Manila Standard - 2017 July 26 - Wednesday

HOUSE FREES ‘ILOCOS 6;’ IMEE SHOWS UP

By Maricel V. Cruz THE House committee on good government on Tuesday ordered the release of six Ilocos Norte provincial government officers who were detained for almost two months at the Batasang Pambansa for refusing to cooperate in its hearing

on the alleged misuse of P66.45 million in tobacco excise tax funds.

Ilocos Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas moved for the release of six officers— known as the “Ilocos Six”—after they “regained their memory” during the latest hearing.

Ordered released were Ilocos Norte financial

officers Pedro Agcaoili, Evangeline Tabulog, Josephine Calajate, Eden Battulayan, Genedine Jambaro, and Encarnacion Gaor.

Surigao del Sur 2nd District Rep. Johnny Pimentel said the release of the Ilocos Six did not mean that his panel would end its inquiry. Next page

VOL. XXXI • NO. 162 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

EARS AND EMOTION. The House of Representatives Committee on Good

Government, headed by chairman Rep. Johnny Pimentel, ordered through Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, on Tuesday the release of 6 Ilocos Norte provincial government officers held for nearly two months for purportedly refusing to cooperate in its hearing on the alleged misuse of P66.45 million in tobacco excise tax funds from 2011 to 2012. The six are financial officers Pedro Agcaoili, Evangeline Tabulog, Josephine Calajate, Eden Battulayan, Genedine Jambaro, and Encarnacion Gaor, approached by an emotional Gov. Imee Marcos (right). Ver Noveno

CHR told: Stop drug probe or be abolished

By John Paolo Bencito, Sandy Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte threatened to abolish the Commission on Human Rights should it continue to investigate his bloody war on drugs.

In a news conference soon after his second State of the Nation Address, Duterte told security forces that they should not appear in any investigation without his approval—adding that investigators should course their requests through him first.

“CHR… you are better abolished. I will not allow my men to go there to be investigated. Human Rights Commission, you address your request through me because the Armed Forces is under me and the police are under me,” the President said.

Duterte added that the CHR should first investigate the recent New People’s Army ambush on Presidential Security Group members in North Cotabato.

“CHR should investigate the ambush against the FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. President Rodrigo Duterte, along with Go Negosyo and the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of PSG. If you do not have a report, do not mess with Commerce and Industry Inc., extends financial aid to the families of slain soldiers in the Marawi fighting during a Malacañang ceremony Next page Tuesday. The President also announced a ‘generous soul’ will be giving more than P1 million to each family of the victims. JP Bencito us,” Duterte said.

Duterte: I’ll Sison: ‘Lack of interest, flip-flopping’did peace talks in bomb lumad schools for subversion SCHOOLS built for the lumad or tribal minorities will be bombed, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened Monday, saying that these are violating laws by spreading subversive ideas and teaching students to rebel against the government.

In a news briefing, Duterte linked several lumad schools operating without a permit to communist rebels, whom he earlier said deserve to be bullied.

“These schools are teaching subversion, communism, everything. So better stay away from them. I will tell the lumad there, stay away [from those schools].

I will bomb them. I will include these structures,” he said.

“I will use the Armed Forces, the Philippine Air Force. I would really bomb them … Because you are operating illegally and you are teaching the children to rebel against government,” he said.

During the Aquino administration, several schools built for the lumad were ordered closed and Next page

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s “lack of interest” in pushing forward for social and economic reforms led to the collapse and failure of the peace negotiations, his former professor, Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison said Tuesday.

Responding to the scathing remarks made by his former stu-

dent during his second State of the Nation Address , Sison took a snide over his pronouncements that resuming the peace talks was a “waste of time.” “[Duterte] is only interested in demanding the surrender of the revolutionary movement through a protracted and indefinite kind of ceasefire ahead of any comprehensive agreement

on reforms,” the communist leader said in a statement. “[Duterte] is really not interested in peace negotiations concerning social, economic and political reforms to lay the basis for a just and lasting peace,” he added.

While Sison acknowledged that Duterte’s job is to “bully and kill the enemies of the state,” he

warned him against his “tendency and personal temperament to violate the human rights of his political rivals, critics and the poor people suspected of being drug addicts and pushers.”

In a television interview, Sison criticized Duterte for flip-flopping on his promise to end the decadeslong communist insurgency in the Next page country.

Rody insists nationwide martial law not an option

By John Paolo Bencito and Rey E. Requejo PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte insisted Monday night that his imposition of martial law in Mindanao is only temporary and will not be extended to other parts of the country, as he scoffed at comparisons to the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, saying that he had a different set of values.

“I just want to finish something for everyone. Martial law isn’t going to be forever,” he said in Filipino as he addressed a rally by leftist protesters near the Batasang Pambansa after delivering his second State of the Nation Address. “You just wait.”

Duterte said the military delayed its assault in Marawi because he ordered them to slow down as the terrorists were holding at least 300 hostages in a big mosque.

“I barred the military from attacking because the 300 would get hurt or killed,” he added.

“That’s the remaining problem you don’t know about.”

In a separate news briefing, Duterte said he never wanted to extend the proclamation of martial law to other parts of the country.

“No nationwide martial law.

Why? Because I will look stupid before the eyes of the public if I do that. And I don’t want to be called stupid,” the President said.

Congress on Saturday granted his request to extend his 60-day martial law declaration in Mindanao until the end of the year as fighting between state troops and Islamic Statelinked terrorists in Marawi City continued into its third month. Next page

PH urged to resist outside forces in sea CHINA’S Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday called on the Philippines and the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to unite and resist the intervention of “non-regional forces” in the disputes in the South China Sea. Without naming any country, Wang, who is on an official visit to

Manila, said some forces were out to destabilize the situation in the area where he said tensions had deescalated in recent months.

“If there are still non-regional forces in the region, they don’t want to see stability in the South China Sea and they still want to stir up trouble in the South China Sea,” Wang said at a joint news

conference with Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano after their bilateral meeting.

“We need to stand together and we need to say no to them together.”

Wang also expressed hope that the Philippines and China would make a decision to enter into a Next page

US to work on return of Balangiga bells

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan AN AMERICAN official on Tuesday acknowledged President Rodrigo Duterte’s demand that the United States return the Balangiga bells that were taken

by American troops from a town

in Samar in 1901.

In a statement a day after Duterte delivered his second State of the Nation Address, US Embassy spokeswoman Molly Koscina said they will continue to work with their Filipino partners to find a resolution.

“We are aware that the bells of Balangiga have deep significance for a number of people, both in the United States and in the Philippines,” she said.

“We will continue to work with our Filipino partners to find a resolution.”

Next page

BEHIND THE SMILES. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (left) shakes hand

with Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano after signing the guestbook in Manila Tuesday. China has urged Southeast Asian nations to unite and ‘say no’ to outside forces seeking to interfere in the South China Sea dispute–an apparent swipe at the United States ahead of a regional summit. Last year, the UN Arbitral Tribunal decided the Philippines has exclusive sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea (in the South China Sea) and that China’s ‘nine-dash line’ is invalid. AFP

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

‘2018 budget for priority projects’

By John Paolo Bencito

T

HE P3.767-trillion budget for 2018 now fully reflects his administration's priorities, President Rodrigo Duterte said in his budget message to Congress Monday night.

“I presented to you then a transition budget for FY 2017.

It was meant to support the beginning of real change, and it is doing that," Duterte said of the previous year’s budget in his message to Congress.

"Because orderly transition is the only sure road to change, the journey from “what was” to “what should be,” from “where

we were” to “where we really want to be.”

Among the changes in the presentation of the 2018 budget is featuring an agency’s nonfinancial performance targets alongside with its budget proposals.

Currently, the budget is presented in terms of the Major Final Outputs of the agency, or the

Duterte:...

CHR...

From A1

occupied, triggering protests against the military occupation of schools.

The plight of the lumad was highlighted after the September 2015 killings of Emerito Samarca, a head teacher of an award-winning school for lumad youth in Lianga, Surigao del Sur, along with two others, Dionel Campos and Juvello Sinzo, allegedly by paramilitary forces.

On Monday, Duterte took aim at communists in his second State of the Nation Address, saying the enemies of the state deserve to be “bullied” with the full might of the government.

The Communist Party of the Philippines rebuked Duterte for threatening to bomb schools, saying that he was the “lowest of the low.”

“To the Madman Duterte: Nice try. You thought you could still fool the people with your grandstanding and phrase mongering. Having been rebuked by the people’s jeers, you threaten to drop bombs on the lumad schools. You threaten to kill the children. You are the lowest of the low,” the CPP said.

“You are a madman with bombs. You are a bully. An arrogant street thug intoxicated with power. But you only pick on the weak, the small and the oppressed.

You bomb their homes, shell their communities and expect them to bow to your power. You exercise power but only against the powerless,” the group said.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones had earlier appealed to the military and other groups involved in the ongoing clashes in Marawi City, to treat schools as neutral ground or zones of peace.

Briones earlier appealed to the warring groups to spare teachers, school personnel and students from violence, intimidation or threat amid the continuing clashes in Marawi City.

“Worldwide, schools are universally treated as neutral zones despite being in the middle of intense armed conflict and are free from the presence of armed combatants regardless of what side they are from,” Briones said.

“It is imperative that this point be stressed, and that our schools be accorded the same respect – that schools are places for learning, caring and nurturing. A true second home for our students,” Briones added.

The Salinlahi alliance for children’s concerns also blasted Duterte for his threat to bomb lumad schools.

The President had the same message to the Office of the Ombudsman, saying that it should refrain from citing anyone in contempt because he had the authority to tell soldiers and the police whether they should cooperate with an investigation.

“So, don’t force [me] to clash with you. Clear it with me first. You address it to the DILG [Department of Interior and Local Government], to me. Attention DILG,” he said.

While he acknowledged that the Ombudsman is there to check on government, he said the anti-graft body should be fair to all sides.

“If you fail to address also the atrocities of the other side… then do not investigate my army and police,” the President said.

“Do not make it a one-sided affair.

I will not allow it. As President, I will not allow it. Justice for all. What is sauce for the gander is sauce for the goose,” he added.

The two institutions are constitutional bodies that are independent of the other branches of government.

The CHR is constitutionally tasked to investigate alleged human rights violations perpetrated by state actors or the government, while the Ombudsman represents the interests of the public by investigating and addressing complaints of maladministration or violations of rights.

Responding to Duterte’s threats, the CHR lambasted Duterte’s wrong understanding of their mandate under the Constitution.

“If you look at the Constitution, the CHR was created to look into abuses by the government. These kinds of statements are the result of a wrong

From A1

US...

From A1 Duterte on Monday again lashed out at the United States in front of 1,500 dignitaries, diplomats and guests including US ambassador to Manila Sung Kim. “Give us back those Balangiga bells. They are ours,” Duterte said.

“They belong to the Philippines.

They are part of our national heritage.”

Kim was in the session hall when Duterte demanded the return of the bells. As his face flashed on screen during Duterte’s tirade, the envoy took off his headphone for the interpretation and his face betrayed no emotion.

Duterte said US troops took the church bells of Balanggia town in Eastern Samar during the Philippine-American war.

According to history, the Church bell was a signal for Filipino troops to attack the Americans in town on Sept. 28, 1901. A total of 48 members of the 9th US Infantry Regiment were killed on that date.

There are three Balangiga bells.

Two of it are displayed at the F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming. while the third is with the US Army regiment in South Korea.

Rody...

From A1 Duterte said he would need around 35,000 to 40,000 men to replace the soldiers he lost in the armed siege in Marawi City and to address future threats.

In the same news briefing, the President lashed out at critics who have compared him to Marcos.

“Why do you have to compare me with Marcos? I am not Marcos. I may not be as brilliant as Marcos, but definitely I am more attuned to my values in life,” the President said.

Duterte, who in the past openly glorified the former dictator, toned down his praise.

“The values of Marcos are not necessarily mine, just because there is martial law,” he said.

In meeting with protesters, Duterte asked for more time to resolve issues and conflicts involving the communist groups, including peace talks.

He also said that he would not resume peace talks until the communist rebels show sincerity.

The President also said he would hire more personnel and buy more equipment to combat the ISIS threat and the resurgence of the communist insurgency.

House...

From A1 “I want to make it clear that the release of the six officials does not mean that we are already terminating the proceedings,” he said in a press conference after the hearing.

He said Ilocos Norte Imee Marcos would be invited again to the next hearingon Aug. 9.

Marcos on Tuesday faced lawmakers at a congressional probe into the provincial capitol’s alleged misuse of P66.45 million worth of tobacco excise funds from 2011 to 2012 after they threatened to detain her if she refuses to testify.

"The two transactions were direct contracting. Direct contracting is something that the Bids and Awards Committee recommended that we had to resort to because there was

outputs delivered by the agency to its external clients.

“In this FY 2018 Budget, we raise this transparency and accountability objective a notch higher by presenting the budget in terms of the agency’s program objectives, and grouping its programs and projects under these objectives," Duterte said.

"This program-based budget structure will promote better understanding of government policies, facilitate planning and lend itself better to the evaluation of the effectiveness and cost of agency programs and projects to achieve their performance commitments.

“This Budget is thus easier to understand and evaluate being a

direct reflection of the government’s strategies and interventions in the different sectors."

The validity of appropriations will also be cut short to one year, enforcing discipline on the agency transfer of funds across different line items and across different expenditure classes, and upholding the power of Congress for the use of savings in appropriations, Duterte said.

Among the new budget’s thrusts is “to promote opening government and participation as a fundamental governance approach."

“I believe we will prosper more in our anti-criminality, anti-corruption and anti-poverty goals by involving the people in the selec-

appreciation of the CHR’s mandate,” said CHR spokesperson Jackie de Guia, speaking in Filipino.

De Guia insisted that the CHR’s responsibility is to make sure the government and agencies under it are held liable for violations of human rights.

Human rights violations by criminals is beyond the scope of the body and are under the jurisdiction of the Philippine National Police, she added.

Human Rights Watch on Tuesday said research has shown that the President’s anti-drug war was a policeled extrajudicial execution campaign that has resulted in more than 7,000 deaths since Duterte took office in June 2016.

In a statement, HRW said Duterte has glorified those deaths as proof of the “success” of anti-drug measures that have disproportionately targeted urban slum dwellers.

HRW said government claims that the deaths of suspected drug users and dealers were lawful are false.

Interviews with witnesses and victims’ relatives and analysis of police records show a pattern of unlawful police conduct designed to paint a veneer of legality over extrajudicial executions, the group also said.

In his second Sona, Duterte said drug dealers had two choices: jail or hell, and accused activists who have documented serious human rights violations linked to his drug war of “trivializing” the campaign by demanding respect for legal process.

Lawmakers on Tuesday said President Duterte’s second Sona should serve as a wake-up call to human rights activists to transcend their personal biases and partisan interests and help the government warn about the dangers of drug abuse.

“President Duterte has made a perfect pitch in his Second Sona for

giving No. 1 attention to fighting crime and enhancing peace and order, which are a requisite to sustaining the Philippines’ rise as one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies,” said Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte.

The government’s critics “should heed his call for them to set aside their personal biases and partisan interests and refocus their efforts on educating the public on the evils of illicit drugs and all other forms of criminality,” Villafuerte said.

Villafuerte added the President has also made deft use of his Sona to explain to Congress and the public the necessity for imposing—and securing an extension of—martial law in Mindanao.

But Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao said Duterte failed to deliver on his promises to the poor and marginalized members of society, avoiding the issue of genuine agrarian reform or the end of labor contracting.

“His continued coddling of the military and police only encourages more abuses,” Casilao added.

Vice President Leni Robredo expressed her support on Tuesday for some calls of President Duterte to stop crime without sacrificing the importance of human rights and rule of law.

“I believe, just like what the President believes in, that there is a need to fight criminality. However, we have a different approach from one another,” she said.

“I believe in the anti-drug campaign and the security of peace and order for as long as we do not violate any human rights.”

She underscored the need for the rule of law, saying it serves as the poor’s shield against possible abuses of power.

She also reiterated her stand against reinstating the death penalty.

With Rio N. Araja

“We must have a strong republic to withstand all threats and challenges.

Today’s reality demands, necessitates an Armed Forces that is strong. What I will do with the money is to build a credible Armed Forces that can fight on all fronts everywhere,” he said in the same news briefing.

He also said he would accept highaltitude reconnaissance aircraft from a country he did not identify.

On Tuesday, the military expressed gratitude for Duterte’s pledge to recruit more soldiers and to acquire more weapons to help them fulfill their mandate of defending the country against all forms of threat.

“The AFP fully appreciates the efforts of the Commander-in-Chief to strengthen our capabilities and add more to our ranks so we can accomplish our mandate better,” AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Tuesday blamed domestic conflict as the primary factor behind the country’s slow economic growth among middle-class communities as he urged the citizenry to rally behind the government’s development programs to propel dramatic changes.

Lorenzana said domestic conflict tend to instill a climate of fear among

people in the communities forcing them to move from area to another, thus affecting trade and commerce in the community.

Also on Tuesday, the Supreme Court dismissed the consolidated petitions seeking to compel the Senate and the House of Representatives to jointly convene to review President Duterte’s Proclamation 216 declaring martial law in Mindanao.

Voting unanimously during its en banc session on Tuesday, the Court junked the petitions filed by separate groups led by former senators Rene Saguisag and Wigberto Tañada for lack of merit.

While all magistrates voted to dismiss the petitions, they differed on the grounds for their decision.

Thirteen of the 15 justices held that the Court cannot compel Congress to call a joint session because of the separation of powers.

According to the majority, there was no grave abuse of discretion on the part of the Senate and House in separately affirming the martial law declaration in separate resolutions.

They also agreed with the Office of the Solicitor General that the move of the House of Representatives and Senate to issue resolutions expressing support for the declaration of martial law would suffice. With Francisco Tuyay

only a single supplier that can comply with the requirements," she said.

Marcos said only Foton had brand new, diesel-powered mini-trucks with the right specifications.

"The most important thing is that the government did not lose money," Marcos said.

Marcos attended the hearing accompanied by her mother, Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos and former senator Juan Ponce Enrile.

During the hearing, Marcos apologized before the panel over her statement that “yellow forces” offered P100 million to ensure her detention at the House.

“I apologize and withdraw the statement. It is my mere suspicion and even if there was a source, I withdraw my accusation,” Marcos said as she was pressed by Fariñas to reveal her source on the matter.

“I apologize to the congressmen if

this is offensive...,” she said.

Marcos said she was happy her employees can finally go home to their families after 55 days in detention even as she said “there was no anomaly” and “no corruption” in all transactions on the purchases of motor vehicles.

The six Ilocos Norte employees admitted Tuesday they made the transactions involving the alleged anomalous procurement of the provincial government”s 115 vehicles using tobacco excise tax funds.

The House committee on good government and public accountability has been investigating the transactions involving the Ilocos Norte provincial government’s purchase of 115 vehicles worth P66.4 million using the province’s share in the proceeds from excise taxes collected from locally produced Virginia-type cigarettes.

tion and monitoring of the use of taxpayer’s money, especially in the programs and projects which directly affect their lives.”

Duterte likewise asked Congress to give priority to the passage of the Freedom of Information law to ensure transparency and accountability in the whole bureaucracy.

In the list of his Key Budget Priorities, Duterte stressed the need for “reducing inequality,” “maintaining the foundation for sustainable development,” “increasing the growth potential” and "enhancing the social fabric.”

Duterte added that, with much work to be done, the government was “in need of a more activist

budget” targeted at achieving the longing of the people for peaceful and safer communities, with enhanced opportunities for advancement and supported by convenient and reliable services.

In line with the Duterte administration’s thrust to reduce poverty and promote economic growth, the largest allocations will go to the education sector and the infrastructure development program “Build, Build, Build.”

A total of P691.1 billion makes up the combined budgets of the Department of Education with P613.1 billion, the Commission on Higher Education with P13.5 billion and the State Universities and Colleges with P64.6 billion.

Duterte admits paying trolls for 2016 elections PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday admitted paying “trolls” to defend him on social media but said this only happened during the campaign for the 2016 elections.

“I spent P10 million? Me? Maybe in the elections, in the elections I spent more than that...They were all during the campaign,” Duterte said.

But he said his administration was not shelling out money to hire online trolls to rig the results of popularity surveys.

“I don’t need to defend myself from attacks. I stated my piece during my inauguration and during my campaign. I’m not anymore eligible for reelection,” Duterte said.

A study by academics from the University of Oxford claimed that Duterte’s political party, PDP-Laban, paid more than $200,000 or P10 million for a social media campaign in which volunteers and paid people or groups used social media accounts to promote him or defend him against critics.

Downplaying the report, Duterte then called the University of Oxford, one of the top educational institutions in the world, a school for stupid people.

“Oxford University? That’s a school for the stupid people),” he said.

He then defended sexy starlet Mocha Uson whom he appointed Communications assistant secretary.

“Cannot a lowly dancer in this Republic, in this country, can they not aspire for somebody to be somebody someday? Marunong naman mag-English. Hindi naman bali-bali. And she deals with everybody. Kaibigan niya ang military, kaibigan niya ang lahat. So, bakit hindi ko siya ilagay sa pwesto?” Duterte said.

“Sabihin mo, naghubad ‘yung tao. And so? She no longer deserves a break in this universe because she’s a dancer?” John Paolo Bencito

PH...

From A1

Defying China’s warnings to keep out of the disputed waters, US military vessels, and in a direct challenge to what it calls Beijing’s excessive claims in the waters, have repeatedly sailed within 12 nautical miles of the disputed waters, prompting angry protests from Beijing.

US planes have also flown over the Chinese-controlled areas.

Last week, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop openly criticized China’s island-building in the South China Sea and urged all claimants to respect international law.

China, which considers the sea disputes a purely Asian issue, is opposed to any foreign intervention particularly from the US, accusing Washington of military intervention.

Although the US is not a party to the disputes, it has declared in the past that it is in its national interest to ensure freedom of navigation, trade and peace and stability in the South China Sea, where the bulk of the world’s trade passes through.

China claims “indisputable sovereignty” over 90 percent of the waters, where undersea gas, oil and mineral deposits have been discovered in several areas. Sara Susanne D. Fabunan and John Paolo Bencito

joint oil drilling in the disputed area, a proposal made 31 years ago by Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping.

“I hope the two sides could make the decision so that the goodwill embodied by Mr. Deng Xiaoping’s proposal 31 years ago could lead to fruition today and benefit the people of both countries,” Wang told reporters.

On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte said the Philippines would be signing a joint venture with China to exploit gas and oil resources in the West Philippine Sea despite the constitutional prohibitions against sharing resources within the country’s exclusive economic zone.

“When they start to excavate the gas and oil, it’s going to be just like a joint venture,” Duterte told a news briefing after his second State of the Nation Address.

While there’s no time line yet for the start of the joint venture, Duterte claimed that China already had a “partner” for the joint exploration but did not say who.

“We are there already, they have a partner. I just can’t say who,” Duterte said.

Sison:...

From A1 “Duterte keeps on flipflopping.

Sometimes he would say that he doesn’t like to negotiate anymore, but sometimes he puts in a qualification that ‘If you don’t like it anymore, we will not want to do it anymore,’” Sison told ANC in a television interview.

He noted that Duterte seemed to “reopen the doors” to peace negotiations when he directly addressed militants after the Sona.

But within hours, the President threatened to bomb lumad schools for allegedly spreading subversive ideas, Sison said.

In justifying the New People’s Army’s attack against members of the President’s security detail, Sison insisted that there was no existing ceasefire in place, adding that the two bullet-riddled PSG vehicles had no markings indicating they were government property.

“There is no ceasefire, no prior identification, no prior permission for the other side to be in the spot.

Whether there is a ceasefire or not, there has to be some kind of clearance,” Sison said.

“It has been done before. [President] Duterte is not lacking in connection... Duterte could have contacted the responsible organ there through people he knows.”

The attacks were among the string of hostilities that later prompted Du-

terte to cancel peace talks with communist rebels.

Sison also reminded Duterte that he is also an old man.

“Duterte himself is an old man at 72. I am only six years older than him. So what is the public issue? I am still physically and mentally strong, trying hard as NDFP chief political consultant to help in the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations, which have been scuttled by Duterte,” he said.

He also denied Duterte’s claims that he has colon cancer.

“This is a blatant lie,” Sison said.

“No findings of cancer of any kind, cardiac problem or any other malignancy which is life threatening.”

He also dared Duterte “to explain his disappearances for medical reasons because the public is entitled to know everything that pertains to his suitability for public office.”

Also on Tuesday, the Justice Department said leader of the communist National Democratic Front who were released from jail on provisional bail should now be arrested after Duterte called off the peace talks.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said the Office of the Solicitor General was right in seeking the cancellation of bail grant on 20 NDF consultants led by spouses Benito and Wilma Tiamzon.

“Their release was temporary and preconditioned on the peace talks. If the peace talks will no longer be pursued then they should go back to jail,” he said. With Rey E. Requejo

News

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Bid to separate votes in JBC junked THE Supreme Court has turned down a bid to restore separate voting representation of the Senate and House of Representatives in the Judicial and Bar Council for appointments in the judiciary and the Office of the Ombudsman.

Voting 9-5 during its en banc session Tuesday, the SC dismissed the petition of House committee on justice chairman and Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali seeking to strike down the current policy of the JBC designating only one voting representation to both houses of Congress in deliberations for shortlists in vacancies under a shared term arrangement.

The high court disagreed with Umali’s assertion that the seven-member composition of the JBC violates the Constitution because it deprives Congress of fair representation in the council where two other coequal branches of government have three members each.

The SC decision penned by Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. found no merit in the petition and instead affirmed the Court’s 2012 ruling that cut the voting representations of the Senate and House from two to one through a petition by the late former Solicitor General Frank Chavez.

“As a result of the dismissal of the petition, the decision of the Court in Chavez v. JBC stands,” SC spokesman Theodore Te said.

Eight magistrates concurred in the ruling, namely Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Jose Mendoza, Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Francis Jardeleza, Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa and Noel Tijam.

Rey E. Requejo

House ‘locks’ hall during roll call THE leadership of the House of Representatives on Tuesday implemented the “padlocking” of session hall at exactly four o’ clock in the afternoon to ensure quorum.

The decision came after some lawmakers were marked absent for failure to make it during the roll call at the start of the session. Doors of the session of the House were closed at 4 p.m. and the late-comers were only allowed to enter the session hall after the roll call.

A total of 226 lawmakers showed up during Tuesday session.The overwhelming attendance prompted House senior deputy minority leader and Buhay Hayaang Yumabong (Buhay) party-list Rep. Lito Atienza to commend Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez for the policy that ensure quorum in the session hall.

“This is impressive because we can transact business here at the session hall with the presence of quorum immediately after four in the afternoon,” Atienza said in plenary session Tuesday.

The House leadership earlier issued a memorandum to its members reminding them of the policy to lock the session hall after the Call to Order at 4 p.m. and to mark as absent those lawmakers who would appear after the roll call. Maricel V. Cruz

UNEXPLODED. This undated

handout photo released on July 25, 2017 by the Armed Forces of the Philippines shows government troops preparing to detonate unexploded ordnance seized from Muslim militant positions on the frontline in Marawi.The spokesperson of the military—Task Force Marawi, Capt. Jo-Ann Petinglay, confirmed on July 25 the highest cause of injury and death of government troops were caused by the improvised explosive devices since the beginning of the armed conflict. AFP

RESILIENCE. Phivolcs officer-in-charge and Department of Science and Technology Undersecretary for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Dr. Renato Solidum (left, standing) and SM Cares Foundation director on Persons with Disabilities Engineer Bien Mateo (right), led the activity of giving various emergency and survival tips during and after possible disasters such as earthquakes to participants, including some persons with disabilities during yesterday’s 3rd Disaster Resilience Conference in Pasay City. Ey Acasio

Creation of risk reduction body long overdue—Solidum

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s order for the immediate creation of Department of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, which has been long overdue, will significantly reduce the estimated 48,000 loss of lives in Metro Manila and nearby provinces in case a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hits Manila, according to Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology Chief Renato Solidum.

“We have long been in discussion to elevate the matter of DRRM to a department level because RA 10121 or the Philip-

pine DRRM Act is under review, “ said Solidum. He warned that the “Big One” could strike anytime.

Speaking during the 3rd Disaster Resilience Conference for Persons with Disabilities and senior citizens sponsored by SM Cares, Solidum said the creation of a department on DRRM is long overdue considering the position of the Philippines as one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world.

The event was conducted by SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls in partnership with Philvolcs and Metro Manila Development Authority, at the SMX at the Mall of Asia.

Solidum lamented that the Philippines is basically always on the reactive side which is why time and resources are spent more on response and rescue efforts. He noted that having a

Department of DRRM will expand the focus to include disaster preparedness and mitigation which will not only be more costeffective but will save lives and properties.

“There would be more concerted effort and there will be people whose focus will only be on DRRM and not only on search and rescue,” he said.

He added that if nothing is done to prepare for an earthquake especially when the so-called Big One takes place in Metro Manila, he said an estimated 48,000 people will die in Metro Manila and nearby provinces on a 7.2-magnitude earthquake in the Marikina fault line.

He added that many of those will perish will be PWDs and senior citizens because of their

Koko weighs in on tax reform package SENATE President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Tuesday called on his colleagues and the Department of Finance to be “open to compromise” on the proposed tax reform package being pushed by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Pimentel issued the statement after Duterte appealed to the Senate during his second State of the Nation Address to pass the package “in full.

“Everyone should be open to compromises. No one has monopoly of knowing the real sentiments of the people,” said Pimentel. He said “senators should also be sensitive to the sentiments of the people, but not all l organized groups represent the people. Some represent their own selfish interests. This is what we should be conscious of,” added Pimentel, president of the ruling PDP-Laban.

Senate ways and means committee chairman Senator Sonny Angara, who is conducting hearings on Duterte’s proposed tax measure, yesterday said he is willing to resign from his committee if his fellow senators will not be satisfied with his version of the

new tax reform package.

“If the [Senate] can’t fulfill what they wanted in full, maybe we could take remedial action. Like if they want me to resign, I would resign because there are really aspects in the version that are not acceptable,” Angara said.

“That’s something we have to discuss with the Senate President and our colleagues,” he added. “If they’re not happy with the version they’re coming up with, we’re willing to resign our position. I will not cling to the position.”

On Monday night, Angara also told reporters he will quit his Senate post if the President would ask him to do so.

He said Duterte’s proposed tax package would generate for the government an additional taxes amounting to P150 billion a month.

In his Sona, Duterte pushed for the approval of the tax reform package in the Senate. He noted that the fate of the tax reform is now in the hands of the Senate. “What do you want me to do, kneel before you! Well,

really I’ll leave it up to you,” he said.

The proposed tax reform measure of the Duterte administration seeks to lower income taxes while limiting VAT exemptions, adjusting excise taxes on oil and automobiles, and imposing new taxes on sugarsweetened beverages.

But some senators have expressed apprehension on the lifting of VAT exemption on low-cost and socialized housing, as well as the “anti-poor” proposal on SSBs and oil.

The tax reform measure has been approved by the House of Representatives but remains pending in the Senate.

The President even put on the spot some senators whom he said were not clapping on hearing his statement on the new tax package.

“You don’t like to clap [your hands]—even... they are not clapping so. Angara is not clapping. You watch during election, you will see,” said Duterte, referring to Senator.

Angara, who is running for reelection in the 2019 polls, earlier said he considers Duterte’s remark both as a “joke” and a “threat.” Macon Ramos-Araneta

Suarez is House minority leader, SC says in decision

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Quezon 3rd district Rep. Danilo Suarez as minority leader in the House of Representatives.

During its en banc session on Tuesday, the SC unanimously resolved to dismiss the petition of the group led by Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr. seeking to compel the House leadership to recognize them as the legitimate minority.

“The Court dismissed the petition for mandamus for the reason that petitioners were not entitled to the reliefs sought,’’ SC spokesman Theodore Te said in a media briefing.

Te added that the SC emphasized that the dismissal of the petition is “without prejudice to

any other controversy involving the internal rules of the House presented in a proper case seeking judicial review.”

The SC, however, has not released a copy of the decision.

Baguilat was joined by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, Northern Samar Rep. Raul Daza, Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice, Capiz Rep. Emmanuel Billones, Akbayan partylist Rep.Tom Villarin and Magdalo partylist Rep. Gary Alejano in filing the petition.

The group filed the petition last year, arguing that Baguilat should be recognized as minority leader because he was the runner-up to House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez in the speakership race in July last year where Baguilat got eight votes and Suarez getting seven.

physical limitations and vulnerabilities. “That is why we are always saying that for PWDs and Senior Citizens, there should be a buddy system so that whenever any kind of emergency takes place, they are always with somebody to assist them,” he pointed out.

While nobody could be prepared enough for an earthquake, Solidum said it is important that efforts are now being conducted to prepare for earthquakes.

“The enormity of the problem needs to be examined not only with response but also on the prevention side. No country can be ever ready if the focus will only be on the response side that is why it is important for us to focus on disaster preparedness and mitigation.”

DoJ clears 30 Chinese in kidnap charge

By Rey E. Requejo and Vito Barcelo THE Department of Justice has cleared 30 Chinese nationals implicated in the kidnapping for ransom operations victimizing high-roller foreign casino players in the country.

In a resolution, DoJ Assistant State Prosecutor Phillip dela Cruz dismissed the kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges filed by the Bureau of Immigration and Philippine National Police’s Anti-Kidnapping Group for lack of probable cause.

The 30 respondents were among the 44 foreigners arrested last July 18 during a joint Bureau of Immigration-Philippine National Police operation which rescued Singaporean victim Wu Yan, who was allegedly kidnapped by the respondents from the Solaire Resort and Casino in Pasay City.

“In the instant case, a careful perusal of the records revealed that respondents had not been identified b by the complainant as part of the group that kidnapped her. Not an iota of evidence was presented to show that they conspired with the alleged kidnappers of complainant Wu Yan,” according to the resolution approved by Acting Prosecutor General Jorge Catalan Jr. “Not even a single act can be imputed against them. Since criminal liability is personal then absence of proof as to their participation to the alleged kidnapping indubitably will result to the dismissal of the complaint against said respondents,” the DoJ said.

A4

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

The threat to integrity

A

FTER being deprived of their liberty for almost two months, six officials of the Ilocos Norte provincial government were finally freed by the same lawmakers who had arbitrarily had them detained, purportedly for refusing to cooperate in a congressional hearing on alleged anomalies in the use of tobacco excise tax funds.

Ilocos Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas who had ordered them detained for contempt on May 29, moved for their release, saying they had “regained their memory” by speaking the truth during a hearing of the House committee on good government and public accountability.

Ordered released were Ilocos Norte financial officers Pedro Agcaoili, Evangeline Tabulog, Josephine Calajate, Eden Battulayan, Genedine Jambaro, and Encarnacion Gaor, now more commonly known as the “Ilocos Six.” The six officials were ordered detained at the Batasang Pambansa, even after the Court of Appeals issued a writ of habeas corpus and ordered their release.

House leaders refused to comply, however, and felt it appropriate not only to disobey the court, but threaten the justices with detention and the court itself with dissolution.

The chairman of the committee, Rep. Johnny Pimentel, even gave journalists a tour of the detention room where they would detain the justices who had ordered the Ilocos Six freed.

Faced with the refusal of the House to

obey the court order, the Ilocos Six elevated their case to the Supreme Court, asking the justices to stop the House inquiry and to order their release. The case was still pending when the release order came from the House, and the Court may now view the petition as being moot, since the petitioners have all been released.

Still, it would have been instructive had the Court weighed in on what was clearly a case of one branch of government, the legislature, flexing its muscles at the expense of another, the judiciary.

Were House officials constitutionally and legally correct in asserting that the Court of Appeals had no jurisdiction over them, or did they err when they arrogantly threatened to detain the justices who ordered the release of the Ilocos Six? A clear decision from the

Court would have cleared away any ambiguity and served as a precedent for future cases in which Congress chooses to exercise its power to detain uncooperative witnesses.

Beyond the constitutional question, it is apparent that the Ilocos Six were mere pawns caught up in a political contest between Fariñas and Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos. It is a pity that a local dispute was allowed to play out in Congress, which ought to have more important matters to tackle.

Fariñas, early reports say, apologized to the Ilocos Six, explaining that the House panel needed to detain them to preserve the integrity of the lower chamber. From the recent actions of House leaders, however, it seems that the threat to the chamber’s integrity comes from within.

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

Quality of play, quality of life

The Balangiga gambit LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES THE United States Congress starts an investigation of alleged human rights violations committed by the Duterte administration. President Rodrigo Duterte sees the Americans and raises them, demanding that the most controversial spoils of the Fil-American war, the Balangiga Bells, be returned to the Philippines.

Duterte has always had unresolved issues against the US, issues that have been traced to his anger about a suspected bomber and Central Intelligence Agency spy who was spirited out of Davao City right under Duterte’s pore-riddled nose when he was mayor years ago. Last September, very early in his term as President, Duterte signaled his intentions

to the US that he was no American lackey by going back to the Bud Dajo massacre in Basilan province in 1906.

At the time, Duterte was making the point that US troops stationed in Mindanao should go home. He pointed out that the US had never apologized for killing 600 Moros “like fish in a barrel” inside an extinct volcano’s crater during the Americans’ infamous “pacification campaign” on the southern island.

A friend has informed me that as early as last February, Duterte was already discussing the Balangiga Massacre of 1901 with a group of bloggers who visited him in Malacañan Palace. But Duterte only brought up the missing bells of Balangiga, Eastern Samar, during last Monday’s State of the Nation Address, apparently because he believed it was time to remind the Americans of the atrocities they themselves committed in the Philippines more

than a century ago.

The three bells of Balangiga Church last rang to signal an attack by rebels in Samar on an American camp, which

Never has a Philippine president gone to such daring lengths to expose the hypocrisy of the Americans. they were able to approach because the Filipinos were wearing women’s clothing and kept weapons inside a coffin they were purportedly bringing to

the local cemetery. Forty-eight American soldiers were killed in the guerrilla attack, which prompted a retaliatory bloodbath by US troops under General Jacob “Howling Jake” Smith, whose men killed upwards of 50,000 Samarenos; the bells were seized as trophies of war by the murderous Americans, who have kept them ever since.

No Philippine president has directly demanded that the US return the bells, which is a reflection of our previous leaders’ collaboration with the Americans in the conspiracy of silence about US atrocities here. The last Filipino president to ask that the bells be brought back (through discreet diplomatic channels, of course) was Fidel Ramos—whose efforts were promptly rebuffed by the American military.

No one really believes that the Americans will let go of their war booty from Samar, which is why Duterte’s callout appears, on the surface, truly

puzzling. Unless, of course, what Duterte really wanted to do was to remind the US Congress that they cannot talk to him about human rights when they respected none of these when they occupied the Philippines.

If Duterte wanted the Tom Lantos Commission, a human rights body attached to the US Congress, to go slow on its investigation, I think he made the right move. Not bad for a country bumpkin from Davao whom most self-styled pundits and analysts in Manila have written off as a naive and crude political strategist.

You may not like Duterte, but you have to admire his audacity. I’ve never seen any Philippine president who would go to the daring lengths that Duterte has to expose the hypocrisy of the Americans—and that makes me extremely proud. *** In the end, sanity prevailed.

In what was probably the only Turn to A5

TODAY, let me adopt my daughter’s column as my column. A lawyer, she lives in California with three wonderful kids. Her husband is a lawyer-CPA with a large USbased accounting firm: We instinctively know that kids need to play, so we overload them with toys and gadgets and even try to sneak in something educational. But play is not dependent on toys or adult intervention.

Play should be free and fun.

Free play is child-directed and unstructured. We play for enjoyment or recreation, not for a serious or practical purpose.

But not just any leisure activity will do. Idly playing video games indoors do not reap the same benefits of unstructured and active play.

Play is so integral to human development that its absence leads to many developmental disorders in school age such as: attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), an inability to concentrate, decreased muscle strength, lack of balance and coordination, inflexibility, poor posture, decreased stamina, frailty, obesity, low immunity and constant sickness, allergies, aggressiveness, myopia, inability to regulate emotions, anxiety, lack of imagination, and an inability to play. (Angela Hansom, Balanced and Barefoot, 2016) “Lack of free play may not kill the physical body, as would lack of food, air, or water, but it kills the spirit and stunts mental growth. Free play is the means by which children learn to make friends, overcome their fears, solve their own problems, and generally take control of their own lives.

It is also the primary means by which children practice and acquire the physical and intellectual skills that are essential for success in the culture in which they are growing.” (Peter Gray, Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life, 2013) Famed child development psychologist Jean Piaget Turn to A5

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ManilaStandard

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www.thestandard. com.ph; e-mail: contact@thestandard.com.ph

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Opinion

THE second State-of-the- into products for local conNation Address was classic sumption.

Santa Banana, that’s easier Duterte.

Obviously uncomfortable said than done!

I don’t believe the Mining with his prepared speech, the President rambled using ex- Act should be amended. It is clear enough about responpletive-laden ad libs.

He spoke against the sible mining.

I do not have any quarrel “enemies of the state”— with the issues brought by communist rebels and IS the President, except the terrorists who deserve to be reimposition of the death bullied with the full might of penalty. I believe that only the government.

He went on to talk about his God can take the life of a war against illegal drugs and human being. Besides, there the irresponsible mining ac- is no empirical data to show tivities that destroy the envi- that capital punishment deters ronment. Despite the domestic crimes. *** and international flak he has What makes Mr. Duterte been getting on extrajudicial killings, this President vows to different from previous presicontinue his war against drugs dents we have had? I think it and says it should not be linked is his commitment and dedication to what he believes in, to human rights issues.

As an independent observer, rightly or wrongly. This is why I think the President should majority of Filipinos give him have focused on the rising excellent ratings in surveys. incidence of poverty and job- He certainly is a strong leader, one we all can believe in. lessness.

Mr. Duterte may be maverNo doubt, terrorism will be his greatest challenge in ick in many ways. He curses the coming days because of and uses hyperboles to drive the IS-inspired maute group, home his point. But this is the language of Abu Sayyaf, the masses.

BangsamThis is why oro Islamic he became Freedom President in Fighters One thing the first place. and other is sure—this The masses groups. believe in This is is a strong him and share why I agree his sentiment that mar- leader who about the tial law in is committed United States Mindanao to what he and the Euroshould be believes in, pean Union. extended. *** *** rightly or From the Here is the start, I said connection: wrongly. that President The rising Duterte will incidence eventually of poverty know the futility of negotiatand joblessness gives rise to bigger problems like drugs and ing with the communist insurcriminality. The poor resort gents. It is useless because he to the use of illegal drugs to is talking to people who say forget their misery. There are one thing and do another.

The New People’s Army drug pushers because the users need the money to finance keeps on committing atrocities in the countryside. their addiction.

The bottom line is trust and And why has criminality gone up? This is because drug sincerity. It’s a good thing President Duterte has seen addicts live a life of crime.

Illegal gambling, on the through the communists’ other hand, goes all the way double talk. *** up to Camp Crame and Camp Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez Aguinaldo. Why can’t General Bato dela Rosa go after has a weird sense of priorities.

Despite many priority bills in these gamblers?

President Duterte also talk- Congress, he wants to prioried about irresponsible min- tize the dissolution of marriaging, which he claims is re- es. He also wants to legitimize sponsible for the destruction common law partnerships.

Not content with these, he of the environment. He added that the minerals extracted by also wants to allow same-sex mining firms should be turned marriage here!

The Balangiga...

From A4

possible resolution to a longrunning and totally unnecessary conflict, the House of Representatives finally released the so-called “Ilocos Six,” as the half-dozen provincial officials jailed for nearly two months by Congress were called.

House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, who was behind the unwarranted and illegal detention of the six local officials, said he was glad that the local executives “regained their memory” and decided to finally answer questions about the alleged irregularities attending the disbursement of tobacco excise taxes by the province. Gov. Imee Marcos, who was the real target of Fariñas’ investigation, also appeared before the committee headed

by Rep. Johnny Pimentel, who acted as Fariñas’ surrogate and errand boy.

The release of the six from

arbitrary and unlawful detention ended what was clearly an attempt to escalate a local political conflict to the national level by Fariñas and his senior partner, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. At one point, the Fariñas-Alvarez combine appeared ready to spark a constitutional crisis when they defied a Court of Appeals order to release the six officials because they wanted Marcos to bow down to them.

And all of this could have been avoided if Fariñas had only refrained from misusing his powers as House leader to ensure that the Marcoses would not grab his soon-to-bevacated Congress seat, which he wanted for his daughter.

The Ilocos Six were just pawns in Fariñas’ nasty power play.

But, as The Game of Thrones reminds us, the North remembers. And Fariñas, because of his arrogance, may have sealed his political doom by pulling off this incredibly stupid political stunt.

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A notion of the state

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Mixed reactions

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO NO PUN intended in the title of this piece on President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address.

I must confess I did not listen to the rest of the President’s speech on Monday before a joint session of Congress, his second a after a year in office. I could not stand the man’s rambling, ranting and raving style.

In my 28 years in the diplomatic service where I had the privilege to attend and listen to heads of state deliver speeches to parliaments and their constituents, I never heard such a rambling style punctuated by occasional expletives. I wonder whether the foreign ambassadors in the audience in Congress were appalled or amused. Many of them have been here for some time and surely they have a basic working knowledge of the Filipino language. For those who are newly posted to Manila, Communications Secretary said he would provide them with a translation of the President’s Sona. Will the choice expletives be included or deleted?

Duterte’s speech which ran for

two hours is reportedly the longest in Sona history.

How can I can write an objective critique of the content of the chief executive’s speech? I am not going to. What appears here are culled from some of the political analysts who persevered to stay with the President’s Sona all the way.

The central theme of the President’s speech revolved mostly on his “relentless, unremitting war on illegal drugs “ despite what human rights groups and the international community claim as the rampant extrajudicial killings of suspects who are not accorded due process.

So what we have here is one man’s notion of the State and not truly a report on the nation’s state of affairs as it is being steered by the president. But to be fair, Duterte has been head of state for only a year and in his plea for understanding, he asked to given a chance to deliver meaningful change in the remaining five years of his term.

From the analysts, I got the impression there were important issues and topics the President skirted or failed to mention.

Foremost of these was where the country stands on the South China Sea territorial dispute or more specifically why we are not asserting our sovereign rights over the West Philippine

Sea considering we won a legal victory before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.

There was also no mention of the end of “endo” or the onerous contractualization of workers which the labor sector is waiting for.

As it has been his propensity to use the podium as bully pulpit, Digong warned mining operators “to pay the right taxes and not rape the environment.”

He also lashed out at leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines, National Democratic Front and the New People’s Army.

“Let’s stop talking, let’s fight,” said the combative Digong who also said that Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison has colon cancer. But from Utretch, the Netherlands where he is based, Sison denied he has cancer and instead said that it is the Philippine president who is sick as shown by instances of his disappearance from public view.

President Duterte, however after delivering his Sona, did talk to the rallyists and protesters gathered outside the Batasan.

He asked them what else they wanted when he has appointed to key Cabinet positions leftist militants like Rafael Mariano

as secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform. But unlike last year, the demonstrators were less friendly to Duterte.

Disenchanted by undelivered campaign promises, the militant mob chanted their protests and burned Digong’s effigy forcing him to walk off the stage.

The President’s Sona on Monday followed the extension of martial law in Mindanao approved by Congress in a special joint session last Saturday.

The extension was overwhelming approved by Congress but somehow there is an undercurrent of apprehension the congressional approval could be mistakenly interpreted by the President as the people’s consensus to extend martial rule nationwide.

This fear is shared even by some of the Maranaos who fled the Maute siege of Marawi.

They want to return to their homes in Marawi as soon as the fighting ends and rebuild their destroyed homes during the two months of battle between government troops and the Maute terrorists. The Duterte administration said martial law in Mindanao is needed to wipe out the remaining threat of ISIS and their local allies to establish a beachhead in this predominantly, if no longer only, Christian country in Asia.

The bells SO I SEE LITO BANAYO THOSE who keep saying, perhaps wishing, that the President is terribly ill must have been utterly disappointed at watching him before the joint session of Congress last Monday.

He came in at about a quarter past four in the afternoon.

At about a quarter before four, my friend Mike Regino, the SSS trustee, reminded us that it’s probably going to be a loooong speech, so we might as well coax our bladders to reduce their contents. But the guards had already closed the doors for security reasons. So back to our seats we went, and then listened for the next two hours or more.

Yes, the President stood in that rostrum for more than two hours. MST’s Christine Herrera was right when she and the President had that little debate over the length of his Sona in a press conference he held way past eight in the evening.

I was seated in the same row as the leaders of the country’s chambers of commerce, senior citizens all, and they must have wondered how a man suspected by some to be “deathly sick” could hold his bladder and stand straight up while ranting in full bellow at the “enemies of the state” for more than two

Quality...

From A4

asserts that play is part of a child’s personality that it begins at birth. He theorized that play evolves according to a child’s different developmental stages. Play is the foundation for intellectual, physical, emotional, psychological, and social growth. So how a child plays likely forms his adult personality in later life (Dorothy Singer & Tracey Revenson, A Piaget Primer: How a Child Thinks, 1997) Childhood educators know that infants and toddlers learn by manipulating objects and discovering its properties on their own. This heuristic approach allows the child to explore, understand, experiment, and solve problems independent of adult dictates.

Piaget says that children construct their own knowledge from their own direct experiences.

The simple act of moving a toy car across a floor will teach a child to control his muscles and determine how hard to push, how often, and to see if the floor is level or sloping.

hours.

Right after his Sona, we rushed to the exit, aiming for the restrooms, and the leaders of the chambers of commerce had to plead with the security people to let us out. Security had to wait until the President had left the session hall, and courteously pleaded for understanding. An old lady complained that she needed to repair to the restroom to no avail.

And in the restroom, three hours after the President uttered his first words, almost everybody was saying, “how could the man be sick?” Indeed, how many septuagenarians could stand up and speak non-stop for more than two hours, drinking gulps of water along to wet his parched throat, without repairing to the bowl?

Then, when we were in the reception area, we found out that Duterte went straight to the rallyists outside the Batasan, another first for a President, to speak his heart out to those who protest most everything, and who have made a profession out of protesting.

“Does he never get tired?” my friend Norman Fulgencio, chairman of the board of the Philippine Postal Service Corp., wondered. Norman is about two decades younger than President Duterte.

Surveying the reception hall, and the parade of legislators and their ladies before the Sona, one could really see

the difference from past political spectacles: The absence of pomp and pageantry that has made the couturiers of the land most unhappy. It was as if everyone tried to outdo each other in sartorial understatement.

Which was all for the better. *** Finally the President, as already written in my pre-Sona column last Monday, is exasperated with the rabid Left.

You simply cannot please them. The Left in this country never seems to want to be right, and I mean right in its dictionary sense, and not the ideological definition.

I greeted a smiling DOLE Secretary Bebot Bello in the room of Majority Leader Rudy Farinas (who served us with chicken soup so good for the soul as it was for the taste buds), telling him “finally you can rest from your peace talks.”

He was going to react when Senator Chiz Escudero cut in and said, “with the President, you can never tell. What he says is not always how he will act,” all these in light Pilipino humor.

At the time, we were watching the press conference that the President segued into right after his not-so-pleasant headon with the protesters outside the Batasan gates.

“Ano, may presscon pa?” we asked. *** One of the most heavily ap-

plauded parts of the kilometric Sona was the President’s demand for America to return the bells of Balangiga.

Years back, I was invited by my friend, then Eastern Samar congressman, Nonoy Libanan to grace the commemoration of the anniversary of the Balangiga incident which was a glorious part of our historic struggles against colonialism.

That incident was followed by the retribution of the American invaders who were ordered to kill every male above the age of 10 and turn Samar into a “howling wilderness.” President Duterte in his Sona, educated the nation about that sad chapter in our history.

Thereafter, the new colonialists took the bells of the Balangiga parish church as part of their war booty and brought two to Cheyenne, Wyoming, and another to their military base in South Korea.

Despite resolutions of the Philippine Congress and Samarenos for the bells to be returned to us, the Americans, both in the state and federal governments, turned a deaf ear to our pleas.

Now our President declared his resolve and his demand for the American government to return those bells to us. It is an important memento and symbol of our heritage that should be given back.

We await America’s response.

The information the child gathers independently stimulates imagination, wonder, and further investigation. The child derives meaning from engaging his mind and senses that he remembers what he learns longer than if facts were just fed to him by rote. The child who plays with a toy car knows that wheeled vehicles can move quickly across a flat surface.

Unstructured play also sharpens a child’s observation as he handles different materials. and pulls against gravity like heavy lifting, putting down objects, and sweeping.

The vestibular sense involves the perception of our body in relation to its surroundings. It is our balance sense that allows our effortless movement against gravity. It is developed by spinning, hanging upside down, rolling downhill, and dancing. If undeveloped, it results in fidgeting, falls, aggression, and inattention. (Hanscom) When a child controls his free play he exercises his ability to make decisions and soon learns confidence. Unstructured play with loose parts increases a child’s inclusiveness, risk-tak-

ing, problem-solving, concentration, and good behavior.

“Take, for example, a beach: it is filled with loose parts—rocks, shells, beach, glass, plants, feathers. When children play in such a setting, they can move around, making use of any or all of the found objects, devising spaces and structures that can entertain them for hours.” (Lisa Daly & Miriam Beloglovsky, Loose Parts: Inspiring Play in Young Children, 2015) Loose parts are best because they don’t have a sole purpose or limited use and a child can turn them into anything he desires as he plays. For instance, a stick can be a weapon, a microphone, a flashlight, a cane, or a baton.

“Loose parts are the tools of scientists, engineers, artists, and architects. An early childhood environment filled with loose parts is a laboratory that supports a young child’s drive to invent and discover, a catalyst for rich problem solving.” (Lisa Daly & Miriam Beloglovsky, Loose Parts 2: Inspiring Play with Infants and Toddlers, 2016) Regularly playing with various open-ended objects in a variety of ways hones our senses.

This collection of data is sent to the brain to be integrated and organized. The more information is sent, the richer the database and the deeper the learning.

Thus, it is important to have many regular sensory experiences whether from movement, experiences, new things, and nature. (Hanscom) Aside from the five senses of touch, sight, smell, hearing, and taste we need two more senses to navigate our environment successfully.

Called the sixth sense, proprioception is our ability to sense the movement and position of the different parts of our body in space without looking.

This regulates the amount of force we use for simple tasks like peeling a boiled egg without crushing it, erasing a pencil mark without ripping the paper, and writing with a pen without boring holes.

Those with ADHD and sensory dysfunction cannot sense their own bodies, cannot regulate their force, are clumsy, and are more susceptible to falls and injuries. biznewsasia@gmail.com

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Leaders dismayed

by Dulay’s statement THE Bureau of Internal Revenue admitted at a congressional hearing Tuesday the supposed tax liability of Del Monte Philippines Inc. was settled at P65 million; and the assessment was only P8.7 billion for 2011 to 2013 and not at P30 billion.

“With all due respect, wala po akong hugas kamay dito [I am not washing my hands here] because the DMPI’s case did not have to pass through the office of the commissioner,” BIR commissioner Cesar Dulay told lawmakers during the hearing by the House committee on ways and means, chaired by Quirino Rep. Dakila Cua. Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez himself said he was disappointed with Dulay’s statement.

Alvarez said he found it unacceptable that Dulay was not aware of the said tax payments even as he proposed to change the BIR’s internal procedures.

“What kind of a commissioner are you? May compromise na pero hindi mo alam? [There is already a compromise but you are not aware of it?]” Alvarez asked.

“Nahihirapan kami ditong ipasa ang tax reform bill pero kayo ay nagsasayang lang ng pera ng taumbayan? [We are having a difficult time passing the tax reform bill but you are wasting the people’s money?]” Alvarez asked.

He appealed to public officials to reciprocate President Duterte’s hard work by helping his efforts to rid the government of corruption.

Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe raised a similar concern.

“How come there seems to be no accountability here? There is no signature of the commissioner. You have to be careful to exercise due diligence on this,” Batocabe said.

Alvarez and other House leaders earlier asked the BIR to explain the allegations following the supposed plunder complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against Dulay and 17 other officials and personnel in connection with the alleged reduction of the tax liabilities of DMPI resulting in the reported loss of billions in potential revenues.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Dulay’s superior, earlier vowed to look into the plunder complaint against the BIR chief and some of his men even as he pointed out that Del Monte Philippines Inc., whose tax liabilities from 2011 to 2013 were allegedly slashed by the BIR to just P65.4 million, had not committed a criminal act. Maricel V. Cruz

Govt to reduce carbon emissions

By Joel E. Zurbano THE government is looking for ways to use alternative energy and reduce carbon emissions of the aviation sector in compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organization, and to make Philippine skies environment friendly.

Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines officials said this goal could be achieved through: • Maximizing traffic flow of airborne aircraft arriving at a congested airport, • Implementation of the UserPreferred Routes over the oceanic airspace to allow air carriers to fly on optimized paths instead of using standard routes, and • Enhancement of terminal capacity through the use of required navigation performance instead of low-level holding and vectoring as well as the use of continuous descent operations to reduce energy used in an aircraft’s arrival, approach and landing.

Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation Manuel Antonio Tamayo said to have eco-friendly skies, the CAAP should recommend to Congress the drafting of an economic and market-based legislation that would enable the use of emissions trading in aviation.

Emissions trading is a government-mandated, market-based approach to controlling pollution by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of pollutants.

Various countries, states and groups of companies have adopted such trading systems, notably for mitigating climate change.

News

Alvarez: Bill on marriage split-up consistent with Charter mandate S

By Maricel V. Cruz

PEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez on Tuesday said his proposal for a law on dissolution of marriage would help strengthen the bond between spouses and was consistent with the constitutional mandate to protect the family as a basic social institution.

“This measure will strengthen family bond... because when couples get married, both parties will now be obliged to make the other party happy,” Alvarez told a media interview.

Alvarez said under his proposal unhappiness of either party over the marital union would be recognized as a ground for the

dissolution of marriage.

He also cited complaints of many female Overseas Filipino Workers that while they were trying to earn abroad to send money to their family, their husbands took on another partner.

Because of the existing laws on family relations, Alvarez said

the annulment process was adversarial and the party seeking annulment should prove the partner was not fit to contract marriage.

Besides, he said the process was not only long but also very costly.

“This is why I am pushing this bill to address the plaints of many. There are many couples who are at odds against each other and they want to end their marital union,” he said in Filipino, short of providing figures on how many married couples were on the verge of breaking up.

Alvarez said the state should make it easier to separate couples whose marriages were on the rocks and whose relationships

were already irreconcilable.

Alvarez, as a lawyer, said he had many women clients who had sought his counsel for annulment of marriage due to various complaints against their husbands.

Most common among these complaints was that the husband was jobless and did nothing to support the family, according to Alvarez.

He did not mention anything about men, on the other hand, working with their wives being jobless—for purposes of statistical comparison.

He said that under his proposal, the process for the dissolution of marriage would start with the filing before the court a joint pe-

tition of the couple.

The petition should include the agreement of the couple on the custody of the children and their support, as well as the sharing in the division of their properties.

As a safeguard, Alvarez said the judge would determine if there was no coercion from either of the parties for the dissolution of the union.

There was no mention on how many marriages have been annulled by the civil courts nor by the Catholic Church.

Neither was there any mention on how much would be spent by anyone who initiated an annulment proceedings—either with the civil courts or with the Catholic Church.

Police nab fake job recruiters for BoC

By Vito Barcelo

FLUVIAL PARADE. Workers rush Tuesday in sprucing up the banks of the Pasig River where pagodas carrying the image of Santa Ana will participate in a river parade for the 430th Anniversary of the Feast of the Church of Santa Ana in Taguig City today. Norman Cruz

Solon wants Metro Bank’s fraud case probed

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Francis Escudero wants to look into the recently exposed internal fraudulent scheme allegedly perpetrated by a senior bank official of the Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. (Metrobank) that cost the country’s second biggest bank some P900 million to P2.5 billion in losses.

But Escudero, chairman of the Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies, said the Senate committee would not yet launch a Senate investigation.

He would like to see first how the ongoing inquiry being conducted

by Metrobank along with the National Bureau of Investigation on the fiasco would turn out.

In the meantime, he will call the Metrobank officials as well as the Anti-Money Laundering Council and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to a meeting to get acquainted with the developments of the case and

determine if there were loopholes in the existing safety banking mechanisms and procedures.

“I want to be enlightened and I want to hear it straight from Metrobank. I want to know how the bank executive was able to commit such a massive scale of fraud even with the bank’s internal control and checks and balances,” Escudero said.

The suspect, Maria Victoria Lopez, was already arrested through an entrapment operation conducted by the NBI last July 17. Lopez is the head of the corporate services management division of Metrobank’s head office.

According to NBI, Lopez fabricated documents and facilitated the disbursement of loans into fake accounts under the name of one of their corporate clients, the Gokongwei-led Universal Robina Corp.

Through the P25-billion credit line of URC, Lopez was able to process loans amounting to P900

million and P850 million.

According to reports, the suspect was able to release the loans “in tranches of P30 million” for the bank to have lost as much as P2.5 billion.

“So what we want to know now is how often the audit happens, from the side of the BSP and the bank itself. How come the bank did not detect what was going on at the early onset?” Escudero asked.

The anomaly was only discovered when Metrobank noticed irregularities in the supposed letter request from the client, which asked the bank to issue a P2.25-million manager’s check to an individual payee as interest payment.

After verifying with URC, the company said it was not aware of the letter, neither of the account where the payment would be debited.

Metrobank and the NBI are also looking into the possibility that the suspect connived with other employees of the bank in committing the fraudulent transactions.

DRAW MACHINE.

PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan (left) is assisted

by Samar Rep. Edgar Sarmiento (2nd from right) and Mayor Ronaldo Aquino (right) of Calbayog City untie the ceremonial ribbon recently of the draw machine during the opening of the Small Town Lottery in Samar.

Joseph Muego

Apart from the full-blown investigation by Metrobank and the NBI, the AMLC, with the supervision of the BSP, will also do its own probe to check Metrobank’s internal controls.

Escudero said they would look into the result of the inquiry and from then they would decide whether it was necessary to conduct a Senate probe or just leave it to the bank and the police authorities.

Furthermore, URC clarified they did not incur any financial loss in the fraudulent scheme performed by the bank official.

They also maintained their trust and confidence in the bank, saying they would “continue regular, business as usual transactions” with Metrobank.

According to Escudero, while he understands that internal problems are inevitable in any industry, he asked banks and other financial institutions to be more cautious and strict when it came to internal operations.

JOINT operatives of the Bureau of Customs Police Rapid Intervention Group and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group nabbed two persons offering jobseekers to work at the Bureau of Customs in exchange for P50,000 to P100,000.

Cecilia Lucentales and Roliveth Cortes of Pasay City were nabbed in an entrapment operation at the Alen Building along Gil Puyat Avenue in Pasay City.

Maj. Jaybee Raul Cometa, CPRIG commander, said Customs police and CIDG agents conducted an entrapment operation after they received a complaint from Federico R. Santos who claimed he was lured by Lucentales to work at the BOC. The complainant said Lucentales asked for P50,000 from him in exchange for the position of a district collector in the bureau.

“We have checked with the Human Resource Management Division and found out that Lucentales is not a legitimate employee of the bureau,” he said.

The suspects were charging each applicant from P50,000 to P100,000 in exchange for work for the BoC once a certain “Victorino” assumed office as the Commissioner of Customs.

Cometa said the suspects would be charged with violations of the Revised Penal Code Article 315 for estafa and Article 178 for usurpation of authority.

Cometa reminded the public to be always vigilant and cautious.

“Do not believe offers like these because if the bureau has a job opening, we disclose it to the public and there’s no money involved,” Cometa said.

“There’s a regular hiring process, so please be vigilant as these things do not happen anymore in the bureau,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, the bureau described as “fake news” an article circulating online alleging that one of its employees was caught pulling items inside a balikbayan box from a warehouse in Pasay City.

Proposed OFW ID raises concerns AN ADVOCACY group expressed doubt on who will shoulder the cost on the proposed OFW ID card of the Department of Labor and Employment to be given free to all overseas Filipino workers which would cost more than P3 billion for the production and mailing of the IDs to its recipients.

The Lilac Center for Public Interest also described the OFW ID card as a ‘half-baked’ project that needed to be returned to the drawing board for further serious technical and social study.

“All the signs point to the OFW ID as a ‘rushed’ concoction, so much so that it elicits more questions than it provides answers,” said Nicon Fameronag, Lilac Center president.

The Lilac Center official said the DoLE’s pronouncement that the OFW ID was free was dubious, as an unofficial DoLE document

points to the card as costing more than the present Overseas Employment Certificate that the OFW ID Card seeks to replace.

An OEC costs only P100 for returning workers and P200 for newly hired OFWs. The Memorandum of Agreement details the roles and obligation and responsibilities of the DoLE, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Development Bank of the Philippines, DBP Data Center Inc. APO Production Unit Inc., Philippine Postal Corp., and the Bureau of Immigration, the institutional parties to the MoA. Under Annex A of the MoA, the APO Production Unit Inc. will charge P40 for printing of each card; the DBP to charge P20; while the DBP Data Center Inc. will charge P440, a total of P500. Vito Barcelo

Sports Fortuna, Go stay in US golf hunt MIKHA Fortuna carded a oneover 72 while Lois Kaye Go turned in a 73 as they moved in contention at the start of the US Girls’ Junior Championship at the Boone Valley Golf Club in Augusta, Missouri Monday.

Fortuna mixed three birdies with four bogeys for a 38-34 card at the par-71 layout as The Country Club bet joined four others at 19th, just four strokes behind Californian Mika Liu, who fired a four-under 67 to post a one-stroke lead over New Yorker Caroline Hodge and Brianna Navarrosa, also of California.

Liu birdied four of the first seven holes, including three straight from No. 5, to seize control of the 155-player field in the first 36 holes of stroke play competition with the top 64 advancing to the match play phase of the annual event ruled by Princess Superal via a playoff in 2014.

Go, priming up for next month’s SEA Games in Malaysia, blew a one-under card after 11 holes with three straight bogeys from No. 13.

But her 35-38 card still netted her a joint 24th place effort and safely within the cut-off line.

But while Fortuna, who has posted a number of victories abroad as member of Team TCC, and Go, stayed on track for spots in the knockout phase, compatriots Annika Cedo and Samantha Bruce hobbled with a pair of 10-over 81s.

Cedo had five bogeys, a double-bogey and a triple-bogey in a birdie-less 40-41 card while Bruce limped with seven bogeys and a triple bogey at the back but parred the frontside for a 36-45. They stood far behind at joint 121st.

Hodge and Navarrosa shot identical 68s to trail Liu by one while Thai Paphangkorn Tavatanakit carded a 70 to join four others at fourth.

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Pocari, Air Force seek semis P OCARI Sweat and Hair Fairy Air Force face off today (Wednesday) in a key duel for the second semifinal berth while BaliPure tries to stay in the Final Four hunt against ousted Adamson in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference at the Filoil Center in San Juan.

The Lady Warriors and the Lady Jet Spikers are coming off contrasting wins last Saturday to assure themselves of at least a playoff for the last semis spot with 4-1 slates with both teams raring to unleash their full might to formalize their Final

Four entry.

Gametime is at 6:30 p.m.

Air Force blew a two-set lead and scrambled in the fifth to pull off a a 25-22, 26-24, 18-25, 1725, 15-13 escape over the Power Smashers last weekend, in the process booting out the latter from the

semis race in the mid-season conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.

Pocari, on the other hand, primed up for its match against Air Force with a straight-set 25-23, 25-14, 25-19 romp over Adamson.

Pocari coach Rico de Guzman will again pin his hopes on Myla Pablo, who came through with a 17-hit game the last time out with Maricar Nepomuceno stepping up to fire 14 points.

The power-hitting Pablo also moved past Creamline’s Alyssa Valdez in the scoring derby, pooling 114 hits in five games, just five behind UP’s Diane Mae

Games today

10 a.m. – Sta. Elena vs Gamboa (men’s) 1 p.m. – Café Lupe vs Army (men’s) 4 p.m. – BaliPure vs Adamson (women’s) 6:30 p.m. – Pocari Sweat vs Air Force (women’s)

Carlos’ 119. Valdez, out of the league with the national team, has 108 points.

“She (Myla) is playing consistently well for us and we expect her to continue doing that,” said de Guzman.

But the Lady Jet Spikers are expected to come up with a more consistent game to clinch the crucial win that will send them to the semis alongside the unbeaten Cool Smashers.

Thai ace grabs 1-shot lead over Pauline

Thai Saruttaya Ngam-usawan unleashes her drive on No. 1

PH volley team enters 2nd phase of Japan training OSAKA, Japan—The Philippine women’s volleyball team checked into this bustling Japanese city Tuesday, armed with the desire to improve its game and bring the country back to international prominence.

It is the second leg of the Nationals’ grueling 17-day training.

The first phase in Okayama City had been very productive with noted mentor Akiyoshi Kawamoto, two-time Olympian Mai Yamaguchi and the elite

Okayama Seagulls whipping the Nationals to fighting condition.

A good teacher and motivator who once served as head coach of Southeast Asian powerhouse Thailand, Kawamoto trained the Nationals for three hours in the morning followed by friendly matches in the afternoon.

In particular, Kawamoto sharpened the Filipinos’ blocking and floor defense in preparation for the 19th AVC Asian Senior Women’s Championship

and the 29th Southeast Asian Games this August.

The Seagulls dominated the Filipinos in their final tuneup match; 25-20, 25-23, 25-20.

“Your team is good, you have a lot of very good players, but there are some minor lapses you have to improve. If you can correct that, your team has the possibility to win,” Kawamoto told national team head coach Francis Vicente at the end of this camp bankrolled by the Philippine Sports

Commission and Rebisco, and sanctioned by the Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc. Vicente stressed that they are not looking at the scores, but on the improvement of the team.

“We’re not after victory in these training tune up matches, we’re after the lessons that we will gain,” said Vicente, who also handles Generika-Ayala in the Philippine Superliga.

“So far, so good. Coach Kawamoto pointed out the common

mistakes and bad habits that we tend to commit. He corrected our form in blocking and defensive pattern as well as our approach in attacks. It was very productive.”

The Osaka camp is tipped to be equally grueling as the Nationals face younger and more aggressive university teams like Ryokoku University, Osaka University of HSS and reigning PSL Invitational Conference champion Kobe Shinwa University.

Phelps loses race against great white shark...sort of LOS ANGELES—Michael Phelps, the greatest Olympian of modern times, has finally met his match in a swim-off against the greatest predator in the oceans, the great white shark.

But many viewers of the Discovery Channel’s much-publicized race between man and beast found the result to be a little fishy.

Touted as “Phelps vs. Shark: Great Gold vs. Great White,” the face-off in the chilly, shark-rich waters off South Africa was the launchpad for the channel’s annual Shark Week series of shows.

Phelps, who has won 28 Olympic medals including 23 golds, noted before the event that his safety was the number one

priority going into the race, and said before the broadcast that he did not actually enter the water with the shark he was racing.

Instead, the film crew shot footage of a shark speeding along the same stretch of water as Phelps, who swam the course at a different time under the supervision of marine experts and divers.

The filmmakers used special effects to splice the two together, so it looked as though the American swimmer was racing alongside the huge predator.

Despite being fitted with a special monofin to help propel him through the water, Phelps lost by two seconds to the shark, which put on a final spurt as it closed in on a seal.

Phelps

After his narrow defeat, Phelps demanded a rematch. “Next time... warmer water,” the 32-year-old champion wrote on Twitter.

Many viewers of the show also took to social media to express their disappointment, having apparently believed Phelps would actually be racing a shark in real time.

“Call me crazy but I thought they were gonna put Phelps up against a real shark not a simulation. I feel robbed,” said a Twitter user who goes by Meg Conley.

Another scornful Twitter user posted footage of a cartoon shark dancing with the caption “Live footage of Shark getting ready to wipe the floor with Michael Phelps.”

Others, however, expressed surprise that anyone would have believed a real one-on-one between man and shark would have been possible. AFP

Run, Bike and Party with Trikini at McKinley West Park MEGAWORLD Lifestyle Malls is presenting a unique active lifestyle event on July 29 at McKinley West Park.

Trikini is an urban fitness party that will feature three basic elements—run, bike, and party—in a safe and exclusive venue where attendees can enjoy the outdoors right in the heart of the city. With a dress code of sports, active or beach wear, guests can participate in their activities of choice quite comfortably.

The event will have two zones: Active and Fest. The Active Zone allows festival

goers to get their fitness fix with a friendly 5K run and 15k bike race. For attendees looking for a more relaxed experience, the Fest Zone offers dance workshops, oversized inflatables, and a main stage that will feature performances by high-profile acts such as SinoSiKat, Jess Connelly, Extrapolation, and Sanya Smith!

“Trikini highlights enjoying the urban outdoors and being comfortable in your own skin,” said Sam Okal of GEO Events Management. “Since all the fitness activities are optional, you can decide on your

level of participation. Competition is also kept light and friendly with cash prizes going as donations to beneficiary SOS Children’s Villages Philippines.”

For 50 years, the organization has provided healthcare, housing, and education to underprivileged children and families in the Philippines. Attendees may learn more about SOS and how they may contribute to its initiatives during the event.

“Essentially, it’s Trikini’s overall vibe that sets it apart from other events in the category,” said Okal. “The ultimate goal

is to encourage more city dwellers to live active lifestyles and enjoy the outdoors, no matter what the season.”

Don’t let the rainy season stop you from being active and enjoying the outdoors!

Ticket prices are P5,000.00 and can be purchased online at trikini.pouchnation. com, bank deposit and credit card payments accepted. Promo codes are available through Megaworld Lifestyle Malls (Eastwood, Uptown Bonifacio, and Venice Grand Canal), Colnago Manila, Secondwind, and Athleema Makati.

Sepfourteen eyes Triple Crown THE HOARSE WHISPERER JENNY ORTUOSTE IN a rare bid to slam the Philippine Racing Commission Triple Crown, Sepfourteen joins the

BaliPure, meanwhile, hopes to wheel back into semis contention as it plays Adamson-Akari at 4 p.m.

The Water Defenders fell to the Perlas-BanKo Spikers, 26-24, 2513, 13-25, 22-25, 11-15, last weekend to drop to No. 5 with the latter moving to the fourth spot at 3-3 in their spirited race to the semis of the league backed by Mikasa and Asics.

Matches can be viewed live via livestream at www.sports.abscbn.com/livestream/pvl.

Meanwhile, Sta. Elena battles Gamboa at 10 a.m. while Army and Café Lupe tangle at 1 p.m. in the men’s tournament.

lineup of runners competing in the third leg on Sunday, June 30, at Santa Ana Park.

The racetrack, located in Naic, also played host to the second leg which saw Sepfourteen narrowly trounce stablemate Brilliance to further his own chances at the elusive crown for elite 3YO. Sepfourteen goes up against

fellow colts Batang Poblacion, Brilliance, Golden Kingdom, Great Wall, Hiway One, Mount Pulag, Pangalusian Island, and two fillies Smokin Saturday and Brilliance.

Philracom offers a prize of P1.8 million for first, with corresponding purses up to fourth, and a breeder’s prize of P100,000.

Also running on Sunday at Santa Ana Park are the Hopeful Stakes and the 3YO Locally-Bred Stakes. The former is a four-horse field, with Bossa Nova, Cerveza Rosas, Metamorphosis, and Stockholm. In the latter are Battle Chacha, Caloocan Zap, Kingship, Lemonada, Oceanside, Puerto Princesa, Salt

and Pepper, Sikat, Stravinsky, and Temecula.

All three races are to be run over 2,000 meters. *** Facebook: Gogirl Racing and Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @gogirlracing and @jennyortuoste, and Instagram: @jensdecember and @artuoste

SILANG, Cavite—Thai Saruttaya Ngam-usawan rode on an early backside charge and shot an eagle-spiked two-under 69 as she grabbed a one-stroke lead over Pauline del Rosario at the start of the ICTSI Riviera Ladies Championship at Riviera’s Langer course here yesterday.

Ngam-usawan, back on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour after ruling the Royal Northwoods leg late last year, bucked a one-over frontside card with an eagle-birdie start at the back of the par-71 layout then pounced on Del Rosario’s late-hole miscues to storm into the lead with a 36-33 effort.

The top Filipina bet, chasing a third straight championship after topping the Orchard and Baguio stops of the circuit sponsored by ICTSI, actually took control of the compact field with a three-birdie binge from No. 10. But she fumbled with back-to-back bogeys from No. 16 and slipped to second with a 70.

Amateur Abby Arevalo birdied the tricky par3 17th and saved a 73 to take third but stood four strokes off Ngam-usawan while six others lay another shot farther back at 74.

They include Tiranan Yoopan, also of Thailand, who fell from solo third with bogeys in the last two holes, and compatriots Numa Gulyanamitta, who also bogeyed No. 17, Supakchaya Pattarankrueang, who holed out with a bogey, and Sarinee Thitiratanakorn, who birdied the 18th.

Sarah Ababa, seeking a follow-up to her maiden win at Sherwood two years ago, eagled No. 10 but fumbled with a triple-bogey and made five bogeys against three birdies, the last on No. 18 that earned her a spot at joint fourth.

Amateur Bianca Pagdanganan also settled for a 74 after the reigning Philippine Ladies Open champion failed to survive a roller-coaster round of three birdies against four bogeys after 15 holes at the hazard-laden layout. She also bogeyed two of the last three holes and missed seizing solo third.

Chihiro Ikeda, the former SEA Games gold medalist who snapped a long title drought with a victory over Orchard last year, hit just one birdie against four bogeys and a double-bogey as she fell way behind at 76 in a tie with Thai Chatprapa Siriprakob.

After a mediocre start on a hot but windy day, Ngam-usawan hacked a hybrid second shot from 170 yards on the par-5 10th to within nine feet which she knocked in for eagle then added a pair of birdies inside six feet on Nos. 11 and 14 to wrest control.

Junior Blu Girls stun Italians in world softball THE Philippine Junior Blu Girls trampled Italy, 10-3, to split its opening day matches at the start of the WBSC Junior Women’s Softball World Championship in Clearwater, Florida Monday.

Reese Guevarra, Mary Maguad, Czara Galapon and Royevel Palma combined in the Cebuana Lhuillier-backed squad’s romp over the Italians although the Jr Blu Girls failed to sustain their big start and got crushed by the power-hitting Taiwanese, 0-14.

“The Junior Blu Girls’ win against Italy is a great way to ease into the tournament. They have been consistently displaying exceptional skills and performance these past months so I know they will deliver more impressive showing in the next matches,” said Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines president Jean Henri Lhuillier.

The young Pinay clouters hope to rebound against Guatemala Tuesday. They will next take on Turkey before facing South Africa and the US to wrap up its games in Pool A. The top two teams from each side will dispute the crown.

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

P0 M+ P0 M

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

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Sports

Rain or Shine Elasto Painters veteran Jeff Chan (center) drives strong to the paint against NLEX Road Warriors defender Garvo Lanete (right). The Road Warriors try to stay on top of the standings when they battle the Elasto Painters today.

Lyceum Pirates rout Chiefs, 99-65 T

By Peter Atencio

HE Lyceum Pirates roared to their best start in the National Collegiate Athletic Association with a 99-65 rout of the Arellano University Chiefs Tuesday, July 25.

The Pirates thus added the Chiefs to their list of victims in the 93rd NCAA men’s basketball tournament as they roared to their fourth consecutive victory.

CJ Perez came up with another awesome performance, joining three teammates in scoring double digit outputs that powered the Pirates to that smashing rout of the Chiefs at the Arena in San Juan.

Perez led with 16 points but it was the Marcelino twins, Jaycee and Jayvee, got the Pi-

rates off to a great start.

Jsper Ayaay had 13 markers along with Jaycee Marcelino and Ralph Tansingco. This allowed the Pirates to hold on to the solo lead.

The twins took charge in opening minutes, combining for 11 points that sent the Pirates to a 20-11 lead in the first 10 minutes.

With Perez scoreless in the second period Tansingco took over, hitting five points during a crucial stretch. The Pirates then went on to post

Games Thursday (at SSC-Cavite) 2 p.m. SSC-R vs JRU (jrs) 4 p.m. SSC-R vs JRU (srs)

a 10-point halftime spread, 40-30.

Ayaay scored five in the third, making his presence felt at the Pirates widened their lead, 63-49, at the end of the third.

“It’s always been team effort. CJ may be the face of the team. But he will never be better than his teammates,” said Pirates coach Topex Robinson.

The Chiefs, with Zach Nichols making 12 points, turned the ball over 27 times, and converted 26 of 71 field goal attempts.

Earlier, the Emilio Agui-

naldo College Generals let Sidney Onwubere take over in the closing minutes as they put away the Mapua University Cardinals, 77-72.

Onwubere’s booming trey and two free charities had him finishing with 22 points, and pushed the Generals to their second win in four games.

His baskets capped an 11-2 run that gave EAC a 75-69 advantage with 27 ticks to go.

He came from an injury, but I told him he can recover, he can come back strong. That’s what happened today,” head coach Ariel Sison said.

In the junior division, Vincent Cunanan tallied 29 points to lead the Lyceum Junior Pirates to a 95-85 demolition of the Arellano University Braves, and their second win in four outings.

NLEX Road Warriors battle Elasto Painters

By Jeric Lopez LEAGUE leaders see action against separate opponents in the continuation of the hotly contested 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup. Enjoying hot starts, the NLEX Road Warriors and the Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters look for their third straight victory and try to remain flawless as they take on separate foes.

The Road Warriors (2-0) are going to be tested by veteran squad Rain or Shine (1-0) in their 4:15 p.m. meeting at the Smart Araneta Coliseum to open the show.

Three hours later, the Fuel Masters (2-0) will likewise face a tough obstacle as they are set to clash with GlobalPort (0-1) at 7 p.m. in the nightcap.

NLEX is showing that it has indeed improved after a dismal showing in the season’s first two conferences.

With import Aaron Fuller providing a steady presence, the Road Warriors quickly racked up two wins to open their campaign with a bang, downing the Alaska Aces and Kia Picanto, respectively, in convincing fashion.

They took down the Picanto last Saturday, 100-93, with Fuller dropping 24 points and grabbing 19 rebounds to lead the way.

Fuller, who was brought into the country ahead of the other imports, has teamed up nicely with NLEX regulars in guards Kevin Alas, Juami Tiongson and Alex Mallari as well as big men Asi Taulava and JR Quinahan.

NLEX will now encounter an acid test in the Elasto Painters, who won their only game thus far, beating the GlobalPort Batang Pier, 98-96, last Friday in a squeaker. The Elasto Painters were led by import Powered by the high-octane offense of returning import Eugene Phelps, Phoenix is having a jackrabbit start as well.

The Fuel Masters first knocked down Kia in its opener before escaping with a 95-93 thriller over Alaska last Saturday for their second win.

Palaro standout joins Bali training pool PALARONG Pambansa standout Konrad Soilurin is going places.

He is among five kids who have been chosen to train and possibly attend the 9th edition of the Allianz Junior Football Camp (AJFC) in Munich, Germany.

The opportunity for the 14-year-old Soilurin came his way after Iloilo, representing Region VI, took the silver medal in the elementary boys division of the 2016 Palarong Pambansa in Legazpi City Albay.

“Excited po ako, masaya at kabado kasi hindi ko alam kung sino ang makakalaban ko, sino makakasama ko duon,” said Soilurin, who earned the best defender honors at that time.

Soilurin, whose dad is a mechanical engineer and whose mom is a retired teacher, will be joined by FC Malaya’s JM Mitra, Tuloy sa Don Bosco’s Michael Antillo and Archie Dela Cruz and Cordillera Goshen Land’s Aeron Tenollo.

These talented kids, who are between the ages 14-16 are part of the initial stage of the selection process from seven countries in Asia.

They will first go to Bali, Indonesia for the final camp, which will be held between July 31 and Aug. 4.

Then, they will train with youth coaches of longtime Bundesliga cham-

Joshua Pacio (right) pounds Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke during their ONE Championship bout. Pacio had to pull out all the stops before escaping with a hard-earned split decision victory. ONE Championship

The iconic logo of Coke, integrated with headphones, and then interpreted into a sofa, to show the power of collaboration and stretching artistic boundaries.

TASTE THE SOUNDS OF PINOY MUSIC WITH COKE STUDIO

MUSIC is one of the core unifying forces for Filipinos. The love for music transcends gender, religion, language, social class, and even political affiliations.

This year, the world’s largest beverage brand, Coca-Cola, is refreshing the local music landscape with the opening of the first Coke Studio in the country.

The Coke Studio is a platform that features fun and exciting ways that will support Original Pilipino Music through various activities. The main highlight is the collaboration of Pinoy music legends and emerging artists to create their own blend of OPM tunes in various music genres.

The opening of the Coke Studio on July 29, 2017 will also kick-off the 9-epsiode local music show on TV5 and YouTube featuring 14 of the country’s most revered Filipino musicians led by Abra, Gab and John of Urbandub, Ebe Dancel, Noel Cabangon, Franco, Sandwich, and Moonstar 88, together with emerging OPM millennial artists BP Valenzuela,

Reese Lansangan, Curtismith, The Ransom Collective, Autotelic, Gracenote, and Jensen and the Flips. The show will be a one-of-a-kind musical experience for Filipinos.

The Coke Studio doesn’t stop there. A Coke Studio Truck will bring the musical experience closer to Filipinos as it goes on a 6-month road trip to various parts of the country. The Coke Studio Truck will be a roving recording studio that will also be a venue for live performances from Coke Studio artists and a wide range of fun onground interactive activities and games.

Coca-Cola merchandise will also be given away during special raffle promos from the Coke Studio Truck!

The Coke Studio Truck is a stage for local school bands to showcase their talents and original compositions through an online voting system.

The country will soon taste the sound of Pinoy music with Coke Studio. Catch it every Saturday at 7 p.m. on TV5 or on www.youtube.com/CokeStudioPH.

pion Bayern Munich.

From the Bali camp, two of them will be chosen to represent the Philippines to the AJFC to be held in Munich, Germany also in August.

“This is a historic event. This is the first time that the Philippines will be represented in the AJFC. First time ito na ito na meron tayong contingent,” said Gay Martinez, Allianz chief market management officer.

The camp involves a four-day football training program on fitness workshops, footwork techniques and tactical skills by trainers from FC Bayern Munich.

They will have an exclusive opportunity to train with Bayern Munich youth coach Maximilian Knauer and Giovane Elber.

Their coach Jess Landagan said it is a privilege to work with kids, and after having helped underprivileged teens learn football as an advocacy.

“Ito ang tamang pagtuturo sa mga bata. Iyung mga batang dapat tulungan at mabigyan ng libreng training,” said Landagan.

The program was started in 2009

by German insurance company Allianz in partnership with the Die Roten as part of their advocacy for youth development. Peter Atencio

Win propels Pacio back to title contention JOSHUA Pacio is willing to wait for right time to vie for a world title again.

If he secures an impressive triumph in his upcoming bout, Filipino standout will place himself in line for another shot at the ONE Strawweight World Championship title.

However, the 21-year-old native of Baguio City, Benguet revealed that he is not in a hurry and would rather take the long road to a second championship crack than prematurely vie for the goldplated strap.

“I am willing to wait for the right time. Timing is everything. Every moment has its own purpose,” he said. “I don’t race to be in line for that belt, but I’m racing to perfection in this sport.”

Pacio battles unbeaten Hayato Suzuki at ONE: Kings & Conquerors, Saturday, August 5 in Macau.

Pacio earned his previous title shot when he defeated gritty Thai grap-

pler Kritsada Kongsrichai via firstround submission in August 2016 to set up a date with ONE Championship’s reigning strawweight kingpin Yoshitaka Naito.

Naito derailed Pacio’s title aspirations in October 2016 as the Japanese champion pulled off a come-frombehind win by submitting the Filipino fighter with a rear-naked choke in the third round to keep the coveted ONE Strawweight World Championship belt around his waist.

Winning ONE Championship’s flyweight top prize was within reach of Pacio as the 5-foot-4 Team Lakay young gun effortlessly stuffed all five takedown attempts of Naito in the first round and peppered his Japanese foe with lunging right hands and spinning back kicks.

Although Naito was able to take him down to the mat in the second period,

Pacio was able to inflict damage while defending on his back.

But it only took one mistake to crush Pacio’s dream to become the youngest Filipino to win a world title in mixed martial arts (MMA) as Naito latched on a rear-naked choke that ended his undefeated streak.

Pacio saw his heartbreaking setback to Naito as an important lesson because it gave him an opportunity to patch the loopholes in his outstanding skill-set.

“It’s not a defeat. I viewed as an important lesson. It also served as an inspiration to push myself to the limit. It is an eye-opening experience. Here I am standing in front of you as a matured competitor inside the cage,” Pacio said.

Pacio reaped the fruits of his labor this past March when he scored a huge victory over former ONE Strawweight World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke by way of split decision.

NFA draws cheaper bids for rice imports B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017

B1

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Tuesday, July 25, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE

Currency

Unit

US Dollar Peso

United States Dollar

1.000000

50.7460

Japan

0.009002

0.4568

Yen

UK

Pound

1.303200

66.1322

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128107

6.5009

Switzerland

Franc

1.056636

53.6201

Canada

Dollar

0.799552

40.5741

Singapore

Dollar

0.734322

37.2639

Australia

Dollar

0.792200

40.2010

Bahrain

Dinar

2.654632

134.7120

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266681

13.5330

Brunei

Dollar

0.731636

37.1276

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0038

Thailand

Baht

0.029949

1.5198

UAE

Dirham 0.272264

13.8163

Euro

Euro

1.164600

59.0988

Korea

Won

0.000897

0.0455

China

Yuan

0.148144

7.5177

India

Rupee

0.015530

0.7881

Malaysia

Ringgit 0.233863

New Zealand Dollar

0.743600

Taiwan

0.032967

Dollar

11.8676 37.7347 1.6729 Source: PDS Bridge

SOLDIERS’ ASSISTANCE. Business leader Manuel Pangilinan (standing, eighth from left) and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (seventh from left) lead the turnover of the fi-

nancial assistance to the families of the fallen 98 soldiers and three police officers during the Marawi siege that began two months ago. Companies led by Pangilinan such as PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications through the PLDT-Smart Foundation, Manila Electric Co. through One Meralco Foundation, Philex Mining Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. join the Duterte Cabinet Spouses Association to pool resources and funds to extend their help to the families.

Tata expands PH vehicle offerings

By Othel V. Campos

IN BRIEF BanKo set to open 100 branches in 2017

BPI Direct BanKo Inc., the micro finance arm of Bank of the Philippine Islands, expects to have 100 branches by yearend to further widen its coverage to unbanked and underserved individuals.

BPI president and chief executive Cezar Consing said during BanKo’s launch in Makati City on Tuesday that the initiative showed the bank’s commitment and contribution to the financial inclusion of the government.

“This is all about financial inclusion... We give importance to small businesses,” Consing said.

BanKo recently opened 15 branches in key areas around the country, including Bicol, Negros Oriental, Davao, and Central Luzon, bringing total branches to 24.

BanKo is the result of the merger of two specialized thrift bank units of BPI―BPI Direct Savings Bank Inc. and BPI Globe BanKo. “The country’s prosperity will only be meaningful of a wider swath of the population is touched by development and progress. BanKo is precisely positioned to do that,” Consing said, adding BanKo was a major effort in reaching out to the unbanked.

Julito G. Rada

AP Renewables gets environmental award

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region V recognized AP Renewables Inc., the renewable energy arm of Aboitiz Power Corp., for its sustained commitment to helping protect the environment.

APRI received the Special Environmental Achievement Award at the 17th Saringaya Awards, an annual recognition program of DENR-V, honoring individuals and organizations in the region that championed environmental stewardship in their communities.

Launched in 2000, the Saringaya Awards was named after the Bicolano word masaringaya, which means green environment, abundance, health, and balanced ecology, and has since been considered as the region’s “highest environment award.”

Since 2012, APRI has been a consistent Saringaya awardee.

This year, the company was commended for its notable initiatives such as the Development of Climate-resilient Mt. Malinao Biodiversity and Conservation Project (with Bicol University College of Agriculture and Forestry), Adopta-River Project (with DENREMB V), Rain Water Collector, Vermi-composting and Nursery Facility, and A-Park, a Biodiversity Enhancement Project of the Aboitiz Group.

Maynilad wins P3.42-b tariff claim against govt issued by Finance Department to compensate the company for the delayed implementation of tariffs for the rebasing period 2013 EST zone to 2017. concessionaire The undertaking letter provides that the government will indemnify Maynilad for Maynilad Water any losses due to a delay attributable to the Services Inc. said Tuesday state or any government-owned agency in implementing any increase in standard rates, a three-man arbitral tribunal beyond the date of its implementation in unanimously upheld the accordance with the concession agreement company’s claim against the signed on Feb. 21, 1997.

The tribunal ordered the government government and ordered the to reimburse Maynilad the amount of state to pay P3.42 billion for P3,424,690,000, without prejudice to any rights that Maynilad may have to seek redelayed tariff increases from course against Metropolitan Waterworks and March 11, 2015 to August 31, Sewerage System for losses incurred.

Maynilad president and chief executive 2016.

Maynilad said in a statement the tribunal, Ramoncito Fernandez said the amount would in a decision dated July 24, upheld the valid- not be shouldered by consumers.

“But we are now in the middle of starting ity of its claim against the undertaking letter

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

W

with a rate rebasing discussions with MWSS [Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System]. The discussion is for 2018 to 2022 but because of the partial award, we don’t know yet. We have to coordinate with the government―both DoF and MWSS on how to implement,” said Fernandez.

Maynilad said it would coordinate and cooperate with the government in finding the most efficient way to implement the judgment.

The arbitral court also ruled that Maynilad was entitled to recover from the Republic its losses from Sept. 1, 2016 onwards. Maynilad said that in case a disagreement on the amount of losses arose, the company might revert to the tribunal for further determination.

Manila Water, the east zone concessionaire, filed an arbitration before the International Chamber of Commerce in September 2013. Maynilad filed its own arbitration case the following month.

Bangko Sentral asks banks to thwart internal fraud

By Julito G. Rada THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas asked banks to adopt effective risk management systems in the wake of the P900-million internal fraud discovered in Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. last week.

“Actually in our interaction with banks, there’s always the reminder about managing the risk. One of them is pertaining to this one― operations risk. It’s a continuing thing as to engaging the bank regarding their risk management especially now that there’s an ongo-

ing examination,” Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Chuchi Fonacier said in Makati City Tuesday.

“It’s part of the assessment of the BSP on how internal controls in the bank are being carried out, and overall risk management system. It’s a usual thing for the BSP to assess these,” Fonacier said.

The National Bureau of Investigation arrested a senior Metrobank official last week for allegedly funneling disbursed loans into fictitious accounts created in the name of Universal Robina Corp. that cost Metrobank at least P900 million.

Metrobank said it immediately caused the arrest of the individual involved in the case, who has been detained by the authorities.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. downplayed any significant impact of the incident on the banking industry, saying banks were well capitalized. Espenilla said Bangko Sentral was looking into the circumstances and facts about the incident.

The Monetary Board, the policy making body of Bangko Sentral, earlier issued Circular 900 that

approved the guidelines on operational risk management for BSPsupervised financial institutions.

The guidelines were in line with the thrust of the regulator to promote the adoption of effective risk management systems to sustain the safe and sound operations of its supervised financial institutions.

Operational risk refers to the risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people and systems; or from external events. This definition includes legal risk, but excludes strategic and reputational risk.

TATA Motors, India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, on Tuesday launched a new range of commercial vehicles in the Philippines.

Tata Motors head of international business on commercial vehicles Rudrarup Maitra said the Philippines emerged as one of its key markets in Southeast Asia.

“We are delighted to be a part of one of the fastest growing Asean nations. With years of experience in the commercial vehicle business, Tata Motors has analyzed and understood our customers well and are dedicated to providing them with best-inclass products and services. We are confident that through our trusted partnership with Pilipinas Taj Autogroup Inc., we will be successful in establishing a long-term relationship with our customers,” he said.

The company is making headway in the Philippines market through a distribution agreement with Pilipinas Taj Autogroup Inc., a local firm engaged in the distribution of motor vehicles.

Tata launched a full range of commercial vehicles including Tata prima range of tractor trailers and tippers; the LPT range of light, medium and heavy trucks; SFC 407; and the mini trucks range of Ace and Super Ace. Besides Philippines, Tata Motors commercial vehicles are present across Southeast Asian markets including Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand with manufacturing facilities in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia.

Pilipinas Taj Autogroup is closely working with Tata Motors to ensure Filipino customers get the finest vehicles and services, that not only match their requirements but also their business needs.

New lending platform to replace ‘5-6’ scheme

By Jenniffer B. Austria

BPI’S AWARDS. Bank of the Philippine Islands is awarded by The Asset Triple A as the best service provider for trade finance and supply chain solutions in the Philippines. BPI is also recognized as best foreign exchange bank in the Philippines by The Asian Banker and as best domestic provider for FX products and services by Asiamoney FX Poll. Shown are BPI corporate and institutional sales head Estelito Biacora (second from left) and head of global sales FX Jaena Cebrero (center) receiving the award during the Asian Banker business achievement awards dinner in Singapore.

MONEYMATCH, an online peerto-peer lending platform developed by local company FinTech Global Inc., aims to provide Filipinos an alternative to “5-6” scheme, or moneylenders charging exorbitant interest rates on loans.

MoneyMatch managing director Jay Bautista said in an interview the new leading platform would make borrowing or lending money more accessible and convenient to Filipinos.

“MoneyMatch makes lending and borrowing easier and much more convenient. People will have the power to transact without dealing with standard financial institutions, such as banks.

With P2P lending, the borrower can enjoy much more flexible terms and, lenders are assured that their investment is secure,”

Bautista said.

Bautista said a borrower could apply for loan from P10,000 to P2 million which could be used to start to a small business, get a housing loan, or a new car, and pay for their loan at terms that they could afford.

Investors or lenders with a sufficient capital in their account could view loan applications that were up for bidding and choose which loans to fund, and bid on it. Lenders will have the option to bid for more than one loan.

The interest rate for the loans will range from 15 percent to 36 percent depending on creditworthiness of the borrower. MoneyMatch will then notify the individuals or small and medium enterprises who are applying for a loan, if their loan is approved including detailed instructions on how to claim a loan or deposit a loan.

B2

Business

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

RLC gets incentives for hotel in Tacloban

By Othel V. Campos THE Board of Investments granted tax incentives to a P500million hotel in Tacloban City being built by Summit Hotel and Resorts Group, a unit of developer Robinsons Land Corp.

Summit Hotel Tacloban, which qualified as a tourism project under the 2017 Investment Priorities Plan, is expected to boost tourism in Tacloban, which suffered heavy damage during the onslaught of typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

Endorsed by the Tourism Department as a five-star hotel facility, Summit Hotel Tacloban is located within the Robinsons Place Complex. The 138-room hotel has a floor area of around 9,000 square meters and will have a food and beverage outlet,

outdoor swimming pool, grand ballroom and meeting rooms and other support facilities.

Commercial operation will begin in April 2018 with at least 25 employees.

It is the fifth Summit Hotel in the country and Robinsons Land’s 12th BOI-registered hotel project.

Robinsons Land is a part of the JG Summit Holdings Inc., the investment company of tycoon John Gokongwei which has diverse interests in real estate and hotels, food and beverages, air transportation, banking, petrochemicals and core investments in telecommunications and power distribution.

Trade Undersecretary and BOI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo welcomed the addition of another investment project in the Yolanda-stricken area.

Stock mart rises; EEI, Vista Land top gainers S TOCKS rose slightly Tuesday, after President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his second State of the Nation Address where he vowed to continue his bloody war against illegal drugs and terrorism and threatened to impose higher taxes on mining companies.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, rose 9 points, or 0.1 percent, to close at 7,971.72 as three of the six major sectors advanced.

The heavier index, representing all shares, shed 5 points, or 0.1 percent, to settle at 4,753.33,

on a value turnover of P6.2 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 142 to 65, while 46 issues were unchanged.

Thirteen of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by developer Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc. which climbed 2.5 percent to P5.74 and construc-

tion company EEI Corp. which went up 2.3 percent to P13.18.

Nickel Asia Corp., one of the country’s largest miners, tumbled 8.1 percent to 5.89, while Oriental Peninsula Resources Group Inc. shed 9 percent to P1.11.

Meanwhile, Asian markets struggled Tuesday while the dollar resumed its downward shift, with the focus turning to the Federal Reserve’s latest gathering this week.

While it is not expected to bring any change in interest rates, the Fed meeting will be pored over by traders hoping for some clues about future increases and the Fed’s timetable for winding down its bond holdings.

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.78 223,000 59.5 40,140 106.9 427,980 3.98 2,000 122.2 647,890 1.34 42,000 36.55 733,500 16.2 17,300 31.45 1,498,300 8.1 2,900 0.66 20,000 1.68 49,000 900 100 0.7 951,000 85.35 7,274,210 0.82 698,000 15.7 41,500 24.8 600 68 38,350 240 2,510 88.8 1,480 57.95 76,180 226.4 396,390 1,695 220 86.3 156,470 1.44 1,627,000

909,730 2,372,293.50 45,754,203 7,960 79,265,372 57,040 26,780,685 279,738 47,644,155 23,490 13,200 83,790 90,250 664,610 626,001,120 563,350 654,390 14,920 2,591,636.50 604,646 131,391 4,414,063 89,718,444 373,320 13,503,373 2,419,850

1,182,000.50 32,466,921 1,145,014 15,968,685 -13,170,600 -215,449,897.50 111,160 191,492.50 12,000 2,343,685.50 76,441,214 -99,160.50 -

39.4 8.81 0.86 1.41 30.2 0.265 162 7.25 18.3 179.5 29.85 15 69 73.2 1.98 5.29 11.5 12.3 15.4 12.9 7.68 5.8 1.68 17.88 66.35 14.58 13.52 14.6 1.93 216.2 61.9 3.91 3.4 20 31.95 19.94 18.12 279.8 0.241 9.3 3.14 7.61 9.54 6.58 10.2 1.93 11.48 66.4 6.48 305 4.41 4.5 2.95 13.28 4.71 0.143 1.35 160 4 2.13 29 1.03

INDUSTRIAL 39.4 416,100 8.95 1,826,100 0.86 6,855,000 1.42 1,635,000 30.2 89,000 0.265 2,040,000 188 1,230 7.3 4,211,800 18.9 828,200 179.6 300 32.5 761,600 15 24,800 70 118,640 78 150 1.99 238,000 5.32 163,400 11.66 19,300 12.3 2,952,400 15.4 1,912,000 13.2 6,542,200 7.7 2,613,400 5.81 7,503,000 1.68 3,000 17.94 2,475,300 66.4 153,880 14.9 1,500 13.54 247,600 14.72 3,689,000 1.93 2,152,000 217.8 266,670 61.9 50 3.91 348,000 3.4 4,000 21.8 5,300 32.45 2,427,900 20 169,300 18.14 2,803,600 281.8 648,080 0.241 2,340,000 9.49 106,700 3.15 99,000 7.66 333,200 9.55 1,723,200 6.7 65,800 10.3 20,400 1.94 417,000 11.98 3,588,400 66.6 646,880 6.6 12,100 305 1,490 4.41 61,000 4.55 280,400 3.02 2,428,000 13.3 603,300 5 3,019,000 0.143 380,000 1.38 329,000 161 673,730 4 9,000 2.17 34,442,000 29 100 1.03 86,000

16,477,305 16,317,377 5,982,860 2,320,920 2,753,480 545,000 238,519 30,907,824 15,603,176 53,883 23,365,985 373,384 8,239,810 11,604 473,940 870,241 223,288 36,325,706 29,644,826 86,286,916 20,388,435 43,926,055 5,040 44,791,794 10,262,243 21,966 3,353,418 54,959,216 4,193,010 58,057,226 3,095 1,377,240 13,600 109,945 78,712,335 3,383,096 50,994,714 181,920,298 564,340 1,036,482 311,720 2,560,687 16,495,481 439,647 208,228 807,420 42,254,150 43,112,616.50 78,900 455,830 274,860 1,311,258 7,325,420 8,033,334 14,815,340 54,540 447,930 108,033,955 36,180 75,453,190 2,900 88,580

-158,805 88,200 121,840 70,200 1,835,187 13,057,576 849,370 6,616,530 507,348 9,115,948 7,836,234 16,149,752 19,487,913 -3,232,296 -2,003,461 2,980 215,160.00 8,408,854 66,460 -37,866,630 40,000 49,498,775 1,488,510 15,996,406 82,427,456 40,950 -42,295 -271,338.00 -72,498 -1,111,534.50 19,800 234,860 -45,250 4,956,100 6,036,430 1,387,070 14,400.00 -27,526,554 -2,079,040 -

HOLDING FIRMS 0.37 300,000 74 667,300 14.24 6,156,800 1.12 83,000 6.97 244,100 0.325 1,810,000 0.335 40,000 880 146,150 7.8 1,275,300 15.6 13,598,900 7.54 68,000 6.01 5,000 0.23 1,330,000 1,211 93,725 8.15 105,100 78.15 1,164,890 4.8 3,000 5.57 14,300 1 1,560,000 6.84 1,543,000 17.7 4,087,500 0.445 60,000 6.84 39,709,300 0.05 24,550,000 2.13 2,263,000 102.6 75,900 2.75 81,000 788 187,760 1.65 14,617,000 192.2 310 305 12,100 0.29 140,000 0.246 3,320,000 0.245 220,000

111,450 49,333,590.50 87,587,968 93,310 1,680,730 595,400 13,400 128,364,155 9,944,818 213,980,090 514,139 30,337 308,470 113,388,935 852,923 91,021,364 14,400 80,686 1,560,210 10,526,551 72,199,148 26,700 272,749,636 1,231,390 4,798,810 7,794,100 228,270 147,739,200 25,488,850 59,582 3,687,804 40,600 808,360 54,600

-13,608,600.50 16,017,848 13,400 63,605,625 -4,494,977 157,527,330 75,953,960 -27,148,791 -4,942,622 -7,945,008 161,883,435 8,500 -255,394 -40,960,335 113,500 -802,012 -

1,024,167 9,500,910 233,330 4,506,240 382,253,120 4,051,450 125,068,629 1,068 52,722,550 438,900 1,008,160 1,247,160 5,954,770 6,085,710 712,880 2,042,390 31,666,010 33,190,550 771,770 151,526,180

-195,676 -136,920 20,600 30,451,020 -910 3,006,544 115,050.00 -2,682,200 177,030 -97,500 17,096,900 -6,376,590 3,606,930

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

4.08 58.05 107.2 3.98 123.5 1.36 36.5 16.1 32.5 8.1 0.66 1.72 905 0.69 88 0.81 16.2 25 67.5 242 88.8 58.5 223 1,695 86.35 1.34

4.26 59.5 107.2 3.98 123.5 1.4 36.6 16.2 32.5 8.1 0.66 1.72 905 0.71 88 0.82 16.2 25 68 242 88.8 58.5 227.6 1,698 86.35 1.58

3.78 58.05 106.5 3.98 122 1.34 36.45 16.06 31.4 8.1 0.66 1.68 900 0.69 85.3 0.78 15.7 24.8 67.5 240 88.5 57.8 223 1,695 85.5 1.33

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS ASIABEST GROUP BASIC ENERGY BOGO MEDELLIN CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP EMPERADOR ENERGY DEVT EUROMED FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL MACAY HLDG MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY PETRON PHIL H2O PHINMA PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP PUREFOODS RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VIVANT VULCAN INDL

39.45 8.82 0.92 1.41 31.15 0.265 162 7.28 18.3 179.8 29.85 15.1 73.5 73.2 2 5.29 11.5 12.4 15.6 12.98 7.9 5.98 1.68 18.34 67.8 14.9 13.52 15.26 2.02 219 61.9 4.02 3.4 21.2 31.95 20 18.42 280 0.241 9.45 3.19 7.67 9.68 6.69 10.24 1.93 12.12 66.5 6.49 305 4.5 4.95 3.03 13.3 4.71 0.144 1.35 160.4 4.09 2.15 29 1.03

40 9 0.92 1.43 31.35 0.27 200 7.46 18.98 179.8 32.5 15.48 73.5 78 2 5.34 11.66 12.4 15.66 13.48 7.9 5.98 1.68 18.4 67.8 14.9 13.6 15.4 2.02 219 61.9 4.02 3.4 22.15 32.45 20 18.48 281.8 0.245 10.1 3.19 7.82 9.7 6.75 10.3 1.95 12.12 66.85 6.6 307 4.55 4.95 3.06 13.4 5.05 0.144 1.38 162 4.09 2.24 29 1.03

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FJ PRINCE B 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 ORION SAN MIGUEL CORP SEAFRONT RES SM INVESTMENTS SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID TOP FRONTIER UNIOIL HLDG WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.375 74.3 14.06 1.14 7 0.33 0.335 880 7.85 15.84 7.58 6.1 0.23 1,212 8.27 78.5 4.8 5.73 1.02 6.97 17.2 0.445 6.81 0.051 2.11 103 2.72 790 1.69 192.2 301.6 0.29 0.244 0.25

0.375 75.05 14.38 1.14 7 0.33 0.335 880 7.85 15.94 7.8 6.1 0.237 1,215 8.27 79.1 4.8 5.73 1.02 6.97 17.88 0.445 6.98 0.052 2.15 103 2.88 790 1.82 192.2 305 0.29 0.255 0.25

0.37 73.25 14.06 1.12 6.8 0.325 0.335 874 7.76 15.58 7.54 6.01 0.227 1,206 7.92 78 4.8 5.44 1 6.78 17.18 0.445 6.78 0.05 2.1 102.5 2.72 782 1.65 192.2 301.6 0.29 0.236 0.245

8990 HLDG A BROWN ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE IRC PROP MEGAWORLD

5.9 1.45 2.4 1.05 43 3.71 5.21 5.34 0.6 1.2 1.58 0.197 0.52 46.9 0.76 0.194 1.84 1.61 1.07 4.72

5.91 1.51 2.4 1.05 43.3 3.73 5.23 5.34 0.61 1.24 1.58 0.197 0.53 46.95 0.77 0.197 1.88 1.62 1.1 4.8

5.89 1.44 2.32 1.02 42.85 3.68 4.84 5.34 0.56 1.2 1.52 0.189 0.5 46.5 0.75 0.177 1.82 1.52 1.03 4.66

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

0.35 0.55 0.62 4.83 33 24.75 1.77 3.25 34.3 1.01 6.67 0.9 5.6

0.355 0.6 0.63 4.83 33 24.95 1.78 3.25 34.4 1.03 7 0.93 5.88

0.345 0.495 0.59 4.61 33 24.55 1.75 3.21 34 1.01 6.65 0.9 5.58

0.345 0.6 0.59 4.61 33 24.75 1.76 3.24 34.15 1.02 7 0.9 5.88

57,840,000 81,603,000 24,087,000 1,919,000 600 1,315,100 713,000 42,000 3,836,000 5,671,000 46,700 575,000 16,747,500

20,091,950 45,451,940 14,516,170 9,001,420 19,800 32,485,700 1,254,790 135,860 131,011,805 5,730,330 318,092 518,670 95,936,758

293,800.00 413,370.00 177,950 861,820 4,005,130 166,380 38,520 16,900,100.00 -376,770 -670 -6,332,401

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD FAR EASTERN U GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN HAVEN HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL INTL CONTAINER IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN MANILA JOCKEY MELCO RESORTS METRO RETAIL NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

23 43 1.76 0.49 0.043 5.31 9.21 0.082 97.7 9.6 11 2.22 970 2,050 6.27 15.2 3.03 3.4 107.5 8.6 0.186 1.36 3.3 16 4.86 2.55 11.06 0.58 2.31 8.95 4.08 2.54 11.4 5.12 171 10.18 1,700 1.59 0.45 45.7 87 6.05 4.69 1.5 3.6 1.2 8.8

23.4 43 1.8 0.495 0.044 5.31 9.38 0.082 98.2 9.6 11 2.22 980 2,100 6.28 15.5 3.03 3.45 108.4 8.6 0.186 1.38 3.3 16 4.9 2.64 11.32 0.59 2.37 8.95 4.1 2.56 11.46 5.25 171 10.2 1,703 1.6 0.465 46.1 87 6.08 4.7 1.55 3.6 1.2 8.95

22.2 42.85 1.72 0.49 0.043 5.31 9.05 0.079 96.2 9.6 9.7 2.22 970 2,050 6.25 15.04 2.9 3.35 107.3 8.5 0.182 1.36 3.3 15.34 4.74 2.2 10.2 0.58 2 8.6 3.9 2.51 11.4 5.12 171 9.85 1,691 1.57 0.44 45.7 87 6.05 4.15 1.5 3.44 1.12 8.62

SERVICES 22.5 42.85 1.75 0.49 0.044 5.31 9.05 0.079 96.5 9.6 9.99 2.22 970 2,094 6.26 15.5 2.9 3.35 107.8 8.55 0.183 1.36 3.3 15.98 4.76 2.2 10.6 0.58 2.35 8.9 3.94 2.52 11.46 5.2 171 9.88 1,698 1.6 0.44 46 87 6.07 4.15 1.51 3.48 1.18 8.75

355,400 24,300 610,000 670,000 56,400,000 4,000 9,056,300 66,980,000 558,280 700 2,049,500 4,000 2,050 30,500 1,215,000 20,900 1,653,000 20,000 1,887,110 267,500 8,790,000 628,000 11,000 15,700 1,217,000 11,943,000 6,254,800 18,000 125,000 1,297,300 5,119,000 1,537,000 300 23,100 1,780 542,000 115,655 4,579,000 8,810,000 358,400 554,130 1,250,800 13,085,000 10,357,000 1,788,000 40,337,000 4,958,100

8,044,015 1,043,900 1,074,980 329,300 2,454,800 21,240 82,870,079 5,358,420 54,269,865 6,720 20,900,855 8,880 1,988,700 63,538,300 7,611,117 318,626 4,866,060 67,460 203,411,822 2,299,675 1,606,920 857,240 36,300 245,792 5,829,790 29,035,400 67,844,896 10,450 289,370 11,435,437 20,235,010 3,887,310 3,426 120,798 304,380 5,418,755 196,396,530 7,283,810 3,992,850 16,485,890 48,209,310 7,578,762 56,346,960 15,742,600 6,258,510 46,818,540 43,513,427

293,490 99,000 95,700.00 -31,632,630 240,800 -4,465,857 -1,545,780 31,378,540 -48,740 85,697,773 96,800 272,470 3,325,034 -846,042 -1,492,520 -17,680 75,240 1,035,926 -64,205,265 431,750 76,450 4,862,590 -13,531,980 -12,416,660 7,523,790 -2,568,340 401,230.00 622,295

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

0.003 1.62 5.15 13.1 1.96 1.97 1.3 0.38 8.47 2.56 0.315 0.183 0.189 0.011 1.99 6.39 1.96 0.64 1.19 0.01 0.012 2.64 9 3.05 168.1

0.003 1.65 5.19 14.68 1.96 1.97 1.3 0.385 8.78 2.56 0.325 0.183 0.189 0.011 1.99 6.39 1.99 0.7 1.2 0.01 0.012 2.64 9.08 3.21 173.9

0.0029 1.57 5 13.1 1.95 1.94 1.2 0.38 8.47 2.41 0.3 0.181 0.186 0.01 1.91 5.85 1.89 0.63 1.08 0.01 0.012 2.56 8.97 3 168.1

MINING & OIL 0.003 358,000,000 1.58 10,751,000 5.13 391,700 14.68 1,100 1.95 31,000 1.94 65,000 1.26 13,398,000 0.385 810,000 8.75 1,700 2.5 4,416,000 0.31 11,480,000 0.181 4,940,000 0.189 970,000 0.011 249,900,000 1.91 1,219,000 5.89 27,188,900 1.91 974,000 0.63 11,893,000 1.11 2,603,000 0.01 5,800,000 0.012 74,000,000 2.56 88,000 9 1,467,600 3.02 5,357,000 171 1,384,200

1,060,700 17,195,280 1,973,886 14,568 60,670 127,420 16,598,010 311,500 14,598 10,922,600 3,567,200 894,940 181,540 2,516,900 2,384,500 162,091,783 1,859,730 7,965,120 2,953,040 58,000 888,000 228,070 13,211,263 16,650,290 237,074,764

-273,370 -48,126.00 -215,790 24,750 31,500 -172,090 97,000 746,082 1,980 56,300 1,920,892 -73,730 90,139,687

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

43.2 516 515 106 104.6 112 6 1,011 1,018 1.04 108 1,019 105.5 76.6 80.5 76.5 78 80.9 78.5 79

43.2 516 520 106 104.6 112 6 1,015 1,018 1.05 108 1,019 105.5 76.6 80.6 77 78 80.9 78.75 79

43 515 515 106 104.6 110.9 5.95 1,011 1,018 1.04 108 1,019 105.5 76.55 79.75 76.3 78 80.9 78.5 79

PREFERRED 43 28,200 515 6,010 520 1,110 106 6,100 104.6 3,180 110.9 6,000 5.95 314,800 1,015 440 1,018 3,500 1.04 1,014,000 108 9,080 1,019 100 105.5 170 76.55 30 80.6 78,000 77 38,880 78 50,050 80.9 6,150 78.75 141,900 79 44,090

1,212,920 3,101,150 575,680 646,600 332,628 667,525 1,888,560 446,150 3,563,000 1,054,910 980,640 101,900 17,935 2,297 6,261,655 2,984,220 3,903,900 497,535 11,172,950 3,483,110

1,204,300 -265,800 -4,815,855 -

LR WARRANT

2.95

2.95

2.85

WARRANTS 2.85 784,000

2,251,940

-

407,630 1,085,140 12,259,061

1,650,859

341,512

-

4,200

-

MS

PROPERTY 5.89 1.47 2.38 1.03 43.2 3.68 4.85 5.34 0.57 1.22 1.52 0.189 0.51 46.5 0.75 0.185 1.83 1.52 1.03 4.72

173,700 6,407,000 99,000 4,369,000 8,869,900 1,093,000 25,127,600 200 91,940,000 360,000 657,000 6,560,000 11,658,000 130,600 942,000 10,790,000 17,175,000 21,527,000 737,000 32,097,000

ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

3.94 5.96 7.85

3.94 5.96 7.96

3.85 5.57 7.79

FIRST METRO ETF

119.9

120.7

119.7

USD DMPL A1

10.5

10.5

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

SHARES

14,969,618

INDUSTRIAL

109,695,426

HOLDING FIRMS

121,417,738

PROPERTY

435,138,252

SERVICES

267,793,138

MINING & OIL

787,966,598

GRAND TOTAL

1,738,845,716

10.5

3.92 5.6 7.8

SME

105,000 192,100 1,565,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 120.6 2,840 10.5

DDS

400

VALUE 1,948.85 (down) 14.27 944,976,513.61 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,153.17 (down) 39.92 1,226,827,103.34 HOLDING FIRMS 7,906.13 (up) 6.81 1,304,042,952.654 PROPERTY 3,800.11 (up) 27.57 1,694.30 (up) 1.09 1,171,532,839.48 SERVICES MINING & OIL 12,849.09 (down) 79.00 1,062,756,742.08 PSEI 7,971.72 (up) 9.08 500,836,561.567 All Shares Index 4,753.33 (down) 5.34 6,225,066,741.73 Gainers: 65; Losers: 142; Unchanged: 46; Total: 253

The meeting is a key part of a standout week for US-watchers. It ends Wednesday and second-quarter economic data is released Friday, while bigname firms are at the height of their reporting season.

Thrown into the mix is the ongoing drama surrounding Donald Trump’s administration, with his son-in-law and top adviser Jared Kushner giving testimony Monday denying collusion with Russia to sway the November presidential election.

“The high level of trepidation continues to weigh on market sentiment as congressional hearing of White House advisors all but guarantees some headline risk and a possible escalation of the Russia-gate bluster,” said Stephen Innes, head of AsiaPacific trading at Oanda.

“Risk sentiment is indecisive due to the political commotion in Washington, but with so much dollar risk to roll out including (the Fed meeting and growth data) amidst a busy week for US corporate earnings, investors have been reluctant participants so far this week -showing a minimal appetite for markets in general.”

Equities markets moved in and out of the red through the day. Tokyo stocks ended down 0.1 percent, while Hong Kong shed the same amount in afternoon trading, having risen for 10 of the previous 11 trading days.

Shanghai gave up 0.2 percent but Sydney rose 0.7 percent and Singapore gained 0.4 percent. Seoul slipped 0.5 percent and Taipei was flat.

With Bloomberg, AFP

SM boosts network to 265 stores

By Jenniffer B. Austria SM Markets, the country’s biggest retail chain owned by conglomerate SM Investments Corp., said its aggressive rollout of supermarkets boosted its total network to 265 stores across the country.

SM Markets said in a statement it managed to expand its presence nationwide from Aparri in the north to General Santos in the south by opening 30 stores a year.

“It aims to bring its stores to the far reaches of the country, even in places no one imagined an SM Markets store can open, to deliver world class products and services to every Filipino household,” SM Markets said in a statement.

“Having a holistic view of the disparities of rural and urban markets pushed SM Markets to close the gap through its stores, especially those in remote areas, which act as main shopping centers for their communities.”

SM Markets operates three supermarket brands including SM Supermarket, Savemore Market and SM Hypermarket. The three brands provide SM Markets the ability to serve different market segments.

SM Supermarket offers a wide array of food and nonfood products and services inside SM malls while SM Hypermarket has a larger range of non-food products items as well as a diverse range of food products and is located either in larger stores either inside SM malls or in stand-alone locations.

Savemore is a mid-format supermarket that stands alone as a neighborhood store built to service impulse markets and smaller communities across the country.

Business

B3

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

PH property shares seen to extend rally

FRANCHISE AWARDS. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (sixth from left) urges businessmen and members of the Philippine Franchise Association to rally with the government for an entrepreneurship revolution. Posing with Lopez at the Philippine Franchise Excellence Awards on July 19 are PFA chairman emeritus Samie Lim (third from left), president Alan Escalona (fifth from left), vice chairman Bing Sibal-Limjoco (sixth from right), director Sam Christopher Lim (fourth from left), director Richard Sanz (second from left) and other PFA board members and officials.

Mining stocks reel on Duterte’s threat MINERS bore the brunt of President Rodrigo Duterte’s annual address to congress as the tough-talking leader backed the local processing of metal ore and threatened mining firms with more taxes unless they increase efforts to protect the environment.

Mining shares fell.

In his State of the Nation address before lawmakers on Monday, Duterte called on the industry to build plants that will process raw materials into finished products, signaling that he doesn’t favor exporting ores. He also placed an emphasis on protecting the environment, which he said is non-negotiable, over mining revenues.

“At this point in my administration, it’s possible that we shall put a stop to the extraction and exportation of our mineral resources to foreign nations for processing abroad and importing them back to the Philippines,” Duterte said in the speech that also focused on his deadly drug war. “Spend to restore the virginity of resources or I will tax you to death.”

Shares of Nickel Asia Corp. and Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc. dropped 3.1 percent and 3.9 percent respectively in trading on Tuesday. They’re among key mining firms operating in the country, the world’s top producer of nickel ore. Nickel prices surged 2.7 percent on the London Metal Exchange on Monday.

Some lawmakers and the environment department under former Secretary Gina Lopez had signaled the nation may bar shipments of unprocessed ores and follow the same track taken by Indonesia, which had been the biggest nickel supplier until it banned shipments of unprocessed ores in 2014.

Duterte’s warning to miners comes months after lawmakers rejected his choice of an activist as chief of the environment department. Lopez, who roiled the global nickel industry with her threat to close or suspend mines in an unprecedented crackdown, was replaced with an ex-military chief.

“The protection of the environment must be made a priority ahead of mining and all other activities,” the president said in the speech.

“I sternly warn all mining operations and contractors to refrain from the unbridled and irresponsible destruction of our watersheds, forests and aquatic resources.” Bloomberg

on roads and bridges, a move cheered by investors.

“Property stocks will continue to move higher and even outperform as the sector continues to grow with the economy,” said Fitzgerald Aclan, who helps manage about $20 billion at BDO Unibank Inc. as the head of equity investments. “There are still some property companies that offer good value and attractive potential upside.”

The fund manager, whose BDO Sustainable Dividend Fund has gained 16 percent this year, pointed to Ayala Land Inc. Its shares have increased about a third in value in 2017 but are still trading at a priceto-earnings ratio that’s 14 percent lower than the five-year average. Aclan said he turned “bullish” on the sector this year, cutting holdings of consumer and energy companies to buy real-estate shares. Bloomberg

NFA draws cheaper bids on rice imports T

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

HE National Food Authority on Tuesday drew lower bids on 250,000 metric tons of imported rice aimed at boosting the country’s buffer stocks.

The NFA said the Philippines will likely save P400 million for the rice imports after earlier allotting P5.6 billion for the shipment. Tuesday’s auction lured bids totaling $104.8 million or P5.2 billion.

The NFA said 21 companies bought bid documents for the open tender but only 18 were present during the auction. Two did not drop their bid offers while one company from Hong Kong failed to submit contracts document.

“Singsong (H.K.) Limited will be given three days to submit the document. After we evaluate, we will open their bid offers. That is the process,” said NFA bids and awards committee chairman Tomas Escarez.

The NFA earlier said 250,000 MT of rice imports were divided into eight lots: six lots of 25,000

MT each and two lots of 50,000 MT each. A bidder can bid for a maximum of 50,000 MT only.

The NFA set the reference price for the importation at $451.08 per metric ton based on the foreign exchange rate of $1.00 to P50.

For Lot 1 (50,000 MT) which will be discharged in La Union and Batangas, Olam International Limited, the lowest bidder, offered to supply $413.80 per metric ton.

The NFA said Tan Long Group Joint Stock Company offered to supply the volume for $141 and $409 per metric ton for lots 2 and 3, respectively, which will be discharged in Manila.

Other lowest bidders for the remaining lots include Hiep Loi Food Jsc for Lot 4 (25,000 MT) at $425.90 per MT; Gia Interna-

Path AS JULY ends, the dry heat of summer gives way to the almost daily patter of rain. Across the nation, people are either coming back from vacation or gearing up to go on one. It is the middle of the year, a time for taking stock and potentially adjusting paths.

On the national stage, pundits and analysts pick apart the presidential state of the nation address. In homes, fresh graduates begin to think about the new paths they will take.

In corporate offices, companies review the progress of their plans and think about plans for the future.

The central challenge of planning of course is that it is about making decisions based on assumptions about what the future will hold. If the actual reality is significantly different from what is anticipated, then the plan’s likelihood of success goes down pretty rapidly.

In an increasingly volatile and uncertain world, developing a single unchanging plan which relies on one most likely forecast of the future has become unacceptable.

Dealing with uncertainty There are three general approaches to dealing with uncertainty: contingency planning, portfolio management and flexibility. Of course, there is also simply praying the future unfolds as we predict—but, as Sullivan and Harper’s book famously declared, hope is not a method.

Contingency planning essentially involves planning for a most likely future, but being prepared to revise the plan if the actual reality deviates enough from expectation.

This approach is the one that almost all firms consider first. In industries or markets where the future can be predicted with fairly high accuracy, or even in the rare cases where the company itself wields substantial power over the industry situation, this makes sense. In terms of cost, the company’s resources are concentrated on a single plan, with some resources aimed at developing the capability to mobilize a contingency plan.

Portfolio management involves covering multiple bases. If a company is large enough, this is essentially shaping the company so

PHILIPPINE real-estate stocks will extend a market-beating rally, the country’s biggest money manager is betting, unfazed by the most expensive valuation in four years.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Property Index has climbed 23 percent this year as investors became more sanguine about President Rodrigo Duterte’s pivot to China and his US. counterpart’s insular approach to trade, which could hurt outsourcing companies.

The measure now commands the highest premium since 2013 over the stock benchmark, which is up 16 percent.

Driving demand for houses and office space is an accelerating economy, rising remittances from Filipinos abroad and government incentives to draw offshore businesses.

Complimenting that is lawmakers’ plan to lower some taxes and boost spending

that no single event affects more than a small portion of the company. Essentially, this is about diversification and exposure or concentration management. In operations, this means, for example, having multiple manufacturing nodes and multiple suppliers.

In terms of customer, this means ensuring that no more than a small portion of total revenue comes from a single client or a single client group. This also includes policies ensuring that the key executives do not travel together in the same vehicle. Policies such as the “designated survivor” would be an extreme means of ensuring that a nation does not become utterly rudderless in case of a catastrophic incident. In terms of product maturity, this would involve ensuring that there is always a portfolio including mature, cash-generating lines to meet both investment return expectations as well as to fund younger product lines. Portfolio management can have a goal simply of building resilience— crafting a company that can bounce back from negative events, or building robustness – crafting a company that is designed not only to recover and rebuild from setbacks but one that can capture the opportunity in uncertainty.

Portfolio management is not without cost.

Obviously there are efficiencies gained from concentrating purchases from a single supplier or manufacturing in a central node.

And finally, there is the company that invests in flexibility. Essentially, this is a company that has decided that its strategy is to remain fluid and to adapt to changing times. For these companies, the strategy is not so much about a clear product design as a general direction or identity and a set of competencies and resources to maintain— think, for example, of the quickly changing fashions of Zara and H&M. Another method of investing in flexibility is to keep multiple strategic options open.

At the center of every planning decision is a decision about this balance: focus versus flexibility.

The job of leadership Whether it is Duterte or Trudeau, Trump or Nieto, Gates or Jobs, Grove or Page, every leader is eventually evaluated on the outcomes he achieves. This, of course, does not mean

that method or style is unimportant. Both influence the eventual outcome.

However, no amount of charisma should be allowed to mask a bleeding balance sheet and, in an ideal world, the employee who produces the best and the most widgets should get the highest compensation. The reality, of course, is that interpersonal style matters, and that networks and alignment often mean the difference between resounding success and unaccountable failure. Nowhere is this as true as it is in politics. In the world of government, decisions are not necessarily about what is ethical or effective. More often, they are about what is acceptable. Acceptability, in turn, is often a matter of allegiance and relationships, with many a quid pro quo watering down what start out as promising programs. In democracies, to make matters worse, the formal position of power is often a matter of name recall—rarely a function of actual competence.

But politics is not a monopoly of government. Any activity that requires more than two individuals immediately introduces the factor of interpersonal relationships, and hence politics. And this is where leadership and management is different from the work of the artist of the engineer. Management requires the accomplishment of goals through people.

And while the formal tools of management such as pay and promotions have their place, the softer tools are often just as, and even more, important.

End Game And, yes, certainly planning is about the how. But that is not the first question. In planning, whether for a career, a company or a nation, one thing makes planning easier – having a clear picture of the desired outcome.

This explains why the first step in organization planning, whether corporate or government, is about setting goals. For individuals, this first step is often the one that is most difficult.

What is your end game?

Readers can email Maya at integrations_ manila@yahoo.com.

Or visit her site at http://integrations.tumblr.com.

For academic publications, Maya uses her full name, Maria Elena Baltazar Herrera.

tional Corp. for Lots 5 (25,000 MT) and 6 (25,000 MT) at $ 421.64 per MT; Capital Cereals Co. Ltd. for Lot 7 (15,000 MT) at $431.7 per metric ton; and Vietnam Southern Food Corp. for Lot 8 (50,000 MT) at $424.25 per metric ton.

All deliveries will be paid by NFA within 15 days from the receipt of the complete set of origiManila nal documents from the supplier.

Standard The NFA said rice deliveries TODAY should be staggered from August

to September, with 120,000 MT expected to arrive in August and 130,000 MT in September.

Escarez said those who would win the bids would be subjected to post-qualification evaluation on July 27 to 28. If bidders qualify, the notice of award will be issued of July 31 followed by a notice to proceed on August 3.

“The remaining budget which will not be used for the importation will go back to the fund of the NFA,” Escarez said.

TOYOTA FINANCIAL SERVICES PHILIPPINES CORPORATION 32nd Floor G. T. Tower International, Ayala Avenue corner H. V. dela Costa Street,Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City

STATEMENT OF CONDITION As of June 30, 2017 ASSETS

Due from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas P Deposit in Banks GS Purchased Under Reverse Repurchase Agreement with BSP GS Purchased Under RRA Sold Under Resale Agreement Loans and Receivables (Net) (Long-Term Portion of P48,422,911,482) Available-for-Sale Securities (Net) Real Estate for Sale/Lease (Net) Real Property, Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (Net) Real and Other Properties Acquired (Net) Other Assets (Net) TOTAL ASSETS P

9,276,288,598 707,633,833 0 0 49,802,736,582 0 1,200,000 0 108,337,896 134,487,623 2,982,953,609 63,013,638,141

LIABILITIES Bills Payable Accrued Taxes and Other Expenses Deposits for Future Subscrption Other Liabilities TOTAL LIABILITIES

P

P

53,263,171,644 518,510,566 1,200,000,000 2,845,820,759 57,827,502,969

CAPITAL ACCOUNTS Capital Stock Retained Earnings Sub - Total Less: Treasury Stock TOTAL CAPITAL ACCOUNTS

P

P

1,700,000,000 3,486,135,172 5,186,135,172 0 5,186,135,172

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND CAPITAL ACCOUNTS

P

63,013,638,141

P

COMMITMENT AND OTHER CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS Other Contingent Accounts

P

0

Note: 1. Held for Trading Securities comprise of Government Securities of P0 and Equity Securities - Common Shares of P0 2. Non-performing loans and ratio to total loan portfolio: P 825,212,028 ; 1.36%

3. Classified loans and other risk assets: P 2,542,437,097 4. General loan loss reserve: P 590,564,276

5. Specific loan loss reserve: P647,984,242 6. Return on equity (ROE): 8.94% 7. DOSRI loans/advances and ratio to total loan portfolio: None 8. Past due DOSRI loans/advances and ratio to total portfolio: None 9. Deposit for Future Subscription is recognized as Equity per BSP Circular No. 762 pending SEC approval REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) We, Marlon M. Pernez, Vice-President - Comptroller and Atsushi Murakami, President of the above-mentioned NBQB, do solemnly swear that all matters set forth in the statement of condition are true and correct to the best of our knowledge and belief.

(Sgd.) MARLON M. PERNEZ Vice-President - Comptroller

(Sgd.) ATSUSHI MURAKAMI President

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 21st day of July 2017, affiants exhibiting to me their SSS No. 03-9877612-7 issued at Manila and Passport No. TZ1056363 issued at Japan.

Doc. No. 293 Page No. 59 Book No. XIV Series of 2017

(Sgd.) TEODORO D. VILLAPEÑA, JR. Notary Public for Makati City Appointment No. M-427/until 31 Dec. 2017 42/F GT Tower Int’l Ayala Avenue corner Dela Costa Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City IBP No. 1056271-01/04/17-Batangas PTR No. 5909853-01/04/17-Makati MCLE Compliance No. V-0016626 Roll No. 47647

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

B4

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017

Business

Oil extends rally on Saudi pledge O

IL extended gains toward $47 a barrel as Saudi Arabia promised deep cuts to crude exports next month to help ease a global glut.

UPBEAT IN KOREA. A woman looks at socks for sale at a shopping district in Seoul on July 25, 2017. South Korea’s economy is set

to grow at its fastest rate in three years, the country’s finance ministry said on July 25, days after the government passed a $10 billion stimulus package aimed at creating jobs and bolstering welfare. AFP

Michael Kors buys Jimmy Choo for $1.2b LONDON―US fashion brand Michael Kors on Tuesday agreed to buy British shoemaker to the stars Jimmy Choo for almost ₠ 900 million ($1.2 billion, 1.0 billion euros).

Jimmy Choo―whose celebrity fans include Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Nicole Kidman and Kate Middleton―is the “ideal partner” for the US handbag and clothing maker, it said in a statement.

“The boards of directors of Michael Kors Holdings Limited and Jimmy Choo plc are pleased to announce that they have reached agreement on the terms

Indian stocks soar to records MUMBAI, India―India’s stock markets hit record highs on Tuesday with the National Stock Exchange’s muchwatched Nifty index breaking the psychological 10,000-point mark for the first time as traders take heart from economic reforms.

The Nifty, which is made up of 50 of India’s top companies across more than a dozen sectors, rose 0.45 percent, or 44.90 points, to hit 10,011.30 shortly after opening.

That came as the Bombay Stock Exchange’s Sensex index extended its golden run, rising 0.39 percent, or 128.43 points, to 32,374.30, also an all-time high as Indian equities enjoy a months-long rally.

The two markets have piled on 20 percent this year―outperforming most other global markets, including in Japan and the United States as confidence is boosted by reforms to Asia’s third-largest economy.

Experts say Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s moves to improve the ease of doing business, coupled with stable inflation and a general pickup in worldwide sentiment is fueling the boom.

“Local and global factors are combining to create a peculiarly powerful rally in Indian stocks,” Saurabh Mukherjea, the CEO of Ambit Capital, told AFP. The BSE is Asia’s oldest stock market and was established in 1875 while the NSE’s Nifty index was launched in 1996, although it has been growing in importance. AFP

of a recommended cash acquisition,” it added.

The cash deal was pitched at 230 pence per share and values Jimmy Choo―which floated on the London Stock Exchange in 2014―at about ₠896 million.

“Michael Kors believes it is the ideal partner for Jimmy Choo and is well positioned to support Jimmy Choo’s continued growth,” it noted.

“Michael Kors intends to apply the experiences, infrastructure and capabilities that it has developed as a company over the course of its own worldwide growth as a luxury fashion brand

to support the growth of Jimmy Choo.”

Michael Kors has secured the backing of Luxembourg-based investment firm and majority shareholder JAB Luxury, which holds 67.66 percent of Jimmy Choo.

The London-listed group will retain its current management team including chief executive Pierre Denis.

“We believe that Jimmy Choo is poised for meaningful growth in the future and we are committed to supporting the strong brand equity that Jimmy Choo has built over the last 20 years,” said John Idol, chairman and

chief executive of Michael Kors.

The London-listed luxury shoemaker had put itself up for sale in April as part of a strategic review.

The agreed takeover bid represented a premium of 36.5 percent on the closing share price on April 21.

“A combination with Michael Kors will allow Jimmy Choo to embark on its next phase of growth and provide opportunities for the benefit of Jimmy Choo customers, employees, shareholders and other stakeholders,” added the British firm’s chairman Peter Harf. AFP

Futures in New York added as much as 0.8 percent after rising 1.3 percent Monday. Saudi Arabia will cap shipments at 6.6 million barrels a day in August, 1 million lower than a year earlier, Energy and Industry Minister Khalid Al-Falih said in St. Petersburg, Russia.

US crude stockpiles probably fell for a fourth week through July 21, according to a Bloomberg survey before government data Wednesday.

Oil remains in a bear market amid concern rising global output will offset curbs by members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies. Nigeria and Libya, exempt from the deal to reduce supply, will be allowed to continue boosting production to their desired levels, Al-Falih said after a technical committee meeting tasked with monitoring compliance to cuts.

“The market is going to focus squarely on two things― whether Opec will back up its rhetoric, and what’s going to happen with US production,” said David Lennox, a Sydneybased resource analyst at Fat Prophets. “Prices are probably going to sit in this $45 to $50 a barrel region and consolidate.”

West Texas Intermediate for September delivery gained as much as 36 cents to $46.70 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, and was at $46.58 at 3:32 p.m. in Hong

Kong. Total volume traded was about 32 percent below the 100-day average. Prices rose 57 cents to $46.34 on Monday.

Brent for September settlement climbed as much as 36 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $48.96 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. Prices rose 54 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $48.60 on Monday. The global benchmark crude traded at a premium of $2.26 to WTI. Saudi Arabia won’t act alone to balance the market and other nations should improve their implementation of supply cuts, Al-Falih said Monday. When Opec holds its next full ministerial meeting in November, it may need to discuss extending the supply cuts further, United Arab Emirates Minister of Energy Suhail Al Mazrouei said in a Bloomberg television interview.

US crude stockpiles probably dropped by 3.1 million barrels last week, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey before an Energy Information Administration report Wednesday.

Halliburton Co., promising to be disciplined in adding more fracking gear to the oilfields, says US explorers are “tapping the brakes” on drilling as the price of oil struggles to breach $50 a barrel. Bloomberg

Japan’s sake makers try to lure foreign wine drinkers

By Aya Takada and Hiromi Horie BREWERY executive Kosuke Kuji brought his best sake to a New York booze showcase 16 years ago hoping to promote high-end Japanese rice wine to a new generation of sophisticated foreign drinkers. They were a little disappointed.

It wasn’t that sake from his Nanbu-Bijin brewery failed to live up to its rating back home as Junmai-Daiginjo, the name given to premium grade vintages. But for aficionados of traditional grapebased wines, the local appellation that produces the main ingredient can be almost as important as the final product―think Napa Valley in California, Bordeaux in France, or Chianti in Italy.

Back in 2001, most of the rice used in Nanbu-Bijin sake came from the prefecture of Hyogo.

That’s 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) south of where the beverage was made in Iwate, on the northern tip of Japan’s main island of Honshu. So when a sommelier at the New York event learned from Kuji where the ingredients came from, the American wine expert seemed let down that the sake wasn’t a more artisanal product.

“He wanted sake made from locally grown rice, just as he likes wine out of its vineyard,” Kuji, the 45-year-old president of Nanbu-Bijin, said in an interview at his brewery in Ninohe City.

For Kuji, the experience showed the importance of what’s known in the wine-making world as terroir. It’s a word that the industry uses as a mark of unique regional characteristics and farming practices. The designation also can enhance the value and the appeal of different vintages.

After he got home to Japan, Kuji began a collaboration with farmers in Iwate to develop and produce a rice variety exclusively for the family-run brewery.

A member of the Japan Awasake Association displays bottles of sparkling sake including the Nanbu Bijin Asa Wake Sparkling, on June 28, 2017. Bloomberg

Now, about a third of NanbuBijin sake is made from local grain―just in time for a surge in Japanese exports that is helping to offset a drop in domestic consumption.

Last year, Nanbu-Bijin generated about 100 million yen ($903,000) in foreign sales, or 15 percent of the brewer’s total revenue. That’s up from zero two decades ago, and Kuji says he’s targeting 30 percent of sales in five years.

“In overseas markets, consumers who love to drink wine also show interest in tasting sake,” Kuji said.

Sake is becoming more appealing to wine fans outside of Japan, Kuji said. But to keep winning converts, the industry needs to adopt the terminology

and promotional techniques of traditional vintners, he said. One example would be developing pairings with specific foods, kind of like how wine makers pitch reds with meat and whites with fish.

“When I drink a glass of sake, I can think of the best French food to have with it,” said Olivier Huet, a 45-year-old Frenchman who was qualified as a sake sommelier in 2015 by Sake Service Institute in Tokyo. “As Europeans love to have sushi and white wine, they should want to try sake with cheese.”

Finding Match Kuji isn’t alone. Brewers across Japan are looking to boost foreign sales and are shifting the way they make and sell sake, particularly in the north-

east region known as Tohoku, the largest rice-growing region and a major sake producer.

The Agriculture Ministry began a “Tohoku Sake Terroir Project” that matches brewers and farmers to develop new products. The program is intended to help revitalize a region hit hard by the record earthquake and tsunami that caused a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant in 2011.

Domestic consumption of rice and sake has been declining as Japan’s population ages and the number of people in the country shrinks. Consumers also are eating more Western foods. To support domestic farmers, the government set a target in 2013 of more than quadrupling exports of rice and rice-based products

to 60 billion yen by 2020.

In the 12 months through March 2016, sake consumption in Japan was 556 million liters, down 67 percent from a peak in 1976 of 1.68 billion liters, according to the National Tax Agency. Rice demand is down 37 percent at 8.41 million tons, compared with the peak in 1963, according to the Agriculture Ministry.

Export Boom Sake exports expanded 156 percent to a record 15.6 billion yen in 2016 from 6.1 billion yen a decade earlier, government data show.

The US was the largest importer last year at 5.2 billion yen, followed by Hong Kong and South Korea. In the same period, rice exports rose to 2.7 billion yen from 1.2 billion yen. Bloomberg

LGUs

Manila SWAT officers sacked

METRO Manila police director Oscar Albayalde ordered the immediate relief of two members of Manila Police District Special Weapon and Tactics Unit who were involved in a scuffle and indiscriminate firing inside a karaoke bar in Manila early Monday.

The police officers―SPO2 Ryan Ymzon Marcelo and PO1 Ramadas Tonducan Mucas―are now on floating status at the National Capital Region Police Office-Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City.

Criminal and administrative charges will be filed against the two policemen.

Albayalde earlier ordered the Regional Investigation and Detection Management Division-PreCharge Section to investigate and sanction Marcelo and Mucas following a complaint against them.

“The NCRPO have no place for these policemen,” said Albayalde, emphasizing that his office does not tolerate any misdeed and wrong doing of every police officer.

Since July 2016, the NCRPO has charged administratively 1,274 police personnel, dismissed 75, suspended 280, and reassigned 393 outside Metro Manila.

Two months ago, Albayalde ordered the dismissal from the service of all Metro Manila police personnel involved in illegal activities and those who went absent without official leave at the time President Rodrigo Duterte ordered them to be deployed in Mindanao.

The move is part of the Internal Cleansing Program of the NCRPO aims to instill discipline, build ethics, and evaluate the commitment level of each police officer to their sworn duties.

“The Internal Cleansing is an integral part of a progressive process; we must see to it that we discipline our subordinate and even ourselves.

While we lead our men, we also make sure that their actions are guarded and in consonance with our organizational values,” said Albayalde.

Last February, several police officers, who were among the erring cops reassigned to Mindanao due to their alleged involvement in illegal activity and other abuses, went AWOL. Joel E. Zurbano

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017

C1

‘Keep eye on condo tenants’ M

By Joel E. Zurbano

AKATI City Mayor Abigail Binay on Tuesday appealed to condominium owners and managers to exercise due diligence in accepting tenants and come up with security measures to prevent drug trafficking and other related illegal activities in their areas.

Binay’s appeal came on the heels of a raid inside a high-end condominium in Barangay Belair where P2 million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as “shabu,” ecstasy pills and drug paraphernalia were seized.

“This incident should serve

as a wake-up call to landlords and managers of private condominiums in Makati. I hope you will now be more thorough in screening prospective tenants to ensure that they are law-abiding citizens. It would also be prudent to implement tighter security measures in your buildings,

such as a surveillance system that can promptly detect and monitor suspicious activities,” Binay said.

Aside from their duty to ensure the safety of all tenants, the mayor said condominium owners should also keep in mind that the reputation of their business is at stake.

“In your line of business, trust is of paramount importance to clients. Any hint of involvement in criminal activities, especially illegal drugs, would make current and prospective tenants feel less secure,” added Binay.

Joint operatives from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine National Police raided Unit 841, Tower D of Jazz Residences on Monday night.

The authorities arrested the condo unit tenant identified as one Joan Cuachon, who was also tested positive for drug use.

The suspect is now detained at the PDEA holding center in Quezon City and will be criminally charged.

Binay commended both the PDEA and PNP for their continuing crackdown against the illegal drug trade, and reiterated her administration’s zero-tolerance policy on illegal drugs.

“We are serious about making Makati a drug-free city. While we are thankful for the vigilance of the police and PDEA, we also would like to remind our barangay officials they are our first line of defense against the drug menace.

Please, be consistently watchful of your communities and ensure that the drug trade does not flourish right in your midst,” she said.

The city government recently spearheaded a series of capacity building programs aimed at raising the level of competence of the city’s law enforcers and force multipliers in conducting the citywide campaign against illegal drugs.

Binay said with more competent and capable enforcers, lapses in operational procedure and filing of cases, including the mishandling of evidence, could be avoided.

The capacity building program is under the 2017 Peace and Order Public Safety plan of the city.

CENTENARIAN AID. Dionisia

Borja of Dupax del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya, one of two recent centenarians in the province, is presented a P100,000 incentive check from the provincial government through its centenarian ordinance.

Awarding the check are Vice Governor Epifanio Lambert Galima Jr. (left) and Provincial Administrator Maybelle Dumlao Sevillena (right), with Borja’s family as witnesses.

Ben Moses Ebreo

Sara cancels Mega Harbour reclamation project Herbert off to Japan for gab

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera

DAVAO CITY―Mayor Sara Duterte has canceled the multibillion-peso Mega Harbour coastline reclamation project, fearing it will affect the city’s environment.

In a statement, Duterte said the city government has reviewed the project for over a year, balancing the benefits of the project and its effect on the environment, since it will be set

up in the 200-hectare coastline area of the city.

“The decision came after more than a year of careful review and study of the available documents, and after weighing out the intentions of the project against its commercial viability, its legal and social implications, and the projects possible effects to the environment,” the mayor said.

The project proponent, Mega Harbour Port Development

Inc., had allocated P39 billion for the construction of the coastline development that was previously approved during the term of the previous mayor― current President Rodrigo Duterte, Sara’s father.

She said her administration’s decision to terminate the joint venture agreement is coupled with a resolve that the city can really move forward and answer the call of economic growth by implementing highly sustainable

projects, both commercially and environmentally.

“We understand that there are various legal repercussions ancillary to this decision, and the Davao City Government is ready to answer them in the proper forum,” Duterte said.

The mayor also assured Dabawenyos that the paramount consideration of her decision “was all for the welfare and the future of Davao City.”

Duterte is a known ocean

lover, a reason why she had nicknamed her children after sea creatures.

The mayor already had reservations toward the Mega Harbour project—which was an unsolicited offer by the firm headed

by Victor Songco—and earlier this year made some changes to the project agreement, particularly the increase in the city’s share of the reclaimed area and of shouldering all the rehabilitation works in the affected areas.

QC seeks CoA aid on La Loma revamp

By Rio N. Araja THE Quezon City government has asked the Commission on Audit if it could use P8 million of its public funds to include a portion of a century-old cockpit arena in the redevelopment of the La Loma district.

In an interview, Pedro Rodriguez Jr., officer in charge of the City Planning and Development Office, said the physical improvement of a portion of the private cockpit is needed to be able to completely transform La Loma into a tourist destination.

Besides, the cockpit has historical value, Rodriguez said.

It could have given birth to “Mang Tomas” delos Reyes― a famed lechon roaster whose name has been used as a brand of a popular dipping sauce―as early as in the 1900s, or “100 years ago, and not 67 years ago as believed,” he added.

“Much as we want to develop a part of the cockpit into a parking space and a monumental plaza, we still cannot do so. The problem is the Commission on Audit,” Rodriguez told the Manila Standard.

“How can we spend money for [the development of] a private property?”

In a July 18 letter, Rosa dela Cruz, State Auditor V with the CoA, told Rodriguez that under Section 305(b) of Republic Act 760 or the Local Government Code and Section 4(2) of Presidential Decree 1445 or the State Audit Code of the Philippines, “government funds or property shall be spent or used for public purposes.”

“As explained in PD 1445, to constitute as public purpose, the benefit must be bestowed upon those who will enjoy it as members of the public, and not as individuals,” Dela Cruz added.

POWER PUNCH. Former Laguna governor Jeorge ER Ejercito Estregan poses with actor-friends Robin Padilla (left) and Rommel Padilla (right) as they attended President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s second State of the Nation Address on Monday at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City. Roy Tomandao

QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista will present in Yokohama, Japan the city’s success in climate change mitigation, leaving yesterday to participate in the 9th International Forum for Sustainable Asia and the Forum that opened Tuesday.

Bautista is one of the resource persons in the forum’s plenary session, titled “From Good Practices to Great Transformations: How can the SDGs Bring Scalable Change to Asia?”

The forum organizer, the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, described Bautista as “a pioneer and progressive advocate of solutions for environment issues and climate change.”

“Under his leadership, Quezon City became the first city in the Philippines to implement a green building ordinance, enforcing sustainable building designs throughout the city. He is leading the city to reduce its carbon footprint through the shift of public facilities towards alternative energy sources, wider installation of systems for resource reuse, and restrictions in the use of non-biodegradable materials,” an article posted on the organizer’s official website read. Rio N. Araja

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

Manila

Standard WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017 C2 TODAY

Cavite leaders take PDP-Laban oath L EADERS of Cavite province, led by Gov. Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, former governor Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla Jr and Vice Gov. Ramon “Jolo” Revilla III, recently led the mass oathtaking ceremony of the new members of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan administered by Senate President Koko Pimentel at the Sofitel Hotel Grand Ballroom in Pasay City.

Most political clans in the province were present in the ceremony.

They included the Revillas of Bacoor City led by Rep. Strike Revilla, the Ferrers of General Trias City led by Rep. Luis “Jon Jon” Ferrer IV, the Barzagas of Dasmarinas City led by Rep. Jenny Barzaga, the Loyolas of Carmona, the Tolentinos of Tagaytay City led by Rep. Bambol Tolentino, and the Chuas of Cavite City and Noveleta town.

Only one out of Cavite’s 23 mayors and one out of seven congressmen were not present in the oathtaking rites.

Senator Pimentel also led the oath taking of all Cavite board members of the province’s seven districts and all councilors of Cavite led by ex-oficio Board Member Kerby Salazar.

“We see here that Cavite’s leaders are united in one goal, to improve the lives of every Caviteño,” Ferrer said.

Also present at the ceremony were mayors Totie Paredes (Cavite City), Yuri Pacumio (Tanza), Manny Maliksi (Imus), Omil Poblete (Silang), Dr. Dahlia Loyola (Carmona), Eric Vida (MendezNunez), Perfecto Fidel (Indang),

ANNEX F PUBLIC INFORMATION SHEET FOR DIRECT USE AS FOOD AND FEED, OR FOR PROCESSING PROPOSAL FOR DIRECT USE AS FOOD AND FEED, OR FOR PROCESSING OF Provitamin A Biofortified GR2E Rice 1.

Applicant’s Name Philippines Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) —and— International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

2.

Applicant’s Address PhilRice Central Experimental Station Maligaya, Science City of Munoz, 3119 Nueva Ecija,Philippines —and— International Rice Research Institute, Pili Drive, UPLB, Los Baños, 4031, Laguna, Philippines

3

Dr. D.J. MacKenzie: Telephone: +1 (202) 695-0436/ Facsimile: +1 (202) 478-0755 E-Mail: d.mackenzie@irri.org 4. Name of Responsible Officer/ Authorized Representative Responsible Officers: Dr. Sailila E. Abdula, Executive Director, PhilRice —and— Dr. Matthew Morell, Director General, IRRI

Telephone Number/ Facsimile Number, E-Mail Address of the Applicant Dr. Roel Suralta:Telephone:+63 444560112/ Facsimile: +63 444560112 E-Mail: rrsmfs@yahoo.com

Authorized Representatives: Dr. Roel Suralta Golden Rice Project Leader, PhilRice -andDr. Donald J. MacKenzie, Regulatory Affairs & Stewardship Leader, Golden Rice, IRRI

Cavite 2nd District Rep. Strike Revilla (inset) asks fellow lawmakers during the opening of the second regular session of Congress to pose with a ‘peace’ sign, ahead of the second State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday. ‘The peace sign can also mean victory in good governance and peace,’ said Rep. Revilla.

Junio Dualan (Naic), and Herminio Lindo (Ternate).

Earlier, Senior Supt. Arthur V. Bisnar, Police Provincial Director, ordered a full-alert status in Cavite ahead of President Duterte’s second State of the Nation Address, in an effort to control protesters heading to Metro Manila from the province.

Bisnar directed police to activate “Strong Security Control Points” in identified major thoroughfares go-

ing to Manila, particularly at MCX Daang Hari, Bacoor City, Cavite, Cavitex Kawit, Cavite and Governors Drive in Carmona.

“This is to check individuals and motorists entering Manila and intercept the movement of rallyists and threat groups in order to thwart their planned activities that may disrupt the event,” a Cavite police statement said.

Police assigned to the provincial

By Ben Moses Ebreo DIADI, Nueva Vizcaya—Public and private agencies are pouring in sizable funds for the development of the Lower Magat EcoTourism Park in Barangay San Luis here.

Nequita Castro, park manager, said its recent completed development project was the P3 million ticketing and briefing house.

She said development funds are

being provided to the LMETP as an alternative eco-tourism attraction in the province. It has been living up to its investments raising “huge income.”

“For the first semester of this year alone, we were able to raise more than 50 percent of our target income for this year. LMETP has proven itself as one of the major income generators for our province,” Castro said.

The provincial government has

ERRORS & OMISSIONS

N OTICE

6.

If to be imported, Country (ies) of Origin of the Regulated Article The Philippines is the intended country of cultivation of GR2E rice and is the country of origin. Therefore, the use of GR2E rice in food, feed, or for processing will only occur following propagation approval in the Philippines.

Notice is hereby given that 8990 HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, with office address at 8990 Corporate Center, Negros St., Cebu Business Park, Cebu City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as New Developer of Economic and Low-cost Housing Project (Deca Homes Mulig) with a capacity of 1,590 economic and low-cost house and lot units on a non-pioneer status, with project site located at Brgy. Mulig, Toril District, Davao City.

7.

Brief Summary of Potential Effects on Human and Animal Health and the Environment (summarize human and animal health and environmental assessments done and studies implemented indicating potential effects on human and animal health and the environment)

Any person with valid objection/s on the above-mentioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

GR2E rice is intended to complement existing efforts to mitigate vitamin A deficiency by supplying consumers in societies whose diet is primarily rice-based with a portion of the estimated average requirement for vitamin A.

The safety assessment of GR2E rice considered information on the history of safe use of rice as a crop, the source of donor genes introduced into GR2E rice, the genetics of the modified plant, safety of new proteins produced in the modified plant and their expression levels, and nutrient composition of GR2E rice compared to conventional rice.

Genetic analysis of GR2E rice confirmed that the trait was stable and passed to offspring in the same manner as other varietal characteristics.

The newly expressed proteins in GR2E rice are non-toxic and non-allergenic, based on a tiered “weight-of-evidence” approach followed in food and feed safety assessment.

The development of GR2E rice was only intended to increase levels of provitamin A (primarily ß-carotene) in the milled rice. Compositional analyses were performed on samples of rice grain and straw obtained from GR2E rice and its conventional rice counterpart. Except for ß-carotene and related carotenoids, there were no meaningful differences in the compositional parameters measured between samples from GR2E rice and the conventional rice counterpart. Concentrations of key nutrients were within or similar range of natural variability of those components in conventional rice varieties with a history of safe consumption. Other than the intended production of provitamin A, GR2E rice was found to be compositionally equivalent to conventional rice.

Beta-carotene is the major carotenoid present in the human diet and is an effective source of vitamin A in both conventional foods and vitamin supplements.

It is generally considered virtually nontoxic and there are no reports of adverse effects arising from the consumption of naturally-occurring ß-carotene in food.

Taken together, the studies performed for GR2E rice did not identify any potential health and safety concerns and demonstrated that food and/or livestock animal feed derived from conventional rice varieties, and will be a good source of vitamin A.

8.

(SGD.) JOY JOSETTE L. LACHICA Officer-In-Charge Infrastructure and Services Industries Service (MS-JULY 26, 2017)

Persistent vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of childhood blindness and increases the risk of death from common childhood infections.

Despite significant progress since 2003, vitamin A deficiency remains a serious public health nutrition problem in the Philippines, particularly among preschool age children where the prevalence ranges from 19.6 percent for 1–5-year olds up to 27.9 percent for children under one year of age.

GR2E rice is intended to complement existing vitamin A deficiency control efforts, such as food fortification, vitamin A supplements, and dietary diversification, by supplying up to 30–50 percent of the estimated average requirement for vitamin A for preschool age children and pregnant or lactating mothers.

9.

Countries Where Approvals Have Been Granted (for FFP; for Commercial Propagation)

Republic of the Philippines Philippine Rural Development Project Invitation for Rebidding of the Construction of Bridge at Bagong Silang-Macatoc FMR Identification No. PRDP-IB-R04B-ORM-005-000-000-2014-R2 Loan No. 8421-PH July 26, 2017 1.

The Government of the Philippines (GoP) has received a Loan from the World Bank towards the cost of Philippine Rural Development Project and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this Loan to payments under the contract for the Construction of Bridge at Bagong Silang-Macatoc FMR/PRDP-IB-R04BORM-005-000-000-2014-R2.

2.

The Provincial Government of Oriental Mindoro, implementing partner of Department of Agriculture, now invites bids for the Construction of Bridge at Bagong Silang-Macatoc FMR. Completion of the works is required by 270 calendar days. Bidders should have completed, within the last five (5) years, 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 in accordance with relevant procedures for open competitive bidding as specified in the IRR of RA 9184, with some amendments, as stated in these bidding documents and is open to all bidders from eligible source countries as defined in the applicable procurement guidelines of the World Bank. The contract shall be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during post-qualification. The Estimated Project Cost for the project is Twelve Million Eight Hundred Sixty Eight Thousand Pesos (Php12,868,000.00).

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Bids and Awards Committee of the Provincial Government of Oriental Mindoro and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00am to 4:00pm, Mondays to Fridays.

5.

Interested Bidders may purchase a complete set of Bidding Documents starting July 26, 2017 from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the bidding documents in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (Ph5,000.00).

It may also downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the PRDP website (http://www.daprdp.net) provided that bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

As part of the transparency measures being instituted by the Department of Agriculture (DA) the bidders can virtually visit the site of the above-described subproject at http://www.daprdp.net where geotagged base photographs of the bridge and track are viewable. The DA, however, requires that all potential contractors who will be awarded contract under the project shall have undergone geotagging training provided by the PRDP Project Support Office.

As of the date of this submission, GR2E rice is not approved for use in food or livestock animal feed or for propagation in any country.

The public is hereby invited to submit their comments to the BPI Director (within 60 days from date of publication) on the proposal for the direct use as food and feed, or for processing of GR2E rice.

Director Bureau of Plant Industry San Andres, Malate, Manila Telephone Number 521-1080 Fax Number 521-1080 E-Mail bpibiotechsecretariat@yahoo.com

In Classified Ads section must be brought to our attention the very day the advertisement is published.

We will not be responsible for any incorrect ads not reported to us immediately.

Section I. Invitation for Rebidding

Brief Summary of Potential Benefits (Describe how the new trait will benefit farming, the farmer, the environment, and society as a whole) Vitamin A is an essential nutrient required for normal functioning of the visual system and protection from disease and infection. In south and southeast Asian countries, where two-thirds or more of daily calories are obtained from rice, many people are battling against vitamin A deficiency due to an imbalanced diet with limited access to fresh fruit, vegetables, and animal products.

VEVENCIO R. MAMARIL, PhD OIC-Director Bureau of Plant Industry Date:

also completed the park’s flower garden while additional accommodation rooms, a conference hall, and more swimming pools will be constructed, she added.

LMETP was transformed into an eco-tourism attraction in Nueva Vizcaya after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources donated a portion of the 25,000-hectare Lower Magat Forest Reserve to the provincial government and the municipal

government of Diadi.

The area was then tapped as a venue for weekly tree planting and regular fun and recreation centers of officials and employees of the provincial government.

The weekly tree planting succeeded in increasing the number of trees in the forest. Construction of huts and cottages of offices of the provincial government within the 1.4-hectare LMETP eventually followed.

P182-m all-weather bridge for Baggao

By Jessica M. Bacud TUGUEGARAO CITY—A 270-meter bridge project that will facilitate countryside development in Cagayan Province is now in progress, Department of Public Works and Highways Regional Director Melanio C. Briosos said Tuesday.

Briosos said construction of the P182-million Tallang bridge project has started in Baggao town, located in the heart of Cagayan.

“The construction of the permanent all-weather structure will provide convenience in transporting agricultural and commercial products to major economic hubs in urban areas and other neighboring provinces,” Briosos said.

The Tallang bridge along Baybayog-Baggao-Dalin-Sta.

Margarita Road will connect the less-developed barangays of Baggao to nearby urban centers, he added. It would spur rapid growth in terms of economic and tourism activities in the rural area.

Baggao is endowed with vast natural resources an untapped tourist attractions.

Engineer Jose Tobias, Chief of the DPWH-2 Construction Division, said the bridge will have nine spans across the Paranan River with a carriageway width of 7.32 meters, with both abutments and eight piers utilizing bored piles as foundation at a cost of P182,095,303.86.

Tobias said the erection of the bridge will also enable growth in employment, business, and trade and promote peace and order in the area.

IN BRIEF Minor is suspect in rape-murder of girl SAN JOSE DEL MONTE, Bulacan―Less than a month after a much-publicized massacre of five family members inside North Ridge Royal Subdivision in Barangay Sto. Cristo here, another rape-murder case involving a five-year-old girl was reported and solved by the police over the weekend.

Supt. Fitz Macariola, SJDM City police chief, said a 13-yearold suspect has been arrested. The suspect is a student and a resident of Verde Heights Subdivision in Barangay Kaypian.

The lifeless body of the victim was found in a grassy portion inside Verde Heights, wrapped in a sack and tied with a cable wire, at around 7:30 p.m. Saturday evening. The victim apparently died of strangulation.

Police investigators said the victim’s neck was also tied with a bag strap, believed to have been used to strangle the girl. The suspect was identified through camera footage from the subdivision security, which enabled the police to arrest the teenager. He was brought to the SJDM police station, accompanied by his father. Orlan Mauricio

6.

The Provincial Government of Oriental Mindoro will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on August 14, 2017 at 10:00 AM at the 2nd Floor Governor`s Office Conference Room, Provincial Capitol Complex, Camilmil, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, which shall be open to all interested parties.

Doc to Doors program launched in Noveleta

7.

Bids must be delivered on or August 29, 2017 at 10:00 AM at BAC Office, Provincial Capitol Complex, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Securing Declaration (BSD).

NOVELETA’S local government, led by Mayor Dino Reyes Chua, will launch the “Doc to Doors” program with the help of the town’s Municipal Health Unit.

The MHU is set up to do house-to-house with doctors in 16 barangays of Noveleta to facilitate the medical needs of every citizen, Chua said. Free medicines will also be given to residents.

The mayor wants to help more sick people “who are struggling to get to our MHU in the municipality for free check-ups and medical attention,” he said.

“Our government is bringing the medical service to every citizen so no one can get sick of going out of the house for treatment,” Chua added.

The town has 10 barangay health centers apart from the MHU at the municipal hall.

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.

Approved for Publication:

The establishment of checkpoints and maximum deployment of police “are just preventive measures,” he added.

Bisnar encouraged Cavite police to be vigilant at all times while they were deployed at their respective posts. Meanwhile, the public was urged to immediately report to the nearest police station or barangay any untoward incidents or threat groups monitored in their areas.

Funds pouring into N. Vizcaya ecopark

5. Description of the Regulated Article for Direct Use (mention the crop, transformation event, new trait conferred, name of the gene transferred, method of transformation, and advantages of the trait conferred) Rice event GR2E (IR-ØØGR2E-5) was developed using recombinant-DNA techniques to express elevated levels of provitamin A (mainly ß-carotene) in the rice endosperm, which is converted in the body to vitamin A. GR2E rice was produced by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of embryogenic rice calli with plasmid pSYN12424 resulting in the introduction of the phytoene synthase (psy1) gene from Zea mays (Zmpsy1), the carotene desaturase I (crtI) gene from Pantoea ananatis, and the phosphomannose isomerase (pmi) gene from Escherichia coli as a selectable marker.

headquarters were downloaded to the different police stations to complement the deployment of police visibility patrols in places of convergence and other areas of concern.

At least 50 personnel of the Cavite PPO were send to the National Capital Region Police Office to augment the contingent for Civil Disturbance Management at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City, Bisnar said.

8.

The Provincial Government of Oriental Mindoro 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.

9.

For further information, please refer to: ENGR. ELMER V. DILAY Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee Provincial Capitol Complex, Calapan City (043) 286 7144 (SGD) ENGR. ELMER V. DULAY Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee

(MS-JULY 26, 2017)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

World IN BRIEF 10 Afghan reporters killed in first half KABUL―At least 10 journalists were killed in Afghanistan in the first half of 2017, a 35 percent surge from last year, a media watchdog said Tuesday, with rampant violence on the rise in the wartorn country.

Taliban militants and the Islamic State group were behind most of the “direct and indirect” attacks on media workers in Afghanistan, the Afghan Journalists’ Safety Committee said in a new report.

“In the first six months of 2017, 73 cases of violence against journalists were recorded, including 10 cases of killings, 19 beatings and 12 injured,” the report said.

“Insurgent groups in provinces threaten journalists to self-censorship by telling them to either broadcast what they want or shutdown their stations,” Najib Sharifi, the director of AJSC, told reporters.

The Afghan government accounted for 46 percent of violence against journalists in the first half of the year, limiting access to information and creating challenging conditions for the media, he added.

If the violence continues at the same pace, Afghanistan is on track for another record year of fatal attacks on journalists.

Last year the country suffered its deadliest year on record for journalists, according to AJSC, with at least 13 media workers killed―10 by the Taliban. That made it the second most dangerous place for reporters in the world after Syria. AFP

India court to consider abortion plea NEW DELHI―Doctors on Wednesday will examine a 10-year-old raped by her uncle as India’s top court considers whether she should be allowed to have an abortion despite strict laws.

The girl’s parents went to the Supreme Court after their appeal to abort the 26week fetus was rejected by a lower authority, despite warnings her body was not ready for childbirth.

Indian law does not allow medical terminations after 20 weeks unless there is a threat to the mother’s life.

But the Supreme Court agreed to hear the appeal, ordering doctors to conduct a medical examination and report back before a ruling is given on Friday.

The girl’s pregnancy was only discovered recently after her parents took her to hospital complaining of stomach pain.

Indian courts have considered many pleas from rape victims seeking permission to terminate pregnancies following abuse.

In many cases, the women only discovered they were pregnant when late in their term.

In May the top court allowed a 10-year-old rape victim from the northern state of Haryana to abort her nearly 21-week fetus.

India has a grim record of sexual assaults on minors, with 20,000 cases of rape or sexual assaults reported in 2015, according to government data.

A UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2014 said one in three rape victims in India was a minor and expressed alarm at the widespread sexual abuse of children.

Almost 50 percent of the abusers are known to the victims.

Sex―whether consensual or otherwise―with a person aged below 18 is considered rape in India. AFP

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017

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Women cops take a stand J

AIPUR, India-All-female police units are shaking up the male-dominated force in conservative northwest India, hitting the streets to combat sex crimes and a pervasive culture of silence around rape.

POSE. NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik, right, ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli, left, and Russian cosmonaut commander Sergei Ryazansky pose in front of a Soyuz MS-05 in an assembling department at the Russian leased Kazakh Baikonur cosmodrome. AFP

TV ban lifted ahead of Park’s sentencing SEOUL―South Korea’s Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted a ban on the filming of trials, opening the possibility of live TV coverage of the sentencing of disgraced president Park Geun-Hye and Samsung heir Lee Jae-Yong.

At a rare meeting of justices presided over by Chief Justice Yang Sung-Tae, the court adopted new regulations on the filming of trials, effective August 1.

“With the amendment, live TV coverage of lower court and appeals court sentencings will be permitted”, it said.

The measure will help enhance the “people’s right to know”, it added.

Supreme Court spokesman Judge Cho Byung-Koo told AFP the move gives lower and appeal court judges a free hand in deciding whether to allow live TV coverage of verdicts and sentencings.

“If the courts decide in favor of allowing live transmissions on the grounds of public interest, the deci-

sion will overrule protests from the accused”, he said.

“But at moments of sentencing, TV cameras will be ordered to be angled to show the judge only, not the accused”, he said.

Following the decision, it is widely expected that live TV coverage of Park’s sentencing, expected in October, and Samsung heir Lee will be available.

The decision came after a groundswell of public opinion calling for live broadcasts in key trials such as those of Park and Lee. The Supreme Court has only allowed live online streaming for its own rulings so far.

Park, 65, has been on trial over a sprawling corruption scandal that saw millions take to the streets and led to her downfall.

She was impeached by parliament in December after mass demonstrations demanding her removal over a scandal centered on her long-time friend Choi Soon-Sil and implicating

some of the country’s top businessmen.

Park was detained soon after her dismissal and indicted on 18 charges including bribery, coercion and abuse of power for offering governmental favors to tycoons.

On her most serious count, Park is accused of taking or seeking bribes totaling 59.2 billion won ($52 million) for Choi or herself, most of which went to non-profit foundations which Choi controlled.

At Lee’s trial Tuesday, prosecutors said Park and Lee secretly met unaccompanied three times―in 2014, 2015 and last year―and discussed bribes in return for policy favors including government support for Lee’s succession to the business empire of his bed-ridden father Lee Kun-Hee. But Lee’s lawyers dismissed the allegations as “groundless assumptions”.

Lee’s verdict and sentence is expected to come late August. AFP

One such squad in Jaipur has been patrolling bus stops, colleges and parks where women are vulnerable to sexual harassment.

Women can face a barrage on India’s streets, enduring everything from lewd jokes and strangers following them―often dismissed as innocent “Eve teasing”―to physical attacks and rape.

“The message we want to send out is that we have zero tolerance towards crimes against women,” said Kamal Shekhawat, who heads the specialist Jaipur unit established in late May. India has a gruesome record on sex crimes, with nearly 40,000 rapes reported every year. But the real figure is thought to be much higher, with victims wary of how their complaints will be dealt with.

India’s police force is overwhelmingly male― women make up just seven percent of officers― and activists complain that victims are often judged by their appearance, asked probing questions, or even blamed for provoking the crime.

The shame attached to rape in India’s deeply patriarchal society, and fe ar of reprisal, means many sex crimes are not reported and offenders go unpunished.

Shekhawat hopes the visible presence of female officers on the beat will encourage more women in Jaipur to report their abusers knowing they will find a sympathetic ear.

“Women police are more empathetic and victims also feel more confident and are able to communicate openly before them,” she said.

At a park in Jaipur, constable Saroj Chodhuary dismounted from her scooter and approached a group of sari-clad women to introduce herself.

“You can just make a call or even message on WhatsApp and we will be right there,” she said, clad in khaki uniform and white helmet as she passed around her details.

“Your identity will not be revealed, so you can feel free to register your complaint. If someone makes cat calls or troubles you in any way, do let us know. Don’t take law in your own hands.”

The women appear impressed by her authority― Chodhuary and her colleagues are trained in martial arts and spent months learning the law-sand relieved to know help was just a phone call away.

Radha Jhabua, a 24-year-old mother, said she wanted to complain about a neighbour stalking her but her husband feared it would bring the family a bad name.

“He told me to keep quiet and wait for the man to change his ways. I am glad we can now just send a Whatsapp message to these sisters and they will take care of the rest,” she told AFP. Seema Sahu, a 38-year-old mother of two, said she usually avoided going out at night with her daughters.

“I am so glad now these police women will be on the roads. Their very presence gives us confidence,” she said.

India faced international scrutiny over levels of violence against women following the fatal gangrape of a medical student in New Delhi in December 2012.

Laws to punish sex offenders were strengthened in the aftermath, but attacks are still widespread. In the capital New Delhi alone there were 2,199 rape cases in 2015―an average of six a day. AFP

Metal detectors removed from Jerusalem holy site JERUSALEM-Israel removed the metal detectors from a highly sensitive Jerusalem holy site before dawn on Tuesday and said they would no longer be used after their installation triggered deadly violence.

The move came in the face of intensive international diplomacy seeking to stop wider Palestinian unrest, with Israel saying it would introduce subtler security measures instead to secure the site following a fatal attack.

Muslim officials remained undecided on Tuesday morning as to whether to accept Israel’s move and end their halt to prayers at the Haram al-Sharif mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.

A work crew removed the metal detectors from one entrance to the compound in the early hours, and the cameras installed on overhead bridges in recent days were also gone, an AFP correspondent reported.

A few dozen Israeli security personnel stood quietly around the entrance, outside which Muslims have prayed for days in protest of the metal detectors.

Israel’s security cabinet took the decision to remove the detectors early on Tuesday.

They decided “to change the inspection with metal detectors

to a security inspection based on advanced technologies and other means,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.

As word spread of the decision, a few hundred Palestinians gathered to celebrate near an entrance to the mosque compound.

One person set off a firework, prompting Israeli police to use sound grenades to disperse the crowd.

Details of the advanced technologies the cabinet planned to use were not immediately clear.

“This movement is a movement of the street,” said Sheikh Raed Dana of the Waqf, the Islamic endowments organization which administers the mosque compound.

“We as the Waqf listen to the street. The street says yes and we say yes; if the street says no to the measures, we will say no,” he told AFP following the Israeli decision.

Israel installed metal detectors at entrances to the compound, which incorporates the Al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock, after an attack on July 14 that killed two policemen.

Palestinians viewed the new security measures as Israel asserting further control over the site. They refused to enter the compound in protest and prayed in the streets outside instead. AFP

SCREENING. American Screenwriter Richard LaGravenese addresses the audience during the screening of ‘A Place in the Sun: The Cinema of George Stevens’ hosted by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Metrograph at Metrograph in New York City. AFP

World

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017

US House votes to sanction Russia, Iran, North Korea W ASHINGTON― The US House of Representatives votes Tuesday to slap new sanctions against Russia, a move that limits President Donald Trump’s ability to tinker with the penalties and has also triggered uproar in Moscow and Europe.

The legislation, which is the result of a congressional compromise reached at the weekend and is aimed at punishing the Kremlin for meddling in the 2016 US presidential election and Russia’s annexation of Crimea, could end up penalizing European firms that contribute to the development of Russia’s energy sector.

New sanctions against Iran and North Korea for their actions on or testing of ballistic missiles are also included in the bill.

Key among the provisions is one that handcuffs the US president by making it difficult for him to unilaterally ease the penalties against Moscow in the future―effectively placing him under Congress’s watch.

Initially, Trump resisted the legislation. But faced with near-total consensus among Republican and Democratic lawmakers, the White House blinked.

In mid-June, the Senate voted 98-2 in favor of tough sanctions on Moscow and Tehran, but the text stalled in the House.

Now that an agreement was reached Saturday, the House vote could be similarly overwhelming.

The measure would then return to the Senate for final passage, likely before the summer break in mid-August.

The bill includes sanctions against Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which stands accused of supporting terrorism, and North Korea, for its missile tests.

“I am pleased to see the Congress work as a whole to hold Iran, Russia, and North Korea accountable for their continued destabilizing activities across the world,” Democratic Senator Robert Menendez said in a statement.

The bill also “sends a clear message to the president that Congress is prepared to act with a united voice,” he added.

While the commander in chief has called for improved relations with Russia and President Vladimir Putin, the White House has said Trump backs sanctions on Russia.

But it did not say directly that Trump would sign the bill.

“He’s going to study that legislation and see what the final product looks like,” spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters Monday on Air Force One. US lawmakers, including Republican leaders, have remained wary of the intentions of the billionaire businessmanturned-president regarding a relaxation of pressure on Putin.

Even if Trump ended up vetoing the legislation, Congress would likely be able to overcome such a blockage with a twothirds majority in each chamber. AFP

PREMIERE. Comedian Chelsea Handler, left, and Actress Aisha Tyler attend the premiere of Atomic Blonde at the Ace Theater in LA. AFP

Kushner denies Russia collusion WA S H I N G T O N ― D o n a l d Trump’s son-in-law and top White House adviser Jared Kushner denied colluding with Moscow to sway the 2016 election Monday, insisting a string of undisclosed meetings with Russian officials were “proper.”

“Let me be very clear―I did not collude with Russia, nor do I know of anyone else in the campaign who did so,” Kushner said after he testified before a congressional inquiry.

The normally camera-shy presidential aide said the contacts with then Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, a Russian financier and a Russian lawyer―who offered dirt on his father-in-law’s campaign rival Hillary Clinton―were all above board.

“The record and documents I have voluntarily provided will show that all of my actions were proper and occurred in the normal course of events of a very unique campaign.”

Kushner spent more than two hours Monday appearing before Senate investigators probing Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Both houses of Congress and the Justice Department are investigating whether Trump campaign officials colluded in that effort―which the CIA says was approved by President Vladimir Putin.

The sprawling probe has plagued and infuriated the White House since Trump took office, with many influential members of his team having failed to report their contacts with Russian officials.

Speaking on his return to the White House―where he is a senior advisor to the president―Kushner said he has not “relied” on Russian funds for his business.

He also went on the offensive, echoing Trump’s claim that the investigations are an effort by Democrats to explain away a shock election loss.

“Donald Trump had a better message and ran a smarter campaign, and that is why he won,” said Kushner, a former campaign aide.

The statement was the first time the reticent Kushner― who is married to Trump’s eldest daughter Ivanka―publicly explained his contacts with Russian officials.

Kushner is scheduled to appear before a House panel on Tuesday. AFP

Driver charged as more die in horror truck journey CHICAGO-A survivor of a horror truck journey in which 10 migrants suffocated to death has told how travelers took turns breathing through a tiny hole in a desperate bid to stay alive, US investigators said Monday.

As charges were filed against the driver who was detained in Texas near the border with Mexico, one of President Donald Trump’s cabinet secretaries denounced the “brutality” of peoplesmuggling gangs.

And two children were among a group of more than two dozen people still in hospital, suffering from heat stroke and dehydration, after an ordeal which ended in a parking lot.

The migrants were discovered in the

back of the 18-wheel truck in the early hours of Sunday in San Antonio, Texas, a two-hour drive from the US-Mexico border, when one of them approached a Walmart store employee asking for water.

The employee brought water and then called police, who found 38 people crammed in the trailer with a broken refrigeration system, parked in the baking Texas heat.

Eight people were pronounced dead at the scene and two others died later at the hospital.

The sweltering trailer may have held between 70 to 200 people, with some migrants fleeing in six SUVs that had been waiting when the truck stopped in the

parking lot, according to witness accounts given to authorities.

The document recounted a harrowing journey, with migrants having trouble breathing and some passing out in the trailer which was being driven by James Mathew Bradley Jr, age 60.

“People began hitting the trailer walls and making noise to get the driver’s attention. The driver never stopped,” according to one of the migrants interviewed, identified only as J.M.M-J. “People had a hole in the trailer wall to provide some ventilation and they started taking turns breathing from the hole.”

J.M.M-J said he was a Mexican national and part of a group of 29 people being

smuggled into the United States. He said that after crossing the border they joined 70 migrants already in the truck’s trailer.

US authorities have not released all the victims’ nationalities or names, pending notification of their families.

Mexico’s foreign ministry said four of the dead were Mexican, out of a total of 25 Mexicans riding on the truck. The other 21 remain hospitalized.

The Guatemalan foreign ministry said 20-year-old Frank Fuentes was among those killed, and his family had already been contacted to begin the process of repatriating his body.

Two other Guatemalans, one of them a minor, were hospitalized and in stable condition, the ministry said. AFP

Backlash in HK over China rail link HONG KONG―A plan for mainland border staff to be stationed on Hong Kong soil as part of a new rail link to China sparked a backlash Tuesday as concern grows about Beijing’s reach into the city.

It is illegal for mainland law enforcers to operate in semi-autonomous Hong Kong under the city’s miniconstitution, the Basic Law. But there are already concerns that Chinese operatives are working undercover after the alleged abductions of a city bookseller and a reclusive Chinese businessman.

The rail link plan comes at a time when fears are worsening that Hong Kong’s freedoms are under threat from an ever more assertive Beijing.

The high-speed connection out of the harbor front West Kowloon station is set

to open in 2018, linking to the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou 130 km away and then onto China’s national rail network.

A proposal backed by the Hong Kong government’s top advisory body Tuesday would see mainland border staff control a special immigration zone at the Hong Kong terminus.

There are already numerous transport connections between Hong Kong and the mainland, but Chinese immigration checks are done on the other side of the border.

City leader Carrie Lam insisted the new checkpoint arrangement was not a breach of the Basic Law and was designed to cut travel time.

“The crux of the matter is really to find a means that is legal to support this conve-

nience for the people of Hong Kong,” Lam told reporters.

Pro-Beijing lawmaker Priscilla Leung said such joint immigration areas were common around the world and that Hong Kong would be “leasing” the portion of land at the terminus to China.

“Outside the zone both the officers and everyone else have to obey the laws in Hong Kong,” she told AFP. But opponents say the new plan is a clear breach of the Basic Law and another sign that Hong Kong is being swallowed up by China.

Veteran lawyer and democracy advocate Martin Lee, who helped draft the Basic Law in the 1980s, said creating an exception within Hong Kong where mainland Chinese laws are enforced would set a “dangerous precedent”. AFP

FIRE APPROACHING. Mike Wright sits in a lawn chair at home in California as flames from the Detwiler fire approach. AFP

Life

TIMELESS MEETS CONTEMPORARY.

British brand dunhill presents its latest collection of menswear featuring iconic styles refreshed to meet the needs of modern men.

FASHION & BEAUTY

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017

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T

HE iconic summer style of the films To Catch a Thief and The Talented Mr. Ripley are subtly referenced for the season and within the collection, it is designed as the perfect masculine wardrobe – contemporary, effortless, timeless and interchangeable.

The look of dunhill

in summer

Suit up for the moment IN A man’s life, some of the most memorable, exciting moments are those that come unexpected. For those last minute events – whether it’s being called for duty as the best man in your best friend’s wedding or a posh summer wedding celebration out on the yacht, Marks & Spencer lets you come dressed to impress with its line of linen suits.

Perfect for the tropical weather, Marks & Spencer’s suits are made from 54 percent linen, 25 percent cotton, and 21 percent viscose, which make them must-haves for the moments. They’re light, breathable, easy to clean, and the lining is made from 100 percent polyester, giving you ease of movement and a cool, silky feel.

Stylish savants will go for the versatility of the linen suits as these can be worn for a casual night out with the boys – simply layer it on over a basic tee and jeans – or dress it up with matching trousers for the perfect polished ensemble that makes you look meticulously put together for formal occasions.

Available in light grey, beige, and sky blue, Marks & Spencer’s Linen Suits can easily be mixed-and-matched to help you stay cool, even in those last-minute plans. The singlebreasted, two-button jacket is tailored fit to your body, helping you achieve that leaner, stronger physique. Moreover, it is designed with ButtonsafeTM technology, which ensures that your buttons stay in place.

Look impeccable with Marks & Spencer’s line of linen suits and you might even get lucky finding the love of your life in the occasion.

Marks & Spencer Linen Suit in beige

Marks & Spencer Linen Suit in sky blue

Blazers, the perennial staple of the dunhill gentleman, are refreshed for summer dressing with a new, less formal unstructured silhouette. A softer shoulder, a high armhole and a shorter seat subtly update the codes of traditional British tailoring to create an enhanced silhouette of length and leanness with balanced proportions. Pure natural fibers of wool, cashmere and silk enable pieces to be breathable and crease-resistant.

Eveningwear, presented and offered as separates, accommodates the modern gentleman’s diverse needs for formal affairs. A white flyfront textured evening shirt shows its versatility, whether worn with a business suit and tie during the day or swapped with a bow tie paired with a dinner jacket easily worn in the office to any evening occasions. Beyond black ties, dinner jackets in deep burgundy and British Racing Green are adorned with smoked mother of pearl buttons, distinctly engraved with the brand’s signature engine turn pattern.

The spirit of poised informality is maintained with a focus on the polo shirt, an iconic piece for the brand directly influenced by its golfing heritage. Combining function with form, polo shirts are woven in performance driven fibers cut to a natural yet narrow body. The polo shirt perfectly embodies a more casual approach to business and leisure attire, designed to be worn under blazers or to stand alone, whether a buttonless polo shirt boasting a thin Bretton stripe or a long sleeve shirt cuff polo in a ladder knit.

Automotive outerwear with high tech closures and clasps tributes the classic protective gear of British motoring heroes, Sir Jackie Stewart and Graham Hill. A suede bomber in a new silhouette features knitted sleeves, a single-breasted Trench coat – slim-fitted with the driver in mind, and a leather collared zip front blouson jacket creates an understated minimalistic classic design.

The new cowhide leather and cotton lined “Hampstead” range of bags and accessories epitomize the elegance of the season. The collection also features the modern gentleman’s on-the-go needs, such as the softly zipped travel bag, single document case, tote, rucksack and the messenger, which is offered in timeless navy or brown.

Named after the North London village, the range where countryside meets metropolis is a perfect coming together for the dunhill man this season.

Alfred Dunhill’s leather Split Toe Derby is the hero of this season’s footwear, bench-made in a traditional artisan workshop in Northamptonshire, the home of English shoemaking. Handcrafted using a bespoke Alfred Dunhill in a classic British silhouette, each pair is carefully constructed over a six-week period requiring over two hundred individual operations. Made with a Goodyear welted construction, oak bark tanned leather sole and a unique polished patina upper, the mainstay footwear style is undoubtedly emblematic of durability, craftsmanship and timeless elegance.

In the Philippines, dunhill is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. and is located at Newport Mall, Rustan’s Makati and Rustan’s Shangri-La. Follow @ssilifeph at Instagram for more information.

Marks & Spencer’s Linen Suit in light grey is perfect for tropical weather

Life

D2

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

K

Brighten up your day with

NOWN for their timeless appeal and classic designs, Original Penguin came back in fashion in the 2000s, when young trendsetters demanded for the cult classics. This led to the birth of Original Penguin by Munsingwear, and an alliance with an international fashion house in 2003. The brand is now bigger than ever, turning into a lifestyle brand that includes suits, watches, bags, belts, hats, shoes, and women’s and kids’ collections as well.

ORIGINAL PENGUIN

In cooperation with Penguin, four sets of stylish fathers and sons have decided to share with us the reasons that make their relationships special: the Pumarens, the Del Rosarios, the Yupangcos, and the Rodriguezes.

When asked about his father’s style, Luigi Pumaren shares, “My dad style is very casual. But then he also likes wearing items that stand out. So if you notice, THE DEL ROSARIOS. Miles, Mariano, and Anton get their fix of cool outfits (for Anton) and old school, preppy styles (for Mariano) at Penguin. he has polos or shirts that are printed.

He likes wearing printed stuff.”

It isn’t hard to imagine that coach and former professional basketball player Franz Pumaren and his son Luigi bond over basketball and watching the NBA. However, the two love to go out to watch movies and eat as well. “I will always look up to him as a man of principle and values,” Luigi says, adding, “I hope to be as great of a person as he is one day.”

Mariano del Rosario and his son, Anton, also have things to say about the way each other dresses. “Anton is the epitome of cool,” Mariano shares. “This guy, I mean he’s old school you know,” Anton says, to which his father jokes, PUMAREN STYLE. Franz in an earl polo, Pilo in a gingham stretch shirt, and Luigi in printed poplin shirt Rick Yupangco with son Jaime shopping for clothes ‘Are you saying I’m old?”

“Old school in the tennis player or preppy style, and that’s what’s good with Penguin. You can go preppy one day but then you can mix it up with a plaid shirt, for example. You can even go street with it,” Anton clarifies.

Having a son of his own, Anton shares that he wants to pass down to him the values his father taught him: “He told us not to be scared to fight the battles, and just go past it. I guess that’s what he instilled in us, this fighting spirit. We try hard and we push; I think that’s why we’ve become successful as athletes.”

When asked about what he likes most about the style of his father, real estate developer Rick Yupangco, the young Jaime quickly replies, “Jackets!” Although he has a lot more to say when asked about what he likes most about his father: “I like it when he helps me, or when we ride roller coasters and stuff.”

The two agreed that they both bond over their sense of adventure.

“What do I want to pass on to him?

It’s really just to have a personal relationship with Christ, to know who God is. And also, to always have that passion to do what he likes to do and just go after it,” Rick shares.

On his style, businessman Marco Rodriguez shares, “My father has a very conservative fashion style and likes to stick to the classics. I’ve definitely taken after him but have likewise grown to be experimental over the years. Being married to a fashion designer has made me adopt more color and prints in my wardrobe!”

Marco’s father has definitely left an impact on his son, and not just in terms of style. He says he hopes to pass down to his son the values that his father had taught him, specifically hard work and resiliency.

His son, on the other hand, is attracted to bright colors: “I enjoy it when my wife makes shirts for Alejandro out of the same fabric. He enjoys wearing bright colors, and exhibits an easygoing style with his shorts, sandals, or sneakers.”

Fathers will always be there to teach us some of life’s important lessons. And as these pairs show us, the bond with our fathers will always be special and unique.

Penguin is located in malls around the country.

The beauty of linen FOR Japanese lifestyle brand MUJI, the quintessential fabric for summer is Linen – a textile made from the fibers of a flax plant. MUJI’s summer collection feature linen as its fabric choice.

The collection displays an elegant selection of garments highlighting the natural properties of linen.

French linen UV Cut Cape

The Why of Linen

When summertime begins, garments that are light and airy are essential for a cool and relaxed day. And with the mission to provide comfortable clothing, MUJI began its search for the best material for summer. MUJI then finds linen, a fabric known for its soft and cool touch on skin.

Through research, MUJI found that f lax grows best in areas that have just the right amount of moisture and has a large difference in temperatures during the day and night. MUJI finds these characteristics in the northwest of France, a region whose climate meets these conditions perfectly.

There, soft and strong linen fibre thrive, creating highly absorbent, quick-dry, and breathable fabric – the perfect fabric for humid summer days.

The Nines offers Thrasher brand along with other internationally acclaimed labels

Dress to the nines

The coolness of linen with an unexpectedly smooth feel

To achieve a soft and smooth finish, MUJI linen wear has been subject to minimal washing and treatment to highlight the natural texture of linen. The fabric is also pre-washed for a smooth and gentle feel on the skin. As MUJI linen is worn and washed often, the fabric becomes suppler, bringing out the great texture of broken-linen.

Its structurally sound fibers help keep clothing in shape even after use and wash. This summer, the MUJI linen collection presents a line of wardrobe classics from button down shirts to dresses and select pieces that are treated with UV protection.

In the Philippines, MUJI is located at C1 Bonifacio High Street Central, Greenbelt 3, Power Plant Mall at Rockwell, and Shangri-La Plaza East Wing. For more details visit facebook.com/muji.ph or follow @muji_ph on Instagram.

Men’s French Linen Striped Washed Shirt

French Linen Wide Short Sleeve Shirt

French Linen Washed ¾ Sleeve Dress

JOINING Manila’s bourgeoning menswear scene, The Nines aims to bring in street-ready wear alongside high-street contemporary take on fashion, thus giving birth to its name, The Nines. Derived from the famous phrase “dressed to the nines”, it hopes to give Filipino men various options to dress themselves up. From streetwear to formalwear, The Nines ensures that Filipino men are well dressed.

With a foundation rooted in fashion and photography, the brand proposes converging both media to create its own distinct design language. With an inhouse photo studio and styling area, patrons are encouraged to snap their very own look book-quality photos in a wellcontrolled, ambient environment. Shoppers are actually encouraged not just to try on products, but to do their own in-store shoot. The store staff remains ready, eager to discuss brand concepts while offering sartorial expertise on how to incorporate items into patron’s personal style.

Positioned to help pioneer the nation’s menswear movement, The Nines are ready to unleash a barrage of internationally acclaimed brands exclusively available at its store such as Thrasher, Stampd and I LOVE UGLY. Other noteworthy brands include Odd Future, The Hundred, Publish Brand, Vitaly, Civil Regime, Rastaclat, Suavecito, Richer Poorer, Clear Weather, Reshoev8r and BLVCK SCVLE. “Our goal remains simple – to help spearhead a movement based on stylistic excellence. More importantly though, we aim to project and instill confidence to anyone and all that walks through our doors. I mean, at the end of the day, I think it’s what we all want,” shared Brent Javier, co-founder.

The Nines is located at Uptown Mall 36th St, Taguig, Metro Manila.

To know more, like The Nines on Facebook (www.facebook.com/TheNinesPh), follow @TheNinesPH on Instagram, and for new drops and online shopping, visit TheNines.ph.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017

First Mister Universe Tourism pageant in Manila

W

HILE the country has turned down the hosting of the Miss Universe 2017, Manila is set to host the Mister Tourism Universe 2017 in October. The maiden Mister Universe Tourism pageant will gather exceptional representatives from all over the world, between the ages 18 and 28, and compete during the grand Coronation Night with the corresponding title as “Mister Universe Tourism.”

The Mister Universe Tourism pageant is an initiative of “Kabataang Sama-samang Maglilingkod (KASAMA), Inc. which is also the organizer of the annual Mr. and Miss Philippine Youth (now on its 17th year) which discovered celebrities Onemig Bondoc, Rico Yan, and Dindong Dantes, among others.

“What makes the new Mister Universe Tourism distinct from all other male pageants is that this pageant is envisaged to be an excellent foundation for handsome and bright man, who has the passion and commitment to show the beauty of world culture, heritage and values, while promoting their individual advocacies. We aim to promote the spirit of achieving best practice standards in the pageant industry; committed to create the best possible image for the individual on the global scale, and we recognize the value of partnerships in creating successful results for the pageant and achieving our vision of goodwill and unity in the global arena,” said Gerald D. Ortiz, Quezon

Province 4th District board member, Founder and Chairman of Mister Universe Tourism pageant.

Mister Universe Tourism 2017 will have delegates from various cities in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and Antartica. The grand winner will be awarded ambassador role and will travel extensively, promoting his particular platform of interest, and to take an active part to help advance Tourism, which is the main objective of the pageant,” One grand winner and two runners-up will be selected. The titleholder will receive a 3-day Holiday Vacation in Boracay, $1,000 cash and $2,000 worth of wardrobe and fashion jewelry.

Mister Universe Tourism 2017 will be held starting Oct. 5 with the delegates expected to visit some of the country’s top tourist destinations during their 10-day stay in the Philippines, culminating in the finals on Oct. 15 at the GSIS Theater in Pasay City. – Words and Photos by Eton B. Concepcion

Founder Gerald Ortiz with reigning Mr. Chinatown, Jan Louie Ngo, Lorna and Marife during the Mr. Universe Tourism 2017 soft launch at the Hub on Shaw Blvd in Mandaluyong

Monster RX 93.1 joins forces with Curve Entertainment MONSTER RX 93.1 is undoubtedly the leading upscaleaudience pop radio station in Manila, with radio jocks making such a major impact on their listeners’ lives. Not surprising is the popularity enjoyed today by RX 93 DJs not just on the radio, but even on social media, TV or live events.

No wonder, The Monster

recently announced its exclusive partnership with Curve Entertainment for the talent management and development of select members of the station’s Air Staff. Gone are the days really, when DJs were just relegated inside the cramped radio booth.

Curve Entertainment was the choice of The Monster to be its inhouse talent management agency

Remix Fridays' DJ McCoy

in an effort to develop the skills and expand the opportunities of its premier DJ talents. Curve Entertainment is made up of some of the most respected names in Philippine music, record and concert industries.

Now easily accessible for online streaming worldwide, Monster RX 93.1 has been a record winner of 11 Best FM Radio Station Awards from the prestigious KBP Golden Dove Awards on top of the station’s many accolades.

At the 25th KBP Golden Dove Awards on May 16, The Monster was once again proclaimed Best FM Radio Station–Metro Manila.

Its sister station, Monster Radio BT 105.9 Cebu, won the award for Best FM Radio Station– Provincial.

Leading the Monster Curve personalities is Rico Robles.

He is the host of RX 93.1’s daily morning program, All Out (Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with Karla) and the multiawarded The Concert Series (Mondays, 7 to 8 p.m.). This year, Rico won the Golden Dove Award for Best Music Radio Jock.

Tom Alvarez is popularly known as Doctor Love in the Catholic Mass Media Awardwinning program, The Love Clinic (Tuesdays, 10 to 11 p.m.), which gives responsible advice for lovesick listeners. Tom also anchors The Late Night Clinic (Monday to Thursday, weekends, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.).

Hazel was taking up Communication Arts at De La Salle University and a TV courtside reporter when she joined Monster RX 93.1 as a Radio One Student Jock. She is the host of the daily evening program Wild And Wicked (Monday to Friday, 7 to 8 p.m., with Cara) and Heard On Thursdays (10 to

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, July 26, 2017

ACROSS 1 Garage service 5 Baroness Karen 9 Twinkle 14 News article 15 Renoir subject 16 State-run game 17 After-hours 18 Prop 19 Ess moldings 20 Showed appreciation 22 Peers hard 24 Prevent 26 Yorkshire river 27 Saunters along 30 Courier 35 Battery post 36 Period of time 37 Oak or maple 38 Lubricate 39 Fencing 42 Precious stone 43 Stir up 45 Patricia of “Cookie’s Fortune” 46 Roomy 48 Big business 50 Go quickly 51 Moo goo — pan 52 Mini or maxi 54 More hazy 58 Function 62 Just perfect 63 Surmounting

65 Tax shelters 66 Beatles drummer 67 Munro’s pen name 68 Groom a poodle 69 Contemptuous look 70 Line up 71 Sainted DOWN 1 Cheerful tone 2 Beehive State 3 Early VCR format 4 Corrected 5 Shore indentations 6 Soft leather 7 Toothpasteapproving grp.

8 Follett and Norton 9 Wheat products 10 Most sluggish 11 Two fives for —— 12 Dele’s undoing 13 “Bonanza” brother 21 — up (on edge) 23 Zorba portrayer 25 Shows again 27 New Zealand language

28 Pizza topping 29 Kind of geometry 31 Junk or snail — 32 Jargon 33 Entertainer Della — 34 Mideast nation 36 Tea-leaves reader 40 Free from restraint 41 Look daggers at 44 Redcap’s concern

47 Big bird 49 Chantey singer 50 Flower child 53 Flakes 54 Cone bearers 55 Valhalla honcho 56 Autry of oaters 57 Talk hoarsely 59 The younger Guthrie 60 Follow 61 Glimpse 64 Chinese “way”

11 p.m., with Rafael Reyes).

Rica is the newest member of RX 93.1’s hit morning show, The Morning Rush, with Chico and Gino. She just graduated from The Monster’s Radio 1 Student Jock program and is a proud alumna of UP Los Baños, with a degree in Development Communication.

JC Tevez appeared in several TV and online commercials and TV series. Tagged as “The Jock Next Door,” JC was born in Alaska, JC spent a good number of years in Tokyo, Japan before settling back in the USA, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from the University of California in San Diego. JC now hosts the daily afternoon program, Good Vibes (Monday to Friday, 1 to 4 p.m.), with fellow Curve talent Alven Villavicencio.

Alven Villavicencio’s passion for radio became evident when he was still a Communication Arts major at De La Salle University Manila. He was a student disc jockey for the university radio station, DLSU Radio Green Giant FM. After graduating, he applied with The Monster and was readily accepted for training.

Lexy co-hosts The Monster’s primetime evening program, The Daily Survey, with Jay Diaz (Monday to Friday, 4 to 7 p.m.).

She is another proud alumna of the Radio 1 Student Jock program.

She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Arts at De La Salle University Manila.

Jay Diaz had a promising career in marketing when he won the Search for the Next RX DJ in 2013. He always had a creative side though and was contributor for hip Rogue and Statement magazines. Jay holds a Masters in Business Administration degree from the Singapore Management

University.

Julia hosts the liveliest after hours program on radio, The Morning After (Sunday to Thursday, 2 to 6 a.m.). A Radio 1 alumna of the University of Asia and the Pacific, Julia won the Search for the Next Monster Jock (2017).

DJ McCoy studied Aircraft Technology at PATTS College of Aeronautics before fully giving in to his love for club disc jockeying, which started out as a hobby when he was still in his teens. He has a regular DJ show on The Monster, Remix Fridays (Fridays, 11 p.m. to 3 a.m.).

QC shorts titles

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017

RELUCTANT HEARTTHROB.

Ian Veneracion affirms that celebrities can still find balance between personal life and glitz of show business.

Actor IAN

VENERACION A

finds new love

T AGE 42, gentleman actor and reluctant heartthrob Ian Veneracion appears to be a star whose time has come. Although he started acting at age 5, Veneracion’s career took a long, circuitous route to leading man status, something he finally achieved when he was cast as a swoon-worthy hero in TV soaps.

Today he seems unstoppable, his career trajectory leading him to a place that much younger and more aggressive actors have yet to reach.

Ironically, it is from this enviable place that Veneracion now seeks balance even as he appreciates the perks of stardom.

He has kept the debonair good looks that make fans—age 18 to 80—swoon, yes, but the Gen X actor now finds fulfillment in matters that are more constant and stable, and less transitory.

This probably has much to do with being married to a loving wife and having three wonderful children.

Veneracion readily affirms that there is always more to life than the glitz of show business.

“Forty is like, you spent the first half of your life trying to learn who you want to be. You did stuff that you wanted to try out. At age 40, ‘yun ‘yung complete na—you know who you are, you know what’s right and wrong, you have your own values. For me, it’s just the start of the flight. When you reach this age, you know exactly where you’re coming from, where you’re at, and where you’re going.”

Veneracion then gently asserts, “Life is my priority, not work.” This gives clarity to his life decisions. Like why maintaining a healthy lifestyle is of tremendous importance to him, and why he always makes sure that he is at his best and healthiest self.

With a broader understanding of himself, Ian has come to prioritize his health and wellbeing above anything else and has become more discerning of his life choices.

That is why for his cough remedy, Ian places his trust only in Ascof Lagundi, especially now that the rainy season is here and respiratory ailments are very common.

Ascof Lagundi, the innovative and pioneering cough remedy in the Philippines, is made from 100 percent organically grown Lagundi leaves, making it a natural, safe, and effective relief for cough and bronchial asthma.

Veneracion says that it is for this

reason that he immediately accepted the offer to become Ascof’s newest official endorser. “It’s something that I actually take. When my manager informed me that Ascof wanted to sign me up as its endorser, I said, ‘Perfect! Just last week I had Ascof Lagundi in my bag.’ I definitely believe in the product.”

The actor likewise shares that he takes Ascof Lagundi Forte Menthol even during tapings and shoots, and encourages others like him to choose Ascof as the preferred option over chemical medicines and other similar natural remedies for cough.

“You can trust Ascof Lagundi. It’s a natural remedy that you may take even at the onset of a cough, and when you are just starting to show its early symptoms. Hindi ka matatakot kasi safe siya,” he assures everyone.

Veneracion uses the variant Ascof Forte Menthol Syrup, either sugar-free or regular, because of its “hagod-menthol” soothing effect on the throat. “There are other variants both for kids and adults, but my personal favorite is ASCOF Forte Menthol Sugar Free Syrup because it actually gives me instant relief from sore and itchy throat due to cough,” he explains.

Pascual Laboratories, the manufacturer of Ascof Lagundi, has its own lagundi farm in Nueva Ecija that uses a GMP-certified production process to cultivate the traditional herbal plant. Ascof Lagundi Forte Menthol is a product of scientific research and clinical studies.

Veneracion considers Ascof Lagundi as his newfound love since it is always there when he needs it most. “Getting enough sleep and eating properly are important to keep your body healthy. Pero kapag tinamaan kayo ng cough, of course you should take Ascof Lagundi.”

For inquiries and more details about Ascof Lagundi Forte Menthol Syrup, visit their official Facebook page at www. facebook.com/ASCOFLagundi or their official website at http://www. pascuallab.com/index.php/ascof.

Charo Santos-Concio’s Book Now Certified

BESTSELLER

THE memoir-leadership manual of ABS-CBN’s chief content officer Charo Santos-Concio, entitled My Journey: The Story of an Unexpected Leader, has won over readers, topping the list of Powerbooks’ nonfiction bestsellers among Philippine publications for the month of May. The master storyteller on television with the longest running drama anthology MMK has now made her mark as a notable storyteller in print through her book which spans her childhood up to her retirement as president and CEO of ABS-CBN. Charo recalls her journey to the top, sharing lessons that have been vital in her journey. “I never really planned out my life the way it unfolded. I was just really open to the opportunities that came my way. One can be full of self-doubts and fears, and I had to grapple with them. It allowed me to connect the dots and gave me a chance to be kind to myself and learn from my mistakes.”

An Mercado Alcantara joined

Charo as co-writer of the book, revealing that the latter was hesitant at first, but was encouraged to pursue this project to help others. “If by telling her story, it will encourage others to dream and to follow their passion, she said she’s willing to do it.”

According to Charo, “many parts of my story would resonate with everyone -- men and women who are aspiring for greater dreams for themselves.”

Each chapter has a summary at the end, highlighting the leadership lessons she gained from various parts of her life, and the values she espoused as she went through challenging trials in her career.

The bestselling bio-manual for leadership success published by ABSCBN Publishing is now on its third round of printing. Grab a copy of My Journey: The Story of an Unexpected Leader at Powerbooks, Fully Booked, and National Book Store outlets for P550.

As an author, Charo Santos-Concio encourages readers to follow their dream and passion

A THRILLING new collection of independent short films from “QC Shorts” is bound to delight attendees of the 2017 QCinema International Film Festival (QCinema).

“QC Shorts” is one of the competition sections of QCinema which awards the “Best Short Film” and “Jury Award for Short Film” to the winning entries.

Now on its fifth year, QCinema is the only local festival that provides production grants for short films where the filmmakers own the rights to their movies, just like in its feature films.

QCinema will be holding the world premieres of its short and feature finalists during its festival dates on Oct. 19-28.

Meet the directors The “QC Shorts” slate of finalists is made up of both fresh talents and experienced directors from across the country.

Among the first-time directors are Joseph Vincent “Xeph” Suarez; Phyllis Grae Grande; Mike Esteves; and Epoy Deyto.

The other four finalists – Kiri Dalena, Ice Idanan, Carl Joseph Papa, and Keith Deligero – have previously made feature films.

This year marks their return to short films, which is a unique form of storytelling distinct from their feature-length counterparts.

Compelling storylines “QC Shorts” offers a diverse roster of films as directors and writers were given a free rein to explore different themes in their stories.

Ice Idanan created a light drama film entitled Anya Iti Nagan Mo? (What Is Your Name?). The film follows a six-year-old girl who gets lost in a cemetery in her parents’ hometown. Despite the language barrier, a local stranger helps her find the way back home.

The film Astri And Tambulah hails from Zamboanga. Joseph Vincent “Xeph” Suarez teamed up with Cenon Palomares to tell the story of Astri, a 16-year old transwoman in a relationship with 17-year old Tambulah. The couple subsists on the coins people throw at them when they perform their traditional dance by the sea.

Everything seems perfect for the two. But Bajau traditions and a pact made long ago require Astri to marry a woman she hardly knows.

Director Keith Deligero and writer Gale Osorio meld action and black comedy in Babylon where two young girls travel through time to assassinate a barangay dictator to revise history.

Kun’ di Man is a feel good movie

by Phyllis Grae Grande. Ipe and Saring are two blind musicians who sing in MRT Stations. They are in love and inseparable. One day, they get separated when Saring is forced to perform in another station. Ipe takes off to find her but she’s gone.

Link, directed by Mike Esteves and written by Jael Mendoza, is an erotic thriller. The sensual film follows a writer who was approached by a strange man who claims to be a character in her novel. The man tries to make sense of his situation as they walk along an empty street, but lurking underneath the words are their most violent bodily desires.

Director Carl Joseph Papa and writer Aica Riz Ganhinhin puts the spotlight on the young at heart in the film, Love Bites. A grieving old man meets a spirited old woman in a search. Together they learn that two halves make one whole.

Pixel Paranoia by Epoy Deyto zooms in on cyber crime.

Kiko makes living uploading pornographic and graphic videos on deep-web. One day, Lily, his contact to the source, asked him to upload a video which origins they do not know of. After viewing the video, he gets the notion someone’s been watching him.

Sa Ngitngit Nga Kinailadman (From The Dark Depths) is an art house film by Kiri Dalena. A spiritual exorcism drives a woman to relive the disappearance of a young activist that took place years ago.

But when prodded about the details of the tragedy, she sinks into herself and recreates a story that coalesces memory, delirium, and forgetting.

For more information, visit QCinema’s official Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/ QuezonCityFilmFest/