Manila Standard - 2017 May 08 - Monday

LOCKDOWN. Policemen stand guard near a mosque in Quiapo, Manila following two explosions that killed two people and injured five others. The blasts occurred in the same area in Quiapo, portions of which remain on lockdown (lower panel) while police teams with the aid of a robot gather evidence from the blast sites. AFP, Norman Cruz VOL. XXXI • NO. 83 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Cleric’s bomb target; Cops rule out IS hand Pinoys give Du30 ‘excellent’ rating

By Sandy Araneta PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has maintained an “excellent” trust rating from Filipinos, the latest Social Weather Stations survey revealed on Sunday.

The results of the first-quarter SWS poll for this year says that 80 percent of adult Filipinos have ‘‘much trust’’ in the President, while 11 percent are undecided and 10 percent have ‘‘little trust’’ in him.

SWS says the latest survey gives Duterte an ‘‘excellent’’ +70 net trust rating, ‘‘similar’’ to the +72 he got in December 2016 and consistent under the same grade since he was elected President.

The non-commissioned survey was conducted from March 25 to 28 using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adult Filipinos nationwide.

The survey had a sampling error margin of ±3 percent and ±6 Next page

By Sandy Araneta

P

OLICE believe a Shi’ite Muslim cleric was the likely target of explosions that killed two people in Quiapo, Manila, an official said Sunday, rejecting Islamic State claims of involvement.

Six others were injured when two explosions rocked the office of the imam, Nasser Abinal, in Quiapo Saturday.

Oscar Albayalde, head of police forces in Metro Manila, said the bomb was apparently intended for Abinal who is also a government tax officer for the Manila region.

He was not at the office at the time.

“He admitted there were threats to his life in the past” while being questioned by police, Albayalde said.

The bomb was carried in a package by a GrabExpress delivery man who handed it over to an aide of Abinal just before it went off, killing them both.

As police were searching the blast site late Saturday, another explosion rocked the area, possibly from a second bomb planted

earlier, said Albayalde.

“This has nothing to do with terrorism. There is no indication that this was done by a terror group, local or foreign,” he said.

The Islamic State group has claimed it staged the explosion.

“Five Shi’ites were killed and six others wounded in a bomb

blast by Islamic State fighters in the center of Manila,” said a statement from Amaq, the propaganda arm of IS. Albayalde said this was just the IS custom of taking credit for any such incidents.

The Islamic State has carried Next page

War on ASG leaves 4 terrorists dead in Basilan

By Francisco Tuyay FOUR more members of the Abu Sayyaf Group were killed after troops encountered two squads of bandits in two separate forested areas in Sumisip, Basilan, Saturday afternoon.

Capt.

Jo-Ann Pentinglay, spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Command, said the four bandits were pinned down in Barangays. Cabcaban and Bembengan in Sumisip town at 2 p.m.

Pentinglay said the slain bandits were part of a group of 15 to 20

terrorists.

Pentinglay said the bandits were in two separate groups when intercepted by the Army’s 4th Special Forces Battalion and 18th Infantry Battalion under the Joint Task Force Basilan who were on patrol.

The first firefight occurred at Brgy. Upper Bembengan at 2 p.m.

Two bandits were killed and several others were wounded.

Troops later intercepted the fleeing bandits, killing two more in Cabcaban village in Sumisip town at 9 p.m.

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Ex-BCDA chief faces trial for P100-m libel suit

By Rey E. Requejo MUCH TRUSTED. President Rodrigo R. Duterte has merited a ‘much

trusted’ rating among 80 percent of adult Filipinos, according to a recent survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations.

A PASIG City Regional Trial Court has ordered the arrest of Arnel Casanova, former president of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.

Palace seeks to appease CA after Gina’s rejection

By Sandy Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz MALACAÑANG on Sunday said President Rodrigo Duterte did not mean to attack the integrity of the Commission on Appointments when he said “lobby money” was involved in the re-

jection of his choice for Environment secretary, Regina Lopez.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said the President only meant to highlight the existence of “certain vested interests” in the appointment of government officials.

THE impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to be referred to the House of Representatives’ committee on justice this week to enable lawmakers to begin

American recreational facility in Baguio City.

Pasig City RTC Branch 67 ordered the arrest of Casanova and other BCDA officials to face trial for libel that was filed by the Justice department through the Office of the City

Prosecutor of Pasig City in 2013.

The indictment arose from the P100-million libel complaint filed by CJH chairman Robert John Sobrepeña, who accused Casanova and several Next page

House sets scrutiny of Tadeco deal REFUGE. A couple of vendors takes shelter from the scorching sun under a concrete drainage pipe along Manila’s Bonifacio Drive. Ey Acasio

By Maricel V. Cruz

the process, a House official said Sunday.

House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, chairman of the committee on rules, said his panel will include the impeachment complaint

A JOINT panel in the House of Representatives will begin its probe into the row between two presidential allies over a publicprivate land-lease deal in Davao del Norte that allegedly has robbed the government of hundreds of millions of pesos worth of recurring non-tax income.

(Related story on B1) The House committee on good government and public accountability and the committee on justice are set to conduct on May 9 their joint preliminary

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Impeachment bid on sked

By Maricel V Cruz

The court gave the order after it found probable cause to hold him for trial for causing the publication of a notice that tarnished the reputation of the chairman of CJH Development Corp. that developed Camp John Hay, a former

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MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

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Cleric’s...

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out attacks in other countries on Shi’ite sites and events.

But Albayalde said the attack seemed to be targeting Abinal, adding that it may be for personal reasons, his work or his religion.

Manila Police District director Chief Supt. Joel Coronel added that if the attacks were acts of terrorism, the culprits would have planted the bombs in a more crowded area where they would do more damage.

“It was sent to his office, that’s were the bomb threat was sent,” Coronel said, referring to Abinal.

“He said there were people or a group who sent threats to him through Facebook and social media because of his work as an imam,” he added.

The first explosion happened on Norzagaray Street and Elizondo Street near the Manila Golden Mosque at 5:55 p.m.

Saturday. A second blast went off at 8:25 p.m.

Coronel said the two blasts are likely connected to each other but they have not yet established if these explosions were connected to the one that went off on April 28.

Authorities have locked down the streets affected by the explosion as they begin post-blast investigation to determine the bomb used and the suspects behind the incident. Some Army troops were also deployed to augment the police force.

Coronel asked residents in Quiapo to relay any information they have about the explosions to the police.

“MPD is on full alert along with other units sa area. If you see any suspicious person or thing, just call the police, “ Coronel advised the public.

Tension remained high after the blasts, with police cordoning off the area again on Sunday after a suspicious bag was spotted.

A bomb disposal robot later established it was a false alarm.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman Ernesto Abella urged the public to stay alert but avoid spreading “unverified” news that may cause panic.

Just over a week ago another explosion injured 14 people in Quiapo as Southeast Asian leaders were meeting for a summit a few kilometers away.

IS claimed responsibility for the April 28 explosion, but police insisted it was not a terrorist attack and not related to the gathering of political leaders.

In a statement Sunday, Grab Philippines confirmed that one of the two casualties was a partner in the company’s Metro Manila-based parcel delivery service, GrabExpress.

“Grab Philippines condemns the bombing on Saturday at Norzagaray Street in Quiapo, Manila,” the statement said. “We are deeply saddened the incident took the lives of two civilians, including one of our GrabExpress partners.”

Grab said it was cooperating with the police investigation.

With AFP

Army hits out at CPP-NPA T

HE Army’s 10th Infantry Division said Sunday it had submitted 19 complaints against the CPP-NPA for gross violations of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Law signed between the government and the National Democratic Front, which allegedly represents the CPP-NPA in the formal peace talks.

IN MOURNING. An unidentified visitor takes a snapshot of the Philippine flag flying at half-staff In Lipa City’s Fernando Air Base as the Philippine Air Force mourns the death of Captain Christian Paul Litan and Staff Sergeant Byron Tolosa who died after their UH-10 helicopter crashed at Brgy. Sampaloc in Tanay, Rizal on May 4, 2017. President Rodrigo Duterte visited the wake of the two deceased PAF personnel on May 7, 2017.

Malacañang Photo

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This, he added, did not in any way diminish the integrity of the CA. “Some members of the commission decided according to principle and conscience and even came out to explain their votes,” said Abella.

“The President respects the independence of the Commission on Appointments,” he added.

“The fact that he did not interfere during the confirmation process of the erstwhile DENR secretary shows his deference to the body,” he said.

But lawmakers on Sunday denounced allegations that they had been bribed to reject Lopez.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, majority leader for the House’s contingent’s CA, said there was no bribery involved and lamented that administration critics were raising this to gain media attention.

Earlier, Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, who filed an impeachment case against President Duterte, sought a congressional

War...

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Troops clearing the area discovered a temporary encampment near the encounter site.

Last week, two prominent ASG sub-leaders were killed in separate clashes in Inabanga, Bohol and Indanan, Sulu as the military stepped up its attacks on the terrorist group.

AAlhabsy Misaya, one of the most dreaded bandits operating in Sulu, was killed by Marines.

Days after Misaya’s death, security forces intercepted and

probe into the CA brouhaha.

“He must come out with his evidence or else the tables can be turned against him,” Albano said.

An administration ally, Parañaque Rep. Gus Tambunting, said there was no need for either the Senate or the House of Representatives to conduct a probe.

“What piece of legislation can we make out of it? They will investigate themselves? I do not think that is proper,” Tambunting said.

He added that there must be a compelling reason to warrant a congressional investigation.

But Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato, a CA member, urged Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III to look into allegations that some CA members were influenced by intense lobbying by business interests to reject Lopez.

Sato said Pimentel, as chairman of the CA, must investigate the bribery allegations against members of the appointments body.

“I believe inaction will be a disservice to our people and to our country,” Sato said.

Senator Panfilo Lacson had earlier called for an investigation into allegations that the CA mem-

bers were influenced by financial consideration, with no less than Duterte saying Lopez was not confirmed because “money talks.”

Sato stressed that the CA is a constitutional body whose mandate is to serve as an effective check to the appointments of the President.

“It is a collegial body composed of representatives from the Senate and the House of Representatives who are duty bound to determine the fitness and qualification of Cabinet appointees free from undue influence,” Sato said.

“Any allegation that undermines the integrity and independence of the CA must be taken seriously,” she added.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, who has been vocal about his reasons for rejecting Lopez, on Sunday said he was ready to bring up her history of drug dependency and personality disorder during the hearings, but did not do so because it was “too personal.”

Lacson had earlier bristled at Duterte’s suggestion that members of the CA had rejected Lopez due to pressure from lobby groups.

With Macon Ramos-Araneta and Anna Leah E. Gonzales

killed Muamar Askhali, alias Abu Rami, who was behind the beheading of two Canadian and a German hostage.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año predicted the eventual defeat of the ASG following a series of setbacks that the terrorist group suffered, with the death of dozens of its members in various encounters in Sulu and Basilan.

On Sunday, suspected members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters set off an improvised bomb along the national highway in Datu Hofer, Maguindanao, the second roadside bombing in the province in less than 24 hours.

“The roadside bombs were meant for government forces cruising the road network,” Capt.

Arvin John Encinas, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson, said.

Encinas said the Army had launched artillery attacks toward nearby Datu Salibo town in Maguindanao where the BIFF was planning to overrun an Army base in the village of Pagatin.

Datu Salibo and Datu Hofer are about 15 kilometers apart.

The roadside bomb Sunday morning missed a convoy of soldiers under the 57th Infantry Battalion conducting road security patrol, Encinas said. With PNA

Impeachment...

House...

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against the President in the agenda of the plenary for referral to the House committee on justice chaired by Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali.

Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano filed the impeachment complaint against the President for betrayal of public trust and culpable violations of the Constitution for his administration’s war on drugs and the Davao Death Squad when he was mayor.

Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu, an administration ally, said he believes the impeachment complaint filed against the President will be thrown out.

Abu acknowledged that the impeachment process is a numbers game and that President Duterte’s allies will not support the complaint.

“Expect no fireworks here. The allies of President Duterte will reject this political exercise being baseless, unfounded and divisive,” Abu said.

Abu added that the President is a very popular leader committed to serve the interests of “the poorest of the poor.”

Umali earlier vowed to act on the impeachment complaint against Duterte as soon as his panel receives the referral from the rules committee.

He said the House committee on justice, which deliberates on impeachment complaints, will dispose of the Duterte complaint before Congress adjourns sine die on June 2; and that the process would be “short.”

probe into the joint venture agreement between the Bureau of Corrections and Tagum Agricultural Development Co. Inc. or TADECO, which is owned by the family of Davao del Norte Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr. The JVA has been denounced as “grossly disadvantageous to the government” by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who has filed a resolution asking Congress to carry out a probe into the matter.

Both Alvarez and Floirendo are known political allies and personal friends of President Rodrigo Duterte. Alvarez and Floirendo represent the first and second districts of Davao del Norte, respectively.

“Politics aside, every accusation that a public transaction is highly detrimental to the government is a grave matter that we are duty-bound to investigate painstakingly,” said Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, chairman of the House committee on good government and public accountability.

“Under the law, the performance of any contract deemed ‘manifestly and grossly disadvantageous’ to the government constitutes a punish-

able corrupt practice, whether or not the public officers involved profited or will profit from the transaction,” Pimentel said.

The JVA concerns TADECO’s 25-year lease of 5,038 hectares of public land at the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in the cities of Panabo and Tagum in Davao del Norte.

TADECO has been using the BuCor property to cultivate fresh Cavendish bananas that are exported under the Del Monte brand.

In return, TADECO has been paying BuCor a fixed annual rent of P6,050 per hectare plus a share of 23 centavos for every P100 worth of bananas shipped to Japan, Hong Kong, China, South Korea, the Middle East, Russia, Malaysia and Singapore.

But Alvarez says the annual lease rate amounts to less than one-fourth of the prevailing P25,000 per hectare in the district.

Alvarez also assailed BuCor’s allegedly paltry share from every box of bananas shipped out and the unusually extensive lease term that he said was more than double the customary 10-year tenure.

The Office of the Solicitor General recently declared that the BuCorTADECO deal openly violated the 1987 Constitution and a Commonwealth-era edict restricting the use of public land.

In a statement, the group said 15 of those violations were perpetrated against civilians, including the burning of nine civilian vehicles, the attack and burning of four civilian companies’ equipment and facilities, the murder of a civilian and the harassment of another civilian.

The four violations against soldiers and militiamen were the mutilation of the remains of three soldiers and the killing of three soldiers and a militiaman who were off-duty, unarmed and in civilian clothes.

The group said the civilian vehicles burned by the CPP-NPA included five Yellow Bus Line buses, a Husky bus, one passenger van, an elf truck and a dump truck.

The attacks on civilian companies were the burning of heavy equipment of three construction companies and the packing plant of DOLE-STANFILCO. The group said the violations were committed from February 2016 to January 2017. The number of violations committed by province were South Cotabato-5, Sarangani-4, North Cotabato-3,

Davao del Sur-3, Davao Oriental-2, Davao Occidental-1, and Compostela Valley-1.

Copies of the complaints were forwarded to the Secretariat of the Joint Monitoring Committee of CARHRIHL; Secretary Silvestre H Bello, chairman of GPH-Negotiating Panel; and Fidel V Agcaoili, chairman of the NDFP panel.

The group said it hoped the violations of CARHRIHL would be discussed by the peace panels and appropriate actions would be taken to stop the wanton violations of human rights and international humanitarian laws committed by the CPP-NPA against the Filipino people.

“We likewise urge other government agencies to assist the victims of these senseless violence committed by the CPP-NPA against the Filipino people so that appropriate complaints can be filed not only in the JMC but also in the proper courts,” the group said.

“We call on the CPP-NPA to end these senseless violence against civilians and their properties to show your sincerity in the ongoing peace talks.”

Pinoys...

to 54 year olds, where his net trust rose by 11 points to +76.

Duterte still enjoys an ‘‘excellent’’ grade in the 18-24, 35-44, and 25-34-years brackets, where he received +76, +75 and +70, respectively.

Meanwhile, those 55 years and older gave him a ‘‘very good’’ +60 net trust rating.

Net trust in the President is still ‘‘excellent’’ among college graduates (+79) and high school graduates (+76), while it is at ‘‘very good’’ among elementary graduates (+64) and ‘‘nonelementary graduates’’ (+59).

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said ‘‘The President continues to be the most trusted national leader today.’’

“His trust rating remains excellent with 80 percent of Filipinos giving him much trust, which is similar to the 81 percent he received last December 2016, Abella said.

“His net trust rating has been excellent for four consecutive quarters considering the deeply entrenched culture of illegal drugs, criminality and corruption.

“We urge Filipinos to be vigilant and engaged partners in the active pursuit of change. The resistance to change in Philippine society has been breached by President Duterte; with him we are assured that the interests of the Filipino people come first and last.”

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each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, where SWS had 300 respondents each.

Duterte’s trust rating came out about a month since SWS released ilts satisfaction results, which showed that the President maintained his ‘‘very good’’ satisfaction rating during the same period.

While he saw a six-point decline in both Balance Luzon and Visayas, the President’s net trust rating rose by one grade, or from ‘‘very good’’ to ‘‘excellent’’ in Metro Manila, where he is now up by nine points to +74.

His net trust rating remains ‘‘excellent’’ in the urban areas at +72, but fell by three points and one grade, from ‘‘excellent’’ to ‘‘very good’’ in rural areas with +68.

Among the social classes, his net rating rose from “very good” to “excellent” with ABC, where it is up by 16 points to +75. He got an “excellent” +71 in Class D or the so-called “masa,” but lost eight points to “very good” +64 in Class E. Net trust in Duterte is higher among the men who gave him an “excellent” +73. He received a “very good” +67 from women.

Meanwhile, Duterte saw an increase in trust from among the 45

Ex-BCDA...

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BCDA executives of conspiring to cause the publication of a notice in a national newspaper “containing false, malicious and highly defamatory statements” against the complainant, who sought P100 million in damages.

In January 2013, Pasig City Assistant Prosecutor Joselito de Asas found probable cause in the libel complaint filed by CJH executives over a BCDA advertisement published in a national paper in April 10, 2012, that accused them of involvement in “questionable business practices,” and primarily over the so-called “double sale” of an allegedly previously-sold P20-million log cabin in Camp John Hay. The log cabin was one parcel in a lot of five pieces of property worth ₱180 million that was remitted to and accepted in 2008 by the BCDA as rent payment in kind.

The CJH chairman said a prospective buyer, Wilson Sy, backed out in 1999 and the unencumbered title to the log cabin remained in CJH’s name. In an affidavit, Sy disclaimed owner-

ship of the log cabin.

Judge Yson said “this Court holds that there is probable cause to believe that accused movants . . . committed the offense charged and should be held for trial as they caused the publication of the subject “Notice” in a newspaper seven years ago.

The court set the bail for Casanova and the others at ₱10,000 each.

The libel complaint and indictment are the latest episode in a contentious multi-billion-peso Public-Private Partnership development project signed in 1996, but was hindered until 1998 by the lack of an environmental compliance certificate that the BCDA said it would help secure, and by the BCDA’s long-delayed demolition and clearing of existing structures that were completed only in 2003.

This was followed by the Supreme Court’s 2003 voiding of tax and fiscal incentives granted CJH as one of the prime incentives during the BCDA bid, a clear case of default by the BCDA. The incentives were partially restored by legislation in March 2007, by then causing irreparable damage and unnecessary expenses for CJH. More obstacles emerged through the years.

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MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

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House reviews barangay polls sked

By Maricel V Cruz

T

HE House of Representatives will soon decide on the fate of proposals seeking to postpone the synchronized election of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officers originally scheduled in October in support of the anti-drug campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said over the weekend that the House is “committed to support the desire of the President to address the widespread use and trade of illegal drugs in the barangays,” thus

prompting clamor for a postponement of elections at the grassroots level.

Three bills have been filed before the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms, chaired by Rep. Sherwin

Tugna of Cibac party-list, on the postponement of elections and the appointment of officers-incharge who will manage the affairs of the barangays. The bills are currently for consideration by the committee.

The three proposals namely, House Bills 5359, 5361 and 5380, are authored by Representatives Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte, Lord Allan Velasco of Marinduque, and Jose Panganiban Jr. of ANAC-IP partylist, respectively.

The bills are titled “An Act Postponing the October 2017 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections, Amend-

ing For the Purpose Republic Act 9164, As Amended By RA 9340, RA10656 and RA10923, Prescribing Additional Rules Governing The Conduct Of Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections And For Other Purposes.”

Both HBs 5359 and 5361 provide for the amendment of Section 1 of RA 9164, as amended

by RA 9340, RA 10656 and RA 10923 to read as follows : “Section 1 on the Date of Election—There shall be synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, which shall be held on July 15, 2002.

Subsequent synchronized ba-

BACK TO SCHOOL BLUES. Members of the multisectoral Pro-Active Reformation and Development Program including schools and Christian church tackle issues involving the Department of Education during the weekly Kapihan Sa Euro Hotel News Forum in Quezon City. Manny Palmero

Death penalty bill pits De Lima against Aguirre

By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice will not allow detained Senator Leila de Lima to attend the Senate deliberation on the death penalty bill.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II stressed that state prosecutors will assail the validity of such motion, saying that De Lima cannot be accorded with such privilege since she is incarcerated.

“When one is incarcerated, some of [his/ her] rights and privileges are suspended, the right to participate [in lawmaking] is among them, like what happened to Senators Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Bong Revilla,” Aguirre said, in a text message.

De Lima earlier said she wanted to take part in the deliberations of several important legislation and other official functions in the Senate, while she is under detention

on charges of drug trafficking.

“I have refused to allow political persecution and harassment I suffer under the hands of the present administration to prevent me from fulfilling my electoral mandate,” De Lima said.

Early last week, Minority Leader Franklin Drilon also said the they will ask the court to allow De Lima to attend session and committee hearings on important legislative agenda.

“We decided that in critical matters like ‘pag dumating ang death penalty bill sa Senado, hilingin namin na mapagbigyan si Senador De Lima,” Drilon said after he visited the female senator at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center.

“Because she is a duly elected senator and therefore she has every right to participate in the proceedings in the Senate,” the Senate minority leader stressed.

NPA strikes again, raids Bukidnon firm

By Lance Baconguis AT LEAST 15 members of the New People’s Army barged into the office of a security agency in Valencia City, Bukidnon and took away assorted weapons Friday night, prompting the military to denounce the attack as “blatant display of insincerity in the ongoing peace process.”

The NPA fighters, dressed in Philippine National Police uniform, entered the office of the Dasia security agency in Hindangon, Barangay Poblacion, Valencia, pretending to conduct a search around the security agency situated inside the residence of a certain Joel Ariola. The NPA rebels carted away two AK47 rifles, an M16 rifle, three shotguns, and three .38 cal. revolver pistols, police said.

While the insurgents searched the office, another group of NPA members conducted road block outside the Ariola’s house flagging down motorists.

Police Officer 1 Emilio Traya, a member of the Maramag municipal police station, who happened to have passed by, was stopped at the roadblock.

Taken by the rebels from Traya’s possession was his government-issued 9mm Glock handgun. He was released unharmed.

Police said the raiding group belonged to the NPA’s Front Committee 86 sub-region guerrilla unit.

The suspects left the crime scene on a pick-up truck, two motorcycles, and two of the armored vans owned by Dasia.

Minutes later, the armored vans were found abandoned in the same barangay.

Police also detained one Luvimin Rosos, alias “Tiyal,” 18, male, and a resident of Barangay Poblacion, Quezon town in Bukidnon, who was suspected as the NPA’s lookout.

Witnessed by village officials, law enforcers searched the room rented by Rosos in Hindangon and found inside were the following: surveillance cameras, night vision goggles, sniper’s veil, camouflage raincoat, hammock, black jacket, bullcap, eyeglasses.

The police also found flash card containing footage of Dasia, which investigators believe was part of the NPA’s surveillance and planning before the raid. With Abe Almirol

rangay and SK elections shall be held on the last Monday of October 2007 and every three years thereafter.

Provided, that the barangay and SK elections on October 2017 shall be postponed to the fourth Monday of May 2020.

That subsequent synchronized barangay and SK elections shall be held on the second Monday of May 2023 and every three years thereafter.

The bill provides that the term of office of the barangay and SK officials elected shall commence at noon of June 30 after s the officials have been elected.

Meanwhile, HB 5380 provides for the rescheduling of the synchronized barangay and SK polls to the fourth Monday of October 2018, and that the subsequent synchronized barangay elections shall be held every three years thereafter.

Moreover, the term of office of the barangay and SK officials elected under the Act shall commence at noon of November 30 following their election.

HBs 5359 and 5380 provide that the term of all incumbent barangay officials shall be deemed terminated upon the effectivity of the Act and that officers-incharge shall be appointed by the President.

HB 5380 repeals Section 5 of RA 9164 as amended by RA 9340 and RA 10923 or the ‘hold over’ provision and replaced by the following: Section 5. Upon the expiration of the original extension on the fourth Monday of October 2017, all positions of the barangay and SK officials are deemed vacated by virtue of the expiration of their term. The President shall be given the power to appoint the officials to all vacated positions, and these appointed officials shall continue to assume office until the next scheduled elections in 2018.

Barbers said the country’s barangays serve as the people’s first line of defense in the grassroots level and because of this, they must lead the government’s fight against illegal drugs and

must maintain a proactive stand in protecting the ordinary people from the drug menace.

“But how will the barangays spearhead this war against illegal drugs if some barangay officials are protectors of drug lords,” said Barbers, chairman of the House committee on dangerous drugs.

Barbers said President Duterte himself wanted to postpone said elections because the chief executive does not want those being financially supported by drug lords to win. Barbers said the President had also stated that if the barangay elections would proceed as planned, the winners might be financed by drug money.

Panganiban, for his part, said the country’s illegal drug problem has now penetrated the basic institution of the government, the barangays, and over 40,000 barangay officials have been reported to be involved in the illicit drug use and drug trade.

“Narco politics has already thrived in the barangays, making the coming synchronized barangay and SK elections vulnerable in the midst of the current administration’s war against illegal drugs and that drug money will be at the center of this political and electoral exercise,” said Panganiban, chairman of the committee on agriculture and food.

Velasco said the barangay and SK elections slated for this year should be postponed to a date in the immediate future to allow the government as well as the citizens “to adequately prepare for the multifarious demands called for in conducting these elections.”

“The repercussions of holding the barangay and SK elections in the same year as the national presidential elections cannot be ignored, as this will mean yet another release and expenditure of taxpayers’ money, on top of the substantial amounts already released and expended in the recently concluded national elections,” said Velasco, chairman of the committee on energy.

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To learn more about the latest Globe At Home plans and how to apply, just visit http://broadband.globe.com.ph/.

A4

Opinion

MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Punishing children

T

HE Palace says it will launch an information campaign in support of President Rodrigo Duterte’s bid to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR) to nine, after a recent opinion poll showed that most Filipinos favor keeping it at 15.

“The stance of the President remains unchanged,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said over the weekend. “Lowering the age of criminal liability is part of the legislative agenda of President

Duterte as a means to ensure that the Filipino youth would accept responsibility for their actions.”

To achieve his goal, the President will have to convince Congress to amend or repeal the Juvenile and

Welfare Act of 2006, which he says is “producing generations of youth offenders who grew up without respect for the law.”

The law, which raised the MACR from nine to 15, allows young offenders to walk free if they are below 15 years of age, regardless of the gravity of the offense.

Bringing back the MACR to nine, supporters of the move say, would stop adult criminals from recruiting children under the age of criminal responsibility for drug trafficking and other serious crimes.

On the other hand, critics

of the move say that lowering the MACR would reduce crime, and add that doing so would punish the exploited, not the criminals who exploit them.

The government will also need to offer a reasonable plan on how to deal with the increase in the number of inmates at its already crowded jails and prisons, if the MACR is lowered.

These are issues that the administration needs to adequately address, if it hopes to change the tide of public opinion.

The administration will also need to speak with one

voice on this issue. Allowing some Cabinet members such as Social Welfare and Development Secretary Judy Taguiwalo to speak out against the President’s legislative agenda only serves to weaken it. Dissenting points of view need to be considered in the debate, of course, but these ought to come from outside the administration, not from within it.

There is no global agreement on what the MACR should be, but the Duterte administration’s move to lower it would clearly put the country in the opposite

direction from which most other countries are heading.

In 2007, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child recommended an “absolute minimum” age of 12 for criminal responsibility, and urged countries to continue to increase it to a higher age level.

If we decide to go against most of the world on this issue, as the administration wants us to do, we should at the very minimum have compelling reasons to do so, and concrete plans to deal with its inevitable consequences.

‘Tama na, Gina’

Heritage I DID four years of theology study in Vigan—at the Immaculate Conception School of Theology, more popularly known to Vigan-folk as the “major seminary.” (They have a minor seminary, and at one time, both major and minor seminaries were housed in one Spanish-era building at the heart of town.) At that time, I did not think much of Vigan.

Of course, its famed houses were already there, as were its cobbled streets. But really, most of it was nondescript, and there was not much more to Plaza Salcedo than a small ice-cream parlor on its farright side that we, seminarians, patronized whenever we had the money to spare. (I thought the world—and still do—of our professors at the seminary, though, for they were in fact the very best at that time.)

But once during my Vigan sojourn, my grandparents undertook what was then an ar-

duous trip to visit me, and I thought it a good idea to take my grandma especially to Santo Domingo where she was born, and where she spent her childhood days. And I will never forget what happened that day. As soon as we alighted from the jeepney, her face lit up. It was like she had never left the place. She headed straightaway to the corner of the street that led to the house where she lived, and surprised her nieces and nephews, by this time themselves aging, by showing up unannounced.

They were equally very excited to see her. Then she pointed out a rather huge house with a balcony than ran throughout the length of the second floor of the house and rounded it too.

Here, she said, she saw a kapre — and while I know this as one of the elements of Filipino lower mythology, she swore by all that was holy that she indeed saw one or, better: That one

was staring one of the at her and village noshe—she tables and swore once a professor more—in of Spanish I knew I had found obvious beat the semimy way back to musement: nary, aside Fol low i n g from bewhere some of my her every ing notario move with publico, at roots are. saucerthat time, sized glowa big deal, ing eyes and Antoand puffing nia Sumaon a monbat, made strous cigar. Then she took the fateful decision to migrate, us to a really huge—and what with some relatives, to CaI can only imagine was a ma- gayan. There had been earjestic house at the time—where lier exploratory trips, and the she said she spent most of her prospects of business and trade days with three spinster aunts. seemed to be good. And so, Then I partly understood her riding a biray they made their strict upbringing. She also way for Cagayan and settled in warned us that the second Alcala, where most migrants floor, even from the outside from the Ilocos settled. It was an obviously cavernous space, there that my mother was born. hosted its own resident ghost!

I have always looked forShe was 11 when her par- ward to trips to Vigan, and ents, Don Sotero Purugganan, just a week ago, the officials

of the Cagayan State University cloistered themselves in a Vigan hotel to work on a strategic plan that is to orientate our activities till 2022. And I felt deep satisfaction, not the excitement of being out of my usual, confined space, but the profound feeling of returning home.

I knew I had found my way back to where some of my roots are (the paternal side of my heritage goes back to Mangaldan and to Camiling).

Then it occurred to me how blest I have been, and it filled my heart with even more appreciation for the intrepid spirits and the hardy souls of my great-grandparents and my grandma who, aboard a flimsy biray set off, very much like Abraham, on a journey of faith: Knowing very little about the land they were moving to, so far away from all that had given them security and lent them Turn to A5

ENOUGH said; move on.

The more Regina Lopez, the former secretary-designate of the DENR talks, the more people get to doubt her capacity to lead and manage an important government agency, a Cabinet post at that.

All we hear indicates passion. Management is another thing. Following rules codified into laws is another thing. Balancing passion with macro-economic benefits is another thing.

Senator Ping Lacson is right: She has authoritarian tendencies. As we wrote in this space weeks ago, when she chided ES Medialdea about his staying her imposition of a fine that has no basis in law, while awaiting presidential action on appeals directed to it, as far as Doña Gina is concerned, everything is simplified into what she wants, she should get. “A basta!”—and only she is correct.

Casting aspersions on those who voted to dis-appoint her will not change the reality that in the judgment of the elect, she does not deserve her lofty position.

She could sing all over the country that she could fly; that she is pro-poor; that she loves the people; that she loves the NPA; that she understands the Constitution; whatever—that is her right. But she can no longer do so as head of an important ministry that is supposed to balance conflicting interests.

It is not about being pro or anti-environmental protection.

It is all about following laws, and that is precisely what Senator Allan Cayetano has said in explaining why he voted to disappoint her.

And because she is scion to one of the most powerful oligarchies in the country, having control of the biggest broadcast organization, she and her family should not have used their unbridled media power to bamboozle members of the Commission on Appointments to vote for her. Neither should they now condemn those who did not publicly express their vote after the same constitutional body decided to insulate itself from public approval or censure (media-centric as public opinion is), since the same CA earlier decided on secret Turn to A5

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

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Opinion

MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

A5

Ma-Dalian train sale THE Senate wants to hold a hearing into the government’s quick purchase of train carriages from the Chinese company Dalian.

The train carriages, it was discovered, were not compatible with the rails currently being used by Metro Rail Transit.

To continue using these train carriages whose wheels do not fit well with the MRT rails puts passengers. Derailment is a possibility. This is a disaster waiting to happen. Due diligence should have been done by the DTr and MRT officials.

A Senate inquiry by the Blue Ribbon Committee or the committee on public safety could uncover why there was a madalian (or hasty) sale. For this oversight or deliberate nonexercise of due diligence, a citizens committee has filed graft charges against former Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya who signed the Dalian deal with China.

Although delivery took longer, the deal was signed in haste in what many see as a midnight madness sale at shopping malls.

The Dalian deal was consummated in the last year of the Aquino administration.

Jun Abaya’s signing of the Dalian train carriages contract is rather suspicious as he was a ranking member of the Liberal Party and the LP campaign fund-raiser in the 2016 presidential election.

Why were the carriages bought in a multi-million deal that was done in a hurry? Although the train carriages were bought during the time of Abaya, Senator Grace Poe wants to know why present DoTr Secretary Arthur

Tugade still allowed the use of the mismatched equipment.

The people, specially commuters who experience daily breakdown of the MRT, want heads to roll since the mismatched Dalian train wheels don’t run smoothly on the old rails.

Former MRT manager Al Vitangcol has been slapped with graft charges in the Office of the Ombudsman for signing a service maintenance contract with a little-known firm with no track record on train work. It’s only qualification was that a certain Soriano from Pangasinan was a relative of Vitangcol.

Still, it’s a mystery why only Vitangcol was charged while his immediate supervisor Jun Abaya was not—that is, until the citizen group’s complaint was filed last week with the Office of the Ombudsman. It’s like how former Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad was charged for graft in the Disbursement Acceleration Program but not former President Benigno Aquino III who signed the DAP executive order.

It must be a no- no to charge Noynoy with anything although he’s already out of power. Aside from the DAP ruled illegal by the Supreme Court, Aquino left 44 men of the PNP Special Action Force at the mercy of a combined Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters butchers in Maguindanao.

The law is the law and it must

be enforced whether he’s the son of the assassinated former Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. and former President Corazon Aquino. Otherwise, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre would be seen as dispensing selective justice.

The Aquinos and the Cojuangcos still own the vast Hacienda Luisita farmlands. Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano, a former leftist militant, has not done much to recover Hacienda Luisita from the Aquino-Cojuangco clan.

Rumors are rife that farmers and the Kadamay group that took over a National Housing Authority project in Pandi, Bulacan might take action and occupy Hacienda Luisita. That would have a bloody consequence considering the Cojuangcos’ private army providing security to the. property.

Chinese warships dock in Davao President Rodrigo Duterte welcomed three Chinese warships which made a port of call in Davao. Duterte even donned a Chinese navy baseball cap given to him by Chinese officials when he toured the lead warship.

While there was nothing illegal in allowing the Chinese war ships to make a port of call in Davao, the backdoor docking didn’t look good to many Filipinos. It’s all about public perception in anything the President does.

Meanwhile, questions are being asked on who will out-nonsense whom when US President Donald

Trump meets with Duterte whom he has invited for an official visit to Washington.

Some readers suggested an imaginary exchange between the two presidents. Here are some examples of the one-on-one: Trump: Why don’t you build a floating wall along the West Philippine Sea to keep out those Chinese from your territorial waters?

Duterte: I could do that and I think that unlike Mexico, China would be willing to pay for the cost of the wall. The Chinese built the Great Wall of China, after all.

Trump: I’m sure China will pay for the cost of the floating wall as long as their barges can siphon off black sand from the coast of Zambales. That’s how the Chinese built those made-made islands in the South China Sea using soil and black sand siphoned from Zambales, you know.

Duterte: Call it one of our major exports to China, aside from our bananas. Ore and other minerals extracted from our soil are used to make armaments which I’m sure China will not use against us.

Trump: As a good friend of Xi Jinping, can you please ask him to rein in North Korea’s Kim Jong Un not to unleash those long range cruise missiles at the US West Coast?

Duterte: Me? Why didn’t you tell Xi Jinping yourself when you met in Florida? Besides,you have the MOAB (Mother of all bombs), why don’t you drop them on North Korea?

Trump: Xi is not my buddy, he’s yours. I don’t want the world to think I’m trigger-happy.

On that note, the dialogue between the two ended.

Moving on AS BALLYHOOED and dramatic as it was, the rejection of Gina Lopez by the Commission on Appointments was also quite expected. In the course of the hearings, quizzed on the technical and legal aspects of the job, the crusading environmentalist had been inconsistent, if not wholly incapable. She exhibited a key limitation that no media savvy could salvage.

Also expected was the barrage of protests from her avid and emotional supporters, sadly drowning out the salient points of the CA decision with political noise. For example, the high theatrics of the narrative of her campaign obscured her tendencies to be dangerously authoritarian in her policy-making in addition to being unfit and technically incompetent to helm the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Majority of the members of the CA fortunately read beyond the loud propaganda and astutely sifted fact from publicity.

And if anything good came out of the saga, the due hype has elevated public awareness on the difficult issues of the environment, including the complex web that connects it with natural resources, poverty, national development, and even health.

If the categorical rejection of Lopez taught us anything, it is that environmental policy cannot be isolated from economic and political realities, and this

f r a st r uct u r e. intricate conopen While signifinection represents a Gordian thoughts cant, more ecodrivers knot that all the orlando nomic are needed to s t a k e h ol d e r s allow annual must collecoxales GDP growth tively untanto break the gle by way of thinking out of the box en route seven-percent mark.

The country’s mining and to a balanced solution. A policy that arbitrarily antagonizes key manufacturing sectors will have to step in. For instance, a reliable players is already a failure.

This also represents a golden supply of local copper, nickel, opportunity for the beleaguered and iron ore will lead to the deand demonized mining indus- velopment of a vibrant and comtry, which should lose no time in petitive manufacturing sector taking decisive steps in reshap- that would intermediate goods ing its controversial image by like copper wires and steel rods, cleansing the sector of irrespon- the ingredients for an eventual sible and illegal mining opera- foray into the production of intions. To cite, the Chamber of dustrial equipment, automobiles, Mines of the Philippines should and other consumer goods.

This path can only be pursued quickly evolve into a self-regulating body especially in setting when regulations are stable and the highest standards on envi- conducive for the pouring in of investments, as well as a rationronmental stewardship.

Players should also step up al and balanced environmental their efforts in stressing the ne- and fiscal regime.

Among the key recommendacessity of a vibrant mining industry if the country is to truly pur- tions from industry and policy sue industrialization. This path experts include implementing requires the harnessing of some decisive action against illegal P73.47 trillion in mineral poten- and unregulated small-scale tial, which can be transformed mining. Not only do small-scale into useful assets that can in turn miners skirt paying taxes, they also have no environmental prosupport linked industries.

This staggering untapped tection or mitigation systems wealth, if harnessed, can rep- in place. For perspective, there resent a paradigm shift in the is an estimated 300,000 people economy, which for the longest engaged in small-scale mining time had been largely driven generating some P42.8 billion by domestic consumption, the in unreported gold output. This BPO and OFW sectors, and in- translates to some P857 million

‘Tama na...

From A4 voting.

Tama na, Gina. Move on—continue your advocacies as a private citizen. You supposedly did well in the Pasig River Rehabilitation project. Go ahead and clean more and more esteros, especially the San Juan River that feeds into the Pasig. Or the esteros of Chinatown. Remove the water lilies that congest the tributaries of Marikina and Pasig. You may want to get your family foundation to finance these heroic efforts.

The Supreme Court has directed that Manila Bay must be cleaned up from the detritus of decades of neglect and abuse. That

Heritage...

From A4 a sense of belonging, determined that the future should be better for their children and for the generations after—including me. It is still a long trip to Vigan from Tugeugarao—eight hours, through rather very well-paved roads. What must it have been like in those days when there were only thick forests, choppy waters and stony trails?

in government losses in potential excises taxes, never mind the ecological degradation.

Another critical proposal is to harmonize the laws on mining by the national legislature by rectifying conflicting local ordinances enacted by local government units. A consistency that runs across levels is an attractive plus from the perspective of investors.

The SDMP can also be expanded to benefit not just the host and neighboring communities but the entire municipality and even province. Government must also prioritize the remediation and rehabilitation of mine sites abandoned prior to the passage of the Mining Act in 1995.

Finally, a long-term vision has to be solidified through an industrialization roadmap that connects mining and the extractive industries with downstream processing and manufacturing sectors. This has evident implications on employment through the creation of high-quality jobs and the mushrooming of adjoining industries.

Together, these measures will hopefully reverse the simplistic narrative that pits mining against the environment when they can, in reality, co-exist. A middle ground exists between these two, the same way that it is possible for the mining sector to effectively contribute to both sustainable environmental protection and inclusive economic growth.

should be a monumental enough task worthy of your passion and energies. That would be legacy.

And let a more sober manager take over the department that you were privileged to lead for the last 10 months, delivering nothing more than headlines and controversy. *** The opposition (and I don’t refer just to a political party but the increasingly disempowered elite) has been moving from the use of one lady to another to bolster sagging public esteem, and direct their fire against President Duterte.

First they pictured Senadora Leila as a sort of oppressed Jean d’Arc, but failed to gain public sympathy other than from their own.

Then, they used the hapless vice presi-

dent, Leni Robredo, to be their mouthpiece, mounting her even on an international stage, shaming the country in the process. Now hardly anybody listens to her pronouncements.

Then they try to make an environmental martyr of Regina Lopez. Why, one fraile even suggested that his candidate (and his bishop as well) for president in 2022 is Doña Regina, and proceeds to enumerate her strengths: Her money (or her family’s anyway), her machinery (money buys machinery, ne c’est pas?) and her mass appeal (she has a gift for gab, just don’t let her sing to mass audiences).

Why, the opposition might even make Agnes Callamard another heroine for their losing cause!

Next lady, please.

This is my real heritage. The Ilocano is bold and proud—and, of course, like all generalizations, this characterization must be taken with circumspection. But I know that it resonates with truth. I feel it’s truth in me and in my siblings. The Ilocano may not be wealthy. That will not prevent him from holding his head high, nor temper the confidence he has in himself. That is what you find in the sturdy and old, but proud stone houses of Vigan. That is what you find in the Ilo-

canos who have f lourished in Cagayan and in other provinces—as far as Davao in the southern end of the Archipelago.

This is the heritage that you find in Vigan that has ingeniously reinvented itself from a crumbling remnant of Spanish presence into a city, not of dreams, but of noble memories! rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@outlook.com

Gina’s rejection not in vain SOMEONE I know said that Gina Lopez’ rejection at the Commission on Appointments was written in the stars. I retorted, no, it was written in the pockets of people with big interest in mining. The President himself implied as much when he said in a public gathering that he felt sorry for having lost Gina in his Cabinet but there was nothing he could do because “lobby money talks.” The members of the Commission on Appointments, of course, balked at the talk of lobby money or any suggestion of money changing hands but, true or not, the general public now believes that it was not on the basis of love of country or principles that the legislators voted against the confirmation of Environment Secretary Regina Lopez.

As far back as March 9 when I attended a hearing on the confirmation of Gina, I knew in my heart that Gina’s appointment had no chance of getting the nod of the Commission on Appointments. The members of the Chamber of Mines who opposed her appointment filled the halls of the Senate. There were even placard-bearing rallyists outside the Senate who purportedly went there on their own, coming from various regions of the country. But this was not all. I, together with a couple of priests and my husband, had the chance to speak to a prominent member of the Chamber of Mines who is president of a big mining firm. We asked if there was a way for a compromise so that Gina’s appointment would not be opposed by the Chamber and for the companies observing responsible mining to be able to continue operating. His answer was shockingly telling. He said, “No there is no compromising, Gina has to go.” His statement suggested that they—those with big interests in mining—were in control of how the CommisThe sion would vote. confirmation *** The confirmaprocess she tion process Gina went through Lopez went through set a record of many set a record of firsts, giving hope many firsts. that the rejection of her appointment was not in vain. For the first time, the country’s major networks joined hands in giving substantial air time to the issues Gina wanted the Filipino people to understand. This, despite the fact that Gina belongs to the clan that owns broadcast giant, ABS CBN. Another media giant, GMA 7, for example, allotted a big chunk of the evening news for an interview by Jessica Soho with Gina after her CA rejection. This gave Gina the chance to explain to the public that what she is fighting for is social justice, especially for the poor sectors of society who suffer the most from the destructive effects of mining. She read provisions in the Philippine Constitution on state policies. One was Sec.16 Article II that “The state shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.” Another was Sec. 10 Article II that “The state shall promote social justice in all phases of national development.” Social justice, she explained, is the reason why she wants mining companies to compensate people in communities who get displaced by mining operations or who can no longer fish or till the land because mining has poisoned the earth and the bodies of fresh water where they live.

For the first time too the Filipino people became so involved that her rejection has sparked protests, with more such actions being planned in the coming days. What the news called as another first was that the members of the CA resorted to secret balloting in an executive session indicating that many of those who voted against Gina did not want to displease someone, perhaps Gina herself, or President Rodrigo R. Duterte who has always been supportive of Gina. And what was striking was that the members of the Liberal party voted as a bloc for Gina while those identified with the administration did not. Those who voted for Gina were eight, namely: Senators Manny Pacquiao, Vicente Sotto III, JV Ejercito, Loren Legarda, Ralph Recto, Francis Pangilinan, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino and Franklin Drilon. *** Gina Lopez may not have succeeded in staying on as Environment secretary. What she has started though, in trying to save the Environment from destruction to preserve it for the Filipinos for generations to come, cannot just be undone by whoever will take her place despite the influence of big business. People are now more aware and conscious of their right to a healthful environment in accordance with the rhythm and harmony of nature, as provided in the Constitution. People now know too that they have the power to reject mining, especially the open pit or dirty mining type. Further, Gina has opened the eyes of the legislators who support social justice and a healthful environment of the need to review the Philippine Mining Law. They should start wondering why mining companies from countries with much bigger areas to mine, like Canada and Australia, flock to the Philippines. The laws and taxation on mining in these countries are much more stringent and prohibitive.

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

A6

News

MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

AFP: Fewer commands to participate in war games ONLY two of the military’s unified commands will participate in this year’s Balikatan or joint military exercises with American troops from May 8 to 19.

Down from four unified commands involved in the 2016 war games, Balikatan spokesperson for the Philippine side Maj. Frank Sayson said this was in line with scenario of this year’s exercises which involves a massive storm or typhoon coming from the Pacific which will then pass through Eastern Visayas going to the National Capital Region, reaching maximum strength upon arrival on the northern tip of Luzon, and leaving behind severe devastation.

With that, Sayson said all participating units, whether on staff exercise or command post exercise, will focus on responses to the particular scenario.

While these activities are more concerned with humanitarian assistance and disaster relief aspects, Sayson said some counter-terrorism activities are also in the pipeline.

“We will be having small arms military-to-military activities and some joint special operations activities which are really aligned with counterter- HALCYON DAYS. Both local and foreign tourists enjoy the Loboc River Cruise where they are treated to buffet-style food and a performance from the Loboc children’s choir.

Manny Palmero rorism,” he said. PNA

SC: Continuous trial in all courts

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Supreme Court will expand its so-called “continuous trial system” for criminal cases in all trial courts across the country.

The high court expanded the implementation of the system which aims to expedite the resolution of criminal cases and declog court dockets.

Following the successful pilot testing in 52 first and second level courts in Metro Manila since the system was launched in September 2014, the SC resolved to implement the same in all trial courts nationwide.

“The Revised Guidelines for Continuous Trial of Criminal Cases shall apply to all newly filed criminal cases, includ-

ing those governed by special laws and rules, in the first and second level courts, the Sandiganbayan and the Court of Tax Appeals as of effectivity date. The Revised Guidelines shall also apply to pending criminal cases with respect to pending proceedings,” the SC said in its new guidelines.

The guidelines were adopted upon the recommendation of a special committee on speedy trial chaired by Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta.

The tribunal cited the finding of the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative, which conducted a results analysis on the project testing in 2015, that “specific procedural and case management reforms have a notable effect in reducing case processing time.”

This finding was affirmed by another

development partner, The Asia Foundation, in a report last year showing a “clear and significant improvement in reducing the duration of criminal proceedings and improving the trial courts’ compliance with the periods and timelines for trial set in the Rules of Court and Laws.”

The continuous trial project was initiated by the SC under Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and is supported by the United States Agency for International Development.

The project is designed to cut trial duration in criminal cases from the usual three to five years to just around three months.

Under the system, trial should be held from Monday to Thursday and courts must call the cases at exactly 8:30 a.m. for morning hearings and 2 p.m. for afternoon hearings.

Cayetano supports creation of OFW dept

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Alan Peter Cayetano has filed a measure seeking to establish a Department of Foreign Employment, a one-stop umbrella agency that will provide full protection to overseas Filipino workers and their families.

Under Senate Bill No. 1435, the proposed agency will serve as a channel to address all issues and grievances of OFWs, dubbed as the country’s modern-day heroes, including the promotion of their full and just employment and the mitigation of social costs back home.

The senator’s initiative came weeks after President Rodrigo Duterte announced during his state visit in Saudi Arabia that a Department for OFWs is now in the works.

Cayetano said each year, around two-million Filipinos are driven to leave the country due to poverty and joblessness at home.

Most of these migrant workers,

he said, are forced to endure oppressive work conditions at the hands of abusive employers or illegal recruiters.

“Despite the existence of agencies to protect them, OFWs and their families continue to face numerous problems and challenges such as illegal recruitment; employer abuse; inadequate benefits; inefficient and ineffective delivery of services; and the lack of representation in the agencies that are supposed to protect and promote their rights,” he said.

“Hence, there is a pressing need to prioritize the creation of an agency that would manage, harmonize, and strengthen existing policies and programs to address the needs of foreign Filipino employment,” Cayetano added.

The proposed department shall be the primary policy, programming, coordinating, and administrative entity of the executive branch in providing assistance to OFWs.

Govt sees no need to expand vaccine plan for dengue

THRIFT STORE. Buyers look for cheap ready-to-wear products in makeshift bargain stalls along Juan Luna at Manila’s Divisoria district. Ey Acasio

THE Department of Health said it has no plan yet to expand its dengue immunization program.

Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial said while its dengue vaccine program for Grade 4 students is about to conclude in July, the department cannot give yet a go signal for next batch of recipients.

“There is no plan yet,” Ubial said. “There is also no allocated budget for continuing the program.”

The Health chief has to wait for the recommendation of the National Adverse Events Following Immunization Committee, which is composed of doctors monitoring the immunization program.

Beneficiaries of the program were the poorest of the poor Grade 4 public school students in Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.

Based on DoH records, there is a high incidence of dengue in the said areas.

“Let’s wait for the result of the adverse events, the result of the implementation because these will also affect the beliefs and perspective of the parents,” Ubial said.

Dengue, a disease common in tropical and sub-tropical countries, is transmitted through the bite of an Aedes mosquito. It is fatal and commonly affects children. PNA

Sports

MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

Maasin holds 3-day net confab

PSC eyes wider pool of athletes

By Peter Atencio THE Philippine Sports Commission intends to develop a nationwide pool of young athletes.

These athletes, who are aged 14 years old and below, will help increase the talent of the national pool.

National training director Marc Edward Velasco said this after the Philippine Sports Institute set up a training camp at the Puerto Princesa City Coliseum in Palawan.

Velasco said that so far, they have subjected 50 potential children to a battery of physical and physical tests for profiling.

“We are gathering data that can help the national sports associations tap the best available Filipino talents in the sport,” said Velasco.

In conducting the tests, the PSI facilitators have familiarized 39 physical education teachers from the Department of Education’s regional office on how to conduct such tests.

The camp is part of the PSI’s Sports Mapping Action Research Talent ID program, which is supported by the PSC, The program will go to Vigan City for the Luzon leg next week, and then to Tacloban before the end of the month.

PH MASTERS. Villamor Golf Club and Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. officials pose after the flag-raising rites during the recent launch

of the revival of the ICTSI Philippine Masters on May 24 to 27. They are (from left) VGC general manager retired Col. Oscar Calingasan, VGC chairman Air Force Vice Commander MGen. Conrado Parra, PGTI executive director Narlene Soriano, PGTI general manager Colo Ventosa and PGTI tournament director Luigi Tabuena.

Alvarez to fight Golovkin next L OS ANGELES—Saul “Canelo” Alvarez cruised to a unanimous decision over Julio Chavez Jr. in a 12-round mismatch Saturday then announced in the ring that his next fight would be against Gennady Golovkin.

After crushing Chavez, the World Boxing Organization light middleweight champ said he is set to face middleweight champ Golovkin on September 16.

“Golovkin, you are next, my friend. Where are you? It’s on,” Alvarez said before bringing Golovkin into the T-Mobile Arena ring with him.

Golovkin didn’t have to travel far to make the announcement as

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he watched Alvarez’s fight from ringside in Las Vegas.

“Congratulations,” he told Alvarez. “I feel excited to be part of this big drama show.”

With his win over Chavez, Alvarez claimed Mexican bragging rights on Cinco de Mayo weekend.

“I showed I can move, box and do all those things against a fighter who was bigger,” Al-

varez said. “He wouldn’t throw punches.”

The 26-year-old Alvarez used Chavez for target practice, landing jabs, hooks and combinations at will as he won every round of the 164-pound (75 kg) fight on all three judges’ scorecards.

Chavez, who has a four inch (10 cm) height advantage, was booed during and after the fight by the Vegas crowd.

Alvarez treated the lopsided bout as if it were a sparring session, even standing between rounds for the entire fight.

“I never sit down during sparring and it is not necessary there and it wasn’t necessary here.

I told my corner I wouldn’t sit

down until it was necessary,” Alvarez said.

He landed 228 punches to just 71 for Chavez and an incredible 31 percent of his jabs connected as he had his way with former champion Chavez, who has largely made his career off the name of his famous boxing champion father Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. Alvarez improved to 49-11 with his only loss coming against Floyd Mayweather in 2013.

There was no title on the line Saturday as Alvarez moved up in weight to fight the much bigger Chavez at a catchweight of 164lbs.

Alvarez was the heavy favorite going into the fight and it didn’t take long to see why.

Chavez had no answer for the punches from Alvarez which often came in combinations of three, four and sometimes even six.

Chavez, 31, was bleeding from the left nostril in the fifth round. By the final round, he was bleeding from both nostrils and his left eye was almost swollen shut.

He said Alvarez’s counterpunches were taking a toll on him.

“He beat me. If I attacked more, I would be open for more counterpunches,” Chavez said. AFP

One Triathlon wins team tilt FOR members of the One Triathlon club, hard work and extensive preparation proved to be crucial as they fended off team Herbalife in a very close battle for the Team Competition title in the 24th NTT ASTC Subic Bay International Triathlon recently held at the Subic Bay Freeport.

Composed of members Neil Adrian Aynera, Joshua Ranque, Carlos Santos, Benjie Zapanta and Maria Danielle Infantado, One Triathlon completed the 1.5 Km swim – 40 Km bike – 10 Km run event in a total of 12 hours, 46 minutes and 41 seconds.

Team Herbalife (Ronald Molit, Alfiero Manzanilla, Carlo Chiong, Hiroshi Takei and Lezette Albarote) came up short by 24 seconds, finishing 12:47:05.

The bronze went to team Sante Barley (Mervin Santiago, Karl Greyson Le, Jeff Valdez, Lyllian Grace and Keith Peralta) which clocked 12:50:24.

Age-group champions declared in the first day of the event were Veronica Deldio and Alfred Pacabis (Sprint 16-19), Patricia Espino and Faris Alzaabi (Sprint 20-29), Sarah Timbol and Antonio Lavadia (Sprint 30-39), Elaine Holmes and Gerald Asiado (Sprint 40-49), Frances Sarmiento and Romeo Ramos, Jr. (Sprint 50-above), Cade Wright and Clifford Pusing (Super Sprint 13-15), Mei Quidasol and Denver Dayonot (S.Sprint-16-above).

The event was supported by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Finis, Century Tuna, Philippine Star, Gatorade, Standard Insurance, The Lighthouse Marina Resort and ACEA Subic Bay. Also supporting the triathlon races were Subictel, Foton, PTT, Moonbay Marina The Villas and Asian Center for Insulation, Subic Bay Traveler’s Hotel (official hotel), Subic Holiday Villas, Subic International Hotel and media partners Raceday Triathlon, SBR.ph, Trilife Magazine and AsiaTRI.com.

THE Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala holds another three-day MCTA Community Coaches Conference beginning tomorrow in Maasin, Leyte coinciding with the PPSPEPP age-group tournament at the Maasin City Tennis Courts.

Mayor Nacional Mercardo will host the seminar-clinic now part of the nationwide program put up by the PPS-PEPP in cooperation with the Macs Crankit Tennis Academy of Australia aimed at providing a high quality experience to every coaches and athletes alike.

MCTA coach Patricia Concon-Puzon will conduct the Teachers Conference and the free tennis clinic for grassroots and advance under the Australian Tennis Professional Coaches Association.

Meanwhile, close to 300 entries from Iloilo, La Carlota, Gen. Santos City, Digos, Sarangani, Malaybalay, Bukidnon and Cebu are vying in the PPS-PEPP age grouper, which also drew participants from Ormoc, Tacloban, Baybay, Hilongons, Bato, Matalon, Samar, Guiuan, McArthur and the host city, according to Maasin City and PPS-PEPP sports coordinator Embet Aya-ay.

“This is the first time that we’re hosting a big tournament such as this and we hope to produce a new Ringo Navarosa.

We’re also inviting all tennis aficionados and Dep-Ed teachers who may want to level up their coaching career,” said Mercado.

Originally set in the Mindanao region, organizers have decided to make the teachers’ confab and clinics a nationwide affair in response to the requests of the various LGUs to help develop and promote the sport and boost their respective youth programs.

“We thank the MCTA, ATPCA and Babolat for expanding this project to the nationwide level where players with potentials, along with Filipino coaches, can be tapped for training in Australia,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

The PPS-PEPP MCTA ATPCA will be next held in Legazpi City on May 31-June 3 followed

by Olivarez Sports Center on Aug. 5-7, then back in Visayas in San Carlos City on Oct. 30-Nov. 2 before it winds up in Naga, Cebu on Dec. 16-18.

San Lorenzo, Diliman post similar wins

SOFTBALL TOURNEY. The eight participating teams and guest squad—the national women’s youth—are shown during the opening of the Cebuana Lhuillier-ASAPHIL Men’s Fast Pitch softball tournament in Marikina.

Ubay-ubay leads age-group net winners MISAMIS Oriental bet Merkisslyn Ubay-ubay led the winners at the recent Butuan City leg of the Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series , now on its 11th year of discovering and developing young tennis champions from the provinces, as she ruled both the girls 16 & under and 18 7 under categories with straight set victories.

Ubay-ubay overwhelmed 14-under champion Joshee Dominique Malazarte, 6-2, 6-0, for the 16-under title and duplicated it with another lopsided win over local player Angelly Esguerra 6-4, 6-0 in the 18-under category of the tournament hosted by the Butuan Capitol Tennis Club and the Luz VillageTennis Club and supported by Dunlop as the official ball.

Malazarte, representing Agusan del Norte, meanwhile, took the 14- under crown at the expense of Agusan del Sur’s Yra Montecarlo, 6-2, 6-2.

“We have always believed that we will find promising players in the provinces, who given the opportunity, can emerge and become champions. Ubay-ubay is one of them,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier.

The other individual winner in the distaff side was Hilary Sophie Paes from Surigao del Sur after she beat provincemate Denise Arreza, 6-1, 6-1, in the 12-under finals.

In the doubles’ side, Malazarte shared with May Arabella Alejandro the 14-under girls’ doubles title with an 8-3 win over

CHOOKS TO GO CHESS. GM Darwin Laylo recently won the

Open Category of the 1st Chooks-To-Go National Rapid Open Chess Championships at the Vista Mall Sta. Rosa Activity Center in Santa Rosa City, Laguna, with GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio, Jr. placing 3rd.

Mark James Marcellana topped the Junior Category, while Chester Neil Reyes captured the Kiddie Category title. Cash and trophies were awarded to the winners. Photo shows GM Antonio, Ronald Mascarinas, President & CEO of Bounty Fresh/Chooks to Go, Santa Rosa City Vice Mayor Arnold Arcillas and Rotary Club of Nuvali Charter President Renalyn David doing the ceremonial moves to open the chessfest. The event was organized by the Rotary Club of Nuvali, in cooperation with Laguna Chess Association and Cabuyao City Chess Club. Platinum sponsor was Bounty Fresh/Chooks-To-Go. Supported

by Vista Mall Sta. Rosa, Cong. Arlene Arcillas of the 1st District of Laguna, Vice Mayor Arnold Arcillas of the City of Santa Rosa, and Intelligent Mind Arithmetic, the tournament was sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

Shara faith Coreos and Paes.

Kyla Jane Gedon partnered with Abbygail Singcol for an 8-5 win over Nanami Suzuki and Esguerra in the 18-under championship match.

Vince Cerna and Steffi Marithe Aludo were the double winners in the boys’ side as they both won an individual and a share of a doubles title. Local bet Cerna posted a 6-2, 6-1 win over Surigao del Sur’s Dirk Andre Quesada for the 12-under crown then teamed up with Kirby Quejada for the 14-under title with an 8-5 win over Aaron Jacque Geromo and Harland Hogan.

Geromo made up for the loss by ruling the 14-under boys’ crown as he beat his doubles’ partner Hogan, 6-1, 6-3, in the finals.

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

P0 M+ P0 M

COLEGIO de San Lorenzo-V Hotel and Diliman College-JPA Freight Logistics rode on their talented African recruits to pull off similar smashing victories in the 2017 MBL Open basketball championship at the EAC Sports Center.

Chabi Soulmane mocked all defenders to score 31 points as CdSL overwhelmed Manuel Luis Quezon University-Victoria Sports, 89-79, for its second straight win.

Alex Diakhite led the way with 28 points in Diliman-JPA’s 72-56 debut win over NCAA member Emilio Aguinaldo College.

The twin victories enabled the two collegiate teams known for their strong sports program to serve notice of their title aspirations in this eight-team tournament sponsored by Smart Sports, Ironcon Builders, Star Bread, Dickies Underwear and Gerry’s Grill.

Soulmane, the 6’6” workhorse from Nigeria, scored repeatedly inside the shaded area to lead the Blue Griffins to their second win in as many matches.

Soulmane struck for 13 big points as the Griffins held off repeated rallies by the Stallions during a furious fourth-quarter battle.

Diakhite, Diliman’s own “Tower of Power”, used his height and heft advantage to the hilt to help the Blue Dragons of coach Rensy Bajar and managers Sen. Nikki Coseteng and Jerry Alday finish off the Generals.

Algie Chavenia added 11 pounts for the Quezon Citybased team supported by MBR Sports and Gerry’s Grill.

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

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MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

Fajardo’s words of inspiration lift Lady Spikers

By Peter Atencio FOR the La Salle Lady Spikers, inspiring words from their most senior player meant a lot.

And in the end, they thanked their team skipper and setter Kim Fajardo for the words of courage that she shared and her actions during critical moments in the fifth set.

“Sabi ko sa kanila, wala nang bibitaw,” said Fajardo after the Lady Spikers played to a 19-25, 25-14, 18-25, 25-18, 15-10 verdict over the Ateneo Lady Eagles in Game 2, a win that allowed La Salle to keep the 79th University Athletic Association of the Philippines women’s volleyball tournament Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Lady Spikers have been struggling to be a cohesive team all season long.

“As time got by, nalaman namin kung paano kami magje-jell. Lumabas na lang iyung talent ng team,” said team skipper Kim Fajardo.

The 5’8” Fajardo, the only graduating member of the Lady Spikers, expressed her thoughts after La Salle finally snared their 10th championship against Ateneo.

Her words a senior player seem to have sunk in.

And that’s when a pair of steady hands in Ernestine Tiamzon and Kim Dy that’s been working hard in the fourth, continued stepping up in the fifth set.

And so, the Lady Spikers, with Dy leading with 19 points and Tiamzon adding 16, went on to win their 10th championship under coach Ramil de Jesus in the 20 years that he’s handled the team.

When Ateneo took the third set, 25-18, the Lady Spikers fought their way to an 11all deadlock in the fourth set.

Dy handed them their last tie when scored on a hit from the left side off a pair of blockers in Kat Tolentino and Isabel de Leon.

La Salle earlier took Game 1 with a 2125, 29-27, 25-22, 25-20, result.

In the final set, Baron and Tiamzon combined for a 6-1 run that gave them the upperhand.

Defensive plays from Dy and Cheng allowed La Salle stay ahead, 10-4.

For De Jesus, this is his most challenging title conquest so far.

Sports Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket against the Utah Jazz’s Gordon Hayward during Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. AFP

Durant gives Warriors commanding 3-0 lead L OS ANGELES—Kevin Durant scored 38 points and the Golden State Warriors withstood a determined Utah effort to down the Jazz 102-91 on Saturday to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their NBA playoff series.

The Warriors will try to close out the best-of-seven Western Conference second-round series in game four on Monday in Salt Lake City.

The Jazz had hoped a return to their home floor on Saturday would spark a resurgence, and it briefly looked as if it had.

Although the Warriors got off to another fast start, leading by 10 after the first quarter, the Jazz, fueled by a standout performance from French center Rudy Gobert, responded.

They seized the lead for the first time in the series when they went up 48-47

in the second period, and led 50-49 at halftime.

The hosts stretched their lead to as many as nine in the third quarter before the Warriors reasserted themselves.

Durant did the heavy lifting as Stephen Curry connected on just six of 20 shots en route to 23 points and Klay Thompson made just one basket in scoring six points.

Trailing 75-74 early in the fourth, the Warriors launched a 10-4 scoring run to regain a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

The Warriors out-scored the Jazz by nine points in the final four minutes,

Curry warming up late to contribute to the surge with a three-pointer that made it 89-84.

On the next possession Durant came off a screen and drained a pull-up three over Gobert to make it 92-84.

Not long after, Durant and Gobert were involved in a testy exchange, with Durant called for a flagrant foul and a technical. Gobert, however, missed both free throws.

Gobert finished the night with 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Jazz, who were led by Gordon Hayward’s 29 points but still find themselves one defeat away from elimination.

Meanwhile, Washington Wizards forward Kelly Oubre Jnr was suspended by the NBA on Saturday for Sunday’s crucial playoff game against Boston after throwing Celtics center Kelly Olynyk to the court.

Meralco Manila prevails; Kaya Makati holds Ceres to a draw

Negros midfielder Jason de Jong (left) and Kaya Makati’s Miguel Tanton battle for possession in their PFL clash last Saturday at UMak Stadium.

MERALCO Manila leaned on a balanced attack to thump home side Stallion Laguna, 5-1, and score a historic first victory, while Kaya FC Makati held powerhouse Ceres Negros to a 1-1 stalemate in the season opener of the Philippine Football League last Saturday.

Five players found the back of the net for Manila, including the league’s first ever goal scorer in Curt Dizon, as the Big City side flaunted its lethal attack at Binan Football Stadium.

Dizon opened the scoring in the ninth minute, before Ryota Ishikawa equalized for the Stallion in the 30th minute.

Meralco’sTahj Minniecon restored the lead in the 36th minute, with Milan Nikolic heading home off a set piece two minutes after halftime and James and Phil Younghusband adding a goal each in the second half.

“It’s important for the club to win the first match,” said Meralco coach Aris Caslib. “The players responded well to our game plan and stood up to the challenge.”

Over at University of Makati

Stadium, it was the Busmen who took the lead through Iain Ramsay’s finish from a tight angle at the stroke of halftime, but the hosts salvaged the point thanks to Marwin Angeles’ late strike.

Released by Omid Nazari’s well weighted pass, Ramsay beat Zach Banzon with a shot to the bottom corner.

The Busmen thought they had doubled the lead in the 61st minute when Nazari’s free kick looked to have crossed the line after bouncing off the underside of the post.

Ceres was left to rue the opportunity eight minutes later when the substitute Angeles rifled home a shot from close range after the Busmen failed to clear their lines.

Kaya coach Noel Marcaida expressed delight over Angeles’ impact in the match that gifted his side a precious point.

“That one point (against a team like Ceres) is very important to the morale of the team,” said Marcaida. “Marwin was a very influential sub along with Eric (Giganto). They made a big difference.”

Alcala, Salvacion conquer HEAD tilt in Naga ANGELICA Alcala and top seed Prince Luis Salvacion conquered the seventh leg of 19th HEAD Junior Tennis Satellite Circuit by snaring two titles each recently at the start of Luzon leg at the Civic Center Tennis Club in Naga City.

The third seed Alcala blasted Patricia Ann Corporal, 6-4, 6-1, to bag the 16-and-under girls’ singles title before winning over No. 1 seed Lila Salvacion, 6-0, 6-2, in the 18-andunder girls’ singles finale for her second trophy in the satellite tournament organized by HEAD Philippine distributor Dynamic Sports.

Salvacion defeated Prince Patrick Luis Salvacion, 6-3, 6-2, for the 12-and-under boys’ singles crown and then claimed his second title by

posting a walkover win over Lance Guevarra in the 14-and-under boys’ singles crown.

Top seed Kidlat Estogero blanked Paolo Esplana, 4-0, 4-0, to win the 10-and-under unisex singles’ title.

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

The Naga leg was attended by more than 120 young players all over the Bicol region.

In other singles’ finals results, second seed Jennard Gonzales upset top

seed Jerome Ignacio, 6-2, 5-7, 6-1, for the 16-and-under boys’ singles’ crown and No. 1 seed Kurt Molina thrashed Jennard Gonzales, 7-6 (2), 6-2, for the 18-and-under boys’ singles’ title.

Top seed Angeline Alcala bashed Maya Cabrera, 6-3, 6-0, to get the 12-and-under girls’ singles’ crown and Julia Ignacio outplayed Trish Romero, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, to pocket the 14-and-under girls’ singles’ title.

Meanwhile, the doubles’ event champions were Trishia Lagatuz and Julia Ignacio (14-and-under girls); Patrica Corporal and Lila Salvacion (18-and-under girls); Marlo Cornea and Rainier Lagatuz (14-and-under boys); and Kurt Molina and Jolo Basa (18-and-under boys).

The violation, which brought Oubre a flagrant foul and ejection, took place with 2:48 into the second quarter of Washington’s 116-89 home victory over the Celtics on Thursday.

Oubre’s one-game ban without pay was handed down for “charging and making forceful and unwarranted contact” with Olynyk.

Oubre was upset about the illegal screen set by Canadian 7-foter Olynyk, prompting the angry act in a game that produced three ejections and eight technical fouls.

As a result, Oubre will miss game four of Wizards’ second-round Eastern Conference best-of-seven series against the Celtics, who lead the matchup 2-1 entering the showdown at Washington.

The winner will meet either Cleveland or Toronto for a berth in next month’s NBA Finals.

Mahindra keeps PBA hopes alive THE Mahindra Floodbusters drew timely triples from Reden Celda and Glenn Khobuntin in the final quarter to hold off Blackwater Elite, 96-87.

Their efforts brightened the Floodbusters’ dimming hopes of reaching the playoffs of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup last night at the Araneta Coliseum.

Celda’s triple in the last 4:59 allowed the Floodbuters to stay ahead by 10, 89-79.

They then gained a 15-point cushion with 2:11 to go off Khobuntin’s triple, 96-81.

Celda shot 18 points to lead the Floodbusters to their third triumph in nine games.

The scores: MAHINDRA 96 - Celda 18, Wright 16, Khobuntin 15, Camson 9, Paniamogan 8, Corpuz 8, Caperal 6, Revilla 4, Ballesteros 4, Teng 3, Yee 3, Salva 2, Elorde 0.

BLACKWATER 87 - Smith 29, Canaleta 11, Pascual 11, Digregorio 9, Cruz 9, Sena 7, Sumang 4, Gamalinda 4, Aguilar 2, Banal 1, Buenafe 0, Pinto 0.

Kidlat Estogero in action at the HEAD Jr. tennis Naga leg tournament

Quarterscores: 25-26, 4848, 68-70, 96-87.

Consunji diesel plant in Batangas gets perks B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

B1

Govt scraps Clark airport bidding IN BRIEF T

By Darwin G. Amojelar

PSE head finds ways to cut brokers’ stake

NEWLY-elected Philippine Stock Exchange president Ramon Monzon said the local bourse wants to reduce brokers’ ownership in the exchange to 20 percent to comply with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s requirements.

Brokers currently own a combined 27.9-percent interest in PSE. Monzon said in a interview following the annual stockholders’ meeting the board was now studying options on how to further reduce brokers’ ownership in the exchange including private placement and issuance of voting preferred shares.

Monzon said the SEC gave PSE a year to comply with the 20-percent ownership limit for brokers.

He said as an initial move, PSE asked the SEC to remove from the brokers ownership computation the shares held by inactive brokers. If removed, brokers ownership will drop 3.4 percent to 24.9 percent, he said.

PSE also asked the SEC to remove the prohibition barring brokers from buying PSE shares. “We asked the SEC if they could relax the rules prohibiting brokers from buying PSE stocks so that normal trades can happen.

This may also convince other brokers to sell because maybe they are not excited to sell their PSE shares because current market price is low,” he said. Jenniffer B. Austria

HE Transportation Department said it will no longer entertain the separate unsolicited proposals of JG-Filinvest Group and Megawide Group to develop Clark International Airport to avoid any legal complications.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the proposals were not rejected, but the government considered that it would be more appropriate to undertake the project by itself.

“It’s not rejected. I talked to them that the government will pursue it [development of Clark] to avoid problematic situation,” Tugade said, referring to JG-Filinvest and Megawide group.

He said the government’s deci-

sion to develop CIA, instead of turning it over to the private sector was to prevent the filing of a case in court.

Tugade’s statement came after both groups were seeking original proponent status for the unsolicited proposal of Clark airport development.

Megawide Construction Corp. and partner GMR Infrastructure Ltd. of India said they submitted an unsolicited proposal for the development of Clark airport on July 27, 2016.

The consortium, which won the development of Mactan Cebu International Airport, came up with a P200billion 50-year master plan based on independent studies of Clark and its potential as a gateway. It proposed six phases of development that would provide a saturation phase of 100 million passengers per annum.

The proposal does not require any kind of government subsidy, guarantee or mandatory movement of airlines from Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Parañaque City to Clark.

The consortium would also commit to an annual share of airport revenues to the government.

Another group, the consortium of JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Filinvest Development Corp., also submitted an unsolicited proposal to build a P187-billion world-class airport in Clark Freeport Zone by 2020.

The group said the 50-year concession would start with an initial capacity for 8 million passengers compared to the existing traffic of 1 million.

The master plan allows CIA to expand its terminals and runways to easily accommodate the traffic growth over the next 50 years.

The consortium committed to a robust and regular capacity augmentation program to ensure the CIA would continually meet the passenger service performance standards of world-class airports.

Airlines operating in Clark include Qatar Airways, Cebu Pacific, Tigerair Air, Jin Air, Asiana Airlines, Dragon Air, Air Asia Berhad and Emirates Airlines.

These airlines mount flights to Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Macau, Pudong, Incheon, Doha, Dubai, Davao, Cebu and Kalibo.

ASEAN TRADE.

Trade Secretary and Asean Economic Ministers chair Ramon Lopez (fourth from left) calls for the standardization of tariff measures among Asean member states to reduce trade barriers in the region.

Shown with Lopez during the Asean Prosperity Summit in Manila are (from left) former Agriculture Secretary William Dar, Senator Bam Aquino, former President and Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, journalist Cathy Yang and The Royal Group (Cambodia) senior vice president Rami Sharaf.

Manufacturing likely grew faster in March MANUFACTURING likely grew faster in March amid a strong domestic demand, Moody’s Analytics, a division of Moody’s Corp., said in a report over the weekend.

Moody’s Analytics estimated that manufacturing output grew 11.4 percent year-on-year in March, stronger than the 10.7-percent expansion in February.

“Philippine industrial production growth is expected to have accelerated to 11.4 percent year-on-year in March after growing 10.7 percent in February. Manufacturing strength has been fairly broad-based among the subsectors, with food production doing particularly well,” Moody’s said.

It said electronics output―which comprised almost half of the country’s shipments abroad―would continue to rally in the coming months because of improved external conditions.

“Even with this, the main driver of production growth will be booming domestic demand as rising incomes and infrastructure projects drive consumption and investment,” Moody’s said.

The Duterte administration is giving more focus on the establishment of more infrastructure projects under its ambitious “Build Build Build” program that include airports, seaports, roads, bridges, tollways and even railways. Julito G. Rada Manila

Dominguez now prefers ‘hybrid’ PPP projects

By Julito G. Rada FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the government now prefers “hybrid” public-private partnership deals where the government would first build the infrastructure projects and later bid out the operation and maintenance of the projects to the private sector.

“There are several approaches to that. The first approach―and which we are most likely going to do―is we will do [the projects] ourselves first, and then most likely auction out or bid out the O&M. But that is the fastest way to do it. At least we get something going,” Dominguez said in a recent business forum.

He said a traditional PPP project was usually taking an average of

29 months before it could take off, while unsolicited proposals would have at least a 20-month lead time.

“But if we do our projects right away and then bid out the O&M later, I think that’s the quickest way to do it,” Dominguez said.

He said undertaking the construction of PPP projects would prove cheaper in the long run as the government could borrow at lower rates through grants and concessional loans and later on harness the private sector’s expertise in managing, operating and maintaining such infrastructure projects.

Dominguez said the 18 projects approved last year by the National Economic Development Authority board were now undergoing various stages of project development.

“We are not stopping any of those. But opening up to unsolicited proposals is actually very good because we don’t know all the problems, and we may have not identified all of them. So we are inviting the public to help us do it,” Dominguez said.

He said “Dutertenomics” is President Duterte’s economic strategy to dramatically raise funds―in large part through his proposed tax reform program― and spend big on infrastructure, human capital formation and social protection to sustain the growth momentum, attract investments and create jobs, achieve economic inclusion and transform the Philippines into a high middle-income country by 2022, by which time poverty incidence would have been re-

duced to 14 percent.

Under “DuterteNomics,” the government envisions the Philippines to be a high-income economy in one generation or by 2040.

Dominguez earlier said the Duterte administration was looking at several measures, including the monitoring of projects in real time through the use of drones, to place its infrastructure buildup strategy on track and keep such public works free from graft and corruption.

Another is for the government to break up certain major projects into smaller ones to fast-track their completion and attract relatively smaller investors or bidders.

Dominguez said the government might also require doing the construction work on a 24hour basis whenever possible.

Tadeco: Audit results not applicable to BuCor deal THE initial findings of the Commission on Audit that was partly the basis of the Office of the Solicitor General for issuing a legal opinion against the joint venture agreement between the Bureau of Corrections and the Davaobased Tagum Agricultural Development Company are based on the erroneous application of laws and constitutional provisions, a top executive said.

“With all due respect to the COA and the OSG, the provisions they had cited as bases for calling out the supposed violations committed under the Tadeco-BuCor agreement cannot be applied to this case,” Tadeco president and chief executive Alex Valoria said in a statement.

Valoria said while COA identified the contract between BuCor and Tadeco as leasehold and tenancy agreement governed by Republic Act 1199, the agreement could not be classified as such.

“No one would argue that the land where the Davao Penal Colony stands, which is under the BuCor, is a government reservation. Thus, it is inalienable land and cannot be the subject of a lease agreement as stated under RA 1199,” Valoria said.

Valoria said the contract between BuCor and Tadeco was a joint venture agreement with the primary purpose of helping the rehabilitation of inmates at Davao Prison and Penal Farm.

“It’s goal of making profits is only secondary to the main goal of inmate rehabilitation,” he said.

He said BuCor and Tadeco were prohibited under the Public Land Act (Commonwealth Act 141) from entering into a lease arrangement.

“Moreover, Tadeco cannot be identified as a tenant of the BuCor land because it is a juridical entity and not a person capable of performing the actual cultivation of the land which is essential in a leasehold and tenancy agreement,” Valoria said.

Valoria said that under both the 1935 and 1973 Constitutions, no prohibition exists barring the government from entering into joint venture arrangements in-

volving inalienable lands like the DPPF. “In fact, under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, there is now an express provision allowing joint venture arrangement involving exploration, development and utilization of natural resources.

Natural resources include inalienable public lands like the Davao penal farm,” Valoria said.

Valoria said another COA finding based on an erroneous legal interpretation was its claim that the JVA violated the Constitution because the BuCor allowed Tadeco to develop 5,308 hectares of the penal farm, in excess of the 1,000 hectare limit stated under Section 3, Article XII of the 1987 Constitution.

Standard METRO PACIFIC INVESTMENTS CORPORATION TODAY

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS Please be advised that the Annual Meeting of the stockholders of METRO PACIFIC INVSTMENTS CORPORATION will be held on Friday, 26th day of May 2017, 11 a.m. at The Grand Ballroom C, Shangri-La at the Fort, 30th Street cor 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Philippines for the following purposes: I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VII. IX. X.

Call to Order Certification of Notice and Quorum Approval of the Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on May 27, 2016 Report of the President and Chief Executive Officer Approval of the 2016 Audited Financial Statements Ratification of the Acts of the Board of Directors and Management for the year 2016 Election of the Directors for the ensuing Year Appointment of External Auditor of the Company for the year 2017 Other business that may property be brought before the meeting Adjournment

Minutes of the 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders is available at the website of the Company, www.mpic.com.ph and will be distributed to all stockholders as of record date along with the Information Statement The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on the 13th day of April 2017, as the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Stockholders` Meeting.

In compliance with the SEC Advisory dated May 6, 2015, a copy of the Interim Unaudited Financial Statements of the Company as of and for the quarter ended March 31, 2017 with Management Discussion and Analysis shall be posted in the website of the Company (www.mpic.com.ph) on or before May 16, 2017. A hard copy of the same Interim Unaudited Financial Statements will be provided to any requesting shareholder, free of charge, as soon as said Interim Unaudited Financial Statements becomes available but in no case later than May 16, 2017.

Very truly yours,

ANTONIO A. PICASO Corporate Secretary Makati City (MS-MAY 8, 2017)

B2

Business

MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market likely to move toward 8,000

By Jenniffer B. Austria

T

RADING is expected to remain positive this week, as the benchmark index continues to build momentum toward the 8,000-point level, on the back of strong first-quarter earnings of listed companies and positive outlook on the economy.

BDO Unibank Inc. chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said the market’s recent break above the 7,800 level signaled the market was back to bull territory. The market rose 20 percent from its recent low of 6,500 level.

“Chartwise, the week’s close at 7,841.99 highlights the market has the momentum to assault the 8,000 to 8,150 levels in the near-

term. Any pullback, if any, is limited towards the 7,600 to 7640 levels,” Ravelas said.

RCBC Securities analyst Jeremy Yumul said the release of earnings results this week by several big companies such as Ayala group and San Miguel group should keep investors on their toes.

“In-line or forecast-beating results from these names could sustain the market’s rise,” Yumul said.

Meanwhile, newly elected Philippine Stock Exchange president Ramon Monzon said he was hoping the current strong market conditions would persist as some of the key agenda of the Duterte administration started implementation.

“What were are looking for and hopefully will spur trading and interest in the market is the passage of the tax reform bill. The passage of the tax reform bill and the implementation of infrastructure programs of the new administration will really have very positive effect on the market,” Monzon said.

The 30-company PSE index last week

surged 2.4 percent to close at 7,841.99 on May 5, on strong first-quarter earnings and on expectation the first package of tax reforms would be approved by Congress.

The bellwether was also up 14.6 percent since the start of the year.

All major sub-indices ended in the green last week, led by property which jumped 4.9 percent and mining and oil index which surged 4.5 percent, following the rejection by the Commission of Appointment’s of the appointment of Reina Lopez as Environment secretary.

Foreign investors were net buyers by P1.98 billion last week, as total foreign buying hit P20.5 billion while foreign selling amounted to P18.5 billion.

Daily turnover also surged to P8.9 billion from P6.4 billion the previous week.

Top gainers were logistics company 2GO Group Inc. which jumped 25.6 percent to P16.20, Travellers International Hotel Group Inc. which climbed 8.2 percent to P3.57 and SM Prime Holding Inc. which advanced 8.1 percent to P32.20.

SM Prime to open 10 malls next year PROPERTY developer SM Prime Holdings Inc. plans to open 10 shopping malls next year, in line with the company’s plan to have 75 outlets by 2018.

SM Prime said in a registration statement pertaining to its P20-billion bond offering that it would open 10 malls next year, including SM Paurido in Pangasinan, SM Ormoc, SM Pulilan, SM Telebastagan in Pampanga, SM Legaspi, SM Tuguegarao, SM Olongapo, SM Butuan, SM Tagum and

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

MAY 2-5, 2017 Close Volume

Value

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

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

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

3.18 49.25 123.00 105.10 4.10 1.30 36.45 16.02 22.7 7.73 0.7 1.67 825.00 0.670 86.95 0.71 15.88 25.05 68.65 87.6 108.2 242 58.7 215.6 1695.00 81.95 1.22

519,000 128,700 12,083,980 5,707,490 193,000 1,222,000 4,000,600 232,900 10,004,800 6,900 583,000 34,000 60 43,326,000 7,312,150 579,000 385,300 5,400 3,224,600 6,790 2,010 28,720 3,965,560 2,285,290 280 473,400 1,000

FINANCIAL 1,639,100.00 6,301,115.00 1,467,827,035 599,599,965.00 775,250.00 1,635,650.00 142,366,480.00 3,774,602.00 227,374,740.00 53,244 392,820 56,640.00 49,450.00 29,996,260.00 627,416,416.00 410,580.00 6,160,116.00 135,290.00 209,423,599.50 600,174.50 222,136.00 6,906,778.00 223,944,057 493,464,692.00 478,300 38,469,535.00 1,220.00

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Basic Energy Corp.

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

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

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

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

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

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

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

41.2 6 0.85 1.4 18.74 0.270 107.5 14.50 6.95 16.9 166 23.3 82 74 1.9 5.94 11.82 12.900 9.85 6.31 5.86 1.69 21.2 72.25 12.40 15.76 8.49 1.590 216.00 59.00 4.87 3.87 28.00 32.2 23.1 19.32 0.247 275.00 6.31 3.71 9.00 3.55 11.40 2.15 9.80 2.15 72.05 5.51 4.91 2 3.3 298 13.68 4.4 0.154 1.37 183.3 1.59 35.50 1.12

5,893,900 11,708,300 6,833,000 11,828,000 57,300 108,420,000 240 13,200 68,962,400 5,085,200 10 2,376,800 1,870 55,390 2,489,000 918,900 153,200 15,550,700 10,301,200 11,163,900 52,510,500 4,000 7,212,200 645,650 12,500 134,700 25,524,500 1,985,000 4,019,860 93,190 3,029,000 222,000 2,800 7,941,800 799,900 6,259,500 27,480,000 1,414,040 240,400 2,409,000 29,900,200 5,000 122,900 21,845,000 15,658,100 8,668,000 3,626,430 1,594,200 310,000 29,000 1,889,000 88,680 3,324,400 133,000 16,920,000 707,000 8,408,540 15,704,000 30,500 2,960,000

INDUSTRIAL 246,893,080.00 69,858,020.00 5,816,430.00 16,546,520.00 1,111,616.00 30,368,200.00 24,889.50 188,314.00 490,290,497.00 85,220,116 1,660.00 55,407,435.00 155,710.00 3,966,671 4,731,200.00 5,244,575.00 1,816,774.00 201,225,980.00 104,100,066.00 71,306,214.00 315,756,150.00 6,760.00 153,512,325.00 46,658,488.50 155,024.00 2,070,052.00 206,723,135.00 3,120,490.00 862,370,438.00 5,492,357.00 14,842,070.00 856,060.00 76,920.00 254,555,875.00 18,578,600.00 119,776,864.00 6,801,030.00 393,099,112.00 1,530,166.00 8,912,770.00 273,623,097.00 17,650.00 1,399,690.00 46,980,330.00 144,323,634.00 18,334,070.00 262,396,561.00 9,031,678.00 1,509,950.00 58,000.00 5,791,950.00 26,572,652.00 45,915,034.00 597,660.00 2,589,990.00 971,670.00 1,497,707,652 25,087,160.00 1,126,460.00 3,231,220.00

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

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

Lopez Holdings Corp.

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

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

0.370 75.50 14.26 1.14 6.12 0.425 0.420 878 8.21 13.24 5.47 7.99 0.220 1255 6.45 85.10 4.68 5.1 1.05 7.32 16.7 0.410 6.65 3.53 0.0560 1.050 1.880 2.55 108.00 2.77 774.00 1.38 0.90 300.000 0.3000 0.2280 0.246

8,100,000 5,497,520 33,075,900 280,000 48,400 75,530,000 6,260,000 889,490 8,908,200 41,280,200 50,200 314,800 10,850,000 662,645 468,900 10,243,330 2,000 1,000 22,782,000 3,961,000 12,000,300 40,000 86,998,607 51,000 138,220,000 194,000 383,000 42,000 887,790 253,000 2,329,510 2,225,000 89,000 21,270 2,310,000 18,060,000 4,450,000

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

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

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

Phil. Realty `A’

6.820 1.25 6.50 2.290 1.350 36.700 4.3 5.33 0.495 1.04 1.400 0.163 0.540 51.8 0.700 0.178 1.76 0.98 1.01 4.2 0.440 0.4000 0.670

902,800 39,095,000 45,800 710,000 51,412,000 70,749,200 22,427,000 665,500 44,275,000 221,000 1,792,000 68,270,000 16,705,000 801,880 1,417,000 6,340,000 37,664,000 9,221,000 10,147,000 125,020,000 1,247,000,000 37,870,000 202,537,000

Close

APRIL 24-27, 2017 Volume Value

3.02 48.6 119.90 104.80 4.17 1.25 35.3 16.2 21.45 7.75 0.72 1.7 800.00 0.670 84.5 0.74 16.2 25.00 65.20 89.5 115 240 54.45 213.2 1690.00 79.75

292,000 118,100 9,448,210 3,236,420 55,000 306,000 5,931,400 4,995,800 20,903,300 2,000 587,000 13,000 2,520 12,041,000 8,007,650 159,000 401,000 25,700 8,192,770 3,040 1,050 114,940 6,322,720 2,818,550 580 222,740

880,710.00 5,735,770.00 1,133,530,339 339,550,807.00 219,850.00 363,820.00 210,096,530.00 80,966,960.00 447,649,950.00 15,500 415,250 22,100.00 2,015,590.00 8,005,750.00 682,667,975.00 114,810.00 6,368,434.00 644,340.00 513,004,456.50 272,054.00 115,455.00 27,580,594.00 333,634,018 602,223,444.00 983,900 17,753,200.00

42.5 5.76 0.83 1.41 18.68 0.275 96.55 14.12 7.34 16.5 165.2 23.5 84.5 74.05 1.89 5.7 12 12.800 10.10 6.39 6.03 1.75 21.5 72.5 12.38 15.40 7.7 1.600 210.00 36.20 4.98 3.75 28.55 31.95 23.25 18.48 0.255 280.00 6.33 3.7 9.11

7,084,900 7,886,100 2,644,000 7,576,000 23,600 44,710,000 160 11,100 34,180,500 10,537,600 320 702,800 2,790 2,439,220 3,781,000 466,400 63,100 9,718,300 14,947,300 8,758,500 30,917,300 1,000 6,885,600 486,250 12,100 202,300 3,859,800 2,766,000 2,707,680 590 5,769,500 118,000 1,900 4,935,900 824,800 7,652,700 66,450,000 515,450 107,800 1,732,000 37,862,900

302,426,335.00 45,486,115.00 2,146,140.00 11,118,350.00 442,942.00 11,635,340.00 17,577.00 157,466.00 259,653,847.00 175,774,960 53,026.00 16,436,985.00 233,504.00 177,115,811 7,244,060.00 2,659,308.00 754,408.00 124,927,284.00 146,468,178.00 56,051,643.00 187,620,780.00 1,750.00 149,746,135.00 35,434,944.00 149,840.00 3,147,892.00 30,219,097.00 4,414,160.00 574,260,838.00 38,070.00 28,654,984.00 440,180.00 52,615.00 159,202,755.00 19,755,345.00 141,694,010.00 16,711,760.00 145,255,276.00 671,370.00 6,406,630.00 339,179,642.00

11.40 2.15 8.50 1.98 73.5 5.5 4.84 2 2.77 300 13.72 4.47 0.148 1.37 172 1.63 32.95 1.02

68,100 6,852,000 13,478,400 6,127,000 1,830,310 2,956,100 110,000 1,000 145,000 32,090 3,829,300 378,000 22,970,000 1,198,000 3,569,640 21,026,000 1,500 489,000

776,594.00 14,898,080.00 113,796,286.00 12,465,580.00 133,177,563.50 16,193,006.00 529,810.00 2,000.00 398,560.00 9,648,696.00 52,694,096.00 1,696,590.00 3,379,170.00 1,648,250.00 617,437,935 35,273,470.00 47,975.00 494,440.00

HOLDING FIRMS 2,983,300.00 421,147,201.00 473,386,100.00 320,450.00 298,531.00 31,798,750.00 2,644,700.00 777,811,650 73,271,553.00 540,774,514.00 273,063.00 2,515,051.00 2,338,590.00 824,079,570.00 3,024,462.00 869,356,544.50 9,360.00 5,100.00 23,861,880.00 29,402,938.00 196,765,346.00 16,350.00 603,046,174.00 175,100.00 7,798,770.00 197,500.00 723,940.00 105,180.00 95,450,219.00 698,050.00 1,776,031,565.00 3,067,400.00 78,860.00 6,357,302.00 679,600.00 4,034,150.00 1,152,430.00

0.370 76.80 14.80 1.10 6.20 0.420 0.425 866.5 8.16 12.86 5.8 7.85 0.202 1260 6.35 84.20 4.27 4.9 1 7.69 15.96 0.405 6.58 3.5 0.0560 1.040 1.880 2.49 110.00 2.8 728.00 1.42 0.85 294.000 0.3050 0.2050 0.260

11,150,000 4,281,180 24,909,700 80,000 13,200 192,610,000 54,100,000 861,950 5,990,400 65,870,000 19,500 782,200 3,330,000 588,885 275,200 6,774,590 12,000 16,100 8,240,000 3,018,600 10,344,000 2,100,000 96,590,500 4,000 349,130,000 338,000 311,000 16,000 458,750 299,000 1,543,390 1,063,000 30,000 29,850 10,320,000 1,960,000 2,040,000

4,071,100.00 329,823,190.00 367,768,524.00 88,500.00 81,908.00 85,946,050.00 24,410,650.00 752,882,840 50,096,163.00 851,841,230.00 113,018.00 6,145,818.00 664,780.00 741,445,195.00 1,728,065.00 570,020,011.50 51,750.00 83,570.00 8,176,890.00 22,870,668.00 165,371,046.00 853,700.00 638,997,760.00 13,430.00 19,652,590.00 352,170.00 585,810.00 39,840.00 50,017,404.00 841,290.00 1,116,142,500.00 1,481,620.00 25,500.00 8,696,674.00 3,107,850.00 391,850.00 512,810.00

PROPERTY 6,150,522.00 45,850,770.00 297,490.00 1,614,410.00 69,572,640.00 2,544,591,190.00 95,030,810.00 3,519,675.00 22,212,115.00 223,660.00 2,457,950.00 10,926,960.00 8,950,790.00 41,423,525.00 989,810.00 1,141,960.00 66,135,600.00 8,995,190.00 10,226,820.00 522,029,260.00 546,666,450.00 14,696,700.00 128,236,350.00

6.960 1.15 6.00 2.300 1.420 35.300 4.1 5.27 0.490 1.00 1.340 0.162 0.530 52 0.710 0.180 1.73 0.98 1.05 4.06 0.420 0.3500 0.620

1,207,700 49,093,000 36,000 959,000 135,705,000 41,940,000 25,383,000 214,200 33,900,000 599,000 1,046,000 230,370,000 15,402,000 2,399,260 41,513,000 7,430,000 56,859,000 16,769,000 7,980,000 118,924,000 2,695,830,000 16,080,000 60,473,000

8,226,571.00 53,618,200.00 216,220.00 2,284,610.00 201,560,700.00 1,491,203,970.00 102,754,120.00 1,117,986.00 16,622,150.00 590,260.00 1,401,810.00 38,730,910.00 8,158,480.00 124,236,779.50 29,130,990.00 1,298,390.00 96,094,000.00 16,365,530.00 8,490,600.00 493,550,720.00 1,121,970,850.00 5,518,050.00 36,656,900.00

STOCKS

MAY 2-5, 2017 Close Volume

Value

Close

Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp.

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

27.50 4.43 26.00 1.74 3.32 32.20 1 7 0.910 5.230

700 850,000 5,303,800 1,340,000 385,000 53,287,700 14,064,000 600 411,000 14,324,800

19,250.00 3,767,990.00 138,090,445.00 2,363,870.00 1,281,210.00 1,665,760,710.00 13,877,350.00 4,118.00 364,910.00 75,223,385.00

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

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

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

Manila Broadcasting Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

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

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Wilcon Depot

16.2 44.6 1.65 0.520 0.046 11.5 5.31 9.50 0.0930 1.91 108.5 10 8.80 3.52 988 2044 6.16 16.40 15.00 3.19 90 3.61 0.0094 12.7 9.00 0.191 1.4500 3.66 15.6 4.34 0.98 4.48 16.02 2.47 8.2 3.65 2.660 11.88 5.50 3 178.00 7.65 1768.00 0.415 1.550 43.80 79.60 5.98 2.27 1.050 2 3.57 0.690 5.340

9,260,100 323,300 1,595,000 5,483,000 504,600,000 7,400 12,900 37,095,100 966,270,000 19,207,000 1,009,910 26,300 825,900 11,000 2,380 391,865 1,884,900 278,700 100 18,130,000 8,450,800 1,070,000 99,000,000 227,500 1,232,000 59,040,000 4,614,000 852,000 126,000 5,708,000 21,000 3,302,000 1,400 1,822,000 33,428,000 4,507,000 14,499,000 119,800 106,300 125,000 2,540 760,500 515,380 9,890,000 28,996,000 9,490,800 2,839,000 464,900 9,583,000 14,704,000 24,000 20,561,000 150,343,000 42,053,500

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

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

TA Petroleum United Paragon

0.0035 1.88 5.31 14.00 2.1000 2.2900 0.9 0.435 8.70 2.590 0.265 0.200 0.205 0.012 0.0130 1.88 6.5 2.39 0.4850 0.9500 0.0120 0.0120 4.02 9.06 3.14 0.0130 154.80 2.7 0.0090

MINING & OIL 6,560,000,000 22,456,700.00 201,925,000 391,805,780.00 860,650 4,845,019.00 800 10,836.00 1,873,000 4,213,710.00 877,000 2,082,310.00 20,508,000 18,439,320.00 15,810,000 7,147,000.00 148,000 1,357,513.00 45,499,000 126,675,140.00 5,610,000 1,466,180.00 70,001,850 43,093,530.00 27,860,000 5,892,870.00 553,600,000 6,433,300.00 272,400,000 3,288,400.00 11,333,000 23,082,460.00 53,212,600 359,716,473.00 1,294,000 2,985,070.00 210,000 103,900.00 7,833,000 7,748,710.00 30,900,000 356,400.00 1,000,000 12,000.00 285,000 1,148,460.00 9,621,200 88,581,015.00 6,157,000 19,327,530.00 248,900,000 3,041,400.00 4,891,890 754,489,169.00 206,000 558,360.00 36,000,000 321,700.00

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

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

44.8 108.4 530 530 104.5 112.3 115 524 5.87 1022 1025 108.2 1060 1115 1019 105 76.25 80.6 76.1 79.5 80.4 79.5 78.75 79 2.12

339,600 2,000 4,030 320 116,080 2,440 50,000 1,110 1,167,600 1,750 2,910 1,310 1,845 3,280 3,455 3,500 14,300 46,830 13,200 533,370 17,950 70,100 127,820 135,730 21,000

LR Warrant

2.300

655,000

Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Philab Holdings Xurpas

2.93 4.18 6.5 8.25

9,000 5,549,000 690,500 21,695,300

First Metro ETF

130.4

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 35,560 4,565,899.00

SERVICES 145,607,696.00 14,381,395.00 2,670,960.00 2,897,490.00 23,668,200.00 86,848.00 68,484 347,987,525.00 90,578,100.00 37,064,470.00 109,098,113.00 269,262.00 7,290,231.00 38,800.00 2,348,380.00 801,021,350 11,684,250.00 4,573,308.00 1,500 59,358,070.00 754,060,504.50 4,093,220 939,600.00 2,771,020.00 11,078,020.00 11,064,000.00 6,751,870.00 3,104,550.00 1,961,022.00 24,098,840 20,520.00 14,958,990.00 23,782 4,524,080.00 262,116,755.00 16,377,940.00 39,487,000.00 1,411,550.00 582,832 374,980.00 444,280.00 5,866,346.00 905,058,840.00 4,064,000.00 44,443,060.00 410,497,510.00 224,796,427.00 2,757,665.00 21,640,070.00 15,337,890.00 48,280.00 70,320,520.00 96,642,120.00 224,346,728.00

PREFERRED 15,131,210.00 216,800 2,095,840.00 169,600 12,227,761.00 274,087.00 5,750,550.00 582,670.00 6,800,561.00 1,788,640.00 2,994,520.00 141,826.00 1,963,480.00 3,721,490.00 3,519,955.00 368,000.00 1,088,705.00 3,773,190.00 1,016,910.00 42,403,016.00 1,431,636.00 5,563,330.00 10,033,887.50 10,707,970.00 45,660.00

WARRANTS & BONDS 1,494,160.00 SME 26,370.00 23,375,060.00 4,507,550.00 187,346,270.00

APRIL 24-27, 2017 Volume Value

27.50 4.6 25.65 1.76 3.25 29.80 1.01 7 0.900 5.290

400 1,584,000 6,514,600 1,755,000 428,000 25,811,600 7,134,000 3,300 299,000 14,044,200

11,000.00 7,225,520.00 170,847,355.00 3,104,600.00 1,405,860.00 770,976,335.00 7,120,980.00 22,335.00 266,110.00 74,012,818.00

12.9 45.85 1.53 0.520 0.044 11.5 5.34 9.00 0.0930 1.94 108 10.3 8.79 3.53 970 2078 6.15 16.30

4,160,000 88,100 444,000 8,045,000 488,600,000 19,400 46,400 62,929,300 1,606,920,000 35,051,000 2,229,090 1,400 2,460,400 21,000 400 258,555 1,093,900 245,100

52,810,576.00 4,048,850.00 674,910.00 4,160,090.00 21,876,100.00 217,508.00 255,083 568,463,205.32 140,898,550.00 68,619,710.00 241,229,978.00 14,442.00 21,412,640.00 76,920.00 388,000.00 533,726,530 6,752,704.00 4,008,242.00

3.31 89 3.63 0.0093 12.68 9.00 0.182 1.3700 3.58 15.58 4.22 0.93 4.85 16.98 2.5 7.36 3.65 2.850 11.68 5.50 2.99 168.00 7.73 1770.00 0.415 1.560 41.70 79.40 5.99 2.29 1.070 2.1 3.3 0.490 5.420

7,617,000 5,071,050 312,000 42,000,000 2,000 1,223,500 26,850,000 3,087,000 364,000 48,300 4,306,000 38,000 3,329,000 2,200 254,000 58,731,300 4,707,000 14,019,000 113,300 40,700 17,000 232,940 1,583,900 368,795 4,640,000 49,901,000 4,610,900 1,808,360 453,100 9,054,000 15,121,000 174,000 4,808,000 77,419,000 85,166,200

24,862,760.00 451,702,509.50 1,109,990 386,200.00 24,716.00 11,006,044.00 4,904,530.00 4,298,970.00 1,322,910.00 750,370.00 18,342,210 35,780.00 16,145,780.00 36,746 614,940.00 424,834,832.00 13,702,600.00 40,443,440.00 1,334,884.00 218,639 50,870.00 39,537,925.00 12,377,494.00 648,399,640.00 1,934,300.00 76,369,610.00 193,547,705.00 144,361,863.00 2,705,818.00 20,783,280.00 15,842,100.00 343,300.00 15,640,150.00 39,614,685.00 457,352,206.00

0.0033 1.49 5.26 13.48 1.7300 1.6700 0.91 0.420 8.81 2.550 0.255 0.182 0.192 0.012 0.0120 1.7 6.25 2.14 0.4500 0.8700 0.0110 0.0110 4.06 8.82 3.14 0.0130 149.00 2.77 0.0088

42,000,000 20,271,000 99,500 22,500 256,000 329,000 33,071,000 8,980,000 88,000 5,217,000 1,350,000 13,110,000 53,950,000 152,300,000 7,200,000 2,313,000 9,135,100 373,000 510,000 267,000 40,400,000 1,300,000 192,000 1,833,600 6,666,000 64,300,000 3,767,980 278,000 47,000,000

137,500.00 29,956,780.00 530,638.00 291,178.00 441,130.00 556,110.00 29,985,650.00 3,809,900.00 757,768.00 13,309,340.00 334,600.00 2,205,081.00 10,255,360.00 1,681,900.00 79,900.00 3,888,320.00 56,737,119.00 777,820.00 229,250.00 233,360.00 443,500.00 14,400.00 781,010.00 15,825,357.00 20,650,620.00 792,900.00 562,931,398.00 761,070.00 410,900.00

45.95 108.4 533 525 104.5 104

140,500 34,500 34,070 26,360 93,850 17,020

6,482,200.00 3,727,230 17,767,360.00 13,840,720 3,653,417.00 1,965,663.00

530 5.75 1024 1045 108.2 1072 1145 1019 105 77 81 78 81.2 79.9 78.85 78.2 78.3 2.1

15,240 2,212,100 1,130 1,650 3,500 1,020 505 40,825 65,000 2,390 81,440 7,400 16,700 468,180 22,040 182,140 357,900 3,000

7,924,800.00 12,664,963.00 1,149,420.00 1,576,600.00 3,159,100.00 1,051,240.00 578,250.00 41,618,530.00 6,802,250.00 184,205.00 6,577,665.00 576,325.00 1,306,480.50 37,250,520.00 1,723,319.00 14,272,268.00 28,110,472.50 6,300.00

2.260

1,167,000

2,686,990.00

2.93 3.83 6.65 9.38

7,000 1,244,000 560,700 10,068,800

20,610.00 4,622,490.00 3,807,316.00 95,370,080.00

127.2

81,260

10,311,737.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining MRC Allied Ind. Boulevard Holdings Manila Mining `A’ Apollo Global Manila Mining `B’ Philodrill Corp. `A’ Phil. Realty `A’ Apex `A’ Waterfront Phils.

VOLUME 6,560,000,000 1,247,000,000 966,270,000 553,600,000 504,600,000 272,400,000 248,900,000 202,537,000 201,925,000 150,343,000

STOCKS Ayala Land `B’ SM Investments Inc. SM Prime Holdings Universal Robina Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. PLDT Common JG Summit Holdings Jollibee Foods Corp.

GT Capital Globe Telecom

VALUE 2,544,591,190.00 1,776,031,565.00 1,665,760,710.00 1,497,707,652.00 1,467,827,035.00 905,058,840.00 869,356,544.50 862,370,438.00 824,079,570.00 801,021,350.00

SM Roxas City.

The biggest malls that will open in 2018 are SM Tuguegarao with 89,863 square meters in gross floor area, SM Telebastagan with 85,487 sqm, SM Olongapo with 83,125 sqm., SM Legaspi with 74,270 sqm. and SM Roxas with 50,230 sqm.

SM Prime earlier said it would open five malls this year to end 2017 with a total of 65 malls.

From 48 malls as of end 2013, SM Prime targeted to have 75 malls by end-2018 with total GFA of roughly 11 million sqm.

Meanwhile, SM Prime chief finance officer John Nai Peng Ong said in an earlier interview the group’s target to have 75 malls by 2018 would be achievable as it had already identified sites for the planned expansion.

Ong said while the company indicated plans to open five malls this year, the company was hoping that it could open this year some of the malls that were originally slated for opening in 2018.

The funding for the completion of these malls will come from the company‘s issuance of P20-billion sevenyear retail bonds.

The retail bonds, to be listed with the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp., will be offered on May 4 to May 11, with issue date of May 18. Jenniffer B. Austria

AirAsia readies IPO in 2nd half

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Philippine unit of Southeast Asia’s biggest budget airline is set to go public in the second half to finance a major refleeting program.

“We are working on it [initial public offering]. We are still talking with the banks.

Our target this year, we want it to happen by second half of the year,” Philippines AirAsia chief executive Dexter Comendador said.

The company plans to raise $200 million from the IPO. Comendador said proceeds from the IPO would be used to finance acquisition of more aircraft and construction of new headquarters in Manila.

“In the next three years, we hope to double our fleet and up to seven years it should be tripled...and by 15 years it should be about 70 planes,” he said.

“We are ready for the competition,” Comendador said.

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

Comendador said the airline company planned to mount flights to Taipei, Hong Kong, Macau, Kuala Lumpur and Japan out of Clark.

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.

Philippines Air Asia recorded a net loss of P3.05 billion last year, lower by 1.3 percent from P3.09-billon net loss in 2015.

Business The Vocation of NGOs SAMANTHA ISABEL CORONADO

GREEN LIGHT

NON-government organizations work very much like businesses. They are registered with the government and consequently pay taxes. They have management teams and employees to do their mission.

They have resources to allocate, people to allocate it to, and people to source it from.

But compared with businesses, NGOs receive greater trust. This is probably attributed to the social development aspect of the industry. Words like compassion, service and selflessness have undoubtedly been associated with charity work. We view NGOs as forces doing good for the greater good. As such, we leave them alone most of the time, assuming they know best because they have the best intentions.

However, since NGOs are much like businesses, it follows that as there are no perfect businesses—there are also no perfect NGOs. Whereas the public and the media constantly criticize businesses, they are less vigilant about holding NGOs accountable for their actions. Because of this general trust for NGOs, we may make the mistake of turning a blind eye to practices that do not work. Worse, we may not even think about how they can improve in the long run.

This relative indifference toward NGO practices is something that we should think twice about. After all, if NGOs are a force of good for the greater good, helping NGOs improve by giving them positive feedback and holding them accountable can bring more good for society.

In my MBA journey, I have chosen to use the NGO industry and development sector work as my primary focus. As such, I have applied the article, “Vocation of the Business Leader,” by the Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace, to development sector work.

Vocation of NGOs to their employees Like businesses, NGOs should be regarded as a viable means for their employees to provide for their families.

However, the industry is often regarded as a career option only for the selfless, such as volunteers and missionaries who work hard but with minimum or no pay.

Most NGO work are projectbased and program-dependent.

Thus, employees are often hired to fill in short-term projects and programs. This has made sub-contracting and long-term probationary statuses for even long-time employees common.

Very little effort is exerted for projects to be sustainable in the long run, which means less commitment to job security and career development of employees.

Additionally, short-term projects and programs make investment in human capital the least of NGOs’ priorities.

If projects and programs last only for months, employees are often left with spurts of career learning rather than ongoing and incremental skill and knowledge improvement.

To make NGO work sustainable, it should be regarded as a viable means of livelihood.

There have been detrimental effects in underpaying and not prioritizing job security in development work industry. These workplace practices result in less innovation, less commitment and even less exceptional manpower in the workplace.

In providing their employees an opportunity to make a decent living, NGOs can attract not only the selfless but also the brightest individuals to solve the world’s greatest problems. Moreover, providing decent wages can make the workplace more diverse, leading to more innovative and creative solutions for society’s pressing problems.

NGOs should look after the regularization, personal and career development, training, and

provision of benefits to their employees in the same measure they are committed to the welfare of their beneficiaries. In making the well-being of their employees a priority, they can improve the delivery of their services to their beneficiaries.

Vocation of NGOs to their donors Like businesses, NGOs source their funds from organizations and individuals to carry out their mission. These donations are often made voluntarily, as part of corporate and personal advocacies. But unlike business investors, donors do not receive a financial return on their investments.

First of all, it is the vocation of NGOs to set the correct fund-raising targets. The world has limited resources to allocate to pressing needs. Bigger NGOs can afford to make massive campaigns that shift the limelight away from other organizations with equally important advocacies. NGOs should ensure they are raising the right amount of funds to cover operations of their goods and services, but not excessively so that other funds will not be used immediately as promised to donors and beneficiaries.

NGOs’ relationships with their donors should also be a two-way street, in which NGOs give transparent accountability reports, advocacy updates, and non-solicitation-related communications. This is a way for NGOs to give credit to the people who fuel their advocacies.

Vocation of NGOs to their community Like businesses, NGOs do not work in a vacuum. They must work with local communities, government and the development industry, where organizations that are both similar and unlike theirs exist.

NGOs have to operate with other organizations that may be vying for the same donor bases.

However, they should avoid thinking of each other as competitors. Collaboration should be fostered among NGOs with both similar and different advocacies. After all, it is the vocation of NGOs to focus on the greater good instead of only their organization’s targets and objectives.

Furthermore, NGOs should acknowledge the role of government in meeting the nation’s needs, and should help government when called upon to do so. They should respect government programs and in fact pattern their programs to support national goals. For example, a health-related NGO should cooperate with the Department of Health to achieve the latter’s goals instead of acting as an individual agent.

It also follows that NGOs should pay the right amount of taxes, comply with the law, and register all fund-raising activities as mandated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. NGOs could go a step further and give recommendations to government.

They can also target beneficiaries that government or other NGOs have not yet reached.

Similarly, NGOs’ workplace practices should leave only a minimal carbon footprint. Being environmentally friendly in the workplace means lessening the use of paper, not buying supplies made of non-recyclable materials, and using renewable energy.

NGOs should create a more compassionate and equal world by looking at the well-being of multiple stakeholders such as their employees, beneficiaries, donors, and community.

Samantha Isabel Coronado is an MBA student at the Ramon V. Del Rosario College of Business of De La Salle University. She wrote this essay for her class on Lasallian Business Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Social Responsibility during her second term in the MBA program.

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

B3

MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Consunji diesel plant in Batangas gets perks bines can be operated to provide full power usually in as fast as 10 minutes from start-up.

“In times of peaked energy demand especially during the summer, this plant can provide the crucial backup to base load plants in avoiding power outages,” said Trade Undersecretary and BoI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo.

The power generation project would provide relief to industries within the area to operate at full capacity, he added.

The power plant is equipped with ancillary support facilities such as control room, noise deflectors, switchgear, a transformer and a billing meter.

Fuel will be available from the two newlyfabricated diesel day tanks, which are in turn fed by a large storage tank fabricated specifically for the project.

In addition to the combined capacity of recent BoI-approved power generation projects in Luzon, the gas turbine-run power project is still within the target capacity installation limit set under the current IPP specific guidelines for energy.

Oil-based power installed capacity in the

By Othel V. Campos

T

HE Board of Investments granted fiscal and nonfiscal incentives to the P1.34-billion gas turbine power plant of Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corp. in Calaca, Batangas province.

The BoI gave the project non-pioneer incentives after starting operations in March under the current Investment Priorities Plan that includes power generation in the preferred investment activities under the energy category.

The project consists of two General Electric mobile gas turbine power generating units with a combined rated capacity of 46 megawatts using diesel as fuel.

The electricity generated will be delivered to the Luzon grid under an ancillary service provider contract with National Grid Corporation of the Philippines.

Similar to those used in jet aircraft, gas tur-

country as of June 2016 remained at 3,446 MW, or 18.2 percent of the total supply with a dependable capacity at 3,003 MW, or 16.75 percent.

The Luzon grid Luzon accounted for over half of oil-based electricity with 2,133 MW. Southwest Luzon is controlled by Semirara Mining and Power Corp., which in turn is a member of DMCI Holdings Inc. owned by the Consunji Group, one of the country’s largest conglomerates.

Southwest already operates a 300-MW base load coal plant in the same area in Batangas.

Sem-Calaca supplied 5.8 percent of the total system demand for Luzon and Visayas.

The company also declared commercial operations for its 300-megawatt coal plant expansion in Calaca, Batangas last year.

Sem-Calaca owns the existing 600-MW coal plant that it acquired from the government. It is also pursuing a 700-MW coal plant expansion in joint venture with Meralco PowerGen Corp.

Sem-Calaca recorded net income after tax to P12.05 billion in 2016, up from P8.49 billion in 2015.

STRIKING SOLUTION.

Bacoor, Cavite Rep. Strike Revilla (third from left), Sen. Cynthia Villar (fourth), other City government officials of Bacoor, Cavite, Las Pinas and Parañaque City and Light Rail Manila Corp. executives led

by Ayala Corp.

Jaime Augusto de Zobel de Ayala (right) grace the groundbreaking ceremony of the LRT 1 Cavite Extension project.

Revilla said the extension project will provide a huge relief for commuters from Bacoor, Las Piñas and Parañaque.

Manila

Govt debt fell P18.4b to P6.19t in March

By Julito G. Rada THE outstanding debt of the national government as of endMarch 2017 declined by P18.43 billion, or 0.3 percent, to P6.19 trillion from a year ago due to the stronger peso and debt repayments, the Bureau of the Treasury said over the weekend.

The Treasury said 36 percent or P2.222 trillion of the debt were secured externally while 64 percent or P3.968 trillion were borrowed in the domestic market.

“The national government’s domestic debt of P3,968 billion went down by P17.35 billion (0.4 percent) for the month. The decrease was predominantly due to the net redemption of government securities amounting to P17.69 billion and the stronger peso that reduced the value of onshore dollar bonds,” the Treasury said.

“This were tempered by the national government’s restoration of assumed obligations under PNB amounting to P0.35 billion,” it said.

The national government’s external debt of P2.222 trillion was P1.08 billion or 0.05 percent lower compared to the end-February 2017 level. The value of external debt was reduced by P4.10 billion owing to the combined effect of the stronger peso and net repayments of foreign obligations.

“These more than offset the upward adjustment in third currencydenominated debt worth P3.02 billion,” the agency said.

Total national government’s guaranteed obligations decreased P5.03 billion or 1.0 percent monthon-month to P516.80 billion in March. The reduction in guarantees was primarily attributed to net repayments on both domestic and foreign guarantees amounting to P3.54 billion and P2.47 billion, respectively, along with the P0.21billion effect of peso appreciation.

Standard

TODAY

METRO SOUTH COOPERATIVE BANK

040608 (Bank Code)

IDC Centre, Zapote Street cor. Kalayaan Avenue, Brgy. Sta. Cruz, Makati City

BALANCE SHEET

As of MARCH 31, 2017 ASSETS

Account Code

Cash and Cash Items Due from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Due from Other Banks Financial Assets at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Available-for-Sale Financial Assets-Net Held-to-Maturity (HTM) Financial Assets-Net Unquoted Debt Securities Classified as Loans-Net Investments in Non-Marketable Equity Security-Net Loans and Receivables - Net Loans to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Interbank Loans Receivable Loans and Receivables - Others Loans and Receivables Arising from RA/CA/PR/SLB General Loan Loss Provision Other Financial Assets Equity Investment in Subsidiaries, Associates and Joint Ventures-Net Bank Premises, Furniture, Fixture and Equipment-Net Real and Other Properties Acquired-Net Non-Current Assets Held for Sale Other Assets-Net Net Due from Head Office/Branches/Agencies, if any (Philippine branch of a foreign bank) TOTAL ASSETS LIABILITIES Financial Liabilities at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Deposit Liabilities Due to Other Banks Bills Payable a) BSP (Rediscounting and Other Advances) b) Interbank Loans Payable c) Other Deposit Substitute d) Others Bonds Payable-Net Unsecured Subordinated Debt-Net Redeemable Preferred Shares Special Time Deposit Due to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Other Financial Liabilities Other Liabilities Net Due to Head Office/Branches/Agencies (Philippine branch of a foreign bank) TOTAL LIABILITIES Stockholders’ Equity Capital Stock Other Capital Accounts Retained Earnings Assigned Capital TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS Guarantees Issued Financial Standby Letters of Credit Performance Standby Letters of Credit Commercial Letters of Credit Trade Related Guarantees Commitments Spot Foreign Exchange Contracts Securities Held Under Custodianship by Bank Proper Trust Department Accounts a) Trust and Other Fiduciary Accounts b) Agency Accounts c) Advisory/Consultancy Derivatives Others TOTAL CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Gross total loan portfolio (TLP) Specific allowance for credit losses on the TLP Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) a. Gross NPLs b. Ratio of gross NPLs to gross TLP (%) c. Net NPLs d. Ratio of Net NPLs to gross TLP (%) Classified Loans & Other Risk Assets, gross of allowance for credit losses DOSRI Loans and receivables, gross allowance of credit losses Ratio of DOSRI loans and receivables, gross of allowance for credit losses, to gross TLP (%) Gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables Ratio of gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables to TLP (%) Percent Compliance with Magna Carta (%) a. 8% for Micro and Small Enterprises b. 2% for Medium Enterprises Return on Equity (ROE) (%) Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) on Solo Basis, as prescribed under existing regulations a. Total CAR (%) b. Tier 1 Ratio (%) c. Common Tier 1 Ratio (%) 1/ Deferred Charges not yet Written Down Unbooked Allowance for Credit Losses on Financial Instruments Received

108000000000000000 105150000000000000 105200000000000000 112000000000000000 195200000000000000 195250000000000000 195300000000000000 195350000000000000 195400000000000000 140050000000000000 195401000000000000 140150500000000000 195402000000000000 175150000000000000 148000000000000000 195452500000000000 195500500000000000 195501000000000000 150150000000000000 152000000000000000

Amount Current Quarter Previous Quarter 1,088,127.92 2,411,433.55 51,840,637.11 51,840,637.11 641,297,280.41 815,665,881.94 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 10,000,000.00 10,000,000.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2 ,050,340,012.86 2,112,525,267.85 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2,113,478,216.39 2,172,663,471.38 0.00 0.00 63,138,203.53 60,138,203.53 21,156,506.50 19,345,526.34 0.00 0.00 38,092,606.18 39,297,903.14 19,461,664.85 19,025,607.36 0.00 0.00 8,789,725.93 8,083,789.13

155250000000000000

0.00

0.00

100000000000000000

2,842,066,561.76

3,078,196,046.42

208000000000000000 215000000000000000 220050000000000000 220100000000000000 220100001500000000 220100002000000000 220100002500000000 220100003000000000 295201500000000000 295202000000000000 220250000000000000 220300000000000000 230350000000000000 240050000000000000 240100000000000000 230850000000000000 200000000000000000

0.00 1,572,265,894.72 0.00 613,016,666.68 0.00 613,016,666.68 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 7,727,204.69 141,689,122.50 0.00 2,334,698,888.59

0.00 1,639,334,031.99 0.00 809,379,166.68 0.00 809,379,166.68 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 6,497,627.41 122,620,962.30 0.00 2,577,831,788.38

335050000000000000 335100000000000000 315000000000000000 325200000000000000 300000000000000000 905000000000000000

438,024,300.00 6,470,240.15 62,873,133.02 0.00 507,367,673.17 2,842,066,561.76

438,024,300.00 -675,179.00 63,015,137.04 0.00 500,364,258.04 3,078,196,046.42

405000000000000000 410050000000000000 410100000000000000 415000000000000000 420000000000000000 425000000000000000 430000000000000000 495220000000000000 495250000000000000 495250500000000000 495251000000000000 495251500000000000 435000000000000000 440000000000000000 400000000000000000

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3,277,198.91 3,277,198.91

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3,277,216.91 3,277,216.91

499020000000000000 499300000000000000

2,160,781,539.73 47,303,323.34

2,213,966,794.72 41,303,323.34

499100500000000000 499150500000000000 499101000000000000 499151000000000000 499200000000000000 499400000000000000

373,326,176.52 17.28 326,022,853.18 15.09 45.00 281,968,610.93

300,070,131.80 13.55 258,766,808.46 11.69 45.00 252,487,429.23

499480000000000000

13.05

11.40

499500000000000000 499550000000000000

0.00 0.00

0.00 0.00

499050500000000000 499051000000000000 499350000000000000

11.90 28.50 5.00

12.95 30.32 3.00

499650500500000000 499650501000000000 499650501500000000 499700000000000000 499750000000000000

15.00 410.21 0.00 0.00 0.00

14.95 438.63 0.00 0.00 0.00

1/ Common Equity Tier 1 is only applicable to all Universal and Commercial Banks and their subsidiary banks.

Republic of the Philippines ) Makati City

) s.s.

I/We, RODA L. CRUZ and RENELIA V. ESTIOKO of the above-mentioned bank do solemnly swear that all matters set forth in the above balance sheet are true and correct to the best of my/our knowledge and belief.

RODA L. CRUZ Finance Head

RENELIA V. ESTIOKO President

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 3 day of May, 2016 at Makati City, affiant exhibiting his/her/their Passport No.EB5924413 , issued at Manila City on July 13, 2012 and Passport No. EB6029990, issued at Manila City on January 25, 2017. rd

Doc. No. 296 Book No. 61 Page No. 31 Series of 2017

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

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MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

Business

China’s foreign reserves top $3t CHINA’S foreign-exchange reserves rose for a third month in April, beating estimates, as tighter capital controls kept money from flowing out of the country and the yuan was stable.

Reserves climbed $20.45 billion to $3.03 trillion, the People’s Bank of China said Sunday, compared with a median estimate of $3.02 trillion in a Bloomberg survey of economists.

“April’s reserve increase reflects a combination of valuation effects, tighter capital controls and a more stable yuan,” Tom Orlik, chief Asia economist at Bloomberg Intelligence in Beijing, wrote in a note. “At the start of the year, there were genuine concerns China faced another flood of capital outflows. That clearly hasn’t happened.”

The onshore yuan declined 0.2 percent against the dollar in April, the third month in a row in which it hasn’t moved by more than 0.22 percent. It has appreciated 0.6 percent against the greenback so far this year.

A gauge of swings in the onshore yuan against the US currency is at the lowest level since August 2015.

The State Administration of Foreign Exchange said on its website that more balanced capital flows and appreciation of other currencies against the US dollar helped shore up the reserves in April.

China’s economic growth, steady exchange rate and balanced cross-border flows will keep the stockpile stable, it said. SAFE also said enterprises are purchasing foreign currencies more rationally.

Outflows are likely to ease notably this year as yuan depreciation expectations recede and the dollar remains stable, Eva Yi, an economist at China International Capital Corp. in Hong Kong, wrote in an April 24 note.

The more ad hoc capital controls could be loosened or removed in the near future, she said. Bloomberg

ADB ASSEMBLY. China’s Finance Minister Xiao Jie (right) talks with his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso (left) during their meeting in Yokohama, near Tokyo, on May 6, 2017 at the Asian Development Bank’s annual meeting in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, on May 6, 2017. AFP

Oil drops below $44; options trading at $39 I T’S come to this for the beleaguered oil market: a big bet that prices are about to sink to their lowest level in more than a year.

About $7 million worth of options changed hands Friday that will pay off if West Texas Intermediate crude falls beneath $39 a barrel by mid-July, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

WTI, which hovered around $46 Friday, hasn’t traded below $39 since April 2016, though it’s been dropping like a stone in recent weeks.

More than 14,000 August $39 puts changed hands, almost 20 times the number of contracts previously outstanding for the bearish option.

The trade was a sign of the “crescendo of negativity” that’s washing over the oil market, said James Cordier, founder of investment firm Optionsellers. com in Tampa, Florida.

Prices have plunged about 13 percent in the last three weeks, amid fears that Opedled production cuts aren’t do-

ing enough to stem a global supply glut. For Friday’s bet to work, prices would have to match that drop in the next few weeks, during a time when summer driving typically pushes demand higher, Cordier said by telephone.

“That’s just a huge speculative bet that tells me that the fear is at its heights and we’ll probably see oil recover,” he said. “It’s a hell of a lottery ticket that the market’s going to keep falling.”

Oil closed near $46 a barrel in New York, back to levels last seen before the Opec deal, as the shale revival appears to be making the group’s cuts ineffective.

After dipping below $44 Friday, futures pared this week’s decline to 6.3 percent. But, prices remain near their lowest since the Organization of

Petroleum Exporting Countries signed a six-month deal to curb production in November. Meanwhile, shale drillers are pressing ahead with their longest expansion since 2011.

Market volatility and trading volumes surged.

“What we’ve seen in terms of the rebound today is really just a bit of a correction following an oversold market over the past several days,” Michael Tran, a commodities strategist at RBC Capital Markets in New York, said by telephone.

Opec’s curbs drove oil above $55 at the start of the year, encouraging US producers to ramp up drilling. The result has been an 11-week expansion of American production, the longest run of gains since 2012. Prices are still more than 50 percent below their peak in 2014, when surging shale output triggered crude’s biggest collapse in a generation and left rival producers such as Saudi Arabia scrambling to protect market share.

Oil market volatility, as measured by the CBOE/Nymex Oil

Volatility Index, jumped to the highest level since December.

The US benchmark’s 14-day relative strength index hovered near 30, signaling the commodity is oversold.

West Texas Intermediate for June delivery rose 70 cents, or 1.5 percent, to settle at $46.22 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Total volume was about 70 percent above the 100-day average. The contract sank 4.8 percent Thursday.

Brent for July settlement climbed 72 cents to settle at $49.10 a barrel on the Londonbased ICE Futures Europe exchange. The global benchmark crude traded at a premium of $2.50 to July WTI. Oil’s retreat Thursday stoked declines in other commodities from iron ore to industrial metals. The deterioration in sentiment also carried through to the currency market.

The selloff was also due to “broad macro concerns regarding the Chinese economy. The entire commodity space was weaker,” Tran said.

Frost ravages Bordeaux grapes IN THE predawn hours of April 27, as temperatures across Bordeaux plunged below freezing, the normally dark and deserted vineyards suddenly sprang to life. Armies of workers decamped into the fields, fires raged and giant fans and helicopter blades whipped up the icy air.

The invading enemy: A frost that threatened one of the world’s most valuable crops, the grapes that produce $4,000 bottles of Chateau Petrus and other prized wines.

The cold, which caused at least 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) of damage in what France’s winemakers call the biggest disaster in a quarter century, is the latest blow to a French industry that exported 8.25 billion euros worth of wine in 2016 but has lost share globally in recent years.

As frost ravaged vineyards from Bordeaux to Burgundy to Champagne, a grower’s fate depended on resources, planning, location and not least, luck.

Among the shivering workers in Bordeaux that night was Ines de Bailliencourt of Pomerol estate Chateau Gazin, who quickly realized she was facing the biggest frost menace to her vines since the great freeze of 1991 that wiped out 90 percent of the vineyard.

This time she says the estate was better prepared to ward off the cold, lighting hundreds of giant, heat-producing candles to warm the vines.

“We were lucky,” said De Bailliencourt, whose family has owned Gazin for the past century and sells its wine for $50 to $100 a bottle. “We lit fires everywhere. It was a first for us.”

Less than 10 kilometers (6 miles) to the south, just below the historic town of Saint-Emilion, others were facing greater losses. Unlike Gazin, on the region’s plateau, Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere sits on low-lying ground near a railway line and was more vulnerable to pockets of freezing air forming below the slopes. More than 70 percent of the vines in the estate were damaged, according to Magali Malet-Serres, who works at the winery.

Some other Bordeaux chateaus say they lost almost everything. Other regions suffered less but this is the second straight year of deep freezes for Burgundy, where the regional wine board said in a statement that 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) of vineyard out of a total of 28,500 hectares was affected. Bloomberg

China’s Hawaii plans a $3-billion medical tourism hotspot ON the hilly and tropical island of Hainan, local officials and companies are investing billions of dollars to transform a string of riverside villages into a medical tourism destination.

Their aim? To lure wealthy Chinese patients, who might otherwise venture overseas, to this province in the South China Sea known for its beachfront resorts. To do so they are making an unusual promise: The hub will bring in cuttingedge treatments for diseases like cancer that are available abroad, but don’t yet have regulatory approval in China.

There’s plenty of demand.

The travel site Ctrip.com estimates about half a million Chinese traveled abroad for medical services last year.

Millions are dying from cancer and heart disease, but regulatory bottlenecks have slowed approvals for the newest international therapies. Chinese hospitals are overflowing, and affluent jet-setters prefer Japan for physical check-ups or the US for genetic screenings.

In 2013, the provincial government of Hainan, often known as China’s Hawaii, earmarked more than 1,600 acres of fertile farm land along a river

flowing to its eastern coast for a medical tourism hub. Since then fishing villages and rice paddies are slowly being replaced by palm-tree-flanked driveways.

The zone’s first hospitals are opening their doors this summer, the effective beginning of this medical experiment.

Local officials say businesses have already committed to spending 23 billion yuan ($3.3 billion) for 27 projects ranging from hospitals to plastic surgery clinics, with dozens more awaiting approval. The mission is partly to “retain domestic consumption,” the government body managing the Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone said in e-mailed comments.

New medicines Among the investors are Beijing-based Ciming Health Checkup Management Group and Guangzhou-based medical services firm Evergrande Health Industry Group Ltd., which is being advised by Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School.

In an early example, the zone’s Chengmei International Health Center imported 24 vials of the Merck & Co. cancer drug

A man stands near a flight of stairs at the construction site of the Evergrande International Hospital inside the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in Boao, China, on Saturday, March 25, 2017. Bloomberg

Construction of the Evergrande International Hospital. Bloomberg

Keytruda for six patients under the special access channel last October, the government says.

The medicine is approved in the US and elsewhere, but remains unavailable in the mainland. The special permits by the Chinese regulator only allow for a small amount of the drug to be used in the tourism hub, and it can’t be distributed elsewhere.

Merck in a statement said it’s conducting clinical trials on Keytruda in China and doesn’t sell the drug in the country.

The China Food and Drug Administration and Chengmei didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Ghost towns By 2025, the hub’s managers want to draw more than one million tourists a year on healthrelated visits.

Still, China has a patchy record of managing specialized economic zones. Centers like Shenzhen, the fishing-villageturned metropolis, have thrived.

But others have had a quick boom and bust, like the Caofeidian industrial zone in the northeast, which ended up as a ghost town.

The Hainan medical hub’s relatively remote location

and the country’s shortage of qualified doctors make it harder to draw patients. Competition for medical resources is fierce, said Chen Bo, associate partner at consultancy McKinsey & Co. “Building health-care capabilities there will require attracting excellent talent to work and live in the pilot zone, and good doctors are already badly needed in China’s major cities,” said Chen.

On a recent visit, the area still had the feel of an underdeveloped backwater, showing the challenges to transforming it into a flourishing tourist center.

It is dotted with semi-finished hospitals that remain under construction, without medical equipment inside and prefabricated homes outside for construction workers. By the end of March, five facilities had begun operating on a trial basis, local officials say.

Evergrande has said it plans to spend 5 billion yuan on its cancer hospital there. Brigham and Women’s hospital in an e-mailed statement said it is serving as a strategic advisor as Evergrande expands its healthcare network in China, helping the development of clinical programs and other aspects like training. Bloomberg

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

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CRUISE PARTY. Local and foreign tourists enjoy the performance of the children’s choir and ukulele musicians on the Loboc River Cruise, which features floating restaurants making stops at groups of entertainers along the Loboc River in Bohol. It’s one of the province’s top tourist attractions and is gaining traction as the summer holidays continue. Manny Palmero

Watch out for heat stroke, Manileños told A

By Sandy Araneta

S SUMMER heats up, Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada on Sunday urged Manileños to take precautionary measures when going outdoors with the increasing threat of heat strokes.

Estrada has tasked the Manila Health Department to inform the city’s barangays and educate the residents, especially children, about heat exhaustion and other common summer diseases such as sore eyes, prickly heat, and chicken pox, and train them in administering first aid in emergency cases.

“We won’t get tired reminding everyone to take care of themselves during this hot season,” Estrada said. “Heat stroke is not something to be taken for granted because it could cost you your life.”

The Manila mayor assured residents the city’s six public hospitals and 59 community health centers, including rescuers and paramedics, are ready to respond to all kinds of medical emergencies.

Similarly, Estrada also tasked the Manila Police District, Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau, and other concerned City Hall departments to work out a system that would minimize their field personnel’s exposure to the sun and heat during daytime,

particularly at high noon.

On March 28, an MPD policeman identified as PO3 Leo Marcelo reportedly collapsed and died while sitting outside a police precinct in Lawton.

The Department of Health has warned that the threat of heat stroke increases during hot and humid weather, especially if a person is dehydrated, is engaged in physical activities, and is directly exposed to the sun for too long.

At least five Filipinos complain of heat stroke every day in the country, according to the Private Hospital Association of the Philippines.

“Every time we talk about summer, we talk about extreme heat.

The number one problem, especially among the elderly, would be sun stroke. Heat stroke. Exposure to the sun,” MHD chief Dr. Benjamin Yson said.

“So, we always say have personal protective equipment to protect you from the sun, such as umbrella, hat, and wear light clothing… just to be more comfortable, because there will be high temperatures prevailing,” he added.

Yson pointed out the best antidote to heat stroke is to keep hydrated, by drinking eight to 10 glasses of water every day to compensate for water in the body being lost through perspiration.

Aside from heat stroke, Yson said sore eyes, prickly heat and cases of food poisoning are also prevalent during summer, because cooked food tends to spoil more easily in hot weather.

Another MHD concern during summer, Yson said, is drowning, because more people swim during this season: “We have to address it,” he said.

Vizcaya livelihood ventures rake it in

By Ben Moses Ebreo BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Livelihood products of two major organizations here continue to expand in the province, benefiting their members and their families.

Alexander Domingo, provincial agriculturist, said the products of the Rural Improvement Club and the Heart, Head, Hand and Health or 4H clubs here, such as guava jams and jellies and “Santol” or cottonfruit preserves are no longer confined for household consumption, but have expanded into a profitable venture in their communities.

Every year, the provincial government sponsors the Provincial RIC/4H Achievement Day to recognize and honor the existence and positive gains of the sector on rural development.

It featured the various livelihood ventures of the organization from the 15 towns of the province.

Their products range from processed foods, fresh vegeta-

Workers ask for ‘Yolanda’ funds

Fountains aren’t baths, Erap warns MANILA Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada on Sunday called on the public to refrain from bathing, swimming, or diving in any of the city’s newly renovated fountains.

Such fountains are not meant to be used by people to cool off on hot summer days, Estrada pointed out.

“These fountains are not for bathing or swimming,” he said, amid reports that some children and street dwellers habitually bathe in the recently renovated fountains.

According to Estrada, he even received reports that a foreigner dove into one of the fountains and hurt himself.

“Fountains serve as beautification and cooling fixtures in our parks and other promenade areas. These fountains make the

air fresh, and the sight pleasant to our eyes,” Estrada said.

Instead of the fountains, Estrada advised Manileños to go and refresh themselves to the six public pools owned by the city government at the Tondo Sports Complex, Andalucia Gym, Dapitan Sports Complex, JCC Sports Complex, and Bagong Buhay swimming pool along Pedro Gil Street.

“Swim there. It’s free and safe,” Estrada stressed.

Parks Development Office head Arsenic Lacson said dipping in any of the fountains is strictly prohibited for safety concerns.

“Our fountains have electric connections to operate the motor, so it’s really dangerous,” he explained. Sandy Araneta

CENTENARIAN COUPLE. Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco (seated right) presents a check for P20,000 as the city’s incentive to Abundio Montesa (103 years old) and his wife Cirila (100) for reaching the century mark and for their contributions to the community. The couple will also receive a monthly stipend of P1,000 from the city, as Tiangco visited them and vowed to sustain the financial assistance.

P693m needed for E. Visayas drug rehab centers DULAG, Leyte—Nearly P700 million is needed to expand the state-run Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for compulsive drug users and to establish nine aftercare facilities in six provinces in Eastern Visayas.

Teresita Cajano, chief of the Department of Health-TRC in this town, said the Regional

Development Council recently endorsed the budget for allocation next year in support of the anti-drug campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Nearly half of the proposed P693.69-million budget will be for the expansion of the TRC, for an additional 200-bed dormitory to house female drug

bles and fruits, handicrafts and recycled materials for house decors and cultured mushrooms among others were exhibited and displayed at a mini-bazaar around the People’s Stage to showcase their achievements.

“Most of our displayed products now serve as major sources of income of our members and their families are now benefiting from it,” boasted Cristina Sampaga, provincial RIC president.

The provincial government, through the Provincial Agriculture Office supervises and guides the RICs and 4H clubs in the province through its Institutional Development and Farm Home Resource Management and monitors the activities of the organizations.

According to Arcely Palparan, provincial RIC coordinator, nine livelihood projects for the 4H Clubs funded by the Agricultural Training Institute Regional Training Center in Cagayan Valley are being aggressively and closely monitored at present.

dependents. Currently, the 100bed TRC dormitory has only 24 patients.

Part of the development plan is to set up laboratory equipment inside the existing center.

Cajano said the government will also build drug rehabilitation complexes in the cities of Tacloban, Baybay, and

Ormoc in Leyte; Maasin in Southern Leyte; and, Catbalogan and Calbayog in Samar.

The same facilities will rise in the capital towns of Naval in Biliran and Catarman in Northern Samar.

To prevent any relapse, the complex will house a re-entry center and aftercare building to

facilitate the re-integration of patients to the community.

“If a former user has been drug-free for one year, the chance of relapse is still 50 percent. That is why we need aftercare facilities in the provinces to help former drug users completely abandon drugs,” Cajano said. PNA

TACLOBAN CITY—Employees of the Department of Natural Resources in Eastern Visayas will stage a protest Monday noon to demand for the release of financial assistance meant for government workers hit by Super Typhoon “Yolanda” in 2013.

Through the protest outside the regional office here, workers hope the national leadership will listen to them and act favorably, said Leah Salazar, president of the DENR Eastern Visayas employees’ group.

The workers are referring to the P100,000 housing assistance to government employees whose houses were totally destroyed, and P30,000 for those with partially damaged houses.

About 500 DENR employees in the region have been waiting for disbursement of this postdisaster aid.

“Yolanda,” considered as the world’s strongest typhoon to hit land, pummeled the region on Nov. 8, 2013, destroying countless houses and claiming more than 6,000 lives in the region. PNA

CYAN MAGENTA MAGENTAYELLOW YELLOW BLACK BLACK CYAN Manila Manila REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

Standard Standard

Philippines from the date of filing of this petition up to the time of his admission to Philippine citizenship; 20. That he once heretofore filed a petition for citizenship in court but the same was dismissed9 without prejudice; IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF JALAL 21. That Ann Michelle Lao-Frigiliana, of legal age, ABOUGHAULA (also known as “JALAL married and residing at 407 Inocencio Street, Pasay ABDULHASSAN ABOUGHAULA” and “JALAL City and Melody Raquel Gobencion Mercado-Al HASSAN ABOUGHAULA”) TO BE ADMITTED AS Amrey, likewise of legal age, married and residing at CITIZEN OF THE PHILIPPINES, 10 Cresta Street, Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon City, Filipino citizens will appear and testify as NAT. CASE NO. R-PSY-16-24627-CV who are both witnesses10 at the hearing of this petition.

NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION REGIONAL TRIAL COURT BRANCH 119, PASAY CITY

TODAY TODAY

JALAL ABOUGHAULA, Petitioner. x ------------------------------------------------------------------ x

ORDER

PRAYER WHEREFORE, Petitioner most respectfully prays of this Honorable Court that he be admitted a citizen of the Philippines. th

Manila, Philippines, this 07 day of November, Before this court is a Verified Petition for Naturalization filed

by JALAL ABOUGHAULA dated November 7, 2016 stating 2016. among others, that: 1) the petitioner is a Refugee under the mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for JALAL ABOUGHAULA Refugees; 2) presently residing with his family since March Petitioner 2015 and now his latest residence immediately preceding Assisted by: the date of this petition is at 1D Anchor Tower Bay Gardens, Metropolitan Park, Macapagal Avenue, Pasay City and more; ROSELINO COLUMNA CANDOY 3) he has resided continuously in the Philippines for not less Counsel for the Petitioner than thirty (30) years immediately preceding the date of this 2362 Oro-A Street, San Andres Bukid, Manila 1017 petition; 4) he was born on May 1, 1967 in Kuwait; 5) he Contact No.: 0927-8676745 is married to Gloria Lugtu, a Filipino citizen, 50 years old born on March 6, 1966 in Angeles City, celebrated on April Email Address: roscanic.esq@gmail.com 15, 1993, at No. 420 G. Araneta Avenue, Quezon City; 6) PTR No. -4943229; Manila: 01/8/16 they have two (2) children named, Alyah Lugtu Aboughaula, IBP No. -1022162; Manila IV; 01/8/16 born on February 6, 2002 at Paranaque City, who is now RoA No. 38500 at her Grade 9 in Southville International School and MCLE Compliance No. V-0017909; Pasig City; Colleges, and Aeshia Lugtu Aboughaula, born on April 7, 2009 at Paranaque City. ho is now at her Grade 2 also in 03/03/16 Southville International School and Colleges; 7) due to his marriage, he is entitled to the benefit of Section 3 of VERIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION Commonwealth Act No. 473 which reduce to five (5) years the ten (10) year requirement of continuous residence; 8) he speaks and writes English and Pilipino; 9) his occupation is Republic of the Philippines } a Director of M. S. Brain’s Int’l. Manpower Services, Inc., with City of Manila } S.s. business address at M/F Laurel Foundation Bldg., corner M.H. del Pilar and Pedro Gil Streets, Ermita, Manila, and x----------------------------------------x derives a monthly income of more or less P 50,000.00; 10) he is of good moral character and believes in the principles JALAL ABOUGHAULA, of legal age, under oath, underlying the Philippine Constitution; 11) has learned and hereby deposes and says: embraced the Filipino customs, traditions and ideals, that he is not an anarchist nor polygamist; 12) he has never been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude nor 1. He is the petitioner in the above-entitled petition; suffering from any mental alienation or incurable contagious 2. He caused the preparation of the above-entitled diseases nor a citizen of a nation at war with the Philippines; petition and has read the allegations thereof which he 13) he is in good faith to become citizen of the Philippines attests as true and correct of his own knowledge and and renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and based on authentic records at hand; fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty particularly Palestine; 14) that he will reside continuously 3. No other petition or proceeding for naturalization in the Philippines from date of filing up to his admission to involving him has been filed with any other court, Philippine Citizenship: 15) that he has all the qualifications tribunal, agency or office (except as above-stated in required under Sec. 2 and none of the disqualifications paragraph 20 of the petition whereby the same was under Section 4, of Commonwealth Act No. 473; 16) that dismissed without prejudice); he has complied with the requirements of the Naturalization Law and complied the ten-year requirements of continuous 4. To the best of his knowledge, no such petition or proceeding is pending in any such court, tribunal, residence in the Philippines.

Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, agency or office; let the hearing thereof be set on November 16, 2017, at 8:30 5. Should he learn hereafter that a similar petition o’clock in the morning, on which time and date, any person or proceeding has been filed or is pending before may appear and show cause why said petition should not any such court, tribunal, agency or office, he hereby be granted. undertakes to report such fact within five (5) days Let a copy of this Order and petition be published at therefrom to this Honorable Court. petitioner’s expenses at least once a week for Three (3) consecutive weeks in the Official Gazette and in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines to be IN WITNESS WHEREOF, he has hereunto set his selected through a raffle to be conducted by the Executive hand in ____ this 7th day of November 2016.

Judge of this Court. That said Order and the petition be posted in a public and conspicuous place in the Office of the Clerk of Court and also let a copy of this Order together with a copy of the petition and its annexes be furnished to JALAL ABOUGHAULA the Office of the Solicitor General for him to appear and represent the Republic of the Philippines on the aforesaid Affiant hearing.

Likewise, let a copy be furnished to the United Nations SUBSCRIBED and SWORN to before me at City Refugee Agency, Makati City, Bureau of Immigration, PNP, of Manila this 7th day of November 2016 affiant Camp Crame, Quezon City, MeTC of Pasay City, and exhibited to me his Alien Certificate of Registration National Printing Office (Official Gazette), Quezon City.

No. E-181261 issued at Manila on December 10, SO ORDERED. 1999 (as carried over on ACR-I-Card under S S R N Pasay City, Metro Manila, February 20, 2017.

(Sgd.) BIBIANO G. COLASITO Acting Presiding Judge

1610JA0811103213 with Card Serial No. 000 661 577).

Doc. No. 457 Page No. 93 Book No. VII Series of 2016.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION REGIONAL TRIAL COURT PASAY CITY, BRANCH 119

ANNEXES

IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF JALAL ABOUGHAULA (also known as “JALAL ABDULHASSAN ABOUGHAULA” and “JALAL HASSAN ABOUGHAULA”) TO BE ADMITTED AS CITIZEN OF THE PHILIPPINES,

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MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

11 towns in Pampanga get P200-m DILG grant S

Apalit, Arayat, Floridablanca, Guagua, Macabebe, Minalin, San Luis, San Simon and Sta. Ana. AN FERNANDO, Pampanga—The The assistance, amounting to Department of Interior and Local P15 million for each municipality, will be used for rehabilitation Government in Central Luzon has and reconstruction of barangay granted P200 million to 11 municipalities of and municipal roads, building of Pampanga to boost their respective development small water impounding facilities, evacuation facilities, and projects and improve the standard of living of other projects that will have a residents in the province. “solid impact” in the province.

“The funds are aimed to raise Myrvi Fabia, DILG pro- second installment will be re- the standard of living, specially vincial director, said the first leased soon. of the less fortunate and less tranche of the financial aid was Fabia said the municipal ben- privileged sectors living in the released recently, while the eficiaries include Bacolor, Lubao, municipalities,” Fabia said.

By Romeo Dizon

PITC DEVELOPMENT. Aerospace Ventures is linking up with the Philippine International Trade Corp. to serve the trade industries and local markets by developing and executing industrial development and technological cooperation programs.

Photo shows from left David A. Inocencio, PITC Countertrade Head; Michalis Kolotos, Aerospace Ventures Business Development Regional Director, Undersecretary Dave M. Almarinez, PITC president and CEO, and Henry Chai, AV Director.

Roy Tomandao

She said the grants were awarded to the 11 municipalities because of their proper implementation of the province’s development projects whether it is national, foreign, or locally assisted projects under watchful eye of Gov. Lilia Pineda.

Fabia stressed the department will still monitor the proper use of the project funds through the local government units.

Earlier, the DILG said Pampanga has “completely rehabilitated” thousands of drug dependents by employing them and helping their families.

The drug dependents, who underwent months of rehabilitation in the different centers in the region, will receive P365 a day for cleaning silted canals and streets in their respective municipalities and cities.

Luningning Vergara, Public Employment Service Office chief of Pampanga, said about 2,000 employment slots are available for the drug dependents.

The dependents are also offered training programs under the “Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers or TUPAD” to continue their earning capacity, Vergara said.

The program is a joint project of the provincial office of the Department of Labor and Employment and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Naturalization Case NO.R-PSY-16-24627-CV JALAL ABOUGHAULA, Petitioner. x -------------------------------------------------------------------------- x

ATTENTION: STOCKHOLDERS OF PHILIPPINE SEVEN CORPORATION (PSC)

PETITION COMES NOW, the PETITIONER and unto this Honorable Court, most respectfully avers:

This is to inform everyone that the PSC’s 1st Quarter Interim Unaudited Financial Statement with st Management Discussion and Analysis (1 Quarter Report) shall be available in the company website www.7eleven.com.ph at least 5 calendar days before the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting scheduled on June 16, 2017. Upon request, a hard copy of the 1st Quarter Report shall be provided free of charge as soon as available but not later than at least 5 days before June 16, 2017.

1. That Petitioner’s full name is JALAL ABOUGHAULA; 2. That he is a Refugee recognized1 under the mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; 3. That he is presently residing with his family at 1D Anchor Tower Bay Gardens, Metropolitan Park, Macapagal Avenue, Pasay City since March 2015 and more so has resided continuously in the Philippines for not less than thirty (30) years immediately preceding the date of this petition, to wit: since March 30, 1986 and in Pasay City for not less than one (1) year; 4. That his last place of foreign residence was in Kuwait and that his former places of residence prior to his present residence were as follows, to wit: (i) Unit B9 Columbia Towers, Santol Street, Sta. Mesa, Manila (ii) Lot 2 Block 11 Multinational Avenue, Multinational Village, Parañaque City

All request may be sent to:

5. That he was born on May 1, 1967 in Kuwait; 6. That he is married and is the father of two (2) children; 7. That his wife, Gloria Lugtu, is a Filipino citizen, 50 years old, and born on March 6, 1966 in Angeles City, whom he married on 15 April 19932 in accordance with Islamic rites; 8. That the name, sex, date and place of birth, and residence of his children are as follows:

Mr. LAWRENCE M. DE LEON Head Finance & Accounting Services Philippine Seven Corporation 7th Floor, The Columbia Tower, Ortigas Avenue, Mandaluyong City,1550 Email Address: investor-relations@7-eleven.com.ph psc-corp@7-eleven.com.ph

Name: Alyah Lugtu Aboughaula3 Sex: Female Date of Birth: 06 February 2002 Place of Birth: Parañaque City Residence: 1D Anchor Tower Bay Gardens, Metropolitan Park, Macapagal Avenue, Pasay City

RESERVE YOURAD SPACENOW! email us at advertise@ manilastandard.net or call us at 832-5547

Cavite blaze burns 222 Dasma homes DASMARIŇAS CITY, Cavite—A huge fire engulfed an entire sanitary compound in Barangay Sta. Lucia in this city on Saturday, destroying 222 houses and leaving 700 families homeless.

Chief Inspector Bernard Rosete, Bureau of Fire ProtectionDasmariñas City Fire Marshal, said more than 11 fire trucks responded to put out the blaze that started around 3 a.m. and was declared fire out by 6:30 a.m.

No casualty was reported according to Rosete, although two persons identified as Rommel Santos and Bernardo Coreche suffered slight wounds and mi-

nor burns.

Rosete also said the houses were mostly made of light materials. Neighbors said the fire might have started in a house of an old woman who left a lighted kerosene lamp unattended.

BFP firefighters are still evaluating the damage of the fire.

Rose Abuan, Dasmariñas City social welfare officer, said most of the residents in the compound are informal settlers for 11 years, mostly Muslim.

The victims are now temporarily housed at the Sta. Lucia covered court here and provided with food, water, blankets and other relief assistance. PNA

Name: Aeshia Lugtu Aboughaula4 Sex: Female Date of Birth: 07 April 2009 Place of Birth: Parañaque City Residence: 1D Anchor Tower Bay Gardens, Metropolitan Park, Macapagal Avenue, Pasay City 9. That he arrived5 in Manila, Philippines on March 30, 1986 by air on board Kuwaiti Airways; 10.That due to his marriage to a Filipino citizen, he is entitled to the benefit of Section 3 of Commonwealth Act No. 473, which reduce to five (5) years the ten (10) year requirement of continuous residence; 11.That petitioner is already qualified for naturalization as he had complied with the reduced five-year requirement of continuous residence in the Philippines (in view of his marriage to a Philippine citizen) and in this connection, he is invoking the provisions of Article 7 of the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (to which the Philippines acceded6), specifically, paragraph no. 2 thereof which states, as follows –

(MS-MAY 8, 2017)

“After a period of three years’ residence, all refugees shall enjoy exemption from legislative reciprocity in the territory of the Contracting States.”

12. That he speaks and writes English and Pilipino; 13. That his lawful trade or occupation is as Director of M.S. Brain’s Int’l. Manpower Services, Inc. with business address at M/F Laurel Foundation Bldg., corner M.H. del Pilar and Pedro Gil Streets, Ermita, Manila, and as such director, he derives an average monthly income of Php 50,000.00, more or less; 14. That his children of school age, whose names, educational level and school are indicated below, are enrolled at private school systems recognized by the Department of Education (DepEd) were Philippine history, government and civics are taught as part of the school curriculum and where student enrolment is not limited to a particular race or nationality, to wit:

Signing the Smart-ADRA MOA are Estancia Mayor Rene Cordero (fifth from left), World Renew project manager Jeff Cosico, Adra Philippines director Tom Pignon, and Smart community partnerships senior manager Nova Concepcion (fourth from right).

Smart tapped to help Iloilo disaster response

Name of Child Educational Level School Alyah Lugtu Aboughaula Grade 9 Southville International School and Colleges7 Aeshia Lugtu Aboughaula Grade 2 Southville International School and Colleges8 15. That he is of good moral character and believes in the principles underlying the Philippine Constitution and had conducted himself in a proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period of his residence in the Philippines in his relations with the Constituted Government as well as within the community in which he lives; has mingled socially with the Filipinos and has evinced a sincere and genuine desire to learn and embrace their customs, traditions and ideals; 16. That he is not opposed to organized government or affiliated with any association or group of persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing all organized governments; that he does not defend or teach the necessity or propriety of violence, personal assault, or assassination for the success and predominance of one’s ideas; that he is not an anarchist, or polygamist or a believer in polygamy or in the practice of polygamy9; that he has never been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude;; that he is not suffering from mental alienation or incurable contagious diseases; that he is not a citizen or subject of a nation at war with the Philippines; 17. That he has all the qualifications required under Section 2, and none of the disqualifications under Section 4, of Commonwealth Act No. 473; 18. That he has complied with the requirements of the Naturalization Law (Commonwealth Act No. 473) regarding the filing with the Office of the Solicitor General of his bona fide intention10 to become a citizen of the Philippines; 19. That it is his intention in good faith to become a citizen of the Philippines and to renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and particularly to Palestine of which at this time he is a citizen or subject; that he will reside continuously in the

THE Adventist Development and Relief Agency or ADRA and PLDT wireless subsidiary Smart Communications have collaborated to make municipalities in Iloilo better prepared for calamities.

Through a Web-based short message service advisory platform called Infocast, Smart and ADRA will enable the municipalities of Ajuy, Estancia and Concepcion to send news broadcasts, weather bulletins, and other critical information via SMS alerts.

Developed by Smart, Infocast is an effective emergency communications solution which allows the sending of alerts via text message for free and enables registered subscribers to connect with other Infocast members through text broadcasts using a common, unique access code.

1

As shown in a Certification issued to that effect by the Department of Justice, machine copy of which is hereto attached as Annex “A” and made integral part hereof.

As shown in their Certificate of Marriage, machine copy of which hereto attached and marked as Annex “B” and made integral part hereof.

3 As shown in her Certificate of Live Birth, machine copy of which is hereto attached as Annex “C” and made integral part hereof.

4 As shown in her Certificate of Live Birth, machine copy of which is hereto attached as Annex “D” and made integral part hereof.

5 As shown in his Affidavit of Arrival, machine copy of which is hereto attached as Annex “E”, and made integral part hereof.

7 (located at 1281 Tropical Avenue, cor. Luxembourg Street, BF Homes International, Las Piñas City) 8 (ibid) 9 Petitioner hereby takes exception to this statutory (dis) qualification (on account of his Islamic faith) and hereby invokes the benefit of the en banc ruling of the Supreme Court in the case of Alejandro Estrada v. Soledad Escritor (A.M. No. P-02-12651, 22 June 2006) part of which ruling is hereby quoted, to wit: “Be that as it may, the free exercise of religion is specifically articulated as one of the fundamental rights in our Constitution.

It is a fundamental right that enjoys a preferred position in the hierarchy of rights – “the most inalienable and sacred of human rights,” in the words of Jefferson. Hence, it is not enough to contend that the state’s interest is important, because our Constitution itself holds the right to religious freedom sacred.

The State must articulate in specific terms the state interest involved in preventing the exemption, which must be compelling, for only the gravest abuses, endangering paramount interest can limit the fundamental right to religious freedom. To rule otherwise would be to emasculate the Free Exercise Clause as a source of right by itself.”

10 As shown in his Declaration of Intention, machine copy of which is hereto attached and marked as Annex ‘F” and made integral part hereof; 9 Per Order dated September 19, 2013 issued by the Regional Trial Court of Parañaque City (Branch 258) in Spec. Proc. Case No. 09-0126 10 who executed their respective supporting Affidavits, copies of which are hereto attached and correspondingly marked as Annex “G” and Annex “H” and made integral part of this petition.

(MS-Apr. 24, May 1 & 8, 2017) 2

Crucial information can be sent to all Infocast subscribers, including the municipality and barangay’s disaster risk reduction management teams.

At the recent turnover ceremony in Iloilo City, Smart senior manager Nova Concepcion said: “Smart Infocast has been of great service to the LGUs and government agencies that use it.

Through this partnership with ADRA, we hope to help the “Yolanda”-affected residents of Iloilo not only in preparing for disasters but also in rebuilding their lives.”

ADRA, the global humanitarian organization of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, delivers relief and development assistance to individuals in more than 130 countries, regardless of ethnicity, political affiliation, or religious association.

CYAN MAGENTA MAGENTAYELLOW YELLOW BLACK BLACK CYAN

(Sgd.) ALFONSO C. RUIZ II

World IN BRIEF 50,000 evacuated to defuse bombs BERLIN―German police on Sunday evacuated some 50,000 people from the northern city of Hanover in one of the largest post-war operations to defuse World War II era bombs.

Residents in a densely populated part of the city were ordered to leave their homes for the operation, planned since mid-April, to extract five recently discovered unexploded bombs.

Seven retirement and nursing homes were affected and some rail traffic through the city was disrupted for the operation, which was expected to last all day.

Local authorities arranged sports, cultural and leisure activities, including museum visits and film screenings, to occupy residents affected by the evacuation.

More than 70 years after the end of the war, unexploded bombs are regularly found buried on German land, legacies of the intense bombing campaigns by the Allied forces against Nazi Germany.

The biggest such evacuation took place last Christmas, when an unexploded British bomb forced 54,000 people out of their homes in the southern city of Augsburg. AFP

Bus that killed 32 people likely speeding DAR ES SALAAM―A bus crash in Tanzania that claimed the lives of 32 primary school pupils, two teachers and the driver was likely caused by speeding, police said.

“Preliminary investigations show that the accident is due to speeding,” regional police chief Charles Mkumbo told the staterun Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation late on Saturday.

Some reports said the people on the bus were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.

The accident happened early on Saturday when the bus went off the road and into the Marera river gorge in Karatu district near the northern city of Arusha where the children were attending Lucky Vincent Primary School.

The final year primary pupils were on their way to sit mock examinations ahead of seeking places at secondary school.

“It’s a huge tragedy,” Innocent Mushi, the school’s director said.

President John Magufuli sent his condolences to the families of the dead.

“This accident extinguishes the dreams of these children who were preparing to serve the nation, it is an immense pain for the families involved and for the whole nation,” Magufuli said in a statement. AFP

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Women take on Maduro C

ARACAS―Thousands of women dressed in white marched in Venezuela’s capital Saturday to keep pressure on President Nicolas Maduro, whose authority is being increasingly challenged by protests and deadly unrest.

Four killed in Indian Kashmir SRINAGAR―Suspected militants launched an attack in Indian Kashmir killing three civilians and a policeman, the latest violence to hit the restive valley, authorities said on Sunday.

One of the militants was also killed when they attacked policemen clearing the site of a road accident late Saturday near Kulgam district.

“A police party was at the accident site when they were attacked. In the cross-fire, one policeman and three civilians died.

One of the attackers also died,” a police source told AFP. On Sunday, thousands of local residents gathered to mourn the dead militant at a funeral where rebels fired shots into the air as a mark of respect.

The Press Trust of India said the attacker had been identified as Fayaz Ahmed Ashwar, who carried a bounty of 200,000 rupees ($3,100) on his head over his role in an attack on a military convoy in 2015 that killed two soldiers.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the predominantly Muslim Kashmir valley, one of the world’s most heavily militarized areas, where most people favor independence or a merger with Pakistan.

Apart from armed militant groups, the roughly 500,000 Indian soldiers deployed in Kashmir are regularly involved in clashes with civilians, fueling growing resentment against New Delhi.

The clashes have become more frequent since the killing of popular rebel leader Burhan Wani last July which sparked widespread unrest. AFP

MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

FASHION WEEK. A model displays a creation by Georgian designer Lado Bokuchava during the MercedesBenz Fashion Week in Tbilisi on May 6, 2017. AFP

Led by opposition leaders, lawmakers and Lilian Tintori―the wife of jailed opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez―the crowd carried flowers and placards denouncing “repression.”

Police and soldiers initially prevented it from reaching the interior ministry. But the women -- led by several lawmakers -- eventually made it to the Interior and Justice ministries.

“We are not going to be off the streets until we have set Venezuela free,” conservative opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said.

“We beg the armed forces: don’t open fire on unarmed people.”

Some women flashed their breasts in a pacifist move as some alongside Machado waved posters reading: “We have no firearms; just tits.”

Similar anti-Maduro rallies took place in other cities, including San Cristobal and Aragua, where police fired tear gas canisters against marchers.

More protests are set for Sunday with musicians and other celebrities marching to remember the dead.

The demonstrations were the latest in more than a month of antigovernment demonstrations, many of which have been countered by pro-Maduro crowds and security forces.

The death toll since April―when the protests intensified after Maduro’s administration and the courts stepped up efforts to undermine the opposition―is at least 36, according to prosecutors, with hundreds more injured.

The last death in Venezuela’s unrest, of a 22-year-old man, occurred Friday during looting in impoverished Venezuelan cities hardest hit by a worsening economic crisis. In Valencia, where he died, some areas looked like disaster zones with bars on shop windows bent and windows broken.

Demonstrators blame Maduro for the country’s plight and the penury of food and medicine. They are demanding elections to remove the leftist president.

Maduro, backed by the Venezuelan military, is resisting. He and the opposition have blamed each other of using armed groups to sow violence.

The president has started a process to rewrite the current constitution enacted under his late predecessor and mentor Hugo Chavez. The opposition and many protesters say his real aim is to dodge elections.

With anger boiling over, young protesters in the western municipality of Rosario de Perija on Friday burned, pulled down and then smashed a statue of Chavez, shown in a video posted on social media.

Maduro supporters also marched against what they called “violence by terrorists,” Minister for Women Blanca Eekhout said.

“We are out here pushing for justice against those who are encouraging hatred and rage,” she said, warning, “they are trying to set the stage for civil war.”

The conference of Catholic bishops issued a statement quoting Pope Francis as expressing concern about the “dead, wounded and detained” in the protests and asking both sides to look for “negotiated solutions.”

Maduro and his officials say the crisis rocking the country is a USbacked conspiracy designed to topple him and install a right-wing government. AFP

Outcry at Moscow plan to raze old apartments MOSCOW―Valeriya Yevseyeva and her husband Alexei bought a flat last year in a five-story brick building near a Moscow park where they love to cycle.

Now they face the possibility that authorities will demolish their 1950s-era building and rehouse them in a tower block, in an urban development plan not seen since Soviet times to demolish more than 4,500 apartment blocks and relocate hundreds of thousands of Muscovites.

“This is a brick building, everyone knows they can stand for up to 150 years, so this is a shock,” said 31-year-old Yevseyeva, who

works for a medical device company.

Backed by President Vladimir Putin, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin wants to knock down low-rise housing, focusing on the five-story buildings thrown up under Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in the 1950s and 1960s as the USSR rushed to build housing for everyone.

Supporters argue the vast 3.5-trillion ruble ($62.1-billion, 57-billion euro) project is vital, replacing the smaller, aged buildings with high-rise housing in Russia’s fast-developing capital of 12 million which faces a housing

crunch and rising rents.

But the program-sdue to start in September―has prompted protests from residents fearful of losing their homes and who say it rides roughshod over their property rights.

And the level of outcry has even forced Putin to react in a bid to reassure residents.

“The aim is to improve housing conditions for people who live in buildings that are falling down,” the Kremlin strongman told ministers.

“It goes without saying that this should be done in such a way and with such means and methods so as

to not breach the rights of citizens.”

Authorities initially wanted to demolish 8,000 buildings, home to 1.6 million people, but reduced the scale this month after conducting opinion polls.

The first five-story buildings― nicknamed khrushchevki after the Soviet leader―rehoused people living in communal flats-where entire families were squeezed into one room-and were celebrated as a symbol of social progress in films and Dmitry Shostakovich’s 1958 operetta, “Moscow, Cheryomushki”.

Now, some seven decades later, those backing the project to pull

them down are billing it as an equally important transformation “It’s a historic step. There probably hasn’t been such large-scale change to Moscow since the 1950s,” said ruling United Russia party MP Pyotr Tolstoy.

Often situated in leafy communal settings, the apartment blocks were built without lifts and kitchens are small. The worst are made of pre-cast concrete panels but many are brick.

“They’re outdated. It’s impossible to repair, renovate or reconstruct them―people really do live in awful conditions,” said the lawmaker. AFP

New property law seeks to protect home buyers GREATER NOIDA, India―In 2010, Neena Nagpal and her husband spent their life savings on a flat outside Delhi that was never built. Now, a new law seeks to protect thousands of home buyers like her from unscrupulous property developers.

“The entire experience has been painful,” says the 54-year-old, whose husband recently died, leaving her to take care of their partially deaf son alone in a two-room house in a rundown part of the Indian capital.

“When you don’t walk what you talk, it really hurts us.”

From the mid-2000s onward, millions of middle class Indians eager to own their own homes poured cash into new building projects on the outskirts of major cities as a property boom took hold across the country.

Many were young workers in the burgeoning IT sector eager to break away from the traditional joint family set-up.

But the industry was riddled with problems and buyers were almost always the victims.

“What was shown and what was delivered was always different,” said Gulam Zia, executive director at real estate consultancy Knight Frank India.

“Developers got away with what-

ever they wanted and consumers always got a raw deal. Now a developer can’t hide anything and he can’t go back to his old habit of taking the consumer for a ride.”

Developers could face jail sentences of up to three years and substantial fines under the new law, which took effect on May 1 and applies to ongoing as well as new projects.

State governments will be responsible for keeping tabs on developers’ progress and ensuring they stick to their plans for everything from the number and size of apartments to the construction schedule.

Buyers’ money will have to be deposited in an escrow-like account and can only be used for the property they are investing in―not to launch the developer’s next project.

If the flats are not delivered on time, the developer will have to pay the monthly interest on the buyers’ bank loans.

The Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India, a trade body, welcomed the new law saying it had been calling for better regulation.

“This will go a long way in restoring consumer faith in the real estate sector,” said its president Jaxay Shah. AFP

ONSTAGE. Musicians Dierks Bentley and Kelsea Ballerini perform onstage during the 2017 iHeartCountry Festival, A Music Experience by AT&T, at The Frank Erwin Center on May 6vin Austin, Texas. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

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MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

World

FINE DAY TO GO BOATING. Boats are moored off the Island of Chausey in northwestern France on May 7, 2017. AFP

Officials to talk on Russian meddling WASHINGTON―The scandal over Russian meddling in last year’s presidential election returns to the forefront of Washington politics after weeks of quiet on Monday, when two top officials from the Obama administration are set to testify in Congress.

Sally Yates―acting attorney general in the Trump administration for 10 days before being fired―could bring new pressure on the White House over what it knew about former national security advisor Michael Flynn’s communications with Russian officials.

Obama’s director of national intelligence James Clapper is also set to testify, after repeatedly warning of the need to get to the bottom of how the Russians interfered in the election, and whether anyone on President Donald Trump’s team colluded with Moscow.

The case has simmered for weeks as attention focused elsewhere on what keynote legislation the president could push through in his first 100 days, reached on Sunday.

Congressional investigations into the matter have also been held up by infighting between Democrats and Republicans over how aggressively to pursue a matter that continues to cast a cloud over Trump’s election win.

Trump this week repeated his dismissal of US intelligence chiefs’ conclusion that Moscow had sought to boost his campaign over his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton’s in an effort overseen by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In an interview with CBS’s “Face the Nation” program marking his 100 days, Trump again rejected the official view that Russians hacked Democratic Party computers and communications. “(It) could have been China, could have been a lot of different groups,” he said.

On Tuesday, he again branded the whole story as fake. “The phony Trump/Russia story was an excuse used by the Democrats as justification for losing the election,” he said on Twitter.

Trump’s dismissals notwithstanding, the Senate Judiciary Committee -where Yates and Clapper appear on Monday― and the House and Senate Intelligence Committees are stepping up their probes, calling numerous current and former government witnesses to testify, mostly behind closed doors. AFP

Drawing crowds with fusion food JAKARTA―From a restaurant serving burgers and pizzas made with local noodles to a social media star giving street food a touch of haute cuisine, a new wave of innovative chefs are putting a modern twist on Indonesia’s traditional fare.

New eateries have sprung up rapidly in recent years in the capital Jakarta offering a wide array of foreign foods to cater to a growing consumer class which has emerged after a long economic boom.

But rather than focus entirely on cuisine from overseas, some chefs decided to fuse the new influences with age-old Indonesian foods.

One eatery offering fusion food is “Mammamie”, whose name is a playful take on an Italian expression of shock combined with the local word for noodles, “mie”.

It uses the country’s favourite instant noodles, Indomie―cheap blocks of fodder in colorful packaging that are sold at almost every grocery store and supermarket― to make Western dishes.

Among the most popular are the “mizza”, a pizza whose base is made out of noodles, and a “merger”, a burger which has buns fashioned from Indomie. It also serves burrito, quesadillas and sushi dishes made with the noodles.

Cafe owner Muhammad Luqman Baehaqi said he was trying to appeal to young Indonesians who were keen to try Western foods but still enjoyed Indomie.

“There isn’t a single Indonesian person that doesn’t know Indomie,” the 39-year-old said. “It’s tasty and familiar to all of us.”

The small cafe can seat about

20 people on chairs designed to look like Indomie packing cases and has a distinctly hipster vibe, with young office workers enjoying dishes that cost the equivalent of about two to four dollars under an image of late Apple founder Steve Jobs.

While the “Mammamie” cafe uses Indonesian ingredients to spice up Western dishes, Jakarta chef Dede Akbar is taking local dishes as his starting point, and seeking to make them more classy.

In his brightly-decorated kitchen, the 34-year-old carefully placed two blocks of tempe―a traditional soybean patty―onto a plate. He blow-torched a hardboiled egg, and added small flowers as a garnish before artistically dripping sauce across the dish.

Satisfied with his creation, he took out a camera and snapped pictures from various angles, before uploading them to Instagram. It was his popular Instagram account “Warteg Gourmet”, which currently has about 40,000 followers, that catapulted him to fame.

Wartegs are modest stalls or kiosks selling cheap food, often cramped spaces on street corners where blue-collar workers stop for a bite and to smoke a cigarette.

But rather than drab dishes for people earning low incomes, Akbar said he celebrates warteg food as it has “different textures and a wide range of colors that we can play with”.

Akbar was inspired to make haute-cuisine, warteg-style food after becoming annoyed at the careless presentation of dishes at the traditional street-side eateries.

AFP

Macron, Le Pen face off as France elects president P

ARIS-French voters went to the polls Sunday to pick a new president, choosing between young centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen in a watershed election for the country and Europe.

SECOND ROUND. People vote on May 7, 2017, in Quimper, western France during the second round of French presidential election. AFP

Trump official soliciting Chinese investment BEIJING―White House senior adviser Jared Kushner’s family business is courting wealthy Chinese to buy stakes in real estate through a controversial government program that offers US residency in exchange for investment.

Kushner’s sister Nicole Kushner Meyer was in Beijing Saturday, seeking $150 million in investment in a luxury apartment complex project in New Jersey, according to US media reports.

Jared Kushner, 36, is a senior adviser to US President Donald Trump with far-reaching influence over domestic and foreign policy, and stepped down from the family company in January to serve in the administration.

However, eyebrows have been raised as the Chinese investment sought by his family is to be funneled through the US EB-5 visa program.

The program offers foreign nationals permanent residency― commonly known as a green card―in exchange for investments of at least half a million dollars in a US business that must also create 10 American jobs.

The New York Times reported that the family business’ investment drive is also “highlighting their ties to Mr. Kushner as they court investors”.

Speaking before more than 100 investors at Beijing’s RitzCarlton Hotel, Nicole Kushner

Meyer said the project “means a lot to me and my entire family”, and mentioned her brother’s former role as chief executive of Kushner Companies, the report added.

Photographs of the event showed promotional posters bearing the slogan: “Government supports it; Celebrity property developer builds it.”

Kushner Companies were also due to pitch for investment in Shanghai on Sunday and in the southern Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Guangzhou next weekend, according to the events’ organizer QWOS, a Chinese government-approved immigration agency.

The EB-5 program was created

in 1990 to help stimulate the US economy through job creation and capital investment from foreign nationals, but detractors say it puts citizenship up for sale.

Nearly 90 percent of EB-5 visas were issued to Chinese nationals in 2014, when the program reached its quota of 10,000 visas.

Last week, federal agents in California raided two homes and a business allegedly connected to a $50 million visa fraud scheme that benefited up to 100 Chinese nationals.

Authorities said the key suspects in the case helped wealthy Chinese obtain US residency visas in exchange for bogus investments. AFP

Polling day follows an unprecedented campaign marked by scandal, repeated surprises and a last-minute hacking attack on Macron, a 39-year-old who has never held elected office.

The run-off vote pits the proEurope, pro-business Macron against anti-immigration and anti-EU Le Pen, two radically different visions that underline a split in Western democracies.

Le Pen, 48, has portrayed the ballot as a contest between the “globalists” represented by her rival―those in favor of open trade, immigration and shared sovereignty―versus the “nationalists” who defend strong borders and national identities.

Voting began at 0600 GMT in 66,546 polling stations. Most will close at 1700 GMT, but those in big cities will stay open an hour longer.

A first estimate of the results will be published around 1800 GMT. “Today, France is at stake,” a 73-year-old voter said as she cast her ballot in the southern port city of Marseille.

“It’s especially important for my children, and the future of my three grandchildren,” said the pensioner, who gave her name only as Bernadette.

Outgoing Socialist President Francois Hollande, who decided in December against seeking re-election, cast his ballot in his former electoral fief of Tulle, in central France.

Hollande, who plucked Macron from virtual obscurity to name him economy minister in 2014, said Friday he was hoping for his former protege to garner “the biggest possible score” on Sunday.

The last polling showed Ma-

Life

Ice N Cream has partnered with Carmen’s Best, which is known for using only the best available ingredients for its products, such as its Butter Pecan ice cream.

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

FOOD

MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

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SCOOPING HAPPINESS THE JOYCE OF EATING JOYCE BABE PAÑARES

T

HE love of ice cream knows no age or climate. And, well, no diabetes, too.

There is something about rows and rows of colorful and flavorful ice cream that transports you to an age of innocence – to a time when a scoop or two was all it took to chase the blues away.

Ice cream is an affordable indulgence, consumed not only to cool down in the sweltering Manila heat, but to uplift one’s mood as well. It is synonymous to celebrations – from birthdays to Christmas time and all the social gatherings in between.

“Filipinos love ice cream. It is an allyear-round product, especially in the Philippines with its tropical climate,” Novotel Manila executive chef Michael Schauss told Manila Standard during the launching of the hotel’s Ice N Cream station.

It was in the last quarter of 2016, said Schauss, when his team toyed with the idea of coming up with an ice cream station separate from what was already being offered in The Food Exchange, the hotel’s buffet restaurant.

“We wanted a good mix of the classic flavors as well as the local ones, and with a twist. It was a series of hits and misses until we were all satisfied with the flavors,” he said.

Take Ice N Cream’s Tijuana Sunrise.

The team started with basic dalandan sorbet, but Schauss felt something was missing so they decided to add tequila.

The resulting concoction was good, but he said it was a bit too sour for his palate. Manuel Sy, the hotel’s executive pastry chef, suggested adding cucumber to offset the acidity of dalandan and tequila, and the final product is one finely-

Enjoy Ice N Cream’s 18 signature flavors at their cozy station at Novotel Manila. One of its uniquely Filipino flavors is Leche de Almond, which has almond florentine for that extra taste and texture.

spi ked sorbet.

Some flavors are sugar-free (diabetic-friendly), some are alcoholic, but all 18 signature flavors contain no stabilizers or artificial ingredients.

Uniquely Filipino flavors include Purple Dream (ube with slivers of jackfruit); Green with Envy (avocado with Belgian chocolate chips); Smell Me, Taste Me, Love Me (creamy custard

with durian essence); and Leche de Almond (velvety leche flan with almond florentine).

For those who prefer Ice N Cream’s classic flavors, they have Choco Goes Nuts (which pays homage to the proletarian Choc-Nut candy); Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go! (for your instant caffeine fix); and It Matcha Been Love (Japanese green tea), while those who would like a lighter fare may opt for a sorbet, with flavors such as coconut, soursop, mixed berries, and mango.

Aside from Tijuana Sunrise, other alcohol-infused flavors are Papa Don Preach (raisins with Don Papa Rum) and Kirsch Me (a black forest cake-

flavored ice cream spiked with Kirsch brandy). The sugar-free ones are Yo Berry Yo! which has creamy Swiss yogurt with mixed berries and Oh Honey Honey with calamansi and honey.

Ice N Cream also partnered with Carmen’s Best, which is well-known for its playful flavors made with the best available ingredients. (Good enough, in fact, for Pope Francis who reportedly enjoyed the malted milk flavor on his way back to Rome after his visit to the Philippines in 2015.)

“Carmen’s Best is driven by quality. They do not use preservatives. We have the same values, same principles,” Schauss said.

Carmen’s Best flavors that are available at Novotel include vanilla, malted milk, salted caramel, butter pecan, coffee dark chocolate, cookies and cream, hazelnut fudge, honey, maple walnut, and the cheekily named He’s Not Worth It, which is full of fudge, nuts and cookies.

So next time you head off to Novotel Manila, go and indulge yourself at the Ice N Cream station. Close your eyes as you take a bite off your flavor of choice, and feel like a child again while enjoying that scoop.

For feedback, send comments to joyce.panares@gmail.com

Top Filipino baristas to represent Philippines in world coffee competitions THE Philippines has crowned this year’s best barista and latte art craftsman from a dozen of coffee professionals who competed during the two national coffee championships at the first Philippine Restaurant, Café and Bar Expo (Philresca) on March 2-4, World Trade Center Metro Manila. As the new home of the two competitions, Philresca marks the first time that both prestigious Philippine coffee championships were held in a single event.

Silvester Dan Samonte of El Union Coffee and Adrian Vocalan of Satchmi won the Philippine National Barista Championship (PNBC) and Philippine National Latte Art Championship (PNLAC), respectively.

As the country’s representatives, Vocalan will compete at the World Latte Art Championship in Budapest, Hungary in June, while Samonte—who successfully defended his 2016 title—

Samonte creating his signature beverage made from a special experimental process (inset) Vocalan’s complex floral and animal latte art patterns that earned him the gold in the PNLAC competition

will return to the World Barista Championship (WBC) set in Seoul, South Korea in November.

After finishing 14th among 61 of the world’s best baristas at the WBC 2016, Samonte continued to impress judges with his concoctions at this year’s PNBC. During his routine, he served a signature beverage made from a special experimental process he described as “cold processed washed + natural aroma sealed.” His espresso drink, which utilized an heirloom fat geisha coffee from Finca Nuguo in Jurutungo, Panama, intrigued judges with notes of ripe purple grapes and red sour cherries.

Joining for the first time at the PNLAC, Vocalan caught the attention of judges with his unique designs and techniques showcased during the finals. Using a combination of various pouring and etching techniques for his latte art, Vocalan featured complex floral and animal patterns that earned him the gold.

“Patience and practice are key in latte art. You must have the determination and commitment to put on long hours in learning the basic techniques and then innovate. Don’t be afraid to commit mistakes, but make sure you learn after each error and improve yourself nonstop,” said Vocalan.

“As the best of Filipino talent, Silvester and Adrian are at the frontlines of positioning the Philippines as a primary player in the international coffee community. They serve as an inspiration for aspiring baristas and today’s professionals to pursue their passion and aim for excellence. Philresca is proud to host the Philippine coffee championships and continue to support Filipino baristas in their journey to become the world’s best,” said May Juan, president of Phil. Asia Conferences & Exhibitions, Inc., the company behind Philresca.

The two Philippine coffee championships are organized by Phil. Asia Conferences & Exhibitions, Inc. and sanctioned by World Coffee Events, the premier producer of events for the coffee community worldwide.

Silvester Dan Samonte of El Union Coffee wins the Philippine National Barista Champion title

Adrian Vocalan of Satchmi bags the top prize in the Philippine National Latte Art Championship

For more information about the Philippine coffee championships, visit www.philippinecoffeechampionships.org.

Life

D2

MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

Hawaiian classic now in Manila “I

F I could relate it to our world now: poke is the millennial thing and sushi is the traditional one,” speculates head chef Kel Zaguirre.

“You have to have discipline for sushi, but with poke, you can go wild and blend it with anything.

That’s poke for me.”

Conceived by a group of friends, including foodie power couple Speedy and Alta Lyttle, along with Locavore head chef Kel Zaguirre, Poke Poke is the newest destination for diners looking for a fun and hearty alternative to sushi and salad.

Poke is a Hawaiian staple that has been gaining traction in cities across the United States. Borrowing heavily from Japanese influences, traditional poke consists of marinated cuts of seafood and meats served over a bed of white rice, often soaked in vinegar.

After discovering the dish during a trip abroad, the Lyttle’s decided to introduce the concept to the Filipino market and soon discussed the possibility with Zaguirre, who expressed a similar interest. Together, the team expanded the concept of traditional poke in order to introduce the dish to the Filipino palate.

“At first we were hesitant because if we stick to the (traditional) concept, it would be hard to capture the families,” shares cofounder Alta Lyttle. “So we thought about it and we made the option to cook, we have to

B ITES

RAW BOWL. Poke Poke brings the Hawaiian staple dish poke to the Philippines with nine distinct signature bowls that feature a variety of flavors, such as the Basic, the Hawaiian, the Samurai Bowl, and The Rich.

adjust to the Filipino taste. After they tried it and once they liked the flavor, they became open to try the original, raw.”

Poke Poke offers nine distinct signature bowls that allow diners to explore their distinct world of flavors. The Basic offers Poke Poke’s unique take on the Hawaiian classic with cuts of tuna and

salmon marinated with onions, peppers, and pickling. The Samurai Bowl is quintessential Poke Poke fare that updates traditional poke with a modern Japanese-inspired twist. And not to be outdone, Only for The Rich is a bowl of decadence that allows meat-eaters to savor the wonders of poke.

“You can have a full lunch and not feel heavy or sleepy after,” shares coowner Speedy Atla, who, along with his partners, is seeking to change the definition of ‘healthy’ food. “This is healthy fast food.”

What truly sets Poke Poke apart from similar establishments is their ability

to bring the best out of flavors often regarded for their delicacy. “It reflects what we want to eat, as partners. Our menu has always been about what we want to eat and we want to share that with people,” says Zaguirre. “Give us the chance to feed you and I think it will speak for itself.”

/ SIPS

Liza Soberano’s new crunchy favorite CADBURY Dairy Milk ambassador Liza Soberano, one of the country’s biggest stars and “It Girls,” has just found her new favorite in Cadbury Dairy Milk Honeycomb and Nuts.

This crispy and crunchy chocolate is the perfect snack treat for the celebrity.

Liza is over the moon with this exciting, new variant.

“Cadbury Dairy Milk Honeycomb and Nuts is just a wonderful new flavor! The smooth chocolatey texture with bits of honeycomb and nuts are perfect. I wan to take a bite after bite! I can’t get enough!”

Make summer happy with Rauch Orange Juice SUMMER is here and everyone is trying their best to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Consumers are now on a constant hunt for thirst quenchers that will also nourish their bodies.

As the weather gets warmer and warmer, a glass of Happy Day 100% Orange Juice will surely refresh you in the summer days. Unlike the other juices available in the market, a liter of Happy Day 100% Orange Juice contains about 2.5 kilos of sun-ripened oranges. A glass of Happy Day meets the required daily dose of Vitamin C that our body needs.

Vitamin C is a vital nutrient as it transports “oxygen and hydrogen” to the different parts of our body, catches free radicals, and improves the absorption of iron and other minerals. As a matter of fact, it also helps protect the body from the development of diseases. Aside from Vitamin C, B-vitamins, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, beta-carotene, cell defense substances, bioflavonoids, and selenium are also generously found in every glass of Happy Day Rauch 100% Orange Juice!

If you are looking for other flavors that the whole family will like, kids and adults alike will surely love other Happy Day variants available in 1L packs like Apple, Cranberry, Multivitamin, Orange Juice Bits, and Tomato. Happy Day 200ml Apple and Orange flavors are also perfect daily treats for the kids when they go to school or summer classes.

Top 5 whiskeys WHETHER you’re an absolute beginner or you’re a gentleman with a highly developed pallet, the market is perfect for anyone with even the faintest interest in whiskey. Appreciating whiskey involves taking the time to find the perfect blend that can truly complement your pallet. And with so many options in today’s market, the choices can be overwhelming.

And with that, let’s take a quick moment to explore some of the offerings that have just made its way to our shores.

Kavalan Single Malt Whisky Floral, elegant, and clean, this single malt is named after the indigenous people of Taiwan. The brand made waves in 2010, when the product beat three Scotch whiskeys and an English whiskey during a blind taste-test.

Bushmills Black Bush Aged in sherry casks for eleven years, Bushmills Black Bush is among the finest blends and most revered blends Iwai Mars Whiskey Regarded as one of the best whiskeys from Japan, this in the world with a tradition that dates back to 1608. This rich blend is ripe with flavor, holding a strong, nutty body offering is affordable and known for its full-bodied and rich profile making it a new favorite for many. with a sweet and satisfying finish.

The BenRiach 10-Year-Old Matured in a combination of ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks, the 10-Year-Old marks the first whiskey hat has been produced by the distillery’s new owners. It is a fine single malt regarded for its savory balance of spice and floral tones.

Old Fitzgerald 1849 This is extraordinary bourbon is a tribute to the old tradition of wheated bourbon. Hearty and aromatic, this bourbon is smooth that leaves the pallet with a satisfying, caramel finish.

Andres Lara demonstrates how to create his unique recipes

Award-winning

international pastry chef holds workshop in Manila AWARD-WINNING international pastry chef Andres Lara dazzled local dessert practitioners with his unique recipes and cooking secrets in the hands-on demonstration-workshop, entitled “Andres Lara: Revisiting Global Influences,” presented

by CR8TV3 Solutions in partnership with the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB).

The three-day workshop-demonstration at the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management (SHRIM) of the DLS-CSB was attended by pastry chefs from major hotels and restaurants in the country, culinary school faculty, alumni and students.

During the event, CR8TV3 Solutions, represented by Chefs Peachy Juban and Joanne Limoanco, awarded an opportunity to a Lasallian Association of Tourism and Hospitality Education School to De La Salle-Lipa.

Lara, who has worked in a number of Michelin-starred restaurants, is presently the Regional Chef for Asia Pacific of Cacao Barry, a French brand that offers a range of high-quality cocoa products, chocolate coatings, fillings and decorating products.

Born in Chicago of Colombian parents, Lara studied at the French Pastry School, working under Jacquy Pfeiffer and Sébastien Canonne and completed his Art de la Patisserie Diploma.

He honed his skills with Chef Paco Torreblanca at the Pasteleria Totel, and Chef Ramon Morato at the Chocovic Chocolate School at Barcelona, and did time at the famed el Bulli of Ferran Adrià, under the tutelage of renowned pastry innovator Albert Adrià.

He has been assigned in China, Denmark, Japan, Norway, Taiwan, and Thailand. He also held positions in Florida’s Ritz Carltons at Half Moon Bay and Palm Beach, as well as Chicago’s NoMI at Park Hyatt Hotel.

His last postings were at Iggy’s and Pollen in Singapore, and Aberdeen Street Social in Hong Kong, before he was named Regional Chef at the Chocolate Academy in Tokyo, Japan.

Tom Ka Gai Chocolate Tart

Matcha Colada

MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

The road trip continues in the latest installment of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid'

Misadventures continue in

‘DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE LONG HAUL’ AN ALL-NEW cast is about to experience the road trip of their lives in the family movie Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul based on the bestselling young adult book series by Jeff Kinney.

In the latest movie, Greg Heffley convinced his family to attend their grandmother’s 90th birthday party.

Unknown to his parents, Greg just wants to attend a gamers’ convention nearby their grandmother’s house and, soon, the trip goes hilariously offcourse.

The all-new cast includes Alicia Silverstone, Jason Ian Drucker, Charlie Wright, Owen Asztalos, and Tom Everett Scott directed by David Bowers.

Author Kinney said that the latest movie will take on a very timely theme, one that “every family is talking about” particularly the tension between

gadgets time and real family time. “This is a chance for us to tell the contemporary family’s story and to do it in a humorous way,” said Kinney.

“When Alicia Silverstone’s name was first floated, it caused quite a stir,” said Kinney. “Most people know her from Clueless, but when I think of her, I remember her as a teenager in the Aerosmith videos from the ‘90s. Then you do the math and you realize, oh, yeah, she’s actually the right age for the role. I guess we all kind of grow up.”

Silverstone said, “The Wimpy Kid books and films have brought such joy to so many families.

I am thrilled to be joining the world Jeff Kinney has created.”

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul opens May 17 in cinemas nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

By Robbie Pangilinan

T

HE now Los Angeles-based former beauty queen and actress Anjanette Abayari will soon replace Gretchen Barretto and Alice Dixon as the endorser for GlutaMAX. The Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 1991 winner who played the legendary role of the superheroine Darna jokingly reacted to this saying, “Isa lang ang masasabi ko… Ding, ang sabon!”

Still sizzling hot AJ, who has two songs, a 9 and a 6, will continue GlutaMAX’s Kutis Mayaman campaign.

“AJ is different. She has not changed until now. Iba ang dating n’ya. Swabe at very down to earth,” says Paulo Legaspi, president of Healthwell Nutraceuticals, an affiliate of YSA Skin Care Corporation and maker of GlutaMAX, the complete line of premium and advanced skin lightening products.

AJ is excited to be the endorser of a product again after so many years. Once the sexiest woman in the Philippines, AJ says she feels sexiest when she is treated like a lady and when she does what she does best – dancing.

For a day to be totally sexy for AJ, she should be wearing her thigh-high leather stiletto boots and her perfume Dolce

THE Quezon City International Film Festival (QCinema) 2017 expands its sphere of influence as it presents a new slate of fresh titles from independent Filipino filmmakers.

In QCinema’s “Circle Competition,” eight filmmakers will individually receive P1 million worth of production grant. The directors will retain their rights to the films they created.

The lineup features stories of war, romance, cultural traditions, mystery, and the relationships that show the complexity of humankind.

The new titles that made the cut this year are Dapol Tan Payawar Na Tayug 1931 (The Ashes and Ghosts of Tayug 1931) by Christopher Gozum; Dormitoryo by Emerson Reyes; Gugu”by Khavn; Hubog ng Langit by Lawrence Fajardo; Medusae

by Pam Miras; Neomanila by Mikhail Red; The Chanters by James Robin Mayo; and The Write Moment by Dominic Lim. Christopher Gozum’s Dapol Tan Payawar Na Tayug 1931 (The Ashes and Ghosts of

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, May 8, 2017

ACROSS 1 Like steel 6 Rover’s planet 10 Get fresh 14 Piano exercise 15 Mashed potato serving 16 Reacted to a tear-jerker 17 Light bulb filler 18 Not fake 19 Fringe — 20 Loch monster’s nickname 22 Beating decisively 24 Ron who played TV Tarzan 26 Made catty remarks 27 Bathe 31 JAMA readers 32 Should 33 Calcutta attire 36 Even one 39 Important decades 40 Barely warm 41 La — Tar Pits 42 Rorem or Beatty 43 Nuzzles 44 Rain forest parrot 45 Airport closer 46 Joust competitors 48 Goal or aim

51 Chicago White — 52 Parson 54 Digs deep 59 Feedbag morsels 60 Ice pellets 62 Grofe’s “Grand Canyon —” 63 Long hike 64 Perry’s creator 65 “Das Boot” craft (hyph.)

66 Painless 67 Bread grains 68 Trappers’ commodity DOWN 1 Vicious 2 Raison d’— 3 Barge pushers 4 Fusses 5 Indulgent 6 Ball club VIP 7 Baldwin of films 8 Jungle warnings 9 Tremendous!

10 Quagmires 11 Falcon’s lair 12 Blow a paycheck 13 Just for guys 21 Subway opposites 23 Makes public 25 Oui and si 27 “Fargo” director

28 Fisherman’s fly 29 Hoople expletive 30 Sighs of relief 34 Goodall subject 35 Dangers 36 Foot part 37 Fastidious 38 Swerves 40 Reunited 41 Luggage 43 Eggy drinks 44 Confuses (2 wds.)

45 Like a kitten

47 Go-ahead 48 Dainty ornament 49 Poker stakes 50 All choked up 52 Speck of dust 53 Annoy 55 Garage service 56 Cello kin 57 Coup d’— 58 Hardens, as cement 61 Brown of big bands

& Gabbana’s The One, driving a Lamborghini Veneno Roadster with a piano or saxophone music in the background, during the golden hour of the day. On the road, she would see the sexiest billboard of Calvin Klein with Marcus Schenkenberg.

At home, AJ feels sexy when she is wearing boy shorts and a tank top to bed, eating whipped cream and chocolate syrup with cherries on top, and watching either Henry Cavill in Superman Man of Steel, or Channing Tatum dancing in Magic Mike XXL. She fantasizes about the three men she finds sexy: Channing Tatum, Chris Hemsworth, and Keanu Reeves.

But at her age, AJ’s idea of a sexy man goes beyond looks and body.

“A sexy man for me is someone who can look into my eyes and carry on an intelligent and interesting conversation with me. Someone with confidence and sincerity and a desire to know the real me,” ends AJ.

Tayug 1931) retells the story of rebel leader Pedro Calosa and the infamous Tayug Colorum Uprising in Pangasinan from three diverse angles: A silent film dramatizing his return to his hometown; as an aging supremo as he searches for a sacred cave accompanied by historians; and a filmmaker doing interviews about the 1931 uprising to prepare for a film about Calosa.

Dormitoryo, Emerson Reyes’ second film, focuses on the lives of eight individuals who spend the evening tucked away in personal galaxies, talking about collective experiences, and sharing a similar fate.

Indie filmmaker and scriptwriter Khavn worked with writers Jerry Gracio and Achinette Villamor to create Gugu. Set in Balangiga in 1901, it follows the life of the 11-year-old Kulas who flees town with his grandfather and their carabao to escape General Smith’s “Kill and Burn” order.

By some twist of fate, Kulas finds a toddler amid a sea of corpses. Together, the two boys struggle to survive the American

occupation.

Filmmaker Lawrence Fajardo teamed up with writer Lilit Reyes for Hubog ng Langit. An idealistic priest attempts to shape the morals of a town and tries to transform a chaste but warped fanatic carving icons whose sensuality is awakened with her craft. Surrounding them are the council members with their respective worldly ways while claiming to serve the parish.

Pam Miras spun a playful narrative in Medusae for her second feature as writer and director. A documentarist’s son goes missing when she films a story on the disappearances of the firstborns in a remote island.

Her search reveals the presence of a cult and an abductor who looks like her, whom her son claims to be his real mother.

Mikhail Red’s second film, Neomanila, provides a closer look on the violent war on drugs waged in present day Manila. Toto, a teenage orphan, is recruited by a notorious death squad. Irma, the group’s leader, soon becomes a maternal figure to the young boy. As the

two form a familial bond, their loyalties will be put to the test when one of their targets turns out to be a familiar face.

Director James Robin Mayo collaborated with Andrian Legaspi and Ana Puod for his first feature, The Chanters. In a remote tribe, the dying tradition of chanting is kept alive by an old chanter and his son. When the father, one of the last chanters, passed away, the tradition is threatened to be forgotten.

Another first time helmer, Dominic Lim, wrote and directed The Write Moment where he sheds the spotlight on a heartbroken scriptwriter. When the main character fails to get back with an old flame through his “romantic-hugotscript”, he finds himself living in the scenes he wrote. He’s forced to follow everything verbatim—or else face being stuck in an endless loop of scenes repeating over and over again.

QCinema 2017 is scheduled to take place from Oct. 19 to 28.

For more information, visit QCinema’s official Facebook page, https://www.facebook. com/QuezonCityFilmFest/

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

Biggest, funniest family comedy film BACK TO COMEDY. After a series of indie projects, comedienne Ai Ai delas Alas plays a nanny in Regal Entertainment's Mother's Day offering

T

HIS year’s biggest and funniest family comedy film, Our Mighty Yaya, is an overload of fresh, new and zany antics fit for a riotous Mother’s Day treat this May.

Box-office Comedy Queen, Queens International Film Festival Best Female Actor, Ulirang Ina and Papal Awardee Ai Ai de las Alas leads the stellar cast of the Joey Reyes movie.

Ai Ai is the perfect choice to play the role of Virgie, the doting and loving yaya of the well-off Sevilla family. Virgie leaves home to work as a yaya in the big city to give her family, especially her kids, a better life and future. Little did she know that the job she would find herself in would involve difficulties from in and out of her employer’s family.

She soon unwittingly finds herself in a battlefield between warring families and co-workers. When business tycoon Antonio “Tonichi” Sevilla becomes a widower, he marries a beauty queen named Monique (Megan Young), much to the disapproval of his three kids, Maria (Sofia Andres), Kevin (LucasMagallano) and Peachy (Alyson McBride).

The three find an ally in the family’s mayordoma and the other workers at the mansion. Things, however, change when Virgie enters the frame. She develops a close bond with Kevin when the latter suffers from dengue. This infuriates Monique when confronted by Tonichi about her lack of maternal instincts.

Rebellious Maria, who is not supposed to have a boyfriend until she graduates from college, hates Virgie for catching her while on date with her boyfriend. But Virgie saves Maria from Monique’s anger by making up an excuse for her which almost cost her job.

Maria comes to Virgie’s rescue and admits her fault. She says she wants Virgie to stay. Tonichi and Monique give in to the children’s wishes.

Virgie’s son then comes to Manila to visit his mom.

Virgie’s joy shifts to sadness when her son suddenly grows envious of how she takes care of the Sevilla children. A serious conflict between mother and son then ensues with Monique joining the picture to enlighten Virgie’s child about the hardships his mother go through while doing her tasks at the Sevilla mansion.

And so, from

Zoren Legaspi shares the screen with two queens in the movie

then on, all’s well that ends well in the Sevilla abode.

In real life, AiAi has had yayas who took care of her and her children. She says nannies who have worked for her have taught her valuable lessons on taking care of her children.

Ai Ai’s struggles as a single mom are public knowledge. Her life is an open book and people are aware that she prioritizes the welfare of her kids over everything else. Should she be given a new title, ‘The Great Mother’ would be so apt.

Today, as she makes her comeback to the Regal fold via Our Mighty Yaya, Ai Ai is a queen all her own. So inspired is she about this new project that she really went all out in giving moviegoers a taste of her new brand of comedy.

Our Mighty Yaya is one heap of a riotously fun movie that is sure to warm the hearts of nanays, yayas and the whole family come Mother’s Day. Catch it when it opens in cinemas nationwide on May 10 only from Regal Entertainment, Inc. Follow Regal Entertainment Inc. social media accounts for more updates on Our Mighty Yaya Facebook - Regal Entertainment Inc., Twitter - @regalfiims, Instagram - @regalfilms50, Youtube - RegalEntertainment Inc.

HOOQ

launches filmmakers guild THE largest Video on Demand service in South-East Asia announced its latest initiative – HOOQ Filmmakers Guild – a South-East Asia wide project that helps turn the most imaginative TV series ideas of filmmakers into reality, thus celebrating Asia, the nation from which great TV arises.

HOOQ calls for film professionals, be it directors, producers or scriptwriters to send in scripts and treatments for a TV series idea they have. From these, the five best scripts, regionally, will be given a funding of $30,000 to be converted into a pilot episode that will debut on HOOQ. Submissions can be from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia. The best out of these five pilot episodes, decided by HOOQ subscribers and a star-studded judging panel consisting of the top film talents around Asia as well as Hollywood (to be announced), will be converted into a full series produced and aired on HOOQ. “There is incredible talent for TV series making in Asia, and we want to give opportunities to film professionals to turn these amazing ideas into reality. HOOQ is built in Asia for Asia and we want to give Asian filmmakers the power to create quality entertainment that gives our customers that escape into worlds of romance, action, adventure and even heroism, all in the setting of their backyard. HOOQ Filmmakers Guild does just that, making Asia the nation from which great TV arises!” said Chief Executive Officer of HOOQ, Peter Bithos.

This project commences on June 1 and will be open for entries till Aug. 1.

Applicants must be either in film school or working as professionals in the film industry with prior film production experience.

They should submit the script and treatment for a mini-series or a full series with a maximum of 13 episodes for a single season in order to qualify. There will be no restriction to genre, however submissions and productions must be in the language of the applicant’s country.

This announcement came a day after HOOQ announced four new HOOQ original productions – Critical Eleven and Sweet 20 to hit cinemas in May and June respectively and the other three to hit the platform (The T Party’and Marlina and the Murderer in Four Acts) later this year.

Christian, Derrick, and Mac in new TVC BLACKWATER endorsers Christian Bautista, Derrick Monasterio, and Mac Belo share one thing in common: the need to always smell good and feel good. This was especially showcased in the newest TV commercial that was premiered at the recent Blackwater TVC press launch.

The advertisement presents Christian Bautista embodying Aqua from Blackwater Classic, which is effortlessly cool like the city streets he inhabits. It also shows Derrick Monasterio enjoying a scooter ride through the outdoors, giving recall to the outdoorsy Oak from the Blackwater Men 2 line. Meanwhile, Mac Belo brings to life Blackwater Sport #3 as he is seen playing hoops with his Philippine Basketball Association teammates.

Like the characters they portray in the TVC, Christian – a long time endorser of Blackwater – always goes for scents that are timeless and can cater to his different facets. As thus, he chooses the Classic line, touted as the scent of “every man,” with its collection that caters to different styles and moods. As for self-confessed “super human” Derrick, he prefers the nature-inspired smell of the Blackwater

2 collection as it caters to adventureseekers like him looking to express their unique individual styles. And lastly, PBA athlete Mac Belo chooses the Blackwater Sport to keep him smelling good and feeling good as he sweats it out in the basketball court.

“It’s an honor to be a part of the Blackwater family for more than a decade, and I’m happy to welcome Derrick and Mac into this family,” Christian shared.

Adding to this, Derrick said, “Being an endorser of Blackwater doesn’t feel like work because they make you feel like you belong in a family.” And for Mac, “It’s my first time to be part of a commercial and I really enjoyed working with Derrick and Christian.”

Whether they’re staying out under the sun for an all-day shoot or pushing their body to the limits in the court, these men know that they must always smell good and feel good, and they’re definitely able to do so with the different collections of Blackwater.

To know more about Blackwater and its products, visit their website, http:// blackwater.com.ph/.

From left: Blackwater brand ambassadors Mac Belo, Derrick Monasterio, and Christian Bautista