Manila Standard - 2017 May 30 - Tuesday

PALACE CONTRADICTS DU30 ON ML

By John Paolo Bencito AN OFFICIAL said Monday Malacañang had no intention to ignore the oversight functions of the Supreme Court and Congress on its implementation of martial law in Mindanao.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella contradicted President Rodrigo Duterte’s earlier statement that he would ignore the judiciary and both houses of Congress over his martial law declaration and instead listen to the military.

Amid the calls for Congress to

convene for a joint bicameral session to deliberate on the merits Duterte’s martial law declaration in Mindanao, Abella said Duterte would strictly follow any decision that would be made by the two co-equal branches of government over his martial law declaration.

“The President will listen actually,” Abella said.

“But then, at the end of the day as commander-in-chief, he deserves the right to make decisions.

Of course, he is listening. He is a listening President.”

Abella made his statement even

as Rep. Lito Atienza reminded Duterte to follow the constitutional provisions following his imposition of martial law in Mindanao.

He was reacting to Duterte’s statement that he would not listen to the Supreme Court or Congress as to when he would lift martial

rule in Mindanao.

Rep. Gary Alejano also criticized Duterte’s statement.

“He may be the President, but he is not above the law. No one is,” Alejano said.

Abella said what Duterte meant Next page

ASSAULT TEAM. Philippine Marines

VOL. XXXI • NO. 105 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

aboard their vehicles maneuver through a street on their way to an assault on the hideout of Maute militants near the town center in Marawi on May 28, 2017 as fighting entered the sixth day. Lower panel shows MNLF fighters riding a jeep in this file photo. AFP

MNLF, Reds vs Maute Misuari vows to drive away terrorists seeking sanctuary

By Francisco Tuyay and John Paolo Bencito

F

IGHTERS from the Moro National Liberation Front have been ordered to repulse any Maute terrorists seeking sanctuary in areas under their control in Lanao del Sur.

JUST CHECKING. A police officer checks the identity of a resident against a chart with images of ‘local terrorists’ at a checkpoint at the entrance to Iligan City on May 29, 2017, after local authorities locked down the city due to a terror attack. AFP

‘Heightened alert’ in MM, warns US

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan THE United States Embassy on Monday alerted all Americans traveling and residing in the Philippines that they heightened security measures in Metro Manila, including random checkpoints, as the government seeks to prevent a spillover of the terrorist violence from Marawi City.

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MNLF spokesman Absalon Cerveza said founding chairman Nur Misuari has ordered his men to be on the alert for any spillover from Marawi City, where government troops have been battling members of the Maute Group for almost a week.

“I already transmitted a communication to all MNLF forces in Lanao del Sur,” Cerveza told the Manila Standard in an interview.

Communist rebels, meanwhile, said they are willing to work with the government against terrorists who attack and kill civilians.

“In that sense, the CPP-NPA would be together with the Duterte government in opposing the Maute group and the Abu Sayyaf,” said Luis Jalandoni, senior adviser of the National Democratic Front.

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PH peace panel cancels 5th gab NOORDWIJK AAN ZEE, Netherlands—The Philippines on Sunday formally called off the latest round of peace talks with communist insurgents, after the parties failed to resolve a dispute over a rebel order for fighters to step up attacks.

“We are maintaining the decision made not to participate in the fifth round of talks,” chief government negotiator Jesus Dureza told journalists after almost 10 hours of closed-door consultations.

“There are no compelling

reasons for us to change the decision... which we announced yesterday,” he said, adding that Manila was formally withdrawing from the round.

It was the fifth scheduled round of talks since the resumption Next page

Opposition loses bid for joint session

By Maricel V. Cruz, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rey E. Requejo HOUSE leaders on Monday struck down efforts of the opposition bloc to have Congress convene a joint session to discuss President Rodrigo Duterte’s imposition of martial law in Mindanao.

This came as House Majority Floor Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas presented Duterte’s martial law report during the plenary session.

Fariñas said the House will convene into a committee of the whole with concerned Palace officials on

Wednesday for a briefing on the situation in Mindanao, especially in Marawi City.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman argued that Congress needed to convene in a joint session so as not to deprive the public of information they need to know about martial law, but his motion was defeated in viva voce voting.

Defense and Palace officials, meanwhile, assured senators in a closed-door briefing that the situation in Mindanao would be normalized, and that the Maute Group would be neutralized within the 60day period of effectivity of military rule.

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon told the senators that Marawi City would be back to normal within 60 days or less.

He insisted on the need for the President to impose martial law in the entire Mindanao island because the Armed Forces was dealing with a group with links to foreign Islamic State terrorists.

He appealed for the support of the senators and the public in the fight against terrorist groups.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana promised to do their best effort to control the situation in Marawi City by Friday.

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Napoles to implicate Abad, Poe looks Drilon in pork scam—lawyer into Palace

By Rey E. Requejo ‘junkets’ and Macon R. Araneta

YOUNGSTERS PLEA. Young Muslims gather at the Golden Mosque in Quiapo, Manila to call for lasting peace in Mindanao before the start of an afternoon prayer, almost a week after an attack by the Maute group and its foreign terrorist allies in Marawi City. Norman Cruz

SUSPECTED pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles will file a plunder complaint next week against former Budget secretary Florencio Abad and Senators Franklin Drilon, Antonio Trillanes IV and Leila de Lima, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguire II said Monday.

Aguirre said Napoles’ lawyer, Stephen David, said his client was preparing a statement detailing the participation of Abad, Drilon, Trillanes and De Lima in the pork

barrel scam.

Drilon and Trillanes denied the allegations, while De Lima described the action as a witch hunt.

Aguirre said David mentioned other people who might be included in the complaint, but did not identify them.

“We, here at the Department of Justice, we will just wait to what they are going to file and then we will investigate,” Aguirre said.

“I was told that Janet would like to make a statement only out of her personal knowledge. Janet herself will detail how each of them was Next page

SENATOR Grace Poe said Monday she planned to look into the government’s expenses on foreign trips following reports that some Cabinet members were traveling abroad with their families.

“I haven’t seen their expense reports, but perhaps when we have our budget hearing I can look into that, we will look into that,” Poe said in a TV interview on Monday.

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TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017

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Clerics seek end to airstrikes M

By Lance Baconguis

ARAWI CITY―Muslim clerics on Monday appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to stop the aerial assault on the terrorist Maute group in Marawi City to save civilian lives and spare the infrastructure in the area.

The National Ulama Conference of the Philippines said the government forces conducting combat operations in some areas must continue with their ground attacks instead of resorting to bombing sorties.

“We implore [Duterte] to cease immediately the airstrikes but to employ land attacks with the help of local military and police so that civilians will be protected and escorted to evacuation centers,” the Ulamas said in a statement to reporters.

Meanwhile, the Moro Islamic

Liberation Front in a statement asked the government to ensure that the ceasefire mechanisms continued to work on the ground, and that any military operations against the group that perpetrated the violence in Marawi would not spark more fighting in other areas.

In other developments: • Senator Nancy Binay said Monday the reported participation of children in the ongoing conflict in Marawi was alarming.

She called on the Armed Forces, Marawi City officials, residents and the media to confirm

MNLF,....

vilians, some of them executed by the Maute terrorists. The militants also took dozens of people, including a parish priest, hostage.

Cerveza said the MNLF is carefully watching the crisis in Marawi.

He also said unconfirmed reports said some of the militants have gone to Davao province.

In a Palace press briefing, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said Misuari’s offer is “an example of rising above self-interest to close ranks against a brutal foreign enemy—the ISIS—which is both antiIslam and anti-Filipino and, thirdly, anti-humanity.”

“So we appreciate that. It all depends now [on how the] AFP and the MNLF can… best operationalize the offer,” he said.

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the President’s call reflects his earlier appeals for unity on all fronts.

“If such a mechanism is employed for the benefit of the MILF [Moro Islamic Liberation Front] once we are done with our talks, then so be it, because these are all welcome developments,” Padilla said.

In Marawi City, security forces traded heavy gunfire with Islamist militants as fears grew for up to 2,000 people unable to escape a week of fighting that has left women and children among the dead.

Sreet-to-street battles and a relentless military bombing campaign have so far failed to end the crisis in Marawi, one of the biggest Muslim cities and authorities expressed alarm about the fate of those trapped.

“They are texting us and calling us for help,” Zia Alonto Adiong, spokesman for the provincial crisis management committee, said of the 2,000 people his office had recorded being unable to leave areas held by the militants.

“They can’t leave because they are afraid of running into checkpoints put up by the gunmen.”

With AFP, PNA

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Cerveza said there was a large concentration of MNLF fighters in the towns of Butig and Malabang, Lanao del Sur, and attempts by retreating militants to force their way into the area would lead to a dangerous situation.

Speaking to troops in Jolo, Sulu, on Saturday, President Rodrigo Duterte said he has already accepted an offer from Misuari to have MNLF fighters join the fight against the extremists.

“I will accept Nur’s offer,” Duterte said. “Nur Misuari sent me a letter. He said, ‘My men, take them’...he said, “Take my fighters in the MNLF.” “Message from Nur Misuari: Good evening. Assalamualaikum. A truly auspicious opportunity has risen for your brothers to show their mettle in helping their beloved President and the people to restore peace in Mindanao, specifically in Marawi, which is under siege by some organized criminal groups, some of them... being drug lords,” Duterte said, quoting Misuari’s letter.

Misuari suggested that an MNLF unit composed of 500 to 700 men be formed to help government troops, and that the unit be put under the command of MNLF officers.

Duterte said he was amenable to the idea.

“I will hire you as soldiers— same pay, same privileges, and I will build houses for you in some areas,” Duterte said.

Maute group gunmen overran Marawi City Tuesday, prompting Duterte to declare martial law in Mindanao. More than 61 of the extremists have died in fighting with government troops, who have bombed their positions in the city.

The crisis in Marawi has also claimed the lives of some 27 ci-

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was that the state forces had the accurate information that would guide him on what to do.

“The President meant that those who are truly aware of the situation are the military and the police,” Abella said.

“This is not meant to bypass the Supreme Court of the legislative. It simply means that those who have true and accurate report on which he will depend on will be the military and the Philippine National Police.

“What the President is actually saying is that the one with the accurate information regarding the activities on the ground are those he has said he will trust.”

Abella’s response came after Duterte said he would ignore the

Poe...

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“We just want to find out if the expenses for their companions were separate,” Poe said.

“I understand that they want to spend some quality time with their families, and even on an official trip. But who paid

Supreme Court and Congress even if the Constitution gave them the power of oversight.

“Until the police and the Armed Forces say the Philippines is safe, this martial law will continue. I will not listen to others. The Supreme Court, Congress, they are not here,” Duterte told soldiers on Saturday in Jolo.

“Are they the ones dying and losing blood, bleeding, hemorrhaging because there is no help, no reinforcement? It’s not them.”

The 1987 Constitution requires Congress to approve a President’s declaration of martial law and limits military rule to 60 days. If a President wants to extend it, he or she must again get congressional endorsement. The Supreme Court, meanwhile, can also rule on martial law’s legality.

With Maricel V. Cruz for them?”

Poe said she was aware that officials could easily say that they paid for themselves, but she reminded the government that it had to send out the message to the public that they were “prudent’ enough when it came to expenses.

“Now, they can always say that ‘we paid for it ourselves,’

the reported use of child warriors by the Maute Group.

“I’m asking the AFP, local officials, residents and the media to confirm the presence of child warriors in Marawi,” Binay said.

• Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte said Monday the city government will be sending relief to the people who fled the fighting in Marawi and who are now in Iligan City.

She said they were now preparing the food packs that would be sent as soon as the city government was assured of the safety of the people who would be bringing the relief in Iligan City.

“We have prepared relief goods that we will be sent to Iligan, but we are still considering the safety of the people who will bring the food,” Duterte said.

• Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said the people sowing terror in Mindanao were the enemies and not the government or the men in uniform.

He called on the public to view

President Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao as a necessary step to neutralize the terrorists.

“The terrorists are the threat here,” Pimentel said.

“They have repeatedly shown an utter disregard for the sanctity of human life and have shown that they will not hesitate to resort to violence and mayhem to further their ends.”

The Ulamas also implored government agencies such as the Social Welfare and Health departments to respond to the needs of the Marawi residents, most of whom were Maranaos and who had been evacuated due to the fighting there.

“This the time, Mr. President, to show us that you have Maranao blood, and that you will correct the historical injustices committed against the Moros,” the Ulamas said.

Earlier, Orlando Cardinal Quevedo, the archbishop of Cotabato, issued the statement

condemning the “terroristic acts that have caused the loss of many innocent lives.

“In the strongest terms we condemn terrorism in its various forms. It is an ideology that is totally against the tenets of any religion of peace.

“Distorts and falsifies the true meaning of any religion. It destroys harmonious relationships among peoples of different faiths.

It creates a world of suspicion and prejudice, of hatred and hostility.”

As the martial law is being implemented all over Mindanao, Quevedo has urged for calm, to be obedient to the just commands of lawful authority and not to provoke violent reaction.

“Urge the government to remove the causes of terrorism, such as poverty and injustice, through just and accountable governance focused solely on the common good,” he said.

With Macon Ramos-Araneta and Pearl A. Gajunera

TERRORISTS’ WEAPONS. Philippine Marines stand guard as they show rifles, grenades, and military

uniforms recovered in Marawi on May 29, 2017 following clashes with ISIS-inspired Maute terrorists. AFP

the US government wrote to its embassy in Manila.

According to the security message, the US embassy has received information that the government has placed the PNP on full alert throughout Metro Manila.

“A unit of the Armed Forces of the Philippines AFP] has been deployed to Quezon City to assist the PNP with security operations,” the embassy alert said.

It noted that the AFP will as-

sist in implementing random checkpoints, security patrols, and police visibility operations.

“The PNP advises that this is a precautionary measure in light of the declaration of martial law in Mindanao and not related to any specified terror threat information directed towards Metro Manila,” it said.

The embassy then reminded its American citizens about its recent travel warning on March 6, the “Worldwide Caution” that indi-

Party can go to the Supreme Court if their colleagues in the Senate block a resolution seeking to convene Congress in joint session to deliberate on Duterte’s declaration of martial law.

In an interview, Pangilinan admitted they do not have the numbers to push through with their assertion that the imposition of martial rule should be tackled in a joint session so they can seek redress from the Supreme Court.

Opposition senators on Monday filed Senate Resolution No. 390 calling on Congress to perform its “sacred duty and peremptory obligation” and hold a joint session on President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of martial law.

The resolution was filed by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Deputy Minority Leader Paolo Benigno Aquino IV and Senators De Lima, Risa Hontiveros, Pangilinan, and Trillanes.

The joint session seeks to tackle Duterte’s Proclamation No. 216 entitled “Declaring a State of Martial Law and Suspending the Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus in the Whole of Mindanao.”

Citing Section 18, Article VII of the Constitution, the senators said, “Congress has the sacred duty and peremptory obligation to seek information surrounding and assess the factual basis for the proclamation and, if warranted, revoke the same.” With Sandy Araneta

involved,” Aguirre added.

Part of Napoles’ sworn statement alleges that a high Cabinet official in the Aquino administration claimed the P10-million reward for Napoles’ arrest.

Napoles herself is facing a

plunder complaint for her alleged role in the pork barrel scam. Also charged were former senators Jinggoy Estrada, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Juan Ponce Enrile.

Enrile was allowed by the Supreme Court to post bail for his temporary liberty citing humanitarian reasons while Estrada and Revilla remain in detention at the PNP Custodial Center in

Camp Crame.

Early this month, the Court of Appeals acquitted Napoles in the illegal detention case filed by pork barrel scam whistleblower Benhur Luy before the Makati regional trial court.

However, she remains in detention since she is still facing plunder, graft and malversation charges before the Sandiganbayan.

and that’s fine. But the government has to be very conservative when it comes to expenses,” Poe said.

She said the government should be able to correct that image especially because citizens were “very conscious” on the lifestyle of the chief executive. “…In social media, I think government officials should be a

little bit careful,” she said.

Malacañang earlier dismissed a critic who said the recent foreign trips of President Rodrigo Duterte became a junket for government officials.

Former President Fidel V. Ramos on Friday criticized the recent visit of Duterte to Russia, which he described as a “junket” due to the presence

of several Cabinet members, other government officials and movie celebrities.

“Pardon me for calling it a junket because it now turns out that it was a junket,” said Ramos, adding that some of those officials, who had no role in the trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg should have stayed in the Philippines. PNA

‘Heightened...

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In a statement, the American government issued a “security message” alerting US citizens about possible checkpoints in Metro Manila set up by the Philippine National Police.

“Please disseminate this message to all US citizens in your organization or neighborhood,”

Opposition...

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Liberal Party president Senator Francis Pangilinan said they would see if this promise could be met.

Senators JV Ejercito and Manny Pacquiao, on the other hand, said they were convinced of the necessity of martial law in Mindanao, and said this was justified by the ongoing rebellion.

Pacquiao, however, said it would be difficult for the military to put an end to the crisis in just one week.

“This is no joke, this is terrorist group,” said Pacquiao.

Pangilinan said the Liberal

Napoles...

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Military judge to monitor abuses DAVAO CITY―The Military Judge Advocate of the Eastern Mindanao Command will monitor the implementation of martial law in Mindanao to ensure that the Armed Forces will obey the laws and respect human rights, an official said Monday.

Captain Melanie Domino, Acting Staff Judge Advocate of the Eastmincom, said they were ready to receive complaints on the abuses and violation of human rights by members of the military under the area of responsibility of the Eastmincom, which covers Davao and Caraga and portions of Regions 10 and 12.

She said they could investigate the administrative culpability of the AFP members for abuses.

Eastmincom has been assuring the people that they will follow the rule of law in the implementation of martial law.

It said it is also taking measures so that no martial law abuses will be committed by either the members of the military or the police.

The Judge Advocate is now advising the operating commanders of the military and educating the troops about martial law and the rules of engagement.

Domino said this was in partnership with other authorities especially on the conduct of searches, arrests and seizures.

She said they were waiting for the specific parameters of the martial law declaration by President Rodrigo Duterte that will be issued by the Defense department, which is tasked to work on the guidelines.

Meanwhile, Lt. General Rey Leonardo Guerrero, commander of the Eastmincom and the designated enforcer of martial law, urged the public to report violations of law and procedure committed by military and police personnel. PNA cates there is an ongoing threat of terrorist actions and violence against US citizens and interests abroad, including the Philippines.

“Extremists have targeted sporting events, theaters, markets, mass transportation systems—including airlines, and other public venues where large crowds gather.

Crowded nightclubs, shopping malls, buses and popular restaurants have also been targets,” it said. With Vito Barcelo

PH...

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of formal negotiations between Manila and the communists in August.

They were meant to address such issues as a joint interim ceasefire, social and economic reforms and human rights issues.

The breakdown of the talks, held in a scenic Dutch seaside resort, came as fighting flared Sunday between government forces and Islamist militants in the south, with the death toll surpassing 100 after almost a week of fighting.

Talks stalled Saturday when Dureza objected to the communists’ telling guerrillas to intensify attacks in response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of martial law in parts of the country.

Dureza said Sunday that the talks would not resume until there were indications of an “environment conducive to achieving just and sustainable peace.”

Asked whether this included the communists’ order to escalate attacks, Dureza said: “It is a factor.”

But Dureza, who is also Duterte’s chief advisor, emphasized that the withdrawal from this round of talks was not a formal withdrawal from the peace process initiated in August 2016.

“The peace talks have not been canceled and the peace process remains intact,” added Elisabeth Slattum, special envoy of Norway, which has been facilitating the peace talks. AFP, John Paolo Bencito, F. Pearl Gajunera

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TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Plaza’s pork barrel ‘cohorts’ dismissed OMBUDSMAN Conchita Carpio-Morales directed on Monday Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to implement another dismissal order against officials of the National Agribusiness Corp. for their reported involvement in the pork barrel fund scam.

She said the respondents could no longer be reemployed in any government agency.

Those ordered dismissed were Victor Roman Cacal, Romulo Relevo, Gondelina Amata, Chita Jalandoni, Emmanuel Sevidal, Ofelia Ordoñez, Filipina Rodriguez, Sofia Cruz and Gregoria Buenaventura.

Cacal and company were again found guilty of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

The case stemmed from the fraudulent spending of the P27.5-million Priority Development Assistant Fund of then Agusan del Sur representative Rodolfo Plaza in 2008 to 2009.

Morales ordered the respondents’ perpetual disqualification for reemployment in the government service, and were meted the accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility and forfeiture of retirement benefits.

In a 54-page decision, Morales rejected the respondents’ claim of lengthy government service, saying that “respondents’ dedication and outstanding service to the government should not be cited as a circumstance that deserves public gratitude considering that the level of service which is expected from every public servant is no less that exemplary service.”

Rio N. Araja

Du30 appoints new Sandiganbayan justice PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed a director from the Office of the Ombudsman as Sandiganbayan associate justice.

In a May 29, 2017 transmittal letter, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea informed Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno that the President has signed the appointment of Bayani H. Jacinto as Sandiganbayan magistrate replacing Associate Justice Roland B. Jurado who opted to retire in February this year.

Jacinto is the acting director of the Prosecution and Monitoring Unit of OmbudsmanLuzon.

The Sandiganbayan is mandated to hear criminal cases involving graft and corruption committed by government officials. The anti-graft court is composed of a presiding justice and 20 associate justices. They shall sit in seven divisions of three justices each, including the presiding justice.

Rey E. Requejo

Hungary offers financial aid package THE Hungarian government is set to offer $510 million worth of technical assistance in water management; a $20-million feasibility study for cleanup initiatives in the Manila Bay and Laguna Lake and scholarships for Filipinos pursuing a course on agriculture.

In line with its effort to explore possible PhilippinesHungary cooperation on Agriculture, both countries also seek the exchange of experts, particularly in rice and cattle.

“The trip to Hungary included a visit to companies engaged in agricultural mechanization and livestock genetics,” the Foreign Affairs said on Monday.

The DFA said Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol led the Philippine delegation to a visit to Hungary where they met with Hungarian Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Péter Szijjarto and Agriculture Minister Sandor Fazekas to explore possible Philippines-Hungary cooperation on agriculture.

Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

BIG CATCH. A total of 505 kilos

of shabu are presented by the NBI which it seized along with agents of the Bureau of Customs and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Valenzuela City last Saturday. It was the secondlargest seizure of illegal drugs in the country. Norman Cruz

SC junks malversation case vs Sobrepeña

By Rey E. Requejo

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HE Supreme Court has cleared with finality businessman Robert John Sobrepeña and other officials of Camp John Hay Development Corp. of charges of malversation of public funds amounting to P4.33 million, paving the way for Baguio City Regional Trial Court to eventually dismiss the cases initiated in 2012 by Arnel Casanova, former president of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.

In a three-page order dated May 15, 2017, Presiding Judge Cecillia Corazon S. Dulay-Archog ordered the dismissal of the two criminal complaints filed against Sobrepeña, CJHDEVCO chief executive officer and chairman; Ferdinand Santos, president; Alfredo Yñiguez, executive vice president and chief operating officer; and Emily Roces-Falco, chief finance officer, after it received an “Entry of Judgment”

issued by the SC’s Second Division stating that the Nov. 9, 2016 resolution promulgated by the high court “affirming the August 12, 2015 decision of the Court of Appeals, which dismissed these cases, has become final and executory on December 21, 2016.”

“In view of the finality of the said resolution dated November 9, 2016 issued by the Second Division of the Supreme Court . . . as contained in the said “Entry of

Judgment” received by this Court on May 4, 2017, these instant cases pending before this Court are hereby dismissed,” Judge Archog ruled.

Subsequently, the Baguio City court ordered the cancellation and release of the cash and travel bonds earlier posted by the accused officials of CJHDEVCO, the developer of the former American recreational facility in Baguio City.

Yñiguez lauded the Court’s decision to dismiss the complaint for malversation of public funds, saying it clearly shows Casanova’s abuse of power when he was still BCDA chief for instigating “nuisance cases” as part of its propaganda against Sobrepeña and other CJHDEVCO officials.

“The Supreme Court’s dismissal of the malversation case only indicates that Casanova resorted to filing of nuisance cases as part of its propaganda against us, in his attempt to besmirch our reputation and integrity. This also clearly shows how Casanova abused his power as BCDA president,” Yñiguez added.

In fact, Yñiguez noted a Pasig City regional trial court has or-

dered the arrest of Casanova after finding probable cause to hold him for trial for causing a “false” and “malicious” publication of a notice that tarnished the reputation of Sobrepeña.

The SC, in a three-page “Entry of Judgment,” certified that on Nov. 9, 2016, a resolution rendered in GR No. 220073, which resolved to affirm the Aug. 12, 2015 decision of the Court of Appeals, “and that the same has, on Dec. 21, 2016, become final and executory and is hereby recorded in the Book of Entries of Judgments.” In its Nov. 9, 2016 resolution, the SC’s Second Division denied the petition of the BCDA through the Office of the Solicitor General for its failure to show that the Court of Appeals “committed any reversible error in setting aside the orders dated June 27, 2013 and Oct. 31, 2013 of the Regional Trial Court of Baguio City, Branch 6,” finding probable cause for the arrest and trial of the CJHDEVCO officials concerning the charge of malversation of public funds in the amounts of P1,490,717.26 and P2,839,969.40.

Speed up tax reform measure—Du30

By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday asked Congress to speed up the first package of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program proposed by his administration amid continued debates at the Lower House.

Duterte sent a letter addressed to both House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Senate President Aquilino Pimentel

III on Monday, “certifying to the necessity of the immediate enactment” of the said measure.

The President said that the pending bill, House Bill No. 5636 or the proposed Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN) will “address the immediate need for tax reforms in order to achieve a simpler, more equitable and more efficient tax system character-

ized by lower personal income tax rates, a broader value-added tax (VAT) base, and higher excise taxes on oil products and automobiles, among others.

“With the bill certified as urgent, it will not undergo the “three-day rule” between the second and third reading, with approval on both levels likely within the same day.

The certification comes after a delay in the schedule approv-

al eyed by House leaders, who earlier announced their intent to have the bill hurdle second reading by May 24, Wednesday.

They are seeking approval on third and final reading by Wednesday, May 31, the last plenary session before Congress adjourns its session.

Last week, lawmakers have submitted their individual amendments to the proposed measure.

Universities, colleges OKd to increase tuition fees

By John Paolo Bencito and Rio N. Araja SOME 268 private universities and colleges are expected to increase their tuition and other school fees for the incoming school year after the Commission on Higher Education approved their applications on Monday.

The increase in tuition and other school fees was announced

by Dr. Patricia Licuanan, CHED chairperson, for the academic year 2017-2018.

The average nationwide increase in tuition will be 6.96 percent or equivalent to P86.68 per unit, while increase in other school fees will be at 6.9 percent, or P243 per unit, with increases varying depending on the higher education institution and the region, the CHED said in a statement.

The approved applications represent 16 percent of the total number of 1,652 private HEIs in the country. Of the 268 private HEIs, some 231 will increase both tuition and other school fees. Thirty-one more HEIs were approved for an increase only in their tuition fees while six others would increase only their other school fees.

In a statement, Licuanan said the approved applications is 36 HEIs lower than the 304 institutions which were permitted to raise fees last academic year.

“Considering the total population of private HEIs, the average increase in tuition or other school fees is about 1 percent.”

The highest tuition hikes per unit were at an average of P1,023.03 or 6.47 percent in Western Visayas, P119.55 or 4.75 percent in NCR, P49.07 or 3.05 percent in Calabarzon and P49.50 or 8.64 percent in Central Luzon.

Motorists forewarned: Oil prices to go up again

By Alena Mae S. Flores

SUPPORTING THE REGION. Regional Development Council Vlll AdCom Co-Convenor and Leyte (1st District) Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez (right) delivers a speech during the Regional Development Council Vlll Advisory Committee Meeting at the House of Representatives. Romualdez said the RDC Advisory Committee has a role of ensuring the fullest attention and support of the national government for Region 8. With her are RDC Vlll Chairman and Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Romualdez (center) and lawyer Ror Bernard Fiel (left), RDC Vlll vice chairman. Ver Noveno

OIL prices are expected to go up by as much as P0.85 per liter starting today (Tuesday) to reflect the movement of world oil prices.

The oil firms raised the price of kerosene by P0.85 per liter, diesel by P0.75 per liter and gasoline by P0.55 per liter effective 12:01 a.m. on May 30.

Among the companies that announced the price hike includes Flying V, PTT Philippines, Seaoil Philippines and Phoenix Petroleum Philippines while others are expected to follow suit.

Oil firms received a boost at the global market following news that members and non-members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed to extend production cuts for nine

months until March 2018.

Opec and the 11 non-Opec producers, including Russia, gathered last May 25 in Vienna to come to an agreement to extend their six-month agreement, which is set to expire at the end of June.

Despite the production cut extension, stockpiles and production from non-participating countries remain high and analysts believe oil prices will hover at $60 per barrel this year.

Last May 23, the oil firms also raised the price of kerosene

by P0.70 per liter, gasoline by P0.65 per liter and diesel by P0.60 per liter.

Last May 16, the oil companies implemented a P0.30 per liter increase in gasoline but there was no movement in the price of diesel and kerosene.

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Opinion

TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017

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EDITORIAL

No getting used to this

W

E DON’T know which is worse: That the President utters incendiary things during these precarious times, or that we cannot tell whether he means what he says.

On Saturday, the President said he would ignore the Supreme Court and Congress if they meddled with his decision to impose martial law in Mindanao.

On May 23, Mr. Duterte placed Mindanao under martial law in reaction to the Maute group’s attack on Marawi City. Inspired by the Islamic State, the Maute Group has been

Adelle Chua, Editor

displaying the global terror group’s black flag all over the city. More than a hundred people have been killed and most of the residents have fled to safer ground.

The 1987 Constitution gives oversight functions to the judiciary and legislative branches of government in the event martial law is declared by the chief executive. The Su-

preme Court can rule on the declaration’s legality. Congress needs to endorse any extension of the 60-day period allowed for martial law.

It’s plain check and balance, to ensure that no excesses are committed even under the best of intentions.

But Mr. Duterte said only the police and military can say when martial law should be lifted and that he would not listen to others. “The Supreme Court, Congress, they are not here.” They are not the ones dying and losing

blood because of absence of help, said the President.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II made things worse when he said the Supreme Court will be rendered powerless once Congress affirms the validity of the martial law proclamation.

Aguirre cited the detailed report of the President justifying the declaration.

On Monday, however, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said Mr. Duterte had no intentions to ignore the oversight functions of the Supreme Court and Congress. “The

President will listen, actually,” he said. “The President meant that those who are truly aware of the situation are the military and the police. This is not meant to bypass the Supreme Court or the legislature.”

We are then left to trust our creative imagination as we had been advised by Palace spokesmen many times before, as we decipher the words and intent of the man we are supposed to be looking to for guidance and direction.

Even Senator Panfilo Lacson’s advice to get used to the President’s rhetoric,

and ask ourselves whether he means, half means, or does not mean what he says, is hardly inspiring.

Lacson was referring to Mr. Duterte’s latest rape joke, which he cracked before soldiers in Iligan City.

In regular times and especially in times of crisis, people look to their leader as an example of stability, rationality and levelheadedness. We don’t need to waste precious energy figuring out whether he is providing comic relief, displaying bravado, or owning up to the fact that he is unhinged.

Martial law, unconstitutional acts

now, what the President is saying is that he will not listen to those lawmakers or Supreme Court justices who criticize the imposition—but who have not even started the process of revoking it.

Mind you, Duterte’s usual critics in the Senate and the House have already expressed their opposition to the declaration.

And no less than Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno has declared her own misgivings about martial law, in a speech last Friday.

Personally, I don’t think any lawmaker who knows what he is doing is going to challenge martial law for a variety of reasons, but I’ll just cite two: 1) The possibility of being voted out of office for being perceived to be in league with (or at least sympathetic to) terrorists is too great and 2) the near-certainty of losing the vote in such a one-sided manner will preclude it.

As for the Supreme Court, I think it will steer clear of issuing

WE ARE living in uncertain times, whether one is from Mindanao or Manila, or anywhere in the Philippines. Today, it could be Marawi. Tomorrow, it could be another city or province in Mindanao, Visayas (as what happened in Bohol), or even Luzon. No one can hide. There is no safe haven from terrorism.

There is also no safe haven from military and police abuses.

I am convinced that the ISIS is a real threat to Mindanao and the Philippines. Based on what I have seen myself on traditional and social media and what the President included in his report to Congress, I am willing to give the President the benefit of the doubt on his decision to declare martial law in Marawi. But based also on his report and on the text of Proclamation No. 216, I do not see on its face the adequate, sufficient factual basis of declaring martial law throughout Mindanao, much less extending it to the Visayas and Luzon.

Duterte’s decision to declare martial law will hopefully be a watershed moment that turned the tide against extremism and terrorism in our country, ushering in a golden age of peace and development in Mindanao.

Alternatively, this might be that moment when we cross a point of no return, with the conflicts and violence in Mindanao and the Philippines accelerating and peace becoming impossible to achieve for decades.

In a Mindanews article I wrote, I proposed that the scenario we would end up with will depend on how martial law is implemented in our island: (1) whether the limits imposed by the 1987 Constitution are faithfully complied with; (2) how our governance institutions, especially Congress and the Supreme Court, perform their constitutional duties related to martial law; (2) whether the executive branch and the military are guided by self-restraint in exercising their expanded powers; and, (3) how citizens and citizen organizations respond to the evolving situation.

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, in her commencement speech to graduates of the Loyola Schools of the Ateneo de Manila, asked similar questions: “Will this martial law declaration bring back the human rights violations and the depredations that characterized the martial law regime of 1972? Will investors leave the country? Will young people still have enough good jobs? Will our labor force be squeezed into more painful contortions of diaspora? Will our voices still be heard?”

Chief Justice Sereno’s answer to her own questions: “It depends.” According to her:

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Turn to A5

Spinning out of control LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES I’M SORRY, but yesterday’s headlines fail the no-spin test.

Unfortunately for the people opposed to the declaration of martial law in Mindanao, President Rodrigo Duterte did not say he was going to ignore both Congress and the Supreme Court on the matter of the imposition’s legality or even its propriety.

Duterte’s extemporaneous declaration last Saturday, made before the soldiers belonging to the Second Mechanized Brigade of the Philippine Army in Iligan City, had nothing to do with the appreciation of Congress or the high court of the martial law proclamation. What he said was that he will believe what the soldiers and the police involved in fighting the terrorist Maute Group told him about whether or not it was safe to lift

the declaration.

Why, after all, would Duterte listen to lawmakers and justices ensconced in the safe confines of Manila about lifting military rule in Mindanao? That’s even worse than a rape joke—that’s just plain stupid.

This is what Duterte said: “Until the police and the armed forces say the Philippines is safe, this martial law will continue. I will not listen to others.

The Supreme Court, Congress, they are not here. Are they the ones dying and losing blood, bleeding, hemorrhaging because there is no help, no reinforcement? It’s not them.”

First of all, Duterte was talking to soldiers, whose morale he was very concerned about lifting in the face of what now appears to be a protracted siege operation in order to liberate Marawi City from the Maute terrorists.

Second of all, he certainly did not say that he will ignore either Congress or the Supreme Court if they do decide to revoke his martial law declaration.

Right now, there is no vote in Congress that shuts down Duterte’s martial law declaration.

Despite the noises made by the usual Yellow suspects among the ranks of the lawmakers in either chamber, that constitutional

The spin ultimately hurts the first real effort to be rid of terrorism in Mindanao. provision calling for a vote that may revoke martial law hasn’t even been started by a formal demand.

Meanwhile, despite how easy the 1987 Constitution made it for any citizen (not just members of

Congress) to go to the Supreme Court to challenge the legality of the imposition, that hasn’t happened yet, either. Not even the human rights crowd, which has been sounding like it has already decided that the terrorists’ rights should be the paramount consideration in Marawi, have gone to the court to start the process of nullifying Duterte’s declaration there.

So what’s to ignore? The spin, that’s what. *** Of course, all this doesn’t mean that Congress will not vote on the matter of Duterte’s martial law declaration as soon as some lawmaker calls for it. Neither does this mean that the high court will never rule on a citizen’s challenge, especially since the charter expressly states that a ruling should be issued within a fixed time after it is brought to the court formally.

All I’m saying is that the President never said that he will ignore the two institutions once they act on the matter. But for

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More quakes

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

My life as a journalist I WILL be 90 in September. I cannot help looking back at my 60 years as a journalist. It seems like it was yesterday!

I cannot help feeling nostalgic, having covered many administrations. These are some of the landmarks of my life as a journalist.

There was, for instance, this event during the early days of martial law in 1972. The Media Advisory Council was mandated by then-President Ferdinand Marcos to oversee the censorship of domestic and foreign media.

I was then president of the Manila Overseas Press Club, composed of both domestic and foreign journalists. I was also public affairs manager of the Kanlaon Broadcast System of the late Marcos ally, Roberto S. Benedicto, that operated Channels 4, 9 and 13 and the government station GTV-4.

I never believed in censorship of any kind, Thus, I thought of a scheme to place radio and television outside the ambit of martial law. I wanted broadcast organizations to police themselves; we needed to show the world that Marcos was not suppressing media.

I got the approval of Marcos and Benedicto. It was all systems go for me and my co-founders of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas.

We even had a Code of Standards approved. I was elected KBP president.

After a year, when the election of another president was being discussed, I heard that the sentiments of the majority of the KBP members was that another president should be elected—not one from KBS, but one who is allied with Marcos.

I raised the issue of having one vote for one network, but RSB did not agree. I had no choice but to resign. “Is it about money?” he asked.

“It’s about conviction,” I replied.

After a couple of months, Marcos then assigned the late Teodoro F. Valencia, his good friend, to become the next KBP president. *** Another landmark in my life as a journalist was the beginning of the 365 Club.

It was founded at the old Intercon Hotel, and stayed there for 44 years until the hotel was demolished to give way to a new building complex.

When martial law was declared at midnight of Sept. 21, 1972, I got a call from Channel 9. I rushed to the station along Roxas Boulevard and had to go through three or four checkpoints.

It was already five in the morning and I wanted to go home. Along the way, I decided to have coffee at Hotel Intercon.

TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017

I saw Makati Mayor Nemesio Yabut there, together with Valencia, who told me he was expecting to be picked up any time by the military.

After coffee and snacks, Valencia told me that from thereon, all the displaced members of media because of martial law would be welcome at Hotel Intercon and that he would shoulder the cost. Yabut, knowing he would be paying everything, simply smiled.

And that is how the 365 Club began. We called it such because everybody who wanted to meet would gather in that place 365 days a year. Ka Doroy proclaimed himself chairman.

When he died, I proclaimed myself chairman.

The 365 Club is unique because it has no charter, no list of members, no officers and no mandate except that it would be a gathering of friends who want to talk about the issues of the day. Or anything, really.

It caught the attention of the Wall Street Journal, which featured us on its front page.

The 365 Club stayed at the Intercon all through the years. It was patient with us, especially when the members disagreed on something and would turn loud and argumentative.

I have since proclaimed myself chairman emeritus, and made businessman Alfonso “Boy” Reyno Jr. chairman-president. We made former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile chairman.

He attends every Saturday. *** Another facet of my life as a journalist is the founding of Manila Standard.

In early 1987, I got a call from my friend Rod Reyes. He said he got a call from Manda Elizalde all the way from Miami, Florida. Over lunch, Rod said Manda wanted me to join him in starting a newspaper. I would be a columnist and chairman of the editorial board.

In February of that year, the Manila Standard came out of the press. We had offices at the old Tanduay Rhum building along Ayala Avenue.

After a couple of years, Manda sold the newspaper to the Sorianos and the late Alfonso Yuchengco, and later on to Ricky Razon, owner of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. that operates container ports worldwide, and of the Solaire gaming and entertainment complex.

The newspaper is now owned by the sons of Kokoy Romualdez.

Despite opportunities to write for other broadsheets, I will remain with Manila Standard until I write “30.” I like the policies and vision of the paper.

There are no targets, no biases.

Most importantly, I like the people I work with here.

‘Is it about money?” he asked. I replied: “It’s about conviction.”

FORMATION GARY OLIVAR I WAS on the phone at home that night with a business associate in Jakarta when the floor suddenly began to move from side to side. I remember thinking that sideways tremors are considered more dangerous than up and down. It only lasted a few seconds, but it put a quick end to our hope-filled conversation.

I later learned that the quake was centered somewhere in Pampanga.

Relatively mild at 5.4 on the Richter, it nonetheless added to the growing public foreboding that the law of averages is bound to catch up with us sooner or later when “the big one” crashes in. I certainly don’t remember growing up with that many quakes happening.

My friends in the Fatima movement assure me that this is only to be expected, as the centennial of the Fatima apparitions begins with the first monthly appearance of Our Lady to the three Portuguese children on May 13, 1917.

The world is nowhere near— and if anything is even farther from—the reconsecration of our public and private lives to her and to her Son that she humbly appealed for. Perhaps it’s not the quakes themselves that should worry us, but whether or not we’re heeding the message they may

be conveying, for the sake of our lives in the hereafter. *** Down in Marawi City, a different quake is currently raging, as the black-flagged representatives of the latest mutation in the violent jihadist strain of Islam sow their patented brand of mayhem left and right.

Over 60 of them have already been dispatched to their paradise—we should bill their families for doing them the favor—but nearly as many civilians and soldiers have also been killed, some of them women, others through the slow beheading method preferred by these professed soldiers of the Prophet (PBUH).

In response, the President put the entire island of Mindanao under martial law. The usual armchair critics objected that it should have been limited only to Marawi, where the present violence is confined. This of course is tantamount to claiming that the caliphate ISIS wants to set up in our country will be confined only to Marawi. In your dreams, gentlemen.

Yesterday Duterte went even farther and said he would rescind martial law only upon the say-so of the troops on the ground, regardless of whatever oversight powers may be enjoyed by Congress and the Supreme Court.

Note the careful language of this provincial lawyer, who in fact has already brought the senators very much into the loop through his initial formal report to them, a majority caucus Sunday night, and a plenary hearing

AND security briefing scheduled for yesterday.

Duterte is properly reserving for his office and the military the responsibility of waging war. It’s his Constitutional duty as commander in chief. And it’s evidently a decision that the majority of citizens are prepared to support—especially those in Mindanao, who’ve already been flooding social media with their positive sentiments.

This doesn’t mean, of course, that no abuses will take place. Or that we’re entitled to expect a quick and painless victory. Or that we’re guaranteed that the terrorists’ logistics and support networks don’t extend outside Marawi, or Mindanao—not with this group whose black flags are now being raised over much of Asia and Europe as well as the Middle East.

The war will be as long and as painful as it needs to be. And whatever that means in practice, is something to be worked out between ourselves as civilians and the military who’re prosecuting that war on our behalf. *** Among the notables who’ve expressed support for the President—albeit temporizingly and grudgingly so—are the presidents of the five Ateneo campuses.

In a joint statement, the five Jesuit academics said they “trust the President…that martial law shall only be limited and temporary,” even as they reminded him to “act judiciously” in its implementation.

In the middle of all the otherwise bland language, however, the

following statement jumped out at me: “The Supreme Being worshipped both by Christians and Muslims alike is a God of Compassion and Peace.”

I think that’s ecumenism gone overboard. For the plain truth is this, whether you’re reciting the Apostle’s Creed or the Nicene Creed as professed by all Christians: The Christian God is a Trinitarian God, in whom the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are consubstantially one.

Allegiance to this creed would rule out the Adventists, for example, who to my knowledge don’t recognize the existence of a Holy Spirit. It also rules out all the latter-day followers of Arius who don’t recognize the divinity of Jesus, and that includes—notwithstanding the name they adopted— the Iglesia ni Cristo.

This is not to say that the Muslim God is not also a God of compassion and peace. Neither is it to say that we cannot collaborate and even spiritually commune with every other religion that professes the same compassion and peace.

But in doing so, let’s not discard the boundaries that were originally defined, not by us, but by the One we profess to follow and by the others who followed Him in apostolic succession. And priests who head Catholic schools ought to be the first ones defending those boundaries, not tearing them down.

Readers can write me at gbolivar1952@yahoo.com.

Road hazards, motorcycles and private village roads HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA IT APPEARS that Congress is really keen on investing President Rodrigo Duterte, through the Secretary of Transportation, with emergency powers to address the chronic traffic problem plaguing Metropolitan Manila, as well as the urban centers of Cebu and Davao. So far, the House of Representatives has approved its version of a limited grant of “emergency powers” to the transport secretary as “traffic chief” of the three metropolitan areas.

The “emergency powers” include the authority to modify or abrogate existing concessions, permits, and contracts; to streamline all existing government agencies involved in road and traffic management; and to revise or modify existing traffic regulations and policies.

From the way the House measure is structured, it looks like the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority under ex-soldier Danilo Lim will have to take its marching orders from the “traffic chief.” More specifically, the MMDA head will have to obey the directives of a higher authority.

So far, putting the MMDA under a higher authority seems to be a good idea, particularly because the ex-MMDA acting chief, Tim Orbos, did a terrible job as the traffic manager of the national capital region. Under the Orbos watch, practical solutions to exiting traffic problems were ignored, and stupid, restrictive regulations were set in place.

Of course, the House measure

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Martial...

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any ruling that it knows it is not competent to make, assuming a citizen or a group of citizens comes before it to file a complaint. The justices—or most of them, anyway—understand that they do not have the same information on the terrorist threat in Mindanao that Duterte has, nor can it acquire that information.

The Manila media, of course, have no such problems. The spin most of them placed on Duterte’s statement before the troops who were going to be deployed in the bloody expulsion of the Maute in Marawi showed that they have no qualms about hectoring Congress and the Court in order to make them hit back at Duterte by revoking his martial law declaration.

I can understand if the media feel that martial law is such a threat to them that they would do anything, including twist Duterte’s statements, in order to stop it. But the mere fact that Duterte has been doing all he can to comply with constitutional prescriptions on the current parameters for declaring martial law, including signing the order in Russia in order to make the 48-hour deadline for informing Congress, belie the image of a president who will “ignore” the institutions that act as safeguards for abuse of martial law.

I wish this was all just about an inappropriate rape joke, which Duterte, in his usual manner, made. But the spin is inescapably present—and ultimately hurts the first real effort to be rid of the terrorism that has kept Mindanao from fulfilling its long-held promise.

“Our hopes for the future depend on whether the Executive Department, led by the President, the leadership and the entirety of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, Department of Justice officials and prosecutors, the Chief Public Attorney and her public defenders will take sufficient care to abide by the Constitution and the laws even while martial law is in place. It depends on whether there will be abuse of the awesome powers that martial law gives the Armed Forces and the police.

It also depends on whether Congress and the Supreme Court will exercise their review powers appropriately over the declaration of Martial Law and the suspension of the privilege of writ of habeas corpus; and whether both houses of Congress and all courts will continue to function normally and well.

It also depends on whether certain independent constitutional bodies, namely the Ombudsman, the Commission on Human Rights, and the Commission on Audit will persist in discharging their proper functions.

Finally, it depends on whether you, my fellow Ateneans, together with the rest of the

is not yet a legislative act because it needs a counterpart from the Senate, as well as the ultimate approval of President Duterte— an approval that is inevitable because the president had asked Congress for those “emergency powers” early on. This means that while the House measure is not yet a law, the MMDA management under Lim can still undo the baneful effects of the mismanagement by his predecessor.

For starters, Lim should replace those orange road cones and red “toblerone” barriers all over the major roadways of Metropolitan Manila with reflectorized road markers. Those cones and barriers which Orbos scattered all over the metropolis are road hazards. Because they are not reflectorized, they become invisible but deadly structures at night or during inclement weather.

Why Orbos left them there is a mystery. Perhaps it’s due to his administrative ineptitude.

Those deadly cones and barriers can be seen around the Quezon Elliptical Road, particularly between Quezon Avenue and East Avenue. They can also be found at the East Avenue approach to Edsa; along the southbound lane of Edsa across Nepa-Q-Mart; and near the Philcoa area on the way to Fairview.

Why Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista even tolerates those road hazards is also a mystery. Perhaps Bautista is too occupied destroying the existing sidewalks along Tomas Morato Avenue and replacing them with substandard ceramic tiles bearing his initials—all at the expense of Quezon City taxpayers.

Be that as it may, those cones and barriers are deadly enough for drivers in Metropolitan Manila. Imagine the risk they

Filipino population, do your part to ensure that this declaration of martial law does not imperil your future.

The Chief Justice then expressed a hope that with proper implementation, martial rule “should not by itself unduly burden our country.” However, she cautions that martial law “is an immense power that can be used for good, to solve defined emergencies; but all earthly powers when abused can result in oppression.”

“If President Duterte and the aforementioned government authorities avoid the gross historical sins of Mister Marcos and his agents, then our country might reap the benefits of the legitimate use of the provisions on martial law in the 1987 Constitution,” Sereno points out.

The 1987 Constitution provides clear substantive and procedural safeguards so that the Marcos experience is not repeated.

For the former: The Bill of Rights must be strictly followed; civilian courts shall reign supreme; and, legislative assembles cannot be abolished. For the latter, Congress and the Supreme Court are given explicit roles to review the proclamation of martial law.

Unfortunately, Congress is refusing to meet in joint session to do its constitutional duty under the 1987 Constitution.

The Supreme Court is quite clear about this in the 2012 case of Colmenares v.

Arroyo, that the duty to review is auto-

pose to motorists who are visiting the national capital region and are not familiar with the existence or location of those deadly structures.

Next in the criticism list are reckless motorcycle drivers.

They use and shift road lanes indiscriminately, especially on Edsa. There was a brief period when the MMDA, under Tagaytay politician Francis Tolentino, created a motorcycle lane along the entire stretches of Edsa and Commonwealth Avenues. Motorcycle drivers were strictly required to stay on those lanes.

After Tolentino milked the measure of all the political publicity he could get out of it, the motorcycle lanes were discontinued.

Many motorcycle drivers create their own counterflow in almost any intersection where cars are at a halt, albeit temporarily.

Because they are too impatient to wait for their turn, they eat up a substantial part of the opposite lane. Many of them actually think they are exempted from obeying traffic lights. At intersections, these inconsiderate road idiots move to the front of the line and block the pedestrian lanes.

Something should be done about these two-wheeled road devils. Tolentino ultimately ignored them, and Orbos was too hollow-minded to regulate them.

Hopefully, Lim can do something this time.

During the daylight hours, traffic on the northbound lane of Edsa from the Corinthian Village area all the way to Camp Aguinaldo is always at a snail’s pace because of the accumulation of automobiles entering the narrow passage separating both halves of the Edsa-Santolan Road flyover. That accumulation of vehicles needlessly blocks the smooth

matic and therefore not optional.

I can understand though why Senate President Koko Pimentel, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, and Majority Floor Leader Rudy Fariñas erroneously thought that a joint session was not mandatory. I thought myself this was the case until a post by Kabataan Party List Rep. Sarah Elago reminded me of the Colmenares case. Hopefully, like me, the leaders of Congress will change their minds. Otherwise, Congress will be guilty of negligence for not acting on something so critical for our country.

When a proper case is filed, I expect the Supreme Court to do its duty and review the sufficiency of the factual basis of Duterte’s martial law. It should also provide guidance on what is allowed and not allowed under martial rule.

President Duterte must abide by the decision of Congress and/or the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, the President has made it clear that he will not comply with a revocation by Congress or a Supreme Court decision annulling his proclamation by the Court.

This is troubling.

President Duterte should be told that he is endangering his own status and might be unwittingly justifying his own overthrow if he insists and follows through on disregarding the Constitution.

I personally oppose any extra-consti-

flow of traffic towards the north.

Maybe Lim will realize that those left-turning vehicles bound for Santolan Road should enter Santolan Road from the rightmost lane of Edsa, instead of the innermost lane, which is the highway’s fastlane in the first place.

The House measure on “emergency powers” also authorizes the traffic chief to “identify” certain roads inside private villages as ‘friendship lanes” for use by motorists. That sounds like a euphemism for legislated authority to open up private roads for public use to reduce the traffic problem blighting the metropolis.

Although private village associations may be expected to oppose and even resist this “friendship lanes” imposition, Congress is well within its power to legislate measures authorizing traffic officials to open up those roads.

That’s called the police power of the state, and it is defined as the inherent power of the state to impose limitations on the enjoyment of property rights for the public welfare. That definition appears broad enough to justify the planned move to open up, at the very least, “strategic” village roads.

So far, certain private villages with strategic roads are readily identifiable. San Lorenzo and Bel-Air in Makati can ease up the mess in the area. The villages in Parañaque and Muntinlupa will have to be considered as well.

Opening some roads in WackWack and Greenhills East in Mandaluyong can reduce choke points along Edsa, Shaw Boulevard and Ortigas Avenue. The same is true for the Valle Verde villages, Capitol 8, and San Antonio in Pasig; the Greenhills villages in San Juan; and Corinthian and White Plains in Quezon City.

tutional regime change, like a military takeover, but what is the difference if the President himself now ready to violate the Constitution?

Our military is today quite professional.

Compared to the Marcos years and the days of the unfortunate coups from Honasan to Trillanes (both of whom have matured as politicians and whom I now respect), our officers and soldiers have internalized the importance of faithfulness to the Constitution. For example, the operational guidelines the military has issued so far to implement martial law are all within the Constitution. Even the announcement that social media posts would be censured (I think they meant censored) is within the clear and present danger rule where such posts affect military operations.

I trust the military will be faithful to the Constitution. But if their commander in chief himself disregards the fundamental law, isn’t he also also encouraging the unconstitutional acts of others? Then it’s a matter of choosing which unconstitutional path one would support or oppose. I am afraid that if that terrible choice has to be made, the country and our soldiers will be divided down the middle and the war we are seeing in Marawi is just child’s play.

Facebook: Dean Tony La Vina Twitter: tonylavs

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Offer / CMV

( ₱ )

1

Laguna

ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso

Binan

B004 L019 Ph 3 Santan St.

T-306001

88.00

415,200.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

Level 8, Narra Room, GSIS Building,

2

Laguna

ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso

Binan

B005 L012 Ph 3

T-306009

80.00

362,000.00

House & Lot Unoccupied

18-Jul-17

Financial Center, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City

3

Laguna

ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso

Binan

B013 L020 Ph 3

T-306010

106.00

539,600.00

House & Lot Unoccupied

18-Jul-17

4

Laguna

ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso

Binan

B016 L002 Ph 3

T-306013

98.00

569,800.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

5

Laguna

ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso

Binan

B017 L010 Ph 3

T-306014

80.00

378,666.67

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

6

Laguna

ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso

Binan

B018 L011 Ph 3

T-306006

80.00

378,666.67

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

7

Laguna

ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso

Binan

B019 L008 Ph 3

T-306020

88.00

486,000.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

8

Laguna

ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso

Binan

B019 L014 Ph 3

T-306012

88.00

411,200.00

House & Lot Unoccupied

18-Jul-17

9

Laguna

ADELINA COMPLEX III, Calaboso

Binan

B021 L025 Ph 3

T-306007

75.00

450,000.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

10 Laguna

JUANA COMPLEX, Halang

Binan

B005 L018 Ph 1

T-125857

180.00

1,696,000.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

11 Laguna

JUANA COMPLEX, Halang

Binan

B006 L014 Ph 1 Agate St.

T-126005

294.00

2,254,000.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

12 Laguna

JUANA COMPLEX, Halang

Binan

B010 L026 Ph 1

T-125297

180.00

1,307,500.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

13 Laguna

JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco

Binan

B003 L010 Ph 6 Samuel St.

T-206384

268.00

1,745,200.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

14 Laguna

JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco

Binan

B003 L012 Ph 6 Samuel St.

T-206387

302.00

1,939,000.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

15 Laguna

JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco

Binan

B006 L001 Ph 3A

T-189056

329.00

2,243,266.67

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

16 Laguna

JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco

Binan

B006 L007 Ph 6

T-192909

306.00

2,080,200.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

17 Laguna

JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco

Binan

B010 L008 Ph 6 Abraham St.

T-213597

150.00

1,029,080.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

18 Laguna

JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco

Binan

B010 L009 Ph 6 Abraham St.

T-202104

150.00

1,029,080.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

19 Laguna

JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco

Binan

B011 L027 Ph 6 Moses St.

T-213619

306.00

1,918,280.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

20 Laguna

JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco

Binan

B011 L034 Ph 3B

T-202101

160.00

876,000.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

21 Laguna

JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco

Binan

B011 L036 Ph 3B

T-198040

150.00

825,000.00

House & Lot Unoccupied

18-Jul-17

22 Laguna

JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco

Binan

B011 L038 Ph 3B

T-198060

150.00

825,000.00

House & Lot Unoccupied

18-Jul-17

23 Laguna

JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco

Binan

B011 L039 Ph 3B

T-198032

150.00

825,000.00

House & Lot Unoccupied

18-Jul-17

By Rey. E. Requejo

T

HE Department of Health is now conducting examinations to determine what caused the diarrhea outbreak that downed more than 900 inmates at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Monday.

24 Laguna

JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco

Binan

B013 L019 Ph 3A

T-201490

180.00

1,098,000.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

25 Laguna

JUANA COMPLEX, San Francisco

Binan

B014 L029 Ph 3A

T-195411

180.00

1,098,000.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

26 Laguna

ADELINA COMPLEX II

San Pedro

B003 L009 Ph 2SHT1 Camella St.

T-134065

159.00

1,660,400.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

27 Laguna

ADELINA COMPLEX II

San Pedro

B003 L016 Ph 2SHT2 Carnation St.

T-131509

153.00

1,000,800.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

28 Laguna

ADELINA COMPLEX II

San Pedro

B003 L021 Ph 2SHT1 Goldfield St.

T-134031

150.00

1,428,000.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

29 Laguna

ADELINA COMPLEX II

San Pedro

B004 L002 Ph 2SHT1 Adelina cor. Goldfield St.

T-135550

188.00

1,746,200.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

30 Laguna

ADELINA COMPLEX II

San Pedro

B004 L020 Ph 2SHT1 Goldfield St.

T-135472

150.00

1,587,500.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

31 Laguna

ADELINA COMPLEX II

San Pedro

B005 L010 Ph 2A Jasmine cor. Cattleya St.

T-142625

243.00

1,588,300.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

32 Laguna

ADELINA COMPLEX II

San Pedro

B010 L014 Ph 2SHT1 Dahlia St.

137341

151.00

1,045,600.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

33 Laguna

ROSARIO COMPLEX, San Vicente

San Pedro

B001 L017 Ph 1A Our Lady of Piat St.

T-115153

180.00

1,611,000.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

34 Laguna

ROSARIO COMPLEX, San Vicente

San Pedro

B004 L004 Ph 1 Our Lady of Immaculate Concepcion St. T-105393

240.00

1,938,000.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

Level 8, Narra Room, GSIS Building, Financial

35 Laguna

ROSARIO COMPLEX, San Vicente

San Pedro

B012 L018 Ph 1 Our Lady of Carmel St.

T-107511

230.00

2,155,000.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

Center, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City

36 Laguna

ROSARIO COMPLEX, San Vicente

San Pedro

B020/4 L004A Ph 1A (48) Our Lady of Candelaria St.

T-115219

224.00

2,174,666.67

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

37 Laguna

ROSARIO COMPLEX, San Vicente

San Pedro

B022 L007 Ph 1 Our Lady of Candelaria St.

T-112069

192.00

1,571,400.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

38 Laguna

ROSARIO COMPLEX, San Vicente

San Pedro

B024 L008 Ph 1 Our Lady of Grace St.

T-115106

192.00

1,864,000.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

39 Laguna

ROSARIO COMPLEX, San Vicente

San Pedro

B026 L048 Ph 1 Our Lady of Marian St.

T-112099

292.00

2,437,000.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

40 Laguna

SAMPAGUITA VILLAGE, Sampaguita

San Pedro

B014 L008 Dahlia St.

T-41122

180.00

1,416,000.00

House & Lot Occupied

18-Jul-17

GENERAL GUIDELINES: 1.

Disposal of GSIS Investment Properties – Retail Units (IP-RUs) is through a competitive public bidding process. Acceptance of Purchase Offer shall start on the scheduled bidding date and time.

2.

Dropping of bid envelopes inside the designated bid box will be on the date of auction from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Opening of Bids will immediately follow.

3.

Disposal of GSIS IP-RUs is on “As-Is Where-Is” basis. Interested bidders are enjoined to personally inspect the GSIS IP-RUs for sale. “As-Is Where-Is” is defined as the present physical condition of the retail unit that GSIS is selling and the buyer is buying, “with all attendant faults, if any,” whether or not immediately apparent and without any express or implied warranty. The buyer takes this condition at his or her own risk, without recourse against the GSIS as to their condition. This includes knowledge by the buyer of the presence of occupants in the retail-unit being purchased.

4.

Strictly, “One bidder, One specific property” only, which means that a bidder cannot submit two (2) or more bids for one property. A bidder may submit one bid each to as many properties as he wants to buy, as long as, he posts a bidder’s deposit for each property in an amount provided below. The bidder must present valid government IDs upon registration on the date of public bidding.

5.

Purchase offer may either be in Cash or through External Financing Institution.

6.

A downloadable bid form shall be properly accomplished with the following data: a. Name and complete address of the bidder b. Exact address of property you are interested to bid c. Transfer Certificate of Title No. d. Amount of bid (in numbers and in words) e. 10 % Bidder’s Deposit equivalent to 10% of the total amount of bid offer f.

Signature of the bidder/representative

7.

Bid proposal shall be written in words and in figures and shall not be lower than the Minimum Bid Price of the property published in the newspaper or posted in the GSIS website. Should there be a difference in the amount in words and in figures, the amount in words shall prevail.

8.

Bidders’ deposit equivalent to at least 10% of the Bid Offer shall be in the form of MANAGER’S CHECK payable to the Government Service Insurance System

9.

The following shall be inserted on the sealed bid envelope: a. the properly accomplished downloadable bid form b. Manager’s Check payable to Government Service Insurance System representing deposit equivalent to at least 10% of the Bid Offer c. the Special Power of Attorney (SPA), if the bidder is an authorized representative d. pre-conditional approval from PBCOM, if applicable e. proofs of occupancy (see No. 12.c.1 and c.2)

10. The following information shall be clearly written outside the sealed bid envelope (mailing envelope)

Aguirre reported that out of 900 inmates, 600 were brought to the NBP hospital for treatment, 59 of them are still confined at the prison’s infirmary.

The Justice Secretary said he would not speculate on what could have caused the outbreak as the Bureau of Corrections is also conducting its own investigation on the matter.

“We would rather wait for the results of the test to be conducted by the Department of Health. Investigation is also being conducted to know what really happened and what is the cause? Was it the food or the water? he added.

Aguirre said he would personally check on the condition of the inmates and deliver medicines, energy drinks and bananas to help them recover fast.

“The health of the inmates is a paramount consideration,” Aguirre said.

Sought for an update, BuCor chief Benjamin delos Santos said the “proximate cause is the food served” to the inmates although he stressed that investigations are still ongoing.

“We shall be conducting food and water testing at the main kitchen,” he added.

Aguirre said most of the inmates affected by food poising were those detained at the maximum compound while none of the highprofile inmates were affected.

CHANGING OF THE GUARD. Outgoing Philippine Heart Associa-

tion president Dr. Raul Lapitan (left) turns over the association’s symbol of leadership to the incoming PHA president, Dr. Jorge Sison in a simple ceremony during the PHA 48th Annual Convention & Scientific Meeting at Edsa Shangri-La Hotel. Teddy Pelaez

Address of Property you want to bid) Block No. ______ Lot. No. ______ Phase No.____ Name of Subdivision Address of Subdivision TCT NO. _______ Mode: __________ Cash __________ thru External Financing Institution

(

NHA allots 30k housing units to informal settlers

Name of Bidder: Mailing Address: 11. Interested bidders planning to purchase the GSIS property through External Financing Institution (EFI) shall first secure certification from accredited banks stating that he/she is qualified to avail of a loan from External Financing Institution and insert inside the bid envelope.

12. The existing tenant or occupant or his duly authorized representative through a valid Special Power of Attorney (SPA) has the right to match the offer of the declared highest bidder, provided: a. he/she is present during the bidding b. participated in actual bidding c. presently occupying the property subject of bidding supported by the following proofs of occupancy: c.1 Barangay certificate that he/she is occupying or residing in the subject property c.2. Any valid government identification document with his/her address similar to the address of the property he/.she is bidding.

13. If the occupant will exercise his/her right to match the offer of the declared highest bidder, he/she need not secure another bank pre-qualification corresponding to the matched offer. Instead, he/she shall pay the equity in cash as stated in Notice of Approval of Sale (NOAS). The equity shall be computed as the difference between the Letter of Guarantee from the bank and the offered bid amount.

14. The declared highest/winning bidder shall submit within the day of the actual bidding, the following documents: (a) duly accomplished Personal Profile/Company Profile/Corporate Profile, whichever is applicable (downloadable); (b) photocopies of two valid IDs (one should be a government-issued ID); (c) Articles of Incorporation/Partnership, By-Laws and current General Information Sheet, for corporation/partnership, if applicable; (d) Registration Certificate from SEC for corporation/partnership, DTI for sole proprietorship and CDA for cooperatives, or any proof of such registration, if applicable; (e) current Mayor’s permit issued by the city or municipality where the principal place of business of the winning bidder is located, if applicable.

15. A Notice of Approval of Sale (NOAS) shall be issued to the highest/winning bidder on the day of bidding.

16. In case the bid is in CASH, the 90% balance of the bid amount shall be paid either in cash or manager’s check within thirty (30) calendar days from receipt of NOAS, without privilege of extension.

17. In case the bid is thru EFI, the equity shall be paid in cash within thirty (30) calendar days from receipt of Letter of Guarantee (LOG) by the GSIS. The equity is the amount corresponding to the difference between the LOG and the Offered Bid Amount.

18. Upon issuance of the NOAS to the highest/winning bidder, the Bidder’s Deposit of the other non-winning bidder/s shall be returned immediately.

19. Non-compliance with the terms and conditions stated in the NOAS shall result in the forfeiture of the bidder’s deposit.

20. In case the highest/winning bidder fails to comply with the requirements within the specified time, the GSIS shall write the second highest bidder to confirm if he/she is still interested to acquire the property. If still interested, GSIS will require him/her to pay the non-refundable deposit equivalent to ten percent (10%) of his/her previously submitted bid amount and will be issued NOAS. 21. GSIS reserves the right to waive any formality or to reject any or all bids received. The list of properties available for sale may be updated without prior notice.

22. For inquiries, you may call Real Property Accounts Management Department at telephone nos. 479-3536 or 976-4619.

Health to probe diarrhea outbreak at NBP

(MS-MAY 30,31 & JUNE 1, 2017)

PASIG River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC) executive director Jose Antonio “Ka Pepeton” Goitia said that the National Housing Authority’s decision to give more than 3,500 housing units to informal settler families living along esteros, lake and other riverways that traverses the Pasig River will generally save thousands of lives.

Goitia directed operations director Gregorio Garcia and Easement Recovery, Housing and Resettlement Head Ryan Monceda to coordinate with NHA-National Capitol Region group manager Victor Balba, NHA division manager Mae Vicente and NHA west sector manager Rosalinda Nartates.

“We express our deep gratitude to NHA officials for their decision to give 3,500 units to all ISFs that we will relocate from the identified hazardous zones to the government housing projects so they would be safe from any calamity that would struck like earthquake and flood,” Goitia said.

“Aside from this, if we could relocate the families living near the esteros, lake and other river ways that is connected to Pasig River, we are sure that the garbage and thrash that pollute the Pasig River will decrease a lot.”

Goitia said the relocation of the ISFs will be of great advantage in their plans of building and developing environmental preservation areas in the form of linear parks, greenbelts, and walkways on riverside that will generate livelihood to many Filipinos.

“It is PRRC’s vision and mission to improve the quality of the water in Pasig River to Class C so it is a wise decision to relocate the families living there especially near the esteros,” Goitia stated. “Again, we thank NHA in allocating 3,500 units that will serve as relocation housing units for the families when PRRC finally starts clearing their houses.”

“Thousands of lives would be saved if the ISFs are relocated to the government’s housing project and this also means that liquid and other solid waste thrown to Pasig River will decrease,” Goitia added. We are sure that the quality of the water would generally improve if our project is continuous in relocating all the families staking their lives by living near the esteros. Many Filipinos too will be given job opportunities from the future establishments and linear parks and walkways that will be built on the site once occupied by the ISFs.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

A7

TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Sabillo stops Indonesian opponent, bags ABF title B ACOLOD City—This proud son from the City of Smiles is ready to conquer the world again.

Former world titlist Merlito Sabillo displayed his old, deadly form to stop Jack Amis of Indonesia and pocket the vacant Asian Boxing Federation light flyweight title over the weekend at the Gai-

sano Mall here.

Sabillo, the former World Boxing Organization minimumweight titlist, bombarded the visitor with body punches and landed the finishing touches via a huge uppercut.

Amisa fell on one knee and referee Dan Nietes didn’t have to finish the count as he halted the game and declared Sabillo the winner by technical knockout in the third round.

Former Games and Amusements Board chairman Juan Ramon Guanzon, manager of Sabillo,

said his ward still has what it takes to become world champion again.

“Puwede pa. Ilaban pa natin a few fights para mag-rating sa world,” said Guanzon, who is also the Negros Amateur Boxing Association president.

It was actually a repeat win by Sabillo over Amisa

who he beat by unanimous decision in their first meeting in La Trinidad, Benguet two years ago.

Awarding the championship belt to Sabillo, who improved his record to 26 wins (13 KOs), 4 losses and 1 draw, were Bacolod City mayor Bing Leonardia and ABF president Naris Singwangcha of Thailand.

WGM Frayna chess exhibition today THE Philippines’ First Woman World Chess Grandmaster WGM Janelle Mae Frayna will conduct a 30-player simultaneous exhibition organized by Joel Villanueva, together with Raymundo Espiritu and David Bayarong.

The chess exhibition will be hosted by Olongapo City Mayor Rolen C. Paulino at 10 a.m. today at the 2nd Floor of FMA Hall, City Hall.

The aim of this event is for the chess development and awareness of the youth, especially for young women players as well as to raise funds for WGM Frayna’s European campaign as she embarks on a journey to reach the Top 10 among women players in the world in the next 2 to 4 years.

The event is supported by Rep. Jeffrey Khonghun of Zambales, Ruben De Guzman, Chairman of MOCCI, Harben Panoy and Vice Mayor Aquilino Cortez and the City Councilors of Olongapo.

After the exhibition games of the WGM, a chess lecture and lesson will be conducted by her Coach, GM Jayson Gonzales who has been actively promoting chess throughout the country for so many years.

PH jins vying in Asian Cadet Championships TWENTY-FIVE Filipino athletes will vie for honors in the 2017 Asian Cadet Kyorugi (free sparring) and Poomsae Taekwondo Championships on June 6-8 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnaam.

Seven males and six females will carry Meralco/MVP Sports Foundation colors in free sparring while five males and six females will bannr PLDT Home Ultera/MVP SF in poomsae.

The participants, as announced by the Philippine Taekwondo Association, are: Kyorugi, male – Lex Joshua Provido (-33 kg), Mico Gabriel Chua (-37 kg), Raphael Ongkiko (-41 kg), Ted David Mangussad (-45 kg), Carl David Catabay (-49 kg), Richard Christopher Cajulis (-53 kg) and Dane Shaun Enjealo Subaste (-57 kg); female – Dyanne Maries Refuerzo (-33 kg), Arianne Espida (-37 kg), Geriane Kendall Therese Pineda (-41 kg), Mary Angeline Alcantara (-44 kg), Raven Allyson Pablo (-47 kg), Daniella Patrice Malmis (-51 kg) and Maria Carmella Santos

(-55 kg).

Poomsae (forms), male – Jon Alexander Llenes, Johann Abelard Concepcion, James Oranza, Harley San Buenaventura and Dennis Francis Arquero; female – Alyssa Lou Llenes, Xaphrine Pauhe Rivera, Leigh Andee Rodriguez, Jamiel Hannah Agaloos, Bianca Mae de Leon and Laeia Simoune Soria.

Igor Mella is the head of the team, while the coaches are Alvin Taraya and Brix Darmo Ramos for kyorugi and Rani Ann Ortega for poomsae and Pauline Gina Guillermo, international referee.

The Philippine bets, supported

by Smart Communications Inc., PLDT, Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee, are always considered among the top contenders in prestigious international events.

The Philippines and 34 other countries like Korea, Iran, China, Chinese Taipei, Japan and Thailand, are among the participants in the Asian Cadet championships.

Members of the Philippine team to the Asian Cadet Kyorugi and Poomsae Taekwondo Championships are shown above. They are: Kneeling, from left: Bianca Mae de Leon, Geriane Kendall Therese Pineda, Daniella Patrice Malmis, Laiea Simoune Soria, Maria Carmella Santos, Raven Allyson Pablo, Arianne Espida and Xaphrine Pauhe Rivera. Seated: Harley San Buenaventura, Dyanne Maria Refuerzo, Leigh Andee Rodriguez, Jamiel Hannah Agaloos, Alyssa Lou Llenes and Jon Alexander Llenes. Standing: James Oranza, Tedd David Mangussad, Dennis Francis Arquero, Mico Gabriel Chua, Dane Shuan Enjealo Subaste, Rani Ann Ortega, Alvin Taraya, Richard Christopher Cajulis, Raphael Ongkiko, Carl David Catabay, Johann Abelard Concepcion and Lex Joshua Provido.

Posadas, Chua clinch PH International Open plums NATIONAL players Lara Posadas and Kenneth Chua captured the open singles masters titles of 2017 Philippine International Open Tenpin Bowling Championships recently at the Coronado Lanes in Starmall Shaw, Mandaluyong City.

Posadas of PBAP-Bowlmart accomplished a perfect game performance in the qualifying round for a total of 1387 total pin falls.

Seeded in Round 2, Posadas topped that round with 1692 bagging the No. 1 spot in the stepladder match.

She defeated Singaporean Iliya Syamim in the best-of-three

stepladder title match, 232-209 and 188-166, to cop the ladies’ open title.

Iliya, on the other hand, beat compatriot Jermaine Seah, 223203, in the semifinals to meet Posadas in the stepladder finale.

Chua, 25, who also registered a perfect game in the qualifying round, crushed No. 1 Wu Siu Hong of Hong Kong in the bestof-three stepladder title match via scores of 247-162 and 267217 for the men’s open title. He blasted Hong Kong’s Michael Mak, 247-217, in the semifinals.

Chua of TBAM-Prima, who recorded 1389 total pin falls in the qualifying round and 1692 in

the round two finals, took home the trophy made by Filipino artist and sculptor Joe Datuin.

The tournament is supported

by Partas Bus Co. Cubao, Governor Chavit Singson, Petron, Black Arrow, F.R. Sevilla Industrial and Development Corporation, Prima Pasta, The Bowler, Sky Freight.

Middle East, Arnulfo’s Kitchen, Alan Rothe, Four M Travel and Tours and Fiorgelato.

The international competition organized by the Philippine Bowling Federation, is held in cooperation with the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.

Kenneth Chua (left) and Lara Posadas display their trophies.

Justice Boosters, Responders grab 2nd wins in UNTV Faceoff Games Sunday (Pasig City Sports Center) 2 p.m. Senate Sentinels vs DOJ Justice Boosters 3:30 p.m. BOC Transformers vs AFP Cavaliers 5 p.m. PNP Responders vs Judiciary Magis

Lipa City OIC City Prosecutor Nonilon Tagalicud (17) was hailed as the Best Player of the Game for the second time after leading the team past the AFP Cavaliers.

PASIG CITY—Eight Department of Justice prosecutors, two National Bureau of Immigration head agents, one chief parole probation officers and one representative from the Land Registration Authority joined forces for DOJ Justice Boosters team led by Presidential Commission on Good Government Commis-

sioner Reynold Munsayac to topple the team of generals and colonels, the AFP Cavaliers, on Sunday in the continuation of the UNTV Cup Off Season Executive Face Off at the Pasig City Sports Center.

Lipa City OIC City Prosecutor Nonilon Tagalicud piled up a production of 23 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 7 steals to lead the Justice Boosters against the Cavaliers for their 2nd victory, 92-82.

This is the second time Prosecutor Tagalicud was hailed as the Best Player of the Game.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Reynold Munsayac, Chief Joey Gernale, and Assistant City

Prosecutor Julius Gaurano combined for 34 points.

The absence of Brigadier General Gener del Rosario (AFP’s main gunner) and others were a big loss for the AFP Cavaliers on that game.

This is why even though the Cavaliers managed to tie the game at 53 points in the middle of the 4th quarter, they still fell short.

Meanwhile, the PNP Responders gunned down the Senate Sentinels, 85-65 for their 2nd win.

In the first game of Sunday’s triple header, Judiciary Magis got their first win after defeating the BOC Transformers in final score, 90-59.

Guevarra is triple winner at Cebuana netfest in Iriga City LOCAL wonder girl Glydel Guevarra emerged a triple-winner at the recent Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series to lead the charge for Iriga City in Camarines Sur, winning two individual titles and sharing a crown in the doubles’ with her partner.

Guevarra swept her opponents in the finals of both the girls’ 12-under and 14-under, taking out another local girl Carla Andrada, 6-1, 6-0, in the 12-under and following it up with a 6-2,6-1 beating of Jezzele Romero for

the 14-under crown.

She then completed her triple play by partnering with Romero to win the girls’ 14-under doubles’ title of the tournament supported by Dunlop as the official ball.

Another local player, Marcel Corea also did the host city proud by ruling the 10-under unisex group with a 4-1, 4-1 win over Catalog, Albay’s AA Aguila.

Together with Lyka Idioma, Corea bagged the 10-under unisex doubles crown by edging out Mqkeyin Oliva and Nathaniel Cortez, 8-6 in the finals.

“This is the reason why our Cebuana Lhuillier Age group Tennis Championship Series goes to places like Iriga City, to discover new talents like Glydel Guevarra, who certainly shows a lot of promise with her triple win, “ said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier.

A non-Bicolano winner was regular series campaigner Rainier Angelo Selmar from Bacoor, Cavite who also copped two titles.

Selmar beat Legazpi, Albay’s JC

Gonzales, 6-1,6-3, for the boys’ 14under title, then made his mark in the 18-under doubles where he teamed up with Osward Hernandez to beat the tandem of Jumar and Jenard Gonzales 8-3 for a share of his second title.

Nica Alagis underscored the hometown advantage of local players as she retired Patricia Corporal, while ahead, 6-1, to win the girls’ 18- under title, while Jenard Gonzales from Legazpi City duplicated it in the boys’ side with a three-set win over Jumar Gonzales, 6-4,6-7, 10-7.

Air Force sweeps Summer Grand softball crowns PHILIPPINE Air Force lived up to the hype and retained the men’s Open crown with a 3-1 victory over Philippine Army in the Cebuana Lhuillier-ASAPHIL Summer Grand Slam XI National Open Fast Pitch Softball Championships in Cabuyao City, Laguna last Sunday.

The Air Force batters capped their romp as they edged the Polytechnic University of the Philippines side, 1-0, in the finals of the men’s Club division of the week-long event which drew 46 of the country’s leading softball teams.

The women’s Philippine Youth team also shared the spotlight as it toppled powerhouse Adamson, 3-2, in a victory that augured well for the national squad’s buildup for various international competitions. Adamson was a replacement team for finalist University of the East.

“Congratulations to the Philippine Air Force teams and the women’s Phl Youth squad for winning this year’s Summer Grand Slam. Throughout this season, they have proven their excellent teamwork and exceptional skills in playing softball, making them truly deserving of the crowns,” said ASAPHIL and Cebuana Lhuillier president Jean Henri Lhuillier, who also lauded the other teams that took part.

Air Force also hauled in majority of the individual awards with Christian Galledo bagging the Most Stolen Bases honors, Leo Barredo capturing the MVP in the men’s Open, Michael Pagkaliwagan claiming the Best Slugger award, Christian Paul de Leon capturing the Best Hitter plum and EJ Sarmiento nailing the MVP in the men’s Club category.

Florante Acuna of Jk.com Zamboanga took the Best Pitcher award, while Saxon Omandac of the Philippine Army snatched the Most RBIs award.

Jk.com Zamboanga placed third in the men’s Open with Cebu City finishing fourth while Rizal Technological University came in third in the men’s Club side with San Rafael, Bulacan ending up fourth.

Sta. Maria, Bulacan and Adamson placed third and fourth, respectively, in the women’s category.

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

P0 M+ P0 M

Sports

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

A8

TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017

Bull Squad is Red Bull Reign king THE Bull Squad squared off against seven other fellow finalists and emerged champion of the Red Bull Reign Finals at the Nagtahan Bridge Court, Pasig River, in Manila.

The team also got the chance to represent the Philippines at the Red Bull Reign World Finals, the brand’s signature 3x3 basketball tournament that pits hopefuls against one another in a high-endurance, offensive-driven battle.

Fifteen countries are sending their best to compete at the World Finals in Washington DC, USA. The rules are simple: the team that scores the most overall points in each round will advance until one team remains.

That one team was The Bull Squad.

Following a hotly competitive match, the Bull Squad took home the Philippine Championship, with a final score of 27 to 20 against Team Sta. Rosa. The team consists of Filipino-Canadian PBA hopefuls, Clay Crellin and Glenn Gravengard, Kitt Paolo Balmori, and Team Captain, Obinna Ezeike.

“The semifinals were the biggest challenge,” Crellin said. “We started at 8:30 in the morning, so the other teams had the advantage because they got to rest.”

The final eight teams consisted of Cove MNL F&B, San Remegio Properties, Team Santa Rosa, Balandra Squad, G3 Apparel, DABARKADAS, Obladi Oblada and Bull Squad.

Members of the Bull Squad raise the giant replica of their boarding pass.

FRENCH OPEN. Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva returns the ball to France's Myrtille Georges during their tennis match at the Roland Garros 2017 French Open in Paris. AFP

Tabal rules Ottawa race, shatters 9-year PH record

By Peter Atencio

S

PENDING some time in Italy to get herself ready for future international competitions seemed to have paid off for Olympian Mary Joy Tabal.

The 27-year-old Tabal expressed her feelings of relief and happiness after she topped the women’s division of the 2017 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend half marathon in recordbreaking time last Sunday.

“Sobrang saya po. Happy na happy po ako sa performance ko, worth it lahat nang pagsisikap, sakripisyo at worth it din ang tiwala nu’ng sponsors

ko at nang mga coaches ko,” said the 4’11” Tabal, who is still in Ottawa, in an interview with the Manila Standard.

Tabal, who is from Bgy. Guba in Cebu City, reached the finish line in one hour, 16 minutes and 27.4 seconds, to claim her first title in an international race.

In doing so, she broke the nine-

year-old national record of 1:18.45, which Mercedita Manipol-Fetalvero set in 2008.

She said she never bothered to look at her watch during the race, which saw her placing eighth overall, beating rival Brittany Moran, who came in second at 1:1842.5.

Lynda Gringras was third (1:22.58.3), followed in fourth by Karoline Hoy (1:24.54).

“I only thought of running the fastest that I can. I never bothered to look into my watch para ‘di ako ma-pressure. I just told myself to just keep on running and push. For as long as I was still breathing, then I’m okay,” added Tabal.

Tabal, who is coached by John Paul

Duenas, quit the national team after she saw action and placed 124th in the Rio Olympics in August last year.

She is regarded as the first Filipino marathon runner to qualify for the Olympics, making it with a time of 2:43:29 in the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon in 201.

She said she has been to Italy for a month from April 20 to May 19, with the support of Cebu-based sponsor Motorace Kawasaki.

“It helped me believe in myself na kaya ko. It’s more on believing and trusting on our training, our coaches, our teammates, yourself, and to everybody na naniniwala na kaya ko,” said Tabal.

Pocari, Creamline dispute semis slot

Maroons, Red Cubs crush foes THE University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, the San BedaRizal Red Cubs and the Chiang Kai Shek Blue Dragons stretched their winning streaks after disposing of their respective rivals in the ongoing 23rd Fr. Martin Cup Summer Basketball tournament.

Residency player Bright Akhuetie and Noah Webb scored big baskets for the Fighting Maroons as they held off the Centro Escolar University Scorpions, 81-

50, at the San Beda-Manila gymnasium in Mendiola.

Akhuetie and Webb shot 14 points for the Fighting Maroons, who notched their third consecutive win in Group B of the senior division.

Evan Nelle and Peter Alfaro showed the way for the Red Cubs as they blasted the National University Bullpups, 81-71, in Group A of the junior division of this cagefest supported by Armor On Sportswear.

The Blue Dragons drew double digit outputs from three mainstays in fending off the Lyceum Junior Pirates, 95-78, in another Group A contest.

Both the Blue Dragons and the Pirates kept their share of the lead with their fourth straight triumphs.

In other secondary games, Damie Cuntapay made a gamehigh 16 points in leading the San Sebastian Staglets to a 99-56 smothering of San Beda-Manila.

Games today 1 p.m. – Cignal vs Sta. Elena (men’s) 4 p.m. – Creamline vs Pocari Sweat (women’s) 6:30 p.m. – Air Force vs Perlas (women’s)

Roach, motocross bets to grace Forum WORLD renowned and Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach serves as the special guest in today’s session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Golden Phoenix Hotel along Diosdado Macapagal Ave. Sunrise Drive in Pasay City.

Roach, the long-time trainer of boxing icon Manny Pac-

quiao, will be with strength and conditioning coach Justine Fortune in the public sports program presented by San Miguel Corp., Golden Phoenix Hotel, Accel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., as they talk about the training and preparation of the Filipino ring great for his coming July 2 title fight against

Australian Jeff Horn for the World Boxing Organization welterweight championship.

Joining them in the 10:30 a.m. session to be aired live over DZSR Sports Radio 918 are the ProOpen, Ladies Class, and Kids overall champion of the Diamond Motor Supercross. Accompanying them are organizer Sam Tamayo.

NBA PARTNER. NBA’s Brooklyn Nets’ center and 2013 NBA All-Star Brook Lopez (center) joined NBA Philippines’ Managing Director Carlo Singson (left) and AXA Philippines’ President and Chief Executive Officer Rahul Hora as they launched a comprehensive multiyear marketing partnership that will make AXA the official insurance partner of the NBA in the Philippines.

As part of the partnership, AXA Phils. will serve as the Presenting Partner of NBA 3X Philippines, a 3-on-3 tournament featuring men and women teams from all over the country and authentic NBA entertainment. AXA Phils. will also support the Jr. NBA Philippines, the league’s youth basketball program for boys and girls by providing travel insurance for participants embarking on an overseas NBA experience trip later this year. Ey Acasio

Korean seeks 2nd crown at LPGT Orchard

Euna Koh, who snared the ICTSI Luisita Ladies Challenge crown last April, hopes to come out strong in the Orchard Ladies Invitational.

EUNA Koh hopes to come out strong coming off a long break as the young Korean guns for a second straight Ladies Philippine Golf Tour crown in the ICTSI Orchard Ladies Invitational, which unfolds Wednesday at the Orchard’s Player course in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

The 18-year-old shotmaker from Gwangju fought back from five down, blew a twoshot lead late in regulation but edged local rookie pro Pauline del Rosario in the playoff to snare the ICTSI Luisita Ladies Challenge crown last April.

She further honed her skills at Riviera during the tour lull in anticipation of a tougher challenge from the compact field in the P1 million event sponsored by ICTSI and orga-

nized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. Del Rosario, for one, is out to redeem herself from her failed bid in Tarlac with the former amateur hotshot and Philippine Ladies Open champion also keeping herself in shape during the break with regular practice and training at Southwoods. She is also coming off a third place finish in Thailand last week.

Chihiro Ikeda is also all primed up for the event, hoping to re-display the form that netted her a three-stroke victory over Lovelyn Guiguio in wet condition last year that saw the former SEA Games individual gold medalist finally score a breakthrough as a pro.

The local players are actually hardpressed to stop the foreign domination of the circuit backed by Custom Club-

makers, BDO, Meralco, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and K&G Golf after Thai Kanphanitnan Muangkhumsahul topped the LPGT Splendido, Korean Yeh Nah Hwang reigned at Mt. Malarayat and Koh, who never had previously figured in a championship, pulled off a big surprise at Luisita.

Del Rosario, 17, has vowed to dish out her best shot and flash endgame poise this week, along with Ikeda and former leg winner Sarah Ababa, Apple Fudolin, Anya Tanpinco, Eva Miñoza, Jan Punzalan, Lina de Guzman, Lucy Landicho, Marjorie Pulumbarit, Sheryl Villacencio, Sylvia Torres and Guioguio.

CREAMLINE and Pocari Sweat face off today in a crucial match with at least a playoff for one of the last two semifinal slots at stake in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

The fancied teams hurdled their respective rivals in the opener of the short quarterfinal round last weekend with the Cool Smashers surviving the Perlas Spikers, 25-16, 9-25, 17-25, 25-13, 15-13, and the Lady Warriors rallying past the Air Force Jet Spikers, 2125, 25-23, 19-25, 25-14, 15-10.

That should make their 4 p.m. duel doubly interesting with the winner assuring itself of at least a playoff for the third semis seat and the loser falling into a tie with the victor in the other quarters pairing pitting Air Force and Perlas.

The top two teams after the single round quarters will join BaliPure and the Power Smashers in the Final Four as Nos. 3 and 4 teams with the Water Defenders taking on the third seeded squad and the Power Smashers battling the last semifinalist in a pair of best-of-three series.

Mindanao WESM up despite conflict

B3

Business

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

IN BRIEF

manufacturer Eagle Cement Corp. concludes its initial public offering by listing its shares at the Philippine Stock Exchange on Monday. The company, which has the stock symbol “EAGLE,” priced its offering at P15 per share and closed 2 percent higher on Monday at P15.30. Shown during the bell-ringing ceremony are (from left) PSE director Alejandro Yu, PSE chief operating officer Roel Refran, Eagle chief operating officer Manny Teng, Eagle chief financial officer and treasurer Monica Ang, Eagle president and chief executive John Paul Ang, Eagle chairman Ramon Ang, PSE chairman Jose Pardo, PSE president and chief executive Ramon Monzon, PSE directors Ma. Vivian Yuchengco, Francis Chua, Amor Iliscupidez and PSE treasurer Omelita Tiangco.

CEBU Pacific is adding five new routes to its inter-regional network, connecting more islands from Mindanao and the Visayas to the rest of the archipelago.

Cebu Pacific’s wholly-owned subsidiary Cebgo will fly three times weekly between Cebu and Masbate, Davao and Dumaguete and Zamboanga and Cotabato starting July 26.

Cebgo will also begin flying four times a week between Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga, and Davao and Tacloban on July 27. The new routes will be serviced by the Cebgo fleet of ATR aircraft.

“Cebu Pacific is very pleased to continue to help promote domestic and international tourism and a logistics enabler to move goods across the country,” Cebgo president and chief executive Alexander Lao said.

“As we expand into new routes and destinations across the Philippine archipelago, we are committed to being a partner in spurring trade and tourism; helping pump-prime the local economy and providing every Juan with more travel options with year-round affordable fares,” Lao said. Darwin G. Amojelar

AN OFFICIAL of state-run Social Security System said the fund should collect P10 billion from the sale of its property to National Grid Corp. of the Philippines for the use of a substation and other power equipment.

Social Security System commissioner Jose Gabriel La Vina told reporters National Grid valued the SSS property in Pasay City at only P1.46 billion, lower than the zonal value of P10 billion.

“The Filipino people will lose P10 billion if that will push through. This is worse than plunder,” La Vina said.

National Grid wants to acquire 60,872 square meters of the 129,548 square-meter-lot along Diokno Ave. in Pasay City near the Film Center of the Philippines, Government Service Insurance System and SM Investment Properties.

National Grid said the regional trial court of Pasay already issued a writ of possession in the company’s favor, giving the system operator possession over the 6.5-hectare SSS property for the construction of a 230-kiloVolt substation.

“We want to emphasize that the Pasay substation is a critical project meant to be the long-term solution to meet the increase in demand for power in the nation’s capital, and effectively distribute the existing load of transmission facilities serving Meralco,” National Grid said.

The project includes a provision to connect the substation directly to a substation in Bataan via a high voltage submarine cable.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Inflation rate likely softened in May

THE Finance Department said Monday inflation rate in May likely slowed down to 3.2 percent from 3.4 percent in April, as prices of food, particularly vegetables, tapered off.

“This deceleration may be traced to the easing in food prices, primarily of vegetables, which are forecast to drop from 8.1 percent to 4.7 percent,” Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran said in an economic bulletin submitted to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III. The agency said compared to a year ago, the May inflation likely accelerated from 1.6 percent.

However, this represented a respite from the upward trend in the first three months that brought the rate to a 28-month high of 3.4 percent in March.

“Inflation for clothing and footwear, electricity, gas and other fuels, and transport will drop by 0.3 to 0.4 percentage point,” said Beltran, who is also the DoF’s chief economist.

“Inflation decline will give policymakers adequate room for maneuver to sustain rapid economic growth in the face of another possible adjustment in the Fed rate in June,” he said.

Julito G. Rada

B1

EAGLE IPO. Cement

CebuPac adding 5 domestic routes

SSS seeking P10b for National Grid site

TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing May 29, 2017

8500 8000 7500 7000

SMC to propose $2-b flood control project

6500 6000

7,886.03 18.54

PESO-DOLLAR RATE Closing MAY 29, 2017

45.00 46.50 48.00

By Jenniffer B. Austria

C

onglomerate San Miguel Corp. will submit to the government an unsolicited proposal to build a $2-billion flood control and waste-to-energy project, a top executive said Monday.

San Miguel president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said in an interview following the listing of his cement company Eagle Cement Corp. the unsolicited project would help address flooding in Metro Manila during the rainy season.

“We will submit a proposal,” Ang told

reporters.

The project involves the construction of a spillway that will facilitate the release of water from Laguna de Bay to Manila de Bay. Ang said the project would be built at no cost to the government. Ang said in exchange, he would ask the government to give San Miguel the right to use the waste materials from Laguna de Bay for its planned power generation facility.

Ang did not provide additional details on the proposed power plant.

Ang said Laguna de Bay’s average depth level was previously at 22 meters deep, but garbage and waste materials made it shallow at 3.5 meters.

“So there will be a massive flowing every rainy season in Metro Manila if the

government will not do this project. This will the most import flood control project to implement instead of dredging,” Ang said.

San Miguel in partnership with New San Jose Builders Inc. also proposed to build a P400 -billion flood control project with toll road component in Bataan last year.

Under the proposed 50-year concession period, the proponents will implement an integrated infrastructure project in the northern coastline of Manila Bay that involves financing, design and construction of a city flood control in the coastal waters of Navotas City and a coastal sea barrier through the northern part of Manila Bay covering the coastal areas of Bulacan, Pampanga and Bataan.

Duterte certifies tax reform measure urgent

By Julito G. Rada PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday certified as an urgent measure the proposed Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act or Train bill, following a request from the Finance Department.

The Finance Department said the measure was considered crucial to the financial sustainability of the government’s ambitious agenda to sustain the growth momentum and accelerate poverty reduction via a massive spending on infrastructure, human capital and social protection for the poor and

vulnerable sectors.

“We are transmitting this letter of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte certifying to the necessity of the immediate enactment of House Bill No 5636 [the proposed Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act],” Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said in a letter to House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez dated May 29.

“The benefits to be derived from this tax reform measure will sustainably finance the government’s envisioned massive investments in infrastructure thereby encouraging economic activity and job creation, as well as fund the desired increase in

the public budget for health, education and social programs to alleviate poverty,” President Duterte said in a separate letter to Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III. Presidential Legislative Liaison Office head Adelino Sitoy was also furnished copies of the letter.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III made the appeal in a memorandum to President Duterte, in the hope that the House of Representatives, from where all tax and budget laws originate, could pass the Train program―the first package of the Comprehensive Tax Reform

Program, before Congress could adjourn on June 2.

Both the House and the Senate will reopen for the Second Regular Session of the 17th Congress on July 24, when President Duterte is to deliver his second State of the Nation Address.

“We believe that the president’s certification of the tax reform bill as an urgent legislative measure can help ensure timely and full passage of the tax reform package before the close of the session on June 2, 2017, so that the benefits of the reform can be felt sooner,” said Dominguez.

49.50

P49.820 CLOSE

51.00

HIGH P49.725 LOW P49.850 AVERAGE P49.800 VOLUME 385.800M

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

OPRICES IL TODAY

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

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Monday, May 29, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.8390

Japan

Yen

0.008991

0.4481

UK

Pound

1.281100

63.8487

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128335

6.3961

Switzerland

Franc

1.026378

51.1537

Canada

Dollar

0.743716

37.0661

Singapore

Dollar

0.723956

36.0812

Australia

Dollar

0.743000

37.0304

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652872

132.2165

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266652

13.2897

Brunei

Dollar

0.721345

35.9511

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.029396

1.4651

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.5705

Euro

Euro

1.117600

55.7001

Korea

Won

0.000894

0.0446

China

Yuan

0.145550

7.2541

India

Rupee

0.015503

0.7727

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.234357

11.6801

New Zealand

Dollar

0.704700

35.1215

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033230

1.6561 Source: PDS Bridge

PAL bucks new aviation negotiations with Qatar

By Darwin G. Amojelar FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines opposes new air talks between the Philippines and Qatar because of the current overcapacity in this market, a top executive said Monday.

“Our position is that there is over capacity. There should be no additional [seat entitlements] just like our position during the last air talks [with United Arab Emirates],” PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista said, ahead of the scheduled talks between aviation authorities of the two countries.

The airline announced the suspension of its Abu Dhabi flights starting July 8 due to “route assessment initiatives.”

Rival Cebu Pacific also announced the suspension of its services to and from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Doha in Qatar starting next month

because of overcapacity of seats in these markets.

The air talks between the Philippines and Qatar are set on May 30 to 31 in Manila. The last round of air talks between the two countries in 2015 resulted in an increase of entitlements from 8 to 14 flights a week.

“In the new round of air talks, the Philippines will explore the possibility of new flights to other airports outside Manila, especially to Davao and for Qatar Airways,” Civil Aeronautics Board executive director Carmelo Arcilla said.

Qatar Airways currently operates Manila to Doha and Clark to Doha routes. In the Philippine side, PAL and Cebu Pacific also fly Manila to Doha.

Earlier talks between the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates to amend their air services agreement bogged down after both countries failed to resolve some issues.

PEPSI’S DIVIDENDS. The board of directors of Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc. holds its annual

stockholders’ meeting in Muntinlupa City where it declared an annual dividend of P0.069 per share to all stockholders of record of PCPPI, payable on June 14, 2017. PCPPI expects to pay total cash dividends of P255 million representing 30 percent of net income after tax in 2016. Shown leading the stockholders meeting are PCPPI chairman Oscar Reyes (left) and president Samudra Bhattacharya.

B2

Business

TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Cebu Landmasters’ IPO oversubscribed

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE P2.9-billion initial public offering of Cebu Landmasters Inc. was nearly two times oversubscribed, encouraging the Cebu-based property developer to exercise the over allotment option, an underwriter handling the deal said Monday.

“We are very happy with the demand. We are almost twotimes oversubscribed and we exercised the oversubscription option,” BDO Capital and Investments Corp. president Eduardo Francisco said in a mobile message.

He noted a strong takeup for Cebu Landmasters shares even as the offer period overlapped with the P8.6-billion maiden share offering of Eagle Cement Corp.

The Cebu-based developer, founded by property veteran Jose Soberano, offered 505 million shares and another 75 million as an over-allotment option, at P5 apiece.

Proceeds from the primary shares offering will be used to fund land acquisition and development costs for new and ongoing projects in the Visayas and Mindanao, debt repayment and general corporate purposes.

The company, which aims to be the leading and most preferred local developer in the Visayas and Mindanao by 2020, lined up several residential, office and mixed-use projects this year.

It plans to launch projects in Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Bacolod and Bohol.

Stock mart advances; Eagle rises on debut S TOCKS rose Monday, after the government announced it took control of most of Marawi City and following gains in the US and Europe amid fresh economic data showing the world’s largest economy posted stronger growth in the first quarter than first reported.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, climbed 18 points, or 0.2 percent, to close at 7,886.03, as three of the six major sectors advanced.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also picked up 10

points, or 0.2 percent, to settle at 4,700.14, on a value turnover of P8.6 billion. Advancers matched losers at 95 apiece, while 54 issues were unchanged.

Twelve of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by hotel operator Waterfront Phil-

ippines Inc. which surged 28.4 percent to P0.86 and oil refiner Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. which gained 2.8 percent to P66.

Newly listed Eagle Cement Corp. rose 2 percent on its debut at the PSE to close at P15.30 Monday from its initial public offering price of P15.

Eagle Cement chairman Ramon Ang said in an interview following the listing ceremony he expected the company’s market share to increase to 25 percent from the current 14 percent by building up production capacity.

“We should be around 25-percent market share in two to three years. By next year, we will also be number one in terms of capacity,” Ang told report-

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, MAY 29, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 4.1 6,000 49.95 52,070 105.5 545,380 3.95 128,000 122.2 1,629,270 1.48 356,000 37.45 858,200 16.2 7,200 25.8 869,000 7.75 3,700 1.71 71,000 820 150 0.7 1,561,000 89 1,201,040 15.4 90,500 25 100 68 236,910 238.8 2,650 88 160 64.2 806,710 216.8 489,810 1,650 55 84.45 111,560 1.17 50,000

24,600 2,596,000 57,593,194 516,240 198,084,554 530,940 32,174,095 116,510 22,300,240 28,675 118,910 123,000 1,092,760 106,886,270 1,394,310 2,500 16,112,984.50 632,768 14,080 51,744,100 106,331,684 90,750 9,421,108 58,500

20,500 1,814,639.50 10,128,072 39,262,599 17,828,935 1,399,960 41,000 -7,000 22,206,568.50 535,934 5,575,534.50 -6,275,280 -161,249.50 -

39.6 7.26 0.82 1.7 23.75 0.27 7.26 17.5 22.95 14.4 71.05 95 1.99 5.59 11.7 12.66 15.2 9.9 6.82 5.99 1.7 19.46 71.2 13.02 14.68 9.8 1.85 201.4 4.33 32.3 19.1 19 272 0.242 6.35 3.36 10.78 11.46 2.04 10 1.95 64.25 5.9 295.8 4.6 3.5 13 4.31 0.147 1.38 163.1 4.27 2.04 1.07

INDUSTRIAL 39.7 922,600 7.54 4,002,100 0.82 629,000 1.78 17,813,000 24.25 217,400 0.275 3,290,000 7.32 3,873,000 17.72 755,300 23.3 214,400 14.4 3,900 76 3,250 95 10 2.02 639,000 5.59 498,400 11.7 2,900 12.66 10,673,800 15.3 61,648,200 9.94 3,151,000 6.87 791,800 5.99 10,632,300 1.74 14,000 19.48 1,984,000 71.3 98,300 13.4 163,400 14.68 970,900 10.06 3,626,500 1.91 4,133,000 203 412,080 4.33 298,000 32.4 1,510,700 19.42 812,900 19.6 1,601,900 272.8 102,500 0.242 1,460,000 6.36 69,900 3.36 24,000 10.98 18,203,000 11.46 295,300 2.08 3,892,000 10.08 2,049,000 2.03 1,668,000 66 3,445,660 5.92 52,900 299 1,960 4.6 353,000 4.05 3,227,000 13.2 980,600 4.5 14,000 0.147 50,000 1.38 33,000 164.3 1,488,550 4.27 1,000 2.11 24,000,000 1.07 430,000

36,583,705 29,824,931 521,360 31,584,800 5,223,345 898,150 28,332,220 13,372,326(1, 4,948,380 56,160 243,924 950 1,292,750 2,814,865 33,930 135,467,842 967,948,294 31,742,500 5,464,067 63,793,994 24,350 38,725,770(4, 7,004,602.50 2,169,340 14,389,854 36,260,605 7,911,800 83,443,422 1,300,410 48,951,575 15,602,772 31,287,254 28,109,838 354,470 445,056 80,710 198,705,258 3,384,812 8,016,150 1 20,896,858 3,333,660 227,127,942.50 312,931 585,598 1,659,350 12,715,660 12,933,504 62,240 7,350 46,060 244,594,511 4,270 50,952,710 460,100

-15,296,415 2,049,912 -4,265,280 5,500 6,517,208 098,219.9999) 20,000 28,336,664 88,585,068 -8,584,332 72,019 23,195,695 919,628.0001) 2,546,690.50 -1,195,596 -9,690,410 1,102,619 -81,980 -46,403,544 -116,990 38,754,935 -7,262,180 8,758,876 -7,770,840 12,100 33,600 -1,603,356 -3,173,414 ,486,249.9999 195,284 20,100.00 13,023,163.50 182,208 -3,054 -1,360,310 -238,950 -152,454 47,056,260 -246,390 -

0.365 75.65 15.26 1.14 6.1 0.365 0.36 867 1,198 8.17 13.38 7.61 0.198 1,190 7.35 81 1.03 7.06 16.02 6.44 0.058 0.92 2.02 2.5 107.5 2.82 776 1.38 306 0.28 0.193 0.245

HOLDING FIRMS 0.37 990,000 76 856,700 15.3 11,044,100 1.14 42,000 6.1 15,200 0.37 36,860,000 0.37 7,720,000 867 294,440 1,198 25 8.17 1,004,800 13.42 3,981,100 7.78 50,800 0.205 1,770,000 1,199 259,755 8.03 751,100 81 619,460 1.08 9,240,000 7.25 454,800 16.02 362,400 6.44 11,235,900 0.059 12,600,000 0.92 10,000 2.04 823,000 2.5 4,000 108.4 78,640 2.87 86,000 777 297,220 1.4 1,037,000 308 7,160 0.28 220,000 0.215 1,390,000 0.245 680,000

365,550 65,098,849.5(34 169,432,832 47,950 92,820 13,759,300 2,886,850 256,030,410 29,950 8,219,292 53,430,626 391,821 361,950 310,891,365 6,030,495 50,380,279 9,847,170 3,293,385 5,829,062 72,752,344 734,870 9,200 1,674,520 10,000 8,501,535 245,280 231,329,365 1,445,150 2,201,692 61,850 285,630 166,600

37,000 ,161,273.0004) -1,444,646 15,000 -117,428,965 6,481,377 37,175,454 113,150 -75,213,510 -7,538,524 -1,176,795 1,087,576 3,081,555 -5,800 -102,000 -1,077,214 11,510 54,291,225 82,990.00 -538,076 -4,100 -

6.29 1.18 6.02 2.41 1.26 40.05 4.16 5.29 0.51 1.05 1.44 0.156 0.51 46.7 0.67 0.156 1.67 1.04 1.03 4.62 0.355 0.33 0.73 3.8 24.9

PROPERTY 6.3 431,500 1.19 2,633,000 6.79 2,200 2.46 1,880,000 1.3 7,604,000 40.6 11,417,600 4.16 828,000 5.3 87,000 0.52 32,711,000 1.09 280,000 1.47 850,000 0.157 6,030,000 0.53 370,000 47.4 989,700 0.68 10,115,000 0.156 70,000 1.69 2,847,000 1.05 946,000 1.03 5,000 4.71 79,018,000 0.365 41,780,000 0.375 7,380,000 0.74 17,126,000 3.9 750,000 25 3,174,800

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

AG FINANCE ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO LEASING BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FILIPINO FUND IREMIT MANULIFE MEDCO HLDG METROBANK PB BANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK VANTAGE

4.1 50 105.4 4.05 120.8 1.47 37.45 16.1 25.7 7.75 1.66 820 0.7 88.9 15.4 25 68 238.8 88 62.75 216 1,650 84.4 1.17

4.1 50 106 4.05 122.2 1.54 37.65 16.3 25.85 7.75 1.72 820 0.71 89.45 15.48 25 68.35 240 88 64.55 219.8 1,650 84.5 1.17

4.1 49.25 105 3.95 120.7 1.47 37.45 16.1 25.2 7.75 1.65 820 0.69 88.05 15.4 25 67.85 238.4 88 62.75 216 1,650 84.4 1.17

ABOITIZ POWER 39.6 AGRINURTURE 7.38 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.82 ALSONS CONS 1.72 ASIABEST GROUP 24.25 BASIC ENERGY 0.275 CEMEX HLDG 7.42 CENTURY FOOD 17.7 CIRTEK HLDG 23.1 CNTRL AZUCARERA14.4 CONCEPCION 75 CONCRETE B 95 CROWN ASIA 2.03 DAVINCI CAPITAL 5.72 DEL MONTE 11.7 DNL INDUS 12.68 EAGLE CEMENT 16 EEI CORP 10.3 EMPERADOR 6.83 ENERGY DEVT 6.03 EUROMED 1.7 FIRST GEN 19.6 FIRST PHIL HLDG 71.35 GINEBRA 13.48 HOLCIM 14.9 INTEGRATED MICR 9.81 IONICS 1.85 JOLLIBEE 201.6 LMG CHEMICALS 4.5 MANILA WATER 32.4 MAXS GROUP 19.42 MEGAWIDE 19 MERALCO 272 MG HLDG 0.242 PANASONIC 6.35 PEPSI COLA 3.36 PETRON 10.8 PHINMA 11.5 PHINMA ENERGY 2.09 PHX PETROLEUM 10.26 PHX SEMICNDCTR 1.95 PILIPINAS SHELL 64.25 PRYCE CORP 5.98 PUREFOODS 299.8 RFM CORP 4.75 ROXAS HLDG 3.5 SHAKEYS PIZZA 13.06 SPC POWER 4.31 SWIFT FOODS 0.147 TKC METALS 1.41 UNIV ROBINA 165 VICTORIAS 4.27 VITARICH 2.08 VULCAN INDL 1.07

39.85 7.6 0.85 1.83 25 0.275 7.42 17.76 23.3 14.4 76 95 2.05 5.8 11.7 12.72 16.12 10.3 6.93 6.05 1.75 19.66 71.35 13.68 15.02 10.08 1.97 203 4.5 32.5 19.42 19.7 275 0.246 6.39 3.42 11 11.5 2.1 10.28 2.04 66.85 5.98 300 4.75 4.12 13.3 4.5 0.147 1.42 166 4.27 2.16 1.07

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP BHI HLDG COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME MEDIA PRIME ORION REPUBLIC GLASS SAN MIGUEL CORP SEAFRONT RES SM INVESTMENTS SOLID GROUP TOP FRONTIER UNIOIL HLDG WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.375 76 15.44 1.17 6.18 0.385 0.385 873 1,198 8.2 13.5 7.95 0.207 1,205 8.4 84 1.08 7.25 16.3 6.5 0.059 0.92 2.06 2.5 108.6 2.91 787 1.42 308 0.285 0.215 0.245

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 PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND

0.37 76 15.26 1.17 6.18 0.37 0.365 867 1,198 8.19 13.38 7.95 0.198 1,190 7.35 83 1.04 7.12 16.3 6.5 0.059 0.92 2.06 2.5 108.5 2.9 777 1.42 307.8 0.28 0.193 0.245 6.43 1.21 6.03 2.42 1.27 40.05 4.21 5.3 0.52 1.09 1.46 0.156 0.52 48.75 0.67 0.156 1.68 1.06 1.04 4.62 0.36 0.335 0.76 3.85 25

6.43 1.22 6.79 2.62 1.31 40.95 4.21 5.3 0.53 1.1 1.49 0.157 0.53 48.75 0.69 0.156 1.69 1.06 1.04 4.82 0.37 0.38 0.77 4 25.1

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

1.73 32.8 1.02 6.22 0.9 5.41

1.73 33.85 1.03 7.44 0.9 5.53

1.71 32.8 1.01 6.22 0.88 5.4

1.72 33.5 1.01 7.44 0.88 5.5

944,000 9,001,300 2,826,000 200 533,000 4,052,900

1,623,920 301,138,775 2,867,390 1,366 470,860 22,056,604

62,194,330 -4,926,939

2GO GROUP 19.3 ABS CBN 43.25 ACESITE HOTEL 1.58 APC GROUP 0.5 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.045 ASIAN TERMINALS 11.98 BERJAYA 5.61 BLOOMBERRY 10.18 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.088 CALATA CORP 2.13 CEBU AIR 100 CENTRO ESCOLAR 9.61 DFNN INC 8.54 FAR EASTERN U 970 GLOBE TELECOM 2,072 GMA NETWORK 6.09 GOLDEN HAVEN 16 HARBOR STAR 3.09 IMPERIAL 3.65 INTL CONTAINER 102 IPEOPLE 12.66 IPM HLDG 8.94 ISLAND INFO 0.182 ISM COMM 1.33 JACKSTONES 3.54 LBC EXPRESS 16.02 LEISURE AND RES 4.02 MACROASIA 4.43 MANILA JOCKEY 2.33 MELCO CROWN 9.7 METRO RETAIL 3.63 MLA BRDCASTING 16 NOW CORP 2.6 PACIFIC ONLINE 11.52 PAL HLDG 5.39 PHIL SEVEN CORP 172 PHILWEB 10.1 PLDT 1,740 PREMIUM LEISURE 1.6 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.4 PUREGOLD 43.3 ROBINSONS RTL 84.75 SBS PHIL CORP 5.9 SSI GROUP 2.67 STI HLDG 1.07 TRAVELLERS 3.56 WATERFRONT 0.69 WILCON DEPOT 5.4

20.95 43.65 1.72 0.52 0.045 11.98 5.87 10.22 0.09 2.14 100.5 9.61 8.54 970 2,110 6.12 16.2 3.11 3.65 102.5 12.66 8.94 0.183 1.33 3.68 17.1 4.08 4.47 2.41 9.8 3.67 16 2.6 11.52 5.39 172 10.5 1,766 1.61 0.4 43.4 85.5 5.9 2.72 1.13 3.56 0.87 5.41

19.24 43.25 1.58 0.5 0.044 10.96 5.4 9.89 0.087 2.07 100 9.61 8.5 970 2,060 6.07 16 3 3.6 101.8 12.66 8.85 0.181 1.32 3.54 16.02 3.99 4.42 2.3 9.64 3.62 16 2.56 11.52 5.31 170 9.78 1,720 1.59 0.4 42.65 83.5 5.75 2.67 1.07 3.45 0.68 5.39

SERVICES 20.6 772,500 43.6 9,700 1.7 375,000 0.52 816,000 0.045 23,600,000 11.46 12,800 5.87 39,200 9.98 5,890,000 0.089 18,020,000 2.09 2,781,000 100.1 80,590 9.61 2,000 8.5 291,900 970 170 2,060 24,670 6.07 633,100 16.2 56,100 3.03 1,871,000 3.65 95,000 102 1,692,780 12.66 100 8.9 305,000 0.181 2,880,000 1.33 302,000 3.67 37,000 17 19,200 4.08 581,000 4.45 351,000 2.31 14,000 9.7 7,537,000 3.67 1,671,000 16 500 2.57 794,000 11.52 1,000 5.31 17,900 171.5 1,210 10.12 2,153,800 1,755 161,160 1.61 10,944,000 0.4 1,020,000 43 1,264,100 84.5 564,830 5.75 6,100 2.68 11,426,000 1.1 3,872,000 3.46 1,071,000 0.86 116,553,000 5.41 39,299,000

15,818,958 422,965 631,210 410,300 1,054,900 144,762 216,862 58,978,644 1,590,250 5,805,580 8,064,786 19,220 2,482,769 164,900 51,495,460 3,853,438 903,216 5,722,280 345,900 172,729,429 1,266 2,711,290 522,910 400,410 131,860 325,312 2,335,290 1,561,600 32,550 73,165,775 6,099,210 8,000 2,042,160 11,520 95,720 207,775 21,744,917 282,485,995 17,565,470 408,000 54,300,260 47,727,227 35,702 30,788,730 4,270,450 3,729,230 91,589,490 212,232,113

-61,925 150,000 4,400 3,594 -22,938,485 470,500 -892,966 1,937,929 -67,900 -200,810 -36,120 38,478,767 32,580 219,590 -89,000 -34,458,641 -2,935,330 -111,080 -177,160 631,510 150,830,550 14,408,890 938,467 -10,662,720 920,490 1,148,010 -2,126,740 27,029,917

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

0.0032 1.88 5.04 13 2.01 2.1 0.85 0.395 8.51 2.49 0.285 0.193 0.011 0.011 1.73 6.38 2.25 0.475 1.03 0.01 0.01 6 0.012 9.08 3.32 157.8 2.63 0.0086

0.0033 1.88 5.04 13 2.15 2.26 0.88 0.41 8.88 2.49 0.3 0.193 0.011 0.011 1.79 6.38 2.25 0.475 1.04 0.01 0.01 6.15 0.013 9.15 3.32 158.1 2.63 0.0086

0.0032 1.85 5 13 2 2.1 0.85 0.395 8.48 2.43 0.285 0.189 0.011 0.011 1.72 6.16 2.17 0.475 0.98 0.01 0.01 5.98 0.012 8.81 3.25 157.5 2.62 0.0086

MINING & OIL 0.0032 103,000,000 1.85 3,294,000 5.02 100,000 13 2,500 2.15 16,000 2.26 13,000 0.87 537,000 0.395 6,620,000 8.87 15,700 2.49 721,000 0.295 3,910,000 0.19 1,760,000 0.011 42,200,000 0.011 1,900,000 1.76 188,000 6.24 2,152,400 2.24 22,000 0.475 120,000 1.01 151,000 0.01 200,000 0.01 1,200,000 6 506,700 0.012 9,000,000 9.15 713,400 3.3 1,222,000 157.8 601,560 2.62 51,000 0.0086 2,000,000

329,800 6,124,780 502,129 32,500 33,620 28,880 464,570 2,635,150 136,299 1,771,500 1,138,200 335,420 464,200 20,900 330,880 13,403,382 48,460 57,000 151,170 2,000 12,000 3,051,017 108,200 6,485,014 4,011,410 94,980,480 133,870 17,200

504,200 -5,007.00 -14,250.00 1,200,204 -2,684 303,500 -33,746,448 -

AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF F FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2A PCOR PREF 2B PNX PREF 3A SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

516.5 520 107 105 112 114.5 515 5.79 1,029 1.07 108 1,029 1,105 105 77.2 81.2 76.7 78.2 80 77.5 78.4 78.9

517 520 107.3 105 112 115 515 5.9 1,029 1.1 108 1,029 1,110 105 77.3 82 76.8 78.2 80 77.5 78.5 79

516 520 105.3 104.5 103.1 114.1 512 5.79 1,029 1.07 108 1,025 1,105 104.5 77.2 81 76.7 78 79.4 77.5 78.4 78.5

PREFERRED 516 2,210 520 1,200 105.3 26,800 104.5 740 103.1 19,080 115 4,000 512 2,600 5.85 207,800 1,029 20 1.1 95,000 108 8,800 1,025 370 1,110 25 104.5 12,870 77.25 7,090 81 13,700 76.7 51,640 78 20,000 79.4 137,700 77.5 5,300 78.5 13,350 78.9 15,000

1,141,385 624,000 2,860,832 77,488 1,970,389 457,648 1,331,260 1,216,684 20,580 103,000 950,400 379,620 27,675 1,346,320 547,610 1,120,932.50 3,960,838 1,560,744 11,009,380 410,750 1,047,940 1,183,565

-1,839,304 -161,250 -

LR WARRANT

2.21

2.26

2.2

WARRANTS 2.2 158,000

347,750

-

4.26 6.3 8.27

4.14 6.2 7.94

SME 4.17 6.27 8.12

628,840 432,122 25,865,000

6,020,925

131

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 130.5 130.9 4,230

552,635

32,650

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

MS 2,733,443 3,147,060 14,325 4,729,620 9,852,990 464,513,685 3,464,720 461,080 17,004,930 304,270 1,255,870 942,340 192,200 46,638,650 6,883,700 10,920 4,786,110 990,540 5,190 375,006,340 15,096,250 2,714,450 12,917,740 2,915,410 79,342,070

-1,350,434 -172,690 -12,800 171,368,440 -874,460 -12,533,040 -216,960 433,570 10,831,870 -610,610 807,330 186,994,910 188,400 -456,200 -26,535,500

ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

4.14 6.24 8.26

FIRST METRO ETF 130.6

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

SHARES

9,077,753

INDUSTRIAL

295,917,936

HOLDING FIRMS

108,757,333

PROPERTY

246,735,840

SERVICES

260,636,276

MINING & OIL

183,263,481

GRAND TOTAL

1,107,831,599

150,000 69,600 3,218,800

VALUE 1,945.33 (UP) 7.99 608,048,648.30 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,109.71 (UP) 3.76 3,902,671,905.594 HOLDING FIRMS 7,873.94 (DOWN) 30.21 1,348,095,062.80 PROPERTY 3,679.35 (UP) 52.25 SERVICES 1,681.47 (DOWN) 2.44 1,387,151,398.18 MINING & OIL 12,544.77 (DOWN) 25.99 1,190,442,012.001 PSEI 7,886.03 (UP) 18.54 136,840,830.80 All Shares Index 4,700.14 (UP) 10.26 8,600,730,585.58 Gainers: 95; Losers: 95; Unchanged: 54; Total: 244

ers.

Eagle Cement said from current production capacity of 5.1 million metric tons in Bulacan province, it was expecting to increase output to 7.1 million MT by early next year with the completion of a new production line.

Using proceeds from the IPO, it will also build a cement plant in southern Cebu with an initial capacity of 2 million MT. Ang said the Cebu plant would have limestone reserves bigger than those of Bulacan facility. This means that the capacity of the Cebu plant could be expanded to keep up with significant increase in demand, he said.

Ang said Eagle Cement also continued to offer the most affordable price to consumers because of its efficient operations.

He said even with the influx of imported cement from China, Vietnam and neighboring countries, Eagle Cement would still be able to compete.

Eagle Cement president John Paul Ang said the company likely sustained a growth in the “high-teens” in the first quarter, from the fourth quarter.

Eagle Cement is the second company to conduct an IPO this year.

With Bloomberg, AFP

SMC unit allots P3b to widen toll road

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE tollway unit of San Miguel Corp. is spending P3.04 billion this year to finance the expansion of South Luzon Expressway.

South Luzon Tollways Corp. said the bulk of the capital expenditures, or P2.32 billion, would be used to construct additional lanes and toll plaza at TR2 and TR4.

TR2 involves the widening of the SLEx segment between Filinvest and Sta. Rosa, Laguna from four to eight lanes and the segment between Sta. Rosa and Calamba from four to six lanes.

TR4 involves the construction of a four-lane toll road from Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Lucena City.

SLTC will spend P438.1 million for flood mitigation, seamless toll project and toll collection system, while the remaining P275 will be used for asphalt resurfacing, pavement repair, bridges and slope embankment.

The company earlier posted a net income of P712.81 million in the first quarter, down by 12 percent from P812.20 million last year.

SLTC blamed the decline in net income to the expiration of income tax holiday in 2016.

The company’s toll revenue went up 8 percent to P1.39 billion from P1.29 billion on higher traffic volume indicating high socio-economic activity in the south.

Majority of vehicles that utilize SLEx belong to the Class 1 category which accounts for about 83 percent of the total traffic volume.

Costs and expenses fell 5.9 percent to P401.49 million from P379.12 last year.

San Miguel’s infrastructure unit, San Miguel Holdings Corp. and Philippine National Construction Corp. earlier signed an agreement to jointly undertake the expansion of toll roads under the existing joint venture worth P554 billion.

Business

B3

TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Manila Water hikes stake in Vietnam unit

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

BEST DEVELOPER. Alveo Land is celebrating its 15th year in business this year by launching a record 16 projects. The company, a unit of Ayala Land Inc., is also honored by The Dot Property Philippines Awards 2017 as Best Developer Metro Manila. Jennylle Tupaz, Alveo Land president (second from left), accepts the Best Developer Metro Manila award from Dot Property Philippines country manager Tanya Yu (right), Dot Property Philippines senior business development Manager Aprilynn Pascual (left) and Dot Property Magazine editor in Chief Cheyenne Hollis.

MANILA Water Company Inc. said Monday its unit in Singapore recently signed an agreement to buy an additional stake in Saigon Water Infrastructure Corp. (SII) of Vietnam.

Manila Water, a subsidiary of Ayala Corp., said in a disclosure to the stock exchange unit Manila Water South Asia Holdings Pte. Ltd. was acquiring 6.146 million primary shares of SII. The agreement will allow MWSAH to own 37.99 percent of the outstanding capital stock of SII. MWSAH currently holds 31.47 percent of the outstanding capital of SII. “Under the agreement, MWSAH shall pay the subscription price after compliance by SII with all the conditions precedent, unless waived by MWSAH,” said Manila Water.

Manila Water said the newly issued shares are priced at 16,900 Vietnamese dong per share.

“This is based on the valuation agreed by both parties,” Manila Water said.

SII is a Vietnamese company listed in the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange since September 2012.

Manila Water plans to become the first fully integrated company in the Vietnam water and wastewater infrastructure sector, through the construction of water and wastewater treatment plants and the provision of engineering, operation and management services and other similar activities.

Manila Water said SII’s current investments included Tan Hiep 2, a bulk water company providing 300 million liters per day to the state-owned utility serving the area of Hoc Mon, Ho Chi Minh City.

SII also has investments in Cu Chi Water which distributes water to the Cu Chi district in Ho Chi Minh City with almost 75,000 water service connections. Outside of Ho Chi Minh City, it has investments in a 20 million liter per day bulk water company, as well as a water distribution company in the major provinces of Gia Lai and Lam Dong.

Mindanao WESM up despite conflict

By Alena Mae S. Flores

T

HE Energy Department on Monday said the wholesale electricity spot market in Mindanao will be launched as scheduled next month despite the martial law imposed in the island and the armed conflict in Marawi City.

“Activities for WESM Mindanao will push through.

The launching on June 26, 2017 triggers the start of the trial operations period. This will aid

us in determining the readiness of the trading participants, including the system operator and the market operator,” Energy Undersecretary Felix

William Fuentebella said.

The department has been pushing for the establishment of the WESM in Mindanao by June 26 with the anticipated entry of some 1,208 megawatts of additional capacity in the island this year.

The department said in a statement around 782 MW was already added to the Mindanao grid last year, increasing the island’s power reserves.

“The launch date is not yet the start of the commercial operations.

Commercial

operations will only start when all readiness criteria are met,” Fuentebella said.

He said the Marawi conflict ddid not affect the department’s WESM Mindanao schedules.

“However, we will subject the schedule for inputs by the members of the IATSEF (InterAgency Task Force on Securing Energy Facilities),” he said.

IATFSEF is composed of the department, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and the other industry players.

The department has declared the launch of the WESM in Mindanao and provided the transition guidelines effective June 26.

All electric power participants in Mindanao grid will be considered WESM participants and must submit and comply with the registration requirements as prescribed in the WESM rules and manuals not later than the launch date.

All embedded generators with an installed capacity of at least 5 MW, those with installed capacity

below 5 MW that have contract outside their host distribution utility, or those that plan to sell to the WESM or supply power to the grid may register with the WESM on a voluntary basis The government will launch WESM’s full commercial operations once the trial operations has been successfully implemented, the price determination methodology approved by Energy Regulatory Commission and the new market management system certified compliant to the rules.

3 bidders pre-qualify for Sucat power plant THREE bidders passed the prequalification process of Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. in the auction of the decommissioned 850-megawatt Sucat Thermal Power Plant in Muntinlupa City.

PSALM said in a statement the qualified bidders would be allowed to participate further in the bidding process and were expected to submit their offers for the Sucat plant on Wednesday.

“The sale also includes the obligation to clean up and remediate the site which means that the buyer shall return the present site to ground zero (road level) free and clear of wastes, toxic substances, debris and structures,” the agency said.

PSALM earlier said six bidders initially expressed interest to bid, and subsequently submitted documents required by the bidding procedures. Only three companies were found to be fully compliant.

These companies are

Riverbend Consolidated Mining Corp., VPD Trading and G.G. Uy Bonapor Metal Contractor Co..

The Sucat plant was operational for 33 years before Units 1 and 4 were decommissioned in January 2000. Units 2 and 3, meanwhile, were shut down in January 2002.

“The successful sale of this asset advances the interest of the government as the proceeds will be part of the additional funding source for the liquidation of the National Power Corporation’s debts assumed by PSALM,” officer-in-charge Lourdes Alzona said earlier.

PSALM was supposed to rebid the Sucat facility last year but it had to wait for clearance from the Environment Department.

PSALM manages the assets and liabilities of Napocor. The PSALM board approved the privatization of decommissioned Sucat plant in September last year.

Alena Mae S. Flores

PRU LIFE UK EXPANSION. Pru Life UK, the local unit of British financial services giant Prudential plc, expands its presence in the country with the launch of new sales offices in and out of Metro Manila in the first quarter of 2017. The company inaugurated Enriquez, Hernandez and Villanueva Life Insurance Agency Inc. in Pampanga; Aventurine Life Insurance Agency in Las Piñas; and Eastern Summit Life Insurance Agency in Mandaluyong. Shown at the EHV inauguration are (from left) EHV incorporators Miguel Villanueva, Patrick Hernandez and Rafael Villanueva, Pru Life UK vice president for general agency development department Mark Migallos, Pru Life UK senior vice president and chief agency officer Divine Furagganan and president Daniel Villanueva.

Without US, TPP can and should proceed AFTER the creation of the European Single Market (ESM) the North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA) and Latin America’s Mercosur, there was only one major international trade groupings that needed to be created: one that would bring together the countries of the AsiaPacific area.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was the answer to that need. Co-funded and supported by the administration of US President Barack Obama, TPP now has as members twelve countries that border both the Asian and the North American side of the Pacific Ocean.

They are the US, Canada, Peru, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Australia and New Zealand. TPP’s membership can thus be said to be made up of four groups of countries – North America, Northwest

Pacific, Southeast Asia and Australasia.

It is a powerful group of countries.

Indeed, TPP’s membership makes it the most powerful of the world’s regional trade groups, for it encompasses five of the world’s fifteen largest economies— the US, Japan, South Korea, Canada and Australia—and a number of its leading emerging economies. The US economy is the largest economy in the world and the Japanese economy is the thirdlargest. TPP’s members account for close to 40 percent of total world trade.

With such a membership roster, TPP should by now be up and running.

Unfortunately, something bad happened along the way. That something was the 2016 US Presidential election and the victory of the Republican candidate, Donald Trump.

Trump campaigned on a platform that included the virtual repudiation of globalization and the US’s withdrawal from all globalization-related US

entanglements, such as free-trade arrangements. He claimed that the freetrade arrangements that the US had entered into had “robbed” America’s economy of production and jobs— especially the latter. He was particularly critical of TPP and NAFTA, and he vowed that one of his first things he would if elected would be to pull the US out of those two trade arrangements.

In keeping with his campaign promise, President Trump has taken steps in the direction of taking the US out of TPP and NAFTA. But thus far there has been no official US withdrawal from those two institutions.

America’s withdrawal from TPP and NAFTA would be bad for two reasons.

First, withdrawal would deal a heavy blow to the concept of globalization, which is far superior to the international trade practices of the past. And, second, withdrawal would mean a trivialization of America’s international

trade policymaking, reducing the US to a here-today-gone-tomorrow trade partner.

Faced with the realities of today’s geopolitics, Donald Trump was forced to execute a 180-degree turn on the issue of continued US membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), shifting from a “NATO is obsolete” position to “NATO is not obsolete” stance.

Is the same shift likely to happen in the case of US—read Trump—membership in TPP and NAFTA? Given the persona and lack of governance experience of President Trump, it is not possible to say with certainty.

What can be said with certainty is that TPP without the US would still be an economically and politically viable proposition. It can proceed without the US. It should.

E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

Uniform sales law okay to exporters

By Othel V. Campos EXPORTERS are amenable to the Philippine accession to a flexible and uniform international sales law that reduces an important barrier to crossborder trade in a bid to boost country’s exports.

Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. vice president for promotions Leonor Abella said the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods becomes relevant, as it responds to the need for a uniform sales law with international application and acceptance.

“Free trade agreements and increasing global trade liberalization present many, varied and exciting opportunities for growth and expansion for global supply chain players that can adapt to international trade rules well,” she said.

Abella noted that adapting CISG was expected to contribute to the establishment of some common disciplines and certainty in commercial exchanges.

“This is welcome in the light of this cross-border trading regime,” she said.

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

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TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017

Business Macau billionaire favors Osaka casino

BIGGEST CAR PARK. This photo taken on May 28, 2017 shows an eight-story, three dimensional car park building in Shenyang, in China’s northeast Liaoning province. The car park is the largest three dimensional park in Shenyang and can hold 312 cars by moving them into position above each other. AFP

LAWRENCE Ho, the billionaire owner of Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd., said he favors building a casino in Osaka rather than Tokyo because there are more opportunities to develop the smaller Japanese city as an entertainment destination.

Ho is among the industry heavyweights seeking entry to Japan after lawmakers voted in December to open the country to casino gambling. The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which made casino liberalization a priority, hasn’t decided where those casinos will be built nor which companies will operate them.

The prize could be the world’s most lucrative casino market, which CLSA Ltd. estimates could generate $25 billion annually. While Melco is considering the viability of Tokyo and nearby Yokohama, the company’s top choice is Osaka and the surrounding Kansai region, home to attractions such as Universal Studios Japan and the city of Kyoto, famed for its Buddhist temples.

“When you go to the Kansai region, it’s more fun, really, and we’re a company that focuses on fun and entertainment,” said the

40-year-old Ho, who also serves as chief executive officer, in an interview at Melco’s City of Dreams resort in Macau.

Melco is competing for Japanese licenses with rivals that include Las Vegas Sands Corp. and MGM Resorts International, both of which are focusing on Tokyo and Yokohama in addition to Osaka. To be selected, operators and municipalities will have to team up and submit a proposal to the government, according to guidelines published this month.

“MGM’s business model is to build large-scale destination resorts with lots of stuff that cost a lot of money,” Ed Bowers, executive vice president of global development for MGM Resorts, said this month. “So it needs to be in a high-density population area.”

The Tokyo metropolitan area, home to about a third of Japan’s people, is the country’s political and financial center and the base of headquarters for the country’s biggest companies, including Sony Corp., SoftBank Group Corp. and Hitachi Ltd. The city will also host the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Bloomberg

Indonesia’s growth goal optimistic

By Karlis Salna

I

NDONESIA’s central bank said economic growth of 5.4 percent this year is too optimistic and the nation should aspire for higher credit ratings to catch up with Southeast Asian peers.

“In our view, the 2017 growth rate should be higher than 2016,” Bank Indonesia Senior Deputy Governor Mirza Adityaswara said in an interview in Jakarta on Friday. “Maybe 5.4 percent is still a bit too aggressive, but we think 5.1 percent to 5.2 percent is still a possible

number to achieve in 2017.”

While Southeast Asia’s biggest economy is gradually recovering, it faces risks from a slowdown in China and weaker prices of coal and palm oil, the nation’s main commodity exports. President Joko Widodo, known as Jokowi, has pledged

to boost growth to 7 percent during his term in office, but economists surveyed by Bloomberg predict expansion of under 5.5 percent until 2019.

Jokowi’s government has made inroads on some economic reforms, helping it win an investment-grade score from S&P Global Ratings this month. Despite its economic size, smaller neighbors including the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia all enjoy higher ratings from S&P. “We have to use the improvement in the credit rating to challenge ourselves to get further improvement,” Adityaswara said.

Keeping the current account defi-

cit under control is key, which means the nation needs to diversify into non-commodity exports and push for stronger tourism, he said.

Global funds poured a record $6 billion into rupiah securities this year, helping to drive Indonesia’s 10-year yield down by the most in Asia. Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service already rates the nation at investment grade and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said in March an S&P upgrade may help attract as much as $5 billion in funds from Japan alone.

“Considering that the global situation is quite stable, what

we can expect is funds from Japan, and also funds from maybe European and American pension funds that are purposely not in Indonesia yet to come,” the deputy governor said.

Political Risk Bank Indonesia has kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 4.75 percent for seven months, refraining from providing more stimulus to the economy after six rate cuts last year.

Inflation accelerated to the highest in more than a year in April at 4.17 percent, above the mid-point of the bank’s 3 percent to 5 percent target band.

“The key for us is to maintain

Bordeaux pins hopes for ravaged vineyards on June bloom

By Alexandra Lesieur SAINT-ÉMILION, France ― When a severe, unseasonal cold snap gripped Bordeaux vineyards in late April, winegrowers sprang into action.

They set fires in thousands of oil drums, positioning them carefully between the rows of budding grapevines in southwest France. Giant fans were deployed to battle the cold, damp air settling on the plants.

Helicopters also flew low overhead, in another extravagant attempt to battle freezing condensation.

In the aftermath of the region’s worst late-season freeze in more than two decades, winemakers here are looking forward nervously to the crucial June flowering phase, when pollination occurs.

Shriveled vines The freeze left a grim landscape.

“We have a hangover. Eighty percent of our vineyard was hit by the frost. It’s all our work that has been wiped out,” says Jean-Francois Galhaud, president of the Saint-Emilion Wine Council that represents nearly 1,000 winegrowers, standing before rows of Merlot grapevines with curled and shriveled leaves.

The bitter cold struck twice within a week last month, ravaging the fragile shoots and buds that had emerged prematurely following mild temperatures in March.

This means poor harvests not only for grapes but also for fruit and vegetables like apples, pears and asparagus.

A wine grower checks vineyards hit by a late-season frost near Saint-Emilion in France’s Bordeaux region

Wine producers say they have not experienced such a damaging frost since 1991 when over half of vineyards in the Bordeaux region were affected.

Francois Despagne, who produces the Saint-Emilion grand cru Chateau Grand CorbinDespagne, says 90 percent of his vineyard was damaged by the cold, more than he has seen in 20 years in the business.

The weather-inflicted damage was felt throughout France and in other parts of Europe too.

In Germany, the frost reached all of the country’s vineyards, which is “extremely rare,” says Ernst Buescher, of the German Wine Institute.

In Italy’s Tuscany region, 20 percent of wine production was

destroyed, valued at around $90 million (around 80 million euros), according to the agricultural association, Confagricoltura.

June’s flowering vines The quality of this year’s grapes depends on the blooms in June, says Stephane Toutoundji, an oenologist based in the southwestern town of Libourne who advises winemakers throughout Bordeaux.

If the buds fail to resume growth between now and next month, the annual harvest will be halved in terms of volume for Bordeaux, costing an estimated 1.5 billion euros in sales, says CIVB, a wine industry association for the region.

One thing is certain, the harvest this year will be late.

“Let’s cross our fingers that we do a 1961, a year with a small harvest that was of very good quality,” says Galhaud.

However, Toutoundji says what has survived the freeze is only of “normal quality.”

Long-term damage?

To survive this bad patch, help is on hand for winegrowers in the form of partial unemployment benefits, aid for social charges and financial support from local authorities.

Only a small proportion, 15 percent, of France’s 800,000 hectares (nearly two million acres) of vineyards are insured, mainly because of the high cost of insurance.

Last year’s abundant harvest in the region will help fill in some of this year’s gaps,

thanks to a program called VCI, whereby regulators allow winegrowers to keep approved amounts of wine stocks from a previous year in case of natural catastrophes.

But despite the VCI scheme, Bordeaux output is expected to come in at three million hectoliters this year, well below an average annual production of 5.4 million hectoliters.

The VCI allowances however do not help producers who sell their wine in bulk and do not have stocks to mitigate such shortages.

Adds to challenges Bordeaux growers had been recovering with three good vintage years since suffering a poor year in 2013, making April’s blow that much more difficult.

And despite the various near-term relief measures, the weather-inflicted damage lays bare other big challenges facing the winegrowers.

Producers in the south of France are frustrated with an increase of cheap Spanish bulk wine, which has sparked several demonstrations in supermarkets in recent months.

There is also competition from further afield.

Laetitia Ouspointour, of Chateau Vieux Mougnac in Lussac, worries the region will lose market share to countries like Australia and South Africa.

Rising production costs add to the challenge, she says.

“We will not be able to supply wine, and it will cost more than other wines,” Ouspointour says. AFP

prudentiality in managing the macro,” Adityaswara said. “The government manages the fiscal prudentiality, while Bank Indonesia maintains prudentiality in the monetary policy, basically to make sure inflation is under control and the current account deficit is under control.”

Templeton Emerging Markets Group Executive Chairman Mark Mobius gave an upbeat assessment of Indonesia on Monday, saying the stock market continues to benefit from an improving growth outlook. The Jakarta Composite Index has gained 11 percent in the past six months.

Bloomberg

Vietnam confident of hitting 6.7% goal VIETNAMESE Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said he is confident economic growth this year will meet a government goal of 6.7 percent without adding to inflation, despite weak expansion last quarter.

Vietnam is taking steps to bolster the economy as the nation seeks to retain its status as one of the world’s fastestgrowing economies, the premier said in an interview at the Government Office in Hanoi on May 27.

“Main economic indicators in May are all very good with a strong pickup in exports, foreign investment and agriculture production, laying ground for faster growth in the third and fourth quarters,” Phuc said in an interview with Bloomberg Television’s Haslinda Amin. The gross domestic product growth target “is difficult but it is possible,” he added.

The government must balance efforts to spur the economy with ensuring inflation doesn’t exceed its 2017 target of 4 percent, according to Phuc. “We must curb inflation at the mandate number as we have committed to the National Assembly,” he said.

Inflation eased to a ninemonth low of 3.19 percent in May, the statistics office reported on Monday. Exports rose 17.4 percent in the first five months from a year earlier while pledged foreign direct investment increased 10.4 percent. Bloomberg

LGUs

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

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017

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READY FOR SCHOOL. Schoolchildren at six public elementary schools in Antipolo City join Mayor Jun Ynares (center), city councilors Eddie Lagasca, Nixon Aranas, Phillip Pimentel, and Ronald Barcena, and Captain Jojo Huertas of Barangay Inarawan in celebrating the end of the ‘Brigada Eskwela’ school cleanup activity on Friday. The city government also gave out free bags, two sets of uniforms and eight notebooks to each of the students of Cabading Elementary School, Inuman ES, Peace Village ES, Bagong Nayon IV ES, Bagong Nayon I and II ES, and Bagong Nayon II National High School.

P326m for Makati elderly M

By Joel E. Zurbano

ORE than 77,600 senior citizens of Makati City will be receiving mid-year cash gifts beginning June 1, officials of the city’s Elderly Welfare Section of the Makati Social Welfare Department announced on Monday.

Members of the City Council on December approved City Ordinance 2016-A-043 granting an additional P1,000 to the annual cash gift of the BLU Card holders.

The 77,685 BLU Card holders aged 60-69 now receive an annu-

CL poor get free medicine via DoH

By Romeo Dizon SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga—The Department of Health in Central Luzon is giving away free medicine to the underprivileged to assure the success of the ongoing preventive health care system of Pampanga.

The free medicines are meant for the marginalized sector as provided for under President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s health program.

Dr. Leonila Gorgolon, DoH regional director, said that under the Philippines Health Agenda, poor Filipinos must receive at least two medical checkups a year to assure their productivity and well-being.

Gorgolon announced the handout of free medicines to the province during a meeting on the health management system attended by Gov. Lilia Pineda and health workers here yesterday.

Health workers will assist the DoH in the distribution of free medicines to the 505 barangays spread out in the four districts of the province.

They are also asked to locate sick people in their areas, especially the poor and senior citizens, so they will be given medical attention by the authorities.

Patterned after the Cuban health program, the preventive health care system of Pampanga calls for prevention to address the financial burden to the members of the family.

al cash gift of P3,000 each; those 70 to 79 years old, P4,000; and those 80 and above, P5,000 each.

The annual cash gift for all age groups is given in two equal installments every June and December. Thus, the first age group will

receive P1,500; the second group, P2,000; and the third group, P2,500 this June.

For 2017, the city has allocated P326 million for the cash gift and centenarian incentive under the BLU Card.

The distribution of the cash gift on June 1, Thursday, will be held in Barangays Bel-Air, Kasilawan, San Isidro and Sta. Cruz at their respective barangay halls, and in Brgys. La Paz and Valenzuela at their respective covered courts.

From June 2 to 3, Friday and Saturday, cash gift distribution will be done at the barangay hall of Brgy. Rizal and at the covered

court of Brgy. West Rembo.

From June 5 to 6, Monday and Tuesday, beneficiaries from Brgys. Poblacion and San Lorenzo can get their cash gifts at their respective covered courts.

From June 7 to 8, Wednesday and Thursday, cash gift distribution will take place at the covered court of Brgy. Olympia. On June 7 only, distribution will be done at the barangay hall of Brgy. Guadalupe Viejo. Beneficiaries of Brgy. South Cembo can claim their cash gift at their covered court on June 8 only.

On June 9, Friday, distribution will be done at the barangay hall of Brgy. Pinagkaisahan. For

Brgy. Pio del Pilar, distribution will be from June 9 (covered court) to June 10 (San Isidro National High School). On June 10 only, BLU Card holders of Brgy.

Southside can get their cash gift at their barangay hall.

From June 13 to 14, Tuesday and Wednesday, cash gift distribution will take place at the covered court of Brgy. East Rembo, and at the Elderly Health Care Office at H. Santos St. for beneficiaries from Brgy. Tejeros.

The distribution of cash gift on June 15, Thursday, will be done at the barangay halls of Brgys. Pitogo, Singkamas and Carmona.

ON THE WHEEL.

Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi inspects one of the dropside and dump trucks that were turned over to local government offices last May 22.

Fresnedi led the blessing of the trucks worth P5.5 million to help speed up government operations.

The trucks were turned over to the Social Service Department and Environmental Sanitation Center.

QC centenarians get P100k award today THE Quezon City Council has given Mayor Herbert Bautista the nod to award P100,000 each to the city’s 13 100-year-old residents today.

District 6 Councilor Roger Juan authored City Ordinance 25422016 to release P1.3 million as a

reward to the 13 centenarians.

Those to be recognized are Eustaquia Farin, Otilla Uaje, Flaviana Balane, Martina Nava, Leticia Saycon, Marciana Cangas, Vivencia Huliganga, Anacleta Moncada, Mildred Pijuan, Gloria Na-

varro, Leoncia Alonzo, Antonina Caunan and Preciosa Echavarria.

Apart from the city government’s grant, Republic Act 10868’s Section 2 “provides that all Filipinos who reach the age of 100 years old, whether residing in

the Philippines or abroad, shall be honored with a letter of felicitation from the President of the Philippines congratulating the celebrant for his or her longevity, and a centenarian gift in the amount of P100,000.” Rio N. Araja

V’zuela safety manual unveiled

By Jun David THE Valenzuela City government has released its first safety manual, two years after the Kentex factory tragedy, which placed the local administration at the center of heated debates on the issue of accountability.

The city government published “Manual for Safe and Humane Working Environment,” as a sign of its commitment to help company employers to be more familiar with regulatory laws concerning workplace safety.

Valenzuela said it is the first and only local government unit in the country today to come up with this kind of selfassessment reference tool for business owners.

The publication of the safety manual is anchored from Rule VII, Section 30 of Ordinance No. 296 Series of 2016, which prescribes the “minimum standards for a safe, healthy, and humane working environment in Valenzuela City.”

The reference material also contains other policies, mandates, and guidelines in sanitation, building permit acquisition, and business licensing in the city. It intends to be the official reference material for reviewing and planning industrial health, protection, and safety at workplaces in Valenzuela City.

According to Office of the Building Official Arch. Edison Ching Padilla, the essence of the handbook is to help maintain good housekeeping practices in factories and other industrial work areas.

Padilla also explains the tripartite mechanism of upholding a safe and humane working environment in Valenzuela City.

“The city [government] is there to make and regulate orders, the employers are there to implement, and the employees are there to cooperate,” he said.

82 trainees complete ‘new’ Manila traffic force

By Sandy Araneta EIGHTY-TWO more traffic enforcers in Manila are set to undergo extensive retraining this June to complete the reorganization of the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau, Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada said on Monday.

This third batch of trainees will be the last to fill the vacated slots at the city’s traffic force, which lost all of its 690 personnel last November when Estrada ordered an overhaul of the department due to complaints of extortion and other illegal activities.

“This is what I wanted: A lean but

mean and highly professional traffic force far from the mostly corrupt and incompetent traffic management unit we had last year,” Estrada said.

MTPB chief Dennis Alcoreza said each candidate has been thoroughly screened to weed out “misfits and oddballs.” All have at least a few academic

units in college, are in top physical condition, have no past criminal records, and not older than 45.

In view of the discovery of five MTPB members who turned out positive for illegal drug use, Alcoreza said all members of the third batch were subjected to mandatory drug test. None tested positive.

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LGUs

TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017

Ceza aids local pineapple farmers T

By Brenda Jocson

UGUEGARAO, Cagayan—To help develop the pineapple industry in the coastal town of Santa Ana, the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority has extended its assistance to dedicated pineapple farmers there.

Joyce Marie Jayme-Calimag, Ceza public relations chief, said the freeport authority assisted the farmers in buying kitchen utensils and raw materials for developing pineapple products and in building a temporary display and production area.

“We also obtained a sponsorship from the Department of Science and Technology for the purchase of processing equipment such as drier, processor, among others, which the cooperative has just obtained,” Calimag said.

In 2013, the pineapple farmers

organized themselves as a cooperative in partnership with Ceza.

On March 22 that year, the Santa Ana Pineapple Farmer Growers Producer Cooperative was registered with the Cooperative Development Authority.

“We have recognized the potential of the [co-op’s] product that could also be traded in nearby towns and perhaps in other provinces nationwide,” Calimag noted.

She noted the cooperative started only with volunteers and a total of 32 members in 2013. Now it has 76 local farmer-members.

“Since then, the cooperative’s pineapple production has

become a lucrative enterprise for the local community,” Calimag said.

The cooperative is working on a contract with a big local canning company and is eyeing to become a pineapple supplier to a big supermarket.

“Once the agreements push through, Santa Ana can become a renowned pineapple supplier of the country, comparable to Bukidnon, Davao and South Cotabato,” Calimag said.

The cooperative is working on maximizing pineapple production to make sure it is able to sustain its supply to clients in the

long term. It is now tilling more than 46 hectares along Barangay Zinungan and in other villages in the town exclusively dedicated to pineapple production.

“Currently, majority of the farmers still use the traditional smooth cayenne pineapple variety, which is popular in Spain, Costa Rica, Brazil and other pineapple-producing countries,” Calimag said.

She said that prior to the organization of the cooperative, a number of local farmers have already produced pineapples for small scale consumption and local trading.

A Santa Ana farmer

Ecija, Pangasinan cyclists rule event

By Dexter A. See LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—Cyclist Rustom Lim of Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija emerged as the champion in the 1st “I Love Pangasinan” Cycling Classic sponsored by the provincial government on Sunday.

In topping the race, Lim was followed by Nelson Martin also of Nueva Ecija and Jay Lampawog of Villasis town in second and third place, respectively.

The top three finishers went home with the following prizes: Champion-P20,000 plus trophy; 1st runner-up-P15,000 plus trophy; and 2nd runner-up-P10,000 plus trophy.

The event traversed 192 kilometers from the starting point at the Maramba Boulevard in Lingayen through the coastal towns of Labrador, Sual, Alaminos City, Bani, Agno, Burgos, Dasol, Infanta and back.

Lampawog was first to reach all three summits or highest points in the race in Suasalito (Sual), Bani and Mabini.

As explained by race director general Jess Garcia, the sporting event adopted the standard rules and regulations of the

Union Cycliste Internationale, the world governing organization for cycling events.

More than 50 cyclists from Pangasinan and nearby provinces joined the tournament, which aimed to reintroduce the sport to the younger generation.

Joining Garcia in the awarding rites of the 1st I Love Pangasinan Cycling Classic at the Pangasinan Training and Development Center were Pangasinan Sports Development and Management Council executive director Modesto Operania and Marife Acerit of the Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office.

Placing fourth to 10th were, in order: Marcelo Felipe (Nueva Ecija), Arjay Peralta (Nueva Ecija), Dominique Perez (Sto. Tomas, Pangasinan), Ronald Oranza (Villasis, Pangasinan), Mark Julius Bonzo (Sual, Pangasinan), Edgar Nieto (Olongapo City), and Bonjoe Martin (Villasis, Pangasinan).

Aside from medals, cash prizes for the 4th to 10th placers were as follows: 4th placer-P7,500; 5th placer-P5,000; 6th placer-P4,000; 7th placer-P3,000; 8th placerP2,000; 9th placer-P1,500 and 10th placer-P1,000.

‘BUNTIS’ SUMMIT. The De Los Santos Medical Center in Quezon City formally opened to the public its ‘Buntis Summit,’ a project that teaches

locals how to care for pregnant women and mothers-to-be. Present during the ceremonial ribbon cutting are (from left) Dr. Lysander P. Ragodon, DLSMC vice president for Business Planning and Development; Dr. Nilo delos Santos, vice president for Medical Affairs and chief medical officer; media personality Niña Corpuz; Councilor Irene Belmonte of Quezon City District 4; DLSMC president and CEO Raul C. Pagdanganan; lawyer Eugenio ‘Toto’ Villareal; and Dr. Diosdado Mariano, chairman, Department of Ob-Gyn and head of the Women’s Care Center. Lino Santos

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Manila

Standard

TODAY

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”) filed on 25 May 2017 an Amended 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 common 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 28 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 06 July 2017 (the “Cross Date”).

Settlement Date shall be 12 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 28 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 28 June 2017 at 1:00 PM. The Shares shall be deemed accepted by the Bidder for payment on 05 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

: 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 (MS-MAY 29,30 & 31, 2017)

Cavite leaders mark Flag Day and Battle of Alapan IMUS CITY, Cavite—Leaders of this province joined the country in celebrating National Flag Day on Sunday and began their countdown for the celebration of Philippine Independence on June 12.

Cavite’s leaders also gathered here, the provincial capitol, to commemorate the historic Battle of Alapan 119 years ago or in May 1898.

Imus Mayor Manny Maliksi, Imus Rep. AA Advincula, Vice Mayor Arnel Cantimbuhan and the mayor’s father, former Cavite governor Ayong Maliksi, and city councilors led a program at the Dambana ng Pambansang Watawat Heritage Park in Alapan II-B here.

Department of Budget and Management Region 4-A Director Ruby Pacheco also graced the raising of the giant national flag

at the 90-feet high pole in the epic park.

The Battle of Alapan was the first victorious battle of Cavite icon General Emilio Aguinaldo, who would later become the Philippine Republic’s first President, during the Filipino revolution against Spain.

On June 12 this year, Senator Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson, also a Caviteño, will lead the 119th Independence Day Celebration at historic balcony of the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kaingen, Kawit, Cavite.

He will be joined by other provincial leaders led by Cavite Gov. Jesus Crispin Remulla, Kawit Mayor Angel Aguinaldo, Noveleta Mayor Dino Reyes Chua, 1st District Rep. Boy Blue Abaya, 2nd District Rep. Strike Revilla, 3rd District Rep. AA Advincula and Rep. Jon Jon Ferrer of Cavite’s 6th District.

IN BRIEF 5 Cordillera towns get aid for MRFs BAGUIO CITY—Five municipalities from the different parts of the Cordillera recently received financial assistance from the regional office of the Environmental Management Bureau to put up their materials recovery facilities and help the local governments comply with the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. Reynaldo S. Digamo, EMB-CAR regional director, said the grant of P300,000 each to Natonin, Mountain Province; Tinoc Asipulo and Lagawe in Ifugao; and Luna, Apayao, is part of the agency’s commitment to assist local governments to establish MRFs that are compliant with the law.

We will closely monitor the construction of the MRFs in the beneficiary municipalities so that their projects will conform to the approved design of the facility. We will also monitor the operation of the facilities once the construction will be completed to make sure that the assistance will be utilized to the fullest,” Digamo stressed.

Under the guidelines of the grant, the beneficiary municipalities should have an available government lot where the facility will be constructed as part of their counterpart to the project. Dexter A. See

Mt. Sto. Tomas to be opened for tourism TUBA, Benguet—The scenic Mount Sto. Tomas forest reservation will be opened for agri-tourism purposes once the appropriate facilities are put in place by government agencies and the local government of Tuba.

Engineer Ralph C. Pablo, regional director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Cordillera, said the current situation in Mount Sto. Tomas does not call for its reopening to tourists.

The reservation’s forest management and land use plan is still being subjected to consultations with stakeholders, Pablo added.

One of the issues being addressed by the Mount Sto. Tomas steering committee is the zoning of the reservation, so that everything will be put in place before it will be officially opened to tourists, he pointed out. Dexter A. See

World IN BRIEF 3 arrested over sex assault video NEW DELHI―Three men have been arrested after video emerged showing them assaulting two women in broad daylight as a dozen others looked on and ignored their screams for help, police said Monday.

The blurry video aired by Indian television showed the men groping and pushing the women in Uttar Pradesh state as onlookers laughed and filmed the assault, later posting it on social media.

The incident took place last week in a remote village in Rampur district when the men surrounded the two women, whose ages and identities have not been revealed.

“We have arrested three of the main culprits and expect to get the fourth one shortly,” Mohammad Tariq, a senior Rampur police official, told AFP. Police have analyzed the footage and concluded there were four main attackers but they would be investigating the others who gathered to watch, Tariq added.

One of the victims told India’s NDTV network they begged the men to stop and called for help.

“But nobody came, rather some more men came and joined the others in harassing us,” she said, covering her face with a scarf to hide her identity.

Police have charged the three men with sexual harassment and offenses under India’s internet laws for sharing the video on social media.

India has a terrible record of rape and sexual assault, and rights groups accuse authorities of failing swiftly to bring offenders to justice.

Uttar Pradesh’s new leader Yogi Adiyanath, who came to power in March, sought to tackle the scourge through “anti-Romeo squads”―police units tasked with patrolling the streets ostensibly to protect women.

But the squads themselves quickly came under fire after revelations they were harassing young couples in parks and colleges and publicly shaming them. AFP

G7 rebuked over seas statement BEIJING―China has urged the Group of Seven leading economies to “stop making irresponsible remarks” after the G7 summit expressed concern about the situation in the East and South China Seas.

China has a dispute with Japan over small uninhabited islands in the East China Sea, while its claim to most of the South China Sea is challenged by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

In their closing communique in Italy on Saturday, G7 leaders said they “remain concerned about the situation” in the two seas and are “strongly opposed to any unilateral actions that could increase tensions”.

The text also urges “all parties to pursue demilitarization of disputed features”.

A Chinese foreign ministry statement quoted by state media Monday said China was “strongly dissatisfied at the G7 summit gesticulating over the issues of the East and South China seas under the guise of international law”.

Sunday’s statement by ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Beijing hopes the G7 and countries outside the region will “stop making irresponsible remarks and play a constructive role for regional peace and stability”.

The United States has criticized China’s reclamation of several reefs and islets in the South China Sea into artificial islands capable of hosting military planes. AFP

TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017

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Outreach to Russia denied W ASHINGTON―A White House in crisis scrambled to allay public concern over reports that Donald Trump’s son-in-law sought a secret communications link to Russia―a bombshell allegation the US president swatted down as “fabricated.”

After returning late Saturday from his first foreign trip as president, Trump geared up to combat concerns over his advisers’ ties to Russia, including explosive reports about Jared Kushner, his indispensable aide-decamp.

Trump was meeting with attorneys at the White House on Sunday, presumably over the latest development in the long-running Russia intelligence saga, news reports said.

US media said the White House is creating a new rapid-fire communications unit to respond to the controversy, led by Kushner, senior presidential adviser Steve Bannon and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus.

Trump, who had been uncharacteristically quiet on Twitter during his nine-day trip abroad, resumed his favorite pastime with fury on Sunday, dismissing allegations of Russia ties as “fake news” and “fabricated lies.”

“It is my opinion that many of the leaks coming out of the White House are fabricated lies made up by the #FakeNews media,” he wrote.

“Whenever you see the words ‘sources say’ in the fake news media, and they don’t mention names it is very possible that those sources don’t exsist but are made up by fake news writers. #FakeNews is the enemy!” the US leader wrote, spelling errors and all.

In yet another tweet, amid criticism of his frequent Twitter rants, Trump wrote: “the Fake News Media works hard at disparaging & demeaning my use of social media because they don’t want America to hear the real story!”

The administration had hoped Trump’s nine-day turn in the international spotlight would offer a respite from relentless coverage―marked by an endless barrage of explosive revelations―of an ever-widening probe into Russian meddling in last year’s election and possible collusion by the Trump campaign.

However, the eve of his return brought the biggest story to date: A Washington Post report about Kushner’s alleged proposal to the Russians to create a secret channel out of the reach of US spymasters.

The talks between Kushner and the Russians, if confirmed, would raise new questions about the Trump team’s relationship with Moscow, which US intelligence agencies say tried to sway the November election in the property tycoon’s favor.

Meanwhile, a parade of senior administration officials tried to downplay the story, saying it was not all that unusual to establish “back-channel” ties with a foreign government.

Trump’s National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster refused to talk about the allegations, but said that generally speaking, “we have back-channel communication with a number of countries... I would not be concerned about it.”

His comments were echoed by Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.

“It’s both normal in my opinion and acceptable,” he told ABC News on Sunday.

“Any way that you can communicate with people, particularly organizations that are maybe not particularly friendly to us, is a good thing and, again, it comes back to whatever the communication is, comes back into the government and shared across the government; so, it’s not a bad thing to have multiple communication lines to any government,” he said. AFP

CHURCH DAY. This overall view shows church day participants listening to speeches by former US president Barack Obama and

German Chancellor Angela Merkel attending a panel discussion on stage during the Protestant church day (Kirchentag) event at the Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) in Berlin on May 25, 2017. Former US president Barack Obama attended a panel discussion with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin before heading to Baden-Baden to receive a German media prize. AFP

Sri Lanka flood death toll climbs to 169 KALUTARA, Sri Lanka―Thousands of Sri Lankan troops battled Monday to get relief supplies to nearly half a million people displaced by the island’s worst flooding in well over a decade, which has killed 169 people.

The military said a lull in torrential monsoon rains had allowed it to deploy aircraft, boats and ground troops to evacuate people from flooded areas and deliver food and other essentials.

Almost half a million people have had to abandon their homes after the island suffered its worst flooding in 14 years.

The Disaster Management Center said 169 people had been confirmed dead, most of them buried by landslides triggered by Friday’s intense rains. Another

102 people are listed as missing and 88 are in hospital.

Sri Lanka is regularly hit by flooding at the start of the annual monsoon. But carpenter J. H. Siripala, who lives in one of the areas worst hit, said he had never seen it this bad.

“I have lived in this area for 27 years and we have gone through floods, but never experienced this much water,” the 62-year told AFP in Kalutara district on the southwest coast as a navy boat carried him to safety.

“I thought it was my end,” he said as he recalled how the water level suddenly rose on Sunday, covering his head, before he was pulled to safety.

Dhanushka Fernando said his house was under eight feet of water on Sunday.

“We had floods in 2003 but not this much water,” the 28-year-old told AFP. Military spokesman Roshan Seneviratne said a let-up in the rains had allowed troops to access cut-off villages.

“We are able to access all the affected communities,” he told AFP. He said 1,800 soldiers and 1,100 naval personnel had been deployed to evacuate people and ferry food and other essentials to affected areas.

The flooding is the worst since May 2003, when 250 people were killed and 10,000 homes destroyed after a similarly powerful monsoon.

Nearly 2,000 houses have suffered structural damage or been completely destroyed, according to official figures. AFP

Macron to host Putin in new diplomatic test

LEADERS. (Front row from L) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, King Philippe - Filip of Belgium, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, US President Donald Trump, Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, (second row from L) Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, Czech President Milos Zeman, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Estonia’s Prime Minister Juri Ratas, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Iceland’s Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, Latvia’s President Raimonds Vejonis, (third row from L) Lituania’s President Dalia Grybauskaite, Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, Romanian President Klaus Werner Iohannis, Slovakia’s President Andrej Kiska, Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar and Montenegro’s Prime Minister Dusko Markovic pose for a family picture during the North Atlantic Treaty Organization) summit at the NATO headquarters, in Brussels, on May 25, 2017. AFP

PARIS―France’s new President Emmanuel Macron was to host Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday in the latest test of his diplomatic mettle after vowing firm stands on Ukraine and Syria.

“It is essential to talk to Russia because there are many international issues that will not be resolved without a tough exchange with the Russians,” Macron said at the G7 summit in Sicily which wound up on Saturday.

The 39-year-old centrist leader’s meeting with Putin, 64, caps a whirlwind of diplomacy including the G7 talks as well as last week’s NATO summit in Brussels.

He told a French weekly that he was not “bothered” by leaders who “think in terms of power ratios”, citing Putin as an example along with US President Donald

Trump.

But Macron, who became France’s youngest president just three weeks ago, said he does not believe in “the diplomacy of public invective but in bilateral dialogue”.

As a candidate, Macron had tough words for Russia, accusing it of following a “hybrid strategy combining military intimidation and an information war”.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2014, Russia has flexed its muscles with a series of war games involving tens of thousands of troops in areas bordering NATO Baltic states.

In Sicily on Saturday, Macron said he would make “not a single concession” to Russia on Ukraine as he and his G7 counterparts said they were prepared to strengthen sanctions against Moscow. AFP

World

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

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N. Korea fires missile in latest provocation

TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017

Merkel says Europe and US drifting apart F RANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany― Europe “must take its fate into its own hands” faced with a western alliance divided by Brexit and Donald Trump’s presidency, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Sunday.

“The times in which we could completely depend on others are on the way out.

I’ve experienced that in the last few days,” Merkel told a crowd at an election rally in Munich, southern Germany.

“We Europeans truly have to take our fate into our own hands,” she added.

While Germany and Europe would strive to remain on good terms with America and Britain, “we have to fight for our own destiny”, Merkel went on.

Special emphasis was needed on warm relations between Berlin and newlyelected French President Emmanuel Macron, she said.

The chancellor had just returned from a G7 summit which wound up Saturday without a deal between the US and the other six major advanced nations on upholding the 2015 Paris climate accords.

Merkel on Saturday labeled the result of the “six against one” discussion “very diffi-

cult, not to say very unsatisfactory”.

Trump offered a more positive assessment on Twitter Sunday, writing: “Just returned from Europe. Trip was a great success for America.

Hard work but big results!”

The US president had earlier tweeted that he would reveal whether or not the US would stick to the global emissions deal―which he pledged to jettison on the campaign trail―only next week.

On a previous leg of his first trip abroad as president, Trump had repeated past criticism of NATO allies for failing to meet the defensive alliance’s military spending commitment of two percent of GDP. Observers noted that he neglected to publicly endorse the pact’s Article Five, which guarantees that member coun-

tries will aid the others they are attacked.

The omission was especially striking as he unveiled a memorial to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the US, the only time the mutual defense clause has been triggered.

Trump also reportedly described German trade practices as “bad, very bad,” in Brussels talks last week, complaining that Europe’s largest economy sells too many cars to the US. Sunday’s event saw Merkel renew bonds with the Christian Social Union, Bavarian sister party to her own centerright Christian Democratic Union, ahead of a parliamentary vote in September.

Polls show the chancellor, in power since 2005, on course to be re-elected for a fourth term. AFP

SEOUL―North Korea test-fired a missile Monday into Japan’s maritime economic zone―the latest in a series of provocative launches that have heightened tensions over its nuclear weapons ambitions.

It was the North’s third ballistic missile test in as many weeks and the 12th this year―carried out in defiance of UN sanctions warnings and US threats of possible military action.

US military monitors said the short-range missile flew for six minutes, while Japan said it fell into its exclusive economic zone, extending 200 nautical miles from the coast.

The launch went ahead despite tough talk from US President Donald Trump, who promised last week at the G7 summit that the “big problem” of North Korea “will be solved”.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe swiftly condemned the test and vowed concerted action with its US ally.

“We will never tolerate North Korea’s continued provocations that ignore repeated warnings by the international community,” Abe told reporters.

“As agreed during the G7 summit, the North Korean problem is the international community’s top priority. In order to deter North Korea, we will take concrete action with the United States.”

The North has been stepping up efforts towards its ultimate goal-developing an intercontinental ballistic missile that can deliver a nuclear warhead to the continental US. Monday’s test also marked the second time this year that a North Korean missile fell provocatively close to its neighbor Japan. South

Korea’s military said the Scudtype missile traveled for 450 kilometers Despite Trump’s strident warnings, Secretary of Defense James Mattis said in an interview that aired Sunday before the launch that a war with North Korea would be “catastrophic”.

“The North Korean regime has hundreds of artillery cannons and rocket launchers within range of one of the most densely populated cities on Earth, which is the capital of South Korea,” he told CBS News.

“This regime is a threat to the region, to Japan, to South Korea.

And in the event of war, they would bring danger to China and to Russia as well.

“But the bottom line is, it would be a catastrophic war if this turns into a combat, if we’re not able to resolve this situation through diplomatic means.”

Mattis declined to say what kind of action from Pyongyang would constitute a “red line” for Washington, saying the administration needs “political maneuver room.”

The latest launch demonstrates the North’s determination to secure more leverage in any future negotiations with the US, said Cho Han-Bum, analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

“The North, despite its series of provocations, has not crossed the ultimate red line, which would be staging another nuclear test or a successful ICBM test,” Cho said.

“Today’s launch is the North’s way of saying to the world, ‘It wouldn’t be easy to make us suspend our weapons programs even if you manage to pressure me into negotiations’,” he said. AFP

Swedish film ‘The Square’ wins in Cannes CANNES-The Swedish satire “The Square”, a send-up of political correctness and the confused identity of the modern male, won the Palme d’Or top prize at the Cannes film festival Sunday.

In a stunning upset, the nine-member jury led by Spanish director Pedro Almodovar and including Hollywood stars Jessica Chastain and Will Smith awarded the trophy to director Ruben Ostlund.

“Oh my God, oh my God!” Ostlund shouted from the stage after besting a raft of favorites for one of global cinema’s most coveted honors with a rare comedy. It was the firstever Swedish winner.

In a 70th edition marked by raging debate over sexism in the movie industry, Sofia Coppola became only the second woman in history to win best director for her battle-ofthe-sexes drama “The Beguiled” with Nicole Kidman and Colin Farrell.

Kidman, who appeared in four different projects at the French Riviera festival, accepted a special anniversary award with a video message.

Three-time Oscar nominee Joaquin Phoenix nabbed best actor for his turn as a hammer-wielding hitman in “You Were Never Really Here”.

“Any work that I did was linked to the work of Lynne Ramsay,” the film’s British director, Phoenix said, before apologizing for his tuxedo-and-trainers look at the gala ceremony.

“I don’t wear leather,” the committed vegetarian explained.

Diane Kruger clinched best actress for her first film role in her native German as a devastated mother who has lost her husband and son in a neo-Nazi terror attack, in Fatih Akin’s “In the Fade”.

“I cannot accept this award without thinking of everyone who has been touched by an act of terrorism... you have not been forgotten,” said a visibly moved Kruger.

Chastain called it “disturbing” that there had not been more meaty female roles among the 19 contenders for the Palme d’Or. Only three of the films were made by women.

Greece’s Yorgos Lantimos shared best screenplay prize with Ramsay for “The Killing of a Sacred Deer”, an icy thriller set in a wealthy American suburb and also starring Kidman and Farrell.

The runner-up Grand Prix went to the hotly tipped French drama “120 Beats Per Minute” about the radical activists who helped shame the world into action on AIDS. “This film is an homage to those who died but also those who survived and are still alive, who had so much courage,” said the movie’s director, former ACT UP member Robin Campillo.

“I loved the movie. I couldn’t love it more.

I was touched since the very beginning until absolutely the end, and after the end,” Almodovar said, fighting back tears.

“Loveless” by Andrey Zvyagintsev, a wrenching drama about moral rot gnawing at Russian society under Vladimir Putin, took the third place jury prize. AFP

VISIT. From left : Joachim Sauer, husband of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Malgorzata Tusk, wife of President of the European Council, US First Lady Melania Trump, Amanda Succi, wife of Catania’s mayor, Enzo Bianco, Mayor of Catania stand at the balcony during a visit at the City Hall of Catania on the sidelines of a G7 summit of the Heads of State and of Government in Taormina, on May 26, 2017 in Sicily. The leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the US and Italy will be joined by representatives of the European Union and the International Monetary Fund as well as teams from Ethiopia, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria and Tunisia during the summit. AFP

In China, maggots finish plates and food waste PENGSHAN, China―Thousands of voracious white maggots wiggle frenetically while tearing through trayfuls of leftover meat, vegetables and fruits in an unusual farm in southwestern China.

It may not be a pretty sight, but the gluttonous larvae could help China eat away something far uglier: the country’s mountain of food waste.

The individual larvae of black soldier flies, which are native to the Americas, can each eat double their weight of garbage every day, according to experts.

The farm in Sichuan province then turns the bugs into a high-protein animal feed and their feces into an organic fertilizer.

“These bugs are not disgusting! They are for managing food waste. You have to look at this from another angle,” said Hu Rong, the manager of the farm near the city of Pengshan.

There’s no shortage of grub for the larvae: Each person throws away almost 30 kilos of food per year in China, a nation of 1.4 billion people.

“On average, one kilo of maggots can eat two kilos of rubbish in four hours,” Hu said.

Hu buys the discarded food from Chengwei Environment, a company that collects such waste from 2,000 restaurants in the city of Chengdu.

“If you put a fish in there, the only thing that comes out is its white skeleton,” Chengwei Environment director Wang Jinhua said.

One third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year―approximately 1.3 billion tons― gets lost or wasted, while some 870 million people are going hungry, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization.

This waste also exacerbates pollution problems. In a 2011 report the FAO said that if food waste were a country, it would rank behind only the US and China for greenhouse gas emissions.

Each year, China produces a total of 40 million tons of food waste―the

equivalent weight of 110 Empire State Buildings.

But there are cultural reasons behind the issue, Wang said.

“When you invite someone to dine at a restaurant, the custom is to always order more dishes than necessary, to show your hospitality. Inevitably, the leftovers are thrown out,” he said.

But the black soldier fly, a rather long and slender critter, does more than eliminate waste.

Once fattened, some of the larvae are sold live or dried to feed animals such as chickens, fish, and turtles. They boast a nutritious composition: up to 63 percent protein and 36 percent lipids.

The maggots make it possible to recover proteins and fat still present in waste, then return the nutrients into the human food cycle through the livestock.

The larval aeces can even be used as organic fertilizer in agriculture.

China, Canada, Australia, and South Africa are among the countries where

it is legal to feed poultry and fish with insects.

“It’s more restricted in the United States and in the European Union,” said Christophe Derrien, secretary general of the International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed, a non-profit representing Europe’s insect production sector.

The EU will allow insect protein as feed in fish farms from July, Derrien said.

“It’s an encouraging first step because the EU is opening up to this more and more,” he said.

Recycling food waste may offer an economic benefits as well as environmental ones.

Hu makes a comfortable living selling live black soldier fly larvae and fertilizer.

Taking into account costs (electricity, labor, delivery fees, and the price of waste), she makes an annual profit between 200,000 and 300,000 yuan ($29,000 to $43,500) -- a large sum in China. AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

CULTURE & MEDIA

TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017

D1

The Hong Kong Philharmonic under Maestro Jaap van Zweden

GERARD SALONGA

leads Hong Kong Philharmonic’s special family concerts

By Pablo A. Tariman Gerard Salonga (left) says he learned a lot by just watching Maestro Jaap van Zweden (right) in action

F

ILIPINO conductor Gerard Salonga is off to a good start as one of the newly appointed assistant conductors with a series of special concerts dubbed the Swire Denim Series, which opened on May 14 at the Hong Kong Cultural Center.

This was just after the orchestra’s well-received Asian tour under its present music director Jaap Van Zweden who will soon take over the New York Philharmonic in its 2018 season.

The May 14 family concert featured Prokofiev’s Peter and The Wolf, Britten’s Young Person’s Guide To The Orchestra and Saint-Saëns’s Carnival Of The Animals.

To be sure, the varied musical fares for assorted audiences have contributed to a more informed audience in Hong Kong.

Says Salonga, “It really helps that the orchestras here, including the Hong Kong Sinfonietta and City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong really make education a big part of their annual activities.”

By now, he has gotten used to the sight of kids in the audience who he feels can benefit a lot from this music exposure. “I’ve done it lots of times in Manila, and I think it’s all about one’s expectations. You know before going in there that there’ll be kids, so you really don’t expect the same audience as, say, an evening of Brahms.”

On the other hand, he absorbed a lot of insights during the recently concluded Asian tour.

His job while the orchestra is on tour remains the same as when the orchestra is not, which is that of an understudy and assistant. “I’m the extra pair of ears in the audience during rehearsals, listing down any problems that I hear, and bringing whatever I find to Maestro van Zweden during the break.

Many times, I found myself crossing items off my list because he’s so good at hearing problems and fixing them.

Sometimes if he’s doing a play-through (i.e. no stopping) he’ll signal to me to mark a section that he can go back to later. When there’s a soloist, he’ll ask me about balance, and I’ll go to different parts of the hall so I can give him better information. Musicians will often come to me asking for feedback on different issues, note checks, etc. As an example, off-stage trumpets in the first movement of Mahler 1 can pose a few problems, so principal trumpet Joshua MacCluer will sometimes ask how things sound. We played in three unfamiliar halls (Hamer Hall in Melbourne,

the Esplanade in Singapore, and the Sydney Opera House), with only a short rehearsal in each one to get used to the acoustics. So, we all had to have our ears at full power. Lastly, I also have to be ready at any time to conduct the pieces myself in case Jaap (or whoever is the main conductor that week) has to miss a rehearsal or performance.”

The orchestra had two big programs in Hong Kong before it left town which are Mahler 6 and Shostakovich 8, in-

cluding a world premiere of Conrad Tao’s new work including a Beethoven Triple Concerto all in a span of seven days including rehearsals.

He recalls that hectic week thus: “The day after the Shostakovich, we rehearsed the Mahler 1 for the tour.

That means I got to see him go through a lot of pieces in a short time. It’s his sheer commitment that really got to me. He works so hard, and has tremendous amounts of energy. The pedal is

floored from the start of the rehearsal all the way to the end of the concert.

He believes that an artist must strive for freedom in a performance, and this freedom cannot be given by anyone - it has to be earned through nothing less than rigorous preparation. I am also learning a lot of musical things from him, particularly how good things have to actually be in order to be ‘good’, and how that sound is achieved. He believes that a musician carries a sound around with them inside, and that even an orchestra can take a good acoustic along with it wherever it goes. Working with him has raised my awareness tremendously. He can take a very good orchestra, and bring them to an even higher level of performance. He’s intense, but very effective. I learned a lot about problem solving, and rehearsal strategy.”

The young conductor started with popular music and musicals in 1996 but turned to classical music in 2008.

“It’s been very rewarding artistically, and the time can be best described as one of continuous learning, trial and error, and stretching one’s abilities.”

Moreover, he remains music director of the ABS CBN Philharmonic, which allowed him to have the Hong Kong Philharmonic position as well as take other conducting engagements locally and abroad. “The orchestra is operated somewhat differently from the usual TV talents, and I’m very thankful to them for making the effort to understand the life and work of a musician.”

Ang Kiukok - Fishermen (1981)

Fernando Amorsolo - Princess Urduja (1934)

The Tampinco Bed of Maximo Viola (1909)

Nena Saguil - Untitled (1988)

Vicente Manansala - Pila sa Bigas (1979)

Leon Gallery’s spectacular Mid-Year Auction 2017 LEON Gallery’s Spectacular Mid-Year Auction 2017 is the most breathtaking selection of highly important works in a single sale to date. Jaime Ponce de Leon, León Gallery director, as well as curators Ramon N. Villegas and Lisa Guerrero Nakpil have selected some of the most dazzling pieces.

Works from two of the artists that were featured at the Venice Biennale are included, namely: Fernando Zobel in the Spanish Pavilion in 1962, and Jose Joya in the Philippine Pavilion in 1964.

Incidentally, Zobel returns to the spotlight in an official collateral event of this year’s Biennale at the Fondaco Marcello running until Nov. 26.

At Leon Gallery’s upcoming auction, Zobel is represented by two works, including a stunning homage to Francisco de Zurbaran’s Still Life with Lemons, Oranges and a Rose (1633) and now a jewel in

the crown at the Norton Simon Museum in the United States. Various European artists, including Velasquez and Turner, had a strong influence on Zobel. According to Don Rafael Perez-Madero, internationally renowned expert on Zobel, this work is a second version of another one in a prestigious private collection.

Nakpil noted that the work Carcass (1962) by Jose Joya was, in fact, exhibited at the 32nd Venice Biennale, along with his eight other paintings. She said that two of the works now repose in institutions: Granadian Arabesque at the Ateneo Art Gallery and Hills of Nikko at the Singapore National Gallery, on loan from the Philippine National Museum. “It was the first time the country was invited to participate, thanks to lobbying by Purita Kalaw Ledesma and the Art Association of the Philippines,” she added.

Also on the roster is Fishermen by Ang Kiukok from 1981. Art critics contend that Ang Kiu Kok pro-

duced his best works in the early 80’s. To add to the allure of this particular piece is that it’s impressive size and done in oi, measuring 40 x 80 inches, as noted by Ponce de Leon. Three sinuously muscular fishermen cast their nets; there are seven gigantic fishes symbolizing the bounty of life. A red sun burns above. This theme is a most desired subject of the artist. Furthermore, the artist’s name “Ang” can be seen spelled out in the position of the fishermen.

Then there is Pila sa Bigas by Vicente Manansala (1979). Manansala was the most successful artist of his generation and he enjoyed the attention of the beautiful women of society who lined up to pay tribute to him in Binangonan. This work was one the major pieces the artist created during that period — and is a masterpiece of the highest level.

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TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

Design Awards Asia 2017

recognizes top corporate brand logos A

DOBO Magazine recently hailed three entries from the recent Corporate Branding Identity Competition, namely those by Shao Design Co. for Pinnacle Financial Advisers, Brandyard for Itokish Website, and Romeo Catap Jr. for Benilde Industrial Design, at the adobo Design Awards Asia 2017.

All three won Silver Metal, while no Gold Metal was awarded among the seven finalists of the category.

Submissions represented the company, brand, product or event’s trademark with applications across visual identity platforms and various collaterals.

Launched in 2007, the adobo Design Awards aims to champion the best designs and recognize the talents responsible for the work. Open to all professionals, freelancers, students, and creative enthusiasts, it has since grown to include international competitors, raising the bar even higher for global standards of creative excellence. They may likewise receive the opportunity to share their ideas and be critiqued by established industry leaders from both advertising and design.

De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s Industrial Design faculty; ID celebrated its 25th anniversary by launching its insignia (inset) that defines the College’s institutional goals and the program’s directions

The Industrial Design (ID) emblem at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB)’s School of Design and Arts (SDA) was conceptualized in time for the course’s 25th anniversary, alongside the international celebration of World International Design Day. The

insignia was launched to define the College’s institutional goals and the program’s directions.

Center for Institutional Communications Director Adriel Peña, ID Chairperson Mary Florence Nobleza, and ID Senior Industry Fellow Kenneth

Cobonpue reviewed Catap’s design.

Catap explained that the logo expressed “the core of the BenildeanLasallian spirit, resembling it to the learner or individual through the use of the certain icons from the Benilde logotype.”

The jury for this year’s adobo Design Awards Asia was led by D&AD President Bruce Duckworth, Dentsu Tokyo, Incorporated Creative Director Yoshihiro Yagi, along with renowned local designers and artists, and advertising agency executives.

When gin and art mix

Leon...

GSM Premium Gin brought elevated cocktail experience and the arts together at the recent Art in the Park held at the Jaime Velasquez Park, Salcedo Village in Makati City. Art in the Park was a gathering of a diverse group of artists and art enthusiasts with the mission of making visual arts accessible to everyone.

While art aficionados enjoyed GSM Premium Gin’s handcrafted cocktails, they also contributed in producing a unique art installation using returned cocktail cups recycled and turned into an instant art work that formed a rendition of the iconic Ginebra San Miguel logo of National Artist Fernando Amorsolo. In addition to the art installation, visitors modernized a stencil artwork of the St. Michael the Archangel logo by adding dashes of colors.

The Instagram-worthy GSM Premium Gin Cart was likewise an attraction in itself. Inspired by the 183 years of herit-

No one knew that a masterpiece, as Fabian de la Rosa’s Hat Weavers existed in Hollywood. Actor George O’Brien acquired this important work when he visited the Philippines before the war.

There are two other known versions of this work in important private collections. O’Brien was a certified silentmovie heart throb in the 1920s, doing several films for director John Ford and would become a successful cowboy-movie star with the advent of the talkies well into the 1930s. In the ‘40s, he re-united with old friend Ford to make films in Asian countries, including Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

Another piece to be noted is the historic and intricately carved Isabelo Tampinco bed of Maxima Viola, best friend of Jose Rizal, known as the man who financed Noli Me Tangere hence saving the book from never being published.

The bed frame, in the form of a corona of an entablature, is carved with a serrated frieze of joined upended triangles incised with diamond-shaped depressions that give an impression of stylized anahaw leaves. A boss is carved below the junction of each triangle, while a cymatium molding decorates the upper edge of the bedframe. The mattress support is caned in one piece. The foot posts, carved in the shape of a short areca palm, has a crown shaft terminating in a stylized ionic capital consisting of a small anahaw leaf on a thorny stem at the center flanked by an ionic scroll. A garland of sampaguitas and ylang-ylang is entwined and hangs from the upper canes. Surrounding the bamboo frame are whiplash vines bearing camote leaves and flowers, while small anahaw leaf quadrants are carved at the corners.

These are only some of the many details that can be admired on the bed’s design.

Momentous pieces from Nena Saguil, the first woman abstract artist in the Philippines, are also included. A photograph of Saguil in her apartment-atelier with among her last paintings in 1992 shows the artist in spectacles beside the untitled 1988 work that is among the highlights. The photo may be seen in the catalog, proof of the authenticity of the piece. The work is covered with thousands of fine hairlines that rain on the painting, swerving into angles at the bottom.

Ponce de Leon noted, “It is rare that these museum-quality artworks are exhibited at a single place — rarer still that they all come to market and to be sold in a single sale.”

Leon Gallery invites everyone to the ongoing preview that ends on June 9. The Spectacular Mid-Year Auction 2017 is at 2 p.m. on June 10.

age and history of Ginebra San Miguel, the gin cart was also highlighted by the iconic logo of Amorsolo etched on its wooden finish. The full-service mobile bar offered visitors Ginebra San Miguel Premium Gin in expertly crafted cocktails such as the refreshing Calamansi Surprise, Sweet Lemony Martini and Mango Paradise, plus the classic Gin and Tonic, prepared by Ginebra San Miguel’s world-class mixologists.

GSM Premium Gin is an exquisite blend of botanical extracts and juniper berries, splashed with a tang of delectable citrus and blended with high quality alcohol. GSM Premium Gin is a consistent Gold Quality Label awardee of the Monde Selection International Institute for Quality Selections.

For more on GSM Premium Gin and its handcrafted cocktail mixes, visit www.facebook.com/GSMPremiumGin or www. gsmpremiumspirits.com.ph.

From D1

GSM Premium Gin offered handcrafted cocktails and exhibited art installations using used cocktail cups at the recent Art in the Park in Salcedo Village, Makati

High school for the arts marks 40th anniversary TO COMMEMORATE the Philippine High School for the Arts’s (PHSA) history and legacy of art education among Filipino youth, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), in cooperation with the PHSA and the PHSA Ibarang Alumni Association will present a multidisciplinary production entitled PHSA@40: Ibarang Alumni at the Forefront of Arts Education on June 10, 2:30 p.m.. at the CCP Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater). This show aims to highlight significant contributions of Ibarang Alumni in art education in the various art forms.

Established on June 11, 1977, PHSA is the only art-oriented secondary school in the country. It is located at the National Arts Center in Mt. Makiling, College, Los Baños, Laguna.

PHSA graduates are called Ibarang, a coined word referring to a legendary tribe of Filipino artists.

The PHSA Ibarang Alumni Association Inc. believes that it is fitting to officially launch and publicize PHSA’s 40th anniversary celebrations at the CCP where the PHSA was originally conceived as an attached agency. This event aims to deepen public awareness on what the PHSA has achieved through these 40 years with focus on: 1) PHSA’s history and role as the country’s premier high school with arts-focused education; and 2) the legacy of PHSA’s art education programs as evidenced by its alumni.

More importantly, this event is an avenue for Ibarang artists to express their gratitude to their alma mater and the Filipino people for the privilege and honor of having been iskolar ng bayan during their years of stay and study at PHSA and the various oppor-

Philippine High School for the Arts’s current director Dr. Victor Emmanuel Carmelo “Vim” Nadera, Jr. (standing, extreme right) poses with PHSA alumni and students.

Photo by Kiko Cabuena

tunities which have opened thereafter. education to the next generation of FiliThis sense of gratitude can be best ex- pino budding young artists. pressed by Ibarang artists’ sharing with In a press conference held May 25 and handing down PHSA’s legacy of art at the CCP, award-winning poet and

iPHOTO

CCP PR Irene Rada marks 30 years of service THE Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) recently awarded Irene Obligacion-Rada a certificate of recognition for rendering 30 years of continuous and dedicated service. As director of the CCP Corporate Communications Division, she oversees the promotion and publicity of CCP projects and programs and its affiliated organizations.

Rada is also the producer and host of Culture Carousel, a CCP classical radio program. Aired in 98.7 DZFE-FM, the program features interviews with CCP artists and various foreign artists and their music, scheduled to perform at the Center. Other CCP employees given recognition included Orpheus Basañes, Stemson Nilo, Jose Ortega Jr., Francisco P. Cabuena, Nestor Evangelista, Nestor Natal (30 years), Cecilia Ana Bautista and Alice Esteves for 25 years of service. Photo by Raul E. Asis

PHSA’s current director Dr. Victor Emmanuel Carmelo “Vim” Nadera, Jr. presented the programs lined up in celebration of PHSA’s 40th anniversary year and the Annual Nationwide Search for Young Arts Scholars (ANSYAS).

He invited elementary school students from all regions and provinces in the Philippines to apply for admission to the PHSA and later on become artists who will contribute to nation building.

PHSA alumni from the jubilarian batches shared how PHSA has helped them grow as artists and art educators. PHSA students and alumni also spoke and rendered performances at the media event.

For more information about PHSA@40: Ibarang Alumni at the Forefront of Arts Education and the PHSA programs, please call Atty. Sim Zuniega at 817-7998 or 752-4310.

The catalog may be viewed or downloaded at www.leon-gallery.com. Like and follow @LeonGalleryMakati on Facebook and Instagram for more updates.

TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017

A

LISTO celebrates its 4th anniversary today with a special hosted by Arnold Clavio who investigates accident-prone areas in Metro Manila and provides solutions to these problems.

Arjo Atayde's performance is lauded by audience and critics alike

Arjo’s death in ‘FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano’ thrills audience THE country’s no.1 primetime series FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano brought explosive surprises to viewers with the heart-pounding death of Joaquin (Arjo Atayde) and the show’s introduction of its newest cast, keeping its spot as the most watched program in the country.

After drawing more viewers versus the premiere of its rival program on May 22, the series continued to rule primetime in the following days (May 23 and 24), and scored national TV ratings of 43.3 percent and 42.7 percent, respectively, according to data from Kantar Media.

Now that Cardo (Coco Martin) had avenged his twin brother’s death, he will face a new chapter in his life and is set to meet new characters that will add action and give enduring lessons to households every night.

Watch out for some of the biggest names in the industry, led by Filipino action movie icon Lito Lapid, with his son and respected action star Mark Lapid, and multi-awarded actor and Heneral Luna lead star John Arcilla who will keep viewers hooked on their TV screens.

Seasoned actresses and Till I Met You stars Pokwang and Angel Aquino, meanwhile, are set to reunite on television in new roles that will showcase their acting prowess. Singer and OPM icon Mitch Valdez will also prove she has the acting chops as she joins the cast of the series.

It’s Showtime host Jhong Hilario also brings more action to the series, along with Gawad Urian awardee and returning Kapamilya Sid Lucero.

From their last team up in Dugong Buhay, Ejay Falcon and Yam Concepcion will once again grace the small screen to dabble in action with award-winning indie actor Ronwaldo Martin.

Watch out for the newest chapter of the no. 1 teleserye FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, weeknights on ABS-CBN and on ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable Ch 167).

Viewers can also catch up on the program’s past episodes via iWanTV.com and skyondemand.com. ph for Sky subscribers.

According to road safety experts, most vehicle collisions occur at intersections. In the cities of Caloocan and Parañaque, accidents at intersections are mostly due to motorists’ violation of the right of way, which results to sideswiping and rear end crashes, among others.

An assessment of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reveals crash occurrences at intersections are attributed to the lack of traffic and road signs.

To address this problem, Alisto tapped local government units (LGU) and the DPWH to conduct “Project Road Safety’’ at accident-prone intersections. The mission is to set up traffic and road signs to prevent further accidents from happening.

KNOWN for the iconic classic blockbuster Back to the Future franchise, Michael J. Fox is back in the modern-day comedy adventure movie A.R.C.H.I.E. (Artificial Robotronic Canine HyperIntelligenceExperiment).

Directed by Robin Dunne and inspired by classic endearing movies such as Iron Giant, Short Circuit, and Air Bud, Archie is an enchanting tale about a young girl named Isabel (Sarah Desjardins) who makes friends with a robotic dog that possesses many special abilities.

Archie is initially owned and created by world-renowned roboticist Brooke Benton (Katharine Isabelle) to help those in need. Though he looks like a normal dog, he is anything but. He can talk. He can run at blinding speed.

He’s got super strength and x-ray vision. On the news of her research program being shut down by the military, Brooke helps Archie escape in the hopes of finding a family to care for him.

As Isabel and Archie’s paths connect, they find a bond and become

‘Alisto’ turns 4

Newscaster Arnold Clavio, host of "Alisto," GMA News' public service and informative television program

Apart from accident-prone areas, Alisto also features crimeprone barangays. The Quezon City Police District listed top 10 barangays where crime is most prevalent.

Barangay Socorro tops the list.

According to the barangay chairman, incidents are usually petty crimes like pickpocketing, shoplifting, and snatching.

To address the rising crime incidence, barangay police conducts night patrol in the community. The barangay has 57 CCTV cameras installed in different alleys and streets. But these cameras were not able to cover the entire area.

Meanwhile, in Barangay 696, Malate Manila, crime incidence is lower, as shown on the records from

Robot dog is a girl’s best friend fast friends helping out and relying on each other for company. Things are going well for both Isabel and Archie until a con artist named Hugh (Fred Ewanuick) tries to steal Archie for his own evil plans.

Archie explores the universal themes on the power of friendship, the importance of being true

to one’s self, and what it means to belong. This humorous yet heartfelt story also explores themes of putting aside one’s own ambitions to do the right

A scene from the upcoming independent family comedy “A.R.C.H.I.E.”

‘Wildflower’ hits new all-time high rating ABS-CBN’s hit primetime series Wildflower continues to captivate more viewers as it hit its newest all-time high national TV rating on May 16 and continues to be the most watched program online via iWant TV. According to data from Kantar Media, the series scored 24.6 percent nationwide compared to its rival program with only 10.7 percent on the said day due to the intense torture that Jepoy (Vin Abrenica) endured under the cruel hands of the Aridentes. The show has also been undisputed on the top spot as the most viewed show via video-on-demand site iWantTV reaching more than 800,000 views.

Vin Abrenica, Maja Salvador, Joseph Marco and RK As the plot thickens this week, the Bagatsing

Ardientes continue to doubt Ivy’s loyalty to them. Diego, on the other hand, remains firm in his decision to fight for his own family in the name of justice and in order to protect the cooperative.

How long can Ivy keep her identity a secret? Will Jepoy be able to escape? How far will Diego go just to win the fight?

Wildflower airs weeknights before TV Patrol on ABS-CBN or ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable ch 167).

For updates, follow @wildflowerabscbn on Instagram, @RSBDramaUnitNew on Twitter and like the show’s official Facebook page at https://www.facebook. com/wildflowerchannel2/. Catch its latest episodes on iwantv.com.ph orskyondemand. com.ph for Sky subscribers.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Tuesday, May 30, 2017

ACROSS 1 Turquoise kin 5 Forest disguise 9 Brat, plus 14 Mugs 15 Had some bills 16 Consolidate 17 Slapdash 19 Els or Banks 20 Scratch out a living 21 Your Majesty 22 S’il vous — 23 Inferred 25 Hold firmly 26 Bucket of bolts 27 Disheartened 30 Cut too short 33 Unfledged 34 Kind of grin 36 Dressy event 37 Mountain range 38 Droplet 39 Mao — -tung 40 Long bout 41 Vonnegut and Cobain 42 Qualm 44 Motor lodge 45 Like good brandy 46 Mysteries 50 Couch 52 — -finding mission 53 Literary compilation

54 Zenith opposite 55 Lioness’s suggestion (3 wds.)

57 Solo 58 Bahrain VIP 59 Historical periods 60 Made a heap 61 Caves, often 62 Pita treat DOWN 1 Longed for 2 Tremor 3 Hiked the price 4 Bonfire remains 5 Snugger 6 Oscar or Tony 7 Just 8 Funny-peculiar 9 Swordplay 10 Mesmerized 11 Kind of series 12 Never heard — — 13 TV’s “Science Guy” 18 Show biz org.

22 Wrinkled fruit 24 Pac-12 sch.

25 Estimate 27 Leap aside 28 Pitcher 29 Confound it!

30 Barracks off.

31 One of the

Mamas 32 Guinness or Baldwin 33 Give way 35 Fabric meas.

37 Turn color, maybe 38 Keg stopper 40 Type of doughnut 41 Stretchy fabrics 43 Arroyo 44 Acquires, as debt 46 Get takeout,

the Manila City Hall. The barangay has installed 16 CCTV cameras in the community. However, some of the cameras are damaged. It is in this light that Alisto embarks on another mission: “Project CCTV” by installing new CCTV cameras in the barangays.

Catch the 4th anniversary special of Alisto with Arnold Clavio on Tuesday, after Saksi on GMA 7.

perhaps (2 wds.)

47 Join a union?

48 Poet’s adverb 49 Final word (hyph.)

50 MOMA artist 51 Archaeology find 52 Wife, to a lawyer 54 Forty winks 55 Was in front 56 Violin knob

thing.

Archie opens June 7 in cinemas from CrystalSky Multimedia. Trailer link: https://youtu.be/wohMkQG7Dvo

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017

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HESE days, there’s tons of TV series and shows, ranging from thrilling action series to electrifying love stories. One show that stands out among fashionistas is TV5’s Philippines’ Next Top Model. For the past season, this television series gave viewers the perfect entertainment package with fierce contestants, fab fashion and drama on and off the runway. All these will be taken to the next level as the Philippines Next Top Model Cycle 2 prepares for its finale runway walk.

Philippines’ Next Top Model (PNTM) made a striking comeback on television screens on March 21 and this year’s return of PNTM focuses on high street fashion featuring the stylish yet OOTD-ready fashion pieces for all the fashion-forward Filipinas. The show is hosted by former beauty queen and MTV VJ Maggie Wilson with Kylie Verzosa (the model mentor), Rain Dagala, (the fashion authority), and Rapha Kiefer (the peacemaker) as judges.

Starting with 24 contestants, it’s now down to the final 3 – Adela, Angela and Ina. With the goal of determining the next top model, the finale episode is something that you wouldn’t want to miss! Here is a sneak peek of what to watch out for in the finale.

Trendy Fashion Pieces In the finale, the models will be rocking two sets of amazing fashion pieces. Designer Rocky Gathercole is known for his A-list clients like Beyonce, Paris Hilton, and Katy Perry and his use of different materials for his elaborately designed gowns and head dresses.

The girls’ posing prowess will be put to the test in a photo shoot when they rock these avant garde creations made of heavy fabrics, metal and unique materials while wearing six-inch heels. After the photo shoot, the Top 3 will also be walking the runway in stunning and stylish pieces by SM Woman.

Top Prizes After all the hard work, each of the three finalists will get P200,000 from Oppo, the official selfie phone of Philippines’ Next Top Model. The winner of the modeling competition will not only get the title of being a Top Model but she will also get these amazing prizes: P2 million worth of brand ambassadorship contract with SM Woman, a round trip ticket to Hong Kong for two, one-year Gold’s Gym Elite membership and P1 million worth of contract with TV5.

Now you seriously need to go see Philippines’ Next Top Model Cycle 2 and get rid of your FOMO (fear of missing out)! Watch as Top 3 model contestants, Angela, Adela and Ina each try to own the runway and claim the title of being the Philippines’ Next Top Model.

Find out who will make it to top model status in the Philippines’ Next Top Model High Street finale, 9 p.m. only on TV5 tonight.

‘PHILIPPINES’ NEXT TOP MODEL’

high street finale tonight Ina is a 23-yearold afrohead who lived a part of her life in the Bahamas and started joining pageants at the age of 17

Angela is a 25-year-old Swiss-Filipino hails from the Bicol region

AlDub, ‘Meant To Be’

‘Mulawin vs. Ravena’ dominates social media, trends worldwide

take Butuan and Albay by storm

IN TWO separate regional events over the weekend, the lead stars of GMA Telebabad shows Destined To Be Yours and Meant To Be brought the house down as they celebrated the Balangay and Magayon Festivals in Agusan del Norte and Bicol, respectively.

The phenomenal love team of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza flew to Butuan on May 19 and led the Kapuso Fiesta as part of the annual Balangay Festival. The two, who play Benjie and Sinag in the hit series Destined To Be Yours, did not disappoint thousands of fans who flocked to the Libertad Sports Complex in Butuan City. The audience bore witness to the romantic banter between Alden and Maine just like what they see on the Telebabad program.

This was the first time Alden and Maine went to Butuan and fans were ecstatic to welcome their idols. Some even came from as far as Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and other nearby areas to see AlDub that day. Joining Alden and Maine were Eat Bulaga’s That’s My Bae Joel Palencia, Jon Timmons, Tommy Peñaflor, and Miggy Tolentino.

In Legazpi City in Albay on May 20, the Penaranda Park was filled with fans eager to see the men of Meant To Be—Ken Chan, Addy Raj, Ivan Dorschner, and Jak Roberto— who were with their co-star Mika dela Cruz.

Throngs of Kapusong Bicolanos waited patiently as Ken, Addy, Ivan, Jak, and Mika took the stage for their respective song and dance

Adela is a 19-year-old Filipino-British who grew up in the UK and moved to the Philippines with her mom in order to explore Filipino heritage

The phenomenal love team of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza in Butuan leading the Kapuso Fiesta as part of the annual Balangay Festival

numbers. Shouts and shrieks from excited fans greeted the Kapuso stars during the Kapuso Fiesta.

The MTB cast, in turn, made sure the audience had a memorable night as a way of thanking them for their continued support to Meant To Be. “We are elated to get this very warm welcome from our Kapusong Butuanon and Kapusong Bicolano,” says Oliver Amoroso, OIC of GMA’s Regional TV Department. “We cannot express how grateful we are to our loyal Kapuso for keeping GMA Network no.1 nationwide. This is why we continue to bring our programs on regional tours.

We owe our success to our boss—the viewers— and it’s only right that we bring them closer to their favorite stars such as AlDub and the MTB cast,” he adds.

To know more about the Network’s regional events, follow GMA on Facebook at www. facebook.com/gmanetwork and GMA Regional TV at www.facebook.com/GMARegionalTV and on Twitter and Instagram via @GMARegionalTV.

GMA Network’s biggest telefantasya for 2017 Mulawin vs. Ravena had a grand debut on the primetime block on May 22.

Kapuso viewers gushed over the series’ superb visual effects and cinematic landscapes. The star-studded cast’s prowess in breathing life to their characters was also highly commended by netizens. The pilot’s official hashtag, #MulawinVSRavena, was trending even before the show began airing and soared to the top spot nationwide and third worldwide. One Twitter user with the handle @ melogonzales said “The pilot episode of #MulawinvsRavena was really impressive. I think I’m gonna get hooked.

Keep it up, GMA! Proud to be Kapuso!” Another netizen @mariesville tweeted out “#MulawinVSRavena Kudos to the production team behind MVR...Its one hell of a fantaseries in GMA. Halatang binusisi at pinaghirapan!”

Netizens also lauded Den’s return as Gabrinis Trillo’s el. @sopiann19 praised Dennis with her tweet: “Ang galing ni Gabriel..Bawat linya matakot ka..#MulawinVSRavena” Another Twitter user with the handle @ shanelLHIZA said “Ikaw na talaga ang Drama King Gabriel @ thedennistrillo ang galing galing

ng acting eh. #MulawinvsRavena” Others aired their admiration for Heart Evangelista’s skillful portrayal of Alwina. @KajaRoj said “Perfect choice si @heart021485 as Alwina. #MulawinVSRavena” while @ YobGOBIL03 tweeted out “Ang galing ni @heart021485 You deserved it!

Congrats Alwina! Best Actress! #MulawinvsRavena #MulawinVSRavena” In the story, it was shown that Gabriel (Dennis) recovered his ugatpak and embraced his fate as a Ravena because of Alwina’s rejection of his love.

He returns to Halconia as the son of the late Ravena King and battles it out with Siklab (Dion Ignacio), Ignacio the crown prince of Halconia, to prove that he is the rightful king of their tribe. Alwina (Heart) and her son Almiro return to hiding from the Ravena but Siklab captures both of them and brings them to Gabriel.

This is when Alwina reveals to Gabriel that both of them have a son together.

Meanwhile, Sandawa (Regine ( Velasquez-Alcasid) Velasquez-Alcasid sees a prophecy about an imminent war between the Mulawin and the Ravena and two new saviors.

Mulawin vs. Ravena airs weeknights after 24 Oras on GMA Telebabad.

Dennis Trillo as the most powerful and fearsome leader of the Ravenas