Manila Standard - 2017 August 16 - Wednesday

Nokor holds off missile strike ...still, Guam deploys warship SEOUL, South Korea—North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un said Tuesday he would hold off on a planned missile strike near Guam, but warned the highly provocative move would go ahead in the event of further “reckless actions” by Washington.

Some analysts suggested Kim’s comments opened a possible path to de-escalating a growing crisis fueled by a bellicose war of words between US President Donald Trump and the North Korean leadership.

Their recent exchanges were

focused on a North Korean threat to fire a volley of four missiles over Japan towards the US territory of Guam, which hosts a number of strategic military bases.

The North’s official KCNA news agency said Kim was Next page

By Gina TabonaresReilly HAGATNA, GUAM—Despite reports that North Korea has backed down from its threat to launch nuclear missiles toward this American territory, the US

military maintained a heightened alert and deployed a 418-foot combat ship, the USS Coronado.

The whole island was antsy as the world monitored what North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would do after he said he would decide whether or not to launch

missiles toward Guam on Aug. 15.

Some residents were holding garage sales so they could get off the island, but tourists, including those from Korea, continued to arrive to enjoy the island’s Next page beaches.

KEEPING BACK. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (above) says Tuesday he will hold off on a planned missile strike near Guam, but warned the highly provocative move would go ahead in the event of further ‘reckless actions’

by Washington. At left, picture taken on Aug. 14 and released by the Korean Central News Agency Tuesday shows women at a rally in support of North Korea’s stance against the United States. AFP

HEIGHTENED ALERT. Despite reports that North Korea has backed down from its threat to launch nuclear missiles into the waters of the US territory middle of August, the US military continued its heightened alert status and deployed at the break of dawn Wednesday the 418-foot long combat ship USS Coronado to protect the US island territory.

‘Maute uses govt arms’

VOL. XXXI • NO. 183 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

A LAWMAKER on Tuesday asked the Defense Department to probe the reports that some of the weapons and ammunition being used by the terrorist Maute Group in Marawi City came from a government arsenal in Limay, Bataan.

Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles, head of the House of Rep-

resentatives’ committee on appropriations, sought the inquiry after Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana did not categorically deny that ammunition boxes with Government Arsenal markings were among those recovered in the areas in Marawi that were cleared by government troops in their fight against the terrorists.

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Sino ships seen in WPS Despite Beijing’s assurance no new expansion in disputed waters

By Maricel V. Cruz

Movement ban on fowl temporary

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PARTY-LIST lawmaker on Tuesday urged the government to file a diplomatic protest against China over Chinese ships spotted near Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea.

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales AGRICULTURE Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said Tuesday the ban on the movement of live domestic and wild birds and their products, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, semen and manure from Luzon to the Visayas and Mindanao is just temporary and will be lifted as soon as experts conclude that the risk of spreading the virus has been eliminated.

Piñol said that the government is exerting all efforts to contain the spread of the avian flu from the town of San Luis, Pampanga, which was placed under an immediate quarantine on Aug. 10.

A circular from the Bureau of Animal Industry banned the movement of live domestic and wild birds including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, semen and manure from Luzon to the rest of the country. The same memo, however, says the movement Next page

ISLAND OF HOPE. A party-list lawmaker has urged the Philippine government to file appropriate diplomatic protest against China over Chinese

ships spotted near the Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea in this file photo taken in 2011. Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano said the Philippine government must call the attention of China to order their ships away from the disputed waters.

At the same time, Magdalo Party-List Rep. Gary Alejano said the Philippines must call on China to order their ships away from the disputed waters.

“I call on… government officials to be transparent in what is happening in West Philippine Sea. We must assert our rights in the midst of talks with China,” Alejano said at a news conference Tuesday.

But Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said during the department’s budget hearing at the House of Representatives Monday night that the military will not take for granted what Alejano finds as “extraordinary activities” of Chinese ships near Pag-asa Island.

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Uber defies suspension, Shabu shipment ‘middleman’ arrested for rape

By Rey E. Requejo and Macon RamosPalace defends LTFRB Araneta

RIDE-HAILING giant Uber on Tuesday defied a government order to shut down, branding the suspension a “blatant violation” of its rights but risking its drivers being arrested.

Authorities announced on Monday that they would suspend Uber for one month for failing to have the proper permits to license its drivers.

Uber initially obeyed the order and shut down its app on Tuesday morning, triggering anger from commuters who lashed out at the government for taking away what had become a trusted alternative to the notoriously bad public transport.

But on Tuesday afternoon

Uber relaunched the app, telling commuters via Twitter that it had launched a legal appeal and would continue operations until the dispute was settled.

Uber appealed even as senators on Tuesday said the decision of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to suspend Uber for one month was like punishing the riding public and the drivers earning from its operation.

By suspending Uber, Senator Bam Aquino said, the LTRFB was penalizing the riders and drivers.

“If they wanted to penalize Uber, the LTFRB could have issued a fine. Instead, they suspended

FILIPINO-CHINESE businessman Kenneth Dong has been placed under custody of the National Bureau of Investigation following his arrest for rape after a Senate hearing Tuesday.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said the arrest warrant against the trader, a suspected middleman in the recent smuggling of P6.4-billion shabu, was issued June 30 by the Parañaque City regional trial court Branch 195.

“If there are further proceedings, then the Senate has to address subpoena to the NBI,” Aguirre said.

Dong’s lawyer Karla Frias said the arrested 33-yearold businessman was innocent of the rape charge.

“My client is innocent. He is not hiding,” she said.

NBI deputy director for intelligence Vicente de Guzman said the case against Dong cropped up while they were doing a background check on the businessman, Next page

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Businessman Kenneth Dong, the alleged middleman in the shipment of P6.4 billion worth of shabu, has his mugshot Tuesday afternoon after he was accused of committing rape in Cebu. Dong was taken into custody

by NBI agents after he participated in the Senate’s inquiry into the big-time smuggling of shabu that was able to enter the country via the Bureau of Customs’ express lane.

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News

NBI arrests ‘Yolanda’ aid thieves al network of NGOs that raises funds for the rehabilitation of the areas affected by “Yolanda,” and the Spanish non-government organization Fundacion InteRed. InteRed provided the funds for PhilDHRR’s project involving livelihood recovery and the rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure in the villages in the Municipality of Guiuan in Eastern Samar.

The project aims to repair and rehabilitate damaged schools, day care and health centers and capacity building interventions in three villages in Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

Based on the criminal case filed against them, Estinozo and Lehetemas hacked the e-mail addresses of the parties and were able to change the banks involved in the fund transfer arrangement: From the bank account of PhilDHRRA to the account of DTE Construction and Development Corp. in Cebu City owned

by Estinozo.

The Davao RTC issued the arrest warrant against the two in February, but the accused were only arrested after complainants led by Glenn Bais sought help from the NBI in June.

from BFAR was prevented by Chinese fishing vessels from going near our sand bars located generally west of Pag-asa Island, around two to seven miles away,” Alejano added.

He said the suspicious massing up of Chinese Navy and Coast Guard and maritime militias north of Pag-asa Island was a threat to the country’s interests in the West Philippine Sea. “This is highly suspicious and threatening considering that China says one thing in public and does another on the ground,” Alejano said.

“For example, our fishermen continued to be harassed in the West Philippine Sea by the Chinese Navy or Coast Guard. Let us not forget what happened in 1995 when they grabbed Mischief Reef from us,” he added.

Cayetano on Tuesday said the Philippines is considering potential ways to jointly develop oil and gas resources with China in a disputed part of the South China Sea. Any joint ventures would conform to Philippine law and wouldn’t lead to the loss of Philippine territory, Cayetano told a House of Representatives

hearing on Tuesday in Manila. Shortly afterward, he sought a closed-door meeting with legislators, citing national security.

“If we can come up with a commercial deal better than Malampaya in the disputed areas, how can any Filipino argue with that?” Cayetano said. He was referring to the country’s largest gas field, which is set to run out of supply in 2024.

The remarks are the latest indication of warmer ties between the Philippines and China after years of tension under the prior administration of Benigno Aquino III. Since taking power last year, President Rodrigo Duterte has sought closer investment and trade links with Beijing, including over resources in the South China Sea. Aquino brought China before an international arbitration tribunal over its claims to 80 percent of one of the world’s most strategic waterways, and won. He also strengthened the Philippine alliance with the US to try to check China’s expansion in the South China Sea, where it has built a series

of artificial reefs, creating a platform to assert its claims.

Duterte isn’t ignoring the arbitration award, and will bring it up at a later time as the Philippines builds mutual trust with China, Cayetano said.

“There was no opportunity to talk to China because we had consistent confrontations with them,” he said.

“We won the legal part, but on the ground we were going nowhere.”

Last month, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi backed the idea of joint energy ventures with the Philippines in disputed waters, saying it was “full of political wisdom.” Unilateral development could lead to tensions and hurt both countries, Wang told reporters during a visit to Manila.

Any deal may also affect Vietnam, which rejects China’s expansive sea claims as a basis for jointly developing energy resources. The BBC reported last month that Vietnam had ordered Repsol SA, a Madrid-based oil-andgas company, to halt activities in the South China Sea after China threatened to attack Vietnamese bases in the Spratly Islands. With Bloomberg

Shabu...

From A1

into the smuggling controversy at the Bureau of Customs.

Reacting to the photos shown

by Trillanes, Dong said he was just fond of taking pictures in public.

“That’s the problem with me, the reason why I was linked to controversy,” he said.

During a recent hearing in the House, customs broker Mark Taguba mentioned the name of the Davao vice mayor. He said Paolo was part of a group of individuals involved in the transactions of the Bureau of Customs in Davao City called the “Davao Group.” He knew the other members of the group only by the names “Tita Nanie,” “Jack,” and “Small.”

When Trillanes confronted Taguba about Paolo’s involvement, he said that was just hearsay.

Taguba admitted he has no personal knowledge about the vice mayor’s alleged involvement. “Sabi-sabi lang, [It’s just talk]” he told Gordon’s committee.

Customs Deputy Commissioner Gerardo Gambala also testified he does not have personal knowledge on the alleged links of Paolo to the Davao Group.

“I could hear noises, I could hear people’s names. I could just hear Davao Group but the people behind it, I don’t know that,” he said.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella branded as mere black propaganda photos posted on social media showing Paolo with Dong.

“What’s important [is] documentary evidence, not hearsay. Otherwise all of these things are just speculation, propaganda that can be used and misused,” said Abella But Trillanes said the government also put Senator Leila de Lima in jail over photos showing her with alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa and his wife in Baguio City sometime during the 2016 election campaign.

Senator Manny Pacquiao, a close ally of Duterte, warned Taguba that he cannot just mention Paolo’s name without evidence to substantiate his allegation.

“If you are not sure, don’t mention it. If you have no personal knowledge, don’t say it,” said Pacquiao.

Dong is also being investigated by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas as a “person of interest,” supposedly for involvement in the trafficking of illegal drugs..

Reacting to the photos, the presidential son posted on Facebook photos showing Dong in the company of Liberal Party members, in-

cluding LP president Senator Francis Pangilinan and Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV. The image comes with the words, “You’re great, you accuse others!

But you yourself are guilty of it!”

The third Senate hearing was a venue for a face-off between Trillanes and Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon, both of whom had mounted botched coups against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Seeing a chance to get back at Faeldon who earlier divulged that the senator received huge sums of money from Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos while he was detained and running for senator, Trillanes asked the Customs chief if there was corruption in his bureau.

Faeldon repeatedly refused to answer Trillanes’ question. Instead, Faeldon assailed Trillanes for earlier making “preposterous” accusations that he was involved in the controversy.

Trillanes lashed back at Faeldon and insisted his question was not an accusation, unlike Faeldon’s claims against him during the 2016 campaign.

“You gave baseless accusations during the 2016 campaign. Now I am asking you as a member of this committee, as a senator, these are not accusations. I am asking you if there is corruption in Customs,” Trillanes said, threatening to cite Faeldon on contempt.

However, Faeldon opted not to answer, and instead threw sharp looks at the senator.

Gordon interrupted and asked Faeldon to answer Trillanes’ question.

Faeldon responded, “In the past few days your honor, they have been peddling stories all over the news, incredible baseless accusations against me and other people.

It’s pointless for me to answer this, your honor, because he’s come to his conclusion.”

At this juncture, Gordon reminded the two former Oakwood mutineers not to bring their previous conflict before the committee.

He also told Faeldon that this is the opportunity for him to answer the allegations.

“It may appear that you’re arrogant, recalcitrant. You answer the question,” he said.

Faeldon still refused to budge, prompting Gordon to suspend the session. He approached Faeldon during the break and convinced him to respond properly.

With Bill Casas, Vito Barcelo and Maricel V. Cruz

Uber...

as per LTFRB, Uber systems unduly challenged its rules and instructions,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella told reporters.

In its motion for reconsideration to the transport authority, Uber said the suspension was a “blatant violation of USI’s [Uber’s] right to due process.”

The government replied immediately, saying the suspension was still in force and threatening to arrest Uber drivers who violated it.

“The order stands,” said Aileen Lizada, spokeswoman of the transport authority.

“Uber is online again, let us apprehend,” she told reporters, narrating her order to traffic enforcers.

Uber officially launched in Manila in 2014 and the service was later rolled

out to a few provincial cities.

The transport authority requires Uber to get permits for its drivers and vehicles, in the same way taxi companies must. However, Uber insists the drivers are independent contractors and thus do not have to get the permits.

The dispute is Uber’s latest hurdle in Asia, where it also faced a twomonth in hiatus in Taiwan this year.

It has operated illegally in Thailand since 2014, though law enforcement has been patchy, with roughly 1.5 million people downloading the app.

The firm is currently lobbying for a tweak to the decades-old motor law to allow ride-sharing apps in the kingdom. AFP, with Macon RamosAraneta and John Paolo Bencito

By Rey E. Requejo

J

USTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Tuesday praised the National Bureau of Investigation for the arrest of two people who allegedly carted away P6 million worth of foreign donations for the victims of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” in 2013.

Desiderio Estinozo and Nestro Lehetemas were arrested in Malate, Manila, around midnight on Monday by an NBI team armed with an arrest war-

Nokor...

From A1 briefed on the “plan for an enveloping fire at Guam” during an inspection on Monday of the Strategic Force command in charge of the nuclear-armed state’s missile units.

But Kim said he would “watch a little more the foolish and stupid conduct of the Yankees” before executing any order.

If they “persist in their extremely dangerous reckless actions on the Korean peninsula,” then North Korea would take action “as already declared,” he was quoted as saying.

“In order to defuse the tensions and prevent the dangerous military conflict on the Korean peninsula, it is necessary for the US to make a proper option first,” he added.

China said Tuesday that the North Korean nuclear crisis had reached a “turning point” and it was time to enter peace talks.

The comments by foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying came as the verbal sparring between the United States and North Korea took a less bellicose tone on Tuesday.

Top US officials said Washington was not interested in regime change in Pyongyang, and South Korean President Moon Jae-In warned that there could be no war without his country’s consent.

“It’s the turning point to make a resolute decision and return to peace talks,” Hua said when asked about Moon’s comments at a regular news briefing.

China, which is Pyongyang’s main diplomatic ally, has repeatedly called on the United States and North Korea to tone down their bellicose rhetoric in recent days.

“We now hope that all the concerned parties, in what they say and what they do, can contribute to extinguishing the fire [of the tense situation], rather than adding fuel to the fire,” Hua said.

Beijing has also pressed for a return of six-nation talks that have been dormant since 2009. AFP

...still,...

From A1

Guam Lt. Governor Ray Tenorio confirmed reports from Pyongyang that Kim had said he would hold off on the missile launch, but vowed to “wring the windpipes of the Yankees if the US persists in its extremely dangerous reckless actions.”

Guam Homeland Security Advisor George Charfauros said the US military was “not scaling down its defense.”

“The US military defense will remain on high alert and the condition of readiness continues,” he said.

The USS Coronado, which is now docked at the Apra Harbor, carried armaments and Seahawk aircraft.

The deployment of the warship came before North Korean leader was photographed holding a baton pointing at a map that says “Strategic Force Firing Strike Plan.”

The photo showed a flight path for the missiles appearing to start from North Korea’s east coast then over Japan toward Guam.

Tenorio said they were in constant communication with Joint Region Marianas Commander Rear Admiral Shoshana Chatfield.

Contingency planning in several government agencies continued.

The Guam Judiciary held a whole-day briefing with its 400 plus employees and discussed emergency precautions and what to do in the event of a nuclear attack.

Shawn Gumataotao, Guam judiciary director for policy planning and community relations, said court marshals and probation officers will lead the crisis management team.

Filipino-American Senator Dennis Rodriguez, chairman of legislative health committee, assured the public that Guam hospitals and health care facilities were ready and prepared to attend to Guam residents and visitors during a crisis.

“There are concerns about it but we have enough protection. We are safe, we have protection from God and we have strong military protection aside from the fact that our island is very resilient. We go through a lot of natural disasters here and we are always prepared and act the way we treat a potential disaster or calamity,” Rodriguez said.

With Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

rant issued by the Davao City regional trial court.

“I commend the efforts exerted by our NBI agents involved in this case for their arrest of the

Sino...

From A1 “It would be a very serious thing if the Chinese will occupy any of the islands, even the islands that are far away... That would be a very serious issue,” Lorenzana said.

Nevertheless, Lorenzana said he is confident the China will abide by the status quo “modus vivendi” that was brokered by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano with Chinese officials, and that China would not occupy new areas of the South China Sea and would not build more structures on Scarborough Shoal.

But Alejano said the Chinese were planning to occupy sandbars on Pagasa Island.

“I received information from sources in the military that since three days ago, China has deployed two frigates, one Coast Guard vessel, and two large fishing vessels, with their maritime militia, one to three nautical miles north of Pag-asa Island,” Alejano said.

“Further, the report said, two days ago a Philippine government ship

who has been testifying in congressional inquiries into drug smuggling.

“This is a distinct and separate case; it involves a personal offense and has nothing to do with Senate investigation,” Aguirre said.

Aguirre revealed that Dong could become a state witness in the drug charges involving the shabu shipment.

“That’s possible [for him to be witness] as long as he would not appear to be the most guilty. Anyone can apply to be covered by WPP [witness protection program] subject to assessment of eligibility,” he added.

Dong was arrested right after the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing on the shabu shipment was suspended after 2 p.m.

The rape case against Dong was reportedly filed by a 33-year-old woman.

The complainant alleged that the rape happened in Parañaque on April 10, 2016. She said she was intoxicated and possibly drugged when she was raped.

Dong denied the allegations.

Senator Richard Gordon, during the probe, hinted about Dong’s “personal problem” but neither of them elaborated on the matter.

At the Blue Ribbon hearing, Dong denied he had close ties with President Rodrigo Duterte’s son, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte.

Dong said the younger Duterte was an acquaintance whom he met in 2008, when he expanded his weighing scales business in Davao.

“We were not that close. We are just acquaintances,” said Dong, the alleged middleman of Chen Ju Long alias Richard Tan, a Chinese citizen from Xiamen.

Chen is the owner of Hong Fei Logistics, owner of the Valenzuela warehouse where the shabu shipment was found.

The Bureau of Customs discovered the illegal drugs in Chen’s warehouse following a tip from the General Administration of China Customs. The contraband was concealed in five metal cylinders.

During the hearing, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV showed the Senate panel photos of Dong with the Davao City vice mayor and and Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, both sons of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Earlier, the President said he is ready to resign if any of his children are guilty of corruption after the name of his eldest son was dragged

From A1 its operations leaving the commuters with less options,” Aquino said.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said if the intent was to punish Uber, the LTFRB could hurt the company and not the tired and harassed riding public.

“So instead of suspension, can the penalty be in the form of a fine? If legally feasible, make it in the seven figures again as a painful reminder to comply with regulations,” Recto said.

But the Palace on Tuesday supported the LTFRB. “We affirm the positive and beneficial service offered by the Transport Network Companies. However,

respondents. Now we can make the wheels of justice move faster,” Aguirre said in a statement.

“There is no place in our society for people who take advantage of the suffering of others. To make money out of a calamity is very deplorable and should not be tolerated.”

Estinozo, an engineer, and Lehetemas were brought to NBI Headquarters after their arrest Aguirre said the two stole 100,000 euros worth of donations raised by the Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in the Rural Areas or PhilDHRRA, a nation-

‘Maute...

From A1 He made his statement even as Malacañang on Tuesday told Filipinos not to fall for “fake news” amid reports that the Pentagon had considered conducting air strikes on “ISIS targets” in Marawi City using armed drones.

“Even leading news networks can get it wrong and fall prey to false reports and fake news,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said.

“Be careful and always doublecheck your reports before sharing and acting on anything, Let us help one another in fighting fake news.”

In Monday night’s budget presentation of the department, Lorenzana said the ammunition boxes with ARMSCOR Philippines markings were among those discovered by the authorities during clearing operations. Armscor Philippines is a local gun and ammunition manufacturer, dealer and importer.

Government Arsenal chief Jonathan Martir, on the other hand, claimed they could not monitor the distribution of ammunition that are manufactured in the Government Arsenal Bataan plant after turning them over to the AFP’s Logistics Command.

Nograles said he saw the photos of the ammunition boxes that were purportedly issued by the DND’s Government Arsenal, and that he was deeply concerned that government-manufactured firearms and ammunition were falling into the wrong hands and being used to kill and maim government security forces.

Nograles also asked the Defense department about its compliance with President Duterte’s instruction for the immediate acquisition of various life-saving medical equipment such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging machines, catherization laboratory and hyperbaric chamber that are direly needed by military hospitals.

Lorenzana said there were delays in the acquisition of these equipment due to bidding and procurement problems.

Nograles noted, however, that the DND had yet to conduct the bidding process for P537 million worth of hospital facilities that were supposed to benefit wounded military personnel. Maricel V. Cruz and John Paolo Bencito The Philippine suspension enraged many local commuters who find Uber and similar companies a better alternative to taxi drivers, who often demand higher fares than what is on their meters, decline to pick up customers and drive shoddy vehicles.

“To the LTFRB, quit being scumbags and open your eyes to what people need,” Twitter user @sodachar said in reference to the transport authority.

Politicians also weighed in.

“The decision of the LTFRB to suspend Uber is both cruel and absurd,” said Senator Grace Poe, who heads the upper chamber’s transport committee. AFP, with Macon Ramos-Araneta and John Paolo Bencito

Parojinog siblings negative for drugs THE National Police has found Ozamis City Vice Mayor Nova Parojinog and his brother Reynaldo Jr., both children of slain Ozamis City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, negative for illegal drug use, an official said Tuesday.

Supt.

Ramos Bergonio, the PNP’s Crime Laboratory operations officer, said Nova and Reynaldo Jr., who underwent a random drug test shortly after their arrest following the killing of their father last month, were negative for Shabu and marijuana use.

“At the time when the urine samples were collected from the vice mayor and Reynaldo Jr., they were found negative for methampethamine or Shabu and marijuana use,” said Crime Laboratory forensic chemist Yela Apostol.

The authorities collected urine samples from Nova and Reynaldo Parojinog Jr. to determine if they were using drugs upon their arrival in Camp Crame a day after their father’s death.

But the negative findings will not affect the case filed against the Parojinog siblings. Francisco Tuyay and John Paolo Bencito

Movement...

From A1

of fowl from the Visayas and Mindanao to Luzon would be allowed.

Shipment of poultry products within Luzon will be allowed as long as it is outside the seven-kilometer radius control area of Pampanga.

The movement of poultry meat and poultry products from Luzon to any point in Luzon, will be allowed “provided this is outside of the 7-kilometer radius control area of Pampanga” and that these shipments are covered by a shipping permit and a certificate issued by a government veterinarian that the products came from farms with no incidence of avian flu for the last 21 days before shipment.

Poultry meat, including fresh, frozen meat, and uncooked poultry products must be accompanied by a shipping permit and a meat inspection certificate.

Piñol said the ban would be lifted when no new cases are reported and all affected areas are disinfected.

He assured consumers that it was safe to eat chicken, noting that now is the best time to do so because prices have gone down.

“Those who are saying that it is not safe to eat chicken because it came from Pampanga, don’t believe them. Let’s leave this problem to the experts. In fact it has been confirmed by four laboratory tests that the virus is negative for H5N1 or the type that can cross over to humans,” Piñol said.

Malacañang on Tuesday said it is considering the use of troops to hasten the clearing of areas affected by the avian flu virus in the province of Pampanga.

At a Palace briefing, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said the first avian flu outbreak in the country is no small calamity and the government is doing everything to swiftly contain the outbreak.

“We sympathize with the plight of farmers and other sectors in the poultry industry which are burdened by the drastic measures needed to contain and eradicate our first ever avian flu outbreak,” he said.

However, the Palace official noted that the Department of Agriculture may require additional personnel, given the huge task of cleaning and containing a large area.

“Despite their lack of personnel, we urge the DA and the Bureau of Animal Industry to expedite the various clearing to minimize the losses and hasten the recovery of the poultry industry,” he said.

“Perhaps, if needed, the Armed Forces of the Philippines can field more men to cull birds. This is, after all, no small calamity,” Abella said.

The avian flu outbreak was first confirmed by the DA on Thursday in the town of San Luis, Pampanga.

According to reports, the outbreak was contained in six poultry farms.

The DA said that all birds— chickens, birds, ducks, pigeons, quails -- within a one-kilometer radius from the affected farms will have to be culled.

So far, BAI reported that more than 18,000 birds have been culled.

While the type of bird flu that hit San Luis cannot be transmitted to humans, Piñol issued an order temporarily banning all fowl shipments from Luzon to other parts of the Philippines.

In the meantime, the Department of Health said it could take up to 90 days before an area is declared bird-flu free. With Macon RamosAraneta, Maricel V. Cruz and PNA

News

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VACC amends impeach rap vs CJ

By Maricel V. Cruz THE anti-crime watchdog Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption on Tuesday filed its “substitute” impeachment complaint against Supreme Court Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno at the House of Representatives.

VACC founding chairperson and president Dante Jimenez amended the complaint at the House Secretary General’s Office but has yet to get any congressman to endorse the complaint.

Jimenez was accompanied

by Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution Inc. lawyer Eligio Mallari and former congressman Jacinto Paras.

Attached to the substituted impeachment complaint are the certified true copies of court records and documents on the SC’s revocation of Sereno’s order in 2012 to reopen a Regional Constitutional Administrative Office in Cebu without the collegial approval of the high court.

Jimenez alleges that Sereno committed a culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust when she issued an order creating the new Judiciary Decentralized Office and reopen the RCAO in Western Visayas in the absence of an authority from the court en banc.

The VACC also alleged that Sereno violated the Constitution when she appointed lawyer Solomon Lumba to head her staff.

The group said the law provides that appointive government officials shall not hold another public post unless provided for by law. When Sereno appointed Lumba, he was a tenured faculty member of the state-run University of the Philippines’ College of Law. VACC also questioned Sereno’s appointment of lawyer Brenda Jay Mendoza as Philippine Mediation Center Office chief by mere memorandum and without concurrence from the court en banc.

It also alleged that Sereno committed an illegal act when she granted members of her staff travel allowances for foreign travel charges to the Supreme Court funds without court en banc approval.

Sereno betrayed the public trust over her failure to fill up some vacant positions in the Supreme Court, such as deputy clerk of court and chief attorney, which have been vacant for more than three years; and the two positions for assistant court administrator, which have been vacant for over four years, the VACC added.

In its initial 16-page complaint, the group noted that Article VIII, Section 6 of the 1987 Constitution “vests administrative supervision over all courts and the personnel thereof in the Supreme Court, and not in the Office of the Chief Justice.”

SENATE HEARING. Senator Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the Senate Committee on Games and Amusements, questions Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chairman Jose

Jorge Corpuz (right) and general manager Alexander Balutan during a public hearing on Senate Bill 1470 or the Philippine Charity Office Act of 2017. With Lacson is Senator Manny Pacquiao, representing the Senate Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises and Committee on Ways and Means. Lino Santos

DSWD’s Taguiwalo faces CA for third and last time

By John Paolo Bencito

I

T’S make or break for Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo on Wednesday as she faces the powerful Commission on Appointments for her third and last confirmation hearing.

Taguiwalo, whose confirmation was bypassed for the second time by the CA last May, said she has proven her mettle to be confirmed by the congressional body.

“We have done our best to serve the Filipino people by leading the DSWD with honesty and efficiency and compassion,” Taguiwalo said in a Twitter post.

“We have worked very hard to carry out our duties to help the poor and those in need. We stood against corruption and against waste of resources,” she added.

One of at least four leftists in the Duterte Cabinet, Taguiwalo is a former University of the Philippines professor and a longtime activist who was

imprisoned during martial law under then-President Ferdinand Marcos.

Two other Cabinet officials, Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano and Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial, are still awaiting their confirmation hearings.

Taguiwalo’s first confirmation hearing last May 3 sparked outrage as Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III practically insulted her status as a single mother.

Taguiwalo was supposed to face CA members for the second time last May 17, but the hearing was rescheduled for the following week.

The delay of her confirmation “is a form of torture,” Taguiwalo said then, as she faced support-

ers who trooped to the Senate to show their support.

The CA members deferred her confirmation after the first hearing on May 3, questioning her ties to the Communist Party of the Philippines. She said that while the CPP endorsed her appointment to President Rodrigo Duterte, she is not a member of the party.

Davao Oriental 2nd District Rep. Joel Almario, a CA member, said the May 17 hearing was postponed due to lack of time.

Taguiwalo expressed disappointment after the second postponement, saying: “I am really disappointed, but they have their reasons so I’ll just wait and see. Our service will

Espenido gets time to answer charges

By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice has given Ozamiz City police chief Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido more time to answer the criminal charges filed against him over the killing of nine suspected robbers during an operation last June.

Espenido showed up before the DoJ for the preliminary investigation hearing on murder and arbitrary detention charges.

The police official was required to file his counter-affidavit, but he was not ready to submit his answer. This prompted Prosecution Attorney Loverhette Jeffrey Villordon to give the respondents until Aug. 29 to file their answers.

Espenido earlier said the robbery suspects were killed during a shootout with the police last June 1—not a rubout as alleged in the complaint filed by relatives of Francisco

Manzano, one of the slain suspects.

Besides Espenido, the other respondents include Chief Inspector Glyndo Lagrimas, Senior Police Officer 4 Renato Martir Jr. and Police Officer 1 Sandra Louise Nadayag.

They were directed to submit their counteraffidavit on the same hearing.

The complaint accused the policemen of rubbing out 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 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 as previous chief of police of Albuera, Leyte.

On July 30, he led policemen in the dawn

raid that killed Ozamiz Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, his wife and 14 others at the mayor’s house.

Members of the Parojinog family have claimed 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 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.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group filed similar charges against Mayor Parojinog and his wife before the DoJ. However, the DoJ rejected the complaint, citing the rule in criminal procedures that extinguishes criminal liability of a dead person.

‘Bombing of lumad schools breaks law’

By Rio N. Araja

DRUG ROUNDUP. Police round up 30 persons involved in illegal drugs during a big operation at Barangays 118 and 120 along 2nd Avenue in Grace Park, Caloocan City. Andrew Rabulan

ANY threat to bomb lumad schools is against international humanitarian law, as President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to do if the schools harbored terrorists, the Commission on Human Rights said Tuesday.

“We are reminding [the government] that the bombing of schools, hospitals or any civilian institution violates the International Humanitarian Law. It is the responsibility of the State to respect this,” CHR Chairperson Chito Gascon said.

The lumad are a group of nonMuslim indigenous people in the southern Philippines, mostly in Mindanao. They are named after a Cebuano term meaning “native,” and are often caught in the crossfire between the military and terrorists or Muslim rebels operating in the region.

Schools are zones of peace and are regarded under the law as protected civilian objects, he added.

Attacks on schools during conflict is one of the six grave violations against children in situation of armed conflict identified and condemned by the United Nation Security Council.

Gascon reminded the Armed Forces of the Philippines to remain true to their mandate and adhere to the precepts of International Humanitarian Law. Instead of a militarist approach, the government should focus on delivering socioeconomic interventions to indigenous peoples’ communities, he said.

“I think the solution is not the military. The solution is the delivery of socioeconomic services— providing schools, housing, and other needs of indigenous peoples communities and protect their native land,” Gascon said.

continue nonetheless, an empathic kind of service free from corruption.”

“Confirmed or not, as long as President Duterte trusts me, I will continue to serve,” she added.

Taguiwalo’s first CA hearing was scheduled on Feb. 15, but it was postponed until she was bypassed when Congress went on session break in March.

Duterte reappointed her in April, as the President can reappoint a bypassed official without limit.

The CA, however, has already rejected two presidential appointees: Former Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. and former Environment secretary Gina Lopez.

Palace: Peso will rebound vs dollar MALACAÑANG on Monday expressed belief that the peso will soon bounce back after the currency fell to its lowest exchange level in nearly 11 years against the US dollar.

“We stand foursquare behind and beside BSP Governor [Nestor] Espenilla in his continued prudent management of our currency and the country’s international payments position,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a briefing.

The peso sank to its lowest in 11 years against the dollar on a widening trade deficit and external developments, particularly the tension between the US and North Korea.

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

Trading volume at the Philippine Stock Exchange thinned to $291.5 million Monday from $690 million Friday.

Abella echoed Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas chief Espenilla Jr.’s explanation that the peso was not expected to have a “free fall,” as the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals remained solid and strong.

“We expect that as international tensions ease and remittances rise, and trade and tourism revenues pick up in latter months, those holding pesos will see their funds rise again,” Abella said. John Paolo Bencito

A4

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Public disservice

M

ARTIN Delgra III. Ronaldo Corpus and Aileen Lourdes Lizada.

These are the names that tens of thousands of commuters should keep in mind when they have difficulty getting to work or going home after a long day at the office.

They are the chairman and board members of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, which suspended the transport network company Uber for a month, barring it from deploying any of the 66,000 Uber drivers who ply the roads for a living.

The LTFRB says it is penalizing Uber because it continued to accept new applications despite an order to stop accrediting drivers into their systems starting July 26, 2017.

That order, it said, was to avoid raising false expectations that these drivers could engage in the public transport business without the necessary permits from the board.

But in a Twitter post, Uber said applications for vehicles were “being accepted but not processed, as we are optimistic that with the ongoing discussions with the LTFRB, ride-sharing has a path forward.”

Without splitting hairs over what “accepting applications” means and assuming Uber did violate the order, the LTFRB decision to suspend it for a month over an administrative violation was excessive, in that it punishes not just the company but also close to 200,000 commuters who take Uber daily, and the 66,000 drivers who rely on their vehicles to make a living.

Senator Grace Poe, who chairs

the Senate committee on public service, put it well when she called the LTFRB decision to suspend Uber “cruel and absurd.”

“I am aghast that this agency that committed before the Senate to resolve the issues has just imposed a cure that will only make the disease much worse,” Poe said in a statement.

“It does not solve the problem, but further exacerbates the problem of having an utter lack of safe, reliable, and convenient transportation options for our people.

“The issue is not about roadworthiness but one that involves a mere administrative violation, which should have merited a corresponding administrative penalty. The penalty should not further prejudice the public and place the riders’ wellbeing at risk by limiting their

options.”

Uber filed a motion for reconsideration on Tuesday, saying the suspension violated its right to due process. LTFRB said the suspension stays, the appeal notwithstanding, despite its own order that says a pending motion has the effect of a stay of the earlier ruling.

On its own Twitter page, the LTFRB seeks to soften the blow by discrediting Uber while seeking “patience and understanding” from the public that has clearly been inconvenienced by its actions.

We have little reason to show patience and understanding to an agency that has failed miserably in keeping public transportation clean, safe, dependable and affordable.

As first-hand research, may we suggest that the LTFRB brass, led by Delgra, Corpus and Liza-

da give up their chauffeured airconditioned vehicles for a month and try commuting to and from work on dilapidated taxis with poor air conditioning and hygiene. Or they could take their chances on the rickety MRT and hope the train does not stall or run off the tracks. And if they’re really feeling lucky, weave in and out of traffic at breakneck speeds in an LTFRB-registered bus or jeepney.

A Palace spokesman has defended the LTFRB, saying it recognizes the benefits given by transport network companies but also that Uber “unduly challenged its [LTFRB’s] rules and instructions.”

A month of this and these officials might finally realize what a disservice they are doing to the commuting public.

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

Drugs, terrorism, economic boom

*** On the other hand, neither chamber will still look into the charges leveled by Patricia Bautista against her husband, the deservedly embattled Comelec chairman. This, even if the allegations that Bautista amassed humongous amounts of money while serving in the government as the chief overseer of the 2016 elections are ultimately based on bank passbooks and other documents that are so eminently verifiable.

No one in either chamber seems to have the courage to start an investigation into Bautista’s vast hoard of money and how, in the process of compiling it, the Comelec chairman may have influenced the elections one way or the other. And how difficult is it to use the template of the impeachment and conviction of the late Chief Justice Renato Corona, who was tried and removed on the

PRESIDENT Duterte arrived more than an hour late for a policy speech on the economy and business at the second year launch of his Dutertenomics, dubbed Sulong Pilipinas, Wednesday, Aug 9, at suburban ShangriLa Edsa hotel. The chief executive spoke for an hour— and mostly about drugs.

As for the economy, business, and taxation, well, that’s the job, he said, of Finance Secretary Carlos “Sonny” Dominguez, a former high school classmate and who topped their class.

Looking at Dominguez, Duterte said “he will answer for everything, except for law and order, and [the job] to normalize things.”

Duterte knows the toll on the government side of his violent illegal drugs war— 92 policemen and more than 200 soldiers killed so far.

The notorious gangster and terrorist, Isnilon Hapilon, who is said to head the ISIS in Marawi, is still alive, in Marawi, despite earlier military claims he was obliterated from this earth by aerial bombing.

Duterte said no one president nor one presidential term can solve the illegal drugs problem. “It [drugs] has bogged down nations.

Even America cannot cope with it. They are far worse off than us. They are fighting a useless war that never ends.” He linked drugs to terrorism.

Defeat drugs and you defeat terrorism, he said.

In the Philippines, Duterte’s answer to illegal drugs is death. “Do not destroy the young,” the President told the drug racketeers. “I will kill you if you destroy my country!”

Which explains why until now the siege on Marawi has not ended after three months of vicious battles where two or three soldiers and policemen die daily. The Maute criminal group, which is aligned with ISIS, still holds about 300 hostages, the

Turn to A5

Turn to A5

Probing the probes LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES YOU know what’s truly amazing? That Congress is relying too much on hearsay in its investigation of the Customs controversy, while not even beginning to look into the evidence of the bank accounts and other documents that are in the name of Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista.

This is not in any way an endorsement of Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon, under whose watch P6.4 billion worth of shabu was spirited out of the waterfront before it was finally, with the help of Chinese authorities, traced to a warehouse in Valenzuela City. Faeldon and his officials need to properly explain how the country’s single biggest shipment of confiscated drugs went through Customs, and how

corruption continues to rob the government of revenues and kill local industries and jobs.

But yesterday’s investigation in the Senate on the Customs scandal took on a decidedly political hue when Senator Antonio Trillanes tried to pin down the so-called “Davao Group” to the smuggling racket at Manila’s port. Trillanes repeatedly tried to make broker Mark Taguba, who was involved in bringing in the shabu, link Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, the President’s son, to the drug shipment.

But Taguba was only able to testify that he had heard some people talk about the supposed Davao connection, people who had also heard from others that the younger Duterte was its leader. How this bit of second- and third-hand information is supposed to stand up in any venue outside of Trillanes’ warped mind is a mystery to me.

Of course, you can say that the corruption that has gone un-

abated at the waterfront probably since Chinese junks started arriving with goods to trade in Manila before the Spanish colonial period is going to be based largely on witnesses’ accounts, since no one really keeps ledgers of such off-the-books payoffs.

police tried to arrest her, remembered a list of drug deals she had made on a piece of paper and tried to eat the evidence.)

In fact, prior to the entry of Trillanes in the bicameral investigations into the Customs mess, I was perfectly willing to assume that Faeldon and his men could be culpable for incompetence or corruption, whichever the testimonies and the eventual committee investigation reports would point to.

I felt that Congress had it own interests to protect and pursue in the probes, but it still had legitimate basis to continue investigating to the very end.

The entry of Trillanes, with his full one-note orchestra of political monotony, changed all that for me. And if the Senate is not careful, a heretofore legit investigation could be hijacked by one member who is only in it to (A prominent exception to this smear Duterte—and then where rule is Ozamiz Vice Mayor Nova will all of its good intentions end Princess Parojinog, who, when up?

Why should hearsay prevail in investigating Customs while documentary evidence against Bautista counts for nothing?

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Opinion

THE marital woes of Com- contrary to what happened mission on Elections Chair- when we went to the Permaman Andres Bautista and his nent Court of Arbitration—is wife Patricia has far-reach- he not aware of this?

What takes the cake insoing implications. It raises questions on the integrity far as Cayetano’s subserviof the 2016 national and lo- ence to China is concerned is cal elections. Now Chairman his behavior during the Asean Bautista faces the dilemma foreign ministers’ summit. He of resigning or suffering im- convinced our fellow Asean members to issue a tepid joint peachment.

If I were given a chance to communique, very careful not advice Bautista, I would tell to offend China.

Let me ask the Secretary: him to resign. I know how the impeachment process For what country is he now goes. It’s a political exercise. working?

I can imagine the kind of *** questions that will be asked I have been saying all along of him and Tisha.

Andy Bautista is a friend. that Customs Commissioner He was a classmate of my Nicanor Faeldon must resign son, Eric. I lauded his ap- for his failure to curb smugpointment, first as chairman gling in his agency. Worse, of the Presidential Commis- his fellow mutineers whom sion on Good Government he appointed to sensitive and then as chairman of the positions are said to be inCommission on Elections. I volved in the distribution of grease money want to be honest with by smugglers. him—I think Even his own men are runhe would be ning circles better off if Chairman around him! he resigned.

This is what Of course, Bautista should the adminisr e s i g n a t i o n imagine what tration gets will not exfor appointing onerate him will happen if his a novato! from all the impeachment The House accusations committee inhis wife has case goes on vestigations thrown at trial. have shown him. But it Faeldon to be will show that for him, incompetent. being Come*** lec chairman is not the be-all I have often wondered and end-all. He would still have his self-respect. If he about tycoons —how do they were to be impeached, he spend all the money they have earned? Can they spend could be torn to pieces!

Recall how it was with Su- that in a lifetime? In 100, 200 preme Court Chief Justice years?

Are they doing it for their Renato Corona. He was impeached, tried and convicted children or grandchildren? for not revealing everything Is it for love of money or the in his Statement of Assets, Li- challenge of making money? abilities and Net Worth. My Some say that when busigulay, he died a broken man! nessmen put up companies, they feel obligated to their employees to continue mak*** When former Senator ing money. Also, because of Alan Peter Cayetano was ap- their corporate social responpointed by the President to sibility, they feel they must the Department of Foreign make more money.

Some of our tycoons make Affairs, he knew his role as the country’s top diplomat. it a point to pay it forward.

As such, he also knew that They contribute to the naas implementor of the coun- tion’s growth and become try’s foreign policy, he must nation builders. To me they always have the Philippines’ are the true heroes. interest, first and foremost, *** in his mind.

On Sept. 25, the 365 Club, We heard Cayetano say that if we attempted to drill oil in founded in 1972 after the decthe South China Sea, there laration of martial law, will would be war. And then he celebrate its 45th anniversary echoed China’s line that there with breakfast for all its memwas no bullying and threaten- bers, courtesy of the Holiday ing. Cayetano’s words were Inn and Suites management.

Probing...

From A4 basis of not properly declaring his assets as required by law of all government officials, in the case of the also-impeachable Bautista?

Here I must declare that yesterday, I interviewed Kabayan party-list Rep. Harry Roque, who has filed a resolution calling for a House probe of Bautista, a call that has not been heeded by any of his 300 or so colleagues. Roque told me that his fellow lawmakers are apparently waiting for a signal from Duterte on whether or not to impeach Bautista; and since they have not gotten it, are taking their sweet time acting on his resolution.

But I’m afraid that I have to debunk Roque’s theory, citing the Customs investigation as evidence. Why would both Houses of Congress, after all, consent to Trillanes’ dragging of Pulong Duterte’s name in the probe of Faeldon and his men but require signs from Malaca-

ñang if they can proceed with a similar action against Bautista?

Why would Duterte’s directive in the matter of proceeding with the impeachment of Bautista, when Congress doesn’t care if the president’s son is accused of involvement in shipping illegal drugs through Customs?

Is Congress Duterte’s lapdog when it comes to Bautista but free to do whatever it likes when investigating Customs anomalies?

I don’t think so. In fact, I’m starting to believe that Congress simply doesn’t want Bautista to take a deep dive into what really happened in the May 2016 elections, because what he may come up with could really hurt them.

I may be wrong, of course.

But I simply cannot explain why hearsay will prevail in the investigation of Customs but hard documentary evidence against Bautista counts for nothing with our probe-happy lawmakers.

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Japan booming, now needs more immigrants

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

No choice but to resign

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017

By Daniel Moss JAPAN has served its time as a symbol of economic failure. Its latest growth surge puts it in a welcome new role.

The country’s demographics, according to conventional wisdom, are supposed to be bad for the economy.

Instead, Japan unexpectedly shot to the top of Group of Seven club, with its gross domestic product notching four-percent annual growth last quarter. That easily outpaced the 2.6 percent recorded in the US during the same period.

The biggest gains were in consumption and business spending, both essential ingredients in sustaining the nation’s expansion.

The world’s third-largest economy, Japan could be in even better shape if Prime Minister Shinzo Abe could overcome ancient tradition and political opposition by welcoming large-scale immigration.

To get a sense of the potential of a larger population,

take a look at the consumption figures. The GDP jump happened despite anemic increases in wages at the biggest employers, and despite the central bank’s continuing struggle to fully escape decades of either very low inflation or deflation.

The increase in spending also defies demographic destiny. Japan’s population is aging and shrinking, having peaked in 2009. The prime-working-age population, people ages 15 to 64, peaked more than a decade earlier and is down about 13 percent since then.

As I wrote earlier this month during a visit to Tokyo, something is going on that headline statistics don’t quite capture. Those same demographic challenges may soon start to overtly work in the economy’s favor. With unemployment down to 2.8 percent, companies are starting to recognize the need to lock in staff before the hiring pool disappears.

And this means paying them more. It’s starting to happen slowly, and aggre-

gate wage numbers—gains of only about 0.6 percent— obscure the dynamic among part-time workers and small businesses. Pay rises at the former vastly outstrip what’s going on at big companies, admittedly from a lower base.

Employers have known this crunch was coming for a while. This week’s GDP report suggests that it may have arrived. As Kathy Matsui, vice chair and chief Japan equity strategist at Goldman Sachs Group Inc., told Bloomberg Television, domestic spending of the kind reported today couldn’t have happened without some wage growth.

It’s not that Japan is the new boomtown. The growth seen last quarter may well be revised lower, and the past few decades have seen a few false dawns. The string of GDP increases, while it may tie for the longest since 2006, is only six quarters old.

A potential increase in consumption tax could set the economy back, as it did

a few years ago.

Regardless, the nation is no longer a poster child for economic failure. The International Monetary Fund acknowledged as much when it updated its global forecasts last month. The IMF said the global expansion is broadening beyond the US, with China, Europe and Japan carrying more of the load.

The country’s demographic challenges are still huge.

Ultimately, it needs to either embrace large-scale immigration as a solution to labor shortages or make greater use of robots. While immigrants are filling some low-end jobs, there’s very little political support for allowing much more. And to be fair to Abe, opposition to immigration long preceded his premiership.

Robots and expanded artificial intelligence seem to be vastly more favored. That’s a pity. Imagine how much more vigor the current Japanese recovery would have if only there were more people around to buy more stuff.

Bloomberg

How technology might get out of control

By Mark Buchanan HUMANITY has a method for trying to prevent new technologies from getting out of hand: explore the possible negative consequences, involving all parties affected, and come to some agreement on ways to mitigate them. New research, though, suggests that the accelerating pace of change could soon render this approach ineffective.

People use laws, social norms and international agreements to reap the benefits of technology while minimizing undesirable things like environmental damage. In aiming to find such rules of behavior, we often take inspiration from what game theorists call a Nash equilibrium, named after the mathematician and economist John Nash. In game theory, a Nash equilibrium is a set of strategies that, once discovered by a set of players, provides a stable fixed point at which no one has an incentive to depart from their current strategy.

To reach such an equilib-

rium, the players need to understand the consequences of their own and others’ potential actions. During the Cold War, for example, peace among nuclear powers depended on the understanding the any attack would ensure everyone’s destruction.

Similarly, from local regulations to international law, negotiations can be seen as a gradual exploration of all possible moves to find a stable framework of rules acceptable to everyone, and giving no one an incentive to cheat—because doing so would leave them worse off.

But what if technology becomes so complex and starts evolving so rapidly that humans can’t imagine the consequences of some new action?

This is the question that a pair of scientists—Dimitri Kusnezov of the National Nuclear Security Administration and Wendell Jones, recently retired from Sandia National Labs—explore in a recent paper. Their unsettling conclusion: The concept of strategic

equilibrium as an organizing principle may be nearly obsolete.

Kusnezov and Jones derive insight from recent mathematical studies of games with many players and many possible choices of action. One basic finding is a sharp division into two types, stable and unstable. Below a certain level of complexity, the Nash equilibrium is useful in describing the likely outcomes. Beyond that lies a chaotic zone where players never manage to find stable and reliable strategies, but cope only by perpetually shifting their behaviors in a highly irregular way. What happens is essentially random and unpredictable.

The authors argue that emerging technologies—especially computing, software and biotechnology such as gene editing—are much more likely to fall into the unstable category.

In these areas, disruptions are becoming bigger and more frequent as costs fall and sharing platforms enable open innovation. Hence, such technologies

will evolve faster than regulatory frameworks—at least as traditionally conceived—can respond.

What can we do? Kusnezov and Jones don’t have an easy answer. One clear implication is that it’s probably a mistake to copy techniques used for the more slowly evolving and less widely available technologies of the past. This is often the default approach, as illustrated by proposals to regulate gene editing techniques. Such efforts are probably doomed in a world where technologies develop thanks to the parallel efforts of a global population with diverse aims and interests. Perhaps future regulation will itself have to rely on emerging technologies, as some are already exploring for finance.

We may be approaching a profound moment in history, when the guiding idea of strategic equilibrium on which we’ve relied for 75 years will run up against its limits. If so, regulation will become an entirely different game. Bloomberg

hancement of the Conditional Cash Transfer progam; and 10) honor contracts entered in accordance with law and in good faith.

In his speech, outside of drugs and terrorism, Duterte spoke of two things of interest to business: promoting ease of doing business, and cutting red tape and corruption in government. And for the country’s future, the president wants more Filipinos in college—for free. For that, he needs P50 billion to fund free tuition in state colleges and universities. Of the P50 billion, he disclosed, Sonny Dominguez has raised P20 billion.

Duterte gives cabinet secretaries one month to act on major projects and permits.

He wants his secretaries to make it easy for businessmen to do business. He wants local governments not to delay issuance of business and other permits.

For his part, Sonny Dominguez likes to talk about breakout growth under the Duterte administration.

He notes that the economic strategy of President Duterte is bearing

fruit, with GDP (gross domestic product) growing 6.68 percent during his first three quarters, or “faster than [those of] all other administrations.”

“In line with our commitment to promote rapid and inclusive growth, we plan to achieve quality GDP growth of 7 to 8 percent in the medium-term, and reduce poverty to 14 percent from 21.6 percent in 2015. By the time we step down, we envision the Philippine economy to be in high-middle income territory,” says Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno.

Diokno says: “For quite some time now, the Philippines has enjoyed strong macroeconomic fundamentals that has enabled it to weather external headwinds. For one, our country is the fastest growing country in the fastest growing region in the world” with a growth rate of 6.9 percent in 2016, higher than countries such as China (6.7 percent) and Vietnam (6.2 percent). First quarter economic growth was also recorded at 6.4 percent, broadly in line with gov-

ernment’s full year target of 6.5 percent-7.5 percent GDP growth rate. Growth is expected to accelerate in the coming quarters backed by robust consumer spending and stronger government expenditures, among other growth drivers.”

“Our first semester performance for 2017 also shows greater potential in achieving our target at the fiscal front. For one, our disbursement level is gaining momentum, as the department heads have learned already the ropes of implementing their programs and projects. National government spending recorded a robust 22.6 percent growth in June 2017, the highest posted so far this year,” the Budget chief says.

“The administration’s political will is not just talk,” says Diokno. “We are really set on delivering on our promises, and based on this information, we can be optimistic that we will see our investments pay off sooner rather than later.”

Drugs...

From A4 commander-in-chief said.

So it seems Duterte has a better chance at turning around the Philippine economy than defeating illegal drugs or terrorism.

To fulfill the dream of every Filipino, Duterte has a six-year time frame—2017 to 2022, actually, the last six months of 2016 up to the first six months of 2022 ending June 30, 2022, when the president’s term also ends.

Duterte’s dream is what Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia calls the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) for 2017-2022, also known as the Ten-Point Socio-Economic Agenda or AmBisyon 2040.

PDP has what are called ten actionable recommendations, which are: 1) tax reform; 2) a national ID system; 3) ease of doing business; 4) faster and cheaper internet and telecom services; 5) support for farmers; 6) responsible mining; 7) developing regional industries and work force; 8) improving the transport network nationwide; 9) en-

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A6

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Solon seeks inquiry into deal on govt property

By Maricel V. Cruz

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HOUSE leader on Tuesday called for a congressional inquiry into a disadvantageous lease contract involving prime government real estate stretching over five hectares on Roxas Boulevard.

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, in filing House Resolution 1188, asked the House of Representatives committee on good govern-

ment and public accountability to review the reported non-performance by private parties Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. and Ma-

nila Exposition Complex Inc. of their obligations under the contract.

Under the Contract of Lease signed Jan. 23, 1996, the Department of Trade and Industry rented the 50,642-square meter lot to PhilExport for only P1,000 per year for 50 years renewable for another 25 years.

In the same deal, PhilExport was allowed to sub-lease the property to MECI based on a fixed rate or on the latter’s earnings, whichever is higher.

The contract required MECI to establish the World Trade Center complex which shall include world-class exhibition halls with office spaces for government agencies in the building.

But Evardone said the gover n ment appeared to have been shor tchanged because the leased property had not been developed in accordance with the intent of the contract and R.A.7844, or the Export Development Act of 1994.

Evardone said the liberal

term of lease was intended to promote export development to transform the Philippines into an exporting nation but while the government held up its end, its private partners underdelivered on their commitments.

“The rental of P1,000 per annum for 50 years is grossly disadvantageous to the government resulting in substantial loss in possible revenue considering the prime location of the property,” said Evardone.

Give SK elections a chance, says NYC

By John Paolo Bencito THE National Youth Commission on Tuesday called on lawmakers to let the Sangguniang Kabataan elections push through against moves to suspend again the barangay polls.

“If they don’t want the barangay elections, we understand that, but not the SK elections...It’s been years,” NYC chairperson Carissa Seguerra said in a Palace news briefing.

“We have already implemented changes within the SK. [But] please give SK a chance,” the NYC chairperson added.

Seguerra said they were “disappointed” with the move to have the youth polls suspended for the second straight year, citing the importance of the youth’s involvement in governance.

“What we’re vying for is representation. It is very important that there will be representation for the youth even in the barangays,” she said.

On Monday, the House of Representatives’ committee on suffrage and electoral reforms approved the measure postponing the Oct. 23, 2017 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to May 14, 2018.

The approval of the proposed postponement of village and youth polls followed an allparty 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.

Despite the current gaps on the non-implementation of certain provisions of the Republic Act 10742 or the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act, Seguerra clarified that whether or not the SK elections would take place this year, they were working to ensure youth representation through the Local Youth Development Councils in partnership with local government units.

UBER DEFIANT. Uber Technologies Inc. resumes its services in the Philippines Tuesday, defying an order by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board regulator’s order that had suspended the ride-hailing firm’s services for a month, causing atrocious traffic on a main road in the capital but risking its drivers being arrested. AFP

‘Fund to aid distressed OFWs not enough’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATE President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said the Department of Foreign Affairs fund to assist OFWs in distress was not enough despite a 140 percent increase, which amounts to P1.2 billion in 2018.

Also marked for increase is the Legal Assistance Fund of the DFA. From P100 million this year, it will double to P200 million in 2018, he said.

The twin budgetary initiatives, Recto said, was a “good news long overdue” even as he called on the government “to identify all OFW assistance funds so we will know if they

are sufficient.”

Recto has been waging a campaign for the Assistance to Nationals fund of the DFA to reach at least P1 billion.

Finally, ATN funding will reach the amount Recto has been advocating, based on the proposed 2018 national budget.

“That would be a 150 percent increase, from this year’s P400 million. It is a big jump. The challenge now is how to increase it yearly. It should not be static again,” Recto said.

The P1-billion ATN fund is lodged in the budget of the DFA. The latter has a proposed P19.5-billion budget for

next year.

“So overall, the OFW assistance fund under the DFA will increase from P500 million to P1.2 billion,” Recto said. “But these are just the funds clearly earmarked and are on top of the regular services the DFA is extending to Filipino nationals.”

He said the ATN fund was an important lifeline for Filipinos in trouble in foreign lands.

From July to December 2015, 3,253 Filipinos benefitted from the ATN fund, “and more would have been if there were more funds,” Recto said.

But to clearly identify all sources of funds for OFW as-

sistance, Recto is calling for a “singular budget tally” of appropriations and off-budget money intended to aid Filipinos overseas.

In his campaign for a bigger ATN fund, Recto has always compared its size to OFW remittances, and would invoke the large gap in batting for an increase in funding.

He said the ATN fund and LAF of P500 million this year was “a microscopic one-third of one percent of OFW contribution to the economy.”

The P500 million is what OFWs send back home in “three hours and 23 minutes, based on 2015 remittances.”

21 gunned down as Bulacan marks 439th Founding Day

By Orlan Mauricio

FALLEN FATHER. Police officer 2 Mark Anthony Peñano, 34, lies on a sidewalk of Ayala Blvd.

Tuesday after being gunned down, while taking his daughter to school on a motorcycle. Peñano was detailed at the special statistical unit of the Manila Police District Station 3. Motive for the killing has not been established. Norman Cruz

CITY OF MALOLOS—Law enforcement authorities said 21 suspected drug personalities were killed at daybreak Tuesday as Bulacan marked its 439th Founding Day. The Tuesday anti-drug operations by police, christened as ‘Tok-bang’ (knock and shoot) by government critics, were conducted by Bulacan police anti-drug operatives through a simultaneous province-wide serving of search and arrest warrants.

Sr. Supt. Romeo Caramat Jr., acting Bulacan police director, said the sting operations were part of the ‘One-time Big-time’ war against drug syndicates under ‘Oplan Double Barrel-Reloaded’ that began past midnight Monday.

As of 7:05 a.m. Tuesday, 21 were confirmed killed in the massive police crackdown while 64 others were arrested.

More apprehensions are expected as cops in the 21 towns and three cities of Bulacan were ordered to continue the massive 24-hour operations until 11:59

p.m. Tuesday.

Caramat said the operations also resulted in the recovery of 21 handguns (17 pieces of .38 revolvers, two improvised shotguns, a .9mm pistol and a .32 cal. Gun. Some 100.25 grams of suspected shabu were also seized on the dead suspects.

Killed were: one alias Egoy and alias Tom, killed in Marilao; alias Enan and Justin in Obando; alias Berth in Pulilan; alias Alvin in Balagtas; alias Chris in San Miguel; alias Jerome in Plaridel; alias Yayot and his unidentified companion in Guiguinto; alias Allan Tattoo, alias Arnold and an unidentified suspect in Norzagaray; alias Willy and alias Jeffrey in Malolos; alias Elias and alias Eugene in San Jose del Monte City; two unidentified suspects killed along McArthur Hway; alias Macoy in Santa Maria; and alias Pugeng Manyak in Baliwag, Bulacan.

Those arrested were reported in the towns of San Ildefonso, Bustos, Balagtas, Hagonoy, Bocaue, Plaridel and the City of San Jose del Monte, Caramat said.

Former mayor indicted for graft

By Rio N. Araja THE Office of the Ombudsman indicted on Tuesday a former mayor of Sta. Monica, Surigao del Norte for graft raps for irregularities in the disbursement of funds for a P980,000 core shelter assistance project in 2010.

Charged was ex-mayor Rosalinda Penera before the Sandiganbayan.

Included in the charge sheet were municipal officials Dianette Evangelista, Aurea Menil, Gilbert Dagcuta and Lei Amor Laplana as well as private individual, Rodolfo Arlan.

The case arose when Penera and company approved and facilitated the purchase of a parcel of land from Arlan in 2010 for the core shelter project.

Documents showed the purchase was made without prior authorization from the municipal board members and in the absence of an appropriation ordinance.

“Public respondents manifested gross inexcusable negligence from the processing of the disbursements of funds as they should have known of the irregularities of the purchase transaction as per their functions. Despite this, they still pursued the transaction, thereby giving unwarranted benefits to Arlan,” the resolution read.

“In addition, conspiracy can be inferred from the respondents’ respective participation in the purchase transaction as they aimed their acts towards the accomplishment of the same unlawful object.”

In the related administrative case, Menil, Evangelista, Dagcuta and Laplana were found guilty of grave misconduct and ordered dismissed from the service.

They were also meted out the accessory penalties of perpetual disqualification from holding public office and cancellation of eligibility.

PAL to launch non-stop flights

By Joel E. Zurbano FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines has announced it will launch nonstop Manila-Auckland flights beginning December this year.

The non-stop PR 218 flight to Auckland will operate every Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday beginning Dec. 6, departing Manila at 11:15 p.m., and arriving Auckland at 2:05 p.m. local time the following day.

The return flight to Manila PR 219, on the other hand, leaves Auckland every Friday, Saturday and Tuesday at 12:30 a.m. local time and touches down in Manila at 5:45 a.m.

The new flight service makes PAL the only Philippine carrier which offers the quickest and most convenient flight option between Manila and Auckland.

With the forthcoming non-stop service, travel time to Auckland will be reduced to 10 hours from the current 12.15 hour ManilaAuckland via Cairns route.

PAL will be utilizing its twinaisle dual class 254-seater A340s from its single-aisle 156-seater A320s thus increasing capacity by 60 percent.

Passengers arriving in Manila from Auckland can conveniently connect to PAL’s domestic and international network such as Manila-London, Asia, North America and the Middle East.

PAL will continue operating the Manila-Auckland via Cairns route until Dec. 5, 2017.

The introduction of non-stop Manila-Auckland flights will coincide with the suspension of the Manila-Auckland via Cairns service.

Passengers with confirmed tickets for Manila-Cairns vv., flights dated Dec. 6, 2017 onwards may reroute to Manila-Darwin/ Brisbane/Melbourne/ or Sydney and connect to Cairns via other airline and vice versa.

Sports Volunteers undergo training for PSC project DAVAO CITY—Some 35 volunteers from Muslim, Lumad and Christian communities underwent training here over the weekend to assist participants of the Sports for Peace Children’s Games set on Friday and Saturday at Mergrande Ocean Resort in Toril.

Philippine Sports Commission consultant Sergio Opeña, also overall in-charge of the Children’s Games, said the “Ates” and “Kuyas” were trained not only as volunteers for the children but as community leaders who will continue to promote grassroots sports program in line with President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s directive to bring sports to the countryside.

The training, held Aug. 11 to 13 at the Sacred Heart Spirituality Center in Barangay Catalunan Grande, featured team building, leadership, basic child psychology, leadership, sports as a vehicle for peace and vision of PSC, among others.

Participants came from as far as Barangay Pañalum, Barangay Sirawan and Barangay Sasa, while Muslim and Maranao volunteers were from Mini Forest in Boulevard.

Churches involved were St. Jude Thaddeus Parish, San Pedro Parish and Fatima Parish.

Brother Noelvic Deloria of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart spearheaded the training that was facilitated by the Kali“The Ate and Kuya concept will be replicated all over the country. They will become Volunteers for Sports.

Every 10 children in the Games will have an Ate or a Kuya who will lead them during the two-day inter-faith children’s games for peace,” Opeña said, Volunteers are aged 18 to 25.

Some 350 Muslim, Lumad and Christian children 12 years old and below will participate in the coming Games wherein they will all be staying at the beach resort.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Que catches golf leader Bowen

C

ARMONA, Cavite—Angelo Que bucked a long layoff and sizzled with a bogeyfree eight-under 64 in morning play then watched American James Bowen falter at the finish to gain a share of the lead in the weatherdelayed first round of the Aboitiz Invitational 2017 at the Manila Southwoods here yesterday.

Participants of the Volunteers for Sports training perform a team-building activity during the three-day event organized to prepare them for the Sports for Peace Children’s Games set on Friday and Saturday at the Mergrande Ocean Resort in Davao City.

Bowen, who tied Que with six birdies and an eagle after 13 holes, actually came out of the hour-long delay due to threats of lightning in hot form, birdying No. 14 to wrest control but fumbled with two poor chip shots on the par-5 17th, the last Angelo Que rolling past the cup, leading to a flubbed par-putt from seven feet.

“I felt a little nerve in the last three holes. But I think I did great today (yesterday),” said Bowen, who finished tied for 19th in last week’s PGTA Q-School at Luisita topped by Thai Pasavee Lertvilai.

That enabled Que to gain an early share of the lead in the $100,000 event serving as the kickoff leg of the eight-stage inaugural PGT Asia Tour sponsored by ICTSI as the former three-time Asian Tour winner hardly showed the effects of a long layoff on one of his favorite courses.

Que rammed in six birdies and spiked his solid 32-32 card with an eagle on No. 8 that saw him overshoot the green from 230 yards but pitch in for eagle from 10 yards.

“For some reason, I am so comfortable every time I play the Legends,” said Que, who took a long rest after dominating the Philippine Golf Tour field and winning the ICTSI Classic at Mt. Malarayat by a record 12-stroke romp last month.

After a two birdies from close range and eagle at the front, the former Philippine Open champion scorched the Legends backside with four birdies in the first five holes then slowed down with pars to storm past Miguel Tabuena before Bowen came

Water Defenders seek PVL crown vs Lady Warriors BALIPURE braces for the vaunted Pocari Sweat fightback as the Water Defenders seek to finish off the Lady Warriors and complete what they had failed to do the first time they got a crack at the Premier Volleyball League crown.

And it would only be fitting to claim the coveted PVL Open Conference crown by beating the very team that foiled its bid in the recent Reinforced Conference finals.

The Water Defenders pounced on the Lady Warriors’ so-so showing in the opener of the best-of-three finals last Saturday,

coming away with a surprising 25-22, 25-19, 25-22 victory that moved the team a win from nailing its first-ever title in the countr y’s premier women’s volley league organized by Sports Vision and backed by Mikasa and Asics.

“They [Lady Warriors] have nothing in mind but to win,” said BaliPure coach Roger Gorayeb in describing their Game One romp.

Grethcel Soltones, Aiko Urdas, Risa Sato and Jerrili Malabanan and setters Jasmine Nabor and Angelica Cayuna and the rest of the Water De-

Games today

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)

fenders will have the same mindset as they set out in their 6:30 p.m. duel with the defending champions.

Pocari Sweat did vow to strike back and force a sudden death, which they won in its first title clash with BaliPure in the Reinforced Conference. But with top

player Myla Pablo doubtful to play in full strength, coach Rico de Guzman will have to draw more from the rest of the Lady Warriors to stop the Water Defenders.

Pablo, who was held to just nine points in Game One, actually complained of pain on her abdomen since Saturday, which was later learned to have caused by a UTI (urinary tract infection).

“She [Pablo] had pain on her abdomen since Saturday. On Sunday morning, she was brought to the hospital and they said she has UTI,” said a Pocari source.

But whether or not Pablo, the Conference MVP, will be in top

form in today’s crucial match, the Water Defenders are more than ready to neutralize her and the rest of the Lady Warriors and nail the coveted championship.

Meanwhile, Cignal TV and Mega Builders also dispute the men’s crown at 1 p.m. after the 10 a.m. duel for third between Air Force and Sta. Elena while Creamline also seeks to wrap up its battle for third series with Air Force at 4 p.m.

The women’s games will be shown live on ABS-CBN Sports + Action Channel 23 and via livestream on www.sports.abs-cbn. com/livestream/pvl.

Dragons scorch Chiefs, 70 to 60

Diliman College cager Adama Diakhite drives past two Arellano University Chiefs defenders Rafael Chaves (4) and Jifford Cahigas (19).

ADAMA Diakhite’s inside game carried the Diliman College Blue Dragons to a 70-60 whipping of the Arellano University Chiefs last Saturday in the 15th Fr. Martin Cup Division 2 basketball tournament at the San Beda-Manila campus in Mendiola.

The 6’8” Diakhite, who had 20 points, struck hard twice from underneath in the closing minute of the third period and this helped propel the Blue Dragons to their third straight win.

Diakhite’s layup followed by a triple from Johnnel Bauzon allowed the Blue Dragons to move away, 49-45.

A 9-2 blast in the fourth quarter, capped by Joseph Brutas’ three-pointer, saw the Blue Dragons enjoying a 63-51 spread with 5:53 remaining.

Rickson Gerero showed the way with 24 points for the Blue Dragons, who took the solo lead in Group B of the senior division.

The Chiefs, led by transferee Ian Alban with 16

points, took their first loss in three matches.

In the junior division, the Diliman Preparatory School Baby Dragons drew 17 points from Patrick Bianan as they stopped the San Beda-Rizal B Red Cubs, 90-69 for win no. 2.

San Beda-Rizal A trounced the Letran Squires, 76-47, to pick up their first triumph in two games.

Manila Patriotic School claimed its third straight victory following an 83-67 demolition of La Salle Greenhills.

Sepfourteen slams PH Triple Crown; big weekend races at Santa Ana Park THE HOARSE urday, who refused to give ground.

Guce swung Sepfourteen on the WHISPERER outside of the frontrunner as they rounded the top of the home turn.

JENNY There was no looking back for the ORTUOSTE duo, who finished five lengths ahead SEPFOURTEEN showed convincing form last July 30 when he won the third leg of the 2,000-meter Philippine Racing Commission Triple Crown at Santa Ana Park to slam the prestigious event.

The frontrunner of the ninehorse field was Smokin’ Saturday, who jumped quick out of the gate followed by Great Wall in second, Sepfourteen in third, and Brilliance in fourth. Before the first bend, Sepfourteen had dropped back to fourth.

The rest of the field ran in back.

Sepfourteen’s rider JA Guce stepped on the gas in the backstretch, the tandem passing by the rail and steadily gaining on Smokin’ Sat-

of second placer Hiway One. Guce was fined P1,000 for grandstanding before crossing the finish line.

Placings: 3rd, Smokin’ Saturday, 4th, Golden Kingdom, 5th, Mount Pulag. Time: 2:07.2 (24’24’-25’-25’-27’).

Sepfourteen owner Santa Clara Stockfarm received P1.8 million for first place and a P500,000 bonus for the colt’s sweep of the trilogy for elite 3YO. The trainer is Chito Santos in consultation with Ruben Clor.

Two other major Philracom stakes races were held that same day, both also 2,000-meters’ distance.

Hopeful S.: 1st Metamorphosis, 2nd Bossa Nova, 3rd Cerveza Rosas, 4th Stockholm. Time: 2:09

(26-25’-24’-25-28).

3YO Locally-Bred S.: 1st Salt and Pepper, 2nd Battle Chacha, 3rd Caloocan Zap, 4th Sikat, 5th Temecula.

Time: 2:08 (26-23’-27-25’-26).

According to Santa Ana Park Racing Manager Antonio B. Alcasid Jr., the day “was very successful. We grossed P63.8 million [for the weekend], the highest with us so far this year.

“We thank the race sponsor Philracom under Chairman Andrew Sanchez, and the racing fans who supported our races,” Alcasid said. “We hope they will enjoy the other exciting events we have lined up for them.”

Alcasid is far too modest: the P63.8 million for a weekend’s sales is actually the highest so far this year among the three racetracks, not just Santa Ana Park. *** The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office will stage its National

Grand Derby on Sunday (Aug. 20) at Santa Ana Park.

The mile race attracted six: Benjamin Abalos III’s Pinagtipunan (with jockey JB Hernandez); Leonardo M. Javier Jr.’s Lollipop (RA Base); Herminio Esguerra’s coupled entries Pinay Pharoah (FM Raquel Jr.) and Salt and Pepper (MM Gonzales); Benhur Abalos’s Son Also Rises (VR Dilema); and Cool Summer Farm’s Great Wall (AP Asuncion).

Exclusive to 3YO and 4YO PCSO maiden race runners, the race has the following prizes: 1st P800,000, 2nd P350,000, 3rd 200,000, 4th 150,000. The charity beneficiary is the Diabetes Center for Underprivileged Filipino Children and Adolescents, Inc. *** On Saturday (Aug. 19) also at Santa Ana Park, Philracom has put up two guaranteed prizes of P150,000 each for the George Y.

Stribling Memorial races.

Stribling was an American who visited the Philippines sometime in the 1980s and never left. A former jockey, trainer, and horseowner in the U.S., he was a consultant to the Philippine racing industry and brought many of the sport’s practices in alignment with American racing.

His greatest achievement was the establishment of the Philippine Jockeys Academy, where he trained many of the great riders of today.

Along the way he developed warm friendships with them and their families, who warmly welcomed him into their lives as “Lolo George.”

Stribling’s first female apprentice was—myself. More on that next week. *** Facebook: Gogirl Racing and Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @gogirlracing and @jennyortuoste, and Instagram: @jensdecember and @artuoste

in the late afternoon flight with his own version of eight-under card.

Bowen and Que’s 64s stood three strokes off the record 61 posted by American John Michael O’Toole in the second round of the ICTSI Manila Southwoods Championship won by Malaysian Gavin Green last year.

The bunker-laden layout proved defenseless in the absence of the wind with the elite field, made up of a slew of long-hitters, bucking its lastline of defense with solid iron games and superb putting. Forty-eight players turned in sub-par rounds with 16 more matching pars.

Tabuena, also coming off a long break, also sizzled with seven birdies in an impressive flawless stint after 15 holes. But the 2015 Order of Merit winner came up short and bogeyed the par-3 16th but recovered the stroke with another birdie on the closing hole for solo third, just a stroke off the joint leaders.

Lertvilai sustained his form after topping the PGTA Q-School, also churning out a bogey-free 66 for joint fourth with Cory Oride of the US, who also hit an eagle, and Manila-based Dutchman Guido Van der Valk, who turned in a fiery finish of five birdies in the last six holes.

Choo Tze Huang, the former Singapore amateur hotshot, also got into the early groove with a solid 67 in a tie with local bet Zanieboy Gialon while three others also shot five-under cards with three holes to play, including Indonesian Ian Andrew, Michael Bibat, and Spain’s Salvador Paya Vila.

Olivarez rips Tierro, seals duel vs Arcilla ERIC “Jed” Olivarez Jr. used a strong start in each set to topple second seed and doubles partner PJ Tiero, hacking out a 6-4, 6-4 decision to arrange a showdown for the men’s singles crown with Johnny Arcilla in the Olivarez Cup Open Tennis Championship at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque yesterday.

Olivarez, taking time out from his studies at Western Michigan University, kept the momentum of his big victories over fourth seed Vicente Anasta, 6-4, 6-2, in the Last 16 and No. 5 Leander Lazaro, 6-3, 6-4, in the quarters, breaking Tierro early in each frame which he used as a cushion to earn a first-ever crack at the crown and the top P50,000 purse.

Using his power serve and banking on his steady baseline game, Olivarez took the first three games in the opening set and went 2-0 in the next before thwarting every Tierro fightback to clinch the win.

But standing in his way is the most feared player in the fold— top seed Arcilla, who struggled but prevailed over No. 3 Jason Patrombon, 7-5, 6-4, in the other Final Four clash in the eighth staging of the annual event staged 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 and help in the talent-search.

They dispute the crown at 10 a.m. today.

Khim Iglupas, meanwhile, moved closer to nailing a fourth straight women’s singles diadem in the event backed by Palawan Pawnshop, Stronghold Insurance, Milestone Guarantee Assurance Corp. and Sterling Insurance Company by thumping Patricia Velez, 6-0, 6-2, in their semis duel.

No. 3 Marian Jade Capadocia, on the other hand, stopped Compostela Valley’s Shaira Riviera’s upset run with an imposing 6-2, 6-1 victory in their side of the semis.

Olivarez and Tierro, meantime, ripped Joshua Kinaadman and Gabriel Peña, 6-3, 6-1, to reach the men’s doubles semis against top seed Patrombon and Manuel Balce III, who thwarted Russell Cero and Wydel Deha, 6-4, 3-6, 10-8.

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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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017

Sports

Athletics’ team ready, upbeat

By Randy Caluag

Members of the SEA Games-bound Philippine athletics’ team are shown during a sendoff ceremony. “For the first time, I’m walking with a little bounce. We have lots of funding, training is done right with our sports psychology and at Hong Kong Sports Institute. I am more confident now than the last one,” said PATAFA chief Popoy Juico. Randy Caluag

THE national athletics team will fly to Malaysia in full force, hoping to continue its tradition as a major source of pride for the Philippines in the Southeast Asian Games.

Exuding confidence, Philippine Athletics and Track and Field Association Philip Ella Juico relayed his marching order one last time before the team a few days before for going to battle in Kuala Lumpur.

“Just always remember that you are representing 100 million Filipinos. Keep your folks back home here proud, on and off the playing field,” said Juico on Tuesday during the send-off ceremony tendered by the PATAFA officials and sponsors, led by the Ayala Corporation and L Time Studio.

“For the first time, I’m walking with a little bounce.

We have lots of funding, training is done right with our sports psychology and at Hong Kong Sports Institute.

I am more confident now than the last one,” added the PATAFA chief.

The Philippines finished fourth overall 4th place in athletics at the Singapore edition of the biennial games in 2015 behind Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia by with a haul of 5 golds, 7 silver and 9 bronzes.

The 38-man athletics’ squad will be joined by head coaches Dario de Rosas and Sean Guevarra, sprints and hurdles coach Jojo Posadas and Jeff Chua, John Lozada and Rene Herrera (distance running), Joebert Delicano (jumps), Dan Fresnido (javelin) and Emerson Obiena (pole vault).

Among those expected to deliver for the Philippine team are Asian championship medal winners Eric Shawn Cray, triple jumper Mark Harry Diones and pole vaulter Ernest Obiena and Fil-American lady sprinter Kayla Richardson, the 100m SEAG champion.

Cray emerged the 400-meter champion in the recent Asian Athletics Championship in India with a time of 49.57 seconds and is expected to dominate with aplomb in the smaller regional meet.

Water polo team kicks off PH’s stint on winning note K UALA LUMPUR—The Philippines got off to a sizzling start after its water polo team stunned Thailand, 9-7, in the 29th Southeast Asian Games here.

Hostilities have yet to start, but the national water polo squad buckled down to work as it dominated the Thais in the event’s opening salvo Tuesday at the National Aquatic Center.

Grizzled veteran Teodoro Roy Canete played like a one-man wrecking crew as he scored six goals for the Philippines, which is looking for a major rebound after suffering four losses to bomb out of the medal podium in the previous edition of the biennial meet in Singapore.

Mico Anota, Alamara Mumar and Reynaldo Salonga chipped in one goal apiece, while coming up with an airtight defense that left the Thais shaking their heads in frustration.

“I’m so happy. I didn’t expect that I will have this kind of performance,” said Canete, who was part of the squad that won a silver medal in the 2007 SEA Games in Nakhon Ratchasima in Thailand.

The 36-year-old Canete bared that he was supposed to retire, but his former teammate, now assis-

tant coach Dale Evangelista, urged him to give the sport another try.

“They might scrap the water polo program if we will not win here in Malaysia,” said Canete, who was already working as a swimming instructor in Dubai when Evangelista gave him a call.

“Sayang naman ang pinaghirapan namin noon kung mawawala ang event na ito.”

Hungarian coach Gabi Egedi said although the victory was more of a team effort, it was their training in Spain and Portugal that made a difference in their campaign.

“They were composed and did not crumble despite the Thai pressure,” said Egedi, a former national junior player of Hun-

gary. “There were some lapses in the last quarter, but it was understandable because they were mentally tired. However, we have to correct that.”

The Philippines plunges back to action Wednesday against the Malaysians.

“For us, every game is a mustwin because this is a very short series,” said head coach Rey Galang.

Water polo is just one of the four events where local bets campaigned in the second day of battle.

National players in men’s and women’s football as well as netball also marched to battle in pursuit of victories that would boost the morale of Filipinos ahead of the formal opening ceremonies this Sat-

urday at the sprawling Jalil Bukit National Stadium.

The men’s U22 football and women’s squads are still competing against Cambodia and Malaysia, respectively, as of press time while the netball squad is still clashing with Thailand in quest of its first-ever victory in this prestigious 11-nation conclave.

Meanwhile, the first four gold medals – two from archery and two from sepak takraw – will be at stake in the third day of action.

Armed with extensive international exposure and training in the United States, the national archers are keen on reversing their fortunes after a forgettable performance in the Singapore biennial meet in 2015.

Philippine duo eyes repeat of Asian Gymkhana glory ALL eyes are set on the defending champion and no. 1 seed—the Philippine duo of Milo Rivera and Carlos Anton as they plunge into action in the second leg of the 2017 FIA Asian Auto Gymkhana Championship in Incheon, Korea.

The three-time National Slalom Champion Rivera and eight-time Driver of the Year Anton will be pitting guts and skills against 32 of the best Slalom/ Gymkhana drivers from all over the region—and the world—in the competition set on Aug. 19 and 20.

Rivera, who is the reigning and defending individual champion, said that it will be a very challenging race ahead.

“Winning last year’s championship was already a very steep mountain to climb. Now that we are the main targets this year, the added pressure will surely be an additional hurdle to overcome.

But with God’s grace, I’m confident that we will still be a favorite to win it all once again,” said Rivera, who is backed

by Blade Auto Center Philippines, United Auctioneers Inc., and Placewell International Services, Corp.

Not only did Rivera capture the 2016 overall individual crown, he also

helped carry the country, alongside the veteran Anton, to win the 2016 overall team title as well.

Backed by Castrol, Yokohama, and Cars Unlimited by Mark Young, Anton said that this race will certainly not be a walk-in-the-park. “Repeating as champions will definitely be a special achievement if successful, but the process and the way getting there will be very difficult. We will be ready to gun for it again, that’s for sure, but we should never overlook the talent and preparations of the other countries— more so Japan and Indonesia,” said the multi-titled Anton.

The much sought-after tandem will be raising the Philippine flag under the support and leadership of the Automobile Association Philippines —the country’s governing body for 4-Wheel Motorsports.

“Milo and Carlos have made, and continue to make waves in the local and international racing scene. And as they defend their Gymkhana crown, we wish them the best of luck. We are optimistic that we will retain the title,” said the Motorsports Committee Chairman Carlos Anton (left) and Milo Rivera celebrate their overall individual and team victories during last Jose Armando Eduque. “We wish them year’s FIA Taiwan Auto Gymkhana Prix. They are looking to defend the title and give the country its second FIA Gymkhana crown. the best of luck as well!”

Miles, Aninion out to prove they are ‘Tough Enough’

By Peter Atencio

Former rugby athlete Arnold Aninion and actress-fitness expert Aubrey Miles talk about their involvement in the new program “R U Tough Enough?” Peter Atencio

BREAKING down stereotypes and defining what toughness is all about.

This is what the cable television program “R U Tough Enough” will attempt to bring to viewers this year.

Organizers will choose five male and female contestants who will face off in a “Man vs Woman” edition.

“We will be searching for the toughest Pinoy across the nation.

We will break stereotypes and define what toughness is,” said Kix Shirley Cheong, executive

director for marketing.

Cheong said this during the launch of the program at the Buffalo Wild Wings in Glorietta 1.

Cheong was with program ambassadors, former rugby athlete Arnold Aninion and actress-fitness expert Aubrey Miles.

The contestants will go through a series of rigorous, physically demanding and emotion-sapping challenges.

The winner will be crowned as the Toughest Pinoy and earn a grand prize of P250,000.

For Miles, this is a program that’s she’s waiting to do.

“I’ve been waiting for this. I

deserve this. It’s not about being boastful, but I’ve been doing fitness training for almost two decades,” said Miles.

The ambassadors will lead the Team Aubrey and the Team Arnold respectively in the challenges.

“I’ve been a big fan of this (program),” said Aninion on the program that’s now on its fifth year.

R U Tough Enough Philippines is sponsored by Fisherman’s Friend, and supported by venue partner SM Mall of Asia, gym partner Gold’s Gym, cable partner Cablelink, Cignal TV, Destiny Cable, Gsat and SKYcable.

NLEX eyes 6th victory

By Jeric Lopez TOP-TIER teams NLEX and Meralco return to action against separate foes today in their quest to move closer to a spot in the quarterfinals in the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup. Still fresh from their big win last Sunday against the Bolts, the Road Warriors (5-1) go for their sixth win as they take on a rejuvenated Blackwater squad at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

After absorbing its first defeat, erstwhile league-leader Meralco (4-1) attempts to bounce back as it duels inconsistent Phoenix (2-3) at 4:15 p.m. in the opener.

The Road Warriors listed their biggest win of the tournament, showing character in dealing the Bolts their first defeat with a tough 100-94 grinder last Sunday.

NLEX coach Yeng Guiao likes what he sees from his team this conference so far, citing one factor that is helping the Warriors’ ascent.

“The maturity of this team is now developing,” said Guiao.

“This last win was a good test for us and it’s surreal to see our team as one of the top teams so far.”

NLEX will now be taking on its former import Bill Walker, who gave the Elite a new leash on life upon his return, leading his team to a 92-86 victory over the Fuel Masters last Aug. 6.

The scoring of Walker is now Blackwater’s lead weapon and it will be put to a test against the Road Warriors.

The Bolts, after suffering their first setback, will try to avoid a second straight loss.

Fuel Masters’ resident import Eugene Phelps is currently injured, having a bone bruise on his left foot and is still questionable.

For insurance, Phoenix tapped Brandon Brown in the event that Phelps won’t be able to go.

JRU Bombers rout Generals Games tomorrow

(Perpetual Help Gym) 2 p.m.- Perpetual Help vs San Beda (jrs) 4 p.m.- Perpetual Help vs San Beda (srs)

THE Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers sustained a great start until the end as they pummeled the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals, 77-48, yesterday at the Arena in San Juan.

Veteran cager Ervin Grospe, who led with 19 points, struck hard in the early goings as the Bombers went on to easily post their third win in six games in the 93rd NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

“If this is the way we play, then we are slowly showing our potential,” said JRU coach Vergel Meneses.

Earlier, Prince Eze came up with a double-double of 23 points and 21 rebounds, to go with five blocks to carry the University of Perpetual Help Altas to a 68-59 subduing of Arellano University, 68-59.

This allowed the Las Pinasbased squad to bounce back from two straight losses and pick up their third victory against three losses, moving to a share of third with the Bombers. Peter Atencio

Business

NLEX begins building harbor link B3

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017

B1

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Tuesday, August 15, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE

Currency

Unit

US Dollar Peso

United States Dollar

1.000000

50.9830

Japan

0.009122

0.4651

Yen

UK

Pound

1.296700

66.1097

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127858

6.5186

Switzerland

Franc

1.029018

52.4624

Canada

Dollar

0.786287

40.0873

Singapore

Dollar

0.733999

37.4215

Australia

Dollar

0.784900

40.0166

Bahrain

Dinar

2.654914

135.3555

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266660

13.5951

Brunei

Dollar

0.731315

37.2846

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0038

Thailand

Baht

0.030093

1.5342

UAE

Dirham

0.272279

13.8816

Euro

Euro

1.178200

60.0682

Korea

Won

0.000878

0.0448

China

Yuan

0.149891

7.6419

India

Rupee

0.015604

0.7955

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.232992

11.8786

New Zealand

Dollar

0.728400

37.1360

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033022

1.6836 Source: PDS Bridge

IN BRIEF BANK OF COMMERCE EXPANSION. Bank of Commerce opens its 132nd branch in the country at the multi-industrial complex of Nepo Mart in Angeles City, Pampanga province. The bank is expanding its branch network in the province to serve more clients in various retail and commercial businesses. Shown during the opening ceremony are (from left) Bank of Commerce branch banking and control division head Edwin Amahan, branch system and process division head Celestino Mendiola, Fr. Deogracias Kerr Galang, Nepo Mart chairman Peter Nepomuceno, Rural Bank of Porac Inc. president and chief executive Connie Tayag, Bank of Commerce president and chief executive Roberto Benares, branch manager Jennette Ayson and branch banking division head for Luzon Phebe Cabildo.

Megawide bags P14-b contract from 8990

Agriculture rebounded 6.2% in second quarter

By Jenniffer B. Austria

MEGAWIDE Construction Corp. said it bagged a P14-billion construction contract from mass housing developer 8990 Holdings Inc. Megawide said in a statement the project would involve the construction of 24 residential buildings with 18,993 units and a mall within 8990 Holding’s 13-hectare township development in Pasig City.

Megawide said the project called Urban Deca Homes Ortigas would become its largest contract for a single private sector engineering and procurement contract project to date.

“We’re very excited to once again be working with 8990.

They have created a singular niche in the property sector through mass housing. Through this project, we are able to provide quality engineering and construction at an affordable price,” said Megawide president Edgar Saavedra.

Megawide said its design proposal would maximize the use of its proprietary construction technologies by using precast for segments that were normally built through conventional methods.

“Our Filipino team is now working with Japanese and German technical engineers to create a structurally resilient design. We will be maximizing the use of structural precast elements such as bearing and shear walls and slabs. This will be complementary to our use of precast architectural components such as façade walls, unit partition walls, and stairs among others,” Saavedra said.

Saavedra said precast was highly advantageous for both design and construction.

“These precast elements are manufactured in a controlled environment that assures quality. It’s easily workable onsite and lessens the construction period because everything is assembled at the factory. We can ensure high quality and value for money for our clients,” he said.

Megawide said its order book backlog stood at P33.7 billion as of end-June 2017, providing earnings visibility for the next two years.

Its construction contracts include the Edades Suites of Rockwell Land Corp., BGC 5th Avenue Apartments of Fort Bonifacio Development Corp. and the Delta Project and Next Gen Zen 3 Zenith Foods Corp. plant expansion.

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

A

GRICULTURE production rebounded 6.2 percent in the second quarter from a contraction of 2.21 percent a year ago, which likely boosted the gross domestic product during the period.

This followed the 5.26-percent expansion in the first quarter of the agriculture sector, which accounts for more than a tenth of GDP. The Philippine Statistics Authority is expected to release the second-quarter GDP data Thursday.

Data from PSA showed the agriculture sector grew 5.7 percent in the first half, a turnaround from a 3.48-percent contraction in the same period last year.

The PSA said at current prices, the gross value of agricultural production in the second

quarter reached P422.4 billion, up 11.4 percent from P379 billion recorded a year ago.

The crops subsector grew 11.72 percent in April to June, rebounding from a 4.98-percent contraction a year earlier. Rice production surged 11.7 percent to 4.15 million metric tons of palay in the second quarter from 3.71 million MT in the same quarter in 2016.

Rice production was boosted by expanded harvest areas and improvements in yield in Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa, Western

Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Soccksargen and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“The increase in harvest areas of palay was due to the sufficient supply of irrigation water and nationwide distribution of hybrid and inbred certified seeds and fertilizers by the DA-LGUs,” the PSA said.

Corn production jumped 45.97 percent in the second quarter to 1.33 million MT from 911,000 MT a year earlier, on ample water supply, seed distribution of high-yielding varieties, expanded harvest areas and yield improvement.

Coconut also bounced back from its negative growth last year and came up with a 0.68-percent increase this year to 3.20 million MT from 3.18 million MT. The poultry sector expanded 8.36 percent in the second quarter, with chicken production

alone increasing 9.32 percent.

This was recorded ahead of the bird flu outbreak declared by the Agriculture Department in Pampanga province this month.

Livestock production fell 1.38 percent in the second quarter, from an expansion of 6.55 percent a year ago, as carabao, cattle and goat production went down.

“There was a drop in the number of animals slaughtered as farms were keeping their stocks for breeding purposes to be used as draft animals. Lesser slaughtering of animals can be traced to the lower stocks of marketable size available for disposal while the stocks of some animals were preserved for breeding purposes,” the PSA said.

Fishery production declined 2.9 percent in the second quarter, on lower catch of tiger prawn, roundscad and yellowfin tuna.

PDIC digs into records of Hortaleza-led thrift bank

By Julito G. Rada STATE-RUN Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. said Tuesday it is digging into the records of the closed World Partners Bank, a Laguna-based thrift bank led by the founders of Splash Corp.

PDIC president Roberto Tan said in a phone interview the agency would determine if unlawful banking practices were committed by the board and officers of World Partners Bank, which was ordered closed by the

Monetary Board of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas last week.

World Partners Bank, a fiveunit thrift bank with head office in San Pedro City, Laguna, is headed by Rosalinda Hortaleza as chairman and chief executive, Rolando Hortaleza as vice chairman and Corazon Balinas as president. Rolando Hortaleza is also the chairman of Splash Corp. which was delisted from the Philippine Stock Exchange in October 2016.

Tan said PDIC was now in the

process of gathering the pertinent documents from the bank and its branches. “The more you have deposits, the longer it takes to know [if there were some irregularities],” Tan said. “We are still in the process of collecting the documents that are in the bank branches.”

“We will come out with a report soon. But I can’t comment now because we are bound by law until we finished examining the bank records. We have to make an announcement at the

proper time,” Tan said.

The Monetary Board said in a statement it closed the Lagunabased thrift bank due to unsound financial condition. It was the sixth lender shut down by BSP this year.

The Monetary Board prohibited World Partners Bank from doing business in the Philippines.

Under Resolution No. 1340 dated Aug. 11, 2017, the board directed PDIC as the receiver to proceed with the takeover and liquidation of the bank.

Peso sinks further to 51.34 a dollar

THE peso sustained its decline against the US dollar Tuesday, after a Federal Reserve official hinted of another rate hike this year and amid the general strength of the greenback against other currencies.

The peso lost P0.26 to close at 51.34 a dollar Tuesday from 51.08 Monday. It was the local currency’s weakest level in 11 years, or since it settled at 51.38 against the greenback on Aug. 25, 2006. Total volume traded improved to $659 million from $292 million a day earlier.

“The US dollar rallied as USDPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] rhetoric subsided and Fed Dudley reiterating a possibility of another rate hike this year,” Security Bank Corp. said in its daily market report.

New York Fed President William Dudley, a close ally of Fed Chair Janet Yellen, said in an interview with the Associated Press, he was in “favor of doing another rate hike later this year.”

Business Monitor International, a unit of Fitch Group, said the Philippine peso “has been on a downtrend and is susceptible to further capital outflows in times of rising global interest rates and risk aversion, due to a still-substantial external debt stock [at 24 percent of GDP as of April 2017[.” Julito G. Rada

Big fund managers acquire Conergy Asia FUND managers Tennenbaum Capital Partners Llc and Goldman Sachs BDC Inc. acquired Conergy Asia & ME Pte. Ltd. and its subsidiaries from parent firm Kawa Solar Holdings.

Conergy said in a statement certain funds managed by TCP and GSBD, a business development company managed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, signed a definitive agreement for the acquisition.

The entry of TCP and GSBD in the solar energy firm is seen to enhance Singapore-based Conergy’s financial capabilities, allowing it to further grow its business. The sale transaction closed on Aug. 1.

Conergy specializes in the development, design, finance, build and long-term asset management of commercial, industrial and utility-scale solar power systems.

Conergy has installed almost two gigawatts (2,000 megawatts) of capacity globally.The company has operations in Japan, Australia, Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar and Germany. In the Philippines, Conergy, together with its local partners, added a total of 274 megawatts of clean electricity to the grid across 10 projects in Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan, Bataan, Negros and Bacolod. Alena Mae S. Flores

Remittances rose 4.7% to $13.8b in six months

PRIUS DONATION. Japan is donating 45 Toyota Prius vehicles (2017 model) to the Philippine National Police Region 8 under the 500-million-yen Japan Non-Project Grant Aid for the procurement and delivery of next generation vehicles, with the Department of Energy as the implementing agency. The patrol cars are to be distributed in the provinces of Leyte, Samar, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.

Shown are Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi (right) with Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhide Ishikawa as his passenger on board a Toyota Prius.

MONEY sent home by Filipinos working overseas rose 4.7 percent in the first half to $13.8 billion from $13.2 billion a year ago, on sustained demand of other countries for skilled Filipino workers, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said Tuesday.

The 4.7-percent expansion in the first semester exceeded the government’s conservative 4-percent remittance growth target for the whole year.

Data from Bangko Sentral showed that in June alone, remittances climbed 5.7 percent to a three-month high of $2.467 billion from $2.334 billion a year ago.

“The sustained increase in remittances was supported by stable demand for skilled Filipinos abroad. Preliminary data from the Philippine Overseas Employment

Administration showed that for the period January to June 2017, the total number of deployed OF workers reached 1,140,226 which is already more than 50 percent of the total number of OF workers deployed for the year 2016 at 2,112,331,” Espenilla said in a statement.

Espenilla said cash remittances from land-based workers reached $1.9 billion while those from sea-based workers amounted to $500 million in June. These figures were 3.8 percent and 13.3 percent, respectively higher from the same period last year.

The United States, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and Singapore were the major contributors to the growth in cash remittances in June.

Julito G. Rada

B2

Business

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Shell’s income dropped 16% to P4.2b in 1st half

By Alena Mae S. Flores PILIPINAS Shell Petroleum Corp. said Tuesday net income fell 16 percent in the first half to P4.2 billion from P5 billion in the same period last year, on lower oil prices and following the maintenance shutdown of its oil refinery in Batangas province.

Pilipinas Shell said the sixmonth results were affected by the refinery preventive maintenance shutdown in the last two months of the second quarter and lower inventory holding gains from softer global oil prices.

“The solid operational performance and reliability of the Tabangao refinery from January to April plus strong refining margins during the period mitigated

the impact of the planned preventive maintenance shutdown in the succeeding two months,” Pilipinas Shell said in a statement to the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Pilipinas Shell said in the second quarter alone, net income declined to P1.298 billion from P2.798 billion a year ago, despite the growth in revenues to P40 billion from P35 billion.

It said the safe and successful completion of the preventive maintenance program on the 110,000-barrel-per-day Tabangao refinery, combined with better freight optimization via the North Mindanao Import Facility in Cagayan de Oro City added robustness to the company’s integrated supply chain and assured the reliable supply of quality fuel products.

Stock index returns to 8,000; Chelsea up S TOCKS climbed for a second day, bringing back the benchmark index above the 8,000-point mark, as Asian markets welcomed the receding tension between the US and North Korea.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company bellwether, climbed 47 points, or 0.6 percent to close at 8,009.41, as five of the six major sectors advanced.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also gained 23 points, or 0.5 percent, to settle at 4,729.73, on a value turnover of

P4.8 billion. Advancers outnumbered losers, 121 to 82, while 44 issues were unchanged.

Thirteen of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by newly listed Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. which rebounded 6.5 percent to P10.12. Wilcon Depot Inc., a retailer of home furnishings, climbed 5.9 percent

to P8.82, while food manufacturer Universal Robina Corp. gained 3.3 percent to P147.

Meanwhile, Asian equities extended gains and the yen tumbled as the prospect of war between the US and North Korea receded, buoying stocks from New York to Tokyo and diverting flows away from haven assets.

Stock indexes from Tokyo to Hong Kong to Sydney climbed after the S&P 500 Index surged 1 percent. European and UK equity-index futures indicated a stronger open.

Japan’s currency, a haven in times of global tension, slumped after the Wall Street Journal characterized a

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 4.11 544,000 59.85 30,390 105.7 114,780 128.8 1,201,120 1.39 11,000 35.3 11,100 16.14 1,600 31.5 501,300 0.68 15,000 910 50 0.69 494,000 86 684,790 0.84 329,000 13.2 45,000 26 100 61.1 12,370 238 1,080 114 30 91.5 200 51 386,110 258 1,216,600 1,820 390 86.35 677,330 1.31 50,000

2,283,240 1,817,911.50 12,114,731 154,733,188 15,290 391,585 25,824 15,763,080 10,080 45,500 336,940 58,909,170 273,780 594,000 2,600 761,418.50 259,154 3,470 18,300 19,382,765.50 314,469,676 672,550 58,372,383.50 65,500

-213,300 1,658,208.50 2,311,767 -96,397,486 1,390 63,555 3,212,260 -29,413,590 -470,390.50 2,747,544 145,229,888 172,500 2,270,525.50 -

39.2 9.09 0.81 1.42 24.9 0.229 130 5.68 16.4 30.5 17.5 64 69.05 1.94 5.35 11.2 10.14 14.94 12.86 7.2 6.81 1.7 17.04 67.75 14.46 12.7 12.64 1.72 221.8 63.4 3.45 3.27 31.55 17.8 18.2 277.8 0.216 11.5 2.98 7.15 9.53 6.88 10 1.76 11.9 65.05 6.62 305 4.23 2.34 12.28 4.63 0.143 1.18 140.7 3.83 1.95 31.95 1

INDUSTRIAL 39.35 365,500 9.16 862,800 0.82 1,023,000 1.43 1,696,000 25.35 97,900 0.239 2,620,000 151.8 4,840 5.68 2,011,100 16.66 316,500 31.45 565,200 18.62 145,100 64 451,430 69.05 620 1.95 122,000 5.5 92,400 11.3 72,600 10.3 7,809,100 15 1,404,100 13.38 1,836,200 7.22 381,400 6.9 37,776,400 1.75 20,000 17.1 1,462,500 68.5 22,200 14.54 2,700 12.74 26,700 12.94 2,889,800 1.8 670,000 225 679,390 63.45 400 3.64 19,000 3.35 64,000 31.65 304,500 17.9 505,800 18.7 2,642,400 278 189,340 0.23 2,230,000 11.56 139,400 3 18,141,000 7.17 285,000 9.54 785,700 7.43 63,800 10.1 231,800 1.78 308,000 12.2 616,600 65.25 123,600 7 391,900 306.6 8,830 4.3 46,000 2.43 1,294,000 12.52 273,300 4.63 115,000 0.146 930,000 1.18 110,000 147 839,010 3.83 3,000 2.16 31,382,000 32.35 600 1 872,000

14,383,750 7,889,653 833,600 2,438,240 2,481,315 616,240 675,278 11,484,655 5,216,172 17,599,115 2,705,228 28,891,568 42,811 238,700 498,575 819,974 80,374,058 21,053,332 24,327,090 2,774,275 259,828,700 34,750 25,022,342 1,508,486 39,050 339,894 37,190,390 1,163,200 152,874,630 25,370 66,540 212,950 9,646,395 9,052,638 48,900,760 52,723,240 502,490 1,630,606 54,422,400 2,062,559 7,500,260 466,595 2,329,750 546,690 7,431,652 8,062,809.50 2,694,464 2,703,732 196,020 3,122,140 3,392,432 532,900 135,000 129,900 121,760,061 11,490 64,524,960 19,215 872,500

-1,417,270 -445,028 -4,602,450 422,470 -6,250 36,000 -237,488 11,300 -19,072,746 17,104,972 -158,380 195,311 13,759,010 -6,170,120 1,228,253.50 -1,692,140 240,110 74,937,248 0 680,140 4,152,830.00 -3,155,258 -9,072,592 -513,210 -264,842.00 20,040 44,500 -168,000 1,451,760 2,221,909 1,006,290 298,270 446,078 18,980 -2,520,106 -3,805,550.00 3,235 -

0.35 73.35 13.54 1.15 7 0.3 0.305 880 1,011 7.45 15.82 7.53 5.75 0.194 1,167 7.53 69.9 5.25 5.41 0.9 6.7 17.16 0.425 6.55 0.044 2.1 100.5 2.62 823.5 1.56 300 0.28 0.195 0.223

HOLDING FIRMS 0.365 6,660,000 73.4 92,800 13.54 2,661,600 1.15 1,000 7 46,300 0.31 150,000 0.305 560,000 896 337,880 1,011 15 7.5 1,079,000 15.9 2,978,400 7.62 5,900 5.75 1,000 0.194 40,000 1,169 25,460 7.88 5,600 71.9 526,710 5.25 14,500 5.41 200 0.92 1,309,000 6.79 181,100 18 3,084,800 0.425 50,000 6.58 10,660,800 0.045 33,100,000 2.11 171,000 101.4 27,820 2.62 6,000 828 198,990 1.6 678,000 301.8 8,180 0.28 660,000 0.2 1,720,000 0.223 140,000

2,354,200 6,822,692.50 36,118,634 1,150 324,100 45,100 170,800 302,278,230 15,165 8,089,545 47,350,838 45,087 5,750 7,760 29,778,995 42,283 37,607,414.50 76,205 1,082 1,201,100 1,230,545 54,658,366 21,250 70,173,796 1,509,900 363,900 2,817,917 15,730 164,826,335 1,081,170 2,467,900 184,900 342,500 31,240

106,500 -2,644,354 -18,906,170 -134,200 164,959,515 -619,002 39,212,732 -3,655,035 5,278 9,857,840.00 -17,850 46,000 -160,644 2,389,430 8,280,471 4,500 -103,075 -28,114,185 -25,290 -2,223,300 1,950 -

792,314 6,878,140 62,540 6,766,700 239,061,965 9,529,550 32,101,437 178,610 33,384,050 4,497,140 2,579,110 3,661,950 1,171,500 23,969,380 306,530 345,310 17,082,820 83,504,740 440,490 311,226,670

-126,239 138,590 -41,708,110 1,749,000 3,258,955 -2,067,000 7,310 350,000 19,401,625 27,970 -84,980 -184,610 -12,470 33,199,900

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

AG FINANCE ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FIRST ABACUS 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

4.1 59.9 106.9 129.5 1.39 35.2 16.14 31.4 0.66 910 0.68 85.9 0.83 13.2 26 62 241.8 119 91.5 50 257 1,730 86.5 1.31

4.4 59.9 106.9 130 1.39 35.4 16.14 31.6 0.68 910 0.69 86.2 0.84 13.2 26 62 241.8 119 91.5 51.5 261.6 1,820 86.5 1.31

4.1 59.3 104.7 128.6 1.39 35.2 16.14 31.3 0.65 910 0.68 85.9 0.82 13.2 26 61.05 238 114 91.5 49.8 256.4 1,695 86 1.31

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 PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP PUREFOODS RFM CORP SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VIVANT VULCAN INDL

39.3 9.15 0.82 1.45 26.5 0.23 156 5.74 16.48 31.3 17.5 64 69.05 1.94 5.4 11.3 10.42 14.98 12.86 7.3 6.82 1.7 17.06 67.95 14.46 12.76 12.76 1.75 222 63.4 3.65 3.45 31.85 17.9 18.22 278.8 0.229 11.74 3.02 7.25 9.56 6.9 10.1 1.77 12.02 65.3 6.62 305.4 4.3 2.35 12.6 4.63 0.145 1.18 143 3.83 1.97 31.95 1

39.6 9.18 0.83 1.46 26.5 0.239 156 5.76 16.72 31.6 19.5 64.8 69.05 1.98 5.5 11.32 10.6 15 13.4 7.3 6.93 1.75 17.26 68.5 14.54 12.78 13.1 1.8 226 63.45 3.65 3.45 31.85 18 18.7 279.6 0.23 12.98 3.02 7.25 9.58 7.5 10.1 1.79 12.28 65.35 7.05 306.6 4.3 2.45 12.7 4.64 0.146 1.19 147.3 3.83 2.16 32.35 1.01

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

0.36 74.3 13.62 1.15 7 0.3 0.305 886 1,011 7.5 15.88 7.83 5.75 0.194 1,170 7.54 70.05 5.25 5.41 0.93 6.85 17.84 0.425 6.6 0.046 2.14 101.4 2.63 835 1.56 302 0.29 0.196 0.224

0.365 74.3 13.64 1.15 7 0.31 0.305 898 1,011 7.52 15.94 7.83 5.75 0.194 1,180 7.89 71.9 5.28 5.41 0.93 6.85 18.04 0.425 6.64 0.048 2.14 101.4 2.63 835 1.62 303 0.29 0.205 0.224

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

5.49 1.27 2.34 0.88 42.3 3.69 5.12 5.3 0.5 1.4 1.54 0.204 0.5 45.8 0.69 0.148 1.8 1.68 0.95 4.85

5.49 1.35 2.34 0.95 42.45 3.69 5.23 5.3 0.52 1.4 1.56 0.21 0.5 45.8 0.7 0.148 1.82 1.74 1 4.97

5.37 1.27 2.2 0.86 41.8 3.56 5 5.25 0.5 1.29 1.51 0.204 0.5 44.6 0.69 0.145 1.78 1.61 0.95 4.85

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

0.285 0.49 0.475 4.66 28.65 24.55 1.78 3.2 34.75 1 7.5 0.86 5.81

0.29 0.53 0.495 5 28.65 24.7 1.8 3.25 34.75 1.01 7.5 0.87 5.88

0.28 0.49 0.475 4.62 28.65 24.1 1.76 3.2 34.2 0.99 7.5 0.86 5.75

0.28 0.51 0.495 4.85 28.65 24.25 1.79 3.25 34.5 1.01 7.5 0.87 5.88

21,820,000 16,110,000 6,900,000 5,356,000 100 271,100 276,000 29,000 4,063,300 500,000 4,300 67,000 860,400

6,194,950 8,200,500 3,373,350 26,175,270 2,865 6,588,680 491,820 92,940 139,947,845 500,850 32,250 57,640 5,041,617

105,450.00 49,000 -19,600 -1,419,970 -472,840 60,800 -27,277,335 -2,509,223

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR 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 JOCKEY MELCO RESORTS METRO RETAIL MLA BRDCASTING NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

20.95 42.05 1.56 0.58 0.039 10.58 5.2 9.95 0.072 101.1 9.41 9.51 8.9 2.25 2,040 6.18 15.9 16.2 2.35 3.16 105 8.7 0.165 1.32 2.95 15.6 4.03 1.18 11 2.3 8.8 4 17.8 2.34 11.3 5.06 175 9.44 1,730 1.58 0.4 47.2 86.7 5.88 4.2 1.27 1.95 3.43 1.15 8.33

21.1 42.05 1.69 0.61 0.039 10.64 5.32 10.16 0.073 102.2 9.41 10.14 9.69 2.25 2,066 6.19 15.9 17.2 2.47 3.16 105 8.7 0.167 1.32 3 15.6 4.19 1.49 11 2.35 9.18 4.02 22.5 2.42 11.3 5.2 178 9.44 1,746 1.6 0.4 47.25 89 5.88 4.27 1.27 1.95 3.43 1.22 8.82

20.6 41.9 1.55 0.56 0.038 10.58 5.2 9.75 0.071 101 9.41 9.5 8.8 2.25 2,040 6.12 15.9 16.1 2.32 3 103.1 8.69 0.16 1.32 2.9 15.4 4.03 1.14 10.58 2.3 8.63 3.95 17.8 2.34 11.26 5.06 170 9.1 1,726 1.56 0.395 47 86.7 5.72 4.18 1.19 1.81 3.39 1.14 8.33

SERVICES 21 42 1.63 0.6 0.039 10.64 5.32 9.86 0.072 101.1 9.41 10.12 9.25 2.25 2,060 6.19 15.9 16.1 2.43 3.15 103.5 8.69 0.165 1.32 3 15.4 4.14 1.49 10.9 2.35 8.63 4.02 20 2.4 11.26 5.1 178 9.35 1,740 1.58 0.4 47.2 87.5 5.72 4.2 1.24 1.81 3.4 1.18 8.82

44,500 20,200 275,000 13,195,000 18,200,000 1,600 7,600 18,788,400 3,750,000 468,450 200 9,648,200 175,200 1,000 5,275 618,300 500 800 897,000 74,000 753,240 360,000 1,740,000 58,000 105,000 3,300 779,000 13,424,000 1,496,400 4,000 11,567,400 1,762,000 20,000 2,029,000 7,500 11,600 84,710 332,400 36,575 10,775,000 150,000 2,998,000 618,770 10,300 3,703,000 32,002,000 10,000 475,000 11,836,000 11,694,600

927,655 847,495 443,930 7,846,950 695,200 16,946 40,360 187,183,043 270,030 47,544,834 1,882 95,115,684 1,587,885 2,250 10,841,220 3,818,056 7,950 13,130 2,148,090 224,200 77,971,171 3,130,900 283,580 76,560 314,190 50,878 3,201,480 18,431,660 16,048,530 9,350 102,919,876 7,034,840 395,724 4,840,570 84,600 59,164 14,838,622 3,055,267 63,595,400 16,969,570 59,900 141,471,585 54,540,908 58,932 15,559,700 38,898,660 18,800 1,616,120 14,080,730 101,595,199

-162,600 22,800 29,595,395 730 37,066,531 9,267,222 105,319 2,414,650 -52,180 -28,888,803 1,660 111,690 113,202 -13,662,656 645,630 -354,620 49,258 -557,666 -11,757,385 -2,747,420 -106,033,695 23,568,761.50 8,709,530 3,566,470 -428,240 -20,400 -7,502,881

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 B MARCVENTURES NICKEL ASIA NIHAO OMICO CORP ORNTL PENINSULA ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B PHILODRILL PHINMA PETRO PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING UNITED PARAGON

0.0028 1.62 4.89 1.83 1.81 1.19 0.39 8.42 2.45 0.275 0.179 0.201 0.011 1.81 5.7 1.87 0.57 1.03 0.01 0.011 0.012 2.48 8.32 3.24 169.5 0.008

0.0029 1.62 4.89 1.89 1.81 1.22 0.395 8.42 2.5 0.285 0.183 0.201 0.011 1.84 5.85 1.87 0.58 1.03 0.01 0.011 0.012 2.5 8.4 3.34 170.2 0.008

0.0028 1.57 4.89 1.83 1.8 1.19 0.39 8.37 2.44 0.275 0.179 0.201 0.011 1.81 5.69 1.82 0.53 1.01 0.01 0.011 0.011 2.45 8.3 3.17 168 0.008

MINING & OIL 0.0029 121,000,000 1.6 18,534,000 4.89 4,000 1.89 765,000 1.8 2,000 1.21 727,000 0.39 240,000 8.38 400 2.45 4,841,000 0.275 190,000 0.18 1,990,000 0.201 10,000 0.011 400,000 1.82 106,000 5.71 3,150,500 1.87 12,000 0.55 503,000 1.01 272,000 0.01 58,000,000 0.011 6,400,000 0.012 14,800,000 2.45 29,000 8.34 324,400 3.2 2,746,000 169 522,220 0.008 15,000,000

340,800 29,392,210 19,560 1,400,070 3,610 877,080 93,750 3,355 11,885,080 52,500 357,510 2,010 4,400 192,490 18,017,063 22,300 275,240 277,610 580,000 70,400 164,900 71,780 2,703,288 8,825,710 88,329,642 120,000

-95,200 -120,250 2,010 877,184 -3,740 550 1,200 625,544 112,000 11,294,341 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR LR PREF PF PREF 2 SFI PREF SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

41.65 520 106 518 5.9 1.06 1,016 2.1 77 80.15 79 81.5 79.85 79 80

41.65 525 106 518 5.9 1.06 1,016 2.1 77 80.15 79.9 81.5 79.85 79 80.1

41.05 520 106 518 5.9 1.06 1,016 2.1 77 80 79 81.5 79.85 79 80

PREFERRED 41.05 146,000 525 3,000 106 1,000 518 40 5.9 1,172,300 1.06 9,000 1,016 50 2.1 5,000 77 610 80.05 78,000 79.9 5,600 81.5 3,700 79.85 10 79 80,000 80.1 30,900

6,044,525 1,572,500 106,000 20,720 6,916,570 9,540 50,800 10,500 46,970 6,243,233 445,100 301,550 798.5 6,320,000 2,475,050

-2,849,025 -1,015,980 -

LR WARRANT

2.31

2.35

2.28

WARRANTS 2.3 538,000

1,237,660

4,600

ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

3.75 3.03 4.9 5.36

3.8 3.03 5.15 5.48

3.7 3.03 4.86 5.34

3.79 3.03 5.15 5.4

207,600 3,030 25,188,000 8,518,649

-1,262,998

FIRST METRO ETF

120

120.7

119.7

367,442

-

MS

PROPERTY 5.37 1.33 2.28 0.95 42.4 3.58 5 5.3 0.52 1.32 1.51 0.205 0.5 45 0.7 0.146 1.8 1.63 0.99 4.9

147,400 5,228,000 28,000 7,434,000 5,675,600 2,649,000 6,330,700 33,800 66,109,000 3,379,000 1,681,000 17,820,000 2,343,000 527,700 439,000 2,360,000 9,487,000 49,232,000 450,000 63,373,000

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS

SHARES

6,327,767 128,352,480 67,622,601

PROPERTY

301,043,989

SERVICES

176,963,901

MINING & OIL

251,047,713

GRAND TOTAL

938,031,578

SME

55,000 1,000 5,038,000 1,575,400

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 120.7 3,060

VALUE 1,996.78 (up) 7.21 641,353,974.67 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,959.57 (up) 130.18 1,109,104,137.208 HOLDING FIRMS 7,883.06 (up) 42.26 789,501,758.07 PROPERTY 3,781.31 (up) 13.42 SERVICES 1,696.70 (up) 6.81 974,419,970.48 MINING & OIL 12,577.88 (down) 9.49 1,075,055,465.46 PSEI 8,009.41 (up) 47.29 164,102,647.8012 All Shares Index 4,729.73 (up) 23.69 4,787,826,719.39 Gainers: 121; Losers: 82; Unchanged: 44; Total: 247

North Korean media report as indicating that dictator Kim Jong Un had decided not to launch a threatened missile attack on Guam.

The report, from KCNA on Tuesday, said Kim praised the military for drawing up a “careful plan” to fire missiles toward Guam. Kim was cited by KCNA saying he would watch the US’s conduct “a little more.”

All major regional indices were glowing green, with prices jumpstarted by a strong performance on Wall Street and Europe and fueled further as Pyongyang appeared to put on ice its plan to launch missiles near Guam.

Markets also breathed a sigh of relief as senior US figures dialed down tensions over North Korea, after a war of words last week sparked global alarm.

Tokyo powered more than one percent higher by the break, with the weakening yen providing an extra boost to the Nikkei which had closed at its lowest level for more than three months Monday.

Hong Kong, Shanghai and Sydney were also well into positive territory while Seoul was closed for a public holiday.

“Tensions between the US and North Korea seemed to cool a little -- at least on the US side and that emboldened the bulls to buy stocks once again,” said Greg McKenna, an analyst at AxiTrader.

US stocks were solidly higher Monday, with the S&P 500 advancing one percent.

With Bloomberg, AFP

First Gen registers income of $101m FIRST Gen Corp. said Tuesday it posted $84 million in recurring net income attributable to equity holders of the parent company in the first semester, or 4 percent lower than $87 million it earned in the same period last year.

First Gen is a subsidiary of First Philippine Holdings Corp., the investment company of the Lopez family.

First Gen said net income after tax reached $101 million in the first six months, lower than $162 million it registered in the same period last year.

Consolidated revenues from the sale of electricity increased to $851 million in January to June from $804 million in the same period last year.

First Gen said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the company’s merchant power plants partially recovered from the losses in the first quarter, led by higher electricity prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, the country’s trading floor of electricity.

“It was unfortunate that the natural gas plants suffered from lower dispatch in the first half of the year for a variety of reasons. We are hopeful that the dispatch of these plants will catch up especially with the higher cost of coal today,” First Gen president and chief operating officer Francis Giles Puno said.

Puno said First Gen showed that lower carbon and clean gas-fired power from the 414-megawatt San Gabriel natural gas plant was running more reliably and cost-competitive compared to coal plants running on 24hour base load and on 12hour mid-merit operations.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Business

B3

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Low bread demand slows flour imports

By Othel V. Campos RISING flour prices are giving importers a difficult time to catch up on sales.

Malabon Longlife Trading Corp., one of the biggest flour importers in the Philippines, said flour imports could decline slightly due to slowing demand from local bakers.

“There are no reports yet of bakeries panicking due to high flour price. What they are worried more is the declining sales from bread and pastries,” Malabon Longlife president Ernesto Chua said.

He said the consuming public, especially those from the C and D markets, had been more discerning when buying bread as prices could increase shortly.

Bread volume has also noticeably shrunk.

C and D markets, Chua noted, had refrained from buying bread often. Instead they increased rice consumption since it is more filling than bread.

The trend has affected flour

PILMICO-DAR DEAL. Pilmico Foods Corp., a unit of Aboitiz Equity Venturers Inc., and the Aboitiz Foundation sign a partnership agreement with the Department of Agrarian Reform at the DAR head office in Quezon City on August 10 to promote agro-entrepreneurship. Signing the agreement are DAR Secretary Rafael Mariano (center) and Pilmico president and CEO Sabin Aboitiz (second from left).

imports, which have been shrinking.

“It’s not so much the price but the competition that is affecting the industry. Several new flour mills are set to operate in the next few months. New players have further divided the industry rendering traders to spread their operations thinly,” Chua said.

He said flour imports were supposed to temper the increasing price of locally milled flour but the slow demand has discouraged importers to bring in more flour. Wheat prices worldwide have surged because of drought in spring wheat growing areas of the United States.

Flour prices as a result may go up in the next few months leading to the wheat harvest in October this year.

Eight more new flour mills have emerged in the Philippines from 12 two years ago.

With 20 flour mills and 12 major flour importers, the industry is nearing saturation, industry players noted.

NLEX begins building harbor link

By Darwin G. Amojelar

N

LEX Corp. on Tuesday broke ground for the construction of the R-10 section of the NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10.

NLEX president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco told reporters the company was investing P6 billion build the 2.6-kilometer R-10 section, or from C3 in Caloocan City to R-10 in Navotas City.

The R10 section of the NLEX Harbor Link is the continuation of the P10.5-bil-

lion, 5.7-kilometer Segment 10, an elevated expressway passing through MacArthur Highway in Valenzuela City, Governor Pascual Avenue in Malabon City and C3 Road/5th Avenue in Quezon City.

Franco said the R-10 section was designed to provide direct access between the port

area and the northern provinces of Luzon via NLEX. He said the Valenzuela to C3 section of the NLEX Harbor Link was expected to be completed by first quarter of 2018, while the R-10 section was scheduled to be finished by fourth quarter of next year.

“This project will complete the C5 section that will connect Mindanao Avenue to Navotas,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.

He added that the project was expected to improve

transport logistics and drive investments in the CaloocanMalabon-Navotas and Valenzuela areas and the Central and North Luzon provinces.

NLEX earlier submitted an unsolicited proposal to build the P60 billion C-5 Expressway, a 21.8-kilometer all-elevated expressway from the end of NLEX Segment 8.2 in Luzon Avenue, Quezon City to Cavitex C-5 South Link.

The project will complete the missing segment of the C-5 Circumferential Expressway alignment, a crucial com-

ponent of the Metro Manila Urban Expressway Network.

The C-5 Expressway project will provide fast and seamless travel for motorists east of Metro Manila and connect Quezon City, Pasig, Taguig and Pasay.

The company said the usual two-hour travel time during peak periods via C-5 Road will be reduced to less than 30 minutes.

NLEX also proposed to construct a P62.43 billion NLEX-Cavitex Port Expressway Link, a 15-kilometer distance and will use “push-

tunnel technology” that will minimize disturbance on existing infrastructure.

The first phase of the project will be from the end of the Radial Road 10 (R10) Spur Rod Ramp of NLEX traversing the R-10 up to Anda Circle in Manila, while the second phase will start Anda Circle and will traverse Roxas Boulevard up to Cavitex.

The project will reduce truck traffic within its limited capacity road network and significantly contribute in the decongestion of the metropolis 24 hours a day.

FDA holds first regulatory exhibit

JETSTAR IN CLARK. Clark International Airport Corp. president and chief executive Alexander Cauguiran (right) receives a Jetstar Asia Airbus A320 model airplane from Jetstar Asia Head of Commercial Francis Loi, signaling the entry of Asia’s best low cost carrier for 2017 at the Clark International Airport.

THE Food and Drug Administration will be holding its 1st Regulatory and Advocacy Fair on August 17 to 18 at the Philippine International Convention Center coinciding with its 54th Anniversary.

FDA Director General Nela Charade Puno said the fair would feature booths displaying the profile of stakeholders in the food, drug, cosmetics and medical devices industries.

“We invite the public to visit the fair which will also showcase high impact activities of partner government agencies in coordination with FDA, such as the regulatory enforcement initiatives of its Regulatory Enforcement Unit with the Philippine National Police.

The fair aims to promote awareness on FDA mandates and the roles of its stakeholders and government partner agencies

Melco Crown swung to profit of P352m in 1st half

By Jenniffer B. Austria Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corp., the operator of integrated resort and casino City of Dreams Manila, registered a net income of P352.2 million in the first six months of the year, a reversal from a loss of P1.42 billion year-on-year on higher revenues from gaming operations.

Melco in a financial statement filed with the Philippine Stock Exchange attributed the company’s strong first-half financial performance to improved operating revenues generated during the period.

Total operating net revenues surged 64 percent to P16.67 billion from P10.15 billion a year ago.

Casino operations, which accounted for 93 percent of total operating revenues, jumped 70 percent to P15.55 billion while hotel, food and beverage, entertainment and retail businesses, which accounted for the remainder, contributed P1.11 billion.

Operating profit in the first half of the year as a result soared 2,528 percent to P1.76 billion from just P67 million in 2016.

Meanwhile, total operating costs and expenses stood at ₱14.91 billion in the six

months ended June 30, 2017, up 48 percent from a year ago level, or in line with with the increased net operating revenues.

Melco Crown reported a net income of ₱203.6 mil lion in the second quarter, a turnaround from a loss of ₱288.5 million a year ago.

Net operating revenues in the second quarter reached ₱8.79 billion, up 56 percent from P5.62 billion in the same period last year.

City of Dreams Manila, which opened on February 2, 2015, is an integrated casino resort located on a 6.32-hectare property at Entertainment City, Manila

Bay, Manila, City of Dreams Manila as of June 2017 has around 286 gaming tables, 1,605 slot machines and 176 electronic table games in operation.

City of Dreams Manila also includes the approximately 260-room Crown Towers hotel, Hyatt City of Dreams Manila, a 365-room hotel managed by Hyatt International Corp. and, Nobu Hotel with 321 rooms.

The local gaming industry has been benefitting from the improved relationship between Philippines and China following President Rodrigo Duterte’s visit in China in October last year.

in the protection of public health by ensuring the safety of food, drugs, cosmetics and medical devices being used by the Filipino public, Puno said the fair was part of FDA’s advocacy efforts to engage the general public and capture stakeholders to foster a dynamic regulatory cooperation.

FDA stakeholder industry associations will showcase their advocacy activities and best practices, benefits of compliance to FDA rules and regulations, benefits of joining professional organizations in regulatory affairs, success stories in regulations

and quality management programs, among others.

The public could also verify the status of their applications processed online. The status of authorizations applied for on-line could be verified during the PICC event.

Aside from FDA and industry stakeholder associations, the initial lineup of FDA partner government entities joining the fair include the Department of Health, Philippine National Police, Food and Nutrition Research Institute, the Department of Trade and Industry and The Department of Agriculture.

Manila

CITYPLANS, INCORPORATED StandardSYNOPSIS OF THE ANNUAL STATEMENT *

TODAY

As of December 31, 2016 ASSETS

Investments in Trust Funds Insurance Premium Fund Cash on Hand & in Banks Stocks Real Estate Accrued Investment Income Accounts / Notes Receivable Other Assets Total Assets

P 33, 788,915.26 ** 250,000.00 56,621,948.69 14,314,330.58 176,682,425.98 297,079.84 9,983,086.69 20,795,547.75 P 312,733,334.79 LIABILITIES

Pre-need Reserves Insurance Premium Reserve Other Reserves Planholders’ Benefits Payable Planholders’ Deposits Counselors’ Bond Reserve Accounts / Notes Payable Taxes Payable Accrued Expenses Other Liabilities Total Liabilities S T O C K H O L D E R S’ E Q U I T Y Paid-up Capital Stock Special Surplus Funds: Fluctuation Reserve - Investments in Trust Funds Fluctuation Reserve - Stocks Retained Earnings Total Stockholders’ Equity Total Liabilities & Stockholders’ Equity

P 31,513,794.53 196,570.45 13,397,146.68 2,746,247.37 8,504.37 2,763.43 4,449,346.72 92,744.54 638,156.48 905,009.61 P 53,950,284.18 P 125,000,000.00 1,266,801.79 10,107,625.15 122,408,623.67 258,783,050.61 P 312,733,334.79

CITYPLANS, INCORPORATED Consolidated Trust Fund Annual Statement As of December 31, 2016 ASSETS Government Securities Cash in Savings/Time Deposits Short Term Investments Corporate Bonds Planholders’ Loans Stocks Real Estate Accrued Investment Income Other Assets

Pension P 22,052,193.53 2,049,548.96 2,190,643.77 1,155,917.61 178,068.82 1,606,806.24 4,297,980.10 188,401.44 424,014.20 P 34,143,574.67

LIABILITIES Trustee Fee Payable Other Liabilities

P

FUND EQUITY Trust Fund Fluctuation/Revaluation Reserve

* **

31, 449.97 323,209.44 P 354,659.41

P 32,522,113.47 1,266,801.79 33,788,915.26 P 34,143,574.67

This synopsis, prepared from the 2016 Annual Statement, approved by the Insurance Commissioner is published pursuant to Section 44 of the Pre-Need Code of the Philippines.

Trust Fund Deficiency was subsequently covered up in full.

(MS-AUG. 16, 2017)

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

B4

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017

Business

China warns US of trade retaliation

B

EIJING,China―Trade tensions between the United States and China heated up on Tuesday as Beijing warned that it “will not sit idle” if a US probe into its intellectual property practices leads to sanctions.

President Donald Trump’s decision to order the investigation comes on top of strains between the two nations over how to handle Beijing’s ally North Korea.

Trump on Monday signed a memorandum directing US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to determine whether Chinese policies hurt American investors or companies―with retaliatory measures a possible outcome.

“We will stand up to any country that unlawfully forces American companies to transfer their valuable technology as a condition of market access. We will combat the counterfeiting and piracy that destroys American jobs,” Trump said.

“Washington will turn a blind eye no longer,” Trump said, vowing to safeguard copyrights, patents and other intellectual property that are “vital to our security and to our prosperity”.

The president said the US would no longer tolerate Beijing’s “theft” of US industrial secrets, long a concern of major foreign corporations seeking a share of the huge Chinese market.

“We will engage in a thorough investigation and, if needed, take action to preserve the future of US industry,” Lighthizer said.

China’s commerce ministry issued a statement voicing “serious concern” and warning that any US trade protectionism “will definitely harm bilateral trade relations.”

“If the US side take actions that impair the mutual trade relations, disregarding the facts and disrespecting multilateral trade rules, China will not sit idle,” the statement said.

The ministry said the country “is definitely going to adopt all appropriate measures to vigorously defend the lawful rights and interest of China.”

The United States is China’s second-largest trading partner after the European Union, but Washington and Beijing have seen their relations grow increasingly fraught since a promising summit between Trump and China’s Xi Jinping in April.

The new intellectual property inquiry joins numerous investigations launched by Washington into Chinese trade practices, notably those concerning steel and aluminum and their national security consequences, which the Trump administration began earlier this year.

However, the start of a US probe will not immediately result in open confrontation.

US President Donald Trump speaks before signing a memorandum on addressing China’s laws, policies, practices, and actions related to Lighthizer will first need to intellectual property, innovation, and technology at the White House in Washington, DC, on August 14, 2017. AFP reach a preliminary finding of unfair practices by China before opening a formal investigation, which could take as much as a year, administration officials said.

The Chinese commerce minSYDNEY―Australia’s biggest The embattled lender, Austra- to amount to Aus$16.7 million the pay and bonuses of top execistry said the country has “albank has admitted failures cost- lia’s largest firm by market capi- (US$13 million) plus interest, utives were to be slashed. CBA ways been paying high attention ing staff and customers millions talization, has now said it was with the full costs yet to be final- could face fines running into bilto intellectual property right of dollars as the troubled lender working to remedy other errors ized. lions of dollars from the AUSprotection, continuously perfaces legal action over alleged worth millions of dollars linked Refunds to customers over dis- TRAC case. fecting the legislation,” and that breaches of money laundering to customers’ insurance, trans- puted card transactions added up The bank is also facing an inthe progress it has made on that and terror financing laws. actions, and staff pension pay- to some Aus$5 million, while the vestigation from ASIC over its front is “obvious to all.”

The Commonwealth Bank of ments. bank said it had notified corpo- handling of the alleged breachYang Zhao, chief China econAustralia (CBA) was thrown into “We are providing an addi- rate regulator ASIC over a probe es. omist at Nomura research firm, turmoil by a civil case launched tional update on other issues we into whether it did not cancel The latest revelations are not said a US tariff penalty would earlier this month by financial are putting right for our custom- insurance to some deceased es- linked to the regulatory investionly cause minor impacts on the intelligence agency AUSTRAC ers and employees,” CBA said in tates. gations the lender faces.

Chinese economy and fall short for alleged “serious and systemic a statement late Monday, adding Following scrutiny over the The Commonwealth has been of a full blown trade war. non-compliance” with the laws. that the statement was “not an AUSTRAC action, the bank said delivering bumper returns for “The decision to launch this The case has overshadowed exhaustive list of all regulatory Monday that chief executive Ian shareholders in recent years, but probe may raise the risk of titrecord annual profits and forced matters.”

Narev would retire by the end of has also been hit by scandals for-tat trade protectionism,” the bank to announce the retireThe shortfall in staff pension the 2018 financial year. over poor financial planning adZhao said in a note. AFP ment of its chief executive. payments is initially expected The company added last week vice and insurance payouts. AFP

Australia’s biggest bank bares further woes

Can fish farming in territorial waters feed a hungry world?

By Marlowe Hood PARIS—Harvesting fish and shellfish from offshore farms could help provide essential protein to a global population set to expand a third to 10 billion by midcentury, researchers said Monday.

Suitable open-sea zones have the potential to yield 15 billion tons of fish every year, more than 100 times current worldwide seafood consumption, they reported in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.

Coastal and inland aquaculture already accounts for more than half of the fish consumed around the world. Many regions, especially in Africa and Asia, depend on fish for protein.

But severe pollution, rising costs, and intense competition for shoreline real estate mean that production in these areas cannot expand indefinitely.

Wild fishery catches, meanwhile, have mostly plateaued or are in decline.

That leaves the deep blue sea, or at least territorial waters up to 200 meters (650 feet) deep—the practical limit for anchoring commercial farms.

“Oceans represent an immense opportunity for food production, yet the open ocean environment is largely untapped as a farming resource,” the authors noted.

This file photo taken on September 22, 2016 in Hitra Bay, west of Trondheim, shows huge open sea circular nets at Norwegian seafood supplier Leroy’s aquaculture plant. Fifteen huge circular nets float in the tranquil bay of Hitra, an island on the west coast of Norway. Raising fish and shellfish in offshore farms could help provide essential protein to a global population set to expand a third to 10 billion before midcentury. AFP

To assess that potential, a team of researchers led by Rebecca Gentry, a professor at the University of California Santa Barbara, undertook a series of calculations.

First they divvied up the ocean into a grid, excluding areas that were too deep or already given over to oil extraction, marine parks or shipping lanes, for example.

Some 11.4 million square kilometers (4.4 million square miles) of ocean could be developed for fish, and 1.5 million square kilometers for bivalves, such as mussels, the study found.

Then—to calculate the bio-

mass that might be harvested—the team matched 120 fish species and 60 bivalves to cells in the grid, depending on the temperature of the water and other factors such as oxygen density.

Cost headache?

Currently, just over 40 species make up 90 percent of global seafood production.

Only four percent of the total consists of fin-fish, such as salmon, barramundi, groupers and bass.

All the wild fish harvested worldwide could be obtained from an area the size of Lake Michigan, or Belgium and the Netherlands combined,

the study showed.

“Nearly every coastal country has high marine aquaculture potential and could meet its own domestic seafood demand... typically using only minute fraction of its ocean territory,” the authors said.

Many of the countries with the highest potential—Indonesia, India and Kenya among them—are also predicted to experience sharp increases in population, they noted.

The findings show “that space is currently not a limiting factor for the expansion of oceanic aquaculture,” said Max Troell, a scientist at the Stockholm Resilience Centre

who was not involved in the research.

But hurdles remain before production can be ramped up to meet a significant portion of global demand, he added in a commentary, also in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

“The big challenges facing the near-term expansion of the aquaculture sector lie in the development of sustainable feeds, and in better understanding how large-scale ocean farming systems interact with ecosystems and human well-being,” he wrote.

Production and transportation costs could also be a constraint, he added. AFP

UK seeks temporary regulations on customs LONDON―Britain will seek a “temporary customs union” with the European Union after Brexit, the government said Tuesday as it prepared to publish its first detailed proposals on the future partnership.

The government said it would seek to agree a “timelimited period of implementation” after leaving the EU to provide certainty for businesses and allow new customs arrangements to be set up.

The Department for Exiting the EU said Britain wanted to be able to sign free trade agreements with third countries during this period, although these would only be implemented at the end of it.

The proposal was welcomed by the Confederation of British Industry, Britain’s big business lobby, but opposition parties dismissed it as “fantasy.”

Brexit minister David Davis told BBC radio that the transition period could last “something like two years” and would have to be over by the time of the next general election, which is set for 2022.

Britain says its membership of the EU customs union, which currently allows for the tariff-free movement of goods, will end along with its membership of the single market when it leaves the bloc in March 2019.

After that “one possible approach would be a temporary customs union between the UK and the EU,” the Brexit ministry said in a statement, ahead of the publication of the full paper later on Tuesday. AFP

LGUs

Taguig pursues projects vs flood

By Joel E. Zurbano THE city government of Taguig continues undertaking its anti-flood measure with the goal of preventing the spread of diseases such as dengue and leptospirosis.

Taguig City’s Solid Waste Management Office chief Eugene Bilaw said they are clearing several drainage pipes and creeks. So far, city personnel have covered 10,780 meters of waterways in District 1 and 7,710 meters of waterways in District 2, he added.

Now, despite persistent heavy rains in recent days, Bilaw said barangays in the city were not as flooded.

“Our aim is to maintain the cleanliness of the waterways,” Bilaw said, noting that they are helping prevent the spread of diseases enhanced or transmitted by dirty water.

Bilaw also attributed the drastic change to the various strategies implemented under the city’s flood-control program, which sees the efforts of the SWMO, City Engineering Office, Lake and River Management Office, Environment and Natural Resources Office and City Health Office directed toward the same goal.

These strategies include the use of heavy equipment for clearing debris and for the desilting and dredging of waterways so that f loodwaters may pass through them freely, he said.

Mayor Laarni Cayetano commended Bilaw and other city government personnel for their continuing effort to solve the f lood problem in the city.

“I am all smiles, together with the people at SWMO. The flooding had been a persistent problem, and one that hurt the productivity of Taguigeños. I thank them for not losing their hope and focus,” she said.

Bilaw said it also helped that the SWMO holds monthly meetings with the Barangay Solid Waste Management Committee.

The city government also promotes the importance of proper garbage segregation through the Information Education Campaign in various public schools.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017

C1

Lots for LLP poor affirmed M

By Bill Casas

ORE than 160 beneficiaries of Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada’s Land for the Landless Program or LLP are one step closer to obtaining titles to lots awarded to them a few years ago.

Estrada has distributed certified true copies of City Tenants and Security Committee Resolution No. 008-2017 to each of the 165 lot awardees, confirming ownership of lots given to them since 2013.

“This is legal proof that you are the sole owner of the lots awarded to you. This is also the realization of your dreams to have a land you

can call your own,” Estrada told the LLP beneficiaries during ceremonies at the city hall.

Signed by Estrada on June 7, 2017, CTSC Resolution 0082017 acknowledges the Certificates of Lot Awards previously given to lot awardees under the LLP from 2013 to 2015. The legal document specifies the lot area given to each beneficiary

as well as the terms and conditions of the award.

When he was elected in 2013, Estrada vowed to provide decent homes and lots to deserving Manileños, especially indigent families. On September 2013, 39 beneficiaries received land certificates, followed by 57 on April 2014; 40 on February 2015; and 29 more on June 2015.

“Your lots are not in faraway places or in the mountains of Tralala, not in grass fields or at the end of forever, but right here in the middle of Manila,” he pointed out.

The LLP is based on City Tenants and Security Committee Resolution No. 16-A and Republic Act 409, or the Revised

Charter of the City of Manila.

Through expropriation, the city government buys private properties that are then distributed to qualified applicants.

Meanwhile, Estrada ordered the Manila Police District to investigate the ambush of a Manila policeman who was the primary suspect in the killing of a policewoman last March, and was also involved in illegal drugs.

Following the ambush and slaying of PO2 Mark Anthony Piniano, Estrada contacted MPD Director Chief Supt. Joel Coronel to relay his strict instructions to look into the killing and determine who could have wanted the policeman dead.

“Whatever the motives and

circumstances, we owe it to the policeman’s family to investigate the case. I have tasked our city police force to leave no stones unturned and ensure that justice is served,” he said.

Stressing that he does not condone the extrajudicial killing of law enforcers involved in drugs and other criminal activities, Estrada also tasked Coronel to watch other police personnel being investigated for any wrongdoing.

Piniano, who was the main suspect in the killing of P01 Jorsan Marie Alafriz on March 19 in Quiapo, was last assigned to the MPD Headquarters Support Unit along United Nations Avenue while facing investigation, according to Coronel.

LIGHTING THE ARCH. Santa Rosa City Vice Mayor Arnold Arcillas (inset) delivers his speech before the lighting of the Santa Rosa Arch, as the city joined other local government units across the country in commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or Asean, the meetings of which the Philippines hosted this year. Roy Tomandao

QC aims to cut back on road mishaps and deaths Rotary, QC sign pact for disasters

By Rio N. Araja

CITING the occurrence of over 33,000 road mishaps in Quezon City in 2016, Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte on Tuesday backed a proposed ordinance on road safety.

Belmonte, daughter of former House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., said she “fully supports” Proposed Ordinance 20CC-251 aimed at making QC “the leader of road safety in Metro Manila.”

“Between life and death, it could just be wearing a helmet, it could just be setting speed limits, it could just be preventing drunkdriving, or it could just be having pedestrian lanes that spell the difference,” she stressed.

The city council’s committee on transportation expressed concern that Quezon City has been consistently ranked No. 1 in the statistics of vehicular accidents in the National Capital Region in

the past seven years.

Over-speeding is the most common cause of road deaths for pedestrians, while over 35 percent of roads deaths in Metro Manila involved motorcycles, the council said.

“There were more than 33,000 road crashes and 116 road deaths in Quezon City last year, more than in any other city in the Philippines. We think that it is high time that we do something about

this,” Belmonte said.

The vice mayor said she was invited to a road safety forum that showed data of Quezon City having a high occurrence of road accidents.

“I was very disturbed about that. [But] we can control the situation,” she said. “Quezon City will be the first local government to have such ordinance, if passed.”

The 36-member city council

tapped ImagineLaw, a civil society law organization of advocates for stronger road safety legislation in the local and national level, to draft the local law.

According to the vice mayor, the committee on transportation, chaired by District 1 Councilor Oliviere Belmonte, will hold a series of public consultations to gather input and get the opinions, suggestions and sentiments of different stakeholders.

IN BRIEF Dengue vaccine shots for Caloocan kids THE local government of Caloocan City will conduct a dengue immunization campaign in Deparo, in the northern part of the city.

According to Mayor Oscar Malapitan, children aged nine to 14 are required to be vaccinated.

“We always give premium to the health of our constituents and give them the best health care available, especially during rainy season when dengue is widespread,” Malapitan said.

Malapitan showed his determination to fight dengue and other diseases caused by unsanitary environment through Oplan Clean Agad, a year-round clean-up drive launched last year.

He also ordered the city environmental management office to step up its preparedness campaign, especially this rainy season. It includes the Intensive cleaning of Caloocan’s waterways.

According to the Department of Health, the vaccine is used to help protect a child against dengue caused by dengue virus serotypes 1, 2, 3, and 4. Jun David

Navotas, Fentoda sign e-tricycle deal ELECTRONIC vehicles will soon ply routes in Navotas after the city government signed an agreement with the Unified Federation of Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association of Navotas or Fentoda and Global Mobility Service Philippines Inc. Mayor John Rey Tiangco said the agreement will help reduce toxic emissions from tricycles and improve the air quality in Navotas.

GMS will lease electric vehicle or four-stroke engine motorcycles to qualified Fentoda members who could eventually own the units.

Fentoda members who will avail of the tricycle will pay P1,370 monthly and own the unit after a three-year lock-in period. Jun David

NOVELETA NEGOSYO CENTER. Mayor Dino Reyes Chua of Novelta, Cavite (left) joins Teresita

M. Leabres, chairman of the Cavite Small and Medium Enterprise Council, Department of Trade and Industry IV-A Assistant Regional Director Marcelina Alcantara, and DTI Provincial Director Noli Guevarra in the ribbon cutting of the town’s new Negosyo Center, at the ground floor of the municipal hall. Also in photo at the back are Lingkod Kabitenyo Foundation Inc. president Rodrigo Camia, Noveleta Municipal Administrator Risa Pinpin-Enero, DTI’s Rebelyn Cortez, and Ms. Tourism International 2nd Runner up Jyn Almario.

THE Quezon City government and Rotary Club District 3780 have partnered for disaster risk reduction management.

Under the agreement, Mayor Herbert Bautista designated Rotary Club District 3780, represented by district governor Chito Borromeo, as the primary civil society organization to assist and respond to emergencies in the city in times of disaster.

RC District 3780 will immediately respond to calls for rescue during calamities, provide the city government with logistical support, assist in relief goods provision, and coordinate with the city in every effort to reduce the risk to QC residents during disasters.

The city government sees the agreement with the Rotary Club as an opportunity to engage civil society in disaster risk reduction and management.

“At a meeting at the Regional Peace and Order Council, QC Representatives Vincent Crisologo, Alfred Vargas, Feliciano Belmonte and Christopher Belmonte discussed the engagement of all in disaster risk reduction and management, and today is a very opportune time and important milestone in the partnership with the Quezon City government and the Rotary Club District 3780,” Bautista said. Rio N. Araja

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

Manila

Standard WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 TODAY C2

35k in Masbate take PDP-Laban oath

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

T

HE Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan has tightened its grip on the island of Masbate after 35,000 local officials jumped ship and joined the party of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

Roxas Boulevard Corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. Street Manila 1004 InvItatIon to BId for the Supply, Delivery and Installation of Soundproofing of the DOF Building (3rd to 6th Floor) Project The Department of Finance (DOF), through the General Appropriations Act of 2017 intends to apply the sum of THIRTY SEVEN MILLION TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (PhP37,200,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for SUPPLY, DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION OF SOUNDPROOFING OF THE DOF BUILDING (3RD TO 6TH FLOOR).

1.

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The DOF now invites bids for Supply, Delivery and Installation of Soundproofing of the DOF Building (3rd to 6th Floor) Delivery of the Goods is required within One Hundred Twenty (120) Calendar Days. Bidders should have completed, within the last 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.

3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, the ruling party’s president, presided over the oath-taking of new PDP-Laban members in Masbate on Sunday.

The new members came from the island province’s 20 municipalities, one component city, and 550 barangays, and pledged to uphold the principles of the party before Pimentel.

“PDP-Laban’s strength lies not just in its members who are elected officials, but in its presence in the grassroots. And with 35,000 new members, the Party now has a formidable machinery in the province of Masbate,” said Pimentel.

Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat at the address given below during office hours.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders starting on August 16, 2017 up to September 5, 2017 at the BAC Secretariat, 8th Floor, EDPC Building, BSP Complex, Pablo Ocampo Sr. Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Malate Manila upon payment of a non-refundable fee in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Pesos (P25,000.00) It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that Bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6.

The schedule of bidding activities is as follows:

ACTIVITIES Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid Issuance and Availability of Bid Documents Pre-Bid Conference Request for Clarification Issuance of Supplemental Bid Bulletin Deadline for Submission of Bids Opening of Bids

SCHEDULE August 16, 2017 starting August 16, 2017 August 23, 2017, 10:00 am August 26, 2017 (by email) August 29, 2017 September 5, 2017, 9:45 am September 5, 2017, 10:00 am

WHEREAS, the DOF’s FOI Manual was published in the Manila Standard on 23 November 2016, and became effective fifteen (15) days later, or on 08 December 2016; WHEREAS, through a letter dated 07 July 2017, the Presidential Communications Operations Office acknowledged the promulgation of the DOF’s FOI Manual and recommended minor points for improvement therefor; NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises, it is hereby ordered:

7.

The DOF will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 10:00 a.m., August 23, 2017 at the DFG Conference Room, 4th Floor DOF Building, Roxas Boulevard, Malate, Manila , which shall be open to prospective bidders.

8.

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the the 8th Floor, Procurement Management Division, EDPC Building, BSP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Malate, Manila on or before 9:45 a.m. September 5, 2017. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

2. Contact Details of FOI Receiving Office and FOI Receiving Officer. - As provided for under Section 4.0 of the DOF FOI Manual, the FOI Receiving Office of the DOF shall be the Central Records Management Division (CRMD), the location and contact information of which are as follows:

9.

The DOF 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.

10. For further information, please refer to: BAC Secretariat 8th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex, Pablo Ocampo, Sr. St. corner Roxas Boulevard Malate, Manila Telefax : 526-4786 lte@dof.gov.ph / matienza@dof.gov.ph

(MS-AUG. 16, 2017)

a.

CRMD Head

Ms. Rhodora V. Reyes

Address

DOF Building, BSP Complex, Roxas Boulevard , Malate, Manila 1004

Website

www.dof.gov.ph

Telephone No.

+63-2-5268470

E-mail

crmd@dof.gov.ph rreyes@dof.gov.ph

b.

Informer’s privilege or the privilege of the Government not to disclose the identity of a person or persons who furnish information of violations of law to officers charged with the enforcement of law;9 c.

When disclosure of information would put the life and safety of an individual in imminent danger;10 d.

Any information given by informants leading to the recovery of carnapped vehicles and apprehension of the persons charged with carnapping; 11 and e.

All proceedings involving application for admission into the Witness Protection Program and the action taken thereon ;12 4. Information deemed confidential for the protection of the privacy of persons and certain individuals such as minors, victims of crimes, or the accused.

These include: a.

(1) about an individual’s race, ethnic origin, marital status, age, color, and religious, philosophical or political affiliations; (2) about an individual’s health, education, genetic or sexual life of a person, or to any proceeding for any offense committed or alleged to have been committed by such person, the disposal of such proceedings, or the sentence of any court in such proceedings; (3) issued by government agencies peculiar to an individual which includes, but not limited to, social security numbers, previous or current health records, licenses or its denials, suspension or revocation, and tax returns; and (4) specifically established by an executive order or an act of Congress to be kept classified.

However, personal information may be disclosed to the extent that the requested information is shown to be a matter of public concern or interest, shall not meddle with or disturb the private life or family relations of the individual19 and is not prohibited by any law or regulation. Any disclosure of personal information shall be in accordance with the principles of transparency, legitimate purpose and proportionality.20

For the guidance and strict compliance of all concerned.

(SGD) GIL S. BELTRAN Undersecretary and BAC Chairman

1. The DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON, through the HRTD funds FY 2017 intends to apply the sum of Four Million Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Php4,250,000.00 being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Board and Lodging for the Regional Training Workshop for Education Leaders: Helping CALABARZON Teachers Respond to Domain I of the Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2. The DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON now invites bids for the Board & Lodging for the Regional Training-Workshop for Education Leaders: Helping CALABARZON Teachers Respond to Domain I of the Philippines Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST). Delivery of the Services is expected for the Contract duration. 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.

3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (I RR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Office of tbe President of the Philippines Malacañang

5. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on August 16. 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 provided that the total fees for the Bidding Documents of all lots shall not exceed the maximum fee prescribed in the Guidelines for the sum of the ABC of all lots.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhiIGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that Bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6. The DepED Region lV-A CALABARZON will hold a Pre-Bid Conference3 on August 22. 2017 at 10:00 a.m. to be held at the Director’s Office Conference Room which shall be open to prospective bidders.

7. Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before September 4,2017 at 10:00 am. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be on September 4, 2017 at the Director’s Office Conference Room .

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8. The DepED Region lV-A CALABARZON 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.

9. For more information, please refer to: Ann Geralyn T. Pelias Dep-ED Region IV-A CALABARZON Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta, Rizal 6477487 & 6474914 www.depedcalabarzon.ph (SGD) ANN GERALYN T. PELIAS BAC Chairman (MS-AUG. 16, 2017)

b.

Source of any news report or information appearing in newspapers, magazines or periodicals of general circulation obtained in confidence;22 and

c.

Records of proceedings and processes deemed confidential by law for the privacy and/or protection of certain individuals, such as children, victims of crime, witnesses to a crime or rehabilitated drug offenders, including those pertaining to the following: (1) records of child and family cases;23 (2) children in conflict with the law from initial contact until final disposition of the case;24 (3) a child who is a victim of any offense under the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009, including the name and personal circumstances of the child, or the child’s immediate family, or any other information tending to establish the child’s identity;25 (4) a child witness, who is a victim of a crime, an accused of a crime, or a witness to a crime, including the name, address, telephone number, school, or other identifying information of a child or an immediate family of the child;26 (5) cases involving violence against women and their children, including the name, address, telephone number, school, business, address, employer, or other identifying information of a victim or an immediate family member;27 (6) trafficked persons, including their names and personal circumstances, or any other information tending to establish the identity of the trafficked person;28 (7) names of victims of child abuse, exploitation or discrimination;29 (8) disclosure which would result in undue and sensationalized publicity of any case involving a child in conflict with the law, child abuse, or violation of antitrafficking of persons;30 (9) records, documents and communications of proceedings involving domestic and inter-country adoptions, including the identity of the child, natural parents and adoptive parents;31 (10) names of students who committed acts of bullying or retaliation ;32 (11) first time minor (drug) offenders under suspended sentence who comply with applicable rules and regulations of the Dangerous Drugs Board and who are subsequently discharged; judicial and medical records of drug dependents under the voluntary submission program; and records of a drug dependent who was rehabilitated and discharged from treatment and rehabilitation centers under the compulsory submission program, or who was charged for violation of Section 15 (use of dangerous drugs) of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, as amended; and 33 (12) identity, status and medical records of individuals with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), as well as results of HIV/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) testing;34

MEMORANDUM FROM THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY TO:

All Heads of Departments, Bureaus and Agencies of the National/Local Governments Including Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs), Government Financial Institutions (GFls), and All Others Concerned

SUBJECT: DATE:

INVENTORY OF EXCEPTIONS TO EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 2 (S.2016) 24 November 2016

Pursuant to Section 4 of Executive Order (EO) No. 2 (s. 2016), the Office of the President hereby circularizes the inventory of exceptions to the right to access of information, for the guidance of all government offices and instrumentalities covered by EO No.2 (s. 2016) and the general public.

The foregoing list of exceptions shall be without prejudice to existing laws, jurisprudence, rules or regulations authorizing the disclosure of the excepted information upon satisfaction of certain conditions in certain cases, such as the consent of the concerned party or as may be ordered by the courts.

In evaluating requests for information, all heads of offices are enjoined to ensure the meaningful exercise of the public of their right to access to information on public concerns.

For your information and guidance.

(i) 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 .

4. Interested bidders may obtain further information from DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON (BAC Secretarial) and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hour at 8:00 am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday.

Disclosure of personal information about any individual who is or was an officer or employee of a government institution shall be allowed, provided that such information relates to the position or functions of the individual, including; (1) the fact that the individual is or was an officer or employee of the government institution; (2) the title, business address and office telephone number of the individual; (3) the classification, salary range and responsibilities of the position held by the individual; and (4) the name of the individual on a document prepared by the individual in the course of employment with the government; 21

CARLOS G. DOMINGUEZ Secretary

INVITATION TO BID FOR Board and Lodging for the participants of the Regional Training-Workshop for Education leaders: Helping CALABARZON Teachers Respond to Domain I of the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST)

SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA

Exceptions to Right of Access to Information For the guidance of all government offices and instrumentalities covered by EO No.2 (s. 2016) and the general public, the following are the exceptions to the right of access to information, as recognized by the Constitution, existing laws, or jurisprudence: 1 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Information covered by Executive privilege; Privileged information relating to national security, defense or international relations; Information concerning law enforcement and protection of public and personal safety; Information deemed confidential for the protection of the privacy of persons and certain individuals such as minors, victims of crimes, or the accused; Information, documents or records known by reason of official capacity and are deemed as confidential, including those submitted or disclosed by entities to government agencies, tribunals, boards, or officers, in relation to the performance of their functions, or to inquiries or investigation conducted by them in the exercise of their administrative, regulatory or quasi-judicial powers; Prejudicial premature disclosure; Records of proceedings or information from proceedings which, pursuant to law or relevant rules and regulations, are treated as confidential or privileged; Matters considered confidential under banking and finance laws, and their amendatory laws; and Other exceptions to the right to information under laws, jurisprudence, rules and regulations.

For the implementation of the exceptions to the right of access to information, the following provide the salient details and legal bases that define the extent and application of the exceptions.

5. Information, documents or records known by reason of official capacity and are deemed as confidential, including those submitted or disclosed by entities to government agencies, tribunals, boards, or officers, in relation to the performance of their functions, or to inquiries or investigation conducted by them in the exercise of their administrative, regulatory or quasi-judicial powers, such as but not limited to the following: a.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 8 9 10

1. Information covered by Executive privilege: a.

Presidential conversations, correspondences, and discussions in closeddoor Cabinet meetings;2 and b.

Matters covered by deliberative process privilege, namely:

11 12 13 14

15 16

i.

advisory opinions, recommendations and deliberations comprising part of a process by which governmental decisions and policies are formulated; intraagency or inter-agency recommendations or communications during the stage when common assertions are still in the process of being formulated or are in the exploratory stage; or information pertaining to the decision-making of executive officials;3 and

17

18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25

ii.

information, record or document comprising drafts of decisions, orders, rulings, policy decisions, memoranda, etc.;4 2. Privileged information relating to national security, defense or international relations: a. b. c.

Information of a personal nature where disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy,13 personal information or records,14 including sensitive personal information, birth records,15 school records,16 or medical or health records; 17 Sensitive personal information as defined under the Data Privacy Act of 2012 refers to personal information;18

This Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

Republic of the Philippines Department of Education REGION IV-A CALABARZON Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta. Rizal

Investigation records compiled for law enforcement purposes or information which if written would be contained in such records, but only to the extent that the production of such records or information would i. interfere with enforcement proceedings; ii. deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial adjudication; iii. disclose the identity of a confidential source and in the case of a record compiled by a criminal law enforcement authority in the course of a criminal investigation, or by an agency conducting a lawful national security intelligence investigation, confidential information furnished only by the confidential source; or iv. unjustifiably disclose investigative techniques and procedures;8

SUBJECT: SUPPLEMENTING THE DOF FREEDOM OF INFORMATION MANUAL PROMULGATED UNDER DEPARTMENT ORDER NO. 061-2016 WHEREAS, the Department of Finance (DOF) promulgated its Freedom of Information (FOI) Manual under Department Order No. 061-2016;

whom President Duterte has accused of being involved in illegal drugs.

Alvarez twice called on Defensor to join the party last Sunday, during a mass oathtaking of 4,000 new members of the PDP-Laban at the Iloilo Convention Center.

Alvarez said having Defensor join the party would help accelerate the implementation of gover nment projects in Iloilo province.

Defensor, who was on the stage with other officials, including his son, Iloilo Rep. Arthur Defensor Jr., is a member of the Liberal Party, which ruled under the Aquino administration.

3. Information concerning law enforcement and protection of public and personal safety:

DEPARTMENT ORDER NO. 054 2017 10 August 2017

1. Inventory of FOI Exceptions Circularized by the Office of the President. -The inventory of exceptions to the right to access of information which was circularized by the Executive Secretary through his Memorandum dated 24 November 2016, and which is referred to under Section 3.1 (a)(i) of the DOF FOI Manual, shall be attached to and made an integral part of the DOF FOI Manual.

Bid opening shall be on 10:00 a.m., September 5, 2017 at DFG Conference Room, 4th Floor, DOF Bldg, BSP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Malate, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

pino,” Cusi said.

The ceremony capped off a remarkable weekend for PDPLaban, which had similar ceremonies in Iloilo, led by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, the party’s secretary general, as well as in Biliran, Eastern Samar, Western Samar, and Siquijor.

In previous months, the party also asserted its presence in Laguna, Cavite, Lanao del Norte, and Nueva Ecija in similar oath-taking events.

In Iloilo, Alvarez invited Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor openly to join the ruling party, but was noncommittal about inviting Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog,

Roxas Boulevard Corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. Street Manila 1004

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, cooperatives, or organizations with at seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

4.

Pimentel spoke at length about federalism, one of the key advocacies of PDP-Laban, during the ceremony.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, the PDP-Laban vice chairman who also graced the ceremony, extolled the party’s focus on the grassroots.

Cusi noted that PDP-Laban “is a party of the grassroots and not of the elite. Its original members were provincianos, the voiceless masses.”

“Our recr uitment drive is aimed at making sure that ever y province is heard in the party’s discussions, and that we have the infrastr ucture to disseminate the party’s message to ever y Fili-

Information, record, or document that must be kept secret in the interest of national defense or security;5 Diplomatic negotiations and other information required to be kept secret in the conduct of foreign affairs;6 and Patent applications, the publication of which would prejudice national security and interests;7

26 27 28 29 30

31

32 33 34 35

Trade secrets, intellectual property, business, commercial, financial and other proprietary information;35

These exceptions only apply to governmental bodies within the control and supervision of the Executive department. Unless specifically identified, these exceptions may be invoked by all officials, officers, or employees in the Executive branch in possession of the relevant records or information.

This exception may only be invoked by the President and his close advisors. The extent of Ihe privilege is defined by applicable jurisprudence: Senate v. Ermita, G.R. No. 169777, 20 April 2006, 488 SCRA 1; Neri v. Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, G.R. No. 180643, 4 September 2008,564 SCRA 152; Akbayan v. Aquino, G.R. No. 170516, 16 July 2008, 558 SCRA 468; and Chavez v. PCGG, G.R. No. 130716,9 December 1998, 299 SCRA 744.

Akbayan v. Aquino, supra; Chavez v. NHA, G.R. No. 164527, 15 August 2007; and Chavez v. PCGG, supra. The privilege of invoking this exception ends when the executive agency adopts a definite proposition (Department of Foreign Affairs v. BCA International Corp., G.R. No. 210858, 20 July 2016).

Section 3( d) Rule IV, Rules Implementing the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (Rules on CCESPOE).

Drafts of decisions, orders, rulings, policy decisions, memoranda, and the like, such as resolutions prepared by the investigating prosecutor prior to approval for promulgation and release to parties [Revised Manual for Prosecutors of the Department of Justice (DOJ)] are also covered under this category of exceptions.

Almonte v. Vasquez, G.R. No. 95367, 23 May 1995, 244 SCRA 286; Chavez v. PCGG, supra; Legaspi v. Civil Service Commission, L-72119, 29 May 1987,150 SCRA 530; Chavez v. NHA, supra; Neri v. Senate, supra; Chavez v. Public Estates Authority, G.R. No. 133250, 9 July 2002, 384 SCRA 152; and Section 3(a), Rule IV, Rules on CCESPOE. This exception generally includes matters classified under Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 78, as amended by MC No. 196 as “Top Secret,” Secret,” ·Confidential,” and “Restricted.”

Akbayan v. Aquino, supra; Section 3(a) Rule IV, Rules on CCESPOE. This privilege may be invoked by the Department of Foreign Affairs and other government bodies involved in diplomatic negotiations.

The applicability of this exception is determined by the Director General of the Intellectual Property Office and subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry. Section 44.3 of the Intel/ectual Property Code (RA No. 8293, as amended by RA No. 1 0372).

Section 3(f), Rule IV, Rules on CCESPOE; Chavez v. PCGG, supra. May be invoked by law enforcement agencies.

Akbayan v. Aquino, supra; and Section 51, Human Security Act of 2007 (RA No. 9372). May be invoked by law enforcement agencies.

Section 3(b), Rule IV, Rules on CCESPOE. Section 19, N9W Anti Carnapping Act of 2016 (RA No. 10883). May be invoked by law enforcement agencies.

Section 7, Witness Prot9ction, Security and Benefit Act (RA No. 6981).

Section 3(e), Rule IV, Rules on CCESPOE. Sections 8 and 15, Data Privacy Act of 2012 (RA No. 10173); Personal information refers to any information whether recorded in a material form or not, from which the identity of an individual is apparent or can be reasonably and directly ascertained by the entity holding the information, or when put together with other information would directly and certainly identify an individual [Section 3(g), Data Privacy Act of 2012]; Article 26. Civil Code. May be invoked by National Privacy Commission and government personal information controllers.

Article 7, The Child and Youth Welfare Code [PreSidential Decree (PD) No. 603].

Section 9(4), Education Act of 1982 [Batas Pambansa (BP) Big. 232].

Medical and health records are considered as sensitive personal information pursuant to Section 3(1)(2), Data Privacy Act of 2012; See also Department of Health-Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Philippine Health Insurance Corporation Joint Administrative Order No. 2016- 0002 (Privacy Guidelines for the Implementation of the Philippine Health Information Exchange).

Section 3(1), Data Privacy Act of 2012.

Article 26(2), Civil Code.

Section 11 , Data Privacy Act of 2012.

Section 4, Data Privacy Act of 2012.

An Act to Exempt the Publisher, Editor or Reporter of any Publication from Revealing the Source of Published News or Information Obtained in Confidence (RA No. 53), as amended by RA No. 1477. May be invoked by government newspapers.

Section 12, Family Courts Act of 1997 (RA Act No. 8369).

Section 43, Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 (RA No. 9344).

Section 13, Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009 (RA No. 9775).

Section 31. A.M . No. 00-4-07-SC, Re: Proposed Rule on Examination of a Child Witness.

Section 44, Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004 (RA No. 9262); and People v. Cabalquinto, G.R. No. 167693, 19 September 2006.

Section 7, Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 (RA No. 9208), as amended by RA No. 10364.

Section 29, Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, ExplOitation and Discrimination Act (RA No. 7610).

Section 14, Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006; Section 7, Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003; as amended; and Section 29, Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act. Section 15, Domestic Adoption Act of 1998 (RA No. 8552) and Section 43, IRR of RA No. 8552; Sections 6 and 16(b), Inter-Country Adoption Act of 1995 (RA No. 8043) and Sections 53, 54 and 55 of IRR of RA No. 8043.

Section 3(h), Anti-Bullying Act (RA No. 1 0627).

Sections 60, 64 and 67, Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (RA No. 9165).

Sections 2(b), 18, 30, and 32, Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998 (RA No. 8504).

Sections 45, 106.1, and 150.2, The Intellectual Property Code (RA No. 8293, as amended by RA No. 10372); Section 66.2, Securities Regulation Code (RA No. 8799); OOST Administrative Order No. 004-16; Section 142, The Corporation Code (BP Big. 68); Section 34, Philippine Competition Act (RA No. 10667); Sections 23 and 27 (c), The New Central Bank Act (RA No. 7653); Anti-Money Laundering Act (RA No. 9160); Section 18, StrategiC Trade Management Act (RA No. 10697); Sections 10 and 14, Safeguard Measures Act (RA No. 8800); Section 12, Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990 (RA No. 6969); Article 290, Revised Penal Code; Section 10.10, Rule 10, 2012 Revised IRR of Build-Operate-Transfer Law (RA No. 6957); and Revised Philippine Ports Authority Manual of Corporate Governance.

(MS-AUG. 16, 2017)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

World Tribute artists keeping Elvis alive MEMPHIS―Matthew Boyce feels like a superhero when he zips himself into a spangly Elvis Presley jumpsuit and sprints on stage to blast through a hipthrusting, pulsating track by the King.

“I just think if you’re going to play a character, it might as well be your inspiration,” he says, perfecting his hair, make-up and sideburns in an hour-plus transformation from 21st century teen about to go to college to 35-yearold superstar at the prime of his life in the 1960s.

Matthew is one of thousands of Elvis Tribute Artists or ETAs who bring to life on stage the icon that was Presley’s 1954-77 career, either as full-time professionals or enthusiastic amateurs.

At 18 he is younger than the Rock ‘n’ Roll legend was when he cut his first record, but Matthew says he was “bit by the bug early,” under the influence of his grandmother and aunt who were huge Elvis fans.

He started performing at seven, did his first paid performance aged eight and has been singing with a band since he was 13 or 14.

Now to mark the 40th anniversary of Presley’s death, he’s taking part in an ETA contest in Memphis where prizes range from $50 to $5,000 across three divisions: youth, non-professional and professional.

On stage at the New Daisy Theater on Beale Street in downtown Memphis, he wows an enthusiastic crowd of older women with his pelvic contortions and dashing performance in a tigerembellished jumpsuit.

But it’s an obsession that has not always endeared him to his peers. While close to younger brother Spencer, 12, who performs on stage with him, Matthew says he was “severely bullied” from sixth to ninth grade.

“That was a low point,” he says. “I’d come home and the Elvis records would always be there to help me feel better.”

The ETA world is a tight-knit support group, or “family,” as Matthew likes to put it. But so great is their admiration for Presley, they never use the word “impersonator,” believing no one can ever fully recreate the unique magic that was his looks, voice and presence.

Some of the best tribute artists have become famous in their own right in the Presley fan world. Some even conduct weddings. The best tribute concerts are serious affairs, undertaken with reverence.

But it’s also an expensive business. Matthew flew to Memphis from his home in upstate New York with his parents and brother. Gigs can earn him $300 to $5,000, but the jumpsuits alone can cost up to $5,000. AFP

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‘Iran can quit nuclear deal’ E

HRAN―President Hassan Rouhani warned on Tuesday that Iran could abandon its 2015 nuclear deal with the world powers within hours if the United States keeps on imposing new sanctions.

WARNING. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani addresses the parliament in Tehran on August 15, 2017. Rouhani warned that Iran could abandon its 2015 nuclear deal with the world powers within hours if the United States keeps on imposing new sanctions as he outlined plans for his new term. AFP

Aussie deputy PM drops Kiwi citizenship SYDNEY―Australia’s “accidental Kiwi” deputy prime minister renounced his New Zealand citizenship Tuesday amid sheep jokes, Hollywood taunts and conspiracy theories about a left-wing plot to topple Canberra’s conservative government.

Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce revealed his New Zealand connection on Monday, sparking calls for him to stand down as it is illegal for dual citizens to sit in the Australian parliament.

By Tuesday afternoon, Joyce told parliament that authorities in Wellington had agreed he could renounce the New Zealand citizenship unknowingly acquired from his Dunedin-born father.

“We received verbal communication from New Zealand before question time that that has now been accepted and we’re looking forward to the written advice turning up pronto,” he said.

The development does not mean the end of the bizarre affair, which threatens Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s oneseat majority in parliament.

But Joyce will hope it bolsters the case to remain in his job, preserving the government’s wafer-thin buffer, until the High Court determines if he is eligible to sit as an elected official.

The 50-year-old is best known internationally for threatening to euthanize Johnny Depp’s dogs Pistol and Boo when they were brought into the country illegally.

Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard, who kept the dogs after they split, was reveling in his discomfort, tweeting Tuesday “when Barnaby Joyce said ‘no one is above the law’, I didn’t realize he meant New Zealand law’.”

“To comfort Mr. Joyce in his hour [of] need, I have sent him a box of New Zealand’s finest kiwi fruit [assuming this passes his biosecurity laws],” she added.

Joyce, who Depp once said “looks somehow inbred with a tomato”, has long cultivated an image as a straight-talking Aussie bushman, usually sporting a widebrimmed Akubra hat and elastic-sided farm boots.

The deputy Australian leader was “shellshocked” to learn last week of automatically qualifying as a New Zealander even though he had never applied for citizenship.

New Zealand officials said queries from Australian journalists prompted last week’s discovery about Joyce’s status.

However, Turnbull said it was “outrageous and improper” that a New Zealand Labour MP, Chris Hipkins, also admitted

First presidential home visit slammed NEW YORK―Several hundred angry protesters demonstrated outside Trump Tower in New York on Monday, denouncing US President Donald Trump before his first visit to his Manhattan residence since taking office more than six months ago.

After making a brief stop at the White House, the Republican commander-in-chief is spending several days in his Manhattan triplex before returning to his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, to finish out his first summer vacation as president.

But in the predominantly Democratic-voting US financial capital, where Trump is hugely unpopular, several hundred protesters descended on Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue until police could clear the sidewalks.

“Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Trump the racist has to go!” sang the crowd, some holding up giant balloon letters in gold that read: FU TRUMP. “No Trump, no KKK, no Fascist USA!” the group chanted.

“Love, not hate. That’s what makes America great!”

Dozens of officers stood guard for several blocks. Police detained at least one woman protesting

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017

outside the Prada store, as angry demonstrators rounded on those in uniform shouting: “Who do you serve?”

But Trump arrived in New York after dark, driving through the relatively empty streets of Manhattan under a heavy police presence.

No protesters could be seen from the motorcade along the way, as many were gathered on a different street from the motorcade’s route.

“Feels good to be home after seven months, but the White House is very special, there is no place like it... and the US is really my home,” Trump said on Twitter.

“I am terrified of what country we’ve become, the fact that white supremacists, Nazis, anti-Semites feel empowered by our president,” said Lynn Gray, 68, who left banking to found her own company.

“He’s destroying everything that our forefathers worked for.”

Teacher Kevin Gallagher, 61, said he at first gave Trump “a chance” despite his dislike of the Republican.

“But this week has been truly the lowest of his presidency,” Gallagher added. “He needs to see what his fellow citizens think of him.”

Trump took heat from Democrats and Republicans alike for his initial, subdued response to a deadly weekend rally by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Under pressure to explicitly condemn the violence, Trump earlier Monday denounced racism and slammed the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis as “criminals and thugs.”

“I came here to be with the people of New York and express our anger,” said musician, Ryan Egan, 28, in jeans and a grey Tshirt, who clapped and shouted with the other protesters.

Far from apologetic, the US president sounded defensive.

Trump noted on Twitter he “made additional remarks on Charlottesville and realize once again that the Fake News Media will never be satisfied. ... Truly bad people!”

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch recently urged Trump to sack his far-right chief strategist Steve Bannon, The New York Times reported late Monday.

Murdoch made his plea during a White House dinner before Trump left for vacation in New Jersey on August 4, the Times said. AFP

asking questions about the issue last week after talks with someone from the Australian Labor Party.

Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar alleged a conspiracy between the Australian and New Zealand center-left parties, likening it to Cold War espionage.

“Not since the old days of worrying about Soviet Russia, that is how long since we have had to worry about these sort of things,” he told Sky News.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop went further, casting doubt on whether Canberra could work with New Zealand Labour if it won a general election scheduled for next month.

“I would find it very hard to build trust with those involved in allegations designed to undermine the government of Australia,” she told reporters.

Her remarks were labeled “false claims” by NZ Labour leader Jacinda Ardern, who lodged a formal complaint with the Australian High Commission in Wellington.

The turmoil saw the Sydney Morning Herald label Turnbull’s center-right coalition government as “on the brink”, while The Australian opined “PM under a long white cloud”, referencing the Maori name for New Zealand. AFP

In a speech to parliament, he also hit out at his US counterpart Donald Trump saying he had shown the world that Washington was “not a good partner”.

Rouhani’s comments come with the nuclear deal under mounting pressure after Tehran carried out missile tests and strikes, and Washington imposed new sanctions―with each accusing the other of violating the spirit of the agreement.

Rouhani warned that Iran was ready to walk out of the 2015 deal, which saw the lifting of most international sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear program, if Washington persisted.

“Those who try to return to the language of threats and sanctions are prisoners of their past delusions,” he said in the televised address.

“If they want to go back to that experience, definitely in a short time―not weeks or months, but in the scale of hours and days―we will return to our previous situation very much more stronger.”

He said Iran did prefer to stick with the nuclear deal, which he called “a model of victory for peace and diplomacy over war and unilateralism” but that this was not the “only option”.

Rouhani said Trump had shown he was an unreliable partner not just for Iran but for US allies.

“In recent months, the world has witnessed that the US, in addition to its constant and repetitive breaking of its promises in the JCPOA [nuclear deal], has ignored several other global agreements and shown its allies that the US is neither a good partner nor a reliable negotiating party,” he said.

He highlighted Trump’s decisions to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement and international trade deals.

Iran’s parliament on Sunday approved more than half a billion dollars in funding for the country’s missile program and foreign operations of the elite Revolutionary Guards in response to the new US sanctions.

Rouhani was addressing lawmakers as deliberations start over his new ministerial line-up, which must be approved by lawmakers in the coming days.

The president, who started his second term a fortnight ago, has faced criticism from reformists over his elderly and all-male cabinet.

“I wanted to nominate three women ministers but it did not happen,” he said, without explaining why.

“All ministers must use women in high-ranking positions... and especially female advisers and deputies,” he added.

Rouhani, a 68-year-old moderate cleric, won a resounding re-election victory in May in large part due to the backing of reformists who supported his message of greater civil liberties and equality.

Many felt let down by the lack of women ministers, saying he had bowed to pressure from the conservative religious establishment, although he did appoint two female vice presidents and a senior aide -- positions which do not require parliamentary approval.

He defended his cabinet selections on Tuesday, and pointed to his choice for a new telecoms minister, 35-year-old Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, as “our first experience in choosing from the youth, someone who has grown up after the revolution”. AFP

LOOKING BACK. This file

photo taken on October 21, 2016 shows singersongwriter Taylor Swift performing her only full concert of 2016 during the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. Pop superstar Swift broke down in tears on August 14, 2017 during the closing arguments in her civil trial alleging that a former radio DJ groped her before a 2013 concert.

The singer turned away from the public gallery to wipe her eyes as Gabriel McFarland, the lawyer for David Mueller, questioned whether his client would have any reason to assault the star. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017

CEOs leave Trump panel over rally

World

Guam officials relieved as N. Korea backs away H AGATNAGuam officials were “ecstatic” Tuesday as North Korea appeared to back away from its threat to fire four missiles towards the US territory in the western Pacific.

“There doesn’t appear to be any indication, based on what we’re hearing, that there will be any missiles attacking in the near future or in the distant future,” lieutenant governor Ray Tonorio said.

Guam Homeland Security adviser George Charfauros dismissed reports that satellite images showed North Korea moving a missile into place for a possible launch, saying it was likely “just a ruse”.

“It is their Liberation Day...

North Korea tends to use symbolism as part of their decision making,” he said after CNN reported on the US spy satellite pictures.

“We are almost ecstatic that Kim Jong Un has backed off,” he added.

Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim had examined plans to fire missiles near Guam, but made no move towards an immediate strike.

Instead, he hinted he would hold off, saying he would “watch a little more the foolish and stupid conduct of the Yankees spending a hard time of every minute of their miserable lot”.

Tensions have been mounting since North Korea last month conducted two intercontinental ballistic missile tests, which appeared to bring much of the US within range.

President Donald Trump responded by warning Pyongyang of “fire and fury like the world has never seen”.

The North replied by setting a mid-August deadline to finalize plans to test-fire its missiles towards Guam, a US territory in the Pacific.

As Guam residents waited anxiously for the deadline, they were woken just after midnight Tuesday by a “civil danger warning” that was accidentally broadcast by a radio station.

A statement from the Guam Homeland Security and Civil Defense office said the “unauthorized test was not connected to any emergency, threat or warning” and it was working to ensure “human error will not occur again”. AFP

DESERT CAMP. Displaced Syrians from Deir Ezzor are seen at a make-shift camp some seven kilometers from Arisha in the

neighboring province of Hasakeh on August 13, 2017. The camp in the middle of the desert is dominated by young men who fled Deir Ezzor after Islamic State group jihadists began imposing enlistment in the last Syrian province that remains nearly completely under IS control. AFP

NEW YORK―The chief executives of Merck, Intel and Under Armour resigned Monday from a White House advisory panel on manufacturing after President Donald Trump’s initial failure to explicitly condemn a white supremacist rally.

The resignations came as criticism mounted over Trump’s slow response to the weekend demonstration which ended in bloodshed when a suspected Nazi sympathizer plowed his car into a crowd of anti-racism protesters, killing one and wounding 19.

Trump initially blamed “many sides” for Saturday’s violence, sparking a welter of criticism and prompting Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier, a prominent African-American businessman, to quit the presidential advisory panel.

“America’s leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry and group supremacy, which run counter to the American ideal that all men are created equal,” Frazier wrote on Twitter on Monday.

“As CEO of Merck and as a matter of personal conscience, I feel a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism.”

Trump didn’t wait long to respond.

“Now that Ken Frazier of Merck Pharma has resigned from President’s Manufacturing Council, he will have more time to LOWER RIPOFF DRUG PRICES!” he wrote.

In a later post, Trump accused Merck of being “a leader in higher & higher drug prices while at the same time taking jobs out of the U.S. Bring jobs back & LOWER PRICES.” Several hours later, Under Armour founder and chief executive Kevin Plank also announced he would step down from the panel.

“Under Armour engages in innovation and sports, not politics,” he said in a subtly-worded statement “I love our country and our company and will continue to focus my efforts on inspiring every person that they can do anything through the power of sport, which promotes unity, diversity and inclusion.”

Earlier this year, Plank had publicly expressed support for Trump in comments which sparked a backlash.

Intel chief Brian Krzanich also announced his departure from the panel in a blunt statement which said he wanted to “call attention to the serious harm our divided political climate is causing to critical issues.”

“Politics and political agendas have sidelined the important mission of rebuilding America’s manufacturing base,” he said in a statement which underlined his “abhorrence” over the violence in Charlottesville.

“I resigned because I want to make progress, while many in Washington seem more concerned with attacking anyone who disagrees with them.

“We should honor―not attack―those who have stood up for equality and other cherished American values. I hope this will change, and I remain willing to serve when it does.”

Shortly after Frazier’s resignation, Trump made a statement calling out specific hate groups.

“Racism is evil. And those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans,” he said in nationally televised remarks. AFP

PM Modi says India will fight foreign threats NEW DELHI―India is strong enough to defend its borders against any threat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an Independence Day speech as the nation faces a frontier showdown with China and aggravated tensions with Pakistan.

“Security is our top priority,” Modi told thousands packed into the landmark Red Fort in New Delhi on Tuesday as India marked the 70th anniversary of the end of British colonial rule.

“Be it the sea or the borders, cyber or space―in all spheres, India is capable and we are strong enough to overcome those who try to act against our country,” the

Hindu nationalist leader declared.

Modi, who wore a Rajasthani turban with a long flowing orange train, toned down his comments from three previous Independence Day speeches and did not mention the targets of his warning.

But his remarks came as a dispute between India and China over a strategic Himalayan plateau enters a third month on Wednesday.

Hundreds of soldiers are reported to be facing off against each other at Doklam.

The giant neighbors share a long history of mistrust and went to war in 1962 over the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.

China’s state-controlled media

has repeatedly warned that a conflict could break out over Doklam.

India has urged a diplomatic solution to the standoff. The dispute started on June 16 when Chinese troops started to build a road on territory that it disputes with Bhutan. India troops moved in to stop the construction as India is a close ally of Bhutan.

India is also mired in conflict in the Himalayan region of Kashmir, where it has disputed sovereignty with Pakistan since their bitter split in 1947.

India accuses Pakistan of sending “terrorists” across the border to fight security forces in Indianadministered Kashmir.

Modi, who said he spoke with US President Donald Trump on the eve of the speech, said: “The concern for national security is a natural one in an independent India.

“Our security forces have always shown their capabilities whenever on duty. Whether it is terrorism or infiltrators, our security personnel have always been ready for sacrifice.”

India carried out what it called “surgical strikes” in Pakistan in September last year after insurgents attacked an army base on the Indian side of the Kashmir border, killing 18 soldiers.

“When the surgical strike was

carried out, the world came to know about the power that India possesses,” Modi said in his speech.

He added that “bullets and abuses” cannot bring peace in Kashmir―where there are an estimated 500,000 Indian troops―but also accused Kashmiri separatists of “scheming”.

The prime minister did not mention the 1947 partition that saw the creation of Muslim-dominated Pakistan and Hindu-majority India. At least one million people died in the chaotic aftermath of the split and 15 million were uprooted in the brutal mass migration. AFP

Israel arrests cleric for incitement JERUSALEM-Israeli police arrested a firebrand Islamic cleric on Tuesday who has been repeatedly accused of inciting violence over a sensitive Jerusalem holy site where tensions again flared last month.

Raed Salah, released from prison in January after serving a nine-month sentence, is accused of inciting violence and terrorism as well as support for and participation in an illegal organization, police said.

His group, the radical northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, was outlawed in 2015 after it was accused of inciting violence linked to Jerusalem’s Haram al-Sharif mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.

Police said in Tuesday’s statement that Salah, an Arab Israeli, is accused of having publicly supported violent acts against the

country on several occasions following the ban on his organization.

It was not clear whether the accusations were linked to last month’s deadly unrest surrounding the holy site, which includes the revered Al-Aqsa mosque and the golden-topped Dome of the Rock.

Violence erupted in and around the compound after three Arab Israelis shot dead two Israeli policemen on July 14.

Israel responded by installing metal detectors at the entrance to the complex, used as a staging point for the attack.

For nearly two weeks, worshipers refused to submit to the checks and staged mass prayers in surrounding streets.

Ensuing protests and clashes left seven Palestinians dead, while three Israelis were fatally stabbed by a Palestinian assailant.

The crisis abated when Israel removed the detectors.

Salah served a nine-month prison term after being convicted of fomenting violent protests over the holy site.

He was convicted of having incited violence in a 2007 speech.

He was convicted in 2014 and his appeals were later denied.

Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said in a statement following Salah’s Tuesday arrest that he hoped “this time justice will be done and he will be sent behind bars for a long time.”

The compound, central to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is the third-holiest in Islam and the most sacred for Jews.

It is located in east Jerusalem, occupied by Israel in 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognized by the international community. AFP

THE MILKY WAY. This photo taken on August 14, 2017 shows the Milky Way taken from the summit of the Donon Mountain in eastern France. AFP

Life FASHION & BEAUTY

MAKEUP MAVEN.

Arci Munoz, who reveals her interest in becoming a makeup artist, gives an audience member a makeover using J.Cat products and shares makeup tips for fresh and beautiful everyday makeup look.

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017

D1

MAKEUP TIPS from Arci Muñoz

H

EADS up, beauty aficionados! Makeup brand J.Cat Beauty had a grand launch at Gateway Mall recently.

People flocked to the store and witnessed makeup maven Arci Muñoz giving a lucky audience member an “everyday look” makeover using her favorite J.Cat products—proving that the brand’s quality, affordable products go beyond the bold, colorful, and youthful colors for which they are known and loved.

According to Arci, if she weren’t an artista, she’d probably be a makeup artist.

In between dabbing foundation on her muse’s face and underscoring the importance of well-groomed eyebrows (“Kilay

is life,” as Arci quipped) during the live makeup session at the event, she dished out some makeup wisdom like a guru for all the eager audience members.

Here are some of Arci’s Pro Tips for a fresh and beautiful everyday makeup look!

On applying foundation

Don’t use too much foundation if not necessary. Minimal coverage is best for a natural look. When applying foundation, use upward strokes. She says it’s like pulling your skin down if you go

the opposite way, and will take its toll she loves on your skin after some time.

J.Cat’s Kiss Proof Lip On getting your eyebrow game on Color, which Arci recommends outlining the eye- won’t budge brows with your eyebrow pencil or pow- for a good der, and then just lightly blending with a eight hours. brush at the ends, near the bridge of the Want to nose. She says choose a shade close to know the best your hair shade for a natural look, but part about this she personally goes for dark brows even trendy makeup if she has light colored hair. brand? Their chemical-free formulas are genKiss the night away with great tle on the skin, and they are also a cruelty-free brand—meanquality lipstick Using kiss-proof makeup allows you ing they don’t test on animals, which is to eat, drink, and be merry the whole always a good thing. day through. Arci expressed how much Check out J.Cat Beauty on Level 1 of

the Gateway Mall Quin Araneta Center, Qu ezon City and give your makeup collection that extra oomph it deserves.

Sinulid: The Connotations

Of Design Exhibit at SM Aura Premier

Tatio Active DX endorsers (from left) Kris Bernal, Ruru Madrid, and Sugar Mercado

Tatio responds

to market demands TATIO Active DX extended its market in response to a wide range of demand.

Recently, it opened its newest beauty and wellness center on Scout Castor corner Tomas Morato Avenue in Quezon City.

Its newest brand ambassador, Kapuso young heartthrob Ruru Madrid, graced the event with fellow endorsers Kris Bernal and Sugar Mercado.

The clinic features the latest hightechnology machines for aesthetics services: IPL, RF and High Intensity Focus, Ultrasound (HIFU), for slimming, contouring, and skin tightening.

Tatio Active DX is expected to initiate the latest skin beauty and wellness trends to sustain the market.

It is determined to cater to the needs of their customers at its finest.

Tatio Active DX is well known for its advanced skin whitening, anti-aging and shape slimming products since

2008 when former Streetboys dancer Danilo Barrios and wife Maria Regina Soqueno- Barrios established it as an online venture.

It is recognized both locally and internationally for its products that have undergone series of studies,researches and supported by its first-hand consumers, doctors, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Formulated and manufactured in Japan, the couple is the exclusive marketing agent of the beauty and wellness brand.

It was initially released in the form of glutathione injectables, gluatathione patches, collagen, and weight-loss powder, glutathione spray and soap.

Aside from Ruru, Kris and Sugar, Tatio is being endorsed by other celebrities; Daiana Menezes, Maria Sofia Love, and Eat Bulaga’s Super Sireyna Reigne Barbie Monteverde.

GRADUATING students of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Fashion Design and Merchandising Program gave mallgoers a glimpse of future of fashion in Sinulid: The Connotations of Design, an exhibition and show at SM Aura Premier.

The exhibit at the mall’s atrium highlighted different pop up stores and conceptual styling as the Merchandising group showcased their personal brands that reflect their own aesthetic and design philosophy.

This year’s batch featured great diversity in not only Women’s Wear but also featured Men’s Wear and Children’s Wear streetwear, formal wear, swimwear, sleepwear and even plus-size fashion.

The graduating students’ inspirations included travel, reincarnation, geometric patterns, indigenous materials and personal experiences including moments from their childhood. Themes of sustainability and functionality were also utilized.

The retail set up allowed the students to experience how effective branding is applied in the industry and how it can give them an advantage amidst the increasingly competitive markets.

This enabled the students to not only focus on the creative side but also on the business aspect as well.

Sinulid: The Connotations of Design, an exhibit and fashion show by the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s Fashion Design and Merchandising Program, is one of the many exciting fashion events at SM Aura Premier.

ALL FOR FASHION. The College of Saint Benilde President Brother Dennis Magbanua, Sinulid Exhibit Adviser Tracey Tabora, School of Design and the Arts Associate Dean Cynthia Funk, Dean Dottie Asela-Domingo, Fashion Design and Merchandising Chairperson Lulu Tan-Gan, Arts and Culture Associate Dean Sunita Mukhi, Program Coordinator Christine Benet and SM’s SVP for Marketing Communications Group Millie Dizon are present at the Sinulid Exhibit opening

Creations by (from left) Anne Jimeno, Sandy Riccio, and Kimberly Ngo Jannel Liwanag’s styling showcase focused on children’s wear

Krestein Isles’s playful and lively collection under her brand Kresles

Life

D2

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

The best

of the Philippines at Kultura Kultura showcases the best products—such as fashion pieces, home accents, and food—from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao

K

Embroidered cocoon dress

ULTURA brings together specialties from the country’s different regions.

Luzon features homegrown delicacies with bold flavors that represent the highlands of the North and farming plains of Central Luzon. These include pili cookies from Bicol, Arrowroot cookies from Gourmet Pantry, as well as coffee, salad dressings and other farm-grown favorites from Gourmet Farms The fashion section has classic and contemporary barong and Filipiniana woven from natural fibers by Barong Filipino, Mayumi, Nuevo Ystilo, and Rurungan sa Tubod. There are also home accents that celebrate our local heritage – inabel runners and bed covers by La Bon Vie, embroidered dining accessories by Criselcor, wooden kitchenware by Galvez & Wood Classic and quirky pieces by Art 24.

In the Visayas, traditional favorites are raised to artisanal levels by Don Papa Rum and Cebu Best dried mangoes dipped in premium chocolate.

There are also popular treats such as mango otap, gourmet tuyo and peanut kisses from Gourmet Pantry.

Treasures from the sea like Mother-ofPearl and capiz shells are transformed into elegant pieces for the home - by Kristine’s Shell, Shell Arts Chilonia and Graceland.

Tumandok and Mano Arts feature laminated table accents; while Eva Marie Arts & Crafts has handwoven tikog bags and décor from Samar.

Mindanao’s distinct flavors are sourced from its rich landscapes: Cacao de Davao, muscovado sugar from

Healthy Sweets, and the multi-awarded Malagos Chocolates.

Multicultural Mindanao is also a great source of inspiration for arts and crafts. There are precious pearls

by Khai Pearl and coral jewelry from Asron from its deep blue seas. Southern cultural communities also have so much to offer - tinalak by Angeliques and Gifts & Graces; and vibrantlycolored textiles handmade by the Yakan Weavers Cooperative.

Uniquely Filipino home, fashion, and delicacies are available at selected Kultura stores located at SM Aura Premier, SM Makati, SM Megamall, the SM Mall of Asia, SM Lanang Premier, SM City Cebu, SM Seaside, and SM City Cebu. Kultura boutiques are also located in Pico de Loro, Taal Vista, and the Molo Mansion, Iloilo.

Visit www.kulturafilipino.com to discover more about Kultura.

Tory Burch finds inspiration in Katharine Hepburn in ‘The Philadelphia Story’ “FOR Fall/Winter 2017, we found inspiration in the fearlessness and irreverence of Katharine Hepburn’s character in The Philadelphia Story. Her outdoor glamour combined with a confident femininity creates a modern take on the familiar style of my own roots in Philadelphia. We played with the idea of Fair Isle knits, barn jackets, and winter whites and thought about contrast, creating variations on a theme: plaid tweeds, prints, and enlarged in shearling. Accessories complete the story, from bow shoes and soft men’s briefcases to a pendant necklace inspired by my father’s cigarette lighter.” — Tory Burch Silhouettes: The collection fuses masculine and feminine elements, evoking Philadelphia’s chic outdoor glamour. A blouse with an exaggerated bow tops Tory Burch Fall 2017 collection is inspired by Katharine Hepburn’s character in ‘The Philadelphia Story,’ which combines outdoor glamour and confident femininity. menswear-inspired pants with a refined fit; a sporty bomber is paired with a pleated skirt. Sweaters, from Fair Isle to cardigans, have a nostalgic appeal, but the play on proportion is relevant for today.

Eveningwear—jumpsuits and easy longsleeved gowns— epitomizes tomboy-chic.

Palette: Winter white and black complement a warm palette of golden age, classic camel, rust, port, and grassland KENNETH Cole introduces proud (and little bit loud) degreen, as well as touches of a bold blue. a custom version of the iconic tail to continue the brand’s Prints and Patterns: Old-school and versatile KAM sneaker. commitment to equality and checks and plaids balance chintz-style The limited edition sneak- support for the LGBTQ comflorals; and a whimsical ballerina print er honors the LGBTQ Pride munity. The ‘Pride Kam’ references the works of Edgar Degas at Month in support of the Human which retails for P7,950 The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia.

Fabrications: Classic materials are Rights Campaign. is available at Kenupdated with an unexpected twist. A The rainbow stripe on the neth Cole Power plaid is interpreted in different ways, back of the ‘Pride Kam’ is a Plant Mall. from wool to shearling to silk threaded with lurex yarn. Floral appliques, corduroy strips, pearl buttons, and oversized Kenneth Cole monograms (inspired by Tory’s father supports the LGBTQ community with its “Buddy”) bring rich texture to traditionPride Kam sneakers al materials, like tweed, silk, and velvet.

Accessories: Prints and fabrications carry through to accessories. Elegant heels take on menswear-inspired details, like loafer-like fringe and broguing; while an unstructured briefcase is printed with the first stanza of Ithaka—hommage to Tory’s family history. Delicate earrings and in- Masculine and feminine elements come Floral appliques, pearl buttons, and other dustrial rings round out the collection. together in the collection classic materials are updated with a twist

‘Pride Kam’ Sneaker in support of LGBTQ

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017

30 YEARS IN BROADCAST INDUSTRY

ARNOLD CLAVIO

launches coffee table book Folk singer and composer Noel Cabangun

NOEL CABANGON’s message of hope THINK about a live music show that promotes positive message of rising up from adversity and moving forward.

Imagine dozens of artists performing onstage delivering the same message through their songs and production numbers.

That’s exactly what Kaya Natin ‘To is all about.

Over 40 OPM stars will gather at the Newport Performing Arts Theater (NPAT) in Resorts World Manila (RWM) on Aug. 30 for the grand musical event that celebrates life, hope, and togetherness.

Kaya Natin ‘To, is also the title of the song written by folk singer and songwriter Noel Cabangon, who was tapped by RWM to come up with a music that would be the theme of an initiative that will benefit the Children of Resorts World Manila Foundation.

“Resorts World contacted me if I had the number of this artist.

So I gave them the number and then since this artist is a friend of mine, this person contacted me and asked me if I could write a song for Resorts World after the big incident to uplift the spirit of 6000 employers of the integrated tourist destination and then sabi ko sige, I could try,” the prolific singer-songwriter told Manila Standard in an interview.

Although he wasn’t intended to be part of the show, Cabangon didn’t think twice when he learned what the concert was all about. He immediately headed to the studio and finished writing and recording the song in a week’s time.

“I started writing the song last week of June. It happened so fast. I was able to write and did the production including the recording in a few days,” Cabangun shared.

Asked what made him say “yes” to this well-meaning initiative of RWM and various artists involved, the folk singer underscored his advocacy to use music to convey positive messages that could encourage people to act.

“The concert’s message is very clear. Just like the song I wrote for the concert, we can’t really dwell on despair and emotions.

We wanted to convey that at the end of the tunnel, we could really see the light. We face challenges that stun us especially because of the degrees of these events. I don’t know if it’s really a good thing, but the message is very positive that in times of crisis, we Filipinos are very reliable.”

Joining Cabangon onstage are OPM artists like Christian Bautista, Gian Magdangal, Bituin Escalante, Fred Lo, Michael Williams, Chris Villonco, Dulce, Kakai Bautista, Menchu LauchengcoYulo, and Arthur Manalang to name a few.

Music accompaniment will be provided by Manila Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Rodel Colmenar.

The grand musical event also features performances by the cast of Resorts World Manila Musical Productions including Cinderella, Priscilla, King & I, Annie, Bituing Walang Ningning, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and more.

The concept, script, and direction is by Freddie Santos.

The story of Aegis onstage Also at the Newport Performing Arts Theater is the first grand concert of the multi-platinum selling band, Aegis, after years of absence on the local music scene.

Fresh from their US tour, Aegis sets their homecoming concert happening on Sept. 1 and will feature hits, like “Halik”, “Basang Basa sa Ulan,” “Luha” and “Sinta.”

Aptly titled Aegis na Aegis: A Story of Us, the band looks back at its flourishing career spanning two decades to share with their fans their personal experiences on their journey to rock superstardom.

From the heartfelt lines penned

by Celso Abenoja for their remarkable debut album, to their selection of rock anthems that are given new verve by the sisters’ live vocal fusion, Aegis is all set to give audiences another surefire hit concert.

With multiple hits easily found in thousands of videoke song lists in the country, a crossover tribute in the form of a stage musical entitled Rak of Aegis, and 10 platinum and gold albums, there is no denying that Aegis is indeed one of the Philippines’ best acts in music.

C

himself.

Arnold highlighted his 30th year in the industry by launching his very own book, Iskets, Piktyur at Tula in an intimate gathering of friends and family on Aug. 5.

At the book launch, Arnold shared how Iskets, Piktyur at Tula came to life, saying how grateful he was that he was blessed with such talent.

“Ito ay nabuo bilang pasasalamat ko rin sa In 1989, Arnold joined GMA Network as a radio Panginoon na 30 taon na naglilingkod ako sa reporter for DZBB. He wrote for various propesyong napili ko. Salamat sa talent na news programs before he became an ibinigay ng nasa taas,” he said. He on-camera reporter. As a reporter, he added that technology helped him first appeared in Brigada Siete in in sharing his works. “Nagkaroon 1994. ng social media, technology, Over the years, Arnold has been bagong apps, mas naging madali known for his hard-hitting yet nang i-express kung ano man ang informative and entertaining nasa loob.” reporting style.

He told those present to explore At present, Arnold co-hosts their artistic side as well. “Sana the country’s longest-running tuklasin ninyo rin. Alam kong and top-rating morning bawat isa sa atin may binigay show Unang Hirit and na regalo. Tuklasin natin ‘yan anchors GMA’s late night para sa pagpuri sa Kanya. newscast Saksi, both shows Kapag gumagawa ako ng Monday to Friday. Also, sketch at tula, gumagaan ang he hosts the public affairs pakiramdam ko parang andun program Alisto every ‘yung biyaya kasi binabalik ko Tuesday after Saksi. sa Kanya, hindi mo sinasayang On GMA News TV, Arnold ‘yung binigay niyang talent.” hosts the talk show Tonight with He also shared a message to Arnold Clavio (TWAC) every those who became part of his threeWednesday evening. And on decade journey, “Maraming salamat DZBB, he co-anchors the radio sa lahat ng mga kaibigan noon at program Dobol A sa Dobol B, weekdays ngayon na nakiki-celebrate sa aking 30 at 10 a.m. taong paglilingkod.”

On top of being a trusted figure in During the book launch, Arnold the media, Arnold has also established also shared some of his sketches and the iGan ng Pilipinas Foundation, Seasoned broadcast journalist Arnold Clavio celebrates artwork in an exhibit. Part of the Inc. to help sick children, especially 30th year in the industry with a coffee table book titled proceeds will go to iGan Foundation. those with diabetes, being a diabetic "Iskets, Piktyur at Tula"

ONSIDERED one of the country’s most-respected seasoned journalists and broadcasters, GMA News pillar Arnold Clavio is celebrating 30 years as a broadcast journalist.

Exceptional kids take center stage EXTRAORDINARILY talented, witty, and charming kids captured viewer hearts in Little Big Shots when it premiered last Saturday and followed with another episode last Sunday on ABS-CBN. Little Big Shots celebrates the most brilliant Filipino and foreign kids across the country, around the world, and even the Internet whose skills go beyond singing and dancing.

Taking center stage are kids aged two to 12 years old who have remarkable intellect, showmanship, and abilities that will thrill viewers of all ages every week.

Apart from what they can do, the show also puts in the limelight their big personalities when they express themselves through spontaneous banter.

Leading the show is international star and host Billy Crawford, who brings in more joy and laughter in the show with his funny and exciting interviews with the talented kids.

“It’s my first time to host a talent show where I am the only person from showbiz, because I usually work with people who

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, August 16, 2017

ACROSS 1 Place for flowers 5 Synagogue leader 10 Stork cousin 14 Computer owner 15 Brings on board 16 Astrologers of old 17 Paper toy 18 Teen faves 19 Fall softly 20 Oily fish 22 Nannies (2 wds.)

24 Gawk at 25 Moray 26 Art-store buy 28 Fleetwood — 31 Spaghetti topping 35 Peak for Heidi 36 Bright red 39 Tot’s time-out 40 Chevron shape 41 Disturbing emotion 42 Hag’s cry 43 Catchall abbr.

44 Dueler’s phrase (2 wds.)

46 Compass pt.

47 Too full 49 Above, in verse 50 Gambling stakes 52 Fruit-bearing

tree 54 Sharpen 55 Blasts the ears 59 Feast finale 62 — — sorry!

63 Reynolds rival 65 Three musicians 66 Bradley or Sharif 67 Swain 68 Mardi Gras follower 69 Rave’s partner 70 Fib 71 Verge DOWN 1 Raucous laughs 2 Orient 3 Survey of past times 4 Deepen, as a canal 5 River to the North Sea 6 White House staffer 7 Bart, to Lisa 8 Bartok or Lugosi 9 Debate topic 10 Old Chevy model 11 Exotic island 12 Stravinsky or Sikorsky 13 Little swallows 21 Troubles, to Hamlet

23 Annoying one 26 Roof parts 27 Queen of the Misty Isles 28 Oblong fruit 29 Quibble 30 Transparent 32 Released from shackles 33 Queeg’s ship 34 Fencing weapons 37 Put up food 38 Make a wrong move 44 “Garfield”

pooch 45 Morse signals 48 Elbow grease 51 Cuddle 53 Chews on 54 Played out 55 Designer label 56 Austen title 57 Cold — — icicle 58 Coin opening 59 Go-getter 60 League 61 Lug around 64 Sweet murmur

are already big shots. But here, you’d be surprised by how the kids carry the show, and I’m here to let their personalities shine.

All I can say is the kids featured on the show are very exceptional and they really deserve to be called little big shots,” shared Billy.

“I grew up performing, and I know how rewarding it is to entertain people. But in Little Big Shots, you wouldn’t expect what the kids can do, their wit, and they are all very charming,” he added.

ABS-CBN’s Little Big Shots is the Philippine version of the show that has been adapted in 20 countries and was created by popular hosts Ellen Degeneres and Steve Harvey. Steve hosts the US version, which has aired two successful seasons on NBC. Meanwhile, netizens will also get to witness the kids’ impressive performances and funny antics in the program’s online show, which will be hosted by Eric Nicolas.

Little Big Shots airs Saturdays and Sundays on ABS-CBN and on ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable ch 167).

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017

GMA Network welcomes ‘My Korean Jagiya’ stars GMA Network Chairman and CEO Atty.

Felipe L. Gozon met with the Korean actors of the upcoming primetime series My Korean Jagiya during a courtesy call held Aug. 4 at GMA Network Center.

David Kim, Michelle Oh, Jerry Lee and Alexander Lee were warmly welcomed by Atty. Gozon together with GMA Senior Vice President for Entertainment TV Lilybeth G. Rasonable, GMA Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Communications Angela Javier Cruz and My Korean Jagiya’s Program Manager Redgynn S. Alba.

Atty. Gozon said he is very proud of the concept of My Korean Jagiya since the cast will be a combination of Kapuso

L

UZON-BASED Filipino women were the first ones to share the beauty and charm of their respective city and province in the newest segment in Eat, Bulaga! “Miss Millennial Philippines 2017”.

and South Korean actors, “I think this is the first time it’s being done. You know Koreans really produce very good TV programs. This is our chance to show our Filipino viewers what our station also can do if we are partnering with the best of the producers in the TV industry.”

My Korean Jagiya is an original series of GMA Network top-billed by Philippine TV’s Sweetheart Heart Evangelista-Escudero.

She will be paired for the very first time with Alexander who is a professional actor in Korea and former member of the boy band U-Kiss.

It is set to air on Aug. 21 on GMA Telebabad.

OPPA IS THE HOUSE! Actor and K-Pop star Alexander Lee (third from left), with fellow actor Jerry Lee (second from right), is welcomed by GMA Network top guns Atty. Felipe Gozon (third from right) and Lilybeth G. Rasonable (first from left) during a courtesy call held at the GMA Network Center in Quezon City.

‘EAT, BULAGA!’

On its first week, six millennials took center stage and showed off the attractions, rich history and culture, and must-try delicacies of their hometowns.

Carina Cariño of La Union shared that apart from being the surfing capital of the Philippines, her province is being developed as an agri-tourism hub of Northern Luzon. She added that La Union is not only known for its beaches, but also for its old churches, vineyards, pottery making, grape picking and cheerful locals.

Jozlyn Manansala described Laguna, the Resort Capital of the country, as “refreshing” as a trip down south will immerse tourists to the province’s rich history and culture. Locals are also proud of their handmade footwear and wood works.

Zambales representative Kimberly Johnson said they have the sweetest mangoes that could rival Guimaras’ famous product. The 20-year-old Miss Millennial added that everyone will surely enjoy the breathtaking islands and coves of Zambales which is just a few hours away by land from Manila.

Chelsea Claro of Nueva Vizcaya and Shaira Joy Dizon of Malabon also impressed the viewers with the sights and activities in the province and city, respectively. Claro said Nueva Vizcaya is blessed with natural wonders and is a good trekking place for locals, while Dizon said everyone should try the food and tricycle tours of the City of Malabon.

Meanwhile, Miss Millennial Jaya Pearl Cartujano is the lone Visayan who promoted her hometown during the first week of the competition.

Cartujano highlighted the white sand beaches and crystal clear waters of Capiz, the seafood capital of the Philippines.

Dizon, Cariño, Manansala, Johnson, Claro and Cartujano are six of the 38 beauty pageant titleholders who were selected to represent their respective city and province in a competition that is first of its kind on Philippine television.

The anniversary segment “Miss Millennial Philippines 2017” offers a new take in celebrating beauty by focusing on the tourism aspect of the city or province the ladies represent.

In every episode of the longest running noontime

highlights local tourism in ‘Miss Millennial Philippines 2017’ variety program, one entrant will present a video that best highlights the beauty of her hometown. All entrants are also given weekly challenges that will require them to produce creative and eye-catching online content. These materials will then be uploaded on the show’s official social media accounts.

“The beauty pageant with the girls on it is just secondary. The true pageant is how you sell your province to the viewers,” said Jeny Ferre, creative head of Eat Bulaga.

Ferre shared that when Eat, Bulaga! was thinking of a new segment, they thought of highlighting the beauty of the country as there is still a lot to be discovered. She said that through “Miss Millennial Philippines 2017,” the show wants to capture that adventurous side of the youth and pique the interest of more people to travel locally.

“When we come up with a new segment, we try to think of its possible contribution to the community. There are a lot of beautiful places in the Philippines which are not shown or reported on the news,” she said.

Ferre added that Eat Bulaga recognizes the influence of the Internet to a lot of people that’s why they decided to incorporated social media in this beauty pageant. She said by promoting these provinces online, they hope that more people, especially the youth, will be tempted to

MILLENNIAL AMBASSADORS.

Miss Millennial Philippines contestants Carina Cariño, Kimberly Johnson, Chelsea Claro, Shaira Joy Dizon, and Jaya Pearl Cartujano take center stage to promote tourism in their respective hometowns.

try and discover first-hand the hidden gems of the country.

“We want to create a better image of the country. And through this new segment, we want to show everyone, especially our fellow countrymen that the Philippines is worth a second look,” she said.

At the end of the competition, “Miss Millennial Philippines” grand winner, which will be determined through text and online votes, will receive a condominium unit from Bria Homes, a Mitsubishi Montero Sport, and P500,000.

Eat Bulaga will also crown one Miss Bayanihan Queen among the 38 contestants who can produce the best online tourism campaign for her hometown. She will take home P100,000 and P1 million for her province.

Other entrants who will compete in “Miss Millennial Philippines 2017” are Eleonora Valentina Laorenza (Aklan), Tarilaye John Beke (Antique) Joan Marie Abanza (Apayao), Arrianne Dia Gallotan (Benguet), Edelle Rose Paller Pilatan (Bulacan), Jenny Rose Ignacio (Caloocan City), Julia Gonowon (Camarines Sur), Teresa Soledad (Camiguin), Kimberly Anne Bernal (Cavite), Allyza Molly Teodora (Davao City), Josephine Segovia (Guimaras), Dianne Irish Joy Lacayanga (Ilocos Norte), Jeanevave Cabautan (Isabela), Czarmy Alcober (Leyte), Camille Mirafuentes Folio (South Cotabato), and Patriz Anne Dabu of Bataan.

Completing the list are Daniela Lampey (Mandaluyong City), Vanna Vefsie Discaya (Masbate), Berjayneth Goc-Ong Chee (Misamis Oriental), Chrischelle Sarte Maranon (Nueva Ecija), Joannie Olila (Muntinlupa City), Angelica Esther Portugaleza (Negros Occidental), Jasmine Bungay (Pampanga), Annie Uson (Pangasinan), Sofia Jane Panapanaan (Paranaque City), Mary Justine Anne Lucero (Puerto Princesa, Palawan), Jenwell Morante (Quezon Province), Ladylyn Santos (Quirino), Carmela Villaruel (Sarangani), Camille Folio (South Cotabato), Naoimi Leano (Tarlac), Sarah Elizabeth Madrigal (LapuLapu City, Cebu) and Mary Jade Capin from Zamboanga, Sibugay.

“Miss Millennial Philippines 2017” is a daily feature in Eat Bulaga, Monday to Saturday in only on GMA Network.