Manila Standard - 2017 May 09 - Tuesday

Court acquits Napoles Clears scam suspect of ‘illegal detention’

By Rey E. Requejo, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

T

HE Court of Appeals has acquitted suspected pork barrel scam architect Janet Lim-Napoles of the serious illegal detention complaint filed by whistleblower Benhur Luy on grounds of reasonable doubt.

In a decision written by Associate Justice Normandie Pizarro, the CA’s Twelfth Division reversed the April 2015 ruling of Judge Elmo Alameda of Makati City Regional Trial Court, Branch 150, convicting Napoles of serious illegal detention and ordered her release from detention.

“The accused-appellant Janet Lim Napoles is acquitted based on reasonable doubt. She is ordered to be immediately released from detention, unless she is confined for any lawful cause,” the appellate court said, in a decision dated May 5 that was released Monday.

Napoles will not be released from detention, however, because of the pending plunder and malversation charges filed against her

UPROAR. Protesters carry placards during a rally in front of the United Nations office in Manila on May 8, criticizing UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings Agnes Callamard who made an unofficial visit to the Philippines on May 5 that angered President Rodrigo Duterte. AFP

Janet Lim-Napoles

by the Office of the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the multi-billion-peso Next page

Roy replaces Gina; insider takes CB post

VOL. XXXI • NO. 84 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

PH team to ‘demolish’ black propaganda

By John Paolo Bencito and Macon R. Araneta THE Philippine delegation facing the UN Periodic Review in Geneva will “demolish” the negative perception attributed to President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody drug war, a Palace official said Monday.

Chief Presidential Legal

Counsel Salvador Panelo said the government delegation in Geneva could debunk the allegations of extrajudicial killings in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

He expressed optimism that the UN human rights body would accept “with open arms” the Philippines’ explanation of the real situation in the war on drugs.

“Certainly, I have no doubt about that, Panelo told reporters.

“Demolish. Demolish whatever black propaganda the other critics have sown against the President because the facts and figures speak for themselves. The evidence speak for itself.”

In other developments: • If evidence shows that a police officer is involved in an extraju-

dicial killing, a case will be filed against him, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday told the Filipino community in Geneva.

Cayetano made this reassurance to Filipinos to stress that there was no “police immunity” as the reports claimed and that the government was doing its part to make sure that erring cops were punished.

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Nestor Espenilla Jr.

Roy Cimatu

By John Paolo Bencito, Julito G. Rada and Anna Leah Gonzales PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has named a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas insider as his choice for central bank governor and a former Armed Forces chief to head the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

On the sidelines of a Cabinet

Benham eyed as ‘food zone’

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Du30 sets revisit of China and Cambodia

By John Paolo Bencito and Anna Leah E. Gonzales BENHAM Rise could be the key to securing the country’s food security and the Philippines should build a research facility on its shallowest portion to assert its ownership of the resource-rich 13-millionhectare undersea region that is part of the country’s continental shelf, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said Monday.

Returning from a three-day expedition to Benham Rise, Piñol said that the Agriculture department would also recommend to President Rodrigo Duterte the conversion of the country’s newest territory into a protected food supply zone.

“We should strongly manifest our ownership of… Benham Rise by establishing our presence in the area,” Piñol said.

“I will recommend that the government consider establishing a structure in the shallowest portion of the Benham Bank, which is estimated to be 15,000 hectares,” he added.

The facility, which will serve as a research base for Filipino scientists and aqua-marine researchers and a monitoring station against illegal fishermen and poachers, could also serve as a refuge for Filipino fishermen and a docking station for government vessels on patrol.

meeting Monday, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez confirmed that the President chose Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. to replace outgoing Governor Amando Tetangco Jr., who is set to retire on July 2.

At the same time, the President tapped former Armed Forces chief and retired general Roy Cimatu to replace controversial

By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will fly back to Cambodia, China and Hong Kong to firm up the Philippines’ economic ties with its partners in the region, the Foreign Affairs Department said Monday.

Duterte will leave on Wednesday for Cambodia and will be participating in the World Economic Forum as chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations from May 10 to 11, Foreign Affairs spokesman Robespierre Bolivar said.

“And as Asean Chair, the Next page

Cops quizzed on failure of intelligence VICTORIOUS. A political prodigy, the 39-year-old Emmanuel Macron wins the French presidential election backed by a traditional party. AFP

Ex-banker becomes France’s youngest president PARIS–Emmanuel Macron has won a resounding victory in the French presidential election but the focus shifted immediately Monday to whether he can govern the country without the support of a traditional party.

At 39, the pro-European Union

former investment banker will become France’s youngest-ever president after crushing far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the run-off on Sunday, but he faces a formidable challenge to enact his policy program while trying to unite a fractured and demoralized country.

He has proposed an ambitious domestic reform agenda including cutting state spending, easing labor laws, boosting education in deprived areas and extending new protections to the self-employed.

But he is inexperienced, has no political party and must fashion

a working parliamentary majority after legislative elections next month.

There is skepticism about Macron’s ability to win a majority with candidates from his En Marche movement—”neither of Next page

By Macon RamosAraneta and Sandy Araneta SENATOR Panfilo Lacson on Monday questioned the alleged failure of the intelligence agencies to prevent terror attacks despite the more than P5 billion in intelligence funds allocated to them.

“Why was there a failure of intelligence when the total intelligence fund to agencies is over P5 billion?” Lacson said when Next page

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TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Benham...

From A1 “The Philippine Benham Rise Research Facility, which will proudly fly our country’s standard, will be a symbol of our ownership of the resource-rich area, which the government will protect and safeguard for the Filipinos of the future,” Piñol said.

The Agriculture secretary said that the area has “vast potential” that can be a source of food for future generations of Filipinos.

“The bounty of the 25 million hectares of water in the Philippine Continental Shelf east of Luzon is mind-boggling,” Piñol said.

“The Philippine Benham Rise is proven to be one of the spawning areas of the immensely in-demand and expensive Blue Fin Tuna, which could fetch as much as P500,000 each,” he added.

The government could declare a closed fishing season during the spawning season, and declare a protected food supply exclusive zone to shield the area from extractive activities and oil exploration.

“Just like any delicate ecosystem, there is a need to protect and conserve the Philippine Benham Rise as a food source for future generations of Filipinos,” Piñol said.

“It is my belief that the country will benefit more if it will protect and conserve the Philippine Benham Rise because while minerals and oil supply are finite, the capacity of the fish species in the area to multiply is limitless,” he said.

Benham Rise, a 13-million-hectare undersea region that lies east of Luzon and off the provinces of Isabela and Aurora, is a massive formation of basalt, a common volcanic rock, and is described in a study as a thickened portion of the Philippine sea plate’s oceanic crust.

Studies conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources have indicated large deposits of methane in solid form in the area.

The President previously expressed his intentions to rename the Benham Rise to Philippine Ridge to reinforce its claim on the undersea plateau, which the United Nations in 2012 declared as part of the Philippines’ extended continental shelf.

Chinese ships were reported to have sailed in the Benham Rise area from November to January, causing concern in the defense establishment.

There had been limited research on the area, but an expedition last year found pristine corals, diverse marine life and untapped gas reserves in the area.

Piñol and a team from the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Aquatic and Natural Resources explored Benham Rise from May 5 to 7.

Three divers explored the shallowest part of the Benham Bank to study the sea floor and check the possibility of establishing a research center in the area.

Piñol presided over the floatation of 15 payaos or fish aggregating devices designed to attract fish to congregate for easier fishing.

“This is a pro-active action to discover how rich Benham Rise is as far as natural resources are concerned. More importantly, this is also to protect the area from overfishing and to give our fisherfolk priority access to Benham Rise’s marine resources and make them partners in ensuring the protection of Benham Rise,” Piñol said.

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From A1 President is expected to share his views on the region’s achievements and challenge, and to deliver a message to the youth of Asean,” he said.

Duterte will also be given the opportunity to address international investors regarding his economic plan and the progress he has made in helping to build the Asean Economic Community.

“In particular, at the 30th Asean Summit held a little over a week ago, the leaders welcomed the Asean Economic Community’s thrust to pursue three strategic measures: increasing trade and investment; integrating micro, small and medium enterprises in the digital economy; and developing an innovation-driven economy and to reduce trade transaction costs by 10 percent by 2020,” Bolivar said.

The leaders would likely discuss the target conclusion of the AseanHong Kong-China FTA within the year and welcome the launch of formal region-to-region talks on a framework setting out the parameters of a future free trade agreement between Asean and the European Union.

From Cambodia, the President will be flying to Hong Kong where he is scheduled to meet with the Filipino community from May 11 to 13, Bolivar said.

“The Filipino community in Hong Kong has been actively partnering with our Consulate General in ensuring the rights and welfare of our kababayans in Hong Kong are protected and promoted and the community has also been instrumental in promoting enhanced trade relations between the Philippines and Hong Kong and in promoting our country’s investment opportunities and tourist destinations,” Bolivar said.

‘8 foreign terrorists in PH’ T HE Armed Forces on Monday confirmed at a congressional hearing the presence of at least eight foreign terrorists in the country.

Major General Felimon Santos Jr., an intelligence officer, made the disclosure before the House committee on national defense.

He talked about the presence of

foreign terrorists who might be helping some local terrorists in bomb-making and launching anti-government propaganda.

Santos said the nationalities of

the foreign terrorists were Indonesian, Malaysian and Singaporean.

He said Malaysian authorities had discovered that terrorists had been using Sabah as a transshipment point to enter the Philippines.

He made his statement following the Quiapo bombing on Saturday said the government’s

Court...

doubts about the credibility of the prosecution’s evidence.

Among these “significant facts” that were overlooked by the RTC was that there was no proof that Luy was forced or involuntarily brought and held against his will in Bahay Ni San Jose in Magallanes Village, Makati.

It noted that the evidence showed he sought spiritual retreat there.

It also cited the testimonies of defense witnesses, Fr. Peter Lavin and Monsignor Josefino Ramirez that Luy was neither belligerent nor showed any actions to indicate he was coerced or forced to undergo spiritual retreat, while inside the facility. Luy even attended Masses every night when he was there, the CA said.

The appellate court also noted that Luy in the entire duration of his alleged confinement never attempted to escape nor tell anyone of his situation nor seek assistance from law enforcers and even bystanders on different occasions when he went out of Bahay Ni San Jose.

The CA pointed out that the prosecution also failed to present evidence that Luy was physically prevented from leaving the retreat house.

“To our mind, it is completely baffling and unexplainable how a man who alleges illegal detention had no sense of urgency to escape or seek help, at least during the latter part of his alleged detention, despite the grave offense committed against him.

Such consistent behavior negates the claim that he was forcibly taken and confined by accused-appellant,” the appellate court held.

The CA also questioned Luy’s con-

duct during his rescue by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation, noting that based on the testimonies of the security personnel of Pacific Plaza, he violently resisted rescue and even insisted that Reynaldo Lim, Napoles’ brother and co-accused in the case, did not do anything illegal or criminal against him.

“The prosecution failed to satisfactorily explain the resistance of Luy to the rescue operation, which to our mind negates the claim of serious illegal detention,” the CA said.

It added that it finds Luy’s claim that he thought the NBI agents were out to kill him “flimsy and too convenient to warrant appreciation” since the rescuers were accompanied by his brother, Arthur.

The Court of Appeals also underscored that it is also necessary in serious illegal detention cases that there must be indubitable proof that such deprivation of liberty was the actual intent of the accused but, in this case, Luy never saw Napoles for the entire three months of his stay at the retreat house.

The prosecution only established is that Luy had a disagreement with Napoles on Dec. 19, 2012 that ended with the latter cursing him and threatening to put him in jail, the CA said.

But this was insufficient to manifest actual intent to forcefully deprive Luy of liberty since it was vague and open to different interpretations.

Lastly, the appellate court said the prosecution failed to present proof to establish that Napoles conspired with her brother to deprive Luy of his liberty, adding that the RTC’s ruling on this matter relied on conjecture insuf-

ficient to satisfy the burden of proving conspiracy beyond reasonable doubt.

While the case against Napoles’ brother was archived since he disappeared even before the RTC started the trial of the case, any further proceedings against him using the same factual circumstances may be rendered moot and academic by its decision, the CA said.

Luy, who was employed by Napoles JLN Group of Companies, had testified Napoles detained him from December 2012 to March 2013 to prevent him from revealing to authorities how she used bogus non-government organizations to get billions of pesos of pork-barrel funds from dozens of lawmakers, for fake projects.

Two months ago, Solicitor General Jose Calida filed with the CA a manifestation recommending Napoles’ acquittal in the case.

Among the evidence that he said convinced the OSG of Napoles’ innocence in the case is the fact that Luy was not restrained and was even able to see his family three times during his supposed captivity.

Calida’s manifestation prompted critics and observers to allege that the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte may have already reached a modus vivendi with Napoles, a charge that he and Malacañang has denied.

Calida on Monday lauded Court of Appeals decision.

“The decision of the Court of Appeals encapsulates the Latin maxim fiat justitia ruat caelum. Let justice be done though the heavens fall,” Calida said, in a statement.

“I commend the magistrates of the

12th Division of the Court of Appeals for doing what is right based on the evidence before them,” said Calida.

Asked whether this has any bearing on Napoles’ pork barrel cases, the chief state lawyer said that Napoles’ serious illegal detention case is totally different and independent from other cases pending against her.

Napoles appealed the lower court’s decision to the Court of Appeals.

Since the complainant was the People of the Philippines, the Solicitor General was ordered to respond.

Luy’s former lawyer, Levito Baligod, slammed the CA decision.

“The CA gave weight to the erroneous SolGen’s position that there was inadequate evidence to support a conviction with moral certainty. While the CA decision is equally erroneous in that respect, I respect the resolution because I am professionally bound to do so,” he told reporters in a text message.

“I just hope that the gesture of the SolGen… to favor Mrs. Napoles will ultimately benefit the nation, specially in running after elusive corrupt officials in high places in government. However, I do not subscribe to such arrangements as there is a better and non-corrupt way to run after these officials.”

The Palace said the decision did not reflect a policy shift or that the administration had cut a sweetheart deal with Napoles.

Saying that the ruling has “no direct impact” on the pork barrel cases against Napoles, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella denied that Malacañang had a hand in Calida’s push to acquit Napoles.

Roy...

2. Tetangco earlier declined to accept a third term due to health reasons.

Espenilla’s responsibility as deputy governor included the regulation of banks.

Espenilla graduated cum laude from the University of the Philippines School of Economics and holds a master’s degree in policy science from the Graduate Institute of Policy in Tokyo.

Tetangco earlier said he preferred an insider and a person with significant central banking experience as his successor, citing a number of major requirements that the next central bank governor should possess.

“If you want a seamless transition in the BSP, the next governor should be the one with central banking experience, an insider,” Tetangco said.

“An underlying factor there would be familiarity with the mandate and how to deliver on it, as well as the culture of the organization.”

The next governor, he said, should carry out the BSP’s prime objective of maintaining price and financial stability that are conducive to balanced and sustainable economic growth.

He said the next governor should also continue instituting reforms, such as certain components of the Basel 3 reform agenda.

During the Cabinet meeting Monday, Duterte introduced Cimatu as the next chief of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines welcomed Cimatu’s appointment.

“The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines welcomes with cautious optimism the appointment of former AFP Chief of Staff Roy Cimatu as Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources. His sterling record in government service speaks well of General Cimatu and we hope that his appointment finally answers our long-held call for a DENR secretary who has a balanced appreciation for environmental protection and natural resources management,” said the chamber’s vice president for legal affairs, Ronald Recidoro.

Recidoro said the mining industry is hoping that Cimatu will be more balanced in his outlook and will see the industry as a partner, not an adversary, a clear reference to Lopez.

But the leftist fishermen’s group, Pamalakaya, opposed the appointment, saying that historically, the military orientation is not to safeguard the environment and the people, but to protect the destructive operations of large mining companies in the countryside.

A native of Bangui, Ilocos Norte, Cimatu was instrumental in the government’s operations to crush the Abu Sayyaf and rescue their hostages, Martin and Gracia Burnham and Filipina nurse, Ediborah Yap. After he retired from service, he was appointed as the Special Envoy to the Middle East with a title of ambassador during the Arroyo administration. He was the chief negotiator for the release of the Filipino workers who were kidnapped in Iraq. With

He is in Geneva to lead a 16-member Philippine delegation tasked to attend the Universal Periodic Review on human rights where the states present their human rights records to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

• Detained Senator Leila De Lima on Monday slammed the Philippine delegation’s presentation on the Philippines’ anti-drug policy at the United Nations Human Rights Council, describing it as “misplaced bravado.”

“This early, said delegation is fooling itself that the international delegates to the periodic review are as stupid as the rest of the Malacañang cheering squad in their belief that they can pull

off a magic trick and hide the Duterte regime’s record of [extrajudicial killings] and human rights abuses from the rest of the world,” De Lima said.

De Lima said that, this time, Cayetano’s audience was not a cyberspace inhabited by paid trolls and a bureaucracy made up of Duterte’s sycophants, but independentminded envoys who were perfectly aware of the human rights situation in the Philippines.

Panelo accused the newspapers of reporting the wrong information on the President’s drug war.

“The report coming from newspapers are not really that accurate,” he said.

“After all, the newspapers also have been provided with the wrong info, so newspapers will have to report what information they receive.”

The human rights situation in the country was questioned during the third cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday.

Panelo also accused the Commission on Human Rights of nitpicking on the Duterte administration when it chose to be “selective” and instead focused on the allegations of extrajudicial killings under the Duterte regime.

He claimed that the CHR never bothered to investigate the policemen who were also killed within their line of duty.

He scored the constitutional body for not doing its job well.

“Parang they are not doing their function well, namimili sila ng i-imbestigahan nila. Dapat lahat iimbestigahan nila kung [may] violation ng human rights,” he said. With PNA

from happening again.”

• The chief of the Manila Police District on Monday said the April 28 bombing in Quiapo was considered “solved” but “not closed,” even as the police identified some of the suspects and said one of them was already in custody.

“We consider this case solved but not closed. We need to effect the arrest of all perpetrators,” MPD Chief Joel Coronel told reporters.

He dismissed fears that the bombing was the handiwork of

international terrorists.

“This incident is a local peace-andorder problem concerning personalities residing in the area,” Coronel said.

• Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada called on the public to remain calm as the police and the city government had put “everything under control.”

Estrada has ordered the deployment of additional policemen in and around the Quiapo area, particularly at the Islamic Center, for the safety and security of residents and visitors,

commercial establishments and government installations.

“Everything is under control,” Estrada said.

“I have ordered our district director, Chief Superintendent Joel Coronel, to be on the lookout for more suspicious characters and deploy more policemen to maintain peace and order.”

Lacson served as chief of the Philippine National Police during the time of former President and now Manila Mayor Estrada. With PNA

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pork barrel scam. No bail is allowed in plunder cases.

In clearing Napoles, the CA said it found the evidence presented by the prosecution “grossly insufficient to sustain a conviction” and that the crime was not proved beyond reasonable doubt.

“The essential element of serious illegal detention is that the victim was restrained or deprived of his liberty.

Thus, the prosecution must show actual confinement or restriction of his person. There is no serious illegal detention where the fact of detention was not clearly established,” the appellate court said.

“In sum, in the recesses of our mind and conscience, the evident conclusion is that the quantum of evidence required in this case has not been met. We hold that the evidence against the accusedappellant is not sufficient to establish her participation or culpability in the alleged criminal conspiracy. The prosecution has not discharged its burden of proof in establishing the commission of the crime charged and in identifying the accused-appellant as the malefactor responsible for it,’ the CA said.

Associate Justices Samuel Gaerlan and Jhosep Lopez concurred with the ruling.

The appellate court said the prosecution failed to establish actual confinement because the trial court, in “rushing to convict the accusedappellant carelessly overlooked significant facts” that should have raised

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REVIEW. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano (right) speaks next to the head

of the Philippine delegation Menardo Guevarra during the universal periodic review of the Philippines by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on May 8 at the UN offices in Geneva.

(Story on A1) AFP

Ex-banker...

From A1 the left, nor right”—alone, meaning he might have to form a coalition.

“In order for us to act, we will need a majority in the National Assembly,” En Marche secretary-general Richard Ferrand told TF1 television, adding that only “half of the journey” had been completed.

And his economic agenda, particularly plans to relax labor regulations to fight stubbornly high unemployment, is likely to face fierce resistance from leftist opponents.

He also inherits a country still in a state of emergency following a string of Islamist-inspired attacks since 2015 that have killed more than 230 people.

“I will fight with all my strength against the divisions that are undermining us,” Macron said in a solemn speech at his campaign headquarters Sunday.

A sea of jubilant supporters waving French flags celebrated outside the Louvre Museum in Paris as the extent of Macron’s victory sank in.

With 99.99 percent of ballots counted early Monday, Macron had 66.06 percent of the vote in the first ever election he has contested, far ahead of the nationalist Le Pen at 33.94 percent.

Turnout was 74.62 percent.

But in a sign of widespread disillusionment, one in three voters abstained or cast a blank ballot.

Western leaders largely hailed the result after the shock of Britain’s vote

Cops...

From A1 sought for comment following the twin explosions in Quiapo, Manila, Saturday night that killed two people and injured six others.

“Was it [the money] not enough for the intelligence people to do their job to prevent this kind of case?”

In other developments: • Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III called on the intelligence agen-

to leave the EU and the election of Donald Trump in the United States.

Macron reached out to Le Pen’s supporters in a plea for unity after a vicious election campaign that exposed deep economic and social divisions, as well as tensions provoked by identity and immigration.

“They voted out of anger, distress and sometimes conviction. I respect them,” he said. “I will do everything I can over the next five years to ensure that people no longer have any reason to vote for extremes,” he said.

According to a poll Monday, En Marche will receive between 24 and 26 percent of votes in legislative elections, with the Republicans party on 22 percent, the National Front 21-22 percent, the far-left France Insoumise (France Unbowed) 13 -15 percent and the Socialist Party 8-9 percent.

Macron walked on to the stage to the strains of “Ode to Joy,” the anthem of the beleaguered European Union that he has promised to strengthen after Britain’s impending exit.

His 64-year-old wife Brigitte joined him on stage with her children and grandchildren.

“He’s a symbol of hope,” said Jean-Luc Songtia, a 36-year-old driver.

“It’s like Obama eight years ago. It’s youth, it’s hope.”

His first ceremonial duty comes on Monday when he appears alongside outgoing Socialist President Francois Hollande in Paris to commemorate the defeat of Nazi Germany on May 8, 1945. AFP cies to stop terrorist attacks and to catch those responsible for them.

“I sympathize with the victims and commend the policemen for their quick response. But I am wondering where the intelligence agencies are.

Preventing these explosions is their job,” Pimentel said in a statement.

“We set aside a lot of money for intelligence agencies. If they can’t prevent these explosions, I expect that, at the very least, they can catch the culprits and prevent things like these

Environment Secretary Regina Lopez, who was rejected by the Commission on Appointments last week.

Cimatu, who is also the special envoy for Overseas Filipino Workers and refugees, will serve in an acting capacity as the head of the state environment regulator.

“Let us put an end to all speculations,” Duterte was quoted as saying in a Facebook post by Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol.

A few days before Lopez got the boot, Duterte hinted that he would transfer Cimatu to a “busier job” if things did not go well.

Lopez had stirred up a firestorm of protest in the mining industry by ordering the closure of 23 companies, the suspension of five others and the cancellation of 75 mineral production sharing agreements, but drew support from anti-mining non-government organizations and church groups.

Espenilla, who heads the BSP’s Supervision and Examination Sector, was included in the shortlist submitted by Dominguez to Duterte for the top BSP post. Others were Deputy Governor for Monetary Stability Sector Diwa Guinigundo, former Monetary Board member Peter Favila, and East West Bank vice chairman Antonio Moncupa Jr. Espenilla will succeed Tetangco, who will end his second six-year term on July

PH...

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campaign against the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf “has been intensified and relentless” as the bandits were still holding at least 27 hostages.

Armed Forces Chief Eduardo Año said the Abu Sayyaf had attempted to expand their terrorist activities outside Central Mindanao to show the government its

operations were getting wider.

He said even Metro Manila had been included in the group’s targets but government forces had been able to thwart their attempts.

He said the terrorists main operations remained in Central Mindanao, particularly in Lanao where they had their base.

Maricel V. Cruz

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TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Pump price cuts range from P0.90 to P1/liter

By Darwin Amojelar OIL companies on Monday announced a price rollback at the pumps owing to the continuing decline in international prices.

In separate statements, Pilipinas Shell, Petron Corp. PTT Philippines, Flying V and Eastern Petroleum announced a price cut of P0.90 per liter of gas, P0.90 of gasoline and P1.05 of diesel.

The price adjustments takes effect at 12:01 a.m for Flying V while Pilipinas Shell, Petron, PTT Philippines and Eastern Petroleum will cut prices at 6:00 am.

Last May 10, most of the oil companies implemented a price rollback of P0.30 per liter of gasoline, P0.20 per liter of diesel and P0.40 per liter of kerosene.

According to Energy Department Oil Price Monitor as of April 25, crude benchmarks dropped by an average of almost two dollars this week, reversing previous week increases, generally due to reports of increasing US crude production as oil shale drilling activities increased.

These were weighing over Opec plan to extend output cuts for another six months.

Data from US drilling company Baker Hughes reportedly showed on April 21 that US drillers added oilrigs for a 14th consecutive week, bringing the total count to 688.

In Asia, Platts noted a stable gasoline market, despite the Energy Information Administration data showing a surprise buildup of US gasoline stocks.

JOINT EXERCISES. Philippine military exercise director Lieutenant General Oscar Lactao (left) and his US counterpart Lieutenant General Lawrence Nicholson unfurl the Philippines-US military exercise flag during the opening of the drills at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on May 8. AFP

PH, US scale down Balikatan war games T HE Philippines and United States launched annual military exercises in Manila on Monday but the longtime allies scaled them down in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s pivot to China and Russia.

Duterte has in his 10 months in office sought to weaken ties with the United States, the Philippines’ mutual defense treaty partner and former colonial ruler that he has said is diminishing as a global superpower.

The 12-day “Balikatan” war games that opened on Monday will involve fewer than half the number of soldiers than in 2015, when they were steered

by Duterte’s pro-American predecessor, Benigno Aquino.

There will also be no focus on boosting the Philippines’ maritime defense capabilities, which in previous years had been widely seen as a show of

strength against Beijing over competing claims in the South China Sea. Duterte has reversed Aquino’s policy of challenging China forcefully on the territorial row, electing to instead pursue closer economic, political and military relations with Beijing.

While on a trip to Beijing last year Duterte, a self-described socialist, announced that he was in the “ideological flow” of China’s communist rulers.

Much of Duterte’s criticism appeared to have been triggered

by American criticism of his drug war, which has claimed thousands of lives and been

condemned by rights groups as a possible crime against humanity.

- Focus on China, Russia Duterte responded to criticism from then-US President Barack Obama by describing him using an offensive epithet and threatening to sever defense relations completely between the two nations.

Bilateral ties have warmed under Obama’s successor, Donald Trump, but Duterte has continued to signal his preference for building stronger relations with China and Russia.

Duterte is due next week to visit China for a second time as leader, and is also expected this month to travel to Moscow for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Duterte last week said he may be too busy to accept an invitation by Trump to visit Washington, even though no date had been proposed for the trip.

Previous editions of the Balikatan exercises involved large-

scale joint operations in or near the South China Sea, which China claims nearly in its entirety.

This year the exercises will focus only on counter-terrorism and disaster relief, the heads of the Philippine and US delegations said at the opening ceremony at the national military headquarters in Manila.

They will involve 2,600 American soldiers and 2,800 Filipino troops, according to both sides.

This is down from 12,000 in the 2015 edition of Balikatan, which means shoulder-to-shoulder.

The American co-director of this year’s Balikatan, Lieutenant General Lawrence Nicholson, said the US military hoped the exercises would grow again in future editions.

“If you look back on 33 years of Balikatan, they are all different. There are any number of ways it can change. It can be bigger, it can be smaller. We hope it gets bigger,” Nicholson told reporters.

I’m old, but I’m alive—Imelda UP prof urges govt to mine scandium ILOCOS Norte Rep. Imelda Romualdez-Marcos, wearing a green Filipiniana, attended Monday’s session at the House of Representatives—very much still alive.

Hours before that, Bacoor Mayor Lani Mercado-Revilla posted a message on her Twitter account, extending her “condolences over Marcos’ death.’’

“It was a pleasure and a privilege to work with Cong. Imelda Romualdez Marcos,” Mercado-Revilla said in her tweet.

The mayor eventually took down her post and apologized for the faux pas. “I would like to apologize for my tweet which I have erased. I have received a news break message informing the public about Mrs. Marcos.”

The 87-year-old Marcos laughed off the hoax and Mercado-Revilla’s tweets.

“I may be old but I’m alive,” said the former first lady.

The widow of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos is turning 88 on July 2. Maricel Cruz

MV AMAZING GRACE. The latest addition to the Philippine Red Cross’ emergency response fleet, the m/v Amazing Grace will embark on a voyage that would bring hope and relief to Filipinos in dire straits.

PRC Chairman Richard Gordon says the ship can carry up to 120 passengers, 20 vehicles and has a 35-ton freight capacity.

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales AROROY, Masbate—A professor of the University of the Philippines National Institute of Geological Sciences has urged the government and the private sector to study the potential of mining scandium in the country, a rare element found in nickel ore.

“I discovered that the nickel we are selling to China contains scandium, which is more expensive than gold. We have a very good chance of becoming big on scandium,” university professor Carlo Arcilla said.

Scandium, which is considered a rare earth element, is used for high-technology batteries as well as to increase the heat tolerance of aluminum.

“Most of our airplanes are made of aluminum but you cannot weld it because of its low tolerance to heat. Russians have discovered that when you mix scandium and aluminum, it has a much higher heat tolerance,” he said.

“The market price of scandium is currently at $170 per gram,” Arcilla added.

The Philippines is one of the largest producers of nickel in the world, most of which are shipped to China.

Arcilla said the Department of Science and Technology has agreed to give P10 million in

research fund to examine the scandium content of nickel ores in the country.

“The scandium issue is very important because if we can detect very high contents of it, then the next phase will be how to try to recover it given our existing technologies. If it cannot be recovered, too bad. But if we can do something, then we might be able to prevent the export of raw ores and then increase the value added. And that’s exactly the research that DoST and the mining companies should start funding,” he said.

Arcilla said China is currently the biggest producer of scandium.

“We should know how many percent we are shipping there without knowing. By the end of this year, we will quantify and then we will also study other potentials. We will also try to look at the presence of other rare earth elements,” he said.

“In my mind, we really have to develop our nickel industry for us to have steel. I am almost certain that every nickel mine has scandium. If we will be able to recover scandium, the economics for the nickel recovery will be increased.

That would be for value adding,” added Arcilla.

IN BRIEF NGCP vows MM energy security THE National Grid Corporation of the Philippines today said that it remains committed to support the growth, development and energy security of the western part of Metro Manila.

The statement came following reports of indignation on the court order for the Social Security System to vacate the 7.5-hectare property in Pasay City where the pension fund also holds offices. The court order was in favor of the NGCP for its infrastructure project.

“The Pasay substation is a critical infrastructure project that will support the growth, development and energy security of the Western part of Metro Manila,” NGCP said, adding that it will “comply with orders of the court including just compensation to SSS once it is determined in accordance with the existing laws.”

NGCP is eyeing a 6.08-hectare part of the Pasay property to construct 230kv substation project aimed at improving its power quality and system reliability.

The property is located at the prime Financial Center Area along Diokno Avenue in Pasay City.

Floirendo loses House post DAVAO del Norte Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr. on Monday was removed as vice chairman of the House of Representatives’ contingent to the Commission on Appointments.

House deputy majority leader Juan Pablo Bondoc of Pampanga announced in plenary session that Floirendo, belonging to President Duterte’s PDP-Laban, will be replaced

by Zamboanga Rep. Seth Frederick Jalosjos of the Nacionalista Party.

Since Jaloslos belongs to NP, the House leadership appointed Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III as the officer in charge for the PDP-Laban’s allocation in the CA. Albano, a member of the PDP-Laban, currently holds the position of majority leader for the CA’s House contingent.

Floirendo is among the House members who were absent during the voting of the death penalty bill last March 7.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez earlier said the House leadership had to enforce a “toe the party line” policy on administration measures like the death penalty bill.

Floirendo, who was in dispute with Alvarez on the issue involving Floirendo’s Tagum Agricultural Development Co., was the 13th lawmakers who was stripped of their juicy positions for failure to support the death penalty bill.

Maricel V. Cruz

A4

Opinion

TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Grossly insufficient

T

HE Twelfth Division of the Court of Appeals has acquitted Janet Lim Napoles of illegal detention.

The decision, penned

by Associate Justice Normandie Pizarro and concurred in by Justices Samuel Gaerlan and Jhosep Lopez, said a Makati court erred in convicting Napoles of detaining her relative Benhur Luy because the evidence supporting Luy’s claim was grossly insufficient to

sustain a conviction.

There was reasonable doubt, the court said, because Luy, who claimed he was detained at the Bahay ni San Jose retreat house in Magallanes Village, Makati, did not exhibit behavior consistent with somebody being held against his will.

According to the CA,

Luy did not try to escape or tell anybody of his captivity, even as he was able to meet with his family three times during the period in question.

His journal of his retreat contained spiritual reflections and no hint of a life in captivity. Finally, Luy even resisted rescue by the National Bureau of Investigation even if his brother was part of the supposed rescue team.

To be sure, the link between Luy’s supposed de-

tention and his eventual role as whistleblower for Napoles’ other cases remains too much of a coincidence.

But whatever the judgment on the illegal detention case, it’s a great consolation that Napoles is not walking free anytime soon.

She still faces plunder and malversation charges before the Sandiganbayan for her role in the pork barrel scandal—she is accused of setting up dummy non-government organizations through

which numerous lawmakers channeled their Priority Development Assistance Fund.

For many months, the pork barrel scandal galvanized Filipinos. We were all aghast at the great lengths which some public officials took to siphon off people’s money.

Unfortunately, the strong public sentiment was used as a political tool such that affiliations rather than actual guilt or innocence became the basis of who

were prosecuted and who were not.

It is apparent Napoles has a story to tell. It is the anti-graft court that must now pull her story apart and ensure nothing is left out, nothing is invented, and that all guilty parties must pay, whatever their political color.

Prosecutors must make the cases airtight. If they botch the plunder cases by failing to present sufficient evidence, public outrage is sure to follow.

A good shepherd for our country

of Corrections and the Tagum Development Corp. is merely an offshoot of the personal fight between Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and his fellow congressman from Davao del Norte (and erstwhile “BFF”) Antonio Floirendo Jr. And, as everyone knows, as well, the Tadeco probe originated from the quarrel between the partners of both Alvarez and Floirendo. The origin of that, in turn, is really something only women in certain relationships will fully understand.

But the supposed catfight between two women has now led to a full-blown investigation that has spread outside of Congress, after Alvarez used his considerable clout to get back at Floirendo, thus bringing agencies like the Department of Justice and the Ombudsman, among others, into the probe.

Surely, there must be more important things to occupy the time of those conducting this strange investigation.

I fail to understand, for example, why the Tadeco-BuCor deal, which allowed the Floirendo’s company

LAST Sunday, the Christian world celebrated Good Shepherd Sunday. The Gospel is familiar, inviting us to reflect on Jesus as the Good Shepherd. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks in terms of his flock and he as the shepherd, a depiction understood by the people during that time. In the Old Testament, the image of the Shepherd is often applied to God as well as to the leaders of the people. The book of Exodus several times calls Yahweh a shepherd. Likewise, the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel compare Yahweh’s care and protection of His people to that of a shepherd.

In Christian imagery, a shepherd is one who enters through the gate. And the gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, He walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. As shepherd of his flock, Jesus speaks of himself as the gate for the sheep.

And all who enter through him will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. Alluding to the Pharisees and Sadducees, Jesus however said that those who came before him are thieves and robbers, and the sheep will not listen to them.

In the Gospel, Jesus castigates the Pharisees for misleading the people because of their legalistic and hypocritical interpretation of the Law of Moses. The true path to salvation, according to Jesus, is by following the real shepherd, Jesus himself, who is compassionate, merciful and will offer his life for the safety of his flock.

Christ as the good shepherd is the oldest depiction of Christ, appearing in the Roman catacombs, with Christ carrying the injured, straying sheep gently on His shoulders back to the sheepfold.

This is a most popular image of Christ, which has always appealed to Christians. While us his sheep not being always guileless, with many going astray, there is reason to rejoice because of Christ as our shepherd who is genuinely concerned about our welfare.

The Pharisees and Sadducees were false shepherds who tried to mislead the people with their false teachings. Yet, despite all they did to prevent Christ from fulfilling his mission, they all failed. In the end, He rose from the dead and secure the salvation of his people.

Like in the days of old, today we still have false teachers. Fake news, alternative facts, sensationalist headlines, and messages of hate abound. They offer all sorts of teachings that purport to lead us to salvation and a utopian existence. Yet, these false teachers can only mislead and lead us to an existence worse than ever before. They can only present empty

Turn to A5

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Sing, Janet, sing!

LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES ONE of the biggest coverups of the previous administration may soon explode out into the open, now that Janet Lim Napoles has been acquitted of the charge of serious illegal detention by the Court of Appeals. Right about now, the Aquino administration officials and members of Congress (both the House and the Senate), who thought they were already in the clear as far as the billion-peso pork barrel scandal that rocked the first half of the previous government is concerned, must already be running for legal cover to avoid ending up in jail like Janet herself.

The appellate court found, as most people with half a brain already did, that Napoles’ nephew Benhur Luy had not been held against his will by “Ma’am Janet,” as Mar Roxas respectfully addressed the pork scam mastermind. But then, everyone also

knows that Napoles was convicted of illegal detention only to keep her from spilling the beans on President Noynoy Aquino, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Senate President Franklin Drilon and a host of other top officials and lawmakers who partook of her largesse; the failure of the government to properly prosecute Napoles for implementing a diabolical scheme to pocket billions in congressional project funds was the real elephant in the room that went unnoticed.

But everything about the Napoles case (the real one concerning the pork-barrel scam, not the largely irrelevant one for which she was convicted) has always smelled distinctly of a coverup from the highest levels of Malacañang and Congress on down. The fact that three senators were charged and detained for dealing with Napoles did not remove the stink—this only gave the whole whitewash operation a distinct partisan flavor, even if, by all accounts, Napoles dealt with any willing legislator regardless of party affiliation, with the help of officials of the Executive at the

highest levels.

If Napoles decides to cut a deal with the Duterte administration, which really has no motivation except to find out who stole how much with Janet’s help, she could finally complete the story.

Only she, after all, could explain how Abad “mentored” her, how Noynoy Aquino, Mar Roxas, Leila de Lima and even Edwin Lacierda

Napoles must be allowed to sing her song—and to sing it to the very end.

protected her, how a multi-partisan majority in both Houses led by Drilon benefited hugely, like she did, from her use of bogus nongovernment organizations to re-

ceive funds intended by congressional projects, for sharing later with her lawmaker “clients.”

I know President Rodrigo Duterte doesn’t consider investigating the scandals of his predecessor a priority. But Duterte should make sure that Napoles isn’t suddenly “silenced” now that she’s been acquitted, so that the people may know what truly went down.

Janet Napoles can still be prevented from singing, even if most of the officials who benefited from her unique brand of entrepreneurship are no longer in power. She must be allowed to sing her song—and to sing it to the very end. *** Today, two House committees start their investigation into alleged anomalies in the deal between the government and the biggest banana plantation in the country. Of course, as everyone now knows, the sudden keen interest in Congress and at various other agencies regarding the half-century-old joint venture agreement between the Bureau

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Opinion

PUBLIC sentiment is divided ident. He added that if he himself on the Commission on Appoint- had a choice, it would be either of ment’s rejection of Gina Lopez the two deputy governors.

In my opinion, low-key and as secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Re- unheralded BSP deputy governor Nestor Espenilla is the best choice sources.

There are those who claim that among the four.

The fact that some people close her passion and enthusiasm to protect the environment against to the President have their own irresponsible miners should be bets tells us that the independence of the BSP might be put in considered.

Those who are against her con- peril. There are issues which these firmation say she went beyond her people want to advance, foremost authority and took it upon herself of which is the control of the Anti-Money Laundering Council to commit illegal acts.

Santa Banana, she is unfit to be which has stood by its mandate despite efforts by some quarters a member of the Cabinet!

Imagine, she hired 55 consul- to prevent it from performing its tants to help her without clearing function. The council is chaired first with the Civil Service Com- by the BSP governor.

To say that the central bank’s mission!

I looked at the list of members function is critical to the ecoof the CA who were in favor of, nomic stability of the nation is an and who were against, her confir- understatement.

This institution has kept its inmation. As for the allegation that lobby money prevailed and that dependence since the time of the lawmakers would be investigat- late CB governors Miguel Cuaderno, Andres Castillo, Alfonso ed—I doubt it.

Calalang and Jobo Lopez’s reFernandez. jection boils The same goes down to one with the late Grething—she is I think the gorio Licaros, not fit to be Gabriel Singson, the head of an Rafael BuenavenExecutive De- low-key deputy tura. partment. governor, Nestor President These things Duterte will do bring me back Espenilla, is the the country a great to why Presi- best candidate. service if he does dent Rodrigo not mess around Duterte should with the central not have apbank tradition. pointed her in The advantage of both Espethe first place. Is it true she does not have a college degree? As far nilla and Gunigundo is that they as I can remember, she was a drug have risen from the ranks. Of addict committed by her parents, them, the latter is the public face the late Geny Lopez and his first of the BSP, asked to explain the wife, Concita Lao, to DARE BSP’s position on reactions to Foundation managed by former economic news, or elaborate on priest Bob Garon. I was then vice policy announcements.

Espenilla, on the other hand, is president of DARE. Would you believe Gina sued her mother embedded in BSP regulatory matwhen she joined the Indian Bud- ters. His work has had real impact on the country’s fiscal position. dhist cult, Ananda Marga?

I am citing all these as a back- He helped strengthen the Philipground and wake-up call for pine banking system; today, PhilMalacañang to dig deep into the ippine banks are considered the backgrounds of its appointees. healthiest in Southeast Asia. They Remember what happened with have stronger capitalization. As a former Foreign Affairs Secre- result, they are more capable of tary Perfecto Yasay? Now we handling shocks.

Espenilla made the needs of have Lopez herself. local consumers a priority. He institutionalized the National Re*** In a few days, and perhaps within tail Payment System project and the week, President Duterte will ap- pushed for a more inclusive bankpoint the successor of Amado Tet- ing system. This allowed micro, angco as governor of the Bangko small and medium enterprises and low-income individuals to Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The announcement has been de- avail themselves of a wider array layed mainly due to what my sourc- of financial services, especially in es say is the attempts of some peo- unbanked and underbanked rural ple close to the President to include areas. This he achieved through a balanced regulatory approach. names of their own preference.

Espenilla is a skilled watchdog Among the names being mentioned are Nestor Espenilla Jr., and an economist. He has reinDiwa Gunigundo, Peter Favila forced the Philippine banking system such that our banks are now and Antonio Moncupa Jr. Espenilla and Gunigundo are deemed among the most resilient deputy governors. Favila was in the region.

[Editor’s note: As of press time, former president of the Bankers Association of the Philippines Espenilla has been named BSP and member of the Monetary governor.] *** Board. Moncupa is East-West There are efforts to privatize 46 Bank president.

All of them are competent and casinos of the Philippine Amusequalified. This is also probably ment and Gaming Corp.—and I why the President is having a diffi- say it’s about time.

I have been urging previous adcult time deciding. But if Tetangco himself were to be asked, he would ministrations and now the Duterte rather have either of his deputies to administration to privatize Pagcor’s casinos. There is a clear continue his record.

Finance Secretary Carlos conflict of interest here. Pagcor is Dominguez has said that the new the regulator of casinos and other BSP governor would be the most forms of gambling. At the same important appointment by the Pres- time, it operates casinos.

Sing,...

From A4

to use and develop idle land belonging to the state penal system, has become the subject of a probe only now. If you compare the deal with a similar case like the lease by a company owned by the family that owns the Inquirer of government land in Makati, for instance, it becomes immediately apparent that there have been no real complaints against the Floirendos over the years, unlike those which have hounded the Prietos.

Indeed, while the Prietos have used every legal trick in the book to delay the return of the land to the government or at least to keep the ridiculous rent they are paying for it from increasing, the Floiren-

dos have only a decade ago agreed to the renegotiated terms set by the state for the use of Tadeco’s land.

And now, because of Alvarez’s desire to get back at his ex-friend Floirendo after their mistresses’ fight, two House panels and a raft of other government agencies are chasing Tadeco.

Hell hath no fury, apparently, like a House speaker whose woman feels she has been offended.

Only sometimes, you really wish that if our officials are fighting a personal quarrel, there must be a way to make them pay for the trouble from their own pockets and to leave us all out of it.

A5

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Opportunism and Leni Robredo

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

The next BSP governor

TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA THE two weeks prior to the recent four-day weekend saw several public officials making preposterous, self-serving allegations.

In the spotlight is Leni Robredo, the purported vice president of the Philippines, whose public acceptance has deteriorated drastically these past months.

According to the final tally of the Commission on Elections, Robredo won the May 2016 vice presidential election by a margin of more than 200,000 votes over her closest rival, ex-Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Although the Congress proclaimed Robredo as the winner, Robredo’s supposed victory wasn’t as credible as she had hoped it to be.

Right after the polls closed on election day, and when the tally began, Marcos was winning by over a million votes over Robredo.

A few days thereafter, Marcos’ lead was slowly but systematically trimmed. By the sixth day, Robredo was winning.

Was this unusual turn of electoral events attributable to computer fraud? Let the following facts speak for themselves.

Robredo was the Liberal Party bet for vice president. The national headquarters of the LP was the Novotel Hotel at the Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City. This hotel is owned by the family of Mar Roxas, the LP candidate for president. Smartmatic was the foreign service provider retained by the Comelec for the

operation and maintenance of the automated voting machines used in the May 2016 national elections.

Days before election day, the Comelec moved its nerve-center to the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

Instead of housing the foreign executives of Smartmatic at one of the many reputable hotels at the PICC complex, the Comelec billeted them at the Novotel.

On election day, it was reported that several voting machines were seen at the Novotel. After Comelec head Andres Bautista inspected a few, but not all, of the rooms of the hotel, he declared that there was no basis for the report.

It was discovered that a Smartmatic official made alterations on the computer program of the voting machines without the permission of the Comelec. After that, Robredo, who was losing in the initial tallies for the past days, was suddenly winning over Marcos.

The facts have spoken.

At any rate, Marcos filed an election protest with the Supreme Court sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal. Claiming it was Marcos who cheated her, Robredo filed a separate election protest with the PET. After due proceedings, the PET directed Marcos and Robredo to pay their respective protest fees in two installments. Although Marcos paid his first installment, Robredo maintained that she ought to pay her protest fee only after the Marcos election protest shall have been resolved.

Because that excuse did not convince the PET, Robredo was forced to pay the first installment of her protest fee. According to her press releases, Robredo’s

relatives raised the P8 million needed. How much was contributed by the LP is uncertain.

Robredo’s political career has been characterized by opportunism. She got elected to the House of Representatives in 2013 on the fame she inherited from her late husband, a Cabinet secretary of former President Benigno Aquino III. After Grace Poe turned down the LP offer for her to run as its vice presidential bet in the May 2016 polls, Robredo readily agreed to do so, even if it was obvious she was only the LP’s second choice.

The Robredo campaign strategy for the vice presidency highlighted her having worn slippers like her husband did, and her having ridden an air-conditioned bus to Bicol.

Taking advantage of the defeat of the LP presidential candidate, Robredo ordained herself as the leader of the political opposition.

Robredo currently resides in a large mansion in the plush New Manila district of Quezon City owned by the LP-controlled QC government – a privilege past vice presidents never enjoyed because they were not partymates of the QC mayor during their terms.

The unsuccessful attempt by Robredo to avoid paying the P8million installment also speaks much about her. It’s time Robredo realized that she can’t be a freeloader all the time.

Expectedly, Robredo alleges that in paying his election protest fee, Bongbong Marcos is using ill-gotten wealth to return to power. Robredo’s frequent reference to the so-called ill-gotten wealth of the Marcos family is not only irritatingly repetitious; it underscores her manifest in-

ability to discuss and fathom other social and political issues.

Perhaps Robredo is unaware that her campaign bogeyman about the so-called Marcos wealth is no longer as effective as it was during the 1986 elections. Robredo used that bogeyman to scare the electorate against voting for Bongbong Marcos as vice president. She also asserted that a vote for Bongbong will restore the Marcos family to power.

Obviously, Robredo’s strategy failed. Despite the alleged corruption Robredo attributed to the Marcos family, Bongbong Marcos obtained millions of votes, enough to put him in the lead in the initial tallies.

If the Marcos family were as bad as Robredo tried to portray them to be, Bongbong Marcos should have been clobbered at the polls. On the contrary, the millions of votes Marcos got from the electorate not only upset Robredo’s prophecy; it also proved that the Filipino people have had enough of anti-Marcos rhetoric. Political analysts also observed that the millions of votes for Marcos in May 2016 were also votes against the corrupt regime of President Aquino III and his henchmen in the LP— which happens to be the political party of Robredo.

Marcos had many accomplishments as a senator. His greatest achievement was his having almost single-handedly stopped the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (endorsed by President Aquino III) which would have dismembered the Republic of the Philippines.

What has Robredo accomplished as a member of the Congress or as vice president?

What Macron can do for free markets everywhere

By Mohamed A. El-Erian ONCE the initial market relief plays out—that, even during an unprecedented “anti-establishment” wave in both Europe and the US, French voters rejected a far right president in Marine Le Pen of the National Front—interest will shift to how relative newcomer Emmanuel Macron will manage to govern in a country accustomed to mainstream politics. And it is not just about his prospects for reinvigorating the French economy and, working closely with Germany, spearheading a modernization of Europe. It is also about a bigger and more consequential issue: The extent to which endogenous political disruptions are opening the way for better economic governance in the West rather than just setting the stage for a bigger eventual political shock.

Preliminary results from France confirm what markets were expecting: A decisive loss for Le Pen. With the markets’ near certainty now becoming certainty, this is likely to give a further boost to risk sentiment in the short-run. However, the resulting rise in stocks, the appreciation of the Euro, and the fall in the France-Germany government bond spreads will likely be tempered by what has already been priced following Macron’s

first round win and the opinion polls forecasting Sunday’s vote.

Meanwhile, the European Central Bank and the Swiss National Bank will be putting their contingency plans back on the shelf, with the ECB also preparing for greater pressure to ease off the monetary policy accelerator.

Beyond the immediate reactions, much will depend on the consequences of an establishment shakeup that speaks to considerable dissatisfaction among younger citizens. Remember, over half of them voted in the first round for fringe candidates: Le Pen of the extreme right and Jean-Luc Melenchon on the far left.

Like her father’s loss to Jacques Chirac in 2002, Le Pen was unable to convert her relatively good first round showing into sufficient country-wide support in the second round of the presidential elections. Instead, she lost to a combination of genuine support for Macron and the coming together of voters insisting that France should not be led by someone from the National Front.

This highlights the challenges facing Macron who, just a few months ago, was a long shot in a crowded presidential field. He inherits a divided nation that, yes, resisted extreme politics yet remains highly dissatisfied with a system that has staggered through

too many years of low growth, high youth unemployment, and glaring inequalities.

Now that Macron has been elected, markets will be gradually shifting their focus to his ability to overcome gridlock both at home and in Europe. Ahead of parliamentary elections in June, his choice of prime minister will signal how he intends to “cohabitate” as he tries to reinvigorate France within what he hopes will be a stronger and more coherent growth-oriented Europe. He must both cooperate with and shape a National Assembly whose longstanding mainstream parties just suffered a humiliating defeat at the polls.

It is a challenge that, in many ways, is similar to that facing two other G7 leaders who came to their countries’ highest office on the back of the anti-establishment wave—President Donald Trump of the US and Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain. All three leaders agree that the economy can—and should—benefit from low corporate tax rates and a slimmed-down government. They also agree that regionalization and globalization—as well as the evolution of national identity—need to pay greater attention to both real and perceived economic losers, even if they constitute a minority relative to the beneficiaries.

More generally, the Macron-

May-Trump outcomes speak to an historic internal disruption to the functioning of traditional politics in the advanced world. And it is part of the larger erosion of trust, credibility, and effectiveness of the establishment, and not just in the public sector.

The jury is still out as to whether these three leaders will be able to lead mainstream-dominated parliaments in unleashing productivity, economic growth, and more inclusive market-based economies. Much will depend on the reaction of establishment forces that remain in control of significant parts of the public and private sectors.

Rather than a decisive blow to anti-establishment wave, as some are claiming, Macron’s victory is a stop along a journey whose destination is still in question.

If the internal political disruption France and other Western countries are experiencing delivers higher and more inclusive growth, it will mark a revitalization of liberal democracies in a pro-market fashion. If it fails, it is just a matter of time before France will be dealing with a more mainstream National Front, more inward anti-establishment forces, and greater sympathy for the view that the Eurozone is about the past and not the future. And that is an outcome that markets would find destabilizing. Bloomberg

sent the letter also showed their ignorance because it will be not be her family that will support Aika in Harvard. She, in fact, earned a scholarship. Having known Aika in the Ateneo de Manila University where she studies and having seen her perform as an assistant to former Undersecretary Alexander Pama, the disaster chief during the Aquino administration, I can say for sure that Aika has all the qualities to be a scholar in Harvard or any other university.

This inclusion of children of public officials in hate campaigns is a sad development. It is evil. Today, it is the daughter of Leni Robredo.

A few months ago, even the grandchild of President Duterte was ridiculed because of his unusual name.

In last year’s campaign, the children of Senator Grace Poe were viciously attacked because they were born dual citizens. Earlier, the children of VP Binay who were not public officials were also subject to the same attacks. There is no excuse for this behavior and there must be zero tolerance for it.

Unfortunately, many of us rely solely on our own strength, thinking, although mistakenly, that we do

not need a shepherd. This is sheer foolishness. Our personal and human history will tell us that nonbelief and non-reliance on God, the all-powerful and all-knowing God, always leads to worse troubles for ourselves. Sometimes we think we know all the facts of life while we are in total ignorance of the most basic fact of all, namely, the very purpose of life. To salve the pangs of unease, we often immerse ourselves deeper and deeper in the affairs and the passing pleasures of this temporary life. It is good that we have a merciful shepherd who is more than willing to look for the sheep gone astray and nurse him back to life.

We know that if we follow Christ, the shepherd of our souls, we are on the way to the true life, the perfect life, the unending life which will have no admixture of sorrow, regret or pain. Where Christ is, there perfect happiness is, and there with God’s grace we hope and trust to be.

The Gospel last Sunday teaches us to be good shepherds in the mold of Christ. One who genuinely takes care of those who depends on us, is willing to sacrifice for those entrusted to their care. Hence pastors, parents, teachers, doctors, nurses,

government officials and politicians are all shepherds. Parents, as shepherds, must give their children good counsel, and nurture them with due regard to the welfare of their physical, moral and spiritual well being. Teachers must give their very best to impart their knowledge to their students. The rich must not live selfishly but must be willing to share their wealth to the less fortunate. And lastly, those in positions of power, they must rule not with an iron hand, abusing the power entrusted to them by the people but must govern with wisdom and with utmost regard to the well-being of all. All must be guided by the precepts of love, gentleness, and justice that Christ taught his disciples when he was still living with us.

Today, more than ever, the country needs the Good Shepherd so we can all be good shepherds, servantleaders in the genuine sense of the word, of our institutions, organizations, communities, and families.

Let’s all pray for that, especially now as the Easter season culminates in a few weeks.

A good...

From A4 promises and live in delusion of a just, peaceful, and prosperous society. More often than not they can only offer an illusion, a mirage that dissembles but cannot offer reality.

A good example is the impeachment complaint against Vice President Leni Robredo. Clearly, it has no legal or political basis. Obviously, it is being done only to weaken her standing. No matter how one twists her words, a speech by itself can never be the basis of betrayal of public trust. Thankfully, no representative has endorsed it; in fact, one of those eyed to endorse the case, Rep. Jericho Nograles of the Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) party-list vehemently disowned it, even threatening disbarment charges against the lawyers who prepared the complaint. The President himself has described the charges as garbage not worth spending time on.

Another example of extreme malice is the reported letter sent to Harvard University that was intended to derail the admission of Aika Robredo to the Kennedy School of Government. Aside from again inventing the existence of corruption when there is none, the haters who

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News

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TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

SC: Two strikes on SOCE filing equals perpetual ban

By Rey E. Requejo

A

CANDIDATE for an elective post who has failed twice to file his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures or SOCE within 30 days from the day of the election is perpetually disqualified to hold public office, the Supreme Court declared yesterday.

In an en banc decision penned

by Justice Lucas P. Bersamin, the High Court stressed that perpetual disqualification to hold public office “is the additional penalty imposed on candidates” who repeatedly failed to file their SOCE under Section 14 of Republic Act No. 7166, the law on synchronized national and local elections.

With the ruling, the SC upheld the perpetual disqualification to hold public office imposed by the Commission on Elections on Sept. 8, 2016 against Joel T. Maturan, who failed to file his SOCE for the 2010 gubernatorial and 2013 mayoralty elections in Basilan province.

Maturan filed his Certificate of Candidacy for governor of

Basilan on Oct. 16, 2015. However, Allan Patinio, a registered voter, filed a petition for Maturan’s disqualification for failure to file his SOCEs for the two preceding elections.

However, Maturan that he could not be disqualified because he had paid a fine for nonfiling of SOCE for 2010, and he withdrew his candidacy for the 2013 election. Later, he claimed the penalty of perpetual disqualification is “harsh and cruel.”

After the Comelec handed down its decision perpetually disqualifying him, Maturan elevated the issue before the Supreme Court.

In ruling against Maturan, the SC dismissed his petition and ruled the Comelec did not commit grave abuse of discretion in

imposing upon him the penalty.

“In imposing the penalty, the Comelec clearly acted within the bounds of its jurisdiction in view of the clear language of Section 14 of RA No. 7166,” the high court ruled.

Section 14 provides that “Every candidate and treasurer of the political party shall, within 30 days after the day of the election, file in duplicate with the offices of the Commission the full, true and itemized statement of all contributions and expenditures in connection with the election” “For the commission of a second or subsequent offense under this section, the administrative fine shall be from P2,000 to P60,000, in the discretion of the Commission. In addition, the

offender shall be subject to perpetual disqualification to hold public office,” the law adds.

The SC pointed out that Congress “has deemed fit to impose the penalty of perpetual disqualification on candidates who repeatedly failed to file their SOCEs cannot be the subject of judicial inquiry.”

The tribunal said Congress “has the absolute discretion to penalize by law” with perpetual disqualification from holding public office, in addition to administrative fines, the seekers of public office who fail more than once to file their SOCEs. “Such penalty is intended to underscore the need to file the SOCE as another means of ensuring the sanctity of the electoral process,” the court added.

Military pursuing NPA in Bukidnon

MMDA to clear all of Roxas Boulevard THE Metro Manila Development Authority will clear the long stretch of Roxas Boulevard from Manila to Parañaque of illegal structures and terminals.

MMDA General Manager Tim Orbos said yesterday they had already advised owners and operators along the service road that illegallyparked vehicles will be eventually towed by the agency’s towing and impounding personnel or by its accredited towing firms.

Road obstructions such as stalls, bollards and unauthorized signage will be dismantled as well by MMDA personnel, Orbos said.

“Like what we did in Baclaran, we had informed them that the service road should be cleared of obstruction to allow the unhampered flow of traffic. They have no choice but to comply,” he said.

The MMDA official said the Baclaran template is a combination of series of coordination and consultation with various stakeholders in the area, including the barangay and local chief executives concerned, to prevent any untoward incident and ensure that the clearing operations will be done smoothly.

“We have been informing them of President Duterte’s directive to decongest not only Roxas Boulevard but also the rest of the roads and streets in Metro Manila to ease the traffic condition,” Orbos said.

With all the road obstructions and structures cleared, Orbos said motorists can now use the four lanes of the service road from Vito Cruz up to T. M. Kalaw. Vito Barcelo

House: ‘Siga’ will soon be outlawed

By Lance Baconguis CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY— The military on Monday said it is pursuing suspected New People’s Army forces as they try to locate a soldier held captive by the rebels in Bukidnon last week.

This developed as a suspected member of the communist insurgents was killed Friday in an encounter with troops of the 8th Infantry Battalion under the 403rd Infantry Brigade, brigade spokesperson Captain Norman Tagros said.

The rebel, who remains unidentified, was killed at around 4:30 p.m. on May 5 in the outskirts of Sitio Lagaslasan, Barangay Kulaman, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.

"The incident took place after the troops who conducted focused military operations in the area were fired upon by more or less five armed men," Tagros said.

“The operations were launched in response to the complaints of the residents about the presence of armed men who are constantly threatening the civilians while asking for food and extorting money from the residents.”

In a different part of Bukidnon, the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division has deployed troops to go after the captors of Technical Sergeant Joseph Paredes, who belonged to the 8th IB, a unit of the 4ID. According to Captain Joe Patrick Martinez, 4ID spokesperson, Paredes was unarmed and was with his wife on board a motorcycle when taken by force by the NPA rebels in Barangay Poblacion, Valencia City, Bukidnon.

Paredes “was on RNR [rest and recreation] and was preparing for his retirement,” Martinez said.

The capture of Paredes happened just as the NPA fighters raided a security agency office, while their comrades set up a blockade on a portion of the highway in that area last Friday.

IN BRIEF

SEND-OFF CEREMONY. Three Philippine Coast Guard vessels—BRP Pampanga, BRP Tubbataha and Tugboat Habagat—left Pier 15 on Monday for a Marine Pollution Exercise with Indonesia and Japan from May 15 to18 in Bali. Norman Cruz

‘Employers cannot collect cash bonds’

By Vito Barcelo THE Department of Labor and Employment has warned employers from illegally collecting cash bonds from their workers.

The warning came following reports that several employers force employees to post bonds for the duration of their employment.

Labor Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod said the Labor department is considering complaints of employees.

“My office has been receiving complaints from maintenance workers because cash bonds were being unlawfully deducted from their wages without their

consent or proper documentation. This is clearly a violation of the law,” Maglunsod said.

Advisory No. 11, Series of 2014, known as the “Non-Interference in the Disposal of Wages and Allowable Deductions,” states that no employer “shall make any deduction from employees’ wages unless indicated on the exemptions in the law.”

Maglunsod stressed that workers should have complete knowledge in the form of written documents before their employers deduct any amount of cash or bonds from their wages.

The Labor advisory states that exemptions are only those deductions intended for in-

surance premiums advanced by the employer in behalf of the employee, or those with written authorization of the employee for cash deposits to answer for loss or damage of tools, materials, or equipment supplied by the employers.

The advisory emphasized that “if a private security agency requires a cash deposit from its employees, the maximum amount shall not exceed the employee’s one-month basic salary, and it can be deducted from their wages which shall not exceed 20 percent of the worker’s salary in a week.”

In cases of allowable deductions, the contributed amounts should be returned to employees.

“If the workers’ contract has ended or they have already resigned from their positions, their cash bonds should be returned to them in full amount, most especially if they did not have any financial liability to the employers,” Maglunsod said.

He encouraged workers to continue reporting abusive employers, even as he assured them of protecting their identity.

“We will protect the workers.

This is the role of DoLE. We will help them and talk to the management to return the collected cash bond. Workers should not be afraid of reporting these unlawful acts because these are your rights,” he said.

THE House of Representatives has declared illegal the practice of “siga’’ or burning as a way of disposing garbage such as leaves or wood, especially in backyards and empty lots.

This after the House committee on ecology approved House Bill 4271 that seeks to ban traditional, small-scale community incineration, amending for the purpose Republic Act 8749, otherwise known as the Clean Air Act of 1999.

The bill, authored by Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy of Bagong Henerasyon party-list, also aims to increase the penalty for burning of solid wastes by amending Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

Dy explained the act of burning trash, leaves, paper, or wood is not beneficial to the environment.

“The cultural belief that burning leaves is good for trees has no scientific basis whatsoever. The resulting smoke is a daily nuisance for all Filipinos who have to breathe the polluted air,” Herrera-Dy said.

In her sponsorship speech during the hearing presided by the committee’s senior vice chairperson Rep. Lawrence Fortun of Agusan del Norte, the lawmaker said burning even biodegradable products releases harmful pollutants and particles into the air, including carcinogens and furans.

She said the burning of treated wood releases arsenic while burning plastic and PVC (polyvinyl chloride) products release hydrogen chloride. On the other hand, incinerating painted items releases lead, she explained.

“These things we unconsciously breathe into our bodies daily by inhaling polluted air. We increase our risks for asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, reduced lung function, pulmonary cancer, pneumonia, heart disease, stroke and birth defects,” HerreraDy said. Maricel V. Cruz

Asean confirms US as ‘strategic partner’

SUSPECTED BOMBER. Manila Police District Director Joel Coronel (left) presents Abel Macaraya, one of the suspects in the April 28 bombing in Quiapo. Norman Cruz

THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations reaffirmed the strategic partnership with the United States in the region’s foreign ministers’ meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Q. Tillerson in Washington, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Monday.

“The Philippines reaffirms the importance of the Asean-US partnership especially to our community building,” Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo told Tillerson during the meeting.

“There is a high degree of convergence of interest between Asean and the US in maritime security, nuclear non-proliferation, cyber security, and combatting transnational crime, including terrorism and violent extremism, and trafficking in persons,” Manalo added.

The Philippines “looks forward to deeper cooperation between Asean and the US following the entry into force of the Asean Convention on Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children in March this year,” he said.

The country serves as chairman of Asean for 2017, which coincides with the 50th Anniversary of the group’s establishment.

“The Philippines looks forward to the US renewed commitment to Asean-US strategic partnership at the upcoming Asean Post-Ministerial Conferences (PMC) + 1 in August and the 5th Asean-US Summit in November,” he added.

Tillerson and US President Donald J. Trump confirmed their attendance to the two meetings in Manila.

The two sides also exchanged views on the situation in the Ko-

rean Peninsula and agreed on the need for the full implementation of all relevant UN Security Council Resolutions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

They also reaffirmed the importance of adhering to a rules-based order in the South China Sea. Manalo underscored the Philippines’ commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes to achieve peace and stability in the region.

He expressed hope for an early agreement on a framework for the Code of Conduct in the SCS and the expeditious conclusion of the CoC itself.

Asean and the US also discussed their economic relations and welcomed further expansion of trade and investment ties, the DFA said in a statement.

Vito Barcelo

Sports

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TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

2024 Olympic Games’ race heats up L

OS ANGELES —The race for the right to stage the 2024 Olympics heads into the home straight this week as a team of International Olympic Committee delegates arrives in Los Angeles to inspect the city’s bid for the Games.

With just four months to go until the crunch vote in Lima that will decide the victors of the bidding war, the IOC Evaluation Commission will spend three days running the rule over Los Angeles before heading to rival Paris next week.

The final months of campaigning have been dominated by in-

trigue over the possibility that the IOC may seek to award both the 2024 and 2028 Summer Games when it votes in the Peruvian capital on September 13.

The IOC has set up a working group to study that possibility, widely seen as a move to lock in what are viewed as two highquality, low-risk bids at a time

when fewer and cities are willing to take on the vast cost of staging the games.

Publicly, however, neither Los Angeles nor Paris bid officials have been willing to entertain the possibility of accepting 2028 hosting rights as a consolation prize for missing out on 2024.

Paris co-chairman Tony Estanguet said in March it was “now or never” for 2024 and that the French capital would “not come back for 2028.”

Los Angeles counterpart Casey Wasserman stopped short of issuing an ultimatum, but maintained the city remained focused only on 2024.

“No one’s a candidate for

2028. I think that’s a hypothetical and it’s not worth discussing,” Wasserman told AFP in a recent interview.

Raising the stakes The refusal of Los Angeles and Paris to blink first over 2028 raises the stakes for the visits of the IOC Evaluation Commission to both cities.

Los Angeles 2024 officials will spend this week aiming to demonstrate to visiting IOC delegates, who arrive on Tuesday, why the gleaming Californian metropolis is the right city at the right time.

Front and center of the city’s bid is the fact that a 2024 Games in Los Angeles would require no new venue construction, with

events held in an array of existing arenas or stadiums that are already under construction.

The historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum—the centerpiece of the 1932 and 1984 Olympics—will once again feature prominently, revived by a multimillion-dollar makeover that is already under way.

The Coliseum will feature in an innovative opening ceremony shared with the glittering $2.4 billion stadium being built on Hollywood Park as the home of the National Football League’s Los Angeles Rams, due to open in 2019.

The Olympic athletes village —often a big-ticket construction

project in the past—will be based on recently renovated facilities on the leafy campus of UCLA, which is presently home to some 14,000 students.

“You can come to LA and sleep in one of the rooms tomorrow if you want,” Wasserman told journalists at a recent round-table briefing, in which he spoke of a “very clear line in the sand” between Los Angeles and Paris.

“Los Angeles is a bid that can uniquely connect the Olympic Games with the future,” he said.

“And the reason we can say that and the reason we can absolutely do that is because we’ve got universal public support and we’ve got all of our facilities that exist today. AFP

Ginebra launches Ganado Classics Jersey Collection

By Klyde Manansala

Ginebra San Miguel officials and players offer a toast during the launching of the Ganado Classics Jersey Collection. They are (from left) Alan Mercado, national sales manager; Ron Molina, marketing manager; Bernard Marquez, GSMI president; players Scottie Thompson; Mark Caguioa and Bal David. Lino Santos

AS Ginebra San Miguel Inc. celebrates the 30th year of the “Never Say Die” spirit, the company launched the Ganado Classics: 3-Decade Jersey Collection promo recently at the PBA Cafe, Metrowalk, Pasig City.

In partnership with the most wellknown basketball team in Asia, GSMI and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel gave their die-hard fans a chance to own the jerseys that became a part of Ginebra San Miguel’s thrilling basketball history.

The team featured the names and numbers that kept Ginebra’s never-say-die spirit for the past three decades—from Sonny Jaworski’s legendary era to the team’s latest rising star Scottie Thompson.

Paolo Tupaz, brand manager of Ginebra promised that the brand will continue to give what the fans deserve.

“It’s really a celebration of the NSD attitude of Ginebra San Miguel. These jerseys are representations of the notable players from the different Ginebra eras. From the birth of the never-say-die spirit through the ‘Living Legend’ Robert Jaworski to the new generation of Gin Kings that continued the legacy,” Tupaz said.

PBA stars Mark Caguioa, Thompson and Bal David graced the affair to showcase their own jerseys and had some words to thank their avid fans who continue to support the famous franchise for the past 30 years.

Fans of the Gin Kings, old and new, can collect all five jerseys from Jaworski’s #7 of the First Edition (1985); Bal David #1 for Ginebra Na! jersey (1996); Mark “The Spark” Caguioa #47 for Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings jersey(1999); and Scottie Thompson #6 for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel jersey (2012).

Jaworski wasn’t able to attend the launch, but was able to send his greetings through a recorded video.

“Sigurado po ito ay magbibigay ng napakalaking excitement sa fans dahil alam naman natin na ang bawat uniform ay may istorya,” said Jaworski.

Five (5) seals of Ginebra San Miguel or Vino Kulafu or any three (3) caps of GSM Blue, GSM Blue Flavors and Primera Light Brandy entitle customers to purchase one jersey for only P100 at different supermarkets or convenience stores nationwide.

The special promo will run from May 1 to Aug. 31.

Candon City bet is 1st Age Group U18 chess champ Dynamic duo CEBU CITY—Candon City wunderkind Mecel Angela Gadut emerged with flourish as the first champion (U8 girls) in the ongoing National Age Group Chess Championships at Robinson’s Galleria here.

An Asian Youth and ASEAN Age Group chess championships silver medalist protégé of Ilocos Sur Gov. Ryan Luis Singson and Candon City Mayor Ericson Singson, Gadut swept the opposition, posting nine points in as many rounds.

Finishing runner-up a full point behind Gadut, who had Eventual champion Mecel Angela Gadut (right) battles Jirah Floravie her first brush with chess piec- Cutiyog for the first gold medal in the National Age Group Chess es when she was five years old Championships at Cebu Ciity Robinson’s Galleria. under the tutelage of her father, was Jirah Floravie Cutiyog of Rounding out the podium egory of the tourney co-preGen.Trias, Cavite. finishers in the youngest cat- sented by Province of Cebu

and Marty Pimentel with the support of Philippine Sports Commission was Kaye Lalaine Regidor of Sta. Rosa, Laguna with six points.

With four rounds to go, Los Banos, Laguna’s Manuel Concio, Jr., consistent ASEAN agegroup gold medalist, and Cedric Kahlel Abris of Mandaluyong City (both still unscathed), are poised to clinch top honors in their respective brackets.

Concio stands three points away from his closest pursuer in U12 boys, Mark Jay Bacojo, perennial ASEAN age-group medalist himself, while two points separate Abris from secondrunning Karlycris Clarito Jr. and Dwayne Pahaganas in U10 boys.

Continuing to sport immacu-

late slate (nine points over nine rounds) in U8 boys are Al-Basher Buto of Cainta, Rizal and Ruslan Pamplona of Passi, Iloilo.

John Marvin Miciano of Davao holds sway in the U20 boys, Dale Bernardo of Angeles City in U18 and Gal Brien Palasigue of Makati inU16 and Daniel Quizon in U14.

Leaders in the girls’ division include Mira Mirano of Aklan (U20), WFM Allanney Jia Doroy (U18), Kylen Joy Mordido of Dasmarinas, Cavite and Francois Marie Magpily of Makati (U16), Irish Yngayo of Davao (U14), Queen Rose Pamplona of Passi,Iloilo and Jerlyn San Diego of Dasmarinas, Cavite (U12) and Antonella Racasa of Marikina City (U10).

Global-Cebu rallies past JPV; Ilocos, Davao battle to a draw GLOBAL-CEBU battled back from a goal down in the second half to score a narrow 2-1 win over JPV Marikina, while new clubs Ilocos United and Davao Aguilas fought to a 1-1 draw in the Philippines Football League lhe Midfielder Paul Mulders scored the winner from the penalty spot in the 61st minute, after Amani Aguinaldo’s header off a set piece cancelled out Takashi Odawara’s opener for JPV at Binan Stadium.

Global coach Marjo Allado hailed his side’s character as the Cebu side quickly erased JPV’s lead before going on to grab maximum points that put them level with Meralco Manila, which leads the table on goal difference.

“It was a come-from-behind

win, but what’s important here is the three points,” said Allado. “It’s very important to win and a good sign for Global.

We started slow, but we saw the willingness to score and the desire to win. JPV was very organized in defense in the first half, but we told the team at halftime to stay calm and goals will come.”

Mulders scored from the spot after JPV was called for handball. “He’s very calm,” Allado said of Mulders. “As a penalty taker, we’re confident when he takes it.”

Allado said Aguinaldo’s header off Pika Minegshi’s pass was a product of work on the training ground.

“We train for those set pieces, but Amani’s timing was perfect and he made a good connection

on the ball,” Allado said.

The Global coach expects the squad to improve as the season goes on, considering that new signing, Guinean striker Sekou Sylla, was only making his debut with the squad.

“We’re still adjusting with (Sekou) Sylla because he’s a new player, but I hope in the next game he will do better same with the rest of the team,” Allado said.

Over at Quirino Stadium in Vigan, new clubs Ilocos United and Davao Aguilas split the points in their season debut.

Fil-Belgian midfielder Dylan De Bruyckner put the away side on top with a cool finish five minutes after the restart, before John Kanayama equalized for Ilocos with 11 minutes remaining.

GOLF KING. Miguel Tabuena (center) holds his trophy as he poses

with Luisita Golf and Country Club general manager Jeric Hechanova (left) and Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. executive director Narlene Soriano after snaring the $60,000 ICTSI Luisita Championship crown via playoff over South African Mathiam Keyser over the weekend.

lifts PCU past Far Eastern U FORMER NCAA champion Philippine Christian University unleashed the “Dynamic Duo” of Michael Ayonayon and Jon Von Tambeling when it mattered to subdue FEU-NRMF-Gerry’s Grill, 98-97, in the 2017 MBL Open basketball championship at the EAC Sports Center.

Ayonayon and Tambeling produced 61 points between them in a deadly two-man game that powered PCU to its second straight win and a share of the lead with Colegio de San Lorenzo-V Hotel.

FEU-NRMF fell to 3-1.

Ayonayon finished with 31 points, including 21 in the second half while eluding FEU’s defenders with his cat-quick drives to the basket and timely howitzers.

Tambeling, who earned MVP honor in PCU’s runner-up in the MBL last year, added 30 points highlighted by a couple of ankle-breaking moves to the delight of a big weekend crowd.

“We surprised them (Tamaraws) with our running game. They have the experience, so we turned to our youth,” said PCU coach Elvis Tolentino, who called the shots together with his father, Ato Tolentino.

Tolentino lauded the support of PCU president Dr. Junifen Gauuan and Institute of Physical Education, Arts and Culture director Putli Martha Beata Ijiran.

Fil-Canadian sensation Clay Crellin led the way for FEU with 23 points, including three threepointers that kept the Tamaraws in the thick of the fight in the toyrnament supported by Smart Sports, Ironcon Builders, Star Bread, Dickies Underwear and Gerry’s Grill.

Glen Gravengard added 18 piinrs and Erwin Sta. Maria and Raniel Jake Diwa contributed 16 pounrs each for the Tamaraws of coach Pido Jarencio and manager Nino Reyes.

Ex-PBA star Jerwin Gaco was held to only two points and went 0-of-4 from the line in limited minutes.

Earlier, CdSL-V Hotel subdued MLQU-Victoria Spiets, 89-79, and Dikiman College-JPA Freight Logistics bested Emilio Aguinaldo College, 72-56.

The scores: PCU (98)—Ayonayon 31, Tambeling 30, Pallatao 10, Mescallado 8, Apreku 7, Vasquez 5, Sazon 3, Sumalacay 2, Malto 2, Bautista 0.

FEU-Gerry’s Grill (97)—Crellin 23, Gravengard 18, Sta. Maria 16, Diwa 16, Zamora 6, Gumabay 6, Santos 4, Harry 2, Gaco 2, Tabi 2, Gonzales 2, Tan 0.

Quarterscores: 23-21, 43-42, 69-61, 98-97.

Bowling federation hosts 1st PH International Open at Starmall LOTTO RESULTS

THE Philippine Bowling Federation, headed by its president Steve Hontiveros, will hold the first Philippine International Open 2017 Tenpin Bowling Championships on May 13 to 28 at the Coronado Lanes in Starmall Edsa Mandaluyong City.

The country’s only governing bowling body is inviting all bowling enthusiasts all over the archipelago to join the international tournament sanctioned by the Asian Bowling Federation and World Bowling and

sponsored by the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Australian bowlers Matt Riley and Sam Cooley, Middle East countries and the Hong Kong national team, headed by 2015 World Cup champion Wu Sui Hong, will be arriving in Manila to compete with Filipino players like Kenneth Chua and Liza del Rosario, among others.

Other countries like Singapore, Indonesia and Guam are also joining

the tournament.

“The PBF is giving Filipino tenpin bowlers a huge tournament after a long, long time offering the biggest prizes in the aim of motivating, challenging and developing their skills, athleticism and discipline and likewise attracting foreign competition,” said PBF vice president Steve Robles.

A total of P3 million pesos worth of prizes will be won in the tournament. The events are men’s and women’s open, men’s and women’s graded,

men’s and women’s associate, youth boys’ and girls’ open, boys’ and girls’ 16-and-under, and men’s and women’s senior divisions.

There will be a special opening event PBF Invitational Corporate Cup (4-Man Team).

World-renowned Filipino artist and sculptor Joe Datuin, on the other hand, is the designer of the Open Master’s trophy.

For more information, contact Archie Pertez at 09189291426.

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

P0 M+ P0 M

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

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TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017

Ramirez promises better SEAG

By Peter Atencio THIS time around, the staging of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines will be better organized and better managed.

The experience of the past will help officials of the Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee take care of the organizational details that are important in running the Games.

“I think this will be more organized. Noon, away nang away.

Ngayon, wala naman,” said PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez.

Ramirez discussed the setup in the country’s hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games following an initial meeting with Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri.

Zubiri called for the meeting after he was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to be the chairman of the 2019 Games organizing committee.

The 49-year-old Zubiri, according to Ramirez is taking his new role with caution.

Sports officials at the PSC said he is aware of reported mistakes in the past when the 2005 SEA Games finished with the organizing committee left with an unliquidated amount of around P27 million.

“Very positive siya. Excited. But, he’s careful not to make mistakes,” said Ramirez.

For now, they are awaiting for the official appointment of Zubiri that will come from Malacanang.

From there, they will seek the appointment of a finance officer that will handle and monitor the budget that the PSC will allocate for the Games.

Ramirez said the POC will operate the newly-formed committee with the assistance of the government.

Details on the hosting and the financial assistance coming from the government are now being being discussed in continuous meetings between Ramirez and Zubiri.

Sports Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) gives teammates Kevin Love (0) and Kyrie Irving (2) high fives during their game against the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. AFP

Cavaliers sweep Raptors to reach Eastern finals L

OS ANGELES—The NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers powered into the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday, downing the Toronto Raptors 109-102 to complete a four-game sweep of their playoff series.

LeBron James scored 35 points with nine rebounds and six assists as the Cavaliers subdued the desperate Raptors to remain unbeaten in eight games in these playoffs.

They’re the first team to win eight games in a row over consecutive postseason runs.

“It’s never easy especially in a close-out game,” said Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving, who scored 11 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter and added nine assists. “There’s desperation at their end and desperation at our end.”

In the Eastern Conference finals,

the Cavaliers will play either the Boston Celtics or Washington Wizards for a place in the NBA Finals.

John Wall tallied 27 points and 12 assists as the Wizards defeated the Celtics 121-102 Sunday to level their series at 2-2.

Kyle Korver scored 18 off the bench as his 16 first-half points helped the Cavaliers erase an 11-point first-quarter deficit and take a 61-49 half-time lead.

With their backs against the wall, down 16 points early in the third quarter, the Raptors responded, taking a 93-92 lead with 6:38 to play.

“The closeout game is always tough,” Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said. “They came out and competed, took an early lead, went up 11.

“It was a tough game for us. We knew it would be, coming into a hostile environment.”

But it marked the second straight year that the Cavs eliminated the Raptors from playoffs on their home floor. They beat them in six games in the Eastern Conference finals last season.

Serge Ibaka scored 23 points for the Raptors. DeMar DeRozan added 22 with eight assists.

But with Kyle Lowry on the bench for a second straight game with a sprained ankle, the Raptors couldn’t match the Cavs’ firepower.

Irving put Cleveland in front with a three-pointer with 5:34 to play and made two free throws.

His lay-up with four minutes left had

Cleveland up by eight. The Cavs outscored Cleveland 17-9 over the final 6:15, Irving producing all 11 points in one key 11-2 Cavs run.

James played the entire fourth quarter —but he’ll have plenty of time to rest since the conference finals won’t start before May 15.

In a closeout game, Lue said, “he tries to go as far as we need him in that fourth quarter.”

“I tried to get him out for a couple of minutes, but he said, ‘No, I’m fine,’” added Lue, who did make sure that James got a bit of a breather by calling a timeout on the heels of a Toronto 20-second timeout.

James will be playing for a seventh consecutive NBA Finals appearance, having had four in a row with Miami and the past two with Cleveland, and his eighth overall. James is 3-4 in his trips to the championship series. AFP

PSI sees bright future

Wild scramble looms at Orchard THOUGH Miguel Tabuena won’t be shooting for another Philippine Golf Tour crown, a scramble of a finish still looms when the crack international field slugs it out for the second straight week in the $60,000 ICTSI Orchard Golf Championship beginning tomorrow (Wednesday) at the Orchard’s Player course in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

Tabuena rallied from seven strokes down in a wild final round with a solid 66 then nipped South African Mathiam Keyser in sudden death to snatch the ICTSI Luisita Championship diadem in Tarlac last Sunday. But the former Philippine Open champion and PGT Order of Merit winner has begged off this week to honor a previous commitment.

The depth of the field, however, remains as talent-laden with Keyser seeking to redeem himself along with a slew of foreign aces, who succumbed under pressure and extreme heat and faded in the spirited title chase at Luisita.

They include John Michael O’Toole, who led by two after three rounds but crumbled with a closing 76, and John Catlin, who co-led in the first round but failed to sustain his charge as the two Americans ended up tied at seventh with Aussie David Gleeson and

Paul Harris, also of the US. Micah Shin is also out for a rebound after the Korean-American fell off the leaderboard with a woeful 75 in the third round and wound up at joint 11th while Englishman Steve Lewton, who ruled the Solaire Philippine Open last March, hopes to figure prominently this week after a mediocre joint 21st place finish at Luisita.

That should make the battle for the top $10,500 purse doubly interesting with Nicolas Paez, Brett Munson of the US, Genki Okada and Shotaro Onuki of Japan, and Dutch Guido Van der Valk also itching to fuel their respective title drive in the event sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. Keanu Jahns and Jhonnel Ababa also seek to better their strong Luisita finish with the former firing an eagle-spiked, bogey-free 65 to snare third place and the latter ending up tied for fourth with Tony Lascuña and Munson.

Next to Tabuena’s stirring comeback, Jahns produced the other surprise at Luisita with a career-best performance. He could’ve joined the playoff or snatched the crown if not for a couple of flubbed birdie chances in the last five holes.

But with Tabuena out, Lascuña is expected to lead the local challenge with the reigning PGT Order of Merit winner working extra hard to polish his putting stroke that has hampered his final round charge at Luisita.

Focus will also be on Rufino Bayron, who bested a tough international field to win the Orchard Championship in 2014. But the former amateur hotshot’s game took a downswing from there and remained in search of his form. He actually stayed in the hunt at Luisita with a 71-68 start but limped with an 80 in the third day and finished with a 79 and wound up at joint 45th.

Also fancied to crowd the favorites in the 72-hole championship, backed

by BDO, KZG, Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Sharp, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and PLDT, are Jay Bayron, Frankie Miñoza, Jobim Carlos, Cassius Casas, Elmer Salvador, Michael Bibat, Orlan Sumcad, Albin Engino, Mhark Fernando, and Jerson Balasabas.

Meanwhile, Southwoods will host the third of a four-week PGT swing next week (May 17-20) for another $60,000 ICTSI Manila Southwoods Championship before the revival of the ICTSI Philippine Masters at the Villamor Golf Club on May 24-27.

South African Mathiam Keyser (right) and Micah Shin read the green during their game in Tarlac. The two will seek redemption after falling short at Luisita.

DLSU Lady Archers complete perfect football season DE LA SALLE completed a nine-match sweep with a 3-1 conquest of University of Santo Tomas, 3-1, for its ninth championship in the UAAP Season 79 women’s football tournament Sunday night at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

It was a glorious campaign for the Lady Archers, who went undefeated to end a seven-year title drought.

The victory, capping Season

79’s final weekend, followed up De La Salle’s successful backto-back women’s volleyball title run Saturday night.

“It’s surreal. Grabe, all the hardwork, I can’t even put into words. I’m so happy, I’m so proud of everyone,” said Inna Palacios, who manned the post for one final time for the Lady Archers.

After Chelo Hodges was fouled inside the box in stoppage time,

Palacios, in a rare instance that a goalkeeper will take a penalty, converted the spot kick that iced the match for De La Salle.

After a scoreless first-half, Kyra Dimaandal nailed her 11th goal of the season in the 57th minute to put the Lady Archers ahead.

Hazel Lustan nailed the equalizer 16 minutes later for the Tigresses before Sara Castañeda, receiving a pass from her

fellow national teammate Irish Navaja, put the Lady Archers back in the lead with a scintillating finish in the 87th minute.

“It’s about time. The girls deserve this considering what I said before that we’re not a complete team, healthy team. And with the injuries and everything there and coming out champions with with a perfect season, what else can I say?,” said De La Salle coach Hans Smit.

Kyla Inquig took the season MVP award while Dimaandal was named the Best Striker for the Lady Archers.

Palacios (Best Goalkeeper), Castañeda (Best Midfielder) and Regine Metillo (Best Defender) also won individual awards, while De La Salle bagged the Fair Play plum.

UST’s Marie Indac went home with the Rookie of the Year honors.

WITHIN the next two years, authorities at the Philippine Sports Institute will see the fruits of their labor.

For now, their facilitators will be busy visiting the provinces in search of talented young athletes who are aged 14 years old and below.

“We will gather information in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, and find out who will excel out of the testing and training,” said National Training Director Marc Edward Velasco.

By 2019, Velasco believes that these athletes that they have seen and tested will be more matured.

And by then, they will be ready to compete in high level competitions.

The group set up a training camp at the Puerto Princesa City Coliseum in Palawan last week.

At that time, they subjected 50 potential children to a battery of physical and physical tests for profiling.

This week, they will be in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur for the Luzon leg.

They will be Marawi City, Lanao del Sur next week and then Laoag, Ilocos Norte before the end of the month.

The PSI has tapped teachers from the Department of Education to measure the physical features of each participant.

Velasco, who is assisted by prof. Henry Daut, said that in two to three years, they will be able to complete the cycle.

Peter Atencio

PDIC auctions P1.7-b assets B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017

B1

Govt ending NFA rice monopoly IN BRIEF PH hosts China-led economic bloc meet

TRADE officials from 10 memberstates of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and six trade partners began talks on a China-led economic bloc in Manila Monday, with a goal to achieve substantial conclusion this year.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the 17th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership meeting would discuss the rate of inclusion of goods in the proposed broader regional trade liberalization.

RCEP is considered the new tailwind for global growth as it heads towards a more substantive phase following 17 rounds, according to the Trade Department.

The Manila Round will entail redoubling efforts to deliver the broader and deeper commitments being called for goods, services and investment liberalization given the mandate of leaders to substantially conclude RCEP this year.

“If there are countries that cannot meet the current rate, they can be excused but they cannot yet reap the benefits of the partnership or, countries may practice the principle of reciprocity,” Lopez said.

About 14 to 15 countries are expected to agree on liberalizing 90 percent of goods for trade, including the Philippines. Othel V. Campos

By Othel V. Campos

T

HE government is ending the monopoly of the National Food Authority over rice importation, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said Monday.

Lopez said Malacañang Palace was preparing an order that would allow the private sector to undertake the importation of rice, while leaving domestic rice buying to NFA. He said President Rodrigo Duterte had agreed to empow-

er private traders to bring rice from other countries, as needed, and aĺlow market forces to determine the price.

“The President agreed since the QR [quantitative restriction on rice] was about to be lifted

by July,” he said.

The lifting of the rice QR will be backed by an executive order which is also expected to be released on July 1. It was expected to be approved by the Cabinet soon, Lopez said.

The QR on rice is essentially an import ban, with only the NFA allowed to bring in imported rice to control its entry and prevent imports from competing with local harvests.

Lopez said there were suggestions to continue governmentto-government rice import transactions but President Duterte

rejected the proposals.

“In previous times, we are alloting as much as as P200 billion for G2G transactions, but we’ve also been burned by this several times. Much is lost especially when prices were down,” Lopez said.

He said there were also times when G2G buying was out of timing, resulting in the government buying at a higher price.

There are also no laws that will hinder the private sector from bringing in rice which is considered to be the Philippines’

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing May 8, 2017

8500 8000 7500 7000 6500 6000

7,962.33 120.34

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

‘Business Angle’ TV program up

VETERAN business editors Ernie Tolentino and Lito Gagni are set to host a purely business program, titled ‘Business Angle,’ an offshot of their handling of business tabloid “Business Express,” which looks at a different perspective of an evolving business story.

Set for a July launch at TV5, the one-hour program promises to present new angles to a business story line courtesy of their years of experience in business reportage.

In this week’s issue of the Business Express, for instance, the two editors headlined what they believe was a forthcoming property balloon bubble about to burst as they looked at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas survey results of commercial real estate credits.

Coupled with this BSP survey was the tightening by the commercial banks’ of their real estate loan windows and the paper’s look at the big number of unsold condo inventories of property firms.

It is the handling of such stories, where a new perspective is put forth, that the two business editors have been engaged to pursue a TV program devoted to business.

Closing MAY 8, 2017

45.00 46.50 48.00 49.50

G. Amojelar

P49.860 CLOSE

51.00

HIGH P49.800 LOW P49.890 AVERAGE P49.855 VOLUME 410.500M

P427.00-P647.00 LPG/11-kg tank P38.25-P50.40 Unleaded Gasoline

ONE-DAY CHECK CLEARING. Bank of Commerce teams up with Occidental Data Corp., official distributor of the Check Image Clearing System,

to process digital images of checks and shorten clearing cycles to just a day. The bank acquired the software and license to implement the system to provide more efficient and secure service to its clients. Shown during the signing of the memorandum of agreement are (seated from left) Bank of Commerce operations group head Jay Velasco, executive support group head Edward Dennis Zshornack and ODC president Johnny Liao.

P27.75-P32.96 Diesel

OPRICES IL TODAY

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

Public Works studying proposed C3 Expressway Petron’s net profit By Darwin G. Amojelar doubled in 1st quarter PETRON Corp. said Monday consolidated net income doubled in the first quarter to a record P5.6 billion from P2.8 billion a year ago, on higher sales in the Philippines and Malaysia.

Petron said the first-quarter income represented the company’s highest quarterly income on record.

The company’s stock surged 7.2 percent to close at P9.65, becoming the biggest gainer among the 20 most active issues Monday.

Net income from Philippine operations jumped 69 percent to P4.1 billion, while income from Malaysian operations surged 335 percent to P1.5 billion, the company said.

Petron attributed the strong income growth to a strong focus on more profitable segments, production of higher-margin fuels and petrochemicals and aggressive market expansion.

Petron said in the Philippine retail segment, volumes grew 6 percent, while the LPG and lubricants businesses grew 5 percent and 16 percent, respectively.

Petron said it had the highest network count in the Philippines with about 2,300 service stations ― more than its next three competitors combined.

The company’s Malaysian operations also experienced a steady growth with domestic volumes growing 6 percent, fueled by a double-digit growth from the commercial and lubricants sectors. Darwin

most sensitive agriculture product, along with sugar.

Traders are allowed to import rice under the so-called minimum access volume, a commitment of the Philippines under the World Trade Organization.

“Let the private sector import and pay the 35-percent tariff. In this case, the government also earns revenues,” Lopez said.

He said the Agriculture Department would issue advisories after it determined how much rice needed to be imported, “so as not to flood the market.”

THE Public Works Department said Monday it is evaluating the proposed P25-billion C3 Elevated Expressway jointly submitted by the Ayala-SM group.

“It’s in ICC [Investment Coordinating Committee] right now.

We just received it, so we are still studying it,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.

The country’s two biggest conglomerates jointly submitted an unsolicited proposal to build the elevated expressway that will connect the cities of Manila, Makati and Pasay, passing through the Ayala central business district.

AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ayala Corp. and SM Investments Corp., submitted the proposal to the Public Works Department to design, finance, construct, operate and maintain for a period of 35 years the proposed C3 Elevated Expressway.

The elevated toll road will run about 8.6 kilometers from Sta. Mesa, Manila to the Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City.

The proponents said C3 Ex would provide an alternative to Edsa, which was now congested, and improve access to the Manila Bay development areas, the Makati central business dis-

trict and the cities of Mandaluyong, San Juan and Manila.

The project would have five interchanges to be located in Sta. Mesa, the Circuit Makati, Ayala-Gil Puyat, Roxas Boulevard and SM Mall of Asia complex.

It could cut the travel time from Quezon City to Makati City from one hour to only 15 minutes.

AC Infra president and chief executive Jose Rene Almendras said his company was expecting to get a final contract award by the second quarter of 2018.

The proposed project will go through the government process for unsolicited proposals under

the Build-Operate-Transfer law.

Almendras said the project was expected to be completed in three years. “Studies showed that the Philippines loses P2.4 billon a day in potential income because of the productive time spent waiting in traffic,” Almendras said.

“We are excited about this unsolicited proposal, as it would it increase our personal travel efficiency, but through it, more opportunities will open to improve sectors and services that heavily rely on the transport of materials, goods and other items to operate. We are looking forward to a positive reception from the DPWH,” he said.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Monday, May 8, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.9050

Japan

Yen

0.008856

0.4420

UK

Pound

1.298900

64.8216

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128480

6.4118

Switzerland

Franc

1.012351

50.5214

Canada

Dollar

0.732493

36.5551

Singapore

Dollar

0.712403

35.5525

Australia

Dollar

0.741100

36.9846

Bahrain

Dinar

2.657737

132.6344

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266624

13.3059

Brunei

Dollar

0.709874

35.4263

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028852

1.4399

UAE

Dirham

0.272301

13.5892

Euro

Euro

1.102500

55.0203

Korea

Won

0.000881

0.0440

China

Yuan

0.144873

7.2299

India

Rupee

0.015552

0.7761

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.230681

11.5121

New Zealand

Dollar

0.689800

34.4245

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033155

1.6546 Source: PDS Bridge

Ayala Land’s Q1 income increased 18% to P5.6b

By Jenniffer B. Austria PROPERTY developer Ayala Land Inc. said Monday net income in the first quarter rose 18 percent to P5.56 billion from P4.71 billion in the same period last year, on solid performance of its property development, commercial leasing and services businesses.

Ayala Land said in a disclosure to the stock exchange firstquarter consolidated revenues increased 17 percent to P31.64 billion from P26.97 billion a year earlier.

Sales from property development went up 21 percent in the first quarter to P19.72 billion from P16.31 billion registered in the same period in 2016, while revenues from commercial leasing grew 9 percent to P7.05 billion.

Property sales take-up in-

creased 10 percent to P27.3 billion, driven by the growing demand for residential and office-for-sale products.

“Our core businesses delivered strong results in the first quarter of 2017,” said Ayala Land president and chief executive Bernard Vincent Dy. “Property sales have been encouraging and our commercial revenues continue to be on an upward trajectory. Given these positive results, we remain committed to launch over P100 billion worth of projects to support our targets for the year,” he said.

Ayala Land said to sustain the company growth, it would launch three estates this year, including the 200-hectare Evo City in Kawit, the 25-hectare Azuela Cove in Davao and the 35-hectare joint venture project with the LT Group between Pasig City and Quezon City.

SUBIC PORT EXPANSION. International Container Terminal Services Inc. continues to make a strong case for the Subic Bay Freeport as a key international trading gateway of the Philippines after achieving productivity levels at par with that of the Manila International Container Terminal. Two Panamax quay cranes at the New Container Terminal1 recently handled close to 400 twenty foot equivalent units with each crane averaging 40 and 33 moves per hour, respectively. The productivity levels were achieved during the inaugural call of Evergreen Marine Corp.’s 1,440-TEU boxship Cape Fulmar. Shown is Cape Fulmar berthed at New Container Terminal 1.

B2

Business

TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

China Bank’s profit up 6% in 1st quarter

By Julito G. Rada CHINA Banking Corp., the eighth-largest lender in terms of assets, said Monday net income in the first quarter rose 6 percent to P1.47 billion from a year ago, led by the strong growth in lending and core fee-based income.

“Our strategic focus to strengthen our core businesses and diversifying our fee-based revenues in the midst of our network expansion are starting to produce encouraging results,” China Bank president and chief executive Ricardo Chua said in a statement.

Operating income increased 7 percent in January to March to P5.66 billion from the same period last year. Net interest income rose 14 percent to P4.47 billion, driven by the 16-percent growth in gross loan portfolio.

Non-interest income, excluding trading gains, grew 22 percent to P1.08 billion from the gain in service charges, fees from bancassurance, investment banking and trust and income from asset sales.

Core recurring income, or operating income excluding trading gains, went up 15 percent to P5.55 billion from P4.80 billion in the first quarter of 2016.

Operating expenses rose 8 percent to P3.88 billion amid the continued expansion in branch and distribution network and investments in people and technology to support the growth of new businesses.

Index approaches 8,000; Petron, Semirara climb

S

tocks surged for a third day, sending the benchmark index to a nine-month high and near the 8,000-point level, amid optimism on improving global growth following Emmanuel Macron’s victory as France’s next president and strong US jobs report.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, jumped 120 points, or 1.5 percent to close at 7,962.33, the highest since it reached 7,981.21 on Aug. 22, 2016. The bellwether was also up 16.4 percent since the start of the year.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also advanced 57

points, or 1.2 percent, to settle at 4,731.25, on a value turnover of P9.4 billion. Gainers outnumbered losers, 116 to 81, while 42 issues were unchanged.

Eighteen of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by Petron Corp. which soared 7.2 percent to P9.65, after it reported a record P5.6-billion profit in the

first quarter. Semirara Mining and Power Corp. climbed 5 percent to P162.60, while Bloomberry Resorts Corp. gained 4.7 percent to P9.95.

Meanwhile, other Asian stocks also climbed outside of China, with Japanese shares rallying after a three-day holiday.

Asian and European markets mostly rose Monday following a Wall Street rally as dealers cheered a strong US jobs report, but the euro failed to hold on to early gains after Emmanuel Macron beat far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in France’s presidential election.

The single currency briefly jumped above $1.10 in response to the centrist’s victory in Sunday’s

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

NAME

OPEN

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.47 710,000 48.7 21,800 106 1,990,590 4.05 8,000 123.9 3,098,500 1.3 96,000 36.8 692,300 16.2 6,344,000 23.2 6,948,400 7.73 600 1.69 3,000 825 10 0.68 7,851,000 87.55 2,136,000 0.71 130,000 15.62 224,100 25 800 68.3 341,450 240 16,290 112 2,210 86.5 2,570 58 1,026,060 217.4 1,140,880 82.05 89,510

2,463,040 1,071,805 211,209,219 32,660 383,604,755 122,770 25,326,920 101,947,448 160,948,340 4,638 5,070 8,250 5,441,820 186,614,356 92,300 3,554,652 20,025 23,326,504 3,913,890 250,020 221,878.50 60,093,394 247,727,152 7,343,480.50

487,720 -24,435,072 24,540 66,555,735 8,939,905 -69,439,412.00 -113,028,030 -8,250 -42,600 58,286,459.50 -5,618,644 48,040 -103,740 -6,007,112.50 27,871,798 459,526.50

41.3 5.86 0.83 1.42 18.72 0.27 6.95 16.8 22.75 14.5 74 82 90 1.93 5.8 11.66 12.8 9.75 6.33 5.84 21.25 72.2 12.4 15.4 8.25 1.55 216 65 4.65 3.76 32 22.2 18.76 274.6 0.244 6.33 3.6 9.01 2.14 9.68 2.15 72 5.5 298 4.8 3.23 13.58 4.4 0.15 1.35 179 1.59 32 1.02

INDUSTRIAL 41.6 1,762,700 6.02 1,433,000 0.85 1,362,000 1.42 1,374,000 21 131,200 0.275 6,210,000 6.95 16,609,100 16.86 1,223,100 23.25 210,200 14.7 7,400 74 130 84 290 90 80 1.95 1,535,000 5.8 5,200 11.66 137,000 12.8 8,204,600 10.2 2,720,700 6.4 1,998,700 5.9 25,313,100 21.5 1,285,900 72.35 73,340 12.7 22,400 15.5 29,600 8.65 6,872,900 1.59 396,000 218.6 638,980 73 4,020 4.7 1,975,000 3.76 37,000 32.5 1,082,600 22.2 458,700 19 1,651,200 274.6 410,860 0.247 870,000 6.4 22,800 3.68 1,437,000 9.65 20,116,300 2.15 2,080,000 10 1,777,700 2.16 2,616,000 72.1 551,330 5.62 216,600 298.2 1,240 4.83 51,000 3.29 493,000 13.6 1,960,300 4.45 30,000 0.15 3,410,000 1.37 286,000 182 1,103,060 1.61 1,179,000 32.35 1,200 1.13 1,311,000

73,224,565 8,542,796 1,150,240 1,982,880 2,655,574 1,702,950 116,329,862 20,636,866 4,861,955 108,182 9,620 24,180 7,200 2,990,920 30,394 1,600,878 105,114,648 27,722,733 12,769,857 149,096,653 27,648,370 5,302,267 279,540 459,082 59,190,942 626,000 139,526,396 288,225 9,373,440 139,790 35,104,635 10,361,720 31,386,270 113,156,078 214,220 145,768 5,355,810 190,236,864 4,472,360 17,660,164 5,792,270 39,746,802 1,204,783 369,926 245,670 1,603,900 26,684,246 134,600 517,920 391,280 199,283,947 1,894,010 38,680 1,407,060

-12,113,755 301,222 -9,940 -30,801,078 18,710,118 -98,900 -83,880 -11,273,142 7,106,444.00 -6,168,770 -86,369,491 -830,705 413,726 -347,200 20,872,555 -39,750 42,900,732 -7,190 -300 12,055,035 -6,525,525 -6,250,280 -26,305,060 -4,900 549,490 35,300,603 1,674,850 3,720 -35,040 5,352,041 621,580 86,940 8,512,198 26,800 -31,000 -31,829,852 -381,570 3,235 -

0.375 76.9 14.74 1.23 6.2 0.425 0.42 890 8.35 13.38 8 0.236 1,289 6.45 86.6 1.07 7.44 16.76 6.75 4.22 0.06 1.1 1.9 2.58 108.5 2.99 786 1.4 300 0.305 0.242 0.255

0.365 75.45 14.3 1.12 6.15 0.41 0.415 878 8.25 13.1 7.9 0.224 1,258 6.35 85.5 1.03 7.32 16.64 6.68 3.54 0.056 1.1 1.88 2.58 107 2.83 765 1.37 298.8 0.3 0.228 0.246

HOLDING FIRMS 0.37 1,950,000 76.9 1,539,260 14.7 13,592,200 1.19 2,064,000 6.2 45,300 0.41 11,140,000 0.42 2,490,000 890 370,250 8.31 1,349,000 13.26 7,442,300 7.99 4,100 0.225 7,300,000 1,285 287,460 6.45 189,400 86.55 3,051,220 1.03 1,785,000 7.43 523,800 16.7 2,119,200 6.7 30,907,300 3.96 96,000 0.059 252,160,000 1.1 3,000 1.88 653,000 2.58 2,000 108.2 132,630 2.89 354,000 777 828,360 1.4 141,000 300 7,250 0.3 150,000 0.231 11,230,000 0.255 1,050,000

721,400 117,818,281.50 198,459,868 2,418,150 280,805 4,619,150 1,033,850 328,738,355 11,194,207 98,937,088 32,553 1,682,390 368,409,440 1,217,601 263,793,499.50 1,852,560 3,876,280 35,385,786 207,120,574 381,710 14,840,370 3,300 1,235,890 5,160 14,309,477 1,030,400 642,866,440 196,460 2,174,300 45,250 2,651,940 259,400

33,413,032.00 -66,721,836 42,000 -41,592,590 3,072,705 41,115,248 -47,880 51,902,440 186,055 109,977,770 -722,430 663,966 -10,010,778 20,820,248 3,960 239,030 -985,533 113,060,165 -147,466 30,000 -63,510 159,900

6.82 1.36 2.31 1.39 38.45 4.39 5.37 0.51 1.05 1.45 0.163 0.54 52.05 0.71 0.18 1.78 0.98 1.03 4.43 0.455 0.44 0.73

6.79 1.22 2.25 1.34 36.4 4.3 5.25 0.49 1.02 1.36 0.16 0.53 51.5 0.67 0.175 1.75 0.97 0.99 4.23 0.425 0.38 0.68

PROPERTY 6.8 617,400 1.3 20,997,000 2.31 124,000 1.38 8,824,000 38.4 23,702,500 4.37 9,035,000 5.37 457,400 0.5 19,780,000 1.05 61,000 1.44 389,000 0.16 4,360,000 0.53 1,557,000 51.8 203,800 0.7 629,000 0.175 3,670,000 1.78 4,386,000 0.98 2,052,000 1.01 1,314,000 4.38 78,078,000 0.435 117,190,000 0.38 15,410,000 0.73 79,467,000

4,198,526 27,508,920 284,080 12,135,830 895,292,665 39,458,160 2,438,383 9,932,050 62,550 547,590 702,560 830,630 10,572,516.50 441,160 649,850 7,750,580 2,006,180 1,322,260 341,224,060 51,143,100 6,296,300 56,024,560

-1,836,735 -1,346,970 -20,340.00 15,200 276,834,395 -5,076,480 -965,131 -2,003,850 -10,500 -13,050 613,850 3,509,900 61,880,040 -1,814,950 117,900 -3,976,820.00

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

AG FINANCE 3.24 ASIA UNITED 49.1 BANK PH ISLANDS 105.9 BDO LEASING 4.09 BDO UNIBANK 123 BRIGHT KINDLE 1.3 CHINABANK 36.5 COL FINANCIAL 16.04 EAST WEST BANK 22.7 FILIPINO FUND 7.73 IREMIT 1.69 MANULIFE 825 MEDCO HLDG 0.68 METROBANK 86.4 NTL REINSURANCE 0.71 PB BANK 15.82 PBCOM 25.05 PHIL NATL BANK 68.65 PHIL STOCK EXCH 243 PHILTRUST 114.5 PSBANK 86.25 RCBC 58.7 SECURITY BANK 216 UNION BANK 81.95

3.58 49.3 107 4.09 123.9 1.3 36.8 16.24 23.45 7.73 1.69 825 0.71 87.55 0.71 16.2 25.05 68.65 243 114.5 87.6 60.05 219.6 82.5

3.24 48.65 105.1 4.05 123 1.27 36.2 16.02 22.65 7.73 1.69 825 0.67 86.4 0.71 15.6 25 68.05 240 112 86 57.2 216 81.95

ABOITIZ POWER 41.35 AGRINURTURE 6.04 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.85 ALSONS CONS 1.42 ASIABEST GROUP 19.8 BASIC ENERGY 0.27 CEMEX HLDG 6.98 CENTURY FOOD 16.8 CIRTEK HLDG 23.3 CNTRL AZUCARERA14.68 CONCEPCION 74 CONCRETE A 82 CONCRETE B 90 CROWN ASIA 1.93 DAVINCI CAPITAL 5.93 DEL MONTE 11.78 DNL INDUS 12.9 EEI CORP 9.94 EMPERADOR 6.39 ENERGY DEVT 5.86 FIRST GEN 21.25 FIRST PHIL HLDG 72.3 GINEBRA 12.5 HOLCIM 15.76 INTEGRATED MICR 8.55 IONICS 1.59 JOLLIBEE 216 LIBERTY FLOUR 65 LMG CHEMICALS 4.9 MABUHAY VINYL 3.83 MANILA WATER 32.2 MAXS GROUP 23.1 MEGAWIDE 19.3 MERALCO 277.8 MG HLDG 0.245 PANASONIC 6.4 PEPSI COLA 3.75 PETRON 9.04 PHINMA ENERGY 2.16 PHX PETROLEUM 9.78 PHX SEMICNDCTR 2.21 PILIPINAS SHELL 72.1 PRYCE CORP 5.51 PUREFOODS 298 RFM CORP 4.8 ROXAS HLDG 3.3 SHAKEYS PIZZA 13.64 SPC POWER 4.5 SWIFT FOODS 0.155 TKC METALS 1.37 UNIV ROBINA 183.3 VITARICH 1.59 VIVANT 32 VULCAN INDL 1.12

41.9 6.04 0.87 1.47 21.2 0.28 7.1 16.9 23.3 14.7 74 84 90 1.96 5.93 11.94 12.9 10.26 6.4 6 21.7 72.35 12.7 15.76 8.84 1.6 219.8 77 4.91 3.83 32.6 23.45 19.3 277.8 0.249 6.45 3.76 9.65 2.16 10.18 2.27 72.15 5.63 299 4.83 3.3 13.7 4.5 0.156 1.38 183.3 1.62 32.35 1.13

ABACORE CAPITAL 0.37 ABOITIZ EQUITY 75.5 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 14.3 ANGLO PHIL HLDG 1.12 ANSCOR 6.2 ATN HLDG A 0.42 ATN HLDG B 0.415 AYALA CORP 878 COSCO CAPITAL 8.25 DMCI HLDG 13.2 FILINVEST DEV 8 FORUM PACIFIC 0.224 GT CAPITAL 1,258 HOUSE OF INV 6.35 JG SUMMIT 85.5 LODESTAR 1.06 LOPEZ HLDG 7.32 LT GROUP 16.76 METRO PAC INV 6.68 MJC INVESTMENTS 3.54 PACIFICA 0.057 PRIME MEDIA 1.1 PRIME ORION 1.88 REPUBLIC GLASS 2.58 SAN MIGUEL CORP 108.5 SEAFRONT RES 2.83 SM INVESTMENTS 775 SOLID GROUP 1.4 TOP FRONTIER 299.8 UNIOIL HLDG 0.305 WELLEX INDUS 0.228 ZEUS HLDG 0.248 8990 HLDG A BROWN ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE IRC PROP MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL REALTY

6.82 1.25 2.25 1.35 36.4 4.3 5.34 0.5 1.02 1.41 0.163 0.54 51.8 0.71 0.179 1.76 0.98 1 4.23 0.45 0.41 0.7

VOLUME

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

4.45 26.7 1.75 3.34 33 1 7 0.91 5.25

4.43 26.2 1.68 3.25 32.25 0.98 6.01 0.9 5.2

4.43 26.55 1.68 3.28 32.9 0.99 7 0.9 5.25

197,000 2,409,400 651,000 189,000 10,435,200 2,884,000 600 309,000 2,169,800

873,510 63,927,415 1,107,410 615,920 342,785,245 2,857,470 4,101 278,450 11,336,412

905,610 -65,910 -3,280 101,776,805.00 -930,752

2GO GROUP 16.6 ABS CBN 44.65 ACESITE HOTEL 1.7 APC GROUP 0.52 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.046 ASIAN TERMINALS 11.98 BERJAYA 5.41 BLOOMBERRY 9.6 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.095 CALATA CORP 1.92 CEBU AIR 108.4 CENTRO ESCOLAR 10 DFNN INC 9 DISCOVERY WORLD GLOBE TELECOM 2,060 GMA NETWORK 6.21 GOLDEN HAVEN 16.22 HARBOR STAR 3.19 IMPERIAL 3.72 INTL CONTAINER 90 IPEOPLE 12.7 IPM HLDG 9 ISLAND INFO 0.191 ISM COMM 1.43 JACKSTONES 3.6 LBC EXPRESS 15.6 LEISURE AND RES 4.36 MACROASIA 4.46 MANILA JOCKEY 2.39 MELCO CROWN 8.2 METRO RETAIL 3.65 NOW CORP 2.66 PACIFIC ONLINE 11.88 PAL HLDG 5.4 PAXYS 2.99 PHIL SEVEN CORP 178 PHILWEB 7.62 PLDT 1,771 PREMIUM LEISURE 1.56 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.405 PUREGOLD 43.8 ROBINSONS RTL 79.8 SBS PHIL CORP 5.98 SSI GROUP 2.27 STI HLDG 1.04 TRAVELLERS 3.61 WATERFRONT 0.71 WILCON DEPOT 5.34

17.7 44.8 1.79 0.53 0.046 12.36 5.41 10 0.095 1.93 108.9 10 9.07 2.42 2,130 6.21 16.38 3.19 3.72 91.3 12.7 9 0.191 1.44 3.7 15.8 4.6 4.5 2.55 8.8 3.7 2.66 11.88 5.5 2.99 178 7.7 1,810 1.58 0.415 44.6 80 5.98 2.37 1.07 3.8 0.76 5.43

16.6 44.55 1.67 0.52 0.045 11.5 5.41 9.6 0.09 1.9 106.1 10 8.9 2.42 2,048 6.1 16.06 3.06 3.65 89.6 12.02 8.99 0.187 1.37 3.56 15.2 4.3 4 2.39 8.19 3.58 2.54 11.88 5.37 2.99 178 7.6 1,768 1.56 0.405 43.55 79.6 5.88 2.27 1.03 3.61 0.67 5.32

SERVICES 17.38 1,368,100 44.8 17,300 1.71 440,000 0.52 435,000 0.045 42,600,000 12.34 15,300 5.41 2,000 9.95 20,723,300 0.09 96,780,000 1.91 2,526,000 108.2 199,750 10 800 8.91 95,000 2.42 2.42 2,130 51,315 6.1 392,100 16.38 120,700 3.06 6,284,000 3.65 41,000 90.1 2,182,380 12.68 82,700 8.99 275,000 0.189 6,670,000 1.38 922,000 3.64 129,000 15.76 9,100 4.38 3,188,000 4 3,717,000 2.5 1,393,000 8.6 15,575,700 3.59 3,010,000 2.55 5,903,000 11.88 5,400 5.45 25,200 2.99 45,000 178 1,000 7.62 289,700 1,810 119,370 1.58 8,276,000 0.415 620,000 43.7 4,243,200 79.8 879,210 5.96 154,200 2.33 2,875,000 1.06 1,596,000 3.79 14,236,000 0.7 69,916,000 5.37 13,840,000

23,628,052 772,840 756,950 228,600 1,945,800 183,204 10,820 205,542,619 8,843,070 4,829,010 21,453,381 8,000 854,804 1,000 107,349,530 2,411,666 1,966,192 19,488,610 149,830 197,498,669.50 1,013,874 2,472,500 1,263,360 1,299,890 463,800 142,768 14,090,720 15,214,090 3,489,640 133,809,961 10,916,930 15,173,050 64,152 137,011 134,550 178,000 2,207,903 214,145,300 13,001,840 252,900 185,949,930 70,180,136.50 914,879 6,720,390 1,681,180 53,198,760 50,214,110 74,479,283

335,746 -74,700 46,000 42,069,314 710 -471,770 -6,695,498 2,420 39,310,720 -1,271,257 25,360 31,160 -3,993,500 84,400 50,010 -9,746,145 -1,890,020 104,760 1,611 -96,120 -15,231 107,409,125 2,564,010 -82,050 73,966,605 -23,212,074 -888,600.00 17,150 -12,624,900 1,258,430 13,470,538

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

0.0035 1.87 5.31 2.1 0.9 0.42 9 2.59 0.265 0.199 0.012 0.012 1.88 6.5 2.37 0.49 0.95 0.011 4.04 0.012 9.06 3.14 155.5 2.68 0.009

0.0035 1.88 5.38 2.1 0.91 0.435 9.04 2.59 0.265 0.2 0.012 0.012 1.88 6.6 2.39 0.54 0.95 0.011 4.05 0.013 9.2 3.17 162.6 2.69 0.01

0.0033 1.75 5.3 2 0.88 0.42 8.51 2.54 0.26 0.196 0.011 0.012 1.87 6.4 2.14 0.49 0.94 0.011 4 0.012 8.82 3.13 155 2.68 0.0089

MINING & OIL 0.0033 254,000,000 1.75 18,391,000 5.32 110,700 2.08 35,000 0.91 2,191,000 0.43 1,080,000 9.01 13,200 2.57 1,377,000 0.26 100,000 0.2 16,600,000 0.012 15,300,000 0.012 51,100,000 1.88 617,000 6.45 2,919,800 2.28 157,000 0.51 1,620,000 0.95 527,000 0.011 800,000 4.02 80,000 0.013 13,700,000 8.86 1,510,900 3.16 407,000 162.6 1,573,240 2.69 9,000 0.0094 245,000,000

845,200 32,864,250 587,608 72,710 1,968,230 458,950 117,329 3,526,000 26,050 3,272,570 172,200 613,200 1,156,960 18,897,306 346,880 830,400 499,460 8,800 321,810 171,900 13,481,262 1,283,460 248,686,328 24,190 2,353,400

6,800 -366,410 -64,748 -64,800 127,500 -4,637,296 -5,304,008 -25,360 84,378,427 -9,000

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF F GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B LR PREF PNX PREF 3A SFI PREF SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

44.8 524 530 107.7 105 112.3 5.8 1,020 1,035 1.08 106 2.25 76.3 81 77.85 80.4 79.3 78.7 79

44.8 524 530 107.7 105 112.3 5.8 1,020 1,035 1.08 106 2.25 76.9 81 78 80.5 79.3 78.7 79

44.8 524 500 107.7 104.5 112.3 5.75 1,017 1,030 1.08 106 2.25 76.2 80.5 77.85 80.4 79.3 78.7 78.5

PREFERRED 44.8 1,900 524 960 500 10,080 107.7 23,080 104.5 26,750 112.3 4,010 5.8 383,100 1,017 6,770 1,030 240 1.08 170,000 106 2,000 2.25 1,000 76.9 9,060 80.5 22,700 78 34,430 80.5 14,360 79.3 80 78.7 108,450 78.5 7,860

85,120 503,040 5,111,340 2,485,716 2,798,985 450,323 2,219,980 6,904,200 247,250 183,600 212,000 2,250 690,784 1,833,500 2,685,495 1,154,566 6,344 8,535,015 617,165

1,285,350 106,000 -

LR WARRANT

2.35

2.46

2.3

WARRANTS 2.37 904,000

2,168,140

-

ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

4.2 6.5 8.25

4.42 6.68 8.25

4.2 6.5 7.95

SME 4.35 6.54 7.99

2,673,150 157,617 78,397,773

-23,243,156

4,073,409

-18,260

NAME

OPEN

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

4.45 26.25 1.75 3.34 32.25 0.99 6.01 0.91 5.25

MS

618,000 24,100 9,769,300

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF 130.4

TRADING SUMMARY

131.2

SHARES

FINANCIAL

32,875,892

INDUSTRIAL

125,214,689

HOLDING FIRMS

358,995,544

PROPERTY

413,702,287

SERVICES

335,521,625

MINING & OIL

630,281,164

GRAND TOTAL

1,907,035,112

130

131.2

31,150

VALUE 1,940.06 (up) 13.11 1,425,390,181.7 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,525.86 (up) 41.19 1,553,075,033.176 HOLDING FIRMS 8,050.64 (up) 95.15 2,453,514,937.484 PROPERTY 3,591.25 (up) 103.69 1,662.31 (up) 29.8 1,972,938,136.49 SERVICES MINING & OIL 12,809.68 (up) 198.7 1,615,127,503.53 PSEI 7,962.33 (up) 120.34 332,626,075.138 All Shares Index 4,731.25 (up) 57.85 9,437,979,526.33 Gainers: 116; Losers: 81; Unchanged: 42; Total: 239

polls, which was widely expected but was still met with relief following populist wins last year for Donald Trump in the US and the Brexit vote.

There had been fears a win for Le Pen could see France leave the euro and possibly the European Union itself.

However, the euro soon fell back to $1.0990, with analysts pointing out that a Macron triumph had already been priced in over the past two weeks.

Markets had been given a positive lead from New York.

All three main indexes ended with healthy gains, with the Nasdaq posting yet another record, following a better than expected jobs reading.

The economy added an estimated 211,000 net new positions in April while the unemployment rate fell to 4.4 percent, the lowest since May 2007, the Labor Department reported.

The reading further strengthens prospects the Federal Reserve will stick to a planned course of two more interest rate rises this year.

Tokyo’s Nikkei index, which was closed from Wednesday to Friday last week, ended up 2.3 percent at a 17-month high, while Hong Kong was up 0.5 percent in the afternoon and Sydney put on 0.6 percent by the close.

With AFP, Bloomberg

EDC posts net income of P3.25b

By Jenniffer B. Austria ENERGY Development Corp., the country’s largest renewable energy company, said first-quarter consolidated recurring net income climbed 24 percent to P3.25 billion from P2.63 billion a year ago, on higher output from power plants.

EDC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange consolidated revenues grew 6 percent in the first quarter to P9.61 billion, driven by higher average prices from key geothermal units and the increase in generation volumes of Unified Leyte geothermal plants and Burgos wind farm.

“The results for this quarter show that we are gaining traction on our goal to deliver ‘financial predictability’ to our investors. Our aggressive efforts to address our uncontracted capacity for Bacman and Nasulo last year and our extensive asset rehabilitation program in Leyte and for our other units are starting to pay off,” EDC president and chief operating officer Richard Tantoco said.

Costs of sale of electricity increased 6.7 percent to P3.432 billion in the period ending March 31, 2017.

EDC said to reduce the unplanned outage factors of older geothermal units, it embarked on a multi-billion rehabilitation project of its 112.5-megawatt Tongonan geothermal power plant in Leyte.

“The retrofit of Tongonan’s two other units are on track to be completed by the third quarter. After the retrofit, it will be as good as new and we expect an increase of up to 10 percent in its total capacity,” Tantoco said.

EDC’s 150-MW Burgos wind farm, the largest in the country, also benefited from strong wind factors in the first quarter of 2017. Total sales volume increased from 103 gigawatt-hours to 144 gWh in the period, helping off-set the reduced sales volume from its hydro unit from 256 gWh to 219 gWh.

Business

B3

TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Max’s opening 70 stores this year

By Jenniffer B. Austria

HYDROPOWER FOR QUEZON. Basketball and TV personality Christopher Tiu (fifth from left), Blue Energy president and chief executive, leads the ground-breaking ceremony of the 1.4-megawatt Lower Labayat and 1.5-MW Upper Tignoan mini hydropower plants in Real, Quezon. Set to power around 7,000 households, both plants will produce hydropower using run-of-river technology. With him are (from left) Michelle Ocier, Energy Undersecretary Jesus Posadas, Energy Undersecretary Donato Marcos, Willy Ocier, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Pure Energy Holdings Corp. chairman and CEO Dexter Tiu, Energy chief of staff and assistant secretary Robert Uy, Benson Lao and Dendricks Lao.

PDIC auctions P1.7-b assets

By Julito G. Rada

S

TATE-RUN Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. will put on the auction block over a hundred assets with a total value of P1.7 billion on May 16, 2017, its biggest public bidding to date.

PDIC said in a statement Monday PDIC interested buyers may choose from residential and commercial properties, which include various condominium units with parking slots at Exportbank Plaza in Makati City, One McKinley Place in Taguig City, and Victoria Plaza in San Juan City. Also up for

bidding are 10 parking slots at One McKinley Place.

Also included in the auction are vacant residential lots and commercial properties with improvements in Metro Manila and in the provinces of Albay, Bulacan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Cavite, Leyte, Nueva Ecija, Negros Oriental, Pangasinan, Quezon

and Tarlac.

Two motor vehicles, a Hyundai Tucson and Nissan Pathfinder, are also offered in the bidding.

“The bidding will be on an “as-is, where-is” basis.

Prospective buyers are also advised to physically inspect the properties they are interested to buy, examine and verify the titles and other evidence of ownership, and determine any unpaid taxes, fees, charges and/ or expenses before submitting their bids,” PDIC said.

Interested buyers may submit their sealed bids to the PDIC Real & Other Properties Acquired (ROPA) Disposal Committee Secretariat at the

9th Floor PDIC Training Room, SSS Building, 6782 Ayala Avenue, corner V.A. Rufino St., Makati City on May 16, 2017, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m PDIC said the value-added tax corresponding to the bid price of PDIC-owned properties will be shouldered by and collected from the winning bidder in addition to the bid price in accordance with Bureau of Internal Revenue revenue regulations.

The expeditious conversion and resolution of assets are among the strategic directions outlined in PDIC’s roadmap.

PDIC, as liquidator of closed banks, conducts various asset disposal initiatives such

as biddings, auctions and negotiated sale.

Proceeds from the sale of closed banks’ properties are added to the pool of liquid assets of these banks for distribution to uninsured depositors and other creditors in accordance with the rules on concurrence and preference of credits.

The disposal of these assets increases the chances of recovery of uninsured depositors and creditors of their trapped funds.

Meanwhile, gains from the sale of corporate assets are added to the Deposit Insurance Fund, PDIC’s main fund source for payment of valid deposit insurance claims.

BSP likely to keep rates steady, says DBS Bank THE Monetary Board, the policy-making body of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, may keep the policy rate unchanged in its meeting this week on the back of manageable inflation and robust economic growth, DBS Bank of Singapore said Monday.

“Global interest rates have been rather orderly in the past month, providing the central bank some room to further delay its policy tightening,” DBS said in a report.

“Besides, CPI inflation remained steady at 3.4 percent [year-on-year] in April, prompting the BSP governor to indicate that no policy change is likely on Thursday,” the bank said.

DBS said it would be interesting to see how the Bangko Sentral would respond to the first-quarter GDP data to be released later this month, especially if it came in better than expected. It said all signs continued to point toward consumption growth staying above 6 percent and investment expansion

in the double-digits.

“Overall GDP growth is still set to come in around 6.5 percent this year, with some expecting even higher prints. Expect the policy statement to get increasingly hawkish. The BSP has started to do some of that in March, by noting a stronger peso appears likely this year, given stronger fundamentals,” it said.

It said if tolerance for a weak peso might have been a strong reason to delay the hikes in the previous meetings, this would no longer be the case going forward. “At this juncture, we still look for a total of 50bps rate hikes this year,” it said.

The bank also said that the change in the Bangko Sentral governorship in July 2017 could be a factor that may push any hike to the second half of the year. Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. will end his second six-year term on July 2. Julito G. Rada

MB allows rural banks to invest in bonds

INTEGRATED RESORT AND CASINO. Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and Udenna Corp. sign a provisional license agreement on the Punto Engaño peninsula in Mactan Island, Lapu-Lapu City, country’s first integrated resort and casino outside Metro Manila. At the signing ceremony are Pagcor chairman and CEO Andrea Domingo (fourth from left) and Udenna president and CEO Dennis Uy (center). With them are (from left) Udenna director Raymundo Martin Escalona, Pagcor Director Reynaldo Concordia, Pagcor president and COO Alfredo Lim and Pagcor director Carmen Pedrosa.

Final accord with Reds: Desirable but unlikely MANY Filipinos were skeptical when Rodrigo Duterte stated upon his assumption of the Presidency that his administration would conclude a final settlement with the CPP-NPA rebels, who have been waging one of the longestrunning communist insurgencies in the world. True, Mr. Duterte had established rapport with the NPA as part of his strategy of maintaining peace and order in Davao City during his mayorship. But the skepticism about the success prospects of his intended peace initiative was not without basis.

For starters, there is the increasingly strong feeling in government circles that the CPP-NPA leadership that is in exile in Europe no longer has a decisive influence, much less control, over the cadres on the ground in this country.

This is not surprising, considering that the movement’s top leaders, Jose Ma. Sison and Luis Jalandoni, have been physically separated from the cadres for no less than thirty years. This is not to suggest that Sison and Jalandoni no longer enjoy respect and influence

MAX’S Group Inc., the country’s leading casual dining restaurant company, plans to open 60 to 70 stores this year both here and abroad as it continues to expand to new markets.

Max’s Group president Robert Trota said in an interview at the sidelines of the annual stockholders meeting the company was negotiating new franchise deals on several brands in line with its goal to establish 200 stores abroad by 2020.

Max’s Group at the end of 2016 operated 49 stores overseas. It also has a pipeline of 140 outlets slated to open abroad in the next few years.

“We have a lot of interests on our franchisees for our various brands. We also have a lot current franchisees what would want to get other brands for same area, same territory but multiple brands” Trota said.

The group since the start of the year signed two franchise deals that will bring its pizza chain Yellow Cab in Kuwait, Bahrain Oman and Vietnam.

Trota said the company i n terms of markets planned to further expand its presence in North America, Middle East and Asia.

He said there was also room for growth in China, Vietnam and Singapore after expanding to Southeast Asian countries.

Meanwhile, Max’s Group chief finance officer Dave Fuentabella said the current strong market conditions was offering the company opportunities to remain aggressive with its store expansion in the Philippines.

Max’s Group plans to put up 1,000 stores in the Philippines and strengthen the delivery service after posting a 24-percent sales growth in 2016 to P1.08 billion.

among the rebel fighters—estimated by military intelligence to number around 4,000—but proximity gives rise to we-are-in-this-together feelings among the people who have to undergo the hardships of rebellion and to make the ultimate sacrifice when inevitable.

This boils down to the question, are the Utrecht-based leaders capable of delivering the entire CPP-NPA to the government if and when a final peace accord is ready for signature?

Another factor militating against the success prospects of the ongoing negotiations with the CPP-NPA is the onerousness of the communist movement’s package of demands, which range from the socio-economic to the political. The socio-economic demands are the ones I’m particularly concerned about. Some of them are not doable in an environment that is democratic and market-based. Take industrialization.

Exactly what kind of industrialization do the CPP-NPA negotiators want?

Are they contemplating the kind of industrialization that is dictated by market (and government-budget) realities, or are they thinking of the kind

of industrialization program where the government dictates, against market realities, the industrial things that will be manufactured and the manufacturers thereof? In this day and age industries that are not reflective of market preferences are doomed from inception.

Still another factor militating against the success of the ongoing peace negotiations is the capability of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and, perhaps more important, the CPPNPA’s assessment of that capability.

Because of the government’s record of inadequate spending on the needs of the military establishment, and in view of the overstretched situation of the AFP, the CPP-NPA knows that the AFP is in no position to deliver a knockout punch, let alone a decisive blow, anytime soon.

Accordingly, it thinks that its hit-andrun attacks on troops and policemen up and down the country constitute a viable strategy.

A final reason militating against the conclusion of a final, comprehensive peace accord with the CPP-NPA is the AFP’s inability to put a stop to the parallel tax system being maintained by

the communist rebels in the hinterlands of this country. Anyone who thinks that the CPP-NPA units in the far-flung areas of this country are withering on the vine because of lack of funds is a dreamer.

A dreamer, likewise, is a person who believes that companies and businessmen operating in places like Caraga, Quezon and Samar staunchly refuse to pay socalled revolutionary taxes to the CPPNPA. Businesses either have to maintain a modus Vivendi with the rebels or have to stop operations; that is their stark choice. What are they expected to do when the government is unable to give them round-the-clock protection. It goes without saying that the CPP-NPA is relishing its status as a parallel Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Every sensible Filipino wants to see the signing of a final peace accord with the CPP-NPA, and the sooner the better.

But desire is one thing and on-the-ground realities are another. Given the realities cited above, I am constrained to say, with utmost sadness, that the ongoing negotiations are unlikely to produce a final peace accord with the CPP-NPA in the foreseeable future.

THE Monetary Board, the policy-making body of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, is allowing rural and cooperative banks to invest in readily marketable bonds and other debt securities without prior regulatory approval.

The board, in a circular released Monday, said rural and cooperative banks may invest in readily marketable bonds and other debt securities provided these instruments have complied with the new rules on registration of commercial papers.

“Provided, further, that RBs/coop banks investing in readily marketable bonds and other debt securities shall comply with the prudential criteria enumerated under subsection X1101.2 of the Manual of Regulations for Banks,” the board said.

It said in addition to the criteria, the investment should not be held for trading purposes.

Rural and cooperative banks must submit a one-time notarized certification that the prequalification requirements had been complied with within 10 calendar days from date of initial investment.

Banks should also conduct a self-assessment of their compliance with the pre-qualification requirements.

Thrift banks, meanwhile, may invest in evidences of indebtedness, which are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission but are not readily marketable securities.

The board, however, warned that penalties and sanctions awaited those Bangko Sentralsupervised financial institutions and concerned officers found violating the provisions of the rules. Julito G. Rada

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

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TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017

Macau tightens rules to prevent laundering MACAU’S government is requiring facial recognition and identification card checks at ATMs before Chinese UnionPay cardholders can withdraw cash, a stepped-up measure to curb money laundering in the world’s largest casino hub.

Holders of China UnionPay Co. cards issued by banks in China must show mainland identification cards and have their identities verified through a facial recognition system for ATM cash withdrawals, according to a Macau government statement late Sunday. The technology will be eventually applied to all ATMs, focusing on ones in casinos, according to the statement.

“The government spares no effort to implement anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism rules,” it said in the statement.

The move is Macau’s latest effort to strengthen anti-money laundering rules in the territory, the only place in China where gambling is legal. Chinese authorities are seeking to halt billions of dollars worth of outflows that have pushed down the value of the currency

and drained capital reserves.

The ATM rules follow a ban last year that prohibits proxy betting by telephone aimed at staunching bets from gamblers in China.

The ATM rules, which didn’t come with a timeline for rollout, are not expected to curb demand significantly, JPMorgan Chase & Co. analyst DS Kim wrote in a note Monday.

It’s common to see people using multiple cards to withdraw cash from Macau ATMs, with some possibly using other peoples’ accounts or cards, Kim wrote.

Still, there are other channels that players and junket operators employ to get cash in Macau, he said.

“We can’t rule out any potential impact on “player psychology,” as some players/ junkets may feel reluctant to use ATM cards given increased ID checks,” Kim wrote. “The news could and will likely remind many investors of how vulnerable the sector is to regulatory issues, and may serve as a ‘wake-up call’ to the sector’s inherent headline risks.”

Bloomberg

Traders work on the trading floor of ETX Capital in London on May 8, 2017, the day after France’s presidential election. The Paris stock market rose slightly at the open Monday after the expected French presidential election win for Emmanuel Macron. Macron won a resounding victory in the French presidential election but the focus will shift immediately Monday to whether he can govern the country without the support of a traditional party. AFP

Global stocks rise on Macron win G LOBAL stocks extended a record, with Japanese shares rallying after a three-day holiday amid optimism on improving economic growth. The euro retreated following Emmanuel Macron’s victory as France’s next president.

Tokyo and Seoul led equities markets higher after US stocks closed at a record Friday on better-than-forecast data on American jobs. European stocks were among the few losers, dragged down by commodities producers, while Chinese stocks extended a selloff that has wiped

more than $400 billion from the value of local shares. The euro was lower, with investors having largely positioned for Macron’s victory in the run-up to Sunday’s vote. Oil rose with gold.

“It’s steady as she goes in terms of the risk-on trade

again,” Dwyfor Evans, head of Asia-Pacific macro strategy at State Street Global Markets in Hong Kong, told Bloomberg TV. “It’s a very good outcome for risk generally.”

With the hurdle determining France’s new leader now cleared, investors are turning their focus on global growth and corporate earnings, after last week’s robust American jobs report and Federal Reserve comments bolstered optimism in the US economy.

In China, domestic equities and bonds are being hit by the government’s steps to rein in financial leverage. The country’s

banking, insurance and securities regulators have all played a part in the clampdown, focusing much of their attention on the nation’s shadow banking system.

The selloff that began last month continued Monday, even after data showed China’s overseas shipments held up in April.

The MSCI All-Country World Index increased 0.2 percent to a fresh record as of 8:16 a.m. in London, while the MSCI Asia Pacific Index jumped 1.3 percent to the highest since June 2015.

The Topix index rose 2.3 percent, the most since Jan. 4. The gauge is at the highest since De-

cember 2015, surpassing a peak reached in March.

The Stoxx Europe 600 slipped 0.1 percent, pulled down by raw-material producers. South Korea’s Kospi index jumped 2.3 percent, the most since September 2015, to a fresh record ahead of tomorrow’s election.

The Shanghai Composite Index dropped 0.8 percent to the lowest level since October.

China’s overseas shipments held up in April, edging down from a two-year high in March.

The export outlook has improved on recovering global demand and as the threat of a trade war with

its biggest trading partner fizzled.

Futures on the S&P 500 were down 0.2 percent. The benchmark gauge climbed 0.6 percent last week, closing Friday at an all-time high.

The euro fell 0.3 percent to $1.0963, after gaining as much as 0.2 percent earlier. The currency is still trading near the highest level since November.

The yen was little changed at 112.68 per dollar, near the lowest level in seven weeks. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index advanced 0.1 percent following four straight weeks of declines.

Bloomberg

Iceland drills 4.7 km down into volcano to tap clean energy Extended

cuts into 2018 hike oil prices

By Gaël Branchereau and Jeremie Richard REYKJAVIK, Iceland―It’s named after a Nordic god and drills deep into the heart of a volcano: “Thor” is a rig that symbolizes Iceland’s leading-edge efforts to produce powerful clean energy.

If successful, the experimental project could produce up to 10 times more energy than an existing conventional gas or oil well, by generating electricity from the heat stored inside the earth: in this case, volcanic areas.

Launched in August last year, the drilling was completed on January 25, reaching a record-breaking depth of 4,659 meters (nearly 3 miles).

At this depth, engineers hope to access hot liquids under extreme pressure and at temperatures of 427 degrees C (800 F), creating steam that turns a turbine to generate clean electricity.

Iceland’s decision to harness the heat inside the earth in a process known as geothermal energy dates back to the 1970s and the oil crisis.

But the new geothermal well is expected to generate far more energy, as the extreme heat and pressure at that depth makes the water take the form of a “supercritical” fluid, which is neither gas nor liquid.

“We expect to get five to 10 times more power from the well than a conventional well today,” said Albert Albertsson, an engineer at the Icelandic energy company HS Orka, involved in the drilling project.

To supply electricity and hot water to a city like Reykjavik with 212,000 inhabitants, “we would need 30-35 conventional high temperature wells” compared to only three or five supercritical wells, says Albertsson. The cost would be much less.

Scientists and the team working on the “Thor” drill project have two years to determine its success and the economic feasibility of the experiment, which is called the Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP).

Situated not far from the Blue Lagoon, whose steaming blue waters attracted more than one million tourists last year, the IDDP overlooks craters

The Reykjanes geothermal power station is pictured on March 23, 2017 in Reykjanes at the southwestern tip of Iceland. The Iceland Deep Drilling Project’s rig penetrates into one of deepest and hottest pits in the world and unveils the nation’s variety in producing energy that’s independent from fossil fuels. AFP

formed by the last volcanic eruption 700 years ago that covered this part of the Reykjanes peninsula with a sea of lava.

The peninsula’s moon-like landscape also attracted NASA training missions in 1965 and 1967, aiming to prepare astronauts for unknown landscapes they might encounter on the moon.

CO2 emissions rising A Nordic island nation, rich in geysers with fountain-like jets of water and steam, hot springs and breathtaking volcanoes, Iceland is currently the only country in the world with 100 percent renewable electricity. Geothermal accounts for 25 percent, while the rest comes from hydroelectric dams.

But is Iceland a model for clean energy?

The answer is complex, according to Martin Norman, a Norwegian sustainable finance specialist at Greenpeace.

Although geothermal energy is still preferable to gas, coal and oil, it’s not “completely renewable and without problems,” he said.

“As soon as you start drilling you have issues to it, such as sulphur pollution and CO2 emission and they need to find solutions to deal with it,” he added.

Albertsson agreed but said geothermal emissions were only “a fraction” compared to those produced by oil and natural gas. He added that recycling methods are progressing rapidly.

Iceland prides itself on being at the forefront of renewable energy, yet “it is far from meeting the international ob-

jectives in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” Norman said.

The Institute of Economic Studies at the University of Iceland said in a February report that the country will not be able to abide by the COP21 climate change agreement signed in Paris in 2015.

Greenhouse gas emissions are rising in all sectors of the economy, except in fisheries and agriculture, it said.

‘Costa del Reykjavik’ Iceland’s heavy and energy-intensive―aluminum, silicon―industries and booming tourism are some of the causes.

The land of ice and fire, with a population of 338,000, expects to welcome more than two million foreign visitors this year. AFP

OIL held gains as Saudi Arabia’s energy minister Khalid Al-Falih said Opec-led supply reductions will likely be prolonged through the second half of this year and possibly into 2018.

Futures advanced as much as 1.6 percent in New York, adding to Friday’s 1.5 percent increase after prices fell to the weakest since November. While US shale output growth has slowed the impact of cuts, producers are determined to reduce a global glut, Al-Falih said in Kuala Lumpur. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Citigroup Inc. said the market is tightening and that the selloff last week to the lowest in five months wasn’t based on fundamentals.

Oil capped a third weekly loss last week after dropping to levels last seen before the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed in November to reduce production. Opec will meet May 25 to decide whether to extend supply cuts through the second half of the year as concerns mount its efforts to trim a global glut are being overwhelmed by rising US supply.

“The demand picture remains modestly constructive,” said Michael McCarthy, a chief market strategist at CMC Markets in Sydney. “The negativity last week, in particular concern about demand, may have been overdone. We expect the inventory situation to right itself, but that’s been a very slow process so far.”

West Texas Intermediate for June delivery rose as much as 76 cents to $46.98 a barrel before AlFalih’s comments on the New York Mercantile Exchange and traded at $46.37 at 7:40 a.m. in London. Total volume traded was about 45 percent above the 100-day average. The contract gained 70 cents to $46.22 on Friday, trimming the weekly loss to 6.3 percent. Bloomberg

Makati disaster strategy ratified THE Makati City Council recently approved an ordinance adopting the guidelines for the temporary closure of roads, bridges and other critical thoroughfares in case of floods or landslides caused by severe weather disturbances, upon the recommendation of the city Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Mayor Abby Binay, DRRMC chairperson, said the passage of City Ordinance No. 2017-025 adopting the guidelines was just in time for the expected onset of the rainy season in June.

“The rainy season is at hand and we need to make sure adequate measures are in place to prevent or minimize the hazards and inconvenience it may pose to residents and other stakeholders, particularly in flood-prone and landslideprone areas in the city,” Binay said.

The mayor also called on all concerned Makati DRRMC members to carry out their respective tasks and duties to ensure the smooth implementation of the guidelines when necessary.

Under the guidelines, the Makati DRRM Office through the Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment team shall recommend to the Office of the Mayor for the temporary closure of any area based on sufficient justification, with copy furnished to the Office of the City Administrator.

The recommendation must include a report on the nature of the incident; name of the road, bridge, or critical thoroughfare to be closed; its location; flood level, amount of rainfall, or extent of road damage; number of personnel needed for traffic control; and number of responders to be stationed.

Should the recommendation be justified, the mayor shall issue a temporary closure advisory which shall be communicated to the Department of Transportation and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board prior to its implementation. It shall be communicated to all concerned city DRRMC members and to the affected barangays as well.

Photo shows the Balangay Boat on display at the National Museum. A group of Filipino adventurers are retracing the first sea voyage to China by Paduka Batara, the Sultan of Sulu, in the year 1417 aboard a similar balangay.

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

1st PH-China voyage retraced

By Ben Cal

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GROUP of intrepid Filipino seafarers led

by Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Art Valdez will retrace the first Filipino sea voyage to China 600 years ago using a replica of the Balangay Boat used by the Sultan of Sulu.

In an exclusive interview with this writer, Valdez said his group was scheduled to leave for China on Monday.

The will start their sea voyage in Sulu where Sultan Paduka Batara, the Muslim ruler of Sulu, left with his family and 300 of his noble followers departed on their way to China “for a tribute mission to the Ming Dynasty to seek preferential trade agreement” with the Chinese, Valdez said.

Valdez was the organizer of the Philippine Expedition to Mount

Everest that enabled the first Filipino, Leo Oracion, to climb the summit of the world’s tallest mountain on May 17, 2006.

After Oracion reached the apex of Mount Everest, two other Filipino climbers, Pastor Emata and Romi Garduce, also reached the summit that awed the Filipino nations.

It was in 2010 that Valdez entertained the thought of retracing the first sea voyage to China

by Paduka Batara, the Sultan of Sulu in the year 1417 aboard

a replica of the Balangay Boat used by Batara.

To test the viability of the Balangay Boat, Valdez organized in 2010 a 40-man Filipino team mostly members of the Mt. Everest expedition to sail around the Philippine Sea archipelago and Southeast Asia.

Three replicas of the ancient Balangay Boats were built for the China voyage.

“The team travelled from the southern corridor of Tawi-Tawi, traversed around Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and up to the territorial waters of Vietnam; a journey that took a total of 17 months. The original plan was to reach China, but due to the sudden change of the monsoon weather and the weary crewmates who longed to be with their families as the Christmas season approaches, a collective decision was made to turn back home,” Valdez said.

For Valdez, the important thing was that the sea voyage using a replica of the Balangay Boat was a great success. He said three Balangay Boats were constructed for that sea voyage.

A festive celebration greeted the entire crew upon their return to Manila complete with media coverage.

Valdez said one of the boats named “Diwata ng Lahi” is now on display at the National Museum declared as Important Cultural Property.

The second vessel “Masawa hong Butuan,” named after the ancient kingdom now called Butuan City, was returned to where she was first built, at the Luna Compound, beside the mighty Agusan River.

It was in Butuan where the original Balangay Boats were first discovered and unearthed.

The third boat, “Sama ng Tawi-Tawi,” in honor of the boat

Bistek, Ubial eye blood type listing QUEZON City Mayor Herbert “Bistek” Bautista and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre led close to 500 people who participated in the Quezon City-leg of the nationwide blood typing/ blood donation campaign held Sunday at the Quezon City Experience Museum.

The project dubbed “Type ng Bayan” was organized by the Du30 Cabinet Spouses Foundation and is aimed at coming up with a national blood registry by documenting the blood types of all Filipinos.

Of the total 481 participants, 144 donated blood while 337 got their blood samples tested for blood typing.

The collected blood samples were taken to laboratories of government hospitals for further testing. The results will be sent back to the Quezon City Health Department.

According to Quezon City

health officer Verdades Linga, Quezon City is the second local government unit in Metro Manila to host the ‘Type ng Bayan.’

Bautista lauded the campaign as it underscored the importance of knowing one’s blood type.

“It’s very important that we have this kind of blood typing activity. I found it amusing because we were showing each other our [blood type] IDs. Every office should have a record of its employees’ blood types so in case of emergency and a need for a blood donor, it’s easier to pinpoint that person. Blood is life,” the mayor said.

Health Secretary Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial agrees with the mayor’s idea.

“It’s important to know our blood type. As Mayor Bautista said, if we could have that blood list not only in offices but in our barangays as well, so it’s easier to find our ‘type.’ Are you my

MANILA Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada on Monday said he is eyeing a bigger and more improved pen for Mali, a female elephant and Manila Zoo’s most popular resident.

Estrada said it would be better for Mali’s physical well-being if she had a more comfortable place to walk around and rest compared to her concrete and barren pen inside the animal park.

“We’ve been continuously looking for ways to uplift the welfare of

the zoo’s animals, especially Mali.

This time, we’re looking to improve Mali’s home,” Estrada said.

Mali was a gift from the government of Sri Lanka to then first lady Imelda Marcos. The elephant came to the country in 1977 and has been residing in the zoo since.

Estrada had earlier said the city government was fast tracking the planned renovation of Manila Zoo that will make it a “world-class” facility with more attractions and animals to see.

The priority of the project, he

builders from the Sama Dilaya tribe of Sibutu and Sitangkai, sits patiently near the shores of Bacolod City, awaiting her call to sail again, Valdez said.

About 600 years ago, in the year 1417, Sultan Paduka Batara, Muslim ruler of Sulu, left with his family and 300 of his noble followers for a tribute mission to the Ming Dynasty to seek preferential trade agreement. Retracing the first group of Filipinos that travelled to China 600 years ago, Valdez said: “The mission, onboard ships very much like the balangays, was welcomed by the Ming Emperor; on his way home, the Sultan fell into illness and died from natural cause. Upon learning of the tragic news, the Ming Emperor ordered a royal funeral in his honor. The Sultan’s wife and two of his children remained behind to tend to his tomb, they were granted lands and citizenships. PNA

GenTri elders receive P100K

‘Like an ant’s bite,’ Quezon City Mayor Herbert M. Bautista quips as a nurse draws blood from him in the ‘Type ng Bayan’ nationwide blood typing and blood donation program held at the Quezon City Experience Museum.

Looking on is Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre.

type?” she said teasingly.

Ubial said the vision of the Duterte administration is for the Philippines to attain blood supply adequacy by the end of 2017.

“Globally, the goal is 100-per-

cent voluntary nonnumerated blood donor and blood donation by 2020. That’s for the whole world. But for the Philippines, in the Philippine Health Agenda, that will be the legacy of Duterte

administration—blood adequacy by the end of 2017. For the first time in Philippine history, we will attain a total population of one-million blood donors,” the health secretary said.

Better enclosure for elephant Mali at Manila Zoo

By Sandy Araneta

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stressed, is to build better and bigger enclosures for the animals.

Along with the infrastructure upgrades, the project also entails the addition of new species of animals and the construction of a separate breeding and resting park for the zoo animals.

The Manila Parks and Recreations Bureau that has direct control over the zoo said it is proposing to Estrada that Mali’s pen be converted to a forest-like environment with grass instead of a concrete floor, and complete with a

waterhole and enough vegetation.

The soft ground and grass, MPRB director James Albert Dichaves said, is fit for active animals like Mali.

“Let’s fix the cage of Mali so that this would be fitted to her needs,” Dichaves explained.

“The concrete flooring of her cage must be redone as grass. Because a cemented pavement is bad for Mali’s health,” said Dichaves.

Contrary to the allegations of animal rights advocates, Dichaves clarified that Mali has

since been in good shape and receives adequate care.

Her cracked nails and foot pads have already been treated a long time ago.

In fact, he said internationallyrecognized veterinarians commissioned by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources have recently visited the elephant and affirmed that the animal is doing just fine.

“Her feet are okay now. And she’s well taken care of,” Dichaves said.

GENERAL TRIAS CITY, Cavite—Two centenarians here received their P100,000 cash benefit from the national government when personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Region 4A visited them in their respective residences in neighboring Barangay Tejero and San Juan 2.

Jevelle Tobongbanua, Cavite Social Pension Coordinator of DSWD Region IV-A, and GenTri CWSD officer Benky Generoso personally awarded the cash grant to Juana Amores Tagle of Barangay Tejero and Gertrudes Colorado Senaris at their respective houses.

Tagle was born Dec. 14, 1914 and is now 102 years old, while Senaris, born last March 17, 1916, is 101.

The two centenarians also received P50,000 in cash from the local government here through the City Council resolution recognizing residents who become centenarians “as inspiration to the younger city folks,” according to Councilor Jowie Carampot, chairman of the committee on the elderly.

General Trias Mayor Antonio “Ony” Ferrer also grants P5,000 cash to senior citizens who reach 80 years old and P10,000 to those who reach 90 years old.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

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TODAY TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017

Davao hosts Searca climate meeting

By Brenda Jocson

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CLIMATE change conference titled “Climate Resilience and Green Growth in Mindanao: Road Map to Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Development” in Davao City unfolds Tuesday to Wednesday this week at the Grand Regal Hotel.

The conference is held by a consortium of the Philippine-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, Asian Develop-

ment Bank, Climate Change Commission, Mindanao Development Authority, and the United Nations Environment Programme.

Also under the ADB-funded

project TA-8493 PHI: Climate Resilience and Green Growth in Critical Watersheds (46441-001), the conference is implemented by the CCC and commissioned to a consortium composed of SEARCA as lead organization, CTI Engineering Japan, Woodfields Consultants Inc., and ERGONS Project Management.

“The conference will tackle burning issues and impact of climate change in Mindanao in various sectors, namely: agriculture, water, coastal and marine, forestry, energy, transportation, and public infrastructure,” CCC Com-

missioner Noel V. Gaerlan said.

Specifically, the upcoming conference aims to reflect on the Mindanao 2030 vision in the context of climate change adaptation or CCA and disaster risk reduction or DRR preparedness for a climate resilience and green growth options in Mindanao.

It will present the climate change and DRR assessment tools and approaches of both ADB TA 8111 and TA 8493 and other project initiatives to determine possible synergisms and connectivity towards developing a model of CCA mainstreaming

in local development planning.

It also explores an indicative sectoral climate resilient investment and green growth road map for Mindanao; and identify areas of possible inter-institutional collaboration and partnership towards assisting local governments, the business sector, small producers and other resource user groups for climate resilience and green growth options in Mindanao as emerging new strategic destination for urban expansion, trade, and commerce in the country.

Dr. Lope B. Santos III, Searca program specialist, said the two-

day conference will bring together varied ideas, experiences and proposals from different stakeholders covering 50 agencies and institutions including provincial, city, municipal and national government agencies, private sector, academe and non-governmental and people’s organizations.

He said the overall aim of the conference is to learn from the previous and ongoing projects of donor organizations and other institutions that are related to CCA and mitigation, urban resiliency and green growth measures in critical watersheds.

IN BRIEF Vizcaya builds P.5-m organic trading center BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—The Department of Agriculture and the provincial government here recently built a P.5 million trading center to help organic farmers in promoting and marketing their products.

Located near the national highway and the Agriculture Research Training Center, the Organic Farmers Trading Center in barangay Magsaysay in this town is a one-stop shop among consumers patronizing organically—produced vegetables, poultry and pork.

“Once built, our organic farmers will have their share in marketing their products in a strategic area where commuters can stop by and pick their product choices,” said Alexander Domingo, provincial agriculturist. Ben Moses Ebreo

P296-m irrigation projects set to improve agricultural productivity in NIR THE National Irrigation Administration-Negros Island Region office has handed over 20 Communal Irrigation Projects or CIPs during a mass turnover ceremony in Bacolod City.

The completed projects are set to irrigate at least 6,000 hectares of agricultural lands in Negros Occidental and Oriental, to benefit 2,841 farmers and improve their respective harvests, according to NIA-NIR regional manager Engineer Mario H. Sande.

“The youngest NIA regional office is committed to delivering quality service and continued support to the government’s advocacy in agricultural development,” Sande added.

One of the irrigation projects turned over is the P108-million Dauin SRIS located in Dauin, Negros Oriental, which was programmed to irrigate 1,000 hectares of agricultural lands. The system is set to benefit 685 farmers from Dauin-Hinalin-Lipayo Irrigators Association or IA.

CLEAN LITTLE HANDS. School children from three Cabuyao City elementary schools are taught how to properly wash their hands to keep

themselves clean and healthy, as leading consumer goods company Procter & Gamble Philippines continues its roll out of “P&G Linis, Lusog” holistic health and hygiene program, to various cities in the country—including Makati, Taguig, Dagupan, Pasay, and most recently the city in Laguna.

NV eyes tourism, historical site boost (MS-MAR. 9/10/11, 2017)

By Ben Moses Ebreo

MAYORS FOR PEACE. Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (left) represents the Philippines in the Mayors for Peace Executive Cities Meeting in Vienna, Austria last May 6. Mayors for Peace aims to raise international public awareness on the abolishment of nuclear weapons and contributes to the realization of lasting world peace. Fresnedi, one of the organization’s vice presidents, discussed the 9th General Conference to be held in Nagasaki, Japan this August with Muntinlupa international relations officer James Arriola (second from left).

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya— The provincial government here will be pouring more funds to further develop its eco-tourism and historical potentials to attract more local and foreign tourists.

Former governor Ruth Padilla, president of the Nueva Vizcaya Tourism Council, said they are now preparing the documents for the declaration of the Capissaan Cave System in Kasibu town, Mt. Palali in Bayombong town and Mt. Ugo in Kayapa town as protected areas through

PASEGURUHAN NG MGA NAGLILINGKOD SA PAMAHALAAN (GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM) Financial Center, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City 1308

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The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) through the GSIS Corporate Operating Budget for CY 2017 intends to apply the sum of Twenty Million Pesos (Php20,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract1 (ABC) for the Comprehensive Maintenance of HP Hardware Non-SAP. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The GSIS now invites bids for the Comprehensive Maintenance of HP Hardware Non-SAP. Delivery of the Services should be for twelve (12) months from the date stated in the Notice to Proceed. Bidders should have completed, within the past three (3) years prior to the deadline for the submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project whose amount is at least 50% of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is open to all interested bidders, whether local or foreign, subject to the conditions for eligibility provided in the IRR of RA 9184 and in ITB Clause 5.2 of the Bid Data Sheet in the Bidding Documents.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the GSIS Bids and Awards Committee (GBAC) Secretariat and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00AM to 5:00PM, Monday to Friday excluding holidays.

GBAC Secretariat, Level 2 Core G, GSIS Building, Financial Center, Pasay City A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders starting on 09 May 2017, from 8:00AM to 3:00PM and upon payment of a fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Php25,000.00.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that Bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

The GSIS Bids and Awards Committee will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 16 May 2017, 2:30PM at the GBAC Conference Room, Level 2 Core G, GSIS Building, Financial Center Pasay City.

The Pre-Bid Conference shall be open to all interested parties.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before 30 May 2017, 10:00AM. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Late bids shall not be accepted.

Bid opening shall be on 30 May 2017, 10:30AM at the GBAC Conference Room, Level 2 Core G, GSIS Building, Financial Center Pasay City. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the given address. After the Bid Opening, a detailed evaluation of the financial component of the eligible bid/s shall be conducted to determine the Single or Lowest Calculated Bid (SCB or LCB). Only the bidder with the SCB or LCB shall be notified within seven (7) calendar days to submit post-qualification documents.

The GSIS reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: GBAC Secretariat GSIS Bids and Awards Committee Level 2 Core G, GSIS Building, Financial Center Pasay City Tel No. : (02)976-4961/ 976-4945 / Fax No. : (02)859-0373 GBAC_Secretariat@gsis.gov.ph / www.gsis.gov.ph (SGD) EDUARDO V. FERNANDEZ Chairperson GBAC for Infrastructure and Information Technology

(MS-MAY 9, 2017)

been completed through the implementation of the Department of Tourism-Department of Public Works and Highways Convergence Program.

With this, travel time to the cave system is now reduced from 8 to 3 hours and tourists can now be accommodate through DOT-accredited homestay services near the area, tourism officials said.

The former governor added that the Balete Pass, also known as Dalton Pass in Sta. Fe town will soon have a Memorial Wall where names of the gallant soldiers who perished during the 2nd World War will be marked.

PASEGURUHAN NG MGA NAGLILINGKOD SA PAMAHALAAN (GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM) Financial Center, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City 1308

Section I. Invitation to Bid COMPREHENSIVE MAINTENANCE OF HP HARDWARE NON-SAP 1.

the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

“These are some of our ecotourism attractions that need to be preserved and protected not only for its tourism value but more so because of their significance to our eco-system and the environment,” she said.

Padilla said the number of Mt. Ugo trekkers last year was recorded at more than 5,000, based on the log book of the Philippine National Police.

She also announced that the access road going to the Capissaan Cave system in Kasibu town has

PASEGURUHAN NG MGA NAGLILINGKOD SA PAMAHALAAN (GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM) Financial Center, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City 1308

Section I. Invitation to Bid DISASTER RECOVERY (DR) COLOCATION SITE 1.

2.

3.

4.

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) through the GSIS Corporate Operating Budget for CY 2017 intends to apply the sum of Nineteen Million Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php19,500,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract1 (ABC) for the Disaster Recovery (DR) Colocation Site for a period of twenty four (24) months under a Multi-Year Contract.

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The GSIS now invites bids for the Disaster Recovery (DR) Colocation Site. Delivery of the Services should be for twenty four (24) months from the date stated in the Notice to Proceed.

Bidders should have completed, within the past three (3) years prior to the deadline for the submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project whose amount is at least 50% of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is open to all interested bidders, whether local or foreign, subject to the conditions for eligibility provided in the IRR of RA 9184 and in ITB Clause 5.2 of the Bid Data Sheet in the Bidding Documents.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the GSIS Bids and Awards Committee (GBAC) Secretariat and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00AM to 5:00PM, Monday to Friday excluding holidays.

GBAC Secretariat, Level 2 Core G, GSIS Building, Financial Center, Pasay City

Section I. Invitation to Bid NETBACKUP MAINTENANCE 1.

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) through the GSIS Corporate Operating Budget for CY 2017 intends to apply the sum of Twelve Million Six Hundred1Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php12,650,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) for the NetBackup Maintenance.

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The GSIS now invites bids for the NetBackup Maintenance. Delivery of the Services should be for twelve (12) months from the date stated in the Notice to Proceed. Bidders should have completed, within the past three (3) years prior to the deadline for the submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project whose amount is at least 50% of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is open to all interested bidders, whether local or foreign, subject to the conditions for eligibility provided in the IRR of RA 9184 and in ITB Clause 5.2 of the Bid Data Sheet in the Bidding Documents.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the GSIS Bids and Awards Committee (GBAC) Secretariat and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00AM to 5:00PM, Monday to Friday excluding holidays.

GBAC Secretariat, Level 2 Core G, GSIS Building, Financial Center, Pasay City

3.

4.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders starting on 09 May 2017, from 8:00AM to 3:00PM and upon payment of a fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Php25,000.00.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that Bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

5.

5.

The GSIS Bids and Awards Committee will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 16 May 2017, 9:00AM at the GBAC Conference Room, Level 2 Core G, GSIS Building, Financial Center Pasay City.

The Pre-Bid Conference shall be open to all interested parties.

6.

6.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before 29 May 2017, 9:00AM. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Late bids shall not be accepted.

Bid opening shall be on 29 May 2017, 9:30AM at the GBAC Conference Room, Level 2 Core G, GSIS Building, Financial Center Pasay City. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the given address. After the Bid Opening, a detailed evaluation of the financial component of the eligible bid/s shall be conducted to determine the Single or Lowest Calculated Bid (SCB or LCB). Only the bidder with the SCB or LCB shall be notified within seven (7) calendar days to submit post-qualification documents.

The GSIS reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: GBAC Secretariat GSIS Bids and Awards Committee Level 2 Core G, GSIS Building, Financial Center Pasay City Tel No. : (02)976-4961/ 976-4945 / Fax No. : (02)859-0373 GBAC_Secretariat@gsis.gov.ph / www.gsis.gov.ph

7.

8.

(MS-MAY 9, 2017)

(SGD) EDUARDO V. FERNANDEZ Chairperson GBAC for Infrastructure and Information Technology

“We will coordinate with the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office regarding this project,” Padilla said.

She also added that Boundary Arcs in the towns of Sta. Fe town, Kayapa and Diadi will also be constructed as part of its tourism promotion program including the establishment of a tourism information center in Dalton Pass.

The Lower Magat Eco-Tourism Park in barangay San Luis in Diadi town, Padilla said will also be added with other attraction such as a flower cultural garden, more lodging houses and Olympicsized swimming pools.

7.

8.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders starting on 09 May 2017, from 8:00AM to 3:00PM and upon payment of a fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Php25,000.00.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that Bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

The GSIS Bids and Awards Committee will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 16 May 2017, 1:00PM at the GBAC Conference Room, Level 2 Core G, GSIS Building, Financial Center Pasay City.

The Pre-Bid Conference shall be open to all interested parties.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before 29 May 2017, 1:30PM. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Late bids shall not be accepted.

Bid opening shall be on 29 May 2017, 2:00PM at the GBAC Conference Room, Level 2 Core G, GSIS Building, Financial Center Pasay City. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the given address. After the Bid Opening, a detailed evaluation of the financial component of the eligible bid/s shall be conducted to determine the Single or Lowest Calculated Bid (SCB or LCB). Only the bidder with the SCB or LCB shall be notified within seven (7) calendar days to submit post-qualification documents.

The GSIS reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: GBAC Secretariat GSIS Bids and Awards Committee Level 2 Core G, GSIS Building, Financial Center Pasay City Tel No. : (02)976-4961/ 976-4945 / Fax No. : (02)859-0373 GBAC_Secretariat@gsis.gov.ph / www.gsis.gov.ph (SGD) EDUARDO V. FERNANDEZ Chairperson GBAC for Infrastructure and Information Technology

(MS-MAY 9, 2017)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

World Over 1m children have fled S. Sudan NAIROBI―War has now forced more than one million children to flee South Sudan and uprooted 1.4 million others within the country, the United Nations said on Monday.

Children make up 62 percent of the 1.8 million people who have fled South Sudan for refugee camps in neighboring Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda since civil war began in 2013, the UN children’s agency, UNICEF, and refugee agency, UNHCR, said in a joint press release.

Another 1.4 million children are living in camps inside South Sudan.

“The future of a generation is truly on the brink,” said UNICEF’s Leila Pakkala.

“The horrifying fact that nearly one in five children in South Sudan has been forced to flee their home illustrates how devastating this conflict has been for the country’s most vulnerable,” she said.

South Sudan won its independence in 2011 but two years later a new conflict began when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of planning a coup.

The war quickly spread, splitting the country along ethnic lines and triggering famine in some areas earlier this year.

“No refugee crisis today worries me more than South Sudan,” said Valentin Tapsoba of the UNHCR. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the ongoing conflict, among them more than 1,000 children, the UN added.

Children have not only been victims of the violence and abuse, but perpetrators, forcibly recruited into armed groups and deployed in the fight against opposing soldiers and in the brutal attacks on civilians that have defined the conflict.

UNICEF said it has raised just over half of the $181 million (164 million euros) needed to help South Sudanese refugees this year, while the UNHCR said it has only received 11 percent of the $782 million it needs. AFP

Largest haul of Pangolin scales KUALA LUMPUR―Malaysian customs officers have seized more than 700 kilograms of pangolin scales, the country’s largest haul of the scales considered by some to have medicinal properties, officials said Monday.

The 712kg (1,570 pound) haul worth 9,184,800 ringgit ($2.12 million) was made last week in two separate seizures.

On May 2, eight gunny sacks of the scales weighing 408kg were found at a Kuala Lumpur airport warehouse. They are believed to have arrived on a flight from Accra, Ghana, which transited in Dubai.

Two days later, 10 more sacks weighing 304kg were found and seized. These were supposedly on a flight from Kinshasa, DR Congo, to Nairobi, Kenya, transiting in Dubai before reaching Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysian officials say they are investigating.

Pangolins are indigenous to the jungles of Indonesia, parts of Malaysia and areas of southern Thailand, and their meat is considered a delicacy in China.

They are classified as a protected species under the UN’s Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and international trade in any Asian pangolin species is banned under the convention.

The shy pangolin’s brown scales are made of nothing more than keratin―the same substance as fingernails―but are highly prized in Vietnam and China where they are misleadingly touted as bearing medicinal properties. AFP

TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017

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Maduro’s detractors reject plan to rewrite constitution C

ARACAS―President Nicolas Maduro’s plan for an elected assembly to draw up a new Venezuelan constitution faced headwinds Sunday, when opposition parties refused to join the process amid continuing violent anti-Maduro protests.

ARRIVAL. Actress Laura Roman arrives at the Netflix FYSee Kick Off Event at Netflix FYSee Space on May 7 in Beverly Hills. AFP

US officials: IS Afghanistan leader killed KABUL―The head of Islamic State in Afghanistan―described as the mastermind behind high-profile attacks including an assault on a military hospital that claimed at least 50 lives―has been killed, US and Afghan officials said.

Abdul Hasib, whose group is affiliated with IS in Iraq and Syria, was killed last month in a targeted raid by special forces in the eastern province of Nangarhar, the presidential palace in Kabul said in a statement.

The second leader of the jihadist group to be killed by US and Afghan forces in less than nine months, his death came days after Washington dropped its largest non-nuclear bomb on IS hideouts in the same area.

Analysts described him as “obscure”, but authorities ascribed responsibility to

him for high-profile assaults in Kabul, including the savage attack on a military hospital in March when assailants stabbed bedridden patients and threw grenades into crowded wards.

“He had ordered the attack” on the hospital, the presidential statement said, adding that Kabul will fight IS and other extremist groups “until they are annihilated”.

NATO commander in Afghanistan General John Nicholson confirmed the killing of Hasib and warned that “any ISIS member that comes to Afghanistan will meet the same fate”.

“This is the second ISIS-K emir we have killed in nine months, along with dozens of their leaders and hundreds of their fighters,” he added, using the acronym denoting the group’s local affiliate, Islamic State Khorasan Province.

The first, Hafiz Saeed, was killed in a US airstrike also in Nangarhar province in July last year. Like Hasib, his death was seen as a setback, but not a mortal blow to the group.

“The death of Abdul Hasib does not make a difference for the Daesh group in Afghanistan,” Kabul-based writer and analyst Ahmad Saeedi told AFP, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State.

They will simply put another leader in place, he said. “Dozens of Daesh fighters have been killed in eastern Afghanistan, but it did not bring positive change.”

First emerging in Afghanistan in 2015, the jihadist group overran large parts of Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, near the Pakistan border.

Their part in the Afghan conflict had been largely overshadowed by the much stronger Taliban. AFP

Although several opposition leaders had separately rejected Maduro’s plan for a “people’s” assembly, the center-right Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) formally announced Sunday that it would not participate.

“We cannot take part in a fraudulent process,” former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles said, appearing at a news conference with other MUD leaders. “We have a constitution, and the government cannot repeal it by act of force.”

But some analysts said they fear the opposition is leaving the way open for Maduro to change the constitution at will, possibly cementing his grip on power.

Capriles effectively ruled out any opposition presence at a meeting on constitutional revision to be held Monday at the presidential palace.

Opponents plan to march to the headquarters of the education ministry in central Caracas instead to explain their position.

MUD rejects Maduro’s proposal to elect half the members of the constituent assembly by voting in sectors it says are government-controlled, while the rest would be chosen in municipal elections.

Capriles maintains that Maduro-whose leadership is rejected by seven of 10 Venezuelans, according to polls―is trying to avoid a general election, the main demand of the opposition protests since April 1.

There is no provision in the current constitution for the sector-by-sector elections, Maduro says.

Opposition leaders said Sunday that they plan an intense day of protests to demand elections and an end to the “repression” of demonstrations, which have left 36 people dead and hundreds injured or jailed.

Citizen assemblies would be held Tuesday to explain the “flaws” in the constituent assembly, deputy Stalin Gonzalez said.

He said there would be a march Wednesday on the Supreme Court and other judicial offices around the country, and other protests Thursday and Friday.

None of the demonstrations has managed to reach the center of the capital, considered a bastion of Chavismo, the left-wing ideology created

by Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chavez.

On Sunday, the presidential panel guiding the constituent assembly process, led by Elias Jaua, met with youth group leaders. Jaua, a former vice president and foreign minister, told them the assembly would provide a path to peace and co-existence between the opposing sides.

Some analysts warned that MUD’s decision to sit out that process could leave the way open for the government to change the constitution at will.

“If the opposition maintains its position,” political scientist Luis Salamanca said. “Maduro could change the very model of the state to perpetuate his grip on power.”

“Do not leave the space free,” he warned, adding, “this could be the last election in Venezuela.”

Maduro’s plan has drawn widespread international criticism. The United States, Mexico, Brazil and Spain have said that any process to modify the constitution requires universal suffrage.

Chile has said the process is worsening an already bad political crisis, and Luis Almagro, secretary general of the Organization of American States, has called the process “fraudulent.” AFP

More troops deployed in rain-soaked Canada MONTREAL―With heavy rain persisting and waters still rising over much of waterlogged eastern Canada, the nation’s military on Sunday tripled the number of troops urgently working to evacuate thousands of residents.

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre declared a state of emergency for his city, allowing authorities to order mandatory evacuations from threatened areas.

“The next 48 hours will be decisive,” Coderre told reporters.

Evacuations were ordered in Pierrefonds, on the northwestern shore of the island of Montreal, after three temporary dikes ruptured, sending water levels surging.

A combination of torrential rains and runoff from melting snow has caused rivers to overflow their banks from Ottawa to Montreal, posing critical challenges for people already exhausted by weeks of seemingly unending rainfall.

More than 1,000 people have been evacuated in Quebec province, the largest number coming from Gatineau, near Ottawa, the province’s emergency response

unit said Sunday.

More than 2,000 homes have been flooded and 140 towns and cities affected, with authorities urging residents to evacuate before it is too late.

In addition to Montreal, eight localities declared states of emergency.

But Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard warned the worst was yet to come.

“The water will continue rising over the next two or three days,” he said Saturday after visiting the town of Rigaud, west of Montreal, which has been flooded for more than a week.

Water levels were rising across much of an area of some 500 kilometers (300 miles), from Toronto and Lake Ontario and stretching downstream along the St. Lawrence River.

The Ministry of Public Safety said waters were expected to crest sometime Monday in Quebec province.

Some 450 troops had been dispatched by Saturday to help put sandbags in place and assist with evacuations. AFP

AWARD. ActressEmma Watson accepts the award for Movie of the Year for ‘Beauty and the Beast’ during the 2017 MTV Movie And TV Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on May 7, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

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TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017

South Korean candidates in final push

World

AWARDS. Laura Osnes and Aaron Tveit speak on stage during the 432nd Annual Lucille Lortel Awards at NYU Skirball Center on May 7, 2017, in New York City. AFP

College confirms US citizen detained SEOUL―A foreign-funded university in North Korea confirmed Monday the arrest of a US citizen―the second linked to the school held in two weeks amid tensions on the peninsula.

The detention of Kim HakSong means that the North is now holding four US nationals, with the two countries at loggerheads over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile ambitions.

The North detained Kim on Saturday for “hostile acts”, the official KCNA news agency said Sunday, adding he had worked for the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology.

The school―founded by evangelical Christians from overseas and opened in 2010― is known to have a number of American faculty members.

PUST confirmed Kim’s arrest, saying he was detained as he was about to leave the country after a visit of several weeks.

“During that visit, Mr Kim was at PUST to do agricultural development work with PUST’s experimental farm,” it said in a statement.

It did not comment on the reason for Kim’s arrest but said it was “not connected in any way with the work of PUST”.

Two weeks ago the North arrested Tony Kim, a US citizen and accounting professor who was lecturing at PUST, accusing him of trying to “overturn” the regime.

Little is known about Kim Hak-Song, but his detention brought renewed attention to the school, known to teach many children of the country’s elite.

On its website, PUST says its mission is “to pursue excellence in education, with an international outlook, so that its students are diligent in studies, innovative in research and upright in character, bringing illumination to the Korean people and the world”.

Korean American writer Suki Kim went to PUST undercover as an English teacher in 2011 and later wrote a book about her experiences.

“PUST offers a mutually beneficial arrangement for both North Korea and the evangelicals,” she wrote in an essay published on the Washington Post last month following Tony Kim’s detention.

“The regime gets free education for its youth and a modern facility... while the evangelicals get a footing in the remote nation,” she said. AFP

SEOUL―South Korea’s presidential hopefuls made a final push for votes Monday, with the leftleaning candidate a clear favorite, as the North assailed the outgoing conservative government a day before the polls.

A former pro-democracy activist and human rights lawyer, Moon Jae-In of the Democratic Party―who favors engagement with Pyongyang―has been leading opinion polls for months.

The final Gallup Korea survey of the campaign ahead of Tuesday’s vote gave him 38 percent, far ahead of centrist Ahn Cheol-Soo on 20 percent.

Tuesday’s vote was called to choose a successor to Park Geun-Hye after her impeachment for corruption and abuse of power.

The campaign has focused largely on jobs and the economy, with North Korea less prominent despite high diplomatic tensions between Washington and Pyongyang over its nuclear and missile ambitions.

Moon has promised to reinvigorate the South’s sluggish growth and create more jobs, and hinted at a more flexible approach towards its nucleararmed neighbor.

The front-runner advocates dialogue and reconciliation with the North to defuse the situation and eventually lure it into negotiations that have been at a standstill for years―an approach criticized by his conservative opponents.

Pyongyang on Monday slammed the South’s conservatives―who have been in power for a decade―as “senseless traitors seeking only confrontation and war” who were responsible for the “tragic” state of North-South relations.

An editorial in Rodong Sinmun―the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea―acknowledged that an election was taking place, and said conservatives were scheming to retain power.

The North has carried out two nuclear tests and a series of missile launches since the start of last year and Washington has said military action was an option, sending tensions spiraling.

Moon―who lost to Park in the last election in 2012―has benefited electorally from the anger over the scandal that brought her down, which saw millions of South Koreans taking to the streets in candlelit demonstrations to demand her removal. A FP

US travel ban faces new test W ASHINGTON―President Donald Trump’s amended travel ban will face a key test on Monday, when a US appeals court is set to take on a case that has stymied the administration’s controversial efforts to bar travelers from six Muslim-majority countries .A Richmond, Virginia-based federal court will hold a crucial hearing to scrutinize a Maryland judge’s ruling that dealt Trump a humiliating blow by freezing his second attempt to close US borders to citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days.

Given the public importance of the case and the need for a timely decision, the Fourth US Circuit Court of Appeals will head straight for a full-court, or “en banc” hearing―bypassing the usual initial three-judge panel―for the first time in a quartercentury.

The court has 15 active judges, some of whom could recuse themselves because of potential conflicts of interest. The exact list will be released Monday morning ahead of the hearing, set to begin at 2:30 pm (1830 GMT).

The Maryland federal judge had issued a nationwide block on the ban’s core provision concerning travel from the Muslim world, saying the order raised the prospect of religious bias.

That decision came just after a broader one issued in Hawaii that halted the travel ban as well as a 120-day suspension of the US refugee admissions program. The White House is fighting that ruling in the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals.

Justice Department lawyers arguing on behalf of the Trump administration must make the case that the decree is necessary to ensure national security―and that it does not amount to the so-called Muslim ban Trump had threat-

ened to impose while running for office.

The scope of Trump’s revamped ban, signed in early March, was reduced from his original January effort, which blocked travelers from seven-majority Muslim countries as well as all refugees.

The first decree-which prompted mass protests and sowed chaos at US airports―was blocked by a court in Washington state on the grounds that it violated the constitution’s prohibition of religious discrimination, a ruling that was upheld on appeal.

The modified version removed Iraq from the ban, but ran into the same objections.

Although it does not explicitly mention Muslims, US District Judge Theodore Chuang of Maryland accepted arguments that Trump’s history of anti-Muslim rhetoric presented “a convincing case” that the second executive decree amounted to “the realization of the long-envisioned Muslim ban.”

Trump has vowed to fight the “flawed” ruling all the way to the Supreme Court -- to which he recently appointed a conservative justice -- describing it as “unprecedented judicial overreach.”

A panel of three federal judges will review the Hawaii judgment on appeal later this month at a court in Seattle, Washington.

Chuang issued his nationwide ruling in March over a complaint filed by civil rights and refugee advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union.

AFP

ARRIVAL. Catalan parliament President Carme Forcadell waves upon her arrival at the TSJC (Superior Court of Catalonia) in Barcelona on May 8, 2017. Forcadell is charged with civil disobedience and misuse of public funds for holding a non-binding ballot on November 9, 2014 in which Catalans were asked to vote on whether their region should remain part of Spain. AFP

Laws urged to protect victims of ‘revenge porn’ SYDNEY―Researchers Monday urged tougher laws to protect victims of “revenge porn” in Australia after a survey revealed abuses, including shooting and sharing intimate images without permission, on a “mass scale”.

One in five Australians have fallen prey to abusive behavior, including having intimate photographs taken without consent and then confronting threats to share

them on social networks, a government-funded national study of more than 4,200 people revealed.

Academics at Monash University and RMIT University found that men and women were equally likely to be targeted, while 50 percent of those from minority groups, like Aboriginal Australians and those with disabilities, reported some form of abuse.

About a third of those who iden-

tified as lesbian, gay or bisexual had fallen victim.

Researchers behind the survey―the most comprehensive on the subject ever in Australia―said legislation needed to be strengthened, adding “revenge porn” had emerged at such a rapid pace that laws were “struggling to catch up”.

“Our survey only captured those victims who had become aware their images had been dis-

tributed, whereas some victims may never discover that their images have been taken and distributed,” Monash senior criminology lecturer Asher Flynn said.

The most common type of abuse was taking intimate images without consent. Some 11 percent of victims saw their images distributed without their consent, with some 40 percent of those being shared across social media

platforms like Snapchat and Facebook.

A vast majority of those who experienced “sextortion”, or threats to share their images, said they suffered from anxiety as a result, with many fearing for their safety.

About half of the victims said their perpetrators were male, about a third that the violator was female while 13 percent said the offender was unknown. AFP

All is not lost in Bukidnon’s

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017

Kaamulan

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HE majestic gathering of warrior tribes, bonding in search for peace and prosperity was more than a fitting backdrop for visiting President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s call for friendship with China.

The recent Kaamulan festival in Bukidnon province also showcased the enduring indigenous culture that thrived in pre-Islamic and pre-Spanish times as depicted in extensive street dancing, culminating in a daylong presentation by some 5,000 performers.

Over a hundred thousand people, many traveled from afar, filled the sprawling Capitol Grounds of Malaybalay City to witness the spellbinding dances of at least 11 contingents of 500 each.

The rituals dramatized themes of war and reconciliation; conflagration and recovery; peace, brotherhood, friendship, courtship, harvest and thanksgiving.

“Kaamulan is unique in that it is a kaleidoscope of the rich and colorful culture of our ancestors that people, foreigners and Filipinos alike, came to see… All is not lost, as cultural festivals like this help preserve our identity as a people,” said Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo, also a Mindanao native herself.

The only authentic ethnic festival in the country features the cultures of seven distinct tribes in central Mindanao, namely Bukidnon, Higaunon, Talaandig, Manobo,

Life CULTURE & MEDIA

Bukidnon province’s Kaamulan festival features the cultures of Bukidnon, Higaunon, Talaandig, Manobo, Matigsalug, Tigwahanon, and Umayamnon tribes in central Mindanao

Matigsalug, Tigwahanon and Umayamnon.

She said the hand-woven garments, elaborate headdress, and handcrafted warrior gears, planting tools, as well as the intricate musical instruments show the Filipino ancestors sophistication and high degree of civilization.

Teo arrived with the President, along with special guest Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua, upon the invitation of Bukidnon Governor Jose Maria Zubiri, Jr. “Quite a number of local families, in coordination with the DoT and the provincial tourism office, opened their homes to visitors for an overnight stay. This is genuine Filipino hospitality at its best,” said Teo.

The DoT head said Duterte’s acceptance of China’s offer of friendship reflects the essence of Kaamulan where tribal leaders forged peace pacts and trade relations. “I want friendship... In fact, we are brothers,” declared Duterte, admitting feeling a strong kinship with the Chinese, whom history attests had never committed any atrocity against Filipinos.

Duterte and Zhao led the groundbreaking of a P1 billion drug rehabilitation facility in Malaybalay which is funded by a Chinese group Friends of Filipinos. Beijing pledges to encourage at least two million Chinese visitors to the Philippines this year.

The recent Kaamulan festival showcased the enduring indigenous culture that thrived in pre-Islamic and pre-Spanish times through a colorful street dance performance

Life

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TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

Classical guitar enfant terrible opens Catanduanes music fest

By Pablo A. Tariman

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TING ASISTORES, 16, winner of the Young Masters Competition and recipient of the special prize at the Bangkok International Guitar Competition and Festival opens the 2017 Catanduanes Music Festival with classical guitarist Aaron Aguila III, top winner at the 2016 National Music Competition for Young Artists.

As soloist in Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez with the Manila Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jeffrey Solares, Asistores emerged as the confirmed enfant terrible of classical guitar in the Philippines.

The young talent is now headed for the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan where the previous Filipino talents who shone were violinist Joseph Esmilla and cellist Victor Michael Coo now based in Taiwan.

Four years ago, he auditioned for PHSA at age 13 and passed with flying colors. By that time, he was already on his fourth year studying classical guitar with Lester Demetillo.

16-year-old guitarist Sting Asistores performs with the Manila Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jeffrey Solares

Sting said his studies at PSHA improved his time management skills as he balanced both the academic and art curriculums. “It was a real challenge for me because I was having a hard time

Soprano Stefanie Quintin and classical guitarist Anton Luis Avila will perform for the first time in Catanduanes Music Festival on June 16

CRAFT MNL, in partnership with co.lab, Manila Workshops, and Globe myBusiness, has been holding a series of workshop sessions called “Growing Your Homemade Business.”

In the workshop, professional photographer, Jeryc Garcia gave a short lecture on the basics of photography and a few DIY tips and tricks to get small business owners to put out engaging and eye-catching product photos. The attendees peppered Garcia with questions and showcased their original products while he assisted them from conceptualizing to composing great photos.

with a single curriculum back in the elementary. The PHSA also introduced me to music theory, which helped me so much with my sense of pitch and, I like to think, my musicality. The school also exposed me to other art forms and taught me how to appreciate them like ballet, and folk dance that I didn’t know I would actually enjoy because I wasn’t aware of it as a kid. The elective subject also challenged me into teaching classical guitar and choir singing.”

His talent didn’t come as a surprise since his father, Noel, graduated at the UP College of Music as a classical guitar major. “My father now plays the bass but he has a background in jazz, blues, soul and pop.”

His mother, Minnie, used to play the piano and his brother Miles also took piano lessons at the Maigue Music Studio and is now interested in playing the flute.

But he knew he was meant for classical guitar at an early age. “When I was 8, I took acoustic guitar lessons in band club back in grade school. I was already hooked to the guitar then and my dream was to become an electric guitar player and be part of a band like my Dad. I used to tell myself that I won’t ever read notes because I found them boring but my Dad told me to try taking classical guitar lessons. He explained to me that would build my foundation technically for electric guitar playing in the future.”

True enough, it was his father who led him to the beauty of classical guitar

repertoire. “Playing the classical guitar at first was a tough challenge for me because I found it very boring. After my first couple of years playing classical, my Dad showed me John Williams’ Seville Concert in YouTube. I guess Williams only got my full attention when he played Asturias by Isaac Albeniz.

I was very amazed by the pieces’ charisma and aura. It was probably the first classical piece I heard with the strings being strummed like an electric guitar!

Ever since then, I looked up to John Williams as my idol that kept inspiring me to pursue the classical guitar.”

Sting has the full support of his family although he was advised a music career can be unstable in the beginning.

Thus, he was encouraged to explore more fields in music such as music production, composition and teaching.

For now, he credits his teacher Demetillo for always being very patient with him. “He taught me how to pay attention to the smallest details of the music I am playing. He is also aware of my weaknesses and taught me how to overcome them. The good thing is he really pushes me beyond my limitations.”

His music horizon further expanded when he took masterclasses with known personas of the classical guitar. “In masterclasses, I’ve learned many technical nuances in my playing. I’ve learned how to file my nails properly from Judicael Perroy and Naoki Ikuta. I think one of the most important advices I’ve been given from the masterclasses I attended

For inquiries on the May 12 and June 16 concerts, email artsnewsservice@ gmail.com or text 0906-5104270.

Maximize the product

Photography tips

Selling a lifestyle

Product photography is not just snapping a nice pic of your wares, hoping that people are going to want to buy it for its prettiness. Good product photography doesn’t just sell a product, it promises a lifestyle. You’ve got to get your product photos to tell stories, and not just any stories, but the stories of the people viewing them. Viewers have got to look at your product photos, and tell themselves, “I know how that is going to add to my life.”

Using your photography to tell those stories as creatively as possible is the best way to invite its viewers to the luxuries of homemade jewelry, the deliciousness of sweet or savory delicacies you’re serving up, or whatever lifestyle your product caters to.

Getting the most out of your product in a photograph is not only a creative task, but also a technical one. So examine your product, and dissect its visual properties. Is it transparent, translucent, or opaque? Is it edgy or rounded?

Is it very colorful or more muted? Is it a product that is actually attractive, or are you going to have to shoot the packaging instead?

There are many things to consider because getting the product to look good in a photograph means picking its most engaging visual properties and highlighting them. This will be done with lighting. Lighting is the most immediately important consideration for any photographer because it is literally how your product will be seen.

And the lighting will determine the mood of your photograph, and by extension the mood in which your product is received. Is the light soft and warm? Is it hard and edgy? What does that say about the product?

The overrated-ness of cameras

Set your product up

Getting photographs of your products to tell those stories is a giant creative task. So the first thing you’ve got to do is make sure you know your product inside and out. What is it about?

What’s it for? How many ways can it be used?

When you’ve got a clear idea in your head what your photos are going to be saying about your product, you’ve got to figure out how to get the photos to actually say that. Visual language isn’t particularly difficult to learn and there’s so much of it all around. Go get pegs, lots and lots of pegs—turn to movies, paintings, Instagram, Pinterest and the trusty Google search bar.

to came from Judicael Perroy and Eduardo Fernandez. They both told me that I should be aware of how the piece should sound like and that would require research and knowledge about the piece. They told me that I should start playing how the piece should sound like instead of playing based on how comfortable I am in playing it.”

As to what he tries to achieve in every performance, the young classical guitarist opines: “I assume every musician aims to move his audience. Playing the instrument is very enjoyable and usually comes naturally for me. But moving the audience is actually a challenge. I basically like to communicate with my audience, not necessarily to impress them but to be the best that I can be in interpreting the music.”

The yearly treat of live classical music in Catanduanes ends with soprano Stefanie Quintin with classical guitarist Anton Luis Avila on June 16, 6 p.m. at the Catanduanes State University Auditorium The closing concert will also feature former Tourism Secretary and 1964 Miss International Gemma Cruz Araneta who will deliver a special lecture on national hero Dr. Jose Rizal on June 16, 3 p.m. at the Catanduanes State University (CSU) Auditorium.

The lecture is in time for the celebration of the 156th birthday of the national hero.

Professional photographer Jeryc Garcia demonstrates the ways to shoot eye-catching product photos to small business owners during the ‘Growing Your Homemade Business’ workshop

Then you’ve got to decide the setting in which to shoot your product. There are two basic set ups—first is the Seamless set up, which is a closed set up. For anyone who has ever flipped through a catalogue, you’ve seen Seamless set ups. These are tasteful and elegant set ups, that identify the product clearly and straightforwardly. It’s a setup that says, “here it is, and it’s great.”

The second is the Environmental set up,

which is an open set up. It places your product in the world, and contextualizes it. It’s cookies on a plate on a kitchen counter. It’s soap gliding down the skin of an arm. It’s up to you.

While this setup might seem ideal for product photography that tells stories, it’s important to keep in mind that environmental set ups can sometimes be distracting, and can put your products out of context too.

One thing many, many aspiring photographers struggle with is a sense of insecurity about whether their cameras are “good enough” to capture professional, or even just high quality images. But according to Garcia, the camera is only as good as the photographer.

It might seem a bit hackneyed, but nearly all professional photographers are more concerned with setting, lighting, composition, and concept than they are with the camera they’re shooting with. A great camera is not going to make up for a lazy photographer. And most digital cameras, even the most underrated phone cameras, already have the ability to capture high-definition images anyway.

Globe myBusiness provides its customers with these business tips to cater to all new and existing entrepreneurs. For more tips and exclusive invites to relevant events, readers may sign up at http://glb.bz/SGmyBizKit.

TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017

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Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer in

N 2008, stockbroker, investment advisor and financier Bernie Madoff made headlines around the world when he was arrested for perpetrating perhaps the largest financial fraud in U.S. history.

‘THE WIZARD OF LIES’

Robert De Niro comes to HBO for the first time in the role of family patriarch Bernie Madoff. Also on HBO for the first time, Michelle Pfeiffer stars as Ruth Madoff, Bernie’s longtime spouse and unwitting partner during the events that would lead to financial ruin for countless people and institutions, as well as his and his family’s destruction.

The Wizard Of Lies is directed by Barry Levinson from a script by Sam Levinson

HBO's "The Wizard of Lies" starring (from left) Nathan Darrow, Robert De Niro, and Alessandro Nivola

and John Burnham Schwartz and Samuel Baum, based on Diana B. Henriques’ 2011 New York Times bestselling book The Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust, which featured unprecedented access and more than 100 interviews, including Madoff’s first interviews for publication since his arrest. Truth and Consequences by Laurie Sandell is additional source material.

The film also stars Alessandro Nivola as Mark Madoff, Bernie and Ruth’s oldest son, and Nathan Darrow as Andrew Madoff, their youngest son, both of whom worked with their father at his investment firm.

Other cast members include:

Kristen Connolly as Stephanie Madoff, Mark’s wife; Lily Rabe as Catherine Hooper, Andrew’s fiancée; and Hank Azaria as Frank DiPascali, Bernie’s righthand man in the Ponzi scheme.

Diana B. Henriques, the first writer to visit Madoff in prison, plays herself.

Debuting same time as the U.S. on May 21 at 8 a.m. with a same day primetime encore at 9 p.m. exclusively on HBO, it examines Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme – his deception, lies and cover-up, all as the financier’s wife and sons are catapulted into a harsh and unrelenting spotlight.

The movie will also be available on HBO ON DEMAND* and online on HBO GO*.

Kapuso still dominates

TV ratings in April

"Asia's Got Talent" is the biggest talent reality show in the region

Open auditions for ‘ASIA’S GOT TALENT’ PHILIPPINES, it’s time to get your act together!

AXN, Asia’s no.1 general entertainment channel, announced that the highly anticipated open auditions for Asia’s Got Talent Season 2 will be held at QCX: Quezon City Experience @ Metro Manila, Philippines on May 21.

Doors will open at 10:30 a.m. for the thousands of hopefuls for their chance to perform before AXN’s producers and a shot at a $100,000 cash prize.

“Asia’s Got Talent is the world’s biggest talent competition that unites the region’s diverse cultures in a vibrant celebration of the performing arts,” said Virginia Lim, senior vice president and head of content, production and marketing, Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia. “This season, we invite all Filipinos of any age and with any talent to show our producers what they can do. We look forward to discover the next generation of Pinoy super-

stars on AXN.” Due to the expected turn out and exceptionally high demand for an audition slot, aspiring stars are encouraged to pre-apply online (www.AXN-Asia.com/ AsiasGotTalent) to expedite the registration process on the day.

If an act is successful during the open auditions, they may then be selected to perform at the judges’ auditions later in the year. The judges’ auditions comprise the first five episodes of the series and precede the semi-finals and the grand finale episode where the winner of Asia’s Got Talent will be crowned, winning $100,000 in cash.

More details including Asia’s Got Talent open audition dates and cities, frequently asked questions (FAQs) and the terms and conditions of participation are available at www.AXN-Asia.com/AsiasGotTalent.

Asia’s Got Talent premieres on the second half of 2017, first and exclusively on AXN.

GMA Network continued to pull away from competition in nationwide TV ratings in April, according Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

From April 1 to 30 (with April 23 to 30 based on overnight data), the Kapuso Network increased its lead in National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM), garnering an average total day people audience share of 43.3 percent, besting ABS-CBN’s 35.1 percent by a remarkable 8.2 points. The margin is higher than the 5.4-point advantage posted

by GMA versus ABS-CBN in March.

GMA likewise remained unbeatable in Urban Luzon, which accounts for 77 percent of the total urban TV household population in the country. In April, GMA posted an average total day people audience share of 50.4 percent, way ahead of ABS-CBN’s 28.9 percent.

Across all day parts, including the highly coveted evening

Fantasy series "Encantadia" remains at the top spot in both NUTAM and Urban Luzon according to Nielsen

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Tuesday, May 9, 2017

ACROSS 1 Video-game pioneer 6 Eaves locales 11 Harmful 14 “— the Barbarian” 15 “— vincit amor” 16 Numero — 17 Oblong fruit 18 Former foals 20 Tokyo, to shoguns 21 Sorrel or bay 23 Chili server 24 Alpine refrain 26 Faked out 28 “Take me to your —” 30 Kings’ addresses 31 Emmy-winning Ed 32 Is suspicious 33 RN helper 36 Opossum pouches 37 Sings gaily 38 Crashing — 39 Tint 40 Boot parts 41 Gumshoe’s finds 42 Shipping hazards 43 Grandma Moses, e.g.

44 Yellow pads 47 Formal, maybe

48 Dragon of puppetry 49 Heavyweight sport 50 Square root of IX 53 Swamp hazard 56 Temporary gifts 58 Safe caller 59 Jazzman — Blake 60 Sergeant Bilko 61 Lisper’s problem 62 Hits the hammock 63 Aquarium denizen DOWN 1 Crowning point 2 Warty critter 3 Vexation 4 Dust collector 5 Tidy (2 wds.)

6 Palace dweller 7 Shaman’s quest 8 — — roll (lucky) 9 Not spruce 10 Ventures forth 11 Cake-pan type 12 Ulterior motive 13 Wormed the dog 19 Holm and Fleming 22 Not ‘neath 25 Inspired verse

prime time block, the Kapuso Network reigned victorious in both NUTAM and Urban Luzon.

The highly popular telefantasya Encantadia still leads the list of top programs. Also among the list are Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, Destined to be Yours, Magpakailanman, Pepito Manaloto, 24 Oras, newly launched Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko, Meant To Be, and Hay Bahay.

Nielsen data is gathered through a greater number of sampled homes nationwide in comparison to Kantar Media. With approximately 900 more homes surveyed in Total Urban and Rural Philippines compared to Kantar, Nielsen data is statistically considered more representative of the total TV population.

In 2016, Nielsen TV Audience Measurement increased its client pool to a total of 36 clients/subscribers which now include 12 local TV networks, 5 regional clients, 2 block timers, and 17 media agencies.

26 Edicts 27 Fouls up 28 Mascara target 29 Hairy twin 30 Capriati foe 32 Nail shapers 33 Cajun country 34 CEO, often 35 Squirrel’s sanctuary 37 Stolen goods 38 Diner sandwiches 40 Glossier 41 Bayou dwellers

42 Paris cop 43 Jacket part 44 Close-fitting hat 45 Grads 46 Objects on radar 47 Guys 49 Nasty mood 51 No future — — 52 Shrink’s reply (2 wds.)

54 “Croc” Dundee’s girl 55 Stomach muscles 57 Mork’s planet

Romantic comedy "Meant To Be" is running ahead of the competition in national television ratings

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com

The love team of Julia Barretto and Joshua Garcia is among the big stars that graced GAOC's opening of its newest clinic

TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017

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WHOLE galaxy of stars, noless than the hottest names in the showbiz industry today, descended upon the premier lifestyle destination S Maison, Conrad Manila, as dentist Steve Mark Gan, president and CEO of Gan Advanced Osseointegration Center (GAOC), welcomed guests and friends during the inauguration of his newest, state-of-the-art clinic.

Stars add glamor

TO DENTAL CHAIN INAUGURATION Ace actor Piolo Pascual arriving at GOAC clinic in S Maison

MMFF 2017 rules out, deadlines AFTER months of thorough and careful evaluation and deliberations, including a series of dialogues with different industry stakeholders, the 2017 Metro Manila Film Festival Executive Committee now welcomes applicants for the much-anticipated annual film festival.

Based on the stated objectives of the 2017 MMFF to pursue both artistic excellence and audience appeal that can equate to more benefits to its target industry beneficiaries, it has been resolved that there will be two ways of entering this year’s MMFF for full-length feature.

1. SCRIPT SUBMISSION. 12 copies of the script plus a duly accomplished application form and complete requirements should be submitted to the MMFF Secretariat on or before 5 p.m. of June 15 at the MMFF Secretariat Office, 3rd Floor MMDA Auditorium Bldg., Orense St., EDSA Corner Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City. Application fee is Php 30k.

Out of all the submitted scripts, four official entries shall be selected. Announcement of which will be on June 30.

2. FINISHED FILMS. The finished film plus the duly accomplished application form and complete requirements can be submitted to the MMFF Secretariat until Oct. 2 for early birds with only Php 30k application fee; and the regular finished film submissions will be until Oct. 30 with a fee of Php 50k.

The remaining four slots as official entries will be selected from all the submitted finished films.

Announcement for the remaining four will be on Nov. 17.

The deadline for the Short Film categorywill be on Sept. 1. Announcement for the eight official Short Film entries is on Sept. 29 Letters of intent of filmmakers and producers for joining this year’s MMFF should be given to the MMFF Secretariat on or before 5 p.m. tomorrow.

2017 MMFF Execom vision is to encourage submission of excellent films that will connect to a broader Filipino audience for this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival.

From its inception in 2001, GAOC has quickly earned the trust of top local showbiz personalities who turn to Gan and his team for their various dental needs. And this steadfast belief comes as no surprise as GAOC, with its philosophy “It’s not just a smile, it’s a statement,” has consistently been at the forefront of the dental practice here in the Philippines and even Southeast Asia, employing the most advanced equipment

and facilities, as well as a professional, well-trained, and caring of team of dentists.

Leading the impressive roster of celebrities was none other than Boy Abunda, one of his early clients.

Joining him were Piolo Pascual, Richard Yap, Carla Abellana, Martin Nievera, Julia Barretto, Joshua Garcia, Cristine Reyes, Ruffa Guitierrez, Robi Domingo, Zoren Legaspi, and John Estrada, among the celebrities during the inauguration.

TV host Boy Abunda with GAOC CEO Steve Mark Gan

Magazine celebrates 28th anniversary with Star Magic’s 25 years IN CELEBRATION of Metro’s 28 years of style, beauty, and culture and Star Magic’s 25th anniversary, the stars have aligned to bring together the newest roster of style stars set to take the country by storm in the MetroXStarMagic25 collaboration.

The brightest of their generation converge in a once-in-a-lifetime shoot with their peers: Julia Barretto, Liza Soberano, Kathryn Bernardo, Janella Salvador, Maris Racal, Loisa Andalio, Sofia Andres, Sue Ramirez, Alexa Ilacad, Kira Balinger, Ylona Garcia,

and Andrea Brillantes.

Metro also pays tribute to the 25 years of Star Magic through this homage to the August 2010 iconic cover photographed by BJ Pascual.

Premiering an exclusive collection by Martin Bautista as worn by the Star Magic girls, this ultra-collectible issue also features eight Filipinas who are shaping feminism today, including Metro’s editor-at-large Sarah Meier, actress Jasmine Curtis-Smith, director Sam Lee, and many more.

The magazine also gives readers a look into the stylish life of Maricar Reyes Poon, how to wear statement stripes, ‘70s florals, metallics, and polka dots for spring; a sartorial twist on Gucci S/S ’17, and your go-to Mother’s Day gift guide.

Check out all these and more in Metro’s May 2017 issue, now out in major bookstores and newsstands for P150. Like Metro on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Metro.Magazine) and follow Metro on Twitter and Instagram (@ MetroMagPH).

Star Magic's biggest stars on the cover of Metro Magazine

‘3 Days of Summer’ with Kapuso stars THEY say traveling not only allows one to discover new places but also to discover one’s inner self.

Last Suday, GMA Public Affairs presented a special on adventure-filled travels of Kapuso celebrities and their experiences in uncovering more about themselves.

Titled 3 Days of Summer, Encantadia star Gabbi Garcia with celebrity couple Paolo Contis and LJ Reyes and Meant To Be leading men, Ken Chan, Addy Raj, Ivan Dorschner, and Jak Roberto faced the challenge of where to go and how to get the best in traveling. More importantly,

they underscored the reasons for travelling, especially those that are not given much attention— initiating change in our lives through reflection and finding their inner selves. They hoped it

would enlighten the audience on the healing effect of travelling.

Gabbi is “The Solo Traveller” who visited Antique. She proved that being single is not a hindrance to having a fun-filled travel.

"3 Days of Summer" is a GMA Public Affairs special on the adventurefilled travels of Kapuso celebrities

Paolo and LJ, on the other hand, are “The Travelling Couple” who explored Davao Oriental. As they their trip went along, they also took their relationship to another level?

MTB boys Ken, Addy, Ivan, and Jak made up “The Travelling Barkada” who traveled up north to La Union and Benguet provinces. With their contrasting personalities, their trip was a test not only of their endurance to going places but their friendship as well.

The second part of 3 Days of Summer airs on May 14 in Sunday Night Box Office, after Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho on GMA-7.