Manila Standard - 2017 May 20 - Saturday

VOL. XXXI • NO. 95 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

CLOSING EXERCISE. Members of US Marines fold their national flag during the closing ceremony of the annual joint US-Philippines military exercise in Manila on May 19. The Philippines and the United States launched annual military exercises on May 8 but the long-time allies scaled them down and focused only on counter-terrorism and disaster relief in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s pivot to China and Russia. AFP

China threat of war bared

Duterte says PH oil drill plan in WPS angered Xi

By John Paolo Bencito

C

HINESE President Xi Jinping threatened to go to war against the Philippines if President Rodrigo Duterte pushed forward with his plan to extract oil in the disputed territories in the South China Sea. Making a disclosure of his recent conversation with the Chinese President following his recent visit to Beijing, Duterte also dismissed suggestions from former Foreign Affairs secretary Albert del Rosario and Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio that he did nothing to assert the country’s position.

“Do not believe [Albert] del Rosario and Justice Carpio that I’m weak, that I did not use the arbitral award as a leverage. You know, in the presence of General [Hermogenes] Esperon and [Delfin] Lorenzana, I talked with them, faceto-face,” Duterte said, referring to his talks with President Xi on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation last week.

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PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte threatened to behead human rights advocates who criticized the country’s record Friday and refused to investigate thousands of deaths attributed to his war on illegal drugs, one day after rejecting 250 million euros in aid because the European Union was “interfering” in domestic concerns.

“There are people dying everyday—let’s say a hundred a day. Who is killing them? I don’t know, and I don’t want to find out,” the President said in Filipino at the inauguration of a bridge in

By John Paolo Bencito

CHINA CHINA

BRUNEI MALAYSIA

BRUNEI

President Rodrigo Duterte gestures during a sneak preview of his TV show. Inset shows map of areas of conflicting claims among the Philippines and neighboring countries.

AFP MAP

Tagum City.

Reiterating his vow to finish the drug war within three years, Duterte also threatened to behead human rights advocates who were criticizing his drug campaign.

“Do not believe these human rights activists. I’ll kill you along with drug addicts, I’ll decapitate you. You cannot taunt me with that. Try to place me behind bars,” he said.

Duterte said human rights activists had alleged that 7,000 people had died in his drug war since he came to power in the middle of last year, but warned of many more deaths in his quest to eradicate drugs in society. Next page

FOURTEEN of the 17 Filipino workers in Moscow who were detained on May 16 were released the next day, the Philippine Embassy at the Russian capital said Friday.

“Since May 16, the embassy made urgent representations with Russian officials and continues to do so for the remaining three detainees. It is also in close coor-

dination with the Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of Migrant Workers Affairs,” the embassy said in a statement.

“In our discussion with Russian authorities, we emphasized that the detainees are victims and not criminals. They are victims of illegal recruitment and should not be punished. They should be set free,” said Ambassador Carlos D. Next page Sorreta.

Multiple Passport deal voided, but still in force—DFA estafa vs ABS eyed

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

By John Paolo Bencito

INCOMING Interior Secretary Gen. Eduardo Año on Friday vowed to crush terrorists and eradicate drugs in the country, two major rallying points that President Rodrigo Duterte had emphasized to him.

Año said his new turf would be a vital tool in fighting terrorism and the war on drugs.

“We will align the local governments to the programs of the President, especially in the fight against terrorism and the war on drugs and how to deliver services and good governance,” Año said.

Año, the retiring Armed Forces Next page

Next page

By Francisco Tuyay

By John Paolo Bencito and Maricel V. Cruz

14 Pinoys in Moscow freed; Rody sets visit

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said that he will be filing multiple syndicated estafa complaints against broadcast giant ABS-CBN for its alleged failure to air more than P2.8 million worth of campaign advertisements, and once again threatened to block its franchise renewal set for 2020.

“Gabby Lopez, I paid P2.8 million,” Duterte said, referring to Eugenio Lopez III, chairman of ABS-CBN. “I was only able to gather money during the last weeks of my candidacy... and I begged you to air my ad. You took my money but you never bothered to show my propaganda,” Duterte said in Filipino in a speech in Davao City.

He said ABS-CBN had grown complacent about its franchise but said he would file charges of multiple syndicated estafa against the broadcast giant.

“Ang kakapal ng mukha ninyo, p**** i** ninyo, letche kayo, [Your face is so thick, you sons of bitches],” he added.

Duterte said ABS-CBN did the

Año vows to crush terrorists

Du30 vows to kill EU ‘rights activists’

THE Department of Foreign Affairs is still perpetuating an invalid contract to print Philippine passports, four months after Malacañang came out with a memo that said the 10-year-contract with APO-Productivity Unit is illegal

and void.

In a text message, DFA consular affairs chief Frank Cimafranca admitted that he has not seen the recommendation of Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo declaring the agreement as invalid after it was discovered that APO subcontracted the work to

a privately owned printing press, UGEC. “I have not seen the recommendation of attorney Panelo,” Cimafranca said.

Panelo’s recommendation was made on Jan. 25, two months before Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. was rejected by the

Commission on Appointments and replaced by acting DFA chief Enrique Manalo.

A document acquired by the Manila Standard showed that Yasay raised the “anomalous subcontracting of services” by APO during Duterte’s first Cabinet meeting on June 30.

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De Lima faces new adversary

By Rey E. Requejo MARINE Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand Marcelino may be included as a witness against Senator Leila de Lima who has been charged with drug trafficking cases before the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Courts, an official said Friday.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Marcelino, who was recently released from detention after the Justice department withdrew the drug case filed against him and his Chinese companion Yan Yi Shou, might be tapped as government witness Next page against De Lima.

PROCESSING. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano inspects the DFA processing office along Macapagal Blvd. in Pasay City on Friday. Norman Cruz

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News

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘Smoking ban to lower death toll’ T

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

HE 87,000 deaths from smoking will go down following President Rodrigo Duterte’s signing on May 16 of Executive Order 26 providing the establishment of smokefree areas in public and enclosed places, Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial said Friday.

She said the proper implementation of the nationwide smoking ban will contribute to the reduction of deaths due to smoking.

Based on the records of the Health Department, an estimated 10 people die every hour in the Philippines because of smoking-related diseases such as different types of cancers,

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart disease, among others.

Duterte’s executive order was patterned after the Davao City ordinance. Smoking within enclosed public places and public conveyances was prohibited.

The sale of tobacco products to minors was banned. Minors were not allowed to smoke, sell,

Du30...

From A1

ally the bloc might insist that abortion be made legal in countries accepting EU aid.

He said other members of the EU were for legalizing the possession of drugs for personal use, which runs counter to the country’s war on drugs.

“What will you do with this big money if our people will turn into drug addicts?” Cayetano said.

During the UPR meeting in Brussels last week, 257 countries recommended the Philippines end the extrajudicial killings in the government’s “war on drugs” and scrap the plan to reimpose death penalty, Even China has submitted its own separate recommendations for the Philippines.

Cayetano said the decision to not accept any aid with conditions was a general policy, but some Cabinet members were discussing “specific” policies.

“So we are just announcing the policy so you know we will boycott your aid if you put conditions on it and interfere. We are drawing the red line,” Cayetano said.

Immediately after he came back from Russia, where Duterte will have his official first visit, he will set a meeting with EU ambassador Jessen to “try to navigate this roller coaster ride together.”

He said that if the EU will help the Philippines with its present problem and can agree on a framework, the country will accept the bloc’s aid.

Opposition lawmakers on Friday raised concerns over the decision, however.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman derided President Duterte for adopting a skewed double standard in accepting foreign aid or assistance.

“While he rejects assistance from the European Union because of alleged conditions related to his bloody campaign against drugs, he accepts Chinese pledges of aid and investments despite the overriding condition that the Philippines must not enforce against China the UN-supported arbitral decision of the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal adjudicating that the resource-rich and vast areas in the West Philippine Sea are part of Philippine territory and Exclusive Economic Zones, including Benham Rise, Spratlys and Panatag Shoal, among others,” Lagman said.

Lagman said that “while EU grants are historically delivered and implemented mostly in strife-torn Mindanao, the Chinese assistance is still “merely contingent.”

Lagman lamented the fact that the President rejected EU aid without a collective consultation with his economic team.

“Accepting EU’s grants is not mendicancy because the grants are being offered without the Philippines begging for them,” Lagman said, noting that Jessen previously clarified that EU’s serious concern on the ongoing extrajudicial killings is not a conditionality of the grant which EU had committed to release just the same amounting to 250 million euros, or P13.89 billion up to 2020. With Macon Ramos-Araneta, Julito Rada and Othel V. Campos

“Make that 50,000. I will really finish them off. And even if I go to hell, I can rot in prison. I do not mind. I am old,” he said.

“If I should be placed behind bars, then fine. I’ll pay the price. But do not f--- with the Filipino family,” he added.

He said drug suspects would then get away with their crimes because their lawyers would insist they were not in the right state of mind when they committed them.

While the government has repeatedly denied having any role in the killings of drug suspects and blamed syndicates for the rise in deaths, the administration announced that it will reject any form of assistance from the EU, a staunch critic of the administration’s drug war that threatened to abrogate 27 trade agreements and stop the duty-free importation of Philippine products in Europe “if the killings won’t stop.”

The country’s decision to reject aid from the EU would mean the loss of about 250 million Euros ($278.73 million) worth of grants mostly allocated to Muslim communities, EU Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen said.

With the EU hinting at the possibility of “threatening to stop the aid,” Philippine officials preempted the move by refusing to receive it, a government source said.

The Philippines was placed under intense scrutiny during the Universal Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights Council, which urged it to allow the investigation of the thousands of extrajudicial killings blamed on his war on drugs.

Borrowing a line from the hit film “Heneral Luna,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez on Friday defended Duterte’s decision to refuse aid from the EU. “Freedom or business? It’s very clear now that freedom is our priority,” Lopez said in Filipino on the ANC news channel.

Lopez admitted that the Philippines’ refusal of assistance from the EU that was tied to the observance of human rights.

“We follow human rights. We follow the rule of law. Nobody has to tell us that. I think that’s the point,” he said.

“We have dignity. We are not beggars. They can help if they want to.”

“We might not develop as fast, we might not be rich fast enough but at least we have our principles and we have dignity.”

Newly appointed Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said the country’s relations with the EU were going through a rough period.

“It’s like a roller coaster ride, but we are in this ride together,” Cayetano said.

“Let me emphasize that as Filipinos, maybe all of us agree that we cannot accept any aid with conditions,” he said.

He gave as an example that during the Universal Periodic Review, The Netherlands suggested that eventu-

Año...

From A1 chief, will pass the torch to outgoing Eastern Mindanao Command Lieutenant General Rey Leonardo Guerrero on June 2.

Sources closed to both generals said the turnover in Camp Aguinaldo will be led by Duterte.

Duterte had asked Año in February to crush the Abu Sayyaf in six months, but the timetable has been disrupted following his appointment to the DILG. However, during his tenure as AFP Chief of Staff, the campaign against the Abu Sayyaf had resulted in the death of 81 of the bandits and the surrender of at least 50 of them in Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Basilan.

“There has been a tremendous reduction in their strength and their ability to conduct terror attacks and atroci-

ties,” Año said.

He said that while it was the mandate of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine National Police to support the agency, “we’ll find many ways how they can win the war on drugs by observing the rule of law.”

He said the way to address the proliferation of illegal drugs was to focus on the drug syndicates.

“The important thing to do is to cut the source of drugs. It’s like the insurgency wherein the root causes of it should be address. It’s the same with the war on drugs, we, the citizenry, should work together,” Año said.

Año, who is scheduled to assume office on June 2, vowed to institute reforms in his new turf.

“It’s very important that the image of the PNP should be morally high to be able to get public cooperation,” Año said. With Florante S. Solmerin

buy or advertise tobacco products including cigarettes.

Senator JV Ejercito says Davao City’s smoking ban has been proven effective.

“I earnestly hope that Executive Order 26 would be enforced effectively as well nationwide,” Ejercito said.

He says smoking accounts for more than 85 percent of all lung cancer deaths. Lung cancer is also the third leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the Philippines.

“With Davao City as the primary example of a smoke-free city, it is just incumbent for President Rodrigo Duterte to act on this through a nationwide smoking ban in all public places,” Ejercito said.

China...

From A1

“I said, that is ours and we intend to drill oil there. If it’s yours, well, that is your view but my view is that I can drill the oil if there will be some, inside the bowels of the earth because it is ours,” he told Xi. Xi appeared flustered with the suggestion and threatened to go to war, Duterte said.

“He said, if you force the issue, we’ll be forced to tell the truth. Here’s the truth. We will go to war. We’ll fight you. Ask Esperon and Lorenzana,” the President said.

Esperon however said Mr. Duterte was unlikely to say those things. “Why would he utter those statements. Negative.” Esperon admitted that there was a “restricted meeting between the two presidents . “I knew what was discussed but that was not the tone of discussion. “ (Hindi niya sasabihin yun. Bakit naman niya sasabihin yun. Negative. Basta nagkarooon ng “restricted meeting ang dalawang presidente. Ang pinag-usapan ay mga projects.”

The Chinese President said any move by Manila to begin exploration would threaten another claimant, Vietnam.

“But if we remain friends, we will talk about the arbitral ruling. But it cannot be now. You know why? Because you’re not the only claimant,” Duterte said.

“Vietnam is also a virulent claimant. They would go to war for that. And he said if you do that, all the claimants will go there, so we have to declare war because we will be fighting on all fronts. That’s what he said,” Duterte said.

Contrary to public criticism, the President insisted that he tried to play the arbitral card against China to assert the country’s jurisdiction in the disputed waters.

“But I have the arbitral [decision]. Our [claim] is territorial and legal,” he said.

Duterte said war with China

Multiple...

From A1 same thing to defeated vice presidential candidates Senator Francis Escudero and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and defeated senatorial candidate former Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo.

Duterte also accused the Lopez-owned media giant of “biased” and inaccurate reportage.

“This ABS-CBN, you’re a son of a whore, and all you care about is money. The when you editorialize, we’re the bad guys, but actually, you’re the thieves,” he said.

Passport...

From A1 To protect the government’s interest and to avoid the disruption of passport printing, Yasay asked the joint venture company APO-UGEC to take corrective measures to address the breach of the terms of the memorandum of understanding.

When APO-UGEC refused to comply, Yasay asked the Palace to intervene in July 2016.

The agreement was later rescinded and the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas agreed to resume printing of the passports under a new contract, after a

As head of the Senate’s health committee, Ejercito called on the department to initiate an intensive media campaign against smoking.

Ubial reiterated the ban on the sale and distribution of tobacco products in schools, public playgrounds, youth hostels and recreational facilities for minors and the places frequented by minors.

She said her department will lead in developing the implementing rules and regulations to guide local government units in the implementation of EO 26.

“We will continue to build capacity of health workers on smoking cessation as we expect more smokers to quit due to the

environment this order will create, which is conducive for quitting,” Ubial said.

The New Vois Association of the Philippines welcomed the signing of EO 26.

NVAP president Emer Rojas said Duterte was finally achieving one of his first commitments after getting the highest number of votes in last year’s presidential race.

“Finally, we now have a government policy that will lead the country closer than ever to seeing a smoke-free Philippines,” Rojas said.

“We thank President Duterte for making it happen. Truly, change has come in terms of protecting Filipinos from the threat of cigarette smoking.”

would bring only losses.

“Why would I do that? That would result in a massacre and would destroy everything. The first to be hit would be Palawan.

I do not have cruise missiles. I do not have fast boats. Maybe frigates but that’s about it,” he said.

Earlier this week, Duterte appeared lukewarm to the proposed joint exploration and development in the contested islands in the South China Sea, a suggestion made by his special envoy for intercultural dialogue Jose de Venecia Jr. in Beijing.

The President then said he would review the pros and cons of three-way exploration efforts at the contested waters.

“Let us see the wherewithal.

Let us see if I will not get indebted. It has to be fair and it has to be balance. So if we can get something there, with no hassle at all, why not?” the President said last Tuesday.

At the Bicameral Consultation Mechanism meeting, China and the Philippines agreed to pursue confidence-building measures and to identify mutually acceptable approaches toward resolving the South China Sea dispute.

In its terms of reference released Friday, the consultative body said the two countries would use the BCM to promote maritime cooperation and security in the disputed waters, as had been agreed following President Rodrigo Duterte’s visit to Beijing last year.

The bilateral talks began just as the Philippines and China mended relations long-frayed by the dispute.

“The BCM will serve as a platform for confidence-building measures and for promoting maritime cooperation and maritime security,” read the BCM statement following initial talks in Guiyang, China.

“The BCM will meet to discuss issues of concern to either side and cooperation in the South China Sea, and where possible, identify mutually acceptable approaches towards

addressing these issues, including cooperation programs and projects,” the BCM said in a statement.

It said the body would hold regular talks “without prejudice to the work of any other bilateral and multilateral mechanism dealing with issues concerning the South China Sea.” Succeeding meetings will be alternately held in Manila and Beijing every six months on mutually agreed dates. Special meetings may also be held as the need arises, and upon mutual agreement of both parties.

Both countries will be represented by an equivalent number of officials of their respective foreign affairs ministries responsible for maritime affairs. A report of each meeting will also be agreed upon by both parties.

The BCM may also establish a technical and working group if necessary.

Ties between Manila and Beijing have seen a revival as Duterte pursued an independent foreign policy, steering the Philippines closer to non-traditional allies such as China and Russia. This while deviating from the country’s long-standing ties with the United States.

Earlier this week, China expressed openness to Duterte’s approach for active dialogue and cooperation in handling the maritime dispute.

Duterte had reached a consensus with his counterpart, Chinese President Xi Jinping, over how to handle the dispute, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying previously said.

The Chinese president met with his Philippine counterpart on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

Talks between Manila and Beijing began just as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China agreed on a framework for a binding code of conduct to govern the disputed waters, a breakthrough reached 15 years since agreeing to craft the pact.

Two bills were earlier introduced in the 16th Congress for the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise granted in March 1995: one

by Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao, filed in September 2014, and another by Baguio Rep. Nicasio M. Aliping Jr., filed in December of the same year but none were laid before former President Benigno Aquino III’s table.

The proposed bills would renew ABS-CBN’s right to operate TV and radio broadcasting stations in the Philippines through microwave, satellite or whatever means, including the use of new technologies in television and radio systems.

In the same speech, Duterte threatened to let mob rule occupy a 2.9-hectare property leased by Rufino and Prieto families, owners of the newspaper Philippine Daily Inquirer if they would not return the lands they developed back to the government.

“Return the property.

Otherwise, I would tell the Filipino people, go there and occupy your property,” Duterte said, as he accused the Prietos of being corrupt.

Duterte said that should they return these properties, he plans to sell them and use its proceeds to fund government housing projects.

three- to six-month transition period.

But after that period, APO-UGEC was still doing the printing, and Cimafranca said transferring the contract would take “three years.”

A source said the reason for the continued defiance was the huge amount of money involved.

The Philippine Association of Free Labor Union president Terry Tuazon said the e-passport was over-priced, and should cost only P650, instead of the P950 the DFA charges, plus P250 in “overtime charges.”

“Except for the electronic chip that is embedded in the e-passport that captures data and security features there are no other enhancement to

justify the high cost. Digital products are getting cheaper not going expensive,” Tuazon said.

“With 17,000 new applicants [daily] who troop to the various consular offices all over the country that’s a lot of money for the government,” Tuazon noted.

It was estimated that APO-Production Unit and its private partner stand to rake in a whopping P25.5 billion from the e-passport contract, far outweighing the P9 billion offer of a controversial cigarette manufacturer to settle its tax cases with the government.

In his letter to Malacañang, Yasay also tagged the joint venture as

14 Pinoys...

From A1

“Filipinos in Russia obey the law, are hardworking and do not cause problems. There is also a lot of goodwill between the Philippines and Russia today, with increasing prospects for cooperation in a wide range of areas. These factors helped us in securing the release of our Filipinos,” the ambassador said.

“We would like to advise those seeking to work in Russia to follow both Philippine and Russia laws.

For those already here, please continue to observe the laws of the country, be respectful to lawful authorities and do not call attention to yourselves,” he said.

President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to sign a defense agreement with Russia when he visits Moscow and Saint Petersburg from May 23 to 26, the Foreign Affairs Department said Friday.

Among deals expected to be signed are a defense cooperation agreement, a memo of understanding on cooperation between the security councils of the two countries, a treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and an extradition treaty.

In a pre-departure briefing in Malacañang on Friday, Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Maria Cleofe Natividad said President Duterte’s upcoming visit to Russia is expected to mark a new chapter in the bilateral relations between the Philippines and Russia.

“We also see this visit as an indication of our strong common desire to enhance and strengthen bilateral relations,” Natividad said, noting that the bilateral ties are still at a nascent stage.

De Lima...

From A1 “Our plan is to use him as an additional witness,” Aguirre said.

Marcelino, who was freed from military detention in Camp Aguinaldo on Friday, griped at his Philippine Military Academy upperclassmen whom he described as instrumental in putting him in jail.

He said his upperclassmen had apparently used him solely to improve their careers in government.

Marcelino’s lawyer, Persida Rueda Acosta, earlier said he was willing to testify against De Lima.

“He said he could testify anytime, but we don’t know yet what he will testify on,” Acosta said.

“Let’s just wait what will happen if the government will utilize him in the Bilibid drug case.”

De Lima has been charged with three counts of violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 in three branches of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court.

Aguirre said Marcelino could testify about his conversation with De Lima when she visited him in detention as well as about why the police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency had been left out in the raid conducted at the New Bilibid Prison.

In his affidavit submitted to Congress last year, Marcelino claimed that De Lima visited him while he was detained at the PNP Custodial Center and discussed the dismantling of the biggest shabu laboratory in the country.

He said De Lima told him that the President, referring to President Benigno Aguino III, was not involved in the operation of the shabu laboratory.

“Why is the largest clandestine shabu laboratory established right in the home province of then President Benigno Aquino III, which is also the province where PDEA Director General Arturo Cacdac once served as provincial director of the PNP?” Marcelino said.

“Is it possible that the syndicates had already penetrated the highest political leadership of the country?”

With Francisco Tuyay

a “subterfuge that engenders if not purposely conceals corrupt practices, irregularities and dishonest conduct.”

He tempered this allegation by saying UGEC is the sole investor in the Lima plant and handled practically all aspects of the e-passport production, while APO-PU’s equity consisted of “prohibited assignment of the personalization and printing services under the MOU.” Yasay said the Lima plant was expected to generate an estimated P1.2 billion annually over a 10-year period in violation of the anti-graft law.”

Newly appointed Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said he would look into the case.

News

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SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Mid-year bonuses ‘fatter’ this year

PUBLIC HEARING. Senator Cynthia Villar, chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and Food and presiding chairman of Committee on Agrarian Reform and Senator Gregorio Honasan ask questions to Director Jane Chiong of the Examination Department of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas during a Senate Public Hearing on Agrarian and Agricultural Credit Condonation Act at the Recto Room of the Senate in Pasay City. Lino Santos

Take care of OFWs remittances —CBCP

By Vito Barcelo THE Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines urged the government to take care of the remittances of overseas Filipino workers and ensure that these should not be stolen by corrupt politicians or government officials.

“To value the labors of our OFWs is to take care of their remittances and must not be stolen, corrupted and misused for non-essential and non-existing government projects,” Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos said.

Cash remittances from OFWs reached their highest monthly level in March with $7.71 billion, up by 8.1 percent compared to the same period last year, the CBCP said, citing a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas report.

Santos said the OFWs deserve to get the support and protection they deserve for their sacrifices and for their contributions to the Philippine economy.

The prelate, who is chairman of the CBCP’s Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People, said the OFWs are not just “modernday heroes” but “our blessings.”

“To show our gratitude to them is to protect them and to promote their rights and dignity,” Santos said.

The BSP attributed the increase in remittances to the strong demand for skilled Filipino workers abroad.

Santos said this manifests that the OFWs sustain and support the country and they are the best, and outstanding Filipinos.

“With their sacrifices they uplift our economy and build up our image as honest, hardworking and trustworthy Filipinos,” he added.

Lawyer raps Mariano for ‘installing’ farmers

By Rio N. Araja

A

LAWYER filed graft raps on Friday against Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano and another official before the Office of the Ombudsman for the installation of 159 banana farmers at the Lapanday Foods Corp. in Tagum, Davao del Norte.

Noel Oliver Punzalan accused Mariano and Undersecretary Luis Pañgulayan of abuse of authority for entering the compound of the agribusiness firm and installing the farmers to the 145-hectare banana plantation owned by Lapanday.

He called on Ombudsman Conchita Morales to place the two government officials under a preventive suspension.

The “respondents clearly

used their office and abused their authority to deliberately favor the Madaum Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association Inc. [Marbai],” the complaint read.

Last Thursday, Mariano led the installation of 159 Marbai farmers displaced from their lots in 2011.

President Rodrigo Duterte gave Mariano the oder to install the farmworkers after a meet-

ing with them outside Mendiola, Manila.

The workers were earlier forcibly evicted by Lapanday Food Corp. from the land they were tilling.

“I am thankful that the installation of the farmers were executed orderly and peacefully,” Mariano said.

“With concentrated force, cooperation and teamwork from the DAR, the farmers, our supporters and the assistance of the PNP, the farmers now have physical control of their land.”

Mariano and a team composed of undersecretaries, regional directors and provincial agrarian reform officers stood by the gates of Lapanday while waiting for the department’s sheriff’s signal to safely enter the compound with the farmers.

The team was assisted by 50 police officers who conducted

SM Prime joins ‘Brigada Eskwela’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta WITH the school opening slated next month, employees from SM Prime and its Business Units across the country will take part in the Department of Education’s “Brigada Eskwela 2017.”

Elena Bautista Horn, vice president for Corporate Affairs of SM Prime, said these company volunteers across all levels have committed their time and talent for the benefit of the school children.

She said their participation in ‘‘Brigada Eskwela 2017’’ is part of their continuing commitment to nurture among their employees the spirit of volunteerism in community service.

“SM Cares volunteerism program aims to provide a venue for employees to contribute in making life a little better for the people in the community,”

Horn noted.

In 2016, she said SM volunteers cleaned up a total of 57 public elementary schools geared towards its rehabilitation and refurbishment.

For this year, they will work on at least 65 schools and will be engaged in repairing facilities, cleaning and painting of classrooms. Employees will also be given a “Painting 101” session before they embark on the volunteerism task for a wellpolished look.

“We appreciate the efforts of SM volunteers in giving a hand to make our schools ready for school opening. This display of civic spiritedness is worthy of emulation by our young people. This is a concrete way of serving by example,” the principal of P. Villanueva Elementary School in Pasay City said.

FACING THE MUSIC. Senator Leila de Lima is escorted by a contingent of the Philippine National Police to attend the hearing of her case at the sala of Justice Ma. Ludmila de Pio Lim of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch. Lino Santos

a clearing operation of the San Isidro farm area within the Lapanday area.

Mariano said the clearing was necessary to reinstate the farmers.

“This was for the safety of the farmers who would enter the gates of the LFC for their installation,” Mariano said.

“The sheriff and the Philippine National Police would get rid of any obstructions like booby traps that might be present inside San Isidro. In the event that any untoward incident might happen, the sheriff’s teams and the PNP would be there to stop the violence.

“Although they are now installed in their farm lots, they are still in danger.”

Mariano requested a 24-hour police visibility for two days and round-the-clock security for all farmer-beneficiaries and their families for 60 days.

GOVERNMENT workers’ mid-year bonus envelops, particularly those that are P82,000 and below, are fatter this year, said Senator Sonny Angara.

Angara, chairman of the Senate committee on ways and means, announced that the benefit of Republic Act 10653, which he authored and sponsored last year, mandating tax exemption for bonuses not over than P82,000, is applicable to the mid-year bonus scheduled to be given to state employees this month.

RA 10653 provides that the 13th month pay and other benefits, including productivity incentives and Christmas bonuses not exceeding P82,000 being given to both government and private sector employees should be tax-free.

“Make no mistake about it. Even the mid-year bonus is covered by this law. That’s why I’m reminding employees who are receiving the midyear bonus to carefully check your envelops or your ATMs,” Angara said in a statement.

Before RA 10653 was signed into law in February last year, only bonuses not exceeding P30,000 were exempted from tax.

“We increased the tax exemption cap for the bonus for bigger take-home pay of workers to their families,” said Angara.

The mid-year bonus is equivalent to one month’s basic pay, and will be given on top of the 13th month bonus employees are entitled to every December.

The budget department announced that it has allotted a total of P32 billion—P26 billion for civilian personnel and P6 billion for unformed and military personnel-for the payout this year of mid-year bonus of government employees.

Under Budget Circular 2017-2 issued on May 8, the bonus will cover all civilian, uniformed and military personnel—as long as they have been in government service for at least four months of service since July 2016.

Macon Araneta

‘Semi-presidential’ govt system pushed THE Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan wanted to introduce a semipresidential system or a “hybrid parliamentary system” in the proposed federal government, Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said on Friday.

“This is uniquely Filipino.

We adopt the advantages of the parliamentary system at the same time respecting the Filipinos’ preference for a strong President at the helm,” said Pimentel, president of the administration party leading the call for Charter change.

Under the proposed system, the country would have a President, directly elected by the people as head of state, and a Prime Minister, chosen by the House of Representatives and formally appointed by the President as head of government.

Pimentel said the President would be in charge of national defense and of foreign affairs, and would serve as commanderin-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He would also be responsible for the appointments of officials in the federal government.

He said the Prime Minister “runs the government” and would have power over all matters concerning domestic and economic policy that are not assigned to the President. He would be responsible for the appointment of officials not covered by the President.

“A majority of the heads of ministries/departments shall

come from the House of Representatives. This is the Cabinet,” Pimentel said.

In addition to the recommended changes in the executive-legislative set-up, he said the PDP Laban also proposed to abolish the post of Vice President but the position could be retained if it would be the wish of the Filipino people.

However, Pimentel said the party wanted the vote for the President in the elections to become a vote also for the Vice President, who would be given a new task as presiding officer of the Senate since the federal state would adopt a bicameral legislature.

The Senate, he said, would represent the regions while the House of Representatives would represent the population, reflecting the principle of federalism that both the regions and the population are represented in the bicameral federal legislature.

The new Senate, he said, would be represented by senators from each of the proposed eleven regions of the country, numbering from three to seven members per region, to raise the total memberships from a low of 33 to a high of 77.

The Senate’s powers and responsibilities, he said, include concurring in treaties and international agreements, confirming the appointments made by the President and Prime Minister, and acting as impeachment court, among others.

Macon Araneta

A4

Opinion

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Some kind of a tactic

I

T IS painful to read the transcript of the briefing held by Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella before Palace reporters.The context: The announcement that President Rodrigo Duterte would no longer accept any aid from the European Union.

Abella, who perhaps holds the most unenviable job in the country, was in his element: Sticking to vague answers and refusing to identify specific aid packages. He did not define what interference meant or explain how existing program beneficiaries were expected to manage when external help stops.

The President said he was refusing a $280-million grant package from the EU, mostly for peace and development projects in Muslim Mindanao, so that the

bloc cannot interfere with our internal affairs. The EU has been critical of the reported thousands of killings, in the name of the war against drugs, under the Duterte administration.

Not everybody in the official family agrees with the President. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said the aid refusal was never discussed in Cabinet meetings.

Hence, this did not constitute policy. He said he believes the President is open to sugges-

tions. “You know our President has a style of doing something and then taking it back later.

It’s some kind of a tactic.”

Whatever the President’s ultimate objective is, the pronouncement is damaging to the country—and not just for economic reasons.

That the European Union figures as one of the top sources of grants and official development assistance, overseas remittances, tourists and foreign direct investments as well as export destination, has been much discussed.

Remember, too, how swiftly it helped us when Typhoon “Yolanda” struck in 2013.

There will always be criticism of anything the President says and does, and anybody is

always free to comment. But does commenting constitute interference? And can we truly say we don’t need any help?

The haughty stance would have been more credible were the administration consistent with its rejection of foreign meddling. Alas, all the tough talk crumbles when the other party is China. In sharp contrast to his behavior with the US and EU, Mr Duterte does not seem to mind interference from China.

True, it is silent on the issue of human rights, and logically so. The meddling comes in another form—staking claims on what international law established are within our territory, or conducting joint exploration

of resources when delineations are not clear.

Of course, as Abella noted, Mr. Duterte brought home “huge slabs of bacon” —pledges of aid and investment—from China. But is not bacon bacon, regardless of origin?

Business groups, like Pernia, now say they are banking on the President to reverse himself on the issue. A reversal will avert the dire consequences of the display of arrogance. Unfortunately, it will validate, yet again, that we have a President whose words we cannot take at face value, and who is so whimsical his rules change depending on whom he is talking to. If this is indeed a tactic, we cannot see the strategy that promises to redeem it.

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

Absurd statements and ideas

Snubbing EU grants POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO IT IS no secret that President Rodrigo Duterte is not a fan of the United Nations and the European Union. He has lambasted these bodies from the get go.

Last Thursday, his spokespersons announced that this administration is rejecting grants from the EU. This was confirmed by EU Ambassador to the country Franz Jessen. According to the Ambassador, they received word (there was no document yet) that the Philippines is ending its funding agreement with EU. Jessen stated that for this year, such grants amount to about 250 million euros or P13.85 billion.

It was also mentioned that a big part of this is meant for the benefit of Muslim communities.

Wanting to understand the administration’s reason/s for this decision, I read the transcripts of Presidential Spokeperson Er-

nesto Abella’s exchange with the media. Despite repeated questions and requests to name concrete projects affected by the decision, Abella just kept on repeating that the decision only affects programs that can interfere in the country’s internal affairs.

He also said that the recommendation to reject these grants came from the Finance department. Surprisingly, National Economic and Development Authority Director General Ernesto Pernia said that they were not consulted about the decision. Certainly, Neda is a most relevant body concerning this.

Abella actually did not say anything more than what was already earlier said when the announcement was made.

Why should people be concerned?

First, the EU is one of the Philippines’ biggest donors.

In the aftermath of “Yolanda” (“Haiyan”), the combined donations of the EU and individual member countries amounted to $40.47 million, or around 11 per-

cent of all foreign aid received.

This was also the second-biggest donation for people affected by “Yolanda.”

In 2015, the EU announced that it would double the aid to the country in the next seven years.

In fact, EU and Neda signed the Multi-Annual Indicative Program for 2014 to 2020. The pri-

We must all be worried. ority themes were improving the rule of law, sustainable energy, and job generation. It will be interesting to know if the entire MIP will be scrapped because of this administration’s decision to stop accepting EU grants. Notice that EU grants are almost always about benefiting people and not just infrastructure.

Second, based on available

data, the EU is the fourth biggest trading partner of the Philippines. There are numerous businesses of EU member States here and an unsteady relationship with the Union may affect businesses, and of course their workers.

Third and not the least important, people should be concerned because what Malacañang people are not directly saying, is that this decision is related with human rights. EU is a critic of this administration’s human rights record particularly on the issue of “war on drugs-related killings” estimated to be more than 9,000 now.

It will be remembered that Duterte’s displeasure over EU is because of human rights. He said that he did not care if EU and UN pulled out their assistance to the country because of his war on drugs. Last March, the EU Parliament called for an investigation into “unlawful killings and other violations relative to the war on drugs” here. We heard Abella tell media that the reason

for not accepting grants from EU is to prevent “interference in the country’s internal affairs.”

Notice that a priority theme of the MIP is “improving the rule of law” and there cannot be rule of law when thousands were unlawfully killed. Most possibly, the “interference” referred to by Duterte’s men has to do with the “rule of law” theme of the MIP. They cannot, or do not want to adhere to this.

The rule of law should actually be a given. However, this has to do with respect of human rights, something that many in this government are allergic to. I will not be surprised if this theme is what Duterte and his men find objectionable.

The irony is, as said by EU Amb. Jenssen, the Philippines is a signatory to 27 United Nations’ labor and human rights Conventions. As a signatory, the country accepts the responsibility of promoting and respecting human rights. Thus, when programs and grants are develTurn to A5

REMEMBER that asinine move in the House of Representatives to decriminalize the use of marijuana in the Philippines? The sponsor of that stupid move cited developments abroad, the United States in particular, where some states decriminalized marijuana consumption for medical treatment. As far as the sponsor of that measure was concerned, what works abroad must work in the Philippines.

That measure is no different from that silly idea suggested in the Internet that drinking one’s urine can be good for one’s health—silly because urine contains the toxins the body rejected precisely because they’re toxic.

Fortunately, that pro-marijuana bill was shelved after Philippine medical experts opposed the move, particularly because something that is addicting like marijuana can hardly be considered something good for the body.

As if that marijuana measure were not unsettling enough, Leni Robredo, who currently holds the title of Vice President of the Philippines, suggested in a recent assembly at the University of the Philippines campus in Los Baños, Laguna, that the Philippines ought to consider decriminalizing drug use, just as it has been decriminalized in Portugal. According to Robredo, when the Portuguese government decriminalized drug use in their jurisdiction and reduced it to a health issue, the drug problem in Portugal was nearly eradicated.

That may be true in Portugal, but it does not follow that it will work in the Philippines.

Portugal is a developed nation. Many of its people are educated enough to know that drug abuse is inimical to health.

The Philippines is the opposite. Many Filipinos do not have sufficient educational foundation to resist narcotics.

Even those who are educated engage in drug abuse, well aware of its consequences.

Because poverty is rampant and the cost of living is very high in urban centers, corruption is inevitable. When corruption prevails in government, all norms of humane, rational behavior are ignored.

Turn to A5

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Opinion

THE One Road One Belt Initiative is China’s most ambitious and comprehensive reengineering in the intercourse of human civilization earlier catalyzed in what we see as the “globalization of free trade.” Some say that China is seeking to implant the golden rule of win-win approach to give globalization the much-needed boost at such a crucial period. Some are having their doubts about its future, seeing the leading proponents wanting to take the old road of protectionism.

One can only deduce their motive to turn back history.

The architects of free trade are primarily concerned with building a system that will benefit their needs. Thus, when unregulated free trade began to falter, some now would seek to modify the rules, not really in allowing all to benefit but to promote the same advantage they originally worked out.

Globalization or free trade remains locked to the same principle of conquest that under the system of capitalism would suffer the same conundrum of prosperity to the few and recession to all.

China’s President Xi Jinping pointed out that although on the whole the One Belt One Road Initiative remains substantially within the framework of free trade, he knew that the system is now proving to be unsustainable. President Xi is doing the arduous task of refor mat t i ng globalization to one of s h a r e d responsibility for economic developme nt that is consistent with China’s win-win policy that would create a positive synergy among the participating states. It is envisioned as one that is comprehensive and interconnected much that it seeks to erase the old idea that member-states should always strive to get the greatest advantage in exchange for their participation. Nobody anticipated that globalization would exact an even greater bargain of reducing or eliminating tariff irrespective of their degree of economic development.

Terms such as win-win and connectivity are China’s way of creating an innovative economic approach that would produce constructive response for the participating states. It is the same thought envisioned by President Xi of a camel caravan crossing the Eurasian heartland called Silk Road with their trail like a thin rope to keep them together to overcome the odds of sandstorms to reach their destination. He said: “...the pursuit of the Belt and Road Initiative is not meant to reinvent the wheel. Rather, it aims to complement the development strategies of countries involved by leveraging their comparative strengths. We have enhanced coordination with the policy initiatives of relevant countries, such as the Eurasian Economic Union of Russia, the Master Plan on Asean Connectivity, the Bright Road Initiative of Kazakhstan, the Middle Corridor Initiative of Turkey, the Development Road initiative of Mongolia, the two Corridors, One Economic Corridors, One Economic Circle initiative of Viet Nam, the Northern Powerhouse initiative of the UK and the Amber Road initiative of Poland. We are also promoting complementarily between China’s development plan and those of Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Hungary and other countries.

China has signed cooperation agreements with over 40 countries and international

organizations and carried out framework cooperation on production capacity with more than 30 countries. During the forum, a number of cooperation agreements on policy connectivity and action plans will be signed. We will also launch Belt and Road cooperation initiative on trade connectivity with some 60 countries and international organizations.

Such policy connectivity will produce a multiplying effect on cooperation among the parties involved.”

The Belt and Road Initiative has been compared to the US initiated economic rebuilding of Western Europe known as the “Marshall Plan.” The economic rebuilding was intended to avert the fear that the then Soviet Union was about to overrun the whole of Europe.

From a buffer zone, Western Europe soon evolved to form an economic bloc known as the European Community. Later it was replaced by the European Union for which free trade was universalized by the changing of the Uruguay Round or the General Agreements on Tariff and Trade or GATT to World Trade Organization in 1997.

The Marshall Plan excluded some countries even if they fought shoulder-to-shoulder with the Allied Forces. They were simply left to fend for themselves. The Marshall Plan cost the US $13 billion which by today’s value would run to about $130 billion just to let those countries walk on their feet and save what some would say as the “great” We s t e r n Civilization.

The same philosophical spirit guide today’s WTO. Member countries were forced to eliminate or reduce their tariff for which many were not prepared. Yes, globalization greatly enhance free trade, but it created a deep wedge between the rich and poor countries repeating the same cycle of recession and depression that nurtures insecurity and continued political instability.

The One Belt One Road Initiative is not just about trade and finance but includes science, the arts and all aspects of learning, designed to raise the ethical standard human civilization to a higher level. It is estimated that the Belt and Road Initiative will cost China close to $1 trillion. This includes the building of interconnected infrastructures, roads and railways, telecommunications, energy pipelines, and ports covering 60 countries and involving 67 percent of the world’s population.

China is fully aware, which reason why those who are looking forward calls the Belt and Road Initiative a defining moment in China’s history. It seeks not the glory of the past but the virtues it can bequeath to humanity. President Xi reiterated the five principles in China’s pursuit of the Belt and Road Initiative. 1) Peace and cooperation. He said, the Silk Road spirit has become a great heritage of human civilization. 2) Openness and inclusiveness. Xi pointed out that civilization thrives with openness and nations prosper through exchange; 3) that the Belt and Road Initiative is for countries to open to achieve economic growth and balanced development. He said that great ideas from the East and the West are an amalgam of great civilizations. 4) That the Belt and Road Initiative is for innovation. The simplest form of innovation is progress, and, 5) The Belt and Road Initiative is for different civilizations, and the greatest value of

It’s time they are redefined.

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

On Butch Abad and judicial TROs

BACKBENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN

The goals of civilization

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017

AMONG the legal innovations that we must urgently do is to take steps to depoliticize the law. While absolute separation is not possible, given that law and politics intersect in the relationship between power and authority, we have in our country allowed politics to invade the legal realm in such a way that the rule of law is increasingly endangered of being subverted.

We see this again in the persecution of former Budget Secretary Butch Abad by both the Ombudsman on the Disbursement Acceleration Program controversy and now the Secretary of Justice on the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam.

I usually support Ombudsman Morales’ decisions but, like in the PCSO case against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, she is wrong on this. There is no usurpation of legislative powers, the crime that Abad is being charged with, in the case of the DAP. Abad did not define savings contrary to the statutory definition. What he did was to elaborate on that definition, using authority he has under the Administrative Code to issue rules and regulations to implement laws. That his definition of savings was constitutionally f lawed is irrelevant; that’s a finding by the Supreme Court after the fact.

Good faith is of course a defense here, as it was for GMA in the PCSO case. Abad followed all the requisites and due diligence necessary in issuing the budget circular in question. There is nothing unusual at all in what he did.

Absurd...

From A4

Many Filipino motorists— taxicab, jeepney, tricycle and motorcycle drivers in particular, do not obey traffic rules.

Many physicians feign medical emergencies to circumvent road use restrictions. Roads and sidewalks in the metropolis are converted to private parking lots. If Filipinos are not disciplined enough to comply with basic traffic and road use rules, they will not be disciplined enough to shun narcotics when the criminal liabilties previously imposed on drug use are abrogated.

The drug menace in the Philippines is so entrenched that decriminalizing it at this time will aggravate the problem. So far, the nefarious trade is extensive enough, notwithstanding strict penal laws against it. Imagine what drug lords will do when there are no more laws to restrict their evil business.

Obviously, the Robredo proposal is unacceptable in the Philipppines.

It’s also an indication that Robredo is bereft of original ideas and has resorted to suggesting impractical foreign solutions for local problems.

Snubbing...

From A4

oped and agreed upon, these are in the pursuit of COMMON GOALS of the parties involved.

These are NOT conditionalities, and certainly, NOT interference. The EU is, in effect, assisting the Philippines fulfill its international obligations.

I am familiar with how the EU and EU countries’ grants work, especially those that deal with NGOs. Always, projects are about the respect and prointeraction is peace.

Faithful to the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence that today serves as the model in the conduct of foreign relations, President Xi reaffirms his commitment, to quote, “China will enhance friendship and

I must also say that usurpation of legislative powers is a weak crime to charge an executive official of. When I taught criminal law, I used to tell my students that we should decriminalize many offenses under the Revised Penal Code. This is one of those crimes where conviction is impossible to obtain. For executive officials, whose duty it is to exercise quasi-legislative powers, usurpation of legislative powers is an impossible crime. Abad and other secretaries, with the president, exercised rule-making power. As an administrative law professor, I emphasize that what is needed to exercise that power is authority from the constitution and laws and that the exercise must be based on standards laid down by the law which must be complete.

This is the case here. Abad was just doing his duty. That he made a mistake in appreciating what was constitutional and what was not is immaterial. If you are going to require executive officials to issue regulations that implement a law, you must give them leeway in interpreting that law. The reason for the grant of rule-making power to executive officials is that Congress is not expected to provide detailed instructions; it leaves it to executive officials to do that and the latter must be given some discretion.

Finally, this case is another example of the need to raise the bar on probable cause in this country. As I have said in the GMA PCSO case and the drug trafficking charges in the De Lima case (by the way, the latter, at best, should be charged with bribery, a bailable crime, as there is nothing in the charges that can be interpreted as accusing her of trafficking on drugs), it is wrong to file criminal charges when the prosecutor does not have

the evidence to support a conviction. It is a disservice to the country (a waste of money and a case of disillusionment when the people charged are acquitted), it is unjust to the accused.

Probable cause should not be based on any evidence but must be based on evidence robust and strong enough to obtain a conviction. Such a higher bar will be a disincentive to using criminal prosecution as a political tool as was used against GMA and now being used against De Lima. While I cannot imagine the Ombudsman prosecuting the Abad case for political reasons, the effect is the same. Abad will not be convicted of this impossible crime, his haters would be disappointed, and Abad would have to go through an unjust process. Likewise, I would say the same for any prosecution of President Noynoy Aquino for his approval of DAP. As for being implicated in the PDAF scandal, as the supposed “mentor” of Janet Napoles, it does not take rocket science that such a case will not pass what I call the laugh test. It is so laughable that the prosecutors who will attempt to put up such a case will lose their reputations and become a laughing stock of their colleagues.

This is already happening in the case of the prosecutors and the solicitors defending the De Lima case. It will just be repeated here.

For the record, Butch Abad and I have differed politically in recent years but that does not prevent me from saying what I have consistently said of him: a man of integrity, a patriot of the highest order, a committed social reformer, the quintessential public servant. It is my duty to stand by him.

On another issue, an example of politics again invading the legal realm is the recent statement

of President Duterte warning courts not to interfere and issue Temporary Restraining Orders on infrastructure projects. First, the President is focusing on a non-existent problem. Lower courts are barred from issuing such TROs, with only the Supreme Court allowed to with its expanded power of judicial review. However, even the latter has refrained from doing so and in the last five years, as far as I know, only one TRO—on the MRT/LRT common station in Edsa—has been issued. In any case, while the TRO might have been initially justified, the fact that no decision was rendered for years, shows why the Court was clearly wrong in this case, it illustrates why TROs are not a good way to deal with contractual legal issues on infrastructure.

That case was finally resolved last year through an agreement of the parties brokered by the Department of Transportation.

In any case, it is wrong for the President to call for defiance of courts because that means every powerful person —politicians or wealthy people —would do the same. Without the Rule of Law, as imperfect as it is, there will be chaos and endless conflict.

From the perspective of the police, sheriffs, government officials and even private persons that can benefit from judicial defiance, they should take note that they will later be held accountable for such defiance.

President Duterte will not be there forever and surely they know that they cannot use an unlawful order of the President as an excuse for their own unlawful acts.

Law and politics are naturally enmeshed with each other. But a healthy distance is also good for society. Let’s respect that.

Another absurdity came from ex-President and incumbent Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. In a press conference held at the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City, and attended by her lawyer, ex-Solicitor General Estelito Mendoza, Arroyo blamed her successor, ex-President Benigno Aquino III, for Communist China’s current island-building spree in the West Philippine Sea. More specifically, Arroyo said that Aquino III provoked Communist China to embark on its expansionist maritime activities in the area by suing Beijing in the United Nations arbitration tribunal at The Hague, in Holland. From the Arroyo perspective, if Manila did not lodge that arbitration case, Beijing would not have built those structures in the first place. Really?

Aquino III may not be an ideal national leader, but it is not fair for Arroyo to blame him for Communist China’s bullying in the sea lanes of South East Asia. According to a study prepared by Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who is arguably one of the most knowledgeable persons on the subject, Beijing began

its expansionist activities in the sea lanes of South East Asia as early as 2009, when Arroyo was still president. It appears that while Vietnam and Malaysia protested Red Chinese intrusions in those sea lanes, the Philippine government under President Arroyo did not do anything about it. Manila protested only in 2011, after Aquino III assumed office.

From all indications, the Arroyo statement is a mere disclaimer calculated to wash off any responsibility on her part for the Red Chinese buildup in the West Philippine Sea. Her statement is also absurd because it suggest that Aquino III should not have sued Beijing in the UN arbitration tribunal.

Huh? By 2010, Beijing was busy building structures on reefs in the disputed sea lanes even if the reefs are more proximate to Luzon than they are to the Red Chinese coastline. Red Chinese warships were brazenly driving away Filipino fishermen from what used to be their traditional fishing grounds. Beijing’s collective actions were an affront to the Republic of the Philippines. What did Arroyo expect Manila to do under those circumstances? Stand by idly as

she suggested? Thank heaven she isn’t president anymore.

Manila won the arbitration case, but Beijing refuses to comply with the ruling. That may be so, but with an arbitration ruling in favor of the Philippines, the world now sees Communist China as the villain that it really is. The Philippine legal victory and Beijing’s lawless attitude underscore to the world that the communist government in Beijing cannot and should not be trusted. It is no wonder, therefore, why North Korea loves Communist China.

Finally, the so-called “complaint” filed against President Rodrigo Duterte in the International Criminal Court, for his supposed role in the alleged extrajudicial killings committed in the wake of his administration’s anti-drug campaign, is meaningless. Under International Law, resort to the international forum is warranted only after the local judicial options have been exhausted, and proved to be unavailing. There is no showing that the party who filed the “complaint” complied with this prerequisite. All that the complaint did was to put the country in bad light, and obtain frontpage publicity for its instigator.

motion of human rights as contained in international agreements. Always, the parameters are clearly agreed upon. I have a relatively good idea of how the EU’s development programs are implemented. It is always with full respect for the capacities of its partners, whether governments or nongovernment organizations. I have yet to hear of an instance when the EU or its members actually interfered in the implementation of a project unless there were questionable or anomalous activities. This is

normal; it is done by any other development organization.

It is time to scrutinize the Mutual Annual Indicative Program (MIP) because I am convinced that the theme of “improving the rule of law” is the one being objected to by this government.

The MIP was signed during the last administration and covers the period 2014 to 2020, or four years of Duterte’s presidency.

If I am correct, the decision to terminate receiving grants from the EU is really about the rule of law and human rights. It would

appear that this administration does not intend to be accountable and to fulfill its human rights obligations as contained in international covenants the country has signed.

In effect, snubbing grants from EU is snubbing government accountability and people’s human rights. We must all be very worried.

in other countries’ internal affairs, export our social system and model of development, or impose our own will on others. In pursuing the Belt and Road Initiative, we will not resort to outdated geopolitical maneuvering. What we hope to

achieve is a new model of winwin cooperation. We have no intention to form a small group detrimental to stability, what we hope to create is a big family of harmonious co-existence.”

cooperation will all countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence. We are ready to share practices of development with other countries, but we have no intention to interfere

Facebook: Dean Tony La Vina Twitter: tonylavs

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

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News

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SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

MMDA asks QC to close 2 terminals

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Metro Manila Development Authority has recommended the closure of two bus terminals in Quezon City for violating provisions of a memorandum circular of the Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board.

In a letter to the LTFRB Board, MMDA general manager and acting chairman Thomas Orbos said the agency is recommending to shut down the operations of Roro Bus Terminal on South Road, Barangay Bagong Lipunan in Crame and Dimple Star Bus Terminal at Main Avenue for failing to comply with the standards set by the Board in operating the facilities.

Orbos said his men found out that the operators of the facilities failed to provide adequate and comfortable benches or seats with backrests for waiting passengers.

The MMDA inspection team also discovered that the bus terminals have no concrete pavement, flooring and roofing that would provide sufficient shade to passengers, Orbos said.

But he said that the closure of the bus terminals will only be temporary until the operators or owners fully comply with the requirements and

standards set by the government.

“We would like to reiterate that when we inspect bus terminals, we note not only the compliance to the policy but also their physical condition. We owe it to the public to ensure that these operators provide comfort to our commuters,” Orbos said.

He said the MMDA will file similar cases before the LTFRB in the following days against other bus terminal operators.

Orbos recently signed an agreement with officials of the Quezon City government and LTFRB to get rid of all illegal bus terminals and other structures for public utility vehicles in the city.

The move, according to Orbos, is part of the government's solution to the worsening traffic situation in the National Capital Region.

MMDA records show that there are 85 provincial bus companies situated in Metro Manila. Of the 85 provincial bus companies, 45 firms have terminals on Edsa, particularly in Cubao and Balintawak in Quezon City, and Taft Ave in Pasay City.

Under the agreement, the three parties were authorized to conduct inspection and impose closure order if the structures found operating without necessary permits and violating government policies.

STARTING THEM YOUNG. Children are taught hands-on CPR using mannequins during a Bureau of Fire Protection-National Capital Region kiddie-junior fire marshal summer camp held at the CCP complex where teens from 10 to 16 years old undergo activities to learn about fire safety, first aid, emergency, and rescue. Norman Cruz

NBI arrests 12 persons for illegal gambling

Tadeco debunks ‘coercion’ claim of House leadership

By Sandy Araneta

By Maricel V. Cruz

IN LINE with government’s intensified campaign against illegal gambling, the National Bureau of Investigation operatives of Anti-Organized Transnational Crime Division has arrested 12 individuals for illegal gambling in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Arrested during an entrapment operation conducted by the NBI-AOTCD operatives were George Reyes Velasco (supervisor), Rolan Allan De Leon Ramos, Jim Philip Cesar Concha (bet collectors), Editha Silvestre Chan (personnel), Antonio Adriano Baloran, Benito Hao Dy, Bonifacio Orolfo Arboleda Jr., Rolando Tuano Ortega, Sanny Bello Bobares, Eric Cunanan Dela Cruz, Christian De Guzman Landicho, Chua Chi Ben ( bettors).

On April 11, 2017, the NBI received a letter from Abraham Kahlil B. Mitra, chairman, Games and Amusement Board, requesting action on suspected bookie joints. One of the areas identified to have illegal bookie operations is at Park View Hotel Restaurant, KTV and Coffee Shop Co. in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Under strict orders from NBI Director Dante Gierran to immediately act on the request, AOTCD operatives conducted surveillance operations to validate the information.

After confirmation of information, an entrapment operation was conducted Thursday night, May 18, 2017, resulting in the arrest of the aforementioned suspects for violation of R.A. 9287 (An Act Increasing the Penalties for Illegal Number Games, amending certain provisions of P.D. 1602, and for other purposes), with an expected penalty of Prision Mayor or six years up to 12 years.

All the arrested suspects have been charged before the Office of the Prosecutor of Manila.

T

HE Tagum Agricultural Development Company Inc. of Davao del Norte Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr. has taken exception to claims that the company has been suggesting that the leadership of the Representatives has coerced three government agencies, which declared illegal the joint venture agreement between Tadeco and the Bureau of Corrections.

Alex Valoria, Tadeco president and chief executive officer, said the three offices referred to are the Commission on Audit, the Department of Justice and the Office of the Solicitor General.

“While we maintain the deal with BuCor is a Joint Venture Agreement [JVA] and the contract legally negoti-

ated, we take care not to muddle the issues as we only want to present arguments that are accurate, rational, and valid,” Valoria said in a statement.

Valoria made the remarks in response to Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez’s statement that Tadeco is the only one claiming that the JVA is above board.

But Valoria said that “we base our arguments on the approvals of the government authorities at the time the JVA was executed and the applicable laws and jurisprudence of the Philippines. This is a consensual arrangement, which has stood the test of time. We involve ourselves only in honest business dealings, not in bogus claims. Said. It is not the mission of our organization that is recognized for its best practices to muddle in propaganda issues because “it is contrary to our corporate values to malign and mislead, or argue issues without legal basis.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre III earlier admitted that the renewal of the JVA between the BuCor and Tadeco in 2004 had the stamp of approval of two secretaries of the DoJ, which validates Tadeco’s position that the new 25-year period of the contract

will extend up to 2029.

Aguirre said that while the signatory to the JVA renewal was then Justice Undersecretary Ramon Liwag, it was approved by Justice Secretary Simeon Datumanong. A subsequent review done on the JVA and the resulting addendum to the agreement was again approved by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, Aguirre added.

Aguirre’s disclosure came upon questioning by Rep. Henry Oaminal during the joint hearing last week of the House committee on Good Government and Public Accountability and the House committee on Justice on the BuCor-Tadeco deal.

At a congressional hearing earlier, lawmakers took turns questioning Aguirre on the validity of the deal but the Justice secretary failed to answer some of their concerns, particularly on the details of how the DoJ concluded that the agreement

was a lease and tenancy deal, which Tadeco said it was not.

Aguirre said he needed more time to study these matters. The lawmakers also heard the statement of Valoria, but gave no opinion on his position on the issue nor whether they were convinced or not about the arguments presented by the DoJ and Tadeco during the hearing.

Oaminal had asked Aguirre if the contract between BuCor and Tadeco were approved by the DoJ. Aguirre said that “per information from our Chief State Counsel, [the JVA] was approved by Secretary Datumanong, then secretary of Justice. Then, if that is the case, then it is approved by the secretary of Justice.”

When Oaminal asked if the addendum to the JVA was also approved by then Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, Aguirre said: “That’s correct.”

12 Sokor fugitives nabbed for online scam

By Vito Barcelo

CHEAP THRILL. Kids enjoy diving from the top of an LRT post into the murky Pasig River in Manila to beat the summer heat. Lino Santos

IMMIGRATION authorities arrested 12 South Korean fugitives wanted by authorities in their country for operating an online business scam that has defrauded many of their compatriots.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said that the aliens were cornered in an operation conducted

by BI intelligence operatives on the suspects’ lairs at the Gramercy Residences, Century City, Poblacion, Makati City.

Morente said he issued the mission order authorizing the BI agents to conduct the operation after intensive surveillance and tips from informants established the fugitives’ presence inside the plush residential building.

Morente added that it was the South Korean embassy in Manila which reported the fugitives’ presence in the country and sought the BI’s help in having them deported so they could stand trial for their crimes.

“Their embassy has confirmed that all 12 of them are subjects of

arrest warrants issued by various Korean courts where they have been charged with large-scale fraud,” the BI chief said.

Those arrested were identified as Noh Heamin, Park Jeongho, Kim Sun Jang, Lee Hyanglim, Yoon Daseul, Kim Sunghoon, Jeong Miseon, Park Mingyu, Park Youngju, Park Hyunmyeung, Park Chanju, and Lee Hyunho.

“They are now undergoing deportation proceedings as they have been charged with undesirability for being fugitives from justice and posing risk to public safety and security,” said lawyer Arvin Santos, BI legal division chief.

Information provided by Korean embassy officials alleged that the fugitives were involved in an online fraud scheme that preyed on unsuspecting Korean victims living here and in their own country.

They are believed to have duped many Koreans through the internet into investing their money in bogus real estate projects in the Philippines.

CHR urges govt to address UN-backed Universal Periodic Review’s concerns

By Rio N. Araja THE Commission on Human Rights on Friday urged the Duterte administration to address the recommendations of the 95 United Nations member-states on the human rights situation in the country raised before the 3rd Universal Periodic Review session in Geneva, Switzerland.

“We belong to the international community. We are answerable to whatever happens in the Philippines, specifically to the human rights situation on the ground,”

Commissioner Karen Gomez-Dumpit said. “We are accountable, especially the government, because they are in-charge of implementing the laws and policies of the land.”

Among the recommendations from the member-states were concerns on cases of extrajudicial killings on the war against drugs, return of death penalty and protection of children’s rights, including a proposed bill to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility.

The recommendations must be ad-

dressed by the Duterte administration, the CHR said.

“The UPR is an affirmation of the things that we have expressed concern many months ago, but have been brushed aside.

More than anything, the UPR is an affirmation of the recognition of the serious problems that we have, particularly when it comes to the methods, and the result of the government’s campaign against drugs,” Gomez-Dumpit said.

She added that the CHR is hoping the UPR could open opportunities for construc-

tive engagement, particularly with the Philippine National Police and the rest of the security sector, as duty bearers in protecting and promoting human rights.

She also gave assurance the CHR is willing to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in the prosecution of cases.

“We would like to see the names behind the numbers, the cases filed behind the numbers,” she said. “We hope that they also cooperate fully by furnishing us copies of complete Scene of the Crime Operatives, autopsy, on the spot, and other reports that

we also need to further conduct independent investigations. The UPR is a process reviewing the human rights situation of all 193 members.”

“Come July, the government must respond whether they would accept, reject, or subject to further study some recommendations. In September, the Human Rights Council will adopt the working group report on the Philippines. That is the time that civil society groups, including the CHR, would have time to speak and comment about the report,” Gomez-Dumpit said.

Sports Floyd mum on super fight with McGregor LONDON—Floyd Mayweather was tight-lipped Thursday over the prospect of a fight with mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor after the promoter said the Irishman had signed to face the boxing great.

Mayweather is currently in London with protege Gervonta Davis, who makes his first defence of his International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-featherweight title against Liam Walsh in the British capital on Saturday.

Asked about the long-talked about fight with McGregor, Mayweather said: “This is Liam Walsh and Gervonta Davis’s press conference. Let’s focus on these two competitors.

“That’s total disrespect to both of these fighters, it’s their press conference, let’s talk about them. Both of these fighters deserve respect.”

Fight promoter Dana White has said he had an agreement with 28-year-old UFC lightweight champion McGregor for the proposed bout, but that Mayweather remained unsigned.

White told American television cable channel TNT on Wednesday that McGregor has agreed to a boxing match and not a martial arts fight, which would heavily favour Mayweather, who has never lost in his two-decades long professional career.

White said his plan now was to try to lure the American out retirement for a super fight with McGregor.

“The McGregor side is done,” Ultimate Fighting Champion president White said. “I’m not saying the fight will happen but I got one side done and it’s time to work on the other (Mayweather).

“If we can come to a deal with (Al) Haymon and (Floyd) Mayweather, the fight’s going to happen.”

White said McGregor has agreed to step in the ring with the undefeated Mayweather despite not having fought competitively in a boxing ring since he was a teenager. McGregor was granted a licence to box in California several months ago. AFP

A7

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Golden Kingdome early favorite in Triple Crown G OLDEN Kingdom looms as the early favorite in the 1st leg of the Philippine Racing Commission-backed Triple Crown series on Sunday at the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite.

The colt owned by Lamberto Almeda Jr. leads the 11-horse cast in the first leg of the most prestigious racing extravaganza for three-year-old horses.

“Tingin ko, early favorite dito ang Golden Kingdom, dahil undefeated, nanalo sa Sweepstake race at nakapanalo ng tatlong beses pa, sunod sunod na walang talo,” said Philracom Commissioner Bienvenido Niles Jr., who however added that it’s still anybody’s race on Sunday. “Siya (Golden Kingdom) ang liyamado,

pero maraming magiging kalaban, tulad nila Manda ni Mayor (Benhur) Abalos at Sepfourteen ng SC Stockfarm.”

Standing in the way of the favorites 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, Metamorphosis of Herminio Esguerra and Smokin Saturday of Roberto Inigo.

Some P3 million in prizes will be at stake 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.

Two other Philracom races will be run on Sunday—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.

The three races are part of the Manila Jockey Club Inc.’s eightrace racing extravaganza offering a record total of P14.5-million in prizes, led by the Founder’s Cup’s P6-million purse, also a record.

The Triple Crown 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

PH boys’ bowling team bags 3 golds in HK tilt

Members of the PH boys’ team display their medals. They are (from left, back) Ivan Malig, Kenzo Umali, Louis Cantorna, Merwin Tan; The girls team with their bronze medal is composed of (from left) Noelle Campos, Grace Gella, Jeika Yutero and Daphne Custodio.

YOUTH bowlers Kenzo Umali and Merwin Tan just took one step closer to becoming the Philippines’ future pride in bowling.

Umali and Tan led the Philippine Boys’ Team to a 3-0-3 (goldsilver-bronze) medal haul in the recent 17th Asian Schools Tenpin Bowling Championships held in Hong Kong, with 15 participating teams from the Asian region.

“Successful bowlers, like Paeng Nepomuceno and Biboy Rivera, showed us that hard work and discipline are the key,” said Umali, who is an incoming Grade 11 student. “It’s not easy to be like them [Nepomuceno and Rivera].”

“Their path to success was hard earned. Each small victory motivates us to keep going,” said Tan. Umali was the first player to grab a gold medal for Team Philippines by knocking down 1369 pins over 6 games in the Boys’ Singles’ event.

Hong Kong’s Alex Yu and Kuwait’s Mostafa Almousawi got the silver and bronze medals,by scoring 1338 and 1335, respectively.

JGM volley lures 8 teams FOLLOWING its successful staging last year, the 3rd JGM Finance Corporation U17 Volleyball Tournament drew eight secondary schools in the Visayas Region, competing in the four-day event set May 18-21 at the Bacolod Tay Tung High School covered court.

Among the teams seeing action are Ateneo de Cebu, Ateneo de Iloilo, University of St. La Salle-Bacolod, Trinity Christian School, Colegio San Agustin Bacolod, Bata National High School and Tay Tung Thunderbolts Teams A and B. For JGM president Jose Montalbo, this tournament is just a stepping stone for a bigger competition in the future.

“We are looking forward to

(1998), Silver Story (2001), Hagdang Bato (2012), and Kid Molave (2014).

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.

have a bigger event next year. I already got words from teams in Manila that they will be participating in next year’s event,” said Montalbo, who added that with this tournament, they would be able to lift the level of competitiveness of volleyball in the region.

Bacolod City Councilor Ricardo ‘Cano’ Tan, who was a former Philippine Football Federation president, also challenged the participants to give their best shot.

“Always focus on your game.

Make every game your last so that you can focus all your talents on it,” Tan said, stressing that volleyball is the future sports in Bacolod City. “With all the efforts and leadership of JGM president

Jose Montalbo, volleyball will be our next home of champions.

I would like to congratulate everyone who has contributed to make this volleyball tournament a reality. For me, you are all champions.”

The legislator also lauded Montalbo for his concern to volleyball. “I believe that your sponsorship to this sport will go a long way. Keep up the good work and let the fires of sports be in your heart always and let it be your passion.

Thank you for the moving spirit of sports for Bacolod.”

With Montalbo behind volleyball, Tan believes that there is a big chance of developing players who are already world class.

Knights, Cubs whip foes in Martin Cup

JGM president Jose Montalbo leads the opening of the 3rd JGM Finance Corporation U17 Volleyball Tournament at Bacolod Tay Tung High School.

Government execs face off in UNTV Cup

Daniel Razon

PUBLIC servants from the top echelon of government will duel on the hard-court as the UNTV Cup Executive Face Off opens on Sunday at the Pasig Sports Center.

The UNTV Cup preseason series opening will start with a parade of players and a drawing pf lots to be presided

by UNTV CEO Kuya Daniel Razon at 2 p.m., determining who will play on the scheduled triple-header on Sunday.

Executives aged 40 and above from six participating government agencies will play in a single-round-robin format of the pocket basketball tournament. These are the PNP Responders, DOJ Justice Boosters, AFP Cavaliers, Senate Sentinels, BOC Transformers and the Judiciary Magis.

Top Executives like Police Director Gen-

eral Ronald Dela Rosa, Bureau of Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon, Department of Justice Undersecratary Erickson Balmes and Supreme Court Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa (Judiciary) will banner their respective teams on the preseason tourney’s maiden edition.

Meanwhile, the Senate squad will feature eight incumbent senators on their lineup. They are Sen. Sonny Angara, Sen. Joel Villanueva, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, Sen. Bam Aquino, Sen. Ralph Recto, Sen. JV Ejercito, Sen. Win Gatchalian, and boxing champion and professional basketball player Sen. Manny Pacquiao.

The UNTV Cup Executive Face Off tournament elimination round will run

every Sunday from May 21 to June 18.

After the elimination stage, the top four teams will meet on June 25 for the playoffs, with the top two teams enjoying a twice-to-beat advantage.

The playoff winners will then clash for the championship on July at the SmartAraneta Coliseum, with a P1 million grant up for grabs to be given to the winning team’s chosen beneficiary.

Razon, the man behind the UNTV Cup, sees the Executive Face Off as a sign of continuous growth and improvement of the league. “From the start this league has been upgrading, so we cannot expect for less. With God’s help, the level of hard court battles in UNTV Cup really became higher and higher.”

Local bet leads Cebuana netfest winners in Angeles City LOCAL bet Jed Labasano entered the finals in four events contested at the recentv23rd leg of the Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series, hosted by Angeles City in Pampanga and went 3 of 4, winning two individual titles and one doubles’ event.

Labasano emerged an easy winner in both the boys’ 16- and 18- under as he posted similar straight-set victories over separate opponents in the finals.

He made short work of Quezon City entry Athan Arejola, 6-3, 6-2, in the 16-under championship match and beat another local bet, Jan Andrei Torres, 6-2, 6-3, for the 18-under crown in the tournament supported by Dunlop as the official ball.

He also partnered with Torres to claim the boys’ 18-under doubles’ title, but had to settle for second place in the mixed doubles as he and partner Aira Tolentino went down in defeat, 6-8, to Olongapo City’s Althea

Umali then paired up with Tan in the Boys’ Doubles’ event to earn a bronze medal after scoring 2500 over 6 games, behind winner, Hong Kong and 1st Runner-Up, Macau.

In the Boy’s Team event, the team of Umali, Tan, Ivan Malig and Louis Cantorna kept the top position after the first block with a slim 16-pin lead which they expanded to 142 pins at the end of the second block.

They earned the Philippines’ second gold medal, ahead of Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei.

Tan’s 1308 series gave him an aggregate All Events score of 3991, enough to win a third gold medal for the country.

Even before the Masters’ event, the Philippines had sealed its lead in the Boys’ medal tally.

The Philippine Girls’ Team composed of Daphne Custodio, JeikaYutero, Noelle Campos and Grace Gella caught up with Chinese Taipei B in the second block to finish with a score of 4075 in the Girls’ Team Event for a bronzemedal finish.

Fay Ong, winner of the girls’ 14-under crown, and Edgar Luis Bongco.

Earlier, Ong ruled the 14-under with a two-set, 6-3, 6-4 win over Ruth Demafelis from Valenzuela City.

Ong also shared the 18-under girls’ doubles crown with Paula Ysabelle Uy as they swept the duo of Sofia Cuarto and Jayline Manganti, 8-2, in the finals.

“These young winners, Labasano and Ong, certainly are showing great potentials.

It is just a matter of time that we should be seeing them in major national competitions as winners, too,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier.

Another double winner was Bacoor’s Rainier Angelo Selmar who ruled the boys’ 14-under group with a 6-4, 7-6 win over Olongapo City bet Axl Lajon Gonzaga in the championship match.

Selmar, together with Kidron Pascua posted an 8-3 victory over Jr. Cosca and Gonzaga.

THE Letran Knights and the San Beda Alabang Red Cubs held off separate foes in the ongoing 23rd Fr. Martin Cup Summer Basketball tournament.

Kier Quinto made only five points, but his timely baskets lifted the Knights to a 76-75 triumph over the AMA University Titans at the St. Placid gymnasium inside the San Beda-Manila campus in Mendiola.

Quinto knocked in two charities in the last 9.9 seconds, sending the Knights to their fourth win in five games in this cagefest supported by Armor On Sportswear.

The Knights, led by Rey Nambatac and Jerrick Balanza with 16 points, moved in contention for a quarterfinals seat in Group A. The Alabang Red Cubs posted back-toback wins, first with a 75-68 edging of St. Patrick School in the junior division. Then, they pulled off a 76-48 swamping of Paco Citizens Academy Foundation.

William Zuno tallied 23 points for the Alabang Red Cubs in their clash with St. Patrick, while Marlon Mahilum eked out 20 points in their encounter with PCAF. In other games, the National University Bulldogs won by default over Manuel L. Quezon University to pick up win no. 3 in Group B of the senior division, while AMA prevailed over Diliman College, 80-75.

Philippine Merchant Marine School won over Rich Golden Montessori School, 79-73, while La Salle Greenhills turned back Lyceum, 98-55, in the junior division.

In women’s action, Far Eastern University defeated College of St. Benilde, 83-28, to improve their win-loss record to 2-2, while La Salle outplayed Enderun College, 53-39.

NU stopped University of Santo Tomas, 60-47, to post win no. 2.

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 20, 2017

Beermen reclaim PBA lead

By Jeric Lopez BACK on track.

SAN Miguel Beer reclaimed sole possession of first place as it bounced back with a cruising 114-108 beatdown of dysfunctional NLEX to boost its bid further in the resumption of the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup last night at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

Charles Rhodes dominated to pace his squad, producing monster numbers of 37 points and 19 rebounds as he propelled the Beermen to victory.

San Miguel Beer moved back to solo first with a 6-1 card. More importantly, it moved a step closer to securing a berth in the quarterfinals and finishing in the Top 2.

Chris Ross likewise had a doubledouble, scoring 15 points and dishing out 11 assists while Arwind Santos had 13 to further help Rhodes.

The misery continued for the already-ousted Road Warriors as they remained winless in nine games, with only two games remaining.

It was one-sided affair from start to finish and the final tally might not indicate San Miguel’s dominance.

The Beermen ended the opening period with a decisive 17-2 bomb to take a commanding 36-22 spread into the second period.

From there, they never looked back and led by twin-digits most of the way before NLEX trimmed the distance in the closing minutes to make the final score respectable.

Just a day removed from Gilas Pilipinas’ SEABA championship win, reigning Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo surprisingly suited up and played for San Miguel, giving the Beermen a huge boost.

He scored 12 points, same production as Marcio Lassiter and Alex Cabagnot.

The new-look Road Warriors, despite some new weapons, still couldn’t find the mark.

NLEX is now playing with veterans JR Quinahan and Larry Fonacier after acquiring them in a trade two weeks ago as the team continued its rebuilding process amid all its struggles.

FOR FLAG AND COUNTRY. JuneMar Fajardo (left) and Japeth Aguilar wrap their backs with the Philippine flag after their Gilas Pilipinas team swept the competition in Southeast Asia Basketball Association, including a title-clinching 97-64 demolition of Indonesia Thursday night. Roman Prospero

Desperate Spurs promise to be aggressive vs Dubs S

AN FRANCISCO—Despite forward Kawhi Leonard being uncertain with a sprained left ankle and two disheartening NBA playoff losses at Golden State, the San Antonio Spurs vowed Thursday to fight back aggressively.

“You’ve got to be the aggressor. You’ve got to be sharp for 48 minutes and you’ve got to take it to them,” Spurs centre Pau Gasol said. “You’ve got to be the most physical team, the team that wants it the most and play with that edge and that feeling the entire game.”

The Spurs are reeling after squandering a 25-point lead to lose the best-of-seven Western Conference final opener 113111, top scorer Leonard going out in the process, and then being routed 136-100 by the Warriors in game two Tuesday.

Golden State won 67 games

this season, the only team to do better than San Antonio’s 61, and the Warriors were the NBA’s top-scoring club. They are 10-0 in the playoffs this year and could match the best start in NBA playoff history with a victory in game three Saturday at San Antonio.

The Spurs were the NBA’s top defensive squad, powered by two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Leonard, who also averaged a careerhigh 25.5 points.

While the scene shifts from California to Texas, the Spurs realize that another loss likely

spells doom for their title dreams.

“In a way it’s a game that you should be the most energized and ready to play, focused and with that edge, because you’re in a desperate position,” Gasol said.

“You’re a wounded animal and you should come out with everything you’ve got. It’s the easier game to prepare for if you’re down. It’s a difficult position to be in because if you lose then you know you’re pretty much out.”

Spurs’ LaMarcus Aldridge was prodded by Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to score more, although he has faced two and three defenders at times with Leonard and star guard Tony Parker both out injured.

“They have never really doubled like that and triple-teamed at times. It was definitely something different that I’ve seen,” Aldridge said. “But I have to play through it. Take my shot or

try to find an open guy.

“I think last game it definitely worked to their advantage with me getting passive. Our next game, I won’t do that. I’m going to play through it and I’m going to be all right.”

Aldridge made it clear there would be no collapse from the Spurs despite their latest drubbing.

“After a tough loss, guys want to play,” he said. “Every guy on the team is competitive and is ready to play now.”

‘Got to come out with that edge’ But they could use Leonard back on the court.

“He was sitting nicely on the sidelines,” Gasol said of Leonard’s practice contribution. “I think (his preparation) was as well as it can go. We have a good training staff that’s working with him and try to get that ankle right.”

Gasol called for attacking

Mondilla grabs clubhouse lead CARMONA, Cavite—Clyde Mondilla came out of nowhere to grab the clubhouse lead with an eagle-spiked 66 in a twice weather-delayed third round yesterday but Miguel Tabuena and Tony Lascuña lined themselves up for a marquee title clash in the ICTSI Manila Southwoods Championship at the Legends course here.

Mondilla struck from five flights behind to the top of the heap with five birdies and an eagle-3 on No. 14 against a bogey, stringing a pair of 33s for a 54-hole haul of 16-under 200 heading to the final 18 holes of the $60,000 championship sponsored by ICTSI. But the runner-up in last week’s Orchard Championship could settle for the second spot after completion of third round early today as Tabuena pooled a 17-under aggregate with three holes to play and Lascuña at 15-under with two holes left when the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

suspended play due to heavy rain and lightning.

“I’m playing solid. Since most were shooting low, I told myself that I should also make my move.

I was lucky to hit a lot of birdies and the eagle proved to be a bonus,” said Mondilla, who racked up three victories last year and finished second to Lascuña in the Order of Merit derby.

Elmer Salvador also remained in the hunt with a 14-under total with two holes to go while Mhark Fernando totaled 13-under 203 after a 70 in another low scoring day marred by a 90-minute stoppage due to lightning early afternoon and another 30 minutes delay late in the day before the PGTI suspended play.

American Nicolas Paez and Macedonian Peter Stojanovski also had running 13-under totals with two holes left to play.

Mondilla, in 12th place after 36 holes despite a pair of 67s, made his charge early with three

birdies in the first six holes, added another one on No. 10 but dropped a stroke on the 12th. But the threeleg winner last year bounced back with an eagle on No. 14 and a birdie on the next for that 66.

Tabuena, who has missed the spotlight in the first two rounds due to weather-delayed rounds, birdied five of his last six holes at completion of his second round, including four straight from No. 6, as he finished with a 63 to tie clubhouse leader Nilo Salahog at 14-under 130.

But they still stood two strokes behind American Lexus Keoninh, who birdied the last hole to cap a second round 65 and snatch the lead with a 16-under 128 total.

Lascuña, who shared the first round honors with Stojanovski with a bogey-free 62, birdied two of the last three holes at resumption of his second round play but lay four shots off Keoninh with a 132, a shot adrift of the 131s by Paez and Sumcad, who shot identical 65s.

Pocari, Creamline clash POCARI Sweat seeks to formalize its semifinal entry as it puts its six-game run on the line against Creamline today even as BaliPure tries to rebound from a sorry setback in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

The Lady Warriors are on a roll since dropping their first two matches, beating Air Force, Creamline, the Power Smashers, BaliPure and disposing of Perlas twice to zero in on the first semifinal berth in the season-opening conference of the country’s longest running volley league organized by Sports Vision.

Its come-from-behind five-set win over BaliPure last Thursday kept Pocari Sweat’s stirring rebound from a poor start going but the Lady Warriors brace for what could be their toughest test against

the back-to-the-wall Cool Smashers in their featured 6:30 p.m. encounter.

While Pocari is out in front with a 6-2 card, two games ahead of BaliPure’s 4-2 slate, Creamline, one of the pre-tournament favorites, is down at fifth in the six-team field with only two wins to show against four setbacks.

But with imports Laura Schaudt and Kuttika Kaewpin now finally set to see action, Alyssa Valdez expects to share the spotlight with their two reinforcements, thus easing up the load on the power-hitting phenom, who has failed to carry the team by her lonesome despite her 25-hit norm.

Meanwhile, BaliPure hopes to strike back as it likewise zeroes in on the second semis berth in the league backed

by Mikasa and Asics against lowly Air Force at 4 p.m.

the Warriors from the start and not letting up.

“You’ve got to take it to them. You’ve got to come out with that edge,” he said. “Not just come out with it, but keep it for 48 minutes, especially against a team that if you let them loose and they get comfortable, they’re going to make four or five threes in a row and now you’re in deep trouble.

“You’ve got to be decisive, but at the same time, you have to read what the defense throws at you.

They’ve done a good job of mixing it up. But at the same time, you have to read it, you have to make plays, and sometimes you’re going to make mistakes. But you want to be more aggressive than less in those positions.

“We’re down 2-0 and this game is critical for us. We all are very aware of that. So our life depends on it. I mean, our basketball life, not, you know.” AFP

Meralco Sparks eye win no. 3 Match Today

(Binan Football Stadium) 4 p.m. JPV Marikina vs Meralco Manila

Clyde Mondilla reacts after muffing a birdie putt on No. 7

UAAP athletes to be feted today THE UAAP will fete its studentathletes, who made a big impact for Season 79 in today’s closing ceremonies at the Plaza Mayor inside the University of Santo Tomas campus.

The highlight of the festivities which will start with the streetdance competition at 4 p.m. is the much-awaited announcement of the league’s Athlete of the Year.

Last season, there were four winners, with Ateneo volleyball superstar Alyssa Valdez, La Salle table tennis ace Ian Lariba, Ateneo tanker Jessie Khing Lacuna and Adamson softball standout Queeny Sababo sharing the league’s highest individual award.

The UAAP will also honor the athlete-scholars who not only excelled in sports but also in academics, while citations will be handed out to the league’s athletes who competed in various international tournaments during the 2016-17 season.

Outgoing Season 79 president Fr. Ermito de Sagun of University of Santo Tomas will turn over the UAAP flag to incoming Season 80 president Anton Montinola of Far Eastern University, who will also give the acceptance speech.

In the streetdance competition, three-time winner University of the Philippines seeks to maintaun its supremacy in the league’s final event of the season.

University of the East’s Ar-

mada will perform first, followed

by Adamson University’s CAST, UST Prime, UP Street, Company of Ateneo Dancers, FEU Dance Company and La Salle Dance Company Street.

The season saw De La Salle regaining the men’s basketball throne, winning a back-to-back women’s volleyball throne and a perfect women’s football season, and Ateneo gaining redemption in men’s football and baseball aside from topping men’s volleyball for the third straight year via a 16-0 sweep.

Adamson University also shone by winning its seventh consecutive softball crown, while UST swept the women’s and men’s beach volleyball titles.

MERALCO Manila puts its unbeaten record on the line when it clashes with JPV Marikina on Saturday in the Philippines Football League at Binan Football Stadium in Laguna.

The Sparks are gunning for a third straight victory against a JPV side that scored a crucial 3-2 away win over the Davao Aguilas in Tagum City last Sunday.

“We want to keep improving,” said Meralco coach Aris Caslib.

“We’ve done well in the first two matches, but there are areas in our game that we need to work on, especially with our defense.”

But Marikina will be a tougher assignment for the Sparks, who rolled to a 5-1 win over Stallion on opening day, before scoring a gritty 2-1 triumph over Ilocos United last Saturday.

With Japanese midfielder Takashi Odawara and striker Takumi Uesato doing damage, JPV seized control early only to endure anxious moments in stoppage time when it conceded a late penalty to Dylan De Bruycker.

Uesato’s goal in the 84th minute however proved enough for JPV to survive and come away with three points, after opening the season with a 1-2 loss to Global Cebu.

Tahj Minniecon will be looking to continue his fine form for the Sparks, after setting up left back Tyler Matas and right winger Jake Morallo for the goals last week against Ilocos.

Seven different players have scored for the Sparks in their first two matches, underlining the quality in the side.

Cebu Air spending P24b for expansionB2

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017

B1

EastWest plans to sell 20% stake

By Jonathan Browning and Joyce Koh

E

AST West Banking Corp., the Philippine lender that took over some of Standard Chartered Plc’s local operations last year, plans to sell a minority stake to a strategic investor, according to people familiar with the matter.

The retail-focused bank is working with an adviser to sell about a 20 percent stake, the people said, asking not to be identified because the discussions are confidential. Shares of East West have risen 26 percent this year, giving the lender a market value of about $702 million and mak-

ing it the second-best performer on a Philippine Stock Exchange index of financial stocks.

Philippine banks have been bringing in overseas partners and selling stock as they seek to fund loan growth and meet higher capital requirements.

Japanese and Taiwanese lend-

ers have been drawn to invest in the country after the Philippines loosened its rules on foreign bank ownership in 2014.

East West, the country’s thirteenth-largest lender by assets, said this month it’s open to taking in a new strategic investor.

Larger rival Security Bank Corp. sold a P36.9-billion ($740 million) stake last year to Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., Japan’s biggest bank. East West chief executive officer Antonio Moncupa declined to comment on a potential stake sale when reached by phone.

Wealthy families running some of the largest Philippine banks need to attract foreign capital and

know-how if they are to withstand growing competition from overseas rivals, the country’s bank regulator said in January last year.

Any transaction would add to the $3.1 billion of acquisitions targeting lenders in the country over the past five years, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

EastWest’s first-quarter net income climbed 54 percent to P1.2 billion, while total revenue increased to P6 billion, according to the bank’s website. It completed its takeover of Standard Chartered’s retail banking business in November last year, with the UK lender transferring its credit card operations, personal loans and customer deposits.

EastWest, the financial subsidiary of the Filinvest Group, said a 25-percent increase in net income this year was realistic after posting a remarkable growth in the first quarter.

“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 earlier “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. With Bloomberg

TransCo receives additional FIT rate

April BoP yielded surplus of $917m

THE country’s balance of payments position in April 2017 swung to a surplus of $917 million from a $550-million deficit a month ago, driven mainly by sustained remittance inflows, business process outsourcing receipts and merchandise exports, data from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Friday show.

The surplus was the highest in more than two years on a monthly basis since the $985-million surplus recorded in February 2015.

The April surplus significantly reduced the balance of payments deficit in the first four months to $78 million from $994 million a month ago.

“It is very encouraging that the April BoP position reversed to a surplus position and mitigated the cumulative BoP shortfall for the first four months of 2017,” Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said in a text message.

Julito G. Rada

Japan turns over 85 electric vehicles

JAPAN will turn over 85 next generation vehicles to the Energy Department for rollout to government agencies as part of 500-million yen grant to the Philippines.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhide Ishikawa on Friday turned over 24 units of advanced hybrid vehicles to various national government agencies.

Japan gave the Philippines the grant for the procurement and delivery of next generation vehicles, or hybrid, plug-in hybrid electric and electric vehicles, under the Japan Non-Project Grant Aid with the department as the implementing agency.

The 24 units represent the first batch of vehicles while the remaining 61 are due to arrive in September. Alena Mae S. Flores

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Energy Regulatory Commission allowed National Transmission Corp. to collect an additional P0.0590 per kilowatt-hour in feed-in tariff allowance from consumers, bringing the rate to P0.1830 per kWh starting next month.

“Additional amount for FIT All for 2016 is P0.0590.

Add that to the approved FIT All for 2015 and an earlier approved P0.1240, gives us an updated FIT-Allowance amount for over P0.18,” ERC commissioner and officer-incharge Alfredo Non said.

TransCo is currently collecting P0.1240 per kWh from consumers under the FIT-Allowance line item in the power bills as mandated by the Renewable Energy Act. The rate will be changed to P0.1830 per kWh in June following the ERC approval.

The approval followed ERC’s recent decision ordering Manila Electric Co. to refund P0.75 per kilowatt-hour to customers.

The approved Meralco refund, which will also take effect in June, will mitigate the impact of the higher FITAllowance.

ERC said it recognized the compelling need to adjust the FIT-Allowance “in order to avert any negative impact on the consumers who are actually subsidizing the growth of the RE industry through the FITAllowance Fund.”

ERC granted the adjustment of the FIT-Allowance charge “to all on-grid end-users for an additional amount of P0.0590 per kWh from the P0.1249 per kWh current level.”

IN BRIEF

Typhoon-resistant farm structure up

1,000TH SHELL STATION. Shell unveils its 1,000th retail station along Eton City in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Shell Eton station is expected to contribute to the emerging district of Sta. Rosa, which is dubbed the “Makati of the South.” Leading the unveiling of the station marker are Simon Henry, chief finance officer of Royal Dutch Shell (center, right) and Cesar Romero, country chairman of Shell Philippines (center, left).

They are joined by (from left) Ramon del Rosario, vice president for external relations; Tisha Sugui, retail district manager; Jenny Tan, Shell multi-site operator; and Jose Jerome Pascual, vice president for finance.

PH posted hot money inflows of $51.5m in April

By Julito G. Rada FOREIGN fund managers opted to retain their investments in the domestic financial markets in April in reaction to the recent World Bank view that the Philippine economy will continue to be a top performer in the region.

Latest data from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed registered foreign portfolio investments or “hot money” in April posted a net inflow of $51.49 million, a reversal of the net outflows of $354 million a year ago and $459.86 million a month ago.

“This development may be attributed to investor reaction to the World Bank’s view that the Philippines will continue to be

a top performer in the region, coupled with positive sentiment in anticipation of the country’s gross domestic product number for the first quarter of 2017,” Bangko Sentral said in a statement Friday.

The World Bank in mid April said the Philippine economy had the potential to expand by close to 7 percent in the next three years and remain one of the top performers in the region.

World Bank lead economist in the Philippines Birgit Hansl said growth was seen at 6.9 percent for 2017 and 2018, and 6.8 percent for 2019.

The consensus forecast of economists for GDP growth in the first quarter was around 6.8

to 6.9 percent. But the Philippine Statistics Authority said Thursday the economy only managed to grow 6.4 percent, slower than 6.9 percent a year ago in the absence of robust spending in the run-up to the national elections in May 2016.

Despite the slowdown, the first-quarter expansion was enough to outperform its peers in the region. It was also second to the 6.9 percent growth of China.

Total inflows of portfolio investments for the month reached $1.3 billion, offsetting the gross outflows of $1.26 billion. This brought hot money in the first four months to a net outflow of $516 million, a turnaround from the $56.26 million net inflow a

year ago.

“International developments such as the US air strikes against Syria and increase in US interest rates continued to influence investments into the country,” the regulator said.

About 67.8 percent of investments in April went to securities listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange, 32 percent to peso government securities, and the balance to other peso debt instruments.

Singapore, US, United Kingdom, Malaysia, and Hong Kong were the top five investor countries for the month. The US remained the main destination of outflows, receiving 75.7 percent of total remittances.

AN engineer-scientist from the Philippine Rice Research Institute has developed a typhoon-resistant structure to protect farm investments in the Philippines, a typhoon-prone country Dr. Ricardo Orge, a PhilRice engineer-scientist, developed an innovation, called kwebo, to address the quandary.

Orge said kwebo is an easy-toconstruct, typhoon-resistant structure, requiring minimal involvement of skilled workers.

He said kwebo is a farm structure that has the strength of a cave, with the simple design of a nipa hut. He thought about the innovation during his hometown visit in Leyte, six months after typhoon Yolanda in November 2013.

Anna Leah E. Gonzales

PSE C OMPOSITE 8500 8000 7500 7000 6500 6000

7,767.62 9.93

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing MAY 19, 2017 45.00 46.50 48.00 49.50

Melco PH is world’s best-performing casino stock

By Ian Sayson

CLARK-BAGABAG ROUTE. Clark International Airport Corp. president and CEO Alexander

Cauguiran (fourth from right) Department of Tourism Undersecretary Alma Rita Jimenez (third from left, foreground) cut the ribbon formally launching the Clark-Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya service of Wakay Air at the Clark International Airport Domestic Terminal yesterday. With them are (from left) DoT Cordillera Administrative Region director Venus Tan; DoT Region II director Virgilio Maguigad; Rep. Luisa Cuaresma of Nueva Vizcaya; DoT Region III director Ronaldo Tiotuico; DoT Assistant Secretary Frederick Alegre; Wakay Tours president Jerry Cabalce; and DoT Region I director Martin Valera.

MELCO Crown Philippines Resorts Corp. is the best-performing casino stock in the world this year. To punters playing baccarat at the company’s City of Dreams venue in Manila, that’s no surprise.

“Foreign players have multiplied and they’re mostly Chinese,” said Fernando, 49, a Filipino supply manager who has been gambling at City of Dreams—which boasts goldtinted windows and a children’s theme park—since it opened officially in 2015. He didn’t want to give his surname. “There are times that you need to wait to get a seat at the tables and when there’s a thick crowd it’s not rare that you’re playing with a Chinese tourist.”

China is key to this year’s 122 percent surge in shares of Melco Crown Philippines, a subsidiary of Hong Kong gaming behemoth Melco Resorts & Entertain-

ment Ltd. The close connection with Macau puts Melco Crown Philippines in the box seat to benefit from President Rodrigo Duterte’s bid to ease tensions with Beijing. At the same time, an anti-corruption drive in the former Portuguese colony is sending gamblers south to Manila.

Ironically, the company’s link to the Chinese betting enclave— Melco Resorts owns four casinos in Macau—has been a factor in its stock’s success. The Philippines’ embrace of phone gambling, banned in Macau last year, is also a big plus for Chinese punters.

Since the end of 2015, Melco Crown Philippines has returned almost eight times more than a Bloomberg Intelligence index of global casino stocks. The company is posting the steepest gains among casino operators with a market value of at least $500 million this year—and it only just started turning a profit.

INDEX

Closing May 19, 2017

P49.870 CLOSE

51.00

HIGH P49.850 LOW P49.945 AVERAGE P49.906 VOLUME 473.800M

P435.00-P680.00 LPG/11-kg tank P37.65-P49.80 Unleaded Gasoline P26.70-P31.91 Diesel

O

IL PRICES TODAY

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

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, May 19, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.8340

Japan

Yen

0.008971

0.4471

UK

Pound

1.294300

64.5001

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128513

6.4043

Switzerland

Franc

1.020721

50.8666

Canada

Dollar

0.735240

36.6400

Singapore

Dollar

0.718184

35.7900

Australia

Dollar

0.741600

36.9569

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655196

132.3190

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266674

13.2894

Brunei

Dollar

0.715615

35.6620

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028994

1.4449

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.5684

Euro

Euro

1.110500

Korea

Won

0.000886

0.0442

China

Yuan

0.145222

7.2370

India

Rupee

0.015415

0.7682

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.231160

11.5196

New Zealand

Dollar

0.689700

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033114

55.3407

34.3705 1.6502 Source: PDS Bridge

B2

Business

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks up; Melco, Petron rise

T

he stock market rose slightly Friday on bargain-hunting after retreating the other day, after the government announced a lower-than-expected first-quarter economic growth.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 9.93 points, or 0.1 percent, to 7,767.62 on a value turnover of nearly P6 billion. Gainers beat losers, 108 to 73, with 58 issues unchanged.

Economic growth decelerated to 6.4 percent in the first quarter, the slowest in five quarters, amid weak government spending following last year’s robust construction activities in the run-up to the May presidential elections.

Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corp., best-performing casino stock in the world this year, advanced 3.7 percent to P8.50. Melco, a subsidiary of Hong Kong gaming behemoth Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd., has surged 122 percent this year.

The close connection with Macau puts Melco Crown in the box seat to benefit from President Rodrigo Duterte’s bid to ease tensions with Beijing. At

the same time, an anti-corruption drive in the former Portuguese colony is sending gamblers south to Manila.

Petron Corp., the bigger of the two oil refineries, climbed 2.7 percent to P10.68. The company expects net income to exceed P20 billion this year, based on monthly earnings of P2 billion a month.

Petron president and chief executive Ramon Ang told reporters a P20-billion full-year income was not only attainable but could be the “minimum” of what the company could earn this year.

Jollibee Foods Corp., the largest fastfood chain, gained 1.5 percent to P203, while International Container Terminal Services Inc., the biggest port operator, rose 1 percent to P99.

Asian traders, meanwhile, headed into the weekend on a nervous note Friday as a pick-up in US stocks and positive data were offset by worries about a crisis engulfing Donald Trump’s presidency that could throw his economic agenda into doubt.

Markets in the region were rocked Thursday by claims by recently fired FBI boss James Comey that the president pressed him to drop a probe into ex-national security advisor Michael Flynn’s links to Moscow.

That came a day after it was reported Trump had divulged classified information to Russia’s foreign minister, fanning further allegations about his own ties to the country’s leaders.

The reports compounded a cri-

sis at the White House that has led for calls for the tycoon to be impeached, fanning fears that his plans for tax cuts and ramped up infrastructure spending could be knocked off course.

Trump on Thursday slapped down the accusations against him and said he was the victim of the “greatest witch hunt” in American political history.

In Asian trade Tokyo ended up 0.2 percent, Hong Kong gained 0.3 percent and Seoul put on 0.1 percent while Shanghai was flat and Sydney eased 0.2 percent.

Singapore was also flat, while Taipei retreated.

And in early European trade London rose 0.3 percent, while Paris and Frankfurt each rose 0.1 percent. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW FRIDAY, MAY 19, 2017

NAME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 4.12 2,048,000 49.55 41,200 106.1 789,220 4.02 1,000 121.2 1,478,770 1.5 3,801,000 35.35 499,400 16.4 54,200 23.35 2,057,400 7.73 1,100 0.68 13,000 785 70 0.69 2,759,000 89 1,081,070 0.72 40,000 15.4 22,200 67 40,590 242 2,400 55.9 851,570 215.6 614,280 1,605 160 84 36,180 1.2 44,000

8,394,830 2,032,630 83,716,303 4,020 178,824,020 5,650,620 17,575,055 888,380 47,899,090 8,507 8,760 54,850 1,903,020 96,037,399 28,800 342,180 2,710,340.50 580,620 47,587,337 132,420,946 257,470 3,100,267.50 52,800

-395,780 1,875,795 5,685,341 -59,412,620 -302,100 9,720,645 754,288 13,562,015 31,322,274 1,607,314 26,510 -8,794,364 -5,238,130 -440,467.50 -

39.8 5.77 0.83 1.55 21.7 0.27 7.07 16.98 192.8 22.95 14.34 74 80 1.9 5.7 11.8 12.72 9.9 6.7 5.96 19.56 70.15 13.3 14.12 9.78 1.51 200.4 4.51 3.7 31.2 18.3 18.56 275.2 0.242 6.2 3.38 10.4 11.5 2.09 11.16 1.93 67.65 5.9 295 4.85 3.2 12.9 4.5 0.146 1.36 157.5 4.1 1.58 1.07

INDUSTRIAL 39.9 1,554,700 6.01 3,984,000 0.84 7,243,000 1.59 1,736,000 21.75 4,100 0.28 9,000,000 7.09 3,133,400 16.98 3,308,900 192.8 50 23.25 199,800 14.34 7,300 74 420 80 4,770 1.92 368,000 5.7 200,600 11.8 1,500 12.78 2,513,400 10.2 1,933,800 6.82 1,308,600 5.99 10,818,700 19.68 2,969,900 70.4 28,080 13.3 2,400 14.32 137,000 9.8 2,614,000 1.58 7,367,000 203 589,050 4.55 351,000 3.7 83,000 31.3 1,548,000 18.5 3,490,000 19.36 2,689,200 278.8 104,860 0.245 1,730,000 6.2 3,600 3.39 69,000 10.68 16,312,600 11.5 3,600 2.11 5,868,000 11.16 1,388,700 1.95 1,173,000 67.8 435,500 6 8,252,000 295.2 400 4.85 3,000 3.34 771,000 12.96 2,759,200 4.5 45,000 0.151 190,000 1.36 85,000 159.6 1,839,420 4.1 124,000 1.61 1,623,000 1.1 111,000

62,008,965 23,476,113 6,264,930 2,766,250 89,700 2,473,400 22,340,753 56,357,466 9,640 4,636,335 105,276 31,080 383,949 707,580 1,143,420 17,700 32,100,130 19,670,804 8,923,063 64,822,301 58,573,342 1,971,426.50 31,950 1,950,190 25,849,463 11,579,720 119,346,152 1,598,960 308,810 48,488,665 65,205,754 51,835,564 29,127,312 420,310 22,590 233,820 173,415,952 41,400 12,296,760 15,636,434 2,278,120 29,576,184.50 48,693,704 118,308 14,550 2,564,200 35,909,220 202,550 27,890 116,600 292,162,593 510,710 2,586,700 121,290

-56,961,495 1,501,847 1,274,500 2,240 5,696,400 13,395,516 -31,080 -5,730 -8,644,052 -8,292,808 558,070 37,618,717 -17,581,286 776,073.50 -391,038 -326,860 -67,200 -48,585,548 22,128,255 -33,708,270 -3,435,836 17,855,894 9,720 50,660 19,856,790 7,786,450 863,360 115,780 -20,462,099 -1,263,024 -1,329,086 -150,035,274 506,830 -

0.365 75 14.86 1.12 6.1 0.32 0.335 861 8.14 13.22 7.78 5.6 0.198 1,229 6.55 81.3 4.15 1 7.1 15.66 6.48 3.3 0.057 2.03 108 2.8 772 0.92 1.39 308.8 0.29 0.205 0.247

HOLDING FIRMS 0.365 640,000 75.8 1,213,800 14.9 7,489,200 1.15 220,000 6.2 6,600 0.34 15,930,000 0.335 4,770,000 864.5 111,280 8.14 1,620,800 13.24 7,620,700 7.85 22,900 5.7 6,600 0.199 530,000 1,249 169,045 6.75 581,100 83 1,923,050 4.5 2,000 1 1,455,000 7.18 523,400 16.24 8,562,400 6.6 17,159,300 3.3 1,000 0.059 64,380,000 2.1 2,816,000 109 191,470 2.9 240,000 775 483,100 0.92 30,000 1.39 24,000 310 1,790 0.295 400,000 0.205 10,000 0.247 80,000

233,750 91,904,672.5(52 111,690,534 247,020 40,919 5,323,750 1,603,050 96,151,370 13,213,737 100,947,398 178,809 37,420 105,310 209,565,040 3,919,785 159,238,549 8,650 1,476,010 3,757,123 137,954,140 113,154,201 3,300 3,752,940 5,943,790 20,819,413 692,010 374,474,810 27,600 33,380 553,836 116,050 2,050 19,760

,123,167.0003) -21,017,742 20,460 -51,445,445 9,356,175 35,414,954 -49,678,685 -6,364,651 -2,474,262 -18,834,118 -2,822,656 -42,600 11,783,645 3,977,240 -11,120 -167,060 -

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

AG FINANCE 3.74 ASIA UNITED 49 BANK PH ISLANDS 106 BDO LEASING 4.02 BDO UNIBANK 120.1 BRIGHT KINDLE 1.3 CHINABANK 35.1 COL FINANCIAL 16.24 EAST WEST BANK 22.8 FILIPINO FUND 7.74 FIRST ABACUS 0.67 MANULIFE 780 MEDCO HLDG 0.69 METROBANK 89 NTL REINSURANCE 0.72 PB BANK 15.4 PHIL NATL BANK 66.5 PHIL STOCK EXCH 243 RCBC 55.5 SECURITY BANK 215.8 SUN LIFE 1,605 UNION BANK 85.5 VANTAGE 1.2

4.38 49.55 106.2 4.02 121.5 1.58 35.55 16.44 23.5 7.74 0.68 785 0.7 89 0.72 15.5 67 243 56.5 216 1,629 86.5 1.2

3.74 48.6 105.9 4.02 120.1 1.3 34.9 16.24 22.65 7.73 0.67 780 0.68 88.45 0.72 15.4 66 241 55.3 215.2 1,605 84 1.2

ABOITIZ POWER 40 AGRINURTURE 5.8 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.83 ALSONS CONS 1.55 ASIABEST GROUP 22.35 BASIC ENERGY 0.27 CEMEX HLDG 7.19 CENTURY FOOD 17.32 CHEMPHIL 192.8 CIRTEK HLDG 23 CNTRL AZUCARERA14.46 CONCEPCION 74 CONCRETE A 81.3 CROWN ASIA 1.91 DAVINCI CAPITAL 5.7 DEL MONTE 11.8 DNL INDUS 12.8 EEI CORP 9.9 EMPERADOR 6.77 ENERGY DEVT 5.99 FIRST GEN 19.98 FIRST PHIL HLDG 70.15 GINEBRA 13.4 HOLCIM 14.12 INTEGRATED MICR 9.99 IONICS 1.53 JOLLIBEE 201 LMG CHEMICALS 4.55 MABUHAY VINYL 3.71 MANILA WATER 31.3 MAXS GROUP 18.6 MEGAWIDE 18.6 MERALCO 275.2 MG HLDG 0.244 PANASONIC 6.29 PEPSI COLA 3.38 PETRON 10.44 PHINMA 11.5 PHINMA ENERGY 2.1 PHX PETROLEUM 11.22 PHX SEMICNDCTR 1.93 PILIPINAS SHELL 68 PRYCE CORP 5.9 PUREFOODS 299.6 RFM CORP 4.85 ROXAS HLDG 3.2 SHAKEYS PIZZA 12.96 SPC POWER 4.55 SWIFT FOODS 0.146 TKC METALS 1.43 UNIV ROBINA 159.4 VICTORIAS 4.11 VITARICH 1.58 VULCAN INDL 1.09

40 6.01 0.9 1.62 22.4 0.285 7.19 17.48 192.8 23.25 14.56 74 81.3 1.94 5.7 11.8 12.82 10.3 6.84 6 19.98 70.5 13.4 14.42 10.06 1.64 204.8 4.62 3.75 31.5 19 19.58 279 0.245 6.29 3.4 10.7 11.5 2.12 11.4 1.99 68.1 6 299.6 4.85 3.4 13.24 4.55 0.151 1.43 159.8 4.15 1.61 1.11

ABACORE CAPITAL 0.365 ABOITIZ EQUITY 76.05 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 14.86 ANGLO PHIL HLDG 1.12 ANSCOR 6.24 ATN HLDG A 0.33 ATN HLDG B 0.335 AYALA CORP 863 COSCO CAPITAL 8.15 DMCI HLDG 13.22 FILINVEST DEV 7.89 FJ PRINCE A 5.75 FORUM PACIFIC 0.199 GT CAPITAL 1,239 HOUSE OF INV 6.75 JG SUMMIT 81.9 JOLLIVILLE HLDG 4.15 LODESTAR 1.01 LOPEZ HLDG 7.2 LT GROUP 16.1 METRO PAC INV 6.48 MJC INVESTMENTS 3.3 PACIFICA 0.059 PRIME ORION 2.03 SAN MIGUEL CORP 108.6 SEAFRONT RES 2.81 SM INVESTMENTS 779 SOC RESOURCES 0.92 SOLID GROUP 1.39 TOP FRONTIER 310 UNIOIL HLDG 0.29 WELLEX INDUS 0.205 ZEUS HLDG 0.247

0.37 76.05 15.04 1.15 6.24 0.345 0.34 865.5 8.17 13.28 7.89 5.75 0.199 1,260 6.95 83 4.5 1.03 7.2 16.38 6.7 3.3 0.06 2.14 109 2.93 783 0.92 1.4 310 0.295 0.205 0.247

8990 HLDG A BROWN ANCHOR LAND ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE IRC PROP MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL REALTY

OPEN

6.77 1.2 6.5 2.23 1.33 37.6 4.15 5.32 0.495 1.06 1.41 0.159 0.52 49.8 0.7 0.159 1.62 1.04 1.01 4.22 0.35 0.37 0.75

6.77 1.3 6.5 2.25 1.35 37.75 4.17 5.32 0.5 1.06 1.41 0.159 0.55 50.5 0.7 0.165 1.62 1.06 1.04 4.24 0.38 0.375 0.79

6.55 1.2 6.5 2.21 1.32 37.3 4.08 5.31 0.495 1.06 1.34 0.157 0.52 49.6 0.69 0.157 1.6 1.03 1.01 4.18 0.35 0.36 0.75

VOLUME

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

PRIMEX CORP 4.05 PTFC REDEV CORP 31.3 ROBINSONS LAND 24 ROCKWELL 1.7 SHANG PROP 3.25 SM PRIME HLDG 32.45 STA LUCIA LAND 1 STARMALLS 6.98 SUNTRUST HOME 0.89 VISTA LAND 5.12

4.13 34.15 24.5 1.7 3.26 32.65 1.01 6.98 0.89 5.2

4.01 31 24 1.7 3.25 32.15 0.98 6.98 0.88 5.12

4.1 31 24.2 1.7 3.25 32.5 1 6.98 0.88 5.2

563,000 1,900 1,066,300 312,000 160,000 8,349,300 2,421,000 3,000 535,000 1,981,600

2,291,890 60,115 25,771,795 530,400 520,100 271,516,830 2,395,600 20,940 470,810 10,272,779

8,200 -3,427,445 14,424,870 651,646

2GO GROUP 17.2 ABS CBN 43.7 APC GROUP 0.52 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.046 ASIAN TERMINALS 11.1 BERJAYA 6.05 BLOOMBERRY 9.75 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.085 CALATA CORP 1.95 CEBU AIR 97.7 CENTRO ESCOLAR 9.83 DFNN INC 8.88 FAR EASTERN U 970 GLOBE TELECOM 2,002 GMA NETWORK 6.15 GOLDEN HAVEN 16.18 HARBOR STAR 2.9 IMPERIAL 3.62 INTL CONTAINER 98 IPM HLDG 8.95 ISLAND INFO 0.181 ISM COMM 1.35 JACKSTONES 3.69 LBC EXPRESS 16.6 LEISURE AND RES 3.85 LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.96 MACROASIA 4.32 MANILA JOCKEY 2.38 MELCO CROWN 8.2 METRO RETAIL 3.82 NOW CORP 2.61 PACIFIC ONLINE 11.54 PAL HLDG 5.46 PHIL SEVEN CORP 180 PHILWEB 8.02 PLDT 1,610 PREMIUM LEISURE 1.5 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.4 PUREGOLD 43.3 ROBINSONS RTL 83.95 SBS PHIL CORP 5.88 SSI GROUP 2.55 STI HLDG 1.08 TRANSPACIFIC BR 2.13 TRAVELLERS 3.4 WATERFRONT 0.66 WILCON DEPOT 5.35

17.36 43.8 0.54 0.047 11.1 6.05 9.93 0.089 2.01 98.75 9.83 9.01 970 2,014 6.15 16.38 2.98 3.62 99 8.95 0.183 1.36 3.69 16.6 4.2 0.96 4.37 2.43 8.5 3.9 2.65 11.54 5.46 180 8.42 1,618 1.53 0.4 43.55 84 5.9 2.64 1.12 2.15 3.55 0.69 5.46

17.02 43 0.51 0.046 11.1 5.75 9.55 0.085 1.94 97.6 9.8 8.88 970 1,985 6.11 16.12 2.88 3.44 97.5 8.9 0.18 1.34 3.69 16.54 3.81 0.94 4.32 2.34 8.2 3.78 2.61 11.54 5.33 180 8.02 1,602 1.5 0.4 43.05 83.2 5.88 2.54 1.08 2.13 3.4 0.66 5.35

SERVICES 17.24 257,900 43.65 45,200 0.52 2,624,000 0.046 37,700,000 11.1 4,700 5.75 229,400 9.6 6,989,100 0.087 44,720,000 1.99 2,531,000 97.7 74,540 9.8 16,800 8.95 235,300 970 170 2,014 40,630 6.13 270,700 16.32 59,400 2.91 1,038,000 3.5 28,000 99 2,953,170 8.9 323,100 0.182 2,010,000 1.36 476,000 3.69 1,000 16.54 5,000 4.11 1,392,000 0.94 25,000 4.35 319,000 2.38 857,000 8.5 13,812,500 3.84 1,442,000 2.64 1,787,000 11.54 3,000 5.33 12,900 180 20 8.2 1,763,900 1,610 101,515 1.53 8,319,000 0.4 950,000 43.35 1,373,900 83.65 422,390 5.89 414,000 2.62 20,955,000 1.11 5,286,000 2.13 10,000 3.41 3,942,000 0.68 5,888,000 5.39 16,220,300

4,438,060 1,968,005 1,375,540 1,740,600 52,170 1,335,560 67,812,759 3,887,200 5,028,510 7,308,477 164,700 2,110,046 164,900 81,290,295 1,659,282 965,672 3,015,040 97,040 289,864,043 2,888,213 364,760 641,710 3,690 82,916 5,595,090 23,830 1,387,680 2,026,890 116,696,792 9 5,510,320 4,703,750 34,620 69,015 3,600 14,626,673 163,307,220 12,642,600 380,000 59,602,685 35,260,083.50 2,434,514 54,386,970 5,875,860 21,320 13,678,070 4,000,040 88,006,034

821,114 61,680 -13,598,612 88,000 1,395,110 -2,435,353.50 -90,395.00 -7,200,510 80,700 57,800 3,450 81,764,471 19,350 ,184,928.9998 -1,685,190 252,300 -6,069,231 -83,044,825 -38,700 -1,801,175 5,378,428.50 -14,750 1,645,130 1,071,130 -5,570,460 14,940.00 47,339,205

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

0.0032 1.99 5.01 2.15 0.91 0.4 8.95 2.46 0.25 0.189 0.194 0.011 0.011 1.87 6.11 2.21 1.02 0.011 0.011 5.75 0.013 9.1 3.57 158.1 2.72 0.0087

0.0033 2 5.1 2.15 0.92 0.4 8.95 2.54 0.25 0.189 0.195 0.012 0.011 1.87 6.17 2.22 1.16 0.011 0.011 5.75 0.013 9.1 3.85 158.8 2.8 0.0087

0.0032 1.92 5.01 2.07 0.9 0.4 8.38 2.45 0.249 0.188 0.194 0.011 0.011 1.85 6.07 2.15 1.02 0.011 0.011 5.5 0.013 8.95 3.55 157.6 2.72 0.0087

MINING & OIL 0.0033 252,000,000 1.98 10,249,000 5.1 21,800 2.07 6,000 0.91 1,055,000 0.4 350,000 8.95 2,900 2.51 1,612,000 0.25 90,000 0.189 2,670,000 0.195 130,000 0.011 25,500,000 0.011 67,000,000 1.85 57,000 6.16 1,374,700 2.2 60,000 1.06 5,463,000 0.011 200,000 0.011 100,000 5.53 290,900 0.013 27,700,000 9.1 241,300 3.71 6,527,000 158 1,100,990 2.78 159,000 0.0087 16,000,000

809,900 20,075,580 110,143 12,820 958,450 140,000 25,898 3,992,360 22,490 504,140 25,250 289,300 737,000 105,790 8,433,719 129,810 5,805,540 2,200 1,100 1,615,814 360,100 2,186,290 24,423,040 173,864,061 441,850 139,200

0 -1,833,650 -1,004 -10,920 540,150 5,000 -19,400 -2,812,647 -2,760 -277,600 937,690 221,920 -27,559,068 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF F GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B LR PREF MWIDE PREF PF PREF 2 PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2H

44 517 106.3 104.5 112.5 5.85 1,022 1.1 109.7 1,019 107.9 110 77.75 81 76.2 79.5 78.4

44 517 106.3 105.5 112.5 5.85 1,022 1.1 109.7 1,019 107.9 110 77.75 81 76.7 79.5 78.4

43.1 517 106 104.5 112.3 5.82 1,022 1.1 108 1,019 107.9 110 77 81 76.2 79.3 78.25

PREFERRED 43.1 2,400 517 2,240 106 70,000 104.5 30,390 112.5 7,750 5.82 333,300 1,022 5 1.1 4,000 109.7 14,020 1,019 485 107.9 10 110 1,000 77.2 20,760 81 5,000 76.2 27,160 79.3 14,000 78.3 155,420

103,530 1,158,080 7,423,080 3,175,955 871,815 1,940,010 5,110 4,400 1,514,194 494,215 1,079 110,000 1,598,662 405,000 2,069,772 1,111,424 12,176,507.50

-4,400 100,700 -1,900,882 -

LR WARRANT

2.18

2.29

2.18

WARRANTS 2.29 246,000

552,100

-78,750

1,227,780 1,493,074 37,211,642

164,000 412,819

NAME

OPEN

MS

PROPERTY 6.6 653,600 1.21 9,417,000 6.5 2,400 2.25 250,000 1.34 4,842,000 37.4 11,699,600 4.14 1,994,000 5.31 1,000 0.5 2,410,000 1.06 32,000 1.38 543,000 0.157 3,840,000 0.54 15,508,000 50.5 159,160 0.7 41,000 0.158 2,680,000 1.6 8,743,000 1.04 11,784,000 1.03 509,000 4.24 11,236,000 0.37 112,560,000 0.365 750,000 0.75 43,890,000

4,339,757 11,632,410 15,600 557,670 6,463,810 438,477,180 8,211,160 5,311 1,193,550 33,920 734,840 603,680 8,369,140 7,971,616.50 28,500 424,650 14,062,200 12,347,120 518,190 47,413,090 41,399,400 273,300 33,657,370

-3,330,173 -108,400 -15,600 4,480 324,720 -199,185,665 2,263,510 -103,950 -7,000 -1,243,950 1,853,943.50 0 47,400 -12,912,320 21,759,330 -61,950 3,750 -570,080

SME

ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

4.11 6.4 8.01

4.26 6.4 8.43

4.08 6.29 8.01

FIRST METRO ETF 128.5

128.8

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 128.2 128.8 4,890

628,808

221,393

USD DMPL A1

10.5

10.5

DDS 10.5

199,395

-

10.5

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

SHARES

16,277,499

INDUSTRIAL

113,545,239

HOLDING FIRMS

139,448,711

PROPERTY

270,213,077

SERVICES

189,592,054

MINING & OIL

421,034,997

GRAND TOTAL

1,155,131,367

4.1 6.3 8.41

299,000 236,400 4,479,000

18,990

VALUE 1,924.67 (UP) 6.12 630,122,943.12 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,012.37 (UP) 66.48 1,397,705,411.575 HOLDING FIRMS 7,918.23 (DOWN) 0.22 1,475,766,228.38 PROPERTY 3,497.77 (DONW) 4.18 1,607.93 (UP) 5.38 1,056,686,404.16 SERVICES MINING & OIL 12,595.70 (DOWN) 19.68 1,120,734,658.82 PSEI 7,767.62 (UP) 9.93 245,273,501.775 All Shares Index 4,634.25 (UP) 7.83 5,966,851,996.83 Gainers: 108; Losers: 73; Unchanged: 58; Total: 239

Cebu Air spending P24b for expansion

By Darwin G. Amojelar CEBU Air Inc., the operator of Cebu Pacific and Cebgo, has programmed P24 billion in capital expenditures this year to finance fleet expansion.

The budget airline, owned by the Gokongwei Group, is acquiring an additional 35 aircraft until 2019 for domestic and international flights expansion.

“The additional aircraft will support CEB’s plans to increase frequency on current routes and to add new city pairs and destinations,” Cebu Pacific said.

The group operates a fleet of 59 aircraft, which comprise of 4 Airbus A319, 36 Airbus A320, 7 Airbus A330, 8 ATR 72-500 aircraft and 4 ATR 72600.

Cebu Pacific group operates 62 domestic and 41 international routes with a total of 2,870 scheduled weekly flights.

Cebu Pacific posted a net income of P1.28 billion in the January-to-March period from the P4.04 billion last year.

Revenues amounted to P16.86 billion at end March, 4.7 percent higher than P16.11 billion last year.

Passenger revenues rose P2.1 percent to P12.28 billion in the first three months ending March from P12.02 billion in the same period last year.

The increase was mainly attributable to the 2.6 percent increase in the average fares to P2,551 for the three months from P2,486 last year, which was partially offset by the slight decrease in passenger volume by 0.5 percent.

The company’s cargo revenues increased 21.3 percent to P1.01 billion from P836.43 million last year.

EEI bullish on local market

By Jenniffer B. Austria EEI Corp., the construction unit of the Yuchengco Group, is bullish on the local industry after order book reached P54.7 billion as of end-March 2017.

EEI said in a regulatory filing the P54.7-billion order book included P10.7 billion worth of unworked portion from Al Rushaid Construction Co. in Saudi Arabia, in which the company has a stake of 49 percent.

“This backlog of projects is healthy, and overall, EEI expects a robust performance in its domestic operations driven by buildings, large infrastructure, and heavy industrial projects in its pipeline. It foresees more projects from high-win probability prospects currently being pursued,” EEI said.

“There is optimism in the prospects and projects being carried out by the company‟s subsidiaries. With all these on-going initiatives against the opportunity canvass, the company remains optimistic of its ability to achieve sustained growth in the medium term,” it added.

The firm said private construction had remained steady, while public construction activity was expected to accelerate on increased government spending on infrastructure projects.

“The government has mentioned a target of over P8 trillion to be spent on infrastructure during the current administration’s 6-year term.

The company sees this as a good growth opportunity since it is confident in its capabilities of undertaking such work,” EEI said.

Home / Design

HISTORICAL SITE. New San Jose Builders Inc. (NSJBI) recently held a topping off ceremony for its latest development,

Victoria De Manila Tower at Taft Avenue cor. Gen Malvar St. in Manila. Present at the ceremony were Carlos Arsolon, NSJB sales head; Jun De Leon, President, Cesar Sanqui Jr., executive vice president; Ms. Lorelie Urcia, senior vice president; Engr.

Eric Luna, vice President for operations; and Engr. Bobby Dizon

B3

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

REVOLUTIONIZING COOLING. Concepcion Building and Industrial Solutions (BIS) recently introduced the Carrier XPower Silver II, a full DC (direct current) hiwall system using a non-ozone depleting refrigerant.

This product packs three impressive features in one model: energy efficiency, environment responsibility, and the innovation of remotely controlling the unit in real time, said Rajan Komarasu, group director of Concepcion Industrial Inc.’s (CIC) commercial arm.

It has a full DC system that uses the R-410A, a nonflammable refrigerant, and can be controlled over the internet using an app. With its full DC inverter system, the Carrier XPower Silver II uses less energy, and delivers faster cooling with up to 15% more air flow. Designed for modern urban living, it will be used by two of the biggest developers in the country in their upcoming residential developments in Metro Manila.

TAKING THE LESS TRODDEN PATH. While many Filipino developers remain reluctant to invest in green building technologies, a company based in Taguig City did the opposite and met with success.

Founded in 1999, The Net Group (TNG)— developer and owner of seven intelligent office buildings within the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City—is committed to making future buildings green, and to “greenify” its earlier developments. The Net Lima was the first project to be certified under the BERDE (Builidng for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence) rating tool of the Philippine Green Building Council with a 4 Star rating. Net Cube (Seen in photo) is currently undergoing BERDE certification and hopes to be the first project to achieve a 5-Star rating.

Daiichi links up with top regional property firm. Daiichi Properties recently acquired Ascendas Services Philippines Corporation (Ascendas), the local unit of the Ascendas-Singbridge Group of Singapore. “The acquisition allows Daiichi Properties to leverage on Ascendas’ expertise in the property management business,” said Daiichi Properties senior vice president Charmaine Uy. Ascendas Philippines was the local subsidiary of the property management arm of the AscendasSingbridge Group, a leading provider of sustainable urban solutions. Ascendas-Singbridge has projects spanning townships, mixed-use developments and business/industrial parks in 29 cities across 10 countries in the Asia-Pacific Region. Daiichi Properties, a leading office space developer in the Philippines, now moves into the property management business, complementing its property development, sales and leasing services. At the contract signing were (from left): Daiichi Properties senior vice president Charmaine Uy; president Salvador Uy; Ascendas-Singbridge chief financial officer for Singapore & Southeast Asia Ken Ho; and deputy chief executive officer for Singapore & Southeast Asia William Tay.

TOP BILLING. SMX convention center has grown as a simple meetings and conventions facility to a go-to venue for both local and

international events, covering seven properties, and an three additional properties in 2019. Now going on its 10th year, SMX Manila, the flagship property, remains the strongest industry player with four halls that can house 10,000 persons, five function rooms and 15 smaller meeting rooms with a total of 17,480 square meters of leasable space. SMX convention center Davao came about in 2012.

Located on the third level of the SM Lanang Premier, it boasts a gross floor area of 7,835 square meters. SMX Aura was launched in 2013 at the third and fourth levels of SM Aura Premier at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, with a total 3,137 square meters of leasable space. SMX Bacolod kicked off in 2014, and became the leader in the Negros Island Region’s local and foreign MICE events as well as corporate and social functions. Sky Hall Seaside Cebu blasted off in 2016 to become the scene for social and corporate events in bustling Cebu city. “Having a second events venue in a growing city like Cebu, will only reinforce our company’s commitment to have a presence in key Philippine gateway cities”, said SMX vice-president Walid Wafik.

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com

B4

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017

CREATE THREE SLEEPING ZONES IN ONE.

The solution puts the space to good use, creating three platforms situated at different heights. The structural elements are used for storage, and serve as a ladder at the same time in a discreet composition.

USE STUDY ROOM AS A BEDROOM. For students in a somewhat cramped dorm space, creative designing goes a long way.

Creative

small beds ideas

TRANSFORMERS.

A bed over a sofa, or a sofa over a bed. The solution is quite unique, offering a bed that falls over the actual couch in the living space, in the same color and fabric.

for small spaces

When you are young the possibility of buying a large home is difficult.

On the other hand, a younger body and mind can find comfort even in smaller spaces, coming up with ingenious solutions meant to save up space and provide everything we might need at the same time.

As we grow up the tendency for bigger, airier spaces becomes a necessity.

Young or old nonetheless, saving up on space should be a priority and maintaining a balance between space and comfort should be achieved.

Common goal

SMART FURNITURE WILL SAVE SPACE. This clever solution provides multiple

functions from bookshelves, study area coffee table to the beds. It’s biggest advantage is represented by the small footprint it occupies.

Space is a big issue in small apartments, or houses with big families. Even larger places sometimes have a dearth of space, especially when inhabited by compulsive buyers.

Sometimes, we find out that we didn’t manage the space of our houses for many reasons, though the main reason is : our house, or our interior design simply lacks a well-organized storage system.

Let’s check out some small beds ideas, practical yet cozy solutions that cover everything from bunk beds for kid’s rooms to dorm ideas for college students, and smart solutions that incorporate the sleeping and storage area all in one.

The ideas differ from each other, but with a common goal : how to make the best use of space.

MILLENNIAL LIVING. CapitaLand’s residence business unit, Ascott Limited (Ascott), recently unveiled Lyf (pronounced ‘life’), designed for millennials who want to experience destinations as locals do. Lyf is an accommodation tailored for technopreneurs, start-ups and individuals from music, media and fashion. Unlike conventional serviced apartments, the properties are managed by “Lyf Guards”, millennials who may be residents themselves, community managers, city and food guides, bar keepers and problem solvers all rolled into one. Designed to facilitate interaction between guests, each Lyf property has its own unique personality with fun and quirky design elements. They have ‘connect’ communal spaces, co-working areas that can be easily transformed into zones for workshops or social gatherings. The residence offers a range of apartment layouts from ‘big bed’ rooms (studios) to ‘two of a kind’ rooms (twin rooms) – two private rooms with a shared kitchen.

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

C1

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT.

Over 1,000 women microentrepreneurs attend the recent STAR Caravan held at the Severo Duterte National Elementary School in Danao City in Cebu. The event enjoined the women in a day of learning, entertainment, and prizes under the Coca-Cola Sari-sari Store Training and Access to Resources Program, which has impacted the lives of more than 80,000 women to date.

‘ADM’ hopes to level playing field W ITH the ongoing roll-out of the Assistance to Disadvantaged Municipalities or ADM program, Department of the Interior and Local Government Officer-in-Charge Catalino S. Cuy assured Friday the agency is just as focused in local government development as it is on the campaign against illegal drugs, criminality, and corruption.

Covering 1,373 municipalities provides a “catch-up mechanism” nationwide, the ADM program to assist municipal governments in

increasing citizens’ access to basic facilities and ensures participation of civil society organizations in local governance.

Project types funded by ADM program are water systems, evacuation facilities, local access roads, small water impounding, and sanitation and health facilities.

“We made sure that the projects covered under the ADM program will address the needs of the people in the communities. This is

why we engaged civil society organizations and people’s organizations to be involved as the third party monitors and evaluators of ADM projects,” said Cuy. “The DILG maintains its principle that CSOs are partners in development. They have a shared responsibility and accountability with the government in achieving development goals,” he added.

Cuy also emphasized the ADM program directly supports the Philippine Development Plan

2017 to 2022.

“The DILG does not operate alone. Our programs are linked with the long-term goals of the whole of government,” he said.

“The ADM program complements the PDP specifically its pillar ‘Malasakit,’ which aims to regain people’s trust in public institutions by improving the productivity of the public sector.”

The PDP is the first mediumterm plan to be anchored on a national long-term vision, or

P251.5m for QC flood projects

Makati hands out free school supplies

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Makati City government has started distributing free school supplies to all public schools in the city, from elementary to senior high school, in time for the opening of classes on June 5.

The Project FREE (Free Relevant and Excellent Education) in the city’s 27 public elementary schools, 10 high schools, and eight senior high schools is funded by the P741.6-million budget approved by the City Council for the year.

Mayor Abigail Binay said the delivery of school supplies started last April, and these will be distributed to the students as soon as the schools submit their list of enrolees.

“We aim to finish the distribution on or before the second week of June,” Binay said.

Each student will also receive two sets of school uniforms, one

pair of Physical Education jogging pants, two Makati t-shirts, a pair of black leather shoes, and a pair of rubber shoes.

Seven writing notebooks each will be distributed to pre-schoolers, Special Education (SPED) learners, and Grades 1 and 2 pupils. For Grades 2 to 12, each student will receive eight composition notebooks, while Makati Science High School students will have 10 each. Grades 7 to 12 will also be provided with one Math notebook each.

For pad paper, preschoolers, SPED learners, and Grades 1 to 4 will be given five writing pads each, and for Grades 5 to 12, five intermediate pads each. Every student will receive one student diary.

Preschoolers, SPED learners, and Grade 1 students will have five fat pencils each, while Grades 2 to 12 will have five regular pencils each. Grades 3 to 12 will receive five pens each.

By Rio N. Araja

BATANGAS ‘BRIGADA.’ Teachers of Bulihan Elementary School in Nasugbu, Batangas join volunteers from SM Foundation, in collaboration with Costa del Hamilo, Pico de Loro Beach & Country Club/PSH, Manila Southcoast Development Corp., and SaveMore in parading toward the ‘Brigada Eskwela’ kickoff last May 15 for public schools in Batangas. The SM volunteers also helped spruce up Looc Elementary School, Looc National High School, Papaya Elementary School and Calayo Elementary School in Nasugbu in time for the opening of the school year on June 5.

Estrada orders speedy arrest of Manila cop killers

By Sandy Araneta

TROUBLED by the killings of two Manila Police District policemen in two months, Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada has ordered the MPD to speed up the arrest of their killers.

Estrada said it is the moral duty of the city government to bring justice to the

families of PO2 Abdul Jabbar Alonto and PO1 Jorsan Marie Alfariz, who the mayor said “have served the city well” as members of “Manila’s Finest.”

“We owe it to their families. Our law enforcers risk their lives to protect us, to protect the city. In exchange for their sacrifices, we should at least bring closure to these killings and capture those cop killers,” Estrada said.

Alonto, 36, was shot dead in Paco last Monday, May 15, by two men on a motorcycle.

On March 19, Alfariz, who was barely two years in the service, was shot dead 16 times by still unidentified attackers as she was driving her car at the corner of Recto Avenue and Rizal Avenue.

Alonto was a member of the MPD’s Intelligence Division, while Alfariz was as-

signed to the Barbosa Police Station.

On the case of Alonto, MPD director Chief Supt. Joel Coronel said they are looking into two possible motives: “rido” or clan war, and work-related.

Rido is a clan conflict common in Mindanao, and is characterized by sporadic outbursts of retaliatory violence between families and kinship groups, as well as between communities.

Munti attempts longest boodle fight line today TO CELEBRATE its 100th Founding Anniversary, Muntinlupa City will attempt to form the longest boodle fight line today, lining up all eight of its barangays.

City Administrator Allan Cachuela, the Muntinlupa Centennial Commission chairman, said the boodle fight will run 11 kilometers from Barangay Tunasan up

AmBisyon Natin 2040, which represents the collective vision and aspirations of Filipinos for themselves and for the country.

The PDP also takes off from the Administration’s 0-10-point Socioeconomic Agenda and is informed by inputs from the cross-section of stakeholders and the general public.

Cuy said the ADM program design is in line with the PDP’s “Chapter 5: Ensuring People-Centered, Clean, and Efficient Governance.”

to Barangay Sucat, the city’s endpoints.

Cachuela added that the event is free and everyone is welcome to join.

“It is high time that Muntinlupa organizes this boodle fight in celebration of the Centennial Anniversary to welcome the festivity as one people,” he noted.

Muntinlupa Public Information Officer Tez Navarro said even though the

boodle fight will be marked as a recordbreaking attempt, the city government did not apply for any recognition from the Guinness Book of World Records.

Navarro added that the purpose of organizing the event is to promote camaraderie, unity, and volunteerism among Muntinlupeños in the celebration of its centennial.

Homeowners associations, community groups, and members of the private sector pledged to help set up tables and contribute food.

Filipino food will be served, including adobo, tilapia, and other delicacies.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, Rep. Ruffy Biazon, and local officials will be eating with residents in the boodle fight.

THE Quezon City government, on orders of Mayor Herbert Bautista, has embarked on a P251.5-million waterways infrastructure program to mitigate the impact of floods.

The city’s investment mostly covers the construction of retaining and revetment walls and ripraps along the waterways, which are necessary to provide soil reinforcement especially during heavy downpours, Bautista said.

Also on the mayor’s orders, the city’s engineering department has stepped up the declogging of QC waterways as the city braces for the rainy season.

The department has also launched a massive cleanup along critical water tributaries in the city, including Jordan Plains, Villa Verde and IlangIlang Creeks in Barangay Sta. Monica; Kalamiong Creek in Barangay Payatas; Buwaya Creek in Project 4, and the Balingasa Creek leading to San Francisco River.

Based on a report submitted by the Task Force Waterways, headed by engineer Ramiro Tiamzon, the city government has already poured in P1.6 billion for the construction of retaining walls and ripraps in different water channels, including Tullahan River, San Francisco River, Kalamiong Creek, Anaran Creek, San Juan River and other tributaries.

The city government has also constructed 76.157 kilometers of retaining walls. Of that total, 5.6 km was built along Tullahan River and 3.3 km along Kalamiong Creek in Barangay Payatas.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

Standard SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017 C2 TODAY Manila

Mindanao cops step up drug drive D

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera and Lance Baconguis

AVAO CITY–Authorities have apprehended 66 drug personalities through the joint enforcement of the 10 security forces in the city, while five others were neutralized during a “One Time, Big Time” antidrug operation here Friday.

The operation was conducted in the 10 barangays in the city identified by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Region 11.

More than P2 million worth of suspected shabu was confiscated by the authorities along with 11 motorcycles, six firearms and

two explosives.

PDEA 11 director Adzhar Albani said compared to previous “big time” operations in the city, they have confiscated fewer illegal drugs but have arrested more suspects.

“This is an indication that the volume of illegal drugs here in

the city is lesser compared to the previous years,” Albani said.

Meanwhile, a barangay chairman in Iligan City is among the latest casualties of the government’s war against illegal drugs.

Killed by still-unidentified assailants was Roberto Fuentes, chairman of Barangay Saray, an area in Iligan notorious for the proliferation of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu.

A police report said, Fuentes was on board the barangay patrol vehicle late Thursday afternoon when motorcycle-riding suspects fired at him in front of a hardware store along the national highway in Tibanga.

Fuentes succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds to his head and body. He was brought to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival by attending physicians.

According to Iligan City police director, Senior Supt. Leony Roy Ga, Fuentes was on their drug watchlist, although he did not confirm if he was involved in the shabu trade.

The price of shabu in Davao has ballooned to P15,000 per gram, Albani said, since the volume of illegal drugs has decreased since President Rodrigo Duterte took office and waged an anti-drug war that so far has claimed over 7,000 lives.

Albani said Davao City has

the most expensive illegal drugs in the entire country.

Davao City Police Office Director Sr. Supt. Alexander Tagum said among the 66 arrested, five were considered high-value drug personalities, including a purok leader. He did not disclose the names of the high-value personalities.

“One of the fatalities was a drug reformist; he already surrendered to the authorities, however he did not stop his illegal doings,” he said.

Mayor Sara Duterte, meanwhile, belied reports that authorities were only targeting the poor in the drug raids. She said most of the apprehended suspects did come from the underprivileged.

“Those low-income families are the most vulnerable to illegal drugs since they can easily tempted by the easy money brought by these illegal drugs,” the mayor said.

Duterte also lauded the authorities, while noting it is impossible to have a zero-crime city because “that is just a utopian dream.”

Task Force Davao, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 11, Philippine Coast Guard, Maritime 11, PNP Highway Patrol Group, PNP Crime Laboratory 11, Regional Public Safety Battalion 11 and Central 911 were also involved in the “One Time, Big Time” operation.

Republic of the Philippines Province of Bataan MUNICIPALITY OF LIMAY InvItatIon to BId The Bids and Awards Committee of the Municipality of Limay through the SEF FUND Budget Year 2017 invites registered contractors to apply for eligibility to bid of the following projects/contracts; Sources of FUNDS

Duration

Approved Budget Cost(ABC)

Cost of Bid Doc’s.

East Perimeter Fence Lamao, with Gate and Turnstile Brgy.

Limay, Shed at Lamao Bataan National High School

SEF FUND

180 Days

3,352,534.00

5,000.00

Interior Roadway, Covered Pathwalk and Brgy. Lamao, Underground Electrical Limay, Supply Line at Lamao Bataan Elementary School

SEF FUND

210 Days

18,186,523.00

25,000.00

Construction of School Brgy. Lamao, Canteen at Lamao Limay, High School Bataan

SEF FUND

180 Days

7,895,899.00

10,000.00

Name of Project/ Contract

Location

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

Bidders should have completed, within 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, Instruction to Bidders.

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

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Cost of Bidding Documents.

The venue of bidding shall be at the Conference Room, 2nd Floor, Limay Municipal Hall, National Road, Barangay Townsite,Limay, Bataan. Schedule of Activities are as follow Activity Purchase of Bid Documents Pre-bid Conference Submission of Bids Opening of Bids

Schedule May 22 – June 13, 2017 June 2, 2017, 1:00 P.M. June 16, 2017, 1:00 P.M. June 16, 2017, 2:00 P.M.

All prospective bidders are encouraged to attend the pre-bid conference, however, only those who have purchased the bidding documents may participate in the discussion at said conference.

Bids will be opened on the scheduled date/time at the venue specified above in the presence of the Bidders or their representatives who choose to attend the bidding.

Late bids shall not be accepted.

The Municipality of Limay reserves the right to accept the most advantageous to the government 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/Bidders.

For further information, please refer to: RAQUEL A. LEONGSON Procurement Office, Ground Floor, Limay Municipal Building, National Road, Brgy. Townsite Limay, Bataan (047)6138026 (SGD) ROMARIO C. PANANGUI BAC Chairman (MS-MAY 20, 2017)

Republic of the Philippines Province of Bataan MUNICIPALITY OF LIMAY InvItatIon to BId The Bids and Awards Committee of the Municipality of Limay through the GEN FUND Budget Year 2017 invites registered contractors to apply for eligibility to bid of the following projects/contracts; Name of Project/ Contract

Location

Sources of FUNDS

Duration

Approved Budget Cost(ABC)

Cost of Bid Doc’s.

Construction of Covered Court at Brgy. Landing

Brgy. Landing, Limay, Bataan

GEN FUND

180 Days

5,527,004.00

10,000.00

Mamala, Reinforced Concrete Sitio Brgy. St. Lining of Sanitary Francis 1, Landfill Cells Limay, Bataan

GEN FUND

180 Days

9,718,202.00

10,000.00

Various Repair and Improvement Works Brgy. at Limay Polytechnic Reformista, College(LPC) Limay, Bataan Buildings

GEN FUND

180 Days

9,713,541.00

10,000.00

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

Bidders should have completed, within 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, Instruction to Bidders.

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

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Cost of Bidding Documents.

The venue of bidding shall be at the Conference Room, 2nd Floor, Limay Municipal Hall, National Road, Barangay Townsite,Limay, Bataan. Schedule of Activities are as follow Activity Purchase of Bid Documents Pre-bid Conference Submission of Bids Opening of Bids

Schedule May 22 – June 12, 2017 June 1, 2017, 1:00 P.M. June 15, 2017, 1:00 P.M. June 15, 2017, 2:00 P.M.

All prospective bidders are encouraged to attend the pre-bid conference, however, only those who have purchased the bidding documents may participate in the discussion at said conference. Bids will be opened on the scheduled date/time at the venue specified above in the presence of the Bidders or their representatives who choose to attend the bidding. Late bids shall not be accepted.

The Municipality of Limay reserves the right to accept the most advantageous to the government 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/Bidders.

For further information, please refer to: RAQUEL A. LEONGSON Procurement Office, Ground Floor, Limay Municipal Building, National Road, Brgy. Townsite Limay, Bataan (047)6138026 (SGD) ROMARIO C. PANANGUI BAC Chairman (MS-MAY 20, 2017)

POLICE MEDIA WORKSHOP. Calabarzon Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Ma. O Aplasca gives his inspirational message for a two-day Media and PNP Relations Seminar at Camp Vicente Lim in Canlubang, Laguna. The attendees were taught the basic concepts of media relations, Philippine National Police Policies on Media Relations, and best practices in media relations. Roy Tomandao

Distracted Hero’s welcome in Baguio awaits Miss Gay World titlist drivers in

By Dexter A. See BAGUIO CITY—Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan said the local government is willing to accord the homegrown Miss Gay World titlist the appropriate hero’s welcome, like others who had brought honor and pride to the city through various national and international competitions.

The local chief executive said John Raspado’s recent victory in the Miss Gay World 2017 in Spain is something to be proud of as he traces his roots to the city.

“We extend our warmest greetings and congratulations to John Raspado for being crowned as the 2017 Miss Gay World, and the local government will accord him the necessary hero’s welcome once his handlers will allow him to be paraded around the main roads of the city and honored with fitting rites,” Domogan stressed.

The local government previously accorded

hero’s welcome rites to 2016 Miss International beauty titlist Kylie Versoza, whose parents are from the city, ONE Fighting Championship world lightweight champion Edward Folayang, and young female wushu sensation Divine Wali.

Domogan said he is willing to sit down with Raspado’s handlers and family members to discuss the fitting ceremonies that will be accorded to the Miss Gay World.

Besides winning the top crown, Raspado also won the Best in Swimwear, Best in Formal Wear, Mr. Gay World Closed Door Interview, Mr. Online Vote, and the Mr. Social Media special awards in the event in Maspalomas, Spain.

In his post in the Miss Gay World Facebook page, Raspado stated ‘“Maraming salamat sa mga bumubuo ng MGWPO [Mister Gay World Philippines], lalong lalo na kay Wilbert Tolentino, sa laging paggabay sa aking paglalakbay.”

Sabangan detour bridge repair set SABANGAN, Mountain Province—The First Mountain Province District Engineering Office is working on reopening the 140-foot detour bridge in Nacagang Valley here early last week after it was washed away by the rampaging waters of the Chico River following days of heavy downpour in Bauko town.

Engineer Wilbur Likigan, FMDEO district engineer, said the RC pipes that serve as drainage of the detour bridge were blocked by debris, which caused the bridge to be carried away by the strong water current and resulted in the closure of the area to vehicular traffic for over 24 hours.

Likigan said maintenance crews were dispatched to clear opposition may appear and show the debris and REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES cause why the said petition should REGIONAL TRIAL COURT to reopening the not be granted.

NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION Let copy of this order be detour bridge to BRANCH 109, PASAY CITY published in the newspaper of vehicular trafIN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION general circulation once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks FOR ADOPTION OF BENEDICT fic, to prevent the at the expense of the petitioner.

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

Benedict Villamena Manaois as traffic, the towns the child of the petitioner and Meanwhile, the petitioners are shall entitle to all the rights and further directed to appear on June of Bontoc, Sagada, obligations provided by law to 16, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. for the preBesao, parts of Salegitimate child and that the trial trial and preliminary conference for the marking of exhibits on May custody period be dispensed. bangan, Sadanga, 24, 2017 at 1:30 p.m.

In her petition, petitioners alleged SO ORDERED. Barlig, Natonin, that she is single, resident of Villamor Air Base, Pasay City; that Pasay City, April 17, 2017. and Paracelis will Benedict Villamena Manaois is the son of Victorino B. Manaois with (Sgd.) TINGARAAN U. GUILING be isolated from Presiding Judge one Jeasa S. Villamena with whom Baguio and northhe is not married; that the subject Copy furnished: minor was entrusted to herein Atty. Cesar R. Santiago, Jr. ern Benguet. MoCounsel for the Petitioner petitioner from the time he was born SANTIAGO LAW OFFICE continuously up to the present and Rm. 702 & 703, Margarita Bldg., torists will have to latter has treated herein minor as his J.P. Rizal cor. Cardona Sts. Makati City take a longer route own child from then onwards.

The Solicitor General Finding the petition to be sufficient OSG Bldg., 134 Amorsolo St., through Banaue, in form and substance, notice is Legaspi Village, Makati City Ifugao if they dehereby given that the hearing of ACP Eric E. Reginaldo the petition is set on August 10, G/F, Hall of Justice Bldg., Pasay City sire to go to their 2017 at 8:30 a.m. sitting at Room Gloria Bautista Manaois 302 Hall of Justice Building, P34 04 6th St., Villamor destinations in the F.B. Harrison St., Pasay City. All Air Base, Pasay City province. persons interested and may have (MS-May 6, 13 & 20, 2017)

The official said he assigned round-the-clock maintenance in the area to monitor the situation to make sure there will be uninterrupted travel in and out of the province.

The Department of Public Works and Highways is about to bid out the construction of the abutment of the detour bridge to serve as a bridge sheet for the 13 to 14 bailey panels that will be assembled for a more sturdy detour bridge. It would also prevent the area from being closed to vehicular traffic during heavy downpours while the construction of the main bridge is still under way, Likigan added.

Once the abutment of the detour bridge will be completed by the winning contractor, DPWH personnel will assemble the bailey panels ready for installation over the bridge sheet.

When the main bridge and the detour bridge were washed out by previous weather disturbances over the past several years, Gov. Bonifacio Lacwasan Jr. was instrumental in negotiating with the concerned property owners in the area to allow their properties to be traversed by the detour bridge so that the province will not be isolated while the main bridge is being constructed. Dexter A. See

CdO under watch, too CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY— The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Region 10 on Friday said it will assist the Land Transportation Office in the implementation of Republic Act 10913 or the AntiDistracted Driving Act, which took effect Thursday.

The law prohibits motorists from using communication devices and other electronic entertainment and computing gadgets while vehicles are in motion or temporarily stopped on a traffic light or an intersection.

LTFRB-10 regional director Aminoden Guro said the enforcement of the new law not only falls on government agencies such as LTO and LTFRB but on ordinary citizens as well.

“What concerned persons should do if they see any violators is to report them to authorities and, if possible, take photos of the drivers who are either texting or calling on their cellphone,” Guro said.

Violations also include motorists who are playing games or watching movies while driving or using their devices for other purposes.

Exempted are drivers who are using Bluetooth or ordinary headset in making calls, or during emergency situations.

Although road-related deaths due to texting or using the mobile phone are not that rampant, the law, he said, will surely help prevent any loss of life or property in the future.

The top causes of road deaths are speeding, drunk-driving and mechanical error.

“Before the law was passed, motorists who text or call while driving were not arrested. But now that we have this law, everyone should comply,” Guro said.

He said they will also inspect public utility vehicles if they are compliant before their franchise could be renewed.

Rudy Concepcion, 52, a taxi driver for more than 10 years, said he has no problem observing the anti-distracted driving law.

Lance Baconguis

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

World IN BRIEF Japanese held for wildlife smuggling JAKARTA―A Japanese man has been arrested in Indonesia for allegedly trying to smuggle hundreds of reptiles out of the archipelago, including snakes, lizards and turtles, authorities and environmentalists said Friday.

Katsuhide Naito, believed to be a major player in the wildlife-smuggling trade, was detained at Jakarta’s main airport as he was about to board a flight to Tokyo with over 250 animals hidden in his bags.

“Officials became suspicious seeing him with so many suitcases,” Tisna Nando, spokeswoman for NGO the Wildlife Conservation Society, which was involved in the investigation, told AFP. “After they were opened, we found hundreds of reptiles, most of them were alive.”

The reptiles were stuffed into four suitcases and one box and four were dead, said Nando.

Ruchyana, an official from the airport operator who like many Indonesians goes by one name, said the 51-yearold was caught late Monday carrying protected species including green tree pythons, lizards from Borneo island and pig-nosed turtles.

Before arriving in Jakarta, Naito had been in Medan, on the jungle-clad Indonesian island of Sumatra. He could face up to three years in prison if found guilty of breaking Indonesian wildlife laws.

The Wildlife Conservation Society believes Naito was part of a larger wildlifesmuggling syndicate.

“We believe he is a big player and part of a syndicate which has been active in wildlife trading for more than 12 years,” Nando said.

He was arrested in 2005 in Australia for attempting to smuggle reptiles into the country from Southeast Asia, she said. AFP

TODAY

AIPEI—The Kuomintang party dominated Taiwan for decades with its wealth and an iron fist―but now it is battling to keep a foothold in the island’s shifting political landscape.

VANGUARD AWARD. Singer Meghan Trainor poses with the Vanguard Award backstage at the 2017 ASCAP Pop Awards at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Temer’s survival depends on Congress BRASILIA―Brazil’s Michel Temer hoped to save his presidency Friday by persuading the corruption-riddled Congress to back him, despite the growing calls for his head in the country’s explosive new graft scandal.

His office said he would start the day by meeting with his defense minister, Raul Jungmann, and military commanders at the presidential complex.

The agenda appeared to be designed to

underline the center-right president’s insistence on maintaining authority.

On Thursday, Temer emphatically refused to step down after the Supreme Court authorized a probe against him.

He is accused of having given his blessing to payments meant to keep the former speaker of the lower house, Eduardo Cunha, from spilling secrets while he is in prison for taking millions of dollars in bribes.

The hush money allegations left Temer

NOTICE TO THE STOCKHOLDERS OF PHILWEB CORPORATION

To All Retail and/or Non-Strategic Shareholders of PhilWeb Corporation: Please be advised that Gregorio Araneta, Incorporated (the “Bidder”) will file a Tender Offer Report in SEC Form 19-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and the Philippine Stock Exchange (the “PSE”) pursuant to Section 19 of the Securities Regulation Code in connection with its intention to acquire 663,803,284.00common shares (the “Shares”) of PhilWeb Corporation (“PhilWeb”).

The offer price for the acquisition of the Shares is Two Pesos Sixty Centavos, Philippine Currency, (P2.60) per share or a total consideration of One Billion Seven Hundred Twenty Five Million Eight Hundred Eighty-Eight Thousand Five Hundred Thirty Eight Pesos and Forty Centavos (P1,725,888,538.40) and will be payable in cash.

The Bidder shall acquire the Shares that may be tendered by any stockholder of PhilWeb in response to the Tender Offer. The Tender Offer shall commence on 19 May 2017 at 9:30 A.M. and shall end on 19 June 2017 at 1:00 P.M. (the “Tender Offer Period”). The Tender Offer Period may be shortened or extended by the Bidder subject to prior approval of the Commission. The Shares to be tendered are intended to be crossed at the PSE on 22 May 2017 (the “Cross Date”). Settlement Date shall be 03 July 2017.

Stockholders who wish to offer all or a portion of their Shares for sale to the Bidder may do so by securing an Application to Tender Shares form (the “Application Form”) from, and submitting a duly accomplished Application Form together with the documentary requirements to the Transaction Broker, PLATINUM SECURITIES, INC. The Transaction Broker reserves the right to require the tendering stockholder to present additional documents for purposes of determining the validity, eligibility and acceptability of the Shares being tendered by the stockholder pursuant to the Offer.

The Shares being tendered for sale to the Bidder must be received by the Transaction Broker in scripless form not later than 1:00 PM of 19 June 2017. Shares received thereafter or without the required documents shall be rejected by the Bidder.

The Shares tendered may be withdrawn by the stockholder of record at any time during the tender offer period by submitting a written request for the tendered Shares to the Transaction Broker and surrendering the original Securities In-Receipt issued by the Transaction Broker. The last day to withdraw tendered Shares shall be on 19 June 2017at 1:00 PM. The Shares shall be deemed accepted by the Bidder for payment on 26 June 2017 at 1:00 PM(the “Closing Date”) subject to the condition that the Bidder shall have obtained all corporate, contractual and regulatory approvals, consents and authorizations for the purchase by the Bidder of the Shares.

Stockholders are advised to read the Application Form, the Terms of the Tender Offer, and the SEC Form 19-1 filed by the Bidder with the SEC. For queries, please call the Transaction Broker at contact details set forth below. Copies of the Application Form and the SEC Form 19-1 may be obtained by the stockholders of PhilWeb, free of charge, from:

Broker Contact person Address

: : :

Telephone Email

: :

C3

The struggling Kuomintang T

Manila

Standard

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017

PLATINUM SECURITIES, INC. Mr. William O. Go Unit 801 Antel 2000 Corporate Center, 121 Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City (02)887-1179 / (02) 8866414 plasec223@yahoo.com

(MAY 19,20 & 21, 2017)

teetering barely a year after he took power in controversial circumstances, replacing his impeached predecessor, leftist president Dilma Rousseff.

He now faces eight impeachment demands filed in Congress and a battle to maintain his ruling coalition. There were protests by several thousand people in Rio de Janeiro and the capital Brasilia which ended in clashes with riot police.

More anti-Temer protests were planned this weekend.

Temer’s defiance put the ball in Congress’ court.

The Supreme Court, which deals with sitting politicians, rarely moves quickly on probes and suspects often manage to string out their cases.

That leaves impeachment proceedings as the most likely avenue to remove Temer from power, just like a year ago when Rousseff was stripped of her office and Temer, her vice president, automatically got the top job.

But for that to happen, Temer’s powerful ruling coalition in Congress would have to turn on him. AFP

PREMIERE.

Singer Becky G attends the Premiere of Disney’s ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales at the Dolby Theater on May 18, 2017 in Hollywood, California. AFP

Founded by Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-sen and later led by nationalist Chiang Kai-shek, the KMT is at its lowest ebb in its more than 100-year history as it prepares to select a new leader Saturday.

Cultivating warmer relations with rival Beijing―which still sees self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory―backfired with a skeptical public that is increasingly embracing an independent Taiwanese identity.

As a result, the KMT lost the presidency last year and, for the first time, its control of parliament.

It vowed to reform, but has since been riven by infighting and targeted by a government probe into its extensive assets which has seen its accounts frozen and hundreds of jobs axed.

While it is still the main opposition party, analysts say it is struggling to find direction.

“The demographic shifts in Taiwan do not bode well for the KMT,” said Timothy Rich, an assistant professor of political science at the Western Kentucky University.

More Taiwanese are opposed to eventual unification with the mainland, Rich says.

As ties deteriorate rapidly between Beijing and China-skeptic president Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party, some in the KMT hope its crossstrait ties will remain a trump card. But others disagree.

“The KMT still believes its China card gives it an upper hand, but we can see from last year’s elections that is not the case anymore,” said political scientist Fan Shih-ping.

“If your only hand is no longer working, what market do you still have in Taiwan?” added Fan, a professor at the National Taiwan Normal University.

Now, even Beijing is turning its back on the KMT, he says.

“The communist party is very pragmatic. It only wants to deal with people with influence and power,” he told AFP. Under Tsai, Beijing has cut all official ties with Taipei. Cross-strait interactions have been limited to unofficial dialogue between academics and city-level exchanges.

The KMT retreated to Taiwan from the mainland after losing a civil war in 1949 to communist forces.

Under Chiang Kai-shek and his son, the party ruled by martial law until 1987 but never formally declared independence from China.

Beijing has said it would respond with force if Taiwan were ever to try to formally split.

Democratic reforms eventually led to fully free elections in 1996, and the KMT lost the leadership for the first time in 2000.

Ma-Ying-jeou regainedYELLOW the presidency for the KMT CYAN MAGENTA BLACK eight years later, launching an unprecedented rapprochement with Beijing by acknowledging that Taiwan was still part of “one China”, but that the two sides were allowed different interpretations.

Warming ties were touted as a route to prosperity, but critical voters said the resulting trade deals only benefited big business, not ordinary citizens.

With Ma’s conciliatory approach now rejected by the public, some in the party say it needs to look to younger members for new ideas.

Among those in the frame is Chiang Kai-shek’s great-grandson.

Chiang Wan-an, a US-educated former lawyer, won his first legislative seat for the KMT last year and may stand for Taipei mayor next year―a position historically a springboard to the presidency. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

C4

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017

World

Hong Kong set to mark 20 years of Chinese rule H

ONG KONG― Divided by age, wealth and politics, the people of Hong Kong will mark the 20th anniversary of its transfer from Britain back to China with contrasting emotions: anger and pessimism, pride and celebration.

The semi-autonomous city still enjoys freedoms unseen on the mainland, but in recent years there has been increasing unrest.

There have been rallies for democratic reform and an independence movement has emerged in response to what some regard as meddling by Beijing.

Soaring property prices and low wages have also fueled unhappiness, particularly among the young people.

But for some, Hong Kong remains a land of opportunity, and being part of China a source of stability and security.

Here three residents talk about their hopes, dreams and fears, as the anniversary of the July 1, 1997, handover approaches.

Dressed in a white t-shirt, net skirt and with pale green streaks through her hair, Chau Ho-oi plays with her phone as she sits in a park in her home neighborhood of Prince Edward.

Born in 1997 to a music teacher father and office worker mother, the 20-year-old student’s earliest aspiration was to be a police officer.

Instead, she became the youngest protester arrested during mass pro-democracy Umbrella Movement rallies three years ago.

“I thought being in the police was righteous, but now I think there are other ways to serve justice,” she says.

Chau is part of a new wave of activists pushing back at Beijing and works with prodemocracy party Demosisto, co-founded by leading campaigner Joshua Wong.

Student rallies in 2012 against lessons promoting Chinese patriotism first made her realize young people could change things, says Chau.

She then went on to join a student activism group, before joining the 2014 protests.

Her experiences have left her angry and she believes authorities don’t care about young people’s concerns.

“This government views young people as antagonists.

When they say they want to strengthen communication, it’s really nonsense,” she says. AFP

NEW YORK―A Japanese billionaire bought a Basquiat masterpiece for $110.5 million in New York Thursday, setting a new auction record for the 20th-century great nearly 30 years after his death, Sotheby’s said.

The 1982 “Untitled” of a skull-like head in oil-stick, acrylic and spray paint on a giant canvas was the star lot of the auction season this May, which wraps Friday with more than $1 billion in sales.

Sotheby’s said it was snapped up by the same Japanese entrepreneur, 41-year-old Yusaku Maezawa, who set the previous Jean-Michel Basquiat auction record last year, dropping $57.3 million on a self-portrait.

The $110.5 million price tag was a record for any US artist at auction and the highest at auction for a post-1980 artwork, Sotheby’s said.

“I am happy to announce that I just won this masterpiece,” Maezawa wrote on Instagram alongside a picture of himself with the picture.

“When I first encountered this painting, I was struck with so much excitement and gratitude for my love of art. I want to share that experience with as many people as possible.”

Cheers and applause greeted the sale, which almost doubled the previous Basquiat auction record of $57 million. During bidding, the auctioneer offered occasional moments of levity and encouragement.

“It’s a great masterpiece at $98 million dollars,” he said to laughter in the room. The $110.5 million price tag includes the buyer’s premium.

Basquiat, born in Brooklyn to Haitian and Puerto Rican parents, died in 1988 of an overdose aged just 27 after a fleeting eight-year career.

“Untitled” provoked a tense 10-minute bidding war in the room and on the telephone, before ultimately going to Maezawa via telephone.

The canvas had been virtually unseen in public since being bought in 1984 for $19,000. It was valued pre-sale in excess of $60 million.

Sotheby’s announced that the painting will be housed eventually in a museum based in Maezawa’s hometown of Chiba, Japan.

The house parted with a total of $319 million worth of post-war and contemporary art at Thursday’s evening auction, one day after rival Christie’s sold $448 million at its own version of the same sale. AFP

Times Square car crash kills 1, injures 22

FROM BRIDESMAID TO BRIDE. This file photo taken on

April 29, 2011, shows Kate Middleton arriving with her sister, the Maid of Honor Pippa Middleton, to Westminster Abbey in London for her wedding to Britain’s Prince William. Pippa Middleton hit the headlines with a figure-hugging outfit at her sister Kate’s wedding to Prince William but now the world-famous bridesmaid is becoming a bride herself. AFP

Syria slams attack by US-led coalition DAMASCUS―Syria on Friday condemned a US-led coalition strike on progovernment forces as a “brazen attack” and said it would “not be intimidated” after the surprise assault.

US-led warplanes carried out the Thursday strike in the east of the country against a convoy of pro-government forces headed towards a remote coalition garrison near the border with Jordan.

“On Thursday at 16:30, the so-called international coalition attacked one of the Syrian Arab Army’s positions on the AlTanf road in the Syrian Badia region, producing a number of martyrs and causing material damage,” a military source told Syrian state media.

“This brazen attack by the so-called

international coalition exposes the falseness of its claims to be fighting terrorism,” it added.

“The Syrian Arab Army is fighting terrorism on its territory, and no party has the right to determine the course of its operations,” the source said.

“The Syrian Arab Army will... not be intimidated by the attempts of the socalled coalition to stop it from performing its sacred duties.”

In a statement, the US-led coalition said it had struck “pro-regime forces... that posed a threat to US and partner forces.”

The coalition said the strike came after unsuccessful “Russian attempts to dissuade Syrian pro-regime movement” as well as “a coalition aircraft show of force,

and the firing of warning shots.”

Syrian state media gave no precise toll in the attack, but the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, reported eight killed “most of them non-Syrian.”

An array of regular and irregular forces are battling alongside the government against rebels, including Russian and Iranian soldiers, and militants from Iraq and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group.

The Thursday strike comes in the context of growing tension over which forces will take on the Islamic State group in Syria’s east.

President Bashar al-Assad’s army is trying to prevent US-backed forces from leading that fight. AFP

Bill allows emperor’s abdication TOKYO―The Japanese government on Friday approved a one-off bill allowing aging Emperor Akihito to step down from the Chrysanthemum Throne, in the first such abdication in two centuries.

The bill will now be sent to parliament for debate and likely receive swift final approval, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet signed off on the legislation.

Abdication must take place within three years of the bill becoming law.

Earlier this year reports suggested that 83-year-old Akihito could step down at the end of December 2018 and be replaced by Crown Prince Naruhito on January 1, 2019.

Reports of his desire to retire surprised Japan when they emerged last July.

Basquiat masterpiece sets record

In August he publicly cited age and declining health, which was interpreted as his wish to hand the crown to his eldest son.

But current Japanese law has no provision for abdication, thus requiring politicians to craft legislation to make it possible.

The status of the emperor is highly sensitive in Japan given its 20th century history of war waged in the name of Akihito’s father Hirohito, who died in 1989.

Revered as a demigod before and during the conflict, Hirohito was reduced to a mere figurehead as part of postwar reforms.

Akihito has won plaudits for seizing upon the constitutionallyprescribed role of national symbol and there is wide sympathy for his wish to retire.

He has been treated for prostate cancer and also had heart surgery.

And though he has cut back on

some of his duties, he still maintains a busy official schedule, including occasional overseas visits.

While a majority of the Japanese public supports a permanent law on abdication, they have also expressed support for the current bill to help enable Akihito’s smooth transition from the throne.

While abdications are far from unknown in Japanese history, the last one was in 1817.

The leading opposition Democratic Party has argued the law should be permanently changed to ensure stable future successions, but has reportedly agreed to the current one-off bill after talks with the ruling bloc.

Some scholars and politicians have argued that changing the law to allow any emperor to abdicate would risk Japan’s monarchs becoming subject to political manipulation. AFP

SCREENING. Brazilian model Adri-

ana Lima waves as she arrives on May 18, 2017 for the screening of the film ‘Loveless’ (Nelyubov) at the 70th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France. AFP

NEW YORK-A US Navy veteran with a criminal past―but no apparent terror motive―rammed a car into a crowd of people in New York’s Times Square on Thursday, killing a young woman and injuring 22 other people.

The midday incident sparked fear in the heart of America’s most populous city after deadly carramming attacks in London, Berlin and the French city of Nice, but authorities said there was no evidence the crash was terror-related.

Times Square, next to the famed Broadway theater district, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the US financial capital and where police stepped up patrols in recent years after a car bomb was planted in 2010.

“Based on the information we have at this moment, there is no indication that this was an act of terrorism,” Mayor Bill de Blasio told a news conference at the scene.

“That being said, we are reinforcing key locations around the city with our anti-terror units of the NYPD so out of an abundance of caution, major sites in the city will get additional police coverage,” he added.

Richard Rojas, a 26-year-old from the Bronx stopped twice in the past for drunk driving, drove his Honda onto the sidewalk at 11:55 am (1555 GMT), smashing into pedestrians for three blocks at high speed, police said.

The vehicle collided with a metal pole and came to a stop at 45th Street and Broadway, police said.

The vehicle flipped onto its side, smoke and flames spewing out of the hood as the injured littered the ground.

An 18-year-old woman was killed and 22 other victims were injured, including the woman’s 13-year-old sister, officials said. Four were in critical condition. AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

TRAVEL AND LEISURE

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017

D1

COLORADO’S CHARMS. Tourists and locals get a glimpse of stunning red rock formations at the Central Garden of the Gods.

Garden of the Gods

breathes in Colorado Springs Breathing in Colorado Springs in this Centennial State—it became so in 1876 when the United States turned 100 years old—112 kilometers south of Denver, the Garden of the Gods stands on 540 hectares of pulsating panoramas.

These spotlight stunning red rock formations at the Garden of the Gods, once owned, old hands say, by railroad executive Charles Elliott Perkins, who kept it open for public access and, before he died, initiated plans for it to become a public park.

Tourists, local and foreign including some Filipino families, can have a glimpse of different landscapes throughout the National Natural Landmark.

The landscapes range from grasslands to pinyon-juniper woodlands.

Also in Colorado Springs, 6,035 feet

above sea level, is the 14,115-foot Pikes Peak, captured in the backdrop of several bouldering sandstones.

Scores before European explorers discovered the Region, the American Indians of the area knew of the bubbling soda and iron springs at the base of what they called their sacred mountain Tava – now known as Pikes Peak.

The nations of the Rapaho, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Comanche and Apache were all, according to tourism sources, visitors from the eastern plains over the centuries of their migrations.

The Utes, on the other hand, considered the springs as part of their mountain homeland from which they originated and never left.

Sources say most of these tribes, although they were enemies, would practice restraint around what they traditionally called the medicine springs.

They drank the water filled with trace minerals and stomach-soothing soda and bathed in the skin-softening pools.

The Utes believed that every living thing had a spirit and there were clear signs of gratitude or supplication left in and around the springs, including beads, weapons, clothing and fetishes.

Visiting photographers – amateur and

SPEND your time with your loved ones and make it a memorable experience by visiting Pradera Verde at Prado Siongco, Lubao, Pampanga.

Just a two-hour drive from Manila, Pradera Verde is your newest leisure and adventure destination in the north.

Offering different activities that will redefine the meaning of quality time to yourself, your family and the people dearest you.

A loving relaxation starts with Pradera Verde’s superb accommodation.

It has suites and villas that come with free breakfast starting at P4,500.00.

Food lovers will definitely enjoy a great selection of dishes, from Kampampangan, Filipino and even International

cuisines at the View Deck Restaurant.

Have a good time at the Pradera Verde Wakepark, the only wakepark in the Philippines that has natural spring water for lakes. It has two starting docks with three beginner lakes and a big lake for professionals.

If you just want to enjoy the sun or the crisp air with your better half, we suggest that you play Frisbee, have a picnic together or stroll around the whole property of Pradera Verde using bicycles for selfies.

While appreciating the sunset, lounge in front of your villas and watch the majestic sunset while the cool breeze from the mountain adds to that nostalgic ambiance. At Pradera Verda, there are

By Honor Blanco Cabie

C

OLORADO Springs—Where on earth may travelers and adventurers find the Garden of the Gods?

professional – have their cameras feast almost always at the Cathedral Valley in the Garden of the Gods where red rocks spire angularly towards the sky and fresh snow dustings provide a serene setting for a tired soul.

In winter, when the skies are blue they contrast vibrantly with the red rocks and watery balances which reflect the picturesque landscapes tourists enjoy for much of the day.

Among curiously balanced rock formations are the Siamese Twins.

Not far from there is the Red Rocks Amphitheater, naturally formed and anchored by two 300-foot sandstone monoliths named Creation Rock and Ship Rock, which provides a heavenly quality to any live show on the stage.

But while a live show performance is the best way to experience the venue under the Colorado moon or a kind sun, visitors can always drop by anytime to hike the nature trails or just focus their eyes on the red rocks and panoramic views.

Those familiar with the sand dunes of Ilocos Norte in the far northwest of the Philippines often find themselves feasting on the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve in Colorado.

The drive up the summit of the nearby 14,115-foot Pikes Peak (top) and the main entrance of the Garden of the Gods, steps away from the Visitor Center (below).

They would certainly be told the tallest sand dunes in North America are in the nearly 61,000-hectare park and preserve four hours south of Denver.

The snowcapped Sangre de Cristo Mountains provide a photogenic backdrop, and the Medano Creek creates a beach-like setting.

But new arrivals and even those returning for the nth time are politely told that motorized vehicles are not permit-

ted on the dunes.

But active adventures include hiking, body boarding and sand surfing.

Yet another striking attraction, brought to visitors by architects, civic planners and Mother Nature, is Boulder, often referred to as “the city nestled between the mountains and reality.

About 40 kilometers northwest of Denver is Boulder, which has racked up several accolades over the years, a city

NEWEST

leisure and adventure DESTINATION

LEISURE IN LUBAO.

Relax or enjoy a thrilling wakeboarding session in Luzon’s newest leisure and adventure destination, Pradera Verde in Prado Siongco, LUbao, Pampanga

endless possibilities of having romantic moments with your loved one.

Don’t forget to have a tee off time at Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club.

Spend P2,000 Green fee on weekdays and P2,500 on weekends at the 18-hole championship golf course.

Make Pradera Verde your preferred destination to make bonding with your partner worthwhile. Let Pradera Verde redefine quality moments for you and your loved one.

For more information about Pradera Verde and its exciting activities, you can reach them at 0917-507-9666 or visit Facebook (www.facebook.com/praderaverde.ph) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/praderaverde.ph).

Life

D2

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

MERCURY RISING

BY BOB ZOZOBRADO

T

OWERING over Puerto Galera, one of the country’s more popular beach destinations is the 1231-meter-abovesea-level Mt. Malasimbo, in Northern Mindoro. It is a haven for flora and fauna— wild boar, deer, and rare species of birds inhabit the mountain.

MALASIMBO’S magical sights and sounds

It is also home to the highlander Mangyan tribes. In fact, mountain climbers find themselves interacting with these indigenous people, most of whom have already adopted the use of modern apparel, save for a few older men who still wear the traditional loincloth as their only piece of clothing.

Every year in March, a colorful and well attended Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival hosted by D’Aboville Foundation unfolds in this popular re- Giant Dandelions were Malasmbo curator Olivia D’Aboville’s art installation, which look sort destination. I have to admit that like bright, giant lampposts I knew of it only very recently when I met Hubert d’Aboville himself, presi- val provides authentic enjoyment for all d’Aboville unleashed her iconic Giant dent and co-founder of the festival. The age groups, as it combines local and in- Dandelions which glowed in the dark photos on this page, taken by avid festi- ternational music ranging from soul to like oversized lamp posts; and Agnes Arellano who pleased visitors with her val fans Terence Angsioco and Renato jazz, and from reggae to indigenous.

What makes the three-day festivities calming Haliya’s Labyrinth.

Valenzuela, Jr. convince me I have The other noteworthy aspect of this been missing out on a gem-of-an-event. even more significant is its plethora of When I mentioned this to my eldest magnificent art installations by various seven-year old festival is its advocacy in preserving the rich cultural son who is into music, he heritage of the Mangyan chided me for having been tribes and the protection ignorant of the Festival. of the environment. Part He says it is a very popular of the event is a series of and important event, which Little Johnny was in church, getting restless lectures on the appreciation features international and as the preacher’s sermon dragged on and on. of the indigenous Manglocal artists cutting across Not able to take it anymore, he leaned over to yan cultures of the Irayas all genres of music. I found and the Hanunos, and savout from Mr. D’Aboville his father and whispered, “Hey, Dad, if we give ing the endemic tamaraws that its popularity is not the money to him now instead of in the basket from extinction. only among Filipino music later, will he let us go?”

These short Talks were lovers, but also among formade by distinguished aueigners. In fact, more than thorities, such as Former half of festivalgoers come from Europe, the USA and other parts local artists. Set against the foothills of Presidential Adviser of Environmental Mt. Malasimbo, these art pieces are made Protection Neric Acosta, who spoke on of Asia just to attend the event.

This year, the featured main perform- alive by amazing lighting techniques, in Climate Change Resiliency; Emmanuel Schutz shared his expertise on How To ers were the Alfredo Rodriguez Trio, the process, making them look magical.

Some of the participating artists in Save the Tamaraw; and Eping Mayot a Quincy Jones protegé; Tennyson, a Canadian brother-and-sister electronic this year’s event were Hohana Vinas conducted a Surat Mangyan Workshop.

The venue was the newly built Demo music duo; and Jordan Rakei, an Aus- who used knitted mandalas for her Intralian soul jazz performer. Dubbed by dayog ng Kulay; and Wawi Navarroza Mangyan Village Hall, a beautiful testhe United Kingdom’s Huffington Post overwhelmed curious guests with their tament to the fine quality of Mangyan as “the ultimate festival for families,” masterfully crafted Ang Langit Mong craftsmanship, using native materials the Malasimbo Music and Arts Festi- Bughaw; Malasimbo curator Olivia such as bamboo, timber from fallen trees,

YOUR SATURDAY CHUCKLE

Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival performers dishing out latest musical hits

and cogon grass. Of course, cash sponsorships from generous agencies like the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and those from other individual donors made the construction of this hall possible.

What I find really laudable about the Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival is the yearly commitment of the hosts that, for every ticket sold, they will plant one tree in Puerto Galera, in partnership with the local government and the local residents, as part of the area’s efforts in promoting Sustainable Tourism.

I have to admit that knowing about this festival is quite refreshing, as it proves that our country’s music and arts industry can also be an effective tool to care for the environment and for sustaining the rich culture of our indigenous tribes. Having said that, I am certainly looking forward to next year’s edition, and be among those who will be mesmerized and thrilled by the Malasimbo Magic, through its sights and sounds.

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

PAL passengers get free SIMs

The Dusit Thani Lifestyle Card gives members dining benefits of up to 50 percent discount and other privileges

Dusit Thani Manila’s Lifestyle Card Program

FOR decades, Dusit Thani has lived up to its promise to exceed customer expectations and to provide the foremost hospitality service one could ever experience. It intensifies its efforts of recognizing guests’ loyalty. The 5-star hotel has finally curated a special membership program – The Dusit Thani Lifestyle Card Program – ensuring members are rewarded.

“At Dusit Thani Manila, we continuously look for new opportunities to expand our brand and product offerings as reward to the loyalty of our members.

It is the most ideal exclusive privilege

card for those who love good food, entertainment and appreciate the finer things in life,” said General Manager Bruno Cristol.

This new membership card offers a whole new level of dining benefits of up to 50 percent discount plus other privileges, allowing its members to experience impressive benefits and savings for dining service offered in three of the best dining venue in our hotel—Umu, Benjarong and The Pantry—and the truly opulent stay with our world-class accommodation services.

The idea of giving back for the

guests’ trust and loyalty to Dusit brand is the inspiration for this program. Its primary objectives include ensuring a high standard of quality at good value for money and turning each experience into a better and delightful experience not only for the present but also for the future.

This program serves as the extension of the Gracious Hospitality that Dusit Thani Hotel Manila offers.

For more information about Dusit Lifestyle, please call 238-888 local 8772, 8776.

THE International Business Group of Globe Telecom partnered with Mabuhay Miles to make it easier for balikbayans, OFWs, and travelers to get in touch with their loved ones when they reach the Philippines via free Traveler SIM cards distributed to passengers on PAL’s international flights to Manila.

“We continuously strive to serve the needs of our dear OFWs, balikbayans and tourists. Through the partnership with Mabuhay Miles, we have created an avenue where our customers are able to enjoy their homecoming by means of instant communication as soon as they land,” said Nikko Acosta, senior vice president of the International Business Group of Globe Telecom.

Since Dec. 14 last year, the Traveler SIM has been distributed to passengers on PAL international flights for free. As a bonus, customers can avail of unlimited calls to Globe and TM mobiles, 20 all-net SMS and 15MB mobile data valid for one day.

“Through this partnership with

Garden...

From D1

regaled for its quality of life, fitness and outdoor recreation options as well as an impressive food scene.

Boulder, which defies all stereotypes, was originally founded as a gold rush town in 1859.

But unlike most boom-or-bust cities, Boulder’s pioneering spirit never died.

The arrival of Ball Aerospace in the 1950s and IBM in the 1990s helped to secure Boulder’s progressive future.

By 2010, the city had six times more start-ups per capita than the national average.

Old hands say Boulder has matured and continues to attract top talent with

Globe, we are very happy to give our Mabuhay Miles customers a more enriching in-flight experience by making them feel we are making their trip to the Philippines more rewarding,” said Kevin Hartigan-Go, PAL VP for Ancillary Business Unit. “As of today, we have supplied hundreds of thousands of PAL passengers with free SIM cards and we cannot wait to give to more.”

Mabuhay Miles will give 500 bonus miles when Traveler SIM customers register or update their membership information.

New members need to enroll at www.mabuhaymiles.com and text their Mabuhay Miles number using the Traveler SIM To 3456. Existing members can update their profile by texting their Mabuhay Miles number, name and email address to 3456. Passengers can buy prepaid load at the Globe booths at NAIA 2 (PAL terminal), other international airports nationwide, and at over 800,000 Globe retailers around the country.

its desirable work-life balance and breathtaking landscapes.

They add Boulder has transformed into a thriving tech scene, frequently heralded as the New Silicon Valley.

To observant visitors, the transformation may be subtle.

But to Coloradans, it is hard not to notice Boulder has morphed into a district of influential startups.

The city has become a haven for creative, industrious Gen-Xers and millennials keen on taking advantage of its unique quality of life.

Boulder’s emergent startup culture also blends with the long-standing priority of relishing in the inspirational outdoors environment: it’s a work-hard, play hard community that harmoniously co-exists.

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017

DANIEL RAZON

is 2017 KBP Lifetime Achievement Awardee

K

UYA Daniel Razon, as he is known among his followers on both the radio and television, is this year’s recipient of the prestigious Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Lifetime Achievement Award.

The award is given to prominent individuals who have “significantly contributed to the advancement of the broadcast media and consistently demonstrated high standards of excellence and professionalism in his or her work.”

This is a clear reflection of Razon as a dedicated leader in the broadcast industry. As the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President of Breakthrough and Milestones Productions International (BMPI), the veteran broadcaster continuously leads the company in providing content for its public service channel UNTV, and its two radio stations: Radyo La Verdad 1350 on

NYOY VOLANTE at Hard Rock Café

Radio anchor Daniel Razon is once again recognized for his contribution to the advancement of broadcast media

the AM band and the FM radio station, Wish 107.5.

Public service First Razon is known for introducing several public service-themed projects. One of the endeavors he continually sustains is UNTV’s flagship “Tulong Muna Bago Balita (Rescue First, Report Later)” campaign, which aims to encourage media practitioners to take saving lives as part of their profession.

Extending beyond the realm of broadcasting, he maintains other ground-breaking efforts that put charity at their core.

Razon is the progenitor of UNTV Cup, a basketball tournament that gathers government officials in the hard court to play for their chosen beneficiaries. He is also one of the founders of La Verdad Christian School that offers scholarship grants to students from kindergarten to tertiary levels.

His wide-ranging undertakings also include regular medical, dental and legal missions.

Mobile broadcasting Razon is also responsible for taking AM and FM radio broadcasts beyond the confines of

conventional four-walled booths.

In January 2012, he unveiled the UNTV Radio mobile booth that brings the station’s anchors and reporters right where the news is. It also serves as a unique vehicle that provides different public services to the masses as it transports doctors and lawyers to different areas in the metro.

The radio booth’s FM counterpart was launched in August 2014 coinciding with the inception of Wish 107.5. The country’s first FM-on-wheels has garnered massive attention from both local and global audiences as it gives a unique platform where artists can share their music.

Razon received the recognition at the 25th KBP Golden Dove Awards yesterday, May 16 at the Star Theater, CCP Complex in Pasay City. He also earned a nod as one of the finalists in the Best Radio Newscaster category.

Other UNTV programs with Golden Dove nominations include Good Morning Kuya (Best Variety Program) and KNC Show (Best Children’s Program). The 911 UNTV Rescue plug also competed in the Best Radio Public Service Announcement category.

Tommy Esguerra joins new Axe Council THE first thing anyone will notice about Kapamilya heartthrob Tommy Esguerra is his warm and inviting persona. “It’s really important for me to look people in the eye. It shows them that you’re really listening.” Paired with his fashion choices, it is no wonder he is now part of the Axe Council, a trio of stylish individuals such as David Guison and LA Aguinaldo who exude distinct personalities that make up the Axe man.

Axe, the world’s no.1 fragrance brand, recognizes the Axe man with their range of unique scents for every personality --perfectly topping off any look, whether it be understated, sophisticated, or romantic. For Axe, style is all about individuality. There is no one-box-fitsall template, especially when it comes to expressing yourself through how you carry yourself.

“My wardrobe pretty much consists of a lot of pairs of jeans and t-shirts. I’m very casual and laid back,” says Tommy.

He completes his look with Axe Dark Temptation, a sweet fragrance with a creamy base similar to rich cacao, and enhanced with hints of Madagascar vanilla and warm spice. As tempting as it is sweet, it’s sure to make your girl fall for you more with its amber and red peppercorn notes.

Axe Black man and fashion blogger David Guison is known for his fashionforward yet understated style. “A crisp Kapamilya star Tommy Esguerra talks about individuality white shirt paired with good fitting trousers being the new face of Axe Dark Temptation

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Saturday, May 20, 2017

ACROSS 1 Splendor 5 Hazy conditions 10 Box or bucket — 14 Mr. Sikorsky 15 Municipal 16 Baking pans 17 “Laugh-In” name 18 Part of PABA 19 Kramer or Estrada 20 Unfree 22 Car, slangily 24 Mark of Zorro 25 Rigged out 26 Strong-arms 29 Man of importance 33 Directs a hoedown 34 Dow uptick 36 Blimp title 37 401(k) cousin 38 Feeling remorse 39 Geisha’s tie 40 Diarist Anais — 41 Architect — Saarinen 42 Poet — Ginsberg 44 Wine glasses 47 Most arid 48 Yours and mine 49 Gross!

50 Ancient scrolls 53 Boss (hyph.)

58 Melville work 59 Wax theatrical 61 Romance writer — Roberts 62 Become tiresome 63 They have jaws 64 Vortex 65 Mets’ former ballpark 66 Try extra hard 67 — ex machina DOWN 1 “The Little Sparrow” 2 Jack’s giant 3 Famed feminist 4 Salty snack 5 False alarms 6 Wordless actor 7 Livy contemporary 8 Card table cry 9 Mean-faced 10 War-horses 11 Patrick’s domain 12 Indigo plant 13 Impatient clucks 21 Electric swimmers 23 Grocery buy 25 Slacks material

26 Cake decoration 27 Indy champ — Andretti 28 The alternative (2 wds.)

30 Quebec school 31 Brain or ear parts 32 Fire starter 34 Ballpark figure 35 Oxygen source 38 Fetch 42 Cats do it 43 Compared 45 Jesuit founder

46 It borders the Atl. 47 Process food 50 Bursts 51 Delhi nursemaid 52 End of the earth 53 Water supplier 54 Livy’s route 55 Took a taxi 56 Karachi language 57 Ponies up 60 Stir

is always a good choice.” When it comes to scents, David goes for something that exudes elegance and style. “You’d be surprised to know that a subtle fragrance can often make the strongest impact,” he says. Boasting fruity and floral notes such as orange, watermelon, and cedar with a pleasant musk, Axe Black is that perfectly understated scent.

Axe Gold man LA Aguinaldo says the secret to becoming as suave all boils down to several things: know what fits you, dress your age, and invest in your wardrobe. His style also requires a touch of class like a standout tie, an elegant watch, or a simple pocket square. With additional confidence, he uses Axe Gold Temptation to finish off his look.

The scent is for those who are lively, sophisticated and like to stand out. Axe Gold has hints of chocolate and vanilla but is backed by notes of juicy pear, and a light hint of citrus.

Every guy has a unique personality, but smelling great and feeling confident is something they all aspire for and have in common. Whatever your style may be, Axe has the right scent for any kind of gent. Take your pick from Axe’s unique fragrances, and #LiveYourStyle.

Axe Fragrances are available in all leading supermarkets, drugstores, and department stores nationwide.

Follow us on Facebook at www. facebook.com/axephilippines for all the latest updates.

NYOY Volante performs at Hard Rock Café (HRC) 9 p.m.tonight.

Hard rockers can come and see the show as Nyoy dishes out his greatest hits from his impressive catalogue of multi-platinum fulllength studio albums.

Fans and music buffs can look forward to an evening to beautiful music with Nyoy's original songs, like “Nasaan Ka Na,” “You’re My You,” “Pikit,” “Someday,” and “You’re Not Mine” as well as sampling of today’s hottest chart-toppers paired with party anthems and homegrown favorites.

This intimate show is part of HRC’s on-going live series for 2017, whi-ch is a series of live performances featuring the country’s best artists. Other featured artists this May at HRC are Part 3 (Sundays and Fridays), Kudos Love 80s (Mondays and Wednesdays), Silk (Tuesdays), Red Picasso (Thursdays), and Arpie and The Multivitamins (May 27 and 29).

All shows start at 9 p.m.

OPM artist Nyon Volante

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017

Is Baste

Duterte

ready for the

big time in showbiz?

“I

DON’T know,” the popular son of President Rodrigo Duterte answered when we asked him after the press conference for Lakbai piloting tomorrow night at 8:45 p.m. after the PBA games.

“I never wanted to be in show business, even before my father became President, although I have a rock band in which I am also the lead vocalist apart from playing some of the instruments, I never thought of bringing to a level in which I’d be in the limelight. I write songs and the music we make are of a variety of genres,” he said.

How did he end up co-hosting Lakbai?

He said when he was offered the show his natural reaction was to reject it. “I don’t see myself as a TV personality. I avoid the limelight whenever possible, so the offer really scared me.”

But, the guys over at TV5 were persistent.

Mel Yazon-Tolentino, TV5 head of Content and Programming acknowledged it took them nearly half a year to convince the elusive presidential son to say “yes” finally.

“It wouldn’t be had it not been for friends like Alexis Lumabatan, a lawyer, Sboi Malicay, and Andrei Apostol,” he added.

When Baste agreed, Yazon-Tolentino immediately decided to start videotaping initial episodes for the show. “We had to do it immediately or Baste might change his mind,” she said.

And so Lakbai gets on the right track and TV 5 crafted at least five episodes that can extend to eight after which everything will depend on how the audience will accept the first son as a TV personality.

TV 5 asks the audience, how would you like to go on a Philippine adventure with presidential son, Baste Duterte, Bogart the Explorer and friends?

If you’re among the scores of thousands of women who liked Baste the first time you saw him

in social media, you’d answer “yes” and you will watch Lakbai.

It is the newest reality adventure show on TV5.

Lakbai, short for lakaw ta, ISAH V. RED bai, which translates to lakad tayo, kaibigan. It is a bi-lingual show with Bisaya or Hiligaynon as a principal language with Tagalog or Filipino subtitles.

According to Baste, it is a one of a kind TV show because it is basically unscripted. He related how at one point of the shoot when the process had him puzzled. “I was asking why we should be doing things again after we did it the first time. And they told me that they’d take it from a different angle. It really made me wonder.”

But, Baste has been able to adjust rather quickly to the barebones of being a television host. Many members of the press even asked him if he’d accept offers to appear in a TV series or an independent movie to which Baste said politely, “I am not an actor. It would be embarrassing if I accepted and not do well.”

The show, said Baste, takes the viewers to picturesque travel spots in the Philippines. He added, “First of all, this is not just another travel program showcasing the country’s views and food. This is a reality-adventure show that will feature a group of friends going on their travel adventures together while showing the audience the Philippines in a whole new light. In every episode, the hosts will explore a local spot through challenging quests that will test their will and strength.”

For the first time ever in this eight-week special, viewers will get to discover the adventurous side of Baste and see more of his personality as he interacts with the local people they meet.

For the first season of Lakbai, the fearless four’s thirst for adventure will take them to Davao, Bukidnon, Surigao del Norte, Surigao Sur, Dumaguete Siquijor Island, Bohol, llocos and the Mountain Province. Their must-see quests include spelunking in Magku-Kuob Cave located in Surigao Del Norte, exploring all 24 islands of the Brittania Group in Surigao Del Sur, and getting inked by one of the country’s living treasures, the legendary tattoo artist, Whang Od.

AVISALA! "Encantadia" stars greet their fans in Pangasinan during the Kapuso Night held in the province

Presidential son Baste Duterte becomes a travel heartthrob as he co-hosts "Lakbai," TV5's newest travel show

*** Amid the summer heat, GMA Network’s hottest stars made April a month to remember for fans when they joined Bangus, Pistay Dayat, MangoBamboo, and Panaad festivals.

The cast of Mulawin vs. Ravena was in Dagupan City for the month-long celebration of Bangus Festival. Kapuso love teams BiGuel and DerBea— Miguel Tanfelix and Bianca Umali; and Derrick Monasterio and Bea Binene—led the Kapuso Float Parade and Kapuso Fiesta together with their co-star Kiko Estrada at Dagupan City Plaza on April 21.

On April 28, the cast of the GMA Afternoon Prime’s Legally Blind saw to it that the Kapusong Pangasinense at the CSI The City Mall had a blast during its Kapuso Mall Show. Janine Gutierrez, Mikael Daez, and Marc Abaya treated their fans with various song numbers. Joining them were the stars of the upcoming remake of Impostora – Kris Bernal and Vaness del Moral.

The cast of Encantadia greeted their Pangasinense fans avisala on April 30. Glaiza de Castro, Rocco Nacino, Rochelle Pangilinan, Carlo Gonzales, Phytos Ramirez, and Arra San Agustin led the Kapuso Night at the Judge de Venecia Highway.

In San Carlos, Pangasinan, the cast of the hit romcom Meant To Be made the Mango-Bamboo Festival sweeter. Barbie Forteza with Jak Roberto, Ivan Dorschner, Addy Raj, and Ken Chan sang and danced during the Kapuso Fiesta at Plaza on April 25.

Meanwhile, in Lingayen, Asia’s Pop Sweetheart Julie Anne San Jose and Benjamin Alves, Aicelle Santos, and TOP were the stars in the Kapuso Night on May 1.

Billboard Music Awards on RTL-CBS Entertainment THE 2017 Billboard Music Awards will broadcast LIVE from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on May 22 at 8 a.m. on RTL CBS Entertainment.

The 2017 Billboard Music Awards nominations include a cross section of artists with many seeing more nods than ever.

Drake and The Chainsmokers lead the pack with 22 nominations each, tying the alltime record for most nominations in a single year. Drake’s nominations include, among others, Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist and Top Billboard 200 Album.

The Chainsmokers’ nominations include double nods in six categories: Top Dance/ Electronic Album, Top Hot 100 Song, Top Selling Song, Top Radio Song, Top Collaboration and Top Dance/Electronic Song, with single nominations in 10 other categories.

Twenty One Pilots received the third most nominations, at 17, including Top Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, and three nominations in the Top Rock Song category.

Rihanna received the fourth most nominations, 14, including Top Artist, Top Female Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album and a double nomination for Top R&B Song. Returning winners from 2016, who also received nominations this year, include Adele, Justin Bieber, Luke Bryan, Lauren Daigle, Drake, Kirk Franklin, Enrique Iglesias, Nicky Jam, Wiz Khalifa, Major Lazer, Rihanna, Chris Stapleton, The Weeknd, Twenty One Pilots and more.

Leading Kapuso love teams (from left) BiGuel and BerNea with co-star Kiko Estrada (rightmost)

Drew, Iya and baby Primo pitch baby-care brand BABYFLO®, one of the country’s leading baby care brands, welcomes Drew Arellano, wife Iya Villania, and son Primo Arellano to its family.

“This partnership sees a lot of firsts. This is the first time for Babyflo to have celebrity endorsers, first endorsement for Baby Primo and also the first endorsement of the whole Arellano family. They really embody what the campaign is for, and we are very excited to work with them,” Maya Leander, Philusa marketing manager said.

The Arellano family is featured in the newest campaign for Babyflo® Oatmeal Bath and Babyflo® Soap-Free Bath.

“We’re happy that we’re now part of the Babyflo family. We are very excited about this campaign because it captures how we are as a family. As you know, Primo is a very happy baby and this campaign will show how playful he is,” said Iya. The Babyflo® Oatmeal Bath is best for baby’s dry and itchy skin. It is enriched with colloidal oats which can absorb and seal in

moisture. Meanwhile, Babyflo ® Soap-Free Bath is a mild and gentle cleanser for all skin types, especially sensitive skin. It is fragrance-free, paraben-free and hypoallergenic.

Babyflo® products are distributed by Philusa Corporation, one of the country’s leading distributors of high quality consumer products within reach of every Filipino.

Watch out for the campaign launch featuring the Arellano family on the Babyflo Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ BabyfloPH.

BEAUTIFUL FAMILY. Drew Arellano with wife Iya Villania and son Primo