Manila Standard - 2017 August 07 - Monday

PALAWAN REJECTS BANGSAMORO DRAFT

By Robert A. Evora

VOL. XXXI • NO. 174 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY―The political leaders of Palawan have expressed opposition to a proposed measure including this province as part of 10 provinces in the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, saying it “will not generate local support.”

Reps. Franz Alvarez, Eric Abueg and Gil Acosta, said they opposed the province’s inclusion in the BBL, and that they “will fight the bill once it

reaches the House of Representatives for deliberation.”

“All three of us have discussed this and we agreed we’ll oppose Palawan’s inclusion,” Alvarez said in a statement.

Palawan’s Sangguniang Panlalawigan and the city council of Puerto Princesa had earlier passed board resolutions expressing their peoples’ opposition to the proposal because Palawan was “very far from Mindanao for us to be included in Next page the BBL.”

ASEAN SPARKLERS. A fireworks display lights the Metropolitan skyline on the fifth day of the Association of South East Asian Nations Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. Right panel shows China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi (3rd from right ) speaking with North Korea’s Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho (2nd from left) during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Asean regional security forum in Manila on Aug. 6, 2017. The annual forum, hosted by the Asean brings together the top diplomats from 26 countries and the European Union for talks on political and security issues in Asia-Pacific. PNA, AFP

UN sanctions vs Nokor PH backs move, China Sets ban on exports to put Kim on notice NITED NATIONS—The UN Security wants to ease tension Council on Saturday unanimously

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan THE Philippines on Sunday backed the UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea even as China called for dialogue to de-escalate the volatile situation in the Korean peninsula.

“The Philippines has been

consistent in its support for the various UN Security Council resolutions,” said Foreign Affairs spokesman Robespierre Bolivar said.

In a separate interview, Chinese Foregin Minister Wang Yi said China would reject further sanctions against “sovereign Next page

U

backed a US-drafted resolution that significantly strengthened sanctions on North Korea, imposing a ban on exports aimed at depriving Pyongyang of $1 billion in annual revenue.

The sweeping measures were on North Korea since US President the first of that scope to be imposed Donald Trump took office and

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a whole new level” and that the council had put leader Kim JongUn “on notice.”

“This is the most stringent set of sanctions on any country in a generation,” Haley told the council after the vote.

“These sanctions will cut deep and in doing so, will give the North Korean leadership a taste of the deprivation they have chosen to inflict on the North Korean Next page people.”

Asean, China approve sea code framework

Priest’s fate up to Pope, says bishop POPE Francis will decide if the Filipino priest caught with a 13-year-old girl will be defrocked, Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz said Sunday.

In an interview with radio dzMM, Cruz said the most serious punishment the Church can impose on Msgr. Arnel Lagarejos is to strip him of his priesthood.

Lagarejos was arrested in Marikina on July 28, reportedly on his way to a motel with a 13-year-old girl.

Cruz said Lagarejos’ case will be sent to a congregation of the clergy who will then make a recommendation to Pope Francis, which he can accept or reject.

The Pope’s decision would be final, Cruz said.

Lagarejos, who faces a charge of trafficking, was released on Aug. 2 after posting P120,000 in bail. He has been relieved of

highlighted China’s willingness to punish its Pyongyang ally.

The resolution imposed a full ban on exports of coal, iron and iron ore, lead and lead ore as well as fish and seafood by the cashstarved state—stripping North Korea of a third of its export earnings estimated at $3 billion per year.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley said the stiffer measures brought the penalty imposed on North Korea for its ballistic missile tests “to

THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China on Sunday finally approved the framework of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, and 15 years after they signed the Declaration of Conduct, a non-biding edict, in 2002.

The 10-member bloc and China approved the framework and will start formally negotiating the COC, even as Beijing insisted “no major disruption from other

HEADTURNER. Canada’s Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland (center) fixes her hair as Philippine Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo (right) and Vietnam’s Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh look on, following a group photo session at the Asean-Canada Ministerial Meeting during the 50th Asean regional security forum in Manila on Aug. 6, 2017. AFP

Canada, Australia join SE Asia war on terror

By John Paolo Bencito CANADA and Australia on Sunday assured their support to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in its fight against violent extremism.

twitter.com/ MlaStandard

“I would like to express my condolences to the Philippines for those killed in Marawi by Daeshinspired terrorists,” said Canadian Foreign Minister Chyristia Freeland, referring to the Islamic State (IS) by its Arabic acronym.

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“This is a horror that we are not immune to and we stand in solidarity in fighting these forces,”she said.

Speaking at the Asean-Canada Ministerial Meeting, Freeland

manilastandard.net

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countries”.

The Asean members were battling Sunday to find a compromise on how to deal with Chinese expansionism in the South China Sea, with Cambodia lobbying hard for Beijing, diplomats said.

Foreign ministers from the Asean failed to release a joint statement as scheduled on Saturday evening, and tense follow-up Next page

Pork barrel may finance free tuition law—Lacson SENATOR Panfilo Lacson on Sunday suggested removing pork barrel funds from next year’s budget and instead use them to finance the recently passed law providing free tuition to state universities and colleges.

He told dzbb radio that Congress should look for ways to finance the free tuition for public

college and university students now that there was an implementing law for it.

“Malacañang put no budget [for the free tuition], so Congress will be the one to seek funding because there is now a law for it,” Lacson said.

He made his statement even as Next page

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MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017

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Canada wants in on Asean meetings Customs under fire over raids

VALENZUELA City Rep. Wesley Gatchalian slammed the Bureau of Customs on Sunday for its raid of other warehouses to search for more containers of shabu here without coordinating with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

He expressed fear that another shipment of shabu might be missing and could end up on the streets of Valenzuela City.

Gatchalian made his statement even as Senate Majority Leader Franklin Drilon said Sunday the government could no longer rely on the current leadership of the Bureau of Customs to collect the taxes necessary to finance the government’s programs.

He doubted if the agency could meet its target revenues to support the government’s infrastructure program due to what he said was the high level of corruption in it.

Citing government data, Drilon said Custom’s collection for the first half of the year reached P210.64 billion, which was still behind its P218.71- billion target for January to June 2017. The agency is targeting to collect P468 billion this year.

Gatchalian believed 18 craters of the drugs had gone missing in Valenzuela, adding the city’s Paso de Blas and Ugong villages were industrial areas near the North Luzon Expressway, which could be used to smuggle the drugs out.

“Why was there a need for a second raid on May 30, or four days after the first raid, without informing the PDEA and the media? What document did they use to search the places?” he said.

“That is against the law. What are they [Customs] looking for?”

Gatchalian said not even the National Bureau of Investigation was sought to help in the second raid in which Customs nonetheless failed to find any drugs.

“I have this big feeling that a big syndicate is operating with the involvement of the BoC. The shipment of the shabu was deliberately allowed to pass through the green lane,” he said.

Gatchalian filed House Resolution 1057 seeking a probe in aid of legislation Customs’ express lane system that allowed the entry of one container of shabu worth P6.4 billion.

“Each container has 23 craters, but only five were produced. Where are the other 18 craters?” he said.

But he said the proposal of his fellow lawmakers to give Customs no money in 2018 was “unrealistic.” Rio N. Araja and Macon Ramos-Araneta

Palawan...

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Palawan was also “not a Muslim-dominated province.”

Under the proposed BBL, Palawan will be one of the 10 provinces composing the independent Bangsamoro region. The others are Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Sur, Davao del Sur, South Cotabato and the new provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay (carved out of Zamboanga del Norte) and Sarangani (carved out of South Cotabato).

Abueg said four plebiscites had been held in the province under the administrations of Presidents Ferdinand Marcos, Fidel Ramos and Benigno Aquino III, where the negative votes cast were “more than 85 percent of the total votes.”

He manifested his stand by filing House Bill 1514 directing the House ad hoc committee on the BBL to “exclude Palawan and Puerto Princesa City from the proposed Bangsamoro entity.”

As of the 2010 census conducted by the National Statistics Office, Palawan, including Puerto Princesa City, had a total population of 994,340 with a Muslim population consisting of only seven to eight percent.

Donald Tusk as his guests at the East Asia Summit in November.

But the 10 members of Asean must agree before a country can become a member, Bolivar said.

“We are keen to make the ties between Asean and Canada stronger,” Freeland said in her statement during the Post Ministerial Conference plus one.

“We hope one day that we will be able to join the East Asia Summit and the Asean Defense Ministers Meeting Plus,” she said.

Canada has been seeking to join

EAS and ADMM Plus since 2012.

The ADMM-Plus countries include the 10 Asean members, namely, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and eight Plus countries, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, ROK, Russian Federation, and the United States.

Freeland said Canada has pledged to provide a $10-million scholarship program for Asean students and professionals in the next

in securing passage of this resolution,” said the White House.

“He will continue working with allies and partners to increase diplomatic and economic pressure on North Korea to end its threatening and destabilizing behavior.”

The United States entered into negotiations with China a month ago on the new resolution after Pyongyang launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile on July 4, which was followed by a second test on July 28.

But the measure does not provide for cuts to oil deliveries to North Korea as initially proposed by the United States—a move that would have dealt a serious blow to the economy.

The new raft of embargoes are the seventh set of UN sanctions imposed on North Korea since it first carried out a nuclear test in 2006.

The United States has put heavy pressure on China, which accounts for 90 percent of trade with North Korea, to enforce the sanctions and the fate of these measures largely hinges on Beijing’s cooperation.

China and Russia had resisted the US push, arguing that dialogue

with North Korea was the way to persuade Pyongyang to halt its military programs.

Chinese Ambassador Liu Jieyi said the resolution “does not intend to cause a negative impact” on North Korea’s people and stressed that it called for a return to talks on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

“The fact that the council adopted this resolution unanimously demonstrates that the international community is united in its position regarding the nuclear issue of the peninsula,” said Liu. Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia said sanctions “cannot be an end in themselves” but rather “a tool for engaging this country in constructive talks.”

Backed by Japan, South Korea and its European allies, the United States has maintained that tougher sanctions would put pressure on North Korea to come to the table.

As negotiations at the United Nations entered the final stretch earlier this week, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared that Washington was not seeking regime change in North Korea and

was willing to talk to Pyongyang.

Speaking to reporters after the council vote, Haley said “what’s next is completely up to North Korea.”

“The United States has been loud about it, now the international community has been loud and North Korea now has to respond,” she said.

Trump’s national security advisor, H.R. McMaster, said the United States would not tolerate the threat posed by North Korea’s missile and nuclear tests.

McMaster, in an interview with MSNBC, said Trump had told China’s President Xi Jinping it was no longer enough for North Korea to “freeze” its programs since it had already crossed “threshold capability” and the goal was now denuclearization.

North Korea’s nuclear ambitions were set to dominate talks Sunday and Monday at a regional summit in Manila, which will see a rare gathering of foreign ministers from the six countries most involved in the issue—both Koreas, China, Russia, Japan and the United States. AFP

Monday.

On Sunday, China and North Korea had a closed-door meeting but Bolivar said he is unaware what transpired during the talks.

Wang said it was important that Ri would be present so that he would have a chance to listen to the views of the 10-member Asean and 27 regional partners.

Tension in the Korean Peninsula is expected to dominate most the the discussions of 10 foreign ministers and 26 regional partners Monday.

Wang said the expected exchange of views on Monday will be useful for North Korea to “make the right and smart decision.”

He said that China proposed two conditions; one for North Korea to stop its nuclear and missile test and South Korea and the US to halt its joint military drills.

“This is currently the most realistic and plausible initiative and it is the most reasonable and friendly solution,” he said.

“This solution can alleviate the current tensions, it can resolve the

most pressing security issues of all sides.”

On Saturday, the 10 Foreign Ministers of the Asean released a separate statement strongly urging the North Korea to immediately comply fully with its obligations under all relevant United Nation Security Council resolutions.

During the Association of the Southeast Asian Nation Foreign Minister Meeting, the officials of the 10-member bloc also called on North Korea to contribute its vision of maintaining lasting peace and stability in the region.

“We, the Foreign Ministers of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations reiterate our grave concerns over the escalation of tensions in the North Korean Peninsula,” the Asean foreign ministers said in a statement.

North Korea launched its second intercontinental ballistic missile test last week, which deepened fears of the international community over its leader Kim Jong-Un’s nuclear strike capabilities.

Instability in the Korean Penin-

sula has long worried the Philippines due to the large presence of Filipino workers there, numbering at least 57,000.

An escalation of conflict is also expected to affect about 200,000 Filipinos in Japan.

The United States has said that it will press the Asean and its dialogue partners to downgrade ties with and isolate North Korea. The US is a member of the forum.

Washington also said that it is considering asking the Asean to suspend North Korea’s membership in the forum—a move rejected by a former top official of the Asean.

One day after Council members voted unanimously for a partial ban on exports aimed at slashing Pyongyang’s foreign revenue by a third, top diplomats from the key powers in the dispute met in Manila.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said he was encouraged by the vote, but officials warned that Washington would closely watch China—North Korea’s biggest trade partner—to ensure sanctions are enforced. With AFP

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

C

ANADIAN Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland has asked the Philippines, as this year’s chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to become a member of the Asean East Asia Summit and the Asean Defense Ministers Meeting Plus.

In an interview, Foreign Affairs Duterte had invited Canadian spokesman Robespierre Bolivar Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed that President Rodrigo and European Union President

UN...

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The resolution also prevents North Korea from increasing the number of workers it sends abroad whose earnings are another source of revenue for Kim’s regime.

It prohibits all new joint ventures with the isolated nation, bans new investment in the current joint companies and adds nine North Korean officials and four entities including the country’s main foreign exchange bank to the UN sanctions blacklist.

If fully implemented, the measures would tighten the economic vise around Pyongyang as it seeks to develop its missile and nuclear programs.

Trump hailed the unanimous vote, saying on Twitter the sanctions will have “very big financial impact!”

In a statement released several hours later, he specifically commended China and Russia for their votes.

“The President appreciates China’s and Russia’s cooperation

PH...

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states” such as North Korea.

“I think sanctions are needed, but by no means the ultimate goal,” Yi said after the UN Security Council voted unanimously to impose new sanctions on North Korea, including a ban on its exports of coal, iron, ore, lead, lead ore and seafood.

“The goal is to pull the nuclear issue back to the negotiation table, find an ultimate solution to the problem through talks, and achieve denuclearization and longterm peace and security on the Korean Peninsula,” Wang said.

Wang said that the Chinese government is ready to cooperate with all parties under the framework of the UN Security Council to produce effective resolution which is consistent with the international law.

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-Ho is scheduled to attend the Asean Regional Forum today,

Canada,...

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said Canada remains a staunch partner of the 10-member bloc in the fight against terrorism.

“We have been working with you to address regional security issues, preventing violent extremism. We are a founding member of the global terrorism task force. We are in a strong position to help Asean in the shared fight to prevent terrorism,” she added.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop noted that extremist threats present an opportunity to deepen ties between Australia and the Asean.

“Terrorism and violent extremism transcends national boundaries and directly threaten regional security as we’re seeing in Marawi,” Bishop said during the Asean-Australia Ministerial Meeting.

She also expressed alarm at North Korea’s development of ballistic missiles, which “is in contravention of UN Security Council resolutions” and “a direct threat to us all.”

She also warned against the ongoing territorial dispute in the South China Sea, which is destabilizing the situation by increasing tension between nations.

As fighting in Marawi City reached its 76th day on Sunday, military clearing operations have so far accounted for 523 Maute group terrorists killed along with 122 government troops killed in action.

Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, Armed Forces spokesman, said the death toll was as of 7 p.m.

Saturday.

Fighting in Marawi City broke out after government forces tried to arrest Abu Sayyaf leader and IS “emir” in Southeast Asia on May 23.

The request of President Rodrigo Duterte for additional 20,000 troops is part of the intensified security posture to guard areas in the country where there are continuing security threats, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said Sunday.

“The deployment of troops to Marawi and other

points in Mindanao needs to be rebalanced to ensure maximum effectiveness,” said Abella.

Duterte asked lawmakers for funds to recruit 20,000 new soldiers to battle rising threats from pro-Islamic State militants in the country’s restive south, senators said on Wednesday.

Duterte called an urgent meeting with a group of senators on Tuesday night, sharing with them the latest intelligence reports on plans by Muslim extremists to attack three cities in Mindanao.

“He wanted to relay to us that he needs 20,000 more soldiers for the entire Armed Forces of the Philippines,” said Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III. “He wants to make sure that in his tenure, he will be able to resolve the problem of peace and order,” Sotto also said.

Three other senators said the President was serious about the scale of the security threat and asked Congress for support to fund his plan to upgrade the military’s equipment and intelligence capabilities.

They declined to say which three cities were being threatened.

A large area of Marawi has been devastated by almost daily artillery shelling and aerial bombings to try to dislodge militants holed up in the commercial center who are believed to be holding as many as 100 hostages.

More than 600 rebels and soldiers have been killed in the unrest.

Duterte last month submitted to Congress a budget of P3.76 trillion for next year, including P145 billion for the defense.

“We’re willing to help,” said Senator Panfilo Lacson, adding that soldiers were battle-weary after two months of fighting in Marawi.

“We need fresh legs, so in legislation we can help by fast-tracking the budget to increase the troop ceiling,” Lacson also said.

Lacson said the President also asked to boost the police force by 10,000 men, recruiting more to be deployed as commandos to help the military fight insurgents. With Bill Casas

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Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III echoed Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno who said the Malacañang-approved Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act could be applied in the first semester of school year 2018-2019.

Dominguez said he agreed with Diokno when Diokno said it was one semester he was looking at, specifically the academic year 2018 and 2019.

“I agree with him. I agree with my chairman of the DBCC [Development Budget Coordination Committee]... I agree with him it is one semester we have to look at the budget,” Dominguez told reporters.

Senator Francis Escudero said some P14 billion will be allocated to State Colleges and Universities and another P1 billion will be earmarked for local universities and colleges.

He said the amount needed to finance the free tuition, miscellaneous and other fees of students in SUCs alone would only cost P20 billion, a mere 0.5 percent of the total proposed national budget for Fiscal Year 2018.

He said the full implementation of the law would only require around P43 billion, or a little over one percent of the proposed national budget for next year.

Lacson, meanwhile, expressed concern that the funds for the free tuition law might be sourced from agencies performing vital functions.

“Let us not deprive agencies requiring financing of needed funds,” Lacson said.

He suggested reallocating some of the discretionary funds of senators and congressmen. Julito G. Rada and Macon Ramos-Araneta

five years as a way of strengthening people-to-people ties with the regional bloc.

“This program will be open to all Asean countries. It will equip students and mid-career professionals with a particular focus on women to provide them critical knowledge and skills to help them contribute in the fight against poverty,” Freeland said in her opening remarks during the Asean- Canada Ministerial Meeting held Sunday at the Philippine International Convention Center.

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negotiations the next morning could still not end the stand-off, two diplomats involved in the talks told AFP. China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, including the waters approaching the coasts of Asean members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China had agreed to start the formal COC consultations if “the situation in the South China Sea is generally stable and if there is no major disruption from outside parties”.

“That is a precondition, and then during the November leaders’ meeting we will jointly announce the official start of the COC consultation,” Wang told the reporters.

The DOC was signed in 2002 between China and Asean, a non-binding edict aimed to reduce the tensions in the region and prevent claimant-countries China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan from aggressively pursuing their claims.

The Code of Conduct, on the other hand, is a more binding edict that was enshrined in the DOC. It hopes to further promote peace and stability in the economically vital sea lane.

Wang also confirmed that the “framework” or the outline of the COC was “agreed upon and approved” during the AseanChina meeting in Manila.

Wang did not mention which “outside countries” may disrupt the “stability” in the South China Sea, but during his first official visit he called on the Asean to “unite and stand together” against other “intervention” in the disputed waters.

Wang, in his official visit, claimed that the goal of those “non-regional forces” intervening with the ongoing dispute was instability in the sea.

“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, we need to stand together and we need to say no to them together,” Wang said.

In July, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop criticized China’s reclamation in the South China Sea and urged all claimants to respect international law.

The US also said that freedom of navigation was an International concern and that any tension would affect trade, peace and stability in the disputed sea.

During the Asean-China meeting, Wang said China had an “indepth discussion” with the 10 Foreign Ministers of the Asean.

“That was a good cooperation for the Leader Summit coming up in November this year,” Wang said. Sara Susanne D. Fabunan with AFP

Priest’s...

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his duties as parish priest of St. John the Baptist Parish and as president of the Cainta Catholic College. He has also been banned from talking to minors.

Metro Manila police Chief Supt. Oscar Albayalde said the girl’s parents or the government can still file a rape case against the priest.

Chief Supt. Romulo Sapitula, Eastern Police District director, has ordered a thorough investigation of the case after reports said the priest already met with the minor twice and had sex with her once.

News NBI seeks Interpol help

THE National Bureau of Investigation has asked the assistance of the International Police for the immediate arrest and extradition of two Indonesians who are facing trial for qualified theft case filed by the infrastructure unit of San Miguel Corp. before the Marikina City Regional Trial Court.

In a report to the Department of Justice, NBI Deputy Director for Forensics Services and concurrent Chief of the bureau’s International Operations Division Ferdinand Lavin said the agency has officially requested Undesecretary Allan C. Guisihan, head of Interpol National Central Bureau Manila, to issue a “red notice” against Indonesian businessman Ery Shadik Wahono and Ms. Nadiya W. Stamboel, who both have standing warrants of arrest issued by the Marikina City court.

Lavin said the issuance of a red notice against the two Indonesians will alert all Interpol member-countries to locate and apprehend the fugitives for their eventual extradition to the Philippines to face the criminal charges filed a gainst them.

The request for the issuance of a red notice stemmed from the complaint made by San Miguel Holdings Corp. seeking assistance in securing the arrest of the two Indonesians.

Wahono and Stamboel were charged with qualified theft before the Marikina City RTC for allegedly causing Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corp., which was jointly owned then

by SMHC and Wahono, to make an unauthorized disbursement, which he then used to incorporate another company called Citra Central Expressway Corp.

The SMHC accused Wahono for the alleged unauthorized disbursement of P50 million in funds of CMMTC, where both SMHC and Wahono were major shareholders.

SMHC’s complaint said the transfer of money was as a “loan” from CMMTC to Wahono’s PT Citra Lamtoro Gung Persad, used for the incorporation of CCEC. Wahono subsequently entered into a separate partnership with SMHC for CCEC to undertake the Skyway Stage 3 project.

However, SMHC said it did not know that Wahono got the money from CMMTC to fund the establishment of CCEC. SMHC added that Wahono and her co-accused did not notify the CMMTC Board and shareholders about the alleged loan. Consequently, there was also no Board approval for the loan.

The company added that CMMTC was expressly barred by its contractual obligations from extending any form of loan.

SMHC said because Wahono and company kept the allegedly unauthorized disbursement secret, and it was duped into paying Wahono and company the same amount of money that it allegedly disbursed from CMMTC when SMHC bought into CCEC later on.

Aside from qualified theft, Wahono is also facing P50 million estafa complaint filed by SMHC before the Department of Justice. Rey E. Requejo

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017

Murder of judge condemned

By Rey E. Requejo

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SIGHT SAVING.

Depatment of Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial (middle) leads the wreath laying rites along with Dr. Noel Chua (left) at the foot of the Jose Rizal monument in Luneta Park as hundreds of doctors and nurses participate in the observance of the Sight Saving Month this August. (Story on A6) Norman Cruz

HE Supreme Court has condemned the killing of a Butuan City regional trial court judge last Saturday.

The SC also called on law enforcement agencies to expedite the investigation and arrest of the culprits to bring justice to the family of Presiding Judge Godofredo Abul Jr. of the Regional Trial Court of Butuan City, Branch 4, whose wife was also seriously injured during the attack.

“The Chief Justice and Associate Justices express their outrage and sadness at the killing of the Honorable Presiding Judge Godofredo Abul Jr. and the injuries inf licted on his wife yesterday [Saturday], Aug. 5, 2017,” the high court said in a statement.

“They call on the authorities concerned to take all necessary steps with all deliberate speed to do justice for Judge Abul and his wife by fully investigating the crimes committed,” it added.

Abul and his wife Bernadi-

IN LINE with the relentless campaign of the government to eliminate the proliferation of counterfeit or fake products, National Bureau of Investigation operatives have seized various counterfeit products worth more than P24 million for violation of Republic Act 8293, otherwise known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.

ta were in their car and were about to leave their house at Alviola Village in Barangay Tiniwisan before 10 a.m. when the gunman entered through the open gate of their garage and opened fire.

Witnesses said the gunman fled on a motorcycle driven by his cohort.

Abul succumbed to four gunshot wounds. His wife was initially taken to the Butuan City Medical Center, but transferred to a private hospital.

The judge was suspended for six months in February in connection with an extortion case filed by a Catholic priest, whose relative is facing drug charges.

Abul was the second judge in Caraga region killed this year.

Retired Surigao City judge Victor Canoy was gunned down while buying food at an eatery along Borja street last Feb. 2.

Eastern Samar gov faces graft cases

By Rio N. Araja EASTERN Samar Gov. Conrado Nicart Jr. is facing graft and grave misconduct raps before the Office of the Ombudsman for delegating his administrative functions to his kin.

Artemio Tapalla, who claims to be a resident in the province and a “law-abiding citizen,” said Nicart has not been showing up in public since August last year.

In his complaint, Tapalla said Nicart must also be held

liable for violation of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service and usurpation.

Also named co-respondents were Nicart’s wife, Mayor Thelma Uy-Nicart of San Policarpio, and relatives Josephine Lyn Uy Hui and Mark Joseph Uy Hui. “It has been a common knowledge that the governor is seriously ill, and has not been showing up or performing his administrative functions,” Tapalla told Ombudsman reporters. He said Nicart was “merely figuratively an observer.”

Expansion of train capacity lauded

TIGHT SECURITY. Security marshals from the Metro Manila Development Authority (right) wait for their respective convoys as they stand beside

an armored personnel carrier stationed near the rear entrance of the Philippine International Convention Center on the second day of the 50th Asean foreign ministers meeting at Pasay City. Ey Acasio

P24-m fake Lacoste products, welding cables seized

By Bill Casas

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NBI Director Dante A. Gierran said the success of the operations by the NBI is a product of a well-coordinated effort with other agencies of the government such as the Department of Trade and the Philippine National Police which has jurisdiction over the areas of operation.

Gierran added that the series of operations were all in compliance with the implementation of search warrants issued by the courts to

prevent the proliferation of counterfeit products in the market, adding that the NBI will be relentless in its campaign.

Gierran said counterfeit or fake items with an estimated value of P20,350,000.00 Lacoste products were seized by NBI operatives of the NBI-National Capital Region in the operations in Pasay City and Binondo on July 19.

On the same day, agents of

the NBI-Intellectual Property Rights Division seized fake TAIYO welding cables worth P3 million in simultaneous operations in Manila, Caloocan and Quezon City.

TAIYO welding cables are used primarily in construction and for industrial applications. Use of fake or counterfeit welding cables, which are substandard, are fire hazards, which may lead to destruction to property or, possibly,

loss of lives, Gierran said.

The NBI-IPRD said that authorized establishment to distribute the product is Golden Electrical and Machinery Corp.

Also, in another operation in two shopping malls in Manila on July 26, 2017, fake Jo Malone perfumes with an estimated value of P1,590,000.00 were seized as a result of the implementation of a search warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court of Manila.

AN OPPOSITION lawmaker lauded on Sunday a plan of President Rodrigo Duterte to invest P17 billion to expand the capacity of commuter trains in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

Buhay Representative Joselito Atienza said the improvement of the mass transport system is the best solution to address the traffic woes and to directly help the riding public.

“Fresh government subsidies to passenger trains are imperative to cope up with the growing demand for highspeed and affordable public transportation,” he said.

“If there are more trains all around, people are bound to rely less on their cars when going to work or school simply because they could be able to save a lot of time, and cut down on gas consumption and parking expenses.

“The proposed P3.767trillion national budget for 2018 has some P17 billion in new appropriations to support rail projects, such as P4.8 billion in subsidy to the Metro Rail Transit line 3, plus P1.0 billion for increase capacity; P1.3 billion for the Light Rail Transit line 1-Cavite extension project, and 11.7-kilometer line from Baclaran, Parañaque City to Niog, Bacoor City that are projected to increase the mobility of 410,000 passengers daily. Rio N. Araja

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Opinion

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017

EDITORIAL

Like nothing happened

A

POLOGISTS for former President Benigno Aquino III have come to his defense after President Rodrigo Duterte called him an idiot, using a four-letter Filipino word that is never used in polite company.

The trigger for Mr. Duterte’s outburst was a remark by the former president that there was no difference between the statistics on the number of drug addicts in 2015 and in late 2016, when Duterte was already in power.

“It’s like nothing happened,” Aquino told ABSCBN News.

This occasioned a swift

Adelle Chua, Editor

and angry reply from the President.

“Aquino said it’s as if nothing happened. Go ahead, get into drugs and I’ll cut off your head,” he said, addressing Aquino in Filipino. “What do you mean nothing happened? You’re an idiot.”

Aquino’s former spokesman, Edwin Lacierda, said Duterte’s use of the word

“gago” was a reflection of the President’s boorishness.

“Cursing never elevates public discourse,” Lacierda said in a Twitter post.

Senator Francis Pangilinan, president of Aquino’s Liberal Party, added that there was no need to insult the former president, simply because he didn’t support the current administration’s war on drugs.

“We don’t need to curse and insult others if we don’t agree with what they’re saying,” he added in Filipino.

Perhaps sensing some validity in these observations, the Palace came back with some statistics that countered Mr. Aquino’s conclusion that

“nothing happened.”

In the time Mr. Duterte started his war on drugs, an unprecedented 1.3-million drug users surrendered, the Palace said.

In the same time, 96,703 drug users or pushers were arrested—compared to 77,810 who were arrested in the six years of the Aquino administration.

Moreover, police seized 2,445.8 kilos of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) in Duterte’s first year, which compares to 3,219.07 kilos seized during the entire six years under Aquino.

These numbers suggest that Mr. Aquino knew not of which

he spoke when he said “it’s like nothing happened.”

But Mr. Aquino is an expert of sorts in nothing happening. Under his watch, nothing happened to improve the sorry plight of commuters who had to suffer rapidly deteriorating public transport services. Almost nothing happened, too, under Mr. Aquino’s ambitious Public-Private Partnership program that targeted more than 60 major infrastructure projects. In all of Mr. Aquino’s six years in office, his administration managed to complete only three of the 37 projects it had awarded.

And faced with his first

crisis—a failed hostage rescue that resulted in eight dead Chinese tourists and deteriorating relations with China—Mr. Aquino ignored a Justice department report that laid the responsibility for the fiasco at the feet of his friends and allies—as if nothing happened.

Finally, Mr. Aquino’s apologists can hardly talk about tact, when their former boss once told a businessman fearing for his safety amid looting in post-‘‘Yolanda’’ Tacloban City: “You’re still alive, aren’t you?”

In this instant, Mr. Duterte may have been boorish, but we don’t think he was wrong.

Moving

Decency THIS is not about whether you should use cuss words or not, because you should not. This is not about whether it is acceptable to elicit laughter and popular approval by being vulgar and by regaling one’s listeners with profanity, because it never is, if you were raised properly. This is about an oblivion of accepted rules and conventions of writing and of speech that have to do with our sense of decency. To many, all this might seem trivial, but fatal malignancies often start with trivial manifestations!

Let us start with people styling themselves “Dr.”. In the first place, MDs who claim that only they have the right to be called “doctor” are downright wrong. The MD is in fact not an academic doctorate, but a professional degree, much like the Juris Doctor (JD) degree of law graduates. In Spanish, you never say “Voy a llamar al doctor” (I am going to call the doctor), because Spaniards are only too aware of the fact that doctors are found in universities and lec-

ture halls, not in clinics and hospitals. The proper term is “medico,” which only emphasizes my point.

In the US, PhDs usually do not call themselves “Dr.”, but this is not the US of A, and here, we love titles. We bristle at the omission of our titles, and we take offense at the misstatement of titles. So most Filipino PhDs call themselves—and ask to be called— “Dr.” as if their fortunes depended on it. And lawyers will similarly suffer from sleepless nights, mental anguish and besmirched reputations—the traditional formulary introducing a claim for hefty moral damages— if they are addressed as “Mr.” or “Ms.” because, in the Philippines, we call them “Atty.”, whether in court or out of court, or whether or not they have ever entered court at all.

When the world was still a decent place to live in, nobody would sign: “Dr. Magandang Asal.” He would rather sign: “Magandang Asal, M.D.” or

These are about conventions that have evolved and that bespeak of a modest appraisal of one’s worth and a respectful regard of others.

“Magandang Asal, Ph.D.”. Today, in our indecent times, it is not rare for people to cause their names to be printed with the “Dr.” or “Atty.” attached as an essential particle before their names, over which they sign. I had a very intelligent lawyerfriend, Manong Fred Tadiar, who was once examining a

witness in court. And the questioning started with the usual preliminaries: “Please state your name.” The witness, a physician—and one very jealous of his title—answered: “I am Dr. Mahangin Pala.” Manong Fred would not let that pass. He asked the witness: “Is Dr. found in your birth certificate or certificate of live birth?” At first I thought that Manong Fred was wasting court time on an inconsequential matter.

But he had a perfectly legal pretext: “It goes into the very identification of the witness” he told me, with a smirk on his face. I knew that all that he wanted to teach the physician was a little decency!

It is when you address one with a doctorate degree that it is proper to write: “Dr. Mataas Maningil,” but, Filipinos that we are, we exaggerate. So this atrocity is not infrequent: “Dr. Mataas Maningil, M.D.!” Does that iteration serve to forewarn patients of an outcome more

dreadful than the disease? It is perfectly correct to write “Mr. Hindi Nanalo” and below that name “Attorney-at-Law.” Just as it is correct to write “Mr. Laging Talo, Esq.” where “Esq.” does not refer to a popular, cheap drink but to an American importation of a medieval title, frequently used by lawyers, but lawyers do not like that, because they require even their parents to address them “Atty.”! We are a pathetic nation indeed. On the other hand, there is no reason to be bashful about degrees, in the proper social contexts, provided that the degrees are properly and legally earned. In a roster of faculty members printed on a graduation program, there is no problem at all about attaching a string of degrees even longer than your name. But it is certainly ridiculous to attach all your degrees to your name on the return address of a greeting card you send a friend!

And when you are a local legislator delivering one of your

LOST in the welter of accusations and counter-accusations on l’affaire Faeldon in the last 10 days or so was the bold decision of the Department of Transportation under Secretary Art Tugade to move its head office to Clark in Pampanga.

Eventually, Tugade said, all the headquarters of its myriad agencies will move to Clark, part of an effort to “decongest” Metro Manila.

But DoTr is just a small fish in a large, large pond. And I refer to the national government itself.

BCDA’s head honcho, Vince Dizon followed up with a declaration that BCDA itself will move its main office from glamorous Bonifacio Global which it manages, to Clark in the next two years.

Understandably, many DoTr officials and employees are hesitant, if not downright grumbling. Moving to daily workplace about a hundred kilometers from home is more just a hassle. To assuage their discomfort, Secretary Tugade has scheduled daily shuttle buses to and from their old Greenhills office to their new digs at Clark.

The DoTr employees just have to adjust their body clock to the new schedules, even if it does create problems for children who probably share the same car with their parents to go to and from school. But then again, change has never been easy.

But moving should be part of a larger picture—a vision.

By this I mean the creation of a new national government center, moving the political capital out of Metro Manila and into perhaps, Clark.

There are some 9,000 hectares of government land in the touted Clark Green City. Beyond the hills of Sacobia, there are thousands of hectares more of public land or ancestral domain of the Aetas in the nearby mountains. Such would be ideal for a national government center.

It is located between an international seaport (Subic) and an international airport (Clark). It goes without saying that if a national government center is to be relocated there, Clark should be renamed either for a Filipino hero (take your pick: Bonifacio or Lapu-Lapu, but these are my biased choices).

With the move, some half a million families would eventually relocate to Central Luzon.

A program of early retirement with generous benefits could be offered to the civil service, and hand-in-hand with the ration-

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Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher 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

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017

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Pluses for the President LET it not be said we have nothing good to say about President Rodrigo Duterte. Last week, the President signed into law two landmark legislations that extended the validity of Philippine passports from five to 10 years and driver’s licenses from three to five years.

Certified by the Palace to Congress as priority bills, the extension of the passport and driver’s licenses would save Filipinos expenses and time in renewing these two vital documents under the old setup. The daily long lines at the consular section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Land Transportation Office is a source of grief to applicants. Too often, there are also complaints that some DFA and LTO personnel are being paid under the table to facilitate application papers.

I do not know the extent of corruption at the LTO in Quezon City and its other branches in the Metro Manila Area. But applicants at the DFA’s consular section on Macapagal Avenue say this is no longer the case. The backlog is mainly caused by the

sheer number of applicants, particularly Overseas Filipino Workers who are renewing their passports or going out for the first time to seek better fortune and life for their families here.

Another bill is the free education in state universities and colleges. The abolition of tuition for the proposed Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act is a boon to many bright and deserving students who should be earning a college degree but cannot do so because of the high cost of education.

Businessmen know education is big business which is why many of them have bought colleges and universities. And hospitals. A quick look at who owns which school or hospital would show that they are the same people.

On another sticky subject, we fully support the President for suspending the peace talks with the Communist Party of the Phil-

ippines and the National Democratic Front in Oslo, Norway.

I subscribe to the often-asked question by impartial observers. How can there be meaningful peace talks when there is fighting on the ground?

CPP founder Joma Sison and his cohorts, it seems, do have control over its armed wing— the New People’s Army who continue to waylay government troops on patrol in the rural areas. So why not talk to the rebels on the ground instead of Sison’s exiled cabal in Utrecht, The Netherlands?

Another newsman writes ‘30’ Rosauro G. Acosta, former managing editor of Manila Standard, passed away last Friday at the age of 76. Known as Roy in the newsroom and among his classmates at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters at the University of Santo Tomas, he was in the Philets batch that included Joe Burgos, Jullie Yap Daza, Jaime Maidan Flores, Kit

Tatad and this columnist.

Roy’s sharp wit and editor’s pen made him a class act by himself. I recall one joke that he made when I saw him the last time several months ago. Roy told the story of one senator who went on a religious pilgrimage after being included in Janet Lim Napoles’ infamous list.

The young senator, Roy said, went to the Holy Land where he visited Jerusalem and the Garden of Gethsamane where Roman soldiers took away Jesus Christ.

But why Gethsamane, I asked to which he chuckled at his own joke. “To get some money,” was the punch line Roy delivered.

Now don’t go looking it up in Wikepedia whether there are banks in the Garden of Gethsamane. Only Roy Acosta could have thought of that one.

Roy Acosta, may he rest in peace, joins other Manila Standard newsmen taken by the Grim Reaper. Among them are publisher/editor-in-chief Rod Reyes, editor Cip Roxas, business editor Butch del Castillo and sports editor Bert Cuevas.

Asean at 50: Continuing relevance A RECURRING criticism of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is how its propensity toward consensusbuilding and non-confrontational engagement has achieved little for the region. But 50 years after the five founding nations gathered in Bangkok in 1967, the bloc’s longevity—and the region’s relative stability— is itself a testament that one of the world’s oldest regional organizations is actually doing something right.

From five, membership in Asean has expanded to 10 states, each with its own culture, languages, history, and even form of government. Diversity has always been the hallmark of this gathering of nations, unique in how it hosts all of the world’s major religions and legacies of major civilizations. It is this same diversity that contextualizes its successes and also underpins the challenges it has faced in carving out a stronger sense of shared identity.

As it enters its second halfcentury, high-profile Asean leaders, including top diplomats as well as policy experts and business leaders, gather in Manila for an international conference. The assembly organized by the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation and the think tank Stratbase ADR Institutes saw a constructive examination of the relevance of Asean in a changing and highly volatile world. A

world, in some ways comparable to the Cold War era that gave birth to it in 1967 but in other ways so different Today the dynamics animating global geopolitics are not so well-defined, including the relationship between the major and middle powers. Almost 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, capitalistic globalization had failed to bring prosperity to all, and there is a feeling of discontent across large swathes of society. Its attendant mode of diplomacy—multilateralism— predictably also suffered, and many of the rules in the 1960s and 1970s seem simply untenable.

Asean is implicated in this change. Originally established to solve inter- and extra-regional political and security concerns, the bloc has shifted its focus almost exclusively to the realm of economic cooperation. This seems to be a productive direction. Despite the slowdown in global economic growth, Asean economies, led by Indonesia and the Philippines, remain as among the most dynamic in the world, and today ranks as sixth largest in the world in terms of gross domestic product.

These couldn’t have been possible without Asean’s unique

Moving From A4 alization (down-sizing or right-sizing, whatever) of the bureaucracy to keep it in step with the age of quick technology, we shall have succeeded, if partially, in reinventing government.

What will we do with government properties located in Metro Manila?

There are not that many, to begin with.

The old Congress Building, along with the Finance and Tourism departments have been converted into a National Museum Complex. Perfect.

Moving southward, think of the Supreme Court and the Department of Justice. Instead of proceeding with the SC plan of putting up a new building in swanky Bonifacio Global, let them transfer to Clark. Call it Bonifacio as well, if the SC has fallen in love with the name.

The rest of the Padre Faura properties can be given to the Philippine General Hospital.

Then there are the Port Area buildings of DPWH, Napocor and some others that the private sector in the logistics business would very likely purchase.

Then there are the national government buildings in the QC Elliptical Circle, namely, Departments of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Agrarian Reform, National Housing Authority, Philippine Coconut

approach toward cooperation, which has made possible such landmark achievements as the establishment of the Asean Free Trade Area in 1992 and the Asean Economic Community in 2015. Could the pace in which such reforms were achieved be improved? For sure, but the so-called “Asean way” exists for a reason, and the organization’s longevity and continuing relevance is a testament to its soundness.

Perhaps what the framers of Asean in 1967 couldn’t have foreseen was the rapid rise of China’s stature as a global power. And it is this new factor that demands a recalibration of the bloc’s usual approach. For countries like the Philippines, in particular, China’s increasing and nearly unopposed brazenness in the South China Sea signals the need for a similarly sterner approach for Asean.

The threat that China represents, after all, is not limited to security; it also undermines the group’s internal cohesion and quest for centrality in East Asian affairs. For small countries like the Philippines and Vietnam, which have competing claims against the Asian power, there is no other route except banking on a region-cen-

Authority, and further to the northwest, the Ombudsman, Sugar Administration (from whom NFA and LLDA leases space), and whatever else. In its midst you have the Quezon Memorial, specialty government hospitals, and the huge Parks and Wildlife Center.

Why not move the PUP there? And a zoological and botanical garden in the Parks and Wildlife Center? And then put together the 1950’s-built slew of public offices (DA,DAR,DENR, etc.) into a Museum Complex for Philippine art?

The Manila Zoo, which is decayed and decaying, too small even, and is patronized more by provincial folk than Manilans, could be an oasis of green (lungs for the city), and across the Rizal Memorial Complex, could be a sports and fitness center for Manileños, preserving façade, the track and field oval, the football court and creating a swimming pool complex besides. No further commercialization, please.

The rest of the national bureaucracy rents its offices. DoTr gave up leased space in the Columbia Building in Ortigas. DOT and its attached GOCC’s rent in Makati and Manila. DoE is in the Fort, and that’s prime real estate the private sector would gobble up quickly. Why, even the Senate of the Republic leases from the GSIS. Why not a stately and imposing building on top of a hill somewhere in Sacobia?

Decency From A4 long-winded but thoroughly pointless speeches on the floor, do not refer to the chamber of which you are a member as “this august body” because you are flattering yourself. In more vulgar language, you are engaging in self-stimulation! Let others acknowledge the augustness of your assembly, if it is indeed august and not a “congress”—which, the dictionary says, can also mean a congregation of baboons!. Similarly, judges should not refer to

tered approach to diplomacy, an approach that is propped up by an abiding faith on the rule of law and a sense of community among Southeast Asians.

Fortunately, there is little indication that China’s provocative acts in the South China Sea can escalate into full-blown military conflict, mainly because the economic costs for China is simply too high. Over 65 percent of its GDP depend on foreign trade, while imported oil accounts for half of its needs. Any attempt to monopolize control of the all-important South China Sea lanes can translate to injurious countermeasures, which can lead to it losing areas which it has little control, like the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Malacca, both of which are dominated by US naval positions.

Even so, taking stock of Asean’s first half century should perhaps emphasize that it has done its historical role of contributing to political and economic stability in the region.

Dynamism and adaptability have always been the mark of effective institutions, and Asean will similarly need to constantly revisit the spirit of its existence vis-à-vis the region’s fast-changing geopolitical configuration. For a group like Asean, staying relevant, whether via new ways of thinking or new solutions, is the only viable step forward.

Malacañang itself would be a lovely Museum of Philippine History, aside from another green oasis in the PSG cum golfcourse across the Pasig.

One’s imagination could go on and on.

The point is basic: the ordinary Filipino hardly transacts with national government offices. And if we federalize, hardly so. If we do not, think of what the ordinary Filipino needs from the national government: Clearances and licenses could be done through the internet. The Land Transportation Office could be devolved to the local government or regional centers. Passports could be done by internet application or through the postal system (so then the Postal Corporation can survive).

See? Simplification of obsolete bureaucratic systems and right-sizing government can be an offshoot of physical transfer.

NCR will thus be a financial and commercial center. And with the conversion of government offices into museums, theaters and art galleries through a well-designed architectural and urban landscaping plan, then Metro Manila will once again be a tourist attraction, where now the be-all and end-all of its tourism destination is the Intramuros complex.

And that move, initiated by Rodrigo Roa Duterte of the iron will and devil-may-care attitude towards the acclamation and criticism of the day, may well prove to be his lasting legacy.

the courts over which they preside—more practically, to themselves—as “this Honorable Court” for the self-same reason, and for the more basic reason that not all of them are honorable! Leave it to lawyers and litigants to address you with the honorific “Your Honor,” and then you can preen and bask in the glory of this fleeting act of obeisance.

Finally, when a bishop signs his name, he never signs as “My Excellency” because that would immediately assure us all of his lack of excellence.

It will not even be correct for him to sign as “The Most Reverend” because that is a title others ad-

Subsidized education PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has yet again endeared himself to the people and moved closer to his promise of making people’s lives better under his watch. On Friday last week, he signed the bill granting free tuition in tertiary education in state universities and colleges, local tertiary schools and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority or Tesda-accredited institutions. The law, titled Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, grants full government subsidy to tuition in state universities and colleges beginning next school year.

While the President’s economic managers earlier opposed the bill, saying the budget needed to implement this program would set back the government, the President was reported to have weighed both sides of the arguments and decided that the longterm effect of educaThose tion would outweigh any budgetary chalresponsible for lenges which can be remedied, as promcrafting the ised by the legislaimplementing tors.

This latest bold act rules of the by the President will, law must aim no doubt, spur real social uplift. Eduto ensure that cation is the greatits objectives est equalizer of all.

Those born to poor will not be families will have defeated. better chances to earn college degrees that can open doors of opportunities for them.

An educated society has much better chances of moving up. For a nation like the Philippines which is hounded by communist insurgency and terrorism because of poverty, education can be an antidote to the recruitment of youth by outlawed groups. I remember how the country’s top state university—the UP—have had to raise the cost of education up to P1,500.00 per unit because the budgetary allocation from the government was severely inadequate. This was the time too when a student committed suicide because she did not have enough money to continue studying at UP. While the general public is in a celebratory mood over this new law, those responsible for crafting the implementing rules of the law must aim to ensure that the objectives of the law will not be defeated. For example, mechanisms must be put in place so that students admitted in SUCs finish their chosen degrees; do not overstay; choose degrees that can land them jobs easily; or learn entrepreneurship so that, in time, they too will create jobs for others. There must be enough guidance counsellors to assist students with difficulty in adjusting or who get distracted by various problems. The goal is to make sure that once admitted for having qualified in tests, the students must go on to finish their courses in the period of time provided.

Too, the poorest of the poor must be granted further subsidy in the miscellaneous fees as their families may not even have the means to support their transportation and food allowances. Perhaps, a model similar to the socialized tuition system of the University of the Philippines, in a less restrictive version, could be adopted.

Since UP, in particular, is populated by students ranging from the poorest to the wealthiest, the well-off should pay the state school’s full tuition fees (which are already low when contrasted with the fees in private universities) as well as the miscellaneous fees. The poor students, on the other hand, must receive not just free tuition fees but subsidized miscellaneous expenses too, with allowances, to boot. Unjustified overstaying must be a cause for discontinuance of subsidy lest free education will foment a culture of laziness.

Further, since it is the government’s vision to produce generations of Filipinos that are educated to help build the nation and lift its economy, graduates of SUCs who benefit from free tuition in their entire tertiary education should serve in government for a year or two, after graduation, or join programs of giving back by serving poor communities in the same fashion as the doctors to the barrios program for graduates of medicine. There are many ways the government’s investment on human capital can bear fruit leading to a revitalized citizenry. One thing that must not be forgotten though is ensuring that the teachers in SUCs are taken care of too. Without them—or should they move to the private sector for better wages—the goal of subsidized education will fail.

Email: ritalindaj@gmail.com Visit: www.jimenolaw.com.ph

dress him by, not something he calls himself. He signs his name preceded by a cross—which unfortunately some who are not too informed take to be a sign that the signatory is deceased. But how it can be that he is signatory while already having passed on to the next life is a logical puzzle that the confused leave unsolved! The cross has been the traditional manner by which bishops identify themselves as bishops in their signatures.

The Pope, by the way, does not put a cross before his name. “Franciscus” is how Francis signs, and “Joannes Paulus II” is how John Paul II used to sign. The more pious believe that the cross is meant

by the bishop to bestow a blessing on whomsoever reads the letter—but that might be an aspiration, rather than reality.

No, these are not really trivialities. These are about conventions that have evolved and that bespeak of a modest appraisal of one’s worth and a respectful regard of others. It is really about what decency demands, and how slovenly we can be about its exactions on us. rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@outlook.com

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News

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017

Bill on barangay, SK polls hangs C

By Rio Araja

ONGRESS on Sunday assured the Commission on Elections that a law on the postponement of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections can be passed in a week or two if only the two chambers can come to an agreement.

“It will take only a week or two to pass the law if both houses of Congress will agree,” said Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, majority floor leader and stalwart of the Partido Demokratikong PilipinoLakas ng Bayan.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, author of House Bill No. 5359 seeking the election postponement, said the House of Representatives can still beat its deadline

to pass the bill.

“We still have enough time to postpone the barangay and SK polls. We hope Malacañang will certify the bill as urgent to make this possible,” he said.

Should the august body reject to postpone the barangay and SK elections set on Oct. 23, Fariñas, said, President Rodrigo Duterte would take it against them.

“The President made his case

strongly, but clearly stated that he will follow the will of Congress even if it decides not to postpone,” he added.

He said the super majority cause will discuss the matter and other priority measures today afternoon.

Rep. Sherwin Tugna of the Citizens Battle Against Corruption party-list, committee on suffrage and electoral reforms chairman, also gave the assurance that there

is still enough time to act on Barbers’ proposal.

“There is still time. We can pass a law in the lower house once the leadership decides on it,” he said.

For his part, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Ray Villafuerte backed the local elections postponement, saying such could give Comelec officials and employees, teachers and other stakeholders “a space to breath” a year after the May 2016 presidential election.

Lawmaker presses for speedier Net access THE Department of Information and Communications Technology may have to set highly aggressive targets as to where it wants to take the Philippines in terms of Internet connection speed by the end of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term in 2022, Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr. said Sunday.

“Adopting rising connection speed targets in the years ahead, and a having a welldefined strategy to achieve those marks, would give more meaning to the President’s wish to advance the country’s overall Internet connectivity,” Campos said.

“The DICT could, for instance, aim for an average Internet connection speed that is at least 10 times faster than what we now have,” Campos, a deputy minority leader, said. “Otherwise, we might be left behind if we simply allow Internet service providers to take their own sweet time in improving our sluggish connection.”

Shortly after he was elected President, Duterte had vowed to boost connectivity, and threatened to bring in foreigner players to help upgrade Internet services and make them more affordable.

“You will improve the service, or I will open up the Philippines. All can come in,” Mr. Duterte declared at a press briefing in Davao City.

The Philippines’ Internet connection has been slow to pick up compared to other countries in Asia Pacific, Campos lamented.

He said a year ago, India and the Philippines were tied in having the slowest average connection speed in Asia Pacific at 3.5 Mbps.

“However, India has since swiftly raised its average connection speed to 6.5 Mbps, while the Philippines now has the slowest at 5.5 Mbps,” he pointed out.

WATERSHED PROTECTION. Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu and MWSS Administrator Rey Velasco (4th and 5th from left respectively) have forged a partnership through the Annual Million Tree Challenge for the protection of six watersheds—Angat, Ipo, Umiray, La Mesa, Marikina and Laguna Lake—all vital for the protection of quality water supply for Metro Manila and its environs. Joining them are (from left) : Water Environment Journal publisher Mel Velasco, DENR Undersecretary Ernesto Adobo, former DENR NCR Director Andres Jose Diaz, EDL Group of Companies Chairman Eulalio D. Lorenzo and former CoA Commissioner Jun Espino.

DENR backs MWSS million-tree challenge Cargo business gets new boost

ENVIRONMENT and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu has thrown his full support for the Annual Million Tree Challenge initiated by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System to protect six critical watersheds that have an impact on the water supply in Metro Manila.

Cimatu made the commitment to support the AMTC project in an executive conference at the DENR Office the other day attended by the department’s top officials as well as MWSS Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco and officers’ of Manila Water and Maynilad.

“I would like to thank and commend MWSS Administrator Velasco for his commitment and advocacy in helping DENR

in our mandate to preserve and conserve our environment through this Annual Million Tree Challenge. I am very much honored to become a part of this project. DENR will include this under its National Greening Program in the next five years and will make the protection of the identified six watersheds as top priorities,” the DENR chief said.

These watersheds are Angat which covers a land area of 55,709 ha; Umiray - 16,000 ha; Ipo - 6,600 ha; La Mesa - 2,659 ha; Marikina - 28,000 ha, and Laguna de Bay –388,000 ha.

The DENR has identified 143 critical watersheds throughout the countryThe forest cover in the country has already dwindled by 328,682 hectares from

7,168,400 ha in 2003 to 6,839,718 ha in 2010 or an annual forest cover loss of 46,954 hectares, DENR data showed.

Describing the annual million tree challenge as “a beacon of hope for many Filipinos,” Cimatu said it is but fitting that we, in the environment sector, continue to suppor such noble advocacy that MWSS Administrator Rey Velasco has initiated in tandem with DENR. The AMTC Project was launched at the Ipo Watershed last June 23 whose forest cover was placed at 5790 hectares in 2003, but has since then diminished to 2205 hectares in 2010.

For his part, the MWSS administrator welcomed Cimatu’s full support for the

AMTC designed to plant a million trees every year over the next years under the Duterte administration.

In the DENR conference, Velasco cited the success story and template for sustainable watershed protection in the La Mesa Watershed through the combined efforts of MWSS, the two concessionaires—Manila Water and Maynilad—that fund and support the Bantay Kalikasan that oversee the overall protection of the said watershed from tree planting, maintenance and nurturing.

The MWSS chief said that the continuing and ever-increasing environmental threats to our watersheds have put a stronger impetus on the need to conserve them.

DoH marks sight saving month

By Macon Araneta HEALTH Secretary Paulyn Rosell-Ubial on Sunday assured Filipinos that the Department of Health is pursuing its mandate to ensure that the poor, indigent and marginalized will have access to affordable and quality eye care.

“Further, we deeply recognize the importance of collaboration in moving forward the agenda of All for Health towards Health for All in the fight against blindness,” said Ubial.

By virtue of Proclamation No. 40, she said the DoH spearheads the annual observance of the Sight Saving Month.

This year’s theme is Universal Eye Health: “No More Avoidable Blindness,” which is aimed at strengthening public awareness on the importance of proper eye care and promote the prevention of avoidable blindness, being considered as a serious public health issue of global magnitude.

Ubial said this This month’s Sight Saving Health campaign likewise calls for concerted actions toward reducing the government’s burden in addressing avoidable blindness.

According to a 2012 report from the World Health Organization, approximately 285-million people worldwide are visually impaired, with 39-million blind and 246 million with low vision.

Globally, cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness followed by glaucoma and agerelated macular degeneration as the secondary causes, while visual impairment are mainly caused by uncorrected refractive errors followed by cataracts and glaucoma.

In the Philippines, the 2017 estimated number of persons who are bilaterally blind is 332,150 of which 33 percent or around 109,609 is due to cataract, 25 percent (83,037) due to errors of refraction and 14 percent (46,501) due to glaucoma.

Drug awareness. Police Chief Supt. Guilermo L. T. Eleazar discusses Drug Awareness for

Maintenance of Peace and Order during a gathering at the Muslim community in Bayer St. Brgy. North Fairview Quezon City. Manny Palmero

A SUPPLY chain/ logistics firm and an e-commerce shipping company have partnered with the country’s largest bus company to boost cargo business in the Philippines, especially in Visayas and Mindanao.

In a signing ceremony on July 21, 2017, Quick Reliable (formerly known as QRS) and Xend Business Solutions sealed a partnership agreement with Ceres, a group of bus companies operating major routes in Visayas and Mindanao.

Emer Ilagan, Quick Reliable president, is happy to see the realization of the partnership, saying this will be a game changer in the country’s cargo delivery business.

“In an archipelagic country such as the Philippines, the battle in logistics has always been anchored on the efficient movement of goods outside Luzon and across our southern islands. Through Ceres and its proven knowledge of the Southern Philippines geography, plus the technological innovations of Xend, we are excited to hasten and improve cargo delivery in Visayas and Mindanao areas,” said Ilagan.

“As a Visayan company, we hope that our partnership with Quick and Xend will help bring development to and create healthier businesses in the country side. With our vast fleet, transportation experience, and strategic locations, we look forward to maximizing the potentials and address capacity requirements for cargo delivery in Southern Philippines,” said Leorey V. Yanson, president and CEO, Ceres.

Sports

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MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Bolt conqueror: I’m no bad boy

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ONDON —Justin Gatlin defended himself against accusations of whether he should still be competing after completing a remarkable comeback to win the men’s world 100 metres and ruin superstar Usain Bolt’s farewell.

The 35-year-old American, who won the world title in 2005 a year after winning the Olympic gold in the Athens Games a year earlier, said he had done his time in serving a four-year ban (200610) for doping.

The prospect of Gatlin becoming world champion had made Sebastian Coe, prior to him becoming president of the sport’s governing body the IAAF, feel “queasy”. And the American had been roundly booed when it was

“I’ve done community service, I’ve talked to kids, I’ve actualy inspired kids to walk the right path.

“That’s all I can do. Society does that for people who make mistakes. That’s why I’m still back in the sport, still running and believe in myself.” announced he had won with Bolt Bolt, who said he would not in third. be rethinking his plans to retire Whle Gatlin raised a finger after his stellar career, also deto his lips in defiance of their fended Gatlin’s right to compete jeering, the crowd then chanted although the Jamaican had not Bolt’s name. been so generous when another However, Gatlin insisted he American, Tyson Gay, had tested was “no bad boy” and said he positive and then returned. should be treated like anyone - Mutual respect who is given a second chance by “He’s done his time and if he’s society. here it means it’s okay,” Bolt said “I’m just a runner,” said Gatlin. of Gatlin.

“I’m back in the sport. I’ve done “I always respect him as a my time and I’ve come back. competitor. He’s one of the best

competitors I’ve ever competed against.

“He deserves to be here because he’s done his time and has worked hard to get back here. I look at him as any other athlete.”

Bolt also called “disrespectful” a suggestion that overall slow seasonal times were linked to a more efficient anti-doping testing programme, saying it was more down to either injuries, loss of form or even negative wind.

Gatlin, though, tried to shrug off the hostile reception he had received throughout the qualifying rounds and then when he won.

“Not at all, this was Usain’s night, his last race,” said Gatlin of the boos when he won.

“He has my utmost respect and this was his night, win or lose “He is still the man.

“I guess they booed me because I have become such a rival for him.

“There were no boos from 2010 through to 2015, but really I got the most pleasure from the way I stuck in there and came back.”

Gatlin said he didn’t know if he would call it a day now that he had succeeded in beating Bolt in a championship final -- just his second win over the 30-year-old in 10 meetings.

“Look ,when I got the fouryear ban I thought I was through and then I decided I should come back and resume training and see how it went,” he said.

“For a millisecond when I crossed the line tonight I thought of retiring but now I will see the season through.” AFP

Wesley shares 5-way tie for 3rd

By Peter Atencio GRANDMASTER Wesley So fended off a queenside attack and settled for a 29-move draw with Peter Svidler in the fourth round of the 5th Sinquefield Cup 2017 Grand Chess Tour in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Svidler, playing the Guico Piano Opening with So, rallied his knight to offensive moves in the 26th move.

But So parried Svidler’s maneuvers by placing the queen and rook near the king and made it impossible for his rival to make a check with the king hiding behind two pawns.

So now has two points.

He now shares a five-way tie in third place with Indian GM Viswanathan Anand, Levi Aronian, Magnus Carlsen, and Sergey Karjakin.

The tournament is considered an elite international event, featuring 10 of the strongest chess players in the world.

Over the course of nine rounds, these competitors will battle for $300,000 in prize money, points and the coveted title.

Meanwhile, GM Janelle Mae Frayna, playing white, missed her winning chance on the 28th move against the three-time champion Ilze Berzina in the fifth round of the Erfurt International Chess Women Open Berzina, the current women’s Latvian Champion and currently the General Secretary of Latvian Chess Federation, played to a draw in 40 moves of their Italian Opening encounter.

Her coach Jayson Gonzales said Janelle, playing black, gained equality early on.

“In the opening stage of the game when somewhere in the later part of the middle game, she boldly sacrificed a pawn, not enabling to calculate the tactical response from her opponent,” said Gonzales.

First placed US athlete Justin Gatlin (8), second placed US athlete Christian Coleman (5) and third placed Jamaica’s Usain Bolt compete in the final of the men’s 100m athletics event at the 2017 IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium in London. AFP

Philracom to sponsor 6 charity races for victims of Marawi crisis THE Philippine Racing Commission is sponsoring six charity races during the last three weekends of August at the country’s three premier race tracks for the benefit of the victims of the Marawi City crisis.

In a resolution signed by Philracom officials at their Makati City office, the board will be holding two charity races beginning on Aug. 13 at the Manila Jockey Club’s San Lazaro Park in Carmona, Cavite, followed by two more on Aug. 20 at the Philippine Racing Club’s Santa Ana Park. The last two charity races will be held on Aug. 27 at the Manila Metro Turf in Malvar, Batangas.

“The call for humanitar-

ian action is resounding in the face of the Marawi City crisis – displaced families, injured and dead civilians and soldiers and damaged properties,” the Philracom said. “As a response to the devastating conditions created by the crisis in Marawi City, the Commission deemed it necessary, reasonable and desirable to sponsor charity races for the benefit of victims of the crisis in Marawi City.”

The resolution was signed

by Philracom Chairman Andrew A. Sanchez and Commissioners Bienvenido Niles Jr. Wilfredo de Ungria, Atty.

Jose P. Santillan Jr., Lyndon B. Guce, Atty. Ramon Bagatsing Jr. and Atty. Victor Tantoco.

The Philracom Stakes

Race scheduled on Aug. 13 at the San Lazaro Park will be converted into two charity races for Marawi, with the amount allocated for the stakes race being utilized for the said races.

The Commission will allocate P300,000 for every charity race or a total of P1,800,000 for the entire month, to be taken from the Commission’s General or Trust Fund-Breakages and subject to the observance of applicable law, rules and regulations.

“The Philracom is under the Office of the President and it is but proper that we aid in President Rodrigo Duterte’s efforts to rehabilitate Marawi City,” said Chairman Sanchez.

The six charity races will

be conducted in accordance with the Philracom’s RatingBased Handicapping System, which is a result of the commission’s affiliation with the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), whose mission is to promote good regulation and best practices on international matters pertaining to the sport.

As a member of IFHA, Philracom is ready to embrace the world standards set by the international body, such as the rating-based handicapping system, equine drug-testing and transfer of technology, thereby making sure that horseracing in the Philippines is held at the highest level.

Sun Life Financial getting ready for Sunpiology Duo

By Patricia Bianca Taculao SUN Life Financial Philippines will soon accommodate runners and cyclists as it turns into a two-fold event – the Sunpiology Duo. The Sunpiology Duo will have two events: the Sun Life Cycle PH from Nov. 18 to 19 and Sun Life Resolution Run on Jan. 20, 2018.

“We recognize cycling’s growing popularity in the Philippines, and this is our share in helping encourage more people to get into the sport,” said Sun Life Chief Marketing Officer Mylene Lopa.

Lopa added that the Sunpiology Duo will be similar to a fun run because it will also be available to different age groups and offer different categories.

Sun Life Cycle PH will have a total of seven categories: Tricycle with 100m for 2 to 3 year olds and 500m for 4 to 5 year old; Kids Ride with 5.5km for 5 to 9 year old; Junior Challenge with 30 minutes for 10 year old and above; Community Ride with 20km for 10 year old and above; Foldies Community Ride with 20km for 10 year olds and above; The Challenge Ride with 40km for 14 year old and above and Ride with Robbie McEwen with 40km for 14 year old and above.

On the other hand, the Sun Life Resolution Run is set to happen early next year. Similar with previous years, Sun Life will again mount the event with Run Rio and offer 3k, 5k and 10k distance categories.

“With Sunpiology Duo, we can now cater to even more Fili- Actor Piolo Pascual, Sun Life Chief Marketing Officer Mylene Lopa, Founder of Sunrise Events, Inc. Wilpinos who are eager to get a boost in their fitness journey and fred Uytengsu, Sunrise General Manager Princess Galura are shown during a press conference announccontribute to worthwhile causes while at it,” Lopa said. ing Sun Life’s coming events. Marielle Santos

PSC sports facilities subject to renovation

By Peter Atencio RENOVATIONS and repair of facilities that are under the care of the Philippine Sports Commission will take place in the last quarter of the year.

PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez said this will now be possible as the sale of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex is no longer pushing through.

“Bago mag-last quarter ng taon, around December ‘yan (renovation),” said Ramirez, who added at the facilities at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila, the Philsports Complex in Pasig and the Amoranto Stadium in Quezon City are among those undergoing a makeover.

He said that they will have more funds now that other government agencies will get involved.

This is because of the public interest shown in the preservation of the 83-year old sports complex in Vito Cruz “There are many groups that are happy, just when they thought that the negotiations on Rizal Memorial was pushing through,” added Ramirez.

The makeover at Rizal Memorial will involve the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, which is the overall policy making body, coordinating, and grants-giving agency for the preservation, development and promotion of Philippine arts and culture.

Officials of the NCCA informed him that aside from the funding that the PSC will have for the renovation, they are also willing to shell out additional funds.

More funding assistance will also come from the National Historic Institute.

The office of Congressman Crystal Bagatsing of the fifth district of Manila will also shell out funds to help rehabilitate RMSC since this is in her area of responsibility.

Fernandes keeps title; Pacio falls MACAU—Bibiano Fernandes remained the most dominant world champion in ONE Championship history by toppling American Andrew Leone in the ONE: KINGS & CONQUERORS at The Cotai Arena at The Venetian Macao.

Defending ONE Bantamweight World Champion Fernandes made quick work of Leone, submitting the American challenger with a rear-naked choke in the first frame of the much-awaited championship clash.

It was the beginning of the end for Leone when Fernandes hammered a knee to the midsection that slumped his opponent to the mat.

The 37-year-old Brazilian authored the final sequence by latching on the match-ending submission, keeping the prestigious gold-plated strap securely fastened around his waist.

With the impressive victory, Fernandes has set an unprecedented ONE Championship record of seven successful title defenses, remaining unbeaten in the promotion.

In the co-main event, Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes of Brazil defeated Kairat Akhmetov of Kazakhstan via five-round unanimous decision to become the sole owner of the ONE Flyweight World Championship.

Hard-hitting Russian featherweight Timofey Nastyukhin and former world title challenger Koji “The Commander” Ando of Japan figured in an incredibly tactical three-round matchup, with Nastyukhin coming away with a wellearned unanimous decision victory.

Undefeated Japanese veteran Hayato Suzuki made a successful ONE Championship promotional debut, thwarting former title challenger Joshua Pacio of the Philippines to win by first round submission. After Pacio missed slightly on a spinning back kick attempt, Suzuki capitalized by taking his back and dragging the Filipino to the ground. Although Pacio valiantly fought off Suzuki’s submission attempts, it was only a matter of time before the boutending sequence played out. In the end, Suzuki notched his first victory in the ONE Championship cage via rear naked choke, forcing the younger Pacio to tap out.

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Sports

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

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MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017

Australian Reed scores Ironman 3-peat

By Patricia Bianca Taculao LAPU-LAPU CITY, CEBU—The top title for Ironman 70.3 was both defended and claimed as defending champion Australian triathlete Timothy James Reed of the male category kept his crown, while Amelia Watkinson from New Zealand emerged the new champion for the female category.

Reed breezed through the 2017 Ironman 70.3 race course in Cebu City and finished the grueling challenge with a time of 03:54:07, while Watkinson clocked 04:29:17.

Reed defended his world title and clinched his third consecutive victory in the 2017 Ironman 70.3 male category.

The Australian triathlete said his triumph was very pleasing because his hard work has paid off and the sacrifices of his wife to support and accompany him to train in the United States made this win special.

Reed is now the proud title holder and victor of the 2016 Ironman 70.3 World Championship and the Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championship, vowing he will be back in the competition to defend his title.

Following Reed to the finish line was Mexican triathlete Mauricio Mendez, who finished with 03:56:46.

Before coming into the run, Mendez was sixth in the bike race, but then made his way to second place, trailing in the wake of Reed by 2:39.

The 2016 XTerra World Champion admitted that biking was not his strong suit, but he will strive to win the Ironman 70.3 triathlon next year.

Coming in third was another Australian in Ryan Fisher with a time of 04:00:20.

In the female category, Watkinson from New Zealand rose to the top as she claimed her first victory in the female category of the swim-bike-run race with a time of 04: 29:17.

Watkinson was about seven minutes ahead of her closest competitor, Aussie Jacqueline Thistleton, who had a time of 04:35:53.

Another Aussie, Kerry Morris, placed third in the female category of the race with 04:39:11.

In the Asian Elite category, Filipino Banjo Norte was dominant in the competition as he finished at 04:35:51.

Participant dies Meanwhile, tragedy struck in the 2017 Ironman 70.3 triathlon as an athlete, who needed medical attention during the swim portion of the race, was confirmed dead.

Dr. Peter Mancao, medical director of Cebu Ironman 2017, confirmed the passing of a 47-year-old participant during the swim course of the triathlon.

The athlete was in need of medical attention during the swim leg and was then rushed to the nearby hospital to be treated.

Full details regarding the incident and the athlete have yet to be disclosed. Authorities said they will release the identity of the deceased after contacting the next of kin.

“We are deeply saddened to confirm the death of one of our athletes following the IRONMAN 70.3 Philippines in Cebu. The athlete required medical attention during the swim portion of Sunday’s race and was properly transported to a nearby hospital where they were treated. Our condolences go out to the athlete’s family and friends, whom we will continue to support,” Ironman Philippines said in an official statement.

Lady Warriors force rubber tiff POCARI Sweat recalled its fierce form in the fifth set and got back at Hair Fairy Air Force, 25-22, 16-25, 23-25, 25-21, 15-12, to force a sudden death for the other finals berth in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan yesterday.

The Lady Warriors nearly squandered a 9-5 lead in the decider but leaned on their championship experience and poise to out-steady the Lady Spikers and pound out the hard-earned victory that kept them on track for a crack at a fourth straight championship.

Jeanetta Panaga and Myla Pablo delivered in the clutch, combining for the Lady Warriors’ last six points with the former finishing off the Lady Jet Spikers with a check ball off a quick attack to level their best-of-three semifinal series.

The former St. Benilde ace earlier scored on back-to-back hits to shatter the 9-all count then added another off a poor Air Force receive while Pablo scored on a drop shot and on a kill block off Iari Yongco that made it 14-10.

But Air Force, which surprised the threetime champion, 25-20, 25-19, 25-21, in the opener late Saturday, refused to give up and pulled to within, 12-14, only to be thwarted by the Lady Warriors’ quick attack.

“The team just refused to lose. We were really determined to play another game,” said Pocari coach Rico de Guzman, whose wards shrugged off a 1-2 set deficit to stay alive.

Aussie Tim Reed (right) completes a rare three-peat while Amelia Watkinson of New Zealand nails her first Cobra Ironman 70.3 crown. Marielle Santos

New import helps Elite halt 3-game losing skid

By Elmer Manuel

A

TIMELY change in reinforcement proved to be beneficial for Blackwater as it finally barged into the win column at the expense of Phoenix via a 92-86 victory in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The entry of Henry Walker, the former NLEX import who replaced the injured Trevis Simpson, proved to be a smart move for the Elite as they snapped their three-game losing skid and improved to a 1-3 card while dealing the Fuel Masters their third straight loss for a 2-3 win-loss record.

Walker made his presence felt

on the get go and opened his debut with Blackwater with a doubledouble performance of 32 points and 15 rebounds. He was later named Best Player of the Game.

On the locals’ side, Mike Digregorio led the charge with 28 points and was the only other Elite player in double figures.

“Finally, we were able to get the win and special thanks to our

Games Aug. 13 (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 4:30 p.m. – Kia vs. Rain or Shine 6:45 p.m. – Meralco vs. NLEX new import, Mr. Henry Walker, who gave the inspiration for everybody to come out as winners,” Blackwater coach Leo Isaac said.

“In the last few minutes, he (Walker) was already complaining of cramps, and he was challenging his teammates to be on top of the situation,” he added. “But still, he was able to hit shots and grab rebounds and we’re very happy that we have an import like Walker.”

Walker’s last two points came from the charity stripe that gave the Elite a four-point, two-possession lead with eight seconds left to ice the game.

On defense, the Elite put the clamps on prolific Phoenix import Eugene Phelps, who was held to just 13 points on just 13 attempts in 40 minutes.

Five players scored in doublefigures for the Fuel Masters, but no one reached the 20-point barrier as RJ Jazul and Mark Borboran chipped in 13 and 12 points, respectively, in a losing effort.

Meanwhile, the Philippine national men’s basketball team arrived in Lebanon on Sunday just a few days before the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup slated this week in Beirut.

Gilas Pilipinas will play its first game on Wednesday against defending champions China in the finals rematch of the tournament’s last edition in 2015.

While much is expected from

Gilas Pilipinas, the squad endured many obstacles ahead of the tournament. The team only had two weeks of preparation time for the tournament, while some of its rivals have trained for months.

The team is also playing without top naturalized player Andray Blatche and the injured center June Mar Fajardo, leaving the Filipinos handicapped in the middle.

Still, the Gilas Pilipinas squad composed of Jayson Castro, Calvin Abueva, Terrence Romeo, Japeth Aguilar, Christian Standhardinger, Jio Jalalon, Matthew Wright, Carl Bryan Cruz, Raymond Almazan and Gabe Norwood vowed to give their all and show their big fighting heart against the best teams from Asia.

Fans hail Neymar as PSG strolls to opening victory

Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian forward Neymar poses for a photograph during his presentation to the fans at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. AFP

PARIS—Paris Saint-Germain celebrated the arrival of Brazilian superstar Neymar in festive style with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Amiens in their Ligue 1 opener on Saturday.

The Parc des Princes in Paris reverberated to the sound of Neymar’s name chanted over and again before kick off as the world’s most expensive player was presented to fans.

“Paris is magic,” said Neymar as he vowed to “win lots of trophies” for his mega-rich employers following his 222-million-euro ($264m) transfer from Barcelona.

Neymar has been bought to bring Champions League glory to PSG’s Qatari owners and on this evidence he won’t be needed for humdrum domestic

matters as the newly-promoted visitors were nonchalantly dismissed.

“This (signing) shows the ambition from both sides: we’re trying to improve and for Neymar this bet is also to take a step forward,” said PSG coach Unai Emery.

“Our ambition is to get closer to winning trophies and the Champions League is one of those.”

Last season’s top scorer Edinson Cavani opened the scoring three minutes before the break with Javier Pastore notching the second 10 minutes from time of a one-sided affair.

“There was a great atmosphere, the fans pushed us to win and I hope they will con-

tinue to do so the whole season,” added Emery.

“We controlled the match with our possession and chances.

“If there had been more clarity, we could have scored more goals and had an easier win.”

Amiens had given notice of the extent of their ambition right from kick-off, rugby-style pumping the ball deep into PSG territory and out of play for a throw-in.

Thereafter they spent most of the match camped on the edge of their own area.

Six minutes in and PSG carved Amiens open with slick passing to put Cavani in on goal, but the Uruguayan slipped his shot just past the post. AFP

8 legs to kick off inaugural PGT Asia Tour CASHING in on the success of the men’s and ladies circuits of the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour, the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. goes global with the launch of Asia’s newest pro golf league, the PGT Asia Tour.

“We are being true to our vision and long term commitment to make the Philippines a leading international golfing destination,” said Enrique K. Razon Jr., chairman and president of PGTI and PGT chief sponsor International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI). “The PGTA will also further develop the game of our local pros. As we go global, we make Philippine golf thrive even further,” The staging of the PGT Asia Tour comes eight years after the PGTI firmed up PGT’s stature as Southeast Asia’s largest national circuit.

The PGTI has been staging international tournaments such as the recent Solaire Philippine Open and select regionally sanctioned legs of the PGT and Ladies PGT. The need to further grow Phl golf and the positive feedback from foreign players, especially on how Filipinos organize and host tournaments, paved the way for the establishment of the PGTA. “We hope to develop the game of our local golfers and produce more Miguel Tabuenas, Antonio Lascuñas, Clyde Mondillas and the like. We also expect the PGTA to pro-

vide a welcome boost to the country’s golf tourism sector since golfers from various countries are expected to draw with them an influx of their own fans,” said Razon.

To initially promote the PGTA to international players, PGTI launched an online campaign in promoting the PGTA Qualifying School on Aug. 9-12 at the Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac. The top 80 players after 36 holes will advance to the final two rounds with the top 60 plus ties gaining cards on the new regional circuit.

The first seven legs of the inaugural season offer a US$100,000 prize fund each and a minimum of US$300,000 for the eighth event. In 2018, a total of US$1.7 million will be staked and in 2019 US$2 million with plans

to further increase the purse in the future.

An additional 10 events for each of the next two years are also being finalized and talks to hold future legs in other parts of Asia, particularly Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, are also ongoing.

“We intend to level up the ante of Asian golf through the PGTA. As we help thrive Philippine golf, we cascade the same support to our Southeast Asian neighbors by having PGTA legs in ASEAN countries,” said Razon.

The PGTA will kick off with the Aboitiz Invitational on Aug. 15-18 at the Manila Southwoods followed by Luisita on Sept. 6-9 for the Central Azucarera de Tarlac Open and the ICTSI Riviera Championship on Sept. 13-16.

The ICTSI Wack Wack Challenge will be held on Nov. 15-18 at WW East with Splendido Taal hosting the next stop on Nov. 29-Dec. 2. Still to be determined are the venues for the seventh leg set Dec. 6-9 and the eighth leg scheduled early next year.

The initial circuit is geared towards offering golfers from the Philippines, Asia and other parts of the world another platform on which to play and at the same time to complement each country’s national golf tour and the existing regional circuits.

Stricter revenue law pushed B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017

B1

Bread price increase inevitable G

By Othel V. Campos

ardenia Bakeries Philippines Inc. said retail prices of premium bread will increase by P4 per loaf as soon as flour millers raise the cost of locally-milled flour following the surge in wheat prices in the world market.

Gardenia vice president Nestor Constancia said the price hike would be inevitable as wheat prices started to go up in the global market.

“We’re told that the price increase may be enforced by waves to temper the increase and allow customers to also adjust to the new price. Bad harvest in the US due to persistent drought pushed up wheat import

price,” he said.

Pilmico Foods Corp. president Sabin Aboitiz said wheat prices surged by as much as 50 percent in the world market because of tight production in major producing areas, including the US and European countries.

The Philippines imports about 95.2 percent of wheat from the US. There are 20 flour millers in the country, who are members

of the Philippine Association of Flour Millers Inc., the Chamber of Philippine Flour Mills or independent flour millers.

Constancia said even alternative sources of wheat like Australia and Canada were also having a bad wheat harvest.

A 25-kilogram bag of hard flour currently costs around P700. With the proposed increase, an additional P50 per bag may be imposed under the first wave.

Constancia, who is also the president of the Philippine Bakers Association, said the price increase could be implemented in three waves and could reach a total increment of P150 to P200 per bag of flour.

“Not only breads are affected

by the increase in flour prices.

Soft flour which is used for pastries, noodles and pasta are also bound to increase prices,” he said.

Flour milers are supposed to reflect the new cost of flour in the immediate months of the second semester, he said.

US wheat commodity futures started going up in May this year and peaked at $8.12 per bushel on July 3, up by $2.72 per bushel from the May 15 level of $5.40 per bushel, or an increase of 50.4 percent. Prices have since hovered around $8.50 to $7.50 per bushel level.

Local millers said the flour price adjustments would vary per mill as each needed to consider how well or poorly they

covered their requirements for the coming months.

Since prices started going up in May, the higher priced wheat bought at that time have now been milled into flour and will have to be sold at correspondingly higher price levels.

The local flour market grew 4.6 percent in 2016, fueled by a strong economy and higher purchasing power of consumers.

The Philippines imported 2.6 million metric tons of wheat in 2017, or 4 percent higher than 2015’s importation of 2.5 million tons.

Flour consumption, including imports, reached 84.6 million bags of 25 kilos each, up by 4.6 percent from the previous year’s consumption.

Cimatu reviews mining report

Smart expands LTE reach to 783 towns

THE mobile unit of PLDT Inc. said it is on track to deploy long-term evolution network in 783 municipalities by end-2017, covering half of its three-year target of 1,551 municipalities by end- 2018.

“We are asking for people’s patience and understanding as we are upgrading our network facilities. We assure you that we are taking steps to minimize the impact of these activities on our subscribers. In the end, our commitment to all our subscribers is that they will enjoy progressively better mobile data services in the next few months, particularly for those using LTE devices,” said PLDT Inc. and Smart senior vice president for network planning and engineering Mario Tamayo.

The comprehensive network modernization and expansion program features re-equipping cell sites to provide better indoor coverage and increase the capacity of each Smart cell site to handle more calls, texts and increasing mobile data traffic.

Smart rolled out the country’s first LTE-A service in Boracay in April 2016 in anticipation of the rise of bandwidth-heavy services such as video streaming and gaming.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Asean economies face same challenges

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales MINING companies should comply with all existing mining and environmental laws if they want their operations to continue, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said Sunday.

Cimatu said the Environment Department would be strict in exercising regulatory powers to reduce to the minimum the environmental impacts of mining operations in the country.

“While our laws allow the exploration of our natural resources, those privileged will have to adhere to strict rules and regulations, and always focused on the national interest,” Cimatu said.

Cimatu said the department would continue to promote responsible use of natural resources and environmental protection in the mining sector.

“We will protect the environment and the affected communities, and optimize the use of the country’s natural resources for the common good,” he said.

“We will punish those who violate relevant regulations by imposing the highest possible penalties provided by law,” he said.

Cimatu said the agency was conducting a thorough review of an earlier mining audit, which recommended the suspension or closure of several mining operations.

“We are carefully reviewing each and every company in accordance with existing laws and, of course, based on fact and the evidence,” Cimatu said.

He said the department would properly adhere to due process and give all concerned firms and sectors the chance to raise their concerns.

IN BRIEF

FIRST GEN-PREHC DEAL. First Gen Corp. chairman and chief executive Federico Lopez (third from left) and Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets senior managing director David Luboff (second from left) shake hands after announcing a tender offer agreement between First Gen and Philippines Renewable Energy Holdings Corp. Flanking them are Richard Tantoco (left), president and chief operating officer of First Gen subsidiary Energy Development Corp.; and Francis Giles Puno (right), First Gen president and COO. Under the agreement, PREHC as the bidder agrees to acquire, through a tender offer, a minimum of 6.6 billion common shares up to a maximum of 8.9 billion common shares of EDC, representing 23.5 percent to 31.7 percent of EDC’s total outstanding voting shares.

MPIC proposes Cavitex-Sangley expressway

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE tollway unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. submitted an unsolicited proposal to the government to build an expressway connecting Manila-Cavite Expressway to Sangley Point in Cavite City.

Cavitex Holdings Inc., owned

by MPIC, submitted a letter of intent to the Public Works Department on July 3 to build the Cavitex-Sangley Extension Project.

The project aims to connect the Kawit Interchange of Cavitex

to Sangley Point in Cavite City and neighboring provinces of Laguna and Batangas and Metro Manila via a reclaimed road and viaduct totaling 4.63 kilometers.

Cavitex is a 14-kilometer expressway linking Manila and Cavite province.

MPCALA Holdings Inc., a unit of MPIC, earlier submitted an unsolicited proposal to build Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas Expressway, a 46-kilometer road worth P25 billion.

The project aims to link Cavite Expressway and Cavite Laguna Expressway in Silang, Cavite to

Tagaytay City and will terminate in Nasugbu, Batangas.

The company is also constructing the P35-billon Cavite Laguna Expressway, a four-lane, 47-kilometer closed-system toll expressway connecting Cavitex and South Luzon Expressway.

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

The MPIC Group is also building the P11.7-billion C5 Link Expressway, a 7.7-kilometer road that will link C5 Road in Taguig to R1 (Coastal) Express-

way. The project is expected to be completed by end-2019.

Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., the tollway unit of MPIC, budgeted P130.5 billion in the next five years to build highways and toll roads around the Philippines.

The company said to fund the projects, it is imperative that overdue tariff increases, now ranging between 20 percent and 48 percent on different parts of the network, be implemented.

“We are in constructive dialog with the new administration on how to achieve this,” MPTC said.

June factory output rose 5.8%

By Julito G. Rada THE manufacturing sector likely grew 5.8 percent in June, on sustained demand for locally-manufactured products, Moody’s Analytics, a division of Moody’s Corp., said in a report over the weekend.

“Philippine industrial production growth likely held at 5.8 percent yearon-year in June. The archipelago’s manufacturers are benefiting from stronger demand at home and abroad,” Moody’s said.

“Domestically, private investment and consumption are expanding rapidly as positive demographics and infrastructure improvements propel the economy towards GDP [gross domestic product] growth around 7 percent,” it said.

Moody’s said external demand for Philippine goods, particularly electronics, was improving “thanks to the synchronized upswing in global economic conditions.”

The manufacturing sector also grew 5.8 percent in May, faster than the 4.3-percent growth in April, driven

mainly by higher output of construction- and export-oriented goods.

Export-oriented products includedbasic and fabricated metals, and nonmetallic mineral products, as shown in the Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries of the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Fabricated metals registered a record-high growth of 116.9 percent in May, while basic metals and non-metallic products increased by 29.1 percent and 22.6 percent, respectively.

“These recorded increases led to an overall volume of production index for manufacturing of 5.8 percent, faster than the 4.3 percent growth recorded in the previous month,” the National Economic and Development Authority said.

“This also led to the 7.5 percent three-month moving average growth rate, reflecting a robust performance of the sector,” it said.

Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said that construction products were expected to grow further toward the end of the year, backed by the government’s massive infrastructure development spending.

OUTSTANDING FRANCHISE. Toby’s Sports, the largest multi-brand sports retailer in the Philippines, receives the prestigious Outstanding Filipino Franchise Award for Retail (large scale category) from the Philippine Franchise Association at the 2017 Franchise Excellence Awards at SMX Convention Center on July 19, 2017. Quorum Group of Companies is the parent company of Toby’s Sports. Shown during the awarding ceremony are (from left) PFA president Alan Escalona, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, QGC chief executive Bobby Claudio, QGC chief operating officer Jose Claudio, QII store operations head William Llaguno, QII president Toby Claudio, University of Asia and the Pacific president Dr. Winston Padojinog, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry president George Barcelon and PRA president Paul Santos.

A PRIVATE think tank said while Asean economies remain among the most dynamic and resilient in the world, the regional bloc must be wary of the “political consequences” of its economic relationships.

“Asean has some six hundred million people or about 10 percent of the global population. Collectively, the Asean economy is the seventh largest in the world,” former ambassador Albert Del Rosario, chairman of Stratbase ADR Institute, said in a speech during the ‘Asean at Fifty: The Way Forward’ conference in Makati City.

The bloc includes some of the fastest growing economies in the world. “Asean members have shown a skillfulness in exploiting economic niches. Our Economic Community, through which we engage the world, helps us to do that,” he said.

Former ambassador Roberto Romulo, chairman of the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation said: “America’s seeming retreat from global leadership on such matters ranging from guarantor of peace to economic liberalism and even to climate change has led to worldwide uncertainty and lack of direction.

At the same time, China’s economic clout has translated into the geopolitical sphere. Russia has again become a player in global security.”

First Gen to pursue LNG hub project

By Alena Mae S. Flores FIRST Gen Corp. said it is now more motivated to develop a liquefied natural gas facility, following the decision of the government to veer away from a government-to-government mode of project development.

“We are excited about it. We will continue to pursue it. We would be interested,” First Gen president Francis Giles Puno said.

Puno said First Gen had not yet received word from stateowned Philippine National Oil Co. on the country’s planned LNG hub.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said last week PNOC, which was tasked to implement the planned “common carrier” liquefied natural gas receiving and distribution infrastructure, had not submitted any shortlist to the department for evaluation.

“None yet. They are still working on the framework.

They are still completing it.

They have not chosen,” Cusi said.

First Gen earlier announced a plan to put up an LNG terminal that would support its power plants in Batangas with the expected depletion of Malampaya natural gas in the next 10 to 12 years.

B2

Business

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock index likely to stay at 8,000

By Jenniffer B. Austria

S

HARE prices are expected to move sideways this week, when more companies are set to release second-quarter financial reports and with the onset of the socalled ‘ghost month’ in Chinese trading.

Philstocks Financial Inc. trader Justino Calaycay said investors were anticipating the release of earnings reports by more listed companies which was a major catalyst for the benchmark’s recent rise to the 8,000-point level.

Among the listed companies which will release second-quarter income reports this week are SM Prime Holdings Inc., SM In-

vestments Corp., Ayala Land Inc., PLDT Inc. and San Miguel Corp.

Calaycay said earnings reported by companies so far were weak, which could deflate confidence and make it even more difficult for the bellwether to get past the 8,000 level.

“Also fast rising on the horizon is the annual Chinese ‘ghost month’ whence trades are seen to slacken. It could be an opportunity to take positions or it could be the breathing spell investors need to take a hard second, or even third look at the matrices that define their investment strategies,” Calaycay said.

“At this juncture the psychological barrier lies at the 8,000-mark with support still holding at the 7900-line. Only and only if the fundamentals do catch up with the recent spike in confidence that reflected in a surge in prices, will a return to the 8,000-level be justified,” he said.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 3-company benchmark, declined 1.7 percent last week to close at 7,932.82 on Aug. 4,

snapping a four-week run. The index continued to struggle to stay above the 8,000 level.

The broader all-share index dipped 1.2 percent to 4,734.38.

Except for the industrials, which went up 0.3 percent, all other major indices ended in the red, led by services which dropped 2.3 percent, property which declined 2.3 percent and mining and oil which fell 0.9 percent.

Foreign investors were net buyers last week by P229 million, while average daily turnover was steady at P6.6 billion.

Among top gainers last week were Lopezowned stocks Energy Development Corp. which jumped 15.7 percent to P6.90, Lopez Holdings Inc. which advanced 7.2 percent to P7.30 and First Gen Corp. which climbed 1.8 percent to P18.36.

Heavy losers included Leisure and Resorts World Corp. which retreated12.1 percent to P4.26, Concepcion Industrial Corp. which fell 12 percent to P65.10 and JG Summit Holdings Inc. which declined 7.4 percent to P74.

Semirara to restore Panian’s vegetation

By Alena Mae S. Flores SEMIRARA Mining and Power Corp. said it is on track to rehabilitate and restore the topography and ecological balance of Panian open pit mine in Semirara Island, Antique.

“The Panian area used to have rolling hills of open grasslands with a variety of shrubs and trees. Our end goal is to restore Panian to its original landscape, and create an even more vibrant ecosystem in the area,” Semirara Mining president and chief operating officer Victor Consunji said.

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

JULY 31-AUGUST 4, 2017 Close Volume Value

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

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

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

4.14 59.75 127.50 105.40 36.2 4.05 1.36 9.04 16.1 32.15 8.07 0.66 1.62 920.00 0.700 86.05 0.84 13.88 24.40 66.20 90 120 241 54.5 230 1705.00 86.30 1.33

335,000 243,140 13,266,360 6,188,010 830,500 20,000 443,000 400 91,500 8,805,600 10,300 383,000 166,000 2,030 11,496,000 10,483,500 7,844,000 349,700 5,400 555,320 1,770 1,960 142,590 438,720 2,006,410 430 2,691,550 513,000

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Basic Energy Corp.

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

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

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

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Petroenergy Res. Corp.

Phil H2O Pilipinas Shell Phinma Corporation Phinma Energy Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

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

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

39.95 9.38 0.82 1.36 30 0.260 159.1 16.10 5.85 18.44 71 82 30 65.1 1.95 5.2 11.36 12.220 15.2 7.67 6.90 13.80 1.75 18.36 66.6 14.80 13.20 13.74 1.890 215.20 59.15 3.79 3.38 21.00 31.8 19.36 18.1 280.00 0.240 12.52 3.19 9.60 7.30 8.89 66 10.26 1.89 12.40 7.19 4.49 2.06 4.6 308 2.81 12.96 4.85 0.144 1.29 152.3 3.92 2.5 29.60 1.02

6,804,600 15,114,800 8,897,000 4,938,000 643,300 30,620,000 640 83,000 84,391,300 1,716,900 19,790 300 8,517,400 424,160 849,000 345,600 297,900 14,657,700 8,320,200 3,355,600 187,838,600 16,482,000 17,000 17,148,900 1,527,040 16,400 565,800 11,805,200 10,659,000 3,112,560 7,580 312,000 34,000 16,200 4,267,500 2,857,500 12,257,500 1,909,600 3,030,000 3,511,000 22,692,000 11,790,500 3,935,100 9,348,200 1,634,380 117,900 7,413,000 5,538,300 6,261,800 304,000 4,000 283,000 106,160 7,314,000 1,985,600 429,800 1,670,000 1,902,000 5,485,540 86,000 115,609,000 500 482,000

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

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Keppel Holdings `A’ Keppel Holdings `B’ Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

LT Group Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

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

0.385 74.95 14.20 1.13 6.95 0.320 0.320 879 7.6 15.66 6.05 5.99 7.84 0.223 1200 8.27 74.00 5.95 5.5 5.42 7.3 0.99 18.2 0.455 6.69 3.22 0.0480 0.970 2.090 2.60 101.30 2.73 800.00 1.73 0.87 304.200 0.2800 0.2380 0.230

84,670,000 6,108,120 43,819,100 165,000 232,600 7,290,000 2,660,000 1,311,270 6,755,400 47,271,900 742,900 10,000 138,900 5,700,000 471,570 487,200 8,644,760 31,500 74,100 28,200 12,799,300 7,101,000 18,178,100 2,430,000 63,681,100 3,000 89,100,000 168,000 3,743,000 30,000 676,930 190,000 1,522,310 15,363,000 1,000 34,980 1,070,000 10,360,000 5,690,000

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

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

Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport `A’

5.450 6.78 1.45 2.290 1.020 41.900 3.72 5.3 4.76 5.5 0.530 1.24 1.520 0.193 0.510 48.3 0.710 0.155 1.61 1.87 0.99

5,202,300 6,200 25,723,000 1,798,000 9,646,000 51,588,000 19,215,000 213,304 7,633,000 32,000 136,146,000 1,062,000 1,153,000 25,570,000 5,122,000 3,808,400 11,303,000 11,500,000 103,979,000 124,032,000 2,550,000

FINANCIAL 1,317,750.00 14,633,612.00 1,678,921,598.00 648,304,877.00 30,250,080.00 79,460.00 572,340.00 3,616.00 1,465,958.00 288,331,030.00 83,135.00 252,950.00 275,630.00 1,937,250.00 7,989,700.00 907,359,538.00 6,737,460.00 5,070,654.00 134,140.00 37,228,357.50 159,167.50 232,852.00 34,217,978.00 92,619,500.00 463,314,232.00 731,775.00 232,180,893.50 696,640.00 INDUSTRIAL 267,798,020.00 138,135,557.00 7,345,050.00 6,818,150.00 19,422,805.00 7,872,800.00 107,830.00 1,319,078.00 510,698,700.00 31,701,838.00 1,393,790.50 24,600.00 265,109,870.00 30,977,144.50 1,656,300.00 1,814,098.00 3,419,276.00 179,009,908.00 124,588,556.00 31,812,777.00 1,281,011,763.00 223,148,212.00 29,540.00 312,718,938.00 101,486,125.00 239,842.00 7,444,288.00 164,269,690.00 20,911,030.00 683,802,400.00 462,285.50 1,157,300.00 113,340.00 337,835.00 136,217,185.00 55,759,660.00 220,794,220.00 531,848,748.00 730,930.00 43,239,696.00 72,552,070.00 111,815,388.00 30,423,180.00 80,428,553.00 108,134,716.00 1,203,204.00 13,927,710.00 67,335,324.00 44,649,381.00 1,354,770.00 8,240.00 1,249,670.00 32,673,022.00 20,759,130.00 25,881,380.00 2,107,846.00 241,730.00 2,488,070.00 850,573,035.00 338,610.00 266,825,600.00 14,755.00 511,070.00 HOLDING FIRMS 33,965,850.00 449,691,231.50 627,443,832.00 186,530.00 1,608,454.00 2,333,600.00 857,150.00 1,139,839,730.00 51,827,213.00 756,781,094.00 4,458,129.00 59,950.00 1,063,574.00 1,250,130.00 568,689,740.00 3,913,936.00 657,093,344.00 180,735.00 434,466.00 166,094.00 91,427,151.00 7,060,280.00 326,005,896.00 1,141,750.00 427,749,302.00 9,660.00 4,261,400.00 165,690.00 7,771,090.00 78,000.00 68,440,344.00 509,000.00 1,226,495,700.00 26,204,000.00 870.00 10,616,910.00 304,500.00 2,448,730.00 1,332,160.00 PROPERTY 29,501,410.00 41,652.00 37,663,800.00 4,069,810.00 9,883,840.00 2,151,298,175.00 72,383,060.00 1,123,484.00 36,270,470.00 175,233.00 72,010,100.00 1,284,650.00 1,762,740.00 4,849,460.00 2,610,300.00 179,759,610.00 8,047,510.00 1,834,540.00 165,459,600.00 224,683,400.00 2,571,100.00

Close

JULY 24-28, 2017 Volume Value

3.8 59.85 125.00 107.40 36.5 4.04 1.35 10 16.06 32.2 8.29 0.67 1.68 960.00 0.690 86.15 0.82 16.1 25.00 67.00 89.9 113 239.8 57.05 233.6 1700.00 86.30 1.4

266,000 311,430 7,673,890 4,451,610 2,646,100 296,000 269,000 7,200 41,700 3,775,400 38,900 115,000 361,000 1,210 5,045,000 28,141,910 4,757,000 207,100 4,800 1,629,910 2,870 2,670 9,440 205,250 2,141,460 1,935 429,450 4,042,000

1,073,900 18,504,683.00 948,767,217 476,471,649.00 96,627,620.00 1,182,840.00 363,300.00 71,902.00 671,404.00 121,014,755.00 313,060 76,170 601,800.00 1,132,280.00 3,495,390.00 2,434,267,400.50 3,876,720.00 3,317,694.00 119,730.00 110,074,537.50 255,081.00 309,808.00 2,275,072.00 11,872,649 493,542,344.00 3,275,820 37,063,245.50 5,883,000.00

38.8 8.85 0.85 1.42 30.2 0.265 185 15.00 6.01 18.54 76 85 32 74 1.97 5.36 11.52 12.300 14.92 7.45 5.96 13.08 1.76 17.62 66 14.88 12.88 13.92 1.860 222.00 61.90 3.9 3.55 22.25 32.05 19.96 18.18 280.00 0.245 9.60 3.19 9.41 7.88 7.18 66.35 10.36 1.92 12.10 6.67 4.50 2.34 4.1 308 2.69 13.24 5.1 0.145 1.36 160 4.07 2.13 29.00 1.03

4,598,400 5,807,500 31,538,000 3,072,000 306,600 17,450,000 4,840 74,400 85,437,800 16,368,900 580 200 3,790,700 639,460 1,547,000 446,400 137,300 9,926,200 24,766,300 12,841,600 43,306,300 21,516,900 18,000 8,654,000 505,490 63,900 2,609,100 16,256,000 7,920,000 2,205,940 7,730 733,000 114,000 26,200 4,280,700 1,087,900 11,882,200 2,520,140 8,030,000 150,300 8,010,000 11,602,600 9,561,400 823,700 4,025,440 317,100 4,265,000 17,282,200 879,900 843,000 14,000 1,456,800 90,330 15,793,000 3,806,600 5,113,600 6,430,000 1,005,000 5,749,280 22,000 77,813,000 800 408,000

182,472,380.00 51,764,803.00 28,060,920.00 4,362,320.00 9,385,120.00 4,634,050.00 913,826.00 1,115,464.00 549,365,169.00 306,234,692 44,884.00 17,000.00 119,050,110.00 44,839,057 3,067,570.00 2,371,776.00 1,586,862.00 122,185,664.00 600,707,302.00 97,327,309.00 256,768,605.00 277,569,432.00 31,280.00 155,861,734.00 33,570,501.50 947,822.00 34,765,774.00 235,420,102.00 15,121,610.00 483,741,030.00 467,416.00 2,906,180.00 393,140.00 539,510.00 138,739,875.00 21,697,470.00 241,550,162.00 708,382,592.00 1,940,710.00 1,449,114.00 25,489,650.00 110,510,761.00 80,650,145.00 5,770,090.00 266,798,130.00 3,235,680.00 8,210,320.00 209,215,456.00 5,921,369.00 3,820,700.00 32,660.00 6,920,942.00 27,718,756.00 44,708,940.00 50,407,526.00 23,788,743.00 936,000.00 1,366,230.00 919,449,033 87,380.00 169,786,830.00 23,255.00 421,830.00

0.400 74.80 14.30 1.15 7.05 0.325 0.330 888 7.77 16.02 6.01 6 7.60 0.227 1242 8.35 79.95 4.65 5.42 6 6.81 1 18.1 0.470 6.81 3.23 0.0490 1.000 2.150 2.67 101.70 2.7 805.00 1.59 0.87 304.800 0.2850 0.2300 0.239

49,380,000 3,601,470 38,018,200 733,000 481,700 14,920,000 1,600,000 1,257,820 4,959,900 61,777,800 16,600 17,500 254,800 36,790,000 813,965 776,800 7,532,710 66,600 40,300 4,500 5,335,500 5,795,000 20,150,400 3,360,000 117,321,200 20,000 193,000,000 278,000 4,773,000 20,000 506,500 408,000 1,753,860 26,665,000 130,000 51,710 2,680,000 43,310,000 9,280,000

19,432,900.00 269,201,241.00 438,272,446.00 828,660.00 3,328,090.00 4,836,750.00 530,000.00 1,119,581,245 38,771,692.00 980,507,876.00 99,616.00 105,620.00 1,930,994.00 9,322,590.00 999,279,565.00 6,340,300.00 593,333,384.00 322,598.00 224,900.00 26,033.00 36,450,423.00 5,796,440.00 364,593,932.00 1,585,200.00 896,933,482.00 64,590.00 9,418,010.00 284,750.00 10,126,270.00 53,600.00 51,639,558.00 1,137,070.00 1,393,981,310.00 45,058,540.00 113,520.00 15,732,436.00 771,350.00 10,900,690.00 2,230,240.00

5.890 6.04 1.45 2.310 1.060 43.000 3.79 5.35 4.69

1,411,700 4,600 24,259,000 427,000 33,988,000 54,117,800 9,762,000 86,100 45,344,400

8,346,038.00 29,928.00 34,920,320.00 994,800.00 35,773,970.00 2,337,592,290.00 36,407,000.00 459,539.00 223,167,854.00

0.540 1.20 1.520 0.191 0.510 45.7 0.740 0.170 1.54 1.83 1.05

280,797,000 2,154,000 2,055,000 33,020,000 19,949,000 1,050,100 11,703,000 44,730,000 119,614,000 67,740,000 3,101,000

157,924,740.00 2,621,380.00 3,173,780.00 6,276,510.00 10,200,760.00 48,294,735.00 8,675,640.00 8,342,120.00 180,046,610.00 124,318,630.00 3,293,550.00

STOCKS

JULY 31-AUGUST 4, 2017 Close Volume Value

Keppel Properties Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

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

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

4.12 4.81 0.335 0.5900 0.550 30.05 4.74 24.55 1.78 3.24 34.00 1.02 7.48 0.890 5.950

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Apollo Global Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ.

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

Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Racing Club Phil. Seven Corp.

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Wilcon Depot

23.7 43.6 1.84 0.690 0.042 11.3 5.32 8.83 0.0750 102 9.68 2.22 10.80 3.22 970 2018 6.19 15.78 13.12 2.57 103.6 3.28 12.56 8.60 0.170 1.3800 3 15.5 4.26 1.66 11.78 16.40 0.600 2.4 8.99 3.91 2.310 11.4 5.15 2.9 8.25 169.00 9.32 1630.00 0.415 1.600 47.00 87.00 6.05 4.63 1.450 1.94 3.42 1.390 8.720

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

United Paragon

0.0029 1.59 5.29 14.42 1.9000 1.8300 1.22 0.385 8.41 2.450 0.305 0.187 0.193 0.011 1.79 6.2 1.96 0.5800 1.0200 0.0100 0.0110 8.84 3.72 0.0120 2.5000 167.50 0.0081

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

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

44.4 516 515 106 105.5 112.5 111 523 5.95 1007 1023 1.06 107.6 1037 1013 105.5 113.4 77 80 77.75 78.05 81.5 79 78.7 78.6 2

LR Warrant

2.420

Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Philab Holdings Xurpas

3.2 3.78 5.21 6.45

First Metro ETF

120

USD DMPL A1

10.5

Close

4,000 267,233,900 91,090,000 257,166,000 39,945,000 1,100 2,289,000 9,692,700 1,159,000 1,309,000 37,260,300 13,131,000 3,700 435,000 10,382,500

16,480.00 1,483,290,230.00 30,946,600.00 160,741,700.00 22,210,990.00 33,215.00 10,916,010.00 242,719,005.00 2,066,580.00 4,190,440.00 1,271,194,585.00 13,188,920.00 27,033.00 386,660.00 61,742,656.00 SERVICES 1,118,900 26,062,740.00 542,900 23,639,310.00 2,641,000 4,879,930.00 83,652,000 53,666,410.00 96,600,000 4,070,600.00 40,000 450,550.00 30,900 165,689.00 54,167,500 486,683,445.00 116,540,000 8,855,980.00 3,925,150 400,453,407.00 16,800 158,593.00 16,000 35,520.00 3,592,000 39,226,926.00 1,000 3,220.00 2,910 2,851,900.00 207,355 429,575,400.00 446,700 2,767,846.00 168,700 2,611,520.00 2,400 31,502.00 15,403,000 41,286,140.00 6,150,390 649,692,133.00 230,000 755,000.00 3,100 37,080.00 1,652,200 14,138,770.00 27,720,000 4,740,710.00 3,274,000 4,384,650.00 1,869,000 5,685,570.00 14,200 219,300.00 13,510,000 60,333,070.00 21,304,000 37,557,510.00 16,477,600 193,800,802.00 5,100 91,504.00 399,000 230,130.00 198,000 466,380.00 11,265,700 100,193,110.00 20,627,000 80,565,100.00 7,697,000 17,352,920.00 39,100 446,116.00 59,000 303,187.00 8,000 23,260.00 20,100 165,817.00 371,600 63,212,422.00 2,169,900 20,242,014.00 775,670 1,263,776,890.00 20,130,000 8,367,400.00 39,151,000 62,220,370.00 8,309,700 390,143,165.00 4,358,860 377,953,490.50 3,802,100 23,145,160.00 43,401,000 193,734,930.00 128,433,000 189,755,920.00 4,000 7,520.00 1,700,000 5,810,380.00 237,281,000 320,202,180.00 14,343,900 126,717,109.00 MINING & OIL 692,000,000 2,002,000.00 16,276,000 25,894,240.00 1,103,400 5,879,524.00 14,900 195,742.00 2,618,000 4,868,250.00 126,000 233,320.00 16,151,000 19,586,580.00 4,520,000 1,774,950.00 20,600 176,052.00 14,711,000 38,047,990.00 39,170,000 12,440,650.00 53,910,000 10,206,460.00 201,210,000 8,463,700.00 391,900,000 4,238,700.00 1,583,000 2,881,240.00 11,971,400 73,424,920.00 212,000 410,720.00 17,336,000 7,058,550.00 1,688,000 1,770,870.00 126,700,000 1,311,600.00 21,200,000 225,700.00 2,409,400 21,459,901.00 27,295,000 94,520,380.00 66,500,000 799,200.00 128,000 321,380.00 5,281,000 886,183,536.00 424,000,000 1,103,000.00 PREFERRED 717,000 31,393,190.00 29,190 15,065,685.00 2,020 1,040,400.00 46,450 4,923,700.00 107,200 11,265,924.00 6,400 685,690.00 13,500 1,497,110.00 90 47,230.00 2,171,200 13,061,796.00 1,500 1,513,860.00 5,985 6,085,260.00 71,000 84,650.00 40,930 4,396,058.00 300 311,175.00 5,730 5,807,265.00 122,290 12,847,632.00 14,870 1,686,260.00 53,320 4,096,514.50 161,070 12,904,046.00 27,900 2,152,447.50 900 70,245.00 340,500 27,728,755.00 41,380 3,268,422.00 24,840 1,952,036.00 108,070 8,617,979.00 14,000 28,000.00 WARRANTS & BONDS 5,084,000 12,922,820.00 SME 7,000 21,300.00 1,417,000 5,406,350.00 410,700 2,188,531.00 28,336,400 196,266,360.00 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 275,910 33,247,776.00 DDOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 40,020 420,210.00

JULY 24-28, 2017 Volume Value

4.12 4.94 0.340 0.6100 0.580 30.20 4.71 25.45 1.78 3.24 35.00 1.02 7.35 0.880 5.990

4,000 245,492,000 267,100,000 322,251,000 63,431,000 6,300 6,574,000 9,777,700 2,291,000 86,000 41,546,700 11,847,000 66,200 2,044,000 40,658,800

16,480.00 1,204,425,910.00 92,726,350.00 185,421,130.00 37,833,210.00 204,195.00 30,648,660.00 244,600,495.00 4,048,800.00 278,210.00 1,439,629,795.00 11,991,710.00 460,127.00 1,832,720.00 234,321,953.00

23 43 1.75 0.620 0.043 11.18 5.3 9.11 0.0800 99.4 9.87 2.22 10.64 3.21 990 2126 6.22 15.78 13.12 2.89 107.9 3.46 12.56 8.60 0.175 1.3600 3.29 15.96 4.85 1.90 11.00 18.00 0.570 2.3 9.12 3.99 2.360 11.46 5.20 3.19 8.25 172.00 9.80 1700.00 0.425 1.620 47.20 86.95 6.09 4.63 1.490 1.94 3.47 1.190 9.000

913,200 311,000 2,236,000 63,944,000 156,100,000 400 10,900 67,283,400 157,990,000 2,086,000 379,900 30,000 5,392,100 2,000 5,310 112,460 1,722,600 201,000 500 5,790,000 6,132,570 203,000 3,000 1,598,500 83,220,000 3,001,000 210,000 17,600 4,564,000 47,001,000 27,346,800 3,400 607,000 216,000 16,983,900 20,610,000 10,437,000 73,700 106,700 4,000 7,000 8,870 4,051,600 539,930 86,060,000 81,451,000 4,311,600 4,449,750 3,636,200 59,173,000 78,059,000 18,000 3,440,000 173,847,000 30,582,200

20,901,785.00 13,364,940.00 3,975,350.00 37,987,740.00 6,795,000.00 4,472.00 57,957 615,921,391.00 12,637,980.00 203,686,058.00 3,616,734.00 66,600 57,025,613.00 6,420.00 5,243,740.00 234,449,860 10,785,274.00 3,097,360.00 6,584 16,970,220.00 661,736,857.00 681,280 36,672.00 13,663,641.00 14,872,020.00 4,100,130.00 670,510.00 276,086.00 22,016,790 107,167,060.00 291,284,518.00 56,438 348,400.00 497,820.00 153,609,946.00 82,324,880.00 25,346,760.00 844,170.00 545,967 12,100.00 57,760.00 1,519,456.00 40,484,710.00 920,318,180.00 39,200,900.00 131,944,170.00 202,297,635.00 387,176,499.50 22,204,959.00 262,528,120.00 117,648,410.00 33,480.00 12,076,590.00 207,126,530.00 272,841,994.00

0.0030 1.60 5.16 14.66 1.9100 1.9200 1.18 0.395 8.59 2.590 0.300 0.180 0.188 0.011 1.89 5.98 1.94 0.6200 1.1200 0.0100 0.0120 8.76 3.45 0.0120 2.5200 172.80 0.0082

3,468,000,000 25,440,000 1,076,600 15,700 165,000 151,000 53,498,000 4,340,000 71,400 11,110,000 97,320,000 36,340,000 3,140,000 555,100,000 4,076,000 42,866,600 1,989,000 17,824,000 7,071,000 253,400,000 24,800,000 6,746,900 64,457,000 266,500,000 488,000 4,416,460 12,000,000

10,247,200.00 40,928,590.00 5,482,938.00 209,162.00 321,890.00 294,760.00 66,584,130.00 1,688,400.00 610,735.00 28,168,790.00 30,896,000.00 6,552,130.00 587,820.00 5,666,600.00 7,989,780.00 256,505,925.00 3,837,970.00 11,643,000.00 8,097,470.00 2,583,600.00 290,800.00 60,211,223.00 223,405,710.00 3,210,700.00 1,244,230.00 758,455,260.00 99,200.00

42.5 516 515 107 105 112 114.8 525 6.05 1011 1024 1.05 108 1036 1018 105.4 113.5 76.4 80 77 79.1 81 78.9 78.5 79.95 2

491,700 21,700 6,440 50,630 467,790 14,320 25,630 4,010 7,078,500 555 16,745 3,583,000 23,630 3,915 4,140 20,540 430 14,810 219,750 68,130 197,340 17,210 48,060 699,810 380,770 2,000

21,200,900.00 11,195,150.00 3,336,080 5,379,980 49,114,926.00 1,603,990.00 2,861,264.00 2,080,750.00 42,806,533.00 562,430.00 17,124,460.00 3,717,780 2,542,040.00 4,055,940.00 2,171,540.00 2,164,933.00 48,805.00 1,132,994.00 17,686,839.00 5,223,647.50 15,411,589.00 1,389,540.00 3,795,579.00 55,030,985.00 30,110,968.00 4,000.00

2.860

3,674,000

10,580,170.00

3 3.88 5.77 7.51

31,000 1,079,000 349,400 9,864,500

92,970.00 4,180,030.00 1,971,672.00 75,978,895.00

122

45,890

5,564,427.00

10.5

14,380

150,990.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining United Paragon Manila Mining `A’ Megaworld Phil. Estates Corp.

Waterfront Phils.

Lepanto `B’ Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) Century Property STI Holdings

VOLUME 692,000,000 424,000,000 391,900,000 267,233,900 257,166,000 237,281,000 201,210,000 187,838,600 136,146,000 128,433,000

STOCKS Ayala Land `B’ Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Megaworld Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) SM Prime Holdings PLDT Common SM Investments Inc. Ayala Corp `A’ Metrobank Semirara Corp.

VALUE 2,151,298,175.00 1,678,921,598.00 1,483,290,230.00 1,281,011,763.00 1,271,194,585.00 1,263,776,890.00 1,226,495,700.00 1,139,839,730.00 907,359,538.00 886,183,536.00

Semirara Mining applied for a land use plan for the Panian mine in the fourth quarter last year, following the closure of the mine after the depletion of mineable coal reserves.

“We want to turn over something that will continue to benefit the government and host community. Island sustainability is our main concern,” Consunji said earlier.

The mine depletion was certified by the Energy Department after its visit to Semirara Island on Sept. 20 to 21, 2016.

Semirara Mining said in a statement that to return the mine-out area to production use, it was using overburden materials from Molave and Narra pits to fill up the Panian pit.

The in-pit of the Southern Panian has been filled up with 66.4 million bank cubic meters or BCM of overburden materials as of June, which was more than 70 percent of the 90 million BCM target of overburden materials.

Once completely filled, the in-pit of Southern Panian would no longer look like an open pit.

Semirara Mining said it would also cover the area with humic acid, compost and other materials to add nutrients to the soil. This will be followed by a massive reforestation program that would include protecting endemic and suitable plant species.

MRC set to acquire renewable project MRC Allied Inc. is in talks to acquire an operating renewable energy project worth P3 billion to P6 billion to jumpstart its venture into clean energy sector, a top executive said.

MRC Allied president Gladys Nalda said in a recent interview the company expected to complete a due diligence on an existing renewable energy project over the next two weeks, with the acquisition price remaining the contentious issue to be resolved.

“We think it should not be more than P6 billion,” Nalda said. Nalda did not give additional details on the planned acquisition.

The move to acquire an operating renewable energy project is in line with the company’s thrust to hit a portfolio of 1,000 megawatts of renewable energy projects by 2022.

“Aside from building our own facilities, we are also open to acquisitions of operating renewable facilities or those that are in pre-operating stage of development,” Nalda said.

She said acquiring operating projects would enable to the company to readily generate revenues and cashflow.

The company received offers from various companies for possible buyout or joint venture partnerships in solar, wind and biomass projects.

MRC Allied earlier said the rollout of 1,000 MW of clean power projects was estimated to cost P100 billion.

The company is currently developing two projects― the Clark solar project in Clark Green City in Pampanga which is estimated to cost P5 billion and the Naga project in Naga City, Cebu which will require P3 billion in investments. Jenniffer B. Austria

Business

B3

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

PDIC set to auction 80 condo properties PHILIPPINE Deposit Insurance Corp. will bid out on August 11 over 80 condominium units, most with parking slots, in prime locations within Metro Manila with a combined minimum disposal price of P1.7 billion.

PDIC will hold the auction at the PDIC Training Room, 9th Floor, SSS Building, 6782 Ayala Avenue corner V.A. Rufino St., Makati City. Sealed bids will be accepted by the PDIC Real and Other Properties Acquired Committee from direct buyers only between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

PDIC said interested buyers may choose among various units, including parking slots at Exportbank Plaza in Makati City, One McKinley Place in Taguig City and Victoria Plaza in San Juan City.

Also up for bidding are 10 separate parking slots at One McKinley Place. The bidding will be on an “as-is, whereis” basis. Properties for bidding are under the name of the closed Export and Industry Bank and are listed in PDIC’s website, www.pdic.gov.ph, for easy reference.

PDIC advised prospective buyers to physically inspect the properties they are interested to buy, examine and verify the titles and other evidence of ownership, and determine any unpaid taxes, fees, charges or expenses before submitting their bids.

Bids will be opened starting 2:00 p.m. Each bid must be accompanied by a bond or deposit equivalent to at least 10 percent of the submitted offer, in cash or manager’s check.

PDIC said the manager’s check should be issued by a reputable universal or commercial bank and payable to PDIC FAO Export and Industry Bank. The winning bidder should pay the balance of the bid no later than August 22, 2017.

STERLING BANK AWARD. Sterling Bank of Asia receives three awards from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, including this year’s Gold Hall of Fame Award for Outstanding PhilPaSS Participant Servicing Customer ePayments in the Thrift Bank category at the annual Awards Ceremony and Appreciation Lunch for BSP Stakeholders held at the BSP Complex in Manila. At the awarding rites are (from left) are Juan De Zuñiga Jr., Monetary Board member and chairman of the board of judges; Luisito Mayor, Sterling Bank of Asia First vice president and head of Business Support Services Group; Cecilio San Pedro, Sterling Bank of Asia president and chief executive officer; and Nestor Espenilla, BSP Governor and chairman of the Monetary Board.

Stricter revenue law pushed Dominguez was referring to the reported huge discrepancy in the amount of taxes paid by HE Finance Department is pushing for Del Monte Philippines Inc. to amendments to the rules in the Lateral the Bureau of Internal Revenue from 2011 to 2013.

Attrition Law that rewards revenue BIR officials said in an earlier officials who exceed their collection targets briefing the tax assessment for and at the same time penalizes those that fail to Del Monte for the three-year period totaled P8.7 billion but the attain their goals. conpany paid only P65 million Finance Secretary Carlos trying to do is develop rules to to the agency.

Dominguez said because Dominguez III said the department hold the collectors on account planned to draft regulations that for their assessments. You know field officials were not called would hold field officials of tax some of their assessments are to- to account for the assessments collection agencies accountable for tally out of this world, and that is they made, “they make this the assessments they made under one of the reasons why we have wild assessments.... So we are the Lateral Attrition Law. this controversy,” Dominguez trying to implement a way on how to curb this abuses and ha“One of the things that we are said over the weekend.

By Julito G. Rada

T

rassment techniques.”

Finance Undersecretary Antonette Tionko said the implementing rules and regulations of the law was “old” and difficult to apply to the current situation of the BIR and the Bureau of Customs.

Earlier reports said Congress was planning to expedite the passage of a bill putting in place a stricter procedure that the BIR must follow when dealing with protested assessment cases.

Signed by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2005, the law remained unimplemented as fiscal authorities were not able to come up with an effective way in fixing the annual

collection goal.

Under the law, revenue officials who fall short of their collection targets by at least 7.5 percent would be dismissed from service while those who go beyond expectations would be given incentives.

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez in September last year pushed for the full implementation of the law.

The Duterte administration aims to increase tax collection to fund its social and infrastructure projects to further boost the economy which has been on an upward growth trajectory for the past years.

The answer to the Uber disaster PAZ ESPERANZA TESORO-POBLADOR

GREEN LIGHT

WHAT was life before Uber? As an advocate of sustainable cities, I will admit to being a hypocrite by saying that I enjoy having the choice of convenience and better service quality provided by Uber.

Before they came along, I was sweating it out with the rest of the commuting public. Hailing and riding cabs, jeeps, and buses was a daily pain in the behind, and by the time I got to my destination, I was often stressed out and splenetic.

Entrepreneurial model gone awry In a May 11, 2015 Wired.com article, Davey Alba wrote, “The Philippines just made Uber legal everywhere... The new rules are a triumph for Uber, which is still facing regulatory resistance all over the world... But Uber still faces challenges unique to the Philippines. For one, Uber’s routing algorithm doesn’t work as well in Manila, which has some of the world’s worst traffic... Many locals do say that the service is often cheaper and more convenient than local cab services. But Uber drivers, regulators and the company itself still have work to do to find the right fit if Uber expects to keep growing in the Philippines—and the rest of the world.”

Correct me if I am wrong, but without having to delve into the statistics and specifics of urban land transportation, it is obvious that there was an absence of a proper feasibility study for this ride sharing service, which would have pointed out the insufficiency of Metro Manila’s current road infrastructure. There are way too many cars on the streets, whether moving or illegally parked. Granted that Uber is providing a source of livelihood to our countrymen, they are still contributing to the already crowded thoroughfares.

In mid-July when the news of the LTFRB-Uber issue broke out, popular automotive journalist James Deakin posted a survey asking the Facebook public to vote for or against the continuance of ride sharing in the city. I immediately commented on his post: “Though I do prefer

Ubers over taxis because of convenience and quality, regular prices are quite steep, which are only compensated for with occasional promos. Transportation demand management is a lot about giving us commuters right of way on the road, through proper infrastructure and strict implementation of policy. I wish for lots more green spaces which provide accessibility and protection to the millions who walk and take mass and para transit every day.

I also hope for an increase in use of nonmotorized transport such as biking and pedicabs. My voting for Uber will only increase the number of cars, which is the real cause of congestion. Give the streets back to the community. #sustainabletransport #sustainablecities” Maximizing efficiency I respect Mr. Deakin and his work as he is an expert in his field, but at the end of the day, I guess we are all entitled to our opinions of which the lowest hanging fruit is, in the case of this highly complex and multi-layered problem our society faces. In my non-motorized transport studies, one of my mentors pointed out that the answer to these issues was in a document called transportation demand management (TDM).

If you want to know more about it, just search for TDM on the internet.

You will come across a multitude of sources, one of which is the TDM Training Document by Andrea Broaddus and company. According to the 2009 study,”Transportation Demand Management (TDM), also called Travel Demand Management, aims to maximize the efficiency of the urban transport system by discouraging unnecessary private vehicle use and promoting more effective, healthy and environment-friendly modes of transport, in general being public transport and non-motorized transport...

A three-pronged approach, utilizing 1) Improve Mobility Options, 2) Economic Measures, and 3) Smart Growth and Land Use Management is the most effective way to manage demand and create a resilient and efficient transport system.”

And then of course the 100-plus page document goes on to detail how some developing countries have managed to successfully implement TDM strategies in their own congested cities. It is not an

impossible feat if we are all willing to alter our behavior for the greater good.

Red, yellow or green?

If I were to segment the commuting public, I can categorize using the signals of a traffic light. Some of us are adamantly still in the red zone and will not hear of the regulation of Uber. Others are in the middle ground, such as Mr. Deakin, who recently appeared before the Senate Committee Hearing on Public Services.

Some of what he said was resonant with TDM. He mentioned society’s car addiction, and how enthusiasts such as himself might be willing to compromise by giving up two thirds of his automobiles.

Then there are those who are green extremists such as myself, who will continue to campaign for a truly sustainable city wherein all citizens enjoy the benefits of a sustainable and inclusive transportation system.

When someone replied to one of my pro-TDM comments: “I don’t know you, Nibs—but I’m guessing you don’t commute very far and if you do, it’s not by bike.” I then responded, ”I walk everyday as I live near my places of work, and yes, I do bike when I can. I have also scheduled my days so that I don’t get caught in the madness outside. I have chosen to do my part. I give fellow pedestrians who do not follow rules evil stares. I give disrespectful motorists a piece of my mind on the street when I can... behavioral change one neighborhood at a time, one commuter at a time is a start.”

Paz Esperanza Tesoro-Poblador is a faculty member of the Marketing Management Department of De La Salle University’s Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business. She has a Master’s Degree in Entrepreneurship from the Asian Institute of Management, and is currently taking her Doctorate in Business Administration. Her fields of interest are sustainable development, poverty alleviation, culture and heritage, and entrepreneurship. Her dissertation topic is on non-motorized transport and sustainable cities.

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

EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP. Emirates Airline and BDO Unibank Inc. sign an

exclusive partnership deal to further enhance Filipinos’ travel experience. BDO credit cardholders will enjoy discounted fares of up to 50 percent off when they book tickets now until August 15 via www.emirates.com/ph or call 8585300. This is applicable for travels until June 30, 2018. Ma. Nannette Regala (left), BDO senior vice president and consumer lending group mrketing head, and Satish Sethi, Emirates Philippines country manager, sign the agreement.

Insular Life bares new fund INSULAR Life, the first and largest Filipino-owned insurance company, launched a new product that allows local investors to diversify into global markets through the local currency.

Called the Peso Global Equity Fund, the variable unit-linked (VUL) fund aims to achieve longterm growth and capital appreciation by investing majority of its assets in instruments whose principal exposure is in income-producing equity securities in markets throughout the world.

“At this point when funds are flowing into developed markets, it is timely to provide our clients with options to diversify internationally.

Peso Global Equity Fund provides access to international equities that can take our investors’ investment to the next level,” said Insular Life senior executive vice president and head of sales and marketing Jesus

Hofileña.

“The goal is to optimize their portfolio to be able to reach their financial goals,” he said.

The Peso Global Equity Fund allows retail investors to participate in the performance of world market leaders such as Microsoft, Unilever, Pfizer, Novartis, Chevron, Kimberly-Clark and Shell using the local currency.

“The fund can enhance investors’ financial portfolio to achieve goals for a child’s quality education, a comfortable retirement or wealth management,” said Hofilena.

Investing in the Peso Global Equity Fund can be done by availing of Insular Life’s single pay VUL products, Variable Returns Asset and First Million Fund.

Funds managed by Insular Life weathered last year’s roller-coaster ride for Philippine stocks, rewarding its investors with “very decent returns.”

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

B4

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017

Business

Britain prepared to pay 40-b euro exit bill to EU

L

ONDON—Britain is prepared to pay up to 40 billion euros ($47.1 billion) to the European Union to settle its accounts when it leaves the bloc, the Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported.

It is the first time the British side has put a figure on its so-called Brexit bill—although the sum falls well short of the 100-billioneuro sum discussed in Brussels.

The newspaper report, based on unnamed government sources, said Britain would pay this only if the EU agrees to negotiate the settlement as part of a deal on future relations, including trade.

Brussels has said progress must be made on the divorce bill, as well as the rights of European citizens living in Britain and the Irish border issue, before any talks can start on a free trade agreement.

British officials are looking at proposing a transition deal where Britain would continue to make net payments to the EU of 10 billion euros a year for up to three years after it leaves in March 2019, the Telegraph said.

This money, paid in return for continued access to Europe’s single market, would be a “partial down-payment” on the final bill.

The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, has declined to publicly name a sum for Britain’s divorce bill, which includes its share of EU spending projects already agreed, as well as pension contributions of staff, among other expenses.

But he said the “methodology” for determining how much Britain must pay should be worked out during the first phase of the Brexit negotiations, which is due to end in October.

A number of senior EU officials have confirmed to AFP the estimate of 100 billion euros.

Officials have previously said there is scope for paying the bill in installments, and that the total figure may eventually come down because of jointly-held assets that the EU must reimburse Britain for.

In Belfast, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Friday that his government wanted to build “bridges not borders” with neighboring Northern Ireland as he reiterated his opposition to an economic border on the island of Ireland after Brexit.

“Brexit seriously risks driving a wedge between Northern Ireland and Ireland, between

Britain and Ireland,” Varadkar warned, in his first visit to the British province since taking office in June.

“And I cannot imagine who benefits from that.”

Cross-border infrastructure projects such as roads were made possible due to the current free movement of goods and people, he said.

“That’s our vision for the future: building bridges, not borders,” he said.

Varadkar reiterated a preference for Britain to remain part of the European Union, and failing that, for it to stay in the European single market to maintain the current free trade arrangements between the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Another way to smooth Britain’s departure would be to establish an EU-UK customs union, he said.

Noting that a deal of this kind existed with Turkey, he said, “Surely we can have one with the United Kingdom.”

In a speech at Queen’s University Belfast, he said the alternative could mean a return of customs posts, “a brutal physical manifestation of historic divisions and political failure... a place of bloodshed and violence, of checkpoints. A barrier to trade, prosperity and peace.” AFP

FISHING SEASON. Vendors sell freshly caught shrimp at a fish market in Kuwait City on August 5, 2017. Shrimp fishing resumed in Kuwaiti waters after a break of six and a half months in order to allow the species to reproduce in territorial waters. AFP

In Rio, office workers join the ranks of the homeless

By Carola Solé RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil―Vilmar Mendonca used to be a human resources director for several companies in Brazil. Now he is homeless, sleeping outdoors along with thousands of other victims of the country’s economic crisis.

Mendonca lost his job in 2015 and for a while, he lived off his savings. But now, at age 58, he sleeps on a bench outside Santos Dumont Airport in Rio de Janeiro.

He leaves some of his stuff at a bank where he is a client, cleans up in public restrooms and lives off food handed out by charity organizations.

“It is a terrible situation but I have no choice,” said Mendonca, a thin, divorced man who has no children, as he looks at job offers on his laptop using the airport’s wifi.

He wears stylish glasses, a dress shirt and nice shoes. He does not at all look like one of the thousands of other homeless people in this city of six million.

In late 2016, the Rio city hall said there were 14,279 people living in the street―triple the number in 2013.

Dozens of them have advanced degrees, including Mendonca, who studied business administration in Sao Paulo.

His plight reflects the sting of a recession that has taken Brazil’s jobless ranks up to 13.5 million people and tarnished Rio, a city that just a year ago hosted the summer Olympic Games.

“When you are like this, no one wants to come near you,” said Mendonca.

Vilmar Mendonca, 58, who has worked as a human resources manager for several companies in Brazil and has been living in the streets for a year and a half now, gets ready to sleep on a park bench in front of the Santos Dumont airport in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 31, 2017.

The crisis in Brazil is multiplying the homeless in Rio de Janeiro and is sending people with higher education to the streets. At the end of 2016, Rio de Janeiro’s mayor office counted 14,279 people in street situation, triple than in 2013. AFP

Like many in his situation, he has not told anyone how far he has fallen, still hoping it will be temporary.

During the day he exercises, reads in cafes and book stores, posts on Facebook―where his photo shows him in a suit and tie―and goes to job interviews where he competes against hundreds of younger candidates.

By night, he puts on simpler clothes and a hat to go unnoticed and stretches out on a bench outside the airport, near its security cameras.

“I try to stay on my own so as to remain focused because if I start to hang out with others, I might get into things I do not want, like alco-

hol, drugs or filth,” he said.

Unpaid civil servant The homeless population is an especially common sight in Rio’s most popular tourist areas, including Copacabana and Ipanema.

In the old quarter, groups of up to 20 homeless people take up entire streets every night, sleeping on cardboard and wrapped in blankets.

Most are black and come from poor backgrounds. Many are drug addicts, with psychological or family problems.

Among their ranks is a mix of people from street vendors to retired civil servants like Gilson Alves.

Alves, 69, worked for 35 years as an X-ray technician in Rio’s public hospitals. But his pension payments were late and he ended up selling his belongings and giving up his rented apartment.

The tall, kindly looking man says he never had an easy life. At five, he was run over by a street car and lost a leg.

Two months ago he ended up on the street and the bag containing everything he owned was stolen.

He was taken in by social services and transferred to one of the city’s 64 shelters, which have room for 2,200 people.

“I feel sad, humiliated, struck down for having put in so many years and then being here because of this government,” said Alves, who shares a room with six people of around his age.

‘Critical’ “The situation is critical,” said Rio’s social aid secretary, Teresa Bergher.

Many Brazilians came to Rio looking for work when the city hosted the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. But today oil-producing Rio state’s coffers are empty, hit by corruption, low crude global prices and the Olympic bill.

Former state governor Sergio Cabral, whose 2007-2014 administration was crucial to preparing the World Cup and Olympics, was convicted of embezzling millions of dollars and sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Part of the money recovered from him was used to pay back wages to 150,000 retired civil servants. AFP

President Rodrigo Duterte, PA Joey Concepcion with Go Negosyo Kapatid for Marawi donors. (1st row, from left) Andrew Tan, Manny Pangilinan, Josephine Gotianun-Yap, Tessie Sy-Coson, PNP General Ronald Dela Rosa, Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President Rodrigo Duterte, PA Joey COncepcion, ES Salvador Medialdea, AFP General Eduardo Año, and Dr. Domingo Yap. (2nd row, from left) Injap Sia, Joseph Tanbuntiong, Sabin Aboitiz, Federico Lopez, Mariana Zobel de Ayala, Lucio Tan, Erramon Aboitiz, Alice Eduardo, and Mildred Vitangcol. (3rd Row L-R) William Belo, Ambassador Philippe Lhuillier, Michael Tan, Raffy Hechanova, and Felcaster Torres

FOR THE FALLEN “They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.”

I BORROW a stanza from the poem “For the Fallen” by Robert Laurence Binyon (1869-1943) to set the somber tone of this week’s piece.

Indeed, the fighting in Marawi has entered into its 77th day today, with no signs of let-up, as Maute fighters continue to ravage the city and its people and our brave and loyal soldiers and policemen try to ferret them out and win this war for the Filipino people.

War does bring out the best and the worst in us and of us, to para- President Rodrigo Duterte phrase an oft-quoted line. For those ing around and talking to the famiof us who can neither stand at the lies of the deceased, consoling them frontlines nor pick up a gun to de- and offering them words of support fend the line, we can only do so and encouragement. Ginggay Hontimuch to make sure that our fighting veros, who has been in the forefront troops have all the support they need of this effort, like what she is doing for Sulu, handled with dignity the in their battles.

For those who have died in the task of being master of ceremonies.

When the ceremony started and line of duty, it is to ensure that the families they left behind will neither as tributes were being given and videos of the soldiers were being played go hungry nor forgotten.

One of the first to respond to the throughout the aptly-named Heroes cause of the soldiers and policemen Hall, there was never a dry eye in in Marawi was the MVP Group the audience as some even wept unTulong Kapatid, led by PLDT abashedly at the fate our brave solChairman and CEO Manuel V. Pan- diers and policemen had suffered in gilinan, and coursed through its sev- Marawi.

President Duterte expressed his eral foundations such as the PLDTSMART Foundation, TV5 Alagang thanks to the GO NEGOSYO KapaKapatid, One Meralco Foundation, tids and the businessmen and womMakati Medical Center Founda- en who supported this noble endeavtion, Philex Group Foundation, Inc., or. You can see from the President’s language and demeanor the genuine Maynilad, just to name a few.

So far, the MVP Group Tulong pain that he feels for the slain solKapatid effort has given medical diers and their families.

My hats off to Go Negosyo and aid through medical missions, relief goods, mobile and cellular service, the very generous Kapatids, as well food assistance, clothing, water, and as the Cabinet Spouses Association chaired by Honeylet Avancena; to of course, financial assistance.

GO NEGOSYO, the advocacy of the MVP Group Tulong Kapatid the Philippine Center for Entrepre- of, among others, Esther Santos neurship (PCE) founded by RFM and Mon Isberto of PLDT-SMART Corporation President and CEO, now Foundation, Menchie Silvestre of Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneur- TV5 Alagang Kapatid, Marge Barro ship Jose Ma. “Joey” Concepcion III, of MMC Foundation, and Melody led the Salamat Magigiting Na Man- Del Rosario of Metro Pacific Investdirigma (Thank You, Brave Soldiers) ments Corporation; and to Butch event at Malacañan Palace where Meily of the Philippine Disaster financial assistance was given to the Resilience Foundation (PDRF) who families of 101 soldiers and policemen also provided medical assistance who laid down their lives in the ser- and relief support. This is another vice of their country in what we now form of Private-Public Partnership or PPP, another example of great consider as the Battle of Marawi.

I must say that this effort was things happening when the private something worth emulating because and public sector join forces for the Joey Con and his dedicated and hard- good of the nation and its people.

Our profound thanks to the folworking team took around 10 days to get in touch with the families of lowing people who have made the the fallen to tell them that their loved Go Negosyo tribute a resounding ones killed in battle will be honored, success: Dr. George Yap, Tessie and that they would be at Malacañan Sy-Coson, Josephine Gotianunwith no less than the President of the Yap, Jaime Zobel de Ayala, Alfred Republic leading the ones to honor Ty, Jean Henri Lhuillier, Mildred the soldiers and policemen. Through Vitangcol, Alice Eduardo, Federico the generosity of Lucio Tan and Lopez, Michael Tan, William Belo, Philippine Airlines, as well as young Dennis Uy, Tony Tan Caktiong, billionaire Injap Sia of Mang Inasal Ricky Delgado, Santi Araneta, Safame, every single family of the 101 bin Aboitiz, and Jojo Concepcion. honorees could attend the ceremony The nation will forever be grateful. at the Palace.

“As the stars that shall be bright Before the ceremony started, I when we are dust, saw former President Gloria MacaMoving in marches upon the pagal-Arroyo and members of the heavenly plain, DU30 Cabinet Spouses Association As the stars that are starry in the led by Betty Medialdea, Marissa time of our darkness, Lim Aguirre, Edith Lorenzana, Kristine Dino, and Mirasol Tugade go- To the end, to the end, they remain.”

During the turnover of the financial assistance to the families of the Marawi fallen soldiers and police officers led by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and business leader Manuel Pangilinan with other MVP Group officers from PLDT and Smart Communications, Manila Electric Co. , Philex Mining Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp who joined the Duterte Cabinet spouses to pool resources and funds.

With MVP and Federico Lopez

President Rodrigo Duterte and PA Joey Concepcion with the family members of fallen soldiers

Pampanga hospital to honor Luis Taruc

By Romeo Dizon SAN LUIS, Pampanga—An new district hospital worth P80 million will be constructed here in honor of Pampanga’s late hero Luis Taruc.

The district hospital will be built on a 10-hectare land between the boundary of Mexico and San Luis.

The hospital is funded by provincial government, which has intensified its human development program under Gov. Lilia Pineda.

Under the program, the district hospital will have more competent medical staff like doctors and nurses, and modern equipment aimed to accommodate more patients from the nearby towns.

The old district hospital located in San Luis was supposed to be expanded, but due to lack of space, the new hospital will be constructed at the San Luis-Mexico boundary.

The old district hospital will be converted into a birthing station, a statement of the provincial government said.

Taruc, who hailed from barangay San Monica in San Luis, was declared recently by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines as a hero.

The commission recognized Taruc as a freedom fighter with his struggles for the agrarian reform movement that spanned almost 50 years.

The honor was bestowed upon Tar uc during his 104th death anniversar y, followed by the unveiling of a marker in San Luis by his only son, Romeo Tar uc, and Mayor Venancio Macapagal.

Luis Taruc was born on June 21, 1913 in San Monica, San Luis. He was portrayed

by Juan D. Nepomuceno of the Center for Kapampangan Studies of the Holy Angel University, as a hero, political leader, and champion of the agrarian reform movement in the country.

LGUs

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

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017

C1

Cleft palate center in the works

By Bill Casas

M

ANILA Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada is eyeing the establishment of a worldclass medical center that would focus on the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with cleft lips and palates and other facial disfigurement, which the city government of Manila said is considered as the first facility of such kind in the country.

Estrada recently met with Dr. William Magee, Jr., co-founder and chief executive officer of Operation Smile to finalize plans for the construction and operation of the educational, research, and treatment facility in the City of Manila.

“This is a big endeavor we are embarking on to help people born with cleft lips and cleft palate, especially here in Manila.

We will help these ostracized people get back and become productive members of the society,” Estrada said.

Estrada said he is particularly concerned with the thousands of children who were born with the condition and are unable to live normal lives because of their deformities.

In their initial discussions, Estrada and Magee agreed to take the first steps in the realization of the ambitious project.

Operation Smile is an international volunteer-based medical charity that has provided hundreds of thousands of free surgeries for children and young adults in developing countries who are born with cleft lip, cleft palate or other facial deformities since 1982. It is based in Virginia, US. Magee expressed his gratitude to Estrada’s support, saying the mayor was “very receptive” in the

plan to build the facility, and has been very supportive of Operation Smile since he was President.

“We hope to establish a center here in Manila that will really become a world-class educational center where people from all over the world will be coming to be educated and trained in taking care of children with cleft,” Magee pointed out.

With such facility, he said medical professionals such as surgeons, speech therapists, psychologists, dentists, and orthodontics from all over the world will come to Manila to hone their skills and offer their services to local people with cleft lips and palates.

The Philippines, according to Magee, is “perfect” for such medical facility “because the need ex-

ists, the talent exists here, and the opportunity, the heart and soul of the Filipino people is recognized all over the world.”

The primary benefits of having such kind of facility, Magee stressed, is that thousands and thousands of children with cleft condition will be provided with free and quality surgery and rehabilitation every year.

“Without surgery, they’re outcast. They can’t speak intelligibly, they’re shunned, and so they can never become productive citizens of the country,” he pointed out.

In Metro Manila alone, he said 5,000 to 7,000 children with cleft lips and palates have never been treated and have no access to any form of medical care.

LAND FOR LANDLESS. Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada awarded land certificates to 470 families under the ‘Land for the Landless’ program of the City Urban Settlements Office at the

Bulwagang Villegas of Manila City Hall. Estrada led the awarding to beneficiaries who were described as longtime occupants and owners of the houses standing on the lot they applied for.

They were given 20 years to pay the low-cost monthly installments. The Land for the Landless program is based on the City Charter of Manila and the City Tenants and Security Committee Resolution No. 16-A. The city government bought the private properties to be distributed to qualified applicants.

Rubber nanosensor tech tested in Zambo peninsula ‘Enforce plastic bag law in Manila’

RUBBER nanosensor technology, which can differentiate cup lumps formed using battery solution from a recommended formic or acetic acid, was tested in Zamboanga Peninsula recently.

The test was conducted by the De La Salle University and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology.

The DLSU project team, together with Dr. Marcelino U. Siladan, Forestry and Environment Research Division, PCAARRD

Industry Strategic S&T Program Manager for Rubber, conducted the second round of testing in Ipil and Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay and Tampilisan, Zamboanga del Norte.

Spearheaded by Dr. Jose Isagani B. Janairo, Associate Professor of DLSU, the testing was done as part of the monitoring and evaluation activities under the project, “Nanosensors for Rubber Quality Assessment.”

Farmers and traders selling coagulated rubber in wholesale or “bagsakan” centers combine different ages and batches of

rubber cup lumps into one big bulk called “field lumps.” They also use sulfuric acid, commonly known as battery solution, in coagulating rubber cup lumps and placing them in between the field lumps.

Rubber cup lumps coagulated with battery solution absorb water, thus making the field lumps heavier and more expensive when sold. This is a malpractice that the rubber industry aims to eradicate. Battery solution not only weakens the quality of rubber when processed, but also threatens human health and our

environment.

The rubber field lumps at the “bagsakan” centers were randomly tested to determine the rubber nanosensor‘s accuracy in differentiating cup lumps formed using formic/acetic acid (the recommended solution), from cup lumps formed using battery solution.

Based from test results, the sensor can clearly determine the part of the field lumps containing battery solution. LGU officials, rubber farmers, rubber traders/dealers, buyers, and processors were convinced of the

accuracy of the sensor in determining which among the rubber cup lumps were coagulated with battery solution.

Rubber sellers and buyers were immediately informed of the results. In turn, the LGU rubber bagsakan center technician informed the rubber sellers and buyers that they would enforce the ordinance as soon as a unit of the sensor becomes available. They were also advised to either use formic/acetic acid as a coagulating agent, or employ the natural method of drying after harvesting latex.

Gaddang legacy in ‘Bayongyong’ fest

By Abe Almirol BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—The 2017 Bayongyong Festival, officially held every Aug. 3 to 5 annually, has marked a vibrant revival of the vanishing Gaddang culture in this capital town inhabited by more than 60,000 people today.

According to the town’s written history, “bayongyong” refers to the confluence of two rivers.

The other meaning refers to a two-meter long bamboo tube used to carry water. Historians believed the town’s original name “Bayumbung” was derived from the word “bayongyong.”

The Spanish friars spelled it as “Bayombong,” hence its name today.

The Gaddang indigenous cultural community is widely spread in the Cagayan Valley.

Other known Gaddang-dominated settlements are found in the eastern side of Mountain Province and Kalinga, Central Isabela, and some towns of Quirino and Cagayan.

The Gaddangs of Bayombong are riverine folks who were known to traverse the Magat River from downstream to upstream. Articles found in the Nueva Vizcaya Museum trace the pattern of their movement from an old Gaddang settlement in Central Isabela, which is now Barangay Dalig-Kalinga in the town of Aurora, and then travelling upstream to the present town of Bayombong.

Gaddangs love to fish and hunt wild game in the riverbanks.

However, their animosity with the inhabitants of the pre-Spanish settlement called Tuy, which is now known as the towns of Bambang,

The youth of Bayombong model the traditional garments of the Gaddang indigenous cultural community during the 2017 Bayongyong Festival last Aug. 3 to 5 in the Nueva Vizcaya capital. Abe Almirol

Aritao and Dupax, prevented them from moving further upstream of the Magat.

An ethnologue published in the website of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts says: “The [Gaddang] highlanders have maintained their unique culture, including their traditional costumes lav-

ishly adorned with beads and precious stones. For instance, their ceremonial dress and ornamentation are some of the most elaborate and decorative; clothing of Western cut and commercial fabric are obtained from the lowland market.”

In the early ‘90s, Gov. Carlos M. Padilla, who was a Congress-

man then, initiated the Nueva Vizcaya Heritage Foundation to preserve the culture and tradition of indigenous peoples in this province.

Aside from the Gaddangs, Nueva Vizcaya is home to the Kalanguya, the Isinai, the Ilongot (Bugkalot) and the I’wak indigenous cultural communities.

A WASTE and pollution watch group has asked Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada to enforce the city’s dormant plastic bag ban ordinance.

“Almost five years have lapsed since Mayor Estrada’s predecessor signed City Ordinance 8282 and Manila is still wallowing in plastic garbage due to its lack of enforcement. The ordinance is sadly gathering dust,” stated Daniel Alejandre, Zero Waste campaigner, EcoWaste Coalition.

Then Mayor Alfredo Lim signed City Ordinance 8282 on Sept. 3, 2012, which prohibits the use of plastic bags for dry goods and regulates their use for wet goods.

“The unbridled sale, use and disposal of plastic bags in Manila is evident everywhere and we could not help but wonder why Ordinance 8282 was not implemented at all,” Alejandre said, noting “consumer demand for plastic bags continues to thrive without hindrance and the streets and esteros are forever strewn with plastics and other litter that ultimately pollute Manila Bay.” As the problem is not only with the sheer volume of plastic trash that is visible to the naked eyes as shown in the waste audits conducted in Manila Bay by the EcoWaste Coalition and its partner groups in 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2016, the group for the second time purchased plastic sando bags to screen them for their toxic content.

CYAN MAGENTA MAGENTA YELLOW YELLOW BLACK BLACK CYAN

LGUs

Standard MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017 C2 Standard TODAY TODAY Manila Manila

‘RA 10931 to lead to egalitarian PH’ T

HE Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act or Republic Act 10931, which President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law, will usher in the “next wave social revolution in building a more egalitarian society,” said Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, the law’s principal author in the House of Representatives.

“Thank you, Mr. President, for launching the second-generation social revolution in erecting a pillar of a more egalitarian society,” Salceda said, following the announcement of the President’s approval of the measure, amid news that it might be vetoed.

Contrary to misperceptions,

The new law is “a most vital the lowest 30-percent income social legislation, next to the class will each be provided with Tax Reform for Acceleration P20,000 in tertiary education REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES As the the respondent, respondent, Anabelleper semester, which and Inclusion bill in terms of subsidy REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES As Anabelle REGIONAL TRIAL COURT Valones Salvador, Salvador, could could not not be REGIONAL TRIAL COURT Valones NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL significance and REGION permanence,” may bebeused for tuition and NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION served with Summons through BRANCH 192, MARIKINA CITY served with Summons through BRANCH 192, MARIKINA personal service,other petitionerexpenses. filed said Salceda, whoCITYalsopersonal princiThis translates service, petitioner filed an Motion Motion to to Serve Serve Summons Summons an pally authored the tax reform to another P13 billion in savings REYNALDO CRUZ MULI,

by Publication.

Publication. Pursuant Pursuant to to REYNALDO CRUZ MULI, by Petitioner, Rule 14 14 of of the the 1997 1997 Rulesstudents’ of package. Petitioner, for the families.

Rule Rules of Civil Procedure, Procedure, in in relation relation to to Civil -versusRA 10931’s landmark comSection 6, AM AM No. No.Salceda 02-11-10- said the new law -versusSection 6, 02-11-10SC, higher the motion motion drew was granted, granted, ponents include: 1) Free much of its provisions the was JDRC Case Case No. No. 2016-2594-MK 2016-2594-MK SC, allowing service service of of summons summons JDRC allowing education in State Universities from the Albay model on Uniupon the respondent through upon the respondent through ANABELLE VALONES VALONES publication in aa versal newspaper of ANABELLE and Colleges and Local UniAccess to College Educapublication in newspaper of SALVADOR, general circulation, circulation, once once aa week week SALVADOR, Respondent. versities and Colleges;general tionweeks. program he pioneered when for2) two Free (2) consecutive consecutive weeks.

Respondent. for two (2) x----------------------------------x x----------------------------------x technical-vocational education he was governor for nine years.

NOW THEREFORE, NOW THEREFORE, SUMMONS SUMMONS in post-secondary technicalThe program, which had helped respondent Annabelle Valones respondent Annabelle Valones Salvador is is hereby hereby summoned summoned Salvador vocational institutions under the some 88,888 students in comTo: ANABELLE VALONES and required required to to file file her her Answer Answer To: ANABELLE VALONES and SALVADOR Technical Education and Skills pleting their studies, also served or any any responsive pleading, SALVADOR or responsive pleading, within thirty thirty (30) (30) days days from from the the No. 12 12 June JuneAuthority Street within Development or Tesda; as an “inclusive tool and key to No. Street date of of the the last last publication publication of of this this Project 8, 8, 1106, 1106, date Project Summons, with the Regional 3) Tertiary Education Subsidy for Albay’s poverty reduction from Summons, with the Regional Quezon City City Quezon Trial Court, Court, Branch Branch 192, 192, Trial Filipino Students; and 4) Student 41 percent in 2007 to 17.1 perOn November 14, 2016, Marikina City, City, in in accordance accordance On November 14, 2016, Marikina the petitioner, Reynaldo with Section Section 8 of ofcent A.M. No. No. 02Loan Program for Tertiary Eduin 2015,” the solon said. the petitioner, Reynaldo with 8 A.M. 02Cruz Muli, Muli, filed filed aa petition petition for for 11-10-SC. Cruz 11-10-SC. cation.

Students in community colnullity of marriage against the nullity of marriage against the respondent, Anabelle Valones Valoneslegislation Let this this Summons Summons be have to wait awhile, The breakthrough leges may respondent, Anabelle Let be Salvador, pursuant pursuant to to Article Article published once a week for Salvador, once a week for since only 16 out of will the government P10.486 36 of ofcost the Family Family Code of of the the published two consecutivehowever, weeks, in in aa 36 the Code two consecutive weeks, Philippines. newspaper of general general circulation Philippines. billion in tuition and P6 billion 111circulation LUCs are presently accrednewspaper of in the the Philippines.

Philippines. In In addition, addition, The Petition Petition substantially substantially in The inalleges miscellaneous expenses for

by Commission on Higher let aa copy copy of the theited Summons be that the the petitioner petitioner and and let of Summons be alleges that served on the the respondent respondent at at Government subsidy 984,000 SUC students in 2018.

Education. the respondent were married served on the respondent were married her last known address, by on May 4, 1991, 1991, at at Quezon Quezon her last known address, by on 4, InMay the state-run Bicol University registered mail. mail. for LUCs’ student is estimated City; the the parties’ parties’ union union was was registered blessed with three (3) children. inCity; Albay’s second district, which at P113 million. blessed with three (3) children.

WITNESS THE Allegedly, per per clinical clinical diagnosis, diagnosis, WITNESS THE Allegedly, Salceda represents, someHONORABLE 28,000 Salceda WILFREDO L. said the program also petitioner is is suffering suffering from from HONORABLE WILFREDO L. petitioner MAYNIGO, Acting Presiding personality disorder known students stand to benefit from the provides MAYNIGO, Acting Presiding personality disorder known Judge of this Court, this 25 dayfor P1.3 billion in stuas “Narcissistic “Narcissistic and and Antisocial Judge of this Court, this 25 day as measure with a Antisocial subsidyof about loans ofof May 2017, in in dent Marikina City, for those who belong Personality Disorder.”

Disorder.”

Petitioner May 2017, Marikina City, Personality Petitioner Philippines. prays that his marriage to the P340 million per year, he to the lowest 30 percent of FiliPhilippines. prays that his marriage to the said. respondent be be declared declared null null and and respondent Under RA 10931, 295,000 pinos who may need additional (Sgd.) RONA JEAN JEAN S. DAMASO DAMASO void ab initio initio on on the basis basis of the the (Sgd.) RONA S. void ab the of Officer-In-Charge/Court Interpreter psychological in incapacity under colleges Officer-In-Charge/Court Interpreter to pursue their college students private resources psychological incapacity under Article 36 36 of of the the respondent respondent Article and universities who belong to (MS-July studies. and/or the petitioner.

24 & 31, 2017)

Salceda said the new law has builtin mechanisms that would encourage increased participation in the program from all socio-economic classes, specially the poor.

RA 10931, the lawmaker said, would give poor students the drive to strive further for selfdevelopment through free ter-

tiary and technical-vocational education, the high costs of which had previously demoralized and forced them to settle for low-paying jobs to survive.

Salceda said RA 10931, aside from its mechanisms that provide all Filipinos equal opportunities to quality education in

private and public educational institutions, also aims to prioritize academically-able poor students, ensure optimized utilization of government resources in education, and recognize the complementary roles of public and private institutions in the tertiary educational system.

H:/ADVERTISING/AUG2017/AUG7/

C2_NEW.PDF th th

and/or the petitioner.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE EX-OFFICIO SHERRIF OFFICE OF THE EX-OFFICIO SHERRIF QUEZON CITY QUEZON CITY REAL BANK (A Thrift Bank), Inc. REAL BANK (A Thrift Bank), Inc. Mortgagee, Mortgagee, -versus-versus-

FRE NO. 11772 FRE NO. 11772

SPS. ELEAZAR S. TEOVISIO AND SPS. ELEAZAR S. TEOVISIO AND JUDITH B. TEOVISIO JUDITH B. TEOVISIO Mortgagor/s Mortgagor/s x-----------------------------------x x-----------------------------------x

JOB FAIR. The Department of Labor and Employment and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, together with the Office of the Quezon City Mayor and the Quezon City Public Employment Service Office (QC-PESO), held a job fair on Friday at the Ever Gotesco Mall on Commonwealth Avenue. Other government agencies also attended the event, such as SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG and Kasambahay registration.

(MS-July 24 & 31, 2017)

on the N.W., along line 1-2 by Lot on the N.W., along line 1-2 by Lot 4, of Blk. 3, of the cons. subd. plan.

4, of Blk. 3, of the cons. subd. plan. on the NE., along line 2-3 by Road on the NE., along line 2-3 by Road Lot 3, (6.00-7.00 m. wide), of the Lot 3, (6.00-7.00 m. wide), of the cons. subd. plan. on the SE., along cons. subd. plan. on the SE., along line 3-4 by Lot 11 (Alley), of Blk. line 3-4 by Lot 11 (Alley), of Blk. 3. of the cons. subd. plan. along 3. of the cons. subd. plan. along line 4-1 by Lot 1, of Blk. 3. of the line 4-1 by Lot 1, of Blk. 3. of the cons. subd. plan. xxx containing cons. subd. plan. xxx containing an area of EIGHTY SEVEN an area of EIGHTY SEVEN SQ. M. & SEVENTY FIVE SQ. SQ. M. & SEVENTY FIVE SQ. DECIMETERS (87.75).

DECIMETERS (87.75).

All sealed bids must be submitted All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned at the aforesaid to the undersigned at the aforesaid office on the above stated date and office on the above stated date and time.

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL time.

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE OF OF REAL REAL PROPERTY PROPERTY Interested parties are hereby SALE Interested parties are hereby UNDER ACT ACT 3135 3135 enjoined to investigate for UNDER enjoined to investigate for themselves the title to the said (AS AMENDED) themselves the title to the said (AS AMENDED)

property/ies and the encumbrances UPON extra-judicial petition property/ies and the encumbrances UPON extra-judicial petition thereon, if any there be. under ACT 3135, as amended thereon, if any there be. under ACT 3135, as amended

by ACT 4118 and pursuant to In the event that public auction

by ACT 4118 and pursuant to In the event that public auction the terms and conditions of the should not take place on said the terms and conditions of the should not take place on said Deed of Real Estate Mortgage date due to fortuitous event or Deed of Real Estate Mortgage date due to fortuitous event or executed on OCTOBER 11, 2010 the same be declared a nonexecuted on OCTOBER 11, 2010 ifif the same be declared a nonby SPS. ELEAZAR S. TEOVISIO working holiday, shall be held on

by SPS. ELEAZAR S. TEOVISIO working holiday, itit shall held on AND JUDITH B. TEOVISIO. –B-3 September 6, 2017 atbethe same AND JUDITH B. TEOVISIO. –B-3 September 6, 2017 at the same L2 Ivory Executive Homes, West time and place without further L2 Ivory Executive Homes, West time and place without further Fairview, Quezon City/Blk. 20 Lot notice.

Fairview, Quezon City/Blk. 20 Lot notice.

74 Percentage St., BIR Village, 74 Percentage St., BIR Village, Quezon City, Mortgagors in favor Quezon City, Metro Manila, July Quezon City, Mortgagors in favor Quezon City, Metro Manila, July of REAL BANK (A Thrift Bank), 27, 2017. of REAL BANK (A Thrift Bank), 27, 2017.

Inc. Mortgagee, to satisfy the Inc. Mortgagee, to satisfy the mortgage debt in the amount of mortgage debt in the amount of Php 926,611.23 as of May 20, (Sgd.) EDGAR EDGAR R. R. LUCAS LUCAS Php 926,611.23 as of May 20, (Sgd.) 2017 principal, interest, penalty Sheriff IV IV 2017 principal, interest, penalty Sheriff and other charges together with and other charges together with all the lawful fees and expenses all the lawful fees and expenses of foreclosure sale, the Ex-Officio (Sgd.) GREGORIO C. TALLUD of foreclosure sale, the Ex-Officio (Sgd.) GREGORIO C. TALLUD Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court Clerk of of Court Court VII VII and and of Quezon City and/or his duly Clerk of Quezon City and/or his duly Ex-Officio Sheriff Sheriff authorized Deputy Sheriff, hereby Ex-Officio authorized Deputy Sheriff, hereby announces that on August 30, announces that on August 30, 2017 between the hours of 9:00 2017 between the hours of 9:00 WARNING: It is absolutely prohibA.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Office of It is absolutely prohibA.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Office of WARNING: to remove, deface or Destroy the Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio ited to remove, deface or Destroy the Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio ited Notice of Sheriff’s Sale on or Sheriff, Regional Trial Court, Hall this Notice of Sheriff’s Sale on or Sheriff, Regional Trial Court, Hall this Before the date of the auction sale of Justice Bldg., Elliptical Road, the date of the auction sale under penalty of the law. of Justice Bldg., Elliptical Road, Before Diliman, Quezon City, will sell thru under penalty of the law.

Diliman, Quezon City, will sell thru public auction to the highest bidder public auction to the highest bidder Copy Furnished: for cash, in Philippine Currency, the for cash, in Philippine Currency, the Copy Furnished: following described real property/ following described real property/ ATTY. APRIL TURQUEZAies with all the improvements APRIL TURQUEZAies with all the improvements ATTY. PABELLAR existing thereon, to wit: PABELLAR existing thereon, to wit: 2nd Floor Victoria Towers 2nd Floor Victoria Towers Panay Ave., cor. Timog Avenue TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF 77 Panay Ave., cor. Timog Avenue TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF 77 Barangay Paligsahan, Quezon City TITLE NO. N-205375Barangay Paligsahan, Quezon City TITLE NO. N-205375Registry of Deeds-Quezon City Registry of Deeds-Quezon City SPS. ELEAZAR S. TEOVISIO SPS. ELEAZAR S. TEOVISIO B. TEOVISIO A parcel of land (Lot 2, Blk. 3, AND JUDITH B. TEOVISIO A parcel of land (Lot 2, Blk. 3, AND JUDITH L2 Ivory Executive Homes, of the cons. subd.plan Pcs-00- B-3 L2 Ivory Executive Homes, of the cons. subd.plan Pcs-00- B-3 West Fairview, Quezon City.

006843, being a portion of Lot West Fairview, Quezon City.

006843, being a portion of Lot 790-B-1-C-2, Psd-04-004096, & 790-B-1-C-2, Psd-04-004096, & Blk. 20 Lot 74 Percentage St., BIR Lot 790-B-2-, (LRC) Psd-156-49, 20 Lot 74 Percentage St., BIR Lot 790-B-2-, (LRC) Psd-156-49, Blk. L.R.C. Rec. No. 5975), situated Village, Quezon City L.R.C. Rec. No. 5975), situated Village, Quezon City in the Brgy. of Sta. Lucia, Quezon in the Brgy. of Sta. Lucia, Quezon (MS-July 31, Aug. 7 & 14, 2017) City, M. Mla. Is. of Luzon. Bounded (MS-July 31, Aug. 7 & 14, 2017) City, M. Mla. Is. of Luzon. Bounded

CYAN

Manila

Standard

TODAY

INVITATION TO BID FOR SUPPLY, DELIVERY, INSTALLATION AND COMMISSIONING OF VOICE AND DATA STRUCTURED CABLING SYSTEM (LOT 1), PUBLIC ADDRESS WITH BACKGROUND MUSIC SYSTEM (LOT 2) AND CABLE TV DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (LOT 3) FOR CORPORATE OFFICE UNDER ITB NO. PB17-053COR-08 The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is inviting all interested bidders in its forthcoming public bidding for the Supply, Delivery, Installation and Commissioning of Voice and Data Structured Cabling System (Lot 1), Public Address with Background Music System (Lot 2) and Cable TV Distribution System (Lot 3) for Corporate Office under ITB No. PB17-053COR-08.

Brief Description

Lot 1

Supply, Delivery, Installation and Commissioning of Category 6 (with a minimum of 250 MHz bandwidth) and 8 core OM3 Fiber Optic structured telecommunications cabling system

Lot 2

Supply, Delivery, Installation, Testing and Commissioning of Public Address with Background Music (PA-BGM) System

Lot 3

Supply, Delivery, Installation and Commissioning of Cable TV (CATV) Distribution System

Completion Period

Within thirty (30) calendar days from receipt by the winning supplier of the Notice to Proceed

Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC):

The total ABC is Eighteen Million Seven Hundred Fifty-Seven Thousand Seven Hundred Nineteen Pesos and 41/100 (PhP18,757,719.41), VAT Exclusive, Zero-Rated Transaction

Source of Funds:

The ABC for each of the three (3) lots are as follows: LOT NO.

DESCRIPTION

ABC VAT-EXCLUSIVE, ZERORATED TRANSACTION

1

Supply, Delivery, Installation and Commissioning of Voice and Data Structured Cabling System

Sixteen Million Nine Hundred Fifteen Thousand Four Hundred Ten Pesos and 40/100 (PhP16,915,410.40)

2

Supply, Delivery, Installation, Testing and Commissioning of Public Address with Background Music System

One Million Five Hundred Eighteen Thousand One Hundred Forty-One Pesos and 65/100 (PhP1,518,141.65)

3

Supply, Delivery, Installation and Commissioning of Cable TV Distribution System

Three Hundred Twenty-Four Thousand One Hundred SixtySeven Pesos and 36/100 (PhP324,167.36)

Cracks in Pili bridge cause traffic along vital route anew

By Manilyn B. Ugalde PILI, Camarines Sur—Traffic congestion has resumed along the Pili Diversion Road here after holes and cracks were discovered in the middle of the 65-meter San Jose Bridge.

Barely two years after then-President Benigno Aquino III inspected the completed four-lane San Jose Bridge that followed the inauguration of the widened Pili Diversion road that connected vehicles from Manila, the Bicol Region and the Visayas via the rollon, roll-off transport system in Matnog, Sorsogon, the bridge showed signs of disrepair.

The expansion of the San Jose Bridge began in July 2014 and was completed on July 10, 2015 at a cost of P85 million, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways records.

But DPWH regional executive assistant lawyer Felix Brazil said the flow of traffic in the area continues since the middle two lanes with holes and cracks were closed and covered with steel plates before undergoing repairs.

Camarines Sur is the heart of the Bicol Region and its biggest and most developed

province, which is now preparing for next month’s Peñafrancia celebration that usually draws millions of visitors to the area.

The Pili municipal council, in a resolution, slammed the deterioration of the bridge, saying the situation “has restored the horrible traffic suffering of motorists when the bridge was still undergoing expansion.”

Councilor John Apollo Manaog, chair of the committee on infrastructure, said they are waiting for the investigation report from the DPWH regional office in Legazpi about allegations that the San Jose Bridge was built substandard by the Camarines Sur 2nd District Engineering Office under contract with Camarines Sur-based NFH Construction and Supply.

District engineer Rebecca Roces could not be contacted for comment at press time. The assistant district engineer, Juan Ragrario, told local media that substandard work for the San Jose bridge “cannot yet be considered” citing records that said steel bars used and the works specifications were within its program of works.

Corporate Budget for CY2017

Bidders should have completed, dated September 2014 or earlier, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

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

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

PAGCOR will hold a Pre-Bid Conference, which shall be open to prospective bidders.

D-1-F, (LRC) PSD-23130; AND D-1-F, (LRC) PSD-23130; AND 2-F-1-, (LRC) PSD-3375, LRC 2-F-1-, (LRC) PSD-3375, LRC REC. NO. 5975), SITUATED IN REC. NO. 5975), SITUATED IN BRGY. (TALIPAPA) TANDANG BRGY. (TALIPAPA) TANDANG SORA, QUEZON CITY, METRO SORA, QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA, ISLAND OF QUEZON MANILA, ISLAND OF QUEZON CITY. BOUNDED ON THE CITY. BOUNDED ON THE PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK, NORTH ALONG LINE 1-2 BY PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK, NORTH ALONG LINE 1-2 BY Mortgagee, LOT 15 BLK. 6; ON THE EAST., Mortgagee, LOT 15 BLK. 6; ON THE EAST., ALONG LINE 2-3 BY ROAD LOT ALONG LINE 2-3 BY ROAD LOT -versusFRE NO. 11771 6; ON THE SOUTH., ALONG -versusFRE NO. 11771 6; ON THE SOUTH., ALONG LINE 3-4 BY LOT 17; AND ON LINE 3-4 BY LOT 17; AND ON ERWILO DELA CRUZ married to THE WEST., ALONG LINE 4-1 BY ERWILO DELA CRUZ married to THE WEST., ALONG LINE 4-1 BY MA. NATIVIDAD A. ROXAS LOT 27, BOTH OF BLK. 6, ALL MA. NATIVIDAD A. ROXAS LOT 27, BOTH OF BLK. 6, ALL Mortgagor/s OF THE CONS-SUBD. PLAN XXX Mortgagor/s OF THE CONS-SUBD. PLAN XXX x-----------------------------------x CONTAINING AN AREA OF ONE x-----------------------------------x CONTAINING AN AREA OF ONE HUDNRED FIFTY (150) SQUARE HUDNRED FIFTY (150) SQUARE NOTICE OF OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL EXTRA-JUDICIAL METERS, MORE OR LESS. NOTICE MORE OR LESS. SALE OF OF REAL REAL PROPERTY PROPERTY METERS, All sealed bids must be submitted SALE All sealed bids must be submitted UNDER ACT 3135 to the undersigned at the aforesaid UNDER ACT 3135 to the undersigned at the aforesaid (AS AMENDED) AMENDED) office on the above stated date and (AS office on the above stated date and time. time.

UPON extra-judicial petition UPON extra-judicial petition Interested parties are hereby under ACT 3135, as amended Interested parties are hereby under ACT 3135, as amended enjoined to investigate for

by ACT 4118 and pursuant to the to investigate for

by ACT 4118 and pursuant to the enjoined themselves the title to the said terms and conditions of the Deed of themselves the title to the said terms and conditions of the Deed of property/ies and the encumbrances Real Estate Mortgage executed on and the encumbrances Real Estate Mortgage executed on property/ies MAY 29, 2014 by ERWILO DELA thereon, if any there be.

MAY 29, 2014 by ERWILO DELA thereon, if any there be.

In the event that public auction CRUZ married to MA. NATIVIDAD In the event that public auction CRUZ married to MA. NATIVIDAD A. ROXAS. –No. 8 Riosa Zytex should not take place on said A. ROXAS. –No. 8 Riosa Zytex should not take place on said date due to fortuitous event or Compound, Pasong Tamo, date due to fortuitous event or Compound, Pasong Tamo, Tandang Sora, Quezon City/Blk if the same be declared a nonTandang Sora, Quezon City/Blk if the same be declared a nonworking holiday, it shall be held on 6, Lot 10, Greenhills, Greenview working holiday, it shall be held on 6, Lot 10, Greenhills, Greenview Royale Exec. Village III, Talipapa, September 6, 2017 at the same Royale Exec. Village III, Talipapa, September 6, 2017 at the same time and place without further Tandang Sora, Quezon City, time and place without further Tandang Sora, Quezon City, Mortgagors in favor of PHILIPPINE notice.

Mortgagors in favor of PHILIPPINE notice.

SAVINGS BANK, Mortgagee, to Quezon City, Metro Manila, July SAVINGS BANK, Mortgagee, to Quezon City, Metro Manila, July satisfy the mortgage debt in the 28, 2017. satisfy the mortgage debt in the 28, 2017. amount of Php 2,878,463.93 as amount of Php 2,878,463.93 as of June 7, 2017 plus accruing (Sgd.) CECILIA CECILIA S. S. BAÑEZ BAÑEZ of June 7, 2017 plus accruing (Sgd.) interest, penalty and other charges interest, penalty and other charges Sheriff IV IV together with all the lawful fees and Sheriff together with all the lawful fees and expenses of foreclosure sale, the expenses of foreclosure sale, the (Sgd.) GREGORIO C. TALLUD Ex-Officio Sheriff of the Regional GREGORIO C. TALLUD Ex-Officio Sheriff of the Regional (Sgd.)Clerk of Court Court VII VII and and Trial Court of Quezon City and/or Clerk of Trial Court of Quezon City and/or his duly authorized Deputy Sheriff, Ex-Officio Sheriff Sheriff his duly authorized Deputy Sheriff, Ex-Officio hereby announces that on August hereby announces that on August WARNING: It is absolutely prohib30, 2017 between the hours of It is absolutely prohib30, 2017 between the hours of WARNING: to remove, deface or Destroy 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Office ited to remove, deface or Destroy 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Office ited Notice of Sheriff’s Sale on or of the Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio this Notice of Sheriff’s Sale on or of the Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio this Before the date of the auction sale Sheriff, Regional Trial Court, Hall the date of the auction sale under penalty of the law.

Sheriff, Regional Trial Court, Hall Before of Justice Bldg., Elliptical Road, under penalty of the law. of Justice Bldg., Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City, will sell thru Diliman, Quezon City, will sell thru Copy Furnished: public auction to the highest bidder public auction to the highest bidder Copy Furnished: for cash, in Philippine Currency, the for cash, in Philippine Currency, the ATTY. CONSTANTINO L. REYES following described real property/ CONSTANTINO L. REYES following described real property/ ATTY. Floor PSBank Centre Bldg., ies with all the improvements 4th Floor PSBank Centre Bldg., ies with all the improvements 4th No. 777 Paseo de Roxas Ave., existing thereon, to wit: No. 777 Paseo de Roxas Ave., existing thereon, to wit: cor. Sedeño St., Makati City TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF cor.

Sedeño St., Makati City TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF ERWILO DELA CRUZ ROXAS TITLE NO. N-004-2014003461 DELA CRUZ ROXAS TITLE NO. N-004-2014003461 ERWILO married to MA. NATIVIDAD A. Registry of Deeds-Quezon City married Registry of Deeds-Quezon City ROXAS to MA. NATIVIDAD A. A PARCEL OF LAND (LOT 16, ROXAS A PARCEL OF LAND (LOT 16, Riosa Zytex Compound, BLK. 6, OF THE CONS-SUBDN. No. 88 Riosa Zytex Compound, BLK. 6, OF THE CONS-SUBDN. No. Tamo Tandang Sora, PLAN PCS-007404-0044328-D. Pasong Tamo Tandang Sora, PLAN PCS-007404-0044328-D. Pasong Quezon City BEING A PORTION OF THE Quezon City BEING A PORTION OF THE Blk 6, Lot 10, Greenhills, CONS. OF LOTS 2, (LRC) PCS- Blk 6, Lot 10, Greenhills, CONS. OF LOTS 2, (LRC) PCS- Greenview Royale Exec. Village III, 15879; 784-C-3-B-2, (LRC) PSDRoyale Exec. Village III, 15879; 784-C-3-B-2, (LRC) PSD- Greenview 117995; 784-B-3, PSD-49419; Talipapa, Tandang Sora, QC 117995; 784-B-3, PSD-49419; Talipapa, Tandang Sora, QC 777-A-2-A-1, (LRC) PSD-284479(MS-July 31, Aug. 7 & 14, 2017) 777-A-2-A-1, (LRC) PSD-284479(MS-July 31, Aug. 7 & 14, 2017)

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE EX-OFFICIO SHERRIF OFFICE OF THE EX-OFFICIO SHERRIF QUEZON CITY QUEZON CITY

All particulars relative to Pre-Bid Conference, Detailed Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of RA 9184 and its IRR. The schedule of bidding activities is listed, as follows: Activities 1. Issuance of the Bidding Documents

Date, Time and Venue August 7 to 30, 2017

2. Pre-Bid Conference

August 15, 2017; 2:00 p.m., Corporate Lounge, 6th Floor, New World Manila Bay Hotel and Casino, Pedro Gil cor. MH Del Pilar Streets, Malate, Manila

3. Deadline for the Submission and Receipt of Bids

August 30, 2017; 10:00 a.m., Corporate Lounge, 6th Floor, New World Manila Bay Hotel and Casino, Pedro Gil cor. MH Del Pilar Streets, Malate, Manila

4. Opening and Preliminary Examination of Bids

August 30, 2017; 10:00 a.m. onwards, Corporate Lounge, 6th Floor, New World Manila Bay Hotel and Casino, Pedro Gil cor. MH Del Pilar Streets, Malate, Manila

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Procurement Department (PD), acting as the BAC Secretariat, of PAGCOR and/or inspect the Bidding Documents at Room 203, Second (2nd) Floor, PAGCOR House, 1330 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita, Manila during office hours of PAGCOR from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, based on the following schedule: Approved Budget for the Contract 500,000.00 and below More than 500,000.00 up to 1 Million More than 1 Million up to 5 Million More than 5 Million up to 10 Million More than 10 Million up to 50 Million

Cost of Bidding Documents (in Philippine Pesos) 500.00 1,000.00 5,000.00 10,000.00 25,000.00

SOUP KITCHEN. Children in Barangay Bayate, Liliw, Laguna receive their free rice porridge during the ‘Epektibong Serbisyo’ Medical and Feeding Programs conducted by Liliw Mayor Ericson Sulibit, his wife and Municipal Administrator Maileen Sulibit, Dr. Marilou Coron, and Barangay Chairman Tirso Buenconsejo. Roy Tomandao

Prospective bidders may also download the Bidding Documents free of charge from the following websites: www.pagcor.ph and www.philgeps.gov.ph and may be allowed to submit bids provided that bidders shall pay the applicable fee of the Bidding Documents not later than the deadline for the submission and receipt of bids.

Prospective bidders should present to PAGCOR’s Cashier located at the Sixth (6th) Floor, PAGCOR Corporate Office, New World Manila Bay Hotel, 1588 M.H. del Pilar Street corner Pedro Gil Street, Malate, Manila either the Payment Slip which may be secured from PD or a copy of this ITB in effecting payment for the Bidding Documents.

Bidders shall bear all costs associated with the preparation and submission of his bid, and PAGCOR will in no case be responsible or liable for those costs, regardless of the conduct or outcome of the bidding process.

All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause Error! Reference source not found..

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the venue of the bid opening. Late bids shall not be accepted.

PAGCOR assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of their bids.

In accordance with Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) Circular 06-2005 - Tie-Breaking Method, the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) shall use a non-discretionary and non-discriminatory measure based on sheer luck or chance, which is “DRAW LOTS,” in the event that two or more bidders have been postqualified and determined as the bidder having the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid (LCRB) to determine the final bidder having the LCRB, based on the following procedures: a) In alphabetical order, the bidders shall pick one rolled paper. b) The lucky bidder who would pick the paper with a “CONGRATULATIONS” remark shall be declared as the final bidder having the LCRB and recommended for award of the contract.

PAGCOR 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 in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

Please address all communications to the Bids and Awards Committee thru PD, Room 203, Second (2nd) Floor, PAGCOR House, 1330 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita, Manila, Tel. No.: 524-3911, 336-6906 and/or 5211542 local 223 or 671.

(Sgd.) RODERICK R. CONSOLACION Chairperson Bids and awards Committee (BaC) 1

(MS-AUG. 7, 2017)

FISHLANDING CENTER. Balanga City Mayor Francis Garcia (third from right) and Vice

Mayor Vianca Venzon-Gozon (fifth from left) receive the ceremonial check from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources for funding the Community Fishlanding Center in the city. Also pictured are Councilor Benjie Merino (left), Councilor Elmo Sanchez (second from left) and other officials. Butch Gunio

CYAN MAGENTA MAGENTA YELLOW YELLOW BLACK BLACK CYAN

World Rio slums stormed to catch gangsters RIO DE JANEIRO―Thousands of Brazilian army troops raided Rio de Janeiro slums in a pre-dawn crackdown on crime gangs Saturday, leaving parts of the city looking like a war zone on the first anniversary of the opening of the Olympic Games.

Five favelas were targeted by around 1,300 police and 3,600 troops in a sweep starting at 4 am (0700 GMT), the Rio state security service said in a statement.

Their main goal was to stop the gangs behind a surge in brazen robberies of commercial trucks, with arrest warrants issued for 40 people. Rio state authorities say there were 10,000 cases of cargo theft last year.

By late afternoon, 24 adults and two teens had been arrested and two killed “in confrontations,” Rio state security chief Robert Sa said. A police officer was killed when a bus crashed into his vehicle with two detainees inside.

Twenty-one vehicles, weapons, drugs and goods stolen from trucks were impounded.

But the decision to flood some of Rio’s most dangerous streets with heavily armed soldiers also reflected fears that nearly bankrupt post-Olympic Rio is spinning out of control.

The troops were part of 8,500 deployed to the city last month in a tacit acknowledgement that cash-strapped police have lost the ability to cope.

In Lins favela―one of the many little-regulated, and often gang-plagued communities of working class Brazilians that rise on the city’s forest-clad hills―soldiers took positions at every crossroads and outside many alleyways.

Troops, backed by camouflaged armored personnel carriers, stood guard with fingers on the triggers of assault rifles. Units of soldiers and SWAT police also roamed the streets in open Jeeps and SUVs, pointing their weapons out of car windows.

Everyone entering and leaving the favela, in northern Rio, was subjected to an identity check and search, with men required to lift their shirts. One man was questioned at length about a scar on his stomach and another man’s bag was searched only to find he was carrying a large Bible.

The orderly deployment and impressive firepower reassured some. At a time of political and economic turmoil in Brazil, the military is regularly cited as Brazil’s most trusted institution.

“They bring security to us all. There’s so much robbery, so much shooting. With the soldiers, people here feel safer,” said Luiza, a resident of Lins, who like most others was too afraid to be fully identified. AFP

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017

C3

Southern Europe swelters R

OME―Swathes of southern Europe sweltered Saturday in a heatwave that has claimed several lives, cost billions in crop damage and is, scientists warned, a foretaste of worse to follow in coming decades.

PRESENT. Eva Marcille attends Black Girls Rock! 2017 backstage at the NJPAC on August 5 in Newark. AFP

At least five deaths in Italy and Romania have been attributed to the extreme conditions since the heatwave set in around the start of August.

Unusually high, and sometimes unprecedented temperatures, are being recorded across an area spanning much of Spain and Portugal, southern France, Italy, the Balkans and Hungary.

The mercury has regularly risen above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) across the affected areas, exacerbating the impact of an extended drought and the lingering impact of a July heatwave which sparked wildfires that claimed 60 lives in Portugal.

Hospital admissions have spiked 15-20 percent in Italy, where at least three people have died.

Italians longing for the beach have dubbed the hot spell “Lucifero”, or Lucifer, after the biblical archangel said to have been condemned forever to the flames of hell.

The latest victim was a woman whose car was swept away overnight by an avalanche of water and mud as humid conditions near the Alpine ski resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo broke into torrential rain.

That tragedy follows the deaths on Thursday of two pensioners caught up in wildfires in the central region of Abruzzo and near Matera in the south of the country.

In Romania, two deaths were linked to the weather, including a farmworker who collapsed after working in fields in the northeast of the country, while Spanish TV station TVE reported that a 51-year-old man died as a result of the heat on the Mediterranean island of Majorca.

In Italy, humidity and other factors are making it feel much hotter with the so-called “perceived” temperature in Campania, the region around Naples, estimated at a broiling 55 Celsius (131 Faren-

heit) on Friday.

Hospital admissions are running 15-20 percent above seasonal norms and food producers are forecast to suffer billions of euros in losses as a result of reduced crop yields.

Italian wine and olive production is tipped to fall 15 and 30 percent respectively this year.

In Rome, tourists have been risking recently introduced fines for splashing in the Eternal City’s fountains to cool off.

But there has yet to be any sign of visitors to southern Europe’s summer hot spots being deterred by the rising temperatures.

Tourists were queuing once more Saturday outside Florence’s Uffizi museum, which was forced to close Friday after its air conditioning broke down because of a lack of water from the dried up River Arno.

Health authorities in France have warned citizens to be particularly aware of the risks faced by the sick and the elderly.

The country is still haunted by memories of a 2003 heatwave which resulted in an estimated 15,000 avoidable deaths among pensioners, some of whom had been left on their own by holidaymaking relatives.

Scientists meanwhile warned that deaths due to extreme weather in Europe could increase 50fold from an estimated 3,000 per year recently to 152,000 by the end of this century - if global warming is not reined in.

Southern Europe will suffer most and heat waves would account for 99 percent of the deaths, according to research conducted for the European Commission and published in The Lancet Planetary Health.

The conclusions were questioned by Korean peers of the researchers who suggested humans would become less vulnerable to extreme weather with experience of it. AFP

Police release second man in foiled plane plot SYDNEY―Australian police Sunday released a second man arrested during counter-terrorism raids, days after two others were charged with terrorism offenses over an alleged plot to bring down a plane.

The 39-year-old man, named by his lawyer as Khaled Merhi, was among the four arrested during raids across Sydney last Saturday, which also led to tightened security at all major Australian airports.

“This investigation remains ongoing,” Australian Federal Police and New South Wales state police said in a statement.

“A 39-year-old man, detained in relation to allegations regarding a potential terrorist attack, has been charged with one count of possession of prohibited weapon and released from police custody.”

Merhi, whose detention by police had been extended by a magistrate, was due to be released Sunday if he was not charged.

He is set to appear in court on the prohibited weapon charge on August 24.

Two other men―Khaled Khayat, 49, and Mahmoud Khayat, 32―were charged with terrorism offenses and refused bail Friday.

Another man, 50-year-old Abdul Merhi, was released without charge Wednesday.

Australian police alleged Friday that as part of the plans, a senior Islamic State commander

directed a group of Australian men to build a bomb destined for an Etihad Airways flight out of Sydney.

The improvised explosive device was due to be smuggled onto the July 15 service, but the attempt was aborted before they reached security.

Police said they had also foiled a second alleged plot involving a “chemical dispersion device”, designed to release hydrogen sulphide, but this was in the early stages.

The second plan was hatched after the first one failed, police said, and was not necessarily targeted at a plane.

Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Michael Phelan had described the plans as “one of the most sophisticated plots that has ever been attempted on Australian soil”.

Khaled Khayat and Mahmoud Khayat face life imprisonment if convicted, with their case back in court on November 14. AFP

Fear of losing tools to bypass ‘firewall’ BEIJING―Enterprising internet users in China fear the tools they use to tunnel through the country’s “Great Firewall” may soon disappear, as Beijing tightens its grip on the web.

Tens of millions of people are estimated to use Virtual Private Networks or VPNs to bypass Chinese internet restrictions―getting access to blocked websites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Beijing has for years turned a blind eye to these holes in its Great Firewall, but recent events suggest the virtual tunnels may soon be bricked up.

In January China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) announced it would be banning the use of unlicensed providers of the services.

In the months since the rule’s announcement, rumors have swirled that a crackdown was coming, but there was little clarity on what exactly the rule meant and how, or even if, it would be implemented.

In the past few weeks, however, omens of significant tightening seem to be everywhere.

Several luxury hotels in Beijing have said they will stop using the tools, which once provided unfiltered Internet as a convenience to their customers.

On Thursday, a cloud service provider in the capital notified users

that it would practice shutting down and reporting VPN providers on the orders of Beijing’s Public Security bureau.

Tech giants Apple and Amazon, too, have moved to limit their customers’ access to the tools in China in what has been seen as a voluntary move to get ahead of the impending crackdown.

On Sunday, Apple said it was removing a number of the programs from its app store, while Amazon’s Chinese partner said that customers would no longer be allowed to use “illegal” VPNs on its cloud service.

“There have been many rounds of government murmurings about VPN crackdowns, and foreign and Chinese businesses had grown used to only minor or temporary restrictions,” said Graham Webster, a senior researcher scholar at Yale Law School.

But “this time appears different.”

For now, however, it still remains unclear who will be able to access VPNs and under what circumstances, a situation that has left both companies and regular users on tenterhooks.

Ordinary people have reacted to the new rules with a mixture of annoyance and quiet defiance.

“You’ve blocked the last way to watch US TV dramas, as well as my Facebook friends!” one user of China’s Twitter-like Weibo platform

said after the Apple announcement.

“You can lock my cellphone, but you cannot lock my heart.”

Firms are casting around for information about the developments and have expressed alarm at the potential impact on the way they do business.

In a statement, the European Chamber of Commerce told AFP it “has not seen any updated official document concerning restrictions on VPN use by companies,” adding that in a recent survey of its members almost half expressed concern that the “continued strengthening of measures to tighten Internet control and access are having an even bigger negative impact on their companies”.

“Our members’ success depends on instantaneous access to information worldwide, and the ability to freely communicate with affiliates, suppliers and customers around the world,” William Zarit, Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China said in a statement to AFP. “Recent regulatory developments, including limiting VPN use, have created uncertainty for crossborder data communication.”

Apple has come under fire for bowing to the rules, but in an earnings call Tuesday CEO Tim Cook said the firm had to follow local laws. AFP

CONCERT. Chris Carmack performs during the Concert for the CMT Series ‘Nashville’ at the Ford Amphitheater at the Coney Island Boardwalk on August 5, 2017 in Brooklyn City, New York. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

C4

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017

World

PARTY. Taylor Dayne performs at the Sixth Annual Hamptons Paddle & Party For Pink To Benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation on August 5, 2017 in Bridgehampton, New York. AFP

Slammed for firing attorney general CARACAS―A new assembly loyal to President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday fired the country’s attorney general, Luisa Ortega, one of his most vociferous critics, triggering a firestorm of condemnation from the US and Latin American nations.

Ortega, who was barred by dozens of soldiers from entering her offices, has been a thorn in Maduro’s side for months, breaking ranks with him over the legality of the Constituent Assembly, which was elected last week in a vote marred by violence and fraud allegations.

She refused to recognize her sacking, or the assembly’s swearing in of Tarek William Saab, the national ombudsman, in her place.

“I am not giving up, Venezuela is not giving up and will not give up against barbarity, illegality, hunger, darkness and death,” she said.

US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert tweeted that the “United States condemns [the] illegal removal” of Ortega, adding the move was aimed at tightening the “authoritarian dictatorship of [the] Maduro regime.”

Colombia, Chile, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and Peru equally slammed the decision, made by the Constituent Assembly as its very first order of business.

The assembly also said Ortega would face trial for “irregularities” from her time in office and was forbidden from leaving the country.

One of the assembly’s most prominent members, Diosdado Cabello, said of the firing: “This is not a personal, political lynching, just carrying out the law.”

Ortega’s sacking had been widely expected. But its swiftness―and the fact it was a unanimous vote―stirred wide unease.

Also on Saturday opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez was returned to house arrest after being detained in military prison for four days.

“They just moved Leopoldo home,” his wife Lilian Tintori wrote on Twitter. “We continue with more conviction and strength for peace and freedom in Venezuela!”

Lopez had been arrested along with another opposition leader Antonio Ledezma―who was released back to home detention Friday―in the aftermath of the highly contested vote to create the assembly. AFP

Palestinians facing Jerusalem eviction JERUSALEM―Fahamiya Shamasneh, a 75-year-old Palestinian woman, refuses to pack her things despite a looming deadline for evacuating the home she has lived in for more than 50 years.

Israel’s supreme court has ruled the family have until Wednesday to vacate the house in annexed east Jerusalem.

The family’s supporters have no doubt the house will be handed over to Jewish Israelis, as part of a wider plan to boost Jewish settlements in the predominantly Palestinian neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah.

It will be the first eviction in the neighborhood since 2009, according to Israeli anti-occupation group Peace Now, and has become part of a fight over the disputed status of Jerusalem.

Israel sees the city as its undivided capital, while the Palestinians want the eastern sector as their future capital.

Fahamiya, her sick husband Ayoub, 84, their son and his family have until August 9 to voluntarily leave the cramped,50-square-metre (540-sq-foot) basement of their building or be forced out.

“Fifty-three years here means leaving is not easy―it is a lifetime.

I was a young girl when I came to this house,” said Fahamiya.

“The police are threatening us.

We don’t know what to do,” she said, adding they had not found anywhere else to go.

Under a decades-old Israeli law, if Jews can prove their families lived in east Jerusalem homes before the 1948 war that led to the creation of Israel, they can demand that Israel’s general custodian office release the property and return their “ownership rights”.

During the war, thousands of

Jews fled Jerusalem as Jordanianled Arab forces seized the city, while hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled from land that was later to become Israel.

No such law exists for Palestinians who lost their land.

Israel occupied east Jerusalem in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognized by the international community.

Around 200,000 Israeli Jews now live in east Jerusalem in settlement homes considered illegal under international law.

The Shamasneh family says it has paid 250 shekels ($70) a month to the general custodian since 1967, an arrangement used by the pro-settlers’ side as proof that the family recognized their status as tenants.

In 2009, the original heirs along with the general custodian launched a legal process to force the family out, but the claimants later sold their rights to a USregistered company, according to Peace Now. The NGO says such companies are often used to make it unclear exactly who is behind the push to evict people, a highly-charged political act.

Arye King, director at the Israel Land Fund and a de facto spokesman for much Jewish settlement growth in Jerusalem, denied any legal misconduct.

“This house is not changing hands―it has belonged to Jews for about 90 years and it is returning to the owners after some people rented it,” he told AFP. In 2013, Israel’s high court rejected an appeal by the family in favour of the claimants, concluding the family were not protected tenants. AFP

Trump stirring up his base to protect his presidency B

EDMINSTER―Beset by investigations, dire approval ratings and growing party dissent, Donald Trump is stirring up his base, hoping to mobilize an army of political shock troops to protect his presidency.

AWARDING. Collider’s Allison Keene, left, and TCA Treasurer/Salon’s Melanie McFarland present the award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in Comedy’ onstage at the 33rd Annual Television Critics Association Awards during the 2017 Summer TCA Tour at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on August 5, 2017, in Beverly Hills, California. AFP

72 years since bombing of Hiroshima TOKYO―Japan on Sunday marked 72 years since the world’s first nuclear attack on Hiroshima, with the nation’s traditional contradictions over atomic weapons again coming into focus.

The anniversary came after Japan sided last month with nuclear powers Britain, France and the US to dismiss a UN treaty banning atomic weapons, which was rejected by critics for ignoring the reality of security threats such as North Korea.

Japan is the only country to have suffered atomic attacks, in 1945.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, speaking at the annual ceremony at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park near the ground zero, said Japan hoped to push for a world without nuclear weapons in a way that all countries can agree.

“For us to truly pursue a world without

nuclear weapons, we need participation from both nuclear-weapons and nonnuclear weapons states,” Abe said in his speech at the annual ceremony.

“Our country is committed to leading the international community by encouraging both sides” to make progress toward abolishing nuclear arms, Abe added without directly referring to the UN treaty.

Japanese officials have criticized the UN Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty as deepening a divide between countries with and without nuclear arms. None of the nine countries that possess nuclear weapons took part in the negotiations or vote on the treaty.

Japanese officials routinely argue that they abhor nuclear weapons, but the nation’s defense is firmly set under the US nuclear umbrella.

Japan suffered two nuclear attacks at the end of the World War II by the United States―in Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and in Nagasaki three days later.

The bombings claimed the lives of 140,000 people in Hiroshima and 74,000 people in Nagasaki. Some died immediately while others succumbed to injuries or radiation-related illnesses weeks, months and years later.

Japan announced its surrender in World War II on August 15, 1945.

Many in Japan feel the attacks amount to war crimes and atrocities because they targeted civilians and due to the unprecedented destructive nature of the weapons.

But many Americans believe they hastened the end of a bloody conflict, and ultimately saved lives, thus justifying the bombings. AFP

Revelations that a grand jury has been impaneled to investigate his finances and his campaign’s ties to Russia raises the specter of indictments and subpoenas that would shake any administration.

But for Trump, who is just six months into his presidency, it represents more turmoil after an exodus of top White House officials and humiliating recent reverses in Congress.

Despite a healthy economy, a new poll by the Connecticut-based Quinnipiac University shows his approval rating at 33 percent―the same level endured by Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal or George W. Bush after the grind of the Iraq war.

Facing the prospect of limping through another three and a half years, Trump is settling on a strategy of shoring up the support of voters who propelled him to the White House with a series of right-wing policy announcements and red-blooded speeches.

In little more than a week, Trump has encouraged police to dole out rough justice, summarily threatened to kick transgender personnel out of the military and played up the threat of Hispanic gangs.

After warning that neighborhoods are “becoming blood-stained killing fields” he appeared in the Roosevelt Room of the White House last week to champion a massive curb on legal immigration.

The next day, Trump addressed thousands of supporters at a rally where many of the themes that served him so well in the presidential campaign were dusted off again―including blistering attacks on his defeated rival Hillary Clinton.

Hitting his notes on immigration and law and order, Trump painted the grand jury investigation into his campaign’s ties with Russia as a personal threat to him and his supporters.

“The Russia story is total fabrication,” he said, a “fake story that is demeaning to all of us and most of all demeaning to our country and demeaning to our Constitution.”

Given that the thrice-wed New Yorker married an immigrant and once lectured Republicans on the need to defend gay rights, many critics have said his recent announcements smack of hypocrisy.

There is still little clarity on how the ban on transgenders can be implemented while White House sources admit that the immigration proposal has scant hope of passing through Congress.

Emily Ekins, polling director at the CATO Institute, believes it is too simplistic to think of Trump voters as a homogenous group, but rather a loose coalition of conservatives, free marketers, cultural preservationists, anti-elites and the politically disengaged. AFP

N

OTHING jumpstarts a great day and inspires even greater things like a quality cup of coffee does. The whirr of grinders and smell of espresso in the air excites the senses, promising good things ahead as you wait for your freshly brewed cup.

But sometimes, accomplishing greatness requires one to be constantly on the move. For these times, what’s a connoisseur to do when beyond the reach of coffee-brewing machines?

When great things can’t wait, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has your back with Cold Brew (P145). Originally used as a vital base in some of the brand’s handcrafted beverages, Cold Brew is now individually bottled fresh in small batches for when you need a quick perk-me-up, wherever you may be.

With Cold Brew, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf lets you fully experience rich, expertly brewed coffee fresh out of the bottle—sans the need for preparation.

Cold Brew is not your regular hot coffee poured over ice. In fact, it never went through heat at all. Instead, the flavor and aroma were coaxed out with time. Steeping periods may be longer or shorter for others, but The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s Cold Brew is steeped to perfection—every bottle is the fruit of 20 hours of careful extraction, using only the top 1 percent specialty grade Arabica, meticulously selected from the world’s best growing regions.

It uses Viennese Blend, which is a medium-bodied coffee that has great balance and depth, with full flavor and nuances of chocolate. The gentle process keeps all the essential flavors and aromas intact giving coffee that’s rich but goes smoothly on the palate. It also allows each bean to develop subtly sweet notes, so every bottle you enjoy is wonderfully refreshing on its own.

Continue enjoying expertly brewed coffee—even when you’re on the go— with Cold Brew from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

For more information, follow The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (Philippines) on Facebook, @CBTLPH on Instagram, @ BREWPH on Twitter, and subscribe to brewyourbestyear.com.

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

FOOD

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017

D1

COLD BREW? What is it?

GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf offers its very own cold brew blend, a result of 20 hours of careful extraction using only the top 1 percent specialty grade Arabica.

Appetizers and views WELCOME the coming of the weekend with pre-dinner appetizers and drinks to unwind and relax with.

Inspired by Anti Pasti Misto

Vu’s Sky Bar and Lounge serves a wide array of Italian appetizers

POKE POKE

opens third branch POKE Poke, the leading Hawaiian/Asian Fusion fast food restaurant in Metro Manila, opened their third branch at 8 Missouri Street, Northeast Greenhills.

Poke Poke offers a playful take on poke, a traditional Hawaiian dish made from marinated cuts of fresh seafood. Coowners and restaurateurs, Speedy and Alta Lyttle, were first introduced to the dish during a trip abroad. Together with head chef, Kel Zaguirre, the group decided to introduce the diversity and fresh flavors of poke to the Filipino market.

“At Poke Poke, we strive to serve the freshest tasting ingredients to erase the stigma of healthy food being bland and boring,” shares co-owner Alta. “We aim to redefine fast food by providing proper nutrition to people on-the-go.”

Poke Poke established itself with its first two branches and developed a dedicated clientele. This inspired the chain to begin their expansion across Metro Manila, starting with the launch of their third branch in Greenhills.

“It’s our first branch outside a mall, so we have yet to see how different the operations will be,” says Alta. “Like any business

owner, I am very excited.”

In addition, Poke Poke has just broken ground in SM Megamall for its fourth branch in Metro Manila.

“We plan on keeping this year exciting for poke lovers!” adds Alta.

Poke Poke’s For The Rich Only poke bowl

Buffet, Vu’s Sky Bar and paired with a free f low of house Lounge, one of Marco Polo Or- wine. Enjoy a mix of starters tigas Manila’s signature outlets, from seafood, to cold cuts, and is serving a wide array of ItalTurn to D2 ian appetizers to indulge in, and

Life

D2

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

Good as gold

Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil 1 head garlic, finely chopped 1 pc small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 pc small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp Spa n ish paprika 1 185g can Gold Seas Tuna Chunks in Herb and Garlic Salt and pepper

THE JOYCE OF EATING JOYCE BABE PAÑARES

T

HE Philippines is the no.1 supplier of tuna to the European Union, with exports reaching $12 million in 2016. It is ironic, then, that most Filipinos who buy local canned tuna have limited options in getting the same top quality produce from General Santos City that Europeans rave about.

“Filipinos deserve better,” Phillip Sanchez, general manager of General Nutrifoods Philippines Inc., said in an exclusive interview.

GNPI has rolled out its world-class canned tuna product, Gold Seas Tuna Chunk, last month in a bid to provide an alternative in the market, premium but priced reasonably.

“We have been exporting tuna for the longest time, yet locally we only have options such as adobo-, afritada- and mechado-flavored canned tuna. I believe Filipinos are ready for other flavors,” he added.

Gold Seas uses top of the line Yellow fin tuna loin in gourmet flavors— in olive oil; spring-water; herb and garlic; lemon and pepper; and mild Indian curry—packed in lithograph easy-open cans.

“When we started pipelining Gold Seas Tuna Chunks in April, our early customers thought our product is imported because of the sleek packaging.

They told us, ‘Pwede naman pala na better ang i-offer,’” Sanchez said.

Two key factors to ensuring premium quality in every Gold Seas can are GNPI’s sister-company, the General Santos City-based RD Fishing which has its own fleet of fishing vessels to ensure a steady supply of sustainable tuna, as well as Philbest Canning Corporation, whose strict canning process has allowed it to be among the select exporters to penetrate the European market.

“RD Fishing is compliant with EU rules on sustainability, which means our tuna are caught responsibly. This

Procedure: In a pan over medium heat, add in olive oil and sauté the garlic and the green and red bell peppers. Continue until the bell peppers are soft. Add in the Worcestershire sauce, paprika, tuna chunks, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Tuna Nicoise Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing Ingredients for the dressing: ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp mustard 2-3 tbsp honey Salt and pepper 1 pc shallot, finely chopped 1 cup olive oil Ingredients for the salad: 1 pack assorted salad greens mix 1 185g can Gold Seas Yellowfin Tuna Chunks in Springwater, drained 2 pc hard boiled eggs, cut into slices 2 pc ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges ½ cup black olives, sliced Preparing delicious and healthy food has never been more easy with Gold Seas premium tuna chunks: tuna tacos, tuna rice pilaf, and tuna salad.

makes it possible for the next generation of Filipinos to see, taste, and enjoy the same premium tuna that we enjoy now,” Sanchez said.

Gold Seas Tuna Chunks has also been certified halal by the Islamic Da’wah Council of the Philippines (IDCP), a member of the World Halal Coun-

cil. Food that has been certified halal, which means permissible in Arabic, has to meet specific standards from how the animals meant to be eaten are fed and raised to how they are slaughtered and prepared for consumption.

“Whenever you open a can of Gold Seas, you are assured of the

purest tuna meat and healthy olive oil,” Sanchez said. “You are getting premium tuna that is traceable from sea-to-plate and swimming its way to your kitchen.”

For feedback, send comments to joyce.panares@gmail.com

‘Cocido’ at Romulo Café The General’s Favorite ROMULO Café honors Gen. Carlos P. Romulo by introducing Cocido, a classic Spanish dish and an all-time favorite of the late general.

Father to four sons and grandfather to five girls and five boys, General Romulo dedicated his life to the pursuit of peace, envisioning a world where, in his

Herbed Tuna Salpicao

Procedure: To make the dressing, combine all ingredients except the olive oil in a bowl. Whisk vigorously while slowly drizzling the olive oil to the mixture. In a salad bowl, simply combine all salad ingredients together and chill in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes before serving.

You have the option to drizzle the dressing onto the salad or serve the dressing on the side.

Appetizers...

From D1

words, “no child shall lie down in terror or waken to hunger but shall know himself as a being of unique value in a safer and kindlier world.”

Romulo Café’s Cocido is a hearty stew that combines the flavors of beef shank, chicken, chorizo bilbao, chickpeas, pechay, cabbage, and saba (cooking ba-

Romulo Cafe includes Cocido in its menu

Cocido is one of Gen. Carlos P. Romulo’s favorite dishes; it was always served at their home’s Sunday lunches and during embassy functions.

nanas). This is simmered slowly in bulalo soup and served with the famous sauce of mashed saba and eggplant sauce.

Cocido was one of the General’s favorite dishes and was served at the Romulos’ “Kasiyahan” home for nearly all Sunday lunches. An order of Romulo Café’s Cocido is priced at P950.00 and is good for 5 to 6 people. Diners need to make a reservation for this special treat and order one day in advance.

Romulo Café intends to keep the memory and legacy of this distinguished officer and gentleman through the art of fine cooking and dining. Its cuisine includes original recipes used by Romulo’s first wife, Virginia Llamas

Romulo. A skilled cook who personally managed the family kitchen in her early years of marriage, Virginia made sure that special Philippine recipes were always included in embassy functions that her husband hosted when he became a diplomat. She would prepare and cook the dishes herself, making sure that everything tasted perfect.

Today, Romulo Cafe brings back the charms and pleasures of the general’s genteel era through the flavors beloved by the great Carlos P. Romulo.

Romulo Cafés are located in Sct. Tuazon, Tomas Morato, Quezon City; Jupiter Street, Makati; Azumi Hotel in Ayala Alabang; and Kensington, London, UK.

bread, that are specifically curated and prepared by the hotel’s expert chefs. The unobstructed view of the metro is an additional catch that will surely bring relaxation, together with good time with friends and colleagues. From Thursday to Saturday, enjoy this ritual at P899.

Indulge in the hotel’s signature cocktail named Divine Mousike, a deliciously refreshing drink that that is a blend of fresh fruit juices and a mix of different sweet liquor. Inspired by none other than Destileria Limtuaco’s famous cocktails, this concoction will not disappoint. Aside from this, international signature cocktails include Vu’s own rendition of the ever popular Lychee Martini and Mango Daiquiri. These signature cocktails are all served with a burst-in-yourmouth experience of the cocktail in jelly form.

Located on the topmost level of Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, Vu’s is an signature Ortigas attraction offering an unobstructed 180-degree view of Manila.

For more information, contact (02) 720-7777 or book online via www.marcopolohotels.com or email manila@marcopolohotels. com. Visit facebook.com/MarcoPoloOrtigasManila or follow @ MarcoPoloManila on Twitter or Instagram.

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017

5 queens at the launch of Miss World Philippines 2017 A RARE gathering of Miss World Philippines titleholders the last six years was seen at the official media launch of Miss World Philippines 2017 at New World Hotel. They all won under Cory Quirino’s CQ Global Quest Inc., before the TV host and beauty wellness columnist gave up the Miss World Philippines franchise.

Minus 2014’s Valerie Weigmann, Miss World Philippines from 2011 to 2016 Gwendoline Ruais, Queneerich Rehman, Megan Young, Hillarie Danielle Parungao and Catriona Gray, whose painful loss at last year’s Miss World pageant triggered Quirino’s resignation, were a sight to behold at the event which is introducing three new titles this year beside the Miss World Philippines crown giving the winners a chance to represent the country at the Miss Eco International, Reina Hispano Americana and Miss Multinational international pageants.

Miss World 2017 will be held in China on Nov. 18, Reina Hispanoamericana 2017 is scheduled in Santa Cruz, Bolivia in November, while Miss Multinational 2017 in set in New

Delhi, India in December. Miss Eco International will be held in Alexandria, Egypt in April 2018.

Thirty candidates are competing in this year’s search, which is now under a new Miss World Philippines franchise holder, Arnold Vegafria as national director and Bessie Besana as general manager. They will compete in several preliminary fast track events, patterned after the Miss World competitions, which include the Beach Beauty Challenge, Sports Challenge, Top Model Challenge at Fashion Show, Talent Competition during the Charity Gala Night. Winning candidates of these fast track events will automatically earn a semifinal spot at the finals of Miss World Philippines 2017 at Mall of Asia Arena on Sept. 3 to be telecast live on GMA-7.

While the Philippine General Hospital was the chosen beneficiary during Quirino’s time, the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center will now be the new charity beneficiary in line with pageant’s campaign advocacy under its traditional ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ program. With photos by Eton B. Concepcion

Miss World Philippines queens (from left) Meagan Young, Queenie Rehman, Hilarie Parungao, Gwen Ruais, and Catriona Gray with pageant director Arnold Vegafria, Bessie Besana, and event host Iya Villania

All-new Pinoy boyband

1:43 IS BACK

BOYS TO WATCH OUT FOR. New members of the boy group 1:43 (from left) Art Artienda, Jason Allen Estroso, Wayne Avellano, and Ced Miranda

A

FTER months of preparation, the highly anticipated comeback of the foremost Filipino boy band 1:43 on the local music scene is finally happening—this time with an exciting lineup of new members.

Featuring four talented, stylish, and good looking young men – Art Artienda, Ced Miranda, Jason Allen Estroso, and Wayne Avellano, 1:43 will reprise its trademark of promoting and reinventing Original Pilipino Music (OPM) and bring it to a whole new level.

The revitalized band is likewise

psyched to sustain its momentum from snagging the 2013 Star Awards for Music Song of the Year for “Sa Isang Sulyap Mo” and scoring the “Most Promising Performing and Recording Group” recognition in the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation’s 45th Box-Office Entertainment Awards.

Come to think of it, the new members are no strangers to music and entertainment industry, as they are held together by their common passion for singing, dancing, and acting. Within a brief period of time, too, these young men developed excellent chemistry on and off the stage.

“This charismatic set of younger talents is poised to capture the hearts of music- and entertainmentloving Filipinos as they bring a fresher and more exciting take on music and on many other opportunities that will come

Actor brushes off intrigues with former screen partner AJ Muhlach remains unaffected with the general observation that his original screen partner Nadine Lustre has already gone a long way in her showbiz career compared to him, especially with the current popularity of JaDine.

“Honestly, I’m not jealous or have any ill feelings towards her present success,” he says.

“While it’s true that our screen pair was first to be launched via TV 5’s Bagets’ and P.S. I Love You, her movies with James (Reid) made a big killing at the tills and they became established as a love team.

For me, it’s just okay. I don’t really feel that I’m left in the race. It’s just about phasing. I believe that everyone has his or her own time to shine. It’s my life anyway. I don’t want to compare myself with others.”

Many are curious if he didn’t regret that his love team with Nadine was short-lived.

“In truth, nope. Perhaps, it wasn’t meant to be in order to give birth to the JaDine pair. I even appeared in two of their

movies, Diary ng Panget and Para sa Hopeless Romantic.

What’s good is that my friendship with Nadine and even James remains intact. There’s no bad blood whatsoever. As I’ve said, I don’t have any axe to grind.”

Curiously, did he court the dusky young actress when Viva first paired them?

“Nope! That’s for the record. You know, basically, I’m the shy-type of guy when it comes to courtship. Even until now. Ha-ha-ha! During those times, Nadine and I were already good friends and I’m glad that we’ve maintained it despite our not seeing each other of late due to our hectic schedules.”

Speaking of busy workload, AJ gets his biggest break as Viva launches him to lead status via the upcoming action flick titled, Double Barrel: Sige, Iputok Mo! “Yes! I’m so proud of this

vehicle because it’s under the helm of Direk Toto Natividad who is considered one of the master directors of the action genre. His work in Coco Martin’s Ang Probinsyano on ABS-CBN is a clear proof of how excellent he is when it comes to his turf.

It’s really a huge honor that he chose me for the lead role.”

This is a complete turnabout from the romantic comedies and youth-oriented vehicles he usually appears in.

“Well, unknown to some, action is where I really want to make a mark so this is a dream-come-true actually. I worked hard to prepare for my character in the movie. For one, my physique. I did a lot of gym routines to develop abs.

It’s vital to look fit especially in doing action scenes.

“Seeing the entire film, I’m proud of its turn-out. It’s worth all my sacrifice. I just hope avid theatre buffs will support

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, August 7, 2017

ACROSS 1 Town near Chicago 5 Receded 10 Really shake up 14 Toast topper 15 Polynesian language 16 Field of study 17 French wine region 19 Dollar fraction 20 Tenet 21 — take forever 22 Type of clock 24 Sanctify 26 Cagers’ org.

27 Customs 30 Tie pattern 34 Tailors’ needs 35 Clenched hand 36 Clean the deck 38 B’way posting 39 Rabbit 40 Period 41 Tune 43 Kind of moth 44 Parachute parts 46 Prosperity 48 Frothy dessert 49 NBC rival 50 Cook in embers 52 Hit 55 Devotee 56 Luau dish 59 Tien Shan range

(var.)

60 Violent eruptions 63 Loft locale 64 Up and about 65 Water, in Baja 66 Doe’s mate 67 Moves about 68 Curious DOWN 1 Asian desert 2 Pub orders 3 Juice a grapefruit 4 Pay as — go 5 Overdoes a role 6 Loses hair 7 Jungle crusher 8 Speed-skater — Heiden 9 Lack of accord 10 Wild dogs 11 Black-and-white snack 12 TV host Jay — 13 Make lacework 18 Spurns a lover 23 TV network 24 Corn crib 25 Fishing lure 27 Snake’s warning 28 Traffic indicator 29 Daniel or Debby 31 Disoriented 32 Pitchers

33 Lawns 35 Tea time, perhaps 37 Headquarters 39 Zills, for example 42 Conspicuous 44 Expenses 45 — of bounds 47 Hoover’s org.

48 Stoneworkers 51 OPEC vessel 52 Lath 53 “GWTW” plantation

54 Way out 56 Comic swamp critter 57 Heavy burden 58 “— —, old chap” 59 Sit-up targets 61 Tire pressure meas.

62 John, in Glasgow

it. Who knows, it will pave the way for the comeback of the action genre, right?” ends AJ. ******** After admitting that he is officially courting Janine Gutierrez, Kapamilya star Rayver Cruz received flaks from bashers, something that he doesn’t really mind.

“It’s just fine,” he avers.

“I’m already used to it. I’m not affected at all considering the long years I’ve been in the ‘biz.

It’s simply a matter of opinion anyway.”

Asked what he likes best in Janine, the appealing he says, “She has lots of endearing qualities actually. For one, she’s simple, kind, fun to be with and down-to-earth. She will not make you feel that she’s a celebrity.”

Does he think he has a chance to get her sweet yes?

“Hopefully. As of now, we’re okay---we’re getting closer each day. We go out and enjoy each other’s company.

Let’s see how things will turn out eventually,” states Rayver.

their way,” said 1:43 founder and manager Chris Cahilig.

Art, 20, was a semifinalist in Eat Bulaga’s “Spogify” and is an endorser for a whitening product.

He loves singing, acting, and playing basketball. He is the lead actor in the viral short film Pitaka.

Ced, a print ad and TV commercial model, was a finalist in Mr. Chinatown 2014. Apart from singing and acting engagements, this 21-year-old heartthrob loves playing basketball, working out, and swimming to maintain a good physique.

Jason, 21, was a former member of dance group Boys, Boys, Boys.

His hobbies and talents include dancing, singing, acting, and hitting the gym.

His celebrity crushes are Liza Soberano and Kendall Jenner, while his favorite artists are Chris Brown and Justin Bieber.

Last but definitely not the least, 22-year-old Wayne from Winnipeg,

Canada is a medical technician.

He loves weight training, dancing, singing, and acting. His favorite artist is Bruno Mars.

“Every performance is a unique and different experience for us.

We are really looking forward to meeting our fans as we grow together as artists in this new journey,” the band members aver.

Apart from the monster hit “Sa Isang Sulyap Mo,” 1:43 also popularized the songs “Hayop Sa Ganda,” “Pag-Ibig na Kaya,” and “Ang Saya-Saya,” which became the official theme song of the GMA-7 sitcom Ismol Family.

1:43 is co-managed by Cahilig and Mario Colmenares of Primetime Events and Talent Management.

For booking inquiries, interested parties may send a message at chriscahilig@gmail. com or primetimetalents@gmail.com, or through the 1:43 Facebook page.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017

Kapuso millennial stars Miguel Tanfelix, Bianca Umali, Kiko Estarda, Bea Binene, and Derrick Monasterio delight fans in their back-to-back mall shows in Cebu

KAPUSO STARS

in network’s regional shows G

MA Network continues to bring fun and ISAH V. RED entertainment to its loyal fans as some of the hottest Kapuso stars visited Laguna, Davao, Cebu, Pangasinan, Batangas, and Zamboanga for various regional events.

On July 9, the cast of the hit telefantasya, Mulawin v s .

R a v e n a (MvR) made their fans in Laguna happy in a Kapuso M a l l Show. No less than Dennis Trillo led the event at SM City

San Pablo with co-stars Valerie Concepcion, Dion Ignacio, and Winwyn Marquez.

I Heart Davao star Benjamin Alves flew to Davao on July 13 for SM City Davao’s 5th University Fair. The heartthrob, who was also in the area to promote his new show, shared with the audience his experience in the series as well as finding balance in his career, social life, and education.

Meanwhile, Cebuanos were able to see for the first time the cast of MvR when some of its stars

Photo shows: Mandaluyong City Mayor Menchie Abalos; Mayor Benhur Abalos; Councilor Charisse AbalosVargas and Corazon Abalos as they receive the check worth Php. 5,000,000.00 from the officers of Mandaluyong Golf Club headed by President Pastor Edward Isidro; Chairman of Ways and Means Committee, Gene Sison; and Tournament Director, Carlito Cernal

flew to the Queen City of the South on July 15.

Fans of Bea Binene, Derrick Monasterio, Kiko Estrada, Bianca Umali, and Miguel Tanfelix braved the rains and waited for their idols at the backto-back Kapuso Mall Shows in Gaisano Grand Mall Mactan and Gaisano Grand Fiesta Mall Tabunok.

On the same day, the cast of Haplos – Sanya Lopez, Thea Tolentino, Pancho Magno, and Rocco Nacino – also treated their Pangasinense fans at Robinsons Place Pangasinan .

The following weekend, the MvR stars spread kilig in Batangas City during the Sublian Festival lon July 23. Bea, Derrick, Kiko, Bianca, and Miguel were in SM City Batangas for a Kapuso Mall Show.

It was an evening the Batangueños would not forget, because apart from the MvR cast, My Love From The Star’s Matteo Domingo and Gil Cuerva with Jackie Rice and Migo Adecer were also there.

Capping the series of Kapuso regional events were the Kapuso Mall Shows in Pangasinan and Zamboanga City on July 29.

I Heart Davao lead stars Carla Abellana and Tom Rodriguez made sure their fans

had a blast during their Kapuso Mall Show at Magic Mall Urdaneta. One Up made fans’ hearts pounding faster during its performance.

Down south, MvR soared high in Zamboanga City. Derrick, Bianca, and Miguel were the featured stars in the Kapuso Mall Show in KCC Mall de Zamboanga that evening, much to the delight of their fans.

“We continue to grant the request of our loyal viewers around the country to bring closer to them their favorite Kapuso stars. We owe to them the achievements we continue to reap, such as having various top-rating programs which continue to drive our lead nationwide,” said GMA Regional TV Department Officer-in-Charge Oliver Amoroso. “We appreciate their support that is why we are committed to stage more relevant events and activities, joining them in their festivals and celebrations,” he added. *** Sunshine Dizon pledged her loyalty to GMA Network on July 27 when she renewd her contract.

“This has always been my home. It gives me great pleasure and security that I would be spending years with my family pa rin. So thank you very much to Mr. Gozon and to everyone here

in GMA for the trust they have continued to give me,” Dizon said.

Sunshine, who is one of the network’s home-grown artists, shared that she is very happy and contented with how GMA 7 helped her with her career, “Masasabi ko naman na ever since I started with GMA, talaga namang iningatan lahat ng projects na binigay sa akin. And it really honed me as an actress. I always look forward to the stories that they give me kasi it always challenges me.

There’s always that mutual respect with things that I can do

and I cannot do. They’ve always taken good care of me talaga.”

Presently, she stars in the no. 1 daytime soap in the country, Ika-6 Na Utos.

“We are very happy, blessed and very thankful. We really owe it to the public. Kumbaga, marami naman talagang shows, marami namang magagandang kwento, pero hindi lahat nagkakaroon ng ganoong klaseng hook. Thank you for your support. We will continue to do our jobs. We will continue to give you a good show and to make your time worthwhile.

Maraming, maraming salamat from the bottom of my heart, for loving and for rooting for Emma.”

Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, chairman and CEO, GMA Network Inc., said the network is proud to have a talented artist like Sunshine, “Si Sunshine is homegrown. Nakita mo naman kung papaano tayo magpalaki, hindi lang tumatangkad, gumagaling na artista pa. Siyempre, tuwangtuwang tayo. At hindi ko naman pwedeng isiping hindi dito si Sunshine sa GMA 7. Talagang mahusay naman ang ating pagsasama.” *** The Mandaluyong Golf Club, Inc., turned over the proceeds of P5 million to Ciara Marie Foundation, Inc., from The 10th Mayor Abalos Golf Cup on June 30at The Wack Wack Golf & Country Club.

Present during the turn-over ceremonies were Mandaluyong City Mayor Menchie Abalos, Mayor Benhur Abalos, Councilor Charisse Abalos-Vargas and Corazon Abalos on July 3, at the Mandaluyong City Hall.

Celebrity golf players Epy Quizon and Lito Camo were among those who participated in the tournament event and who are zealous supporters of Mayor Abalos’ advocacy.

Partners and major sponsors who made possible the event and instrumental to it success included SM Supermalls, San Miguel Corporation, DDT Konstract in cooperation with The Wack Wack Golf & Country Club that provided the venue for the event.

Other major sponsors were Ama University, PLDT, Leisure & Resorts World Corporation, DMCI Homes, Rockwell Land Corporation, The Address @ Wack Wack, Expedition Construction Corporation, UNILAB, Greenfield Development Corporation, Alexa Trading & Construction, Robinsons Land Corporation, Megawide Builders Corporation, Vista LAnd, Inc., Shangrila Properties, Champion and Norkis Group. *** Japanese, Korean, Filipino and the flavors of Asia are featured in Sarap Diva today.

The audience joins Regine Velasquez-Alcasid in raiding the abode of basketball idols, the Teng brothers – Jeric and Jeron.

We will learn more of these brothers private lives.

We will also join the Songbired when she goes to the Animation and Cosplay Convention.

Tetay turns Japanese with the cosplayers.

And if you like Korean food, she has that in her kitchen for this new season of Sarap Diva, Saturdays, after Maynila.

Regine Velasquez welcomes athletes and brothers Jeric and Jeron Teng into her kitchen

GMA Regional TV inks partnership with Primer Group of Companies GMA Network’s Regional TV Department forged a partnership with The North Face, through the Primer Group of Companies.

Under the partnership, The North Face will provide the day-to-day attire of GMA RTV news teams in Dagupan (Balitang Amianan), Cebu (Balitang Bisdak), and Davao (24 Oras Davao) starting this month.

“I deeply appreciate this partnership between GMA Network Regional TV and the Primer Group of Companies especially the endearing and significant contribution of The North Face in providing suitable, endurable everyday attire for our regional news teams as we continue to produce and deliver reliable, accurate, and impartial local news in key cities across the Philippines,”

From left: The North Face Senior Brand Associate Renz Que; The North Face Regional Brand Manager Rafael Tecson Micu III; GMA’s Vice President and Head of Regional TV Oliver Amoroso; and GMA’s Local Sales Manager of RTV Jay Policarpio during the signing held last July 31 at the GMA Network Center.

said Amoroso. “GMA Regional TV’s commitment is an enduring partnership with The North Face now and in the future,” he added.

Primer group of Companies Senior Brand Manager Janice Tanada said they welcome this undertaking with GMA RTV. “We would like to thank GMA-7 for this continued partnership. We are very much happy that we have this opportunity to equip all members of the regional team with The North Face,” she shared.

She added that the Primer Group of Companies will continue to be a partner of GMA Network. “In all corners, in all regions of the Philippines, North Face is here to support the GMA team. We look forward to more years with this happy family,” she said.