Manila Standard - 2017 May 06 - Saturday

VOL. XXXI • NO. 81 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

HAND SIGNAL. United Nations Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard addresses a narcotics forum in Manila at the start of her two-day unannounced visit, angering President Rodrigo Duterte whose war on illegal drugs she has vowed to look into. Malacañang described Callamard’s surprise visit as a ‘clear signal’ she was not interested in an objective view of the drug situation. AFP/ MALACAÑANG

UN rapporteur draws flak ‘Surprise visit’ defies protocol, Palace complains CA solons hit ‘lobby money’ talk

By Macon Araneta SEVERAL members of the Commission on Appointments took offense with President Rodrigo Duterte’s remark on “money talks” in the rejection of Regina Lopez as secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

“It is a sweeping assault not only on the integrity of the members of the Commission on Appointments [CA] who voted for rejection but the CA itself, being an independent constitutional body, Senator Panfilo Lacson said.

Another CA member from the House contingent, Rep. Julieta Cortuna cried foul over insinuation that business interest swated the bicameral panel in voting against Lopez. It was never enough that Lopez had “passion for the job,” Cortuna said.

“Leadership for me is a comprehensive job that needs technical expertise and above all

DND chief: I’d rather end talks with communists those who do not pay “revoBut Communist Party of

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera and Florante S. Solmerin lutionary taxes,” Lorenzana the Philippines founder Jose DAVAO CITY—Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that if he were to decide, he would rather stop the peace negotiations with the communist rebels.

Speaking with the media during the Regional Peace and Order Council meeting here, Lorenzana denounced the New People’s Army NPA for burning down the Lapanday box and plastic plant last week.

Instead of building confidence in the peace process, the NPA continue to extort money from companies, and punish

said.

The Defense chief said they have submitted their recommendations to the ceasefire committee, which is working on the provisions of a bilateral ceasefire.

“If there will be a ceasefire, extortion should stop... burning of equipment, kidnapping and harassment to big or small companies should also stop for us to proceed with the ceasefire,” he said.

Lorenzana also said that the government should not give a buffer zone to the communists since this would be akin to giving them their own territory.

Ma. Sison said the NPA has the right to attack government troops, despite ongoing talks.

“In the absence of a ceasefire agreement of any kind, the NPA has all the right to engage in active self-defense and counteroffensives,” Sison said.

He also said the government should not question the CPP’s sincerity if security forces continue to engage in an allout war against the NPA. “Surrender of the revolutionary forces and people under the guise of [an] indefinite ceasefire agreement should not be a measure of their sinNext page cerity,” he said.

By John Paolo Bencito and Maricel V. Cruz

M

ALACAÑANG on Friday said that it will direct the country’s representatives to the United Nations to file a complaint against UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial and Summary Executions Agnes Callamard after she failed to notify the government of her visit to Manila this week.

In Manila on an “academic” visit until May 8, Callamard described President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs as “illconceived” and warned that it would only make the country’s drug problem worse.

Expressing disappointment over Callamard’s unannounced visit, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella criticized the UN rapporteur as unprofessional for failing to inform the government of her visit. This, he added, was a “clear signal” she was not interested in an objective view of the drug situation.

“This is a matter we have asked our representatives at the United Nations to take up with their United Nations counterparts and it is something our delegation in Geneva will certainly be raising during their current visit,” Abella said.

“Our position is very clear, if Dr. Callamard is committed to Next page

Senate to probe train deal

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

Next page

THE Senate will again summon previous Transportation officials in a legislative inquiry after Senator Grace Poe, head of the public services committee, decided to focus on “unusable” trains worth P3.8 billion that the government had ordered from a Chinese train maker.

Poe filed Senate Resolution 355 to look into the newly delivered twin-section light rail vehicles built by Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock Co. Next page

Isolation for NoKor sought WASHINGTON―US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged his Southeast Asian colleagues on Thursday to take further steps to isolate North Korea’s pariah regime.

President Donald Trump’s top diplomat met foreign ministers and top envoys from the 10-strong Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Washington.

In Manila, Senator Richard Gordon called on the Senate to support the International Red Cross and the Red Cross Movement’s bid to achieve a world without nuclear weapons to protect humanity.

He made the statement following a statement from North Korea’s state-controlled media saying America’s “military provocations” risked triggering a nuclear conflict.

He filed Senate Resolution 349 expressing the full support of the Senate of the Next page

US proposal to curb arms sale to PNP

By John Paolo Bencito Scores of priest under the National Priest Organization of the Iglesia Filipina March on Elliptical Road in Quezon City in a protest action against extrajudicial killings and in support of the peace process. Manny Palmero

Pinoys supportive of death penalty revival—Pulse Asia

By John Paolo Bencito MOST Filipinos remain supportive of President Rodrigo Duterte’s bid to reinstate capital punishment despite a significant 14-point drop recorded in less than a year since

he took office, the latest Pulse Asia survey revealed.

The survey, conducted among 1,200 respondents, showed that 67 percent supported the death penalty, a marked decline from 81 percent who did in July 2016.

At the same time, those who disagreed with the imposition of the death penalty on those who committed heinous crimes grew in number, from 11 percent in July 2016 to 25 percent in March 2017. Those who remained un-

decided stayed at eight percent.

Among those who support the death penalty, 97 percent said it should be applied to rape; 88 percent said it should be applied to murder; and 71 percent said it should be imposed for dug pushing. Next page

TWO American legislators on Thursday introduced a legislation seeking to restrict the exportation of arms by the United States to the Philippine National Police amid concerns over the growing number of extrajudicial killings under President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on Next page drugs.

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SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

4 accused in Korean’s slay plead ‘not guilty’

By Rey E. Requejo RAFAEL Dumlao, former head of the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group, and three other accused have pleaded not guilty to the abduction of Marisa Dawis Morquicho, the maid of slain South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo. Dumlao and Senior Police Officer 3 Ricky Santa Isabel, SPO4 Roy Villegas and Jerry Omlang are facing kidnapping and serious illegal detention and carjacking cases before a trial court in Angeles City.

They are accused of abducting Morquicho who, along with Jee, was abducted from Jee’s house in the Friendship Plaza Subdivision in Pampanga in October 2016. Their vehicle was also taken.

“Arraigned in a language known and understood by them, each accused in the presence and with the assistance of their respective counsels pleaded not guilty of each offense charged,” the court said.

The court set the pre-trial of the case on July 19.

The four defendants are also accused of homicide in Jee’s death together with Gream Funeral Services owner Gerardo Santiago who has been charged as an accessory.

The arraignment for homicide is set on May 31.

Last month, the Justice department approved the indictment of Dumlao and the other accused for the kidnap-slaying of Jee after its prosecutors found probable cause againsThat paved the way for the department’s filing before the Angeles City RTC, Branch 58, criminal cases against Dumlao, Jerry Omlang, a striker or errand boy in the National Bureau of Investigation who surrendered and confessed to his participation in the crime, and Gerardo Santiago, the retired police officer who owns the Gream funeral parlor where Jee’s body was cremated.

Dumlao and Omlang were both named principal accused in the kidnapping for ransom with homicide, while Santiago has been charged as an accessory.

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there are existing laws that no one should be above of,” said Cortuna of A Teacher party-list.

Lacson, an ally of the President, said he thinks the President’s claim is not only unfortunate but inappropriate and uncalled for.

While I am sure the president’s “lobby money talks” comment does not apply to me, Lacson said he had already cited his reasons for rejecting Lopez.

“I am almost sure, those members who are his staunchest allies in both houses of Congress, will not cast their votes without first seeking his guidance. Just to be clear, I am not referring to myself in this regard.

Lacson said the commission rejected Lopez because she was not qualified for the job.

Surigao de Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers for his part said Lopez and her advisers did her in. “The policies she implemented seemed not well thought of,” Barbers said.

Worse, Lacson said, Lopez admittedly arrogated unto herself the authority that is not prescribed under the existing laws of the land.

“That makes her potentially dangerous as a department head. Further, she has authoritarian tendencies,” Lacson said.

“On a personal note, I hate being intimidated and pressured in the performance of my duties as a legislator and member of the CA,” he added.

The senator said Lopez’s supporters can speculate all they want why he voted to reject her confirmation but “these are my reasons and nothing more.”

Lacson said the confirmation of a presidential appointee always follows two basic criteria: Fitness and qualification. Passion and enthusiasm do not automatically translate to these, he said.

Rep. Gus Tambunting of Parañaque City said that the rejection by CA “affirms that mining is a crucial issue that needs a closer look by government and the people.”

While it is important to protect the environment, Tambunting said, “we need a chief regulator who sees all angles and is ready to be flexible while being firm.”

For his part Rep. Rodolfo Albano III of Isabela accused Lopez of “mounting an intense media campaign,” pointing out that “she is a member of a highly powerful media and business family.”

He said this was the reason why the CA decided to discuss her case in an executive session to allow a free and uninhibited exchange of opinions and in order to make a fair decision.

“Where playing to the crowd can disrupt the orderly flow of the proceedings, it was only prudent for the commission to adopt those rules,” he said.

Tax cuts for IPPs okayed

By John Paolo Bencito

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has issued an executive order allowing the reduction of the real property taxes of the independent power producers with Build-Operate-Transfer contracts and the condonation of their penalties.

He issued the order despite earlier criticizing the previous administration for doing the same.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea signed Executive Order 19 on April 27 but released it only on Thursday night.

The order allows the condonation of the real property tax liabilities for

2015 and 2016 “on property, machinery and equipment actually and directly used by the IPPs for the production of electricity” under the BOT scheme and other similar contracts with government-owned and -controlled corporations.

Under the new EO, the real property taxes of the IPPs will be reduced

“to an amount equivalent to the tax due if the computed based on an assessment level of 15 percent of the fair market value of the said property, machinery and equipment depreciated at a rate of two percent per annum, less any amounts paid by the IPPs.” “All interests on such deficiency real property tax liabilities are also hereby condoned and the concerned IPPs are relieved from payment thereof,” the EO says.

The order says the payment of such taxes “will trigger massive direct liabilities” on the part of the National Power Corp. and the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. and will threaten their financial stability, the government’s fiscal consolidation, the sta-

bility of energy prices and will trigger cross-defaults.

The previous administration had issued Executive Order 173 in 2014, which restrained all local government units from imposing real property taxes and penalties on power plant operators that are under contract with the National Power Corp.

The measure aimed to shield the IPPs from being assessed real property taxes by a number LGUs that do not recognize the tax exemptions extended by state-run Napocor under their BOT contracts.

Malacañang then took the position that real property taxes had been contractually assumed by Napocor.

Aquino likewise issued Executive Order 27 in 2011 condoning a por-

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TRAIN TECH. Light Rail Transit Authority Administrator Reynaldo Berroya (left) launches the Passenger Assist-Rail Display System project at LRT-2 in Cubao Quezon City. PARDS is designed for LRT-2 commuters to receive real time communications provided by an all-Filipino technology company. Manny Palmero

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He also said the issue of a ceasefire “should not come ahead of a substantial agreement like CASER and the long promised amnesty and release of all political prisoners listed by the NDFP.” Sison said the “real test of sincerity” for both panels is the willingness to address “the roots of the civil war with social, economic and political reforms” to lay the basis for a “just and lasting peace.”

In a statement Wednesday, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza said while the fifth round of talks with the communists would push through in The Netherlands from May 27 to June 1, he said he was dismayed by the NPA’s attacks that led him to question their sincerity in pursuing peace negotiations with the government.

The communists signed a joint interim ceasefire with the government during the last round of talks in The

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But the trains intended for Metro Rail Transit 3 are said to be inoperative because those have an incompatible signaling system intended to keep safe distances between trains.

“The body of the train was made in China, the signaling system in South Korea and the engine from Germany, so one can say that it’s the biggest chopchop coming from different countries,” Poe said.

“Let’s say it’s not unusual to have parts from different countries, but at least the delivery should have the complete package.

“But what we’ve seen during the last administration, the first round of delivery, it was such a hype. We had trains without engines so they could not run.”

Poe made her statement even as several cause-oriented groups on Friday filed graft charges against former Transportation secretary Joseph Emilio

Isolation...

From A1 Philippines to the appeal of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement for the elimination of nuclear weapons.

North Korea is under UN sanctions targeting its efforts to develop a nuclear missile arsenal, but Washington wants its Asian allies to do more.

Deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Patrick

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From A1 The Palace scoffed at the bill, however, saying the country has “plenty of arms” available.

In filing the bill, Democrat Senator Ben Cardin and Republican Senator Marco Rubio expressed

Netherlands, but the NPA attacks in Davao and Quirino province have led to calls for the government to drop the negotiations and pursue an all-out war.

The military said Friday that David Soriano, leader of the NPA tagged in the murder of a town mayor in 2014, was arrested Thursday afternoon at a police checkpoint in Penablanca, Cagayan.

The military report said Soriano alias Jerome Antonio or Colly was arrested at 5 p.m. in Zone 2, Barangay Camasi, along with another person.

Soriano and his companion were on board a gray Hyundai Starex when they were stopped at a police checkpoint.

In April 2014, the police tagged Soriano as the leader of an eight-man team that attack and killed Carlito Pentecostes Jr., then mayor of Gonzaga town, while the victim was in the middle of delivering his speech after a flag raising ceremony.

The military said Soriano’s group operates in the towns of Baggao, Gattaran, Amulung, Alcala, Sto. Niño, Ri-

zal, Lasam, Allacapan, Gonzaga, Sta. Teresita, Aparri, Claveria, Ballesteros, Abulug, Pamplona, and Sanchez Mira, all in Cagayan, Calanasan, Flora, Pudtol and Sta. Marcela in Apayao.

In December 2015, the Lasam Municipal Police Station located in Western Cagayan also blamed Soriano for the killing of the police officer Ronel Palor Saturno who was gunned down inside his bar.

Saturno, an intelligence officer, was responsible for the raid by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency of a shabu laboratory in the town.

President Rodrigo Duterte named the town’s incumbent mayor, Marjorie Salazar, as among a long list of suspected local elective officials involved in narco-politics.

Saturno’s family believed his death was work-related.

Saturno and Soriano, natives of Sta. Teresita town and Lasam town, were “comrades” for some time during their college days in Tuguegarao City in the early 1990s. With John Paolo Bencito

Abaya at the Office of the Ombudsman over the purchase of allegedly defective train coaches from China.

The Anti-Trapo Movement of the Philippines, Liga ng Eksplosibong Pagbabago and United Filipino Consumers and Commuters filed the complaint through lawyer Al Vitangcol III, former general manager of the MRT3 who was dismissed by former President Benigno Aquino III after engaging Abaya in a public quarrel over the MRT contracts.

The three groups accused Abaya and the other former Transportation officials of graft for entering into a P3.8billion contract with Chinese supplier Dalian Locomotive & Rolling Stock Co. for the 48 light rail vehicles.

Poe said her panel will invite Abaya, ex-MRT 3 general manager Roman Buenafe and other officials involved in the purchase of the LRVs, as well as current Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade and Undersecretary for Rails Cesar Chavez.

She said questions remained as to why the previous administration failed to

check the compatibility of the design of the trains despite the hype about MRT’s capacity expansion and claims that more commuters would be accommodated.

“There’s something that they [past Transport officials] didn’t do, that’s why these things aren’t compatible... The parts that they ordered aren’t even compatible with each other,” said Poe, referring to the 49,000-kg weight of the Dalian trains but the existing rails could only carry a maximum of 48,000 kilograms.

She said the Senate “should ensure a safe, decent and efficient public transportation systems; thus inept and corrupt government officials should not go unpunished for entering into anomalous and patently disadvantageous contracts in the public transportation sector.”

At the same time, Poe called for an inquiry into MRT’s maintenance contract with Busan Universal Rail Inc., a Filipino-Korean joint venture that started maintenance and restoration works in January 2016 on the aging MRT, which has been operating since 2000.

With Maricel V. Cruz

Murphy told reporters that North Korea’s foreign missions were suspiciously large.

These embassies, he suggested, were not just diplomatic bases but served to help Pyongyang illegally to evade sanctions and to carry out other “nefarious acts.”

And he cited as an example the murder with a nerve agent in February of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un’s brother Kim Jong-Nam in a Malaysian airport.

“And so countries have agreed, and in some cases have limited the size or

reduced the size of the North Korean diplomatic presence in their countries,” Murphy said.

“Some countries are taking a look at the presence of North Korean workers, which, again, is another revenue stream for North Korea, and is this appropriate?”

Murphy stressed that ties with Pyongyang were a sovereign matter for Asean states, but confirmed that Tillerson had urged them to review their positions. AFP, with Macon Ramos-Araneta

opposition to America’s planned sale of some 26,000 assault rifles to the PNP and called for a public health approach to problem of illegal drugs.

“President Duterte has unleashed a campaign of extrajudicial killings in his country that has horrified the international community. Mr. Duterte must handle criminal issues through

the rule of law and allow drug addicts access to the public health services and treatment they deserve. In the absence of such actions, this legislation is clear in its support for the Filipino people and the importance of our alliance, but also the consequences if Mr. Duterte’s actions continue,” said Cardin, a ranking member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

ensuring due process to our government and a truly objective assessment of our record on an issue of tremendous importance to our nation, she should be in Geneva meeting with our representatives,” he said, echoing the position of the Department of Foreign Affairs, which said she should speak with the country’s representatives at the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva, Switzerland.

“If she has indeed arrived in the Philippines at this time, this puts her motives and sincerity in question especially since the country will be undergoing the UPR review in the next few days and the country’s HR [human rights] officials are all in Geneva and have even sought a meeting with her there,” DFA spokesperson Robespierre Bolivar said.

“It’s unfortunate that the Philippine delegation to the UPR will not be able to meet her in Geneva. The date for the Philippines’ review under the UPR process has been set some time ago and she is aware of this,” he added.

Abella said Callamard arrived “in a manner that circumvents all recognized United Nations protocols for such visits.”

“We are disappointed that, in not contacting our government in advance of this visit, she has sent a clear signal that she is not interested in getting an objective perspective,” Duterte’s spokesman said.

“The fact that Dr. Callamard did not respond to our invitation showed that she would not be approaching her review of allegations concerning our country objectively or comprehensively,” he added.

Callamard previously branded the Philippines as “one of the worst places right now outside an armed conflict situation” following the thousands of killings as a result of Duterte’s war on drugs.

In her address before academicians at the University of the Philippines on Friday, she warned that the Philippines will suffer “perverse consequences of ill-thought-out drug policies” if the government will not listen to “better ways; other options, and better options” in responding to the drug menace.

“In April 2016, the general assembly of the world’s government recognized explicitly that the ‘war on drugs’—be it community-based, national or global—does not work,” said Callamard, whose said she is not here on an official basis.

“Many harms associated with drugs are not caused by drugs, but by the negative impacts of badly thought-out drug policies,” she added.

Among consequences of the bloody drug war if left unaddressed, Callamard said, were extrajudicial and gang-related killings, a breakdown of the rule of law, vigilante crimes, torture, ill treatment of prisoners, sexual violence, prolonged

tion of the P6 billion in back taxes owed by the Pagbilao Power Station in Quezon, which supplies energy to almost a tenth of Luzon, to save it from an auction.

The local government of Pagbilao and the provincial government of Quezon had pressured Team Energy Corp., the power plant owner, to pay real estate taxes, penalties, and other back taxes from 1997 to 2010 amounting to P6 billion.

That move, however, did not sit well with Duterte, who said last September that he would run after oligarchs and reverse the condonation for real property taxes and penalties on power plant operators that are under contract with National Power Corp. detention, detention in rehabilitation centers without trial and non-consensual experimental treatment.

“Badly thought-out, ill-conceived drug policies not only fail to address substantively drug dependency, drug-related criminality, and the drug trade, they add more problems, as has been well documented around the world,” she said.

The French rapporteur also emphasized that this way of combating drug abuse and trafficking makes the situation worse.

“The joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem is a call for action, but not to any action: according to the world’s leaders there are other ways, better ways; evidence-based, scientific ways, of combating drug abuse and trafficking—ways that do not make matters worse,” she said.

Callamard, who earlier gained the ire of Duterte for her statements condemning his war on illegal drugs, earlier called for the lifting of preconditions the government has set for her to investigate allegations of extrajudicial executions committed by state forces, particularly the police.

Duterte had earlier accused her of breaking protocol when she allegedly jumped to conclusions based on unverified media reports that the President was promoting extrajudicial killings in the country, “which is not consistent with the protocols established under the rules of her office and the protocols of the United Nations.”

Duterte even challenged the rapporteur for a public debate to prove her allegations on the extrajudicial killings, but she refused.

In an interview with reporters, Callamard said the Philippine government is free to monitor her unofficial visit to the Philippines.

“They are entitled to monitor me—absolutely. I am here at the invitation of the university and of the task force and I will participate in the discussion—the only contribution and work that I will be doing over the next two days,” she said.

Callamard called on stakeholders to help in developing proposals “with and for the government of the Philippines,” on an effective and sustainable way to address the drug menace, “taking into account the country’s specific situation, history and context, as well as its multiple assets and opportunities.”

At the same time, she praised those who spoke out against Duterte’s drug war.

“I have followed testimonies of the relatives of victims, I have seen the brave work of civil society actors, lawyers, human rights defenders, academics, senators,” she said.

“I have heard debates between politicians, explanations by government officials, and indeed I have watched footage too of police and military men—and all saying there are other ways; better ways; other options, and better options.”

The government appeared to be caught off guard by Callamard’s unannounced trip. With AFP

Only 46 percent said death should be meted out for kidnapping, and an even lower 33 percent said it should be applied to plunderers.

On the other hand, most Filipinos—about 55 percent—said the lowest age of criminal liability in the Philippines should be 15 years old, despite President Duterte’s push to lower it to nine.

This was an opinion shared by big pluralities to sizable majorities across geographic areas and socio-economic classes, compared to Duterte’s suggestion for nine years old (9 percent) or 12

years old (20 percent).

Those in Luzon (63 percent) are in favor of keeping the minimum age of criminal liability at 15, followed by those in Mindanao (53 percent), Metro Manila (47 percent), and the Visayas (45 percent.)

Across socioeconomic classes, those in the poorest economic classes are in favor of keeping the minimum age of criminal liability to 15 , with Class E at 58 percent and Class D at 55 percent. The current setup is also favored by those in Class ABC at 48 percent.

The latest survey, conducted from March 15 to 20, has a ±3 points sampling error margin at the 95 percent confidence level.

“Senator Rubio and I recognize the Philippines is one of America’s oldest friends and allies, and that is why we are committed to the health and well-being of this relationship, and the fundamental human rights of the Filipino people,” he added.

The legislator also took note of the Philippines’ human rights record, with more than 7,000 drug

suspects killed since President Duterte took office.

Authorities dispute the number, saying it is actually 2,692 people who have been killed.

Rubio, meanwhile, stressed the longstanding alliance between the US and the Philippines as reason for America’s concern for the human rights situation in the country.

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SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Customs buying more ‘drug dogs’ THE Bureau of Customs will buy a new batch of K-9 Narcotic Detection Dogs or NDDs to be deployed in all the bureau’s district ports to help its efforts in securing the country’s borders against the entry of illegal drugs.

At least 26 NDDs will augment the existing operations of the agency’s Enforcement Group in the bureau’s intensified anti-drugs campaign, EG Deputy Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said Friday.

“The seriousness of the problem of drug trafficking has prompted us to find more efficient measures that will help us in our job to curb the proliferation of illegal drugs in the country,” he said.

Apart from its X-ray Inspection Project, K9 NDD Teams have been proven to be effective in finding and verifying shipments or baggage suspected to contain prohibited substances.

“Through the active participation of K9 NDDs in the anti-illegal drug operations of the Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force, the bureau has been able to prevent the entry of a large volume of dangerous drugs into the country,” Nepomuceno said.

Vito Barcelo

Death of ComVal farmer condemned FARMERS, indigenous and Moro peoples trooped to Camp Aguinaldo on Friday to condemn the killing of another lumad peasant-activist in Compostela Valley.

The groups also protested against the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Oplan Kapayapaan that is in full-swing, and “attacking farmers in peasant communities nationwide.”

Federico “Pande” Plaza of Maragusan, Compostela Valley was shot and killed by assailants believed to be military elements last May 3, the protesters said.

Tanggol Magsasaka, a watchdog monitoring human rights violations against rural sectors, said Plaza is the 35th victim of political killing in Mindanao, bringing the documented number of victims of politically-motivated extra judicial killings under the Duterte administration to 51.

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas repeated the call of peasants and fisher folks to pull out troops from Mindanao, particularly the 71st (Kaibigan) and 46th Infantry Battalions under the 10th Division (Agila) of the Philippine Army.

“These military units are specifically targeting farmers and indigenous people struggling against land grabbing, destructive mining and militarization. These military elements have virtually made Compostela Valley their killing fields,” said peasant leader Pedro Arnado of KMP-Southern Mindanao Region. Sandy Araneta

JAIL INSPECTION. National Capital Region Police Chief Director Oscar D. Albayalde (right), accompanied by Manila Police District Chief Supt. Joel Napoleon Coronel (left), inspects the situation of detainees with drug-related cases at the jail along UN Avenue in Manila, in the aftermath of the secret jail cell controversy in another MPD station last week.

Norman Cruz

23 Abu Sayyaf surrender to troops in Basilan, Sulu Z AMBOANGA CITY—Twenty-three members of the Abu Sayyaf Group have surrendered in a week due to the relentless military operations against the bandits in the provinces of Basilan and Sulu, a top military commander here said Friday.

Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command, announced that 19 Abu Sayyaf bandits surrendered in Basilan, while the remaining four yielded in Sulu.

“We expect to receive more Abu Sayyaf members who will surrender in the coming days, as even top leaders of the group are already sending feelers for their possible surrender,” Galvez said.

“We will continue to pound on the remaining Abu Sayyaf

members until we get the last of them. With the solid support and backing we are getting from the local government units, the traditional and religious leaders, from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front, we are positive that we will all be successful in this fight against terrorism,” he added.

The 19 Basilan-based Abu Sayyaf bandits, including two sub-leaders, surrendered on Thursday in two separate groups.

Col. Juvymax Uy, commander of the Joint Task Force Basilan, said the two sub-leaders, namely Nur Hassan Lahaman, alias Hassan, and Mudz-Ar Angkun, alias Mapad Ladjaman, surrendered along with 13 followers to the 64th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Tumahubong, Sumisip, Basilan.

Uy said Hassan is based in the municipality of Tuburan, while Mapad camped in Sumisip.

The 15 ASGs also laid down nine high powered firearms, including a caliber .50 sniper rifle, an M16 rifle, an M79 40mm grenade launcher, five Garand rifles and one caliber .30 Springfield rifle.

Galvez said the surrender was made possible through the joint efforts of the Joint Task Force Basilan, the Basilan Provincial Police Office, and the Sumisip

Local Government Unit under Mayor Gulam Hataman.

Another four ASG members, who are based in Hadji Mohammad Ajul town, also surrendered on Thursday, he said.

They were identified as Patta Salapuddin, alias Patta, 53; Asbi Salapuddin, alias Asbi, 32; Sayyadi Salapuddin, alias Saya, 31; and, Arci Salapuddin alias Arc, 20.

They were allegedly involved in the March 23 hijacking and abduction of two crew members of M/T Tug R9 towing Super Shuttle Roro 9 off Basilan province. The two seamen were rescued separately.

All 19 Basilan-based Abu Sayyaf surrenderers are now undergoing processing and debriefing at the provincial police headquarters.

In Sulu, four ASG members also surrendered last week to the

government authorities.

Husain Nasirin and Hasir Asara of Patikul, Sulu surrendered to the 501st Infantry Brigade under Brig. Gen. Jose Faustino Jr. in Bud Datu, Barangay Tagbak, Indanan.

The others who surrendered in Sulu were identified as Udon Hussein, alias Udon Hasim, 40, and Haidal Kimar, 25. Both are residents of Panglima Estino.

“The Abu Sayyaf members from Sulu are among the most notorious and among the most difficult to go after. However, this recent accomplishment only proves that the landscape in the area is indeed changing,” Galvez said.

At least 40 Abu Sayyaf members have already surrendered to the government since January this year, the Army said.

Francisco Tuyay with PNA

‘Collect taxes before imposing them’ Tagbilaran

By Maricel V. Cruz A LAWMAKER on Friday warned Congress against enacting a proposed measure imposing additional taxes on fuel and yet exempting oil smugglers and corrupt state revenue collectors from prosecution.

Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. cautioned his colleagues against passing the Palace-backed comprehensive tax reform measure that was approved by the House committee on ways and means on Wednesday, even as he stressed the need for government to improve revenue collections first before passing a new tax measure.

Citing a statement by Finance Undersecretary Karl Chua during a congressional briefing on the proposal, Teves said the DoF official admitted that government can easily raise P230 billion annually if only the Bu-

reau of Customs can ensure efficient revenue collection.

That amount is P16 billion over the estimated P214 billion government expects to gain from imposing the P6 per liter excise tax on diesel fuel as proposed under the bill.

“Before we start imposing additional taxes, we should first improve our collection on present tax and duties due the government,” Teves stated.

“When we have already collected all taxes due the government and find out there is still a deficiency, that’s the time to impose additional tax measures.”

Teves, who chairs the House committee on dangerous drugs, lamented that instead of taking a determined bid to plug tax loopholes and strictly implement tax laws, government finance managers “opted for an easier way out” by pushing Congress into passing additional taxes, particularly on fuel.

He warned that enacting the measure will impact on the lives of majority of Filipinos “who are mostly law abiding.”

“Why are we making the citizenry take the burden of additional taxes when the needed funds can be collected by the Bureau of Customs if they just do better with their mandate?” Teves said.

Should the Duterte government be successful in winning the war against drugs and criminality, Teves said there can be no reason why it cannot guarantee victory in battling smugglers, tax evaders, and corruption in the BoC and the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

“This is the easiest way out. Imposing new taxes to raise government revenues instead of raising money through efficient tax collection and strict execution of revenue laws is what the bill intends to achieve,” said Teves.

Bello: OFW Bank to open September

By Vito Barcelo

DEMOLITION. Workers of the Manila City Government tear down illegal stalls and structures around the Light Rail Transit station at C.M. Recto Avenue corner Evangelista St. in Manila. Norman Cruz

THE Overseas Filipino Workers Bank will start operations in September this year with an initial capital of P3 billion, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said Friday.

Bello said the OFW bank, which is partly owned by OFWs themselves, will provide enhanced services and programs for the benefit and ease of millions of Filipino workers abroad.

“The OFW Bank will cater to the remittance and other banking needs of Filipino migrant workers all over the world,” he said.

“The creation of the OFW Bank is one of our initiatives to benefit our migrant workers. This bank

is dedicated to the needs of our OFWs and will be partly owned by them.”

With an authorized capital of P3 billion and subscribed capital of P2 billion, the OFW Bank will open P1 billion of its capital to OFWs for subscription and to become its part-owners.

The Labor secretary said that the development and issuance of the OFW Identification Card, which will allow easy transactions with government and private agencies, is already under way.

“Using the OFW ID, they can easily access their government records electronically, without the need to go to concerned government offices,” Bello said.

is newest PAL hub to 2 cities

By Joel E. Zurbano

FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines has announced it will mount direct flights from Tagbilaran City in Bohol to Incheon, South Korea and Clark, Pampanga next month as part of its continuing route expansion.

PAL’s direct TagbilaranIncheon and Tagbilaran-Clark flights allow travelers to reach their destinations conveniently with no stopover in Manila.

Beginning June 22 this year, Tagbilaran will become the sixth local city to be linked to an international destination when PAL mounts a chartered service to Incheon.

The airline is presently operating international flights out of Manila, Cebu, Clark, Kalibo in Aklan and Puerto Princesa in Palawan.

PAL spokesperson Ma. Cielo Villaluna said the new service to Incheon departs Tagbilaran at 5:20 p.m. daily, arriving in South Korea six hours later.

“The Tagbilaran-Clark and Clark-Tagbilaran flights, which will start June 23, provide tourists with direct access to Central Luzon and Central Visayas without having to endure Metro Manila’s traffic,” she added.

The Tagbilaran-Clark flight leaves Tagbilaran daily at 6:40 a.m.

PCSO: EXPANDED STL The Only Legal Numbers Game In The Country

T

HE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is focused and stays committed to continue with the expansion of the Small Town Lottery (STL) in the face of allegations made

by Mr. Atong Ang against Chairman Jose Jorge Corpuz and General Manager Alexander Balutan.

General Manager Alexander F. Balutan

PCSO is sincere on the expansion of STL operations in pursuit of its commitment to generate more revenues to fund the various health and charitable programs and projects of PCSO like the Individual Medical Assistance Program (IMAP), Ambulance Donation Program, Medicine Donation Program, Medical and Dental Missions, Calamity Assistance, among others.

As government’s support to the STL expansion, an STL Task Force composed of the Office of the Executive Secretary, Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and PCSO, was created to ensure that the objectives of the game, which include higher tax collection and employment creation, among others, are attained.

Chairman Jose Jorge E. Corpuz

On the other hand, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has also started to raid outlets of Meridien Vista Gaming Corporation, which are illegally operating in various areas of the country.

PCSO assures the public that it is on top of its gaming operations and that Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., who have earlier denied Mr. Ang’s allegations, have no influence on how PCSO implements its STL expansion.

tion of President Duterte has the sales from STL reached almost 1 billion every month.

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the government are serious to put an end to all illegal gambling activities in the country, which do not remit taxes to the Bureau of Internal Revenue

(BIR) and deny the public from getting more needed assistance from the government. PCSO will adhere to its mandate to generate revenues from its game products like Lotto, KENO, Sweepstakes and STL to deliver Serbisyo, Trabaho and Laro to more Filipinos.w

PCSO’s conduct of STL draws follow standard procedures that are transparent and open to the public. Further, the selection of STL Authorized Agent Corporations (AACs) follow a strict process which is clearly laid out in the 2016 revised STL ImplementIn addition, the PNP continues with its fight against ing Rules and Regulations, as published in the ofillegal gambling in the country, wherein 3,202 op- ficial website of the charitable Agency (www.pcso. erations were already conducted from February 3 to gov.ph).

April 20, 2017. A total of 7,254 were arrested from these operations and more than 3 million pesos PCSO started its STL operations in 2006 under the were confiscated by the PNP. administration of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and only under the present administraPCSO Chairman Jose Jorge E. Corpuz (seated 2nd from left), General Manager Alexander F. Balutan (seated 2nd from right), Director Marlon U. Balite (seated right), PNP Deputy Director General Ramon Apolinario (seated left) with (standing L-R) Bureau of Internal Revenue officials Edison Larin and Atty. Greg Buhain, COA-PCSO Supervising Auditor Amelia Peñacerrada and Finance Undersecretary Antonette Tionko during the media launching of Small Town Lottery Expansion. (PCSO photo)

PCSO representative Georgette Asuncion (right) of the Medical Services Department hands the medicines on May 3, 2017 to Elmor Borda (center) of the San Fernando Economic Development Corporation, Inc . (SFED). These medicines will be used by SPED in their upcoming medical and dental mission in 12 barangays namely: Canjalon, Otod, Azarga Campalingo, Panancalan, Poblacion Pili, Taclobo, Espana, Mabulo, Mabini and Agtiwa, which is expected to benefit 500 children ages 1-12 years and 1,000 Senior Citizens. (PCSO photo)

Local Government Executives and Philippine National Police officials from NCR and Province of Cavite pose with PCSO Chairman Jose Jorge Corpuz (right) and General Manager Alexander F. Balutan (left) during a consultative meeting on Small Town Lottery. (PCSO photo)

Illegal Gambling DURUGIN! SA STL BAYAN ANG PANALO!

PCSO SMALL TOWN LOTTERY (STL) INFORMATION Republic Act No. 1169 (as amended), established the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) as the principal government agency for raising and providing funds for health programs, medical assistance and services and charities of national character. It also expressly authorizes PCSO to hold and conduct lotteries and other similar activities in such frequency and manner in accordance with the rules and regulations determined by its Board of Directors. In pursuit of its mandate and directives of the President of the Philippines, the PCSO Board of Directors conducted the experimental test runs for the Small Town Lottery (STL) Operations, and thereafter evaluated its feasibility.

Through Board Resolution No. 2433, Series of 2009, approved on 18 December 2009, STL was declared as one of the regular products of the PCSO. Further, Board Resolution No. 019, Series of 2016, approved the expansion of STL operations in other provinces and cities.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What is STL and what is the legal authority of PCSO STL operations?

3.

To provide an alternative to illegal continuously calls for the assistance from the PNP numbers games/operations and to and if necessary, from the AFP and other law enaide their eradication; and, forcement agencies to curb the illegal gambling activities. PCSO is the only Agency mandated to 4. To provide additional opportunities conduct the legal numbers games in the country for employment. and revenues from these legal games will be used to fund the various health and charitable projects of the government, including those being impleWhat is an Authorized mented in the local government units. This is purAgent Corporation (AAC)? suant to the Memorandum of Agreement with the This refers to a corporation or a cooperative PNP to aid the PCSO’s anti-illegal gambling camduly registered with the Securities and Ex- paign and conduct of “crackdowns” by police auchange Commission (SEC) or with the Coop- thorities on known areas where competing illegal erative Development Authority (CDA), respec- games proliferate.

tively that has applied, been duly qualified and expressly authorized by the PCSO to conduct Laws against illegal gambling: • PD 1602: Prescribing Stiffer Penalties on IlSTL in a particular area. legal Gambling (Provisions of Art. 195-199 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended, RA What are the factors being considered in the 3063, PD 483, 449, 510 and 1306, letters of selection of areas where STL shall be coninstructions, laws, executive orders, rules ducted? & regulations, city & municipal ordinances which are inconsistent with the Decree were repealed) 1. The projected viability of an STL op• RA 9287:An Act Increasing the Penalties for eration in the area; and, 2.

Previous existence and/or operation of illegal numbers games in the locality.

The Small Town Lottery (STL) is a regular game of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office authorized by the national government thru Section 1 of R.A. 1169, as amended. Autho- What are the qualifications to become an STL AAC? rized Agent Corporations (AACs) are engaged to assist the agency in the implementation of 1. Must be a corporation/cooperative the STL and are considered mere extensions whose primary or main purpose is of PCSO. Local Government units (LGUs) are conduct STL operations; encouraged to support the STL operations to help raise revenues for the government. The 2. Must have in its employ the necessary STL shall be implemented locally all over the personnel complement to efficiently country through Authorized Agent Corporaundertake STL in the area applied for, tions (AACs) , taking into consideration the as determined by the STL Supervising manpower of the PCSO and other relevant facand Monitoring Group (STL SMG); tors, as may be determined by the PCSO Board 3. Must be 100% Filipino-owned; of Directors. It shall be the only legal and authorized numbers game nationwide, and the 4. Must have a minimum authorized PCSO AACs are the only entities or persons capital stock of P50M, with minimum authorized to operate and conduct STL in their paid-up capital of P15M; areas of operation.

5. Must possess the necessary compeWhat are the objectives of STL operations? tence, expertise and credibility to undertake STL operations.

1.

2.

To raise additional funds for PCSO’s Why does PCSO give shares of its STL Charity health programs, medical assistance Fund to the PNP and CIDG? and services, and charities of national character; PCSO gives fixed shares to PNP and CIDG since they are the Agency’s partners in enforcing laws To provide funds for various local against illegal numbers games, pursuant to RA government units for their health 9287, s.

2004, in relation to RA 1169, as amended. programs and medical assistance and PCSO is not a law enforcement Agency, thus it services;

promulgated by the Board in accordance with Republic Act No. 309: xxx The horse races and the sale of tickets in the said sweepstakes shall be exempted from all taxes, xxx (emphasis supplied) PD 771, Aug. 20, 1975 - revokes all powers and authority of local government to grant franchise, license or permit and regulate wagers or betting by the public on horse and dog races, jai-alai or basque pelota, and other forms of gambling DOJ Opinion No. 71, s. 1995 - The PCSO and its lottery ticket sellers, including lotto sales agents, are not required to secure business permits licenses from the province, city or municipality where they may operate.

Jurisprudence: • “PD 771 is loud and clear only the national government has the power to issue ‘licenses or permits’ for the operation of gambling (quoting Baco vs. PAGCOR, 97 SCRA 53), thereby encompassing the lotto operation by the PCSO.” (Nicasio Jaca versus Hon. Loreto de la Victoria [CA-GR SP No. 43322]).

The aforementioned case stemmed from a complaint of Nicasio Jaca (a lotto agent) after Mayor Alvin Garcia had issued a ‘closure

How much do the LGUs receive from STL operations?

Particulars

Effective 2nd quarter of 2017 (pursuant to PCSO Board Resolution 063, s. 2017)

Actual Releases 2016

City/Municipality Share

3.00%

343,090,639.56

Congressional District Share

0.75%

44,134,792.45

Philippine National Police Share

2.50%

180,210,307.71

Provincial Government Share

1.00%

76,446,316.64

TOTAL STL Shares (PNP, LGUs, Provincial & Congressional)

•

Illegal Numbers Games, Amending Certain Provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1602 and for Other Purpose DILG MC No. 2004-146: Subject: Implementation of Republic Act No. 9287, directs all Governors, City and Municipal Mayors and Barangay Chairmen, together with all PNP Regional, Provincial and City Directors, and Municipal Chiefs of Police are encouraged to enhance/cultivate community involvement and strictly implement the provisions of RA 9287

What are the bases of PCSO’s exemption from business/Mayor’s permit for its gaming operations?

PCSO Charter (RA 1169, as amended by Batas Pambansa Blg. 42), particularly Section 4 thereof, provides “The Office shall hold charity horse race sweepstakes under such regulations as shall be

7.25%

•

•

•

P 643,882,056.36

order’ directed at his lotto outlet for failure to secure a business permit from the City of Cebu.

Note: The above decision of the court of appeals was affirmed by the Supreme Court for lack of showing that a reversible error was committed by the appellate court (Resolution No. July 6, 1998) The exemption of PCSO from the requirement of business permits inures to the benefit of its lotto agents as the latter performs functions vested in the PCSO, namely, the sale of lotto tickets (Andres C. Rivas, Jr. vs.

Hon. Alvin B. Garcia et.al. [CA-G.R. SP No. 41878 dated February 13, 1998]) LGU cannot prohibit the operation of lotto through the requirement of business/mayor’s permit. (Hon. Jose D. Lina, Sangguniang Lalawigan ng Laguna and Hon. Calixto Cataquiz vs. Hon. Francisco Paño and Tony Calvento; G.R. 129093)

A6

Opinion

SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Raising the bar

S

IGNIFICANT changes marked the 2016 Bar examinations, the results of which were released this week.

The passing rate of 59.06 percent was the highest in decades. Observers point to a “more reasonable” grading system observed by the examiners. The Bar chairman this year also reportedly expressed a desire to have a high passing rate.

Another change is that none of those who topped the exam graduated from Metro Manila law schools.

Previous results were dominated by products of either the University of the Philippines or Ateneo de Manila.

This year, the top students came from law schools in the provinces.

There were also more women among the best performers.

As in previous years, as well, there were inspiring stories like that of the jani-

tor at the Commission on Elections who maintained his job while studying.

That the Bar results figure in the news every year tells us that society continues to value the law and those who swear to uphold and safeguard it. We also respect the hard work that goes with the study and practice of the law. As early as the first days in law school, one would know it is not for the laid back or the tentative.

This reverence for the law should allow us to relate to how we react to current de-

velopments in our government. Because lawyers are such esteemed members of society, it follows that we turn to them to ensure that laws and due process are followed, and that no injustice is committed to anybody whatever his or her station in life.

Alas, what we see now are lawyers who speak as if they did not think about the words they uttered, put reason in irresponsible statements already made, defend patently illegal acts, ignore the law altogether when it

does not suit their purposes, and use their stature to feign authority which they hardly deserve, or even just strut around, arrogant and smug.

The overly rigid standards for admission into the Bar have not been a guarantee that all our lawyers would be conscientious and scrupulous. This perhaps explains why the country still gets worked up over a new release of names.

The law has more 3,747 new champions. Let’s hope they stay true to the ideals that motivated them.

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

Getting the statistics right

‘Ano na, Sotto?’

POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO SENATOR Vicente Sotto III did it again. And rightly so, netizens took him to task.

Sotto is notorious for his misogynist position when it comes to women’s rights. Recall that during the long battle for the passage of the Reproductive Health Law, he was among its staunchest oppositors. This is a law that respects, promotes, and actualizes women’s reproductive health and rights. Recall also that a few years back, he was instrumental in slashing the family planning budget of the Department of Health by one billion pesos.

He likes to deprive women of our human rights.

This last time, his guns were trained against Department of Social Welfare and Develop-

ment Secretary Judy Taguiwalo during the confirmation hearing of the Commission on Appointments. The lawmaker observed that Secretary Taguiwalo was single, yet she has kids. And “in a lighter note” remarked that in street parlance, those like Secretary Judy are “na-ano lang.”

To be fair to Sotto, I believe that he really was joking. However, it was a joke that betrays his bias against women, specifically, against single mothers.

The joke revealed his shallow understanding of the long struggle of women against gender stereotyping and towards equality. The “joke” insulted single mothers like it is something to be ashamed of. This joke likewise made evident Sotto’s ignorance of the various reasons why women end up as single mothers by choice, or by force.

Sotto’s “na-ano lang” joke belittled challenges and difficulties faced and weathered by single

moms in providing for and raising their children. He seemed to have no idea what it requires to be a single mother in the midst of a patriarchal society like ours.

Thus, Sotto’s remark, though meant as a joke, was really no joke. It was a misogynist insult on women and single mothers.

We have had enough misogyny and bad jokes.

I doubt very much if he would make the same joke if Secretary Taguiwalo happens to be a man.

I bet many in the room would not find it funny unlike when the “joke” was made on a woman. On the contrary, I would

not be surprised if the Senator would even commend a single father appointee for being able to singlehandedly look after and provide for his children. Because indeed, it is not easy.

It should also be said that the CA’s confirmation hearing is hardly the place or occasion for a joke. It is an important government proceeding that should ascertain the fitness of presidential appointees to the positions they are appointed to, and the responsibilities they are tasked to discharge. This is a serious matter where jokes, most especially those that degrade people, are out of order.

Because of people’s very strong reactions as well as media’s questioning, the “honorable” senator issued an “apology.” I put this in quotes because as far as I am concerned, Sotto’s statement was not a real apology.

An apology is defined as “a regretful acknowledgment of an

offense or failure,” or “an admission of error or discourtesy accompanied by an expression of regret.” I watched the media interview where Sotto was supposed to have apologized, twice. His words, facial expression, and body language showed no regret for what he has done.

There was neither an acknowledgment, nor an admission of wrongdoing, even error.

Instead, he tried to rationalize his bad “joke.” He said that if people did not get his “joke,” then he was sorry. What an apology! He had the temerity to make it appear that it was people’s fault that they did not understand his joke.

Sotto also said that in CA hearings, everything and anything about the appointee is subject to scrutiny, even his/her personal life. This may be true but I will hasten to add that such type of scrutiny must be on matTurn to A5

OPPONENTS of President Rodrigo Duterte have taken so much liberty at criticizing him no end that they have become reckless in their choice of weaponry. Statistics and statistical inferences, their weapons of choice, have backfired on them.

It will be recalled that Duterte was elected president by a landslide on a campaign promise that he will use the strong arm of the law in eradicating the drug menace plaguing the Philippines. That pledge obviously meant the use of force in enforcing the anti-narcotics laws of the land.

Upon assuming office in July 2016, Duterte kept his campaign promise and declared an all-out war on drug lords and their confederates.

After Duterte reorganized the Philippine National Police, he ordered the nation’s cops to launch a nationwide offensive against known, powerful drug lords who had evaded arrest and prosecution.

When the police dragnet yielded bodies of suspected drug dealers almost on a daily basis, it became obvious that Duterte was serious about his anti-narcotics campaign. This prompted many small time drug pushers and addicts to surrender to the authorities.

The number of drug users who gave up was so large, new facilities for drug rehabilitation had to be constructed.

That figure should not be surprising because the extent of the drug menace inherited by the Duterte administration from ex-President Benigno Aquino III was revealed to the public when the news media reported that convicted drug lords detained at the national penitentiary were enjoying special treatment, including air-conditioned quarters, catered food, and access to cash, firearms, mobile phones, and the internet. Upon further investigation, the Department of Justice discovered that then Justice Secretary Leila de Lima received millions of pesos in bribe money from the Turn to A5

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Opinion

THE tension brewing between the US and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or North Korea can equally serve as flashpoint between the US and China.

Political analysts fear not North Korea’s response but the specter of a limited nuclear war that has all the likelihood of escalating. The ratcheting of tension has been building up with North Korea now feeling unrestrained to carry out its nuclear weapons development program and in improving its delivery system. The US has been piqued by the open defiance despite threats of retributive bombing.

As the cauldron in the Korean peninsula emit threats and counter threats, one could not help speculate that China is in fact the real target. Iranian spokesman Mohammad Marandi once pointed out that the US has consistently stated a different reason to advance its objective like its unilateral deployment of Patriot missiles in Eastern Europe. Marandi explained that the US pointed to the nuclear threat of Iran as the reason that necessitated its deployment of missiles in Poland, Romania and Estonia.

But the world knows they are intended for Russia in violation to the Reagan-Gorbachev accord for ending the Cold War in 1991.

As one would argue, the Patriot missiles should have been deployed much closer to Iran if that was the case. The alibi to install the THAAD missiles in South Korea is no different, which reason why China now sees it as threat to its own security.

What many do not know is it was only the South Korean military that “asked” and “agreed” the deployment of the THAAD missiles.

The South Korean government, including then-President Park Gen-hye, has not said anything knowing that the issue is very unpopular to the Korean people. In fact, all the presidential candidates refuse to openly endorse the stationing of US missiles in their country. Candidates like former UN Secretary General Ban ki-moon refuse to make clear his position, while Moon Jae-In said that relations with China is more important than the THAAD and Ahn Cheol-Soo who is believed to succeed President Park Geun-hye is likely to make a stand against the deployment of the missiles.

The international community continues to blame North Korea for its bellicose behavior.

But if one would analyze, such is characteristic of its sense of insecurity and growing political isolation. While on the surface, the THAAD missiles may serve as deterrent, a second look would indicate that it is more of a threat to China. China now feels uneasy, seeing a destabilization of its next-door neighbor that could see US forces armed with nuclear weapons advancing closer to its border.

Besides, China will never allow the memory of the more 300,000 Chinese troops who died in defense of an ally during the Korean War to be technically erased by the US reoccupation of the North.

President Trump is right in calling Kim Jong Un a “smart cookie” because he seriously takes his country’s nuclear weapons development program as his tool for survival and a hinge for the US to think twice.

Even China knows that it is not wise to push Pyongyang to the wall for in the event of nuclear war, China could not escape the radioactive fallout and can even be dragged to join the conflagration.

Nonetheless, most strategic analysts downgrade North Korea’s missile capability to accurately hit the US mainland. The US knows this but continues to make hype about the nuclear threat to increase the appetite of its allies in Asia to purchase its weapons. This is the same reason why the lamentable Noynoy Aquino administration joined the chorus about the alleged China threat to justify the country’s acquisition for more US weapons, mostly of the thirdgeneration model. In fact, President Trump already declared he would bill South Korea $1 billion for the deployment of the THAAD missiles there.

Admittedly, this practice of charging allies for their security and for the weapons, even if it was carried out against their will, has been going on since the US economy began to tumble.

Alliance with the US today is no longer on the basis of shared strategic interest, but in making clear that those that seek its protection must pay the right price. The problem is that the US cannot demand that condition much that nobody requested her to assume that role. In truth, what the US is doing is to protect her own interest that goes with her role as a global hegemon.

The unusual thing about the fee demanded by the US is that those missiles will remain under the operational control of the US Armed Forces. The South Korean soldiers will be mainly assigned to securing the perimeter where those missiles are located. It means the US still will decide whom to target, yet it will be the Korean people that will bear the brunt of the damage in the event of full-scale hostilities.

One has to understand that peace has not really settled in the peninsula. What exists there is truce or temporary cession of hostilities. Since war technically exists, the US in the meantime has reduced the southern half of the peninsula to a virtual garrison using the flag of the United Nations Command to establish military bases, including the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons. At present there are about 30,000 US troops in the south and several airfields and a naval base. What has become intimidating and annoying to Pyongyang is the continued holding of joint military exercise

by US and South Korean forces allegedly to hone their troops against possible invasion.

Peace is within reach if only the US would cross half of the bridge. North Korea simply demands a peace treaty to replace the armistice agreement signed on July 27, 1953 where, among others, the US will promise not to invade the country and lift the economic sanction. Only by accepting these demands can peace proceed with the US enjoying a high moral ground to demand that North Korea to stop its nuclear weapons development and missiles testing.

Without understanding what the other side wants, it would be difficult to defuse the powder keg and the tension will remain a dilemma to China.

Peace is within reach if only the US would cross half of the bridge.

rpkapunan@gmail.com

A7

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

The lawyers’ oath

BACKBENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN

Possible proxy war

SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017

THE results of the 2016 bar exams came out last Wednesday. 3,747 or 59 percent of the 6,344 examinees passed, a historic number as it is the highest passing percentage in the last 30 years. In fact, for the first time in 32 years when I started watching out for the bar exam results (when I was about to enter the University of the Philippines College of Law and the year when my college classmates like Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and Ateneo Law School Dean Sedfrey Candelaria passed the bar), I do not personally know any one that failed this most recent bar exams.

Every year before 2017, without fail, I always reach out to more than one friend, classmate, student, or relative to give an encouraging word in the face of what would seem crushing failure. But now, happily, there is no need to do this. Hopefully, this will always be the case from now on. I think the country, with a population of more than a hundred million, needs more lawyers. Of course, as I will reflect later in this column, we need the right set of lawyers.

Another surprise from this year’s bar results is that graduates from provincial law schools topped the exams, shutting completely from the top 10 the usual Metro Manila schools.

Actually, the democratization and geographic dispersal of legal intelligence has been going on for years. It’s not a new development as every year for the last ten years, we have seen one or two graduates of provincial law schools doing well in the exams, consistently for example from Cebu and Baguio law schools.

Indeed, it’s a different world

Getting...

From A4

detained drug lords in exchange for the special accommodations afforded to them in prison.

A desperate De Lima, who placed last among the winning senatorial candidates in the May 2016 elections, tried to divert public attention from her alleged role in the drug scandal at the national penitentiary. Her strategy was to accuse Duterte of masterminding numerous deaths in his anti-drug campaign.

Opponents of President Duterte saw a political opportunity in De Lima’s sweeping accusations against the president.

From then on, anti-Duterte groups began branding every death resulting from the antidrug operations of the PNP as illegal, and attributed the same to Duterte. His opponents also stressed to the news media that the number of deaths arising from these deaths, which took place during police investigations and operations, increases exponentially everyday.

Duterte’s critics were so vocal about their resolve to discredit the president that they criticized him and his anti-drug campaign even in social media.

There are numerous flaws in the bleak and disturbing scenario painted by Duterte’s critics.

‘Ano...

From A4

ters relevant to the position of the appointee. Perhaps Secretary Taguiwalo’s being a single mom is relevant because after all, the DSWD position has to do with people’s welfare. I will not begrudge Sotto and other senators for the observation and Secretary Taguiwalo responded accordingly. What is irrelevant, even uncalled for, was the “joke.” There was absolutely no need for it. It was crass.

Moreover, if the “na-ano lang

now in legal academe—more competitive, with talent and discipline geographically dispersed and highly democratized. As someone who teaches and lectures in many places in the country, I have seen this trend everywhere. And it’s happening in debates and in moot court competitions as well. This is good for the country and we should welcome it.

This year, the top ten came from three Visayan, two Mindanao, and two Luzon schools. At least four of the top ten are from Mindanao—two from Dipolog apparently, one from Davao, and the topnotcher herself is from Bukidnon although she studied in Cebu City. One must also note that the top five placers are all women and eight of the twelve in the top ten are women. With majority of law students now women, at least in the law schools I teach in, this latest statistic did not surprise me.

Nearer to home, I am proud of my law Alma Mater, the UP College of Law, and our graduates with a passing rate of more 98-99 percent and with many repeaters finally making it. As in the case of 2011 when we had a good passing rate, it does not matter that nobody got in the top ten. The passing rate is always more important. As I told my current UP Law students last Wednesday, during our time in the late 1980s, a 70-75 percent passing rate was fine but that meant one out of every three classmates, people you actually knew and cared about, failed.

Happily, many schools have been reporting high and historic passing rates, including for their repeaters. These include all the schools I am affiliated with— UP Law, Ateneo Law School, De La Salle University College of Law, Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Law, Xavier University College of Law, and Lyceum College of Law as well as San Beda Col-

lege and Pamantasan ng Maynila where I teach graduate law courses. Three other Mindanao law schools close to my heart, those of Ateneo de Zamboanga, Ateneo de Davao University, and Urios University, also did well.

Congratulations are in order to the Deans of all law schools, especially those I personally know and work with—Deans Danny Concepcion (also UP President), Sed Candelaria, Raul Villanueva, Josefe Ty, Manny Quibod, Sol DerequitoMawis, Chel Diokno, Gemy Festin, Gwen Grecia De Vera, and Junie Castillo. Of course, Dean Joan Largo of the University of San Carlos deserves special mention. When I congratulated Dean Joan, I told her how impressed I was with her topnotchers—they seem to very humble, unassuming, and not arrogant, in Cebuano “dili kapayason.”

This weekend, many will be celebrating their bar success after hard work. What then?

As my welcome to my new colleagues, I begin in this column a series of articles on the legal profession. In particular, I will be serializing the speech delivered by Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno during the 16th National Convention of Lawyers of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) on March 24, 2017 at Marriott Manila, in Pasay City.

In a dramatic moment in her speech, the Chief Justice asked all the lawyers present to renew the oath they took when they became lawyers. The Chief Justice then reflected on what such an oath meant. She said: “All of us have, at different times, taken the Lawyer’s Oath. For most, it was the first and probably the only time the Oath was pronounced. For many, the words of the Oath have long been forgotten. For some, and I hope this is an exceedingly small number, they may have

long been broken. The Lawyer’s Oath is no ordinary canonical incantation nor is it a routinary legal requirement. The Oath, far from being a sterile form of words, gives us the roadmap to action as lawyers and defines us, as a profession. In a very real sense, it is a definition of who we are and to what we have been called.”

Chief Justice Sereno pointed out the values of fidelity, commitment, integrity, and courage.

Lawyers are called to be faithful to the flag of the Republic, to its Constitution, laws, and duly constituted authorities. We are asked to commit to the rule of law, to uphold and advance it. We must have integrity and practice law in an ethical manner. We must be courageous in being faithful to our oath.

According to the Chief Justice, we must always take our Oath seriously. This means: “in the face of misinformation and confusion, we have a duty to always be candid and truthful not only to the courts but also to our clients and also to the public”.

This requires us, “in the face of clear and patent injustices”, “to not turn a blind eye but to do what we can to help. Finally, being faithful to the lawyer’s oath, “in the midst of impunity and a rising tide of hopelessness about the rule of law, we are called to bring hope to our people.”

Just before I started writing this column, a friend of mine discerning whether law is for her, asked me: “If the mission of doctors is healing, what are lawyers for?” My immediate answer: for building a just and happy society.

Lawyers are called to be builders of the nation. My hope is that my 3,747 new compañeros and compañeras will embrace this mission. Only then can the whole country truly celebrate their success.

Since the imposition of the death penalty is disallowed under current Philippine law, courts cannot allow the execution of criminals. This does not mean, however, that all deaths that take place in the course of law enforcement took place illegally. A judically-sanctioned imposition of the death penalty is one thing—it is not allowed by current law. Death arising from the enforcement of the law during police operations is another.

Be that as it may, it is recognized in this jurisdiction that police authorities are authorized by law to use deadly force against suspects or criminals who refuse to cooperate with law enforcers during a lawful raid.

The biggest flaw in the accusation against President Duterte is in the figures themselves. To repeat, Duterte’s critics have taken so much liberty at criticizing him no end that they have become reckless in using statistics and statistical inferences to discredit him. The figures cited by anti-Duterte elements have been repeatedly and indiscriminately padded by the same critics with such reckless frequency that the numbers are not only too incredible to believe; they conflict with the figures cited by other anti-Duterte groups.

This revelation was made re-

cently when representatives of the PNP, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and other line agencies organized a forum which revealed the real, unadulterated statistics and statistical inferences relating to Duterte’s anti-drug campaign. The forum was held at a hotel at the Ortigas Center in Pasig City, with netizens all over the country joining the discussions through the social medium Facebook. Many others watched the forum on the government television channel.

At the forum, the PNP Directorate for Investigative and Detective Management disclosed that from July 2016 to March 2017, there was a huge decline in the number of recorded crimes, particularly murder, homicide, robbery, theft, carnapping, and physical injuries. That number, 78,900, was far less than the 158,900 cases recorded from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016, when Aquino III was president.

For reasons undisclosed, critics of Duterte have conveniently overlooked these figures.

Incidentally, President Duterte has directed the PDEA to lead all operations against illegal drugs, after incidents involving policemen who committed abuses in the anti-drug campaign surfaced. Those erring cops were subjected to appropriate sanctions.

At any rate, a survey conducted by Pulse Asia in December 2016 but released only in March 2017 indicates that an estimated 82 percent of the people in Metropolitan Manila feel safe because of the PNP’s war against illegal drugs.

Another recent survey done

by Social Weather Stations indicates a 66 percent popular approval for the government’s war against narcotics, although this was less than the 77 percent approval rating generated in December last year.

The PNP spokesman attributed the 11-point decline in the survey to bad impressions survey respondents likely got from sensational news coverage of deaths attributed by the president’s critics to his anti-drug campaign.

He also lamented the proliferation of certain survey questions designed to elicit anti-government replies from the respondents.

Statistics aside, what is clearly more lamentable is the inability, or even outright refusal, of Duterte’s critics to suggest feasible solutions to the drug menace in the Philippines. All they have against the president are their ill will, and their conflicting, misleading statistics and statistical inferences on deaths arising from the strict enforcement of anti-narcotics laws.

joke” was part of Sotto’s scrutiny of Taguiwalo, why preface it with “on a lighter note?” Sotto was not being consistent here and obviously, he was trying hard to make “palusot.” People, of course, did not buy it.

I was aghast that to placate people’s reaction, Sotto even “used” his daughters by saying that he would be the last person to disrespect women because he has two daughters who are single mothers. I am hoping here that his daughters knew that their father would say such and did not mind. After all, there is also the matter of the daughters’ right to

privacy that even their parents must respect. I feel for the daughters because their father may have unwittingly also insulted their being single mothers.

The senator was quoted as asking, “why the fuss?” This really disappoints big time. He does not get why people are up in arms against his bad “joke.”

He, who has the responsibility of crafting laws that will address people’s needs does not get the implications of his words and actions. What then can we expect of Tito Sotto, not the comedian but the lawmaker?

Senator Tito Sotto needs to

understand why we have the Single Parents’ Law. This is in recognition of the difficulties faced by single parents and affords them some government assistance so they are able to fulfill their parental responsibilities better.

Senator Sotto must study women’s human rights. We have had enough of his misogyny and bad jokes.

Ano na, Sotto?

Facebook: deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs

bethangsioco@gmail.com @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

Sports

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

A8

SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017

Leviste still riding high fot PH FILIPINO equestrian Toni Leviste recently represented the Philippines in the most prestigious Equestrian show jumping event, the 2017 Longines Global Champions Tour held annually right on the famed Miami Beach in Florida, USA. Leviste aboard her new mount, the 8-year-old grey mare Liribri, competed alongside the best horses and riders from all over the world and placed 7th out of 38 finalists.

Leviste also participated in the Ariat Equitation in Wellington, Florida, dubbed as the ‘winter equestrian capital of the world’ aboard another mount, Cayman A.L., where she won 1st place.

Leviste is gearing up for the coming 29th Southeast Asian Games to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in August this year.

First becoming a member of the National Equestrian Team in 1990 at the age of 17, Leviste has the distinction of being an anchor of the Philippine Team for nearly three decades. Leviste competed at the 27th Olympic Games held in Sydney, Australia in 2000 and the 2002 World Equestrian Championships in Jerez, Spain.

“Riding keeps me fit and young at heart and the privilege to be able to represent our flag and country in international competitions is always a source of immense pride and great honor,” said Leviste.

Toni Leviste aboard the 8-year-old mare,Loribri jumping for the Philippines at the prestigious Global Champions Tour of Miami Beach in Florida, USA.

McKay lifts Fuel Masters change for two upstart forwards in Glenn Khobuntin and Eric Camson.

The transaction was finalized and approved by the league yesterday after days of negotiations.

NLEX is looking for any sort of answers and it is hoping that Mallari can be one.

The scores: PHOENIX 84—McKay 22, Jazul 21, Baguio 8, Lanete 6, Eriobu 6, Torres 5, Borboran 4, Alolino 4, Dehesa 4, Kramer 2, W. Wilson 2, Intal 0, J. Wilson 0.

GLOBALPORT 72—Pringle 25, White 16, Cortez 12, Aban 7, Quinahan 4, Forrester 3, Pessumal 3, Mamaril 2, Maierhofer 0, Ababou 0, Urbiztondo 0.

Quarterscores: 14-28, 27-36, 57-55, 84-72.

League-leading San Miguel Beer (5-0) is fighting TNT KaTropa (5-2) to N DIRE need of a win, Phoenix stepped up to keep its place up top, its unbeaten slate more importantly, to inch closer to the plate in the second half to rout GlobalPort, and securing a place in the quarters.

The Beermen are playing with84-72, and improve its stand in the race out superstar June Mar Fajardo, for a quarterfinal slot in the 2017 Philippine while the Tropang texters are missBasketball Association Commissioner’s Cup last ing key players Jayson Castro, Troy Rosario and Roger Pogoy. All night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. of them are also out due to Gilas Pilipinas commitments.

Jameel McKay once again deep danger of missing the top eight.

In other league developments, Phoenix actually trailed by 15 spearheaded the Fuel Masters, tallying solid double-double numbers points in the first half, but the Fuel NLEX, in desperation to turn Masters slowly but surely took the things around, once again involved of 22 points and 20 rebounds.

As a result, the Fuel Masters, game away from GlobalPort be- itself in a trade.

The Road Warriors, who are alwinners of two of their last three fore bringing the hammer down in ready eliminated in the tournament games, improved to 4-5 and kept the last 24 minutes.

Meanwhile, a battle between and worse, are still winless in eight in step with the teams above them.

The loss was a big blow to the two Goliaths are currently unfold- games, acquired versatile guard Alex Mallari from Mahindra in exBatang Pier as it fell to 2-6. It is now in ing as of this report.

By Jeric Lopez

I

La Salle guns for volley title; Ateneo eyes rebound DE La Salle shoots for its 10th championship against Ateneo in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 79 women’s volleyball Finals at 4 p.m. today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Lady Spikers won for the first time in three meetings with the Lady Eagles this season, carving out a 21-25, 29-27, 25-22, 25-20 victory in last Tuesday’s opener.

For Kim Kianna Dy, last year’s Finals MVP, De La Salle needs to go all-out and not give Ateneo an inch to send the best-of-three series to a deciding Game 3.

“Given that we beat them, we should not be overconfident and improve for the better,” said Dy, who finished with 14 points in Game 1.

“We are excited to defend the

Games today:

(Smart Araneta Coliseum) 12 noon – NU vs ADMU (Men Finals) 3 p.m. – Awarding Ceremony 4 p.m. – DLSU vs ADMU (Women Finals)

crown and hopefully this is our last game,” she added.

To be able to close it out, the Lady Spikers need to curb down on their errors, as they gave the

Lady Eagles 40 free points from miscues in the opener.

De La Salle needs to sustain its sharp serves, which was evident in the second set when super senior Kim Fajardo was solid in the service zone, as well as in floor defense, where libero Dawn Macandili thrives.

Tin Tiamzon was also huge for the Lady Spikers in Game 1, re-

cording 15 points and eight excellent receptions, proving that she’s ready for big-time.

Ateneo also had an errorfilled game with 34, as it rued what happened in the second frame where it failed to get the breaks that could have give the Katipunan-based spikers a 2-0 set advantage and put De La Salle on the ropes.

O’Toole grabs 2-shot ICTSI golf lead

John Michael O’Toole weighs his options from a troubled lie on No. 7

TARLAC—John Michael O’Toole outgunned fellow American John Catlin and defending champion Tony Lascuña in a backside shootout to move up by two over Mathiam Keyser with a scorching finish for a 67 as the intense battle for the leadership changed hands for the third straight day in the $60,000 ICTSI Luisita Championship here yesterday.

With halfway leader Micah Shin wilting under pressure with a poor start and a shaky windup and tumbled with a 75, O’Toole flashed hot irons and impeccable putting and birdied three of the last four holes in second-to-last flight and came out of a tight four-man tie to seize control at 12-under 204 at the Luisita Golf and County Club.

“I had no problem with my game today (yesterday). My putting was terribly good,” said O’Toole, who warded off Lascuña and Catlin’s fierce challenge with a birdie from three-feet on No. 15 before gunning down two more in the last three inside 10 feet.

In the group behind, first day co-leader Mathiam also put up a strong finishing kick, but his two birdies in the last three holes could only net him a 69 and a 206 heading to the final 18 holes of the event sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. Lascuña, whose second round 67 put him alongside Mathiam, O’Toole and Brett Munson of the US, just one behind Shin, actu-

ally took charge with a 34 on birdies on Nos. 8 and 9. But while O’Toole and Keyser rebounded from 35 and 36 start, respectively, the runaway Filipino champion last year lost his putting touch in the stretch, settling for a run of pars to fall behind.

Worse, Lascuña bogeyed the par-3 17th despite hitting the green, the ball spinning back and rolling outside. He pitched, two-putted and signed for a 71, slipping to joint third at 208, four shots behind, with John Catlin of the US, who fought back with a 69.

“I missed several birdie putts.

Now, I have to score a 6-under to defend my crown,” said Lascuña, who also took notice of O’Toole’s solid finish.

Mapúa student earns spot in PH volley team A SOPHOMORE student-athlete from Mapúa Institute of Technology has earned a highly coveted spot in the Philippine Men’s National Volleyball Team.

Anjo Pertierra, an AB Psychology student, was among the 25 individuals who made the cut in the countrywide tryouts to be a member of the national team.

Making it to the national team is definitely a boon to Pertierra’s career as an athlete. Because the team represents the Philippines in international competitions, Pertierra is poised to gain more experience, exposure and lessons that will make him a better player, all

of which he can also share with his Mapúa teammates.

The secret to his success, Pertierra divulged, is his experience as a Mapúa Cardinal.

According to the team’s coach, Mario Mia Jr., the Cardinals lift weights, do road runs and practice twice a day to ensure that players can keep pushing their limits.

As a young student juggling schoolwork and sports, Pertierra also attributed his discipline and values to his coach and Mapúa.

“Coach Mario taught me well.

No matter how hard the training is, he reminded us it’s all for our benefit. That mindset helped me improve

not just in the court but in other aspects of my life as well,” he noted.

“Also, Mapúa has been there for me for the last 4 years. It’s my last playing year next year. Mapúa’s volleyball fans are huge—most of my professors are fans of the sport, and they are very supportive of me and the team. That support alone is a big help for me,” Pertierra remarked.

“I’m hoping for a podium finish next year. I want to bring back honor to the school, not just for myself.”

Mia is also confident that Pertierra has an even brighter future ahead of him.

“He has become one of my most hardworking players, with his initia-

tive and self-discipline,” Mia said.

To prepare for the tryouts, Pertierra ran three whole rounds of the Intramuros every day for an entire week. According to him, the training was hard mentally and physically.

He shared that the national team has been pushing him hard as an athlete. The players train for four hours daily, from six to 10 in the morning. His first week was especially intense, leaving him with leg cramps that prevented him from walking home after school.

“The only thing that kept me going was thinking that if others can do it, I can too,” he said.

Anjo Pertierra

Philippine Football League on Matches Today

University of Makati Stadium 4 p.m. Kaya Makati vs Ceres Negros Binan Stadium 4 p.m. Stallion Laguna vs Meralco Manila

THE inaugural season of the Philippines Football League kicks off Saturday, with two matches simultaneously unfolding at University of Makati Stadium and the Binan Stadium.

Kaya FC Makati hosts Ceres Negros in the featured match that will be aired live on People’s Television, while Stallion Laguna collides with Meralco Manila in Binan, marking the start of what is seen as a long and grueling season, where teams play a double-round homeand-away competition.

All eight pioneering clubs will be in action over the weekend with Ilocos United battling Davao Aguilas on Sunday at Quirino Stadium in Vigan, while JPV Marikina squares off with Global Cebu in Binan also at 4 p.m.

It will mark the first time that the country is holding a fully professional community-based football competition that is also licensed by the Games and Amusements Board.

Boasting of a squad that punched its ticket to the Asean zonal semifinals of the AFC Cup last Wednesday, Ceres is among the favorites to lift the trophy.

But the Busmen are in for a big test against a Kaya side powered by experienced players like Aly Borromeo, Masa Omura, Alfred Osei and Woody Ugarte.

Travel Cup semis today THE TOP four teams in the passion and expert division of the Brotherhood Basketball League “WCA Travel Cup” will vie for championship tickets in the double semifinal games today at the Trinity University of Asia gym in Quezon City.

Bearcats Caloocan will square off against Goto Pilipinas at 1:30 p.m. in passion class while the CocolifeBreezy Brothers game will follow in the same division.

In the expert group of the tournament organized by BBL chairman Erick Kirong of Macway Travel and presented by World Cruisers Adventures Travel and Tours of CEO Engr. Joven Diaz, R. Lapids and K-Jeds collide at 5:30 p.m., while LTO-NCR and Hobe Bihon will try to outscore each other in the nightcap.

Winners in both divisions will shoot for the BBL title in a winnertake-all championship matches.

NIKL registers profit of P377.5m

B2

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017

B1

April inflation rate steady at 3.4%

By Julito G. Rada

I

NFLATION in April remained at 3.4 percent, the same rate a month ago, as slower increases in the rest of commodity groups offset higher prices of food, transport and communications.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority on Friday, however, showed the April inflation was faster than 1.1 percent a year ago. It also remained the fastest in more than two years since 3.7 percent in November 2014.

“Inflation for April was unchanged from the March figure of 3.4 percent. It is within the forecast of 3 to 3.8 percent and brings the year-to-date average

to 3.2 percent,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said in a statement.

Bangko Sentral earlier predicted that inflation this year would settle between 2 percent and 4 percent.

“The numbers confirm the manageable inflation outlook for the year,” Tetangco said, adding the policy settings remained appropriate at the moment.

He said close monitoring of the changes in commodity prices, especially petroleum products as well as petitions for utility rate increases, would continue. He considered these as possible risk factors to inflation going forward.

National Economic and Development Authority officer in charge and Undersecretary for Investment Programming Rolando Tungpalan said the stable inflation rate in April was a respite from the upward trend seen in the first three months of the year.

“Nevertheless, volatilities in oil prices and erratic exchange rates can still manifest into higher domestic prices for both food and non-food commodities,” Tungpalan said in a statement.

He said possible increases in transportation fares and electricity rates in the coming months could also exert upward pressure on prices, along with the transitory impact of the proposed tax reform program.

Tungpalan urged the government to prioritize discussions on rice tariff to avoid creating policy uncertainties. “Additional interventions should also be taken to address those who will be negatively affected by the expected increase of rice imports,” he said. Tungpalan is officer-incharge of Neda while Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia is on official travel to Yokohama, Japan.

PSA data showed that higher

SM Prime registers net profit of P6.6b

BEST DEVELOPER.

Leading property developer Robinons Land Corp., under the leadership of president Frederick Go, is named Best Developer in the Philippines by real estate portal Dot Property in its annual awards program for the company’s commitment to building quality housing for all Filipinos.

Frederick Go (left) accepts the award from Dot Property magazine editorin-chief Cheyenne Hollis (center) and Dot Property Philippines country manager Tanya Yu.

By Jenniffer B. Austria SM PRIME Holdings Inc., the largest integrated property company, posted a net income of P6.6 billion in the first quarter of 2017, up 13 percent from P5.8 billion year-on-year on the back of a double-digit growth in revenues.

SM Prime said in a disclosure to the stock exchange first-quarter consolidated revenues rose 12 percent to P20.5 billion from P18.2 billion on year.

Overall operating income increased 14 percent to P9.6 billion from P8.4 billion on year, largely due to rental revenues from mall expansions in the past two years as well as higher real estate sales and construction accomplishments of residential projects since 2014.

“Our strong performance in the first quarter gives us high confidence that we are on track to meet our growth targets in terms of revenues and income for the full year. As we continue our strategic rollout of projects across our properties, we are optimistic that our growth will be sustained by the overall expansion of the Philippine economy,” SM Prime president Jeffrey Lim said.

Mall revenues, which accounted for 62 percent of total sales, increased 11 percent to P12.7 billion from P11.4 billion last year.

Rentals grew 10 percent to P10.7 billion from P9.7 billion, driven by the additional retail spaces of 1.1 million square meters of gross floor area added since 2015.

SM Prime operates 60 shopping malls in the Philippines and seven in China with a combined GFA of nine million sq. m. The company this year is scheduled to open five new malls in the Philippines. These are SM CDO Downtown Premier in Cagayan de Oro, SM Cherry Antipolo in Rizal, SM Center Tuguegarao Downtown in Cagayan province, SM City Puerto Princesa in Palawan and SM Center Lemery in Batangas.

annual increases were observed in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 4.2 percent in April; transport, 3.2 percent; and communication, 0.3 percent.

But the annual inflation in the rest of the commodity groups decelerated with the education index still recording 1.8 percent.

Excluding selected food and energy items, core inflation picked up by 3.0 percent in April 2017.

It was 2.9 percent in the previous month and 1.5 percent during the same month in 2016.

The annual change of the country’s food index alone increased 4.3 percent in April 2017. It rose 4.2 percent in the previous month and 1.7 percent in the same period a year ago.

BoI okays P410-m Isabela biomass power plant

By Othel V. Campos THE Board of Investments approved the application of Isabela La Suerte Rice Mill Corp. as a renewable energy developer of biomass energy resources under the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 and the Investment Priorities Plan.

The project received the endorsement of the Energy Department and obtained clearance from the Environmental Management Bureau of the Environment Department.

The P410-million project involves the development, construction and operation of a

5-megawatt biomass power plant in Barangays San Pedro and San Pablo in Aurora, Isabela.

The site is suitable for the construction and operation of a biomass power plant because of the rich supply of feed stock to be used as fuel for the plant.

Commercial operations started in April with 39 personnel. The company is expected to generate electrical power from combustion using rice husk as fuel.

With a boiler efficiency of around 79 percent at full load, around six tons per hour of rice husk is required for the plant.

It is expected to produce 35.6 million kilowatt hours to the

Luzon grid.

“This project affirms Isabela not only as one of the country’s largest rice producers but also one of the largest provincial hubs for renewable energy. The province is in a position to take advantage of all those rice husks left behind after milling and powering up the province and securing the lifeline of industries within the area,” said Trade Undersecretary and BoI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo.

Renewable energy plants such as geothermal, hydro, wind, biomass and solar accounted 34.3 percent of the country’s total installed power capacity as of June

2016, according to the Energy Department.

The Renewable Energy Act aims to accelerate the exploration and development of renewable energy resources, such as biomass, solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and ocean energy sources, including hybrid systems, to achieve energy self-reliance.

With the government at the forefront in promoting and adopting sustainable energy development strategies, the Philippines is expected to reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels in the long-term and minimize exposure to price fluctuations in the international markets.

IN BRIEF Forex reserves hit $81.8b in end-April

THE country’s gross international reserves rose to $81.82 billion at the end of April from the end-March level of $80.89 billion, the highest in six months since they reached $85.105 billion in October last year, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Friday.

The regulator in a statement attributed the increase to inflows from foreign exchange operations, revaluation adjustments in Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ gold holdings and income from investments abroad.

Bangko Sentral said these were partially offset by the government’s payments of maturing foreign exchange obligations.

“The end-April GIR can cover nine months worth of import of goods and payments of services and primary income,” the regulator said.

Julito G. Rada

Semirara, Meralco sign supply accord

SEM-CALACA Power Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Semirara Mining and Power Corp., and Manila Electric Co., through its local retail electricity supplier, signed a purchase agreement covering up 420 megawatts of power supply.

Semirara Mining and Meralco issued separate disclosures of the agreement with the Philippine Stock Exchange on Friday.

The power supply agreement covers 10 years from June 26, 2019 up to June 25, 2029, “which may be extended up to four years upon mutual agreement of the parties covering a total capacity of 420 MW.” Sources said MPower, Meralco’s local RES MPower signed the agreement. Meralco is the country’s biggest power distributor.

Alena Mae S. Flores

5 LGUs to speed up permits, says Globe

GLOBE Telecom Inc. said five local government units in Visayas and Mindanao have committed to speed up the approval process of permits to establish telecommunication facilities, including cell sites, in their respective localities.

Globe general counsel Froilan Castelo said the city LGUs include Cagayan De Oro, Davao, Mandaue, Bacolod and Dumaguete.

The telco committees in Cagayan De Oro, for instance, are working on a resolution to reduce the number of permits for the establishment of cell sites from 26 to just 6. A meeting has been set early May for an update on the status of the resolution.

Davao City, meanwhile, is one of the LGUs that is able to process expeditiously with no delays for as long as prerequisite permits are in order. Darwin G. Amojelar

PSE C OMPOSITE 8500 8000 7500 7000 6500 6000

7,841.99 86.24

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing MAY 5, 2017 45.00 46.50 48.00 49.50

National Grid exec dismisses claims of TransCo

By Alena Mae S. Flores

MERALCO PARTNER. Batangas City signs an agreement with Manila Electric Co. under the latter’s

Energizing Partnerships Program. The EPP will ensure cooperation between Meralco and the city in enabling growth and development. At the signing ceremony are Batangas City Mayor Beverly DimacuhaMariño (third from left) and Meralco vice president and head of HMB South Business Area Ferdinand Geluz (fourth from left). Joining them are (from left) city administrator Narciso Macarandang, Batangas, 5th District Rep. Mario Vittorio Mariño, Meralco VP and head of South Distribution Services Bernard Castro and Meralco Batangas business center manager Ma. Corazon Pilapil.

NATIONAL Grid Corp. of the Philippines dismissed the accusations of state-owned National Transmission Corp., saying the company has been doing business above board since taking over the operations of the country’s transmission network.

“There is fiber optic network existing in the national grid network.

But primary use is to facilitate the interconnection/communication of substation facilities that we have,” National Grid spokesman Cynthia Perez-Alabanza said.

She said the company had a contract with the telecommunications companies under a co-location agreement.

Alabanza also said the company was not required to seek prior clearance from government agencies on related businesses, contrary to the claims of TransCo president Melvin Matibag.

“Telecoms use NGCP facilities via co-location agreements inherited from TransCo. NGCP

is not legally required to get prior approval from PSALM (Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp.), TransCo or ERC (Energy Regulatory Commission) to conduct related business,” Alabanza said.

TransCo engaged in the colocation business from 2003 to 2008, which National Grid pursued from 2009 to the present.

“These co-location agreements were assumed from TransCo and we just continued it,” the official said.

Alabanza also said National Grid never denied any request from TransCo for inventory and inspection.

“NGCP strictly complies with its concession agreement, and all applicable laws, rules and regulations. The company welcomes any audit, inspection and evaluation of its operations as deemed necessary by the government or regulators, but these must be conducted in compliance with reasonable restrictions, as NGCP, as grid operator, may impose,” she said.

INDEX

Closing May 5, 2017

P49.910 CLOSE

51.00

HIGH P49.860 LOW P49.960 AVERAGE P49.905 VOLUME 443.700M

P427.00-P647.00 LPG/11-kg tank P38.25-P50.40 Unleaded Gasoline P27.75-P32.96 Diesel

O

IL PRICES TODAY

P32.85-P41.15 Kerosene P20.75-P21.75

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, May 5, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.9270

Japan

Yen

0.008893

0.4440

UK

Pound

1.292200

64.5157

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128498

6.4155

Switzerland

Franc

1.014096

50.6308

Canada

Dollar

0.727431

36.3184

Singapore

Dollar

0.714133

35.6545

Australia

Dollar

0.740700

36.9809

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652520

132.4324

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266667

13.3139

Brunei

Dollar

0.711592

35.5277

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028910

1.4434

UAE

Dirham

0.272294

13.5948

Euro

Euro

1.098500

Korea

Won

0.000881

0.0440

China

Yuan

0.145020

7.2404

India

Rupee

0.015576

0.7777

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.231160

11.5411

New Zealand

Dollar

0.686700

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033204

54.8448

34.2849 1.6578 Source: PDS Bridge

B2

Business

SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks advance; SM units surge

T

HE stock market surged to a yearhigh Friday on respectable corporate earnings in the first quarter of 2017 and expectations of a solid gross domestic product data in the first three months.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index jumped 86.24 points, or 1.1 percent, to 7,841.99 on a value turnover of P14.6 billion. Gainers beat losers, 107 to 93, with 40 issues unchanged.

SM Investments Corp. of retail tycoon Henry Sy Sr. rose 2.5 percent to P774, while property unit SM Prime Holdings Inc. gained 3.2 percent to P32.20.

Universal Robina Corp., the biggest snacks food maker, advanced 2.8 percent to P183.30,

while GT Capital Holdings of tycoon George Ty climbed 2.4 percent to P1,255.

Oil prices, meanwhile, extended the previous day’s sharp losses on Friday, dragging energy firms and Asian markets with them as investors are snagged by fresh global supply glut concerns.

Among the region’s main indexes Hong Kong fell 0.8 percent, Shanghai ended 0.8 percent lower and Sydney slipped 0.7 percent while Singapore retreated 0.2 percent. Taipei and

Jakarta also suffered losses.

Investors are now awaiting the release Friday of jobs figures for April, which will be closely watched for clues about the Federal Reserve’s plans for hiking interest rates.

While traders are looking ahead to the release of crucial US jobs data later in the day, the collapse in crude prices has dented optimism on trading floors, with analysts warning about the possible effects on the economy.

Both main contracts tumbled around two percent in Asia―following losses of almost five percent Thursday―on fears about increased production from the US, Libya and Nigeria and the Opec cartel’s commitment to extending an output cut beyond a six-month agreement.

Renewed weakness in China, an expected hike in US interest rates―which could make dollardenominated oil more expensive to holders of other currencies― and signs of slowing demand have also contributed to the dive.

“Opec has been looking down the barrel so to speak, of resurgent supply from Nigeria and Libya amongst Opec and of course, American shale which combined have completely offset the 1.8 million barrel per day production cut agreement,” said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA, in a note.

“There was no light at the end of the tunnel for Opec and nonOpec producers... in fact, the light turned out to be the train coming the other way.”

Both contracts are now sitting

at their lowest levels since Opec and Russia agreed in November to cut back production in a bid to raise prices.

“There’s disappointment that the production cuts we’ve seen from Opec and others has not had any impact at this stage on global inventory levels,” Ric Spooner, a chief market analyst at CMC Markets in Sydney, told Bloomberg News.

“The market seems to be much further away from a balanced situation than some had previously forecast. There is a possibility that oil could be headed to the low $40s range from here.”

The oil collapse sent Hong Kong-listed PetroChina tumbling 2.4 percent and CNOOC skidding more than one percent.

With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW FRIDAY, MAY 5, 2017

NAME

OPEN

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.18 361,000 49.25 47,600 105.1 2,117,080 4.1 120,000 123 4,034,600 1.3 59,000 36.45 1,128,000 16.02 132,500 22.7 1,734,300 1.67 22,000 825 50 0.67 6,998,000 86.95 3,489,770 0.71 95,000 15.88 187,700 68.65 964,150 242 1,320 108.2 110 87.6 1,010 58.7 390,490 215.6 1,172,030 1,695 170 81.95 197,400

1,148,720 2,333,200 224,190,680 481,240 495,820,644 77,140 40,877,015 2,136,678 39,634,035 36,460 41,250 4,744,960 303,170,874.50 67,450 2,996,284 64,491,326 318,314 11,886 88,478 22,973,394.50 254,347,146 288,950 16,182,142

1,863,280 1,730,640 16,080.00 239,252,315 686,335.00 -570,542 -5,198,045 64,600 112,621,612.50 10,408,810.50 72,300 -6,264,949 -36,216,972 -85,000 384,751.50

41.2 5.85 0.81 1.39 18.72 0.265 6.95 16.8 23.3 14.06 71.05 82 1.88 5.7 11.7 12.78 9.75 6.28 5.86 1.69 21.2 72.1 12.38 15.76 8.16 1.54 213.2 58.6 4.87 3.86 32 22.8 19.12 275 0.243 6.31 3.69 8.95 3.55 11.38 2.15 9.52 2.1 71.85 5.5 295.2 4.82 2.98 13.62 4.4 0.152 1.37 178.5 1.55 34.35 1.03

INDUSTRIAL 41.2 2,358,500 6 2,931,800 0.85 6,270,000 1.4 1,525,000 18.74 27,700 0.27 16,650,000 6.95 25,428,200 16.9 1,276,800 23.3 15,400 14.5 4,600 74 2,490 82 910 1.9 618,000 5.94 627,300 11.82 68,400 12.9 3,082,200 9.85 2,185,500 6.31 958,900 5.86 10,707,900 1.69 2,000 21.2 1,904,900 72.25 191,120 12.4 5,200 15.76 900 8.49 8,287,200 1.59 1,001,000 216 953,300 59 91,300 4.87 852,000 3.87 134,000 32.2 731,100 23.1 514,600 19.32 1,818,700 275 529,400 0.247 4,450,000 6.31 7,400 3.71 146,000 9 8,309,000 3.55 3,000 11.4 12,200 2.15 1,664,000 9.8 2,925,700 2.15 4,922,000 72.05 576,350 5.51 225,700 298 6,590 4.91 150,000 3.3 1,375,000 13.68 743,700 4.4 7,000 0.154 1,240,000 1.37 174,000 183.3 3,389,410 1.59 2,389,000 35.5 2,000 1.12 2,607,000

98,179,425 17,508,020 5,355,640 2,138,850 539,424 4,487,850 178,492,075 21,533,374 358,820 65,882 184,472.50 74,650 1,172,070 3,577,688 807,084 39,805,564 21,636,560 6,044,734 63,499,468 3,380 40,524,115 13,805,657.50 64,478 14,196 69,440,787 1,560,510 205,724,202 5,353,211.50 4,186,430 521,750 23,567,280 11,879,385 35,109,506 146,497,394 1,090,560 46,694 540,430 74,834,643 10,650 139,116 3,584,810 28,962,798 10,624,880 41,528,321.50 1,262,159 1,951,758 732,920 4,310,450 10,192,812 31,080 191,510 238,960 617,619,413 3,804,290 70,840 2,875,330

-6,180,425 6,924,704 -660 -1,467,470 2,800 -108,711,081 16,104,202 106,180 -493,676 -6,642,906 971,958 -2,735,011 3,378,192 -6,853,925 6,450,587 -35,960 7,441,830.00 91,371,528 4,920 4,829,845.00 -9,821,520 -3,298,036.00 -64,865,452 75,660 28,900 -6,707,681.00 -15,960 1,038,550 -2,487.00 419,820 10,907,746 532,525 318,240 -430,260.00 -337,282 -1,520 27,400 342,960,176 -22,680 14,070 -

0.375 77.5 14.44 1.14 6.2 0.43 0.43 886 8.33 13.26 8 5.98 0.228 1,270 6.45 87.15 1.08 7.4 16.84 6.73 3.54 0.058 1.05 1.89 2.55 108.4 2.82 778 1.38 300 0.305 0.233 0.265

0.365 75.4 14.2 1.11 6.1 0.42 0.42 870 8.15 13.1 7.9 5.46 0.205 1,226 6.45 84.55 1.03 7.32 16.36 6.6 3.5 0.056 1.05 1.88 2.55 105.4 2.72 751 1.37 297 0.285 0.215 0.246

HOLDING FIRMS 0.37 3,750,000 75.5 1,722,710 14.26 8,782,400 1.14 11,000 6.12 18,300 0.425 5,510,000 0.42 330,000 878 253,040 8.21 1,495,500 13.24 12,289,400 7.99 60,900 5.47 1,200 0.22 7,780,000 1,255 209,250 6.45 150,000 85.1 3,145,280 1.05 4,412,000 7.32 418,500 16.7 3,725,900 6.65 38,716,400 3.53 38,000 0.056 41,230,000 1.05 8,000 1.88 101,000 2.55 10,000 108 262,750 2.77 132,000 774 1,280,590 1.38 1,258,000 300 5,760 0.3 300,000 0.228 15,880,000 0.246 1,410,000

1,376,100 132,046,760 125,814,746 12,240 112,786 2,330,400 139,800 222,817,735 12,274,096 162,344,798 484,227 7,073 1,697,240 262,801,755 967,500 271,174,502 4,662,560 3,075,949 62,156,744 258,407,263 133,150 2,336,940 8,400 190,080 25,500 28,256,996 366,600 991,833,485 1,729,640 1,722,398 89,050 3,579,910 356,630

22,379,276.50 -5,822,624 15,602,680 1,420,535 112,066,612 15,120 113,259,540 78,311,787.50 -1,369,128 -10,732,654.00 44,435,486 119,000 43,500 8,353,814 260,610,550 -119,470 6,900 -7,870

6.83 1.25 6.5 2.3 1.36 37 4.32 5.33 0.51 1.04 1.4 0.163 0.55 52 0.71 0.185 1.76 0.99 1.02 4.28 0.455

6.8 1.13 6.48 2.25 1.32 35.9 4.22 5.2 0.495 1.01 1.35 0.161 0.53 51.1 0.69 0.178 1.72 0.97 0.99 4.17 0.43

3,422,795 23,377,890 297,490 246,140 7,712,140 851,018,190 26,885,690 1,094,373 4,470,505 31,910 577,350 1,294,690 1,320,500 10,382,941 349,200 203,410 5,587,620 1,265,070 7,713,330 189,761,150 104,098,550

-2,353,662 -146,500 15,867,050 10,564,310 -433,880 -20,600 5,400 467,212 10,980 207,050 8,820 30,300 52,591,530 907,850

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

AG FINANCE 3.12 ASIA UNITED 49.15 BANK PH ISLANDS 104.5 BDO LEASING 4.02 BDO UNIBANK 121.1 BRIGHT KINDLE 1.35 CHINABANK 35.55 COL FINANCIAL 16 EAST WEST BANK 22.6 IREMIT 1.62 MANULIFE 825 MEDCO HLDG 0.71 METROBANK 86 NTL REINSURANCE 0.71 PB BANK 16.02 PHIL NATL BANK 64.1 PHIL STOCK EXCH 243.6 PHILTRUST 108 PSBANK 90 RCBC 58.7 SECURITY BANK 214.2 SUN LIFE 1,700 UNION BANK 81.6

3.27 49.25 107 4.1 123.3 1.35 36.6 16.48 23.25 1.69 825 0.71 87.45 0.71 16.18 68.7 243.6 108.2 90 59.05 218 1,700 82.5

3.12 48.6 104.5 4 121.1 1.28 35.55 16 22.6 1.62 825 0.67 85.05 0.71 15.88 64.1 240 108 87.5 58.05 214.2 1,695 81.6

ABOITIZ POWER 41.9 AGRINURTURE 6.1 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.81 ALSONS CONS 1.4 ASIABEST GROUP 19.1 BASIC ENERGY 0.28 CEMEX HLDG 7.09 CENTURY FOOD 16.96 CIRTEK HLDG 23.3 CNTRL AZUCARERA14.68 CONCEPCION 74.9 CONCRETE A 85 CROWN ASIA 1.9 DAVINCI CAPITAL 5.71 DEL MONTE 11.86 DNL INDUS 12.84 EEI CORP 10 EMPERADOR 6.4 ENERGY DEVT 5.91 EUROMED 1.69 FIRST GEN 21.25 FIRST PHIL HLDG 72.25 GINEBRA 12.38 HOLCIM 15.78 INTEGRATED MICR 8.16 IONICS 1.58 JOLLIBEE 213.4 LIBERTY FLOUR 71 LMG CHEMICALS 4.91 MABUHAY VINYL 3.86 MANILA WATER 32.05 MAXS GROUP 23.7 MEGAWIDE 19.24 MERALCO 276.2 MG HLDG 0.247 PANASONIC 6.31 PEPSI COLA 3.69 PETRON 9.12 PHIL H2O 3.55 PHINMA 11.4 PHINMA ENERGY 2.17 PHX PETROLEUM 9.78 PHX SEMICNDCTR 2.12 PILIPINAS SHELL 72.1 PRYCE CORP 5.68 PUREFOODS 296 RFM CORP 4.82 ROXAS HLDG 2.98 SHAKEYS PIZZA 13.78 SPC POWER 4.5 SWIFT FOODS 0.155 TKC METALS 1.37 UNIV ROBINA 178.5 VITARICH 1.57 VIVANT 36 VULCAN INDL 1.03

42 6.1 0.87 1.42 19.5 0.28 7.14 16.96 23.3 14.68 75 85 1.9 5.94 11.86 13.1 10.04 6.4 5.99 1.69 21.4 72.3 12.4 15.78 8.55 1.59 217.2 71 4.93 3.95 32.5 23.7 19.4 278.6 0.249 6.31 3.72 9.12 3.55 11.42 2.18 10 2.22 72.15 5.68 300 4.91 3.34 13.84 4.5 0.156 1.4 183.5 1.62 36 1.15

ABACORE CAPITAL 0.365 ABOITIZ EQUITY 76.75 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 14.26 ANGLO PHIL HLDG 1.11 ANSCOR 6.12 ATN HLDG A 0.42 ATN HLDG B 0.42 AYALA CORP 879 COSCO CAPITAL 8.3 DMCI HLDG 13.2 FILINVEST DEV 7.9 FJ PRINCE A 5.46 FORUM PACIFIC 0.211 GT CAPITAL 1,226 HOUSE OF INV 6.45 JG SUMMIT 85 LODESTAR 1.08 LOPEZ HLDG 7.32 LT GROUP 16.4 METRO PAC INV 6.62 MJC INVESTMENTS 3.5 PACIFICA 0.056 PRIME MEDIA 1.05 PRIME ORION 1.88 REPUBLIC GLASS 2.55 SAN MIGUEL CORP 105.4 SEAFRONT RES 2.75 SM INVESTMENTS 753.5 SOLID GROUP 1.38 TOP FRONTIER 299.8 UNIOIL HLDG 0.285 WELLEX INDUS 0.215 ZEUS HLDG 0.26 8990 HLDG A BROWN ANCHOR LAND ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE IRC PROP MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED

6.83 1.17 6.48 2.25 1.32 35.95 4.27 5.29 0.51 1.02 1.36 0.162 0.54 51.75 0.7 0.185 1.75 0.98 1.02 4.17 0.44

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

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

0.365 0.65 4.41 26 1.75 3.32 31.3 1 6.18 0.89 5.22

2GO GROUP 16.56 ABS CBN 44.5 ACESITE HOTEL 1.53 APC GROUP 0.53 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.047 ASIAN TERMINALS 11.5 BERJAYA 5.31 BLOOMBERRY 9.65 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.092 CALATA CORP 1.94 CEBU AIR 106.2 CENTRO ESCOLAR 10.36 DFNN INC 8.83 EASYCALL 3.52 FAR EASTERN U 988 GLOBE TELECOM 2,004 GMA NETWORK 6.22 GOLDEN HAVEN 16.24 GRAND PLAZA 15 HARBOR STAR 3.18 IMPERIAL 3.61 INTL CONTAINER 89.5 IPM HLDG 8.99 ISLAND INFO 0.188 ISM COMM 1.53 JACKSTONES 3.71 LBC EXPRESS 15.82 LEISURE AND RES 4.35 MACROASIA 4.53 MANILA JOCKEY 2.6 MELCO CROWN 7.99 METRO RETAIL 3.64 MLA BRDCASTING 16.02 NOW CORP 2.72 PACIFIC ONLINE 11.84 PAL HLDG 5.5 PAXYS 3 PHIL SEVEN CORP 168 PHILWEB 7.71 PLDT 1,735 PREMIUM LEISURE 1.56 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.405 PUREGOLD 43.4 ROBINSONS RTL 79.5 SBS PHIL CORP 5.91 SSI GROUP 2.24 STI HLDG 1.06 TRAVELLERS 3.3 WATERFRONT 0.59 WILCON DEPOT 5.36

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

0.43 0.7 4.45 26.5 1.77 3.32 32.7 1 7 0.91 5.25

0.36 0.65 4.41 26 1.74 3.32 31.2 0.98 6.18 0.88 5.21

0.4 0.67 4.43 26 1.74 3.32 32.2 1 7 0.91 5.23

24,320,000 84,395,000 155,000 1,520,100 454,000 67,000 18,468,000 3,901,000 600 142,000 2,953,400

9,745,450 56,784,280 686,230 39,864,270 794,490 222,440 592,587,240 3,852,870 4,118 127,000 15,438,934

-130,800 714,000 2,739,100 -26,560 108,242,450 -5,721,216

18.6 44.7 1.78 0.54 0.048 11.5 5.31 9.69 0.096 1.94 108.8 10.36 9.05 3.52 988 2,092 6.22 16.4 15 3.2 3.73 91.1 9 0.196 1.53 3.71 15.82 4.4 4.59 2.6 8.28 3.69 16.02 2.72 11.88 5.5 3 180 7.71 1,797 1.58 0.415 44.1 79.85 5.98 2.32 1.06 3.66 0.78 5.36

16.2 44.45 1.53 0.52 0.045 11.5 5.31 9.42 0.092 1.9 106.1 9.86 8.56 3.52 988 2,004 6.16 16.24 15 3.16 3.61 89.5 8.99 0.186 1.45 3.59 15.6 4.28 4.4 2.38 7.85 3.64 16.02 2.62 11.58 5.47 3 168 7.61 1,735 1.55 0.405 43.25 79.5 5.89 2.22 1.03 3.3 0.59 5.32

SERVICES 16.2 2,737,500 44.6 27,200 1.65 1,365,000 0.52 2,589,000 0.046 38,900,000 11.5 1,000 5.31 900 9.5 7,792,900 0.093 147,650,000 1.91 3,654,000 108.5 350,300 10 9,600 8.8 678,000 3.52 3,000 988 2,210 2,044 113,390 6.16 260,400 16.4 68,300 15 100 3.19 2,829,000 3.61 66,000 90 2,856,880 9 305,000 0.191 28,270,000 1.45 821,000 3.66 96,000 15.6 17,600 4.34 872,000 4.48 1,304,000 2.47 656,000 8.2 10,044,700 3.65 886,000 16.02 100 2.66 3,899,000 11.88 6,200 5.5 85,500 3 8,000 178 1,960 7.65 256,300 1,768 232,950 1.55 6,675,000 0.415 3,250,000 43.8 3,655,100 79.6 847,780 5.98 110,500 2.27 4,170,000 1.05 3,252,000 3.57 18,209,000 0.69 103,682,000 5.34 13,416,800

47,609,650 1,212,425 2,304,720 1,371,640 1,797,700 11,500 4,779 74,086,796 13,895,650 6,988,620 37,883,856 95,782 5,995,630 10,560 2,183,480 234,005,830 1,610,147 1,115,324 1,500 8,967,630 239,950 257,443,849.50 2,742,500 5,412,010 1,218,800 352,370 276,496 3,768,150 5,840,460 1,598,250 82,028,084 3,244,600 1,602 10,358,990 73,386 470,145 24,000 346,840 1,964,845 413,851,100 10,417,750 1,323,100 160,172,670 67,471,734 652,096 9,485,100 3,377,500 62,595,520 70,737,120 71,700,954

-3,904,542 -453,500 24,699,887 1,473,940 166,840 14,219,007 167,960 -38,781,180 -39,630,239.50 -345,570 120,960 -9,160 20,076,094 -1,430,400 359,620 -1,158 -77,900 69,659,815 1,152,140 234,800 18,207,580 -2,017,246 -1,040,800 787,100 -22,310,900 -861,900 43,059,955

2,007,500 48,029,890 151,725 741,300 290,510 3,005,560 616,050 107,723 9,646,860 153,700 3,093,000 87,610 144,400 644,400 3,496,920 30,106,464 137,290 598,800 79,600 381,930 329,200 11,089,925 4,230,710 204,041,853 251,450 89,400

35,000 647,940 -13,776.00 -833,100 428,940 2,600 2,050 -1,726,640 -8,821,559 1,300 -256,572 -31,400 16,125,627 -

MS

PROPERTY 6.82 502,300 1.25 19,159,000 6.5 45,800 2.29 109,000 1.35 5,766,000 36.7 23,233,200 4.3 6,271,000 5.33 206,900 0.495 8,964,000 1.04 31,000 1.4 421,000 0.163 8,010,000 0.54 2,453,000 51.8 201,220 0.7 498,000 0.178 1,120,000 1.76 3,202,000 0.98 1,290,000 1.01 7,735,000 4.2 44,691,000 0.44 233,640,000

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

0.0035 2 5.41 2.5 2.32 0.92 0.435 9.08 2.67 0.27 0.199 0.205 0.011 0.012 1.99 6.66 2.41 0.95 0.012 4.03 0.013 9.3 3.14 154.9 2.7 0.0089

0.0035 2 5.41 2.5 2.32 0.92 0.445 9.08 2.72 0.27 0.205 0.205 0.012 0.013 2 6.75 2.41 0.97 0.012 4.04 0.013 9.3 3.22 155.2 2.73 0.009

0.0034 1.87 5.31 2.1 2.28 0.89 0.43 8.54 2.55 0.255 0.199 0.202 0.011 0.012 1.87 6.5 2.3 0.94 0.011 4 0.012 9.06 3.12 154.4 2.7 0.0089

MINING & OIL 0.0035 575,000,000 1.88 25,240,000 5.31 28,500 2.1 328,000 2.29 127,000 0.9 3,337,000 0.435 1,410,000 8.7 12,500 2.59 3,682,000 0.265 590,000 0.2 15,350,000 0.205 430,000 0.012 12,900,000 0.013 51,200,000 1.88 1,823,000 6.5 4,566,200 2.39 58,000 0.95 631,000 0.012 6,800,000 4.02 95,000 0.013 26,500,000 9.06 1,215,500 3.14 1,342,000 154.8 1,317,570 2.7 93,000 0.009 10,000,000

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF FGEN PREF F GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2A PF PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2I

44.8 530 530 105.5 112.3 524 5.81 108.2 1,075 1,019 76.25 80.6 76.1 79.5 79

44.8 530 530 105.5 112.4 524 5.87 108.2 1,075 1,020 76.25 80.6 76.1 79.5 79

44.8 530 530 104.5 112.3 524 5.8 108.2 1,060 1,018 76.25 80.6 76.1 79.5 79

PREFERRED 44.8 500 530 20 530 220 104.5 23,140 112.3 2,440 524 80 5.87 43,500 108.2 1,030 1,060 835 1,019 1,535 76.25 1,800 80.6 17,500 76.1 4,000 79.5 7,700 79 2,150

22,400 10,600 116,600 2,432,060 274,087 41,920 252,370 111,446 885,625 1,564,800 137,250 1,410,500 304,400 612,150 169,850

585,200 -

LR WARRANT

2.26

2.32

2.26

WARRANTS 2.3 140,000

323,080

-

ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

4.17 6.5 8.5

4.26 6.6 8.73

4.17 6.45 8.25

SME 4.18 6.5 8.25

1,238,970 903,590 57,487,044

-15,042,200

130.4

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 128.3 130.4 15,950

2,066,486

-

FIRST METRO ETF 128.5

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

SHARES

69,082,148

INDUSTRIAL

127,106,370

HOLDING FIRMS

155,026,028

PROPERTY

504,888,979

SERVICES

417,656,070

MINING & OIL

744,317,388

GRAND TOTAL

2,025,379,225

295,000 139,000 6,851,900

VALUE 1,926.95 (UP) 19.79 6,063,494,389.05 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,484.67 (UP) 63.31 1,831,255,046.23 HOLDING FIRMS 7,955.49 (UP) 62.62 2,582,736,106.44 PROPERTY 3,487.56 (UP) 73.35 SERVICES 1,632.51 (UP) 12.47 1,986,416,617.72 MINING & OIL 12,610.98 (DOWN) 128.40 1,727,971,512.04 PSEI 7,841.99 (UP) 86.24 323,582,018.159 All Shares Index 4,673.40 (UP) 37.30 14,577,153,592.36 Gainers: 107; Losers: 93; Unchanged: 40; Total: 240

NIKL says Q1 profit reached P377.5m

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales NICKEL Asia Corp. said attributable net income (net of minority interests) in the first quarter of the year reached P377.5 million from a net loss of P300.8 million year-onyear on higher nickel prices and stronger US dollar.

The company said in a disclosure to the stock exchange earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounted to P1.34 billion compared with P507.0 million on year.

Is said shipments of highervalue saprolite ore from its Rio Tuba and Taganito mines coupled with higher prices and lower losses from the company’s equity share in its investment in both the Coral Bay and Taganito processing plants contributed to the turnaround.

The company’s net share of losses on its 10-percent stake in each of the two plants amounted to just P10 million from a loss of P226 million last year.

Nickel Asia said the Rio Tuba and Taganito mines sold an aggregate 3.05 million wet metric tons of nickel ore in the first three months of the year from 3.49 million a year ago.

The Rio Tuba mine exported 908,000 WMT of saprolite ore and delivered 950,000 thousand WMT of limonite ore to the Coral Bay processing plant.

The Taganito mine, meanwhile, exported 156,000 WMT of saprolite ore and delivered 1.04 million WMT of limonite ore to the Taganito processing plant.

“Typically, the company experiences low shipment volumes during the first quarter of the year since operations at the Taganaan and Cagdianao mines, both located in northeastern Mindanao, do not commence until the second quarter, the onset of the dry season,” said Nickel Asia.

AirAsia, Puregold team up

By Darwin G. Amojelar TYCOON Lucio Co’s Puregold Price Club Inc. has signed a branding and marketing deal with the Philippine unit of Southeast Asia’s largest budget carrier to further expand its market reach.

In partnership with AirAsia, Puregold unveiled its first two plane liveries featuring its official name and logo prominently displayed on both sides of the body of an Airbus A320 aircraft.

Puregold president Vincent Co said the partnership was a perfect opportunity for the company to expand its brand reach.

“Our partnership with AirAsia is anchored on a shared commitment to deliver value and the best quality service,” Co said.

Puregold ended last year with a total 328 stores nationwide. These included 277 Puregold stores, 12 S&R shopping warehouse, 23 S&R New York Style fast-food outlets, nine NE Bodega Supermarket and eight Budgetlane Supermarkets.

“We are honored to be carrying a homegrown retail brand on the ground and in the skies, extending as far as the whole of Asean region to China, Korea and international the AirAsia Group’s massive network of over 120 destinations,” Philippines AirAsia chief executive Dexter Comendador said.

AirAsia operates a fleet of 17 aircraft with domestic and international flights out of hubs in Manila, Cebu and Kaliningrad.

The airline flies to and from Manila, Davao, Cebu, Kalibo, Caticlan, Tacloban, Tagbilaran, Puerto Princesa, and Clark with international flights to/from Shanghai, Taipei, Incheon, Hong Kong, Macau, Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu and Singapore.

Home / Design

B3

SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Tips...

From B4 are examples of motivated private sellers from whom you can buy a property.

Buy from reputable developers.

Make sure the developer and the project has a license to sell from the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board.

Buy also from cities during tax delinquent sales or courts during sheriff sales.

and your investment

Insure your property and yourself by being covered through a life insurance and mortgage redemption insurance (MRI). In case you or the breadwinner of the family dies, it is always good to have something liquid to cover the estate taxes.

Perform due diligence Like any other investments, investing Inspect the property. As part of physi- in real estate has its disadvantages like it cal due diligence, check the age, condi- is not liquid and it has carrying costs. As tion, safety and security, and vicinity such, if you are considering investing in and neighborhood of the property. real estate now, check the following: Bring a property inspection checklist covering all exterior (roof, gutters, Buy low and sell high walls, foundations, etc.) and interior (general, living room, dining room, There is always a real estate property, kitchen, bedroom, etc.) which is sold lower than it is worth.

Bring a foreman with you to determine what materials you need to buy Take advantage of very to repair or maintain a particular area of low interest rates concern in your home.

Banks give better interests than Check for natural hazards. Deter- Pag-Ibig Fund since they are using mine a property if it is in a flood-prone market interest rates. Go for the lock area or an earthquake-prone area. in and stick to the longest possible Get the certified true copy of fixed rate mortgage loan, like 9.25% the Transfer Certificate of Title or fixed for 25 years.

Condominium Certificate of Title (TCT/CCT). As part of legal due Deal with risks diligence, you must secure the cerIf the buyers are not the users and tified true copy of TCT/CCT and they expect that rentals will be able to check for accuracy of the techni- cover the amortization payments and cal description. The tax declara- such did not happen, then foreclosure tion must also be transferred as is not far-fetched, Those who choose well. Also acquire the clearance to have a loan of 20 or so years, but to ensure that the property has no the interest rate is fixed for only a arrears. Check also if there are no year, may also have a hard time when illegal occupants. interest rates suddenly rise.

Remember, all interest rates are neProtect your family gotiable, even equity. You just need to

FUTURE OF FURNITURE DESIGN. A local furniture manufacturer recently linked up with top Philippine design schools to launch a collegiate sofabed design competition. CLC Marketing Ventures Corporation, a manufacturer of a wide variety of furniture, helped set up the CLCMV collegiate sofabed design competition 2017 to provide an opportunity for aspiring furniture designers to see their concepts come alive. CLCMV partnered with Uratex, SOFA, Ronac Lifestyle Center, Ishida, and Dynasty Upholstery and Furniture Corp, with support from Experience Travel & Living, Gistph.com, Malaya Business Insight,2nd Opinion, and Crossover 105.1. The event is ongoing at the Ronac Lifestyle Center in Magallanes, Makati, and showcases the ideas and craftsmanship of Marc Leo Dolotina of UP Diliman; Ivan Cedric Fabia of Mapua; Stanley Angsanto of Mapua; Geonelle Ann Ong of UST; Patricia Buendia of UST; and Jerinae Ching, Kristine O’Yek, Sarah Salvador, and Jennifer See of PSID.

SIXTH FEU CAMPUS IN ALABANG. Far Eastern University (FEU) recently

marked the construction of its newest campus in Filinvest, Muntinlupa, with the first pouring of its concrete foundation. FEU Alabang will have a 16-floor academic building that will primarily house classrooms and laboratories, a 7-floor administration building that will have an auditorium and a centralized library, and a separate 200-seat chapel. FEU Chair Emeritus Dr. Lourdes Reyes Montinola, Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, representatives of both the Filinvest Group and the Casas+ Architect Group, and trustees and administrators of the FEU System of Schools, attended the event.

RAISING THE BAR. The increasing demand from multi-national companies for sustainable real estate developments is fuelling a surge in LEED-registered buildings.

LEED, short for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an international green building certification that is gaining traction in the Philippines. At present, there are 245 LEED activities in the country, with 61 projects which have already obtained certification. North of Manila at the Clark Freeport Zone is Global Gateway Clark. Currently, One West and Two West office towers have been pre-certified gold, and these buildings, along with three other office towers, are targeting a post completion certification of Platinum status.

REMINDER OF A GRACIOUS HERITAGE.

Campanilla Lane aims to preserve the exclusivity of New Manila with its closely-knit community comprising 22 homes, 18 of which are luxury apartments and four which are villas. Developed by Mañosa Properties, the development is inspired by the traditional Filipino bahay kubo, but updated with modern architecture and contemporary sustainable design. Homes in Campanilla Lane leverage on the Mañosa design philosophy of marrying Filipino roots with innovation. The district of New Manila, one of the 142 barangays that comprise Quezon City, occupies the west-central portion of the city. If there’s one place in Metro Manila that evokes a poignant past yet at the same time spurs a vibrant future, it would be this neighborhood. As the quaint mansions that once stood gracefully age, many of which are now being replaced by newer developments, New Manila is keeping the glory of its past.

SCP PH DOES COMMUNITY WORK IN PATEROS COMMUNITY. Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) recently conducted a one-day health screening and information sessions in three public schools in Pateros town, helping some 600 students, teachers and parents. The activity is part of the bank’s ‘Alay sa kinabukasan: kalusugan para sa estudyante at guro’, a sustainability program that provides eye health and care, financial wellness and HIV/AIDS awareness for school children and adults. SCB partnered with the Department of Education (DepEd), Cataract Foundation of the Philippines, Inc (CFPI) and Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP). For this mission, the bank also linked up with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to conduct financial education in celebration of Global Money Week (Shown in photo). “We strongly believe that community and social development is a shared responsibility,” said Mai Sangalang, SCB’s country head for branding and corporate affairs. “Standard Chartered contributes through our global programmes supporting health and financial education, and we have been strong in our efforts year on year.”

THIS LAND IS MY LAND. Most OFWs from the provinces prefer a larger space for their families.

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com

B4

SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017

Tips for Filipinos who opt for a house and lot as their

DREAM ABODE more promising if you were to go for a house and lot.

The appreciation of land values, they maintain, is faster when you buy a lot that already has a house built on it upon turnover. And on the practical side, having a house could also mean you can easily have the place rented out.

Down south (or north) where the living is easy. A suburban enclave

south or north of Metro Manila, to escape the metropolis’ congestion and other urban ills, may just be what the doctor ordered.

HIGH-POWERED TIE-UP. Revolution

D

ESPITE the blitzkrieg of high rise condominium developments across the country, many Filipinos still prefer investing in a house and lot.

Most common reasons given by this segment include being able to own the property, and having bigger spaces to move about.

And compared to buying just a lot, a house and lot package is an easier, more

Precrafted and Bakrie Global Ventura recently signed a US$1.1-B joint venture agreement to develop five mega studios and five hectares of office spaces and storage facilities of Bakrie Global Mediapolis studio project in Jakarta.

The partnership between the Philippines’ most valued startup and one of Indonesia’s most innovative conglomerates will likewise see Revolution supply designer homes, hotel villas, and amenity spaces to Bakrie Global’s property affiliates in Indonesia. This includes 3000 hectares of land, owned and developed by the Bakrie Group. Revolution Precrafted Properties Limited delivers high-design structures such as modular homes, prefabricated structures and buildings, as well as pop-up retail and fitness centers. At the signing were (from left): First Pacific Company Ltd CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan; Bakrie Global Ventura CEO Anindya Novyan Bakrie; Revolution Precrafted Properties CEO Robbie Antonio; and Century Properties Group Chairman and CEO Jose E.B. Antonio.

practical option: you no longer have to worry about hiring contractors and architects as well as securing various permits, which could sometimes be a long and tedious process.

Some even believe that returns are

row to 3 properties to bid or submit letter of intent. And buy one. The more properties you look at, the better your choice will be and the less the probability of buyer’s remorse.

Know what you want. Set criteria to help you determine what property you want. Where will your home be? Do you have plans to stay here or work or live OFWs like bigger spaces overseas? What is your price range? Are “House and lots are still popular espe- you buying a single-detached, a mid-rise cially in the provinces due to the availabil- or a high-rise condominium unit, an office ity of affordable units given the relatively space, or an agricultural lot? cheaper developable land,” one broker told the Manila Standard. “They are willKnow what you can afford ing to invest in houses with bigger space.”

Spend within your means. The monthly According to global property portal La- amortization is not the only thing you mudi, the house and lot segment appeals need to consider. to the end-user market. And OFWs acStick to the banks/lending institutions’ count for much of the take up. guidelines. Keep in mind that the maxi“The house and lot market particularly mum monthly amortization should only in major urban areas outside of the coun- be 40% of your take home pay. try’s capital should be propelled by susGet pre-approved for a loan. Getting tained growth in OFW remittances, a por- pre-approved will help you determine tion of which will continue to finance the your budget. Also get the longest term amortization of the OFWs’ properties as possible but pay the maximum you can owning a house is every Filipino’s aspira- afford at the lowest fixed rate to help you tion,” a Lamudi report noted. save on the interest.

Hands down, real estate remains a good Shop around and compare different investment in the Philippines as it is a ba- home loan rates. The Pag-Ibig Fund rates sic need, and land is a finite source. are only good for low-cost housing. ColBut before you take the plunge with your lect leaflets or brochures of various banks hard-earned money, check out these tips for and show them to your bank where you first-time homebuyers and investors: intend to loan. The banks will actually match the rates of the other banks and try Shop around to give you the best offer possible. All you Follow the 100-10-3-1 rule. “Shortlist have to do is ask.

100 properties. You can do that by searching online. Then visit and inspect 10. NarDo the math Focus on investment returns. Get comparables. Those rates you see online are mostly marked up from 10% to 20% thus factor such to avoid buying an overpriced property.

Negotiate for the best price. When you negotiate, the amount you negotiate downwards goes straight to your bottom line. It’s not bad to negotiate for the best price.

Buy from banks. If you are ready for your first home buy, you may buy from auctions, sealed bidding or negotiated sale through banks which only need to recover their investment so they can lend money again. Banks can also finance your purchase and give you long payment terms and low interest rates.

They can also ask for low downpayment.

Also, banks are generally reputable sellers.

Buy from motivated sellers. Those who are facing foreclosures and those who need to liquidate their real estate assets immediately either because they are leaving the country or needing to pay for their or their sick relatives’ medical expenses Turn to B3

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017

LGUs

INGENUITY. A Makati City resident uses this parked vehicle to dry the family laundry under the searing summer sun—eliminating the need for them to consume electricity when using a drying machine. Diana B. Noche

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Davao growth beats PH GDP D

AVAO CITY—The Davao region continues to be Mindanao’s top economic performer, with its Gross Regional Domestic Product growing by 9.4 percent, surpassing the national average of 6.9 percent.

Ruben Abaro, Philippine Statistics Authority Region 11 Director, announced this Thursday during a press conference at the Royal Mandaya Hotel here.

Abaro said this places Davao Region third in the country in terms of accelerated growth last year.

Eastern Visayas recorded the

fastest growth at 12.4 percent, followed by Central Luzon at 9.5 percent.

Abaro noted that Davao Region experienced an upward trend in the last three years, with a growth rate of 8.2 percent in both 2014 and 2015 to 9.4 percent in 2016.

Abaro said the region’s performance surpassed the country’s economic growth, which accelerated from 6.1 percent in 2015 to 6.9 percent in 2016.

In terms of value, Abaro said the region’s economy grew from P281.3 billion in 2014, P304.4 billion in 2015, and P333 billion in 2016.

The region’s economy last year was driven by the industry sector, which grew to 16.5 percent in 2016 from 12.2 percent and services with a sustained growth of 7.5 percent.

Agriculture declined from 1.4

percent to minus-1.3 percent due to “huge damage” owing to the onslaught of El Niño on local crops in 2015.

Abaro said the service sector continued to account for the biggest share to the region’s economy because of the good performance of financial intermediation, trade, public administration and defense.

National Economic Development Authority Regional Director Ma. Lourdes Lim is bullish the region will either achieve the same growth rate or hit doubledigit growth next year.

Lim is counting on the national government’s massive infrastructure development in the region, which will spur spending in big-ticket projects.

She said Davao City will get its share of the infrastructure program through the Davao City Bypass Road Coastal Road project, the Davao Food Terminal and the Digos-Davao CityTagum segment of the Mindanao Railway System.

The Neda director also cited the recently launched DavaoGeneral Santos-Bitung Roll-on Roll-off route. PNA

PDEA: ‘Suspect attacked raiders’

By Lance Baconguis CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY— The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said Friday a suspected drug dealer fought their raiding team and died in the encounter, contrary to reports saying he was executed by government operatives as they swooped down on two of the suspect’s houses the day before.

The reports quoted Gilbert Buenafe, PDEA-Caraga regional director, as saying Jabbar Sangcopan was shot for assaulting, or “nanlaban” in Filipino parlance, the anti-drug operatives.

Buenafe said the PDEA men tried to avoid a bloody encounter, but they had no choice except to ensure the safety of their operatives. He considered Sangcopan as a high-value target and an alleged leader of a drug ring with operations in the Caraga region, and was in Cagayan de Oro to hide from authorities.

Sangcopan’s children, however, said their father did not fight back, contrary to what the agents said.

One of Sangcopan’s daughters, “Lexi” [not her real name], a minor, said she and six of her siblings were inside the room of their parents when the PDEA agents entered their home in Sitio Capisnon, Kauswagan, this city.

“My father had just come back from buying banana for our snacks. Moments later, the armed men entered our house,” said “Lexi.”

CHINESE ART. SM City Santa Rosa in Laguna and the Chan Lim Family of Artists and Students have prepared 160 artworks done on Chinese scrolls and watercolor paintings. The highlight of the exhibit is a six-piece hand-painted Koi artwork. Forty artists have joined the exhibit and will run until May 21. Roy Tomandao

Vizcaya to honor model grandparents BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—The provincial government is set to recognize model grandparents in the province for their contribution in strengthening family ties and developing families as responsible citizens.

Rachel Magday Itchon, one of the evaluators of the search for

C1

“Pagwadan a Lolo ken Lola” (Model Grandparents) said the awards have already drawn 20 candidates from various towns here.

“The oldest is a 94-year-old grandmother from Bagabag town. Only the towns of Alfonso Castaneda and Bambang have

no entries out of our 15 municipalities,” she said.

The candidates will vie to earn points from their quality of family life, community involvement, participation and accomplishments, initiated projects, and inputs from their personal interview.

The awarding of winners will be on May 23 at the provincial government’s Convention Center in this town.

The search is part of the weeklong celebration of the province’s founding anniversary, dubbed 9th Grand Ammungan (Gathering) Festival. Ben Moses Ebreo

‘Sucat traffic ends in October’ THE tremendous traffic jams along the stretch of Dr. A. Santos Avenue, also known as Sucat Road, in Parañaque City will be finally solved before the end of the year, Mayor Edwin Olivarez assured city motorists and commuters on Friday.

Since April last year, the 10-kilometer avenue experienced monstrous traffic when the Maynilad Water Services Inc. started its sewer network project to protect community health and the environment through proper sewage collection and treatment.

According to Olivarez, ranking Maynilad officials promised them the multimillion-peso project will be finished by the third quarter this year, after 34.6 kilometers of the 77-kilometer sewer line have been laid down and installed. This line will convey wastewater generated by households to the company’s Parañaque sewage treatment plant.

The Office of the Mayor has been receiving numerous complaints from residents after Maynilad occupied two of the three westbound lanes of Sucat for almost five months, which resulted in day-and-night traffic in the area.

Motorists also complained Maynilad failed to designate their own traffic personnel in the area when they laid the sewer pipes, with sizes ranging from 350mm to 1,350mm in diameter along the Baclaran-bound side of Sucat Road.

“Just five months more and traffic will be eased along Sucat. Aside from this, thousands of residents will also benefit from the foreign funded sewer network project,” Olivarez said.

Once completed, the project, funded by Development Bank of the Philippines and Japan International Cooperation Agency, will benefit some 470,000 people in nine barangays and 95 subdivisions in Parañaque, the mayor said.

Trash heap after ‘Laboracay’ has locals fuming BORACAY, Aklan—Following locals’ complaints of garbage left by tourists during the recent long Labor Day weekend dubbed “Laboracay” in this resort island, officials here have urged visitors to be responsible in disposing their trash.

Data from the Malay Municipal Tour-

ism Office showed the recent Laboracay period of April 25 to May 1 recorded an all-time high 28-percent increase in terms of tourist arrivals to 70,879 tourists, from 55,370 last year.

More tourists, however, also led to a huge amount of trash collected during

the weeklong series of activities and parties, as some netizens posted videos and photos on social media of garbage left in Boracay.

Executive Assistant IV Rowen Aguirre, Boracay Island administrator, said organizers of Laboracay parties were

asked to clean up after their respective events.

“We obliged them to conduct clean-up activities and to provide necessary trash bins,” Aguirre said Thursday. However, he said, some tourists were “just irresponsible” in handling their trash. PNA

C2

LGUs

SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017

3,000 openings in Subic job fair

By Butch Gunio SUBIC BAY FREEPORT— More than 3,000 jobs were offered to jobseekers here on Monday during a jobs fair organized by locator-companies and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Labor Department in celebration of Labor Day. SBMA Administrator Wilma Eisma said the huge volume of jobs being opened to workers could be attributed to the growing number of investments in the Freeport, and the participation of businessmen from the nearby city of Olongapo.

Eisma said more than 100 business locators participated in the job fair and offered jobs ranging from housekeeping and various skilled positions for electricians to plumbers, welders, and even engineers.

Thousands of applicants from Olongapo and the nearby provinces of Zambales and Bataan filled the jobs fair venue at the Ayala Harbor Point mall to full capacity, she said.

The increasing number of job openings in the Freeport indicates the growing success of the SBMA in attracting more investors to Subic.

“As of late, Evergreen Shipping Company, which is to make its maiden voyage to the port of Subic, negotiated for the establishment of an industrial city at the Redondo Peninsula,” Eisma said.

“Last week, the country’s first ship-to-ship transfer operation of liquefied natural gas commenced here. All these signal more jobs and more opportunities for local workers,” she added.

While SBMA is doing its best to attract new investors, she noted the agency also promotes harmonious working relationships between workers and management, and initiates projects for workers’ welfare.

“We believe that quality performance by employees is not only the end result of getting good salary or working in a big company.

Quality performance also comes about if workers feel good about their employers, and if investors feel good about their employees and the SBMA,” she explained.

‘A huge waste of time, fuel’ B

By Ben Moses Ebreo

AYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—The lengthy, heavy traffic caused by the ongoing road rehabilitation projects here are causing huge fuel waste for commuters and lost time, which is supposed to be spent on business and government services, a provincial board member said Friday.

Wilson Salas, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s committee on general services, land use, and trade and commerce, said a liter of diesel fuel at P30 is wasted daily by each of

an estimated 103,000 commuters passing from one traffic area to another along the national highway from Diadi to Sta. Fe towns in the province.

“If we will multiply this (P30

cost), it will give us more than P309 million worth of fuel, which are wasted daily. In a year, it will be more than P112 billion worth of fuel lost because of the traffic,” he said.

Salas also lamented the agony of public and private employees who are delayed from work because of poor traffic management along the road repair sections of the Maharlika Highway here.

P488 billion worth of grains that pass by Nueva Vizcaya and 36 tons of vegetable products transported daily from the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal are also threatened

by the volatile movement of market prices and their perishable condition.

“We are bothered by this because our constituents suffer daily. This will become a ‘Jurassic’ problem if not properly addressed, causing psychological, mental, economic and health problems,” he added.

Salas said he already called a dialogue with local traffic stakeholders to come up with effective schemes to reduce the hours in traffic being suffered by the commuters.

One of the recommendations, he said, was the establishment of barriers near choke points to pre-

MAKATI MASS HOUSING. Makati Mayor Abby Binay (top photo, center) signs a Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Makati and Shanghai Nanjiang Group for a

feasibility study, at no cost to Makati, on land development and construction of low-cost, mass housing units in the city. Shanghai Nanjiang is represented by its executive vice president, Wang Xiao Gang (second from right) and officer Danny Wu (right). Also signing as witnesses are Makati City Administrator lawyer Claro Certeza and Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo. The agreement is expected to lead to a public-private partnership or PPP that will help address the shelter needs of informal settler families in the city. PPP is an essential part of the overall infrastructure reform policy of the city government.

Mayor lauds 1st Cordillera monograph

By Dexter A. See BAGUIO CITY—Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan commended the Cordillera Regional Development Council and the Cordillera office of the National Economic and Development Authority for publishing a monograph with stories of persons who closely worked with the late rebel priest Fr. Conrado Balweg.

Balweg and his confidantes had direct knowledge of the armed struggle “that resulted in the recognition of the clamor of the indigenous peoples from the region for the grant of autonomy,” Domogan said.

The mayor, who also chairs the

RDC-CAR, said the various tribes in the region are rich with numerous practices, which are considered to be time-honored age-old practices that must be documented before they get lost in the passage of time.

Thus, the RDC-CAR’s effort to document untold stories of the armed struggle, and those who were indirectly and directly involved in it, “should be sustained,” he added.

Domogan said the regional agencies must make sure all those involved in the armed struggle must be included in the documentation process as soon as possible “to avoid envy and jealousy” that might crop up.

That should not be the case at the time that the region “is on the right track” in its clamor for the national government to recognize that an autonomous region must be established in the Cordillera, he added.

“We are happy to note that there will be succeeding chapters of the book, that is why we appeal to those who have knowledge on the armed struggle to come out in the open and agree to the documentation of their stories, just as what the other pioneer autonomy advocates had done,” Domogan stressed.

While the publication of the book could be considered somewhat late, there is a need for the RDC and

Neda-CAR to pursue publication of succeeding chapters of the book.

These would focus on the role of key people and various sectors in the armed struggle that resulted in the signing of the historic Mount Data peace agreement on Sept. 13, 1986 between Fr. Balweg and former President Corazon C. Aquino, and the subsequent issuance of Executive Order 220.

EO 220 created the Cordillera Administrative Region composed of the provinces of Abra, Benguet and Mountain Province and the City of Baguio from Region I, and the provinces of Ifugao and Kalinga-Apayao from Region II.

opposition may appear and show REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES cause why the said petition should REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION not be granted.

Let copy of this order be BRANCH 109, PASAY CITY

published in the newspaper of IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION general circulation once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks FOR ADOPTION OF BENEDICT at the expense of the petitioner.

VILLAMENA MANAOIS Likewise, let copy of the this order SP. PROC. NO.R-PSY-17-25176-CV be furnished the Office of the Solicitor General, the Office of the City Prosecutor of Pasay City for GLORIA BAUTISTA MANAOIS, their comment and/or objection, Petitioner. and the court social worker. The x------------------------------------------x latter is hereby directed to conduct ORDER social case study on the petitioner, A verified petition for adoption was the minor subject of adoption filed by petitioner praying that after and the biological parents of the due notice, publication and hearing, adoptee and submit the same on judgment be rendered declaring or before the scheduled hearing.

Benedict Villamena Manaois as the child of the petitioner and Meanwhile, the petitioners are shall entitle to all the rights and further directed to appear on June obligations provided by law to 16, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. for the prelegitimate child and that the trial trial and preliminary conference for the marking of exhibits on May custody period be dispensed.

24, 2017 at 1:30 p.m.

In her petition, petitioners alleged that she is single, resident of SO ORDERED. Villamor Air Base, Pasay City; that Pasay City, April 17, 2017.

Benedict Villamena Manaois is the son of Victorino B. Manaois with (Sgd.) TINGARAAN U. GUILING Presiding Judge one Jeasa S. Villamena with whom he is not married; that the subject Copy furnished: minor was entrusted to herein Atty. Cesar R. Santiago, Jr. Counsel for the Petitioner petitioner from the time he was born SANTIAGO LAW OFFICE continuously up to the present and Rm. 702 & 703, Margarita Bldg., latter has treated herein minor as his J.P. Rizal cor. Cardona Sts. Makati City own child from then onwards.

Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, notice is hereby given that the hearing of the petition is set on August 10, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. sitting at Room 302 Hall of Justice Building, F.B. Harrison St., Pasay City. All persons interested and may have

vent erring drivers from getting outside the road lane.

“The heavy traffic was also reduced because of this, but there are still recommendations to do and implement,” Salas added.

The board member said there is a need for the Land Transportation Office to train and deputize flagmen of project contractors who are “crudely trained” so they can properly enforce traffic rules and regulations.

Salas also called on the commuters to cooperate and comply with the regulations and schemes especially during peak traffic hours to avoid further complications of road traffic management.

The Solicitor General OSG Bldg., 134 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City ACP Eric E. Reginaldo G/F, Hall of Justice Bldg., Pasay City Gloria Bautista Manaois P34 04 6th St., Villamor Air Base, Pasay City

(MS-May 6, 13 & 20, 2017)

IN BRIEF Cop killed trying to break up buy-bust STA. ROSA CITY, Laguna—A police officer was killed during a drug buy-bust operation here Wednesday night in what turned out to be a series of unfortunate events.

Sta. Rosa Chief of Police Supt Joel Estaris identified the officer as PO3 Harry Cabacang, assigned to the Laguna Police Public Safety Company.

Cabacang, who was drunk and had fought with his girlfriend hours earlier, tried to intervene in the arrest of a certain “Utoy” and his three cohorts caught by police in the buy-bust at 9:45 p.m. on May 3 at Mercado Village, Barangay Pulo, Sta. Cruz, Estaris said.

Cabacang fired at the arresting police even after the latter identified themselves, and PO1 Juan Cruzen shot Cabacang, who was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

Police recovered 18 sachets of suspected shabu from the suspects, Estaris added. Roy Tomandao

Rebel surrenders to Army 503rd HQ

MUNTI JOBS FAIR. Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (second from left) congratulates one of the 260 seekers who successfully landed jobs last May 1 during the Labor Day Mega Jobs Fair 2017 at SM Center Muntinlupa in Tunasan. Fresnedi and DoLE-Muntiparlas Field Office Director Nepomuceno Leaño II formally opened the program attended by 1,837 job seekers from Muntinlupa and nearby cities. The fair was facilitated by the city Public Employment Service Office headed by Glenda Zamora-Aniñon (left), who joins the mayor and former DoLE-Muntiparlas field director Ben Alegre (right).

GAMU, Isabela—An active member of the Kilusang Larangang Guerilla Marco voluntarily surrendered at the 503rd Brigade headquarters in Tabuk City, Kalinga, Philippine Army officials said Friday.

Col Leopoldo P. Imbang, commander of the 503rd Brigade based at Camp Melchor F. Dela Cruz in Upi town here, identified the surrenderer as Matthew Baluwag alias Eddie, a member of the local Communist terrorists or LCTs operating in the Mountain Province.

Maj. Gen. Paul Talay Atal, commander of the 5th Infantry Division that includes the 503rd, was delighted with Baluwag’s decision to surrender.

“I encourage those remaining LCTs who were victims of false propaganda and promises to return to the folds of the law, be back with their families and live peaceful lives.,” Atal added.

Baluwag turned over one caliber .30 US carbine rifle with one magazine and nine rounds of ammunition in the afternoon of May 1, Imbang disclosed. Jessica Bacud

World IN BRIEF Another Turkish national held

KUALA LUMPUR―A third Turkish national has been arrested in Malaysia, his lawyer said Friday, after two others were taken into custody this week on suspicion of funding the Islamic State group.

Turkish academic Ismet Ozcelik was arrested Thursday, his lawyer Rosli Dahlan told AFP, adding that no official reasons were provided by authorities.

Local media reported national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar as saying the Turk was arrested because he posed a threat to national security.

No further details were given.

Ismet was initially arrested in December for allegedly assaulting an immigration official but freed on bail in January.

On Tuesday, two Turkish nationals Turgay Karaman and Ihsan Aslan were arrested under the Security Offenses (Special Measures) Act, which allows police to detain them for 28 days, in a move that raised concerns about Malaysia acting on possible pressure from Ankara.AFP

C3

More protests in Venezuela C

ARACAS―University students in Venezuela will lead a fresh round of marches against President Nicolas Maduro Thursday, a day after police fired tear gas and protesters hurled Molotov cocktails in rallies against his plan to rewrite the constitution.

PROMOTIONAL EVENT. Indian

Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone takes part in a promotional event in Mumbai. AFP

Violence erupted in the latest of more than a month of clashes that prosecutors say have now killed 32 people in the oil-rich nation stricken by shortages of food, medicine and other basics.

Government forces used tear gas and water cannon against demonstrators marching along a highway in east Caracas, the prosecutor’s office said. Protesters fought back with rocks and Molotov cocktails.

More than 300 people were injured in Wednesday’s unrest, officials said.

The latest fatality was that of an 18-year-old male struck by a projectile.

Looting broke out for a second straight night in the northern city of Valencia.

In Caracas, at least one protester caught fire when other demonstrators set ablaze a military motorcycle. Another was struck by an armored car.

The clashes broke out after riot police blocked demonstrators from advancing towards government buildings in central Caracas, where Maduro addressed a rally of thousands of his supporters.

The opposition accuses the elected leftist president of maneuvering to strengthen his grip on power. He has for months been resisting calls for a vote on removing him from office as the country staggers under food shortages, a near-crippled state-run economy and one of the world’s highest infla-

Japan plans to donate aircraft to Malaysia TOKYO―Japan plans to donate retired military patrol aircraft to Malaysia, a report said Friday, as alliances strengthen in response to China’s maritime claims.

The two countries are among a number in the region stepping up defense cooperation against what they see as Beijing’s aggressive stance on the high seas.

Beijing insists it has sovereign rights to almost all of the South China Sea -- strategically vital waters, where the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have claims.

Responding to a request by Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo plans to offer decomissioned P-3C patrol aircraft, the Nikkei business daily said, quoting an unnamed official at the defense ministry.

Japan’s parliament is currently deliberating a bill that would allow the nation to provide military equipment to other countries at no cost.

Malaysia will likely be the first beneficiary once the bill is passed, the Nikkei said, without clarifying how many P-3Cs Japan plans to hand off.

The Maritime Self-Defense Force―Japan’s navy―currently has some 60 P-3Cs in operation, and plans to retire those that have logged around 15,000 hours’ flight.

Immediate confirmation of the report was not available.

As well as its spats around the South China Sea, Beijing is also involved in a simmering territorial row with Tokyo over disputed islands in the East China Sea. AFP

SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017

tion rates.

Daniel Ascanio, a student leader from Simon Bolivar University, told reporters that students will march from campuses on Thursday around the country to demand “democracy and freedom.”

“We will be joined by unions, homemakers, and lawmakers. All sectors of society will mobilize to send a message to Maduro,” said Ascanio.

Clouds of grey smoke from tear gas canisters filled the air Wednesday as police with riot shields and trucks advanced along the highway in eastern Caracas.

Protesters were enraged most recently by the socialist president’s launching of procedures by the electoral council to elect a body to draw up a new constitution.

“I am convening a national constituent assembly of citizens with deep popular involvement so that our people... with their voice can decide the destiny of our homeland,” he said in a speech at the council.

Private polls indicate that more than 70 percent of those interviewed do not support Maduro, chosen in 2013 to succeed his late mentor Hugo Chavez.

Maduro said the constitutional reform body would not include political parties with seats in the oppositioncontrolled National Assembly, but representatives of social groups traditionally loyal to him. AFP

Waxing Moon set to win presidency in South Korea SEOUL―The near-certain winner of South Korea’s presidential election next week is a former special forces soldier, pro-democracy activist and human rights lawyer.

Left-leaning Moon Jae-In of the Democratic Party has held what appears to be an unassailable lead in opinion polls for months.

Victory will cap a political career that began with student activism in the days of military rule, when he was convicted of taking part in illegal protests.

The election comes after millions of South Koreans took to the streets in candlelit demonstrations to demand the removal of Park Geun-Hye, who was sacked by the country’s top court in March over a corruption scandal

and is now in custody awaiting trial.

“Our efforts to create a country worth living in started with candlelights and must end with votes,” Moon told an audience this week.

The irony is that he was once chief of staff to liberal president Roh Moo-Hyun, who committed suicide in 2009 after being questioned over graft allegations.

“Corruption is the biggest issue in South Korean politics,” says Robert Kelly of Pusan National University.

“That’s absolutely true. Every South Korean president has gotten into trouble for corruption and bribery and graft and things like that, of varying degrees.”

But Moon boasts a clean image himself, said Kim Neung-Gou,

president of online newspaper Polinews, and has been “riding on waves of protests against Park and accumulated corruption”.

Moon was born on the southern island of Geoje in 1952 during the Korean War after his North Korean parents fled to the South.

His father was a menial worker at a prisoner-of-war camp while his mother peddled eggs in the nearby port city of Busan, with the baby Moon strapped to her back, the politician wrote in his autobiography.

He entered law school in Seoul in 1972 but was arrested and expelled for leading a student protest against the authoritarian rule of dictator Park Chung-Hee―the ousted president’s father.

Moon returned to school in 1980 only to be arrested again.

His close friendship with future president Roh began in 1982 when they opened a law firm in Busan focusing on human and civil rights issues.

Both became leading figures in the pro-democracy protests that swept the country in 1987 and led to South Korea’s first direct presidential elections the same year.

When Roh entered politics, Moon continued with his legal practice in Busan, defending students and workers arrested for leading protests and labour strikes.

But a year after Roh’s unexpected election victory in 2002, Moon joined the administration as a presidential

aide, tasked with weeding out official corruption and screening candidates for top government posts, before rising to become his chief of staff.

“I was always happy due to the fact that I was able to help others with what I had been trained to do,” Moon said in his autobiography.The 64-year-old has promised to curb the concentration of economic power in the hands of the chaebols, the family-oriented business groups whose ties to government have been exposed in the wide-ranging scandal that saw Park impeached.

But his opponents say he is narrow-minded and surrounded by jealous loyalists, whose strong factionalism has contributed to the main opposition party splitting. AFP

Made-in-China jet takes maiden flight SHANGHAI―The first large made-in-China passenger plane successfully completed its maiden test flight Friday, marking a key milestone on the country’s ambitious journey to compete with the world’s leading aircraft makers.

The narrow-body C919 jet―white with green and blue stripes―disappeared into the clouds after taking off from Pudong international airport in the commercial hub Shanghai as a crowd of thousands cheered. It successfully landed some eighty minutes later.

Built by state-owned aerospace manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China or COMAC, the plane represents nearly a decade of effort in a government-mandated drive to reduce dependence on European consortium Airbus and US aerospace giant Boeing.

The flight is the latest sign of China’s growing ambition and technical skill, coming one week after the country launched its first domestically made aircraft carrier and docked a cargo spacecraft with an orbiting space lab.

Before takeoff, CCTV state television said the plane would be tested at an altitude of 3,000 meters (9,800 feet), some 7,000 meters lower than a regular trip, and at a speed of around 300 kilometers (186 miles) per hour.

Top officials, COMAC staff and company partners attended the inaugural flight, which was shown live on state television.

China has dreamed of building its own civil aircraft since the 1970s, when it began work on the narrow-body Y-10, which was eventually deemed not viable and never entered service.

President Xi Jinping himself has endorsed the new project, visiting COMAC even before he took office in 2013. The first flight was supposed to take place last year, but it was delayed until now.

His call to arms is emblazoned on the wall of the jet’s production facility: “Accelerate the construction of the world’s top aviation company and continue to make new contributions to develop a strong aviation industry.” AFP

DEMONSTRATION. This picture taken with a wide-angle lens on May 4, 2017, shows Yemenis waving flags of the southern separatist movement during a demonstration in the southern Yemeni city of Aden in support of a governor sacked by the president in a blow to his authority. AFP

World

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

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SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017

THE LATEST TO HAVE STARS. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell pose at their Walk of Fame Stars ceremony in Hollywood, California. AFP

Asylum chaos in Germany revealed BERLIN―The bizarre case of a German soldier who registered as a Syrian refugee has exposed failings in Germany’s handling of a mass influx of over a million asylum-seekers since 2015.

Posing as a Damascus fruit seller, army lieutenant Franco Albrecht, 28, had managed to gain asylum in his home country, obtaining a space in a shelter and monthly benefits of 409 euros ($447) even though he speaks no Arabic.

Investigators say Albrechtwho harbored far-right, antiimmigrant views―was plotting an attack that he planned to blame on refugees.

The case, which came to light last week, has sparked an outcry in Germany, where skepticism was already running high over the authorities’ ability to competently handle the record influx of refugees.

It adds fuel to criticism of the asylum bureaucracy raised by activists and legal experts over recent months.

Critics have warned that many officials and interpreters are under-qualified, and that chaos engulfing the administration could harm vulnerable victims fleeing the horrors of war.

Take the case of Mohamed Homad, a Syrian refugee from Aleppo, who last October received two conflicting decisions on his asylum application.

In the first letter, he was accorded refugee status which grants him residence for three years as well as the right to bring his immediate family members to Germany.

In the second letter, which arrived just a few days later, however, he was only given subsidiary protection―which rules out family reunion, Homad told AFP. To his dismay, his lawyer explained to him that authorities claimed that the first letter was just a draft and not valid.

With tens of thousands of refugees arriving in Germany every week in the summer of 2015, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) suddenly found itself drowning in a flood of new files. AFP

Hawn, Russell get their starst LOS ANGELES―Actor Kurt Russell had his long-time partner and actress Goldie Hawn almost in tears on Thursday as the couple received dual stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

“Goldie, to you I owe my wonderful life,” said the 66-year-old as he paid an emotional tribute to his partner of 33 years.

“Simply put Goldie, I cherish you. And all the stars in the sky or on the boulevard don’t hold a candle to that.

“There’s no one else I’d rather be next to than Goldie Hawn.”

The celebrity couple were joined on the podium by Hawn’s actress daughter, Kate Hudson, as well as Reese Witherspoon and Quentin Tarantino, who directed Russell in a number of movies including “The Hateful Eight.”

“Can we just get married? We’ve never had a celebration like this before,” quipped the 71-year-old Hawn during the rare double ceremony in Tinseltown.

Hudson also joked that the event had a wedding-like atmosphere and said she felt honored to speak about the couple’s work.

“I was slotted in to talk about my mother, but I have two parents and they’re both here,” she said.

“I always thought I’d be talking about them at a wedding or something. But since a wedding doesn’t seem to be in our near future, ever, this may be my only opportunity.”

Witherspoon paid a tearful tribute to Hawn, calling the Academy Award winner a “legend” and “icon” who had broken all sorts of barriers for women.

Hawn, who made her acting debut in 1967, received a best supporting Oscar in 1970 for her role in “Cactus Flower” in which she portrays the suicidal girlfriend of a dentist.

She has starred in more than 30 films, the latest of which is kidnap comedy “Snatched,” which comes out in theaters next week.

Russell for his part started his acting career at age 10, appearing in some of television’s most storied shows including “Gilligan’s Island,” “Lost in Space” and “Gunsmoke.”

He has also starred in dozens of movies, the latest of which is “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2,” which opens in theaters on Friday. AFP

Brutal French presidential contest enters final stretch

P

ARIS―French centrist Emmanuel Macron sought to cement his frontrunner status Friday on the last day of campaigning for the weekend’s election run-off after a bruising and divisive race.

Pro-European Macron and far-right anti-immigration candidate Marine Le Pen have offered starkly different visions for France during a campaign that has been closely watched in Europe and the rest of the world.

And the battle has only increased in intensity in the final days after a bad-tempered debate, with Macron filing a legal complaint over rumors he has an offshore account.

Both candidates plan high-profile television appearances on the final day as they seek to win over voters, with polls suggesting the 39-year-old Macron enjoys a 20-point lead over his opponent.

At a final rally Thursday in the northern village of Ennemain, Le Pen told supporters she would give them back the keys to the Elysee Palace.

“France cannot wait five more years to hold its head high,” she said.

At an earlier stop in the western town of Dol-deBretagne, protesters threw eggs at her entourage, although she was not hit.

During a final rally in the southwest town of Albi, Macron told cheering supporters: “We will keep our promise of change to the end”.

The former economy minister came under fire however from dozens of union activists demanding the abo-

lition of France’s controversial 2016 labor reforms.

Macron’s legal complaint came after Le Pen repeated rumors he had an offshore account during Wednesday’s TV debate, during which the pair clashed over terrorism, the economy and Europe watched by 16.5 million people.

“I hope that we will not find out that you have an offshore account in the Bahamas,” Le Pen said during the debate, which was her last chance to narrow the gap.

The 39-year-old ex-economy minister described his rival’s insinuation as “defamation” and after his complaint, French prosecutors launched a probe Thursday into who started the rumor.

Macron’s campaign team called it a “textbook case” of “fake news”, saying it was spread on Twitter by accounts close to Kremlinfriendly news sites like Sputnik and RT as well as supporters of US President Donald Trump.

Le Pen hit back on French radio on Friday saying she was “not at all” the target of the legal suit and her National Front (FN) party had “absolutely nothing to do” with the rumours.

The FN party said her campaign website had been repeatedly targeted by a hacker close to the far-left, who was arrested last week. AFP

PROTEST. Muslim

protesters take to the streets after Friday prayers in Jakarta, to protest against outgoing Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama who is on trial for blasphemy.

Indonesia’s vice president Jusuf Kalla recently dismissed concerns a reputation for moderate Islam had been damaged in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country after Jakarta’s Christian governor was defeated in a religiously charged election. AFP

Brussels hoping for Macron’s victory in election BRUSSELS―The EU has clearly pinned its hopes on proEuropean presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron in Sunday’s French run-off vote, wary of the threat posed by the fiercely euroskeptic Marine Le Pen. A host of top Brussels figures led by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker have broken with their usual

protocol of not interfering in national elections and have openly backed the centrist former banker to beat far-right leader Le Pen. In the European Union’s corridors of power, Macron is seen as more than just a front-line defense against populism as seen with Brexit and the rise of Donald Trump in the US. To many, the 39-year-old rep-

resents a breath of fresh air that could offer the embattled bloc a sorely needed chance to push ahead with unifying new projects after years of crisis.

“We are crossing our fingers,” one senior EU official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Macron’s grueling televised debate with Le Pen on Wednesday was “watched widely” at the

highest levels of the European institutions, “including by nonFrench colleagues”, the EU official said.

“Of course we see Macron in a positive way. We have the feeling that we can work with Macron because his project isn’t to destroy the EU as with Le Pen,” the official added.

This week EU Brexit nego-

tiator and former French minister Michel Barnier said he would vote for Macron, saying that France would “stay European” under him.

Le Pen’s disdain for Europe runs deep. She has long wanted France to drop the euro single currency and return to the franc, and also leave Europe’s Schengen visa-free travel zone. AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

TRAVEL AND LEISURE

SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017

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g n i r e v o c n U

a r Ab

St. Catherine of Alexandria Tayum Church

A

BRA may not be the first destination that comes to mind when one thinks of exploring the northern region of the Philippines, but thankfully, more tourists are unraveling the air of mystery surrounding this underrated gem of a province up north.

There’s so much to discover in Abra, which boasts beautiful tourist attractions, one-of-a-kind Abel fabrics, and the merriest festivals that should be on every traveler’s bucket list of experiences.

As proof of its festival-loving culture (they have at least seven major ones), Abra held its centennial celebration from March 1 to 13, led by Governor Joy Valera-Bernos.

Even its geography makes it one of northern Luzon’s best-kept secrets: Abra is a land-locked province in the Cordilleras, bordered by Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Kalinga, Apayao, and the Mountain Province. It is surrounded by towering mountains, deep valleys, and sloping hills—who wouldn’t want to be in the midst of such wonderful scenery?

These land formations are also sources of the tributaries of Abra river, which flows toward the coastal areas of Ilocos Sur. It is this river that led to the province’s name: from the Spanish word abrir, to open in English.

This opening, or “Abra,” came to be the official name of the province.

And now Abra is opening its doors to more and more visitors who are eager to experience its colorful festivals, historic attractions, and natural wonders, as well as get hold of the beautiful Abel fabrics. It’s really only a matter of time before Abra will be on lists of the world’s must-visit destinations, so if you have a taste for adventure, history, and even fashion, it’s high time to make that trip up to Abra. It just might surprise you.

scour the world for unique fabrics and style inspirations. Abra is home to the loom weaving community that creates the beautifully complex Abel fabrics.

The unique traditional fabrics may be made using an age-old craft, but their designs remain relevant and increasingly in demand in today’s fashion industry. In fact, Abel fabrics were recently showcased in a grand fashion show at the Abra Centennial Celebration, which featured well-known Philippine designers and Abra’s own designers.

High-profile Filipino designers presented beautiful collections that prove how Abel fabrics are definitely high fashion. Ivarluski Aseron used Abel fabrics set against structured black coats, skirts, and dresses for the ladies and suits for men. Dennis Lustico made colorful, office-appropriate shift dresses and coats entirely from Abel fabrics.

Joey Samson’s fun colorful tops and skirts for ladies and casual shirts for men, Jojie Lloren’s trendy wide-leg pants and edgy wrap tops and dresses, and the bright loose tops with breezy flared sleeves from James Reyes show how Abel fabrics can be on-trend and wearable. Bong Lazo’s beautiful long gowns will make one want to strut into their next formal affair clad in Abel fabric creations.

Designers from Abra likewise showed off their craft in unique pieces that seem destined for global market.

Boying Velasco made Abel fabric look cool and youthful with his millennialfriendly designs for young ladies and World-class woven fabrics gents, while Medel Cabuan’s his and More than a destination for festival- hers formal pieces elevated Abel fabloving tourists, Abra is also a draw for rics to wedding must-haves. Sigmund fashion-forward travelers and those who Parel and Simon Co made some truly

ENCHANTING. The land-locked province of Abra is home to some unspoiled natural attractions such as falls in San Juan. red carpet-worthy dresses that one can imagine on their favorite celebrities and models in the Philippines and abroad.

All the designers’ collections prove that Abel fabrics are versatile and statement-making enough to wow on Philippine and global runways and be proudly donned by fashionistas.

Colorful festivals, rich historical, cultural, and natural attractions

Gabriela Silang Monument Pidigan

Abra is home to the loom-weaving community that creates the complex Abel fabric

Anytime is a good time to visit Abra, but timing it around one of its many festivals throughout the year will ensure a truly eventful and memorable trip.

The annual Kawayan Festival, which celebrates Abra’s Foundation Day, March 9 is one of the biggest. As the name suggests, the festival is centered on kawayan (bamboo), which Abra is known for, hence the province is considered the bamboo capital of northern Luzon and the Cordilleras. The capital town of the province, Bangued, celebrates its fiesta on Feb. 23 of each year.

Called Dapil Festival, it showcases the different products made from sugar cane such as vinegar, basi, tagapulot (molasses), and brown sugar (muscovado). Tayum, one of the oldest towns of Abra, also recently celebrated its first Lakasa Festival on Nov. 25, 2016 to preserve and promote its rich historical and cultural heritage. Home to a memorabilia of the town’s past and that of the province of Abra, its old Hispanic structures and museum are treasures on their own. The festival involves dances, songs, and a visual feast celebrating the indigo industry of the town.

Turn to D2

Flights to Banaue via Clark A SHORTER and quicker flight from Clark International Airport to the world-famous Banaue Rice Terraces was among the Philippines’ diverse offerings in this year’s Internationale Tourismus Borse (ITB) in Messe Berlin.

“There’s no better occasion to launch a new air route than in the world’s grandest tourism trade fair.

This will complement the activities we are promoting in the European market, particularly for travelers who seek cultural immersion in the Philippines,” said Department of Tourism (DoT) Secretary Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo. The DoT head welcomed the active participation of destination management companies (DMCs) such as Wakay Air Services that offers the four-day/threenight package to the Banaue Rice Terraces via Clark International Airport in Angeles City, Pampanga to Bagabag Airport, Nueva Vizcaya.

Although there are numerous rice terraces throughout Asia, the Banaue Rice Terraces earned the moniker “the eighth wonder of the world” because of its immensity

and height of 1500 meters above sea level, as built by the Ifugao ancestors some 2,000 years ago, fed by an ancient irrigation system from the mountain rainforest.

The breathtaking Banaue Rice Terraces was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

DoT Director for the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) Marie Venus Tan, who spearheaded the negotiations with Wakay Air Services, said the new air connectivity development will cut by more than half the usual land travel time from Manila to Banaue that normally take up to six to eight hours.

The flight from Clark to Bagabag Airport in Nueva Vizcaya will take approximately one hour.

The flights will start on May 17 with a four flights a week schedule on board a 38-seater Dornier plane.

“The Cordilleras is all about tradition and exotic culture. This is our strongest selling point because our visitors can experience authentic and truly meaningful cultural immersions that benefit the host communities. We are blessed with rich and fascinating cul- Tourism Promotions Board department manager Susan del Mundo entertaining inquiries at the ture we can be very proud of,” said Tan. Philippine booth at the Internationale Tourismus Borse in Messe, Berlin

Life

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SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

MERCURY RISING

BY BOB ZOZOBRADO

“We were sailing along On Moonlight Bay… As we sang love’s old sweet song On Moonlight Bay”

T

HIS old Doris Day song kept on bouncing back-and-forth inside my head as our mega-ship slowly drifted away from the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong. We were on our way to another voyage to the high seas.

DREAMING

On The High Seas entertainment venues, but I have to admit that I didn’t have enough time to try all of them as I found favorites among the few that I tried, and decided to spend longer hours there. Naturally, I also spent time in The Market, a commercial retail area, to buy some presents for friends, and browsed around the attractive masterpieces in the Art Gallery. I also enjoyed The Dream

wellness centers. On Deck 19 is where the business center and library are, and meeting rooms are found on Deck 7. I enjoyed the boardwalk, a 610-meter wraparound outdoor promenade, where I burned out unwanted calories from the This was actually my nth cruise, havlavish meals heaped on us. Of course, ing taken several to different parts of for those into extreme sports, the ship’s the world, but every cruise I take always exciting zip line and very challenging gives me that giddy feeling of a “newbie.” rock climbing wall will take care of There is something about a your adventurous soul. cruise ship, especially if it’s Being a sister company a mega-ship like this one I of Resorts World, the ship was on, that stirs a hornet’s has a casino, and it spans nest of excitement in me, three decks, which made LITTLE BOY: Mommy! Do Angels fly? akin to that of a little boy it impossible for me to igMOTHER: Yes, they do my love. going to a carnival for the nore it, much as I wanted LITTLE BOY: Then, when will our nanny fly? first time. to, because I would pass Genting Dream, built by Dad calls her ‘My Angel’ all the time. by those “sparkling, shimMeyer Werft of Germany, mering, splendid” maMOTHER (rushing to another room): Right is Asia’s first-ever luxury chines whichever direcnow, son. She’ll fly as far as she can! cruise ship, and is so new, tion I would go to inside it has been in operation the ship. The melodious for only five months. It sound emitting from the is a 20-storey mega cruise liner with Boutiques where the world’s leading machines every time they hit a jackpot 1674 staterooms (cabins) most of which signature brands are sold at very rea- succeeded in disarming my defenses, have balconies, can carry 3352 passen- sonable prices, tempting enough for me and the next thing I knew, I was already gers, and is serviced by a staff of 2016. to dish out my plastic money for some seated in front of one. Well, let’s just say, These numbers immediately give you prized items. the temptation was well worth it, as it paid an idea of the size of the ship.

The ship also has eight sports and rec- me back the cost of one signature branded It has 23 restaurants and bars, nine reation facilities, and seven beauty and item I bought earlier.

YOUR SATURDAY CHUCKLE

The Lido on Deck 16 is an all-day buffet dining venue

Uncovering...

From D1

Abra is punctuated with colonial architectures that stand as living testament to its colorful role in Philippine history as well as rich wonders of nature that are sure to attract curious adventurers and serious thrill seekers.

This includes the 40-meter Tangadan Tunnel, one of the most well known landmarks in Abra, which serves as the welcome arch of the province, complete with its seal.

Bangued is the capital of the province of Abra and serves as the gateway for exploring the rest of the province.

In this municipality alone, one will find several of the province’s must-visit tourist spots, like the Victoria Park, the Calaba river, and the beautiful heritage site San Lorenzo Ruiz Shrine.

Abra is well on its way to becoming one of the Philippines’ most popular destinations, thanks to the efforts of its Centennial Governor to promote the province’s tourist spots, products, and festivals. After serving in various government positions since 1996 and supporting her deceased husband, former La Paz Mayor Marck Ysrael Bernos, Governor Joy continues to help the people of Abra with her programs for education, health, infrastructure, social services, and livelihood, all under her umbrella effort “Joy Helps.”

It is, in fact, her advocacy to promote local industries such as loom weaving, furniture making, bamboo product development, food processing, and more by providing them venues for exposure, the latest of which was the Centennial Bazaar, a partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry. Through her programs, Governor Joy is ensuring that Abra’s products and beautiful tourist spots are recognized not just around the country but the world over, too.

My spacious stateroom (cabin) with a balcony

The 20-story megaship, Genting Dream, is Asia’s first luxury liner which features amenities such as (inset) The Zouk on Deck 17, where the sunlovers congregate during the day and the partyphiles come together at night

Real live, Las Vegas-style nightly entertainment is available at the Zodiac Theater on Deck 7. The shows make you enjoy watching sleight-of-hand tricks and the same leggy, attractive, Moulin Rougetype girls in elaborately designed costumes, making you think to yourself, how can one enjoy so much entertainment, being in the middle of the ocean?

And, my stateroom (cabin) was the best part of the ship. The first time I entered it, I knew right away it was going to be a very relaxing voyage. The king-sized bed was very comfortable and it was right next to the balcony, so all I had to do was open the drapes and I had a panoramic, calming view of the deep blue sea. My stateroom could accommodate 4 persons comfortably and, since I was all by myself, I had so much space to move about.

Comfortable as it was, my cabin also posed a challenge to me every day---I had this mental tug-of-war, deciding whether to laze around inside it, or enjoy the fresh air at the promenade deck, or pig out in any of the restaurants where a sumptuous, abundant meal is always free-of-charge. Agonizing decisions, right?

The gala night was quite memorable for me. The instruction was for all of us passengers to wear Chinese attire, and prizes would be given to those looking their very best. I didn’t have any other Chinese getup except for the one I bought in Vietnam many decades ago, when I was still with the airline. It is a blue silk tunic similar

to what Chinese emperors in those period films wear. It came with a matching hat. Well, what do you know, they liked it and I won a very expensive Bally leather briefcase for being the Best-Dressed Gentleman of the evening. I find this very significant because the ship’s passengers were 80-90% Chinese, yet I “beat them at their own game.”

Genting Dream’s fine Asian and international dining, exceptional service and enthralling entertainment will certainly make anybody’s dreams set sail.

I never thought this cruise would be as enjoyable as the many other cruises in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean I took the past years. Now, I can proudly say that the Asia-Pacific region has leveled up, and is now at par with the other regions’ cruise industry.

Thank goodness for Dream Cruises, the mother company of Genting Dream, and sister company of Star Cruises, it now meets the needs of the emerging generation of confident, independently minded and affluent Asian travelers. And the best part is that Genting Dream’s sister ship, the brand-new World Dream, a mirror image of the former, will be in operation starting December this year, and will homeport in Manila.

With this piece of good news, are your dreams ready to set sail?

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

Living the easy life in Bataan’s premiere resort

By Ayunan Gunting-Al-Hadj VACATIONING in the country’s various summer destinations can get exhausting. It’s more of an exodus and less of a summer break since it often seems that everyone in the city happens to be in the place you chose to get away from it all.

But there are a few places that still manage to retain a semblance of serenity, even during the height of the summer rush.

The Montemar Beach Club Resort is such a place. Nestled on the coast of Bagac in Bataan, its location is perfect for nature lovers. This province is blessed with a picturesque and mostly unspoiled landscape. The municipality of Bagac, for instance, is laid back and is surrounded by majestic hills that overlook the West Philippine Sea. Most of its coves are undiscovered and primarily explored by campers and backpackers who happen to be in the know.

Montemar is for those who want to savor Bataan’s natural charms without having to give up the comfortable amenities of a luxury resort. It’s located in a secluded area, away from the town proper and crowded resorts.

The service the courteous staff provides is world-class and the accommodations are luxurious. Its 89 guestrooms are housed in elegant two- to three-story building clusters ensconced throughout the sprawling property. Guests can choose a room that can accommodate couples and small families. Whether a twin-sharing room, a suite, loft or two-level family guestroom, guests will have a view of either the garden or the ocean. And of course, they come with the amenities the most discerning guests can never do without.

What make Montemar appealing, built in the 1970s, are the spacious rooms and most of them have high ceilings.

Guests don’t feel cramped. Rest as-

The Montemar Beach Club in Bataan is perfect for travelers looking for a quiet place where they can relax and enjoy sophisticated amenities

sured these rooms have all been refurbished and updated to cater to today’s travelers who require such sophisticated technology such as Internet connectivity, among others.

Happily, Montemar’s developers chose not to squeeze in as many rooms for the sake of profit. The result;

even during peak seasons and when it’s fully booked, the resort is never crowded. It is perhaps the reason why its clientele remains loyal since after all, it’s impossible to relax and recharge in a place teeming with people.

Furthermore, the clusters were situated in a way to make it easy for guests

to access Montemar’s sports and food amenities. It takes just a short stroll to the two swimming pools, the restaurant, and the other sports facilities. Golf carts aren’t necessary since the stroll promises to be relaxing, what with the landscaped gardens that have an abundance of tropical flora.

Montemar’s full service restaurant is the La Marea, which serves Continental and Filipino breakfasts and an a la carte menu for lunch and dinner. The beach is the main attraction of Montemar and guests can enjoy the water sports amenities including jet skis and other fun rides This place isn’t just for vacationers.

Conference rooms and functions rooms are designed and equipped to accommodate seminars, private parties, and even wedding receptions. And because of its sports facilities, Montemar has been a popular choice for corporate team building activities.

Having been around for almost 40 years now, Montemar has gained a reputation for its expertise in providing a tranquil getaway for the stylish set. It’s the grand dame of Philippine resorts and it’s constantly modernized to remain competitive. Yet perhaps guests keep coming because of its old world allure and hospitality. Also a big plus is the fact that it takes less than a threehour, stress free drive through the immaculately maintained highways of Bataan.

Indeed, to our eye, Montemar brings us back to a time when the traffic wasn’t too heavy and the drive to one’s destination was scenic and not too long. Well, one doesn’t need to reminisce since this can still be done today—and in high style—at the Montemar Beach Club.

For more information, please contact (02) 811-5496 or e-mail reservations.mbci@gmail.com

SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017

ANTI-PIRACY

campaign launched Director Dominic Nuesa fully supports Globe Telecom’s anti-piracy campaign at the Globe Independent Film Festival Awards Night at the Palace Pool Club in BGC

Celebrity volunteers who gave inspirational talk and brought cheers to street kids in Angeles City

BEVERLY SALVIEJO, LANCE RAYMUNDO

bring joy to Bale Anghel kids Braga Calingo, the guest of honor, gave inspirational talk to the kids and enjoyed participating in the games (Trip to Jerusalem and Stop Dance) with them.

OT long ago, comedienne Beverly The one-hour program started with a prayer by Christian Goma, and opening remarks from Bale Anghel’s administrator Bong Salviejo and actor-singer Lance Dungca.

Raymundo brought cheers to some 30 Cancer-survivor and violinist Emil John Olisco performed a former street children, now little scholars, at musical number.

Also in attendance were singer-guitarist Mardy Cayanan, emcees Bale Anghel, a haven for former scavengers Jade Orona and Manu Valdes (nephew of actor Shintaro Valdes), and street kids in Angeles City where they are Ram Ilustre, Rappler’s Wenri de Guzman, Rotary Club member Jong Villanueva, and Mico Malen Mostoles. engaged in learning activities.

After the program, the kids enjoyed the refreshments, courtesy of Former Miss World Philippines’ First Princess Arienne Louise singer-songwriter Jose Mari Chan.

By Rogelio Constantino Medina

N

Forgotten treasures of the past on History TREASURES long forgotten, expert skills left in the past, and the most controversial questions left unanswered for centuries are being discovered in this thoughtprovoking and eye-opening lineup of shows from History Brand new series Lone Star Restoration stars Brent Hull, the “house whisperer” of Texas.

For over 20 years, Brent and his team from Hull Historical have been on a mission to “build more beautiful things and quit building crap,” just like Barbra Streisand’s American Colonial library in her Malibu mansion.

Follow Brent’s mission of saving America’s architectural history every Tuesday at 9:55 p.m., starting May 23.

Discover the historical art of weaponry in the original competition series Forged in Fire every Thursday at 9 p.m., starting May 18. Hosted by Army and Air Force veteran Wil Willis, Forged in Fire features worldclass blade smiths competing

to create history’s most iconic edged weapon which can stand up to strength and sharpness tests and the critical eyes of worldrenowned weapon experts.

Are aliens real? Theorists continue to find more and more clues that extraterrestrials have been on planet earth since ancient times. This season of Ancient Aliens uncovers more astonishing evidence of extraterrestrial intervention on earth millions of years ago.

Explore this controversial theory in this hit History series starting May 24, 9 p.m. every Wednesday.

Starting tomorrow and airing every Sunday at 9 p.m., Detroit Steel sees Adam Genei and his team at Mobsteel turn worn out rides into full throttle high-end masterpieces. Adam turned Mobsteel into a thriving business with head-turning rides that sell for big money. Whether it’s building a Ford pickup for a famous football player

or turning an old wood panel wagon into a tire shredding shop car, Adam and his team do what it takes to restore forgotten treasures.

Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz are on a mission to recycle America. They earn a living by restoring forgotten relics to their former glory. The Pickers follows them as they scour the country

Brand new series ‘Lone Star Restoration’ stars Brent Hull, aka the “house whisperer” of Texas

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Saturday, May 6, 2017

ACROSS 1 Dollops 5 Osprey kin 9 Turn sharply 12 Polite cough 13 Drops in the slot 15 Comic — Rudner 16 — E. Coyote 17 Drive forward 18 007’s alma mater 19 Outback cuties 21 Ticket offense 23 Sister of Bart 25 The strong silent — 26 Shaggy beast 29 Apply a mudpack 31 Munchies 35 Thurman of “Gattaca” 36 Thieves’ jargon 38 Like a crevasse 39 Freeway cloggers 41 Ja and da 43 Goalie’s feat 44 Makes small talk 46 Undersized pups 48 Thus, in citations 49 Off course 51 Lowest high tide

52 53 55 57 61

USN officer Graceful steed Zoo transport Came by Many sweaters (hyph.)

65 Poker stakes 66 Eldest Judd 68 Malbec or Shiraz 69 Hi’s comic-strip wife 70 Where Khartoum is 71 Plenty, to a poet 72 Sixth sense 73 Grammy winner 74 Society newbies DOWN 1 Rubberneck 2 Buckeye State 3 Mr. Lugosi 4 Get a whiff of 5 Courier 6 Crash into 7 Barely beats 8 Choose 9 Rigatoni kin 10 “This must weigh — —!”

11 Urban threat 14 Wows with wit 15 Echoes 20 Verdi opera 22 Med. staffers 24 Ice-fishing tool 26 Joshua tree, for one

27 Calcutta nannies 28 Gold unit 30 Deck crew leader 32 Knock it off 33 McHale of the NBA 34 Builder’s sheet 37 Doctrine 40 Levi of Levi’s fame 42 Ravenous 45 Graceful wrap 47 Reach across

for hidden gems in junkyards, basements, and garages while meeting quirky characters and hearing their amazing stories.

Catch American Pickers every Monday at starting on May 1 History is available on SKYCable Ch 67; Cable Link Ch. 43; Dream Satellite Ch 30; Destiny Cable Ch 57; and CignalTV Ch 125.

50 Sailors spin them 54 Swains 56 Imitated a Persian 57 Well-qualified 58 Business VIPs 59 Ear cleaner (hyph.)

60 Long-gone bird 62 Movie theater 63 Dial 64 Hems up 67 Chess piece

GLOBE Telecom launched its anti-piracy advocacy called #PlayItRight during the Globe Independent Film Festival (GIFF) Awards Night to encourage its customers and the public to play content from legitimate sources.

Yoly Crisanto, Globe SVP for Corporate Communications said that it is now the moral responsibility of the company to provide its customers with safe and quality content and, at the same time, protect the intellectual property rights of the company’s own original content as well as the licensed content of its global and local partners.

“Every movie, series and other forms of content downloaded from non-legitimate sources create injustice to the people who labored over the creation of these works and could possibly harm hardearned devices of customers,” Crisanto added.

Crisanto said that the #PlayItRight campaign will send a strong message to the public: to consume digital content the right way. “We want everyone to start having a conscious effort to stop downloading content from illegal torrents or other illegitimate sources because piracy is no longer cool nowadays. Let’s create new habits that would give the people who create content what’s rightfully due

them,” she revealed.

In 2014, Globe changed how Filipinos consumed music by introducing Spotify, which ended the culture of illegally downloading mp3 music from illegal sources.

Today, Globe continues to be the preferred partner for content distribution by global entertainment brands like Disney, Netflix, HOOQ, Turner, Astro, Sports Illustrated, and Musical.ly. Other than content distribution, Globe also now produces its own original content through Globe Studios.

The launch of #PlayItRight highlighted Ang Araw sa Likod Mo, an independently-produced film from An Earth Below Productions in cooperation with the Hero Foundation and supported by Globe Telecom.

The film, which recently won five international awards, was directed by Dominic Nuesa.

The film tells of the heroism, redemption, and sacrifice of both sides of the Mindanao conflict.

The film will be showing in Ayala Cinemas on May 24. The cast includes Ping Medina, Bong Cabrera, Mike Liwag, and Ian Ignacio.

Globe is also partnering with big local movie studios such as Viva Films, which agreed to support the telecommunication provider’s antipiracy advocacy

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017

BILLY Crawford’s

Hong Kong experience

Host and R&B singer Billy Crawford and his crew in the "Ultimate BROcation " series

Year’s most terrifying cinematic event Fassbender as Walter is the latest humanoid DIRECTOR Ridley Scott crafts another yet unforgettable cinematic event in Alien: Covenant creation, an extremely efficient modification starring Michael Fassbender, Catherine Wa- with unrivalled data processing and is free of terston, Guy Pearce, Billy Crudup, Danny Mc- emotions.

When the ship Covenant Walter mans makes Bride, Carmen Ejogo, and James Franco.

Alien: Covenant takes place 10 years after the an unscheduled stop at the nearest planet, they events of Prometheus and follows the crew of didn’t realize that they have descended into hell’s the colony ship Covenant, which has discovered path finding themselves trapped and helpless in a world full of hostile a promising new planet. alien life forms.

Also on board the “I think Walter’s colony ship Covenant a real different is humanoid Walter kettle of fish. David (Fassbender) who is in was definitely a charge of managing the work-in-progress, ship’s safe journey until somewhat of a it’s time for the mission prototype I suppose. crew to wake from The elements of years of cryo-slumber. him that were the Once awake, the human elements I team finds a planet think people found just like earth and soon a little disturbing, comes in contact with so Walter’s more of David (Fassbender), the a straightforward synthetic survivor of Ridley Scott explores darkest corners in the latest robot, which is pretty the doomed Prometheus science fiction horror, “Alien: Covenant” logical and more of expedition. a servant without the The uncharted world ego. that looks like paradise So, Walter is really just a very straightforward, at first soon turns dark and dangerous when a hostile alien life-form forces the crew into a logical synthetic really. He’s just more like a Dr. Spock type character, whereas David—it’s deadly fight for survival.

A visual spectacle, “Alien: Covenant will 10 years since we last saw him without any bring the audience to an immersive world where maintenance. So those human qualities have humans have nowhere to run and hide from the gathered some momentum I suppose or they’re monstrous creatures who wreak of nothing but as much a part of him now as synthetic qualities.

Walter’s just really there to serve the ship and its carnage.

Fassbender plays dual role as humanoids crew,” says Fassbender of his dual role.

Alien: Covenant opens May 10 in cinemas David and Walter, both made to be the ideal nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be hassle-free companion in all of man’s most distributed by Warner Bros. ambitious expedition in space.

TV5 will make your romantic wishes come true with the return of the all new Wattpad Presents 9 p.m. every Saturday.

As the show returns to television screens, prepare for an all new exciting set of stories that everyone – especially millennials – can surely relate to. May it be falling in love with a best friend, a love story with a dark twist or a love triangle, you name it, Wattpad Presents surely has it.

The new season of premiered on April 29, the first of four “kilig” to the bone stories, with Destined written by Blue Maiden, which has reads of 22.4 M and the Wattys 2015 winner and directed by Jaime Habac Jr., of I’m Drunk, I Love You. The premiere episode starred former theater actress Sarah Carlos as Kayla; Ben Isaac, dubbed one of Chalk Magazine’s Hottest Male Celebs, as Kean; indie actress Kate Alejandrino as Krystal, and Candy Cutie Raphael Robes as Dwayne. The story involved a love triangle that leaves a question to viewers “Who do you choose? The one

T

HE Bros are giving us more insightful and authentic experiences in Hong Kong.

The popular five-episode reality series The Ultimate BROcation, presented by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and entertainment channel KIX, is highlighting new adventures for Filipino travelers.

Take some cues from the four male celebrity “bros”, including the Philippines’ very own Billy Crawford, who are always up for exhilarating and unique experiences. Just like the bros who are always out to discover every hidden gem in Hong Kong, you can go from Hong Kong’s vibrant city streets to explore its pristine sandy beaches, mountain paths, and quaint villages.

Escape to Hong Kong’s beaches for a refreshing retreat from the city and find a new side of Hong Kong just like the bros did.

Follow the lead of the bros and check out the exhilarating Flyboarding activity at Deep Water Bay and see for yourself why this is a broapproved experience.

Another perfect getaway is Repulse Bay, a crescent-shaped island considered as one of the most beautiful beaches in Hong Kong. There you’ll also find the chic al fresco rooftop terrace bar Cabana where you can dine and party in style like the bros.

Redefine fun and try your hand at playing soccer with a twist. Bumperman, located in Kwun Tong, adds a creative spin on soccer by encasing each player in an air-filled bubble or a Bumperball. The bros surely enjoyed gearing up for their round of “Bubble Soccer” and you and your friends or family will definitely get a kick out of this, too.

Apart from the outdoor activities done by the bros, there’s still a lot more of Hong

Kong’s natural heritage to see and discover, like a local. Start by visiting UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site, the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark. This sprawling park showcases Hong Kong’s timeless and beautiful structures and is distributed across two regions – the Sai Kung Volcanic Rock region and the Northeast New Territories Sedimentary Rock region.

Take advantage of the guided tours, which can whisk you away to surrounding islands, hiking excursions on the best trails, and a chance at wildlife spotting.

Go on another adventure through the MacLehose Trail, named as one of the World’s Best Hikes by National Geographic and a Certificate of Excellence recipient from TripAdvisor. Experience the side of Hong Kong, which shows you nature’s works of art like sea caves, sea stacks, hexagonal rock columns and dikes. Marvel at the most wonderful geological sites as you go on this leisurely walk.

Bring your family and friends to Lamma Island and indulge in the magnificent views of Aberdeen, Repulse Bay and Ocean Park. Check out the wide variety of seafood the island is famous for, plus its turquoise coves, traditional fishing villages and environment-friendly wind turbines.

As Hong Kong celebrates its 20th anniversary of their region establishment, 20th Anniversary Coupon Booklets are available, where visitors utilize discounts and freebies to Hong Kong attractions until Oct. 31.

Participating merchants include the top mustsees in the city such as Hong Kong Disneyland, Madame Tussauds, Ocean Park Hong Kong and sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck.

Grab your own coupon booklet from Hong Kong International Airport, HKTB visitor centers and hotels in HK. If you’re looking for more Hong Kong adventures, watch out for The Ultimate BROcation on ABS CBN Sports + Action every Thursday at 6 p.m. with weekly reruns starting on May 25 and again on June 26.

For more information, log on to discoverHongKong.com/best

‘Wattpad Presents’ back on TV 5

TV5 President Chot Reyes (third from right) with the new season cast of ‘‘Wattpad’’ Presents'

you love or the one who loves?”

TV5 has been crafting different sets of entertaining TV programs based on the audience’s interest. They are wide range

of genres that are seat-grabbing action series, enjoyable animated shows and amusing tagalized films or series. TV 5 made sure that every scene is created with

the highest production value, episodes will be produced by production houses known for quality films and commercials – Unitel and Firestarter, to name a few.

TV5 President and CEO Coach Chot Reyes said that the new Wattpad Presents features more popular titles and authors from various genres such as rom-com, romance with a bit of action, and even romantic horror stories guaranteed to make your Saturday evening a “kilig” moment experience.

Just the Benefits written by Beeyotch, which reached 28.9M reads, about a power couple who after finding themselves drawn to each other after breaking up, decided to keep it casual and just enjoy the benefits without any labels to the relationship.

Unlucky I’m in love with my Bestfriend written by Stupidlyinlove, with 38.1 M reads and published by Summit Pop Fiction, is about Zandra who falls in love with her BFF Zendrick.

Special Section written by Onneechan, with 17.5 M reads revolves around a very controversial high school “Special Section” wherein strange series of events occurred with romantic mix.