Manila Standard - 2017 May 11 - Thursday

VOL. XXXI • NO. 86 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

GAT ANDRES. Students pose for a snapshot at the shrine of Andres Bonifacio, one of the leaders of the Katipunan in the Philippine Revolution against Spain who was also called the ‘Great Plebeian’ as the nation commemorates his 120th death anniversary. Norman Cruz

Sayyaf kidnap plan revealed

Cayetano named Foreign secretary

Duterte: Shoot terrorists on sight

By John Paolo Bencito, Vito Barcelo and Francisco Tuyay

A

S THE United States, Canada and the United Kingdom warned their citizens against traveling to Palawan amid “credible information” that the Abu Sayyaf and other groups were planning to kidnap foreign nationals there, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered security forces to shoot terrorists on sight.

“My order to the security forces is to shoot them on sight; kill them… Expend your bullet to finish the problem; because it is really a problem,” Duterte said before leaving for working visits to Cambodia, Hong Kong and China.

“We have problem with terrorism...What looms very big ahead is the IS, they are coming

in,” he added.

An advisory from the US Embassy in Manila on Tuesday warned Americans to “carefully consider” going to Palawan, naming a World Heritage-listed underground river as one area of specific concern.

“The US Embassy has received Next page

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano

By John Paolo Bencito MILITARY men will dominate President Rodrigo Duterte’s Cabinet after he named current Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Eduardo Año, who is set to retire in October, as the next chief

Napoles may turn witness in pork scam

Robredo’s rating hits new low

By John Paolo Bencito

By Rey E. Requejo, John Paolo Bencito and Macon Ramos-Araneta

WHILE most Filipinos continue to express confidence in Vice President Leni Robredo, her net trust ratings continue to decline in all regions, particularly in Mindanao, roughly a year after she was elected into office, the latest Social Weather Stations survey showed.

The First Quarter 2017 SWS Survey, conducted among 1,200 adult respondents nationwide, found 55 percent of Filipinos having much trust in Robredo, while 25 percent said they had little trust. The

THE government on Wednesday set the stage for the alleged mastermind of the pork barrel scam, Janet Lim Napoles, to be a state witness against an expanded list of suspects as the Justice Department reinvestigates the diversion of billions of pesos in Priority Development Assistance Funds during the previous administration.

President Rodrigo Duterte referred to Napoles as “a minimal

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Rody eyes labor deal with China

By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is set to sign a labor agreement between Philippines and China that is expected to expand the opportunities for Filipino workers and ensure ample protection for them, an official said Wednesday.

The agreement is expected to resolve the concerns of some 200,000 undocumented Filipinos working in China may be firmed up as Duterte visits Beijing from May 13 to 15 to attend the Belt and Road Forum.

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of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

At the same time, Duterte named his losing running mate, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, as Foreign Affairs secretary, just as the one-year ban on appointments of losing candidates ended.

Speaking to reporters before leaving for working visits to Cambodia, Hong Kong and China on Wednesday, Duterte said that he needs someone to deal with his “problem” with the police and with terrorism.

“May I call upon the Chief of Staff? General Año can you be… Can you come forward and be counted as one of the Filipinos ... You are now facing the next DILG secretary,” Duterte said of Año.

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TERROR TARGET. This photo taken on June 30, 2011 shows plain clothes US navy officers visiting the Puerto Princesa Subterrarean River National Park on the western Philippine island of Palawan. Terrorist groups are planning to kidnap foreigners in a western Philippine island popular with tourists, the US Embassy has warned, a month after a foiled attempt by the Abu Sayyaf Group to attack Bohol, a nearby province. The US Embassy in Manila on May 10, 2017 warned Americans to ‘carefully consider’ traveling to Palawan including an underground river which the UN lists as a world heritage site. AFP

4 solons urge review of drug war

RED CROSS SHIP. President Rodrigo Duterte, former

president and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo and Philippine Red Cross Chairman Senator Richard Gordon, are given a tour inside the m/v Amazing Grace, latest addition to PRC’s humanitarian fleet.

FOUR senators said Wednesday they believed it was time to allow UN special rapporteur Agnes Callamard to investigate the alleged summary killings in the country as a result of the government’s war on drugs after 45 out of 47 nations requested it.

Panfilo Lacson, Bam Aquino, Francis Pangilinan and Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said the investi-

gation should be allowed, especially if the country was not hiding anything.

“When 45 nations say there is something wrong with the country’s antidrug campaign, maybe it’s time to pause and rethink the government’s tactical approach in combating the drug menace that has plagued our country for at least four generations,” Lacson said.

In other developments: • Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Wednesday ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate the killings reportedly related to the government’s intensified drive against illegal drugs.

He also required the NBI to submit a periodic inventory with a status report on all the cases it is Next page investigating.

Sanctions vs Sotto proposed

By Macon Ramos-Araneta EIGHT women have filed an ethics complaint against Senator Vicente Sotto III for making a joke that disparaged single women during the confirmation hearings of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Judy Taguiwalo.

In response to Sotto’s question during the hearing, Taguiwalo said she was a single mother of two, which led the senator to say that on the street, she would have been called “na-ano lang”—a crude reference to women who had had sex then been left unmarried.

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THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

NPA beyond control—Joma

By John Paolo Bencito

C

OMMUNIST Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison has admitted that the leaders of the National Democratic Front negotiating panel based in Utretch do not have control over the rebels’ movements despite the ongoing peace negotiations between the government and the communist rebels.

Sison made the statement as President Rodrigo Duterte met with top leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines Benito and Wilma Tiamzon on Tuesday night who decried the alleged surveillance attempts

by the military who visited the displaced farmers encamped in Mendiola in Manila.

“Last night’s incident (May 9), where NDFP Peace Panel member Benito Tiamzon and peace consultant Wilma Austria-Tiam-

Cayetano...

Sayyaf...

From A1 Duterte jested that he could soon form a military junta within the Cabinet, considering the number of top military brass appointed to high-profile and sensitive positions.

Año is the fifth high-ranking AFP officer to be appointed to the Duterte Cabinet, following retired Maj. Gen. Delfin Lorenzana as Defense secretary, retired AFP chief Hermogenes Esperon as national security adviser, retired AFP chief Ricardo Visaya as administrator to the National Irrigation Administration and retired AFP chief Roy Cimatu as secretary of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources.

Año, who will replace Ismael Sueno, whom Duterte fired in April over allegations of corruption, said he was surprised by the appointment but said he would do his best to contribute to the solution of many of the country’s problems.

In the same briefing, Duterte confirmed that he just signed Wednesday the appointment papers of Cayetano to be the next Foreign Affairs secretary.

In accepting the post, Cayetano is set to give up his Senate seat, even though his term expires in 2019.

His colleagues in the Senate said they saw a swift confirmation for Cayetano.

In a statement, the Foreign Affairs Department welcomed Cayetano’s eventual appointment.

The President also defended starlet turned blogger Margaux “Mocha” Uson, whom he appointed as Assistant Secretary at the Presidential Communications Operations Office.

“It’s mine. There’s nothing wrong with the woman or the girl.

She’s bright. She’s articulate. And if it’s just a matter of [her] dancing, she was not dancing naked,” Duterte said of Uson.

Duterte said that Uson’s government post was a way of thanking her for joining his campaign sorties for free. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

From A1 credible information that terrorist groups may be planning to conduct kidnapping operations targeting foreign nationals in the areas of Palawan,” the advisory said.

The military on Wednesday said in a statement it “shared the same concerns” as the US government, and that it had increased security at Palawan’s tourism sites.

Despite the US travel alert, the Army’s Western Command said Palawan remained safe for locals and foreign nationals.

But Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa said his troops in Central Visayas monitored a terror threat in the region.

“I was brief by the regional director in the Police Regional Office-7 that they indeed monitored [a terrorist threat] but we have appropriate action to thwart such threats,” Dela Rosa said.

The US Embassy identified two locations—the capital city of Puerto Princesa and the nearby underground river that attracts thousands of visitors daily—as areas the kidnappers were targeting.

Puerto Princesa is about 400 kilometers northwest of southern is-

Sanctions...

From A1

In the wake of an angry backlash, Sotto—a one-time comedian and TV host—apologized, saying his critics apparently did not get the joke.

He also dismissed criticism for his personal question, saying that “anything under the sun” can be asked in confirmation hearings.

Taguiwalo said he accepted Sotto’s apology, but has declined to speak of the incident again.

The eight complainants, from various women’s groups, asked the Senate committee on ethics and decorum to sanction Sotto in a manner “commensurate to the insult he made to solo mothers, and by implication, to women, all over the Philippines.”

They also wanted the senator to inhibit himself as chairman of the committee that will handle the case.

In response, Sotto said he will file a leave of absence as committee chairman while the complaint is being heard.

Aside from Sotto, the complainants said other CA members should also be reprimanded for “failing to comment or correct” him during the hearing.

They also wanted the Senate to require all its members, including their staff, to undergo gender sensitivity training to be facilitated by the Philippine Commission on Women.

“In the street language, when you have children and you are single, ang tawag doon ay naano lang,” the complaint quoted the senator as saying.

The complaint said several people in the room laughed at Sotto’s remarks while Taguiwalo “merely pursed her lips.”

Sotto’s comment showed that he viewed single or solo mothers as “less than others; demeaning and

Napoles...

From A1 player” in the massive looting of government funds during the Aquino administration, but stopped short of declaring she would be used as a state witness.

“As to the question of whether or not she could be utilized as a state witness, there’s a law which says that one of the requirements at least [ist that] she appears to be the least guilty.

If you are a major player, I don’t know if you can do it… If you are asking for an expanded explanation, it’s just that she appears to be the minimal player and not the major player in the commission of the crime,” he said.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, meanwhile, said the reinvestigation would seek to determine why Napoles went straight to Malacañang when she surrendered to Aquino administration officials, and also hinted that Napoles might be used as a state witness.

Stephen David, Napoles’ lawyer, said Napoles could enter a guilty plea to a lesser offense to enable her to qualify as a state witness.

“A plea bargaining is likely. There are options,” he said.

He added that Napoles was willing to tell all that she knows once she is allowed to be a state witness.

Aguirre recalled that when Napoles surrendered in August 2013, she was reportedly accompanied by then President Benigno Aquino III and Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II to the Philippine National Police headquar-

disparaging women in the same position and making them easy targets of jokes and ridicules.”

“He epitomizes the segment of the misogynist and macho sector of society that considers women, who are without men as less of value,” the complaint said.

“His language normalized the patriarchal view that men has sexual privilege over women, and trivialized abandonment of responsibility over children. He showed his utter insensitivity and disregard to the hard work, strong will and determination of mothers, who raise children on their own,” it added.

As a legislator, Sotto has also undermined national policies that have underpinned laws such as The Solo Parents Welfare Act and the Magna Carta of Women.

It was also “alarming” that not a single member of the CA “corrected or commented” on Sotto’s remark, the complaint said.

“There is violence and discrimination against women not just through the commission on [an] act but also through an omission of an act,” it said.

zon were tailed by motorcycleriding men after the two leaders visited the protesting MARBAI farmers in Mendiola, is a blatant violation of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees,” Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary- general Renato Reyes said.

“The surveillance appears instigated by the AFP in another attempt to undermine the ongoing peace talks. We condemn such harassment.”

In a roundtable interview with the newspaper Manila Bulletin, Sison said the leaders of the CPP based in the Philippines were the ones who were giving orders to the NDFP Negotiating Panel and to their armed wing, the New Peo-

ples’ Army.

“The collective leading organs of the CPP, NPA, NDFP, which are based in the Philippines, are the principal of the NDFP Negotiating Panel. They give orders and instructions to the NDFP Negotiating Panel,” Sison said.

“No one in Utrecht can give orders to the CPP, NPA, NDFP [National Democratic Front of the Philippines] in the Philippines,” he added.

Should the forces in the Philippines decide to “disengage from the peace negotiations,” Sison said, “there is nothing the NDFP Negotiating Panel can do” in the eventuality that these things happened.

A younger generation of cad-

lands that are strongholds of the Abu Sayyaf, militants who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group and frequently kidnap foreigners.

The Abu Sayyaf last month attempted a kidnapping raid on Bohol island, a popular tourist destination in the central Philippines, but were foiled after security forces became aware of the plot.

Security forces found the militants a day after they arrived on Bohol on speedboats, and engaged them in a gun battle.

Nine militants, three soldiers and one policeman were killed in the clashes, according to authorities.

They said another militant died in police custody.

The Bohol raid occurred days after the US Embassy issued a warning of potential kidnappings there.

The British Embassy on Wednesday advised its citizens to take precautionary measures while in the Philippines.

It advised its citizens to “exercise heightened vigilance” in the areas mentioned in the US Embassy’s advisory.

The Canadian Embassy also updated its travel advisory on the Philippines, with the US Embassy’s advisory.

“If you are traveling to these areas,

maintain a high level of vigilance and personal security awareness at all times, report any suspicious behavior to security forces, follow the instructions of local authorities and ensure that your hotel or resort has adequate security measures in place,” it said.

The Abu Sayyaf has since its founding in the 1990s kidnapped dozens of foreigners and many more locals to extract ransoms.

It typically raids coastal areas after sailing from its southern island strongholds on speedboats, although in recent years it has also attacked cargo and merchant ships.

The militants beheaded two Canadians last year and an elderly German sailor in February after demands for millions of dollars were unmet.

The Abu Sayyaf raided a resort in Puerto Princesa’s Honda Bay in 2001, abducting three Americans and 17 Filipinos.

One of the Americans was beheaded, while one was killed in a military rescue attempt a year later.

The third American was freed in the rescue effort.

The Abu Sayyaf has also kidnapped people from Malaysian coastal resorts, which are a short speedboat ride from its southern Philippine bases. With AFP, PNA

From A1 undecided remained at 20 percent.

Robredo’s +30 net trust rating, however, was 15 points lower than the +45 she recorded in December 2016.

SWS attributed the 15-point decline to the 32-point drop in Mindanao and 10-point fall in Metro Manila, Balance of Luzon and Visayas.

Robredo’s ratings suffered most in Mindanao, where it fell by two grades from very good (+52) to moderate +20.

Her ratings remained very good in the Visayas, although down by 10 points from +50 to +40 (59 percent much trust, 19 percent little trust) by March 2017.

It stayed very good in the Balance of Luzon, although down by 10 points from +43 in December to +33 in March.

Her trust rating fell by one grade from good to moderate in Metro Manila, down by 10 points from +30 in December to +20 in March.

Public satisfaction with Robredo’s performance as vice president was higher among those with much trust in her.

The survey, conducted from March 25-28, had sampling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages.

ters in Camp Crime.

“I think this is already documented and not denied that when the name of Janet Napoles was exposed, the first thing she did was go to Malacañang.

You already know who accompanied her to Camp Crame,” Aguirre said, when asked if officials of the previous administration would be covered by the DoJ reinvestigation.

However, Aguirre clarified that he was not implying that those who accompanied her were guilty.

“What I’m just trying to say is, why did this person go straight to Malacañang, to the highest officials of the land, including Cabinet secretaries? You can say that high-ranking people are involved here,” Aguirre said.

The Justice secretary also asked why only three former senator—Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada—were indicted before the Sandiganbayan when Napoles implicated about a dozen incumbent and former senators and over 100 congressmen in the list she submitted to then Justice secretary and now detained Senator Leila de Lima.

The investigation conducted by the previous administration on the pork barrel controversy was “selective” and a “miscarriage of justice,” Aguirre said.

“If you will recall during the time of Secretary De Lima, she said more than three times that they are going to come out with additional respondents, but it did not happen. During the Aquino administration, there were only three senators indicted so there

was selective justice,” he said.

“There were a number of people who were accused of PDAF misuse, but only three were charged. There should be more people charged back then. There really was a miscarriage of justice,” he added.

Aguirre said the reinvestigation could start with the list submitted by Napoles.

He also revealed that he would meet with lawyers of Napoles to discuss her submission of a new affidavit on the pork barrel scam, adding that he has already discussed the matter with former Manila Councilor Greco Belgica, an anti-pork barrel advocate who petitioned the Supreme Court to stop the PDAF during the previous administration.

“If that list is true, then we could go by it. But that list is not really needed as long as she could prove her accusations and provide supporting evidence,” Aguirre said.

Asked if Napoles could be qualify as state witness, Aguirre said that would depend on what she has to say.

Aguirre said that to qualify as state witness, Napoles would have to meet the qualifications set by law—that she should not be the most guilty of the crime and that her testimony must be indispensable for the cases to stand.

He said he could only make an assessment of her eligibility once he reads her sworn statement.

Aguirre also pointed out that in cases of plunder or corruption involving a government official and a private individual, the former is considered the most guilty per ruling of

the Supreme Court.

“Based on a Supreme Court decision, it will be the government official who will be considered as the most guilty, because he is taking advantage of his public position,” Aguirre said.

Both Duterte and Aguirre said they agreed with the Court of Appeals decision to overturn Napoles’ conviction of the illegal detention complaint filed against her by pork barrel scam whistleblower Benhur Luy. Aguirre also defended Solicitor General Jose Calida, who spoke out in favor of Napoles’ acquittal.

Despite her acquittal in the illegal detention case, Napoles remains detained because of the pending plunder cases filed against her in the antigraft court, the Sandiganbayan.

In 2015, Napoles was sentenced to 40 years in prison by Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 150 Judge Elmo Alameda for detaining her cousin and employee Luy from December 2012 until March 2013.

Luy later blew the whistle on the pork barrel scam.

However, in a decision penned by Associate Justice Normandie Pizarro, the CA’s 12th division granted the appeal filed by Napoles and reversed the verdict of the RTC. The CA said the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the crime was committed. It said there was no indubitable proof that Luy was held against his will at the Bahay ni San Jose retreat house when Napoles’ brother Reynaldo Lim approached priests and suggested Luy’s spiritual renewal.

4 solons...

linked to the drug war as “alternative facts” with no basis in reality.

Lacson, chairman of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, said there was no quick solution to the drug problem, and therefore the law-enforcement agencies must seriously consider a long battle without the pressure of a selfimposed deadline.

“I hate sounding like a broken record, but internal discipline among our law enforcement agencies plays an important role in this regard,” Lacson said.

Aquino said when 45 out of 47 countries made a formal request for the Philippines to investigate the killings as a result of the war on drugs, that was already a wake-up call.

“The whole world is looking for accountability on our part. If the request is to have a formal investigation happen, we should grant that request,” he said.

Pimentel said if the country had nothing to hide, “let them all come here to do their work and also to enjoy their time over here.”

Pangilinan and Pimentel said if 45 countries were speaking and hit-

ting the Philippines, this was proof that something was wrong and there should be change in the war on illegal drugs.

Cayeytano said a Philippine Human Rights Action Plan under the Duterte administration for the next five years was already being prepared.

The plan seeks to mainstream the government’s human rights agenda in its development initiatives to protect all, especially the most vulnerable sectors.

The Human Rights Plan of the past administration was crafted in 2012.

Cayetano cited the President’s statement during his first State-ofthe-Nation Address in July 2016: “There can never be real, tangible and felt development without making our people feel secure.”

He said the issuance of an Executive Order institutionalizing the Freedom of Information in the executive branch as well as the installation of a direct complaint hot line to the Office of the President were clear proof that President Duterte was for accountability in the government.

Macon Ramos-Araneta, Rey E. Requejo, PNA and Sandy Araneta

From A1 • The government has begun drafting the next Philippine Human Rights Action Plan for the next five years to mainstream the government’s human rights agenda.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano made the report during the third cycle of the Universal Periodic Review on May 8, when he assured that the plan would have initiatives to protect the citizens particularly, the most vulnerable sectors.

• The administration of President Rodrigo Duterte has a new tactic to def lect mounting foreign criticism of its murderous “war on drugs” that has killed thousands: simply deny those deaths are anything out of the ordinary, Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday.

On Monday, Cayetano deployed that approach in Geneva at the United Nations Universal Periodic Review of the Philippines human rights record, said Phelim Kine, deputy director, Asia Division of Human Rights Watch.

Kine said Cayetano rejected outright reports of the high death tolls

res recently took over the CPP’s central committee when it disclosed that it held its Second Party Congress last October more than 48 years after the rebel group’s founding.

Sison added that “no one in Utrecht has ever claimed to control the revolutionary forces and people in the Philippines.”

Government negotiators led by Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza had earlier said while the fifth round of talks with the communists would push through in The Netherlands from May 27 to June 1, he said he was dismayed by the recent attacks by the NPA that led him to question their sincerity in pursuing peace negotiations with the government.

Robredo's...

Cops come under fire amid rash of crimes PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday launched another tirade against corrupt police who are the frontline troops in his deadly drug war, after four more officers were accused of kidnapping and extortion.

The arrest of the four from Manila’s financial district of Makati was the latest in a series of scandals involving police that have raised concerns about their suitability to prosecute the drug war.

“I was reading, coming here, another spot report of four policemen again [linked to] kidnapping. These policemen, sons of whores!” Duterte said at Manila airport before flying to Cambodia.

The 160,000-member police force is the main enforcer of Duterte’s 10-month-old drugs crackdown that has claimed thousands of lives and led to warnings he may be orchestrating a crime against humanity.

Duterte admitted early this year that the force was “corrupt to the core” after several anti-drugs policeman were arrested on charges of kidnapping and murdering a South Korean businessman as part of an extortion scam.

Duterte pulled all police off the drug war at that time and vowed to “cleanse” the force. But after a brief lull, he allowed the police to resume the anti-drug crackdown without major reforms.

The force again came under fire last month after a dozen people, mainly drug suspects, were discovered inside a closet-sized secret cell at a Manila police station.

Acting on a tip-off, staff from the Commission on Human Rights, an independent government agency, made a surprise visit to the police station and uncovered the cell.

The CHR on Wednesday recommended the filing of criminal raps against the officers of the Manila Police District for maintaining the hidden jail for accused drug offenders.

In a letter to the Office of the Ombudsman, CHR Commissioner Karen Gomez-Dumpit said the MPD personnel involved committed arbitrary detention, grave threats, grave coercion, robbery/ extortion and violation of the AntiTorture Act of 2009.

“The MPD personnel involved are also subject to administrative liability for the above-mentioned violations as well as for their violation of the 2013 Philippine National Police Operational Procedures,” Gomez-Dumpit said.

On April 27, a special team of the CHR-National Capital Region led an inspection of the Raxabago police station 1 in Tondo, Manila, and found a secret detention cell where 12 people had been detained for a week.

“The names of the 12 detainees were not contained in the station’s logbook,” Gomez-Dumpit said.

“Some of the accused claimed the police officers tried to extort money from them in exchange for their release.

“In sum, the CHR believes there is sufficient cause for the Ombudsman to investigate Supt. Roberto Domingo and all PNP personnel of the MPD Raxabago station 1 involved in the matter.”

Rio N. Araja with AFP

Rody...

From A1 “We are still working out the details, but there may be a labor agreement that will benefit our [workers],” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.

In his departure speech, Duterte said he would be exploring the opportunities “for supporting infrastructure development, trade and economic cooperation, energy development, financial cooperation, eco-environment initiatives and people-to-people exchanges.”

He would also hold bilateral meetings with Mongolian Prime Minister Chimed Saikhanbileg during the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum.

Duterte left for Phnom Penh on Wednesday to attend the World Economic Forum from May 10 to 11. He will be in Hong Kong to meet with the Filipino community there from May 11 to 13.

Duterte is joined by his defeated running mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano that he has named as the incoming Foreign Affairs secretary shortly before leaving for Cambodia.

His delegation also includes Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia.

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THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Proposed natl ID system pushed

By Rio N. Araja CONGRESS has passed a measure to consolidate all existing government-initiated identification systems into one integrated and efficient national ID system.

Laguna Rep. Sol Aragones said the committee on population and family relations gave its nod to the proposed measure.

“All committee members agreed unanimously,” she said.

The bill will be discussed anew before the plenary for its second reading.

Under the measure, all Filipinos residing anywhere in the world must register their personal information into the central system to be managed by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

A registered Filipino will be issued a nontransferable national ID card with a number that shall be valid for life, while those staying or working overseas must register for their IDs at the nearest Philippine Embassy or consular office in the country where they are staying.

The measure said that the ID card would be honored in transactions concerning a person’s identity, marital status, birth, and other personal circumstances.

Roman, 4 more LP members jump ship

By Rio N. Araja and Macon Araneta AT LEAST five membes of the Liberal Party at the House of Representatives have jumped ship to the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan.

They were joined by other members of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, Nacionalista Party and Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats who also joined the ruling majority party.

The LP members who joined the ruling party were Lanao del Sur Rep. Ansaruddin Adiong, Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo and Rep. Alfred Vargas, North Cotabato Rep. Nancy Catamco and Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman.

According to Roman, she wanted to show her support to President Rodrigo Duterte.

“I want the President to succeed. His success is the success of the entire country. His failure is the failure of the entire country,” she added.

Vargas, meanwhile, said that “at the end of the day, we’re all Filipinos. What we all want is for all of us to unite and help one another toward the development of the country,” The others who joined the ruling party were Masbate Rep. Scott Davies Lañete and Zamboanga del Sur Rep. Divina Grace Yu from the NPC; Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III and Sulu Rep. Munir Arbison from NP; and Camiguin Rep. Xavier Romualdo from Lakas-CMD. The PDP Laban now has about 120 members in the 292-member Congress.

On learning of the reported transfer of his partymates, LP president Senator Francis “Kiko’’ Pangilinan said that the attraction and the benefits of being part of the good graces of Malacañang may have been too hard to resist for some erstwhile LP members.

“We wish them and all our erstwhile partymates well,” said Pangilinan. He recalled that after the elections, 115 congressmen were voted into office as Liberal Party members. But after a brief engagement with the Duterte administration, he said the decimated Liberal Party has been at the crosshairs of the new regime, leading not only to its ouster from power in the Cabinet and the Senate, but also the detention (allegedly on unfounded charges and maneuvered legal process) of LP Senator Leila de Lima.

COMMAND CENTER. Well-wishers welcome the arrival of the new landing dock from Davao Del Sur at Pier 12, South Harbor, Manila. The new dock will serve as a floating command and control center during humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations and will also serve as a military sealift and transport vessel. Norman Cruz

DoJ to consolidate P36-b tax evasion complaint vs Mighty

By Rey Requejo

T

HE Department of Justice will consolidate the two multibillion-peso tax evasion cases filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue against tobacco firm Mighty Corp. and its executives which now totals to P36.5 billion arising from its use of counterfeit internal revenue excise stamps on its products.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said the new complaint filed by BIR last Tuesday involving P26.93 billion in allegedly unpaid excise tax will be handled by the same panel of prosecutors conducting preliminary investigation on the bureau’s earlier P9.56-

billion tax evasion complaint against Mighty Corp.

“I’m inclined to assign the new complaint to the same panel since the two cases involve similar facts and issues. We will consolidate them,” he told reporters during a weekly forum in Manila on Wednesday.

Aguirre also revealed that the issue on compromise settlement with Mighty Corp. was again discussed in last Monday’s Cabinet meeting. He said that while President Rodrigo Duterte is open to a settlement, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez stressed that a settlement must be a reasonable amount considering that the tax liabilities of Mighty Corp. from its use of fake tax stamps has now reached P36 bilion. As it is, Aguirre said the DoJ investigation through the prosecution panel will proceed as scheduled.

In its latest complaint, the BIR accused Mighty Corp. executives led by owner Alexander Wongchuking of viola-

Cimatu vows to follow DU30’s lead

By Anna Leah Gonzales DEPARTMENT of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu onn Wednesday committed to protecting the environment while promoting the proper utilization of the country’s resources. ‘‘I will try to do my best as President Duterte’s point man in the daunting task of protecting our environment in all forms—from the mines to the lakes and rivers to the forests to the plains to our waters to our sewers, to the very air we breathe, you name it— while promoting the wise and proper use of these God-given resources for the public good.

That is what I understand being a steward means,” Cimatu said in his speech during the turnover ceremony.

Cimatu, former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, replaced former

Environment secretary Regina Lopez whose appointment was rejected by the Commission on Appointments.

In his speech, the new DENR chief also encouraged all stakeholders to work together in safeguarding the environment.

“I intend to listen to all voices out there and make full use of our powers and resources to ensure that these various concerns, some of which often times clash, will be properly and judiciously addressed,” he said.

Cimatu said that while he is committed to protecting the environment, he will also safeguard the mining laws, noting that “they should be properly implemented.”

Meanwhile, Mines and Geosciences Bureau Director Luis Jacinto said that he is still waiting for the directives of the new DENR secretary with regards to the mining industry.”

‘‘I’m still waiting and I will follow the policy directions of Secretary Cimatu,” Jacinto told reporters during the sidelines of the turnover ceremony.

Jacinto, however, clarified that the policies issued by Lopez is still in effect, including the moratorium on new mining projects, the ban on open pit mining and the closure and suspension of some mining companies.

“The issuances will stand unless there are new ones. The appeals of the companies, however, will be studied by the legal team that was created to act on it,” he said.

Jacinto added that the Mining Industry Coordinating Council Review will also be pursued.”It will go through the whole process because that is by executive order so once the secretary has sat down and look into the priorities, then the process will continue. That is an institutional response.”

Palace greets new Sokor leader

By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday extended his greetings to the newly elected President of the Republic of South Korea, Moon Jae-in.

“On behalf of the Filipino nation, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte wishes to extend his warm congratulations to Mr. Moon Jae-in on his election as the new President of the Republic of Korea [ROK],” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abel-

la said in a statement.” We wish him all the best,” headded.

He said that the President also hopes to enhance the ties between the Philippines and South Korea during Moon’s term.

“The Philippines and the Republic of Korea have strong, comprehensive and long-standing bilateral ties. Our two countries have extensive cooperation on political, economic, cultural and people-to-people exchanges in the bilateral, regional, and multilateral spheres,” he said.

“The Philippines is committed to further enhancing the relations with the ROK under President-elect Moon,” Abella added.

Moon, of the liberal Democratic Party, was elected on Tuesday after former President Park Geun-hye was impeached and jailed over corruption allegations involving her allies.

South Korea’s president-elect is a former human rights lawyer who expressed openness to have a dialogue with North Korea during the campaign.

tions of the National Internal Revenue Code for unlawful possession of articles subject to excise tax without payment of the tax and for possessing false, counterfeit, restored or altered stamps. The tax bureau again named former Armed Forces deputy chief-of-staff and retired Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan, Mighty Corp.’s president; retired Judge Oscar Barrientos, company executive vice pesident; and company treasurer Ernesto Victa as co-respondents of Wongchuking in the second tax evasion case.

The new complaint stemmed from the raid conducted by the BIR and Bureau of Customs last March 24 on the tobacco firm’s warehouses at Barangay Matim-

bubong, San Ildefonso, Bulacan which resulted to the discovery of 536, 000 cigarette packs in 1, 072 master cases with fake stamps.

“Internal revenue stamps affixed on the cigarette packs were tested using the Taggant reader, a BIRregistered equipment used to test the authenticity of stamps affixed on cigarette packs. Based on the 24-day validation activity conducted from March 27, 2017 to May 5, 2017, 100 percent of the total stamps tested on 536,000 cigarette packs are fake. The master cases containing the said cigarettes with fake stamps were marked and seized” the BIR said. The 536, 000 cigarette packs were part of the 81, 591, 500 packs contained in 163, 183 master cases found in the said warehouses.

A4

Opinion

THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

A necessary vexation

T

HE Ninoy Aquino International Airport has been placed on full alert and the United States embassy has warned its citizens against going to Palawan province. Apparently, intelligence reports said terrorists are likely to kidnap tourists vacationing in popular resorts. A security expert has said the twin blasts in Quiapo over the weekend had the markings of a terror attack and may in fact be a test run for bigger attacks. IS has claimed responsibility for them. end. He conceded a failure in intelligence. He insists, however, that a Muslim cleric was the target of the explosion—perhaps for his religious affiliation, or his job as a tax official.

The PNP chief also denied the May 6 blasts were related to another Manila

If these are not enough to change the minds of the police, we don’t know what will.

Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa has apologized for the Quiapo blasts which killed two and injured six over the week-

explosion on April 28, which injured 14. A suspect in this explosion has been arrested. These were isolated cases likely arising from personal grudges, Dela Rosa said. “Nagkataon lang [it was just a coincidence].”

The Western Command of the Armed Forces, for its part, seemed inclined to dismiss the embassy warnings, insisting that Palawan remains safe for locals and foreigners alike even as it said it remained on heightened alert.

In fact, the Armed Forces spokesman Brigadier General Restituto Padilla said the purported IS claims are

mere propaganda and the people should not dignify these reports.

The apparent lack of interest of both the police and military in pursuing terror leads is disheartening and confounding, especially in an administration that prides itself in making law and order—the security of citizens—a priority.

No less than former police chief and now Senator Panfilo Lacson has advised both the AFP and the PNP to take the warnings seriously.

We understand that authorities do not want to unnecessarily vex the population. We are already

weighed down by the daily struggles of eking out a living, surviving amid inadequate infrastructure, and worrying about whether the drug war is not in fact a war against those who cannot defend themselves.

We also do not want to scare away tourists and investors, both of whom our officials are desperately trying to convince that the Philippines is a good place to go to for business or leisure, or both.

But it does not serve to tell the public that nothing is wrong when something clearly is. Nothing is wrong when there are no explosions, no terror claims,

or no adverse advisories.

But now even the United Kingdom and Canada have issued a similar warning to their citizens.

That authorities are playing down the possibility of a larger attack in the future may be giving us a false sense of security. It pays to be vigilant even as we are not cowed. It is good to tell the enemy we know what they are up to, and we are taking steps to make sure their plans do not progress.

Absent this honest assessment, our officials may be one of these things.

They could be in denial.

They could be naive.

Or they could be lying.

DUTY CALLS FLORENCIO FIANZA

Still a hot topic

The right people LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES ULTIMATELY, any presidential appointee has to be judged by what he does in office, how he performs the job given to him to do. Of course, if for some reason you have taken the position that the incumbent president must fail, then all officials he appoints are doomed to failure, as well, even before the ink has dried on their appointment papers.

This week saw the filling of three major vacant Cabinet positions, one soon-to-be-vacated position of central banker and one minor, sub-Cabinet post that has gotten more than its fair share of criticism from the critics of President Rodrigo Duterte. In the coming days, many more key positions are expected to be filled by Duterte, with the end of the yearlong ban on appointing people

who ran and lost in the last elections.

Given the solid, broad-based support that Duterte continues to enjoy amongst Filipinos, it’s safe to assume that the vast majority is actually wishing that the new appointees do well in their new jobs and that only a few are really against them for reasons other than their hatred for the President. But it is an indictment of the toxic politics practiced by the Yellow minority for whom Duterte can do nothing right that his appointees are adjudged as unfit or incompetent (or both) even before they set foot in their new offices.

If the previous appointees of Duterte are any indication, he has actually shown a talent for bringing in the right people for the job at hand. As a long-time executive, Duterte has developed the ability to find the officials he needs and the lack of insecurity to hire people he doesn’t personally k now.

Some of Duterte’s best-performing Cabinet men, for in-

stance, have declared that they only met the President when he offered them a job—people like Benjamin Diokno at Budget and Judy Taguiwalo at Social Wel-

Trust Duterte to find the people he needs and, if they fail, to replace them before they can do any real damage. fare who have absolutely no prior ties with the President.

Contrast this with the infamous “kakistocracy,” or government of friends, classmates, long-

time cronies and other leastqualified people handpicked

by Noynoy Aquino to surround him and you immediately get the idea.

Another emerging hallmark of Duterte the Manager is his willingness to let go of people who don’t do their jobs or who have become involved in anomalies.

This trait allowed him to let go of long-time friends Ismael Sueno and Peter Tiu Laviña, who have become poster boys of the swift retribution that awaits the non-performing in the Duterte administration.

The president has already proven that he will not hesitate to fire anyone he has appointed, something that should keep those who remain on their toes and on the ball; again, a refreshing change from the policy of the previous government to retain everyone, even the most corrupt and incompetent, because firing anyone would be an admission of error on the part of the appointing authority.

The people should trust the

President to find the people he needs and, if they fail, to replace them before they can do any real damage. Of course, for some, that is already too much to ask. *** If you’re wondering why your cellular telephone signal falls off when you’re at home in your residential subdivision, perhaps you should ask your homeowners’ association. If your village doesn’t allow telecommunication companies to put up cell sites within its boundaries, you’re out of luck.

Residents of exclusive villages cannot expect better mobile services in their homes without allowing telecom service providers to install cell sites within the village premises, according to Globe. If subdivisions continue to block the construction of cell sites or smaller outdoor distributed antenna systems (ODAs), their mobile telephone and data service will not improve.

“It is physically impossible to serve residents from outside Turn to A5

THE rejection of Gina Lopez by the Commission on Appointments is still a hot topic.

Gina is the second Cabinet secretary whose appointment was rejected by the CA. Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Jun Yasay was also rejected due to citizenship problems but this did not generate as much controversy.

Gina’s case was different.

There is a sizable number of people and organizations out there who support her. The story therefore will not simply end with her departure.

Ordinarily, the President is given much leeway in choosing members of his Cabinet. Only in certain circumstances does the CA reject presidential appointees. There are now two rejections with the confirmation of three Cabinet members still hanging in the balance. When President Duterte assumed the Presidency, he began assembling a team based on some of his core beliefs. Some of these beliefs have come as a surprise to many. As it happens, he also cares passionately about the environment and this is why he appointed an environmental advocate in the person of Gina Lopez. Not also known to many, is that he has socialistic inclinations and this is also why he reached out to the National Democratic Front to appoint the Secretaries of Social Welfare and Agrarian Reform from that group. In a way, he tried to create a team in his own image so to speak.

With Gina, the situation was untenable right from the very start. Not only because of the subsequent actions that she took by immediately closing 23 mining companies, suspending five others and canceling 75 mineral production sharing agreements but also the way the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is structured.

Our DENR is equivalent to the Department of Interior of the United States. With us however, the department that processes applications for mining rights is also the department that is supposed to protect the environment from destruction and degradation.

The ideal thing is to have two separate departments.

Gina being the passionate environmental advocate that she is, proceeded to start Turn to A5

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ManilaStandard

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

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Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion

DESPITE attempts of the Philippine delegation to windowdress President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on illegal drugs before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, the Philippines faces global pressure anyway.

Forty-five out of 47 countries that participated in the review questioned the spate of killings here.

These countries suggested an investigation into the killings and recommended that we reject the proposal to reinstate capital punishment.

I am inclined to say that Duterte loyalist Senator Alan Peter Cayetano made matters worse when he defended the war on drugs. He said Western media come out with fake news or alternative facts about the drug war. In effect, he said the foreign press does not know what it was talking about.

Cayetano must be living on another planet. How can the foreign community not know what it is talking about when there are foreign embassies here?

I have always said that going after pushers is just half the problem.

What do we do with the drug users who must be rehabilitated? Considering how porous our archipelago’s coastlines are, supply will continue to meet the demand for illegal drugs.

I also said that the war on illegal drugs has spawned yet other problems. There is collateral damage. And where shall we put those who have surrendered when our jails are of substandard quality?

This is why I said President Duterte will not be able to end his war on drugs within a year.

Lest I am misunderstood, I completely support President Duterte’s war on drugs. But I also say that more than this, the problems he must focus on are poverty and joblessness.

There are many other challenges, and he cannot simply focus on illegal drugs, crime and corruption. He needs to adopt a holistic approach. *** I stated in an earlier column that the Manila Police and Philippine National Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa should not set aside the possibility of a terror attack, given the recent bombings in Quiapo, Manila. It appears the police are covering up something; they insist personal feuds are the cause of the explosions.

But the Islamic State (IS) has already claimed responsibility for the bombings. A security expert has said that the Quiapo bombings bear the trademark of a terror attack. These incidents may just be “test runs,” experts say.

With so many IS terrorists from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore now in the Philippines, to say that terrorism is upon Metro Manila would be an understatement. Attacks can take place anytime and anywhere, to create panic among the populace.

Why do you think authorities have put the country’s premier airport on full alert?

Additional security at the Naia may be a minus points in our effort to attract tourists.

But it is always better to be vigilant because lives are at stake. *** The most pathetic among all members of the Cabinet is Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella. I can almost imagine—every morning, when he wakes up, he must tell himself: “Here I go again, telling lies and interpreting the President’s words so he can avoid criticism.”

I refer to President Duterte’s recent statement on the rejection of former Environment Secretar ydesignate Regina Lopez.

He said lobby money talked, that was why the Commission on Appointments rejected her.

Soon, Abella said the President did not intend to say there was bribery involved in the CA’s decision on Lopez.

So what did Mr. Duterte exactly mean by what he said? *** There were some misprints in my column yesterday on my family legends.

I wrote that there were two Jurado beauties in Magsingal, Ilocos Sur, and they had affluent suitors from outside of Ilocandia.

Maria Jurado, cousin of my father, married a plantation owner and hacendero from Tayabas, now Quezon province.

The other beauty also got married to a hacendero, this time an Urdabe from Pangasinan. One of the offspring was the late Anita Urdabe Lorenzana, who founded patis and bagoong products in the market, products that the country now imports from Thailand.

The offspring of both Maria and Marciana Jurado are mestizos and mestizas, having descended from Spanish forebears.

The right...

From A4

service providers to overcome,” said Genio.

Homeowners associations oppose new cell site construction due to alleged health hazards coming from the cell sites.

This despite declarations from the World Health Organization and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection and the Department of Health that the emissions from local cell sites are not harmful.

“The radiation from your handset is actually higher than that of the cell site, and what many people don’t realize is that this handset radiation increases the farther your handset is from the cell site,” said Genio. He explained that the farther the phone is from the cell site, the stronger the power output required for the phone to get an adequate signal—thus increasing radiation.

Telecommunication facilities are considered infrastructure of national interest. But the public must realize though that there are roadblocks that prevent Philippine telcos from creating better networks.

He must be living on another planet.

their villages, especially since these villages are made up of hundreds of hectares of land,” said Globe Chief Technology and Information Officer Gil Genio. “The range of a typical cell site, for which it can provide good signal for data, is only around 700 meters.

This means that we need several sites inside these villages for residents to get the service they want.”

Local telcos have blamed poor service on the difficulty of putting up cell sites all over the country, saying it takes so much work and time in order to put up just one cell site. On the other hand, it takes only one subdivision resident or association to object to the cell site for the local government or barangay to stop service improvement.

“There is a tremendous amount of resistance from homeowners. They don’t mind new cell sites, as long as the cell sites are not in their village. It is a very difficult situation for

A5

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Keeping a green mind

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Cayetano made matters worse

THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017

OVERSIGHT DANILO SUAREZ THE Philippines was among the 195 signatories to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, pledging to reduce its carbon emissions down by 70 percent by 2030. To fulfill this, goals should be geared towards a cleaner form of energy. The low-carbon scenario envisioned by the Department of Energy entails a 30-30-40 power generation mix. Coal and liquefied natural gas or LNG would comprise 30 percent each and the remaining 40 percent from renewable sources of energy. At present, however, coal comprises 42 percent of our power supply. Coal-fired power plants have higher car-

bon emissions and pollutants compared to other sources of energy which, contrary to our pledge, harm the environment.

LNG is a promising source of power supply as it emits 40 percent less pollution than coal or oil and, in lesser amounts, the following compounds: sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and other particulate matter, that contribute to accumulation of the greenhouse gases and acid rain. LNG produces 45 percent less carbon dioxide than burning coal and 30 percent less than burning fuel oil. Production is deemed more efficient.

LNG is regarded to be more cost efficient as world prices continue to drop. LNG produces 7,650 kWh per ton of fuel compared to 1,927 kWh produced by coal. This equates to 0.0425 US dollar-charge for fuel costs per kWh using coal, while LNG charges only 0.0392 US dollars.

Consequently, the U.E. Energy Information Administration computed that operating and generation costs are generally cheaper for LNG than for coal.

Conversion to natural gas also reduces oil imports by 30 percent according to the Malampaya management.

The United States and Singapore have abandoned the use of coal and switched to LNG power plants.

Last week, I filed House Bill Number 961 entitled, “A Resolution Calling for an Investigation by the Appropriate Committee of the House of Representatives on Converting Existing Coal-Fired Power Plants into Liquefied Natural Gas Power Plants.” The shift to LNG aims to ensure lower energy bill for end users. We are also aware that there are coal-related hidden health costs which are passed on to

host communities, and eventually shouldered by the government. Among the known health consequences of exposure to coal emissions are lung cancer, asthma, and cardio vascular problems.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi stated in numerous occasions that the government will pursue upgrades in electricity production. The DoE found out that there was a capacity shortfall of 184 MW in Luzon in 2015 and up to 635 MW in 2016. Clearly, our current source of energy will not suffice to sustain the increasing demands.

New generation capacity is needed. This is an opportunity for us to fully switch to LNGfired power plants which are cost effective, environmentally responsible, and will bring to compliance our commitment to the international community per the Paris Agreement.

South Korea needs a united front with the US Bloomberg editorial HIS differences with US President Donald Trump may have helped win Moon Jae-in the presidency of South Korea. Now he and Trump need to focus on what unites them.

During the campaign, Moon took issue with the US administration’s approach to North Korea. In the past, he’s called for engaging economically with the North and restarting joint development projects, rather than seeking to isolate Kim Jong Un’s regime. He opposed what he portrayed as the rushed deployment of a US system designed to shoot down North Korean missiles, saying the decision should have been left to the new government. Meanwhile, Trump roiled the waning days of the campaign by threatening to scrap the bilateral free-trade agreement between the two al-

lies and demanding that South Korea pay the $1-billion bill for the anti-missile system.

Continued posturing would be counterproductive for both men. Moon’s first task as president has to be to restore faith in South Korea’s political and economic system. The corruption scandal that brought down his predecessor, Park Geun-hye, sparked public fury at ties between government officials and the corporate titans running Korea’s sprawling industrial conglomerates, known as chaebol.

Moon has backed reforms that would make the chaebol more transparent and lessen their grip on the economy. But he’ll need helpfrom opposition lawmakers to pass any substantive changes.

As for Trump, harping on supposed trade inequities and squeezing a valued partner for money it doesn’t legally owe is shortsighted and futile. The fact is, the US has

benefitedno less than South Korea from their bilateral trade agreement, and any flaws in the deal can surely be addressed without calling into question the entire pact. Complaining about how much it costs to help defend South Korea only raises doubts about the US’s reliability—to no discernible end, as more responsible members of Trump’s administration are inevitably forced to walk back his comments.

Most important, any daylight between the US and South Korea undermines the goal of reining in North Korea’s nuclear program.

For one thing, disunity eases pressure on China to play a more responsible role on the Korean peninsula. Although Chinese leaders are making encouraging noises, it’s unclear how far they’re willing to go to pressure Kim. If they believe the new South Korean administration favors a more lenient approach, they’ll have

every reason to slacken their efforts as well.

North Korea would exploit any divisions even more eagerly.

The Pyongyang regime has survived and continued to expand its nuclear capabilities by skillfully taking advantage of gaps in the global sanctions net; even now, as relations with China fray, it’s looking to expand ties with Russia.

Despite their rhetoric, the new US and South Korean leaders really aren’t that far apart in their approaches to Pyongyang. Both men say they’re not looking to overthrow Kim. Both say they are open to negotiating with him, under the right conditions.

The best chance of achieving those conditions—and it’s a slim one—is to convince Kim that he faces a resolute and united international front. Trump and Moon should be doing everything in their power to build one.

Goofing off at work

By Noah Smith IN HIS new book “The Complacent Class,” my Bloomberg View colleague Tyler Cowen mentions that more Americans may be slacking off at work. He offers this as one more measure of the comfortable malaise into which American culture has settled. But it also occurs to me that if leisure is replacing effort at work, it means that the country may be getting more productive more quickly than economists realize.

Productivity is a measure of how much output the economy can get for a given amount of inputs. Total factor productivity measures output as a function of labor and capital both, while labor productivity takes only workers’ time and effort into account.

Both have been slowing in developed countries in the past decade.

The recent slowdown is worrying, because it means the economy isn’t producing much more with each hour of work than it was a decade ago. In the short run, productivity can be hurt by things like recessions, but in the long run it’s a pretty good indicator of the economy’s overall ability to produce value. A productivity slowdown can be the result of fewer new technologies, more

Still...

From A4 closing

mining

companies.

Not surprisingly, these mining companies fought back. After all, they are not exactly without resources. They went into the attack by pointing out the economic benefits of mining and the P72-billion revenue that the government derives from it. There is also a law that allows mining.

Not to be outdone, those opposed—which includes the Catholic Church—flexed their muscles and mounted powerful campaigns to support Gina. We now have a divided public—and this is why even with the departure of Gina, this issue whether to mine or not will not go away.

Part of Gina’s problem was that not all members of the Duterte administration supported her. The finance people were against her right from the very start because of the revenue that would be lost

onerous government regulations and taxes, a less-skilled workforce, worse management practices or increased trade barriers.

But if the inputs are being measured incorrectly, then the productivity numbers aren’t telling us an accurate story. Labor productivity is output divided by hours of work. If the number of work hours has been overstated more and more as time goes on, it means productivity has been increasing faster than the official numbers indicate.

For many workers, the pressures of a modern job are intense.

Doctors spend all their hours in hospitals, engineers scramble to meet deadlines, lawyers burn the midnight oil working to make partner. But for anyone who works in a modern office, there are distractions available that just didn’t exist 25 years ago.

You can talk to your friends and coworkers on Slack and Facebook Messenger and Snapchat.

You can browse Twitter, check Reddit threads, or read excellent articles on Bloomberg View.

You can watch video games on YouTube or Twitch. Internet and mobile technologies have made slacking off easier than ever.

Is technology causing people to fritter away time at work? It’s

hard to measure long-term trends, since data on this question hasn’t been collected for very long, and is confounded by events like the Great Recession, which probably caused people to work harder for fear of losing their jobs.

But the raw numbers are substantial. The American Time Use Survey does ask workers about time at work spent not working, and the amount of time is significant—maybe 50 minutes a day for those who don’t claim to work every minute The average working American spends about 34.4 hours on the job. If we assume that’s five days a week, it means that one hour of slacking per day means that true work hours are really only 85.5 percent of the official number.

Labor productivity growth averaged about 0.3 percent in 2016.

But if the internet increased wasted work time by just two percent that year, it would mean that labor productivity growth was actually about 2.3 percent that year —almost eight times faster than the recorded figure! That number would put recent productivity growth close to the levels of the 1980s and 1990s.

When output goes up while work effort falls, it means more is being done with less. If I can

Bloomberg

if mining were to stop altogether.

Competence was another reason for her rejection. At least this was what Senator Panfilo Lacson said in an interview. Some members of the CA also came out to say that passion is not enough. President Duterte on his part said that lobby money was responsible for the rejection.

If competence is the most important issue, one could also argue that there are some people in the President’s team who do not seem to have any clue of what they are doing. Yet they were confirmed.

Passion is also probably holding up the confirmation of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and Department of Agrarian Reform secretaries because both have their own advocacies.

During the course of Gina’s short and tumultuous stint as DENR secretary, the term “balanced evaluation” and “responsible mining” have become by words. Balanced evaluation perhaps would mean that the approval or disapproval of

mining rights must be objectively evaluated to take into account the benefits and not only concentrate on the negatives. Responsible mining would mean that mining can be undertaken with minimum destruction to the environment and this can be done by restoring the area to its original condition after the life of the mine. This may be true but in all my experience, I have never seen a mining operation that has not destroyed or degraded the environment. More so because the favorite method of mining companies to extract the minerals from the ground is open-pit mining which is the most destructive method. Once a mountain is gone, it is gone forever.

I live in a place that has been considered one of the most mineralized pieces of real estate in the world. In its heyday, there were about nine to 10 mines operating around Baguio. In order to see what mining operation has done to the environment, all that one has to do is go to Philex Mine. One

reason why Kennon Road is always having landslides is that the whole mountain is full of mining tunnels that have not been refilled.

These mountains, therefore could not hold water and that is the major cause of the landslides due to loose mountain soil. The destruction of the Marinduque environment by Marcopper is another classic example.

Now, retired General Roy Cimatu has been appointed to replace Gina Lopez. It is a good choice. Genaral Cimatu has plenty of managerial training and experience. He is also someone who does not make hasty decisions. He considers all facts of a situation before making a decision. If there is such a thing as responsible mining, we will expect him to define what responsible mining is and will hurry up with those evaluations so that they will not be left hanging in the air.

If there is anyone who can rise to the challenge of a difficult job ahead, General Cimatu can.

complete a task in two hours that used to take four, and spend the extra two hours surfing Twitter, it means that technology, management or some other aspect of the economy has gotten twice as good.

This could be part of the puzzle of missing productivity growth from information technology. In 1987, economist Robert Solow quipped that “You can see the computer age everywhere but in the productivity statistics.” Three decades later, many economists believe that the IT revolution lifted productivity only for a brief time in the 1990s and early 2000s. Economists scratch their heads when they ask why all the fantastic new tools Silicon Valley rolls out every year don’t seem to make the economy more efficient. But if IT is raising work productivity while simultaneously causing people to take more hidden leisure, the mystery is solved.

This might seem paradoxical.

On-the-job loafing lowers economic output. But it also causes mismeasuring work input, meaning that real productivity is understated. Even if slacking off is a bad thing, it could be good news for technological progress.

THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017 A6 Standard TODAY Manila

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CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

News

Binay pushes MM integrated jail

By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

F

ORMER Vice President Jejomar Binay has proposed the creation of an integrated jail facility for Metro Manila which can accommodate more than 5,000 inmates to address the worsening problem of congestion in local jails.

Binay sent a letter to Acting Local Government Secretary Catalino Cuy, in which he asked the Department of the Interior and Local Government to consider reviving a proposal he made in 2005 to set up a facility to house all Metro Manila detainees.

Reports had said that more than dozens of inmates have died due to overcrowding at detention facilities in police stations in Metro Manila since July last year. “Congestion in local jail facilities in Metro Manila has been a long-standing concern for both the local and national authorities.

Sadly, no concrete action has been taken and the problem has worsened over the years,”he said.

Binay added that as early as 2005, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology had proposed the establishment of an integrated jail facility for Metro Manila “precisely to address the issue of congestion in

the local jails.”

“The said proposal was sent to the mayors of Metro Manila for their comment and as mayor of Makati at that time, I expressed my support,” he added.

“May I recommend that the DILG revisit the said proposal,” Binay said.

The BJMP had proposed the creation of an integrated facility to house Metro Manila's 21 jails, all BJMP offices as well as housing for jail personnel. A 96-hectare property in San Mateo, Rizal was identified as the site, with P300 million estimated as initial allocation for its construction. The site would also have a hospital, school, lodging facilities for visitors, livelihood centers, and a farm. The BJMP had already prepared blueprints for the facility and there were bills filed in both the Senate and the House of Representatives supporting the creation of a jail facility for Metro Manila.

Red Cross, Red Crescent seek nuke arms-free world BRAVE HEARTS. Marbai farmer-leaders offer banana hearts to President Duterte in appreciation of his efforts to allow for a meeting with the farmers who camped out at Mendiola and discussing with them their demands. Norman Cruz

By Macon Ramos-Araneta WITH conflicts and tensions erupting in various parts of the globe that threaten to escalate J. Gordon has renewed his call for the Senate to support the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement’s bid to make the whole world nuclear weapons-free.

Gordon said he will rally for the support for the world’s largest humanitarian organization’s call to achieve a world without nuclear weapons to protect humanity and as an obligation towards future generations. He said that North Korea’s state-controlled media has warned that America’s ‘military provocations’ risked triggering nuclear conflict.

He added that the threat of a nuclear conflict erupting is like the sword of Damocles hanging over our heads.

"We have witnessed the past devastation and heard of the ongoing physical and psychological sufferings of thousands of atomic bomb survivors seventy-two years on. We don’t want to see a repeat of the Nagasaki and Hiroshima bombings,” said Gordon. “We all know that the destructive capacity of nuclear weapons in arsenals today is many times greater than the bombs used in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In order to prevent a nuclear war from erupting, we have to work hard to eliminate and prohibit nuclear weapons,” he added.

He said the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has made a bid to achieve a world without nuclear weapons “and I am calling on my colleagues to support

it. Let us help ensure that Nagasaki and Hiroshima are the last places in history to have suffered the effects of an atomic bomb.”

Gordon earlier filed Senate Resolution No. 349, expressing full support of the Senate of the Philippines to the appeal of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement for the global prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons.

Gordon said the prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons is a humanitarian imperative. As of early 2017, there are approximately 14,900 nuclear warheads existing worldwide, according to the Federation of American Scientists, an organization dedicated to reducing the number and spread of nuclear weapons. During the Conference on the Prohibition and Elimination of Nuclear Weapons held in Nagasaki, Japan in April 2017 that Gordon attended, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement appealed to all the states to participate in the next phase of the negotiations to prohibit nuclear weapons. “…By negotiating and adopting a treaty that recognizes the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons and contains a clear and unambiguous prohibition, States have the opportunity to ensure that Nagasaki is the last place in history to have suffered the effects of an atomic bombing,” the Red Cross Movement appeal read.

“The risk that nuclear weapons will again be used by intent, miscalculation or accident is higher than most people realize and ever increasing. The threat to humanity is beyond imagination,” it added.

SSS asks court to retain P1.4-b lot

By Rey Requejo THE Supreme Court has been asked to stop the Pasay City Regional Trial Court from implementing its orders allowing the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines to take possession of portion of the Social Security System property worth REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region Branch 209 Mandaluyong City

IN THE MATTER OF PETITION FOR CORRECTION OR CANCELLATION OF ENTRIES IN THE CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH OF JAELLE CLAIRE ACANTILADO BRADLEY NIKKI JOY H. ACANTILADO, Petitioner -versus - SP. PROC. NO. R-MND-17-00792-SP LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF MANDALUYONG CITY and JOEL CLIFFORD BRADLEY, Respondents x---------------------------------------x

ORDER On 28 February 2017, Petitioner Nikki Joy H. Acantilado (“Petitioner”), filed the instant Petition for Correction or Cancellation of Entries in the Certificate of Live Birth of Jaelle Claire Acantilado Bradley (“Petition”).

Petitioner alleges that she is the biological mother of minor Jaelle Claire Acantilado Bradley (“Jaelle”) born on 28 January 2015 in Mandaluyong City. Respondent Joel Clifford Bradley (“Joel”) is the father of Jaelle and fiancé of Petitioner. The subject matter of the instant Petition are the entries in the Certificate of Live Birth of Jaelle pertaining to her last name and all of the entries pertaining to the father, which are all sought to be corrected or cancelled. Petitioner and Joel met in March 2014 and dated, during which sexual relations happened between the two. In July 2014, Petitioner learned that she was pregnant and told Joel that he is the father. Joel, who was then in the United States, provided financial support to defray expenses for the pregnancy. On 28 January 2015, Petitioner gave birth to Jaelle, but the Certificate of Live Birth was not immediately registered due to Joel’s absence in the Philippines at the time. On 17 March 2015, Petitioner and Joel applied with the Civil Registry of Mandaluyong City for the delayed registration of Jaelle’s birth.

Joel acknowledged Jaelle as his daughter and affixed in the Certificate of Live Birth his name as the father. As a consequence, Jaelle used the last name of Joel. In

April 2015, Petitioner and Joel got engaged, and later, in October 2016 Joel manifested his intentions for Petitioner and Jaelle to join him in the United States. Thereafter, Petitioner and Joel applied for Consular Report of Birth Abroad and U.S. Passport for Petitioner and Jaelle. As part of the application, a consented DNA testing was conducted. However, the results of the DNA test show that Jaelle is excluded as a biological child of Joel, thus Jaelle does not have a valid claim to derivative U.S. Citizenship. Hence, the instant Petition is filed to establish that Jaelle is not the biological child of Joel and to correct or cancel the entries in the Certificate of Live Birth to reflect Jaelle’s true and correct civil status.

Finding the Petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the same is hereby given due course. Let this Petition be set for hearing on 6 June 2017 at 8:30 o’ clock in the morning before this Court located at 2nd Floor, New Hall of Justice Bldg., Maysilo Circle, Mandaluyong City.

Notice is hereby given that anyone who has any objection to the Petition should file on or the date of hearing his opposition thereto with a statement of the grounds therefor.

Let this Order be posted on the Bulletin Board of the Court and published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines, both at Petitioner’s expense.

Finally, furnish the Office of the Solicitor General and the respondent with a copy of this Order and the Petition at Petitioner’s expense.

SO ORDERED. 7 March 2017, Mandaluyong City, Philippines (Sgd.) MONIQUE A. QUISUMBINGIGNACIO Presiding Judge Copy furnished: OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR GENERAL 134 Amorsolo Street, Legaspi Village Makati City OFFICE OF THE CITY PROSECUTOR Hall of Justice, Mandaluyong City THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR Mandaluyong City OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT-RTC Mandaluyong City NIKKI JOY H. ACANTILADO 209 Blk. 37, Marinella Street Welfareville Compound Mandaluyong City ATTY. JEFFREY P. OMADTO Counsel for Petitioner 162 General Kalentong Street Mandaluyong City 1550 JOEL CLIFFORD BRADLEY 2609 S 304 Street Federal Way, WA 98003 United States of America

(MS-Apr. 27, May 5 & 11, 2017)

P1.4 billion located at the Financial Center area in Pasay City.

In a 16-page petition, the Social Security System through the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel asked the SC to issue a status quo ante order or a writ of preliminary mandatory injunction to enjoin Judge Gina M. Bibat-Palamos, acting Presiding Judge of the Pasay City, Branch 108, from implementing its orders issued on March 2, 2017 and April 24, 2017.

OGCC chief Rudolf Philip Jurado, acting as lawyer for SSS, also sought to dismiss the complaint for expropriation filed by the NGCP covering the subject SSS property.

In its March 2, 2017 order, the Pasay RTC granted NGCP’s urgent motion for the issuance of a writ of possession of the 60,872square meter property of SSS in Pasay City valued at P1.46 billion pending resolution of its complaint for expropriation. The Pasay RTC denied SSS’ motion for reconsideration in a resolution issued on April 24, 2017. In its petition, the OGCC said as the statutory legal counsel of the SSS, it is tasked to protect its legal interests over the land.

“The property is intended for the use by the SSS in the furtherance of its mandate, which is the subject of an Expropriation Case instituted by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines [NGCP], a private corporation with the general power to expropriate private property,” the government counsel said. It also noted that the Pasay RTC, on the premise of a mere delegated power to expropriate, granted NGCP the right to enter and take over the land it seeks to own “without evident circumspection.”

“The lack of authority on the part of NGCP to expropriate government property is too obvious that it cannot be overlooked. Even more, the consequence of such ignorance is far-reaching that the government is deprived of exercising full ownership over its own property to the direct prejudice of themore than 34 million pensioners that the SSS committedly serves,” the OGCC pointed out. The NGCP is seeking to expropriate the SSS property to immediately construct a substation that will accommodate the increasing demand for electricity of the Greater Manila Area, which shall be known as the Pasay 230kV Substation Project.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports Kanter to spread message of giving

By Klyde Manansala OKLAHOMA City Thunder center Enes Kanter is set to visit Manila on Thursday to promote his Light Foundation and other sports and educational advocacies in San Juan, Metro Manila.

Last February, the Turkish big man launched the Enes Kanter Light Foundation—a charitable foundation which provides fundraising activities, food, scholarships, and other useful resources for the underprivileged youth.

Kanter will spend his whole Thursday visit in San Juan to present gifts and other supplies at White Cross Orphanage in the morning head to Greenhills West Clubhouse in the afternoon to have a talk and exhibition game with the students of the Fountain International School, which is hosting his Philippine trip.

The NBA player already visited several charitable organizations and schools across the globe.

Among the countries his visited are Belgium, Netherlands, France, Spain, Germany, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, UAE, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Mexico.

After the Houston Rockets knocked out Kanter’s team in the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs, he immediately looked to spend his vacation helping children in different nations. This time, the Philippines will be one of the countries the Light Foundation will visit and help.

Fountain International School is a private, non-sectarian educational institution which welcomes pre-school, grade school and high school students from diverse cultures, race and religion. It is a Cambridge International School offering courses on Secondary 1, Secondary 2 IGCSE and A/AS Level.

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THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Valdez, Reyes join forces in Clash of Heroes spikefest F

OR the first time ever, college rivals Alyssa Valdez and Mika Reyes will be donning the same jersey when they see action in the Clash of Heroes on Monday (May 15) at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

Valdez, the former Ateneo superstar, will conspire with former La Salle sweetheart Reyes in bannering Pilipinas-Blue squad against a veteran-laden PilipinasRed team in this fund-raising project organized by the PSCPOC Media Group, in cooperation with the Larong Volleyball Sa Pilipinas, Inc. for the benefit of the national volleyball team’s foreign

Gonzaga of Cignal, Kat Tolentino of Ateneo, Elaine Kasilag of Pocari Sweat, Bia General of Generika-Ayala, Frances Molina and Ria Meneses of Petron, Lourdes Clemente of Sta. Lucia, and CJ Rosario of Foton.

Assistant coach Brian Esquibel of Foton will call the shots with training and exposure.

Also landing on Pilipinas-Blue Ronald Dulay of Foton and Ian team in this event backed by the Fernandez of Petron as deputies.

Aside from the highly anticiPhilippine Sports Commission with pated partnership between Valdez UCPB Gen as official insurance provider and TV5 as official broad- and Reyes, who figured in a handcast partner, are Kim Fajardo, Kim ful of dramatic UAAP battles, it Dy and Dawn Macandili, the heroes would also be a reunion of sorts for newly crowned UAAP cham- for Valdez and Fajardo, the childhood buddies from Batangas who pion De La Salle University.

They will be joined by Jovelyn blossomed into two of the coun-

try’s best volleyball players.

National team head coach Francis Vicente stressed that the team assignment wasn’t intentional.

“It’s the outcome of long nights of deliberation among members of the national coaching staff,” said Vicente, who mentored Valdez and Fajardo during their high school days at UST. “Alyssa and Kim are both candidates for team captain. I want to see how they will lead the team composed of players with different backgrounds. I would carefully take note how they will provide the spark and chemistry on the floor.”

But Valdez, Fajardo and

Creamline, Pocari duel in key match Games today 1 p.m. – IEM vs Sta. Elena 4 p.m. – Air Force vs Power Smashers 6:30 p.m. – Creamline vs Pocari Sweat

The men’s volleyball team, together with coaches, join hands in practice in preparation for the Clash of Heroes. Dennis Abrina

Pasig City hosts Cebuana age-group netfest IT WAS the turn of young and up-and-coming players from the National Capital Region to steal the show in the 2017 Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series as Pasig City and the Valle Verde Country Club hosted the 21st and the latest leg of the series.

Relatively unfamiliar names dominated the winners’ list in the tournament that was also supported by Dunlop as the official ball.

“The NCR will always remain as a major tournament

Reyes’ squad is headed for a very tough battle.

Rachel Anne Daquis of Cignal, arguably the country’s face in the international arena, will be at the helm for Pilipinas-Red squad together with fellow veterans Aiza Maizo-Pontillas of Petron and Aby Marano of F2 Logistics.

Also in the squad are Denden Lazaro of Cocolife, Kat Arado of Generika-Ayala, Myla Pablo of Pocari Sweat, Gretchel Soltones of BaliPure, Jaja Santiago of Foton, Gen Casugod of Generika-Ayala, Maika Ortiz of Foton, Maddie Madayag of Ateneo, Rhea Dimaculangan of Petron and Roselle Baliton of UE.

center for the country and it is good that it continues to produce its own share of young tennis talents. These present-day winners will not be unfamiliar names for long for sure,” said Cebuana Lhuillier President/ CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier expressing, No player dominated as different winners emerged in each age group, led by 18-under boys’ and girls’ champions Gabriel Tiamson and Paula Ysabelle Uy, respectively, as Tiamson, who hails from Muntinlupa, posted an easy straight set victory 6-0,

6-2 over Jeremiah Macias IV for the crown, while Uy had to come back from a first-set loss before prevailing over Cianna Villaflor, 3-6, 6-3, 10-7.

Other winners in the boys’ side were visiting Stefano Gurial from Bacoor, Cavite as he had a walkover win over Daniel Estanislao in the 16-under.

Estanislao, meanwhile, emerged champion in the 14-below, beating Rainier Selmar from Bacoor, 6-2, 6-1 in the 14-under, and Quezon City’s Angelo Rosales who had a 7-6, 6-3 win over Lance Fernandez

for the 12-under title.

Boys prevailed in the unisex categories as Sebastian Enriquez swept Jos Po, 4-0, 4-3, in the 10-under finals, while Gavin Kraut had to struggle for a three-set win, 4-2, 0-4, 11-9, over Novak Brazal in the 8-under finale.

In the distaff side, local bet Franchesca Marie Cruz was pushed to the limit by Alyssa Rosales in the 16-under championship match before Cruz wrapped up the match, 6-2, 3-6, 12-10.

Muntinlupa City’s Nina Sand-

ejas earlier ruled the 14-under with an easy 6-2, 6-4 win over Rosales, who bombed out in her two finals’ appearances.

Stella Sieh disposed of Carrilyn Pesengco in two sets, 7-6, 6-3, for the 12-under crown.

Doubles’ events champions were Loucas Fernandez and Jed Labasario in the boys’ 18-under; Daniel Estanislao and Rafael Liangco won in the boys’ 14-under; Alyssa Rosales and partner Amelie Matta prevailed in the girls’ 14-under, and Sebastian Enriquez with Jose Ma. de Leon in the 10-under.

DMCI Homes’ hoopsters shoot for unity, camaraderie WHILE swimming pools and landscaped gardens bring out the resort ambiance in every DMCI Homes condominium complex, part of its amenities is a basketball court with a special purpose of promoting neighborliness through sports.

The Quadruple A property builder doubles that closeness up through its summer basketball tournament.

“DMCI Homes is not only in the business of building structures but building communities,” said Pia Tumbocon of DMCI Homes when she recently opened the 2017 DMCI Homes Communities Basketball tournament at the company’s basketball gym in Makati City.

Tumbocon, who is the tournament’s commissioner, told players and coaches from the different DMCI Homes communities participating in the basketball competition, that the company sponsors various activities for homeowners like the yearly basketball tournament to make their DMCI Homes experience even more wonderful.

Professional cager Jai Reyes, who plays in international basketball leagues and was a former PBA player and member of the Ateneo Blue Eagles champion team in the UAAP in 2008 and 2009, gave another perspective when he spoke as guest speaker at the ceremony.

“You are so lucky with DMCI Homes because they have this kind of tournament and venue to showcase your talent,” Reyes said.

Reyes told players to work hard to achieve their dreams and play safe during the tournament to avoid injury.

“Don’t forget your studies because we’re students first before athletes,” he reminded student athletes.

Under the tournament format, there is a junior division for players up to 16 years old and a senior division for players aged 17 and above.

The different DMCI Homes communities in Metro Manila were grouped into five areas. Area 1 represents communities in the north; area 2 for Acacia Estates, DMCI Homes’ township development in Taguig City; and Area 3 for residences in the south. On the other hand, Area 5 covers eastern Metro Manila while Area 6 constitutes the Pasig City area.

The participation of ex-PBA player Marlon Basco, who is with the Area 6 team, and former UST Growling Tiger Carmelo Afuang, who is with the Area 2 team, made the tournament more exciting.

DMCI Homes spiced up the tournament with a 3-point shootout contest before the initial games were played. Francisco Tancioco, last year’s senior division Most Valuable Player and a member of the defending champion team representing Acacia Estates in Taguig City, won the shootout among senior contestants.

Prince Kyle Reyes from the Area 6 team was the best three-point shooter among junior contestants.

Another sidelight of the tournament is a basketball clinic Reyes will conduct at Acacia Estates starting on May 8 to 12. All teams will play against all other teams within their division to reach the Final Four. The top two teams in

Organizers and winners of the 2017 DMCI Homes Communities Basketball tournament are shown here

the semis advance to the championship round. Cash prizes and trophies await the top three teams with the champion taking home P50, 000 cash.

As residents and their children hone their skills in the game in the court, they also develop friendship and camaraderie making them a close-knit community.

The tournament’s theme of unity, camaraderie and victory sums up that benefit.

Known for building high quality, best value homes and resort-inspired communities that promote quality lifestyle among Filipinos, DMCI Homes has been holding team sports competitions to foster closer community ties and encourage camaraderie, unity, and sportsmanship

among residents.

The annual summer league was instituted in 2012 in accordance with the company’s aim to provide an environment for holistic development in its belief that team sports develops character, accountability, dedication, and leadership, among many other traits.

DMCI Homes is the country’s first Quadruple A real estate developer known for building quality resort-style communities in Metro Manila, Baguio and Davao City. Each of its properties is built with world-standard craftsmanship borne from D.M. Consunji Inc.’s over 60 years of expertise in the construction and development industry.

POCARI Sweat and Creamline clash Thursday in a duel of fancied teams coming off contrasting stints even as the Power Smashers zero in on the second spot against Air Force in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the FilOil Flying V Center in San Juan.

The resurgent Lady Warriors seek a third straight win after back-to-back losses as they take on a Creamline side reeling from a five-set setback to the Power Smashers late Tuesday that dropped the Alyssa Valdez-led squad to fifth in the six-team field.

That should give the defending champion Pocari Sweat the edge in their 6:30 p.m. faceoff with Creamline with coach Rommel Abella hoping to draw another balanced scoring from starters Myla Pablo, Jeanette Panaga, Elaine Kasilag and Maricar Nepomuceno, who combined for 47 hits in their straight-set romp over the Perlas Spikers last Tuesday.

That evened Pocari’s card at 2-2 with the Lady Warriors out to close out their first round stint in the opening season conference of the league organized by Sports Vision with another victory.

But the Cool Smashers will also be going all out to bounce back into contention although Valdez would need solid support from the rest to get back into the winning groove.

Valdez put on another 27-hit effort but the Cool Smashers still fell short, dropping a sorry 23-25, 25-21, 17-25, 25-20, 13-15 decision to the Power Smashers who forced a three-way for second at 2-2 with the Lady Warriors and the Perlas Spikers.

Valdez bags shooting gold JAYSON Valdez bagged for the Philippines its second gold medal in the on-going Southeast Asian Shooting Association tournament in Subang, Malaysia.

That’s after the 21-year-old Valdez ruled the 50 meter men’s rifle 3-position.

He matched the feat of Amparo Acuna, who took the women’s 50-meter prone gold medal the other day.

Valdez tallied 448.1 points and beat his closest rivals from Vietnam.

It was the first gold medal that Valdez has won in SEASA championships, where he was a silver and bronze medalist before.

Valdez is the son of multi-titled SEA Games champion and now national coach Julius Valdez. The Filipino shooter took the bronze in the 50-meter prone last Sunday.

On other hand, Acuna settled for the bronze in the 10-meter air rifle.

Olympian Brian Rosario also added another bronze in the men’ Skeet.

Peter Atencio

LOTTO RESULTS

6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M+ 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M 4 DIGITS 0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

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

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THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017

Sports

Manu Ginobili (20) of the San Antonio Spurs makes the block against the three-point attempt by James Harden of the Houston Rockets in the final second of play in overtime during Game 5 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals at AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. AFP

Manu block saves Spurs L

OS ANGELES—Manu Ginobili pulled off an astonishing last-gasp defensive block as the San Antonio Spurs dug deep to claim a 110-107 victory over the Houston Rockets in their Western Conference playoff series on Tuesday.

Kawhi Leonard—who limped off late in the game with an ankle injury±topscored for San Antonio with 22 points as the Spurs took a 3-2 lead in their best of seven series.

But it was Ginobili’s heroics in overtime—athletically denying James Harden as the Rockets star shaped for a game-tying threepointer—that stole the show at San Antonio’s AT&T Center.

It was a superb clutch defensive play from the 39-year-old Argentinian, which gives the Spurs a precious lead as the series heads to Houston for Game 6 on Thursday.

“Manu reached back and gave us one of his Manu performances from past years. He was a stud,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.

“We went to him with Kawhi off the court and asked him to

make some things happen, generate some offense. He did a good job, whether distributing or scoring—he was big for us,” added Popovich, praising his team’s defensive resilience after the loss of Leonard in a tense finale.

“Everybody pulled together and played some good defense, especially without Kawhi being out there. The competitiveness was just off the charts.

“We’re obviously thrilled with the victory. We would have really been in a hole. Either team could have won the game down the stretch.”

But it was a frustrating night for Harden, who led the scoring for the Rockets with 33 points and a triple-double but was unable to

the overtime period without Leonard, who appeared to twist his left ankle during a drive in the third quarter.

Popovich declined to speculate on the seriousness of Leonard’s injury.

“He didn’t want to come out obviously, we let him a play on a little bit just to see how it went.

But it was obvious he couldn’t go,” Popovich said.

Houston looked to have edged clear when Ryan Anderson’s three-pointer put them ahead with 47.6 seconds on the clock.

Danny Green then drew a foul attempting a layup to give San Antonio a 109-107 buffer, with a further free throw making it 110-107. AFP

By Jeric Lopez IT didn’’t take long for the newbies of GlobalPort to make a difference.

With a lot of help from their new recruits, the Batang Pier came through in the clutch to pull off an impressive 94-86 upset victory over erstwhile league leader Meralco and keep their chances alive in the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup last night at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Newcomers Justin Harper, a new import in town, and recently acquired Sean Anthony, delivered big for their new team, leading GlobalPort to the big win.

Harper scored a game-high 30 points and hauled nine rebounds to impress in his PBA debut, while Anthony was solid with 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting, to go with eight rebounds for the Batang Pier.

The game was hanging in the balance as it was tied at 81-all with under five minutes left, but GlobalPort showed its urgency down the stretch to take this much-needed win.

The Batang Pier flexed their muscles and ended the game with a burly 13-5 finishing kick to complete the stunner.

As a result, GlobalPort improved to 3-6 and moved a game away from eighth placed Phoenix, while Meralco lost the top spot, falling to third with its now 7-2 record.

Each team has two games remaining in their eliminationround schedule.

Meralco, already in the quarterfinals, is chasing a Top 2 finish and a twice-to-beat incentive, while GlobalPort just plainly wants to be a part of the playoffs.

Yesterday’s playdate is the tournament’s last for the week as the league will observe a one-week break to give way to the SEABA Championship that will take place starting tomorrow until May 18.

Action resumes on May 19.

The scores: GLOBALPORT 94—Harper 30, Anthony 18, Pringle 16, Cortez 13, Guinto 8, Grey 3, Pessumal 2, Paredes 2, Mamaril 2, Forrester 0, Urbiztondo 0.

MERALCO 86—Stepheson 19, Chua 16, Dillinger 14, Amer 11, Newsome 8, Uyloan 6, Daquioag 2, Hodge 2, Yeo 2, Caram 2, Hugnatan 2, Nabong 2, Faundo 0.

Quarterscores: 26-25, 4342, 61-65, 94-86.

4-way tie for ICTSI golf lead

Zubiri vows best-ever PH SEAG hosting

By Peter Atencio THE Philippines’ hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games will be its best ever.

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said this after emerging from separate meetings with officials of the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee last Monday.

“This will be our best hosting. In the 2019 SEA Games, we should ensure (the quality of) venues, sports facilities, hotels and other facilities. Sa bagay, may dalawang taon pa tayo,” said Zubiri.

Zubiri is familiar in how things are run in sports and this will help a lot in the country’s hosting of the games, according to sports officials.

That’s because he and his family are actively involved in combat sports.

He was recently named as honorary chairman of the Philippine Karatedo Federation.

This is aside from his role as head of Arnis Philippines.

On the other hand, his two kids are deep into the sport of taekwondo.

“My original sports was karate. I credit my discipline and skills on karate. It’s like going full circle, noong bata ako I was in karate and now I’m only returning what good I learned,” stated Zubiri.

Zubiri said he is eager to know how the SEA Games is organized by other countries.

And he will be in the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur to find out how things are run.

“Yes, I’m excited to go to Kuala Lumpur to see the 2017 Games,” added Zubiri.

provide his team with the breakthrough in overtime.

Harden made only four of 15 attempted three-pointers and crucially coughed up nine turnovers—including three in overtime.

Three other players made double figures for the Rockets with Patrick Beverley finishing with 20 points, Ryan Anderson 19 points and Eric Gordon with 11.

San Antonio’s scoring was spread throughout the team, with LaMarcus Aldridge adding 18, Danny Green 16 and Patty Mills 20.

Jonathan Simmons (12) and Ginobili (12) also notched double digits.

San Antonio meanwhile played the final minutes of regulation and

Batang Pier stun Bolts, 94 to 86

Frankie Miñoza chips onto the green on No. 18

DASMARIÑAS, Cavite— Clyde Mondilla blazed home with a birdiepar-eagle feat and shot a four-under 68, forcing a four-way tie for the lead with veteran Frankie Miñoza, rookie pro Ira Alido and American John Catlin at the start of the $60,000 ICTSI Orchard Golf Championship at the Orchard’s Player course here yesterday.

Mondilla came out of a rollercoaster round in one of the late flights with a birdie on No. 16 from close range then bucked the wind and eagled the par-5 18th to finish with a 35-33 in a day of mixed fortunes with a number of pre-tournament favorites living up to the hype and a host of others reeling with over-par scores.

It was a big start for Mondilla, who came into the event trying to fight off an early season struggle that saw him miss the cut in the Solaire Philippine Open and the ICTSI Manila Masters. He wound up tied for 21st at Luisita last week.

Earlier, the old and new of Philippine golf sizzled at the front with a flurry of birdies with Miñoza flashing vintage form

coming off a missed cut stint at Luisita last week, birdying three of the last six holes, including the last two inside five feet.

“The greens are tricky and the wind was really strong,” said Miñoza, who continued to prove he still got what it takes to contend in big-time tournaments after outlasting Miguel Tabuena in a record fivehole playoff in Bacolod last year.

Alido, on the other hand, matched Miñoza’s birdie-birdie finish and closed out with a frontside 32 in a big start for a rookie pro who struggled to finish at 41st place in Tarlac.

“I played a near-perfect game.

My putting and short game were simply good,” said Alido, the former national team mainstay who missed an eagle-putt bid from 30 feet off a solid hybrid second shot from 240 yars on the par-5 13th.

Catlin, who has figured prominently on the local tour with strong starts only to falter in the end, was at it again, birdying three of the first five holes at the front before finishing with three more against two bogeys for a 33-35 and a four-way tie

for the lead in the 72-hole championship sponsored by ICTSI. “It’s a long tough course and it’s windy. I was lucky to score in only my second game at Orchard,” said Catlin, 26, referring to his pro-am stint Monday on what was once billed as Asia’s best-kept secret, which hosted the Johnnie Walker Classic in 1995. “Hopefully, I’ll sustain my form or play even better.”

The foursome stood one shot ahead of Paul Harris, also of the US, who carded a 69 while Tony Lascuña stayed right behind with a 70 in the company of Elmer Salvador, Nelson Huerva, Jerson Balasabas and American William Cannon.

Jay Bayron also birdied the last two holes at the front to save a 71 and tie Jelbert Gamolo, Zanieboy Gialon, Dutch Guido Van der Valk and American Micah Shin at 11th while three matches par 72s, incuding Erwin Arcillas, Japanese Joichiro Kawada and Ryoma Miki, American John Michael O’Toole, Thai Nitithorn Thippong and Orlan Sumcad.

Awards night, triple title-fight highlight boxing convention

By Randy Caluag THE Games and Amusement Board will host the third Philippine Boxing Convention with twin highlights, featuring the awards night for the country’s greatest achievers in the sport and triple championship boxing tussles.

The convention will be held on May 11 to 13, with Marco Polo Hotel hosting the seminars for ring officials and meetings among stakeholders like promoters and managers. The boxing event will

be held at the Waterfront Insular Hotel.

“Breaking tradition for the better, the GAB shall recognize outstanding achievements in all aspects of boxing. Promoters, matchmakers, managers, trainers and referees will receive awards alongside our champion boxers,” said GAB chairman Abraham Kahlil “Baham” Mitra.

Three championship matches will highlight the 14-card boxing event on the second day with Jake Bornea and Renerio Arizala slugging it out for the World Boxing

Federation Intercontinental Super Flyweight title.

Ryan Lumacad and Renold Pael fight for the Asian Boxing Federation Super Flyweight Championship, while Roskie Cristobal and Alvin Makiling contest the Philippine Boxing Federation Bantamweight title.

The awards night will also have the A-list of boxing names with former world champion Marlon “Nightmare” Tapales, former IBF world flyweight champion Johnriel Casimero, IBF world light flyweight king

Jerwin Ancajas and WIBA world minimumweight world champion Gretchen Abaniel sharing the “Boxer of the Year” honor.

“The GAB has drawn a list of awardees from nominations by all stakeholders nationwide. The list underwent intensive vetting process. Kinilatis po sila ng kanilang mga kasamahan at mga naging kakompetensiya nila,” said Chairman Mitra.

Among the noted guests are international referee Tony Weeks and World Boxing Council chief of ring officials Hubert Minn

from Hawaii.

“We designed this convention to be as comprehensive and inclusive as possible. Expected to attend are boxing stakeholders from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao,” said GAB Commissioner Fritz Gaston.

Conducting seminars on medical issues are GAB’s Medical Officers, Dr. Radentor R. Viernes and Dr. Jose Rolando S. Rivera, while GAB Legal Division Chief Atty. Ermar U. Benitez will tackle issues on the legalities like contracts and permits.

Manufacturing grew 11.1% in March—PSA B3

Business

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

SMIC’s income rises 8% to P7.7b

THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing May 10, 2017

8500 8000 7500 7000 6500 6000

By Jenniffer B. Austria SM INVESTMENTS Corp., the holding company of tycoon Henry Sy, said Wednesday net income increased 8 percent in the first quarter to P7.7 billion from P7.1 billion in the same period in 2016, led by steady profit margins across core businesses.

First-quarter consolidated revenues grew 8 percent in January to March to P84.5 billion from P78.4 billion a year ago, the conglomerate said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

“SM is off to a strong start in the first quarter with good growth and steady profit margins across our core businesses. We are also pleased with recent acquisitions like our stake in 2Go Group, which will help us build our portfolio of investments to capture the high growth of the Philippine economy,” SMIC’s newly appointed president Frederic DyBuncio said.

Property accounted for 44 percent of the group’s consolidated net income in the first quarter, followed by banks at 35 percent and retail at 21 percent.

SM Retail Inc. reported a 7-percent growth in total sales to P61.4 billion in the first quarter, while net income rose 3 percent to P2.3 billion. As of end-March 2017, SM Retail had a total of 2,194 stores.

Banking unit BDO Unibank posted a net income of P5.8 billion, an increase of 6 percent from the previous year.

Property arm SM Prime Holdings Inc. reported net income growth of 13 percent in the first quarter to P6.6 billion.

SMIC said after completing two strategic acquisitions this year, it would to look to invest in partners with leading positions, strong management and potential for high growth and attractive yields.

SMIC last month acquired a 34.5-percent interest in the parent company of logistics firm 2Go Group and 61.2-percent in Philippine Urban Living Solutions Inc., a property developer that develop dormitories under the brand-name MyTown.

7,794.17 129.33

PESO-DOLLAR RATE Closing MAY 10, 2017

45.00 46.50 48.00 49.50

CLOSE

HIGH P49.935 LOW P50.010 AVERAGE P49.963 VOLUME 486.000M

P427.00-P647.00 LPG/11-kg tank

BANCASSURANCE PARTNERSHIP. Union Bank of the Philippines and Insular Life Assurance Co. launch their banccassurance distribution

partnership to boost the two companies’ revenue streams in a ceremony in Makati City. Shown during the launching are (from left) Union Bank senior executive vice president for retail and corporate banking Eugene Acevedo, Union Bank president and chief executive Edwin Bautista, Insular Life chief executive Nina Aguas, Insular Life chief bancassurance executive Omar Cruz and Union Bank chairman Justo Ortiz. Ey Acasio

Meralco ready to refund P6.9b to customers in June

By Alena Mae S. Flores

C

onsumers are expected to get power rate rebates from Manila Electric Co. in the June billing period, or once the Energy Regulatory Commission approves the power distributor’s petition to return P6.9 billion worth of overcharges next week.

“The earliest would be June [for consumers to feel the refund]…We have to wait for the order,” Energy Regulatory Commission commissioner Josefina Asirit told reporters.

Asirit also clarified the earlier issuance of a press release about ERC approving Meralco’s application and directing the refund of P0.75 per kilowatt-hour to consumers start-

ing May. The press release quoting ERC chairman Jose Vicente Salazar was immediately taken down from the ERC website.

“The commission did not authorize anyone to issue the press release,” Asirit said, adding that the statement was issued after the suspension of ERC chairman Jose Vicente Salazar.

Asirit said the commission had yet to issue the final order.

Malacañang placed Salazar’s on a 90day preventive suspension amid an internal squabble among the commissioners. “Salazar was on preventive suspension by that time…so it’s brought back to the commission to reconfirm,” Asirit said.

Meralco, in its application, asked the ERC to refund around P6.9 billion representing overrecoveries for generation and transmission charges covering the period January 2014 to December 2016.

Meralco wanted to refund generation charges amounting P4.9 billion for a pe-

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (right) discusses with Japan Senator Teruhiko Mashiko possible ventures for trade and investment cooperation between the Philippines and Japan. Lopez mentioned the opportunity for Japanese investors to touch base with the stakeholders of Marikina City, the shoe capital of the Philippines.

riod of 36 months at a rate of P0.0502 per kWh, transmission charges of P632.2 million for 36 months at P0.0051 per kWh, system loss rates of P1.242 billion for 36 months at P0.0099 per kWh and senior citizen discount and subsidiary at P2.32 million for one month at a rate of P0.0011 per kWh. Meralco, however, wanted to recover P1.089 billion, covering real property taxes over a period of 36 months at a rate of P0.0087 per kWh. “These over/underrecoveries shall be made to both captive and contestable customers,” it said.

ERC allows distribution utilities to file consolidated applications every three years for the confirmation of pass-through charges.

Meralco head for utility economics Lawrence Fernandez said once the ERC issued the order, the power distributor could implement the refund as early as June.

“We can implement it by June. We are still waiting for the order,” Fernandez said.

San Miguel’s profit rises 2% to P13.8b CONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp. said Wednesday net income in the first quarter rose 2 percent to P13.82 billion from P13.53 billion in the same period last year, as the core businesses of beer, food manufacturing and oil refining delivered strong results.

The company said minus the impact of foreign exchange rate in the group’s earnings, net income surged 62 percent to P14.83 billion from P9.18 billion a year ago.

San Miguel said net sales in the first three months grew 23 percent P195.76 billion, while income from operations climbed 21 percent to P27.51billion.

San Miguel Brewery Inc. booked a net income of P4.5 billion, a 12-percent hike from a year ago as net sales went up 9 percent to P25.36 billion.

Ginebra San Miguel Inc. posted a net income of P129 million, a 138-percent improvement from P54-million profit booked

in the same period last year. Net sales advanced 31 percent to P5.1 billion.

San Miguel Pure Foods Co Inc. recorded a 20-percent growth in first-quarter net income to P1.46 billion, as net sales inched up 3 percent to P26.66 billion.

Net income of Petron Corp., the country’s largest refiner and retailer, jumped 101 percent to P5.55 billion as net sales increased 38 percent to P106 billion. Volume went up 3 percent to P26.2 million barrels from last year’s 25.3 million barrels.

Meanwhile, the group’s packaging unit posted net sales of P6.8 billion, up 5 percent from a year ago while income from operations rose 6 percent to P632 million.

Power generation unit SMC Global Power Holdings Inc. delivered P19.35 billion in net revenues, down 3 percent from a year ago, on a 17-percent decline in income from operations on P6.04 billion.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Foreign investments increased 11% to $1.1b in two months NET inflows of foreign direct investments grew 7 percent in February to $366 million from $342 million a year ago, on sustained investors confidence in the Philippine economy, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Wednesday.

Data showed that on a monthon-month basis, the February net

P49.950

51.00

SHOE INDUSTRY COOPERATION.

By Julito G. Rada

B1

inflows were lower than $685 million registered in January 2017.

This brought net inflows in the first two months to $1.1 billion, up 11 percent from a year earlier.

Bangko Sentral said more than two-thirds of FDI net inflows in February were in the form of non-residents’ placements in debt instruments issued by local affiliates, which increased 160.7 percent.

Net equity capital infusion amounted to $45 million, as equity capital placements of $79 million more than offset the $33-million withdrawals.

The bulk or 84.3 percent of gross equity capital investments came from Japan, Hong Kong and the US. These were invested in wholesale and retail trade, real estate, manufacturing, financial and insurance and art entertainment and recre-

ation activities.

Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the FDI net inflow target of $7 billion this year might be revised upward during the review of economic data this month. Last year, the figure hit a record $7.9 billion.

Guinigundo said the surge of FDIs in 2016 showed investors’ more confident attitude towards the Philippines

and their decision to continue to invest here reflected the steady strong fundamentals of the economy.

Guinigundo expressed optimism that FDI inflows would not be affected by US President Donald Trump’s policies. The US is the biggest investor in the the country’s booming business process outsourcing industry which employs more than a million Filipinos.

P38.25-P50.40 Unleaded Gasoline P27.75-P32.96 Diesel

OPRICES IL TODAY

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

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Wednesday, May 10, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.9140

Japan

Yen

0.008773

0.4379

UK

Pound

1.293700

64.5737

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128475

6.4127

Switzerland

Franc

0.992950

49.5621

Canada

Dollar

0.728916

36.3831

Singapore

Dollar

0.708667

35.3724

Australia

Dollar

0.734400

36.6568

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655196

132.5315

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266681

13.3111

Brunei

Dollar

0.706165

35.2475

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028766

1.4358

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.5909

Euro

Euro

1.087500

54.2815

Korea

Won

0.000879

0.0439

China

Yuan

0.144770

7.2260

India

Rupee

0.015463

0.7718

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.230150

11.4877

New Zealand

Dollar

0.689500

34.4157

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033078

1.6511 Source: PDS Bridge

IN BRIEF Cebu Landmasters gets nod on IPO

CEBU Landmasters Inc., a leading housing developer in Cebu, obtained the Philippine Stock Exchange’s approval for a P3.8-billion initial public offering.

Cebu Landmasters plans to sell 505 million shares at up to P6.56 per common share, with an over-allotment option for another 75 million secondary shares.

The float will represent 33.84 percent of the company’s total outstanding shares after the IPO, bringing the company’s market capitalization to P11.25 billion.

BDO Capital & Investment Corp. is the issue manager. BDO Capital and BPI Capital Corp are the joint lead underwriters and joint bookrunners.

Offer period was set on May 19 to May 26 while listing was expected on June 2.

Proceeds from the IPO will be used to finance the company’s capital expenditures related to land acquisitions, investments in joint ventures and associates, debt repayment and general corporate purposes.

The property firm earlier said it earmarked P12 billion in capital expenditures over the next two years to finance the rollout of various real estate projects in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Jenniffer B. Austria

SSI set to buy back shares worth P200m

SSI Group Inc., the country’s largest specialty store retailer, said it allocated P200 million to buy back shares from the open market after its stock price dropped significantly on weak earnings.

SSI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange its board approved the share buyback program as it believed the current shares were undervalued.

“Management believes its shares are currently undervalued and that the buyback program will help to enhance shareholder value. The amount that has been allocated for the buy-back program is P200 million,” SSI Group said.

SSI shares went down by as much as 26 percent in 2016 and 9.8 percent this year.

SSI, which was listed with the Philippine Stock Exchange in 2014, reported a 71-percent decline in net income in 2016 to P232 million from P810 million in 2015 after it closed down 124 stores as a part of its thrust to focus on efficiency.

SSI owns and operates specialty retailing boutiques for a range of international brands including luxury and bridge, casual wear, fast fashion, footwear, luggage and accessories and personal care brands. Jenniffer B. Austria

B2

Business

THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Cebu Air’s income dives 68% to P1.28b

By Darwin G. Amojelar CEBU Air Inc., the operator of budget carrier Cebu Pacific, said profit fell 68 percent in the first quarter from a year ago, on costlier jet fuel prices, weak peso and fewer passengers.

The airline company owned by tycoon John Gokongwei said net income in January to March amounted to P1.28 billion, down from P4.04 billion it registered in the same period last year.

Revenues rose 4.7 percent in the first quarter to P16.86 billion from P16.11 billion a year earlier. Passenger revenues alone grew 2.1 percent to P12.28 billion from P12.02 billion.

The revenue increase was attributed to the 2.6-percent rise in average fare to P2,551 in the three-month period from P2,486 a year ago. This was partially offset by a 0.5-percent decrease in passenger volume.

Cargo revenues went up 21.3 percent to P1.01 billion from P836.43 million last year.

Cebu Pacific incurred operating expenses of P14.3 billion in the first quarter, up by 20.3 percent from P11.89 billion last year.

The airline linked the higher expenses to the rise in fuel prices in 2017 coupled with the weakening peso against the US dollar which dropped to an average of P50 per dollar from an average of P47.27 a dollar last year.

Stock market tumbles; Shakey’s, Arthaland up

S

TOCKS fell for a second day on profittaking, following overnight losses on Wall Street on Pyongyang’s atomic threat and news that President Donald Trump sacked the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, shaking investors.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, tumbled 129 points, or 1.6 percent, to close at 7,794.17, as all six major sectors declined.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also fell 65 points, or 1.4 percent, to settle at

4,643.95, on a value turnover of P10.5 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 133 to 78, while 35 issues were unchanged.

Only five of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by property developer Arthaland Corp. which climbed 5.8 percent to P1.47 and res-

taurant chain operator Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures Inc. which advanced 3.2 percent to P14.02. Semirara Mining & Power Corp. rose 1.4 percent to P161.90.

Meanwhile, Asian markets closed mixed Wednesday. South Korea’s won advanced in Asian trade Wednesday as Moon Jae-In’s landslide presidential election win helped investors look past fresh warnings of a nuclear test from the North.

However, Seoul’s Kospi index dipped on profit-taking, while other Asian markets struggled to extend a rally that followed Friday’s strong US

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 2017

NAME

OPEN

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.62 95,000 49 42,100 105 2,550,410 3.97 18,000 119.5 2,518,630 1.2 62,000 35.9 1,611,900 16.04 119,200 22.5 1,400,300 1.72 26,000 830 120 0.74 32,572,000 86.8 1,138,250 0.71 12,000 15.46 18,300 67.7 317,850 238.2 4,250 112.5 1,030 89 460 57.5 545,620 216.4 543,030 1,799 5 82.2 110,520 1.19 41,000

340,320 2,071,390 268,759,385 71,460 304,154,944 74,550 58,151,240 1,911,968 31,691,920 44,720 99,000 24,756,440 98,504,704.50 8,520 282,322 21,448,855 1,014,360 115,875 41,330 31,407,757.50 118,370,390 8,995 9,083,426.50 49,160

2,017,330 -166,277,025 -40,908,271 -14,346,165 -1,587,960 8,091,670 8,200 118,250 28,815,262.50 61,280 9,690,496.50 -547,296 35,100 -18,881,625 13,479,374 -5,232,336.00 -

40 5.63 0.82 1.42 22.05 0.29 100.2 6.99 16.82 22.8 14.4 73.95 81.05 85.05 1.9 5.73 11.7 12.64 9.81 6.4 5.85 19.96 71.75 12.4 15.46 8.6 1.54 211 67.5 4.53 3.63 31.05 22 19.2 270 0.248 6.2 3.49 9.46 11.42 2.13 9.86 2.05 71.85 5.62 300 4.75 3.24 13.6 4.45 0.148 1.37 173.8 4.15 1.56 1.12

INDUSTRIAL 40 1,969,400 5.63 4,239,200 0.84 1,172,000 1.44 431,000 24.2 313,800 0.29 68,860,000 119.2 4,390 7.02 7,747,600 17 5,054,600 23.3 45,900 14.4 1,000 73.95 10 81.05 1,800 85.05 30 1.92 356,000 5.79 12,000 11.74 27,000 12.8 3,437,100 9.81 4,200,700 6.44 1,872,200 5.85 18,863,200 20.15 6,093,900 71.85 358,690 12.52 20,600 15.46 55,800 8.75 4,680,100 1.59 434,000 211 1,143,700 72.7 1,040 4.64 476,000 3.63 3,000 31.95 2,856,200 22 4,722,300 19.5 5,637,600 270.4 462,140 0.25 4,470,000 6.3 95,300 3.49 619,000 9.47 12,031,400 11.42 1,300 2.13 2,024,000 9.95 1,472,900 2.1 930,000 73 3,524,390 5.62 96,100 300 9,070 4.75 231,000 3.24 422,000 13.8 7,940,300 4.5 73,000 0.148 3,310,000 1.4 1,115,000 174 1,362,410 4.16 5,000 1.56 2,372,000 1.15 395,000

79,778,840 24,332,477 967,310 621,130 7,733,715 20,895,850 504,083 54,413,050 85,638,610 1,063,810 14,400 739.5 145,959.50 2,551.50 688,910 68,880 316,960 43,916,848 41,328,284 12,053,146 110,762,968 122,316,049 25,794,032 256,210 864,472 40,933,479 684,000 244,346,302 72,454.50 2,205,020 10,890 91,307,260 104,470,925 109,998,586 125,550,526 1,120,900 594,528 2,176,600 116,328,313 14,846 4,314,630 14,671,200 1,955,370 253,814,014 546,614 2,726,494 1,102,210 1,397,100 111,029,826 328,380 492,900 1,588,010 239,841,524 20,770 3,720,430 447,730

-20,581,510 352,729 -47,750 -16,876,842 54,149,360 9,750 21,790,198 -332,479 765,005 -46,213,563 -10,955,606 7,124,626.50 -590,276 4,102,360 0 -38,837,580 23,250 -2,639,800 -14,689,970 34,770,582 17,793,178 12,400 -1,512,620 -41,912,108 310,560 -12,065.00 -10,750 26,236,275.50 136,817 -267,940 -338,140 1,100 81,967,632 47,760 0 53,250,037 -389,790 -

0.37 75.5 14.26 6.14 0.36 0.365 860 8.16 13.04 7.9 0.204 1,240 6.45 83.5 1 7.2 16.62 0.415 6.58 3.9 0.061 1.88 107.5 2.75 755 1.39 303.2 0.29 0.217 0.25

HOLDING FIRMS 0.375 5,600,000 75.5 2,127,370 14.26 9,475,500 6.2 48,900 0.365 44,770,000 0.365 16,140,000 860 457,980 8.18 1,395,100 13.18 23,087,100 7.9 3,800 0.204 390,000 1,240 129,810 6.45 100,100 83.9 2,781,090 1.02 1,462,000 7.28 605,800 16.7 4,301,200 0.415 60,000 6.58 35,138,800 3.9 6,000 0.061 327,060,000 1.88 250,000 108 193,040 2.75 135,000 760 507,050 1.42 87,000 304 10,150 0.29 200,000 0.223 3,420,000 0.25 720,000

2,088,200 161,172,880 137,818,146 303,168 16,942,750 6,191,800 399,192,360 11,447,148 303,570,864 30,090 79,840 166,282,460 645,645 235,016,372 1,482,990 4,408,564 72,160,276 24,900 232,124,585 23,550 21,015,670 470,000 20,822,464 375,380 388,530,060 121,750 3,084,728 58,000 744,630 180,050

75,000 -8,575,496.50 -10,001,854 18,200 -101,943,330 1,214,023 179,509,750 33,554,240 48,311,011.50 -304,873 6,496,988 130,536,596 -208,840 -1,316,318 -21,647,070 15,290 -687,200 92,500

6.78 1.21 2.25 1.38 38.25 4.16 5.31 0.5 1.04 1.4 0.16 0.53 51 0.71 0.163 1.72 1 1.03 4.3 4.21 0.405 0.36 0.77 4.41 29.5 25 1.71

PROPERTY 6.79 698,000 1.21 10,490,000 2.26 85,000 1.44 301,923,000 38.6 20,662,800 4.2 5,680,000 5.32 198,700 0.5 4,332,000 1.04 377,000 1.42 1,587,000 0.161 4,210,000 0.53 2,219,000 51.25 346,170 0.71 355,000 0.163 6,520,000 1.72 6,407,000 1.05 50,830,000 1.04 3,399,000 4.3 4,000 4.21 45,310,000 0.405 144,410,000 0.385 4,150,000 0.78 180,422,000 4.52 1,585,000 29.5 1,500 25.05 2,671,300 1.71 364,000

4,740,010 12,993,500 191,980 433,713,430 794,966,115 23,969,190 1,057,210 2,167,070 408,270 2,262,500 679,950 1,176,080 17,793,442 252,390 1,081,210 11,178,670 53,185,380 3,580,400 17,200 193,776,280 59,724,250 1,549,250 144,825,660 7,228,620 44,290 67,716,735 626,470

-1,153,565 25,000 -354,047,220 344,579,765 -485,940 -1,009,736 -708,440 -35,280 -122,120 4,244,784.50 -2,160 5,040 -4,414,960 -1,154,750 -30,200,890 360,650 -109,350 -707,260.00 23,250 -7,547,970 -

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

AG FINANCE 3.52 ASIA UNITED 49.35 BANK PH ISLANDS 105 BDO LEASING 3.97 BDO UNIBANK 122.8 BRIGHT KINDLE 1.17 CHINABANK 36.5 COL FINANCIAL 16.04 EAST WEST BANK 22.95 IREMIT 1.72 MANULIFE 820 MEDCO HLDG 0.78 METROBANK 86.5 NTL REINSURANCE 0.71 PB BANK 15.4 PHIL NATL BANK 68.1 PHIL STOCK EXCH 240 PHILTRUST 112.5 PSBANK 90 RCBC 57.9 SECURITY BANK 220 SUN LIFE 1,799 UNION BANK 82.2 VANTAGE 1.2

3.65 49.35 105.9 3.97 123.5 1.27 36.5 16.04 22.95 1.72 830 0.8 87.2 0.71 15.5 68.7 242 112.5 90 58.05 221.4 1,799 82.4 1.2

3.4 48.8 104.9 3.97 119.5 1.17 35.9 16.04 22.45 1.72 820 0.73 85.8 0.71 15.22 67.1 238.2 112.5 89 56.9 216.4 1,799 82.1 1.19

ABOITIZ POWER 41.05 AGRINURTURE 5.9 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.83 ALSONS CONS 1.44 ASIABEST GROUP 23.2 BASIC ENERGY 0.315 BOGO MEDELLIN 109.4 CEMEX HLDG 7 CENTURY FOOD 17 CIRTEK HLDG 22.8 CNTRL AZUCARERA14.4 CONCEPCION 73.95 CONCRETE A 81.3 CONCRETE B 85.05 CROWN ASIA 1.94 DAVINCI CAPITAL 5.73 DEL MONTE 11.9 DNL INDUS 12.86 EEI CORP 9.91 EMPERADOR 6.48 ENERGY DEVT 5.91 FIRST GEN 20 FIRST PHIL HLDG 72.3 GINEBRA 12.5 HOLCIM 15.48 INTEGRATED MICR 8.6 IONICS 1.56 JOLLIBEE 219 LIBERTY FLOUR 72.9 LMG CHEMICALS 4.54 MABUHAY VINYL 3.63 MANILA WATER 32 MAXS GROUP 22.2 MEGAWIDE 19.3 MERALCO 276 MG HLDG 0.248 PANASONIC 6.3 PEPSI COLA 3.63 PETRON 9.74 PHINMA 11.42 PHINMA ENERGY 2.14 PHX PETROLEUM 10 PHX SEMICNDCTR 2.14 PILIPINAS SHELL 72.35 PRYCE CORP 5.7 PUREFOODS 300 RFM CORP 4.8 ROXAS HLDG 3.29 SHAKEYS PIZZA 13.6 SPC POWER 4.45 SWIFT FOODS 0.15 TKC METALS 1.37 UNIV ROBINA 179 VICTORIAS 4.15 VITARICH 1.58 VULCAN INDL 1.16

41.2 5.94 0.85 1.48 25.9 0.32 121.8 7.09 17.02 23.3 14.4 73.95 81.3 85.05 1.95 5.79 11.9 12.86 10 6.53 5.95 20.2 72.3 12.6 15.6 8.81 1.6 220 72.9 4.75 3.63 32.15 22.8 19.7 276 0.255 6.35 3.63 9.86 11.42 2.15 10.1 2.15 73 5.74 301.6 4.8 3.42 14.2 4.5 0.151 1.45 180.8 4.16 1.58 1.16

ABACORE CAPITAL 0.37 ABOITIZ EQUITY 76.4 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 14.78 ANSCOR 6.14 ATN HLDG A 0.365 ATN HLDG B 0.37 AYALA CORP 883 COSCO CAPITAL 8.24 DMCI HLDG 13.26 FILINVEST DEV 7.9 FORUM PACIFIC 0.204 GT CAPITAL 1,301 HOUSE OF INV 6.45 JG SUMMIT 85.7 LODESTAR 1.04 LOPEZ HLDG 7.42 LT GROUP 16.64 MABUHAY HLDG 0.415 METRO PAC INV 6.69 MJC INVESTMENTS 3.95 PACIFICA 0.066 PRIME ORION 1.88 SAN MIGUEL CORP 108.4 SEAFRONT RES 2.86 SM INVESTMENTS 780 SOLID GROUP 1.4 TOP FRONTIER 303.8 UNIOIL HLDG 0.29 WELLEX INDUS 0.224 ZEUS HLDG 0.25

0.38 76.9 14.8 6.2 0.395 0.405 885 8.3 13.46 7.99 0.206 1,309 6.45 86 1.04 7.42 16.92 0.415 6.7 3.95 0.068 1.88 108.4 2.86 784.5 1.42 304 0.29 0.224 0.255

8990 HLDG 6.79 A BROWN 1.29 ARANETA PROP 2.26 ARTHALAND CORP 1.39 AYALA LAND 38.35 BELLE CORP 4.22 CEBU HLDG 5.32 CENTURY PROP 0.5 CITY AND LAND 1.05 CITYLAND DEVT 1.45 CROWN EQUITIES 0.16 CYBER BAY 0.53 DOUBLEDRAGON 51.55 EMPIRE EAST 0.71 EVER GOTESCO 0.17 FILINVEST LAND 1.75 GLOBAL ESTATE 1 IRC PROP 1.03 KEPPEL PROP 4.3 MEGAWORLD 4.37 MRC ALLIED 0.415 PHIL ESTATES 0.37 PHIL REALTY 0.83 PRIMEX CORP 4.41 PTFC REDEV CORP 29.9 ROBINSONS LAND 25.9 ROCKWELL 1.75

6.8 1.29 2.26 1.52 38.75 4.29 5.38 0.51 1.12 1.48 0.163 0.54 52 0.72 0.174 1.78 1.07 1.08 4.3 4.37 0.43 0.385 0.84 4.68 29.9 26.3 1.76

VOLUME

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

3.3 32.9 1.01 7 0.95 5.23

3.3 31.85 0.99 7 0.89 5.16

3.3 32 0.99 7 0.9 5.2

3,000 12,123,200 2,273,000 200 3,232,000 2,411,200

9,900 392,043,205 2,260,490 1,400 2,995,240 12,518,689

150,872,530 50,400 -991,779

2GO GROUP 17.1 ABS CBN 44.95 ACESITE HOTEL 1.64 APC GROUP 0.53 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.047 ASIAN TERMINALS 12.06 BERJAYA 5.31 BLOOMBERRY 9.95 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.087 CALATA CORP 1.91 CEBU AIR 107 CENTRO ESCOLAR 9.99 DFNN INC 8.98 EASYCALL 3.51 FAR EASTERN U 970 GLOBE TELECOM 2,100 GMA NETWORK 6.15 GOLDEN HAVEN 16.08 GRAND PLAZA 15 HARBOR STAR 3 IMPERIAL 3.65 INTL CONTAINER 92 IPM HLDG 8.95 ISLAND INFO 0.184 ISM COMM 1.4 JACKSTONES 3.62 LBC EXPRESS 15.8 LEISURE AND RES 4.3 LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.98 MACROASIA 3.86 MANILA JOCKEY 2.45 MELCO CROWN 8.4 METRO RETAIL 3.62 NOW CORP 2.65 PACIFIC ONLINE 11.92 PAL HLDG 5.35 PAXYS 3 PHIL SEVEN CORP 173 PHILWEB 7.35 PLDT 1,759 PREMIUM LEISURE 1.57 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.41 PUREGOLD 43.85 ROBINSONS RTL 79.5 SBS PHIL CORP 5.88 SSI GROUP 2.4 STI HLDG 1.1 TRANSPACIFIC BR 2.2 TRAVELLERS 3.86 WATERFRONT 0.65 WILCON DEPOT 5.38

17.1 44.95 1.64 0.54 0.048 12.36 5.35 10.06 0.091 1.99 107 9.99 9 3.51 970 2,108 6.16 16.3 15 3 3.65 95.5 9.01 0.187 1.4 3.65 16 4.39 0.98 3.9 2.6 8.53 3.65 2.71 11.92 5.4 3 177 7.35 1,767 1.57 0.41 43.95 79.5 5.9 2.48 1.14 2.2 4.04 0.69 5.45

16.42 44 1.64 0.52 0.046 12.06 5.31 9.88 0.087 1.91 98.2 9.8 8.96 3.51 970 2,048 6.09 16.08 15 2.92 3.59 91.95 8.94 0.184 1.37 3.51 15.8 4.3 0.98 3.77 2.45 8.18 3.59 2.63 11.9 5.31 3 173 7 1,742 1.51 0.405 43.4 77 5.85 2.39 1.1 1.88 3.69 0.65 5.35

SERVICES 16.42 549,800 44 99,100 1.64 52,000 0.52 1,766,000 0.047 52,700,000 12.36 7,200 5.35 12,900 10 5,626,900 0.089 63,510,000 1.95 6,034,000 100.1 699,570 9.8 7,300 8.96 136,000 3.51 1,000 970 410 2,058 117,710 6.11 357,100 16.3 8,400 15 31,000 2.95 4,789,000 3.65 106,000 93 2,529,960 8.94 278,300 0.187 4,100,000 1.4 50,000 3.58 184,000 16 26,500 4.38 468,000 0.98 10,000 3.88 1,363,000 2.5 435,000 8.18 3,953,900 3.59 3,665,000 2.65 1,919,000 11.9 16,000 5.31 21,300 3 46,000 175 91,510 7.1 1,113,700 1,765 176,045 1.51 5,399,000 0.405 3,060,000 43.6 4,760,900 77 304,380 5.9 80,300 2.43 16,928,000 1.12 19,714,000 2.1 20,000 3.69 25,034,000 0.66 15,819,000 5.39 10,790,400

9,155,962 4,394,330 85,280 931,420 2,479,300 87,162 68,715 56,160,232 5,674,010 11,790,000 71,312,509.50 72,190 1,221,560 3,510 397,700 242,975,510 2,185,439 136,274 465,000 14,235,670 382,950 236,326,995 2,488,310 761,330 69,090 660,720 421,906 2,048,660 9,800 5,213,150 1,087,870 33,123,445 13,258,690 5,117,730 190,490 113,924 138,000 16,013,270 7,911,767 309,092,900 8,287,850 1,240,950 208,104,980 23,759,601.50 470,824 41,075,050 22,155,670 39,650 97,506,270 10,563,300 58,311,670

10,124 -583,260 14,100 21,412,594.00 -30,510 467,100 11,725,345 -43,460,040 18,200 14,894,090 -11,200 43,900 1,861,400 -1,895,780 -2,947,510 -8,100 17,500 -1,108,256 40,362,485 467,800 405,000 29,701,390 -3,585,473 -21,492,800 6,616,350 -16,777,300 -26,000 3,157,018

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

0.0034 2.01 5.17 13.96 2.1 1.83 0.91 0.42 9.04 2.55 0.255 0.195 0.197 0.012 0.012 1.89 6.27 2.26 0.9 0.011 0.011 4 0.013 8.87 3.11 160.1 2.67 0.0095

0.0035 2.04 5.17 14 2.1 2.23 1.02 0.42 9.04 2.55 0.26 0.198 0.2 0.012 0.012 1.9 6.39 2.27 0.91 0.011 0.012 4.13 0.013 9 3.12 163.4 2.67 0.0099

0.0034 1.82 5.1 12.8 1.85 1.82 0.9 0.415 8.66 2.5 0.255 0.192 0.193 0.011 0.012 1.86 6.01 2.13 0.9 0.01 0.011 4 0.012 8.82 3.08 160 2.67 0.0095

MINING AND OIL 0.0035 865,000,000 1.85 15,931,000 5.1 300,400 13 4,900 1.95 147,000 2.1 40,000 1.01 22,865,000 0.415 1,360,000 8.66 11,200 2.5 1,700,000 0.26 20,000 0.196 8,470,000 0.195 10,040,000 0.012 1,400,000 0.012 10,000,000 1.87 309,000 6.01 7,611,300 2.25 116,000 0.9 187,000 0.011 25,400,000 0.012 1,100,000 4 81,000 0.012 35,900,000 8.82 1,401,700 3.09 1,159,000 162 1,155,050 2.67 15,000 0.0099 10,000,000

2,963,600 30,367,690 1,537,243 63,936 301,680 81,270 22,458,150 566,000 97,670 4,276,350 5,150 1,650,590 1,968,870 16,600 120,000 580,370 46,595,869 249,900 169,900 257,300 12,200 325,350 434,700 12,456,550 3,592,230 186,886,198 40,050 97,700

-863,600 -992,384 -10,930 -745,960 -348,880.00 -278,440 -9,693,202 -91,500 9,770,099 -576,480 24,040,713 -19,000

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF FGEN PREF F FGEN PREF G GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2A PCOR PREF 2B PF PREF 2 PNX PREF 3A SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2I

44.75 524 520 105 112.5 117.8 5.81 1,025 1.09 112 1,025 1,139 1,025 107 77 81 80.4 78.4

44.75 524 520 105.5 112.5 117.8 5.85 1,025 1.09 112 1,025 1,139 1,025 107 77.5 81 80.4 78.4

43.75 520 505 105 112.5 117.8 5.8 1,025 1.09 110 1,025 1,000 1,019 106 77 81 80.2 78.35

PREFERRED 44 107,000 520 6,210 505 2,000 105 43,910 112.5 12,310 117.8 80 5.85 101,800 1,025 9,205 1.09 117,000 110 110 1,025 50 1,000 1,005 1,019 2,200 106 110 77.4 2,980 81 6,000 80.2 65,120 78.4 25,300

4,724,170 3,229,240 1,010,710 4,612,050 1,384,875 9,424 591,640 9,435,125 127,530 12,120 51,250 1,007,105 2,242,500 11,670 230,405 486,000 5,222,648 1,983,420

-3,346,400 -979,700 578,275 -980,000 -

LR WARRANT

2.39

2.4

2.3

WARRANTS 2.34 429,000

1,001,160

-

SME 4.85 6.44 8.18

6,784,720 704,128 23,308,430

-96,800 227,976 7,976

563,893

26,200

NAME

OPEN

SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

3.3 32.45 1.01 7 0.89 5.23

MS ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

4.7 6.42 8.16

4.89 6.46 8.31

4.65 6.41 8.16

FIRST METRO ETF 130

131

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 129.4 129.4 4,330

10.78

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SECURITIES 10.5 10.5 4,900 52,554

USD DMPL A1

10.7

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

45,747,509

INDUSTRIAL

249,183,191

HOLDING FIRMS

480,826,929

PROPERTY

820,938,658

SERVICES

259,959,395

MINING & OIL

1,021,800,580

GRAND TOTAL

2,882,813,112

1,413,000 109,300 2,828,400

-

VALUE 1,906.25 (DOWN) 23.48 1,034,438,754.56 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,233.44 (DOWN) 186.61 2,962,692,622.079 HOLDING FIRMS 7,862.48 (DOWN) 189.21 2,239,408,205.42 PROPERTY 3,533.28 (DOWN) 31.26 SERVICES 1,637.31 (DOWN) 12.48 2,311,924,621.48 MINING & OIL 12,636.33 (DOWN) 35.38 1,564,843,111.77 PSEI 7,794.17 (DOWN) 129.33 318,198,212.102 All Shares Index 4,643.95 (DOWN) 65.30 10,462,875,589.47 Gainers: 78; Losers: 133; Unchanged: 35; Total: 246

jobs report and the weekend victory for the centrist in France’s presidential poll.

Moon swept to power on Monday in an unprecedented election that was called after his predecessor Park GeunHye was impeached over a corruption scandal.

While the vote focused on the economy, there are hopes the left-leaning former human rights lawyer’s backing for engagement with Pyongyang could ease tensions on the Korean peninsula following a series of missile tests by the North that have fueled worries of conflict.

The won rose 0.3 percent but the Kospi—which closed Monday at a record high—fell 1 percent. The index was closed Tuesday for the election.

Equity traders largely brushed off another warning from the North that it will carry out a sixth nuclear test.

Among other regional markets Tokyo ended 0.3 percent higher, Hong Kong rose 0.9 percent in the afternoon and Sydney gained 0.6 percent. Shanghai reversed early losses to close 0.9 percent down with investors on edge over a government crackdown on leveraged investing while a reading on factory gate inflation came in below forecasts.

With Bloomberg, AFP

Semirara posts 52% growth in net profit

By Alena Mae S. Flores SEMIRARA Mining and Power Corp. said Wednesday net income jumped 52 percent in the first quarter to P4.42 billion from P2.91 billion in the same period last year. Semirara said in a disclosure to the stock exchange that net of eliminations, coal and power contributed P2.59 billion and P1.83 billion, respectively.

“The higher profitability for this quarter was contributed by coal segment with the 32-percent increase in coal sold to external customers at 2.9 million metric tons,” it said.

Semirara said the higher coal sales were complemented by the 31-percent increase in effective or composite average price in the first quarter.

The company said combined coal production from Molave and Narra mines in its Antique mining operations reached 4 million metric tons.

Coal production increased 17 percent in January to March to 4 million metric tons from 3.4 million tons a year ago, on higher excavating capacity.

Total coal sales volume, inclusive of sales to the company’s own power plants, increased 24 percent to 3.6 million metric tons from 2.9 million MT in the same period last year.

Meanwhile, energy generation from SEM-Calaca Power Corp. went up 63 percent to 562 gigawatt-hours from 346 gWh last year.

The company recorded a net income after tax of P12.05 billion last year, up from P8.49 billion in 2015.

Officials expressed optimism of higher income in 2017 because of the higher price of coal, better coal production capacity, stronger cement demand and new coal markets.

Business

B3

THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Globe registered lower profit in Q1

By Darwin G. Amojelar

G

CORN STORAGE.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol (fourth from right), together with Isabela Governor Faustino Dy and Ilagan Mayor Evelyn Diaz, leads the groundbreaking for the corn storage facility worth P16-million at the Department of Agriculture-Cagayan Valley Research Center and Facilities in Ilagan, Isabela. The eight-hectare research center also includes an P11.5-million multipurpose hall where modern farm equipment for corn production can be stored, 12 units of rehabilitated old staff houses worth P12.7million, dormitory units that can cater up to 100 staff (50 girls and 50 boys) and lodging houses for visitors.

LOBE Telecom Inc. said Wednesday net income in the first quarter fell 13 percent from a year ago, on higher expenses with the acquisition of San Miguel Corp.’s telecom assets and aggressive network modernization.

Manufacturing grew 11.1% in March—PSA

By Julito G. Rada MANUFACTURING output grew 11.1 percent year-on-year in March, faster than the 8.2-percent expansion a year ago, on higher production of petroleum products, food and transport equipment, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Wednesday.

The growth in the volume of production index in March, however, was slightly slower than the 11.6-percent increase registered in February.

Meanwhile, the value of production index grew 12.2 percent in March, a big improvement from the 0.8-percent increase in the same period in 2016.

“We must continue to foster a competitive and innovative environment to help the manufacturing sector realize its full potential as a growth driver,” National Economic and Development Authority Undersecretary Rolando Tungpalan said in a statement.

“The sector is expected to ben-

efit from the sustained growth economic momentum and increasing infrastructure and human capital investments. It can also benefit from the country’s ‘BBB-’ or ‘good quality rating’ with a positive outlook for both foreign and local currency denominated obligations,” he said.

For consumer goods, food manufactures posted a growth of 23.4 percent in volume and 20 percent in value of production.

Tungpalan said this was due to the sustained domestic demand

for basic goods, particularly for food and beverages.

For intermediate goods, petroleum products soared in both volume and value of production registering a growth of 61.5 and 94.9 percent, recovering from its contraction in the same period last year.

For capital goods, fabricated metal products surged 74.4 percent in volume and 15.1 percent in value of production, while transport equipment sustained its momentum.

Globe, the telecom unit of Ayala Corp., said net income in January to March amounted to P3.8 billion, down from last year’s P4.3 billion.

Core net income, which excludes the impact of non-recurring charges and foreign exchange and mark-to-market charges, also declined 12 percent to P3.7 billion from P4.2 billion in the first quarter of 2016.

“We are seeing encouraging improvements this quarter, despite the temporary setback on profits as we continue to lay down the foundation to secure sustainable growth in the future,” Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu said.

“Our continued aggressive network modernization and upgrades using the latest technologies are all geared towards enhancing our internet services, so that our customers can have a wonderful and seamless connectivity,” Cu said.

Consolidated service revenues in the first quarter increased 4 percent to P31.1 billion from P3 billion a year earlier. Mobile revenues alone went up 3 percent to P23.8 billion from the P23.1 billion.

Globe said total mobile subscribers increased to 58.58 million as of end-March from 57.27 million in the same period last

year.

Globe’s home broadband business registered P3.8 billion in revenues in the three-month period, up 9 percent from P3.5 billion reported a year ago. Corporate data business also improved 7 percent to P2.5 billion from P2.4 billion.

Globe chief finance officer Riza Maniego-Eala said the company was looking at raising between P10 billion and P20 billion this year to finance its capital expenditures.

“Our last loan with BDO Unibank was P8 billion. For the balance of this year, around P10 [billion] to P20 billion. We have access to bilateral loans. We also got approval from the board for P40 billion retail bond offering although we have not filed for that retail bonds yet. We can access some of that if we need,” Maniego-Eala said.

“We will determine by the second half of the year whether we want to tap the retail bonds or tap the banks for bilateral loan,” she said.

Globe budgeted P8.6 billion for capital expenditures as of end-March to support the growing subscriber base and its demand for data. Of the total capital expenditures this year, about 81 percent would be for the data service needs of its customers.

Manila

Clark express rail is sensible THE Philippines is probably one of the few countries in Asia with the least developed railway system. Its elevated rail tracks in Metro Manila are the most visible, but neglect and poor management have resulted in poor service much to the chagrin of Filipino commuters.

The rails operated by state-owned Philippine National Railways are worse and, in essence, reflect the sad state of infrastructure in the country.

Thailand, in contrast, puts a premium on the train system.Bangkok has made rail development and construction its top transport priority. The Thai government wants to double the country’s tracks and modernize the 120-year-old railway networks by increasing the existing 4,000 kilometers of rail infrastructure to 10,000 kilometers over the next decade.

Thailand is expanding Bangkok’s rail mass transit systems, with plans to build 10 new lines, two of which have already been completed. Plans are also afoot to expand the rail transit systems in Thailand’s other big cities and towns.

Thailand has tapped the private sector and foreign investors as well to undertake the ambitious infrastructure plan. It does not matter if the partners of the government are private sector consortia with tie-ups with Chinese, Japanese or European companies. Bangkok goes out of its way to make sure the playing field for investment is level and free from political shenanigans that could cause debilitating delays in project implementation.

Manila’s version The government of President Rodrigo Duterte is not wanting of an infrastructure program, anchored on a genuine private sector-government partnership and a catchy “Build, Build, Build” slogan.

President Duterte envisions to spend some P8 trillion to build high-impact infrastructure projects to boost economic growth. The projects include new roads and mass transport systems aimed at solving the country’s traffic problems and unlocking the Philippines’ growth potential.

Conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. is one of the Philippine companies that have responded to the partnership call of the government. It has just submitted an unsolicited proposal for a joint venture with the Bases Conversion Development Authority and Clark International Airport Corp. for the expansion, operations and maintenance of Clark airport.

The proposal includes the development, operations and maintenance of express rail services from Buendia Ave, Makati to Clark, or CRK. Metro Pacific plans to build the commuter railway infrastructure on the alignment of PNR and incorporate a new express railway service between Makati (Buendia) and CRK, along an existing PNR alignment, which will enable travelers to reach CRK from Makati within one hour at an average speed of about 107 kilometers per hour.

The proposed express railway service will complement the current plans of the government to develop commuter services from Tutuban, Manila to Malolos, Bulacan, and eventually to CRK, using the PNR alignment through the payment of track access charges.

Dual airport system Metro Pacific’s proposal will enable BCDA

a n d CIAC to develop CRK into a complementary dual airport system with Ninoy Aquino International Airport, thereby solving the growing air traffic congestion in the capital region.

Developing a modern linkage from Makati to CRK makes sense. It is the most doable, cost-effective solution to address the growing air traffic in all four international airports currently servicing Metro Manila. CRK, in addition, provides maximum capacity to serve the predicted air traffic demand for the next 30 years with no constraints.

It has a flexible and modular airport layout that can accommodate up to approximately 115 million passengers a year, according to aviation experts.

Metro Pacific’s joint venture proposal, meanwhile, will not require any financial contribution from the BCDA and CIAC. The company plans to finance the estimated total cost P336.6 billion for the entire project through internal sources and loans from banking institutions.

The proposed project mirrors the plan of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade to ease air traffic at the Naia through the transfer of several domestic and international flights to CRK, and the establishment of a train connection from Makati to CRK in Pampanga, New Clark City Tugade’s fixation on CRK is understandable given his department’s thrust to lead in efforts to decongest Metro Manila by being the first government office to move its main office to the former US air base in Pampanga.

BCDA president Vince Dizon said other government agencies were also expected to eventually transfer to Clark, specifically to New Clark City, in the coming years. New Clark City holds much economic growth potential, and is envisioned to be a smart, green city that will rise on 9,450 hectares.

The government is ostensibly hoping to make New Clark City more viable by, among other things, improving access to it and encouraging more use of the CRK. The planned PNR North Railway, meanwhile, is expected to cut travel time from Manila to Clark to 55 minutes. Another train project, the Subic-Clark Cargo Railway, will make it easier to transfer goods to Clark.

The Philippines is the only country in Asia which still does not have an airport express train service that runs from its main international airport and connects to the commuter or main railway system, and eventually to the premier business districts in the cty.

Major cities such as Hong Kong, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok and Jakarta now have these linkages, providing world-class services to both visitors and residents of these cities.

Metro Pacific’s proposal is an opportunity for the Philippines to soon join these countries in the march to modernize its intermodal transport system.

E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or business@manilastandard.net or extrastory2000@gmail.com

Standard

TODAY

ASSETS Cash and Cash Items Due from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Due from Other Banks Financial Assets at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Available-for-Sale Financial Assets-Net Held-to-Maturity (HTM) Financial Assets-Net Unqouted Debt Securities Classified as Loans-Net Investments in Non-Marketable Equity Security-Net Loans and Receivables-Net Loans to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Interbank Loans Receivable Loans and Receivavle-Others Loans and Receivables Arising from RA/CA/PR/SLB General Loan Loss Provision Other Financial Assets Equity Investment in Subsidiaries, Associates and Joint Ventures-Net Bank Premises, Furniture, Fixture and Equipment-Net Real and Other Properties Acquired-Net Non-Current Assets Held for Sale Other Assets-Net Net Due from Head Office/Branches/Agencies, if any (Philippine branch of a foreign bank TOTAL ASSETS LIABILITIES Financial Liabilities at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Deposit Liabilities Due to Other Banks Due Payable a) BSP (Rediscounting and Other Advances) b) Interbank Loans Payable c) Other Deposit Substitute d) Others Bonds Payable-Net Unsecured Subordianted Debt-Net Redeemable Preffered Shares Special Time Deposit Due to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Other Financial Liabilities Other Liabilities Net Due to Head Office/Branches/Agencies (Philippine branch of a foreign bank) TOTAL LIABILITIES Stockholders’ Equity Capital Stock Other Capital Accounts Retained Earnings Assigned Capital TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS Guarantees Issued Financial Standby Letters of Credit Performance Standby Letters of Credit Commercial Letters of Credit Trade Related Guarantees Commitments Spot Foreigh Exchanges Contracts Securities Held Under Custodianship by Bank Proper Trust Department Accounts a) Trust and Other Fiduciary Accounts b) Agency Accounts c) Advisory/Consultancy Derivatives Others TOTAL CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Gross total loan portfolio (TLP) Specific allowance for credit losses on the TLP Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) a) Gross NPLs b) Ratio of gross NPLs to gross TLP (%) c) Net NPLs d) Ratio of Net NPLs to gross TLP (%) Classified Loans & Other Risk Asstes, gross of allownace for credit losses DOSRI Loans and receivables, gross allowance of credit losses Ratio of DOSRI loans and receivables, gross of allowance for credit lossess, to gross TLP (%) Gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables Ratio of gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables to TLP (%)

Account Code 108000000000000000 105150000000000000 105200000000000000 112000000000000000 195200000000000000 195250000000000000 195300000000000000 195350000000000000 195400000000000000 140050000000000000 195401000000000000 140150500000000000 195401000000000000 175150000000000000 148000000000000000 195452500000000000 195500500000000000 195501000000000000 150150000000000000 152000000000000000 155250000000000000 100000000000000000

Amount Previous Current Quarter Quarter 15,795,905.35 14,580,817.75 31,106,971.31 28,823,944.57 128,457,665.93 110,801,844.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4,540,017.58 4,546,088.35 0.00 0.00 810,504,108.40 763,783,784.45 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 753,385,896.40 704,841,130.62 63,500,000.00 63,500,000.00 6,381,788.00 4,557,346.17 14,795,980.00 10,999,786.98 0.00 0.00 40,557,785.41 42,545,190.92 28,831,094.19 23,033,884.65 0.00 0.00 58,105,348.62 58,873,915.79 0.00 0.00 1,132,694,876.79 1,057,989,257.76

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

0.00 985,791,665.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 7,151,466.52 18,696,242.71 0.00 1,011,639,374.27

0.00 912,379,891.22 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 7,189,328.65 17,781,840.86 0.00 937,351,060.73

335050000000000000 335100000000000000 315000000000000000 325200000000000000 300000000000000000 905000000000000000

175,162,200.00 188,395,685.71 -242,502,383.19 0.00 121,055,502.52 1,132,694,876.79

175,162,200.00 180,721,201.60 (235,245,204.57) 0.00 120,638,197.03 1,057,989,257.76

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

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

499020000000000000 499300000000000000

1,023,859,282.44 206,973,386.04

965,832,079.31 197,490,948.69

499100500000000000 499150500000000000 499101000000000000 499151000000000000 499200000000000000 499400000000000000 499480000000000000 499500000000000000 499550000000000000

222,547,890.84 21.74 35,184,142.64 3.44 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

203,631,805.22 21.08 6,140,856.53 0.64 0.00 370,503.52 0.00 0.00 0.00

499050500000000000 499051000000000000 499350000000000000

49.15 9.57 0.01

42.40 11.48 -0.04

499650500500000000 499650501000000000 499650501500000000 499700000000000000 499750000000000000

6.88 78.09 0.00 0.00 0.00

7.55 77.59 0.00 0.00 0.00

BOARD OF DIRECTORS (As of March 31, 2017 ) Atty. Mariana Amanda S. Meer Chairman Michael A. Bautista Director Robert B. Jordan Jr. Director Ruben Y. Lugtu II Director Atty. Patrick Austin R. Manalo Director Chito Francisco R. Dizon Director Vicente P. Ortuoste Independent Director Atty. Dennis Aldrich C. Del Rosario Corporate Secretary

Michael A. Bautista President/CEO Raquel A. Sese Senior Vice President/COO Manny M. Vidal Chief Finance Officer

Percent Compliance with Magna Carta (%) a) 8% for Micro and Small Enterprises b) 2% for Medium Enterprises Return on Equity (ROE) (%) Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) on Solo Basis, as prescribed under existing regulations a) Total CAR (%) b) Tier 1 Ratio (%) c) Common Tier 1 Ratio (%) Deferred Charges not yet Written Down Unbooked Allowance for Credit Losses on Financial Instrument Received 1/ Common Equity Tier 1 is only applicable to all Universal and Commercial Banks and their subsidiary

Republic of the Philippines ) TANAY, RIZAL ) s.s.

I/We, MANNY M. VIDAL and MICHAEL A. BAUTISTA of the above mentioned bank do solemnly swear that all matters set forth in the above balance sheet are true and correct to the best of my/our knowledge and belief.

(SGD.) MANNY VIDAL CFO

(SGD.) MICHAEL BAUTISTA President

SUBSCRIBE AND SWORN to before me this 2nd day of May, 2017 at TANAY RIZAL affiant exhibiting his/her/their Community Tax Certificate No.___________________, issued at____________ on ______________________ and Community Tax Certificate No.___________________________, issued at____________________ on____________________.

Book No. Page No. Series of Doc No.

IX 89 247 442

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

B4

THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017

Business

US pushes stricter trade rules

W

ASHINGTON―The Trump administration will enforce trade rules more aggressively than any previous government in its efforts to reduce the trade deficit, but is not seeking a dispute, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Tuesday.

Ross also said he hopes this week to resolve delays in Congress that will allow the White House to give formal notification of the intent to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico, which would start the 90-day clock before the talks could begin.

The administration has not yet decided whether to keep Nafta as a three-country deal “or to pursue two matching bilaterals,” Ross said in a speech to business leaders and diplomats at a Coun-

cil of the Americas conference.

Nafta is “at best out of date and at worst did not accomplish some of its most important goals,” Ross said of the trade pact that President Donald Trump calls a disaster for the United States.

And “any agreement can be updated to reflect changes in all the various economies, and to correct unintended oversights” from the original deal, he said.

Ross also said the administration

wants to conclude the new Nafta as soon as possible and will push for a “far more aggressive meeting schedule then has been the norm.”

He noted that his Mexican counterpart, Luis Videgaray Caso, said the new deal should be completed by the end of the year.

Canada Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne defended Nafta, however, saying it benefitted all the partners and created North American production chains.

“Nafta has been an excellent agreement that has benefitted all sides,” amounting to $1 trillion in trade annually―four times more than before the agreement was signed –he told the conference.

And it is in the best interests of all three countries that it remain “as a trilateral agreement,” he said, although he agreed it could

be modernized.

Trade with the United States accounts for an estimated $1.7 billion in goods and services crossing the border each day, and $322 billion was exported from the US into Canada last year alone. And Mexico is now Canada’s third most important trading partner, he said.

But “we must work harder to make the case for trade.”

On the administration’s broader trade strategy―frequently described as an “America First” policy―Ross said “the goal is to increase overall trade while reducing our trade deficit,” which means reducing barriers to US exports.

At the same time the Trump White House will pursue “stricter enforcement than any previous

administration,” he said.

“There is little point to trade agreement that is not honored.”

But despite recent friction with Canada over dairy and softwood lumber, and with Mexico over sugar, “we do not seek a trade war with anyone, least of all with our fellow citizens of the Americas,” Ross said.

On the softwood lumber dispute, Canada’s Champagne said the US duties were “unfair and unwarranted” and Ottawa is “taking steps to defend our industry.”

Ross last month announced the US was imposing duties of up to 24 percent on the lumber used in construction after the sides failed to reach an agreement in the 35-year-old dispute over charges Canada subsidizes the industry.

AFP

Hyundai splits into four units THE world’s second-largest shipbuilder has split itself into four companies, a move that would facilitate a potential sale of some of the businesses.

Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. started trading as four entities Wednesday as the conglomerate tries to insulate the group from a financial crisis at any one of its divisions.

The breakup splits the operations into businesses focused on shipbuilding and offshore projects, electric machinery, construction equipment, and industrial robots. The combined market value of the four companies now is about 16.8 trillion won ($14.8 billion), versus 12.5 trillion won when trading in Hyundai Heavy was halted in March.

“Now, each division is being listed separately,” said Paul Choi, head of research for CLSA Securities Korea Ltd. “You can do funding or sell in the market.”

The dismantling of Ulsan, South Korea-based Hyundai Heavy is the latest restructuring round in the country’s ailing shipbuilding industry, home to the world’s top three vesselmanufacturers. The shipbuilders have cut more than 20,000 jobs and sold assets as orders dwindled amid excess capacity and depressed crude oil prices in the past three years that led clients to curtail spending on offshore projects.

Hyundai Robotics Co., Hyundai Electric & Energy Systems Co. and Hyundai Construction Equipment Co. are the three other companies formed after the split.

Shares of Hyundai Heavy rose 15 percent from the adjusted lastclosing level to 180,500 won in Seoul. Hyundai Robotics ended the day at 390,000 won, Hyundai Construction at 240,000 won and Hyundai Electric at 280,000 won, according to data compiled

by Bloomberg. Bloomberg

HIGHER PRICES. A woman walks through a food market in Beijing on May 10, 2017. China’s consumer price index, a main gauge of inflation, rose 1.2 percent year-on-year in April, up from a 0.9 percent gain in March, China’s National Bureau of Statistics said on May 10, 2017. AFP

Shale drillers increase budgets US SHALE explorers are boosting drilling budgets 10 times faster than the rest of the world to harvest fields that register fat profits even with the recent drop in oil prices.

Flush with cash from a shortlived Opec-led crude rally, North American drillers plan to lift their 2017 outlays by 32 percent to $84 billion, compared with just 3 percent for international projects, according to analysts at Barclays Plc. Much of the increase in spending is flowing into the Permian Basin, a sprawling, mile-thick accumulation of crude beneath Texas and New Mexico, where producers have been reaping double-digit returns even with oil commanding less than half what it did in 2014.

That’s bad news for Opec and its partners in a global campaign to crimp supplies and elevate prices. Wood Mackenzie Ltd. estimates that new spending will add 800,000 barrels of North American crude this year, equivalent to 44 percent of the reductions announced by the Saudi- and Russia-led group.

“The specter of American supply is real,” Roy Martin, a Wood Mackenzie research analyst in Houston, said in a telephone interview. “The level of capital budget increases really surprised us.”

Drilling budgets around the world collapsed in 2016 as the worst crude market collapse in a generation erased cash flows, forcing explorers to cancel expansion projects, cut jobs and sell oil and natural gas fields to raise cash. The pain also swept across the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, which in November relented by agreeing with several nonOpec nations to curb output by 1.8 million barrels a day.

Oil prices that initially popped above $55 in the weeks after the cut was announced have since dipped to around $46, reflecting pessimism that the Opec-led deal can withstand the onslaught of US shale.

So far, independent American explorers such as EOG Resources Inc. and Pioneer Natural Resources Co. are holding fast to their ambitious growth plans. Some recently finished wells in the Permian region yielded 70 percent returns at first-quarter prices, EOG Chief Executive Officer Bill Thomas told investors and analysts during a conference call on Tuesday. Bloomberg

Young workers herald rise of Southeast Asia as growth leader AFTER decades of living under the shadow of neighbors in the North, Southeast Asia is taking over as the region’s growth leader.

Expansion in the Asean-5― Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam –will exceed 5 percent through 2022, while growth in North Asia will average just 3 percent, according to International Monetary Fund data.

“There’s a confluence of positive tailwinds like favorable demographics” for Southeast Asia which would spur lower labor

costs and greater domestic consumption, said Weiwen Ng, an economist at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. in Singapore. “North Asia is at a more mature stage of development, so you expect a more modest growth from them.”

While the likes of China, Japan and Hong Kong have all seen a contraction in their workforces since 2015, Southeast Asia will see its working-age population expand through 2020, Nomura Holdings Inc. estimates show.

The Philippines, for example, is

projected to see a 1.9 percent expansion of its 15-to-65 year-old population this year, with Malaysia’s due to rise 1.6 percent, Nomura economists said in a report.

The region’s strong growth outlook is luring companies such as Coca-Cola Co. which is expanding in Vietnam and in Myanmar. Apple Inc. is building research centers in Indonesia, while Heineken NV is competing with Anheuser-Busch InBev NV, Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. and Kirin Holdings Co. for a stake in Vietnam’s largest brewer.

The differing demographic outlook is a contributor to each of the region’s growth trajectories, according to Nomura. Aging will clip the potential growth rates of all major North Asian economies in coming years, while those of Southeast Asian economies may accelerate, with the exception of Singapore’s, the bank said.

Countries in Southeast Asia are also ramping up on ambitious large-scale infrastructure projects.

Infrastructure spending by the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations will average

$110 billion a year through 2025, according to Ernst & Young LLP. These projects will improve the delivery of goods, services and people across Asean. But given their scale, hiccups are bound to occur, said Max Loh, Asean and Singapore Managing Partner at Ernst & Young.

“Unfortunately, there will always be roadblocks as you try to do this,” said Loh. “Some of these infrastructure projects are across countries, so you have to navigate the political and social and economic environment.” Bloomberg

Free distribution of land: what and to whom LAST month the panels representing the government and the CPP-NPA issued a joint statement declaring that free distribution of land would be “the guiding principle in the implementation of agrarian reform.” A final agreement embodying such a declaration will be the latest government document mandating implementation of the Land to the Landless principle that is so dear to the communist movement.

Shortly after his assumption of office in 1962 President Diosdado Macapagal issued an Executive Order emancipating Filipino farmers from bondage to the soil, which in due course became the Land Reform Act of 1963. One of the first acts of President Ferdinand Marcos upon assuming dictatorial power in 1972 was to issue a proclamation making the entire nation a land reform area. And in 1988 the newly restored Congress of the Philippines passed a law establishing CARP (the Comprehensive Land Reform Program).

All these enactments embodied a three-part approach to providing the landless with land: (1) they did not involve confiscation of private

property, (2) they set limits to the amount of land that individual landlords could retain and (3) the recipients of the land-reformed land would have to amortize the land’s value upon terms that were very generous in terms of both per-hectare price and loan conditions.

Last month’s joint statement from The Netherlands on distribution of land to this country’s landless farmers will be on a free basis. It represents a departure from previous government actions intended to provide the landless with land, which involved the sale of land-reformed land to tenants and other landless farmers.

This raises four questions. The first is, who will be eligible to receive land under a “free distribution of land” program? The second question is, what government-owned land will be covered by such a program? The third question is, what will be the effect of a “free distribution of land” program on lands that former tenants are already paying for under CARP and preceding land reform regimes? And the fourth question is, after the free distribution of land, what?

Assuming that only government-owned land

will be distributed under a “free distribution of land” program, there are only two categories of government-owned land that can be included in such a program. One category is composed of land belonging to the public domain. There is plenty of that – enough to satisfy the needs of all landless farmers. The other category is made up of lands that were acquired by the government under CARP and preceding land reform regimes and that were sold to the tenants under sale agreements embodying long repayment periods.

What will happen to such lands in the event a “free distribution of land” is agreed upon? Will the sale agreements be correspondingly cancelled, with the loan-amortizing former tenants immediately becoming the owners of such lands?

The joint statement from The Netherlands spoke of distribution of lands. Presumably the distribution will involve only landless farmers and rural land. After all, there also are landless nonfarmers, aren’t there? This is not a case of hairsplitting. Unless farmland is specified, informal settlers in Metro Manila and other population centers will be demanding inclusion in the “free distribution of land” program.

The fourth and last question is arguably the most important of all from the standpoint of longterm peace and stability in the countryside. Will the “free distribution of land” be a stand-alone program? Or will it be accompanied by a program designed to make it possible for the benefited farmers to maintain viable farm operations and become truly emancipated farmers? After all, the whole purpose of the “free distribution of land” program presumably is to improve the lives of this country’s hitherto-landless farmers and not merely to give to rural folk land that they could easily exchange for cash.

A “free distribution of land” program must be sound administratively as well as economically, Making sure that all of the qualified landless farmers – and no others – receive free land is going to be an administrative nightmare. The government and the CPP-NPA must make certain that it does not become an economic nightmare also.

E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

C1

BINATBATAN DANCE. Students

from various schools in Vigan City perform the ‘Binatbatan’ Festival Dance along the city’s famed Calle Crisologo on Wednesday. The Binatbatan is performed in thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest, as the festival adds to Vigan’s pedigree as a Unesco World Heritage Site and a Seven Wonder Cities of the World citation, thanks to its wellpreserved Spanish-era business and housing district. Dave Leprozo

Ensure building safety, Makati warns residents M

By Joel E. Zurbano

AKATI City Mayor Abigail Binay on Wednesday reminded owners and administrators of buildings in the city to comply with the recent memorandum requiring them to check the structural stability of their buildings to ensure safety of occupants and lessen the possible damages in the event the “Big One” earthquake hits Metro Manila.

“For the safety and welfare of the occupants, clients and visitors of buildings in Makati, we enjoin your immediate and full compliance with the relevant directives of the DPWH [Department of Public Works and Highways],” said Binay.

She added: “Let us heed the warning signs and act swiftly to make sure our buildings and structures can withstand the ‘Big One’

if and when it actually happens.”

The mayor also commended the owners and administrators of some 28 buildings for having submitted a Certificate of Structural Stability to the Office of the Building Official or OBO, which is a mandatory requirement for medium and high-rise buildings over 15 years in existence nationwide.

Binay likewise praised some

34 high-rise buildings that have installed earthquake recording instruments, as required by the DPWH in its memorandum circular issued in 2011. She urged the owners and administrators to submit to the OBO recent readings of the instruments, called seismographs, during the series of earthquakes in Batangas last April.

In its report to the Mayor, the city OBO has issued a Certificate of Earthquake Recording Instrument to only five out of some 34 buildings installed with seismographs to date. These are Lerato Tower 1, Signa Tower 2, The Residence Makati Place Towers 1 and 2, The World Center, and Eton Parkview Greenbelt.

The OBO has reminded concerned building owners to secure the certificate by submitting the following requirements to its office at the sixth floor of Makati City Hall, main building: 1) Request

Letter for Inspection; 2) Certificate of Installation from the Installer; 3) Structural Certification signed and sealed with PR ID and PTR; 4) AsBuilt Plan indicating the Location of the instruments; 5) Mounting Plans/Details of Instruments; 6) Preliminary Readings/Testing; 7) Specifications of the Instruments; 8) Picture of the Instruments; and 9) Other Documents as needed.

The other buildings installed with seismographs but need to secure a certificate from the OBO include Antel Spa, BDO Corporate Center—North Tower and South Tower, Citadines Salcedo Makati, Citibank Center, Citibank Tower, Eton Greenbelt Residences, Fairmont Hotel, Frabelle Business Center, Greenbelt Excelsior, Greenbelt Radisson, Makati Diamond Residences, Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Man Tower Legaspi, One Central, One Legaspi Park, One Roxas Triangle.

Vizcaya arts center to promote heritage

By Ben Moses Ebreo BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—The provincial government here will establish a Cultural Arts Center to train and promote the rich cultural heritage and art skills of Novo Vizcayanos.

Former governor Ruth Padilla, president of the Nueva Vizcaya Tourism Council, said the PLGU and the Nueva Vizcaya State University in this town have already signed a Memorandum of Agreement for the provision of a two-hectare lot inside the campus for the CAC. The arts center, which has an initial fund of P3 million, will be the first of its kind in the Cagayan Valley region and will also cater to other provinces.

“We have a lot of talented Novo Vizcayanos. This will be a venue to showcase our useful culture and traditional practices of our indigenous people and to teach our villagers to appreciate arts and culture,” Padilla said.

‘Village Defense Force’ pushed

Cebu BoC seizes P237m in Thai rice

By Junex Doronio CEBU CITY—Some P237 million worth of imported rice from Thailand contained in 118,500 bags were seized by Customs intelligence men for arriving at the Cebu International Port beyond the Feb. 28 deadline imposed by National Food Authority Administrator Jason Aquino.

This was despite the decision of the NFA Council headed

by Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. to extend it for the remaining six percent of the 2016 Minimum Access Volume or MAV allocation to March 31.

The apprehended rice was part of the 2016 MAV importation program but was not issued import permits because of the

Feb. 28 deadline imposed by Aquino, apparently ignoring an extension ordered by the NFAC. The importers said they have already paid customs duties in advance through the Land Bank of the Philippines yet the shipments were treated like smuggled rice.

Aquino favors governmentto-government transactions in importing rice, while Evasco prefers bringing in rice from abroad through private traders.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, who sits as member of the NFAC, has announced that President Rodrigo Duterte had already agreed in principle to allow the private sector to import rice and let market forces determine the volumes of rice to be imported.

By Roy Tomandao

LCF OATHTAKING. The League of Corporate Foundations, the leading organization promoting the practice of corporate social responsibility in the Philippines, recently held the Induction and Oathtaking of its Board of Trustees with Ambassador Elizabeth Buensuceso, Philippine permanent representative and ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations mission office in Jakarta, Indonesia (fourth from left). Photo shows LCF board members and executives (from left) Ramon Emmanuel R. Derige, vice president, Zuellig Family Foundation Inc.; Maricar A. Angeles, executive director, Ronald McDonald House Charities; Chito S. Maniago, Director for Corporate Communications and Public Affairs of Cemex Philippines and Asia, and executive director of Cemex Foundation Inc.; Carmen Linda M. Atayde, executive director for Education, SM Foundation Inc.; Pia Paz G. Uygongco, executive director, Uygongco Foundation; Fidelina A. Corcuera, executive director, BPI Foundation Inc.; and Roderick F. De Castro, executive director, Team Energy Foundation Inc. and LCF chairperson.

Social workers sent to Tondo to assist fire victims

By Sandy Araneta MANILA Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada has sent social workers to Isla Puting Bato in Tondo, where a huge fire on Tuesday killed a 15-year-old boy and left at least 70 families homeless.

Estrada directed Nanet Tanyag, head of the Manila Department of

Social Welfare, to provide the fire victims all they need, such as temporary shelter, food, and medicines.

“It’s tragic that a young life was lost,” the mayor said, “but rest assured we will extend all the help they need until they have all recovered from this incident.”

Fire authorities in Manila said the boy was identified as Froilan

She said the National Commission on Culture and the Arts will be providing technical assistance once the CAC’s construction starts anytime this year.

The CAC will have a theatrical stage, an amphitheater, and a gallery to encourage cultural learning and art appreciation, Padilla said.

“We expect that this will also attract local and foreign tourists and our fellow Novo Vizcayanos from here and abroad, because we are encouraging Novo Vizcayanos to first patronize our turf in terms of tourism exposure so that we can promote our province more,” she said.

Meanwhile, Rep. Luisa Cuaresma recently allotted P5 million for the establishment of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Training Center in barangay La Torre North here.

The fund will augment the local government unit’s resources in erecting a two-storey, fourclassroom Tesda building.

dela Cruz, who was trapped inside his home during the fire.

The fire broke out at 11 a.m.

Tuesday and reached the fifth alarm, and was controlled at 1 p.m. on the same day, BFP Deputy Fire Marshall Chief Insp. Arvin Afalla said.

As soon as he heard news of the fire, Estrada contacted MDSW

and other emergency units of the city hall to rush to the site.

According to Tanyag, they set up a command post at the scene while the fire was still raging to help in the relief efforts. Meals were also provided to the fire victims upon Estrada’s instructions.

“As ordered by Mayor Estrada, we listed down the families affect-

ed by the fire so we would know who to help. And until today, we are giving them free meals and other important provisions,” Tanyag said Wednesday.

The MDSW also set up a temporary evacuation center at Delpan Sports Complex although many residents opted to stay at the site to secure their belongings, she added.

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna—The Police Regional Office in Calabarzon recently met with 150 members of different organized anti-crime groups here to introduce its “Community Mobilization against Lawlessness and Criminality” project and discuss the peace and order situation in the region.

PRO Calabarzon Regional Director Chief Supt Ma.O Aplasca discussed the project, patterned after the old “Village Defense Force” concept, with members of the Guardians Socialite Society Inc., Police Hotline Movement Inc., Guardians Forces Brotherhood Against Crime Int., Bantay Bayan Foundation, Bantay Bayan Riders Association of the Philippines, Kabayan Action Group, United Kabalikat Civicom, Eagle Squad Anti-Crime, and the Bro Guardians.

CYAN CYAN MAGENTA MAGENTAYELLOW YELLOW BLACK BLACK Manila Manila

Republic of the Philippines Standard StandardENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

TODAY TODAY

San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF THE ANCILLARY SERVICES PROCUREMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NATIONAL GRID CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES AND SN ABOITIZ POWER-BENGUET, INC., WITH PRAYER FOR THE ISSUANCE OF PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY, ERC CASE NO. 2017-016 RC NATIONAL GRID CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (NGCP) AND SN ABOITIZ POWER-BENGUET, INC. (SNAP-BI), Applicant.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on 3 March 2017, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and SN Aboitiz Power-Benguet, Inc. (SNAP-BI) filed an Application (with Prayer for the Immediate Issuance of Provisional Authority) (Application) seeking the Commission’s approval of Ancillary Services Procurement Agreement (ASPA) entered into by both parties.

In the said Application, Applicants alleged the following: 1.

NATURE OF THE CASE This Application is for the approval of the Ancillary Services Procurement Agreement (ASPA) between the NGCP and SNAP- BI, pursuant to the Decision dated 3 October 2007 in ERC Case No. 2006-049RC, entitled: “In the Matter of the Application for the ApprovaI of Ancillary Services - Cost Recovery Mechanism (AS-CRM) of the Ancillary Services Procurement Plan, with Prayer for Provisional Authority.”

PARTIES

2.

Applicant NGCP is a corporation created and existing under the laws of the Philippines, with office address at NGCP Building, Quezon Avenue corner BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City.

It is the concessionaire which assumed the power transmission functions of the National Transmission Corporation (TRANSCO) pursuant to Republic Act No. 91361 (EPIRA). It holds a franchise under Republic Act No. 95112 to engage in the business of conveying or transmitting electricity through high-voltage back-bone systems of interconnected transmission lines, substations and related facilities, and for other purposes. The franchise also includes the conduct of activities necessary to support the safe and reliable operation of the transmission system.

3.

Applicant SNAP-BI is a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the Philippine laws with principal office address at Binga Hydroelectric Power Plant, Brgy.

Tinongdan, Itogon, Benguet. It may be served with orders, notices, and other legal processes through its undersigned counsel. It is the owner and operator of the Binga Hydro-Electric Power Plant (Binga HEPP) located at Itogon, Benguet which was certified and accredited

by NGCP to be capable of providing Regulating Reserve (RR), Contingency Reserve (CR), Dispatchable Reserve (DR) and Black Start Capability.

ANTECEDENT FACTS

4.

Republic Act No. 9136 provides that it is the responsibility of NGCP to ensure and maintain the reliability, adequacy, security, stability and integrity of the nationwide electrical grid in accordance with the performance standards for its operations and maintenance, as set forth in the Philippine Grid Code (PGC), adopted and promulgated by the Honorable Commission, and to adequately serve generation companies, distribution utilities and suppliers requiring transmission service and/or ancillary services through the transmission system3.

5.

Similarly, the PGC provides that NGCP is responsible for determining, acquiring, and dispatching the capacity needed to supply the required Grid Ancillary Services and for developing and proposing Wheeling Charges and Ancillary Service tariffs to the ERC4.

6.

Ancillary services (AS) as defined in Section 4b of the EPlRA “refer to those services that are necessary to support the transmission of capacity and energy from resources to loads while maintaining reliable operation of the transmission system in accordance with good utility practice and the Grid Code to be adopted in accordance with this Act.” These services are essential in ensuring reliability in the operation of the transmission system and consequently, in the reliability of the electricity supply in the Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao grids.

7.

In order to implement and regulate the procurement of AS, the Honorable Commission approved the Ancillary Services Procurement Plan (ASPP) through its Order dated 9 March 2006 in ERC Case No. 2002- 253 and the Ancillary Services-Cost Recovery Mechanism (AS-CRM) through its Decision dated 3 October 2007 in ERC Case No. 2006-049RC.

8.

Pursuant to its mandate, NGCP invited and negotiated with all prospective generation companies capable of providing ancillary services, one of which is SNAP-BI.

9.

It may be recalled that NGCP and SNAP-BI entered into an ASPA in 2010. On 5 April 2010, NGCP and SNAP-BI filed an Application docketed as ERC Case No. 2010-026RC before the Honorable Commission for the approval of the 2010 ASPA, which was approved in the Decision dated 4 July 2011. The Honorable Commission on page 26 of the Decision stated that: “Upon final evaluation of the instant application, the Commission finds that the approval of the ASPA would redound to the benefit of all the consumers of NGCP in terms of continuous, reliable and efficient power supply as mandated by Republic Act No. 9136 [Section 2. Declaration of Policy-“to ensure quality, reliability, security and affordability of the supply of electric power’’].’’

10.

C2

Davao meet calls for ‘green growth’ plans D

By Brenda Jocson

AVAO CITY—The Climate Change Commission and Mindanao Development Authority is calling for the adoption of climate resilience and “green growth” approaches for the development of Mindanao in a conference held May 9 to 10 at the Grand Regal Hotel in this city.

The Asian Development Bank east Asian Regional Center for and a consortium of the Philip- Graduate Study and Research in pine government-hosted South- Agriculture supported the iniRepublic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

Roxas Boulevard Corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. Street Manila 1004 Request foR expRession of inteRest foR PROCUREMENT OF A SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT FIRM IN THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE (DOF) 1.

The Department of Finance (DOF), Government of the Philippines under the General Appropriations Act for CY 2017 intends to apply the sum of Five Million Pesos (Php5,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Social Media Management. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of the financial proposals.

2.

The Department of Finance (DOF) now calls for the submission of eligibility documents for Social Media Management. Eligibility documents of interested consultants must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat on or before May 18, 2017, 9:45 am at 8th Floor, General Services Division, EDPC Bldg. cor. P. Ocampo Sr. St., Malate, Manila. Applications for eligibility will be evaluated based on a nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion.

3.

4.

On 11 October 2013, NGCP and the SNAP-BI entered into another ASPA (2013 ASPA) for a period of 3 years. On 20 November 2013, the parties filed an Application docketed as ERC Case No. 2013-214RC before the Honorable Commission for the approval of the 2013 ASPA, which was provisionally approved through an Order dated 3 February 2014.

The Honorable Commission in page 8 of the Order stated that: “The Commission believes that the contracted Ancillary Services capacity is needed to augment the deficiency of Ancillary Services reserve capacity. This will ensure reliability in the operation of the transmission system and electricity supply in the Luzon Grid”.

11.

Due to the necessity of extending the services of providing the same ancillary services, the Applicants again entered into a new ASPA under the same rates, terms and conditions. In the latest accreditation tests conducted in 2016 on the Binga HEPP, the plant demonstrated capability of providing RR, CR and DR. The copies of the Accreditation Certificate Nos. 2016-L0005 dated 9 May 2016 and 2016-L00006 dated 10 June 2016 are attached as Annexes “A” and “A-1”.

12.

Similar to the existing ASPA, NGCP agreed to procure and SNAP-BI agreed to continuously provide, under the new ASPA, the following AS for a period of a period five (5) years:

Capacity

Type of Ancillary Services Regulating Reserve Contingency Reserve Dispatchable reserve Black Start Capability

Non-firm

5.

Ancillary Service Regulating Reserve Contingency Reserve Dispatchable reserve Black Start Capability 14.

SNAP-BI respectfully submits that the proposed rates represent a reasonable recovery of the opportunity cost in making available generation capacity to provide the procured AS.

15.

The rates under ASPA were subjected to a simulation with the following results:

Ancillary Services Regulating Reserve Contingency Reserve Dispatchable Reserve Black Start Capability

Indicative Rate Impact P/kW P/kWh 5.9050 0.0119 4.5991 0.0093 2.9809 0.0060 0.3511 0.0007

A copy of the rate impact simulation is attached as Annex “C.” 16.

Consistent with the AS-CRM, all the related and incidental expenses which NGCP will incur as a result of the procurement and operation of the ancillary services shall be recovered from all the load customers in the Luzon Grid.

The SBAC shall draw up the short list of consultants from those who have submitted Expression of Interest, including the eligibility documents, and have been determined as eligible in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). The short list shall consist of at least one (1) prospective bidder who will be entitled to submit bids. The criteria and rating system for short listing are: Experience Quality of Personnel Total

- 60% - 40% 100%

The minimum passing score is seventy five percent (75%).

6.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the IRR of RA 9184.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, cooperatives, and partnerships or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

Also, the Applicants used the following rates for the capacity fees as provided in the previous ASPA:

Applicable Rates (Maximum Hourly Rate) Php 3.00/kW/Hr Php 2.25/kW/Hr Php 1.25/kW/Hr Php 2.14/kW/Hr

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on May 11, 2017 from the address below and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (Php5,000.00).

I. II.

CONTRACTED CAPACITY RATES AND IMPACT SIMULATION

Non-Firm:

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Department of Finance (DOF) and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Department of Finance (DOF), provided that Bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

A copy of the ASPA is attached as Annex “B”.

13.

LGUs

THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017

7.

The Department of Finance (DOF) shall evaluate bids using the Quality-Cost Based Evaluation/Selection (QCBE/QCBS) procedure. The Department of Finance (DOF) shall indicate the weights to be allocated for the Technical and Financial Proposals. The criteria and rating system for the evaluation of bids shall be provided in the Instructions to Bidders.

8.

The contract shall be completed within six (6) months.

9.

The Department of Finance (DOF) reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

10. For further information, please refer to: Ms. Lilia R. Tan BAC Secretariat 8th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex Cor. P. Ocampo Sr., Street Roxas Boulevard, Manila Telephone No.: 526-84875 Telefax No.: 525-4227

LGU-SAN FERNANDO Contract Reference Number Construction of Kalumsing Bridge Phase III Location of the Contract Kalumsing, San Emilio. Ilocos Sur Standard Form Number: SF-INFR-05 Revised on: July 29, 2004

INVITATION TO BID The Local Government Unit of San Emilio, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites contractors registered with and classified by the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) to apply for eligibility and if found eligible, to bid for the hereunder contract: 1. Name of Project Location Brief Description No. of Days ABC Source of Fund

It is a declared policy of the State to ensure the quality, reliability, security and affordability of the supply of electric power (Section 2b, EPlRA). With this end in view, there is a need to comply with the system requirements for AS to ensure grid system reliability.

As mentioned above, NGCP has the mandate to procure the required AS. However, the Honorable Commission must first approve the contract before the same could be implemented.

18.

As mentioned above, the Honorable Commission has already declared that there is a necessity for NGCP to procure the contracted ancillary services capacity of SNAP-BI to maintain the reliability of the operation of the transmission system and electricity supply in the Luzon Grid.

19.

SNAP-BI must continue to provide the current contracted ancillary services beyond the 2013 ASPA to maintain the reliability of the power grid. Based on the current levels of available contracted AS in the Luzon Grid, the contracted AS have not yet met the required levels of the ASPP. The copies of the relevant actual data and its corresponding graphical presentations showing the required and available levels of AS in the Luzon Grid are attached as Annex “D.”

20.

Thus, NGCP and SNAP-BI agreed to execute the new ASPA for a period of another five years. With this ASPA, the Luzon Grid is assured of AS until 2022.

21.

Also, as the demand for power in the Luzon increases, the requirements of the system to ensure stability, reliability and security likewise increases. Ensuring the integrity of the system is essential to protect the interests of the public. The absence of system reliability and stability will certainly discourage investments and growth.

22.

Applicants respectfully submit that the immediate approval of the ASPA by this Honorable Commission is a necessity to maintain the present reliability and security of the Grid.

In support of these allegations, NGCP submits a copy of the Judicial Affidavit of Engr.

Lizaflor Bacani-Kater, which is attached as Annex “E.” PRAYER WHEREFORE, premises considered, Applicants respectfully pray that the Honorable Commission to: a) b)

Immediately ISSUE a provisional authority to implement the subject ASPA; APPROVE, after notice and hearing, the subject ASPA.

Applicants pray for other just and equitable relief under the premises.

The Commission has set the said Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, Pre-trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on 8 June 2017 at ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 A.M.), at the ERC Hearing Room, 15th Floor, Pacific Center Building, San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City.

All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the instant case may become a party by filing with the Commission a verified Petition to Intervene at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure, indicating therein the docket number and title of the case and stating the following: i.

The petitioner’s name and address;

ii.

The nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and

iii. A statement of the relief desired.

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the case may file their Opposition or Comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before Applicants rest their case, subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following: 1) 2) 3)

The name and address of such person; A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and The grounds relied upon.

All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from Applicants that they be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing. Applicants are hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours.

WITNESS, the Honorable Chairman JOSE VICENTE B. SALAZAR and the Honorable Commissioners ALFREDO J. NON, GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAP-TARUC, JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT, and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 27th day of April 2017 at Pasig City.

All particulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bidding Conference, Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR).

The schedule of BAC activities is as follows: Activities 1. Posting 2. Pre-bid Conference 3. Submission of Bids 4. Opening of Bids 5. Bid Evaluation 6. Post Qualification 7. Approval of Resolution 8. Notice of Award 9. Contract Signing 10. Notice to Proceed

2

3 4

Republic Act No. 9136 entitled, “An Act Ordaining Reforms in the Electric Power Industry, Amending for the Purpose Certain Laws and for other Purposes”; An Act Granting the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines a Franchise To Engage in the Business of Conveying or Transmitting Electricity Through High Voltage Back-Bone System of Interconnected Transmission Lines, Substations and Related Facilities, and for other Purposes; Section 9 (c) and (d); Section 6.3.1.2; (MS-MAY 11 & 19, 2017)

Schedule May 09-16, 2017 May 17, 2017 May 29, 2017@ 10:00 AM May 29, 2017 @ 10 :01 AM at Municipal Hall May 30, 2017 May 31, 2017 June 1, 2017 June 2, 2017 June 5, 2017 June 6, 2017

The BAC will issue to prospective bidders Eligibility Forms at BAC Secretariat upon their submission of a LOI, and upon their payment of a non-refundable amount determined by the BAC to the LGU Cashier. Prospective bidders shall submit the Eligibility Requirements to the BAC at the said address. They may also obtain the results of the Eligibility Check by the BAC at the same address.

Approved by:

(MS-MAY 11, 2017)

Noted by: (SGD) JONAS O. BERTO BAC Chairman

(SGD) FERDINAND A. BANUA Municipal Mayor

BIDS AND AWARDSCOMMITTEE Provincial Capitol Bldg., Isabela City, Basilan Province, 7300 invitation to Bid foR ConCRetinG of 1 KiLoMeteR LuMBanG-BaLaWatin pRovinCiaL Road, isaBeLa CitY, BasiLan pRovinCe undeR BaC puBLiCation 003-2017 CASE NO.SUR 17-040-A

SOUTHWEST PREMIERE FERRIES, INC., Applicant. x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - x

NOTICE OF HEARING Application for the Amendment of Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) application, pursuant to the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (R-IRR) of the Republic Act (R.A.) 9295, to wit: AUTHORIZED SCHEDULE OF TRIPS NAME OF SHIP/VESSEL SERVICE TO BE OFFERED: MV “SWM STELLA DEL Carriage of Passengers, Cargoes and MAR” Rolling Cargoes ROUTES TO BE SERVED:

daily Departure 12:00 AM 6:00AM 12:00 NN 6:00 PM

Ports Liloan, Southern Leyte Surigao City Base Port Liloan, Southern Leyte Surigao City Base Port

Arrival 3:00AM 9:00 AM 3:00 PM 9:00 PM

The applicant shall cause the publication of this Order in a newspaper of general circulation at least 5 days before the hearing.

The Provincial Government of Basilan intends to apply part of the sum of TWENTY MILLION (P20,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payment for the contract of the CONCRETING OF 1 KILOMETER LUMBANG – BALAWATIN PROVINCIAL ROAD, ISABELA CITY, BASILAN PROVINCE under the Office of the Provincial Engineer of Basilan. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

1. The Provincial Government of Basilan now invites bids for CONCRETING OF 1 KILOMETER LUMBANG –BALAWATIN PROVINCIAL ROAD, ISABELA CITY, BASILAN PROVINCE . Completion of the work is required within 201 calendar days. Bidders have completed within ten (10) years from the date of submission and receipts of bids, a contract similar to the project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II, Instruction to Bidders.

2. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

3. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from The Provincial Government of Basilan and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00am to 5pm.

4. A complete Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fees for the Bidding Documents in the amount of TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P2 5,000.00) each and ONE THOUSAND PESOS (P1,000.00) for Letter of Intent.

5. 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 that the submission of their bids.

Applicant shall present the jurisdictional, qualification and documentary requirements in a hearing to be conducted on 11 May 2017, Thursday at 11:00 o’clock in the morning at the MARINA, Regional Office, PPL/Lt Mario B. Portus, Jr. PPA Compound, Surigao City.

6. The Provincial Government of Basilan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 9:00 am, May 17, 2017 at BAC Office, Provincial Capitol, Isabela City, Basilan Province, which shall be open to all interested parties.

The Applicant shall be required to make a written Formal Offer of Exhibits (FOE) within five (5) days after the initial hearing.

8. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

WITNESS, the Honorable MARINA Administrator, Marcial Quirico C. Amaro III, PhD, this 4th day of May 2017, Surigao City, Philippines.

By Authority of the Administrator: (Pursuant to AO No.11-24-2014)

ATTY. NATHAN J. MARASIGAN Chief of Staff Office of the Chairman and CEO 1

CONSTRUCTION OF KALUMSING BRIDGE PHASE III Kalumsing, San Emilio, Ilocos Sur Construction works 285 C.D. P 16,500,000.00 RA7171 AO NO. 2016-02 Section 2 Exp. 36

In The Name Of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF BASILAN

RE: Application for the Amendment of Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) application to operate the vessel MV “SWM STELLA DEL MAR”, a liner Passenger vessel in the operation of its ship/s in its/their applied route for the carriage of passengers and cargoes and to charge deregulated rates and to operate under a deregulated schedule of trips pursuant to Republic Act No. 9295 and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations.

Ports Surigao City Base Port Liloan, Southern Leyte Surigao City Base Port Liloan, Southern Leyte

: : : : : :

Prospective bidders should possess a valid PCAB License applicable to the contract, have completed a similar contract with a value of at least 50% of the ABC, and have key personnel and equipment (listed in the Eligibility Forms) available for the prosecution of the contract. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the Eligibility Check/Screening as well as the Preliminary Examination of Bids. The BAC will conduct post-qualification of the lowest calculated bid.

ALLEGATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY 17.

the Philippines in general and Mindanao in particular, the group added.

“There is an urgency to approach local development planning at three fronts: climate and disaster risk preparedness, environmental stability, and economic growth, in the light of the changing and worsening climatic conditions, which are important ingredients in ‘building resilience’ and thus saving lives,” Gaerlan said.

CCC is aggressively promoting risk- and science-based approach, convergence and integration of various government efforts towards development of climate-adjusted national and local development plans.

On the other hand, Alonto said Mindanao as a food basket is threatened by the impact of climate change, as recent heavy flooding in several areas in Mindanao has claimed lives and properties “and has become a serious concern to everyone.”

The Local Government Unit of San Emilioassumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of their bids.

(SGD) GIL S. BELTRAN Undersecretary and BAC Chairman

(MS-MAY 11, 2017)

tiative titled “Climate Resilience and Green Growth in Mindanao: Road Map to Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Development.”

In a joint statement read by CCC Commissioner Noel Gaerlan, together with Dr. Ancha Srinivasan, ADB Principal Climate Change specialist, and representatives of Secretary Abul Khayr Dangcal Alonto of MinDA and Dr. Gil C. Saguiguit Jr., Searca director, they have committed to “pursue holistic and integrated climate resilience and a green growth road map.”

This road map is based on principles of ecosystems-based development planning, environmental protection, utilization of green and low emission technology, adaptive infrastructure development, consideration for women, children and indigenous peoples and other marginalized communities, they said.

It also aims to create livelihood options and green jobs to uplift the lives of people in

(MS=MAY 11, 2017)

EMMANUEL B. CARPIO Regional Director

7. Bids must be delivered on Bid Opening to the address below on or before 9:00 am, May 29, 2017 at BAC Office, Provincial Capitol, Isabela City, Basilan Province. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

9. The Provincial Government of Basilan 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.

10. For further information, please refer to: The BAC CHAIRPERSON LGU- BASILAN Bids and Award Committee C/O BAC Secretariat Ground Floor, Provincial Capitol Building, Isabela City, Basilan Province, 7300 Fax No.: 062 200 3416 & 062 200 3417 (SGD) INTAN GORDANA A. ABUBAKAR Chairperson, Bids and Award Committee (MS-MAY 11, 2017)

CYAN CYAN MAGENTA MAGENTAYELLOW YELLOW BLACK BLACK

World

THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017

C3

Trump sacks FBI director Comey W ASHINGTON― President Donald Trump on Tuesday fired FBI director James Comey, ousting the man heading a wide-ranging investigation into whether his aides colluded with Russia to sway last year’s US election.

In a shock move that drew comparisons to the Watergate scandal that brought down Richard Nixon, Trump told Comey the FBI needed new leadership and he was being “terminated” with immediate effect.

Under Comey’s leadership, the FBI concluded that President Vladimir Putin approved a multi-faceted campaign to tilt the vote in Trump’s favor.

His snap dismissal, ostensibly for mishandling a probe into Hillary Clinton’s emails, sparked rare criticism from Republicans and allegations of a cover-up from seething Democrats who demanded an independent inquiry.

The high-stakes gambit also prompted comparisons to the ill-fated firings that sped the collapse of Nixon’s presidency.

Trump’s decision to fire the FBI director is virtually unprecedented, only one director has previously been fired in the bureau’s century-long history.

In a letter circulated by the White

House, Trump told Comey: “You are hereby terminated and removed from office, effective immediately.”

“It is essential that we find new leadership for the FBI that restores public trust and confidence in its vital law enforcement mission.”

Trump also used the letter to try to distance himself from the ever-deepening scandal over Russia’s involvement in the election.

“I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation,” Trump wrote.

The White House said the search for a new FBI director was to begin right away.

FBI directors are appointed for a single 10-year term. The 56-year-old Comey, who is popular among rank-and-file

agents, was appointed four years ago.

The top Democrat in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, said Trump had made a “big mistake.”

“This does not seem a coincidence,” he said.

Unless the administration appoints an independent special prosecutor to probe the Russian meddling, Schumer added, “every American will rightly suspect that the decision to fire director Comey was part of a cover-up”.

Trump fired back on Twitter: “Cryin’ Chuck Schumer stated recently, ‘I do not have confidence in him (James Comey) any longer.’ Then acts so indignant. #draintheswamp”.

Republicans, many of whom have fallen into line behind Trump after initial reluctance, also sought to distance themselves from the president.

Manila

Republic of the Philippines Standard ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION TODAY San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF THE EMERGENCY REPLACEMENT OF ONE (1) 83MVA POWER TRANSFORMER AT BALINTAWAK SUBSTATION,

Power Transformer Bank No. 6 may not be fully maximized for the benefit of customers. The new power transformer with OLTC will be subsequently installed given the limitations of the currently installed power transformer with NLTC. This will ensure the reliability and quality of electric service to customers in the affected areas.

17. Shown below are the projected loadings of the affected power transformers with and without the replacement of the defective Balintawak Power Transformer Bank No. 6.

ERC CASE NO. 2016-166 RC

MANILA ELECTRIC COMPANY (MERALCO), Applicant. x--------- --- --- --------x NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES:

Notice is hereby given that on 01 September 2016, Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) filed an Application seeking the Commission’s approval of its plan to replace one of its 83 MVA power transformer in MERALCO’s Balintawak Substation.

Table 1: Without Project Parameter Under Consideration Loading of Balintawak 83-MVA Bank No. 5

78%

Loading of Grace Park 83-MVA Bank No. 1

72%

Loading of Kaybiga 83-MVA Bank No. 2

60%

System Loss

1. Applicant is a private corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, with principal office located at Lopez Building, Ortigas Avenue, Barangay Ugong, Pasig City. It may be served with notices and other processes of this Honorable Commission through its undersigned counsel at the address indicated herein.

Retrospective charts 50 years of Pink Floyd LONDON―From guitars to sketches for iconic album artwork, an immersive Pink Floyd retrospective at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum traces the half-century career of the famous British band.

Featuring around 350 objects including instruments, musical scores and album covers, the show is the “biggest exhibition ever” about the group, curator Victoria Broackes told AFP. The “Pink Floyd, Their Mortal Remains” retrospective, running from May 13 to October 1, has been timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the band’s album: “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn”.

It was 1967 and the world was awakening to the progressive rock created by the foursome: Roger Waters, Richard Wright, Nick Mason and Syd Barrett, who was replaced in 1968 by David Gilmour.

The band’s early days form the first part of the exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum, taking in the scene of the British capital in the sixties.

On the wall of a room illuminated by psychedelic colors and patterns, visitors can see a poster advertising a Pink Floyd gig at the UFO club, a short-lived underground music venue.

“We were living the hippy life, experimenting with LSD, we were smoking cannabis, reading Kerouac,” said Aubrey “Po” Powell, the band’s creative director who helped visualize the exhibition.

“They were playing whatever, call it an amateurish way, but in a very English way, a very eccentric way... they were the darlings of the London underground scene,” Powell told AFP, recalling Pink Floyd playing at the UFO club.

“I never envisioned for one minute that 50 years later, we’d

be having an exhibition here.”

The early years were also marked by the erratic behavior of Barrett, with his sensitive personality, fragile health and drugtaking, which combined did not respond well to Pink Floyd’s growing popularity.

Included in the exhibition is a 1967 letter from the BBC, demanding the band explain his “unexplained” disappearance while recording a program.

Thought up as an “immersive” and “multi-sensorial” experience, the exhibition allows visitors to don headphones with music and audio which changes as they walk through different rooms.

Passing through a room dedicated to the 1975 album “Wish you were here”, the headphones switch between interviews by Waters and Gilmour explaining how they came up with the song of the same name.

The track is one of the group’s most celebrated and was written as a tribute to their former bandmate Barrett. “[It’s a] very simple sort of country song. Still, because of its resonance and the emotional weight it carries, it’s one of our best songs,” said Gilmour.

A centerpiece of the exhibition is a huge installation dedicated to Pink Floyd’s 1979 album “The Wall”, over which hangs the terrifying schoolmaster who terrorized children in the band’s celebrated rock opera.

The exhibition concludes in a vast room dedicated to the band’s last concerts as a full line-up, in 2005, with 25 speakers giving visitors the feeling they are at the heart of the show.

The Pink Floyd exhibition follows the Victoria and Albert Museum’s hugely successful 2013 show dedicated to David Bowie, which embarked on a global tour and has been see by 1.8 million people. AFP

Parameter Under Consideration Loading of Balintawak 83-MVA Bank No. 6

46%

2. Applicant has a legislative franchise to construct, operate and maintain an electric power distribution system for the conveyance of electric power to the end-users in the cities and municipalities of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite and Rizal, and certain cities/municipalities/barangays in Batangas, Laguna, Quezon and Pampanga, pursuant to Republic Act No. 9209.

Loading of Balintawak 83-MVA Bank No. 5

53%

Loading of Grace Park 83-MVA Bank No. 1

59%

Loading of Kaybiga 83-MVA Bank No. 2

52%

3. Applicant seeks the Honorable Commission’s approval of its emergency CAPEX project for the replacement of the defective Balintawak Power Transformer Bank No. 6.

System Loss

4. The two main project components of the emergency project are: (a) temporary installation of an 83-MVA, 115 kV–34.5 kV, three (3)-phase power transformer with NLTC; and (b) permanent installation of a new 83MVA, 115 kV–34.5 kV, three (3)-phase power transformer with OLTC.

was awarded the Best actress prize for the film “Le saut dans le vide” directed by Marco Bellochio, during the closing ceremony of the 33rd Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southeastern France. AFP

5,398,578 kWh Table 2: With Project

MERALCO, likewise, alleged the following in its Application:

POSE. French actress Anouk Aimee poses with her trophy after she

“I am troubled by the timing and reasoning of Director Comey’s termination,” said Senator Richard Burr.

Congressman Justin Amash, a fellow Republican, described parts of Trump’s letter to Comey as “bizarre” and announced “my staff and I are reviewing legislation to establish an independent commission on Russia”.

Comey played an outsized -- and controversial -- role on the American political stage over the past year, lobbing one bombshell after another that rankled both parties in Washington.

The stated reason for his dismissal -- according to a memo from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein -was for mishandling the probe into Clinton’s emails, which the Democrat blames for trashing her chances of becoming president. AFP

5. The Application is filed pursuant to the Honorable Commission’s Resolution No. 26, Series of 2009, entitled: “Resolution Amending the Rules for Approval of Regulated Entities’ Capital Expenditure Projects”.

Emergency Capital Expenditure projects are those that require immediate implementation during an event that is not a force majeure or fortuitous event in order to maintain safe, reliable, secure and efficient operation of the power system.

6. However, for purposes of recovering the capital cost of the emergency project through the DU’s rates, the same will go through the process of evaluation by the Honorable Commission during the regulatory reset of the DU, unless there is basis for a rate-reopening in the current regulatory period, in accordance with the Rules for the Setting of Distribution Wheeling Rates (RDWR) for DUs.

18. In view of the foregoing, there is a need to implement the emergency project for replacement of 83-MVA Power Transformer in Balintawak substation.

19. The cost for the temporary installation of power transformer with NLTC is Php 1,045,219.20. The same includes the installation of the available 83-MVA, 115 kV – 34.5 kV, three-phase power transformer with NLTC and costs for transformer oil and trucking services. While the cost for permanent installation of power transformer is Php 55,796,508.15. This includes the cost of new 83-MVA, 115 kV – 34.5 kV, three-phase power transformer with OLTC and costs for transformer oil, taxes, duties, brokerage, trucking services and installation.

20. Thus, the total cost for the emergency replacement of power transformer in Balintawak Substation is Fifty Six Million Eight Hundred Forty One Thousand Seven Hundred Twenty Seven Pesos and Thirty Five Centavos (PhP56,841,727.35).

21. In further support of the Application, attached hereto are the following documents:

BACKGROUND

• Annex “A” – Emergency CAPEX Project Information Summary with supporting documents: (i) Technical and Economic Analysis, (ii) Cost Estimates; (c) Expenditure Summary; (iii) Cost Benefit Analysis Calculation; and (iv) Gantt Chart;

7. The Balintawak Substation is located at Lot 1, EDSA, Brgy. Apolonio Samson, Balintawak District, Quezon City. The Power Transformer Banks in said substation are Power Transformer Banks Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 7,which have a rating of 230kV-115kV, and Power Transformer Bank Nos. 4, 5 and 6, which have a 115kV-34.5kV rating. However, Power Transformer Bank Nos. 4, 5 and 6 are only drawing power from Bank Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 7.

• Annex “B” – Documents showing the results of tests conducted on Power Transformer Bank No. 6; and • Annex “C” – Judicial Affidavit of Engr. Mario delos Reyes, Manager and Head of Applicant’s Substation Services Asset Management Office.

8. On 20 June 2016, Balintawak Power Transformer Bank No. 6 was tripped out by transformer differential relay through its lockout relay due to exploded secondary bushing (X3).

9. On 21 June 2016, the power transformer was immediately subjected to initial test after replacing H1, H2, H3 and X3 bushings, secondary lightning arresters and insulators from both the transformer and 34.5kV switchgear which were damaged due to electric arc and shrapnel during explosion. The test results showed critical low insulation level between Primary Winding to Ground and between Secondary Winding to Ground.

As a remedial measure, the power transformer was subjected to hot-oil circulation from June 22 to June 26, 2016 so as to improve its performance and condition.

10. On 27 June 2016, final confirmatory electrical test was conducted.

Based from the results of the tests, the power transformer was no longer safe to be energized and was declared for replacement due to the following significant findings: (a) High % Insulation Power Factor (IPF) on H-G and X-G windings; (b) Increased in dielectric watts loss of H-G and X-G winding insulations; (c) Low insulation resistance on H-G and X-G windings; (d) Low insulation resistance between core and ground; and (e) Increased in primary excitation current in all phases as compared to the previous test results.

11. Accordingly, from 20 June to 28 June 2016, the loads of Balintawak Transformer Bank No. 6 had to be transferred to adjacent power transformers with 115kV-34.5kV rating namely, Balintawak 83-MVA Bank No. 5, Sta. Mesa 83-MVA Bank Nos. 5 and 7, Bagbaguin 83-MVA Bank No. 1, Diliman 83-MVA Bank No. 3, Kamuning 83-MVA Bank No. 2, Grace Park 83-MVA Bank No. 1 and Kaybiga 83-MVA Bank No. 2.

12. However, when Banawe Substation was commissioned on 29 June 2016, Banawe power transformer bank was able to permanently accommodate at normal load level the portion of loads of Balintawak Transformer Bank No. 6 that were previously transferred to Sta. Mesa 83MVA Bank Nos. 5 and 7, Bagbaguin 83-MVA Bank No. 1, Diliman 83-MVA Bank No. 3, Kamuning 83-MVA Bank No. 2.

13. Nonetheless, there was still a need to temporarily shift the other remaining portion of loads of the Balintawak Power Transformer Bank No. 6 to adjacent power transformers particularly, Balintawak 83-MVA Bank No. 5, Grace Park 83-MVA Bank No. 1 and Kaybiga 83-MVA Bank No. 2.

14. With such a set-up, Balintawak Bank No. 5 at and Grace Park 83-MVA Bank No. 1 were operating at critical level at 78% and 72% respectively. With the critical loading of the said power transformers, any outage of these power transformers may result to prolonged and massive interruption in the affected areas. In particular, the same will adversely affect the supply of electricity to customers in said areas which include Universal Steel Smelting Corp., Inc., Trinoma North Triangle Depot Commercial Corp., Light Rail Rectifier Substations, Maynilad and Manila Central University Hospital.

15. Considering the adverse effect of shifting the loads of said failed power transformer to the adjacent power transformers, a stop gap measure had to be undertaken. Hence, Applicant was constrained to use an available 83-MVA Power Transformer with No-Load Tap Changer (NLTC) to temporarily replace the defective transformer, pending the acquisition of a new power transformer with OLTC from abroad. The temporary replacement power transformer was energized on 10 July 2016.

16. However, there is a need to replace the power transformer with NLTC with a new power transformer with OLTC considering that the same is incapable of providing flexibility for tying and carrying the feeder loads served by the adjacent power transformers. Hence, voltage regulation problems may be experienced by customers and the load capacity of

4,989,142 kWh

PRAYER WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed to this Honorable Commission that the Applicant’s emergency replacement of power transformer at the Balintawak Substation be APPROVED. Other relief just and equitable under the premises are likewise prayed for.

The Commission has set the said Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, Pre-trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on 24 May 2017 at one o’clock in the afternoon (1:00 P.M.), at the ERC Hearing Room, 15th Floor, Pacific Center, San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City.

All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the instant case may become a party by filing with the Commission a verified Petition to Intervene at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure, indicating therein the docket number and title of the case and stating the following: i.

The petitioner’s name and address;

ii. The nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and iii. A statement of the relief desired.

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the case may file their Opposition or Comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before Applicants rest their case, subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter or writing should contain the following: 1) The name and address of such person; 2) A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and 3) The grounds relied upon.

All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from Applicants that they be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing. Applicants are hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours.

WITNESS, the Honorable Chairman JOSE VICENTE B. SALAZAR,and the Honorable Commissioners ALFREDO J. NON, GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAP-TARUC, JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALEASIRIT,and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA,Energy Regulatory Commission,this 6thday of March 2017 at Pasig City.

ATTY. NATHAN J. MARASIGAN Chief of Staff Office of the Chairman and CEO (MS-APR 27/MAY 4, 2017)

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

C4

THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017

World

Moon Jae-In willing to go to North Korea S EOUL―South Korea’s new president was sworn in on Wednesday, just a day after a landslide election victory, and immediately declared his willingness to visit Pyongyang amid high tensions with the nuclear-armed North.

Left-leaning Moon Jae-In, a former human rights lawyer, backs engagement with North Korea in the quest for peace-in contrast to the threatening rhetoric from the Trump administration in recent weeks.

“If needed I will fly to Washington immediately,” Moon said in an inauguration speech after taking the oath of office in front of lawmakers at Seoul’s National Assembly building.

“I will also go to Beijing and Tokyo and even Pyongyang in the right circumstances.”

Moon will have a difficult diplomatic path to tread in his approach to the North, which dreams of a missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the continental United States, and has vast artillery forces trained on Seoul.

At the same time the South is embroiled in disputes with China over a US missile defense system, and former colonial occupier Japan over wartime history.

China lawyer’s wife seeks asylum in US

He named former journalist Lee Nak-Yon, a four-term lawmaker, as prime minister― a largely coordinating role and appointed a new head of the National Intelligence Service, Suh Hoon, who played a key role in preparing the past two inter-Korea summits of 2000 and 2007.

Domestically, Moon begins his term facing multiple challenges, including the aftermath of the huge corruption scandal that saw his conservative predecessor Park Geun-Hye impeached and swept him to power, but leaves the country bitterly divided.

Ahead of the swearing-in, Moon met leading lawmakers of Park’s Liberty Korea party―which has repeatedly accused him of being a Pyongyang sympathizer―to “beg” for their cooperation.

“I will be a president to all people,” he said in his speech, promising to “serve even those who did not support me” and remain

“at eye-level with the people”.

After the low-key ceremony he was driven through the streets of the capital to the Blue House, standing in the back of his limousine and waving to supporters.

Moon took 41.1 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s election, far ahead of Hong Joon-Pyo of Park’s Liberty Korea party, on 24.0 percent, and centrist Ahn Cheol-Soo on 21.4 percent.

The 64-year-old is bespectacled, reserved and mild-mannered, although some critics describe him as bland, indecisive and uninspiring.

“I liked the no-frills inauguration event and his down-to-earth style,” said Lee Jeong-Mi, a Seoul office worker who watched him pass by. “He really looks like a true people’s president.”

Since the beginning of last year the North― which says it needs atomic weapons to defend itself against invasion―has mounted two nuclear tests and a series of missile launches.

In recent months the Trump administration has suggested a military option is on the table, escalating fears of conflict -- although the US president changed tone last week, saying he would be “honored” to meet the North’s young ruler, Kim Jong-Un. AFP

BEIJING―Chen Guiqiu fled China on foot with her two daughters, only to end up in a Thai prison until US officials helped them sneak out dramatically through a back door.

Now Chen is safe in Texas with her daughters, hoping to obtain US asylum after her extraordinary caper across the world.

But her husband, prominent human rights lawyer Xie Yang, is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to inciting subversion during a one-day trial in central China this week.

While US President Donald Trump has been accused of glossing over human rights abuses in certain countries, Chen’s account shows US officials went to great lengths to help her escape China’s clutches.

Chen had been a vocal defender of her husband, whose case drew international concern after he accused the police of torturing him.

She said that because of her activism authorities interrogated her repeatedly, harassed her family members and threatened to evict her and get her fired from her job as professor of environmental engineering at Hunan University.

She and her daughters, who are aged four and 15, first tried to take a train to Hong Kong from southern Guangdong province earlier this year.

“That’s when I realized we were on a travel blacklist. At the train station, they prevented us from boarding then separated me from my older daughter and detained her somewhere I couldn’t see. My heart hurt, not knowing what she was feeling,” Chen told AFP. They left their home in central China again in mid-February with only bare essentials in their back-

packs.

They spent four days walking long distances to evade border guards.

On their way to Thailand, supporters escorted them on different legs of the journey, traveling by foot and car, until they arrived in a safe house in Bangkok.

But Thai officials took them to an immigration court, which ordered them to leave the country.

Chen was not worried because they had permits to travel to the US. But while they were in the immigration detention center, Chinese agents showed up to take them away, Chen said.

“I was in shock and my daughters were terrified. Inside the immigration prison, my phone was taken away and I was not expecting any rescue... I really can’t thank the Americans enough,” she said.

The US diplomats convinced Thai officials to let the family leave the facility.

But the Chinese agents pursued them to the Bangkok airport, where the three countries’ representatives engaged in a noisy argument.

The incident happened on March 3―weeks before Trump met Xi at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where their conversations seemingly had little to do with human rights.

Chen said she couldn’t say what happened after the airport standoff, because of “diplomatic sensitivities”, but confirmed they arrived safely in Texas on March 17.

Now, Chen and her older daughter have started the process to seek asylum in America.

“We have a lawyer. ... We met with staff from the Trump administration, who were very supportive,” Chen said. AFP

Indonesia’s blasphemy law in spotlight JAKARTA―Indonesia is facing renewed calls to repeal its controversial blasphemy law after the jailing of Jakarta’s Christian governor, with critics pointing to a sharp increase in its use to target minorities.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama―known by his nickname Ahok―was jailed for two years Tuesday for blasphemy over comments he made about Islam while campaigning for re-election to the capital of the Muslim-majority nation, a far harsher sentence than had been expected.

Critics viewed the case as unfair and politically motivated. The allegations were pushed by hardliners who opposed a non-Muslim as governor, and sparked a series of mass protests that dented Purnama’s popularity and contributed to him losing the race for the Jakarta governorship to a Muslim rival last month.

The allegations against Purnama centered on a lighthearted remark he made about his rivals using a Koranic verse to trick people into voting against him, which judges ruled amounted to blasphemy against Islam.

The blasphemy legislation has been on the statute books since 1965 but was rarely used before 1998, when three decades of authoritarian rule under brutal dictator Suharto― who sought to run the country along largely secular lines―came to an end.

His downfall brought with it new democratic freedoms and increased interest in more conservative forms of Islam. But it also gave space for the growth of hard-line Muslim groups and an increase in attacks on religious minorities, fueling concerns that the country’s inclusive brand of Islam was under threat.

Activists say the growing use of the blasphemy law curbs free speech and is one example of minorities coming under increased pressure. Local rights group the Setara Institute said of the 97 blasphemy cases brought to court since the law was enacted, 89 of them were since 1998. AFP

POSE. This file photo taken on May 24, 2013, shows Spanish actress Victoria Abril posing after arriving for “A Tribute to Philippe Rousselot” at the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes. AFP

Brazil’s Lula faces corruption court

LA’S BID. More than a dozen landmark buildings and tourist sites that include Los Angeles City Hall and the fountain in Grand Park are illuminated in the colors of Los Angeles sunsets and the LA2024 logo to support the bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games as the International Olympic Committee’s Evaluation Commission arrived for three days of meetings and a tour of potential venues on May 9, 2017, in Hollywood, California. AFP

CURITIBA, Brazil―Brazil’s former leftist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, backed by hundreds of red-shirted supporters, was due in court Wednesday for a corruption trial that could end his storied career.

Lula, 71, is accused of receiving a seaside apartment as a bribe in a much wider corruption scheme investigated by the so-called “Car Wash” probe upending Brazilian politics.

He says the charges are trumped up to stop him seeking reelection in 2018. His passionate supporters gathering in the southern city of Curitiba agree.

Wearing the Workers’ Party red color and waving red flags, hundreds of people came in on scores of buses from around the country to back Lula ahead of his hearing with senior “Car Wash” Judge Sergio Moro.

“Lula is a victim of a deeply erroneous judicial procedure,” said Ralph Moreira, 60, a lawyer who joined a pro-Lula protest camp set up in Curitiba. “We came

to back up the rural workers who are strengthening the fight for democracy.”

There were high-profile allies of the beleaguered former president too. Workers’ Party Senator Humberto Costa flew in Tuesday and Lula’s successor in the presidency, Dilma Rousseff, was due in on Wednesday, a spokesman said.

Lula, 71, became an icon of Latin America’s left during a 2003-2010 presidency that saw Brazil enjoy a commodities-fueled boom and tens of millions of people lifted out of severe poverty.

But now facing a total of five corruption trials, he is fighting for his future.

The fiery, bearded orator who rose from great hardship to found the Workers’ Party and lead Brazil, is already one of the most famous people in the country.

Moro, a quiet, intense 44-year-old legal high-flier, is rapidly catching up. As the face of the “Car Wash” probe that has gripped Brazil for more than two years, Moro is a hero to many.

Now, Moro is weighing allegations

that Lula accepted a luxury seaside apartment near Sao Paulo as a bribe from the OAS construction company.

The apartment and other alleged benefits from OAS are said to have been typical of a vast network of bribery uncovered by “Car Wash,” with major companies paying politicians to obtain influence with lawmakers and secure big deals with the Petrobras state oil company.

Already, senators, former ministers and the once seemingly untouchable speaker of the lower house of Congress, Eduardo Cunha, have been arrested or convicted, while scores more high-flying politicians face probes.

If Lula is found guilty when Moro hands down his verdict in an estimated 45 to 60 days, and then loses an appeal, he’d be barred from running for office again and face prison.

David Fleischer, professor emeritus at the University of Brasilia, said Moro has shown he is not afraid to prosecute the powerful. AFP

JOURNEY from 7 km to finish line

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

HEALTH & WELLNESS

THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017

D1

E

FREN GONZALES almost lost the ability to walk as a kid as he was afflicted with a rare form of bone tuberculosis. A decade or so later, however, the teen from Cabangan town in Zambales is training to compete as a national athlete.

At 19, Efren has competed at the Palarong Pambansa, the country’s oldest collegiate league. Years ago, he represented Region 3 in the three-kilometer steeplechase event. This time, he is again busy preparing to compete in another sports category: track and field.

The turnaround is the stuff we see in telenovelas, and indeed, in 2016, a longrunning drama program on Philippine TV took notice and featured Efren’s inspiring story. “My life story is really dramatic, what can I say?” says the plucky athlete in the vernacular.

The long walk

To get to where he is, Efren had a long journey— l it e r al ly.

The youngest in a brood of six, he remembers scorching days perched on top of his father’s shoulder while physicalEfren Gonzales chases his dreams with the help of luck and hard work

ly transported to school. Thanks to his parents’ unflinching support, he says, dealing with his crippling condition became a little bearable.

Things began to look up when a social worker from World Vision referred the family to a bone specialist. World Vision had helped support Efren’s schooling since he was in grade one. Then commenced a long, often difficult process of medication and therapy, an ordeal that eventually gave way to reprieve as he slowly regained strength in his legs.

This newfound strength and youthful audacity gave the then grade 5 student the confidence to pursue his interest in running, making up for the lost time when his legs failed him. His parents did not approve, as the memory of their child’s frailty was still fresh in their minds.

“But I became a very active child, and I persisted,” Efren says.

It was also then when he realized that compet-

Young athlete Efren Gonzales was one of the beneficiaries of ING Bank’s ING Orange Bike Project in 2013, which helped him finish high school and go to college

itive running, aside from giving him an adrenaline high, could also be a ticket to a brighter future.

Biking to his dream

On his last year at junior high at Cabangan National High School in Zambales, Efren gained a different sense of mobility. In 2013, he became one of the 509 students from Zambales and 5,000 from all around Asia to become beneficiaries of the ING Orange Bike Project piloted in the Philippines.

Spearheaded by ING Bank, the Asiawide initiative targets boosting the performance of school children in remote areas by helping them get to school in a safer and more enjoyable way.

For Efren, the seven kilometers between his house and school was a course he dreaded daily. “It takes me an hour to walk,” he says. “I could also take the tricycle, but it costs P10 per trip and there are days, up to twice or thrice a week, when I simply couldn’t go to school because I had no fare money.”

The bike thus propelled him towards his dream: to finish high school and go to col-

Be sexy at any age YOUR body, lifestyle, and priorities change as you age, so it’s important to find a diet that works for you at the stage of life you’re in.

Enter fitness inspiration and consultant to the stars, Nadine Tengco, who has set out to share the lessons she has learned through decades of sculpting celebrities’ bodies to help you sizzle at any age, too.

Out now from Summit Books is Sexy at Any Age by Nadine Tengco where the diet and fitness guru reveals secrets to looking good, feeling great, and loving your body through the different stages of your life: “Beast Mode” (25-35 years old), “Mother Mode” (36-45 years old), and “Queen Mode” (46 years old and above).

Now 50 years old, Nadine has experienced all three stages and has emerged in her best form yet. She says, “I look and feel a billion times better than I did when I was 25.I am

twice as strong and twice as healthy at twice the age!”

No wonder one of Nadine’s celebrity clients, Anne Curtis-Smith, calls the diet guru her “super mama.”

“She taught me that dieting doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself,” she says in the foreword she wrote for the book.

In the book, Nadine delves into what is “sexy” by looking at social standards of attractiveness through the years and encouraging readers to define “their own standards for sexiness.” She identifies the usual culprits that make us fat, stress being the greatest of them.

Besides sharing recipes perfect for a person’s needs through different life stages, Nadine recounts the inspiring fitness journeys of clients of varying ages: Anne Curtis-Smith and Jessy

Mendiola for the “Beast Mode” years, Georcelle Dapat-Sy for the “Mother Mode” years, and Myrza Sison and Agot Isidro for the “Queen Mode” years.

She also offers as examples real people who have achieved their peak states owing to their exceptional psychology, practices, and routines. Finally, Nadine leaves the reader with quick weight loss solutions for when milestone events such as weddings and celebrations are coming up.

Sexy at Any Age by Nadine Tengco, co-presented by Century Tuna, is out now in bookstores, newsstands, convenience stores, and supermarkets nationwide for P295.

For updates and more information, like Summit Books on Facebook via Facebook.com/SummitBooks and follow on Instagram via @summit.books.

Georcelle Dapat-Sy for Mother Mode years

Jessy Mendiola for Beast Mode years

Agot Isidro for Queen Mode years

US-certified nutritionist Nadine Tengco shares in her book the secrets of being sexy at any age

lege, Efren says. The ING Orange Bike also enabled him to improve his performance in class. He even finished junior high with academic distinction, in addition to winning in various regional athletic meets.

One rationale behind the Orange Bike project is to mitigate the effects of the long journey to school on a child’s attendance and academic performance, says Teresa Cuzamo, a volunteer from World Vision, one of ING Bank’s partners in the project.

The Zambales project was monitored for three years and, as of the first semester of Continued on D2

Life

D2

THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

The Duke of Edinburgh Award transforms Philippine lives

A

MUCH-desired prestigious international distinction among the youth established in 1956 by Prince Philip of Great Britain now under the wings of his son, Prince Edward, has finally reached the Philippines.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is open to youths 15 to 18. The recognition may be achieved upon the completion of a series of self-development exercises with a focus to serve the community. The levels range from bronze and silver, to gold, with each category possessing its own stringent set of requirements. The highest tier may be accomplished at your own pace, but before the aspirant turns 25 years old.

It was initially administered by John Hunt, leader of the first successful Mount Everest climb in 1953 that led to the conquest of Sir Edmund Hillary and Nepalese mountaineer Tenzing Norgay of the fabled summit.

The citation is now administered by national organizations and independent operators accredited by the Duke of Edinburgh International Awards Foundation, a global network of support systems.

Since its inception, over 2.5 million recognitions have been granted in the UK alone, while yearly, approximately 600,000 individuals start on their quest. Today, it is handed out in 144 countries worldwide, and is now in the Philippines.

The first-ever Filipina Gold Awardee is Marian Patricia Bea Francisco, a young veteran of social work.

At present, three others have been bestowed Gold in the Philippines – Maria Elena Lozada, Raniel de los Reyes, and Emmanuel Jabrica.

Francisco, leadership program coordinator at School of Deaf and Applied Studies (SDEAS), De La Salle College of Saint Benilde (DSL-CSB), is the off icer-in-charge of the merit locally.

As an example, Francisco and other volunteers went to far-f lung areas to conduct lectures and seminars on topics such as sign language and deaf awareness, while they advocate deaf identity and culture in provinces.

Francisco noted that aspiring participants have become more driven with their scholastic performance and interpersonal relationships.

She further shares the benefits she reaped. “I had opportunities to travel and meet fellows with similar goals,” she smiles.

She is optimistic that the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award may be introduced into centers of learning as an extra-curricular activity.

“It will hopefully instill the same self-growth and sense of leadership that these students have developed from this effort.” she ends.

Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex

Cross-cultural education

through international internship program SCG, a leading ASEAN conglomerate advocating for sustainability, is a company that’s committed to building its business in line with innovation, good corporate governance and sustainable development principles across the countries it operates in. It also believes in the capacity of every student as a catalyst for change in his country.

In the last three years, SCG has welcomed students from Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, and Vietnam and granted them the opportunity to have their own working experience and broaden their vision through different environments and cultures for an entire month. The program is open to students who are taking up courses in the engineering, sales and marketing, human resource, and legal fields.

With the goal of helping shape competent professionals who can adapt to the varying needs of an increasingly globalized job market, SCG designed a highly competitive internship program and opened the application to students in Southeast Asia. Accepted trainees are immersed in various working opportunities in Thailand for one month while letting them explore the best cultural experience around Bangkok.

This year, out of 112 Filipino applicants, Hannah Patricia Alboladora and Joseph Joshua Garcia were shortlisted and eventually chosen to take part in the immersive training program along with 37 other students from Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Alboladora and Garcia were both thrilled and excited as soon as they found out that they were accepted into the program.

Alboladora, a Business Administration student at the University of the Philippines Diliman, was assigned to be a market researcher and analyst at India’s paper packaging industry for a potential business expansion of Siam Kraft Industry Co., Ltd.. One of the responsibilities given to her was to create a project presentation for the planned expansion. She shared, “I was really surprised when my marketing supervisor asked me to join the expansion meeting and share the presentation I made. The experience taught me how to manage my time well and balance my responsibilities.”

Meanwhile, Garcia, a student of mechanical engineering at Bulacan State University, was assigned to SCG’s energy and maintenance engineering

10 students receive outstanding HR award THE HR Educators’ Association of the Philippines (HREAP) recently recognized the Ten Outstanding HR Students of the Philippines (TOHRS) for 2017 for their potential in the field of human resources.

The students were Hazel Joy D. Sabando (De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde), Rubeliz Marie B. Imaysay (Ateneo de Davao University), Johann Angelica S. Calimlim (University of Santo Tomas), Coleen Danielle C. Natividad (Southville International School and Colleges), Abegail A. Limbo and Luis Christian R. Rodriguez (Far Eastern University), Erwin E. Marasigan (Polytechnic University of the Philippines), Jean Mae G. Omero (South Philippine Adventist College), Tom Harvey S. Pamintuan (Holy Angel University), and Diane E. Ranoco (Bicol University).

In an interview with Sabando, a Human Resources junior, honor scholar, and presently the marketing and sponsorship head of the college’s HR Management Society, she said TOHRS “is like an embellishment to add more color to me. This award is like a sprinkle to a cupcake and the actual cupcake is how I manage myself being a student, scholar and student leader at the same time.”

The HREAP is a professional organization of human resource educators in the country, which aims to promote the development of human resource program in higher educational institutions in the Philippines. It aims to strengthen industry-academe partnership in developing curricular offerings of universities and colleges, gather and strengthen collaboration among human resource educators in the country, publish researches related to the human resources practices both in public and private organizations, and organize seminars, conferences, learning and development programs for educators, students and professionals.

This is the second year HREAP is handing out this recognition.

The achievers will be formally honored during the 7th Annual HR Students International Convention to be held in Baguio City sometime next month.

Hazel Joy Sabando of De La SalleCollege of Saint Benilde

The 2016 Southeast Asian trainees of the SCG International Internship Program got to visit various landmarks and sites during one of their tours in Bangkok, Thailand

department where he was tasked to develop and study systems and models to improve the plant’s overall energy efficiency, environmental awareness and operational maintenance systems.

He shared, “Being exposed to different challenges both socially and professionally, I am grateful to my superiors and the friends I’ve made for trusting my skills to take-down engineering tasks and assignments, and for welcoming my suggestions and initiatives. I learned that trust is a very important tool that encourages growth, innovation, and productivity.”

Part of the one-month training period was a tour of Bangkok and participation in SCG’s CSR initiatives such as a check dam building activity. The students visited notable places including the Grand Palace and the Amphawa Floating Market and also toured various SCG sites such as SCG Experience, SCG Stadium, and the like. By doing these tours, SCG is opening up students to the rich and vi-

The 2016 trainees also got to visit SCG Experience, a 6,200-sqm lifestyle center which exhibits products for all aspects of building construction

brant Thai culture and the different SCG efforts being done to promote renewable and sustainable living.

“Initially, the goal of the internship was to help students apply their knowledge and skills in practice, not only improving their understanding of the business, but also learning the concept of SCG’s core values, good corporate governance, and sustainable development. As SCG got deeper into building the program, there was a realization about the big potential of this experience becoming more valuable to students through a fun and educational learning approach of the SCG culture,” said SCG Philippines Country Director Phaskorn Buranawit.

After the internship program concluded, Alboladora and Garcia shared their learnings from the program.

“The most important learning that I can share about this internship is the long-lasting relationships I’ve been able

to form. Meeting people of different backgrounds and cultures and gaining a wider perspective about work and life in general gave me a sense of fulfilment because I was able to maximize this opportunity to learn things beyond the walls of our classrooms and the borders of the Philippines,” said Alboladora.

“The SCG international internship program really is a one of a kind experience that will not just challenge a student’s work-related capabilities, but also their people skills. It taught me how to adapt and be effective in different scenarios.

Moreover, it helped me better understand the ASEAN community and learn more about the culture of each country through my co-interns.” added Garcia.

SCG will soon start calling for internship applications for 2017.

For more details about the program and other SCG initiatives, visit www.facebook.com/SCGInternationalCareers.

They enjoyed a football match between SCG Muangthong United and Chiangrai United at SCG Stadium

Journey...

From D1 the third year, the student beneficiaries were able to improve their class attendance by 91 percent; of this group, 72 percent had improved their academic grades.

Chasing his dreams

Efren’s lucky streak continued when his high school trainer, impressed by his athletic ability, referred him to a coach at Arellano University in Manila, a member of National Collegiate Athletics Association.

“It sounds too good to be true, to be honest,” he says. “Imagine, free tuition and other benefits, which means I could go to college without burdening my parents.”

The training package came with a scholarship plus dormitory and meal allowance. His parents (his father is a farmer and his mother a barangay health worker in Zambales) eventually realized that it was Efren’s way of chasing his dreams.

“I told them, I want to finish school to repay them for all their hardships when I was growing up. They really did everything for me. Like I said, I owe them everything,” a grateful Efren says.

Whenever he takes stock of his life story, Efren says it was no longer the disease and the pain that he remembers. As a longdistance runner, he had always believed that life is not a sprint but a marathon, in which endurance is key.

And while he knew it was his dogged persistence that moved him closer to the finish line, Efren says it was the support he enjoyed from his family, as well as from institutions like ING Bank and World Vision, that propelled him towards fulfilling his dream.

THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017

A

CTOR Gerald Anderson provided celebrity power at Tri United Standard Exceed. He raced with fellow members of Team De Rosa. For somebody who stopped racing for a few years, he had a good performance, among the top 12 in the 25-29 age group.

“I did a triathlon once in 2013, but then I stopped. It feels good to be back. I like triathlon racing because when you race you always push yourself to the limit. Definitely, this will be the first of many,” said Anderson, who has since participated in a duathlon and is scheduled to join Subic Bay International Triathlon (SuBIT).

His current teleserye (soap opera) is also about triathletes.

Tri United Standard Exceed, the first of the ActiveHealth triathlon series organized by Bike King, sets the bar high anew in the local triathlon scene. The opening salvo of the Tri United series attracted an all-time high of 1,000 plus participants, a record for the series and for Subic, dubbed as the triathlon capital of the Philippines.

It was a back-to-back win for Mitch Robins, who also topped the race last year. “It is my third time participating in Tri United. I had such a nice swim, tough bike ride, and a nice run, too. The crowd support was amazing. I like to race here in the Philippines. I always have good memories of racing here,” said the Australian triathlete.

Robins was closely followed by second and third placers Nikko Huelgas and John Leerams Chicano, respectively. It was a good comeback for Huelgas in Tri United, because the last time he joined was about two years ago.

“The race was very well-organized. The weather was calm. The crowd really motivated us. This race gave me a really good opportunity to know my fitness level for upcoming big races.

I felt good, and I really had a good performance in this race,” said Huelgas, who is currently training in Gran Canaria, Spain.

“My goal is just to push myself to the limit.

Hopefully, I gain many lessons from the triathlon camp and apply them in upcoming big races with Asian champs on July 20 and SEA Games on Aug 23,” the champion triathlete added.

Tri United Standard Exceed also set a record in terms of number of teams that participated, 19 in total. Rider Omega Pro Tri Team topped the team competition followed by Sante Barley and Fitness First.

According to ActiveHealth’s Operating Vice President Antonio Mapa, “Tri United Standard

‘Legend Of The Blue Sea’ ‘Goblin’ premiere same day on ABS-CBN

GERALD

ANDERSON

adds celeb glamor to triathlon

Exceed is really a test for triathletes, and it is their way of preparing for other events in the calendar whether here or abroad.”

The 1.5km swim-40 km bike-10km run, according to race organizer Bike King, is a course perfect for beginners who want to give tri a chance, age-groupers raring to chalk up another PR (personal record) and veterans who want to make a comeback.

ActiveHealth’s races this year included Run United Exceed 2017 on April 2 in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), and Tri United Long Distance Exceed on July 2 in Subic. Triathletes are encouraged to register early for the ActiveHealth’s second triathlon to avail of slots.

Online registration can be done through www. bikekingphilippines.com.

Starting this year, ActiveHealth will have fewer events than in the previous years.

According to Mapa, “We decided that we would focus on fewer events and make sure

that those events will really allow us to give our target consumers a chance to exceed their performance, because that’s really what our brand is about. That is also our promise to people, for them to exceed themselves.”

They will also partner with at least a dozen other races this year which will be “Powered

by ActiveHealth”, many of which will be held in the provinces. “We are geared towards supporting the active community and reaching out to other sports aside from running and triathlon,” cited Mapa.

Tri United Standard Exceed is brought to us by Enervon HP, Carb Gel, Enervon Activ, Standard Insurance, Orbea, Weather Philippines, PACE, Nuun, and Official Time Keeper TAG Heuer.

For more information and registration details of upcoming events, visit ActiveHealth’s social media pages and website:https://www. activehealth.ph/events/.

Cover girl Maine Mendoza AS THE top women’s magazine in the Philippines celebrates two decades of fun, fearless female empowerment, Cosmopolitan Philippines treats its loyal readers to a special anniversary issue with none other than the phenomenal star Maine Mendoza on the cover.

“As we celebrate Cosmopolitan Philippines’ 20th birthday this month, we also celebrate your twenties as your defining decade,” says Cosmo’s Editorin-Chief, Marla Miniano. “That’s what this issue all about—a reminder that Cosmo Girls never stop trying and learning and growing.”

The 20th anniversary issue features 20 big stories, diving into everything from fashion resolutions and crazy, colorful beauty looks, to taking on a 20day workout challenge and exploring the most Instagrammable hotels and resorts in the country, to being the best bae ever and unlocking the secrets all girl bosses know by heart. Cosmo also goes back to 1997—the birth year of Cosmopolitan Philippines—through its grunge-style fashion editorial modeled by a reallife barkada, then returns to the present by

Phenomenal star Maine Mendoza as a fun and fearless cover girl of Cosmopolitan Philippines

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Thursday, May 11, 2017

ACROSS 1 Hooded reptiles 5 Medieval holding 9 “Et tu” time 13 Flash flood 15 Archaeologist’s find 16 Mr. Lugosi 17 Wash very hard 18 Roquefort hue 19 Long-haul rig 20 Kilt-wearer’s no 21 Bunyan’s ox 23 Like a wedding cake 25 Bona — 26 Endorser 27 In sync 30 Flight dir.

31 Cheech’s partner 32 Fetch 37 Gridiron’s — Flutie 38 Trudges along 40 Spiky flower 41 Enough! (3 wds.)

43 Teen lingo 44 Tractor-trailer 45 Nonsense 47 Compares 50 Great Lakes state 51 Unassuming 52 Course of action 53 Kiwi’s extinct

kin Peter Gunn’s girl Put in the cooler — train Ponce de — “Hud” Oscarwinner 63 George of “Blume in Love” 64 Former JFK arrivals 65 Like horror flicks 66 “Monster” lizard 56 57 59 61 62

DOWN 1 Org. 2 Pet-adoption agcy.

3 Skin an apple 4 Three before V 5 Told a white lie 6 Not in use 7 Job-ad letters 8 Orchestra members 9 “Peer Gynt” dramatist 10 Tractor pioneer 11 First name in glue 12 Recited 14 On the wane 22 Citrus cooler 24 Disney’s Bob — 25 Yeast and mold 26 Canary’s dinner 27 “Back in Black”

group Quaker pronoun Tipster Go bad Seal hunter’s abode 34 Joie de vivre 35 Windmill blade 36 Uptight 38 Aiming 39 Wheel bolts 42 Very in Vichy 43 Open-back shoes 45 With audacity 28 29 32 33

46 Gleeful shout 47 Ore deposits 48 — box 49 Wails 51 Gibson and Torme 52 Alligator — (avocado) 53 Pageant figures 54 Ellipse 55 Jean Auel heroine 58 Business VIP 60 Avg. size

zooming in on the Pinay in Love in 2017.

Also in this issue is this year’s batch of Fun Fearless Awardees—carefully selected Passionate Young Twenty Somethings making their mark in their respective fields. There is no shortage of inspiration as these 20 women defines what success means to them, talk about the lessons they’ve learned so far, and reassure Cosmo Girls that believing in yourself is already half the battle.

To make Cosmo’s 20th anniversary even bigger, they are extending its celebration to the readers with Cosmo Hour! Cosmo will be bar hopping their anniversary month.

For an hour, the first 100 Cosmo Girls will get free cocktails and San Miguel Light beer. The two bar hops will be at 9 p.m. at Tipsy Pig BGC and 10 p.m. in Reserve Gastro Tavern, also in BGC. Be inspired to own your 20s and grab a copy of Cosmopolitan’s May issue at all newsstands, bookstores, and supermarkets nationwide for only P125.

For your Cosmo fix, visit www.cosmo. ph, become a fan on Facebook via / cosmopolitan.ph, and follow Cosmo on Twitter via @cosmo.ph and on Instagram via cosmopolitan_philippines.

Korean superstars Gong Yoo (left) and Lee Mi Ho (right)

KOREAN drama fans were in for the biggest summer treat ever as the first and true home of Asianovelas, ABS-CBN, premiered on Monday two of the biggest Koreanovelas of 2016.

Legend of the Blue Sea and Goblin with two of the hottest and most popular Asian superstars today, Lee Min Ho and Gong Yoo began airing at the beginning of the week.

“This is an extraordinary TV event not only for Koreanovela fans but for all our Kapamilya viewers because these are two of the biggest Korean productions that commanded huge viewership across the pan-Asian region,” said Leng Raymundo, head of ABS-CBN Integrated Acquisitions and International Sales and Distribution.

The biggest Korean fantasyromance drama Legend of the Blue Sea marks the return of the King of Asianovelas, Lee Min

Ho, on Philippine television after ABS-CBN aired The Heirs in 2014. The series, which gave Min Ho the Top Excellence Award as an actor in the 2016 SBS Drama Awards, also stars international superstar and one of Korea’s sought after leading ladies, Jun Ji-Hyun.

Goblin recently won the Grand Award at the 53rd Baeksang Art Awards, Korea’s most prestigious award giving body, with lead star Gong Yoo bagging the Best Actor award.

This award-winning fantasy love story follows the journey of a brave general named Kim Shin, who is cursed to live forever as a Goblin, an immortal protector of souls. After 900 years, he finally meets a woman that can end the curse--- Erin, the Goblin’s bride.

He, however, falls in love with the sweet and innocent young lady and risks both their lives in the name of love.

The lead cast of Kapuso's top primetime series, (from left) Ivan Dorschner, Ken Chan, Barbie Forteza, Jak Roberto, and Addy Raj, draw loud cheers in a mall show in Pangasinan

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017

ISAH V. RED

G

MA Network’s top-rating and well-loved soap Meant To Be never fails to mesmerize and bring kilig to primetime viewers. And as the episodes of the romcom series get more exciting and addicting, four new heartthrobs join the cast starting this week.

‘MEANT TO BE’ , tes, Vince Vandorpe Bornea, Carl Cervan rteza's attention in ve Da t) lef om (Fr THEM BOYS. es heat up competition in Barbie Fo and Matthias Rhod "Meant to Be"

Matthias Rhoads, Vince Vandorpe, Carl Cervantes and Dave Bornea spice up the adventures and love lives of the main characters played by Barbie Forteza, Jak Roberto, Ivan Dorschner, Addy Raj and Ken Chan.

Rhoads is a Fil-Am model who stole hearts when he appeared in the viral Valentine ad of a fast food chain. In the series, he breathes life to Gordon Smith. He grew up in Manila but decided to study in New York and is interested in extreme sports.

Vince Vandorpe is a Fil-Belgian model. He’s the quiet type who loves music and he grew up in London. Meant To Be is his very first TV project and he plays Calvin “Avi” Jacobs, Beatriz’s (Sheryl Cruz) son and Ethan’s (Ivan Dorschner) cousin.

Carl Cervantes is an alumnus of Starstruck 6. He has appeared in several Kapuso programs like Dear Uge, Juan Happy Love Story, and A1 Ko Sa’Yo. Carl makes his mark in the series as Alexander “Yexel” Smith, Gordon’s halfbrother. He suffers from inferiority complex while growing up because of comparisons between him and Gordon.

TWO of the most trusted names in their respective fields come together as GMA Network’s morning news and commentary program, Dobol B Sa News TV’ and the country’s most trusted brand of medicine, RiteMed Philippines, Inc. (RiteMed) team up to further provide quality service to Filipinos.

Dobol B sa News TV is the Network’s response to the everchanging needs of the listening and viewing public, bringing to free TV the top-rating morning shows on AM radio today.

RiteMed, on the other hand, has always believed in DZBB’s credibility as a trusted source of news and information. In fact, RiteMed is the first company to give its full support to the show.

To formalize this strong and meaningful partnership, the representatives of both parties inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on May 4 at the B Hotel Grand Ballroom in Quezon City with RGMA President and GMA Consultant for Radio Mike Enriquez and Dobol B sa News TV anchors Joel Reyes Zobel

Meanwhile, Dave Bornea is one of the members of the all-male group One Up. He has previously appeared in Alyas Robin Hood. In the soap, Dave takes on the role of Andrew Zapata of Spanish descent.

He is a famous photographer.

Being an only child, he is spoiled and a happy-go-lucky kind of guy.

These four new guys, collectively known as “Gaya”, will become the greatest rivals of the “Jeya” boys composed of Jai (Addy), Ethan (Ivan), Yuan (Ken) and Andoy (Jak).

Apart from adding complications to the lives of the Jeya barkada, they will they also vie for Billie’s love and affection? How will the arrival of these guys affect the friendship of Addy, Ivan, Ken and Jak? Know their stories and catch Matthias, Vince, Carl and Dave in Meant To Be weeknights after Destined To Be Yours on GMA Telebabad. *** Meanwhile, the rest of the cast of Meant To Be were in Pangasinan recently to promote the series among Pangasinenses that mobbed them wherever they were.

Barbie, Ken, Jak, Addy, and Ivan were incredulous of the warm welcome they got from their fans in Pangasinan during the Mango-

welcomes four new heartthrobs

Bamboo Festival.

The other members of the cast – Sef Cadayona, Mika de la Cruz, Stephanie Sol, and Tess Bomb – were also with them.

The followers of the show are also going gaga over the new characters introduced in the show – Nikki (Ayra Mariano), ex-girlfriend of Yuan (Ken Chan), Lolo Ric (Ronaldo Valdez) who is pursuing Lola Madj (Gloria Romero).

Apart from the Gaya boys, these new characters are spicing up the show from Monday to Friday. *** Unstoppable is what we can describe the Ika-6 na Utos in its dominance in the ratings on daytime TV. The show is now seen six days a week (including Saturday afternoons after Eat Bulaga) and still the followers of the series seem unable to get enough of the highly dramatic confrontations between Emma (Sunshine Dizon) and Georgia (Ryza Cenon) especially now that Emma and Rome’s (Gabby Concepcion) son is dead.

Netizens have also been very supportive, proof of which is the million views of the show on YouTube, specially the aborted wedding of Rome and Georgia. ***

Jude (Zanjoe Marudo) and Clara’s (Bela Padilla) family continues to show strength and unity as Heart’s (Heart Ramos) heart condition worsens in the manipulative hands of the Camiluses in ABS-CBN primetime series My Dear Heart.

After Francis (Eric Quizon) gained the trust of Jude and Clara, he puts all his plans to work in order to put the blame on Margaret (Coney Reyes) for Heart’s continuous deterioration.

Meanwhile, despite all of this, her parents will not lose hope and will give all the love their daughter needs to speed up her recovery.

Will Heart finally win against her illness? Will the Camilus succeed in their plans? Don’t miss the series that will remind viewers how to love, My Dear Heart, weeknights after FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano on ABS-CBN or ABSCBN HD (Skycable ch 167).

Zanjoe Marudo and Bela Padilla, stars of "My Dear Heart"

‘Dobol B Sa News TV,’ RiteMed team up in bringing quality service to Filipinos

"Dobol B Sa News TV" anchors, led by Mike Enriquez (rightmost), and RiteMed executives toast for a meaningful and long-lasting partnership

and Arnold Clavio together with United Laboratories, Inc. Senior Vice President for Business Development Atty. Joey Ochave and RiteMed General Manager

Vincent Patrick Guerrero.

This tie-up clearly reflects GMA’s mandate of Serbisyong Totoo and RiteMed’s commitment of making

medicines more accessible to the public with their tagline, “Dahil gusto naming gumaling kayo”.

“We are proud to be part of DZBB’s historical foray on free

TV, which will enable more Filipinos to be well informed by the most trusted source of news and information in the country today,” Guerrero said. “DZBB

has been one of our trusted partners in disseminating information to help our fellow Filipinos take care of themselves better,” he added.

Enriquez expressed how Dobol B sa News TV will support RiteMed in spreading their advocacy to more Filipinos nationwide. “We are here to help RiteMed tell the story. We are here to help the people who listen, and now who also watch us, to tell them that there is RiteMed. Kasi sila and isa sa mga taglines nila, right price.

Ang gusto ng RiteMed gumaling lahat ng Pilipino,” he added.

“Maraming Pilipinong hindi makabili ng gamot, maraming Pilipinong hindi maka-afford ng decent health care. RiteMed’s advocacy is to make the day come when all Filipinos will be able to do so. We saw how great of an advocacy this is, and we will support RiteMed in this,” he affirmed.

Watch the most up-to-date radio broadcast, Dobol B Sa News TV’, weekdays from 6 to 11 a.m. on GMA News TV Channel 11 and overseas on GMA News TV International. (30)