Manila Standard - 2017 May 13 - Saturday

Gaming lord owes P25-b taxes—PCSO

By John Paolo Bencito

THAI VISITORS. Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chairman Jose Jorge E. Corpuz (third from left) and general manager Alexander F. Balutan (second from left) show how the lotto draw machine works before the delegation from Thailand’s Lottery Office headed by its Director General Maj. Gen. Chalongrat Nakartit (5th from left) during the group observation visit at the lottery agency ‘s main office in Mandaluyong City on May 11. Joseph Muego

FILIPINO-CHINESE gaming lord Charlie Ang earns more than P2.37 billion a month using his Meridien Vista Gaming Corp. as a legal front to continue his illegal jueteng operations in 13 provinces, the head of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office said Friday.

Contrary to Ang’s claims that he was operating a jai alai game using his Meridien Vista Gaming Corp., PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan said the recent raids in the provinces showed that

he was bankrolling the illegal jueteng operations there.

“For him that is legal, but if you go to the provinces where he is operating it’s not jai alai but jueteng, which is estimated to be earning around P2.37 billion a month. Yearly it’s its P28 billion,” Balutan told dwFM radio.

He called on the Bureau of Internal Revenue to collect Ang’s back taxes amounting to more than P25 billion.

“While he gains much from his illegal gambling operations, he has failed to do pay the government for more than nine years,” Balutan said. Next page

Terror threat won’t hurt economy—DTI

By John Paolo Bencito TRADE Secretary Ramon Lopez said Friday that the threat of terrorist attacks on top tourist destinations will have no negative effect on tourism and the economic growth experienced in recent years.

In a media b riefing in Hong Kong, Lopez said the government remains in control of the country’s security situation even as the British government warned its citizens against traveling to areas around the Sulu archipelago, including some towns in Cebu due to “credible information” that the Abu Sayyaf group is planning to stage kidnappings there.

Earlier, the US, British and Canadian governments also warned their nationals against visiting Palawan, a top tourist destination.

“In our country, as you know, that’s being contained... The President likewise stressed his approach to use all resources of the government, military, and police to really run after the terrorist groups to address the security problem, most especially in the Mindanao area,” Lopez said.

Lopez emphasized that the country’s economic potentials remain bright, citing the 31

percent increase in investments from January to April alone, compared to negative figures recorded in the last year.

Lopez said Filipinos should not let the terrorist threat endanger economic growth and potential.

“Let’s not shoot ourselves in the foot again, that when there are already good opportunities coming ahead of us, there are many who would negate it,” he said.

The President had earlier ordered sustained operations against the Abu Sayyaf, ordering security forces to finish off terrorists by shooting them on sight.

Following earlier travel warnings, the UK issued a new alert to its nationals to stay away from the Sulu archipelago, including the southern Cebu towns of Dalaguete and Badian amid talk of more kidnappings in those areas.

“The Philippine authorities reported that they had received unsubstantiated but credible information that the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf may be about to conduct kidnaps in the Sulu Sea, including around the islands of the Sulu archipelago and the seas/islands off the east coast of Sabah [Malaysia],” the UK Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

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VOL. XXXI • NO. 88 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Palace to review proposals on EJK PH war on illegal drugs gets failing grade—UN

By John Paolo Bencito and Sara Susanne Fabunan

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ALACAÑANG on Thursday vowed to review recommendations made by 45 out of 47 countries before the United Nations Universal Periodic Review urging the government to investigate all cases of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

Despite the administration’s attempt to change the perception toward President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs, the Philippine government still received a “failing grade” in the recently concluded UN Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights held in Geneva, Switzerland, a watchdog group said.

Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra, who co-chaired the Philippine team with Senator Alan Cayetano, thanked the UN for identifying areas for human rights improvement.

“To the best of our ability we tried to explain the underlying reasons for this campaign. That is to protect the human rights of the majority of our people who stand to potentially suffer the dark consequences of unmitigated abuse of illegal drugs and to set an environment conducive to further social economic development,” Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra said.

The Presidential Human Rights Committee would “review and determine what actions to take on your numerous recommendations,” he added. Next page

Pork scam revisit OK, says Abella

Duterte’s net worth up P3m in 6 months

By John Paolo Bencito THE Palace said Friday it was high time that officials involved in the massive looting of Priority Development Assistance Funds are held accountable and welcomed a Senate plan to conduct a new investigation into the revelations of alleged pork barrel queen Janet Lim Napoles, who has offered herself as a state witness.

“The Filipino people deserve to know the truth in this case, not the slanted truth nor the doctored truth,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said,.

“The President wants the truth to finally come out and to hold those involved, regardless of political color or party line, accountable,” he said.

Before leaving for official visits abroad, Duterte said he believes that Napoles was a “minimal player” in the PDAF cases, and suggested in the past that there might have been higher officials involved in the scam.

On Thursday, Senator Francis Escudero said he could seek a new inquiry into the PDAF scandal that erupted during the Aquino administration.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II earlier said Napoles, who was recently acquitted by the Court of Appeals of serious illegal detention charges filed by her second cousin, Benhur Luy, was a key witness.

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By John Paolo Bencito

MOST poor Filipino families lack half of the minimum monthly budget needed to rise above poverty, the latest SWS survey revealed Friday.

The survey, conducted among 1,200 adults nationwide, revealed that national median Self-Rated Poverty Gap, or the amount poor families lack in

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s net worth shot up by more than P3 million in a span of six months since he assumed the presidency in June 30 last year, his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth at the end of 2016 showed.

Duterte’s 2016 SALN, filed last April 18 but only made public to reporters on Friday, showed his net worth rose to P27,428,862.44 at the end of 2016 while he had P24,080,094.04 net worth as of June 30—mainly attributed to an additional P3,148,768.40 in his cash assets. He also acquired other personal properties worth P1 million.

The President declared five real property assets, all located at Barangay Bago Aplaya in Davao City amounting to P480,000 while his investments went down by P900,000 compared to P390,000 six months before.

His 2016 year-end SALN showed that he only had an outstanding balance to a businessman Samuel Uy of P1,000,000.

Six months earlier, he had an outstanding balance to Uy of P1,100,000.

The President’s SALN also showed that he already divested from two business interests, the Honda Cars franchise in General Santos and the Davao-

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HK-BOUND. Following his successful participation in the World Economic Forum in Phnom Penh, President Rodrigo Duterte and wife Honeylet Avanceña prepare to board a Philippine Airlines Flight bound for Hong Kong to kick off his working visit. Malacañang Photo

Mindanao veteran new AFP chief

By Florante S. Solmerin PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed the head of the Eastern Mindanao Command to replace outgoing Armed Forces Chief Eduardo Año, who had to retire early after Duterte tapped him to head the Interior department, reliable military sources told the Manila Standard on Friday.

“Yes, Eastmincom chief Lieutenant General Rey Leonardo Guerrero is our next chief of staff,” said an Army lieutenant general who requested not to be named because he is not autho-

rized to speak on the matter.

Guerrero is a member of Philippine Military Academy Class of 1984, while Año is a member of the PMA Class of 1983.

Another high-ranking military officer said Guerrero will assume his new post not later than the first week of June.

Duterte announced Año’s appointment to the Interior department before he flew to Cambodia. He also appointed former Armed Forces Chief Roy Cimatu to the Environment department to replace Gina Lopez, Next page

Most poor get poorer, says SWS

By John Paolo Bencito

LT. GEN. REY LEONARDO A. GUERRERO

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China upbeat on new DFA chief

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

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HINA on Friday welcomed the appointment of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as Foreign Affairs chief and said it was ready to work with him to deepen Beijing and Manila’s diplomatic relations.

Foreign Ministry spokesman relations between China and Geng Shuang told reporters the the Philippines had improved

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in curbing these violations,” Cortez added.

Presidential Human Rights Committee spokesperson Rolando Gomez said that 50 states had voiced their concerns, and that it was now up to the government to make good on the promises it made.

Included in the 257 recommendations adopted by the 27th session of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group of the UN Human Rights Commission were proposals urging the Philippine government to “allow without conditions” UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings Agnes Callamard to investigate the thousands of deaths blamed on President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.

Representatives from Canada and other European states spoke against extrajudicial killings in the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign, as well as in politically motivated cases.

The Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and Slovakia, meanwhile, called for the implementation of a policy against the use of torture and safeguards against enforced disappearances, and arrests of perpetrators of rights abuses. States such as Estonia, Latvia and Hungary called for investigations of threats and attacks against journalists and human rights defenders.

While the government should continue its efforts to protect its people from the threat of drugs, it needs to uphold human rights values, the report said.

It also said that the Philippines should not reimpose the death penalty and should maintain the protection of the right to life, given that the country had committed to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

A watchdog group, the Philippine UPR Watch which were among the groups that observed the Geneva proceedings, called the Duterte administration to task for the continued climate of impunity despite previous recommendations for it to investigate cases of human rights violations and to prosecute the perpetrators.

“Despite attempts by the Philippine delegation to justify the Duterte administration’s war on drugs and to present a positive picture of its achievements on the political, economic, social and cultural rights of the people, most of the attending states still raised serious concerns on a host of human rights issues that remain unaddressed,” said Ephraim Cortez of the National Union of People’s Lawyers.

“However, it is gravely concerned that these recommendations still came up during the third cycle, despite having been noted in the previous two cycles of the UPR in 2008 and 2012. This is evidence not only of the lack of serious effort on the part of the Philippine Government to address these observations, but also of the ineffectiveness of its Philippine Human Rights Plan which did not at all help

Incoming Foreign Affairs Secretary Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, however, seemed to reject the recommendations of the proceedings, urging the United Nations to send another investigator to look at the human rights situation in the country, particularly its record on killings Cayetano expressed doubt over the accuracy of Callamard’s facts and her impartiality.

China, meanwhile, called on the international community to respect the Philippines’ national policy, particularly Duterte’s war on drugs.

China Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang said they are one of the 257 state participants that submitted recommendations during the session on Universal Periodic Review of the United Nations Human Rights Council that reviewed the human rights situation in the Philippines.

He said that China supports Duterte’s national policy, recognizing the ill effect of drugs in the country.

“We hope the international community can respect the judicial sovereignty of the Philippines and support its efforts in fighting drug-related crimes through cooperation,” he said.

He also hoped that various parties can be objective and fair in viewing the human rights conditions in different countries.

Geng said that countries must also promote the human rights cause through dialogue and cooperation.

“Drugs are the common enemy for all human beings, bringing pains to many developing countries, including China,” Geng said.

UNIC said the 257 recommendation that the Philippines has received is not an “extraordinary” number, with 220 being the average.

While Cayetano tried to put a positive spin on the anti-drug war, the recommendations indicate that most UN memberstates believe the allegations of extrajudicial killings are credible.

Cayetano has since been named Foreign Affairs secretary

by President Rodrigo Duterte, under whom he ran but lost as vice president during the 2016 elections.

Also on Friday, Senator Francis Escudero chided Human Rights Commissioner Jose Luis Gascon for saying that the killings were statesponsored, saying his ony basis for saying so were Duterte’s own words.

“If you look at the data, the number of those who were killed is almost the same with the number of the previous administration,” said Escudero.

“So whoever is killed, clearly is extrajudicial because we don’t have the death penalty. So whether state-sponsored or done privately or caused by a quarrel, it’s still killing, still extrajudicial and not yet assigned by the law,” said Escudero.

With Macon Ramos Araneta

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lack in monthly food expenses relative to their stated threshold, is P2,000.

This was lower than the P5,000 Self-Rated Food Poverty Threshold, or monthly budget that a food-poor household needs so that it will not consider itself food-poor.

The polling firm said the SRPT in Metro Manila rose to P20,000 this quarter from P18,000 in December—the highest median SRPT recorded in the nation’s capital so far. Its median SRPG similarly edged up to P10,000 from P8,000, also a record.

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monthly home expenses relative to their stated threshold has remained at P5,000 since September 2016.

This is half of the P10,000 Self-Rated Poverty Threshold that respondent families stated that a poor household needs for home expenses for them not to consider themselves poor in general.

The same survey showed that the respondent families SelfRated Food Poverty Gap, or the amount food-poor families

through the care and guidance of Presidents Xi Jinping and Rodrigo Duterte. ”We welcome the appointment and congratulate Mr. Cayetano,” Geng said.

“China is ready to work with him to implement the high-level consensus and keep deepening practical cooperation to push forward China-Philippines relations for the greater benefit to our peoples and regional peace

and stability,” he said.

Duterte announced Cayetano’s appointment on Wednesday before he left for a six-day working visit to Cambodia, Hong Kong and China.

Cayetano, an incumbent senator, is a member of the Commission on Appointments, which rejected the appointment of former Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay.

Undersecretary Enrique

Manalo took over as acting secretary.

“Since last year, with the care and guidance of the two heads of state, the China-Philippines relations have achieved all-round improvement and bilateral cooperation has entered a new stage,” Geng said.

“Cooperation across the board has recovered and yielded fruitful outcomes. Our relationship is making overall progress.”

Terror...

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“Any vessels sailing in the area could be targeted. You should carefully consider travel plans and be especially vigilant at this time,” the travel advisory read.

“Attacks could happen anywhere, including in places visited by foreigners, like airports, shopping malls, public transport and places of worship. You should remain vigilant at all times and report anything suspicious to the local authorities.” With Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

TRANSFORMATION. Bureau of Customs employees wear black shirts bearing statements such as 'I Am Transformed' and 'Be The Change' in an effort to project an image of a less-corrupt agency and win back public trust. Norman Cruz

20 Abu Sayyaf terrorists killed

By Frankie Tuyay A JOINT task force on Friday claimed to have killed at least 20 Abu Sayyaf Group terrorists before dawn Thursday after government forces pounded a terrorist camp in Sumisip, Basilan.

“Heavy bloodstains were found in the vicinity, with intel reports saying 20 ASG [Abu Sayyaf Group] fatalities from the combined airstrikes and indirect fires,” said Col. Juvymax Uy of the Joint Task Force Basilan.

Military launched the operation following information from former Abu Sayyaf members and local residents on the group’s temporary encampment

in Barangay Pamatsaken.

Lt. Col. Andrew Bacala Jr., commander of the 4th Special Forces, said through the use of “night fighting capabilities,” they were able to “inch within a hundred meters of the enemy under the cover of darkness.”

The troops were able to seize the makeshift camp at 10 a.m, said Bacala.

Two soldiers were wounded in the operation after the terrorists detonated an improvised explosive device.

The Abu Sayyaf group in the area was believed to be under sub-leader Furuji Indama.

Recovered from the seized camp were three more live IEDs,

based Poeng Yue Foundation Inc., both of which listed him as an incorporator.

Duterte’s assets meanwhile included a Volkswagen Sedan acquired in 1978 amounting to P40,000 and a Toyota Rav 4 acquired in 1996, amounting to P800,000.

The President’s household appliances and furniture were worth P350,000.

In a separate SALN for his minor daughter Veronica, Duterte declared five real properties, three residential and two agricultural properties located in Matina Crossing, Malagos and Catigas, all in Davao City, totaling to P3,080,000. The amount was also unchanged from his June 30 SALN. The President declared six relatives in government service, including presidential children Sara Duterte Carpio and Paolo Duterte, serving as mayor and vice mayor, respectively in Davao City; daughter-in-law January Duterte who serves as Davao City councilor; brother Benjamin who serves as pri-

vate secretary to daughter Sara; nephew Wilfredo Villarica and wife Jean, both working at the city hall; and in-law Agnes Reyes Carpio, mother of Sara’s husband Manases who serves as justice at the Court of Appeals.

Duterte’s assets earlier came under intense scrutiny after Senator Antonio Trillanes accused him of having more than P2.2 billion in assets during the campaign, contrary to his campaign message that only the poor people were bankrolling his campaign.

In his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures filed before the Commission on Elections, Duterte said he amassed more than P334 million from 13 donors who bankrolled his campaign.

Vice President Leni Robredo’s 2016 SALN, set to be released next week, showed a June 30, 2016 net worth of P11.05 million.

Robredo declared shares of stock at power distribution utility Meralco and had two in-laws working at the UP Philippine General Hospital in Manila, Josephine and Rafael Bundoc.

While Mindanao has maintained its P10,000 median SRPT since April 2016—the highest recorded on the island, its median SRPG rose to P5,000 from P4,000—the biggest since SWS began tracking this indicator on the island in November 2010.

In Balance Luzon, the median SRPT stayed at P10,000 and median SRPG was steady at P5,000 from December 2016.

The Visayas has kept median SRPT at P10,000 since December 2014, which had a record-high P12,000, while median SRPG has stayed at P5,000 since June

2016.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said the government is working towards “alleviating poverty to bring comfortable lives.”

“Having said this, the government has initiated some pro-poor and inclusive efforts... This way we hope to bring more food on the poor household families’ table,” Abella said.

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

Duterte’s...

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explosive components capable of making 30 IEDs, and several foodstuff.

Successive firefight followed as the Rangers caught up with the fleeing terrorists about 300 meters from their camp, Bacala said.

Naval Task Group Basilan conducted maritime operations to prevent the ASG from escaping by sea, Bacala said.

The ASG also got a taste of Philippine Air Force capability as jet fighters delivered their lethal payload, inflicting fatalities on the ASG. “The ASG were so shocked they left their belongings and unfinished meal, a Special Forces team leader said.

Mindanao...

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who was not confirmed by the Commission on Appointments.

Año and Cimatu said they did not anticipate their appointments to their new posts.

Año took over the top post in the Armed Forces in December 2016. He was set to reach his mandatory retirement age of 56 in October this year.

Guerrero will also have to retire in October.

Pork...

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Napoles on Friday filed an urgent motion with the antigraft court, the Sandiganbayan, to be transferred from the Correctional Institute for Women to the National Bureau of Investigation, claiming she received daily death threats and that her belongings were ransacked.

Because of her acquittal in the illegal detention case, Napoles’ lawyer said, she could no longer be considered a convict, and therefore should be moved out of the correctional facility.

Napoles’ lawyer, Stephen David, said the threats came after news circulated that she might become a state witness.

Napoles is facing multiple counts of plunder and graft raps for the P10-billion pork barrel fund scam involving former senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr., and other lawmakers as well.

The Department of Justice said Napoles could possibly be a state witness in the other pork bark fund scam cases.

The public prosecution will submit its reply to Napoles’

Gaming...

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“In documentary stamp taxes alone he owes the government more than P25 billion.”

Balutan said Ang continued to fail to pay taxes on his gambling operations.

He said Ang’s company was operating jueteng instead of jai alai using his online gambling licenses acquired in the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority.

“The operations of jai alai is one to 10, but if you’ll bet in Meridien operations, he’s playing up one to 37 in 13 provinces. That’s clearly jueteng and it violates his licenses in Ceza,” Balutan said.

Recently, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order 13 prohibiting any action for the assignment, sharing, lease, transfer or selling of online gambling licenses in the country.

Balutan said the Supreme Court had already decided to reject Ang’s petition to allow Meridien to operate outside of Ceza’s confines. urgent motion on May 15.

Amid reports that Napoles wanted to be a state witness, Liberal Party president Francis Pangilinan said she would say anything to save her skin.

He said he was baffled why Napoles, who received the biggest kickbacks from the pork barrel schemes, could be considered as a state witness.

Napoles has been accused of amassing huge sums of ill-gotten wealth by having lawmakers channel their PDAF through bogus non-government organizations that she controled in exchange for huge kickbacks.

“We just hope that the court, which has the final say if she can be a witness or not, would not allow this to happen. We believe that the court will not allow her to be a witness because our justice system would become a laughing stock if the one who pocketed the biggest funds from the government, who took the biggest share from all the accused, would be cleared,” Pangilinan said.

“She has been called the mastermind [of the scam] and the court should not let her go free,” he said.

With Macon Ramos Araneta

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Pemberton asks CA to reverse ruling

By Rey E. Requejo

TRAIN WOES. Passengers of the Metro Rail Transit 3 were forced to disembark after an MRT coach malfunctioned and got stalled between Ayala and Magallanes Stations on Friday morning. The train was pulled back to the MRT hangar with reasons for malfunction still being determined. PJ Del Rosario Hernandez.

PH, Russia forge ties on OFWs

By Vito Barcelo THE Philippines and Russia have forged stronger labor ties to assure the protection of Filipino workers in the Soviet state, the Department of Labor and Employment said on Friday.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Russian Ambassador Igor Anatolyevich Khovaev have agreed to establish “a solid legal basis for cooperation” between the two countries for the benefit of Filipino migrants.

“We are glad we had preliminary discussion on various labor issues and concerns of mutual interest to both countries,” Bello said.

Khovaev assured the labor chief that the Russian government is doing its best to look after the welfare of Filipino workers in the Soviet state.

“A solid legal basis for cooperation should be established between our governments. Rights and legitimate interest of the workers should be fully protected,” Khovaev said.

Saying that Russia is in need of more labor, Khovaev also commended the Filipino work ethics and skills.

“Filipino workers are well known for their hard work, and for being law abiding citizens. Russians and Filipinos have similar values. We need to explore new possibilities and opportunities.

We hope to start building a solid legal basis for this,” the Russian envoy added.

In response, Bello suggested forming a bilateral working group to craft the partnership where the rights and protection of both Filipino workers and Russian employers will be guaranteed.

“We hope to meet with our counterparts in Russia for us to discuss the specifics of this agreement. A working group should define the terms and guidelines for this,” he added.

Ex-envoy’s son, former PBA cager nabbed for drugs

By Sandy Araneta

I

N ITS continuing support to the government’s campaign against illegal drugs, the National Bureau of Investigation on Friday said operatives of the NBI-Task force Against Illegal Drugs have arrested three individuals, including a former professional basketball player and a son of a former consul in Canada, during a buy-bust operation in Mandaluyong City on May 10.

The arrested suspects were identified as Dorian Alan Peña, a Filipino-American professional basketball player, known as the “Junkyard Dog” who played for San Miguel Beer, Barangay Ginebra, Barako Bull and Global Port Batang Pier; Jose Paolo Ampeso, a.k.a “JP,” son

of Jose Arthur Ampeso, former chief consul general for Vancouver, Canada and Ledy Mea Mesia Vilchez, a.k.a. “Mae,” escort girl and live-in partner of Ampeso.

NBI Director Dante A. Gierran said the NBI-TFAID operatives, in pursuit of fugitive

Jun No, a Korean-American national who is wanted for drug trafficking, involving the trafficking of a party drug ecstasy, stumbled upon an information that suspect Mae was the last known companion of the Korean-American national after the latter escaped from the hospital after undergoing a surgery for appendectomy.

Gierran added that the intelligence network brought in the information that “Mae” is an escort girl who delivers drugs for Korean clients.

The NBI said that with the help of an informant, a drug deal was set up at Merryland Village in Mandaluyong City between “Mae” and an undercover operative.

The three suspects were having a pot session before they were arrested, after the exchange of the marked money and methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu.

The suspects resisted arrest

and showed signs of being under the influence of illegal drugs.

The suspects later tested positive for drug use.

Several pieces of drug paraphernalia and weighing scale were also seized during the operation.

The three suspects were presented for inquest proceedings before the Department of Justice for violations of Sections 5, 6, 11, 12, 15 and 26 of R.A. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) with respect to suspects Ampeso, and Vilchez; and violations of Sections 7 and 15 of R.A. 9165 for suspect Peña.

“With the arrest of the three subjects involving a FilipinoAmerican professional basketball player and a son of a former Diplomat of the Philippine Government, the NBI sends the clear message that there is no untouchable in the war against drugs under the present administration,” Gierran said.

US LANCE Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton has pleaded to the Court of Appeals to overturn its earlier ruling and exonerate him of homicide charge for the death of Filipino transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude.

In a motion for reconsideration, Pemberton through lawyer Rowena Garcia-Flores, appealed that should the CA uphold his conviction for homicide, it should consider the privileged and ordinary mitigating circumstances in imposing the penalty.

Pemberton’s lawyer explained that an effect of an ordinary mitigating circumstance is that the minimum period in case of divisible penalty provided by law for a particular crime shall be imposed while the effect of a privileged mitigating circumstance is that the penalty to be imposed shall be lower by one or two degrees than that provided by law for the crime.

His lawyer said that in this case, the privileged mitigating circumstance is the incomplete self-defense and the ordinary circumstances are Pemberton’s voluntary surrender and no intention to commit so grave a wrong.

The American soldier also lamented that the appellate court has ‘cherry-picked’ the evidence to sustain the conviction of Pemberton. “[The CA] completely ignored all contrary evidence,” the movant-appellant stressed.

The motion noted that testimonies of Marine Lance Corporal Jairn Michael Rose and Marine Sgt. Christopher Miller never mentioned that Pemberton admitted killing Laude. It noted that Pemberton’s statements to the two colleagues were mere conjecture because he did not know what happened to Laude.

“This Honorable Court, with due respect, erroneously ignored the implication in Rose’s testimony that Laude may have been merely unconscious when Pemberton left him at the motel (“choked it until it stop moving and then dragged into the bathroom at that point he left and then took a cab back to the sea port”). It also disregarded the implication that Pemberton did not drown Laude and did not dunk his head into the toilet bowl,” Pemberton said.

Court upholds crash victims’ plea Asean takes spotlight

By Rio N. Araja in PPI’s natl forum THE Quezon City Regional Trial Court rejected on Friday the appeal of Bestlink College of the Philippines, Panda Coach Tours and Harana Bus to dismiss the P10-million damage suit filed by five studentsurvivors of a bus crash in Tanay, Rizal in February.

Branch 105 Judge Rosa Samson said there is sufficient ground to pursue the civil suit filed by the Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection on behalf of the complainants, Jerwin Abulag, Marisol Batacao, Irriz Ragua, Mark Daniel Literal and Mark Carlo Barcelona.

She said the respondents must be held liable for the bus crash that killed 14 students and a driver in Tanay, Rizal.

In an eight-page complaint, Abulag, Batacao, Ra-

gua, Literal and Barcelona urged the Quezon City court to order the school and the two tourist bus companies to indemnify them of P2 million each in moral and exemplary damages.

According to the survivors’ lawyer, the civil suit could “deter defendants from committing similar gross negligence in the future and as an example for the public good.”

They blamed the respondents for their failure to provide safe, adequate and convenient transport service.

The respondents filed a motion to quash the P10million damage suit, to no avail.

On Feb. 21, 15 people were killed and 40 others injured when their tourist bus (TXS-325) smashed into an electric post in Barangay Sampaloc, Tanay, Rizal at 6:30 a.m.

DEMOLISHING HOPE. Members of militant group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap who are

residents of Sitio San Roque, Quezon City stage a protest action and throws tomatoes at the gates of the National Housing Authority located along Elliptical Road in Quezon City on May 12. The groups decry the scheduled demolition of their homes on May 16. The group said that this will only plunge them into deeper homelessness and despair especially those who are renters and sharers in the area. Manny Palmero

NOW on its 53rd year as the country’s national association of newspapers, the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) is holding its 21st National Press Forum on May 24 to 26 in Manila.

Themed “ASEAN@50: Beyond the Headlines,” the event coincides with the regional organization’s golden anniversary.

The Philippines holds this year’s chairmanship of Asean.

“Today, at 50, Asean’s decades-long existence should prompt some earnest reflection on several fronts. How far has it gone in achieving its goals? How much of its multi-pronged vision for the 625-million-strong regional bloc is now undeniably a reality?” says PPI in its concept note explaining the rationale behind this year’s theme.

“Asean is not just about the much-ballyhooed, high-profile summits and similar events regularly attended by its leaders and other high-ranking officials.”

“Perhaps it is time Southeast Asia’s national and regional media, including community newspapers, took stock of the state of their coverage of the regional bloc … shining a spotlight where it’s most needed, long after the latest Asean summit has been concluded or regional agreement signed—and long after the visual spectacles that often mark highlevel regional meetings have vanished from view.”

Former Ambassador Rosario G. Manalo, who has served as the Philippine Representative

to the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and was Special Envoy of former President Fidel V. Ramos for the negotiations of the Asean Charter, will be the keynote speaker.

A highly accomplished and experienced diplomat, Manalo has been the country’s ambassador to various countries, including Belgium, France, and Sweden.

In June 2016, Manalo won a seat in the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which monitors the implementation of CEDAW by memberstates.

A journalist from Myanmar will also grace PPI’s commemorative occasion as a guest speaker. Saw Yan Naing is a senior reporter at the Thailand-based The Irrawaddy, which focuses on Myanmar. Saw, who belongs to the ethnic Karen minority, writes about human rights and other political and social issues, including ethnic conflicts, in Myanmar. He is a recipient of regional and international fellowships, including the Southeast Asian Press Alliance Journalism Fellowship, Alfred Friendly Press Fellowship, and East-West Center Jefferson Fellowship. He has been honored with a Certificate of Recognition for Courageous Journalism by the US-based nonprofit organization Power Mentor, which helps young people develop their leadership skills.

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Opinion

SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

P

Adelle Chua, Editor

Payback and prerogative

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte defended his latest batch of appointments amid criticism they may be ill-suited for the job.

In fact, he admitted it was his idea to appoint the new assistant secretary for communications, assigned specifically to handle social media concerns. Margaux “Mocha” Uson became popular first as a starlet and then as a blogger who staunchly defended him during and after the campaign.

Mr. Duterte said Uson was a bright, articulate girl. She refers to him as “Tatay Digong” in her blog.

On Facebook, Uson said she was in charge of fighting fake news even as she had been accused of promoting the same on her page. She had also chastised mainstream media for producing “wrong reports and rallied her

followers to be the media of the President.

Last we looked, media should be media, period—not anybody’s.

Meanwhile, defeated vice presidential candidate Alan Peter Cayetano has apparently reaped the rewards of his humility, loyalty and patience when he found himself appointed secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Cayetano’s staying power has been phenomenal, starting from last year’s campaign season, when he stood beside Mr. Duterte against all odds and even when it appeared he was working so well—too well—with his (Cayetano’s) opponent, former sena-

tor Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Marcos almost won the race and is now protesting his case against Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo.

The loquacious Cayetano has also been Duterte’s chief defender in the Senate, ready to pounce on anybody making the slightest hint of an accusation against his patron.

Cayetano’s political ambitions even managed to prevent his sister Pia, a former senator and known advocate of women’s issues, from speaking up every time the President makes an unguarded, misogynistic and ill-informed statement against women.

Now that the one-year ban on the appointment of defeated candidates is about to be lifted, it seems Cayetano has gotten what he has been pining for.

Except that, this does not

appear as good for the country.

As top diplomat, Cayetano would have to do much thinking before speaking—something he has not been wont to do during his political life. Despite his assurances he won’t talk as much, the prospect of a garrulous foreign secretary whose pronouncements may need explaining after they have been uttered scares us so.

Uson, for her part, on Thursday put up a disclaimer on her blog saying that the views she expresses are her own and not of the communication office to which she is now affiliated. Palace Spokesman Ernesto Abella said Uson’s words would not necessarily reflect the position of the government.

Whatever the disclaimers are, the President’s words are telling—even as they are cause for

great concern. “[It is my debt of gratitude to them] because they offered their services free at a time [when I did not have money] because they believed in me. Now it’s my time to believe in them,” he said. He was pertaining to Uson here but he might as well be describing his other appointments.

We wonder what spin his minions would take on this slip. Each appointment is his prerogative, sure. But his statement betrays a dangerous mindset that has been responsible for the country’s failure to take off after all these years.

We know the President owes many individuals for many reasons. He must not forget, though, that what he owes the people—merit-based and honest governance—should take priority every time.

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

The PCOO and the Asean summit

Patron Duterte POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO IT IS often said that the Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country. This religion was used by Spain to successfully colonize us for more than 300 years. As such, our way of life, politics, and culture up until the present, are influenced by this religion.

Devout (and those pretending to be devout) Catholics are fond of patron saints. Each of our towns have patron saints and fiestas are nothing more than celebrations in honor of these saints.

There are saints exclusively for things that we want or wish for.

There is one for a broken heart, one for the sick, one to bless people in their travels, one to find something that goes missing, etc. Prayers are offered to them so wishes may be granted.

In politics, we also have patrons and presently, the biggest

one is the President. There is no question that President Rodrigo Duterte’s brand of politics is one of patronage. One major manifestation of this is the fact that he surrounds himself only with people who have strongly supported him from day one, even when his actions and words give others cause for worry.

Duterte grants favors—political favors. His appointments to government positions are reserved for friends, avid supporters and allies, former class/ schoolmates, and those from his home—Davao City. His Cabinet officials and many of those occupying lower posts are from this group of people. Even those from the entertainment industry who are now in government are those who publicly supported his candidacy in 2016.

This is not to say that all appointees are not qualified because there are those whose credentials may be well-suited for the positions they hold. Qualifications, however, is a major factor that any sensible leader must seriously consider in giv-

ing out responsibilities to people. The power to appoint cannot just be based on the President’s whims and wants. It is a crucial responsibility for at stake here is the welfare of an estimated 105-million Filipinos. Those in government make decisions on behalf of our people and this is a

We need President Duterte instead.

huge mandate. Those who make such decisions must possess the necessary qualifications, experience, and integrity.

Duterte is no Catholic (as he often claims), but he acts like a patron saint of the faithful (to him) wanting to have political power. He is neither a saint nor a God. He is the President

of a democratic country. This country, this government, is not owned by him. Governance is about public service and for government to succeed, we need the best and the brightest among the qualified and willing to take the job on.

That the President has the prerogative to appoint those he trusts is fully understood. However, it is not akin to a license to grant political favors to those loyal to him/her. Government positions are not and should not serve as payment for political debt, or favors to those he wants to remain by his side despite lack of credentials, experience, and moral ascendancy.

A number of the appointments to key posts has surprised not a few. It is no secret that groups affiliated with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)National Democratic Front (NDF)-New People’s Army (NPA) family, those considered to be in the “extreme left” of the political spectrum, supported Duterte’s candidacy quietly or otherwise. The support was re-

warded by key positions in the Cabinet and this is the first time ever that a president has done this.

While such appointments were unexpected by political observers, I consider this a smart move on Digong’s part. He has neutralized and silenced possible critics of his administration. Just observe how “quiet” the CPPNDF-NPA and their legal groups are in relation with human rights issues, particularly the killings perpetrated in relation with Duterte’s “war on drugs.”

Further, by appointing only those extremely loyal to him, Digong has complete control of the Executive Department’s reins. His minions are just too eager to please him. They do whatever it is that he wants no matter if these may be questionable, unethical, or illegal.

In return, they can depend on presidential protection as what Digong has repeatedly shown in cases of police abuse and illegal activities under his “war on drugs.”

Turn to A5

THE summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations hosted by the Philippines weeks ago may have been a typical meeting of this regional organization, but at least President Rodrigo Duterte stood out as the undisputed main man of the event.

Many of the Asean leaders who attended the summit, held at the reclamation area in Pasay City, finally got to see the fiery president as the nononsense leader who has dedicated himself to implementing practical solutions to chronic national problems—like the drug menace which the inaction of the Macapagal-Arroyo and Aquino III presidential administrations of the past allowed to proliferate.

It was clear that unlike most of his counterparts who participated in the summit, Duterte was not the type to engage in empty rhetoric and the usual lines praising regional stability and inter-state cooperation. Duterte assured his listeners that the old adage remains true—that serious problems require serious solutions, and that a real leader must be ready for endless criticism, fair or unfounded.

The stellar treatment Duterte got in the Asean summit is attributable mainly to the dedication of the Presidential Communications Operations Office headed by Secretary Martin Andanar, and the industry of his key people. They made sure that not only did the guests know who was running the country; they also saw to it that the president of the Philippines got his message through, not only to the participants in the summit, but also to the international news media as well as the social media.

This columnist is by no means a fan of the Asean, and he considers the regional organization rather hollow in terms of its usefulness to the average Filipino. Be that as it may, it must be acknowledged that the PCOO did a good job in the dissemination of information about the summit.

As the top communications office of the host country, the PCOO was the dominant agency of this year’s Asean Committee on Media Affairs Turn to A5

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Opinion BACKBENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN

Traitors and mercenaries PRESIDENT Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte was right in pointing out that the United Nations’ rapporteurs on human rights, Dr. Agnes Callamard, should not rashly indict member-states not just for the fact that they are the ones paying for her salary but for the consideration that states are sovereign and independent. Callamard cannot stand as though she is higher than the President who anchors his mandate on the vote of the people.

This minor functionary of the UN cannot just barge in and wag her tongue on what she wants to say to embarrass the people whom she treats as stupid and gullible. For her to use her position to incite the people would run counter to her role as rapporteur. She does not represent or much more speak for the UN. This stupid rapporteur can only submit her findings to the UN agency where she is assigned. In short, this demagogue cannot substitute herself for the UN. Even assuming she was not invited, respect demands that she should have paid a courtesy call on the President. Whether or not she disagrees with the President, she should have remained silent while in the country. For her to prejudge our campaign against illegal drugs and charge our government of carrying out extrajudicial killings is totally uncalled for. She even refused to accept the three conditions asked by the President, which is to debate on the issue; to allow the President to ask questions; and for her to take her oath so that whatever she says would legally stand in any court of law.

We need not examine every layer and substance on what this errand lady of the yellow opposition said before a crowd of misguided ideolog ues.

Rather, we only have to analyze the pattern of how she has politicized the issue. Her unusual conduct is telling that it is not the issue she wants to elucidate.

She is bent, rather, on discrediting the administration hoping it will pave the way for the yellow hypocrites to regain political power.

The local traitors need not be reminded that the government is not preventing them from investigating human rights violation.

President Duterte knows that safeguarding human rights is provided in Sections 17, 18 and 19 of Article XIII of the Constitution. Although the power and functions of the Commission on Human Rights are mostly a repetition of the Bill of Rights, particularly Article III of the Constitution and is enumerated as the rights of the accused, specifically Section 115 of the Rules of Court, the matriarch of the bankrupt ideology wanted to create a niche for herself to remind our people that she wrested power as the defender of human rights.

Unfortunately, her human rights crusade has become the butt of a joke. Mrs. Aquino refused to investigate the mastermind and the one who gunned down her husband if only to put a historical validity that Ninoy was a martyr and human rights was the catalytic factor that catapulted her to power. She staunchly refused to excavate the assassination case for fear the whole episode might expose the gruesome vaudeville as a lust for power and not a quest for justice.

The chairman of the Commission on Human Rights Jose Luis Martin “Chito” Gascon is a nasty bigot like his predecessor. Gascon could no longer to

demarcate his allegiance to the Republic where he claims to be a citizen, draws his salary, and enjoys the title of chief defender of human rights because of his affiliation with the yellow hypocrites. This ignoramus lawyer failed to discern that as chairman of the CHR there are ethical, moral and legal limitations to what he is supposed to do.

Foremost, his duty is to defend above all the integrity and interest of the Republic. That means all investigations and findings related to human rights violation should be addressed to the Republic, not to any other agency or organization.

If human rights violation was committed, his duty is to investigate. If he feels the government is stalling his findings, he should make it public. Gascon has no business bringing the matter before the international body. That assignment belongs to our ambassador to the UN. For him to invite rapporteurs from the UN to come and malign the country is beyond the function of his office. Gascon has to be reminded that the term of office of the CHR chairman is not constitutionally guaranteed.

He can be kicked out anytime once he violates the law like his reported decision to reclassify those killed Abu Sayyaf terrorists as victims of human rights violation.

It is not hard for Gascon to know and understand the limitations of his function as chairman of the CHR. These are found in Section 18, subsections (3) and (7). Subsection (3) tells the CHR of its duty to “provide appropriate legal measures for the protection of human rights of all persons within the Ph il ippi nes, as well as Filipinos residing abroad...” while Subsection (7) tells the CHR to “monitor the Philippine Government compliance with the international treaty obligations on human rights.” There is nothing that calls on the CHR to seek the assistance or to coordinate with foreign entities about the alleged violation of human rights in this country.

Equally, if the International Criminal Court wants to keep its already doubtful credibility, it should carefully screen all complaints. Many of them are politically motivated and intended to destabilize the government. The filing of the complaint against President Duterte by a crackpot lawyer is telling that the case is questionable.

As the saying goes, one need not examine the contents of the complaint, but simply look at the complainant and know his personality. One could readily sense that something is wrong with him and his clients because their concern is not on how the world will react but on the amount they could exact for their mercenary work of slandering the government.

It is not enough for Jude Josue Sabio to say that every accused needs a lawyer to ably defend himself. He forgot that his clients are not accused but self-confessed gun-for-hire serial killers. Obviously Edgar Matobato and rogue cop Arturo Lascanas want to jump the gun on the President hoping that the court will take their moneymaking fantasy without them proving the existence and identity of the persons they slaughtered with their peripatetic lawyer making a clown of himself before the ICC.

Many of these human rights complaints are politically motivated and intended to destabilize the government.

rpkapunan@gmail.com

SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017

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mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Sereno, the law, and creeping impunity IN HER speech delivered during the 16th National Convention of Lawyers of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, which I quoted in my column last Saturday, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno started by giving stress on the present challenges of public interest lawyers, especially defenders of human rights who have been under increasing attack.

Just recently, we saw how Bohol environmental lawyer Mia Mascariñas Green was brutally slain, ambushed in daylight in the presence of her two young children. Three months after, even as it is open knowledge in Bohol who the likely mastermind of this killing was, her killers remain at large. To keep the children safe, the family had to relocate abroad even as they are committed to seek redress.

Justice once again is elusive.

Highlighting the importance of the rule of law, the Chief Justice cited Former UN (United Nations) Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon who stated that the Rule of Law is the world’s best hope for building peaceful and prosperous societies. This theme, she said, was taken up in 2012 when the General Assembly took up Rule of Law vis-àvis conflict situations, and in the ensuing discussions recognized the work that had been built up in many areas of the world as to form a consensus on the need for Rule of Law as the baseline for development. Inevitably, the discussions highlighted the need for transparent legal systems and the role of lawyers.

Chief Justice Sereno then posed the question to her fellow lawyers: With all that we are experiencing as a country, what role do lawyers have in bringing hope to our people?

This question comes to mind in the midst of the increasingly violent times that lawyers find themselves in and the role that lawyers play—or need to play— in promoting, maintaining and nurturing the Rule of Law.

The PCOO...

From A4

and Strategic Communications.

The media agencies composing the Committee had no problem with the way the PCOO took the initiative in the coverage of summit activities and the dissemination of the news to local, regional, and international audiences. That was, after all, the purpose of the Committee.

Fortunately, the PCOO did not face the needless logistical problems which usually and chronically attend many international assemblies sponsored by the Philippine government in the past. The Committee took the cue from the PCOO and, with the unwavering support of President Duterte, set up an international media center to cover the Asean summit. This media center was established at the new world-class Conrad Hotel, which is part of the vast area where the summit was held.

Over a thousand local and international journalists were able to use the state-of-the-art equipment, the news rooms,

Patron...

From A4

Duterte’s most recent appointments drew a lot of criticisms especially on social media. His chosen ones to head the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief, Roy Cimatu, and Department of the Interior and Local Government, AFP Chief General Eduardo Año, are questioned by some quarters worried that the increasing number of military officers in the administration may be a prelude for a dictatorship or authoritarian rule.

But there is a lot more ruckus caused by the appointments of

Defining the term, the Chief Justice said that the rule of law is the governance principle holding all persons, institutions and entities, public and private, including the State itself, accountable to laws and rules that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced and independently adjudicated upon, that are consistent with international human rights norms and standards.

The World Justice Project which publishes a yearly Rule of Law Index defines the rule of law as a system in which the following universal principles are upheld. The Chief Justice quotes these principles in her speech: 1) accountability of government officials; (2) clear, stable, and just laws applied evenly and the protection of fundamental rights, including the security of persons and property; (3) accessible, fair, and efficient process of legislation; and (4) an independent, competent, ethical system of delivery of justice that is well-resourced and adequately funded.

The Chief Justice then advanced certain operational components where the judiciary and the legal profession are concerned: “(a) courts that are accessible to ordinary citizens; (b) delivery of justice— consisting of fair resolution of disputes and the consistent levying of punishment, where appropriate—in a timely and effective manner, without any undue or unreasonable delay; (c) courts that are independent—that is, free from improper government influence; and (d) the absence of corruption or the perception of corruption in the adjudication of disputes and controversies; (e) the appointment of competent, ethical, and neutral judges; and, (f) the presence of an independent and ethical Bar.” The Chief Justice also revealed that in the 2016 Rule of Law Index, the Philippines dropped nine spots to 70th even as the East Asia and Pacific region was the second-ranked region in rule of law, behind Western Europe and North America.

In this region, New Zealand and Singapore are the top performers in the 2016 rankings, ranking 8th and 9th, respectively

out of 113 countries worldwide, while the biggest mover was Vietnam, rising seven positions to 67th globally, higher than the Philippines’ ranking.

Chief Justice Sereno pointed out that the rule of law cannot be reconciled with a system that allows for undue immunities from these processes and outcomes due to considerations that are political or pecuniary or both. The notion of a rule of law holds these truths to be selfevident—that no one is immune from accountability simply because he or she is powerful or because he or she is rich, or because he or she is both powerful and rich. The contrary view to this is impunity and it is an anathema to the rule of law.

Impunity, according to Sereno, represents a breakdown, in part or in whole, of governance. In its most recognizable form, it is the impossibility of enforcing accountability, in whatever form, against offenders by reason of the unavailability or futility of existing proceedings and processes, means and methods to effect an effective and meaningful investigation, charge, arrest, trial, judgment, sentence or service of sentence.

Where an offender is unduly immunized from accountability through external conditions such as policy, politics or pecuniary interests, then impunity has set in and the rule of law is diminished.

The most powerful sentence in Sereno’s speech is this: “Impunity sows seeds of hopelessness and if we are not careful, those seeds will take root and bear fruit.”

Last week, in Geneva, Switzerland, the Philippines had to defend its human rights records before other countries. As explained in the website of the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the human rights records of all UN Member States is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfill their human rights obligations. As one of the

main features of the Council, the UPR is designed to ensure equal treatment for every country when their human rights situations are assessed.

According to the UNCHR, the UPR is a cooperative process which, by October 2011, has reviewed the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States. It is one of the key elements of the Council which reminds States of their responsibility to fully respect and implement all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The objective of this process is to improve the human rights situation in all countries and address human rights violations wherever they occur.

In the Geneva meeting, even with a high-caliber government delegation led by Senator now Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Cayetano, 45 of the 47 members of the Human Rights Council expressed concerns about the human rights situation in the Philippines and called on the government to investigate the extrajudicial killings that have accompanied the war against drugs. Only China supported us with Saudi Arabia as President not voting.

No words can justify what is happening in our streets and in poor neighborhoods. We are in a quagmire, faced with “creeping impunity” to borrow a phrase from the Chief Justice’s speech.

What can lawyers do about this? How does this challenge the many new lawyers that just passed the bar last week and who will take the lawyer’s oath on May 22? What can ordinary people, especially the young who are graduating from college in this season of commencement exercises, do?

Seeking to answer these questions, I will continue to write about this subject matter, in the next weeks, borrowing from Chief Justice Sereno’s IBP speech and also from what is expected to be a powerful speech she will deliver at the Ateneo de Manila University Loyola Schools’ commencement exercises later in the month.

and the comfortable lounges provided by the media center.

The promised high-speed internet facilities were available to everyone who needed them.

Even the food and accommodations did not disappoint the guests.

Make no mistake about it.

Putting up the media center for the Asean summit was no mean feat for the PCOO. The work included dealing with numerous, separate delegations of news crews and technical personnel who all have their own priorities, interests, and concerns. In certain instances, there was a language barrier that had to be overcome.

The accreditation and registration work at the media center was overwhelming on account of the volume of local and foreign news media personnel who joined the delegation of diplomats attending the summit. It wasn’t just a problem of paperwork; the PCOO team had to ascertain who among the registrants were legitimate and who were bogus. This verification requirement was demanded by the circumstances surround-

ing the summit because several world leaders were in the vicinity, and their security was a primary responsibility of the Philippine government. The last thing Manila needed was a terrorist masquerading as a journalist covering the summit.

Fortunately, there were no untoward incidents which marred the event. With troublemakers seemingly bent on destabilizing the Duterte administration, the fact that safety in the summit was never compromised is also an accomplishment.

All in all, the extensive preparations by the PCOO and the efficient coordination among key players in the media center, also undertaken by the PCOO, made the successful local, regional, and international dissemination of news and information about the Asean summit possible and effortless. This is confirmed by the extensive television and news media coverage of the event, both here and in international channels, and its coverage by a number of sites on social media.

Even the many Filipinos who went on vacation during the

four-day weekend that marked the summit were not spared of news about the event in their mobile phones and personal computers.

Recall that when it was ascertained last year that the Philippines was to host this Asean summit, the PCOO had about six months to prepare for it.

Those six months were spent not only for preparations relating to the media center, but likewise for projects designed to inform the Filipino people, the youth in particular, about the summit and its objectives.

With help provided by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts, the PCOO created a music video about the Asean summit, and some of its officials visited a number of schools to disseminate information about the regional organization and its summit in Pasay City.

The Philippines will host another Asean summit before the end of 2017. While the details about the agenda of that forum are not yet available, it may be assumed that the PCOO will take its work seriously anew.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and Mocha Uson as Assistant Secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office.

The reactions against Cayetano are brought about by the public perception that he is no more than a Duterte blind follower. This senator is known as Digong’s number one defender.

For him, the President can do no wrong. People are up in arms against this appointment especially because of China’s apparent aggressive moves to claim disputed territories in the West Philippine Seas coupled with Digong’s disturbing nonchalant attitude about this.

This issue is of paramount im-

portance to many Filipinos including some Duterte followers who are against China’s moves.

They, however, do not see Cayetano as the right person to fight for our national sovereignty and territorial integrity. He will simply tow Digong’s line no matter where this brings the country.

The noise is also deafening concerning Uson. Other than being a controversial social media user because of her promotion of fake news, she has no credentials to hold the office of Assistant Secretary. She does not have the credibility, the experience, and the qualifications.

According to the president, her appointment is because of his “utang na loob” perceived to be in relation with Uson’s “eter-

nal” loyalty to Digong. People are very concerned that Uson will use her position to propagate more lies and fake news glorifying her patron and destroying his critics.

Last I checked, the country is still a democracy. Free speech remains protected by the Constitution. Government still has to function to protect the people first and foremost.

We do not need Patron Duterte.

We need President Duterte to discharge his mandate to move the country forward and to protect people’s rights and welfare.

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

News

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SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

MMDA taps lawyers vs erring brgy chiefs

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Metro Manila Development Authority is calling on lawyers to lend their services to the agency for the handling of cases filed against erring village officials who fail to keep their jurisdiction free of illegally-parked vehicles and other road obstructions.

The agency made the call on Friday after it intensifies its drive against barangay officials who continue to violate the no-parking rule and tow-away zones in their respective localities.

“We have stepped up our anti-illegal parking and sidewalk clearing operations all over Metro Manila to ultimately improve the traffic situation. We would only attain this with the cooperation and support of all the stakeholders, including the barangay personnel—the people on the ground who have direct supervision over these inner roads,” said MMDA general manager and acting chairman Thomas Orbos.

Orbos said the agency’s legal department recently filed administrative cases before the Office of the Ombudsman against seven barangay officials for their failure to

IN BRIEF ‘QC govt issues CDO, not closure vs golf club’ THE Quezon City government clarified on Friday it has only issued a cease-and-desist order, not a closure order, on the operations of the 57-year-old Capitol Hills Golf and Country Club located in Barangay Old Balara.

Garry Domingo, the city's Business Permit and Licensing Office chief, said “there was no such closure order.”

He, however, clarified that a CDO was issued on the management of the private golf course to “give the party concerned a chance to wind up the operations until after we issue a closure order.”

“A CDO is a notice to the party concerned to try to wind up the operations,” he said.

After the CDO, a closure order is next if the compliance of the requirements is not met in the period given to the management, he added.

When asked about why the golf course has been operating without a permit for the last seven years, Domingo said “actually, that question is the very one submitted by the complainant. I don’t want question like that. I am expecting you to be fair.”

He said the golf course management is “paying up to 2017. Its payment is updated.”

“There was no violation,” he added.

“It’s just that there is a lacking requirement in the [provision in the] CDO. There’s a complaint so I issued a CDO,” he said.

“If it does not comply in the period given them, then there’ll be a closure order.’

As far as any plan of the Ayala Land to foreclose and develop the area, Domingo said “there are no such talks.”

“I was texted by my staff that they submitted to the legal department a letter. But I don’t know what it is about. But before the day ends, I will know,” he said. Rio N. Araja

Bomb threat hits PRC office in Manila THE Professional Regulation Commission office in Manila received a bomb threat, disrupting work of the agency on Friday.

Employees and people who have transactions with the office were ordered out of the building as security personnel put the area in lockdown.

Roads leading to PRC were closed, as authorities prevented people to go near the agency's compound.

Manila Police District investigators said a security guard received information regarding a bomb threat in the PRC. The security guard alerted their officer-in-charge.

The OIC then alerted police authorities regarding the bomb threat.

Police declined to give details as to how the threat was received.

The PRC canceled all work and transactions in the office until such time the MPD bomb squad had cleared the area.

Sandy Araneta

clear the streets that were already cleared and cleaned by MMDA personnel of obstructions.

He said the community leaders could also face administrative cases for their failure to maintain the river ways and esteros in their areas garbage-free.

The MMDA has been continuously conducting river and estero cleanups in various waterways in Metro Manila via the Estero Blitz program to mitigate massive flooding during the rainy season.

Aside from barangay personnel, Orbos said the agency will need the services of volunteer-lawyers to file cases against business establishments that continue to allow vehicles of their clients to park beyond the road easement.

“We encourage all lawyers to help us in our fight against negligent barangay officials. We cannot do it alone as we lack manpower and resources,” he said.

Three barangay officials in Quezon City were the latest subjects of administrative complaints in connection with the government's campaign against illegally-parked vehicles and other road obstructions.

THRILL OF SPILL. Students from the Motorcycle Riding Course of the Highway Patrol Group conduct a final training on Motorcycle Crashed Rolling log by passing into a mud road. Photo shows some of the riders taking a spill during the training at the Camp Karingal grandstand in Quezon City on Friday. Manny Palmero

DPWH rushes work along Commonwealth road

By Vito Barcelo

T

HE Department of Public Works and Highways is rushing the completion of a P41-million widening road project along Commonwealth Avenue, one of the busiest thoroughfares in Metro Manila.

DPWH-National Capital Region Director Melvin Navarro said three additional lanes along Commonwealth Avenue are being constructed, from Zuzurue-

ggi Street to Vila Beatriz Street where some informal settler families reside.

The project involves the construction of sidewalk for the safe-

ty of pedestrians. The project is now 90 percent completed.

“We want to fully utilize our road space so we are closely coordinating with other government agencies and private entities for the soonest possible relocation of informal settler families and utilities in the project area,” Navarro said.

Informal settler families occupying the road right of way will be relocated to a government relocation site in Bulacan.

Meanwhile, the DPWH will

resume its weekend road reblocking activities in some major roads in Quezon City and Pasig City.

Navarro said the affected roads in Quezon City will include the southbound direction of Epifanio delos Santos Avenue before Dario Bridge; the fifth lane of Commonwealth Avenue northbound from Litex Road to Doña Carmen; the second lane of B. Bernardino Street to T. Urbano in Quirino Highway; the third lane of Congres-

sional Avenue Extension from Tandang Sora Avenue to Luzon Avenue; and the second lane of Mindanao Avenue northbound direction from Old Sauyo Road to Mindanao Tunnel.

Road works will likewise be undertaken in the southbound direction of C-5, Pasig City before Lanuza Avenue.

Affected motorists are advised to take alternate routes due to the expected buildup at the construction areas which will be reopen on Monday, May 15, 2017.

Meralco overprice unjust, says group

By Sandy Araneta

PARTNERS FOR SAFER TRAVEL. The Operator of Tarlac Pangasinan La Union Expressway and Northern Cement Corp. have partnered to launch a massive information drive on road safety. Part of the campaign includes installation of roadside billboards, constant reminders on vehicle safety through leaflet distribution, poster display on bus terminals and workshop for vehicle operators and drivers. Road incidents, specifically due blown-out tires, along TPLEX continue to increase over the past three years. TPLEX has made travel from Balintawak, Metro Manila to Baguio City from about 6 hours down to 3-1/2 hours. Shown in photo are (from left) Mark Dumol, president and COO of Private Infra Dev Corp., the operator of TPLEX, and Oliver Gorospe, general manager of NCC, sealed their partnership with a handshake.

CONSUMER group People Opposed to unWarranted Electricity Rates (POWER) on Friday called on the Energy Regulatory Commission to stand pat on an inadvertently leaked directive ordering the Manila Electric Co. to refund P6.927 billion in overrecoveries charged to its consumers from January 2014 to December 2016.

Details of the directive were posted on the ERC website last May 4 but later taken down. ERC Commissioner Josefina MagpaleAsirit confirmed the existence of the directive but said the commission en banc has yet to finalize the order next week.

Meralco wants the figure reduced P5.847 billion, saying it is entitled to retain P1.08 billion in property tax payments from the overrecoveries. Meralco also wants the refund to be done over a period of 36 months.

“ERC should not allow Meralco to pass on its real property taxes to its consumers nor should it be allowed

to keep enjoying the fruits of its overcharging. As a matter of justice, the full refund should be reflected in next billing cycle,” said POWER. The group said Meralco had already reaped the full benefit of overcharging P6.927 billion from its consumers in the last three years.

“Every second that Meralco is allowed to retain and benefit from that money is a stroke of injustice to every electricity consumer and the public at large. ERC should order Meralco to return the whole amount immediately,” the group stressed.

The group lamented that Meralco’s overcharging did not only mean higher monthly bills but higher prices of goods and services for the entire country, since most of the country’s offices and factories are located in the Meralco franchise area.

POWER urged the ERC to come up with a way to determine such overrecoveries immediately.

“Allowing a giant like Meralco to overcharge its hapless consumers for three years is bordering on the criminal,” they said.

Aviation cops arrest 68-year-old for marijuana possession AVIATION policemen placed under their custody a sexagenarian passenger from Houston, Texas who was caught in possession of marijuana at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The suspect, who was identified as Augusto Reyes Madrigal, 68, was about to board a connecting flight to Cagayan de Oro at the Naia Terminal 3 when members of the Police Aviation Security Group approached him, inspected his belongings and found the undetermined quantity of cannabis leaves.

The Avsegroup men, in close coordination with the Office for Transportation Security, waited for the arrival of Madrigal at the airport on May 9 following a tip from their informants that the subject passenger was bringing the prohibited items into the country from the United States.

Investigation showed that cannabis leaves was found tightly packed and concealed in two deodorant cases when the passenger’s

luggage was being inspected. It also reported that Madrigal's fellow passenger on the same flight from Houston informed the authorities that he had drugs inside his bag.

The elder passenger claimed he always brings cannabis leaves every time he returns for vacation to Manila from Texas.

Madrigal was brought to the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office for inquest proceedings and is now under the custody of Intelligence and Investigation of Aviation Security UnitNational Capital Region.

Manila International Airport Authority general manager Eddie Monreal said Naia has heightened its vigilance in the campaign against illegal drug trafficking in a bid to discourage international and local drug syndicates from using the Philippines as a transshipment point or dumping ground for their illegal substances.

Only recently, Jesus Detollo, an MIAA building attendant, was caught with three sachets of methamphetamine hydrochloride, lo-

cally known as shabu following a week-long surveillance operation on the suspect's illegal activity at the facility.

Elements of the MIAA airport police department in close coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority planned an entrapment operation against Detollo three weeks after they received that he peddles illegal drugs to customers at the airport.

Monreal said Detollo was contacted through his mobile number for a meet-up with the poseuor buyer at Gate 3 of the MIAA Administration compound. He added that Detollo was caught selling three sachets for P1,200.

Detollo was turned over to the custody of the PDEA while the shabu obtained from him was sent to the PNP Crime laboratory for verification. The suspect was charged with violation of Republic Act 9165 (Dangerous Drug Act) with no bail recommended.

Airport and Customs authorities also intercepted a package shipped from Canada containing marijuana worth more than P100,000.

Four vacuum-sealed plastic pouches containing 343 grams of cannabis dried leaves, an illegal substance, was discovered in the parcel upon examination by teams from the Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force, Naia Customs Police and Inter Agency Task Group at the Central Mail Exchange Center warehouse in Pasay City.

A certain Deandre Travis Johnson Cruz was identified as the claimant of the seized parcel.

Another suspect, a Korean national, was also caught in possession of 117 grams of marijuana at the Naia Terminal 3 last March.

The suspect Eunho Ahn, 24, was about to board her Philippine Airlines flight bound for Busan, South Korea when members of the Office of Transportation Security led by Judy Anne de Belen found the prohibited drugs concealed in her belly.

The OTS personnel then inspected the suspect's luggage and discovered assorted tablets, believed to be ecstasy, a dangerous party drug. Joel Zurbano

Sports PH rugby bets ready for Asian tourney

By Peter Atencio IT WILL be a tough week for the Philippines Volcanoes 15s squad that’s been named for the Asia Rugby Championships Team skipper Oliver Saunders said their three games this week in Division 1 of the Asia Rugby Championships in Malaysia will be quite a challenge.

“We’re looking forward to the challenge next week,” said Saunders.

Their coming stint comes after a recently successful encounter against an experienced Singapore national team on April 22, when the Philippine Residents XV defeated the visitors, 29-17.

Nine players from that winning team earned a slot into the SPI Philippine Volcanoes National Men’s 15s team because of this.

“We have a squad of 25 players and we need every member to contribute,” said Saunders following a jersey presentation and sendoff last Wednesday in Taguig.

The Volcanoes are set to meet Sri Lanka on May 14, before taking on hosts Malaysia on May 17.

Their final game against a squad from the United Arab Emirates is slated on May 21 at Ipoh Padang Field in Ipoh, Malaysia.

Saunders said the team was able to get together for a training camp over the past 10 days to prepare for the difficult grind ahead.

Among the players chosen were Michael Estrada Duhig and Patrice Ortiz Olivier, who returning.

Among the new faces are Kevin Sysu Gordon in the centres and Gerald Zamora Tulud in the backrow.

Other new players making their debut are Ricky Kucia, Ned Plarizan Stephenson.

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SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Triple Crown 1 leg blasts off on May 21 at San Lazaro Park N st

INE colts and two fillies will pit guts and skills in the first leg of the most prestigious racing extravaganza for three-year-old horses—Philippine Racing Commission-backed Triple Crown series on May 21 at the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite.

Fighting for the crown are Batang Poblacion of Ferdinand Eusebio, Biglang Buhos of Stony Road Horse Farm, Breaking News of Aristeo Puyat, Doshermanos Island (filly) and Pangalusian Island of Wilbert Tan, Hiway One of Joseph Dyhengco, Golden Kingdom of Lamberto Almeda Jr., Manda of Benjamin Abalos Jr., Metamorphosis of Herminio Esguerra, Sepfourteen of SC Stockfarm and Smokin Saturday

of Roberto Inigo.

A total of P3 million in prizes will be up for grabs in the race over a distance of 1,600 meters, with P1.8 million going to the champion horse and P675,000 allocated for the runner-up. Third and fourth placers get P375,000 and P150,000, respectively.

Different winners ruled last year’s Triple Crown, with the first leg being won by longshot Radio Active, which beat early favorite

Dewey Boulevard for the honor.

In the second leg, Dewey Boulevard returned the favor by beating the first-leg winner in a duel from start to finish, setting up a battle royale in the third leg. But another longshot in Underwood crashed the party and dashed past Dewey Boulevard down the stretch to win the third leg by three lengths.

The last time one horse won it all in one year was in 2014 when Emmanuel Santos’s colt Kid Molave (Into Mischief x Unsaid) scored the rare 3-peat, earning a P500,000 bonus from Philracom for the rare feat.

The three-leg series is patterned after the United States’ Triple Crown, with its three legs comprised of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Bel-

mont Stakes, also with progressively longer distances.

The series was launched in 1978, with Native Gift winning the first two legs and Majority Rule denying him the sweep. There have been only ten Triple Crown champions since then: Fair and Square in 1981, Skywalker (1983), Time Master (1987), Magic Showtime (1988), Sun Dancer (1989), Strong Material (1996), Real Top (1998), Silver Story (2001), Hagdang Bato (2012), and Kid Molave (2014).

“We expect some solid competition with the good field of horses not just for the Triple Crown but for the other races as well ” Philracom Chairman Andrew A. Sanchez said.

“Participating horseowners and their families will be there, and so are the fans cheering for their favor-

Bayron grabs lead, but Thai, Clyde lurk

Jay Bayron flashes superb touch around the green.

Boxers to get free CT scan, MRI, says health secretary

By Randy Caluag DAVAO City—Health secretary Rosell-Ubial was not just a special guest speaker during the Philippine Boxing Convention in Davao City. He also brought with her an early Christmas gift that will make life easier for Filipino boxers and their managers.

Ubial, speaking yesterday before hundreds of boxing stakeholders at the Marco Polo Hotel in this city, declared that boxers under the Games and Amusement Board may avail of the free medical facilities of government

hospitals for their requirements to get license from the government regulatory for professional sports.

This means that boxers will not have to spend a single cent for their annual physical and medical check-up, including CT Scan and Magnetic Resonance Imaging procedures, which are required by the GAB for granting licenses.

GAB chairman Baham Mitra said the GAB lawyers are drafting the Memorandum of Agreement between the GAB and the DOH for its implementation as soon as possible and for the mandates

to be funded in the current and forthcoming national government budgets.

“This is a development that the boxing industry has been asking for as confirmed by former GAB officials and we’re so thankful for this historic announcement that will change the landscape of Philippine professional boxing, which will surely increase the number of boxers,” said Mitra.

The GAB had previously made the request from the DOH through writing although the secretary said she was unaware of the letter.

There are more than 1,000 li-

Meralco Manila tries to extend lead MERALCO Manila tries to extend its lead at the top of the Philippine Football League when it hosts newcomer Ilocos United today at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Riding high on an impressive 5-1 win over Stallion Laguna last week, Meralco looks to assert itself early against an Ilocos side that battled the Davao Aguilas to a 1-1 draw last Sunday.

Although Meralco boasts of a deep and talented roster compared to Ilocos, Meralco captain James Younghusband insists his team isn’t looking past the visiting team, which also has a slew of experienced players.

“We cannot take any team lightly,” said Younghusband, who accounted for one of the goals in last Saturday’s rout at Binan Stadium.

“We’re really happy with last

ite horses and jockeys.”

Also on tap on Sunday is the Philracom Hopeful Stakes Race offering P1 million in total prizes and the Philracom 3YO Locally Bred Stakes Race, with P500,000 at stake.

April’s Song, Brilliance, Caloocan Zap, Flawless Diamond, Flintridge, Gintong Lawin, Greatwall, Lemonada, Mount Pulag, Rochelle, Temecula and Time on Target will be dueling in the Hopeful Stakes Race, while Caloocan Zap, Cerveza Rosas, Creme Brule, Flawless Diamond, Gintong Lawin, Himig, Indian Warrior, Kingship, Magic Carpet Ride, Mr. Bourbon, Pagkakataon, Power Hook, Puerto Princesa, Selfie, Sikat and Time on Target comprise the 3YO Locally Bred Stakes.

MATCH TODAY

(Rizal Memorial Stadium) 4 p.m. – Meralco Manila vs Ilocos United

week’s performance. It’s a long way to go, but the win is good for our confidence. We need to keep improving.

As a team, we scored goals but we think we can do better,” he said.

Curt Dizon, Milan Nikolic, Tahj Minniecon and Phil Younghusband also found the back of the net, underlining the attacking depth of coach Aris Caslib’s side.

Ilocos needed a 79th minute penalty from captain John Kanayama to forge a draw against the Aguilas.

Apart from Kanayama, Angelo Marasigan also stood out with his runs inside the box. The Fil-Belgian winger also earned the penalty that

Kanayama converted.

Ilocos coach Ian Gillan is confident that his side can cope with the threat posed by Meralco.

“We want to make this a competitive match,” said Gillan. “This game will be a good gauge for us because the players are performing well in training. We don’t want to be in the same position as last week so the preparation has been quite good.”

An interesting subplot to the clash will be the presence of former Meralco players now with the Ilocos side, including Kanayama, Graham Caygill, Baba Sampana and Marasigan.

Kanayama is undaunted by the prospect of facing a powerhouse side like Meralco.

“We’re the new boys and we want to prove up we can stand up against the bigger clubs,” said Kanayama.

censed boxers at the GAB. The prohibitive cost of undergoing such procedures had discouraged a lot of boxers to renew their licenses.

In Metro Manila, a CT scan costs around P2,500. In cities outside of the NCR, a CT scan could cost as much as PhP P4,500 to P6,500, while an MRI generally costs P6,500 or more depending on the extent.”

Mitra said the GAB will provide the list of boxers to the DOH, which in turn, will provide copy to its regional offices so that the free services will be accessible for

those living in the provinces and they don’t have to go to Manila to save time and money.

“The biggest hindrance to the increase of pro boxers licensing is the strict and sometimes prohibitive medical requirements. The announcement (by Ubial) opens up the doors to not-so well off but very deserving boxers. This development is the biggest breakthrough in Philippine pro boxing.”

Ubial also proposed “to extend Philhealth coverage to all boxers & their families by granting full government subsidy as part of the country’s vulnerable population.”

Top seed is chess champ TOP-SEEDED national pool member NM John Marvin Miciano of Davao City and Venice Vicente (No. 4 seed) of Tanza, Cavite ruled in contrasting fashions theU20 boys’ and girls’ divisions of the recent National Age Group Chess Championship, respectively, at Robinson’s Galleria in Cebu City.

Miciano, top board player of UAAP secondary chess champion Far Eastern University, edged teammate Jeth Romy Morado by .5 point, while Vicente, a member of UAAP women chess champion FEU team, nipped national pool member WFM Marie Antoinette San Diego through the direct encounter tiebreaker.

Sharing the limelight in the tourney co-presented by the Province of Cebu and Marty Pimentel and supported by Philippine Sports Commission were the pawn pushers of Dasmariñas, Cavite Mayor Elpidio Barzaga Jr. Mentored by FIDE Master Roel Abelgas, they brought home four gold medals, two silvers and a bronze.

Abelgas’ wards Jason Danday triumphed in the U18 boys, Daniel Quizon in U14 boys, Kylen Joy Mordido in U16 girls and Jerlyn Mae San Diego in U12 girls. Marie Antoinette San Diego (U20) and Darren de la Cruz (U8) settled for runner-up honors and Justine Diego Mordido finished third in U14.

“Mayor Barzaga’s chess development program whose products stood out in the country’s premier age-group competition should serve as a template for LGUs, especially now that the thrust of the PSC is grassroots sports development,” said Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr., National Chess Federation of the Philippines chairman and president.

Water Defenders take on Perlas, shoot for win no. 4 UNBEATEN BaliPure hopes to come out strong coming off a long break as it shoots for win No. 4 against Perlas today even as Pocari Sweat and the Power Smashers clash in a duel of surging teams in the Premier Volleyball League at the FilOil Flying V Center in San Juan.

The Water Defenders have not seen action since sweeping the defending champion Lady Warriors last May 4 but coach Roger Gorayeb remain confident

to take the Lady Spikers his wards will be able Games today lightly as the Water Deto sustain their hot start 10 a.m. – Army vs IEM (men’s) fenders try to stretch their in the season-open1 p.m. – BaliPure vs Perlas ing conference of the 4 p.m. – Pocari Sweat vs Power Smashers win run t four.

6:30 p.m. – Air Force vs Creamline The 1 p.m. match beleague organized by tween BaliPure and Perlas Sports Vision.

Ranged against Perlas, BaliPure will be kicks off a heavy three-game bill that also facing a team still trying to find its rhythm features Pocari Sweat versus the Power after going win-loss-win-loss in the early Smashers at 4 p.m. and the Air Force going of the double-round elims. But Go- against Creamline at 6:30 p.m.

The Power Smashers and the Lady rayeb will surely caution his wards not

Warriors actually start their second round campaign in the league where it all started with the former seeking to score a repeat of their three-set romp last April 30.

But after back-to-back setbacks to start its title-retention drive, Pocari Sweat swept it next three, including a 15-25, 25-18, 26-24, 25-19 victory over Creamline late Thurday, putting it in step with the Power Smashers at 3-2.

DASMARIÑAS, Cavite— Jay Bayron used a strong start and a near-impeccable short game to wrest control then closed out with gutsy pars to churn out a bogey-free 69 and hold off a charging Gunn Charoenkul of Thailand and a resilient Clyde Mondilla in the third round of the ICTSI Orchard Golf Championship at the Orchard’s Player course here yesterday.

Bayron moved out of a threeway tie for second and into the lead in second-to-last flight with a birdie-birdie opening, took a two-stroke lead with another birdie on No. 11, all inside 10 feet, then fended off flightmate Charoenkul’s stirring eagle-finish with a slew of pars, including a couple of par-saves, to stay on top at seven-under 209.

Bracing for a shootout, the 38-year-old Bayron said he would need to shoot a 67 today to beat Charoenkul and Mondilla and check a so-so campaign in the season’s first four tournaments marred by a missed-cut stint at the Solaire Philippine Open.

“I have to score a five-under to win. I think that would be the winning score,” said Bayron, who won the Aboitiz Invitational and the Riviera Classic last year, barely making it a three with a one-shot loss to Elmer Salvador at Splendido.

Charoenkul, four behind Mondilla at the start of the round, rallied with three birdies in the last 12 holes capped by an eagle on the par-5 18th from six feet as the Thai threatened to spoil the local aces’ bid in the event sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. With a 210, the 25-year-old Bangkok native tied Mondilla, who fought back from that double-bogey mishap with three birdies in a nine-hole stretch from No. 4 before surviving an up-and-down finish to save a 71, at second heading to the final 18 holes of the event serving as the second of a four-leg, month-long Philippine Golf Tour swing.

“I struggled with my putting and I need to rebound tomorrow (today) to win it,” said Mondilla, who won three tournaments last year to finish behind Tony Lascuña in the PGT Order of Merit derby.

Zanieboy Gialon, just one behind Mondilla after 36 holes, also faded with two bogeys in the first four holes and finished with a 73, dropping to solo fourth at 213, now four strokes off Bayron.

LOTTO RESULTS 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 4 DIGITS 00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

Sports

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

A8

SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017

Cray

Cray runs 2 fast times in Japan

By Peter Atencio ERIC Cray, who is getting ready to see action in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games, came up with fast times in two invitational meets in Japan.

The 29-year-old Cray clocked 10.35 seconds in the 2017 Mito athletics meet last May 5, according to the event’s official website.

It was his second fastest time for the year.

The last time around, he finished 10.31 seconds last January at the University of Texas-El Paso meet.

Last May 7, he finished the 400-meter hurdles in 49.58 seconds at the Michitaka Kinami Memorial in Osaka.

His performance was close to 49.4 seconds that was considered a new record in the 2015 Singapore SEA Games.

So far, Cray is on course in his preparations for the coming World Championships set from Aug. 4 to 13 in London.

Then, he sees action in the SEA Games in Malaysia, which commences on Aug. 19.

RR Pogoy of Gilas attacks the basket in a SEABA game by the hosts against Myanmar. Roman Prospero

Thailand, Indonesia win

By Peter Atencio

T

HAILAND needed time to get its act together, while Indonesia was simply overwhelming yesterday at the start of the Southeast Asia Basketball Association Championship at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

The Thais turned to the freethrow line towards the end of the third period before turning the tables on Malaysia for a 7467 triumph.

Meanwhile, the Indons took

a 13-3 blast and they never looked back as they went on to post a 71-50 smothering of Singapore.

This gave the Thais and the Indons the early lead in the

opener of this weeklong meet.

Shooting guard Chichai Ananti led the Thais with 24 points and eight rebounds.

His two charities in the last 2:37 of the third tied the contest at 47-all, and his baskets found their mark just as the Malaysians struggled with foul trouble.

After that, freebies from Patiphan Klahan and Nattakam Muangboom put the Thais ahead, 51-48.

The Indons, who did not field naturalized player Jamarr Johnson for fear of being scouted,

Cabuyao foils PUP, bags softball 18-under crown CABUYAO, Laguna sustained its superb hitting to take control then warded off Polytechnic University of the Philippines’ late charge to hack out an 11-6 decision and capture the Cebuana Lhuillier-ASAPHIL 18-andunder men’s Fast Pitch softball crown at Sto. Niño Ballpark in Marikina City yesterday.

The Laguna Transformers scored seven runs in the first two innings but the PUP batters struck back and pulled to within, 5-8, before the former leaned on Patricio Estipular and Jorel Magayaga’s RBI (runs-batted-in) in the final frame to clinch the victory and complete a sweep of the event organized and conducted by the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (Asaphil), headed by president and Cebuana Lhuillier chief Jean

Henri-Lhuillier.

“It’s been a great week packed with thrills and team spirit. Although pitted against other tough teams, Cabuyao remained unfazed and continued its winning streak up to the end,” said Lhuillier.

Led by Cyrus Barit and the steady batting of tournament best slugger Jerome Tenorio, Cabuyao scored two runs in the opening frame then Estipular, Magayaga and Tenorio combined for four RBIs and hurler and league MVP Erlito Lara capped Cabuyao’s second inning romp with an RBI of his own for a 7-0 count.

After holding PUP scoreless in the third, highlighted by a triple-play stop sparked by Julius Diaz, Cabuyao appeared headed for a rout but catching errors coupled with PUP’s timely hits courtesy of Ildefonso Mariñas

coasted to an easy 18-3 advantage in the first period.

Mario Wuysang, who was hot with 20 points and six triples, struck with two triples in the first 10 minutes.

From there, Indonesia went on to limit Singapore to eight points in the second period, before finishing first half with a 40-11 edge.

Gilas, which was playing Myanmar as of presstime, clashes with Singapore on Saturday, before facing Malaysia on Sunday. Monday is a rest day.

CEREMONIAL TEE OFF.

Philippine Constitution Association President and former Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez leads the ceremonial tee off of the 2017 Malcolm Cup Golf Tournament at the Manila Golf and Country Club in Makati City. Romualdez is a member of lawyers from the University of the Philippines Class of 1992, which organized the tournament.

Ver Noveno

and Aaron Gecolea put the latter back in the hunt at 5-8 after five innings.

Cabuyao, however, regrouped on top of the last inning and hit back with three RBIs

by Estipular and Magayaga to make it 11-5 with PUP scoring the last run with a bat by catcher John Lucas.

On its way to the finals, PUP edged Rizal Technological U, 4-3.

Meanwhile, Tenorio also took the Best Hitter and Most RBIs awards, Justin John Rosales from Agoncillo, Batangas bagged the Most Homeruns trophy, while PUP’s Jeffrey Mendoza copped the Best Pitcher trophy.

Cabuyao also received P12,000 for its feat while PUP, RTU and Agoncillo took P8,000, P6,000, and P4,000 each, respectively.

Kanter to PH kids: Prove your doubters by working hard

By Klyde Manansala

Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter is shown with Fountain International School students and personnel during his visit to the school on Thursday. Kanter donated supplies to the White Cross Orphanage and gave students of FIS an inspirational talk through his very own charity organization called the Light Foundation. Jaleen Ramos

ENES Kanter of the Oklahoma City Thunder gave his simple piece of advice to all Filipino basketball players who are continuously chasing their dreams.

“First, they should have a big dream. Second, they have to work for it. You have to give yourself 100%.

There’s gonna be people out there and they’re not gonna believe, so you just prove them wrong by working really hard. Education is number one.

Never leave school, stay in school and do your work,” the big man said during his Thursday visit at the Fountain International School in San Juan.

Kanter, whose visit to the Philippines was made possible by FIS, gave gifts and medicines to the White Cross Orphanage through his very own charity called Light Foundation.

He also gave words of inspira-

tions to students of FIS, some of whom are scholars of the school and victims of typhoon Yolanda.

“If they believe in something, they can do it. But they have to believe in themselves. My only reason is to give these young guys the confidence,” Kanter said.

The Turkish national also shared his thoughts on the current NBA season.

Kanter thinks his teammate Russell Westbrook deserves the Most Valuable Player award this season, despite their early exit in the playoffs.

“I cannot say enough about him.

He’s an amazing guy. He helps everybody. He helps his teammates, his coaches. And one thing that is special about him is he makes himself better and he makes everybody better and that’s what special about playing with Russ. I feel like he deserves the MVP,” the 6’11” center said.

When asked about on who he thinks is the greatest basketball player ever, Kanter said Michael Jordan is the best of all time. But right now, he said Westbrook is the best player in the league.

“I don’t think anybody can beat him one on one. I’ve seen him on the court and off the court, people don’t know how hard he works.

One thing about him is that he loves what he’s doing and he’s having fun,” Kanter said.

The big man said he enjoyed his stay in the country and he is also aware how Filipinos love the sport basketball.

“I feel like you have the best fans all around the world. Everybody’s crazy about basketball. I feel like more NBA players will visit this country. It’s amazing.

People are really warm, they’re nice people, they’re really welcoming,” Kanter said.

The tournament will be Gilas’ stepping stone to a higher level of competition as the tournament offers a lone ticket to the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup. The Philippines is considered a traditional favorite since it has dominated the tournament for many years.

Aside from naturalized player Blatche, PBA superstars like JuneMar Fajardo, Jayson Castro, Japeth Aguilar, and Calvin Abueva are expected to give Gilas the needed punch in their coming encounters.

It’s Spurs vs Dubs in West finals LOS ANGELES—The San Antonio Spurs humiliated the Houston Rockets Thursday with a 114-75 game six closeout win that brought James Harden’s MVPworthy season to a startling halt.

LaMarcus Aldridge paced the offense by scoring 34 points for the short-handed Spurs, who routed the Rockets despite the absence of top scorer Kawhi Leonard and star guard Tony Parker.

“Everybody picked it up. It wasn’t one guy scoring 40 points,” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

“They played well at the offensive end with a lot of sense and defensively it was one of our best nights.”

San Antonio won the secondround series in six games and punched their ticket to the Western Conference playoff finals against the Golden State Warriors, which kicks off on Sunday.

Harden’s baffling performance in front of a Houston crowd of 18,050 at the Toyota Center arena was almost as big a stunner as the Spurs’ winning a NBA playoff elimination contest by a whopping 39 points. The Rockets 75 points was second-lowest in a game during the Harden era.

And the Spurs didn’t need Parker (torn left quadriceps) or Leonard (sore left ankle) to do it.

Jonathon Simmons added 18 points in place of Leonard, while Patty Mills chipped in 14 points and seven assists.

Pau Gasol tallied 10 points with 11 rebounds for San Antonio, which trailed 5-4 in the first quarter before coasting to the win.

San Antonio shot 53 percent from the field, compiled a 60-37 rebounding advantage and limited Houston to 28 percent shooting.

“They feel as bad as I do. It is going to hurt and linger,” said Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni.

Harden was a non-factor Thursday after finishing second in scoring during the season at 29.1 points per game. He did not attempt a shot until the 6:19 mark of the second quarter. AFP

Eagle sets IPO price at P15 per share B2

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017

B1

Metro Pacific reviving MRT 3 bid

By Darwin G. Amojelar

M

ETRO Pacific Investments Corp. is reviving its offer to the government to rehabilitate Metro Rail Transit Line 3.

“We’re thinking of resubmitting our updated proposal on MRT 3. We’re trying to impress the urgency of the issue [on MRT 3 breakdown],” MPIC chairman Manuel Pangilinan said.

When asked if the infrastructure conglomerate would offer the same proposal it submitted to the previous administration, Pangilinan said: “There are parts that are different, or parts that are the same.”

Pangilinan said the company planned to submit its new offer to

the Duterte administration within the year. “[We’re] being responsive to the needs of the people. In the end, [it’s] up to the government” he said.

Metro Pacific submitted a proposal to the Transport Department in 2011, involving a $500-million investment to rehabilitate and upgrade MRT 3.

The Aquino administration rejected Metro Pacific’s offer, which would involve raising fares for the train system.

Pangilinan

Metro Pacific signed a cooperation agreement in 2011 with various groups holding rights and interests in MRT 3, including Metro Rail Transit Corp., Metro Rail Transit Holdings Inc., Metro Rail Transit 2 Inc. and Monumento Rail Transit Corp., giving Metro Pacific an option to acquire 48 percent in the system.

Metro Pacific has yet to exercise the option.

State-run Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines hold an 80-percent economic interest in MRT 3 while the remaining stake is held by creditors of MRTC. MRT 3, which runs along Edsa from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay

City, serves more than 500,000 passengers per day, beyond its rated capacity of 350,000.

The line has a fleet of 73 Czechmade air-conditioned rail cars.

The Transportation Department in January 2016 signed a P3.8-billion three-year contract with the joint venture of Busan Transportation Corp., Edison Development & Construction, Tramat Mercantile Inc., TMICorp and Castan Corp. to do maintenance works on the rolling stock and signaling system, the most critical maintenance component of MRT 3.

The Senate called for an investigation on the safety of the rail system amid the recent breakdown of several trains.

PLDT’s net profit fell by 20% in 1st quarter PLDT Inc. said Friday net income fell by a fifth in the first quarter from a year ago, on weak revenues from its mobile phone business.

PLDT, partly owned by Hong Kong’s First Pacific Co. Ltd. and Japan’s NTT group, said net income amounted to P4.95 billion in January to March, down 20 percent from P6.21 billon it earned in the same period last year.

Core profit, which excludes foreign exchange gains or losses and other non-recurring income, also dropped 26 percent to P5.3 billon from a year earlier.

The company is maintaining a profit guidance of P21.5 billion this year, despite the lower first-quarter profit.

“As we indicated earlier, our focus since the latter part of 2016 has been to stabilize the overall business, which involves stemming the decline of revenues and profitability in the wireless consumer segment, sustaining the upward momentum in the Home and Enterprise businesses and laying the ground for recovery through the digital transformation of our businesses,” said PLDT chairman and president Manuel Pangilinan.

“We’ve produced encouraging results in the first quarter this year, thanks to the continued strong growth posted by our home and enterprise businesses, whilst our wireless consumer group re-doubled efforts to break the negative momentum and hold the line,” he said.

Consolidated service revenues went down 7 percent to P35.6 billion from last year’s P40.59 billion.

The company’s home and enterprise business units led the way in the first quarter, posting double-digit revenue increases year-on-year.

Darwin G. Amojelar

IN BRIEF EastWest sees 2017 profit surging 25%

EAST West Banking Corp., the financial subsidiary of the Filinvest Group, said Friday a 25-percent increase in net income this year is realistic after posting a remarkable growth in the first quarter.

EastWest said net income in the first quarter of 2017 jumped 54 percent to P1.2 billion on account of robust loan growth and improving productivity.

“As we have said previously, we expect to see steady increase in productivity after we have completed our expansion and as our stores mature. Business has been good,” EastWest vice chairman and chief executive Antonio Moncupa Jr. said in a statement Friday.

“We expect revenue growth to continue besting increases in costs.

At the rate we are going, a 25-percent increase in income this year to around P4.25 billion is doable,” Moncupa said. Julito G. Rada

Jollibee’s income up 2.9% to P1.47b

JOLLIBEE Foods Corp., the largest Asian restaurant company, said net income in the first quarter rose 2.9 percent to P1.474 billion from P1.432 billion year-on-year.

Jollibee disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange net income attributable to equity holders of the parent company also increased 9.6 percent to P1.533 billion during the period from P1.398 billion on year.

“The profit growth improvement was a result of the acquisition of the remaining 30 percent of Mang Inasal in April 2016 that brought additional profit to JFC,” the company said.

The company’s system wide sales, a measure of all sales to consumers, both from company-owned and franchised stores, grew 12.2 percent in the first quarter to P38.537 billion from P34.345 billion a year ago. Alena Mae S. Flores

Pure Foods allots P56b for expansion

BEST FAMILY BUSINESSES. Unionbank of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University through its Family Business Development Center sign a memorandum of understanding to confer awards on the country’s best performing family businesses. Awardees will be selected on the bases of business performance, best practices and contributions to society. Shown during the signing of the agreement are (from left) Ateneo FBDC director Ricardo Mercado, John Gokongwei School of Management Dean Luis Dumlao, Loyola Schools vice president Dr. Maria Luz Vilches, Unionbank chairman and chief executive Justo Ortiz, Unionbank senior executive vice president Eugene Acevedo, Uniobank executive vice president Genaro Lapez and Unionbank first vice president and trust officer Robert Ramos.

ERC hit for inaction on feed-in tariff payments

By Alena Mae S. Flores SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian slammed the Energy Regulatory Commission for its “regulatory inaction” that has resulted in a P6.6-billion backlog payment to renewable energy developers in the form of feed-in tariff rates.

Gatchalian said the backlog in 2016 included interest payments amounting to P230 million under the feed-in tariff allowance, or FIT-All, a uniform charge collected from all power consumers as payment to renewable energy developers.

Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy,

said the ERC was slow in acting on the FIT-All applications of National Transmission Corp. aimed at augmenting its subsidy to eligible renewable energy developers and allowing it to pay its obligations.

“I hate to say it, but because of the delays of ERC, we will be paying P230 million in interest payments,” the senator said.

“That’s why I am quite adamant in getting a definitive timetable (or when the applications will likely be approved) from you [ERC] because I know that the amount will grow bigger,” he said.

Gatchalian said during the hear-

ing of the Joint Congressional Power Commission on the status and implementation of the provisions of the Renewable Energy Act Wednesday that ERC’s actions did not bode well for investors.

“In line with attracting investors and promoting RE... we will never get serious investors if we don’t fulfill our contractual obligations, and FiT-All is one of them,” he said.

TransCo in December 2015 sought to increase the FiT-All rate in 2016 to P0.12 per kilowatt hour Before the application can be approved, TransCo filed another one in December 2016, this time

asking to further raise the rate to P0.22 per kWh. ERC officials told members of the JCPC that the regulator was set to issue its final approval of the 2016 application on June 9.

The ERC is also scheduled to convene the first jurisdictional and expository meeting for the 2017 rate application starting Tuesday, and its approval by September 2017.

“These unwarranted delays in the ERC approval is the reason why Transco has not been able to pay the RE developers. And because of these delays, we have to pay consequential costs,” Gatchalian said.

SAN Miguel Pure foods Co Inc., the food manufacturing unit of conglomerate San Miguel Corp., has allotted P56 billion in capital expenditures over the next three years to expand the production capacities of its poultry, processed meats and flour milling businesses.

Purefoods president Francisco Alejo III said during the annual stockholders’ meeting the group remained committed to its aggressive expansion plans by building new manufacturing production plants “We expect these expansions to be competed over the two to three years. Our capital expenditures roughly over the next three years is P56 billion,” Alejo said.

Jenniffer B. Austria

PSE C OMPOSITE 8500 8000 7500 7000 6500 6000

7,815.53 0.87

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing MAY 12, 2017 45.00 46.50 48.00 49.50

DMCI eyes property venture with NTT DoCoMo

By Jenniffer B. Austria CYBER SECURITY CONVENTION. Digital

enterprise solutions provider ePLDT Inc. leads the discussion on cyber security to ensure the nation’s resiliency during the 1st Philippine Institute of Cyber Security Professionals Annual Convention at El Circulo Convention Center in Roxas City. The three-day convention titled, ‘Cyber Security, Our Nation’s Priority’ is led by a host of cyber security thought leaders including ePLDT chief information security officer Angel Redoble (shown above) who cited the need to develop the right skills, acquire the right technology and implement the right processes in cyber security.

DMCI Holdings Inc. of the Consunji Group is in talks with NTT DoCoMo of Japan for a possible joint venture in property development in the Philippines.

DMCI Holdings president Isidro Consunji said in an interview NTT DoComo was interested in taking a 30 percent interest in the development of an office and a residential project within the company’s 7,000-square meter property along Pasong Tamo, Makati.

This will be the first real estate venture of NTT DoCoMo in the Philippines, after investing in telecommunications giant PLDT Inc. Consunji said NTT DoCoMo was attracted to the Philippines because of its familiarity with the country.

DMCI, meanwhile, is open to Japanese investors because of its good experience with other

Japanese companies, including Marubeni Corp., one of its partners in Maynilad Water Services Inc. DMCI plans build two 30-story buildings, one for high-end residential and one for office with a total sales value of P8 billion.

Consunji said NTT DoCoMo, while predominantly a telecommunications company in Japan, is also the seventh largest real estate firm in Japan.

Meanwhile, DMCI Holdings reported that net income for the first quarter of the year jumped 22 percent to P3.7 billion from P3 billion recorded in the same period a year ago, driven by the strong performance of its coal and power businesses.

Excluding a one-time gain of P111 million in 2016 for the partial sale of its stake in Subic Water, core net income improved 26 percent from P2.9 billion in the prior-year quarter.

INDEX

Closing May 12, 2017

P49.760 CLOSE

51.00

HIGH P49.740 LOW P49.880 AVERAGE P49.813 VOLUME 802.380M

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

O

IL PRICES TODAY

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

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, May 12, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.9330

Japan

Yen

0.008784

0.4386

UK

Pound

1.289100

64.3686

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128385

6.4106

Switzerland

Franc

0.992457

49.5564

Canada

Dollar

0.730194

36.4608

Singapore

Dollar

0.710884

35.4966

Australia

Dollar

0.737600

36.8306

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652450

132.4448

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266645

13.3144

Brunei

Dollar

0.708366

35.3708

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028777

1.4369

UAE

Dirham

0.272301

13.5968

Euro

Euro

1.086200

Korea

Won

0.000890

0.0444

China

Yuan

0.144875

7.2340

India

Rupee

0.015530

0.7755

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.230097

11.4894

New Zealand

Dollar

0.684600

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033204

54.2372

34.1841 1.6580 Source: PDS Bridge

B2

Business

SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market closes flat; ICTSI climbs

S

tocks barely moved Friday, following a healthy run-up earlier in the week, tracking a sell-off on Wall Street where a plunge in retail giant Macy’s fanned concerns about the key US retail sector.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, closed flat at 7,815.53 Friday, as four of the six major sectors declined. The bellwether was up 14.3 percent since the start of the year.

The heavier index, representing all shares, lost 8 points, or 0.2 percent, to settle at 4,648.26, on a value turnover of P9 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 124 to 81, while 33 issues were unchanged.

Ten of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by MRC Allied Inc. which climbed 4.1 percent to P0.385 and port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. which gained 3.4 percent to P96.80. Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. added 2.8 percent to finish at P86.90.

Meanwhile, global stocks were mixed as investors assessed global earnings and the appetite of U.S. consumers to keep spending.

Optimism has been high the past four days on solid US jobs data and moderate Emmanuel Macron’s landslide French presidential win Sunday, pushing some markets to multi-year highs.

But traders took a step back ahead of the weekend with confidence rattled by a series of below-par Chinese data and Donald Trump’s shock firing of the head of the FBI, which some fear could lead to a crisis that will knock the president’s economy-boosting agenda offline.

On Thursday, New York’s three main indexes turned negative after Macy’s announced a 39 percent fall in net profit, its latest in a series of weak readings that have have underscored the deteriora-

tion of bricks-and-mortar stores due to the rise of e-commerce.

The figures hit other big-name stores and with the retail sector a crucial driver of the world’s top economy, there are fears about the outlook for top retailers.

By the break on Friday Tokyo’s Nikkei index was down 0.7 percent from a 17-month high, while Sydney shed 0.7 percent and Singapore gave up 0.1 percent.

Seoul, which closed Thursday at a record high, eased 0.4 percent.

But Hong Kong was up 0.1 percent after a four-day rally, while Shanghai -- which has fallen about seven percent in the past month on worries about a state crackdown on leveraged investing -- also gained 0.1 percent.

The dollar turned lower against its major peers, having enjoyed a surge Thursday on comments from a top Federal Reserve official backing three more interest rates this year.

The unit “is weighed down by the Trump/Comey sideshow which has seen the greenback move lower against” major currencies, Stephen Innes, a senior trader at forex firm OANDA, said in a commentary.

And on oil markets both main contracts pressed on with their recovery from last week’s sharp losses, with investors cheering a bigger-than-expected drop in US inventories and signs an OPEC output cut was kicking in.

With AFP, Bloomberg

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW FRIDAY, MAY 12, 2017

NAME

OPEN

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.59 39,000 48.8 4,100 106.7 1,427,880 4 2,000 122.2 1,507,600 1.35 1,622,000 35.75 747,100 16 195,500 22.75 3,712,100 7.71 8,000 1.7 3,000 0.7 5,463,000 86.9 1,762,650 0.71 139,000 15.6 7,500 26.5 16,800 68 278,920 239 130 108 10 87 1,000 55.4 225,460 217.4 272,160 82.5 99,390

132,820 200,760 151,070,840 8,000 183,967,208 2,243,390 26,741,450 3,132,062 85,891,335 61,680 5,100 3,838,530 151,389,428.50 98,690 116,310 441,570 18,912,915 31,070 1,080 87,000 12,552,103 59,154,166 8,205,098.50

-3,590 127,480 -16,384,726 -47,284,312 -3,929,730 -2,603,250 11,271,110 -61,680 147,000 88,140,702 -624,839.50 2,076,995.50 7,402,508 -475,216

40 5.75 0.81 1.47 21.3 0.28 6.96 16.86 166 22.8 14.16 71.5 81.5 85.1 1.9 5.9 11.6 12.68 9.86 6.37 5.87 20.25 71.75 13.1 15.44 8.86 1.54 210.2 4.55 3.7 30.8 21 19.14 271 0.245 6.34 3.42 9.71 11.42 2.13 9.81 2.11 71.95 5.6 299 4.8 3.01 13.64 0.147 1.44 162 4.14 1.61 32 1.12

INDUSTRIAL 40.3 1,884,900 5.83 843,600 0.85 507,000 1.63 52,335,000 21.6 4,300 0.29 17,130,000 7.03 8,896,900 16.88 3,394,100 166 20 23.45 88,700 14.78 4,900 71.5 290 82.5 1,150 94.85 120 1.9 474,000 5.9 11,800 11.6 39,900 12.7 3,200,900 9.91 681,200 6.42 196,500 5.99 10,883,400 20.75 5,966,400 71.75 142,510 13.1 9,400 15.44 89,800 9.03 5,741,100 1.55 272,000 212 497,320 4.85 1,676,000 3.7 5,000 30.8 593,700 21.1 856,200 19.22 2,937,100 275 326,780 0.25 1,540,000 6.34 16,700 3.44 265,000 9.98 4,432,000 11.44 17,700 2.14 551,000 10.12 3,258,500 2.17 1,676,000 72 2,123,470 5.98 2,963,900 300 95,460 4.8 423,000 3.24 224,000 13.66 357,900 0.147 510,000 1.44 633,000 162.5 5,999,510 4.14 1,000 1.61 2,104,000 32 1,000 1.12 415,000

76,011,850 4,915,929 419,850 79,250,030 92,750 4,942,500 62,425,747 57,326,240 54 3,320 2,065,440 69,802 20,735 93,925 11,187 903,600 69,690 464,760 40,672,044 6,808,936 1,258,171 64,761,574 122,888,640 10,250,005.50 123,280 1,387,090 52,725,815 421,590 105,019,008 8,114,460 18,500 18,472,850 18,421,975 56,662,350 89,220,238 378,370 105,879 910,930 43,693,755 202,288 1,174,640 33,209,844 3,655,260 152,940,115(2, 17,657,065 28,648,698 2,030,800 700,530 4,888,180 75,170 933,110 976,698,577 4,140 3,418,030 32,015 469,140

-25,564,900 311,020.00 -52,460,900 -21,199,408 ,342,201.9998 -369,790 11,249,882 -45,000 170,566 580,270 -27,343,445 -3,477,727 -451,318 -1,449,108 77,500 -53,990,598 -34,080 -8,101,640 -12,447,175 -35,650,206 -1,776,214 254,010 -9,336,027 323,760 389,990 -273,750 799,263.0002) 121,000 -6,036,120 -926,430 3,075,428 -88,800 -374,134,289 8,200 -

0.375 76.25 14.2 1.15 6.2 0.365 0.37 869.5 8.2 13.28 7.9 5.89 0.217 1,276 6.5 84.95 5.26 1.02 7.36 16.78 6.6 3.22 0.065 1.1 1.88 109.2 2.85 775 0.92 1.4 308 0.231 0.25

0.37 74.8 14 1.13 6.11 0.35 0.355 855 8.14 13.08 7.85 5.89 0.215 1,250 6.35 81.85 5.2 1 7.26 16.38 6.37 3.22 0.062 1.1 1.88 107.5 2.69 763 0.92 1.39 306 0.2 0.25

HOLDING FIRMS 0.375 1,220,000 76.05 1,217,660 14.12 8,596,200 1.15 422,000 6.11 12,700 0.36 5,280,000 0.37 340,000 868.5 200,000 8.15 561,300 13.12 16,616,000 7.9 7,800 5.89 5,900 0.217 60,000 1,256 173,355 6.5 10,100 83.2 3,427,440 5.2 6,700 1 2,920,000 7.34 104,300 16.4 4,547,500 6.6 26,417,000 3.22 9,000 0.065 139,500,000 1.1 10,000 1.88 550,000 108.9 128,500 2.8 27,000 770 640,860 0.92 5,000 1.39 104,000 307.8 4,480 0.21 3,400,000 0.25 10,000

455,550 92,080,785.5 ( 121,107,164 482,140 77,806 1,891,550 121,350 173,275,880 4,581,173 1 217,954,908 61,410 34,751 12,920 217,560,975 64,150 284,318,214.50 35,062 2,926,740 763,917 75,266,850 170,969,218 28,980 8,928,190 11,000 1,034,000 13,924,589 75,020 492,509,050 4,600 145,490 1,378,484 736,390 2,500

-53,000 29,408,998.5) -21,465,228 -3,818,730 ,506,849.9997 98,124,876 2,170,525 63,500 81,067,739 -34,022 30,100 -479,060 -20,867,606 -31,288,959 -321,000 49,360 105,467,880 20,930 -215,460 6,200 2,500

6.8 1.19 2.27 1.43 39 4.21 0.51 1.05 1.46 0.162 0.53 52.05 0.7 1.72 1.03 1.13 4.22 4.21 0.39 0.415 0.81 4.24

6.76 1.12 2.23 1.35 38.45 4.16 0.495 1.05 1.36 0.158 0.51 51.1 0.68 1.67 1 1.04 4.16 4.08 0.34 0.38 0.75 3.8

PROPERTY 6.79 468,000 1.13 9,385,000 2.27 338,000 1.37 13,616,000 39 18,858,800 4.21 3,309,000 0.495 4,261,000 1.05 6,000 1.43 252,000 0.159 5,870,000 0.51 16,148,000 51.35 253,530 0.68 202,000 1.68 7,893,000 1.01 11,780,000 1.05 3,737,000 4.2 28,000 4.12 37,877,000 0.385 503,800,000 0.38 8,560,000 0.76 58,302,000 3.8 3,782,000

3,174,817 10,773,650 759,760 18,761,730 732,446,340 13,880,080 2,126,020 6,300 353,410 929,900 8,393,980 13,014,391.50 138,800 13,283,740 11,891,340 4,075,820 117,110 155,878,080 185,022,850 3,391,450 45,078,960 14,949,770

-1,667,568 -111,950 442,360 -18,710,090 -6,359,190 -239,710 4,770 1,542,840 133,082 -6,835,070 28,200 5,600 -117,110 -32,360,890 -397,850 -478,500 -318,740 561,970

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

AG FINANCE 3.41 ASIA UNITED 49 BANK PH ISLANDS 105.1 BDO LEASING 4 BDO UNIBANK 121.7 BRIGHT KINDLE 1.2 CHINABANK 35.95 COL FINANCIAL 16.02 EAST WEST BANK 23.2 FILIPINO FUND 7.71 IREMIT 1.7 MEDCO HLDG 0.7 METROBANK 84.55 NTL REINSURANCE 0.71 PB BANK 15.5 PBCOM 26.15 PHIL NATL BANK 67.4 PHIL STOCK EXCH 239 PHILTRUST 108 PSBANK 87 RCBC 56.9 SECURITY BANK 217.8 UNION BANK 82.5

3.59 49 107 4 122.3 1.52 35.95 16.28 23.75 7.71 1.7 0.71 86.9 0.71 15.6 26.5 68.2 239 108 87 57 219.4 82.6

3.4 48.8 104 4 121.5 1.2 35.7 16 22.7 7.71 1.7 0.69 84.5 0.71 15.2 26.15 66.8 239 108 87 55.3 216 82.45

ABOITIZ POWER 40.75 AGRINURTURE 5.84 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.81 ALSONS CONS 1.47 ASIABEST GROUP 23 BASIC ENERGY 0.3 CEMEX HLDG 7.1 CENTURY FOOD 16.9 CHEMPHIL 166 CIRTEK HLDG 22.8 CNTRL AZUCARERA14.3 CONCEPCION 71.5 CONCRETE A 81.5 CONCRETE B 85.1 CROWN ASIA 1.92 DAVINCI CAPITAL 5.91 DEL MONTE 11.7 DNL INDUS 12.8 EEI CORP 9.9 EMPERADOR 6.4 ENERGY DEVT 5.91 FIRST GEN 20.85 FIRST PHIL HLDG 72.1 GINEBRA 13.2 HOLCIM 15.5 INTEGRATED MICR 9.4 IONICS 1.55 JOLLIBEE 213 LMG CHEMICALS 4.6 MABUHAY VINYL 3.7 MANILA WATER 31.7 MAXS GROUP 22.1 MEGAWIDE 19.5 MERALCO 272 MG HLDG 0.247 PANASONIC 6.34 PEPSI COLA 3.42 PETRON 9.98 PHINMA 11.44 PHINMA ENERGY 2.14 PHX PETROLEUM 10.1 PHX SEMICNDCTR 2.22 PILIPINAS SHELL 72.2 PRYCE CORP 5.7 PUREFOODS 301.4 RFM CORP 4.83 ROXAS HLDG 3.24 SHAKEYS PIZZA 13.72 SWIFT FOODS 0.148 TKC METALS 1.47 UNIV ROBINA 165.6 VICTORIAS 4.14 VITARICH 1.64 VIVANT 32.05 VULCAN INDL 1.16

40.75 5.87 0.85 1.64 23 0.3 7.14 16.92 166 23.45 14.78 71.5 82.5 94.85 1.92 5.91 11.8 12.8 10.2 6.42 5.99 20.85 72.3 13.2 15.5 9.43 1.55 213 5 3.7 31.7 22.25 19.7 275 0.25 6.35 3.45 9.98 11.44 2.14 10.3 2.22 72.2 6.18 303.8 4.83 3.24 13.72 0.148 1.5 166.4 4.14 1.65 32.05 1.16

ABACORE CAPITAL 0.375 ABOITIZ EQUITY 75.35 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 14.14 ANGLO PHIL HLDG 1.13 ANSCOR 6.2 ATN HLDG A 0.355 ATN HLDG B 0.36 AYALA CORP 865 COSCO CAPITAL 8.2 DMCI HLDG 13.2 FILINVEST DEV 7.9 FJ PRINCE A 5.89 FORUM PACIFIC 0.215 GT CAPITAL 1,276 HOUSE OF INV 6.35 JG SUMMIT 83.5 KEPPEL HLDG B 5.26 LODESTAR 1.01 LOPEZ HLDG 7.36 LT GROUP 16.64 METRO PAC INV 6.57 MJC INVESTMENTS 3.22 PACIFICA 0.063 PRIME MEDIA 1.1 PRIME ORION 1.88 SAN MIGUEL CORP 109 SEAFRONT RES 2.85 SM INVESTMENTS 773 SOC RESOURCES 0.92 SOLID GROUP 1.4 TOP FRONTIER 307.8 WELLEX INDUS 0.22 ZEUS HLDG 0.25 8990 HLDG A BROWN ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE IRC PROP KEPPEL PROP MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP

6.79 1.15 2.23 1.4 39 4.21 0.51 1.05 1.43 0.162 0.53 52 0.7 1.7 1.03 1.12 4.22 4.21 0.365 0.4 0.81 4.24

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

24 1.71 3.3 32 1 6.8 0.89 5.14

24.5 1.72 3.34 32.05 1 6.8 0.91 5.16

23.95 1.71 3.3 31.6 0.99 6.8 0.89 5.02

24 1.72 3.3 31.9 0.99 6.8 0.89 5.1

3,603,500 60,000 22,000 11,854,000 1,345,000 1,200 118,000 2,121,200

86,584,775 103,100 72,640 376,873,680 1,333,150 8,160 105,060 10,824,369

-9,596,945 -26,205,620 -3,818,061

2GO GROUP 16.5 ABS CBN 44 ACESITE HOTEL 1.58 APC GROUP 0.52 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.048 ASIAN TERMINALS 12 BERJAYA 5.31 BLOOMBERRY 9.97 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.089 CALATA CORP 2.02 CEBU AIR 102.9 CENTRO ESCOLAR 9.88 DFNN INC 8.7 EASYCALL 3.54 FAR EASTERN U 970 GLOBE TELECOM 2,054 GMA NETWORK 6.12 GOLDEN HAVEN 16.38 GRAND PLAZA 13.16 HARBOR STAR 3.05 IMPERIAL 3.61 INTL CONTAINER 93.65 IPM HLDG 9 ISLAND INFO 0.183 ISM COMM 1.36 JACKSTONES 3.53 LBC EXPRESS 16 LEISURE AND RES 4.21 MACROASIA 4 MANILA JOCKEY 2.57 MELCO CROWN 8.45 METRO RETAIL 3.75 MLA BRDCASTING 16.7 NOW CORP 2.64 PACIFIC ONLINE 11.9 PAL HLDG 5.46 PHIL SEVEN CORP 170 PHILWEB 7.17 PLDT 1,720 PREMIUM LEISURE 1.56 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.41 PUREGOLD 42.8 ROBINSONS RTL 78 SBS PHIL CORP 5.88 SSI GROUP 2.41 STI HLDG 1.11 TRAVELLERS 3.74 WATERFRONT 0.74 WILCON DEPOT 5.41

16.96 44 1.65 0.52 0.049 12.3 5.31 9.97 0.09 2.03 103 9.88 8.88 3.55 970 2,054 6.13 16.38 13.16 3.06 3.7 96.8 9 0.185 1.4 3.65 16.4 4.3 4.04 2.57 8.45 3.88 16.8 2.66 11.9 5.46 175 7.17 1,755 1.56 0.41 43 81 6.02 2.42 1.12 3.74 0.79 5.41

16.5 43.85 1.58 0.5 0.046 11.42 5.31 9.65 0.086 1.93 101 9.8 8.53 3.54 970 2,006 6.1 15.9 13.16 3 3.59 90.95 8.99 0.182 1.36 3.53 15.92 4.09 3.95 2.48 8.2 3.75 16.7 2.56 11.9 5.35 170 7.05 1,645 1.53 0.41 42.5 78 5.86 2.34 1.07 3.6 0.74 5.35

SERVICES 16.52 228,000 43.9 12,800 1.58 24,000 0.52 3,428,000 0.047 46,000,000 12.3 10,800 5.31 1,800 9.95 7,936,800 0.089 45,120,000 1.98 2,053,000 101.9 90,830 9.8 2,300 8.88 21,000 3.54 7,000 970 710 2,032 115,405 6.12 228,000 16.3 52,500 13.16 400 3 1,483,000 3.7 20,000 96.8 2,278,780 8.99 261,000 0.182 3,670,000 1.37 49,000 3.65 54,000 16.4 44,400 4.16 958,000 4.02 160,000 2.48 150,000 8.2 4,226,900 3.86 8,227,000 16.8 800 2.61 1,079,000 11.9 1,600 5.35 1,900 175 160 7.11 204,200 1,755 283,790 1.56 5,170,000 0.41 1,170,000 42.95 1,488,600 81 984,960 6.02 329,000 2.4 1,863,000 1.1 4,490,000 3.62 3,678,000 0.76 49,143,000 5.39 5,203,500

3,799,628 562,395 38,270 1,744,290 2,183,200 127,894 9,558 78,588,580 3,938,140 4,021,440 9,231,907 22,660 185,412 24,810 688,700 232,856,030 1,394,098 847,526 5,264 4,471,820 72,300 214,591,602 2,346,420 670,120 67,410 196,980 712,600 3,980,940 637,940 374,050 34,918,633(6, 31,419,540 13,420 2,810,730 19,040 10,198 27,250 1,444,513 481,172,725 8,002,450 479,700 63,878,165 78,373,487 1,969,499 4,442,100 4,894,650 13,348,630 37,230,500 28,016,053

-1,020,520 14,597,996 -17,200.00 341,750 1,571,883 5,118 -115,190,460 56,975,048.50 3,200 239,598.0002) -2,102,360 104,400 -18,700 3,555 -67,255,765 2,634,240 -246,000 38,572,195 11,088,792.50 811,260 221,900 -433,660 -251,780 17,198,418

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

0.0033 1.91 5.28 1.91 0.9 0.42 8.81 2.59 0.25 0.191 0.205 0.011 1.89 6.04 2.15 0.92 0.012 0.012 4.05 0.013 8.98 3.2 163.1 2.64 0.0093

0.0034 1.91 5.28 2.02 0.92 0.42 8.98 2.59 0.265 0.194 0.205 0.012 1.92 6.31 2.21 0.93 0.012 0.012 4.18 0.013 9.1 3.2 163.5 2.64 0.0093

0.0033 1.85 5.1 1.91 0.86 0.4 8.6 2.51 0.25 0.191 0.195 0.011 1.88 6 2.15 0.9 0.011 0.011 4.05 0.012 8.87 3.12 157.1 2.62 0.0093

MINING & OIL 0.0033 1,172,000,000 1.86 3,403,000 5.1 25,000 2.02 63,000 0.92 6,934,000 0.41 3,070,000 8.98 5,900 2.55 1,421,000 0.26 60,000 0.193 1,260,000 0.195 2,020,000 0.012 22,000,000 1.88 433,000 6.05 35,610,800 2.2 17,000 0.9 119,000 0.011 99,400,000 0.011 8,200,000 4.18 124,000 0.013 132,000,000 9.1 485,600 3.16 855,000 159 1,350,500 2.62 14,000 0.0093 8,000,000

3,867,800 6,387,890 131,143 121,300 6,235,460 1,240,200 51,715 3,624,300 ( 15,350 242,530 413,500 247,200 822,090 215,142,630 36,720 107,570 1,143,400 98,300 513,890 1,713,700 4,378,741 2,699,920 215,478,126 36,860 74,400

-19,800 -38,000 -12,018.00 -98,900 470,039.9997) 401,800 -34,759,457 28,600 648,247.00 -134,100 -6,587,792 -

ABS HLDG PDR ALCO PREF B DD PREF GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2B PF PREF 2 PNX PREF 3A SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

44 107.7 105 520 6 1,025 1.09 109 1,099 1,020 106 77.3 80.3 78.1 79.5 78.1 78.4

44 107.7 105 520 6 1,025 1.09 109.8 1,099 1,020 106.5 77.5 80.5 78.2 79.5 78.65 79.25

42.2 107.7 105 520 5.99 1,021 1.09 109 1,099 1,020 106 77.3 80.3 78.1 79.25 78.1 78.4

PREFERRED 42.2 39,400 107.7 10,000 105 27,260 520 500 5.99 599,000 1,022 8,795 1.09 34,000 109.8 1,100 1,099 160 1,020 200 106.5 560 77.5 26,240 80.3 103,600 78.2 21,210 79.25 18,000 78.65 36,400 79.25 25,330

1,707,680 1,077,000 2,862,300 260,000 3,591,824 8,985,715 37,060 119,980 175,840 204,000 59,390 2,033,107 8,321,605 1,656,801 1,429,000 2,846,595 2,004,324.50

-135,040 -10,400 2,328,488 -

LR WARRANT

2.17

2.24

2.15

WARRANTS 2.2 285,000

619,030

-

SME 4.36 6.44 7.9

2,576,350 246,875 43,399,352

239,420 -5,374,459

1,935,473

-23,040

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

MS ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

4.59 6.6 8.15

4.59 6.6 8.15

4.3 6.4 7.75

FIRST METRO ETF 130

130

128

USD DMPL A1

10.6

DENOMINATED DOLLAR SECURITIES 10.6 10.6 1,500 15,900

10.6

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

SHARES

17,935,378

INDUSTRIAL

150,720,469

HOLDING FIRMS

217,016,863

PROPERTY

730,697,933

SERVICES

203,437,960

MINING & OIL

1,499,138,581

GRAND TOTAL

2,825,097,444

587,000 38,300 5,509,700

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 129.5 15,060

-

VALUE 1,926.49 (UP) 16.18 742,398,143.45 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,113.76 (down) 87.38 2,510,344,821.92 HOLDING FIRMS 7,900.80 (down) 17.09 1,930,320,155.82 PROPERTY 3,525.67 (down) 32.79 SERVICES 1,649.08 (up) 23.93 1,828,454,509.83 MINING & OIL 12,597.69 (down) 82.85 1,429,080,560.558 PSEI 7,815.53 (down) 0.87 464,843,561.507 All Shares Index 4,648.26 (down) 8.62 8,953,601,007.07 Gainers: 81; Losers: 124; Unchanged: 33; Total: 238

Eagle sets IPO price of P15/share

By Jenniffer B. Austria EAGLE Cement Corp., a local cement manufacturer controlled by businessman Ramon Ang, priced its initial public offering at P15 per share, following the recent approval of its public listing by the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Eagle Cement will raise as much as P8.62 billion in proceeds based on the offer price.

Ang said in an interview the final offer price was based on a price-to-earnings ratio of 16 times.

“At P15 per share, the company is only valued based on production capacity of four million metric tons. But by January 2018, our capacity will be at seven million metric tons,” Ang said.

Eagle, which will be traded under the ticker symbol “EAGLE,” said it was planning to sell 500 million common shares by way of primary offer with an over-allotment option of up to 75 million secondary shares. The offer period is set on May 16 to May 22 while target listing date is May 29.

Eagle is a wholly-Filipino owned cement company controlled by businessman Ramon Ang and is set to become one of the Philippines’ largest cement manufacturers in terms of capacity by next year.

Noel Dayrit, president of SB Capital Investment Corp., one of the lead underwriters, noted the positive bookbuilding results. “The issue was well received by institutional investors. This is a strong indication of their confidence in Eagles’s fundamentals and potential to be the major driver in the cement industry,” Dayrit said.

LT Group registers P2.2b in net profit LT Group Inc., the listed holding company of tycoon Lucio Tan, said first-quarter net income barely moved at P2.25 billion from P2.23 billion in the same period last year on lower contribution from its beer business.

LT Group said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the tobacco business contributed P1 billion or 45 percent of total attributable income, followed by Philippine National Bank with P699 million or 31 percent.

Liquor units Tanduay Distillers Inc. and Asia Brewery Inc. accounted for P207 million and P151 million, respectively while property unit Eton Properties Philippines Inc. provided P75 million.

Equity net earnings from the group’s 30.17-percent stake in Victorias Milling Company Inc. amounted to P116 million.

LT Group said its balance sheet remained strong at P3.84 billion as of end-March.

The conglomerate said the tobacco business generated an income of P1 billion in January to March, up by 5 percent from a year ago, led by higher selling prices. The price of the group’s leading cigarette brand Marlboro increased to P3.50 per stick from P3.

Banking unit PNB saw its net income rise 51 percent in the first quarter to P1.27 billion as net interest income grew 11 percent to P5.15 billion, on the back of a 19-percent growth in loans and receivables.

Tanduay Distillers also posted a significant increase in net income to P207 million from P82 million in 2016 as liquor sales volume surged 40 percent. Jenniffer B. Austria

Home / Design

B3

SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

CRADLE OF NATION-BUILDERS, CHANGE-MAKERS. Manuel L. Que-

zon University (MLQU) recently held its 69th Commencement Exercises honoring graduates across all academic programs. This year’s ceremony highlighted the metamorphosis of MLQU students who have become catalysts of change and visionaries of the future. At the event were Congressman Sonny Belmonte (main photo) and former Vice President Noli de Castro (Inset) who delivered the commencement address. With them were MLQU president Isagani G. Germar; New San Jose Builders Inc chairman Jose L. Acuzar; NSJBI president Cesar Sanqui ; former Chief Justice Reynato Puno, regent & dean emeritus College of Law; former Supreme Court Associate Justice Jose Perez, dean School of Law; Professor Eric Soriano, dean School of Accountancy, Business and Real Estate Management; DPWH Undersecretary Raul Asis; and former UP Dean of Architecture Danilo Silvestre.

SEXIEST TOWER IN TOWN.

The 64-storey residential condominium, Royalton at Capitol Commons, was recently hailed as the best luxury condo development (Metro Manila) at recent Philippine Property Awards. The developer of this sinuously-designed development is Ortigas & Company. The curves were designed to maximize air ventilation, and serve not only as balconies, but also as shade from the afternoon sun, from where unit owners can look at views of the Sierra Madre mountain range, Laguna de Bay, or the Ortigas skyline. According to the 10-member judging panel led by JLL Philippines chairman Lindsay J. Orr, the tower – located in Ortigas’ 10-hectare mixedused development along Meralco Avenue Ortigas Center, Pasig City – won for its strategic location, form, and functional angle.

INFRASTRUCTURE-BUILDING IS KEY. MPIC CEO Jose Ma. K. Lim and chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan have a lot to smile about with the Duterte government’s “build, build, build” thrust.

MPIC is best managed company in 2017 FinanceAsia poll Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) was recently named as “best managed company” in the Philippines by FinanceAsia.

The regional financial magazine revealed in its website the results of its “Asia’s Best Managed Companies 2017” survey that showed MPIC topping the Philippine list, ahead of Ayala Corporation, Globe Telecom, Inc. and Ayala Land, Inc.

Raising the bar

MPIC’s President and chief executive officer, Jose Ma. K. Lim thanked fund managers and brokers who picked the infrastructure conglomerate in the poll of best managed companies in the country in various categories.

“Being named the Best Managed Company in the Philippines by Finance Asia is a testament to the hard work our employees have placed in order to raise the bar of our corporate governance standards and increase transparency through active investor and public relations,” Lim said. cleardot.gif Among the biggest companies in the Philippines, MPIC landed the top spot with a score of 38 in the regional financial magazine’s 2017 poll.

Manila Electric Company (Meral-

co) and Philex Mining Corp. ranked 5th and 6th under the Best Managed Companies category.

More than 180 portfolio managers and buy-side analysts focused on Asia listed companies participated in the FinanceAsia survey.

MPIC also topped the “Most Committed to Corporate Governance” category, with Philex Mining and PLDT, Inc. both ranked 4th.

MPIC was also voted “Best at Investor Relations,” followed by PLDT in second place and Philex Mining in fourth.

For “Best at Corporate Social Responsibility,” MPIC placed first, while Philex Mining and PLDT ranked third and fifth, respectively.

MPIC’s chief financial officer David J. Nicol was voted as the Philippines’ Best CFO, while Philex Mining Corp. CFO Danny Y. Yu ranked second.

The survey also showed Globe Telecom Chief Executive Officer Ernest Cu as the Philippines’ Best CEO, followed

by MPIC’s Jose Ma. Lim. MPIC is one of three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc.

MAKE MINE OAK HARBOR RESIDENCES. DMCI Homes Exclusive, the luxury brand of property developer DMCI Homes, recently cited robust demand behind the Aston, the third and final residential building of Oak Harbor Residences in Bay City. Its launch follows the sales success of its first two buildings, Westport and Lauderdale, with sales take up totalling PhP 2.9 billion. Oak Harbor Residences is the first high-end project of DMCI Homes Exclusive, the developer’s initial venture into the luxury market. It occupies a 12,000 square meter property in front of Manila Bay. The launch of luxury projects at Bay City, such as the Okada Hotel and Casino, City of Dreams, and the expansion of Solaire, have spurred demand for high-end residential properties despite limited supply. Most residential product offerings at Bay City are currently leaning towards the affordable to mid-income markets.

construction and building materials market, there are marked differences in building methods, materials sourcing in the various countries they are targeting.

“From the color of the concrete, differences in raw material, sourcing costs and other details, our people on the ground have to do the necessary research, market study and adjust our production processes accordingly,” he explained.

But Kessuwan expressed optimism that SCG can compete in the ASEAN integration business environment.

“We are confident that we can bring our innovative building materials, and increase the development of new products for our targeted markets like the Philippines,” he said.

Of course, there will be a premium in the pricing for our products, but the market is growing its appetite for creative and innovative products that do not harm the environment. We’re betting on that,” he said.

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com

B4

SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017

‘FLUCTUATION OF PRECISION.’ Sanit Kessuwan,

innovation and technology director of SCG cement-building materials, sits on a sofa crafted out of construction extrusion 3D printing, a cement formula and manufacturing technique which creates freeform designs beyond the boundaries of normal concrete.

PICASSO ON CEMENT. Architects

and designers use fiber cement boards everyday, usually for interior walls and partitions. At SCG’s R & D center in Bangkok, they’re used to come up with environmentally-friendly artworks with a little sand, cement, cellulose and binding materials.

SCG

shows tech house of future at ASEAN building show Eco-saving homes, hi-tech, 3-D designs, construction materials galore at Architect “17

B

angkok, Thailand - How will the “home of the future” look? Will it be laden with gadgets and robotics? On the contrary, a true home of the future is not necessarily a gadget showcase but rather, a future ready house: one that can anticipate the future needs of its residents.

Living tech Last week, Asean building conglomerate SCG joined Architect ’17, ASEAN’s largest building technology exposition, held in Bangkok, Thailand. The company introduced designs and construction materials that define the “home of the future”, reflecting the varying styles and needs of different people.

Using the “ideal home” exhibition concept, SCG highlighted “living tech‟, “fluctuation of precision‟, and the “3Decor screen system”. Products and solutions from brands under SCG such as COTTO were also showcased at the exhibition.

“The trend in home construction today centers on three components, “ Sanit Kessuwan, innovation and technology director of SCG cement-building materials, told the Manila Standard.

“Modelling construction materials for elderly people; easy-to-install, convenient materials; and providing more creative customization opportunities for architects and interior designers.”

Kessuwan said SCG’s highlighted concepts in this year’s exhibit sought to tackle consumers’ core needs. “Fluctuation of precision, 3D cement printing and the 3Decor screen system offers shade, lessens heat penetration at home,

and unique aesthetic touches with stunning 3D patterns,” he explained.

“Fluctuation of precision” is 3D printing that brings furniture and landscape pieces to life via an innovative cement and technique to facilitate flexible and freeform designing, as well as the ability to add color to concrete.

The “3Decor screen system” designs “dot” patterns that offer shade, lessen heat penetrating one’s home, while adding beauty stunning 3D patterns.

Drawing a bead on the ASEAN market SCG hopes its living tech concept can find hospitable terrain in the challenging Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) market. “We are committed to develop world-class products and services for our neighboring markets to meet the changing needs of international and local construction professionals, traders, exporters, associations and homeowners,” Kessuwan said.

SCG participated in last March’s Worldbex 2017, the annual construction and building trade show, at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

It launched, to considerable fanfare, SCG smartwood and SCG portland cement, and showcased how an innovative and sustainable home can be both stylish and durable.

SCG smartwood, is a fiber cement wood substitute that offers a variety of designs and applications while extending the lifespan of a house up to 30-50 years.

As Asean prepares itself for regional integration next year, policies for sustainable development are in place but the challenge is getting it “off the drawing board into implementation” at a time when economic growth is high on the agenda Global issues such as climate change, energy, food and water security and deforestation are being driven by Asia’s urbanization, population growth and wealth increase.

Dangerous idea “Asia needs to think more about sustainable development, and not feel that it can worry about it later when economic growth and prosperity is achieved – that is a dangerous idea,” said Sanit Kessuwan, innovation and technology director of SCG cement-building materials.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, also known as Asean, is set to establish the Asean Economic Community - a common market meant to increase the flow of goods, labour and capital within the bloc – by the end of next year.

President Rodrigo Duterte, speaking at last month’s ASEAN forum held in Manila, warned that as the region forges ahead with integration efforts, “we also have to ensure the judicious use of our rich natural resources which sustain vital life support systems, fostering economic growth without degrading the natural environment”.

He called for the private and public sectors in member countries to work together to achieve a “clean and green” Asean community.

By Joel D. Lacsamana

Built using sustainable and ecofriendly materials and energy efficient technology, these homes are self-sufficient and can bring comfort to its residents throughout the years while being environmentally friendly.

Why green growth is crucial to ASEAN’s future

DISASTER-RESILIENT CONSTRUCTION. SCG’s ‘Family Cocoon’ is a prototype of a future building. Made of recycled concrete aggregate and supplementary cementing materials to reduce the release of C02 into the atmosphere, it is tougher than any normal concrete product.

SCG portland cement uses innova- mation modelling, which account for tive technology to boost its compressive environmental impact before construcstrength, increasing its resistance to ev- tion even begins. eryday wear and tear.

Recent studies have shown a rise in demand for sustainable cement and Protecting the environment rustic wood , creating opportunities for SCG smartwood ensures that less better and stronger properties for the trees are felled for lumber, planks, tim- future. SCG ostensibly hopes to posiber, and other wood products. SCG tion itself as an innovative leader n the portland cement is a stickler for rehabil- ASEAN market in developing green itating its quarrying sites where it was products and services.

“We have always envisioned an ursourced and produced.

“At SCG, we give utmost impor- banized future for the world without tance to research and development of damaging the environment,” said Kesproducts, aimed at creating more value suwan. “SCG smartwood and SCG for customers and promoting environ- portland cement are examples of matemental conservation,” said Kessuwan. rials for stronger and more sustainable With growing concerns over envi- homes and buildings.”

But Kessuwan acknowledged that ronmental issues, it has been forecasted that there will be an increasing demand while SCG wants to attain a leaderfor spatial buildings and building infor- ship role in the ASEAN sustainable

Close collaboration Echoing this sentiment, SCG’s Kessuwan said this is precisely what the government and private sector in Thailand is striving for: closer collaboration between the public and private sector to implement sustainable development policies in the region. “We hope this happens across the board throughout the ASEAN communities,” he said.

Public-private partnerships are only beginning to be understood, but there are encouraging instances of the private sector responding to sustainability issues and governments setting the direction on where policy needs to go, he added.

“Asean is at a crucial moment in time – there is the choice to get ahead of the curve or be left behind,” he said.

The Siam Cement Group (SCG) has operations throughout ASEAN, and businesses in cement, chemicals and paper. It has been selected by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index as a sustainable leader in the construction materials industry every year since 2011.

Kessuwan told the Manila Standard that sustainable development is “a choice” to boost the reputation of their company.

“We feel that as a responsible member of the private sector, we can effect change due to our flexibility and influence throughout the supply chain,” he said.

LGUs

IN BRIEF GenTri, DepEd gear up for ‘Brigada’ GENERAL TRIAS CITY, Cavite—The Department of Education in General Trias City is now preparing for the school opening on June 5 with the assistance of the local government The LGU and DepED will launch on Monday, May 15, the Brigada Eskwela program on all public schools here, 20 days before the first day of school.

As part of preparations for the coming school year, the local government also recently opened the four-storey, 16-classroom building at Pamayanang Maliksi in Pasong Kawayan II, led by Mayor Antonio “Ony” Ferrer, Cavite Sixth District Rep. Luis “Jon Jon” Ferrer IV and DepEd officials.

Also set to open before the return to school are the fourstorey, 20-classroom building at the Governor Luis Y. Ferrer Jr. Senior High School in Pasong Kawayan II presented by Pagcor. The LGU is also finishing the four-storey, 16-classroom building of Governor Ferrer Memorial National High School this August, school principal Dr. Prudencio Animas said.

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Manila also inks deal for ISFs M

By Sandy Araneta

ANILA Mayor Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada has signed an agreement with a Chinese real estate developer to provide a major mass housing project for 7,000 squatter families living in esteros and other high-risk areas.

Estrada said it is high time the city’s informal settler families or ISFs be given decent and safer shelter, as they are always vulnerable to danger during bad weather, especially in times of strong typhoons and flash floods.

“We will be putting them in a much better situation than where they are now,” Estrada said last Thursday after signing

a Memorandum of Understanding with Shanghai Nanjiang (Group) Co., LTD. executive vice president Wang Xiaogang for a six-month feasibility study concerning the urban housing situation in Manila.

The Chinese real estate developer has signed similar agreements with the cities of Makati, Parañaque, and Caloocan.

Depending on the results of the study, the Shanghai-based firm will commit to put up low-cost housing projects in the city, including the possibility of reclaiming a portion of Manila Bay, through a joint venture agreement with the city government.

“At no cost to us, Shanghai Nanjiang will seriously study the issue of ISFs in the City of Manila. Through their help and cooperation, we hope to finally see the end of our housing problem, and improve the lives of those hapless families living in esteros,” Estrada said.

Manila has about 7,000 ISFs living in “danger zones” such as esteros and other waterways, according to the city’s Urban Settlements Office chief Danny

Isiderio. The number does not include thousands more who are occupying government- and privately-owned lots across the city.

According to the Metro Manila Development Authority, 10 esteros and creeks in the National Capital Region, mostly in Manila, have been completely taken over by hundreds of thousands of squatter families, worsening pollution and flooding problems in the metropolis.

Estrada said Shanghai Group has vast technical capability and experience in real estate, having developed many residential communities, private resortluxury villas, and hotel-serviced community complexes in China and other countries like Mongolia, Tibet, Mexico, Africa, and Australia.

NV villages step up in eco-friendly event BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—The provincial government’s yearly “Search For Makakalikasang Barangay” has put several barangays in spotlight because of their sustainable ecofriendly practices.

For instance, Barangay Pelaway in Alfonso Castaneda town has more Materials Recovery Facilities (13) than it has “puroks” or sub-sitios (eight) despite being located more than 100 kilometers from the provincial capital.

Barangay Duruarog in Diadi town also prides itself with owning a “Mobile Junk Shop,” which regularly visits villagers’ homes to collect their recyclable waste materials.

These are some of the 14 barangays cited for recognition and reaped awards and cash incentives during the 2015 edition of the search. The activity is part of the province’s Environmental Awareness Month every November through Sangguniang Panlalawigan Ordinance No. 2013-084.

Ben Moses Ebreo

“As you know, the City of Manila no longer has enough land where we could relocate our informal settlers, but through Shanghai Nanjiang’s expertise, they may be able to recommend doable options to address this problem effectively,” Estrada said.

Wang said any housing projects they may recommend to the city government will have to be reconcile with Estrada’s policies: (1) priority to “in-city” relocation; (2) no relocation, no demolition, and; (3) the relocation should be close to the ISFs’ source of livelihood.

“We will consider the local requirements as to what could be built,” the mayor said. “Maybe we can find some land, use our own Turn to C2

QC cops get more high-tech equipment

CPLA reunification gains headway TABUK CITY, Kalinga—The Cordillera Bodong Administration has started the ball rolling for the much-awaited reunification process of the various factions of the fragmented Cordillera People’s Liberation Army, following their commitment to Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza to get their act together in a quest for regional autonomy in the Cordillera.

Henry Gupaal, CBA Secretary-General, said some 20 zone commanders from Mountain Province and Kalinga belonging to the Conrado Dureza faction gathered at the Provincial Capitol Wednesday night to reorganize their officers in preparation for a reunification process that will be undertaken anytime before their scheduled meeting with President Rodrigo R. Duterte, either in Manila or in any part of the region.

“We are happy that the zone commanders decided based on consensus, which is a good sign that there is a big chance for us to unify the fragmented organization.

What is important is we are still one in fighting for the region’s autonomy, one of the major demands of the CPLA during the peace negotiations with the government in Mount Data over three decades ago,” Gupaal stressed.

The CBA official said the zone commanders decided to name Juanita Chulsi as the CPLA commander for the Dureza faction, while Drew Walis was named as the chief of staff and Juan Diesa remained as their liaison officer for the meantime. Dexter A. See

C1

By Rio N. Araja

UCC GRADUATION. Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan delivers his speech in the graduation ceremonies for more than 4,000 college students of the University of Caloocan City at the Mall of Asia Arena. Joining the mayor were Transportation Undersecretary for Rails Cesar Chavez, UCC vice president Marilyn de Jesus, Councilor Karina Teh, District 2 Rep. Along Malapitan, UCC president Atty. Rene Richard Salazar, Business Permits and Licensing Office chief Atty. Emmanuel Emilio Vergara, and UCC dean of graduate school Joel Feliciano. Jun David

Tesda to become a department, says exec

By Ferdie G. Domingo CABANATUAN CITY—A Department of Technical Education and Skills Development?

It’s now in the works, according to a top-ranking official of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, who said the move—a priority legislative measure of the Duterte administration—carries the support of several congress-

men and senators.

Lawyer Diosdado Padilla, Tesda deputy director general for communities and local government unit services, said a draft of the proposed DTESD has been hammered out by a technical working group of the agency.

“Many legislators have vowed to sponsor the bill once it reaches the Senate and the House of Representatives, and I hope it

will be passed,” he said.

Padilla, who is from Nueva Ecija like his younger sister, Local Government Undersecretary Emily Padilla, said Tesda, which used to be the National Manpower Youth Council, would be better off as a department “to ensure swift delivery of its frontline services.”

As a department, he said Tesda would be managed by a secretary, unlike the present agency

where its policy-making body is composed of several directors.

“Right now, Tesda’s services are being slowed down because we have 20 who comprise the board of directors, who make policy directions,” he said.

Padilla added that Tesda director general Guiling Mamondiong will exert all-out effort to pursue the proposal. “Hopefully, in two years we can become a department,” he added.

QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista has turned over 12 sets of digital facial composite sketch apparatus to the Quezon City Police District to beef up its capability to fight criminality.

“The QCPD’s investigators are going high-tech,” Bautista said.

The state-of-art-equipment boasts of a database featuring at least 2,500 facial components, which can be scrolled down through select facial feature sets for eyewitnesses to examine if they have trouble recalling a suspect’s individual feature.

The mayor also unveiled plans to turn over an additional 150 motorcycles to the QCPD to enhance the response capability of the city’s law enforcers.

The city’s investment on law enforcement is included in the QC government’s public safety modernization program.

At least 50 percent of the city police’s requests will be given this year, Bautista said.

The city government is also exploring the possibility of providing each of QCPD’s 12 police stations with a command center for inter-operability with other networks.

Since Bautista assumed office in 2010, the city government has already invested more than P145 million to acquire additional vehicles and equipment for the city police, including firearms, ammunition and bullet-proof vests.

Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar lauded the mayor for the donation.

SM opens second mall in CdO today

By Lance Baconguis

TOURISM AMBASSADOR. Henry G. Yaplito, 63, guides visitors through the displays at the Taoid Museum of the Ilocano Cordilleras in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. Yaplito is one of 17 senior citizens and retirees hired by the Ilocos Norte Tourism Office under its Summer Tourism Program to serve as guides at nine museums and churches in the province.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY— SM Prime Holdings opens its newest mall in the country today, making its 61st mall, this city’s second SM Mall, and the sixth in Mindanao.

SM CDO Downtown Premier has five levels with 17.7 hectares of floor area, and is envisioned as this city’s premier shopping destination and an emerging landmark in downtown Cagayan de Oro City, the firm said in a press release.

SM CDO Downtown Premier “brings a vibrant and upbeat retail experience for this urban market” with exterior finishes that are “subtle and upscale.”

The mall, which is already 87 percent leased, will raise the malling experience in Cagayan de Oro as it will offer top amenities that Kagay-anons can enjoy.

These include SM mainstays the Cyberzone, SM Food Hall,

SM Bowling Center, a fivelevel carpark building, four digital theaters, two Director’s Club cinemas, one Large Format cinema, an 800-seater Sky Hall like in SM Aura Premier in Taguig City, and an al fresco dining and entertainment Sky Garden, like that in SM North Edsa in Quezon City.

“To top it all, SM CDO Downtown Premier complex will also have an eight-level office building that will cater to Business Process Outsourcing companies,” the firm added.

“Set to be Cagayan de Oro’s premier shopping address, SM CDO Downtown Premier is located at the bustling central business district of the city and easily accessible to the financial, commercial, residential and learning institutions.”

SM Prime “continues to give primary importance to sustainability and in integrating disaster resilience into its properties.”

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

Standard SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017 C2 TODAY Manila

Ecija cracks down on rogue cops C

By Ferdie G. Domingo

ABANATUAN CITY—At least 100 policemen here have been relieved from their posts and reassigned to other areas, while 10 barangay chairmen have been arrested in an intensified crackdown against illegal drugs in Nueva Ecija.

In The Name Of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF BASILAN BIDS AND AWARDSCOMMITTEE Provincial Capitol Bldg., Isabela City, Basilan Province, 7300 InvItatIon to BId for SUPPLY and dELIvErY of ConStrUCtIon MatErIaLS and fUEL for tHE ConStrUCtIon of BoHEH PananSaLan BrIdGE 1 and ConStrUCtIon of BoHEH PananSaLan BrIdGE 2, at SUMISIP, BaSILan UndEr BaC PUBLICatIon 004-2017 1.The Provincial Government of Basilan intends to apply part of the sum of SEVENTY SEVEN MILLION SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P77, 600,000.00) ,being the approved Budget for the Contract for the SUPPLY AND DELIVERY OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND FUEL intended for the hereunder listed projects. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. a. Construction of Bohe Panansalan Bridge 1,Sumisip, Basilan b. Construction of Bohe Panansalan Bridge 2,Sumisip, Basilan TOTAL

P38,800,000.00 P38,800,000.00 P77,600,000.00

2.The Provincial Government of Basilan now invites bids for supply and delivery of CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND FUEL FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF BOHEH PANANSALAN BRIDGE 1 AND CONSTRUCTION OF BOHEH PANANSALAN BRIDGE 2, AT SUMISIP, BASILAN INTENDED FOR THE OFFICE OF THE PROVINCIAL ENGINEER, BASILAN. 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.

3.Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using nondiscretionary 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”.

4.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.

5.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.

6.A complete set of 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 FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P50,000.00) and ONE THOUSAND PESOS (P1,000.00) for Letter of Intent .

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.

7.The Provincial Government of Basilan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 10:00 am, May 19, ,2017 at BAC Office, Provincial Capitol, Isabela City, Basilan Province, which shall be open to all interested parties.

8.Bids must be delivered on Bid Opening to the address below on or before 10:00 am, May 30, 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.

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.

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.

Senior Supt. Antonio Yarra, provincial police director, said some of the lawmen have gone AWOL (absent without official leave) as the provincial government, the Philippine National Police, and the citizenry closed ranks to eradicate the drug problem in the province.

In a briefing, Yarra said the relieved lawmen have been transferred to Mindanao. He said they

are still in the process of tracking down the whereabouts of those who went AWOL. “It’s hard for us to monitor those who went AWOL because they didn’t report to us,” he said, adding the PNP has activated its own Drug Enforcement Unit, which works in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and local governments, to look for the

By Ben Moses Ebreo BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—After long years of hibernation, the Bagabag Airport finally opens on May 17 for the weekly Clark-Bagabag flights.

Operated by Wakay Air Services, the flight’s Dornier 328 30-seater plane will come from Clark in Pampanga on its inaugural flight with Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo, along with local and foreign tourists to

witness and attend the official opening of the airport.

Also expected to attend the airport’s inauguration are provincial officials of Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, and Mountain Province, and other dignitaries from the Cagayan Valley region.

“This is an important milestone for the three provinces, since this event will open them to tourist traffic, making Bagabag the gateway to the Cordillera Administrative Region as well

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera PASEGURUHAN NG MGA NAGLILINGKOD SA PAMAHALAAN (GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM) Financial Center, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City 1308 Section I. Invitation to Bid General Housekeeping Services for the GSIS Head Office, Quezon City Branch Office and Pasig Extension Office – Rebidding 1.

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) through the GSIS Approved Budget for the Procurement of Multi-Year Contracts for the Period CY 2017 to CY 2019 intends to apply the sum of Fifty Million Seven Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php50,700,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments for the contract for the General Housekeeping Services for the GSIS Head Office, Quezon City Branch Office and Pasig Extension Office. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The GSIS now invites bids for the General Housekeeping Services for the GSIS Head Office, Quezon City Branch Office and Pasig Extension Office– Rebidding. Delivery of the Goods is required for twenty four (24) months from July 2017 to June 2019. Bidders should have completed, within the past ten (10) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project.

The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/ fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the GSIS Bids and Awards Committee (GBAC) Secretariat and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00AM to 5:00PM, Monday to Friday excluding holidays.

GBAC Secretariat GSIS Building Level 2 Core G Financial Center, Pasay City

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on 15 May 2017, from the GBAC Secretariat between 8:00AM to 3:00PM and upon payment of the nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Php50,000.00.

(SGD) INTAN GORDANA A. ABUBAKAR Chairperson, Bids and Award Committee (MS-MAY 13, 2017)

Gate 2 Karangalan Drive Cainta, Rizal

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the GSIS at http://www.gsis.gov.ph/opportunities/ gbac, provided that Bidders shall pay the nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6.

The GSIS Bids and Awards Committee will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 23 May 2017, 9:30AM at the GBAC Conference Room, GSIS Building Level 2 Core G, Financial Center, Pasay City. The Pre-Bid Conference shall be open to all interested parties.

7.

Bids must be duly received by the GBAC Secretariat at the address below on or before 06 June 2017, 8:30AM. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

INVITATION TO BID

Bid opening shall be on 06 June 2017, 9:00AM at the GBAC Conference Room, GSIS Building Level 2 Core G, Financial Center, Pasay City. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the given address. Late bids shall not be accepted.

The Department of Education, Region lV-4, through the 2017 General Appropriation Act intends to apply the sum of One Million Four Hundred Twenty Thousand Pesos Only (1,420,000,00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to eligible payments under the contract for the provision of Security Services to the premises of the DepED RO-IV-A and NEAP CALABARZON, Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

After the Bid Opening, a detailed evaluation of the financial component of the eligible bid/s shall be conducted to determine the Single or Lowest Calculated Bid (SCB or LCB). Only the bidder with the SCB or LCB shall be notified within seven (7) calendar days to submit post-qualification documents.

8.

The GSIS 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.

9.

For further information, please refer to:

The Department of Education Region IV-A, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), now invites bids for the herein-mentioned Goods, Bidders must have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project with an amount of at least 50% of the ABC to be bid, The description of an eligible, bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents , ie , in Section II , Instructions to Bidders. Bids received that exceed the ABC shall be rejected at bid opening .

Contract duration------------one (1) year July 1, 2017 to June 30,2018 No. of Security Guards---- three (3) for Regional Office, 8-hour shift each Three (3) for NEAP Malvar, Batangas, 8-hour shift each The Company shall provide each guard one (1) day rest period per week and shall provide a reliever for those who are on their rest day.

The Company shall provide one CCTV for each site and shall bear its maintenance Cost.

GBAC Secretariat GSIS Bids and Awards Committee GSIS Building Level 2 Core G, Financial Center, Pasay City Tel No.: (02) 976-4961 / 976-4945 / Fax No.: (02) 859-0373 Email Address: GBAC_Secretariat@gsis.gov.ph Website: http://www.gsis.gov.ph

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be inspected or purchased at DepED lV-A BAC Secretariat, located at Supply Office, Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta, Rizal upon accomplishing a bidder’s information sheet and payment in cash of a non-refundable fee by interested bidders in the amount of One Thousand Pesos (PhP 1,000.00) to the DepED IV-4 Cashier Only bidders who purchased the Bidding Documents will be allowed to submit bids.

It may be viewed or downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS), www.philgeps.net., and the website of the Procuring Entity, www.depedcalabarzon.gov. provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids. The schedule and venue of the procuring activities are as follows: Activity Date and Time Venue Issuance of Bidding From May 16, 2017 to June 5, 2017 DepED IV-A Director’s Documents 8:00am to 5:00pm (Mon. - Fri.) Conference Room Pre-Bid Conference May 19, 2017, 2017 - 10:00 a.m.

-sameSubmission and Opening June 5, 2017 10:00 a.m.

-sameof Bids Prospective bidders are strongly encouraged to order or download the electronic copy of the Bidding Documents from the PhiIGEPS website: www.philgeps.net, for them to be included in the Document Request List of the project. The pre-bid conference is open-to-all interested parties who may have or have not bought the bidding documents”

INVITATION TO BID No. 04- 2017 The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Interim Northern Samar Irrigation Management Office (INSIMO), through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), hereby invites Domestic Contractors, registered with and classified by the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB), to bid for the hereunder contracts. Bids received in excess of ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

ITEM/DESCRIPTION 1. Tinublan CIP Contract No. INSIMO# 11 – 2017 – Construction of Diversion Works, Reservoir and Irrigation Facilities

For further information, please refer to:

210 cd

Cost of Bidding Documents

Php 17,500

The schedule of BAC activities is listed as follows: PROJECT NAME

Issuance of Bid Documents (Date and Time Schedule)

Receipt & Pre- bid Conference Opening of Bids (Date and Time (Date and Time Schedule) Schedule)

Tinublan CIP Contract No. INSIMO# Starting May 8, May 17, 2017 (10AM) 11 – 2017 – Construction 2017 (8AM-5PM) of Diversion April 10, 2017 (10AM) Works, Reservoir and Irrigation Facilities

May 26, 2017 (9AM)

The BAC will issue a complete set of Bidding Documents from the address above and upon payment of its respective non-refundable amount to the cashier.

Ann Geralyn T. Pelias BAC Chairman Virginia O. Bagacay BAC Secretariat DepED lV-A Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta, Rizal 6458406

(MS-MAY 13, 2017)

Php 17,442,800.53

Duration

Prospective Bidders are not allowed to participate if they have negative slippage in their on-going contracts. Individuals with Special Power of Attorney (SPA) are not allowed to transact and participate in the procurement utilizing another construction firm. The pre-bid conference shall be open only for those who have purchased the Bid documents.

1.

The DepED Region lV-A reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, not award the contract(s), or annul the bidding process without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

Approved Budget for the Contract

The Prospective Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project whose value must be at least fifty percent (50%) of the ABC. 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 (R.A. 9184), otherwise known as the “Government procurement Reform Act”.

Bids must be delivered to the address and on the date and time stated herein. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in the ITB Clause 18. A valid Bid Securing Declaration must accompany the bid(s) in lieu of a bid security.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend the opening of bids at the address, date and time stated herein. Late bids shall not be accepted.

(Sgd.) VP JONATHAN C. PINEDA Chairperson GBAC for Goods, Services and Consultancy–Cluster 2

(MS-MAY 13, 2017)

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the implementing Rules and Regulations (lRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act.” Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

The NIA 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.

(SGD) ANN GERALYN T. PELIAS BAC Chairman

as the southern Cagayan Valley region,” said Virgilio Maguigad, Department of Tourism regional director for Cagayan Valley.

Classified as a community airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Bagabag is the closest airport to the Banaue Rice Terraces, the Sagada caves, and other tourists destinations in the Cordilleras.

Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Carlos Padilla said the opening of the Clark-Bagabag f light will

boost tourist arrivals in the two regions, as it cuts the usual eight- to 10-hour trip north by land from Manila by more than half.

“This will also trigger the establishment of more tourismrelated development projects in both regions, so that more tourists will visit our sites, attractions and other potential tourist areas, including historical attractions that the regions can offer,” he said.

Fish vendor killed by NPAs laid to rest

Bidding is open to all interested bidders, whether local or foreign, subject to the conditions for eligibility provided in the IRR of RA 9184 and in ITB Clause 5.2 of the Bid Data Sheet in the Bidding Documents.

Department of Education REGION IV-A CALABARZON

of logistics. Without her support, we will be hard-pressed to eradicate drugs in our midst,” he said.

In spite of the large number of policemen found involved in illegal drugs, Yarra said none so far have tested positive for illegal drug use.

He said some of the barangay officials who have surrendered to the PNP during the campaign are now undergoing reformation.

NV welcomes 1st Clark-Bagabag flight

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

rogue cops.

Yarra said the United Stand Against Drugs, a group organized by the provincial government, has proved a big help in the campaign in all the five component cities and 27 municipalities in the province.

“The provincial government under Gov. Czarina Umali has been very supportive of our antiillegal drugs campaign in terms

(SGD) CESAR R. ECHANO BAC Chairman (MS-MAY 13, 2017)

DAVAO CITY—The fish vendor who died from an improvised explosive left by New People’s Army rebels retreating from a raid on the box and plastic plant of Lapanday Foods Corp. last month was laid to rest on Thursday afternoon.

The remains of Larry Timbal Buenafe, 34, who died on April 29, were laid to rest, with Mayor Sara Duterte among those condoling with the family.

Buenafe’s wife, Rose, recalled that Larry was just doing his usual routine when he left for work, a day after their ninth wedding anniversary.

Rose said Larry “was her everything,” and letting him go “is painful” especially for their two children “who still wish to see their father someday.”

“My son told me that we should keep all his awards from school so that we can show it to his father when we meet him again,” Rose said.

Rose said her husband did everything to give his children

the best in life, as he wished to see his children finish their studies through his hard work.

“He always strived hard for our daily survival. He would wake up as early as 3 a.m. to work and even slept late at night just to ensure he can sustain the needs of our family,” she said.

Duterte, who broke the news to Rose on the day of the incident, wished that Larry will rest in peace.

“When a civilian dies because of an IED blast, he is never a victim. We cannot demand justice. #Propagandalangyan sabi niyo, and we are not allowed to grieve,” the mayor posted on her Instagram account, assailing the NPA attack.

It also reached Duterte’s attention that the funeral house where the two dead bodies of the NPA rebels were brought to sent a bill to the city government. The mayor did not say if the city would pay for the funerals of the rebels, whose bodies were still unclaimed at press time.

the construction of medium-rise buildings within or close to the city limits to accommodate as many ISFs as possible, he pointmoney, put up the buildings first, ed out. then we relocate the people.”

For City Secretary Edward As to a possible reclamation Serapio, the six-month study “is in Manila Bay, the Chinese ex- about how to best address the ecutive said: “Everything is problem of informal settlers” in possible but we have to make the city. this study first.”

“It’s a cooperation between Among the other options is the City of Manila and Shanghai Group. If the results and recomNOTICE TO THE PUBLIC mendations of the study are favoraThis is to inform the public that ble and approved Edgardo E, Apelo Jr. is no longer by the City Mayor, connected with Cirrus Global, subsequently, they will even propose Inc. effective May 11, 2017. to do the project under a JVA,” he Any transaction entered into explained. by this person from this date Urban housing thereafter shall not be honored by has been Estrada’s the company. top priority since being elected in opposition may appear and show REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 2013. He has awardcause why the said petition should REGIONAL TRIAL COURT ed 257 families with NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION not be granted.

Let copy of this order be BRANCH 109, PASAY CITY their own lots under published in the newspaper of IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION general circulation once a week his “Land for the for three (3) consecutive weeks FOR ADOPTION OF BENEDICT at the expense of the petitioner.

Landless” program.

VILLAMENA MANAOIS Likewise, let copy of the this order More imporbe furnished the Office of the SP. PROC. NO.R-PSY-17-25176-CV Solicitor General, the Office of the tantly, he has reCity Prosecutor of Pasay City for GLORIA BAUTISTA MANAOIS, their comment and/or objection, located thousands Petitioner. and the court social worker. The x------------------------------------------x of ISFs away from latter is hereby directed to conduct ORDER social case study on the petitioner, A verified petition for adoption was the city’s esteros the minor subject of adoption filed by petitioner praying that after and the biological parents of the and creeks in codue notice, publication and hearing, adoptee and submit the same on judgment be rendered declaring operation with the or before the scheduled hearing.

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

24, 2017 at 1:30 p.m. ernment agencies.

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

Benedict Villamena Manaois is the gurated last year son of Victorino B. Manaois with (Sgd.) TINGARAAN U. GUILING his P44.5-million Presiding Judge one Jeasa S. Villamena with whom he is not married; that the subject Copy furnished: housing village in minor was entrusted to herein Atty. Cesar R. Santiago, Jr. Counsel for the Petitioner petitioner from the time he was born SANTIAGO LAW OFFICE Sitio Dubai, Baseco continuously up to the present and Rm. 702 & 703, Margarita Bldg., Compound where at latter has treated herein minor as his J.P. Rizal cor. Cardona Sts. Makati City own child from then onwards. least 32 “poorest of The Solicitor General Finding the petition to be sufficient OSG Bldg., 134 Amorsolo St., the poor” families in form and substance, notice is Legaspi Village, Makati City hereby given that the hearing of ACP Eric E. Reginaldo in the impoverished the petition is set on August 10, G/F, Hall of Justice Bldg., Pasay City 2017 at 8:30 a.m. sitting at Room community have Gloria Bautista Manaois 302 Hall of Justice Building, P34 04 6th St., Villamor been given their F.B. Harrison St., Pasay City. All Air Base, Pasay City persons interested and may have own house and lots.

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

Manila...

From C1

(MS-MAY 13, 2017)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

World IN BRIEF Moon dumps state-issued history books SEOUL―South Korea’s new President Moon Jae-In on Friday scrapped stateissued school history textbooks introduced by his ousted predecessor, saying they represented an “outdated and one-sided” view of the past, his office said.

The previous Park GeunHye administration had introduced state-authored history textbooks at middle and high schools, arguing that some existing tomes reflected left-leaning and pro-North Korea ideologies.

Park’s conservative government began publishing the new textbooks this year despite opposition from liberal critics, who saw them as an attempt to glorify the dictatorship of Park ChungHee, late father of the impeached president.

“As efforts to normalize history education, the president has ordered the abolition of state-authored textbooks,” said top presidential spokesman Yoon Young-Chan, adding they “symbolize outdated and one-sided history education and attempts to divide the people”. AFP

SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017

Dior cruise collection in LA L

OS ANGELES―The glamor of France’s fashion industry hit Los Angeles Thursday as Dior lured a bevy of stars including Charlize Theron and Rihanna to the Santa Monica mountains for its latest runway show.

Suspected jihadists get 15 years in jail THESSALONIKI―A Greek court on Friday handed 15year prison sentences to two suspected jihadists with Swedish passports trying to enter Turkey carrying combat items, a local justice source said.

The suspects’ lawyer said the men, who have refugee status in Sweden, would appeal against the sentence.

They will remain incarcerated until their next trial, a date for which was not given.

The pair―a 29-year-old of Bosnian descent and a 19-yearold of Yemeni origin―were caught in January 2016 near the border with Turkey.

Inside their luggage police found two machetes, army uniforms and other combat paraphernalia.

The suspects insist the items had been legally purchased in Athens as souvenirs.

The 29-year-old had been arrested in Bosnia in 2005 after a police raid at his house found a suicide belt, explosives and a video showing a man with a covered face threatening terrorist acts against the US Capitol and the White House. AFP

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AFTER THE EXPLOSION. Scientific police work on the site of the explosion of a rudimentary bomb placed between two cars near a Post office in Via Marmorata in Rome. AFP

Basquiat headlines NY auction season NEW YORK-Jean-Michel Basquiat occupies star billing on the auction block in New York this season, catapulting the artist into the rostrum of 20th century greats nearly three decades after his death.

Riding high on last year’s $57-million auction record set when a Japanese billionaire snapped up a selfportrait, at least 14 works by the US wonder kid of Haitian and Puerto Rican descent are on sale at Christie’s and Sotheby’s next week.

“He was a street artist so it took a bit of time for him to be assimilated,” explains Loic Gouzer, chairman of postwar and contemporary art at Christie’s.

“Now every museum in the world is begging to get Basquiat.”

Christie’s and Sotheby’s-the esteemed houses founded in 18th century London—are chasing combined sales of at least $1.1 billion when they auction hundreds of contemporary, modern and impressionist works of art from May 15-19 in New York.

The top estimate for the week is a

1982 Basquiat, “Untitled”—a skulllike head on a giant canvas in oil-stick, acrylic and spray paint, for which Sotheby’s hopes to smash a new record at more than $60 million.

It has been held by its current owners ever since being bought in 1984 at Christie’s for $19,000.

The Brooklyn-born artist died of an overdose aged 27. Artprice says the value of Basquiat works rose 506 percent from January 2000 to October 2016.

“It’s the golden kid, it’s the one that died young, lived strong and has been creating a body of work that looks like nothing before and looks like nothing after,” says Gregoire Billault, Sotheby’s head of contemporary art.

An African American in a white art world, much of his work focused on ordeals endured by blacks—a subject of renewed resonance in the wake of nationwide US protests since 2014 about the shootings of unarmed black men by police.

Fittingly, Christie’s top Basquiat of-

fering is “La Hara”—a 1981 acrylic and oil-stick of an angry-looking New York police officer estimated at $22-28 million.

“Context is the best helper to explain art and I think it’s great to have it right now,” says Gouzer.

Otherwise Christie’s top lot is Francis Bacon’s “Three Studies of George Dyer” valued at $50 million, the British artist’s first portrait of his long-time muse and lover, a handsome petty thief from London’s East End. The triptych was once owned by author Roald Dahl and has been shown at the Tate Britain and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Christie’s is also chasing big bucks for another artist who is even less of a household name but another increasing commercial force: $35-55 million for Cy Twombly’s largely abstract “Leda and the Swan.”

“Most people even today will say, ‘Oh my child can paint this.’ Your child cannot paint this,’” says Christie’s specialist Koji Inoue. AFP

The couture house’s 2018 cruise collection presentation saw around 800 guests decamping to a remote reserve on the edge of the upscale suburb of Calabasas, home to Jennifer Lopez, the Kardashian-Jenners and much of Hollywood’s A list.

Around 50 models showcased a wardrobe with a music festival vibe inspired by Lascaux cave paintings, painter Georgia O’Keeffe and feminist shamanic healer Vicki Noble, with plenty of pleated skirts and bolero hats on show.

The remote location for the runway show was chosen by Maria Grazia Chiuri, who was lured from Valentino in July last year to become Dior’s first female creative director of women’s haute couture and accessories.

As the company celebrates its 70th anniversary, Chiuri has been introducing a more modern, rock ‘n’ roll look to the house’s fashion offering, exemplified by her $710 “We Should All Be Feminists” t-shirt inspired by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s essay and TEDx talk of the same name.

“Christian Dior in 1947 came to Los Angeles, only two years after the war, to show his collection. So we decided on the anniversary to come back,” Chiuri told AFP. “Normally when you think about LA, the first thing is celebrities, Hollywood, red carpets but I think there is another aspect, the natural aspect -open spaces. Many people love this place―also Mr Dior―because California is in some ways a paradise.”

Dior took over Santa Monica seafood restaurant Gladstone’s on the eve of the show for a glitzy beachside party welcoming celebrities including “Slumdog Millionaire” star Frieda Pinto, and actresses Kiernan Shipka (“Mad Men”), Jaime King (“Sin City”) and Juno Temple (“Vinyl”).

“What’s not to love about Dior? I can’t wait to see what’s going to be the concept of the new collection. I’m excited,” Barbadian pop superstar Rihanna, 29, who showcased an off-the-shoulder brown fur coat, said ahead of the show.

“It’s always a pleasure... to wear Dior. For one, it’s expensive and, two, it’s really well made and it’s always something that helps you express your femininity in the highest level.”

The singer stayed for half an hour, leaving immediately after the show and leaving singing duties to Beyonce’s younger sister Solange Knowles, 30, who played a rousing set at the after-show party.

Other stars at the glitzy bash included Oscarwinning “Room” and “King Kong” actress Brie Larson, Beyonce’s former Destiny’s Child bandmate Kelly Rowlands, singer Nick Jonas and British socialite Lady Victoria Hervey.

Long derided for flashiness or faded grunge, Los Angeles is increasingly being described as an upcoming center of global fashion.

Saint Laurent showcased its autumn-winter men’s collection and part of its women’s range in Hollywood last year while Louis Vuitton presented its cruise collection in the city and Burberry presented at the Griffith Observatory in 2015.

Guests for the Dior show boarded shuttles from Beverly Hills and Santa Monica to the wilderness of the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve, around an hour away.

Lenders urged to back Greece’s debt package BARI, Italy―IMF chief Christine Lagarde on Friday urged eurozone lenders to be “far more specific” in their commitment to a debt-relief package for Greece.

The International Monetary Fund has made a package easing Greece’s repayment burden a condition of its participation in an 86-billion-euro ($94-billion) bailout.

But several eurozone governments are dragging their heels, insisting on more evidence of debt-plagued Greece delivering on reforms as a condition of green-lighting the third rescue package of its kind since 2010.

“We will carry on working on this debt relief package,” Lagarde said after talks on the issue on the sidelines of a meeting of G7 finance ministers and central bank governors in the southern Italian port of Bari.

“There is not enough clarity yet but I hope that the European partners will continue to progress in that.”

The former French finance minister added that the IMF’s position had not changed in the long-running saga.

“We have two issues, policies which are being voted on now, I hope, by the Greek authorities. Much progress has been made and we certainly

hope that the Europeans will be far more specific in terms of debt relief, which is also an imperative.”

Eurozone ministers agreed in principle last year to extend the repayment terms of part of Greece’s debt if Athens delivered on pensions and tax reforms aimed at making the country’s public finances more sustainable.

They have also said they will consider providing new lines of credit to replace more costly IMF loans, a move that would save Athens billions in interest every year.

A decision on the shape of the relief package is required soon. Athens needs the first tranche of the bailout to be delivered by July to ensure it can repay seven billion euros ($7.6 billion) in maturing loans.

The issue is particularly sensitive in Germany, where the provision of debt relief to Greece is seen as a vote loser in the run-up to general elections in September.

On the other side of the debate, many economists have said a reluctance to write off some of Greece’s debts has been counter-productive because of the negative impact deep cuts on public spending have had on economic activity. AFP

SANCTUARY. A boy holds a French flag at the Fatima Sanctuary in Fatima, central Portugal, on May 12, 2017. Two of the three child shepherds

who reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Fatima one century ago will be declared saints on May 13, 2017, by Pope Francis. The canonization of Jacinta and Francisco Marto will take place during the Argentinian pontiff’s visit to a Catholic shrine visited by millions of pilgrims every year. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

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SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017

World

Trump asked three times if he was target of probes W

ASHINGTON― Donald Trump asked his now-fired FBI director on three occasions whether he was the target of ongoing investigations, he said Thursday, stoking allegations of presidential interference.

The US president also acknowledged that Russia was on his mind when he made the decision to sack James Comey, who had been heading a probe into suspected Russian influence in the 2016 election.

“When I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said you know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story,” he said in an interview with NBC, appearing to link Comey’s firing with the investigation.

Meanwhile, the New York Times reported that Trump pressed Comey for a pledge of loyalty over dinner only a week after his inauguration, according to an account by two associates of the lawman.

Comey, they said, declined to make such a pledge but told Trump he would always give him “honesty.”

The Times said White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders disputed the account, saying Trump would “never even suggest the expectation of personal loyalty, only loyalty to our country and its great people.”

The Times said it was not clear whether the dinner was the same one that Trump described in the NBC interview in which the president acknowledged asking Comey whether he was the subject of a counterintelligence probe.

“I actually asked him, yes. I said, ‘If it’s possible would you let me know, am I under investigation?’”

“He said, ‘You are not under investigation,’” Trump recounted, repeating an assertion made when the White House announced Comey’s firing Tuesday.

“All I can tell you is, well I know what, I know that I’m not under investigation. Me. Personally. I’m not talking about campaigns. I’m not talking about anything else. I’m not under investigation.”

The other two times Trump said he asked Comey whether he was under investigation were in telephone conversations.

Trump’s comments to NBC raised questions about whether he had acted inappropriately and whether Comey had broken government guidelines in assuring him he was not under investigation. AFP

ON THE RUNWAY. A model walks the runway during the Christian Dior Cruise 2018 Runway Show at the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve in Santa Monica, California. AFP

Child killer sentenced to life in prison TAIPEI―A schizophrenic Taiwanese man who decapitated a three-year-old girl in public on a busy Taipei street escaped the death penalty Friday as he was sentenced to life in prison for what the court called an “appalling” crime.

Wang Ching-yu, 34, had pleaded guilty to killing the child in a crime that shocked the generally peaceful island after overpowering her mother near a metro station.

He beheaded the girl with a kitchen knife as horrified bystanders tried to stop him.

Wang had told the court that he hallucinated he was a Chinese emperor from Sichuan province and believed that killing the girl would bring him concubines to “carry on his family line,” according to reports.

When asked in court if he knew why murder was wrong, he had said he knew he had made a mistake because no Sichuan woman had come forward to bear him children after the killing.

Prosecutors called the crime “extremely coldblooded” and demanded the death penalty.

But judge Tsai Shou-hsun told a Taipei district court Friday that he would instead be jailed for life as he had a “mental handicap”.

Wearing black-framed glasses, a white T-shirt and track pants, his head shaved, Wang remained calm as he listened to the verdict, responding: “I understand”.

The victim’s family were not in court.

In a statement after the verdict, the court said the decision was in accordance with international human rights covenants protecting those with mental illnesses.

It said Wang had been expelled from school and had gone through drug rehabilitation, but was reclusive and isolated, developing schizophrenia and hallucinations.

However, the statement also described the killing as “grotesquely violent”, adding that Wang had known murder was illegal and had dodged supervision in order to commit it.

“He has not shown empathy and regret, and after assessment the chance of committing crime again is still high,” the statement said.

Taiwan resumed capital punishment in 2010 after a five-year hiatus. Executions are reserved for serious crimes such as aggravated murder.

Some politicians and rights groups have called for its abolition, but various opinion surveys show majority support for the death penalty. AFP

Italy moves to get more migrants out

Detained foreigners go on hunger strike TOKYO―Some 20 foreigners held at an immigration detention center in Tokyo are on a rare hunger strike in an apparent bid for improved treatment, an official said Friday.

Activists, lawyers and migrants in Japan have complained for years about harsh treatment by some immigration officials and over conditions at detention centers.

“The detainees began refusing food provided by the centre from Tuesday evening and it is still continuing,” Atsushi Sakai, a spokesman at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau, told AFP. It remains unclear exactly why the detainees are refusing food, Sato said,

adding the bureau is investigating details, including their nationalities.

“We assume that they’re on a hunger strike to complain about treatment at the center and applications for provisional release,” he said, saying this kind of protest action was rare.

A rights group called Provisional Release Association in Japan, wrote on its blog that the hunger strike participants were from 12 countries including China, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, and were aged between 25 and 55.

Currently about 580 people are being held at the immigration center, Sakai said.

The bureau did not confirm whether asylum seekers were also in custody

there but the Japan Association for Refugees, a Tokyo-based charity, said refugee status applicants were held at immigration centers.

Japan, one of the world’s wealthiest countries, accepted just 28 refugees in 2016―one more than the previous year―out of the 8,193 applications reviewed by the Immigration Bureau.

Officials defend the low number, saying applicants are mainly from Asian countries seeking access to Japan solely for economic reasons.

Campaigners and applicants, however, say that the acceptance process is arduous and that it can be difficult to gain acceptance as a foreigner in Japanese society. AFP

ROME―Behind the high fences of the repatriation center at Ponte Galeria, just down the road from Rome’s Fiumicino airport, dozens of women sit outside, waiting for word on whether they will have to leave Italy.

But as the government steps up its efforts to send more migrants home, many who pinned their hopes on asylum appeals are growing increasingly worried.

This week an official decree paved the way for the creation of 11 more repatriation centers capable of housing 1,600 people pending deportation, on top of the four currently in operation.

At Ponte Galeria, in courtyards easily mistaken for cages, Khadigia Shabbi, 47, can barely hold back her tears.

“Here we are dying,” the former Libyan university lecturer says.

Arrested in Palermo at the end of 2015 and convicted of inciting terrorism, Shabbi protests her innocence and has requested asylum.

She is not alone. Half of the 63 women at Ponte Galeria, which AFP was able to visit, have made similar requests.

Several are from Nigeria, having crossed Libya to reach Italy. But there are also Ukrainians and Chinese.

The country is sheltering more than 176,000 asylum-seekers, with about 45,000 migrants arriving since January 1―a 40 percent rise on the same period last year―and officials are bracing for another summer of record arrivals.

To cope with the influx―and to deter others from coming―Interior Minister Marco Minniti pushed through parliament last month a plan to increase migrant housing and provide new resources for expelling those who have come only to seek work. AFP

Solar chicken a big hit in Thailand PHETCHABURI, Thailand-Not many chefs don a welding mask before they enter the kitchen, but Sila Sutharat prefers to cook his chicken sunny side up.

Two hours south of Bangkok this 60-year-old roadside vendor has found an ingenious way to offer his customers something a little different by harnessing the power of the sun.

Using a large wall of nearly 1,000 movable mirrors-a device he designed and built himself―he focuses the sun’s rays onto a row of marinated chickens, sizzling away under the intense heat.

His unusual culinary methods raised a few eyebrows when he first hit upon the idea.

“They said that I’d gone mad, that cooking chicken like this was impossible,” he told AFP next to his stall, the row of sun-drenched chickens behind him too bright to

look at for any length of time.

“After a long time passed by, they’d say: ‘Actually, you could do it’,” he added.

That’s because the the solar reflector generates intense heat, easily enough to match an oven, with a sunshine-baked chicken taking just twelve minutes to cook through.

For much of the last 20 years Sila grilled in relative obscurity for a fairly local crowd.

But after videos of his solarcooker went viral online, people from across Thailand have flocked to his stall in Phetchaburi province.

Sila says the idea came to him in 1997 when he was struck by the heat reflecting off a passing bus.

“I thought, with this heat reflecting from the window from the sun, I could possibly change it into energy,” he said.

Sila says that compared to a traditional charcoal grill―which he used before his solar epiphany―his meat is more tender and evenly-cooked.

And given Thailand’s sweltering tropical climate, the sun is a free, clean and totally sustainable energy source.

“At the time, energy such as petrol and gas was becoming more expensive and suppliers were also running out of wood to sell,” he recalled.

“I thought if I used solar energy, I could save a lot. And it also decreases pollution.”

Sila and his wife Pansri now cook around 40 chickens―as well as several sides of pork―each day.

“We’ve been eating here for a long time,” said regular patron Thanyarat Kaewpaleuk, who was tucking into lunch with her husband. AFP

ENGAGEMENT. Macedonian singer Jana Burceska, right, and her boyfriend react after their engagement during the Second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 in Kiev. AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

TRAVEL AND LEISURE

SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017

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DISCOVER HONG KONG’S

OFF-THE-BEATEN PATHS

Aside from a shopping mecca, Hong Kong is also rich in natural wonders such as the Maclehose trail that takes visitors to some of the world’s most magnificent geological sites and beautiful beaches.

T

HERE is never a shortage of things to do and see in Asia’s World City. Check these activities that are not in the usual travel guide and embark on shared experiences to discover a unique side of Hong Kong with family or friends. The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) can tell you exactly where to go.

Hong Kong, listed by Lonely Planet as one of the “Best in Asia” destinations for 2016, has the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark as main highlight. The park features the Sai Kung Volcanic Rock Region and the Northeast New Territories Rock Region which both showcase Hong Kong’s timeless and beautiful landforms.

For a leisurely walk along marvelous outdoor sites and beautiful beaches, go on a hiking tour on the Maclehose Trail. Listed on National Geographic’s “World’s Best Hikes: 20 Dream Trails”, the Maclehose Trail will take you to see the Sai Kung sections’ geological treasures. These are impressive collections of nature’s works of art like sea caves, sea stacks, hexagonal columns and dikes.

Up for a hike and swim? Go on an island escapade in Sharp Island, located in the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark. This tiny elongated island is home to geological spectacles created 140 million years ago. Ride a kaito (a small motorized ferry) and enjoy the emerald waters of picturesque crescent-shaped beach, Hap Mun Bay (Half Moon Bay). It is also possible to have a picnic at the top of the hill, Hak Shan Teng, where a variety of fluttering butterflies will greet you.

Organize a family outing on Lamma Island, where there are turquoise coves, traditional fishing villages, and environmentally friendly wind turbines. Famous for its wide variety of fresh seafood, visitors are welcomed by a street full of seafood restaurants as well as arts and crafts stores. The whole family can enjoy a Lamma Island Family Walk along the Hilltop Pavilion, and indulge in the magnificent view of Aberdeen, Repulse Bay, and Ocean Park.

Another activity would be to go on a scenic ride along one of the best known cycling routes in Hong Kong, from Sha Tin Park until the majestic dam at Tai Mei Tuk. Another choice for a fun, half-day trip is to cycle along Nam Sang Wai where there is thriving wetland wildlife and scenic woodland paths, and taste village-style cuisine.

Complimentary guided tours are also available. Visit the Ngong Ping Nature Centre and the area’s interesting corners like the Tea Garden and Wisdom Path. Take a tour around Hong Kong Wetland Park to have a closer look at wetland habitats like mangroves, freshwater marshes, and mudflats. You can even look for birds from nearby bird hides.

Try going on the Dragon’s Back Hike to see a cool path that takes you through shady groves of bamboo and lush woodland.

There is also the 360 Lantau Sunset Tour where you can take in the boundless beauty of Lantau Island along with the beautiful sunset and stargazing experience.

Explore the unique side of Hong Kong the next time you visit (clockwise, from top) Capture the perfect sunrise view of the Victoria Harbour at Lugard Road; Revel in the beautiful landforms of the Northeast New Territories Rock Region; Organize a family outing on Lamma Island; Go on a hike at Sai Kung Volcanic Rock Region located in the Hong Kong UNESCO Geopark

A suite that suits your need A FAVORITE throughout the years among local and international clients, The Linden Suites offers world-class accommodations, recreation, dining and health facilities alongside excellent guest service.

Voted as one of the top hotels in Pasig City, Philippines by Tripadvisor, it has been known for having spacious rooms, excellent amenities and wellfurnished facilities.

The Linden Suites is for everyone; from families to local and foreign travelers to a group of friends planning a weekend out and even companies planning business meetings or events, Linden offers what suits your taste.

They have an array of promotions and packages suited for each type of guest.

Say you are a local or foreign tourist looking for a place to stay for a couple of nights, The Linden Suites offers their guests a complimentary one-way airport transfer for a minimum of two nights via online booking at www.lin-

The Linden Suites in Pasig City is known for its spacious rooms and excellent amenities, which guests can enjoy

If your family or squad plans to celedensuites.com. To top it off, guests can surely enjoy their stay because of Lin- brate their birthday somewhere luxuriden Suites’s promise to stay true to what ous yet affordable, Linden Suites is the they offer: space, elegance, and service. best choice because they have a birth-

day promo that offers up to 70 percent discount on their regular published rates, available for guests booking the Two-Bedroom Deluxe, Two-Bedroom

Suite and Three-Bedroom Suite.

Now, if you are getting ready for your big day, The Linden Suites also offers a spacious and comfortable suite perfect for all your wedding preparations, a package that includes breakfast, full body massage for two, pastry of the day from Mesclun, a shopping assistant at SM Gift Registry and up to 15 percent discount on suits at Felipe and Sons.

What`s even better? All rates are inclusive of Wi-Fi access and free use of health club facilities: a temperaturecontrolled indoor pool, Jacuzzi and gym. Enjoy all these top-quality amenities with your loved ones and have a chance to experience a different kind of vacation because clearly, The Linden Suites will suit your needs.

To avail of the promos mentioned above, call The Linden Suites at (02) 638-7878 or email reservations@ lindensuites.com

Life

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SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

Mothers’ Day Sizzlers T

for 10 persons. Or, for something more HIS is the time of the year intimate, you may want to delight Mom when the local hospitality with a free gift that comes with the luxuindustry is abuzz with all rious afternoon tea at Connect Lounge, where they have a wide selection of sweet kinds of promotional events, and savory treats, with free flowing cofpaying tribute to the “Queen of the fee and tea.

More information may be obtained Home,” allegiance to “the hand MERCURY RISING from or that rocks the cradle, the hand that throughwww.marcopolohotels.com

BY BOB ZOZOBRADO (02) 720-7777. rules the world.” Mothers take The Bayleaf Cavite center stage tomorrow, Mother’s This newly opened hotel along busy Day, as the rest of the family members do their best to Governor’s Drive in General Trias, Cavpamper her, showing her the love and affection that she ite, has a very attractive month-long rightfully deserves. After all, no gift to a mother can ever Mother’s Day Package which costs only P5,500, inclusive of taxes and service equal the nine-month gifts she produces! charge. It includes an overnight stay in

a Superior room, breakfast for two, onehour massage for Mom, while Dad feasts on a complimentary lunch buffet.

But if you decide to take Mom to lunch tomorrow, the hotel suggests its Atrium Lunch Buffet where Mom eats for free, as long as she dines with four Oakwood Premier other family members or This hotel, known to friends. have the biggest guesThe Bayleaf Cavite is the trooms among all the only world-class hotel in the hotels in the metro, with area, with 148 guest rooms kitchen facilities in each and suites, configured to acA little girl took her report card home and room, has a very attraccommodate room requireshowed it to Mom. The mother was very tive Mother’s Day Packments from a single bed to as disappointed by all the very low grades. “Well age available not just for many as four beds in a room. look on the bright side” said the child, “you tomorrow, but throughout Designed for both business the month of May. The and leisure functions, the know for sure I don’t cheat.” overnight stay at a Studio property boast of an all-day Room costs only P7,800, dining Cafe, an Entertainor at a one-bedroom Suite ment Center, a skylit Atrium for only P8,800, both rates are inclusive at the very popular Sky Deck Dinner Buf- Lounge, an outdoor wedding park and a of taxes and service charge. fet or at the 9 Spoons Lunch Buffet, both pool bar. The 45-meter long, free form The rates come with complimentary of which offer breathtaking views of the swimming pool adds a special touch to breakfast for two adults and two chil- metropolis and Manila Bay. the hotel’s vibrant atmosphere. dren below 12 years old, plus a special Tomorrow, all mothers get a compliMore information is available at (46) Nail and Foot Care Package for Mom, mentary dessert when they dine at Raf- 435-5000 in Cavite, (02) 318-5000 in in the comfort of the room they’re stay- faele, the hotel’s specialty Italian res- Manila or through tbc-inquiry@theing in. More information on this and taurant. More information on this and bayleaf.com.ph the hotel’s other offers is available at the hotel’s other offerings is available at (02) 637-7888 or www.oakwoodasia. (02) 318-5000.

For feedback, I’m at com/Manila The Bayleaf Intramuros stands out bobzozobrado@gmail.com Oakwood Premier is at the 40-story as the only world-class hotel in The Joy Nostalg Center right in the middle Walled City, where Manila began, and of Ortigas Business District, a short is proud of its being right in the midhop and skip from the metro’s biggest dle of the section of the metropolis malls and entertainment venues. All that is steep in history and culture. If rooms have free Wi-Fi, iPod docks, Mom is interested in reliving the past kitchen, washer/dryer, and steam show- and embracing the qualities that make er. Amenities include an indoor pool us Filipinos, take her to lunch or dinner and hot tub, a bar/lounge, a gym and at the hotel then walk around the area. a children’s play area, so that the little You will notice history presenting itself ones won’t have to “hold on to Mom’s to satisfy your curiosity about our counapron” all the time. On May 25, the try’s glorious past. hotel’s signature restaurant, Nostalgia Dining Lounge, gives us another reason Marco Polo Ortigas The hotel invites everyone to book a to give our mothers another treat. An acoustic band will play all the hit songs Premier room for Mom today or tomorfrom Phantom of the Opera, while we row, and get a complimentary breakfast feast on their delectable menu offerings. buffet for two adults and two children up to 12 years old, at Cucina, their sigNow, that’s dining with a heart! nature outlet that showcases live acThe Bayleaf Intramuros tion stations featuring flavors from the This very nice boutique hotel ban- world’s culinary capitals. The package ners its new TBX Membership Card not includes a complimentary 90-minute just for mothers but for anyone who en- relaxing spa for Mom. joys the good life! The card entitles the But if you plan to celebrate Mother’s, member to a complimentary overnight Day with a big lunch or dinner with famstay for two at a Superior Room, com- ily and friends, the hotel offers authentic plimentary breakfast, a bottle of house Cantonese signature dishes of Lung Hin’s The Bayleaf Cavite’s free form swimming pool is a favorite wine and Welcome Drinks. For only Chinese Executive Chef for only P23,600 among ‘staycationers’ Due to space constraints, I can’t fit in all those dazzling offers from these hotels, but here are a few, to whet your appetite for making mothers feel special tomorrow.

P6,500, membership includes several substantial discount vouchers on room accommodations and year-round discounts at the hotel’s restaurants.

Members are also entitled to a free meal if they are with three other friends, either

YOUR SATURDAY CHUCKLE

Local online travel agent Travelbook.ph celebrates its fourth year with a Summer Sale

From left: TravelBook.ph CEO Hiroyuki Murai, Department of Tourism assistant secretary Maria Lourdes Japson, and TravelBook.ph general manager Takumi Nakazawa

Fantastic travel deals

THERE is no better time to see the best places in the Philippines than this summer as TravelBook.ph, the country’s biggest local online travel agent, launches two exciting promos to satisfy every traveler’s needs.

Celebrating its fourth year in the business, TravelBook.ph presents the ongoing Super Summer Sale that features great offerings of more than 50 percent off and special stays worth only P100 on select hotels and resorts. One can avail of the massive discounts by booking through the TravelBook.ph website or mobile app.

They also launched the Konnichi-WOW monthly raffle where guests, who make onl i n e bookings until May 31, will get a chance to win a trip to Japan for two with full accommodations and pocket money. A winner will be drawn every month (until May) thus increasing one’s chances of going on another holiday for free.

TravelBook.ph will also be releasing their self-titled magazine, a free publication that will feature the country’s most scenic travel spots, local secrets and tips. In addition to these offerings, the company is committed to

providing excellent service and operations to make traveling accessible, inclusive, and affordable for all.

TravelBook.ph started in 2010 as an online catalog for local accommodations before it grew into an online hotel booking service in 2013. In its first few months, the company has been averaging 185,000 unique visitors monthly and with a peak of 290,000. Today, almost 3,000 local hotels and resorts are listed on their website, providing more opportunities for Filipino wanderers to travel around the country and support local tourism.

Go to the TravelBook.ph website at www. travelbook.ph or download the mobile app on iOS and Android platforms and make all your dream destinations come true.

The 40-story Oakwood Premiere cuts an imposing façade right in the middle of the Ortigas Business District

Mid-year

travel madness extravaganza

THERE has never been a time when people have become more interested in travel than now. “The industry is at its zenith and I don’t see it slowing down anytime soon!” says Maria Paz Alberto, vice president of Travel Innovators, Inc., organizer of the biggest mid-year travel bargain event from July 7 to 9 at the SMX Convention Center, Halls 1 to 4.

Now on its sixth year, this upcoming Travel Madness Expo promises to be the biggest and most attractive with the inclusion of over a hundred domestic and international airlines, national tourism offices, cruise lines, travel agencies and tour operators, domestic resorts and hotels, local and international theme parks, travel insurance companies, real estate companies, and many, many more.

TII President Raymond Tee says promos and discounts will be bigger and more irresistible for everyone. Co-presenter for this year’s event is Tourism Promotions Board. Major sponsors are Philippine Airlines (the official airline partner), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone (TIEZA), Duty Free Philippines, Taiwan Tourism Bureau, and Sabre, the official Global Distribution Systems partner.

Previous expos have proven very successful and saw bigger turnouts each year with tens of thousands expected to attend again in July. Alberto says, “Because the ASEAN is actively promoting the region as one destination, we can expect tremendous growth in both intra-regional and global inbound and outbound travel. And, to capitalize on this momentum, we in the travel industry have to do the groundwork by further incentivizing tourism through the annual Travel Madness Expo with its unbelievable and jaw-dropping prices for all products and services. This unique event has been contributing a lot to making tourism a year-round affair, even during lean months.”

Originally staged in 2012, it has since evolved into the nation’s most popular international event for travel promos, discounts, deals, and packages making it a one-stop shop for all travel needs. This phenomenal event will again make everyone’s travel dreams come true. Alberto adds, “travel is no longer a luxury or a far-off idea available only for those who can afford. It is now a way of life for nearly every Filipino—it allows them to bond with family and at the same time, discover new places and experience the culture of other countries. More importantly, they can now also see the incomparable beauty of our own country.”

Whether one has a casual interest in travel or is a seasoned, veteran global explorer, this gathering is sure to entice and amaze. It is simply can’t be missed.

SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017

AIAI DELAS ALAS, LOUIE IGNACIO

ABS-CBN News launches Filipino news site PATROL.PH

big winners at AIFFA

L

UISITO “Louie” Ignacio and AiAi delas Alas were the big winners at the third ASEAN International Film Festival and Awards (AIFFA) in Malaysia on May 6.

The film "Area" follows the plight of aging prostitutes in Angeles

Ignacio won Best Director and delas Alas Best Actress, respectively, for the film Area.

Ignacio accepted the award on behalf of delas Alas. He bested fellow Filipino director Lawrence Louie” Ignacio (left) behind Ferdie Lapuz (front left) won the Best Director Award for ‘Area’ at AIFFA in Malaysia with producer Baby Go (extreme right)

Fajardo (Imbisibol), Vietnam’s Pham Thi Hong Anh (The Way Station) BW and Indonesian Purba Negara (Ziarah: Otherworlds) Tales of the Otherworlds and Yulia Evina Bhara (Solo, Solitude).

Solitude Delas Alas won over other contenders from Vietnam, Laos, and Indonesia for her role as an aging woman working in a brothel for low-income men in Angeles City in Pampanga, also known as Area.

New Smart video pays tribute to moms in the digital age SMART Communications recently launched a viral video that encourages the use of data and smartphones to create more bonding times with mothers instead of treating technology as a barrier.

This Internet-dependent era has always seen millennials glued to their smartphones for entertainment, social network and work needs. #TimeForMomHabit pushes for creative ways to use the power of technology into a tool to interact more with the most important women of our lives.

In a viral video uploaded by Smart, a mother reaches out to her millennial daughter via text messages all throughout the day but the daughter only gets the opportunity to look at the messages when she gets home from work. In a pivotal and touching scene, she makes sure she spends quality time with the mother via video call.

Moving forward, the daughter makes it a point to stick to #TimeForMomHabit. She is shown including her mom via video call whenever she can. This way, she doesn’t sacrifice much of her routine because her mother is already part of it.

After all, “it only takes a few minutes a day” to get into the #TimeForMomHabit.

Smart subscribers can rely on video calls made via subscribing to GigaSurf50. Just send GIGA50 to 9999 for the following package: 1GB of data; additional 300MB for iflix, YouTube, Spinnr, Dailymotion and Dubsmash; and unlimited texts to all networks valid for three (3) days. #BeThereLikeNeverBefore for your mother this Mother’s Day, share your #TimeForMomHabit posts. To watch the video, visit Smart’s Facebook page or search for #TimeForMomHabit on YouTube.

Ana Capri won Best Supporting Actress for Laut, also by Ignacio about the village life of a group of sea gypsies uprooted from the seas of Zamboanga now in the lahar plagued part of Pampanga. She bested fellow Filipinas Cherry Pie Picache (Pauwi Na) and Sue Prado (Area), Vietnam’s Ngoc Hiep (The Way Station) and Malaysia’s Sharitah Sakinah (Pekak).

Ricky Davao received the best supporting award for his role as a quarry passway manager and the mayor’s right-hand assistant in the corruption-infested world of

Mother’s Day special in ‘TWGRR’ TO CELEBRATE Mother’s Day tomorrow, The World of Gandang Ricky Reyes (TWGRR) on GMA News TV Channel 11 presents the touching story of how a mother who only sells sampaguita flowers and lives in a cemetery sent her child to college and finished it. Khayann graduated this year with a Bachelor of Science Tourism degree, thanks to the undying love and support of her Nanay Rose.

The audience can also feast on the features of OGAWA, perfect as a gift for Mommies tired with all her daily chores. OGAWA is a relaxation and therapeutic massage chair, which maintains and improves ones health and well being.

A mother who has given up on life due to breast cancer will be given a total make-over plus a

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Saturday, May 13, 2017

ACROSS 1 Raises the alarm 6 Picket-line crossers 11 Laird’s prefix 14 Common expression 15 Navajo lodge 16 Hard wood 17 Supermodel — Campbell 18 Insurance center 19 MPG monitor 20 Galley slave 22 Cager — McHale 24 Harshly 28 Spurn 29 Perseus’ foe 30 Maned ones 32 Dendrite’s partner 33 Got along 35 Mushrooms 39 Dear, in Venice 40 Umbrella spoke 41 Catch in a snare 42 Was cognizant of 43 Half the parents 45 Dame — Chaplin 46 Protozoan (var.)

48 Cure, as cement 50 Trial figure 53 Loafer doodads

54 Amherst sch.

55 Layers of foul air 57 Mouser 58 Beauty shop 60 Things 65 Corporate suff.

66 Piano-key wood 67 Kind of eclipse 68 Dit opposite 69 Looks for 70 Godzilla’s city DOWN 1 End up ahead 2 Toothpasteapproving grp.

3 Pedro’s river 4 — de plume 5 Nasty smiles 6 Flashy 7 — as you are 8 Petri-dish contents 9 Ebenezer’s outburst 10 Twisted and turned 11 Writer — Binchy 12 Tomato jelly 13 Repetitive cry 21 Viking name 23 Gun mechanisms 24 Fishing vessel 25 Lubbock native 26 Light incense to

Dayang Asu (Dognation) by Bor Ocampo.

2015 AIFFA Lifetime Achievement Awardee Nora Aunor presented this year’s award to Tan Sri Lakshmanan Krishnan, widely regarded as the father of the Malay film industry.

From more than a hundred entries, AIFFA screened 31 films in competition and brought Asia’s biggest and brightest stars from May 4 to 6. Nine of these films came from the Philippines, which had the most number of entries.

AIFFA, which started in 2013, is being held every two years to promote ASEAN films to the international market, facilitate collaboration and networking within the ASEAN film industry and provide business opportunities for film distributors and exhibitors as well as attract tourism to Malaysia.

Film Development Council of the Philippines Chairman Liza Diño joined the Philippine contingent as guest speaker in one of the festival’s programs together with 2016 Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Jaclyn Jose, 2015 AIFFA Best Actress Cherie Gil, producers Ferdinand Lapuz, Baby Go among others.

27 Fugitives 28 Free of 30 — donna 31 McEntire of country 34 Haik wearer 36 Carve a canyon 37 Sheet of plywood 38 Wingspreads 43 Sea, to Cousteau 44 Thick carpet 47 GI meals 49 Pitch in 50 Transparently

clear Iowa commune Do guard duty Blair and Curtis Gin-fizz flavor Lama or friar Vigoda or Fortas As well as Taiga denizen The “merry month” 64 B’way posting 51 52 53 55 56 59 61 62 63

very beautiful and durable wig by host Ricky Reyes.

The Hair Cut is now on its final week. Who will make it to join the finals and be recognized as the best hairdresser?

Get ready for the 33rd Hair and Make-up Trends on May 24 at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City, while “Type ng Bayan,”-a free blood typing program was recently launched in Quezon City.

Try Cryo Hair Therapy to reconstruct and revitalize your hair, SoftWave for dull hair, The Twist for curly ends, and natural wigs for hair loss available in all Gandang Ricky Reyes Salons.

Tune in to The World of Gandang Ricky Reyes (TWGRR) 9-10 a.m. on GMA News TV today.

THIS week, ABS-CBN News launches its most technologydriven and public servicefocused digital property yet, Patrol.PH, a Filipino language news website designed to serve the needs of an expanding digital audience.

Patrol.PH offers a diverse lineup of news and information that Filipinos need for their daily life decisions, and comes in a familiar language and a visual format that netizens will find relatable and easy to use.

It is another pioneering effort to produce content relevant to the Filipino news consumer.

Ging Reyes, head of ABSCBN News says, “This is the latest in our continuing effort to strengthen our partnership with our growing digital audience.

This new site would provide Filipinos stories that they need to know, and valuable information aimed to help them navigate the challenges of everyday life.

This offering from the country’s largest news organization will have a healthy mix of hard news, human interest features, useful tips, and public service offerings.

“Innovation and public service are two things that continuously motivate us in ABS-CBN News.

We are embracing change and using technology to be in the

service of the Filipino, as they get used to various digital touch points. With Patrol.PH, news and relevant information will even be more accessible to Filipino families because they can access the site at their convenient time, wherever they are, and in whatever device they choose,” she said.

Patrol.PH will harness the content from ABSCBN Integrated News’ daily multiplatform coverage, as well as stories of human interest and community concerns from its Radio and Current Affairs groups, for better appreciation of its digital audience.

The news website also adds to the growing list of digital properties of ABS-CBN, the country’s leading media and entertainment organization that is now rapidly transitioning into an agile digital company, with the biggest online presence among all media companies.

For more news and information, visit news.abs-cbn. com or stay tuned to ABS-CBN on free TV, DZMM TeleRadyo on ABS-CBN TVPlus and cable, DZMM 630 on AM radio, and ANC, ANC HD, and ABS-CBN HD on cable.

Watch ABS-CBN online via live streaming at www.iwantv. com.ph or skyondemand.com. ph.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017

KRIS BERNAL

bares it all G

MA Artist Center star Kris Bernal has dropped all her inhibitions to celebrate three achieved goals in the first half of the year.

Birthday girl Kris Bernal talks about her career, then and now, in a special summer issue of the country's most read men's magazine

As the latest FHM cover girl, Kris is proud to celebrate her sexuality and womanhood and claims that apart from this being a career move, this is also a gift to herself as she turns 28 this May. The Kapuso star admits that it took some time before she said yes to the generous offers of the popular men’s magazine. She felt that it was not the right time to be their cover girl. “I considered a lot of things back then. There was my family and there was my work, so I really thought about it. But now that I’m turning 28, hindi ko na pag-iisipang masyado pa akong bata. Kaya ngayon feeling ko, right age and perfect time na talaga.”

Kris is aware that she is under a lot of scrutiny, and it caused her to worry about her body. But now

that she has matured, she learned to love her own body and decided to dedicate her life in promoting positivity.

“Life is meant to be amazing. It’s not meant to be tolerated or controlled by the standards of this world. My life is an expression of who I truly am. I am unfolding myself - plan my own path, listen to the depths of my heart, create my own rules, and do most things on my terms!” Kris taking her heart to social media.

Her upcoming afternoon prime series on GMA, Impostora, is also set to begin soon and she is excited to play two characters. She will breathe life to Nimfa, a kindhearted woman who is being judged for her appearance; and Rosette, a brand new Nimfa who will surface after getting a facial reconstruction surgery. Kris will be playing alongside fellow Kapuso star Rafael Rosell, and she is ready to see the fun and chaos in playing dual roles.

Gimme5 moves up with ‘Sophomore’ album AFTER many soldout and jam-packed tours for their hit debut album, ABSCBN’s energetic teen boyband Gimme5 (Nash Aguas, Joaquin Reyes, Grae Fernandez, Brace Arquiza and John Bermundo) finally returns to the music scene with the launch of their much-awaited second album under Star Music entitled Sophomore.

Fans of the five heartthrobs will surely be revved as the new album features five original songs including

those written by members – “First Love”

by Nash and “Hindi Ko Alam” by Joaquin.

The album’s carrier single, “Walang Dahilan,” by Jay Sule is a feel-good song that highlights the boyband’s teen vibe as it talks about the first stages of having a crush.

Other exciting tracks, “Napapangiti”

by Rox Santos and “Hanggang Tingin Na Lang” composed by Miles Blue Sy, are also set to make the listeners swooning while inspiring the youth in upping their Gimme5 members Joaquin Reyes, John Bermundo, Grae Fernandez, Brace Arquiza and Nash Aguas

Pampering moms MOMS get a much-deserved treat on Mother’s Day at the Moms Nailed It event at the Gateway Mall, Ali Mall and Farmers Plaza activity centers tomorrow.

Supermoms are our own superheroes without the capes, and on this day, nanay’s perpetually busy hands can finally take a break and get some tender loving care. Hand care pros at the event will be offering relaxing hand massages, as well as nail

makeovers to soothe moms’ tired hands.

Gateway and Ali Mall guests with a single receipt worth a minimum of P 600.00 pesos, and Farmers Plaza customers with a single receipt worth P 300.00 from any Araneta Center establishment (Gateway Mall, Ali Mall, New Farmers Plaza, Farmers Market, Coliseum Restaurants, Telus Arcade, Shopwise Arcade restaurants, Araneta Center Bus Station & Manhattan Parkway & Parkview Arcade) may enjoy the treat. Registration starts at 10 a.m.

Guests can learn how to glam up with basic nail art tutorials by expert nail technicians, and apply their skills during the DIY nail art contest in the afternoon. Souvenir kits with nail grooming essentials also await event participants.

This year’s Mother’s Day activity was extra special for five struggling moms. They were treated to a day fit for a queen on May 11, with makeover packages that included hair and makeup, stylish new outfits, and a professional pictorial to remember the day. A special video showing the moms will be screened at the Gateway event on Mother’s Day. Prizes are still up for grabs for those unable to make it to Gateway Mall, Ali Mall and Farmers Plaza. Simply follow @thearanetacenter on Instagram, and repost the Moms Nailed It artwork uploaded on their page. Tag nine friends and @thearanetacenter for a chance to win shopping gift certificates from Rustan’s worth P 10,000.00.

For more updates on the Araneta Center’s Moms Nailed It Mother’s Day event, visit www. aranetacenter.net, its official Facebook page, or Twitter and Instagram accounts.

TV host and comedian Vhong Navarro

IT’S Showtime host and comedian Vhong Navarro cruises by Jeepney TV this May to spread laughter as the cable channel’s “Icon of the Month.”

The Streetboys alumnus shows his moves in BTS: Vhong Navarro, a behind-thescene documentary special, and in JTV Star Showcase, an entertainment special on his memorable performances on TV. He also stars in Sunday Hi-Way with humorous films Da Possessed and Gagamboy.

Aside from Vhong’s variety of film personalities, other remarkable characters to return on Jeepney TV are Drama King Coco Martin’s “Juan” in Juan dela Cruz and Kapamilya Dyosa Anne Curtis’s “Imang” in “Kampanerang Kuba.”

In Juan dela Cruz, Juan is an orphan brought up towards goodness and faith upon Jesus. By the time he grows up as an adult, Juan joins the Kapatiran, a group composed of people who seek to destroy the Aswangs. Unknown to Juan, he is half-aswang, son of Haring

“ligaw” game.

Malou Santos and Roxy Liquigan are the executive producers of this album, Jonathan Manalo as the supervising producer while DJ and songwriter RB Kidwolf serves as the over-all album producer.

Sophomore follows the success of Gimme5’s first self-titled album which gained waves in the local music industry with hit songs “Pag Kasama Ka,” “Hatid Sundo,” and “Aking Prinsesa.” The album also received a gold award from the

Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI).

The new album is now available at all digital stores worldwide and record bars nationwide for only P199.

For more information, visit Starmusic. ph or follow Star Music’s official social media accounts at Facebook.com/ starmusicph, Twitter. com/starrecordsph and Instagram.com/ starmusicph. Watch the latest music videos at Star Music’s YouTube channel @ABS-CBN Star Music.

Vhong is Jeepney TV’s icon for MAY Aswang, and prophesied Anak ng Dilim.

However, his mother is a Tagabantay, coming from an ancient lineage of defenders using the Bakal na Krus to protect humans from Aswangs.

Meanwhile in Kampanerang Kuba, Imang is a hunchback bell ringer trying to find her way in life against the prejudice of others regarding her appearance. She soon finds out about her parentage but her selfish father sabotages her from attaining family. However, Imang introduces herself as another person with the help of an enchanted candle to which she turns attractive whenever lit.

Go on an adventure with Jeepney TV icon Vhong all Sundays of May with Da Possessed tomorrow, Gagamboy on May 21 and BTS: Vhong Navarro on May 28.

Jeepney TV is on SkyCable channel 9, Destiny Cable Analog 41 at Digital 9. For updates, like the Jeepney TV page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ JeepneyTV).