Manila Standard - 2017 September 5 - Tuesday

DAP raps poised vs Aquino et al A COALITION has asked the Justice department to investigate the possible criminal liabilities of former President Benigno Aquino III and two other former officials over their alleged involvement in the illegal multi-billion-peso Disbursement Acceleration Program during their term.

The coalition of anti-pork-barrel

groups led by former Manila Councilor Greco Belgica on Friday urged the department to investigate the alleged DAP anomalies after submitting pieces of evidence allegedly showing the misuse of the DAP funds, which the Supreme Court had voided and declared unconstitutional.

Next page VOL. XXXI • NO. 203 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

US warns N Korea of ‘military response’

‘WOMEN OF SUBSTANCE.’ Newly crowned queens (from left) Miss Eco Philippines Cynthina Thomalia, Reina Hispano Americana Filipinas Winwyn Marquez, Miss World Philippines Laura Lehmann, Miss Multinational Philippines Sophia Senoron. Lehmann, BB. Pilipinas 2014 runner-up, answered the question Sunday night at the Mall of Asia, ‘to anyone who doesn’t believe in pageants...we have women of substance who are here today not only because of what they look like, but also because of what’s in their hearts...’Teddy Pelaez

UP student tortured, shot dead; Acosta seeks probe

By Jun David, Rey E. Requejo and Macon RamosAraneta A 19-YEAR-OLD Uninversity of the Philippines student who went missing for 10 days and whose body was found in a morgue in Caloocan City, was tortured before he was killed, the Public Attorney’s Office said Monday.

PAO chief Persida Rueda Acosta said an autopsy conducted Sunday showed Carl Angelo Arnaiz, of Cainta, Rizal, had been beaten before he was shot dead.

Acosta said Arnaiz’s eyes were bruised and discolored, probably because of punches, and his wrists were wounded and swollen with handcuff marks. He also had five gunshot wounds—four in the chest and one in the right arm, she said.

Arnaiz’s body was found on Aug. 28, and the autopsy was performed Sept. 3 by Dr. Erwin Erfe of the PAO forensic lab.

“His body showed signs of torture and a beating, and there were signs that both his hands were handcuffed,” Acosta said in Filipino, in an interview on radio dzMM. Next page

Kian slay: Charges mount against 16 Caloocan cops THE Philippine National Police Internal Affairs Service said Monday it has found probable cause to file administrative cases against 16 Caloocan City policemen over the Aug. 16 killing of 17-year-old student Kian Loyd delos Santos.

The charges will include grave misconduct, serious irregularity in the performance of duty and serious neglect of duty, IAS Inspector General Alfegar Triambulo said.

Among those to be

charged are Chief Insp.

Amor Cerillo, precinct commander; Police Officer 4 Arnel Oares, the one who allegedly shot Delos Santos; Police Officer 1 Jeremias Pereda and Police Officer 1 Jerwin Cruz.

None of the policemen have submitted counteraffidavits.

The Justice department, meanwhile, has issued subpoenas to Cerillo, Oares, Pereda and Cruz.

Justice Undersecretary Next page

WA S H I N G T O N — T h e United States warned it could launch a “massive military response” to any threats from North Korea following Pyongyang’s provocative detonation of what it claimed was a miniaturized hydrogen bomb.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis spoke out on Sunday (Monday in Manila) after North Korea carried out an unexpectedly strong nuclear test, more powerful than the bomb that levelled Hiroshima in 1945.

President Donald Trump called an emergency meeting of his national security advisers and had his second telephone call of the weekend with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but did not talk to South Korea’s Moon Jae-In—instead accusing Seoul of “appeasement.”

He threatened drastic economic sanctions, including “stopping all trade with any country doing business with

North Korea.”

In Manila, the Office of Civil Defense said contingency measures were already in place amid the latest move by Pyongyang to launch hydrogen bombs.

“Rest assured that contingencies are being set in motion for the protection of our civilian populace. Their safety is our primordial concern,” Deputy Administrator for Administration Assistant Secretary Kristoffer James Purisima said, adding the OCD was “in coordination with relevant national government agencies to ensure the safety of our people in light of the recent actions

by North Korea.”

Purisima said that while the Philippines was not anticipating any direct threat, they were already preparing for possible future launches.

“Although, we do not anticipate that there will be [any threat], of course, we’ll be part of the direct trajectory Next page

3 impeachment plaints lined up

By Maricel V. Cruz

T

HE House committee on justice will hold marathon hearings on several impeachment complaints filed against three government officials, the panel’s chairman said Monday.

Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali said it is the justice committee’s constitutional duty to attend to the impeachment complaints filed, respectively, against Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista and Supreme Court Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno and another expected this week against Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.

“We have no choice. It’s a constitutional duty that we have to perform to the best of our abilities,” Umali said, even as anti-corruption groups filed a second impeachment complaint against Sereno on Monday.

Earlier, former Negros Oriental Rep. Jacinto Paras filed an impeachment complaint against Bautista for betrayal of public trust and

culpable violation of the Constitution over allegations of ill-gotten wealth.

The complaint was endorsed by at least three lawmakers.

Lawyer Larry Gadon, meanwhile, wanted Sereno removed from her post for betrayal of public trust for the “whimsical” and “excessive” purchase of the latest model of the Toyota Land Cruiser amounting to P5.1 million, as well as her alleged failure to declare “exorbitant lawyer’s fees” allegedly amounting to P37 million. The complaint was endorsed by at least 25 lawmakers.

Monday’s impeachment complaint against Sereno, filed by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution Inc., Next page

VERIFIED COMPLAINT. Lawyer Glenn Chong, with his lawyer Manny Luna, files Monday a verified complaint for impeachment at the Office of the Ombudsman against Comelec Commissioner Christian Robert Lim for serious misconduct in office. Lino Santos

Priest rapped for trafficking of 13-yr-old Palawan

By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice has been asked to prosecute Msgr. Arnel Lagarejos for human trafficking charges following his arrest by the Marikina police last July for allegedly “booking” a 13year old girl from a pimp.

Aside from Lagarejos, the complaint for violation of the Anti-Trafficking in

Persons Act has also been filed by the victim’s mother against Shaira Pedragoza, Ace Lasaca, a minor and several John Does who allegedly acted as pimps.

Public Attorneys’ Office Chief Persida Rueda Acosta, who accompanied the complainant to the DoJ, stressed that they have enough evidence to pin Lagarejos and his co-accused in the case.

Acosta said the case falls under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act considering the age of the victim—she was only 13 years old.

“We have enough evidence not only based on the victim’s testimony but also the text messages on her cellular phone and posts on her social media account wherein she positively identified

HUMAN TRAFFICKING. A masked alleged 13-year-old rape victim arrives Monday at the

Department of Justice to file a criminal case against Msgr. Arnel Lagarejos, parish priest of St. John the Baptist in Taytay, Rizal and former president of Cainta Catholic College. Norman Cruz

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DAVAO CITY—Vice Mayor Paolo Dutere and his brother-in-law Manases Carpio vowed to attend the Sept.

7 Senate hearing, after they manilastandard.net

were invited by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to answer allegations on their involvement in the so called “Davao Group.”

In a press release, President Rodrigo Duterte’s eldest son and son-in-law, the

By Francisco Tuyay and Robert A. Evora

latter the husband of the Davao City mayor Sarah, said they recognized the power of the Senate to investigate such issues that concern the general public.

“We duly recognize the

STATE anti-narcotics agents arrested Puerto Princesa City Vice Mayor Luis Marcaida III for possessing 30 sachets of suspected shabu crystals during a drug raid on his home early Monday morning.

Police and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency armed with a search warrant found sachets of shabu and firearms at Marcaida’s house on

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Du30 son, in-law vow to face Senate inquiry

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera

‘narco-pol’ arrested

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‘Include Marawi fund in next year’s budget’

By Macon RamosAraneta SENATE President ProTempore Ralph Recto said Monday there was no need for a supplemental budget because the Bangon Marawi fund to rebuild the city could be included in the national budget for 2018.

He said the money proposed in the 2018 national budget for Marawi’s reconstruction was P10 billion.

“The question is, is this enough?” Recto said.

“How much from the P25.5-billion Calamity Fund for 2017 was used for Marawi? They should now run the numbers so we will know if the P10 billion is enough.”

Recto made his statement even as former vice president Jejomar Binay on Monday asked the government to include in its rehabilitation program the distribution of lots inside a military reservation in Marawi City to their occupants.

In his letter to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Binay cited a petition from several residents of Marawi City who had been living within a military reservation which he received when he was chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.

“These residents had requested the agency’s help in transferring to them the ownership of the lots they occupy.

Sadly, the change in administration precluded any further action on their request.”

Meanwhile, some 200 farmers and fishermen from the Caraga region who are now on their second week of protest in Mendiola, Manila, on Monday asked President Rodrigo Duterte to listen to their demands, which include stopping the military operations in Caraga.

“We will not go home until we talk to President Duterte,” said Roger Montero, chairman of KMP-Caraga.

“It would only take a few minutes of his time to see us here in Mendiola and hear our concerns. Farmers, indigenous peoples and national minorities

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was endorsed by 16 lawmakers led by Lanao del Sur Rep. Mauyag Papandayan Jr. The group’s ouster complaint against the Chief Justice was almost the same as that of Gadon’s.

The VACC earlier said it would file an impeachment complaint against Morales this week. Morales has has only 10 months left in her term.

A draft complaint alleges that Morales betrayed the public trust and was guilty of culpable violations of the Constitution due to alleged selective prosecution of cases and inordinate delays or failure to act on pending complaints.

Umali said the impeachment complaints filed could be transmitted to the Senate once it reaches one-third or 98 out of 294 House members.

“Once referred, proceedings are deemed initiated, so

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The coalition also asked the department to investigate Senator Antonio Trillanes IV over the same case.

The Coalition for Investigation and Prosecution led

by Belgica and Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption founding chairman Dante Jimenez turned over to the department records from the Department of Budget and Management showing what they said were questionable expenditures

are coming to the National Capital Region because our long-standing demands for land, livelihood and peace in our communities have been neglected by President Duterte.”

Monterey said Malacañang could not continue to give them the cold-shoulder.

Recto called on the executive officials tasked to plan and implement Marawi’s reconstruction to submit a budget to Congress before the two chambers wrap up work on the P3.767-trillion 2018 national budget by the first week of December.

He said those drafting the Bangon Marawi blueprint should take these into consideration.

“Let us always keep in mind that Marawi is the capital of the province where Lanao Lake is, which is the source of about a third of Mindanao’s power supply,” Recto said.

“It is also where the main campus of the Mindanao State University is located, Recto said, referring to the “UP of the South” which has produced thousands of graduates since its founding in 1961.

“Marawi is both a source of light and enlightenment. Thus any aid package should be viewed within that context. To a large extent, the aid we will be giving is some sort of a payback,” Recto said.

He said the Agus River, which flows through Marawi, “is the gateway through which waters that run hydropower plants downstream pass.”

Six hydroelectric plants cascade from the mouth of the lake in the city. The plants have a combined installed capacity of 728 megawatts of clean and cheap energy.

“For 70 years, the people of Lanao Del Sur have been good stewards of the watershed that feeds the lake, which in turn provides the water for the hydroelectric plants that supply the whole of the island of electricity,” Recto said. With Vito Barcelo, Joel E. Zurbano and Bill Casas the justice committee will have to complete its task, until it submits its report to the plenary for approval, as per the rules on impeachment,” Umali said.

He said the impeachment process is “deemed initiated” only when the verified complaint is referred to the House justice committee.

During the 11th Congress, the House impeached then President and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada through a so-called creeping impeachment when then Speaker Manny Villar transmitted the articles of impeachment to the Senate after the verified complaint obtained one-third of total House members-signatures.

But under the House Rules of Procedure in Impeachment Proceedings of the 17th Congress, only an impeachment complaint with one-third of the chamber’s signatures at the time of filing will go to the Senate Impeachment Court for a full-blown trial. from Trillanes’ DAP funds.

The documents showed that Trillanes received a P245 million in DAP funds in three tranches of P100 million, P50 million and P95 million.

Belgica’s group submitted to the office of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II records of the Budget department on the DAP expenditures during the previous administration.

“We were also able to gather information from several witnesses showing various anomalies in the DAP,” Belgica said. Rey E. Requejo

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

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Revilla son, pal nabbed for possession of drugs G

OVERNMENT agents arrested a son of former senator Jose Bautista, popularly known as Ramon Revilla Sr., and his male companion for carrying P24 million worth of Cytotec drugs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Sunday night

had just arrived from Singapore via flight SQ-918 when Customs agents discovered the prohibited items inside their luggage.

The two failed to declare the contents of their luggage when they were asked by a Customs examiner what they were bringing in.

Bautista claimed during interrogation that he was a son of former actor Ramon Revilla Sr. and brother of detained former senator Ramon Revilla Jr. Misoprostol is being

marketed as Cytotec. It was banned in the country in 2002 after some people started using the drug to induce abortion.

In October 2015, Customs agents intercepted smuggled Cytotec and other prohibited drugs that arrived at the airport as parcels from India and Pakistan.

Among the intercepted items were 100,000 200 mg tablets of Cytotec; 31,014 10 mg tablets of Valium; 2,700 10 mg of Xolnox; 24,000 10 mg tablets of Rit-

alin; 27,492 tablets of Alprazolam; and 7,000 10 mg tablets of Ambin.

Authorities say Cytotec is a medication intended to prevent and treat stomach ulcers, but it was prohibited by the Philippine government because it could also induce abortion.

The Bureau of Food and Drugs also warned drugstores, pharmacists and consumers against buying or selling Misoprostol.

Joel E. Zurbano and Vito Barcelo

.They arrested Reuben Bautista, 20, a resident of Parañaque City, and his companion Glen Morgadi, 30, of Pampanga. Both

were caught in possession of 70,000 Cytotec tablets and 30,000 tablets of Augmentin antibiotics.

Bautista and Morgadi

UP...

quest,” Acosta said in Filipino.

“This was a life. Why is the pattern like this? It seems similar to what happened to Kian.

These incidents happened one after the other, and were just hours apart,” she said.

Carl’s parents, Carlito and Eva, said he went out with 14-year-old Reynaldo de Guzman on Aug. 17 to buy midnight snack near their house in Brgy. San Andres in Cainta.

Ten days later, Arnaiz was found dead along C-3 Road in Caloocan. His parents found his body at a morgue in Caloocan on Aug. 28.

Unlike in the Kian delos Santos case, there was no CCTV footage where Arnaiz lived.

Acosta said she was puzzled that his body was recovered in Caloocan City.

“Why did it happen again in Caloocan?” she said.

Carl’s 14-year-old companion, De Guzman, is still missing, Acosta said.

Arnaiz, whose mother works in Dubai, was the valedictorian at Tibagan Elementary School in Makati City. He finished his secondary education at the Makati Science High School before studying in UP. He later dropped out and underwent treatment for depression. Like Kian, he also sold goods in a sari-sari store.

An Aug. 30 police spot report said Arnaiz flagged down a taxi in Navotas City at 3:20 a.m. on Aug. 18, then hit the driver, Tomas Bagcal, at the back of the head with a .38cal revolver and took his wallet when the cab reached C-3 Road in Caloocan. Arnaiz

was killed in a shootout with responding policemen, and authorities found two packs of marijuana in his pocket, and three packs of shabu in his backpack. Carl’s parents, however, said he was carrying a sling bag when he left the house to buy food.

They said his only vice was smoking, and he would never commit such a crime.

Acosta said the forensic evidence contradicted the police account.

She also noted that the driver’s sworn statement did not include the operator’s name or the cab’s plate number.

Acosta said they are still gathering more evidence before filing a case against the policemen involved in the operation. The PAO already has a witness to Arnaiz’s killing,

she added.

She said she would coordinate with Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and the National Bureau of Investigation to extend assistance to the witness and Arnaiz’s family and have them under the Justice department’s Witness Protection Program.

In the wake of the PAO revelations, Northern Police District Director Chief Supt. Armando Empiso confirmed the relief of PO1s Ricky Arquilita and Jeffrey Perez. They were both transferred in the holding center of Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig pending investigation.

The Justice department has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate the case, Aguirre said Monday.

threat to the United States or its territories, including Guam, or our allies will be met with a massive military response, a response both effective and overwhelming.

“We are not looking to the total annihilation of a country, namely North Korea,” he added, but warned: “We have many options to do so.”

The White House said the US was committed to “defending our homeland, territories, and allies using the full range of diplomatic, conventional, and nuclear capabilities at our disposal.”

‘Fratricidal war’ Pyongyang residents celebrated as a jubilant television newsreader hailed the “unprecedentedly large” blast which she said had moved

the country closer to “the final goal of completing the state nuclear force.”

It prompted an international chorus of condemnation, including from both the North’s key allies, China and Russia.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the test as “profoundly destabilizing.” The Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Monday.

South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who advocates engagement as well as penalties to bring Pyongyang to the negotiating table, called for new United Nations sanctions to “completely isolate North Korea.”

On Monday Seoul carried out a live-fire exercise in the Sea of Japan, which it calls the

East Sea, using a volley of missiles to simulate an attack on the North’s nuclear site.

But Trump criticised the US treaty ally on Twitter, saying: “South Korea is finding, as I have told them, that their talk of appeasement with North Korea will not work, they only understand one thing!”

In a statement, the presidential Blue House retorted: “Korea is a country that experienced a fratricidal war.”

It “will continue to push for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through peaceful means working together with our allies,” it added.

‘Cut off North Korea’ Hours before the test, the North released images of Kim at his country’s Nuclear Weapons Institute, inspecting a de-

vice it called a “thermonuclear weapon with super explosive power” entirely made “by our own efforts and technology,” according to the Korean Central News Agency.

A series of US and United Nations-backed sanctions seem to have had little effect on Pyongyang.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Sunday his department was preparing potent new measures that would “cut off North Korea economically.”

The measures would ensure that “anybody that wants to do trade or business with them will be prevented from doing trade or business with us,” he said on “Fox News Sunday.” AFP with John Paolo Bencito

ly, we won’t lose face,” he said.

In a related development, Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña gave all customs officials a clean slate from any corruption accusations, and gave back to his deputy commissioners the authority to issue alert orders on questionable imported shipments.

“This is my way of showing my full trust and confidence to (sic) the officers and men of the bureau,” Lapeña said, whose bureau has been considered by many as the most graft ridden government agency.

“I am giving a clean slate for everybody,” said the Customs chief as he bared some of his plans to address corruption and increase Bureau’s revenue.

He reiterated the call to stop the culture of “pasalubong” and “tara” and to strictly implement the “no gift and no take policy,” adding these illegal practices were bringing the name of the agency down the drain.

To institute accountability and boost internal cleansing within the agency, Lapeña

plans to implement a onestrike policy against erring bureau officials and employees through intensified counter-intelligence efforts.

“Once I receive reports of your involvement with corrupt practices and such reports are validated, you will see immediate action based on the offense committed,” Lapeña said as he warns employees and officials.

He also urged the public to arrest, by virtue of citizen’s arrest, anyone who would use his name to facilitate unlawful activities in the agency, adding he will be observing zero tolerance for corruption.

The Commissioner also emphasized the need for an improved incentive and reward system for all personnel who remain persistent in performing their duties and responsibilities with commitment, competence, and integrity.

Another priority of Lapeña is to improve the revenue performance of the agency. With Macon Ramos-Araneta, John Paolo Bencito, and Vito Marcelo

after the National Bureau of Investigation filed criminal cases before the DOJ against the four policemen.

Oares, Pereda and Cruz were directly involved in the anti-drug operation that led to the killing of Delos Santos.

Aside from murder and planting of evidence, the respondents are also charged with violation of domicile under Article 128 of the Revised Penal Code. The three police officers have been relieved from their posts and are temporarily under the custody of the National Capital Region Police Office in Camp

Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.

While the police claimed Kian had fired on them first, prompting them to shoot back and kill him, CCTV footage, eyewitnesses and autopsy findings contradicted their story.

Separate complaints for murder and torture were also filed by the Delos Santos family through the Public Attorneys’ Office against the four police officers.

Aguirre said the NBI and PAO complaints would be consolidated for the purpose of the preliminary investigation. Rey E. Requejo and Rio N. Araja

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Earlier, Erfe said Arnaiz was dragged, beaten up, and handcuffed because his bruises were deep, his eyes were severely distended, and he had many shackle marks in his right hand.

Acosta said the case seemed similar to that of 17-year-old Grade 11 student Kian delos Santos, who was tortured and murdered by policemen in an anti-drug operation in Caloocan on Aug. 16.

“The point here is why should this young person be beaten up and then shot dead like this? If he was a suspect, he should have been handcuffed, brought to the precinct, charged, and undergone in-

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of any launch, we will pre-

pare...” he added.

US monitors measured a powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake near the North’s main testing site on Sunday, felt in parts of China and Russia, with an aftershock possibly caused by a rock collapse.

The North—which in July carried out two intercontinental ballistic missile launches that apparently brought much of the US mainland into range—hailed its test of what it described as a hydrogen bomb designed for a rocket as “a perfect success.”

Mattis told reporters: “Any

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Jacana Road, Barangay Bancao-Bancao, Puerto Princesa City, at 6 a.m.

Agents under Chief Supt.

Graciano Mijares also seized a .22 cal. rifle, four .45 cal. pistols, three rifle grenades and a fragmentation grenade.

Alex Marcaida, brother of the arrested vice mayor, denied allegations linking him to illegal drugs.

Alex said he was also puzzled as to the motives of the persons behind his brother’s arrest.

He said the seized firearms were covered by licenses, and that all the rifles were owned by their father.

“I’m calling all supporters to pray for my brother because all the allegations being

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Lagarejos,” Acosta said in an interview.

Early this month, Lagarejos managed to post bail three days after he was arrested at a motel along Sumulong Highway in Marikina.

However, Acosta and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said the latest complaint against Lagarejos was different from the case pending in Marikina.

“He is out on bail on the first human trafficking case but there is a pending trafficking case and then this one so he will have to face three cases. So this is different from the case previously filed wherein the accused was able

leveled against the vice mayor are not true,” Alex Marcaida said in a radio interview.

The raid at the vice mayor’s house were witnessed by village chairperson Marilou Gumangan of Bancao-Bancao, barangay chairman Francisco Gabuco of San Pedro, and a media man.

The police had previously tagged the vice mayor as a “high value target” in President Duterte’s war on drugs.

The arrested local executive has a standing electoral protest with the current Mayor Lucilo Bayron before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Bayron was ordered dismissed by the Ombudsman over a nepotism case. He appealed his case to the Court of Appeals and said the Ombudsman’s order could not be enforced without a ruling on the appeal. to post bail,” said Aguirre, who met with the complainant and Acosta.

According to Acosta, investigation conducted by the PAO Marikina office headed

by Rodaflor Laracas showed that Lagarejos was involved in two prior incidents with the victim before he was arrested.

Earlier, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines announced that Antipolo Bishop Francis de Leon had stripped Lagarejos of his post at the St. John the Baptist Parish in Taytay, Rizal.

He was also removed as president of the Cainta Catholic College.

At the same time, the CBCP assured the public that it respected the criminal procedures initiated by the police against Lagarejos.

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coercive power of the Senate as part of the legislative branch of the government and their [sic] authority to conduct inquiry,” they said in their statement, adding “We commit to respect the invitation and attend the hearing.”

Committee chairman Senator Richard Gordon said the hearing on Thursday would also discuss the “tara system” at the Bureau of Customs following the exposé by Senator Panfilo Lacson.

“We will call the two because whatever you do, whatever I do, we’re saying it’s hearsay, we’re saying, they’re the children of the President, they’re the relatives of the President, there’s a need to call them,” stressed Gordon.

“We will invite them so that it gets done as soon as possible because I’m leaving, I have meetings abroad. We’ll invite them on September 7. Hopeful-

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Erickson Balmes said the DoJ’s panel of prosecutors has required the respondent police officers to attend the preliminary investigation hearing on the criminal cases on Sept. 12 and 19.

The panel is headed by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Tofel Austria, with Assistant State Prosecutor Amanda Garcia and Associate Prosecution Attorney Moises Acayan, as members.

The hearing was slated

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Graft raps filed vs Comelec’s Lim

By Rio N. Araja

F

ORMER Biliran representative Glenn Chong filed on Monday a formal complaint against Commissioner Christian Robert Lim before the Office of the Ombudsman for graft and serious misconduct.

In a 19-page complaintaffidavit, Chong accused Lim of giving special treatment to Smartmatic TIM Corp. in the 2016 elections.

He called on Ombudsman Conchita CarpioMorales to look into his complaint and determine if

there is probable cause to impeach Lim. A plan to file an impeachment rap against Lim could be anchored on the Ombudsman's resolution, he added.

Chong was accompanied by former Negros Oriental

representative Jacinto Paras and lawyer Manuel Luna.

The Biliran legislator said the complaint he filed was a “follow-up” to the graft and plunder raps which Paras filed with the Ombudsman in June 2016 against former Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr., along with former commissioners Lucenito Tagle and Elias Yusoph, and incumbent Commissioners Christian Robert Lim and Al Parreño, for approving Resolution No. 992 issued in December 2014.

The resolution gave way to the P240-million contract with Smartmatic to rehabilitate 81,000 PCOS, a deal that was declared null and void by the Supreme Court on April 21, 2015.

According to Chong, Lim pushed through with the negotiations of the refurbishment of over 80,000 precinct count optical scanners through direct contacting, and not through a bidding.

“Comelec failed to prove that direct contacting was legal for the P240-million

contract with Smartmatic.

There was no public bidding, and that Lim who privately negotiated with Smartmatic,” he said.

Such was “manifestly and grossly disadvantageous to the government,” he added.

“Respondent cannot feign ignorance of the facts and circumstances surrounding the problems and anomalies of the PCOD machines before and after the ‘midnight deal’ in question because he actively took part and even

defended Smartmatic TIM Corp. in the several [congressional] hearings on these issues,” the 19-page complaint read.

Chong, however, raised concern if the Ombudsman would act on his complaint, saying “obviously, Commissioner Lim is a lawyer of the Liberal Party before becoming a commissioner so he is ‘yellow.’”

If Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista is impeached, Lim could take over the poll body, he lamented.

Audit‘Yolanda’housing projects, solon asks CoA

By Maricel V. Cruz AN OPPOSITION lawmaker on Monday called for a special audit on all housing projects under the “Yolanda” rehabilitation and recovery program being undertaken by the government.

Magdalo Party-List Rep. Gary Alejano made the urging to the Commission on Audit during a two-day congressional inquiries conducted by the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development in Tacloban City last Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.

“I requested for a CoA Special Audit to look into the status of the housing projects under the Yolanda program and especially to validate reports of subcontracting scheme in the implementation of the housing projects and use of substandard materials in the construction,” Alejano said.

“Aside from the CoA Special Audit, I also moved to require the NHA to provide the pertinent documents regarding the anomalous and substandard housing projects,” Alejano added.

In particular, Alejano asked

the state auditors to look into documents pertaining to the list of contractors awarded projects by the NHA, and number, location and status of construction of projects; statement of allocation and obligation, and financial and physical reports.

Alejano revealed the alleged anomaly in the subcontracting scheme of the housing projects wherein winning contractors or bidders of NHA projects tap local subcontractors for the projects.

Subcontracting is not allowed especially without expressed permission from the NHA. He said this scheme was due to the delay in implementation and the use of substandard construction materials.

Prior to the public inquiry, the committee also conducted ocular inspections on the housing sites in Eastern Samar.

“Almost all projects under the housing program are still in different stages of construction. Meron pang tumigil ang constructions dahil wala ng pasahod sa manggagawa. Almost four years after “Yolanda” but the victims are still waiting for their houses,” Alejano said.

P858.1 billion. Some P431.1 billion will fund various road network projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways. Notably, we will be constr ucting P49.3 billion worth or bypasses and diversion roads and spending P15 billion to pave national arterial and secondary roads, P 5.4 billion to construct flyovers, interchanges and underpasses and P55.4 billion to construct missing links all across the 16 regions of the country” Nograles said.

Nograles said the 2018 General Appropriations Bill also seeks to alleviate poverty by maintaining a reasonable amount for education, improving healthcare, strengthening labor and employment and boosting the Conditional Cash Transfer Program.

“Clearly spelled out in the

MONEY IN TRASH. An elderly man gathers recylable materials and plastic bottles that litter Manila Bay in Roxas Blvd., during a cleanup operation by the city government of Manila. Norman Cruz

Philippine Development Plan or PDP 2017-2022 are our goals of matatag, maginhawa at panatag na buhay para sa bawat Pilipino,” Nograles added.

“Government must remain to be the ultimate financier of social services. This budget addresses the lingering twin problems of poverty and inequality,” he added.

The national budget for next year raises allocation for the education sector at P691.1 billion in 2018, or P41.7-billion increase from this year’s allocation.

The increased funding, Nograles said, would be utilized for the construction of 47,000 classrooms, repair and rehabilitation of 18,000 classrooms, procurement of 84,781 school seats, and creation of 81,100 teaching positions.

Maricel V. Cruz

Briton phedophile nabbed by BI agents

By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Immigration ordered the deportation of a British wanted by authorities in the United Kingdom for sexually molesting a girl and other sex offenses.

ERRATUM IN the story “DENR, MWSS join forces ...”

(Manila Standard, Page 3, Sept. 4, 2017), that portion on Waste Water Treatment should read: Manila Water has also in place the Three-River Master Plan which aims to achieve 100-percent sewer coverage (not by 2018) by year 2037.

Robert Evans is now detained at the BI detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City after his arrest in Mahaplag, Leyte.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said Evans was arrested at the request of the British embassy in Manila which informed the BI about the Briton’s record as a convicted child sex offender.

Aside from sex offenses, Evans was also convicted for sexual grooming, or befriending a child with the object of sexual abuse, and making indecent photographs of children.

“We will immediately deport him to protect Filipino children from being victimized by him while he is in the country,” Morente said.

The BI chief disclosed that Evans was previously

Oil firms raise prices today THE country's oil firms raised pump prices by as much as P0.50 per liter effective Tuesday to reflect the movement of world oil prices in the domestic market.

The oil firms raised the price of kerosene by P0.50 per liter and diesel and kerosene by P0.40 per liter, respectively.

"Phoenix Petroleum Philippines will increase gasoline and diesel by P0.40 per liter effective 6 a.m. September 5, 2017," the company said.

Phoenix, Eastern Petroleum and Seaoil Philippines issued separate advisories of the price increase as of press time while other oil firms are expected to follow. Alena Mae S. Flores

MMDA to revive ‘Xmas’ lanes

House starts plenary debate on 2018 P3.767-t national budget THE House of Representatives on Monday began its plenary deliberations on the proposed P3.767-trillion national budget for 2018.

Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles, chairman of the House committee on appropriations, delivered his sponsorship speech on House Bill 6251 which shall focus among others “on a massive infrastructure program complemented by reforms in programs for peace, security and ecological integrity.”

“We need to fast-track Strategic Infrastructure. Over the medium- term, the Duterte administration will need to raise substantial funding for its Build, Build, Build Program,” Nograle said in his speech.

“For 2018, this amounts to P1.097 trillion, a 27.9-percent increase over its 2017 level of

IN BRIEF

issued a permanent visa by the bureau due to his marriage to a Filipina.

“Our board of commissioners will issue an order cancelling his visa and ordering his deportation for being an undesirable alien,” he said.

BI fugitive and search unit chief Bobby Raquepo said Evans traveled to the Philippines in January 2010 and later married a Filipina whom he met over the internet.

Raquepo said UK authorities sought Evans’ arrest after seeing that his Facebook accounts and that of his wife showed him having child contacts, including female children sitting on his lap.

“He violated an order from the UK court prohibiting him from having contact with minors,” the BI official added.

THE Metro Manila Development Authority is set to revive its Christmas Shopping and Airport Lanes to help motorists shorten the travel time during the Holiday season, when traffic flow is expected to be heavy.

"You can call it Shoppers' Lane, Mabuhay or Friendship Lane. Our target is for the people to have alternate routes," said Jose Arturo Garcia, MMDA assistant general manager for planning.

He said the MMDA will also impose an absolute clearing of all forms of obstruction along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and secondary roads this "Ber months" in anticipation of the heavy traffic on major roads going to shopping mall and other commercial establishments, as well as Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals.

Garcia said thousands of people are expected to go out of the country for a holiday trip while some would go to the provinces for vacation and spend Christmas with their families.

Joel E. Zurbano

Manila

Standard

TODAY

Bill Protect activated for Globe Postpaid customers Protects customers from incurring irregularly high data charges

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A4

Opinion

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Provocation

S

OME leaders believe they are only truly powerful when they strike fear in others.

They get heady with this sense of power and start playing god with people’s lives.

It could be that they gradually worked their way into this mindset.

They could have started as regular, well-meaning public servants but degenerated into megalomaniacs after experiencing the perks and privileges of having everybody saying “yes” to them.

Some, like North Ko-

rean Kim Jong Un, are born and raised in an environment that led their people to not only admire or respect them, but to blindly revere them.

And so it is that North Koreans celebrated this week when their madman of a leader ordered the detonation of a hydrogen bomb more

powerful than the one that leveled Hiroshima more than 70 years ago.

It was a nuclear test, of course, but a provocative one, meant to show the rest of the world that Kim’s country is a force to be reckoned with.

As a result of the test bombing, a magnitude-6.3 earthquake was felt near the testing site and in parts of China and Russia.

But the effects of North Korea leader’s display of power tran-

scends the temblors; indeed the world now stands on shakier ground as other countries ponder how they should respond to Mr. Kim’s threats. United States president Donald Trump, himself unhinged, warned of a massive military response. The secretary general of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, said the test is profoundly destabilizing as the Security Council prepares to hold an emergency

meeting.

Manila officials say they do not expect a direct threat from a North Korea strike even as contingency measures are already in place.

Last week, Pyongyang fired a missile over Japan.

It is tragic how Kim and Trump can trade barbs like schoolyard bullies as if the rest of the world did not have other pressing crises to think about. There are extremism, and hunger,

and hatred, and natural disasters. What good would any display of nuclear power do if not to fuel the lunacy of one man and challenge his foes to show theirs is greater?

Unfortunately, we are really at the mercy of these leaders, for better or for worse, but mostly the latter. We can only hold our breath as we hope they find other things with which to amuse themselves and that the stakes won’t be as high.

The continuing climate change fight

tended to build and maintain roads independently of agencies like the Departments of Public Works and Transportation, to no avail. Now, the current House leadership and a group of senators also want to look into the Road Board’s finances; I’m hoping that their exertions will not end up like Miriam’s, collecting dust in the archives of Congress.

When Santiago delivered a privilege speech in November 2009 detailing the alleged plunder of the Road Board, she claimed that the agency (created by law in 2000 and which started collecting the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge or MVUC the year after) had already taken in P60 billion in taxes mostly from the registration fees paid by vehicle owners to the Land Transportation Office. These funds, she said, were used by the officials of the “terminally corrupt” board

THIS column is based mainly on an online article I co-authored with colleague Hannah Tablan. We wrote that article to encourage everyone to watch Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power.” The documentary film, which was released globally on Aug. 4 and commercially in the Philippines last week, weaves together both good and bad developments on climate change over the past decade, as footage of collapsing polar ice caps and flattened towns in Tacloban, eventually gives way to cutting-edge Texas solar farms, impassioned crowds at the Global Climate March, and a jubilant Paris in December 2015. If the Houston floods happened earlier, for sure, we would see images of that ongoing disaster in the film. But disaster and defeat is not, never Al Gore’s last word. Hope is, and we see that in this film again.

The film’s tone is largely hopeful, and plainly at odds with political reality. As the filmmakers took pains to emphasize, not everyone has responded affirmatively to Gore’s urgent call to arms. The question of the moment persists: what does Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord mean for the rest of the world? What does it mean for the Philippines?

The immediate concern is that Trump had set a precedent for others to wane in their support of the Paris process. Developing nations in particular, some speculated, might be discouraged by the reduced funding that would result from the US’ withdrawal. Article 9 of the Paris Agreement, which was reiterated in the communique, obligated developed countries to provide aid to their developing counterparts for use in emission reduction efforts. The absence of the US’ contribution could mean a cut of as much as $3 billion.

The hope is that the United States’ absence is temporary, which is not farfetched. For one, Trump’s economic reasons are no

Turn to A5

Turn to A5

Forgetting Corona LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES IT WAS five years ago when Noynoy Aquino, his Congress sycophants and his well-larded senator-cronies removed Chief Justice Renato Corona. After harnessing the full powers of his office and using billions in taxpayers’ funds as grease money through his newfangled money-collection scheme called the Disbursement Acceleration Program, Aquino succeeded in ousting Corona on the flimsiest of charges, that of not properly declaring his assets.

It was a shameful display of political vendetta that started because Aquino believed that Corona convinced his colleagues in the

Supreme Court to allow the distribution of his family’s Hacienda Luisita to the farmer-tenants tilling the estate and because his court shot down as unconstitutional Aquino’s very first order creating a Truth Commission. Now, the current Aquino-appointed chief justice, Maria Lourdes Sereno, is facing a similar impeachment complaint in the House of Representatives.

The complaint lodged by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon makes charges against Sereno that are at least as serious—but are in all likelihood more so—that those hurled by Aquino’s minions against Corona. And the Yellow minority in Congress, in social media and elsewhere is accusing President Rodrigo Duterte of undermining democratic institutions and bullying the weakest of the three co-equal branches of

government.

This is rich. The same people who never listened to the same arguments when they were used by Aquino’s critics are now employing them in defense of the “litany of lapses” of Sereno as alleged in Gadon’s complaint.

Of course, the Yellows believe that they are more credible when they accuse Duterte of creeping dictatorship because it is in sync with his tough-guy rep. The foremost exponent of this selective view of impeachment is Liberal Party remnant Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, who made this statement with no trace of irony whatsoever: “The impeachment complaint filed against Chief Justice Sereno isn’t simply directed at the Chief Justice [but] can very well be directed at the entire High Court: ‘Submit or else’,”

Pangilinan, LP president, said. “Unless we act and defend our democracy and freedoms, we are well on our way to dictatorship.”

Pangilinan attributes the impeachment of Sereno to Duterte, when he should really be referencing Corona.

Pangilinan is dead wrong because he attributes the impeachment of Sereno to Duterte, when he should really be referencing Corona and what got him removed.

Of course, if he did that, he would no longer be LP or Pangilinan.

He’d be a right-thinking person. Something that he’s not been accused of. *** I remember the late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago railing in 2009 against the road users’ tax and the Road Board, the government agency that dispenses the fund that collects the imposition. Santiago was widely believed at the time to be exacting payback from Road Board executive director Rodolfo “Dodie” Puno, a brother of her political nemesis former Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno— but this in no way detracted from her allegations of massive corruption at the agency.

But Santiago attacked Puno and his board, which collects billions in annuales tax in-

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Opinion From A4

infrastructure, as Santiago once demanded. Alvarez and a bunch of senators, led by JV Ejercito, Grace Poe and Manny Pacquiao are calling for an investigation of the mysterious, fund-rich board, which they described as “just another layer of bureaucracy” and a longtime opportunity for corruption in government.

Alvarez last week went to the extent of filing a bill calling for the abolition of the Road Board, citing reports from the Commission on Audit alleging misuse of the MVUC and the failure of the agency to build roads and to keep them safe for motorists.

Alvarez also accused the board’s officials of frittering away the taxes it collects on huge salaries, allowances and other benefits for its own executives and employees, while not fulfilling its mandate to keep the roads safe and in good condition.

Maybe Alvarez and the senators can succeed where Miriam failed.

The continuing...

From A4

longer compelling, if they ever were. In his speech delivered on June 1, he claimed that staying in the Paris accord could pose “serious obstacles” to maximizing America’s natural energy reserves and thereby hinder its economy. Alden Meyer of the US Union of Concerned Scientists dispels this, asserting that there is an “accelerating shift away from polluting fossil fuels towards a global economy powered by clean, renewable energy.”

Unlike the fossil fuel industry, clean energy is estimated at over $20 trillion and is “providing good jobs that can put people to work and revitalize American manufacturing, in ‘blue’ and ‘red’ states,” writes Robert Redford, a director and trustee of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

The United States cannot withdraw immediately from the Paris Agreement.

In a press release issued last Friday, the US State Department announced that it had formally notified the UN of its decision, but recognized that it is presently not “eligible” to act on it. Under Article 28, withdrawal from the Paris Agreement is not permitted for the first three years after the accord comes into effect, and thereafter, is subject to a one-year notice period. This brings the earliest possible date of withdrawal to November 2020.

Alternatively, Trump could withdraw the US from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change effective immediately, but with monumentally graver implications.

In the interim, the US’ political obligation remains, and Trump may yet be convinced to stay. After the Houston disaster, there might be some opening within his administration to rethink its strategy on climate change.

In the meantime, the United States’ break from the climate change scene may be exactly what the rest of the world needs. The issues most important to climate justice would benefit from a temporary US withdrawal, as issues like adaptation, climate finance, technology transfer, and loss and damage could be more easily resolved without the United States at the negotiating table. In the race against environmental degradation, the absence of Trump’s contrarianism would allow vital ground to be more quickly gained. However, this must be balanced with the need to continue to involve American career diplomats and officials in the process in order to pave the way for the US’ eventual re-entry. Judging from the press release, the United States is only

A5

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Bombshells

Forgetting... as they alone saw fit, without passing through congressional appropriation or oversight.

Fast forward to the present, because nothing really happened since Miriam’s exposé eight years ago. According to House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, the Road Board has already collected more than P90.72 billion in MVUC taxes up to 2012, confirming its status as the third-biggest source of government revenue after the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs; but the Road Board apparently remains as unaccountable as when Miriam attacked it in a privilege speech.

Alvarez called for the abolition of the board and the distribution of its collected funds to DPWH and DoTr, which shall directly use the funds in the regular, Congressappropriated manner for the building and maintenance of roads, drainage systems and other transport-related

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

more than willing to do so, and intends to “continue to participate in international climate change negotiations and meetings … to protect US interests and ensure all future policy options remain open to the administration.”

Climate change has long been treated as a tug-of-war between developed nations, dictated by first-world politics and ivory-tower planning. The stark reality is that it is everyone’s battle, most especially that of developing nations.

In recent years, the Philippines has been among those who have taken this to heart and stepped up their efforts.

Following the Yolanda tragedy, it successfully pushed for the establishment of the Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage at the UNFCCC Conference of Parties 2013, and last year, oversaw the Climate Vulnerable Forum’s adoption of the Manila-Paris Declaration as forum chair.

When President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Paris Agreement, Senator Loren Legarda christened it one of the Philippine government’s “shining achievements” as it “allows our country access to international climate finance mechanisms and to acquire support from developed countries for adaptation, mitigation, technology development and transfer, and capacity building.” The immediate challenge for developing nations is to take robust action to maximize these resources. As Duterte told the crowd at his recent State of the Nation Address, now more than ever, “The protection of the environment … is non-negotiable.”

When a lone mutineer threatened to sabotage the climate change battle effort, the global community—in the form of an irrevocable communique—proved that would not be tolerated. To make good on its word, it must continue to build momentum towards a holistic and effective approach to climate change. These efforts will hopefully see the United States’ return, but regardless. Climate change is too big an issue for us to allow one country to hold the global community hostage and paralyzed in inaction.

An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power is a good film. Watch it, be disturbed by it, and speak truth to power—to our government, to our coal and fossil fueldependent industries, and to our fellow citizens. Let’s fight as if our islands depend on it. United, we will win this continuing fight against climate change.

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FORMATION GARY OLIVAR OVER the weekend I attended one of the infrequent reunions of my comrades in the “Ipil group.” No, we’re not aficionados of that wellknown local softwood tree, nor are we former residents of that well-known UP Diliman dorm for well-off graduate students.

Ipil was the name of the minimum-security detention center inside Fort Bonifacio during martial law, where the authorities confined either less-dangerous activists or, as in my case, long-term detainees already being processed for release.

There were still barbedwire fences and curfew hours, but the compound was mostly sprawling open ground, and our quarters were dorm-style barracks and not individual cells.

The compound was split into male and female quarters (separated by barbed wire), which was good for husband-and-wife detainees, and the authorities were fairly generous about

conjugal visits, which was ses’ total gold bars at 7,000, very good for our overac- which would certainly put tive hormones. the entire U.S. government to shame since the total bars *** inside Fort Knox number The buzz at our weekend only 4,582. reunion was mostly about The leftist groups predictDuterte’s bombshell an- ably objected on their usual nouncement that he’d been grounds that the Marcoses approached by the Marcos are irredeemably evil and family with an offer to re- shouldn’t be touched with turn “some” of their wealth, a 10-foot pole. The yellows including “a few” gold bars. chimed in against what they Most of us had filed for clearly saw as the latest opreparations under the gov- portunity for Duterte to do ernment’s martial law vic- something meaningful that tims compensation program would further burnish his and/or the class action suit image and boost his already filed in Hawaii, so there was improbably high ratings. naturally a lot of excitement But history is on the peoabout the prospect of maybe ple’s side at this particular receiving some of that re- moment. turned wealth.

With Bongbong Marcos’ Our mayor-president, ever electoral protest entering the practical, has said he re- homestretch before a probally doesn’t care whether the ably sympathetic Supreme Marcos explanation of their Court, it behooves his famwealth is true or not (their ily to ease his delayed entry version is that they con- into the vice presidential served it for the nation’s pat- office by making nice with rimony). If Congress allows everyone within shouting him to do so, he just wants distance. Now of all times is to settle the issue once and when a deal looks likeliest. for all, and plans to appoint a high-level team, perhaps led *** by a former chief justice, to Bombshells continue to be negotiate a final settlement. dropped by my friend lawOf course all sorts of ru- yer Larry Gadon, who’s now mors immediately started. very busy making the rounds One story pegged the Marco- of radio-TV shows to talk up

his impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Sereno.

During an interview by CNN’s Pinky Webb, Larry let on that there were already two male justices ready to testify against their chief. Under badgering by Pinky, Larry added that they “might” be joined by a third one, a lady, whom he later revealed to be Justice Teresita de Castro, an open critic of the CJ. Larry also disclosed that he might have had as many as 42 endorsements, not just the 25 congressmen who did sign up to his complaint. The problem was that he arrived late at Congress, after some of them waiting for him had already left. There’s a good lesson in there about the folly of following Filipino time.

Nonetheless, if those early homegoers are still on board, Larry is almost halfway to the magic number of 90+. That’s the number of endorsements he needs in order for his complaint to be automatically adopted by the House as their impeachment articles for transmittal to the Senate.

when it tested, for the very first time, a thermonuclear device, more popularly known as a hydrogen bomb.

A 6.3-magnitude earthquake was set off by the device, which South Korea estimated at a yield of over 50 kilotons (by comparison, the Hiroshima blast in 1945 measured at 15 kilotons).

The irresponsibility of the aptly-named “hermit state” plumbs no depths.

Previously they had successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile that can reach much of the US mainland. And just last week they fired a missile over Japan into the Pacific Ocean, a direct provocation in any language, not just to the Japanese but to every Asian state.

At what point will the patience of US President Trump finally break down?

His is a relatively volatile, impulsive personality that does not take well to threats.

We can only wait to see if the bombshells from North Korea are just bombast, or if Trump finally sees no other course of action but to dispatch his bombardiers.

*** A third bombshell was Readers can write me at exploded by North Korea gbolivar1952@yahoo.com.

Questionable wisdom TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO I HAVE been watching the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s probe on the P6.4-billion smuggling of shabu from China, which went through the express lane at the Bureau of Customs. Later it was found at a warehouse in Valenzuela.

I also watched a similar inquiry by House of Representatives committee on dangerous drugs headed by Surigao Rep. Ace Barbers.

Both inquiries are supposed to be in aid of legislation. I kept asking myself—what legislation is needed to stop smuggling and to eradicate corruption at the bureau?

I think that even if St. Michael becomes a Customs commissioner, smuggling and corruption will not stop. For as long as people at Customs have feet of clay, and so long as there is a certain amount of human discretion in the entry and valuation of imports, corruption will persist.

I can only recall that time when the late President Ra-

mon Magsaysay tried to end corruption at the bureau. He placed some 400 cadets of the Philippine Military Academy, who are supposed to be young and idealistic. My gulay, soon enough, the cadets became corrupted anyway.

A well-known BoC chief once said to me: “You know, Emil, as a Customs chief, my work is 24/7. It is a cat-andmouse game. I can never stop smuggling here because I must rest on Saturdays and Sundays.

While I try my best to stop smuggling, it is not a one-man job.”

This is why I keep wondering if there is any wisdom at all in conducting these congressional investigations.

Take for instance the exchange of words between Gordon and Senator Antonio Trillanes, wth the latter insisting that the President’s son, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, and son-in-law Maneses Carpio, are involved in smuggling.

Trillanes obviously wants to implicate the President, but Gordon would not have it because it is all pure hearsay.

vestigations do, anyway? Recall that probe into the death of 44 members of the Special Action Force in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

The Senate committee headed by Senator Grace Poe found out that BS Aquino was ultimately responsible for the massacre, the Ombudsman just ignored the Senate finding

Aquino?

I am not saying that congressional investigations are useless. But these have become in aid of someone’s political agenda.

*** I believe that the Bureau of Customs can only be cleansed if it is run by the private sector. Other ports around the world have the same problem and now they have privatized their Customs management, getting rid of corruption and What smuggling and more impordo these tantly achieving their targets congressional in revenue collection.

The committee of Rep. Barinvestigations bers has recommended the even abolition of Customs. Indeed accomplish? when money is involved, corruption prevails.

The only way to go to stop corruption at Customs is to and simply charged Aquino bid out its services and colwith usurpation of authority lection targets. and graft.

My gulay, how could BS *** Aquino be less guilty than Before Mocha Uson got then-suspended Police Chief appointed as assistant secreAlan Purisima who headed tary for communications, she Oplan Exodus, and even wanted the Presidential Comformer SAF chief Getulio munication Operations Office *** Napeñas who merely imple- to accredit her to cover PresiWhat can congressional in- mented the plan ordered by dent Duterte. She never got to

first base because she was just a blogger. The Malacanang Press Corp objected to the idea.

But, when Uson got appointed to the PCOO, her boss Secretary Martin Andanar issued Department Order 15 known as Interim Social Media Accreditation for all social media practitioners provided they have at least 5,000 followers.

There are two prime beats for journalists: Malacanang ang the foreign affairs office.

Obviously, Andanar thinks that since there are more bloggers and social media personalities supporting President Duterte, it’s all for the benefit of his boss. He seems to forget that in the process, he is insulting mainstream journalists.

Point 1: If bloggers with at least 5,000 followers can get accredited to cover the President, why should students still study journalism when they can just put up their blogs?

Point 2: If bloggers resort to fake news, how will they be made accountable?

Point 3: If bloggers abuse their privileges, is the withdrawal of their accreditation by the PCOO even enough?

The PNP violated separation of Church and State HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA THE Constitution of the Philippines explicitly mandates the separation of Church and State.

Towards this end, the State is prohibited from favoring an official religion and, as a general rule, no public money shall be spent for a religious purpose.

In addition, organized religions are exempted from paying taxes in relation to anything that is directly involved with the practice of their respective faiths.

The rationale for the separation of Church and State is anchored on equity. When the government supports a particular organized religion, the government ends up unduly discriminating against other religions, organized or otherwise, as well as against citizens who do not belong to any religion.

Such undue discrimination is no different from undue favoritism, which violates the equal protection clause of the Constitution. In turn, this clause means that people who are similarly situated should be treated similarly, and that classification, to be valid, must be based on distinctions which make real differences.

During the Spanish colonial period in Philippine history, there was a union of Church and State.

That arrangement allowed abusive Spanish friars to throw their weight around in the halls of political power everywhere. It was one of the reasons why the Filipinos revolted against Spanish colonial authority.

The constitutional mandate of separation of Church and State obtaining in the Philippines today is essentially of American origin. It is lifted from the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which explicitly disallows the State from establishing or sponsoring an official religion. It also forbids the State from prohibiting the free exercise of religious freedom. Worth emphasizing is the principle that the freedom to worship includes the freedom not to worship.

Under the First Amendment, no religious institution is allowed to influence the affairs of the government. The early American government even viewed the Vatican and the pope with so much suspicion that it refused a papal donation to a fund drive to finance the construction of the Washington Monument. Unknown to many, it was only during the administration of President Ronald Reagan when Washington, D.C. first opened diplomatic relations with Vatican City, then headed by Pope John Paul II who, like Reagan, was a staunch anti-communist.

To repeat, the constitution-

ally mandated separation of Church and State means that public funds may not be spent for religious purposes. Although papal visits to the Philippines inevitably require the government to spend public funds for the papal reception, there is, strictly speaking, no expenditure of public money for a religious purpose because the papal visit is also the state visit of the pope as the head of state of Vatican City—the smallest state in the world.

Although the pope almost always ends us officiating in a mass for the Catholic faithful at the Luneta, the mass is seen as part of the official activities of the visiting head of state, except that the Filipinos are welcome to participate in it.

Allowing the papal mass to take place at the Luneta at government expense isn’t a breach of the Constitution. If there is nothing patently illegal about the pope, as head of state of Vatican City, being permitted to conduct a religious activity at the Luneta exclusively for his papal entourage, there is also nothing patently objectionable about that religious activity being open to the general public who wish to be part of the event.

It logically follows, of course, that while public funds may not be used for the construction or repair of church buildings, the Church is allowed to receive donations of private funds, a term

that includes private money donated by public officials in their private capacity.

Since the Constitution prohibits the State from establishing or sponsoring a religion, it is unconstitutional to officially designate provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays with religious labels like “Christian,” “Catholic,” “Muslim,” “Islamic,” “Mormon” and the like. Thus, it is unconstitutional to call the country the Catholic Republic of the Philippines, or a city or town in a similar manner. For the same reason, signages of similar nature and import are likewise in breach of the Constitution.

The only exception to the foregoing rule is the official designation used by the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao—the use of this name is explicitly allowed, mandated even, by the Constitution. If a mere law instead of the Constitution allowed it, that law would be unconstitutional.

Several weeks ago, this column invited attention to a photograph of a welcome archway marking the boundary of Marawi City in war-torn Lanao del Sur province. The photograph, which was published in another newspaper, carried the signage “Welcome to the Islamic City of Marawi.” Without meaning to offend anybody on religious considerations, it was urged in this column that the said sig-

nage must be removed because there is no provision in the Constitution which allows it. If the mayor of Marawi City allows the signage to stay, he may be courting criminal and administrative raps before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Last week, about a hundred policewomen were sent to Marawi City purportedly to assist in the government’s rehabilitation efforts there.

The news media reported that the policewomen were required by their superiors in the Philippine National Police to wear hijabs—the traditional scarf worn around the head by Muslim women.

Since the hijab is not part of the official uniform of police personnel, the PNP official who required the policewomen to wear hijabs is also courting criminal and administrative charges.

Whether or not the hijabs issued to the policewomen were donated is immaterial. Police personnel cannot be required to wear an attire that is not officially allowed by law. If the hijabs were purchased with public funds, that’s worse because public funds were spent for a religious item that is not even part of official attire or needed in law enforcement.

Public interest crusaders should take legal action against this blatant iregularity committed by the PNP.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

A6

World

TODAY TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

UN says 87,000 refugees have arrived in Bangladesh from Myanmar COX’S BAZAR, Bangladesh―A total of 87,000 mostly Rohingya refugees have arrived in Bangladesh since violence erupted in neighboring Myanmar on August 25, the United Nations said Monday, amid growing international criticism of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Thousands of the stateless Muslim minority have fled the mainly Buddhist nation and poured over the border since the latest round of fighting broke out, piling pressure on the already overcrowded camps in Bangladesh.

Around 20,000 more were massed on the border

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between Bangladesh and Myanmar’s western state of Rakhine and waiting to enter, the UN said in a report.

Dhaka had stepped up border controls after the latest round of violence began 10 days ago, but the UN said the recent arrivals reported there had been no attempt to

“NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF LICENSE Notice is hereby given SAN PASCUAL that COGENERATION C O M P A N Y , INTERNATIONAL B.V. will file a Petition to Withdraw License with the Securities of Exchange Commission after three weeks from the initial publication of this notice on August 22, 2017.

For said petition, the company will certify that it has no known creditors as of the filing of the petition.”

(MS-AUG. 22,29 & SEPT. 5, 2017)

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health CENTRAL OFFICE BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE Request foR expRession of inteRest pRoCuReMent of ConsuLtinG seRViCes foR tHe 2016 enD Line stuDY foR tHe Joint pRoGRAMMe foR MAteRnAL AnD neonAtAL HeALtH (JpMnH) pHAse 2 Rei-Cs-Gop-2017-023 1.

The Department of Health (DOH), through the General Appropriations Act of 2017 intends to apply the sum of Ten Million Philippine Pesos (PhP 10,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payment under the contract for the Procurement of Consulting Services for the 2016 End Line Study for the Joint Programme for Maternal and Neonatal Health (JPMNH) Phase 2.

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of the financial proposal.

2.

The DOH now calls for the submission of eligibility documents for the Procurement of Consulting Services for the 2016 End Line Study for the Joint Programme for Maternal and Neonatal Health (JPMNH) Phase 2. Eligibility documents of interested consultants must be duly received by the COBAC B Secretariat on or before September 11, 2017, 9:00 A.M. at COBAC Conference Room, G/F Building 6, Department of Health, San Lazaro Compound, Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Applications for eligibility will be evaluated based on a non-discretionary “pass/ fail” criterion.

3.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from COBAC Secretariat, COBAC Conference Room, G/F, Building 6, Department of Health, San Lazaro Compound, Sta. Cruz, Manila and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given above during 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday.

4.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on September 2, 2017 to October 16, 2017 from the address above upon payment of applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB in the amount of Ten Thousand Philippine Pesos (PhP10,000.00).

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.

5.

The COBAC shall draw up the short list of consultants from those who have submitted Expression of Interest, including the eligibility documents, and have been determined as eligible in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). The criteria and rating system for short listing are: a) Applicable Work Experience of the Consultant (60 %) b) Qualification of Consultant (30 %) c) Current Workload Relative to the Capacity (10 %) 6.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the IRR of R.A. 9184.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, cooperatives, and partnerships or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

7.

The Procuring Entity shall evaluate bids using the Quality Based Evaluation Procedure (QBE). The criteria and rating system for the evaluation of bids shall be provided in the Instructions to Bidders.

8.

The contract shall be completed within five (5) months upon issuance of Notice to Proceed (NTP).

9.

The DOH 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: COBAC B SECRETARIAT Department of Health 2nd Floor, Building 6, San Lazaro Compound, Sta. Cruz, Manila 1003 Tel. No. 651-7800 Loc. 1625 – 1627; Telefax No. 711-6061 Website: www.doh.gov.ph; (SGD) MA. CAROLINA V. TAIÑO, CPA, MGM, CESO IV Assistant Secretary of Health COBAC B Chairperson

stop them from crossing.

One Bangladeshi border guard told AFP the sheer numbers of people desperate to enter the country had made it impossible to stop the influx.

“It is bigger than the last time,” said the guard, who asked not to be named, referring to the influx of refugees

that followed an outbreak of violence last October.

“If it continues then we will face serious problems.

But it’s impossible to stop the flow, these people are everywhere,” he added.

The UN said most of the new arrivals were in the squalid camps already housing hundreds of thousands of

Rohingya refugees around the coastal town of Cox’s Bazar.

But many lacked shelter from the heavy monsoon rains and an AFP reporter on the ground said hundreds of new makeshift shelters had sprung up on the outskirts of the sprawling camps in recent days. AFP

Develop nukes, S. Korea urged S

EOUL―South Korean media called Monday for Seoul to consider building its own nuclear weapons amid growing doubts over its decades-old alliance with Washington following North Korea’s sixth nuclear test.

Pyongyang on Sunday triggered global alarm with by far its most powerful test to date, after it claimed it had successfully tested a hydrogen bomb that could be mounted onto a long-range missile, which analysts say is a major advancement in its nuclear program.

The South, which hosts 28,500 US troops to defend it from the North, is banned from building its own nuclear weapons under a 1974 atomic energy deal it signed with the US, which instead offers a “nuclear umbrella” against potential attacks.

But the growing nuclear and missile threats from its belligerent northern neighbor is prompting some in the South to call for its own nuclear armament.

“As nuclear weapons are being churned out above our heads, we can’t always rely on the US nuclear umbrella and extended deterrence,” the mass-circulation Donga Ilbo newspaper said in an editorial Monday.

The US stationed some of its atomic weapons in the South following the 1950-53 Korean War, but withdrew them in 1991 when the two Koreas jointly declared they would make the peninsula nuclear-free.

That pact was no longer binding, the editorial said, and added: “There is no reason for us to cling onto the declaration when it has become the ‘denuclearization of South Korea’, not the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula”.

The Seoul government should not “hesitate” in reintroducing US tactical nuclear weapons as well as building its own atomic devices.

Such a move would undoubtedly alarm Pyongyang, which consistently says it is at risk of attack by the US. Following Sunday’s test, South Korean President Moon Jae-In called for discussions on deploying “the strongest strategic assets of the US military”, without elaborating on what those weapons could be.

But Moon’s office later clarified that Seoul “maintains” its position on denuclearization.

Analysts warn that the growing doubts over the alliance, fueled by rash comments from US President Donald Trump, could force the South to seriously consider nuclear armament.

“Undermining alliance solidarity at this moment is dumb and dangerous,” tweeted Colin Kahl of Georgetown University, who worked for the Obama administration.

In a series of tweets posted hours after the test, Trump denounced the North but also criticized Seoul, saying: “South Korea is finding their talk of appeasement with North Korea will not work, they only understand one thing!”

On the campaign trail, Trump had accused US allies including Japan and South Korea of not paying enough for their defense and suggested they develop their own nuclear weapons, triggering major concerns about the alliance.

Trump must “stop attacking” the allies and tweeting before meeting them, Kahl said, adding: “The Administration needs to speak with one voice before confusion splits the US from its allies, produces a war, or both.” AFP

(MS-SEPT. 5, 2017)

Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

Roxas Boulevard Corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. Street Manila 1004 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Invitation to Bid for the Renovation of the Department of Finance Building – Package 1 The Department of Finance (DOF), through the Government of the Philippines under the General Appropriations Act for CY 2017, intends to apply the sum of ONE HUNDRED THIRTY FOUR MILLION NINE HUNDRED THIRTEEN THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED FORTY PESOS (P134,913,440.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Renovation of the Department of Finance Building – Package 1 includes Architectural, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Sanitary and Structural works, as maybe applicable, for the following scope of works: a. Renovation of the Ground Floor; b. Construction of a driveway; c. Upgrade of Existing Power Back-up; d. Upgrade of Building Mechanical System; e. Installation of Additional Water Storage Facility; f.

Installation of Sewerage Treatment Plant Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The DOF now invites bids for the Renovation of the Department of Finance Building – Package 1. Completion of the Works is required in 150 calendar days. Bidders should have completed a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (R-IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act.” Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, cooperatives, and partnerships or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat at the address given below during office hours.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested bidders starting on 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 FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P50,000.00).

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. However, due to volume and size of files, detailed plans may only be secured by interested bidders from the BAC Secretariat, 8th Floor, EDPC Building, Roxas Boulevard corner Pablo Ocampo St., Roxas Boulevard Manila.

The DOF will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on September 13, 2017, 10:00 a.m., at the DFG Conference Room, 4th Floor, DOF Building, Roxas Boulevard, Malate, Manila, which shall be open to prospective bidders.

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

8.

SCHEDULE September 5, 2017 starting September 5, 2017 September 13, 2017, 10:00 am September 16, 2017 (by email) September 19, 2017 September 26, 2017, 9:45 am September 26, 2017, 10:00 am

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before September 26, 2017, 9:45 a.m. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause a.18.

Bid opening shall be on September 26, 2017, 10:00 a.m. at the DFG Conference Room, 4th Floor DOF Building, 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.”

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. Street corner Roxas Boulevard Malate , Manila Telephone No. 526-4786 Email address: lte@dof.gov.ph (SGD) SHEILA N. CASTALONI Director IV and BAC Vice-Chairman

(MS-SEPT. 5, 2017)

Taiwan’s premier resigns TAIPEI―Taiwan’s Premier Lin Chuan resigned on Monday in a move aimed at reviving the dwindling public support for the government of President Tsai Ing-wen.

Tsai’s office announced in a statement that Lin tendered his resignation on Sunday, saying he had “accomplished his periodic tasks”, and that it was approved by the president.

Speculation was rife that Lin would be replaced.

The government’s popularity has been hit by a series of controversial policies, ranging from holiday cuts to pension reforms, as well as by Taiwan’s worsening relations with China.

Beijing has cut all official communication with Tsai’s government since she took office in May last year.

Her Democratic Progressive Party, which traditionally leans towards declaring formal independence from China, has refused officially to accept that Taiwan is part of one China. AFP

Climate change on the table APIA, Samoa―Climate change will dominate the discussions when the leaders of vulnerable Pacific nations hold their annual meeting in the Samoan capital Apia this week, with global warming threatening their existence, officials say.

The 18-member Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) includes countries such as Kiribati and Tuvalu, which are only meters above sea level and risk being swamped by rising oceans.

Others, such as Vanuatu and Fiji, have been battered in recent years by devastating cyclones that have become more extreme as global warming affects weather patterns.

Tuvalu Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga said there was no subject more important to the people of the Pacific.

“This is an issue about our existence... climate change threatens our very identities,” he said.

PIF secretary general Meg Taylor said the summit, which opens Tuesday, was an opportunity for small island nations to speak as one voice. AFP

‘Criticism weakening alliance’

SOUTH KOREA’S RESPONSE. This handout photo taken on September 4, 2017 ,and provided by the South Korean Defense Ministry in Seoul, shows South Korea’s missile system firing a Hyunmu-2 missile into the East Sea from an undisclosed location on South Korea’s east coast during a live-fire exercise simulating an attack on North Korea’s nuclear site. South Korea launched a ballistic missile exercise on September 4 in response to Pyongyang’s provocative detonation of what it claimed was a miniaturized hydrogen bomb. AFP

Seoul says North Korea preparing another launching SEOUL―South Korea has detected signs that the North is preparing another missile launch, the defense ministry said Monday, adding it could involve an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The ministry said signs that North Korea was “preparing for another ballistic missile launch have consistently been detected since Sunday’s test”, referring to Pyongyang’s sixth nuclear test.

It did not give details, or indicate when a launch might take place.

Sunday’s blast had a strength of 50 kilotons, defense ministry offi-

cials told a parliamentary briefing.

Pyongyang on Sunday triggered global alarm with by far its most powerful test to date, after it claimed it had successfully tested a hydrogen bomb that could be mounted onto a long-range missile, which analysts say is a major advancement in its nuclear program.

“The explosive power of the North’s nuclear test is estimated to be 50 kilotons,” a senior ministry official told lawmakers at an emergency parliamentary briefing.

That would make it five times the size of the North’s previous

test in September last year, and more than three times bigger than the US device that destroyed Hiroshima in 1945.

The official did not confirm whether the tested device was a hydrogen bomb but said “a variety of nuclear material” appeared to have been used.

The North―which in July carried out two intercontinental ballistic missile launches that apparently brought much of the US mainland into range―has rapidly made progress with its weapons program in defiance of seven sets of UN sanctions. AFP

SEOUL―Donald Trump is playing into North Korea’s hands by turning on the South, accusing it of appeasement, snubbing its leader and threatening to end their trade deal in moves that analysts say risk weakening a decades-long alliance.

More than 24 hours after Pyongyang shook the ground and the world with what it said was a hydrogen bomb test, the US president had yet to speak to his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-In. But he had already had a telephone conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, their second of the weekend.

In a series of tweets posted hours after the test, Trump denounced the North but also criticized Seoul, saying: “South Korea is finding, as I have told them, that their talk of appeasement with North Korea will not work, they only understand one thing!” AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

A7

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Del Rosario scores Taiwan win P

AULINE del Rosario became the first Filipina to win on the lucrative Taiwan LPGA Tour, claiming the TLPGA and Royal Open crown in style on a closing six-under 66 at the Royal Kuan-His Golf Club in Hsinchu County, Taiwan last Sunday.

Pauline del Rosario receives her trophy and the replica of the check worth NT$1,200,000 after scoringaa come-from-behind victory in the Taiwan LPGA and Royal Open last Sunday.

The 18-year-old rallied charged back from seven down in the final round on a sizzling backside rally, finishing with a pair of 33s and nipping Taiwan OOM leader Yu Ju Chen by one on a 12-under 204 aggregate.

“I never expected to win at all. I didn’t have any time for practice and just slept two hours and then it was game time,” said the ICTSI-backed pro who has racked up a num-

ber of titles here and abroad as an amateur.

Chen slugged it out with Del Rosario in the last 18 holes, keeping a one-stroke lead by matching the Filipina’s 33 at the turn. But Del Rosario rattled off three straight birdies from No. 10 to grab the lead, fell into a tie with a bogey against Chen’s birdie on No. 14 but gunned down a clutch birdie from eight feet on No. 16 to edge Chen, who finished

with a 68-205, by one.

Taiwan amateur Yu Sang Hou actually seized control with a solid 63 in the second round and took a huge lead heading to the final round but crumbled when the pressure got tough and skied to a 76, ending up fourth at 207 behind Thai Dusawi Soopimjit, who shot a 67 for a 206.

“Though I was down by 7 in the second round against an amateur, I was more worried with the Taiwanese and the Thai pros since they are the top players in the field,” added Del Rosario.

Del Rosario pocketed NT$1,200,000 (P2 million) for her feat that further enhanced a promising young pro career

she launched earlier this year with a pair of runner-up finishes and a third place effort on the ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour before scoring backto-back victories at Orchard and Baguio.

What made her breakthrough TLPGA win doubly significant was she did it without the benefit of a practice round at the par-72 layout.

Rushing to the airport after nailing her third LPGT victory at Pradera Verde in Pampanga last Thursday, Del Rosario took the last flight to Taiwan, slept for just about two hours then headed to the Royal Kuan-His Golf Club course Friday morning.

Pirates take on Cardinals, seek to extend perfect run LYCEUM of the Philippines University seeks to extend its perfect run to another game as it clashes with lowly Mapua at the start of the elimination’s second round in the 93rd NCAA basketball tournament at the Filoil Arena in San Juan City today.

The Pirates swept the first round in nine games to underscore their bid of making it to the Final Four for the first time since they entered the league six years ago and possibly make the finals and win their very first title.

LPU shoots for win No. 10 when it takes on Mapua at 4 p.m.

Cameroonian Mike Harry Nzeusseu and CJ Perez have been two of the biggest keys for the Pirates’ impressive first round run as the two are currently in the top in the MVP race behind leader Nigerian Prince Eze of Perpetual Help.

Skipper MJ Ayaay have provided the glue that kept the team together, while twins Jaycee and Jayvee Marcelino have been

Regan, Santiago crowned champs PURE grit helped Ben Regan of Team Fitness First and Ines Santiago of WU CREW overcome the challenges of both nature and the race course to emerge as the fastest finishers of their respective genders in the Aboitiz TRI2017 held last Saturday afternoon around Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club at Hamilo Coast, Nasugbu, Batangas.

Among the men, Regan reigned supreme to conquer the course of the popular Aboitiz TRI2017—a 1.5-km swim off Hamilo Coast, a challenging yet enjoyable 40km bike in and around Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club, and a friendly 10-km run through the resort and registered the event’s fastest time of 2 hours, 14 minutes and 16 seconds and claimed the 30-34 title for himself.

Following him was 25-29 champion Mervin Santiago of Sante Barley with 2:17:59, while the 3rd fastest male was One Triathlon Team’s Benji Zapanta (2nd in 30-34) with 2:21:07. Regan’s winning performance was the 2nd straight year he registered the fastest time of the annual Aboitiz triathlon On the distaff side of the event presented by Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. (AEV) with the support of Aboitiz business units AboitizPower, UnionBank, AboitizLand, WeatherPhilippines, along with sponsors Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club, Hamilo Coast, Neutrogena, TIMEX, ProHealth Sports and Spinal, Pico de Loro, Nuun, Standard Insurance, Hoka One One, Orbea, GU, and media partners The Philippine Star, RaceDay Triathlon and Endurance Sports, Ines Santiago was the fastest woman with 2:39:22 crowning herself the 35-39 champion.

Games today

(Filoil Arena, San Juan) 12 noon- San Beda vs St. Benilde (jrs) 2 p.m.- San Beda vs St. Benilde (srs) 4 p.m.- LPU vs Mapua (srs) 6 p.m.- LPU vs Mapua (jrs)

the pillar of LPU’s defense that helped LPU stay unscathed.

“We were blessed with players who embraced what is good for the team instead of their own individual selves,” said LPU coach Topex Robinson.

LPU will play a Mapua squad that has languished in the cellar with a 1-8 (win-loss) mark due to the absence of reigning back-toback MVP Allwell Oraeme, the departure of Shane Menina to another league and the injury to captain Andoy Estrella (MCL tear).

For LPU to stay at the helm, Robinson said they need to keep on improving.

“The only way we could stay on top is to stay hungry and keep on improving each game because we expect the other teams to also improve,” he said.

FOILED. San Beda College middle blocker Satrriani Espiritu rejects Khem Consencino of Technological Institute of

the Philippines during their teams’ Premier Volleyball League game on Sunday. Espiritu scored 18 points as the Lady Red Spikers won, 13-25, 18-25, 27-25, 13-25. Sonny Espiritu

CamSur bags GSM 3-on-3 cage title GAWIN Fernandez took charge in the end game as he helped Camarines Sur prevail in the 2017 Ginebra San Miguel 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament National Finals on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Playing in front of a mammoth crowd as they served as an undercard for the much awaited Manila Clasico game between Ginebra and Star, Fernandez drained the pressure-packed freebie with 34.0 seconds on the clock to give the Cam Sur side the marginal lead against La Union, 14-13.

La Union still had numerous cracks in the end game, but Jonathan Ablao botched his trey and Firmorico Francisco’s potential game-tying tip rimmed out at the buzzer, handing the victory to the Bicolanos.

Fernandez carried the load for the champions with six points, while Dan Michael Uy added four markers.

Raphael Jude de Vera also collected three points, while Danielle Martin Uy had one for Camarines Sur, as they showed that they are the best 3-on-3 unit in the country and the most “Ganado Sa Buhay” team of all.

Winning the nationwide tournament, the Camarines Sur crew took home the P50,000 cash prize, a trophy, and Ginebra San Miguel products.

It was a gallant stand for La Union, with Ablao topping his side with six points, Noriel Guerrero chipping in three markers, and Francisco and VJay Viloria also nabbing two points apiece in the defeat.

Paglinawan is lone twin titlist in PPS Dipolog tennis tournament WYN Paglinawan came away with a pair of straightset victories to emerge the lone “double” winner in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Dipolog leg regional age group tennis tournament at the RGS Tennis Club in Zamboanga del Norte yesterday.

Paglinawan, one of the top junior players from Pagadian City, foiled Faye Lim

twice with her solid baseline game, scoring a 6-2, 6-0 romp in the girls’ 16-andunder finals and posting a 6-3, 6-1 victory to claim the 18-U title in the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.

Nash Agustines fell short of matching that two-title feat as the Oroquieta City ace toppled Chris Sonsona,

6-1, 7-5, for the boys’ 12-U crown but dropped a 4-6, 3-6 setback to Euri Tagal of Maranding, Lanao del Norte in the 14-U finals.

“This further underscores the level playing field which has marked all our tournaments with new faces emerging from various age divisions in each leg,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Other winners in the fiveday tournament backed by the Unified Tennis Group, led by PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and BMeg were Stephen Guia (boys’ 18-U), Nilo Ledama (16-U), Abdel Qadzri Matarul (10-unisex), Casey Padilla (girls’ 12-U), and Kristine Bandolis (14-U), along with doubles champions Agust-

ines-Tacal (boys’ 14-U) and Bandolis-Princess Matarul (girls’ 14-U), Nial LedamaJason Saavedra (boys’ 18-U) and Lim-Paglinawan (girls’ 18-U) and Abdel MatarulKale Villamar (10-U).

Meanwhile, Cebu City will host the next stop of the year-long, nationwide circuit on Sept. 7-11 where the Macs Crankit Community Coaching Conference will

PH’s Universiade stint produces a silver medal THE campaign started with a whimper but ended with a bang.

This was the colorful story of the 176-member delegation of athletes and team officials that the privately-funded Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines sent to the 29th Summer Universiade in New Taipei City from Aug. 19 to 30.

There were 141 countries and nearly 8,000 university athletes that took part in the Taipei Universiade.

In the end, Japan stood tallest, topping the medal standings (based on gold production) with 37 golds, 27 silvers and 36 bronzes, followed by the Republic of Korea (30-2230), host Chinese-Taipei (26-3430), Russia (25-30-38), and the United States (16-19-16).

Supported by San Miguel Corporation, Bestank and Garfield Sportswear, the Philippines, took part in 13 of the 22 sports in the calendar with a record-setting 130 Filipino athletes seeing action in archery, athletics, badminton, billiards, diving, judo, golf, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, lawn tennis, weightlifting and wushu.

In archery, Xena Hendra Chomapoy, a 19-year-old product of the University of Cebu, downed Poland’s Magdalena Smialkoska, 6-2, in a round-of-48 match in the women’s recurve individual but lost to Slovakia’s Alexandra Longova, 6-4, in the round-of-24 to drop out of contention. Two other Filipina archers—Loren Chloe Balaoing and Shanaya Rose Dan-

gla—drew opening-round byes but both lost to opponents from Italy and Moldova, respectively, in the round-of-24 in the same individual recurve event.

In women’s singles in lawn tennis, the country’s No. 1-ranked Marian Jade Capadocia whitewashed Nepal’s Kripa Sharma in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0, in a second-round encounter after drawing a first-round bye.

The 21-year-old Arellano University tennister faced No. 2 seed Victoria Rodriguez of Mexico in the third round, but retired with 0-5 score in the first set due to dehydration from the sweltering heat in the Taipei Tennis Center that reached as high as 100oF. Filipino bets in swimming, taekwondo, athletics and weightlifting struggled throughout, but table tennis offered some relief.

Lemuel Agbon from the University of Cebu registered a 3-1 decision over Frederik Spreckelsen in their encounter, but the Philippines bowed to Germany, 3-1, in the first round of the teamof-five men’s competition.

However, in the men’s singles table tennis events, the 22-yearold University of Cebu star Agbon hurdled his first three matches against opponents from Nepal, Colombia and Lebanon before losing to South Korea’s Wi Hun Kang in the round-of-32. His UC mate John Vincent Cabaluna emerged triumphant in his first two matches versus Bostwana’s Kevin Maloka and Lebanon’s Joe

also be held from Sept. 8-10.

For details, call PPS-PEPP sports program development director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.

Local ace Guia came back from a winless campaign in last week’s Oroquieta leg as he blasted upset-conscious Brian Antonio, 6-2, 6-1; but Pagadian City’s Ledama foiled Guia with a 6-3, 6-2 victory in the 16-U finals.

Fil-Chinese teams outlast rivals in KL

Wushu bet Jomar Balangui made sure that the PH team won’t go home empty-handed from the World Universiade in Taipei.

Abdel Nour but was beaten by Japan’s Masaki Yoshida in their own round-of-32 contest.

In billiards, Rodlin John Bautista edged Mongolia’s M. Soronzonbold, 11-10, in their round-of-16 men’s 9-ball singles match, but the 22-year-old Trinity University of Asia campaigner lost his quarterfinal encounter against Norway’s Eirik Riisnaes, 11-7.

Badminton was a source of joy for the Philippines as 21-year-old College of Saint Benilde standout Adrian Daniele Rigonan swept his singles match against Zambia’s Taizya Luzambo, 21-11, 21-13, in the round-of-128, and Ruben Haramel Jr. and Christine Garin, a product of Adamson University, shocked the United States duo of Alexander La and Victoria Chen, 21-16, 21-18, in

their round-of-64 mixed doubles encounter.

Rigonan was defeated by Hong Kong’s Ming Nok Yeung, 21-7, 21-15, in the round-of-64, though. Hamel and Garin also got the boot in losing to the Australian tandem of Eric Viong and Claudia Lam in the round-of-32.

Only one wushu bet was left for the Philippines to reach the medal podium in the final two days of the 12-day competitions.

He did not fail the country.

His name? Jomar Balangui, the University of Baguio dynamo who beat an American in the semifinals of the men’s sanda-52 kilogram event to assure him of at least a silver medal with a chance to secure a gold on the final day of the Taipei Universiade. Graham Lim

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia—Filipino-Chinese Veterans Basketball Association made a perfect start as the 50-and-above and 65-andabove teams outlasted their rivals in the opening of the 26th ASEAN Veteran Basketball tournament Monday at MABA gym here.

Allan Caidic scored 18 points as the 50s clobbered Miri of host country, 61-37, while the 65s recovered their bearings just in time to pull off a 44-39 win over Hatyai of Thailand.

With only three teams entered in their group—the 65s’ victory virtually assured themselves of a final slot in the annual tournament.

The team backed by Rain or Shine’s Terry Que, Freego’s Eduard Tio, and Ironcon Builders’ Jimi Lim nearly squandered a 12-point third quarter advantage, but leaned on the heroics of Bong dela Cruz, Zotico Tan and William Lao to dodge Hatyai’s upset bid.

“What a start, we almost lost the game,” said coach Edster Sy. “I hope we can do better in our next game.”

Also shining for the team were Sunny Co who drained three triples to finish with 10 points, while Atchit Kaw, Johnson Lao and Johnny Chua also delivered.

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

P0 M+ P0 M

Sports

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

A8

Green Archers team to beat in UAAP wars

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

MANY teams have equal chances of making it to the Final Four this year.

But defending champion La Salle is still the team to beat when the men’s basketball games kick off Season 80 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines this Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

The Green Archers, who will miss Cameroonian big man Ben Mbala in their opening game in Sunday, may have lost four mainstays to graduation, but the maturity of their backcourt players will get them places.

“The team is okay. It’s just that Mbala won’t be playing in the first game. But, hopefully he’ll be there in the second game,” said Green Archers’ coach Aldin Ayo. Point guard Aljun Melecio will now be the main point guard that Jeron Teng, Thomas Torres and Julian Sargent have left.

Then, there’s sophomore Ricci Rivero, who’s now the team’s new go-to guy. And with his brother Prince, they can provide courtside leadership.

Ayo talked about the Green Archers during Monday’s press conference, along with coaches Franz Pumaren

Returning Ginebra slotman Greg Slaughter towers over 3 Star defenders in a PBA game won by the Kings in overtime, 105-101, Saturday.

Tough grind for Kings; Fil-German joins draft

By Jeric Lopez

D

EFENDING champion Barangay Ginebra is sitting at the top of the team standings in the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup halfway through the tournament and coach Tim Cone is certainly pleased.

Carrying a 6-1 mark approaching the homestretch of the elimination round, the Gin Kings are at the top of the heap and have already secured a place in the quarterfinals.

The Gin Kings are currently the league’s hottest team, having won six straight games after dropping their opening assignment.

None of those victories

were as thrilling as their 105-101 escape win over Star last Sunday night in a game that presented a playoff atmosphere.

That was actually Ginebra’s first close game of the tournament as all of its wins have come via a wide margin.

Cone explained why his wards are doing so well in their title defense thus far and

why he is impressed with how they are functioning.

“Our guys are veteran guys.

They have strength, character and discipline minds,” said Cone. “Our guys help each other out in all areas so I can’t complain that much and we’re 6-1, too.”

The winningest mentor in the league then went on to discuss what lies ahead for Ginebra in the crucial part of the eliminations as it tries to seal a top four finish and a twice-to-beat incentive in the next phase.

“We got Blackwater next then San Miguel coming up, back-to-back games this week. Blackwater is on a roll, won four of five and San

Miguel is looking to go on a run, so we really got a couple of tough teams ahead. All we have are hard teams ahead of us. We beat the struggling teams but the teams ahead of us are either tied or are just below us so this stretch is really a test for us,” said Cone.

Ginebra resident import Justin Brownlee, who is giving the Gin Kings whatever they need as expected of him, likely shared his sentiments on his team’s stretch ahead.

Meanwhile, a talented batch of Fil-foreign ballers led by Gilas Pilipinas big man Christian Standhardinger have made themselves available for the 2017 PBA Draft on Oct. 29.

Peter Atencio

All set for Milo Little Olympics Manila leg IT’S ALL systems go for the 2017 Milo Little Olympics Metro Manila leg—an annual school sports event that attracts over 500 private and public schools fro elementary and secondary divisions in the National Capital Region.

Event organizer Prof. Robert Milton Calo of McRobertz Sports Academy of the Philippines said registration period is ongoing until Wednesday at the McRobertz Sports Academy office at #17 Chico St., Amang Rodriguez Village, Concepcion Uno in Marikina City [09178065554, 09989580898, 0999 9968013] and at Marikina Sports Center [Milo secretariat] up to the end of registration on Sept. 12.

Solidarity meeting among tournament managers and chief referees/sport coaches will be held on Sept. 16 at the old lobby of the MSC in Marikina City, where sports disciplines, main hub, satellite venues Miss Milo Pageant and cheerdance competitions will be the highlight of discussions.

On Sept. 18, parade rehearsal will be led by Hadjie Tejada and Sta. Elena High School students and the Junior Police Color Officers to be led by Marikina Junior Police.

The pre-judging of the 2017 Miss Milo Pageant will take center stage at 4 p.m. on Sept. 18, to be headed by Ma Luisa Ordonez after the mass field demo rehearsal to be conducted by Chris Cantalejos.

A colorful opening ceremony will highlight the parade of colors of all participating schools on Sept.

22 to be attended by executives of the presentor Nestle Philippines maker of Milo Energy Drink and invited officials of the Department of Education and the Marikina City Government.

James vows to return to Manila for 4th time

Centro Escolar, CKSC win opener SIX-TIME senior defending champion Centro Escolar University and reigning junior titlist Chiang Kai Shek College are off to winning starts, but De La Salle Zobel, eyeing an eighth consecutive midgets crown, fell in its first match during the opening weekend of the 48th Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association.

CEU walloped league rookie University of Makati, 79-34, on Saturday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig, while CKSC trounced St. Scholastica’s College, 106-45, the following day at Assumption Makati gym.

St. Paul College Pasig, meanwhile, stunned DLSZ, 57-55, also on Saturday.

Also winning their opening junior matches were San Beda College Alabang against St. Stephen’s High School, 63-32; St. Paul over Angelicum College, 70-53; Saint Jude Catholic School against host Poveda College, 4532; DLSZ against Miriam College, 95-41; and La Salle College Antipolo over Assumption College, 98-20.

Miriam joined St. Paul on top of the midgets leaderboard after dominating Saint Jude, 73-24.

The 6’7” Standhardinger, a Fil-German by birth, submitted his application thru email to PBA Commissioner Chito Narvasa early Monday.

The 28 year-old Standhardinger became an instant celebrity among basketball loving Filipinos, who marvelled at his hard-nosed style of play in the Jones Cup, FIBA Asia Cup and in the Southeast Asian Games.

Also in the list are FilAmericans Jason Perkins, Davon Potts and Fil-Swede Andreas Cahilig, who powered the Cignal Hawkeyes to a conference sweep of the PBA D-League Aspirants’s Cup and Foundation Cup championships.

of Adamson University, Sandy Arespacochaga of Ateneo de Manila University, Olsen Racela of Far Eastern University, Jamike Jarin of National University, and Bo Perasol of University of the Philippines.

Last year’s runner-up Ateneo and playoff qualifiers FEU and Adamson are also seen as the teams to beat, along with the Adamson Falcons.

Assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga said they have made the necessary adjustments following a season-ending ACL injury suffered by point guard Adrian Wong two months ago, with Fil-Canadian cager Tyler Tio around.

“We have a deep bench.

We’re not just relying on one person to step up,” said Arespacochaga.

The Blue Eagles clash with the Adamson at 4 p.m., while University of the East battles National University at 2 p.m.

On the other hand, the Green Archers will meet Far Eastern University on Sunday at 4 p.m.

With Reymar Jose, Monbert Arong and Mac Belo gone, the Tams play with a smaller lineup and will rely on their speed to win games.

LEBRON James’ visit to the Philippines just proved that he is still the king of the sport.

Thousands welcomed “The King” during his appearance at the Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday as he treated his Filipino fans a sampling of his skills via his “Strive for Greatness Tour.”

“I said it two years ago that I was coming back. Last year, some unfortunate event happened but I’m back,” James told his thrilled audience, who chanted the Cleveland Cavalier superstar’s name until they were literally hoarse.

“I’m happy spending this time with you guys throughout my busy schedule, but there’s no way I wasn’t going to be back here in Manila this year and I’m happy I’m celebrating this time with you,” added the NBA superstar.

It was James’ third visit to the Philippines, known for its love for hoops and it was another love affair that blossomed.

Considered as this generation’s greatest basketball player, the 32-yearold James electrified the MOA crowd with his thunderous dunks, just sec-

LeBron James acknowledges the cheers of an adoring Mall of Asia Arena crowd during his Strive for Greateness Tour Manila leg. Ey Acasio

onds after he entered the game pitting the young players of Gilas Pilipinas and a bunch of former and veteran national team players.

James fittingly closed the show with a windmill jam to beat the final buzzer before he was mobbed by the Gilas team, which won the game, 91-72.

“You guys are unbelievable and I thank you so much for being part of the LeBron James Tour 2017 and I hope you guys continue to welcome me because I would love to come back. There’s no way I’m not coming back here.”

James started his visit to the Philippines with a special training session involving some members of Gilas Pilipinas, followed by a quick press conference on Saturday at the Kerry Sports Gym at Bonifacio Global City.

He then proceeded to the Mall of Asia Arena for a wider audience.

He was to cap off his whirlwind visit at the Tenement in Taguig but was a noshow.

James left Sunday morning for China for the second leg of his tour.

Jeremy Tueres

16th seed Latvian ousts Sharapova at US Open; Venus, Kvitova advance NEW YORK—Maria Sharapova’s Grand Slam return after a 15-month doping ban ended Sunday with a fourth-round defeat at the US Open but the former world number one considered it a major step in her comeback.

Latvian 16th seed Anastasija Sevastova rallied to eliminate the five-time Grand Slam champion 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, booking a quarter-final against American

Sloane Stephens, who ousted Germany’s Julia Goerges 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

Sharapova, the 2006 US Open winner, was able to find the positives after making 51 unforced errors to only 14 by Sevastova, whose 21 winners were half the 30-year-old Russian’s total.

“Ref lecting back on the week, I can be happy,” Sharapova said. “It has been a really great ride. Ultimately, I

can take a lot from this week.”

Tuesday’s other quarter-final will match Czech 13th seed Petra Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion, against US ninth seed Venus Williams, seeking her eighth Slam title and third US Open crown.

Kvitova eliminated Spanish third seed and two-time Slam winner Garbine Muguruza 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 while Williams beat 35th-ranked Spaniard Carla Su-

arez Navarro 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

In Sharapova’s first Slam since she tested positive for the banned blood booster meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open, she ousted second-ranked Simona Halep in the first round and served notice to any contender her game remains formidable.

“She played unbelievable throughout the first and second set and I just kept fighting, running for every ball,” Sevas-

tova said.

“I was confident. I was feeling it. But still you have to beat her.

She was playing one of the best matches here.”

Sharapova returned from her suspension in April, was snubbed for a French Open wildcard and missed Wimbledon with a thigh injury but received a US Open wildcard despite only one hardcourt tuneup match due to a left forearm injury. AFP

Foreign steel certification bucked

B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

B1

Chelsea acquires Starlite

By Darwin G. Amojelar

IN BRIEF

C

HELSEA Logistics Holdings Corp. of businessman Dennis Uy said Monday it signed an agreement to acquire Batangas-based shipping company Starlite Ferries Inc. and its subsidiaries that operate more than a dozen vessels.

URC allows Passi to use lot for road UNIVERSAL Robina Corp., the food manufacturing unit of the Gokongwei Group, said Monday it agreed to allow the city government of Passi in Iloilo province to use a portion of its property for a road project.

“This is our way of giving back to a community that has been a gracious and generous host to us. It is our hope that through this effort, Passi City can achieve its goals to bring growth and prosperity to its population,” URC president and chief executive Lance Gokongwei said in a statement.

A deed signed by Gokongwei, URC Sugar and Renewables Business Unit general manager Renato Cabati and Passi City mayor Jesry Palmares grants the city government the “right and privilege” to use 40,329 square meters of the company’s property for the construction of a road leading to and from an economic zone.

Passi City is a largely agricultural town with produce that mostly include sugarcane, rice and pineapple.

The local government’s move to develop an economic zone is in line with efforts to spread growth from urban centers to farm-dependent regions. The agreement would prevent traffic from building up inside the city itself.

“It’s going to be a major artery that this road will bring about in the heart of Panay Island. It will make the flow of all transports connecting Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan and Northern Antique more feasible” said Palmares. Alena Mae S. Flores

URC-Passi partnership. Universal Robina Corp., led by president and chief executive Lance Gokongwei (first row, left) shares 40,329 square meters of its land in Passi City in support of Passi City government’s initiative to develop an economic zone.

Shown sealing the partnership with Gokongwei are (first row, from left) Iloilo fourth district Rep. Ferjenel Biron, Passi City mayor Jesry Palmares and URC Sugar and Renewables general manager Renato Cabati.

World Partners depositors get money orders

STATE-OWNED Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. said it started mailing postal money orders to all depositors eligible for early payment who maintained deposits with the closed World Partners Bank (A Thrift Bank) Inc. on Sept.

4, or 13 working days after the bank’s takeover on Aug. 11.

Eligible for early payment of deposit insurance are depositors with valid deposit balances of P100,000 and below who have no outstanding loans with the closed bank, and have complete mailing address in the bank records or updated the information through the PDIC mailing address update form.

PMOs amounting to P15,000 and below may be encashed either with the local postal office or with the nearest branch of the Land Bank of the Philippines. Meanwhile, PMOs above P15,000 may be deposited to the depositor’s account in any local bank.

World Partners Bank was ordered closed by the Monetary Board through Resolution No. 1340 dated Aug. 11, 2017. It is a five-unit thrift bank with head office in Poblacion, San Pedro City, Laguna. Its four branches are located in Meycauayan and Sta. Maria in Bulacan, San Pablo City in Laguna and Tanauan City in Batangas.

MPIC, Pampanga in talks over water project A WHOLLY-OWNED subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. said Monday it secured an original proponent status from the local government of Pampanga for the Pampanga Bulk Water Supply Project.

Under the province’s public private partnership code, MetroPac Water Investments Corp. can now proceed to detailed negotiations with the province for the project.

Upon successful completion of negotiations, the project will be subjected to competitive

challenge consistent with the code.

The proposal was originally submitted by MPW to the province on Dec. 7, 2015. The province, including the highly-urbanized city of Angeles, has a total population of 2.6 million, according to the 2015 census.

MetroPac Water is pursuing water projects around the country.

MetroPac Water received a notice of award on March 23 for the P2.8-billion Cagayan de Oro 100-million-liter-perday bulk water project.

The project, which has a

term of 30 years and renewable for another 20 years, involves the acquisition and construction of a 100MLD water treatment plant, construction of new water transmission lines and rehabilitation of the Camamanan Reservoir to supply the Cagayan de Oro Water District.

The network currently serves a population of more than 749,000 people, with 90,000 active service connections.

MetroPac Water is currently operating water projects that collectively provide 150 MLD of water in

Cebu, Laguna and Iloilo.

The water company also acquired in June 2016 around 65 percent of the outstanding capital stock of Eco-System Technologies International Inc., a company involved in designing, supplying, constructing, installing and operating and maintaining wastewater and sewage treatment plant facilities.

Aside from MetroPac Water, MPIC also owns majority interest in Maynilad Water Services Inc., the water concessionaire for the west zone of Metro Manila.

Darwin G. Amojelar

CLC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it signed a memorandum of understanding with the owners of Starlite to purchase 100 percent of the shares of stocks of the company and its subsidiaries. It did not disclose the cost of the transaction, but the deal required the approval of the Philippine Competition Commission, an agency tasked to look into mergers worth at least P1 billion.

The transaction is pending due diligence by CLC of Starlite and is subject to regulatory approval by PCC. Starlite and its subsidiaries have a total of 14 vessels in the fleet, including five roll-on, roll-off passenger vessels which were acquired brand-new in 2016 and 2017.

Starlite services via RoRo vessels the ports of Batangas, Calapan, Puerto Galera, Roxas and Caticlan. With its brand-new vessels, Starlite looks to expand further to other ports of operation.

“The planned acquisition will bring us a step closer to fulfilling our commitment to growth in order to realize more value for our stakeholders, from the investors to the consumers,” Uy, who serves as CLC chairman, said.

CLC said once all the processes and regulatory approvals were obtained, the acquisition would be financed by the net proceeds

Finance asks LGUs to tap P2.58-b fund for projects

ING sees tax bill pushing inflation

By Julito G. Rada THE Finance Department said local government units planning to undertake big-ticket projects through the public-private partnership scheme can tap a P2.58-billion revolving facility managed by the PPP Center.

The department said Monday the facility could be useful for checking the viability, preparation of bid documents and monitoring the progress of LGUs’ chosen ventures.

The Project Development and Monitoring Facility can also be utilized not only by LGUs but also by other national government agencies for fund support in conducting pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, project structuring, preparation of bid documents and project monitoring for PPP initiatives.

Managed by the PPP Center, the facility also provides probity advisory services to ensure fairness, accountability and transparency in the procurement process for PPP projects.

The facility started with a P300-million revolving fund and a $6 million (P300 million) initial contribution from the Australian government. The Australian grant is administered by the Asian Development Bank.

PDRF meeting. The Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, the country’s major private sector coordinating body for disaster management , pledge to further help in the recovery of Marawi City, including assistance in planning the new city that will rise from the ashes of the ongoing conflict during its recent annual board meeting. The board, co-chaired by PLDT and Smart chairman and chief executive Manuel Pangilinan, Ayala Corp. chairman and chief executive Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and Archbishop of Manila Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, also announced that its Emergency Operations Center will be operational next year in Clark. Shown during the PDRF board meeting are (from left) PDRF president Butch Meily, Zobel de Ayala, Cardinal Tagle and PDRF chief resilience officer Bill Luz.

Chamber of Mines set to form oversight body to probe members

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Monday, September 4, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

51.1710

Japan

Yen

0.009135

0.4674

UK

Pound

1.296900

66.3637

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127812

6.5403

Switzerland

Franc

1.042101

53.3254

Canada

Dollar

0.804959

41.1906

Singapore

Dollar

0.736377

37.6811

Australia

Dollar

0.794800

40.6707

Bahrain

Dinar

2.654703

135.8438 13.6448

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266652

Brunei

Dollar

0.733676

37.5429

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0038

Thailand

Baht

0.030148

1.5427

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.9324

Euro

Euro

1.188700

60.8270

Korea

Won

0.000894

0.0457

China

Yuan

0.152448

7.8009

India

Rupee

0.015620

0.7993

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.234247

11.9867

New Zealand

Dollar

0.714300

36.5514

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033188

1.6983 Source: PDS Bridge

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales THE Chamber of Mines of the Philippines said Monday it will form an oversight committee that will carry out investigations on mining incidents involving the group’s members.

CoMP said the decision to create an oversight committee was made after the group’s recent re-organization. This is part of the chamber’s two initiatives which aim to improve the mining industry in the country.

“Following the re-organization of the chamber, there are two initiatives in particular that we are looking at,” said newly elected CoMP chairman Gerard Brimo.

Brimo said the committee would carry out investigations as directed

of the company’s initial public offering of common shares.

CLC earmarked P1.78 billion of the proceeds for fleet expansion; P245 million for purchase and/or upgrade of ports, port facilities, containers, machineries and equipment; P3.20 billion for acquisition of shipping and logistics firms; and P278 million for general corporate purposes.

“By modernizing and expanding our operations, we can provide better shipping and logistics solutions as well as make our country more competitive in capturing the increasing trade opportunities in Southeast Asia,” Uy said.

The Udenna Group of Uy ventured into shipping in 2006 through Chelsea Shipping Corp. to support the operations of Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. It has since grown the business into the country’s biggest logistics group with the largest tanker fleet in terms of capacity.

CLC further grew the group with the acquisition of a 28.15-percent indirect economic interest in 2Go Group Inc. in March this year.

Excluding the fleet of Starlite, CLC has 11 tankers, eight tugboats, seven roll-on/ roll-off vessels with passenger accommodation (RoPax), four barges and three cargo ships. In addition, 2Go Group had eight RoPax, 10 Fastcrafts and eight cargo vessels.

by the board of trustees.

“We are creating an oversight committee under the board of trustees of the chamber and over time no doubt that the functions of this committee will evolve. But at the outset, what it is tasked to do is to carry out investigations as directed by the board of trustees and in so doing, to get a third-party experts to carry out the investigation,” Brimo said.

“If there’s an investigation for any of us that is serious enough for the BOT [board of trustees] to feel that its should be investigated, that is where the BOT will step in.

The third-party investigators will conduct investigation and will also dialog with the DENR [Department of Environment and Natural Resources], MGB [Mines and

Geosciences Bureau] for their findings. We are heading now towards self-policing and there is a clamor from the members of the sector to move into that and this is a step towards it,” said Brimo.

Brimo said the chamber planned to adopt a mining approach similar to the one developed by the Mining Association of Canada.

The approach is a set of tools which aims to ensure that key mining risks are managed responsibly.

“It’s a program, a set of protocols towards sustainable mining.

In Canada, which is a very large mining country, if you want to be a member of a mining association, you need to subscribe to this program. It requires mining companies to annually assess their mining

operations in performance to six key areas which include tailings management, Indigenous People and community outreach, safety and health, biodiversity conservation, crisis management and so forth,” said Brimo.

“We have taken at heart our President’s call during our recent meeting with him in Malacañang, to do things responsibly and to do mine rehabilitation,” said Brimo.

Brimo, currently the president and chief executive of Nickel Asia Corp., will replace former CoMP chairman Artemio Disini.

Jose Leviste Jr. and Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. were elected as co-vice chairmen, Ronald Recidoro as executive director and Nelia Halcon as executive vice president.

ING Bank Manila said it expects inflation in August to remain manageable near the midpoint of the government’s target range of 2 percent to 4 percent.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng said in a report that offsetting pressures implied not only a stable inflation environment but also a manageable rate.

“August inflation is generally expected to remain stable at the mid-point of BSP’s inflation target range.

The consensus forecast for August inflation is 3 percent, slightly higher than our forecast which is steady at July’s 2.9-percent inflation rate,” Cuyegkeng said.

He said good agriculture production together with the avian flu impact on chicken prices counteracted pressure from higher fuel prices and firmer prices of other meat products. He said the impact on the poultry industry was contained, but fears of the avian flu virus cut overall consumption and depressed chicken prices.

Inflation in July slightly picked up to 2.8 percent from the revised 2.7 percent a month ago, on higher increases in water and electricity rates and fuel prices.

This brought inflation in the first seven months to 3.1 percent, slightly higher than the midpoint of the target range. Julito G. Rada

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Business

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market tops 8,000; Nickel Asia up

S

TOCKS rose Monday, defying the downtrend in Asian markets amid the rosy outlook for the domestic economy and following Wall Street’s advance last week.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, climbed 76 points, or 1 percent, to close at 8,035.20, as all six major sectors rose.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also gained 38 points, or 0.8 percent, to settle at 4,761.99, on a value turnover of P6.5 billion. Gainers outnumbered losers, 115 to 83, while 50 issues were unchanged.

Sixteen of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by miner Nickel Asia Corp. which jumped 6 percent to P7.65 and retailer Wilcon Depot Inc. which climbed 4.3 percent to

P9.25. Oil refiner Petron Corp. advanced 3.9 percent to P10.18.

Meanwhile, Asian and European stocks tumbled along with the South Korean won Monday while the safe-haven yen rallied on news that North Korea had tested what it claimed was a hydrogen bomb, ramping up international tensions.

Less than a week after it rattled global markets by firing a rocket over Japan, Pyongyang on Sunday conducted its sixth nuclear test—sparking further condemnation and a warning from US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis of a “massive military response” if

the US or its allies were attacked.

Seoul said later Monday there were signs the North is preparing another missile launch, adding it could involve an intercontinental ballistic missile similar to the one fired over Japan.

On Sunday, the White House said President Donald Trump stands ready to use the country’s “full range of diplomatic, conventional, and nuclear capabilities” if North Korea continues to threaten it or its allies.

Trump earlier denounced the test, tweeting that the time for “appeasement” was over and threatening drastic economic sanctions, including “stopping all trade with any country doing business with North Korea”.

“It seems (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-un shows no signs of conciliation,” said Greg McK-

enna, chief market strategist at AxiTrader. North Korea “seems hell-bent on either goading the United States, and its president, into a response or what it thinks will be an embarrassing backdown.”

The latest flare-up sent investors fleeing for safe assets, with the yen climbing to 109.53 to the dollar and gold up 0.9 percent, pushing towards $1,340 and levels not seen since November.

The won sank 0.9 percent against the dollar.

On equity markets, Seoul shed 1.2 percent and Japan’s Nikkei ended 0.9 percent down as the stronger yen hurt exporters.

Hong Kong had slipped 0.9 percent by the afternoon and Sydney closed down 0.4 percent, while Singapore gave up one percent.

With Bloomberg, AFP

Golden Haven approves issuance of 150m shares

By Alena Mae S. Flores GOLDEN Haven Memorial Park Inc. said Monday its board approved the issuance, by way of private placement, of up to 150 million shares as a part of its capital raising program.

Golden Haven said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the move was a “part of the corporation’s financial management and to provide flexibility in capital raising activities.”

“The final terms and conditions of any issuance shall be determined and approved by the board of directors,”

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 5.47 2,004,000 59.55 41,090 105.6 1,446,220 4.3 108,000 128.5 2,917,660 1.41 781,000 35.4 373,300 16.1 1,300 30.8 2,035,400 8.01 49,500 1.65 3,000 895 180 0.78 30,377,000 88.4 2,418,900 1.01 2,491,000 13.16 53,900 26 118,800 60.5 96,470 238 1,400 88 500 51.25 55,790 244.4 519,570 1,800 710 86.8 7,320 1.38 3,000

10,662,780 2,445,052.50 152,831,279 434,610 374,459,556 1,098,240 13,375,915 20,930 62,430,510 396,495 4,950 161,600 23,059,960 213,505,045 2,444,360 709,372 3,068,805 5,842,559.50 331,160 44,046 2,856,472.50 126,947,316 1,278,000 635,238.50 4,020

1,669,129 5,715,104 -107,996,109 -2,287,280 -16,420,130 -161,600 -132,200 -852,878.50 -103,300 -2,179,576 4,740 3,520 -1,456,118 -49,940,038 -18,000 88,423.50 -

39.4 8.99 0.8 1.39 21 0.237 142 5.94 17.28 35 23.5 63 81.5 1.91 5.35 11.3 10.36 15.1 13.1 7.05 6.78 1.68 16.82 66.95 14.34 12.04 15 1.8 236 59.05 3.84 3.25 30.95 19.5 17.48 269.2 0.232 11.52 2.97 6.79 9.8 7 10 1.8 11.7 66 6.7 305 4.34 4.34 2.46 12.5 4.53 0.143 1.2 147.4 3.76 2.17 1.01

INDUSTRIAL 39.85 1,043,500 9.03 1,232,300 0.81 352,000 1.4 228,000 21 66,300 0.24 770,000 142 330 6.11 2,593,100 17.5 351,600 35.5 559,300 23.55 29,700 65 490 84 1,000 1.92 453,000 5.4 73,900 11.38 4,800 10.8 6,585,400 15.12 612,200 13.3 526,400 7.05 1,751,000 6.83 6,857,500 1.68 6,000 16.88 3,187,200 67.9 64,210 14.36 3,100 12.08 113,000 15.58 2,798,700 1.8 608,000 238 673,130 59.05 10 4.27 1,246,000 3.37 124,000 31.15 1,087,100 19.5 114,500 17.5 375,600 269.4 269,410 0.232 4,300,000 11.52 37,900 3 703,000 6.97 167,900 10.18 14,408,900 7.12 205,200 10 5,800 1.82 918,000 11.72 545,600 66.35 222,900 6.75 1,023,100 308 6,530 4.38 13,039,000 4.34 1,000 2.58 210,000 12.5 810,700 4.55 172,000 0.143 130,000 1.21 238,000 150 2,174,650 3.76 27,000 2.25 14,609,000 1.01 92,000

41,656,965 11,145,698 282,620 320,650 1,415,790 183,790 47,735 15,792,566 6,150,182 19,937,130 707,320 30,990 82,910 871,350 397,476 54,304 69,740,436 9,271,502 6,996,188 12,387,342 46,825,810 10,680 53,819,466 4,348,688 44,500 1,366,660 43,107,974 1,102,560 160,175,528 590.5 5,223,330 408,300 33,838,175 2,239,198 6,599,342 72,632,298 1,008,460 445,464 2,106,240 1,158,105 145,748,015 1,441,302 58,000 1,668,030 6,434,268 14,762,085 7,005,896 2,002,240 57,109,570 4,340 529,780 10,250,726 780,180 18,590 288,890 325,713,544 101,970 32,545,190 93,190

-6,847,285 -3,325,441 15,400.00 1,124,366 5,583,426 146,025 -145,170 -43,004 -10,116,780 2,444,752 -995,856.00 -5,288,035 -3,046,146 28,138,878 1,528,993.50 -882,928 -1,477,258 289,600 64,065,288 452,710 21,950 -10,363,795 -171,774 -4,195,938 -6,571,580 2,370 130,260 56,137,503 49,840 1,273,830 667,324 4,825,922.50 6,850,000 -1,084,160 47,890 4,340 1,321,718 4,550 91,512,695 30,080 -2,003,470 -

0.36 74.45 14.1 1.14 7.05 0.32 0.31 945 8.05 15.7 7.65 1,140 8 74.05 5 0.95 6.96 18 0.42 6.5 3.22 0.045 1.05 2.07 99.5 2.77 827.5 1.54 302 0.201 0.235

0.35 73.7 13.92 1.14 6.96 0.3 0.3 906 7.84 15.42 7.6 1,120 8 71.9 5 0.92 6.67 17.72 0.42 6.39 3.22 0.044 0.98 2.06 98.9 2.66 812.5 1.48 299.6 0.196 0.23

HOLDING FIRMS 0.35 3,630,000 74.2 803,950 14.04 5,125,600 1.14 27,000 7.02 34,000 0.32 570,000 0.31 1,630,000 926 270,090 8.02 919,300 15.44 4,342,800 7.6 20,000 1,132 123,085 8 50,000 73.8 1,340,950 5 3,700 0.92 1,632,000 6.93 1,197,000 17.98 3,429,000 0.42 40,000 6.5 21,046,700 3.22 5,000 0.045 3,700,000 1.05 75,000 2.06 503,000 99 189,000 2.66 10,000 824 317,580 1.5 491,000 301.6 1,700 0.196 2,630,000 0.23 100,000

1,286,800 59,656,084 72,006,928 30,780 238,980 176,100 494,700 248,987,630 7,372,000 67,300,354 152,045 138,806,670 400,000 98,782,154 18,500 1,520,500 8,191,554 61,631,302 16,800 136,106,996 16,100 166,000 78,190 1,036,280 18,751,186.50 27,030 261,329,955 746,300 510,148 518,060 23,100

-38,500 14,440,011.50 5,147,262 -12,989,110 2,519,009 -5,309,614 -44,885 -5,767,035 38,380,596.50 1,987,462 6,046,866 -34,120,364 -10,486,692.50 1,691,930 -195,000 58,800 -

5.66 1.21 6.21 2.44 1.11 42.95 3.7 5.05 5.33 5.94 0.54 1.33 1.56 0.234 0.51 44.9 0.7 0.155 1.9 1.63 0.99 5.03 0.29 0.62

5.36 1.18 6.14 2.43 1.05 42.65 3.64 4.97 5.33 5.94 0.52 1.29 1.49 0.227 0.5 43.5 0.68 0.155 1.85 1.55 0.96 4.93 0.285 0.55

873,593 5,931,740 27,889 651,380 11,607,030 463,147,690 838,370 7,440,949 74,620 1,782 3,099,750 404,880 1,806,540 4,911,550 113,020 21,883,570 374,210 186,000 38,727,900 41,986,240 153,680 258,518,930 6,292,600 21,550,720

-618,971 -15,600 -19,440 58,210 101,328,270 172,870 154,322.00 -709,160 12,900 1,500 10,804,260 29,450 -7,199,930 -33,330 15,350,670 297,500

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

4.59 59.55 106 3.96 128 1.36 35.95 16.1 30.4 8.01 1.65 900 0.72 88.45 1 13.16 24.8 60.65 238 88.1 51.5 250 1,800 86.5 1.32

5.9 59.55 106 4.5 129.2 1.44 36.05 16.1 30.95 8.01 1.65 900 0.79 88.85 1.02 13.2 26 60.7 238 88.1 51.5 250 1,800 86.9 1.38

4.59 59 105 3.96 127.1 1.36 35.35 16.1 30.3 8.01 1.65 895 0.72 88 0.94 13.16 24.75 60.5 236 88 51.1 241.6 1,800 86.5 1.32

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

39.6 9.01 0.81 1.41 22.75 0.24 145 5.99 17.3 35 24.05 63 81.5 1.94 5.45 11.3 10.4 15.18 13.12 7.09 6.8 1.8 16.82 67 14.36 12.24 15 1.8 238.2 59.05 3.87 3.35 30.95 19.7 17.5 271 0.237 12 2.97 6.9 9.88 7.01 10 1.8 11.88 66 6.9 308 4.34 4.34 2.51 12.68 4.53 0.143 1.24 149.9 3.85 2.21 1.02

40.2 9.15 0.82 1.41 22.75 0.241 145.1 6.18 17.5 35.8 24.4 65 84 1.94 5.45 11.38 10.8 15.2 13.3 7.1 6.86 1.8 16.9 68 14.36 12.24 15.6 1.83 238.4 59.05 4.33 3.43 31.4 19.7 17.7 271.6 0.238 12 3.01 6.97 10.3 7.29 10 1.82 12 66.35 6.9 308 4.4 4.34 2.58 12.72 4.55 0.143 1.25 150.8 3.85 2.25 1.02

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

0.355 74.45 14 1.14 7.04 0.305 0.305 920 7.84 15.7 7.6 1,140 8 71.9 5 0.94 6.73 17.72 0.42 6.4 3.22 0.045 0.98 2.06 99.5 2.75 819 1.53 300.2 0.201 0.235

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

5.36 1.21 6.14 2.44 1.06 42.8 3.67 5.04 5.33 5.94 0.54 1.32 1.56 0.23 0.51 44 0.68 0.155 1.9 1.63 0.99 4.96 0.29 0.6

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

0.52 5.23 23.25 1.79 3.21 33.75 1.01 0.89 5.95

0.53 5.58 23.5 1.8 3.25 34 1.02 0.89 6.04

0.52 5.23 23.1 1.79 3.18 33.4 1.01 0.89 5.92

0.52 5.58 23.3 1.8 3.18 33.9 1.02 0.89 6

2,225,000 5,875,700 3,173,900 172,000 2,528,000 8,034,000 3,655,000 1,000 3,320,600

1,160,390 32,187,570 74,035,910 308,580 8,064,990 272,072,965 3,695,390 890 19,828,180

-1,694,296 -17,600,080 -3,706,410 -97,856,055 1,399,647

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

19.1 41.4 1.67 0.59 0.041 11.22 0.075 108.2 9.32 10.36 7.77 3.23 970 2,020 6.1 17.78 2.34 106 11.74 8.51 0.171 1.33 3.05 15.9 4.6 1.48 10.6 0.56 2.4 8.89 4.28 23 2.38 11.1 5.18 8.1 170 10.12 1,730 1.62 0.405 48.05 91 5.91 4.78 1.5 3.42 1.31 8.83

19.4 41.5 1.73 0.6 0.041 11.48 0.076 108.5 9.32 10.4 7.94 3.23 970 2,020 6.19 17.8 2.44 106 12.4 8.54 0.171 1.38 3.08 15.9 4.6 1.57 10.6 0.57 2.45 9.1 4.29 23 2.38 11.1 5.19 8.1 178 10.44 1,750 1.64 0.405 48.5 91 5.95 4.78 1.5 3.45 1.34 9.25

19.1 41 1.67 0.56 0.04 10.94 0.074 107.4 9.31 10.26 7.64 3.23 970 1,996 6.09 17.3 2.34 104 11.74 8.4 0.169 1.33 3 15.34 4.52 1.45 10.3 0.56 2.4 8.7 4.2 19.04 2.34 11.1 5.17 8.1 170 10.1 1,710 1.59 0.4 48.05 89.85 5.9 4.62 1.46 3.42 1.29 8.7

SERVICES 19.3 41.15 1.71 0.56 0.041 11.42 0.076 108 9.31 10.3 7.65 3.23 970 2,002 6.11 17.52 2.44 104 12.4 8.4 0.17 1.36 3.08 15.34 4.6 1.52 10.38 0.57 2.45 9.05 4.29 19.74 2.36 11.1 5.17 8.1 173 10.3 1,750 1.64 0.4 48.2 90.95 5.94 4.77 1.48 3.43 1.31 9.25

53,800 38,300 25,000 15,452,000 11,300,000 14,513,300 6,190,000 453,190 1,200 1,026,400 121,700 1,000 190 31,985 110,100 93,400 703,000 801,770 61,300 75,200 5,870,000 45,000 24,000 25,200 550,000 2,970,000 863,100 17,000 42,000 4,165,600 1,590,000 39,500 510,000 2,900 30,800 20,000 170,450 2,156,100 67,415 8,496,000 540,000 979,700 837,240 36,100 5,970,000 5,588,000 243,000 28,449,000 19,162,200

1,037,016 1,576,595 42,160 8,800,970 455,800 164,755,648 463,540 48,985,160 11,177 10,601,936 937,328 3,230 184,300 64,209,375 673,376 1,652,522 1,694,080 84,210,768 757,540 636,166 998,530 60,390 73,460 387,622 2,522,650 4,520,190 8,936,590 9,530 100,850 37,346,954 6,773,910 770,486 1,200,680 32,190 159,740 162,000 29,488,160 22,208,268 117,344,610 13,854,800 216,500 47,324,425 75,806,437.50 214,509 28,060,620 8,247,250 835,090 37,429,910 175,011,431

385,120 -1,160,000 29,988,760 41,041,102 51,500 -178,807 -23,988,260 -17,780 -48,300 -9,690,240 754,000 -34,000 -177,690 -1,497,594 -7,736,064 -25,680.00 -9,520 72,220 -3,200,466 69,769,580 1,248,490 -15,641,740 21,586,030.50 -3,476,090 3,205,840 20,620 -102,070 -8,390,070

ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING BENGUET A CENTURY PEAK COAL ASIA HLDG DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A LEPANTO B MANILA MINING A 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

0.0029 1.71 5.14 1.85 1.2 0.4 8.62 2.58 0.275 0.184 0.198 0.01 0.012 1.98 7.5 1.89 0.53 1.14 0.012 0.013 0.013 2.5 8.64 4.25 172 0.008

0.0029 1.74 5.15 1.85 1.22 0.4 8.9 2.75 0.28 0.19 0.207 0.011 0.012 2.1 7.81 1.93 0.57 1.21 0.013 0.013 0.013 2.5 8.89 4.44 174.7 0.0081

0.0027 1.7 5.08 1.85 1.2 0.385 8.62 2.58 0.275 0.184 0.198 0.01 0.011 1.92 7.41 1.89 0.53 1.13 0.012 0.013 0.012 2.41 8.64 4.2 172 0.008

MINING & OIL 0.0028 117,000,000 1.74 8,941,000 5.14 732,500 1.85 2,000 1.22 658,000 0.385 60,000 8.88 31,300 2.67 16,285,000 0.275 60,000 0.188 9,860,000 0.204 14,810,000 0.011 35,000,000 0.011 23,300,000 2.06 1,980,000 7.65 25,202,300 1.9 27,000 0.55 397,000 1.19 3,327,000 0.013 4,300,000 0.013 2,100,000 0.013 7,100,000 2.42 44,000 8.8 276,300 4.4 3,359,000 174.1 401,670 0.008 24,000,000

327,700 15,409,420 3,762,334 3,700 798,450 23,700 277,558 43,550,840 16,550 1,837,160 3,054,920 367,600 276,300 4,005,120 191,700,423 51,150 212,860 3,914,310 51,700 27,300 85,700 109,040 2,423,846 14,541,170 69,773,162 192,100

1,841,310 -6,671,320 2,950,380 -106,080 54,559,567 226,650 7,521,941 128,000

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

40 516.5 520 106 105.6 112 516 5.82 1,023 1.06 108 1,060 1,015 104.1 77 77.05 81.7 79.4 80.3

40.45 516.5 525 106 106 112 516 5.83 1,023 1.06 108 1,060 1,015 104.1 77 77.05 81.7 79.5 80.3

40 516.5 518 106 105 112 516 5.82 1,023 1.06 108 1,060 1,013 104 76.5 77.05 81.7 79.4 80.15

PREFERRED 40.45 690,300 516.5 20 525 19,780 106 46,500 106 40,830 112 19,000 516 4,000 5.82 581,500 1,023 1,820 1.06 20,000 108 160 1,060 5,370 1,013 2,180 104 2,150 76.5 9,690 77.05 1,000 81.7 1,200 79.5 125,700 80.15 63,200

27,655,215 10,330 10,272,740 4,929,000 4,317,017 2,128,000 2,064,000 3,384,725 1,861,860 21,200 17,280 5,692,200 2,212,500 223,625 742,311.50 77,050 98,040 9,992,366 5,070,629.50

-1,603,385 -998,525 6,480 -637,591.50 -

LR WARRANT

2.63

2.64

2.54

WARRANTS 2.63 325,000

838,490

-

ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

4.06 5.05 5.79

4.36 5.05 5.97

4.06 4.95 5.75

4.34 5.04 5.91

5,311,900 202,534 17,254,189

-252,640 -1,973,280

FIRST METRO ETF

120.9

121.4

120.5

930,815

3,645

USD DMPL A1

10.5

10.5

10.5

11,025

-

MS

PROPERTY 5.47 1.19 6.21 2.43 1.07 42.8 3.68 5.03 5.33 5.94 0.52 1.33 1.49 0.231 0.5 44.85 0.69 0.155 1.86 1.55 0.97 4.96 0.29 0.55

159,200 4,972,000 4,500 268,000 10,781,000 10,809,700 228,000 1,481,900 14,000 300 5,898,000 311,000 1,191,000 21,310,000 226,000 489,300 543,000 1,200,000 20,742,000 26,664,000 159,000 51,997,000 21,920,000 37,631,000

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

7,211,656

INDUSTRIAL

88,852,416

HOLDING FIRMS

54,566,261

PROPERTY SERVICES

248,089,230 144,978,670

MINING & OIL

299,331,232

GRAND TOTAL

887,268,480

SME

1,239,000 40,800 2,951,300

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 121.4 7,700 10.5

DDS

1,050

VALUE 1,989.03 (up) 0.39 1,145,921,157.61 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,111.73 (up) 116.56 1,251,361,309.433 HOLDING FIRMS 7,931.12 (up) 93.01 1,214,545,914.914 PROPERTY 3,773.72 (up) 52.92 1,729.62 (up) 8.53 1,311,301,056.58 SERVICES MINING & OIL 13,495.43 (up) 241.49 1,146,620,444.05 PSEI 8,035.20 (up) 76.63 356,818,964.399 All Shares Index 4,761.99 (up) 38.72 6,450,270,719.49 Gainers: 115; Losers: 83; Unchanged: 50; Total: 248

Golden Haven said.

Golden Haven fell 1.5 percent Monday to close at P17.52 per share.

The company said its board, in a special meeting Monday, also approved the amendments to the articles of incorporation and by-laws of the corporation. The board approved the change in the corporate name to Golden Haven Inc. It also approved the change in the articles of incorporation to include investing in, purchase or acquisition, sell or transfer or disposal of real or personal property of every kind including shares of stock, bonds, evidences of indebtedness, securities or obligations, among others.

Golden Haven is one the Philippines’ fastest growing memorial park developers.

The company launched its first memorial chapel and crematorium complex in Las Piñas City early this year as a part of its goal to become the first complete, full-service death care company in the country.

“The opening of the Golden Haven Chapels and Crematorium brings us another step closer to expanding our offerings across the five segments of the death care industry,” said Golden Haven chief operating officer Maribeth Tolentino.

“Not only does this open a new chapter in the Golden Haven story, this chapel and crematorium opening also creates a new opportunity for us to increase our recurring income prospects,” she said.

Cavitex to expand toll road

By Darwin G. Amojelar CAVITEX Infrastructure Corp. said it plans to spend P700 million to expand the Manila-Cavite Expressway to address traffic congestion.

“We are very much aware of the congestion being experienced by our motorists and we would like to inform the public that we have in place not only a plan to add toll booths, but a comprehensive development plan for the Cavitex consisting of short, medium and longterm measures,” CIC president and chief executive Luigi Bautista said.

Bautista said the company submitted a project information memorandum to the Toll Regulatory Board for the expansion of Cavitex, which would cost about P700 million.

The Cavitex expansion will be completed in eight months, or once the TRB approves the proposal.

Bautista said Cavitex would add a lane on each side of the carriageway and would construct an elevated south-bound lane at the corner of Pacific Drive, which was being managed through a stop-and-go-traffic light system that affected the pass through of vehicles in the intersection.

The company will also implement a permanent “fishbone” system or multiple layer of tollbooths to mange vehicle passage by June 2018, he said.

The daily average vehicle traffic at Cavitex increased to 140,000 this year from last year’s 132,000 vehicles.

Bautista said Cavitex was supporting the Transportation Department’s and Toll Regulatory Board’s thrust on interoperability of adjacent toll roads.

Business

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Cagayan zone reviewing 20-year development plan

JAPAN DELEGATION. The Department of Trade and Industry welcomes a 14-member Japan Management Association delegation on August 25, 2017. The delegation conducted ocular visits of Hitachi and Accenture facilities on August 23 to 25. Special Trade Representative Dita AngaraMathay (first row from left) leads the group in a courtesy call in the office of Consumer Protection Group Undersecretary Teodoro Pascua (first row, third from left). The delegation includes executives of Suntory Holdings, Tokyu Corp., Tokyo Metro, Nippon Express, Fujita Corp., Yamato Holdings, Fuji Electric, Ryohin Keikaku, Muji, and professors from Kyoto and Rikkyu Universities.

THE Cagayan Economic Zone Authority is updating its 20-year old master development plan for the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport amid a strong demand from foreign investors looking for larger tracts of land.

“We are anticipating a lot of economic activity. That’s why I have called for a review of the master development plan,” said Ceza administrator and chief executive officer Raul Lambino.

He said land expansion and development would be a logical next step for Ceza, after initiating the proposed creation of the Greater Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport.

All 22 municipalities in Cagayan’s two congressional districts would be included in the proposed expanded Freeport.

Lambino said he hoped to secure support for the expanded special economic zone from the prov-

ince’s local and congressional leaders, adding the inclusion of Lallo, among others, would correct a mistake that was overlooked in the past.

He said Ceza was set to inaugurate late this year the maiden flight between Macau and Lallo, Cagayan through the Cagayan North International Airport, with a brand new runway that could accommodate Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s.

The airport, a joint venture between Ceza and Cagayan Land Property Development Corp., is a 45-minute drive to Santa Ana town where Port Irene is expected to undergo dredging and other upgrades to transform it into a major international cargo seaport and cruise ship terminal.

“With this modernized airport facility, the interconnection between the Freeport and the biggest ports and markets of East Asia and the South Pacific is now possible,” Lambino said.

Foreign steel certification bucked

By Othel V. Campos

L

OCAL steel companies asked the government to reconsider a plan to certify steel plants abroad and treat them as if they are local manufacturers, saying this poses public safety risks and dangers to consumers.

The Philippine Iron and Steel Institute, in a letter to acting Bureau of Philippine Standards chief Ernesto Perez, said the plan might flood the market with

untested steel products that could end up in homes and structures built by small contractors for the poor and the middle class.

Annual steel demand in the Philippines stands at about 4.7 million metric

tons, all covered by three quality certifications last year. Some three million metric tons were sold to the reseller market, while the rest went to corporate customers, including big contractors.

PISI warned that while corporate customers test every truckload of delivery of one sample per size, per grade of steel products, the reseller market does not at all.

“This is an incongruity that must be addressed by

the government since the ultimate customers in the reseller market are the small contractors and poor to middle-class Filipino home builders and owners,” the group said.

PISI cites Malaysia’s experience in granting certification to four Chinese rebar manufacturing companies. Other foreign manufacturing plants that did not undergo the certification process eventually used the certification logo. These

companies exported substandard steel products to Malaysia.

Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam do not certify steel mills abroad.

PISI said it would be difficult to pursue liabilities against steel mills abroad, citing that they had no staff nor assets in the Philippines that consumers and the government could go after.

Granting certification to foreign steel manufacturing plants will also threaten the business viability of local

manufacturers.

Foreign companies, the PISI claimed, enjoyed various forms of state subsidies in their countries.

Giving them an opening “will discourage local and foreign investments in the local steel industry,” it said.

“The overall impact, therefore, is tantamount to exporting jobs abroad, a deplorable situation considering our high unemployment of around 2.4 million and underemployment

Asian stocks skid; yen, gold rise as Korean tensions flare STOCKS fell and gold and the yen climbed as geopolitical tensions flared up again, with US president Donald Trump weighing new economic sanctions that could target China after a nuclear test Sunday by North Korea.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index declined, with all industry sectors in the red, after a report that Pyongyang is preparing to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index was on track for the biggest drop since Trump’s vow to return nuclear threats with “fire and fury” in early August. S&P index futures also fell, while most European government bonds gained and the yen and Swiss franc led currency gains. Industrial metals including copper and nickel extended a rally.

Japan’s Topix index ended 1 percent lower, while South Korea’s Kospi index lost 1.2 percent and the S&P/ASX 200 Index in Sydney declined 0.4 percent. The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong fell 1 percent. Indexes rose in China.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index fell 0.6 percent, poised for its worst decline since Aug. 11.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index declined 0.4 percent as of 8:36 a.m. in London.

The White House warned any nation doing business with Kim Jong Un’s regime would be met with economic sanctions and trade embargoes, and his defense chief said the US has “many military options.” North Korea said Sunday it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb with “unprecedentedly big power.” The test, the first since Trump took office, is a new hurdle for markets that have proven resilient to recent bouts of tension on the Korean peninsula.

“Expect some short-term risk-aversion trades,” Citigroup Inc. economists led by Johanna Chua wrote in a client note. “But such market moves tend to be shortlived, as typically tensions defuse quickly. So unless the global response to this test raises the probability of a military strike or North Korean regime collapse (both unlikely), this time may play out similarly.” Bloomberg

MONGOLIA FLIGHTS UP. Officials of Clark International Airport Corp. led by officer-in-charge Josep Jepri Miranda (third from left) hold a dialogue with Mongolian International Airlines Teever sales manager Enkhbat Batsaikhan (third from right) and representatives from the Rakso Air Travel and Tours at the Clark airport. The two groups draw up plans for possible charte flights from the Chinggis Khan International Airport in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to the Clark International Airport, using Boeing aircraft with a 164 seating capacity starting in December 2017 or early next year

Nickel rises to highest in over 2 years; copper advances NICKEL surged to the highest level in more than two years, and copper chalked up its best mark since 2014, as bets on tighter markets, especially in top consumer China, keep most metals buoyant after their longest run of weekly gains in a decade.

Nickel advanced as much as 2.9 percent to $12,380 a metric ton on the London Metal Exchange, its highest since June 2015, before trading at $12,135 by 3:43 p.m. in Shanghai. Copper climbed as much as 1.3 percent to $6,920.25 a ton. Most metals rose after the LME Index

of six contracts capped an eightweek advance last Friday―one short of a record run in 2006.

“It certainly feels like there is a broad resetting of expectations that are driving the metals at the moment,” Daniel Hynes, senior commodities strategist at Australia & New

Zealand Banking Group Ltd., said by phone from Sydney. “I was in China last week and I got the very strong impression that the environmental push is having a pretty profound impact, and that’s not something that’s going to fall away quickly.” Bloomberg

Total selling assets to Kuwait PARIS, France—French oil giant Total said Monday it has agreed to sell its remaining stake in a Norwegian oil field to Kuwait so that it can focus on its recent acquisition of Denmark’s Maersk Oil. “Total has signed an agreement to divest its remaining 15-percent interest in the Gina Krog field in Norway to Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC),” Total said in a statement.

“In the framework of our portfolio management and optimization of the allocation of capital, we have decided to fully divest our interest in the Gina Krog project and focus on other opportunities in Norway,” said Total’s head of exploration and production, Arnaud Breuillac.

“With the recent acquisition of Maersk Oil & Gas, the group’s position in the North Sea will be significantly strengthened, in particular in Norway.”

Total announced on August 21 that it would buy Maersk Oil for $7.45 billion (6.35 billion euros), making it the secondlargest operator in the North Sea, with substantial operations in Britain, Norway and Denmark.

AFP

Weaknesses of international commodity agreements THE difficulty being encountered by the rebalancing program of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is illustrative of the three essential requirements for the successful operation of an agreement governing world trade in a commodity. The first is the agreement’s encompassing all the significant players in world trade in that commodity. The second is willingness on the part of the agreement’s signatories to faithfully observe its policies and rules. The third requirement is the non-emergence of a viable alternative for the commodity.

The non-fulfillment of these requirements caused OPEC to gradually lose its initial all-powerful position and to become the irresolute, disciplineshort institution that it is today. The Vienna-based organization has ceased to be regarded with awe and fear.

OPEC was not the first agreement governing world trade in a commodity.

At the time of its establishment in the 1960s there already were the International Sugar Agreement and

the International Coffee Agreement, to mention the two most important commodity agreements. But because it dealt with a commodity that lighted up homes, offices and factories and caused transportation and industrial facilities to function, OPEC’s inauguration attracted a greater measure of international interest and attention.

The agency that advises UN members on energy policy, the Parisbased International Energy Agency, reported recently that compliance with production cuts agreed to by OPEC’s members fell in June 2017 to its lowest levels in six months, with several members pumping much more oil than allowed by the organization’s marketrebalancing program. As a result, the rebalancing was delayed, IEA reported.

“For OPEC members who agreed to reduce production by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd), to see their agreed cut effectively diluted by nearly twothirds must have been very frustrating, especially as their pact has, hitherto, been well observed (historically),” IEA said.

The level of compliance apparently was 95 percent in May 2017. It dropped to 78 percent due to higherthan-allowed outputs of six membercountries (Algeria, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Gabon, Venezuela and Ecuador). The strong compliances of Angola, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar were thereby negated.

“Each month something seems to come along to raise doubts about the pace of the rebalancing (and) this month there are two hitches, viz., a dramatic recovery in oil production in Libya and Nigeria and (OPEC’s) lower rate of compliance with its own output agreement,” IEA said.

There we have it: some members of an international commodity organization complying with the organization’s directives and other members not complying and oftentimes cheating.

The other major problem faced by OPEC and other international commodity agreements is the degree of their control over the total world production of a commodity. It is very difficult for an

international commodity agreement to make its price-influencing policies effective if it a substantial part of world production of the commodity in question is not subject to its control. At the time of its establishment OPEC members controlled over close to 70 percent of world production – as distinct from world reserves – gave it much market clout, but that clout progressively diminished as a steadily increasing volume of nonOPEC oil (from the United Kingdom, Mexico, Malaysia, Russia and the US (Alaska), among others) came into the market. OPEC’s hold on world oil prices is likely to continue to weaken as more discoveries are made in countries like Brazil and Israel. The need for stronger organizational discipline within OPEC’s ranks will become correspondingly greater.

But potentially the greatest gamechanger for OPEC is the ongoing change in the energy situations of the world’s two largest economies. With its increasing production of shale oil – oil derived from the shale sands of the

Midwest – the US has almost achieved energy sufficiency. The second-largest economy, China, is well on the way to becoming energy-sufficient as a result of its huge investment in solar power and other renewable energies.

Lack of discipline among members, the non-inclusion of producers accounting for a substantial part of total world production of a commodity and the emergence of new and strongly competing alternative products: these are the major weaknesses of international commodity agreements.

And what is in the near-term horizon for OPEC? Says IEA: “The (agreed) cuts have stabilized oil at around $4550 per barrel, but prices have come under renewed pressure in recent weeks due to growing US output and little evidence of global stocks’ falling from record highs (of more than) 3 billion barrels.”

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

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

WINNERS. Jacob Munez (right) and Joy Wu watch the confetti fall around them as they are crowned Mr. & Ms. Chinatown 2017 after the coronation night Saturday at the Solaire Resort and Casino in Parañaque City. Lino Santos

Therapy for ‘CSAC’ kids

By Nash Maulana

B

ULUAN, Maguindanao—The case of Sarah Pananggulon, the deaf six-yearold fatality in the botched Mamasapano operation on Jan. 25, 2015, has led to a discovery by child psychologists that close to 500 children in the province have varying cases of physical impairment.

Salvacion Deaño, Maguindanao Division coordinator of the Department of Education’s Special Education unit or SPED, said the province’s Second Schools Division alone has 431 children with different cases of physical impairment from birth.

Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu said he believed there could be more

than just the currently known number of children with special needs in his province, or mainly those with congenital physical impairment.

The Second Schools Division is made up of 20 districts with 267 elementary and 38 secondary schools.

A stray bullet killed the minor Sarah, who could not hear the exchange of

gunfire in the bloody Mamasapano clash, because of her hearing impairment, according to her parents.

The province’s pilot program for children with special needs began with a three-day workshop, from August 29 to 31, at the airconditioned Buluan Provincial Gymnasium here, for 29 child-beneficiaries.

The children were accompanied by their parents or guardians and 14 public school teachers as their co-participants, and in the tutelage of psycho-social therapists led by Iris Mae Ubas, a psychology graduate of the University of the Philippines, who specialized in behavioral management therapy in Vietnam.

The United Nations defines children with special needs as children “[who] may have mild learning disabilities or profound cognitive impairment; they may have food allergies or a terminal illness.

A child’s special needs may include developmental delays that catch up quickly or remain entrenched.”

Even President Rodrigo Duterte, an occasional critic of the UN over reactions generated by his antiillegal drugs campaign, has spared time visiting children with special needs, many of them with terminal ailments such as cancer.

Article 23 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child provides that children “who have any kind of dis-

ability have the right to special care and support, as well as all the rights in the Convention, so that they can live full and independent lives.”

At the program’s closing ceremony, the father and teacher of a nine-year-old participant from Datu Odin Sinsuat town shed tears of joy, as the audience witnessed the child being able to generate tongue-based oral sounds for the first time, as one born mute, said the program’s focal person Lynette Estandarte, provincial budget officer.

Mangudadatu said he wanted this therapy workshop for more children and youth conducted monthly, to benefit kids in batches of 25 to 30.

He said creating that forum for children as a monthly ac-

tivity would enable educators and specialized trainers to develop and establish their experts’ findings and help upgrade the province’s program policies on children.

Members of supporting staff from the DepEd and the Department of Social Welfare and Development said a monthly session for children with special needs could help develop a more culturally sensitive learning module, especially for the children in situation of armed conflict or CSACs, as the UN refers to children in strife-torn areas.

But even without a locallydesigned learning module, Ubas and the other visiting psycho-social therapists successfully handled the threeday activity for the children.

‘Increase LGU share of mining revenue’

A SPECIAL mining study urged government to increase the share of local governments and allow mining companies to pay local government units directly.

This was among the key recommendations presented in a recent round-table discussion on a special study titled “Mining in the Philippines: Problems and Suggested Solutions.”

The study was commissioned by the Stratbase ADR Institute and authored by Dr. Carlo Arcilla, the new director of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute and a professor of the National Institute of Geological Sciences of the University of the Philippines.

The study points out that revenues from excise taxes on mining “should be shifted substantially towards the LGUs (more than 30 percent) and away from national government.”

“The LGUs bear the brunt of the impacts of mining, and they should proportionately share more in the sharing of tax revenues. This is an application of subsidiarity in the distribution of needs.

The sharing itself, even more important than the actual [revenue sharing], must be done immediately, so as to have temporal cadence in the disturbance of mining and its benefits to the people most affected,” the study adds.

Arcilla cited the ongoing problem of the delayed remittance of Internal Revenue Allotments or IRAs to LGUs, which has been documented to be as long as ten years and “gives the wrong impression to residents and local political leaders who have to answer to their electorate.”

Manila, real estate firm convert filthy estuary to green park QC backs centralized traffic management

By Bill Casas

MANILA Mayor Joseph Estrada has teamed up with a real estate company in turning a former slum area along Estero Dela Reina to a clean, wellmanicured greenery park.

Estrada conveyed his gratitude to Filinvest Land Inc., saying the project has opened “a new chapter in environmental awareness, community spirit, and responsible stewardship of the city’s natural resources.”

“With the able and enthusiastic support of our friends from Filinvest Land, the once badly misused and abused Estero Dela Reina is reborn,” Estrada said during the inauguration of the Estero Dela Reina Linear Park.

While the city government has been actively involved in cleaning up esteros and other waterways in Manila to prevent flooding, Estrada said the active participation of the private sector is invaluable.

“We are now in a position to turn these esteros into centers of community involvement,” he said.

Estrada also said the linear park initiative is consistent with his urban renewal program that aims to bring back Manila’s old glory and beauty.

Located in Binondo, the polluted Estero Dela Reina was once home to hundreds

By Rio N. Araja

CAVITE HONORS HEROES. The local government of Noveleta, Cavite, led by Mayor Dino Reyes Chua (center), Vice Mayor Donnie Torres (second from right) and (from left) Councilors Emelito Lontoc, Elvie Magat and Davey Reyes Chua, salutes the statue of the town’s heroes during the recent National Heroes’ Day celebration at the municipal esplanade. Noveleta has produced the heroes Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Gen. Santiago Alvarez, Gen. Pascual Alvarez, Gen. Luciano San Miguel, and Gen. Ariston Villanueva. of informal settler families.

The 0.61-kilometer estuary is one of the major tributaries of Pasig River.

The site now features a 198.88-square meter park with a manicured greenery and paved pathway along the estero’s banks. It extends from the Moriones Bridge to P. Herrera Street and uses solar-powered street lights.

The affected ISFs, meanwhile, were transferred to government relocation sites in Norzaragay, Bulacan and Montalban, Rizal and given P18,000 each.

The linear park is the first ever environmental conservation project of FLI in the City of Manila, according to Michael Gotianun, vice president of Filinvest Devel-

opment Corp.

“Like in all of our developments, we want to create a livable space for our customers but here in this case, it’s also for the City of Manila.

We want to help in every way in helping in the nationbuilding and this is one of our small contributions,” Gotianun said.

Aside from the City of

Manila and FLI, the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission, Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau, Metro Manila Development Authority, Laguna Lake Development Authority, and the Department of Public Works and Highways also took part in the project.

Tanauan highlights ‘massive developments’ in RLUC meeting TANAUAN, Batangas— Tanauan City Mayor Antonio C. Halili highlighted the massive developments in this city that are expected to boost economic conditions in the area during the recent third-quarter Regional Land Use Committee meeting at

the Modesto Castillo Cultural Center.

Some of the important projects Halili discussed are facility and infrastructure upgrades such as the construction of the modern city hall building, which was inaugurated on July

23 to commemorate the 153rd birth anniversary of national hero and Tanauan native Apolinario Mabini; the public market redevelopment that was among the first LGU-initiated projects approved by the National Economic Devel-

opment Authority; the relocation and construction of the new vegetable trading post; and the on-going construction of the Triple A-rated slaughterhouse.

Tanauan is also working on a 7.8-kilometer, 15-meter wide farm-to-market road

that connects 10 villages through the Philippine Rural Development Project, which aims to accelerate the flow traffic on the J.P Laurel Highway, and the construction and adjustment of lakeshore roads from A. Mabini Highway to Taal Lake.

QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista is supporting the centralization of traffic management in Metro Manila.

He said he is squarely behind plans to centralize traffic management in one body, saying having a single body to plan routes and enforce road rules would improve command, control and coordination in the metropolis and the rest of the country.

“Traffic is an offshoot of myriad problems and interlocking concerns that cannot just be solved by deploying more traffic enforcers.

The buck has to stop with only one central traffic authority to avoid agencies and local government units pointing fingers at one another,” Bautista said.

President Rodrigo Duterte is also set to sign an executive order vesting all authority in managing and enforcing traffic to the InterAgency Council for Traffic.

The reinvigorated IACT, which used to be a coordinating body under the Department of Transportation, shall be vested with law enforcement authority via the presidential order.

The jurisdiction of the new IACT will also be expanded to include the neighboring provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal.

The council shall be composed of the DoTr, Department of Public Works and Highways, Metro Manila Development Authority, Philippine National Police’s Highway Patrol Group, and the local governments concerned.

San Fernando gains grant for employing jobseekers

By Romeo Dizon SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga—This city has won a grant from foreign funding agencies for finding jobs for 98 percent of applicants under the Jobstart program.

This growth center of Central Luzon bested other pilot cities in the Jobstart placement program, beating Quezon City (97 percent), Caloocan City (90 percent), General Trias in Cavite and other cities.

The high placement rate was the effort of San Fernando’s Public Employ-

ment Service Office, which assisted the applicants in the different companies in the city that have invested around P50 billion in San Fernando—mostly manufacturing firms, banks, service companies, exporters, retailers and others.

Jobstart, which is funded by the Canadian government through the Asian Development Bank in cooperation with the Department of Labor and Employment and local government units, aims to reduce poverty and unemployment in the country.

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

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Life CULTURE & MEDIA

The young ballerinas of Team Paquita which got the award Best Performance for Ensembles for ages 4 to 12 in the Hong Kong Challenge Cup Dance Competition 2017.

Where little girls are turned into world-class ballerinas

I

T’S a rainy Saturday morning but on the fifth floor of Waltermart at Chino Roces corner Arnaiz avenues in Makati, little girls with their hair in tight buns and clad in tights and ballet shoes are warming up.

This signals the official start of their weekend. While other girls are sleeping, playing with toys or going to lunch with their families, they are at Dance Theatre Arts with their mothers (or in some cases, fathers), to study ballet under studio director Pamela Ortiz-Bondoc, artistic director Brezhnev Larlar, classical ballet faculty Mark Christopher Simbiling and contemporary ballet faculty Fredrick Fernandez.

And, these kids are world-class, having recently won awards in the Hong Kong Challenge Cup Dance Competition 2017, besting over 1,200 contestants from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea and Australia.

The school’s students won 24 gold medals, 12 silvers and five bronzes in various dance categories.

The Challenge Cup Trophy, which is giv-

en to the dancer with the highest combined score for Solo Classical and Solo Contemporary Ballet, was awarded to Kien Jimenez who received a score of 97 for Contemporary Ballet and 95 for her Classical Solo.

The students at Dance Theatre Arts work hard for every competition. For the Hong Kong Challenge Cup Dance Competition 2017, it meant training on Thursdays and Fridays, aside from Saturdays and Sundays.

Nova Academia, whose eight-year-old daughter Star was part of Team Paquita, which won the Best Performer Trophy for Ensemble Junior Division (4-12 years old), said she survived July by God’s grace.

“I am an events production manager. God probably realized that I needed my July free so I could support Star. So I had no events for July,” said Nova, a solo parent who had to learn how to d o

makeup on YouTube just for her little ballerina.

She is particularly proud of how Star has blossomed from a shy girl to a star onstage.

“Star was around three or four when she said she wanted to do ballet after watching Angelina Ballerina. She was too young for ballet then so we tried to find a school that taught tap dancing. We didn’t find one so we went around ballet schools. Dance Theatre Arts is near our house so I enrolled her here.”

Nova has seen how Star has changed from a shy little girl to a confident performer. She admires her daughter for being disciplined, too.

“When she makes a mistake, which can happen when you’re dancing, she notices it.

When she isn’t dancing well, she is the first one who notices. She is very determined.”

Another determined little girl is Annika Browne, who is also from Team Paquita.

Annika is an honor student and also competes (and wins) in math contests. per“Annika is also shy but when she per forms, she becomes a different person. I love how ballet brought her out of her shell.

She loves doing it even if she is sometimes tired because she has to juggle school and ballet,” said Annika’s mom Angie Limbaco, who is in public relations and marketing.

Ortiz-Bondoc said it’s not really difficult to make the girls less shy about performing.

“We ask them to dance in that area outside the school and they call that a Waltermart show except it’s not really a show and not

even a stage. So through that, they get used to people looking at them when they dance and that boosts their confidence.”

The involvement of parents is very crucial in a child’s success at Dance Theatre Arts. Yes, in a way, stage parents are encouraged.

Ortiz-Bondoc said that aside from financial support, the school asks at least one parent to stay with the child during lessons so that he or she will see what it’s really like.

“We make them take videos of the rehearsal so that they see where improvements are needed. We tell them, ‘You have to improve this so at

Star Academia bags the Best Performer Trophy for Ensemble Junior Division

home.’ The kids are also being prepared by their parents so when they get here and they’re not prepared, we reprimand the father or mother, not the child. Ballet is very rigorous for a child. It should be a family thing,” she said.

Dance Theatre Arts is located on the 5th floor of Waltermart Makati, Chino Roces Avenue corner Antonio Arnaiz Street, Makati City.

For information, go to www.dancetheatrearts.org or like them on Facebook at DTA.Philippines.

Benilde student-dancers bag awards in Hong Kong SEVEN Benilde student artists bagged a total of seven different awards in the ComHong Kong Challenge Cup Dance Com petition (HKCCDC) 2017 on July 21 at the Y-Theatre, Youth Square, Chai Wan, Hong Kong.

The annual international dance competition brings together professional and amateur dancers to showcase their choreography. This year, the Benildean participants bagged five gold medals, one silver medal, and the award for the Best Dance Performance.

The winning Benildean performers for this year’s HKCCDC were Martha Lelis (Silver) from Saint Benilde Romançon Dance Company (SBRDC) (trainer and choreographer: Tonjie Mangao, Bachelor of Performing Arts in Dance (BPAD); and those who won Gold were Michael Patrick de la Torre, (BPAD), (trainer and choreographer: Cir Garing), Nicole Gutierrez and Ralph Nuguid (BPAD), Jaydee Jasa and Mark Juelar from SBRDC (choreographer: Christine Crame).

Furthermore, SBRDC performers Jasa,

Julear, Lois Laylo, and Ghian Red Arboleda received the Overall Best Dance Performance in the Ensemble category for Little Swans choreographed by Crame.

The Hong Kong Challenge Cup Dance Competition aims to promote diversity in dance culture and exchange experiences by giving dancers the opportunity to unite in harmony regardless of nationality.

For more information, visit The Benilde Office of Culture and Arts’ official Facebook page.

Annika Browne of team Paquita is determined to become a world-classs balerina

‘Bayanihan: An Evening of Interwoven Dance Traditions’ BAYANIHAN @61, An Evening of Interwoven Dance Traditions, is the latest season production of the Bayanihan Dance Company.

The Bayanihan, the national dance company of the Philippines, is known for its excellent productions well-known worldwide.

President Arsenio Lizaso of the Cultural Center of the Philippines where the latest production is being staged says, “For more than 60 years, Bayanihan— the Philippines National Folk Dance Company—has been synonymous with the excellent showcasing of folkloric dance, music and spectacle.”

Bayanihan @61 consists of four suites: Creative Threads of Dance; Palawan…

From the Village; Outside the Walls; and Through the Arches.

The introductory part of the new production features Bayanihan’s traditional repertoire, colorfully recreated by Ferdinand “Bong” Jose, Bayanihan’s dance director and choreographer.

Taking center stage in the production are

new and dazzling materials like the Palawan martial art dance called “Cali” and the Hispanic-Parian dance “Baile Sevillano” based on the mercurial and ancient Sevillanos of distant Iberia and Italica upon the research of Bayanihan Consultant and Researcher Guillermo Gomez Rivera. The dance, reminiscent of the sea-air adventure, characterizes the old Manila-MexicoChina galleon trade.

The production’s core performing artists include Marielle M. Benitez, Pauline Anne J. Cabrega, Charisse O. Cabrera, Pamela Rose G. Corales, Anna Kristina De Leon, Cherry Mae Dela Paz, Leonor Petra G. Elepano, Mary Anne Luis, Frances Anne Meneses, Vince Irvin Aguilar, Gerald Anzures, Michael S. Dela Chica, Leo Laurence Q. Lorilla, Jospeh Robert Manayan, and Ronnel Olvido.

At the helm of Bayanihan’s artistic team is Executive Director Suzie Moya Benitez.

Aside from Jose, she is joined by Musical Director Melito Vale Cruz.

‘Little Swans’ wins Gold and Overall Best Performance in the Hong Kong Challenge Cup Dance Competition

Saint Benilde Romancon Dance Company’s ‘Brothers’ bags a gold award

Free dance workshop for kids at MCAD USING their bodies as instruments in dance, children may explore shapes, space and movement in response to challenges and problem-solving in Creative Dance and Body Movements for Kids, a workshop scheduled Sept. 9 at the MCAD Multimedia Room of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s (DLS-CSB) Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD).

The three-hour workshop will introduce participants to creative dance and body movement for theater. Participants will learn from DLS-CSB’s Office of Culture and the Arts Cultural Events Promotions Coordinator Julia Enriquez and TAXI Theater Founder and Creative Navigator Eric de la Cruz.

The workshop is free and open to all kids aged 7 to 11 as part of the public programs

for MCAD Manila’s current exhibition, Reenactments. Limited slots are available.

For details and inquiries, visit www. mcadmanila.org.ph, or follow its Facebook and Twitter accounts at MCADManila.

The Museum of Contemporary Art and Design is located at the DLS-CSB School of Design and Arts Campus, Dominga Street, Malate, Manila.

Life

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

‘Art 2 Art’ host Lisa Macuja with resource persons from Malolos – Katrina Aniag and Bing Tubid of Lihan Malolos Tours (left), and tourism marketing head Marichelle Bernardo

Marikina Tourism and Cultural Office’s Ponchie Santos and Luming Aquino join Lisa Macuja for a discussion on the city’s history and attractions.

‘Art 2 Art’ focuses on heritage preservation

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RT 2 Art focuses on various aspects of heritage preservation this September.

Produced by the Manila Broadcasting Company and hosted by “Ballerina ng Bayan” Lisa Macuja, it airs every Sunday, 3:30 to 4 p.m., on DZRH (666 khz on the AM

band), on RHTV (Ch. 129 on Skycable in Metro Manila, Ch. 18 on Cignal TV and Ch. 3 on Cablelink) and online live streaming on http://dzrhnews television.tv.

The show may also be viewed through the Facebook account DZRH News Television.

On Sept. 10, resource persons from Malolos discuss why their city has been declared a National Historical Landmark. Tourism marketing and promotion sector head Mari-

chelle Bernardo explains the local government’s “Vamos a Malolos” campaign while Katrina Aniag and Bing Tubid of Lihan Malolos Tours list the city’s attractions, from the Barosoain Church to an array of historic houses.

On Sept. 17, it’s the turn of Marikina to be in the spotlight. Ponchie Santos and Luming Aquino of the Marikina Tourism and Cultural Office relate the history of the city

acclaimed as the “Shoe Capital of the Philippines.” They also discuss local attractions, from museums and parks to events such as the Sapatos Festival, Ka-Angkan Festival and Rehiyon-Rehiyon Festival.

On Sept. 24, Architect Gerard Lico gives an update on the ongoing rehabilitation of the Manila Metropolitan Theater.

After being purchased by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in

2015, the Juan Arellano-designed theater has undergone clean up and repair and is being eyed as an eventual art and culture hub in the heart of Manila.

For inquiries, please e-mail art2artdzrh@ gmail.com or visit the Ballerina ng Bayan page on Facebook. Past episodes of the program may be viewed on YouTube, at the Art 2 Art with Lisa Macuja channel.

STAGE

Mr. Gay World 2017 in ‘Solo Para Adultos’ BAGUIO native, John Raspado, Mr. Gay World 2017, appears in a titular role on stage in the play Solo Para Adultos on October 20 at the Music Museum.

Raspado received a congratulatory scroll from Quezon City Mayor Herbert M. Bautista, Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte and members of the City Council for being the first Filipino and Asian delegate to win the international Mr. Gay World title.

Raspado, in the upcoming play, portrays JV San

Miguel, a gay male actor who gets involved with an aspiring male sexy actor, Alfred, (Vivo Ouano). His character comes between the relationship between Alfred and Veronica Fox (April ‘Congrats’ Gustillo of Wowowee).

As JV San Miguel, his role promises to attract and gain support from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, and Intersex (LGBTQI).

The play is produced by Red Lantern Production.

Dulaang Filipino’s staging of ‘Oedipus’ will represent the Philippines in the Teatralny Koufar International Theater Festival in Belarus on Sept. 20-28

Dulaang Filipino in Belarus

OEDIPUS, the award-winning production by Dulaang Filipino of the Greek tragedy by Sophocles, will represent the Philippines in the Teatralny Koufar International Theater Festival in Minsk, Belarus from Sept. 20 to 28.

Dulaang Filipino, the resident theater group of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), recently announced its inclusion in the final list of competitors.

A total of 21 theater companies from Belarus, Bulgaria, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Tunisia, United Kingdom and the Philippines are among those competing. Twelve other teams from around Europe have been waitlisted for participation in the event.

The Teatralny Koufar International Theater Festival is considered to be one of the most influential youth theater forum in Eastern Europe. Organized by the Belarusian State University, it aims to serve as a transnational platform that unites talented and active young people from around the world. Ongoing for 13 years, it has hosted theater groups from more than 60 countries.

An independent jury of theater professionals will proclaim winners in three categories, namely Best Amateur Theater, Best Theater of Professional School, and

Best Youth Professional Theater.

Individual prizes will likewise be given for acting, direction and scenic design, while the festival grand prize known as The Big Koufar will be decided on by the viewing public.

Dulaang Filipino’s Oedipus, first presented in 2014, is a one-hour reduction of Sophocles’ Theban trilogy, consisting of Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone, in Filipino translations by Rolando Tinio and Onofre Pagsanjan. The production, directed by Riki Benedicto, has been performed at the UP Theater Council’s Curtain Call play festival in 2014 and at the Mont-Laurier International Theatre Festival in Quebec, Canada in 2015.

It recently won the International University of La Rioja Award (UNIR) for Best International Show in the IV Premios Escenamateur “Juan Mayorga” de las Artes Escénicas.

Dulaang Filipino will restage Oedipus at the DLSCSB School of Design and Arts (SDA) Theater scheduled later this month as part of its send-off and fundraising activities.

Mr. Gay World 2017 John Raspado stars in ‘Solo Para Adultos’

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‘Leadership That Matters’ by Francis Kong INSPIRATIONAL speaker and author Francis Kong highlights some of the most practical and relevant leadership lessons

he holds in high regard in Leadership That Matters, his most awaited new book published by ABS-CBN Publishing.

Motivational speaker Francis Kong introduces his latest book ‘Leadership That Matters’

It is a compilation of the business guru’s motivational articles on self-improvement and developing the right character and discipline to become a good leader. Despite his numerous talks and books in the past, the author seeks to continue sharing his latest inspiration to lead people in different business enterprises.

Kong wrote, “I want to carry the awesome responsibility of sharing critical ideas that are both relevant and effective in equipping leaders with the knowledge to do better and become better. I hope that this book is a tool they can use for their own leadership journey.”

The author also cited that it’s not enough to learn about management principles. The ability to lead has to be complemented with the openness for constant improvement.

“Throughout the years, from one training after another, the lessons, challenges, and wisdom continue to flow, leaving me each time with the humbling realization that my expertise on ‘leadership issues’ is so little, short, and limited. There could never be a fixed menu for leadership principles that one can teach, much less adopt for any given situation,” shared Kong. The book is available at National Book Store for P395.

ABS-CBN supports 2017 Media Congress ABS-CBN Corporation is one of the major sponsors of the Media Specialists Association of the Philippines’ (MSAP) “Ascendant: 2017 Media Congress” on Sept. 6 to 9 in Baguio City. The Kapamilya Network will bring celebrities and will run an entertaining show for the delegates of the congress.

The MSAP 2017 Media Congress is the biggest and largest gathering of the country’s media experts. ABS-CBN and MSAP have built a strong partnership through the years as both parties constantly support each other’s endeavors.

Present in the contract signing were, from left, ABS-CBN executives, head of integrated marketing Nandy Villar, ABS-CBN’s head of finance for broadcast and integrated news and current affairs Cat Lopez, CFO Aldrin Cerrado, COO of broadcast Cory Vidanes, CEO of IPG Media Brands and Overall Chairman of media congress Venus Navalta, head of integrated sales August Benitez, managing partner of Havas Media and vice chairman of the Media Congress Herminia De Leon, and Media Specialists Association of the Philippines president Gladys Basinillo.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

JULIANNE MOORE is good at being bad

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CADEMY award-winning actress Julianne Moore is at her best in being bad as the new villain in Kingsman: The Golden Circle, the sequel to the worldwide hit and unparalleled spy action movie Kingsman: The Secret Service.

Matthew Vaughn returns as director along with original cast Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, and Sophie Cookson.

The sequel also features new cast members Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Pedro Pascal, and Jeff Bridges.

This time, a mysterious crime syndicate destroys the headquarters and Eggsy must enlist the help of their larger-than-life counterparts, Statesman, to track down the psychopathic villain behind the attack.

A guaranteed and spectacular entertainment, the movie packs a subversively funny, stylish and unique action event that expands the Kingsman universe in the most unexpected ways.

For Vaughn, a good villain is essential to the success of a

Kingsman movie. And after raising the bar with Samuel L. Jackson’s loud, lisping Richmond Valentine in the first movie, Vaughn was determined to come up with another character audiences would love to see being good at being bad.

Enter Poppy Adams in Kingsman: The Golden Circle, an exiled American crime lord now living in her own personal theme park, Poppyland, found in the wilds of Cambodia. And to play this largerthan-life lunatic, whose grand plans for the world bring her into direct conflict with Kingsman and the Statesman, Vaughn turned to the wonderful Julianne Moore.

Long considered one of the world’s greatest actors, Moore is endlessly watchable and incredibly versatile, notching up an array of stunning performances in Boogie Nights,

Magnolia, Hunger Games series, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and “Still Alice, the movie for which she finally won a long overdue Best Actress Oscar.

Moore shares her thoughts on her outrageous character in the movie, “No matter how outrageous her antics are, they’re normal in her world. She’s the only character in her world, so she doesn’t know.

She’s a megalomaniac in the way that all great villains are. One movie I loved so much growing up as a kid was the original Superman… watching Gene Hackman play Lex Luthor alongside his girlfriend sidekick, they were so funny and so real, but also true villains. That’s a tone I thought of a lot when I was making this.”

Opening nationwide on Sept.

20 in Philippine cinemas, Kingsman: The Golden Circle is from 20th Century Fox to be distributed

by Warner Bros. Also available in IMAX screens nationwide.

Check 20th Century Fox (PH) Facebook page, 20thcenturyfoxph YouTube, Instagram and Twitter for more updates.

Sparks gold and silver for Kapamilya, SKY ABS-CBN and its cable, broadband, and directto-home subsidiary SKY Cable Corporation, were once again recognized for media excellence as they hauled one Gold and one Silver award, respectively, in the 2017 Spark Awards in Singapore.

The digital creative content team of the Kapamilya network received the Gold award in the Best Content Team category for its entry “Creative Effective Digital Solutions for the Company, Brands, Fans, and the Country” due to the immersive digital solutions for the target audience of ABS-CBN and its partner clients.

As it transitions into an agile digital company, ABS-CBN launched digital projects that serve the needs of its expanding digital audience, including One Music PH’s digital concerts, which are tailor fit for millennial audiences based on predictive social listening and the Pinoy Big Brother Online House, which gave fans of the hit TV show the chance to experience the thrill of being a housemate.

The country’s leading media and entertainment company’s other digital projects are Patrol.PH, a Filipino language news website that caters to the needs of the digital market; ABS-CBNfoundation. com, a website that inspires the general public to uplift fellow Filipinos through public service; and “Nesfruta Real or No Real Challenge,” an original online show that builds awareness among moms about the ‘real fruit’ goodness of Nesfruta, among many others.

Meanwhile, SKY bagged a Silver award once more, this time in the Best Event by a Media Owner category for the 2016 SKYathon Boracay Beach Run, an annual beach run that gathered clients, sponsors, and running

enthusiasts to raise funds for the rehabilitation of Boracay’s coral reefs.

SKY earned its first Silver award in last year’s Spark Awards for its “me&mySKY” corporate campaign in 2015 under the Best Corporate Branding by a Media Owner category that showcased SKY’s strong relationship with its subscribers.

Besides promoting environment sustainability, SKYathon 2016 also became a platform for families and friends to bond together through a beach run, one of the event’s purpose that echoes SKY’s mission to strengthen the relationships of Filipinos through its products and services.

ABS-CBN and SKY’s latest triumphs show that industry peers in the Southeast Asian region trust and respect the two companies, which both aim to be in the service of Filipinos worldwide.

SKY, the country’s leading cable TV provider, will fly one SKY subscriber and a companion to walk the red carpet and watch The EMMYS® live.

The 69thPrimetime Emmy® Awards honors the best of television on Sept. 18, 8 a.m. (Manila Time) at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California.

This year’s awards has a record nominations for HBO at 111, the most of any network for the 17th year in a row. Its most popular show last year, Westworld, which nabbed a total of 22 nominations, ties (with Saturday Night Live) for the most of any program this year.

The live TV coverage of The EMMYS® will be on Lifestyle (Mega Manila channel 52, Regional channel 40 or 601, and SKYdirect channel 31) on Sept.18, Monday at 8 a.m..

Join E! Live From The Red Carpet at The EMMYS® on Sept. 18 at 6 a.m. (Mega Manila SD channel 57, HD channel 207 and Regional SD channel 608, HD channel 744).

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

51 Bring in a fish to the boat (2 wds.)

53 Ibsen heroine 55 Untrustworthy sort 57 List price 61 Purse holder 64 Steady effort 66 Chisel 67 Cleveland’s lake 68 All-purpose vehicles 69 — down (got quiet) 70 Understands 71 Cincinnati baseballers DOWN 1 Kind of bean 2 Baldwin of films 3 Doesn’t exist 4 Water lilies 5 Vast number 6 Ottoman official 7 Insect drawn to candles 8 Cover with crumbs 9 Element 10 Judges’ decisions 11 Conceit 12 Dine 13 Hundreds of

mins.

18 Author — 22 Mideast country 24 “Stir Crazy” star 26 Cry of discovery 27 Buttonhole 28 Summer bulbs 29 Nanny from abroad (2 wds.)

30 Petty 32 More downcast 34 Repairs a tear 37 Actor — Welles 43 Passable 44 Stuffed shirt 45 Fables

SKY flies out subscribers to watch The Emmys®

HBO's sci-fi series "Westworld" leads this year's Primetime Emmys with 22 nominations

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Go belly-up 5 Lintel companion 9 Not canned or frozen 14 In addition 15 Mr. Sikorsky 16 Soothsayer 17 Provide air circulation 19 Hoof-onpavement sounds 20 Real 21 Port-au-Prince site 23 Save a coupon 25 Hummed 28 Peril at sea 31 Moon or sun 33 Bickered 35 Director — Bunuel 36 Chute material 38 Mlle. in Barcelona 39 Likely 40 Royal pronoun 41 Beagle feature 42 Information 44 Urge 46 Quite similar 47 Some flatware 49 Nonsense!

50 Occupies, as a post

American actress Julian Moore in the British action spy comedy "Kingsman: The Golden Circle"

46 Hobbyist 48 Fled to wed 52 Unclad ones 54 Not decaf.

56 Blarney Stone locale 58 Before, in combos 59 Kept cold 60 Subtraction word 61 Mil. rank 62 Excessively 63 Baseball score unit 65 Prevaricate

FANGIRL/ FANBOY. Ella

Cruz and Julian Trono star in a new Viva romcom that centers on Filipinos' obsession with K-pop

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

JULIAN TRONO and ELLA CRUZ

New love team sizzles on screen tomorrow Y

OUNG dance sensations Julian Trono and Ella Cruz are full-fledged stars now with Fangirl | Fanboy opening in cinemas nationwide tomorrow.

The film is a Joyce Bernal production for Viva Films and N2 Productions, and it is a very timely take on the K-pop fever.

First time director Barry Gonzalez megged the fun fan movie.

Julian’s character, Ollie Fernandez, is a one-hit boy wonder with a level of confidence that more often borders on conceit. He fanboys over Korean actress Soo Mi Young (played by Yam Concepcion), who plays the part of Sandy/Android 5000 in the Koreanovela “Program for Love.”

Ella, meanwhile, is Aimee, Soo Mi Young’s voice in the series.

Ronnie Liang is Min Jun Park, the Korean actor paired with Soo Mi Young.

The film’s hilarious twists and

romantic turns take shape when Ollie meets Aimee who happens to be his biggest fan. Aimee agrees to help Ollie work on this acting skills and she succeeds as he achieves that elusive dream of stardom. In exchange, though, Aimee gets heartbroken due to complications in Ollie’s showbiz career.

Julian and Ella say Fangirl | Fanboy gives both of them heavy pressure as a team. “Yung pressure na nararamdaman ko kapag sinasabi ni Direk na napanood na daw nila Boss Vic (del Rosario, Viva big boss) ‘yung movie, tapos sinasabi nila ‘yung feedback nila, kinakabahan talaga ako,” Ella relates.

“Lagi ko tinatanong si Direk, totoo ba ito? Totoo bang matatapos na natin

‘yung movie? Totoo bang malapit na tayong ipalabas?” she goes on.

Julian and Ella, as well as director Barry, are confident they have Fangirl | Fanboy their best. They could only hope that the dance duo’s followers and multitude of fans would have as much fun as they did while shooting the film and that they would embrace them as well as a couple on the big screen this time.

On talks that Julian and Ella might be Viva’s next JaDine, the pair admits JaDine is one tough act to follow and that they are flattered with the idea. But for now, Julian and Ella would rather focus on their budding movie pairing, improve on their act and leave the rest to destiny.

Laugh, cry, and scream with Lifetime In "Saving Sally," Rhian Ramos (left) sees her world littered with monsters

‘Saving Sally’ on Cinema One ESCAPE into the colorful world of Saving Sally, starring Rhian Ramos, Enzo Marcos, and TJ Trinidad, on Cinema One. The film won the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival 2017 special jury prize and audience award.

Saving Sally is the about comic book artist Enzo’s unrequited love for geeky best friend Sally (Rhian) using combined live action and animation.

Marty sees Manila littered with monsters, including Sally’s alpha male boyfriend Nick (TJ), as he watches over and tries to save her from her personal struggles.

Aside from the fantasy-animation film’s recent wins in the US, it also bagged three Fantasporto-Oporto International Film Festival recognitions in Portugal, including audience

choice, special jury prize and Orient Express Section special jury award. It likewise won the best family film in this year’s Bentonville Film Festival and the 7th Orbit PrizeSpecial Mention in the recent Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film.

Locally, Saving Sally”earned the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival best musical score and children choice award, as well as the best production design in the 40th Gawad Urian.

Director Avid Liongoren shared that he was picturing a Quezon City state of mind during the film’s production, which resulted to the unique aesthetics as one of the film’s many complex delights—among them the remarkable views of an animated Metro Manila.

Marga finds out about Tessa’s missing son in

The channel also brings you the brandnew season of Little Women LA: Terra’s Little Family. Your favorite little parents Terra and Joel are making final preps for their new baby’s arrival and the many firsts of parenthood. Watch as this lovable couple navigates ordinary parenting challenges that average-sized people might take for granted in extraordinary ways. Catch the all-new season from Tuesday to Thursday, 10:30 p.m., starting Sept. 27.

Get ready for an even more amazing cooking with new episodes of MasterChef Australia Season 9 Monday to Friday at 8 p.m..

The most controversial and groundbreaking social experiment just got bigger. Season 4 of Married at First Sight Australia sees its expert matchmakers

‘Pusong Ligaw’ THE Classy catfights continue on afternoon television as the tension between Marga (Bianca King) and Tessa (Beauty Gonzales) heats up in ABS-CBN’s hit afternoon series Pusong Ligaw.

Marga recently stole the spotlight from Tessa during the launch of TeriVida as Marga gave a speech before invited guests and even claimed that the clothing line was all her idea. Marga also did not spare Tessa’s son, Rafa (Enzo Pineda), from her evil schemes when she suddenly replaced him

with Potpot (Diego Loyzaga) as Vida’s (Sofia Andres) escort to the ball, leaving Rafa hanging.

Marga is yet to give Tessa her strongest blow now that she knows about Tessa’s missing son.

Pusong Ligaw airs after It’s Showtime on ABS-CBN and on ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable ch 167).

Catch up on the show’s past episodes via iWanTV or skyondeman.com.ph for Sky subscribers. For more updates, follow @starcreatives on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

LIFETIME gives you the most complete and extraordinary TV viewing experience this September with new seasons and new episodes of your favorite shows. You’ll be laughing, crying, and even screaming in front of your screens as you witness hilarious moments with Hollywood celebrities, mouthwatering cooking challenges, shocking real-life haunted house stories, and more.

Your destination for laughter and fun, The Ellen DeGeneres Show is back for Season 15 starting on Sep. 13, Monday to Friday at 11 p.m..

Join award-winning host and global entertainer Ellen DeGeneres for some unpredictable fun with Hollywood A-listers, musical performers, ordinary folks with unique (and usually hilarious) talents, and so much more.

Beauty Gonzales in a scene from "Pusong Ligaw's" latest episode

pairing 20 brave singles in an attempt to determine if science can create the perfect marriage—and, for the first time ever in the series, putting all 10 brides and 10 grooms under the same roof. Relationships will be tested like never before, but the question is: who will find true love?

Find out in new episodes starting at 9 p.m. tonight and follow the show, Tuesday to Thursday.

New house. New furniture. New ghosts. Recount shocking eyewitness stories of people whose homes have been invaded by spirits of the dead in blood-curdling new episodes of My Haunted House Season 3 every Friday at 9 p.m..

Lifetime™ is available on SKYCable Ch 65 and Lifetime™ HD Ch 199; Cable Link Ch. 223; Dream Satellite Ch 28; Destiny Ch 44.