Manila Standard - 2017 August 14 - Monday

US SEEKS ‘MEASURES’ TO END NOKOR THREAT WASHINGTON―US President Donald Trump and his French counterpart pledged Saturday to work to denuclearize North Korea, but Trump again invoked the grim possibility of “military measures” if other steps should fail.

Trump’s latest warning came amid a flurry of international calls―from China, the North’s key ally, as well as Russia, Germany, Britain and the United Nations―for the president to show greater rhetorical restraint.

A White House statement said Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking by phone, had discussed “the increasingly dangerous situation associated with North Korea’s destabilizing and escalatory behavior.”

It added that the United States and allies were ready “to apply the full range of diplomatic, economic and military measures” to end any threat.

But Macron, while expressing “concern at the ballistic and nuclear threat” from North Korea, said world leaders needed to get Pyongyang to “resume the path of dialogue without conditions,” joining the international voices urging caution.

Trump’s call with Macron came hours after Chinese leader Xi Jinping had urged the American president in a separate phone call to avoid inflammatory rhetoric toward Pyongyang.

The Chinese foreign ministry said Xi urged Trump to avoid “words and deeds” that would “exacerbate” the already tense situation and to seek a Next page political settlement.

VOL. XXXI • NO. 181 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

SCUD LOOKALIKE. A man looks

at replicas of a North Korean Scud-B missile (R) and South Korean missiles at the Korean War Memorial in Seoul on Aug. 10, 2017. Nuclear-armed North Korea mocked President Donald Trump as ‘bereft of reason’ on Aug. 10, raising the stakes in their standoff with an unusually detailed plan to send a salvo of missiles towards the US territory of Guam.

AFP

PH urges restraint on Korea situation THE Palace on Sunday called on all parties to exercise selfrestraint so as not to aggravate the situation in the Korean peninsula.

“The Philippines reiterates its call for continued exercise of self-restraint in order to deescalate the tension,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said, after North Korea threatened to launch nuclear missiles at the US territory of Guam.

“The Philippine embassy in Seoul and the consulate general in Agana have been monitoring the situation closely and have been working closely with the Filipino communities in the Republic of Korea and Guam, respectively, to ensure preparedness for any eventuality,” Abella Next page said.

Abu Sayyaf leader falls in Sulu

Taxman joins probe of Bautista’s wealth

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE Bureau of Internal Revenue will investigate Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista following allegation made by his estranged wife Patricia that he amassed almost P1 billion in undeclared assets.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said he met on Sunday with BIR Commissioner Cesar Dulay to discuss the scope of the

investigation and sharing of documents and findings of the NBI. “We need to see if there are tax liabilities based on the affidavit and

documents we have gathered,” Aguirre said.

“The BIR wants to partner with us in this investigation,” he added.

The NBI, through its Anti-Fraud Division, informed Aguirre that it has already started its investigation.

Based on the progress report submitted to Aguirre, the NBI has coordinated with various agencies, including the Anti-Money Laundering Council, to examine the more than 30 bank accounts mentioned by Bautista’s estranged

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Bird flu triggers ban on fowl shipment

By Bill Casas THE Agriculture department has banned the shipment of fowl from Luzon to other parts of the country after an avian flu outbreak in Pampanga.

In a post on his Facebook page, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said, however, that the order does not apply to imports of chicks, hatching eggs and other fowl, which can still be shipped with “stringent quarantine protocols.”

“This means that chicken brought in from the United States intended for shipment to the Visayas or Mindanao may not be taken out of the boxes and must be loaded directly into the connecting flights,” Piñol said.

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Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista

‘Outages’ send tourists packing

By Francisco Tuyay THE security forces in a mission to rescue dozens of kidnap victims still being held by the Abu Sayyaf Group on Sunday pinned down a deputy Abu leader in a brief firefight in Parang, Sulu.

Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu, said ASG sub-leader Badong Muktadil was killed in an encounter with the Marines in the coastal waters of Silangkan village around 1:10 a.m.

Sobejana said Fleet-Marine Forces of the JTF were operating in the seawaters of Silangkan village against the Abu Sayyaf when the seaborne troops spotted

wife Patricia.

The NBI said it asked AMLC to conduct a parallel money laundering investigation.

Last week, Patricia Bautista accused her husband of accumulating more than P1 billion in unexplained wealth in 35 bank accounts.

She also

By Robert A. Evora PUERTO GALERA, Oriental Mindoro—Tourists are preparing to leave while visitors who booked in advance have canceled their reservations in anticipation

CATANDUANES SHABU LAB. Amid the bloody war on narcotics, Congressman Ace

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S

manilastandard.net

ager Pat Panagsagan Jr. served notice that at 8 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 18, there would be a total blackout if generators are not installed in Bgy. San Isidro (White Beach) on time.

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Rebellion raps vs 59 Maute men

Barbers (2nd, left) , chairman of the House panel on dangerous drugs, presided over a public hearing on Aug. 10, 2017 where an intel report linked Catanduanes Gov. Joseph Cua to a ‘mega shabu’ laboratory operating in his province. The intel report dated Nov. 26, 2016 was issued by the Police Regional Office 5. Cua’s alleged role in the illegal drugs trade was also revealed by former Dangerous Drugs Board chairman Dionisio Santiago, now PDEA chief, during the Balitaan sa Rembrandt news forum on July 27, 2017 in Quezon City.

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of a total power blackout in this major resort town.

The blackout will last for 300 days or 10 months starting next week, the Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative Inc. said.

Ormeco general man-

THE Justice department will start its preliminary investigation on the rebellion charges filed against the 59 suspected recruits of the Maute terrorist group who

were arrested in Zamboanga City on July 25.

The department’s threeman panel handling the case said the respondents were set to submit their re-

spective counter-affidavits on Monday afternoon.

During the proceedings on July 28, the suspects were presented before the Next page

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MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017

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Cebu trader faces drug probe T

By Rey E. Requejo and Rio N. Araja

HE Justice department will start today its preliminary investigation into the drug charges filed against Cebu-based businessman Peter Lim and several others as it determines the eligibility of self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa as a state witness against his co-accused.

“The Commission fears that the manner of pursuing personalities involved in illegal drugs violates the Bill of Rights of the Philippine Constitution, infringing on their human rights guaranteed under local law and applicable international law,” the commission said in a statement.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Espinosa may opt to submit an affidavit detailing the participation of Lim in the illegal drug trade and get immunity from prosecution.

“The inclusion of Kerwin Espinosa in the criminal case, in the drug offense, can be discharged before the actual trial or even during the trial of the case,” he said.

Espinosa had implicated Lim as the top illegal supplier in Central Visayas during the Senate inquiry into the illegal drug trade last year.

But Aguirre said the eligibility of Espinosa would depend on the assessment of the investigating

The preliminary hearing involves the complaint for sale, administration, dispensation, trading, delivery and transportation of illegal drugs filed against Lim, Espinosa and several others by the Philippine National Police.

The department starts its hearing even as an official said Sunday the Commission on Human Rights was upset over the use of “drug boxes” in some barangays to gather the names of suspected drug users and pushers.

But CHR spokeswoman Jacqueline Ann de Guia clarified they were supporting the government’s campaign to fight the dangers brought by the use, sale, production and distribution of illegal drugs.

The agency reacted to a move of several local governments resorting to the use of drop boxes to identify suspected drug offenders, and the posting of drug-free home stickers through peace and order councils at the barangay level.

Bird...

crease in chicken meat as there is only one area affected by the avian flu, we must see to it that uncontaminated meat is sold in the markets,” Abella added.

Abella said there has been no report of bird-to-human contamination in the first outbreak of bird flu in the country, which was disclosed by Piñol on Friday.

“We ask our people to remain calm yet vigilant. Any person living or residing in affected areas or who had been exposed to dead chickens who becomes sick with flu or flu-like illness, such as fever and/or sore throat/cough should immediately report to their local health center or nearest hospital for laboratory test,” Abella said.

He noted that the Health department said bird flu is transferred through respiratory routes and “properly cooked chicken meat and eggs remain safe to eat.”

Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag said proper hygiene, especially hand washing, and careful food preparation were the first line of defense against infection.

Tayag also urged anyone who becomes sick after handling chicken meat to immediately go to a hospital to get tested.

A state of calamity has been declared in Pampanga.

Senator Francis Pangilinan in a statement said the Agriculture and Health departments should launch a massive public information campaign about the virus to prevent its spread.

The DA said as many as 131,500 chickens, quails and ducks from poultry farms in the villages of San Carlos and Sta. Rita would be destroyed.

Poultry farm owner Linda Sumat wept as she watched. She said the outbreak meant huge financial losses because even egg layers that showed no symptoms of avian flu would also be culled.

Every bird within a kilometer quarantine zone set up by the government was marked for destruction by the DA. Sumat said she hoped the government would fulfill its promise to pay for the culled fowls but said the P80 price per head was low.

The DA was expected to set aside at least P1.6 million of its budget to compensate the farmers for the birds that will be culled.

The amount is apart from a loan package that Piñol had committed to the farmers in the region.

Some three million to five million layers of Minalin and the nearby town of Sto. Tomas—the egg basket of the Philippines— remain safe from bird flu because they have been vaccinated, said Beth Pineda, owner of U.B. Farm, one of the biggest poultry raisers in Pampanga with 400,000 layers. With Romeo Dizon

‘Outages’...

It is also home to some 42,800 Filipinos, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

As tensions escalate between North Korea and the US, Philippine officials said they are preparing for possible missile attacks near Guam, about 2,500 kilometers from the Philippines.

The Department of Foreign Affairs assured the public that contingency measures are in place in case North Korea makes good on its threat.

There are about 65,000 Filipinos in South Korea and another 42,835 in Guam. Bill Casas

the group of Muktadil aboard a watercraft cruising the village.

Minutes later, the troops engaged the Muktadil group in a firefight and killed Muktadil on the spot.

With Muktadil were with nine other Abu Sayyaf bandits aboard the watercraft when they were surprised by gunfire from the Marine troopers.

Muktadil’s body was recovered by the troops and was subsequently brought to Camp General Teodolfo Bautista Station Hospital in Busbus, Jolo.

“The neutralization of Mukta-

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At least 200,000 birds, chicken, ducks, quails, pigeons and fighting roosters in areas affected by the outbreak in Pampanga are already being gathered for slaughter, he said, adding that the owners of these will be compensated at P80 a head.

Piñol said the Health department has confirmed that the strain that has infected 37,000 fowl, mostly chickens, in San Luis town in Pampanga was Type A Sub-Type H5, which does not affect humans.

Workers and residents of the town have not shown any signs of illness since the outbreak in April, he said.

The Bureau of Animal Industry has declared a one-kilometer radius quarantine zone around the farms where the outbreak was confirmed.

There is also an existing seven-kilometer radius “controlled zone” in Pampanga, where no fowl, eggs or other products can be brought out.

Piñol said that at least 100 quarantine officers have been deployed within the controlled zone.

All vehicles coming out of the area will be sprayed with disinfectants to ensure the containment of the virus, he said.

In 21 days, the department will deploy “sentinel birds” in the affected farms to determine if the virus is still present. Quarantine restrictions will be lifted after 90 days if the sentinel birds show no sign of infection.

“This is the first time that the country has recorded the presence of the bird flu virus and I am calling on all Filipinos to please help [the] government contain this crisis by cleaning up their farms and closely monitoring their chicken for any signs of disease,” he said.

The Palace said the government is monitoring the situation closely.

“We are closely watching the quality and the price of poultry products in the markets as the Department of Agriculture [DA] announced the culling of thousands of chicken in Pampanga,” said Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella.

“We believe DA has acted fast on the issue and has managed to isolate and contain the virus,” Abella said.

“Concerned government agencies are now looking at businesses that might take advantage of the situation and are monitoring the price of raw and processed chicken meat in the markets,” Abella said.

“While we assure the public that there would be no price in-

PH...

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Earlier, North Korea threatened to launch four intermediate-range missiles towards Guam, the US island territory in the western Pacific, which lies about 3,300 kilometers from Pyongyang.

North Korea’s military said four Hwasong-12 missiles would be aimed to come down “30 to 40 kilometers away from Guam.”

Guam, the US military’s base in the western Pacific, is home to some 7,000 US troops.

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The National Power Corp., as grid owner, will shut down the transmission line going from Calapan City to Puerto Galera to start the full rehabilitation of its 69 kv power transmission line, Panagsagan said.

The announcement did not sit well with local officials of Puerto Galera, led by Mayor Rockey Ilagan and the Sangguniang Bayan, because they were only informed about it on the last week of July.

Ilagan lashed out at Panagsagan and NPC manager Maximo de los Reyes for “holding the town hostage” since they just announced in a recent public consultation that the 69 kv rehabilitation was approved since last February.

US,...

From A1

Trump raised alarm around the world―and particularly in Asia―by warning that North Korea would face “fire and fury like the world has never seen” if it were to keep threatening the United States.

That drew a sharp rebuttal from Pyongyang, which threatened to launch missiles toward Guam, a US territory in the western Pacific where some 6,000 American troops are based.

Xi’s plea for caution came hours after Trump stepped up his earlier warning to Pyongyang, saying the isolated regime would “truly regret” taking any hostile action against the United States.

The White House said in a statement that the Trump and Xi “agreed North Korea must stop provocative and escalatory behavior” and that both are committed to Korean denuclearization.

Trump has been engaged all week in verbal sparring with the North over its weapons and missile programs, as US media reported Pyongyang has successfully miniaturized a nuclear warhead.

The Republican billionaire has progressively ramped up his tone, declaring Friday that the US military is “locked and loaded.”

A commentary in the North

Abu...

From A1

prosecutors, especially since the law required that a state witness should not be the most guilty of the crime charged and that his or her testimony was necessary for the successful prosecution of the case in court.

“The panel [of prosecutors] should assess the statements and evidence first. I would not want to make a definite decision on this yet because I might be the one to be called to make the final judgment,” Aguirre said.

His department has already summoned Lim and the other respondents to answer the charges against them.

They were required to appear before investigating Assistant State Prosecutors Aristotle Reyes and John Michael Humarang in a hearing at 10 a.m. today, and to submit their counter-affidavit to the complaint filed by the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Apart from Lim and Espinosa,

also facing drug charges are inmates Peter Co, Marcelo Adorco, Max Miro, Lovely Adam Impal, Ruel Malindangan and Jun Pepito.

Lim surrendered to President Rodrigo Duterte last year after his name was mentioned among those behind the narcotics trade in the country but denied any involvement in the illegal drug trade.

Espinosa, a confessed drug dealer and son of slain drug Lord Mayor Rolando Espinosa, was placed under the government’s witness protection program after he testified in the drug charges against detained Senator Leila de Lima. Co, on the other hand, is a high-profile inmate in the New Bilibid Prison who was recently brought back to the maximum security compound.

Impal was also arrested by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency last January.

The complaint tagged Lim as the alleged supplier of illegal drugs to the group of Espinosa.

In between the months of February and July or for six months, Ormeco and NPC did not tell Puerto Galera officials that there would be a major rehabilitation of the 69 kv line that would affect power delivery in the municipality.

“Then after six months in the last week of July, they came hurriedly applying for a business permit, without presenting the required Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), to install six modular gensets in Bgy. San Isidro,” Ilagan said. The gensets are capable of producing six megawatts of electricity.

Town officials said they were confused by the NPC’s 11thhour decision to rush the installation of the generators, without presenting the necessary environmental permits, and the accompanying threat to shut down power, which would kill the

economy.

Ilagan did not issue a business permit to the MGC because it had no ECC from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

In the resolution, the Puerto Galera municipal board said it has no objection to the installation of the modular generators as long as the MGC secures the necessary permits, including the ECC, and that the project will not cause any harm to the environment of the host community.

Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, meanwhile, has asked his fellow lawmakers to look into the approval of the Manila Electric Co.’s seven power supply agreements.

“The existing coal-fired power plants are outdated and insufficient, rendering them vulnerable to transmission failure,” he said.

With Rio N. Araja

Korean state-run newspaper Minju Joson called the warnings from Trump and “other riffraff of the US... the last-ditch efforts and hysteric fit of those who are in the grip of despair” over the “tragic doom” of the “American empire.”

In a call with Guam Governor Eddie Calvo on Friday, Trump said the US military is prepared to “ensure the safety and security of the people of Guam.”

Japanese media said Tokyo was deploying its Patriot missile defense system following Pyongyang’s threat to fire ballistic missiles over the country toward Guam.

In another move that could fan the flames, satellite photos posted by defense expert Joseph Bermudez suggested North Korea could be preparing for fresh submarine-based ballistic missile tests.

Previously accused by Trump of not doing enough to rein in the authoritarian regime, China last weekend voted in favor of a series of sweeping UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea.

Trump is expected to visit China later this year.

The saber-rattling has sparked worldwide concerns that a miscalculation by either side could trigger a catastrophic conflict on the Korean Peninsula.

Seoul expressed appreciation for Xi and Trump’s phone call Saturday.

“We hope today’s phone con-

versation between the two leaders will provide a momentum to defuse the highest-ever tension and to shift into a new phase of resolving the issue,” said a statement from President Moon Jaein’s office.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was “very alarmed” at Trump’s tough talk, and said Washington should take the first step toward cooling tensions.

“When a fight has nearly broken out, the first step away from the dangerous threshold should be taken by the side that is stronger and smarter,” Lavrov said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said diplomacy was the answer.

“Germany will very intensively take part in the options for resolution that are not military but I consider a verbal escalation to be the wrong response,” she said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for a lowering of tensions, which tend to increase when Seoul and Washington launch major military joint exercises. The next one is set to begin around Aug. 21.

Relations between Washington and Pyongyang have been tense for months, in the wake of the North’s repeated missile tests, including two successful intercontinental ballistic missile test launches in July that are believed to have brought much of the US mainland within range.

AFP

dil is another big setback on the ASG, particularly on their kidnapping and terroristic activities, and it made the residents in Sulu feel some relief from the threat posed by Badong’s group,” Sobejana said.

He said Muktadil’s group had five warrants of arrest for kidnapping and serious illegal detention and another for murder.

Muktadil’s group, Sobejana said, was wanted by the Malaysian authorities for it complicity in the attacks on foreign vessels and the abduction in the maritime borders of Tawi-Tawi and Sabah, Malaysia.

Muktadil was involved the abduction of Taiwanese national Chang An Wei, also known as

Evelyn Chan, at the Pon Pon Island Resort in Sabah on November 15, 2013, that resulted in the killing of an unidentified male companion of the kidnap victim.

He also figured in the hijacking of the Vietnamese vessel m/v Giang Hai at the Pearl Bank in Tawi-Tawi in February this year.

Sobejana attributed the success of Muktadil’s death to the close cooperation of local citizens in the area who immediately tipped-off ASG’s presence.

“The JTF Sulu would like to thank the concerned citizens and the local government in the area for promptly informing us about the presence of the lawless elements that led their neutralization,” Sobejana said.

Taxman...

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mentioned of various properties and investments made by the Comelec chief.

The NBI is also coordinating with the Presidential Commission on Good Government, which Bautista previously headed from 2010 to 2015.

The NBI has also been in touch with the Office of the Ombudsman for Bautista’s statement of assets, liabilities and net worth. They also coordinated with the Land Registration Authority, Land Transportation Office, Securities and Exchange Commission, Philippine Stock Exchange and various property developers.

Aguirre said the marital spat was unfortunate, “but the government has to protect public interest.”

“There is an allegation here of illegally acquired wealth and we have to know of it is true,” he said.

In an interview with GMA News, Bautista’s brother, Martin Bautista, said his family is willing to waive their bank secrecy privileges to disprove the allegations made by Patricia.

“I want to prove to the world that my brother legally earned his money before he went into government service, August of 2010,” Oklahoma-based doctor Martin Bautista told GMA News.

He arrived from the US on Saturday night.

The Bautista family had obtained a sizable amount from various investments, he said, and was ready to release copies of bank statements and deposit slips as proof.

In a separate interview with radio dzBB, Cibac party-list Rep. Sherwin Tugna said lawyer Oliver Lozano should have gone to Congress, not the Office of the Ombudsman, to file his impeachment complaint against Bautista.

On Sunday, the lawyer of the anti-crime watchdog group Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption said he would file an impeachment complaint against Bautista.

In an interview with ABSCBN, VACC lawyer Jacinto Paras said his complaint would cite the hacking of the Comelec website in January in which the personal data of millions of voters was compromised, as well as the introduction of new computer code in one of the servers used in the 2016 elections.

Paras said his complaint, drafted in November, had nothing to do with the revelations by Bautista’s wife.

Rebellion...

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panel of prosecutors led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong after they were flown to Manila from Zamboanga del Sur by a C-130 military plane.

Among those arrested was Moro National Liberation Front member Nur Supian who was pinpointed by the suspects as their recruiter.

Of the 59, 32 were arrested at a checkpoint in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, while the remaining 27, of which four were minors, were arrested along Daisy Road in Guiwan, Zamboanga City. They were all arrested on July 25.

Authorities seized from the suspects military uniforms, boots and MNLF identification cards.

Another MNLF member, Abdurahid Arasid, who was among the 32 arrested, said he was recruited by Supian to supplement the Maute forces that had been looking for recruits to beef up their men in Marawi City.

Arasid said he was told he would receive a monthly salary of P30,000 and firearms once he joined the group.

Arasid said Supian did not tell the other suspects they were being recruited to fight for Maute.

Instead, Arasid told them they were being recruited to undergo training as MNLF integrees to join the military, a statement that was echoed by the other suspects.

Supian belied Arasid’s statement and said he had the documents to show they were indeed going to undergo training.

The arrested suspects are detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. PNA

News

MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017

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CoA rejects armored cars’ deal T

By Rio N.Araja

HE Commission on Audit, with finality, has affirmed the disallowance issued against the Philippine National Police’s procurement contracts worth P399.064 million on parts and services for 18 V-150 light armored vehicles in 2007.

In a six-page decision, Chairman Michael Aguinaldo, and Commissioners Jose Fabia and Isabel Agito denied the petition for review filed by Supt.

Rainier Espina, former chief of

the Office of the Directorate for Comptrollership-Management Division, seeking the reversal of the fraud audit office’s Sept.

10, 2013 ruling that upheld two notices of disallowance issued

against such transactions.

Notices of Disallowance No. 2012-10-024 was issued for the purchase of 40 tires when CoA found that half of the delivery failed to conform with the specifications in the supply contract agreement.

While the supplier, Serpenair Group Inc., should provide 40 Michelin 14.00 R20 XML (onroad type), only 20 tires with such specifications were delivered.

The disallowance covered P1.47 million, an equivalent cost of 20 tires.

On Oct. 18, 2012, CoA issued Notice of Disallowance No. 2012-

10-025 for transactions worth P397.594 million for the acquisition of spare parts, accessories and service costs for the LAV V-150.

CoA said the transactions lacked public bidding, and that the suppliers had no proven technical and financial capacity to undertake the procurement.

There were also under-delivery or ghost delivery worth P83.9 million, unsubstantiated release of payments of P66.567 million, and non-submission of defective and/or replaced parts as proof that necessary repairs were made.

Apart from Espina, former PNP director general Avelino Razon; former logistics support service director Supt. Teodorico Lapuz IV; former bids and awards committee chairman Sr. Supt. Emanuel Ojeda; former logistics support service chairman Reuel Labrado; former BAC vice chairman Sr. Supt. Victor Puddao; former BAC members Chief Insp. Annalee Forro and Supt.

Edgar Pataan; purchasing officer Supt. Josephine Dumanew, and former transportation and maintenance division chief Victor Agarcio were also held liable.

The contractor-suppliers— RJP International Construction and General Services, EnviroAire Inc, and Evans Spare Parts Motor Works RPR and Trading—were also held culpable.

“Inspection is an essential component of the procurement process to ascertain whether the specifications required, as to quantity and quality, are met.

This Commission resolves to deny this petition. In view of the violations of laws and regulations, …this case shall be referred to the Office of the Ombudsman,” the CoA’s decision read.

House poised to reset SK polls CITIZENS Battle Against Corruption Rep. Sherwin Tugna, House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms chairman, said on Sunday they are set to approve today a consolidated measure to postpone and reset the Oct. 23 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls to May next year.

“The measure will be approved after a thorough deliberation Monday,” he told a dzBB radio interview. “[Still] we will give the other stakeholders an opportunity to be heard.”

As far as Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers is concerned, Congress has still ample time to pass the consolidated measure.

“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.

Apart from Barbers’ proposed measure, HB Nos. 5361 and 5380 filed by Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco and ANAC-IP Rep. Jose Panganiban Jr., respectively, are also being deliberated by Tugna’s panel.

In another development, Tugna said the committee on suffrage and electoral reforms cannot prevent any lawmaker from questioning the marital woes involving Commission on Elections Chairman Jose Andres Bautista and his estranged wife, Patricia Paz, and the chairman’s supposed illgotten wealth.

“I believe some members of Congress will ask on that [personal] issue,” he said.

He said Bautista must be prepared to answer the issues.

Rio Araja

SERVICE CARAVAN. A Muslim student reads the Asean information cartoon comic materials distributed by the Philippine Information Agency during the ‘Serbisyo Caravan’ community forum at Commonwealth Elementary School in Quezon City on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. The Human Development & Poverty Reduction Cluster continues its information and service delivery campaign through its Serbisyo Caravan, whose activities include performances, audio-visual presentations, puppet theater on values formation, and medical and dental services that aim to address the education, health, and social protection needs of the Filipinos. PNA

Quick-reaction fund for OFWs sought

By Macon Araneta SENATE President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said on Sunday said Philippine embassies in conflictthreatened countries should be given a “quick reaction fund” that would allow them to bring Filipinos out of harm’s way once a crisis becomes full-blown He considered “not enough” the Department of Foreign Affairs’s Assistance to Nationals Fund of P400 million for 2017 “which is for all posts worldwide On top of the P400 million ATN is a P100-million Legal Assistance Fund to OFWs in trouble with the law in their host countries.

He noted that the combined P500-million fund “is mere four

hours worth of all OFW remittances” in 2015, using as basis the $28.48-billion overseas Filipinos sent home two years ago.

“The P500 million, that’s them remittance of our countrymen from Hong Kong within four days and five hours. Then P500 million is also what OFWs in Italy remit to their homeland in just 12 days,” Recto said. “Half a billion pesos is our katas ng Saudi in less than 34 hours.”

The Senate leader called for the creation of a “contingency fund” within the budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs which can be tapped by embassies where the threat of war or violence is high.

“The operating budget of these embassies and consulates must be augmented. When there is a cri-

sis to prepare for, their resources must be increased,” he said.

He said “contingencies must be arranged not after, but before an emergency. He said there should be provisions for safe havens and secure escape routes,” Recto said.

“Our foreign posts must be given the capacity to make the arrangements. Hindi lang hanggang plano at advisories.”

He cited the case of the proposed budget of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, the South Korean capital located 35 miles from its border with North Korea, which had ratcheted up tensions in the region with its series of provocative launches of nuclear-capable trans-Pacific missiles.

For 2018, the Seoul Embassy has a proposed budget of P109

million, or about $2 million for one whole year in one of the world’s most expensive cities.

“Peace time pa lang, kulang na ito dahil sa dami ng mga Pilipino doon. Ano pa kaya kung may krisis na?” Recto lamented.

Recto said an increased budget for the Seoul Embassy is justified by the fact that Filipino workers in South Korea currently send about P1 billion a month to the Philippines.

By latest count, there are 57,082 documented and about 11,828 undocumented Filipinos in South Korea, he said.

Recto said Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data showed that there was even money remitted from North Korea in 2016, in the amount of P96,915.

Special budget eyed for indigent students SENATOR Sonny Angara has urged the government to ensure that poor students enrolled in state universities and colleges will have priority in the grant of additional financial support provided by the newly enacted free college law.

In Quezon City, House Rep. Alred Vargas filed a measure seeking to institutionalize the grant of scholarships to public school teachers and their children.

While we are exempting all students in SUCs from paying tuition and miscellaneous fees, Angara said there should still be greater financial support for our poor students to help them pay for their dorm, transportation, books, and other school expenses.

“There should be an allocation of special help for the poorest students who are struggling to finish their studies and get their families out of poverty,” said Angara, one of the authors of the free college law.

Under Republic Act 10931, all

students enrolled in SUCs, local universities and colleges and in state-run technical-vocational institutions are exempt from paying tuition and other school fees.

To support the cost of free tertiary education, the law mandates the creation of a Tertiary Education Subsidy which may cover allowance for books, supplies, transportation, room and board, and other education-related personal expenses.

Commission on Higher Education Commissioner Prospero de Vera yesterday said the government needs about P20 billion to implement the free college law—P16.8 billion will go to the 112 SUCs and 16 LUCs, and P3 billion for TVIs. The amount necessary to fund the Tertiary Education Subsidy will be included in the budgets of the CHED and the Tesda, and will be administered by the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education Board. Macon Araneta and Rio Araja

MARBLE CAPITAL. Workers fasten a marble slab to be cut into pieces at a production plant in Romblon, Romblon, the nation’s marble capital. Teddy Pelaez

Public lands for poor pushed NEGROS Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez, House committee on housing and urban development chairman, has appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to issue an executive order allowing the use of public lands for on-site, incity or near-city shelter program for the poor, including the 3,419 hectares of land in Metro Manila.

Benitez, a stalwart of the ruling Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, said 1,234.85-hectare of government-owned lands are being occupied by informal settler families, while the 2,185-hectare of public lands have remained idle and ready for housing program.

“An order from the Palace or a law authorizing the use of idle government lands in Metro Manila to build in-city housing is integral to address the housing backlogs,” he said.

There are 2,401.72 hectares of private lands being occupied by informal settlers, he added.

Meanwhile, Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, another PDP-Laban member, supported the on-site, in-city or near-city shelter program.

“In District 2, many informal settlers in barangays Commonwealth, Batasan, Holy Spirit, and Payatas have been benefited from this program.

Government-owned lands have been awarded to my poor constituents where they live,” he said.

Benitez reiterated his call for the creation of a department of human settlement.

Rio Araja

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Opinion

MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Miscommunication office

T

AKING a page from his boss, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar threatened over the weekend to send erring editors of the Philippine News Agency to Basilan or Jolo if they cannot explain how several embarrassing blunders crept into their reports.

The threat made some sardonic sense when President Rodrigo Duterte applied it to corrupt or erring policemen but merely sounded limp when Andanar appropriated it for his own use.

As the supervising authority over the PNA, Andanar bears ultimate responsibility for the following gaffes : The erroneous use of the logo of pineapple company Dole, in a story about the

Department of Labor and Employment.

The use of an opinion piece from the Chinese state agency Xinhua that called the Philippine victory over China before an UN tribunal “an ill-founded award.”

A report that said 95 countries were “convinced there are no extrajudicial killings in the Philippines” during the country’s Universal Period Review in Geneva, Switzerland, when in fact, the opposite was true.

The use of a photograph from the Vietnam war to ac-

company a story on the Marawi siege.

Given this growing list of blunders, we are not surprised that the Communications secretary is upset. But then, Andanar is hardly a stranger to errors both big and small.

Only recently, the stateowned PTV 4, which is also under his supervision, erroneously identified Burma was the capital of Myanmar.

Very early in his capacity as Communications secretary, Andanar also promised that the President’s first

State of the Nation would be brief—about 38 minutes, we were told—and that it was so inspiring that it made him cry. As it turned out, the speech dragged on for an hour-and-a-half, the longest Sona in recent memory, and the only tears shed were in frustration at having to sit through it all.

Andanar also committed a faux pas of international proportions last year in Laos, when he announced that Duterte would sit between US President Barack Obama and UN Secretary,General Ban Ki-moon at the

Asean summit gala dinner—two men he had only recently insulted as a son of a whore and a fool.

The story turned out to be wrong, creating a credibility problem for himself, his office and the administration.

Perhaps the trouble at the PNA is some twisted form of leadership by example.

By the principle of command responsibility, Andanar should follow his PNA editors to Basilan or Jolo, to stem the stream of derision and ridicule like the Palace has never seen.

Balm

To give or not to give FIRST, we were told that Secretary Benjamin Diokno and others of similar persuasion were earnestly imploring the President to withhold his assent to the bill that grants “universal access to quality education”—popularized as the “free tuition in state universities and colleges” bill. Both traditional and social media carried dire warnings that the government just did not have the wherewithal to bring the project, no matter how popular, to fruition. There were also skeptics about the program’s objective of advantaging the poor for, it was pointed out, state universities and colleges, particularly the premier state university of the Philippines—UP—does not really have poor students in the main as its clients.

Then came the news that President Duterte had signed the bill into law, but no sooner had he done so when media started reporting that even the President was in quandary as to how to source the program. We, who are not within the privileged loop of Palace exchanges and communi-

cation, can only rely on what we are told. That limitation, however, should not hinder us from involving ourselves in national discourse on such an important concern.

I can speak for the state university of which I am a designated vice president, the Cagayan State University, presently headed by a very competent former Assistant Secretary of the Department of Science of Technology, Dr. Urdujah Tejada. Before the full implementation of K to 12 (that has shorn off first and second year students from degree programs), the university—that has eight campuses distributed throughout the length and breadth of Cagayan Province—had 36,000 students.

This year, we project the enrollment at 25,000—still a humongous number, by any reckoning.

And most of them are poor — so poor that one study informed us that somewhere in the region of 20 percent are the students who skip lunch because they have no money for lunch. The present fees are very low, compared to what

The wherewithal is a matter of policy. private universities and colleges assess. In general, a student never pays fees exceeding three thousand five hundred pesos each semester. But that is still a burden sum for many of our students— and the pile of bad debts should be proof enough of this.

So, insofar as a provincial state university—that has done credit to itself by its more than notable performance in licensure examinations—goes, free tuition fee will benefit the students. This is not to deny that students from monied families will be found in our campuses. After all it violates university policy to deny admission to students on the basis of economic

status. And if no one who qualifies should be denied admission because of poverty, neither should anyone be turned away because of wealth! Obviously, free tuition fee granted a state university is like the dragnet in the Gospel that hauls in the affluent and the penniless alike, although, quite obviously, the intent of the program is to open the university’s gates to those to whom penury would otherwise deny admission.

And so the misgiving that state funds go into the education of those who do not really need it really does not apply to our provincial state university. I presume this to be true of other provincial state universities and colleges as well. Much besides, there still controls the mindset of many families that for as long as their finances allow it, their children are to enjoy the prestige of that “aristocracy” engendered by private universities and colleges exacting hefty sums. Given this social idiosyncrasy, the more comfortably placed students in state universities and colleges are rare.

Obviously, a law like that newly signed into force by the President will apply to all state universities and colleges— in fact with provision for benefits even to private higher educational institutions.

But Ben Diokno insists that all his intricate mathematical tools notwithstanding, he does not see how the figures add up to a felicitous implementation of the program. Members of the legislature have chimed in— suggesting possible sources of funding. Many should be seriously considered, as many are outrageous. More outrageous yet is the fact that all have conveniently omitted mention of the sums by which legislators continue—despite Supreme Court decisions—to be able to introduce “insertions” in to the budget!

Aside from a thorough review then of the schema of education that has perversely conditioned the national psyche to consider as “completely educated” only those Turn to A5

FILIPINOs make up the second-largest group of migrant workers in Taiwan. There are some 135,000 of us here. A big majority of this number work in factories spread along the entire island, which is about a third of the territory of our scattered islands put together. Some are Filipinas married to Taiwanese who still have to take up the citizenship of their spouses. And about 7,000 work as caregivers to the elderly.

The Indonesians are the largest group of migrant workers, most of them caregivers. The Vietnamese are about the same number as Filipinos.

Through the years, the professional relationship between employers and their employees has turned into something that transgresses cultural and economic differences as these two tales of our “kababayans” show.

Some weeks ago, the Asia Times published an article about two foreign domestic workers in New Taipei City who continued to care for two children afflicted with cerebral palsy even after their own biological parents abandoned them.

The workers’ decision could have resulted in their own deportation due to violation of Taiwan’s migrant labor laws.

Strictly speaking, they had no more employers.

The report said the two foreign workers were hired by the children’s mother who got into financial trouble from loan sharks sometime in June and was forced to flee. The husband took custody of the sick boys and promised the caregivers that he would honor their employment contracts, but after several days, he too abandoned the kids and left them to the caregivers.

Taking cognizance of the abandonment case, the local social welfare authorities asked the caregivers to continue taking care of the boys until a suitable nursing home could be found for them.

The caregivers agreed even without any employment contract, as they did not want to abandon the afflicted children.

The news story did not identify the nationality of the caregivers, but we had a hunch they must be Filipinas, and so we directed the Assistance to Nationals Unit of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei to dig into the Asia Times report.

It turned out that they were indeed Filipinos. Joylyn Catulos Camilote and Joyce Ann Cudal Bonilla have been working for various employers in Turn to A5

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Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Romel J. Mendez Art Director Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

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Opinion

MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017

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New taxes easier than stopping contraband WHILE certainly explosive, the P6.4-billion shabu shipment scandal at the Bureau of Customs is just the latest in an agency that, as far as I can remember, has been notorious as one of the most corrupt in the bureaucracy. This one, which implicates Davao City vice mayor and presidential son Paolo Duterte, has once again exposed just how deeply the corruption goes in government, how entrenched its patrons are, and how strategic its impact is on a nationwide level.

The scandal also puts the spotlight once again on the BoC, one of the government’s primary revenue generators and which, if managed efficiently, could well provide the billions of pesos needed to finance this administration’s ambitious infrastructure program.

Instead, the government has set its sights, quite stubbornly, on the speedy passage of new taxes that many experts agree will unduly burden the poor. This initiative, the administration’s economic managers argue, comes with updating the country’s taxation scheme, including the lowering of income taxes for some segments of the economy.

This is well and good. However, there is a deafening silence, a disturbing disinterest, in plugging the leaks in taxation, a notorious system of inefficiency that the latest BoC scandal only underscored. An truthful insight that Senator Chiz Escudero has recently articulated.

“It’s an easy way out. Instead of collecting taxes properly, instead of increasing efficiency, let’s just impose higher taxes,” he said, adding that the targets for both the BoC and the Bureau of Internal Revenue are way below target.

As the so-called tax reform bill now awaits approval at the Senate, Escudero also called out the deceiving characterization of the tax on sweetened beverages, such as soda, 3-in-1 coffee, and energy drinks, as a health measure. It’s about generating revenues, he insisted, the source of which will not be the rich because “lahat ng matamis at lahat ng maalat [ay wala] sa mamahaling grocery.”

Already owners of small sari-sari stores and carinderias, including

the Philippine Association of Stores and Carinderia Owners, have expressed vehement opposition to a bill that, based on the proposed bill, will jack up the prices of soda, instant coffee, and powdered juice and therefore reduce consumption and drastically affect their sources of income.

They foresee near-doubling of prices, like the P5 instant coffee sachet that will go up to P8 and the P9 packet of orange juice that will go up to P20. The proposed excise tax on oil products would have the same effect on the prices of basic commodities, increasing the risk of inflation. In such scenario, the additional savings from the lowered income tax is in effect nullified.

This puts to doubt the avowed objectives of the tax reform package’s much hyped thrust toward social justice, a pillar of the Duterte presidency and one of his campaign promises. Worse, some of these salient provisions have even led some quarters to describe

the package as anti-poor.

This need not be the case. According to recent polls, President Duterte continues to enjoy recordbreaking support among many Filipinos. He is therefore in an ideal position to steer the government’s awesome powers toward a more productive direction. For instance, he could launch a crackdown on illegal smuggling, which for the longest time had deprived Filipinos of billions of dollars in unpaid import taxes.

It is worth noting that no president has succeeded in making a dent on this matter. The multibillion BoC scandal thus brings to fore some interesting questions.

How will President Duterte and his strong anti-corruption stance deal with a scandal that might implicate his son? Why does his anger about the shipment seem to be disproportionate compared to his typical outburst at the mere mention of illegal drugs?

Finally, will this scandal pave the way to what might be a more productive crusade against smuggling? If so, it will be very interesting how this will play out considering that a substantial bulk of contraband comes from China.

The alternative to nuclear war is a revolution

By Eli Lake THE most depressing aspect of the current North Korean crisis is that even if Donald Trump wins, he loses.

Despite doubling down on his rhetoric of “fire and fury” and deriding his predecessors for failed negotiations, Trump looks like he wants to eventually strike a deal with the nation’s tyrant, Kim Jong Un. Just look at what Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is doing. Trump threatens war and Tillerson promises no regime change. Remember it was only a few months ago that Trump said he would be honored to meet with Kim. The president’s recent bellicosity aims for deterrence and leverage.

In substance, if not style, this is very similar to how past administrations have approached the Hermit Kingdom: threaten, cajole and bargain. “This is Obama plus,” Michael Auslin, a Korea expert at the Hoover Institution, told me. “It’s the same path of enhanced sanctions with the potential carrot of direct negotiations and trying to reassure our allies.

There is not much different here.”

And it’s easy to understand why talks are better than war.

The prospect of a military confrontation is too horrific. North Korea effectively holds its neighbor to the south as a hostage because of its conventional military capabilities. This says nothing of allies like Japan, or US forces stationed on the peninsula.

And the critics of war are correct. A pre-emptive strike is not worth the risk. But neither is another deal.

There are a few reasons for this. First, the North Koreans don’t keep their promises. Nearly every commitment the regime has made to the US, its allies and China, it has violated.

It’s no mystery why North Korea continues to negotiate. The nation needs help from the outside to survive. The regime has pursued nuclear weapons as an insurance policy to stay in power, and since the 1990s US adminis-

trations have enticed Pyongyang with fuel shipments, removing sanctions and promises to leave it alone. In exchange, Pyongyang makes empty promises about nuclear weapons. An agreement with North Korea makes America and its allies a partner in the regime’s oppression of its own people.

And this repression is beyond the pale. A UN report from 2014 estimated there are 80,000 to 120,000 political prisoners who are slowly starved, tortured and subjected to forced labor in four prison camps so large you can see them in satellite images taken in space. This says nothing of the public and private executions in the state or the forced disappearances, or the punishment of whole families for the alleged crimes of individuals. Americans should rightfully want their government to undermine this gulag state, not help preserve it with another negotiated compromise.

Then there is the tyrant himself, Kim Jong Un. He is in every respect a rogue. It’s not just his threats, or his assassination of his relatives. Kim’s regime detained an American student, Otto Warmbier, and sent him back to the US this year only when he was in a coma. He died soon after returning home. Negotiating with such a man presents a moral hazard. If Kim gets more inducements to negotiate, what’s to stop him from conducting more abductions or assassinations on foreign soil in the future?

All of this is to say that Trump is posturing in pursuit of a deal, and even if he reached one, he would fail to address the cause of the North Korean crisis: the regime itself.

There are no easy answers here.

Invading North Korea would risk a major war with China, not to mention commit the US to keeping the peace on the peninsula at a time when most Americans are rightly weary of military adventurism.

While it would be nice to think our intelligence agencies could foment a coup, this too is more

Balm From A4 Taiwan since 2008.

The New Taipei City government’s Labor Affairs Bureau took over their case and pursued the women’s unpaid salaries, fixing their employment status. They have since found new employers, and their wards, whom they could not abandon to tender mercies of fate, taken cared of. They now work for other employers, but they have gained the respect of the Taiwanese. *** Now let’s move to another true story.

A Filipina worker, Juana Abellon de la Rosa committed suicide last May 31 in her

To give...

From A4

who finish degrees in higher education institutions and that considers technical and vocational training only a “fallback,” then the question of allocation must be studiously examined and definitively resolved. Awarding free

spy fiction than a realistic foreign policy. CIA Director Mike Pompeo has created a new intelligence center to focus on North Korea, but the US has notoriously had little success in recruiting agents inside the country. US intervention would also deprive Koreans themselves of authoring their own liberation.

So traditional “regime change” should be off the table. But this should not stop the US and its allies from helping to create conditions for the day when Koreans can take their country back. This requires some patience and imagination.

The patient part of the policy should be a combination of sabotage and deterrence. North Korea should understand their provocations bring consequences. Those consequences though should be tailored to target the leaders of North Korea and not its broader economy. This means making it harder for Kim and his henchmen to spend and keep their fortunes. It also means accelerating intelligence operations aimed at gumming up the regime’s illicit supply chain for its missiles and nuclear facilities. The next time the regime tests a missile, let’s hope it blows up on the runway.

The imaginative part is to continue to give North Koreans a glimpse of a better future. Tom Malinowski, who served as President Barack Obama’s assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor, wrote in Politico in June that the US should continue to flood North Korea with information. This may sound strange. But in recent years, the state’s ability to control information has waned. More and more Koreans living there have access to portable DVD players and cell phones, which are tools to break the state’s control over the minds of their citizens.

One organization, known as No Chain, is run by North Korean defector and former dissident Jung Gwang-Il. No Chain sends helicopter drones with the portable players, along with content like South Korean soap operas,

employer’s home, supposedly depressed by social media bullying by both friends and relatives. Her employer agreed to contribute NT$ 100,000 (about 160,000 pesos) to help defray the cost of bringing home her mortal remains to her family in the Philippines. But the amount wasn’t enough.

Upon learning about the matter, the local police in Changhua County and the “Taiwan Love and Charity Association” went into action, raising another one hundred thousand dollars more in anonymous contributions.

Last July 13, de la Rosa’s mortal remains were finally brought home.

It is often said that genuine acts of kindness come out as silver linings in otherwise dark skies.

tuition slots like scholarships are awarded to “poor but deserving” students does not work, because the means of reckoning is faulty.

When you make the award of the scholarship grant depend on who gets highest in a competitive examination, you end up awarding the grant to the student who completed secondary education in better schools—and, generally, in the

over the border into the country.

Malinowski told me that when he was at the State Department the US government spent around $3 million a year to support similar kinds of organizations. The budget for these programs in the next year will be around $5 million. The US should be spending at least 10 times as much on this.

This effort should also include workshops for North Korean defectors on nonviolent conflict, similar to the training the US State Department provided to Serbs before their citizens organized the ouster of Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.

To be sure, feeding information into North Korea is not a silver bullet. It’s impossible to predict the timing of popular revolutions. But it is possible to predict the outcome: a revolution would prevent a catastrophic war.

“Just as with the Cold War, the only sustainable solution is when the North Korean people will be able to take matters into their own hands,” Malinowski told me.

“We can’t make that happen. We have to be very careful with the ‘regime change’ rhetoric. But we can help to accelerate the process that is already under way, namely the process of raising consciousness inside the country.”

That may sound like a long shot. It is one. But consider the alternative. For nearly 25 years the US and its allies have threatened North Korea, cajoled North Korea and “won” by reaching deals with North Korea. And yet the regime continues to build nuclear weapons and blackmail the rest of the world. It’s time for a change in Washington as well as Pyongyang. Bloomberg

Ambassador Del Rosario’s column will resume on Wednesday

These days when bad news, whether on the regional front where strong words and harsh threats bedevil the peace in our corner of the world, or even in local media where marital spats have become political fodder and bureaucrats are found wanting in the exercise of their mandates, such examples of human kindness are a balm for the soul.

Individual acts of human kindness that transcend culture and nationality stand out as beacons amid troubled relations.

The same is true with Filipino and Taiwanese relations.

Language may differentiate it. Politics may restrict it. But innate human kindness will always nurture it.

Philippines, that means more expensive schools. So the grant goes to them who need it less. This is by no means a novel insight. This has been repeatedly pointed out as the defect in our “scholarships and grants” system.

The guidelines from Free Tuition 2017 provide a suitable launching pad—combined with what UP learned from its social-

ized fee scheme. “From each according to his means.” Under the CHED-DBM joint guidelines, students are required to submit either Income Tax Returns of parents, a certificate of tax exemption, OFW contract, or a Barangay Certificate of Indigence, to allow the university to determine household income and, on that basis, decide to whom to award the

Scandal THERE are a number of things in the Comelec Chairman Andres “Andy” Bautista and Patricia “Tish” Bautista controversy that have made people either gravely disgusted in many ways about lawyers, government officials and marriage; or bizarrely entertained by the thick plot of big money, betrayal, sex, scandal and greed.

One disgusting factor was the manner by which the lawyers of Patricia managed the case. The separate press interviews of Andy and Tish, as well as Tish’s legal adviser and spokesperson, Lorna Kapunan, show that the dispute, which every man on the street now talks about, started as a marital problem between the couple. Since innocent children are involved, every means possible should have been exhausted by the lawyers to protect the couple’s children, aged eight, 13, 14 and 16, from emotional trauma. It was bad enough that their parents were estranged—a condition that usually results in feelings of insecurity, confusion and even depression, in children. Allowing the children’s mother to expose the alleged unexplained wealth of their father, hinting that he may have engaged in corrupt acts, would leave them scarred for life. This move spurred Andy to come out on media too accusing his wife, in turn, of being motivated by greed and exposing her extramarital affair. She was assisted, allegedly, by her lawyers and lover.

In other words, the Bautista family’s dirty linen have all been washed for the public to see and for the media to feast on, at the expense of the Bautista children who are now stigmatized. Andy broke down and The search shed tears as he said for truth is his elder children no longer go to school what should because they are bematter most. ing bullied.

This is sad. Lawyers are expected to be aware that the interest of helpless children affected by a controversy must always be considered. In fact, the Supreme Court has ensured the protection of children from the trauma of family disputes by mandating family courts to keep proceedings completely confidential. Children of separating spouses are kept from testifying, except only in extreme cases such as, when a parent commits a crime against a child or the children themselves.

There was one other eyebrow raiser in this saga. In the press conference of Tisha she categorically stated that she was doing the expose because she suspected that her husband was involved in illegal activities that could explain his having amassed more than one billion pesos and that she did not want to be accused of being in complicity with him as they were still living in the same house. Yet, in a television interview of her legal adviser and spokesperson, Kapunan, she said that Tisha is asking for P620 million from Andy because that was half of the money and assets being kept by Andy. Therefore, Kapunan concluded, all the money and assets in his name are conjugal. But did not Tisha just say in so many words that this was dirty money and she did not want to be accused of abetting the illegal activities of Andy?

We have courts of law and our legal processes are in place. Tisha Bautista and her lawyers have started the process by getting the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate the source of funds in the accounts of Comelec Chairman Andy Bautista. If he is found to have committed an offense that may be a ground for impeachment then the ax should be made to fall where it may. Thereafter, he can still be made answerable for his offenses, if proven.

And, if Tisha has valid grounds to file for the declaration of nullity of her marriage, she could take that action too. The media is not the proper forum for legal actions. It is admittedly a good vehicle for forming public opinions. Yet, it is a double-edged sword as the public’s intelligence cannot be underestimated. Using the media could backfire depending on the reputation and credibility of the players.

The story of betrayal, sex, scandal and greed surrounding the Bautista controversy has all but served public interest. The search for truth—whether there has been plunder and corruption; whether the result of the last elections was compromised or not—is what should matter most. The constitutional and judicial processes must be made to work.

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

free tuition slots. The easiest to obtain is the Barangay Certificate of Indigence, but so generous— perhaps, lackadaisical is the more honest description—are our punong barangays that almost anyone can get such a certification.

Obviously, when virtually all hold certificates of indigence, it becomes next to impossible, unless the school is willing to engage in further detective and surveillance work, to determine who really are in need.

But these challenges are not insurmountable. The real threat is when economic planners are heeded to the exclusion of those whose concerns take off from a different perspective: social justice, empowerment, equity—which are equally crucial concerns. Colonization of the life-world by economic steering systems is never a

welcome prospect.

No, there is no reason to nip the project in the bud. The wherewithal is a matter of policy, and that is why we elect policy makers to the Legislature. We expect of them the study, the cogitation and the argument that recognize the demands of democratic participation and equitable sharing balanced by the imperatives of fiscal stability.

And, on a more philosophical point, it is as important that our students see the point that the right to education does not necessarily mean “the right to university or college education” and still less does it translate into an “obligation to accept” on the part of state universities and colleges. rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@sanbeda.eu.ph rannie_aquino@outlook.com

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News

MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Mindanao rail gets P6.5-b fund ‘Fishing lockdown’ enforced in Lanao Lake THE military has implemented a “fishing lockdown” in Lanao Lake amid reports that armed supporters of the Maute terrorist group were using the body of water to enter Marawi City.

Fishing in the area has been prohibited from 5 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The lake, at 340 square kilometers, is roughly twice the size of Quezon City.

“We are asking the help of the mayors and their constituents to address this issue, especially people who enter or leave towns around the lake,” Task Force Marawi spokesperson Capt. JoAnn Petinglay said.

For her part, Senator Grace Poe urged the government to focus on the welfare of thousands of locals displaced by the conflict in Marawi City as she pushed for legislation to protect internally displaced persons.

Poe has filed Senate Bill No. 1513 or the proposed Rights of Internally Displaced Persons Act to ensure that IDPS are accorded the human dignity they deserve.

“IDPs are not specially protected under international law.

Reports submitted to the United Nation Economic and Social Council on this topic state that while existing law covers many aspects of particular relevance to internally displaced persons, there remain areas in which the law fails to provide sufficient protection for them,” she said.

The measure seeks to protect the human rights of IDPs in situations caused by natural or human-made hazards or disasters, armed conflicts, generalized or organized violence and clan wars.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE first phase of the Mindanao Railway Project—a 105-kilometer line linking the provincial capital of Davao del Norte to the provincial capital of Davao del Sur—will get an initial P6.58 billion in funding next year, a member of the House appropriations committee said on Sunday.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said the amount is among the items in the Rail Infrastructure Program of the Department of Transportation in the proposed 2018 national budget.

He described the MRP as “an enormous project that will require a lot of incremental funding and take several years to complete by phases.”

“What is important is that the project is finally taking off, and not just being kicked around anymore,” said Pimentel, who is also a member of the House transportation committee.

He said the P6.58 billion will jump-start Phase 1 of the MRP which will eventually be extended and run through the cities of Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, Iligan, Surigao and Zamboanga.

The lawmaker said the MRP will cover around 2,000 kilometers, and may well cost up to P120 billion to build, with Phase 1 alone costing P36 billion.

“There’s no question the railway will ease considerably the transfer of people and goods, and propel in a big way Mindanao’s overall social and economic development,” Pimentel said.

WAITING GAME. Guitar peddlers take a breather along Adriatico St. after hours of roaming around Manila’s tourist areas. Ey Acasio

Ecotourism to boost PH position as Asia’s freediving capital

By Bill Casas ECOTOURISM and ocean preservation would be the centerpiece of the Department of Tourism in bolstering the country’s position as a freediving capital in the region.

“One of the big challenges for the Philippines to become a worldwide top freediving destination is to promote ocean preservation. People need to realize that the oceans are endangered and we need to protect them,” Philip-

pine Freediving Ambassador Guillaume Néry said.

Néry is a staunch supporter of Campagne des Ecos Gestes and Antinea Foundation, which specialize in ocean conservation.

Among the highlights of the monthlong Philippine freediving expedition of Néry was his stopover at El Nido, Palawan for the Sulubaaï Environmental Foundation Pangatalan Island project, a 4.2-hectare marine protected area surrounded by coral reefs,

mangroves and seagrass meadows.

“It’s not just about consuming the place. It’s also about having an experience, of protecting and respecting every place we go to,” he said.

“We at the department are conscious of the need for sustainable practices and programs as we develop the freediving segment. Our own masterplan cites the need for the preservation of the environment and promotion of climate change adaptation,” DoT Undersecretary for Tour-

ism Development Benito Bengzon Jr. said.

The DoT is working closely with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources—Biodiversity Management Bureau, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and National Economic and Development Authority among other government agencies in the full implementation of the National Ecotourism Strategy 2013-2022.

“Under the National Ecotourism

Strategy, we are developing ecotourism sites, including marine sanctuaries accessible to divers and freedivers for low-density tourism activities,” Bengzon said.

Néry underscored the role of education in supporting ocean conservation while at the same time promoting freediving in the country.

“If the young generation is aware about the dangers and the problem, that will change the way we are interacting with nature,” he said.

Lacson hits Loren over 2018 ‘pork’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

RHINESTONE COWBOYS. Philippine Constitution Association president and Cornell Club of the Philippines president Martin Romualdez (center) celebrates the 80th birthday of fellow Cornellian Mario Labadan Sr. (second from right) in Los Baños, Laguna. With them are Mario Labadan Jr., Ramon Cardenas and Tingky Navazero. Ver Noveno

SENATOR Panfilo Lacson has criticized Senator Loren Legarda for challenging his claim that there is still pork barrel in the proposed P3.767-trillion national budget for 2018.

“She should be honest to herself and to the Fil taxpayers by at least not commenting,” Lacson said.

Legarda, chairman of the Senate finance committee, earlier asked Lacson to detail where the ‘pork’ is in next year’s national capital outlay.

“How can it be hearsay when she was the one who announced in the caucus before the period of amendments: ‘You should submit now your list for your P300 million worth of projects,’” Lacson said.

“So, what does it mean? She should not comment that it’s hearsay because it would appear that what I said was just a rumor,” he added.

Lacson advised Legarda to wait until the Lower House transmits their version of the 2018 budget bill.

“I will point out to her what she refuses to see, just like the P8.3 billion and other lump sum appropriations in the 2017 budget,” he said.

“In fact, we all agreed to realign the P8.3 billion to free tuition. Has she forgotten that?”

Legarda said she does not know what Lacson was referring to as ‘pork’ in the proposed budget.

Sports

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MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Kisner clings to PGA lead; Hideki lurks CHARLOTTE—Unheralded American Kevin Kisner clung to a one-stroke lead after Saturday’s roller coaster third round of the PGA Championship, where contenders rose only to be humbled by formidable Quail Hollow.

Kisner, a winner three months ago at Colonial, dropped three strokes in the last three holes but finished with a one-over par 72 to stand on seven-under 206 for 54 holes at the year’s final major tournament.

World number three Hideki Matsuyama, trying to become the first Japanese man to win a major, shot 73 to share second on 207 with American Chris Stroud, who won last week in Reno to take the last spot in the PGA field.

“I’m disappointed in the way I played,” Matsuyama said. “However, I’m happy to just to be one stroke back and still have a

chance and looking forward to tomorrow.”

Matsuyama took a World Golf Championships victory last week at Akron and was second at the US Open in June, one of six top-10 finishes in 20 major appearances.

Only 15 players cracked par for three rounds at the 7,600-yard layout, setting the stage for a dramatic Sunday showdown for the Wanamaker Trophy and a top prize of $1.89 million (1.59 million euros).

Kisner birdied 14 and 15 for a two-stroke lead but found water on his approach at 16 and lipped-out a 30-foot putt to make double bogey.

At 18, Kisner’s approach bounced off a rock in a water hazard and landed in deep rough. He chipped across the green and two-putted for bogey to stay in front.

“Just a terrible finish. I’m kicking myself over that,” Kisner said. “A lot of burning putts that went off the edges. Hopefully they will fall tomorrow.”

Kisner, ranked 25th, needed 109 tries before winning his first US PGA Tour title in 2015 at Sea Island, Georgia.

Matsuyama opened with a bogey, answered with a birdie at the par-5 seventh, but stumbled with back-to-back bogeys at 12 and the par-3 13th.

“Probably the pressure had something to do with it, being in the last group of a major tournament,” Matsuyama said. “But I haven’t been spot on all week. And the worries that I had about my swing showed up today in the way I played.”

Stroud, saying “I’m as calm as I’ve ever

been,” shocked himself to make the final group with a 71 despite a bogey-bogey finish.

“Really didn’t do anything great but I didn’t do anything bad,” he said. “I’m still right there. I still have a chance.”

Justin Thomas, the 14th-ranked American with three US PGA victories this season, fired a 69, the only sub-par round among the last dozen players, to share fourth with South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen just two strokes adrift.

“To get two-under out of what I had today, it was a great shock,” he said. “I just tried to keep my head on straight. I didn’t hit it real well. I stayed patient and tried to give myself as many pars as possible.”

Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion and a three-time major runner-up, suffered a right arm injury and a bent club after hitting off a tree root on the second hole. A trainer walked along with him rubbing the arm during the round. AFP

KEVIN KISNER

Fessap bets told: Compete for glory A SIMPLE yet meaningful get-together was held recently by the Board of Trustees of the Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines and scores of student athletes bound for the Summer Universiade in New Taipei City from Aug. 19 to 30.

In attendance to wish the athletes the best during the dinner meeting at the National Press Club building along Intramuros, Manila were FESSAP officials, led by businessmansportsman-philanthropist Alvin Tai Lian, FESSAP Board Chair and the Philippine Head of Delegation to the Taipei Universiade; David Ong, FESSAP president; Angel Ngu, the honorary president of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industries; FESSAP vice chairman Danilo Madlansacay, Robert Milton Calo, FESSAP executive vice president and Chair of the Universiade Preparation and Monitoring Committee; and Paul Gutierrez, National Press Club president.

San Miguel Corporation, led by FESSAP deputy Secretary General, Col. Ariel Querubin, who is also the Philippine delegation General Manager, was represented by Jeane Monteverde, FESSAP treasurer. Querubin was out of town on a business trip.

Alvin Tai Lian and David Ong revealed that businessman Angel Ngu is a perfect choice as the Philippine flag bearer in the Taipei Universiade not only because of his business intelligence, but also due to his humanitarian activities with the FFCCCII. The Philippines will compete in 13 events in the multi-sports festivities

that feature the top university athletes from as many as 180 countries, including sports powers United States, Russia, People’s Republic of China, France, Italy, Australia and Germany.

These are archery, athletics, badminton, billiards, diving, judo, golf, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, lawn tennis, weightlifting and wushu.

“I wish our athletes the best,” said the youthful-looking Tai. “Be ambassadors of goodwill as you compete for the glory of the country,” he told the athletes present in the get-together.

Tai was optimistic of a medal finish in some disciplines.

“I expect the country to do well in golf, billiards and wushu,” declared Tai, who is no stranger to wushu, having been a practitioner of the Chinese martial arts during his prime.

Independently well attended is the FESSAP Athletes’ Commission led by JC Clarito, Kert Bryan Ocampo, Ann Janeth Garcia, Jingky Obanon and Eloisa Guillermo, who led the athletes for the get-together.

The privately-funded FESSAP is the sole national university sports federation in the country that is a regular member of the International University Sports Federation, the world’s governing body for university sports,.

Since being recognized by the FISU in 2009, the Philippines has produced two medals in its three previous stints in the biennial Summer Universiade.

The country bagged a silver during the 2011 Shenzhen Universiade in China through men’s taekwondo jin Samuel Thomas Harper Morrison.

Members of the FESSAP Board of Trustees met at the National Press Club. Shown here are (from left) FESSAP vice president Jedel Agron of SCUAA; FESSAP Board Chair Alvin Tai Lian; FESSAP president David Ong; NPC president Paul Gutierrez; Jeane Monteverde; Flag bearer’s Angel Ngu; FESSAP vice chair Danilo Madlansacay; and Leyte Amateur Athletic Association representative Edison Chua.

Sad farewell for Bolt; Britain wins relay LONDON—Usain Bolt’s glittering career swansong came crashing to an end when he pulled up with a leg cramp on the anchor leg of the world 4x100m relay won by Britain on Saturday.

Bolt received the baton with Jamaica in third, but halfway down the finishing straight the towering sprinter pulled up clutching his left thigh, eventually doing a forward somersault to the ground, to gasps from the 60,000 sell out London Stadium.

The British quartet of Chijindu Ujah, Adam Gemili, Daniel Talbot and Nethaneel Mitchell-

Blake claimed gold in 37.47 seconds, with the Justin Gatlin-led US four taking silver at 0.05sec and Japan a surprise bronze (38.04).

Jamaican team doctor Dr Kevin Jones said Bolt had suffered from “cramp in his left hamstring”.

“But a lot of pain is from disappointment from losing the race,” Jones said.

“The last three weeks have been hard for him, you know. We hope for the best for him.”

Second leg runner Julian Forte added: “He didn’t tell us exactly what happened but from what I saw, it looked like a strain or a cramp of

some sort.

“He kept apologizing to us but we told him there was no need to apologize -- injuries are part of the sport.”

Newly-crowned 110m hurdles champion Omar McLeod, Jamaica’s lead-off runner, added: “Everybody was jelly, everybody was pumped. (Bolt’s injury) just happened. Usain Bolt’s name will always live on.”

Bolt missed out on his bid to retain his 100m title earlier in the week, losing out to Gatlin and silver medallist Christian Coleman, who ran relay anchor for the Americans on Saturday. AFP

PBA, STI Las Piñas lend helping hand to fire victims Wushu champ “HINDI man kami maging champion, gusto naming maging champion sa pagtulong.”

That’s how Yeng Guiao, general manager and head coach of the NLEX Road Warriors, described his group’s involvement in the relief operations for the fire victims of Las Pinas recently held at the STI Academic Center in Alabang Zapote, Las Pinas.

The event jointly organized by the STI Academic Center and the Philippine Basketball Association to help the fire victims of Barangay Daniel Fernando, was graced

by Guiao, a six-time PBA champion coach, and his players from the Road Warriors – Rabeh-Al Hussaini and Juami Tiongson.

Families of the fire victims were provided 100 bag of goodies donated by the PBA, headed by Commissioner Chito Narvasa, deputy commissioner and head of operations Rickie Santos and Media Bureau chief Willie Marcial.

In one rare occasion, a key personnel from the rival group, fourtime PBA MVP, Hall of Famer and

league’s 40 Greatest member Alvin Patrimonio, joined Guiao and his players, who were altogether welcomed by the STI Las Pinas community, headed by Liz Acedo, the deputy school administrator, Grace Gutierrez, the head of the academics and Bernadette Rejano, the head of the student affairs office. Tourism and HRM students of STI Las Pinas also cooked and prepared snacks for the guests.

“Si Alvin Patrimonio, hindi po namin siya kasama sa NLEX, pero pagdating po sa pagtulong, magkakampi po kami,” added Guiao as he addressed the fire victims who took part in this event also supported by LGR. Fire struck the barangay last July 19, leaving 60 families homeless and damaging 34 houses.

Representatives of the victims gathered and got the chance to see up close and personal these PBA personalities.

“Let us not lose hope. There’s still life ahead of us. We’ll be able to endure this. Let’s continue to work hard and get ourselves up,” added Patrimonio.

tries to repeat

By Peter Atencio

Four-time Most Valuable Player Alvin Patrimonio and six-time champion coach Yeng Guiao join forces in giving relief goods to the fire victims of Las Pinas. Joining the two in the festivity held at STI Academic Center Las Pinas were Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Juami Tiongson. (Photo by OMMA, STI Las Pina

Arcilla, Tierro lead net favorites into Olivarez Cup final 16 TOP seed Johnny Arcilla and No. 2 PJ Tierro shrugged off opening set threats to lead the siege of the fancied bets in the eighth Olivarez Cup Open Tennis Championship at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque yesterday.

Arcilla, winner of three of the last three staging of the annual event featuring the country’s cream of the crop, wore down Raymund Diaz in the first set then imposed his will in the next to carve out a 7-5, 6-1 victory for a Last 16 duel with Arthur Pan-

tino, who upended No. 14 John Altiche, 6-2, 6-4.

Tierro, on the other hand, bucked Bryan Saarenas’ tough stand in the early going and fashioned out a 6-4, 6-2 victory for a third round duel with No. 15 LA Canizares, who subdued Ed Parangan, 7-5, 6-0.

Unranked Rodolfo Barquin provided the spark in the third day of action in the week-long event, put up by Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez along with Rep. Eric Olivarez and Dr. Pablo

Olivarez as part of the family’s long-time commitment to boost the sport, outlasting No. 8 Marc Reyes, 6-3, 5-7, 14-12, to gain a spot in the upper half of the 64-player draw.

The top UE bet will next face Jan Seno, who advanced with a walkover win over No. 9 Bryan Otico in the tournament backed

by Palawan Pawnshop, Stronghold Insurance, Milestone Guarantee Assurance Corp. and Sterling Insurance Company.

Others who rolled into the next

round were Jason Patrombon, Marcus del Rosario, Rolando Ruel Jr., Ronard Joven, Leander Lazaro, Jose Cano, Eric “Jed” Olivarez, Vicente Anasta, Fritz Verdad and Deo Talatayod.

The third-ranked Patrombon ripped Neil Co, 6-1, 6-1; del Rosario trounced Noel Damian Jr., 6-2, 6-2; Ruel held off Calvin Canlas, 6-4, 6-4; No. 6 Joven thwarted Mark Alcoseba, 7-6(5), 6-1; fifth seed Lazaro ousted Kristian Tesorio, 6-3, 3-0(ret.); Olivarez routed Francis Al-

cantara, 6-3, 6-0; No. 4 Anasta downed Dave Mosqueda, 6-4, 6-2; No. 7 Verdad toppled Jordan Cimafranca, 6-3, 6-1; and Talatayod survived Wilson Oblea, 6-3, 7-5(3).

Defending three-time women’s singles champion Khim Iglupas also breezed through in the Last 16 in their side of the event, crushing Erika Manduriao, 6-0, 6-0, with top seed and last year’s runner-up Clarice Patrimonio bundling out Cianna Villafor, 6-1, 6-0.

AFTER recovering from an injury this year, wushu artist Daniel Parantac is praying that he would be able to retain his title in the taijijian competitions of the 2017 Southeast Asian Games.

“Mahirap sagutin. Pero I will do my best,” said the 26-year-old Parantac.

It is in taijijian, a double-edged short sword form event that the Philippines won its only gold two years ago through Parantac.

Last year, Parantac suffered a right knee injury and he needed to rest for a year.

Before leaving for Kuala Lumpur, Parantac has been doing nightly workouts to help him prepare for his events, which will also include the compulsory taijiquan event.

“I’ve been doing weights at night and running in the morning to get my self in condition,” added Parantac.

Loh Jack Chang of Malaysia will again be his rival for the gold medal.

In 2015, the Philippines placed sixth with its 1-4-1 gold-silver-bronze finish.

Parantac contributed one gold and 2 silvers.

But this time, the individual category of the taijiquan (barehand) event, where Parantac earned a silver is not included.

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

P0 M+ P0 M

Sports

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

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MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017

Big hopes for PH team in SEA Games

KUALA LUMPUR—A big team with big hopes started making its way into this bustling Malaysian capital, looking to pull off a miraculous performance to regain its lofty status in the Southeast Asian Games.

A group of windsurfers quietly arrived early this week to test its new equipment and acclimatize before members of the national netball, sepak takraw and football squads landed last Friday, three days before starting the country’s gold-medal rush in the 29th edition of this biennial athletic conclave.

The national men’s U23 football squad will be facing Cambodia at the Selayang Stadium, while the women’s squad will clash with the home team at the UiTM Shah Alah Stadium to formally mark its return to the regional stage after skipping the tourney in 2015.

The national netball squad will also plunge into action against Thailand on Tuesday in quest for its first-ever victory after a winless performance in the Singapore edition two years ago.

The sepak takraw team, meanwhile, will see action on Wednesday where the tournament’s first two gold medals – on top of two more mints from archery – will be disputed.

The national archery team is set to leave Manila on Monday together with the medical team from the Philippine Center for Sports Medicine and some members of the national secretariat from the Philippine Sports Commission.

PSC executive director and SEA Games task force chief Atty. Carlo Abarquez said athletes from muay thai, squash, swimming, volleyball, basketball, judo, tennis and triathlon comprise the main bulk of the biggest contingent that would touch down here on Saturday, just in time for the opening ceremonies of what promises to be the most glamorous hosting of the Games since the Malaysians last had their turn in 2001.

“The main bulk of the Team Philippines will be arriving in Kuala Lumpur on the 19th,” said Abarquez, adding that Olympian Eric Shawn Cray and other stars will no longer pass by Manila and would be coming to Malaysia straight from their respective training destinations.

Cray, who is set to defend his title in the men’s 100-meter run and 400-men hurdles, will be flying from London after competing in the IAAF World Athletics Championship. AFP

Kia Picanto’s Glenn Khobuntin (24) drives to the basket against the defense of Rain or Shine’s Chris Tiu, whose teammate James Yap (left) looks on. The Painters won, 94-86.

Retooled Elasto Painters rebound from 2 defeats

By Arman Carandang

S

PORTING a new look with its retooled line-up, Rain or Shine is back in the groove in the PBA Governors’ Cup. Games Friday (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 4:15 p.m. – Meralco vs. Phoenix 7 p.m. – NLEX vs. Blackwater

The Elasto Painters flexed their muscles just hard enough as they subdued Kia Picanto, 94-86, to bounce back from backto-back setbacks and pick up their second win Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Painters got something positive from their recent move that resulted into the acquisition of three new players in Mark Borboran, Ed Daquioag and a change in import as well.

“They only played one week together, but I think mabilis naman sila naka-pick up,” said ROS coach Caloy Garcia after the game.

J’Nathan Bullock knocked in 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a remarkable debut for the Painters, who

also got yeoman job from Chris Tiu and Beau Belga.

Bullock, who replaced JD Weatherspoon, also had two blocks and two steals as the Painters sent the Picanto reeling to their sixth straight loss in the season-ending tournament.

Tiu, now taking a bigger role following the departure of Jeff Chan, lived up to the task by providing the needed quarter-backing for the Painters, more so during the spirited rally by the Picanto late in the game.

Tiu finished with 13 points, eight assists, five rebounds and one steal while committing just one turnover inside 31 minutes off the bench as he easily became the most consistent among the locals.

Borboran and Daquioag – the newest members of the team -- also fared quite well in their first game for the Painters.

Daquioag made the most of his limited time inside as he struck for eight points that

went with two rebounds, while Borboran chipped in five points, five rebounds, one assist, one block, and zero turnover in almost 24 minutes.

Belga was the other ROS player in double-digit, scoring 12 points to go with three boards and one assist in less than 13 minutes of play as the veteran enforcer got ejected halfway through the third quarter following a flagrant foul on Jason Ballesteros.

Markeith Cummings led the Picanto with a game-high 30 points, including two on a jumper that pulled Kia to within five points, 87-82, with a little less than two minutes remaining in the game, although that was the closest they got.

The scores: RAIN OR SHINE 94 - Bullock 20, Tiu 13, Belga 12, Daquioag 8, Ponferada 7, Trollano 6, Maiquez 6, Yap 5, Borboran 5, King 5, Cruz 4, Ahanmisi 3.

Stellar world roster vies in PGT Asia Tour

The cream of the country’s pro crop, led by Miguel Tabuena (above) and an elite international field make up the 120-player field slugging it out for top honors in the $100,000 Aboitiz Invitational 2017.

THE PGT Asia Tour, the region’s newest pro golf circuit, kicks off tomorrow (Tuesday, Aug. 15) with the $100,000 Aboitiz Invitational 2017 featuring one of the strongest casts ever to clash in a locally-staged tournament in years.

The cream of the country’s pro crop and an elite international field that made the grade in the just-concluded PGTA Q-School at Luisita make up the 120-player field slugging it out for top honors in what promises to be four days of topnotch shotmaking at the Manila Southwoods’ Legends course in Carmona, Cavite.

Current Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit leader Tony Lascuña, No. 2 Clyde Mondilla, 2015 OOM winner Miguel Tabuena and Japan PGA Tour campaigner Angelo Que banner the local challenge bracing for a shootout with the likes of Thai Pasavee Lertvilai, who ran away with the low medal honors in the PGTA Q-School and second placer Seungjae Maeng and John Michael O’Toole of the US, Korean-American Micah Shin and Indonesians Joshua Wirawan and Elki Kow. Focus will also be on Jay Bayron, who edged Malaysian Gavin Green to win last year’s stag-

ing of the Aboitiz Invitational at Wack Wack, his second after ruling the inaugural staging of what has become a major event, sponsored by Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc., on the PGT calendar in Cebu in 2011.

Six other $100,000 championships have been lined up for the kickoff season of the PGT Asia Tour, put up by PGT chief sponsor International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) to further develop the local pros’ games and at the same time make the Philippines a leading international golfing destination.

Eight legs are actually on tap for the PGTA inaugural season, backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc., with the last offering a total pot of $300,000, according to the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. In 2018, a total of US$1.7 million will be staked while the 2019 PGTA will offer a US$2 million prize fund with plans to further increase the purse in the future.

Wesley drops to no. 8 in world rankings

By Peter Atencio FILIPINO grandmaster Wesley So admitted that he did not play his best games in the 5th Sinquefield Cup 2017 Grand Chess Tour in Saint Louis, Missouri.

So said this after he finished with one win, four draws and four losses to settle for last place with three points.

This also led to a big drop in

his world rankings, which saw So drop from second place in the FIDE classifications to no.

8 overall.

He now has an ELO rating of 2798.9 in the livechess ratings.

And that’s after he finished his campaign with a draw in 33 moves of a Nimzo Indian Defense with Indian GM Viswanathan Anand.

The 23-year-old So said he

was shaken after he took a 63move setback in his Guico Piano game the other day with GM Sergey Karjakin.

“After that game yesterday I figured enough is enough of this tournament and I really cannot play good chess here, this time, unfortunately. But I still like to thank the Lord for all the experience that he’s given me and for giving me a career,” said So in

an interview with chess.com.

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave scored his career’s best performance by winning the tournament.

Lagrave ended his sortie with six points, and after beating Ian Nepomniachtchi in 52 moves of a Sicilian Defense.

GM Magnus Carlsen, who stayed at no. 1 with an ELO of 2827.2 in the livechess ratings,

is second with Anand with both sharing 5.5 points.

That’s after Carlsen prevailed over Levon Aronian in 52 moves of a Ruy Lopez.

Lagrave is now ranked at no. 2 with 2803.9, followed by Vladimir Kramnik (2803) and Aronian (2802.4).

Fabiano Caruana (2799.2), who lost to Peter Svidler in 44 moves of an English Opening, is in fifth.

Django, Bata boost Centeno’s morale KUALA LUMPUR—An impromptu team-building session and birthday celebration could set the tone for an impressive campaign of the national cue artists in the 29th Southeast Asian Games here.

Veterans Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante celebrated the birthday of Cheska Centeno before presiding an open forum to plot how they could retain their dominance in the region’s most prestigious athletic conclave.

Centeno, the 18-year old prodigy from Zamboanga City, is nursing a broken heart after a sorry campaign in the World Games in Poland, and Reyes and Bustamante wasted no time in boosting her morale by celebrating her birthday upon her return to Manila last June 30.

Billiard Sports Confederation of the Philippines secretary general Robert Mananquil said Centeno was on her way to claim the gold medal in the women’s 9-ball competition, but a late-match mishap pushed her to a 6-9 setback to Chen Siming of China in the semifinals.

IN BRIEF Megawide bidding for Clark airport MEGAWIDE Construction Corp. said it is joining the bidding for the development of a P12.55-billion new passenger terminal in Clark International Airport in Pampanga province.

Megawide said it was the first to purchase bid documents for the engineering, procurement and construction of Clark International Airport facilities, including the development of a new passenger terminal.

“We’re still eyeing to participate in both EPC and O&M [operations and maintenance], and we believe our experience in MCIA [Mactan-Cebu International Airport] gives us a unique advantage. The company is very much looking forward to the bid,” Megawide said.

The project aims to construct a new passenger terminal building to accommodate 8 million passengers per annum and install all required associated facilities – both landside and airside, to support the operations of the new terminal. The construction period is between 2017 and 2020. Darwin G. Amojelar

Senate to amend tax on sweet drinks THE Senate plans to amend the proposed excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, with sugar content as the basis for the proposed progressive tax hike.

“We are moving away from volumebased towards a sugar content legislation. Not to mention the fact that the volume-based tax proposal is a bit on the high side and therefore more taxing for the consumers,” said Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, chairman of the ways and means committee.

The original proposal of the Finance Department was to tax all sugar-sweetened products by P10 or P10 per liter. This will affect not only carbonated beverages, but also powdered and liquid juices, three-inone coffees and other sweet beverages.

The Senate committee on ways and means said senators had yet to deliberate on the scale of how taxes on sugar-sweetened beverage would be implemented.

The proposed tax on sugar-sweetened beverages was a part of House Bill 5636, the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act bill, which consolidated more than 50 tax-related measures. Othel V. Campos

Foreign travel agents set to join PH Travex TRAVEL agents across the world are coming over for the Philippine Travel Exchange being organized by the Tourism Promotions Board on Aug. 29 to Sept. 5.

TPB chief operating officer Cesar Montano said foreign buyers had confirmed their participation in the one-onone business meetings with local sellers on Aug. 30 and 31.

“The B2B [business-to-business] meetings dubbed ‘Travex’ [Travel Exchange] will enable our local sellers of travel packages to get included in the product portfolio being promoted by the foreign buyers to their outbound clients in their respective home countries,” Montano said.

“Thus, we offer post-event tours for the foreign buyers to give them experiential knowledge of why it is more fun in the Philippines, thereby enabling our tourism destinations to get promoted and marketed without our local sellers having to travel abroad,” Montano said.

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017

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Economy likely expanded 6.8% in Q2, says Moody’s

By Julito G. Rada

E

conomic growth in the Philippines likely accelerated to 6.8 percent in the second quarter from 6.4 percent in the first quarter, lifted by stronger exports of electronics, Moody’s Analytics, a division of debt watcher Moody’s Corp., said in a report over the weekend.

“Philippine GDP growth likely accelerated to 6.8 percent year-on-year in the second quarter, compared with 6.4 percent in the opening three months of the year. The main boost will come from exports, which have been expanding rapidly in recent months largely because of stronger shipments of electronics,” Moody’s said.

The economy grew 6.4 percent in the first quarter, below expectation, as government spending slowed from the same quarter last year in the run-up to the presidential elections.

The government also expects GDP growth to accelerate from the first quarter, as infrastructure spending picked up in line with the so-called “Build Build Build” infrastructure program.

Moody’s said domestic factors remained conducive to strong growth. Private consumption was seen to grow rapidly on rising incomes and favorable demographics.

“Investment will also expand rapidly as a result of a mixture of private and government projects,” it said.

The government is set to release the official secondquarter GDP data on Aug. 17.

The International Monetary Fund earlier cut its growth forecast for the Philippines this year to 6.6 percent from an earlier estimate of 6.8 percent, amid the slower-thanexpected expansion of 6.4 percent in the first quarter.

IMF mission chief Luis Breuer, who visited Manila from

July 26 to Aug. 9, also said the growth projection in 2018 was reduced to 6.8 percent from 6.9 percent previously.

Breuer said despite the downgraded growth forecast, economic growth was seen “to remain close to potential at 6.6 percent in 2017 and 6.8 percent in the medium term, supported by robust domestic demand and recovery in exports.”

The government expects economic growth this year to settle between 6.5 percent and 7.5 percent.

Breuer said structural reforms would be essential to sustaining rapid inclusive growth to significantly lower poverty and maximize the demographic dividend.

He said the comprehensive tax reform program was a very important initiative of the state because it would generate revenues to be used for priority projects, particularly those pertaining to social services and infrastructure.

The economy expanded 6.9 percent year-on-year in 2016, making the Philippines one of the fastest growing economies in the region, buoyed by robust fiscal spending, domestic consumption and investments.

Environment stops operations of Ipilan Nickel in Palawan

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales THE Environment Department said it stopped the operations of Ipilan Nickel Corp. in Brooke’s Point, Palawan for operating without an environmental compliance certificate.

The department said the regional office of the Environmental Management Bureau in Mimaropa issued a cease and desist order against INC on July 21 for “continuously implementing its project without a valid ECC.” Mimaropa, or Region IV-B, covers the provinces of Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque,

Romblon and Palawan.

INC is a subsidiary of listed mining company Global Ferronickel Inc., which booked a net income of P148.8 million in the first half on increased nickel prices in China, its main market.

INC’s environmental compliance certificate was cancelled in December by former Environment secretary Regina Lopez over the company’s alleged failure to start its project within the required five-year period from the issuance of the permit.

The Environment Department said the cease-and-desist order was an offshoot of an inspection conducted by EMB and

representatives from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, the local government of Brooke’s Point and civil society organizations within INC’s area of operations.

The inspection team discovered that INC had constructed a mine yard road within its mining area even after the ECC was cancelled.

The team also noted that INC’s activities following the cancellation of its permit “are causing the release of pollutants brought about by the silt deposition from the road, thus placing the environment at risk and imminent danger.”

DENR Mimaropa regional director Na-

tividad Bernardino warned on July 24 that “any further actions by INC may be dealt with by law” after receiving reports that the firm was building some structures in Barangays Maasin and Ipilan.

Three days later, Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, an attached agency of the Environment Department, revoked the strategic environmental plan clearance issued to INC in 2010.

PCSD said in its Resolution No. 17-588 that no SEP clearance should have been issued to INC in the first place because the areas where it was operating in were “considered areas of maximum protection.”

B2

Business

MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

GDP report expected to lift market

By Jenniffer B. Austria

S

HARE prices are expected to move sideways this week, as investors trade defensively amid global geopolitical tensions, but the release of second-quarter gross domestic product data could lift the benchmark index above the 8,000-point mark.

BDO Unibank Inc. chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said investors were awaiting the release of the secondquarter GDP figures on Aug. 17.

“Chartwise, the week’s close at 7,928.43

continues to highlight that the market has strong support at the 7,850/7,900 levels.

Expect another attempt of the 8,000 levels,” Ravelas said.

Online brokerage firm 2TradeAsia. com said investors were on a wait-andsee mode, looking for the next catalyst such as the passage of the proposed tax reforms and rollout of infrastructure projects under the government’s ‘Build Build Build’ program.

These catalysts, 2TradeAsia.com said, could influence valuation outlook towards 2018.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, ended flat last week at 7,928.43 points, while the broader all-share index dropped to 4,681.81, on escalating tension between the US and North Korea and following the release of mixed corporate earnings.

Foreign investors remained net buyers last week by P1.18 billion. Average daily turnover eased to P6.1 billion from the previous week’s average of P6.6 billion.

Top gainers last week were Security Bank Corp. which climbed 9.6 percent to P252, PLDT Inc. which advanced 6.7 percent to P1,740 and SM Investments Corp. which rose 3.7 percent to P829.

The initial public offering of businessman Dennis Uy’s Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. disappointed subscribers, as the stock fell 1.1 percent on listing day and 10.2 percent in the week to settle at P9.58.

Other heavy losers last week were D&L Industries Inc. which declined 16 percent to P10.26, Century Pacific Food Inc. which retreated 11.2 percent to P16.38 and EEI Corp. which fell 10.9 percent to P12.30.

Globe raising 2017 spending to $800m

By Darwin G. Amojelar GLOBE Telecom Inc. is raising 2017 capital expenditures by $50 million to $800 million to fund the expansion of data-related projects.

“I think we are tracking in the $575-million capex in the first six months of the year, so there’s a possibility of raising the capex number forecast for the rest of the year,” Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu said.

Globe’s initial capex guidance for 2017 was $750 million, majority

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

AUGUST 7-11, 2017 Close Volume

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 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

4.13 59.7 129.30 104.90 35.5 3.94 1.30 9.04 16.1 31.3 0.65 1.7 900.00 0.680 85.5 0.84 13.2 24.35 63.00 91 110 240 50 252 1650.00 86.50 1.31

96,000 163,490 14,310,280 2,404,660 889,600 82,000 672,800 200 58,600 6,386,200 1,225,000 62,000 720 9,788,000 16,666,950 3,618,000 49,400 5,900 261,320 300 1,870 22,600 1,338,120 4,443,520 605 912,720 455,000

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.

39.5 8.8 0.82 1.36 26 0.229 156 17.00 5.71 16.38 72 95 31.35 65 1.96 5.5 11.3 10.260 15 7.09 6.82 12.30 1.77 17.46 67.95 14.88 12.88 11.88 1.730 216.40 63.50 3.7 3.3 23.00 31.35 18 18.02 277.00 0.228 10.86 3.08 9.59 7.24 7.69 65 10.22 1.76 12.00 7.1 4.40 2.01 4.2 315 2.46 12.66 4.5 0.147 1.13 143 3.83 2.04 26.55 1.01

8,146,900 9,674,700 15,041,000 1,667,000 421,400 32,770,000 440 639,100 12,931,800 16,673,900 2,280 90 4,233,600 1,139,410 3,498,000 2,004,500 534,800 70,205,900 6,404,000 8,614,300 135,632,500 10,822,100 17,000 6,055,900 248,570 113,100 303,600 20,893,900 6,643,000 3,567,610 1,870 332,000 418,000 45,700 3,686,700 3,833,800 17,153,400 1,117,490 11,510,000 1,589,900 2,560,000 30,714,600 1,628,600 2,003,400 1,314,410 33,400 5,068,000 11,650,400 1,439,200 9,807,000 6,000 119,000 282,970 10,766,000 6,578,200 1,002,000 5,270,000 1,300,000 13,537,090 45,000 143,662,000 1,100 754,000

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

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

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

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

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

0.360 73.00 13.52 1.16 6.90 0.305 0.310 882 1011.00 7.4 15.68 5.95 7.80 0.200 1145 7.53 69.50 5.5 5.41 6.7 0.94 17.5 0.430 6.59 0.0420 0.930 2.090 2.56 101.60 2.63 829.50 1.63 0.87 303.600 0.2850 0.1950 0.225

41,660,000 2,473,670 20,459,200 237,000 183,600 5,040,000 1,270,000 1,108,200 15 7,418,500 21,819,900 31,700 22,400 1,660,000 387,905 181,000 5,837,380 108,200 7,600 7,299,600 8,479,000 10,270,800 1,990,000 63,071,200 117,700,000 339,000 5,668,000 46,000 384,420 111,000 1,290,120 6,431,000 37,000 20,410 1,810,000 8,920,000 3,120,000

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. `B’ 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’ Keppel Properties Megaworld MRC Allied Ind.

5.410 6.78 1.31 2.300 0.920 41.950 3.59 5.32 4.9 5.99 0.500 1.25 1.500 0.198 0.500 44.65 0.700 0.150 1.61 1.75 0.97 4.12 4.78 0.300

1,409,000 3,700 89,616,000 190,500 24,904,000 33,250,100 10,401,000 192,200 28,594,000 1,600 152,553,000 2,188,000 787,000 300,520,000 10,112,000 937,500 10,606,000 8,700,000 98,214,000 32,509,000 3,011,000 2,000 203,806,000 494,010,000

Value FINANCIAL 390,610.00 9,757,976.50 1,860,646,341.00 252,977,811.00 31,991,035.00 323,810.00 9,603,835.00 1,808.00 941,656.00 200,723,230.00 800,060.00 106,240.00 657,455.00 6,748,230.00 729,245,444.50 3,066,100.00 652,458.00 145,330.00 16,794,183.50 27,200.00 205,910.00 5,443,608.00 68,968,974.50 1,091,435,758.00 1,026,825.00 78,847,373.00 605,570.00 INDUSTRIAL 320,650,595.00 87,294,120.00 12,401,860.00 2,270,020.00 11,629,695.00 7,964,520.00 77,433.00 11,236,646.00 74,720,698.00 277,825,876.00 160,925.00 7,879.00 129,905,440.00 75,568,174.00 6,933,420.00 10,851,567.00 6,071,584.00 755,669,728.00 96,101,054.00 61,158,836.00 933,216,301.00 143,087,140.00 28,850.00 108,038,626.00 16,994,004.00 1,674,768.00 3,963,122.00 262,562,800.00 11,748,860.00 774,960,668.00 111,150.00 1,254,950.00 1,405,370.00 1,027,030.00 115,257,120.00 72,342,830.00 308,997,290.00 310,543,890.00 2,705,040.00 20,349,806.00 7,967,680.00 300,064,430.00 11,739,031.00 16,461,494.00 85,739,011.50 338,290.00 9,245,370.00 141,387,754.00 10,238,181.00 43,002,430.00 12,230.00 517,650.00 87,940,806.00 27,977,550.00 82,456,280.00 4,670,940.00 754,590.00 1,581,460.00 1,965,858,167.00 174,200.00 333,243,380.00 29,215.00 763,370.00 HOLDING FIRMS 15,443,400.00 182,847,023.50 283,824,974.00 266,530.00 1,273,975.00 1,577,700.00 399,550.00 979,427,790.00 15,165.00 55,406,790.00 342,076,200.00 190,445.00 173,018.00 342,920.00 459,637,175.00 1,407,396.00 419,013,518.50 633,586.00 41,605.00 51,323,831.00 8,167,270.00 182,552,424.00 881,650.00 420,998,070.00 5,171,500.00 323,210.00 11,665,620.00 119,180.00 38,775,066.50 291,430.00 1,059,347,295.00 10,724,010.00 32,190.00 6,203,688.00 516,350.00 1,871,480.00 710,820.00 PROPERTY 7,725,568.00 25,014.00 128,796,280.00 1,458,420.00 24,093,860.00 1,415,093,870.00 37,859,760.00 1,020,369.00 138,886,310.00 8,849.00 77,260,390.00 2,673,820.00 1,188,800.00 63,058,100.00 5,098,840.00 42,865,010.00 7,429,000.00 1,332,360.00 159,821,580.00 59,758,880.00 2,906,650.00 8,250.00 245,865,433,174.00 149,156,150.00

JULY 31-AUGUST 4, 2017 Close Volume Value 4.14 59.75 127.50 105.40 36.2 4.05 1.36 9.04 16.1 32.15 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 8,805,600 383,000 166,000 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

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 1,465,958.00 288,331,030.00 252,950.00 275,630.00 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

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

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

0.385 74.95 14.20 1.13 6.95 0.320 0.320 879

84,670,000 6,108,120 43,819,100 165,000 232,600 7,290,000 2,660,000 1,311,270

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

7.6 15.66 6.05 7.84 0.223 1200 8.27 74.00 5.95 5.5 7.3 0.99 18.2 0.455 6.69 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

6,755,400 47,271,900 742,900 138,900 5,700,000 471,570 487,200 8,644,760 31,500 74,100 12,799,300 7,101,000 18,178,100 2,430,000 63,681,100 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

51,827,213.00 756,781,094.00 4,458,129.00 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 91,427,151.00 7,060,280.00 326,005,896.00 1,141,750.00 427,749,302.00 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

5.450 6.78 1.45 2.290 1.020 41.900 3.72 5.3 4.76

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

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

0.530 1.24 1.520 0.193 0.510 48.3 0.710 0.155 1.61 1.87 0.99 4.12 4.81 0.335

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 4,000 267,233,900 91,090,000

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 16,480.00 1,483,290,230.00 30,946,600.00

STOCKS

AUGUST 7-11, 2017 Close Volume

Phil. Estates Corp.

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

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

0.4650 0.475 28.65 4.6 24.45 1.78 3.23 33.85 1 7.3 0.870 5.770

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.

Chelsea 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 IPVG Corp.

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. 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

20.9 42.8 1.68 0.570 0.040 11.3 5.25 9.00 0.0720 101 9.4 9.58 2.22 9.50 3.23 970 2022 6.14 15.88 16.00 2.25 104.6 3.15 12.56 8.69 0.17 0.165 1.3600 2.9 15.6 4.14 1.20 11.00 18.00 0.560 2.35 8.65 3.95 2.240 11.38 5.16 8.16 175.00 9.60 1740.00 0.400 1.590 47.10 84.40 5.89 4.10 1.380 1.95 3.4 1.200 8.080

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

United Paragon

0.0028 1.66 4.90 14.18 1.8100 1.8200 1.2 0.380 8.36 2.460 0.290 0.180 0.190 0.011 0.0110 1.84 5.75 1.88 0.5200 1.0400 0.0100 0.0100 8.49 3.24 0.0120 2.4700 165.80 0.0080

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 PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H SMC Preferred I Swift Pref

42.5 516.5 520 106 106 107 112 518 5.9 1010 1010 1.06 105 1065 1120 1015 104.5 107.5 77 81 77 79 81.5 79.5 79.5 80.3 1.96

LR Warrant

2.300

Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Philab Holdings Xurpas

3.03 3.7 5 5.65

First Metro ETF

119.7

USD DMPL A1

10.6

JULY 31-AUGUST 4, 2017 Close Volume Value

Value

110,099,000 37,732,000 2,100 4,272,000 5,613,400 540,000 184,000 25,018,900 5,325,000 10,700 2,018,000 23,900,800

58,863,760.00 19,110,835.00 62,465.00 19,992,950.00 137,259,585.00 966,350.00 587,960.00 855,148,770.00 5,337,970.00 78,810.00 1,749,650.00 139,473,543.00 SERVICES 1,802,000 39,972,000.00 198,200 8,635,635.00 2,804,000 4,779,950.00 215,603,000 147,442,820.00 175,600,000 7,160,700.00 2,900 32,294.00 124,100 657,643.00 40,730,200 371,678,492.00 70,950,000 5,139,950.00 1,840,350 187,457,603.00 17,300 164,730.00 216,210,900 2,287,237,046.00 6,000 13,320.00 2,972,900 30,756,355.00 1,000 3,230.00 2,610 2,531,700.00 99,460 202,884,950.00 995,800 6,145,447.00 200,900 3,168,944.00 2,400 38,228.00 12,889,000 30,110,530.00 7,646,510 796,839,880.00 159,000 500,890.00 7,200 87,952.00 1,543,200 13,318,925.00 2,580,000 438,500.00 30,450,000 4,978,960.00 756,000 1,023,910.00 432,000 1,280,880.00 47,400 732,774.00 5,847,000 24,232,140.00 38,027,000 54,555,810.00 9,994,100 110,489,964.00 4,600 76,140.00 515,000 297,360.00 69,000 163,230.00 12,191,400 106,900,329.00 21,836,000 86,679,110.00 6,621,000 15,356,710.00 35,100 399,696.00 54,700 280,693.00 1,000 8,160.00 901,400 153,468,744.00 3,974,400 38,007,421.00 545,850 918,530,945.00 9,660,000 3,902,200.00 19,087,000 30,355,260.00 8,487,400 398,807,565.00 5,015,360 434,476,931.50 965,200 5,617,347.00 28,095,000 126,247,890.00 104,763,000 142,295,910.00 25,000 46,250.00 1,614,000 5,472,130.00 135,344,000 172,037,090.00 22,560,000 186,601,235.00 MINING & OIL 1,897,000,000 5,340,700.00 27,804,000 45,192,580.00 2,502,900 12,740,094.00 4,100 54,298.00 40,000 73,050.00 22,000 40,400.00 36,461,000 45,137,560.00 4,440,000 1,685,700.00 64,800 544,146.00 54,418,000 140,620,080.00 16,390,000 4,750,150.00 19,637,000 3,952,730.00 1,980,000 379,690.00 383,600,000 3,952,200.00 200,000 2,200.00 997,000 1,835,850.00 26,198,800 157,655,496.00 312,000 590,010.00 2,557,000 1,341,360.00 1,455,000 1,486,440.00 109,600,000 1,108,500.00 11,100,000 112,000.00 3,467,300 30,111,504.00 19,784,000 69,284,630.00 90,300,000 1,081,600.00 89,000 221,740.00 3,365,630 560,590,081.00 45,000,000 361,000.00 PREFERRED 435,700 18,808,905.00 5,310 2,740,970.00 10,240 5,276,800.00 206,820 21,932,035.00 37,780 4,151,368.00 20,140 2,155,030.00 105,160 11,679,824.00 13,150 6,779,520.00 1,162,700 6,867,790.00 1,670 1,691,700.00 8,460 8,614,700.00 123,000 130,360.00 860 91,170.00 8,160 8,493,425.00 1,960 2,195,200.00 8,359 11,036,805.00 9,110 953,926.00 6,100 668,465.00 53,270 4,100,033.00 126,550 10,259,770.00 1,500 115,532.50 30,450 2,424,595.00 3,400 277,106.00 189,960 15,023,273.00 356,340 28,212,510.00 313,420 25,081,905.00 81,000 176,370.00 WARRANTS & BONDS 1,992,300 5,055,780.00 SME 13,000 40,800.00 2,363,000 8,615,450.00 754,500 3,769,698.00 37,697,300 224,499,698.00 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 101,230 12,108,562.00 DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 7,000 73,900.00

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

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

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

23.7 43.6 1.84 0.690 0.042 11.3 5.32 8.83 0.0750 102 9.68

1,118,900 542,900 2,641,000 83,652,000 96,600,000 40,000 30,900 54,167,500 116,540,000 3,925,150 16,800

26,062,740.00 23,639,310.00 4,879,930.00 53,666,410.00 4,070,600.00 450,550.00 165,689.00 486,683,445.00 8,855,980.00 400,453,407.00 158,593.00

2.22 10.80 3.22 970 2018 6.19 15.78 13.12 2.57 103.6 3.28 12.56 8.60

16,000 3,592,000 1,000 2,910 207,355 446,700 168,700 2,400 15,403,000 6,150,390 230,000 3,100 1,652,200

35,520.00 39,226,926.00 3,220.00 2,851,900.00 429,575,400.00 2,767,846.00 2,611,520.00 31,502.00 41,286,140.00 649,692,133.00 755,000.00 37,080.00 14,138,770.00

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 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

27,720,000 3,274,000 1,869,000 14,200 13,510,000 21,304,000 16,477,600 5,100 399,000 198,000 11,265,700 20,627,000 7,697,000 39,100 59,000 20,100 371,600 2,169,900 775,670 20,130,000 39,151,000 8,309,700 4,358,860 3,802,100 43,401,000 128,433,000 4,000 1,700,000 237,281,000 14,343,900

4,740,710.00 4,384,650.00 5,685,570.00 219,300.00 60,333,070.00 37,557,510.00 193,800,802.00 91,504.00 230,130.00 466,380.00 100,193,110.00 80,565,100.00 17,352,920.00 446,116.00 303,187.00 165,817.00 63,212,422.00 20,242,014.00 1,263,776,890.00 8,367,400.00 62,220,370.00 390,143,165.00 377,953,490.50 23,145,160.00 193,734,930.00 189,755,920.00 7,520.00 5,810,380.00 320,202,180.00 126,717,109.00

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

692,000,000 16,276,000 1,103,400 14,900 2,618,000 126,000 16,151,000 4,520,000 20,600 14,711,000 39,170,000 53,910,000 201,210,000 391,900,000

2,002,000.00 25,894,240.00 5,879,524.00 195,742.00 4,868,250.00 233,320.00 19,586,580.00 1,774,950.00 176,052.00 38,047,990.00 12,440,650.00 10,206,460.00 8,463,700.00 4,238,700.00

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

1,583,000 11,971,400 212,000 17,336,000 1,688,000 126,700,000 21,200,000 2,409,400 27,295,000 66,500,000 128,000 5,281,000 424,000,000

2,881,240.00 73,424,920.00 410,720.00 7,058,550.00 1,770,870.00 1,311,600.00 225,700.00 21,459,901.00 94,520,380.00 799,200.00 321,380.00 886,183,536.00 1,103,000.00

44.4 516 515 106 105.5 112.5 111 523 5.95 1007 1023 1.06 107.6 1037

717,000 29,190 2,020 46,450 107,200 6,400 13,500 90 2,171,200 1,500 5,985 71,000 40,930 300

31,393,190.00 15,065,685.00 1,040,400.00 4,923,700.00 11,265,924.00 685,690.00 1,497,110.00 47,230.00 13,061,796.00 1,513,860.00 6,085,260.00 84,650.00 4,396,058.00 311,175.00

1013 105.5 113.4 77 80 77.75 78.05 81.5 79 78.7 78.6 2

5,730 122,290 14,870 53,320 161,070 27,900 900 340,500 41,380 24,840 108,070 14,000

5,807,265.00 12,847,632.00 1,686,260.00 4,096,514.50 12,904,046.00 2,152,447.50 70,245.00 27,728,755.00 3,268,422.00 1,952,036.00 8,617,979.00 28,000.00

2.420

5,084,000

12,922,820.00

3.2 3.78 5.21 6.45

7,000 1,417,000 410,700 28,336,400

21,300.00 5,406,350.00 2,188,531.00 196,266,360.00

120

275,910

33,247,776.00

10.5

40,020

420,210.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining MRC Allied Ind. Manila Mining `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Chelsea APC Group, Inc. Megaworld Apollo Global Century Property Vitarich Corp.

VOLUME 1,897,000,000 494,010,000 383,600,000 300,520,000 216,210,900 215,603,000 203,806,000 175,600,000 152,553,000 143,662,000

STOCKS Megaworld Chelsea Universal Robina Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Ayala Land `B’ Security Bank SM Investments Inc. Ayala Corp `A’ Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) PLDT Common

VALUE 245,865,433,174.00 2,287,237,046.00 1,965,858,167.00 1,860,646,341.00 1,415,093,870.00 1,091,435,758.00 1,059,347,295.00 979,427,790.00 933,216,301.00 918,530,945.00

of which will be invested in data-related projects, including the deployment of LTE mobile and LTE @Home and increased network capacities and coverage of fixed-line data.

“Everything we do is towards data. That’s the growing part. As you know, SMS is declining and voice is declining,” Cu said.

The telecom company led

by Ayala Corp. reported a consolidated net income of P8.1 billion in the first six months, down by 10 percent from P9 billion a year ago.

Globe’s consolidated service revenues increased 5 percent in six months to a record P62.9 billion from P59.9 billion it booked in the same period in 2016.

Globe commercially launched the $250-million Southeast Asia-United States submarine cable system on Aug. 11, providing direct link between Davao and the United States for richer and enhanced international connectivity for businesses in Mindanao and the rest of the country.

“First world connection is more than just fast internet but is also about building a better nation that transcends borders and opens infinite possibilities for everyone. We are excited about this development because of the immense benefits that the undersea cable system will bring to the Philippines,” Cu said.

Phoenix’s core profit up by 35% to P610m

By Alena Mae S. Flores INDEPENDENT oil company Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. said core income grew 35 percent in the first half to P610 million from P450 million in the same period last year.

The company said in a statement over the weekend that revenues from the core petroleum business grew 24 percent to P18.9 billion in January to June from a year ago.

“We will continue to sustain the growth momentum of our company as we expand our retail, commercial, lubricants and LPG businesses, drive operational excellence and acquire companies,” said Phoenix Petroleum president and chief executive Dennis Uy. Phoenix Petroleum said that including subsidiaries Chelsea Shipping Corp. and Phoenix Petroterminals and Industrial Park Corp., which the company divested in November 2016 and were now deconsolidated, “revenues and net income increased 24 percent and 8 percent, respectively.”

Phoenix disclosed revenues of P15.182 billion and net income of P565.17 million in the first half of 2016.

Phoenix Petroleum completed 518 Phoenix retail service stations as of June 2017.

The commercial sector continued to deliver new direct accounts and expand market share within existing accounts, notably in power, marine transport and road transport.

Phoenix Petroleum said lubricants maintained solid growth, with volume up 18 percent year-to-date.

The company is also bullish of future growth prospects with its foray into the liquefied petroleum gas or LPG market.

Business

B3

MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

IN BRIEF DMCI unit bags P11.7-b contracts D.M. Consunji Inc. said it bagged P11.7 billion worth of construction projects in the first six months of the year, up 169 percent from P4.5 billion year-on-year.

DMCI said the new construction projects boosted its order book to P26.8 billion for implementation over 18 to 24 months.

Among DMCI’s newlysigned projects are the CaviteLaguna Expressway project of MPCALA Holdings, Inc., Anchor Grand Suites of Anchor Land, the Bued Viaduct and Roadway of Private Infra Dev Corp., the LRT 2 East (Masinag) Stations under the Department of Transportation, and the civil works for a thermal power plant for engineering procurement and construction contractor JGC Philippines.

“We are seeing some uptick in infrastructure projects but the construction growth is still primarily driven by the private sector,” said DMCI president and chief executive Jorge Consunji. Jenniffer B. Austria

BEST BROKER.

First Metro Securities Brokerage Corp., the stock brokerage arm of the Metrobank Group, is awarded

by Hong Kongbased financial publishing firm FinanceAsia as the Best Broker in the Philippines, backed by its robust online and institutional sales growth in 2016. Shown at the awarding rites are (from left) First Metro research head Mark Angeles, online sales head Christine Chan, chairman Rabboni Francis Arjonillo, president Gonzalo Ordoñez and sales head Mhelvin Abajon.

GT Capital sees flat 2017 income CONGLOMERATE GT Capital Holdings Inc. said it expects net income to end flat this year after a sluggish firsthalf financial performance.

GT Capital on Friday said net income in the first half of the year fell 21 percent to P7.2 billion from P9.1 billion a year ago due to the recognition of non-recurring gains from the sale of investments in 2016.

Core net income, however, improved 19 percent in the first six months of the year to P7.36 billion from P6.21 billion on year.

“Core and non-core net income could be flat more or less this year as we see an improvement in other performance in the second half of the year,” GT Capital chief finance officer Francis Suarez said.

Suarez said growth in the second quarter will primarily come from property, automotive and insurance businesses, as well as contribution from equity investment in Metro Pacific Investments Corp.

Jenniffer B. Austria

BSP seeks calm after peso fall

B

ANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Nestor Espenilla called for calm on Sunday after the peso fell to an almost 11-year low against the dollar last week, saying the currency isn’t expected to free fall given the nation’s strong economic fundamentals.

“The peso is market-determined. It’s natural for it to show volatility as it adjusts to market conditions and all the short-term uncertainties such as increased tension in North Korea,” Espenilla said in a phone message to reporters. “We don’t expect it to do a free fall because our economic fundamentals now, unlike before, are solid and very strong.”

The peso has lost 2.5 percent this year, making it the worst performer among 12 Asian currencies tracked by Bloomberg. It weakened to 50.98 to the greenback on Friday, the lowest since August 29, 2006. The currency has been dropping as the nation heads to its first current account deficit in 15 years. Geopolitical concerns have also spurred a flight to assets of advanced economies.

Still, the nation enjoys strong domestic demand and is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

“The peso is capable of correcting itself as the market calms down and digests the relevant information,” Espenilla said. He added that the central bank can act “strategically” if there’s excess volatility, noting a “huge pile of fx reserves.”

Espenilla, who took over as central bank chief last month, also said that the the Philippines, as an emerging market economy seeking to grow, is bound to run moderate current account deficits as it catches up on investments, particularly on infrastructure.

“Lets calm down. We’re on the right track,” Espenilla said, rejecting what he termed as “fear-based hand wringing in some of the coverage.”

Bangko Sentral, meanwhile, may still raise interest rates before the close of the year as shown by its latest move of revising upward the inflation forecasts from 2017 to 2019, DBS Bank of Singapore said in a report over the weekend.

“There was no strong indication of what the BSP may do next, but the central bank provided several important hints.

Inflation forecast has been revised up slightly to 3.2 percent for 2017 and 2018 (from 3.1 percent and 3.0 percent previ-

ously),” the bank said.

The inflation forecast for 2019 was also adjusted upward to 3.1 percent from 3 percent, slightly higher than the midpoint of the target range of 2 to 4 percent.

“That the upward revision to inflation came despite the recent moderation in the headline CPI numbers, suggests the BSP is still watchful of inflationary risks going forward,” it said.

DBS also said Bangko Sentral might want to take more cues from the second-quarter gross domestic product growth before deciding on the next course of action. The government is set to release the second-quarter GDP data within this week. Bloomberg, Julito G. Rada

How to keep millennials in the workplace JOSE TIBURCIO S. CANLAS

GREEN LIGHT

MOST human resource practitioners would complain nowadays on how to find ways to handle millennials in the workplace, in this day and age of millennials.

Also known as Generation Y, this very talented workforce is fast taking over the place of baby boomers. According to a research of Laura Laundin (2016), the millennials, the largest generation since the baby boomers, represent a shift in generational mind-sets, moving from the skepticism found in many of generation X to a sensibility that is more free-spirited, flexible and open-minded.

Meeting their needs As they are about to take over the workplace, one must be able to identify their tendencies and solve their puzzle well to make them stay and be contented with the job. This as consultancy thinktank PWC said that millennials tend to be uncomfortable with rigid corporate structures and turned off by information silos.

“They expect rapid progression, a varied and interesting career and constant feedback. In other words, millennials want a management style and corporate culture that is markedly different from anything that has gone before – one that meets their needs,” PWC said.

When looking at millennials, they are identified as complaining lot, with self– entitlement, easily bored, tech savvy, hopping from one job to another, hungry to travel and easily not contented, either in the role given or salary level.

To answer one of the main personality challenges of millennials is to make them happy or contented in their jobs so one would need to address the salary offer and compensation benefits given to them.

Addressing their career priorities In fact, a recent Mercer study (in Nekuda, 2011) found that the top three career priorities for millennials were compensation, flexible work schedules and the opportunity to make a difference.

This would lead us back to the basic question to address millennials and their needs. Millennials should feel they are being compensated fairly, relative to their co-workers and to individuals who hold comparable jobs in other organizations.

When employees obtain a feeling of inequality relative to their peers, they try to counter this by increasing their outcomes or by just getting back to the company by being lazy or less productive. Hereon, the individual may justify theft and pilferage due to this inequity.

This is also characterized by not working hard, taking longer breaks, coming in late, leaving early, lacking focus or even resigning.

Human resource officers are confronted with these peculiarities day in and out.

Millennials like to enjoy their work and maximize their time. They want to enjoy the experience of working with their officemates and they also want to enjoy their workplace.

They want to make friends and cherish their work experience in their workplace.

Human resource officers need to worry if their millennial employees are not happy; they are not laughing and committed; as well as when they are less creative.

Maximizing the talents of millennials Simply put, human resources need to maximize the talents of their millennial employees and put these to use. Also, there should be a greater effort to understand the well rounded needs of millennials. Millennials are not merely employees; they are artists and innovators who possess strong creative energies that should be put into use.

In the Philippines alone, millennials make up a third of the population.

According to Ron Cullimore, head of Client Services of Manila Recruitment, career growth is highly important to millennials and they want to be assured of their career path in the workplace.

Millennials value achievement, success and career growth that is healthy and enjoyable.

This is where work-life balance for millennials comes in. According to studies, this means being able to attend to their personal life. Filipino millennials

value the idea of being able to attend to their family needs and personal interests.

Cullimore added that remote work does not mean less work. In fact, most millennials claim that they check their emails even outside of work. When millennials are happy in their workplace, they are more engaged and willing to do more for their company.

Working to live This means that a happy millennial is a happy and productive employee. There is a need to understand the essential needs of millennials in order to factor these with what companies want to offer and expect from them. Specifically, there is a great need for more liberal approaches in the workplaces to maximize the productivity of millennials and placate too, their negative habits and put these in check. The challenge is to have human resource officers updated with these latest trends under this generation and set preparations in place.

Millennials, fortunately, are very emphatic and possess a very intuitive nature.

Studies have shown that millennials work to live and not the other way around. This means that millennials know what they want and what they deserve.

By Internet research counts, 75,000,000 millennials are preparing to join the workforce and sure enough human resource officers need to be equally prepared.

Jose Tiburcio S. Canlas is a student of Doctor of Business Administration at the Ramon V. Del Rosario College of Business of De La Salle University. He finished his Master of Business Administration from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business. He currently runs his own accounting and management consultancy office and teaches Financial Management and Management Accounting in the Graduate Department of Don Honorio Ventura Technological and State University. He can be reached at jtscanlas@ yahoo.com.

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

‘BANTAY BATA’ PARTNER. ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation

Inc.’s Bantay Bata 163 teams up with Filipino technology brand Starmobile to power its modernization initiatives to mark the foundation’s 20th year as one of the leading child rescue, protection, and welfare organizations in the Philippines. Sealing the partnership are (from left) Bantay Bata 163 program director Jing Castañeda-Velasco and Starmobile spokesperson Elijah Mendoza.

ICC approves P57-b projects

By Julito G. Rada THE Investment Coordination Committee approved six new big-ticket projects with a combined amount of P57.494 billion.

The projects seek to improve road networks and mobilize financial resources for local government units in Mindanao and help ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, who chairs the committee, said over the weekend the largest amount of P21.194 billion of the new set of approved projects would fund the upgrading of seven gravel roads covering 236.5 kilometers and one 40-km road segment to provide more direct routes and open areas for development in Mindanao.

Dominguez said a project task force was created to monitor the government’s top 75 infrastructure flagship projects worth an estimated P14.989 billion.

The ICC-Cabinet Committee also

approved the procurement of seven maritime helicopters to strengthen and expand the Philippine Coast Guard’s capability to respond to maritime incidents during natural calamities.

The procurement plan, which will also involve the training of pilots and technical crew, purchase of mission equipment, maintenance tools and spare parts, construction of hangars and project management, will cost around P5.887 billion.

To help ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila, the committee approved the construction of the P4.607billion Binondo-Intramuros Bridge and the P1.376-billion Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge.

The Binondo-Intramuros Bridge will involve the construction of a steel bowstring arch bridge with intersecting reclining arches supporting a four-lane deck of about 725 linear meters to connect Intramuros and Binondo through a viaduct over the creek adjacent to the Muelle de Binondo in Manila.

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

B4

MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017

Business

UK prepares for next round of Brexit talks THE UK is seeking to regain momentum in so-far sluggish Brexit negotiations in the hope the European Union won’t delay the start of trade talks beyond October.

The government will this week publish the first of three discussion papers ahead of the next round of negotiations, scheduled to start Aug. 28 in Brussels, Brexit Secretary David Davis’s office said in a statement on Sunday.

The documents―setting out proposals for Northern Ireland and the border with Ireland, continuity on the availability of goods and confidentiality, and access to official documents after Brexit―will seek to prove the UK is ready for talks to advance to the next stage, according to the statement.

Britain is struggling with the negotiations, and the pace has sparked concerns a March 2019 deadline will arrive without a deal being reached. The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, warned EU ambassadors last month that the lack of progress meant talks on the future relationship with the UK, including

a free-trade agreement, may not be possible by the next leader’s summit in October, and may have to be to extended.

“I’ve launched this process because with time of the essence, we need to get on with negotiating the bigger issues around our future partnership to ensure we get a deal that delivers a strong UK and a strong EU,” Davis said. “It’s what businesses across Europe have called on both sides to do and will demonstrate that the UK is ready for the job.”

Barnier has maintained that negotiators must make progress on the rights of EU and British citizens, the border with Ireland and Britain’s exit payment before discussing a trade deal, while Prime Minister Theresa May wants an accord before leaving.

“We’ve been crystal clear that issues around our withdrawal and our future partnership are inextricably linked, and the negotiations so far have reinforced that view,” the Department for Exiting the EU said in the statement released Sunday. “These papers show we are ready to broaden out the negotiations.” AFP

Tainted eggs

US probes China’s copyright rules Tainted W eggs row ASHINGTON― US President Donald Trump will sign a memorandum Monday that could lead to sanctions against China over its intellectual property practices, administration officials said Saturday.

Trump will direct US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to determine whether any Chinese laws, policies or practices discriminate against or harm American innovators and technology companies, the officials said.

If so, Lighthizer would have “broad powers” to seek remedial action.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, bluntly accused China of

“stealing our intellectual property”―long a concern of Western companies seeking a share of the enormous Chinese market.

The new measure comes amid high tensions between Washington and Beijing. Trump has accused China of failing to rein in the nuclear ambitions of its ally North Korea, even as he makes ever sharper threats against Pyongyang.

The officials said that matter, and the trade issue, are not linked.

The process Lighthizer will initiate, under Article 302b of the US Commercial Code, could take as long as a year to yield its findings.

The latest step follows the opening by the Trump administration of several other investigations into Chinese commercial practices, notably in the steel sector.

On Tuesday, Washington announced preliminary sanctions against imports of Chinese aluminum foil.

The US officials said “Chinese commercial policy has a major goal, the ac-

quisition and the absorption of the intellectual property of the United States and other countries around the world.”

“Most Americans are fully aware that China is stealing our intellectual property,” they added. “What they may not know is that China is also forcing and coercing American companies that operate in China to turn over their technologies.”

US officials will particularly examine the role of joint ventures, the mixed foreignand-Chinese companies whose establishment is required for any outside business wishing to sell its products in China.

“China also funds and facilitates the acquisition of US firms that possess advanced technologies,” the officials said.

“If Americans continue to have their best technologies and intellectual property stolen or forcibly transferred off-shore, the United States will find it difficult to maintain its current technology leadership position,” they added.

US and European companies have long

complained of Chinese rules that force them to turn over their industrial secrets if they wish to do business in China.

Apple, which has a turnover of more than $30 billion a year in China, is currently subject to several measures taken

by Beijing that hinder its activities in the country.

The manufacturer of the iPhone was forced in late July to remove certain apps that would have allowed users to circumvent extensive online restrictions imposed by the Chinese government.

Among the other big names in US technology, Facebook and Google are currently sidelined in China. Though they are largely missing out on the giant consumer market, they also fear their technologies being stolen.

Automakers as well as aeronautical giants Boeing and Airbus have been able to enter China via joint ventures, even as the Chinese seek to penetrate global markets. AFP

China tames ‘grey rhinos’ after foreign shopping sprees

By Julien Girault BEIJING, China―“Grey rhinos” have become a hunted species in China, where government regulators are clamping down on powerful private conglomerates amid fears they are racking up dangerous debt levels.

Coined by an American policy analyst, the rhino reference points to long-visible threats that can charge suddenly and wreak havoc, as opposed to unforeseen “black swans.”

In China, it refers in particular to four huge companies with diverse global empires: HNA (aviation, tourism, finance), Fosun (tourism, entertainment), Wanda (real estate, cinema, amusement parks) and Anbang (insurance, luxury hotels).

These are the crown jewels of China’s private sector but are now viewed as a threat to financial stability.

Their voracious acquisitions include Fosun’s takeover of Club Med, HNA’s stakes in Deutsche Bank and Hilton hotels, Anbang’s purchase of New York’s historic Waldorf Astoria, and Wanda’s control of Hollywood studio Legendary Entertainment and 20 percent of the Atletico Madrid football club.

According to data provided to AFP by analytic firm Dealogic, they spent a combined $83.3 billion on overseas mergers and acquisitions since 2013.

China had long encouraged the buying frenzies but has reversed course, and it emerged in June that regulators were investigating potentially risky loans to these companies.

“It was absolutely predictable.

The debt level was growing way too rapidly,” Christopher Bald-

ing, an economics professor at Peking University, told AFP. “We expected these problems to pop up even if we didn’t know the specific companies they were going to pop up with.”

He adds that the investments were “putting a lot of pressure on the currency,” even if the debts remain difficult to evaluate.

Other analysts concur that the change of tack can be attributed to currency trends.

“When they were encouraging outward investment, the renminbi (yuan) was appreciating at that time,” Anne Stevenson-Yang, the head of J Capital Research, told AFP. “Now there is depreciation pressure, and that changes things.”

Political connections As the pioneers of Chinese soft power overseas, HNA, Fosun, Wanda and Anbang were considered untouchable because of their political connections.

For example, Wanda CEO Wang Jianlin, one of the country’s wealthiest men, is a past delegate to the Communist Party congress, China’s most important political event, while Anbang president Wu Xiaohui married a granddaughter of former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping.

But the winds have shifted.

Authorities now appear to be concerned about the influence of these conglomerates, their mazes of subsidiaries and debt, and their capacity to trip up the Chinese economy.

Grey rhinos are “creatures of the 2009 expansion” fed by government stimulus measures in response to the 2008 financial crisis, Stevenson-Yang said.

“They didn’t really have core competencies. They fed off the

File picture taken on February 18, 2016 shows the HNA logo on a building in Beijing. AFP

The Anbang building in Beijing. AFP

stimulus and connections with all-important political figures to make that happen,” she said.

“In other words, these companies are seen as diverting the nation’s hard currency money supply and threatening to impair the nation’s global prestige, the currency’s value sustainability and monetary policy flexibility.”

There have been indications since July of mounting government pressure.

Wanda has announced the sale of 77 of its hotels and 13 tourism projects to Chinese real estate developers Sunac and R&F properties for a whopping $9.3 billion.

Beijing has also ordered An-

bang to sell all of its overseas assets, according to Bloomberg.

Falling investments Late last year, Beijing warned of “irrational” acquisitions abroad, particularly in sports, entertainment and real estate.

The entire private sector has suffered the consequences. The only companies still permitted to make overseas investments are firms “supporting the real economy” or working with new technologies.

“How do you define irrational? No one knows,” Ivan Han, a Shanghai-based analyst for the financial information provider Morning Whistle, told AFP. “The government is basically approving the deals one by one.

It is like we are back in the period of planned economy.”

Accordingly, Chinese nonfinancial sector overseas investment plummeted 46 percent in the first half of 2017.

“This is going to be a longterm turnaround,” especially because “few companies have demonstrated their ability to effectively manage these international acquisitions by creating synergies,” said ACAPITAL founder Andre Loesekrug-Pietri.

Private companies have “become more cautious and conservative and most of them are taking a watch-and-see attitude,” Han said.

“It’s a period of chaos.”

Against this backdrop, staterun groups may fare better, Balding said.

Yet these companies may suffer from the same vices―illusions of grandeur and colossal debt―as “even Chinese regulators don’t know what debt level most companies have.” AFP

spreads to Hong Kong

BRUSSELS, Belgium―A scandal involving eggs contaminated with insecticide spread to 15 EU countries, Switzerland and as far away as Hong Kong on Friday as the European Commission called for a special meeting on the growing crisis.

Ministers and food safety chiefs from around the European Union are set to meet on September 26 in a bid to get countries to stop “blaming and shaming” each other over the scare involving the chemical fipronil.

Millions of eggs have been pulled from supermarket shelves across Europe and dozens of poultry farms closed since the discovery of fipronil, which can harm human health, was made public on August 1.

The issue has sparked a row between Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, the three countries at the epicenter of the crisis, about how long they knew about the problem.

“Blaming and shaming will bring us nowhere and I want to stop this,” Vytenis Andriukaitis, the European Commissioner for health and food safety, told AFP as he announced the meeting.

“We need to work together to draw the necessary lessons and move forward instead.”

European Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said that “this is not, let’s be clear, a crisis meeting” and it is being held next month to get “distance to the events”.

Fipronil is commonly used to get rid of fleas, lice and ticks from animals but is banned by the European Union from use in the food industry.

The EU insists there is no threat to human health, but the World Health Organization says that when eaten in large quantities it can harm people’s kidneys, liver and thyroid glands.

Brussels said the 15 affected EU countries were Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Sweden, Britain, Austria, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Denmark, along with non-EU Switzerland. AFP

LGUs

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

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017

C1

MADE IN NAVOTAS. Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, BFAR Director Eduardo Gongona, Magdalo Rep. Garry Alejano, Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco and Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco pull the ship’s rope to officially launch the journey of MMOVs ‘Lapu-Lapu’ and ‘Francisco Dagohoy’ as among the fleet that will protect the country’s waters against poaching and perform seaborne research activities and disaster relief and rescue operations. Jun David

Manila unveils COPD ward at Tondo hospital

By Bill Casas

W

ITH lung illnesses remaining one of the top killer diseases in the country, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada has opened a new healthcare service at the city-run Ospital ng Tondo devoted to treating Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Estrada said the hospital’s new pulmonary program is timely as COPD prevalence in the country remains significantly higher compared to the rest of the world, with one in five Filipinos afflicted with the life-threatening disease.

“COPD is fatal, especially if left undetected and untreated, so I opted to put up a specialized service at the Ospital ng Tondo to provide free and quality treatment to poor Manileños,” Estrada said.

COPD is a term used to describe progressive lung diseases including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, refractory (nonreversible) asthma, and some forms of bronchiectasis. This disease is characterized by increasing breathlessness.

After being briefly hospitalized in December 2016 for asthma attacks, Estrada has since stopped smoking. At 80, the mayor remains in the pink

of health, constantly urging Manileños to stop smoking and start a healthier lifestyle.

Estrada tasked Dr. Isaias Cando Jr., director of Ospital ng Tondo (OsTon), to see to it that underprivileged Manileños receive the best treatment and medication concerning COPD. “Thanks to Mayor Estrada, Oston now has specialized service sa pulmonary. We now have lung specialists to handle COPD cases,” Cando said.

The city government, he added, has also provided funds for the procurement of pneumococcal vaccine.

“We advise, whether young or old, to take a shot of this vaccine.

This is single shot good for three or five years and we’re offering it for free,” Cando said.

Citing latest figures from the Philippine Council for Health

Research and Development (PCHRD), Cando said 14 percent of Metro Manila’s population suffer from this debilitating illness, which is on the “high side” considering that the COPD prevalence rate in other countries is only about 10 percent.

At OsTon, he said most of COPD-related cases they treat are “community-acquired” pneumonia, infecting elder citizens aged 50 to 90.

“COPD commonly affects senior citizens because of the age factor, their lowered immune system, and being exposed to unfriendly environment like congested community, and with people na meron na silang sakit but are not treated because they do not consult,” Cando explained.

On the average, OsTon admits three to four COPD patients weekly, he added.

Estrada hands out P5-m biz aid for poor MANILA Mayor Joseph Estrada has released more than P5.54 million in capital assistance fund in his continuing commitment to aid indigent families and aspiring entrepreneurs put up their own livelihood.

In ceremonies at the city hall, Estrada handed P5,000 each to 1,109 Manileños, the latest batch of beneficiaries of the Capital Assistance Program that he started back in 2013.

“With this small amount, we hope to help you establish your own source of income. Who knows? Maybe some of you will become truly successful businessmen someday,” Estrada told the beneficiaries.

CAP is a livelihood initiative that provides cash loans to eligible poor individuals or families to help them pursue small businesses or any income-generating activities.

The loan is payable from six to 10 weeks with no interest or collateral.

With a soft heart for the poor, Estrada said it is his wish for every poor Manileño to be able

Fratmen bully, beat Pangilinan grandson

A GRANDSON of Senator Francis the head] every time they see him. He “Kiko” Pangilinan was bullied and was recruited by the fraternity with the beaten up by members of the Tau promise that they will never hurt him.

Gamma Phi fraterHe joined the frat nity inside Adambut the group did not son University on stop,” Marissa added.

Aug. 7, the student’s The office of Senamother said. tor Pangilinan could Robert Pangilinot be reached for nan, 18 and a third comment at presstime. year Hotel ManageAccording to one ment student at Adof Pangilinan’s teachamson, told agents ers, Robert is a good of the National Bustudent with high reau of Investigation grades and was very that the frat mem- Robert Pangilinan (left) and jolly, until the frat bebers beat him up Senator Francis Pangilinan. gan bullying him, the while other students mother added. watched. He managed to run away, “Wala naman kami magagawa dito sa said Pangilinan’s mother Marissa. school, at malimit nangyayari pag-bully ng Robert said the frat members had mga Tau Gamma dito. Better magpahinga been harassing him since last year. muna at lipat na lang siya ng school. We “They always bullied him, binabatu- also fear for his life (We can’t do anything kan ng mga members [hit at the back of Turn to C2

Makati to sue 2 wire suspects

‘MISISKOLAR.’ Employees of Grab Philippines welcome the participants to the first series of the

Grab Academy for Wives called ‘Grab Misiskolar’ at the Megatent in Libis, Quezon City. Wives of Grab drivers were provided with entrepreneurial and financial literacy programs to aid them in handling and growing their money while their husbands drive for Asia’s leading ride-hailing and mobile payments transport system. Manny Palmero

Andanar vows to boost national-LGU info network

By Dexter A. See LINGAYEN, Pangasinan— Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin M. Andanar vowed to strengthen the information network of the national government with local government units.

This move, Andanar said dur-

ing his visit here on Aug. 11, seeks to effectively cascade the public policies and reform agenda of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte through establishing rapport with information officers of LGUs. In meeting executives of regional and provincial offices of national government agencies, chief executives of LGUs and their information

to stand on their own feet and not rely on government dole outs to survive in life.

“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime,” he said, quoting the famous Chinese proverb.

The 1,109 beneficiaries, who were first-time applicants in the program, came from the city’s six districts and Baseco Compound in Port Area, according to Nanet Tanyag, head of the Manila Department of Social Welfare.

With the P5,000 loan, the beneficiaries may start backyard businesses such as eateries, small barber shops, beauty parlors, sari-sari stores, manicurepedicure, small-scale vending, and similar ventures that require only minimal capital.

Through free lectures and trainings, the beneficiaries are also taught the rudiments of business management and operation to effectively run their community-based businesses, Tanyag said. Bill Casas

officers, Andanar expressed elation for the overwhelming response of Pangasinan leaders in his first official visit to the province.

“I really appreciate your presence. Makakarating kay President Duterte ang suporta ng Pangasinan,” Andanar said, as he lauded the Espino brand of leadership, particularly in public management.

The Cabinet secretary cited Pangasinan as second to Davao City, where President Duterte served as local chief executive for a long time, in terms of “public management.”

Prior to meeting representatives from the bureaucracy at the Provincial Training and Development Center in Lingayen, Andanar paid a courtesy call on Governor Ama-

do I. Espino, III at the Provincial Capitol building.

Leading the officialdom of Pangasinan in welcoming Andanar, Governor Amado Espino III said the visits of Cabinet secretaries in the province had been opportunities where the Cabinet officials communicate the national administration’s development agenda to Pangasinenses.

THE city government of Makati is set to press charges against two male suspects who were arrested for stealing lamppost wires along Kalayaan Avenue and Jupiter St. near Manila South Cemetery on Thursday by a joint team of local police and village watchmen.

Makati Mayor Abby Binay has ordered the city Legal Department to coordinate with the Makati Police Department to expedite the prosecution of the suspects for violating Republic Act No. 7832, also known as the Anti-Pilferage of Electricity and Theft of Electric Transmission Lines/Materials Act of 1994.

The police have identified the suspects as Mark Gil Seno Gonzalez, 27, single and with address at 7177 J.B. Roxas St., Barangay Olympia, and 37year old Gerry Hondrada Demalgen, married and jobless, residing at Manila South Cemetery.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

Manila

Standard MONDAY, C2 TODAY AUGUST 14, 2017

Piñol vows to rehab mango industry

By Dexter A. See

L

INGAYEN, Pangasinan—Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” F. Piñol has vowed his department will exert all efforts and use all resources to rehabilitate the Philippine mango industry.

The Department of Agriculture chief affirmed his commitment before some 700 participants of the Luzon Mango Stakeholders’ Forum on Friday at the Sison Auditorium.

Participated in by mango farmers and mango growers in differ-

ent areas of Luzon, the whole-day forum is the second in the four scheduled mango industry summits in the country to include the just-concluded summit in Davao and the upcoming summits in Cebu and Guimaras this month.

Stressing that Pangasinan is

among the biggest mango producers if not the largest, Gov. Amado “Pogi” I. Espino III earlier said the provincial government will work together with the national government to further the cause of improving the status not just of the mango industry but the agriculture sector.

Based on previous reports ,38 percent of the total mango production in the country comes from Pangasinan.

Reiterating the need to unite and come-up with the first five-year roadmap for the country’s Philippine mango development, Piñol stressed that solutions must be considered to achieve the needed growth for Phil-

ippine mango industry.

In addition, the agriculture czar also said that aside from strengthening the programs and projects for mango industry, the national government will seriously undertake the fact that “no importation” will be made if farmers can produce sufficient products specifically rice.

The national government, Piñol added, has also set its sights on finishing all farm-to market-roads projects to further boost agriculture being the main industry in the country.

Various topics were tackled during the forum such as the Philippine Mango Industry Situ-

ation: Supply and Demand, Issues and Concerns, Initiatives and Mindanao Resolutions; Post Harvest Applications for Mango to Extend Shelf Life; Best Mango Production Technology and Cultural Practices Mindanao Experience: Management Aspect and Testimonies; Demand of Fresh Mangoes for Processing; Demand of Fresh Mangoes for Export; Sanitary and Phytosanitary Issues on Mango Exportation; DA Credit Programs on Mango Fruit Production Crop Insurance; Update on Philippine Rural Development Project Programs Regarding Mango Development;

Best Mango Production Technology and Cultural Practices Isabela Experience: Management Aspect.

During the forum, the draft of the five-year National Mango Rehabilitation and Development Plan was presented.

Another highlight of the event was the signing of resolutions by industry leaders and turnover of signed copy of the resolution to the agriculture department.

Among the invited guests were Pangasinan 4th District Rep. Christopher V. P. de Venecia, DA Undersecretary Evelyn G. Laviña, DA Regional Director Lucrecio R. Alviar, among many others.

Fratmen...

From C1 inside the school. Bullying frequently happens here.

Better for Robert to rest and transfer to another school],” said the teacher, who requested anonymity.

The family has tried to contact the college dean, but until now the school has not responded, Marissa said.

Cases of grave threat and serious physical in jury will be filed against Tau Gamma Phi members Ar-Jay Bryce (Grand Triskelion head), Flip Qrnt (Deputy Grand Triskelion), Gab Ylagan (Defense), Daniel Roman (Defense 8), Alvem Bim, Justine Barrameda and Andrew Joseph Ruiz (Information), Em Lanaria, Kenneth Flores (Scroll), Jasbert Noscal, Ferds Elemancil, Levi Giana (CGC), Geeboy Dela Cruz, Marco Sarmiento (Master initiation), Louis Andalio (Master initiation), and John Christopher Domingo.

NBI Head Agent Palmer Mallari promised to investigate the matter immediately.

“We beg the Adamson community to help us on this case, our son is not the only one who is bullied and threatened by these frats. There is no brotherhood and camaraderie,” said Marissa.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE EX-OFFICIO SHERRIF QUEZON CITY REAL BANK (A Thrift Bank), Inc. Mortgagee, -versus-

FRE NO. 11772

SPS. ELEAZAR S. TEOVISIO AND JUDITH B. TEOVISIO Mortgagor/s x-----------------------------------x

on the N.W., along line 1-2 by Lot 4, of Blk. 3, of the cons. subd. plan. on the NE., along line 2-3 by Road Lot 3, (6.00-7.00 m. wide), of the cons. subd. plan. on the SE., along line 3-4 by Lot 11 (Alley), of Blk. 3. of the cons. subd. plan. along line 4-1 by Lot 1, of Blk. 3. of the cons. subd. plan. xxx containing an area of EIGHTY SEVEN SQ. M. & SEVENTY FIVE SQ. DECIMETERS (87.75).

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned at the aforesaid office on the above stated date and time.

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE OF REAL PROPERTY Interested parties are hereby UNDER ACT 3135 enjoined to investigate for themselves the title to the said (AS AMENDED) UPON extra-judicial petition under ACT 3135, as amended

by ACT 4118 and pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Deed of Real Estate Mortgage executed on OCTOBER 11, 2010

by SPS. ELEAZAR S. TEOVISIO AND JUDITH B. TEOVISIO. –B-3 L2 Ivory Executive Homes, West Fairview, Quezon City/Blk. 20 Lot 74 Percentage St., BIR Village, Quezon City, Mortgagors in favor of REAL BANK (A Thrift Bank), Inc. Mortgagee, to satisfy the mortgage debt in the amount of Php 926,611.23 as of May 20, 2017 principal, interest, penalty and other charges together with all the lawful fees and expenses of foreclosure sale, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City and/or his duly authorized Deputy Sheriff, hereby announces that on August 30, 2017 between the hours of 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Office of the Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Sheriff, Regional Trial Court, Hall of Justice Bldg., Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City, will sell thru public auction to the highest bidder for cash, in Philippine Currency, the following described real property/ ies with all the improvements existing thereon, to wit:

property/ies and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

In the event that public auction should not take place on said date due to fortuitous event or if the same be declared a nonworking holiday, it shall be held on September 6, 2017 at the same time and place without further notice.

Quezon City, Metro Manila, July 27, 2017.

(Sgd.) EDGAR R. LUCAS Sheriff IV (Sgd.) GREGORIO C. TALLUD Clerk of Court VII and Ex-Officio Sheriff

JOB MARKET. About 2,140 jobseekers flock to Caloocan City Hall, optimistic they will land a job in one of the vacancies from 95 companies, including five overseas employers. City Mayor Oscar Malapitan has ordered the Public Employment Services Office to lead the Jobstart this month. Jun David

N. Vizcaya allots P17m for Bagabag hospital

By Ben Moses Ebreo BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—The provincial government here has allotted P17 million for the construction of another hospital in Bagabag town.

Gov. Carlos Padilla said the fund is part of the P30-million capital outlay budget set aside for the construction of health centers by the provincial government since last year to ensure the realization of Bagabag Infirmary Hospital

along the national highway in barangay Baretbet in Bagabag town, another local government unit-managed hospital in the province.

“The construction of another hospital in the province’s northern part will bring the much – needed medical services closer to our villagers,” Padilla said.

He said the fund will be used for the construction of the hospital building and other required infrastructure facilities.

Padilla said they are just waiting for

the permit to construct requirement from the Department of Health to start the construction of the additional medical facility in the province this year.

Dr. Edwin Galapon, Provincial Integrated Health Officer said the DoH is also set to provide funding assistance for the hospital’s internal medical facilities and equipment.

“This will be an infirmary hospital which will provide hospital services to our villagers in our province’s northern portion,” he said.

Cops die escorting drug surrenderers

WARNING: It is absolutely prohibited to remove, deface or Destroy this Notice of Sheriff’s Sale on or Before the date of the auction sale under penalty of the law.

Copy Furnished:

ATTY. APRIL TURQUEZAPABELLAR 2nd Floor Victoria Towers TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF 77 Panay Ave., cor. Timog Avenue Barangay Paligsahan, Quezon City TITLE NO. N-205375Registry of Deeds-Quezon City SPS. ELEAZAR S. TEOVISIO A parcel of land (Lot 2, Blk. 3, AND JUDITH B. TEOVISIO of the cons. subd.plan Pcs-00- B-3 L2 Ivory Executive Homes, 006843, being a portion of Lot West Fairview, Quezon City.

790-B-1-C-2, Psd-04-004096, & Lot 790-B-2-, (LRC) Psd-156-49, Blk. 20 Lot 74 Percentage St., BIR L.R.C. Rec. No. 5975), situated Village, Quezon City in the Brgy. of Sta. Lucia, Quezon (MS-July 31, Aug. 7 & 14, 2017) City, M. Mla. Is. of Luzon. Bounded D-1-F, (LRC) PSD-23130; AND 2-F1-, (LRC) PSD-3375, LRC REC. NO. 5975), SITUATED IN BRGY. (TALIPAPA) TANDANG SORA, QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA, ISLAND OF LUZON. BOUNDED ON THE NORTH ALONG LINE PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK, 1-2 BY LOT 15 BLK. 6; ON THE Mortgagee, EAST., ALONG LINE 2-3 BY ROAD LOT 6; ON THE SOUTH., -versusFRE NO. 11771 ALONG LINE 3-4 BY LOT 17; AND ON THE WEST., ALONG LINE 4-1 ERWILO DELA CRUZ married to

BY LOT 27, BOTH OF BLK. 6, ALL MA. NATIVIDAD A. ROXAS OF THE CONS-SUBD. PLAN XXX Mortgagor/s CONTAINING AN AREA OF ONE x-----------------------------------x HUNDRED FIFTY (150) SQUARE METERS, MORE OR LESS. NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL All sealed bids must be submitted SALE OF REAL PROPERTY to the undersigned at the aforesaid UNDER ACT 3135 office on the above stated date and (AS AMENDED) time.

Interested parties are hereby UPON extra-judicial petition to investigate for under ACT 3135, as amended enjoined themselves the title to the said

by ACT 4118 and pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Deed of property/ies and the encumbrances Real Estate Mortgage executed on thereon, if any there be.

In the event that public auction MAY 29, 2014 by ERWILO DELA CRUZ married to MA. NATIVIDAD should not take place on said A. ROXAS. –No. 8 Riosa Zytex date due to fortuitous event or Compound, Pasong Tamo, if the same be declared a nonTandang Sora, Quezon City/Blk working holiday, it shall be held on 6, Lot 10, Greenhills, Greenview September 6, 2017 at the same Royale Exec. Village III, Talipapa, time and place without further Tandang Sora, Quezon City, notice.

Mortgagors in favor of PHILIPPINE Quezon City, Metro Manila, July SAVINGS BANK, Mortgagee, to 28, 2017. satisfy the mortgage debt in the amount of Php 2,878,463.93 as of June 7, 2017 plus accruing (Sgd.) CECILIA S. BAÑEZ interest, penalty and other charges Sheriff IV together with all the lawful fees and expenses of foreclosure sale, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of the Regional (Sgd.) GREGORIO C. TALLUD Clerk of Court VII and Trial Court of Quezon City and/or his duly authorized Deputy Sheriff, Ex-Officio Sheriff hereby announces that on August 30, 2017 between the hours of WARNING: It is absolutely prohib9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Office ited to remove, deface or Destroy of the Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio this Notice of Sheriff’s Sale on or Sheriff, Regional Trial Court, Hall Before the date of the auction sale under penalty of the law. of Justice Bldg., Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City, will sell thru public auction to the highest bidder Copy Furnished: for cash, in Philippine Currency, the following described real property/ ATTY. CONSTANTINO L. REYES ies with all the improvements 4th Floor PSBank Centre Bldg., No. 777 Paseo de Roxas Ave., existing thereon, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF cor. Sedeño St., Makati City TITLE NO. N-004-2014003461 ERWILO DELA CRUZ ROXAS Registry of Deeds-Quezon City married to MA. NATIVIDAD A. A PARCEL OF LAND (LOT 16, ROXAS BLK. 6, OF THE CONS-SUBDN. No. 8 Riosa Zytex Compound, PLAN PCS-007404-004328-D. Pasong Tamo Tandang Sora, BEING A PORTION OF THE Quezon City CONS. OF LOTS 2, (LRC) PCS- Blk 6, Lot 10, Greenhills, 15879; 784-C-3-B-2, (LRC) PSD- Greenview Royale Exec. Village III, 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)

Galapon said the hospital will also boost the health services of the DoH and concerned local government units considering the growing number and proximity of patients from northern towns needing hospital services.

“This will also unclog hospitals of the growing number of patients needing medical treatment, especially during peak hospital season. Most of our hospitals here need to accommodate patients even beyond their capacity,” he said.

By Manilyn B. Ugalde

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE EX-OFFICIO SHERRIF QUEZON CITY

‘TUPAD’ IN GENTRI. Cavite 6th District Rep. Luis ‘Jon Jon’ Ferrer IV takes a groufie with the beneficiaries of the Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Ating Disadvantage Workers program of the Department of Labor and Employment during the distribution day Friday at Pinatipunan covered court in General Trias City. Ferrer facilitated the allocation of funds for the Cavite 6th District. Also in photo is GenTri Councilor Jonas Labuguen.

VIGA, Catanduanes—Two policemen in a responding mission of an ambushed two police patrol cars carrying drug surrenderers were killed in a more than an hour fierce gun battle with a heavily armed New People’s Army rebels in an isolated Sagrada Village here on Thursday. Four others were reportedly wounded.

A police report said the ambushed patrol cars in convoy with four escort policemen hit an improvised explosive device, however, with the patrol cars managed to escape the ambush site while returning fire to locate a signal to report the ambush.

A driver-policeman and two drug surrenderers were wounded by shrapnel during the ambush.

Killed among the responding police team were Police Officer 1 Eva Torcelino and PO3 Joseph Tupue. The wounded are Viga police chief Senior Police Inspector Ernesto Montes Jr. and SPO1 Marwin de Vera. The

two-wounded drug surrenderers remain not identified.

Montes who was hit by a bullet at the back was treated at the Viga Municipal Hospital and was pronounced by doctors out of danger.

The police report said the ambush occurred at 11:30 in the morning while the convoy patrols cars were on the way to the capital Virac town carrying 10 drug surrenderers. Viga to Virac is 50 kilometers in distance. It was around 1:30 p.m. when responding policemen led

by Montes engaged the rebels in a fierce firefight with the rebels that lasted for more than an hour killing PO1 Torcelino and PO3 Tupue and the wounding of Montes.

The police report said that following the ambush, SPO1 De Vera who was immediately hit by a shrapnel while driving the lead patrol car ordered and managed to escape the ambush site as they return fire to get a signal some 15 kilometers more to negotiate an escalating zigzag road towards Barangay Summiit.

SC upholds closure of Baguio’s Rillera building BAGUIO CITY—The Second Division of the Supreme Court affirmed the previous rulings of the Court of Appeals that upheld the decision of a lower court dismissing the petition of the Hilltop Market Fish Vendors Association against the local government against the closure of the Rillera building, popularly known as the fish section of the market vendors, for lack of merit.

The SC decision, which was received

by the city last Aug. 4, said “We deny the petition. We affirm the decision dated November 27, 2008 and the resolution dated May 15, 2009 of the court of appeals.”

Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said since the contract has already commenced, Hilltop has been occupying the Rillera building even after the termination of the lease period. The contract of lease provides the period of lease is 25 years and it is renewable for the same

period at the option of both parties.

Based on the proceedings of the Regional Trial Court, Hilltop started occupying the area in 1974 and 25 years have lapsed without the parties renewing the contract which is already deemed terminated.

Thus, Baguio City is justified in taking over the Rillera building being its owner under the contract of lease.

The SC said “a reciprocal contract like a lease the period must be deemed

to have been agreed upon for the benefit of both parties, absent language showing that the term was deliberately set for the benefit of the lessee or lessor alone. The continuance, effectivity and fulfillment of a contract of lease cannot be made to depend exclusively upon the free and uncontrolled and no equality exists between the lessor and lessee since the life of the contract would be dictated solely by the lessee.” Dexter A. See

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

World Kasparov returns to game he loves ST. LOUIS―In a move electrifying the world of chess, former world champion Garry Kasparov is coming out of a 12-year retirement Monday to take on a new generation of players who have long worshiped him as the closest thing to a “chess god.”

Kasparov utterly dominated the sport from 1985 to 2000.

Since his withdrawal from a tournament in Linares, Spain in March 2005, the Russian’s absence has left many chess fanatics feeling orphaned.

So there was considerable surprise when he agreed to play in the new Rapid and Blitz tournament in St. Louis, Missouri, which follows closely after the annual Sinquefield Cup competition, a major stop on the world tour, in the same city on the Mississippi River.

Kasparov, who became the youngest world champion ever at age 22 in 1985, is now 54, more than a decade past the age when professional chess players typically retire.

From Monday to Saturday, the Russian will put aside the business that has kept him busy in retirement-his vocal and determined opposition to President Vladimir Putin―to play against some of chess’s big guns, like fellow Russian Sergey Karjakin.

The world’s current No. 1 player, Magnus Carlsen of Norway, will not be there, however.

Still, the return to competition of the Azerbaijan-born Kasparov -- a man once dubbed the “Beast of Baku,” whose epic clashes with Anatoli Karpov are part of chess legend -- has had an explosive impact in the chess world, particularly in St. Louis.

“Everyone is talking about it,” American chess grandmaster Alejandro Ramirez told AFP. “People are flying from India and China to see this dude play.”

Kasparov’s long and “unparalleled” dominance of the chess world made him “a cultural icon,” said Ramirez, a US Open champion who coaches the chess team at Saint Louis University.

The younger generation, which Ramirez sees emerging almost by the day, “certainly looks up to him,” he said. “His contribution to chess theory and our understanding of the game resonate still today.”

But what are Kasparov’s realistic chances after so many years away from the grueling competition of professional chess?

The man himself dodged the question in his only tweet mentioning his comeback: “Looks like I’m going to raise the average age of the field and lower the average rating!” he quipped, in a bit of selfdeprecating humor. AFP

MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017

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1 dead at US far-right rally C

HARLOTTESVILLE―A white nationalist rally erupted into deadly violence Saturday as a car plowed into a crowd while demonstrators and counterprotesters clashed, as President Donald Trump came under sharp criticism for his tepid response.

SUMMER PARTY. Rachel Breitag attends the Chaz Dean Summer Party 2017 Benefiting Love Is Louder on August 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. AFP

The FBI and federal prosecutors have opened a civil rights investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident that killed one woman and wounded 19 in Charlottesville, Virginia.

After Trump was faulted by fellow Republicans for his apparent refusal to criticize far-right hate groups, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said that “when such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated.”

“Justice will prevail,” the top law enforcement official in the country added.

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe had already declared a state of emergency to provide more resources to law enforcement when a sedan surged into a crowd of what witnesses said were counter-demonstrators in the picturesque university town.

Some of the injuries from the car ramming were life-threatening. A 20-year-old from Ohio, James Alex Fields, Jr, has been charged with second degree murder, malicious wounding and hitand-run.

Two responding police officers were killed in a helicopter crash.

There was no immediate indication of foul play.

Another 16 people were treated for other injuries linked to the rally, including from “individual engagements,” Charlottesville police chief Al Thomas said.

Three people were arrested and charged.

Hundreds had descended on Charlottesville either to march in or rail against a “Unite the Right Rally.”

Unrest quickly flared even as

riot police and national guard troops flooded the city’s downtown.

White far-right supporters, some wearing hats with Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan and others in riot gear with shields and batons, faced off against counter-protesters as each side hurled projectiles before overwhelming police officers positioned between them.

State police swooped in with tear gas as one counter-protester who was repeatedly pummeled with sticks and a metal pole was left bleeding profusely.

Many of the far-right supporters brandished Confederate battle flags, considered a symbol of racism by many Americans, while others raised their arms in Nazi salutes.

Anti-racism protesters waved flags from the Black Lives Matter movement, chanting slogans like “We say no to racist fear.”

Ambulances quickly arrived at the scene of the car ramming, which a witness told AFP was “intentional”―saying one girl got “tore up” after the car “backed up and they hit again.”

The violence took place near the University of Virginia, whose founder Thomas Jefferson envisioned a country where “all men are created equal” in the Declaration of Independence he coauthored.

The suspect’s mother, Samantha Bloom, told the Toledo Blade newspaper from Ohio that her son said last week he was planning to attend the “alt-right” rally in Virginia, but she insisted she was unaware of its extremist nature. AFP

Pence tour clouded by threat to Venezuela BOGOTA―US Vice President Mike Pence launches a Latin America tour Sunday that has taken on new significance following President Donald Trump’s threat of a possible “military option” against Venezuela.

The weeklong trip, aimed at coordinating a regional diplomatic action to the political crisis in Caracas, begins in Colombia, a strong US ally that takes hundreds of millions of dollars a year in funding from Washington and which has little liking for leftist Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

The other stops were Argentina, Chile and Panama.

The tour would be dominated

by the crisis in Venezuela and how US “partners and friends” were looking to the “future” regarding that country, while others were stuck in the “past,” a senior US administration official said.

“We’ve been firm in both word and deed against the Maduro regime, and it’s important to get others in the region. And these four countries have, but we want to continue to put the pressure on the Maduro regime,” he told reporters on condition of anonymity.

“We’ll talk to economic options, diplomatic options―every tool that’s available. It’s not only the United States putting forth pressure on Maduro, but that he’s

getting it from all sides of the region as well.”

But, thanks to Trump’s warning on Friday that he was considering various measures to tackle Venezuela “including a possible military option if necessary,” Latin American nations―including those who are scolding Caracas for “breaking democratic rule”―are united against the use of American force.

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru all issued messages rejecting such a step.

For many Latin American countries, bitter memories of past US military adventures in the region have resurfaced as a result -- in-

cluding the 1989 invasion of Panama to topple and capture its leader, Manuel Noriega -- as well as CIA involvement in bloody guerrilla and counter-guerrilla campaigns, and Washington’s propping up of military dictators.

The United States has slapped sanctions on Maduro―an extremely rare punishment against a head of state―as well as two dozen of his officials.

The measures were for the establishment of a new assembly of Maduro loyalists that bypasses the legislature controlled by opposition. The body, which started work this month, has set about clamping down on dissent and op-

position politicians.

With Trump’s threat of possible military action, Maduro’s regime has intensified arguments that the United States is plotting with the opposition to oust the president and grab Venezuela’s oil reserves, the largest in the world.

It also said the threat was not just against it, but against all of Latin America.

“The reckless threat by President Donald Trump aims to drag Latin America and the Caribbean into a conflict that would permanently alter stability, peace and security in our region,” Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza told a news conference on Saturday. AFP

Malls in US confront the Amazon era NEW YORK―As the retail industry churns in the Amazon era, American shopping malls are turning to a new generation of stores, food and entertainment offerings to make up for an exodus of department stores.

Prime mall real estate is increasingly going to players who began online and are graduating to brick-and-mortar, such as plus-size clothing label Eloquii, or stores selling niche items like candy and conflict-free diamonds.

In some cases, these retailers are taking space, literally, from exiting chains like Macy’s.

Other additions include the trendy burger restaurant Shake Shack, and Dave & Buster’s, whose video game and pro-sports viewing restaurants are emblematic of the “experiences, not stuff” mantra now resonant among consumers.

The changes to malls―climatecontrolled beacons to American consumerism that grew rapidly in the latter part of the 20th century―are part of a fundamental industry rethink as e-commerce, led by gargantuan purveyors like Amazon, takes market share and alters consumer expectations.

“This isn’t the same culture as 30 years ago,” said retail industry analyst Dana Telsey, who sees today’s moves as the “early in-

nings” of a multi-year evolution.

Malls will endure because they offer “the excitement of being able to see what’s new,” she told AFP. “It’s a meeting place. It’s an entertainment center.”

“You’re always going to have shopping centers that engage,” said Telsey, chief executive of Telsey Advisory Group.

The changing times are a period of reckoning for hundreds of second-tier shopping centers in a country that experts say has long been “overmalled.”

A January review of 1,070 malls in the US by Green Street Advisors, a real estate research and advisory firm, classified more than 330 malls as “at risk to close” due to declining occupancy, low sales, weak socioeconomic demographics and anchor store vacancies.

“These malls only account for roughly five percent of mall value in the US,” the report said. “Most won’t be missed.”

Many of the most vulnerable malls were built in the 1960s and 1970s with department stores as anchors that attracted enough customers to also support secondary stores.

But stores in malls were often pricier than free-standing shops because of the heavy rents for common costs such as heating,

maintenance and security, said Fred Hurvitz, professor in retail studies at Penn State University’s Smeal College of Business.

The arrival of e-commerce and greater price transparency means malls must compete not only with Amazon for more cost-conscious customers, but with discount chains.

“You’re seeing a whole movement towards any way you can save the customer money, that’s going to make you more viable with the customer,” Hurvitz said.

“Without high traffic levels, the malls die.”

The exodus of retailers means shopping centers that were once hives of activity are hollowed-out shells with a few well-stocked shops surrounded by empty storefronts.

Parking lots that were jammed with cars a few decades ago are now mostly empty seas of asphalt.

“It’s a very depressing place,” Nakul Kumar, an economics professor at Bloomsburg University, said of the Columbia Mall in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, which just lost its J.C. Penney store.

Kumar joined a Planet Fitness gym that opened earlier this year at Columbia Mall in a space formerly occupied by Sears, and he says he hopes that increased traffic from gym members will spur more activity. AFP

RETREAT. Parker Bates , left, and Prestyn Bates, right, with a guest at the Backstage Creations Celebrity Retreat at Teen Choice 2017 - Day 1 at Galen Center on August 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

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MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017

World

SEARCH. Indian army soldiers and rescue personnel look for survivors at the side of a landslide along a highway roughly 200 kilometres (124 miles) from the Himachal Pradesh state capital Shimla on August 12, 2017. At least six people have been killed and dozens more are missing after a massive landslide swept two buses off a hillside into a deep gorge in mountainous northern India, an official said on August 12. AFP

Calls rise to quell protests in Kenya NAIROBI―Kenya’s defeated opposition faced mounting calls at home and abroad to calm their supporters Sunday after claims of election rigging sparked violent protests that left at least 11 people dead.

Odinga’s flash-point strongholds in western Kisumu and Nairobi’s slums were quiet Sunday, with signs life was returning to normal after two days of running battles with police. Officers in some clashes used live ammunition to disperse stonethrowing, tyre-burning residents, with tear gas also fired.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged thwarted presidential candidate Raila Odinga to “send a clear message to his supporters urging them to refrain from violence”, a message echoed by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.

The anger erupted on Friday night after President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the victor by a large margin against his rival Odinga following an election pollsters had described as too close to call.

Odinga’s National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition has insisted their candidate is the rightful winner, saying he was robbed of victory through hacking and manipulation of an electronic vote tallying system.

However calls for them to take their grievances to court, while Kenya’s foreign partners heap congratulations on Kenyatta, have left them isolated and under mounting pressure.

Odinga, 72, a mainstay of the Kenyan opposition since the 1980s, has been silent since his loss was announced, but his party officials have said they will neither back down nor take their grievances to court.

“We will not be cowed, we will not relent,” NASA official Johnson Muthama told reporters on Saturday.

In Nairobi’s Mathare slum, shops and markets slowly began opening and there was no sign of police or protesters Sunday morning.

“We want to hear Raila. We want to hear what he has to say.

It’s him who will guide us. If he tells us to go on the streets, we will go on the streets. If he wants us to stay home, we will stay stay home,” said 25-year-old hairdresser Humpfrey Songole in Mathare. AFP

40 years since the death of ‘the King’ MEMPHIS―Elvis Presley, American icon and King of rock ‘n’ roll, transformed popular culture, sold over a billion records and is idolized as ever on the 40th anniversary of his tragic death.

His Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee―the second most famous home in the United States after the White House―expects more than 50,000 people to descend for the biggest ever annual celebration of his life 40 years after his death aged 42 on August 16, 1977.

Presley is considered the best selling artist of all time, shifting an estimated billion records. In 2016, Forbes ranked him fourth highest earning dead celebrity at $27 million, still moving a million albums.

“He is the only person of modern times who is instantly recognizable throughout the world by his first name,” said British author and artist Ted Harrison, who has written two books about Presley.

“Say ‘Elvis’ in Beijing, Nicaragua, Estonia or Fiji and you get an immediate recognition across language and culture,” he told AFP. His unique voice and style blended R&B, blues, country, gospel and black music, challenging social and racial barriers at the time, and earning him the nickname “Elvis the Pelvis” for his gyrating moves.

Oozing style, charisma and naked sex appeal, he was the fantasy of millions of women and inspired everyone who came after him, from The Beatles to The Rolling Stones to today’s charttopper Bruno Mars.

“Hearing him for the first time

was like busting out of jail,” Bob Dylan has said.

In the late 1960s, the composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein called him “the greatest cultural force in the 20th century.”

Hits such as “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Hound Dog,” “Jailhouse Rock” and “Are You Lonesome Tonight” are instantly recognizable. His music has been reissued and repackaged countless times since his death.

More than 20 million people have visited Graceland, his home for 20 years, after Priscilla, his ex-wife and mother of his only child Lisa Marie, opened it to the public in 1982.

The estate says it pulls in 600,000 visitors a year and contributes around $150 million a year to the Memphis economy.

Neither is it showing any sign of slowing down.

In March, it opened a brandnew $45 million entertainment complex and hotel spread across 40 acres.

Die-hard fans are often moved to tears at his gravesite at Graceland, where he is interred next to his beloved parents, Gladys and Vernon, and grandmother Minnie Mae, covered in flowers, tributes and mementos.

“It gives you that fire,” said Stephanie Harris, 42, from Michigan who sells life insurance.

“His music is transcendent to our generation because there’s nothing like the ‘Hound Dog’ baby.”

In downtown Memphis, home of the blues, you can buy everything Elvis―from Christmas tree decorations to luggage. Cardboard Elvis cutouts greet you outside bars and his music blares out of loudspeakers. AFP

Guam faithful lead prayers as N. Korea deadline looms H

AGATNA—The Catholic faithful in Guam led prayers for peace Sunday in the shadow of North Korea’s missile threat, with the western Pacific island’s archbishop appealing for “prudence” amid an escalating war of words between the US and Pyongyang.

FOR SALE. Various garden statues are set up for sale in Chismena, some 100 km northwest of Moscow, on August 12, 2017. AFP

Pastor home after North Korea ordeal OTTAWA―A Canadian pastor imprisoned in North Korea for more than two years returned home Saturday days after being released, officials said.

Hyeon Soo Lim, 62, was arrested in January 2015 on charges of subversive activities against the North Korean regime, an accusation denied by Ottawa.

Although sentenced to hard labor for life, he was granted “sick bail” following a visit to Pyongyang by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s national security adviser Daniel Jean.

“Today, we join Pastor Lim’s family and congregation in celebrating his longawaited return to Canada,” the foreign affairs ministry said in a press statement.

“Canada has been actively engaged on Mr. Lim’s case at all levels, and we will continue to support him and his family now that he has returned,” it added.

According to local media reports, Lim was flown to a military base in Trenton, some 170 kilometers east of Toronto.

His liberation came at a moment of high tensions between North Korea and the United States. Three Americans remain in the custody of the regime of Kim Jong-Un. Pyongyang has threatened to launch missiles on the island Guam, a strategic US outpost in the Pacific some 3,300 kilometers from North Korea.

US President Donald Trump for his part has promised to rain down “fire and fury” on Kim’s regime.

Lim, who belongs to the Light Korean Presbyterian Church, was considered at the time of his arrest one of the most influential Christian missionaries in North Korea.

He had previously traveled extensively in the country to work in orphanages and hospitals.

But some projects he worked on, including a noodle plant and flour mills, were linked to associates of Jang SongThaek, the purged uncle of leader Kim. Jang was arrested and executed for treason in December 2013. AFP

The largely Catholic territory should pray for a “just resolution of differences, and prudence in both speech and action”, said Archbishop Michael Byrnes, echoing a flurry of international calls for US President Donald Trump to show greater rhetorical restraint.

A “prayers for peace” lunchtime rally in the capital Hagatna drew around 100 people. But despite Guam having become the center of a threatened showdown between the United States and nucleararmed North Korea, many said they were unfazed.

“I am really not scared because if it’s our time to die it is our time to die,” added Sita Manjaras, 62, a retired teacher from Tamuning.

Father Mike Crisostomo said their response to the threat was to have faith and pray.

“This goes to show to the other worlds, to the other nations and the countries, that Guam maybe small, our faith and our trust is big,” he said.

Dora Salazar, 82, who made the 14-kilometer journey from the village of Mangilao for the peace rally, said she was praying for the North’s leader Kim Jong-Un. “We pray that God will touch his heart,” she said.

In response to Trump’s threat of “fire and fury”, North Korea has pledged to have plans ready in a matter of days to launch an “enveloping fire” of missiles towards Guam.

At the island’s main church, the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica, Father Paul Gofigan told the congregation to be prepared in case North Korea does launch its missiles.

“What would you do if you have only 14 minutes left? The thing to do is pray and reflect,” he said “Prioritise your life. This is a wake-up call, no matter what happens”.

Trump has been engaged all week in verbal sparring with the North over its weapons and missile programs, declaring Friday that the US military is “locked and loaded.”

He has told Guam Governor Eddie Calvo that US military was prepared to “ensure the safety and security of the people of Guam.”

While 85 percent of Guam’s 162,000 residents are Catholic, with temperatures hovering around 31 degrees Celsius (88 Fahrenheit) many locals and tourists preferred to head to the beach rather than church.

“No one feels threatened. Should we? Definitely not,” said Australian tourist Kirstie Bridgement.

“Guam is the most protected island. We feel safer than ever.” AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

FOOD

THE JOYCE OF EATING

MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017

JOYCE BABE PAÑARES

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I

HAVE fond memories of old Cubao. My mother would bring me to C.O.D. (at the Araneta Center) every December for its fascinating moving Christmas mannequin play. Weekends will not be complete without a trip to Fiesta Carnival (now Shopwise), where I’d get to try all the rides save for the horror train. And the ultimate spaghetti heaven was Choo Choo Junction (now a BPO across SM Cubao) where an actual miniature train cart would move around the restaurant.

Enjoy your cup of coffee and pastry while playing with almost 50 cats and dogs at Bengal Brew / Wolf & Bear cafe.

From African servals to high-tech KTVs:

As I grew older, Cubao also evolved.

From being the place to be for family gatherings and entertainment, it earned a dark reputation as an area crawling with snatchers and pickpockets. The admonition was to always be careful when riding jeepneys plying along Aurora Boulevard. And in 2013, Aurora-Edsa in Cubao even landed in the Philippine National Police’s top five “hotspots” for street crimes in Metro Manila.

But Araneta Center is now experiencing a renaissance. Simultaneous construction paved the way to modern monoliths envisioned to reshape Quezon City’s skyline. It now houses Novotel Araneta Center, which showcases 417 rooms with world-class amenities.

Kia Theater, which rose from where the old icon, New Frontier Theater, used to stand, has an ultra-modern 2,500 seating capacity, dotted with al-fresco dining establishments around its pe perimeter. At least 10 residential high-rise towers of The Man Manhattan Garden City have al already been completed, with eight more in the pipeline – repre representing one of the biggest residen residential projects in the country.

Cubao has indeed regained its lifestyle destination vibe.

And Aran Araneta Center has become, once again, a food crawl area.

At Karaoke Cab Cafe’s Pop at Manhattan batchoy Parkview, there is no

Araneta Center’s

REBIRTH such thing as too-early-for-videoke.

From 11 a.m. to 5 a.m., that is. It has 22 rooms that can cater to groups as small as five people to as big as 40 people.

Their booze selection is as wide-ranged as their food offerings, which include steamed lapu-lapu, boneless crispy pata, beef adobo, Hawaiian overload pizza, and herbed shrimp pasta. Karaoke Pop’s KTV consultant, Alexander Cruz, said customers could create their own playlist through their tablet-operated karaoke, which he described as “the new generation KTV.” Across Karaoke Pop is Cab Cafe, a portmanteau of the names of the owners Cynthia and Bobby Magalona, who have been in the food business for almost 50 years now. Cab Cafe, which is originally from Bacolod, is famous for its batchoy and desserts such as napoleones and mango pavlova. But for Mark Magalona, who handles the operations of the restaurant’s Manila branches, the best dessert is still the blueberry cheesecake, which is not too sweet and still has hints of saltiness. Cab Cafe also serves Bog’s Brew beers, which are sourced from Negros Island.

This delicious slice of cake is a worthy enough prize for whoever wins a round of Scrabble or Monopoly at Books and Borders.

Books and Borders also opened its fourth branch at Manhattan. “With the advent of technology, we wanted to offer a haven for book lovers. Our earliest customers asked us if we could provide them with board games, and we did. Now, most of them would come here to study first, and the eventually play,” said Nancy Go. The motto ‘study hard, play harder’ applies here, with board games ranging from Monopoly, Scrabble, to oldschool chess.

But perhaps the most fascinating dining option is Bengal Brew/Wolf & Bear – a cafe for cat and dog lovers. “The most important rule here is to respect the animals. Do not force contact with them,” said Denzil Joshua Tan. Customers can

enjoy drinks and pastries while interacting with about 30 cats, including two African servals, and at least 18 dogs – but are discouraged from feeding the animals. “They are on a strict raw chicken diet. We do not serve them cat food or dog food because processed food upsets their digestion,” Tan said.

The old icons of Araneta Center may have long been gone, but the spirit of Cubao lives on – a vibrant spot with a wide range of options for those who would take the time to discover its new nooks and crannies.

For feedback, send comments to joyce.panares@gmail.com

Sisig: A culinary heritage like no other IF THERE’S one thing Filipinos cannot do without at parties, get-togethers, or after-work drinks, it would be sisig.

Sisig, the mouthwatering dish made mainly of pork, pig cheeks, and liver, has become an ever-present dish on the Filipino party table.

In the not-so-distant past, sisig was only considered an appetizer that went extremely well with beer and alcoholic drinks.

Now, many have recognized it as a hearty and flavorful meal in any occasion, at any time of the day. Sisig has become so popular that it was even cited as “arguably the greatest pork dish on earth” by the New York Times.

To share the legacy of this beloved Kampangan dish, Fresh Options collaborated with the Angeles City Tourism Office in hosting the 2017 Sisig Fiesta in Angeles City in Pampanga. The annual Sisig Fiesta, which attracted thousands of foodies, tourists and sisig lovers from all over the country, aimed to make the younger generation appreciate its roots, basic recipe, and food preparation.

The 2017 Sisig Fiesta in Angeles City celebrated and presented a number of variations of the beloved dish, such as (from left) Sisig Paella, Cottage Sisig, and Streetfood Sisig

Fresh Options, the retail arm of the quality meat and meat products producer RDF, co-presented the event to increase public awareness that the humble yet popular sisig has been declared as the unique Intangible Cultural Heritage of Angeles City in February 2017.

The brand’s passion for the festival also stems from the fact that Fresh Options, like sisig, traces its roots to Angeles.

“We’re really passionate to be a part of the Sisig Fiesta because we also started in Angeles City. Our first four stores were in Angeles. In fact, sisig is our best-selling value-added meat,” said Dr. Robert Lo, president and CEO of RDF and Fresh Options. “We, like all Angelenos, are proud of our sisig.”

Dr. Lo explained that, unknown to many, sisig was referred to as manyisig or sour since it was flavored with kalamansi and vinegar. Through the years, sisig evolved into today’s pork-based dish that has been popularized by food stalls and restaurants in Angeles.

But like all comfort food, pork sisig now has other variants such as chicken

and pork sisig. He said that while it was good that people enjoyed sisig enough to experiment with its flavor base, it was also important for the younger generation to appreciate the authentic recipe and flavor of sisig to keep the culinary heritage alive.

To help guests appreciate the rich flavor base of the dish, Fresh Options also held a “Sisig Twisted Recipe” competition, which was participated in by groups made up of family members, friends, spouses or siblings. Teams prepared heirloom sisig recipes and then reinvented them into novel dishes. This unique cooking contest enabled participants to demonstrate the versatility of sisig and to pass on the culinary heritage to the younger generation. ILead won first place with their “Ginataang Pinakbet Sisig,” followed by Kenneth James Larce (second) with his “Stir Fry Pork Sisig with Spicy Hollandaise Sauce” and Koleen Gerdy Romero (third) with “Sisig Balls in Filo Pastry.”

They will be featured in audio visual presentations (AVPs) to be shown in various RDF establishments. The con-

Ginataang Pinakbet Sisig claims the top spot in the Sisig Twisted Recipe competition

test also served as a venue for Fresh Options to support local talent while at the same time emphasizing the need for food innovations. Fresh Options’

principal RDF is known for its various innovative food concepts like Meats & Match, Robbie’s, and ready to heat value-added products.

Life

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MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

Filipino bartender rises for legacy F OUR years ago, Orman Bag-ao was a neophyte in the world of bartending.

Everyone knew he would do great at his craft. He got the skills, perseverance, and passion. But not everyone, himself included, thought that he would be phenomenal.

Orman Bag-ao, Philippine representative to the Global Bacardi Legacy Cocktail competition in Berlin, presents his legacy drink inspired by his journey as bartender.

Orman did not only help put the Philippines in the global cocktail map by representing the country in the Global Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition in Berlin, Germany. His name is also being immortalized in the local bartending scene by his own legacy drink, Rain or Shine.

“At first, I didn’t want to join the competition, because the promotion part is something I was not used to,” Orman shares. “It was my friends who first believed in me and convinced me to give it a shot.”

Typically shy, the Davaoeño showed no signs of becoming a person of marketing and promotion. But everything changed when he was hailed as champion in Bacardi Philippines’ 8th Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition, besting four other finalists. Soon after, he found himself with other 37 bartenders from different parts of the world, representing their respective home countries.

“It’s a big thing for me to meet and be friends with top bartenders from other nations, grow my network, and experience things I would have never had if not because of the competition,” Orman says.

The entire competition wasn’t easy for Orman.

He underwent rigorous preparations and did his assignment. He made an in-depth research about the brand and his concoction, did many tries and revisions before perfecting his signature cocktail drink, and gathered a huge amount of competitive spirit and confidence.

Although Orman failed to clinch the top spot against Ran Van Ongevalle from Belgium, the competition served a different purpose to him, opening new opportunities to improve his craft and expand his world.

“Winning is not the only thing that matters in a competition. It’s the journey that makes it more meaningful. Various seminars and conferences in preparation for the finals taught me a lot about bartending, including the secret to tap the human senses with touch, smell, and taste, which is essential to make drinking experience more satisfying.” Orman explains.

He adds, “My journey in the Global Barcardi Legacy Cocktail Competition has made me a better bartender. I have learned to continue the battle, win or

lose, rain or shine.”

Perhaps it’s destiny that brought Orman to where he is now, which led him to come up with his legacy cocktail drink.

Orman’s own cocktail creation is, in fact, your alltime favorite classic Mojito with a twist. Its ingredients include Bacardi Carta Blanca Light rum, freshly extracted carrot juice, guava juice, mint syrup, freshly squeezed lime and grapefruit bitter. “Mojito is one of the first cocktails I’ve learned during the early years of my bartending career. By adding two key ingredients—guava juice and carrot juice, I have given it a new flavor and experience for cocktail drinkers. I added soda water to carrot juice for a watery mouth feel,” Orman explains.”

More than just a fancy drink, Rain or Shine is a legacy cocktail that symbolizes everyone’s journey in life, including Orman’s. It is a cocktail inspired by a mixture of perseverance, resilience, and passion. He reminisces, “Braving Manila from Davao was not an easy experience. I had to adjust to a lot of things that were new to me. Just like what everyone would do when faced with uncertainties, I needed to keep calm amidst struggles, give my best, and persist. Rain or shine, I persevered.”

Marco Polo’s Signature Iced Tea

The iced tea is poured over green grapes with Elderflower-infused ice cubes Earl Grape Iced Tea

MARCO Polo Ortigas Manila’s ridiculously refreshing and utterly delicious Earl Grape Iced Tea, celebrates its one-year since it satisfied many guests with its good taste.

The modern take on a traditional recipe was first unveiled in the International Iced Tea Day on June 10, 2016. It was the winning drink by Marco Polo Xiamen, as Marco Polo and Niccolo hotels competed on who could make the most unique and refreshing iced tea concoction.

Earl Grey tea was selected for its citrus flavor as it matches perfectly with the grapes. It also re-enforces the link between East and West —like Marco Polo himself—as Earl Grey had been used by the British since the early 19th century to imitate the more expensive types of Chinese tea that was difficult to attain back then.

The amount of care and detail that goes into creating each Earl Grape Iced Tea drink can only be surpassed by its taste. Cold Earl Grey tea provides the base of the beverage and is poured over seedless green grapes and elderflower-infused ice cubes.

The grapes are slightly pressed so the combination of flavors can meld together, completing the thirst-quenching drink hailed by many as the perfect summer refreshment.

Every Earl Grape Iced Tea is presented with a freshly baked lokum or Turkish delight. The sugar-based confection is the perfect accompaniment to the Earl Grape Iced Tea, as it helps to accentuate the various flavors resulting from the beverage.

Guests may experience the refreshing beverage in all hotel dining experiences and through in-room dining. This drink is also available in all Marco Polo and Niccolo hotels.

To know more about the hotel, visit www.marcopolohotels.com.

Follow the Hotel in Facebook at facebook.com/MarcoPoloOrtigasManila or @MarcoPoloManila on Twitter or Instagram.

Ardbeg 10, dubbed as the Ultimate Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, was served during the Ardbeg Day celebration here in Manila.

Ardbeg Day makes a splash in Manila EVERY year, the Islay Festival of Malt and Music takes place in the island home of Ardbeg. During the Festival’s final Saturday, the Distillery traditionally throws open its doors to welcome fans from all over the world to celebrate what is known as Ardbeg Day. In 2012, Ardbeg Day became a global event, enabling the whisky’s passionate international following to take part in a worldwide celebration of all things Ardbeg. And finally, the festivities came to our shores.

Held at Yes Please at the Palace, the Philippines joined the rest of the world for the first time in commemoration of Ardbeg Day and launched the maiden Ardbeg Committee in the Philippines through a private tasting of Ardbeg’s key expressions: Ardbeg 10, Uigeadail and Corryvreckan.

Together with Ardbeg’s brand ambassador, Hamish Torie from the distillery’s Whisky Creation Team, the event featured a VR experience highlighting

the three key expressions and the Ardbeg distillery. Good cheer was abundant with the plethora of guests who were more than ready to revel in the occasion. Ardbeg was served aplenty together with cuisine inspired by the whisky’s home. In an immersive set-up, Ardbeg indeed brought to life the Untamed Spirit of Islay experience to Manila.

Along with the merriment, guests also heralded the numerous accolades of Ardbeg. Being the world’s most highly awarded smoky single malt whisky, Ardbeg has won more than 50 gold and double gold medals in key whisky competitions since 2008. It too was voted ‘Scotch Whisky of the Year’ twice by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible (2008, 2009) and has twice been awarded ‘World’s Best Single Malt’ at the World Whiskies Awards (2010, 2013). In addition, at the 2014 Global Icons of Whisky Awards, Ardbeg’s Mickey Heads was voted ‘Distillery Manager of the Year.’ For the second year running at the International

Whisky Competition, Dr. Bill Lumsden, Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation and Whisky Stocks for Glenmorangie and Ardbeg, was crowned 2017 Master Distiller of the Year.

Ardbeg’s expressions also took the top three spots in Whisky Advocate magazine’s review of the best single malt Scotch whiskies under $100. This year, both Ardbeg Corryvreckan and Ardbeg Uigeadail have been awarded double gold medals at the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The World Whiskies Awards also awarded Ardbeg Corryvreckan “Best Islay Single Malt.”

Truly, its titles were given several toasts last Ardbeg Day. Definitely, the first Philippine leg of Ardbeg Day was of immense success.

A beautiful evening of deep-sea storytelling, in-depth whisky tastings and all things Ardbeg—and it won’t be the last.

Look forward to more exciting events and revelry only from the Ultimate Islay Single Malt Whisky, Ardbeg.

MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017

Journey to love and self-discovery

Top moments to watch

ARIANA S GRANDE’ MANILA CONCERT

GO ON a journey to love and selfdiscovery with Dear Other Self and Northern Lights airing on Star Cinema on SKY Pay-Per-View channel until Aug. 18.

Dear Other Self tells the story of a woman looking to find who she is while deciding between two passions and two loves. Jodi Sta. Maria is Becky, an ordinary woman, who is at a crossroads in her life; to pursue her passion for travel or to feed her ambition of success, which is driven mostly by her desire to support her family.

The movie also stars Xian Lim and Joseph Marco.

in

S

MART Music Live brings Ariana Grande’s Dangerous Woman tour finally to Manila on Aug. 21 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Fans can only expect a grown up Queen Ari music and characterwise.

According to Seattletimes.com, “Grande’s Dangerous Woman Tour pushes the 23-year old in a bolder direction.” Said to be the artist of the moment after showing the world how exactly to bounce back following the horrific Manchester tragedy when she did the tour there, Ariana will continue to spread love and music when she sets foot in Manila.

Track the hashtags #SmartMusicLive and #SmartArianaGrande to find out how to win tickets, perks and privileges related to Ariana’s concert produced by Music Management International (MMI) Live.

Apart from Dangerous Woman, Smart Music Live also brings to Manila Oasis’ Liam Gallagher (Aug. 14); In the Mix featuring 5 Seconds of Summer, Two Door Cinema Club, Dua Lipa, Zara

Larsson, Daya and DNCE (Aug. 17); and Ed Sheeran on Nov. 7.

Here are some of the best moments to look forward to when Ariana takes full control of the Manila concert scene: String of hits. Those who have seen Dangerous Woman have been raving about her fast numbers, those hits that come with the complete package Ariana is known for: power vocals and phenomenal choreography. This is expected to happen when she strings these hits together: “Side To Side,” “Break Free, “ “Into You,.” and “Dangerous Woman.”

Stage visuals. They say expect the works in an Ariana concert… from fireworks to fiery hot dancers and an even hotter choreography.

Pyrotechnics is a staple in Ariana concerts along with laser lights, confetti drops and rising platforms.

Outfit changes. Another concert fixture for Queen Ari are spot-on fashion and costume changes. Expect local celebrities to put on their best impressions of Ariana Grande. The artist’s previous tours are always packed with Hollywood celebrities in the audience so the Manila stop wouldn’t be much different;

GMA Heart of Asia takes viewers to Joseon era

it will have local “stars” in full attendance.

Feminist interlude. Girl power is also one of Ariana’s strong suits. With what happened at her Machester concert and how she was able to epitomize how to rise after such a tragedy with the One Love show and the way she has been getting in touch with

the victims of that horrific act of terror, whether in person or via her social media, definitely adds more to Grande’s feminist causes. Ariana isn’t just growing up in front of her fans these days. She’s showing up to be a role model, not a very common thing to find in pop stars these days.

Winwyn Marquez, early favorite at Miss World PH 2017 MISS World Philippines 2017 pageant promises to be an exciting contest with this year’s highly competitive batch of beauties competing to become the country’s representative at this year’s Miss World pageant.

Kapuso talent Winwyn Marquez and ABS-CBN Sports+Action reporter Laura Victoria Lehmann lead the early favorites during the media presentation of the 35 official candidates held recently at New World Makati Hotel.

Teresita Ssen Marquez, the 25-year-old, daughter of Alma Moreno and Joey Marquez, is in her second national pageant after competing in Bb. Pilipinas 2015 where Pia Wurtzbach finally won on her third try.

The 5-foot-6, Marketing Management graduate of San Beda College finished among the Top 15 and won the Miss Talent, Best in National Costume and “She’s so JAG” 2015 special awards.

Lehmann, a 24-year-old, Psychology major at Ateneo de Manila University and courtside reporter at UAAP games, was first runner up in Bb. Pilipinas 2014.

Other standouts during the press presentation include Cynthia

Three of the early faves for Miss World Philippines 2017: (From left) Teresita Ssen Marquez, Cynthia Thomalla and Laura Victoria Lehmann

Thomalla, a 22-year-old, Tourism student who was crowned Sinulog Festival Queen 2016; Jona Ili Sweett, a 22-year-old, Fil-Australian beauty , student in Hotel and Restaurant Management and Miss Eco-Tourism in Miss Philippines Earth 2015; and Janela Joy Cuaton, a 20-year-old, model from Doha, Qatar who was crowned Mutya ng PilipinasTourism International 2015 and won first runner-up at the Miss Tourism Metropolitan International 2016 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Aside from the Miss World Philippines title, three

other titles are being introduced this year, namely, Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas 2017, Miss Eco Philippines 2017 and Miss Multinational Philippines 2017.

The Miss World Philippines is now headed by Arnold Vegafria after taking over from Cory Quirino who quit as national director of the local franchise in early January. The Miss World Philippines 2017 coronation night will be held at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sep. 3.

Eton Concepcion/ Photos by Edmund Chua

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, August 14, 2017

ACROSS 1 Space, poetically 6 Bloke 10 In the distance 14 Jostle 15 Blarney Stone site 16 Corker 17 TV sets 18 Moved on 19 List detail 20 Worried, plus 22 Suffuses 24 Pen part 25 Ramp alternative 26 Confront boldly 30 Lands, as a fish (2 wds.)

32 Lumber along 33 Most aloof 35 Plant crops 37 Remains undecided 39 Short distance 40 — voce (softly) 42 — Mahal 43 Foot, slangily 46 Bumpkin 47 Auto garage jobs 49 Historical periods 51 Polite blokes 52 Pasture sound 53 Ice cream choice

55 Tritest 60 Teeny bit 61 Shepard or Greenspan 63 Performer on stage 64 Travel on snow 65 Encompass 66 Lettuce 67 “I did it!” (hyph.)

68 House wings 69 Pester DOWN 1 This, in Havana 2 Hoodlum 3 Tramp 4 Neck and neck 5 Gums 6 Media star 7 Made haste 8 Kennel sound 9 Small sizes 10 Cover stories 11 Ahead of the times 12 Sheltered 13 Sugar cane products 21 Tubular pasta 23 Soda fountain treats 25 Percolates 26 Client mtg.

27 Football shoe part

Meanwhile, Northern Lights is about a man (Piolo Pascual) facing his responsibilities as father for the first time and coming to terms with the new man it has made him. Set under the awe-inspiring northern lights of Alaska, Piolo stars with child actor Raikko Mateo and the upcoming leading lady, Yen Santos.

SKYcable and Destiny Cable subscribers can call 418 0000 or their local SKY office, text STARCINEMAPPV to 23662 or visit www.mysky.com.ph/ starcinemappv.

28 Inflected 29 Not common 30 Civil disturbances 31 V-shaped cut 34 Meat market buys 36 Stir-fry pans 38 Pool member 41 Cry of discovery 44 Scandal 45 Summer to summer 48 Sagebrush State 50 Straw hat

52 Investment category 53 Show of anger 54 “Run — Run” 55 Jung or Sagan 56 Desktop picture 57 School near Windsor Castle 58 Pilot’s test 59 Cafeteria tote 62 Dogpatch’s — Abner

FOURTEEN years after Jewel in the Palace, Lee Young Ae returns to free Philippine TV via Saimdang: Soulmates Across Time. She plays the role of a Korean art history lecturer named Jillian, who dreams to land on a faculty position in a university.

Jillian was introduced to the audience last Wednesday as a successful academic whose thesis about the Geumgangsando painting is paving the way to becoming a professor. With her life going according to plan, how can a painting from centuries ago take all of that away from her?

She questions Geumgangsando painting’s authenticity after her mentor found it, provoking him to sabotage her career.

But Jillian will stand her ground and will become motivated to prove her credibility. She then leads herself into a more thorough research and finds the diary of Shin

Korean star Lee Young Ae in "Saimdang"

Saimdang: the greatest woman artist of the Joseon era. She will discover Saimdang’s secrets that link to present time.

What would Shin Saimdang’s diary reveal to Jillian? How will this affect her research and the events that surround her?

Saimdang: Soulmates Across Time airs Monday to Thursday after I Heart Davao on GMA-7.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017

With competition becoming fiercer…

KAPUSO brings back

VIGILANTE.

Dingdong Dantes reprises his role in the second season of 'Alyas Robin Hood"

‘ALYAS ROBIN HOOD’ ISAH V. RED

T

HERE’S no doubt, the Kapuso network is feeling susceptible to the fluidity in the ratings these days, with the competition getting tighter and stiffer, especially in the primetime block. Neither of the competing networks is conceding defeat in the ratings game, while adhering to separate data providers that obviously try to please their respective subscribers.

But, whichever way the networks go in their firm belief that either of them is the dominant network in the country, respectively, both try to field shows they feel will affirm their belief.

Now, the Kapuso brings back Alyas Robin Hood, calling it the second season of the first that it brandishes as a big hit (although disputed naturally by the fiercest of its competitor).

Naturally, Dingdong Dantes (anointed primetime king by the network) stars, reprising the role (that stirred hordes of netizens calling it a facsimile of the character in Hollywood’s Arrow) he made into an iconic primetime hero.

S a i d Dantes at the press presentation of the primetime series. “Alyas Robin Hood is a much more exciting second season. It picks up where the first season begins. As Pepe de

Jesus, I will have to confront new challenges, new villains, and meet new personalities, including a philanthropist to be played by Solenn Heussaff.”

I asked him if he was ready for a backlash from audience that doesn’t support vigilantism.

“I suppose the writers are careful in that aspect, and my character only challenges the corrupt individuals so that they can be brought into the justice system,” he explained.

Pepe de Jesus, a former vigilante known as Robin Hood, is now a fullfledged lawyer that mostly takes on pro bono cases to help the poor and the oppressed.

Dingdong shares that they’re doubling all their efforts to create a good show. “Kapag sinabi mong part two, whatever you saw last season kailangan mag double up in terms of the drama, the action, sa comedy, total look, production value, double up lahat. Biyaya sa amin na nabigyan kami ng second season kaya dodoblehin namin ‘yung saya na maaaring i-expect nila at gagawin talaga namin ‘yan.”

More than the unexpected kidnapping of his mother, Pepe must now face new battles. A powerful evil force threatens the city, secrets from his past will be revealed, relationships will be torn apart, and shocking revelations will be made.

Now more than ever, Pepe must dig up his past and revive his alter ego—Alyas Robin Hood.

Alyas Robin Hood also stars Andrea Torres as Venus, the love of Pepe’s life and his faithful ally in helping those who are seeking justice; Ruru Madrid as Andres Silang, the geeky adopted son of Emilio (Edu Manzano) who has a secret persona as ‘The Marbleman’; and as one of the leading ladies of Dingdong Dantes, Solenn Heussaff as Iris Lizeralde, the rich high-society ‘it’ girl who will also fall in love with Robin Hood.

Returning for the second season is Jaclyn Jose as Judy, Pepe and Caloy’s loving mother.

Playing a very special role in the series is seasoned actor Edu Manzano as Emilio Albano, a famous and charismatic real estate agent, but underneath that exterior, is a manipulative man with an insatiable desire for power. ***

Edu Manzano as Emilio Albano, a manipulative man with an insatiable desire for power

Solenn Heussaff as Iris Lizeralde, the rich high-society "it girl" who will also fall in love with Robin Hood

Dave Bornea, the young actor who made a mark as Julian Villanueva, the son of Maggie Balbuena (Cheri Gil) and half-brother of Dean (Sid Lucero), returns reprising his role along with Lindsay de Vera (as Lizzy, Pepe’s niece).

Dave said during the press presentation, “I was surprised that I am in the cast of the new season, and I hope that my character would be given more meat in the show. I think, since Julian’s mom and brother had died, he’d be with his dad, the lawyer that put Pepe in jail.”

Bornea’s good looks (he’s an HRM major from a university in Cebu) is

iPhoto

Outstanding UST medical alumnus DR. FILOMENDO Corpus Gapultos was the Most Outstanding Alumnus at the 25th University of Sto. Tomas Medical Alumni Association of Americas Grand Reunion and Medical Convention at Sheraton Wall Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Also in the gathering were Dr. Stella Evangelista, USTMAAA Foundation Executive Director; Rev. Angel Aparicio, Regent UST Faculty of Medicine & Surgery; Rev. Herminio Dagohoy, Rector Magnificus; Drs. Mary Lou Buendia and Ed Cabigao, outgoing and incoming presidents respectively, and Dr. Gerry Flores, chairman of the USTMAAA Awards Committee.

definitely making a lot of young girls swooning when he is onscreen. He is a Starstruck alumnus and a member of One Up, a sing-and-dance group that has been stirring the excitement of young women when it’s performing anywhere.

“I hope the second season of Alyas Robin Hood would open more doors for me as an actor,” he concluded. *** Bringing more action and excitement to Pepe’s life are original and new cast members: Gary Estrada as Caloy, Pepe’s older brother and father of Lizzy; Paolo Contis as Daniel Acosta, a principled

police officer; Jay Manalo as Pablo, the leader of the Kadugo Brotherhood and Emilio’s top assassin; Rey “PJ” Abellana as Leandro, Venus’ father; Gio Alvarez as Jekjek, Pepe’s confidante and best friend; KC Montero as Rigor, a cocky and mean police officer who is also Emilio’s ally; De Vera as Lizzy De Jesus, Pepe’s niece and a supporter of Marbleman; Bornea as Julian Balbuena, a crucial supporter of Marbleman; Rob Moya as Alex Cruz, Daniel’s assistant police officer; Antonette Garcia as Frida, Venus’ snooty yaya; Luri Nalus as Junjun, the odd but endearing man in Venus’ household.

Jake Vargas and Barbie Forteza trace their roots CELEBRATIONS bring more joy when shared with people who make every living moment worth it.

For GMA Artist Center stars Jake Vargas and Barbie Forteza, tracing their roots and giving thanks make another year a lot more meaningful.

Jake Vargas chose his most loyal fans to share his birthday with. He took them to Puradak Chicken in Quezon City to sing along in a karaoke party on July 12. It involved a lot of catching up, and they looked back on their most precious moments through the years.

Adding to the fun was the surprise visit by fellow GMA Artist Center star Inah de Belen, who delivered a sweet message for Jake. “Always take care of your health. At you know na I’m always here for you. Ilang beses ko na ‘to sinabi sa kanya, huwag mong kakalimutan ‘yung mga tao na nandiyan para sa ‘yo from the very beginning.”

As the day came to a close, some of Jake’s supporters from different fan clubs dedicated a performance for him and the Kapuso heartthrob warmly expressed his gratitude.

“Hindi ko kayo kayang kalimutan, you’ve always been there for me. Kaya nandito lang din ako para sa inyo. Maraming salamat.”

Meanwhile, Barbie Forteza went to Laguna and celebrated her birthday at her grade school alma mater, Pagkakaisa Elementary School.

On choosing the school, she said it has always been her wish to go back for a visit and was glad that GMA Artist Center helped her make it possible. “Last year ko pa sana ito gagawin, pero nag-ipon muna ako para rin may maitulong ako sa kanila,” shares the Kapuso star.

Her elementary days remain to be her fondest childhood memory and she felt flattered when the school welcomed her with a drum and lyre ensemble. “Hindi nagbago yung mga tao dito, kaya ang sarap balik-balikan. Dito ako lumaki, at ito ang favorite childhood memory ko.”

Recalling her early days in school, she vividly remembers how one room can cram 70 students per class. This inspired her to donate electric fans to help students feel more relaxed in school.

Barbie’s smile got a little contagious as she ended the day by gathering the kids to give them gifts. She quips, “If this can make them treasure their elementary days kagaya ng pag-treasure ko, achievement sa akin ‘yun.”