may cause outflows in emerging market economies, including the Philippines. The Philippines has actually seen capital reversals as early as last year,” Tetangco said.

Tetangco said he was expecting the manageable inflation environment, strong banking sector, robust external position and domestic demand to offset the external headwinds that might impact the economy.

“The Philippines has actually diversified its sources of economic growth... We must also take note that sustained growth has been achieved through the manageable inflation environment,” he said.

The economy grew 6.8 percent in 2016, near the upper bound of the Duterte administration’s target range of 6 percent to 7 percent. This year, the government expects GDP to grow between 6.5 percent and 7.5 percent.

Members of the Makati Business Club also expressed a highly optimistic outlook

for the economy, saying growth could either surpass or sustain the 6.8-percent expansion in 2016, despite expectations of increased inflation and interest rates.

Results of the MBC first semester executive outlook survey showed 83 percent of the senior business executives were expecting a higher or same level of GDP growth for 2017 compared to last year’s 6.8-percent growth rate, while 17 percent were projecting a lower economic growth rate.

The respondents―76 out of 380 corporate members―were mostly senior executives and top management representatives belonging to MBC. The survey also showed that 85 percent of the respondents were expecting inflation rate in 2017 to be higher than last year’s average rate of 1.8 percent, while 12 percent of those who responded were expecting inflation to stay at the same rate. Only 3 percent were expecting it to be lower than in 2016.

Govt raises P70b from retail treasury bond sale THE government successfully raised P70 billion from the issuance of retail treasury bonds Tuesday.

National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon said the strong demand for the three-year securities set the coupon rate at 4.25 percent, with total tenders reaching P86.2 billion for a bid-to-cover ratio of 2.87 percent.

This encouraged the auction committee of the Bureau of Treasury to expand the offering from the initial announcement of P30 billion to P70 billion to accommodate the strong market appetite.

“Now on its 19th issuance, the

RTB has provided invaluable contributions and made a difference,” De Leon said.

“For the government, it has evolved as a staple platform in the government’s financing program, allowing us to achieve twin objectives of inward bias to take advantage of ample domestic liquidity and reduce foreign exchange exposure,” she said.

De Leon said it also helped inculcate good money habits among retail investors by providing them access to an affordable and secure instrument that yielded favorable returns.

The 19th tranche of RTBs have

a three-year tenor and is available to the general investing public between March 28 and April 6, 2017 at minimum denominations of P5,000.

The Treasury tapped First Metro Investment Corp. and Land Bank of the Philippines as joint lead issue managers and BDO Capital & Investment Corp., BPI Capital Corp., China Bank Capital Corp., Development Bank of the Philippines and SB Capital Corp. as joint issue managers for the RTB offering.

The Treasury will hold a series of roadshows in key cities to promote the RTB offering. A

roadshow was conducted in the Development Bank of the Philippines headquarters in Makati City on Tuesday.

Other roadshows will also be held on March 29 at Mount Malarayat Golf and Country Club, Lipa City; March 29, Marco Polo Hotel, Davao City; March 30, Baguio Country Club, Baguio City; March 30, Radisson Blu Hotel, Cebu City; March 31, Quest Hotel, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga; March 31, Seda Atria Hotel, Iloilo City; April 3, Mallberry Suites Business Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City; and April 3, The Oriental Legazpi, Legazpi City. Julito G. Rada

Alorica announces plan to hire 10,000 Filipinos ALORICA, a leading provider of customer experience solutions to the US market, said it plans to hire 10,000 Filipinos to serve its fast growing client base and internal global support requirements.

The announcement came during the inauguration of Alorica’s newest site in Makati City called The Alorica Center, and less than a year after the acquisition of a competitor.

The state-of-the-art commercial office space features inspiring work spaces for the company’s growing workforce in the Philippines, which now totals more than 35,000 team members.

“After acquiring a competitor and integrating them into their business, most companies don’t experience immediate growth,” said Bong Borja, Asia region president for Alorica.

“That’s not our case. Alorica has been earning more business from our clients, and adding new clients. To meet the increased demand for our customer engagement experts, we need to expand rapidly here in the Phil-

ippines,” said Borja.

He said 70 percent of the company’s supervisors, managers, directors and vice presidents began their careers with Alorica in customer engagement roles.

“As a people-centric business, we invest heavily in training every team member and developing the future leaders of our business right here in the Philippines,” he said.

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Alorica is expanding its global workforce, which is located in 150 locations across five continents in 16 countries.

The company built The Alorica Center with open and collaborative workspaces in recognition of employees’ value.

The 12-story Alorica Center in Makati City features modernized staff workspaces, applicant and employee lounges, collaboration areas, training rooms, interview and conference rooms and recreational spaces such as a fitness gym, a spacious cafeteria with various food options, full-service clinic, huddle areas, sleeping quarters and parking.

7,331.46 85.49

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing MARCH 28, 2017 45.00 46.50 48.00 49.50

P50.180 CLOSE

51.00

HIGH P50.150 LOW P50.205 AVERAGE P50.180 VOLUME 393.400M

P496.00-P756.00 LPG/11-kg tank P37.85-P47.40 Unleaded Gasoline P27.33-P38.49 Diesel

OPRICES IL TODAY

P32.85-P41.15 Kerosene P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Tuesday, March 28, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar Peso

United States Dollar

1.000000

50.1770

Japan

Yen

0.009038

0.4535

UK

Pound

1.256000

63.0223

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128748

6.4602

Switzerland

Franc

1.014816

50.9204

Canada

Dollar

0.747664

37.5155

Singapore

Dollar

0.717772

36.0156

Australia

Dollar

0.761500

38.2098

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655408

133.2404

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266681

13.3813

Brunei

Dollar

0.715205

35.8868

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0038

Thailand

Baht

0.029079

1.4591

UAE

Dirham

0.272301

13.6632

Euro

Euro

1.086600

54.5223

Korea

Won

0.000901

0.0452

China

Yuan

0.145419

7.2967

India

Rupee

0.015392

0.7723

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.226809

11.3806

New Zealand

Dollar

0.704200

35.3346

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033081

1.6599 Source: PDS Bridge

JARDINE-CALATA PARTNERSHIP. Jardine Distribution Inc. and Calata Corp. sign an agreement to put

up model corn farms where their respective expertise will be combined to showcase a cost-efficient and highly productive corn production farm. Show signing the agreement are (from left) JDI marketing manager Robert Littaua, JDI president Edwin Hernandez, Calata chairman and chief executive Joseph Calata and Calata vice president Parker Ong.

B2

Business

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market rebounds; Melco, LT up BDO, Japan bank S form partnership TOCKS rebounded Tuesday, as the selloff in riskier assets eased and as the dollar steadied after Wall Street staged a recovery.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, rose 85 points, or 1.2 percent, to close at 7,331.46, as five of the six major sectors advanced, with only mining and oil registering losses.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also climbed 41 points, or 0.9 percent, to settle at 4,411.21, on a value turnover of P6.6 billion. Advancers outnumbered losers, 100 to 80, while 48 issues were unchanged.

Seventeen of the 20 most ac-

tive stocks ended in the green, led by casino operator Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corp. which gained 5.2 percent to P6.44 and conglomerate LT Group Inc. which went up 4.9 percent to P16.40. SM Investments Corp. rose 3.3 percent to P680.50.

Meanwhile, Asian markets mostly bounced Tuesday from the previous day’s hefty selloff, with hopes Donald Trump can push through his economyboosting agenda despite last

week’s healthcare debacle.

However, with expectations about the rate of future US interest rate hikes receding the dollar is struggling to break back against its major peers.

Markets across the world tumbled after the tycoon’s repeal of Obamacare fell at the first hurdle Friday as he failed to garner enough votes from his own Republican party, who control both houses of Congress.

The failure fueled worries Trump would not be able to drive his muchvaunted tax-cutting, infrastructure spending, deregulation plans with analysts pointing out it will leave the administration with less cash to pay for such measures. Hopes for his plan helped fuel a surge in global markets and the dollar since the No-

vember election.

While New York and European markets ended on a low, they were well off their early losses and provided Asian traders with something to play with as the dust settles after Trump’s bruising defeat.

“What seems to be going on in US stocks is that president Trump is being given the benefit of the doubt that he will be able to deliver on tax and infrastructure,” said Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at AxiTrader.

Tokyo ended the morning session 1.1 percent higher, having slumped 1.4 percent Monday.

Hong Kong added 0.6 percent and Sydney rallied more than one percent while Seoul put on 0.2 percent, Singapore 0.5 percent and Taipei 0.3 percent. With Bloomberg, AFP

By Julito G. Rada BDO Unibank Inc., the country’s larger lender led by tycoon Henry Sy, formed a partnership with Shinkin Central Bank of Japan to serve the latter’s s clients operating in the Philippines.

BDO said in a statement Tuesday the strategic business cooperation would also benefit Japanese companies that were eyeing the Philippines as a potential investment destination.

“BDO, the country’s largest bank

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 48.85 5,900 102 1,485,930 121.5 1,827,820 1.24 77,000 41.45 111,700 16.5 196,800 20.25 391,500 1.62 12,000 0.66 1,152,000 77.4 2,786,910 0.71 146,000 14.7 15,000 55.5 121,590 240 1,980 119.5 290 89 100 39 46,100 201.2 261,320 1,715 235 79.65 69,550 1.21 3,000

286,805 149,143,786.50 222,127,682 88,930 4,624,165 3,149,038 7,849,044 19,440 760,720 213,292,929 103,410 220,500 6,760,282 474,850 32,966 8,900 1,795,115 52,554,436 403,025 5,542,758 3,630

247,805 75,211,953.50 34,021,175 641,540 -3,118,584 -569,157 -6,804,419 -5,821,414.50 240,000 -165,195 19,937,974 85,750 -273,296 -

41.5 5.16 0.8 1.35 18.8 0.242 96.5 7.37 16.9 167 23.25 14.56 61 92.95 1.98 5.81 12.1 12.7 7.73 6.05 5.99 1.7 21.85 71.15 12.2 15.1 7 1.51 182.5 73.05 5.01 30.6 26 15.72 275.2 0.248 6.35 3.71 8.98 11.3 2.22 7.91 1.8 73.9 4.88 280 4.9 2.76 13.46 4.35 0.143 1.4 162.7 4.28 1.49 1.04

INDUSTRIAL 42.1 1,797,700 5.27 1,151,200 0.8 677,000 1.36 329,000 19.2 1,500 0.246 3,270,000 102.9 170 7.42 4,793,400 16.96 105,800 193 40 23.5 227,200 14.9 69,300 62.5 41,540 92.95 90 2 837,000 5.88 58,700 12.1 32,700 12.86 2,695,000 7.9 432,200 6.12 2,744,800 6.05 11,291,500 1.7 23,000 21.95 1,772,900 71.3 109,710 12.34 30,600 15.12 42,400 7.41 4,890,900 1.51 343,000 182.5 656,230 73.05 100 5.2 2,231,700 30.95 2,427,300 26.95 96,300 16.26 465,500 275.2 235,830 0.255 7,940,000 6.59 65,200 3.73 4,210,000 9 2,157,600 11.3 120,200 2.23 1,545,000 8 2,679,200 1.91 2,676,000 74.4 655,730 4.88 25,000 281.4 18,160 4.9 219,000 2.76 41,000 13.7 619,600 4.45 194,000 0.143 20,000 1.42 231,000 164 438,710 4.28 3,000 1.51 784,000 1.04 59,000

75,475,645 6,041,551 542,610 448,670 28,912 804,610 16,533 35,624,098 1,794,758 7,470 5,304,410 1,070,004 2,616,375 8,365.50 1,680,020 344,167 398,700 34,365,974 3,405,914 16,874,880 67,970,162 39,100 38,968,515 7,834,053.50 376,240 643,148 35,461,591 523,740 120,292,819 7,305 11,597,651 74,798,315 2,560,370 7,486,758 65,059,418 2,008,120 415,624 15,707,050 19,420,717 1,360,562 3,445,740 21,428,693 4,940,370 48,669,080.50 122,000 5,106,252 1,073,820 114,750 8,497,256 846,020 2,860 326,330 71,958,092 12,850 1,182,550 62,400

19,894,875 -61,782 120,000 -10,813,341 603,616 -11,750 -2,902 2,614,510 264,460 -8,557,692 1,425,589 -5,825,964 54,972,263 10,725,505 1,710,179 -294,290 8,390,147 -382,500 -57,559,546 -2,192,956 54,070,360 338,080 3,722,978 14,355,532 -24,800 553,290 8,218,414 2,093,360 -1,092,551 -643,050 -25,734.50 112,240 4,937,500 -995,020 -322,112 776,300 49,238,376 -7,550 -

0.365 74.7 12.52 1.1 6.02 0.315 0.315 828.5 8.65 11.56 7.9 5.4 1,185 6.39 81.45 1.02 7.87 15.66 0.4 6.02 3.4 0.052 1.97 102.9 2.58 665 1.37 271.6 0.28 0.187 0.245

HOLDING FIRMS 0.375 960,000 75.3 1,343,120 12.7 4,981,300 1.1 15,000 6.1 36,600 0.32 590,000 0.34 50,000 841 191,440 8.7 871,400 11.62 15,635,800 7.98 92,700 5.4 6,000 1,188 59,310 6.39 700 82.9 1,707,750 1.04 2,027,000 7.93 345,000 16.4 13,312,800 0.4 210,000 6.03 32,120,300 3.53 24,000 0.054 64,220,000 1.98 940,000 104 234,180 2.6 884,000 680.5 424,470 1.4 990,000 273.2 6,820 0.3 250,000 0.187 40,000 0.245 100,000

354,300 101,198,140 63,348,088 16,500 220,763 188,350 16,000 160,135,895 7,575,709 181,415,474 736,740 32,400 70,439,780 4,473 140,080,340 2,101,150 2,736,027 215,209,970 85,950 194,774,291 82,980 3,419,980 1,851,900 24,306,607 2,330,880 287,073,450 1,370,860 1,858,778 72,800 7,480 24,500

39,465,597.50 -5,163,402 92,592,480 3,867,215.00 -157,291,028 1,795,370 31,357,547 1,300,711 36,927,158 -86,417,231 8,161,614 153,298,555 -465,914 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

48.85 99.7 121.8 1.15 41.35 16.04 20.2 1.62 0.66 76 0.7 14.7 55.75 240 115 89 38.75 202 1,715 79.65 1.21

48.85 102 122.5 1.24 41.5 16.5 20.3 1.62 0.67 77.4 0.71 14.7 55.75 240 119.7 89 39.3 202 1,715 79.7 1.21

48.5 99.65 120.9 1.15 41.35 15.96 19.94 1.62 0.66 75.85 0.7 14.7 55.35 235 110.1 89 38.75 200.8 1,715 79.65 1.21

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

41.5 5.16 0.8 1.37 19.64 0.255 96.5 7.46 16.96 167 23.3 14.98 61 92.95 2.04 5.88 12.18 12.74 7.73 6.1 6 1.7 22.25 71.5 12.2 15.36 7.02 1.51 184 73.05 5.2 31 26 15.72 276.4 0.248 6.5 3.75 9 11.48 2.23 8 1.89 74.1 4.88 280 4.93 2.88 13.46 4.36 0.143 1.41 162.9 4.29 1.5 1.05

42.1 5.28 0.81 1.37 19.66 0.255 102.9 7.5 17 194 23.5 16 63 92.95 2.08 5.88 12.3 12.86 7.9 6.22 6.05 1.7 22.3 71.5 12.34 15.36 7.45 1.53 185.5 73.05 5.31 31.1 26.95 16.3 277 0.26 6.61 3.76 9.08 11.48 2.24 8.04 1.92 74.5 4.88 282 4.93 2.88 13.9 4.45 0.143 1.45 165 4.29 1.54 1.08

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FJ PRINCE A GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV MJC INVESTMENTS PACIFICA PRIME ORION SAN MIGUEL CORP SEAFRONT RES SM INVESTMENTS SOLID GROUP TOP FRONTIER UNIOIL HLDG WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.375 75.7 12.82 1.1 6.05 0.32 0.315 828.5 8.79 11.6 7.93 5.4 1,190 6.39 81.5 1.03 7.97 15.68 0.445 6.03 3.72 0.053 1.97 103 2.84 665 1.4 273.8 0.29 0.187 0.245

0.375 75.9 12.96 1.1 6.1 0.32 0.34 841 8.79 11.64 7.98 5.4 1,192 6.39 82.9 1.05 7.98 16.4 0.445 6.16 3.72 0.054 1.98 104 2.85 682.5 1.4 273.8 0.3 0.187 0.245

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

6.8 0.97 2.32 1.25 34 3.84 5.05 0.5 1.27 0.16 0.54 54.75 0.166 1.68 0.96 1.18 3.46 0.213

6.94 0.99 2.35 1.35 34.8 3.92 5.13 0.5 1.27 0.16 0.54 55 0.17 1.69 0.97 1.24 3.51 0.231

6.79 0.97 2.31 1.22 33.9 3.8 5.05 0.495 1.26 0.157 0.53 54.5 0.165 1.66 0.96 1.18 3.46 0.211

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

0.33 0.66 4.2 23.5 1.73 3.28 28.5 0.99 0.88 4.9

0.33 0.69 4.27 24 1.74 3.37 28.7 0.99 0.9 4.95

0.305 0.64 4.02 23.3 1.73 3.28 28.35 0.97 0.86 4.82

0.32 0.65 4.1 24 1.73 3.35 28.5 0.97 0.9 4.95

1,670,000 49,635,000 301,000 698,600 174,000 48,000 16,882,000 1,719,000 21,000 2,254,000

525,450 32,819,910 1,233,900 16,567,895 302,520 159,330 479,969,510 1,681,310 18,400 11,082,930

3,200 34,110 3,853,145 -97,454,665 -3,250,650

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

9.25 46.25 0.52 0.049 12 5.36 7.28 0.08 2.15 92.95 10 8.45 2.58 4.98 1,964 6.59 15.8 3.16 3.71 87 0.0092 11.94 9.02 0.181 1.32 3.61 4.09 0.95 3.91 2.61 6.12 3.7 16.04 2.87 11.28 5.38 3.09 195 7.92 1,615 1.52 0.435 43.8 76 5.95 2.23 1.13 3.15

9.37 46.7 0.53 0.05 12.1 5.37 7.65 0.081 2.17 94.7 10 8.57 2.6 5 1,992 6.7 16.4 3.29 3.74 88 0.0092 12.38 9.02 0.185 1.32 3.79 4.09 0.95 4 2.75 6.47 3.72 16.04 2.9 11.28 5.6 3.2 195 8 1,640 1.53 0.435 44.85 77.25 5.95 2.23 1.13 3.15

9.2 46 0.52 0.049 12 5.36 7.25 0.077 2.11 92.95 10 8.45 2.58 4.98 1,943 6.55 15.8 3.01 3.6 84.95 0.0092 11.94 9 0.18 1.3 3.61 3.92 0.95 3.85 2.5 6.12 3.66 15 2.85 11.28 5.38 3.09 175 7.92 1,586 1.5 0.43 43 76 5.88 2.2 1.11 3.09

SERVICES 9.34 46.5 0.52 0.049 12.1 5.37 7.45 0.078 2.14 93.95 10 8.5 2.6 5 1,992 6.55 16.4 3.29 3.73 86 0.0092 12.38 9 0.183 1.31 3.72 4.01 0.95 3.89 2.5 6.44 3.69 15 2.89 11.28 5.58 3.2 178 8 1,640 1.52 0.435 43.6 77 5.9 2.2 1.11 3.09

1,196,800 5,100 528,000 52,760,000 12,300 500 9,724,300 154,900,000 3,284,000 1,561,210 1,500 15,400 6,000 4,000 44,235 3,237,300 52,300 4,392,000 45,000 2,031,040 2,000,000 1,200 355,200 5,830,000 1,322,000 124,000 922,000 4,000 1,423,000 2,373,000 19,573,800 460,000 7,000 1,039,000 600 286,000 18,000 154,470 61,900 119,125 10,528,000 1,020,000 1,364,200 914,590 155,200 932,000 1,200,000 453,000

11,157,040 235,315 276,060 2,589,510 147,650 2,684 72,492,873 12,284,650 7,012,210 146,755,329 15,000 131,093 15,520 19,950 87,209,375 21,409,922 852,978 13,701,880 165,850 174,247,063 18,400 14,592 3,199,406 1,059,990 1,721,180 459,400 3,691,660 3,800 5,590,890 6,237,000 123,967,230 1,691,660 106,528 2,991,610 6,768 1,567,082 55,850 27,038,150 493,460 193,105,645 16,001,190 443,150 59,135,810 70,429,678 915,530 2,056,690 1,337,960 1,419,100

-546,975 29,400 141,600 -19,524,664 -39,530 131,910 -14,634,393 25,611,580 49,200 -68,810,512.50 36,600 260,000 346,740 2,080,529 -411,610 57,800 98,360 -78,890 41,808,750 1,063,280 261,000 -15,156,245 -46,991,734.50 -921,420 229,910.00 610,790

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

0.0032 1.83 5.36 1.75 1.81 0.57 0.41 9.36 2.62 0.255 0.182 0.191 0.011 1.74 6.3 2.2 0.88 0.012 4.01 0.013 8.55 3.19 147 0.0087

0.0033 1.83 5.36 1.75 1.81 0.57 0.41 9.36 2.65 0.255 0.182 0.191 0.012 1.74 6.34 2.2 0.9 0.012 4.01 0.014 8.55 3.29 149 0.0087

0.0032 1.67 5.33 1.75 1.8 0.56 0.4 9.1 2.57 0.25 0.181 0.191 0.011 1.72 6.22 2.11 0.86 0.011 4.01 0.013 8.44 3.16 146.5 0.0087

MINING & OIL 0.0032 64,000,000 1.67 8,798,000 5.33 142,500 1.75 15,000 1.8 100,000 0.56 1,429,000 0.4 80,000 9.34 2,300 2.58 1,446,000 0.255 30,000 0.181 1,850,000 0.191 80,000 0.012 21,300,000 1.72 130,000 6.29 2,192,000 2.2 4,000 0.86 28,000 0.012 25,400,000 4.01 20,000 0.014 571,700,000 8.52 1,097,000 3.29 1,000,000 147.5 778,680 0.0087 1,000,000

204,900 15,156,800 762,315 26,250 180,500 800,260 32,500 21,462 3,741,830 7,600 335,670 15,280 234,600 223,720 13,763,403 8,710 24,160 292,600 80,200 7,996,300 9,328,460 3,249,760 114,578,261 8,700

-3,737,150 -56,603 -558,320 2,500 -7,288,775 -1,400 -4,448,264 18,553,028 -

ABS HLDG PDR ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF G GMA HLDG PDR LR PREF PCOR PREF 2A PCOR PREF 2B PF PREF 2 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

46.3 107 105.8 113.6 6.1 1.04 1,070 1,146 1,020 80.25 79 80 78.5 78.15

46.3 107 105.8 113.6 6.1 1.04 1,070 1,146 1,020 80.25 79 80 78.5 78.15

46.25 107 105.1 113.6 5.96 1.04 1,070 1,146 1,019 80 79 80 78.5 78.15

PREFERRED 46.3 38,400 107 3,530 105.1 730 113.6 5,000 6.01 4,919,400 1.04 549,000 1,070 190 1,146 5 1,020 3,960 80 40,000 79 6,300 80 4,240 78.5 30 78.15 20,000

1,777,870 377,710 76,884 568,000 29,653,043 570,960 203,300 5,730 4,038,670 3,203,712.50 497,700 339,200 2,355 1,563,000

787,100 -19,707,831 -

LR WARRANT

2.3

2.36

2.17

WARRANTS 2.21 288,000

642,940

-

ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

3.8 2.94 6.73 9.41

3.8 2.94 6.76 10.14

3.8 2.94 6.61 9.39

SME 3.8 2.94 6.7 10.12

38,000 2,940 301,376 47,811,720

19,150,267

FIRST METRO ETF

120.2

121

120.2

469,434

-

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 6.79 0.98 2.35 1.35 34 3.8 5.13 0.495 1.27 0.159 0.54 54.75 0.17 1.66 0.96 1.24 3.48 0.23

810,700 521,000 135,000 19,887,000 7,111,600 4,268,000 47,600 3,080,000 43,000 9,530,000 2,627,000 137,300 1,060,000 2,248,000 2,984,000 221,000 37,412,000 139,800,000

5,511,242 508,250 313,080 25,787,630 241,858,685 16,399,490 240,388 1,526,550 54,240 1,503,080 1,404,300 7,523,809 178,840 3,755,650 2,865,480 267,440 130,249,330 31,257,470

-4,739,229.00 -106,680 -108,776,080 1,156,100 99,000 100,490 2,305,600 -919,950 -12,958,790 -68,350

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS

SHARES

10,188,070 92,328,897 168,628,181

PROPERTY

322,160,296

SERVICES

292,240,838

MINING & OIL

703,145,845

GRAND TOTAL

1,593,605,237

10,000 1,000 44,800 4,853,400

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 121 3,890

VALUE 1,835.46 (UP) 28.47 779,960,817.788 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,876.62 (UP) 48.43 1,027,508,551.012 HOLDING FIRMS 7,468.86 (UP) 124.60 1,991,314,264.034 PROPERTY 3,176.02 (UP) 5.55 SERVICES 1,527.17 (UP) 10.87 1,495,622,228.591 MINING & OIL 12,018.17 (DOWN) 51.39 1,108,149,875.96 PSEI 7,331.46 (UP) 85.49 171,098,866.704 All Shares Index 4,411.21 (UP) 41.21 6,622,278,204.092 Gainers:100; Losers:80; Unchanged: 48; Total: 228

to date, will potentially provide banking services which may include financial facilities, cash management and payment services, foreign exchange and other treasury products to SCB’s diversified SME clients,” BDO said.

SCB managing director Hiroshi Sudo said the business partnership would strengthen further the economic ties between the two countries.

“BDO is the most desirable partner which is what our customers are looking for,” Sudo said during the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding.

Founded in 1950, SCB functions as the central financial institution in Japan for the cooperative regional financial institutions, known as shinkin banks. It occupies a well-established position in Japan’s financial industry as it supports the growth of the Shinkin banking industry which serves SMEs and local residents whose membership totals 264 nationwide.

Aside from the nationwide coverage, SCB has a subsidiary in London and four representative offices in New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Bangkok.

BDO is the Philippines’ largest lender. Net income last year rose 4.4 percent to a record P26.1 billion from P25 billion in 2015, on robust growth across all business segments. The full-year performance matched its earnings guidance for the year.

Investors swarm Wilcon’s offering

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE initial public offering of Wilcon Depot Inc. and preferred shares offering of Del Monte Pacific Ltd. Inc. received strong interest from investors, as both offerings were oversubscribed, the underwriter handling the two deals said Tuesday.

BDO Capital Investments Corp. president Eduardo Francisco said Wilcon’s P7billion IPO was two to threetimes oversubscribed at the end of the offer period on Friday.

“On our end, we were only able to give one third of the what our clients wanted because there was strong demand from investors,” Francisco said.

Del Monte’s base offering of $150-million preferred shares was also oversubscribed with a good chance that a portion of the $100-million oversubscription option would be exercised, he said.

“It is oversubscribed at the base offer of $150 million.

This is good sign that Del monte is a good name. This new financial instrument is good. It will issue a little over $150 million” Francisco said.

Francisco said the successful offering of Del Monte’s dollar-denominated preferred shares could also encourage other companies to issue the same instrument.

Wilcon is the first company to conduct an IPO this year while Del Monte is the first company to raise funds through the issuance of dollardenominated preferred shares.

Wilcon is selling 1.393 billion primary shares at an offer price of P5.05 per share to raise up to P7.03 billion in proceeds.

Business

B3

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Nido resumes drilling of new Galoc prospect

HINO DELIVERY. Hino Motors Philippines, the exclusive distributor of Hino trucks and buses in the Philippines, turns over 12 new Hino FG8J medium-duty trucks to Dolefil Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative, the fruit grower behind natural food provider Dole Philippines Inc. HMP president Hiroshi Aoki (fourth from left) is shown with DARBC executives during the turnover ceremony.

DRILLSHIP “Deepsea Metro I” is sailing from Labuan, Malaysia to the Galoc well in northwest Palawan, Nido Petroleum Ltd. said Tuesday.

Nido disclosed the development with the Australia Securities Exchange on behalf the the Galoc joint venture, which plans to start drilling an appraisal well in service contract 14 within the month.

“Nido will update the market once the rig arrives on location at Galoc-7/7ST and commences operations which is expected to occur on March 31, 2017,” Nido managing director Mike Fischer said.

Nido unit Galoc Production Co. W.L.L. signed in January a binding rig contract with Golden Close Maritime Corp. Ltd. to tap “Deepsea Metro I” to drill the Galoc appraisal well.

Deepsea Metro I is a cutting edge drillship. The rig is capable of simultaneous, safe and effi-

cient operations. It is capable of operating in water depths of up to 10,000 feet and drill to a total depth of 40,000 feet.

Nido and its joint venture partners in SC 14 plan to drill an appraisal well at the Galoc Mid Area in northwest Palawan in the first quarter.

Nido earlier said the Deepsea Metro I was under contract for approximately four to five weeks starting in March.

Fischer said the compahy looking forward to drilling operations in the Philippines “as we seek to unlock the potential for extending the field life of our cornerstone asset.”

Nido and joint venture partners approved in the fourth quarter last year the drilling of an appraisal well in the mid-Galoc area to confirm the viability of a potential phase three development.

Alena Mae S. Flores

SMC plans two Cordillera dams

By Alena Mae S. Flores

S

trategic Power Development Corp., controlled by conglomerate San Miguel Corp., plans to build two hydro-electric power projects in Apayao province in the Cordilleria Administrative Region with a combined output of 310 megawatts.

Strategic Power sought the approval of the Energy Department to put up the 300-MW Putol 1 and the 10-MW Putol 2 hydro projects.

Strategic Power earlier considered the development of the San Roque Upper East Pumped

ERC allows universal charge THE Energy Regulatory Commission has allowed Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. to continue the collection of universal charge for stranded contract cost of P0.1938 per kilowatt-hour until the remaining under-recovery amounting to P5.476 billion is fully recovered.

“The Commission hereby authorizes PSALM to continuously implement the UC-SCC rate of P0.1938 per kWh until the approved amount of P53.851 billion UC-SCC is fully recovered,” the ERC said.

The regulator acted on the petition of PSALM filed for the availment of National Power Corp.’s stranded contract cost portion of the universal charge for 2007 to 2010.

The stranded contract costs of Napocor, as defined under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, refer to the “excess of the contracted cost of electricity under eligible contracts over the actual selling price of the contracted energy output of such contracts of such contracts in the market.”

PSALM was previously allowed to implement a recovery of P53.851 billion under the universal charge for stranded contract cost from April 1, 2013 to December 31, 2015, but only P48.375 billion has been recovered to date, thus leaving an under-recovery of P5.476 billion.

The ERC order did not specify the period for recovery of the P53.851 billion but PSALM said it assumed a four-year recovery considering that the Energy Department’s Power Development Plan covers a four-year period.

PSALM said the four-year period would expire on February 2017 and asked the commission to allow it to continue to recover the P0.1938 per kWh until the approved P53.851 billion is fully recovered.

“Uninterrupted implementation of the P0.1938 per kWh approved UC-SCC rate would ensure continuous revenue streams for the petitioner... If the collection is discontinued, the petitioner will be forced to resort to borrowings to refinance portion of its maturing obligations which cannot be covered by its privatization proceeds and revenues from operations,” PSALM said.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Storage hydropower project with a capacity of 600 MW and the 400-MW San Roque Upper West Pumped Storage hydro power project.

Strategic Power is also looking at the San Roque Optimization Hydropower Project in San

Manuel, Pangasinan that will generate 400 MW of electricity.

Also included in the list of planned hydro projects of Strategic Power is the 200-MW pumped storage hydro in Aklan and the 500 -W pumped storage hydro power in Aurora province.

The company is the independent power producer administrator of the 345-MW San Roque hydro project in San Manuel, Pangasinan.

Strategic Power trades the power electricity output of the San Roque hydro facility while San Roque Power Corp., the joint venture between Marubeni Corp. and Kansai Electric Power Co.

Ltd., is responsible for the operations and maintenance of the power plant.

The San Roque hydro plant, designed as a build-operatetransfer project, holds a 25-year power purchase agreement with National Power Corp.

San Miguel won the right to manage the supply contract of the San Roque plant in 2009 with a $450-million bid.

San Miguel also holds a 60-percent stake in the 218 MW Angat hydro power plant in Bulacan.

San Miguel is currently building coal power projects in Bataan and Mindanao that are in various stages of development. It plans to

build coal-fired plants in Cebu, Panay and other areas in the country.

San Miguel is diversifying into renewable energy sources through unit SMC Global Power Holdings Inc. The company has shortlisted two Asian companies, one of which could be its strategic and technical partner on the green venture it declined to disclose.

San Miguel earlier said the expansion would relieve electricity consumers from higher bills resulting from the feed-in tariff subsidies extended to renewable energy producers.

San Miguel president and chief

operating officer Ramon Ang said as the global renewable sector matures, the cost of RE technologies worldwide drops correspondingly.

San Miguel has focused so far in putting up base load power plants. It is nearing completion of the first phase of its coal plants in Bataan and Davao provinces and seeking similar projects in Mindanao and the Visayas.

“It’s about time we find a balance between promoting clean energy and securing the country’s energy needs without making consumers bear the cost of a punishing subsidy for years in favor of RE producers,” Ang said.

Anti-trust body set to end probe on cement makers’ group

By Othel V. Campos THE Philippine Competition Commission expects to conclude the inquiry on the alleged anticompetition case filed against the Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines within the first semester.

Cement companies found guilty of anti-competitive behavior or found behaving in a cartel-like manner will be slapped fines and admin-

istrative penalties, said Commission chairman Arsensio Balisacan.

The body has 90 days to investigate the case from the time it found reasonable grounds to proceed with the probe.

It will conduct a more thorough probe and acquire more evidence on the case and if it finds there substantive ground, Cemap will be charged, Balisacan said.

First offense under the law is meted P100 million in fine while the second

one is penalized P250 million.

Balisacan said the body could impose other remedies to prevent perpetrators from repeating the same offense.

“Apart from merger controls, the Commission can investigate anti-competitive conduct of industry. This is a game changer as the business community is not used to this. This shows we are very serious in leveling the playing field so the benefits of growth

can redound to small and medium enterprises,” he said.

The investigation is a test case for the competition law on the cement industry, which has faced similar queries in other countries in Africa and Latin America.

The commission’s investigation followed a complaint filed

by Laban Konsyumer against Ernesto Ordoñez in his capacity as president of Cemap, LaFargeHolcim Philippines Inc. and Re-

public Cement and Building Materials Inc. for allegedly violating the provisions of the Philippine Competition Act by engaging in anti-competitive agreements.

Among the behaviors the consumer group noted from the cement groups are restricting competition as to price manipulation, imposing barriers to entry and committing acts that prevent competitors from growing within the market.

Cebu Pacific hires firm to maintain Airbus fleet

By Darwin G. Amojelar

MOST TRUSTED BRAND. For the seventh year in a row, Filipino consumers have maintained that they still prefer Whirlpool as their brand of choice in washing machines. Whirlpool this year is once again cited with the ultimate seal of consumer approval as one of the Most Trusted Brands for Household Products for the Washing Machine Category in the Reader’s Digest Asia’s Trusted Brand 2017 Awards. Every Whirlpool product has been meticulously made with the family in mind, providing outstanding quality, unparalleled durability and advanced technology. No other appliance brand in the world has the trusted legacy that Whirlpool has been able to achieve in over 100 years.

CEBU Pacific Air said on Tuesday it tapped Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance to provide component support for its Airbus A320 fleet.

The airline owned by the Gokongwei Group said the long term contract covered a fleet of over 40 Airbus A320s, and encompasses full component support and solutions, including repairs and local pool access to maximize aircraft availability, for both its A320s and its future A321neos.

Cebu Pacific currently has a fleet of 59 aircraft, comprising of four Airbus A319, 36 Airbus A320ceo, seven Airbus A330, eight ATR 72-500, and four ATR 72-600 aircraft.

“This is our first agreement with Cebu Pacific and also our first component support contract in the strategic Philippines

market,” Air France Industries executive vice president GeryMortreux said.

The airline expects delivery of 45 brand-new aircraft between 2017 and 2021 as part of a fleet renewal program.

The new aircraft will bring the CEB fleet to 85 by 2021, including 12 ATR 72-600 aircraft, one brand-new Airbus A330 and 32 Airbus A321neo, The airline has one of the youngest and most modern aircraft fleets in the world with an average age of 4.94 years.

Cebu Pacific has a total of 37 domestic destinations and 29 international destinations across Asia, Australia, the Middle East and the US, bringing its total domestic and international routes to 104.

The airline carrier said net profit jumped 122 percent to P9.8 billion in 2016 from P4.39 billion in 2015.

Alliance Global, Travellers refinancing $800m in dollar debt

By Jenniffer B. Austria ALLIANCE Global Group Inc. and Travellers International Hotel Group Inc. of tycoon Andrew Tan plans to refinance dollar-denominated debt worth $800 million.

Alliance Global president Kingson Sian said in an interview at the sidelines of Megaworld Corp.’s P12-billion bond listing that Alliance Global would refinance $500 million

in debt maturing in August while Travellers will refinance $300 million.

Sian said Alliance Global’s $500 million would be refinanced through the issuance of another dollar denominated loan of similar size and tenor, while Travellers’s $300-million debt would bne converted into peso-denominated debt, through bank loans, also of equivalent value.

“AGI has $500 million

bonds maturing August and we will refinance with another dollar bond, while Travellers will go peso to refinance the $300-million bond,” Sian said.

“We are not increasing the debt. We are just replacing them,” he added.

Despite the recent depreciation of the peso against the US dollar, Sian said Alliance Global’s planned maintain its $500-million debt in dollars be-

cause of the company’s foreign currency revenues.

Travellers, meanwhile, will convert its dollar-denominated debt into peso since it is earning in the local currency.

Sian said the company opted to raise dollar denominated debts in the past given the size of funds that it wanted to raise.

But with the improved liquidity of financial institutions in the country, Sian said more companies were raising funds

through the local market.

“This is a testament to the development of local financial industry. There is so much liquidity in the market right now and capacity of banks has grown in size. So now we can raise the same amount locally,” Sian said.

Meanwhile, Megaworld Corp., the real estate unit of Tan, recently raised P12 billion from the issuance of seven-year bonds.

LGUs

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

B4

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017

‘PLANTING LIFE.’

Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (fifth from left) and Maynilad executives mark their green fingerprints on a Pledge Wall panting for their commitment in planting trees during a tree-growing activity at NHA Southville, Poblacion last March 18.

The city government of Muntinlupa, through Maynilad Water Services Inc., GMA-7, and Laguna Lake Development Authority launched the ‘Plant for Life’ program coinciding with the celebration of World Water Week. Also in photo are (from left) LLDA Community Development Division chief Reena Buena, Maynilad CQECH chief Vilma Cembrano, Maynilad Corporate Quality, Environment, Safety, and Health officer lawyer Roel Espiritu, Muntinlupa Extension Service officer Dr. Beth Deloso, and Muntinlupa Environmental Protection and Natural Resources officer Ariel Dolleton.

RMSC rebuild set—Erap

By Sandy Araneta

T

HE conversion and redevelopment of the prewar Rizal Memorial Sports Complex into a commercial center will push through, Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada said.

Speaking at a recent media forum, Estrada said Manila intends to put to good use the land where the vast but decrepit complex stands, and turn it into something that will be more beneficial to the city government.

“Yes, it’s sure,” Estrada said, when

asked if the city government would still reclaim the historic property amid stiff opposition from heritage advocates, prominent sports personalities, and different sports organizations.

“It is still owned by the City of Manila. The PSC [Philippine Sports Commission] has usufruct rights only,” Estrada said of the 8.4-hectare plot where the RMSC is located.

“The Rizal Memorial stadium is still owned and will remain to be a property of the government. We will not sell it. It will just be developed into sports, recreational, and business center under a joint venture agreement,” he added.

Defending the city government’s move, the mayor pointed out the conversion of RMSC is part of his administra-

tion’s urban development program.

“Nobody is using it. No income. Everything looks old. How can the city depend on this? The Rizal Memorial Sports Complex is antiquated,” Estrada stressed.

He said the PSC needs a new, worldclass sports center complete with athlete’s villages and modern training facilities, like the one being envisioned on a 100-hectare property in Clark, Pampanga that will be provided by the Bases Conversion Development Authority.

Instead of continuing to be a “white elephant,” the RMSC might as well be used to earn income for the city government and provide needed funds for socio-development projects for the poor and underprivileged, Estrada said, calling it “a waste.”

The city government is reportedly in dis-

cussions with the Razon Group owned by tycoon Enrique Razon, which eyes to turn the property into a modern urban complex, including commercial buildings, a shopping mall and a sports museum.

Once it gives up control of the sports complex, PSC expects to get around P2 billion from the sale, just enough to build the new training center in Clark, the reports added.

Built in 1934, the sports complex, including the Rizal Memorial Coliseum built for basketball, survived World War II. It has hosted several international sports events such as the Far Eastern Games, the 1954 Asian Games, and the Southeast Asian Games in 1981, 1991 and 2005.

The Beatles also held a concert there in 1966.

Catholic school honors Muslim peace advocate

By Nash B. Maulana COTABATO CITY—A leading Catholic institution in Mindanao has placed a Muslim writer in its roll of Christian honorees for his work as a peacemaker.

The Notre Dame University has honored for the first time a Moro peace advocate, Abhoud Syed Lingga, with the Degree of Doctor of Humanities (Honoris Causa) in Peace and Development.

Lingga, chairman of the Bangsamoro Consultative Council and executive director of the Institute of Bangsamoro Studies, is also a member of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Peace Panel from 2010 to date.

Lingga holds two post-graduate degree programs with his Master of Arts in Education and Master of Arts in Islamic Studies, and is a candidate for PhD in Peace and Development.

Fr. Charlie M. Inzon, OMI, NDU president, said the baccalaureate doctoral degree was conferred upon the Moro writer during the 68th NDU Baccalaureate Exercises last Saturday at the University Gymnasium here.

Reached for comment, Lingga, an academician from Maguindanao, was visibly delighted in his usual low tone, saying the honor is not only for him and his family, but more importantly by the Bangsamoro.

The members of the NDU Board of Trustees, all Catholic priests including Fr. Inzon, were unanimous in their choice of Lingga.

All previous honorees were Christians who have contributed to their community’s social transformation in diverse fields

Moro peace writer professor Abhoud Syed Lingga walks with post-graduate candidates of the Catholic-run Notre Dame University during the baccalaureate ceremonies at the NDU Gymnasium in Cotabato City on Saturday.

of peace and development.

Fr. Inzon said the baccalaureate conferment program was part of the mission of the NDU School for Social Transformation, “to lead education for social transformation in Mindanao.”

Among Catholics, sustaining endeavors that promote peace is inspired by the Gospel of St. Matthew, particularly the verse “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” (Matt 5:9) Last year, the NDU conferred the same honor of a Degree of Doctor of Humanities (Honoris Causa) in Peace and Development upon His Eminence Cardinal Or-

lando Quevedo, OMI, Fr. Inzon said.

All his life, Lingga “has literally oriented his pen as a writer to his least-rewarding endeavor, the cause of peace,” his fellow Moro writers commented on learning of the award.

The NDU has also requested Lingga in writing to be the Baccalaureate Speaker during the Baccalaureate ceremonies, addressing this year’s candidates for graduation, their parents, the University faculty members, staff and administrators, as well as other students and guests.

“With the approval of the Board of Trustees of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Notre Dame University confers to

you the Degree of Doctor of Humanities (Honoris Causa) in Peace and Development,” Inzon said.

Inzon said the Board Resolution was signed by Rev. Fr. Lauro de Guia, provincial superior of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and chairman, Board of Trustees of Notre Dame University, during the Board’s meeting held in January at the Notre Dame, Davao City.

Inzon said Lingga “has proven himself as a strong advocate of the promise of the peace process as the peaceful and nonviolent means of effective change and stability.”

Indisputably, Lingga is a “man of peace.

He has taught peace education in various schools and the public that he has served.”

As peace advocate, Lingga also champions the cause of the Bangsamoro, principally their struggle for the right to selfdetermination, or so the NDU Board of Trustees fairly rated his nomination to the baccalaureate conferment.

Lingga has written numerous articles and authored books. He had written papers on peace he had presented in forums here and abroad, and by which he “continues to inspire the Bangsamoro people, and Mindanao,” the NDU president said.

Aside from being a member of the MILF peace panel, Lingga is also a member of board of schools, and is the founding executive director of the IBS. These endeavors make Lingga “the epitome of being the man of peace” that he is. “He really deserves this (academic conferment) as determined by the NDU Board of Trustees,” Fr. Inzon added.

Munti eyes paperless council sessions BEGINNING with the City Council, the local government of Muntinlupa has pushed for paperless conduct of its regular plenary sessions and the distribution of official correspondence.

Muntinlupa Public Information Officer Tez Navarro said the shift toward a digital workflow on City Council assemblies and correspondence is part of the city’s effort in facilitating more efficient processes and data management.

Navarro said replacing paper-based processes “frees up time and resources in filing, organizing, and managing paper documents.”

The officer noted the document management automation saves time in retrieving files, creates easy access to data, cuts costs, and improves transparency.

The initiative also goes for the city’s commitment in conserving the environment through reduction of paper usage, as lesser trees will be converted into paper, Navarro said.

If an ordinance materializes to this effect, Muntinlupa City will be among the first local government units in the country, and the first in the National Capital Region, to implement paperless council sessions.

Anticipating its success in pilot implementation, all the city government’s offices will carry out the digital workflow.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi hopes the innovation becomes a beacon of practice among government offices in heralding excellence and transparency in its practices.

Calabarzon police gear up for Lent, summer CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna—The Police Regional Office 4A in Calabarzon has launched its public safety campaign for the Lenten season and the summer holidays, dubbed “Ligtas SUMVAC 2017.”

PRO4A Regional Director Chief Supt. Ma. O Aplasca has directed all city and provincial police directors in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon to ensure the safe and secure travel of motorists and commuters this coming season.

“The Philippine National Police remains on its toes to implement this public safety campaign for the Lent and the entire summer holiday season,” Aplasca said.

Police presence will be intensified through increased foot and mobile patrols and established Police Assistance Desks, he added. Also, road safety marshals will be deployed in convergence points particularly in bus terminals, seaports, tourist spots, churches and recreational areas, including highways, main thoroughfares, and crime-prone areas to ensure maximum police presence.

Aplasca instructed all police commanders to coordinate with local government units, non-government organizations, and other government entities and volunteer groups in establishing PACs and deploying Road Safety Marshalls “for a collaborative and unified delivery of public safety services and assistance.”

Aplasca added that criminals may take advantage of people converging in as beaches and other tourist destinations for relaxation and recreation. Roy Tomandao

Mactan airport emerging as alternative hub to Manila airport—exec CEBU CITY—The Mactan Cebu International Airport is emerging as an alternative hub to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, its private operator said.

Ravi Shankar Saravo, chief commercial adviser of GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp., MCIA’s private operator, said Mactan airport’s emergence as a secondary hub is shown by the

increasing number of flights from Cebu to other parts of the country.

GMCAC won the P17.5-billion rehabilitation and management of the MCIA, which includes the construction of Mactan Airport Terminal 2.

The Mactan Airport T2 is expected to be completed in June 2018 and will increase MCIA’s capacity from 4.5 million passengers

to 12 million passengers a year.

The increase in flights also resulted in the increase in the number of passengers passing through the MCIA, which reached 8.8 million in 2016, up by 13 percent or from the 7.8 million passengers recorded in 2015.

Saravo said national flag carrier Philippine Airlines and budget carriers such as Cebu Pacific and Air

Asia have mounted more flights out of Cebu.

Air Asia flies from Cebu to Kalibo, Caticlan, Davao, Puerto Princesa and Cagayan de Oro, aside from Manila.

Cebu Pacific flies from Cebu to Calbayog, Ormoc, Roxas, Bacolod, Caticlan, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Camiguin, Clark, Davao, Dipolog, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo,

Kalibo, Legaspi, Manila, Ozamis, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa, Surigao, Tacloban, Tandag and Zamboanga.

PAL has more than 100 weekly flights to and from Cebu to such destinations as Manila, Clark, Davao, Iloilo, Bacolod, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro and Tacloban.

PAL also inaugurated on Sunday its new flights to Puerto Princesa and Coron in Palawan, Surigao

City and General Santos City.

Saravo said passenger traffic between Cebu and Manila is now on a plateau, while passenger traffic from Cebu to other provinces are growing at double digit figures.

Saravo said the emergence of Mactan airport as an alternate hub will help decongest the Naia and allow it to focus on more strategic routes. PNA

Shipping & Port Special Feature

POM ranks 36 among Top 100 container ports

th

B

ONIFACIO Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila 1018, Philippines, P.O. Box 436, Manila, Philippines Tel. No. (0632) 527-8356, Fax No. (0632) 527-4855, http://www. ppa.com.ph The Port of Manila jumps up two notches to number 36 among the top 100 Container Ports, according to a report released

by Lloyd’s List and Containerization International for 2016.

According to the report, the Philippines was able to increase their ranking after the country was shielded from the slowdown in China that has hurt other emerging nations in 2015, as government stepped up efforts to unlock the bottleneck in state spending and entice investment.

It added the growth in the country’s Gross Domestic Product exceeded expections anchored on the 6.1% pace posted in the third quarter for the period in review. Philippine GDP in the three months through to December for the period increased 6.3%. Manila’s economy, for the whole of the period, grew 5.8%.

“Port of Manila registered a 4.3% hike in container throughput, with principal facility the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) posting a 4.4% increase in containers handled,” the report showed.

Among the reasons that Manila posted favorable growth include the inauguration of Berth 7 at the MICT, which included the commissioning of four rubber-tired gantries as well as the rollout of the terminal appointment booking system (TABS) ahead of the anticipated increase in container movements prior to the Christmas holiday season as well as the revival of ICTSI’s inland container depot in Laguna.

TABS is an electronic platform for booking containers in the two international ports of Manila. The system was developed in response to restrictive road policies that were introduced to combat heave congestion of Manila ports in 2014 as a result of the truck ban imposed by the Manila city government.

Philippine container volume, meanwhile, for the entire 2016 posted positive figures rising 12% to 6.574 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) from 5.861 million TEUs handled in 2015. Foreign containers inch-up 14.11% to 3.973 million TEUs while domestic boxes rose 9.28% to 2.6 million TEUs for the period in review.

Total import boxes is at 2.005 million TEUs while export containers are at 1.968 million TEUs wherein both posted increases of 15.4% and 12.8%, respectively.

Among the ports which registered strong performance include the Manila International Container Terminal and Manila South Harbor for international cargoes, North Harbor for domestic cargoes as well as Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and Iloilo.

However, despite the banner year, the PPA is overhauling its growth forecast for this year due to vital developments over the past two months.

PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago explained the tapered expectation is attributable to the continuing volatility of the Philippine currency as well as the expected drop in the operation of the mining industry in the Philippines.

Among the areas hard-hit by the issues clouding the Philippine mining industry are the ports under the Port Management Offices of Surigao, Nasipit, Palawan, Batangas, Manila, Northern Luzon, among others. These ports handle the bulk of the shipments from the mining firms like nickel, manganese, smelted copper, and refined copper including pumice, marble, silica sand as well as iron ore, chromium, silver, and Zinc.

In Surigao alone, annual revenues broke past half, billion for the first time in more than three decades. These revenues are anchored on the increased volume in the exportation of mineral products at private mining ports, along with longer port stays and increased vessel frequency.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017 advertise@thestandard.com.ph

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THE FILIPINO, SETTING A GLOBAL STANDARD IN PORT MANAGEMENT. The Manila International Container Terminal combines leading-edge technologies and decades of port management expertise to provide the country with port services at par with the world’s best.

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

MICT is the flagship operation of ICTSI, the Philippines’ leading port operator with a portfolio of 29 terminals in 19 countries.

MICT

PHILIPPINES

www.ictsi.com

The 9,180 BHP AHTS MV Rho Cas tows a barge carrying quay cranes from Oita, Japan to Cai Mep, Vietnam.

PORTS play an indispensable role in nation building as they are key transshipment facilities for the transport of goods and services, provide direct and indirect employment to surrounding communities, and ensure the sustainability and growth of trade.

To be commercially productive, the port should be supported by harbor tugs that can safely and timely dock and undock vessels calling the piers, jetties and terminals.

Harbor Star Shipping Services, Inc., a leading integrated maritime service provider in the Philippines, is at the forefront of ensuring reliable port services in the country. Its more than 42 harbor tugboats are deployed throughout out the archipelago operate in more than 70 ports and terminals.

The company derives the bulk of its revenues from six main service lines, namely; harbor assistance,

Ensuring reliable port services

lighterage, towing, salvage, marine construction repair and maintenance works, and other marine services. Other services include oil and chemical spill response, diving and underwater work, and ship and crew management. Harbor Star’s more than 400 personnel consisting of officers, crew, engineers, technical and support staff serve over 300 domestic and international customers.

As part of its immediate plans, Harbor Star is gearing up to participate in the barging operation for a soon-to-be-constructed six-hectare port in Tanza, Cavite that will be owned and operated by International Container Terminal Services Inc. It will be the Philippines’ first barge terminal for shipping containers between the Port of Manila and Cavite that could potentially reduce daily truck trips on city roads.

Not limited to the local market, Harbor Star also

offers its services internationally. Just this February, M/V Rho Cas, successfully completed the delivery of a barge carrying quay cranes to CaiMep, Vietnam from Oita, Japan. This delivery project was Rho Cas’ first overseas job for 2017.

Recently, Harbor Star’s stockholders approved the company’s plan to raise as much as PHP 1 billion to supports its domestic and international expansion plans and diversification in the next 3 years. The company intends to spend a substantial part of the fund raise to acquire tugboats from Japan for its ASEAN expansion. It is presently looking at Myanmar and Indonesia as potential markets and is further expanding its presence in Malaysia.

For its diversification plans, Harbor Star is looking to enter the renewable energy industry with the end view of providing its current clientele with clean energy.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017 advertise@thestandard.com.ph

Shipping & Port Special Feature

Ro-Ro ports to handle vintage vehicles

By Christopher C. Paringit

T

HE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) announced that Philippine Ro-Ro ports are now more than capable to handle the special requirements of transporting classic, vintage and sophisticated vehicles.

In 2003, the government issued a policy to promote Ro-Ro, a system designed to carry rolling stock cargo that does not require cranes for loading or unloading.

The Strong Republic Nautical Highway is one of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s priority programs to ensure fast and economical movement of goods and people, and to boost domestic tourism and trade.

The Asian Development Bank earlier said the Ro-Ro system had cut the cost of the transport system as well as the travel time in the Philippines.

Porsche Club Philippines utilizes Nautical Highway This after the members of the Manila Sports Car Club (MSCC) and the Porsche Club Philippines, onboard their classic Porsche Targa and Carerra machines, successfully traversed the Luzon, Panay and Visayas regions with ports and Ro-Ro vessels acting as conduits to connect the islands.

The trip, in coordination with the PPA, involves seven cars from the MSCC and 10 cars from the Cebu group meeting halfway in the City of Iloilo covering close to 550 kilometers one way for the Manila group and 300 km for the Cebu group. The trip also involved two Ro-Ro transfers for both legs with average sailing time of three hours each trip for the Manila group and two hours each for the Cebu group.

“There is no better way to market the readiness of our ports and encourage vehicle owners who are adamant to use the RoRo highway than to have these

classic, highvalue vehicles have a firsthand experience of Ro-Ro travel,” PPA General Manager Jay Daniel R. Santiago explained.

“We have been proofing our ports to handle these kinds of vehicles and the successful run of the two groups have affirmed that the Authority made the right investment,” Santiago stressed.

“Safety and security are also not an issue as the two groups made it safely back home despite encountering some mechanical problems during their long drives,” Santiago said.

Also, the refleeting program currently being adopted by several Ro-Ro operators along the highway further improved the attractiveness of the Road Ro-Ro Terminal System to the public.

Similarly, the road modernization by the Department of Public Works and Highways along the Ro-Ro highway also guarantees a very smooth ride.

As of the moment, there are three main Ro-Ro arteries in the country, the Western Nautical Highway, which connects Luzon and Mindanao via Batangas, Mindoro, Aklan, Iloilo, Bacolod, Dumaguete and Dapitan; the Central Nautical Highway that links Luzon to Mindanao via Sorsogon, Masbate, Cebu, Bohol, Camiguin and Cagayan de Oro and the Eastern Nautical Highway, which runs through southern Luzon, the Bicol region, the provinces of Samar and Leyte and connects to eastern Mindanao in Surigao del Norte province.

These routes are separated by some 50 nautical miles with

The members of the Porsche Club Philippine—seven from Luzon, 10 from Cebu and one from the Iloilo City—converged in Iloilo for their first-ever get together using the Nautical Highway as their virtual moving bridge.

average sailing time of 3 hours.

Backpackers can also enjoy the comforts of travelling through the Ro-Ro highway as several bus operators are maintaining predictable schedules along the three nodes like Philtranco, Jam Liner and Ceres, among others, while UV Express services are also available in almost every port.

“I am enjoining everyone to try and take advantage of our Ro-Ro highway because it is one of the best alternatives as it offers a wide array of opportunities to visit our islands compared to air travel,” Santiago said.

Congressional Ro-Ro Tour Exactly a month after the PCP Expedition, the House of Representatives led by no less than Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo

Fariñas and Transportation Committee head Cesar Sarmiento along with some other 8 members of the Lower House, embarked on an 11-day Ro-Ro tour that ended only last Monday.

The purpose of the tour is to determine loopholes that are keeping the Ro-Ro industry in some areas of the country almost at berth and legislate, if needed, budgetary requirements to address the problem areas.

The Representatives started their journey in Batangas Port dawn of March 17 traversing Calapan and Bulalacao in Mindoro, Caticlan to Iloilo via Kalibo, Iloilo to Bacolod before having a 6-hour ride to Dumaguete and other 4-hour RoRo ride to the Port of Dapitan in Zamboanga. They likewise had a two-day road trip from Dapitan

to Davao City passing through the provinces of Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon. This route comprise the Western Nautical Highway, which is considered the tourism corridor of the Road Ro-Ro Terminal System of the Philippines.

For their return trip, the delegation took the Eastern Nautical Highway, also known as the Pan Philippine Highway. This roadway was established during the time of the Marcos Regime.

From Davao, they travel to Lipata in Surigao via Butuan before taking a Ro-Ro ride to Liloan in Samar. Another leg going through Tacloban and Calbayog before taking a Ro-Ro to Matnog also gave the team, time to reflect on the state of the region some four years after Super Typhoon Yolanda struck the area.

Initial results of the Congressional tour show that one of the glaring problems that need to be addressed soon is the access road to and from the ports.

The House of Representatives, through the Transport Committee, is expected to come up with the full result of their tour when they resume their session on May 2.

The House of Representatives is also looking at traversing the Northern Nautical Highway connecting the provinces of Quezon, Isabela, Cagayan, Batanes, among others before the 2nd State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

This congressional initiative is part of the overall plan of the Duterte Administration to strengthen the Philippine maritime industry.

World IN BRIEF France urged to protect Chinese BEIJING―China Tuesday urged France to protect the safety and rights of its citizens after police in Paris killed a Chinese national, sparking a violent protest.

French police arrested 35 people after a demonstration late Monday by the capital’s Asian community over the killing turned violent.

China calls on Paris to “guarantee the safety and legal rights and interests of Chinese citizens in France and to treat the reaction of Chinese people to this incident in a rational way,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular press briefing, adding that the government had filed an official complaint over the events.

After learning of the incident, China “immediately ordered its embassy in France to activate an emergency response mechanism [and] made representations with the French side, asking them to get to the bottom of the incident,” she said.

“Meanwhile, we hope that our citizens... in France can express their wishes and demands in a lawful and reasonable way.”

Paris police said around 150 “members of the Asian community” gathered late Monday outside a police station in the northeast of the capital.

Three officers were slightly injured in the running clashes and one police vehicle was damaged by an incendiary device. AFP

Millions unsure of their next meal CAIRO―The devastating conflicts gripping the Middle East and North Africa have left 30 million people unsure of their next meal, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization said.

“Food security and nutrition levels in the Near East and North Africa have sharply deteriorated over the last five years,” the agency said in a report released Monday.

“The prevalence of severe food insecurity in the adult population... was close to 9.5 percent in 2014-2015, representing approximately 30 million people,” it said.

“Countries such as Iraq, Sudan, Syria and Yemen have rates that are among the highest in the world, reflecting the devastating impacts of the ongoing conflicts on their food security and nutrition situation.”

FAO Assistant Director General and Regional Representative Abdessalam Ould Ahmed said that conflict was hampering efforts to cope with the severe water shortages affecting agriculture in many countries in the region.

“A peaceful and stable environment is an absolute precondition for farmers to respond to the challenges of water scarcity and climate change,” he said.

Yemen, which is the Arab world’s poorest nation and has seriously depleted its underground water sources, has seen food security deteriorate dramatically since its civil war escalated two years ago with the intervention of a Saudi-led coalition. AFP

Human breast milk exports banned PHNOM PENH―Cambodia officially banned selling and exporting locally-pumped human breast milk on Tuesday, after reports exposed how women were turning to the controversial trade to boost meager icomes in one of Southeast Asia’s poorest countries.

The order comes after Cambodia temporarily halted breast milk exports by the Utah-based Ambrosia Labs, which claims to be the first firm to source the product from overseas and distribute it in the United States.

The milk was pumped by poor Cambodian women in the capital Phnom Penh and then shipped to the US, where it was pasteurized and sold for $20 per 5 oz (147 ml) pack.

The company’s customers are American mothers who want to supplement their babies’ diets or cannot produce enough milk of their own.

On Tuesday, Cambodia’s cabinet ordered the health ministry to “take actions to immediately prevent the purchasing and exporting of breast milk from mothers from Cambodia,” according to a letter seen by AFP. AFP

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017

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Cyclone slams into Australia A

YR, Australia―A “monster” cyclone smashed into northeast Australia Tuesday, cutting power, damaging buildings and uprooting trees, with coastal towns in lockdown as residents battled lashing rain and howling winds.

‘GIVE ME SOME, PLEASE.’ A goat begs for food as people have a meal and beer at the Beichelstein-Alpe outdoor restaurant near Seeg, southern Germany, on March 27, 2017. AFP

Play tries to understand Donald Trump AMERICAN theater-goers got a small taste Monday of a new play by Nobel laureate Elfriede Jelinek that tries to understand President Donald Trump and what he says about today’s society.

Jelinek, an Austrian, won the world’s top literature prize in 2004 and is known for writing the novel “The Piano Teacher,” which became a movie of the same name in 2001.

Entitled “On the Royal Road: The Burgher King,” her new play tries to make sense of Trump’s election as president of the United States.

Excerpts were read on Monday night at the Martin E. Segal Theatre at City University of New York.

As with other works by Elfriede, the play is dense, written in language in which each word or sentence seem to be key pieces in the task of solving a puzzle.

“When I first read the text, it felt like abstract painting,” said actress Masha Dakic, who did the solo reading on

Monday.

The play’s main character is Miss Piggy, she of the Muppets. But in this case, she is blind, her eyes streaming blood, as she wonders aloud about Trump.

Trump has destroyed the past and hijacked the future so as to make everything all about the present—the world of the tweets of which he’s so fond, Jelinek has said.

Director Stefan Dzeparoski said he staged the play in short segments that “behave almost like news bursts, like breaking news,” he told AFP. “Everything has this punching rhythm so you can never have a moment to think. There is no time to think,” he added.

Gitta Honegger, who translated the play from German into English, said the election of Trump was a gut punch, something hard to digest and likened it to the rise to power of the Nazis.

She said just that like intellectuals in that period, she watches those of today

who were “not thinking that it’s even possible that somebody with a brain like this and behavior like this and emptiness like this can be a president.”

Honegger, pressed to say what the play is about, said: “How can you get a hold on Trump?”

“You can’t get a hold on stupidity,” Jelinek says in a yet unpublished interview in the US magazine Theater, in which a shortened version of the text of the play will be published.

Jelinek did not come to New York for the reading on Monday. She suffers from acute anxiety and does not go out, spending her time at home in Vienna, said Honegger.

Honegger said that when she learned Jelinek was writing something about Trump, whom Honeger focused on closely as soon as he was elected, she proposed to the writer translating it into English and performing it in America.

The actual premiere is scheduled for October in Hamburg, Germany. AFP

Great Barrier Reef islands popular with foreign tourists were battered by the category four storm that hit the coast of Queensland state with destructive wind gusts of up to 270 kph near its broad core.

There were fears the storm’s arrival would coincide with early morning high tides and cause severe flooding, but it slowed before crossing the coastline between the towns of Bowen and Airlie Beach in the early afternoon.

The effects of the storm, which was downgraded to a still powerful category three as it moved over land, were felt across a huge swathe of coast that would span the distance between London and Berlin, although not all areas were badly hit.

“It felt like we were underneath a freight train for most of the night, strong bass rumbles as the... wind rattled past and made the buildings shake,” Cameron Berkman, who is holidaying on Hayman Island, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Queensland politician Mark Ryan said it was also chaotic at Airlie Beach, the mainland holiday gateway to the Whitsunday islands.

“Trees down in Airlie Beach and reports of windows shattering and some roofs starting to cave in,” he tweeted.

Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said there was “certainly structural damage”, and at least one person had been badly injured by a collapsing wall.

“I think the public and the community of Queensland need to understand that we are going to get lots of reports of damage and sadly I think we will also receive more reports of injuries, if not deaths,” he said.

The Bureau of Meteorology, which forecast up to 50 centimetres (20 inches) of rain, urged people to stay calm and not be complacent as the eye of the storm passes.

“Do not venture outside if you find yourself in the eye of the cyclone—very destructive winds from a different direction could resume at any time,” it said.

“People in the path of the very dangerous cyclone should stay calm and remain in a secure shelter.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who called the storm a “monster” that would last for hours, said at least 30,000 homes were without power with communications down in many areas.

Conditions have prevented emergency services getting a better picture of damage and they may not be able to do so until first light Wednesday, with the federal government on standby to provide assistance in the aftermath, including with navy helicopters and planes.

Residents, who sandbagged and boarded up homes, had been told to prepare for the worst weather to pummel the state since Cyclone Yasi in 2011, which ripped houses from their foundations and devastated crops.

Yasi, which struck less populated areas, caused damage estimated at Aus$1.4 billion. Debbie has officially been declared a catastrophe by the Insurance Council of Australia, allowing them to prioritize claims from the disaster.

Some 3,500 people were evacuated between the towns of Home Hill and Proserpine, around 100 kilometers south of Townsville, a tourist hot spot and access point to the Great Barrier Reef. AFP

‘Beauty and the Beast’ dazzles for second week LOS ANGELES―Disney’s blockbuster “Beauty and the Beast” dazzled the North American box office for a second straight week, raking in $90.4 million over the weekend, according to industry data released on Monday.

The film’s cumulative North American take of $319 million is the best ever for a March release, according to industry experts, helping propel domestic box offices for March past $1 billion, the most ever for the month.

The movie, starring Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame as Belle and Dan Stevens from the “Downton Abbey” series as the Beast, has shown drawing power usually more typical of a superhero blockbuster than of PG-rated family fare.

But the latest superhero film, Lionsgate’s rebooted “Power Rangers,” had a strong opening weekend with $40.3 million in sales, coming in second in North America and defying critics, who had called it a needless addition to a market saturated by comic book characters.

In an excoriating review in Britain’s Daily Telegraph, critic Robbie Collin said the movie’s climax appeared to have been “shot by the Hunchback of Notre Dame and edited by a monkey wearing oven gloves.”

Lionsgate may wish to keep

that monkey on staff; the film is already well on its way to recovering the $105 million cost of the film.

“Rangers” features Dacre Montgomery, RJ Cyler, Naomi Scott, Becky G and Ludi Lin as high schoolers who use their superpowers to battle the nefarious Rita Repulsa, played by Elizabeth Banks.

Coming in third in weekend revenues was Warner Brothers’ “Kong: Skull Island,” with a $14.7 million take in its third week. The film, starring Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman and Brie Larson, tells the story of a group of explorers on a mysterious island that proves to be the frightening domain of the mighty ape.

In fourth spot was the Sony film “Life,” with an openingweekend take of $12.5 million.

The movie, which has received mostly positive reviews, features Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal and Rebecca Ferguson as astronauts on the International Space Station facing a menacing otherworldly life form.

In fifth was “Logan,” earning $10.3 million in its fourth week out. The Fox production stars Hugh Jackman—in what is said to be his last appearance as the Wolverine character—helping a young girl, played by Dafne Keen, who has claws of her own. AFP

OPENING NIGHT. Actress Rita Moreno attends the ‘Latin History For Morons’ opening night celebration at The Public Theater on March 27, 2017, in New York City. AFP

Maligayang Bati sa inyong kaarawan

Pangulong Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte!

Greetings from

z e r a u S g n Serbisyo

Congressman Danilo and Aleta Suarez

Board Member Jet Suarez

GREETINGS:

Happy Birthday President

Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte!

From The Minority Group

DANILO SUAREZ (LAKAS) Minority Leader

Abigail Faye Ferriol-Pascual - KALINGA Harry Roque – KABAYAN Anthony Bravo – COOP – NATCCO Cecilia Leonila Chavez- BUTIL Lito Atienza – BUHAY Eugene Michael De Vera – ABS Anna Marie Villaraza-Suarez – ALONA Alfredo Garbin, Jr. – AKO BICOL Orestes Salon - AGRI Delphine Lee – AGRI Julieta Cortuna – A-TEACHER Aniceto Bertiz III – ACTS – OFW Harlin Neil Abayon III – AANGAT TAYO Luis Campos, Jr. – UNA Monsour Del Rosario – UNA Arlene Arcillas-Nazareno – LIBERAL Richard Eusebio - NACIONALISTA

Vice Mayor Jun Suarez

Gov. Jayjay and Congwoman Anna Villaraza-Suarez

Life Jeans FASHION & BEAUTY

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017

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with famous fit are back A

red tab marks a Levi’s pair of jeans usually.

This is a feature sewn onto the left side of the right back pocket of the 501 jeans way back in 1936.

But did you know that Levi’s was noted for another tab color in the 1960s?

A time of cultural, social and political

Levi’s Orange Tab collection pays homage to the rebel lifestyle

The collection is a celebration of vintage cool and modern retro

A touch of Japanese in spring

Kando pants must for men

DESIGNED for easy movement and crafted from lightweight, fast-drying fabric, the Uniqlo Kando Pants collection is a stylish but functional approach to day-to-day dressing.

Bringing new meaning to the concept of work wear, Uniqlo presents a dynamic and versatile piece fitting for casual wear and even sportswear.

This season, the Kando Pants are constructed with superb stretch that has moisture wicking performance. Details include updated stitching for more attractive sidelines, and a refined look and a classic straight cut that anyone can wear.

The pants’ silhouette is complemented with all the features of a versatile and highly-practical piece of clothing, making it a distinguished example of Uniqlo LifeWear’s commitment to making the good lives of Filipinos better through innovative clothing.

To better suit the lifestyles of every Filipino, the pa nt s are available in Ultra Light and Soft Touch styles. Made with lightweight fabric, the Kando Pants Ultra Light are great during the warmer summer season. The Kando Pants Soft Touch on the other hand is made with a cotton-like fabric that keeps you comfortable all-year long, no matter what the season.

It’s the pair of pants every man needs in his wardrobe.

For more updates, visit Uniqlo Philippines’ website at w w w. u n i q l o . c o m / ph and social media accounts, facebook. com/uniqlo.ph, twitte r.com /u niqloph , and instagram.com/ uniqlophofficial.

Uniqlo Kando pants are constructed with superb strength and moisture wicking feature, making them a perfect pair during summer

changes, the 1960s saw the emergence of the counterculture generation that tried to break away from mainstream ideals in various ways.

For instance, to project a sense of fashion individualism, this generation ripped, tailored, embroidered, and added fabric to their jeans, for literal and figurative flare.

To support the lifestyles and personalities of these rebels, Levi’s introduced the Orange Tab collection, an original take on street-style influences.

This unique collection featured an orange tab that was used on Levi’s fashion and non-basic items such as bell bottoms and boot cut jeans. Some jeans were adorned with fancy pocket stitching instead of Levi’s famous arcuate design, and some sported pin tucks and other distinct designs.

This year, as a symbol of youth and style, Levi’s is recreating these coveted original designs, re-mastered for today’s aesthetics and focused on utility and function.

Perfect for non-conformists whose style statement is exclusively their own, the Levi’s Orange Tab Collection is a celebration of vintage cool and modern retro, combining the classic 1960’s look with the freshness of today’s fabrics and finishes.

Levi’s Orange Tab jeans went through a unique dyeing process to come up with two styles as the stars of the collection: the ‘Salt and Pepper’ or color-contrast effect, which exposes the core of the yarn to naturally highlight white specks in the denim, and the

“A

Tadashi Shoji Spring 2017 collection features animal prints in electric hues

LL things change,” Buddha proclaimed at the end of his earthly journey. An array of wild animals surrounded him, from sinuous snakes to fearsome tigers. You recall the story of Noah’s Ark, this time as seen through the eyes of artist Wu Junyong’s fantastical retelling of The Flying Ark. Watch as the creatures float upwards as if in a spiritual declaration. The playful imagery captures your dreamlike desires to rise.

Look Above. Take in the bright blue skies that are as vast as an ocean. The waves of clouds seem within reach. You long to be like the merciful goddess Guanyin.

She stands at the ready to lead the fallen. Glorious as the deity, your awakening begins.

Spring 2017 is an ecstatic vision of rebirth.

Animal prints in electric hues make a sensuous armor. Soaring parachute skirts, voluminous and carefree, are harnessed. The heavens descend and adorn the body.

Each piece in In this life, the tangible the collection and ethereal become one. is an ecstatic Tadashi Shoji is exvision of clusively available rebirth at Rustan’s Makati, Rustan’s Shangri-la Plaza.

Women’s Orange Tab jeans have wide belt loops and coin pocket

‘Vintage Red Brown’ effect, which gives the jeans a vintage bluish red brown color for the ultimate classic, vintage look.

Fabrics of the collection are based on the ‘70s Orange Tab fabric but with better stretch.

Unlike Levi’s Red Tab, the Orange Tab jeans features more belt loops (seven versus the standard five), talon zippers, asymmetric back pockets for a more curvaceous or masculine look, no burrs or rivets, and a tone contrast in overall stitching.

For the women’s Orange Tab, finishes are inspired by true vintage garments and feature a double fell inseam. Jeans also have the 505’s wide belt loops, and the scoop and coin pocket for a vintage Boyfriend style.

Meanwhile for the men, the coverall comes with a zip front and a more elastic waist, and all jeans have unique vintage shades and colors.

To learn more about the Orange Tab collection, visit www.levi.com.ph.

Voluminous and carefree skirts are highlighted in Tadashi Shoji Spring ‘17

Life

D2

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

Time to give gifts to the graduates EVERY great accomplishment deserves a fitting reward.

Celebrate your children’s or your victory and journey with an elegant piece of jewelry by F&C. These beautiful pieces remind you not only of how far your kids or yourself have come, but how far they or you’ll go. Dream big and be inspired as you enter a new chapter in your life.

F&C Jewelry is located at all SM Department Stores and at Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Makati City. For more information about their updates and promotions, visit www.fncjewelry.com.

Add

accessories to your look this summer S

M Accessories recently celebrated summer in a big way with an ultimate Summer Party featuring American singer and songwriter Kiiara at the Palace Pool Club. It was a night of fashion, music and art.

Vanity Corner

Almond milk and honey for your skin

Make a new graduate happier as she celebrates an important milestone in her life with a beautiful piece of jewelry

MAKE peace with sensitive skin with The Body Shop’s new Almond Milk & Honey bath and skin care range. Enriched with Community Trade almond oil from the Alicante region of Spain, and Community Trade honey from the UNESCO Sheka rainforest in Ethiopia, this caring new range is as kind to the environment as it is your skin.

The almond oil comes from almond nuts grown by expert farmers in the Alicante region of Spain.

To collect the precious honey sourced from the Sheka rainforest biosphere reserve, The Body Shop works with the “bee whisperers” of Beza Mar, a group dedicated to improving the livelihood of Ethiopian beekeeping communities and maintaining their traditional, natural way of working with the bees. This helps support the sustainable use of the forest by providing a steady income to local people who might otherwise be forced to agriculture that could lead to deforestation.

Alongside with its campaign “Make love not war with sensitive skin”, The Body Shop also wants people to embrace sensitivity, to show kindness and empathy to all the

sensitive issues seen on social media.

For this, it has selected Almond Milk & Honey ambassadors who give support to the brand’s values through social media.

Almond Milk & Honey ambassadors who are lending their voice to be optimistic to all things sensitive are Stacy and Danah Gutierrez who promote embracing your own body shape; Jigs Mayuga who has a passion for the makeup industry and crossfit shows that it’s okay to embrace femininity and masculinity at the same time; Chinchin Obcena who stands up positively in her blogs despite having its fair share of bashers; and Edcell Ched who experienced a social media bashing but chose to keep a smiling face. They are asking you, to follow them, to make love and not war.

Made for sensitively dry skin, The Body Shop’s new range starts from bath essentials such as the Almond Milk & Honey Cleansing Bar, Gently Exfoliating Cream Body Scrub, Bath Milk, and Shower Cream. There are products for your after-bath skin care routine, as well: the Almond Milk & Honey Body Lotion, Soothing & Restoring Body Butter, and the Calming & Protecting Hand Cream.

The Body Shop now accepts SM Advantage Card for points earning and redemption, SM and Sodexo premium pass at all The Body Shop stores nationwide.

Summer hats in various styles and colors are available at SM Accessories

Go for black and white apparel to stand out in the sea of bright and pastel hues

Kiiara got the party in a dancing mood with her music, which is described as downcast electronic pop with bass heavy, trap style rap style rap production.

There was even more sizzle as SM Accessories, the fashion accessories authority, launched its Summer collection during the event.

Guests were amazed how SM Accessories is larger than life this summer with ultra-chic scarves, colorful sunglasses and show-stopping hats; as well as eye-catching necklaces, classy earrings and trendy bags for ladies. There are summer travel essentials: roomy backpacks, cool sunnies and hip-looking caps for men. Kids on the other hand join in the summer fun with colorful straw hats, flower crowns and bags with playful designs.

SM Accessories’ Summer Collection is available in all SM Stores nationwide. Get connected with SM Accessories through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat: @smaccessories.

Make a statement with eye-catching sunglasses, earrings, necklaces and bangles

Summer accessories musthaves for guys are aplenty

Hairfree and summer ready

THE heat is on, and the clothes are off. You don’t have to be afraid to bare some skin this season when you’re “Hair Free and Summer Ready”. The Aesthetic Center at Makati Medical Center is offering discounts for hair reduction procedures until April 30—just in time to wear your bikinis and sleeveless tops.

Hair reduction procedures on the upper lip, fingers, toes, chin, ears, knees, face, neck, and chin get 10 percent off, while hair reduction for the underarms, abdomen, chest, arms, thighs, legs, back, and groin area (Brazilian or Bikini Line) get a 20 percent discount.

Patients paying with their Citibank 0% Paylite can avail of 3, 6, or 12 months installment for a minimum chargeable amount of P3,000.

The treatments at MakatiMed Aesthetic Center are topnotch thanks to their Philippine Dermatological Societycertified dermatologists and their gold-standard laser equipment. Patients can rest assured that all treatments are done in a hospital setting where only board-certified experts, the most advanced equipment, and the latest medical technologies come together. The facility provides a full range of aesthetic procedures, from laser-assisted skin treatments to liposuction.

Experience world-class quality and safety for all your beauty needs at the MakatiMed Aesthetic Center. Book now and show off that summer-ready skin. Walk-ins and new patients can opt for a consultation with a MakatiMed dermatologist.

Visit the Aesthetic Center at the 1st floor Tower 2 of Makati Medical Center, or call 8888 999 locals 3101 and 3102. You may also email mmc@makatimed.net.ph or visit www.makatimed.net.ph.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017

HOOQ’d on AlDub? Binge-watch anytime, anywhere

Actor John Lloyd Cruz takes a selfie during an out of town tour

H

OOQ, Asia’s largest Subscription Video-onDemand (SVOD) service, recently announced its acquisition of the exclusive SVOD rights to the catch-up episodes of Aldub’s first-ever teleserye, Destined to Be Yours, in the Philippines.

“With this new partnership, AlDub fans in the Philippines can stream the latest episode of Destined to be Yours 24 hours after its telecast on GMA 7, plus they can also catch up on all the previous episodes they missed,” says Jane Cruz Walker, country manager of HOOQ. “Since we announced the highly anticipated first primetime TV series of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza, the entire #AlDub nation created such a buzz online that Destined to be Yours was definitely destined to be a hit even before it aired its first episode,” says Judd Gallares, president and COO of GMA New Media, Inc. “ It is currently the most talked about primetime show on Philippine television since it premiered on Feb. 27.

In fact, the pilot episode garnered 22.5 percent ratings on AGB Nielsen NUTAM which is 2.9 percent higher than its rival program. The hashtag for the pilot episode, #DestinedToBeYoursWorldPremiere, also dominated worldwide Twitter trends – garnering 4.4 million tweets from Feb. 26, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Feb. 28.

Besides having thousands of Hollywood or US movies and TV series, HOOQ is now the prime destination for Filipino entertainment on demand with

John Lloyd and Magic Squad surprise Pinoys Nationwide

"Destined to be Yours" starring Maine Mendoza and Alden Richards is now available on HOOQ allowing fans to keep up and replay the series' episodes anytime

the largest library of local movies amongst any video-on-demand service in the country.

Destined To Be Yours is the latest addition to the ever growing library of local content available on HOOQ. HOOQ subscribers can now enjoy over 1,200 Filipino movies spanning almost five decades of film making, and over 4,000 hours of local television leaving other videoin-demand services way behind in terms of Filipino content.

Fans of local TV series can also watch

catch up episodes of the latest GMA 7 shows including Meant To Be, Ika-6 na Utos and more in the coming months.

HOOQ has over 10,000 movies and TV shows available for streaming or download.

Globe At Home customers can get up to 6 months access to HOOQ with plans P1,299 and up, while Globe mobile customers can also get up to 6 months trial on selected prepaid and postpaid plans.

You may also visit www.hooq.tv to sign up for a 7-day free trial.

MAGIC Crackers has again turned the daily grind into unforgettable moments for thousands of unsuspecting Filipinos nationwide through the 4th wave of its Jack ‘n Jill Magic Moments campaign.

With the brand’s endorser, John Lloyd Cruz, the Jack ‘n Jill Magic Crackers team brought delight to the hearts of many as they surprised crowds and gave away special gift packs & cash prized to chosen lucky winners!

Jack ‘n Jill Magic Crackers also intensified its Magic Moments campaign with the help of the Magic Squad, a group of young, lively and energetic performers who entertained different crowds all around the Philippines by performing their signature flash mob performance to the tune of Aegis’ “Basang Basa Sa Ulan”..

The Jack ‘n Jill Magic Crackers team visited University of Pangasinan in Dagupan City, University of Batangas in Batangas City, Jose Rizal University in Mandaluyong City, Our Lady of Fatima College in Antipolo City, GT Tower in Makati City, Boulevard in Dumaguete City, McKinley Bus Terminal in Taguig and the Robinson’s Galleria Movieworld in Pasig City.

With the Magic Squad and John Lloyd Cruz popping out from different venues around the country to bring Magic Moments, who knows what we can expect from the next wave of Magic Moments?

Be on the lookout for more surprises only from Jack ‘n Jill Magic Crackers!

Volting in again THERE are a few great things that I enjoy as an adult, but given a chance, I would trade some of my prized possessions including my liberty as a grownup just to get back to that carefree feeling of just watching my favorite cartoons on free TV all day.

When I learned that GMA Network is giving Voltes V a vocal face-lift, terms such as “Let’s volt in,” “ultra electromagnetic top” and “laser sword” instantly came into mind.

I was a bit sentimental because it brought so many memories about my childhood. I even started singing its theme song “Voltes V no Uta,” one of the first songs in foreign language that I learned and one of the only two Japanese songs that I know.

You see, this Japanese series, no matter how outdated its graphics are, still sparks great interests not to mention so much nostalgia. Its universal theme of good versus evil will never wear

off. And I believe I am not the only one who feels this way as there were millions of kids before me who already had experienced raising their index fingers to volt in with their friends and playmates.

The Voltes V revival that premiered on Monday morning on GMA-7 is the fourth time that the Japanese anime is being dubbed locally, and the third time in Filipino. Announcement of its comeback was first made in 2015 but it was only last week when GMA Network officially unveiled the voice cast that will volt in for the popular Japanese mecha.

For the Marcos babies, those who were born before the 1980s, and to the 90s kids, Voltes V doesn’t need any further introduction, but for the Generation Z, who were born after the turn of the new millennium, we have to give them a detailed description of the characters and memorable

Jak Roberto, Bea Binene, Derrick Monasterio, and Hiro Peralta on board as voice talents for the local revival of "Voltes V"

scenes that in one way or another have become a great part of our childhood.

Voltes V first aired in Japan in 1977 (originally as Chōdenji Machine Voltes V) and in the Philippines with English dubs in May 1978. The story is about an armada of horned humans from the planet Boazania out to

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, March 29, 2017

ACROSS 1 Faculty head 5 Collars 9 Drab color 14 Cookie Bumstead’s neighbor 15 “Born Free” lioness 16 Legally binding 17 Author’s must 18 Leave a mark 19 Get melodramatic 20 Likes instantly (2 wds.)

22 Unaffected 24 Dish with saffron 26 Chill 27 Fuel rating 30 Looks radiant (2 wds.)

35 Gnu hunters 36 Time long past 37 Vend 38 Famous mummy 39 Tiredly 42 Motorist no.

43 “La — Bonita” (Madonna) 45 — Kristofferson 46 Lieutenant under Kirk 48 Arrivals (hyph.)

50 Savory smells

51 Turned tail 52 Clumps of grass 54 Elizabethan knight 58 Wimple wearers 62 Survey findings 63 Malaria symptom 65 Depot info 66 Faint trace 67 “Hud” Oscarwinner 68 Fit of pique 69 Accountant, at times 70 Element 79 71 Lacking DOWN 1 Govt. branch 2 “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” singer 3 On a rampage 4 Tablet 5 Get cozy 6 Aluminum giant 7 Youth org.

8 Mystery writer — Paretsky 9 Gripe 10 Small villages 11 Lotion additive 12 Baby beavers 13 March date 21 Tendon 23 Bright star in Orion 25 Orchid supplier

27 28 29 31

Telescope lens Hug tight Champ’s claim Rainbow goddess 32 Vaccine 33 Extremely 34 Entreaties 36 It’s spun 40 Making do 41 Nomad dwellings 44 Land 47 Party thrower 49 Crusty roll

50 Off course 53 Everyday 54 Pro — (in proportion) 55 Extra dry 56 Provide temporarily 57 Dangle 59 Long-active volcano 60 Weather outlook 61 JFK jets of yore 64 Earth, in combos

conquer Earth. It is up to Voltes V to defeat the Boazanians’ giant robots, known as beast fighters, sent to destroy the planet.

Voltes V, on the other hand, is a robot composed of five “Volt Machines”, and each are themselves formidable weapons. Each machine is piloted by Ken’ichi (Steve),

Daijiro (Big Bert), and Hiyoshi (Little Jon): the three sons of Kentaro and Mitsuyo Gō, along with the only daughter of General Oka; Megumi (Jamie Robinson), and Ippei Mine (Mark Gordon), an orphan cowboy. Their home base is Camp Big Falcon, a fortress situated on a bird-shaped island

along the coast of Japan.

Marcos babies “were devastated” when the series was shut down by then President Ferdinand Marcos, having aired only five episodes. The former strongman issued an order taking Voltes V and all other robot cartoons off the airwaves due to “excessive violence.”

After the fall of the Marcos regime, together with another anime series, Daimos, made a comeback in 1986 on local channels and, since then, other networks screened Voltes V with Tagalog dubs. It was aired on multiple channels like PTV-4 and ABS-CBN in 1986, IBC-13 in 1989 and RPN-9 before it returned to GMA in 1999.

Perhaps, the revival of Voltes V with Derrick Monasterio, Bea Binene, Ken Chan, Jak Roberto, and Hiro Peralta, all on board as voice talents, is GMA Network’s way of reintroducing the series to the young generation. And it is something that we should be glad about. It is safe to say that Voltes V makes three generations volt in, from the Marcos babies, to the 90s kids and then the Gen Z. We all now have something in common.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017

series' special ith his concert w V y ar G gy r. Pure Ener HATAW NA. M guests

G

ARY VALENCIANO opens the second ISAH V. RED quarter of the year with the highly anticipated encore serving of his critically acclaimed Gary V Presents… concert franchise on May 12, 13, 19, and 20 at Theatre at Solaire.

The encore performances are in line with Gary’s 34th anniversary in the industry this year.

Gary V Presents… had a twonight run in November 2015 at Newport Performing Arts Theater at Resorts World Manila and its immense commercial success spawned a one-night repeat at Resorts World, a special run in Dipolog City, and a two-night show at Kia Theater in Cubao.

Gary and son Paolo Valenciano did the concept to showcase a diverse sampling of the artists’ various styles representing different musical genres. It also aims to provide these artists a creative and mainstream platform to showcase their individual talents and, as Gary puts it, just have fun and enjoy each other’s talent on stage.

The 2017 encore run of Gary V Presents… will once again assemble its amazing cast that include Allan Silonga, Bullet Dumas, Carla GuevaraLaforteza, Janice Javier, Jimmy Marquez, Katrina Velarde, Kiana Valenciano, Lara Maigue, Mitoy Yonting, Timmy Pavino, and RJ Dela Fuente. This run will have an added feature – the Zamora Brothers: Jason and Joshua of the Manoeuvres.

Paolo Valenciano directs the encore again with his father who is also set to be featured in several solo and production numbers that will blow the audiences away.

Gary received standing ovations for this concert and stunned the public with his amazing dancing skills and vocal gymnastics which have continue to prove that he indeed is a living miracle despite 39 years of having Type 1 diabetes.

The artists, that Gary handpicked, are all known for their exceptional artistry and the respective musical genres they each represent. It was heartwarming to see audiences cheer for Bullet Dumas whose unique musicality

endeared him to the crowd and his co-performers. Most of them were catapulted to mainstream recognition after they became part of different talent competitions on national TV. Gary chose them to be part of the concert on the basis of their individual achievements as solo artists as they are rapidly conquering the fields of recording, live shows and local bar circuits, theater, and television.

“We are calling this run of Gary V Presents… an encore or a season finale because the series will feature a different set of artists when it returns in the future,” says Gary. “I would like to continue my advocacy to provide artists with a bigger platform to showcase their music to a wider audience and I’ll be on the look out for a new set of artists. But of course, the original cast of Gary V Presents… will always have a special place in my heart.”

ABS-CBN President Carlo Katigbak loved the production and congratulated the Genesis team after the event. Other celebrities who came were Kuh Ledesma, Regine Vlesquez, Ogie Alcasid, ReyAn Fuentes, Arnell Ignacio, Jonathan Manalo, Rox Santos, Roxy Liquigan, and Gabriel

GARY V back at The Theatre at Solaire

Valenciano, among many others.

The concert’s repertoire includes Gary’s chart topping hits as well as songs that have been identified with him for past 34 years. With Mon Faustino as musical director, each of the songs will be re-arranged to highlight each of the guest artist’s respective genres in their spot numbers as well as in their production numbers with Gary.

Since this is the finale, fans could look forward to an additional bunch of surprises that will surely ignite severe excitement that only Mr. Pure Energy could deliver.

Gary V Presents… is the opening salvo of Gary’s yearlong 34th anniversary celebration. Soon after the season finale of Gary V Presents…, Gary will prep for his

very first North American concert tour this year with performances at M Resort, Las Vegas on May 27, Pechanga Resort And Casino on June 3 with special guest Kiana Valenciano, and in Pasadena Civic Auditorium on June 10 again with Kiana as special guest and Sam Concepcion.

The season finale of Gary V Presents… is for the benefit of the diabetes and scholarship programs of Shining Light Foundation. For tickets call TikcetWorld (891-9999) or check visit www.ticketworld.com.ph.

For more information like Gary Valenciano Official on Facebook and follow @GaryValenciano1 on Twitter, and follow @ garyvalenciano on Instgaram. *** Saturdays with TV5 get even more exciting with shows recently added to its programming lineup including the films made for television by the award-winning director Brillante Mendoza in Brillante Mendoza Presents.

After Tsinoy - a story depicting the lives of the typical Fil-Chinese families set in Binondo, comes another must-watch masterpiece – Everlasting.

Brillante Mendoza Presents: Everlasting is a unique love story about two women and the struggles that come with their romantic relationship and choosing to follow one’s dreams at the cost of love. Set in time for Baguio’s colorful annual flower festival popularly known

Dimples Romana

Sylvia Sanchez

as “Panagbenga”, Everlasting is intended for the discerning viewer who is looking for something different to watch on a Saturday night.

This brave television masterpiece reflects TV5’s strong commitment to be the TV network that provides differentiated entertainment.

Everlasting celebrates individuality, freedom and love in all its form. Starring Aubrey Miles and Mercedes Cabral, this film-made-fortelevision is a realistic take on lesbian relationships, and the search for real happiness.

Everlasting airs Saturdays, 9:30 p.m. on TV5. *** Mothers would do everything to protect their children, just like Gloria (Sylvia Sanchez) in The Greatest Love as she finally revealed her long-kept secret to Amanda (Dimples Romana),

which moved and captivated viewers on Mar 21.

Gloria impressed viewers with her strength as a mother after she admitted to her daughter Amanda that she was conceived after her very own father Andres raped her mother.

Her sacrifices made a mark in viewers’ hearts, showing her bravery and her will to keep her family intact despite all the struggles she goes through. Her Alzheimer’s disease also did not stop her from giving the love her family deserves up to the limits of her capacity, proving that there is no greater love than a mother’s love.

With the intense support of viewers, the episode garnered a national TV rating of 15.5 percent, compared to Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa with only 10.7 percent on Mar. 21, according to data from Kantar Media.

First Filipino film in Dolby Atmos

Matteo Guidicelli and Joem Bascon play uniformed men in "Across the Crescent Moon"

THE action drama Across the Crescent Moon, starring Matteo Guidicelli, is having a special exclusive run at the Rockwell Power Plant Mall Cinema from March 31 to April 4. This event is made more special because the movie is presented in Dolby Atmos sound, making it the first Filipino film to be mixed in the global film audio standard.

Dolby Atmos produces breathtaking sound quality.

According to dolby.com, “The most immediately noticeable difference in a Dolby Atmos system is the use of overhead speakers… In a Dolby Atmos theater, every speaker—as many as 64 total—is powered independently and gets its own separate audio feed…

In addition to the overhead speakers, (it) typically adds more surround speakers and screen speakers.”

Baby Nebrida, writer, producer and director of Across The Crescent Moon is ecstatic over this great feat. “It is a dream come true!” she declares. “Dolby Atmos transports us into the story with moving audio that flowed all around with breathtaking realism.” The veteran filmmaker described the

experience as one wherein “sound moves around in a three dimensional space, so the viewer feels like he’s inside the action.”

Across The Crescent Moon tells the story of a Special Action Force (SAF) agent played by Matteo, who is tasked to investigate a human trafficking syndicate.

The movie had its first theatrical run in January. It is headlined by an all-star ensemble cast: Christopher de Leon, Gabby Concepcion, Dina Bonnevie, Sandy Andolong, Joem Bascon, Ivan Carapiet, and introducing Alex Godinez.

Award-winning sound engineer Mike Idioma of Wildsound is responsible for the sound design and mix.

His company Wildsound launched their Dolby Atmos mixing studio two years ago. A number of Asian films have been mixed here, but Gold Barn International Corp. (producer of Across The Crescent Moon) is the first Filipino company to hire Wildsound’s Dolby Atmos services.

For more information about Across The Crescent Moon, check out facebook.com/CrescentMoonMovie/