Manila Standard - 2017 August 15 - Tuesday

Terror threat spurs gun sales

By Miguel C. Gil TWO local arms manufacturers claim to have gained big purchases from the country’s military establishment, following the siege in Marawi City last May by militants identified with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and persistent threats of terror attacks of extrem-

ists and the communist rebels.

The two are Armscor Global Defense Manufacturer of Firearms and the United Defense Manufacturing Corp., the latter a firearms manufacturer based in Parañaque and provides the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces and the Philippine Next page

VOL. XXXI • NO. 182 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Impeachment mode up Bautista, Sereno, Morales, Robredo face ouster threat

By John Paolo Bencito

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will support any move—even impeachment—to rid government of corruption, the Palace said Monday.

“Without making references to any particular individual, the President, of course, is highly supportive of all moves that will set the house, the Philippine government in order,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said when asked if Duterte would support impeachment complaints against Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista, whose estranged wife accused of amassing almost P1 billion in undeclared wealth.

“He’s been very clear about that. That is one of his campaign promises. And so, each and every act—each and every move that entails bringing about a correction in our institutions—is a welcome one and one I’m sure he is supportive of,” he added.

DRESSED CHICKEN. Trade and Industry Undersecretary Teodoro Pascua inspects the Q Market in Quezon City Monday to see if the price and supply of dressed chicken were possibly affected by the reported bird flu, coinciding with the government announcement it has allocated P50 million as initial funding for a loan program to help poultry raisers affected by the bird flu. Manny Palmero

P50m to tide over poultry growers Have proof,

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales and Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE government has allotted P50 million as initial funding for a loan program which aims to help poultry raisers affected by the recent outbreak of bird flu in Pampanga, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said Monday.

Piñol told a press conference the loan program, which would be available to the affected farmers, would be on top of the compensation package earlier committed by the government.

The DA chief earlier said poul-

try farmers, whose chicken will be culled and eliminated, would be compensated in the amount of P80 per head, adding a total 200,000 birds—chicken, ducks, quails, pigeons and fighting roosters—would be culled and buried in the ground.

In the Senate, Senator Nancy Binay urged national and local government units, as well as poultry and gamefowl farms, to conduct and implement biosecurity measures following the the avian flu outbreak.

“We are calling on LGUs, and even the owners and workers of poultry and gamefowl farms to implement biosecurity measures and farm hygiene to stop the

spread of bird flu,” Binay said.

“This will also prevent the possible transmission of bird flu from poultry to humans,” she added.

Biosecurity measures are management practices to reduce the potential of introducing and spreading of disease-causing organisms into and between sites.

These include isolation of infected birds; sanitation and disinfection of facilities and people; and controlling traffic of people and flocks in and out of the farm.

She said backyard and gamefowl farms should be included in the implementation of biosecurity Next page

Pinoys in Guam brace for missile strike

By Gina TabonaresReilly HAGATNA, Guam―Following the impending threat of a North Korean missile strike on the US Territory of Guam, the Philippine Consulate has instituted contingency plans and converted the newly built consulate residence into a command center as island officials on Monday reassured residents, tourists and the world that Guam is still one of the safest places in the world.

Philippine Consulate General Marciano De Borja said the consulate team had started storing emergency kits, gasoline, masking tapes, bottled water, batteries and canned goods that could last a week as part of their contingency measures.

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila on Monday approved the recommendation of the Consulate General of the Philippines in Agatna to place Guam and the Northern Mariana islands on Alert Level 1 following North

Korea’s threat to bomb the island.

Alert level 1 “simply acknowledges that the situation developing at this time is out of the ordinary and bears paying close attention to,” the department said in a memo to the Filipino residents in the area.

“Please stay in touch with your families and friends so that they know how to contact you. It will be prudent to share your travel itinerary with them, and in the event of a contingency, do let them know that you are safe,” De Borja said.

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will convict —Palace

By John Paolo Bencito and Maricel V. Cruz THE Palace on Monday branded as black propaganda photos posted on social media of Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte with Cebu-based businessman Kenneth Dong, linking them to the P6.4- billion shipment of shabu that had slipped through Customs in May. “What’s important [is] documentary evidence, not hearsay,” said Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella. “Otherwise, all these things are just speculation, propaganda that can be used and misused.”

Abella said that those claiming the younger Duterte was linked to smuggling must make their claims in court.

He added that photos should be “vetted for accuracy.”

“What does the picture prove?

[It’s] different when it’s in the court,” he said.

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China bans Nokor iron imports

By Laurent Thomet

MISSILE UPDATE. A newsstand outside a café in Guam’s capital of Hagatna provides Monday the latest unnerving coverage of the US-North Korean tension. AFP twitter.com/ MlaStandard

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

S

CHINA will halt iron, iron ore and seafood imports from North Korea starting Tuesday, following through on new UN sanctions after US pressure for Beijing to strongarm Pyongyang over its ally’s nuclear program.

The decision was announced on Monday after days of increasingly bellicose rhetoric between US President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un’s regime, which has raised international alarm about where the crisis is headed.

Beijing had pledged to fully enforce the latest sanctions after

manilastandard.net

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The statement was in stark contrast to the President’s statement that he would not meddle in the row between Bautista and his wife Patricia, who had filed an affidavit against him before the National Bureau of Investigation, and who had talked with Duterte about her allegations.

Abella insisted, however, that his statement was general, and did not refer to any particular person.

An ally of the President, lawyer Larry Gadon, filed an impeachment complaint against Bautista before the Office of the Ombudsman on Friday.

Lawmakers have noted, however, that the correct venue for impeachment complaints is the House of Representatives.

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Scandal-hit poll chief evades House inquiry

By Maricel V. Cruz COMMISSION on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista, facing accusations of ill-gotten wealth from his estranged wife, skipped a congressional hearing on a bill that seeks to postpone barangay and youth elections.

Commissioner Arthur Lim, however, assured lawmakers and the public that the Comelec will continue to fulfill its mandate if Bautista goes on leave or resigns.

“We are a collegial body and with or without him, the Comelec will continue to function, that I can assure our people,” Lim said.

“We in the Comelec are per-

forming our duties. It is work as usual,” said Lim, who read the letter of Bautista dated Aug. 10, informing the committee on suffrage and electoral reforms that he had a previous engagement in Davao City, where he was holding a public hearing on the poll postponement.

Lim also said that Bautista may decide in the coming days to either stay, take a leave of absence or quit his post as the poll body’s chief.

Kabayan party-list Rep. Harry Roque, however, said Bautista’s absence in the hearing was an indication that the controversy has already affected his ability to discharge his duties.

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TURNING EMOTIONAL. Commission on Elections chief Andres

Bautista, being accused by his wife Patricia of having P1 billion in unexplained wealth, becomes emotional during the flag-raising ceremony Monday at the Comelec office capped by an unexpected song performance for him by the employees. Norman Cruz

Congress’ panel resets barangay-SK elections THE House of Representatives’ committee on suffrage and electoral reforms on Monday approved the measure postponing the Oct. 23, 2017 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to May 14, 2018.

Voting 19-2, the committee, chaired by Cibac party-list Rep. Sherwin Tugna, passed the mea-

sure by a 19-2 vote.

The approval of the proposed postponement of village and youth polls followed an all-party caucus last week where lawmakers agreed to hold the barangay elections in time for the Charter change plebiscite and the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law in May next year.

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Solons fume over budget cuts

By Maricel V. Cruz

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LEFT-LEANING lawmaker on Monday criticized the 90-percent cut in the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s capital outlay, saying that would greatly affect the most vulnerable sectors.

“This massive budget cut of almost 90 percent in the CO [capital outlay] will greatly affect the direct services offered by the DSWD to the vulnerable sectors such as senior citizens, children,

people with disability, women, solo parents, homeless families and disaster victims,” Rep. Antonio Tinio said.

He made his statement even as Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial on

59 Maute men reject rebellion raps—PAO THE 59 suspected members of the Maute terror group who were arrested in Zamboanga City on Monday asked the Department of Justice to dismiss the criminal charges filed against them.

During the preliminary hearing of their case the respondents, through the lawyers from the Public Attorney’s Office, denied the rebellion charges filed against them by the martial law authorities.

In other developments: • Edmundo Ramos, a construction worker, was able to escape the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan and subsequently was rescued on Monday by government forces, according to a report reaching Camp Aguinaldo.

Rear Admiral Rene Medina, commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao, said his men rescued Ramos around 1 a.m. near Tapiantan Island.

Medina said Ramos was given medical aid, but that he was in good condition.

• Islamic State-inspired groups are threatening to use their hostages as suicide bombers should they be cornered, Malacañang said Friday.

“We have been receiving ac-

counts from hostages who were able to escape from the Maute rebels in Marawi that the enemy would be using hostages as suicide bombers once they were cornered by government troops,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella told reporters.

He condemned the rebels’ plan.

The 59 respondents detained in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City denied being members of the Maute group in counter-affidavits written in Maranao and Tausug and submitted to the panel led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong. They were first brought to the Justice department on July 28 for inquest proceedings, but they sought more time to answer the charges and opted for a preliminary investigation that extended their period of detention.

According to the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police, 32 of the suspects were arrested at a checkpoint in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, while the rest were caught in a raid in a house in Guiwan in Zamboanga City on July 25. Rey E. Requejo, Florante S. Solmerin, Francisco Tuyay and John Paolo Bencito

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Organization for Animal Health Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza for further testing.

BAI Animal Disease Control Section Dr. Arlene V. Vytiaco said while the strain identified in Pampanga was not transferrable to human, there was still a need to identify the N subtype.

“We already identified the H5 subtype so we have to know the N subtype. We need to do this because in avian influenza, we should identify the H and N. Definitely the one in Pampanga is already negative for N1.

We’ll send samples to Australia for genetic sequencing to complete the details about the virus,” said Vytiaco.

The results of the testing will be released after two weeks.

Piñol said he also directed the BAI to create a biosecurity team that would inspect all poultry and livestock farms in the country to determine if they were following biosecurity measures.

“That is SOP, that there should be food buff. They should have truck tire buff or they spray the tires of the truck. I will ask the BAI to impose this in all farms not only in Central Luzon. If you have a poultry farm, you should also include biosecurity because you are dealing with human food here. This order takes effect immediately,” said Piñol.

plans. “We know that the birds are in constant contact with the people in gamefowl farms and cockpit arena.”

So far, 18,685 heads have been culled. The culling is expected to be finished by Thursday. The source of the outbreak is still not determined. “ I have asked the Agricultural Credit Policy Council to prepare a P25,000 loan assistance under the SURE loan package. Intially we are allocating P50 million under the loan program, if that will not be enough, we will source fund from other offices,” said Piñol.

Under the program, farmers will be given a P 5,000 grant while P20,000 will be a no collateral, no interest loan payable for two years.

The government earlier confirmed cases of Avian Influenza subtype H5 in San Luis, Pampanga.

The government has put up 1-kilometer quarantine zone and 7-kilometer control zone for surveillance.

It has also established 12 quarantine checkpoints to check the incoming and outgoing vehicles moving livestock and poultry and to limit animal movements within the area.

Bureau of Animal Industry will also send samples to the Australian Animal Health Laboratory, a World

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procedure to act on the list, Pimentel said the charges should be filed since “we are always referring to a list and yet, we ignore the list.”

“We act on the list,” said Pimentel, who said the Executive branch must act to charge the said barangay officials.

“And then the succession rules. If the [barangay] captain was removed because of involvement in drugs, the first councilman will replace the barangay captain,” said Pimentel, president of the ruling PDP-Laban.

By postponing the October barangay elections, House majority floor leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas earlier said the incumbent village officials would be retained in a holdover capacity.

Aside from Barbers’ bill, HB 5361 and 5380 were filed by Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco and ANACIP party-list Rep. Jose Panganiban Jr., respectively. Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

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continued to rise, Guam Governor Eddie B. Calvo said there was no heightened security threat alert issued and that it was business as usual as far as the island was concerned.

“The island state’s of readiness has not changed. All eyes are on us while we watch and wait to see who will make the next move. We can assure the people of Guam and our visitors that we are safe here and nothing to worry,” Calvo said.

Although Guam officials issued some precautionary measures and

The committee will consolidate several bills filed by House members for plenary action soon.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chairman of the House committee on dangerous drugs and author of House Bill 5359 which seeks to postpone the twin polls, welcomed the approval of the measure at the committee level.

“We hope Malacañang will certify the bill as urgent to make this possible,” Barbers said.

In the Senate, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III on Monday said charges should be filed against barangay officials included in President Rodrigo Duterte’s list of drug personalities, especially with the proposal to postpone the barangay election.

Saying there must be an expedited

Under Alert Level 1 the Filipinos in Guam, Saipan, Tinian and Rota must be aware of the unfolding events and to continue monitoring the reports from reliable media outlets and the official advisories from the Government of Guam and the Guam Homeland Security-Office of Civil Defense.

As the tensions between Washington and Pyongyang that put Guam in the middle of a nuclear cross hairs

Monday earned the ire of lawmakers over the cuts in the budgets of 49 public hospitals.

During the House of Representatives’ deliberations on the Department of Health P103.6- billion budget for 2018, Rep. Carlos Zarate said P1.488 billion was slashed from the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses of the 49 public hospitals.

“It was the President’s directive to take care of the poor and Secretary Ubial had said that the DoH would epitomize the President’s tagline of malasakit,” Zarate said.

He [Duterte] had been critical of people lining up outside hospitals,

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Former Negros Oriental representative Jacinto Paras said he was planning to file an impeachment complaint before Congress this week, saying that he had already talked to a member of the House who will endorse the complaint.

The quarrel between the Bautistas went public after Patricia accused the Comelec chairman of receiving kickbacks from automated poll service provider Smartmatic and keeping ghost employees during his stint as chairman of the Presidential Commission on Good Government.

The President said he met with the Bautistas individually, and that he advised the Comelec chairman to fix his quarrel with his wife.

Aside from Bautista, three other top officials—Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Supreme Court Chief Maria Lourdes Sereno and Vice President Leni Robredo—face threats of impeachment from administration allies.

The Volunteers against Crime and Corruption accused Morales of dispensing “selective justice” after she cleared former President Benigno

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Coast Guard with firearms and other technical equipment.

Manufacturing sources say since the beginning of the Marawi siege on May 23, government troops have received no less than 3,845 locally manufactured firearms to meet the demand.

The biggest purchase since the Marawi crisis began has been from Armscor, the dominant local gun manufacturer, which delivered 3,000 brand-new caliber .45 pistols to the Armed Forces on July 18.

“The value of the acquisition was placed at “around P60 million” by Armscor Senior Executive VP and deputy CEO Gina Angangco said, adding the model purchased by the AFP was the company’s 1911-A2 TAC Ultra, a highly modernized version of the aging Colt 1911-A1, which are still issued to soldiers despite serious wear and tear.

These Armscor pistols represent the first modern replacements to the US-made Colt pistols, many of which were acquired by the AFP more than 50 years ago.

The same gun normally carries a P40,000 price tag each but was sold at half the price in hopes of expanding the relationship with the AFP, Angangco added in an interview.

Armscor was reported to have laid off some 450 contractual employees and put permanent staff on a three-day work week in 2014, following an abrupt drop in local demand for firearms.

This supposedly followed the implementation of the Comprehensive Firearms & Ammunitions Act of 2013 (RA 10591) that made the purchase of new guns a laborious and red tape-laden process.

“This is the first time in my long career at Armscor that the military has made a purchase like this,” Angangco said.

This represents a sharp turnaround in the Philippine government’s procurement policy since its two major firearms purchases in the 21st century so far have been for 56,843 units of Remington M4-type rifles for the AFP and 76,000 units of Glock 17 pistols for the PNP. Both firearm types are foreign made.

At the same time, UMDC also delivered 345 M-4 type assault rifles to government security forces within the last month.

UDMC president & CEO Gene Carino said 200 were bought by the Philippine Air Force-Special Operations Wing while 145 went to the Presidential Security Group. guidelines on what to do in the event the missiles struck the island, Guam Homeland Security Adviser George Charfauros said the chance of any missile getting through the US missile defense systems was 00000.1 percent.

De Borja said part of the plan was to request some charter flights to evacuate people at the same time that the command center would be used as a shelter for Filipinos who would seek refuge.

De Borja said the contingency plan had been submitted to the Department

camping at the gates of hospitals even before the day breaks just to get medical attention.

Tinio said the capital outlay that the Department of Budget and Management included in the proposed budget of Social Welfare was only P30.9 million, far below the P362.3 million in the 2017 budget or P3.4 billion that Social Welfare had requested from the Budget Department during the budget call.

Tinio said Social Welfare’s infrastructure outlay of the previous years ranged from P238.8 million in 2014 to P909.4 million in 2016.

He said the budget cut would affect Social Welfare’s services to Aquino III in the disbursement acceleration program case in the complaint filed by the group of Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate in July last year.

Morales, instead, ordered the filing of a case of usurpation of legislative powers against former Budget secretary Florencio Abad for supposedly changing the definition of savings, a power that belongs to Congress, by impounding P72 billion worth of unused appropriations and diverting them to DAP. Losing senatorial candidate and former Manila councilor Greco Belgica also filed a disbarment case against Morales before the Supreme Court and also threatened to file an impeachment complaint against Morales as Congress resumes its second regular session.

Supreme Court Chief Maria Lourdes Sereno, meanwhile, faces two impeachment raps filed by Gadon and VACC, for betrayal of public trust when she procured a Toyota Land Cruiser amounting to P5.1 million, and for failing to truthfully disclose her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) and alleged obstruction of justice when she ordered Muntinlupa judges “not to is-

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Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, on the other hand, said he is confident Bautista could still perform his functions as the Comelec chief.

“The fact that Bautista is in Mindanao and has opted to exercise his functions is indeed a confirmation again that the guy is performing his function as Comelec chairman as required by the law,” Castro said.

Panel chairman Sherwin Tugna said he respected Bautista’s decision to skip the hearing.

The Justice Department on Monday offered protection to Bautista’s wife, Patricia, who filed a sworn statement last week alleging that her husband had amassed close to P1 billion in unexplained wealth.

“She can apply with the Witness Protection Program and we will consider it, especially since there are reported threats against her,” said Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. In her affidavit submitted to the National Bureau of Investigation, Patricia alleged that her husband, who was appointed Comelec chairman in May 2015, had money in banks, condominiums, and interest and shares in companies established overseas that were not declared in his 2016 Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth.

Bautista has declared a net worth of P176.3 million in that year.

the vulnerable sectors.

For instance, Tinio said, a capital outlay of P30.9 million would not enable Social Welfare to repair the dilapidated centers and homes for the elderly and build more of those institutions.

“Repair and construction of these centers and homes are necessary, considering that there are only 71 nationwide and not all provinces, municipalities and cities have them, according to the DSWD,” Tinio said.

“This capital outlay cannot build and maintain the public orphanages or child centers and other social welfare institutions.” sue warrants of arrest against Senator Leila M. De Lima.”

Die-hard Duterte supporters Bruce Rivera and Trixie Angeles also filed impeachment complaints against Vice President Leni Robredo for allegedly betraying public trust over a video message criticizing the country’s bloody drug war before the United Nations. House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez likewise threatened the same for her criticisms against the administration.

In the case of the four officials, all of whom had close ties to the previous administration, no lawmaker has endorsed the complaint, a requirement to move the process forward.

Under the Constitution, the President, Vice President, members of the Supreme Court, the constitutional commissions, and the Ombudsman can be removed from office only through impeachment.

So far, only Duterte has faced a formal impeachment case, filed by Rep. Gary Alejano of party-list group Magdalo, who accused him of pursuing a state policy of killings in his anti-drug war and amassing illegal wealth worth P2.2 billion. The House committee on justice junked the complaint for lack of substance.

Following Patricia’s revelations, Aguirre ordered the NBI to probe the allegations against Bautista and to build up criminal cases if need be.

Aguirre has directed the NBI to request bank records of accounts under Bautista’s name through the AntiMoney Laundering Council.

Over the weekend, the Justice secretary said the investigation against Bautista has expanded and would cover possible charges of graft and tax evasion.

He said he received several documents indicating possible anomalies in the Presidential Commission on Good Government when Bautista was still chairman during the previous administration.

Aguirre added that the Bureau of Internal Revenue has also joined the probe.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, meanwhile, said Bautista’s wealth—whether earned 20 years ago or close to the elections—was not enough reason to doubt the result of the polls.

Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, said his panel would push through with its investigation of the allegations of ill-gotten wealth.

However, Gordon said the Senate investigation would end once an impeachment complaint is filed at the House of Representatives. With Rey E. Requejo, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Vito Barcelo

the United States accused China of not doing enough to rein in its neighbor, which relies heavily on the Asian giant for its economic survival.

The Chinese commerce ministry said on its website that all imports of coal, iron, iron ore and seafood will be “completely prohibited” from Tuesday. Beijing had already announced a suspension of coal imports in February.

The United Nations Security Council, including permanent member Beijing, approved tough sanctions against Pyongyang on August 6 that could cost the hermetic country $1 billion a year.

The sanctions were in response to the North’s two intercontinental ballistic missile tests last month, after which Kim boasted that he could now strike any part of the United States.

In Hagatna, Guam’s leader said Monday that “sometimes a bully can only be stopped with a punch in the nose,” in a spirited defense of Trump’s rhetoric against North Korea which has the island in its crosshairs.

While Trump’s critics accuse him of inflaming tensions with Pyongyang, Guam governor Eddie Calvo

said he was grateful the US leader was taking a strong stance against North Korean threats against his Pacific homeland.

“Everyone who grew up in the schoolyard in elementary school, we understand a bully,” Calvo told AFP. “[North Korean leader] Kim JongUn is a bully with some very strong weapons... a bully has to be countered very strongly.”

Calvo, a Republican, said Trump was being unfairly criticized over his handling of the North Korea crisis, which escalated when Pyongyang announced plans to launch missiles toward Guam in a “crucial warning”.

He said North Korea had threatened Guam—a US territory which hosts two large military bases and is home to more than 6,000 military personnel—at least three times since 2013.

He said previous presidents had also used strong words to warn off Pyongyang, pointing out Barack Obama said last year that “we could, obviously, destroy NorthKorea with our arsenals.”

“One president [Obama] said it one way, cool and calmly with a period... the other said fire and fury with an exclamation point, but it still leads to the same message,” Calvo said.

of Foreign Affairs and would be implemented in the event of a crisis.

“Although the majority of the Filipinos are American citizens that have the means to go to their relatives elsewhere, our new house, which is scheduled for inauguration in November will be open to consulate staff and their families and whoever wants to seek refuge during the crisis,” De Borja said.

The 1,000-square meter, two-story house in Jonestown Tamuning is equipped with a high-powered gen-

erator, has several rooms, a basement and a big yard that can be converted into an office if the consulate office becomes inoperable.

Charfauros said he gave options to his staff to evacuate with their families if they could not handle the pressure and stress brought about by the looming crisis, but that only five opted to leave in the first wave of evacuees.

He added he would request additional people from the DFA if the situation became more difficult.

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Uber told to ‘cease, desist’ for a month

By Darwin G Amojelar THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board on Monday suspended the accreditation and operations of ride-sharing app Uber for a month after violating the agency’s directive last month.

“After a thorough and painstaking deliberation, the Board constrained [sic] to impose the penalty of one month suspension on the accreditation of the respondent Uber System Inc. and is hereby ordered to cease and desist its operation of their [sic] online booking application during the period of suspensions,” the agency said in an order dated Aug. 14.

According to the agency, the order will take effect immediately.

LTFRB said it found out that USI continued to activate accounts despite the directive of the agency.

Last July 11, LTFRB issued an order directing Uber and Grab to stop accepting new transportation network vehicle service applications and submit an updated list of the accredited TNVS as of June 30, 2017.

LTFRB also ordered the two ride-sharing apps to stop acceptance of additional accreditation of TNVS and/or activation of their accounts into their respective systems.

The order further said the USI would be responsible for all its accredited “colorum” TNVS apprehended during the suspension period should it be discovered that Uber was accepting passengers using their mobile application.

In a statement, Uber said it was still studying the order and said it would advise its operators and drivers "as soon as we can." There were 30,000 active Uber drivers as of July, down from 66,000 drivers last year. Of the total, 2,000 TNVS operators had certificates of public convenience.

Copies of the order were furnished to Metro Manila Development Authority, Land Transportation Office, and the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group for the enforcement of the order.

LTFRB earlier ordered Grab and Uber to pay P5 million penalty each for violations of the terms of their respective accreditations.

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In a congressional hearing, Dong was accused by Bureau of Customs broker Mark Taguba of being the middleman of Richard Tan or Richard Chen, owner of Hongfei Logistics, the company which transported the shabu shipment to a Valenzuela City warehouse.

On Friday, President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to resign if critics of his son could produce an affidavit linking him to the P6.4-billion shabu mess.

“If my son was really into it... all you have to do is produce the paper,” Duterte said in a speech at the centennial celebration of the Southern Philippines Medical Center at SM Lanang, Davao City.

“Just give me an affidavit and I will step down as the President of this republic. And that is my commitment to you now. That is my word,” he added.

A lawmaker on Monday called on Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon to resign for allowing the shabu shipment to slip past Customs examiners.

Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting said the continuing congressional probes into the failure of the bureau to spot and stop P6 billion worth of shabu revealed mismanagement, if not outright corruption at the Bureau of Customs.

Tambunting also criticized the decision of Faeldon to hire 28 athletes as “technical assistants.”

“We are doubly concerned at the discovery that public funds were used to hire the services of these active and retired professional athletes under the guise of technical assistants and intelligence operatives, especially in the light of what appears now as a major failure of intelligence on the part of the Bureau of Customs,” he said.

“Instead of hiring qualified and properly trained intelligence operatives, the BoC leadership, particularly Commissioner Faeldon consciously chose to engage the services of professional athletes with zero training or experience in field intelligence operations, or even in Customs administration.

The failure of the Bureau to catch such a huge shipment of illegal cargo after adopting this policy is no accident. This is a direct result of an ill-advised, if not illegal policy,” he said.

News Abella defers to Andanar to explain PNA gaffes

By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENTIAL Spokesperson Ernesto Abella on Monday deferred to his superior, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, to explain the latter’s threat to send editors of state news wire service Philippine News Agency to Mindanao after the agency was once again became the subject of ridicule late last week.

“Truth to tell, that should be referred to Secretary Andanar especially since it’s pertinent to him, the comments come from him and the best person to explain that would be he himself,” Abella told reporters in a Palace news briefing.

The Palace official said, however, that he holds Mindanao “in great and deep respect.”

“If there are any references regarding the difficulties it implies or being assigned there, then that needs to be explained by the person who actually made the statement. Thank you,” Abella said.

At a news briefing in Baguio City, Andanar seemed to be following the footsteps of his boss, President Rodrigo Duterte of turning Mindanao into a trash bin after getting pissed off amid the state news wire’s recent blunders.

The PNA over the weekend inadvertently used the logo of a pineapple company with the same acronyms as the Department of Labor and Employment in announcing the government’s pay rules for the nonworking holidays in 2018.

This is on top of its latest blunder earlier last week, when it fell for a propaganda by Chinese state newsagency Xinhua, which carried a scathing commentary attacking the arbitration award won by the Philippines as an “ill-founded award.”

The state news wire likewise drew flak last May, when it used a photograph from the Vietnam War in a story about the Marawi siege.

That same month, it posted erroneous information claiming that 95 nations in the 27th Universal Period Review of the UN Human Rights Council were convinced that there were no extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.

Asked however if the Communications Secretary is somehow “echoing” the President’s threat—when he sent 228 errant policemen to Mindanao in February—Abella however, defended Duterte, saying that he is up to “making sure that Mindanao is restored and rises up.”

After acquittal, JV hits back at Morales

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR JV Ejercito, who was acquitted of his technical malversation charge over the use of P2.1-million calamity funds for the purchase of high-powered firearms, on Monday scored Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales for using him and Senator Gringo Honasan as “scoreboard” to pad her accomplishments.

Honasan is out on a P60,000 bail which he posted on Friday for two counts of graft he is facing for the alleged misuse of his priority development assistance funds.

“We’ve been together through the worst of times. It is just sad that Senator Honasan, who has been regarded as a hero during Edsa revolt, has been charged towards the end of his term,” said Ejercito in a media briefing.

“I don’t want to insinuate but it seemed we were made scoreboard of Ombudsman just to pad her list of accomplishments. It seemed we were included as the high-profile personalities from non-Liberal Party... it might just be a coincidence,” he said.

Ejercito was referring to the Liberal Party of former President Benigno Aquino III, who appointed Morales as Ombudsman.

Sought for his comment on Honasan’s case, Ejercito said he felt a little sad because of the timing.

“Right before the dismissal [of my case] came last Friday, Sen. Honasan’s warrant of arrest came out Thursday. I know this man—his integrity, credibility, and we have been together through the worst of times, especially during the time that we were in the opposition,” said Ejercito.

He also advised Honasan to just remain strong amid the graft charges filed against him.

“I’m sure that you know who you are and If we don’t have sin, we will just have to be confident and with God’s help, we will be able to overcome all of these challenges and trials,” he said.

Following his acquittal, Ejercito guaranteed to continue to devote his time and energy “as Senator of the Republic on the improvement of public transportation, housing, health, youth empowerment, and education.”

A3

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Duterte makes Gesmundo his 4th choice as SC justice

By Rey E. Requejo

President Duterte and the second appointee from Ateneo De Manila Uniand a member of the Fraternal RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Sandi- versity Order of Utopia. ganbayan Associate Justice Alexander Gesmundo Duterte’s third appointee, former Court of Appeals Presiding Justice to the Supreme Court to replace Associate Justice Andres Reyes Jr., is also a graduate of Jose Catral Mendoza who reached his compulsory retire- Ateneo and a member of Utopia where House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez is ment of 70 last August 13, 2017. also a part of.

In a transmittal letter sent to Chief dent’s appointment of Gesmundo The first two appointees of Duterte, Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Ex- as the 178th associate justice of the Associate Justices Samuel Martires ecutive Secretary Salvador C. Me- 15-member bench. and Noel Tijam, were both from San dialdea informed her of the PresiGesmundo is the fourth appointee of Beda College of Law.

P

Gesmundo chairs the 7th Division of the Sandiganbayan and co-chairs other divisions. He is a member of the Supreme Court’s Sub-Committee on Revision of Rules on Criminal Procedure and a professional lecturer at the Department of Remedial Law of the Philippine Judicial Academy.

Prior to his stint at the Judiciary, he worked as a trial attorney at the Office of the Solicitor General and awarded Most Outstanding Solicitor in 1998.

He was a Bar examiner in Remedial Law in 2009.

A4

Opinion

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

T

Taking the sting off impeachment

HE Constitution tells us that impeachment is an option we can take in the event our top officials err gravely but cling to their posts.

Congress can impeach and try the president, vice president, justices of the Supreme Court, members of the constitutional commissions—the Commission on Elections, the Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Audit— and the Ombudsman.

The law is specific on the grounds for impeachment, and the process of removal of an official is spelled out.

Unfortunately, our expe-

rience with impeachment over the years has trivialized its perceived significance and transformed a serious, far-reaching process into a circus that saps resources, energy and good sense out of our lawmakers and our people.

Filipinos have become desensitized to the real objective of the process. We now tend to ignore, rightly or wrongly, the consequences of impeachment moves that begin at the House.

Most tragic about all this is that the outcome hardly establishes the guilt or innocence of the impeached official.

These days, we talk of impeachment again given Patricia Bautista’s revelations about her husband, Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista, which seem to point to irregular dealings during his time in governmentt. The issue has cast doubt on the integrity of the 2016 national and local elections.

Sought for opinion, Palace Spokesman Ernesto Abella said President Duterte supports moves, including im-

peachment, if it would rid the government of corruption. The support holds, regardless of who the official is, or what political affiliations are.

The President himself has not been spared this charge.

Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano filed an impeachment complaint against him for the supposed policy of a brutal war against drugs.

Of course, the complaint never prospered in the administration-dominated Congress.

Other officials against whom impeachment cases have been initiated are Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, for sup-

posed selective justice in not indicting former President Benigno Aquino III in the Disbursement Acceleration Program despite his active participation in the scheme, Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo for recording a speech criticizing the government’s drug war and sending it over to a United Nations body, and Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno for the purchase of a luxury vehicle and alleged inaccuracies in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

Numbers, not the truth, determine the fate of impeachment complaints, and numbers in turn are

decided by who is currently in power and who the lawmakers seek to please.

This is not necessarily their constituents.

Bautista, for his part, should save this nation a lot of trouble and just quit.

Sure, resignation could be taken to mean he is admitting his guilt or is too defeated to assert his innocence. But it could also mean he recognizes his effectiveness will be hampered by the time he spends defending himself—in the court of public opinion, in the impeachment court dominated by politicians, and in a court that tries facts.

Losing the second war in Marawi

This silent House LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES IN ONE respect, at least, impeaching President Rodrigo Duterte is a lot easier than getting rid of other officials who can only be removed using the same process: There is not one of the nearly 300 members of the House of Representatives who will endorse an impeachment complaint against any other official except the president.

Of course, the impeachment complaint filed by Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano against Duterte did not really require a congressional endorser, since it was already lodged by a member of the House. But still, you have to wonder why, after four impeachable officials have been threatened with removal from office in the same

manner, not one congressman has actually endorsed any such complaint.

Vice President Leni Robredo, Ombudsman Conchita CarpioMorales, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and now Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista have all been accused of committing offenses that would warrant their impeachment. But none of these four officials identified with the previous administration have seen the complaints filed against them actually endorsed by a congressman, which is the requirement for any of the charges lodged to proceed.

Last I checked, the entire House is not supposed to be populated by lawmakers who think exactly alike. And supposedly, as well, there is no shortage of congressmen who will want to grab some free publicity by endorsing a highprofile impeachment complaint, if only to pursue a purely selfish

political agenda.

Take Alejano, for instance.

Because the former putschist is widely believed to be angling to replace his bosom

Congress has always had a reputation of servility, but this must set a new record.

buddy in the Senate, Antonio Trillanes (whose term is expiring in 2019), Alejano not only endorsed the complaint against Duterte, he made sure that he filed it, too.

And while we’re on the subject of personal political agendas, I don’t expect any of the remaining Liberal Party members in the House to endorse any of the impeachment complaints that have already been—or will soon be—filed against the above-mentioned four impeachable officials. So the silence of the LPs in the House about the planned impeachment of Robredo, Morales, Sereno and Bautista is perfectly understandable.

But the House is not only made up of the self-styled “Magnificent Seven” LP members, either. There is also supposed to be a “legitimate minority” (or “company union,” if you believe the LPs) led by Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez. There is a “progressive” or Makabayan bloc of left-leaning party-list representatives and any number of political gadflies unassociated with—and acting independently of any of—the major groups, like Kabayan party-list

Rep. Harry Roque and Buhay’s Lito Atienza.

The House is not made up solely of members of the supermajority led by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who still keeps recruiting members to his PDPLaban party, perhaps because he cannot believe that the group he belonged to (and which had only himself as most prominent member prior to 2016) is now the biggest thing in the House since the LP. But that also begs the question: why can’t any of the proDuterte members of Congress in the Lower House endorse any impeachment complaint?

I know Congress has always had this reputation of servility.

But this complete abdication of congressional duty and lack of independent political conviction must set a new record for the House. *** And here I was, believing that Comelec Chairman Bautista Turn to A5

THROUGH this column, I sound an alarm that should be obvious to everyone on the ground in Marawi. Our armed forces might be winning the current battle and soon Marawi will be cleared of all hostile forces, but that victory could be pyrrhic.

Already, the government has spent more than P3 billion in the fight against the Maute terrorists but it looks like our efforts have not been enough to secure a permanent victory.

A complete victory in Marawi, indeed in the Bangsamoro, will belong to those who win the hearts and minds of the people.

This is the second war and I am afraid we are losing this. From where I sit, watching events unfold, I do not see victory in this war happening. Instead, I see resentment building up among the evacuees, among the Maranaos.

Martial law might be popular among some sectors but not as much among those that are affected by it the most.

Bobby Alonto, one of most intelligent and passionate Maranaos I know, minced no words describing the hurt of their people. In an article published in Mindanews, Bobby describes the suffering of Marawi citizens: “The people of Marawi are an integral part of the national citizenry but while the President pays extraordinary homage to the military, he seems to have neglected consoling and empathizing with the citizenry of Marawi who are now suffering in diaspora in refugee centers and private living quarters and facing an uncertain future what with the destruction of their homes, they’re unable to return to their city, and with martial law taking on the visage of hostility and suspicion towards the very people whom the Armed Forces have sworn to protect and defend as if they are not the victims of the extremist terrorists but are themselves all wrapped up in the black flag of ISIS.” Bobby ends his article with what he say “lies at the heart of our present consternation” and it is this: “The people of Marawi City and Lanao del Sur who have lost their homes and face an uncertain future are not treated as part of the national citizenry but ironically, unjustly, and for all intents and purposes as ‘enemies of the State.’”

I am still haunted by the voice of Samira Gutoc-Tomawis when she spoke to the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines last July: Turn to A5

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Opinion

Pandora’s box in Andy’s case self to be accredited with the Malacañang Press Corp. The MPC turned her down. And now she is with the Palace.

Accrediting bloggers is crazy and ridiculous. Unlike journalists in mainstream media, these bloggers will not be responsible if they peddle fake news or commit libel. By contrast, journalists abide by a professional code of conduct.

What is Andanar thinking? ***

There are two critical things that seem to be forgotten in the wake of President Duterte’s bloody war on illegal drugs.

First, there is a need for more rehabilitation centers. We also need more city and municipal jails to accommodate all those arrested.

Yes there are existing rehab centers, but these are not enough. What is the administration doing about this?

Detainees in jails suffer not just from congestion but from a meager food budget of P50/day.

There is an approved relocation site for the National Bilibid Prison in Laur, Nueva Ecija. There are three pre-qualified builders for this, but still nothing is being done by the Department of Justice.

Many questions remain unanswered.

***

The Presidential Communications Operations Office under Secretary Martin Andanar has been committing blunders recently. Now Andanar says bloggers and other social media personalities with more than 5,000 followers can cover the President.

Recall that it was Assistant Secretary Margaux Uson who wanted bloggers like her-

This...

From A4 was serious when the urged everyone to “stop the circus” surrounding his marital problems and his alleged amassing of billions of pesos while he was working in the government. Immediately afterwards, Bautista brings in his US-based doctorbrother, who continues the high-pressure “absolve Andy” public relations campaign by swearing by his sibling’s integrity and his non-ownership of the vast sums attributed to him as elections boss.

I loved how Dr. Martin Bautista, the two-time election loser (his brother was not yet in Comelec when the doctor ran for office), gave the same message in a television interview.

Stop all the “chismis,” he said, because “we are ready to answer all of the allegations in the proper legal forum.”

And then Dr. Martin proceeds to use up an entire hour

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘Muni-muni’

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

AS THE nation’s most popular telenovela —the he-said-shesaid row between Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista and his wife Patricia— unfolds before us, there are numerous questions that remain unanswered.

For one thing, it was stupid of Bautista to have passbooks with the unknown Luzon Development Bank locked in a cabinet in an unoccupied condominium unit. LDB is owned

by Rene Limcaoco Jr., a former Department of Transportation and Communications undersecretary. Why did he do this?

Another question arises from the behavior of Patricia’s mother, Baby Cruz, who is on the side of her son-in-law. There was an alleged secret meeting between the Comelec chairman and Vice President Leni Robredo in the house of Ms. Cruz. So what was her role here?

There are accusations that Andy was so in love with Smartmatic that he continued to have faith in its automated process despite allegations that its officials manipulated the results of the 2016 elections.

This is exactly why Bautista’s case must be pursued to its logical end. This is more than a marital spat!

If there is a lesson to be learned here, it is the fact that Bautista, as the head of the elections body, should be above suspicion all the time.

And why would he accuse Patricia of robbing their home?

A wife cannot commit robbery in the conjugal home. Neither could she extort from Andy because she is just asking for her legal share.

I am not taking sides. This is just my opinion as a lawyer.

As for Andy’s claim of a demolition job against him, I think the burden of proof still lies with him. He should be able to explain his wealth and prove that it is not ill-gotten.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017

***

We are now being made aware of the shenanigans at the Bureau of Customs, where a shipment of shabu worth P6.4 billion was allowed through the express lane. The current commissioner, Nicanor Faeldon, was a newcomer—too raw to act decisively on the established practices of the people in that agency.

I find it rather strange that President Duterte would still have trust and confidence in Faeldon despite his blunders.

The former mutineer, meanwhile, clings to his position.

Other officials would have resigned out of self-respect. ***

The self-exiled leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines told media there is a small opening for peace talks with the Duterte administration since the President has not formally canceled the negotiations.

Obviously, they come to the negotiating table with blood on their hands. From the start, I have warned the government not to trust Sison and his cohorts. on television to debunk all the charges made by Patricia Bautista, his brother’s wife. If that is the proper forum, then I guess Dr. Bautista can be shown to be the owner of all the moolah in his brother’s name.

Because regardless of what the Bautista siblings say, there is not one of the 35 bank accounts in Luzon Development Bank revealed by Mrs. Bautista that is in the doctor’s name. The doctor is not even listed as a codepositor in any of the contested bank accounts, which really sinks his claim that he and his family merely used the Comelec chief’s name to stash their “investments.”

Again, I ask: why would a government official working in such a sensitive position allow his kin to deposit huge sums in his name, if he is not totally stupid? And how can the media give so much airtime to Bautista and his kin, if the media are not part of a propaganda plan to lay the predicate for his legal defense?

FORMATION GARY OLIVAR SOME online expert has suggested taking a closer look at the Luzon Development Bank, the implausibly small institution where Commission on Elections chairman Andy Bautista deposited implausibly large amounts that were implausibly omitted from his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

This expert pointed out that most of LDB’s key metrics were unsatisfactory: high level of gross non-performing loans, low historical profitability, low capital adequacy ratio. In fact, pretty much the only positive trend was deposit growth, which took off during the years Mr. Andy became their most favorite customer.

Why then would Bautista, a well-regarded expert in international finance, entrust his funds to such an underperforming bank—more so if those funds, as he claims, included monies entrusted in turn to him by members of his own family?

One popular explanation is the longtime family friendships between his family and the Limcaocos, who control LDB. These include as well other classmates of theirs in a particular Ateneo

high school class, I think that of 1982. I can only imagine some of the conversations that must have taken place during what should have been their 35th reunion earlier this year.

But an even more interesting explanation might be unearthed if our online expert goes farther and takes the trouble to look more closely into LDB’s loan portfolio, specifically the ones that are nonperforming.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see the non-performers dominated by just a handful of delinquent borrowers. And I wouldn’t fall off my chair if those borrowers were connected one way or another to Bautista.

This is a time-honored stratagem for washing money through financial institutions, one that I have enough faith in Mr. Andy’s acumen to believe would not have escaped his attention. *** The recent outbreak of avian flu in some Pampanga chicken farms was the very first time our country has been hit by this disease. There was simply no way we could have averted its carriage here by migratory birds, Nature’s version of globalization.

To his credit, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol has done all the right things. He ordered the culling of what may total up to a million birds. He stopped the distribution, not only of chicken meat, but also

of day-old chicks, eggs, and semen from all of Luzon—not just Pampanga—to the rest of the country. Even imported poultry meat destined for Visayas and Mindanao cannot be offloaded in Manila for transshipment.

A quarantine zone has also been imposed around the affected farms, manned by quarantine officers. At the same time, government officials have been reassuring the public that this strain of avian flu is harmless to humans, provided the normal cooking precautions are taken.

But what will suffer real damage over the long term is the country’s reputation as perhaps the only Asian poultry exporter that could boast of being forever free of avian flu. We had a similar experience several years ago in our hog industry, when a swine flu outbreak decimated one-third of our backyard piggeries.

Both industries are export mainstays especially to Muslimmajority countries in Asia and the Middle East, where pork must still be made available to, say, non-Muslim tourists, while local demand for chicken is understandably high.

Our closest chicken competitor, Thailand, recovered from its own avian flu epidemics only by shifting from live fowls and raw meat to branded and alreadyprocessed chicken meat products.

After we deal with this flu outbreak, the real job will begin: to

recover the confidence of major import markets as well as international health agencies in Philippine poultry. *** The US State Department recently reminded the world of the continued existence of the US military’s freedom of navigation operations program. Under FONOP, US naval forces are directed to travel wherever they please in international waters, effectively challenging what they believe to be excessive maritime territorial claims.

Last year, they challenged 22 such claims by various coastal states, including their own allies and partners. And just last a week a US warship sailed up to within 12 nautical miles of a Chinese artificial island in the South China Sea. We’re glad to see that the world’s most powerful country hasn’t exactly been left helpless by our refusal to press forward with the UNCLOS arbitral ruling, which would only be a hopeless battle for us whether in court or at sea.

I’m sure many of us are secretly or not-so-secretly cheering the Americans on. When you’re a small kid being pushed around by the school bully, what better solution is there than to just stand aside and leave the bully to the mercy of the biggest kid on the block?

Readers can write me at gbolivar1952@yahoo.com.

The Andres Bautista controversy HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA HE WAS controversial during the 2016 national elections. More than a year later, he remains controversial. The only difference is that today, the controversy he is in has been triggered not by a national election, but by his own wife.

Right now, that is the least that can be said of Andres Bautista, the incumbent chairman of the Commission on Elections and erstwhile chief of the moribund and useless Presidential Commission on Good Government.

Bautista served as chairman of the PCGG from 2010 up to 2015 when his political patron President Benigno Aquino III appointed him to the Comelec.

His management of the 2016 national elections was attended with so many controversies which his publicists and Aquino’s Liberal Party have been trying to keep away from public attention.

That’s for discussion later.

Anyway, the new controversy involving Chairman Bautista stems from the recent revelation made by his estranged wife Patricia that Bautista has illegally and clandestinely stashed away around a billion pesos in cash and other assets which he accumulated during his stint as PCGG head, and during his incumbency as Comelec chairman.

To support her accusation, Mrs. Bautista said she saw passbooks and other documents which indicate that her husband has substantial cash deposits at the Luzon Development Bank, the Rizal Commercial Banking

Losing...

From A4 “If Manila’s torrential rains flood our streets, Maranaos’ tears even loudly made from men in ‘pulpits’ can be as body high.

The highest reproductive part of our country with a youth bulge sees as many extended kin of 40 to 50 people cramped in a home away from home.

I wonder Fathers, Bishops, if we who “counsel” the carers now need some counseling, we who provide spiritual redress in interfaith activities must be the one to be redressed. Kaya pala may five prayers kami, when the worst in us, shaitan or devil comes whispering before the 4 p.m. or 6 p.m. or 8 p.m. prayer, we have time to get back to some sanity. And there is hatred growing in hearts. *** Evacuees have to line up for relief but majority are in homes, many unserved and unreached because they don’t line up.

Mothers and women, oh the many suffering.

Babies are most affected, dehydration seeps in. They need nourishment.

Elderly need protection and

Corp., and the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. She also revealed that her husband owns expensive condominium units—one at the plush Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, and another in the United States located at The District in San Francisco, California.

Mrs. Bautista said that Chairman Bautista did not declare these assets in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, a document which government officials and employees must accomplish under oath and submit annually for public scrutiny.

She also said that her husband’s illegal acquisition of wealth is enough ground to start impeachment proceedings against him in the House of Representatives.

In addition, Mrs. Bautista alleged that her husband had been continuously receiving checks issued by a lawyer, Nilo Divina, who heads a high-end law firm in Makati, and who, according to her, is very close to her husband and is the godfather to one of their children. Those checks, Mrs. Bautista said, constituted her husband’s commissions given to him by the law firm’s clients who have cases in the Comelec.

Mrs. Bautista also said that the Divina law office represents several corporations like the Bataan Shipyard and Engineering Company and the United Coconut Planters Bank, which she said had several dealings with the PCGG during her husband’s watch.

It also appears that Mrs. Bautista has sued her husband for support since their estrangement.

Whether Mrs. Bautista has the passbooks, checks and other documents to prove her allegations is unclear, although her lawyers maintained that they have seen

the documentation.

For his part, Chairman Bautista denied the allegations against him, and said that his financial papers were stolen from his residence several days before his wife made her accusations against him. He also admitted that his marriage has not been successful.

Quarrels between spouses always constitute sad news and is best left uncommented upon by the news media. The quarrel between Chairman Bautista and his wife, however, raises serious concerns which cannot be ignored.

So far, Chairman Bautista wife’s appears to have the upper hand because Bautista has a lot of explaining to do in the light of the revelations made by his wife.

First, denials from Chairman Bautista are not enough because Mrs. Bautista has identified particular bank accounts and specific locations of real properties allegedly kept secret by him. If these assets exist and Bautista does own them, he is required by law to declare them in his SALN. His alleged failure to declare his assets in his SALN, if true, will lead to his criminal prosecution and impeachment.

Next, if what Mrs. Bautista says is true, Chairman Bautista must explain how he was able to amass such wealth despite his fixed salary. Under the law, unexplained wealth carries a presumption that the wealth was ill-gotten. In turn, ill-gotten wealth warrants prosecution for violation of the anti-graft law, and impeachment as well.

Third, since Mrs. Bautista has incriminated her husband and Divina in what looks like the payment of commissions by Divina to Chairman Bautista both as PCGG head and as Comelec chief, the latter must demand

proof that he did receive such commissions. If Mrs. Bautista proves her allegation, Chairman Bautista may be prosecuted for graft, and impeached as well. In that event, Divina may also find himself sued for graft along with Bautista.

Being lawyers, Bautista and Divino are prohibited by the Code of Conduct for members of the legal profession from getting involved in illegal undertakings.

If it is true that Chairman Bautista has been receiving commissions from a law firm which has clients with pending cases in the Comelec during Bautista’s incumbency, there is cause for concern for everyone in the country. Disturbing questions about the integrity and credibility of the canvass of votes for the vice presidential election held in May 2016 will inevitably arise.

One question—Did the LP, which was then oozing with money and which enjoyed the advantages of incumbency in Malacañang back then, use underhanded tactics in the Comelec to install their candidate, Leni Robredo, to the vice presidency?

Other questions—Was there a pay-off from Smartmatic, the equally controversial owner of the automated voting machines?

Why did Bautista’s Comelec, on the eve of the elections, arrange for the Smartmatic officials to billet at the Novotel at the Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City, the same hotel where the national campaign headquarters of the LP was located? Why did Bautista inspect only a few rooms at the Novotel, and not the entire hotel, when the news media received word that Smartmatic voting machines were seen inside the hotel?

The people await Bautista’s answers.

dignity, one was buried right in his front yard in just a few feet of soil.”

In an online article published in Rappler that I co-authored with Alberto Valenzuela, we pointed out that opposed to the MNLF and MILF, which sought independence and now are willing to settle with the highest form of autonomy, what Daesh ISIS wants, for lack of a better term, is world domination. It seeks to establish an Islamic world order, and it is willing to do anything in order to achieve that goal. We see the transformation of radical Muslim ideology, from a purely political movement (as seen with the “National” in “Moro National Liberation Front”), to a more religious agenda (hence the Moro Islamic Liberation Front), to the combination of the two with the added goal of making the entire world an Islamic state.

With beheading videos and more pronounced involvement in the drug trade, ISIS’ mode of operations definitely fits in with what the Human Security Act of 2007 defines as terrorism: “sowing and creating a condition of widespread and extraordinary fear and panic among the populace, in order to coerce the govern-

ment to give in to an unlawful demand.”

Valenzuela and I quoted Karl Marx’s famous words in A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right: “Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions.

It is the opium of the people.”

Today, extremist terrorism (religious or otherwise) has become the new opium of the people, an addiction to the promise of paradise, and its ultimate high is the assurance of going to heaven as a reward for martyrdom. It is a misguided aspiration, but one taken to heart by some young people.

In the context of Mindanao, it can only be addressed by meaningful change that enables real hope in the here and now of this great island. This means we must complete the peace processes with the MILF and MNLF. The passage of a good and effective Bangsamoro Basic Law is essential to that.

There is a real danger we could lose this war over the hearts and mind of the people called religious and extremist terrorism.

We must respond now by making sure that the needs of the displaced people in Marawi are addressed. We must avert this by creating the Bangsamoro and putting into a place a regional government that can take the lead in this more important war of the soul of the Maranao and the Bangsamoro people.

Right now, frankly, I am not convinced that the Duterte government will be able to deliver a good BBL. The legislative proposal creating the BBL must be owned by Malacañang and it is the President and his men and women that must lead the lobbying to get this passed. No less than the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate President, with leaders of their respective chambers (especially their majority floor leaders Representative Rudy Fariñas and Senator Tito Sotto), must sponsor the BBL Bill.

Yes, we can win this particular battle going on now in Marawi.

But, if we lose this second war, this might be the last battle we will ever win.

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/deantonylavs/ Twitter: tonylavs

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News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Espenido, 3 others face probe

By Rey Requejo

THE Department of Justice will begin today (Tuesday) its preliminary investigation on the criminal charges against Ozamiz City chief of police Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido and three other police officers tagged in the killing of nine suspected robbers during an operation last June.

NO-SHOW. Kerwin Espinosa attend a hearing conducted by the Department of Justice on Monday where suspected drug lord Peter Lim was expected to show up. Lim, however, was a no-show, but was represented by his counsel. Norman Cruz

DAR chief slams ploy to slash budget

By Rio N. Araja, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz DEPARTMENT of Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano on Monday took to task Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles for seeking a cut in the department’s proposed P10.28-billion budget to help fund the newly passed Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, or the free tuition program for state universities and colleges.

He said DAR’s budget reduction is a “state abandonment and it pits the poor against the poor.”

“Free tuition is equally important as students are enabled to exercise their right to education. Agrarian reform is founded on the right of landless farmers and farmworkers to directly and indirectly own the lands they till,” he said.

Peter Lim denies involvement in drug trade THE camp of Cebu-based businessman Peter Lim on Monday denied his alleged involvement in illegal drug trade, insisting in his defense that he is a victim of mistaken identity.

Lim did not show up during the start of the Department of Justice’s preliminary investigation on the drug charges against him and several others tagged by the Philippine National Police in the illegal drug trade in Central Visayas.

However, he sent his lawyers to receive the complaint and supporting documents filed by PNP

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

The DoJ panel of prosecutors composed of Assistant State Prosecutors Aristotle Reyes and John Michael Humarang gave Lim until August 24 to file his answer and personally submit his counteraffidavit.

Lim is facing charges of sale, administration, dispensation, trading, delivery and transportation of illegal drugs under Republic Act 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. While he has yet to file his

counter-affidavit, his lawyers led by Majilyn Loja already denied the charges and reiterated his earlier defense of mistaken identity.

“He is not that person. He has always denied it. In fact, he presented himself [before the National Bureau of Investigation earlier], saying that he is not the alias Jaguar,” Loja said, in an interview after the hearing.

“He will be here to face the charges against him,” Loja said.

Lim surrendered to President Duterte last year after his name was mentioned as among those

behind the narcotics trade in the country and denied any involvement in the illegal drug trade.

Self-confessed drug dealer Kerwin Espinosa also appeared before the DoJ as one of the respondents in the complaint.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II earlier revealed that Espinosa may turn state witness in the drug charges against Lim. The DoJ chief said Espinosa may opt to submit an affidavit detailing the participation of Lim in the illegal drug trade and get immunity from prosecution. Rey Requejo

Bill on ‘no-expiration’ gift checks passed

By Macon Ramos-Araneta man of the Senate Committee THE Senate on Monday passed on third and final reading several legislative measures, including a bill which seeks to prohibit business firms from imposing expiry dates on gift checks, certificates or cards.

“Once enacted, this will firm up the gains of consumers, both buyers and recipients of gift checks,” said Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, chair-

on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship and author of Senate Bill No. 1466.

He said a gift certificate, check or card is, for all intents and purposes, good as cash. It is purchased with money and money having no expiry date, it follows that gift checks must bear no expiry date.

However, he said that coupon or vouchers were not covered by the bill’s provisions.

Under the measure, Zubiri said sellers are prohibited from issuing a gift check that bears an expiry date. It is also deemed unlawful to impose an expiry date on the stored value, credit, or balance of the gift check. Further, the proposed law prohibits merchants from refusing to honor the unused value, credit or balance stored in the gift check.

“Any person who violates the provisions of the measure shall, upon conviction, be subject to a

fine of not less than P50,000 but not more than P1 million, according to the bill,” said Zubiri.

The bill defined gift checks as “any instrument issued to any person, natural or juridical, for monetary consideration, honored upon presentation at a single merchant or an affiliated group of merchants as payment for consumer goods or services.

The instrument may be in the form of paper, card, code, or other device.”

Senators ratify ILO Convention WITH 22 affirmative votes and zero negative votes, the Senate agreed to ratify the 39-year-old International Labor Organization Convention No. 151 to bolster the domestic and international status of the Philippines as a leader in promoting and protecting labor and civil rights.

The proposed measure, authored and sponsored by Senator Loren Legarda, chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, seeks to protect the rights of civil servants to organize, as well as procedures for determining conditions of employment in public service.

Legarda said that the Philippines is the first Asian country to ratify the convention, which is also known as the “Convention Concerning Protection of the Right to Organize and Procedures for Determining Conditions of Employment in the Public Service.”

ILO Convention No. 151 was first adopted on June 27, 1978 in Geneva, Switzerland and entered into force on Feb. 25, 1981. Macon Ramos-Araneta

COLLISION. Policemen inspect a passenger tricycle which collided with a police truck near the Manila Police Department Headquarters at UN Avenue in Manila on Monday. Norman Cruz

The DOJ earlier summoned Espenido and co-respondents Chief Inspector Glyndo Lagrimas, Senior Police Officer 4 Renato Martir Jr. and Police Officer 1 Sandra Louise Nadayag to answer charges of murder and arbitrary detention.

Prosecution Attorney Loverhette Jeffrey Villordon has been assigned to conduct the preliminary investigation in hearings today and on Aug. 22. The prosecutor asked the respondents to submit their respective counter-affidavits.

Espenido recently went to the DoJ to personally get a copy of the complaints filed by relatives of Francisco Manzano, one of nine alleged robbers killed during the shootout with the police last June 1.

The complaint accused the policemen of rubout in killing the suspects during the series of raids in Cabinti and Balintawak villages last June 1 where six other suspects were arrested.

Police recovered firearms, pieces of jewelry, and sachets of suspected shabu from the suspects during the raids.

Espenido also led policemen in the killing of Ozamiz Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, his wife and 14 others during predawn raids in his house last July 30.

Members of the Parojinog family have claimed that the items seized during the raids, including unlicensed firearms, ammunition, drugs and cash, were planted and that the mayor and the other fatalities did not fire at the policemen.

The slain mayor’s children, Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog-Echavez and Reynaldo Jr., were arrested during the raids and later on indicted for charges of drug possession and illegal possession of firearms.

Espenido recently received an award from President Rodrigo Duterte for his contribution to the government’s war on drugs as chief of the Ozamiz City Police Station and previous chief of Albuera, Leyte.

Ex-Cebu mayor faces raps

By Rio N. Araja A FORMER mayor from Cebu is facing four counts of failure to render accounts before the Sandiganbayan for unliquidated cash advances of P585,000 six years ago.

The Office of the Ombudsman ordered the filing of the case against ex-San Remigio mayor Jay Olivar for violation of Article 218 of the Revised Penal Code.

In 2011, Olivar received P585,000.00 in cash advances for various expenses for its antiillegal drugs campaign, Christmas celebration, Suroy-Suroy Sugbo festivity and supplies.

Despite the lapse of several years, the cash advances remain unaccounted for, the Ombudsman said.

Olivar claimed he tasked a job-order employee to prepare the liquidation documents, but due to his many tasks, the joborder employee had failed to complete the documentation when the mayor’s term ended in 2013.

Oliver added that the local government at that time was busy with its programs and projects, especially after typhoon “Yolanda” flattened Eastern Visayas in November 2013.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said however that Olivar’s defenses were just “self-serving and unsubstantiated.

Sports

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Shooout looms in Aboitiz golf meet C ARMONA, Cavite—The Aboitiz Invitational 2017 reels off today (Tuesday, Aug. 15) with the elite international field bracing for a shootout at Manila Southwoods’ Legends course here – not only for top honors but also for bragging rights as the first winner of the inaugural PGT Asia Tour.

The 72-hole championship serves as the kickoff leg of Asia’s newest pro golf league – an eightstage circuit offering $100,000 for the first seven tournaments and $300,000 for the final leg. The organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and sponsoring International Container Terminal Services, Inc. have actually lined up a three-year program for the PGA Asia Tour with a total of $1.7 million to be staked in 2018 and $2 million in 2019 with plans to further increase the purse in

the future.

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

That should make this week’s title chase doubly interesting with the best and the brightest of Philippine golf slugging it out against a crack international field from at least 17 countries for the top $17,500 purse.

Reigning Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit leader Tony Lascuña, No. 2 Clyde Mondilla, 2015 OOM champion Miguel Tabuena, Japan PGA Tour campaigner Angelo Que and defending champion Jay Bayron set out against PGT Asia Q-School topnotcher Thai Pasavee Lertvilai, No. 2 Seungjae Maeng and John Michael O’Toole of the US, Korean-American Micah Shin and Indonesians Joshua Wirawan and Elki Kow. Given the ideal condition at the bunker-laden layout, low scoring is seen right in the first round of the championship sponsored by Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. The last time it hosted the Aboitiz Invitational in 2015, Juvic Pagunsan ripped it off with a 20-under 264 total and beat Thai Nirun Sae-Ueng by eight.

“Historically, scores are low at Legends and we expect the same again this week,” said Southwoods

golf director and former pro Jerome Delariarte.

“The course condition is good, so summer rules for now. We hope for the rain to stay away this week.”

But while majority, if not all, are coming into the event in top shape, Que has opted to downplay his form and chances, saying: “I wouldn’t know since I had a two-week break and haven’t touched my clubs.”

The former three-time Asian Tour winner, including the Philippine Open, also came off a long break then posted a record 12-stroke victory at the ICTSI Classic at Mt. Malarayat last month.

“It’s tough to assess one’s chances given the depth of the competing field. I just hope my putting will click in all four days and try to put myself in contention in the final round,” said Lascuña, winner of two events in this year’s PGT circuit.

Lady Warriors still upbeat despite loss Games tomorrow 10 a.m. – Air Force vs Sta. Elena (men’s for 3rd) 1 p.m. – Cigna TV vs Mega Builders (men’s for crown) 4 p.m. – Creamline vs Air Force (women’s for 3rd) 6:30 p.m. – BaliPure vs Pocari Sweat (women’s for crown)

DESPITE dropping Game 1 in straight-set fashion, defending champion Pocari Sweat remains confident of getting back at BaliPure – not once but twice-in-arow.

That’s actually what the Lady Warriors would need to nail a record fourth straight Premier Volleyball League championship and top player Myla Pablo has guaranteed a strong fightback by the defending champions in tomorrow’s Game Two of the PVL Open Conference Finals at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

“Normal po sa amin na lagi kami ang naghahabol, lagi kaming nahihirapan (It’s but normal for us to be trailing, to be struggling),” said Pablo after being held to just nine hits after bagging the Conference MVP award in a 22-25, 19-25, 22-25 loss in their best-of-

three series last Saturday.

Pocari also groped for form in the elims, needing a late burst and bucking Pablo’s absence due to injury to advance. The Lady Warriors also faced elimination in the semis but fought back from two sets down and two match points to repel the Air Force Lady Jet Spikers in five.

They hope to pull off another Houdini act against the Water Defenders.

“Sabi nga ni coach Rico (de Guzman) na ‘yung bida laging talo (sa umpisa) pero sa dulo ikaw ang panalo. Parang ‘yun na lang ang (iniisip namin),” Pablo added. “Kailangan lumaban tayo, nasa Finals ka na eh, kailangan pataas na ang performance mo.”

They also have to minimize their errors after giving away 18 points off miscues while allowing BaliPure to hammer in nine service winners in the series opener.

But while the Lady Warriors are out to raise the level of their game in Game Two, the Water Defenders will also be coming into the match all-fired up and hungry to nail the elusive title win denied them by Pocari in the Reinforced Conference Finals last June.

PSC SPORTS CLINICS. Philippine Sports Commission Commissioner Arnold Agustin (center) shares a light moment with young participants during the culmination of the month-long sports clinics and tournament of the Kabataan Iwas sa Droga-Start in Sports (KIDS-SOS) Program Sunday at the new Bacoor City gymnasium in Cavite. Over 1,000 students and out-of-school youths aged 15 and below joined in basketball, volleyball, badminton and pencak silat clinics grassroots sports program under the PSC Children’s Games, in coordination with the City government of Bacoor, led by Mayor Lani Mercado-Revilla.

Rivera shocks Patrimonio, gains tennis semis SHAIRA Rivera flashed top form and stunned top seed Clarice Patrimonio, 6-1, 6-0, to barge into the semifinal round of the Olivarez Cup Open Tennis Championship at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque yesterday.

The fifth-ranked Rivera, the 18-year-old find from Compostela Valley, baffled Patrimonio with her superb all-around game and fashioned out the surprisingly one-sided victory that set her up against third seed Jade Capadocia in the women’s singles semifinals.

Capadocia eased past Rachelle de Guzman, 6-0, 6-1, to bolster her title

bid in the eighth staging of the annual 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.

Second seed and three-time defending champion Khim Iglupas, on the other hand, took the shorter route to the semis, scoring a 1-0 (ret.) win over Miles Vitaliano. The Iligan City ace will dispute the other finals slot with Davao’s Patricia Velez, who held off Aileen Rogan, 6-4, 7-5.

Eric “Jed” Olivarez Jr., meanwhile, sustained his run of reversals, upending No. 5 Leander Lazaro,

6-3, 6-4, to crash into the Final Four of the men’s side of the event backed

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

The 13th-ranked Olivarez, on a break from his studies at Western Michigan University, earlier shocked No. 4 Vicente Anasta, 6-4, 6-2, in the Last 16 phase to stay in the hunt for the top P50,000 purse.

But he is expected to have his hands full when he faces doubles partner and No. 2 PJ Tierro, who downed Fritz Verdad, 7-6(1), 6-0, for a spot in the finals.

Top seed Johnny Arcilla stayed on track for another championship as he whipped Rodolfo Barquin, 6-2, 6-2, to seal an interesting Final Four duel with No. 3 Jason Patrombon, who survived Ronard Joven, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Also on tap are the men’s and women’s doubles with top seed Manuel Balce and Patrombon leading the quarterfinalists who included Russel Cero and Feb Deha, Olivarez and Tierro, Joshua Kinaadman and Gabriel Peña, Jordan Cimafranca and Noel Damian, Anasta and Mark Alcoseba, Lazaro and Verdad and Arcilla and Joven.

Herbalife triathlete recalls Norseman experience Zverev stuns

By Peter Atencio FOR a triathlete coming from a tropical country, taking a swim through the waters of the Hardangerfjord to the local town, Eidfjord in Norway can be a scary experience.

“Para kang naligo sa yelo.

Refreshing ang dating kapag dito sa atin ginawa. Parang cold water bath. Pero doon, hindi. Cold water talaga.

Manginginig ka talaga,” said age-group triathlete Laarni Paredes.

The 38-year-old Paredes, the co-skipper of the Herbalife-Tri United team, recalled her experience Monday when she became the first Filipina to join the 2017 Isklar Norseman Xtreme Triathlon.

She was among 246 anxious athletes who jumped from the bow of a ferry into the dark and icy cold waters of the fjord at 5 a.m. at the sound of a horn.

The Norseman Xtreme Triathlon is described as a nonIronman branded, point to point, triathlon race held in Norway annually.

It has a four-km bike course, followed by 180 kms of biking and 42.2 kms of

running.

Paredes, a mother of one and works as a home-based digital content manager for a US-based company, eventually reached the finish line in 17 hours, 34 minutes and 57 seconds. She placed 17th overall in the women’s age group bracket.

But for Paredes, the swim leg isn’t the hardest part. It’s the bike stage.

“Mas mahirap iyung bike.

Four kilometers lang ang swim. Iyung bike, 180-kms.

Basa ka all the way. And there were portions na may snow,” added Paredes, who talked about the experience with her husband-coach Omar.

A swimming coach at University of Perpetual HelpLaguna, Omar was the first Filipino to join the race last year.

They were joined in their discussion at the Shangrila Hotel Makati by Herbalife Philippines general manager Rosalio “Bong” Valenzuela.

Local bet Lars Christian Vold won the elite men’s division in 9:52.10, while Anne Nevin ruled the women’s side in 12:04.18. In the age-

Federer to win Montreal meet

Triathlete Laarni Paredes (center) gets a toast from Herbalife GM Rosalio Valenzuela. At right is Laarni’s husband-coach Omar. Peter Atencio

group side, it was Alexandre Mitschke who stood out, while Henry Strzalkowski of Poland topped the men’s side.

The athletes kept their pace for 180 kms in the bike course, going through four demanding climbs and break-neck descents.

On the other hand, the 42.2 kilometers and 1,700

vertical meters of running were all that stood between the athletes and the right to claim their finisher shirts for Norseman 2017.

To prepare for the event, Paredes said they had to stay in Norway for at least a month to acclimatize to the tough conditions.

Preparing for the event,

Paredes was blessed with nutrition support she got from her sponsor, Herbalife, which provided her with a morning meal in the form of H24 F1 sport and H24 Rebuild Strength after workouts for recovery.

She was also able to use H24 F1 Sport before a workout for fuel.

Ancheta sweeps way to Shell Active chess national finals DAVID Ancheta sustained his hot start with a stronger finish, winning his last three games to clinch the kiddies’ crown via sweep, while Adrian Yulo and Ahmad Ali Azote took the two other titles in the Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship’s Northern Mindanao leg at SM City in Cagayan de

Oro last Sunday.

Ancheta, who racked up six straight victories in the opening round of the two-day tournament, repelled Prince Mella in a duel of top bets in the seventh round then the Corpus Christi School ace outplayed Kiel Villa and Joel Hoy to complete his domination of the 7-12 age group of

the third leg of the five-stage regional circuit culminating in the grand finals in October.

Joseph dela Rama of City Central School also hurdled his last three games, including a final round victory over Kurt Managase, to finish solo second with eight points and nail the other berth in the grand finals set Oct. 7 and 8 at SM

Mall of Asia.

Yulo, who also swept his first six games in the juniors division, crushed Mary Joy Tan at resumption then settled for draws against Ronald Canino and Clyde Saraos to capture the crown on an eight-point output. Canino scored 7.5 points to place second and gain a berth in

the grand finals.

Meanwhile, Walter Raagas, Terminal Manager of Shell’s North Mindanao Import Facility, graced the awards rites of the country’s longest talent-search sponsored by Pilipinas Shell for the 25th year and sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

MONTREAL —Alexander Zverev shocked second seed Roger Federer in straight sets in the Montreal Masters final to win his fifth title of the season and announce himself as an emerging star for the US Open.

The 20-year-old German used his booming serve to overpower Federer 6-3, 6-4 Sunday as the Swiss superstar never got a chance to get into the match.

“I tried to be aggressive as I can,” said Zverev. “If Roger starts being aggressive with his forehand and backhand then it is not going to be an easy day for me.”

Zverev avenged a 6-1, 6-3 loss to Federer in the Halle final in June -- his only loss in a final this season.

He is now tied with Federer for the most titles this season at five.

“It’s a wonderful achievement for him,” Federer said of Zverev. “I wish him the best for the coming months and hope he can finish the season very strong.

“I’m just really happy for him, to see that he’s taking everything not just to the next level, but the two next levels.”

Zverev blasted six aces and won 80 percent of first serve points as he needed just 68 minutes to dominate the 19-time Grand Slam winner and reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champion.

Zverev hammered away at the 36-year-old Federer with excellent court coverage keeping him off balance throughout the 30 minute opening set. He closed out the set with serve to the backhand that an out of sorts Federer dumped into the ground. AFP

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

P0 M+ P0 M

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

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017

Booters kick off PH’s bid in games KUALA LUMPUR—The 29th Southeast Asian Games has yet to formally fire off, but the Philippine men’s football team is already bracing for war as it opens its bid against Cambodia Tuesday night at the 16,000-seater Selayang Stadium in Selangor.

Game time is at 8:45 p.m., with head coach Marlon Maro optimistic of their chances, saying that they are eyeing no less than a semifinal finish following a sorry performance in the Singapore SEA Games in 2015.

He said unlike in the previous edition of the biennial meet, where they lost all their four matches, his side is both mentally and physically ready this time.

In fact, they have a three-game training tour in Bahrain where they faced a pair of second-tier teams and a university squad as part of their buildup for this prestigious 11-nation conclave that will go full blast this Saturday (Aug. 19) at the massive Bukit Jalil Stadium in this bustling Malaysian capital.

More than anything, Maro revealed that his wish list of players was granted after local clubs gladly released their players for the national team.

“In 2015, I was tasked to handle the team three weeks before actual competition,” said Maro ahead of their match against the Cambodians.

“But now, I think we have enough time to prepare. We had tournament and training tours, which helped the players to build up and gain confidence.”

Cambodia is a familiar foe.

The Philippine U22 squad suffered a 0-1 setback to the Cambodians in the AFC U23 Championship Qualifier in Phnom Penh last month.

But it’s now water under the bridge as Maro claimed that his side had improved, especially with the presence of University Athletic Association of the Philippines Most Valuable Player Jarvey Gayoso, Jordan Jarvis and Jaryrah Rocha of Ateneo, Daniel Gadia, Christian Lapas, Ian Clarino and Ace Villanueva of University of the Philippines and RJ Joyel and Reymart Cubon of Far Eastern University.

Sports Members of the Gilas Pilipinas team sing the national anthem prior to the start of their game against Qatar in the Fiba Asia Cup in Lebanon. The nationals won, 80-74, to sweep its group. FIBA.COM

Gilas to carry momentum of 3-0 slate into playoffs T

By Jeric Lopez

HE war is not yet over but after sweeping its games in group play, there’s no question that the confidence level of Gilas Pilipinas is sky high, entering the playoffs of the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup in Beirut, Lebanon.

If stunning defending champion China in its opening assignment wasn’t enough, the Philippines kept its foot on the gas pedal and crushed two more powerhouse teams to finish the classification round with a bang on its way to topping Group B. Gilas Pilipinas will now carry its momentum and confidence all the way to the quarterfinals, where it is expected to face a tough challenge.

Moving forward, the Philippines

will now have to play its best basketball to solidify a run towards the championship.

It will now await the winner between Japan and Korea in a knockout playoff to see who it faces. Either way, it will be an obstacle to overcome for the Nationals.

As the team plays the waiting game, it is currently enjoying a two-day break. It will play its knockout quarterfinal game at 2 a.m. (Manila time)

on Thursday.

Should it continue rolling, Gilas Pilipinas should expect either powerhouse Iran, Lebanon or Chinese Taipei in the semifinals.

After its 96-87 stunner over China, the Nationals followed that up with an 84-68 demolition job of Iraq.

Finally, the Philippines wrapped up its elimination round play last Sunday with an 80-74 victory over Qatar to top Group B with its 3-0 card and automatically move to the knockout quarterfinals.

Matthew Wright shone the brightest in that Qatar game, finishing with a gamehigh 25 points.

Aside from him, Terrence Romeo and Christian Standhardinger also led in the fight along with Jayson Castro, Japeth Aguilar and Raymund Almazan, thus far.

Coach Chot Reyes, however, told the boys that he wasn’t satisfied with how the team played.

“You all know that if we had played Korea or Japan tonight, we would have been heading home,” he said in the postgame huddle. “No way we’ll win like that. Seventeen turnovers. We shot less than 40% from the field. We couldn’t stop [Mansour Elhadary].”

The Qatari guard paced his team with 23 points while shooting an efficient 10for-15 from the field. He also finished with six assists and three steals. Abdulrahman Saad helped out with a double-double of 18 points and 11 boards.

After the game, the Filipino fans hosted a dinner for Gilas Pilipinas. They celebrated with their heroes, bonding and taking selfies with their idols over the meal.

Knights seek 4th win in a row

No more Spieth envy as Thomas wins PGA CHARLOTTE—Watching his friend Jordan Spieth win major titles was beyond frustrating for Justin Thomas, who captured one of his own Sunday by winning the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.

“Frustration probably isn’t the right word. Jealousy definitely is,” Thomas said.

“There’s no reason to hide it.

I wanted to be doing that and I wasn’t. There’s only four of them in a year, and to be one of them, a major champion, is really cool.”

World number two Spieth won last month’s British Open to go with his 2015 Masters and US Open titles, and would have completed a career Grand Slam by taking the Wanamaker Trophy that Thomas hoisted.

“Hopefully I’m going to win some more, plenty more, a lot more,” Thomas said. “I know you can’t get to two

unless you get one. So I’m excited to have this and it’s incredible. It was an awesome day. It was a great experience.

It’s huge for me.”

And from telling his girlfriend in advance to change her flight plans to sinking three emotional back-nine birdies, Thomas kept his cool while thinking all along it was his week to win.

“I truly felt like I was going to win,” Thomas said.

“My girlfriend was supposed to fly out at about 7 and I was like, ‘You need to change your flight to later, because I just feel like I don’t want you to miss this. I feel like I’m going to get it done.’ I was just very confident.”

And he never felt overcome by the tension and pressure on a day when he was among five deadlocked for the lead at one stage.

“I just had an unbelievable

calmness,” Thomas said. “I thought I would be very shaky.

At one point, I looked at my hand and it was a little bit shaky.

But that’s why you play. You play for those nerves.”

Thomas found his resolve after sinking a 14-foot putt to salvage bogey at the first hole.

“I pretty much couldn’t have drawn up a worse start,” Thomas said of his first four shots. “After rolling that in, it just kind of calmed me down and kept me going.”

At the par-5 10th, his tee shot bounced off a tree into the fairway. Then an eight-foot birdie putt hung on the edge of the cup nearly 10 seconds before falling in.

“I was like, ‘This ball has to go in. There’s no way that it can stay there,’” Thomas said. “I threw a little fit to try to see what would happen. The gravity took over and the roar was pretty loud, so that was pretty cool.”

Games Today (Filoil Arena, San Juan) 8 a.m.- AU vs Perpetual (jrs) 10 a.m.- JRU vs EAC (jrs) 12 nn.- AU vs Perpetual (srs) 2 p.m.- JRU vs EAC (srs) 4 p.m.- Letran vs SSC-R (srs) 6 p.m.- Letran vs SSC-R (jrs)

Justin Thomas of the United States display the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the 2017 PGA Championship during the final round at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. Thomas finished with an -8 to bag his first major title. AFP

Aquino likes PH cagebelles’ chances in SEA Games

By Lito Cinco NATIONAL University women’s basketball coach Patrick Aquino just added another crown to the long list of titles he has helped the team won in recent years as the Lady Warriors beat University of the East in the finals of the recent 6th edition of the Dickies Women’s tournament last Saturday.

But then his mind was already fast forwarding to the coming South East Asian Games in Malaysia, where the Philippines will try to win a championship it has never won in the past in women’s basketball.

Aquino is optimistic of his wards’ chances in this regional tournament.

For one, he believes the team, which has been together for the last two years for its core players,

has prepared well for the SEAG. In fact, the team won the SEABA championship just a few months ago and last month, retained its Division 1 standing even as it only beat the North Koreans and bowed down to Asian giants like Japan, China, and Chinese Taipei, plus Australia.

“We learned a lot from those two tournaments and will serve us in good stead for the SEAG. The top seeds will still be Malaysia and Thailand plus

the Philippines, but I am also wary of Indonesia, which really prepared for this year. Singapore, I will not take for granted. I am okay with the schedule, we cannot do anything about that. My concern is really more on the attitude side or mental aspect. Our players have a tendency to be satisfied once they have won two or three games, they should go beyond that once we are in Malaysia,” said Aquino.

RESURGENT Letran seeks to extend its streak to four and keep its hold on third spot as it clashes with an unpredictable San Sebastian College today in the 93rd NCAA basketball tournament at the Filoil Arena in San Juan City.

Relying on Bong Quinto’s endgame heroics, the Knights came back from a late deficit to turn back the Perpetual Help Altas, 63-61, Friday and post its third straight win and fourth overall in seven outings.

Another win today in their 4 p.m. duel with the Stags will keep the former at their lofty perch.

Lyceum of the Philippines University leads the way with a pristine 7-0 (win-loss) mark, while defending champion San Beda College is at No. 2 with a 6-1 mark.

San Sebastian College is also on a streak, posting its second win in a row at the expense of hapless College of St. Benilde, 101-71, Friday to improve to 3-3.

Letran coach Jeff Napa expects a tough game from the Stags, who like to run.

Jollibee, Puregold post hefty profits

B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017

B1

EDC’s net profit rises 11% to P5.2b

By Alena Mae S. Flores

CLARK’S 10-MILLIONTH PASSENGER. Friends of Cherry Castro (third from left), 32, of San Simon, Pampanga cheer as she is welcomed by Clark International Airport Corp.

president and chief executive Alexander Cauguiran (right) as the 10 millionth passenger of Clark International Airport on Aug. 14, since passengers started arriving at the airport via commercial flights in January 2001. Castro arrived aboard Philippine Airlines flight PR 2370 from Caticlan. She received a gift certificate for 20,000 Mabuhay Miles from PAL and gifts from CIAC that include a plaque of recognition for the milestone.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Monday, August 14, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar Peso

United States Dollar

1.000000

51.0090

Japan

Yen

0.009162

0.4673

UK

Pound

1.300400

66.3321

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127897

6.5239

Switzerland

Franc

1.039285

53.0129

Canada

Dollar

0.789266

40.2597

Singapore

Dollar

0.735024

37.4928

Australia

Dollar

0.789200

40.2563

Bahrain

Dinar

2.651816

135.2665

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266660

13.6021

Brunei

Dollar

0.732332

37.3555

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0038

Thailand

Baht

0.030093

1.5350

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.8883

Euro

Euro

1.182400

60.3130

Korea

Won

0.000876

0.0447

China

Yuan

0.150002

7.6515

India

Rupee

0.015592

0.7953

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.232910

11.8805

New Zealand

Dollar

0.730500

37.2621

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032964

1.6815 Source: PDS Bridge

IN BRIEF PAL reduced losses to P1.05b in first half

THE parent company of Philippine Airlines saw a lower net loss in the first half, on the back of higher revenues from its passenger and cargo businesses.

PAL Holdings Inc. said total comprehensive loss declined to P1.05 billion in January to June from the P4.62-billion loss it reports in the same period last year.

PAL said in the second quarter alone, it posted a comprehensive loss of P150.6 million, a reversal of the total comprehensive income P1.9 billion a year ago.

Total revenues in the first half grew 17.7 percent to P67.76 billion from P57.57 billion a year ago. Revenues in the second quarter went up 21 percent to P34.43 billion from P28.45 billion.

“The increase was attributable to the growth in passenger and cargo traffic, as well as ancillary revenues, resulting from additional flight frequencies and introduction of new routes,” PAL Holdings said.

Total expenses in the six-month period increased 32.5 percent to P52.31 billion.

“This was primarily due to higher expenses related to flying operations, maintenance, aircraft and traffic servicing, passenger service, reservation and sales and general and administrative expenses,” PAL Holdings said. Darwin G. Amojelar

Peza to support Aurora Ecozone

THE Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority agreed to work with each other to secure support for infrastructure and the opening of online gaming companies.

Under the terms of the mutual cooperation agreement signed on July 28 by Apeco president and chief executive Israel Maducdoc and Peza director-general Charito Plaza, the two agencies agreed to “provide the necessary inputs to fast track the development of Aurora Ecozone to spur development in the countryside and in preparation for the shift to federalism.”

Peza agreed among other things to “copromote Aurora Ecozone as a ready location for foreign investors in its investment promotions abroad.”

Under the arrangement, Apeco shall inspect and evaluate Peza-registered and accredited buildings, parks or centers “to ensure that the prospective sites of operation are suitable for online gaming operations and technical service providers particularly the availability thereof of sufficient power backup and telecommunications redundancy.”

Apeco under “parity right” expressed in Section 12B of RA 9490, as amended, may “enjoy, receive and benefit from the same privileges, licenses or concessions granted or to be granted to other ecozones and free trade zones, such as the Subic Special Economic and Freeport Zone, the Clark Special Economic and Freeport Zone, the Zamboanga City Special Economic and Freeport Zone and the Cagayan Special Economic and Freeport Zone.”

Peso sinks to 11-year low of 51.08 per dollar

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE peso on Monday sank to a new 11-year low against the US dollar, on widening trade deficit and external developments particularly the tension between the US and North Korea.

The local currency lost P0.10 to close at 51.08 against the greenback Monday from 50.98 Friday. It was the peso’s lowest finish in nearly 11 years, or since it settled at 51.21 a dollar on Aug. 28, 2006.

Trading volume thinned to $291.5 million Monday from $690 million Friday.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said despite the local currency’s weakness, the peso was not expected to have a “free fall,” as the country’s

macroeconomic fundamentals remained solid and strong.

“It is 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. We don’t expect it to do a free fall because our economic fundamentals now, unlike before, are solid and very strong,” he said.

Espenilla said this strength was reflected in the country’s investment grade rating.

The Philippines currently enjoys investment grade ratings from credit watchers Moody’s Investors Service, S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings.

Espenilla said the peso was capable of correcting itself as the market calmed down and digested the relevant information that had been affecting it.

“Moreover, the BSP will always be there strategically if volatility is considered excessive. We have a huge pile of FX [foreign exchange] reserves to play an effective stabilizing role,” Espenilla said.

He said the Philippines is an emerging market economy that needs to catch up on high-quality investments especially infrastructure. With imports exceeding exports by $2 billion a month, trade deficit in the first half widened to $13.2 billion from $13 billion a year earlier. This is expected to push the current account position to a deficit this year.

“It is natural for it to run moderate current account deficits. In fact, it is sub-optimal for it to be persistently running current account surpluses,” Espenilla said.

Espenilla also mentioned the recent observation of the International Monetary Fund that the Philippine economy was not overheating and was actually doing well.

“Let us calm down. We are on the right track,” Espenilla said.

Espenilla said the regulator was constantly monitoring the movement of the peso for excessive short-term volatility not consistent with underlying economic fundamentals.

GEOTHERMAL power producer Energy Development Corp. said Monday consolidated recurring net income attributable to equity holders of the parent company increased 11 percent in the first half to P5.2 billion from P4.7 billion it booked in the same period last year.

EDC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange consolidated revenues rose 4 percent in January to June to P17.7 billion from P17 billion a year ago.

The company attributed the increase in revenues to higher energy sales of Unified Leyte plants and the reduction in the Bacman plant’s exposure to the electricity market.

“First-half 2017 results confirm progress EDC has made in boosting cash generation and in delivering financial predictability to investors by addressing the uncontracted portion of its Bacman power plants and by undertaking an extensive asset reliability program for the Leyte Power Plants,” EDC chief financial officer Nestor Vasay said.

Inclusive of non-recurring items, consolidated net income attributable to equity holders of the parent declined 6 percent to P4.6 billion from P4.9 billion in the same period last year.

EDC said the decline was driven by higher operating expense, forex losses on loans and loss from the early redemption of a portion of the company’s US dollar denominated bonds, partly offset by higher revenues mainly from Unified Leyte and the Bacman power plants.

“Earnings growth was strong during the first half of the year, but will likely become moderate for the second half of 2017 following the magnitude 6.5 earthquake that struck the island of Leyte last July 6,” Vasay said.

He said EDC remained steadfast and exerted efforts to expedite the return to service of the generating capacity of the Leyte plants back to its preearthquake levels.

Monetary Board shuts down thrift bank linked to Splash THE Monetary Board, the policymaking body of Bangko Sentral ng Piliipinas, closed another bank based in Laguna due to unsound financial condition, the sixth lender shut down since the start of the year.

State-run Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. said the Monetary Board prohibited World Partners Bank (A Thrift Bank) Inc. from doing business in the Philippines.

World Bank is a unit of Ang Hortaleza Corp. of businessman Rolando Hortaleza, who controls

formerly listed Splash Corp.

The MB directed PDIC as receiver to proceed with the takeover and liquidation of the bank in a resolution dated Aug. 11, 2017.

World Partners Bank is a fiveunit thrift bank with head office located at 74 A. Mabini St., Barangay Poblacion, San Pedro City, Laguna. Its four branches are located in Meycauayan and Sta. Maria in Bulacan, San Pablo City in Laguna, and Tanauan City in Batangas.

World Partners Bank, according

to the general information sheet filed by the bank with the Securities and Exchange Commission as of Dec. 31, 2016, is owned by Ang Hortaleza Corp. (60 percent) and Rosalinda Hortaleza (40 percent).

Latest available records show that as of June 30, 2017, World Partners Bank had 22,613 deposit accounts with total deposit liabilities of P559.5 million. Total insured deposits amounted to P411.0 million, equivalent to 73.5 percent of total deposits.

The Philippine Stock Exchange

in October last year approved the petition of Splash for voluntary delisting. The shares of Splash were delisted from the official registry of the local bourse effective Oct. 7.

Trading of Splash shares was earier suspended after its minimum public ownership fell below the required 10 percent.

Splash filed a petition with PSE for voluntary delisting as early as July last year, citing the low trading volume over the last 24 months due to the weak response

of the investing public to the share buy-back program and company’s desire to avoid telegraphing business plans to competitors as primary reasons.

Earlier this year, five financiallyailing banks were closed by the board. These are the Rural Bank of Iligan City Inc., Rural Bank of Ragay (Camarines Sur), Rural Bank of Goa (Camarines Sur), Rural Bank of Barotac Viejo (Iloilo) and Countryside Cooperative Rural Bank of Batangas.

Julito G. Rada

Vista Land sees income reaching P9b this year

By Jenniffer B. Austria PROPERTY developer Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc. said Monday it expects net income to hit P9 billion this year, up 11 percent from 2016 after actual profit in the first half climbed 15 percent to P4.5 billion.

Vista Land president Paolo Villar said sales from newly launched residential projects were expected to reach P50 billion this year, or nearly twice the P26 billion worth of projects it launched a year ago.

This is the second time that Vista Land adjusted its planned launches this year. The company in May increased its launches to P42 billion from an initial estimate of P30 billion.

Vista Land launched 25 proj-

ects with an estimated value of P28.3 billion in the first half.

Most of the projects launched were in low affordable segment of the residential market, with each unit worth P4 million and below.

Villar said the company was bullish on residential sales this year and next as sales to overseas Filipino workers recovered from a year ago, while domestic sales remained strong.

“If things progress well, then we could probably hit P10-billion net income by next year,” Villar said.

Vista Land saw its net income rise 15 percent in the first half to P4.5 billion from P3.9 billion in the same period last year, on strong contribution of residential and rental businesses.

PARAÑAQUE VISITORS. Paranaque City mayor Edwin Olivarez (second from left) welcomes US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim (center) and delegates from City of Carson, California who paid a courtesy call at the city hall. Council members of Carson City visited the country upon the invitation of Parañaque City officials after signing an understanding for sister cityhood. The visitors include Carson City senior ranking council member Elito Santarina (second from right), planning commissioner Joey Cinco (left) and businessman Toan Queyen Nguyen (right).

B2

Business

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market climbs; Bloomberry up

S

TOCKS rebounded Monday from a fourday decline last week, following the release of mixed corporate results and as investors returned to emerging markets amid the receding tension between the US and North Korea.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, climbed 33 points, or 0.4 percent, to close at 7,962.12, as all six major sectors advanced.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also rose 24 points, or 0.5 percent, to settle at 4,706.04, on a value turnover of P5.1 billion. Gainers outnumbered losers, 106 to 96, while 47 issues were unchanged.

Fourteen of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by gaming company Bloomberry Resorts Corp. which surged 10.4 percent to P9.94. Retailer Wilcon Depot Inc. climbed 3.1 percent to P8.33, while Jollibee Foods Corp. rose 2.6 percent to P222. Semirara Mining and Power Corp. advanced 2.5 percent to P170.

Most Asian markets also advanced Monday, as the risk-off mood that gripped markets last week showed signs of easing. American stock futures advanced as the prospect of a war between the US and North Korea receded. Havens including gold, Treasuries and the yen fell.

Fears of a catastrophic confrontation between Washington and Pyongyang were calmed when CIA director Mike Pompeo said Sunday there was “nothing imminent” in the escalating stand-off.

Regional equities were also boosted by a positive lead from Wall Street on Friday, after investors waded back into the market

clearly wary of towards the end of last week,” said Oanda analyst Craig Erlam.

European stocks moved higher at the start of trading on Monday with London, Paris and Frankfurt all up.

As markets started recovering, the dollar rose against the Japanese currency to above 109.7 yen in afternoon trade—although still off 109.99 yen in Tokyo on Thursday—while gold halted its advance after jumping 2.4 percent last week.

“We’re seeing a small unwinding of ... risk aversion trades, with gold trading slightly lower and the yen and Swiss franc off against the dollar, pound and euro,” Erlam added.

Indices could reap the benefit of investors returning following losses worldwide last week, triggered after President Donald Trump threatened to unleash “fire and fury” on North Korea, and Pyongyang countered by announcing plans to testlaunch missiles toward Guam.

With AFP, Bloomberg

following a three-day sell-off.

Hong Kong was back in positive territory Monday after slumping two percent Friday, while Shanghai ended the day higher despite data showing Chinese industrial production slowed sharply in July as government efforts to rein in debt weighed on demand.

However, Tokyo closed one percent down as traders returned from a three-day holiday weekend to play catch-up after Asian and European shares had dropped Friday, with the Nikkei finishing at its lowest level in more than three months.

Investors largely shrugged off official data showing Japan’s economy grew by a faster-than-expected one percent in the three months to June, as the accelerating world number three economy marked its longest economic expansion in more than a decade.

“What we’re seeing today is relief at the [geopolitical] situation not deteriorating over the weekend, something traders were

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 4.11 32,000 59.8 56,900 104.8 620,050 129 814,250 1.3 150,000 35 132,000 16.16 1,400 31.5 742,000 8.1 300 1.7 12,000 910 10 0.68 1,108,000 85.85 1,626,150 0.83 891,000 13.2 45,000 25 47,500 62 43,710 241.8 1,720 109 310 92 200 50 1,119,080 256 659,560 1,700 2,775 86.4 578,370 1.32 4,000

131,060 3,388,733 64,987,251 105,273,960 197,020 4,635,440 22,554 23,363,195 2,430 20,850 9,100 762,830 139,492,919.50 746,910 594,000 1,198,505 2,717,410.50 414,678 34,835 18,400 56,307,220.50 169,436,634 4,717,500 49,971,266.50 5,280

2,328,552 -33,815,764 -40,569,100 704,000 4,319,205 2,018,671.50 330,000 -759,017.50 57,984 29,006,593 44,124,494 341,284 -

39.05 8.8 0.81 1.35 25 0.229 156 5.71 16.38 31.1 17.22 64 69.1 1.93 5.35 11.32 10.12 14.9 12.24 7.05 6.8 1.7 17 67 13.8 12.8 11.8 1.73 215 63.45 3.66 3.25 31 17.88 18.02 277 0.229 10.56 3 7.14 9.45 7 1.74 11.9 65 6.8 304.2 4.31 2 4.2 2.32 12.52 4.47 0.145 1.13 139.7 3.83 1.84 29.3 1

INDUSTRIAL 39.25 503,900 9.09 2,303,100 0.82 396,000 1.42 608,000 25.95 37,800 0.23 1,190,000 156 1,730 5.73 1,804,100 16.48 1,000,000 31.3 500,100 17.5 26,300 64 153,480 69.1 100 1.98 54,000 5.4 232,700 11.32 155,800 10.4 6,001,700 14.98 211,900 12.88 1,777,100 7.13 445,200 6.82 14,529,000 1.7 3,000 17.02 2,298,600 67.75 35,020 14.4 88,900 12.8 34,100 12.72 3,134,200 1.75 702,000 222 1,729,060 63.45 1,600 3.66 12,000 3.25 22,000 31.8 257,800 17.9 600,500 18.2 3,026,800 278.8 137,970 0.229 40,000 11.7 211,200 3 521,000 7.25 160,700 9.55 253,400 7.15 209,900 1.77 512,000 12 3,231,200 65 115,810 6.97 113,500 305 6,960 4.31 13,000 2 62,000 4.75 101,000 2.5 1,850,000 12.62 630,100 4.5 64,000 0.145 300,000 1.16 135,000 142.3 1,262,370 3.83 2,000 1.92 35,319,000 32.35 3,400 1.01 306,000

19,847,385 20,527,088 323,860 844,070 954,035 273,490 269,886 10,351,953 16,483,232 15,592,565 458,976 9,822,880 6,910 105,120 1,258,245 1,764,630 62,089,798 3,168,868 22,595,986 3,160,131 99,108,693 5,170 39,302,494 2,374,898.50 1,256,500 437,056 39,011,416 1,228,680 382,020,148 101,520 44,040 73,280 8,173,230 10,769,908 54,962,254 38,307,096 9,170 2,426,210 1,571,550 1,157,664 2,416,036 1,487,202 911,500 38,885,252 7,549,052.50 790,546 2,132,262 56,490 124,060 476,700 4,513,220 7,953,978 292,280 43,500 156,190 178,303,097 7,660 67,245,060 101,915 309,000

-13,908,010 334,132 2,290 -5,423,344 -10,220,186 -59,520 -29,027,524 801,532 -7,905,822 -145,385 -23,528,657 -16,024,730 513,472 84,480 12,800 2,938,500 514,520 49,471,020 2,843,200 -2,258,686 -28,360,182 -3,403,870 4,590 -417,940 -551,798 4,010 -497,240 2,969,695.50 602,457 -376,506 -537,860 6,227,980 -29,378,906 -2,526,670 16,480 -

0.355 73.15 13.56 1.06 0.3 0.305 882 7.38 15.82 7.79 0.193 1,160 7.53 69.2 5.27 0.92 6.66 17.56 0.42 6.49 0.042 2.08 99.8 2.62 821 1.53 300 0.28 0.195 0.244

HOLDING FIRMS 0.36 1,650,000 73.7 485,490 13.6 5,276,600 1.12 114,000 0.3 2,330,000 0.305 190,000 885 72,890 7.4 3,075,800 15.86 6,436,800 7.8 300 0.193 520,000 1,167 147,940 7.92 10,600 70.05 1,309,720 5.27 1,300 0.93 320,000 6.74 205,400 17.68 2,952,800 0.42 160,000 6.54 8,010,600 0.047 51,400,000 2.13 940,000 101.4 93,500 2.74 66,000 829.5 240,810 1.59 1,691,000 301.6 17,280 0.28 1,190,000 0.196 620,000 0.244 30,000

593,900 35,798,020 ( 71,939,202 124,510 706,500 58,650 64,509,165 22,760,436 102,044,572 2,338 102,280 172,600,355 83,522 91,556,782 7,097 297,400 1,379,140 52,079,300 67,450 52,352,276 2,318,100 1,978,060 9,404,358.50 173,040 199,658,640 2,673,840 5,217,858 333,200 122,310 7,340

10,050,396.5) 3,518,354 3,360 6,997,600 1,604,285 48,800,128 12,000 -60,912,345 78,964 -3,723,717.50 -6,570 -634,954 -6,186,428 -9,426,306 -10,650 -748,031.50 47,715,415 -106,610 -2,439,442 2,030 4,890

539,525 5,709,940 1,356 324,300 1,558,400 190,767,875 8,977,280 51,636,690 21,808 5,630,715 9,431,670 1,225,670 577,010 185,000 11,743,965 1,279,640 191,710 7,943,150 39,219,300 26,130 221,590,690 17,619,650 2,321,400 3,118,350

-73,159 131,000 -678 -164,250 -27,900 -65,046,400 844,420 10,728,610 -891,040 343,260 8,091,950 -578,200 1,500 -2,017,750 4,294,710 31,312,820 -11,850 4,750 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

4 59.3 105 129.3 1.3 35.45 16.1 30.85 8.1 1.79 910 0.69 85.8 0.85 13.2 24.95 63 241 116.5 92 50 259.4 1,700 86.5 1.32

4.11 59.8 105 130.5 1.38 35.45 16.16 31.85 8.1 1.79 910 0.7 85.85 0.86 13.2 26.5 63 241.8 116.5 92 51.5 263 1,700 86.5 1.32

4 59 104.6 129 1.3 35 16 30.85 8.1 1.7 910 0.68 85.65 0.82 13.2 24.95 61.85 241 109 92 49.95 254 1,700 86.35 1.32

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

39.7 8.82 0.83 1.36 26.25 0.229 156 5.73 16.38 31.3 17.98 64.8 69.1 1.93 5.5 11.5 10.26 15 12.24 7.05 6.81 1.77 17.5 67.9 14.5 12.88 11.82 1.73 216 63.45 3.68 3.44 31.3 17.9 18.02 277.8 0.23 10.86 3 7.15 9.59 7.4 1.74 12 65.8 7.03 315 4.37 2.01 4.2 2.47 12.6 4.6 0.145 1.15 143.2 3.83 1.99 29.35 1

39.8 9.09 0.83 1.42 26.25 0.23 156.1 5.8 16.5 31.3 18 64.8 69.1 1.98 5.5 11.5 10.5 15 12.88 7.13 6.85 1.77 17.5 67.95 14.5 12.88 12.8 1.76 222.4 63.45 3.68 3.44 31.9 18 18.2 279 0.23 12.2 3.08 7.39 9.65 7.66 1.85 12.36 65.8 7.1 315 4.37 2.01 4.75 2.56 12.68 4.66 0.145 1.18 143.3 3.83 1.99 32.35 1.01

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

0.36 74.2 13.7 1.14 0.305 0.31 885 7.4 15.88 7.79 0.2 1,160 7.53 70.1 5.5 0.94 6.7 17.6 0.43 6.59 0.042 2.08 101.6 2.62 829.5 1.65 301.4 0.28 0.195 0.245

0.365 74.2 13.8 1.14 0.305 0.31 886 7.48 15.9 7.8 0.2 1,174 7.93 70.55 5.5 0.94 6.74 17.7 0.43 6.6 0.047 2.13 101.6 2.74 831 1.65 303.6 0.28 0.203 0.245

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

5.4 1.31 6.78 2.2 0.92 41.95 3.59 4.91 5.3 0.5 1.25 1.52 0.2 0.5 44.65 0.69 0.15 1.75 1.61 0.98 4.78 0.3 0.475 0.47

5.4 1.33 6.78 2.29 0.92 42.3 3.61 5.15 5.34 0.51 1.39 1.54 0.204 0.5 46.2 0.7 0.15 1.81 1.67 0.98 4.9 0.3 0.495 0.49

5.37 1.27 6.78 2.19 0.88 41.95 3.58 4.91 5.3 0.495 1.21 1.51 0.196 0.5 44.6 0.69 0.148 1.75 1.61 0.95 4.77 0.285 0.47 0.46

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

PRIMEX CORP PTFC REDEV CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

4.65 28.65 24.45 1.77 3.24 33.85 0.99 7.5 0.85 5.77

4.7 28.65 24.8 1.79 3.24 34.55 1.01 7.5 0.87 5.81

4.63 28.65 24.1 1.77 3.2 33.85 0.99 7.5 0.85 5.72

4.66 28.65 24.25 1.77 3.24 34.4 1.01 7.5 0.86 5.81

80,000 200 908,600 87,000 25,000 2,749,400 1,234,000 1,400 179,000 1,714,100

372,590 5,730 22,184,595 154,340 80,960 94,679,415 1,233,860 10,500 152,700 9,912,202

-609,905 3,200 14,301,915 -928,751

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

20.9 42.8 1.62 0.57 0.039 5.2 9.15 0.071 100.2 9.53 9.5 2.2 2,026 6.16 15.3 16 2.25 3.16 104.6 8.7 0.163 1.37 2.9 15.4 4.23 1.2 11 0.6 2.35 8.5 3.95 2.26 5.16 175 9.6 1,734 1.59 0.4 47 83.8 5.62 4.1 1.38 1.83 3.38 1.2 7.95

21.2 42.8 1.65 0.6 0.04 5.2 9.94 0.073 101.9 9.8 9.5 2.25 2,050 6.19 15.9 16 2.35 3.23 105 8.7 0.164 1.37 2.9 15.4 4.29 1.23 11 0.6 2.38 8.87 4.02 2.35 5.2 175 9.64 1,743 1.59 0.4 47.2 86.5 5.89 4.16 1.38 1.83 3.45 1.2 8.35

20.45 42 1.55 0.56 0.038 5.2 9.1 0.07 100.2 9.45 8.85 2.2 2,026 6.15 15.3 16 2.25 3.16 103 8.7 0.163 1.33 2.9 15.4 4.15 1.15 10.8 0.56 2.32 8.5 3.95 2.26 5.1 175 9.15 1,720 1.57 0.395 46.9 82.6 5.62 4.09 1.28 1.79 3.36 1.13 7.95

SERVICES 20.9 42.05 1.63 0.58 0.039 5.2 9.94 0.071 101.9 9.5 8.9 2.25 2,040 6.17 15.88 16 2.35 3.22 103 8.7 0.163 1.37 2.9 15.4 4.15 1.16 10.98 0.56 2.32 8.65 4.02 2.32 5.2 175 9.39 1,730 1.58 0.395 47 86.5 5.89 4.12 1.29 1.79 3.44 1.15 8.33

121,700 38,700 139,000 17,951,000 26,700,000 500 45,884,100 16,520,000 155,860 6,202,800 872,400 15,000 30,025 73,300 6,000 200 949,000 8,000 402,120 365,000 590,000 88,000 15,000 5,100 243,000 1,581,000 957,700 3,000 14,000 4,696,700 1,771,000 650,000 1,400 3,260 482,500 129,010 5,766,000 610,000 3,616,100 885,770 15,700 2,415,000 17,932,000 47,000 1,490,000 13,803,000 12,799,900

2,522,330 1,640,200 223,040 10,327,830 1,037,300 2,600 446,340,540 1,171,680 15,744,062 59,346,225 7,802,475 33,450 61,295,510 451,799 93,716 3,200 2,195,320 25,750 41,472,464 3,175,500 96,450 119,750 43,500 78,540 1,019,510 1,854,150 10,432,090 1,760 32,880 40,950,013 7,093,130 1,501,300 7,251 570,500 4,475,506 223,299,730 9,107,500 243,450 169,949,775 75,423,580.50 88,261 9,948,190 23,483,280 84,910 5,063,430 16,014,260 105,213,953

187,200 168,099,666 5,838,574 -4,513,484 -133,500 -908,150 -23,820 -14,474,850 63,540 -7,276,410 649,610 -142,960 -159,250 -738,098 23,305,190 -7,257,720 115,585,895 -17,987,861 399,570 16,704,740 -1,213,340 160,900 8,822,319

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

0.0027 1.68 4.9 1.84 1.81 1.22 0.38 8.42 2.44 0.285 0.18 0.19 0.01 1.84 5.75 1.88 0.5 1.04 0.01 0.011 0.012 2.5 8.46 3.29 165.8

0.0029 1.7 4.94 1.84 1.81 1.22 0.39 8.42 2.5 0.29 0.18 0.19 0.011 1.84 5.75 1.88 0.57 1.04 0.01 0.011 0.012 2.5 8.46 3.34 170.4

0.0027 1.62 4.89 1.83 1.81 1.19 0.38 8.36 2.44 0.275 0.178 0.19 0.01 1.84 5.58 1.81 0.495 1.01 0.01 0.011 0.011 2.49 8.38 3.2 165.8

MINING & OIL 0.0029 125,000,000 1.63 8,305,000 4.89 441,000 1.83 318,000 1.81 11,000 1.2 1,438,000 0.39 630,000 8.37 1,700 2.45 2,317,000 0.275 2,400,000 0.179 2,290,000 0.19 430,000 0.011 8,700,000 1.84 4,000 5.6 1,818,000 1.87 33,000 0.57 2,049,000 1.03 152,000 0.01 100,000 0.011 17,000,000 0.012 700,000 2.49 9,000 8.38 467,100 3.24 2,280,000 170 1,041,950

350,000 13,843,150 2,161,790 582,480 19,910 1,725,300 245,300 14,303 5,689,320 667,400 410,280 81,700 87,100 7,360 10,217,755 59,960 1,128,460 155,290 1,000 187,000 8,000 22,430 3,926,833 7,338,930 177,127,560

1,021,070 -24,450 17,360 100,850 -22,800 -357,800 -15,400 1,200 -100,427 104,500 71,278,742

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF F FGEN PREF G FPH PREF C GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2A PCOR PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

42.5 524.5 516 106 106 107 112 517 516 6 1,010 1.06 108 1,040 1,120 80.25 77.6 80 81.6 79.95 79.5 80.4

42.5 524.5 516 106 106.5 107 112 517 516 6 1,020 1.06 108 1,040 1,120 81 77.6 80 81.6 79.95 79.5 80.4

41.95 524.5 516 106 106 107 112 517 516 5.85 1,010 1.06 108 1,040 1,120 80.1 77.6 80 81.6 79.95 79.5 79

PREFERRED 42 435,900 524.5 10 516 2,000 106 2,500 106.5 166,040 107 540 112 820 517 220 516 160 5.9 2,837,700 1,020 5,000 1.06 19,000 108 70 1,040 75 1,120 4,100 81 18,100 77.6 1,000 80 1,000 81.6 50,000 79.95 10 79.5 1,800 80 104,680

18,316,640 5,245 1,032,000 265,000 17,617,888 57,780 91,840 113,740 82,560 16,743,150 5,069,000 20,140 7,560 78,000 4,592,000 1,454,422.50 77,600 80,000 4,080,000 799.5 143,100 8,284,123

-3,120,280 -1,122,645 -1,147,200

LR WARRANT

2.34

2.38

2.28

WARRANTS 2.35 107,000

248,650

-

ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

3.77 4.9 5.64

3.8 5.15 5.65

3.75 4.86 5.2

3.75 4.9 5.35

370,000 93,457 28,385,955

-1,051,587

FIRST METRO ETF

119.7

120

119.6

1,360,075

-

USD DMPL A1

10.5

10.5

10.5

70,350

-

MS

PROPERTY 5.38 1.29 6.78 2.29 0.89 42.2 3.59 5.1 5.34 0.51 1.39 1.52 0.201 0.5 45.8 0.7 0.148 1.81 1.67 0.95 4.83 0.285 0.48 0.475

100,300 4,421,000 200 148,000 1,735,000 4,525,000 2,499,000 10,229,000 4,100 11,280,000 7,129,000 803,000 2,860,000 370,000 257,800 1,836,000 1,290,000 4,434,000 23,730,000 27,000 45,850,000 60,320,000 4,850,000 6,590,000

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

8,688,553

INDUSTRIAL

89,456,599

HOLDING FIRMS

89,812,875

PROPERTY SERVICES

202,465,929 190,581,666

MINING & OIL

178,145,769

GRAND TOTAL

764,613,361

SME

98,000 18,800 5,332,900

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 120 11,370 10.5

DDS

6,700

AGI’s profit dips 8% to P6.7b

By Jenniffer B. Austria ALLIANCE Global Group Inc., the holding company of tycoon Andrew Tan, said Monday net income in the first half went down 8 percent to P6.7 billion from P7.3 billion recorded in the same period last year, on weak performance of its liquor and integrated resorts development.

AGI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange first-half revenues slightly rose to P66.8 billion. The conglomerate said its units had mixed performance in January to June, with property arm and quick service restaurants delivering very strong results while integrated resorts operations and liquor business registering weak figures.

AGI president Kingson Sian said despite the company’s first-half performance, he remained positive about the prospects of its various business units.

“We remain confident of our growth prospects, recognizing the various opportunities that continue to present themselves in the economy,” Sian said.

“As such, we are steadfast in our investment commitments across all our business segments, maintaining our capex [capital expenditure] budget of about P80 billion for the year. We strongly believe in spending for our future,” he said.

Travellers International Hotel Group Inc., the owner and operator of Resorts World Manila, said net income stood at P373 million in the first half. The company did not provide comparative figures but based on previous filing with the Philippine Stock Exchange, RWM reported a net income P1.8 billion in the first half of 2016.

VALUE 1,989.57 (up) 1.48 628,478,283.60 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,829.39 (up) 35.46 1,194,553,509.818 HOLDING FIRMS 7,840.80 (up) 37.36 911,208,476.84 PROPERTY 3,767.89 (up) 39.51 1,689.89 (up) 4.57 728,409,358.82 SERVICES MINING & OIL 12,587.37 (up) 95.16 1,396,560.132.244 PSEI 7,962.12 (up) 33.69 226,083,640.99 All Shares Index 4,706.04 (up) 24.23 5,115,506,355.61 Gainers: 74; Losers: 75; Unchanged: 100; Total: 249

PBCom’s earnings rose 464% in 1st half

By Julito G. Rada PHILIPPINE Bank of Communications, the country’s 19th-largest lender in terms of assets, said Monday net income in the first half jumped 464 percent to P326.5 million from P57.871 million a year ago.

PBCom in a disclosure to the stock exchange noted an improvement in operating income, which increased 14.6 percent or P256 million year-on-year.

Net interest income, excluding one-off items, grew P91.1 million, driven by the growth in the loan and securities portfolios and the continued progress in the bank’s funding cost structure as low-cost deposit to total deposit ratio improved to 37.1 percent.

Net interest margin remained at 4.34 percent. Noninterest income improved 13.5 percent to P603.4 million, with registered growth in fees and commissions, rental, foreign exchange gains and gains from asset sale.

“This resulted in the return on asset improving to 0.73 percent from 0.14 percent for comparative figure in 2016,” it said.

The bank’s continuing focus to manage cost through streamlined operations kept operating expenses relatively flat compared to the first half 2016. Cost to income ratio decreased from 90.2 percent to 78.8 percent as the bank’s initiatives to further increase operational efficiencies continued to bear fruit.

Business

B3

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Cebu Pacific’s plane purchase gets perks

By Othel V. Campos THE Board of Investments approved the P6.1-billion air transport project of Cebu Air Inc. under the public infrastructure and logistics activity of the 2017 Investment Priorities Plan.

The project, which received fiscal incentives, involves the acquisition of one Airbus 330 (A330) aircraft on a finance lease scheme with Airbus SAS France to add to its current fleet of 58 aircraft.

Cebu Air, which operates budget carrier Cebu Pacific, now has four A319s, 36 A320s, eight A330s and eight ATR 72-500s and three ATR 72-600s.

The A319 and A320 are shortto-medium range commercial passenger aircraft manufactured

by Airbus and with a maximum passenger capacity of 156 and 180, respectively.

The A330 is a long range, twin aisle commercial passen-

MANILA WATER ADVOCACY. East Zone water and used water provider Manila Water Co. Inc. and the local government of Quezon City

signs an agreement to continue to work together to serve more urban poor communities in Quezon City to ensure greater access to safe, potable and reliable water supply. At the signing ceremonies are Manila Water president and chief executive officers Ferdinand dela Cruz (second from right) and Quezon City 2nd District Rep. Winston Castelo (third from left), along with (from left, front row) Rep. Nanette CasteloDaza, Councilor Precious Hipolito-Castelo and Manila Water chief operating officer Geodino Carpio.

ger aircraft manufactured by Airbus with a maximum passenger capacity of 436, while the ATR is a twin-turboprop commercial passenger singleclass aircraft.

Cebu Air’s new aircraft started to fly commercially in May servicing the Manila-Incheon (South Korea)-Manila and Manila-Bangkok (Thailand)-Manila routes and adding 186 new jobs to the current 3,400 personnel.

“The growth of the air transport industry remains robust.

This will allow Cebu Pacific to further expand its operation as a major budget carrier, stimulating passenger traffic growth with more affordable fares from these strategic routes. More tourists in Asian countries especially from Korea are expected to come in with this new project,” said Trade Undersecretary and BoI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo.

Jollibee, Puregold post hefty profits

By Jenniffer B. Austria

J

ollibee Foods Corp., the biggest fastfood chain, Puregold Price Club Inc. and Filinvest Land Inc. registered respectable profits in the first six months of the year on increased revenues.

Jollibee said net income in the second quarter of the year rose 18.1 percent to P1.95 billion from P1.65 billion year-on-year on faster growth in profit in foreign businesses as well as lower losses in joint ventures.

Jollibee said in a disclosure to the stock exchange system-

wide sales, a measure of all sales to consumers both from company-owned and franchised stores, increased 14.7 percent to P42.54 billion in the second quarter of the year.

Consolidated cost of sales climbed 15.2 percent to P3.47 billion from a year ago level,

driven by store expansion.

Jollibee opened 157 stores in the first six months of the year, including 108 in the Philippines and 49 overseas.

The second-quarter performance boosted first half net profits to P3.48 billion, up 14.2 percent.

Puregold, the supermarket chain owned by billionaire Lucio Co, reported a consolidated net income of P2.49 billion in the first half of 2017, up 9.8 percent from P2.27 billion in the same period in 2016, on strong sales.

Puregold said consolidated

net sales increased 10.8 percent in the first six months of 2017 to P56.6 billion due to the strong consumer demand from its existing Puregold, S&R stores and S&R New York Style Pizza stores Consolidated net margins for the period stood at 4.4 percent.

“We continue to see growth in both our Puregold and S&R businesses even without the benefits of election year. Our first half 2017 same store sales growth of 4 percent for Puregold stores and 10 percent for S&R stores were driven by continued strong consumer de-

mand and trust in our stores and the sustained economic growth of the country.” said Puregold president Vincent Co. Filinvest Land, one of the country’s largest integrated real estate and office developers, said net income reached P2.66 billion in the first half of 2017, an eight percent increase from a year ago.

Filinvest Land attributed its strong first half performance on the continued growth in residential business and aggressive expansion of its retail and office projects.

Residential revenues in the

DBS Bank: Growth likely slowed to 6.2%

By Julito G. Rada ECONOMIC growth likely slowed further to 6.2 percent in the second quarter from 6.4 percent in the first quarter due mainly to high base effects, DBS Bank of Singapore said Monday.

“Expect 2Q17 GDP growth to come in at 6.2 percent year-onyear, a further moderation from the 6.4 percent seen in the previous quarter. The normalization in numbers is just as expected, given the high base from an election year in 2016,” it said.

“Expect private consumption growth to have eased further to around 5.2 percent from the 5.7 percent recorded in 1Q17. This should be hardly surprising, given the moderation in retail sales as well as the slight fall in imports of consumer goods during 2Q17,” the bank said.

The government is set to release the second-quarter GDP data on Thursday.

The economy grew at a sluggish pace of 6.4 percent in the first three months from a 6.8-percent expansion a year

ago, due to anemic spending that was comparatively robust in the same period last year.

But DBS said going by the government’s monthly budget expenditure, it was clear spending had picked up pace in second quarter. Budget expenditure rose more than 13 percent in the second quarter, up from just a mere 4 percent in the preceding quarter.

The bank said it was hard to take the second-quarter data as a good gauge of the strength of the economy, adding what might appear to be significantly softer domestic demand in the period was likely the result of the high base effects from last year elections.

“For example, even if import growth were to come in the single-digits, as opposed to the 15 percent in 1Q 17, let’s not forget the record-high 33 percent recorded in 2Q 16. At this juncture, unless we are to see a sharp slide in consumption growth in second half, full-year GDP growth is still likely to come in at circa 6.4 percent,” the bank said.

TV firms’ earnings declined in 1st half

By Darwin G. Amojelar

CITI FORUM. The country’s largest foreign bank offers groundbreaking digital solutions to clients during its Citi Shared Services Center Forum for 2017. Shown during the forum are Citi Philippines chief executive Aftab Ahmed (third from left), corporate banking head Vikram Singh (second from left), and treasury and trade solutions head Arlene Nethercott (second from the right), with forum speakers ((from left)) Steffanus Widjaja, Swati Mitra and Narayan Kannan.

OGCC was unnecessary from the start THE Office of the Solicitor General is not alone in the performance of the legal work of the government. It shares this function with the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel, which was established in the 1970s, and the Presidential Commission on Good Government, which was created in 1986 by President Corazon Aquino’s Executive Order No. 1. A bill currently before Congress seeks to consolidate the OSG’s work with the work of the OGCC and the PCGG, with the OSG as the surviving institution. In this column, I will be dealing only with the OGCC, which has been providing legal representation for GOCC (Government owned and controlled corporations).

The explanatory note to the bill seeking to amend the charter of the OSG speaks of the services that OSG has been performing for OGCC and of the need to achieve administrative im-

six-month period rose eight percent to P7.50 billion from P6.93 billion on year.

Sales take-up surged 12 percent in the first six months of the year to P9.48 billion, driven by new residential project launches.

Rental revenues also grew at faster rate of 25 percent to P2 billion from P1.6 billion as the firm booked increased sales from its new office and retail buildings.

The property firm currently operates 21 office buildings totaling 312,000 square meters of gross leasable area.

provement. “(T)he OGCC sometimes refers its cases to the OSG anyway. The OSG, as the primary law office of the government, continues to provide legal services to the GOCCs... In order to achieve economy, eliminate overlapping of functions, addressing the expanding needs of the GOCCs for legal representation... the legal services must be consolidated in one office.”

Truth to tell, I could not grasp the rationale for creating a separate office to handle the legal requirements of the GOCCs. My thinking was that the creation of the OGCC was justifiable only in terms of either of two needs— the need to ensure that the cases of the GOCCs were not delayed by the heavy work of the OSG and the need to develop a cadre of government lawyers specializing in corporate litigation, or both.

These two needs were non-existent

at the time of OGCC’s creation, I thought. There was no showing that the OSG was so loaded with cases that the legal needs of the GOCCs were suffering from insufficient attention or non-prioritization. The GOCCs were getting their fair shake at the hands of the OSG. And if—granting for the sake of argument—the GOCC’s legal needs were suffering because of OSG understaffing, the logical remedy was to increase the resources—personnel and equipment—available to the OSG. This, in fact, is what the bill currently in Congress will do for the OSG. A significant negative outcome of the taking of government corporate legal work away from OSG and placing it in the OGCC was OSG’s being deprived of the opportunity to develop expertise in corporate litigation and produce a corps of solicitors experienced in GOCC legal work. The return of OGCC to the fold of the OSG will

correct this anomalous situation. With the GOCC’s legal work handled by its solicitors, OSG will once again be the source and repository of government corporate legal expertise.

Can the experiment of placing all of the government’s corporate legal work in a separate entity be adjudged a success? A review of OGCC’s record suggests a negative answer. It has not scored a GOCC-case victory that can be considered outstanding. And of the numerous individuals that have headed OGCC, only one—its founding chief, Justice Manuel M. Lazaro—is worth remembering.

OGCC will not be missed.

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

GMA Network Inc. and ABSCBN Corp. reported lower profits in the first half in the absence of political advertisements this year.

GMA Network, the company behind Channel 7, said net income in the first half fell 35 percent to P1.552 billion from a year ago, because of the lack of political ads in 2017.

Political advocacies and advertisements contributed P1.488 billion to the company’s topline in the first half of 2016, when the presidential election was held.

The network’s recurring revenues amounted to P7.698 billion in the first half, ahead by 6 percent over the same period last year.

“We will still try to accomplish our yearend financial target as we have entered the second half of the year,” GMA Network chairman and chief executive Felipe Gozon said. The company’s profit guidance for the year was over P3.9 billion.

The network posted a net income of P3.65 billion in 2016, up from P2.13 billion in 2015.

Rival ABS-CBN Corp. posted a net income of P1.2 billion in January to June this year, down by 41 percent from P2.1 billion a year ago.

ABS-CBN chief financial officer Aldrin Cerrado said excluding political ads, ABSCBN’s net income fell 1 percent from a year earlier.

The company’s revenues reached P19.34 billion, down 8 percent from last year’s P20.9 billion.

“As expected, our secondquarter earnings performance was stronger than our first quarter, and we are particularly pleased to have been able to control overall costs for the first half of the year,” Cerrado said.

He said there was softening in the market in terms of advertising during the period.

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

B4

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017

Business

China’s industrial production slowed BEIJING, China―China’s industrial output, a key engine of growth, slowed sharply in July as government efforts to rein in debt weighed on demand and economic activity, official data showed Monday.

The figures come as the authorities have sought to tighten regulations to tame debt as well as reduce excess capacity left over from massive government-backed infrastructure spending at the height of the global financial crisis.

Output by Chinese factories and workshops grew by a lowerthan-expected 6.4 percent compared to the same month last year, the national statistics bureau said.

Economists surveyed by Bloomberg News had expected growth of 7.1 percent for July after industrial production expanded by 7.6 percent in June.

Retail sales, meanwhile, slowed slightly to 10.4 percent last month, compared to 11 percent in June, while fixed asset investment posted 8.3 percent growth in the January-July period―both slightly below expectations.

“In general, the national economy was generally steady in July with continued positive momentum and deepening structural reform,” national statistics bureau spokesman Mao Shengyong said at a news conference.

“But we also see that the international circumstance is still complicated and fluid, domestic structural conflicts still stand out, and there are still a lot of hidden concerns.”

Mao said industrial production was affected by the weather― high temperatures and floods―and efforts in some regions to speed up the reduction of excess capacity that does not meet environmental rules.

Economic growth could slow by up to 0.2 percentage points in the second half of the year, Mao said.

While China has posted better-than-expected second quarter growth of 6.9 percent, economic analysts have warned that the momentum will not last as authorities clamp down on debt. AFP

A general view of vehicles on roads in Tokyo on August 14, 2017. Japan’s economy grew 1.0 percent in the April-June period, notching up its sixth straight quarter of growth and its longest economic expansion in over a decade, government data showed on August 14. AFP

Japan posts longest GDP growth T OKYO, Japan―Japan has posted its longest economic expansion in over a decade on the back of a pickup in household and company spending, data showed Monday.

The country’s gross domestic product grew by 1.0 percent in the April-June period, marking the sixth straight winning quarter in the longest string of gains since 2006.

The world’s number three economy has been picking up steam, mainly on the back of a surging exports including smartphones parts and memory chips,

with investments linked to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics also giving growth a boost.

But the latest GDP figures― which translate into a whopping 4.0 percent annualized growth rate―were driven by robust domestic demand and capital spending, which offset a quarterly decline in exports.

Private consumption picked up

0.9 percent in the second quarter.

Individual spending accounts for more than a half of Japan’s GDP. The second quarter growth blew past market expectations for a 0.6 percent rise, according to figures from the Cabinet Office. It was well up from a 0.4 percent expansion in JanuaryMarch GDP. The labor market is tight and business confidence is high but efforts to lift inflation have fallen flat despite years of aggressive monetary easing by Japan’s central bank.

The latest reading nonetheless means Japan’s economy has had

its best string of gains since the tenure of popular former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi.

Monday’s figures are good news for the current prime minister Shinzo Abe―whose brief and underwhelming first term as Japan’s premier came directly after Koizumi.

A string of short-term leaders followed Abe’s first term before he swept back to power in late 2012 on a pledge to reignite Japan’s once-booming economy with a plan dubbed Abenomics.

The scheme―a mix of huge monetary easing, government spending and reforms to the

economy―stoked a stock market rally and fattened corporate profits.

Some critics have cast doubt on the plan, as heavily indebted Japan grapples with low birthrates and a shrinking labor force.

Abe has seen his public support ratings plummet in the past few months over an array of political troubles, including allegations of favoritism to a friend in a business deal.

“This is a good result and tailwind for Abenomics,” Shinke Yoshiki, chief economist at Daiichi Life Research Institute, said of Monday’s data release.

Bulgaria’s once-thriving tobacco industry going up in smoke

By Sophie Makris and Diana Simeonova K IRKOVO,Bulgaria—When

seven-year-old Fatmagul Ali picked her first tobacco leaves in 1967, growing the crop seemed like a license to print money. At the time, communist Bulgaria was one of the world’s largest cigarette exporters and key supplier to the entire Soviet bloc.

Five decades later, Fatmagul and her husband Fahim are still hard at work in their small field in the southern Rhodope mountains, close to the Greek border.

The couple are already bent low over the plants well before dawn, their hands tarred from plucking the sticky leaves in the glow of their head torches.

Row after row, they will spend hours repeating the same gesture before returning to their nearby village of Karchovkso, in the Muslim-majority Kirkovo region, to hang the leaves to dry.

And yet these efforts will barely yield enough for survival.

“When you take into account the expenses, we’ll make only a couple of euros today,” Fahim, 57, shrugged.

The fall of communism led to the disbanding of cooperative farms and a decline in tobacco production, slowly smoking out what was once Bulgaria’s most valuable asset.

With a kilo of dried tobacco leaves costing around 2.50 euros ($2.95), the Alis will make only about 2,300 euros gross

There used to be serious money in Bulgarian tobacco. AFP

this year. They’ve taken up second jobs to make ends meet.

“We’re thinking about abandoning tobacco, there’s no point to it anymore,” Fahim said.

Although the Kirkovo region still boasts the European Union’s largest number of tobacco growers per capita, the output is a far cry from the days when Bulgaria’s socalled “golden leaf” was an international mark of quality.

Days of glory Tobacco was first introduced in Bulgaria under Ottoman rule, with production surging by the 19th century.

“It was a real currency, allowing Bulgaria to take out international bank loans,” Sofia-based economist Nikolay

Valkanov told AFP. Of the four grown varieties, the oriental type was by far the most valued thanks to its highly aromatic flavor.

Demand exploded during and after both World Wars as an increasing number of soldiers and female factory workers took up smoking.

Under Soviet rule, Bulgaria became Europe’s leading tobacco producer and, at its peak, exported some 100,000 tons in the 1970s and 1980s.

Today this has shriveled to 16,250 tons, according to official data.

And while Bulgaria is still in the EU’s top five growers, it cannot compete with the number one producer Italy, which churns out close to 55,000 tons

of dried tobacco leaves per year.

“The drop has been drastic”, said Tsvetan Filev, chairman of Bulgaria’s National Tobacco Growers’ Association.

“We haven’t been able to rebuild a competitive system after the dismantling of the planned economy,” he told AFP. Dying trade With the collapse of communism, large-scale irrigation systems stopped working while skilled labor dropped in rural areas as people migrated to cities and abroad.

The restitution of expropriated lands saw the huge tobacco fields broken up into numerous small parcels and handed back to the original owners.

EU data from 2014 showed that Italy only had tenth of Bulgaria’s 23,700 tobacco growers, but produced five times as much.

“The way that the Bulgarian sector is organized now— with numerous tiny farms, low yields, insufficient know-how, low education—leaves it without a future,” said Valkanov.

There’s added pressure from neighboring Turkey, Greece and Macedonia which have boosted their production and are threatening to push Bulgaria out of the market.

Many Bulgarians now head across the border to pick leaves in Greece to earn a decent wage.

“Once upon a time there were tobacco fields everywhere and look at what’s left now,” lamented Hasansabri Mehmed, the regional chief of the national growers’ association, pointing to the vast bushy planes around him.

There’s also a political dimension to the issue.

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms party that controls Kirkovo and its Muslim population has resisted government plans to convince people to turn to other crops.

“Growers are politically highly dependent on the MRF. Anything tobacco-related has to go through them,” said Valkanov.

Either way, observers say the shallow and infertile fields of the Rhodope mountains are suited to little else other than tobacco, leaving growers hinged on a dying trade. AFP

“Consumption and corporate investment are particularly strong, a result of brisk corporate earnings and improved business confidence.”

In a commentary, Barclays said: “The strength of private consumption reflects an improvement in employment and income conditions (e.g., drop in unemployment, four consecutive years of increasing base pay), but likely also such factors as favorable weather during that period.”

Still, wages have not been rising enough to kickstart tepid inflation, and few analysts expect the same kind of growth next quarter. AFP

Nafta review begins WASHINGTON―President Donald Trump will have the chance to turn a key campaign promise into reality with this week’s start of official talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.

After threatening during the campaign to rip up the agreement, Trump has softened his stance a bit and spoken more recently of renegotiating the agreement as the most efficient course for the US, Canada and Mexico.

But talks to redo the controversial 1994 agreement, which eliminated trade barriers among the three countries, are expected to be thorny. The first round takes place from Wednesday to Sunday in the US capital.

Trump made Nafta a defining issue of his campaign, frequently lambasting the deal as a “disaster” that sold out US workers and dismissing supporters who touted the deal’s benefits.

“For Donald Trump this was so central in his campaign that he felt he has no choice but proceed,” said Edward Alden, a senior fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations, a leading think tank.

“I think at some point the President Trump has to walk away with something that he can call victory. I don’t think he could just walk away.”

Trump’s biggest gripe with Nafta has been the dramatic shift in the US’ commercial balance with Mexico, which since the treaty’s inception has gone from a surplus of $1.3 billion to a deficit of $64 billion. AFP

Philippine Korea Friendship Day

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017 advertise@thestandard.com.ph

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68 YEARS OF PHILIPPINE-KOREAN TIES

Friendship connected through giving

By Noelle Adriene Castellano

T

HE relationship between the Philippines and South Korea has prospered since the start of their diplomatic ties in 1949. The countries’ close relationship is evident in so many ways--not the least of which comes in the form of giving.

Through the years, South Korea has been significantly assisting the Philippines in its military endeavours and maritime activities. It is also one of the first to provide to the Philippines during calamities.

This is South Korea’s way of reciprocating the assistance provided by the Philippines to the country during the Korean War and thereafter.

Typhoon Haiyan assistance One of the more recent examples of South Korea’s significant contribution was during the aftermath of Super Typhoon, which devastated the Philippines in November, 2013.

The South Korean government decided to dispatch a disaster relief team to the Philippines.

Aside from this, Korea also sent a military force called Araw Troops to help rebuild schools, hospitals and provinces in Leyte.

In addition, the South Korean government has also pledged $5M USD for the rehabilitation efforts in the province.

Hallyu stars step in Korean Idols also played a part in giving financial assistance. Some of them even flew to entertain the calamitystricken victims. Among these Kpop stars include Henry Lau

of Super Junior, girl group Rainbow, Hyung-sik of ZE:A and balladeer K.Will.

Military upgrade In 2015, South Korea assured they will continue to assist the Philippines in the modernization of its military through assets and equipment. The contract includes the procurement of a squadron of FA-50 “Golden Eagle” lead-in fighter aircraft.

The Philippines also received a patrol combat corvette (an escort warship smaller than a destroyer), a landing craft utility and 16 rubber boats.

South Korea will also equip the Philippines with the PohangClass Flight III anti-submarine corvette. In exchange, the Philippines will give $100 USD as a token payment. The vessel is expected to arrive this year.

The South Korean government has previously donated two ships to the Philippines.

Aid for Marawi victims The Korean Embassy also donated P5 Million for the displaced victims of the raging Marawi conflict on July 5, 2017.

Korean Ambassador Kim JaeShin turned over the donation through the Philippine Red Cross (PRC). Senator Richard Gordon, head of the Red Cross,

World renowned figure skater Kim Yuna

Philippine Expedition Forces to Korea (PEFTOK) who were sent to assist in the Korean War Henry Lau of Super Junior M

Rainbow

Hyung Sik of ZE:A

received the said donation and Kim said that Korea shall participate in the rehabilitation and rebuilding of Marawi.

The Philippines and South Korea could be labelled as long-term friends, nurturing and supporting each other in all possible ways. The two countries’ partnership is priceless and this long-term relation is expected to bring in more opportunities for both of them.

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017

70 years of pain across the border WAGAH, India―From barbed grins in a carefully synchronized daily flag ceremony to murderous exchanges across barbed wire in Kashmir, the India-Pakistan border is a 70-year-old scar that will not heal.

Thousands will cheer at the Wagah border crossing this week as the two countries celebrate the anniversaries of their independence, when British India was carved into two nations.

The upheaval that followed left at least one million dead in a brutal migration that took millions of Muslims to Pakistan and millions of Hindus to India.

But all these years after the trauma of Partition, they have not agreed a border, nor their history. Pakistan marks independence on August 14 each year, India one day later, and the killing goes on.

Wagah, near Amritsar, is the only functioning border post between the rivals. The flag ceremony there draws crowds of up to 20,000 each day.

There is wild applause as pumped-up troops, their eyes bulging, perform a stamping march toward the border gates at sundown.

The flags are lowered, a soldier from each side shakes hands with a forced smile and the gates close.

Fists occasionally fly between Indian and Pakistani soldiers during the ceremony, but there is worse along the border.

Kashmir, divided between the rivals and claimed by both, is on a permanent conflict alert with near daily clashes and shelling across the Line of Control (LoC), the official name of the disputed frontier.

A woman relative of 28-yearold Muhammad Haseeb was killed as she worked in a field in the Nakyal sector on the Pakistani side just days before the partition anniversary.

“We don’t know when we will become the victim of a bullet,” he said.

Tens of thousands, mainly civilians, have died in Muslim-majority Indian Kashmir in the past 30 years. India says about 40 militants have been killed this year trying to sneak across the border. Nine Indian soldiers have been killed on the LoC. Prospects for improvement look slim.

Cricket is the national game for both countries, but they have not played a five-day Test match against each other in either country since 2007.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Pakistan in 2015. But ties are in deep freeze again since Pakistan detained and sentenced to death Kulbushan Jadhav, a former Indian naval officer it accuses of espionage. AFP

World

Trump’s response defended B

EDMINSTER―The White House on Sunday struggled to defuse the growing criticism of President Donald Trump’s initial failure to explicitly condemn white supremacists for their role in the violent protest Saturday in Virginia, insisting that his condemnation included all such groups.

CELEBRITY RETREAT. Janel Parrish attends Backstage Creations Celebrity Retreat at Teen Choice 2017-Day 2 at the Galen Center on August 13, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. AFP

A woman died and 19 people were injured in the city of Charlottesville when a car plowed into a crowd of people after a rally by Ku Klux Klan members and other white nationalists turned violent.

Two state police officers died in a helicopter crash near the area.

A full day after the violence erupted, and after an initial statement in which Trump made no mention of white extremism, a White House spokesperson issued a statement saying, “The president said very strongly in his statement yesterday that he condemns all forms of violence, bigotry and hatred. Of course that includes white supremacists, KKK, neo-Nazi and all extremist groups.”

In an appearance Saturday at his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump faulted “many sides” for the violence. He made no mention of the far-right militia groups involved in the Charlottesville melee, some of whom were wearing Trump hats or T-shirts.

Vice President Mike Pence, meanwhile, specifically condemned the hate groups by name when asked to respond to the events in Charlottesville.

“We have no tolerance for hate and violence from white supremacists, neo Nazis or the KKK,” Pence said Sunday at a news conference in Cartagena, Colombia, where he was on the first leg of a Latin American tour.

“These dangerous fringe groups have no place in American public life and in the American debate, and we condemn them in the strongest possible terms.”

But he also defended Trump, saying the president “clearly and unambiguously condemned the bigotry, violence and hatred” on display in Charlottesville.

Pence chided the media for what

he called its stronger focus on Trump’s words than on those who perpetrated the violence.

Amid growing bipartisan criticism of his initial response, White House advisers appearing Sunday on talk shows strove to defend the president.

White House homeland security adviser Tom Bossert told Fox News Sunday that “I think you saw the president stand up very clearly and not only denounce it, but rise to a presidential level of calling for a counter-message of love and dignity and respect for fellow human beings.”

But the Charlottesville mayor, Michael Signer, laid much of the blame for the violence directly at the president’s feet, saying in an impassioned appearance on CBS that Trump had created an atmosphere of “coarseness, cynicism (and) bullying.”

“He made a choice in his presidential campaign, the folks around him, to go to the gutter, to play on our worst prejudices,” Signer, a Democrat, said.

Many Republicans joined in the criticism of Trump, including former presidential aspirants Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz.

Another Republican, Senator Lindsey Graham, told Fox News Sunday that “I would urge the president to dissuade these groups that he’s their friend.”

“Their cause is hate.”

Even the man who was briefly the White House communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, had critical words for Trump’s original response.

“I wouldn’t have recommended that statement,” he said on ABC. “I think he needed to be much harsher as it related to the white supremacists.”

He added, “It’s actually terrorism.” AFP

Princess marries Dutchman in lavish ceremony JOHOR BAHRU―The daughter of one of Malaysia’s most powerful sultans married her Dutch fiance Monday in a ceremony steeped in centuries of tradition during a day of lavish celebrations.

Princess Tunku Tun Aminah Sultan Ibrahim, 31, the only daughter of the Sultan of Johor, tied the knot with Dennis Muhammad Abdullah, 28, capping a romance of over three years.

The Dutchman, who has converted to Islam, and the princess wed according to Muslim Malay custom at the Serene Hill Palace, the royal family’s residence in the

southern city of Johor Bahru. The private ceremony was attended by close family and friends.

The groom wore traditional white Malay wedding attire and the bride wore a white dress. Dennis Muhammad placed the wedding ring on Tunku Aminah’s finger in a special room in the palace, according to the royal press office.

In keeping with centuries-old wedding customs in the Muslimmajority southern state of Johor, he also gave her a dowry of 22.50 ringgit (about $5), and the couple kissed the hands of their parents, aunts and uncles as a mark of re-

spect.

An evening reception will be the main event which will feature a “sitting-in-state” ceremony, with some 1,200 guests due to attend and crowds expected to watch the event on a big screen in a city square.

There have been frenetic preparations in recent days, with the grounds of the main palace decorated with bunting and main streets adorned with flags.

“I am taking my wife and two young children to the city square tonight to witness the live broadcast of the evening celebrations,”

Azim Mohamad Nurazim, a 34-year-old local salesman, told AFP. “It is a celebration for all Johoreans. My message to Tunku Aminah and her husband is long and healthy life, and may Allah bless the couple with lots of children.”

The Dutchman, who now works for a property development company in Johor, was born Dennis Verbaas and adopted a Muslim name when he converted to Islam in 2015.

Johor’s royal family is rich and powerful and possesses its own

private army -- the only state to have one.

Malaysia has a unique arrangement in which the throne of the Muslim-majority country changes hands every five years between the rulers of the nine states which are still headed by Islamic royalty.

The current king is Sultan Muhammad V, from the conservative Islamic northern state of Kelantan, who steps down in 2021.

But Dennis Muhammad is unlikely ever to assume the role since the rulers choose among themselves who the next king will be. AFP

Floods kill 143 in India and Nepal KATHMANDU―At least 143 people have died and thousands have fled their homes as monsoon floods swept across Nepal and India, officials said Monday, warning the toll could rise as the extent of the damage becomes clear.

Three days of relentless downpours sparked flash floods and landslides that have killed at least 70 in Nepal and 73 across northern and eastern India.

Around 200,000 are living in emergency camps in Assam in northeast India, which suffers frequent flooding during the annual monsoon rains.

Another 15,000 have had to leave their homes in the eastern state of Bihar, which borders Nepal and where one official said seven rivers in Bihar were at danger levels.

Huge swathes of the state were submerged in 2008 when a river burst its banks across the border in Nepal, with the two countries trading blame for the disaster.

A massive landslide in the mountainous northern state of Himachal Pradesh swept two passenger buses off a hillside

and into a deep gorge, killing at least 46 people on Sunday.

In Nepal, over 48,000 homes have been totally submerged by the floods and 21,000 people displaced, according to police.

As emergency workers struggled to reach far-flung areas, the country’s home ministry said another 47 people were missing, presumed dead.

The Nepal Red Cross warned that shortages of drinking water and food could create a humanitarian crisis in the impoverished Himalayan country.

“In many parts of the country there is a scarcity of safe drinking water creating a high risk of health hazards,” spokesman Dibya Raj Poudel told AFP. “Several villages and settlements are unreachable. Telecommunications, mobile phones are still not working so it difficult to give a full assessment.”

The southern lowlands of Nepal known as the Terai have so far born the brunt of the monsoon deluge.

The Terai is Nepal’s most fertile region and the economic toll is expected to be severe.

“We are getting reports that about 70 percent of agriculture area in the Tarai is inundated,” said Shankar Sapkota, senior agricultural economist with the government.

“Paddy fields, vegetable plantation and fish farms have been affected but right now we cannot confirm the extent of damage.”

The rains are now expected to shift westwards and authorities in Nepal have begun evacuating 74,000 people from the area expected to be hit.

Nearly 150 people have been killed in Nepal since the beginning of the rainy season in late June.

Hundreds have died in torrential rain, floods and landslides in neighboring India during the monsoon, which hits the country’s southern tip in early June and sweeps across the nation, lasting into September.

In the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand―which borders Nepal-three people were killed in a landslide late Sunday triggered by heavy rains, local police official Ajay Joshi told AFP. AFP

TEEN CHOICE AWARDS. Bella Thorne and Marshmello speak onstage during the Teen Choice Awards 2017 at the Galen Center on August 13, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

Manila

Standard

TODAY

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017

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Ceza faces huge income loss

By Brenda Jocson

S

ANTA ANA, Cagayan―The Duterte administration’s new gaming policy will reduce the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority’s income by up to 85 percent, officials said Monday.

Ceza hosts multiple online gamCeza’s jurisdiction is limited ing firms in the special economic to its 54,000-hectare freeport zone and freeport here, but officials zone in this town. admitted the government-owned As a result of the policy, corporation may not be able to con- Lambino said Ceza will not extribute as much to the national cof- pect much money flowing in, fers as in the past owing to President starting in 2017.

Rodrigo Duterte’s issuance of a new “I was presented the projected gaming policy in his Executive Or- financial status of Ceza and for der No. 13.

2017 it will have a net loss negaDuterte signed EO 13 on Feb. tive. We do not know how many 2, which clarifies that any gaming REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES (Republic Act No.: 4728) Office of Atty. Rowena De IT IS HEREBY CERTIFIED that operator desiring Castro Matira the unit identified and described Notary Public for Quezon City as: UNIT 36 – A RESIDENTIAL to operate outside UNION BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES STUDIO TYPE WITH BALCONY the jurisdiction of CONDOMINIUM UNIT LOCATED Mortgagee, AT THE THIRD FLOOR LEVEL OF the government au-versus“PINE CREST BUILDING 3” WITH CASE NO. FRE# 17-778 AN AREA OF 24.14 SQUARE thority that issued EXTRAJUDICIAL METERS, MORE OR LESS. FORECLOSURE OF in the diagrammatic floor plan its existing license REAL ESTATE appended to the enabling or MORTGAGE UNDER master deed of the condominium shall apply for a ACT NO. 3135, AS project annotated on TRANSFER AMENDED separate license CERTIFICATE OF TITLE N-324780; N-324781 which MARILOU M. GHOSE married to with the appropriembraces and describes the SANJAY KEVIN GHOSE both represented herein by their Atty.-In- land located at AURORA BLVD., ate authority.

COR. BALETE DRIVE, NEW fact, Theresita M. Banlasan MANILA, QUEZON CITY with an Mortgagor/s Affected by the area of SEVEN THOUSAND SIX x-----------------------------------x HUNDRED SEVENTY-SEVEN 2 NOTICE OF EXTRAnew gaming policy AND FIFTY-TWO (7,677.52) JUDICIAL SALE Square Meter, is registered in the are licensing auPursuant to the terms of the Real Estate Mortgage dated name of: thorities such as the and notarized on 22 April 2016, Owner: MARILOU M. GHOSE executed by MARILOU M. GHOSE MARRIED TO SANJAY KEVIN Philippine Amusemarried to SANJAY KEVIN GHOSE BOTH OF LEGAL AGE, GHOSE, Filipino and Indian citizen FILIPINO AND INDIAN CITIZEN ment and Gaming respectively both represented Address: OMAN, AIR PO BOX herein by their duly designated 58, PC-III-SEEB, MUSCAT OMAN. Corp. and the freeAtty. In-fact, Theresita M. Banlasan All sealed bids must be submitted by virtue of Special Power of to the undersigned on the above port zones such as Attorney dated April 21, 2015, with stated time and date.

Ceza, the Aurora residence and postal address at In the event the public auction 61, Brgy. Sambag, Jaro, Iloilo City, should not take place on the Pacific Economic Mortgagor/s, in favor of UNION said date, it shall be held on 05 BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES, September, 2017 at 9:00 in the Zone and Free Port Mortgagee, to satisfy the mortgage morning or soon thereafter at the indebtedness in the total amount same place without further notice.

Authority, and Auof PESOS: ONE MILLION Pursuant to law, copies of this EIGHT HUNDRED FIFTY TWO thority of the FreeTHOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED Notice shall be posted for not less than twenty (20) days in at least TWENTY SEVEN & 98/100 (PHP port Area of Bataan.

1,852,427.98) Philippine Currency, three (3) public places in the City/ Municipality where the mortgage Secretary Raul exclusive of accrued interest as of June 01, 2017; excluding attorney’s property is located and shall be Lambino, the new published once a week for a least fees, expenses of foreclosure sale and other charges, the three (3) consecutive weeks in a Ceza administrator newspaper of general circulation undersigned Notary Public for Quezon City, hereby gives notice before the date of the foreclosure and chief executive sale. to all parties concerned and to the public in general that on 29 August, Done at Quezon City, July 25, officer, said the new 2017 at 9:00 in the morning or soon 2017. thereafter at the main entrance/ gaming policy also (Sgd.) ATTY. ROWENA DE lobby of the City/Municipal Hall CASTRO MATIRA stops all licensed of Quezon City, he/she will sell Notary Public at public auction to the highest gaming companies bidder and for cash, in Philippine Currency, the property covered from conducting

by Condominium Certificate of Title 004-2015020828 issued by their activities outRegistry of Deeds for Quezon City, including the improvements side the jurisdiction thereon and more particularly described as follows: of the licensing auRegistry of Deeds for Quezon City thority.

Condominium Certificate of nd

Warning: It is absolutely prohibited to remove, deface or otherwise mutilate the instant notice form and its place until after the date of the public auction sale.

hundreds of millions, and the same is true for 2018, 2019 and 2020 unless we can come up with some innovative ideas for our short term and medium term operations here,” he said.

In 2015, being the pioneer in regulated e-casino gaming jurisdictions in Asia, Ceza cornered $1.64 billion, or roughly 55 percent, of the $3-billion Asian and Middle East online gaming offshore market, according to H2 Gambling Capital, the gaming industry’s leading market data provider.

The remaining $1.36 billion or 45 percent was shared by Cambodia, Vietnam, Malta, Isle of

Man, Latin America and other areas, the H2 report added.

“This is a big challenge for us at Ceza, because the report is that 80 tto 85 percent of our income was derived from those offshore gaming operations outside the ecozone’s jurisdiction,” Lambino said.

He said this is the sad note “on my part as the new manager” because Ceza’s new management had a predecessor who was able to report a positive net income for the organization, “but the successor will start not even on the ground level but from the bottom of the pit.”

Republic of the Philippines NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION (Pambansang Pangasiwaan ng Patubig) Region 3 Bulacan-Aurora-Nueve Ecija-Irrigation Management Office Office Address: Telephone Nos.: Email Address:

Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan (044) 766-3888 niabaneimoes@gmail.com

Telefax No. (044) 766-3888 TIN No. 000-578-009-000

INVITATION TO BID August 11, 2017 The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Bulacan-Aurora-Nueva Ecija Irrigation Management Office (BANE IMO) Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan, through its Bids and Award Committee (BAC), invites Contractors to bid for: ITB No. R3-BANE-RRREIS-NIS-2017-BU-99 - ANGAT RIS (AMRIS) LATERAL Dlocated in San Luis, Pampanga. The Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) is P16,261,574.04 with contract duration of 240 calendar days. Bid Documents cost P16,000.00 Interested bidders must have experience in undertaking similar project within the last three (3) years with an amount of at least 50% of the proposed project for bidding.

Any bid above the ABC as stated above each ITB shall be rejected outright.

Issuance of Bid Documents; (upon payment of non-refundable amount as stated above each ITB)

August 16, 2017@ 10:00 AM NIA BANE, Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan

Submission and Opening of Bids:

Pre-Bidding: August 23, 2017 at 2:00 PM

Closing Time: September 5, 2017 @ 2:45PM

Site Inspection: August 22, 2017 @ 9:00 AM

Opening of Bids: September 5, 2017 @ 3:45PM

The NIA-BANE assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of bids.

Also, NIA reserves the right to reject any or all bids at any time prior to award, waive any defects therein and to declare the bidding a failure for whatever reasons it may deem appropriate.

(SGD. ROBERTO J. DELA CRUZ Chairperson – BAC

MARILOU M. GHOSE married to SANJAY KEVIN GHOSE 61, Brgy. Sambag, Jaro, Iloilo city

(MS-Aug. 8, 15 & 22, 2017)

BONIFACIO DRIVE, SOUTH HARBOR, PORT AREA, MANILA 1018, PHILIPPINES, P.O. BOX 436, MANILA, PHILIPPINES TEL. NO. (0632) 527-8356, FAX NO. (0632) 527-4855 HTTP://WWW.PPA.COM.PH

INVITATION TO BID

BONIFACIO DRIVE, SOUTH HARBOR, PORT AREA, MANILA 1018, PHILIPPINES, P.O. BOX 436, MANILA, PHILIPPINES TEL. NO. (0632) 527-8356, FAX NO. (0632) 527-4855 HTTP://WWW.PPA.COM.PH

INVITATION TO BID The Philippine Ports Authority, through the Corporate Budget of the Authority for CY 2017, intends to apply the sum of P 131,217,919.82 being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Procurement of Professional, Technical and Administrative Support Manpower Services for PPA Head Office Responsibility Centers and Projects (BAC-PGCS-05-2017).

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Philippine Ports Authority Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on 15 August 2017 from the address below and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Five Thousand (P5,000.00) Pesos.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Philippine Ports Authority, provided that bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

The Philippine Ports Authority’s Bids and Awards Committee will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 23 August 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the PPA Function Room, 7th Floor, PPA Bldg., Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila, which shall be open to all prospective bidders.

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before 05 September 2017 at 9:00 a.m. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in the bidding documents.

Bid opening shall be on 05 September 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the 7th Floor, PPA Building, A. Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend. Late bids shall not be accepted.

The Philippine Ports Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to:

The Philippine Ports Authority now invites bids for A. Supply and Provision of Competent Professional, Technical and Administrative Support Manpower Services For PPA Head Office Responsibility Centers and Projects. Contract Duration is for one (1) year from the receipt by the successful bidder of the Notice to Proceed. Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act.” Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Philippine Ports Authority Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on 15 August 2017 from the address below and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Fifty Thousand (P50.000.00) Pesos.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Philippine Ports Authority, provided that bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

The Philippine Ports Authority’s Bids and Awards Committee will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 23 August 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the PPA Function Room, 7th Floor, PPA Bldg., Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila, which shall be open to all prospective bidders.

Standard – Aug. 15, 2017

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Philippine Ports Authority, provided that bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

The Philippine Ports Authority’s Bids and Awards Committee for Engineering Projects will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 23 August 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at the PPA Function Room, 7th Floor, PPA Bidg., Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila, which shall be open to all prospective bidders.

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before 9:00 a.m. of 07 September 2017. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in the bidding documents.

Bid opening shall be on 07 September 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the 7th Floor, PPA Building, A. Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidder’s representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

Required PCAB Registration: Medium A - Port, Harbor and Offshore Engineering

The Philippine Ports Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: BAC Secretariat, Philippine Ports Authority 5th Floor, PPA Bldg., A. Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila Telephone/Fax No. 527-47-35 527-83-56 to 83 loc. 539 PPA Website: www.ppa.com.ph ADRIAN FERDINAND S. SUGAY Chairperson, PPA Head Office Bids and Awards Committee for Engineering Projects (HO-BAC-EP)

BONIFACIO DRIVE, SOUTH HARBOR, PORT AREA, MANILA 1018, PHILIPPINES, P.O. BOX 436, MANILA, PHILIPPINES TEL. NO. (0632) 527-8356, FAX NO. (0632) 527-4855 HTTP://WWW.PPA.COM.PH

FOR THE ENGAGEMENT OF SERVICES OF A CERTIFICATION BODY FOR THE QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OF PPA

The Philippine Ports Authority, through the Corporate Budget of the Authority for CY 2017, intends to apply the sum of P 3,500,000.00 being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Engagement of Services of a Certification Body for the Quality Management System of PPA (BAC-PGCS-09-2017). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The Philippine Ports Authority now invites bids for A. Preparation and Submission of Audit Plan B. Issuance of ISO Certificate C. Preparation and Submission of Audit Report Detailing Observations, Opportunities for Improvement and any Nonconformity with ISO Standards. Contract Duration is for three (3) years from the receipt by the successful bidder of the Notice to Proceed. Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act.” Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Philippine Ports Authority Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on 15 August 2017 from the address below and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Five Thousand (P5.000.00) Pesos.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Philippine Ports Authority, provided that bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

The Philippine Ports Authority’s Bids and Awards Committee will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 23 August 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the PPA Function Room, 7th Floor, PPA Bldg., Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila, which shall be open to all prospective bidders.

Bid opening shall be on 06 September 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the 7th Floor, PPA Building, A. Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend. Late bids shall not be accepted.

The Philippine Ports Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

The Philippine Ports Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to:

For further information, please refer to: BAC Secretariat, Philippine Ports Authority 5th Floor, PPA Bldg., A. Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila Telephone/Fax No. 527-47-35 527-83-56 to 83 loc. 539 PPA Website: www.ppa.com.ph

ADRIAN FERDINAND S. SUGAY Chairperson, PPA Head Office Bids and Awards Committee for the Procurement of Goods and Consultancy Services (HO-BAC-PGCS)

ADRIAN FERDINAND S. SUGAY Chairperson, PPA Head Office Bids and Awards Committee for the Procurement of Goods and Consultancy Services (HO-BAC-PGCS)

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on 15 August 2017 from the address below and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P 25,000.00).

Bid opening shall be on 05 September 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at the 7th Floor, PPA Building, A. Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend. Late bids shall not be accepted.

PPA Website: www.ppa.com.ph

PPA Website: www.ppa.com.ph

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Philippine Ports Authority Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) for Engineering Projects and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before 06 September 2017 at 9:00 a.m. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in the bidding documents.

Telephone/Fax No. 527-47-35 527-83-56 to 83 loc. 539

Telephone/Fax No. 527-47-35 527-83-56 to 83 loc. 539

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, cooperatives, and partnerships or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before 05 September 2017 at 1:00 p.m. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in the bidding documents.

BAC Secretariat, Philippine Ports Authority 5th Floor, PPA Bldg., A. Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila

BAC Secretariat, Philippine Ports Authority 5th Floor, PPA Bldg., A. Bonifacio Drive, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act.”

INVITATION TO BID

The Philippine Ports Authority, through the Corporate Budget of the Authority for CY 2017, intends to apply the sum of P 1,500,000.00 being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Procurement of Service Provider for the Design, Lay-out, Photography, Manuscript Preparation, Copyediting and Proofreading and Printing of CY 2016 PPA Annual Report (BAC-PGCS-03-2017). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

The Philippine Ports Authority now invites bids for A. Extension of R.C. Wharf B. Mooring and Fendering System. Completion of the Works is required in 270 calendar days. Bidders should have completed a contract similar to the Project.

The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Standard – Aug. 15, 2017

FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF PROFESSIONAL, TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT MANPOWER SERVICES FOR PPA HEAD OFFICE RESPONSIBILITY CENTERS AND PROJECTS

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act.”

The Philippine Ports Authority, through the Corporate Budget of the Authority for CY 2017, intends to apply the sum of P 24,524,056.36 being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Proposed Extension of R.C. Wharf, Port of Guiuan, Eastern Samar (LFP ELS NO. 0232017). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

(MS-AUG. 15, 2017)

FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE DESIGN, LAYOUT, PHOTOGRAPHY, MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION, COPYEDITING AND PROOFREADING AND PRINTING OF CY 2016 PPA ANNUAL REPORT

The Philippine Ports Authority now invites bids for A. Conceptualization of Design B. Lay-out C. Photography D. Manuscript Preparation, Copyediting and Proofreading E. Production, Printing and Packaging. Delivery of the Goods is required within ninety (90) calendar days from the receipt by the successful bidder of the Notice to Proceed. Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

INVITATION TO BID

FOR THE PROPOSED EXTENSION OF R.C. WHARF PORT OF GUIUAN, EASTERN SAMAR

•

Schedule of Activities; NIA, BANE IMO

Copy Furnished: ASSET RECOVERY GROUP UNION BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES UnionBank Plaza, Meralco Avenue Corner Onyx & Sapphire Roads, Ortigas Center, Pasig City

Title No. 004-2015020828

BONIFACIO DRIVE, SOUTH HARBOR, PORT AREA, MANILA 1018, PHILIPPINES, P.O. BOX 436, MANILA, PHILIPPINES TEL. NO. (0632) 527-8356, FAX NO. (0632) 527-4855 HTTP://WWW.PPA.COM.PH

ADRIAN FERDINAND S. SUGAY Chairperson, PPA Head Office Bids and Awards Committee for the Procurement of Goods and Consultancy Services (HO-BAC-PGCS) Standard – Aug. 15, 2017

Standard – Aug. 15, 2017

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017

LGUs

Manila disaster units on full alert

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

By Bill Casas

Makati inks 5 PPP tech deals T

By Joel E. Zurbano

HE city government of Makati on Monday entered into public-private partnership contracts in line with its five landmark digital projects, including the installation of free public Wi-Fi connections for city residents.

A Fiber Optic Loop project, which will establish the free Wi-Fi system, is set to be completed in 27 barangays, excluding the six villages inside the city, by the end of December this year.

Another PPP contract scheduled for completion within the year involves the installation of mobile signal boosters to strengthen cellular and internet connectivity for the benefit of residents and transients in the city.

Mayor Abigail Binay led the signing of the contracts, which are expected to hasten the implementation of key programs aimed at expanding access to digital technology all over the city.

The other digital PPP projects are: the Makatizen card promoting e-currency and online payment; the citywide towing, impounding and clamping program that will allow online payment; and e-Payment at Jollijeeps using the Makatizen card.

The contract signing took place at the Lakan Tagkan Conference Room at Makati City Hall Building I between city government officials headed by Binay and representatives of the private companies.

Binay said the contract signing signifies the city’s commitment to provide the best features of today’s advanced technology to the city’s residents, guests, and

The City Government of Makati led by Makati Mayor Abigail S. Binay (center) signs the Public Private Partnership contracts with its private sector partners for five important projects at the Lakan Tagkan Conference Room at Makati City Hall on Monday. Manny Palmero

business partners. She added that these projects will serve as the cornerstone of Makati’s goal to become a true “Smart City.”

“These five projects are just the first of many digital transformation programs, which will further improve the technology we already have in Makati. We are tapping industry leaders from the private sector to speed up the implementation of these projects,” Binay said.

The mayor said the city government and its partners have laid out plans that will ensure that the projects will really make a difference in the daily lives of residents.

The Fiber Optic Loop project will be accomplished in partnership with Converge Information and Communications Technology Solutions, Inc and Neo Tech Asia Distribution, Inc. To be known as the Makati City Public Wi-Fi System, it relies heavily on fiber optic cable infrastructure to deliver managed internet services to Makati’s constituents.

Under Makati’s E-Government

banner, the project intends to enhance the delivery of frontline services and transactions, improve internal and government processes to ensure greater transparency, efficiency and effectiveness in its operations, and allow easier and wider public access to government information and services.

The private contractor will install the fiber optic cable in and around the city as well as provide the internet bandwidth that will be required in connection with the MyMakati Wi-Fi service. The free internet service will be available to students, guests, and transients for a fixed period every day.

Following its initial launch last May 30 with partners G-xchange and iBayad Online Ventures, Inc., the Makatizen Universal Card System will now be rolled out to the city’s 33 barangays to provide over 500,000 residents better access to city government services.

Along with city government employees, residents can receive cash allowances, stipends, and other cash benefits using their Makatizen

Card. They can also use their cards to pay fees and taxes, as well as for personal remittances and other financial transactions.

The city government has also teamed up with Aim Technologies Inc. and Market Research Knowledge Technology Inc. for the project on Mobile signal boosters to strengthen cellular and internet connectivity, which will make use of existing Makati City-owned lamp posts and structures for installing and maintaining telecommunications equipment and public information structures.

It aims to provide better cellular phone service and public information messages to residents and transients.

Through its partnership with Tokagawa Global Corporation, Makati aims to ease daily heavy traffic caused by illegally parked vehicles, stalled vehicles and those involved in vehicular accidents.

The private proponent shall provide all the towing vehicles and accessories, clamping materials, impounding area and manpower at no cost to the city. The

Bombing survivors get fresh P50k aid

QC eyes P50-m ladder fire truck QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista is planning to acquire a P50-million modern ladder fire truck to beef up the capability of the local Bureau of Fire Protection.

City administrator Aldrin Cuña disclosed Bautista’s plan to strengthen the BFP’s capability to fight fires and conduct rescues in high-rise buildings.

“We continue the support to the Bureau of Fire Protection-Quezon City. Hopefully, we are considering the procurement of a new Rosenbauer ladder fire truck in 2018,” Bautista said.

“I am looking at it from the perspective of development because of the numerous constructions that are going on, and the higher the buildings get, the more difficult it is to fire fight. We need to have more ladders and there is only one here in Quezon City that is owned by the city government,” the mayor added.

Bautista is studying if the procurement can be funded through the city’s disaster risk reduction and management fund.

The city’s fire station has one ladder truck that is capable of reach a nine-story building only. The Pierce Dash 100 aerial ladder truck was acquired by the city government for P52 million in 2008. Rio N. Araja

digital aspect of the program includes provisions for online payment of fees and penalties for the convenience of drivers and vehicle owners.

Meanwhile, the city government has revitalized its existing partnership with Metro Stores for the provision of additional “Jollijeep” food stalls or mobile canteens as an alternative to sidewalk vendors and the acceptance of e-payment using the Makatizen Card.

The private contractor will monitor and manage the new and improved mobile food stalls to ensure their strict compliance with City Ordinance 2002-007 with respect to sanitation, safety and functionality.

The Makatizen Card was the city’s first digital PPP project and affirmed Binay’s belief that PPPs are the best way to bring about digital transformation in Makati and other localities. She said earlier that Makati recognizes the indispensable role of such a partnership in revolutionizing the way government serves its people.

FOLLOWING the 6.3-magnitude quake that hit Batangas on Friday and was felt in several cities in Metro Manila, Mayor Joseph Estrada on Monday placed Manila’s emergency units on full alert anew, as the city’s disaster chief warned that the feared “Big One”―a 7.2 magnitude tremor―may strike the metropolis anytime soon.

While trying not to sound alarmed, Estrada said it is better to be prepared at all times because millions of lives and precious properties are at great risk should the strong earthquake indeed hit Metro Manila.

“I’ve been saying this a million times—it pays to be ready and prepared. This is why we’ve been continuously upgrading the training and equipment of our emergency responders,” Estrada said.

In the barangays, Estrada said the training of the allvolunteer Manila Community Emergency Response Teams is still ongoing, particularly in reporting and evacuation procedures.

After Friday’s quake, Estrada lauded the various groups that exhibited prompt and appropriate response to the situation, particularly in the evacuation and reporting procedures they executed.

“I am quite satisfied with the response of the different sectors in Manila, particularly the barangays, the schools, government offices and private business establishments, majority of which undertook prompt and orderly evacuation procedures after the earthquake and gave feedback reports to the authorities especially to the MDDRMO [Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office],” Estrada said.

This is a “concrete positive result” of the series of trainings on calamity response the city government has been conducting with different groups, organizations and sectors, he added.

MDRRMO chief Johnny Yu warned the recent Batangas quake may be an indication that the “Big One” is coming.

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera

BOOSTING TOURISM. Senator Cynthia A. Villar was the guest speaker in the opening ceremonies of the ‘Tara Na Sa Norte’ travel expo at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. Villar says the government must address the needs of tourists based on the changing times, as tourists play a significant role in the country’s economic growth. The expo was organized by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, led by general manager and chief operating officer Pocholo Paragas. Lino Santos

DAVAO CITY―The city government of Davao has extended fresh livelihood assistance to the survivors of the Sept. 2 Roxas Night Market bombing, as part of the city’s commitment to ensure their lives will go back to normal.

A total of 58 beneficiaries received P50,000 each in livelihood assistance from P3.4 million in cash donations the city received for the survivors of last year’s bombing, said lawyer Raul Nadela Jr., chief of staff of Mayor Sara Duterte.

“The beneficiaries were trained by the Department of Labor and Employment and also our City Social Services Development Office to assist them on the businesses they will put up using the money that we gave,” Nadela said.

Nadela said the objective of the city is to make sure the survivors will move on with their lives with a sustainable livelihood, as most of them have lost their loved ones.

Erickson Nacario, one of the survivors of the blast, said the government really took good care of him, from his medical expenses up to his daily needs.

Nacario said the government gave him one sack of rice and groceries every month since he could not work owing to the effects of the bombing. He underwent 13 surgeries just to be able to walk again.

“I am really thankful to the city government of Davao for helping us. They really took good care of us, they even covered our groceries. My wife was also given work,” Nacario said.

Nadela said the city will continue to assist the survivors to ensure their livelihood will prosper “and that they will have a better life.”

Following the incident, the city opened a trust fund for those who wished to help the survivors. A total of P8.7 million was donated by several persons for survivors’ recovery and livelihood assistance.

Crisologo: Don’t grant mayors legislative powers

By Rio N. Araja ALLOWING the 17 mayors of Metro Manila to legislate ordinances will only bypass the powers of the city councilors and vice mayors, Quezon City District 1 Councilor Peter Anthony “Onyx” Crisologo said.

In an interview with Manila Standard, Crisologo, however, clarified the Metro Manila Councilors League, headed by Ca-

loocan City District 2 Carolyn Cunanan, voted to give the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority more teeth to implement uniform policies and build stronger cooperation among the 16 cities and one municipality within the National Capital Region.

Crisologo was reacting to House Bill No. 5057 authored by Marikina City Rep. Bayani Fernando, a former MMDA chief, to expand the powers and func-

tions of the MMDA and allow the Metro Manila Council―the authority’s governing body made up of the 17 mayors―to create and approve ordinances.

“That could usurp the power of each and every local government unit. A conflict may arise,” the QC councilor told Manila Standard. “Also, it would just create another problem should there be a shift to federalism.”

The power to author, deliber-

ate and approve resolutions and ordinances is vested upon the councilors during regular sessions presided by their respective vice mayors, Crisologo asserted.

On Aug. 9, the MMCL represented by Crisologo as director, Cunanan as president, internal vice president Rovin Andrew Feliciano, and auditor Ethel Joy Arriola took part in the technical working group meeting of the House of Representatives’ Metro

Manila development committee to discuss HB 5057.

Even the NCR Vice Mayors’ League raised concern over Fernando’s proposal to expand the metro mayor’s legislative functions, Crisologo said.

“It is our power to legislate, and not within the powers of the mayors,” he said.

If Fernando’s measure is passed, the MMDA would be “that all powerful,” Crisologo noted.

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

CULTURE & MEDIA

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017

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‘99 Steps to Wedded Bliss’ is an artwork featuring a 17th century pilgrimage church dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, which reminds Romero of her trip to Slovenia.

The Accidental Artist

P

R CONSULTANT Jingjing V. Romero has assumed many roles in life. From founding a 25-year old PR business, to being mother and grandmother, the spirited sixtysomething has also just faced down breast cancer.

Today, she adds “artist” to a profile already full of achievements.

Jingjing mounted her first solo exhibit titled Postcards from Mamita, paintings created from memories and reflections on her numerous international travels. The collection of paintings was on exhibit at The Wellington Centre on 32nd and 4th at the Bonifacio Global City opened on July 25 until Aug. 8.

“Originally I planned to write a collection of travel vignettes for my grandkids to get to know me better when they grow up. I thought it would be a lasting memento for them to show their kids too, to remember me when I am long gone,” she said.

Her children compiled the first paintings into a family photo book dubbed Postcards from Mamita, from which the exhibits got its name.

Midway through painting, while fighting the pain and fog of chemotherapy and radiation, Jingjing realized it could be something more. The paintings gained a larger purpose beyond sharing her globetrekking spirit to her family.

Postcards from Mamita became a commitment to support the Catholic priesthood, specifically, to send scholars from the dioceses of Cabanatuan and San Jose, Nueva Ecija to the seminary.

‘Alone But Not Lonely’ is the artist’s first Koi panting which reminds her of the countless koi ponds all over Japan.

Jingjing traces her roots in Nueva Ecija. She had already sent two scholars to the seminary, and one had even graduated and became a Rogationist missionary in Africa.

Jingjing’s cousin, Bishop Oscar Azarcon-Solis, head of the Salt Lake City Catholic Diocese, and a graduate of the Maria Assumpta Seminary in Nueva Ecija, welcomed the project. She likewise gained support from renowned artist Betsy Westendorp, a good friend and art adviser. Willie C. Soong, “the father of luxury car brands in the country,” generously lent The Wellington Centre for the exhibit.

Jingjing began painting only in March this year, fulfilling a childhood dream.

She had thought of making 65 paintings before her 65th birthday. On days free from doctor’s appointments, client calls, press events, and flights to other destinations, she painted more remembered things and experienced places. A bird bath in Talinn, Estonia; a medieval castle in Germany; a spring valley in Israel; her breakfast in Kuala Lumpur; the Polish countryside; a hot-air balloon ride in Cappadocia all remembered in vivid colors on her canvases. Her travels and painting will continue, as will her recovery.

Notes on ‘Postcards from Mamita’

By Jingjing Romero

PR consultant Jingjing Romero lives a colorful life filled with love from family and friends, respect from clients and colleagues, and 73 paintings created from memories of her numerous travels abroad.

The most memorable part of the artist’s trip to Cuba is its sunset, which inspired this piece entitled ‘Fiery Sunset.’

‘Dusk at Ponte di Gran Rialto’ captures the famed bridge in Venice at dusk.

I STARTED learning to paint to fulfill a childhood dream. Though rather late, the timing seemed perfect. I had acupuncture and painting to distract me from the pain and discomfort of chemo and radiation treatments.

From March 25, 2017 to the present, on days without client calls or press events, I spent my waking moments putting on canvas happy memories of my travels. I have surpassed my 65-paintingsby-age-65 goal, as I now have 73 paintings in my portfolio.

Originally I wanted to write my autobiography highlighting my travels for my grandkids to get to know me better. Now it’s a travel journal. I thought it would be a lasting memento for them to show their kids too, to remember me as their “frequent flyer” mamita. What a happy coincidence that I was able to include illustrations in this travel journal for them! Suddenly, I am also an accidental artist.

Twenty nine of the 73 artworks have been bought by a number of friends. I hope the collection will be sold out since I want to resume sending seminarians to school. My last three scholars (a Voice major, a niece and a nephew) have graduated and are gainfully employed now.

About 15 years ago, I supported two seminarians from first year high school onwards. One was Fr. Jeffrey Sara Jagurin Rcj, who is now a Rogationist missionary assigned in Africa. The other one, muy guapito kasi, left just before he was to be ordained.

I would like to see more priests spreading the Gospel and defending our faith. They will be a vanishing tribe if we don’t support them now.

I have consulted my cousin, Utah-based Bishop Oscar Solis about resuming scholarships for seminarians. We talked about it before, about three years ago, but cancer and other medical issues got in the way.

Now that I am fully recovered, I would like to praise God more for His infinite goodness. If I sell all the paintings, I would have raised enough funds for three seminarian scholarships.

(All paintings on exhibit were sold on the day Postcards from Mamita opened. ---- Ed.)

Life

D2

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

Haligi ng Dangal

People’s Choice Awards

to recognize popular architecture works

T

WENTY entries were nominated for the Haligi ng Dangal People’s Choice Awards, handed out by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

Eduardo Calma, principal designer of Lor Calma Design Associates, Inc. The contemporary building of School of Design and Arts (SDA) Campus of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde is among the nominees for Haligi ng Dangal People’s Choice Awards

Launched in 2016, the Haligi ng Dangal Awards, an annual architecture competition, recognizes an outstanding work of architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, and urban planning built by licensed Filipino professionals within the last 10 years. It aims to exemplify the positive influence of conscious design on the environment. And that it could eventually complement the country’s cultural values and national identity.

Among the nominees were the Museum of a History of Ideas at University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) in Manila, The Mind Museum at Bonifacio Global City, and The School of Design and Arts (SDA) Campus of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), all designed by Lor Calma Design Associates Inc., with Ed Calma as principal designer.

The SDA Campus is a contemporary building made of glass, steel, and concrete, it literally stands out in the Manila skyline. The use of huge glass walls has made the building energy efficient; during daytime, portions of the structure use natural light rather than electric-powered light. It has spacious corridors that address the problem of heat, and are used by students to study and review, and even as gallery spaces.

It is home to degree programs, such as Digital Filmmaking, Multimedia Arts, Music Production, Photography, Technical Theater, Industrial Design, Dance, Interior Design, Fashion Design and Merchandising, and Arts Management.

The winner of the competition will be chosen among the entries with the most number of likes, comments and shares at the Haligi ng Dangal Facebook Page.

Senator Cynthia Villar and Manny Villar

LAURELS

PWU honors the Villars

SENATOR Cynthia A. Villar was the Commencement Speaker at the 94th Graduation Ceremony of the Philippine Women’s University at PICC on July 8.

Senator Manny Villar received the Dean Conrado Benitez Heritage Award at the same ceremony in recognition of his generous contribution to PWU’s Business School which will set up the Manny Villar Institute of Entrepreneurship in his honor.

PWU was founded in 1919 and was one of the first private schools to set up a Business Administration program in 1926. It was the first university for women founded by Asian women and is now a co-educational institution known for its innovations and diversity.

Dr. Francisco Benitez, PWU president, also announced Victorina Amalingan-Sales as the “Hiyas ng Pamantasan” awardeed during the commencement ceremonies.

This is PWU’s highest award and is given to the most outstanding member of the PWU community.

Sales heads the S.C. Vizcarra group of companies and has been actively involved with PWU for over 50 years from her student days to the present.

This year’s Awards Committee was headed by Dr. Patricia Ma. Araneta, a member of PWU’s Board of Trustees.

The graduation on July 8 was preceded by a Baccalaureate Ceremony on July 7 with over 850 graduates honoring their parents and teachers at the PWU’s historic Taft Avenue campus.

NOW occupying two floors of exhibit space to cater to book lovers, the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF), promises to be bigger on its 38th year, set on Sept. 13-17, at the SMX Convention Center, MOA Complex, Pasay City.

Expanding its exhibit area from 9,130 to 11,980 square meters, MIBF 2017 will dedicate the entire second floor to children’s books and young adult books.

“Book fair goers are in for treat on MIBF’s 38th year,” states Irene Lloren, president of MIBF organizer Primetrade Asia Inc. “We’ve seen a tremendous rise in attendance in recent book fairs, and have now expanded the exhibition space to make room for more books and bookrelated events, to pack this year’s MIBF with even more experiences.”

With over 100 exhibitors, and about 150,000 visitors over its annual fiveday run, the MIBF remains the country’s biggest and longest running book event, gathering book lovers from all walks of life to avail of the largest and most varied collection of literature for leisure and academic reading. The experience is also highlighted by an ex-

BOOK TRADE

Bigger MIBF 2017 set

Book fair goers have a bigger space to check out new titles at the 38th Manila International Book Fair, which now covers 11,980-sqm exhibit area

citing line-up of events, such as book signings, author meet-and-greets, and special contests, and other activities designed for book lovers.

Also co-located at this year’s MIBF is the National Conference on Technology in Education on Sept. 12-14, which gathers educators, the private sector,

and government bodies to drive conversations about modernized trends in the Philippine education sector.

The MIBF is organized by Primetrade Asia, Inc. in partnership with Asian Catholic Communicators, Inc., Book Development Association of the Philippines, Philippine Book-

sellers Association, Inc., and the Overseas Publishers Representatives’ Association of the Philippines. Interested exhibitors may call 896-0661 or 8960682, e-mail info@manilabookfair. com. For more event details, follow @ ManilaBookFair on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Benilde bags 25 recognitions in Philippine Student Quill Awards DE LA Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) hauled a record 25 awards at the recent Fifth Philippine Student Quill Awards.

The college brought home the Top Award for Communication Management for Komikwento, a capstone project by Multimedia Arts alumni Gabriela Serrano and Francesca Dimalanta, who both likewise garnered Awards of Excellence for the entry.

Under the institution’s Student Publications Office (SPO), The Benildean Yearbook Office (BYO) received four Awards of Excellence, namely, Ad Astra 2017: Dimensions; #TaftTravels: Table Taft; and Embark Vols. 1 and 2, and three Awards of Merit, to include #TaftTravels: Video Revamp; #UsWednesday: Deaf Feature; and the audio-visual presentation for the Third and Bridging Term Commencement Exercises.

Meanwhile, the Benildean Press Corps, won five Awards of Excellence with The Benildean Vol. II Issue 8; Dekunstrukt: Profiles (2015-2016); Photo Novela: Behind the Scenes; The

De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s 25 Student Quill Awards

Tycoon General; and BHIVE, and six Awards of Merit for The Benildean Vol. II Issue 6; The Benildean Vol. III Issue 9; Your Voices Heard; Horizons: Home (2015-2016); Straight from the Shoul-

der; and St. Scholastica’s College Holds Noise Barrage for Lumads.

Two Awards of Excellence were given to Benildean Julie Ann Dominguez King for her entry SGD Coffee, while

Laurent Paolo Agas got an Award of Merit for FEPAG: Public Awareness of the Emergency Medical Services.

Of the 239 entries submitted in this year’s Student Quill Awards, only 99 passed scrutiny. Benilde earned 23 awards for student submissions, while two other awards were given on the day itself, which netted them a second place finish in the School of the Year category.

This is the first time International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines honored the Top 3 schools that received the most number of Awards of Excellence.

An integral part of the Philippine Quill Awards, the Philippine Student Quill Awards is considered to be the country’s highest and most comprehensive prizes in business communication.

IABC Philippines is the first chapter outside North America of the international IABC, a global network of around 15,500 business communicators in 80 countries. It follows a pointing system set by the International Gold Quill Awards given to top corporations worldwide in handing out the prizes.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017

JAMIE marks 30 YEARS in concert

Child actor Awra Briguela as Amazing Ving

AWRA flies in

‘Wansapanataym’

J

VING (Awra) embarks on a new adventure as he tries to fulfill his dream of becoming a superhero by making the magical rock Super Bing (Ellen Adarna) gave him work in Wansapantaym Presents: Amazing Ving.

After failing to defeat the monster Reptilya (Bianca Manalo), Super Bing handed over the magical rock to Ving so he could continue her mission of preserving peace and harmony in the world.

However, he is still struggling to use the rock despite following the superhero’s instructions, leaving him powerless against the monster and her minions who harm innocent people.

Ving’s mother Soffy (Carmi Martin), who is under the spell of Reptilya as Maskarada, also breaks free from the powers of the evil monster and decides to go back to her family and let them know she is safe. But to her surprise, Reptilya is able to follow her, threatening her life for trying to escape.

Also in Wansapanataym Presents: Amazing Ving are Roderick Paulate, AC Bonifacio, Ria Atayde, and the first-ever team up of Kisses Delavin and Marco Gallo on television.

Wa n s a p a n a t a y m Presents: Amazing Ving airs Sundays on ABS-CBN and ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable ch 167).

This Star Events production will feature a wide genre of music from the former Miss Saigon star unlike other artists who have remained in the same musical category. Her three decades in the business is marked with diverse song contributions – from love ballads, songs about children and the family to huge inspirational hits.

“It’s a constant reinvention of yourself. Those are reinventions realizing that these are talents given by God. The glory goes back to Him. With the blessings and love of God, I’m still here after 30 years,” revealed Jamie, citing her choice to continue spreading her music to different genres.

Joining her in highly anticipated show are longtime friends in the industry—Pinky Amador, Ito Rapadas, Jenine Desiderio, Bimbo Cerrudo, Jason Zamora, and Joshua Zamora—as well as some of today’s hottest young singers—Jona, Klarisse, Bailey May, and Janella Salvador.

Paolo Valenciano will direct the show with musical direction by Bond Samson.

The singer-songwriter is behind memorable inspirational songs such as “Tanging Yaman,” “Tell The World of His Love,” “Hiram Sa Diyos,” “Jubilee Song,” and most recently, the theme song for Pope Francis’ visit to the Philippines in 2015, “We Are All God’s Children.” She is also known for classic love songs like “I’ve Fallen For You,” “Pangarap Ka Na Lang Ba,” and “Hey It’s Me.” Tickets to Hey It’s Me, Jamie! are priced at P3,500 (VIP), P2,500 (orchestra), and P1,000 (balcony).

For inquiries, call Ticketworld at 8919999 or Music Museum at 7216726.

For more information, visit Starmusic.ph or follow Star Music’s official social media accounts at Facebook.com/starmusicph, or @starmusicph on Twitter and Instagram.

AIME Rivera is celebrating her 30th year in the music industry in concert, Hey It’s Me, Jamie! 30 Years The Concert on Sept. 8, 8 p.m. at Music Museum.

‘FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano’ mobile game launched ABS-CBN and Xeleb Technologies Inc. forged a partnership and launched FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano mobile game, a runner type game app that allows users to experience the life of Cardo Dalisay (Coco Martin), who fights crimes and saves lives in the top-rating Kapamilya series.

Based on ABS-CBN’s toprating primetime series, the mobile game lets users play as the series’ protagonist Cardo and patrol the streets of Metro Manila, apprehend snatchers, and save children. Players can also win special prizes along the way while dodging several obstacles, adding more action and thrill to users’ experience.

Like the successful series, the mobile game is also an instant hit among gamers with over 50,000 downloads within the first five minutes of its launch last May and is now approaching one million downloads.

“We are very happy that we get to promote the show’s advocacy through a platform that appeals especially to children. With this

partnership, we hope to provide not only quality entertainment but also highlight valuable lessons through Kapamilya teleserye driven apps,” said Deo Endrinal, head of Dreamscape Entertainment.

“ABS-CBN has the intellectual property. We have the technology.

It’s a powerful combination,”

said Xeleb chairman and CEO Raymond Racaza. “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano is just first in the rich pipeline of games that are coming soon.”

Having aired for almost two years now, it has received praises for teaching viewers about the consequences of crimes and imparting life lessons about family

XELEBRITIES. Xeleb Technologies Inc. shareholders Isabelle Daza

and Kim Atienza

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Tuesday, August 15, 2017

ACROSS 1 Cry of dismay 5 Recover 9 — Monster (Godzilla foe) 13 Click “send” 15 — spumante 16 Prefix for “trillion” 17 Inner self 18 Luxury resorts 19 Karachi language 20 Mirth 22 Straightened up 24 Travel word 25 Tailor’s concern 26 Strive 27 Horticultural art 31 Wield an epee 33 Slacken off 34 Most trivial 38 Submarine 39 Does pull-ups 40 Four Corners state 41 Fawning parasite 43 Platitude 44 Traded 45 Elegant 46 IRS form expert 49 Had for dinner 50 CSA defender 51 Meal 53 Board game

58 Eurasian mountains 59 Viking name 61 Delhi coin 62 Isinglass 63 Like some steaks 64 Slow mover 65 Exploded 66 Burn the outside 67 Whack DOWN 1 Of course!

2 Former science magazine 3 Mournful cry 4 Andean capital 5 — luego!

6 Catch sight of 7 — — moment’s notice 8 Realtor rosters 9 Wall upright 10 Kind of raise 11 Peace and quiet 12 Too bright 14 Butterflies-tobe 21 Sequel’s sequel 23 Hankering 25 Fencer’s ploy 27 Derisive snorts 28 Not resist 29 DEA operative

30 Waited in line 31 Hard rock 32 Musical composition 34 Rock formed from clay 35 Depot info 36 Hangs loosely 37 He and she 39 Gabs 42 Edible seeds 43 Vine-covered lattices 45 Lair of a wild animal

46 Small fragment of bread 47 Grave risk 48 Rapidly 50 “Today” forecaster 52 — — unto itself 53 Red giant in Cetus 54 Word plays 55 October’s stone 56 “Star Wars” princess 57 Puppy’s cry 60 — Dawn Chong

and patriotism. It revolves around the life and struggle of Cardo, who recently went back to service as a member of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF) to protect innocent lives from danger after the tragic death of his son.

The program has also remained unbeatable nationwide since it started airing in September 2015, based on data from Kantar Media covering urban and rural homes.

Aside from avid viewers, the House of the Representatives and different government officials, like Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mike Sueno and PNP chief Ronald De Rosa commended the series for promoting crime awareness and prevention among audiences.

Xeleb Technologies Inc. is the Philippines’ first celebrity game mobile company and is a subsidiary of listed Xurpas Inc. Xeleb’s principal shareholders include Anne Curtis, Kim Atienza, Isabelle Daza, and Erwan Heussaff.

Gerard Butler (left) and Max Jenkins in a scene from the American drama, "A Family Man"

‘A FAMILY MAN’

exclusive in Greenbelt 1 and Trinoma cinemas AYALA Malls Cinemas exclusively brings Gerard Butler’s latest movie A Family Man starting Aug. 23 in Greenbelt 1 and Trinoma.

A Family Man is Butler’s latest passion piece directed by Mark Williams who is also an accomplished producer behind acclaimed features such as Ben Affleck’s The Accountant and Netflix’s Ozark.

Butler plays Dane Jensen, a driven Chicago-based headhunter, working at a cut-throat job placement firm. When Dane’s boss (Willem Dafoe) announces his retirement, he pits Dane against Lynn Wilson (Alison Brie), Dane’s equally driven but polar-opposite rival at the firm, in a battle for control over the company. As Dane gears up for the professional battle of his life, he learns his 10-year-old son Ryan (Max Jenkins) is diagnosed with an illness. Suddenly, Dane is pulled between achieving his professional dream and his family, who need him now more than ever.

Assembling the strong supporting cast for the movie included frequent award-winners

Dafoe and Alfred Molina who were respectively cast as Dane’s ruthless but retiring manager at the recruitment firm and as an aging out-of-work engineer, each of whom challenge headhunter Dane Jensen in unpredictable ways.

Brie was a perfect match to Butler as Dane’s rival, being herself “smart, beautiful, confident and charming all in one,” producer Craig Flores described.

Gretchen Mol rounded out the deep bench of talent as Dane’s wife, Elise.

But the most difficult role to cast was the character of Dane Jensen’s son, Ryan. Dane’s journey is predominantly framed through his relationship with Ryan, which is constantly transforming over the course of the film. Craig described the wide search that went into Ryan’s casting: “We reviewed hundreds of self-tapes and auditions from all around the world to find the right kid. Very tough decisions were made, but we ultimately discovered that Max Jenkins was born to play the role.”

Check www.sureseats.com for schedule and advance ticket purchase.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017

ISAH V. RED

M

ANY thought when Motorcycle Diaries folded up on GMA News TV not so long ago, the multi-awarded broadcaster and motorcycle rider Jay Taruc will never be seen on his bike riding the countryside ever again.

No, a rider will always be a rider, show or no show.

Luckily, with his entrepreneurial spirit, Taruc put an independent team and organized Ride Ph, a new show also on GMA News TV. Taruc starts revving up his bike as he begins riding again for the late night program.

Ride Ph with Jay Taruc is a half-hour tele-magazine show focused on all things motorcycle. “The Rider’s Profile” and “My Ride” segments feature riders and their exceptional love affair with their bikes. Biker groups share their club’s experiences in “Bike Tribes.”

What are the latest motorcycle products, models and services? Find out what’s in the market in “Motor Trends.”

Relevant issues concerning motorcycle riding are discussed in “Motor Issues.”

Ride Ph promotes “mototourism” with “Bike Stops and Bike Routes” that feature hangouts and routes around the country.

The docu-traveler in Taruc comes out in “Jay Riding” as he discovers compelling stories during his rides. One of the features to look forward to for the first season is the historical Himalayan Team ‘Pinas adventure ride.

As the motorcycle riding community in the Philippines continues to grow, more and more road accidents have also occurred. Along with its host, Ride Ph advocates safety riding and aims to be a platform for educating the riding public about road safety. Guidelines and tips on road safety will be the focus of “Bike Hacks” and “Rider E.R (Education on the Road).”

Ride Ph is proudly sponsored

by Dickies, BMW, Shell Philippines, Spyder, Uratex, Loctite, Big Bike Tech, PTT Oil, Ducati Group, and many others and premieres on Aug. 20, 10 p.m. on GMA News TV. *** GMA Network, Inc. (GMA) recently announced the promotion of two of its officers from its Post Production and Regional TV departments.

Congratulations, for your appointment as Vice President and Head of GMA’s Regional TV (RTV) Department.

Amoroso is in charge of the operations, local

Oliver Victor B. Amoroso, newlyappointed Vice President and Head of GMA's Regional TV Department

sales, and business development of the department including its nine stations and offices located in key areas across the Philippines: Dagupan, Ilocos, Bicol (Naga), Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, and General Santos.

He also supervises the local news operations and production of RTV’s news programs, namely Balitang Amianan in North Central Luzon, Balitang Bisdak in Central Visayas, and 24 Oras Davao in Mindanao.

Amoroso, who has been with the Network since 2007, has 16 years of solid background in the industry, working with a wide range of companies where he gained extensive local and international experience.

He earned his Bachelor of Mass Communication degree, with honors, at Silliman University and received several awards from the university including Outstanding Student of the Year in 1998, 1999, and 2001 Meanwile, Paul Hendrik P. Ticzon was promoted to First Vice President and Head of the Post Production Department.

Prior to his stint on GMA in 2003, Ticzon was already an award-winning senior video editor, graphics artist, and director. He was among the first nonlinear editors in the country and has directed numerous corporate campaigns and station IDs. Ticzon has been working in the industry since he graduated at t Ateneo de Manila University in 1991.

Jay Taruc

RIDES AGAIN

ABS-CBN pays tribute to Filipino soldiers ABS-CBN celebrated the bravery and heroism of Filipino soldiers on Aug. 3 with a variety show called Saludo sa Sundalong Pilipino at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Medical Center Auditorium.

The Kapamilya network, with the help of the AFP, granted the request of the soldiers to see and meet the stars of top primetime series FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, as they recover from fighting for the country in Marawi and other areas in conflict.

The Voice Season 2 finalist Daryl Ong opened the jam-packed show, attended by over 150 soldiers, followed by group performances by the TV program’s “CIDG” boys John Medina, Lester Llansang, Michael Roy Jornales, Benj Manalo, and Marc Solis; child stars Awra, Ligaya, and Pacquito; and love teams Ejay Falcon and Yam Concepcion and Ron Morales and Louise Delos Reyes.

Comedian Jeffrey Tam also brought laughter to the audience when he taught a soldier a magic trick, while Jhong Hilario got the ladies in the audience screaming with his special dance number.

Yassi Pressman and Coco Martin serenaded the troops, while Susan Roces, Jaime Fabregas, Mitch Valdez, Angel Aquino, Sid Lucero, and Mark Lapid also gave their messages of

Kapamilya reporter Chiara Zambrano (center) pays tribute to her fellow journalists who risked their lives in Marawi to deliver news to the people

gratitude to the nation’s heroes.

The event, which was also graced by ABS-CBN executives Carlo Katigbak, Cory Vidanes, Laurenti Dyogi, Deo Endrinal, Jun Dungo, and Kane Errol Choa, was the idea of ABS-CBN news reporter Chiara Zambrano, who was

assigned to cover the war in Marawi and saw firsthand the sacrifices of our military.

Apart from bringing the cast of the no.

1 show in the country, ABS-CBN also donated a TV set and ABS-CBN TVplus unit to the hospital, so the patients can

continue to enjoy the shows they love while they get better.

ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya also prepared grocery packages and personal care kits for soldiers, which the stars personally handed to the them after the program.

Dungo, who heads ABS-CBN’s Integrated Public Service, expressed ABS-CBN’s support for them as they continue to fight to bring peace to the country.

“The whole ABS-CBN is with you in your fight to have a peaceful country and a safe society for today’s generation and the future generations. We salute the bravery, dedication, and heroism of our Filipino soldiers,” he said.

The show’s star, Coco Martin, also thanked the network for the chance to serve the country’s heroes.

“We thank ABS-CBN for making it possible for us to help and make our love felt to all Filipinos, including our soldiers. We owe our lives to all of you because you are the ones who defend our country. We love you and we hope that through this simple way we were able to make you happy,” he shared.

Major Marissa Narag of the AFP Medical Center also thanked the network and the program, which is also celebrating its 100th week on air that day, for spending their time with the soldiers.

“Thank you especially to the performers for showing your talent and finesse to help alleviate stress in our minds even just for today,” she shared.

Watch ABS-CBN’s Saludo sa Sundalong Pilipino program featuring the cast of FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano online on www.facebook/abscbnNews/.