Manila Standard - 2017 June 19 - Monday

BATTLEFIELD. Smoke billows from burning buildings in Marawi on June 18, 2017, after Philippine Air Force planes pounded Islamist militants’ positions while a Philippine soldier (inset) reads a letter sent by students. AFP

Solons go for ML beyond 60 days

Maute sister, 2 others arrested Coast guards find her onboard ship in Iloilo

By Sandy Araneta

By Rio N. Araja and Sandy Araneta SEVERAL lawmakers said Sunday they would back the extension of martial law beyond 60 days should the need arise.

“We will work on extending martial law in Mindanao...

President Rodrigo Duterte deserves the support of Congress to finally end the Marawi crisis,” said Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu. “We believe on the Chief Executive’s determination to end the conflict, and [that] he has no tendency of abusing his authority.”

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said he understands the openness of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to extend the 60-day period of martial law in Mindanao because of the ongoing fighting in Marawi City.

“I will support any extension as long as there is still an imminent threat of terrorism, rebellion and invasion perpetrated

by ISIS, Maute group and Abu Sayyaf Group,” he said.

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said he does not see any problem should martial law be extended as long as it is needed.

“Who are we to refuse if the conditions warrant a prolonged martial law to save lives?” Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III said.

Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting said, he too, would not object to an extension if martial law remains necessary and the situation is still not under control.

“That’s for the President to declare. If he does, Congress will support him,” Kabayan Rep. Harry Roque said.

But Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza underscored the need to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the martial law situation in Marawi City.

“We will assess first the situation, it is still a month away,” he said.

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HE Coast Guard said it arrested a sister of the Maute brothers on board a ship Sunday near the port of Iloilo.

VOL. XXXI • NO. 125 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

2 brothers brought death and destruction

By Cecil Morella MARAWI—Twenty years after obtaining Christian educations, Muslim brothers Omarkhayam and Abdullah Maute returned to their city with the black flags of the Islamic State group and set fire to their alma mater.

Hundreds of gunmen, many of them young locals recruited by the Maute brothers, destroyed Dansalan College in a rampage across Marawi city last month as they launched a brutal offensive to stamp their credentials as Philippine leaders of IS. It turned the siblings, aged in their mid 30s, into the most infamous high school alumni of the Protestant Church-run institution, which had been a symbol of religious tolerance in the mostly Muslim city of 200,000 people.

The brothers have since remained holed up in parts of Marawi, using their local knowledge of tunnels and bomb-proof basements, to withstand a military offensive that has left entire neighborhoods in ruins and claimed more than 300 lives.

“We do not understand where Next page

TERROR PLOT. This screen grab taken from handout video released by the Philippine Army on June 18, 2017 shows Abdullah Maute (right) looking at an improvised map of Marawi, while Isnilon Hapilon (2nd from left), leader of Abu Sayyaf looks on, as they plan an attack on Marawi at an undisclosed location on Mindanao island. AFP

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Troops, NPA renew clashes despite ceasefire call

By Sandy Araneta THE chairman of the government’s peace panel said the military would refrain from attacking communist rebels as a confidencebuilding measure, but clashes were reported over the weekend, casting doubts on the ability of both sides to control their forces on the ground.

In Iloilo, about 50 alleged members of the New People’s Army attacked a police station in Maasin and took an undetermined number of firearms after handcuffing the policemen on duty.

In Davao Oriental, troops of

the 104th Division Recon Company and one platoon from the 67th Infantry Battalion exchanged fire with NPA rebels in Brgy Taytayan, Cateel, on Saturday. Three rebels were killed.

Another rebel was killed in an encounter with the 66th Infantry Battalion in Brgy. Araibo, Pantukan in Compostela Valley Province.

The head of the government peace panel, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, said Sunday the Armed Forces would refrain from combat operations against the NPA as a step toward a bilateral ceasefire agreement with the rebels.

Bello’s statement came after the

communist National Democratic Front recommended to the Communist Party of the Philippines that it order all NPA units in Mindanao to stop attacks against the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police.

Bello also welcomed the NDF stand against terrorist groups.

“We welcome the recent statement of the National Democratic Front reaffirming its support to the Philippine government’s fight against Maute, Abu Sayyaf, Ansar al-Khalifah Philippines (AKP) groups and other terrorist organizations wreaking havoc in Marawi City and other parts of the coun-

try,” Bello said in a statement.

“We also appreciate the NDF’s commitment in their declaration to refrain from undertaking offensive operations in Mindanao to enable the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to focus their attention on the war against terror groups,” Bello said.

“These voluntary gestures and expressions from the NDF in solidarity with government against acts of terrorism augur well for the desired continuation of the stalled fifth round of peace talks as they provide, if sustained, the needed Next page

House reso to disbar three CA justices gaining ground

Bodies of 7 missing US sailors found YOKOSUKA, Japan―The bodies of the US sailors who went missing after their destroyer collided with a Philippineflagged container ship off Japan have been found in flooded sleeping berths, a day after the accident tore a huge gash in the warship’s side, the US Navy said Sunday.

Seven sailors were reported missing after Saturday’s predawn collision, triggering a major search operation off Japan’s Pacific coast, and US authorities tacitly acknowledged there were no survivors.

“The search and rescue is over,” US 7th Fleet commander Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin told reporters, describing huge amounts of water that gushed into the sleeping compartments after part of the ship’s right side caved in.

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In an interview with radio dzBB, Capt. Leopoldo Panopio of the Philippine Coast Guard in Northern Mindanao said the Maute sister, carrying fake ID, was arrested with two others on board the m/v St. Therese of the Child Jesus.

Coast Guard personnel had earlier spotted the Maute sister at the port of Cagayan de Oro City on Saturday night, Panopio said.

After confirming the Maute sister’s identity, he and his men rushed to Iloilo province to intercept the vessel.

Panopio said the woman confirmed she was the wanted Maute sister. One of her companions, dzBB reported, had a leg amputated.

Authorities had earlier arrested the parents of the Maute group leaders Omarkhayam and Abdullah.

On Thursday, security forces also arrested bomb maker Mohammad Noaim Maute alias Abu Jadid in Cagayan de Oro City.

The military said Abu Jadid had joined the Maute group in the Marawi City attack, but slipped out of the city by disguising as a fleeing resident.

Brothers Omarkhayam and Abdullah are the leaders of the Islamic State-inspired Maute group, which originated from Lanao del Sur. On Saturday, President Rodrigo Duterte

By Christine F. Herrera LAOAG CITY―Some 180 members of the House of Representatives have signed a draft resolution asking the Supreme Court to disbar three justices of the Court of Appeals’ Special Fourth Division for “ignorance of the law and abuse of authority” after they ordered the release of six Ilocos Norte government of-

ficials accused of corruption.

But Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos on Sunday appealed to Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and other House leaders to allow the release of the “Ilocos Six” on her own recognizance for humanitarian reasons.

She made her plea after the House leadership thrice defied the attempts of the Court of Next page

Aquino, Trillanes cleared of treason—Ombudsman

By Rio N. Araja and Macon Ramos-Araneta

RIZAL BIRTHDAY. Father-and-daughter team visits the Rizal Shrine in Fort Santiago, Intramuros in Manila where Dr. Jose P. Rizal’s memorabilias are to be found, as the nation celebrates the national hero’s 156th birth anniversary. Norman Cruz

THE Office of the Ombudsman has absolved former President Benigno Aquino III and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV of treason and espionage charges for their alleged back-channel negotiations with China.

Ombudsman Conchita-Carpio Morales said there was no probable

cause to indict Aquino and Trillanes for violation of Articles 114 and 117 of the Revised Penal Code.

She said there was no element of treason in the complaint against the two since “the Philippines is not at war with China.”

“Treason is a war crime. It is not an all-time offense. It cannot be committed in peacetime,” Carpio-Morales said in a resolution.

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News

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Fund drive for Marawi victims C

By Rio N. Araja andSandy Araneta

ONGRESS has raised at least P13 million to help the victims of the siege of Marawi City by terrorists pledging allegiance to the Islamic State, an official said Sunday.

Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas said the money will be placed in a trust fund.

He made his statement even as Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial denied the reports quoting her as saying that 59 refugees in Marawi City had died due to various ill-

nesses.

“Secretary Paulyn Ubial takes exception to the reported cases of sickness and deaths in the evacuation centers,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said as he read Ubial’s message over the state-run Radyo ng Bayan.

Maute...

time in nearly a week, Duterte said the terrorists seem to have an “endless supply” of firearms and ammunition because of the assistance of corrupt local warlords.

“But all the while, the Maute was conniving with politicians there, the warlords, and were stockpiling. That’s why they do not run out of M203 bullets,” he said, noting many soldiers were hit by that type of bullet.

Duterte also confirmed extremists from Indonesia, Syria, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Kuwait joined the Maute terrorists in the clashes with government troops.

The military on Sunday said it expected the IS-inspired Maute group to conduct more attacks, although on a smaller scale than Marawi.

Armed Forces spokesman Brig.

Gen. Restituto Padilla told radio dzBB that eradicating the Maute group would take longer than expected because of the group’s recritment style, which targets the youth in Mindanao.

Padilla also admitted that several terrorists might have escaped the conflict zone pretending to be evacuees.

He allayed fears, however, that the fighting would spill out from Marawi City.

“You should not be afraid because [to repeat what happened in Marawi is ] beyond their capabilities,” he said in Filipino.

Padilla also urged the public to do their part and help the military in ensuring the safety of their communities from terrorists.

With PNA

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denied that the crisis in Marawi City was a result of the failure of intelligence, as clashes between government forces and the Maute terror group continued into the fourth week.

In his visit to the 401st Infantry Brigade in Butuan City, Duterte said groups like the Maute had taken advantage of the government’s “very soft policy towards rebels.”

Duterte said the government was aware that firearms were being stockpiled in Mindanao but took it for granted because of the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front.

“We have adopted a very soft policy towards the rebels and this came about because they were bringing firearms. Since we are thinking of getting peace with the MNLF and MILF. The game there involves firearms. We took it for granted. We just allowed it to happen because we never knew until that time who was really the enemy,” Duterte told the troops in Butuan City.

“When they see firearms and they were told that it’s for MILF or MNLF, the standing order was maybe we can talk to our brothers so there will be no trouble [but] it turned out that the Maute were bringing the firearms surreptitiously and we did not know how much ammunition and firearms were stockpiled,” Duterte said.

Appearing in public for the first

House...

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Appeals to gain the release of the six employees who were detained by the committee inquiring into the provincial government’s purchase of motor vehicles worth P66.45 million and sourced from Ilocos Norte’s tobacco excise taxes. ‘‘I urge Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to allow the release of the six employees of the provincial government of Ilocos Norte on my own recognizance,” Marcos said.

“Since the Ilocos Six are also my constituents, I am making this appeal to the House leadership to release them for humanitarian reasons.”

Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, chairman of the House committee on good government and public accountability, said his panel would conduct an emergency hearing tomorrow, Tuesday, to give the “Ilocos Six” an opportunity to explain and regain their freedom.

He said the Ilocos Six―Ilocos Norte treasurer Josephine Calajate, accountant Edna Batulayan, budget officer Evangeline Tabulog, bids and awards committee head Pedro Agcaoili, and Genedine Jambaro and Encarnacion Gaor of the provincial treasurer’s office― should prove they did not misuse the P66.45 million.

The Ilocos Norte officials have been detained since May 29 at the House of Representatives for contempt for evading to cooperate in the congressional inquiry.

House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Farinas said the order of Associate Justices Stephen Cruz, Edwin Sorongon and Nina AntoninoValenzuela granting the habeas corpus petition of the Ilocos Six ran against Congress’ contempt powers. “[We will file soon] a House resolution initiating a complaint before the Supreme Court for disbarment and/or administra-

tive disciplinary action against the three justices of the Court of Appeals for ignorance of the law and abuse of authority,” Fariñas said.

“Look what the CA justices did. They did not only grant habeas corpus without notice to the House and without an opportunity given to the House to [explain]. Worse, [The CA also] allowed them to impose P30,000 bail despite the contempt powers of Congress.”

Apart from Alvarez and Fariñas, those who signed the resolution included the members of the minority led by House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, committee chairmen and ranking members of the House belonging to the super majority coalition.

Fariñas said the House committee on good government and public accountability will hold an emergency hearing on Tuesday to give the six detained officials of Ilocos Norte “one last chance” to redeem themselves.

He said they would continue to hold the officials in detention “until they stop their contemptuous act of giving evasive answers.”

PDP-Laban Rep. Johnny Pimentel of Surigao del Sur, the panel chairman, said “We will set them free right away once they decide to tell the truth about the anomaly. We are really hoping they will change their minds by Tuesday, both for their sake and for the sake of public interest.’’

“They’ve actually refused to be served notices, so we may have to bodily carry them to the [third] hearing at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday.”

Alvarez said one of the CA’s Fourth Division members, Justice Valenzuela, should have inhibited herself from the proceedings for delicadeza because her husband was a former associate in the law office of Estelito Mendoza, the lawyer of the so-called Ilocos Six. He said the Court of Appeals was not even a co-equal branch of Congress. With Maricel V. Cruz and Rio N. Araja

“Sir, the report that several people are getting sick is wrong.

Cases are going down,” Abella said quoting Ubial.

“Of the 638 that sought consultation last week, only were 300 admitted and there were no deaths. If they know some refugees who are sick, have them checked up in the health centers.”

In Cotabato City, Health officials in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said they will add more sanitation facilities in the temporary shelters to prevent the spread of diseases and prevent people dying.

Kadil Sinolinding, ARMM regional health secretary, said there was a need to add more sanitation facilities like comfort rooms in the evacuation centers holding thousands of people displaced in Marawi City, where the military is fighting the Maute terrorists.

“Some of the fatalities have died due to water- borne diseases.

A clean and sanitary environment will save children who are highly vulnerable,” Sinolinding said in a phone interview.

“Proper disposal of human waste and the availability of safe

drinking water will spare children from diseases.”

Congress held its fund-raising drive from May 28 to May 31, when it adjourned sine die.

The P13-million fund be deposited in a trust fund until a Congress committee could come up with a formula for its equitable distribution.

Fariñas said 200 lawmakers had donated their personal money.

Among the donors were Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Isabela Gov. Bojie Dy, Isabela Vice Gov. Tonypet Albano, Ilocos Sur Gov. Ryan Singson and Laoag board member

Ria Farinas.

Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu called out to the nation’s largest corporations to extend help in cash or in kind to support the relief efforts in Marawi City.

“The country’s biggest corporations can contribute hugely in extending assistance to the victims and the rebuilding efforts. Hopefully, the Marawi City crisis could be over very soon,” he said.

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said the fund-raising was a “very good gesture of the House of Representatives.” With PNA

Solons...

tors Rene Saguisag and Wigberto Tañada.

The justices also ordered the Office of the Solicitor General, as counsel for respondents Senate President Aquilino L. Pimentel III and House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez to submit its comments on the petitions within 10 days.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte issued Proclamation No. 216, on May 23 declaring a state of martial law and suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the whole of Mindanao. This was a result of the attack of the Maute group in Marawi City, which is still ongoing and is the subject of military operations.

On May 29, the Senate, voting 17-5, filed a resolution “not to revoke the declaration at this time” while the House of Representa-

tives issued a resolution supporting President Duterte’s declaration on May 31.

On June 15, the Court ended three days of oral arguments on three consolidated petitions challenging the constitutionality of Duterte’s martial law proclamation.

These were filed by opposition lawmakers led by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, local Mindanao leaders led by lumad leader Eufemia Campos Cullamat and a group of women from Marawi led by Norkaya Mohamad.

The high court required all parties to submit their memoranda Monday, after which the case is deemed submitted for decision before July 5.

On Sunday, the Palace said the President would declare martial law again if an attack similar to

Marawi takes place.

At the same time, the President has made it clear that he would heed the decision of the Supreme Court on the constitutionality of his martial law declaration, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said.

But on Saturday, the President slammed critics of martial law.

“If they… tell me there is no factual basis [for martial law], then I am ready to order the military to withdraw, and we will not move,” he said, speaking before the 4th Infantry Division in Butuan City.

“These justices, judges, arguing terrorism not rebellion. What do you want? That they burn half of Mindanao before we can call it a true blue rebellion? It’s crazy. It’s rebellion,” said Duterte.

Mautes from a small band of siblings to a real serious military threat was the emergence of ISIS in the Middle East,” security analyst Sidney Jones told AFP, using an alternative acronym.

But the brothers were radicalized much earlier: while pursuing studies in the Middle East after college, according to Jones and Rommel Banlaoi, head of the Manila-based Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research.

Omarkhayam headed to Egypt’s Al-Azhar University, while Abdullah went to Jordan.

Banlaoi said they returned to Mindanao after about a decade away to be mentored by a fugitive Indonesian militant, Ustadz Sanussi, who in turn put them in touch with other Southeast Asian jihadists, notably the Malaysian bombmaker Zulkifli bin Hir. With an engineer father and a mother involved in construction and property development, the Mautes are part of Muslim Mindanao’s elite.

They also have blood ties to one of the top MILF leaders, Banlaoi said.

“These connections gave the group a measure of protection,” Banlaoi said.

Since the conflict erupted, the mother and father have been ar-

rested. Authorities have said the arrest of the mother was particularly important, describing her as a financier of the group.

All her seven sons are believed to be involved in the Marawi conflict, according to Banlaoi.

However Jones said the mother was not the driving force of radicalism, rather she and the other family members had been led by Omarkhayam and Abdullah.

Their main ally is Isnilon Hapilon, a leader of the Abu Sayyaf who is on the US government’s list of most-wanted terrorists.

IS named Hapilon as its leader in the Philippines in recent years, and he is believed to be in Marawi with the Maute brothers.

However Jones, director of the Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict, said leadership had effectively shifted to the Maute brothers because they were controlling events in Marawi.

Regardless of whether the Maute brothers are driven out of Marawi, they have established the Philippines as a successful new base for IS, according to Jones, pointing to foreign fighters who have been reported killed in the conflict.

The military has said that slain fighters have come from countries including Chechnya, Libya, Indonesia and Malaysia. AFP

Aquino,...

stitutional reforms and end of hostilities and disposition of forces towards a just and lasting peace,” Bello said.

Bello said the government continues to adhere to mutually acceptable principles enunciated in the Hague Joint Declaration, which was reaffirmed by both parties.

He also said the government “unequivocally recommits its adherence to all previously signed agreements, including specifically, but not limited to, the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees [Jasig].”

Members of the government

peace panel withdrew from the negotiating table during the fifth round of the peace talks last month due to a directive from the CPP that the NPA intensify its attacks on government troops to register its opposition to martial law in Mindanao.

President Rodrigo Duterte later appealed to the NPA to join the fight against the Maute group in Marawi City.

In response, the NDF said it will only cooperate if the Duterte administration withdraws its all-out war policy and the martial law declaration in Mindanao. With PNA

“While there is peace, there are no traitors. There must be actual hostilities.”

Reacting to the Ombudsman’s decision, Trillanes said the resolution proved his point that the case was filed to harass him and tarnish his reputation.

“This is what happens when your political opponents start to believe their own propaganda. But no matter how they twist the facts, in the end the truth will always come out,” Trillanes said.

Carpio-Morales said the territorial dispute over the West Philippine Sea “does not make China an enemy of our country,” CarpioMorales said.

“Back-channel negotiations with China cannot be construed as giving aid to the enemy.”

Carpio-Morales said Aquino acted ‘‘for the interest of the Philippines’’ when he tried to explore other means to address the ‘‘intense standoff’’ at Scarborough Shoal in April and May 2012.

“It is an inherent presidential power to pursue negotiations with other states, she said.

And Trillanes ‘‘merely acted under President Aquino’s instruction to negotiate with Chinese representatives.”

Morales also cleared Aquino and Trillanes of the espionage raps, saying the Brady Notes ‘‘are considered hearsay and, thus, should not be given evidentiary weight.’’

In May 2016, retried general Roberto Lastimoso, doctors Enrico Sampang Dioscoro Esteban Jr., retired judge Moslemen Macarambon, and former cultural communities sectoral representative Ronald Adamat filed the treason and espionage charges against Aquino and Trillanes before the Ombudsman.

“There wasn’t a lot of time in spaces that were open to the sea.

“So it was traumatic. As to how much warning they had―I don’t know.”

The container ship, the 222-meter Philippine-flagged ACX Crystal, came into port with large scrapes on its bow, but none of its 20 crew were injured, Japan’s coastguard said.

Aucoin declined to say what might be to blame for the accident, the cause of which is being investigated.

“We will update you once the investigation process is complete,” he said.

“I’m not going to speculate on what happened... Hopefully we’ll get those answers, but I don’t have them right now.”

The 500-foot Fitzgerald was pulled by a tugboat back to its base on Saturday, where divers searched the damaged areas of the

destroyer that was deployed in the mid-90s.

The Navy said the dead US crew were found by the divers.

“As search and rescue crews gained access to the spaces that were damaged during the collision... the missing sailors were located in the flooded berthing compartments,” it said.

“They are currently being transferred to Naval Hospital Yokosuka where they will be identified. The names of the sailors will be released after all notifications are made.”

Several other US crew members were injured in the accident and had to be evacuated by air to hospital, including the vessel’s commanding officer Bryce Benson, who is “undergoing treatment”, Aucoin said.

“He is lucky to be alive,” the fleet commander added, without elaborating.

The accident happened 56 nautical miles (104 kilometers) southwest of Yokosuka, in a busy shipping channel that is a gateway to the major container ports in Tokyo and nearby Yokohama.

There have been several collisions involving large vessels in the area over the past five years, Japan’s Asahi newspaper said.

Japan’s coastguard is conducting an investigation into the accident―including interviewing the container ship’s Filipino crew― although the US has primary jurisdiction in probing accidents involving military personnel.

“We can’t comment on the accident as it’s being handled by the Japanese coastguard,” a spokesman for the container ship’s Japanese owner, NYK Line, told AFP on Saturday.

“We will fully cooperate with authorities investigating the case.”

AFP

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The 60-day martial law declaration will lapse on July 22 after the President’s declaration on May 23.

The group of Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman has questioned the President’s martial law declaration before the Supreme Court.

The Court has ordered the consolidation of two petitions seeking to compel Congress to convene in a joint session to review President Duterte’s martial law proclamation and his suspension of the write of habeas corpus in Mindanao.

In a resolution released to the media over the weekend, the Court said it would consolidate the petitions filed by former sena-

2 brothers...

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that hate is coming from,” said Zia Alonto Adiong, a member of the regional parliament in a self-ruled Muslim area in Mindanao that includes Marawi.

Duma Sani, an ex-dean of Mindanao State University whose daughter also went to school with one of the Maute brothers, said most locals did not support their radical brand of Islam, under which non-believers must be killed.

“These [Marawi gunmen] are young people who have their own interpretation of the Koran and who do not respect their own elders,” Sani told the Agence France-Presse.

The Maute group emerged as a small rag-tag group around 2012 from a decades-old Muslim separatist rebellion in Mindanao, which makes up one third of the predominantly Catholic Philippines.

As the main rebel organization—the Moro Islamic Liberation Front—sought to broker peace with the government, the Maute and other small hardline groups filled a vacuum for fanatics as they took inspiration from IS’s atrocities in Iraq and Syria.

“I think what transformed the

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enabling environment favorable to moving the peace negotiations forward,” he said.

“The Philippine government hereby correspondingly reciprocates with the same declaration of not undertaking offensive operations against the New People’s Army to pave way for the eventual signing of a mutually agreed bilateral ceasefire agreement and agreements on social and economic reforms, political and con-

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The Navy said it had found “a number” of bodies inside the guided missile destroyer, but did not specify if all seven crew had been found dead in the search that took place after it limped back into harbor.

Aucoin said the final toll was not being released “out of respect for their families.” However, he said the destroyer sustained “a large gash” below the waterline, and nearby crew would have had little chance to escape the “tremendous” amount of water that poured through the breach.

“It was 2:20 in the morning. A significant part of the crew was sleeping,” he added, standing on the pier in front of the docked destroyer at its base in Yokosuka, southwest of Tokyo.

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News

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

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Aguirre defends US role

By Rey E. Requejo

Sniper’s rifle. President Rodrigo Duterte looks through the scope of a sniper’s rifle during the inspection of firearms recovered by the Army’s 4th Infantry Division upon his visit at the division’s advance command post in Butuan City on June 17, 2017. Presidential Photo Division

Give Du30 ‘alone’ time – Erap M

By Sandy Araneta

ANILA Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada has called on the public, including senators demanding a full disclosure of President Rodrigo Duterte’s health condition, to give the chief executive some “alone” time.

Estrada, a former president, said he understands the difficult situation Duterte is currently in, especially now that the country is beset by many problems, foremost of which is

the nearly month-long crisis in Marawi City.

“Let’s give him the privilege of being alone for a while. It’s hard to be a President, ‘di lang ‘yan ang problema ng bansa,” Estrada said

during the presentation of the 30 candidates of Miss Manila 2017 pageant at the Manila City Hall on Friday, June 16.

“I already came from that situation, I think he is just getting some rest,” Estrada replied when asked what he thought caused Duterte to stay out of the public eye since skipping the Independence Day ceremonies at Rizal Park on June 12.

“Of course, he is facing a lot of problems… as a president, especially the problem in Mindanao,” said Estrada.

Several senators, including detained Senator Leila De Lima, are calling on Malacañang to reveal Duterte’s state of health, saying the President’s health is a matter of public interest and of national security.

When he was president, particularly during his all-out war against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in 2000, Estrada recounted that he, too, found it hard to sleep at night, causing him physical and mental stress.

“I don’t like giving excuses now. Just like me before, when

Marawi rice prices stable, NFA insists

Pretrial held for rebellion suspect THE Department of Justice on Sunday held an inquest proceeding for the crime of rebellion against Mohammad Naoim Maute alias Almahid Pangompig Romato.

The inquest proceedings was conducted inside Camp Evangelista in Cagayan De Oro City.

Authorities believed that Maute is the youngest brother of Omarkhayam and Abdullah Maute, leaders of the terror group.

He is among those suspected of rebellion under Arrest Order No. 1, issued by the Defense department on May 29. He was arrested in Barangay Sta. Cruz. Macasandig. Cagayan de Oro City last June 15.

Based on police report, he was using a fake ID of Mindanao State University bearing the name of Alfaiz Mamintal to get through checkpoints.

An inquest is an informal and summary investigation conducted by the public prosecutor in a criminal case involving persons arrested and detained without the benefit of a warrant of arrest.

It also determines whether the evidence is sufficient enough to seek court approval to keep the person in detention. Rey Requejo

a lot of soldiers die, I couldn’t sleep,” he said.

Perhaps, Estrada speculated, Duterte could be spending more time with his advisers planning how to end the armed conflict in Marawi and looking for solutions to the country’s many problems.

“Maybe he is thinking about how to solve the problems of the country—economy, peace and order, everything. It’s not easy being a president,” he added.

“Let’s just all wish him good health, and pray,” Estrada said.

JUSTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Sunday said there is nothing wrong with United States extending assistance in the government’s ongoing battle against the Maute terrorist group in Marawi City.

Aguirre stressed that the US forces are only providing technical assistance to Filipino troops, which is allowed under the law.

“What is prohibited under the Constitution is the joining of US troops in actual combat.

But sharing of intelligence and equipment is allowed under the Edca [Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement],” he said.

Article 18, Section 25 of the 1987 Constitution provides: “After the expiration in 1991 of the Agreement between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America concerning military bases, foreign military bases, troops, or facilities shall not be allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate, and when Congress so requires, ratified by a majority of the votes cast by the people in a national referendum held for that purpose, and recognized as a treaty by the other contracting State.”

Aguirre cited as precedent the assistance given by the US troops during the Mamasapano clash on Jan.25, 2015 where 44 elite police commados sent to capture or kill wanted Malaysian terrorist and bomb-maker Zulkilfo Abdhir were killed by Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Bangsamoro Islamis Freedom Fighters.

“This assistance is what the US provided also during the Oplan Exodus in Mamasapano operation,” he said.

Earlier, US embassy spokesperson Molly Koscina confirmed that American forces are providing technical assistance—not boots on the ground—to Filipino soldiers fighting Maute terrorists in Marawi City.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines also admitted getting technical support from the US.

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales rice in the area.

MARAWI RELIEF. PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan supervises the delivery of medicines and other relief goods worth P5 million to evacuation centers in Iligan City, where Marawi residents have evacuated since clashes between government troops and Maute-Abu Sayyaf Group fighters broke out last month.

THE National Food Authority on Sunday said that rice prices in Marawi City and the whole of Mindanao remain stable and denied that prices have reached P225 per kilogram.

In a statement, NFA assured that rice prices in these areas remain stable in the wake of reports that commercial rice is being sold as high as P5,000 per sack.

NFA said continuous market monitoring in the whole of Mindanao showed that rice prices in some areas only increased

by P 1 to P 2 per kilogram.

In Saguiaran town (where there are four accredited retailers), next to Marawi (if you are coming from Iligan City), the price of well-milled rice is P50 to P53 per kg while the NFA rice is sold at P 27 per kg.

NFA, said however, that there is no available regular-milled

Sources of rice are Iligan City, NFA Iligan City, Cagayan de Oro, Molave and Bukidnon.

NFA said that in the towns of Marantao (which has nine retailers) and Balindong (with three retailers), well-milled rice is priced at P50 to P56 per kg.

Source of rice are Cotabato City and Pagadian.

“Six retailers operate at MSU market. WMR is sold at P56/ kg and no regular-milled rice.

There was only one bag of NFA rice seen at the time of canvass (June 12, 2017). Maybe, it was the remaining rice from our last release on May 22, 2017. Very few stocks remained in their possession as residents, including students, already evacuated the place due to the ongoing fighting between government troops and Maute terrorist group,” said NFA Lanao del Sur Manager Hadja Sittienaidah D.

Angara presses for medical scholarship program

By Macon Ramos-Araneta that there is one doctor for every nicipalities, leaving far-flung ince in the country. The number the country to practice medicine DESCRIBING as “alarming” the lack of medical workers in the country, Senator Sonny Angara has filed a bill to ensure the availability of doctors in every province nationwide.

In his proposed Senate Bill 1157, Angara pushed for the establishment of a medical scholarship program in the country.

Angara cited data from the Department of Health which showed

33,000 Filipinos—a far cry from the World Health Organization standard which is one doctor for every 20,000 population.

He also cited the recent data from the Philippine Statistics Authority indicating that three out of five Filipinos die without seeing a doctor, nurse or any other allied health professional.

He said most doctors and medical specialists are concentrated in urban centers and larger mu-

communities largely unserved.

Under Angara’s Senate Bill 1157, the medical scholarship program will not only include free tuition, but also allowance for prescribed books, supplies and equipment, clothing and uniform, housing accommodation, transportation and other related miscellaneous living allowances.

The proposed scholarship program shall accept at least one beneficiary from every prov-

of beneficiaries per province shall depend on the number of medical doctors needed for each province as determined by the Department of Health.

Angara’s bill further requires beneficiaries to serve their provincial hospital for at least five years upon passing the medical board examination.

Data from the UP College of Medicine showed that about 80 percent of its graduates leave

abroad.

Angara noted that the high cost of medical school prompts new doctors to join private hospitals which offer higher pay.

He said more lucrative opportunities abroad also lead to an exodus of medical professionals.

This bill seeks to reverse these trends and address the continuing need for doctors in our provincial public hospitals,” the lawmaker said.

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Opinion

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

EDITORIAL

I

Time to govern

N UNDER two weeks, the Duterte administration will be a year old.

It has been a tumultuous year, given the recent events in Marawi, where terrorists, declaring allegiance to the Islamic State, have overrun the city in hopes of creating the base of a Southeast Asian province for an extreme Islamist caliphate.

In response, President Rodrigo Duterte has declared martial law over the entire island of Mind-

Adelle Chua, Editor

anao and has ordered a full-scale military assault to wipe out the terrorists.

As the death toll mounts and the urban warfare drags on, it is clear that the situation in the South will take up much of this administration’s time and resources.

Early on, the President fulfilled a campaign promise to launch a relentless war on illegal

drugs. The death of thousands of drug suspects, however, reaped widespread condemnation from the country’s traditional allies abroad, who saw in the grim statistics evidence of state-sanctioned summary executions.

President Duterte’s response—a series of blistering, profanity-laced attacks on his critics overseas—has cast into doubt the fate of millions of dollars in foreign assistance that the administration now insists must be given with no strings attached.

The President’s “independent” foreign policy, which shifts the focus to China and Russia, may eventually bear fruit, but it is unclear whether this will be enough to offset what the country might lose by antagonizing the United States and the European Union.

Against the backdrop of these pressing concerns, the day-to-day task of governing seems to have taken a backseat during this first year.

This is unfortunate, since Mr. Duterte won the election, not just on his promise to rid the

callousness and arrogance.

That public agencies would be run, not by friends, former classmates and allies of the President, but by civil servants who have proved themselves in a meritocracy.

When the President’s men speak of his popularity and his mandate, they ought to remember that many of the votes cast in his favor were in protest of the failures of the previous administration, and that one year later, these same supporters will want to see some measurable improvement on this score.

country of crime and illegal drugs, but on the understanding that life would somehow be better under his administration.

That commuter trains would run safely, and on time. That the government would no longer collect money from the public without a corresponding good or service—as the previous administration had done with drivers licenses and license plates. That this administration would be different from the previous one, which was marked by inefficiency,

Much ado

Congress needs crash courses AN IRATE Speaker of the House has threatened to abolish the Court of Appeals, or to reduce its budget to one peso. Of course, he has the power to do neither, in the first case, because it would take a majority of both Houses to pass the repealing law that would bring about the appellate court’s demise, and not the Speaker’s fiat alone. In the second case, the Constitution does not allow Congress to reduce the budget of the Judiciary that, by the way, receives less than one percent of the national budget!

What is clear though is that the Speaker is in a foul mood because Congressman Rodolfo Fariñas was earlier in a foul mood!

Fariñas, who has had a longrunning spat with the Marcoses in Ilocos Norte, commenced an investigation involving tobacco growers and producers. Without a doubt, he wanted the Marcoses embarrassed and nailed, and so he summoned employees of the provincial government, expect-

ing them to implicate Governor Imee Marcos. He questioned his witnesses—and they gave him answers he did not like. According to his own legal lexicon, that mismatch between the answers he wanted and the responses he got constituted contempt—and he ordered the provincial officials detained, no matter that their detention has caused operations of some sections of the provincial government of Ilocos Norte to grind to a halt.

That alone provokes an interesting question. When is an answer contemptuous? Refusing to answer may not even constitute contempt—because the law does grant a witness the right to refuse to answer some questions.

And good American precedent teaches that a witness may likewise refuse to answer a question that has nothing to do with the legislation that Congress has set its sights on. In this case, Fariñas found the answers contemptuous because they were not to

In law and philosophy, in particular.

his liking.

As for hearings in aid of no legislation, the televised yearlong Binay investigations amply showed us just how pointless some investigations can be— and how fruitless, in terms of the passage of law!

Seeking relief from the Court of Appeals, the petitioners were granted a provisional release order. Aside from bragging that they would defy the Court, Fariñas’ allies in the Lower House have also threatened to scuttle the appellate court itself.

First, a lesson in social theory. Power is not self-legitimating. He who has power does not necessarily have the right to wield it. The Mautes had tremendous fire-power, but it was criminal and morally bankrupt of them to have all but ruined the beautiful city of Marawi. A petition for a writ of habeas corpus filed by persons detained through an exercise of legislative power is a challenge to legitimacy. It raises the valid question whether or not jailing the witnesses was a legitimate exercise of power. In a society where reason prevails, this should be a welcome opportunity to address the issue and to resolve it. Rather than throw tantrums, the members of Congress should be eager for the opportunity to argue the law, to expostulate on the Constitution!

You need two things in a law-ordered society: law and force. You need force; other-

wise, observance of the law depends on the fickle goodwill of citizens—and that would make law effete. You need law, because then the wielding of force by the powerful would always be legitimate. The legitimacy of the government’s war on the Mautes rests on this most important philosophical distinction: the distinction between facts and norms, between facticity and validity.

And now, for the Constitution.

The writ of habeas corpus was historically born from a reaction to the excesses of absolutism.

It is the antithesis to absolutist claims, whether these be the claims of hereditary monarchs or elected “monarchs.” The Rules do not confer on the Supreme Court exclusive jurisdiction over petitions for writs of habeas corpus, although the Constitution vests original jurisdiction in it.

This only means that a humble Regional Trial Court in some

THROUGH the whole of last week, three issues were given much ado by media and the public.

First, the case of the “missing” President.

Media wondered why President Duterte was not present at the Luneta for the flag-raising on Independence Day. And because he did not appear in public either in the succeeding days, speculation was rife that he was possibly “ill.”

Media reports even resuscitated his own admission during the campaign about Buerger’s disease and his back problem, among others.

The guy is human, just like you and me, and at 72, he’s no spring chicken obviously. So if he takes a rest, as Malacañang officially said, whatever is so unusual about a man of his age taking a rest?

Apart from the daily activities in a period of crisis such as containing the protracted battles in Marawi between our peacekeepers and the terrorists holed up in their urban jungle, the presidency is such a stressful job. And stress is more health-draining than mere physical exertion.

It pains the President that he has to order soldiers of the Republic to aim their firepower at our Muslim brothers, misled, misguided and enticed to terroristic activities though they have been by those IS predators.

Why can’t we just let go?

Why the need to speculate and raise public alarums over a simple case of a man needing to rest, to relax, to meditate, to contemplate? All these are part of a president’s regimen.

Speaking of which, the President might do well to take breaks and hie off to some hideaways every now and then.

Not to the all-too-familiar Davao where he is hounded by job- and favor-seekers, but to some island paradise in Palawan or some deserted beach in the Visayas, even a mountain aerie in the Cordilleras.

US presidents have their Camp David, and their Donald now favors his own Mar-aLago. Why not the Philippine President? *** Then there is the “unli” rice incident sparked off by an observation from Sen. Cynthia Villar about us being too heavy on rice intake, which, as every

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Opinion

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

The President’s health THE President’s health is always a matter of concern for the people. Speculation is rife, again, that President Rodrigo Duterte might be sick after he has missed two recent events—the Asean Summit of Leaders and the June 12 flag-raising ceremony at Rizal Park.

“The President is just tired,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said as he dashed all speculation Mr. Duterte is not well. The President is touchy about questions regarding his health. Early in his presidency, during a press conference in Davao, Duterte insulted a reporter who dared asked if he had a medical certificate attesting to his good health.

“Why are you asking me this like I’m a common criminal?

Suppose I ask you whether your wife smells or not?” Duterte lashed back at the hapless reporter who just ignored the presidential outburst. (For reasons of good taste and political correctness, this column toned down Mr. Duterte’s exact remark.)

Like many, we hope for the President’s well-being. But the reality is that Duterte, at 72, is at

an age when vital organs begin to deteriorate.

This is why the poll protest of former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. against Vice President Leni Robredo must be settled soon. This is to preclude a bitter battle as to who would succeed Digong in the event he dies in office or is incapacitated. The vice president, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez—in this order—are the successors to the presidency, according to the Constitution.

Two presidents, Manuel Roxas and Ramon Magsaysay, died in office. Roxas, the grandfather of defeated presidential candidate Mar Roxas, died of a heart attack in 1948. Elpidio Quirino succeeded him as president. Magsaysay, on the other hand, was killed in a plane crash in 1957 and was succeeded by Carlos P. Garcia.

Speaking of Speaker Alvarez, the man is trying to be more outrageous than President Duterte.

Bebot Alvarez’s latest proposal is to abolish the Court of Appeals. This came after another outlandish remark that he would rip to pieces a Supreme Court order for Congress to hold a joint session to take up the basis for the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

2019 senatorial elections Several Senate seats will be vacant come 2019. At the 365 Club at the Holiday Inn Makati, the talk among the regulars turned to whose Senate term would be be over and who are going to seek reelection. Over the strong brew that is customary in the morning, we tried coming up with names of the senators who can and will seek reelection and those who will “graduate,” having served the three-term limit.

Call it senior moments but the fact we that we had a hard time coming up with the senators’ names prove that some of them have not done outstanding legislative work. Cynthia Villar, Nancy Binay and Tito Sotto are

among those whose work in the Senate can be considered forgettable. Sotto will be remembered for his irrelevant and insensitive remark during the Commission on Appointments confirmation hearing of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Judy Taguiwalo who is a single mother of three.

How Nancy Binay spent four years in the Senate with hardly any significant piece of legislation is a wonder in itself. Cynthia Villar gets in the news occasionally with a photo release of her livelihood projects or a ribbon-cutting during the opening of social events.

Two senators—Richard Gordon and Panfilo Lacson—are the ones to watch in the next presidential race in 2022. Both Gordon and Lacson were at the forefront of Senate investigations on the Davao death squad and the casino bribery case involving key immigration officials.

Who will give in in the presidential race and who will settle for the vice presidency between Gordon and Lacson is already the subject of speculation this early.

How Asia can take the lead on climate Bloomberg editorial EVER since the United States announced its withdrawal from the Paris agreement, China and India have been hailed for firmly recommitting to the global emissions pact. The praise is fair: It’s good that two of the world’s three biggest greenhouse-gas emitters have renewed their promise to act. But if they really hope to lead on climate, they’ll have to be more ambitious.

Both countries were climate laggards until recently, prone to blaming the West for rising concentrations of greenhouse gases.

Now they’re genuinely trying to cut their emissions. Earlier this year, China pledged to invest more than $360 billion in green energy projects through 2020, and it has canceled plans to build more than 100 new coal-fired power plants. India says that renewables will account for more than half of its installed electricity capacity by 2027.

These and other investments

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doctor will attest, is bad for diabetics. Filipinos, because of lifestyle and diet, are extremely prone to diabetes as well as to kidney problems.

Everyone and his mother immediately jumped on the senator’s observation and defended the Filipino penchant to gorge on “unli” rice, unfairly damning the Senate Agriculture committee chairperson, when what she said was the plain truth.

Look at the numbers: The average Filipino, according to the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics in 2010, consumes 132 kilos of rice a year. These days, I read that the Philippine Statistics Authority, to which the BAS has been subsumed, uses a lower figure—120 kilos.

If that lower per-capita consumption is the reason why we are supposedly importing less rice this year, isn’t that reason to rejoice? The Japanese consume only 67 kilos of rice a year, even if their short-grain rice infinitely tastes better than what we have available in our stores.

Senator Villar makes infinitely good sense advocating

could reduce global carbon emissions by as much as 2 billion to 3 billion tons below recent projections—more than making up for the US withdrawal.

Yet slippage is all too possible. Prices for solar power in India may rise from recent record lows, and coal might get cheaper. China still has many more coal projects in the works than it needs, and it’s paying for others abroad. Data on emissions in both countries are still questionable. There are doubts about how well their grids can accommodate renewable energy and whether governments are willing to enforce more stringent rules.

Also, in the post-Paris glow of praise, they may be tempted to relax. On present trends, India could meet its none-too-demanding limits for carbon emissions without doing much at all.

China may already have reached its target of seeing emissions peak before 2030.

Both ought to try harder.

They should set more demanding targets, putting pressure on others to do the same. They should look beyond renewables.

Climate aside, India would reap huge gains from stricter energyefficiency standards in industry, construction and transportation.

China should renew its fading efforts to cut overcapacity in dirty sectors such as steel and coal.

Investment in better power grids is essential. In some western Chinese provinces, roughly 40 percent of wind power is wasted because it can’t be sent where it’s needed. India’s debtridden utilities will need government help for this; relief from political pressure to set electricity rates too low also wouldn’t hurt. Allowing inter-state trading of electricity would let Indian solar and wind farms sell their power more widely.

India could cut its dependence on coal by building more natural-gas terminals and pipe-

lower rice consumption. And if we were to eat regularlymilled rice (brown rice to the layman) instead of the polished well-milled white variety, we would not need to import the staple at all. And Filipinos would be healthier for it.

When a kilo of palay is milled into white rice, the yield is just 600 to 650 grams of rice. When it is turned into brown rice, the yield is 800 grams. See what good and healthy eating habits can do, not only for one’s health, but for the national interest as well?

But Senator Villar advocates something more important: Eating more vegetables. The challenge is addressed to the Department of Agriculture. Get farmers to plant more veggies and aid them so that they can harvest better in yield and variety. That will bring down the price of vegetables.

It is also a challenge to the Department of Education and the Department of Health. Educate our children to eat green, leafy vegetables so that they grow up to be healthy, and discourage them from eating those execrable hotdogs and junk food, and teach them as well not, never, to drink sugared soda.

This is bad for those in the business of producing these unhealthy types of food, but good for the health of our people. *** Yet another brouhaha last week was the Tourism Department’s commercial to sell the Philippines as a tourist destination.

But for the tagline, the Experience the Philippines ad featuring a blind Japanese retiree was pretty nice. Then again, it was “exposed” as having been “plagiarized” from a 2016 South African ad. Our tourism officials recoiled, then recalled the ad, and further, cancelled their contract with the reputable McCann Worldwide Group.

Hey guys, couldn’t it have been a case of parallel creative thoughts from one and the other side of the globe? In this day and age where ideas are quick and easy, and everything is globalized, the probability of parallel minds is quite high. If the ad was good, and I think it was, then defend it from the usual carpers and naysayers.

As they say, when you think you are right, “damn the torpedoes and go full steam ahead.” *** Speaking of creativity, this

Congress...

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province in the recesses of the archipelago may issue a writ of habeas corpus to which the mighty Congress must yield. That is the very essence of the Rule of Law and the actualization of the fundamental tenet of our democracy: Ours is a government of laws and not of men.

It is infantile, to say the least, to see in a writ of habeas corpus a challenge by a court to the might of Congress. Everyone is in awe of Congress’ might. Their

Honors in the Lower House need not fear that the Filipino nation is oblivious of the “augustness” of the Chamber. But it is exactly the very definition of the Rule of Law that President, Congress and Court alike yield to the majesty of the law. And the law ordains that when a citizen is detained, jailed or otherwise deprived of significant and fundamental liberties, he may turn to the courts and ask them to inquire into the legality of the power that restrains him. That is exactly what the Court of Appeals did.

It is a pity indeed that once more we have missed a tremendous opportunity to engage

lines. Up to now, price controls have discouraged such investment. China should cut its support for coal-fired power plants abroad, and ensure that its numerous “Belt and Road” projects are environmentally sound.

It isn’t all down to China and India. Japan and Europe also need to do more. And U.S. cities, states and businesses have pledged to deliver on the promises President Donald Trump has abandoned. (Mike Bloomberg, founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP, submitted their statement to the United Nations.)

But Asia’s giants, if they choose, can lead the way.

Atty. Jimeno’s column will resume next week.

quality is second nature to many Filipinos. Reacting to the alleged case of plagiarism, some advertising professionals posted on their website, (@ CreativesOf MNL) their own beautiful, beautiful creation with sweeping vistas of the country’s scenery, admitting at the beginning that the Philippines is beset from time to time with problems. But in the end, the ad copy said, and ingeniously so: “Sometimes it’s hard to fall in love with the Philippines. But most of the time, it’s harder not to.”

And then in the final cut: “It’s more fun in the Philippines.” *** This article sees print on June 19, the birthday of Jose P. Rizal, the national hero.

Question: Why do we commemorate Rizal on the day of his death, and not on his birthday?

Why are we so obsessed with deaths and defeats, rather than births and triumphs? Rizal on the date of his martyrdom; the Fall of Bataan; even Ninoy Aquino on August 21, rather than his birth on November 27?

This is some food for thought for us, citizens of a land from where continued good fortune seems to shy away.

in meaningful discourse on the crucial issues of law, rights and government and have chosen, rather, to take the stance of bullies. The situation could have provoked intelligent conversation on the power of the courts vis-a-vis the powers of Congress in the discharge of its obligation to legislate.

We could have examined the hierarchy of rights and asked whether the right of the legislature to exact answers purportedly in aid of legislation took precedence over certain freedoms and liberties. Instead, what we have now is “canto boy” talk!

When Congress exercises its power of the purse—no matter that recent events have

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open thoughts orlando oxales

Paying for ‘Build Build Build’ WHILE ostensibly a road safety initiative, the anti-distracted driving law became a hot topic in a seemingly endless discussion about the horrendous Metro Manila traffic. From U-turn slots and rotundas to removing the window hours of the colorcoding scheme, everything is just a band-aid solution to the real wound that begs to be healed—infrastructure.

This is why the Duterte administration’s “Build Build Build” mantra got many excited. It was the awaited signal from government that it is ready to undertake the long-overdue initiative to transform our network of roads, our airports and seaports, and transportation systems into something that is at least at par with those of the region.

But now there seems to be another complication. The Duterte administration and his economic team has announced a strategy shift from the Public-Private Partnership model to government funding, mainly through the General Appropriations Act or Official Development Assistance (ODA), or a hybrid of the two.

Expediency in terms of time and cost seems to be the foremost reason of the incumbent economic team. It argues that it would be faster and cheaper to embark on the planned P8-trillion infrastructure projects, the operation and maintenance of which will be auctioned off to the private sector via contracts.

However, funding via ODA often comes with strings attached, including procedures and protocols that could potentially Expediency diminish the avowed benefit of an infrastructure in terms of boom to the local economy. For instance, speci- time and cost fications of ODA-funded seems to be the projects via China could include requirements to foremost reason hire only Chinese contractors, suppliers, man- of the incumbent agers, and even workers.

Local firms would thus economic team. be relegated to operations and maintenance.

Moreover, the country’s experience with the PPP model has been mainly fruitful. It is hard to dismiss projects like the Mactan-Cebu Airport terminal building, the Naia expressway, the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX), and various school buildings and the automated fare collection system for the train systems. Despite some hiccups, these prove that the model can yield positive results.

For side-by-side comparisons, the Iloilo Airport, funded via ODA, took longer to build and incurred cost overruns compared to its PPP-funded counterpart in Cebu. Elsewhere, PPP-funded TPLEX ended up costing P61 million per kilometer, drastically less than the ODA-funded Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), which cost P341 million per kilometer, nearly twice the approved budget in addition to years of heinous delay.

In general, the government’s PPP Center noted, most of the bids it received were in fact lower than the approved government costs. And in case the actual project ends up costing beyond what was approved, the private sector partner shoulders the overrun. In effect, private sector resources are thus tapped for the public good. This means the government is able to take advantage of the record liquidity in the local financial market instead of borrowing from foreign sources and, consequently, adding to the national debt. Foreign borrowing also exposes the country to foreign exchange risks, which, alongside the debt burden, could weaken our robust macro-economic standing.

The PPP model also highlights the important and just userpay principle. This means a tollway or an airport in northern Luzon is mainly funded by those who use those facilities, sparing the rest of the country from the unfair burden. Otherwise, if funded through GAA or ODA, both current and future taxpayers from all over the country will have to shoulder the cost of their construction.

Implementation issues, in particular bottlenecks, that are leveled against PPP-funded projects are not inherent to the model. They reveal more about the chronically corrupt and incompetent state bureaucracy hereabouts, something that seems to survive changes in administration. Efficiency-wise, the private sector holds the infinitely better record in building and operating infrastructure projects.

As such, instead of a wholesale termination of the PPP model, what government can do is take a firmer stance in terms of observing processes and timelines, both for itself and project bidders. A mechanism also needs to be put in place to facilitate collaboration and consultation between the public and private sectors, especially in the project development stage.

Continuity in terms of government policy is also key, foremost maintaining the perception of minimal political and economic risk among investors. Proposed amendments to the Build-Operate-Transfer Law would have institutionalized the reforms achieved during the Aquino administration, including provisions that would improve the law to be at par with international standards. More independence for the PPP Center as a one-stop shop for infrastructure development will also translate to less tedious bureaucracy.

Finally, the interest of the public who will use the projects should be at the core of any PPP strategy. This means the best lowest bid should always win, as this would translate to the lowest fees to be paid by the public. An advance payment by way of a premium also runs contrary to this principle. This means that there needs to be a fundamental shift in the way the government treats PPP projects. Instead of looking at them as a means of generating revenue, they should be seen as public service, the provision of which is its mandate in the first place.

shown that some of its members have helped themselves to it beyond the purview of law—no justice or judge begrudges Congress from paring off requested increases in budgetary allocations for the judiciary. Justices of the Supreme Court even submit to the summons of the budget committees and appear before the chambers of Congress to defend their budget proposals.

Such is the working of a democ-

racy. And as much a working of a law-governed system is the court’s power to issue writs that even a mighty Congress must heed!

Either this—or we concede the fundamental proposition of autocracy: He who wields power can never be wrong! rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@outlook.com

News

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MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Temporary storage proposal hit

By Rio N. Araja

K

EY port stakeholders, including business groups and foreign investors, have raised the alarm on the plan of the Bureau of Customs to establish temporary storages for “overstaying or abandoned” goods, a move which they said reeks of the agency’s inefficiency and propensity for corruption which will lead to higher prices of consumer goods in the long run.

Manila

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Standard REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

TODAY

NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 114, PASAY CITY PHILIPPINE BANK OF COMMUNICATIONS, Plaintiff, -versusCIVIL CASE NO. R-PSY-1622356-CV VICENTE JR. DAPULA TARGA and JOHN/JANE DOE/S Defendants. x---------------------------------------------x

SUMMONS TO:

VICENTE JR. DAPULA TARGA 6BS Angeles St., Sta. Lucia San Juan City JOHN/JANE DOE/S Unknown Address

GREETINGS: Your are hereby required within fifteen (15) days after the service of this summons upon you, to file to this Court and serve on the plaintiff your annexes and a Civil Case Information Statement.

If you fail to answer within the time fixed, the plaintiff will take judgment by default and maybe granted the relief applied for in the complaint.

Moreover, pursuant to the IBP-OCA Memorandum on Policy guidelines, dated March 12, 2002, you are expected not to file a Motion to Dismiss but instead, you are requested to allege the grounds of such Motion as defenses of your answer. Likewise, you are expected to utilize the deposition-recovery measures under Rule 23, 25, 26, 27 & 28 of the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure. Failure to resort to deposition by written interrogatories under Rule 25 and the request for admission of facts under Rule 27 maybe prejudicial to your interest.

HUNDRED TWENTY ONE PESOS AND 82/100 (P 874,821.82) exclusive yet of interest, penalties and other charges.

A photocopy of plaintiff’s Statement of Account dated FEBRUARY 22, 2016 is hereto attached as Annex “E” and made an integral part hereof; 12. The subject motor vehicle, 2014 NISSAN FRONTIER NAVARA 4X2 2.5L has not been taken for tax assessment or fine pursuant to law, nor seized under execution or attachment against the property of defendant or if so seized, the same are exempt from such seizure;

The draft Customs Administrative Order, which was discussed during a forum organized by the BoC on June 8, will implement Section 307 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act enacted two years ago.

Among those who attended the forum were representatives from Cargohaus Inc., DHL Express, ICTSI, Paircargo, UPS, Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan, Association of Petrochemical Manufacturers of the Philippines, Asian Terminals Inc., Association of International Shipping Lines, PricewaterhouseCoopers Philippines, and Philippine Skylanders International Inc. But stakeholders questioned the provisions of the proposed CAO, in particular the designation

of Customs Facilities and Warehouses which shall bear the brunt of establishing and maintaining the temporary storage facilities.

“This order shows how inefficient Customs is. The provisions contained in the draft CAO are asking for too much and what should be the BoC’s responsibility is unreasonably being transferred to the business sector,” said one of the representatives who attended the BoC forum.

“We are all alarmed at the misguided steps being taken in the guise of modernization,” the source added.

In particular, he said the order erodes the foundation of the Philippine Ports Authority, which has supervision over port terminals that may be designated

as CFWs. equipment as well as to physically “The PPA needs to weigh in on transfer and secure the goods. this, too. The PPA still exists and BoC shall dictate the fees and the designated CFWs are PPA rates to be charged in approved premises. No law has been en- temporary storage facilities. acted to change that. Cargo han“But the BoC must remember dlers also pay a fixed fee for each there is a port or warehouse tarsquare meter of the port terminal, iff and in some cases government and that does not cover the pro- share on the use of terminal faposed ‘temporary storage facility.’ cilities and equipment. If the BoC They have to change all existing imposes its own fees and charges, contracts, or abolish PPA instead,” importers will be charged double, he said. which will be passed on to conCYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Section 4.2 of the proposed sumers. The order does not only CAO states that all separate tem- discourage foreign investors, it porary storage facilities shall be also threatens to jack up prices of part of the premises of the BoC commodities,” he said. and shall be under its control and “Cargo handling services are supervision. not free, and all relevant fees The draft CAO also requires should be shouldered by the BoC. CFW operators to provide all nec- Fees and other charges are all govessary cargo moving trucks and erned by existing PPA rules.”

13. The fair market value of the subject motor vehicle, 2014 NISSAN FRONTIER NAVARA 4X2 2.5L at the time of the filing of this Complaint is approximately PESO: NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (900,000.00). Plaintiff can file a good, sufficient and solvent bond in an amount double the value of the subject motor vehicle 2014 NISSAN FRONTIER NAVARA 4X2 2.5L. If the return thereof be adjudged, and for the payment to defendants of such sum to be recovered against the plaintiff; 14.Due to the unjustifiable failure and refusal of defendant/s to pay his obligations in full or in the alternative, to deliver to plaintiff the above-described motor vehicle for purposes of foreclosure, plaintiff was constrained to engage the services of counsel to whom it agreed to pay attorney’s fees equivalent to 20% of the total amount collectible from the defendants plus an appearance fee of P 1,000.00 per counsel’s attendance in court; 15.Plaintiff likewise incurred expenses for the payment of the Replevin Bond and shall incur additional expenses in connection with the seizure of the subject motor vehicle it the same is not delivered by defendants.

PRAYER WHEREFORE, premises considered, it is most respectfully prayed that:

a.

Upon filing of this Complaint and approval of the bond by this Honorable Court and pursuant to Rule 60 of the Rules of Court, a Writ of Seizure be issued directing the seizure of the motor vehicles above-described complete with all its accessories and equipment and the turn-over and delivery thereof to plaintiff; b.

After due notice and hearing, judgment be WITNESS, my hand under the seal of the Court, this 18th day of April 2016 at Pasay City, Metro promulgated declaring the seizure of the aforesaid motor vehicle and its delivery to plaintiff lawful and Manila. permanent and ratifying plaintiff’s disposal thereof in accordance with the provisions of the Chattel (Sgd.) ATTY. FILIPINA T. RIBAYA-GERONIMO Mortgage Law; c.

In the event that seizure and delivery of the Branch Clerk of Court said motor vehicle cannot be effected for any reason whatsoever, to render judgment in favor of the plaintiff REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES and against the defendant, ordering the latter to pay NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION the former the sum of PESOS: EIGHT HUNDRED REGIONAL TRIAL COURT SEVENTY FOUR THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED PASAY CITY TWENTY ONE PESOS AND 82/100 (874,821.82) exclusive yet of interest, penalties and other charges, BRANCH 114 representing defendant’s obligation to the plaintiff as of FEBRUARY 22, 2016, plus the stipulated penalties and charges accruing after that date and until fully paid; PHILIPPINE BANK OF COMMUNICATIONS, d.

In either case, to order defendants to pay Plaintiff, plaintiff the following: -versus1.

The sum equivalent to 20% of the total CIVIL CASE NO. R-PSY-16-22356-CV amount due and collectible as and attorney’s fees For: Recovery of Possession with plus the total appearance fees incurred; 2.

The sum equivalent to 25% of the total Replevin with Alternative Prayer for Sum of Money and Damages amount due and collectible as liquidated damages; 3.

The sum equivalent to the Replevin Bond VICENTE JR. DAPULA TARGA AND premium and other expenses to be incurred by the JOHN/JANE DOES, plaintiff in the seizure of the subject motor vehicle the amount of which shall be proven during the trial on Defendants. the merits; and x----------------------------------------------------x 4.

The cost of suit.

NOT FOR EATING. Participants arrange their giant wooden spoons and forks painted with different sceneries and products of Rizal during the Intertown Giant Spoon and Fork Hand Painting contest. Norman Cruz

Plaintiff further prays for such other reliefs deemed just and equitable under the premises.

‘Review passenger insurance program’

1.

Plaintiff PHILIPPINE BANK OF COMMUNICATION (PBCOM) is a universal banking corporation duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the Republic of the Philippines with principal office and postal address at 6795 Ayala Avenue, cor. Rufino Street, Makati City. Plaintiff is represented in this action by its Collection Officer Mr. Jeorge Gimeno. Photocopy of the Secretary’s Certificate and the Special Power of Attorney are hereto attached as Annexes “A” & “B”, respectively;

Parañaque City for Pasay City, FEBRUARY 18, 2016.

By Rio N. Araja

2.

Defendant VICENTE JR. DAPULA TARGA is of legal age, Filipino, with address at 6BS ANGELES ST., STA. LUCIA SAN JUAN CITY, where she may be served with summons and other processes of this Honorable Court.

CARMELO M. MENDOZA PTR #0585370/PAR/02.19.16 IBP #08747/PPLM/01.14.10-Lifetime Roll No. 39197 MCLE Compliance No. IV-0017281 April 06, 2013

COMPLAINT

PLAINTIFF, by counsel, most respectfully states:

3.

Defendant John/Jane Does, whose real name and address are unknown, is in included as party defendant as he/she may be in possession of the motor vehicle subject of this case, which is by nature transferable from one place to another and from one person to another;

FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION 4.

On JULY 31, 2014, Defendant VICENTE JR. DAPULA TARGA executed in favor of PBCOM, a Promissory Note with Chattel Mortgage identified as PN No. 746501080839 which was duly notarized on AUGUST 5, 2014 obligating herself to pay herein plaintiff the sum of NINE HUNDRED TWELVE THOUSAND PESOS AND 00/100 (PhP 912,000.00) Philippine currency, payable in SIXTY (60) equal monthly installments of beginning AUGUST 29, 2014 and every 29th day of each succeeding month thereafter until the entire amount is fully paid and liquidated;

TRIESTE & MENDOZA LAW OFFICES 2/F, JM Mendoza Building Dona Soledad Avenue Better Living Subdivision Parañaque City By:

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) CITY OF PASIG ) S.S.

AFFIDAVIT OF MERIT AND CERTIFICATION

TYPE/MAKE : 2014 NISSAN FRONTIER NAVARA 4X2 2.5L MOTOR NO. : YD25559455T SERIAL NO. : CVLGLVYD40A18796 COLOR: PLATINUM SILVER

3.

The said motor vehicle is being wrongfully detained by the defendants by reason of their failure to pay the installments due on, and in violation of the terms and conditions of the Promissory Note with Chattel Mortgage which defendants executed in favor of the plaintiff.

7. The Defendant VICENTE JR. DAPULA TARGA defaulted in the payment of her obligation to plaintiff PBCOM in violation of the terms and condition of the Promissory Note (Annex “C”); 8. Plaintiff demanded payment of defendant/s obligation or the return or surrender of the mortgaged motor vehicle. Photocopy of plaintiff’s demand letter dated February 10, 2016 is hereto attached as Annex “D” and made an integral part hereof; 9. Notwithstanding said demand, defendant/s failed and refused and up to the present, continuously fails and refuses to pay his obligation in full or return or surrender the mortgaged vehicle to the damage and prejudice of plaintiff. Plaintiff is therefore entitled as a matter of right to the possession of the mortgaged motor vehicle together with all its accessories and equipment, in accordance with the stipulations in the MORTGAGE in order that it may be able to foreclose the same; 10. The Promissory Note likewise provides that defendant/s shall pay twenty five percent (25%) of the total amount due as attorney’s fees plus an additional sum equivalent to fifteen percent (15%) of the total sum due which likewise shall not be less than Twenty Thousand Pesos (P 20,000.00) for liquidated damages, aside from expenses of collection, repossession, delivery and transportation of the chattel, and the legal costs provided for in the Rules of Court; 11. As of FEBRUARY 22, 2016, defendants’ total outstanding obligation amounted to PESOS: EIGHT HUNDRED SEVENTY FOUR THOUSAND EIGHT

ity vehicles have brought to the light certain weaknesses of LTFRB’s PPAIP, which we humbly request to be revisited in order to strengthen and ensure that the program meets its twin objectives,” he said.

Medical expenses and burial and funeral costs have increased, making the insurance cover “insufficient,” he said.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

4.

The aforementioned motor vehicle has not been taken for tax assessment or fine pursuant to law, or seized under an execution or an attachment against the property of the defendants, or even if so seized, the same is exempt from seizure.

5.

The fair market value of the said motor vehicle is PESOS: NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P 900,000.00) more or less.

6.

The plaintiff is willing and able to file a good and sufficient bond in an amount double the value of the above-mentioned motor vehicle for the return of the same to the defendants if the return thereof be adjudged and for the payment to the defendants of such sum as may be recovered from the plaintiff in the action.

In compliance with Supreme Court 7.

Circular 09-94, I hereby certify that plaintiff has not commenced any other action or proceeding involving the same issue in another tribunal or agency; that to the best of my knowledge, no such action or proceeding is pending in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the Regional Trial Court, or any other tribunal or agency; and that if I should thereafter learn that a similar action or proceeding has been filed or is pending before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the Regional Trial Court, or any other tribunal or agency, I undertake to promptly inform this Honorable Court of that fact within five (5) days from knowledge thereof.

JEORGE GIMENO Affiant SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this___ day of MAR 31, 2016 at PASIG CITY, affiant exhibiting to me his Professional Driver License ID No. N25-00-085470 which expires on _______.

Doc. No. 115 Page No. 24 Book No. V Series of 2016 (MS-June 19, 2017)

He called on LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra to make the insurance program more responsive to the changing times.

“Benefits in case of death must be increased to P400,000 in addition to burial and interment benefits of P100,000,” he said. Medical benefits, on the other hand, must be pegged at P100,000.

Databases vs illegal recruitment rolled out

1.

I am the Collection Officer of Philippine Bank of Communication (PBCOM), the plaintiff in the above captioned case. I have caused the preparation of the foregoing Complaint and I have read the same and the allegations of facts contained therein are true and correct of my own personal knowledge and based on records of plaintiff, 2.

Plaintiff is the mortgagee/assignee of the motor vehicles subject of the Complaint and is entitled to the possession thereof.

6. The Promissory Note (Annex “C”) expressly provides that defendants failure to pay any installment provided therein or any violation of the terms and conditions of the MORTGAGE shall cause the remaining unpaid balance under the Promissory Note to become immediately due and payable. The defendant’s likewise expressly agreed and bound herself in the MORTGAGE that in case of default, and upon demand from the plaintiff PBCOM, She shall voluntarily surrender and deliver possession of the motor vehicle covered thereby to plaintiff PBCOM. Should defendant/s fail to deliver the motor vehicle, plaintiff PBCOM has been expressly authorized and appointed by defendant/s to take possession of the mortgaged motor vehicle and have the same sold at public auction at any place where said motor vehicle may be found or where plaintiff PBCOM may have its principal office or branch, or at any place designated by plaintiff.

immediate financial assistance to defray accidentrelated expenses, and assist operators in case of an accident by providing immediate financial assistance to passengers so they need not rely on loan sharks or have to mortgage everything they own if only to address accident-related expenses.”

“The numerous accidents involving public util-

I, JEORGE GIMENO, of legal age, Filipino, and with office and postal address at 6795 Ayala Avenue, cor. Rufino Street, Makati City, after having been duly sworn to in accordance with law hereby depose and state that:

5.

To secure the loan, Defendant VICENTE JR. DAPULA TARGA mortgaged their motor vehicle which is more particularly described herein as below”

Photocopy of the Promissory Note with Chattel Mortgage is hereto attached as Annex “C” and made an integral part hereof.

A TRANSPORT group on Sunday urged the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to review the “weaknesses” of its personal passenger accident insurance program which it said was inefficient in protecting the riding public.

“Recent accidents have

tested the effectiveness of the PPAIP in meeting its twin objectives, and unfortunately, it has fallen short,” 1-United Transportasyon Koalisyon (1-Utak) president Vigor Mendoza II said in a two-page letter to the LTFRB. Mendoza was referring to the program’s objectives to “assist passengers in case of accident by providing

MANGOES FOR SALE. An ambulant vendor patiently waits for customers on a slow day along Juan Luna street at Manila's Divisoria market. Ey Acasio

‘Model’ teacher receives scholarship

By Macon Ramos-Araneta NOEMI Bautista, a public school teacher for the past 20 years, always brought extra “baon” for her poor students who go to school hungry.

She would also provide them with learning materials which she buys from her own meager salary.

Bautista, a mother of four, said she who would give her own money so that her students would get by in their schooling, a challenge that many public school teachers face

every school year.

In recognition of her noble deed, Senator Grace Poe vowed to help Bautista complete her doctorate thesis and earn her PhD. “Teachers mold us and in the process, shape our future.

Every support must be extended to them,” said Poe, who is coauthor of Republic Act 10743 which sets Oct. 5 as National Teachers’ Day. Poe also gave Bautista a certificate of recognition and a pilgrim

bracelet commending her for her tireless pursuit to raise well-rounded and honorable individuals.

The senator urged the country’s teachers to serve as beacons of perseverance and commitment just like Bautista, who she said exemplified dedication and compassion toward students.

“We the teachers are the second parents of our students. We are the instrument in molding them to become responsible and good citizens,” said Poe, a teacher herself.

TO AVERT problems plaguing Filipinos seeking workers overseas, including falling victims to illegal recruiters, the government has prepared three databases giving crucial information on illegal recruitment and human trafficking.

These databases were included in a memorandum of understanding signed during the Anti-Illegal Recruitment summit spearheaded by the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency.

Stakeholders now have access to the National Illegal Recruitment Case Monitoring System, Online Trafficking-in-Persons Blacklist Database, and the Illegal Recruitment and TIP Priority Targets List.

Overseas Filipino workers have contributed significantly to the country’s gross domestic product, with $25.76 billion in remittances sent thru formal channels and $28.5 billion through personal remittances.

Senator Cynthia Villar earlier filed Senate Bill No. 146 seeking to create a Department of Migration and Development which will focus solely on OFW protection.

Sports Team Manila qualifies for World Series AFTER its exemplary performance in local tournaments and a strong finish as a guest team in the 2017 Inter-Collegiate Girls Softball Championships held last April in Marikina, Team Manila has formed a formidable line up that will battle the world’s best 18-under batters when they see action in the prestigious 2017 PONY International 18-U Girls Softball World Series to be held on July 24 to 30 at Hemet, California, USA. Participants of this event are the elite Girls’ teams from around the US, Europe, Caribbean and Asia.

This will only be the second time that the Philippines or Asia will be sending a girls’ softball team to this World Series after Team Manila qualified to represent the country in the event.

The Big City softbelles, backed by Manila Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada, Philippine Airlines, and the International Container Terminal Services Inc., is composed of the finest from UAAP 7-peat champions Adamson University, National University, Ateneo de Manila University, Makati and Bulacan.

Expected to deliver are Team Manila – Philippines’ upcoming young stars led by short stops Mary Nichole Padasas of Adamson and Angelu Gabriel of Fort Bonifacio High School, pitcher Alma Tauli and 3rd baseman Madelene Domaug of Fortunato Halili National Agricultural School, and right fielder Krisha Cantor of Adamson.

Three standout pitchers, led

by Tauli, Shirlette Maygay of Adamson and Mery Ann Ramos of NU will power Team Manila – Philippines, which is gearing up with a series of grueling practice games with the national youth and seniors teams.

Team Manila softball president Rafael “Che” Borromeo is upbeat of their chances in the World Series.

“I think this is quite a strong team and the girls will give a good account of themselves in the World Series,” said Borromeo.

“Tingin ko mas buo at malakas ang team na ito, pinaghalong beterano at rookies. Malaki ang tsansa natin na makalaro ng championship game,” said head coach Anna Santiago, the multi-titled coach of Adamson and head coach of the national team, who will be assisted by Sheirylou Valenzuela.

Completing its powerhouse roster are 1st baseman Honey Grace Alegarme, catchers Aliza Pichon and Shaina Camacho of Adamson, pitcher and 3rd baseman Kevyn Anne Lacson of Ateneo, pitcher and 2nd baseman Marie Therese Macasaet of St. Pedro Poveda College, pitcher and 3rd baseman Mariana Solitaria of Beacon Academy, left fielder Jojielyn Lim of Fortunato Halili National School, and center fielder Marie Christine Bautista of Fort Bonifacio High School.

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MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

US Open leader Harman under the radar no more

E

RIN—Brian Harman has spent two years flying under the radar at major championships but was comfortable in his unaccustomed perch on top of the US Open leaderboard on Saturday.

The little-known 30-year-old from Savannah Georgia arrived in Erin Hills with low expectations given his form in majors.

He missed the Masters in April and did not play in any of last years four majors.

In the four majors before that, during the 2015 season, he missed the cut in each tournament. He had never made the cut in a US

Open until this week.

“First cut made too. So we’re breaking down all kinds of barriers,” Harman joked on Saturday after a five-under-par 67 that left him one shot clear of the field heading into Sunday’s final round.

Harman took advantage of soft conditions to reel off six birdies against only one bogey to finish

the day on 12 under after 54 holes.

“I’m proud of the way I hung in there today,” Harman said afterwards. “I got off to a pretty good start, which I really haven’t done yet, so that was nice.

“Struck it well, had a couple putts that could have gone that didn’t, but had a bunch of looks, hit a bunch of greens. That’s what you’ve got to do to play well around here.”

Harman, ranked 50th in the world, has spent much of his professional career toiling in the shadows.

He joined the PGA Tour in 2012, winning his first tourna-

ment in 2014. It was not until this year however at last month’s Wells Fargo Championship that he won his second, in his 172nd event.

Harman said he hopes to use the memory of that win -- which saw him beat Dustin Johnson by one shot -- as he prepares for Sunday’s final round.

“I’ll draw on some of the preparations I did for that week,” Harman said. “Just kind of how I felt that morning before, because I remember specifically I kind of dealt with those emotions.

“Everyone has doubts, everyone has fears. For me, just trying to figure out what they are, and

kind of rationalize them and deal with them.”

Meanwhile, Rickie Fowler is confident of “getting the job done” after resurrecting his hopes of a maiden major at the US Open on Saturday.

The 28-year-world number nine got off to a flying start on Thursday with a seven-under-par 65 but saw his momentum falter on Friday with one-over-par 73.

On Saturday, Fowler exploited the benign conditions at Erin Hills to haul himself back into the frame.

A four-under-par 68 left him at 10 under heading into the final Sunday, two behind the lead.

PTT Run for Clean Energy set July 16

SHELL CHESS UNDERWAY. The Southern Luzon leg of Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship officially kicked

off at SM City Batangas recently. Photo shows Darlito Guamos (right), Shell’s External Relations Manager for Batangas, while making the ceremonial moves opposite Vanessa Palas (left), from the office of the City Mayor, that signified the formal opening of the tournament’s first leg. Shell, the global leader in energy and gas technology, recognizes the wide base of talents and chess enthusiasts in the Southern Luzon region that had the company drawing a record number of participants in the past.

SUBTERRANEAN Ideas is mounting the first-ever PTT Run for Clean Energy on July 16 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Grounds.

The event is an advocacy run aimed at promoting the call for clean energy in streets, work and homes.

“Humans strive to save the planet in every which way they can and this includes in the power and energy that we use in our cars, industries and homes,” said PTT Run for Clean Energy Project Director Matt Ardina. “And PTT is a perfect partner in achieving this. PTT is at the forefront of promoting clean energy through its Blue Innovation Technology and is perfect for such an advocacy run as its fuels release less black smoke and the emitted exhausts are now nano particles (the tiniest size).”

The project, backed by Chris Sports, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Leslie’s, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Science in Sport, Medicard Foundation, Science in Sports, Philippine Red Cross, Business Mirror and Business Mirror Health and Fitness Magazine, aims to demonstrate the power of collaborative efforts, using sports as one of the main tools, to provide information campaign about the use of clean energy.

Race categories are 10k (P500), 5k (P300) and 3k (P220), all inclusive of race shirt, race bib and giveaways. Top three male and female runners of the 10k and 5k will get cash prizes and medals.

All runners are entitled to win in the raffle of prizes.

Registration will be at Chris Sports SM Manila. Listup is also accepted an hour before the categories during raceday at the CCP Grounds.

Clarito to represent PH in volunteer confab Rigondeaux beats Flores in controversial 1st-round KO BINAN, Laguna—JC Clarito, a studentathlete of the University of Perpetual Help Laguna and a member of Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines Athletes Commission, will represent the country in the International University Sports Federation Volunteer Leaders Academy in Kazan, Russian Federation from July 2 to 8 this year.

The forum aims to consolidate FISU expertise in sports volunteering to young volunteer leaders from 170 FISU member federations from all over the world and promote intercultural dialogue and international cooperation for the benefit of university sports worldwide.

Clarito’s selection to the FISU Volunteer Leaders Academy had the blessing of FESSAP president David Ong. “I believe that Clarito will do well in promoting sports volunteerism among youth from various parts of the globe,” said Ong. Clarito’s story itself is an inspiration to youthful athletes who aspire to excel in sports.

“My path in being a self-supporting student and an active athlete at the same time was far from smooth,” said Clarito, a badminton player who suited up for the national colors in past international events.

A native of Leon, Iloilo City, Clarito is thankful of the trust that the FESSAP has bestowed on him.

“My heart is filled with gratitude for my FESSAP family for always believing in me and pushing me hard to become better in my field,” said the 23-year-old Clarito. “I cherish the opportunities given to me. My advocacy for sports volunteerism among youthful student-athlete can only succeed with the sup-

JC Clarito’s story itself is an inspiration to youthful athletes who aspire to excel in sports.

port of the FESSAP community.”

The FESSAP is the sole national university sports organization from the Philippines that is recognized by the FISU and is a regular voting member of the international university sports-governing body, which organizes and sanctions the Summer Universiade and Winter Universiade, both of which are held every two years, and the World University Championships in various sports.

The FESSAP is sending a delegation of athletes and officials to the 29th Summer Universiade in Taipei City, Taiwan in August this year.

It will be the country’s fourth successive appearance in the Summer Universiade, considered by many as the Olympics

at the university level and participated in by prominent athletes from more than 180 countries, including the United States, People’s Republic of China, Russian republic, Great Britain, Japan, France, Republic of Korea, Australia and many African nations.

The Philippines, through the FESSAP, also saw action in the Summer Universiade in Shenzhen, China in 2011, Kazan, Russia in 2013 and Gwangju, Korea in 2015.

The country grabbed a silver medal in the 2011 games in men’s taekwondo through Samuel Thomas Harper Morrison and secured its first-ever gold in the Universiade in the 2013 edition in men’s chess through Grandmaster Wesley So. Graham C. Lim

Spanish bullfighter dies after being gored AIRE-SUR-L’ADOUR, FRANCE—Renowned Spanish bullfighter Ivan Fandino died in hospital on Saturday after being gored by a bull during a fight in southwestern France, a medical service source said.

The 36-year-old stumbled in the bullring after catching his feet in his cloak and was gored by the bull, whose horn punctured his lung.

The Basque fighter was performing at the Aire-surl’Adour bullfighting festival in France with fellow matadors Juan Del Alamo and Thomas Dufau.

Fandino had won an earlier fight and cut off the bull’s ear. He was photographed being carried away from the scene by his colleagues with blood seeping through his embroidered traditional costume.

Hospital authorities declined to comment but an in-

dependent medical source told AFP that Fandino had suffered two heart attacks in the ambulance and died later in hospital in the nearby town of Mont-de-Marsan.

The last time a bullfighter was killed while performing was in July 2016 when Spanish matador Victor Barrio, 29, was gored in the chest live on television.

Just over a month earlier, 64-year-old Mexican fighter El Pana died after weeks in hospital, having also been gored in the chest.

Hailing from Ordonu close to the northern Spanish port city of Bilbao, Fandino was well known for his daring, never hesitating to fight bulls that his colleagues had declined to take on. In Bilbao in 2012 he single-handedly took on six bulls put forward by six different breeders.

The centuries-old tradition of bullfighting remains popular in Spain, with around 1,800 shows a year before a total audience of some six million “aficionados” who see the sport as an art integral to Spanish culture.

But authorities are under increasing pressure to clamp down on the sport on animal rights grounds.

Activists renewed calls for a total ban after Barrio’s death, saying the tradition is both cruel and anachronistic, while a year ago the regional government of Castilla y Leon banned the killing of bulls at town festivals.

The nationalist regional government of the northern Catalonia region outlawed the practice in 2012, but Spain’s Constitutional Court overturned the ban in October 2016.

LAS VEGAS—Two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux defeated Moises Flores with a controversial fightending punch at the close of the first round Saturday to retain his WBA junior featherweight title in Las Vegas.

The victory was controversial as television replays showed Rigondeaux landed a left hand after the round-ending bell had rang. He also landed three punches while holding Flores’ head from behind just before the knockout.

The fight was on the undercard of the Sergey Kovalev-Andre Ward world title light heavyweight bout at the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino.

Rigondeaux improved to 18-0 with 12 knockouts, while Flores, of Mexico, dropped to 25-1, with 17 KOs. The Cuban-born Rigondeaux was announced the winner, but after the fight Nevada Athletic Commission executive director Bob Bennett told broadcaster HBO that they might have to review the decision.

“We will take a look at it. If the punch landed after the bell it is a disqualification,” Bennett said. “We want the right fighter to win. Anything is possible. We could take a look at it and do the right thing.”

Flores stayed down for several minutes and had to be helped back to his corner where he sat during a lengthy review that eventually resulted in Rigondeaux being crowned the winner.

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

Sports

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

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MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

Holm posts electrifying KO victory SINGAPORE—American MMA fighter Holly Holm patiently stuck to her game plan to break her three-fight losing streak in Singapore Saturday by knocking out Brazilian Bethe Correia with a kick to the head.

The pair got off to a slow start with barely any contact in the first two rounds, prompting boos from the Singapore Indoor Stadium crowd.

Responding to a taunt in Round 3, Holm delivered a head kick that sent Correia crashing to the canvas and finished her opponent off with a punch.

“I picked the shot I wanted and got the finish... We figured she would get frustrated and that’s what opened up the opportunity for the head kick,” Holm said in an interview after the fight.

Holm ended top star Rhonda Rousey’s unbeaten run in 2015 with a similar move, a defeat she never bounced back from.

Since her upset of Rousey, Holm has also struggled, losing her subsequent three bouts. She previously had an unblemished 10-0 record in MMA. The bantamweight fight was the headliner on Saturday’s fight card, Ultimate Fighting Championship’s return to Asia after a 19-month absence.

In making its Asian return, UFC, the world’s biggest MMA promoter, has its eye on the lucrative mainland Chinese market, initially scheduling two Chinese fighters on Saturday’s card.

Top Chinese MMA star Wang Guan pulled out a week before the fight, citing injury.

But Li Jingliang, widely seen as China’s best MMA prospect, roundly took down Guam’s Frank Camacho in a three-round fight, exhausting his opponent and winning by unanimous decision. AFP

Holly Holm (left) connects with a kick to the head of Bethe Correia during their UFC women’s bantamweight event at the UFC Fight Night in Singapore on June 17. AFP

So settles for seventh place L

By Peter Atencio

EVON Aronian drew his game with Filipino grandmaster Wesley So to win Altibox Norway Chess 2017 at the Clarion Hotel Energy in Stavanger, Norway.

Both had no pieces left when Aronian settled for a draw with So in 59 moves of a Queen’s Gambit Declined.

This gave Aronian his first major title since the Grenke

Classic.

Aronian ended with six points, followed in second by Hikaru Nakamura, Vladimir Kramnik and Fabiano Caruana with five points. Anish Giri

and So took sixth and seventh places with 4.5 points.

The white-playing So tried to go after an isolated pawn at d5. But Aronian defended it well with a good bishop d7 move in the 23th push. The two exchanged pieces to simplify the game. Both were left with no piece when it was over.

Analysts said So had a disappointing showing in Stavanger. He finished with nine straight draws.

Despite his performance,

So is going to make the Candidates for the World Championships.

Nakamura missed a chance to be co-champion when he fell to a 59 move setback to Caruana in their Sicilian Najdorf game.

So’s meteoric rise to the top has slowed down to a crawl. He appears to be unsure how to continue. He makes sure not to lose games. But it comes at the cost of not winning.

In the eighth round So had

Meralco slips past Kaya in Manila derby action FC MERALCO Manila leaned on goals from Joaco Canas and Phil Younghusband to beat Kaya Makati, 2-0, for its fifth straight win even as JPV Marikina pulled off the biggest upset of the Philippine Football League season so far last Saturday in Manila.

Cañas opened the scoring with a glancing header in the 43rd minute before Younghusband doubled the advantage from the spot in the 66th minute for the Sparks who climbed to 15 points, three clear of JPV. The Marikina side stunned Ceres Negros, 2-1, thanks to goals from Takumi Uesato and former Ceres striker J Baguioro at Rizal Memorial Stadium.

A late striker from Bienve Maranon in the 83rd minute set the stage for a thrilling finish but JPV hung on to claim its fourth win in six matches.

Uesato opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Kota Kawase fouled the JPV striker inside the area. Baguioro tormented his old club with a 79th

minute goal.

Kaya lost for the second time in six matches as it stayed at 10 points for third spot. Ceres remains sixth with four points.

In the battle dubbed as the Metro Manila derby, it was Aris Caslib’s men who got off to a bright start with their pressing game that put Kaya on the backfoot in the first half.

The Sparks were rewarded with Cañas goal off a throw in.

“We were able to sustain a high tempo in the first thirty minutes,” said Caslib. “It was a total team effort.”

The Sparks were rewarded a controversial penalty when Jordan Mintah appeared to have struck Milan Nikolic during a corner kick. Referee Clifford Daypuyat not only gave the penalty but also sent off Mintah marking the fourth straight match that Kaya ended the game with only 10 men.

Younghusband rolled his effort into the low left corner to make it 2-0. The Sparks claimed a third consecutive clean sheet for goalkeeper Ace Villanueva.

Meralco Manila’s Phil Younghusband (left) battles for possession against Joven Bedic of Kaya.

Mayweather says the world wants him to fight McGregor LOS ANGELES—Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather says he has no problem coming out of retirement to fight mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor in what some are predicting will be one of the richest fights in history.

“McGregor is a tough competitor.

People all around the world demanded this fight so I had to give them what they wanted to see,” Mayweather told BSOTV in an interview that aired Saturday.

“They asked for this fight. I was in re-

tirement, but they wanted me back and I’m back.”

Mayweather was making his first public comments since Wednesday’s announcement of the much-discussed fight which will take place August 26 in the US boxing capital of Las Vegas.

The 40-year-old Mayweather has been retired since beating Andre Berto in September 2015 and improving his career record to 49-0.

The matchup with McGregor gives

Mayweather a chance to reach the 50-0 career milestone.

Asked about financial details of the fight, Mayweather said both sides are pleased.

“Both parties are very happy,” Mayweather said. “He’s very happy, I’m very happy and I can’t wait.”

But many boxing experts have slammed the event as an exhibition spectacle, pointing to the fact that the 28-year-old McGregor has never had a professional

boxing match and only dabbled in the sport as a teenager.

The pair have yet to get together faceto-face since the announcement but they are expected to announce a promotional tour soon that will take them to a couple of major US cities.

“You’re supposed to stand behind your man. Stand behind the fighter that you believe in,” Mayweather said about McGregor’s supporters. “He’s a hell of a competitor.” AFP

a winning opportunity in the 29th move. But Nakamura held him to a draw in 35 moves of a Queen’s Gambit Declined.

Playing black, So penetrated the backrank with a queen move to b2 in the 29th. He found an opening for an attack when Nakamura pushed his pawn to h4, instead of the better rook d4 move.

So made a series of checks later. So was on the way to victory but a repetition of moves by Nakamura forced a draw.

SSC Staglets, Lady Bulldogs rule Fr Martin Summer Cup THE National University Lady Bulldogs and the San Sebastian College Staglets held off separate rivals to win the women’s and junior division crowns of the 23rd Fr. Martin Cup Summer Basketball tournament.

Returning veteran Trixie Antiquera fired 18 points to lead the Lady Bulldogs to a 76-69 beating of the La Salle Lady Archers for the women’s plum at the MVP gymnasium of the San Beda College-Manila campus in Mendiola.

The Staglets, led by Adamson transferee Alex Desoyo and big man Damie Cuntapay, stood their ground and fended off the Letran Squires, 83-80, in the battle for the junior division honors.

It was the Lady Bulldogs’ second crown in three years in this cagefest which is supported by Armor On Sportswear.

The Lady Bulldogs leaned on a 9-0 run touched off by Ria Nabalan and Antquiera’s triple in the last three minutes to overtake the Lady Archers and move away, 39-34 at halftime.

Antiquera sank five of six treys during that period, and then gave way to the big plays of Nabalan and 6’4” Congo cager Rheena Itesi in the third quarter.

Nabalan made 16 points, including a drive in the last 35 seconds of the third that handed NU a 57-46 spread. NU finished the tournament with seven straight wins.

“We had to stop their shooters, lessen our errors and use our height advantage. The plan went well, And our small guys found openings to shoot,” said Lady Bulldogs coach Patrick Aquino.

Peter Atencio

BoI eyes Cars slot for jeepneys B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

B1

Govt freezes Manila airport offers

By Darwin G. Amojelar

T

HE Transportation Department put on the back burner the separate proposals of the SM-Tieng group and San Miguel Corp. to build a new international gateway in Manila.

“It’s still there. It’s still being considered. But it’s not immediate. It’s more of medium term.

They [DOTr] are still accepting these proposals but it has to take backseat for now,” Transportation Undersecretary for aviation Manuel Antonio Tamayo said.

Tamayo said the priority of the government was to improve the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Clark International Airport.

“In Clark, we are building new terminal because

you have everything. You have a long runway, you have taxiways, the ramps for parking. It’s fully instrumented. What you need is the passenger terminal,” Tamayo said.

Clark International Airport Corp. plans to build a P1.2-billion low-cost carrier passenger terminal designed by Aeroport De Paris of France.

The new facility can accommodate up to 15 million passengers annually.

San Miguel earlier proposed a $10-billion airport in Bulacan province, while All-Asia Resources and Reclamation Corp., a consortium led by tycoon Henry Sy and the Tieng family, plans to build an international gateway in Sangley, Cavite to replace Naia.

Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, an aviation think tank, earlier said a new airport for Manila was required, but the reality was it could take a decade before the new airport could open.

Capa said in the meantime, the government had

an opportunity to improve service levels further and increase capacity. Capa said runway capacity might increase through a transition into a single runway operation.

“Closing Naia’s smaller intersecting runway would improve air traffic management, similarly to the change Mumbai adopted in 2013,” Capa said.

There are currently 5,100 scheduled commercial weekly flights per week at Naia, according to OAG data. This equates to an average of 365 takeoffs and 365 landings per week. Movements are now capped at 40 per hour.

Naia accounts for nearly 90 percent of all domestic passengers in the Philippines and more than 80 percent of all international passengers.

The airport handled 39.5 million passengers in 2016, including 20.6 million domestic and 18.9 million international passengers.

PNR set to raise fares by P5 in July THE Philippine National Railways said it will increase passenger fares starting July 1 to support daily operations and cut losses.

“It has been more or less 20 years that PNR last increased its minimum rate and fare rate per kilometer and has thus become financially uncompetitive compared to bus and LRT fares per kilometer,” PNR said.

The state-run company said it was incurring substantial cash flow deficits from daily train operations.

“To remedy the situation, management has proposed that the minimum fare of PNR of P10 be increased [by P5] to P15 per passenger, and the fare structure be correspondingly increased from P0.71 centavos per kilometer to P1.07 per kilometer in order to reduce the company’s operating deficit,” the state-run company said.

This means that the fare from Tutuban to Calamba in Laguna increase to P60 from P40.

“We are only implementing a fare increase that has been long delayed for more than 20 years,” PNR general manager Junn Magno said.

Magno said the fare increase was expected to raise additional revenue for the maintenance of its existing rolling stock, tracks and operating stations.

PNR has 25 stations at Tutuban, Blumetritt, Laon Laan, Espana, Sta. Mesa, Pandacan, Paco, San Andres, Vito Cruz, Buendia, Pasay Road, Edsa, Nichols, FTI, Bicutan, Sucat, Alabang, Muntinlupa, San Pedro, Pacita Main Gate, Golden City 1, Binan, Sta. Rosa, Cabuyao and Mamatid. Darwin G. Amojelar

IN BRIEF BSP expects $28b in 2017 remittances THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is keeping a conservative 4-percent growth target for remittances this year, amid the improving trade and rosy outlook for the global economy.

Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said in a news briefing Friday that the 4-percent expansion would translate into $28 billion worth of remittances this year, from the record $26.9 billion registered in 2016.

Bangko Sentral reviews the growth target for remittances, alongside other economic data, twice yearly in May and November.

Remittances together with business process outsourcing receipts account for around $50 billion inflows annually and have been the source of the country’s strong external payments position. The $26.9-billion total value of remittances last year accounted for around 10 percent of GDP. Guinigundo said “global growth this year is seen at 3.5 percent, higher than the 3.1 percent in 2016.”

Latest data showed that money sent home by Filipinos working overseas increased 4.2 percent to $9.036 billion from $8.670 billion in the same four-month period last year. Julito G. Rada

ERC approves P1.7-b Atimonan power line

FIRST METRO REPORT. The First Metro Philippine Equity Exchange-Traded Fund, the country’s first and only exchange-traded fund, reports a net income of P19.92 million in 2016, a 138-percent increase from a net loss of P52.05 million in 2015. Assets under management stood at P864.61 million and stockholders’ equity was at P863.45 million in 2016. FMETF is a listed stock which is invested in the 30 stocks comprising the Philippine Stock Exchange index. Shown during the annual stocksholders meeting are (from left) FMETF independent director Romualdo Ong, president Eduardo Mendiola, chairman Eduardo Carreon and directors Winston Peckson and Michael Say.

THE Energy Regulatory Commission approved the application of Atimonan One Energy Inc. to construct a dedicated point-to-point facility to connect the 1,200-megawatt coal power plant in Quezon province to the New Pagbilao substation of National Grid Corp. of the Philippines.

The point-to-point facility will allow the plant to connect to the Luzon grid via the new substation.

The point-to-point connection involves the construction of a 23-kilometer transmission line that will cater directly to the coal plant.

ERC directed the company to pay the permit fee with the condition that National Grid will operate the facility and the facility shall be constructed and operated in accordance with the system requirement and solely used for the power plant.

Atimonan One is presently raising P100-billion financing from eight banks for the entire debt requirement of the 1,200-MW coal plant. The financing will be the biggest for the energy sector to date.

Atimonan One, controlled by Meralco PowerGen Corp., is also in the final stage of selecting an engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the plant, which will become the country’s first ultra supercritical power plant. Alena Mae S. Flores

Big shipment of imported rice arriving in July—NFA

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales lution so that we could immedi- to government counterparts, pri- rate requirement is currently at warehouses were adequate for 43 THE first tranche of 250,000 metric tons of imported rice is expected to arrive by the end of July to augment national stock, according to state-run National Food Authority.

NFA spokesperson Marietta Ablaza said in a text message the NFA was just waiting for the NFA Council resolution approval of the terms of reference for the importation.

“We are still waiting for reso-

ately publish the bidding,” said Ablaza.

The National Food Security Council earlier recommended the immediate importation of 250,000 MT of rice to beef up NFA’s buffer stocks for the lean season.

This year’s importation will be done through a government to private scheme to ensure that supply is adequate in the lean months of July to September.

Instead of limiting the bidders

vate suppliers from participating countries are now allowed to participate in the bidding, making the whole process covered by the Government Procurement Reform Act unlike the current G2G scheme.

The Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council requires the NFA to maintain a rice buffer stock good for 15 days at any given time and 30 days at the onset of the lean months.

The country’s daily consumption

32,720 metric tons or 654,600 bags.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that as of May 1, the country’s total rice stocks inventory was 3.21 million MT, or 12.9 percent lower than 3.69 million metric tons in the same period last year.

The total rice inventory last month would be sufficient for 95 days. Stocks held by households would be enough for 44 days, while those in commercial

days. Those in NFA depositories was only good for 8 days.

“Per council’s decision, NFA importation will arrive in tranches. The first tranche will arrive by end of July and the rest in August to September. We are stretching the NFA rice but priority is given to rice needs of DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development], PNRC [Philippine National Red Cross] and LGUs [local government units] during calamities,” said Ablaza.

Foreign debt drops 4.9% to $73.8b

By Julito G. Rada FOREIGN debt declined $3.8 billion or 4.9 percent to $73.8 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2017 from $77.6 billion a year ago, data from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas show.

Bangko Sentral said the decline in external debt was due to net principal repayments by both the public and private sectors, previous periods’ audit adjustments due to late reporting and negative foreign exchange revaluation adjustments.

External debt refers to all types of borrowings by Philippine residents from non-residents, following the residency criterion for international statistics.

Data showed that on a quarterly basis, foreign debt also went down by $958 million or 1.3 percent from $74.8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2016.

“The decline in the debt levels

during the first quarter resulted mainly from prior periods’ adjustments due to late reporting of principal payments; transfer of Philippine debt papers from non-residents to residents [$497 million]; and net principal repayments of $255 million,” Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said.

“The downward impact of these developments on the debt stock was partially offset by the positive foreign exchange revaluation adjustments [$466 million] as the Japanese yen strengthened against the US dollar,” he said.

Public sector external debt increased to $37.7 billion in the first quarter (or 51 percent of total debt stock) from $37.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2016.

This was due largely to net availments of $637 million, mainly by the national government ($583 million) and the Development Bank of the Philip-

pines ($251 million) and upward FX revaluation adjustments ($461 million).

These were partly mitigated by the $917 million decline in non-residents’ investments in debt papers issued offshore by the public sector. About $30.6 billion (81.3 percent of public sector obligations) were national government borrowings.

Private sector debt went down by $1.1 billion to $36.1 billion in the first quarter (49 percent of total) due to net repayments of $893 million and previous periods’ adjustments (negative $680 million).

Increased non-resident holdings of private sector debt papers issued offshore ($420 million) partially offset the downward pressures on private sector debt.

About $13.2 billion of these accounts were borrowings without BSP approval (including capital leases of $1.3 billion).

ENERGY SECURITY. The Duterte administration is working hard to provide Filipinos affordable,

reliable, secure and environmentally friendly power, the Department of Energy said in a report to Asean member nations. Presenting the report is Energy Undersecretary Cristino Posadas during the 16th Annual Meeting of the Regional Energy Policy and Planning–Sub-Sector Network at Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City.

B2

Business

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market expected to trade sideways

By Jenniffer B. Austria

T

HE stock market is expected to move sideways this week, as investors await the outcome of the policy meeting of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas following the recent decision by the US Federal Reserve to raise benchmark rates by 25 basis points.

“This will be the final meeting of outgoing BSP chief [Amando] Tetangco. However, consensus point towards an unchanged rate as May’s inflation settled lower at 3.1 percent. The same might prevail towards early

3Q, with crude futures trailing at the lowend,” 2TradeAsia.com said.

“Moving forward, BSP is seen to raise benchmark rates by at least 25 bps before the year ends, to keep pace with benchmark securities and expectations of improved demand in 2H [second half] that may support higher pricing,” it said.

BDO Unibank chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said he expected the index to continue to trade between 7,700 and 8,000 levels.

Immediate support and resistance are seen at 7,650 and 8,000 levels, respectively.

The PSE index, the 30-company benchmark, ended lower by 1.4 percent last week to close at 7,882.22 on June 16, while the all-share index fell 1.1 percent to 4,695.15, on profit taking activities after the US Fed raised its policy rate for the second time this year.

All subindices ended in the red led by property which dropped 1.9 percent, holding firms which declined 1.84 percent and financials which went down 1.3 percent.

Foreign investors remained net buyers last week, as overseas buying reached P39.15 billion while foreign selling amounted to P13.15 billion.

Average daily turnover jumped to P17.8 billion from the previous week’s average of P8.8 billion.

Top gainers last week were Philweb Corp. which climbed 8.2 percent to P11.10, Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc. which rose 4 percent to P5.95 and Wilcon Depot Inc. which advanced 3.5 percent to P6.82.

Heavy losers included Manila Water Co. Inc. which declined 8.5 percent to P30, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. which dipped 8.1 percent to P56.20 and Lopez Holdings

Bond issues for firms surge 440% to P107b BOND issuances at Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. surged 440 percent in the first five-and-a-half months to P107.28 billion from P9.18 billion a year ago, as more companies tapped the bond market to finance expansion plans.

PDEx chairman and chief executive Cesar Crisol said in a speech during the recent listing of the P4.18-billion long-term negotiable certificates of time deposits by Robinsons Bank that 2017 was expected to be a landmark year in terms of do-

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

JUNE 13-16, 2017 Close Volume

Value

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources China Bank Citystate Savings COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. First Abacus I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp.

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

4.17 50.25 122.00 105.00 3.95 1.33 37.1 9.99 16.2 27.65 8.28 0.66 1.72 840.00 0.740 85 1.02 15.46 26.00 67.00 88.05 110 238 56.2 222.2 1620.00 85.15 1.22

320,000 109,860 12,189,000 5,344,150 80,000 1,041,000 1,101,700 600 183,800 4,133,100 800 25,000 459,000 1,230 32,663,000 9,672,580 18,845,000 134,800 1,800 946,540 16,610 1,520 5,380 1,643,100 6,754,700 555 349,580 342,000

FINANCIAL 1,355,130.00 5,502,958.00 1,498,734,352 562,655,497.00 312,730.00 1,430,870.00 40,810,500.00 5,292.00 2,987,798.00 114,274,515.00 6,482 16,800 775,780.00 1,010,345.00 23,860,890.00 838,729,587.50 19,031,820.00 2,091,028.00 46,740.00 63,849,328.50 1,462,115.50 167,200.00 1,281,990.00 96,331,866 1,498,192,006.00 896,650 29,769,564.50 414,520.00

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Basic Energy Corp.

Bogo Medelin C. Azuc De Tarlac Cemex Holdings Century Food Chemphil Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Eagle Cement EEI Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) Euro-Med Lab First Gen Corp.

First Holdings ‘A’ Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp.

Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide MG Holdings Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phinma Energy Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Pilipinas Shell Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings San Miguel ‘Pure Foods `A’ SFA Semicon Shakeys Pizza SPC Power Corp.

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

38.5 8.13 0.82 1.52 29.6 0.270 114.9 14.22 7.29 17.92 165.2 24.15 80 78 2.05 5.34 11.68 12.160 15.58 9.91 6.95 6.10 1.72 19 70.55 14.80 13.70 12.7 1.730 217.00 64.00 4 3.6 25.90 30 18.96 19.26 0.250 262.60 6.63 3.25 9.70 5.94 10.68 1.95 9.50 70.7 6.65 4.50 2.04 5.13 304 2.52 13.5 5 0.147 1.37 164 4.05 2.09 35.50 1.09

7,022,800 8,765,000 1,284,000 13,533,000 911,700 40,370,000 270 17,000 13,042,300 13,960,700 100 4,119,100 3,130 10,870 1,216,000 619,400 14,500 18,265,100 13,077,700 5,953,000 6,753,100 97,442,500 17,000 18,784,000 179,150 398,400 1,131,900 14,664,600 2,818,000 1,904,940 1,180 585,000 188,000 100 12,919,500 20,203,700 4,740,200 64,310,000 10,112,880 126,000 598,000 41,252,400 3,151,100 15,400 4,637,000 4,843,600 23,132,770 1,757,200 229,000 81,000 2,250,300 83,160 11,767,000 2,719,700 184,900 3,830,000 594,000 6,306,130 108,000 22,924,000 2,700 316,000

INDUSTRIAL 271,145,265.00 70,286,490.00 1,053,170.00 20,755,350.00 27,514,610.00 10,936,200.00 31,130.00 242,876.00 95,121,091.00 118,732,843,907 16,526.00 98,436,335.00 251,321.50 819,333 2,495,540.00 3,204,747.00 170,474.00 222,571,876.00 204,363,348.00 59,181,450.00 47,291,270.00 596,820,767.00 29,370.00 352,391,892.00 12,738,838.50 5,984,426.00 15,621,822.00 183,373,628.00 4,861,320.00 409,886,672.00 77,782.50 2,436,310.00 657,440.00 2,590.00 402,421,295.00 399,787,584.00 91,695,680.00 17,295,500.00 2,623,865,980.00 835,096.00 1,973,760.00 401,882,742.00 17,655,694.00 164,030.00 9,034,980.00 46,122,171.00 1,633,134,144.50 11,633,452.00 1,035,620.00 173,740.00 12,053,744.00 24,965,288.00 30,115,720.00 36,765,982.00 922,738.00 566,800.00 807,320.00 1,022,992,706 440,180.00 47,772,130.00 96,265.00 343,980.00

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A’ ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp `A’ Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘A’ Filinvest Dev. Corp.

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Keppel Holdings `A’ Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Lopez Holdings Corp.

LT Group Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

MJCI Investments Inc. Pacifica `A’ Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion Republic Glass ‘A’ San Miguel Corp `A’ Seafront `A’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.375 73.55 14.14 1.17 6.55 0.345 0.340 850 8.1 14.42 6.17 7.65 0.204 1200 7.88 78.90 5.72 4.83 1.01 7.2 15.22 6.2 3.25 0.0530 0.910 2.020 2.60 106.00 2.74 775.00 1.41 0.86 306.000 0.2850 0.2170 0.244

14,500,000 5,726,480 26,298,900 310,000 2,230,500 8,760,000 420,000 1,392,360 6,764,600 55,175,400 3,000 28,500 390,000 2,293,155 222,000 7,590,340 141,000 2,000 12,373,000 39,983,100 8,268,000 118,719,800 23,000 148,710,000 422,000 611,000 46,000 621,460 190,000 1,933,820 784,000 103,000 160,370 2,200,000 1,110,000 360,000

HOLDING FIRMS 5,413,750.00 429,241,011.50 370,875,492.00 362,150.00 14,441,108.00 2,976,350.00 143,050.00 1,098,311,670 54,300,397.00 810,909,136.00 18,307.00 216,579.00 78,880.00 2,771,500,480.00 1,680,433.00 602,649,791.50 758,562.00 10,020.00 12,534,040.00 301,148,504.00 128,658,382.00 743,514,698.00 74,750.00 8,087,880.00 390,430.00 1,241,670.00 118,840.00 65,801,868.00 509,330.00 1,525,176,295.00 1,097,280.00 88,670.00 49,069,250.00 623,150.00 245,030.00 87,920.00

7,659,100 39,094,000 500 1,760,000 21,963,000 243,022,700 19,027,000 23,090,700 489,300 31,745,000 344,000 1,641,000 177,090,000 9,034,000 5,232,100 18,664,000 1,890,000 17,244,000 79,269,000 1,187,000 3,000 146,583,000 832,940,000

PROPERTY 45,891,149.00 57,236,530.00 3,400.00 4,517,740.00 26,455,090.00 9,976,061,685.00 75,727,060.00 125,317,114.00 2,592,375.00 16,303,800.00 382,460.00 2,406,860.00 31,520,390.00 4,627,870.00 254,854,665.00 13,107,380.00 296,140.00 28,613,950.00 94,067,710.00 1,160,230.00 12,440.00 658,630,490.00 360,574,150.00

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Anchor Land Holdings Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ CEB Landmasters Cebu Holdings Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Filinvest Land,Inc. Global-Estate Interport `A’ Keppel Properties Megaworld MRC Allied Ind.

6.000 1.45 6.80 2.580 1.190 41.150 4 5.37 5.29 0.520 1.09 1.480 0.181 0.520 46.9 0.700 0.156 1.65 1.24 0.99 4.15 4.41 0.410

JUNE 05-09, 2017 Close Volume

Value

4.7 50.05 123.80 105.90 3.92 1.48 37.4

1,680,000 504,510 7,863,840 8,313,450 161,000 1,819,000 1,602,900

7,773,910.00 25,139,422.00 977,003,552 877,654,163.00 626,050.00 2,799,330.00 59,932,470.00

16.3 27.3 7.81

315,100 9,474,100 8,000

5,128,138.00 260,797,340.00 62,239

1.7 795.00 0.700 86.8 0.96 15.5 25.00 68.50 90.5 109 238.4 61.15 221.6 1605.00 85.15 1.25

64,000 40 47,759,000 8,649,090 50,761,000 89,200 18,700 1,451,950 15,680 630 3,840 2,739,240 2,193,260 850 404,730 399,000

107,570.00 31,800.00 33,541,670.00 760,461,564.00 53,214,190.00 1,376,600.00 477,140.00 100,741,120.50 1,412,253.00 68,720.00 917,228.00 170,441,040 489,453,706.00 1,374,340 34,252,410.00 505,090.00

38.75 7.97 0.83 1.6 30.8 0.285 114.2 14.48 7.34 18.46 165.3 24.3 78.5 76 2.06 5.38 11.6 12.300 15.8 9.98 6.96 6.03 1.74 19 72.4 14.52 14.02 13 1.710 215.80 69.85 3.99 3.65 25.95 32.8 21.25 19.3

11,412,000 15,473,400 5,224,000 62,472,000 1,660,600 136,990,000 170 15,100 24,791,900 8,189,100 80 29,666,700 4,310 67,470 6,797,000 378,500 118,300 46,041,300 33,200,700 17,556,800 4,287,800 39,822,800 51,000 12,364,400 639,310 740,700 4,829,900 45,819,900 11,281,000 3,309,100 2,680 1,712,000 62,000 12,100 5,272,500 11,678,500 12,791,300

443,499,735.00 123,261,751.00 4,313,690.00 103,435,740.00 51,408,015.00 38,904,100.00 18,491.00 216,598.00 181,268,683.00 150,132,334 13,224.00 690,765,665.00 343,455.00 4,967,528 14,101,300.00 1,989,214.00 1,373,954.00 564,503,346.00 529,907,232.00 173,904,852.00 29,413,724.00 239,458,152.00 91,640.00 237,089,916.00 45,838,578.00 10,371,062.00 70,357,008.00 581,974,982.00 18,875,830.00 714,752,700.00 174,982.50 6,807,150.00 219,870.00 313,340.00 173,074,045.00 244,416,433.00 246,427,342.00

266.00 6.98 3.28 10.10 5.08 10.10 2.00 9.40 69.55 6.65 4.66 2.35 5.08 299 2.55 13.62 4.85 0.152 1.38 163.2 4.07 2.16 30.00 1.14

2,712,100 511,700 1,333,000 31,584,200 498,100 118,500 8,772,000 8,225,600 9,128,890 6,319,800 115,000 38,000 2,671,000 25,290 28,058,000 8,235,900 944,000 13,780,000 794,000 9,277,520 24,000 58,271,000 100 1,577,000

729,242,196.00 3,442,322.00 4,458,080.00 333,256,026.00 2,605,654.00 1,223,104.00 17,130,840.00 76,787,147.00 634,647,321.00 39,913,789.00 532,800.00 88,100.00 12,554,280.00 7,511,378.00 66,650,230.00 111,835,860.00 5,004,601.00 2,053,980.00 1,080,770.00 1,494,582,620 97,730.00 123,039,380.00 3,000.00 1,747,010.00

0.375 75.30 14.44 1.20 6.12 0.340 0.350 869 8.1 14.50 5.9 7.60 0.200 1198 7.40 80.00 4.95

16,000,000 12,909,160 52,840,900 884,000 514,500 25,570,000 2,580,000 2,096,790 10,212,800 79,373,500 3,700 290,400 3,460,000 1,053,240 142,200 6,550,380 10,900

6,026,750.00 964,101,248.50 772,699,462.00 1,054,620.00 3,210,456.00 8,822,550.00 925,950.00 1,842,453,435 83,450,561.00 1,138,840,284.00 21,830.00 2,208,362.00 705,360.00 1,274,584,435.00 1,024,777.00 530,517,945.00 54,588.00

1.03 7.59 16 6.19 3.25 0.0550 0.960 2.030

25,650,000 8,478,800 10,341,000 192,897,600 20,000 393,290,000 133,000 2,702,000

26,236,400.00 63,464,910.00 164,823,050.00 1,197,951,278.00 65,900.00 21,914,270.00 128,390.00 5,526,790.00

103.00 2.77 798.00 1.41 0.90 307.000 0.2800 0.2150 0.245

998,970 254,000 2,269,110 2,157,000 241,000 49,590 1,650,000 1,980,000 370,000

103,476,689.00 687,900.00 1,797,841,255.00 3,013,850.00 211,280.00 15,180,632.00 469,850.00 438,030.00 90,430.00

5.930 1.44 6.80 2.550 1.240 41.900 3.99 5.42 5.3 0.510 1.12 1.460 0.172 0.520 49.4 0.690 0.158 1.68 1.15 1.01 4.20 4.68 0.420

5,123,000 172,162,000 500 3,821,000 37,272,000 75,963,200 11,972,000 119,372,300 521,700 43,066,000 614,000 2,995,000 138,030,000 20,254,000 1,777,540 23,187,000 8,398,000 19,258,000 69,688,000 9,802,000 7,000 141,924,000 890,420,000

31,317,738.00 245,147,590.00 3,400.00 9,742,470.00 46,085,250.00 3,152,563,765.00 48,429,290.00 652,373,660.00 2,761,725.00 22,477,290.00 682,260.00 4,382,710.00 23,577,500.00 10,384,910.00 88,008,584.50 15,866,430.00 1,536,150.00 31,986,560.00 79,696,530.00 9,484,340.00 28,920.00 664,845,570.00 347,880,400.00

STOCKS

JUNE 13-16, 2017 Close Volume

JUNE 05-09, 2017 Close Volume

Value

Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’ Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp.

Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

0.3750 0.650 27.80 3.86 24.95 1.77 3.25 34.25 1.04 7.28 0.910 5.950

1,800,000 67,285,000 1,000 1,182,000 5,454,400 2,448,000 2,312,000 52,261,200 47,889,000 2,900 4,053,000 30,500,200

659,550.00 43,834,640.00 27,795.00 4,538,250.00 135,293,960.00 4,336,470.00 7,502,730.00 1,791,811,305.00 49,801,690.00 20,483.00 3,721,610.00 174,503,037.00

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Apollo Global Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Calata Corp.

Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ.

DFNN Inc. Discovery World Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Golden Haven Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ IPeople Inc. `A’ IPM Holdings Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones LBC Express Leisure & Resorts Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Broadcasting Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp.

SSI Group STI Holdings Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Wilcon Depot

25.7 43.45 1.77 0.500 0.043 11.3 5.66 9.36 0.0890 2.13 100.9 10 8.56 2.55 3.30 970 2156 6.16 15.90 13.20 2.89 102 3.41 12.66 8.89 0.185 1.3700 3.54 15.18 4.18 0.93 5.12 15.52 2.22 9.5 3.85 2.620 11.5 5.28 170.00 11.10 1900.00 0.395 1.590 45.00 87.95 6.10 3.37 1.280 3.06 0.970 6.820

6,873,800 144,900 2,485,000 5,922,000 56,140,000 17,900 27,200 71,390,900 649,060,000 10,842,000 1,450,880 2,000 176,300 27,000 4,000 760 955,925 1,712,400 158,700 4,500 2,468,000 33,766,570 150,000 17,600 1,330,500 10,870,000 740,000 900,000 61,500 6,818,000 203,000 9,658,000 4,500 584,000 76,987,700 46,355,000 10,749,000 29,300 48,900 405,400 8,953,300 3,304,395 3,710,000 179,568,000 7,212,500 4,903,740 1,597,600 85,438,000 110,969,000 16,182,000 113,169,000 63,462,000

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Benguet Corp `A’ Benguet Corp `B’ Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto `A’ Lepanto `B’ Manila Mining `A’ Manila Mining `B’ Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Omico Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A’ Oriental Pet. `B’ Petroenergy Res. Corp.

Philex `A’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A’ Semirara Corp.

TA Petroleum United Paragon

0.0030 1.64 5.09 14.68 2.1600 2.2500 0.87 0.390 9.25 2.400 0.300 0.181 0.193 0.011 0.0110 1.91 6.14 2.06 0.4900 0.9700 0.0100 0.0110 6.11 9.00 3.03 0.0120 159.90 2.8 0.0082

MINING & OIL 2,021,000,000 6,092,000.00 22,778,000 37,678,170.00 492,500 2,463,708.00 29,000 406,976.00 44,000 97,580.00 13,000 28,520.00 1,178,000 1,038,280.00 2,120,000 820,500.00 56,900 524,999.00 8,395,000 19,868,230.00 2,970,000 896,300.00 53,210,000 9,572,720.00 3,520,000 680,490.00 71,800,000 793,400.00 15,200,000 167,200.00 1,312,000 2,629,800.00 27,546,000 169,156,439.00 389,000 793,210.00 2,240,000 1,151,750.00 245,000 240,920.00 98,700,000 1,026,900.00 10,800,000 113,100.00 489,800 3,031,382.00 21,046,900 189,736,639.00 9,913,000 30,006,910.00 302,500,000 3,771,500.00 4,340,470 693,563,276.00 282,000 795,010.00 25,000,000 205,500.00

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Alco Preferred B Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ DD PREF First Gen F First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H SMC Preferred I

43.4 105.5 513 516.5 105 112.5 115.5 520 5.83 1009 1021 1.05 107.5 1040 1100 1012 104.5 114 77.8 80.95 76 80.45 81 79.3 77.5 78

197,800 120,690 2,420 30,280 39,120 550 880 2,340 1,870,100 1,410 4,075 390,000 18,600 2,160 2,785 52,065 5,240 80 1,370 400,870 66,060 60,550 232,310 210,200 161,500 410,490

LR Warrant

2.360

WARRANTS & BONDS 1,122,000 2,663,180.00

Italpinas Philab Holdings Xurpas

4.06 5.9 7.78

946,000 288,400 13,019,000

First Metro ETF

119.2

USD DMPL A1

10.48

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 19,800 2,375,871.00 DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 21,770 226,232.00

SERVICES 175,594,075.00 6,268,385.00 4,220,510.00 2,967,715.00 8,474,300.00 202,780.00 152,052 686,813,990.00 60,237,840.00 22,766,170.00 143,688,191.00 20,000.00 1,502,392.00 68,460 13,200.00 737,200.00 2,061,240,150 10,488,145.00 2,524,606.00 59,378 7,080,170.00 3,471,404,575.00 521,680 218,452.00 11,821,538.00 1,991,770.00 1,033,760.00 3,167,630.00 936,426.00 30,028,650 186,390.00 48,609,080.00 70,334 1,322,280.00 698,734,801.00 176,790,500.00 28,758,470.00 337,388.00 251,725 64,980,330.00 97,026,604.00 6,270,912,380.00 1,462,400.00 283,913,930.00 324,959,365.00 430,892,189.50 9,696,878.00 277,010,880.00 144,028,030.00 48,873,960.00 102,462,530.00 425,901,109.00

PREFERRED 8,600,420.00 12,746,160 1,233,305.00 15,533,640 4,124,865.00 61,575.00 101,640.00 1,155,200.00 10,906,922.00 1,421,890.00 4,157,875.00 411,450 1,996,860.00 2,230,800.00 3,063,610.00 52,590,530.00 547,610.00 9,120.00 106,763.00 32,858,883.50 5,112,344.00 4,871,625.50 18,855,174.50 16,346,431.00 12,603,485.00 32,047,450.00

SME 3,737,850.00 1,716,503.00 100,227,961.00

Value

0.3750 0.660 28.00 3.88 24.60 1.76 3.25 35.00 1.1 7.29 0.910 5.720

14,280,000 262,840,000 9,100 1,157,000 13,143,400 3,235,000 129,000 45,499,200 79,542,000 300 853,000 18,967,500

5,262,600.00 175,305,430.00 254,070.00 4,575,280.00 333,062,685.00 5,540,950.00 422,260.00 1,574,032,820.00 84,596,820.00 2,169.00 756,730.00 107,387,036.00

25.7 42.7 1.72 0.510 0.044 11.28 5.6 9.97 0.0920 2.11 99.15 10 8.74 2.3 3.30 970 2152 6.07 15.98

4,509,300 198,200 8,269,000 29,379,000 168,300,000 13,900 123,900 83,815,700 441,780,000 13,370,000 1,300,040 3,600 122,500 26,000 1,000 800 450,585 1,243,800 285,900

125,639,375.00 8,427,350.00 15,955,480.00 14,995,930.00 7,434,100.00 156,086.00 700,085 825,963,018.00 39,741,620.00 27,773,750.00 129,105,750.00 35,400.00 1,056,091.00 59,800 3,300.00 776,000.00 984,831,980 7,541,430.00 4,581,686.00

2.88 105.8 3.50 12.66 8.88 0.187 1.4500 3.6 16 4.56

12,756,000 19,447,040 238,000 10,000 1,735,300 80,030,000 4,186,000 2,180,000 26,700 13,898,000

36,059,280.00 2,007,369,415.00 818,590 126,600.00 15,426,273.00 15,283,270.00 6,031,340.00 7,955,860.00 435,762.00 60,363,410

4.70 15.70 2.45 9.35 3.70 2.790 11.52 5.30 168.00 10.26 1881.00 0.395 1.590 44.50 87.65 6.01 3.16 1.300 3.05 0.830 6.590

2,586,000 10,100 195,000 35,936,100 6,151,000 19,625,000 80,000 249,400 213,320 17,885,500 876,110 2,850,000 22,232,800 11,424,000 9,848,450 4,383,700 105,718,000 202,768,000 43,858,000 204,467,000 79,582,800

11,850,950.00 167,152 449,960.00 354,906,440.00 22,643,230.00 55,084,310.00 921,678.00 1,262,831 35,834,665.00 187,738,896.00 1,645,631,190.00 1,122,900.00 38,518,220.00 508,073,710.00 869,690,762.00 26,724,527.00 313,379,120.00 248,924,300.00 132,868,120.00 181,194,090.00 509,367,361.00

0.0032 1.70 5.00 15.98 2.2500 2.2700 0.92 0.390 9.43 2.340 0.300 0.184 0.198 0.011 0.0110 2.1 6.2 2 0.4250 0.9900 0.0100 0.0100 6.20 9.10 3.07 0.0130 160.50 2.86 0.0083

3,425,000,000 63,348,000 856,900 3,100 128,000 105,000 9,302,000 6,130,000 119,200 8,080,000 12,500,000 45,260,000 4,320,000 38,000,000 7,315,800 17,612,000 8,199,800 2,031,000 450,000 799,000 244,800,000 21,000,000 1,486,600 2,907,000 11,814,000 63,900,000 6,346,490 1,059,000 62,000,000

10,736,600.00 110,266,010.00 4,284,879.00 48,246.00 286,080.00 231,600.00 8,336,570.00 2,395,150.00 1,141,156.00 19,145,570.00 3,713,350.00 8,235,480.00 841,120.00 423,100.00 272,900.00 35,706,190.00 50,438,188.00 4,105,770.00 194,200.00 773,350.00 2,531,300.00 210,100.00 9,181,609.00 26,263,840.00 36,737,980.00 784,200.00 1,024,359,034.00 3,028,710.00 518,000.00

42.6 106 510 515 104.5 108.1 114 515 5.76 1007 1017 1.08 107.4 1035 1110 1012 104.5

163,000 32,270 4,700 34,720 72,690 10,310 11,080 500 1,088,800 6,805 6,660 2,339,000 130 5,475 2,080 8,645 3,520

6,899,705.00 3,414,740 2,407,320.00 17,879,620 7,630,025.00 1,115,870.00 1,267,472.00 257,500.00 6,300,710.00 6,847,365.00 6,786,735.00 2,563,810 14,052.00 5,688,000.00 2,307,720.00 8,763,410.00 368,340.00

77.6 82 77.4 80.5 81.15 79.4 78.15 79

4,490 421,070 194,590 43,810 48,460 16,650 292,780 136,960

347,259.00 34,577,646.00 15,003,063.00 3,522,886.50 3,925,641.00 1,291,568.50 22,905,735.00 10,742,796.50

2.390

3,639,000

8,484,370.00

4.03 5.97 7.88

4,305,000 658,900 10,164,100

17,053,600.00 3,959,041.00 81,440,254.00

120.7

82,320

10,015,098.00

10.24

3,590

37,431.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining MRC Allied Ind. Boulevard Holdings Philodrill Corp. `A’ Ayala Land `B’ Premium Leisure Crown Equities Inc. Pacifica `A’ Megaworld Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

VOLUME 2,021,000,000 832,940,000 649,060,000 302,500,000 243,022,700 179,568,000 177,090,000 148,710,000 146,583,000 118,719,800

STOCKS Century Food Ayala Land `B’ PLDT Common I.C.T.S.I. GT Capital Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Globe Telecom SM Prime Holdings Pilipinas Shell SM Investments Inc.

VALUE 118,732,843,907.00 9,976,061,685.00 6,270,912,380.00 3,471,404,575.00 2,771,500,480.00 2,623,865,980.00 2,061,240,150.00 1,791,811,305.00 1,633,134,144.50 1,525,176,295.00

mestic bond issuances, given the robust pipeline of bond listing.

Robinsons Bank’s P4.18billion LTNCTD listing was the 14th corporate issuance this year.

Crisol said the number of listing before end-June was expected to reach 16, matching the new listings in the whole of 2016.

“We have good reason to be optimistic that 2017 will be a landmark year domestic bond issuances,” Crisol said.

Among the companies that tapped the bond market in the first half were Megaworld Corp., Ayala Land Inc., San Miguel Corp., Ayala Corp. and STI Education Service Group.

Upcoming bond offerings include the P30-billion bond offering of Aboitiz Power Corp., the P9.7-billion bond offering of DoubleDragon Properties Inc. and the P20billion bond offering of Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc. Data showed that with Robinson Bank’s issuance, the combined outstanding securities of JG Group listed on PDEx reached P46.2 billion, representing 6.5 percent of the total corporate fixedincome issues in the registered market.

PDEx said it was expecting total bond issuances listed on the fixed-income exchange to reach P150 billion in 2017, despite possible rate increases.

Crisol said companies would likely continue to tap the bond market to fund their capital requirements for 2017 and refinance maturing obligations. Jenniffer B. Austria

MRC set to develop 1,000-MW projects

By Alena Mae S. Flores LISTED MRC Allied Inc. is diversifying into the energy sector and plans to develop at least 1,000 megawatts of clean and renewable energy over the next five years, an executive said over the weekend.

MRC Allied president Gladys Nalda said the power projects would require investments of about P80 billion to P100 billion over the five-year period.

“In line with our vision to be one of the major players in the Philippine power industry, we plan to develop at least 1,000 MW of clean and renewable energy by 2020.

For this year, an aggregate of 160 MW solar capacity is in our pipeline” Nalda said.

The newly-appointed executive said the move to diversify to energy sector was prompted by the growing power demand, increasing renewable energy capacity targets, opportunities to acquire power plants and the steady decline in the investment cost of renewable energy technologies.

She said the company was also studying investing in liquefied natural gas projects and acquiring “orphaned” power project or those that were not granted feed-in tariff and were being sold at a “huge discount.”

“To achieve this goal [of 1,000 MW], we will endeavor to raise funds either on our own or with strategic partners. We will aggressively explore all available options to raise capital and finance our RE projects,” Nalda said.

Business NEA seeking expanded powers

By Alena Mae S. Fores THE National Electrification Administration wants to expand its authority over all power distribution utilities, and not just electric cooperatives.

NEA administrator Edgardo Masongsong called on all electric cooperatives under the agency’s supervision to support the legislative agenda.

Masongsong in a statement asked the general managers of the electric cooperatives to help him lobby with Congress to widen NEA’s mandate by putting private investorsowned utilities and private distribution utilities under the agency’s charge as well.

“As National Electrification Authority, there should only be one authority to supervise all DUs whether you are electric cooperative or you are private,” he said during the 20th National Conference of the National Association of General Managers of Electric Cooperatives.

“Maybe we can do that especially (now) that we have a President who is pro-people, pro-electricity consumers.

Maybe this is the time for us to lobby that we will have one agency supervising all DUs,” Masongsong said.

The NEA official asked the electric cooperatives to endorse the re-filing of House Bill 6080, which seeks to modify the qualifications for, and create a screening committee in the election or appointment of their directors and officers.

President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed bill in July 2016 before Masongsong was appointed at the NEA. President Duterte in a latter dated July 20, 2016 to the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives, said he “considers the proposed amendments not necessary at this time.”

ERIC TINIO

GREEN LIGHT ACCORDING to former Vice President of the United States Al Gore, global warming is the observed and projected increase in the average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere and oceans.

It is a complex phenomenon, and its full-scale impacts are hard to predict far in advance.

It is bad because in the most likely scenarios, climate change would cause some kind of regional or continental disruption, like a major crop failure; this disruption would cascade through the world’s tightly connected economic and political systems to produce a global effect. It can cause an economically critical region to exhaust its water reserves. The severe weather events that occurred have had major effects on international politics, commodity markets and the stability of various regions. Millions of people have died or have been homeless and lost their livelihoods as results of these natural disasters.

Cause of global warming Global warming is caused by many things. The causes are split up into two groups, man-made and natural causes. One natural

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MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

BoI eyes Cars slot for jeepneys

By Othel V. Campos

T

HE Board of Investments may allow jeepney manufacturing to fill in the remaining third slot of the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy program, a move that will benefit Filipino companies.

Trade Undersecretary and BoI managing director Ceferino Rodolfo said the slot for jeepney manufacturing was possible after no other car maker followed the lead of Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. and Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. in registering under the CARS program.

Other car makers may have balked at the required produc-

tion volume of the government program.

“We have not closed the program yet. We’re still hoping that another car companies will give it a shot. If not, we might give the slot to the eco-public utility vehicle program,” Rodolfo said.

Th eco-PUV program is similar to CARS, as it also aims to provide quality travel experi-

ence, achieve a second motorization phase and modernize the country’s fleet of transportation vehicles.

The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. disagreed, saying the CARS program was solely for sedan production.

“I think the government should stick with the original plan. Come to think if it, it will probably be okay if the government will also subject the ecoPUV under the same terms and conditions as the automotive players like the investments required for manufacturing,” said Campi president Rommel Gutierrez.

He added a deviation from

the original concept would be a challenge for the sector.

Earlier, commercial and truck manufacturers have sought access to the CARS program but were denied registry by the BoI because the program was solely for four-wheeled sedans.

Meanwhile, the eco-PUV modernization program is a separate program that aims to standardize all jeepney units in the Philippines to be compliant with environmental sustainability measures and retire old units that are a major cause of pollution.

An inter-agency initiative under the eco-PUV program of Trade Department is in charge of the manufacturing solution the will include the design and

SSS sues 4 big taxi operators

CONVERGYS AWARD. Convergys

Philippines is recognized for its employee-driven CSR program, “Give A Bag of Hope Year 2,” at the 2017 PANAta Marketing Effectiveness Awards held in Makati City.

The PANAta Awards credits organizations that effectively use the power of communication to build business and further enhance the advocacy of the Philippine Association of National Advertisers. Displaying the award are (from left) Convergys brand marketing team senior manager Jan Alfred Sanchez, associate copywriter Jan Keanu Plantilla, supervisor AJ Avañez, and multimedia designer Darwin Cabieraat.

Global Warming and SGD Goal cause is the release of methane gas from arctic tundra and wetlands. Methane is a greenhouse gas. A greenhouse gas is a gas that traps heat in the earth’s atmosphere.

Another natural cause is that the earth goes through a cycle of climate change. Man-made causes probably do the most damage. Pollution is one of the biggest man-made problems.

Burning fossil fuels is one thing that causes pollution. Fossil fuels are those made of organic matter such as coal or oil. When fossil fuels are burned, they give off a greenhouse gas called CO2. Also mining coal and oil allows methane to escape. When you dig up the fossil fuels, you dig up the methane as well.

Another major man-made cause of global warming is population. More people mean more food, and more methods of transportation. That means more methane because there will be more burning of fossil fuels, and more agriculture. Another source of methane is manure. Another problem with the increasing pop-

the sourcing of components such as power train, body, interior and peripherals.

The Transportation, Finance and Environment Departments are responsible for the social engineering, financing and fuel efficiency aspects, respectively.

Rodolfo cited an agreement in the initial design of the vehicle, like specifications on capacity and the dimension in relation to the road.

“The initial specs will be implemented in two months. The standardization is an important aspect of the design since this will help manufacturers achieve economies of scale. We will soon accredit suppliers for the program,” he said.

ulation is transportation. More people mean more cars and more cars mean more pollution. The main cause of global warming is our treatment of nature. There are many evidences that support global warming.

Creating uncertainties Global warming creates uncertainties for the Philippine economy. The Philippines is known as one of the most hazard-prone countries in the world. Disasters brought upon by global warming derailed economic development of the country as funds are reallocated from ongoing programs to finance relief and reconstruction assistance.

Soaring food prices are one of the ill effects of global warming to the Philippine economy. Food price inflation severely stresses the most vulnerable groups. High food prices are undermining the gains of poverty reduction efforts in the Philippines and will make the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal (SGD) 1, No Poverty, difficult.

Food price inflation may have seriously eroded their purchasing

power, increasing the severity of food deprivation and malnutrition. These effects will worsen if the food price surge persists.

It is now a big challenge for the government to maintain a stable income for its people despite of price inflation. Through this, people will be able to supply their basic needs without severely compromising their budget.

Linking poverty In the case of the Philippines, linkages between poverty and vulnerability to natural hazards are clearly evident. Despite this, however, and despite government’s central objective to reduce poverty, efforts to reduce vulnerability to natural hazards are not systematically included as a central component of the government’s poverty reduction strategy.

To summarize, I believe the main challenge here is to reduce poverty. Poverty is still largely a rural phenomenon. Filipinos have high dependence on agriculture where productivity has been declining due to frequent flooding and storm devastation.

Population pressures and a

declining natural resource base have exacerbated these problems. To alleviate poverty, the Philippines has to not only overcome the effects brought upon global warming to its economy but also have sound policies to address global warming itself.

The signing of the landmark Paris Agreement on Climate Change

by President Rodrigo Duterte is a hopeful sign that we are willing to address what former Environment Secretary Gina Lopez called “the single greatest threat facing our planet.”

The author is an MBA student at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business. This essay is part of a journal he kept in fulfillment of the requirements of the course, Lasallian Business Leadership with Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics.

Visit his blog at https://erictinio. wordpress.com/.

The views expressed here are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty and administrators.

STATE-RUN Social Security System has filed criminal complaints worth P6.8 million against four Caloocan-based transport corporations for failure to remit the monthly contributions of their employees as the agency intensifies its Run After Contributions Evaders, or Operation Tokhang program.

SSS president Emmanuel Dooc warned the agency would continue to hunt down delinquent employers, saying the four corporations were just a few of the many companies who were not giving what was due to their workers based on the Law. “... We will make sure that our members get the right benefits according to their contributions so employers should remit promptly and religiously,” Dooc said in a statement over the weekend.

Over 60 taxi drivers earlier sought the assistance of SSS to file the complaints against the four companies allegedly run by a single family for deliberate failure to remit contributions of their employees.

The criminal complaints were filed against EPE Transport Inc., (owned/managed by Ernesto Enriquez, Elisa Enriquez, Evelyn Marcelo, Jose Marcelo, Elmer Enriquez, Iluminada Enriquez); JME Transport Inc., (owned by Romeo Enriquez, Rosalina Enriquez, Jason Enriquez, Feliz Fabros, Teresita Reyes); R&E Transport Inc., (owned by Romeo Enriquez, Ernesto Enriquez, Evelyn Marcel, Rodrigo Enriquez, Rose Marie Fong); and Nine Stars Transport Corp. (owned/managed Rodrigo Enriquez, Teresita Enriquez, Efren Enriquez, Renato Enriquez).

The Association of Genuine Labor Organization, which represents all employees of the transport companies led by Edgardo Acaso, said it was fighting for what was right and just for workers.

“We only want to get our benefits according to what is mandated by law which will only follow if our contributions deducted from our monthly pay is remitted by our companies...,” Acaso said in Filipino during the case filing. Julito G. Rada

Demonetization deadline stays—BSP

By Julito G. Rada

SM MEDICAL MISSION. SM Development Corp. employees volunteer for a medical mission organized by the SM Foundation in SM Marilao, Bulacan. SMDC encouraged its employees to devote their time to assist the patients in the medical mission held last month. The employees took charge of manning the registration table and ushering the patients to the different stations.

BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said there will be no more extension of the deadline for the demonetization of old banknotes belonging to the New Design Series circulating in the financial system.

Tetangco, who will end his second six-year term on July 2 and will be succeeded by Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr., said in an interview the June 30 deadline would be the last extension for the demonetization of old bills.

“There are no plans to extend the deadline of June 30,” Tetangco told reporters at the side-

Tetangco Jr.

lines of an event at the Bangko Sentral.

The regulator originally set Dec. 31, 2016 as the deadline for the demonetization of old banknotes. It extended deadline to March 31, 2017 in response to public clamor for a longer period

of exchange of old bills.

Bangko Sentral on March 27 again extended the deadline to June 30 as the 284 million NDS banknotes amounting to P19.2 billion as of end- February 2017 have not yet been replaced by New Generation Currency bills.

The old bills will lose their value and could no longer be replaced by the new banknotes once the deadline lapsed.

The New Design Series bills were launched in 1985 by the old central bank. The New Generation Currency bills, meanwhile, were ihntroduced by Bangko Sentral in January 2016, with more security features to avoid counterfeiting.

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

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MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

World

AT REST. A firefighter rests next to a fire combat truck during a wildfire in Penela, Coimbra, central Portugal, on June 18, 2017. The wildfire killed at least 25 people and injured 16 others, most of them burning to death in their cars, the government said on June 18, 2017. Several hundred firefighters and 160 vehicles were dispatched late on June 17 to tackle the blaze, which broke out in the afternoon in the municipality of Pedrogao Grande before spreading fast across several fronts. AFP

43 killed in forest fires in Portugal

PENELA, Portugal―Raging forest fires in central Portugal have killed at least 43 people, most of whom burned to death in their cars, and injured scores of others, the government said Sunday.

Nearly 600 firefighters and 160 vehicles were dispatched late Saturday to tackle the blaze, which broke out in the afternoon in the municipality of Pedrogao Grande, about 50 kilometers from Coimbra, before spreading fast across several fronts.

“Unfortunately this seems to be the greatest tragedy we have seen in recent years in terms of forest fires,” a visibly moved Prime Minister Antonio Costa said.

“The number of fatalities could still rise,” he said at the Civil Protection headquarters near Lisbon.

“The priority now is to save those people who could still be in danger.”

Portugal was sweltering under a severe heatwave Saturday, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in several regions.

Some 60 forest fires broke out across the country during the night, with around 1,700 firefighters battling to put them out.

Secretary of State for the Interior Jorge Gomes said 43 people burned to death, mostly trapped in their cars engulfed by flames in the Leiria region. At least 59 were injured.

The flames spread “with great violence”, moving out on four fronts, Gomes said. “It is difficult to say if they were fleeing the flames or were taken by surprise.”

Dry thunderstorms could have been the cause of the fatal blaze, according to the prime minister.

A number of villages were affected by the main fire and evacuation procedures had been put in place for some of them, Costa added. Officials were not immediately able to comment on the extent of the damage.

Spain dispatched two waterbombing planes on Sunday morning to aid the Portuguese fire service on the ground, Costa said.

He added a period of national mourning would be announced shortly.

“My thoughts are with the victims in Portugal,” EU commission head Jean-Claude Juncker tweeted. “I commend the bravery of the firefighters. EU civil protection mechanism activated & will help.” AFP

Iraqi forces attack Old City in Mosul MOSUL―Iraqi forces on Sunday launched an assault to retake Mosul’s Old City and push out the Islamic State group, three years after the jihadists seized the city and announced their “caliphate”.

“The army, counter-terrorism forces and federal police launched an attack on the Old City,” Staff Lieutenant General Abdulamir Yarallah said in a statement.

Staff Lieutenant General Abdulwahab al-Saadi, a senior commander with the Counter-Terrorism Service, confirmed the “start of the assault on the Old City”.

Iraqi forces backed by air strikes from a US-led coalition are pressing an offensive to retake the Old City on the west side of the city from the jihadists.

“The initial air strikes started at around midnight. The security forces started storming parts of the Old City at dawn,” an officer with Nineveh operations command said.

Machinegun fire crackled and plumes of smoke from missiles rose above the Old City.

But across the Tigris river, on Mosul’s east bank, life went on almost as usual as shoppers, students and workers pushed through traffic jams.

Taking back the Old City, a densely populated warren of narrow alleyways on the western side of Mosul, is crucial to recapturing the whole of the former IS bastion.

Iraqi forces launched the battle for Mosul in October, retaking the eastern part of the city in January and starting the operation for its western part the next month.

The United Nations said Friday that IS may be holding more

than 100,000 civilians as human shields in the Old City.

The UN refugee agency’s representative in Iraq Bruno Geddo said IS had been capturing civilians and forcing them into the Old City.

“More than 100,000 civilians may still be held in the Old City,” Geddo told reporters in Geneva.

“We know that ISIS moved them with them as they left... locations where the fighting was going on,” he said, using another acronym for IS. “These civilians are basically held as human shields in the Old City.”

With virtually no food, water or electricity left in the area, the civilians are “living in an increasingly worsening situation of penury and panic”, he said.

“They are surrounded by fighting on every side.”

Since the battle to retake Mosul began nine months ago, an estimated 862,000 people have been displaced from the city, although 195,000 have since returned, mainly to the liberated east of the city.

IS overran Mosul and swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014, declaring a self-styled “caliphate” over areas it ruled.

The fall of Mosul was the worst defeat that Iraqi forces suffered in the war with IS, and regaining it would cap a major turnaround for security forces, who broke and ran despite outnumbering the jihadists who attacked the second city in 2014.

The Iraqi security forces have since recaptured much of the territory seized by IS, including three cities, and have retaken most of Mosul, the fourth and largest. AFP

War for drug cartel leaves a trail of bodies in Mexico M

EXICO CITY― Since the infamous Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was extradited to the United States, a war has broken out for control of his Sinaloa cartel, leaving a growing trail of bodies.

SECOND ROUND OF ELECTIONS. A Catholic Sister picks up ballots at a polling station in Nantes, western France, during the second round of the French parliamentary elections (elections legislatives in French) on June 18, 2017. AFP

Another rally held over US shooting verdict MINNEAPOLIS―Minnesota activists held a second rally against police violence Saturday following 18 arrests during a night of protests after a policeman was acquitted over the shooting of a black motorist.

Protesters had blocked a major highway in the state capital of St. Paul early Saturday after Friday’s acquittal of Officer Jeronimo Yanez, 29, of all charges he faced in the shooting death of 32-year-old Philando Castile during a traffic stop.

Demonstrators held a smaller, more reflective rally and march Saturday evening “against injustice and to raise awareness that we will not stand for laws and policies that allow police to kill with impunity,” organizers wrote on the event’s Facebook page.

About 200 people turned out for that demonstration in Minneapolis―the state’s largest city that borders St. Paul―according to the Star Tribune newspaper.

Castile’s death was part of a series of high-profile shootings

of African-Americans by police.

Americans were stunned to see the video, livestreamed on Facebook, of his panicked girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, as blood spread on Castile’s shirt.

Yanez fired repeatedly at Castile, testifying later he though the man was reaching for a gun.

Reynolds said he was reaching for his wallet.

The verdict had sparked outrage among many in the St. Paul area. An estimated 1,500 people marched through the city, then

poured onto interstate highway I-94, shutting it down.

When some marchers ignored repeated police orders to disperse, state and local officers arrested 18 of them shortly after midnight, a state police spokesman said.

The Star Tribune said those arrested included two reporters for other Minnesota newspapers who were covering the march.

A police statement said the charges against the 18 included “being a pedestrian on the freeway.” AFP

At least three sides have been fighting each other for control of the multi-billion-dollar drug trafficking operation, experts say.

One group is led by Guzman’s right-hand man, Damaso Lopez Nunez, who knows the cartel’s operations inside-out and helped his extradited boss escape prison twice.

Another is led by two of the extradited kingpin’s sons, Jesus Alfredo and Ivan Archivaldo, who say they are the rightful heirs to his drug-running empire.

The third is led by Guzman’s brother Aureliano “El Guano” Guzman, who controls the area around their hometown, Badiraguato.

Since Guzman’s extradition in January, a bloodbath has engulfed Sinaloa, the western state where the cartel is based.

There have been 764 homicides in Sinaloa so far this year, the highest rate in six years, according to the security secretariat for the state of three million people.

“It’s terror. The word for what is happening in Sinaloa is generalized terror,” said Alejandro Sicairos, editor of local magazine Espejo.

“This hasn’t been the usual kind of shootout. They’re coming with everything they’ve got: high-caliber weapons, full arsenals, vehicle-mounted artillery.”

The trigger for the conflict appears to have been an armed raid on Guzman’s mother’s house in June 2016, according to another drug trafficking expert, Jose Reveles.

That incident―unconfirmed by authorities, but reported by Guzman’s lawyers―happened five months after “El Chapo” was re-arrested following a brazen escape from a maximum security prison in July 2015. AFP

LGUs

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

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The Official Festival of the City of Calamba in celebration of Dr. Jose Rizal’s Birth Anniversary

Mayor Justin Mar Marc SB. Chipeco and Mr Mrs. Laverne Castr Castro-Chipeco

An art painting competition depicting the many aspects of the hero’s life. Joined by amateur artists from all over Laguna, the following works won: First Place (P30,000) - “Rizal bilang Mason”

by Marben Correje Second Place (P20,000) - “Rizal bilang Guro “by Jose Benedict Hernandez Third Place (P10,000) - “Rizal bilang Atleta “by Gilbert Olaez

Selected Grade 5 students took part in a guided tour of the Museo ni Rizal sa Calamba and a storytelling session with the city’s elected officials about the five heroes from Calamba .

After the storytelling, the Mayor, Vice Mayor and councilors will ask questions about the story and give tokens to students who got the WHAT IS THE BUHAYANI FESTIVAL? correct answers. This way, students will have The Buhayani Festival, the official festival of the City of Calamba was the brainchild of Hon. a deeper understanding about the city’s rich Mayor Justin Marc SB. Chipeco during his first year as Mayor in 2013. Mayor Timmy wanted cultural and historical heritage. the city to have a festival that will best characterize its culture, progress and tourism potential. He wanted to capitalize on the city’s historical heritage as the birthplace of Philippine National Hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal. Thus, the Buhayani Festival was born.

The term “BUHAYANI” was coined by joining two Filipino words, “buhay” meaning life or the state of being alive and lively and “bayani” or hero. The festival’s tagline “Buhay ng Bayani, Buháy na Bayani” literally translates to “Life of the Hero”pertaining to the life of our famous kababayan, Dr. Jose Rizal and “Living Hero”which refers to the common man who has the capacity and potential to become everyday heroes in their own small ways.

71 teams from 29 different clubs and schools competed in 7 different categories in the 3rd Buhayani Football Cup held at the Jose Rizal Plaza last June 12. The whole-day activity was jam-packed with football competitions as each team vied for various awards. The field at the Jose Rizal Plaza was especially designed for sports disciplines like football and soccer as the city advocates healthy lifestyles thru sports and wellness activities.

“We want everyone who revere our kababayan, Dr. Jose Rizal to come to Calamba and join us in honouring him on his birthday and in celebrating the modern Rizal in us. We want to make our National Hero modern and relevant in today’s challenging times and we want to celebrate the spirit of heroism that lives in each Filipino, not just in us Calambeños,” Mayor Chipeco was quoted saying.

200 participants coming from as far as Marikina and Rizal Province came together on a rainy Saturday afternoon at the Jose Rizal Plaza to try their luck and skills in navigating a muddy and challenging 8-km track filled with jumps, steep hills and sharp turns. This activity, a prelude to the CalamBike 2017 was spearheaded by the Pepedals, an association of bike enthusiasts in the city.

Different activities were lined up for this year’s Buhayani Festival--Kuwentong Bayani for selected Grade 5 students, Talinong Rizal Quiz Bee, Buhayani Football Cup, Independence Day Job Fair, SayawIndak Street Dancing Competition, Marching Band Competition, Baile de Gala, Hawig Rizal (Rizal Look-a-Like), Buhayani Eye Care Mission and a whole lot more.

Highlighting this year’s celebration is the Morning Program wherein Philippine National Police Chief, Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa is the Guest of Honor and Speaker.

A special wreath-laying ceremony shall also commence at the Museo ni Rizal sa Calamba after a simultaneous floral offering at five different Rizal monuments around the city.

“Jose Rizal is not just the pride of Calamba, he is the pride of the entire country as he was the Greatest Malay to have lived. His works, teachings and ideals have inspired and will continue to inspire us as we strive to live up to his ideals of nationalism and love of country.

In the Buhayani Festival, we celebrate an ideal and an advocacy that through this festival, we can rekindle the fire of patriotism and heroism in the hearts of every Filipino. Come to Calamba--retrace history’s footsteps, rediscover the richness and uniqueness of our heritage, fire up our Filipino pride and be inspired to share and spread what you have experienced and be part of the force that will bring about a renewed love of country in every Filipino,” Mayor Chipeco challenged.

Eight (8) colleges and 25 high schools from Laguna competed in the Talinong Rizal Quiz Bee. Laguna College of Business and Arts reigned supreme as Champions in both categories with Cabuyao National HS and Calamba Science HS placing 2nd and 3rd respectively in the high school category and Asian Technological Center for Science and Arts and Lyceum of the Philippines earning the 2nd and 3rd places respectively in the college level.

A modern-day fiesta ball, the Baile de Gala brought us back to the times when families would gather at the liwasan for a night of dancing and kundiman. The Baile de Gala featured the Rigodon de Honor, a Spanish era marching dance participated by city officials and invited members of large families in the city. Senior citizens danced the night away with music provided by a live band.

With the theme, “”Kalayaan 2017: Pagbabagong Sama-samang Balikatin”, the City of Calamba joins the nation in celebrating our 119th Independence Day with Department of Budget and Management Secretary, Benjamin E. Diokno as Guest of Honor and Speaker. Following the Entrance of Colors, a short but meaningful History of the Philippine Flag and the Philippines’ First Independence Day was performed by the Calamba Bayside Special Program in the Arts Dance Troupe. The symbolic releasing of doves and balloons were led by Secretary Diokno, Mayor Justin Marc SB. Chipeco, Vice Mayor Ross Rizal and city councilors while the song “Bayan Ko” was poignantly being sung in the background. The Independence Day celebrations signalled the start of the week-long celebration of the 4th Buhayani Festival.

RONALD “BATO”M. DELA ROSA Police Director General Chief, PNP

An art painting competition depicting the many aspects of the hero’s life. Joined by amateur artists from all over Laguna, the following works won: First Place (P30,000) - “Rizal bilang Mason”

by Marben Correje Second Place (P20,000) - “Rizal bilang Guro “by Jose Benedict Hernandez Third Place (P10,000) - “Rizal bilang Atleta “by Gilbert Olaez

Selected Grade 5 students took part in a guided tour of the Museo ni Rizal sa Calamba and a storytelling session with the city’s elected officials about the five heroes from Calamba .

After the storytelling, the Mayor, Vice Mayor and councilors will ask questions about the story and give tokens to students who got the WHAT IS THE BUHAYANI FESTIVAL? correct answers. This way, students will have The Buhayani Festival, the official festival of the City of Calamba was the brainchild of Hon. a deeper understanding about the city’s rich Mayor Justin Marc SB. Chipeco during his first year as Mayor in 2013. Mayor Timmy wanted cultural and historical heritage. the city to have a festival that will best characterize its culture, progress and tourism potential. He wanted to capitalize on the city’s historical heritage as the birthplace of Philippine National Hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal. Thus, the Buhayani Festival was born.

The term “BUHAYANI” was coined by joining two Filipino words, “buhay” meaning life or the state of being alive and lively and “bayani” or hero. The festival’s tagline “Buhay ng Bayani, Buháy na Bayani” literally translates to “Life of the Hero”pertaining to the life of our famous kababayan, Dr. Jose Rizal and “Living Hero”which refers to the common man who has the capacity and potential to become everyday heroes in their own small ways.

71 teams from 29 different clubs and schools competed in 7 different categories in the 3rd Buhayani Football Cup held at the Jose Rizal Plaza last June 12. The whole-day activity was jam-packed with football competitions as each team vied for various awards. The field at the Jose Rizal Plaza was especially designed for sports disciplines like football and soccer as the city advocates healthy lifestyles thru sports and wellness activities.

“We want everyone who revere our kababayan, Dr. Jose Rizal to come to Calamba and join us in honouring him on his birthday and in celebrating the modern Rizal in us. We want to make our National Hero modern and relevant in today’s challenging times and we want to celebrate the spirit of heroism that lives in each Filipino, not just in us Calambeños,” Mayor Chipeco was quoted saying.

200 participants coming from as far as Marikina and Rizal Province came together on a rainy Saturday afternoon at the Jose Rizal Plaza to try their luck and skills in navigating a muddy and challenging 8-km track filled with jumps, steep hills and sharp turns. This activity, a prelude to the CalamBike 2017 was spearheaded by the Pepedals, an association of bike enthusiasts in the city.

Different activities were lined up for this year’s Buhayani Festival--Kuwentong Bayani for selected Grade 5 students, Talinong Rizal Quiz Bee, Buhayani Football Cup, Independence Day Job Fair, SayawIndak Street Dancing Competition, Marching Band Competition, Baile de Gala, Hawig Rizal (Rizal Look-a-Like), Buhayani Eye Care Mission and a whole lot more.

Highlighting this year’s celebration is the Morning Program wherein Philippine National Police Chief, Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa is the Guest of Honor and Speaker.

A special wreath-laying ceremony shall also commence at the Museo ni Rizal sa Calamba after a simultaneous floral offering at five different Rizal monuments around the city.

“Jose Rizal is not just the pride of Calamba, he is the pride of the entire country as he was the Greatest Malay to have lived. His works, teachings and ideals have inspired and will continue to inspire us as we strive to live up to his ideals of nationalism and love of country.

In the Buhayani Festival, we celebrate an ideal and an advocacy that through this festival, we can rekindle the fire of patriotism and heroism in the hearts of every Filipino. Come to Calamba--retrace history’s footsteps, rediscover the richness and uniqueness of our heritage, fire up our Filipino pride and be inspired to share and spread what you have experienced and be part of the force that will bring about a renewed love of country in every Filipino,” Mayor Chipeco challenged.

Eight (8) colleges and 25 high schools from Laguna competed in the Talinong Rizal Quiz Bee. Laguna College of Business and Arts reigned supreme as Champions in both categories with Cabuyao National HS and Calamba Science HS placing 2nd and 3rd respectively in the high school category and Asian Technological Center for Science and Arts and Lyceum of the Philippines earning the 2nd and 3rd places respectively in the college level.

A modern-day fiesta ball, the Baile de Gala brought us back to the times when families would gather at the liwasan for a night of dancing and kundiman. The Baile de Gala featured the Rigodon de Honor, a Spanish era marching dance participated by city officials and invited members of large families in the city. Senior citizens danced the night away with music provided by a live band.

With the theme, “”Kalayaan 2017: Pagbabagong Sama-samang Balikatin”, the City of Calamba joins the nation in celebrating our 119th Independence Day with Department of Budget and Management Secretary, Benjamin E. Diokno as Guest of Honor and Speaker. Following the Entrance of Colors, a short but meaningful History of the Philippine Flag and the Philippines’ First Independence Day was performed by the Calamba Bayside Special Program in the Arts Dance Troupe. The symbolic releasing of doves and balloons were led by Secretary Diokno, Mayor Justin Marc SB. Chipeco, Vice Mayor Ross Rizal and city councilors while the song “Bayan Ko” was poignantly being sung in the background. The Independence Day celebrations signalled the start of the week-long celebration of the 4th Buhayani Festival.

RONALD “BATO”M. DELA ROSA Police Director General Chief, PNP

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LGUs

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

Message of the Congressman

As a Calambeno and an avid admirer of our National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, I feel that I have in my own humble way, paid due homage to the greatest son of Calamba when during my term as Mayor of the City of Calamba, I have caused the construction of the 22-feet monument of Rizal in what is now known as the Jose Rizal Plaza. This towering statue is a testament to the city’s reverence to its foremost son who has exemplified the life of a true patriot through his life, his writings and later on, his death by firing squad.

Hon. JOAQUIN M. CHIPECO, JR.

I congratulate the City of Calamba as it leads the entire Filipino nation in celebrating the Birth Anniversary of our National Hero and in holding the 4th Buhayani Festival. Truly. the ideals and aspirations of Rizal live on in the blood and personas of every Calambeno who commits to achieving and continuing the growth and progress the city now enjoys. It is my hope that this fervor of nationalism be contagious and will spread over the entire country and may we be the “tiny spark from which a flame shall burst”.

Message of the City Mayor Our kababayan and the Greatest Calambeno ever to live, whose 156th Birth Anniversary is celebrated today, gives us this quote,”To foretell the destiny of a nation, it is necessary to open the book that tells of her past.”

On this day, we do three things--we look back to the past to learn her lessons, we work hard as we live in the now and we look forward with anticipation as we prepare for the future. The City of Calamba is guided by the lessons our National Hero has imparted unto us. When we started the Buhayani Festival, we dreamt of starting a revolution that is not unlike what Rizal fought for in his day--a revolution to awaken in every Filipino a renewed sense of citizenship, a rekindled love of country and a consciousness of patriotism and nationalism. That is the advocacy we are espousing-that as we celebrate Rizal’s birthday, we inspire each and every Filipino, each and every common man, each and every Juan to be a hero in his every day life, in his own little way and in doing so, we are creating a culture of nationalism that will start in the City of Calamba, the place where a man who gave his ultimate sacrifice in loving his country has been born,and eventually spread to the entire nation.

I enjoin every Filipino who has a genuine love for our country to join us in this revolution, to celebrate with us during the Buhayani Festival and to be an instrument of this worthwhile advocacy. Let us be the change that we want to see, let us be the modern-day Rizal who will inspire our own communities in working towards a better Philippines.

Ipagdiwang at ipagmalaki, dugong Calambeno, Bayaning Pilipino!

Hon. JUSTIN MARC SB. CHIPECO

Message of the City Vice Mayor The Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Calamba leads the nation in celebrating the 156th Birth Anniversary of our National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal which is simultaneously being held with the 4th Buhayani Festival of the premier city of growth, leisure and national pride.

As we reminisce the life and works of Rizal, we commit to live by his ideals and philosophies. His wisdom and boldness continually serve as our inspiration for leadership and selfless service. Further, as loyal public servants, we are committed to promoting Philippine culture. We continuously embrace the lessons of the past in orer to make contributions in creating a better nation.

The Sangguniang Panlungsod concurs with the statement of some theorists that “heroes aren’t born, heroes are made.” Hence, it is through the life testimony of Rizal that we are enthused to instill heroism and make “living heroes”. We steadfastly advocate genuine concern and patriotism for these are the sunlight and water needed to grow the seed of heroism.

As we hereby express our support to the afore cited social events, we encourage everyone, especially the youth to always look back, learn the lessons of the past, be inspired and dream for a better future.

Hon. ROSELLER H. RIZAL

“Let the ordinary you be extra ordinary; let the ordinary citizen be a hero in his or her own right.”

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

FOOD

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

D1

The Seafood Expert H

THE JOYCE OF EATING JOYCE BABE PAÑARES

EAD off to the buffet restaurant nearest you with all the salmon and tuna sashimi you can eat. Or, perhaps to that five-star hotel serving king crab, lobster, Chilean sea bass, halibut, and gindara. But, if you don’t feel like leaving the house, dial the delivery number of that fast food chain serving scallop and crab meat pizza.

All that bounty of the sea you can enjoy is from Mida Food Distributors, which offers the largest seafood selection in the country to over 1,000 clients ranging from casual grillers and fast food joints to premium fine-dining restaurants and high-end hotels.

“Our operation today is a testament to how the local seafood industry has evolved. The requirements of hotels and restaurants are growing and becoming more complex as the palate of Filipinos becomes more complex, too,” said Enrique Valles, Mida Food president and chief executive officer.

“We have come a long way from the parking lot of the ancestral house of my aunt Chingling (Mida Food managing director Chona Valles Tanco) in Singalong,” he added.

With a 20-year record of providing local and imported products to accommodate the diverse needs of its clients, Mida Food has become the go-to partner of most groceries and restaurants that offer seafood dishes on their menu.

“We listen to our customers – that is how we built our reputation. We are

quick to add a seafood line if necessary,” Valles said. The company, for example, had to start importing hamachi (yellowtail) after a celebrated Japanese omakase-style restaurant sought his help in ensuring a steady supply of the delicately flavored fish.

Buffet restaurants and fast food chains are Mida Food’s biggest clients in terms of volume, followed by hotel chains. As for products, Norwegian and Chilean salmon account for 30 percent of sales.

Mida Food currently has a cold storage facility in Pasig City and a processing plant in Malate. It has also partnered with two processing plants in Cebu and in Davao City.

“We are an ISO 9000-certified company. We have a quality control team that audits our plants and makes realtime inspection. We have also passed microbial content tests. If our product shows temperature abuse or discoloration, we throw them away,” Valles said.

Because of its strong position in the market, Mida Food also served as a key player in the lifting of the ban on the im-

Seafood dishes prepared by Chef Chele Gonzalez of Vask using Mida Food products: grilled tiger prawns with strawberry gazpacho, pan-fried halibut with pork ragout and crispy iberico strips, and seafood risotto.

portation of vannamei shrimp (suahe).

The ban was imposed after the shrimp industries in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Singapore, Myanmar, Brunei and Cambodia were hit by a virus that led to early mortality syndrome and other diseases.

“We knew that lifting the ban on the importation and culture of the shrimp would introduce further growth in the local shrimp aquaculture industry. As demand for shrimp grew, we started

legislating for the lifting of the ban. We won this case in the end,” he added.

Valles, who dreams of one day having a brick-and-mortar retail store, said he is bullish that Mida Food’s business operations will continue to grow.

“We are now looking for distributors in Visayas and Mindanao. That way, we can do business with a broader market. We have a 20 percent year-on-year growth, and we are about to hit the P1 billion mark in terms of sales this year,”

Valles said.

“Through research and development as well as client intimacy, we have gained a reputation in the market as a seafood expert,” he added.

(This column turns a year old tomorrow, June 20. The author is most grateful to all who took the time to read.

Happy eating, fellow explorers of food.)

For feedback, send comments to joyce.panares@gmail.com

BREW AND SIP

J.Co’s all-new premium affogato series IF THE terrible heat is any indication, we’re still in the extended and uncomfortable summer. With temperatures reaching close to third degree burn, the best we can do to stay cool and sane is to never leave the shower or stay in an airconditioned room. Fortunately, J.CO Donuts and Coffee is offering a new affogato series to help us beat the heat in a most delicious way.

A traditional affogato is a scoop of ice cream drowned in a shot of piping hot espresso. It is then either consumed as a mildly cold beverage or eaten like an espresso “soup.”

The innovative minds at J.CO, however, have built on the affogato concept and have come up with three different cooler variants to cater to three discerning tastes of their customers. Using beans sourced from the Sumatra and Sulawesi regions in Indonesia, each cup ensures quality, delicious flavor, and intense strength.

So, let J.CO’s new affogato series wake you up and cool you down at the same time.

Affogato blend just as well as they rhyme. J.CO has blended the smooth and creamy taste of avocado with its premium coffee blend and topped it off with a scoop of luscious chocolate ice cream which all come together to form a harmonious combination of distinct flavors.

Iced Jcoccino Affogato A rich, buttery scoop of milk chocolate ice cream makes this crowd favorite extra creamy, definitely a must-try for any coffee enthusiast looking for a quick cooling caffeine fix.

Iced Chocolate Affogato You can never have too much of a good thing.

Case in point: the chocolatey goodness of the Iced Chocolate Affogato, which is a sweet serving of chocolate milk topped with a heaping scoop of chocolate ice cream. Definitely a chocolate lover’s dream realized and made available in a cup.

The Affogato series is available in all J.CO Iced Cafe Avocado Affogato branches nationwide including, their new lifeThe rich and creamy flavors in the Avocado style cafe concept store in SM East Ortigas.

Beat the heat with J.CO’s new affogato series which includes (from left) Iced Cafe Avocado, Iced Chocolate, and Iced Jcoccino

The three chosen ‘Barista Favorites’ are recipes submitted by Starbucks baristas nationwide

Personalize your coffee and discover which suits you best STARBUCKS has been known to handcraft every beverage to fit your needs, with a level of personalization that creates the perfect customized beverage every time. It’s not unusual to find your Starbucks barista suggest ways on how to personalize your usual beverage from time to time. After all, it’s the best way to discover your next favorite beverage.

Starbucks baristas develop their artistry and passion for coffee on a daily basis. To showcase this creativity—the precision and art that goes into handcrafting every cup of coffee, Starbucks Philippines has encouraged their baristas to submit their original espresso-based beverage recipes.

A total of 22 beverage recipes were submitted from their districts and three chosen and featured online through the Starbucks Philippines Facebook page. The three “Barista Favorites” are Dark Chocolate Espresso Fusion, Iced Double Shot Vanilla Mocha, and Iced Spice White Chocolate Mocha Macchiato.

For those who love chocolate and coffee together, the Dark Chocolate Espresso Fusion, made by Cyndy Gangaramani, store manager of Starbucks Reserve 14 Jupiter, is a blend of

Dark Mocha and White Chocolate Mocha, mixed with milk and a shot of espresso and finished with a caramel drizzle on top.

Meanwhile, Richard Lim from Starbucks Plaza 100 Dela Rosa, Makati created the Iced Double Shot Vanilla Mocha. It is Iced Mocha with an extra shot of espresso, vanilla syrup, breve, no whip and brown sugar on top to give it crunch. This is perfect for stressful days.

Lastly, the Iced Spice White Chocolate Macchiato, handcrafted by Calvin Sanchez from Starbucks 9 Macapagal Blvd., is a combination of White Chocolate Mocha sauce and Irish Crème syrup, mixed with milk and finished with Ristretto shots. It is topped with foam and a dash of cinnamon powder for those who want a little excitement in their drinks.

The best thing about these three beverages is that they’re available all year round in any of your favorite Starbucks stores. So anytime you crave these special customized beverages, you can ask your favorite barista to whip it up.

Interested in learning more about the recipes for these three drinks? Visit the Starbucks Philippines Youtube Channel and Facebook Page.

D2

Life

T

The Maya legacy IN EVERY HOME

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

HE thing that will never go out of style is favorite dishes. Check your kitchen shelves and you’ll most likely find one of the household brands every Filipino home would always have – Maya.

The Culinary Pioneer For over 50 years, the Maya name has been known in every home. We grew up with it. The Maya brand will always be loved for its extensive line of cooking and baking mixes, which became the best helping hand for every Filipino home cook.

Liberty Flour Mills (LFM) was among the earliest flour milling companies in the country. LFM was committed to improve life through food and in 1962. The company became the pioneer in the production of the Maya mixes, which included wheat-based mixes, hotcake mixes, mamon, and doughnuts. Liberty Commodities Corporation (LCC), was then established in 1965 and took over distributing the products nationwide.

The Maya Bakeshop was also established as LFM’s research and development center as well as the baking school. Many aspiring cooks enrolled in Maya’s courses all for the fee of P50.00.

In 1980, the baking school then moved to a bigger location in Makati City and changed its name to the Maya Kitchen Culinary Arts Center.

The Maya Kitchen Culinary Arts Center inspired the development of many other cooking schools in the Philippines. With its intensive training program and superior culinary instruction by the most competent staff, the Maya Kitchen produced successful graduates who now man the kitchens of luxury cruise liners, and popular hotels and restaurants around the world. Owners of Goldilocks, Joni’s, Rolling Pin, Hizon, Swan and other notable and passionate personalities also spent time to hone their skills in the Maya Kitchen.

Life Changing Experience In 1974, the Maya Kitchen produced the Great Maya Cookfest with culinary icon, the late Nora Daza. A nation-

FIVE DECADES OF BAKED GOODNESS. The Maya name has been known and loved for its extensive line of cooking and baking mixes which became the best helping hand for every Filipino home cook.

Chef Jessie Sincioco got her start in the culinary world when she won the grand prize in the Great Maya Cookfest in 1983

wide cooking competition known as the country’s biggest and most prestigious cooking contest, the winners of the competition were given the opportunity to go abroad for a culinary exchange tour as culinary ambassadors of the Philippines, providing a platform for the Filipino culinary scene to further develop and become recognized overseas. Through the Great Maya Cookfest, lives were changed and careers were made just like that of multiawarded chef Jessie Sincioco.

Continuing the legacy through innovation It has been over 50 years since Maya started producing the mixes and recipes which made cooking and bak-

10 must-try Baskin-Robbins all-time favorites IF THERE is one thing that can make people instantly happy, it’s ice cream.

And, for more than two years in the Philippines, Baskin-Robbins has done just that: bring instant smiles to millions of Filipinos around the metro with so many exciting ice cream flavors.

With a wide variety of flavors for more than two years, we also can’t help but wonder: What are the top favorite ice-cream flavors of Filipinos? According to Baskin-Robbins Philippines, the best-selling ice cream flavors in their stores are: Jamoca Almond Fudge, Cotton Candy, Hokey Pokey, Pralines n’ Cream, Macadamia Nuts and Cream, Chocolate Trilogy, Chocolate Mousse Royale, Peanut Butter and Chocolate, Very Berry Strawberry and Mint Chocolate Chip.

Ice cream enthusiasts can’t seem to get enough of Bask in-Robbins unique flavors like Cotton Candy Wonderland which is a sweet blend of purple, pink and yellow cotton candy flavored iced cream sprinkled with crackling cotton candy flavored clusters, and Hokey Pokey, white chocolate flavored ice cream with crunchy honeycomb candy pieces and a caramel ribbon.

Local Baskin-Robbins lovers are also nuts over nutty flavors such as Pralines n’

Cotton Candy Wonderland

Cream, vanilla flavored ice cream with praline-coated pecan pieces and a caramel ribbon, and Macadamia Nuts and Cream which is vanilla flavored ice cream with roasted macadamia nuts.

Of course, when it comes to ice cream flavors, you can never go wrong with chocolate. Well-loved treats for chocoholics in Manila are Chocolate Trilogy, Chocolate Mousse Royal and Peanut Butter n’ Chocolate.

Pea-

n u t But-

Peanut Butter and Chocolate

ter n’ Chocolate is chocolate ice cream with a chunky peanut butter ribbon while Chocolate Mousse Royal is milk chocolate mousse ice cream sprinkled with chocolate flavored flakes. Chocolate Trilogy is a trio of chocolate fudge, white and Swiss chocolate flavored ice creams, loaded with chocolate chips and caramel covered pretzels.

Baskin-Robbins classic favorites are also timeless among Filipinos. They can’t seem to get enough of Very Berry Strawberry, made with real strawberries, and Mint Chocolate Chip, mint flavored ice cream loaded with chocolate chips. On the other hand, coffee lovers seem to be addicted to Jamoca Almond Fudge, Jamoca coffee ice cream with roasted almonds and a rich chocolate fudge ribbon.

Indeed, happiness is felt with each and every Baskin-Robbins ice cream flavor.

Satisfy your ice cream cravings at BaskinRobbins.

To know more about other BaskinRobbins premium ice cream flavors, log on to www.baskinrobbins.ph or check out their social media accounts: facebook.com/baskinrobbinsph, Twitter, and Instagram @ baskinrobbinsph.

Jamoca Almond Fudge

Hokey Pokey

ing convenient at home. Maya is also one of the first authors of Anvil and up to date has published over 30 textbooks and cookbooks with kitchen-tested, easy to follow recipes using ingredients that can be found locally.

Maya has consistently been committed to addressing changing needs, preferences and lifestyles. Always keeping the local palate in mind, and the rapid changes in a technologically-driven time, Maya takes the opportunity to make baking and cooking still a part of every household. Maya introduced the world’s very first oven toaster mixes.

No longer are you limited by baking in an oven. Baking is made easy, and you get to enjoy your favorite treats using an easy oven toaster.

With more people making a lifestyle change by eating healthier food, enjoying your favorite hotcake also became heart healthy thanks to Maya’s ThinkHeart Pancake mix which makes use of whole-wheat flour and muscovado sugar. The ThinkHeart Pancake Mix and Carrot Cake Mix are also the first and only locally produced whole wheat mixes in the country.

Maya has also produced the batch of New Gen Bakers, a group of young and passionate individuals who share their stories and tips through Maya’s online community for baking (www.newgenbaker.com). These cooking enthusiasts get to encourage others to rediscover baking, to make it a favorite pastime or even a business by sharing their own personal experiences while studying in the Maya Kitchen and the recipes they have developed themselves.

From then up to now, Maya keeps on making the experience of cooking and baking meaningful and easy-to-do for everyone. Take part in their basic baking classes, take cues from the culinary masters in the Culinary Elite Series, or buy a hotcake mix or two for a quick treat because with Maya making good food will never get old.

For more information on this and on other course offerings, log on to www. themayakitchen.com, e-mail contactus@themayakitchen.com, or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8F Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City. You may also call 892-1185 or 892-5011 local 108 or +63929-6796102.

Enjoy the taste of tequila in SIlver Margarita, made of Jose Cuervo Especial Silver

COCKTAIL TIPS

Jose Cuervo Especial Silver and Margarita ONE of Jose Cuervo’s greatest contributions to the world of alcohol is the Especial Silver. Crafted by the masters at La Rojeña, this clear and impeccable offering balances the subtleties of agave, fresh herbs, and caramel. It can be savored on its own, chilled or on the rocks, or as a mixer to a classic and pallet-pleasing cocktail.

Compadres, there’s no better way to truly savor the taste of Jose Cuervo’s world-famous Especial Silver than in a Margarita. For as long as tequila has been enjoyed, there has always been a few who have dared to extract its purity in order to take the agave flavor to new, uncharted places. No other drink, in the hundreds of years of tequila distillation has won as many hearts as the Margarita.

Its tradition dates back to the late 1930’s in a small speakeasy between Tijuana and Rosarito, Mexico where a bartender by the name of Carlos Herrera concocted the first glass for one of his regulars, a certain Marjorie King. Marjorie was a dancer, a very popular dancer and she was allergic to almost every form of alcohol, except for tequila. So, Carlos, obviously looking to impress this remarkably

beautiful woman, crafted a drink that not only fit her tastes but also embodied the characteristics that made her such a unique woman. And from there, the famous drink was born.

So, in the spirit of the Margarita, Jose Cuervo presents it’s Silver Margarita; a chance for people of all kinds to truly savor this icon drink at its purest by utilizing Especial Silver. Tequila at it’s purest and most potent form, Especial Silver is an unaged ‘blanco’ that contains over 51 percent Blue Agave.

Silver Margarita Ingredients: 2 parts Jose Cuervo Especial Silver 1 part fresh lime juice 1 part triple sec Ice Lime for garnish Salt for rim Directions: • In a shaker, add ice, Jose Cuervo Especial Silver, triple sec and fresh lime and shake well • Run lime wedge around the rim of the glass and dip salt into the glass.

• Add ice to the glass and strain in contents of the shaker.

• Serve

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

Inside stories of movies in

PIOLO

on working with

JUDY ANN ACCORDING to Piolo Pascual, he is just waiting for the next silver screen project he and Judy Ann Santos will star in next. Their last film together was Don’t Give Up on Us in 2006.

“Yes, it’s been 11 years,” PJ reflects. “Actually, I’ve always been very vocal about it. I’m just waiting for Juday’s availability---whenever she’s free to do another movie with me.”

The handsome actor acknowledges Juday’s importance to his evolution as a premiere male lead.

“That’s right! Among all my screen partners, it’s with her whom I learned a lot in further honing my craft. First and foremost, I started off with her.

As a love team, we did a lot of projects together both in the big and small screens.

“I really owe Juday a lot, considering how she levelled with me then. She made me feel comfortable on the set and unselfishly trained me. She has a big contribution during my building-up stage.

That’s one thing I’ll forever be grateful to her.”

Timing is what Piolo points out as the reason why it’s been a long time already since their last movie together.

“I cannot say that it’s because of Judy Ann. It’s because of the project. You just don’t jump into doing one instantly without careful planning. You wait for the right time. As an old adage goes, there’s a perfect time for everything, right?” he avers.

Reports have it that ABS-CBN bigwig Ms. Charo Santos has an exciting concept for their reunion film.

“Yes! She told me and Juday about it. Honestly, I’m excited. Keeping my fingers crossed that it pushes through. Of course, Juday has her concerns and there’s our conflicting schedules. I think those should be ironed out first.

“Before we make a comeback vehicle, it’s imperative that Juday and I sit down first and discuss all the angles. I think she made that clear and I agree. So I’m just waiting for that to be realized.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, things will happen at the right time so let’s just wait for it.

Over the years, the critically-acclaimed Kapamilya star is grateful that his friendship with Juday remains intact.

“Actually, nothing has changed between us. The two of us will always be friends. We don’t need to see or talk to each other often. What’s important is, the respect is always there. You need not cut ties just because both of you moved on to a different phase in your respective lives,” ends Piolo. ******** Randy Santiago admits his elation when he was tapped to be part of the grand ABS-CBN fantasydrama “La Luna Sangre” top-billed by Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla.

“Actually, I was very shocked when I received the call,” he says. “I asked them if they really want me since I’m more identified with comedy. Then I knew it will be with KathNiel and the project is to be directed by Ms. Cathy Garcia-Molina, I got nervous. It’s a grand presentation. But for sure, I’m simply flattered to be part of the show. Whatever I can contribute, I will give my 100%!”

In the story, he will breathe life to the character of Dok Sito, the father figure to Daniel’s character Tristan.

“That’s right! It’s a different challenge to play the part. I hope the viewers will like my portrayal.”

Speaking of Daniel, the actor-comedian-director has only good words for the popular matinee idol.

“It’s a fact that DJ is a competent actor. In this soap, he will show how versatile he is in attacking his character. But apart from that, he’s such a kind kid. I’m not surprised why he’s blessed.”

For his participation in “La Luna Sangre”, Randy had to give up his directorial task for GMA’s game show “Wowowin.”

“I asked permission from Kuya Wil (Willie Revillame) and he understood. He gave me his blessing. I left in a smooth-sailing fashion,” he states.

‘C1 BTS’

In it's latest episode, "C1 BTS" features LizQuen and KathNiel during Star Magic's anniversary show

C

and his crew in his first mainstream and Star Cinema film about the complexities of friendship after a very intimate relationship. Can We Still Be Friends starring Arci Munoz and Gerald Anderson is the must-see local film hitting the theaters this month.

C1 BTS also explores the process behind the toprating radio drama program, Dear MOR, to prove that video did not kill the radio star, and that radio is still alive and kicking.

Take an inside look at Star Magic as the segment “Behind the Scene” not only commemorates its 25th year big concert celebration, but also the philosophies behind the talent center that made it one of the most enduring forces in the showbiz world.

This new show also gets close to power couple Go behind the scenes with director Prime Cruz and directors Dan Villegas and Antoinette

INEMA One uncovers inside stories of the film Can We Still Be Friends?, Star Magic’s 25th anniversary, radio drama Dear MOR, and more in C1 BTS the newest entertainment magazine show featuring behind the scenes of today’s hottest movies, personalities, and events.

Make your selfies stand out JUST when netizens thought that selfies couldn’t get any better with top five premium global brand Vivo’s “perfect selfie” V5 line, along came the Vivo V5s—its newest and most impressive model yet. Touting superb camera features and advanced selfie tools, the V5s has cranked up the selfie game, posing a challenge to selfie enthusiasts out there: how do you make your selfies stand out from the legions that are posted in social media every day?

Here, the new Vivo V5s proves that the answer is as easy as heeding a few tips: Don’t try too hard. The best selfies are those that bare your natural beauty.

Are flirty eyes your best feature? Flaunt them! Got pouty full lips or perfect pearly whites? Show that killer smile. A bit of effortless styling won’t hurt, too.

Give your hair some bouncy curls and a spot of color on your cheeks and lips, then strike your most casual pose. The V5s’ 20-megapixel front camera with f2.0 aperture will capture all these in a crystal clear selfie.

Get “prettyfied.” Say good-bye to heavy filters and contrived beauty enhancements. Vivo V5s’ Face Beauty mode 6.0 gives your skin a soft, ‘I woke up this way’ glow that makes you look naturally fresh and radiant in your selfie.

After all, it works like a skincare tool that automatically detects one’s gender, applying beauty touches accordingly.

Through Face Beauty mode 6.0, females get a more delicate face contour while males get a more masculine look.

Go into the light. Feel free to capture that perfect selfie, whenever or wherever.

Vivo’s Selfie Softlight Technology, a

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, June 19, 2017

ACROSS 1 Referee, slangily 6 Org. for seniors 10 Silly 14 Expression 15 La — Tar Pits 16 Arab chief 17 Edgy 18 Apron parts 19 Equal to the task 20 Started a paragraph 22 In a hostile manner 23 Calendar square 24 Russian ballet company 26 Thought the same 30 Yellow fruits 32 Beseech 33 Be accepted (2 wds.)

34 Kitchen topper 36 Equinox mo.

37 Privilege 38 Say it’s false 39 Beagle feature 40 Film director Mervyn — 41 Wield an epee 42 Snoopiest 44 Weighed, as evidence 45 Type of cake 46 Hagen of “The

Other” 47 Posh 49 Arranging for 54 Bangs into 55 Rhyme maker 57 New York’s — Island 58 Helm position 59 Khayyam or Sharif 60 — Lee Masters 61 Frontier, once 62 Cuba, to Castro 63 Handle (2 wds.)

DOWN 1 Rigatoni kin 2 Paradise 3 Lash together 4 Thorny flower 5 Improved 6 Friar’s home 7 Needing rain 8 Civil War soldier 9 Pops 10 Minor cleric 11 Uncertain 12 Jam-pack 13 Deuce taker 21 A little bit 22 Turkey’s neighbor 24 Bates of “Misery” 25 Put one’s foot —— 26 Domed recess

Jadaone or “Dantoinette” in the segment “Be the Story.” Most known for their hugot films such as That Thing Called Tadhana, The Breakup Playlist, and English Only, Please, the couple indulges us with their history, method and dreams. As a bonus, the show turns the tables on them and exposes their hugot sides.

Hosted by Gio Gahol, the episode also features Gio’s Top 5 Pride Films honoring five queer movies in the local scene that promote LGBTQ pride.

C1 BTS airs Tuesdays, 7p.m, Saturdays, 2 a.m. and 12 p.m., and Sundays, 10 p.m…

Cinema One is available on Skycable Channel s56, Destiny Cable Analog 37, and Digital 57.

Like Cinema One on Facebook at facebook.com/ Cinema1channel to view full schedule.

27 Pick up 28 Depraved ones 29 Gourmandize 30 Fanatic 31 As of 33 Earliest 35 Applied henna 37 Clarinet need 38 Dict. entry 40 Piece of chain 41 Future husbands 43 Colorful time 44 Depot (abbr.)

46 Too-too

47 “Pygmalion” author 48 Deceitful cunning 49 Clap of thunder 50 Bump 51 “Bus Stop” author 52 Tidy 53 Pita sandwich 55 Luau dish 56 Mantra chants

feature in other V5 models, was given an enhanced night mode in the V5s.

The updated softlight creates lighting effects similar to those in a professional photography studio so you get crystal clear selfies—even at night.

Share those ‘perfect’ moments. Once in a while, chuck those selfies and celebrate milestones with fun ‘groufies’ that prove happiness is best shared with people you love. With the landscapepanning or panoramic effects of the V5s’ ‘groufie’ technology, no one is left out in group shots.

For inquiries about Vivo V5 Plus, visit the Vivo website at vivoglobal. ph, or check out their Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/VivoPhil), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ vivophil/) and Twitter (https://twitter. com/vivophil) accounts.

PERFECT SELFIE. Share perfect selfies with your special someone using the most impressive Vivo V5s smartphone and its high-end camera features

Dingdong Dantes

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

WHERE THE STARS ARE on INDEPENDENCE DAY I

NDEPENDENCE Day is traditionally a political celebration in many countries, including the Philippines.

AiAi delas Alas

Wacky Kiray

is Greatest Entertainer in

‘I Can Do That’ KAPAMILYA comedian Wacky Kiray impressed both the judges and viewers with his death-defying wire balancing act in ABS-CBN talent-variety show I Can Do That. He won the Greatest Entertainer title after getting the highest combined public text votes and judges scores on June 4.

Kiray wowed judges Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo and Boy Abunda as well as viewers nationwide with his heartpounding performance as he got a total score of 93.75 percent and took home P1 million.

Overwhelmed, Kiray got emotional as he thanked his family and the people who voted for him for their full support.

Meanwhile, hailed as the second placer was Cristine Reyes with a score of 83.09 percent with her blazing fire dancing act and won P300,000. Daniel Matsunaga, meanwhile, was third with his aerial pole act, hitting a score

Yet, the people in the local entertainment industry has become regular features in many celebrations especially after the country’s population regained democracy after years of martial rule.

Overseas, GMA Pinoy TV featured the stars of GMA Network in the 119th Philippine Independence Day celebrations (PIDC) across the world as GMA’s flagship international channel continues to fulfill its commitment of bringing Filipinos closer to home.

After a successful “Pista sa Nayon: Philippine Independence Day in Vallejo, California” held on June 3 at the Vallejo Waterfront in Mare Island Way, Vallejo, California, the Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera drove to Carson City, California on June 10 for another celebration organized by the Philippine Independence Day Foundation at the Veterans Park.

On June 10 and 11, Aiai de las Alas and Encantadia heartthrob Ruru Madrid topbilled the 2017 Tokyo Summer Festival, organized by the Luminaries Joint Group, at the Ueno Park in Tokyo, Japan. Madrid graced the show on June 10 while De las Alas performed on June 11.

GMA Pinoy TV made its presence felt in Europe as the exclusive media sponsor of the Philippine Independence Day Association’s

PIDC event at the Ergife Palace Hotel-OLIMPIA Via Aurelia, Roma on June 11; Filipino Anglo Club Manchester’s “Barrio Fiesta Manchester” on June 25; and the Birmingham Filipino-British Community Volunteers’ “Birmingham-Sandwells-West Midlands Fiesta Celebrations” at the Lightwoods Park, Bearwood, West Midlands on July 8 to 9.

Meanwhile, the celebration continue in Canada as Jennylyn Mercado and Boobay lead the biggest indoor Filipino fiesta in Ontario, “Pinoy Fiesta and Tradeshow sa Toronto” on June 24 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The whole-day festivities, organized by the Philippine Canadian Charitable Foundation (PCCF), will showcase various performances that promote Filipino culture.

Halfway across the globe, Rocco Nacino and Betong Sumaya are perform in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the “Philippine Independence Day in Jeddah” on June 30, which coincides with the Eid holiday. The event, led by the Kaagapay ng Bawat OFW group, also marks GMA Pinoy TV’s first participation as an exclusive media sponsor in Jeddah.

GMA Pinoy TV’s worldwide celebrations will culminate on Aug. 13 with the “Pinoy Fiesta Unang Hirit sa Tag-init” in Vancouver led by Glaiza de Castro. The event, organized by the Philippine Canadian Cultural Society, is the biggest Filipino cultural festival in British Columbia, which features various aspects of the Filipino culture and history.

The Vancouver City Council, in support of the Filipino community in the region, has officially proclaimed the second Sunday of August as “Filipino Fiesta Day”.

“By bringing the brightest Kapuso stars in these eventful festivities, GMA Pinoy TV not only provides world class entertainment, but also a means for our Kapuso abroad to reconnect with their kababayans and feel closer to home,” said GMA First Vice President and Head of International Operations Joseph T. Francia.

of 47.81 percent and and a P200,000-prize. Gab Valenciano who showed gracefulness in his ring man act was fourth and won P100,000 with the total score of 44.44 percent.

Viewers, meanwhile, did not miss the jaw-dropping performances of the iCandidates as more viewers tuned in to I Can Do That on June 3 as it recorded a national TV rating of 19.7 percent, beating Celebrity Bluff (12.9 percent according to data from Kantar Media.

Netizens were also impressed with the final performances of the iCandidates as they shared their support online, with the show’s official hashtags #iCanDoThatBattleForGreatness and #iCanDoThatTheGreatestEntertainer trending on Twitter and garnering thousands of tweets.

Marian Rivera

‘The Mountain Between Us’

in theaters

SOON

Idris Elba stars in a romantic drama about love, hope, and survival

Wacky Kiray receiving his P1 Million prize for emerging victor in the talent show for celebrity entertainers

20TH Century Fox reveals a glimpse of the breathtaking scenery in the inspiring survivor story of The Mountain Between Us with its trailer starring Oscar winner Kate Winslet and Golden Globe winner Idris Elba.

A thrilling, edge-of-your-seat film, The Mountain Between Us is by the masterful Oscar nominated filmmaker Hany AbuAssad (Paradise Now) is about a woman (Winslet), Alex, a journalist, and Ben (Elba), a neurosurgeon who both embark on a perilous, transformational journey,

despite the odds stacked firmly against them. Braving the elements in freezing temperatures, they have to use all their resources to stay alive.

At its heart, The Mountain Between Us is an inspiring exploration of selflessness, courage and humanity at its best.

It will open in theatres nationwide on Oct. 25 from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Trailer link: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=dWKkdQPZkkw