Manila Standard - 2017 April 17 - Monday

DUTERTE VISIT YIELDS $925-M DEALS

By John Paolo Bencito

VOL. XXXI • NO. 62 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

DOHA—More than $925 million is expected to be pumped into the Philippine economy as a result of 21 business-tobusiness deals that were firmed up as a result of President Rodrigo Duterte’s three-country swing to the Middle East, creating more than 21,000 jobs in the next five years, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said Sunday.

During his three-day visit, Duterte encouraged businessmen to invest more in

the country, assuring them that the government will honor the sanctity of contracts between businesses.

“We will honor contracts. We will honor our obligations. That is in the Constitution itself that there shall be no impairment of the obligation of contracts. So insofar as trade is concerned, I can assure you, what we sign and I agree with you will be done even if we lose in the transaction, we will honor what we have promised,” the President said in a speech during the Next page

FRUITFUL FORUM.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte meets with Qatari businessmen during the Philippines-Qatar Business Forum on April 15, 2017 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Doha, wrapping up his threeday visit to the Middle East that has yielded $925 million in business-to-business deals. Presidential Photo

ASG beheads hostage Du30 orders troops to finish them off

By John Paolo Bencito

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte told security forces Sunday to finish off the Abu Sayyaf as another of the terrorist group’s sub-leaders was sighted in Negros Oriental province, and as the bandits beheaded another kidnap victim.

“Same instruction: Finish them off ASAP,” said Defense Secretary Delfin Lazaro after Duterte received a briefing from security officials.

Last week, Abu Sayyaf bandits planning a terrorist attack clashed with police and troops in Inaban-

INSPIRED. Qatar-based Filipino workers chant the name of President Rodrigo Duterte as he arrives at the Lusail Sports Arena in Lusail City, Qatar on April 15, 2017. Presidential Photo

By John Paolo Bencito DOHA—President Rodrigo Duterte stepped up his attacks against media organizations perceived to be critical of his administration, this time taking on the Lopez family which owns broadcast giant ABS-CBN, accusing them of keeping sacred cows and attacking rival mining firms to protect their own mining interests.

Duterte again picked on ABSCBN and the Philippine Daily

SEC official rapped for share sale

By Rio N. Araja

AN OFFICIAL of the Securities and Exchange Commission has been charged before the Ombudsman for graft and corruption as well as grave misconduct for allowing the allegedly anomalous sale of shares of Manila North Harbor Port Inc. to San Miguel Holdings Corp.

Mark Roy Boado, representing the complainant Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc. and HCPTI stakeholder Nathaniel Romero, filed two separate complaints against SEC Company Registration and Monitoring Department director Ferdinand Sales.

The charges were filed three Next page

Inquirer, and said a Lopez subsidiary was engaged in mining.

“ABS-CBN has interests in mining. They have a mining subsidiary,” he said in Filipino.

Duterte’s Environment Secretary, Regina Lopez, is part of the clan that owns ABS-CBN. The family has diversified interests in media, telecommunications; power generation and distribution; manufacturing; and property development.

But in confirmation hearings

MILF hits out at govt for ceasefire violation

By Nash B. Maulana

Lopez attacking rival miners—Rody last month, University of the Philippines professor of Geosciences, Carlo Arcilla, said that Lopez deliberately issued a memo that excludes certain quarrying activities—including those of her family-owned First Balfour—from a moratorium on mining in watershed areas.

First Balfour, a company owned by the Lopezes, operates an open pit quarry within a 13-hectare watershed area in Lobo, Batangas. It Next page

ga, Bohol, leaving nine people dead, including the leader of the operation, Abu Rami.

Intelligence officers, however, said another sub-leader of the group, Alhabisi Misaya, was spotted in Negros Oriental, con-

COTABATO CITY—The Moro Islamic Liberation Front was set to file a protest for violation of its standing ceasefire agreement with the government, following the killing of one of its members in a police operation on Tuesday.

Ghadzali Jaafar, MILF first vice chairman, said the police operation against his brother Mohaimen Abo, was yet another instance of a failure of coordination, as provided under a 19-yearold peace agreement with the government.

The Philippine National Po-

lice in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PNPARMM) said authorities were serving arrest warrants on Abo at his house in Barangay Crossing Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao Tuesday.

Senior Insp. Marcille Manzano, spokesperson of the PNPARMM, said Abo, also known as Boy Bangsamoro, resisted arrest and was killed in the ensuing exchange of fire.

But Jaafar said the proper channel should have been the bilateral Ad Hoc Joint Action Group, since his brother was a member of the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Next page Armed Forces.

stituting a threat to nearby Apo Island, Sumilon Island and Siquijor.

A spokesman for the Armed Forces, Brig. Gen. Resty Padilla Jr., said the all-out war on the Abu Sayyaf would continue.

In an interview, Padilla said the AFP’s Joint Task Force Sulu commanded by newly promoted Army Brig. Gen. Cirilito E. Sobejana, is the main unit tasked to track down some 300 Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Mindanao, mostly on the island of Sulu and nearby islets.

Contacted by telephone, Sobejana confirmed the directive of AFP chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Año Next page

150 OFWs get amnesty from Saudi

By John Paolo Bencito DOHA―The Qatari government will likely pardon two of the three Filipino workers who were convicted of espionage and economic sabotage here, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said Sunday.

He also announced the return of 150 distressed Filipino workers today, April 17, after they were granted amnesty by King Salman Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia who likewise sent a plane for their repatriation.

Bello said that while President Next page

Lucio Tan at receiving end of Rody’s tirade vs oligarchs

By John Paolo Bencito DOHA—Billionaire Lucio Tan should pay more than P30 billion in tax liabilities to the government, President Rodrigo Duterte said Saturday as he vowed to run after oligarchs once he returns from a three-country swing in the Middle East.

“In the fullness of God’s time, sigurado ako basta wala lang corruption at makuha ko ‘yung lahat ng taxes na hindi magbayad nitong mga animal na ito. Lucio Tan has almost billion, 30 billion.

He has to pay. He has to pay. Lahat, they have to pay,” Duterte told more than 7,000 Filipinos at Lusail Sports Arena here.

Tan, the country’s fourth richest man in the annual list of Forbes Magazine, has diversified inter-

ests in banking, airline, liquor, tobacco, real estate industries and education, owns the Asia Brewery, Philip Morris-Fortune Tobacco Corp., flag carrier Philippine Airlines, Philippine National Bank, and the University of the East. His net worth is estimated at $4.9 billion as of August 2016.

In many of his speeches, Duterte claimed that Tan offered to contribute to his presidential bid “up to the last day of the campaign” including another taipan, Megaworld Corp. Chair Andrew Tan. He claimed, however, that he rejected such offers.

“Yang si Lucio Tan halos to the last day ng kampanya habol nang habol sa akin ‘yan kasi gustong magbigay ng pera. Sabi ko, ‘No.’ Si MegaWorld, sabi ko, Next page

SALUBONG. A traditional Easter Sunday ritual held at the National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio at San Pedro, Sto. Tomas Batangas, Salubong reenacts the Risen Christ’s meeting with His mother. It is performed in the churchyard under an especially prepared arch where the veiled image of the Virgin Mary has been placed. A child dressed as an angel is lowered by ropes from a high platform to lift the mourning veil of the grieving Mother. The church bells are rung, and a procession of the images of Christ and Mary ends up inside the church. Ey Acasio

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News

MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Quake hits Lanao Sur this time A MAGNITUDE 5.2 earthquake struck Wao, Lanao del Sur, at 4:40 a.m. on Easter Sunday but no damage was reported.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the quake’s epicenter was 14 kilometers west of Wao, and with a depth of focus of three kilometers.

The tremor was felt at intensity 5 in Wao, intensity 4 in Kalilangan, Bukidnon; intensity 3 in Cotabato City, and intensity 2 in Cagayan de Oro City, Pangantucan, Maramag, Valencia City and Quezon, Bukidnon.

The quake was felt at intensity 1 in Alabel, Sarangani City and in Mambajao, Camiguin Islands.

Phivolcs put up an earthquake-monitoring device in Wao when a magnitude 6 quake jolted the area.

The Wao local government urged Phivolcs to investigate a crack in Sitio Gadungan, Kilikili East, that was about 0.5 feet in diameter and 150 meters long.

According to local officials, a fault could have caused the crack.

On April 13, a magnitude 5.3 tremor hit Lanao del Sur and magnitude 6 quake on April 12.

An old mosque collapsed on April 13 but residents blamed it on the poor construction of the structure and the use of substandard materials.

Wao’s municipal disaster risk reduction and management council passed a resolution recommending to the municipal councilors that the town be declared under a state of calamity.

Rio N. Araja

Lopez...

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mines aggregates, one of the subjects of the exclusion.

Arcilla, said while Lopez imposed a moratorium on other quarrying firms, she allowed First Balfour to operate within a watershed. He added that Lopez canceled the mineral production and sharing agreement with another quarry firm, MRL, which was located right next to First Balfour.

In another Filipino community event in Doha, Duterte discredited the Lopez-owned media giant, saying that their news content should not be believed.

Citing his earlier claims of estafa against the broadcast network, Duterte instead told Filipinos to watch their rival TV networks.

“I went to ABS-CBN and I pleaded to be given a chance to air an ad to counter propaganda against me. Those sons-ofbitches took my money but did not run the ad,” Duterte said in Filipino.

“That’s why you shouldn’t believe the news from ABS-CBN. You can watch TV5 or GMA7,” he added.

Duterte also said the Philippine Daily Inquirer was beholden to the Aquino family after their owners, the Prietos, were allowed to get away with more than P1 billion in tax liabilities for the family-owned Dunkin Donuts.

“That’s why the Inquirer always defends Aquino. The Inquirer has a P1-billion debt but they editorialize on morality and righteousness. They owed P1 billion but [former Internal Revenue commissioner] Kim Henares collected only P8 million,” he said.

He also vowed to make sure the owners of ABS-CBN and the Inquirer—and other “oligarchs”—pay the right taxes.

MILF...

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Police arrested two other members during the operation.

“You know if the government should conduct a law enforcement operation, there is a ceasefire mechanism [in place as a channel] for it, as bilaterally agreed by the government and the MILF,” Jaafar said, referring to AHJAG. Jaafar said a failure in bilateral

Rody’s prayer: Save PH from illegal drugs “I join the rest of the Christian world as we celebrate the fulfillment of the Resurrection three days after the passion and death of Jesus Christ on the Cross,” Duterte said.

In other developments: • The week-long commemoration of Holy week was relatively peaceful nationwide with no violent incidents except for the bloody encounter in Bohol that resulted in the killing of five terrorists and four lawmen last Tuesday.

Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa ordered all regional police commanders to help motorists returning to work.

• Around 60 families were

rendered homeless after a fire engulfed 40 houses in Caloocan City at dawn on Sunday.

• Over a billion Muslims across the globe adhered to their belief that Jesus did not die on the cross but was spared.

Three western writers cited the “probability of a substitution” as stated in the Qur’an to argue that Christ neither fell in humiliation nor died on the cross.

Duterte said the story of the Risen Christ “is a message of perseverance and faith in the grief of Black Saturday. Christ’s Resurrection should inspire us to achieve our collective aspirations through our unwavering devotion.

“May this occasion be a reminder to Filipinos that our country deserves salvation from drugs, criminality and corruption that have long plagued this nation and that our people will rise and thriumph over society’s ills.

“Let the promise of Easter be our guide as we build a progressive, inclusive and independent nation where the government and the people work together to attain peace, justice, safety and security for all.”

Duterte has waged a bloody war on crime and illegal drugs that has killed thousands of people, according to human rights organizations.

He spent the Holy Week on state visits to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar where he met with Middle Eastern leaders to discuss investments and the concerns of Filipino workers.

Duterte is is expected to return to the Philippines and arrive at the Davao International Airport early Monday morning. With Francisco Tuyay, Jun David and Nash B. Maulana

150...

state-owned company, were previously lined up for the death penalty but had their court sentences reduced following an appeal by the previous administration.

In 2014, a Qatari court lowered the sentence for the two workers from death to just 15 years’ imprisonment. Chua Tan’s sentence was lowered to life imprisonment.

They have been charged with espionage and economic sabotage after allegedly passing on Qatar’s military and economic secrets.

Manila has already denied spying on Qatar.

Bello said President Rodrigo Duterte would be meeting with 150 Filipino workers as he wrapped up his three-country swing to the Middle East.

“150 Filipino workers who will be leaving today at 12 noon [Saudi Arabia] time and will arrive in Manila at 3:30 a.m. in time for the arrival of President Rodrigo Duterte,” Bello said.

Some 74 Filipinos, including 14 children who are residing at the Bahay Kalinga in Riyadh, will be part of the repatriated workers along with 51 male wards from Esteraha and 25 walk-in Filipinos.

Bello said the King would shoulder the expenses of an expected 200 returning Filipinos through the state-owned Saudia Airlines.

He remains optimistic that more distressed Filipino workers will be able to avail themselves of the amnesty program.

against threats such as the Islamic State, Esperon said.

In recent speeches, Duterte warned that ISIS could spread to Southeast Asia, particularly to the Philippines, if the jihadist movement falls in the Middle East.

On Sunday, military officials confirmed the beheading of another Abu Sayyaf kidnap victim.

Reports said Noel Besconde, a crew member of the FB Ramona, was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf subleader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan near Patikul, Sulu.

Besconde was abducted with three other crew members along the waters of the Celebes Sea late last year. Military sources said Besconde was “very sick” before he was beheaded.

On Saturday, the Interior Department assured participants in the scheduled Association of Southeast Asian Nations activity on April 19-20 in Bohol would proceed as planned, despite the recent clash between the Abu Sayyaf and security forces in the province that left three soldiers, a policeman and six bandits dead.

Among those killed in the firefight was Abu Sayyaf leader Moammar Askali, an emerging hard-line leader who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.

In a statement, Interior Secretary and officer-in-charge Catalino Cuy said Bohol “might as well be considered a well-fortified and most secure place in the country right now.”

Cuy, a retired police general, added that the “military and the police are on top of the situation.”

“We would like to assure the delegates, tourists and residents

alike that we are exerting our best efforts for Bohol,” he said.

Officials said that about 4,000 personnel from the Philippine National Police, AFP, emergency response units and various agencies will be deployed during the Asean Summit meetings, which are expected to draw around 200 delegates.

The Bohol meetings, which will include trade-related sessions, will be held at the Hennan Resort in Panglao town.

The province will be hosting many ministerial, senior official and technical working group meetings throughout the year.

Cuy echoed the sentiments of Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto that the situation in Inabanga would not affect the rest of Bohol or the rest of the country.

Inabanga is about 80 kilometers away from the venue, Panglao Island, which is close to the capital Tagbilaran City.

Earlier, the Bohol governor assured the public that law enforcers have the province’s security under control and that the situation in Inabanga, where the intense firefight took place, had gone back to normal.

On April 26 to 29, Metro Manila will play host to the 30th Asean Summit, with the major summit on the last day to be held at the Philippine International Convention Center.

The Philippines currently chairs the Asean Summit 2017 and will also host the 31st Asean Summit on Nov. 10 to 14 in Clark, Pampanga. The country’s chairmanship coincides with 50th Anniversary of the 10-nation bloc. With PNA

By Sandy Araneta

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte prayed that the country would be saved from illegal drugs, criminality and corruption in his Easter Sunday message.

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Rodrigo Duterte would be appealing to Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Al Thani for the three Filipino workers who were convicted of alleged spying for the Filipino government, only two of them would likely be pardoned.

“I was informed that out of the three, the possibility of pardon will be good for the two,” Bello told reporters.

Bello said that the pardon was “more probable” for “Ulep” and “Alamarez” who were technicians in the Qatari Air Force who had been given lighter sentences.

The two, along with “Chua Tan,” an employee of a Qatari

ASG...

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on the unrelenting war against the Abu Sayyaf, which is still holding about 30 hostages.

Ground forces are supported by artillery of the Army, and planes and helicopter gunships of the Air Force.

The Navy has also intensified its sea patrol around Sulu and nearby Tawi-Tawi islands to prevent the terrorists from escaping.

Aside from kidnapping, the Abu Sayyaf is also engaged in drug trafficking to raise funds for their terroristic activities which must be stopped, Sobejana said.

He also said that Muammar Askali, alias Abu Rahmi, who was killed in Bohol last week following a gun battle with government forces, was the most notorious Abu Sayyaf member and is believed to have led the recent beheading of foreign hostages.

Rahmi slipped out of Sulu because of the intensified military offensive on the island and went to Bohol together with some of his henchmen but five of them, including Rahmi was killed.

Amid the Abu Sayyaf incursions into provinces with popular tourist destinations, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said the government is ready to thwart possible attacks by the bandits, who typically abduct tourists and behead them if no ransom is paid.

During the President’s meetings Arab leaders, Duterte discussed counter-terrorism efforts coordination for law enforcement operations was an obstacle to peace.

Manzano, however, said the arresting officers were compelled to fire back when Abo shot at them.

Police said he had a .45 pistol.

The Regional Trial Court of Sultan Kudarat Branch 12 has ordered the arrest of Abo, and a certain Kumander Falcon, for a string of criminal cases, including murder, robbery, frustrated murder, kidnapping-for-ransom and kidnapping with homicide.

Lucio...

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‘Hindi ako tumatanggap.

Ayaw ko.’ Kaya naman nanalo ako six million,” said Duterte.

Duterte said that his public cussing has already emboldened him, and that his crackdown to end corruption will continue.

“Minura ko nga si Obama kayo pa. T***** i**. Kaya

kayong mayayaman, ‘yang mga tax evasion ninyo magbayad kayo,” he said.

The President previously offered to condone tax liabilities of Alexander Wongchuking, owners of Mighty Corp. in exchange of P3 billion for social services after getting involved in the circulation of fake tax stamps in the country.

Finance officials, however, declined giving in to Duterte’s pronouncements.

Duterte...

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Philippines-Qatar Business Forum here on Saturday.

During his visit to countries which are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the President also secured 11 governmentto-government agreements— three from Saudi Arabia and four each from Bahrain and Qatar, covering investment promotions, labor cooperation, strengthening of diplomatic ties, air services, avoidance of double taxation, and cooperation on culture, health and technical and vocational education and training.

The business-to-business deals secured in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates were part of the administration’s “Dutertenomics,” expected to create more jobs and income opportunities through increased trade and investments.

Duterte got the biggest chunk of investments from Riyadh, where seven letters of intent worth $469 million were signed between Filipino and Saudi businessmen.

He visited the country from April 10 to 12.

Some 16,000 new jobs are expected from the Saudi investments, focusing on industries like ecozones for production of halal products and agri-industrial ecozones, pharmaceuticals, medical tourism, property development, and ports warehouses.

In 2016, Saudi Arabia was the 17th largest Philippine trading partner out of 226, according to Trade department data.

Last year, Philippine exports to Saudi Arabia grew by 4.34 percent to $82.46 million. However, the country’s imports from the kingdom dropped by 43.46 percent, largely due to depressed oil prices.

Crude, petroleum oil and oil obtained from bituminous minerals are the Philippines’ top imports from Saudi Arabia, accounting for 91.07 percent of the total with a value of $1.95 billion.

From 2008 to 2010, approved investments from the kingdom to the Philippines amounted to $4.14 million.

In Manama, which Duterte visited from April 12 to 14, a memorandum of understanding between AMA Group Holdings Corp. and Nader & Ebrahim Sons of Hassan Co. was signed to expand their operations in Mindanao by targeting an additional 10,000 hectares of farmland for agricultural production, expected to generate a first 3,500 jobs.

Once the facility becomes fully operational—a total of 560 metric tons of bananas, pineapple, mongo and lentils will be exported, amounting to $280 million. The new investment will also gener-

SEC...

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months after a Quezon City court, in January, barred fugitive 1-Pacman party-list Rep. Michael Romero from claiming ownership of his family-owned HCPTI. The younger Romero, who has gone into hiding since an arrest warrant was issued against him three months ago, lost the legal battle to his father, construction magnate Reghis Romero II, who sued his estranged son for allegedly falsifying ownership of the port facility.

The complainants accuses Sales of allowing an increase in MNHPI’s authorized capital stock to dilute HCPTI’s shares.

The complainants claim that Sales was duty-bound to strictly observe and comply with the SEC Order, which states that if there is an intra-corporate dispute, the CRMD director should defer any action on any application for an increase in authorized capital stock.

At the very least, they said, Sales should have called the claiming parties to a meeting as provided under the SEC order.

SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang earlier said the group now controls a 78.33-percent interest in the contested port terminal firm.

It was in December 2014, upon learning that there were plans to increase MNHPI’s authorized capital stock, that the elder Romero wrote the Board of Directors of MNHPI assailing the plan.

Reghis, in his letter, stressed that HCPTI and its nominees, namely himself, Jerome Canlas and Boado, had not been notified or consulted for any proposed increase.

“We knew very well that any

ate 40,000 jobs, Lopez said.

Bahrain ranks as the Philippines’ 79th trading partner, 65th export market and 101st import supplier.

“I see great potential in increasing bilateral trade and investments. The areas include oil and gas, food, agricultural staples, tourism, as well as establishment of Halal production in Mindanao. Investors can look upon the country’s IT [information technology] and BPM [business processing management] industries,” Duterte said.

He also invited them to find opportunities for partnership to realize the potential of the Philippines’ nonvoice sector: knowledge process outsourcing, animation, game development, as well as health information and management service.

The President is also targeting the removal of restrictions on aluminum exports to the Philippines, following a request from a Bahrain company from pursuing a business venture in the country.

“Even in the sharing of the natural resources, these are restricted areas of business that are not really attuned to the modern times.

We will remove it,” Duterte assured the businessmen.

“As far as land is concerned, I can give you a 30-year lease and another 30 years,” he added.

The President gained the biggest number of investments in his visit Qatar from April 14 to 16, with 13 projects covering retirement villages, hotels, and tourism ecozones in Romblon, Davao or Cebu, IT & ecozone management services, hospitals and medical tourism, poultry and halal food processing, digital marketing and manufacture and export facility of nanostructured carbon.

A total of $206 million was generated from the businessto-business deals, equivalent to 5,770 jobs.

Lopez said that during the meeting of Duterte and Qatar Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Al Thani at the Amiri Diwan Royal Palace, one of the four bilateral agreements to be signed is an investment protection and promotion agreement.

“It’s like nine years in the making, so since 2008,” Lopez said.

“Basically, we’ll give both parties, Philippines and Qatar, because we also have investments, the investments will be two-way not only Qatar into the Philippines but vice versa also.” “[It] provides the basic rights and guarantees to investors.

It gives also like a most favored nation type of treatment, equal treatment for both sides of investments being made. Of course, the identification of opportunities, cooperation in that field, assistance, ease of doing business are all included therein,” he added. approval of a corporation’s increase in authorized capital stock should be obtained from the CRMD of the SEC, of which Sales is the director. Thus, to forestall such unauthorized and illegal increase in MNHPI’s authorized capital stock, HCPTI furnished the respondent a copy of the December 2014 letter,” the complainants said.

Sales himself acknowledged the existence of an intra-corporate dispute in MNHPI in his Feb. 4, 2015 reply letter.

The elder Romero’s camp eventually learned that MNHPI filed an amendment to its General Information Sheet in September 2014, but which only became publicly available in December 2014, reflecting HCPTI’s reduced equity of 45.5 percent from its listed share of 65 percent.

They also claimed that Harbour Centre Port Holdings Inc. illegally acquired 19.5 percent equity from HCPTI. “Notably, HCPTI had no knowledge of, much less did it consent to, said unlawful transfer,” the complainants said.

HCPTI wrote Sales on March 2015 to reiterate its position that any proposed increase in the authorized capital stock of MHHPI was illegal and authorized, and that in view of the ongoing intracorporate dispute, the SEC should hold in abeyance any and all applications for approval of any corporate actions initiated by Michael and his cohorts.

HCPTI also reminded Sales that if any application was acted upon by the SEC, the approval should be recalled and revoked until all intra-corporate issues have been fully threshed out in the proper forum.

News FVR sets launch of new book IN CELEBRATION of the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation’s 15th anniversary, Media Touchstone Ventures Inc., is set to launch former President Fidel V. Ramos’ newest book aptly titled “RPDEV @ 15: Our Continuing Voyage for Enduring Peace and Sustainable Development” on 21 April 2017 at the Metropolitan Waterworks Sewage System, Katipunan Road, Balara, Diliman, Quezon City at 3 p.m.

MWSS Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco takes pride in hosting the book launching on the eve of the global celebration of Earth Day on April 22 saying, “it’s the opportune time to pay tribute to the enduring legacies of former President Ramos as an environmentalist chief executive and in the water supply development with the successful Public Private Partnership project on water supply development of MWSS with the concessionaires Manila Water and Maynilad during his administration.”

The book, authored by Melandrew T. Velasco, the Ramos family’s biographer, guides the readers in looking back at RPDEV Foundation’s accomplishments celebrated after the first 15 years of its unique voyage.

The new book memorializes the multifaceted activities RPDEV has continued to pursue as part of its mission and advocacies notably: Patriotism anchored on caring, sharing and daring; sustainable environment and development; weapons of mass upliftment for a better world; enduring peace and global security; good governance and leadership; socio-economic and global diplomacy; and, continuing vision and voyage for a better Philippines and world.

“As I review the accomplishments of RPDEV the past 15 years, I find solace in the thought that I made the right decision: That upon stepping down from the Presidency in June 1998, I embarked on a continuing voyage for enduring peace and sustainable development,” says FVR. “I always remember with gratitude the readiness shown by my former Cabinet members and other coworkers in government to join me in this voyage. And I feel fulfilled when I see my fellow Filipinos here and there, even those settled abroad, extending assistance in ways that are meaningful so that we can bring our unfortunate countrymen to a better future through activities that RPDEV initiates, promotes and pursues.”

Author Velasco says, “So with this new book on RPDEV, we continue to document the Foundation’s milestones and projects that chronicle FVR’s continuing service and meaningful voyage to the nation including occasional reference of his six-year achieving Presidency whose landmark socioeconomic reforms, template for enduring peace and sustainable development are continuously and passionately pursued by RPDEV over the last 15 years, and up to the present times as a concerned and enderly private citizen.”

SC lays down new rules in intra-firm feud THE Supreme Court has directed a Pasig City court to proceed with the resolution of an intra-corporate case involving a tuna canning company as its laid down new rules pertaining to the payment of docket fees for intra-corporate cases.

In a 12-page decision penned by Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe, the First Division ordered the Pasig City Regional Trial Court, Branch 159, to take up the complaint filed by Harvest All Investment Limited (Harvest All) composed of investors from Singapore against Alliance International Inc. (Alliance). Harvest All questioned Alliance’s decision to indefinitely postpone its annual stockholders meeting pending complete subscription to its stock rights offering consisting of shares with a total value of P1 billion. The firm’s bylaws mandates that its ASM should be held every June 15.

The SC ruled that the Pasig City court should hear the case after it has determined whether the payment of Harvest of P8,860 in filing fees is a sufficient compliance with the amended schedule of legal fees.

The tribunal stressed that its previous ruling in the case of Lu vs Lu Ym which denotes that “an intra-corporate controversy always involves a property in litigation, the value of which is always the basis for computing the applicable filing fees,” was a mere “obiter dictum” or an opinion that does not bind the courts in deciding similar cases.

The high court noted that the case does not involve recovery of sum of money because the main purpose of the complaint is to compel Alliance to hold its 2015 ASM on the date set in the corporation’s by laws so that their voting interest with the corporation would somehow be preserved.

Rey E. Requejo

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MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Du30 junks Mighty offer

By Rey E. Requejo

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RESIDENT Duterte has rejected the payment scheme offered by Mighty Corp. as compromise for its multi-billion-peso tax liabilities arising from its alleged used of fake cigarette stamps.

This was revealed by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre as the Department of Justice is set to start its preliminary investigation on the P9.564-billion tax evasion charges filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue against the cigarette firm and its officials.

Aguirre admitted that the Mighty Corp. has agreed to pay P13 billion as compromise payment for its tax liabilities and penalties so that the government

would no longer pursue criminal cases against the firm and its executives.

“Mighty Corp. is willing to pay the amount, but requested to settle it in a staggered scheme of P1 billion per payment,” Aguirre disclosed.

“But I think President Duterte doesn’t like it. He wants full payment of the amount because he doesn’t want this to be another of [online gambling tycoon] Jack Lam,” the DoJ chief said.

According to Aguirre, the tobacco firm would have to pay the amount in full if they really hope not to face criminal prosecution before the Court of Tax Appeals and payment of bigger amount of tax deficiency and penalties.

Apart from the P9.564 billion, more tax evasion charges are being prepared by the BIR against Mighty Corp. in connection with the firm’s other cigarette packages with fake tax stamps seized from its other warehouses.

Aguirre explained that a compromise deal between the government and erring taxpayers is allowed under the National Internal Revenue Code.

He, however, stressed that the preliminary investigation against Mighty Corp. would have to proceed.

“I just formed the three-member panel. We have to make Mighty Corp. an-

swer the charges first and then the BIR will reply before the case will be submitted for resolution,” he said.

In its complaint, the BIR accused the controversial company of violations of the National Internal Revenue Code for allegedly using bogus tax stamps on their products to evade the payment of excise tax to the government.

The charges involved unlawful possession of articles subject to excise tax without payment of tax and possession of false, counterfeit, restored or altered stamps in violation of Sections 263 and 265 (c) of the NIRC, respectively.

Among the main respondents in the criminal complaint is Alexander Wongchuking, owner and vice president for external affairs and assistant corporate secretary.

A4

Opinion

MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Letting democracy work

D

EMOCRACY can be a messy business but most of us consider it far more acceptable than an authoritarian system that dictates to us how we should live our lives and who our leaders should be.

For better or worse, our democratic system enabled the mayor of Davao City to become the country’s highest elected official in 2016.

In fact, this freedom to choose our leaders—wisely or foolishly—is the cornerstone of our democracy, and any step away from it is a cause for concern.

One such step away from representative government is President Duterte’s proposal to postpone the barangay elections set for October and to appoint more than 43,000 village officials whose positions will become vacant.

In justifying his proposal in March, Mr. Duterte

told the League of Municipalities of the Philippines that if the barangay elections were held as scheduled in October, this would certainly ensure the victory of candidates funded by drug money.

Having his handpicked officials as officers-incharge, he added, would make sure that narco-politicians would not be in place to thwart the anti-drug campaign on the local level.

To give his proposal a semblance of proper representation, Mr. Duterte proposes that he would accept nominations for the

barangay leaders from the Catholic Church, Islamic leaders, other religious denominations and other organizations. But the ultimate appointing authority would still be the President himself—and not the people, as mandated by the Constitution and by the democratic principles we all hold dear.

Mr. Duterte’s plan to appoint village leaders also flies in the face of why barangay elections are normally held separate from national and local polls—to insulate government at its most basic level from the

influence of political parties. Yet one Palace official was adamant that the President would not appoint village leaders who were associated with the opposition, suggesting that politics will intrude, after all.

If it is true that barangay leaders are under the influence of drug syndicates, the solution isn’t to appoint new ones, but to let the people kick them out and vote in their replacements.

The House of Representatives, it seems, is oblivious to all these arguments and is keen on blindly obeying what Mr.

Duterte wants.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, in fact, says a bill postponing the barangay elections is sure to pass in June.

The bill could be passed even earlier, if the President certifies it as urgent.

The Senate, however, has been more thoughtful in its appraisal of the President’s proposal, with many senators bristling at the thought of depriving the electorate of their right to choose their own leaders. It is to the senators that we look to now, to make sure that democracy is given a chance to work.

Retirement haven

Rituals in the basement A LITTLE more than a month ago, the Supreme Court promulgated a Resolution of a case it captioned “Re: Letter of Tony Q. Valenciano, Holding of Religious Rituals at the Hall of Justice Building in Quezon City.” It is not often that letters occasion the enunciation of doctrine. This was one of them. Another was a letter that then-Associate Justice Reynato Puno wrote the Court on the matter of seniority following the reconstitution and reorganization of courts under the Aquino revolutionary government.

The letter occasioned the revival of the question of how “separation of Church and State” is to be construed and what “nonestablishment” and “free exercise” precisely mean. Ultimately, the majority opinion, penned by Justice Jose Catral Mendoza of the “RH Law Case” fame, upheld the “benevolent neutrality” stance that Chief Justice Reynato Puno, in his yet unbeaten, masterful treatise in Estrada v. Escritor, taught about how the Philippine legal system defined the State’s

posture towards religion: That it will neither establish nor support a religion. In this respect, it will be neutral. But it will accommodate religion as long as no offense is done public policy and the laws. And the State will interfere in the practice of religion only on the basis of a “compelling state interest.”

And therefore, yes, Masses may still be celebrated in Halls of Justice.

But the penultimate paragraph of the Resolution signals something ominous to me, as I have had no sympathy at all for the “neutrality=hostility” equation that is clearly fallacious and an affront to the spirit of the Constitution. There shall be no permanent display of religious icons in all halls of justice in the country.

These may be “displayed” only during religious services, after which they are to be “concealed from public view.” First, while “halls of justice” alone are mentioned, is the reasoning underlying the stricture not applicable to all public offices as well? And

Why should we be willing heirs to juridical incoherence? from there, is it not rather a short step towards the French brand of “laicite” that forbids the display of religious symbols or tokens of religious affiliation in public spaces? How far are we being taken?

Then, there is the instruction that they be “concealed from public view.” And the reason is because their display or very visibility is offensive to those who do not believe. And this is the Gordian knot of this discourse. Secularists want public spaces shorn of all religious symbols. The mere sight of these tokens of faith is offensive to them—or so they claim.

Believers, for their part, want to

be left free to exhibit their faith —even in the public offices where they work. For it is part of their belief that they remain members of their churches and of their faith communities even while serving in public office.

When the State decrees that there shall no religious symbols in public offices, such as Halls of Justice, it is not being neutral. It is adopting the secularist line!

The singing of hymns, the measures of chant and the recitation of prayers—all these, in public offices, it is claimed are an affront to those who choose not to believe. Really? How so? Not really because the manifestation of faith challenges or spites their agnostic, skeptical, atheist or areligious position, but because they have no tolerance for anything that smacks of faith and religion.

But why should the State and the law countenance intolerance? No matter where one may be—even inside one’s chambers in the Supreme Court as a magistrate of the highest court of the land—one

will hear the pealing of church bells, or, if there is a mosque nearby, the muezzin’s call to prayer.

Are these offensive if one chooses not to be affiliated with any sect or religion, or if one maintains the philosophical position: “God does not exist?” No, more assuredly not, unless one has no tolerance for the expressions of the faith of others. Enforced secularism is as inimical to liberty as is enforced religion!

One last point: It is the Americans who made us believe that the “separation of Church and State” is indispensable to a democracy.

The United Kingdom has the Church of England as state religion, and the Queen is head of the Church, and British democracy is a thriving, vibrant democracy as the debates on Westminster make abundantly clear. Indonesia does not insist that it be indifferent towards Islam to be democratic, and few will doubt that it is a democracy. That kind of separation that has engendered such misleading metaphors as “wall of separation”

TAIWAN, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has announced Wednesday last week that starting June 1 this year, visitors from the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia need not secure a visa to gain entry. This will be for temporary stays in Taiwan not exceeding 30 days.

The lifting of the visa requirement is yet on a trial basis, so that within one year, the Taiwan government will assess the impact of such lifting upon the number of visitor arrivals to the island.

It is expected that many Filipinos will travel to Taiwan, where the food is good, shopping is a bargain, and the sceneries naturally preserved and beautiful.

The visa-free travel will likewise be extended to other Asean countries, in pursuit of the Tsai administration’s “New Southbound Policy” which aims to link Taiwan closer to Asean and its other neighbors to the south, such as the Indian subcontinent, Australia and New Zealand.

Both the Philippine and Taiwanese side, meanwhile, are promoting closer bilateral ties in the fields of education, culture, tourism and sharing of technologies. *** One sunrise industry for the Philippines is promoting the country as a retirement haven for senior citizens particularly from Japan and Taiwan.

Both have ageing populations due to years of zero population growth. Thus, their pension system is hard-pressed to support millions of their citizens whose life expectancy has gone beyond previous actuarial estimates.

And because their young generation eschews having so many children, or shuns getting married at all, the amount of contributions received by their pension systems is also on the decline.

The Philippines is one neighbor which should put up retirement havens for senior citizens coming from these two countries, who share a cultural predilection for banding together communally, unlike Western citizens who find it easy to adopt to new communities in an individualistic manner.

Aside from proximity, climate is ideal, as warmer temperatures are precisely what senior citizens prefer. We have an abundance of sun and sea, with water temperatures ideal for year-round swimming and water activities such as fishing. Japan and Turn to A5

Turn to A5 Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

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

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Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

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Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Romel J. Mendez Art Director Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion

MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017

A5

Going north IT SEEMS the dreaded Abu Sayyaf is bringing the battleground up North. Actually, in Eastern Visayas—the PNP and AFP discovered when they foiled a Sayyaf group’s attempt to raid what used to be a sleepy little known town in Bohol.

Nine casualties on both sides were reported during the firefight in Inabanga, Bohol last week.

From their sanctuary down South in Mindanao where they plunder, pillage and kidnap foreigners and local residents for ransom, the Abu Sayyaf broke new ground in Bohol. If the Abu Sayyaf were able to slip into Bohol undetected, can they be far behind in pulling off something more daring and dramatic in Metro Manila?

The National Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Immigration’s arrest of a Kuwaiti and a Syrian suspected of having links to the international terror group ISIS would confirm our greatest fear terrorists are planning to strike next in Metro Manila.

They were arrested in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.

We have seen how these terrorists attack big cities like New York, London, Paris, Nice, Brussels, and Frankfurt. Why not Manila in the only Christian country in the whole of Asia?

Recall that there was a plot to assassinate Pope John Paul II during his papal visit to Manila in the early 1980s. This was, fortunately, discovered and aborted.

We have to credit the US for

its intelligence work warning Americans to avoid not only Mindanao but also parts of Eastern Visayas. How the Americans were able to pinpoint Bohol and Cebu as a possible points of terrorist attack is uncanny. Australia, Britain and Canada followed the US warning and cautioned their own nationals to avoid certain areas in Mindanao and the Visayas.

Our own military and police network kept assuring the public that authorities were on top of the situation in keeping the people safe.

The AFP and the PNP nonetheless were able to deploy swiftly in Bohol to prevent the ASG band from occupying the town. Our intelligence community should keep a watch on Filipinos returning from their respective provinces for the long Holy Week vacation. Terrorists in Europe merged themselves with the flood of migrants fleeing the fighting in Syria and Iraq.

Gen. Restituto Padilla, AFP spokesman, explained the ASG foray into Bohol—a result of government troops’ pressure on known Sayyaf lairs in Sulu, Basilan and parts of South Cotabato.

But why Bohol? Abu Sayyaf would have scored big and made a big impact had it succeeded. The province has become

popular with foreign and local tourists for its beaches and resorts. Bohol is also known for the famous tarsier—and, of course, Chocolate Hills.

Can you imagine the international headlines if foreign tourists were captured in this tourist destination and beheaded for non-payment of ransom?

A looming war Against the worsening threat from the Abu Sayyaf terrorists, there are looming war clouds in Southeast Asia because of North Korea’s nuclear development program. This has become a global concern not only to America, because Pyongyang threatened to fire its long-range ballistic missiles to the US West Coast. For the Trump administration, a military option is on the table. Following its air strike on a Syrian airbase, the US just might make good on its threat to undertake preemptive military action on North Korea.

Syria crossed the line when Bashar al-Assad ordered the chemical attack on civilians in rebel strongholds. The United States had to send a strong signal to Syria that it cannot continue to butcher innocent men, women and children without suffering the consequences. The use of chemical weapons is banned by the United Nations in any kind of warfare such as the civil war now raging in Syria.

US warplanes bombed the Syrian airbase where planes carrying the chemical weapon was launched. Russia as is customary of railing against US action condemned the attack and issued the usual statement of “serious response” if the US does it again. But that’s all the Russians can do. It is a spent force since the fall of the Soviet Union empire. A shooting war may not happen yet but a return to the Cold War of the 50s between the US and Russia may be in the offing.

North Korea could be next.

Pyongyang leader Kim Jong-Un has been strident in threatening to send ballistic cruise missiles into South Korea, Japan and the US West Coast. Now that may be more than a red line for US President Trump. Alarm bells are ringing that the military option available to the US could be served to North Korea.

What happened in Syria could happen in North Korea if China does not rein its ally and ward Kim. There are unverified rumors China and the ruling military cabal inside Pyongyang could and might topple the unmanageable Kim who is the face of a long dynasty ruler.

All in the name of peace in the region? People who live dangerously should watch their backs and those closest to them.

History showed how Brutus and his cohorts knifed Julius Ceasar in the back. Ceasar’s now famous last words were “Et tu Brutus?”

Fish and regional security WHILE it had achieved renown—or notoriety—for the protracted political tug-of-war, the South China Sea is, first and foremost, one of the most diverse and productive marine ecosystems in the world. The area covers some 3.5 million square kilometers of rich waters, responsible for an estimated 10 million to 16 million tons of fisheries landings, or about 12 to 15 percent of the total global catch.

As the plot thickens, Ma. Carmen Ablan Lagman of the Biology Department and Center for Natural Resource and Environment Research of De La Salle University tackled a spectrum of issues in a special paper “Converging on the Fisheries in the South China Sea” as part of Stratbase ADRi series of commissioned studies. These are salient points of the paper.

In the region, this translates to some three-million jobs associated with fisheries and some $66.7 billion in total economic activity supported by fishing.

Because it is bounded by some of the fastest-growing economies in the world, this means about two-billion inhabitants in this region rely on fishing in terms of food security, livelihood, or export.

And because fish stocks in the Yellow Sea, Gulf of Tonkin, East China Sea, all the way to the Gulf of Thailand are fully fished or depleted, this puts additional pressure on the South China Sea, whose stocks harbor healthy coral reef habitats and

tor in its deciabundant fish. open sion. Unlike The Philipoil and gas, pines in its arthoughts fish are mobitration case orlando bile, dynamic, against China oxales and hardly appropr iately uniformly sought to claridistributed. fy national fisheries jurisdiction. Tracing back They traverse jurisdictions and to 1982, the United Nations Con- boundaries and are particularly vention on the Law of the Sea, volatile, as their abundance deor Unclos, resulted in competing pends on the balance of harvest claims from countries based on and recovery.

The arbitration court resolutheir definitions of their Exclusive Economic Zones, or EEZ. tion is a clear occasion to explore More recently, China’s conten- means for the states to reinforce tious nine-dash line territorial this ruling by improving both claim in 2009 highlighted the the national and regional fishereconomic value of the marine ies management agenda through follow-up action. As the Philipresources in the region.

Thus, beyond the undoubtedly pines possesses the moral high many political ramifications of ground on the issue, it must take the tribunal’s decision, it brought the opportunity to lead this adto fore something more visceral vocacy while advancing its own for the Philippines. After all, the fisheries management policy.

How can this be achieved? most common type of encounter between the two countries One way is to broker bilateral in the disputed waters were be- cooperation agreements to estween fishers and national coast tablish trans-boundary marine guards. The country asserted— parks of joint protection. The and the tribunal agreed—that few remaining healthy, resourceChinese forces had prevented rich areas and habitats, such as Filipino fishers from accessing the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoals, should be declared traditional fishing grounds.

Media and other observ- “no-take zones.” Doing this will ers have noted that beyond the preserve the living resources implication of this ruling on and replenish adjacent habitats. resources, asserting fisheries The Spratly island group can be interests signal national sover- declared an international maeignty, especially vis-à-vis what rine park based on ecological many see as relentless and un- considerations such as the durastoppable Chinese aggression in tion of pelagic larvae, surface circulation patterns, seasonality the region.

It is thus no coincidence that in abundance of adults and larthe tribunal has highlighted vae, and reproductive strategies, the small-scale fisheries sec- among others.

Retirement...

From A4 Taiwan, both farther from the equator, have colder waters and except in in summer, are insufferably chilling to the bones of senior people.

President Duterte previously mentioned that he is seriously thinking about leasing some of our smaller islands to foreigners for them to develop, which in turn would create work and livelihood opportunities for our marginalized people. This concept, if turned into workable policy, could spur the establishment of retirement havens.

Not only islands, but upland areas such as those in Northern Luzon, or Bukidnon in Mindanao, would be ideal. Much work has to be done though.

For starters, we should upgrade our hospitals in the areas where the retirement havens are to be established. Older people need good

medical facilities.

Medical professionals have to start learning Nihonggo or Mandarin, because most senior citizens from both Taiwan and Japan cannot communicate in English.

But Filipinos are generally not averse to learning second or third languages, and their innate friendliness and caring attitudes are major considerations for foreign senior citizens.

Retirement communities must be wellplanned and holistically developed. There should be adequate sports and fitness facilities. Small agricultural plots where retirees can indulge in vegetable farming or backyard gardening, organic poultry raising, even aquaculture, can be integrated into these planned communities. Needless to say, there must be adequate and comfortable housing.

There are so many idle lands in the country that can be put to better use through retirement communities.

Rituals...

From A4 is of American provenance, and it amazes me no end that while we can be so adamant about freeing ourselves from the colonial apron strings of America from US bases to the mere presence of uniformed personnel in the Philippines, we are doctrinally parasitical on what is, at best, an incoherent, inconsistent

There are other international ocean policy instruments that can be used to encourage regional cooperation. These include the FAO Reykjavik Declaration (2001), which called for taking the ecosystem approach to the management of fisheries, the introduction of management plans, and the systematic monitoring of resources, among others. More existing instruments, like the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (1995) and the World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002), should also be studied.

Finally, the decision presents a good opportunity to develop regional-level policies targeted toward small-scale fisheries.

While this sector’s contribution to food security and poverty alleviation has been established, the vagueness in what constitutes “small-scale fisheries” has contributed to the lack of policy instruments directed to it. Taking its cue from the European Parliament 2016 resolution toward innovation and diversification in the sector, small-scale fisheries should be seen as a solution, rather than a contributor, to the problem of overfishing.

Thus, the Philippines’ unique profile as an archipelago and its recent achievement in bringing China to task in the South China Sea demands that it take a more active role in advancing its own fisheries management policy and, more crucially, connecting this to a broader platform in the region.

Our economic managers could negotiate with the pension fund managers of these two countries after identifying possible sites for such planned communities. The concept would ease the burdens imposed by long-life expectancies on the pension fund systems of these countries, a problem which will not disappear in the next two generations.

In Greece and the southern parts of the Iberian peninsula, there are thriving economies based largely on tourism and retirement havens, whether in the coastal towns and cities or islands in the Mediterranean. Hawaii and islands in the Carribean are favorite retirement destinations of American and Canadian retirees.

This is again one of the reasons why President Duterte’s tireless pursuit of peace with Muslim secessionists and the communist insurgents must succeed. Peace and order are conditio sine qua non.

juridical posture on the relation between Church and State.

Chief Justice Puno put it with characteristic intellectual maturity and juridical acuity when he identified where the problem lay: The history of the religion clauses in the 1987 Constitution shows that these clauses were largely adopted from the First Amendment of the US Constitution. Philippine jurisprudence and commen-

Another horrible airline saga HOW I wish it were a mere coincidence that the man who was dragged off United Airlines Flight 3411 had Asian roots.

David Dao, who refused to be offloaded the plane to give way to employees of United’s sister airline, was dragged out of the plane by police officers called in by the airline crew. Dao, an American doctor of Vietnamese descent, suffered severe concussions on his head, lost two front teeth and had a broken nose.

The video of the incident that went viral shows that he was treated worse than a suspect being arrested for a crime who is even read his rights and shielded from harm. Netizens have crafted slogans for United Airlines that say: “Board as a doctor, leave as a patient,” “We beat the customer, not the competition,” and “Not enough seating? Prepare for a beating.”

The fate suffered by Dr. Dao does not seem isolated, however. My family and I witnessed the equally revolting discrimination committed nonchalantly by Emirates Airlines, a supposedly five-star airline, against Filipinos. In our trip home from Argentina Thursday last week, the flight was fine until we took the leg from Dubai to Manila. There, everything changed. The gate was opened only about 30 minutes before flight time, making the passengers mill around the area standing up or finding seats far from This is the gate. Then, when it revolting. finally opened, the chaos began. Quite unexpectedly—because this was never done in all the other Emirates flights we had taken in our South American journey—the hand-carried pieces of luggage of every passenger were being weighed. If they exceeded 10 kilograms, the passengers were made to pay for the excess. The overseas Filipino worker right before us was charged 100 US dollars for the alleged excess weight of her hand-carried luggage. It was unimaginable why she was charged that much— but she had no choice.

Next, instead of entering the plane through a tube attached to it which is the norm for international and even domestic flights, we were made to ride buses that had only a few seats, making the bigger number of people stand up, sardine-style.

Babies were crying and children were fretting as the crowded buses stopped on the tarmac for some 20 to 25 minutes before heading off to the plane some kilometers away. Upon reaching the plane, there was no crew to meet or assist us or direct us which stairs to climb to board the plane—the one at the front or the rear. Carrying heavy pieces of luggage, the passengers had to climb the stairs. Some of those with seats at the back of the plane unwittingly took the front stairs and those with front seats took the rear entrance, causing chaos at the narrow aisles of the plane. The flight attendants offered no help; one merely said that next time they will try to be more organized. If you avoid budget airlines because they are not comfortable, think again after reading this through.

During the nearly eight-hour flight, we could not help noticing the arrogance of the attendants directed against the Filipino passengers. A Filipino who was seated next to my daughter, who had a baby on his lap, was ordered by an attendant to put in the overhead bin the blanket that fell on the floor as everything had to be stowed away for those seated at the bulk head during takeoff and landing. When my daughter spoke for the docile OFW, and asked the flight attendant to please do it for him as he could not stand because he was carrying his baby who was sleeping, the attendant said arrogantly, “I can’t, I have no hands,” even if she was holding nothing. My son-in-law had to be the one to help the man instead.

At meal time my daughter requested that the bassinet be installed so that she could lay down her own sleeping baby in it while she ate. The supervisor refused, saying that bassinets are only for infants and her baby exceeded an infant’s weight, even if my daughter explained that in our earlier flight from Argentina she was given the bassinet for her baby. The supervisor still refused, saying they had nothing to do with the policy in another flight. At this, my daughter suggested that the bassinet be put instead for the man beside her whose baby was smaller than hers so he could eat. The supervisor rudely retorted, “Why, is he hungry? Do you know that he is hungry?” then left.

My friend who was with us in the same flight, for her part, noticed that the attendants serving food were skipping Filipinos and serving the whites first. She ordered the meal which was also ordered by the white man in her row. He was given his order promptly while she had to wait to be served the same thing.

It seems what we experienced was not isolated. My daughter who was so upset narrated our Emirates experience to her best friend who is now living in Belgium with her American husband and daughter. Her friend told her that she and her husband have been noticing this too, as they always take Emirates in coming home to Manila. She said that flights are fine from Belgium to other destinations but when the destination is Manila, for some unexplained reason, the passengers are given the worst gate in the airport and the most ill-mannered and most inefficient crew.

Dr. Dao’s experience with United Airlines may have been more violent and horrifying but, at least, it caught the attention of the world and will probably not have a repeat. The bullying and the maltreatment of Filipinos, who are mostly OFWs working in the Middle East, by Emirates Airlines apparently have been going on. It is likely to continue; Filipinos are, by nature, nonconfrontational and docile.

This is revolting. Even if the volume of air traffic and the business that overseas Filipinos give Emirates should merit them special consideration, all they ask for is a decent and equal treatment. This is a right they are entitled to as revenue passengers.

Email: ritalindaj@gmail.com Visit: www.jimenolaw.com.ph

taries on the religious clauses also continued to borrow authorities from US jurisprudence without articulating the stark distinction between the two streams of US jurisprudence [i.e., separation and benevolent neutrality]. One might simply conclude that the Philippine Constitutions and jurisprudence also inherited the disarray of US religion clause jurisprudence and the two identifiable streams; thus, when a religion clause case comes before the Court,

a separationist approach or a benevolent neutrality approach might be adopted and each will have US authorities to support it.

And I ask: Why should we be willing heirs to juridical incoherence? rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@outlook.com

A6

News

MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Solon bats for new courts vs scams

THE RISEN LORD. The faithful troop to Kamay ni Hesus Shrine at Brgy. Tinamnan in Lucban, Quezon during the Lenten season. The pilgrimage site attracts devotees, especially those who pray for healing. Manny Palmero

Manila RTC orders arrest of three newsmen for libel Health dept wants HIV screening in Galera

By Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Department of Health has conducted a five-day HIV screening in Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro in a bid to raise awareness among residents and tourists alike.

DoH regional director Eduardo Janairo said local residents are encouraged to undertake voluntary screening to give them better access to services such as counselling and treatment.

“I also encourage residents and also visitors to join the HIV seminars to gain more knowledge and further understand the virus to prevent its spread in the community,” Janairo said.

As of April 14, at least 153 residents underwent voluntary screening, while a total of 2,880 condoms and 2,400 lubes were distributed.

There are six available testing clinics located in Puerto Galera—three in Sabang and three in White Beach.

A

MANILA judge has ordered the arrest of a tabloid columnist, along with the newspaper’s managing editor and publisher, for allegedly writing a series of libelous articles against a barangay chairperson.

Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 34 presiding judge Liwliwa Hidalgo-Buco issued the arrest warrant against Hataw columnist Percival Mabasa, also known as Percy Lapid; managing editor Gloria Galuno; and publisher Jerry Yap. The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Ligaya Santos, chairman of Barangay 659-A, Zone 71 in Ma-

nila, on Oct. 23, 2015 for six counts of libel.

Manila Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Rose Sharon Cordero-Abila found probable cause against the accused, saying the “personal attacks” against Santos were “made with actual malice.”

The City Prosecutor’s Office noted that while a wide latitude is given to critical utterances made against public

officials, such criticism does not automatically fall within the ambit of constitutionally protected speech if the statements are proven to be false, malicious or unrelated to a public officer’s performance of his or her duties or irrelevant to public interest.

Santos’ lawyer, Redentor Viaje, noted that the accused personally know Santos as an upright citizen and a dedi-

cated public servant, having been a regular columnist in the same tabloid for years.

“The respondents portrayed me as leader of vice syndicate, killer/murderer and blackmailer, psychotic, immoral and prostitute,” Santos said in her complaint.

She also accused Yap of asking for a P10,000 weekly payola, while Lapid received P2,000 weekly.

The barangay official alleged that when she could no longer afford to release money to the journalists, the accused started writing libelous column articles against her.

TOWER OF POWER. Families spend Easter Sunday swimming in the murky waters of Manila Bay. Norman Cruz

MAKATI City Rep. Luis Campos Jr. has called for the creation of commercial trial courts to help suppress “pyramiding” and Ponzi scams that have so far hit more than a million Filipinos with over P25 billion in combined financial losses.

“The establishment of commercial courts is long overdue.

Once we have the new courts in place, there’s no question a greater number of embezzlers will be put behind bars faster, and this in turn should help discourage other would-be swindlers,” Campos, a deputy minority leader, said in a statement on Sunday.

Under Campos’ House Bill No. 5339, commercial courts shall be established in every province or city in the country.

They shall have sole jurisdiction to hear and resolve all cases of investment fraud, as well as those involving theft of corporate funds; intellectual property violations; financial rehabilitation and liquidation; intra-corporate disputes; and violations of admiralty and maritime laws.

Under the bill, the trial of every case before a commercial court, once begun, shall be non-stop. The proceedings shall be completed within three months from the filing of a case. Judgment shall be delivered within 30 days from the submission of the case for decision.

Due to the lack of commercial courts, Campos said only two individuals have been convicted of investment fraud under the 16-yearold Securities Regulation Code, namely “pyramiding queen” Rosario Baladjay, who ran the Multinational Telecom Investors Corp. rip-off in the early 2000s, and Francisco Borromeo, who defrauded his clients at Asian Capital Equity Inc. from 1993 to 2003.

Congress approves N. Luzon devt body

By Rio N. Araja CONGRESS has passed a bill creating a Northern Luzon Growth Quadrangle Development Authority to bolster socioeconomic development in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley Region and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

The House special committee on North Luzon growth quadrangle chaired by Mt. Province Rep. Maximo Dalog and the committee on government enterprises and privatization led by Baguio City Rep. Mark Go have jointly approved House Bill 4995.

The measure, authored

by Ilocos Sur Rep. Deogracias Victor Savellano, aims to increase trade, tourism and investments; encourage private enterprise, generate jobs and develop infrastructures; and advance efforts toward peace and expansion.

Precursor offices of the proposed body were created in the past include the Northwestern Luzon Growth Quadrangle Commission created under Executive Order No. 175 of 1994, the North Luzon Development Plan Management Office created under EO No. 147 in 2002, and the Office of North Luzon Growth Quadrangle Area created under EO No. 239 in 2003.

In 2004, former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo abolished the North Luzon Development Plan Management Office, and transferred its functions and personnel to the Office of the Presidential Adviser for North Luzon.

Sports

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MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Cavs escape Pacers, 109-108 L

OS ANGELES—The NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers escaped with a 109-108 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday in the opening game of the 2017 playoffs.

Indiana’s C.J. Miles missed a wide-open jump shot at the buzzer after the Cavaliers, as they often did in the waning stages of the regular-season, let the game get complicated toward the end.

“It doesn’t matter how you get a win in the playoffs. We’re one-up,” said Cavs superstar LeBron James, who led all scorers with 32 points and also handed out 13 assists and pulled down six rebounds.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Kawhi Leonard equalled his career playoff high with 32 points as the San Antonio Spurs seized control in the third quarter en route to a 111-82 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in game one of their first-round Western Conference series.

James has now won 18 playoff openers, but he and the Cavs cut it close in this one.

James missed a three-pointer with 20 seconds left and the Pacers had the ball coming out of a timeout.

Miles got loose, but his effort bounced off the rim.

Pacers star Paul George finished with 29 points. His three-pointer with four seconds left had cut the Cavs’ lead to one point, setting the stage for Miles’s attempt at a game-winner.

George complained after the game that he should have been the one to attempt the game winner.

“Situations like that, I gotta get the last shot,” George said.

Kyrie Irving scored 23 points and Kevin Love added 17, 15 of them in the first half for Cleveland, who led by 12 points late in the third quarter and were up by 10 with 9:04 re-

maining before the Pacers rallied.

Jeff Teague’s three-pointer with 3:31 to play put the Pacers up by two -- after six straight empty possessions for the Cavs.

But James immediately responded with a driving dunk and the Pacers wouldn’t get ahead again.

In San Antonio, the Spurs led 74-64 with just under two minutes to play in the third quarter but closed the quarter on a 10-0 run.

The Spurs added the first nine points of the fourth quarter to compile 93-64 lead.

Leonard seized control in the third quarter, pumping in 15 points -- the same amount as the entire Memphis team -- before sitting out the fourth with the game already in hand.

The Spurs are making their 20th straight post-season appearance, tied for third alltime.

Game two of the best-of-seven series is Monday in San Antonio.

In Toronto, Giannis Antetokounmpo tallied 28 points and eight rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks manhandled the Toronto Rap-

tors 97-83 to open their Eastern Conference series.

Malcolm Brogdon delivered 16 points for the Bucks, Greg Monroe finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds, Tony Snell and Matthew Dellavedova added 11 points each for the Bucks.

DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with 27 points and grabbed nine rebounds, Serge Ibaka added 19 points and 14 rebounds, and Jonas Valanciunas had nine points and nine rebounds.

The Raptors’ first-game woes continued as they fell to 0-9 in openers of first round playoff series. They are a dismal 1-10 overall in game ones.

In Los Angeles, Joe Johnson hit the clutch winner as time expired, lifting the Utah Jazz to a 97-95 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center.

Jazz star center Rudy Gobert went down clutching his left knee less than 20 seconds into the contest after bumping knees with Clippers forward Luc Mbah a Moute. AFP

Baniqued wins Alaska Aquathlon age-group

By Peter Atencio JUAN Francisco Baniqued said he ran a good race in the 13-14-year-old boys’ category of the 2017 Alaska Aquathlon agegroup competitions recently at the Manila Polo Club.

The 14-year-old Baniqued, who is on his final year in his category, finished the 400-meter swim and 3-km run course in 17 minutes and 17 seconds.

The transition period between the swim and run events, according to Baniqued, gave him enough time to adjust his body to conditions along the route.

“It was good. I had a good, safe distance,” said Baniqued, an eighth grader from Colegio San Agustin in Binan, Laguna.

He was 10 seconds ahead of Clifford Pusing, who was second in 17:27, while Richard Navo settled for third in 17:30.

Overall, Baniqued had five 13-14-year-old titles, with coach Ani de Leon Brown coaching him.

“He is very consistent and trains well. This is his final year.

He wants to finish it with a bang,” said De Leon.

In the distaff side, Franz Emmanuelle Joves dominated in 12:26, with Angelina Powell and Kristana Derada taking the silver and bronze, respectively.

In the 11-12 male action, Zedrick Borja ruled the 300-swim2km run course in 12:26, followed

by Gile Mariscotes and Jay Salita in second and third.

LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on while playing the Indiana Pacers in Game One of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland won the game 109-108 to take a 1-0 series lead. AFP

Fr. Martin Cup caging lures 35 school teams Games Thursday

(St. Placid gym, San Beda College) 8 a.m. Ateneo vs PMMS 9:30 a.m. NU vs EAC 11 a.m. Batang Gilas U16 vs AMA 12:30 p.m. UST vs Enderun (women) 2 p.m. UST vs AMA (jrs.)

THIRTY-FIVE teams have initially signed up in the men’s, women’s and junior divisions of the 23nd Fr. Martin Cup Summer Basketball Tournament.

Repollo

distributor Dynamic Sports.

No. 7 Gabriel Andre Trazo won over No. 4 Andre Kenny Sing, 6-1, 6-4, to bag the 14-and-under boys’ singles crown, while top seed Venz Alforque bashed second Caesar Fernando Po, 6-1, 6-0, to clinch

the 16-and-under boys’ crown.

Douglas Maravillas blanked Aaron Kevin Tabura, 4-0, 4-0, for the 10-and-under unisex title.

The tournament is supported

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

In other singles’ finals results, Clyde Laquio crushed Vhon Tudtud, 6-1, 6-1, to gain the 18-and-under boys’ title; No. 1 Tiffany Claire Nocos derailed Juliana Maravillas, 6-4, 6-2, to claim the 12-and-under girls’ crown; and Ashley Mckenzie beat Repollo, 6-2, 6-2, for the 14-and-under girls’ title.

THE country’s long-running age-group tennis circuit kicks off its summer tour Monday as the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala holds simultaneous tournaments in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Over 200 entries clash for top honors and ranking points at the Consolacion Tennis Club for the five-day Cebu leg, a Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.

Tracy Llamas and Kiana de Asis banner the field in the girls’ 16- and 18-and-under divisions with Lyra Repollo and Shedel Gica (16-U) and Kristin Salimbangon and Wynedale Paglinawan (18-U) out to crowd the fancied La Carlota bets for the crown.

Meanwhile, Gen. Santos City will hold its own tournament on April 19-23. For details, call PPS-PEPP Regional Age Group Tennis Event organizer and Sports Program Development director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.

“The circuit will not only keep the youth busy this summer but will also boost their ranking in their respective groups,” said Palawan Pawnshop president Bobby Castro.

Mactan will host the next stop in the Visayas on April 22-26 while the Koronadal leg will be played on April 24-28 before Tacloban takes its turn on April 28-May 2 and Tagum on April 30-May 4.

Baybay, Leyte will stage the next leg on May 3-7 to be followed by the Maasin stage on May 8-12 and the Ubay, Bohol stop on May 13-17 while the Sultan Kudarat leg will be held June 15-19.

Three summer legs will be also staged in Luzon, including at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque on May 18-22, at the Manila Southwoods on May 24-28 andin Legazpi City on May 27-June 4.

Rewel Justiniani, Francis Navales, Prince Dimate and Troy Llamas lead the title chase in the boys’ 18-U category of the event backed by Asiatraders Corp. and the new Unified tennis group, led by PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s and B-Meg.

tered in the women’s side.

On the other hand, the Bullpups are in a 15-team field that is expected to fight for the junior division honors.

Badolato said the Batang Gilas Under 16 national men’s team that’s preparing for the SEABA tournament will be a guest team in men’s action.

They are listed with reigning collegiate champions La Salle and San Beda, along with Emilio Aguinaldo College, NU, Letran, Centro Escolar University-A and CEU-B, Philippine Merchant Marine School and College of St. Benilde.

Best Center opens clinics at St. Edward

SEABA TOURNEY. Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio (center back row) addresses concerns during the contract-signing and press conference at the Holiday Inn on the staging of the 2017 SEABA Championship. From left, upper row, James Pangilinan, Crowne Meetings Director; Janice Tiambeng, Director of Sales & Marketing Holiday Inn Manila Galleria; Panlilio; Gaurav Rai, General Manager, Holiday Inn Manila Galleria; Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios, Executive Director, SBP; Vincent “Chot” Reyes, TV 5 President and Gilas Head Coach; (lower row) Butch A. Antonio, SBP Dep Exec Director for International Affairs, Gilas Team Manager; Michael Oliver, Batang Gilas Head Coach; and Raymond Almazan, Calvin Abueva, Kevin Ferrer, Gilas Players.

THE BEST Center opened its basketball clinic on Easter Sunday at the St. Edward Integrated School in Lancaster New City in Imus, Cavite.

The clinic, set from 8 to 12 noon, will be for students in Levels 1 and 2.

On Monday, the April 1722 Clinics will be held at the Dr. Yanga College in Bocaue, Bulacan, for Levels 1-2. Organizer is Tina Miranda, 0936202-5753.

Also on the same day, Levels 1, 2 and 3 clinics are set in Tagaytay at the Tahanan ng Mabuting Pastol, with Fr. Myl Cron (0917-503-8295) organizing the outreach program sponsored by Milo and backed

by Chris Sports and Rain or Shine.

Zamboanga City will also have its own for Preparatory Level and Levels 1, 2 and 3 at the Ateneo de Zamboanga through Pedro Alfaro, 0917720-1217 or 0919-470-9954.

The defending champions Arellano University Chiefs, the University of the East Lady Warriors and the NU Bullpups lead the list of entries.

And they will be there to provide challenges starting with a five-game bill on April 20 at the St. Placid gym of the San BedaManila campus in Mendiola The Chiefs will fight to retain the senior division crown, which attracted 12 varsity squads in this three-monthlong cagefest.

Games will mostly be held at the San Beda College-Manila campus in Mendiola, according

to chief organizer Edmundo “Ato Badolato and commissioner Robert de la Rosa.

In the opening matches, the Ateneo Blue Eagles will meet Philippine Merchant Marine School at 8 a.m., while the NU Bulldogs take on Emilio Aguinaldo College at 9:30 a.m. The Batang Gilas Under-16 national team clashes with AMA at 11 a.m.

Later, University of Santo Tomas battles Enderun in women’s play at 12:30 p.m., while UST clashes with AMA at 2 p.m.

The UE Lady Warriors are among the eight teams that are en-

Abarquez rules HEAD jr tilt Cebu leg TOP seed Elizabeth Abarquez dominated the fourth leg of 19th HEAD Junior Tennis Satellite Circuit by winning two crowns recently, while Andre Kenny Sing took the boys’ 12-and-under singles’ title at the start of the Visayas leg at the Citigreens tennis courts in Cebu City.

Abarquez, the No. 1 seed in the girls’ 18- and 16-and-under singles’ divisions, scored a 6-2, 6-1 win over Shyne Villareal in the girls’ 18-and-under finals to take home the trophy.

She then demolished Lyrah Mar Repollo, 6-0, 6-2, to win the girls’ 16-and-under title for her second crown.

The second seeded Sing, on the other hand, defeated Nicolas Allain Olat, 7-5, 7-5, for the 12-and-under boys’ singles title of the annual tournament organized by HEAD Philippines

Palawan Pawnshop kicks off summer net tour

Isabela, Solano bets dominate Cebuana Lhuillier net meet THE province of Isabela and host municipality Solano in Nueva Vizcaya dominated the recent Cebuana Lhuillier Age-Group Tennis Championship Series leg hosted by the Solano Tennis Club, with Isabela bets winning four titles, Solano-based players ruling three categories and Pangasinan winning the last two titles at stake in the tournament.

The 14th leg of the series and 5th edition in Luzon also sponsored by Dunlop as official ball, saw the emergence of practically unknown players in both the boys and girls’ sides, pleasing Cebuana

Lhuillier President/CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier.

“This is what grassroots’ tennis is all about, discovering unknown but talented players in the provinces and seeing them develop through the years with some of them going all the way to the national team,” said Lhuillier, who initiated the series now on its 11th year.

Pangasinan’s Bianca Pica won both the girls’ 16-under and 18-under against the same opponent, Cabanatuan’s Cheli Cruz.

Pica was pushed to a third set in the finals of the 16-under before winning, 6-4, 4-6, 10-6, but had

an easier time in the finals of the 18-under, which she won handily in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1.

Leading the charge for Isabela was 18-under champion Marvin Marquez, who had an easy 6-0, 6-3 victory over Carl Abadilla from Ilocos Norte.

Another Isabela bet Kevin Kyle Matias dominated provincemate Daryl James Revina, 6-2, 6-1, for the 14-under crown.

Revina took consolation in winning the boys’ 12-under with a walkover win over Jhomario Lovedora from Solano.

Dhell Bajet made it four for Isabela as he post-

ed a convincing 4-1, 4-0 win over another Isabela player Jerald Caogdan for the 10-under unisex crown.

Darwin dela Cruz from Solano had a walkover victory over Rainier Angelo Selmar from Bacoor, Cavite for the boys’ 16-under title, while Eva Baladad, also from Solano, had a straight-set victory, 6-2, 6-2, over Juliana Moralea, who also plays out of Solano in the girls’ 14-under finals Solano’s third title was courtesy of MJ Ramos, who edged out Mary Ramos, 6-4, 6-3 in the girls’ 12-under age-group.

Sports

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

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MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017

Thai sisters eye strong finish at PH Ladies’ Tour SIBLINGS Nemittra and Nimmitta Juntanaket head a five-player contingent seeking to sustain Thailand’s dominant run on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour as they join the compact field clashing in the P1 million ICTSI Luisita Ladies Challenge beginning tomorrow (Tuesday, April 18) in Tarlac.

The Thais swept the last two legs of last year’s LPGT through Saruttaya Ngam-Usawan and Saranporn Langkulgasettrin while Kanphanitnan Muangkhumsakul ruled this year’s kickoff leg at Splendido with the Juntanakets, along with Chattara Chatwararat, Jaruporn Palakawongnaayuttawa and Numa Gulyanamitta, out to continue their compatriots’ charge in the circuit sponsored by ICTSI. But they will be in for a tough outing with local bet Pauline del Rosario all primed up for a crack at her maiden pro victory after a joint runner-up finish at Splendido and a slew of others also raring to slug it out for the top P250,000 purse in this third of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. They include Cristina Corpus, who humbled a crack international field to score her breakthrough win at the Luisita Golf and Country Club in 2015.

But the soft-spoken Fil-Am shotmaker has failed to score a follow-up up to her three-stroke triumph over Thai Walailak Satarak, turning in forgettable finishes last season and early this year.

But she hopes to rediscover her touch on the tight, challenging layout and put it all together this week to gain a crack at another championship in the 54-hole event backed by Custom Clubmakers, BDO, Meralco, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and K&G Golf.

Last year’s Orchard leg winner Chihiro Ikeda is also tipped to contend for the crown along with former leg winner Sarah Ababa and Indonesian Jessica Lydia.

Three amateurs, headed by Bernice Olivarez-Ilas, who upended the pros to win at Beverly Place in Pampanga last year, are also in the fold, along with fellow The Country Club Sofia Chabon and Japanese Kelly Marutan.

Meanwhile, the fourth leg of the circuit will be held May 31-June 2 at the Orchard while the short but tricky Baguio Country Club will host the fifth stop on June 28-30.

Mahindra’s Mike DiGregorio drives to the basket against Meralco’s Anjo Caram in a PBA Commissioner’s Cup game won by the Bolts, 102-91.

Bolts’ decisive finishing th kick keys 6 win in 7 tiffs top eight becoming more bleak with this loss.

Kelly Nabong was adjudged Best Player of the Game with his 13 points on 6 of 8 shooting and 9 rebounds.

“Defense really got us to the point where we are at now,” said Nabong.

As of this report, San Miguel Beer (20), the league’s only unbeaten team, is taking on another top-tier team in Star (4-1) at the moment.

By Jeric Lopez

M

ERALCO stepped it up in the clutch to pull away late and deal Blackwater a 102-91 beating in an Easter Sunday showcase of the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum yesterday.

Games Wednesday 4:15 p.m. – San Miguel Beer vs Mahindra 7:00 p.m. – NLEX vs Barangay Ginebra

Jared Dillinger scored a team-high 21 points, while Alex Stepheson added 18 for the Bolts.

It was a nip-and-tuck battle for most part of the game until Meralco blasted Blackwater in the game’s final seven minutes.

It was tied at 84 with over seven minutes remaining when the Bolts unleashed a decisive finishing kick, ending the game with an emphatic 18-7 bomb to put the Elite away.

The Bolts earned their second straight victory and kept their second place standing, improving to 6-1.

More importantly, they moved a win closer to securing a berth in the quarterfinals.

On the other hand, the Elite fell to 1-5, tied for 10th, its chances of making the

The scores: MERALCO 102 - Dillinger 21, Stepheson 18, Newsome 14, Nabong 13, Amer 12, Hugnanatn 9, Daquioag 7, Yeo 4, Chua 4, Uyloan 0, Caram 0.

BLACKWATER 91 - Smith 19, Digregorio 16, Canaleta 14, Pascual 8, Pinto 7, Sena 7, Cruz 5, Aguilar 5, Buenafe 5, Cervantes 3, Miranda 2, Sumang 0.

Quarterscores: 22-24, 44-48, 72-80, 102-91.

Weiss braces for XTERRA test

GOBERT INJURED. Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz is helped

off the court past head coach Quin Snyder, by Boris Diaw (33) and medical staff during the first half against the LA Clippers at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Gobert went down clutching his left knee less than 20 seconds into the contest after bumping knees with Clippers forward Luc Mbah a Moute.

AFP

BRADLEY Weiss is more than thrilled defending his XTERRA crown this weekend. Not only will he be up against a battle-scarred field but also against a new, challenging course.

“Having a new race venue in Danao adds to the excitement and I cannot wait to see what XTERRA Philippines and Sunrise Events, Inc. have in store for us,” said Weiss, referring to the Off-Road Triathlon firing off Sunday (April 23) at its new home in Cebu.

Weiss rallied to upend Australian Ben Allen and snare last year’s crown in Albay but the South African ace, winner of a number of XTERRA events, expects a tougher, more challenging race not only for the top $15,000 purse but also for precious ranking points.

“My biggest rivals will be Sam Osborne from New Zealand and Allen, who are both currently ranked higher than myself in Asia Pacific Tour,” said Weiss. “I am sure it will continue to be a thrilling battle right until the final race of the series. It is my hope that I can claw back a few points in this pivotal race.”

That should guarantee a spirited battle for top honors in the event, sponsored by Alcoplus, Sanicare,

The Philippine Star, 2GO Express, Cetaphil, Prudential Guarantee, Columbia, Garmin, Tri Life, Cignal Hyper TV, Rocktape, Gatorade, MNTC, Coca Cola Femsa, Powerade, Wilkins and Storck.

Joining the troika in the title hunt are

Bradley Weiss during one of his past triumphs

Japanese Takahiro Ogasawara, Taylor Charlton, Kieran McPherson, Jacky Boisset, Brodie Gardner, Olly Shaw, Alex Roberts, Dan Brown, Will Kelsay and local bet Joseph Miller.

Weiss also hopes to make the most

of his return to the country, saying: “I am thrilled to be returning to the Phl, one of my favorite race destinations and I am so excited to be back for the fourth time. Mostly I am looking forward to celebrating this new event with the people of the Phl who are always warm and welcoming.”

Allen can’t also wait to see what the new venue could offer.

“Both Jacqui and I are very excited to race in the Danao region. Cebu is the heart of triathlon in the Philippines and it’s the perfect location for people to visit and enjoy an active and healthy lifestyle,” said Allen.

“With clear ocean water to swim in, to volcanic mountains to climb its the perfect adventurous playground for any XTERRA athlete novice or pro. I’ve lost count the amount of time we have visited the Philippines but each and every time, it always brings a smile to my face,” he added.

The battle for the women’s crown is also tipped to go down-to-the-wire with last year’s runner-up Jackie Slack of Great Britain out to complete an unfinished business against Aussie Carina Wasle, Myriam Guillot-Boisset, Penny Slater of Australia and American Jessica Koltz.

Meanwhile, host Rep. Ramon

Metro Manila Mayors’ Spouses to hold fund-raising golf THE Metro Manila Mayors’ Spouses Foundation Inc. will hold its first golf invitational on April 26 at the Tagaytay Midlands Golf and Country, Tagaytay City, a fundraising tournament.

Janet Olivarez, MMMSFI president and wife of Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez, said the tournament dubbed “1st Metro Manila Mayors’

Invitational Golf Cup” is open to all golf enthusiasts and is for the benefit of Cancer Institute of PGH and the rehabilitation of PGH Atrium Garden.

The tournament is intended to raise funds to support the foundation’s medical missions performed by volunteer doctors from the PGH and other civic-oriented hospitals in the metropolis.

A hole-in-one bonanza, trophies for individual honors and competition plus raffle prizes, including Texas Eagle and Yamaha Golf Carts await all participants. This event is expected to gather a number of players from various golfing circuits.

The first MMMSFI golf tournament is being presented by Belle Corp., Premium

Leisure Corp. and Peugeot Lipa.

The tournament fee of P4,500 for non-members and P4,000 for members includes green fee, golf cart, giveaways, lunch and raffle coupon. Registration starts at 6:30 a.m. and tee-off at 8 a.m.

For inquiries, call MMMSFI Secretariat tel. no. 8209370 or mobile no. 09257128106.

Ramirez

Chairman Ramirez reaches out to MILF rebels

By Peter Atencio THE Philippine Sports Commission is reaching out to former Muslim rebels in an effort to get them involved in grassroots sports.

That’s the reason why PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez visited a camp of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Pigkawayan, North Cotabato last week.

“Special attention to the MILF youth, so we are trying to finalize our PSCMILF sports program,” said Ramirez.

In his talks with the leaders of the camp, Ramirez discussed plans of having a consistent program.

They also discussed the possibility of having the youth members of the MILF take part in the next staging of the Philippine National Games and the Batang Pinoy.

The discussions were taken into consideration by MILF vice chairman Ghazali Jaafar, according to Ramirez.

This time around, the staging of the Philippine National Games and the Batang Pinoy national games won’t be annual event as sports officials are thinking of holding the regional eliminations of the multi-sport competitions once every two years.

Stretching the competitions to a two-year period will help the LGUs plan out their grassroots programs and the participating in national meets.

Ramirez said he plans to visit other camps of the MILF, and seek their involvement.

“May kasunod pa ito,” he added.

Banana farmers seek protection vs rebels B3

IN BRIEF NGCP assures grid stability after quake GRID operator National Grid Corp. of the Philippines said it is extending assistance to power plants affected by the earthquakes on April 8 to fast-track their restoration and allow power delivery to the Luzon grid.

National Grid said in a statement it would provide support to First NatGas, which operates the 414-megawatt San Gabriel combined-cycle power plant in Batangas.

The company reported damage on its equipment in San Lorenzo Units 50 and 60, San Gabriel Unit 70, Avion Switchyard and Sta. Rita Switchyard as a result of the earthquake.

Among the affected high-voltage components are circuit breakers, disconnect switches and current and combined current/voltage transformers.

“NGCP will be looking to provide any onhand equipment as needed by San Gabriel CCPP. NGCP is also ready to extend all forms of assistance to other generation companies in order to speed up the restoration, energization, and eventual synchronization of their power plants back to the Luzon grid,” National Grid said.

The Luzon grid experienced yellow and red alerts due to the forced outage of earthquakeaffected power plants due to insufficient operating power. “NGCP’s facilities within the vicinity of Batangas are all stable and ready to transmit power. The assistance to the generation companies will expedite the normalization of the power situation,” the company said.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017

B1

American BPOs here to stay A

By Othel V. Campos

MERICAN business process outsourcing companies are likely to stay in the Philippines, as President Donald Trump focuses on bringing back manufacturing jobs and not serviceoriented activities to the US, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority said over the weekend.

Peza made the statement after holding a trade mission to the US where it received reports that the US government’s concern was more on manufacturing industries than those engaged in the services sector.

“The Trump government is more worried about the state of manufacturing than its BPO business. There are reports that manufacturing output has declined

over the years since many companies have moved out of US to more profitable sites,” said Peza director-general Charito Plaza.

Plaza said the US government would not press for US IT-BPOs to cut down their offshore operations which were limited to services.

She said reports showed a decline in internal manufacturing output in the US, enough for the Trump administration to consider calling all American companies back to the US. Plaza, quoting US senior director for Asia Department John Goyer, said the US government was “seriously considering a regulatory intervention for some countries hosting some US manufacturing companies where the US has huge trade deficit.”

The US government mentioned a few countries, but they did not include the Philippines, she said.

Peza earlier wrote letters to US investors in the Philippines in search of clarification to the Trump government’s America First Policy. Plaza said the agency was rewarded by comforting updates that the Philippines should not worry about US BPO firms moving out or holding off expansion.

Majority of the BPO companies in the Philippines are American companies. Convergys, the biggest BPO firm in the Philippines, is an American company.

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

The Philippine IT-business process management industry generated $22.9 billion in revenues last year. It also provided direct employment to some 1.15 million Filipinos and created an additional 3.68 million jobs outside the industry, both indirect and induced employment.

The growth of the BPO industry also drove the expansion of the real estate, retail and services sectors in the country.

The IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines said the growth of the industry was on track of the projections under the Accelerate PH Roadmap 2022. The association said the industry was gearedup to face the challenges that, once overcome, would all the more increase global interest in local IT-BPM services and add export revenue for the country.

Ayala Land prices P7-b, 10-year bonds PROPERTY developer Ayala Land Inc. set the interest rate of the P7 billion, 10 year-bonds at 5.2624 per annum.

Ayala Land said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission the offer period would be from April 10 to 22. The bonds will be issued and listed with the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. on April 28.

The company hired China Bank Capital Corp., PNB Capital and Investments Corp. and SB Capital Investment Corp. as lead underwriters for the offering.

The P7-billion bond is the fourth tranche of the fixed rate-bonds series to be issued by Ayala Land.

It also forms a part of the P50-billion debt securities program of the property firm which was approved by the SEC. With the latest bond offering, the property firm is expected to raise another P18 billion after it issued P25 billion worth of fixed-rate bonds last year comprising of P7 billion due 2023, P3 billion worth of Homestarter bonds due 2019, P7 billion bonds due 2025 and P8 billion bonds due 2026.

Net proceeds from the bond offering will be used to fund retail, hotel and office projects in Cloverleaf (Balintawak), Intercon (Makati), Ayala Triangle and Vertis Mall (Quezon City).

Jenniffer B. Austria

Megawide expects P2.16-b net income CONSTRUCTION and engineering company Megawide Construction Corp. expects net income to rise 13 percent in 2017 to P2.16 billion from P1.92 billion in 2016, led by construction and airport businesses.

Megawide said in presentation materials during a recent analysts briefing that revenues this year were estimated to reach P18.68 billion, up by 6 percent from P17.65 billion last year.

Megawide said construction revenues were projected to rise 5 percent this year to P16.5 billion.

Sales of the airport business were targeted to increase12 percent to P2.1 billion. Megawide and partner GMR Infrastructure of India took over the operations of Mactan Cebu International Airport in November 2014.

Megawide said as of end-2016, order book stood at P38.5 billion after it secured P12.7 billion of new contracts. At least 65 percent of the company’s order book came from residential projects while the remaining 35 percent covered office, commercial developments and infrastructure projects.

The company is also interested in infrastructure projects that the government may bid out, including the unbundled airport projects, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport project and a prison facility project.

It also has an unsolicited bid to develop Clark International Airport. Jenniffer B. Austria

CENTRAL BANK GOVERNORS. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. (sixth from left) chaired the 13th Asean Central Bank Governors’ Meeting on April 7, 2017 at Shangri-la Mactan, Cebu. Asean central banks affirmed the critical role of qualified Asean banks in facilitating intra-Asean trade and investment.

With Tetangco are (from left) Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam managing director Yusof Abdul Rahman, National Bank of Cambodia Governor Chea Chanto, Bank of Indonesia Governor Agus Martowardojo, Bank of Lao PDR Governor Somphao Phaysith,Bank Negara Malaysia Governor Muhammad Bin Ibrahim, Central Bank of Myanmar Governor Kyaw Kyaw Maung, Monetary Authority of Singapore Deputy Managing Director Jacqueline Loh, Bank of Thailand Governor Veerathai Santiprabhob and State Bank of Vietnam Deputy Governor Nguyen Thi Hong.

BSP readies rules to ease bank account opening

By Julito G. Rada THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas plans to roll out a framework to make the opening of banks accounts easier in a bid to reach out to unbanked individuals.

Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said this move would contribute to the financial inclusion efforts of the government.

“We are going to fast-track this because that’s the entry point for the unbanked. Low requirements, no fees, no frills… It’s easy to open,” Espenilla told reporters in an interview.

“It is still in the process but the idea is that the requirements for KYC [know your

customers] should be easier, fees should be lighter or none. Those are the basics and also the barrier to entry,” he said.

Espenilla said these banks accounts should have no maintaining balance.

He said with the new framework, the beneficiaries of the government’s conditional cash transfer program would be encouraged to open their own bank accounts.

“People most of the time choose not to open a bank account due to so much requirements, even if it involves smallvalue transactions..... That is the pain points,” he said.

Bangko Sentral earlier urged banks and other financial institutions to put up more branches nationwide so that financial ser-

vices would be felt by the large number of unbanked Filipino households.

The result of the latest Consumer Finance Survey showed 86 percent of Filipino households did not have a deposit account, while only 14 percent saved their money in banks.

The foremost reason cited by respondents for not opening a deposit account was not having enough money to keep an account. They also cited the far location of a bank, high service charges, a high minimum balance and lack of trust on banks.

The survey showed that majority of household heads employed in private establishments and government were banked. In contrast, majority of house-

hold heads who were self-employed or were working for private household and other household’s farms or were in other informal occupations were unbanked.

Banks were the most popular type of depository institution. These included commercial banks (50.2 percent), rural/ cooperative banks (13.8 percent), savings/thrift banks (10.1 percent), and microfinance banks (9 percent).

The banking system held 83.1 percent of deposit accounts of households. Other depository institutions of households were multi-purpose/credit cooperative (11.4 percent), paluwagan (4.1 percent) and savings and loan association (3.6 percent).

Alibaba removes fake stamp ads

RDFFLFI’S AWARDS. RDF Feed, Livestock & Foods Inc., a Pampanga-based agri-food system enterprise, is

recognized for its pioneering spirit and drive for excellence to make things better, brighter and richer for the people at the 6th Meralco Luminaries Awards. Shown receiving the award are RDFFLFI president and chief executive Dr. Robert Lo (fifth from left) and other officials of the company which employs 1,800 Filipinos.

CHINESE e-commerce company Alibaba removed the online listings that advertise the sale of fake cigarette stamps, in response to a request from Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III. Alibaba in a statement assured the Philippine government that it would continue to exercise vigilance in screening its platforms to weed out illicit ads.

“We are aware from the public media that you recently disclosed an alleged selling of digitally printed fake cigarette tax stamps on our Alibaba.com platform and sent a personal letter to our chairman Jack Ma,” Jin Jianhang, president of the Alibaba Group, said in a letter to Dominguez dated March 30.

“We would like to show our great appreciation in advance that you brought us into attention of this highly important issue,” Jin said.

Jin said after an extensive search taken by the company’s security and platform governance teams, such listings were taken down from both Alibaba.com and AliExpress sites.

“We continue to screen our platforms for the items in question, and once found and their illicit status established, such items will continue to be removed in the future,” Jin said in his letter.

Dominguez, in a March 10 letter to Ma, requested the Chinese e-commerce leader to cooperate with the Philippine government in its campaign against tax cheats by taking down and prohibiting, advertisements on the sale of digitally printed fake cigarette tax stamps from its online selling platforms.

“Advertising and selling of fake tax stamps in the open, through your company’s web portal, provides so much room and easy access for individuals and entities to evade excise tax on cigarettes in the Philippines. Consequently, this will make it much more difficult for the [Bureaus of Internal Revenue and of Customs] to curb excise tax evasion, and cigarette and fake tax stamp smuggling to our country,” Dominguez said in the letter, a copy of which was sent to Chinese Ambassador to Manila Zhao Jianhua.

Dominguez also informed Ma of President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to actively pursue individuals and entities evading taxes and duties, including excise taxes levied on cigarettes.

Responding to Dominguez’s request, Jin assured the Finance Secretary in his letter that “all of our marketplaces forbid the listing or sale of illicit items, including fake tax stamps.”

Julito G. Rada

B2

Business

MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks expected to sustain gains

By Jenniffer B. Austria

S

TOCKS are expected to extend their gains after the strong performance over last week’s shortened three-day trading, on expectations the Philippine economy will sustain its growth momentum.

Analysts said offshore investors were coming back to the local stock market after international ratings agencies and multilateral lenders relayed a positive outlook on the Philippine economy.

“Funds have shifted back to Philippine shores, backed by international agencies’ encouraging outlook on the economy’s fundamentals. Optimism may soon build in the coming months, ahead of first-

quarter interim announcement from listed shares,” F. Yap Securities, a brokerage company, said.

“Moreover, local equities have benefited from nine consecutive days of net foreign inflows starting March 31, while the peso regained its strength vis-à-vis the greenback [P49.43:$1 close last 12 April],” F. Yap said.

The World Bank said the Philippines would remain a top economic performer in East Asia and the Pacific and predicted a 6.9-percent growth for the country’s gross domestic product. The forecast is within the government’s own growth target of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent.

Deutsche Bank also said the Philippine growth would likely rise 6.2 percent in 2017, stronger than its previous estimate of 5.8 percent.

The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange index climbed 0.6 percent over last week’s three-day market trading to close

at 7,629.64 on April 12 ahead of the Lent, while the broader all-share index also went up 0.6 percent to 4,552.69.

Except for the financial sector which declined 0.6 percent, all other sectoral indices ended in the green led by industrial which advanced 2.1 percent, services which rose 1.4 percent and property which went up 0.6 percent.

Foreign investors were net buyers by P656 million last week, while average daily turnover amounted to P6.4 billion.

Top gainers last week were GT Capital Holdings Inc. which jumped 8.7 percent to P1,275, Cebu Air Inc. which gained 8 percent to P104.80 and Robinsons Land Corp. which advanced 7.3 percent to P25.85.

Heavy losers were China Banking Corp. which slid 3.3 percent to P38.20, Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. which shed 3.2 percent to P84.50 and Puregold Price Club Inc. which declined 3.2 percent to P42.20.

LBC still has options on follow-on offering LBC Express Holdings Inc. of the Araneta Group can re-submit its application for a follow-on offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission, after the courier company’s initial bid was rejected by the corporate regulator.

Sources from the SEC said this was one of the options that LBC Express had if it intended to push through with the share sale.

LBC Express, however, needs to a pay another filing fee to the SEC for another round of review and evaluation, sources said.

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

APRIL 10-12, 2017 Close Volume

Value

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

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

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

3.17 48.5 121.00 104.80 3.92 1.22 38.2 8.53 16.2 20.8 0.66 1.72 775.00 0.680 84.5 0.72 14.7 25.80 57.50 90.4 111 240 39 217 1710.00 79.65 1.21

333,000 33,700 7,748,300 1,473,050 141,000 49,000 3,568,200 600 180,400 1,425,800 30,000 110,000 140 5,613,000 10,580,790 116,000 151,800 16,500 42,350 6,470 1,720 29,500 112,400 2,139,990 465 150,110 192,000

FINANCIAL 1,100,690.00 1,643,700.00 936,599,166.00 154,741,114.00 553,320.00 58,850.00 144,547,235.00 5,118.00 2,922,340.00 29,550,265.00 20,400.00 182,930.00 109,450.00 3,799,130.00 915,479,483.00 81,440.00 2,231,470.00 416,100.00 2,427,816.50 561,578.00 195,385.00 7,119,064.00 4,390,330.00 458,234,734.00 799,475.00 11,961,188.50 232,120.00

Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Basic Energy Corp.

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

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

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

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

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

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

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

W G & A Lines

42 5.4 0.83 1.43 19.2 0.255 15.00 7.92 17.14 170.1 23.5 91 72.5 1.99 5.89 12.02 12.780 9.44 6.46 6.12 1.7 20.95 72.9 12.20 16.18 7.84 1.610 208.80 71.00 4.88 3.72 28.90 32.55 25.2 18.58 0.244 284.00 6.47 3.9 9.25 3.54 11.38 2.17 8.39 1.90 72.05 5.05 4.75 2.01 2.75 300.2 13.5 4.6 0.146 1.42 174 4.41 1.69 3.00 1.03 34.6

5,554,300 4,113,600 1,252,000 786,000 8,400 54,240,000 26,100 32,255,800 2,489,000 20 425,300 2,000 517,100 1,079,000 648,500 184,700 9,652,100 3,746,100 11,257,900 44,081,800 42,000 7,623,000 1,991,830 86,900 4,087,900 14,567,600 1,844,000 1,794,010 70 2,975,100 62,000 9,200 3,944,100 1,202,900 3,828,900 23,500,000 471,650 1,865,500 39,671,000 10,095,300 47,000 30,200 9,565,000 9,365,700 1,091,000 4,924,020 141,000 760,000 408,000 78,000 17,060 1,799,800 55,000 7,240,000 500,000 3,334,000 112,000 19,384,000 0 652,000 1,700

INDUSTRIAL 232,289,190.00 21,928,665.00 1,013,550.00 1,113,650.00 158,320.00 14,074,030.00 382,406.00 249,365,778.00 42,047,898.00 3,402.00 9,940,820.00 177,550.50 36,562,182.00 2,124,030.00 3,705,594.00 2,211,962.00 123,000,654.00 34,965,864.00 72,837,022.00 269,307,252.00 71,330.00 163,013,195.00 143,521,169.50 1,061,302.00 64,773,162.00 115,317,161.00 2,966,260.00 373,906,020.00 4,970.00 14,728,567.00 232,710.00 272,415.00 124,876,935.00 29,769,300.00 70,529,960.10 5,704,050.00 132,906,240.00 13,223,403.00 154,375,210.00 92,044,744.00 168,980.00 344,374.00 20,668,600.00 78,722,130.00 2,054,650.00 354,747,667.00 694,110.00 3,630,630.00 820,080.00 214,830.00 5,118,912.00 24,202,758.00 257,340.00 1,041,780.00 697,720.00 571,362,423.00 489,520.00 32,818,620.00 0.00 650,700.00 56,275.00

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A’ ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp `A’ Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘A’ Filinvest Dev. Corp.

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Lopez Holdings Corp.

LT Group Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

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

0.375 75.50 14.32 1.13 6.32 0.420 0.450 857 8.4 12.16 5.43 7.80 0.179 1275 6.20 81.45 4.3 1.02 7.87 15.5 0.405 6.48 0.0600 1.080 1.860 2.54 107.80 2.61 719.00 1.46 0.85 284.000 0.2900 0.1840 0.250

3,100,000 3,317,840 33,530,000 68,000 68,100 177,600,000 117,560,000 591,710 8,971,500 46,103,800 11,000 279,500 490,000 653,395 180,800 4,126,620 20,000 4,524,000 745,400 11,469,100 380,000 55,418,800 755,990,000 70,000 3,925,000 5,000 1,112,930 90,000 1,111,030 203,000 28,000 37,360 760,000 600,000 1,900,000

HOLDING FIRMS 1,157,700.00 249,739,963.00 467,740,190.00 75,540.00 429,888.00 77,610,850.00 61,987,200.00 509,572,675.00 76,175,872.00 559,356,576.00 60,181.00 2,163,576.00 89,610.00 816,491,320.00 1,139,498.00 332,720,671.00 85,550.00 4,687,240.00 5,866,669.00 178,488,576.00 155,100.00 358,807,172.00 45,277,230.00 76,210.00 7,450,770.00 12,650.00 119,629,266.00 233,620.00 805,528,255.00 288,820.00 24,170.00 10,480,502.00 220,400.00 110,970.00 460,470.00

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

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

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

Phil. Realty `A’

6.850 0.97 6.01 2.310 1.320 35.000 3.95 5.15 0.510 1.00 1.270 0.156 0.540 53.9 0.680 0.180 1.65 1.00 1.10 4.02 4.05 0.290 0.2900 0.650

288,800 1,653,000 500 230,000 57,546,000 18,669,100 4,289,000 74,500 11,079,000 194,000 415,000 10,640,000 2,819,000 1,714,180 504,000 23,340,000 22,911,000 21,530,000 8,095,000 66,000 181,104,000 365,990,000 2,700,000 26,572,000

PROPERTY 1,965,095.00 1,587,900.00 3,005.00 530,970.00 78,959,240.00 658,185,725.00 16,856,170.00 383,672.00 5,549,770.00 194,940.00 517,470.00 1,668,100.00 1,497,480.00 94,132,160.00 348,470.00 4,367,770.00 37,581,400.00 22,231,690.00 9,065,120.00 265,330.00 726,976,110.00 106,285,900.00 803,450.00 17,065,230.00

APRIL 3-7, 2017 Close Volume

Value

3.17 48.5 120.60 105.30 3.95 1.22 41.45 8.52 16.2 20.7 0.66 1.63 820.00 0.690 87.3 0.7 14.76 25.20 57.30 86.8 118 242.4 39.4 213.2 1720.00 79.60 1.21

151,000 203,600 19,374,570 11,698,270 146,000 396,000 2,103,200 1,000 3,594,500 3,421,000 10,000 39,000 30 44,998,000 22,773,970 510,000 354,900 10,000 358,120 21,180 330 3,740 451,600 4,065,710 735 172,520 4,000

473,040.00 9,858,230.00 2,338,680,126 1,235,152,599.00 760,860.00 482,760.00 86,665,270.00 8,520.00 58,231,250.00 71,196,190.00 6,690 63,900.00 23,800.00 31,500,520.00 1,924,176,001.50 358,010.00 5,215,744.00 252,000.00 19,853,920.00 1,832,819.00 38,940.00 901,930.00 17,484,740 854,321,332.00 1,264,725 13,744,394.50 4,840.00

42.2 5.3 0.8 1.41 19.3 0.255 14.44 7.59 16.8 170.1 23.5 90 67 1.99 5.96 12.02 12.660 9.55 6.26 6.10 1.77 21.55 72.9 12.14 15.06 7.77 1.610 210.40 71.00 5.09 3.8

5,864,400 5,036,100 1,113,000 1,538,000 68,200 11,540,000 21,500 163,156,700 9,268,200 410 840,600 3,420 50,690 915,000 199,700 183,000 22,101,800 31,773,100 18,821,100 49,187,100 94,000 9,833,500 1,807,160 35,500 805,900 23,610,100 3,291,000 4,982,830 1,600 5,883,100 612,000

245,067,195.00 26,388,669.00 892,470.00 2,188,140.00 1,250,098.00 2,849,520.00 312,468.00 1,200,084,414.00 155,250,160 70,502.00 19,667,920.00 303,835.00 3,347,064 1,819,750.00 1,212,688.00 2,218,272.00 143,816,790.00 291,908,524.00 114,741,683.00 297,187,416.00 159,440.00 213,922,515.00 129,949,049.00 440,736.00 12,022,558.00 183,209,365.00 5,117,730.00 1,001,726,312.00 119,931.50 31,394,151.00 2,424,290.00

31.05 25.6 18.22 0.245 278.00 7.20 3.7 8.77 3.64 11.42 2.15 8.33 1.90 73.95 4.88 4.85 2.02 2.74 299.8 13.2 4.75 0.147 1.44 165 4.22 1.56 32.45 1.01

8,892,800 1,340,100 30,352,500 46,690,000 1,081,890 2,083,700 5,242,000 23,077,800 7,000 32,800 19,726,000 29,785,300 2,897,000 4,213,120 267,000 12,549,000 72,000 316,000 218,740 5,492,300 339,000 16,020,000 846,000 8,907,350 187,000 7,543,000 22,400 265,000

274,271,785.00 34,565,035.00 535,339,920.00 11,653,320.00 299,285,490.00 15,030,330.00 19,326,940.00 201,784,206.00 25,320.00 373,578.00 42,467,650.00 252,660,427.00 5,501,300.00 304,207,751.00 1,440,064.00 59,169,130.00 145,320.00 871,060.00 64,932,564.00 73,766,818.00 1,598,600.00 2,332,680.00 1,175,570.00 1,492,744,027 785,150.00 11,716,560.00 65,600.00 266,150.00

0.380 74.50 13.60 1.15 6.32 0.480 0.550 863 8.52 12.00 5.41 7.80 0.181 1173 6.21 80.55 4.48 1.05 7.97 15.5 0.410 6.56 0.0560 1.170 0.056 1.95 106.00 2.71 738.00 1.42 0.87 280.000 0.3000 0.1850 0.247

5,060,000 4,438,410 173,254,200 151,000 251,000 497,390,000 179,940,000 1,019,140 5,758,200 108,779,800 2,500 234,900 1,340,000 1,123,015 40,400 14,205,220 15,000 16,183,000 4,144,300 18,817,300 230,000 230,028,600 380,410,000 4,000 36,234,000 4,905,000 1,411,740 581,000 3,191,510 1,571,000 3,000 51,510 1,960,000 440,000 310,000

1,889,600.00 331,809,353.50 2,266,364,754.00 167,130.00 1,546,046.00 229,977,700.00 86,081,800.00 886,912,910 49,035,541.00 1,287,617,576.00 14,705.00 1,836,534.00 241,910.00 1,283,759,025.00 253,751.00 1,138,922,019.00 66,200.00 16,507,170.00 32,731,878.00 299,330,270.00 95,050.00 1,440,599,993.00 21,334,020.00 4,540.00 4,313,250.00 9,591,800.00 147,591,635.00 1,563,270.00 2,315,742,195.00 1,899,520.00 2,600.00 14,132,674.00 564,400.00 82,000.00 80,000.00

6.790 0.97 6.48 2.290 1.320 35.400 3.91 5.1 0.500 1.03 1.260 0.158 0.540 54.2 0.700 0.180 1.65 0.98 1.18

2,365,300 5,121,000 5,300 325,000 44,378,000 42,842,300 20,461,000 526,800 37,860,000 52,000 214,000 37,150,000 7,731,000 2,121,110 2,574,000 24,610,000 35,199,000 10,172,000 360,000

16,103,784.00 5,770,500.00 32,234.00 743,190.00 58,360,170.00 1,493,986,940.00 80,611,440.00 2,699,849.00 19,126,450.00 54,350.00 262,420.00 5,854,220.00 4,113,940.00 115,525,412.50 1,698,340.00 4,328,350.00 57,842,030.00 9,891,520.00 431,350.00

3.94 0.275 0.3200 0.640

297,797,000 1,296,500,000 4,150,000 121,257,000

1,114,289,390.00 339,635,480.00 1,269,500.00 75,744,640.00

STOCKS

APRIL 10-12, 2017 Close Volume

APRIL 3-7, 2017 Close Volume

Value

Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp.

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

27.50 4.7 25.85 1.76 3.34 30.20 1.01 0.910 5.250

1,200 425,000 12,870,000 532,000 1,724,000 11,201,200 6,162,000 891,000 5,035,200

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

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

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

Manila Broadcasting Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

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

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Wilcon Depot

12.44 46 1.43 0.530 0.046 11.02 5.69 8.60 0.0710 2.19 104.8 9.76 8.40 2.6 3.02 970 2058 7.05 16.50 14.50 3.29 90 3.60 0.0091 12.78 9.03 0.183 1.3600 3.8 14.5 4.54 0.97 4.59 17.00 2.42 6.7 3.80 3.030 11.66 5.40 3.15 165.00 7.86 1780.00 0.435 1.620 42.20 78.00 6.20 2.39 1.100 1.91 3.19 0.400 5.280

2,964,000 153,800 180,000 8,928,000 367,500,000 8,900 37,000 30,890,800 101,400,000 4,780,000 3,342,250 3,500 301,600 23,000 24,000 1,020 210,205 6,613,300 157,400 800 3,572,000 3,138,770 196,000 54,000,000 230,500 951,200 17,670,000 1,965,000 941,000 30,400 6,378,000 30,000 2,837,000 600 573,000 8,095,900 5,901,000 2,962,000 565,500 867,300 52,000 551,310 1,416,900 425,815 5,730,000 13,913,000 9,005,700 1,866,290 527,900 22,918,000 19,062,000 522,000 2,258,000 670,000 23,256,600

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

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

TA Petroleum United Paragon

0.0034 1.57 5.20 11.48 1.8000 1.8500 0.74 0.400 9.09 2.700 0.250 0.182 0.196 0.012 0.0110 1.85 6.12 2.12 0.4400 0.8800 0.0120 0.0120 4.12 8.48 3.38 0.0140 151.50 2.83 0.0090

137,000,000 30,148,000 168,200 27,400 794,000 116,000 34,793,000 5,930,000 9,700 2,634,000 330,000 22,070,000 2,190,000 78,000,000 4,400,000 195,000 8,469,300 186,000 200,000 220,000 11,300,000 7,400,000 31,000 1,617,600 2,554,000 65,200,000 2,094,970 211,000 11,000,000

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

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

46.3 107.5 530 526.5 104.5 112 524 6.34 1025 1030 1.05 107.7 1145 1020 105.9 112 77.85 80 76.7 77 80 77.2 78.5 78 2.1

71,300 6,100 200 200 510,800 480 160 8,584,900 205 2,045 900,000 59,140 250 4,550 650 900 530 99,030 36,140 76,000 92,510 36,590 10 398,790 78,000

LR Warrant

2.390

447,000

33,040.00 1,959,640.00 328,158,175.00 945,430.00 5,755,770.00 335,625,905.00 6,196,830.00 787,700.00 26,226,911.00

Value

28.00 4.63 24.10 1.77 3.34 29.85 1 0.870 5.200

2,300 1,940,600 19,523,700 1,556,000 18,000 77,761,100 28,667,000 294,000 15,222,900

64,310.00 12,797,880.00 462,905,045.00 2,788,630.00 59,560.00 2,301,077,750.00 28,751,960.00 256,610.00 77,648,231.00

SERVICES 36,043,064.00 7,078,565.00 257,400.00 4,598,610.00 16,572,200.00 93,884.00 197,816.00 265,156,804.00 7,190,550.00 10,155,190.00 346,565,022.00 34,160.00 2,528,247.00 59,580.00 91,220.00 989,400.00 435,561,700.00 46,365,719.00 2,573,322.00 11,648.00 11,638,620.00 282,191,642.50 701,260.00 497,100.00 2,879,378.00 8,567,352.00 3,208,050.00 2,636,120.00 3,516,060.00 458,980.00 28,682,120.00 29,720.00 13,096,910.00 10,200.00 1,359,240.00 54,240,160.00 22,463,030.00 8,905,970.00 6,517,882.00 4,607,154.00 158,900.00 90,581,150.00 11,182,894.00 753,978,925.00 2,487,350.00 22,467,850.00 384,835,525.00 147,059,553.00 3,235,903.00 53,621,380.00 20,926,420.00 956,140.00 7,218,220.00 264,950.00 121,777,729.00

11.5 45.95 1.42 0.510 0.044 12.1 5.49 8.35 0.0730 2.11 97 10 8.35 2.63 4.50 998 2070 6.80 15.88 14.04 3.35 89 3.58 0.0091 12.8 9.00 0.180 1.3400 3.58 15 4.37 1.01 4.68 16.98 2.47 6.74 3.75 2.990 11.52 5.45 3.05 160.00 7.92 1730.00 0.425 1.610 43.60 78.95 5.92 2.21 1.080 2.15 3.21 0.400 5.160

27,814,900 316,400 869,000 10,104,000 869,786,400 9,400 16,400 63,583,600 197,570,000 7,795,000 1,769,680 5,000 142,800 40,000 142,300 330 391,615 9,440,000 295,900 800 13,856,000 16,532,990 494,000 97,000,000 5,700 1,574,300 18,410,000 1,919,000 466,000 181,100 8,062,000 71,000 17,247,000 2,600 2,214,000 51,322,600 9,903,000 8,295,000 14,500 116,200 317,000 458,130 5,596,300 900,995 7,640,000 155,579,000 16,197,300 3,156,580 403,000 4,404,000 25,424,000 1,089,000 2,616,000 1,440,000 146,668,600

347,947,175.00 14,570,670.00 1,257,260.00 5,344,430.00 37,990,300.00 107,508.00 88,725 525,536,977.00 14,152,380.00 16,300,370.00 170,523,945.00 50,020.00 1,203,149.00 103,840 648,706.00 322,580.00 812,608,720 64,374,214.00 4,811,332.00 11,808 47,080,520.00 1,209,559,150.50 1,767,590 889,300.00 70,816.00 14,166,297.00 3,364,980.00 2,459,520.00 1,647,500.00 2,703,406.00 35,309,830 71,310.00 75,248,850.00 43,502 5,511,300.00 345,986,242.00 36,170,030.00 24,534,760.00 166,958.00 623,966 969,870.00 73,550,560.00 44,677,376.00 1,545,113,090.00 3,281,850.00 248,765,390.00 711,753,010.00 243,097,510.50 2,424,395.00 9,740,470.00 27,461,550.00 2,325,710.00 8,377,250.00 564,000.00 773,082,494.00

MINING & OIL 449,600.00 47,104,370.00 879,214.00 296,634.00 1,415,840.00 203,200.00 25,188,310.00 2,331,700.00 85,926.00 7,119,780.00 82,130.00 4,026,860.00 427,230.00 908,700.00 48,400.00 351,300.00 52,291,050.00 388,590.00 88,500.00 192,820.00 124,800.00 81,800.00 128,570.00 13,784,437.00 8,500,940.00 860,300.00 318,779,066.00 607,910.00 93,800.00

0.0034 1.50 5.34 11.50 1.8000 1.9500 0.63 0.400 9.00 2.700 0.250 0.180 0.194 0.011 0.0110 1.82 6.17 2.12 0.4500 0.8700 0.0120 0.0120 4.19 8.50 3.29 0.0140 150.80 2.93 0.0084

853,000,000 35,674,000 623,100 11,000 60,000 51,000 21,484,000 3,180,000 48,000 24,053,000 1,370,000 13,610,000 4,180,000 75,600,000 32,700,000 567,000 18,905,900 248,000 60,000 471,000 34,400,000 9,100,000 184,000 4,943,700 12,000,000 831,100,000 5,486,340 922,000 49,000,000

2,760,500.00 53,087,780.00 3,253,799.00 126,360.00 106,830.00 93,730.00 12,707,220.00 1,267,300.00 425,516.00 66,851,030.00 339,770.00 2,433,140.00 819,060.00 831,800.00 360,100.00 1,007,990.00 115,637,490.00 517,750.00 27,300.00 415,350.00 389,100.00 108,200.00 741,990.00 41,169,088.00 40,896,250.00 10,951,800.00 837,678,051.00 2,713,250.00 413,300.00

46.5 107.1 528.5 525 104.6 103.9 525 6.19

54,100 79,220 3,760 4,000 5,790 100 4,000 4,428,500

2,524,715.00 8,486,316 2,004,005.00 2,109,315 608,503.00 10,390.00 2,100,000.00 27,396,615.00

1045 1.04 107.7 1149 1019 105

10,220 250,000 22,370 15 2,020 11,010

10,534,150.00 260,000 2,411,314.00 17,235.00 2,059,360.00 1,160,184.00

76.3 80.5 77 78.5 79 78 78.1 78.5 2.13

8,160 129,260 29,700 4,100 57,610 11,210 248,260 170,390 45,000

621,858.00 10,377,332.00 2,295,790.00 321,850.00 4,578,800.00 869,640.00 19,399,846.00 13,371,181.50 98,830.00

PREFERRED 3,297,950.00 653,390.00 106,000.00 105,300.00 52,640,832.00 53,730.00 83,900.00 54,286,235.00 210,635.00 2,106,575.00 945,000.00 6,370,294.00 286,250.00 4,641,000.00 68,835.00 100,800.00 41,260.50 7,936,845.50 2,771,978.00 5,917,860.00 7,400,300.00 2,825,180.00 785.00 31,116,571.50 166,060.00 WARRANTS & BONDS 1,061,170.00

2.380

3,395,000

8,067,020.00

SME 8,880.00 3,616,120.00 2,626,778.00 36,648,238.00

2.93 3.71 6.65 10.48

8,000 894,000 743,100 10,855,200

23,440.00 3,249,660.00 4,947,149.00 112,728,510.00

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 4,749,004.00

126.2

157,080

19,532,126.00

Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Philab Holdings Xurpas

2.93 3.95 6.6 10.16

3,000 927,000 403,400 3,545,000

First Metro ETF

126.1

37,710

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

VOLUME 755,990,000 367,500,000 365,990,000 181,104,000 177,600,000 137,000,000 117,560,000 101,400,000 78,000,000 65,200,000

STOCKS Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Metrobank GT Capital SM Investments Inc. PLDT Common Megaworld Ayala Land `B’ Universal Robina DMCI Holdings Ayala Corp `A’

VALUE 936,599,166.00 915,479,483.00 816,491,320.00 805,528,255.00 753,978,925.00 726,976,110.00 658,185,725.00 571,362,423.00 559,356,576.00 509,572,675.00

Another option is for LBC Express to seek a motion for reconsideration with the SEC, sources said.

LBC Express said in a reply to the SEC decision that it respectfully maintained its intention and desire to disclose all relevant information pertaining to the company which were required under the Securities Regulation Code.

“In response to the SEC’s requirement, the company had taken steps and measures to expand the scope of the information on the legal proceedings involving certain members of the Araneta family.

However, due to the timing of the submission, the SEC may not have had sufficient opportunity to consider these additional and expanded disclosures,” the company said.

“The company hopes to continue engaging with both SEC and PSE [Philippine Stock Exchange] to determine its options given the SEC order, and hopefully arrive at a resolution addressing the concerns of the regulators, the company and its stakeholders,” it said.

The SEC on Tuesday rejected the P1.2-billion follow-on offering of LBC Express after it failed to include in its registration statement the legal proceedings the Aranetas who were the major shareholders of the company and the status of its application with the PSE. Jenniffer B. Austria

NLEx’s income rises 37% to P4.1b

By Darwin G. Amojelar NLEX Corp., formerly Manila North Tollways Corp., said net income accelerated 37 percent in 2016 from a year ago, on higher vehicle traffic along its two toll roads.

The operator of North Luzon Expressway and SubicClark-Tarlac Expressway said it posted a net income of P4.1 billion in 2016, up from P3 billion in 2015.

Toll revenues climbed 25 percent last year to P10.54 billion from the previous year, driven by higher traffic volume at NLEx and SCTEx. Toll revenue contribution from SCTEx operations reached P1.6 billion.

Average daily traffic at NLEx hit 220,010 daily entries in 2016, or 9 percent higher than in 2015. Traffic at SCTEx reached 45,026 daily vehicle entries in 2016, up by 16.6 percent from the previous year.

Revenues from advertising, toll services and utility facilities and rental and service income rose to P157.4 million last year from P150.1 million in 2015.

NLEx president Rodrigo Franco said the company was expecting a 5-percent to 7-percent growth in revenues this year, boosted by higher vehicle traffic.

Franco earlier said the company would submit an unsolicited proposal to build an elevated expressway connecting the north and south of Manila worth over P50 billion.

Franco said the company proposed to build more than 8.2 kilometers of elevated expressway from Commonwealth Ave. in Quezon City going to the south and ending at C5 and Manila-Cavite Expressway.

He said the company needed to complete first the P8.6-billion NLEx C5-Link project before undertaking the new elevated expressway under an unsolicited mode.

Business Smart taps Ericsson to offer new voice calls

By Darwin G. Amojelar SMART Communications Inc. said it teamed up with Ericsson to offer mobile calls using Voice over Long-Term Evolution or VoLTE. “We are excited to be the first network in the country to successfully use VoLTE, because this technology holds so much promise in terms of improving the quality of mobile service available to our customers,” Joachim Horn, chief technology and information advisor at PLDT Inc. and Smart said. “Voice will always be an important mobile application, and VoLTE is the platform of the future which will provide the best customer experience when it comes to voice communications,” Horn said.

Sean Gowran, head of Ericsson Philippines and Pacific Islands said the partnership with Smart in making the first live VoLTE capability available in the Philippines would help reinforce Smart’s technology leadership in mobile communications and its commitment to bring the best customer experience to subscribers.

“With the introduction of VoLTE, Smart will ensure and further enhance voice qual-

ity, while also enabling a broader range of communication capabilities,” Gowran said.

VoLTE uses LTE, also known as 4G, to transmit voice calls, unlike the current practice where calls go through 2G or 3G mobile networks.

As such, VoLTE requires strong and ubiquitous LTE coverage.

“We have completed a number of key improvement projects in the last few months, and these have turned our network into a strong platform for offering advanced, purely digital services, such as VoLTE,” said Horn.

He said as LTE―a technology built primarily for data―was very efficient in carrying data traffic, a voice call transmitted over LTE would be of crystal clear quality, with almost no background noise.

Devices with built-in VoLTE capability will natively support it, and will not require a separate, overthe-top application. It also guarantees direct, global reach similar to the phone services of today, unlike OTTs that require both caller and receiver to be on the same app.

Call set-up time, or the amount of time it takes for one mobile phone to connect to another through a voice call, is also drastically reduced with VoLTE.

Century Properties spending P6b in 2017

By Jenniffer B. Austria PROPERTY developer Century Properties Group. said it allocated P6 billion for capital expenditures this year, despite posting a lower net income last year.

CPG investor relations group head Kristina Garcia said in a statement the company aimed to spend P5 billion for the completion of condominium projects and P1 billion for its leasing assets.

“We are also looking to start deploying capital for our affordable and tourism business later this year,” Garcia said.

The company reported a net income of P726.93 million in 2016.

The company did not provide comparative year-on-year figures, but previous filings with the stock exchange showed it earned P1.52 billion in 2015. This means that net income in 2016 fell 52 percent from the previous year.

B3

MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Banana farmers seek protection vs rebels A

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

GRARIAN reform beneficiaries in Mindanao expressed alarm over the heightened series of attacks by alleged communist rebels on banana and pineapple plantations, saying these attacks put at risk the country’s standing as one of the world’s biggest banana exporters.

Eduardo Maningo, a spokesman for Mindanao ARBs, called on the government to step up efforts to protect farm workers and agribusinesses who were allegedly vulnerable to New People’s Army attacks.

“The safety of our families and our livelihood are threatened. If the government fails to address this problem, businesses can leave and we will lose our jobs,” Maningo said.

“Our industry is already hampered with problems. We have low productivity because of pests and diseases, drought, flooding…

but the insurgency is most alarming. We are scared for our lives,” he said.

He said communist insurgents focused their attacks on Mindanao’s lucrative fruit farm businesses, with the aim of paralyzing their operations by burning or destroying equipment if their owners refused to pay “revolutionary taxes.”

The attacks allegedly resulted in killings, arson and the disruption of business operations.

Among the facilities that were destroyed were Dole’s cold storage plant and other equipment in Barangay Sinawal in General Santos City on March 30; a banana processing plant in Pantukan, Compostela Valley on Feb. 5; a pineapple plantation in Bukidnon on Feb. 25; and three container vans loaded with fruits in Maragusan, Compostela Valley on March 25.

The rebels also allegedly opened fire on a spray plane in Tagbina, Surigao and continued with their attacks in Sumifru (Philippines) in Malaybalay, Bukidnon on March 27.

A businessman, who refused to be named, expressed frustration over the continued attacks.

“Government should rethink their peace efforts if it will work or just wage an all-out war, which apparently is the only language the NPAs understand,” the businessman said.

Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed the Philippines produced 9.1 million metric tons of bananas in 2015.

The cavendish variety, a top export, accounted for half or 4.57 million MT of the total production.

Philippine fresh bananas are exported to South Korea, Iran, Hong Kong, Singapore, Russia, New Zealand, San Diego in the United States, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, China, Mongolia, Ukraine, Turkey, Iraq, Egypt, Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and niche markets in Europe.

Rebels allegedly resorted to burning equipment and facilities in fruit plantations in Mindanao to force companies to pay them “revolutionary taxes.” They were also accused of torching some P4 million worth of farm equipment at a pineapple plantation owned by Del Monte Philippines.

The incident at the Del Monte plantation is only the latest in the series of attacks perpetrated by rebels on Mindanao’s pineapple and banana plantations. Such attacks intensified over the past few weeks even while backchannel talks to get the peace negotiations restarted were being held between the government panel and the National Democratic Front, the political arm of the communist group.

Revenues amounted to P7.38 billion in 2016, down 29 percent from P10.38 billion in 2015. Real estate sales dropped 36 percent to P4.97 billion from P7.75 billion, given the fewer project launches of condominium projects last year.

Leasing revenues rose 8 percent year-on-year to P337.85 million.

“Our financial results reflect the progress that we are making to pivot Century Properties for long-term growth. We are moving forward with the clarity and execution that we envisioned would better address industry and market needs,” Garcia said.

CPG has been streamlining its business in line with its plan to become a more diversified, multi-platform real estate company by 2020.

From 33 launched buildings with gross floor area totaling 1.43 million square meters, CPG already completed 16 buildings with gross floor area of 792,000 square meters as of end-2016.

ABS-CBN set to open Bulacan studios in Q4 ABS-CBN Corp. expects its two Hollywood-style studios in Bulacan to open by the fourth quarter of this year, a top executive said.

“We are constructing two sound stages. [They should] be ready by the end of the year,” ABS-CBN chief financial officer Aldrin Cerrado said.

Cerrado said the company was investing P600 million to P700 million for the two soundstages including all the equipment and sound proofing.

A soundstage is a soundproof studio used by broadcasting firms for the production of movies and TV shows. “We’re looking at between 10 percent and 15 percent savings,” he said.

The company’s production cost reached about P10 billion last year.

ABS-CBN chief strategy officer Raymund Miranda said the sound stages would increase the network’s efficiency by 20 percent.

“We’re pretty excited about it because it really changes the game in terms of production, quality and production efficiency,” Miranda said.

ABS-CBN earlier said it was expecting advertising revenues to reach over P22 billon this year, boosted by higher television ratings.

“If you take out election-related and just focus on regular advertising, so we’re looking at possible 5 percent to 7 percent in terms of growth in advertising,” Cerrado said. Darwin G. Amojelar

MITSUBISHI-CENTRO DONATION. Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. teams up with truck body builder Centro Manufacturing Corpo.

to donate a Mitsubishi L300 XV microbus to the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship or Go Negosyo. Shown turning over the key is MMPC president and chief executive Yoshiaki Kato (center) to Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship adviser for entrepreneurship development Merly Cruz (second from left). The event was also attended by presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion and Centro president Raphael Juan.

Manila

Standard

An accountant’s life JOANALYN SILVERIO

GREEN LIGHT IN celebration of Tax Day, I would like to pay tribute to the noble accountants who work tirelessly to meet today’s deadline.

An accountant’s life might be identified with debit and credit, journal entries, trial balance, reconciliations, adjustments, financial statements, tax compliances and others. There is no other way of doing the accounting work but through being very detailed, one by one, exact matches, accuracy of figures and sleepless nights. It’s a profession that others won’t like or even be interested in.

Others may even find it boring, but for others it is challenging and worthy profession. However we may see it, one thing is sure―all businesses need accountants and we need accounting in our financial life.

Long hours and sleepless nights I’ve been an accountant for almost seven years now,

dealing with different clients, foreign and local for their accounting and reportorial needs.

Being Math as my favorite subject in high school, I took up the BSA course not knowing that Accounting is not about Math alone, but an in-depth analysis of transactions with basic use of mathematical operations, thanks to calculators.

Laptop, calculator, paper and pen are usually the tools found on top of our desks, day and night. These tools are part of our professional growth. In my earlier years in the profession, I witnessed how everyone worked very hard for long hours every day, endured sleepless nights and ignored the desire to hang out and have fun outside after office hours. That was the life we had as accountants, especially during month’s end, tax season and whenever we had challenging clients.

Work with love I grew up in a working environment where people are committed to work and deliver to clients on time as much as possible. This was also the attitude I carried on while progressing

in the profession. At first, it was just about pleasing the clients, my senior or my manager, doing the job because I needed to finish it and I was happy to get it done.

As years passed, I realized a more meaningful definition of who accountants are: they are selfless, patient, dedicated, passionate, sincere, caring and creative individuals. In our every client engagements aside from pouring out time and effort in working for the most messy accounting records of clients, we give ourselves and put our hearts into it.

We’re able to endure the lack of sleep and give up social fun just to finish what we have committed to. We’re doing it not only because of fear of failing to meet the deadline or disappoint the client, but also because we are persons who deliver output with excellence, who do our work with love and eagerness to be of help to our clients through our profession. We deliver to them, however it’s inconvenient for us and we take the extra mile so that things could

TODAY

be easier for them.

Search for the truth I personally admire and salute the hard working accountants out there, who do their work with integrity and sincerity, who devote themselves to the profession. These noble accountants tirelessly search for the truth behind the numbers and make adjustments of themselves just to meet the clients’ needs.

We may get tired physically but our hearts are ever refreshed with the fulfillment brought by the love and service we give.

The author is an MBA student at Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business. This essay is a part of a journal she keeps in fulfillment of the requirements of the course, Lasallian Business Leadership with Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics. Visit her blog at https:// joanslbl.blogspot.com/ The views expressed here are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.

FILIP IN O FU N D , IN C .

N otice of A nnual Meeting of S tockholder s NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of Filipino Fund, Inc. (“FFI”) will be held at the Ayala Room, Makati Sports Club, LP Leviste corner Gallardo Streets, Salcedo Village, Makati City on Tuesday, May 09, 2017, at 10:00 in the morning with the following agenda: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

Calling of meeting to order Certification of notice Determination and declaration of quorum Reading and approval of the minutes of the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting held on May 10, 2016 Presentation and approval of the Annual Report andrAudited Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2016 Approval and confirmation of all acts, proceedings and resolutions of the Board of Directors, Officers, and the Fund Manager during the past year Approval of the Termination of the Investment Management Agreement with Vicsal Investment, Inc. and the appointment of AB Capital & Investment Corporation as the New Fund Manager of FFI effective June 15, 2017 Appointment of External Auditors for CY 2017 Election of the Board of Directors Other Business Adjournment

Only stockholders of record at the close of business on April 05, 2017, the record date and time fixed by the Board of Directors, are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, said meeting.

Admission to the meeting will be by Stockholder’s Identification Card only. If you are a stockholder of record and plan to attend, please bring the Stockholder’s Identification Card, attached to the Proxy Form/Voting Ticket, which will admit you to the meeting. If you are a stockholder whose shares are held through an intermediary such as a bank or a broker and you plan to attend, you may request a Stockholder’s Identification Card by writing to the Office of the Secretary, Units 1009-1011, Tower One & Exchange Plaza, Ayala Triangle, Ayala Avenue, Makati City. Evidence/certification of your ownership, which you can obtain from your bank, broker, etc., must accompany your letter.

In order that your stock may be represented at the meeting in case you are not personally present, please complete, sign and date the enclosed proxy/voting instruction card and return it promptly using the accompanying addressed envelope on or before April 28, 2017.

Cebu City, Philippines, April ,,_________ 2017.

For the Board of Director

ATTY. VINCENT E. TOMANENG Corporate Secretary

(MS-APR. 17, 2017)

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

B4

MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017

Business

Tears and cheers greet China’s economic zone X IONGAN, China— Business owner Hu Weibing weeps at the prospect of losing everything, including his home, after China’s surprise announcement to transform a rural spot outside Beijing into a modern metropolis nearly three times the size of New York City.

Hu’s family run-clothing factory in the northern province of Hebei could close at the expense of a new special economic zone similar to those in Shanghai and Shenzhen.

The planned Xiongan New Area currently measures 2,000 square kilometers (772 square miles) and has less than one percent of Beijing’s economic output, but last weekend’s announcement sparked a real estate speculation frenzy as out-of-town home buyers from across the country descended on the previously unknown area.

“It’s certainly good for Hebei and the re-

gional economy, but it’s a disaster for midand small-sized business like ours,” said Hu, staring at the bare concrete walls of the fourstorey dream home he began building last year but will never be able to finish.

Though authorities have not yet told him what is next, he is bracing for things to progress in the fashion that has become typical for government mega-projects: forced relocation and modest monetary compensation.

The changes will scatter his 40 local employees, each painstakingly trained for two years to produce the winter jackets that Hu’s Yuhua Clothing Manufacturing sells to clients in Moscow.

And land prices elsewhere are guaranteed to be out of his reach.

“To build another factory or another villa like ours will be impossible. It’s a terrible shame,” he said quietly, unable to stop tears sliding down his face after devoting decades of his life to the business.

“There will be no way to ever compensate us, but this is a huge national issue, so whatever comes we must support it.”

There are some 19 national-level “New Areas” scattered across China, 13 of which

have been established since 2014.

But Xiongan stands out: President Xi Jinping personally designated its location during a February trip to the fields just outside Hu’s village of Dawang, according to Xinhua News.

Following the announcement, housing prices doubled in a single day, as speculators queued outside real estate offices, clogging the streets with luxury vehicles as they battled to snap up properties for cash.

Shocked by the chaos, local authorities quickly imposed strict bans on home sales and ordered brokers to close up shop.

By mid-week, offices across the area were closed, their metal grates pulled down and crosses of white tape over them for good measure.

But individuals with properties for sale were still willing to approach potential buyers with prices that had gone up 300 percent in three days, they told AFP. An investor surnamed Wang had come to check out opportunities from Beijing, 100 kilometres away, but declined an offer to buy at a rate higher than the average cost of a home in the bustling port city of Tianjin. AFP

SHANGHAI AUTO SHOW. A view of traffic in Beijing on April 14. Global carmakers converge on China for the Shanghai auto show this week with the industry bracing for a sharp sales slowdown and potential price war as competition stiffens in the world’s biggest car market. AFP

Modern life intrudes on ancient salt trade LAKE Asale, Ethiopia—Every morning, hundreds of men converge on a dry lakebed in a remote corner of Ethiopia, where they cleave the ground open with handaxes to extract salt, just as their fathers and grandfathers once did.

They toil under the gaze of a caravan of camels who will carry their salt bricks to market, in a trek that historians estimate has gone on since the 6th century.

But with the Ethiopian government opening the isolated northern region to investors and tourists by cutting new roads through surrounding mountains, the laborers, traders and caravan drivers that make up the industry say their traditional way of life could soon be lost.

“If it continues like this, it will stop our work,”miner Musa Idris said as he stood on the cracked earth that fringes Lake Asale, where the miners work amid temperatures that can reach 50 degrees C (122 degrees F), making it one of the world’s hottest places.

Salt mining was once so vital to the economy of the depression that the seven-kilogramme chunks of salt Idris and his colleagues hack from the ground were used as currency.

While the trade is still important, it is no longer the only game in town.

Restaurants and hotels have sprung up in the area, also

A camel which transports salt from the Danakil Depression to Berhale salt market in Afar, Ethiopia, is pictured in the market on March 27, 2017. Every morning, hundreds of men converge on a dry lakebed in a remote corner of Ethiopia, where they cleave the ground open with handaxes to extract salt, just as their fathers and grandfathers once did.

known as the Danakil depression, to cater to tourists who come from across the globe to visit the uniquely desolate landscape formed by the intersection of three tectonic plates.

The region has also attracted foreign firms that want to mine potash and send it to Asia.

The presence of salt in the area has not escaped the attention of mining companies.

A handful of kilometres away from where Idris and his colleagues gather, an Ethiopian

company has built a plant that sucks water from the lake into evaporation ponds, creating salt the miners say is of a better quality but costs more than the square blocks they mine from the lakebed.

“The traditional way is quite different from ours. That one takes more toil and time,” evaporation plant manger Maheri Asgedew said of the manual way of mining.

Asgedew predicts that his plant, which only recently went into op-

eration, would one day be the main supplier of salt in the area.

Perhaps no development has impacted the traditional salt industry like the new roads.

Ethiopia is Africa’s second most populous country and one of the continent’s best-performing economies, with growth reaching nearly 10 percent in 2015.

The government has made projects such as dams and road-building a priority as part of its strategy to end the poverty that afflicts around one in three of its citizens.

Getting the salt-laden camels from Lake Asale to the nearest city Mekele used to be a four-day trek down rock-strewn gullies.

Now, the caravans terminate in Berhale, the region’s main salt trading outpost which road builders connected to Mekele by tarmac about five years ago.

The journey takes only three days, an improvement that some of the camel drivers and labourers who help offload the salt bricks have welcomed, but which others worry is a sign that technology will soon put them all out of business.

About 5,000 blocks of salt arrive each day at a trading post situated on a dry riverbed at the edge of Berhale, from which they are loaded onto trucks that take them as far away as neighbouring Kenya, said Ahmed Ali Ahmed, the deputy of an association of salt miners. AFP

ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN And, in this case, I’d like to refer to President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, whom I had the honor and pleasure to serve as Press Secretary and Spokesperson.

It is not often that a celebration will bring together, perhaps by accident, incumbent and former Cabinet members and high functionaries spanning several administrations.

But nothing happens by chance or accident. There is always a certain form of serendipity in given situations.

This was the case when Budget Secretary Benjamin “Ben” Diokno had a birthday and thanksgiving celebration, a gathering of past and present Cabinet officials.

Not surprising, as Secretary Ben is one of the rare breed of dedicated, passionate, intelligent, and results-oriented government men in all of officialdom, past and present.

Secretary Ben is armed with a very pleasing personality and gentlemanly charm, a quality in short measure if one is particularly immersed in the world of the academe from where he came. These qualities are what endear him to both colleagues and friends alike.

Endearing, he truly must be, as it has been awhile since captains of industry and top government officials gathered socially under one roof, where members of the Duterte cabinet like Executive Secretary Medialdea and Finance Secretary Dominguez come together with members of the Estrada cabinet like former Trade and Finance Secretary Titoy Pardo, Labor Secretary Benny Laguesma, PMS Head Lenny De Jesus, Energy Secretary Mario Tiaoqui, DPWH Secretary Gregorio Vigilar, Agriculture Secretary William Dar, Presidential Chief of Staff Eki Cardenas , DoTC Secretary Jun Rivera, and National Security Adviser Alex Aguirre, to name a few, to break bread and greet a good man on his birthday.

I had the distinct pleasure of

With San Miguel president and CEO Ramon Ang, former DOTC Secretary Jun Rivera, Secretary Ben Diokno , International Container Terminal Services, Inc. chairman Ricky Razon and Stargate president and CEO Babe Romualdez

working with Secretary Ben during the Estrada administration, so I speak from experience.

President Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada (PMJEE), together with former Senator Dr. Loi Ejercito, took time off to celebrate with his former Budget Secretary with whom he has never lost touch, as is with the rest of us in his cabinet.

Perhaps many people do not know, but PMJEE would regularly meet with us for more than 15 years now. Each gathering, together with our lovely and supportive wives, was always fun. We invariably discuss the burning issues of the day, touch on a few gossip perhaps, but mostly it was fun and merriment.

No gathering is complete without members of the cabinet belting out a song or two.

Thus, during Secretary Ben’s party, members of the cabinet led by the celebrant, Secretary Laguesma, and Secretary Pardo rendered a number of love songs to wow the guests. I had to do my share and render a song

by Michael Buble. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea crooned us with some popular Filipino songs, but sang in the way Frank Sinatra would do it.

Of course, we were but the front act, as PMJEE in his inimitable way sang a song which he also composed, “ Kahit na Magtiis”.

The Estrada cabinet is arguably one of the best that was ever assembled, and the fact that some of them are back in the PRRD administration, like Secretary Ben and Education Secretary Leonor Briones who was Erap’s National Treasurer, supports this view.

All the President’s men (and women). All the precedent men and women our country ever needs.

A Happy Easter to All!

With Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Secretary Eki Cardenas, STI chairman Eusebio “Yosi” Tanco, Stargate president and CEO Babe Romuldez and Megaworld chairman Andrew Tan

Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez President-Mayor Erap cabinet

With President-Mayor Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada

Former Secretary Benny Laguesma, Secretary Ben Diokno, and PSE chairman Titoy Pardo Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea

President-Mayor Erap with International Container Terminal Services, Inc. chairman Ricky Razon and SM Investments Corp. vice-chairman and BDO chairman Tessie Sy- Coson President –Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada Secretary Ben Diokno, PSE chairman Titoy Pardo, and Makati Business Club chairman Ed Chua

Ads see the rise of a new Tondo TONDO used to mirror the Philippines at its best, noble and most idealistic, but for many decades it has been home to the urban poor. In fact, it is an area which, at one point in the 1970s, was Southeast Asia’s largest squatter colony.

Now, according to a United Nations-Habitat report, over 20-million people in the Philippines live in slums, and in the city of Manila alone, half of the over 11-million inhabitants live in slum areas.

Within the Smokey Mountain area, tens of thousands of families rely on scavenging and reutilizing trash for a living.

Over the last eight years, the face of Tondo has been gradually changing, particularly in the Vitas, Katuparan area.

If you had ever traveled along Marcos Highway, in an area of reclaimed land previously known as Tondo Foreshoreland, where the old dumpsite of Smokey Mountain was located, you would have noticed at least 10 huge billboards in succession, advertising various alcoholic drinks. Imagine what kind of message it was sending out; promoting cheap alcohol in some of the poorest communities in the country.

About two years ago, a nonprofit organization called Young Focus realized that here was a great opportunity to spread a message of hope and possibility within the community.

Young Focus supports the education of underprivileged children and youth from the Smokey Mountain area through sponsoring their education from elementary through to college level, as well as providing, for example preschool education, and a feeding program.

Young Focus took the radical step of making use of the billboard space, replacing the alcohol advertising with positive images to inspire the local community, as well as anyone driving past. Together with the advertising company PerkComm Inc., sponsored by Telus Community Board, and with the cooperation of the leaders and residents of Barangay 101, the campaign “Posible” (Possible) was born.

Ten new billboards have been installed featuring nine stories from people within the Smokey Mountain area community. These heroes continue to defy grueling odds waged by extreme poverty. They are men and women of courage who have not given in to despair, they fought and continue to fight daily to imagine and rebuild a better future for themselves and their families.

LGUs

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

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MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017

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Young Focus took the radical step of making use of the billboard space in barangay Katuparan in Tondo, Manila, replacing the alcohol advertising with positive images to inspire the local community. Together with the advertising company PerkComm Inc., sponsored by Telus Community Board, and with the cooperation of the leaders and residents of Barangay 101, the campaign ‘Posible’ (Possible) was born.

Manila’s ‘resurrection’ soon

By Sandy Araneta

J

OINING the millions of Christian religious groups worldwide in celebrating Jesus Christ’s resurrection or rising again from the dead, Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada on Sunday said Manila, after suffering from neglect and decay, is now on its own resurrection as the Pearl of the Orient.

“Our beloved city and its citizens suffered so much for years. We witnessed the worsening of peace and order here, and the aggravation of unemployment, homelessness, and almost total decay,” Estrada lamented.

“American author Dan Brown even described Manila as the ‘gates of hell,’” the mayor exclaimed.

Brown, in his 2013 novel “Inferno,” told of “a visitor to Manila who was taken aback by poverty, crime and prostitution in the city.”

“Gone are those days when such negative characteristics were used in describing Manila. Now, you can see the city springing back to life. Businesses, commerce and industries

are thriving here; the citizens are regularly receiving social services that they never received before; and the civil service has been professionalized,” Estrada said.

“Much have been done, but we want to accomplish more. My ultimate dream is to bring back the glory of Manila as the Pearl of the Orient.”

Manila Tourism and Cultural Affairs Bureau chief Solfia Arboladura echoed the mayor.

“Definitely, we are on the right track in bringing back Manila as the Pearl of the Orient. We have plans in the making, big plans, and with the support of the mayor, we are very sure that we would resurrect the former Manila and bring Manila to its former glory,” said Arboladura.

“We want to introduce for Manila its new logo, its new branding, so to speak.

For these, we will involve young people, because they are more in tune with the latest trends, branding,

and what people search, read and watch on computers,” the lawyer said.

“Also, starting this year, tourism forms part of the criteria for the Seal of Good Governance. We look forward to qualifying for that award, especially through our tourism programs and our close coordination with tourismoriented businesses, hotels, restaurants, and the like,” said Arboladura.

Arboladura said Manila is in a very advantaged position for having many historical spots and facilities including centuriesold churches which are frequented by multitudes especially during Holy

Week.

For her part, City Personnel Office head Miguelita Alonzo said Estrada has indeed brought back to the city’s employees the respect for civil service and boosted their morale as being “true public servants” in consonance with Republic Act 6713, or the Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

She said: “We believe that service to the people of Manila is a mission. Everyone knows that Mayor Estrada is being loved by the masses and the poor, and we are called to ensure the delivery of service to the poor who badly needs this.”

Muntinlupa reminds folk of ‘Anti-Half-Naked’ ordinance QC backs DESPITE the summer heat, the local government of Muntinlupa warns residents of roaming topless around public places, as it violates the city’s “Anti-Half Naked” ordinance.

The city government reminds locals of Ordinance 17-070, which prohibits constituents to move about the city without clothing above the waist.

Muntinlupa Public Information Officer Tez Navarro said the ordinance covers public places including roads, sidewalks, parks, and bridges. Violators will pay a P500 fine for first offense, P1,000 for second offense, and P1,500 for third offense,

she added.

Navarro said the City Council passed the local legislation to promote an atmosphere of decency, propriety, and observance of proper decorum regardless of season.

According to the ordinance, members of the Philippine National Police, and barangay officials/enforcers will be implementing the local code and serve as apprehenders.

Exemptions to the foregoing ordinance include: activities with special permit issued by the city government, medical emergencies, indigenous people wearing

ethnic clothes, public swimming pools, beaches, and rivers, and persons engaged in sports and sports activities.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi encourages Muntinlupeños to adhere in the local ordinance and find alternative clothing which promotes decency and still supports comfortability.

Meanwhile, the city government of Makati announced that it will resume the implementation of the number coding scheme today, April 17, which bars vehicles with plate numbers ending in 1 and 2 from city roads from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays.

Atty. Michael Camiña, city spokesman, said heavy vehicular volume is expected this Monday as Metro Manila residents on Lenten break return from the provinces.

“We are not lifting number coding this Monday. We have to consider the expected influx of vehicles from the provinces that will exacerbate traffic congestion usually observed on a Monday,” Camiña said.

Under the number coding scheme, vehicles with plate numbers ending in 1 and 2 are barred from city roads on Mondays, 3 and 4 on Tuesdays, 5 and 6 on Wednesdays, 7 and 8 on Thursdays, and 9 and 0 on Fridays.

Easter Sunday fire hits 40 houses in Caloocan

QUIZ CHAMPS. Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation, the social and humanitarian arm of Toyota Motor Philippines Corp., recognized the winners of the 9th ‘Quest for the Best’ Quiz Bee, at its adopted school, Pulong Sta. Cruz Elementary School in Santa Rosa City, Laguna. Twenty-eight top-performing PSCES students from Grades 3 to 6 participated in this year’s quiz bee related to Science, Math, English, Filipino, History and current events. Four of these students emerged as champions in their respective grade levels who received cash prizes and plaques of recognition. TMPF donated LED TV to PSCES as part of the first phase of Toyota’s ‘School-wide Computerization Project.’ Toyota also supports the school through facilities improvement, feeding program for students, provision of teachers training, as well as health services to the school’s faculty and staff.

AROUND 60 families were rendered homeless when 40 houses were damaged when a fire struck in Caloocan City at dawn on Easter Sunday.

Reports showed that neighbors point to a house owned by a certain Lito Ostrea on Binangonan Street in Maypajo, Barangay 30 where the fire originated around 4 a.m.

The blaze immediately spread to adjacent houses—made of light materials—on Dimasalang Street.

Bureau of Fire-Camanava district fire marshal Crispo Diaz said the incident must have been triggered by unplugged appliance or electrical in nature. House owner Ostrea said the apartment was unoccupied.

Victims were temporarily sheltered in a covered court and were given assistance by the local government.

The Maypajo fire reached the fifth alarm around 5 a.m. and was announced controlled by 7 a.m. Damage to property was estimated at P1 million.

Meanwhile, another fire destroyed a house in Barangay 179 around 8 a.m. Owner of the house said they were not able to save any of their property including important documents. The fire was contained around 10 a.m.

City fire marshal Stephen Requina called on residents to be more careful especially this time that temperatures are getting hotter with the summer season. Jun David

move to fix PUV routes

By Rio N. Araja

QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Sunday backed the approval of a resolution urging the Department of Transportation to solve the problem of disproportionate number of public utility vehicles against routes with fewer passengers.

He lauded the 36-member city council for asking Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade through the agency’s road transportation planning division to consider the city’s inclusion in its route measured capacity in all PUVs. The DoTr’s scheme aims to determine the acceptable number of PUVs to serve the riding public, and thus to solve the imbalance in the number of PUVs, particularly in areas where commuters are thickly concentrated, as against routes with fewer passengers.

Under the city’s measure, a local government unit must be consulted in the determination of the route measured capacity.

The Quezon City government said the local government could identify better which routes are “over-served or under-served.”

To efficiently define the number of trips to meet passenger demand to be applied on buses, jeepneys and UV express vehicles, the participation of the concerned LGU must be given a closer look to come up with an equal distribution of public transports most favorable to the riding public.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017

NV miner empowering co-ops for sustainability

By Abe Almirol

B

AYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Recognizing the challenge of economic sustainability through cooperatives, AsiaPacific miner OceanaGold spent more than P5 million last year from its Social Development Management funds to support “enterprise development and agricultural credit projects.”

Thirteen cooperatives were established after the success of the multi-million enterprise Didipio Community Development Corp. or DiCorp in Barangay Didipio, Kasibu Nueva Vizcaya. Barangay Didipio is the community hosting OceanaGold’s Didipio Mine. These cooperatives will be focused on helping to ensure the sustain-

ability of the livelihood programs beyond the life of the Didipio mine.

DiCorp was established through the assistance of OceanaGold. The main goal is to train residents achieve a self-sufficient local economy during the mine’s operation and after the mine is exhausted and eventually closed.

Owned and managed by long-time residents of Didipio, the corporation now employs over 300 employees, generated P932 million in gross revenue from long-term Didipio mine contracts from 2011 to 2016.

DiCorp has been awarded by BIR as one of the top tax payers in Nueva Vizcaya.

Without reinventing the wheel, OceanaGold maintained close collaboration with the local government units and their development councils. The cooperative was used as a business model in distributing the annual SDMP funds allocated for enterprise development among the mine’s host and 10 neighboring communities.

Funds were either use as seed capital or additional investment to their existing businesses.

“Livelihood funds from the SDMP were channeled through these coopera-

tives to create more jobs, support business expansion, and expand economic opportunities for our communities,” said Chito Gozar, OceanaGold’s senior vice president for communications and external affairs.

In Barangay Didipio alone, there are three established cooperatives. Two of which are already registered—the Didipio Community Multi-Purpose Cooperative and Didipio Producers Cooperative. They operate a hog and integrated vegetable production project, a hardware store, an agricultural farm inputs supply, and an embroidery center.

OceanaGold experts has been providing leadership, operations training, business plan development, and technical assistance to the cooperatives to strengthen these community businesses.

“In addition to these cooperatives, the Didipio mine operation of OceanaGold has directly and indirectly created new business opportunities and expanded the need for agricultural products. The operation currently spends approximately $4.5 million annually on food and supplies from local businesses for the Didipio Camp,” Gozar added.

Vizcaya’s summer lessons for IP kids

By Ben Moses Ebreo BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—While the school year has ended for most schoolers, it starts the annual cultural and traditional learning among children belonging to the indigenous peoples in the province.

The IP Summer Workshop, now on its fourth year, has been teaching IP children here on the proper native dances, songs and other traditional practices of various tribes.

The annual program is supported by the Department of Education, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and tribal chieftains of Gaddang, Isinai, Bugkalot, Kalanguya, Ifugao, Iwak, Kankanaey and Ibaloi tribes, among others.

The IP Summer Workshop started in 2014 when then governor Ruth Padilla noticed that most tribal shows and intermissions of programs are being performed only by IP adults.

“I have noticed the absence of IP children in those occasions who should inherit these cultural and traditional practices by practicing and performing them in public events,” she said.

Padilla then consulted various tribal chieftains of the province, the NCIP and the DepEd, leading to the introduction of the program for IP children.

The IP Summer Workshop seeks to teach IP children on the proper rudiments and movements of native songs and dances.

“This program serves as a bridge between the gap of young and adult tribal folks concerning the transfer of their rich cultural and traditional practices. This will ensure the passage of cultural traditions from generation to generation,” Padilla added.

At present, more than 1,000 IP children have been covered by the IP Summer Workshop which also offers opportunities for them to perform their best entries during competitions sponsored by the provincial government.

The children also perform during the Indigenous People’s Day, one of the highlights of the Grand ‘Ammungan’(Gathering) Festival of Nueva Vizcaya from May 19 to 24.

Padilla said this will be expanded to reach out to other IPs in the province to ensure cultural preservation of its various ethnic tribes.

Albay Congressional Cup sets PH record

CIRCUMCISION. Employees of the Veterans Regional Hospital offer free circumcision services to children in Mt. Ynordenan Resort, barangay Bone South in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya. The annual activity is supported by the Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines and Order of the Amaranth. Ben Moses Ebreo

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC This is to inform the public that Vivencio Lucio B. Cayaba III is no longer connected with Cirrus Global, Inc. effective April 15, 2017.

Any transaction entered into by this person from this date thereafter shall not be honored by the company.

(MS-APR. 17, 2017)

NOTICE OF CLOSURE This is to inform the public and all interested parties that COLLABERA SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED with COMPANY REG NO. FS201113584 has decided to close its branch located at 301 Rufino Pacific Building, 6784 Ayala Avenue cor. V. A. Rufino, Makati City on July 30, 2015 pursuant to a Board Resolution passed in the meeting of the Board of Directors of Brillio Technologies Private Limited held on July 6, 2015.

(MS-APR. 3,10 & 17, 2017)

Camsur health office rehab AS RESIDENTS awaited the opening of a new bank branch in their municipality, BDO Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of BDO Unibank, completed the rehabilitation of the rural health unit of this town of Calabanga in Camarines Sur. The renovation of Municipal Health Office Calabanga, Camarines Sur is in line with the foundation’s disaster response advocacy and rehabilitation program in areas affected by disasters. The province was among those devastated by strong typhoons such as “Glenda,” “Lando” and “Yolanda.”

According to BDO Foundation president Mario Deriquito, who led the inaugural ceremonies, “This project is part of

our humble contribution to the achievement of the Philippine Health Agenda’s target of improving the local health services delivery network.”

“It is also our way of supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal for ensuring healthy lives. By working with the BDO branches and the local government units, we can find ways to improve the health, welfare and well-being of the people,” he added.

“The rehabilitation of the health office is BDO’s way of giving back to the community. We are finding ways for the people not only with our financial services but also through our corporate citizenship programs,” BDO Southern Luzon region head

Gerry Diaz said in his speech during the turnover program.

The rehabilitated structure was turned over to local government and health officials in an event held in Calabanga which was also attended by BDO Foundation program director Rose Espinosa and BDO Bicol area head Jovi Alvarez, who recommended the health center to the foundation.

Also present in the event were BDO Naga-Plaza Rizal branch head Vanessa Borebor, BDO Naga-San Francisco branch head Romeo de Vera III, BDO Naga-Elias Angeles branch head Renato Tapel and BDO Camarines Sur-Calabanga branch head Vanessa Pruelo, manager of the new BDO branch in the municipality.

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region Branch 92, Quezon City

the Civil Registrar General and the Administrator of the National Statistics Office to amend the record of petitioner with regard to her civil status and reflect therein the divorce decree obtained by her IN RE: PETITION FOR THE alien spouse from Kentucky, USA. ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN Let the Initial Hearing of this DECREE OF DIVORCE AND ITS REGISTRATION IN THE OFFICE petition be set on June 20, 2017 OF THE CIVIL REGISTRY (Tuesday) at 1:30 in the afternoon at the Session Hall of Justice of ROSARY KRISTINE I. ANIDO, this Court, Ground Floor, Room Petitioner, 125, Hall of Justice, Quezon City.

Anyone who has any objection to -versusR-QZN-17-01806-CV the instant petition may file on or CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL before the scheduled hearing his/ AND ENRIQUE MARTIN GOMEZ her opposition with a statement of the grounds relied upon for the POMAR, Respondents. opposition. x-----------------------------------------x Let this Order be published at ORDER the expense of the petitioner once This is a verified Petition for a week for three (3) consecutive Judicial Recognition of Foreign weeks in a newspaper of general Divorce filed by the petitioner dated circulation in Metro Manila.

February 6, 2017. Considering Let also a copy of this Order and that the object of the action is the a copy of the petition be furnished recognition of the Foreign Divorce the Office of the Solicitor General, Decree, which according to Corpuz National Statistics Office and the vs. Sto. Tomas, G.R. No. 186571, respondent Local Civil Registrar of August 11, 2010 and Co vs. Civil Quezon City who have fifteen (15) Register of Manila, G.R. No. days from their respective receipts 138496, February 23, 2004, may of this Order or from the last day be made in a proceedings under of its publication within which to file Rule 108 of the Rules of Court, their respective opposition. the instant action is treated by the SO ORDERED. Court as a Special Proceedings under Rule 108.

Quezon City, Metro Manila, The petitioner through counsel February 23, 2017. prays that after due notice, (Sgd.) ELEUTERIO L. BATHAN publication and hearing, issue Presiding Judge an Order directing the Office of (MS-Apr. 3, 10 & 17, 2017)

BDO Foundation rehabilitated Municipal Health Office Calabanga, Camarines Sur, a project that benefits more than 78,000 people from 48 barangays.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LEGAZPI CITY—A total of 161 basketball teams involving 1,930 players and some 320 coaches are now enthusiastically competing in the ongoing first Albay Congressional Cup, sponsored by Albay second district Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, setting a national record by itself in terms of overwhelming participation.

To manage the tournament, Salceda’s Albay Second Congressional District Office here has enlisted the help of some 52 referees, and a 78-member secretariat.

Launched earlier this month, the sporting event has four categories—Inter-Barangay with juniors and seniors’ divisions, Inter-LGU, Inter-Commercial and Open Category. Daily games are played in their respective separate venues to the delight of local basketball fans and visitors alike.

“You spell it as UNITY,” noted Salceda, taking pride of the popular public response to his call in promoting “sports, healthy lifestyle, sportsmanship, bonding of communities and engaging and training community members, specially the youth, in worthwhile activities.”

He said the tournament will “help in benchmarking and promoting discipline, prevention of dysfunctional activities, and for both locals and visitors alike, specially tourists, to enjoy summer.”

The sports competition runs until May 31. It was launched on April 1 with a grand parade from the Daraga Covered Court to the Bicol University Grounds in Legazpi City. Salceda and local government officials led the parade, participated in by teams and visitors.

Salceda said the competition will surely spur a more active sports program in Albay’s second district with the participation of the entire province.

Sports promotion is among his priority programs. Cash prizes and trophies await the winners, while medals will be awarded to victorious team members.

The lawmaker has also pioneered sports tourism in Albay during his nine-year term as governor during which the province had earned numerous accolades for successfully hosting, among others the 2016 Palarong Pambansa, Xterra Philippines and Le Tour de France.

IN BRIEF ‘Hospital care will be free for poor Cagayanos’ TUGUEGARAO CITY—This year 2017, poor Cagayanos need not worry about hospital and medicine bills since this will be free in the province.

According to Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Rossel-Ubial, the Department of Health is now in good financial standing after the Budget department paid last November the arrears of P32 billion from the P42-billion deficits of PhilHealth.

“This is the first time in [DoH] history under President Duterte’s administration that poor patients will leave hospitals with no billings balance,” Ubial stressed.

Meanwhile, Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba said he will prioritize the Health Programs for Cagayanos, the rehabilitation of hospitals and new medical equipment’s to every district hospitals in the entire province.

“We have 14 brand new ambulance with complete equipment and 12 additional ambulance given by PCSO that will cater the health needs of our people here,” Mamba added.

The list of government hospitals in the province are: Abulug Municipal Hospital, Alcala Municipal Hospital, Aparri District Hospital, Aparri Medicare Community Hospital, Baggao Medicare Community Hospital, Baggao Municipal Hospital, Ballesteros District Hospital, Matilde Olivas District Hospital, Gattaran Emergency Hospital, Alfonso Ponce Enrile Memorial Hospital, Lasam District Hospital, Nuestra Sra. De Pia District Hospital, Northern Cagayan District Hospital ,Sta. Ana District Hospital, Tuao District Hospital, Cagayan Valley Medical Center and Tuguegarao City People’s General Hospital.

“There is no need to hold PhilHealth card, just prove that you are a true Cagayano, you are entitled to be covered by health benefits, Philhealth will take care of your hospital bills, medicine bills and other health concerns and no need also to buy medicine in government pharmacies because every poor family can get it free from the government health program,” Ubial disclosed. Jessica M. Bacud

World

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Trump pressured on tax returns W

ASHINGTON―Thousands of protesters gathered Saturday in cities across the United States to pressure President Donald Trump to release his tax returns, a move of transparency he has repeatedly refused.

CROSSROADS. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by his wife Emine Erdogan and their grandchildren, pose for a photograph

at a polling station where they voted in the referendum on expanding the powers of the president at a polling station in the Uskudar district of Istanbul on April 16, 2017.Erdogan said the tightly-contested referendum on expanding the powers of the head of state was a vote for the future of Turkey. The first polling stations opened in the tightly contested referendum on expanding the powers of the president, seen as a crossroads in the modern history of the country. AFP

Garbage toll in Sri Lanka reaches 21 SRI LANKA―Hopes of finding anyone alive under a collapsed mountain of garbage in Sri Lanka’s capital faded Sunday as the death toll reached 21, police said.

Hundreds of soldiers were digging through the rubbish and the wreckage of some 145 homes that were destroyed when a side of the 300-foot high dump crashed on Friday.

“The rescue is fast becoming a recovery operation,” a senior police official at the site said.

“It is difficult to imagine anyone could survive under these toxic conditions.”

He said a woman and three men were reported missing after Friday’s disaster at Kolonnawa on the northeastern edge of the capital.

The Colombo National hospital said four children aged between 11 and 15 were among the 21 people killed. Hospital spokeswoman Pushpa Soysa said a man and a woman pulled out of the dump on Friday were still in intensive care.

Police have stepped up security in the area following reports of looting and said they arrested 18 people suspected of robbing belongings of the victims.

President Maithripala Sirisena ordered hundreds of troops to search for survivors and bolster rescue efforts of the fire department.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is currently visiting Japan, said arrangements had been made to remove the garbage dump, but it came crashing down before relocation work could begin.

Wickremesinghe said Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offered help with the recovery effort and a technical team would be sent to Sri Lanka to

The demonstrations were timed to coincide with the traditional April 15 deadline for annual tax filings, a massive date on the calendar for US households, and resulted in dozens of arrests.

For decades, US presidents and presidential candidates have released their returns voluntarily, although there is no legal obligation to do so. US law requires only the publication of a financial statement that estimates assets, including debt and revenue, but does not give details on the amount of taxes paid.

Trump, a billionaire property tycoon, released a financial statement but has kept his tax returns private, both during the election campaign and since taking office in January.

Protesters and political rivals have said he should make a fuller disclosure to remove any inkling of potential conflicts of interest between his business interests and his political decisions.

“Until he does, we’ll never know what he’s hiding or who his policies are designed to benefit,” said organizers of the “Tax March” demonstrations on its website.

“We need a president who works for all Americans -- and a tax system that does, too,” it added.

At least 21 demonstrators were arrested after Trump opponents and supporters clashed at a march in Berkeley, California, US media said.

- ‘Real men pay their taxes In Washington, several thousand protesters of all ages gathered in front of the Capitol building housing Congress, holding signs such as “What is he hiding?” and “Real men pay their taxes.”

A huge inflatable chicken with

an orange-gold beak and a swirl of hair resembling Trump’s mane was displayed on the sidelines of the Washington protest, and at other venues.

It was seen by some as the unofficial mascot for the protest -- to suggest that the Republican president was afraid, or chicken, to publish his records.

“If he’s got nothing to hide, he should release his tax returns,” said protester Liz Turner, 31.

Asked what she suspected was in them, Turner replied: “Maybe something to do with Russia?”

Ellen Lodwick, 67, a retired corporate researcher from Maryland who has participated in antiTrump demonstrations since his November 8 election, cast doubt on the president’s businesses.

“There are probably many illegal or questionable investments in things that could affect how he looks at government and legislation, because he’s too connected,” she said.

The protesters then marched along Pennsylvania Avenue towards the White House, shouting “shame” as they passed by the Trump International Hotel.

- Trump again at Mar-a-Lago In New York, thousands also marched, and demonstrations were held from Boston and Philadelphia on the East Coast to Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles out West, and cities and towns in between.

The Berkeley protests saw hundreds gather at a park, including Trump supporters who held a free speech rally, while opponents of the president’s policies shouted and chanted. Several fights broke out, according to the East Bay Times newspaper. AFP

PNG to investigate rampage at refugee camp SYDNEY―Drunk soldiers “went on a rampage” and fired shots in the air at an Australian asylumseeker camp in Papua New Guinea, police said Sunday, in the latest violence to rock the scandal-hit facility.

PNG police announced an investigation into the unrest at the Manus Island facility, an offshore processing centre reopened in 2012 to detain people who try to enter Australia by boat.

The incident was sparked by an altercation at a football game played by asylum-seekers at a navy base outside the compound late Friday, according to detainees

and refugee advocates.

Later, “drunken soldiers in retaliation for one of their colleague who was allegedly assaulted by an asylum-seeker” entered the detention center, shouting and throwing objects, the Royal PNG Constabulary said in a statement Sunday.

It said the military personnel “went on a rampage... firing several shots into the air and indiscriminately assaulting policemen, PNG immigration officers, other service providers and asylum-seekers”.

One senior immigration officer and an asylum-seeker were treated at a medical center, the statement added, without giving further details.

Manus Provincial Police Commander Senior Inspector David Lapu said he “will leave no stones unturned” in his investigation into the incident.

“Someone will answer for what happened,” he added.

Australia’s immigration department said one man was injured by a rock thrown into the center, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

“There are reports PNG military personnel discharged a weapon into the air during the incident,” the department told the ABC. “No one was injured.”

- ‘Living in constant fear’ -

The violent scenes came just over three years after Iranian asylum-seeker Reza Barati died and 69 people were injured in a riot at the facility.

The camp is set to close by October after a PNG Supreme Court ruling declared that holding people there was unconstitutional and illegal.

But Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has said they would not be moved to Australia and instead relocated to third countries such asthe United States and Cambodia, or resettled in PNG. Even so, the latest violence

sparked renewed calls from refugee advocates for detainees to be removed -- and possibly brought to Australia -- from the camp, which currently houses more than 800 asylum-seekers.

“Even if the arrangement with the United States continues, we must act to create safety and security for those who have languished in offshore detention for too long,” the Very Reverend Peter Catt, the Anglican Dean of Brisbane and head of an Australian coalition of churches in support of refugees, said.

“By bringing people to Australia, the US deal may continue.”

AFP

Bus mafia controlling polluted Kathmandu KATHMANDU —Nepal’s government is trying to tackle rising pollution levels in the smogchoked Kathmandu Valley, but standing in the way is a powerful bus mafia that controls the capital’s roads.

The rulers of Kathmandu’s streets are a web of transport syndicates†made up of private bus owners who have repeatedly blocked official attempts to modernise the highly inefficient bus network.

Critics say these associations have managed to win control over the roads and ensure laws stay favourable to them by making payments masked as political donations†to key political figures.

“There is no regulatory mechanism that is strong enough to control them,” said Kanak Dixit, chairman of Sajha Yatayat, a cooperative bus company trying to break the hold of the transport mafia.

“This sector has so much cash liquidity that they are able to influence the politicians and therefore they get their way.”

A $30 million six-year programme mostly funded by the Asian Development Bank aimed

at cleaning up the system, by introducing larger buses in busy areas and redrawing overlapping routes, is gathering dust.

Meanwhile more than 10,000 buses and minibuses in varying states of disrepair ply the streets of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur -- three cities that bleed into each other, making up the largest urban area in the country.

“We prepared a very excellent report with the help of donors, but when it came to the implementation phase we failed to materialise it,” Bimal Prasad Subedi, deputy director of the Kathmandu Sustainable Urban Transport Project, told AFP. “They [the bus syndicates] protested against our plans... They are private entities and don’t want to lose their profit.”† Corruption in Nepal has flourished during the political instability that followed the end of the decade-long civil war in 2006 and seen the country cycle through nine governments since then.

The impoverished Himalayan nation is currently ranked 131 out of 168 countries in watchdog Transparency International’s global corruption perception index.AFP

MORNING SERVICE. Belarus Catholics attend a morning Easter service at the Cathedral of St. Virgin Mary in Minsk on April 16, 2017. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

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MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017

World

WELCOME. People welcome crew members of the Hawaiian canoe Hokule’a upon their arrival on the Pointe Venus beach on April 14, 2017, in Mahina, French Polynesia, after a three-year trip around the world. AFP

Turkey votes on Erdogan’s powers ISTANBUL―Turkey began voting Sunday in a referendum on expanding the president’s powers in a ballot that will determine its political future but whose outcome remains unclear after a bitterly-contested campaign.

Over 55.3 million Turks are able to vote in the referendum on sweeping changes to the president’s role which, if accepted, would grant Recep Tayyip Erdogan more power than any Turkish leader since its founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and his successor Ismet Inonu.

Polling stations opened in Diyarbakir and other eastern cities at 0400 GMT, while voting in Istanbul, Ankara and other cities got under way an hour later.

Opinion polls, always treated with caution in Turkey, predicted wildly divergent scenarios with analysts saying the outcome remains too close to call despite the clear advantage in resources and airtime enjoyed by the ‘Yes’ campaign.

As the rival sides held rallies to sway undecided voters up until the very last minute on Saturday, Erdogan confidently predicted the ‘Yes’ camp had victory in the bag.

But he urged people not to succumb to “lethargy” and go out and vote, saying “the stronger result the better”.

“A ‘Yes’ that emerges from the ballot box with the highest margin will be a lesson to the West,” he said in Istanbul’s Sariyer district in the last of a stamina-busting sequence of rallies.

Speaking to AFP in Istanbul on Sunday, Emrah Yerlinkaya said he voted ‘Yes’ “to support” Erdogan.

“If we are here today, it is thanks to him. I also voted because I support the constitutional reform.”

- ‘Turning point’ If passed, the new presidential system would dispense with the office of prime minister and centralise the entire executive bureaucracy under the president, giving Erdogan the direct power to appoint ministers.

The system would come into force after the elections in November 2019.

Erdogan, who became president in 2014 after serving as premier from 2003, could then seek two more five-year mandates. AFP

Peace in spite of N. Korea threats DANDONG, China―One soldier enjoys a cigarette, another sits reading quietly on the riverbank: seen from the Chinese side of the border, North Korea’s army does not appear to be on a war footing despite all the bellicose language.

Dandong city is the main crossing point to North Korea, and every day hundreds of tourists embark on small boats for a cruise on the Yalu border river and a fleeting glimpse of another world.

The boats approach within a few meters of the Korean shore, giving residents of the world’s second largest economy a view of their impoverished and sanctions-hit but nuclear-armed neighbor.

Further south, the border between North and South Korea is one of the world’s most heavily fortified. But the atmosphere is a great deal more relaxed along the Yalu river, even though the North’s ally China enforces a range of UN sanctions intended to curb its nuclear and missile programs.

The sanctions have had a limited effect. After a huge military parade in Pyongyang on Saturday, the North Sunday defied international condemnation to test-fire another missile.

Tensions have been rising for weeks and the US has sent a naval strike group led by an aircraft carrier to the region.

The North has reiterated it is ready for war with the US, and its army Friday vowed a “merciless” response to any provocation.

But the soldiers seen Sunday appeared notably relaxed -- whether sitting on a bicycle, immersed in their reading or puffing on a cigarette next to women busily washing clothes in the river.

It’s a world away from the thousands of goose-stepping troops and missiles which packed Pyongyang’s Kim Il-Sung Square Saturday to mark the 105th anniversary of the birth of the nation’s eponymous founder.

Unconcerned at the prospect of provoking an incident, one Chinese tourist uses a slingshot to shoot a stone into the river as the boat approaches Sinuiju, the North Korean frontier town linked to Dandong by the Friendship Bridge.

From a green wooden observation post, a North Korean soldier placidly watches the tourists through binoculars.

The river cruises are an important money-spinner in Dandong, where dozens of boats offer trips for a modest 70 yuan ($10).

The cruise vessels stop off at a boat where an enterprising trader sells North Korean products: eggs, cigarettes and alcohol.

In the wider world the tensions persist. Sunday’s missile test was a failure, according to South Korea and the US military.

But it came hours ahead of a visit by US Vice President Mike Pence to the South, where the North’s weapons programme will top the agenda. AFP

N. Korea missile test fails after its showcase parade A

fresh North Korean missile test failed when it exploded after launch Sunday, the US military said, a day after Pyongyang defiantly showcased its ballistic arsenal at a giant military parade.

MASS. Pope Francis walks past flowers adorning the altar during the Easter Sunday mass on April 16, 2017, at St Peter’s square in

the Vatican. Christians around the world marked the Holy Week, which commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and leads up to his resurrection on Easter. AFP

Death toll in Syria car bomb attack hits 112 BEIRUT—The death toll in a suicide car bomb attack on buses carrying Syrians evacuated from two besieged government-held towns has risen to at least 112, a monitoring group said Sunday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 98 evacuees from the northern towns of Fuaa and Kafraya were killed when an explosives-laden vehicle hit their buses at a transit point west of Aleppo on Saturday.

It said the remainder of the dead were aid workers and rebels tasked with guarding the buses.

It warned the death toll may rise further as “hundreds” more were wounded in the blast.

Dozens of buses carrying several thousand refugees had been stuck by the roadside in the rebel-held town of Rashidin after leaving Fuaa and Kafraya on Friday under a deal reached between the government and opposition groups.

Fuaa and Kafraya have been under rebel siege for more than two years. As part of the deal, several hundred people including armed rebels will be transported out of Madaya and Zabadani, towns near Damascus, which are surrounded by pro-government forces.

Syria’s six-year civil war has seen several similar deals, which the government of President Bashar al-Assad says are the best way to end the violence.

Rebels say they are being forced to relocate through bombardment and siege.

The government blamed Saturday’s attack on “terrorists” -- its catch-all term for opposition groups.

The influential rebel Ahrar al-Sham force denied involvement, with a senior official tweeting: “Our role was to secure civilians not kill them.”

The blast puts the four-town evacuation deal, brokered partly by rebel backer Qatar and government ally Iran, in doubt.

The Observatory said after the bombing that the evacuation process had resumed, but it was not immediately clear on Sunday if convoys had restarted their journeys. AFP

The failure, which is likely to be seen as something of a public embarrassment for the regime, came amid soaring tensions in the region over the North’s nuclear weapons ambitions.

“The missile blew up almost immediately,” the US Defence Department said of the early morning launch which was also detected by the South Korean military.

Neither was able to determine immediately what kind of missile was used in the test, the timing of which appeared very deliberately chosen.

It came after North Korea displayed nearly 60 missiles -- including what is suspected to be a new intercontinental ballistic missile -- at a parade on Saturday to mark the 105th birthday of its founder Kim Il-Sung.

The event was held in front of the cameras of invited world media, who were still in Pyongyang when Sunday’s test failure was detected.

The missile failure also came just hours ahead of a visit by US Vice President Mike Pence to South Korea where the North’s weapons programme will top the agenda.

North Korea has a habit of firing off missiles to mark major political anniversaries, or as gestures of defiance to top US officials visiting the region.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Trump had been briefed on the latest test but had “no further comment”.† Sunday’s launch was carried out around dawn from Sinpo, a site on North Koreaís east coast where it has a shipyard.

In August last year, a submarine-launched ballistic missile tested from Sinpo flew 500 kilometers towards Japan.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un hailed that test as the “greatest success” and said it brought the US mainland within range of a mobile delivery system.

Pyongyang’s rogue atomic ambitions have come into sharp focus in recent weeks, with President Donald Trump vowing a tough stance against the North and threatening unilateral action if China failed to help curb its neighbour’s nuclear programme.

Trump has repeatedly said he will prevent Pyongyang from its goal of developing a nucleartipped ballistic missile capable of reaching the mainland United States.

With speculation mounting that the North is preparing to conduct a sixth nuclear test, he sent an aircraft carrier-led strike group to the Korean peninsula -- a pointed gesture in the wake of the recent US missile strike on Syria.

The North has reiterated its constant refrain that it is ready for “war” with the US, and its army vowed Friday a “merciless” response to any US provocation. AFP

The Pioneer

Life FOOD

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017

D1

Di’ Mark’s Big 22 pizza—an explosion of flavors with 22 toppings

Rises Again

A hearty minestrone soup (P125) to start your meal

E

ATING pizza at Di’ Mark’s is like chewing your way through a slice, or slices, of edible art. Take the restaurant’s Mad Scramble, with overflowing toppings of Italian sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, garlic, black and green olives, chicken and tomatoes resulting in a symphony of colors and flavors. And the crust, which is always crispy but never thin, breaks and sounds the way only great pizza dough can.

What millennials may not be aware of (but which their grandparents and parents will surely know), is that Di’ Mark’s Pizza has been around for quite a while now – for 60 years to be exact. And the pizza chain, which is celebrating its diamond anniversary this April, has been serving the same quality dishes that delighted its first patrons at its flagship branch along Menlo Road in Pasay City and made it a favorite place for a family meal or a cozy, romantic dinner for two.

According to Inaki Lamata, who runs the business together with his wife, Kimmie Assad-Lamata, the restaurant reached its golden period during the ‘60s to the ‘80s.

“We had about 10 branches during that period, some even outside Metro Manila, including Baguio, Olongapo and Pampanga. There was even a point when we franchised our brand, but we had a problem with a franchisee so we decided to stop the practice,” he said.

At that time, Di’ Mark’s became a musttry for several international artists who performed in Manila, starting with Paul Anka who visited the Philippines in 1961.

A son of a former president who eventually became a senator would likewise call to have his favorite pizza and pasta delivered to his doorstep. In recent years, a former president and his sister, who is an actress, would also frequent Di’ Mark’s.

“There have been offers to buy us out, but there are a lot of emotional investments involved. This is no longer just about the money,” Lamata said.

Indeed, Di’ Mark’s has always been a family affair – starting from Kimmie’s grandparents, Arturo and Lita Fernandez, who opened the first branch with borrowed tables and chairs on April 1, 1957.

The business was eventually handed down to their children (including Kimmie’s uncle, Marky, after whom the restaurant was

THE JOYCE OF EATING JOYCE BABE PAÑARES

named), and to their grandchildren.

There have been ups and downs along the way, mostly because of the unfair perception that Di’ Mark’s is an upscale restaurant for old people. But with the younger generation at the helm, Lamata said they are slowly overcoming that stereotype without sacrificing the taste, and more importantly, the principles that have made the restaurant stand the test of time.

“It remains a very rewarding business.

And we believe there is a niche market for good, comfort food. Our customers would complain if we change the menu. In fact, the ‘youngest’ entry in our menu is already 30 years old,” he said.

And really, there is no reason to overhaul something for the sake of overhauling. A hip, young crowd would definitely enjoy good, homemade-quality food— and pizza and pasta at that—even if the recipe has already delighted Filipino taste buds for six decades now.

The restaurant’s expensive-sounding name is also the only thing near expensive in their menu.

Take the Big 22 pizza, which has, true to its name, 22 toppings. It is already the most ‘high-end’ pizza offered by Di’ Mark’s at only P315 for a regular-sized order (good for two persons) and P995 for a 17-inch partysized order. Regular-sized Pizza Pro (homemade anchovies, mushroom and pepperoni) will set you back for only P195, while the Taco Pizza (chili beef, chopped onions, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and crispy lettuce) costs only P295.

“This is our magic formula and commitment: affordable price for quality food,” Lamata said. And that is a commitment that is good enough for another 60 years.

For feedback, send comments to joyce.panares@gmail.com

A classic comfort food—Di’ Mark’s spaghetti with meatballs (P245)

The restaurant’s chocolate fudge (P195)

The cheesecake’s recipe is an original of Lita Fernandez, who founded Di’ Mark’s with her husband Arturo in 1957.

Spaghetti with Italian sausage and tomato sauce (P275)

NEW GELATO ON THE ICE-CREAM FRONT

SUMMER is finally here, and the ideal way to combat the heat is through scoops of GoGo Gelato, a new and exciting entry in the dessert market.

Miki De Ocampo, proprietor and owner of the brand, has honed his skills through several years in the ice cream and gelato industry, through well-known ice cream brands such as Coney Island and Sorbetero.

It has an array of tastes to keep even the most discerning of individuals impressed.

They have concocted an amazing lineup of 12 flavors, which vary from the classics to the experimental like Vanilla Ice Cream Baby, Cafe Ole, Cookies and Cream Dream, Do the Choco Motion, C’est La Vie Vanilla (French Vanilla), Strawberry Fields Forever, Well Well Caramel, Greek Lightning Yogurt, Matcha Matcha Man, Milk Monster, Buko Lychee Sorbetto. They also take special requests on choice flavors.

This denser, yet less complicated treat made out of milk, cream, sugar, fruit, and other flavorings contains little air, yet more taste, and even has less fat. And boasts of ingredients sourced locally—milk

from local neighboring dairy farms, chocolates from Davao, sugar from Negros.

For now, delivery is free for a minimum order in the Alabang and BF Homes Paranaque areas. Special arrangements are welcome for those outside these locations.

Check out instagram.com/ gogosnacktime for more details.

GoGo Gelato offers a delicious way to beat the summer heat with its 12 gelato flavors, such as Cafe Ole (in photo) and Vanilla Ice Cream Baby, among others

Savor the flavors of Asia in Boracay IN addition to its charming beaches, clear waters, powder-like sand and majestic sunsets, Boracay is also a place to try delicious Asian cuisine. At Sun Asian Kitchen, you can relish the flavors of Asia

Kimchi Fried Rice is a combination of rice, bacon, and kimchi, topped with sunny side-up egg

Sun Asian Kitchen’s version of Laksa promises to make diners crave for more

Enjoy a steaming bowl of Chicken Stew with Korean Ginseng after a day of basking in the sun

while lounging by the beach and basking in the beauty of the island paradise.

Here are some of the sumptuous Asian dishes you need to try at Sun Asian Kitchen: Kimchi Fried Rice. A combination of rice, bacon and kimchi topped with a sunny side-up egg, Sun Asian Kitchen’s palatable Kimchi Fried Rice will certainly spice up your day in Boracay.

Teriyaki Chicken Rice. Indulge to a sumptuous meal with Sun Asian Kitchen’s rendition of teriyaki. Bite into the tender and delicious pan-fried chicken in sweet soy sauce served with rice, cabbage, crabstick and carrot salad.

Sukiyaki Rice Bowl. With beef belly cooked in flavorful broth made with light soy sauce, sake, sugar and mirin and served with rice, egg and sauteed mixed vagetables, Sun Asian Kitchen’s sukiyaki will surely satisfy your craving.

Nasi Goreng. Looking for a yummy dish to kick-start your day? Sun Asian Kitchen’s Nasi Goreng is the way to go. Have this traditional Indonesian fried rice chicken, vegetables and spices, topped with either sunny side up or scrambled egg for breakfast to fuel your energy level through a day of fun activities.

Beef Rendang. A dish with unique flavor, Beef

Bite into the tender and delicious pan-fried chicken in sweet soy sauce of Sun Asian Kitchen’s Teriyaki Chicken Rice

Rendang at Sun Asian Kitchen is made of beef chunks simmered in a fragrant combination of coconut milk, chilies and spices. Definitely the perfect partner to a cup of steamed rice.

Chicken Stew with Korean Ginseng. After a day filled with exciting activities, reenergize with this hot, steaming and delicious dish made with chicken stewed in Korean ginseng roots, fresh ginger, and red dates.

Laksa. A combination of noodles cooked in coconut cream, curry, and shrimp paste, served with egg, bean sprouts, tofu, squid balls, chicken and shrimp, Sun Asian Kitchen’s version of Laksa, a yummy dish from Singapore, will certainly make you crave for more.

The Sun Asian Kitchen, also home to the famous Boracay Mongolian Grill, is located at Sun Villa Beachfront, between Stations 1 and 2. For more information, visit www.boracaysunresorts.com. ph/ or follow them on Facebook at www.facebook. com/sunresortsboracay/. For inquiries, please call (036) 288-1306, (036) 288-5915 or 09989878276.

Life

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MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

15 Chefs cook up a storm in Old Manila The Peninsula Manila director of public relations Mariano Garchitorena (center) with Claudia Rose Mendez and Christian Schnidradner

Culinary academy ties up with top schools in Malaysia CREATING breathtaking courses and mouthwatering dishes takes talent, but establishing and keeping it as a profitable business would need a whole new set of skills altogether.

Teaching such skills is part of the advocacy of Moderne Culinaire Academy (MCA), a young and dynamic culinary institution that specializes in helping students understand the more technical and business aspects of the hospitality industry while honing their culinary skills.

This year, MCA is taking its advocacy a step further with its partnership with the prestigious KDU University College and Berjaya University College of Hospitality (BUCH) in Malaysia. Both highly renowned for their culinary programs, these institutions can now be a part of every MCA student’s journey towards being a successful professional in the culinary and hospitality industry.

Those enrolled under MCA’s Higher Diploma in Culinary Arts and

From left: Troy Barrios, Chef Myke Tatung Sarthou, Marilen Fontanilla, Alu and Adolf Aran

I

f it takes a village to raise a child, then it takes a group of like-minded chefs and restaurateurs to save the Philippine seas and preserve the marine ecosystem for future generations – which is what various five-star hotels and fine-dining restaurants did when they joined the Sustainable Seafood Week which culminated in a 30-hands degustation dinner participated in by 15 chefs at The Peninsula Manila’s iconic fine dining restaurant Old Manila.

“The Peninsula Manila’s participation in the Metro Manila-wide Sustainable Seafood Week is a celebration of food while being an avenue for sharing the best practices in sustainable fisheries. We want to raise awareness among seafood consumers of the problems plaguing the Philippine seas, particularly on the issue of unsustainable fishing practices that not only harm the marine environment but also threaten the country’s fisheries industry,” said The Peninsula Manila executive chef Franco Diaz in his speech at the start of the dinner.

This sentiment was echoed by the chefs of Discovery Leisure Group, Le Club, Fairmont, Vask, Hyatt City of Dreams, New World Hotel, Marriott Hotel, Marco Polo, Shangri-la Hotels and The Peninsula Manila who all pledged they would try to undo and reverse the near irreparable damage that has been done to the Philippine marine environment.

Seared snapper fillet, crispy popcorn, camaron, ajo amarillo, soya beans, and capsicum risotto from The Shangri-La Hotels

Kitchen Management program now have the option to go to Malaysia after their two-year certificate course and continue their studies further on either campus. Upon completion of the additional two years, they will be conferred with a Bachelor’s Degree in Culinary Arts Management while adding another year would entitle them to a Master’s Degree.

The programs cover a high level of business entrepreneurship training (with classes on marketing, accounting, and operations) alongside intense hands-on learning (butchery, pastry- and bread-making)—education perfect for aspiring executive chefs and restaurateurs.

“We at MCA take pride in helping our students become the creme of the crop in their chosen field,” MCA’s Academic and Administrative Head Jester Ong Chuan shares. “This partnership only strengthens that belief since KDU and Berjaya are known to have the best culinary and

hospitality programs in Southeast Asia. This will open a lot of doors for them.”

Established in 1983, KDU University College boasts of an impressive 96 percent employment rate for its students upon graduation in top-tier hotels and establishments, both in Malaysia and other parts of the globe. Graduates of Berjaya University College of Hospitality similarly enjoy a high level of opportunity since the university is under the famed Berjaya Group, a multi-national corporation with a stellar portfolio in the food service and hospitality industry.

Moderne Culinaire Academy is located at 155 Diego Silang St., Phase 1 AFPOVAI, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

For inquiries, visit www.moderneculinaireacademy.com/, www.facebook.com/ModerneCulinaireAcademy/, or contact the Administrator’s Office at (02) 843-8071.

The Peninsula Manila’s fine dining restaurant Old Manila hosted the culminating dinner of the Metro Manila-wide Sustainable Seafood Week

Selva shrimp consomme, butterpoached shrimp, cuttle fish, coconut lime custard, and chili ginger relish from Marriott Hotel and Marco Polo Ortigas

Cocoa tree chocolate, calamansi, creameux, and cocoa streusel from The Peninsula Manila

Minute Burger’s road to success looks smoother than ever THEY say that professional athletes reach their prime when they hit their mid-30s.

At this stage of their career, amazing and record-breaking performances are bound to happen. With Minute Burger celebrating its 35th birthday, it’s only a matter of time before the franchise company ultimately reaches and breaks the glass ceiling.

Franchisees, chief executives, and employees responsible for turning Minute Burger into one of the country’s most recognized food franchises gathered in a onenight banquet to look back and remember history-making events that got the company where it is today. It was an eye-opening tribute that traced back the company’s first defeat and come from behind win, which everyone—especially the pioneers who helped the then company-operated fastfood establishment overcome early struggles—considers an inspiration to never look back again.

With over 430 stores and a solid expansion plan to bolster its business develop-

ment outside established strongholds, the company had its share of depressing moments that took some years to recover from. Back in the late ‘80s, fast food brands were sprouting rapidly, and the company thought that it would be missing a lot if Minute Burger did not introduce itself properly at an era where consumers had already warmed up to quick service establishments. Minute Burger aggressively multiplied in key provinces and municipalities where there were no signs of competition.

But just after a few years, top management saw that growth was not moving progressively. Competition started to heat up, too. Admittedly, the brand struggled to keep up throughout the ‘90s. Management had to painfully close stores, including the first outlet where Minute Burger was birthed.

In the 2000s Minute Burger would find its rhythm again after opening its stores to franchising. Shortly, the brand’s Buy One, Take One pricing would become the

Franchise company Minute Burger celebrates its 35th birthday

Francis Kong

strong puff of air that cleared small patches of dark clouds that were obscuring the company’s bright future from plain sight.

Speaking more about record-breaking performances, the franchise took a [calculated] leap of faith when the BIG TIME product line entered the playing field in 2012. That might have caught a lot of people caught off-guard. But for a company trying to catch new winds, the upgrade evidently steered their boat in a land where opportunities are ready for harvest.

Minute Burger keeps coming up with surprises. Once fighting a battle for survival, the franchise has since been able to connect the dots and keep winning amidst odds and threats. At only 35, there’s plenty of time for this 24/7 burger shop to reign supreme in a crowded universe of food franchises that whip up products that are value for money.

It won’t come as a shock if you come across several Minute Burger stores from corner to corner. And we’re talking about more than 500 stores nationwide.

K Brosas

Herb-crusted tuna loin, raw vegetable salad, and tomato sorbet from The Peninsula Manila

Justin Quirino

Odie Dela Cruz

Guests join in celebrating the company’s anniversary

MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017

Meg Imperial returns to TV

Multi-awarded Broadcast journalist Jessica Soho (second from left) with GMA Network President and COO Gilberto R. Duavit, Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, and Executive Vice President and CFO Felipe S. Yalong

Jessica Soho still a Kapuso

T

Duavit said, “Jessica continues to represent and embody everything that is good and virtuous. Her loyalty is one of these. Nasisiyahan tayo sa patuloy niyang pagtitiwala and very happy because we have somebody who continues to inspire and set an example for all of us with us.”

Yalong also expressed his pleasure over Soho’s contract renewal. “We’re very happy because Jessica is one of the pillars of GMA News and Public Affairs. In fact, yung programa niyang Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho continues to be the top rater,” he said.

Soho hosts the top-rating and award-winning news magazine program Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS) on GMA. She also anchors GMA News TV’s flagship evening newscast, State of the Nation with Jessica Soho (SONA), and is the host of the investigative news magazine program Brigada.

The first Filipina to win the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award for Investigative Journalism in 1999, Soho continues to receive recognitions from various award-winning bodies here and abroad. Just recently, Soho was named as the “Most Trusted News Presenter” for the seventh consecutive year by Reader’s Digest Asia.

HE Philippines’ most-awarded broadcast journalist, Jessica Soho, renewed her contract with GMA Network on April 4.

Present during the signing were GMA Network Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Atty. Felipe L. Gozon; President and Chief Operating Officer Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr.; and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Felipe S. Yalong.

With a career in the broadcast industry spanning more than three decades, Soho revealed that she is happy to renew her contract with the Kapuso Network. “Parang ang GMA at ako, may forever. Kasi ever since naman, mula magsimula ako hanggang ngayon, ito lang ang tahanan ko,” she shared.

Atty. Gozon cited how Soho remains to be one of the most trusted broadcast journalists in the country. “Si Jessica, talagang icon na iyan at institution dito sa atin. Kamukha ng GMA, she is also a most trusted, hindi lamang as host kundi reporter at lahat na,” he added.

Reacting to what Soho said about her relationship with the Network,

AWARD-WINNING

Thai films at Cine Adarna Thai art drama "Uncle Boonmee" is a film about reincarnation

TWO feature films by acclaimed Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul, namely Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives and Cemetery of Splendor, are being screened this month exclusively at Cine Adarna of the University of the Philippine Film Institute (UPFI), an institution which aims to contribute to the development of Filipino national cinema.

These films coincide with Apichatpong Weerasethakul: The Serenity of Madness, an ongoing exhibition of photography, drawings, sketches, and archival material that explore threads of socio-political commentary, at the

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, April 17, 2017

ACROSS 1 Recital pieces 6 Tarzan’s mate 10 Come again?

14 Disney site 15 New Age singer 16 Chariot race locale 17 Posh hotel lobbies 18 Stead 19 Love god 20 Ump’s call (2 wds.)

22 Sheiks’ garments 23 Scale meas.

24 Conductor — Reiner 26 Hurrah!

30 Trench digger 32 Down the road 33 — diem 34 Utmost degree 36 Chef Graham — 37 Mete out 38 Sewing kit 39 Drain, as energy 40 London chap 41 Knife part 42 Go backward 44 More lofty 45 Slight amount 46 Is able to 47 Ferocious eel 49 Surpassing 54 Auction site

55 57 58 59

Business VIPs Krishna’s land Diet Triumphal edifice 60 Cash drawers 61 Forest grazer 62 Roentgen’s discovery (hyph.)

63 High-priced DOWN 1 Like Beethoven 2 Capable of (2 wds.)

3 Pantyhose shade 4 Exert oneself 5 Housed a horse 6 Thickens 7 Indigo dye 8 PBS “Science Guy” 9 — de cologne 10 Holly item 11 Lying down 12 Running wild 13 Hardy heroine 21 Mr. Vigoda 22 Long walk 24 Danish islands 25 Sales slip (abbr.)

26 Wild oxen of Tibet 27 “— — You Knocking”

28 Commit, as a crime 29 Duffer’s goal 30 Stops short 31 Piano exercise 33 Intimate 35 Yesterday, in Nice 37 Baldwin or Guinness 38 Architect’s wing 40 Laugh loudly 41 Desperadoes 43 Dingier 44 Trim a doily

46 Like some jobs 47 Blend 48 Tony’s cousin 49 Ocean predator 50 Don’t bet — — 51 Not employed 52 World’s longest river 53 Huff and puff 55 Von Sydow of films 56 Menacing sound

Museum of Contemporary of Art and Design (MCAD) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) in Manila, on view until May 14.

Uncle Boonmee, which explores the theme of reincarnation, became the first Thai movie to receive the Palme d’Or Award during the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. It will be shown 5 p.m. today.

Cemetery, a story on the spreading epidemic of sleeping sickness, won Best Film at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. It will be presented 5 p.m. tomorrow.

Admission to all screenings is priced at P150.

SHE is glad to be back in the small screen via GMA-7’s latest offering, the sexy drama-comedy series D’ Originals.

“I wasn’t visible on the scene in recent months. My last regular soap was Bakit Manipis ang Ulap?’ on TV 5 in the early part of 2016. I also had a guest stint in ABS-CBN’s Ang Probinsyano. Now, it’s a breath of fresh air to be working at GMA. It’s simply exciting,” Meg Imperial says.

Is this her first time with the Kapuso network?

“Nope! Actually, when I was just starting in the ‘biz, I made lots of guesting in their shows, only, I was sporting a different screen name back then.

But now as Meg Imperial, this is my maiden show with them.”

Asked if she had a hard time adjusting to the transition, she says, “Honestly, I don’t have that feeling. On the contrary, the working environment here is tops. Not just my co-stars but all the staff members are nice. They’re easy and fun to deal with.

“Perhaps, it helped that I already know some people in D’ Originals whom I’ve worked with in the past. It’s just great to be part of this project.

That’s why I’m thankful to GMA for giving me this opportunity. I’m so happy with the way they treat me. I see that they really take good care of their artists,” explains Meg. In the show, Meg plays the role of the mistress of Archie Alemania while Kim Domingo is the wife.

In fact, there is one scene where the two of them had a “bikini showdown.”

“Ha-ha-ha! Yes, that’s a fun scene. Kim and I have lots of catchy line exchange in the program.

As the other woman, I’m strong here. I will not take things sitting down. Viewers will surely be delighted with our scenes together.”

This early, many are pitting her with Kim who’s as equally gorgeous and voluptuous as she is.

“As long as it’s friendly, I would welcome the competition. Kim and I just knew each other personally through this show and during the initial taping days, I felt awkward because I don’t really know her. But as days went by, we gradually warmed up to each other and we’re good.

“We always talk on the set. Regarding the rivalry angle, we just laugh it off. We collaborate and discuss on how to improve our scenes together.

Our working relationship is fine. I believe that both of us are professional and that’s what’s important.”

Many are curious if she got intimidated by Kim now referred to as the new “Pantasya ng Bayan.”

“Well, honestly, I don’t feel such whatsoever.

I can say I’m more confident with myself at this point. To reiterate, I have a good working relationship with Kim. We became friends on the set,” ends Meg. ******** According to Christian Bautista, he is thankful to GMA-7 for giving him acting assignments despite his identity as a front rank balladeer.

“Since I officially became a Kapuso, the management has given me several opportunities to explore my acting skill like in With a Smile and Strawberry Lane which was a welcome thing for me. Acting also gives me a different high and I enjoy doing it,” he states.

He is part of the highly anticipated local re-boot of the hit Koreanovela Love from the Star which top-bills Jennylyn Mercado and newcomer Gil Cuerva.Yes! I’m so excited with this project. It’s going to air in GMA soon and I know that many are already waiting for this because of its huge popularity. I play the role of Winston in the story.

He will provide the love triangle factor.”

The singer-host-actor-model reveals that he had to make some sacrifices for his character in the program.

“I had to lose weight to complement Jen and Gil’s looks. But it’s worth it!”

Christian says people should really support their upcoming prime time offering.

“For one, it offers a fresh combination. It’s my first time to work opposite Jen and Gil. Direk Joyce Bernal also made sure that the soap would have a glossy look, like a movie. For sure, viewers will fall in love with it,” he points out.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017

LJ Reyes

Awardwinning actress Jaclyn Jose top bills GMA Network's newest afternoon soap

Kim Domingo

H

OW does a woman protect her home from the break-in of another woman?

Beginning today, wives will get even with their philandering husbands in GMA Network’s sexy dramedy series, D’ Originals.

Kapuso Network’s latest Afternoon Prime offering is the hilarious story of three wives and their scuffles with three women who disrupt their quiet, domestic lives.

Top billed by 2016 Cannes Best Actress, Jaclyn Jose, D’ Originals also features 2016 Gawad Urian Best Actress LJ Reyes and “Bagong Pantasya ng Bayan” Kim Domingo.

Together with Katrina Halili, Jestoni Alarcon, Mark Herras, Meg Imperial, Archie Alemania, and Lovely Abella, the stellar cast brings to life a sexy comedy drama about three wives, their husbands and the mistresses between them.

Jaclyn plays the domestic diva whose prowess in the kitchen is matched only by her rival, Katrina. Jestoni, meanwhile, plays the role of Jaclyn’s used-to-be loyal husband who strays when faced with the excitement of an affair at mid-life.

LJ is an entrepreneur who is forced to be the family’s breadwinner when husband Mark chooses to sit it out at home while waiting

for his dream job. When his wife becomes too busy for his amorous advances, he finds more than enough comfort in the company of his sister-in-law, Lovely.

Kim plays a sexy Zumba instructor who has become a veteran of husband Archie’s numerous affairs. However, the latest woman, Meg, is proving to be more destructive than usual. To top it off, the other woman reveals a secret that shocks the life out of the legal wife.

In an interview, Jaclyn shares what makes D’ Originals different from other shows about married couples. “[It’s] experimental—dramedy sa hapon.

Tungkol ito sa mga kababaihan na may asawa, at ang mga asawa nila ay may other women. Light ito at situational, ‘yung mga nangyayari talaga sa totoong buhay,” she says.

LJ is looking forward to the series to start airing on GMA Afternoon Prime. “We’re very excited kasi hindi siya basta-basta soap, based on reality talaga siya. May studies din silang

From left: "D' Originals" support cast Meg Imperial, Mark Herras, Jestoni Alarcon, and Katrina Halili

Most preferred network for news, entertainment in March MORE Filipino households in the country prefer watching ABSCBN’s news and entertainment programs.

This is according to data from Kantar Media for March that showed nine out of the top 10 most watched programs nationwide were produced by ABS-CBN. The Kapamilya Network also scored an average audience share of 46 percent in both urban and rural homes in the country, a 12-point lead over GMA’s audience share of 34 percent.

FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano is still the most watched entertainment program, hitting an average national TV rating of 39.9 percent.

Filipinos are still hooked on the series’ action-packed plot that not only teaches them good values but also promotes crime awareness.

When it comes to news, primetime newscast TV Patrol remains as the most watched news program in the country with an average national TV rating of 30.7 percent versus 24 Oras, which posted only 19.8 percent. More Filipinos tune in to the timely and relevant stories delivered

by TV Patrol led by anchors Noli De Castro, Bernadette Sembrano, and Ted Failon.

Korina Sanchez’s Rated K, meanwhile, topped all current affairs programs with an average national TV rating of 24.1 percent.

Primetime Bida teleseryes My Dear Heart (28.7 percent), Wildflower (21 percent), and A

Love to Last (17.9 percent) also made it to the top 10 as they continue to captivate viewers with different stories about love and family. Heart’s family keeps holding on to their faith that their little angel will soon get well in My Dear Heart, Ivy carries on with her quest to seek justice for her parents and save Poblacion Ardiente from the ruling oligarch family in Wildflower, and Anton and Andeng continue to fight for their love in hopes of winning the hearts of their respective families.

Viewers also watched the heartwarming and inspiring stories

ginawa. May na-interview silang mga totoong tao. Based on experiences talaga,” she shares.

Having played the role of the other woman in her last teleserye, Kim welcomes her role in this new show, adding that while the show deals with a serious topic, they will see to it that viewers have a good laugh, too. “Hindi ito ‘yung tipo na mga original na asawa na kapag nahuli nila yung asawa nila na may kabit, ‘yung tipong katapusan na ng mundo. Ito, idadaan nila sa mas magaan, may halong comedy,” she says.

Joining them are Mikoy Morales, Arny Ross, Elyson De Dios, and Chlaui Malayao. This sexy dramedy series is directed by Adolf Alix, Jr. Three wives. Three mistresses. Three misters. How will the originals keep the other women from ruining their relationship with their husbands?

Don’t miss the faceoff between the originals and the mistresses in D’ Originals beginning GMA Afternoon Prime, today.

of Filipinos overcoming struggles in MMK (31.1 percent) as well as the relevant dramatization of reallife cases that teach them their legal rights in Ipaglaban Mo (19.8 percent).

The values-laden and modern fantasy stories brought by Wansapanataym is also a hit, especially among young viewers, as it garnered an average national TV rating of 36.8 percent.

ABS-CBN’s comedy and talentvariety shows Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids (35.6 percent), Home Sweetie Home (26.3 percent), It’s Showtime (Saturday) (23.8

percent), and Goin Bulilit (22.5 percent) did not get left behind as they continue to provide bonding opportunities for the family.

ABS-CBN once again ruled primetime (6 p.m.-12 midnight), where it scored an average audience share of 50 percent compared to GMA’s 33 percent.

The primetime block is the most important part of the day when most Filipinos watch TV and advertisers put a larger chunk of their investment in to reach more consumers effectively.

ABS-CBN also beat GMA in March in other areas. More viewers tuned in to the Kapamilya network in Total Balance Luzon with an average national audience share of 47 percent versus GMA’s 35 percent, in Total Luzon with 42 percent versus GMA’s 36 percent, in Total Visayas with 53 percent versus GMA’s 29 percent, and in Total Mindanao with 55 percent versus GMA’s 30 percent.

ABS-CBN is home to the nation’s top-rating TV programs, box-office films, and best-selling books and music. With the ability to harness the latest in technology and innovation, the company is rapidly transitioning into an agile digital company with the biggest online presence among all media companies, and a growing list of digital properties. ABS-CBN was also first in the country to offer content online and on mobile, and even pioneered digital television in the nation.

Who will be Asia’s Next Superstar?

AXN kicked off its search for Asia’s next global superstar on April 10, as the leading general entertainment channel calls for online auditions for the highly anticipated second season of Asia’s Got Talent.

The record-breaking series, which crowned Filipino shadow dance group, El Gamma Penumbra, the grand winner in the first season with a cash prize of $100,000, will once again unite Asia in a celebration of talent that transcends language, culture and borders.

“Asia’s Got Talent is the world’s biggest talent competition and we encourage people of any age and with any dream to come forward and take the spotlight.

Following the outstanding success of season one on AXN, and the awe-inspiring talent that emerged from 15 countries, Asia’s Got Talent has established its place as the region’s most powerful platform to launch aspiring stars,” said Virginia Lim, senior vice president and head of Content, Production and Marketing, Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia.

Potential stars can visit www.AXN-Asia.com/ AsiasGotTalent to submit an application and audition video, which should include a short introduction of the act, and the actual performance. The videos should be under two minutes’ in duration.

In addition to the online auditions, AXN will hold a series of open auditions in major cities across the region next month. Cities, dates and venues will be announced in the coming weeks via AXN’s TV channel, social platforms (@AXNAsia) and website.

“For season two, AXN is looking for a variety of acts that span everything from thrilling, surprising and breathtaking to funny and quirky…and sometimes bizarre. Asia’s Got Talent is captivating entertainment at its best and there’s no better place than Asia to discover to the next generation of superstars,” said. Lim.