Manila Standard - 2017 July 20 - Thursday

VOL. XXXI • NO. 156 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Divergent ideas mark ‘tense’ gab at Palace

By Sandy Araneta PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte and militant leaders met in Malacañang Tuesday evening to discuss what some considered glaring differences on major issues—like stalled peace talks and martial law—with one attendee calling the meeting “somewhat tense.”

The two-hour meeting, only four days before the President would deliver the second State of the Nation Address of his sixyear presidency, was attended by leaders of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and other militant leaders from Mindanao.

They were joined by National Anti-Poverty Commission Convenor Liza Maza who helped arrange the meeting.

There was no immediate release or statement from Malacañang on the meeting.

Bayan secretary-general Next page

NEAR THE EVIDENCE. People stand next to the bullet-riddled vehicle where some members of the Presidential Security Group were on board, after they were ambushed by gunmen in Aracan, North Cotabato Wednesday. President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to end peace talks with communist rebels after suspected guerrillas wounded four of his military bodyguards in the ambush. AFP

Backchannel talks with Reds scuttled Duterte blasts NPA hit on pres’l security detail

By John Paolo Bencito and Francisco Tuyay

T

HE government called off backchannel talks with communist rebels Wednesday after members of the New People’s Army attacked President Rodrigo Duterte’s security detail in North Cotabato, wounding five soldiers.

“I am announcing the cancel- rope due to recent developments lation of backchannel talks with involving attacks done by the the CPP/NPA/NDF originally set NPAs,” said Presidential Adviser Next page within the next few days in Eu-

New law puts casinos under AMLC ambit ‘TENSE’ MEETING. President Rodrigo Duterte shakes hands with former Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares during a meeting with militant leaders Tuesday—with one attendee describing the discussion as ‘somewhat tense’—at the Presidential Hall of Malacañang. Presidential Photo

Du30 warns of more extremist attacks

By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte warned Congress of more attacks

by Islamic State-inspired extremists in Mindanao in the coming days as he sought to justify an extension of martial law over the entire island.

In his July 18 letter to Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III

and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Duterte sought a martial law extension of five months to deal with extremist groups such as the Maute group, the Abu Sayyaf, Ansarul Khilafah Philippines and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, which are still capable of violent attacks in Mindanao.

“Validated reports disclose that Hapilon and the Mautes have

sent an operational fund to ASG sub-leader Furuji Indama in order to launch attacks in Basilan, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos City and Zamboanga City,” Duterte said, referring to Abu Sayyaf head Isnilon Hapilon, who was appointed as the “emir” in Southeast

TWO lawmakers on Tuesday filed a bill that seeks to regulate and set clear the requirements, guidelines and standards for the operation of transportation network companies.

Reps. Karlo Nograles of Davao City and Jericho Nograles of the Puwersa ng Bayaning Next page

THE Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption on Wednesday urged the Office of the Ombudsman to reconsider the filing of 44 counts of reckless imprudence resulting in homi-

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte recently enacted into law a bill that puts casinos under money laundering monitoring in a bid to curb illicit financial transactions, Malacañang said Wednesday.

Signed by the President on

July 14, the law amends the AntiMoney Laundering Act of 2001 to include casinos under the coverage of the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

The move to monitor large transactions at casinos came after proceeds from an $81-million theft were funneled through several gambling establishments last Next page year.

Next page

Bill to solve ‘Charge Aquino Grab, Uber with grave raps’ Rio N. Araja issue filed By and Rey E. Requejo

By Maricel V. Cruz and Darwin G. Amojelar

By John Paolo Bencito and Macon R. Araneta

cide against former President Benigno Aquino III as well as ex-police chief Alan Purisima and former Special Action Force commander Getulio Napeñas.

In a motion, VACC Next page

MARAWI BRIEFING. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana ar-

rives at the Senate Wednesday to attend a closed-door security briefing with senators at the Senate. Security officials briefed lawmakers on the current situation in Marawi City, under siege

by Maute terrorists since May 23. Lino Santos

PRIZED SELFIE. President Duterte poses for a photo Tuesday with

Moro National Liberation Front Chairman Nur Misuari and his wife Tarhata after the meeting between the MNLF and the government’s Implementing Panels at the Presidential Hall in Malacañang.

Presidential Photo

‘Ilocos 6’ eyes amparo writ

By Rey E. Requejo

the constitutional rights of the socalled “Ilocos Six” who have been ILOCOS Norte Gov. Imee Marcos detained by the House of Repreand six other Ilocos Norte officials sentatives for more than a month. have asked the Supreme Court to Lawyer Vicentito Lazo, one issue a writ of amparo to protect Next page

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THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Institutions score well in poll M

By John Paolo Bencito and Maricel V. Cruz

ANY Filipinos remain satisfied with the “good” performance of key government institutions a year after the Duterte administration took power, according to the results of the latest Social Weather Stations survey.

The Senate outdid all the other government institutions in the poll despite a one-grade drop from the previous quarter.

Two House leaders, meanwhile, said Wednesday the rising approval and trust ratings of Pres-

Albright says the world is a mess

FORMER US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on Wednesday urged democracies to stand together saying “the world is a mess” due to ultra-nationalism, terrorism and uneven growth.

Albright, who helped blaze a trail for women in government, said the world was in “desperate need” of leaders who could inspire a “common sense of purpose” even after elections.

“The simple summary of my speech is: The world is a mess,” Albright told an audience of businessmen, diplomats and government officials at the ANC Leadership Forum.

“We will do best if democratic nations stand together.”

Albright said she thought the world was moving towards greater cooperation when she left public office.

“It seems we were too optimistic,” she said.

As Washington’s top envoy, Albright pushed for the inclusion of former Soviet republics in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. She was also the first secretary of state to visit North Korea.

“As during the Cold War, we will do best if nations work together combining our strength,” she said.

Albright rued the humanitarian cost of the battle against Islamic State jihadists in the Middle East.

“We have to prepare for what comes next,” she said.

She said nationalism could be “dangerous,” adding “People are feel left out, that they have to argue against the elite.”

A growing wave of nationalism is creeping around the world as shown by Britain’s decision to leave the European Union and US President Donald Trump’s election victory against one of Albright’s successors, Hillary Clinton.

Albright said she was “very troubled” with Trump’s “America First” policy, describing it as “counterproductive in so many ways, limits the aspects how we can help solve a different number of problems.”

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of the counsels for Marcos and the Ilocos Six, said the Supreme Court should not allow itself to be bullied by the lawmakers, who had earlier threatened to issue a show-cause order against three Court of Appeals justices who had ruled that the detained officials must be released immediately.

“Under the rules of the Supreme Court, the writ of amparo should be issued immediately if, upon its face, there is a ground for its issuance,” Lazo said.

“Unfortunately, the justice in charge and two others have inhibited from the case, so no action has been taken on our petition.”

The writ of amparo is a remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty and security is violated or threatened with a violation by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity. ‘‘But where else would aggrieved Filipinos turn to if not the Supreme Court as the bastion of people’s rights and defender of the rule of law?” Lazo said.

“My clients worry that with this delay, they will continue to languish in detention. Where else can they get relief? Their right to liberty has already been trampled upon. Our prayer is for the Supreme Court to issue the writ of amparo immediately.”

The Ilocos Six have also asked the high court to stop the House inquiry into the purchase of P66.45 million worth of motor vehicles using funds from the tobacco excise tax.

ident Rodrigo Duterte indicated he still enjoyed an overwhelming support from the public.

“The results only prove that the Duterte administration remains resolute despite various controversies,” Rep. Robert Ace Bar-

bers said on the latest Pulse Asia survey results.

Rep. LRay Villafuerte said Duterte’s high public approval and satisfaction ratings were proof of his tough and nontraditional style of governance.

“Despite all the noise and the stinging attacks against President Duterte’s style of governance and his strongly worded policy statements and speeches, an overwhelming majority of Filipinos appreciate and approve of his unique brand of decisive leadership,” Villafuerte said.

The Second Quarter 2017 Social Weather Survey, conducted among 1,200 respondents, showed that 64 percent of those polled were satisfied with the Senate’s perfor-

mance, while 15 percent said they were dissatisfied with it.

The net satisfaction with the upper chamber was at a “good” +49, which is one grade down and three points below the “very good” +52 rating in March.

As for Duterte’s cabinet, 52 percent of those polled said they were satisfied and 18 percent were dissatisfied, yielding a “good” +34 net satisfaction rating that was two points above the “good” +32 in March.

Some 53 percent were satisfied and 20 percent were dissatisfied with the House of Representatives, which logged a “good” +34 net satisfaction rating or a five-point drop from +39 in March.

Finally, the Supreme Court suffered a two-point decline in the second quarter with a net satisfaction rating of a “good” +38 from +40 in March, with 55 percent of those polled satisfied and 17 percent dissatisfied.

The latest survey, conducted from June 23 to 26, had sampling error margins of ±3 percent for the national percentages.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said the survey showed that the members of Duterte’s Cabinet “follows after the work ethic of the Chief Executive: Proactive, hard-working and compassionate towards the disadvantaged and marginalized.” waging Asia’s longest-running insurgency, called on its armed wing on Tuesday to launch offensives in response to Duterte’s plan to put Mindanao under martial law until the end of the year.

A 60-day martial rule is now in force on Mindanao as part of the military campaign in Marawi, but the Duterte administration said Tuesday it needed more time to accomplish the mission.

The communist insurgency that began in 1968 and which the military says is now mostly waged in Mindanao has claimed an estimated 30,000 lives.

The rebels have been in off-andon peace talks with the government since Duterte, a self-described socialist, was elected last year.

Both sides declared unilateral ceasefires, but these did not last.

In a separate incident, NPA rebels shot dead 2 Marines at close range while they were at a market in Roxas town in Palawan.

Capt Cheryl Tindog, spokesperson of the AFP’s Western Command based in Puerto Princesa, said the two unarmed Marine personnel who were in civilian attire were at a wet market in Bgy. Magara, Roxas town when suspected NPA members shot at the soldiers.

“They were not in uniform, they were unarmed,” Tindog said. With AFP

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kan-Bukidnon-Davao del Norte, the PSG spokesperson said.

“When our second vehicle noticed that they were not real soldiers, our troops opened fire on them until it became an encounter,” he added.

In his meeting with members of the government peace panel, led

by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III late Tuesday night, Duterte ordered for a suspension of the fifth round of talks with the communists, which would supposedly resume by August.

“During their meeting held at Malacañang Palace, the President directed the government panel negotiating with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines [NDFP] not to resume formal peace talks unless the Reds agree to stop their attacks against government troops in Mindanao,” the Palace said in a statement Wednesday morning.

Dureza said the resumption of formal talks would depend on the rebel group’s commitment to follow certain guidelines for a possible ceasefire deal with government— including the suspension of operations against the military and the police and stopping all their extortion activities.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella urged the Communist Party of the Philippines and NPA rebels to fight on the side of the gov-

ernment against terrorists, despite Duterte’s call for martial law extension.

“To show that the CPP/NPA/ [NDFP] is truly in pursuit of peaceful coexistence, they must stand against a common enemy, regardless of martial law extension,” Abella said.

“It is time for the CPP/NPA/ NDFP to reciprocate the [government’s] gestures of goodwill by ending their extortion and criminal activities and re-directing their energy to help eradicate terrorism and violent extremism in Mindanao,” he added.

The CPP earlier urged the NPA to continue to strengthen itself nationwide by “carrying out armed counter-actions and offensives across the country” in opposition to Duterte’s plan to extend martial law in Mindanao up to Dec. 31, saying it will lead to more human rights abuses.

“This will result in worse military and police abuses,” the CPP said. “It will prolong the restrictions against civil and political freedom and aggravate violations of people’s democratic rights.”

The latest communist attack came as government forces on Mindanao fought Islamic State group-inspired militants who have been holed up in Marawi since May 23.

The communist party, which is

Du30...

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sion until the end of the year to allow government troops to deal with the crisis “unhampered by deadlines.”

Under the Constitution, only Congress can revoke or extend any declaration of martial law while review powers are with the Supreme Court.

In the same letter, Duterte cited as an example videos recovered from a safe house, which was previously occupied by ISIS-inspired terrorists, that “validate their intention to establish a wilayat in Marawi City and other areas of Mindanao through simultaneous armed public uprisings against the duly constituted authorities.”

Despite the government’s ongoing crackdown, the President said that the support structures of these groups in various parts of Mindanao and other areas have yet to be destroyed, as top leaders, including the foreign terrorist Mahmud bin Ahmad remain at large.

Only 12 of the more than 200 ordered arrested were apprehended during the 60-day implementation of martial law, the President added.

The entry of high-powered firearms and military-grade weapons, including rocket-propelled grenades and a large supply of ammunition still remains as a hindrance for the military to crush these rebel groups, Duterte said, adding that some private armed groups and

supporters had extended help to them by providing them reinforcement and financial help.

Foreign fighters, including 20 recently identified Indonesians who joined the battle in Marawi City, and the Malaysian fugitive Mahmud bin Ahmad who reportedly planned and financed the attack in Marawi still remain at large, Duterte said.

He also cited the entry of illegal drugs in Mindanao, which is financing the ongoing siege in the country’s south.

Some two months after the siege in Marawi City started, terrorist groups still remain in control of some four barangays, “Indeed, the crisis in Marawi City has introduced a newly evolving type of urban warfare—one that is characterized by the rebels’ total disregard for civilian lives, cruelty to combatants and non-combatants alike, and widespread looting and pillaging of occupied communities,” said Duterte.

“This type of urban warfare has caused a significant number of casualties on both sides and a huge destruction of property, both public and private, more importantly, the house-to-house firefights have slowed down the advance of government forces and their mopping up operations,” he added. With Rey E. Requejo, Sara Susanne Fabunan, Rio N. Araja with PNA

Bill...

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TNCs should manage their operation as well as provide the LTFRB guidelines on how to deal with the TNCs so as not to sacrifice the riding public’s welfare.

The bill, also known as the Transportation Network Service Act, seeks to institutionalize the TNCs as an alternative mode of public transport.

It also seeks to provide regulations for the operation of transportation network services “to ensure that the paramount interest of the public is protected and conserved, while encouraging free enterprise and economic development.”

Jericho Nograles said HB 6009 is timely.

“It is about time we pass a law regulating the TNCs because this is a concept that is completely new in the country’s transport sector and the general rules governing public conveyances is not fully applicable,” he said.

The congressman said TNCs thrive in many urban centers because of the safety and convenience they provide.

Under the proposal, transportation network companies and drivers (TNDs) are declared as common carriers for purposes of determining the liability and degree of diligence that must be observed in the course of transportation network services, and the presumption of negligence in case of breach of contract of carriage shall likewise apply to them.

As a common carrier, the TNCs are required to secure a permit from the LTFRB upon compliance with the pertinent requirements and in turn, the TNCs shall be required to exercise the diligence of ensuring that all their so-called driver-partners would comply with all the requirements and obligations set by law.

Grab on Wednesday said it is still in investment mode contrary to the claim of the LTFRB that they are earning P150 million a month.

“Grab will begin to aim for profit, but that time is not now, and it will never take advantage of our drivers or passengers,” Grab said.

the Sona [on Monday] and that the people must persevere in the fight for genuine change.”

According to Reyes, the President was bent on extending martial law, which he imposed in Mindanao following the siege on Marawi City by the Maute terrorist group in May. Reyes said: “We have consistently opposed it. He [Duterte] said it was not intended to target the Left. The Mindanao activists said that was not

reality on the ground. They related how martial law is being used to militarize communities and attack lumad schools.

“Several communities have been displaced as a result. Lumad leaders showed the President pictures and other documentation.”

On the issue of the stalled peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, the President echoed the line of his security cluster that there should first be a

on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza.

“The situation on the ground necessary to provide the desired enabling environment for the conduct of peace negotiations are still not present up to this time,” he added.

Dureza earlier said that Duterte approved backchannel talks after meeting with some leftist leaders and the government peace panel Tuesday night in Malacañang.

But early Wednesday, NPA rebels fired upon a two-vehicle convoy bringing along 10 members of the Presidential Security Group en route to Cagayan de Oro City at a fake checkpoint placed by rebels, PSG spokesman Col. Mike Aquino said.

Brig. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, deputy commander of the Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command said there were no fatalities on the side of the PSG men but five men were wounded in the ensuing firefight.

“There were men saying they were with Task Force Davao conducting a spot checkpoint. We know that this move is used by the NPA— pretending they are soldiers,” Aquino said.

NPA rebels posed as members of Task Force Davao and were wearing military uniforms when they were spotted at the tri-boundary of Ara-

Asia and brothers Omarkhayam and Abdullah Maute, who were still at large.

“Hapilon has also directed the remnants of the AKP to conduct IED bombings in vital areas in Mindanao, including Lanao del Norte. The ASG includes several areas in ARMM as its stronghold, and has in the past operated in areas within Region IX, its kidnap-forransom activities cover Sulu, Zamboanga del Norte and Tawi-Tawi,” he said, as he pointed out the incidents where the Abu Sayyaf killed its hostages in Sulu and Basilan.

Duterte said that several reports consistently indicate that “these local terrorist groups are pursuing offensive actions and conspiring to attain their overall objective of establishing a wilayat or caliphate in Mindanao.”

Duterte, who placed the entire island of Mindanao under martial law on May 23 after Islamist extremists laid siege in Marawi City, is set to call Congress for a special session on Saturday, July 22 to consider his proposal.

Duterte will also face both chambers of Congress on July 24, or two days after his second State of the Nation Address.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said Duterte asked an exten-

Atleta (PBA) party-list filed House Bill 6009 in a bid to end the impasse between the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and Uber and Grab.

The two lawmakers was promoted to file the bill in light of decision of the LTFRB to suspend thousands of Uber and Grab vehicles.

“This is a classic case of a clash between what is good and what is legal. Obviously, a lot of people patronize Uber and Grab because of our horrible public transport system but at the same time the LTFRB must exercise its mandate to ensure that all public conveyances should possess a franchise to operate.

This issue would be addressed by our proposed law on TNCs,” Karlo Nograles, chairman of the House committee on appropriations, said.

He said enacting a law that will govern the operations of TNCs would clear the air as to how the

Divergent...

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Renato Reyes Jr., in a statement after the meeting, said unlike previous meetings between the two sides, “the atmosphere was somewhat tense, more serious and revealed glaring differences on major issues.”

Reyes added: “After the meeting, it was clear why there should be nationwide mass protests during

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Under the amended law, casinos must now report to the central bank’s Anti-Money Laundering Council all transactions exceeding P5 million.

The law authorizes the council to obtain court orders freezing these funds for up to six months if it is suspected they were “in any way related to an unlawful activity.”

Funds proven in a court trial to be related to crime will be forfeited to the state.

The Philippines passed its first anti-money laundering law in 2001 to avoid being blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force, a group of countries dedicated to keeping the international financial system off-limits to criminals.

The task force had since been calling on Manila to expand the institutions required to report suspicious transactions, in line with other task force members.

The original law only covered banks, trust entities, insurance companies, investment houses, securities dealers, moneychangers and money remittance firms.

Hackers stole $81 million from a US account of the Bangladesh central bank last year.

Xiamen to host Tan's new property

By Macon Ramos-Araneta XIAMEN―The first six-star hotel to rise in this Chinese city soon is being built by Chinese-Filipino tycoon Lucio Tan who came from a poor family in Jinjiang in Fujian, China, but later established a business empire in the Philippines.

The 83-year-old Tan, the chairman of Philippine Airlines, has consistently made it to the list of Forbes’ billionaires. He also has interests in PMFTC Inc., Asia Brewery Inc., Tanduay Distillers Inc., Philippine National BankAllied Bank and Eton Properties Co Ltd. Terence Yeung, Eton executive deputy general manager and board secretary, told the visiting Filipino journalists here that Tan’s luxury hotel would be the first of its kind in Xiamen, which has one of the world’s great natural harbors in Yundang Bay. The hotel will rise in Xiamen’s prime waterfront parcel of land facing Gulangyu Island, the recently declared Unesco World Cultural Heritage Site. It is expected to be finished by the end of 2018.

Tan went to the Philippines at the age of four. He went back to China when his father got ill but returned when he was 11. He has invested in tobacco, brewery, banking, aviation, real estate development and other industries in the Philippines and China.

Yeung, a provincemate of Tan, said the tycoon’s investments alone in Eton Center had reached P14 billion. He said the investment included a posh residential and commercial building that would house a luxury hotel, a shopping arcade and an office tower.

Tan has also developed real estate properties in Xiamen, Shanghai Pudong, Beijing and Dalian.

Yeung said Tan could be considered the “pioneer builder” of Xamien, having achieved several “firsts” since he began his investments in the city.

“Mr. Tan has the vision,” said Yeung. He said Tan was also the first to establish the International Club with affiliates in about 300 international clubs including the Tower Club in the Philippines.

He said Tan had also introduced in Xiamen in 2013 the first fully furnished rooms in his condominium, the Xiamen Residence.

The most luxurious residential apartment in the city, Yeung said, comprised eight blocks and 13 semidetached villas. He said it was being leased and not sold to clients so Eton could ensure that its quality would be maintained.

He said some of their overseas clients or tenants were Siemens, Panasonic and General Electric.

Yeung said Tan could also be credited for his “solo” concept of leasing out tiny rooms measuring from 5 sq m to 15 sq m for young professionals. He said the rooms were intended to allow young professionals to start their own businesses.

“The Eton name has since been a byword in Xiamen and is associated with luxury and exclusiveness,” Yeung said.

founding chairman Dante Jimenez said Ombudsman Conchita CarpioMorales ignored jurisprudence when she absolved Aquino of homicide raps despite a Senate committee report, counter-affidavits and witness’ testimonies showing he had personal knowledge of the illfated covert operation to neutralize the terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan in Mamasapano.

“The negligence of former President Aquino is the proximate cause of the deaths of the SAF 44,” the motion for reconsideration said, referring to the 44 police commandos who died in the Mamasapano raid.

“The President failed to prevent then suspended police director-general Purisima from violating Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code, Usurpation of Authority or Official Function, and as commander-in-chief, [is] ultimately responsible for the incident.”

The kin of the 44 Mamasapano

victims accompanied Jimenez and VACC lawyer Ferdinand Topacio in the filing of the motion with the Ombudsman.

“Finding of probable cause needs only to rest on evidence showing that more likely than not a crime has been committed... Probable cause need not be based on clear and convincing evidence of guilt, neither on evidence establishing guilt beyond reasonable doubt and definitely, not on evidence establishing absolute certainty of guilt,” the motion said.

Morales earlier ordered the filing of criminal charges against Aquino for his culpability in the Mamasapano massacre, but limited these to usurpation of authority and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. According to Topacio, the charges were not commensurate to the lives of the 44 SAF members who were killed in a botched operation to go after Marwan in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25, 2015.

prolonged ceasefire before there could be any talk of reforms.

“We reiterated our position that the peace talks must continue because it is in the interest of the people and that the surest way to achieve peace is through socio-economic and political reforms. It appears that the fate of the talks and the people’s desire for a just peace will again be held hostage by the ceasefire issue,” Reyes said.

According to Reyes, the President

gave no commitment on the issue of militarization of communities, saying this was a reality in the civil war.

“For our part, a condition of extended martial law can only mean that military abuses and attacks will increase,” said Reyes.

While there remain openings and agreements in principle on several issues, these will still require firm government commitment and militant struggle by the people, he said.

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THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF DoLE lists gains in Du30’s first year MORE than P2.68 billion in collective bargaining benefits and other monetary gains were awarded to 57,127 workers in the first year of the Duterte administration.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the department also addressed the labor concerns of thousands of overseas Filipino workers, particularly those who were victims of abuses and illegal recruitment.

Bello said that the labor department has settled 34,698 cases since July last year.

“Alternative dispute resolution is our strategy to ensure speedy delivery of labor justice. We are relentless in having a lasting atmosphere of industrial peace and harmony through fast settlement of labor disputes,” Bello said.

Among the top labor disputes settled include Kepco SPC Power Corp. which netted a P130 million economic package for its 96 workers.

A total of 34,220 out of 48,669 cases handled were settled through the Single Entry Approach, which benefited 45,874 workers from the highest monetary gains of P1.311 billion. Vito Barcelo

‘Funeral’ benefits increased FUNERAL benefits for private and government workers will be increased after President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Orders directing its implementation.

On Wednesday, Duterte signed Executive Order No. 33 which said that employees in the private and public sectors will now receive higher funeral benefits under the Employees’ Compensation Program, from the current P20,000 to P30,000.

ECP implementor, Employees’ Compensation Commission, and ECP administrators, the Social Security System for the private sector and the Government Service Insurance System for the public sector, were directed to appropriate and release the amounts necessary to cover the increase in benefits.

The increases will be allotted from the reserves of the State Insurance Fund that the SSS and GSIS administer under the ECP. John Paolo Bencito

PH will have 18 holidays in 2018 FILIPINOS can now plan ahead for eighteen red-letter days for next year after Malacañang on Wednesday released the list of holidays and special non-working days for 2018.

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed Proclamation No. 269, declaring 10 regular holidays and eight special nonworking days for next year.

The regular holidays declared are: New Year’s Day - January 1 (Monday), Maundy Thursday March 29, Good Friday - March 30, Araw ng Kagitingan - April 9 (Monday), Labor Day - May 1 (Tuesday), Independence Day - June 12 (Tuesday), National Heroes Day - August 27 (Last Monday of August), Bonifacio Day - November 30 (Friday), Christmas Day - December 25 (Tuesday) and Rizal Day - December 30 (Sunday).

Also declared as Special (non-working) days are: Chinese New Year - February 16 (Friday), Edsa People Power Revolution Anniversary - February 25 (Sunday), Black Saturday March 31, Ninoy Aquino Day - August 21 (Tuesday).

All Saints Day - November 1 (Thursday) and Last Day of the Year - December 31 (Monday).

Two additional special holidays are All Souls’ Day, November 2 (Friday) and Christmas Eve, December 24 (Monday).

The extra holidays were declared to “strengthen family ties” in commemorating such activities as well as promote domestic tourism. John Paolo Bencito

SYMBOLIC PROTEST. Organization of workers in private, public, agricultural, informal, transport, health, education, migrants, women and youth sector hold a symbolic action

at the historic footbridge of Mendiola in Manila to condemn the extension of martial law in Mindanao, which is being sought by President Duterte. The group also condemned the continuing war on drugs. Norman Cruz

CA tells govt to reclaim Makati City property

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE Court of Appeals has sustained its earlier decision last January allowing the government to regain possession of over 2.9 hectare “Mile Long” properties in Makati City from Sunvar Realty Development Corp.

In its decision, the CA’s Former Fifth Division through Associate Justice Jose Reyes, Jr. junked the motion for partial reconsideration filed by Sunvar seeking the reversal of its January 26, 2017 decision, which dismissed its petition for injunction filed before the Regional Trial Court of Makati City, Branch 59, for lack of jurisdiction.

“In this case, we adhere to our earlier finding that the RTC of Makati City, Branch 59 has no jurisdiction to take cognizance of the petition for injunction to enjoin the implementation and

execution of the decision of the MeTC [Metropolitan Trial Court] of Makati City, Branch 61,” the appellate court said.

On June 10, 2015, Makati City MeTC, Brach 61, granted the complaint for ejectment filed by the government against Sunvar and ordered the latter to vacate the 2.9-hectare property located between De La Rosa and Arnaiz Streets and parallel to Amorsolo Street in Legazpi Village.

The MeTC also directed Sunvar to pay the government back rentals as of May 2015 amounting to P478.2 million

with monthly rental of P3.2 million beginning June 2015 until it vacates the premises.

However, Sunvar filed a petition for injunction before the Makati RTC Branch 59 which has immediate jurisdiction over the case despite the government’s opposition.

The government elevated the issue before the CA after the Makati RTC denied its petition seeking the dismissal of its petition for injunction filed by Sunvar.

The government insisted that the Makati RTC should have dismissed Sunvar’s petition on the ground of forum shopping.

It can be recalled that aside from the preliminary injunction petition filed before the Makati RTC Branch 59 (Civil Case No. 15759), Sunvar also filed an appeal with Makati RTC Branch 141 of the MeTC decision docketed as Civil Case No. 15-958.

After a motion to consolidate was granted, Makati RTC Branch 59 took cognizance of both cases.

Subsequently, Makati Branch 59 issued a joint decision on May

7, 2016 dismissing the petition for injunction and disposed Civil Case 15-958 by ruling to set aside the June 10, 2015 decision and to refer the said case to arbitration pursuant to the agreement of the parties as embodied in their contract.

In upholding its January 2017 decision, the CA insisted that Makati RTC Branch 59 has no jurisdiction over the two cases.

It noted that Sunvar violated the Rules on Summary Procedure which provides for the remedy of appealto the appropriate RTC. “We reiterate our stand that consolidation of the two cases cannot be allowed for the reason that the RTC Branch 59 has no jurisdiction over Civil Case No. 15-759,” the CA ruled.

“With the consolidation being declared improper, the RTC of Makati City, Branch 59 cannot exercise jurisdiction over Civil Case Nos. 15-759 and 15-958 and consequently resulting joint decision which it issued is void and carries no legal effect,” the appellate court said.

Sereno orders questioned by co-magistrate

By Rey E. Requejo A RIFT is brewing between Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno and another lady magistrate after the latter questioned several administrative orders of the former, including the appointment of a Philippine Judicial Academy official and provision for travel allowances of her staff.

In a memorandum circulated among members of the 15-member bench last week, Associate Justice Teresita LeonardoDe Castro urged her colleagues to review Sereno’s orders, which she claimed lacked prior approval from the en banc as a collegial body as provided for under the rules.

In particular, De Castro assailed the ap-

pointment of lawyer Brenda Jay Mendoza as Philja chief of office for the Philippine Mediation Center, which she said violated Administrative Order No. 33-2008 which requires the appointment for the post to be approved by the SC collegially.

De Castros said Mendoza’s appointment in June 2016 was approved only by Sereno and two other senior justices through a memorandum that did not pass through the full court.

She added that the appointment of Mendoza’s predecessor, Sandiganbayan Geraldine Econg, was approved by the full court in July 2015 precisely because of the requirement set in the administrative ruling.

“Please note that the Memorandum

does not mention the name of the applicant to the position recommended by the Philippine Judicial Academy. No Philja board resolution recommending Atty.

Mendoza as PMC chief was submitted to the Court for action unlike in the appointment of PMC chief Econg. Hence, Administrative Order No. 33-2008 was not followed in the appointment of Atty.

Mendoza,” De Castro said.

Because of this, De Castro asked her colleagues in the SC “to review the appointment of Atty. Mendoza” as chief of PMC. In the same memorandum, De Castro also questioned Sereno’s grant of foreign travel allowance to members of her staff without required approval from the full court.

UK extends GSP+ ratings to PH despite ‘Brexit’

By Sara Susanne Fabunan THE United Kingdom will extend Generalized Scheme of Preference (GSP+) benefits to the Philippines despite exiting the European Union, British ambassador to the Philippines said.

Although the Philippines can still enjoy duty-free access to the UK market once it breaks its ties with the EU, Ahmad said consumers can expect expensive British goods in the shelves.

“The British government said that where we have GSP+ arrangement already, we will continue them, that’s the first thing [assurance]. And the Philippines is on the list, that’s the one assurance,” Ahmad said in an interview.

Ahmad, however, said that the price of the British goods may not go up if the European Union ratify a free trade agreement with the Philippines before Britain’s exit from EU is completed. ”If they finish the negotiation by the time we leave, we will simply adopt it,” Ahmad said, adding that if the EU fails to ratify immediately the FTA agreement, it will have a huge impact for British goods in the Philippines.

He noted that all of the UK’s trade negotiation for the last 43 years or since joining the union, it was the EU who did all the negotiations for them.

“Instead of 28 countries negotiating separately, we asked the EU to negotiate for us. In all our trade negotiations in the last 43 years, or since the UK became a member of the EU commission, we haven’t done any trade deals ourselves,” Ahmad said.

“The EU Commission does it in behalf of us. Anything about trade they deal with it,” he added.

Alternate procurement system okd under EO

By John Paolo Bencito HEADS of government agencies were ordered to proceed with alternate procurement procedure even for projects above P500 million as part of efforts to streamline and expedite government procurement policies.

In Executive Order No. 34 signed July 17 but made public on Wednesday, President Rodrigo Duterte amended Executive Order No. 423, series of 2005 which governs procedures on the review and approval of government contracts.

For government contracts entered through alternative methods of procurement, the Head of the Procuring Entity,can now proceed with alternative methods

of procurement provided contracts worth at least P500 million even without the approval of the Government Procurement Policy Board.

Heads of agencies, however should issue a “certification under oath that the contract falls within the exceptions from public bidding, faithfully complies with all applicable laws, rules and regulations to the government,” the EO said.

“Except for government contracts required by law to be acted upon and/or approved by the President, the Head of the Procuring Entity shall have full authority to give final approval and/or enter into said government contracts through applicable rules and regulations upon issuing the certificates mentioned,” the EO read.

SONA INSPECTION. Photo shows Quezon City Police District Director P/CSupt. Guillermo Eleazar (left)

with National Capital Region Police Officer Director Oscar Albayalde conducting a walk through inspection along Commonwealth Avenue going to Batasan road in Quezon City in preparation for the coming second State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte on July 24, 2017. Manny Palmero

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Opinion

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

No reason to continue

F

IVE soldiers were wounded as members of the New People’s Army attacked President Rodrigo Duterte’s security detail in North Cotabato on Wednesday.

This unilateral act of violence and bad faith caused the cancellation of backchannel talks scheduled between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines/ New People’s Army/ National Democratic Front.

The informal talks had been planned to save the stalled negotiations between the two parties.

But what is to be saved, we dare ask, when the communists with whom the government is trying hard to forge peace are displaying undeniable acts of hostility?

And when their elderly leaders in Europe say they are keen to cooperate with the government, they also admit they have not much control over what their younger, more aggressive foot soldiers are actually doing on the ground.

What Secretary for the Peace Process Jesus Dureza calls “enabling environment” remains absent.

Worse, acts of the communists actually foster a disabling, disheartening situation for anybody hoping

to arrive at some acceptable form of peace with the government.

This administration has time and again showed its willingness to get past differences and pursue peace, anyway. Upon assuming office, Mr. Duterte appointed known leftist personalities to his Cabinet. It was a gesture meant to tell them they were welcome in the process of nation building.

But earlier this year, a series of clashes prompted the President to terminate a ceasefire with the communists; negotiations were under way amid the communists’ nearimpossible demands for the release of dozens of political prisoners.

A pattern has been evident for some time now, but perhaps the government is blinded by hope that lasting peace would be attained if it kept talking to the communists.

That has been our hope, too.

Unfortunately, it appears that government representatives are talking either to the wrong set of communists—leaders so out of touch with their members who don’t appear to respect their authority— or to a forked-tongue lot who says one thing and does exactly the opposite.

Either way, there does not seem to be much reason to keep talking, and keep hoping.

DUTY CALLS FLORENCIO FIANZA

Always the easy way

Morales gets creative LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES THIS is what happens when the Ombudsman tries to make everybody happy instead of just calling it as she sees it: She pleases nobody and makes herself look like a fool, besides.

Let’s start with former President Noynoy Aquino, who, as many have surmised, was given the equivalent of a slap on the wrist by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales last week. But why is Aquino still protesting his impending arraignment if it is true that the charges filed against him by Morales are—as President Rodrigo Duterte himself described them—“doomed to fail”?

At this point, unfortunately, nobody except Morales, Aquino and his lawyers really know.

Aquino’s former spokesman Ab-

igal Valte yesterday confirmed that Aquino filed a motion for reconsideration with the office of Morales, but Valte would not reveal what is contained in Aquino’s motion.

All that’s known, from previous reports quoting Aquino himself earlier this week, is that the former president expressed “surprise” at being indicted for graft and usurpation of authority charges by Morales. Aquino said he was unaware that he had been sued originally on those grounds and confirmed from his lawyers that he had not, in fact, been facing them in the original charge sheet, which was for reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide.

On the other hand, the people who filed the original charges, including the relatives of the slain 44 members of the PNP Special Action Force, also submitted a separate motion for Morales to reconsider her indictment of

Aquino yesterday. But the lawyer of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, Ferdinand Topacio, has given the best explanation I can find for the reason why nei-

“Ombudsman Morales wants to have the best of both worlds,” Topacio explained. “She wants to show that she is not biased and at the same time make it easy for Mr. Aquino to evade these charges [that she filed].”

Aquino was apparently expecting that the charges filed by the VACC and the SAF 44’s relatives would be dismissed outright. The complainants, on the other hand, wanted the Ombudsman to indict him of the 44 counts of reckless imprudence (one for every SAF member) and to find him guilty of the maximum penalty of four years for every charge.

But Morales tried to be cute by filing the graft and usurpation charges, thereby succeeding only in making everyone—especially the families of the slain ther party is happy with Morales’ commandos—angry at her. Now indictment of Aquino and his two Morales has to face the prospect co-accused in the Mamasapano of prosecuting cases before the Massacre.

Sandiganbayan anti-graft court

The Ombudsman should have stuck to the complaints at hand, dismissing or indicting on the basis of them.

that nobody wants, in order to secure a verdict that will give justice to no one.

Morales can only blame herself for the situation she’s in. After all, as the motion filed by the complainants noted, she “disregarded jurisprudence to the effect that a finding of probable cause needs only to rest on evidence showing that more likely than not a crime has been committed and was committed by the suspects.”

In other words, Morales should have stuck to the complaints at hand, dismissing or indicting on the basis of them. Instead, she decided to get creative.

Now even her fitness to prosecute the cases is being called into question. “We are praying that if Ombudsman Morales will not inhibit herself, she should allow the filing of the homicide charges,” said Dante Jimenez, chairman of VACC, which is helping the slain

SENATOR Grace Poe appears to be pushing through with Senate bill No.1284 known as the Traffic and Congestion Act intended to grant the President emergency powers to solve the traffic problems in the National Capital Region.

In this country, it is becoming necessary to resort to emergency powers in order to solve problems like traffic, drugs or terrorism. Even with rice shortage, the government needs a rice czar to solve the problem. Why, one might ask, can we not tackle such problems using current laws without always declaring an emergency? And why should local problems have to be handled directly by the president of the country?

One important feature of the proposed law is to grant authority to government to fast-track transport and traffic infrastructure projects.

But infrastructure projects can still be fast-tracked if only there is no corruption involved.

And what do we want the President to do with traffic congestion? Be like King Canute who ordered the tides to stop to also order congestion to simply disappear? We want a magic formula to solve the problem but there is no such thing. Hard work, however, will do the trick but only by people who know what they are doing. Traffic management is not something that one can just learn on the job. This has been clearly shown in the way traffic and transport were managed in the NCR for the past several years.

The problem keeps on getting worse instead of improving and the problem will continue to worsen before it gets any better. It is understandable that the President will appoint people he is comfortable with but I wish that in a highly complicated technical job of traffic and transport

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Opinion MAIL MATTERS

Ensure fair and open competition I AM writing to comment on your article entitled “Connectivity a must in golden age of infrastructure,” which was published in your July 16, 2017 print edition.

The PCC’s “unjustifiable” overlapping role with that of the NTC and the DICT It should be noted that the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) was created under the Fair Competition Act (RA 10667) with the specific remit of enforcing the law against anti-competitive practices in order to enhance completion for the benefit of national competitiveness and development, as well as more choices, better service and lower prices for consumers. It is hoped that this new law and the commission will finally break the monopolistic hold over Philippine telecommunications and Internet, and encourage adoption of global best practices that are open, transparent, fair and competitive.

For over a decade under the two dominant players—Globe and PLDT-Smart—the quality of Philippine internet has fallen behind that of its neighbors.

The Philippines’ average internet speed finally fell to last place in the region as of the 4th quarter of 2016 (Akamai State of the Internet Connectivity Report). For the longest time, many had hoped that these two dominant players would provide internet connectivity at par with other countries in the region. Clearly, this has not been the case.

Thus the Philippine Chapter of the Internet Society supports the PCC’s review of the takeover by Globe and PLDT of the SMC telecommunications companies and the mobile frequencies (e.g. 700 MHz) previously assigned to these SMC companies, in the wake of Telstra’s planned but scuttled entry into the Philippine market.

It should be noted that the dominant telcos brought the matter of the PCC’s review of the SMC telecommuncations takeover to the courts, thus it is the dominant telcos who are responsible for any delays in the required review. It should also be noted that, the dominant telcos have allocated between themselves the frequencies (including 700 MHz) previously assigned to the SMC telecommunications companies, and that they have had use of these for over a year, with no significant improvement in average mobile Internet speeds. “[Salalima] added that they prefer the option to build a broadband infrastructure that will be operated and managed by the government through the DICT.” The Philippine Chapter of the Internet Society supports DICT’s moves towards a National Broadband Network that will enhance connectiv-

ity across the country. However, a taxpayer-funded NBN should not merely serve as an adjunct to the dominant telcos’ networks or primarily benefit large players. But, as a national network, instead serve and further enhance the provision of internet by all players, including smaller ISPs particularly those outside Metro Manila and in the countryside.

“In order to implement the plan, DICT needs operational telcos like PLDT-Smart and Globe Telecom to participate in the program.”

As mentioned in the preceding paragraph, there already exists a “last-mile” ecosystem of small ISPs (many are cable TV operators), but these small ISPs are at the mercy of the two dominant telcos for wholesale internet pricing and availability. This was highlighted at a Senate (economic affairs committee) hearing, where a lawyer representing these small ISPs informed the committee that despite their having invested out-of-pocket for infrastructure in previously unserved rural areas, the dominant telcos had not provided the “middle mile” wholesale connectivity that would enable their smaller networks to operate.

Thus the focus should not primarily be on serving the needs of the existing large (and highly profitable) players, but in supporting existing and potential efforts by smaller players to “wire the countryside,” at the same time fostering a more open, transparent and competitive wholesale Internet market.

The government’s NBN can thus serve as a national internet backbone providing reliable and reasonably-priced wholesale Internet connectivity to all players in a fair, open and transparent fashion.

“PLDT-Smart and Globe Telecoms—might be affected by the aggressive intervention of the Philippine Competition Commission in the work, decisions, and actuation of both the National Telecommunications Commission and the DICT.” On the contrary, it is precisely because the Philippine internet, under the dominance of only two large players operating in a monopoly environment, has fallen towards the bottom of the regional and global rankings, that the PCC should fulfill its lawfully mandated duty to ensure fair and open competition for the benefit of consumers and national development as a whole. To tailor-fit an NBP or NBN to the wishes of the two dominant telcos will be tantamount to government intervention that effectively socializes (their) costs whilst maintaining (their) privatized profits.

Morales...

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motion is secured from the Ombudsman; and then we will all know why Valte doesn’t want anyone to see it right away.

However, some legal experts are already speculating that the fix is in, so to speak, to explain why Aquino and his lawyers don’t want to make the motion public. According to this theory, Aquino’s camp doesn’t want people taking apart his weak arguments for Morales to consider her ruling before she can come up with a plausible reason for denying the motion (and the VACC motion, besides) so she can proceed with indicting and prosecuting the former president on the equally weak charges she filed.

If this “God Save the Queen” strategy is truly in play, then the families left behind by the dead SAF members—and everyone who wants Aquino to pay for sending the commandos on a virtual suicide mission by not saving them with reinforcements when they were set upon from all sides—should really be worried.

commandos’ families prosecute Aquino. From his man-cave on Times Street, the thoroughly disappointed Noynoy can only sigh in agreement. *** Of course, there are also those who argue that Aquino is merely going through the motions of protesting Morales’ decision to charge him. After all, the penalties that the former president could be facing for the “weaker” charges that the Ombudsman wants Aquino indicted for are a lot less than the jail time he could be facing, if he is convicted on the homicide complaints.

Because Aquino’s lawyers are playing coy about releasing his motion for reconsideration, it’s possible that they do not want to expose the equally weak arguments they have presented in protest of Morales’ decision.

Of course, it is only a matter of time before a copy of Aquino’s

WINTHROP YU Chairman Philippine Chapter Internet Society

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017

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The search for justice continues OVERSIGHT DANILO SUAREZ AFTER more than two years, the families of the fallen 44 Special Action Force members in the Mamasapano massacre found a ray of light in their search for justice as the Ombudsman ordered the filing of charges against former President Benigno Aquino III for usurpation of authority and violation of Section 3 (a) of Republic Act No. 3019, or the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.” On January 25, 2015, 44 out of almost 400 SAF commandos were killed by Moro rebels during “Oplan Exodus,” an operation to arrest two international terrorists, Zulkifli Bin Hir alias “Marwan” and

Ahmad Akmad Uson in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. The failed operation was blamed to then suspended Philippine National Police Chief Alan Purisima, SAF Chief Getulio Napeñas Jr., and President Aquino. Besides former President Aquino, the two chiefs were also indicted for graft and usurpation of authority. A big factor that contributed to the criminal case filed against former President Aquino was allowing PNP Chief Purisima to take part in the operation despite the latter’s suspension from office.

The previous Congress conducted several hearings to investigate the botched Oplan Exodus. As a result of the initial investigation of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs then chaired by Senator Grace Poe, President Aquino was regarded

to be ultimately accountable for the failed operation.

Currently, the Senate plans to reinvestigate the case, with hopes that former President Aquino will man up and face the consequences of his shortcoming. Senator Gordon also pointed out that President Aquino should be slapped with graver charges because there were clear grounds for multiple homicide to reckless imprudence.

In honor of the fallen SAF 44 commandos, a 26-foot long mural entitled, “Tagaligtas 44,” and an 18-foot tall monument was created by the Erehwon Center for the Arts Foundation Inc. These were installed in the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) in Silang, Cavite. On August 2015, the mural was removed at the PNPA open lobby, which as far as we know, was an or-

der by President Aquino. Vice President Jejomar Binay took custody of the mural, which was transferred to the Coconut Palace, the official residence of the Vice President.

We are just halfway through our search for justice in the Mamasapano massacre.

While the filing of criminal charges against the accountable officials will settle the issue of legal responsibility, the nation will continue to be bothered by this tragic incident that was mishandled.

We, most importantly the families of the fallen troopers, all deserve justice. The gravity of the charges filed do not define justice, but the prevalence of truth and the persecution of those who have violated the law. Hopefully, the case reaches a closure that would be acceptable to the whole nation.

Who’s to blame for the ride-sharing fiasco?

THE curtailment of ridesharing services has led to a massive outcry from irate passengers, and a flurry of explanations and recriminations from the government’s transport bodies.

It is, in fact, a crisis of incompetence on one side, and inertia on the other.

This is not the first time that Grab and Uber have come under scrutiny by the government. During the Aquino administration, taxi operators and their allies in Congress questioned the entry of these transport network companies and initiated a temporary restraining order.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board had been processing applications for the TNC drivers’ permits until July 2016, when the agency stopped accepting applications due to a backlog. This coincided with a government review of the TNCs’s fare scheme and surge pricing policy which taxis do not have.

On Jan. 5 this year, according to Rappler, the LTFRB dismissed “over 15,000 out of some 32,000” franchise applications for Grab and Uber.

This was because “applicants submitted incomplete requirements or did not appear

Always...

From A4 and interview people who trained and formally studied traffic and transport. President Duterte has been on the job for a year, yet nothing substantial has so far happened in the area of traffic and transport except for spectacular media reports of trillion-peso projects. *** There is something wrong with a country if the government cannot govern effectively without resorting to emergency powers because of incompetent government officials. Either our political leaders are the wrong leaders or the system of government we now have needs to be changed.

President Duterte, who bested all his opponents in last year’s presidential elections, remains popular. This is in spite of the brutal drug war which has resulted in the death of 7,000 to 9,000 people. He has also declared martial law in Mindanao.

And now martial law will be

at hearings,” as per GMA News.

LTFRB said that for now, Grab and Uber drivers who have agency approval may continue plying the roads. It is those drivers who do not have either a one-year certificate of public convenience (CPC) or a 45-day provisional authority who are considered ‘colorum’ (illegal).

The agency fined Grab and Uber P5 million each for assorted violations including allowing drivers to drive without franchises, without IDs, and without the company signage on their vehicles.

And as Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade pointed out, unregistered drivers are not paying taxes to the government, an omission which is against the law and unfair to those who are.Thus, his and LTRFRB’s call for only registered drivers to continue operating.

Now, let’s untangle this mess by looking at both sides.

First, the issue of incompetence: Why did LTFRB not address its backlog in processing applications? A government agency is bound to abide by certain regulations such as the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 (Republic Act No. 9485) that requires that applications and requests be acted upon within five working days for simple transactions and 10 for complex transactions.

The agency should have addressed its operational deficiencies, for instance by hiring additional personnel and streamlining the application and approval processes.

Second, the issue of inertia: Why did Grab and Uber not ensure that submitted requirements were complete and hearings attended? Why did they not enforce the rules on the wearing of IDs and displaying the company logo?

The TNCs and drivers should have complied with the procedures.

It is to the benefit of many people in the metro if TNCs are allowed to operate, simply because there are few other transport options. The reason this new type of transport service arose and became hugely popular is because someone saw that there was a gap and decided to fill it with an innovative service.

People take TNCs because they are convenient, safe for the most part, comfortable, and available. There aren’t enough taxis to cope with the demand and many of their drivers are arrogant and choosy. The mass rapid transit trains are inadequate and ill-maintained. Buses and jeepneys are uncomfortable and often unsafe. Routeplying vans are packed and slow. There aren’t enough point-to-point buses to make a difference, though they are convenient.

I surmise that the awful

state of public transportation was one of the reasons that Rodrigo Duterte won the presidency; because people hoped he would provide solutions, and because they were fed up with former transportation secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya’s ineptitude over the issue of trains, license plates, and drivers’ licenses—his job, in short.

However, it seems little has changed since then.

The transportation department, LTRFB, and other related government agencies have been aware about the public transport problem for years. They should have addressed the backlog of applications. No excuses.

Stumped by the non-compliance on the part of TNCs and drivers? It’s something they should have foreseen and planned for. Are they even running risk management scenarios? If they had, they might have averted this situation by implementing proactive measures.

Citizens expect government to be on top of everything and to perform at the highest standards, because that’s how it should be.

So when is change coming to the road? We’re still waiting.

extended. He in fact already governs like a Caudillo—one wonders why there is still a need to declare martial law.

We also have a House of Representatives that refuses to obey court orders and a Department of Justice that amends a murder charge to homicide that even allies of the President could not stomach. Even a non-lawyer would know that the killing of Albuera, Leyte mayor Rolando Espinosa was murder.

So, what chance does our country have if our political institution are constantly being eroded by those whose sworn duties are supposed to protect and strengthen these institutions?

As if these were not enough, we also have political leaders threatening to create a constitutional crisis. Yet, support for the government and the President remains very high at 82 percent. So, if this is what the people want, then we should just stop pretending that this country is a bastion of democracy in this part of the world and simply go

ahead and allow those who are urging to prolong martial law for another five years to do it. That way, our political leaders will not have to navigate a cumbersome process that characterizes a democratic system of government.

If what the people prefer is a so-called benevolent dictator, then we might have found that in President Duterte. But if we want a truly functioning democracy with checks and balances, then the citizenry has the duty to nurture what we have and not always resort to the easy way of handling problems.

There is a lot of truth to the observation that democracy is often chaotic and cumbersome but as Winston Churchill once remarked, democracy is not the best form of government. Until a better form is invented, it is still the best there is. *** We have always prided ourselves with our democratic traditions. Indeed, within the Asean region, we have the oldest traditions in democrat-

ic governance starting in 1907 when we had our first elections, but today, our country is not even considered the freest in the region. Indonesia is adjudged the freest country.

We are only considered partly free and with martial law in Mindanao and our brutal anti-drug campaign and allegations of extrajudicial killings, the situation will not see any improvement anytime soon.

Our press is also considered only partly free in spite of our freewheeling media reporting.

We should have learned our lessons with our martial law experiences when President Ferdinand Marcos ruled the country for 20 years, 12 of those as a virtual dictator.

It is therefore somewhat of a surprise that roughly 57 percent of the population are in favor of martial law. We Filipinos should really think hard to figure out what forum of governance is good and ideal for us. We cannot be in a sort of a twilight zone. Either we are a genuine democracy or we are not. It is really up to us.

Dr. Ortuoste is a California-based writer. FB: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, IG: @jensdecember, @artuoste

News

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THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Alvarez supports election delay

GROUNDBREAKING RITES. (From left)

Vivencio Dizon, BCDA president; DPWH Secretary Mark Villar; Mayor Laarni Cayetano; DoTC Secretary Arturo Tugade, MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim; and Engineer Marlon Caparas, representative of Pasig City, during the Bonifacio Global City-Ortigas center Link Road Project to be completed by March 2020, with travel between the central business districts of Taguig and Pasig cities taking only 12 minutes.

Lino Santos

By Maricel V. Cruz THE House of Representatives supports the call of President Rodrigo Duterte for the postponement of the barangay elections in October this year, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said on Wednesday.

“We support the President in his desire to postpone the barangay elections this October. The main reason for the postponement was to get rid of barangay officials involved in illegal drugs,” Alvarez told a radio interview.

Alvarez said Duterte was concerned that if the elections were held in October as originally scheduled, the candidates backed by money from drug lords would likely win.

He said it would help Congress act on the proposed measures for the postponement of the October elections if the President would certify the bill as urgent.

“We will also ask the President to certify it as urgent,” Alvarez said.

Several bills have been pending in the House of Representatives seeking the postponement of the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls in October.

These bills will possibly be tackled once the Second Regular Session of Congress starts following the State of the Nation Address of the President on July 24, Alvarez said.

If the October elections were postponed, Alvarez said it would be necessary to appoint officers-incharge since the incumbent barangay officials are no longer entitled to remain in their respective positions in a holdover capacity.

Alvarez said the law that Congress would pass for the postponement of the October elections would also contain necessary provisions authorizing the appointment of OICs, possibly through the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

He said the OICs would remain in their position until the election of new set of barangay officials.

Alvarez said that aside from allowing the government to thwart the growing influence of drug lords over the barangays, postponing the October barangay and SK polls would save the government money.

Besides, Alvarez noted that while barangay officials were supposed to be non-partisan, the reality was that politics had greatly influenced barangay elections, as indicated in often-bitter election contests in the country’s villages.

DTI order seen to balloon cement prices slammed T HE construction sector is abuzz with talks questioning a Department of Trade and Industry order being seen as an effort to put in place a cartel composed of giant cement manufacturers-importers who reportedly want to bring back cement prices to the P300 per bag level in 2015 from its present price of about P197 per bag.

While requesting anonymity, industry sources also welcomed the filing of a graft and corruption complaint against a DTI undersecretary before the Office of the Ombudsman for the official’s role in having the DTI’s Bureau of Product Standards issue department administrative order 17-02/05.

The DAO requires importers to secure an Import Commodity Clearance on top of the ‘PS’ or Product Safety mark for imported cement.

The DAO, however, exempts from the ICC requirement the big cement manufacturers operating integrated cement plants in the country but also importing cement.

Several reasons had been cited why the DAO 17-02 and subsequent DAOs should be suspended or totally revoked.

“First of all, the DTI order creates an environment which could threaten the stability of the cement prices in the market as the DAO 17-02/05 is a surefire formula for prices to spike

uncontrollably and for supply to be manipulated,” said a source in the construction sector.

The source pointed out that in 2014, the cement price was around P300; when importers entered the picture, the price immediately fell to around P217; currently, the price hovers at around P197.

This, the insider said, “offers solid proof that open competition augurs well for the public.”

“If DAO 17-02/05 was intended to protect the public by ensuring the quality of the imported cement, the business group wondered why both manufacturersimporters and small importers get their cement from mostly the same plant abroad: So how could there be any difference in quality?” he asked.

The DTI order “actually runs counter to President Rodrigo Duterte’s pronouncement to stop corruption, reduce red tape and improve the ease of doing

business in the country.”

In his inaugural speech, Duterte had said: “The fight [against corruption] will be relentless and it will be sustained... I order all department secretaries and heads of agencies to remove redundant requirements and compliance with one department or agency shall be accepted as sufficient for all...[They should] refrain from changing and bending rules, government contracts, transactions and projects already approved and awaiting implementation...Changing the rules when the game is ongoing is wrong.”

The DTI order could actually set back the implementation of the Build, Build, Build infrastructure development program as cement supply from local manufacturers may not be sufficient to meet the expected big demand for the commodity, industry sources said.

The insider lamented that the DTI “wittingly or unwittingly

strengthens the stranglehold by a few giant cement manufacturersimporters that have been acting as a de facto cartel to dictate cement prices in the domestic market.”

Prior to the implementation of DAO 17-02, the release of covered imported cement was allowed by mere presentation of the PS Mark.

An ICC was not required, whether the cement importer operated or did not operate an integrated cement plant in the country.

The DTI order, the sources added, is “arbitrary and capricious as this was issued without any proper public consultation.”

They said that if this DAO would be implemented, “the highly ambitious Build, Build, Build infrastructure program would be the first to feel the impact with skyrocketing cement prices and manipulated supply.

“At the same time, the public is expected to bear the brunt of such irresponsible move.”

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

TODAY

1598 M.H. Del Pilar corner Dr. J. Quintos Streets Malate, Manila Tel. Nos. 522-0000, 551-2200 connecting all departments

INVITATION TO BID The Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK), through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites consultants/ suppliers/manufacturers/distributors/contractors to bid for the hereunder projects: Items ITB - GS-20170703-02 One (1) Lot Supply, Delivery and Installation of Data Loss Prevention Solution

Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) P 14,875,000.00

Bidding Documents Fee P

7,500.00

Delivery Period

Delivery Period: Within sixty (60) calendar days after receipt of Notice to Proceed (NTP) Installation Period: Within ninety (90) calendar days to start seven (7) calendar days after delivery

ITB - GS-20170704-01 One (1) Lot Supply, Delivery and Installation of Systems Furniture at the following LANDBANK Offices: 1. Bacolod Office Building 2. Dasmariñas Office Building 3. Capiz Lending Center 4. San Pedro (Davao) Branch

P 16,750,000.00

P

8,400.00

Within sixty (60) calendar days after receipt of NTP

Prospective bidders should have experience in undertaking a similar project within the last five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, with an amount of not less than 50% of the ABC. The Eligibility Check/Screening as well as the Preliminary Examination of Bids shall use non-discretionary “pass/fail” criteria. Post-qualification of the lowest calculated bid shall be conducted.

All particulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bidding Conference(s), Evaluation of Bids, Post Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRRs).

The schedule of activities are as follows: ACTIVITIES 1. Issuance of Bid Documents 2. Pre-Bid Conference

3. Submission / Opening of Bids 4. Post-Qualification 5. Notice of Award

SCHEDULE July 20 to August 10, 2017 July 27, 2017 - 2:00 PM Bidding Room, 25th Floor, LANDBANK Plaza Building 1598 M. H. Del Pilar corner Dr. J. Quintos Streets, Malate, Manila August 10, 2017 - 11:00 A.M. Procurement Department, 25th Floor, LANDBANK Plaza Building 1598 M. H. Del Pilar corner Dr. J. Quintos Streets, Malate, Manila August 11 to 17, 2017 August 22, 2017

Bid documents will be available to prospective bidders upon payment of the applicable Bidding Documents fee to the LANDBANK Cashier.

LANDBANK reserves the right to (a) reject any and all bids at any time prior to the award of the contract; (b) waive any minor formal requirements in the bid documents; (c) accept such bids, it may consider advantageous and beneficial without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

10 officials charged before Ombudsman

By Rio N. Araja TWO non-government organizations filed on Wednesday a consolidated complaint of graft, indirect bribery, technical malversation and violation of Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees against the Energy Regulatory Commission officials before the Office of the Ombudsman.

In a 26-page affidavit, Jose Aaron Pedrosa, Sanlakas lawyer-secretary general, and Samuel Cesar Gamboa of the Freedom from Debt Coalition also accused ERC officer in charge Alfredo Non; Commissioners Gloria Victoria Taruc, Josefina Patricia Asirit and Geronimo Sta. Ana, and director Debora Anastacia Layugan of grave misconduct, serious

dishonest, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service and gross neglect of duty.

From Subic, SBMA Chairman Martin Diño also filed Wednesday an 11-page complaint against five of his subordinates before the Office of the Ombudsman for graft, grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and grave abuse of authority.

Diño said Ruel John Kabigting, deputy administrator for administration; Marcelino Sangui, senior deputy administrator for operations; Amethya dela Llana, Ecology Department manager and Regulatory Group head; Editha Marzal, Financial Planning and Budget Department manager, and Joel Ea, Internal Audit Service Department manager must be held liable for their “unsympathetic and dispassionate

dereliction of their duties to the financial concerns of the SBMA.” “While the hapless Filipino consumers are working day-in and day-out to make ends meet, struggling everyday with the rising energy and electricity costs, these Respondents, who are all high-ranking officials of the commission tasked to regulate the electric power industry, have been enjoying extravagant travels abroad using funds from the very agencies that the ERC regulate,” the charge sheet read.

The charges against the ERC officials stemmed from the supposed use of P15 million worth of funds of a private company for the overseas trips of the ERC officials.

From February 2009 to August 2015, the respondents receive from the Philippine Electricity Market Corp.

P15.04 million “to cover their airline tickets, hotel accommodation, clothing allowance and the like for their travels abroad.”

ERC regulates the PEMC, as non-stock non-profit organization and market operator of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market.

The PEMC allocated two percent of its market transaction fees to ERC for the maintenance of its monitoring facilities.

According to Pedrosa and Gamboa, the concerned ERC officials used the fund for personal purpose.

“These travels are clearly not aligned with the purpose —which is for monitoring facilities—for which the fund was earmarked. Worse, respondents deliberately failed to liquidate the funds that they received from PEMC,” the complaint read.

DoT sees ‘twinning’ with Asian points

By Sandy Araneta WITH Asia Pacific quickly rising to popularity as a preferred destination among travelers from the US, the Department of Tourism has set its sights on ‘twinning’ Philippine destinations with those of other countries in the region.

Speaking to 40 Asian-American travel agents and media representing Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan; representatives from PAL, as well as members of the Philippine delegation, Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo solicited their support in strengthening people-to-people exchanges and tourism activities between the Philippines

and their countries during the Philippine business mission held Monday in San Jose, California.

“There is no better time than now to leverage on the dawning of the Asian century. As early as 2014, the other side of the world like the US has begun discovering and rediscovering the Philippines, placing us on the top four preferred destinations along with China, India, and Japan,” Teo said.

According to Teo, travelers from the US visiting the Philippines usually connect through Hong Kong, while some of them fly next to Singapore.

Citing a 2016 DoT survey, she said these US travelers also prefer Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur as connecting

flights to the Philippines.

Teo said: “It is also interesting to note that 15.80 percent of these travelers from the US consider other traditional domestic destinations such as Cebu other than Manila; Palawan (9.30 percent), while 6.60 percent of them go to Pampanga—which has strong affinity with Clark, Subic, and La Union, especially among Amer-Asian descents of former US servicemen—and 6.50 percent still consider Boracay a favorite choice.

“And I am confident that this will continue to be commonplace, as our country’s air carriers like Philippine Airlines continue to expand its services in connecting our primary and secondary gateways.”

Sports PH girls clobber Indonesia SINGAPORE—The Philippine Girls’ Team used its stifling defense to score an easy 30-point rout over Indonesia, 78-48, Tuesday and moved a win shy of the gold in the 9th ASEAN Schools Games.

Playing inspired ball at the Tampines Sports Hub, the Filipino girls imposed their will on defense, resulting in 13 turnovers, which they translated into easy baskets.

Sharp-shooting guard Kent Jane Pastrana top-scored with 20 markers, including three triples, but sat out in the final period after she banged knees with Indonesian player Sophia Adventa.

Gypsy Mae Canuto also did not play in the last quarter after she suffered a similar injury.

But their absence did not matter as the game was already decided for the Philippines at the end of the third period.

The team, mentored by Angelina Fedillarga, got other contributions from other key players such as Kristine Cayabyab and Karl Ann Pingol, who scored 13 and 11 points, respectively.

With the win, the PH dribblers remained unbeaten after three games. A win over Singapore Wednesday will give them the gold medal.

Over at the Republic Polytechnic, the Philippines girls’ volleyball team suffered its first defeat, a close one at the hands of Thailand in five sets, 26-15, 24-26, 22-25, 25-22, 14-16.

Towering spikers, led by Ejiya Laure, Alleiah Malaluan and Allysa Solomon carried the team on their backs during the fourth set, forcing a pivotal fifth set against the Thais.

With pressure mounting on the side of Thailand, the Regine Diego-mentored Philippines girls’ team took advantage as they secured a commanding 11-8 in the deciding set.

A7

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

PH javelin thrower rips record

S

INGAPORE—A son of a fisherman from Iloilo made history in the 9th ASEAN Schools Games by clinching the Philippines’ 11th gold medal and setting a new ASG record in javelin.

James Lozañes, a Grade 11 student of Estancia National High School, registered a distance of 66.39 meters in the 700g javelin, eclipsing the 2015 record of 62.28m by more than four meters.

What made his feat remarkable was that Lozañes exceeded the 65m measurement distance set by the athletics technical officials here.

“Akala siguro nila na hindi

mabre-break ‘yung record kaya ang measurement lang nila ng distance ay hanggang 65 meters lang,” said Anthony Valdez, one of the athletics’ coaches for the Philippines.

Three months ago at the Binirayan Sports Complex in San Jose, Antique, the 17-yearold Iloilo native also broke a Palarong Pambansa record after he registered 59.46 meters in the

700g javelin throw, topping the previous national meet’s record set at 57.81 by Bryan Pacheco.

“Hindi ko ini-expect na malalagpasan ko ang record,” said Lozañez, who is playing in his first international competition.

It was indeed a magical conclusion to Lozañes’ campaign as he made the most of his first and last stint in the ASEAN Schools Games as he is turning 18 this year.

“Sobrang saya po pakinggan ang ating national anthem na tinutugtog during sa awarding,” he said.

Lozañes came from a farflung municipality in Iloilo, but he never shied away from the limelight, outperforming Tingjia

Wang of Singapore (59.76) and Pornpraphan Dechochai (59.49).

Wang snatched the silver while Dechochai salvaged the bronze.

On his first attempt, Lozañes registered a distance of 55m, then followed it up by a 58m throw on his second.

“After nu’ng nakuha ko ‘yung 66.39m distance, umiiling na ang mga kalaban ko eh,” said the second to the youngest child of Jinky, housewife, and Marianeto, fisherman.

Lozañes said he was dedicating the gold medal to his supportive parents.

Lozañes was hooked into the sport when he was 10 years old. He was influenced by his former coach from Binuluangan

Elementary School to venture into javelin.

He immediately displayed his potential in the sport after he won the gold medal in a Unit Meet.

Lozañes stands to receive a P5,000 cash incentive from the Department of Education.

As of 8 p.m., Tuesday, the medal tally for Team Philippines stands at 11 golds, six silvers, and 16 bronze for the fifth place overall.

Swimming accounted for five gold medals.

Indonesia is still in the lead with 19-21-17, with Thailand sneaking in at the second spot with 19-13-19. Host country Singapore is at the third spot with 17-19-19, while Vietnam came in fourth with 13-18-8.

Surigao City bet is big winner in Cebuana tilt

PTT Run for Clean Energy. PTT Philippines President and CEO Sukanya Seriyothin (5th from left) hands over the cash prize of Cindy Lorenzo, 10k champion of the 1st ever PTT Run for Clean Energy, also backed by PTT Lubricants, Cafe Amazon, Milcu, Leslie’s, Medicard and Chris Sports, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Grounds. They are joined here by (from left) Paul Senador, president, PTT Philippines Foundation Inc.; Vittaya Viboonterawud, Director for Commercial Fuel & Lubricants; Group Captain Washirasak Poosit, Manila Defense & Air Attache; Madame Monthip Upatising, Wife of the Thai Ambassador Thanatip Upatising; and Ms. Somjai Taphaopong, Minister Counsellor and Consul. The event was an advocacy run aimed at promoting the call for clean energy.

Mondilla, Que set ICTSI Classic pace with 65s LIPA CITY—Clyde Mondilla checked an impending skid while Angelo Que sizzled at the finish as they fired identical sevenunder 65s to seize a three-stroke lead over Aussie Nathan Park at the start of the ICTSI Classic at the Mt. Malarayat’s composite course here yesterday.

Mondilla blew a two-eagle spiked eightunder card after 13 holes with back-toback bogeys from No. 14 but birdied the par-5 18th of Mt. Lobo to join Que, who closed out with a birdie-eagle feat, at the helm in the early going of the P2 million tournament sponsored by ICTSI. Park bucked a mediocre 36 start at the back with four birdies at Mt. Makulot,

his 68 netting him solo third while seven others turned in identical 69s over the par72 layout which virtually lay defenseless in the absence of the wind.

Frankie Miñoza rebounded from a bogey on No. 17 with a last-hole eagle to match Randy Garalde, Jerson Balasabas, Nelson Huerva, Benjie Magada, Joenard Rates and Elmer Salvador’s three-under cards.

Tony Lascuña, looking for a third title this year and a follow-up to his back-to-back title romp at ICTSI Forest Hills last month, slowed down after a two-birdie feat at the front, finishing with a bogey-par-birdie to shoot a 70 in a tie with Jhonnel Ababa, who also eagled the reachable 514-yard 18th.

Peter Stojanovski of Macedonia survived a roller-coaster round and finished with a 71, joining Orlan Sumcad, Arnold Villacencio, Kris Etter, Rene Menor and Rey Pagunsan at 13th while rookie pro Ira Alido also eagled No. 18 to save a 72 for joint 19th with Erwin Arcillas, Reymon Jaraula, Godofredo Sinfuego and Korean Lee Ho Youn.

While Que pressed his bid early in overcast skies with a cluster of birdies, Mondilla turned up the heat midway through his round, going eight-under in a seven-hole stretch from No. 7.

The Southwoods and Philippine Masters champion kicked off his charge with a 16-

foot eagle, birdied Nos. 8 and 9 from close range, gunned down two more birdies on Nos. 11 and 12 inside six feet then rolled in another eagle putt from eight feet on the next.

“I got a good short game and hardly made errors up to No. 13,” said the Del Monte ace.

But just when he looked ready to shatter the 10-under 62 posted by Aussie Jason Dawes during the 2005 Philippine Open, Mondilla drove into the trees on the par-4 14th, played out of a stymied lie, pitched from 30 yards and two putted for bogey then hit an errant drive again on the next, overshot the green and missed a pin-length putt for par.

Elite cast to comprise Powerman Duathlon

By Peter Atencio

WHOEVER wins the world championships this September will be invited to join the 2017 Powerman Philippines Asian Duathlon Championships.

Organizers said this after they noted that around 550 duathletes have already signed up for the meet presented by Summit Drinking Water.

Action will be held on Oct. 8 at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga.

“We are expecting them the men’s and women’s champions to be here,” said Powerman Philippines Marketing Director Rich Alvarez.

Alvarez said this in the presence of Powerman Philippines Chairman Raymund Magdaluyo, general manager Kaye Lopez, Powerman Philippines President Owen Gan and Asia Brewery Category manager Jill

Villanueva.

The world championships is set on Sept. 2 in Zofingen, Switzerland.

Last year, Richard Murray and back-toback champion Emma Pallant came over after respectively winning the men’s and women’s crowns in Aviles, Spain.

They will be joined by Dutch bets Thomas Bruins and Miriam Van Reijen.

Bruins has been dominating the Asian Circuit and is seeking to finish the season with a Philippine title.

Alvarez added that they are expecting more local participants in the coming months.

“We’re expecting 800. With still two months to go, we already have 550 participants,” said Alvarez.

The competition, which is handled by F&F International Events Group, is now on its third year.

DanceSports holds tourney

Powerman Philippines president Owen Gan (left) poses with ABI Category Manager Jill Villanueva, coach Kaye Lopez, general manager of Powerman Philippines, and F&F International Events Group, Inc. CEO Raymund Magdalayu during the launch of the event at the Prive Luxury Bar, The Fort Strip at BGC yesterday.

Beach Volleyball Republic National Championships slated

By Kevin San Pedro

Delimondo’s Joey Alvaro, CGAL’s Jimmy Escano, Delimondo’s Kristen Enrile, BVR founders Bea Tan and Charo Soriano, and tourney director Tony Liao promise a competitive National Championship tournament on July 28. Kevin San Pedro

SURIGAO City native Vaughn Spencer Codilla emerged as the big winner at the recent Cabadbaran City leg in Agusan del Norte of the ongoing nation-wide Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series, now on its 11th year as he won two singles titles and a doubles’ crown in the weekend tournament that attracted over 100 entries.

Codilla bagged both the boys’ 16-under and 18-under titles with straight-set victories over separate opponents, then added the 18-under doubles’ crown after he teamed up with boys’ 14-under champion Rupert Ohrelle Tortal, also from Surigao City.

Codilla swept aside Emmanuel Pedrosa from the host province, 6-3, 6-2, for the 16-under title and posted a 6-2, 7-5 win over another local bet Prince Bo Lastimosa in the 18-under finals. Together with Tortal, they beat Kenichiro Suzuki and Mark Ivan Malinis, 8-5, for the doubles’ title in the 18-under.

Double winners in the tournament supported by Dunlop as the official ball, were girls’ 16-under champion Winona Cabardo from Davao City, girls’ 14-under titlist and local bet Yra Monteclaro and Tortal, as the three also shared their respective doubles’ crowns.

Cabardo had an easy time against CDO’s Nanami Suzuki in the 16-under finals, winning 6-1, 6-0, then posted an 8-2 win with partner Abbygale Singcol over Mary Aubrey Calma and Suzuki for the girls’ 18-under doubles’ crown.

Monteclaro, meanwhile, brushed aside Angela Buyante from Bukidnon, 6-4, 6-1 in the girls’ 14-under finals, then teamed up with her opponent to capture the girls’ 14-under doubles’ title with an 8-3 victory over Mary Arabella Alejandro and Angel BebDelegencia.

Tortal took out Davao City’s John Roddick Litang in two sets, 6-1, 6-3 for the boys’ 14-under crown, while sharing the boys’ 18-under with Codilla.

THE Beach Volleyball Republic is making waves as it announced its 2017 National Championships at a press conference last Tuesday.

The BVR National Championships will happen on July 28 to 30 at Anguib Beach, Sta. Ana, Cagayan, marking the second time Cagayan Grand Adventure & Leisure is hosting a BVR tournament.

The tournament will have two divisions, men and women, each composed of 16 teams divided into four pools playing a single round robin game in search of the top four.

Aside from the championship, players will also vie for a chance

to be part of the national training pool competing in the Southeast Asian Beach Volleyball Championships to be hosted by Singapore this September.

Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Vice President Peter Cayco is in talks to include the top three players from both BVR and Philippine SuperLiga tournaments as potential candidates for the SEA Games, according to BVR Spokesperson Charo Soriano.

“That does not guarantee that they are the ones representing,” said Soriano. “We want to be able to make sure that we have a solid national training pool, nandiyan po ‘yung process na mamimili po ng coaches and trainers for the players din po and nasa kanila po ‘yung

final decision kung sino po talaga ipapadala nila sa Singapore.”

Owing to its rising popularity and increase in sponsors, beach volleyball is stronger than ever in the Philippines with tournaments sprouting in beach locales all over the country, led by BVR. Delimondo Food Specialties Inc. has sponsored BVR for a long time and will continue supporting its events, according to Delimondo Representative, Joey Alvaro.

“I hope that you [all] continue to support not only BVR but beach volleyball in general here in the Philippines,” Soriano added.

“Because only with all our efforts being combined together that we can really grow the sport and help the next generation of athletes.”

THE DanceSport Council of the Philippines will hold the DanceSport Midyear Ranking and Competition at the Philsports MultiPurpose Arena, Pasig City on Saturday.

DSCPI President Becky Garcia said there will be 282 DanceSport athletes all over the Philippines that will compete in the ranking competition supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Flawless, Organique / Acai Berry, Retro DCG-FM 105.9 and The Greenery Bulacan.

Tickets are available at the DanceSport Training Center, Philsports Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City and at the entrance of the Philsports Multi-Purpose Arena (Ultra) on Saturday. For other inquiries, please call Anna or Lorien at 637-2314.

Meanwhile, Garcia was reelected vice president of the Asian Dance Sport Federation and lawyer Noel Laman was elected as vice president of the disciplinary council of World Dance Sport Federation in a recent annual meeting in Singapore.

LOTTO RESULTS

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

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

A8

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017

Sports

Kia Picanto’s Markeith Cummings towers over Phoenix’s Eugene Phelps and Joseph Eriobu in a rebound play during their teams’ PBA Governors’ Cup game at the Smart Areneta Coliseum.

Phelps back with a bang, powers Phoenix past Kia

By Jeric Lopez

P

HOENIX took care of business in its initial outing, dispatching Kia, 118-105, to open its campaign with a bang in the initial game of the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Back to his dominant ways, returning import Eugene Phelps had his usual scoring spree, notching a game-high 33 points to go with 14 rebounds in a solid double-dou-

ble effort to backstop Phoenix.

He got plenty of help from JC Intal and RJ Jazul, who chipped in 19 and 18 points, respectively.

With Phelps leading the

way, the Fuel Masters established early control, surging to an early 12-point lead, 31-19, late in the opening period.

They remained in control for most part and eventually shrugged off the Picanto for good.

The only danger that Phoenix faced was midway the third when it saw its lead go down to just three, 65-62, as Kia opened up the third period with a blitz.

However, the Fuel Masters bounced back right away, keeping their lead and growing back to a safer 83-75 distance

heading the fourth where they never looked back.

By halftime, Phelps already had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds as he re-introduced himself to the league in a big way.

The Fuel Masters were able to triumph despite missing the services of top gunner Matthew Wright, who is loaned to the Gilas Pilipinas National Team for the Jones Cup in Taiwan.

In a sudden change, Kia, along with its new team name, has a new man calling the shots as veteran coach Joe

Lipa started mentoring the team. Chris Gavina slid down to a supporting role.

The scores: PHOENIX 118—Phelps 33, Intal 19, Jazul 18, Eriobu 12, Baguio 11, Dehesa 9, Alolino 8, W. Wilson 4, Kramer 2, J. Wilson 2, Lanete 0, Hayes 0, Borboran 0, Miranda 0.

KIA 105—Cummings 31, Galanza 15, Jaime 11, Revilla 10, Paniamogan 9, Caperal 8, Khobuntin 7, Teng 5, Corpuz 4, Celda 3, Camson 2, Ballesteros 0, Elorde 0, Salva 0.

Quarters: 33-24, 57-48, 8375, 118-105.

whelmed,” Lopez recalled of her feeling after whipping her Brazilian opponent.

“That victory is important because it has inspired me to work harder and pursue all the more my dream to make it to the Olympic Games, which I narrowly missed in last year’s qualifying tournament for the Rio Olympics.”

Lopez started her Korean campaign by crushing a Korean, 21-5. Then she toppled a Guamanian, 22-2, nipped her Chinese rival, 6-5, and then beat France’s entry, 11-5, to move into the finals.

Lopez, who started in taekwondo in 2010 when she was only 14, works out twice a day. “That’s the reason I manage to sharpen my skills,” specially when preparing for important tournaments like next month’s SEA Games in Malaysia,”she said.

Lopez also counts with a gold wins in the 2015 SEAG and 2013 Asian Youth championships in China.

The Philippine team’s trip was supported by PLDT, Meralco, Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee

Games today (Mapua Gym) 2 p.m.- Mapua vs Perpetual Help (jrs) 4 p.m.- Mapua vs Perpetual Help (srs)

Gilas falls to Korea, 72-83, in Jones Cup GILAS Pilipinas struggled and absorbed a 72-83 loss to South Korea in the 39th Jones Cup at the Taipei Heping Gymnasium.

Ung Heo scored eight of his 11 points in a crucial third-quarter stretch to lead the Koreans to their fourth win in five outings.

Se Keun Oh and Lee Jung Hyun led with 14 for the Koreans, who moved to a share of the lead with their 4-1 win-

loss record.

Atletas All-Star Lithuania won over India, 102-79, to also move up in the leaderboard with Canada.

Gilas, which is now in fourth with their 2-2 slate, was initially behind by 11 points, 18-29, in the second quarter.

They made a run behind Christian Standhardinger and Kiefer Ravena, who led the team back behind a late windup.

Their efforts allowed Gilas to stay close, 37-42, at the half.

Then, the Koreans’ zone defense kicked in by the time the third period was under way.

And the Filipinos fell behind by 15, 51-66, when it ended.

Hopes of coming up with another rally were dashed by back-to-back baskets

by Korean big man Oh Sekeun, 77-69.

Peter Atencio

Pauline Louise Lopez proudly displays her gold medal after the awarding ceremony.

Valdez-less Creamline secures semis seat

Creamline’s Pau Soriano (10) tries to defy the Power Smashers’ Regine Arocha’s defense as Ann Esguerra tries to provide help during their PVL Open Conference clash at the Filoil Arena last night.

CREAMLINE bucked the absence of ace player Alyssa Valdez and survived the Power Smashers, 25-22, 25-21, 2522, to secure the first semifinal berth in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan last night.

The Cool Smashers pulled through in a back-and-forth opening set, rallied from four down in the stretch to steal the second then unleashed another strong finishing kick in the third to complete the straight set win, its fifth in row.

Creamline thus booked the first slot in the Final Four, moving two wins from sweeping the single round elims of the mid-season conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.

The Cool Smashers play with the UP

OKAYAMA CITY, Japan— The Philippine women’s volleyball team shrugged off a 10hour journey from Manila to this city to impress the Japanese coach who led his Okayama City Seagulls to a hard-fought win over the games Filipinas late Tuesday.

Seagulls’ coach Akiyoshi Kawamoto gave the Nationals an impressive grade at the start of their 17-day training camp in preparation for the AVC Asian Senior Women’s Championship and the 29th Southeast Asian Games.

Kawamoto, whose squad is a powerhouse in the Japan V. Premier League, said the Filipinas possess impressive skills and talent and could blossom into a regional force anytime soon.

“I like your speed. You are very skilled and talented,” Kawamoto told the Nationals after the match. “But one thing I noticed is that you lack concentration. You easily panic whenever you’re being attacked. You have to control yourselves and maintain your composure in tight situations.”

Kawamoto was referring to the first set where the Nationals stayed in the game, 16-14. But the Japanese made a furious rally, turning the slim lead into a 25-16 victory that dictated the tempo of the match.

“You were intimidated after that,” Kawamoto added. “But I see a bright future for your team. You will go far, believe me. All I want you to do is to have concentration, good communication, don’t panic and don’t be complacent whenever you’re leading.”

Kawamoto wants to improve the Filipinos’ floor defense and blocking as well as build their character, especially when the game is on the line.

“We love how the Japanese coach has been training us,” said team captain Mika Reyes.

“This is an eye-opener for us. We realized that we still have a lot to learn and a lot to improve.”

The Nationals and the Seagulls will figure in an official match on Saturday with no less than Department of Foreign Affairs Sec. Alan Peter Cayetano, chairman of the organizing committee for the AVC Women’s Seniors Volleyball Championship, joining a group of Filipino expats and overseas contract workers in the gallery.

Confident Cardinals face Altas, eye 3rd win

Lopez strikes gold in Korea Open PRODIGIOUS Filipino athlete Pauline Louise Lopez did the country proud by bagging a gold medal in the recent 2017 Korea Open international taekwondo championships in Chuncheon City, Korea.

Lopez, a 21-year-old Ateneo psychology student, swept her first four opponents in the under-57 kilogram competition to finals where she dominated Brazil’s Rasaela Araujo, 16-11, to the delight of her SMART/MVP Sports Foundation teammates.

“I was excited, very happy and over-

PH volley belles lose, but impress Japanese mentor

Games Saturday 10 a.m. – Sta. Elena vs Mega Builders (men’s) 1 p.m. – Cignal vs Air Force (men’s) 4 p.m. – BaliPure vs Perlas (women’s) 6:30 p.m. – UP vs Creamline (women’s)

Lady Maroons on Saturday before closing out their campaign against the Perlas-BanKo Spikers on July 30.

Pau Soriano provided the leadership and power in the absence of Valdez, currently training with the national team in Japan, for the Cool Smashers, coming away with 15 hits, including three straight to close out the match.

Like in the second frame, the Cool Smashers battled back from 18-21 down in the third with Soriano anchor-

ing the team’s romp with three straight power hits in the middle.

Rosemarie Vargas matched Soriano’s output while Coleen Bravo stepped up to fire 13 points for the Cool Smashers, who outhit their rivals, 53-39, in their 77-minute encounter, while Jia Morado came through with 62 excellent sets for Creamline, twice more than counterpart Vira Guillema, who had 25.

It was a sorry loss for the Power Smashers, who dished out three solid starts only to crumble in the face of the Cool Smashers’ fightback and reeled to their fourth loss against a lone victory.

Jovelyn Prado also scored 15 hits while Regine Arocha and Ann Esguerra added 10 and nine markers, respectively, for the Power Smashers.

THE Mapua University Cardinals are brimming with confidence going into their game with the University of Perpetual Help Altas at 4 p.m. today at their own home court at the Mapua gym in Intramuros.

Beating the Letran Knights, 78-75, last week with key players not around kept the team’s morale in the 93rd National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.

“Kahit nawala sina Allwell (Oraeme), (Darren) Menina, (Exequiel) Biteng at (Justine) Serrano, naipakita namin sa mga doubters namin na kaya naming manalo,” said Andrew Estrella, the Cardinals’ team skipper.

In posting their second win in three games, the Cardinals are hoping to join San Beda and Arellano University at second spot.

On the other hand, the Altas are gunning for their very first win.

In the junior division, the Red Robins will go for their third straight triumph when they meet the Junior Altas at 2 p.m.

Last week, Estrella led Mapua’s win with a team-best 18 points including clutch plays in the fourth quarter, while adding seven rebounds and seven assists.

Perpetual Help started the season with a pair of defeats, including a 54-68 loss to Jose Rizal University last Friday.

The Altas are trying to getting used to Prince Eze taking the heavy load for the team.

And that’s after the departure of his fellow Nigerian Bright Akhuetie, who left after playing two seasons with the Las Pinasbased school to join University of the Philippines. Peter Atencio

Erring power plants to face penalties B3

Business

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

B1

AES plans to sell all stake in Masinloc

By Vinicy Chan AES Corp. is seeking to sell its controlling stake in the Masinloc power plant in the Philippines in a deal that could value the project at more than $1 billion, people with knowledge of the matter said.

The US electricity generator is working with advisers to gauge interest in its entire 51-percent interest in the 630-megawatt coal-fired power plant, according to the people, who asked not to be identified as the information is private.

A deal would represent a complete exit for AES, which agreed in 2014 to sell an effective 41 percent stake in the Masinloc project to Thailand’s Electricity Generating Plc for $453 million.

The World Bank’s International Finance Corp. owns the remaining 8 percent.

AES has been shedding assets to cut debt as it seeks to achieve an investment-grade credit rating by 2020. Any transaction will add to the $72.8 billion in acquisitions of Asian energy and utility companies over the past 12 months, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Deliberations are at an early stage, and there’s no certainty they will result in a sale, the people said.

Amy Ackerman, a spokeswoman for AES in Arlington, Virginia, declined to comment.

AES is aiming to raise $500 million through asset sales this year, chief financial officer Thomas O’Flynn said on a May 8 earnings call.

The company agreed last year to sell its interest in Brazilian utility AES Sul to CPFL Energia SA for 1.7 billion reais ($536 million).

The power plant, which has been in operation since 1998, was bought by AES for $930 million in 2008, according to AES’s website. It is located about 250 kilometers (155 miles) northwest of Manila in Zambales province, an area known for its mango cultivation. Bloomberg

FRANCHISE CONFERENCE. Industry leaders lead the opening of the International Franchise Conference at SMX Convention Center Manila organized by the Philippine Franchise Association. Shown during the opening ceremony are (from left) Franchise Asia Philippines 2017 conference chair Sam Christopher Lim, PFA vice chairman and Max’s Group Inc. president Robert Trota, PFA chairman emeritus Samie Lim, PFA president Alan Escalona, presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Jose Ma. Concepcion III, PFA vice chairman Ma. Alegria Sibal-Limjoco and Franchise Asia Philippines 2017 overall chair Sherill Quintana. Lino Santos

AMLC expanding team to monitor casino money

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE Anti-Money Laundering Council is expanding its team to watch dirty money entering the country through casinos and online gaming companies, after President Rodrigo Duterte signed a law expanding the coverage of the law against money laundering.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor and AMLC chairman Nestor Espenilla Jr. said the AMLC Secretariat was already in the process of building up its manpower complement in line with the expanded scope of Republic Act No. 10927 which placed casino operations under the anti-money laundering law.

Espenilla said the inclusion of casino op-

erations under the coverage of the law was a very significant move to bar the entry of dirty money.

Espenilla welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’s signing of RA 10927 , which amended RA 9160 also known as Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001.

“This is a very welcome development. It plugs a critical gap in our legal framework.

It will significantly strengthen our ability to prevent the entry of illicit money into our economy,” Espenilla said in a statement.

“The IRR [implementing rules and regulations] for the new Casino Law will be fasttracked and should be in place by yearend at the latest. The IRR will be developed in coordination with casino regulators, notably PAGCOR [Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp.],” Espenilla said.

Under the new law, casinos including Internet and ship-based casinos are now considered “covered persons” under the AMLA. Any single cash transaction in excess of P5 million or equivalent in any other currency is considered “covered transaction” that must be report-

ed to the AMLC. The agency also is mandated to monitor suspicious financial transactions.

The law authorized the Court of Appeals to issue a 20-day freeze order on any monetary instrument or property suspected to be related to any unlawful activity.

The Philippines has already become an Asian gambling hub, with data from state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. showing that local casinos raked in P149 billion in gross gaming revenue in 2016.

Espenilla earlier said the expansion of the anti-money laundering law and relaxation of the deposit secrecy law would be some of his priorities under his term as BSP governor.

He said the expansion of the anti-money laundering law, including casinos, was one of the biggest challenges in his tenure.

He said expanding the anti-money laundering law would result in a more secure financial system that eventually would end up in protecting consumers. “It is BSP’s job to make sure that that the banking system is secure and prevent the entry of illegal funds in the financial system,” Espenilla said.

Peso slumps to 10-year low of 50.94 a US dollar

By Julito G. Rada THE peso tumbled for a fourth day to hit a new 10-year low of 50.94 against the US dollar Wednesday on widening trade deficit.

The peso lost P0.17 from 50.77 a dollar on Tuesday. It was the local currency’s weakest level in almost 11 years, or since it closed at 50.945 a dollar on Aug. 30, 2006. Total volume turnover reached $523 million Wednesday, down from $653 million Tuesday.

Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the weakness could be traced to the surging imports as the economy expanded, resulting in a widening trade deficit.

“We surmise that while exports continued to recover, the expanding economy pushed imports higher particularly of capital goods and raw materials.

This contributed to the recent downtrend of the peso against the US dollar even as the overall macroeconomic fundamentals

remain robust,” Guinigundo said in a statement.

“We attribute the underperformance [of the peso] to the wider than expected trade deficit [for May]…,” ING Bank Manila senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng earlier said.

The country’s balance of payments posted a deficit of $569 million in June, a turnaround from a surplus of $418 million a year ago. The June deficit was alsobigger than the $59-million deficit in May. This brought the balance of payments in the first half to a deficit of $706 million, a reversal of the $634-million surplus in the same period last year. “[The deficit was] due mainly to higher corporate demand for foreign exchange that affected FX operations of the BSP coupled with debt payments by the national government. These were mitigated by NG deposits with BSP and inflows from BSP’s investment income from abroad,” Guinigundo said in a text message.

NLEX Corp., a unit of the Metro Pacific Group, said it expects to start the construction of a multibillion-peso toll road linking the North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway by the fourth quarter this year.

NLEX president Rodrigo Franco said the company had completed the engineering de-

sign of the NLEx-SLEx Connector Road and the government began acquiring right-of-way for the project.

“We need the right-of-way to start the project, maybe fourth quarter,” Franco said.

NLEX would invest P15.74 billion on the NLEx-SLEx project, while the government would spend P7.46 billion for right-ofway acquisition.

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar Peso

United States Dollar

1.000000

50.7590

Japan

0.008924

0.4530

Yen

UK

Pound

1.304200

66.1999

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128126

6.5035

Switzerland

Franc

1.047449

53.1675

Canada

Dollar

0.792016

40.2019

Singapore

Dollar

0.731957

37.1534

Australia

Dollar

0.791500

40.1757

Bahrain

Dinar

2.654491

134.7393

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266674

13.5361

Brunei

Dollar

0.729288

37.0179

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0038

Thailand

Baht

0.029771

1.5111

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.8203

Euro

Euro

1.155700

58.6622

Korea

Won

0.000889

0.0451

China

Yuan

0.148196

7.5223

India

Rupee

0.015560

0.7898

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.233427

11.8485

New Zealand

Dollar

0.734800

37.2977

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032950

1.6725 Source: PDS Bridge

IN BRIEF AC Energy readies Vietnam investments

AC ENERGY Holdings Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of conglomerate Ayala Corp., is now in talks with Vietnamese companies to construct solar and wind projects in the Southeast Asian country, an executive said Wednesday.

“We’re doing a lot of early development works in Vietnam for solar and wind. Because there is a feed-in tariff for solar and wind in Vietnam.

We’re also open to conventional...

But nothing is imminent yet,” AC Energy president John Eric Francia told reporters at the sidelines of the 5th Annual Philippines Power & Electricity Week Forum.

Francia said the company was negotiating with potential partners, specifically local companies in Vietnam, adding that solar projects should be up and running by June 2019 under the Vietnam government’s timeline.

“We are really exploring partners. We will not invest on our own in Vietnam. We will do it if we have local partners,” he said.

AC Energy targets about 1,000 megawatts of attributable capacity in renewable energy projects in the next five years. Alena Mae S. Flores

PH eyes $500-m Hungary fund

CENTURY CANNING’S AMBASSADOR. 2015 Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach greets

followers at the catwalk while being introduced as the latest member/endorser of Century Canning Corp. Ey Acasio

Metro Pacific unit to start NLEx-SLEx link in fourth quarter

By Darwin G. Amojelar

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Wednesday, July 19, 2017

The project is expected to be completed in two to three years, depending on the availability of right-of-way.

The project involves the construction of an eight-kilometer, four-lane toll road linking the two expressways through Metro Manila and using the existing Philippine National Railway alignment as its route.

Citra Metro Manila Tollways

Corp., which is separately constructing the P26.7-billion Skyway Stage 3 Project, will build a five-kilometer common alignment from Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila to Buendia in Makati City of the NLEx-SLEx project.

MPCALA Holdings, another unit of MPIC’s Metro Pacific Tollroads Corp., is also con-

structing the P35-billon Cavite Laguna Expressway, a four-lane, 47-kilometer closed-system toll expressway connecting Cavitex and South Luzon Expressway.

The expressway will start from Cavitex in Kawit, Cavite and end at the SLEx-Mamplasan Interchange in Biñan, Laguna.

The project will have eight interchanges and one main toll barrier.

HUNGARY offered to the Philippines a $500-million credit facility to finance the construction of water treatment facilities near rivers and lakes, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said Wednesday.

Piñol said Hungarian Ambassador to the Philippines Jozsef Bencze in a courtesy call informed him about Hungary’s expertise in lake rehabilitation.

“Hungary is advanced in their water treatment [system and technology],” Piñol said.

Piñol said he was also looking at the possibility of turning Laguna Lake as the pilot area. “I have requested Secretary Carlos Dominguez of Department of Finance to assist us in exploring how we could tap the credit facility they have offered,” Piñol said.

He said that while the credit facility could be managed by Land Bank of the Philippines, the fisher folk of Laguna Lake would be the one to manage the operations of the treatment facilities.

Piñol said he also told Ambassador Bencze that he was interested in utilizing the same credit facility for the the construction of the proposed Philippine Rubber Tire Facility.

Anna Leah E. Gonzales

B2

Business

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

PSE clears public offering of Chelsea

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Philippine Stock Exchange on Wednesday approved the P8billion initial public offering of Chelsea Logistics Corp., a company controlled by Davao Citybased businessman Dennis Uy. The PSE approved Chelsea’s sale of 546,593,000 new common shares at a maximum price of P14.63 each, or P8 billion in total.

“We thank the PSE for believing in the soundness of our business and for recognizing our potential to help accelerate the Philippine economy’s growth by delivering its logistics needs,” Uy said.

The company may now proceed with its offer period scheduled on July 24 to 31 in time for the listing and commencement of the trading of its shares on the

main board of the PSE under the ticker symbol “CLC” on Aug. 8.

Chelsea is looking to increase its stake in logistics firm 2Go Group Inc. by buying the remaining 20 percent shares in KGLI-NM Holdings Corp. held by former management of Negros Navigation led by 2Go president Sulficio Tagud.

The planned acquisition, if approved by the Philippine Competition Commission, could increase Uy’s direct ownership in 2Go to 35.3 percent from the current 28.1 percent, triggering the mandatory tender offer.

Based on its prospectus, CLC will allot P2.2 billion, out of the P8-billion expected proceeds from the IPO, to finance the acquisition of 20-percent stake in KGLI-NM held by Nenaco Holdings Management Corp.

Market rises; Wilcon, DMCI lead advancers

S

tocks rose for a third day, pushing up the benchmark index near the 8,000-point mark, in line with the movement of Asian markets which rose to the highest level in almost 10 years. issues were unchanged.

Fourteen of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by Wilcon Depot Inc. which gained 5.1 percent to P8.71 and DMCI Holdings Inc. which climbed 3.2 percent to P15.72. SM Prime Holdings Inc. rose 1.6 percent to P34.50.

Meanwhile, most Asian markets also rose. For every five stocks that climbed, three fell.

Financial shares led gains, rising

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, rose 19 points, or 0.3 percent, to close at 7,972.90 Wednesday, as four of the six major sectors advanced.

The heavier index representing all shares also climbed 20 points, or 0.4 percent, to settle at 4,775.96, on a value turnover of P7.9 billion. Advancers outnumbered losers, 116 to 80, while 59

for the seventh session in eight.

“The inability for the Republican party to legislate is putting downward pressure on the USD,” said James Soutter, a fund manager at K2 Asset Management in Melbourne.

“Lower USD tends to be positive for Asian-linked currency economies. Until we get any reform or repeal of Obamacare, the U.S. will not put through changes to taxation policy,” said Soutter.

Australian stocks rebounded after a two-day slump, with banks leading the rally, as the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority said the nation’s top four banks will have to increase tier-1 capital ratios by about 100 basis points.

The next clues for investors will come from meetings of central banks in Japan and Europe this week

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017

NAME

OPEN

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.94 39,000 59.5 33,230 104.6 1,152,810 4.04 2,000 122.2 3,294,940 1.45 50,000 36.5 202,100 16.18 2,900 32.9 1,658,000 0.68 5,000 1.78 4,000 880 310 0.71 2,217,000 91.7 7,901,900 0.86 355,000 15.6 137,600 24.95 700 68.2 23,350 245 1,840 88.15 230 58.7 535,580 222 408,030 1,680 140 86.35 33,530 1.36 125,000

151,560 1,973,460 120,707,765 8,080 402,352,828 70,760 7,381,440 46,812 54,408,500 3,400 7,060 272,875 1,576,490 725,866,926.50 305,220 2,146,610 17,480 1,587,567 451,054 20,459.50 31,429,416.50 90,723,952 235,000 2,894,836.50 170,450

1,673,471.50 46,804,340 -152,862,772 199,015 -2,149,845 -56,880 -153,315,390 21,250 1,416,535 -7,237 -163,239.50 74,415,836 -2,017,495.50 -

40 8.92 0.83 1.42 31.3 0.265 200 7.16 18.3 29.4 14 66.5 78 2 5.31 11.7 12.44 15.4 12.08 7.81 5.82 19 67.8 14.9 13.64 15.98 2.05 216.4 64.1 4.2 24.6 32.25 19.5 18.62 273 0.242 8.9 3.16 7.8 9.66 7.9 10.44 1.94 11.04 68.15 6.4 303.8 4.5 5.1 3.01 13.1 4.55 0.143 1.37 160.4 2.05 29.95 1.04

INDUSTRIAL 40.1 653,200 8.96 1,537,600 0.84 973,000 1.42 2,301,000 31.75 86,400 0.265 3,780,000 215.6 3,350 7.29 2,143,700 18.6 210,600 29.65 921,100 14.54 71,500 68.2 54,770 82.7 3,190 2.05 539,000 5.31 34,100 11.7 26,700 12.5 5,663,300 15.42 2,552,900 12.9 6,902,300 7.84 1,301,100 5.93 18,408,500 19.04 1,239,200 67.9 525,590 14.9 26,900 13.7 153,300 16 1,295,000 2.05 3,993,000 220.4 1,442,350 64.1 1,320 4.38 2,332,000 24.6 200 32.3 1,765,300 20.1 881,900 18.74 3,330,600 273.2 347,000 0.243 1,300,000 9.8 886,200 3.2 1,013,000 8.3 3,099,100 9.66 1,268,200 7.9 98,300 10.44 3,800 1.94 790,000 11.9 5,536,100 68.4 1,040,980 6.63 166,900 304 3,020 4.52 2,079,000 5.1 148,300 3.13 9,631,000 13.18 350,900 4.56 285,000 0.148 2,120,000 1.37 37,000 162.1 499,960 2.06 2,370,000 29.95 200 1.04 220,000

26,192,385 13,953,629 808,080 3,277,000 2,756,270 1,012,650 697,950 15,534,468 3,897,256 27,261,255 1,003,654 3,734,138 254,721 1,097,240 181,084 314,708 70,734,744 39,413,178 87,047,374 10,207,681 108,969,023 23,636,050 35,675,669.50 400,910 2,099,942 20,753,732 8,319,010 317,327,344 85,660.50 10,087,150 4,920 57,131,650 17,685,475 62,541,136 94,959,224 315,830 8,756,089 3,239,820 25,237,782 12,318,579 783,588 39,842 1,542,360 64,472,134 71,275,737.50 1,083,895 918,082 9,396,960 756,414 30,132,280 4,635,974 1,298,620 304,820 51,020 81,033,518 4,888,010 5,990 229,170

2,751,740 -2,612,070 -23,240 -2,494,940 -1,143,836 716,878 3,025,615 91,030 3,559,852 -4,100 -67,932 -7,491,486 6,469,144 4,332,436 7,632,733 12,075,857 -8,409,718 -5,683,399.50 2,980 -123,532 3,338,298 47,300 200,178,764 -997,390 8,135,260 -5,450,310 -2,921,264 11,766,638 -118,960 -355,780.00 -342,771.00 -609,910 79,428 -1,279,315.50 -284,760 381,990 -370,080 1,802,534 15,649,448 -200,480.00 -145,600

0.375 76 14.04 1.17 7.13 0.34 0.345 870 7.91 15.78 7.8 0.215 1,260 8.2 80.2 5.59 5.55 1.07 7 17.84 0.44 6.98 0.053 1.03 2.21 2.6 103.2 2.86 802 0.89 1.63 255 304 0.29 0.212 0.25

0.365 74.9 13.92 1.16 6.95 0.33 0.335 860 7.87 15.3 7.68 0.206 1,232 7.79 79.3 5.1 5.41 1.02 6.85 17.16 0.44 6.83 0.051 1.03 2.17 2.6 102.7 2.72 790 0.87 1.58 199.9 302.6 0.29 0.212 0.25

HOLDING FIRMS 0.365 1,090,000 74.9 678,970 13.98 10,824,100 1.16 92,000 7.13 36,600 0.34 600,000 0.345 630,000 868 154,510 7.9 2,026,400 15.72 20,430,400 7.8 38,900 0.208 240,000 1,240 188,060 8.17 269,100 79.3 2,710,300 5.5 27,100 5.55 6,900 1.03 7,028,000 6.91 1,508,500 17.16 1,913,000 0.44 240,000 6.85 39,294,200 0.052 39,830,000 1.03 70,000 2.21 502,000 2.6 17,000 103 69,650 2.8 88,000 797.5 388,260 0.87 318,000 1.6 2,010,000 250 2,770 303.8 4,700 0.29 170,000 0.212 50,000 0.25 100,000

403,200 50,982,214.50 151,309,832 106,920 260,319 198,600 212,100 133,755,345 16,001,737 320,457,242 300,128 50,940 233,316,750 2,130,750 216,297,737 143,197 37,351 7,310,800 10,370,067 33,112,550 105,600 269,810,254 2,077,460 72,100 1,094,700 44,200 7,176,288 241,980 310,069,135 278,660 3,211,560 597,748 1,427,614 49,300 10,600 25,000

-8,657,941.50 -110,771,484 -7,110 14,741,605 -3,520,917 193,175,034 160,902,900 -114,898,318.50 -19,928 542,042 -12,215,702 17,119,851 106,000 670,934 10,920 -65,685,460 -105,770 863,240.00 -361,522 -

6.05 1.52 2.44 1.13 42 3.79 5.4 5.34 0.67 1.29 1.56 0.195 0.54 47.5 0.8 0.164 1.95 1.67 1.05 4.85 0.375

5.94 1.44 2.32 1.11 41.55 3.69 5.29 5.3 0.64 1.18 1.52 0.191 0.52 46.85 0.77 0.163 1.89 1.59 1.04 4.71 0.36

PROPERTY 5.94 213,900 1.52 15,105,000 2.37 143,000 1.12 3,893,000 41.7 7,306,300 3.75 1,834,000 5.32 3,498,000 5.3 145,700 0.65 55,221,000 1.26 2,226,000 1.53 392,000 0.192 3,610,000 0.53 1,955,000 47.3 74,900 0.79 3,445,000 0.163 60,000 1.9 14,263,000 1.6 26,909,000 1.05 554,000 4.75 49,359,000 0.36 70,590,000

1,272,761 22,592,850 334,910 4,373,530 304,990,845 6,820,480 18,600,455 773,844 36,178,010 2,762,710 601,640 693,120 1,031,400 3,546,765 2,702,880 9,830 27,172,260 43,721,950 581,280 236,443,740 25,690,700

-1,095,310 -351,830 -1,441,780 -431,390 5,680,633 -407,570 -6,271,300 -77,500 2,310,370 -415,480 8,200 8,649,290 180,800 52,500 21,519,630 1,050,000

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

AG FINANCE 4.1 ASIA UNITED 59.5 BANK PH ISLANDS 105 BDO LEASING 4.04 BDO UNIBANK 122.1 BRIGHT KINDLE 1.5 CHINABANK 36.65 COL FINANCIAL 16.04 EAST WEST BANK 32.35 FIRST ABACUS 0.68 IREMIT 1.72 MANULIFE 900 MEDCO HLDG 0.72 METROBANK 92.95 NTL REINSURANCE 0.87 PB BANK 15.7 PBCOM 25 PHIL NATL BANK 67.4 PHIL STOCK EXCH 245.2 PSBANK 90 RCBC 58 SECURITY BANK 224.8 SUN LIFE 1,670 UNION BANK 86.35 VANTAGE 1.38

4.1 59.5 105.2 4.04 122.4 1.5 36.65 16.18 33 0.68 1.78 900 0.72 93.5 0.87 15.7 25 68.2 248 90 58.9 224.8 1,680 86.4 1.38

3.75 59.15 104.2 4.04 121.9 1.4 36.45 16.04 32.35 0.68 1.72 877.5 0.71 90.5 0.85 15.6 24.95 67.4 245 88.15 58 220 1,670 86.05 1.35

ABOITIZ POWER 40.1 AGRINURTURE 9.1 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.84 ALSONS CONS 1.43 ASIABEST GROUP 31.8 BASIC ENERGY 0.265 BOGO MEDELLIN 223 CEMEX HLDG 7.25 CENTURY FOOD 18.32 CIRTEK HLDG 29.45 CNTRL AZUCARERA14.24 CONCEPCION 68 CONCRETE A 79.1 CROWN ASIA 2 DAVINCI CAPITAL 5.44 DEL MONTE 11.84 DNL INDUS 12.46 EAGLE CEMENT 15.42 EEI CORP 12.08 EMPERADOR 7.84 ENERGY DEVT 5.82 FIRST GEN 19.12 FIRST PHIL HLDG 67.8 GINEBRA 15 HOLCIM 13.7 INTEGRATED MICR 16.1 IONICS 2.14 JOLLIBEE 217 LIBERTY FLOUR 64.5 LMG CHEMICALS 4.2 MACAY HLDG 24.6 MANILA WATER 32.4 MAXS GROUP 20.45 MEGAWIDE 18.82 MERALCO 274.6 MG HLDG 0.242 PANASONIC 8.9 PEPSI COLA 3.2 PETROENERGY 7.8 PETRON 9.66 PHIL H2O 7.9 PHINMA 10.5 PHINMA ENERGY 1.94 PHX PETROLEUM 11.04 PILIPINAS SHELL 68.4 PRYCE CORP 6.5 PUREFOODS 304 RFM CORP 4.5 ROXAS HLDG 5.1 SFA SEMICON 3.07 SHAKEYS PIZZA 13.1 SPC POWER 4.55 SWIFT FOODS 0.145 TKC METALS 1.4 UNIV ROBINA 161.3 VITARICH 2.06 VIVANT 29.95 VULCAN INDL 1.05

40.25 9.19 0.85 1.46 32 0.27 223.6 7.3 18.66 29.75 14.54 68.2 84.9 2.05 5.44 11.84 12.52 15.6 12.98 7.92 5.95 19.16 67.95 15 13.72 16.1 2.15 221.4 65 4.4 24.6 32.5 20.7 18.82 274.6 0.244 11 3.2 8.4 9.77 8 10.5 2 11.92 68.7 6.63 304.4 4.52 5.14 3.16 13.34 4.57 0.148 1.4 163.2 2.09 29.95 1.05

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

0.375 76 14.04 1.16 6.95 0.33 0.34 860 7.9 15.3 7.8 0.215 1,242 7.79 80.05 5.1 5.42 1.06 6.89 17.46 0.44 6.96 0.051 1.03 2.17 2.6 102.9 2.86 795.5 0.87 1.63 199.9 303 0.29 0.212 0.25

8990 HLDG 6.05 A BROWN 1.44 ARANETA PROP 2.36 ARTHALAND CORP 1.13 AYALA LAND 41.9 BELLE CORP 3.7 CEB LANDMASTERS 5.33 CEBU HLDG 5.3 CENTURY PROP 0.67 CITY AND LAND 1.18 CITYLAND DEVT 1.55 CROWN EQUITIES 0.193 CYBER BAY 0.53 DOUBLEDRAGON 47.5 EMPIRE EAST 0.8 EVER GOTESCO 0.164 FILINVEST LAND 1.9 GLOBAL ESTATE 1.63 IRC PROP 1.05 MEGAWORLD 4.71 MRC ALLIED 0.36

VOLUME

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

0.37 0.64 4.7 25.1 1.81 3.27 34.15 1.02 7.3 0.9 5.9

0.395 0.66 4.92 25.3 1.84 3.27 34.65 1.04 7.3 0.93 5.93

0.37 0.64 4.65 24.6 1.76 3.2 34.1 1.02 7.3 0.9 5.85

0.385 0.65 4.91 24.7 1.8 3.26 34.5 1.03 7.3 0.91 5.85

1,290,000 8,961,000 3,027,000 5,410,200 930,000 1,409,000 6,585,000 910,000 100 600,000 1,603,000

485,700 5,791,400 14,624,700 134,611,940 1,671,340 4,510,010 226,912,250 933,130 730 544,790 9,410,984

-32,500 -1,028,720 41,911,575 -336,150 -1,558,400 72,557,700 -5,115,170

2GO GROUP 22.45 ABS CBN 43 ACESITE HOTEL 1.8 APC GROUP 0.5 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.042 ASIAN TERMINALS 10.8 BERJAYA 5.32 BLOOMBERRY 9.43 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.087 CEBU AIR 96.75 CENTRO ESCOLAR 9.6 DFNN INC 8.75 DISCOVERY WORLD 2.32 FAR EASTERN U 970 GLOBE TELECOM 2,020 GMA NETWORK 6.26 GOLDEN HAVEN 15.8 GRAND PLAZA 13.2 HARBOR STAR 2.97 IMPERIAL 3.5 INTL CONTAINER 104.5 IPM HLDG 8.55 ISLAND INFO 0.185 ISM COMM 1.42 JACKSTONES 3.35 LBC EXPRESS 15.9 LEISURE AND RES 5.11 LORENZO SHIPPNG 1.8 MACROASIA 9.27 MANILA BULLETIN 0.61 MANILA JOCKEY 2.35 MELCO RESORTS 8.51 METRO RETAIL 4.36 MLA BRDCASTING 17.3 NOW CORP 2.6 PACIFIC ONLINE 11.44 PAL HLDG 5.28 PAXYS 3.19 PHIL SEVEN CORP 179.5 PHILWEB 10.5 PLDT 1,690 PREMIUM LEISURE 1.59 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.435 PUREGOLD 47 ROBINSONS RTL 86.5 SBS PHIL CORP 6.05 SSI GROUP 4.81 STI HLDG 1.48 TRAVELLERS 3.65 WATERFRONT 1.33 WILCON DEPOT 8.31

23.35 43 1.83 0.5 0.044 10.82 5.32 9.6 0.088 98.1 9.61 9.47 2.32 970 2,064 6.27 15.8 13.2 3.08 3.5 105.7 8.67 0.189 1.45 3.35 16.18 5.22 1.95 9.45 0.61 2.4 8.7 4.4 20.7 2.6 11.46 5.29 3.2 179.6 10.76 1,700 1.6 0.435 47.9 87.2 6.15 5.05 1.58 3.67 1.4 8.76

22.45 42.3 1.76 0.5 0.042 10.8 5.31 9.42 0.085 96.75 9.58 8.75 2.31 970 2,016 6.23 15.38 13.2 2.95 3.4 103.7 8.5 0.185 1.4 3.35 15.9 5.05 1.8 9.1 0.59 2.31 8.45 4.15 17.3 2.56 11.4 5.07 3.15 178.8 10.5 1,670 1.58 0.43 46.9 86.5 6.05 4.81 1.48 3.63 1.32 8.31

SERVICES 23.2 242,700 42.95 32,800 1.76 836,000 0.5 478,000 0.043 13,900,000 10.82 800 5.31 1,100 9.46 5,277,400 0.085 133,850,000 98 170,300 9.58 5,200 9.47 3,032,800 2.31 12,000 970 10 2,044 24,205 6.27 387,300 15.78 5,900 13.2 100 3.06 1,296,000 3.4 26,000 105 3,132,620 8.5 342,600 0.188 8,840,000 1.41 641,000 3.35 3,000 16.18 1,500 5.18 1,473,600 1.95 2,079,000 9.25 3,158,500 0.6 82,000 2.39 96,000 8.54 1,973,700 4.2 13,881,000 20.7 22,200 2.56 1,432,000 11.46 26,400 5.2 161,200 3.15 31,000 179 420 10.62 383,100 1,680 140,960 1.6 2,210,000 0.435 2,270,000 47.2 1,997,200 87 2,206,160 6.06 302,900 4.99 20,693,000 1.56 21,081,000 3.65 982,000 1.37 37,538,000 8.71 16,119,100

5,591,830 1,407,370 1,486,990 239,000 589,500 8,644 5,843 49,919,496 11,423,840 16,630,467 49,882 27,899,227 27,790 9,700 49,476,190 2,422,157 91,136 1,320 3,917,280 88,960 328,413,829 2,954,650 1,654,030 907,110 10,050 23,990 7,541,381 3,954,780 29,233,440 48,740 225,770 16,842,648 58,948,910 428,560 3,686,590 301,390 823,574 98,510 75,216 4,066,868 236,895,060 3,515,650 982,400 94,632,075 191,863,810.50 1,833,127 103,246,940 32,543,100 3,580,520 51,094,010 138,944,668

-27,600 -3,453,262 2,822,952 138,181 -31,649,080 14,800 26,631,830 30,700 -112,300 844,441 -4,470,126 22,810 851,000 -5,385 101,484 29,574,145 -7,937,990 -3,476,265.50 6,685,170 -336,390 1,470,540 3,776,980 -257,488

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

0.0032 1.75 5.2 2.02 2.02 1.07 0.39 8.48 2.79 0.285 0.187 0.19 0.012 0.012 2.15 6.5 2.02 0.64 1.2 0.01 0.01 0.013 2.66 9.3 3.03 160.1 0.0085

0.0032 1.75 5.21 2.02 2.02 1.23 0.395 8.88 2.82 0.3 0.19 0.201 0.012 0.013 2.17 6.65 2.02 0.64 1.29 0.011 0.01 0.013 2.66 9.38 3.11 165 0.0085

0.0029 1.71 5.07 2 2.01 1.04 0.385 8.48 2.77 0.285 0.185 0.19 0.011 0.011 2.05 6.5 1.98 0.6 1.2 0.01 0.01 0.012 2.66 9.16 3.03 160 0.0085

MINING & OIL 0.003 1,020,000,000 1.71 6,047,000 5.19 403,100 2 34,000 2.01 18,000 1.23 23,372,000 0.385 190,000 8.88 25,800 2.77 6,007,000 0.295 1,510,000 0.189 14,180,000 0.198 2,490,000 0.011 16,100,000 0.012 6,900,000 2.08 1,696,000 6.59 6,427,200 2 156,000 0.61 1,127,000 1.24 1,923,000 0.01 37,600,000 0.01 5,000,000 0.012 9,300,000 2.66 10,000 9.2 1,345,900 3.04 943,000 162.3 2,547,520 0.0085 1,000,000

3,108,300 10,389,780 2,067,507 68,320 36,230 27,200,380 73,950 219,450 16,789,530 433,550 2,658,110 475,070 177,500 82,100 3,531,970 42,335,216 309,990 685,140 2,363,450 384,600 50,000 111,800 26,600 12,456,358 2,896,000 413,153,526 8,500

-90,129 -1,476,340 623,340 94,960 6,000 -86,580 -14,063,068 61,000 3,632,896 -177,930 -113,863,743 -

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

43.5 516 105 114 525 6.03 1,011 1,018 1.05 106 1,036 1,020 105.1 76.2 81 78 80.7 79 78.5 78.9

43.5 516 105 114 525 6.05 1,011 1,020 1.05 106 1,036 1,020 105.1 76.25 81 78.05 80.7 79 78.5 78.9

43 516 104.7 114 517 5.96 1,011 1,018 1.05 106 1,036 1,016 105 76.2 80.75 78 80.7 79 78.5 78.9

PREFERRED 43.25 32,300 516 390 104.7 106,770 114 50 517 3,000 6.05 2,051,400 1,011 1,010 1,020 2,800 1.05 100,000 106 500 1,036 8,550 1,020 4,700 105 9,700 76.25 120 80.75 8,660 78 48,610 80.7 2,000 79 130 78.5 15,800 78.9 59,940

1,396,930 201,240 11,210,553 5,700 1,567,000 12,352,186 1,021,110 2,852,000 105,000 53,000 8,857,800 4,790,000 1,018,809 9,149 699,297.50 3,792,131 161,400 10,270 1,240,300 4,729,266

1,026,780 680,484 78,050 161,400 -

LR WARRANT

3.12

3.15

3.06

WARRANTS 3.12 896,000

2,778,770

-

382,930 102,410 1,248,592 18,215,272

-156,000 -6,000 -1,696,252

107,068

-

NAME

OPEN

PHIL ESTATES PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

MS SME ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

3.9 3.2 6.07 7.92

FIRST METRO ETF 120.1

TRADING SUMMARY

3.97 3.25 6.07 8.16

3.89 3 5.97 7.92

120.6

120

3.9 3.25 6 7.97

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 120.3 890

SHARES

VALUE

FINANCIAL

18,484,906

1,476,068,692.00

INDUSTRIAL

98,485,754

1,406,544,715.768

133,796,394

1,787,800,723.27

HOLDING FIRMS

98,000 32,000 207,800 2,256,600

PROPERTY

291,658,960

1,151,751,959.45

SERVICES

306,110,119

1,508,956,396.99

MINING & OIL

1,166,513,701

542,131,963.334

GRAND TOTAL

2,017,646,077

7,893,316,499.21

FINANCIAL 1,959.24 (down) 4.15 INDUSTRIAL 11,245.72 (up) 60.82 HOLDING FIRMS 7,954.52 (down) 0.55 PROPERTY 3,773.38 (up) 22.40 SERVICES 1,688.41 (up) 16.80 MINING & OIL 12,860.00 (up) 54.14 PSEI 7,972.90 (up) 19.98 All Shares Index 4,775.96 (up) 20.28 Gainers: 116; Losers: 80; Unchanged: 59; Total: 255

and earnings reports due Wednesday at companies including Morgan Stanley and Qualcomm Inc. With inflation stuck below the Federal Reserve’s two percent target and prospects fading of any economic reforms, traders are questioning whether the Fed will raise interest rates for a third time this year.

Just months ago there had been bets on four increases.

“The market has been waiting for the Trump failure cascade to begin and yesterday’s health care headlines once again bring into question the administration’s ability to enact on their key legislative promises, leaving investors in limbo and the dollar sagging,” Stephen Innes, a senior trader at Oanda, said in a commentary.

The greenback was marginally up against its major peers but remained stuck at multi-month lows, with the euro enjoying support from expectations the European Central Bank will soon begin to reduce stimulus.

The bank will hold its next policy meeting Thursday and boss Mario Draghi’s statement will be pored over for clues about its timetable as the eurozone economy continues to improve.

Other, higher-yielding, currencies are also faring well with the Australian dollar pushing towards 80 US cents for the first time since early 2015, while the Mexican peso is also at more than one-year highs. With AFP, Bloomberg

Meralco revives P10-b rail proposal

By Darwin G. Amojelar MRAIL Inc., a subsidiary of Manila Electric Co., said Wednesday it resumed talks with state-run Philippine National Railways on the proposed P10-billion Manila-Laguna Freight Train Project.

“The Freight Project has always been there. However, it was only prudent that we wait for the appointment of the new set of board of directors as well as the new GM [general manager] before we bring the project back on the table,” Mrail president and chief executive Ferdinand Inacay said.

MRail and PNR were supposed to sign a track usage agreement in early 2016 but had to defer it pending a legal opinion from the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel.

The OGCC approved the submitted draft of the MRailPNR Track Usage Agreement, but the parties were prohibited from entering into an agreement during the 2016 national election campaign period.

“We remain optimistic that the Freight Project will push through as the project provides very tangible value propositions to the government, the business sector particularly the importers and exporters located in the Calabarzon area and to the environment as a whole.

“The project manifests our support to the administration’s thrust towards building more railways and we believe that this project will compliment that goal,” Inacay said.

Mrail and its partner International Container Terminal Services Inc. earlier said they would invest P10 billion over two years to revive a container rail service from Manila to Calamba in Laguna.

The project, which will revive freight service operations from the Port of Manila to the Laguna Gateway Inland Container Terminal, will provide an alternative mode of transport for containerized cargoes moving to and from Southern Luzon.

Business

B3

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Manila

Standard

TODAY

BoI says Mindanao investments fall 61%

By Othel V. Campos

GOLDEN LILY AWARDS. SM City Chengdu of SM Supermalls China bags the award for ‘Best Community Shopping Center’ at the recently concluded 2017 China Chain Store and Franchise Association Golden Lily Awards on July 5 in Nanjing, China. SM Supermalls China assistant vice president Johanna Melissa Rupisan (second from right) receives the award from Bu Xueyou (center) of Aimer Group, one of the 2017 CCFA Golden Lily Awards sponsor enterprises. Other shopping centers recognized this year were Changsha Wangfujing Shopping Center, ShenZhenLonggang Vanke Plaza, Better Life Mall of Wangjiawan, KunshanKuncheng Plaza, and Huiyang INREACH Shopping Center.

INVESTMENT pledges in Mindanao dropped 61.3 percent in the first six months of 2017 to P6.87 billion from P17.74 billion year-on-year.

Data from the Board of Investments showed that Regions 10 to 12 registered slower growth during the period, except for Region 13 where investments doubled to P1.35 biĺlion.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez attributed the decline to “ill timing.”

“Based from the people we spoke, there’s still strong interest in Mindanao given strong fundamentals and the strong promise of Mindanao especially on agroprocessing, manufacturing and property development,” he said.

He declined to acknowledge comments that Mindanao was a high risk area for investors, especially with the ongoing battle between government forces and Muslim extremists and the declaration of martial in the whole island.

Investment commitments in Region 10 plunged 81 percent to P1.38 billion from P7.3 billion on year.

Region 11’s investments shrank 50 percent percent to P3.21 billion from P6.38 biĺlion while those in Region 12 plummeted 77 percent to P927.8 miĺlion from P4 billion a year ago.

Despite slower growth in Mindanao, the BoI remains optimistic it will hit the P500-billion investments target by the end of 2017.

Total approved investments to mid-July hit P272.7 biĺlion, or just above 50 percent from the agency’s target for 2017.

An additional investment worth P18 biĺlion is expected to boost the figure by the end of July to P290 billion.

President Rodrigo Duterte plans to extend martial law Mindanao to defeat Islamist militants who have seized a major city, as critics warned the country could be edging towards a dictatorship.

Erring power plants to face penalties

By Alena Mae S. Flores

T

HE Energy Department is set to release a circular that will charge power generators when their plants go on forced outage, an official said Wednesday.

“We will come out with a causer’s pay policy program on charging the cost of electricity to the generator that went on forced outage,” Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said at the sidelines of the 5th Annual Philippines Power & Electricity Week Forum.

Fuentebella said the department would investigate the reason for the forced outage of the power plants and determine their culpability, whether the shutdown was intentional or due to negligence.

“Usually, we have to visit them and try to see why, what caused the plant shutdown.

So, from there we determine... if intentional or negligence. Basically, it’s addressing that level of responsibility to the entire system and more of the accountability portion,” the official said.

Fuentebella said the costs incurred during forced outages of power plants are usually passed on to consumers.

“We just want to look... at your responsibility also because you were the one who said that you will be running at this time and then something happens... You have to make sure everybody is working to make sure that the plant is running,” he said.

Fuentebella said the department would issue the policy in coordination with the Energy Regulatory Commission, including the imposition of penalties.

“It’s a policy that we will look into with the ERC and we will have it tested with the players what will be the effect to them,” he said.

“The one that will pay is the one that caused the problem. Instead of charging to all of us, the only one who caused the problem

will shoulder the cost,” Fuentebella said.

He added a company found liable for the forced shutdown might have to compensate participants to the interruptible load program who will be called to run their generator sets, instead of drawing power from the grid.

Consumers of the affected distribution utility pay for running the ILP

under the approved rules of the ERC. Fuentebella said not only generation firms but also governmentowned or government-controlled plants could be held liable. The same could apply to the transmission operator.

He said a power plant or transmission shutdown caused by force majeure, or acts of God, will not be charged under the policy.

Fuentebella said the move would also ensure that power plants improve their reliability as most of the large facilities today are aging.

The department recently issued department circular 2017-05-008 providing for the policies and guidelines on the conduct of performance assessment and audit for all power generation, transmission and distribution systems and facilities.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS (As of June 30, 2017 ) Atty. Mariana Amanda S. Meer Chairman Alan Roy V. Torio Director Michael A. Bautista Director

How many jobs were lost in the anti-endo drive?

Robert B. Jordan Jr. Director Ruben Y. Lugtu II Director Atty. Patrick Austin R. Manalo

NEXT week President Rodrigo Duterte will deliver, within the premises of the House of Representatives, his second report to the Filipino people on his first year of stewardship of their affairs. Because it was one of his principal promises to the electorate during the 2016 electoral campaign, Mr. Duterte will have to tell his countrymen how his administration’s drive against “endo”—the hiring of workers through successive contracts of less than six months’ duration—has been faring.

That part of Mr. Duterte’s second State of the Nation Address will be filled in by data from DoLE (Department of Labor and Employment), within whose domain the endo issue falls. I am not in a position to say if the Secretary of Labor and Employment ever was fully committed to the policy of ending the endo system, but Secretary Silvestre Belo III’s recent statements and body language have not been suggestive of enthusiasm or great optimism. One gets the feeling that Secretary Bello has not embraced the policy and has just been going through the motions.

Why should the Secretary of Labor and Employment be enthusiastic and pessimistic about the impact and future of the end-endo drive? Because, although he is a lawyer and not an economist, Silvestre Bello III appreciates that, while considerations of fairness and generosity demand that all workers receive all the worker benefits prescribed by law, businessmen act in accordance with sound economic logic when they avoid committing themselves to an employeremployee relationship with their workers.

Having been an adviser to businessmen in his past law practice, Secretary Bello knows that businessmen may be divided into two groups—those who are lawabiding and those who are inclined toward violating laws—and that law-abiding businessmen will have responded to the government’s end-endo drive either by placing on regular status the workers that they can afford to regularize or try terminating the workers that they cannot.

Director Chito Francisco R. Dizon Director Jose Maria J. Marigomen Independent Director

What has Secretary Bello reported to Malacañang regarding the end-endo policy?

Judging from the gradual disappearance of news about endo from the newspaper headlines and the evening television news, it is very likely that DoLE will have reported limited success in getting this country’s business establishments to move from endo to regularization. Whatever success the end-endo drive has achieved has very likely come from the low-lying fruit. It is no secret that the principal target of the end-endo policy has been the very large establishments, especially those in the fast-food business. There has, very likely, been little success with the mediumsize and small establishments, which are beyond the reach of DoLE’s limited inspection staff and would be unable to bear the cost of complete regularization of their small workforces.

Like all such exercises, the Duterte administration’s end-endo drive has very probably been a win-some-lose-some game. Regularization has been won for some workers but other workers have lost their jobs. Perfectly good jobs have been lost in order that some workers may gain the SSS and other benefits that their endo status prevented them from enjoying. That is the tragic element of the whole exercise.

In his second SONA Mr. Duterte must inform the nation exactly how many regularizations have been achieved and how many collateral job losses have taken place in order that the Filipino people will be placed in a position to judge whether end-endo has on balance been a good thing.

I think not. Defying economic logic is never good policy.

E-mail: romero.business.class@gmail.com

Vicente P. Ortuoste Independent Director Atty. Dennis Aldrich C. Del Rosario

Corporate Secretary

Alan Roy V. Torio President/CEO Michael A. Bautista Senior Vice President/CAO Raquel A. Sese Senior Vice President/COO Manny M. Vidal Chief Finance Officer

1/ Common Equity Tier 1 is only applicable to all Universal and Commercial Banks and their subsidiary

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

I/We , ALAN ROY V. TORIO and MANNY M. VIDAL of the above mentioned bank do solemnly swear that all matter set forth in the balance sheet are true and correct to the best of my/our knowledge and belief.

MANNY M. VIDAL______ CFO

ALAN ROY V. TORIO President

SUBSCRIBE AND SWORN to before me this_________________day of____________,2017 at_______,affiant exhibiting his/her/their Community Tax Certificate No.______________,Issued at_____________on__________and Community Tax Certificate No._____________,issued at___________on_____________.

NOTARY PUBLIC Book No._______ Page No._______ Series of_______ (MS-JULY 20, 2017)

Ray S. Eñano, Editor business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

B4

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017

Business

US, China focus on balanced trade

By Saleha Mohsin and Ye Xie

U

S and Chinese economic chiefs sidestepped their differences over North Korea and steel imports ahead of a high-level forum in which the Trump administration is seeking clear commitments from China to open its markets.

“There remains serious imbalances which we must work to rectify,” Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Tuesday in Washington at an event organized by the US-China Business Council, a nonprofit group representing more than 200 American companies that do business in China. “It is time to rebalance our trade and investment relationship in a more fair, equitable and reciprocal direction.”

Ross spoke at the gathering along with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang, a day before the US-China Comprehensive Economic Dialogue, or CED, in Washington. The forum for economic and trade talks was agreed to in April, when President Donald Trump met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Florida and developed a 100-day action plan. The talks led to China re-opening its markets to US beef and pledging to buy US liquefied natural gas, while allowing greater access to its financial services sector.

The meeting comes amid tensions between the two nations as Trump steps up pressure on China to rein in North Korea’s nuclear program. His administration is also weighing steps to cut steel imports, blaming China’s overcapacity for creating global gluts.

“What matters most with the CED and other forms of dialogues is to get the two sides to

sit together and talk, to avoid the mutual abuse triggered by lack of communication,” said He Weiwen, deputy director of the Center for China and Globalization in Beijing. “The dialogue should cover both the generic rules and the specific deliverables. It should be cooperationoriented, and to get the things hanging over China-US relations done one by one.”

Mnuchin on Tuesday said the US wants specific deliverables from the CED and that the US will use the discussions to push China on lifting foreign ownership restrictions in its financial services industry and to remove hurdles for information and technology sectors.

“China is in the midst of a change to a more sustainable growth model,” Mnuchin said.

“We still have work to do with China to achieve a balanced relationship” based on reciprocity.

The Chinese government has been giving market-oriented policies a larger role in the economy, moving away from a state-led model, with a goal to achieve 6.5 percent average economic growth in the five years through 2020.

“The Chinese economy will continue to grow at mediumhigh speed and climb higher on the value chain, as China’s traditional industries are transformed and upgraded at a faster pace and emerging industries flourish,” Wang said in a speech at the event. Bloomberg

Iranians are served at a high-end French sushi chain that opened the previous week in northern Tehran on July 16, 2017. For years, Iranians have had to put up with the likes of “Mash Donalds” and “Pizza Hat.” Now real Western food franchises have finally arrived, but doing business in Iran is not for the faint-hearted. AFP

Foreign food chains gamble for a bite of Iran TEHRAN, Iran―For years, Iranians have had to put up with the likes of “Mash Donalds” and “Pizza Hat.” Now real Western food franchises have finally arrived, but doing business in Iran is not for the fainthearted.

Despite strict international sanctions being eased under a nuclear deal with world powers last year, the Iranian economy remains bogged down by red tape and struggles to

attract foreign investors.

But a couple of European food franchises have decided the risks are worth taking for a taste of the estimated $7 billion (six billion euros) Iranians spend in restaurants each year, and which local consultancy ILIA says will double in the next decade.

Spain’s Telepizza opened its first outlet this month through an Iranian consortium that plans to pump 100 million euros into expanding nationwide.

But one of the first Europeans to really get his hands dirty on the ground is 41-year-old French entrepreneur Amaury de la Serre, who bought the rights to launch Sushi Shop in Iran after falling in love with the country during a visit in 2013.

The first branch of the high-end French chain opened last week in a chic north Tehran neighborhood, marking the culmination of a bruising 18 months of work.

“There’s a strong government will to bring foreign capital and know-how here, but at the day-to-day administrative level, it’s hell,” de la Serre told AFP. “Everything takes time, everything is complicated. It is very, very difficult to deal with customs.

“But no pain, no gain. And things are changing at full-speed here. I love this country and I’m very excited to be a spectator to its evolution.”

Getting the supply chains running was certainly complex―the restaurant uses 150 mostly local suppliers and must ship fresh fish from Norway three times a week.

It took a year just to get the license to import Japanese sauces, and navigating Tehran’s notorious real estate rackets was a saga in itself.

The government says it is trying to streamline its bureaucracy, but Iran actually fell three places in this year’s ease of doing business rankings from the World Bank, down to 120 out of 190 countries.

Still, some of the biggest headaches are back in Europe, where banks are so afraid of US penalties that they freeze accounts at the merest whiff of a link to Iran.

“It’s crazy. We went to the French Ministry of Economy and they gave us a list of all the banks that would agree to work with Iran. But when we called them, every single one said no,” said de la Serre.

Eventually he found a small private bank willing to handle his transactions because they have no links to the US. AFP

Reckitt Benckiser sells food unit to McCormick for $4.2b MCCORMICK & Co. agreed to acquire Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc’s food business for $4.2 billion, adding French’s mustard and Frank’s RedHot sauce to its lineup of spices and seasonings.

The deal brings a stable of well-known condiments to Sparks, Maryland-based McCormick. For Reckitt Benckiser, unloading the products continues an overhaul that began with an expansion into baby formula through the British company’s acquisition of Mead Johnson Nutrition Co. for $16.6 billion.

The transaction price equates to 20 times the division’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization, “which feels to us like a very high price for a US-oriented ambient food business,” James Edwardes Jones, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets, wrote in a note to investors. He expects the transaction to dilute RB’s earnings per share by about 1 percent.

McCormick shares dropped 0.1 percent in New York Tuesday before the announcement and have gained about 4 percent this year.

Reckitt stock rose 2 percent early Wednesday in London, extending its increase for the year to 16 percent.

The deal comes as speculation swirls about the next round of consolidation in the packaged-food business. In February, Kraft Heinz Co. was spurned in a blockbuster bid to take over Unilever, the British-Dutch maker of Hellmann’s mayonnaise and Knorr soup. In the aftermath, Unilever was cited by

analysts as a possible bidder for the Reckitt business.

Nestle SA, the world’s largest food company, is also shaking up its portfolio.

Under activist pressure to improve results, it’s considering selling its US candy operations. Investor Nelson Peltz’s Trian Fund Management this week set its sights on Procter & Gamble Co., the US giant that competes with Unilever in personal care.

Reckitt said it was looking to unload its food business in April, when the Slough, England-based company described the division as “non-core.” With 411 million pounds ($536 million) in sales last year, French’s Foods accounted for 4 percent of Reckitt’s total revenue.

French’s and Frank’s RedHot will become McCormick’s second- and third-largest brands, respectively, Chief Executive Officer Lawrence E. Kurzius said in a statement late Tuesday.

McCormick’s pro forma 2017 annual net sales are expected to be approximately $5 billion, with significant margin growth, according to the statement.

In acquiring Reckitt’s food business, McCormick faced a large group of potential rivals. Bloomberg reported in May that the sale was expected to draw interest from Post Holdings Inc. and Conagra Brands Inc. Other possible bidders included JM Smucker Co., Campbell Soup Co., Pinnacle Foods Inc. and Ajinomoto Co., people familiar with the situation said at the time. Bloomberg

LGUs

P250-m new PLM building unveiled

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

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017

C1

By Sandy Araneta MANILA Mayor Joseph Estrada has unveiled the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila’s newest classroom building, built at the cost of P250 million.

During the formal turnover of the Gusaling Emilio Ejercito, Sr. at the PLM grounds last Monday, Estrada said the additional classrooms and laboratories will further boost the quality of education in the city-run university.

“It gives me a great pleasure to unveil a new addition to the PLM campus: this new, threestorey building, which will provide the PLM with another venue for various official activities and gatherings,” Estrada said.

“Thousands of young Manileños have graduated from PLM and have become professionals.

With this new school building, we will be able to help educate many more poor but bright students, the future of our nation,” the former president added.

The new building tops the list of Estrada’s major school infrastructure projects in his second term as chief executive of the capital city.

It has 12 classrooms, four general laboratories, a state-ofthe-art audio-visual room, and gender-neutral toilets, according to the Department of Engineering and Public Works.

It also has an executive lounge, a conference room, five executive offices, a general activity center, three department offices, a clerical area, two storage rooms, and a guardhouse. It also has its own canteen.

Estrada said it was an honor that the PLM’s Board of Regents has decided to name the building after his late father, Engr.

Emilio Ejercito, Jr., who had a long and distinguished career as a sanitary engineer and head of the Department of Public Services in the City of Manila.

“As I have always said, my family’s ties with the City of Manila began a long time ago, way before I took over as mayor, and so my family and I extend our thanks for this honor you have bestowed on my father’s legacy as a man of honor and integrity, an engineer of great vision, and the best father anyone could have had,” Estrada said.

READING DAY. Students from Dolores Elementary School and Kapalaran Elementary School in Taytay, Rizal raise the books they received as gifts with ‘guest readers’ Taytay First Lady Joan Gacula and reality TV star Say Alonzo-Tordesillas (background) advocating the promotion of literacy development as SM City Taytay celebrated National Children’s Book Reading Day on Tuesday. Norman Cruz

Makati reworks Yellow Card T

By Joel E. Zurbano

HE Makati city government has come up with new guidelines for the Makati Health Plus Program, replacing the colorcoded payment scheme with a uniform rate and extending for three years the validity of the MHP Card, more popularly known as the Yellow Card.

Yellow Card holders will no longer be classified into four color-coded categories based on the family’s monthly income. Instead, a uniform rate of P500 will be charged to patients with bills exceeding P5,000, even if the amount runs up to seven digits or

higher. Patients whose bills are below P5,000 will be free of charge.

Members of the Makati Health Development Council crafted the revised guidelines last month with the approval of Mayor Abigail Binay, who proposed to extend the card’s validity to three years

and grant lifetime membership to qualified residents.

The Yellow Card program provides city government-subsidized healthcare for residents, city hall workers and other qualified beneficiaries. Its benefits include free outpatient consultations, emergency and in-patient care at the city-run Ospital ng Makati (OsMak), free laboratory and diagnostic services at the hospital and satellite laboratories in barangay health centers, and monthly supply of free medicines.

“We want our residents, employees, senior citizens and other qualified beneficiaries to enjoy the convenience of using their Yellow Cards for a longer period. Extend-

ing the validity of the card to three years will allow Makatizens longer access to the city’s health care services before the next renewal period,” Binay said.

She added that that granting lifetime Yellow Card membership to qualified senior citizens and city government retirees was but a “well-deserved reward” for their loyalty to the city.

To qualify for lifetime membership, the applicant must be 60 to 69 years old and be able to submit a Certified True Copy of the latest Certificate of Non-Delinquency of Real Property Taxes, with the tax declaration bearing the applicant’s name.

For Makatizens aged 70 years

QC dads: Protect trees on MRT line

Cotabato recalls ’76 quake-tsunami

By Nash Maulana COTABATO CITY—Parents and teachers here have expressed concerns that local schools are not sufficiently prepared for the “Big One” earthquake that tops national disaster forecasts, as the anniversary of an Intensity 8 temblor and tsunami that hit Central Mindanao 41 years ago—which left thousands of people dead, injured, and homeless—approaches.

This concern was raised Sunday during a thanksgiving gathering of Muslim and Christian parents and teachers at the Southseas Mall for the bicentenary celebration of the Marist International Community of Catholic Religious Institute of Brothers.

Although “Big One” forecasts have largely focused on Luzon areas along the West Valley Fault, Lincoln Bagundang, president of the Notre Dame of Cotabato Par-

ents-Teachers Association, said local fault zones could unpredictably trigger major earthquakes and tsunamis, as it happened here on Aug. 17, 1976.

Official government figures indicate more than 8,000 people were killed or went missing, 10,000 were injured, and 90,000 were left homeless in the 1976 earthquake, making it one of the most devastating calamities to befall the country.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology’s historical catalog of earthquakes in the last 100 years, Central and Western Mindanao in the Southern Philippines have been “characterized by moderate to high seismicity.

Bagundang said the NDCPTA has tried knocking on the doors of a Western embassy in Manila to possibly lend support in a continuing capacity-building for the school community ahead of any disaster.

By Rio N. Araja

ART AND CARABAOS. Artists pay tribute to carabaos and farmers by painting Vigan’s culture and history on the beasts of burden during the recent Binatbatan Festival of Arts in Vigan City. Manny Palmero

MMDA shuts down just 3 of 10 QC bus terminals THE Metro Manila Development Authority on Wednesday managed to shut down only three of the 10 bus terminals along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in Quezon City, despite the terminals already found violating a government policy on traffic since October last year.

Ordered closed were bus terminals of Dimple Star and Roro Bus Liner, while a cease-anddesist order was served against DLTB Co.

The MMDA and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board declared the three bus terminals as public nuisance in the area.

“Imagine how much traffic they caused in the barangay.

You’re not allowed as a terminal.

They were the subjects of a cease and desist order, revoked permit for not complying. The LTFRB immediately went here to issue the show cause order. The barangay itself file a complaint against

and above, applicants for lifetime membership must have been a Yellow Card holder for the past six years, in addition to the requirement for those aged 60 to 69 years.

Retired Makati city government employees, regardless of residency and Comelec registration, will also be granted lifetime membership with the Yellow Card.

The MHDC has also extended the card’s validity to three years for registered voters and actual residents of Makati City, city government employees and senior citizens who are between 60 to 69 years old.

The extension also applies to regular employees as well as casual employees who have served the city for more than six years.

them,” said MMDA traffic supervising officer for operations Edison Nebrija.

“They have the right permit to operate as garage terminal, but there is a problem, they were not able to secure a barangay clearance and the BPLO (Business Permit and Licensing Office of Quezon City) required a barangay clearance,” he added.

On the other hand, the other seven bus firms—Lucena Lines, Raymund Bus, St. Rafael, Our

Lady of Salvacion, Jam Liner, Superlines and Victory Liner— will be served with a final notice to comply with the Nose-In Nose-Out rule and other policies concerning bus terminal structures on Edsa.

The Nose-In Nose-Out policy means that buses must go into and out of the terminal frontend first, instead of backing up or maneuvering on Edsa and causing bottlenecks. The measure should force bus drivers to

maneuver or make a turnaround within the terminal itself.

It also requires buses to get in and out of the terminals in one simple maneuver and they are not allowed to load and unload outside their respective terminals.

“We need final inspection concerning the other seven. We have due process to follow even though they are not compliant.

We [MMDA] have no mandate to close down terminals,” Nebrija said. Joel E. Zurbano

THE 36-member Quezon City Council is asking the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to closely monitor the removal and transfer of trees to be displaced due to the construction of the Metro Rail Transit line 7.

The Council passed City Resolution No. 7022 to acknowledge the importance of the MRT line 7 project without sacrificing the grown trees in the areas of construction.

The measure authored by District 2 Councilor Ramon Medalla supported the concern of Mayor Herbert Bautista to protect the environment.

“The trees must be relocated, and that available and suitable site must be properly identified by the DENR in coordination with (the city’s) s Parks Development and Administration Department to ensure the growth and survival of trees at the expense of the contractors,” the resolution read.

Of the 1,353 trees to be removed, 820 will be cut down, while 533 shall be earth-balled. At least 10 trees are for pruning and will be maintained by the contractor for a period of at least three years.

The earth-balling operations will be executed by EEI Corp. as the transferred trees inside the city parks will be jointly protected and maintained by Parks Development and the firm with the technical support of DENR.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila Manila

Republic of the Philippines Standard ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

TODAY

C2

San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURE PROJECTS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2016 WITH PRAYER FOR THE ISSUANCE OF A PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY, ERC CASE NO. 2016-204 RC SAN FERNANDO ELECTRIC LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY, INC. (SFELAPCO), Applicant. x-------------------------------------------------------------------x

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on 28 December 2016, San Fernando Electric Light and Power Company, Inc. (SFELAPCO) filed an Application dated 15 December 2016 for the approval of its capital Expenditure (CAPEX) projects for 2016, with prayer for the issuance of a provisional authority.

SFELAPCO alleged the following in its Application: 1.

SFELAPCO is a private corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Philippines, with office address at Limjoco Street, Barangay Lourdes, Teopaco, City of San Fernando, Pampanga. It is the grantee of legislative franchise under Republic Act No. 9967 dated February 6, 2010 to construct, operate and maintain a distribution system for the conveyance of electric power to end-users in the City of San Fernando, the Municipality of Floridablanca and Barangays Talang and Ligaya in the Municipality of Guagua, in the Province of Pampanga. It may be served with the orders, notices and processes of the Honorable Commission through undersigned counsel at the address indicated below.

2.

Republic Act No. 9136, or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (“EPIRA”), under Section 23 thereof, obligates a distribution utility, such as SFELAPCO, to provide distribution services and connections to its system for any end-user within its franchise area consistent with the distribution code. Further, distribution utilities share in the objective of the EPlRA to ensure the quality, reliability, security and affordability of the supply of electric power.1

3.

Thus, for SFELAPCO to pursue its mandate under its franchise and the EPIRA, it is necessary for SFELAPCO to continuously invest in the improvement of its system and services to better serve its customers.

4.

As such, SFELAPCO, in pursuit of its duty to better serve its customers, and in accordance with Section 20 (b) of Commonwealth Act No. 146 2, hereby applies for the approval of the Honorable Commission to implement its Capital Expenditure Projects (CAPEX) which will be implemented for Calendar Year (“CY”) 2016, summarized and enumerated as follows: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

5.

6.

7.

“Subtransmission Project: New 69,000 Volts Line 3” New Substation: Purchase of Lot for Proposed New Sub-station Primary Distribution Lines: An eight (8) kilometers, 13.8kV Primary Lines for Extension, Maintenance and Rehabilitation Secondary Distribution Lines: A twenty (20) kilometers, low voltage, secondary distribution lines extension, line maintenance and line rehabilitation Other Network Assets: Procurement of Miscellaneous Distribution Transformers and its associated equipment for Installation Other Network Assets: Customer Service Drops and Metering Equipment Non-Network Assets: Communication System: Installation of Fiber Optic Communication Non-network Assets: Vehicles: Boom/Basket/Derrick Truck Utility Vehicles Non-network Assets: Various Test Equipment

The “Subtransmission Project: “New 69,000 Volts Line 3” project which will be the construction of a 10.75 km, 69kV, single circuit, 3 phase, #795 MCM ACSR subtransmission line from the NGCP-Mexico substation to St. Dominic Court sub.

It includes the installation of poles and line accessories, disconnect switches and miscellaneous materials. The additional 69 kV line is for the increase in the capacity of the SFELAPCO subtransmission system and for N-1 reliability. If the project is not implemented the impact would be the prolonged interruption or rotational brownout when either Line 1 or Line 2 is down.

The “New Substation: Purchase of Lot for Proposed New Sub-station” project involves the Purchase of a vacant lot for the proposed 50-MVA Substation to be located at the New Public Market in Barangay Del Pilar, San Fernando Pampanga The new 50 MVA substation is proposed to be installed in year 2018. The new substation is to supply load growth in the southern portion of the San Fernando franchise area and to decongest the load of the Magdalena Substation and Greenville substation.

The “Primary Distribution Lines: An eight (8) kilometers, 13.8kV Primary Lines for Extension, Maintenance and Rehabilitation” project involves the installation of an estimated 8 circuit kilometers line extension, line maintenance and line rehabilitation; and to purchase the needed materials for extension, maintenance and rehabilitation of the SFELAPCO primary distribution lines. The project aims to reach new additional customers throughout the franchise area and improve service of the customers.

8.

The “Secondary Distribution Lines: A twenty (20) kilometers, low voltage, secondary distribution lines extension, line maintenance and line rehabilitation” project involves the installation of an estimated 20 circuit kilometers line extension, line maintenance and line rehabilitation; and to purchase the associated materials. The project aims to reach new additional customers and improve service of the SFELAPCO customers throughout the franchise area.

9.

The “Other Network Assets: Procurement of Miscellaneous Distribution Transformers and its associated equipment for Installation” project is a combination of providing power service to new customers, replacement of defective transformers, upgrading the capacity of distribution transformers due to growth in the customers loads, and have safety stock level. The project will be implemented due to the addition of new customers, load growth, and replacement of defective distribution transformers.

10.

The “Other Network Assets: Customer Service Drops and Metering Equipment” project involves the procurement of metering requirements, its associated materials and associated wires to layout service drops for new customers. The 3,500 kWh meters will be used to serve the new customers and to replace the defective, burnout and broken kWh meters. The project will replace the installed kWh meters that need to be re-tested for accuracy in compliance with ERC resolution regarding the Testing and Maintaining of Meters. The project will also use the 50 poly phase kWh meters for new large commercial and industrial customers and replace the defective poly phase kWh meters.

11.

The “Non-Network Assets: Communication System: Installation of Fiber Optic Communication” project involves the installation of Fiber Optic communication of all substations to be used for SCADA, Billing and collection and CCTV monitoring.

12.

The “Non-network Assets: Vehicles: “Boom/Basket/Derrick Truck Utility Vehicles” project consists of the procurement of one (1) unit boom/basket/derrick truck and five (5) units of utility vehicles. The project will be implemented because the existing truck in Floridablanca can no longer accommodate the 40-footer concrete poles and installing of distribution transformers. The loading and de-loading of 40-footer concrete poles and installation of distribution transformers will be disrupted/affected if there is no truck available to load/de-load them. If the project is not implemented, there will be a slowdown in the operations at Floridablanca.

13. The “Non-network Assets: Various Test Equipment” project which involves the procurement of the following equipment: Oil tester, Megger Insulation resistance tester, Distribution transformer core loss and copper loss tester, SF6 Gas leak detector tester, DIGSI Siemens tester, and an AC Generator. The testing and measuring equipment will be used for the monitoring and maintenance of all installed equipment in the substation and distribution lines.

14.

The total estimated cost of SFELAPCO’s RY 2016 CAPEX is Php 191,826,365.00 and the complete list of SFELAPCO’s 2016 CAPEX, together with its estimated cost, is as follows: CAPEX PROJECTS Subtransmission Project: New 69,000 Volts Line 3 New Substation: Purchase of Lot for Proposed New Sub-station Primary Distribution Lines: An eight (8) kilometers, 13.8kV Primary Lines for Extension, Maintenance and Rehabilitation Secondary Distribution Lines: A twenty (20) kilometers, low voltage, secondary distribution lines extension, line maintenance and line rehabilitation Other Network Assets: Procurement of Miscellaneous Distribution Transformers and its associated equipment for Installation Other Network Assets: Customer Service Drops and Metering Equipment Non-Network Assets: Communication System: Installation of Fiber Optic Communication Non-network Assets: Vehicles: Boom/Basket/Derrick Truck Utility Vehicles Non-network Assets: Various Test Equipment TOTAL

15.

16.

TOTAL COST IN PHP 72,187,862.00

18.

19.

35,535,483.00 18,575,100.00 15,000,000.00 12,750,000.00 3,000,000.00 P191,826,365.00

The detailed justifications, technical analysis, economic analysis and alternatives considered, if availing, for SFELAPCO’s CAPEX program for RY 2016 are discussed in detail in Annex “A” of this Application.

The proposed CAPEX for RY 2016 will not have a direct impact on the current rates of SFELAPCO until approved by the Honorable Commission as part of SFELAPCO’s Regulatory Asset Base (RAB) in the next applicable Regulatory Period.

Public interest and necessity requires the immediate implementation, without delay, of the subject CAPEX projects. The loading and reliability constraints of the current substations are reaching critical levels, necessitating the upgrade and/ or construction of the relevant substations. Aside from these, in the event that the CAPEX projects are not immediately implemented, the consumers may suffer from prolonged power interruptions and additional load coming from existing and new customers may likewise not be accommodated. These negative consequences, which are detrimental not only to the economy of the areas covered by SFELAPCO, but also to the livelihood and everyday lives of the consumers may be mitigated by the immediate approval of the SFELAPCO’s 2016 CAPEX projects.

Thus, pending final approval, there is an urgent need for a provisional authority for SFELAPCO to immediately implement its proposed 2016 CAPEX Projects. In support of the prayer for the grant of the provisional authority, attached as Annex “B” is the Judicial Affidavit of Eliseo P. Lapuz.

The foregoing CAPEX for RY 2016 are indispensable for the systematic and economic expansion and rehabilitation of SFELAPCO’s distribution facilities and ensuring compliance with safety, performance and regulatory requirements. The benefit arising from these CAPEX projects will ultimately redound to the endconsumers of SFELAPCO in terms of continuous, reliable and efficient power supply.

Other reliefs just and equitable under the premises are likewise prayed for.

The Commission has set the Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, Pre-trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on 02 August 2017 (Wednesday) at ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 A.M.) at SFELAPCO’s principal office at Limjoco Street, Barangay Lourdes, Teopaco, San Fernando City.

All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the instant case may become a party by filing with the Commission a verified Petition to Intervene at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure, indicating therein the docket number and title of the case and stating the following: i.

The petitioner’s name and address; ii.

The nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and iii.

A statement of the relief desired.

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the case may file their Opposition or Comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before Applicant rests its case, subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following: 1) The name and address of such person; 2) A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and 3) The grounds relied upon.

All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from Applicant that they be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing. Applicant is hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours.

WITNESS, the Honorable Officer-in-Charge of ERC, ALFREDO J. NON, and the Honorable Commissioners, GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAP-TARUC, and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 5th day of June 2017 in Pasig City.

FOR AND BY AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSION:

JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal Section 2 (b) of the EPIRA. Public Service Act

Jem Camba, head of the Tourism Department of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, said that a lot of movie and TV producers and directors prefer to bring their production to Subic because of the unique environment provided by the former US Naval Base.

“Subic has almost everything you need for your required locations. We

have here forests and mountains, rivers and the sea, theme parks, factories and entertainment facilities, and the remnants of the former military base,” Camba pointed out.

“This is the reason why a lot of local and some foreign movies, as well as Filipino telenovelas, are being shot in the Subic Bay Freeport,” she added.

IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION FOR THE APPROVAL OF AMENDED ANCILLARY SERVICES PROCUREMENT PLAN, ERC CASE NO. 2017-005 RM NATIONAL GRID CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (NGCP), Applicant.

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on 31 March 2017, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) filed a Petition seeking the Commission’s approval of its proposed amended Ancillary Services Procurement Plan (ASPP).

The Petitioner 1. NGCP is a corporation created and existing under the laws of the Philippines, with principal office address at NGCP Building, Quezon Avenue corner B.I.R. Road, Diliman, Quezon City. It is the concessionaire which assumed the power transmission functions of the National Transmission Corporation (TRANSCO) pursuant to Republic Act No. 9136, otherwise known as the “Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001,” (EPIRA). It may be served with notices and other processes’ of this Honorable Commission through its counsel at the address indicated below.

2. Pursuant to Republic Act No. 9511,1 NGCP was granted the franchise to operate, manage and maintain, and in connection therewith, to engage in the business of conveying or transmitting electricity through a high-voltage back-bone system of interconnected transmission lines, substations and related facilities, system operations, and other activities that are necessary to support the safe and reliable operation of the transmission system2 and is authorized to charge its customers at the rates approved by the Honorable Commission.

3. NGCP as System Operator is responsible for determining, acquiring, and dispatching the capacity needed to provide the Grid with Ancillary Services and for developing and proposing wheeling charges and ancillary service tariffs to the Honorable Commission.

Nature of the Petition 4. This is a petition for the amendment of the 2006 Ancillary Services Procurement Plan (filed under Section 37 of the EPIRA and Rule 21 of the Honorable Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure), in order to reflect therein the new provisions on Ancillary Services under the Philippine Grid Code, 2016 Edition (2016 PGC).

6. In compliance with the mandate to develop the rate mechanism for the procurement of ancillary services, National Transmission Corporation (TRANSCO), in August 2002 filed an Application entitled: “In the Matter of the Application for the Proposed Rules, Terms and Conditions for Open Access Transmission Service (OATS) and Proposed Terms and Conditions of Ancillary Services,” docketed as ERC Case No. 2002-253.

Reserve

Control Mode

Function

Secondary Reserve (Section 6.6.6)

The generating unit providing secondary reserve shall operate in Automatic Generation Control

To restore frequency from quasi-steady state value as established by the Primary Response of Generating Units back to the nominal Frequency of 60Hz

Primary Reserve (Sections 6.6.5)

The primary reserve shall be provided by the generating units operating under Governor Control Mode

To replace the capacity lost during contingent events

Tertiary Reserve (Section 1.7)

The generating unit providing tertiary reserve shall connect manually or automatically.

The Tertiary Reserve shall be used in replenishing the Secondary Reserve and in the events enumerated in Section 6.6.7.1

Luzon

Visayas

Staring Frequency(Hz)

60

60

60

Target Minimum Frequency (Hz)

59.2

59.2

59.2

Contingency Protection Criterion (MW)

600

150

160

Frequency Response Obligation (MW/O.1Hz)

75

20

20

Mindanao

17. Moreover, NGCP moves for the inclusion of the following provisions:

7. In a Decision dated 11 February 2004, the Honorable Commission approved the Open Access Transmission Service (2004 OATS) Rules. Modules D7.3 to D7.5 thereof provides:

a. On Procurement. NGCP will procure the ancillary services as follows: i. Primary Reserve Ancillary Service and Secondary Reserve Ancillary Service - through a long term ASPA which should not be included in the WESM Energy and Reserve co-optimization; ii. Tertiary Reserve Ancillary Service - through ASPA or WESM Reserve Market which could be co-optimized with the energy market provided that there is sufficient mitigating measure to prevent abuse of market power such as but not limited to secondary price cap for reserves approved by the ERC;

“b) Specify the minimum technic.al requirements that plant and equipment providing Ancillary Services shall meet.

iii. Reactive Power Support and Black Start Ancillary Services - through long term ASPA only; and

“c) Describe the tests that the System Operator shall use to verify that the plant and Equipment meet the minimum technical requirements.

b. On Transition Period.

“d) Specify the quantity or level of Ancillary Services required by the System Operator to meet the Power Quality and Reliability performance standards outlined in the Grid Code.

All approved and existing ASPA shall remain in full force and effect until their termination date, unless the accredited power plant of the AS Provider cannot comply with the technical requirements provided in the 2016 PGC. Accordingly, the AS categories of the ASP A will be converted as follows:

“e) Describe the reasoning or principles applied by the System Operator in determining the required quantity or level of Ancillary Services.

i. ii. iii.

“D7.4 Considerations. The Ancillary Services Procurement Plan shall outline the processes that the System Operator shall use to procure each Ancillary Service taking into account the following:

Contingency Reserve - Primary Reserve; Dispatchable Reserve - Tertiary Reserve; and Regulating Reserve - Secondary Reserve.

However, the AS Provider with an existing ASPA may opt to renegotiate its offer in a new ASP A that will be filed to the Honorable Commission for approval.

“a) The System Operator I shall use market mechanisms to procure each Ancillary Service whenever technology and transaction costs make this practical and efficient; and

A copy of the proposed amendments to the ASPP which contains the proposals of NGCP is attached as Annex “A.”

“b) Until such time as ancillary service markets are developed, the System Operator shall use transparent processes which encourage all potential providers to compete to supply Ancillary Services required for the System Operator at the best economic cost; and

to:

PRAYER ACCORDINGLY, NGCP respectfully prays for the Honorable Commission

1. EXERCISE its rule-making power under Section 37 of the EPlRA, and Rule 21 of its Rules of Practice and Procedure; and

“c) Subsequent to the Spot Market Implementation Date, the processes and mechanisms contained in the WESM Rules.

2. APPROVE the proposed amendments to the ASPP, after notice and public consultation.

“D7.5 ERC Approval. Every Ancillary Services Procurement Plan shall be approved by the ERC following its development by the System Operator in conjunction with the Grid Management Committee.” (Underscoring ours)

NGCP prays for other just and equitable relief under the premises.

8. Thus, TRANSCO developed an ASPP which was subsequently approved by the Honorable Commission through an Order dated 29 March 2006 in ERC Case No. 2002-253RC.

The Commission has set the said Petition for public consultation on the following dates:

9. The ASPP provides for, among others, the Specification of Ancillary Services (Provision 3.1); Technical Requirements (Provision 3.2); and Required Levels of Ancillary Services (Provision 3.3). In the ASPP, the Specification of Ancillary Services are as follows: a. Load Following and Frequency Regulation - Ancillary Services provides generating capacity necessary to adjust total system generation over short periods of time (e.g. minute by minute) to match system load changes that resulted from random fluctuations in t4e total Transmission System Load. This is to address the temporary variations in load and unintended fluctuation in generation. (3.1.1) b. Spinning Reserve Ancillary Service - is the ability of a generating unit, to provide generating capacity necessary to respond immediately to infrequent, but usually large, failures of generating units and/or transmission tie lines. The generating units providing spinning reserve shall be on-line and synchronized to the Grid, operating below its maximum capability, and can automatically respond to change in frequency caused by a loss of large generating unit. (3·1.2.1) c. Back-up Power Supply - is sometimes called Cold Reserve or Supplemental Reserve. These are generating units that have fast start capability. It can synchronize within fifteen minutes upon advice of the Control Center and can provide additional energy to the system rapidly.

Its capacity shall be sustainable for a minimum period of eight (8) hours.

(3.1.2.2) d. Reactive Power Support Ancillary Service - is the capability of the generating unit to supply reactive power to, or absorb reactive power from the Transmission network in order to maintain the bus voltage within five percent (5%) of its nominal voltage. (3.1.3) e. Black Start Service - The need for this Ancillary Service arises when event or significant incident will result in a Partial or Total System Blackout.

This is the ability of the generating unit, without assistance from the Grid or other external power supply, to recover from a shutdown condition to an operating condition in order to energize the Grid and assist other generating units to start.

DATE AND TIME

VENUE

PURPOSE

7 August 2017 (Mon) 9:00 A.M.

ERC Hearing Room, 15 Floor, Pacific Center, San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

Determination of compliance with jurisdictional requirements and expository presentation

9 August 2017 (Wed) 9:00 A.M.

Cebu Parklane Hotel Archbishop Reyes Avenue and Escario St., Cebu City

Expository presentation

11 August 2017 (Fri) 9:00 A.M.

Marco Polo Davao Claro M. Recto Street, Davao City

Expository presentation

23 August 2017 (Wed) 9:00 A.M.

Seda Atria Hotel Donato Pison Avenue, Brgy.

San Rafael Mandurriao, Iloilo City

Public consultation for Western Visayas

25 August 2017 (Fri) 9:00 A.M.

Sabin Resort Hotel Bantique, Ormoc, Leyte

Public consultation for Eastern Visayas

30 August 2017 (Wed) 9:00 A.M.

N. Hotel Kauswagan Highway Cagayan de Oro City

Public consultation for Western Mindanao

6 September 2017 (Wed) 9:00 A.M.

Greenleaf Hotel San Miguel Street, General Santos City

Public consultation for Southern Mindanao

13 September 2017 (Wed) 9:00 A.M.

One Tagaytay Place Hotel Suites 445 Tagaytay-Calamba Road, Barrio Sungay West, Tagaytay City

Public consultation for Southern Luzon

15 September 2017 (Fri) 9:00 A.M.

Microtel Baguio 5 Marcoville, Upper Session Road, Baguio City

Public consultation for Northern Luzon

th

All interested parties are required to submit their written comments on the Petition on or before 16 August 2017. Those who have submitted their written comments within the said period shall be given priority during the public consultations.

WITNESS, the Honorable Officer-in-Charge of ERC ALFREDO J. NON, and Commissioners GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAP-TARUC and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 17th day of July 2017 at Pasig City.

FOR AND BY AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSION:

12. On 5 October 2016, the Honorable Commission promulgated Resolution No. 22, Series of 2016, entitled: “A Resolution Approving the Publication of the Approved Philippine Grid Code, 2016 Edition” (2016 PGC). The 2016 PGC adopted the latest international standards and practices in the operation of ancillary services.

As a consequence, there is now a need to amend the ASPP in order to harmonize it with the 2016 PGC, particularly with Section GO 6.6 of the 2016 PGC.

JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Commissioner

1

13. Thus, NGCP submits its proposed amendments to the ASPP3.

Tertiary Reserve

16. Further, another new provision found in the 2016 PGC that must be included in the ASPP is the Frequency Response Obligation (Section 6.6.3), which provides for the minimum Frequency Response that shall be maintained by the SO in the Grid, as follows:

Background 5. In December 2001, the Honorable Commission adopted the Philippine Grid Code (2001 PGC) through Resolution No. 115 wherein Section 7.3.1.2 thereof provides that “(t)he System Operator shall be responsible for determining, acquiring, and dispatching the capacity needed to supply the required Grid Ancillary Services and for developing and proposing Wheeling Charges and Ancillary Service tariffs to the ERC”.

11. On 10 February 2009, the Honorable Commission issued a notice inviting all interested stakeholders to submit proposals for amendment and/or comments on the proposed amendments to the ASPP in order to reflect the 2006 OATS Rules and PGC Amendment 1 in the ASPP. Expository presentations and public consultations were held on 17 to 20 February 2009. Thereafter, the Honorable Commission again issued several notices inviting interested stakeholders to submit comments and to attend the expository hearings and public consultation on the proposed amendments.

Primary Reserve

15. Together with the amendment on the types of reserves, the 2016 PGC also provides the respective modes and frequency controls that must be reflected in the ASPP, as follows:

In the said Petition, NGCP alleged the following:

10. On 10 May 2006, TRANS CO filed an Application for the approval of the amendments/revisions of the 2004 OATS Rules docketed as ERC Case No. 2006-015RC. Said application was approved by the Honorable Commission with modifications in its Decision dated 13 December 2006 (now referred to as 2006 OATS Rules). Also, on 2 April 2007, the Honorable Commission approved the amendments to the 2001 PGC (PGC Amendment 1).

Secondary Reserve

Contingency Reserve • Spinning Reserve • Primary Response • Secondary Response • Back-up Power Supply

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE-MAKING

Brief Discussion

2016 PGC

2001 PGC Load Following & Frequency Regulation • Primary Response • Secondary Response

2 3

(MS-JULY 13/20, 2017)

“We can find everything here in Subic,” Perez said. “We have world-class accommodations, we have good food, and for the longest time we’ve been here, people in SBMA are not giving us a hard time. That is why we are coming back here with all of our projects.”

Perez was in Subic recently for the location shoot of the History TV series “Celebrity Car Wars,” an Amazing Race-like show with cars and celebrities from Asian nations who do extreme challenges on cars like drifting and off-roading.

Perez said that since 2005, she has been referring Subic as a location site for various television and movie production, such as the Discovery Channel, BBC, TV-series Jack Irish, as well as some American, Japanese and French shows.

14. The current types of reserves and their order of priority are found in Section 7.6.1 of the 2001 PGC (adopted in Section 3.1 of the ASPP). However, these provisions were amended in Sections 6.6.5, 6.6.6 and 6.6.7 of the 2016 PGC which developed the new types of reserves and order of priority, as follows:

Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

“a) Describe the Ancillary Service in sufficient detail such that the prospective providers of the service can determine whether they have the capability to provide the service.

WHEREFORE, it in view of the foregoing, SFELAPCO respectfully prays that this Honorable Commission: 1. Pending trial on the merits, immediately issue a PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY authorizing SFELAPCO to implement, its Capital Expenditure Projects (CAPEX) for Calendar Year (“CY”) 2016.

2. After due hearing, APPROVE WITH FINALITY, SFELAPCO’s proposed Capital Expenditure Projects (CAPEX) for Calendar Year (“CY”) 2016.

2

S

UBIC BAY FREEPORT—The country’s so-called theme park capital is also earning raves as a prime location spot for filming movies and television shows because of its lush forests, scenic beaches and coasts, strong biodiversity, and unique environment moods.

11,540,360.00 8,237,560.00

Camba also noted that Tourism Promotion Board CEO Cesar Montano had recently noted that a movie and television studios can be developed in the Subic Freeport.

In an interview with entertainment editor Ricky Lo, Montano said that he told SBMA Chairman Martin Diño that Subic is a perfect place for some kind of a Universal Studios.

“Subic has everything you need,” Montano said, pointing out that it has an airport, an ocean park, a rain forest, a zoo, a port, a highway and other things that a film location must have.

Amelia Torralba-Perez of the Mandala Video and Events Production, had also described Subic as an excellent place for location shooting.

By Butch Gunio

“D7.3 Ancillary Services Procurement Plan. The Ancillary Services Procurement Plan shall, for each Ancillary Service:

PRAYER

1

Subic as TV, movie haven

15,000,000.00

ALLEGATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY 17.

LGUs

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017

An Act Granting the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines a Franchise to Engage in the Business of Conveying or Transmitting Electricity Through High-Voltage Back-bone System or Interconnected Transmission Lines, Substations and Related Facilities, and For Other Purposes; Id, Section 1; NGCP opted to introduce amendments to the ASPP using the September 2009 draft of ASPP in deference to the previous evaluations made by the Honorable Commission, and duly submitted comments of the industry stakeholders.

(MS-JULY 20/27, 2017)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Manila

Standard

World Mosul looks to rise from the ashes MOSUL―The battle over, it’s now time to start rebuilding Iraq’s second city, parts of which were literally flattened during the offensive against holed up jihadists of the Islamic State group.

But before this can happen, the chaotic mess caused by the conflict that devastated Mosul must be cleared away.

Standing outside his damaged house in the west of the city, Manaf Yunes looked on as a worker removed rubble from a balcony.

“I don’t have any money because I haven’t been paid for three years. I had to borrow to be able to begin renovating,” the 57-year-old former official said.

On July 10, the authorities announced they had defeated IS in Mosul after a nine-month campaign that unleashed destruction of almost unimaginable dimensions on the ancient city.

According to a preliminary assessment, it will cost more than $1 billion just to restore basic services such as running water, electricity, schooling and medical care to all of Mosul, said Lise Grande of the UN Development Program in Iraq.

The western sector was the hardest hit.

“The levels of destruction we are seeing are the worst in Iraq.

Western Mosul represents one of the largest and most complex stabilization challenges the UN has faced,” Grande told AFP. West Mosul has been eviscerated, its buildings half collapsed or shattered, craters in the road sprouting tangles of misshapen and broken water pipes.

According to Abdel Sattar Habbo of the local municipality, more than 90 percent of west Mosul’s infrastructure and public services was destroyed.

And the figure for private property is nearly as high, at 70 percent.

He put the cost of the damage at several billion dollars, and said between three and four months would be needed just to “stabilize” the west of the city.

By that he meant bringing back on line -- even partly -- necessities including water, power and public services to enable “a return to life”.

“Based on preliminary assessments, we estimate that $470 million is needed to help restore the main electricity, water and sewage grids and rehabilitate key public facilities including hospitals, schools and houses in the most heavily damaged neighborhoods in western Mosul,” said the UNDP’s Grande. AFP

TODAY

C3

Trump’s six chaotic months W ASHINGTON―Donald Trump’s first six months in the White House have been a riot of scandal, chaos and outrage that―without a major course correction―could spell doom for his entire administration.

All US presidents face crises that seem to sweep the White House from its moorings.

Abraham Lincoln struggled through a bloody Civil War. Bill Clinton was humiliated by muckraking investigations. Barack Obama took five months to plug a devastating oil spill and even longer to right the economy.

But few presidents have caused such outrage or faced such a multitude of crises as Donald Trump has in his first six months.

“To be consumed by scandal from day one is not good, no ma-

jor legislation is not good, to have approval ratings that are so low and the potential for Republican defections, all of this is not what you expect,” said Julian Zelizer, a professor of history at Princeton University.

Trump swaggered into office on January 20 declaring Washington was broke and only a killer businessman such as himself could fix it. That promise looks increasingly threadbare.

The White House remains understaffed, under-skilled and struggling to attract new talent.

Existing staff there admit to being exhausted and demoralized.

Trump’s political agenda has been blown to smithereens: The border “wall” has not been built, NAFTA has not been torn up, the Iran deal is still in place and Obamacare remains the law of the land.

Even with Republicans in control of both houses of Congress, the influential and nominally supportive Drudge Report declared this the “MOST UNPRODUCTIVE CONGRESS IN 164 YEARS.” Oratorically, Trump has continued where his campaign left off, picking fights with the press, judges, his own party, Democrats and FBI director James Comey, whom he fired.

All the while, a drip, drip of evidence has amplified allegations that his family and aides sought help from Russia to tip the election

against Hillary Clinton.

There have been bright spots.

The Islamic State group has been virtually defeated in Mosul and in Raqa, the capital of the so-called caliphate, is besieged. Trump has fulfilled his promise to scrap a trans-pacific trade deal, and successfully appointed conservative judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.

But Trump’s wins have been few and far between. “I don’t see these six months as a success and it’s hard for me to see the argument that it was,” said Zelizer.

But presidents can and do right the course. Bill Clinton’s first term was notoriously difficult and like Trump he suffered an early and embarrassing legislative defeat on health care.

“History is full of examples of presidents who learn from their mistakes and go on to have major legislative successes,” said Alex

Conant, a Republican strategist at Firehouse Strategies who served in George W. Bush’s administration.

“Presidents are ultimately judged on what they get done and he’s only six months in. There is still plenty of time for them to do a lot. He could still end up being a highly successful president.”

But changes would be needed, Conant admits. Even Republicans have criticized Trump’s recent failed efforts to push his own health care reforms over the line.

With little policy background, Trump has seemed more at home with the theater of the presidency: preferring military parades in Paris to making policy speeches and wrangling votes.

“A couple of meetings with Senators and a handful of tweets is not going to cut it on something as controversial as health care reform,” said Conant. AFP

Republic of the Phillippines Department of Health National Capital Regional Office

VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City Director’s Office 291-4259; Trunkline 294-6711 to 14, Telefax 291-4259; 294-6718; 294-5090 email address: valgen_hosp@yahoo.com

VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICANTS FOR 1ST YEAR AND 2ND YEAR LATERAL ENTRIES FOR RESIDENCY TRAINING IN INTERNAL MEDICINE. INTERESTED APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION LETTER AND CREDENTIALS AT VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER, PADRIGAL ST. KARUHATAN, VALENZUELA CITY, DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL MEDICINE, 4TH FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM AT THE IM OFFICE. FOR INQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT THE FOLLOWING: MARY ANN MANUEL, MD – 09778224175 ROMAN GUMAYAGAY, MD –09951970108 (MS-JULY 20, 2017)

Republic of the Philippines

CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY (CvSU) Don Severino De Alas Campus Cavite, Philippines (046-4150010-012) www.cvsu.edu.ph INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID The CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites suppliers/manufacturers/ distributors/contractors to apply for eligibility and to bid for the hereunder project: Name of Project

: ONE YEAR CONTRACT FOR SECURITY SERVICES (MAIN AND SATELLITE CAMPUSES)

Location

: CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY, INDANG, CAVITE

Brief Description

: ONE YEAR CONTRACT FOR SECURITY SERVICES

Approved Budget for the Contract : P 22,146,427.80 Prospective bidders should have experience in undertaking a similar project within the last two (2) years with an amount of at least 50% of the proposed project for bidding. The Eligibility Check/Screening as well as the Preliminary Examination of Bids shall use non-discretionary “pass/fail” criteria. Post-qualification of the lowest calculated bid shall be conducted.

All particulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bidding Conference(s), Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR).

The complete schedule of activities is listed, as follows: Activities Schedule 1. Issuance of Bid Documents July 18, 2017 to August 7, 2016; 8:00AM – 5:00PM July 25, 2017; 1:00 PM; S.L. Lasap Hall, Administration Building, Cavite State 2. Pre-bid Conference University, Indang, Cavite 3. Opening of Bids August 8, 2017; 1:00; PM; S.L. Lasap Hall, Administration Building, Cavite State University, Indang, Cavite Bid Documents will be available only to prospective bidders upon payment of a non-refundable amount of Twenty Five Thousand Pesos Only (P 25,000.00) to the CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY Cashier.

Pre-bid conference shall be open only to all interested bidders who have purchased the Bidding Documents. Bids must be delivered to the Office of the BAC Chairman, Administration Bldg., CvSU, Indang, Cavite on or before the abovementioned date and time. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and amount. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ authorized representatives who choose to attend the bidding.

Late bids shall not be accepted.

The CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY (CvSU) assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of the bid. CvSU also reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to annul the bidding process, to reject all bids at any time prior to Contract Award without incurring any liability to the affected bidders, waive any required formality therein, and to award the Contract to the bidder whose bid proposal as evaluated is most advantageous to the University.

Approved by: (sgd) DAVID L. CERO, PhD BAC Chairman, Goods and Consulting Services

(MS-JULY 20, 2017)

PARTY. General Member Maggie Gilbride attends the Seventh Annual GenR Summer Party at the Tribeca Rooftop on July 18, 2017, in New York City. AFP

‘Despacito’ declared most streamed song NEW YORK―Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito,” whose reggaeton beat has swept the globe, on Wednesday was named the most streamed song of all time.

The song’s label, Universal Music Latin Entertainment, said “Despacito” in its original and remixed versions had reached 4.6 billion streams across platforms including YouTube and Spotify.

“Despacito”―a racy track full of sexual innuendo that features Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee―went viral soon after its release in January and

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017

found an even wider audience in April when pop celebrity Justin Bieber appeared in a remix.

“Despacito” dethroned another track with Bieber, the Canadian’s 2015 song “Sorry,” which has 4.38 billion plays, according to Universal.

“Despacito:―which means “slowly” in Spanish―has spent 10 weeks at number one on the US singles chart, the first Spanish-language song to reach the top spot since “Macarena” in 1996.

“Streaming is a connector for audiences worldwide and it has helped my music reach every

corner of the planet,” Fonsi said in a statement.

Lucian Grainge, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, the world’s largest label conglomerate, called “Despacito” the biggest hit of 2017.

“Streaming has opened up the possibility of a song with a different beat, from a different culture and in a different language to become a juggernaut of success around the world,” Grainge said in a statement.

Reggaeton―which has roots in Jamaican dance hall and hiphop―has historically provided

a voice to black Puerto Ricans and has been shunned by the US territory’s elite.

Streaming―the on-demand selection of music online―has rapidly grown in recent years.

No central body combines streaming data across all platforms, giving leeway to labels to announce figures and feats.

“Despacito” has soared on YouTube where it is already the fourth most watched video ever at 2.66 billion views.

While popular on Spotify, it was in 39th place on the alltime list Wednesday. AFP

In The Name Of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF BASILAN BIDS AND AWARDSCOMMITTEE Provincial Capitol Bldg., Isabela City, Basilan Province, 7300 InvItatIon to BId for

ProCUrEMEnt of CIvIL WorKS for tHE 1.555 KM. rEHaBILItatIon of BaUngIStaIran-BULan BULan road SECtIon, LantaWan, BaSILan UndEr BaC PUBLICatIon 007-2017 1.The Provincial Government of Basilan intends to apply part of the total sum of EIGHT MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED TWENTY ONE PESOS AND 94/100 CENTAVOS (P8,700,221.94 ),being the approved Budget for the Contract for the PROCUREMENT OF CIVIL WORKS for the 1.55 km. Rehabilitation of Baungis -Tairan-Bulan Bulan road section, Lantawan Basilan.Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected atthe bid opening.

2.The Provincial Government of Basilan now invites bids forthe Contract for the PROCUREMENT OF CIVIL WORKS for the 1.55 km. Rehabilitation of Baungis -TairanBulan Bulan road section, Lantawan Basilan with an approved budgetChargeabLe againSt the 20% deveLopMent Fund.Bidders have completed within ten (10) years from the date of submission and receipts of bids, a contract similar to the project.

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

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

4. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

5. Interested bidders may obtain further information from The Provincial Government of Basilan and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00am to 5pm.

6.A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fees for the Bidding Documents in the amount of TEN THOUSAND PESOS (P10,000.00) and ONE THOUSAND PESOS (P1,000.00) for Letter of Intent.

INFERNO. Fire-

fighters watch approaching flames as the Detwiler fire rages on near the town of Mariposa, California, on July 18, 2017. California has suffered widespread fires in recent days, with a lightning strike near Yosemite National Park sparking a blaze that destroyed more than 26 square kilometers of forest. AFP

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later that the submission of their bids.

7. The Provincial Government of Basilan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 9:30 am,July 26, 2017 at BAC Office, Provincial Capitol, Isabela City, Basilan Province, which shall be open to all interested parties.

8. Bids must be delivered on Bid Opening to the address below on or before 10:00 am, August 9,2017 at BAC Office, Provincial Capitol, Isabela City, and Basilan Province. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

9. The Provincial Government of Basilan reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

10. For further information, please refer to: The BAC CHAIRPERSON LGU- BASILAN Bids and Award Committee C/O BAC Secretariat Ground Floor, Provincial Capitol Building, Isabela City, Basilan Province, 7300 Fax No.: 062 200 3416 & 062 200 3417

(MS-JULY 20, 2017)

(SGD) INTAN GORDANA A. ABUBAKAR Chairperson, Bids and Award Committee

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

C4

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017

Star chefs in Mexico to back biodiversity

World

Dark days for China’s democracy dreamers B EIJING/HONG KONG―The death of Liu Xiaobo deprives China’s dissident movement of a crucial figurehead at a time when political activism on the mainland is being forced ever deeper underground, and prodemocracy forces in Hong Kong are under threat.

The world had not heard from Nobel laureate Liu since he was jailed in 2009 for writing a petition calling for political reform, but he remained an influential heavyweight of China’s democracy movement and an inspiration for the opponents of the Communist-ruled system.

His death in custody from cancer last week triggered rage and frustration among the dissident community but also a sense of hopelessness as they face hardened repression under China’s President Xi Jinping.

“When the Chinese authorities can so easily control life and

death, people are more afraid to fight,” said activist Su Yutong, who fled to Germany after being repeatedly detained and questioned over her work at an NGO. “They see that even a Nobel Peace Prize winner can die in jail.”

There are fears that Liu’s supporters will now be targeted, particularly his wife Liu Xia, who has been under house arrest since 2010.

Veteran China specialist Willy Lam said most of Liu’s friends were already under 24-hour surveillance and that the dissident community in general was “high-

ly demoralized”.

“They realize they are going through a long winter with no light at the end of the tunnel,” said Lam, a politics professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

The fact that support from the international community is outweighed by the desire of foreign governments to keep Beijing onside has also hit hard, said Teng Biao, a human rights lawyer and visiting scholar at Princeton University.

“If the West is reluctant to anger China, there will be no hope,” Teng told AFP. However, some say they will brave it out.

One of the country’s most prominent social activists Hu Jia, 43, has vowed not to leave China despite being under police surveillance since his release from prison six years ago.

“I want to stay and make an impact on the country,” he told AFP. Liu’s death prompted an outpouring of grief in semi-autonomous

Hong Kong, where pro-democracy forces must also contend with an increasingly assertive Beijing.

“We have to face the same political system and oppression,” said prodemocracy lawmaker Eddie Chu. “There used to be some distance, but now it’s more intimately felt.”

A day after Liu died, Hong Kong’s High Court disqualified four pro-democracy lawmakers from parliament following an unprecedented intervention from Beijing over the way they incorporated protests into their oaths of office last year.

Two lawmakers who advocate complete independence for Hong Kong―a concept that infuriates China―had already been ousted from the legislature.

Hong Kong still enjoys freedoms unseen on the mainland― thousands gathered for a memorial march to Liu on Saturday, while over the border even online tributes to him were removed. AFP

MEXICO CITY―Star chefs from around the world gathered in Mexico City’s ancient floating gardens for a symposium on saving the world’s threatened biodiversity, a bleak subject they peppered with breaks to savor the local cuisine.

Joan Roca of Spain, Michel Bras of France and Gaston Acurio of Peru were among the bigname chefs who took part in the event Tuesday at Xochimilco, a UNESCO World Heritage Site criss-crossed with natural canals and artificial islands first created by the Aztecs.

Munching on hand-made tortillas stuffed with organic beans and quesadillas made from local corn, participants used the idyllic setting to tackle a grim problem: the threats that climate change, industrial agriculture and overexploitation pose to the world’s plant and animal life.

“I believe that solidarity is in a chef’s DNA, along with the desire to create a commitment to preserve the environment and biodiversity,” said Roca, whose restaurant El Celler de Can Roca has twice taken top place on the prestigious list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

The chefs were in town to pick the winner of the Basque Culinary World Prize, a 100,000-euro award for food-related projects that have made a positive difference beyond the kitchen.

Roca presided over the jury that named this year’s winner on Monday: Colombian chef Leonor Espinosa of the restaurant LEO in Bogota, who is known for sourcing local ingredients and giving back to the communities that supply them.

That was also a key theme at the symposium.

To illustrate the point, participants toured the lettuce and cactus fields of Xochimilco’s famous “chinampas,” artificial islands created with age-old agricultural techniques used by the Aztecs and other Mesoamerican peoples.

The chinampas are one of the last reminders of how the Aztecs lived 500 years ago at the time the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the Americas, when Mexico City was mostly covered in water.

Today, the city has become a sprawling urban area of more than 20 million people.

Xochimilco is one of the area’s last vestiges of small-scale agriculture amid what the Mexican academic Refugio Rodriguez called “the growing urban stain of the Mexican capital.”

Seeking to help revive a more sustainable kind of agriculture to supply the city’s food, some Mexican chefs have started sourcing fresh, organic ingredients straight from the chinampas.

They include the likes of Enrique Olvera, owner of the feted restaurant Pujol, and Ricardo Munoz Zurita, of “Azul y Oro.” Munoz Zurita, whom Time magazine has called a “prophet” of preserving culinary tradition, called for a return to niche local ingredients such as native Mexican corn, instead of the mass-produced basket of produce that dominates the world’s supermarket aisles.

“We’re going to be the ambassadors of critically endangered products. We have to start cooking with them so people don’t forget they exist,” he said.

To get to the event, which was held under a large thatch hangar, participants ventured to an artificial island by boat, a trip of about 30 minutes. AFP

Dozens guilty of human trafficking

BANGKOK―A Thai court found dozens of people guilty of human trafficking offenses on Wednesday in a mass trial exploring the links between corrupt officials, including a senior army general, and the grim but lucrative trade in Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants.

Thailand’s junta launched a crackdown in May 2015 on a network funneling desperate migrants through southern Thailand and onto Malaysia, holding some for ransom in jungle camps.

It unspooled a crisis across Southeast Asia as gangmasters abandoned their human cargo in the camps where hundreds died from starvation and malaria, and at sea in overcrowded boats which were then “ping ponged” between Thai, Malaysian and Indonesian waters.

Rights groups have long accused officials of ignoring―and even orchestrating-the trade in humans through Thailand’s southern provinces.

The area was the crucial link in a criminal trail that stretched from Myanmar to Malaysia.

The crackdown revealed a lattice of military, police, local political and mafia figures acting as traffickers, agents and logistics men, all soaking up cash from some of Asia’s poorest and most vulnerable migrants.

On Wednesday judges at Bangkok Criminal Court began delivering a stream of verdicts for the 102 defendants. One other accused died while on remand.

The offenses include human trafficking, ransom and murder. All deny the charges.

Media were barred from the court itself, relying instead on an audio relay of the complex proceedings.

Judges placed heavy reporting restrictions on much of the testimony, citing national security concerns. But the case has still lifted the lid on the power networks dominating southern Thailand.

Army Lieutenant-General Manas Kongpan, a top figure in the security apparatus covering the south, is the highest-ranking official on trial.

In 2013 he was promoted to head the Internal Security Command (ISOC) for the south.

Current junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha was army chief at the time.

Another well-connected alleged kingpin is Pajjuban Aungkachotephan, better known as Ko Tong or ‘Big Brother Tong’.

Police accused him of using private Andaman Sea islands, close to tourist spots such as Koh Lipe, to shift boatloads of migrants to the mainland, where they were packed into lorries and taken to the fetid camps straddling the Malaysia border.

An army captain, four ranking police officers, a nurse and several officials, including the mayor of Pedang Besar in Satun province, are also among the accused.

By the lunch break a drip feed of 38 defendants had been convicted for a range of offenses including human trafficking and slavery.

Among them were guards at the jungle camps where migrants were held, including a Rohingya man who acted as an interpreter, and a string of local officials. AFP

PERFORMANCE. Dancers of the Monte-Carlo Ballet perform in the worldwide creation ‘Massacre’, by Jeroen Verbruggen, on July 18 at the Opera House in Monaco. AFP

Seoul probes N. Korea celebrity who ‘returned home’ SEOUL―South Korea is investigating the case of a North Korean defector who became a celebrity refugee in Seoul, but recently appeared on Pyongyang television to claim she had returned home from the “hell” of the capitalist South.

Lim Ji-Hyun, a female defector in her 20s, arrived in Seoul in 2014 and soon became a public figure after starring in several South Korean TV shows featuring escapees from the North.

But on Sunday Lim abruptly appeared in a video on the North’s propaganda network, describing how her “fantasy” about the wealthy South had been shattered.

In the video, posted on the North’s Uriminzokkiri website, Lim says she had “returned home” last month and was now living with her family in the western city of Anju.

It is unclear whether Lim returned voluntarily, with South Korean media speculating that she might have been

kidnapped at the Chinese border with the North while trying to reunite with her family.

Police sources who probed Lim’s home and financial accounts in Seoul told the South’s JoongAng Ilbo daily there was little sign of her trying to wrap up her life in the country and move elsewhere.

“Relevant authorities are investigating the North Korean defector Lim JiHyun,” said Lee Yoo-Jin, deputy spokeswoman of Seoul’s unification ministry handling North Korea affairs. Seoul’s spy agency declined to comment.

In the video, Lim identified herself as Chon Hae-Song, which she said was her real name in the North.

Wearing a traditional silk hanbok and red badge bearing the images of the North’s two former leaders, Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il, Lim tearfully detailed her “miserable” life in the capitalist neighbor where “money is all that

matters.”

“I went to South Korea harboring this fantasy that I would be able to eat and live well and make a lot of money there, but the South was not the place I imagined,” she said, adding she had wanted to become an actress in Seoul.

“Every single day in the South was like hell. Every night ... I cried thinking about my motherland and my parents in the North,” she told her interviewers.

Lim also accused a South Korean TV station of pushing her to lie about her life in the North to make it sound more miserable than it actually was.

“Everything I said on TV was scripted ... to make North Koreans look barbaric, ignorant and stupid,” she said, describing herself as “human trash” for defaming her motherland.

Other defectors who have reappeared in the North have been displayed on similar programs, prompting speculation they had been kidnapped or coerced

into returning by threats to their families to serve Pyongyang’s propaganda.

Many defectors who reach the South hire brokers to take their remaining family out of the North through the border with China, and some even visit the Chinese border areas themselves―a dangerous move in a region monitored and frequented by North Korean agents.

More than 30,000 North Koreans have fled poverty and repression in the isolated homeland and settled in the South.

But many complain of lack of opportunities, discrimination and difficulty in adjusting to the cutthroat, ultra-competitive society.

A recent survey showed more than 60 percent of the defectors consider themselves “low-class citizens,” with the average suicide rate among them at 15 percent-nearly three times the South’s national average, which is already the world’s highest. AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

HEALTH & WELLNESS

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017

D1

International

Yoga Day

Celebration M ALL-GOERS recently had the opportunity to experience yoga’s relaxing and rejuvenating benefits during the recent International Yoga Day celebration at the SM Mall of Asia’s Music Hall.

International Yoga Day participants sit in a comfortable asana and a Mrigi Mudra position to achieve the Channel cleaning breath

The Sukhasana (easy pose) and the prayer mudra for a self-inquiry meditation

A joint partnership between the Indian Embassy in the Philippines and SM, the celebration of the International Day of Yoga at the SM Mall of Asia brings the traditional practice closer to the shoppers. In December 2014, the United Nations General Assembly approved the proposal of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare June 21 as “International Day of Yoga”.

In line with the celebrations, a special address was also given by the Department of Foreign Affairs Director for Office of United Nations and International Organizations Donna Gatmaytan and United Nations World Food Programme Country Director Praveen Agarwal, who highlighted the importance of yoga for the health.

Likewise, professional yoga instructors from different fitness studios in Metro Manila conducted yoga sessions for free. These included Hatha Yoga by Speedo Philippines, and breathing and meditation by the Art of Living Foundation. Fitness studios Urban Ashram, Aquanimous Yoga, Fitness First, Yoga Plus, and Beyond Yoga also participated.

Medical questions women are too embarrassed to ask

IT’S the 21st century but there are still some questions women feel uncomfortable asking their doctors. Strange smells, mysterious bumps, or odd bodily functions may be a bit embarrassing to speak about but keeping these concerns may lead to bigger health problems.

Makati Medical Center, the Philippines’ premier healthcare institution, with Sonia E. Bongala, MD, of the MakatiMed Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, is here to help you out by tackling the medical questions women are too afraid or embarrassed to ask.

Why does this smell funny? An unusual smell can be a sign that something is wrong with a certain body part. For our lady parts down there, odors are natural and normal due to the fact that the vagina has a balanced combination of both fluid (discharge) and bacteria. This is to maintain a healthy acidic level and for the vaginal area to regulate and cleanse itself.

Only a few women have completely symmetrical breasts, but if suddenly one breast gets bigger than the other it could also be a sign of an infection, a cyst, fibroid, or even cancer. While breast asymmetry is not usually something to be worried about, it is still recommended to check with your doctor to ease concerns.

Is it okay to use pantyliners on a daily basis? Are liners friends or foes when it comes to health and hygiene? Many wear it to keep themselves clean and fresh, but it depends on you and how you react to it.

Make sure it’s breathable by using pantyliners without a plastic covering, because these are more porous. It will lessen moisture and protect you from infection. Make sure you change them frequently, too— ideally every four to six hours.

“Be very vigilant about hygiene, especially during menstruation,” reminds Dr. Bongala. “Wash your hands properly before handling pantylin-

Turn to D2

New multiyear partnership in the Philippines THE National Basketball Association (NBA) and AXA, a leading global insurance provider, announced a comprehensive multiyear marketing partnership that will make AXA the Official Insurance Partner of the NBA in the Philippines.

The announcement was made during a press conference in Manila. NBA Philippines Managing Director Carlo Singson and AXA Philippines President and CEO Rahul Hora made the announcement. Brooklyn Nets center and 2013 NBA All-Star Brook Lopez who also participated in a partnership launch event at the NBA Store in Glorietta 3 was there as well..

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

“At AXA, we believe in assisting our clients in making the right financial decisions by offering innovative solutions, similar to how an NBA coach helps his team win games,” shared Hora,. “This partnership with the NBA highlights common principles between our companies – teamwork, integrity, courage, innovation and now, the foresight for

Women are encouraged to ask any medical questions to their physicians

AXA Philippines president and CEO Rahul Hora (right) with (from left) NBA Philippines associate vice president and managing director Carlo Singson and Brook Lopez

our customers to power up their game plan, not just on the physical playing field, but also on the hard court that is life.”

“We are proud to welcome AXA, a global industry leader in financial plan-

ning solutions, to the NBA family,” said Singson. “We look forward to integrating AXA into our marquee NBA events and platforms in the Philippines to create fun and engaging experiences for our passionate fans.”

But there are also times when excess odor signals problems. A pungent fishy smell along with runny grayish white or yellow discharge is a symptom of Bacterial Vaginosis, a mild infection of the vagina. “The vagina normally houses healthy bacteria, but when unhealthy bacteria like that of Bacterial Vaginosis takes over, it upsets the balance and can increase risks of other infections,” says Dr. Bongala.

“Bacterial Vaginosis, however, can easily be treated with antibiotics. So, if you start noticing abnormal discharge, consult your doctor right away before it becomes too serious.”

Why are my breasts different sizes?

The “twins” rarely match – sometimes, it’s a slight difference, while for others, it’s a significant one. Your size can change daily with estrogen levels, pregnancy, and yes, even bra support.

“Breasts tend to feel fuller while you are ovulating or are on your period,” says Dr. Bongala. “For moms who are breastfeeding, the breasts also tend to get bigger and heavier because of the milk coming in.”

ers and sanitary pads. Avoid wearing tight jeans or leggings for extended periods of time, because these can increase body temperature and moisture around the genitals which could allow bacteria to thrive.”

I wear non-cotton underwear, is that okay? There’s no problem with your personal preference dictating the fabric – as long as you make sure the crotch area is lined with cotton.

“Most underwear available are fairly breathable, as long as there is a cotton lining in the vaginal area, that’s fine,” says Dr. Bongala. “As much as possible, steer clear of synthetic materials and leave silk for special occasions, because these types can trap and retain moisture, which can lead to bacterial or yeast infection.”

Is it safe to use feminine wash regularly? It depends on the type being used. Some are much stronger than others. Prolonged use of feminine wash can change vaginal acidity and make you more vulnerable to infections.

“Some feminine wash have very strong Turn to D2

Life

D2

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

W

What you want to know about kids with autism

HAT are the things children with autism wish you knew about them?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD, or simply “autism”) is a lifelong neurological and developmental disorder affecting how a person perceives the world and communicates with others.

It is a “spectrum” because people with autism can exhibit a range of symptoms with varying degrees of intensity, including problems with verbal communication and social interaction, obsessive-compulsive behavior, and learning difficulties.

Makati Medical Center, the Philippines’ premier healthcare institution, says there are ways we can better understand children with autism.

First, always remember that a child with autism is still a child who is developing personal thoughts, feelings, ideas, talents, and dreams. “Autism is part of the child, but not the child’s whole identity,” says Developmental Pediatrician Veronica Reloza, MD, of the MakatiMed Department of Pediatrics. “His or her different behavior may be the first thing you see or notice when you meet a child with autism, but remember that a child is still developing his or her own capabilities, and there’s danger in boxing him or her in.”

They can be visually oriented learners. Kids with autism tend to be visually oriented. Having visual support helps them learn, because they process images better than spoken words.

“Kids with autism retain information better when they see it. Without visual

Medical...

From D1

formulations which can actually kill the good bacteria in the vagina and change vaginal acidity. I’d like to reiterate that an adequate amount of good bacteria (vaginal flora) is needed to maintain a healthy vaginal acidity,” says Dr. Bongala. “Changes due to prolonged use of feminine wash with strong antiseptics can cause a super infection with resistant fungi and bacteria.”

There are also other types of feminine wash that are milder and safer to use, but it is recommended by professionals not to use feminine wash every day. A mild formulation is safe to use a few times a week for women with no signs and symptoms of infection. If the purpose is simply to maintain cleanliness, then mild soap and water should do the trick.

Should I consider using tampons?

There have been recent reports saying that conventional or non-organic tampons and sanitary pads contain harmful ingredients like cancer-causing dioxins, but there is no substantive scientific evidence yet to support these claims.

However, some women may consider using products without added fragrance to avoid allergic reactions. There is also the risk of tampons causing toxic shock

International...

From D1

Among those that joined in this wonderful wellness event were Ambassadors Capaya Rodriguez Gonzales of Venezuela, Aruni Ranaraja of Sri Lanka; and Iran Embassy’s Deputy Head of Mission Masoud Mortazavi and his wife.

Yoga continues to gain fame worldwide as a popular form of exercise.

Viewed by many as a lifestyle and philosophy, this 5,000-year-old physical, mental, and spiritual practice originated in India and it aims to transform both body and mind.

International Day of Yoga was organized by the Embassy of India, Manila in association with Tech Mahindra and Wipro, and in partnership with SM. The focus of the event was to provide a rich and fun-filled educational and cultural experience through introductory demonstrations and classes of both traditional and contemporary practices of yoga. Suitable for all ages and lifestyles, the celebration’s agenda displays the wide scope of applications of yoga.

The International Day of Yoga celebration is one of the many enriching cultural events at the SM Mall of Asia.

According to MakatiMed’s Dr. Veronica Reloza, a child with autism also develops personal thoughts, feelings, ideas, talents, and dreams

support, they can become constantly frustrated and might feel helpless because they’re not processing information the way you’d expect them to,” says Dr. Reloza.

Simple drawings of activities for the day can help them understand sequences of events. Using visual support, like drawings or symbols, makes it easier for kids with autism to remember what they’re supposed to do next and transition from one activity

syndrome (TSS), a potentially deadly disease caused by bacterial infections.

Symptoms include wounds, sores, seizures, and high fever, to name a few.

Like with pantyliners and sanitary pads, it is ideal to change tampons every four to six hours.

Is it safe to have sex while I’m on my period? “Sex is a part of life and, yes, women can still engage in and enjoy intercourse even while on their period,” Dr. Bongala states. “Studies also show that sex can soothe menstrual cramps and headaches. You just need to ensure that you are practicing safe sex.”

Take note that any bodily fluid can carry HIV and you can be more prone to infections because the cervix is susceptible to viruses during your period. Also, the pH level of the vagina increases during menstruation, which causes yeast to grow rapidly. “Pregnancy is still possible during menstruation as well, especially if you have sex towards the end of your period, because sperm can still be viable for three to five days,” says Dr. Bongala.

Dr. Bongala says patients should feel free to ask any question to their doctors.

“Don’t be shy! We are here to help.”

For more information, please contact MakatiMed On-Call at (02) 8888 999, email mmc@makatimed.net.ph, or visit www.makatimed.net.ph

to another smoothly.

They can be non-verbal communicators. While kids with autism are visually oriented learners, it is also important for parents and those around them to take note of their actions and reactions or nonverbal cues. “Children with autism use nonverbal cues to communicate, because they don’t always know the words to express themselves,” says Dr. Reloza. “Paying attention to the kind of gestures and facial expressions

they make can help you understand what they’re feeling.”

Observe how they tend to act whenever they are hungry, frustrated, confused, or upset. Sometimes throwing a tantrum is their way of communicating how they feel. The kind of facial expressions, sounds, and gestures they make will help you pick up on their behavior.

Since they tend to have difficulty with words or a stereotypic mannerism, there are also times when kids with

autism compensate through echolalia or the precise repetition or echoing of words and sounds. You might hear them uttering speeches and scripts like that of a professor or a movie actor without fully understanding what these words mean. This is their way of dealing with having to answer questions when they are expected to.

They may be highly sensitive to their environment. Watching out for how they react to certain stimuli can help you identify the reason behind their tantrums, because certain behavior may have a physical cause. Some children with autism are highly sensitive to sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. That is why some physical environments can be downright painful and hostile for them. Picture a grocery store with loud booming speakers, overlapping jabber of customers, the scent of raw fish, and glaring fluorescent lights.

So many things happening all at once make it hard for them to focus.

Sensory overload can cause them stress, anxiety, and pain.

What happens is they tend to just shut down or appear withdrawn.

“Take note of the environment when these occur. Take note of the time, setting, people, and activities around the child because there may be a pattern,” explains Dr. Reloza. “Everything they do is a form of communication, and these tell you what words cannot.”

“Children with autism, like any child, thrive when they receive acceptance and love,” says Dr. Reloza.

“With the right guidance, they can live fulfilling lives.”

For more information, please contact MakatiMed On-Call at +632.8888 999, email mmc@makatimed.net.ph, or visit www.makatimed.net.ph.

Too much fun can kill your liver HOW does your week usually go?

Start of the week, you seem to find “Manic Monday” as a reason to eat indulgently, most probably a fast food take-out for dinner or lunch.

On Tuesday, it’s your friend’s birthday. That’s another reason to celebrate.

Cheers for another year they say, no harm in that right?

You have a bad hangover on Wednesday. What’s the best hangover remedy? An especially greasy burger paired with deep fried fries just to keep you going for the day.

You need to pause for a while on Thursday, you went home as soon as you’re off work, and you took the chips you have been saving, grabbed an iced cold beer from the fridge, then turned on your favorite TV series and binged.

TGIF! It’s the end of the week and one of your officemates invited you to a rave. Aside from your usual two beers a night, you find yourself gulping on some shots and sipping some cocktail.

You end up drunk enough to be able to go home and pass by a drive-thru.

Now, if this week is all too familiar to you or if you find yourself hanging out at a bar, with a beer in one hand and a pulutan in your mouth, at least twice a week, bet you’re at risk of a fatty liver.

Liverguard helps repair damaged liver cells

While it’s nice to enjoy and take off some steam once in a while, doing so too often can be bad for your liver’s function.

Fatty liver disease is the state where there is too much fat build-up in the liver. When you take in too much fatty

food, individual liver cells turn into little balls of fat. If this condition accelerates, it can lead to inflammation and damage of liver tissues, resulting to liver cirrhosis, an irreversible liver condition.

Don’t wait until it’s too late, change your drinking and eating lifestyle and give extra protection to your liver with Liverguard.

Liverguard helps repair damaged liver cells and strengthens the liver’s storage function. Liverguard has 450mg of Silymarin and 50mg of Lecithin, an all-natural ingredient that also acts as an antioxidant. These ingredients combined have the potential to shield liver cells and prevents further damage to your liver.

Protect your liver with the liver defender, Liverguard.

Available in all Mercury drugstores and leading drugstores nationwide for only P15 per capsule. For more information about Liverguard, visit https:// www.facebook.com/liverguardtheliverdefender/

Broadenening financial literacy in Cagayan MONSANTO Philippines recently partnered with the Cagayan Provincial Government, through its Provincial Learning and Resource Center (PLRC), to conduct a money management workshop to more than 200 government employees and underprivileged college students, mostly children of local farmers in the province of Cagayan, and to broaden financial literacy and independence in the region.

The program, in partnership with the International Marketing Group-Wealth Academy (IMG-Wealth Academy), aims to build the participants’ capabilities in financial management. The 200 participants were selected from select municipalities and farming communities in Cagayan, mostly from the most underserved areas in the province.

Monsanto Philippines Corporate Affairs Head Charina Ocampo highlighted the importance of broadening financial literacy in the country, especially in the rural areas. According to her, the country stands as one of the 30 least financially literate countries in the world, with only 25 percent of adults aware of the basics of managing their money.

“Monsanto shares the objective of the Cagayan government to promote finan-

Monsanto Philippines hosted a financial literacy training to 200 participants from selected municipalities and farming communities in Cagayan

cial independence amongst those living in rural areas. But as a sustainable agriculture company, we are especially committed to help improve financial stability in farming communities starting with the children of farmers, since a lot of family members of our growers still have challenges in planning for their financial goals,” shared Ocampo.

During the workshop, participants were taught basic financial skills such as practical money management strategies. The activity also included short

courses on building a solid financial foundation, sound investment tactics, and the creation of multiple streams of passive income.

“Para sa isang 20-year old na estudyante, maganda itong seminar na ito,” said Angelica Joy Cahilan, a senior College Library Science student. “May magtuturo sa’yo na dapat mag-ipon ka at hindi pwedeng bilhin mo lahat ng gusto mo kasi dapat isipin mo ‘yung future mo,” she continued.

Meantime, 51-year old Emelyne

Tarangco-Mappala, a government employee shared that she has been practicing the Six Steps of Financial Freedom.

“Kapag nag-umpisa ka sa mahirap na buhay, that should be a challenge for you to strive more in life,” Mappala said.

“Marami sa amin ang hindi pa marunong mag-manage ng pera at umaasa sa loan because they lack this knowledge kaya nagpapasalamat kami na may seminar na ganito,” she added.

Last year, Monsanto Philippines also

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017

OASIS’ LIAM GALLAGHER

Former lead vocalist of Oasis, Liam Gallagher is coming to Manila for a one-night concert

to rock MOA Arena L IAM Gallagher, the former lead vocalist of British rock band Oasis, is coming to Manila next month to perform in a onenight live concert on Aug. 14 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Paranaque City.

Ovation Productions has confirmed the debut performance here of the British rock star who has been named as the greatest front man of all time in a reader poll conducted by Q Magazine in 2010.

Oasis has been cited as a major influence and inspiration in their musical careers by many well-known bands, such as The Killers, Arctic Monkeys, Maroon 5, and Coldplay, among

3rd Andrea O. Veneracion Int’l Choral Fest THE Cultural Center of the Philippines with the support of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) of the Department of Tourism presents the 3rd Andrea O. Veneracion International Choral Festival on July 20-23.

The Festival, which follows the successes of the first and second Andrea O. Veneracion International Choral Festivals in 2013 and 2015, respectively, will witness nine foreign and local choirs compete in three categories: Folk Song, Vocal Ensemble and Chamber Choir.

The competing choirs are the following: University of Baguio Voices Chorale, Brawajiya University Student Choir (Indonesia), Choir of the University of Silesia “Harmonia” (Poland), Koro Ilustrado, Medan Community Male Choir (Indonesia), Philippine Vocal Ensemble, Technological Institute of the Philippines Choral Society, University of the Philippines Los Baños Choral Ensemble, and the UST The Accountancy Chamber Singers.

The Folk Song competition will showcase the performances of Filipino choirs singing folk songs from the Philippines, the Asian region, and from outside of the Asian region and foreign choirs singing folk songs from their home country, from another country in their region and from the Philippines. The Vocal Ensemble competition will see choirs, composed of a maximum of only 16 singers, sing freely chosen pieces with the exception of folk songs. The Chamber Choir com-

petition will present choirs singing period pieces: one Renaissance/Early Baroque choral work, one Romantic choral work, one 20th or 21st century choral work; and the obligatory piece entitled Daluyong, a newly commissioned work

by Ily Matthew Maniano. It is a tribute to the Yolanda victims and survivors.

A jury of five internationally renowned adjudicators – one from North America, one from Europe, one from South America, one from Africa/Australia and one from the Philippines will evaluate the competitors – Dr. Kent Hatteberg (USA), Bengt Ollén (Sweden), Maria Guinand (Venezuela), Dr. Ronald Smart (Australia), and Mark Anthony Carpio (Philippines).

The festival opens at 7 p.m. while the Folk Song Competition goes on tomorrow at the same time,; Vocal Ensemble Competition and Chamber Choir Competition, Saturday, July 22, 2017, 4:00 PM; Philippine Madrigal Singers Gala, Sunday, July 23, 2017, 3:00 PM; Closing Ceremonies (Free), Sunday, July 23, 2017, 6:00 PM. The ticket prices for the competitions are P300 and P200. Ticket prices for the Philippine Madrigal Singers Gala are P1 000, P800, P500, P400, P300.

All events will be held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo.

For ticket reservations, please call the CCP Marketing Department at 832-3704 and 832-3706.

Bigger, better History Con in Manila ARE you ready to make History again, Manila?

The biggest entertainment convention is coming back for its second year in the Philippines and it’s going to be an action-packed four days from Aug.10 to 13 at the World Trade Center. History Con 2017, promoted by Viva Entertainment, is bigger, better and bolder than ever with more popular celebrities coming to visit, over 300 exhibitors’ displays to explore, three new world records to attempt, and a whole lot more.

History Con’s comeback in Manila is your chance to see your favorite History celebrities all at the same time. Watch out for biker chick and Ride ‘N Seek host Jamie Dempsey, Forged in Fire finalist and fellow Pinoy, Ryu Lim, Counting Cars’ talented airbrush artist Horny Mike, and Photo Face-Off’s photography extraordinaire Justin Mott. Back by popular demand and exclusively in the Philippines, Rick Harrison of Pawnstars will join the stellar line up to reunite with fans in Manila, as well as all-time favorite Danielle Colby from The Pickers who will make her debut appearance.

The convention will also feature local talent Phoemela Baranda and Gaby Dela Merced

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Thursday, July 20, 2017

ACROSS 1 Pillow cover 5 Dingbat 10 Bivouac 14 Restaurant handout 15 “See you later!”

16 Dairy-case buy 17 Coffee servers 18 Rise up 19 James — Jones 20 Food sellers 22 Strip of 24 Hawaii’s Mauna — 25 Varnish ingredient 26 Vouches for 30 Eventually 34 Twosomes 35 Looking at 37 Small coin 38 Elev.

39 Hwy. 40 Library abbr.

41 Courtroom response 43 Waits awhile 45 Reiner or Sagan 46 Japanese dish 48 Canyons 50 Great Lakes cargo 51 Crooner — Damone 52 Took turns

56 Was in charge of 60 Gray wolf 61 Remove errors 63 Non-flying bird 64 Enthralled 65 Please greatly 66 Help a hoodlum 67 Big pet 68 Goes on horseback 69 Trig ratio DOWN 1 Complacent 2 Man of the haus 3 Cato’s year 4 Pecs and abs 5 Give a running commentary 6 Time to beware 7 Ballpoint point 8 Scholarship basis 9 Holiday tradition (2 wds.)

10 Used intimidation 11 Kirghiz range (var.)

12 Griffin of game shows 13 Tent support 21 Aurora, to Socrates 23 Tillis or Dawber

26 Revise appropriately 27 Gauzy fabric 28 Tribal symbol 29 Turkey neighbor 30 Scoff at 31 Sofa 32 Luigi’s romance 33 Shouts 36 — be an honor 42 Excuse 43 Puppy seller 44 Barbarians 45 Shrill insects 47 Website

others.

Oasis was a five-piece band from Manchester, United Kingdom led by Liam and Noel Gallagher, two brothers from public housing who became the defining musical act for a generation.

The group’s live act was distinguished by Noel’s proudly British lyrics, choruses that could make one’s throat clench and one’s heart ready to burst, as well as Liam’s sneering vocals and pissed-off posture, the cocktail of ego, camaraderie and one-upmanship that combined in making Oasis as entertaining and as volatile offstage as onstage.

The band’s third album, Be Here Now, in 1997 set a new record as the fastest-selling album in UK chart history, while What’s The Story Morning Glory attained greater success by becoming the third-selling album in British recording history.

The Gallagher brothers led Oasis to worldwide popularity and success in the 1990s, scor-

49 Coq au — 52 Give a high-five 53 Walt Kelly strip 54 Poet’s black 55 Lox purveyor 56 Sound-off button 57 Mongolian desert 58 Churchill successor 59 Be too fond 62 Spoiled

for Celebrity Car Wars.

History Con saw an overwhelming 50,000 attendees at the four-day action-packed event in 2016. This year, the highly anticipated entertainment convention will expand to host over 300 exhibitors and experiences with displays of interesting knickknacks, unique collectible items, and vehicle restorations.

History is also celebrating its 10th year anniversary in Asia and we’re ringing in the occasion by awarding 10 notable individuals who have made a significant impact in the country’s life and culture in the History Maker Awards.

Tickets are now on sale at SM Ticket outlets and www. smtickets.com. Packages for schools and individuals are also available. You may also visit historyasia.com/historycon for more information.

You wouldn’t want to miss all the unbelievable discoveries you can make only at History Con 2017. See you at the World Trade Center from August 10 to 13 for the biggest entertainment convention in Manila.

History is available on SKYCable Ch 67; Cable Link Ch. 43; Dream Satellite Ch 30; Destiny Cable Ch 57; and CignalTV Ch 125.

ing several hits, such as “Wonderwall,” “Champagne Supernova,” and “Don’t Look Back In Anger,” and selling more than 71 million albums worldwide.

Liam has won many accolades for his vocal contributions to Oasis, as well as his awesome presence that helped make the band a popular live act wherever it performed. However, his attitude also elicited much attention from the British press, which often ran negative stories about his alleged behavior.

With his erratic behavior, distinctive singing style and abrasive attitude that have been the subjects of media commentaries, Liam has remained one of the most recognizable figures in modern British music.

Liam’s singing voice has often been compared to that of John Lennon, such that he would jestingly claim to be John re-incarnated, despite being born eight years prior to John’s death in 1980.

He declared he has no clear influence in his music other than

John Lennon and “music” itself, and has been known to incorporate many different forms, such as punk, indie, and New Wave, and recently has explored elements of jazz during his stint with Beady Eye, the band he formed after Oasis broke up in 2009.

As a performer, he cuts a striking figure as he belts out a song with the microphone coming in the closest contact with him between his upper lip and nose, rather than directly in front of the mouth as in the case with most singers. Liam has once confessed that the reason he sings with his arms behind his back is because it allows him to project more power through his voice.

"Liam Gallagher Live in Manila!" on Aug. 14 at the Mall of Asia Arena is presented by Smart and produced by Ovation Productions.

Tickets are priced at P8,700, P7,700, P5,700, P4,700, P3,700 and P1,700 and are available online through www.smtickets.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017

PLDT Home launches Roku

Binibining Pilipinas 2017 Supranational Chanel Olive Thomas graced the launch

PoweredTM TVolution in PH I T’S here! PLDT Home creates history once again with the launch of Asia’s first Roku PoweredTM TVolution.

The country’s leading digital services provider introduces the game-changing device, Roku PoweredTM TVolution, an allin-one, plug-and-play box that will take TV viewing to a whole new level with its worlds of entertainment.

With this all-in-one powerful box, you can watch HD TV channels from Cignal, the Philippines’ largest pay TV provider; biggest selection of top Hollywood, Asian regional, and local TV shows and movies from iflix, the world’s leading Subscription Video on Demand (SVoD) service for emerging markets; critically-acclaimed TV series and films from Netflix, the world’s leading internet television network; over a billion hours of videos every single day from YouTube, the world’s largest streaming website; plus over 100 free streaming channels. This means easy, one-click access to all your favorite entertainment

Celebrity mom Isabel Oli-Prats

Heart Evangelista stars in 'My Korean Jagiya'

content without having to switch between multiple boxes.

For families whose viewing habits have evolved into individual screen viewing – whether through mobile, tablet, or PCs – they can now enjoy all their favorite shows on TV. The Roku PoweredTM TVolution brings Filipino families together by allowing them to bond over extensive selection of video entertainment in one convenient screen.

“PLDT Home has always been

at the forefront of innovation, both in technology and in content, and today, we mark another milestone for internet TV, not just in the Philippines, but also in the region,” PLDT FVP and Home Business Head Oscar A. Reyes, Jr. said. “The Roku PoweredTM TVolution will change the way Filipino families enjoy entertainment together in the comforts of their homes. We look forward to ushering in the new age of family video entertainment, thanks

PLDT executives (from left) FVP and Home Business Head Oscar A. Reyes, Chief Corporate Services Officer Ray Espinosa, Chief Customer Experience and Data Analytics Advisor Ralph Brunner, Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, PLDT FVP and Smart CFO Chaye Cabal-Revilla, Chief People and Culture Officer Liza Sichon, and EVP and Chief Revenue Officer Eric R. Alberto

From left: PLDT FVP and Home Business Head Oscar A. Reyes, PLDT EVP and Chief Revenue Officer Eric R. Alberto, Roku Strategy and Corporate Development Executive for Telecom, Media, and Technology Sector, Brandon Amber, and iflix Philippines Country Manager Sherwin dela Cruz

From left: UAAP Volleyball stars Jaja and Dindin Santiago, celebrities Maru Sotto, Mark Aquino and Ruby Rodriguez, Pauleen Luna-Sotto and Vic Sotto, and MVP

GMA Network’s explosive primetime shows KAPUSO network is really unstoppable in providing quality entertainment to its loyal viewers. The network is launching new shows soon and among them is My Korean Jagiya, a story of a Filipina fan of a Korean actor. This is very timely as many Filipinos are going gaga over Kdrama series lately.

Currently taping in Korea, it stars Philippine TV’s Sweetheart Heart Evangelista and a Korean actor who will soon be revealed to Kapuso rans.

Marian Rivera stars in Super Ma’am, about a teacher that has super powers that she uses to discipline and change the lives of his unruly students.

Meant for mothers and their children, the soap is not only full of action and adventure, but also rich in lessons for young people.

Meanwhile, Haplos, about sisters (Sanya Lopez and Thea Tolentino) with both healing and destructive powers has premiered in Afternoon Prime.

The return of Lip Sync Battle Philippines, one of the funniest reality series to hit local TV, is now being anticipated.

Another timely gift for Senator Manny Pacquiao is Stories for the Soul.

Meanwhile, fans of the top rating Alias Robin Hood should be glad, as the series will be back soon.

Marian Rivera in 'Super Ma'am'

Manny Pacquiao

to our partners.”

A new era in entertainment To mark this breakthrough innovation and partnership, PLDT Home recently hosted an exclusive launch at the posh ShangriLa at the Fort. The powerhouse event brought together industry titans, led by PLDT Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, and Alist celebrities and influencers, with no less than Miss Universe 2015 and PLDT Home ambassador Pia Wurtzbach hosting the night’s affairs.

Guests immersed in the entertainment spectacle enabled by the Roku PoweredTM TVolution and the country’s most powerful broadband, PLDT Home Fibr, as they experienced first-hand the box’s user-friendly features and compelling content. The set-up gave guests a glimpse of how the powerful box could change the way families bond together at home.

Existing PLDT Home Fibr subscribers will be the first to enjoy the new Roku PoweredTM TVolution for only an additional P199 per month that comes with the device, a trial of the Cignal HD TV Plan 1590, and a built-in iflix subscription. PLDT Home also offers subscribers paid content from different providers such as Netflix with minimal additional charges. While the bundled box and service are available to all PLDT Home subscribers, PLDT Home Fibr subscribers will get to enjoy ex-

clusive offers such as no delivery and no cash out charges.

Roku is the latest addition to PLDT Home’s growing and industry-leading roster of global entertainment partners. It is powered by PLDT Home Fibr, which delivers world-class broadband of up to 1 Gbps and enables equal upload and download speeds. This means high-speed browsing, seamless entertainment access and top-ofthe-line home security services for as low as P1,899 per month, now available in over three million homes nationwide and representing the widest fiber reach in the Philippines.

Aside from the Roku PoweredTM TVolution, PLDT also officially introduced to the guests four new groundbreaking services including the Whole Home WiFi Plan, the country’s first all-in-one broadband and smart Wi-Fi network plan that provides seamless Fibr experience in your entire home; the Home Geek Squad, a pioneering team of “technical architects” dedicated to PLDT Home Fibr subscribers; the VFibr Plan, which allows existing PLDT Home DSL subscribers enjoy fiber-fast speeds of up to 100 Mbps at home; and Fox+, a streaming app where subscribers get access to thousands of hours of high-definition content, latest TV series, inspiring documentaries, blockbuster movies, and biggest live sports straight from their TV channels such as Fox Movies, Fox Sports, and National Geographic.

Barangay LS 97.1 is top FM station in Mega Manila RADIO GMA’s flagship FM station Barangay LS 97.1 was hailed as the number one choice of listeners in Mega Manila according to the latest survey of Nielsen Radio Audience Measurement.

Barangay LS captivated the hearts of more listeners in Mega Manila for the month of May with an average audience share of 22.2 percent, which was driven by its variety of programs and wacky bunch of DJs. From Monday to Friday, Papa Jepoy, Chiko Tito, and Mama Cy jumpstart the morning prime block at 6 a.m. in Potpot & Friends followed by Papa Dudut’s Radyo Nobela and Mama Belle’s Sikat sa Barangayup to 12 noon.

And starting in June, Barangay LS introduced a new line-up of DJs in its afternoon block to provide just the right amount of laughter and entertainment. From 12 noon to 3 p.m., it is the listeners’ turn to talk and consult Papa Obet and Papa Marky for love advice in Talk to Papa. Next off is a back-toback sound trip with Mama Emma and Ate Liza on Three Play from 3 to 7 p.m..

In the evening primetime block, all Kabarangays are welcome to greet anyone and everyone in Bida sa Barangay with Papa Carlo from 7to 9 p.m.; followed by the nationwide on-air dating program Wanted Sweetheart with Papa Bol until 12 midnight.

Papa Buboy, on the other hand,

keeps early risers company in Hoy Pinoy (3 a.m.) and Wow Sayaw (5 a.m.) from Monday to Sunday, while late night listeners also get to hear Papa Marky in Talk Back (12 midnight).

Meanwhile, there is never a dull moment with Barangay LS’ mix of weekend programs. Every Saturday and Sunday, listeners can catch Balita sa Barangay, Barangay Showbiz, All-Star Request, The Big 10, Barangay Love Stories, Saturday Three Play, Saturday Top 3, Bida sa Barangay, Senti Sunday, Barangay Love Songs, Old Time Good Time, Radyo Nobela, Sakto Mismo, and Barangay Idol.

Tune in to Mega Manila’s no.1 FM station Barangay LS 97.1 Tugstugan Na! Follow Barangay LS on Facebook (@ barangayls971), Instagram and Twitter via the handle @barangayLSFM.