Issuu

Lacson: Sabotage vs Faeldon SENATOR Panﬁlo Lacson said Sunday he will ﬁle charges of graft and economic sabotage against former Customs commissioner Nicanor Faeldon this week. In an interview on radio dzBB, Lacson said Faeldon violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016. “He was the commissioner and he was

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the one who asked that the smuggled rice be released,” Lacson said in Filipino. Lacson said he was conﬁdent Faeldon would be the ﬁrst person convicted for economic sabotage under the AntiAgricultural Smuggling Act authored by Senator Cynthia Villar. “This is a new law,” Lacson said. Next page

Troops retake Marawi bridge, seal terror path By Bill Casas THE Palace on Sunday lauded government troops for retaking the Masiu Bridge, which they said was significant in ending the rebellion in Marawi City. “Control of the Masiu Bridge is a significant development in our goal of ending the rebellion in Marawi,” said Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella in a statement. Masiu Bridge is closest to Lake Lanao and is a possible escape route of the remaining terrorist rebels still holed up in the main battle area in Marawi City, Abella said. “Government troops are now in the final push and despite the enemy’s continued resistance, our recent suc-

cesses would hopefully lead to the eventual liberation of the entire city and pave the way back to normalcy,” Abella said. Generals leading the fight against local terror groups in Marawi City crossed the remaining critical bridges in the battle area Sunday morning, Sept. 24, to mark a “significant progress” in the battle area. “At 10 a.m. today, Sept. 24, 2017, Major Generals Rolando Bautista and Danilo Pamonag, commander of the Joint Task Force Marawi and commander of the Joint Special Operations Task Force Trident, respectively, crossed for the first time since the start of the Marawi siege, the Bayabao Bridge and the Masiu

IN CONTROL. Government troops led by commanders of the Joint Task Force Marawi and Task Force Trident Major General Rolando Bautista and Major General Danilo Pamonag, respectively, along with Task Force Ranaw’s Col. Romeo Brawner, take over from Maute terrorists the Masui Bridge on Sunday Sept. 24, 2017. They were met on the other end of the bridge by Marines Brigadier General Melquiades Ordiales. Mark Navales

Frat blocks probe

GRIEVING PARENTS.

Parents of hazing victim Horacio Castillo III, Horacio II and his wife Carmina arrive at the Manila Police District Command’s Homicide Division in Manila to talk to primary suspect John Paul Solano who, however, refused to meet them. Norman Cruz

Aguirre bares threats to two hazing eyewitnesses

By Rey E. Requejo, Macon RamosAraneta and Bill Casas

HE probe into the hazing death of University of Sto. Tomas law student Horacio Castillo III has hit a snag due to the lack of cooperation from members of the Aegis Juris fraternity, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Sunday.

“They are afraid because they already received threats,” Aguirre said of two witnesses—a member and a neophyte of the fraternity—who reached out to his ofﬁce. “They haven’t submitted afﬁdavits yet despite our assurance to cover them under the witness protection program.” Castillo, a freshman law student, went to a “welcome event” of the Aegis Juris fraternity on Sept. 16

and was brought to Chinese General Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival the following day. An autopsy showed he had blood clots on both arms, where he was beaten, and cigarette and candle wax burns in different parts of his body. Aguirre, who visited Castillo’s wake last week, urged more witnesses to come forward to cooperate with the authorities. Next page

Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas said the President was amenable to the provision in the Senate bill that allows affected barangay ofﬁcials to continue exercising their functions in a holdover capacity. If the House accepts the Senate version, there will be no need to settle the differences through the bicameral

JEEPNEY operators and drivers are poised to go on strike in Metro Manila and nearby regions on Monday and Tuesday to protest a government program that would phase out jeepneys. In an interview on radio dzMM, Jun Magno, head of the transport group Stop and Go Coalition, said the modernization program seeks to replace jeepneys with modern vehicles that drivers and operators can’t afford. “They can’t afford the P1.6 million,” Magno said in Filipino, referring to the price of the modern jeepney replacement. “They said they will lend

Barangay polls tabled for House action By Rio N. Araja and Macon RamosAraneta

Solons rush budget bill to beat deadline By Rio N. Araja and Bill Casas CONGRESS is set to approve on third and ﬁnal reading tomorrow the P3.767-trillion General Appropriations Bill that would guarantee the implementation of the administration’s pro-poor programs, including the free college tuition and the “build, build, build” infrastructure projects of

President Rodrigo Duterte. “Barring any printing technical difﬁculties, we will consider on third reading the 2018 GAB on Tuesday immediately following the roll call,” said Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, the House majority ﬂoor leader. Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, chairman of the committee on appropriations, said they expected the President to sign the bill on

or before Nov. 15. Nograles made his statement following the full restoration of the budget of the Energy Regulatory Commission’s P650.9-million budget and the National Commission on Indigenous People’s P1.13-billion budget. The Commission on Human Rights’ budget appropriation was cut by P115 million when only P508 Next page

Senators exclude milk, coffee from excise tax By Macon RamosAraneta MILK and 3-in-1 coffee are excluded from the proposed excise tax on sweetened beverages under the version that the Senate panel reported out last week, Senator Sonny Angara said Sunday. Angara, chairman of the

ways and means committee, said his committee had found it unjustiﬁable to tax milk―given its nutritional value―in the same way as soft drinks and other unhealthy sweetened beverages. Senate Bill 1592 excludes from the proposed tax plain milk, infant formula milk,

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growing-up milk, powdered, ready-to- drink, ﬂavored and fermented milk with less than 5 grams of sugar per 100 ml package. Data from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute says chronic malnutrition among Filipino children under ﬁve years old has increased Next page

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THE House of Representatives is expected to decide today whether to adopt the Senate version of a bill postponing barangay and youth elections so that President Rodrigo Duterte can sign it into law on Wednesday.

Citizens Battle Against Corruption Rep. Sherwin Tugna, chairman of the committee on suffrage and electoral reforms that approved the postponement of local polls from October 2017 to May 2018, said they would discuss adopting the Senate version of the bill with House leaders Monday. Majority Floor Leader and

Transport strike in the offing

Sereno gets chance to face accusers SUPREME Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno is welcome to answer all the allegations in the impeachment complaint filed against her and to challenge all the witnesses during the proceedings, Rep. Reynaldo Umali said Sunday. Umali, chairman of the committee on justice, made the statement even as Carlo Cruz, Sereno’s lawyer, said they will file an affidavit today saying “why the complaint must Next page fail.”

manilastandard.net

MESSAGE TO UN. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetan delivers the message of

the Republic of the Philippines during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly at the UN Headquarters in New York City on Sept. 24, 2017. He says that the Philippines is one with the UN and the rest of the world in building a more peaceful, secure and stable globe. (Story on A2) Presidential Photo

Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net

News

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2017

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HR, devt top PH agenda, UN told N

EW YORK―Saying security and human rights are not incompatible, the Philippines said Sunday it will continue to uphold human rights in carrying out its responsibility to protect Filipinos from the threat posed by illegal drugs, criminality and terrorism. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano emphasized this in his statement during the High-Level Debate at the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he also called on the countries

critical of Manila’s ongoing campaign against illegal drugs to respect Philippine sovereignty. “The Philippines integrates the human rights agenda in its development initiatives for the purpose

Frat...

Police said Castillo died of a massive heart attack due to injuries suffered during hazing. Lacson said Solano must first talk to the prosecutor and see if he can be presented as a state witness, but the judge will have the final say. Solano was accompanied by University of Santo Tomas (UST) Civil Law Dean Nilo Divina when he appeared before Lacson, chairman of the Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs, which has started its investigation of the fatal hazing. Lacson said Solano was among those to appear during his committee’s hearing on the case Monday. His panel has also invited UST officials, fraternity members, the police, and Castillo’s family. Aside from the Castillo case, the panel will also tackle pending bills that seek to add teeth to the 1995 AntiHazing Law. When Solano was turned over to the Manila Police District, Lacson said, he was effectively under arrest. “So his fingerprints and mug shots were taken by the police. He will also be subject to inquest proceedings,” Lacson said, adding that Solano was being treated as an accused for now. While admitting being a

From A1

He also set up a hotline at 0995-4429241 for anyone who wanted to volunteer information on Castillo’s death. “There are eight neophytes in the latest batch who underwent initiation rites, and they are being prevented by the senior members from speaking up. Just like in any other fraternity, they have a code of silence,” said Aguirre, who himself is a member of the Lex Talionis fraternity from the San Beda College law school. The neophytes, he said, were “being kept against their will” so they would not reveal what they know of the incident. Aguirre also said the that Castillo was actually not part of the batch that underwent hazing, but members of the fraternity picked on him. Meanwhile, Senator Panﬁlo Lacson said John Paul Solano, the member of Aegis Juris who brought Castillo to Chinese General Hospital in Manila, wants to be a state witness. In an interview on radio dzBB, Lacson said Solano, who had surrendered to him, said Castillo was “half dead” when he rushed him to hospital.

Transport... From A1

us P1.6 million. Is debt a form of help? Magno added that the government has not been listening to their complaints. Aileen Lizada of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board said jeepney drivers and operators will get ﬁnancial assistance. “Government has included in its budget P80,000... which will be given free, as a subsidy, to all who want to buy the modern jeepney. That’s not a loan,” she said in Filipino. She added that the modernization program was “20 years in the making” and would take political will to push it forward. At the same time, Lizada

Lacson:... From A1

“Nobody has yet been investigated for this. Senator Cynthia Villar challenged me, saying now that the law has passed, it’s not being implemented. So when we finished the case on Faeldon, I told her, Senator Cynthia, this is my gift to the law you worked hard to pass.” He described the complaint as a test case, but he was sure Faeldon would be convicted because everything was documented. Lacson said he has enough evidence, including documents and sworn affidavits, that will be sufficient to back the charges that he will file against Faeldon. Lacson said his legal team is also studying Fa-

warned that drivers who join the two-day transport strike face suspension. Enforcers will be taking note of the plate numbers of those who join the protest, she said, adding that it is illegal to cover their license plates. Transport leader Jorge San Mateo, meanwhile, accused the LTFRB of harassment for ﬁling a complaint against him before the Quezon City prosecutor’s ofﬁce. In an interview with radio dzBB, San Mateo said that the complaint against him, supposedly stemming from a transport strike Piston staged last February, is intended to sow fear among jeepney drivers and operators. He said the move was harassment aimed at scaring off drivers and small operators.

eldon’s possible defense in the case. He said his office has asked for additional documents and affidavits to make sure that the cases against Faeldon are airtight. Faeldon’s lawyer and spokesman Jose Diño said, however, that Lacson still has “zero evidence” against the former Customs commissioner. He said Lacson was just diverting the public’s attention from his “miserable inability to prove his malicious-falsities,” adding that the senator is just “floating equally-false, wild and laughable allegations on agricultural products smuggling and economic sabotage.” “Indeed, his hallucinations know no bound,” Diño added.

of protecting everyone, especially the most vulnerable, from lawlessness, violence and anarchy,” Cayetano said in his first appearance on the world stage. “Security and human rights are not incompatible. Indeed, the first is our duty to the other,” Cayetano said. “Without security, the most basic human rights to life and safety are constantly under attack from terrorism, criminality, drugs and human trafficking.” In his statement, which was delivered a day after the UN Human Rights Council

in Geneva unanimously adopted the Third Universal Periodic Review Report of the Philippines, Cayetano reiterated Manila’s commitment to its human rights obligations under the international treaties it has ratiﬁed. He said it was the duty of any state to protect human life, human dignity and human rights from aggression by other states, terrorism from non-state actors and the destruction of societies and families from the criminal networks trafﬁcking in drugs, people and arms. He said the Philippine gov-

ernment’s campaign against illegal drugs was a necessary instrument to preserve and protect the human rights of all Filipinos and was never an instrument to violate human rights. Cayetano said the reason President Rodrigo Duterte launched his campaign against the illegal drug trade was to save lives, preserve families, protect communities and stop the country from sliding into a narco-state. “The very principle of the responsibility to protect must encompass ﬁrst and foremost the vast majority of peace-

member of Aegis Juris fraternity whose members were implicated in the fatal hazing of Castillo, Solano insisted he was not in any way involved in the hazing. He said his only participation was providing medical assistance to the victim. “They were in chaos that time. I was there to give medical assistance. I am a medical health provider so more or less they would call me,” Solano said. “I did give [him] CPR and then when I couldn’t do anything else, I brought him to the hospital,” Solano told reporters following his surrender to Lacson. Solano, also a UST law student , went on leave this year because of his job as a medical technologist. He denied recruiting the victim to the fraternity, saying he did not even know Castillo. He said he met the victim only on two occasions—the ﬁrst time was when he introduced himself and the second time was after the hazing. Police on Sunday said the father of one of the primary suspects in Castillo’s hazing death, was expected to surrender by Monday. Antonio Trangia, father of Ralph Trangia, will also turn over the vehicle used to bring Castillo’s body to Chinese General Hospital last

week. The younger Trangia has fled the country. Manila Police District director Chief Supt. Joel Coronel said Ralph’s parents could face charges. “The father of Trangia, for being part of the conspiracy to obstruct justice and to cover up the case and the mother... because it can be shown that the mother... assisted in the escape of her son,” Coronel said. Ralph, together with his mother, were seen on security cameras at an immigration counter in Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport during the early hours of Sept. 19. They boarded a flight for Chicago, Illinois. No look-out bulletin had been issued yet against Trangia at the time. Coronel said there are six more suspects they are looking at, including officers of Aegis Juris. “Most of the suspects are hiding with the assistance and aid of other, mostly frat members... Locating them at this moment is difficult,” Coronel said. “We have Solano but we are going to include the officers, at the very least, of the fraternity... so another six more will be included in the charges,” Coronel added. Based on the information they obtained, Coronel said there were also Aegis Juris

alumni present during the initiation rites. The MPD chief said some names have been added to their list of persons of interest. He did not identify them, however. The victim’s family learned about the incident when his mother Carminia Castillo received an anonymous text message saying that her son had been brought to the Chinese General Hospital. Castillo’s parents went to the MPD headquarters to talk to Solano Sunday, but were unable to do so because he did not have a lawyer present. Solano was earlier reported to be a “good samaritan” who found Catillo in Tondo, Manila and brought him to hospital, but his story was disputed by barangay ofﬁcials in the area where he said he found the body. Also on Sunday, the executive director of the Commission on Higher Education Julito Vitriolo said the 1995 Anti-Hazing Law must be amended because it does not prohibit hazing, but merely regulates it. In an interview on radio dzBB, Vitriolo said that hazing should be “immediately prohibited,” and said the existing law recognizes the dangerous practices of fraternities or sororities.

RISK FACTORS. A worker attaches metal coils to a hook to be transferred to a truck at a pier in Manila on Sept. 23, 2017. President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war and armed Islamist rebellion pose ‘rising’ risks to the Philippine economy, though it should continue to grow robustly in the short term, Moody’s Investors Service said in a recent study. AFP

Sereno... From A1

“If she wants to appear, then we most welcome that,” Umali said. “That’s her constitutional right to confront the witnesses. Her presence there would give her that opportunity to question or to raise issue or clariﬁcations about the alleged acts committed that are supposedly violative of the Constitution or

Senators... From A1

to 33.5 percent in 2015 from 30.5 percent in 2013. To address the problem, the Senate version of the tax bill allocated the incremental revenues from sweetened beverage tax to ﬁnance the expansion of school-based and community-based feeding programs for children and adults in areas with high hunger incidence, as well as the provision of water fountains in all public schools in the country.

would constitute as ground for impeachment. Sereno, an appointee of President Benigno Aquino III, is accused by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon of violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, corruption and other crimes for her alleged litany of lapses. Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said six to seven Supreme Court justices would come forward and testify against Sereno. Congress declared Ga-

don’s impeachment rap sufﬁcient in form and substance. Gadon claims Sereno bought an overpriced P5.1million brand-new and highend 2017 Toyota Land Cruiser with a P4-million bulletprooﬁng job, failed to declare in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth the “exorbitant lawyer’s fees” amounting to $745,000 or P37 million, and expensive travel allowances, among other things.

Angara said it was alarming that one in three Filipino children was suffering from intense malnutrition, which having a negative effect on their growth and development. He cited the need to expand the government’s feeding programs so tha more people would be given more nutritious food. SB 1592 likewise excludes 3-in-1 coffee from the proposed excise tax. Based on the 2013 Food Consumption Survey of the FNRI, coffee is the seventh most consumed food item of Filipinos. A Kantar survey

also showed that 90 percent of the consumers of 3-in1 coffee were low-income earners. “This is used to awaken ordinary workers so they can be more energetic to work,” Angara said. Under the earmarking provision, the revenues from the sweetened beverage tax would also go to health programs to address obesity, diabetes and other noncommunicable diseases, and to the provision of dialysis wards or units in all national, regional and provincial government hospitals.

ful law-abiding people who must be protected from those who are not,” Cayetano said. “It is for their safety and sustenance that states exist, and for which governments and leaders are responsible.” Cayetano told the countries critical of Manila’s campaign against illegal drugs to respect Philippine sovereignty and not tell it what to do. “The Philippines expects its sovereignty to be respected, and that its democratically-elected government’s assessment of threats and how to go about addressing them shall be accorded preemi-

Troops... From A1

Bridge,” said Task Group Ranao deputy commander Col. Romeo Brawner. It was a symbolic march of victory over the hardfought bridges, strongholds that the Marines were assigned to retake. The Palace also said the release of the Lanao del Sur drug matrix underscored the ties between illegal drugs and criminal and terrorist activities. On Friday, President Rodrigo Duterte showed journalists the “Lanao del Sur (LDS) Drug Trade Linked Diagram” with the names of and connections among drug personalities who are allegedly funding the Islamic State (ISIS)-inspired Maute terrorists in Marawi City. “Local politicians in Mindanao adversely affected by the government’s campaign against illegal drugs have ﬁnanced the Daesh-inspired Maute Group, whose attempt to undermine our sovereignty resulted in the rebellion in Marawi,”Abella said in a statement. Abella said the informa-

Solons... From A1

million of its P623-million budget request, excluding the P55-million payment for pensions for a total P678million allocation, was restored. Meanwhile, Malacañang on Sunday welcomed Congress’ decision to allot P40 billion for free college education in state universities and colleges and locally funded colleges. “We welcome the move of the House of Representatives to allot P40 billion next year for free college education in state universities and colleges and locally funded colleges,” presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a statement. “Free tertiary public education is a cornerstone of the social development policy of the Duterte administration. “The P40 billion would also provide additional stipends to very poor students and allow parents to borrow low-interest loans to help their children complete their education.” The House of Representatives has alloted P40 billion for next year for free college education in more than 100 state universities and colleges and locally funded schools. Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, chairman of the appropriations committee, said P30 billion of the P40 billion was taken from the

Barangay... From A1

conference committee. Duterte had earlier said he wanted to appoint barangay ofﬁcials to replace those whose terms expired. Senator Richard J. Gordon on Sunday said he was elated with the Senate’s decision to approve on third and ﬁnal reading, the bill he sponsored to postpone the

nence among nations―or at least the beneﬁt of their doubt,” said Cayetano who was representing Duterte in the annual diplomatic event. He cautioned other UN member-states against misinformation about its antiillegal drugs campaign. “Accusation before investigation is not proof. Nor is it fair. Abuses have occurred and mistakes have been made, tragic ones for sure,” he said. “While one abuse is one too many, still the abuses are far less than the imaginary numbers of partisan accusers and publicity seekers.”

tion gave more reason for the government forces to destroy the drug apparatus to protect Filipinos and secure communities. Duterte has released a “matrix” of drug lords and politicians who allegedly funded the deadly siege in Marawi City, which entered its fourth month on Saturday. The President said the matrix was a result of intelligence work in the last three months, when government troops were able to gain access to Marawi. “That’s for public consumption already. The details on how they operated the drug campaign in Marawi and the entire of Mindanao…I told them that we should make it public already, it’s no use keeping it a secret, for what? We cannot consume it. That would explain really the many killings here,” Duterte said. “There they discovered that the Maute [group] was really preparing for a long haul. Until now, they have never ran out of ordnance, explosives, ammunitions, and all. I really do not know the extent now of the contamination,” he added. Department of Education’s school building program. “School building projects with problems as to site―no space, no lot to build on― their funding was realigned to free college education,” Nograles said. He said his committee also pooled P6 billion from the scholarship programs of the Commission on Higher Education and SUCs, while P3 billion was taken from the Department of Transportation and P1 billion from the Department of Information and Communications Technology. “The P40 billion will cover free tuition and miscellaneous expenses for all SUCs as well as local colleges and universities accredited by the CHED,” Nograles said. “It will also cover free technical and vocational education offered by tech-vocational schools under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.” The Nograles committee made the realignments before ﬁnalizing the House version of the proposed P3.8-trillion national budget for 2018. President Rodrigo Duterte had signed the free college education law even if he knew there was no funding for it. He tossed the problem to the lawmakers, saying they too knew the absence of funds when they approved the program. The House is now printing the proposed budget for next year. barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections from October this year to May 2018. Gordon said with the issue on the postponement of the elections decided, the Senate can now concentrate on other bills and other pressing legislative business. The Senate on Wednesday approved on third and ﬁnal reading a bill postponing the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections from October to May next year.

News IN BRIEF Saudi extends amnesty for illegal OFWs THE Philippines has thanked Saudi Arabia for extending an amnesty program that will allow hundreds more of undocumented Filipinos to be repatriated. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Cayetano personally conveyed Manila’s appreciation to Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir on the sidelines of the 72nd United Nations General Assembly in New York over the weekend. Cayetano said the extension of the amnesty program is expected to benefit more than 6,000 undocumented Filipinos who were not able to avail themselves of the initial amnesty offer. A total of 8,467 undocumented Filipinos have benefitted from the program and have been repatriated in various batches by the DFA. “We really appreciate this gesture of the Saudi government that would allow us to bring home many more of our kababayans who are still stranded there,” Cayetano said. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola said the extension was in response to the request of the Philippines and several other countries. “This is the extension to the initial 90-day amnesty given in March that was extended for 30 days and now extended for the second time,” Arriola said.

Govt earmarks more budget for intercropping SOME 3.5-million coconut farmers will earn more from intercropping with the Senate pushing for a bigger allocation for the planting strategy next year. Senator Cynthia Villar, chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and Food, said a study shows that farmers earn only P50 a day from planting coconuts while intercropping with cacao and coffee can increase their income to as much as P350 a day. “If the goal is to bring down the poverty index from 22 percent to 15 percent by 2022, we should implement programs that will increase the income of coconut farmers, who are among our country’s poorest,” Villar said. Villar said the P13-million budget for the Coconut Intercropping Project which covers only the planting of bananas in 2,000 hectares in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is not enough. This prompted the Philippine Coconut Authority to draw up an allocation of P200 million for intercropping with cacao and coffee in new areas. Macon Ramos-Araneta

Group bucks tax on low-cost housing units THE United Filipino Consumers and Commuters strongly opposed the removal of the tax exemption on the purchase of a housing unit worth P3.2 million below. UFCC president Rodolfo Javellana Jr. urged Senator Sonny Angara to heed their appeal not to remove the 12-percent value-added tax exemption for low-cost and socialized housing. “Our members are mostly overseas Filipino workers and consumers who can ill afford to purchase our own homes with our average take-home pay of P30,000 and with the current housing prices of P450,000 to P3 million for socialized, economic and low-cost housing,” the group said. Angara proposed to impose a 12-percent VAT on housing unit worth P450,000 under the propsoed Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion bill. Under Republic Act 7279 or the Urban Housing and Development Act of 1992, the 12-percent VAT only applies to the purchase of a housing unit worth P3.2 million and above. Rio N. Araja

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2017

Extra P7-b rice subsidy set T

HE national government has set aside P7 billion of its P3.767trillion budget for 2018 to enable the National Food Authority to procure more unhusked rice or palay directly from local farmers for stockpiling. “The fresh subsidy will allow the NFA to buy an extra 388,889 metric tons of palay from local growers at P18 per kilo. The supply will then form part of the country’s Strategic Rice Reserve,” said Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, a member of the House appropriations committee. The new funding is in

accordance with President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive for the NFA to provide local rice farmers stronger buying support. NFA is mandated to keep a Strategic Rice Reserve equal to at least 15 days of national consumption at any given time, and equal to at least 30 days consumption by the start

of the lean season on July 1 of every year. After serving its purpose as stockpile, the NFA then sells the rice to accredited outlets at P30 per kilo to help keep retail prices down and support consumers, especially lowincome households. Pimentel said next year, NFA intends to procure up to 1.2 MTs of palay from local planters and distribute up to 1.35 MTs of rice. Based on documents submitted to Congress, NFA also indicated it may import another 580,050 MTs of rice next year, if needed. “Under the law, obtaining additional rice supplies

from abroad is always an option, in case of calamities, fortuitous events, or shortfall in local production,” Pimentel said. “But we would really prefer that the NFA buys as much palay as possible from local farmers, who are under tremendous pressure owing to the f lood of rice supplies from abroad due to trade liberalization as well as outright smuggling,” Pimentel added. Rice importations require the approval of Malacañang upon the recommendation of the NFA Council. NFA data shows that only 31 of the country’s 81 provinces

are actually producing more rice than they are consuming. In Luzon, the “rice surplus” provinces are Abra, Ifugao, Kalinga, IIocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan and Camarines Sur. In the Visayas, the surplus provinces are Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Biliran and Leyte while in Mindanao, these include Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Bukidnon, Compostela Valley, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Agusan del Sur and Maguindanao.

Opinion

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2017

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Rent-to-own makes sense

OTING that the government has set aside P17.4 billion for property and equipment rental and leases in 2018, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto says the administration should explore “rent-to-own” options wherever feasible. The suggestion makes sense, given that the government is one of the biggest property lessees today. In the 2018 national spending plan, the amount allocated to property and rental and leases is 33 percent higher than the P13 billion allocated for 2017 and more than double the P8.4

billion spent in 2016. In some cases, government agencies have stayed in the same buildings so long that the rents accumulated over the years would have been enough to finance the construction of their own. “There should be a plan in which chosen government offices can graduate from being renters to owners,” Recto said, noting that even the Senate is renting space from the Government Service Insurance System. Another way to save on rental costs is to consolidate national government agencies in regional centers in one place. Regional centers should also have their own convention and training facilities because they spend billions of pesos every year booking hotels and resorts for

their seminars, to the point that some of these hotels have become de-facto government-subsidized enterprises. These suggestions come amid a widening budget gap in the face of increased government spending. For the first half of 2017, the government posted a P154.5-billion budget deficit, higher than the P143.8-billion target for the period. Data released by the Bureau of Treasury showed a 28-percent increase in the budget deficit from 2016’s P120.3 billion. This resulted from a nine-percent increase in expenditures, which rose to P1.33 trillion, and a slower growth in revenues, which edged up to P1.17 trillion. For the year, the government has programmed a P482.1-billion deficit, which will

rise to P523.6 billion in 2018. Given the government’s ambitious infrastructure buildup, which should stimulate growth and create jobs, and the previous administration’s almost criminal underspending that resulted in the deterioration of key infrastructure, the widening budget deficit is not necessarily a bad thing. But given the track record of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs to miss revenue targets, some medium- and longterm savings by way of reducing rental and leasing costs can certainly help in lowering deficit spending. Besides, the battle cry to improve our national infrastructure isn’t “spend, spend, spend,” but Build, Build, Build.

Keep to w-o-w

The gift of a child’s love CATHERINE is the daughter of my best friend, Al. When she was a toddler, she could not pronounce the nickname “Katkat” that was given her, and in her babyish way, she called herself “TaTa”—and that stuck, at least for me. She has been my “Baby TaTa” since she was one. She is now nine years old—and all this time, I have always been able to hug her, kiss her, hold her hand and have her by my side even if she lives with her parents. I have two nephews

and a niece, the children of my judge-brother, and I love them so dearly, but their childhood was not spent with me, as I was then assigned more than a hundred kilometers away from Tuguegarao and would see them only occasionally. TaTa is one case where water can be as thick as blood! Last week, her dad hurled a thunderbolt at me: He announced that the entire family would be migrating...and soon. I was so stunned, and all I could do was shut down the computer at which I was working, as my mind also shut down. All further rational thought came to a screeching halt, and there

followed I am that dark this deeply pall of dewounded bepression that cause TaTa These days, comes with has been, I just amble the nagging quite truly, along. thought of at the center an impendof my life. ing and irSome might reparable think that to loss. Those be my fault, who think that I am taking but it was TaTa who as the things a bit too far have constant reminder to me not known the love of a of God’s tenderness. Her child and the love for a comments about things child. It is unlike any oth- she observed let me in into er, and while I must still a perspective all hers, that find a way of coping with adults and their “mature” TaTa’s absence, through thoughts often miss. The my grief, my tears, my world is different from the sleepless nights and list- eyes of a child, and one is less days, I am grateful for foolish who does not see the gift that she has been the beauty in what they see! to me. No, I do not regret having

lavished TaTa with love and care, affection and attention. In so many ways, she drew me out of my selfishness and, without demanding anything, content with the small, insignificant things that fascinate and entrance a child, she taught me what it was to care for another. These days, I just amble along: Blankly staring, occasionally finding comfort in the support of loving friends, enjoying as much as I can the time TaTa can still spend with me, remembering that soon, it will be time to board. I am depressed, and clinically so. So has it all been worth it? I could have spared myself all this pain by not loving

as earnestly as I did. But for all love, you pay a price, and this is the price I must now pay—and it is worth every tear, every skipped breath, every sleepless night, every anxiety-ridden day. When you spend a lifetime sparing yourself pain and anguish by keeping to yourself and keeping all others a safe distance away, then you will never experience, as I did, the beautiful, inimitable and really divine love that a child can bring into your life. And a life so barren because it is so full of oneself is hardly life at all! rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@outlook.com

THE war of words between the Donald and the Jong is getting more and more people nervous. Over the week that passed, after delivering a speech before the UN General Assembly, Trump tweeted that Kim Jong Un is “obviously a madman who doesn’t mind starving or killing his people,” and warned that “he will be tested like never before.” “Tested like never before” probably meant the UN Security Council’s tough economic sanctions against North Korea. But for a madman who doesn’t mind starving or killing his own people, would the Kim relent from his threats of nuking his neighbors with his newly-developed toys? So the boy-king next blasts the Donald as a “mentally deranged US dotard” and claimed that the US (and the world) will “pay dearly” for Donald’s threats. To which the Donald twitted the Jong, and called him “rocket man.” Weeks back, he threatened North Korea with “fire and fury like the world has never before seen.” That did not stop the Jong from sending another missile across Japan and into the Pacific. For as long as they keep to their war of words, and wow everybody off the seat of their pants, we can all nervously twitch until the regularity becomes hohum. But because one calls each other insane, one wonders if insanity can drive both to dangerously pull the trigger or push the button. And then the Northeastern Pacific, and all of the world, will get caught in a catastrophic maelstrom like it has “never before seen.” Think particularly of the thousands of Filipino OFW’s in South Korea, who will have to be trucked or caboosed into every last “train to Busan” in the south, and then flown or shipped back to Manila. That would be a Herculean nightmare for our foreign service based in Seoul. And that’s assuming they would have the luxury of some time, as the Jong’s rockets rain upon the South. Given South Korea’s economic pre-eminence, that Turn to A5

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Opinion

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2017

From Marawi to the rest of Mindanao THE emotional and psychological suffering will leave an indelible mark on the people of Marawi. Restoring this once citadel of co-existence between Muslims and Christians will take years. The rehabilitation of the damaged houses and buildings would need at least P50 billion, according to President Rodrigo Duterte, even as government troops are still doing mopping up operations against remnants of the Maute-ISIS group that laid siege to this once-bustling city of the South. Comes now the word from Duterte himself that Islamic extremist activity is spilling over to other parts of Mindanao. According to military intelligence

reports furnished the President, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, joined forces with splinter groups from the Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. As in the siege of Marawi, these terrorists are backed by the dreaded international extremist ISIS which seeks to establish a caliphate in Asia. If the unrest in Mindanao spills over to the urban areas in Cebu, Davao and Metro Manila, this could be reason enough for the President to place the entire country under martial law if the situation is not controlled. Lawlessness and rebellion are two of the elements for the imposition of martial law. What is the implication of the monitored BIFF, MILF and MNLF activity in South Cotabato and Maguindano? It means that President Duterte did the right thing in declar-

ing martial the martial law in Mindanao which Congress extended up to the end of the year. The country observed the anniversary of the nearly 20-year imposition of martial law by former President Ferdinand Marcos last week. Former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, the architect and implementor of martial law, said the prevailing conditions now are much more challenging than during FM’s time. He cited the widespread problem of illegal drugs complicated by the involvement of local officials with crime syndicates. While the Muslim and communist rebellion were a serious threat in the Marcos years, it did not have the ISIS component behind the present Islamic unrest as shown in Marawi. The vast and encompassing power of Marcos’ martial law was not encumbered by any restrictions

although FM made sure its scope was still covered by law. Not so the present martial law which has been emasculated by the late President Cory Aquino who made sure martial law would only prevail for three months unless extended by Congress. Marcos’ imposition of martial law was not an instant decision. The Marcos government calibrated its response to the prevailing political and security condition, proclaiming military rule only as a last recourse when the buildup of forces against the government hit its peak in the late sixties. The communist New People’s Army presence in the urban areas, including Metro Manila, emboldened the leftist student activists whose daily demonstrations and protest rallies getting violent. There was an instance the demonstrators were already at the gates of Malacanang

but were driven back by loyal presidential security forces. The failed landing of weapons from China proved to be the smoking gun Marcos needed to declare martial law. Stormy weather slammed the MV Karagatan causing crates of rifles to spill into the sea at Digoyo Point off the coast of Isabela. The discovery and seizure of the weapons ship from China changed the course of history . If the NPA were able to get hold of high powered AK 47 rifles, they would have been able to do battle with government troops in an urban warfare. Marcos in effect saved the country from falling into communist hands. Yet the local chroniclers of history only wrote about the alleged abuses during the Marcos years Fake news existed then before the phrase was coined this year.

The urgency for a national cancer control law CANCER is often difficult to talk about. After seven years of advocacy struggles, the legislative initiative to pass a National Cancer Control Law has reached a critical mass of passionate ‘Cancer Warriors’ who have united to push for the most comprehensive legislation that would establish a nationwide integrated cancer program. This receives little mileage from radio anchors or television hosts. It rarely enters the fiery discourse that abounds on social media. This lack of attention persists despite some sobering statistics. According to the Philippine Cancer Society, there are over 110,000 new cases of cancer every year, while deaths number more than 66,000. This means that every single hour, 11 adult Filipinos are stricken with cancer— seven do not make it.

The data on childhood cancer are no less excruciating. Between 3,500 to 3,900 cases are recorded every year. This means 11 Filipino children are stricken with cancer every single day, and eight result in fatalities. The numbers are even bleaker when it comes to cancer care. For a population of 100-million people, the Philippines has less than 300 oncologists. Very few cancer facilities are available, and many of them concentrated in Manila and some in Cebu and Davao. We also don’t have many pathologists. These should be reason enough for government to intervene via legislation. The Cancer Coalition Philippines (CCPh), a national coalition of cancer patient support organizations, health care providers, cancer advocates, and champions, has meticulously studied the cancer care continuum—from prevention to detection to treatment and so on—to identify all the gaps that the National Cancer Control Act can address.

For instance, in the area of prevention, while the Department of Health has allocated a month-long awareness campaign geared toward cancer prevention, a full-year program is in fact crucial. Medical assistance for cancer treatment, meanwhile, are not only scarce, they are also focused on breast, childhood cancer, and prostate, leaving a wide gap as far as the many other cancers are concerned. The bill also recognizes the economic burden that cancer represents both for the Filipino family and the country’s health system. A family member diagnosed with cancer can often spell instant catastrophe for an average Filipino family; in fact, more than half of such families are rendered bankrupt within a year of cancer diagnosis, especially if they come from middle- and lower-income groups. A holistic and comprehensive cancer program can also be good for the government’s health program as early detection could result in savings of up to 76 percent, not to mention the potential productivity

of lives that are senselessly lost to this disease. This makes perfect sense because one third of cancers can be prevented. Anything from liver, lung, stomach, colon, and prostate cancers are preventable. If treated early, they can even be cured. The National Cancer Control Act thus considers all the complexities that characterize cancer care toward an integrated, multidisciplinary solution. For one, it ensures that every step of the cancer continuum is covered. It also guarantees that all facets of this disease—all types of cancers, all ages and genders, and all stages—are taken into account. For instance, the bill mandates that a cancer patient who enters a hospital unaware of what to do or how to proceed will be taken care of by a team of specialists because cancer must be treated via a multidisciplinary approach. Under the bill, 10 regions will have a Cancer Institute to make sure that this high level of treatment is accessible to all, especially the

poor and vulnerable. It is a bill, in other words, that aims to provide a muchneeded lifeline for every Filipino family faced with the unfortunate task of dealing with cancer. The intention is to make cancer treatment imaginable, not a luxury that has to compete with the everyday task of putting food on the table. To stop cancer from being an abrupt death sentence from which there is no escape. Encouraging are several bills that are now pending in both Houses of the Congress and the growing number of Cancer champions among the policy leaders of government. The challenge now is to make this landmark legislation among the top priorities of this Congress. The data and alarming projections of this growing menace should be enough to motivate our lawmakers for cancer can strike anyone. As broadcast journalist and breast cancer survivor Kara Alikpala powerfully put it: “We cancer patient survivors try to lead a life of service, so other cancer patients may live.”

MAIL MATTERS

An open letter to President Duterte on the inclusion of the sugar-sweetened beverage tax (SSB tax) in the tax reform for acceleration and inclusion act (TRAIN) Dear President Duterte, WE HOPE this letter finds you in good health. We, the members of the Philippine Association of Stores and Carinderia Owners (Pasco), humbly appeal to you on behalf of the 1.3-million sari-sari store owners all over the Philippines. We are one in our continued support of your administration’s efforts to alleviate the lives of the poor, as well as fight the war on drugs and criminality in our society. We are also one in our fight against the inclusion of the sugar-sweetened beverage tax (SSB Tax) in the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN). This bill proposes to add an excise tax of up to Php10 on SSBs which include our fast-moving goods like powdered juices, energy drinks, and softdrinks. Forty percent (40%) of our store’s daily sales are from these products—a huge part of our daily income for subsistence. If this bill is passed into law, our sales will surely drop and we can lose a viable source of additional income for our household. We are saddened to think that most of us will be forced to close our stores because we will not be earn-

Keep... From A4

would discombobulate supply chains and spook the world’s finances, especially so since neighboring Japan would likewise be a target from the madman of Pyongyang. So let’s all pray they keep the “war” at the level of “words.” They’ve kept us in tenterhooks for the last two months, but if it becomes tit-for-tat through a barrage of tweets and twits, we will get accustomed to it and just smile at the “new normal” in US-Nokor relations. Except, we forget, they are

“madmen,” right? *** Back to New York’s East Side, the former governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley, who is now the representative of the US of A to the United Nations, and who “husbanded” the tough sanctions imposed upon North Korea before the Security Council, is one for our President Duterte’s heart cockles. Reacting to critics of our president’s war on drugs, Haley declared, “The Philippines is suffocating. We must give President Duterte the space to run his nation. We must respect their independence. It is not in our purview to decide admin-

ing income from it to help our families. We understand and support our government’s need to raise money for its various social and infrastructure programs to help improve the lives of the Filipino people and sustain the country’s economic growth. But we appeal to you, please do not let this bill pass. This bill is anti-poor. Please do not let our small micro-retailers, consumers, sugar and coffee farmers, and manufacturing plant workers carry the burden. President Duterte, we appeal to you together with all of our members and all of the sari-sari store owners, please listen to our plea and help us in our fight against the SSB Tax. Thank you and may God continue to bless your leadership. Sincerely yours, Pasco members (Pasco is a an SEC-registered, non-profit and non-government organization which aims to unite and improve the livelihood of more than 1.3-million micro-retailers in the country. Currently, Pasco has more than 6,000 members nationwide.)

istrative issues for the Philippines. That is the job of their president.” “Destructive forces (is she referring to what “Dutertards” label “dilawan”?) have never given the Duterte administration enough space to jumpstart his programs of government; they did not even afford him the proverbial honeymoon period. Now, they have calibrated their plot to ouster movements and this is just the second year of his presidency,” Haley added. Now that’s a complete turnaround from the statements of former president Obama and the Hillary. That’s the kind of “non-interference” that Du-

terte wants from all nations, as he bristles each time a foreign country or an international “do-gooder” criticizes what he believes to be an absolute conditio sine qua non to our national well-being. Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano should seek a oneon-one with her while he is in the Big Apple. *** But both Ms. Nikki and our Alan Peter should also speak out on the plight of the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya being force-fired out of their Rakhine state in Myanmar, by the soldiers and their generals who have yet to understand that with the elected ascent of Aung San

Suu Kyi, theirs has become a “democratic” state. Footages seen on television and social media of the suffering inflicted upon the fleeing women, children and senior citizens among the Rohingya are too incomprehensively painful in this day and age. What is happening to the Muslim Rohingya is becoming eerily similar to BosniaHerzegovina, except that while the latter had a real murderous leader in Slobodan Milocevik, the latter is led by a highly revered Nobel Prize laureate for peace. Asean, of which our president is chairman for this year, must in unison decry the situation in Myanmar’s bor-

Of brotherhood and hazing ONE more promising life was senselessly wasted. On Sept. 18, 2017, Horatio Tomas Castillo III succumbed to the hazing injuries he suffered at the hands of the very people he had hoped to call brods. He was a 22-year-old third-year law student at the University of Santo Tomas. As the family of the victim grieves and shouts out for justice and, as investigations begin, many questions come to mind. What moves people to inflict so much harm and pain on one they literally wooed to join their brotherhood? All fraternities and sororities need to continue luring new members to ensure their survival and continued existence. Thus, neophytes are beguiled and enticed to join with the promise of belonging to a prestigious fraternity or sorority that will, in the future, give them special privileges. They are promised a family, kinship, a special bond and more. But what drives frat men to inflict so much harm on their recruits in the name of ensuring their loyalty? And why do neophytes, presumably intelligent, allow themselves to undergo such physical and psychological abuse? Psychologists say there is not a single explanation. In a study done at Cornell University (Hazing.Cornell.edu) following are some of the theories that surfaced as the roots of hazing. First is evolutionary psychology. Our ancestors survived by forming groups that had strong bonds. Thus, we evolved to become social creatures with need for affiliation and connection. Second, when an activity is shrouded in secrecy, there is an absence of external constraints, making the hazers feel that it is safe to deviate from social norms. Third, is cognitive dissonance. When a person who believes himself to be smart undergoes a Young people degrading physical and psychological experi- must realize that ence, he develops internal tension. He then re- the strength and solves the inner tension by rationalizing that it is ability to move not so bad and thereaf- up are found ter feels positively about the group that subjected in themselves, him to the suffering. Fourth are beliefs about not in any other masculinity. The cultur- afﬁliation. ally-constructed notion of what it means to be a “real man” place an emphasis on physical and mental toughness and obedience to superiors. Such beliefs combined with the desire of heterosexual men to demonstrate that they do not possess qualities associated with gayness result in the victims’ acceptance of the pain inflicted upon them. Fifth, is sociopathy. There are people who have anti-social tendencies. This means their disordered personality makes them disregard the rights and safety of others with no remorse. Persons with this personality disorder during hazing could exert influence on others, making it seem the societal norm to cause suffering to another. Sixth is shared coping. When individuals go through a highly stressful experience together, they may feel closer to each other as a result. One other theory, the study says, is cycle of abuse. Individuals who are hazed may unknowingly develop a displaced desire for revenge. As one fraternity pledge who underwent intense hazing said, immediately after hazing, he could not wait to do this to the pledges next year. Not all may develop a desire for revenge, however. When my husband and I were still boyfriend-girlfriend, I saw how badly injured he was after joining a fraternity in law school. This was, in fact, his third hazing as he joined a frat in college before going to law school and also joined another brotherhood. Yet, he said, he never had the heart to participate in hazing; thus, he avoided them. Another theory why hazing continues is identification with the aggressor. Intense hazing involves breaking down an individual and molding him to conform to the belief structure of the group. Recruits are made to believe that the group is superior and the attainment of the status of a brod is worth whatever must be endured; making new members desire to become like their abusers. Other theories say that the hazers find gratification in hazing as an expression of power; or, that hazers feel compelled to participate for fear of disapproval or reprisal by the others. The death of Atio Castillo has prompted some legislators to review the Anti Hazing law (RA 8049) passed in 1995. But is the law really inadequate? Truth is, if the law were followed deaths and severs injuries from hazing would never have happened since the passage of the law. The law clearly mandates that no initiation rites or hazing shall be allowed without prior written notice to the school authorities. It also requires that at least two representatives of the school must be present during initiation to ensure that violence will not be employed. As to sanctions, the law provides for the maximum penalty of life imprisonment or reclusion perpetua if death, rape, sodomy or mutilation occurs as a result of the initiation. The solution does not seem to be in amending the law then. Parents and families must raise children who know that they need not seek “brotherhoods” outside the home and that their strength and ability to move up are found in themselves, not in any other affiliation. Email: ritalindaj@gmail.com Visit: www.jimenolaw.com.ph der with Bangladesh, along with the United Nations, and strengthen the hands of Suu Kyi in reining in her military. Situations like these reinforce the twisted jeremiads of the IS, who will soon point out “persecution” on account of “religion” to gain more adherents to their side. *** Back home, it is a relief that the war in Marawi will soon be over. And martial law, which the rest of Mindanao never really felt since it was declared towards the end of May, will soon be lifted. Out of fatherly concern, the President said that “we just don’t want these terrorists to hurt the hostages, as well as

[having to] rid the area of hidden explosives.” But out of sensitivity to our brother Muslims, Duterte admonished the military against “celebrating.” “We will not have any celebration. We will go out quietly.” “This is not a cause of celebration. Nobody won here. The soldiers cannot claim victory over Maute. Lives were lost, and there are those who were wounded,” the president intoned. The father of the nation spoke as the leader of all Filipinos—Muslim, Christian, lumad, animist, whatever and wherever. That is as it should be always.

World

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

US jets fly off coast of N. Korea

WA S H I N G T O N ― U S bombers and fighter escorts flew off the coast of North Korea Saturday in a show of force against its nuclear weapons program, escalating already skyhigh tensions. The hermit state’s foreign minister, meanwhile, assailed US President Donald Trump at the United Nations, deriding him as a “mentally deranged” leader whose threats had increased the chances of military confrontation. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un have exchanged increasingly bellicose rhetoric in recent days, as international alarm mounts over Pyongyang’s weapons ambitions―including a hint this week that the country is considering detonating an H-bomb over the Pacific. US bombers have carried out similar flights before, as the United States and the international community struggle to rein in North Korea’s weapons programs. AFP

Wonder in protest for peace NEW YORK―Stevie Wonder knelt before a packed New York festival Saturday in a protest for peace as he led stars and politicians in pressing for sustained aid to eliminate the world’s worst poverty. On a balmy late summer night, thousands converged on Central Park for the live-broadcast Global Citizen Festival that hands out tickets for free to fans who take actions such as petitioning their governments to support development assistance. With President Donald Trump proposing sweeping aid cuts, the concert had set a goal of building political momentum in the world’s largest donor nation. But in a deeply divided United States, another Trump controversy came to the forefront. Wonder took the stage and knelt, emulating a gesture popularized by NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick during the national anthem to denounce racial injustice. Trump on Friday angrily denounced such protests, using profanity to demand that teams fire the athletes. AFP

Mattis sets visit to US ally India

NEW DELHI―Fighter jets, drone deals and shared concerns over Afghanistan’s security looked set to dominate the agenda when US Defense Secretary James Mattis visits India this week. Mattis is scheduled to arrive late Monday and is set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his new defense minister, in the first visit by a top US official since Donald Trump became president in January. “The United States views India as a valued and influential partner, with broad mutual interests extending well beyond South Asia,” a Pentagon statement said. Trump and Modi met in June in Washington and the visit by Mattis is a sign “the political leadership in both countries place defense cooperation as a top priority”, Mukesh Aghi, president of the US India Strategic Partnership Forum, told AFP. AFP

Pyongyang official slams Trump at UN

ANTI-US RALLY. This picture taken on September 23, 2017 and released from North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency on September 24 shows a meeting of the presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly, cabinet, ministries and national institutions at the People’s Palace of Culture during an anti-US rally in Pyongyang. Tens of thousands of Pyongyang residents gathered in the capital’s Kim Il-Sung Square on September 23 to laud leader Kim Jong-Un’s denunciation of US President Donald Trump. AFP

UNITED NATIONS―North Korea’s foreign minister assailed US President Donald Trump at the United Nations on Saturday, deriding him as a “mentally deranged” leader whose threats had increased the chances of military confrontation. Ri Yong-ho told the General Assembly that Trump’s vow to “totally destroy” his country if necessary had made “our rockets’ visit to the entire US mainland all the more inevitable.” Describing Trump as a “mentally deranged person full of megalomania,” Ri said the US leader who “holds the nuclear button” posed “the gravest threat to international peace and security today.” In his first address to the General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump called leader Kim JongUn a “Rocket Man” on a “suicide mission,” prompting Kim to warn in turn that the US president would “pay dearly” for his threat. Ri accused Trump of turning the United Nations into a “gangsters’ nest where money is respected and bloodshed is the order of the day,” and of insulting Kim. “None other than Trump himself is on a suicide mission,” he declared. The North Korean nuclear crisis has dominated this year’s gathering of world leaders at the United Nations amid fears that the heated rhetoric could accidentally trigger a war. AFP

Quake rescuers’ hopes fading M EXICO CITY―Hopes of ﬁnding more survivors after Mexico City’s devastating quake dwindled to virtually nothing on Sunday, ﬁve days after the 7.1-tremor rocked the heart of the mega-city, toppling dozens of buildings and killing more than 300 people.

Yet authorities were still listening to anguished families who insisted that painstaking rescue operations continue at a handful of sites. Foreign teams from Japan, the US and elsewhere were working with dogs and hi-tech gear to try to detect signs of life under the rubble. In the first three days, 69 people were pulled out alive. But since Friday only bodies have been recovered. A series of smaller earthquakes in the south of Mexico on Saturday―including a 6.1-magnitude one that triggered seismic alerts in the capital―stoked panic in a population traumatized by

Tuesday’s disaster. Authorities said two people died in the southern state of Oaxaca, where tectonic upheaval was centered. A bridge buckled and collapsed, as did several other previously damaged structures. In Mexico City, two women, one aged in her 80s, the other 52, died of heart attacks as they tried to evacuate their homes. Others prayed the rocking earth wasn’t going to swell into a new catastrophe. “Oh God, have mercy,” exclaimed one resident, Teresa Martinez, 74, who stood in the street with oth-

er women, all crying. The tremors―possibly aftershocks from a massive 8.2-magnitude quake that hit southern Mexico two weeks ago―forced rescue workers in the capital to pause their efforts for a couple of hours. They also underlined the historic vulnerability of the country to quakes, siting as it does on several tectonic plates. No citizen has forgotten a 1985 earthquake that killed 10,000 people in Mexico City. But some of the families hoping against hope to see trapped loved ones again also clung to memories of “miracle” rescues in 1985 that happened a week after that quake. Experts say that, usually, there is little to no chance of finding quake survivors after three days have passed. Yet Mexico City’s mayor, Miguel Angel Mancera, told Televisa television that around “30 people may yet be able to be found in this search and rescue operation.” AFP

Rohingya banned from using phones DHAKA―Bangladesh has banned telecommunication companies from selling mobile phone connections to Rohingya refugees, citing security concerns for the latest restrictions, officials said Sunday. Bangladesh’s four mobile phone providers were threatened with fines if they provided any of the nearly 430,000 newly arrived refugees from Myanmar with phone plans while the ban was in force. “For the time being, they [Rohingya] can’t buy any SIM cards,” Enayet Hossain, a senior officer at the

telecoms ministry, told AFP on Sunday. The decision Saturday to impose a communication blackout on the stateless Muslim minority was justified for security reasons, said junior telecoms minister Tarana Halim. Bangladesh already prohibits the sale of SIM cards to its own citizens who cannot provide an official identity card, in a bid to frustrate the organizational capacity of homegrown militants. “We took the step [of welcoming the Rohingya] on humanitarian grounds but at the same time our own secu-

rity should not be compromised,” Halim said, without elaborating on what specific risk the Rohingya posed. Bangladesh’s telecoms authority said the ban could be lifted once biometric identity cards WERE issued to the newly arrived refugees, a process the army says could take six months. It is just the latest restriction imposed on the Rohingya who have fled in huge numbers from violence in neighboring Rakhine State into squalid camps in Bangladesh’s southernmost Cox’s Bazar district in the past four weeks. AFP

GENERAL ELECTIONS. A woman in traditional Sorbian dress takes her ballot papers at a polling station in Lehde in the Spreewald region, eastern Germany, during the general elections on September 24, 2017. The polls opened in Germany in a general election expected to hand Chancellor Angela Merkel a fourth term, while the hard-right Alternative for Germany party is predicted to win its first seats in the national parliament. AFP

Merkel heads for poll win in Germany BERLIN―Chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to cruise to victory in the elections Sunday but also to face the breakthrough into parliament of the hard-right populists for the first time in Germany’s post-war history. Voting began at 0600 GMT in Europe’s biggest economy and exit polls are announced at 1600 GMT, with few expecting surprises given Merkel’s doubledigit poll lead. For months, the woman now dubbed the “eternal chancellor” has been the favorite over her center-left rival Martin Schulz and looked set to win another term and match the 16-year

reign of her mentor Helmut Kohl. To many in the West, a fourth Merkel victory will come as a relief in a turbulent world, with hopes she will serve as a calm-headed counterweight to US President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin and as the key EU ally to reformist French President Emmanuel Macron. But the election is also expected to mark a milestone for the four-year-old Alternative for Germany (AfD) which, like right-wing populists elsewhere, rails against migrants, Muslims and mainstream parties. It has been polling at 11-13

percent and could become Germany’s third strongest party, driven by anger over the influx of one million migrants and refugees, many from war-torn Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, since 2015. “The AfD’s entry into the Bundestag marks an epochal step forward for the far right,” said Joerg Forbrig of think-tank the German Marshall Fund of the United States. By entering parliament, he said, “the xenophobic, revisionist and anti-European political force” will have heightened visibility and access to campaign finance, dozens of offices and hundreds of staff. AFP

Thousands flee rumbling Bali volcano

MUSIC FESTIVAL. Miley Cyrus attends the 2017 iHeartRadio Music Festival at T-Mobile Arena on September 23, 2017, in Las Vegas, Nevada. AFP

KARANGASEM, Indonesia―More than 34,000 people have fled from a rumbling volcano on the resort island of Bali as the magnitude of its tremors grew, prompting fears it could erupt for the first time in more than 50 years, an official said Sunday. Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency said the number of people fleeing their homes surrounding the volcano had tripled since Friday amid growing alarm that Mount Agung could erupt at any moment.

“The evacuation process is ongoing and we expect the number of evacuees to continue to rise,” the agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told AFP. The volcano, located about 75 kilometers from the tourist hub of Kuta, has been rumbling since August. Officials announced the highest possible alert level on late Friday following the increasing volcanic activities and urged people stay at least nine kilometers away from the crater. “I am actually very wor-

ried to leave, I left my cows and pigs at home because we were ordered to vacate our village immediately,” villager Nyoman Asih who evacuated with her entire family told AFP. The international airport in Bali’s capital, Denpasar, was anticipating possibilities of airport closure but no flight schedules had been affected as of Sunday. The airport has prepared buses and trains to divert passengers to alternative hubs in neighboring provinces if the mountain erupts. AFP

Sports

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Carmelo headed to OKC Thunder N EW YORK—The New York Knicks have worked out a trade that will see all-star forward Carmelo Anthony join the Oklahoma City Thunder, American sports broadcaster ESPN reported on Saturday.

Oklahoma City have agreed to send centre Enes Kanter, forward Doug McDermott and a 2018 second-round pick via the Chicago Bulls to New York. The 33-year-old Anthony will also waive his no-trade clause to al-

low the trade to go through. Nothing is ofﬁcial just yet but the parties are reportedly getting together on Monday to try and put the ﬁnishing touches on the trade. Anthony previously told the Knicks he would only waive his no-

trade clause for the Thunder, Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers. Anthony has two years and $54 million left on his contract, including a player option for $27.9 million on the 2018-19 season. The Thunder are scheduled to begin their training camp for next season on Tuesday. Anthony averaged 22.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 74 games with the Knicks last season. Meanwhile, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Saturday he was unsurprised by Presi-

dent Donald Trump’s decision to revoke an invitation to the White House as the NBA champions announced plans to make their own trip to the nation’s capital. A relaxed and smiling Kerr spoke with reporters hours after Trump announced on Twitter that he would not invite the Warriors to the White House for a traditional reception. It followed comments from Warriors star Stephen Curry on Friday that he did not want to visit Trump. Other Warriors players have made similar remarks in recent weeks.

Kerr said he had expected Trump to withdraw the invitation. “Not surprised,” Kerr said. “He was going to break up with us before we could break up with him.” Kerr, who has met ﬁve US Presidents at the White House during a playing and coaching career that has yielded seven NBA championships, said in general he was enthusiastic about the principle of paying homage to the sitting US leader. “The idea of going to the White House as part of a championship team is awesome,” Kerr said.

“It’s an incredible honor. You honor the ofﬁce, you honor the institution. I can speak from personal experience. “I’ve had the pleasure to meet with (Ronald) Reagan, George Bush, (Bill) Clinton, George W. Bush, (Barack) Obama. I didn’t necessarily agree with all of them but it was an incredible honor to be in their presence.” Trump’s rhetoric however had made it difﬁcult for the Warriors to entertain the possibility of maintaining the traditional White House visit. AFP

Gom-Os, Guia lead Cebuana net champions PRINCESS Debbie Gom-os from Liloy and host province Zamboanga del Norte and multi-titlist Stephen Zion Guia from Dipolog City led the winners in the recent leg of the Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series in Sindanga, Zamboanga del Norte Gom-os won two individual titles and shared a doubles’ title, while Guia ruled two individual categories in the tournament that attracted 155 entries. Gom-os swept both the girls’ 16-under and 18-under categories and partnered with Jossah Mea Ranas for the girls’ 18-under doubles’ crown, while Guia dominated the boys’ 16-under and 18-under categories of the tournament also backed by Dunlop as offical ball. In the girls’ 16-under, Gom-os beat Angel Grace Repaja, 8-4, in the finals and Ranas, 8-3, for the 18-under title. Then, Gom-os and Ranas made short work of Muzaina Matarul and Kristine Rose Candog, 8-1, in the girls’ 18-under doubles finals. Guia edged out local player Eric Jay Tangub, 8-6, in the 16-under championship match, but had an easy 8-2 victory over Iligan City’s Armando Magallanes for the 18-under crown. New names emerged as winners in the other categories as Pagadian’s Jastine Faye Lim defeated Yvonne Marie Cuevas, 8-6, in the 14-under girls’ finals. Another local girl, Chalea Jane Paculba posted an 8-2 win over Dipolog City native Jalia Sjaen Elumba for the girls’ 12-under crown, while in the boys’ side Aldree Pan, another player from Zamboanga del Norte, took the 14-under crown with an 8-5 win over Lex Estillore. Abdel Qadzri Matarul, meanwhile, posted his second straight win in the 10-under unisex category as he had a 4-0, 4-1 win over Kurtney Malmis and added a share of the doubles’ title in the same category, where he teamed up with Sean Andres Esick and beat Marlyn Rose Mesiona and Nicholas Andrei Tan 4-2,4-1. Another unfamiliar name in Penshoppe Marl Eriquita beat Joedieper Ian Lim, 8-4, for the boys’ 12-under title. AFP

Abundo, Jawo to speak at UE confab

MATCH RACING CHAMP. Standard Insurance Centennial Sailing Team won its third straight championship in the DBS Marina Bay Interna-

tional Match Racing Cup held in Singapore during the F1 week. They crushed top teams from seven countries with Finland and Hungary placing second and third, respectively. The sailing team also won the line honors in this year’s Hong Kong to San Fernando Race together with first in its IRC Class Zero. The team will be competing next month in the Volvo China Coast Regatta in Hong Kong and the China Cup Regatta in Shenzhen, China. Shown holding the perpetual cup is Ridgely Balladares (center), skipper; (from left) Judes Echauz, group chairman of Standard Insurance as team manager and sponsor, with crew members Rubin Cruz, Joel Mejarito, Teodorico Asejo, Richly Magsanay and Harry Kim Lumapas.

Mindanao to jumpstart talent identification IN response to the challenge posed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte enjoining the Philippine Sports Commission to widen its scope nationwide, different indigenous peoples groups in Mindanao will jumpstart the Sports Mapping Action Research Talent Identiﬁcation (Smart ID) testing before the year ends as the Philippine Sports Institute goes full blast in its grassroots talent identiﬁcation program. President Duterte, during the awarding of cash incentives to 29th Southeast Asian Games medalists last Sept. 13, said: “I enjoin PSC to widen its scope and recruit nationwide. Look for them in non-traditional places and include members of the indigenous tribes and the out-of-school youth.

Let’s give them a chance to hone their talents and live up to their fullest potentials.” PSI deputy national training director Henry Daut, a survivor of the Marawi City seige, during the two-day PSI coordinators meeting that closed at the Philsports Complex Dorm G Lecture Hall in Pasig City yesterday, said that some 200 Physical Education educators from the Department of Education were already trained to conduct the Smart ID testing. The trainers, according to him, underwent the “Smart ID train the trainers program” spearheaded by the Sports Mapping Action Research for Talent Technical Experts and Manpower (Smart Team). The trainers were from Cebu City (57), Puerto

Eala, Llamas clinch WTA Future berths

Wesley set to improve chess ranking UNITED States-based Filipino grandmaster Wesley So is close to improving on his no. 7 rank in the world rankings. The 23-year-old So is bound to move up after making it to the semifinals of the FIDE World Cup of Chess in Tbilisi, Georgia. So, who was no. 3 many months ago, however lost the first blitz playoff in his semifinal game with China’s Ding Liren, 2.5-3.5. So, who is from Bacoor, Cavite before he changed his federation affiliation in 2014, played to four draws before he gained an edge in the fifth game. He was ahead with his rook and was up against Ding’s queen when he gave up in 69 moves of a Neo Gruenfeld Defense. He is close behind Vladimir Kramnik (2788.7) with his ELO rating of 2787.8. Meanwhile, Levon Aronian moved into a finals’ clash with Ding after he disposed of Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, 5-4. By virtue of reaching the final, Aronian and Ding qualified for the eight-man Candidates’ Tournament aimed at finding the challenger to no. 1 Magnus Carlsen in the next World Championship title match. Peter Atencio

Princesa (60), Vigan (60) and Mindanao (35). “We will have mapping this this year, identify schools and areas where we could conduct the testing. We will have the random testing ﬁrst and we will start with the IPs, identifying which tribes from particular areas. Hindi na tayo sa cities, doon tayo sa mga probinsya, mga liblib na lugar,” Daut said, adding that the Ata-Manobos of Talaingod, Davao del Norte will be included. He also said that talent ID testing will also be done among out-of-school youth in partnership with the local government units and among students through the Department of Eduation.

SPORTS management, health and wellness will be among the topics of discussion at the 2nd Hospitality Grand Convention, organized by the UE College of Arts and Sciences-Manila, Department of International Hospitality Management on Tuesday at the Novotel, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City. The theme of the convention slated from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. is “Health & Wellness, Cruise Line Management and Sports.” Among the invited guest speakers include well-known sports leaders, namely former Senator Robert “The Big J” Jaworski and former Philippine Sports Commissioner Teresita “Tisha” Abundo. Likewise, a topic on the cruise line will be included in the discussion, with Allen Madria as speaker. UE students in tourism, and hotel and restaurant management courses will comprise the audience and participants. Abundo and Jaworski are outstanding UE alumni. They were both honored by their alma mater as among the “UE 60 Diamond Jubilee Alumni Achievers,”during UE’s 60th foundation anniversary in September 2006. Recently, they were both given recognition as among the school’s greats at the opening ceremonies of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines 80th season at the MOA Arena.

CAGE KINGS. The Wednesday Basketball Group won the recent 3X3 tournament title of the LGR Hoops against DBT in support of fellow baller Mike Custodio at the Makati Coliseum. Shown here (from left) are Andrew Bantug, Jonathan ‘Awang’ Redoblado, former CSB players RJ Deles, Timothy Mccoy, RJ Argamino, Jolas De Leon and Engineer Jess De Leon, the founder of the Wednesday Basketball Group team.

Chooks to Go-PH mauls Thai quintet

CHOOKS to Go-Pilipinas got the best out of Carl Cruz as they put away Mono Vampire BC of Thailand, 115-102, in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2017, Sunday in Chenzhou Hunan, China. Cruz came up with a personal-best of 28 points in leading a victory that improved the Manok ng Bayan cagers’ card to 2-1, helping Team Pilipinas to bounce back from Saturday night’s loss to Sareyyet Ramallah of Palestine.

The 25-year-old Cruz struck with eight of his team’s 14 three-pointers on his way to a 28-point tally. Isaiah Austin contributed 27 points and 19 rebounds, while Kiefer Ravena added 27 markers with seven assists. The Filipino cagers stepped it up right away, leaving Mono stunned. LA Revilla’s breakaway lay-up off a Mono Vampire error gave Chooks to Go a 27-12 lead with 3:20 remaining the ﬁrst quarter. Peter Atencio

ALEXANDRA Eala and Tracy Llamas came away with contrasting victories to rule their respective divisions and secure berths in the Women’s Tennis Association Future Stars Finals in Singapore next month. Eala crushed Macy Carlos, 6-0, 6-0, to cap her domination of the 14-and-under category while Llamas rebounded from a first-set setback to repulse Elizabeth Abarquez, 4-6, 6-1, 6-0, in the 16-U finals of the Cebuana Lhuillier WTA Future Stars qualifying tournament at the Valle Verde Country Club in Pasig yesterday. “I hope to make the country proud, enjoy the WTA Finals and have a great experience,” said Unified Tennis Philippines co-founder and Cebuana Lhuillier president and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier. Eala and Llamas will thus join the other top juniors from across the Asia-Pacific region in the WTA Future Stars Finals set Oct. 16-23 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Alexandra Eala (left) and Tracy Llamas hold their trophies as they point to their next destination after topping the Cebuana Lhuillier WTA Future Stars qualifying tournament at the Valle Verde Country Club in Pasig yesterday.

“This marks the second year of our association with the WTA and we are very happy with what transpired last year and we’re looking forward to a very long-term commitment with them,” said Lhuillier. Eala never dropped a set in the three-day tournament, foil-

Lady Bulldogs extend winning streak to 52 games DEFENDING champion National University led from wire-to-wire to beat Adamson University, 8238, and stay perfect while University of the East turned back Ateneo, 62-51, to gain a piece of second place yesterday in the UAAP Season 80 women’s basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena. Congo’s Rhena Itesi had 18 points and 22 rebounds, while

Ria Nabalan added 14 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals as the Lady Bulldogs were never threatened, leading by as much as 53 points at one point. NU has now stretched its remarkable winning run to 52 games. Ruthlaine Tacula came through with 20 points, ﬁve assists and four steals, while Eunique Chan added 17 points and 10 boards for the Lady Warriors to book their

third straight win after a seasonopening overtime loss to the Lady Bulldogs. UE joined idle UST in second spot. The Lady Eagles fell in tie with Far Eastern University at 2-2 in fourth place, while the Lady Falcons joined De La Salle in sixth spot at 1-3. Meanwhile, men’s champion National University topped Uni-

versity of Santo Tomas, 4-1, while Ateneo bested De La Salle, 4-1 to stay unbeaten in the badminton tournament yesterday. The Bulldogs and the Blue Eagles share the lead with identical 2-0 cards. University of the East overcame Adamson University, 3-2, in the day’s other tie at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall to enter the win column.

ing Alexa Milliam, 6-0, 6-4, in the semis while Carlos repelled Sydney Enriquez, 6-4, 6-4. Llamas, on the other hand, ousted Danna Abad, 7-5, 6-3, while Abarquez held off Carlyn Guarde, 6-3, 6-4, in their side of the tournament backed by Dunlop Sports.

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

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2017

Amit makes 10-Ball Final 8 of Asian meet ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan – Former two-time world champion Rubilen Amit clinched a spot in the quarterfinal round after beating Thi Ngoc Huyen of Vietnam, 7-2, in the round of 16 women’s 10-Ball Pool singles in the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games Sunday at the Ashgabat Olympic Complex here. Amit, winner of the of the World 10-Ball Championship title in 2009 and 2013, is hoping for a better finish in this quadrennial meet after she settled for a bronze in Incheon, South Korea in 2013. “Hopefully, makakuha tayo ng medal. Kung ma-match okay, kung papalarin na mahigitan pa, mas maganda. I’ll do my best,” said Amit after her encounter with Huyen at the Billiards Hall. The 35-year-old Amit, a native of Mandaue, Cebu, is scheduled to meet Iranian Parisa Mangli in the semifinal stage Monday. Women’s 9-Ball Singles silver medalist Chezka Centeno fell to Chen Siming, 7-1, in the last 16. Other national team participants lost their matches, including Kenneth Chua and Jo-Mar Roland Jumapao, who bowed to India in the men’s quarterfinal doubles of bowling. Chua, a silver medal winner in men’s singles, finished with 224 points, while Jumapao had 182 points for a combined 406 points to India’s 418 points from Shabbir Dhankot (181) and Dhruv Sarda (237). Chua and Jumapao earned a spot in the quarter after they finished third in their group. The other national team pair of Ivan Malig and Anton Alcazaren placed 15th in their group. In the women’s division, Maria Liza del Rosario and Krizziah Lyn Tabora make up Team 1, while Marian Lara Posadas Marie Alexis Sy are Team 2 for the doubles meet set Sunday afternoon. Over at the Indoor Tennis, Anna Patrimonio and Khim Iglupas dropped their game against Ankita Raina and Prarthana Thombare of India in the quarters Saturday. The team of Iglupas and Jeson Patrombon also lost to Thombare and Jagadeesan Vishnuvardhan of India in the quarters Friday. In Sambo, Renzo Miguel Cazenas lost both his fights in the -90kg Sambo men’s category.

FOUNDERS’ CHAMP. Members of the Manila Southwoods Legends receive their medals and prizes after ruling the Founders’ Division of the Philippine Ladies’ Interclub golf team championships at the Cebu Country Club. They are Laurea Duque, Annika Guangko, Yong Mi Kim, Marie Claire Ong, Deanna Samaniego, Maria Rafaela Singson, Ma. Theresa Staub, Christine Valdehueza (Naidoo).

Star gains momentum with victory over NLEX By Jeric Lopez

TAR gained some much-needed momentum heading to the quarterﬁnals and kept its hopes of ending in the Top 4 alive after turning back NLEX, 101-93, in a pivotal game in the last playdate of the elimination round of the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup.

Needing a win to stay in the hunt for a Top 4 ﬁnish and a twice-to-beat incentive in the next round, the Hotshots stepped their game up in the ﬁnal game of the

eliminations. Another tremendous second half surge and solid play from its backcourt once again propelled Star to this needed victory.

Peter June Simon led the team with a game-high 16 points, while Paul Lee had 15 markers and Mark Barroca added 13 more markers as their trio, along with import Kristofer Acox, who had 14 points, led the way for the Hotshots. As a result, the Hotshots ﬁnished at 7-4, tied with NLEX, but Star still has a shot at making the Top 4, while the loss put the Road Warriors out of the equation in the upper half. Star is hoping that Meralco beats San Miguel Beer in the ﬁnal elimination round game to be able to sneak into the Top 4. As of this report, the Bolts (8-2) and the Beermen (7-3) are

fighting tooth and nail to have the best possible placing. Meralco, San Miguel, Barangay Ginebra (8-3), TNT KaTropa (8-3) and Star (7-4) are the five teams contending for a Top 4 finish and a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarters. Everything will depend on the result of the game between Meralco and San Miguel as that will determine, which among those five teams will place in the Top 4. Star ended the third period with a key 10-2 run to grab a critical 75-69 advantage into the fourth quarter. The Hotshots won the third,

Eagles crush Warriors for 4th straight win ing the Eagles to their fourth straight win in the 80th University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament. The Warriors, with Alvin Pasaol topscoring for 22 points, dropped to their fourth straight setback. The Blue Eagles are now in the lead, ahead of the defending champion La Salle Green Archers, who took an 87-98 loss to the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons a day earlier. La Salle now shares second with UP. The Warriors came back from a ninepoint deﬁcit, 23-32, at halftime, with Clark

By Peter Atencio Games Wednesday (Araneta Coliseum) 2 p.m. FEU vs NU 4 p.m. Ateneo vs UST

THE Ateneo Blue Eagles needed time to settle down with their game with the University of the East Warriors. And when they did, the Blue Eagles went on to clobber the Warriors, 83-65, yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena. Thirdy Ravena tallied a game-high 21 points and eight rebounds in power-

Derige and Mark Maloles leading a rally that put them within 31-35. Then, charities from Anton Asistio and Matt Nieto in the last 5:52 gave the Blue Eagles more room, 42-33. In the fourth, triples from Ravena and Michael Nieto allowed the Blue Eagles to grab a 75-61 lead, with 3:46 to go. “We had the lead. But we couldn’t really say we were in control. We were keeping the game within distance,” said Blue Eagles’ coach Sandy Arespacochaga. Matt Nieto shot 11 points for the Blue Eagles, while Aaron Black and Michael Nieto made 10 apiece.

National U, Adamson seek semis Games today

8 a.m. – UP vs FEU (men’s) 10 a.m. – SBC vs CSB 4 p.m. – JRU vs NU 6:30 p.m. – AdU vs CSB UNBEATEN National University and Adamson take on Jose Rizal University and St. Benilde, respectively, today, both confident of hurdling their winless rivals and clinching the first two Final Four berths in their respective sides in the Premier Volleyball League Collegiate Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan. The Lady Bulldogs collide with the Lady Bombers at 4 p.m., seeking their fourth straight victory and the first semis slot in Group A of the two-division tournament of the season-ending conference of the league organized by

Sports Vision. The Lady Falcons hope to match that 4-0 mark as they go up against the Lady Blazers at 6:30 p.m. in Group B action of the tournament backed by Mikasa and Asics. JRU and St. Benilde are out of the semis race with 0-3 cards although they are expected to go ﬂat out for the elusive win and play the spoilers’ role. NU toppled Lyceum, San Sebastian and Far Eastern University to close in on the semis with the Lady Bulldogs likewise priming up for their keenly awaited showdown with the Ateneo Lady Eagles on Saturday. Ateneo took solo second at 3-1 by sweeping San Sebastian last Saturday. “My only wish is that no player gets injured and they don’t overdo things. They just

have to stick to the system we’re trying to do. Even with slow increments of improvement, I’ll be happy,” said NU coach Babes Castillo, who will again pin his hopes on Jaja Santiago, Aiko Urdas and Jasmine Nabor although he is likely to go for some combinations. Meanwhile, senior high player Princess Robles, who sustained a left ankle sprain on a bad fall after a block in the third set of the Lady Bulldogs’ four-set victory over San Sebastian two weeks ago, is expected to suit up in their last elims assignment against Ateneo. The Jema Galanza-led Lady Falcons are also on a roll shocking the UP Lady Maroons in ﬁve sets, beating Arellano University and Technological Institute of the Philippines to move closer to a dream semis stint.

San Beda Lady Red Spikers’ middle blocker Satrriani Espiritu blocks Justine Dorog of University of the Philippines Lady Maroons during their teams’ PVL game. The Lady Maroons won, 25-16, 25-19, 25-20. Sonny Espiritu

Mondilla eyes 1st PH Golf Tour Order of Merit title

Clyde Mondilla leads the Order of Merit chase with earnings of P2,606,409 behind three victories, including the recent ICTSI Riviera Classic.

CLYDE Mondilla seeks to formalize his claim on his first Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit title as he heads the cast in the circuit’s final leg in the ICTSI Players Championship, which begins Tuesday, at the Summit Point Golf Club in Lipa City, Batangas. The PGT’s 10th and final stop turns out to be a coronation tournament for Mondilla with rivals Tony Lascuña, Miguel Tabuena and

Angelo Que all skipping the P3 million event sponsored by ICTSI to honor previous commitments abroad. Mondilla, who placed second to Lascuña in last year’s OOM derby, leads the chase with earnings of P2,606,409 behind three victories, including the recent ICTSI Riviera Classic, which also served as the third leg of the inaugural PGT Asia Tour. Lascuña, with two victories and a slew of top ﬁve

ﬁnishes, is in second with P2,566,543 in winnings but has given up his OOM bid by signing up for the Taiwan Masters also slated this week. Tabuena, at No. 3 with P1,909,705 in winnings, is also competing in Taiwan, while the fourth-running Que, with P1,600,525 in earnings, is seeing action in Japan. This practically hands the OOM crown to Mondilla

as the ﬁfth-running Jhonnel Ababa, even if he pockets the top P550,000 purse this week, won’t come close with only P1,585,345 in earnings. But the 24-year-old Mondilla has vowed to go all out for another victory although he expects the rest to come out strong and foil him, guaranteeing a spirited battle in all four days of the championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

39-25, and turned things around after trailing 36-44 at the half. They then didn’t look back and ﬁnished the job in the payoff period, not giving the Road Warriors a chance to threaten once they took over.

The scores: STAR 101 - Simon 16, Lee 15, Acox 14, Ramos 14, Barroca 13, Dela Rosa 8, Melton 6, Pingris 6, Sangalang 4, Jalalon 3, Brondial 2, Reavis 0. NLEX 93 - Fuller 16, Mallari 13, Fonacier 12, Alas 9, Al-Hussaini 9, Quinahan 9, Lastimosa 8, Taulava 5, Tiongson 5, J. Villanueva 3, Soyud 3, Baguio 1, Rios 0. Quarters: 17-25, 36-44, 72-69, 101-93.

Griffins nail last berth in quarterfinals Games Tuesday:

(Knockout) 8 a.m. -- Enderun vs RTU 10 am -- PCU vd MLQU 12:30 pm. -- Fatima vs LSB 2 p.m. -- PMMS vs New Era COLEGIO de San Lorenzo subdued Enderun College, 6661, to clinch the last outright quarterfinal round berth in the NAASCU Season 17 men’s basketball tournament at the Rizal Technological University gym. Soulemane Chabi Yo outdueled fellow import Serge Wabo Captue to power the Ironcon Builders-backed Griffins to their sixth win in seven matches. More importantly, the win enabled CdSL to clinch the second outright quarterfinal round berth in Group B behind De Ocamåpo Memorial Colleges. Chabi Yo, who is also best remembered for leading CdSL to the MBL title last June, finished with team-highs of 26 points, 16 rebounds, four steals, three assists and two blocks in 38 minutes of action. Jon Gabriel added 11 points and Charles Callano and Sablan added eight points apiece for the Boni Garcia-mentored Griffins. “I hope the boys will continue to play well in the next round,” said Garcia, who led AMA University to the NAASCU title in 2006. Vidal and Wabo Captue led Enderun with 15 and 14 points, respectively. The scores: CdSL (66) -- Chabi Yo 26, Gabriel 11, Callano 8, Sablan 8, Rojas 6, Formento 5, Laman 2, Alvarado 0, Baldevia 0, Vargas 0. Enderun (61) -- Vidal 15, Wabo Captue 14, Villar 13, De la Cruz 9, Nunez 6, Dungan 2, Grilli 2, Daez 0. Quarterscores: 8-16, 30-25, 47-50, 66-61.

Govt support to UCPB ends 2018 B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2017

Megawide seeks P800m from FLI IN BRIEF Senate to review system loss SENATE committee on energy chairman Sherwin Gatchalian requested several electric cooperatives and private distribution utilities to present the possible rate impact of lowering the system loss caps from 13 percent to 10 percent for electric coops, and from 8.5 percent to 5 percent for private DUs. Gatchalian said the point of the proposed legislation was not to arbitrarily reduce the system loss, but to deliver savings to the consumers. “The end goal here is to deliver the savings,” he said. Most of those who submitted simulations, including six ECs and 11 private DUs, showed that lowering the system loss to comply with the proposed caps would result in a net increase in retail rate of electricity. Private DUs said complying with the 5-percent system loss cap could result in potential rate increase ranging from P0.133 per kilowatt-hour to P0.375/ kWh. While the proposed cap for ECs would be higher at 10 percent compared to that of the private DUs, ECs still estimated that compliance would also increase in retail rates for customers. Elmer Francisco, chief of the engineering division of Cagayan Electric Cooperative II, an electric cooperative serving 21 municipalities in Cagayan province, said “the net effect of lowering the system loss just to meet the proposed system loss cap is a rate increase which will be a burden to the consumers.” Cagelco II’s simulation showed a net increase of P0.134/kWh to meet the 10-percent SL cap. Francisco said that there were other concerns in meeting the cap, such as going through the process of capital expenditure applications and the time needed to procure and implement the projects. Cagelco II thus recommended to maintain the current system loss cap at 13 percent.

Cement imports seen rising

CEMENT traders expect an increase in cement imports over the next four years amid an expected spike in demand and limited capacity of local manufacturers to satisfy the required domestic output. Cement Importers Group president Napoleon Go said the country would continue to import bigger shipments of cement as the country approached the golden age of infrastructure. “Importation this year should not be less than last year. The infrastructure program of the government will require massive inventory of major construction staples like cement and steel. While there are ongoing expansion of existing plants, new plants are also underway. It will take them three to four years to have them in operation,” Go said. The government, however, is imposing stricter import measures on reports of substandard imported cement ﬂooding provincial markets. Go said cement importers were not worried as most of them were buying cement from quality plants in China and Vietnam. Othel V. Campos

Globe launches new cable

GLOBE Telecom Inc. said it expects a faster and more efficient broadband connectivity in Mindanao and the rest of the country with the launch of the $250-million Southeast AsiaUnited States submarine cable system. “We are excited about this new investment because of the immense benefits that the undersea cable system will bring to the Philippines. It will enable businesses to thrive and prosper with First World internet connectivity at cost-efficient rates in support of the government’s efforts to make the Philippines become globally competitive,” Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu said over the weekend during the ceremonial launch of the submarine cable in Davao. “This will also make our network future-ready in anticipation of our customers’ growing bandwidth requirements,” he said. Globe invested $80 million in new undersea cable system. This is on top of the $750-million capital expenditure the company budgeted this year to enhance its data capacities. Darwin G. Amojelar

By Jenniffer B. Austria

HE rift between construction company Megawide Construction Corp. and client Filinvest Land Inc. has become more intense, with Megawide considering a legal action to demand payment for roughly P800 million in receivables from various projects it delivered to the property developer controlled by the Gotianun family.

PH-CHINA MINISTERS. With

the growth in the economic relations with the Philippines, China conveyed it will increase development assistance to the Philippines at the sidelines of the 49th Asean Economic Ministers’ Meeting. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart, Commerce Minister Zhong Shan, during a bilateral meeting in Manila. The ministers endorsed the finalization of a memorandum of understanding on Industrial Parks Development between the Board of Investments and China’s Ministry of Commerce.

Govt wants to finish dozens of infra projects by 2022 By Julito G. Rada THE government is expected to complete dozens of major infrastructure projects by the end of the term of President Rodrigo Duterte in 2022, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said. Dominguez said around half of the 75 ﬂagship infrastructure projects under the ambitious “Build, Build, Build” program could be ﬁnished by 2022. Dominguez said among

these projects were Clark International Airport, Clark to Manila Railway and the Mindanao Railway. “Number one is the Clark Airport that will be ﬁnished, a good portion of the Clark to Manila Railway will be ﬁnished, and the third one will probably be a good portion of the Mindanao Railway,” Dominguez told participants of a forum organized by the Manila Overseas Press Club in Makati City.

“Obviously, not all, like the subway, can be finished by 2022. Probably half. But the rest will be ongoing, because they are not projects that you can do immediately,” he said. He said the Metro Manila Subway project, which aims to decongest the metropolis of heavy traffic, could “probably take around seven years” to complete, considering its length of around 24 kilometers. “The subway will not be finished [by 2022]. A dig-

ging machine can dig only 10 meters a day [and] that is a world-class equipment. They are going to employ about 25 [machines].... but the total length [of the project] is 24,000 meters. So that will probably take around seven [years],” Dominguez said. The National Economic and Development Authority board approved the Metro Manila Subway Project and four new “ﬂagship” projects during its ﬁfth meeting this month.

FLI said it was also demanding payment from Megawide for its failure to complete several projects. Megawide chief finance officer Oliver Tan said the company had been trying to collect around P800 million worth of receivables for more than a year now from five construction projects it completed for FLI. Tan said the five projects, mostly high-rise buildings, had been completed, turned over to FLI and were now being occupied by FLI customers. Tan said the issue stemmed from the claim of Filinvest Group that Megawide failed to deliver the projects based on the agreed timetable. “What they are saying is we did not complete the projects in time as per the contract. However, in our agreements, there are time extensions approved during the implementation of the projects. So we have new turnover schedule based on the approved extension and we are well within the approved new turnover schedule,” Tan said. “We already endorsed this issue to our legal department for appropriate action because we have been following it up with

Petron set to expand refinery in Bataan

DOTr vows higher spending this year By Darwin G. Amojelar processes and would start THE Transportation Department said it is accelerating spending on infrastructure projects, services and programs this year. “I am setting a higher internal target for DOTr so as to pressure ourselves to perform better. If the Department of Budget and Management sets a 72-percent target on budget spending, ours will be 80 percent,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said in a statement. The transportation chief also clariﬁed observations that the agency only managed to spend 18 percent of its budget in 2017. DOTr has a total budget of P53.3 billion this year. Tugade said most of the projects had just ﬁnished bidding and procurement

construction and implementation soon. It is only then that actual spending could begin, he said. Tugade’s statement came after Senate ﬁnance committee chairman Loren Legarda highlighted DOTr’s underspending of its budget. “Government processes take time. There are procedures and submissions and they could get frustrating at times, but these processes are necessary to ensure that there are no abuses. But I assure you that our projects are on track, even ahead of schedule” Tugade said. Tugade said the P11.5 billion that the DOTr returned to the National Treasury in December 2016 was a result of underspending by the previous administration.

SUN LIFE RUN. Celebrity endorser Piolo Pascual (right) teams up with insurance company Sun Life Philippines to hold SunPiology, an annual fun run that is now includes a cycling event. Shown with Pascual at Seda Hotel in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City are (from left) race organizer Rio dela Cruz, Sunrise Events Inc. general manager Princess Galura and Sun Life Philippines chief marketing officer Mylene Lopa. Ey Acasio

Net oil imports surged 38% to $4.3b in first half on higher prices By Alena Mae S. Flores THE country’s net oil import bill surged 37.6 percent in the ﬁrst half to $4.3 billion from $3.1 billion a year ago, on higher commodity prices this year, Energy Department records show. Net oil imports refer to the difference between total oil imports and exports. Data showed that total oil import bill jumped 37.1 percent in the six-month period to $4.7 billion from $3.42 billion in the same period last year, while petroleum

exports climbed 31.6 percent to $417.4 million from $317.2 million. The Energy Department said the 37.1-percent increase in total oil import bill was “attributed to the combined effects of higher import cost and higher volume of imports.” Total oil import cost was made up of 60.1 percent ﬁnished products and 39.9 percent crude oil. Total imports of crude oil climbed 30.3 percent to $1.87 billion from $1.43 billion a year ago, as the cost,

FLI for quite sometime. We sent several demand and follow-up letters,” he said. FLI said in a statement sent to Manila Standard Megawide was the one liable for damages over “delays in construction and abandonment” of five projects. “It is Megawide, not Filinvest, that is liable for damages because of its delays in construction and abandonment of five Filinvest building projects,” FLI said, when asked to comment on the issue. “Filinvest had to take over these projects to ensure completion, which resulted in substantial liquidated damages and other actual damages for costs of rectification, take-over works and lost income. Filinvest has already demanded payments from Megawide to no avail,” FLI said. “Further, Megawide, in its recent letter to Filinvest has expressed its intent to discuss an amicable settlement. It seems however, that they now prefer to discuss the issue outside of the proper legal forum. In any case, Megawide’s delays in construction and abandonment of the projects are well-documented and Filinvest is ready to prove these before the proper forum,” FLI said.

insurance and freight price per barrel rose to $52.33 from $37.838 last year. Total product import cost went up by 41.9 percent to $2.81 billion at an average CIF cost of $58 per bbl, compared to $1.98 billion at an average CIF cost of $44.768 per bbl last year. Petroleum exports rose 31.6 percent as the freight on board cost per barrel went up to $55.753 this year from $38.46 in 2016. The country imported various types of crude oil in the ﬁrst half which

reached 35,759 million barrels, down 5.7 percent from 37,940 million barrels a year earlier. Around 86 percent of the total crude mix was sourced from the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE) while 9.8 percent of crude oil was imported from Russia and Japan. Another 2.8 percent came from Australia. The balance was sourced from Asean. First-half petroleum product imports reached 48,592 million barrels, up 9.6 percent from 44,352

million barrels in the same period last year. The top imported product in the first half was diesel oil which grew 3.9 percent from last year’s level. LPG import jumped 24.7 percent while kerosene/AV turbo and gasoline increased 21.3 and 7.1 percent, respectively. Total demand for petroleum products reached 81,061 million barrels in the first half, higher by 2.6 percent than 78,989 million barrels in the first half of 2016.

OIL refiner Petron Corp. is pursuing the expansion of its Bataan refinery by leasing land at PNOC Alternative Fuels Corp.’s industrial park in Limay, Bataan, its top executive said over the weekend. Petron president Ramon Ang said the company offered to lease the property from state-run Philippine National Oil Co. which now operates the industrial park. “The plan is to expand the refinery from 180,000 barrels a day to 300,000 barrels a day,” Ang said. Petron owns a 180,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Limay which recently underwent a $2-billion upgrade. Ang said expanding the existing refinery would be “faster and cheaper” for the company. “Land required for this expansion is about 100 hectares, of which some can come from PNOC and most of the other properties are owned by other people. If we can acquire it by lease or acquisition from other people, we will consider to expand the refinery,” he said. Ang said a 200,000-barrela-day refinery at a new site would cost around $15 billion to $20 billion while a 100,000-barrel-per-day refinery at the existing site would cost only $5 billion to $10 billion. Alena Mae S. Flores

Business

MONDAY,SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks to move sideways By Jenniffer B. Austria

FTER hitting a new record high, the benchmark index is expected to move sideways this week on growing tension overseas. Analysts said the geopolitical tensions following the latest H-bomb threat from North Korea could provide a reason for investors to cash in on the market’s gains over the past few weeks. “Sequels to pending geopolitical tension between US-NoKor, especially after the latter threatened to launch on an ‘unprecedented scale’ a hydrogen bomb in the Pacific Ocean is among the wildcard to watch out for this week,” online brokerage firm 2TradeAsia. com said. North Korea last week threatened to detonate a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean amid warnings from the US and the international community.

Meanwhile, investors will also be looking for new catalysts that will further boost the market since the much-anticipated tax reform package is already priced. Despite concerns overseas, analysts said the market’s recent upward momentum was providing a strong base year-end target of 8,500 for most brokerage companies. The Philippine Stock Exchange Index ended the week with a gain of 1.23 percent to 8,281.27, after the market posted new record high at 8,321.81 on continued optimism on the growth of the domestic economy. Most of the sub-indices ended in green, led by holding ﬁrms which jumped 2.6 percent; ﬁnancials which rose 0.67 percent; and property which climbed 0.66 percent. Services, meanwhile, dipped by 1 percent while mining and oil shed 0.94 percent. Foreign investors were net buyer by P607 million. Weekly top price gainers include Alliance Global Group Inc., which rose 15.5 percent to P16.84 after the company announced a P5-billion share buyback program; Filin-

8990, Alsons gets SEC nod to raise a combined P12.5b

vest Land Inc., which advanced 6.4 percent to P2.15; and Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures Inc., which gained 5.9 percent to P13.84. Weekly top price losers were Golden Haven Memorial Park Inc., which declined 19.8 percent to P16.04; Nickel Asia Corp., which dropped 6.9 percent to P7.19; and Lopez Holdings Corp., which dipped 5.7 percent to P6.71. Wall Street stocks ﬁnished a choppy day little changed over the weekend as investors weighed how seriously to take increasingly heated rhetoric between US President Donald Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un. Trump, who threatened earlier this week to “totally destroy” North Korea, went after the country’s leader again Friday on Twitter calling him a “madman” who “will be tested like never before!” The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.1 percent to end the week at 22,349.59. The broad-based S&P 500 added 0.1 percent to 2,502.22, as did the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index which closed at 6,426.92. With AFP

THE Securities and Exchange Commission approved the fundraising actives of mass housing developer 8990 Holdings Inc. and Alsons Consolidated Resources Corp. worth a combined P12.5 billion. The SEC said it cleared the P10billion preferred shares offering of 8990 Holdings under a shelf registration program with an initial tranche worth P5 billion. It also approved Alsons’s plan to issue P2.5 billion worth of short term commercial papers also under a shelf registration program with an initial tranche of P500 million. Shelf registration allows an issuer to register and sell securities in tranches for a period not exceeding three years. The program allows issuers to conduct fund raising activates as they are needed, or when market conditions are favorable for them.

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Banco Filipino Bank of PI BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources China Bank COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. First Abacus I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp. MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp. PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

SEPTEMBER 18-22, 2017 Close Volume 4.8 59.9 129.30 129.8 101.60 3.88 2.70 35.8 16.1 31.6 8.98 0.66 1.66 949.00 0.710 89 0.86 13 25.00 60.20 90 120 241 48.55 254.6 1820.00 86.55 1.3

Value

1,371,000 123,460 10,266,290 3,826,950 5,560,310 196,000 46,656,000 249,300 41,000 6,156,400 62,700 6,000 57,000 44,230 15,682,000 10,468,390 3,333,000 101,000 7,900 305,440 1,610 2,990 27,780 1,055,080 3,114,760 1,275 565,860 1,041,000

FINANCIAL 6,600,630.00 7,370,965.50 1,332,379,770.00 496,509,118.00 567,375,220.00 795,360.00 106,345,200.00 8,951,560.00 659,138.00 197,789,770.00 557,008.00 3,980.00 97,170.00 40,050,590.00 10,976,140.00 926,187,419.00 2,996,570.00 1,322,604.00 198,000.00 18,464,115.50 144,362.50 352,434.00 6,624,892.00 52,560,499.50 774,761,478.00 2,320,350.00 48,975,307.50 1,362,670.00 INDUSTRIAL 49,257,250.00 113,249,716.00 3,824,530.00 5,298,400.00 3,448,245.00 2,476,670.00 365,093.00 2,480,580.00 55,768,252.00 397,710,018.00 15,002,628.00 133,316,785.00 1,073,306.00 4,861,160.00 4,225,820.00 10,150,248.00 1,297,368.00 225,396,940.00 127,509,656.00 87,522,198.00 9,898,179.00 142,606,841.00 67,910.00 181,797,914.00 58,310,696.00 474,332.00 7,377,280.00 507,065,240.00 9,594,360.00 995,894,476.00 151,935.00 58,597,802.00 504,930.00 37,080.00 299,837,365.00 89,412,751.00 84,418,856.00 1,343,820.00 513,484,060.00 14,970,352.00 46,429,850.00 6,376,598.00 195,628,032.00 1,203,747.00 2,197,859.00 4,021,240.00 135,283,718.00 175,893,899.50 17,579,027.00 557,110.00 10,000.00 1,299,020.00 40,928,464.00 22,046,570.00 119,582,244.00 1,616,060.00 230,280.00 516,490.00 1,086,359,026.00 45,090.00 73,709,660.00 117,990.00 5,830,330.00

Aboitiz Power Corp. Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons. Asiabest Group Basic Energy Corp. Bogo Medelin C. Azuc De Tarlac Cemex Holdings Century Food Chemphil Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Eagle Cement EEI Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) Euro-Med Lab First Gen Corp. First Holdings ‘A’ Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp. Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide MG Holdings Mla. Elect. Co À’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp. Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. Petroenergy Res. Corp. Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phinma Energy Phoenix Petroleum Phils. Pilipinas Shell Pryce Corp. À’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings San Miguel ‘Pure Foods À’ SFA Semicon Shakeys Pizza SPC Power Corp. Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp. Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp. Vivant Corp. Vulcan Ind’l.

41.55 9.3 0.8 1.42 21.5 0.238 120.2 19.60 5.72 17 165.3 38.1 77.5 63.9 1.95 6.15 11.54 10.200 15.16 14.44 7.18 7.07 1.79 18.8 67.55 14.14 12.90 19.6 1.880 244.80 60.00 4.87 3.2 23.30 31.05 19.52 17 0.232 279.80 13.00 2.93 6.75 10.30 7.14 9.96 1.79 12.44 68.5 6.7 4.30 2 4.38 310 2.78 13.48 4.5 0.144 1.20 154.3 3.75 2.19 26.70 0.99

6,158,100 12,027,400 4,797,000 3,706,000 156,700 10,580,000 2,890 119,800 13,146,400 23,039,700 90,760 3,505,200 13,300 75,950 2,177,000 1,641,900 112,900 22,067,800 8,316,600 5,953,200 1,363,600 19,091,000 39,000 9,609,100 856,530 33,800 661,000 28,035,100 5,023,000 4,077,850 2,550 12,214,500 156,000 1,700 9,686,500 4,438,400 4,914,000 5,850,000 1,866,770 1,189,600 15,436,000 937,600 18,605,000 169,200 58,700 2,234,000 10,586,600 2,568,190 2,666,000 129,000 5,000 296,000 132,020 7,984,000 8,952,500 359,000 1,610,000 430,000 7,152,690 12,000 32,546,000 4,300 5,855,000

Abacus Cons. À’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor À’ ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp À’ Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘A’ F&J Prince ‘B’ Filinvest Dev. Corp. Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Keppel Holdings À’ Keppel Holdings `B’ Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. Lopez Holdings Corp. LT Group Mabuhay Holdings À’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. Pacifica À’ Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion Republic Glass ‘A’ San Miguel Corp À’ Seafront À’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Transgrid Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.350 73.90 16.84 1.08 6.96 0.335 0.340 963 8.48 15.90 5.5 5.01 7.90 0.208 1201 7.96 77.00 5.19 5.04 5.43 0.9 6.71 17.3 0.410 6.94 0.0490 1.310 2.050 2.69 97.75 2.63 864.00 1.45 0.92 293.000 206.00 0.2800 0.1980 0.219

2,090,000 3,759,390 84,608,100 432,000 146,300 32,450,000 6,460,000 1,640,540 26,803,700 32,902,600 165,100 300 571,200 470,000 493,595 189,700 5,382,950 23,700 6,100 5,700 3,704,000 4,053,300 14,873,600 1,020,000 123,912,600 73,800,000 1,688,000 3,765,000 59,000 661,090 249,000 2,250,790 5,927,000 230,000 33,140 610 440,000 3,710,000 1,170,000

HOLDING FIRMS 733,300.00 277,110,937.00 1,350,554,048.00 470,200.00 1,020,482.00 11,139,200.00 2,215,300.00 1,570,092,725.00 224,388,929.00 524,838,168.00 881,038.00 1,503.00 4,503,468.00 97,700.00 581,854,210.00 1,507,744.00 413,250,717.00 122,458.00 30,734.00 30,951.00 3,297,790.00 27,676,549.00 257,646,482.00 418,250.00 860,705,224.00 3,668,650.00 2,062,930.00 7,802,400.00 157,690.00 64,729,242.00 659,040.00 1,930,967,935.00 8,767,490.00 200,840.00 9,834,582.00 125,682.00 122,000.00 743,060.00 260,450.00

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Anchor Land Holdings Inc. Araneta Prop À’ Arthaland Corp. Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. À’ CEB Landmasters Cebu Holdings Cebu Prop. À’ Cebu Prop. `B’ Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. À’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp. Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Filinvest Land,Inc. Global-Estate Interport À’ Keppel Properties

5.200 1.19 9.79 2.480 1.070 45.150 3.82 5.23 5.4 5.89 5.99 0.520 1.36 1.540 0.249 0.495 43 0.700 0.148 2.15 1.54 0.92 4.12

3,960,100 45,820,000 213,300 1,695,000 16,658,000 53,135,300 4,205,000 28,077,800 2,136,500 8,200 16,000 99,161,000 4,055,000 828,000 443,700,000 2,510,000 3,215,400 6,156,000 4,210,000 176,907,000 54,733,000 5,971,000 2,000

PROPERTY 19,977,255.00 55,652,190.00 1,766,460.00 4,111,780.00 17,733,850.00 2,418,118,565.00 16,175,330.00 146,185,828.00 11,557,467.00 46,036.00 89,990.00 51,326,220.00 5,381,130.00 1,274,480.00 111,087,680.00 1,225,800.00 138,763,785.00 4,244,020.00 630,860.00 381,846,630.00 85,602,330.00 5,567,420.00 8,620.00

SEPTEMBER 11-15, 2017 Close Volume Value 4.64 59.8 128.90

4,437,195 178,990 14,508,650

27,957,850.00 10,665,346.50 1,869,408,904.00

101.00 3.88 1.75 35.95 15.9 32.15 8.30 0.68 1.64 910.00 0.710 88 0.91 13.12 25.50 60.50 88 114.6 237.6 50.55 247.4 1805.00 86.80 1.4

10,949,850 51,000 19,153,000 316,100 59,400 4,492,300 26,000 45,000 162,000 2,130 6,798,000 13,147,220 2,092,000 214,600 2,100 277,490 1,160 420 160,410 322,420 3,220,170 505 45,990 114,000

1,113,798,207.00 201,540.00 31,777,490.00 11,381,070.00 948,804.00 140,221,835.00 217,834.00 30,200.00 270,030.00 1,932,300.00 4,801,040.00 1,148,791,888.00 1,884,400.00 2,813,808.00 53,550.00 16,721,748.50 102,088.00 48,081.00 37,960,452.00 16,633,886.00 797,966,524.00 912,850.00 3,992,510.50 154,620.00

40.9 9.2 0.8 1.47 23.05 0.238 125 22.20 5.8 17.4 165.3 36.7 80 64 1.94 6 11.56 10.400 15.36 14.66 7.20 7.00 1.8 19 68.5 13.90 12.78 16.54 1.910 243.00

7,367,900 4,927,300 5,119,000 5,521,000 453,900 4,800,000 1,380 165,000 18,535,800 2,788,800 20 2,998,100 7,600 21,660 937,000 1,885,800 99,900 20,717,500 6,129,200 5,438,000 3,329,600 29,087,300 76,000 11,929,100 512,550 4,100 481,800 21,085,100 5,234,000 3,269,090

298,995,690.00 43,658,760.00 4,111,770.00 8,092,630.00 10,188,365.00 1,149,400.00 177,362.00 3,584,930.00 109,174,820.00 48,309,298.00 3,306.00 110,162,040.00 627,672.00 1,386,630.50 1,806,020.00 10,952,429.00 1,146,954.00 215,057,030.00 93,787,326.00 80,817,926.00 23,776,885.00 201,848,968.00 136,060.00 219,023,922.00 35,029,875.00 57,796.00 6,077,552.00 341,786,014.00 9,721,440.00 796,431,136.00

4.45 3.35 23.20 31.4 20.5 17.02 0.231 276.00 11.78 3.05 6.80 10.62 7.27 9.96 1.80 12.50 68.35 6.5 4.30 2 4.38 310 2.75 12.72 4.5 0.145 1.22 153.9 3.71 2.29 28.05 0.99

3,833,000 227,000 6,900 7,663,700 3,532,400 8,075,400 5,490,000 1,600,690 355,100 1,830,000 501,800 18,286,300 336,400 9,500 2,951,000 4,737,600 4,755,440 2,019,400 65,000 41,000 154,000 106,760 6,365,000 4,905,200 199,000 1,570,000 246,000 6,810,630 41,000 45,231,000 600 251,000

17,026,920.00 752,520.00 158,750.00 236,876,895.00 70,256,809.00 138,655,310.00 1,264,190.00 435,093,018.00 3,997,116.00 5,460,550.00 3,435,617.00 191,827,992.00 2,407,364.00 94,966.00 5,333,690.00 58,832,248.00 318,493,392.50 13,360,408.00 284,320.00 82,000.00 674,740.00 33,093,970.00 17,215,630.00 62,183,744.00 896,700.00 225,470.00 298,470.00 1,046,565,179.00 153,570.00 102,715,960.00 17,030.00 246,240.00

0.355 74.00 14.58 1.12 6.80 0.330 0.335 928.5 8.06 16.52 6

3,950,000 4,899,290 44,543,300 84,000 72,900 8,170,000 1,710,000 1,285,900 2,156,200 44,176,400 5,500

1,385,400.00 360,602,824.50 660,342,876.00 93,860.00 507,099.00 2,639,950.00 555,900.00 1,191,912,090.00 17,559,686.00 722,555,042.00 33,000.00

7.73 0.205 1174 7.68 75.30 5.01 5.2 5.43 0.9 7.12 17.5 0.410 6.79 0.0520 0.970 2.060

490,600 720,000 865,330 413,300 7,463,490 7,700 7,100 100 4,916,000 825,700 15,517,700 580,000 147,244,900 73,780,000 45,000 15,615,000

3,712,012.00 148,020.00 1,004,378,275.00 3,270,232.00 556,981,381.50 40,099.00 37,146.00 543.00 4,412,060.00 5,808,137.00 269,981,274.00 241,750.00 1,000,934,320.00 3,812,350.00 42,960.00 32,410,620.00

97.50 2.65 835.00 1.46 0.86 300.000

1,716,510 26,000 2,014,770 2,387,000 2,000 24,740

167,205,087.00 69,880.00 1,658,454,355.00 3,470,850.00 1,720.00 7,399,808.00

0.2800 0.1980 0.225

690,000 2,590,000 1,870,000

192,950.00 508,600.00 414,960.00

5.080 1.19 7.90 2.400 1.110 45.000 3.85 5.12 5.25

2,451,100 50,609,000 210,200 332,000 33,015,000 63,552,200 4,220,000 12,174,800 118,300

12,669,979.00 60,967,150.00 1,510,912.00 792,500.00 36,656,870.00 2,807,593,760.00 16,066,330.00 61,943,177.00 623,886.00

0.500 1.36 1.540 0.234 0.490 40 0.690 0.156 2.02 1.48 0.98

71,553,000 6,966,000 1,863,000 161,380,000 5,680,000 4,572,100 2,019,000 1,000,000 201,138,000 26,464,000 3,813,000

36,538,360.00 9,530,590.00 2,893,970.00 38,238,760.00 2,784,200.00 186,040,655.00 1,397,630.00 149,800.00 396,435,640.00 39,637,650.00 3,633,140.00

STOCKS

SEPTEMBER 18-22, 2017 Close Volume

SEPTEMBER 11-15, 2017 Close Volume Value

Value

Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp. Phil. Realty `A’ Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp. Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

5.3 0.345 0.5200 0.490 26.65 6 26.35 1.79 3.18 34.85 1.05 7.35 0.870 6.400

268,668,700 568,000,000 67,044,000 14,591,000 4,457,600 16,016,600 26,546,600 10,784,000 482,000 45,528,700 13,717,000 900 447,000 39,699,800

1,429,395,091.00 211,459,100.00 34,394,505.00 7,202,005.00 117,578,570.00 97,481,348.00 686,293,335.00 19,304,790.00 1,523,250.00 1,584,703,080.00 14,341,480.00 6,556.00 388,690.00 253,169,867.00

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Apollo Global Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ. Chelsea DFNN Inc. Easy Call “Common” Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Golden Haven Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. À’ IPeople Inc. À’ IPM Holdings Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones LBC Express Leisure & Resorts Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp. Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail NOW Corp. Pacific Online Sys. Corp. PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Racing Club Phil. Seven Corp. Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp. SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils. Wilcon Depot

21.15 40.7 1.65 0.600 0.039 11 5.12 10.50 0.0720 111.7 9.15 10.22 7.49 3.25 2074 6.07 16.04 13.32 2.64 105.6 3.05 12 8.43 0.163 1.3300 3.2 16.16 4.67 1.41 15.44 18.80 0.560 2.4 8.2 4.35 2.500 10.98 5.15 3.05 8 165.00 9.48 1680.00 0.400 1.610 52.50 91.00 5.87 4.64 1.540 2.09 3.9 1.310 8.900

1,530,200 407,300 966,000 13,554,000 124,600,000 4,500 4,400 147,275,900 93,490,000 1,501,540 36,900 16,443,000 563,300 42,000 120,990 1,462,900 1,002,600 30,200 26,408,000 6,571,670 255,000 1,000 2,290,700 34,570,000 1,274,000 310,000 197,100 14,569,000 9,125,000 37,339,300 24,700 308,000 1,102,000 26,571,600 30,629,000 10,629,000 136,900 129,500 15,000 180,100 1,206,390 5,043,800 371,075 3,160,000 20,192,000 7,109,620 2,073,060 954,170 15,384,000 58,836,000 195,000 14,097,000 225,990,000 26,145,800

SERVICES 33,442,965.00 16,550,760.00 1,591,930.00 7,909,500.00 4,881,200.00 49,876.00 22,521.00 1,564,349,204.00 6,757,260.00 640,823,978.00 339,599.00 171,784,218.00 4,211,344.00 144,450.00 246,146,950.00 8,912,674.00 17,222,142.00 402,260.00 63,876,600.00 697,192,958.00 763,050.00 12,016.00 19,277,708.00 5,662,020.00 1,674,370.00 962,230.00 3,135,966.00 68,725,410.00 12,921,540.00 534,775,994.00 458,542.00 174,020.00 2,642,270.00 222,138,385.00 130,866,190.00 27,202,460.00 1,510,052.00 670,948.00 43,860.00 1,449,160.00 202,919,857.00 48,261,482.00 622,982,450.00 1,275,000.00 32,740,840.00 371,281,725.00 195,571,089.50 42,602,113.00 70,714,420.00 90,852,490.00 399,690.00 53,504,050.00 299,885,340.00 236,196,097.00

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

0.0027 1.71 4.84 14.18 2.0000 1.9000 1.54 0.390 8.99 2.630 0.270 0.182 0.010 0.0110 2.02 7.19 1.76 0.5300 1.0400 0.0130 0.0130 8.78 7.75 0.0120 2.4700 46.50 0.0080

MINING & OIL 3,602,000,000 9,443,200.00 25,549,000 42,406,340.00 3,556,100 17,605,029.00 20,700 277,380.00 668,000 1,247,330.00 7,000 12,880.00 55,319,000 79,295,910.00 2,940,000 1,155,950.00 223,900 2,003,075.00 26,594,000 70,065,480.00 2,250,000 601,300.00 12,780,000 2,314,760.00 300,200,000 3,056,100.00 4,600,000 55,000.00 4,128,000 8,411,240.00 30,088,200 224,990,929.00 1,053,000 1,833,950.00 947,000 500,180.00 4,256,000 4,471,730.00 274,700,000 3,319,400.00 55,200,000 728,900.00 3,978,700 34,097,669.00 76,437,100 485,788,693.00 541,900,000 6,646,800.00 326,000 813,720.00 8,395,500 396,057,870.00 253,000,000 2,000,100.00

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

40.6 107 526 529 105.7 106 117.8 525 5.8 1025 1040 1.06 110 1090 1125 1025 106.8 109.1 76.4 81 77 78.1 81 78.5 77.3 80 1.95

1,280,200 50,170 4,800 16,280 17,920 101,650 22,990 24,300 888,000 12,240 12,205 2,050,000 244,360 6,025 2,915 5,810 2,700 240 4,820 641,020 133,050 16,400 181,540 40,090 267,560 18,280 9,000

PREFERRED 52,096,525.00 5,346,220.00 2,510,740.00 8,618,430.00 1,888,233.00 11,096,880.00 2,702,912.00 12,703,140.00 5,139,442.00 12,425,250.00 12,543,800.00 2,152,960.00 26,848,930.00 6,412,250.00 3,265,005.00 5,931,200.00 280,210.00 26,180.00 365,762.00 51,798,929.50 10,118,726.50 1,280,840.00 14,706,635.00 3,149,633.00 20,836,152.00 1,491,259.00 18,470.00

LR Warrant

2.810

WARRANTS & BONDS 5,107,000 14,170,680.00 SME 11,779,430.00 2,808,190.00 32,712,574.00

5.37 0.370 0.5300 0.500 28.65 6.14 25.35 1.8 3.15 34.80 1.03 7.3 0.870 6.370

152,935,600 598,300,000 26,509,000 11,552,000 400 16,540,400 18,159,400 935,000 1,866,000 48,141,000 11,307,000 5,200 163,000 24,957,600

816,719,762.00 213,411,250.00 14,040,600.00 5,779,180.00 11,460.00 97,179,900.00 444,888,815.00 1,674,600.00 5,925,320.00 1,650,929,075.00 11,579,630.00 37,725.00 142,430.00 153,660,691.00

20.35 40.7 1.66 0.600 0.039 11.2 5.29 11.00 0.0750 112 9.22 10.34 7.60

411,700 124,500 834,000 22,821,000 53,200,000 2,100 9,200 116,926,400 28,070,000 2,031,040 13,700 37,037,300 460,900

8,472,795.00 5,076,640.00 1,364,130.00 13,311,330.00 2,085,100.00 23,520.00 47,671.00 1,303,482,072.00 2,067,980.00 227,050,110.00 126,951.00 396,222,838.00 3,506,705.00

2040 6.13 20.00

164,735 1,277,400 1,417,000

331,316,830.00 7,803,739.00 28,002,382.00

2.33 108.8 3.03 12.28 8.40 0.171 1.3300 3.07 15.96 4.47 1.46 12.70 18.80 0.570 2.38 8.5 4.20 2.700 11.06 5.18 3.11 8.01 170.00 9.84 1690.00 0.420 1.620 51.25 95.40 5.85 4.30 1.540 1.95 3.6 1.220 9.400

37,148,000 6,850,590 148,000 34,300 611,500 9,370,000 1,476,000 130,000 60,700 2,646,000 4,942,000 13,276,800 33,600 202,000 289,000 37,364,400 4,612,000 15,684,000 7,900 54,600 71,000 29,000 146,340 3,705,700 455,505 4,110,000 16,981,000 8,233,640 2,301,850 10,927,300 9,123,000 34,631,000 25,000 6,588,000 50,184,000 8,545,600

95,558,970.00 731,377,884.00 448,320.00 329,646.00 5,145,210.00 1,584,240.00 1,959,920.00 383,930.00 960,186.00 11,911,670.00 7,327,120.00 165,865,048.00 632,778.00 112,990.00 687,550.00 324,062,163.00 19,000,890.00 40,743,790.00 87,170.00 280,487.00 211,050.00 235,050.00 24,873,178.00 37,316,523.00 768,989,400.00 1,678,450.00 27,862,170.00 424,739,440.50 218,307,679.50 64,403,813.00 40,137,510.00 52,811,660.00 48,620.00 23,688,740.00 62,887,610.00 80,202,369.00

0.0027 1.68 5.03 13.48 1.8300 1.8100 1.48 0.395 8.40 2.630 0.270 0.182 0.011 0.0120 2.1 7.73 1.83 0.5300 1.0500 0.0120 0.0130 8.69 5.30 0.0130 2.5200 48.00 0.0082

525,000,000 12,574,000 2,113,000 2,500 238,000 125,000 35,156,000 4,400,000 21,200 27,657,000 44,830,000 33,830,000 96,000,000 1,700,000 6,211,000 25,583,300 611,000 162,000 6,870,000 186,100,000 51,100,000 3,119,700 48,114,200 210,200,000 341,000 15,062,270 32,000,000

1,397,500.00 21,383,940.00 10,936,713.00 30,954.00 455,150.00 233,870.00 49,289,350.00 1,728,050.00 178,115.00 72,404,120.00 11,231,300.00 6,141,490.00 1,044,900.00 20,300.00 13,209,500.00 197,280,465.00 1,107,750.00 84,590.00 7,251,110.00 2,266,100.00 663,700.00 27,184,548.00 258,064,658.00 2,598,800.00 844,370.00 855,625,411.00 261,500.00

40.65 106 515.5 520 105.3 109.9 112.3 516 5.74 1011 1028 1.06 108 1049

481,600 100 12,440 10,200 31,310 480 3,110 34,870 1,486,300 14,005 24,705 44,000 10,170 120

19,554,840.00 10,600.00 6,412,115.00 5,297,020.00 3,308,993.00 52,804.00 349,414.00 17,993,420.00 8,583,001.00 14,317,175.00 25,269,940.00 46,830.00 1,078,315.00 125,880.00

1025 103

10,700 16,210

10,911,090.00 1,670,815.00

76.5 80.7 77.05 79.95 82 79.95 79.6 80.9 2

18,430 87,810 68,200 14,040 26,690 56,670 402,970 82,490 24,000

1,407,600.00 7,094,794.50 5,254,176.50 1,102,043.00 2,167,280.00 4,524,879.50 22,214,274.00 6,660,881.00 53,150.00

2.550

784,000

2,004,490.00

4.51 4.84 5.8

6,275,000 418,300 7,141,200

29,060,830.00 2,037,189.00 42,266,507.00

Italpinas Philab Holdings Xurpas

4.45 4.94 5.72

2,625,000 580,000 5,637,800

First Metro ETF

125.4

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 45,520 5,665,370.00

123.2

36,470

4,460,587.00

10.9

DDOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 38,850 419,790.00

10.8

27,500

292,293.00

USD DMPL A1

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining MRC Allied Ind. Philodrill Corp. À’ Crown Equities Inc. Manila Mining À’ Oriental Pet. À’ Megaworld United Paragon Waterfront Phils. Filinvest Land,Inc.

VOLUME 3,602,000,000 568,000,000 541,900,000 443,700,000 300,200,000 274,700,000 268,668,700 253,000,000 225,990,000 176,907,000

STOCKS Ayala Land `B’ SM Investments Inc. SM Prime Holdings Ayala Corp `A’ Bloomberry Megaworld Alliance Global Inc. Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Universal Robina Jollibee Foods Corp.

VALUE 2,418,118,565.00 1,930,967,935.00 1,584,703,080.00 1,570,092,725.00 1,564,349,204.00 1,429,395,091.00 1,350,554,048.00 1,332,379,770.00 1,086,359,026.00 995,894,476.00

8990 Holdings plans to raise P5 billion from the issuance of 50 million shares at P100 per share as first tranche. The company will use the proceeds to refinance bank debts. The mass housing developer has tapped China Bank Capital as the underwriter for the offering. The preferred shares will be listed with the Philippine Stock Exchange. Alsons, meanwhile, plans to issue P500 million worth of CPs for the initial tranche of commercial papers that will be listed with Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. Alson plans to use the net proceeds from the offering to repay short term loans. The CPs will have a tenor of 90, 180 and 360 days. The company earlier tapped Multinational Investment Bancorporation as the sole underwriter and AB Capital and Investments Corp. Trust and Investment Division as facility agent for the issuance. Alsons is the publicly-listed company of the Alcantara Group and a long-time Mindanao investor. It is the first independent power producer in Mindanao. Global Business Power Corp., an energy producer led by Metro Pacific Investments Corp., in July acquired a 50-percent stake Alsons Thermal Energy Corp., the holding company for Alson’s baseload coal-fired power plant assets. Jenniffer B. Austria

Phoenix forms oil trading company By Alena Mae S. Flores PHOENIX Petroleum Philippines is allocating P510 million to establish a Singapore-based company that will trade the company’s fuel products. Phoenix disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange late Friday the new company would also engage in the trading business in Singapore “for the purposes of eventually servicing other third parties and customers.” Phoenix has expressed confidence of surpassing its net income and revenues last year due to the addition of the liquefied petroleum gas business and growth from fuel and non-fuel segments. “Our objective is to grow top line and bottom, not just bottom. It will be better than last year, I am not talking about percentages. I am talking about absolute numbers. We want to grow the business this year, top line and bottom line against last year,” Phoenix chief operating officer Henry Albert Fadullon said. Phoenix posted record earnings of P1.09 billion in 2016, up 21 percent from a profit of P905 million in 2015. Core earnings from the fuel business more than doubled to P937 million in 2016 from P416 million in 2015 due to better margins and sales mix. Sales volume reached 1.5 billion last year, up 25 percent, driven by solid growth in retail and commercial volume. Revenues were slightly higher by two percent due to lower oil prices year-onyear but they were offset by higher sales volume. “Our objective is to make sure that this year will be better than last year. Retail is growing... That’s why retail is a priority. The other one is LPG,” Fadullon said. Phoenix announced the potential acquisition of Petronas Energy Philippines Inc. in May and secured August 3 the approval of the Philippine Competition Commission.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila Manila

Business

Standard TODAY

TODAY

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Govt support to UCPB ends 2018 By Julito G. Rada

HE government is not keen on giving additional support to United Coconut Planters Bank beyond Dec. 31, 2018, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said over the weekend. Dominguez said during a Manila Overseas Press Club forum held in Makati City the capital program for UCPB would expire at the end of 2018 and that the government would not extend it beyond that date. “Well, the capital program of UCPB is expiring on Dec. 31, 2018 and we are not inclined to have it (extended)... I told them we are not planning to extend it, so that gives us our own internal

deadline... It must be either sold or not sold,” Dominguez said. He said the government was privatizing all its assets and speeding up the process. Among these assets are UCPB, the staterun Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and the controversial Mile Long property in Makati City. “We have a bank that is supposed to be in play for privatization, [UCPB] that is the bank...

We will have a price for the bank without any support. We are supporting the bank at the moment... ,” he said. Earlier, a number of bigger commercial banks expressed interest to acquire UCPB when news of its privatization broke out. UCPB was placed under the supervision of the Governance Commission for GovernmentOwned and Controlled Corporation in March 2016. The Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order on June 30, 2016, setting aside Executive Orders 179 and 180 signed by President Benigno Aquino III in March 2015. The Aquino directives ordered

the UCPB privatization and the re-conveyance to the government of about P74.3 billion in coco levy funds. The SC issued the TRO after a petition ﬁled by the Confederation of Coconut Farmers’ Organizations of the Philippines Inc., which alleged the privatization would deny the coconut farmers of their right over the coco levy funds. UCPB was originally under the supervision of the Presidential Commission on Good Government when the agency was still litigating cases involving the bank. Former president Aquino approved the privatization of UCPB following the Supreme Court’s Jan 24, 2012

Online buying making DoF uncertain of Reit impact a dent on shopping malls? CLARO GAÑAC, DBA

GREEN LIGHT Part II OBSERVATIONS have started to float about the high concentration of malls in Metro Manila. It is not uncommon to see malls that are within less than a kilometer from each other, particularly in the busy stretches of EDSA and even Marcos Highway in suburban Pasig-Marikina area. Colliers International Philippines in a briefing early in the year noted that vacancy rates were increasing in many established shopping malls. Most of them have the same high-profile retailers, and analysts have come to observe that shopping malls exhibit parity in terms of the mix of brand locators, thus, limiting customer choices and experiences. SM Prime, which owns the famous SM Malls has 56 malls in the Philippines, 20 of which are in Metro Manila, and they accounted for more than 50 percent of mall revenues in 2016. Robinsons Land, on the other hand, operated 40 malls as of 2016. Shifting to online markets Weak branded retail locators in malls are being closed even in areas of high foot traffic. As a result, many of them have shifted their distribution and placement strategy to online markets. Large-format online retail establishments like Lazada have all but willingly taken in lesser-known brands because its value proposition is to provide customers a bewildering, myriad selection of products and brands. The survey confirmed the high levels of online shopping in Lazada (55 percent) and Zalora (35 percent), both of which already have established brand trust among internet shopping aficionados. Metrodeals (30 percent) and Deal Grocer (9 percent) which specialize in service products like dining, spa and personal services at discounted prices also cornered a significant chunk of internet shoppers. Increasing level of comfort Research firm Euromonitor International assessed that growth in internet retailing will be driven not just by increased smartphone and internet penetration. It said smartphone penetration is forecast to reach 180 percent in 2017 in the Philippines. More than this, it pointed out that greater numbers of consumers are also developing an increasing level of comfort in the access and use of the internet for online buying. However, it noted that consumers are still likely to shop in physical stores. The empirical study has borne out this observation. Surveyed netizens exhibited in general positive attitudes towards internet shopping. More than 55 percent agreed that online buying saved time for them. Nevertheless, a lower percent-

age (but still very significant at 46 percent) believed that it was more convenient than going to a brick-and-mortar store. The same percentage (46 percent) claimed to enjoy shopping in the internet. Dichotomy of shoppers The study therefore uncovered a dichotomy of shoppers. The majority of more than 54 percent still expressed strong preference to shop and buy in physical stores where they can touch and try the merchandize. This same ratio of netizens also enjoyed interactions not just with the product, but also with sales staff whom they can personally consult with on their requirements. The slightly lower minority of 45 percent to 46 percent of shoppers showed a preference for internet shopping, with 12 percent to 14 percent reporting strong preference. Close to 40 percent browse internet “stores” for bargains and deals, and slightly higher percentage (42 percent) read online advertisements. A force to reckon with With higher consumer spending on the back of the robust BPO sector and strong domestic economic growth, online markets have become a force to reckon with. Retailers have thus adopted mixed channel strategy of using a combination of physical trade channels and online distribution. Established brands have either developed their own online stores or have partnered with Lazada and Zalora as third-party merchants. Even trade channels such as SM Retail and Robinsons Appliances have partnered with Lazada to distribute and sell their various home furnishings and appliance product lines. What is clear is that while shoppers still flock malls, malls should re-think and redesign their concepts and value propositions in the medium term. In the US, the landscape of shopping centers is changing towards lifestyle malls that offer more varied dining, experiences and entertainment, according to Kantar Retail. Analysts agree that malls need to reinvent in order to stay relevant. Because, like it or not, online markets are here to stay. Dr. Gañac is assistant professorial lecturer in the Ramon Del Rosario College of Business of the De La Salle University. He joined the academe in 2012 after a broad and varied career in corporate communications, corporate marketing, corporate social responsibility and investor relations spanning more than 30 years. He teaches Strategic Marketing, Consumer Behavior, Marketing Research, Public Relations among other subjects under the Marketing Management program of DLSU. He can be reached at claro.ganac@ dlsu.edu.ph The views expressed here are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.

THE Finance Department is still ﬁguring out if it is ready to give up approximately P100 billion worth of tax incentives under the Real Estate Investment Trust program, saying it is unsure if the same amount will be recycled back to the domestic economy, Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said. Dominguez said in a forum organized by the Manila Overseas Press Club he remained reluctant to formulate the implementing rules and regulations of Reit. “We estimate that we will be giving up in a sense, (because we don’t have it), about P100 billion over the period. The problem is you are giving a tax incentive in the hope that the yield in tax incentives will be reinvested in the real estate business,” Dominguez said. “But it is a hope, it is not a certainty. So at this point in time, I am not ready to say, unless I am sure, that the money is going to be recycled back, that we will give up potentially P100 billion,” Dominguez said. He said he did not think it was fair to the Filipino public to pass a legislation or write the implementing rules and regulations for the Reit. Earlier, Dominguez said he was amenable to any amendment to the Reit Act if there would be an assurance that money allocated for the purpose would be used for domestic activities.

ruling that effectively made the bank a GOCC. Proceeds from the UCPB sale under Executive Order No. 179 would be used by the government for the beneﬁt of the coco farmers. GCG said until the privatization is implemented, UCPB reREPUBLIC REPUBLIC OF OFTHE THE PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES METROPOLITAN METROPOLITAN TRIAL TRIAL COURT COURT OF OF METRO METRO MANILA MANILA BRANCH 43 – QUEZON CITY BRANCH 43 – QUEZON CITY PEOPLE PEOPLE OF OF THE THE PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES Plaintiff, Plaintiff, -versus-versusCRIM CRIM CASE CASE NO. NO. 160842 160842 FOR: FOR:Violation Violation of of B.P. B.P. 22 22 JACINTA JACINTA C. C. MAALIHAN, MAALIHAN, Accused. Accused. x--------------------------------------x x--------------------------------------x

NOTICE NOTICE OF OF SHERIFF’S SHERIFF’S SALE SALE ON ON REAL REAL PROPERTY PROPERTY GREETINGS: GREETINGS: WHEREAS, WHEREAS, by by virtue virtue of of the the WRIT WRIT OF OF EXECUTION EXECUTION dated dated December December 16, 16, 2015 2015 issued issued by by HON. HON. DON DON ACE ACE MARIANO MARIANO V. V. ALAGAR, ALAGAR, Presiding Presiding Judge Judge of of Metropolitan Metropolitan Trial Trial Court Court Branch Branch 43, 43, Quezon Quezon City, City, for for recovery recovery of of the the principal principal amount amount of of P P 360,000.00 360,000.00 plus plus cost, cost, interest, interest, attorney’s attorney’s fees fees and and expenses expenses in in the the above above entitled entitled case, case, levy levy was was made made by by the the Sheriff Sheriff of of this this Court Court on on October October 25, 25, 2016 2016 thru thru the the Register Register of of Deeds Deeds for for Batangas, Batangas, Batangas Batangas the the rights, rights, interest, interest, and and participation participation of of said said accused accused JACINTA JACINTA C. C. MAALIHAN, MAALIHAN, in in the the REAL REAL PROPERTY PROPERTY including including its its improvements improvements described described as as follows: follows: TITLE AREA TITLE NO. NO. AREA OCT OCT No. No. P-29032 P-29032 1,578 1,578 sq.m. sq.m. OCT OCT No. No. P-29031 P-29031 1,497 1,497 sq.m. sq.m. REG. JACINTA REG. OWNER: OWNER: JACINTA C. C. MAALIHAN MAALIHAN married married to to REYNALDO REYNALDO MAALIHAN MAALIHAN LOCATION: Labac, LOCATION: Labac, Cuenca, Cuenca, Batangas Batangas NOW NOW THEREFORE, THEREFORE, by by virtue virtue of of the the said said WRIT WRIT and and in in accordance accordance with with

Brief Brief Description Description

:: P P 41,100,000.00 41,100,000.00

All All particulars particulars relative relative to to Eligibility Eligibility Statement Statement and and Screening, Screening, Bid Bid Security, Security, Performance Performance Security, Security, Pre-Bidding Pre-Bidding Conference(s), Conference(s), Evaluation Evaluation of of Bids, Bids, Post-Qualification Post-Qualification and and Award Award of of Contract Contract shall shall be be governed governed by by the the pertinent pertinent provisions provisions of of R.A. R.A. 9184 9184 and and its its Implementing Implementing Rules Rules and and Regulations Regulations (IRR). (IRR). The The complete complete schedule schedule of of activities activities is is listed, listed, as as follows: follows: Activities Schedule Activities Schedule 1. 1. Issuance Issuance of of Bid Bid Documents Documents September September 22, 22, 2017 2017 to to October October 12, 12, 2017; 2017; 8:00AM 8:00AM –– 5:00PM 5:00PM September September 28, 28, 2017; 2017; 1:15 1:15 PM; PM; S.L. S.L. Lasap Lasap Hall, Hall, Administration Administration Building, Building, Cavite Cavite State State University, University, 2. 2. Pre-bid Pre-bid Conference Conference Indang, Indang, Cavite Cavite 3. October 3. Opening Opening of of Bids Bids October 12, 12, 2017; 2017; 1:15 1:15 PM; PM; S.L. S.L. Lasap Lasap Hall, Hall, Administration Administration Building, Building, Cavite Cavite State State University, University, Indang, Indang, Cavite Cavite Bid Bid Documents Documents will will be be available available only only to to prospective prospective bidders bidders upon upon payment payment of of aa non-refundable non-refundable amount amount of of Twenty Twenty Five Five Thousand Thousand Pesos Pesos Only Only (P (P 25,000.00) 25,000.00) to to the the CAVITE CAVITE STATE STATE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY Cashier. Cashier.

Supply Supply and and Delivery Delivery of of TITO TITO Ticket Ticket Papers Papers • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Quantity: Quantity: 5,180 5,180 boxes boxes Length: Length: 156 156 mm/6.125 mm/6.125 inches inches Width: Width: 65 65 mm/2.559 mm/2.559 inches inches Kind Kind of of Paper: Paper: Thermal Thermal Paper Paper Thickness: Thickness: .105 .105 -- .115 .115 mm mm Basic Basic Weight: Weight: 101 101 –– 111.8 111.8 g/m g/m22 Brightness: Brightness: 86 86 –– 89% 89% Packaging: Packaging:  11 box,  box, 40 40 packs packs of of 300 300 pcs. pcs. per per pack pack or or 12,000 12,000 pcs. pcs.  Fanfold  Fanfold wrapped wrapped with with clear clear (transparent) (transparent) plastic plastic @ @ 300 300 pcs. pcs. per per pack pack

Delivery Delivery Schedule Schedule

The The CAVITE CAVITE STATE STATE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY (CvSU) (CvSU) assumes assumes no no responsibility responsibility whatsoever whatsoever to to compensate compensate or or indemnify indemnify bidders bidders for for any any expenses expenses incurred incurred in in the the preparation preparation of of the the bid. bid. CvSU CvSU also also reserves reserves the the right right to to accept accept or or reject reject any any or or all all bids, bids, to to annul annul the the bidding bidding process, process, to to reject reject all all bids bids at at any any time time prior prior to to Contract Contract Award Award without without incurring incurring any any liability liability to to the the affected affected bidders, bidders, waive waive any any required required formality formality therein, therein, and and to to award award the the Contract Contract to to the the bidder bidder whose whose bid bid proposal proposal as as evaluated evaluated is is most most advantageous advantageous to to the the University. University. Approved Approved by: by: (sgd) (sgd) CAMILO CAMILO A. A. POLINGA, POLINGA, PhD PhD BAC BAC Chairman Chairman

National Commission for Culture and the Arts NATIONAL LIBRARY OF THE PHILIPPINES Phone:(632) Phone:(632) 336-7200 336-7200 loc. loc. 106 106 Email: Email: bac@nlp.gov.ph bac@nlp.gov.ph

INVITATION TO BID PB17-20 Structural Retrofitting of the National Library of the Philippines Building including Restoration of the Affected Areas Phase V: Design and Build The Procuring Entity through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites bidders to apply for eligibility and to bid for the hereunder procurement: Structural Retrofitting of the National Library of the Philippines Building including Restoration of the Affected Areas Phase V: Design and Build

Location

Conference Room, Ground Floor, NLP Bldg.

Approved Budget Contract

Two Hundred Seventy Five Million Pesos(Php275,000,000.00)

Source of Fund

the General Appropriations Act (GAA) 20162017 and National Expenditure Program 2018 Start Date September 25, 2017 –December 4, 2017 (except Non-Working Days) November 22, 2017 ; 2:00PM

Submission of Bids

December 4, 2017 ; 2:00PM

Opening and Evaluation of Bids

December 4, 2017 ; 2:01PM 360 Calendar Days

Interested Bidders may obtain further information from NLP Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) Secretariat. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on September25, 2017from the address below from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday to Friday and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount ofFiftyThousand 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 NLP, provided that Bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of bids. The NLP reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected Bidder or Bidders. For further information, please refer to: RICA JANE SANTOS AND RHODORA JULIAN BAC Secretariat National Library of the Philippines Tel. No.: 336-7200 loc.106/215/408 Email: bac@nlp.gov.ph Sgd. EDGARDO B. QUIROS BAC, Chairperson

QUANTITY QUANTITY 1,000 1,000 boxes boxes (12,000,000 (12,000,000 pcs.) pcs.) 1,500 1,500 boxes boxes (18,000,000 (18,000,000 pcs.) pcs.)

2nd 2nd delivery delivery 3rd 3rd delivery delivery 4th 4th delivery delivery

Approved Approved Budget Budget for for the the Contract Contract (ABC): (ABC): Source Source of of Funds: Funds:

DELIVERY DELIVERY SCHEDULE SCHEDULE

Forty-five Forty-five (45) (45) calendar calendar days days from from the the date date of of receipt receipt of of the the Notice Notice To To Proceed Proceed (NTP) (NTP) Ninety Ninety (90) (90) calendar calendar days days from from the the date date of of receipt receipt of of the the Notice Notice To To Proceed Proceed (NTP) (NTP) or or upon upon end-user’s end-user’s advise advise 1,500 One One Hundred Hundred Fifty Fifty (150) (150) calendar calendar days days from from the the 1,500 boxes boxes (18,000,000 (18,000,000 pcs.) pcs.) date date of of receipt receipt of of the the Notice Notice To To Proceed Proceed (NTP) (NTP) or or upon upon end-user’s end-user’s advise advise 1,180 Two 1,180 boxes boxes Two Hundred Hundred Ten Ten (210) (210) calendar calendar days days from from the the date date (14,160,000 (14,160,000 pcs.) pcs.) of of receipt receipt of of the the Notice Notice To To Proceed Proceed (NTP) (NTP) or or upon upon endenduser’s user’s advise advise

1st 1st delivery delivery

Pre-bid Pre-bid conference conference shall shall be be open open only only to to all all interested interested bidders. bidders. Bids Bids must must be be delivered delivered to to the the Office Office of of the the BAC BAC Chairman, Chairman, Administration Administration Bldg., Bldg., CvSU, CvSU, Indang, Indang, Cavite Cavite on on or or before before the the abovementioned abovementioned date date and and time. time. All All bids bids must must be be accompanied accompanied by by aa bid bid security security in in any any of of the the acceptable acceptable forms forms and and amount. amount. Bids Bids will will be be opened opened in in the the presence presence of of the the bidders’ bidders’ authorized authorized representatives representatives who who choose choose to to attend attend the the bidding. bidding. Late Late bids bids shall shall not not be be accepted. accepted.

(MS-SEPT. (MS-SEPT. 25, 25, 2017) 2017)

(MS-Sep. (MS-Sep. 25 25 && Oct. Oct. 22 && 9, 9, 2017) 2017)

1. 1. This This ticket ticket is is aa bearer bearer instrument. instrument. Casino Casino Filipino Filipino cannot cannot be be held held responsible responsible for for lost lost or or stolen stolen tickets. tickets. 2. 2. Every Every Cash-Out Cash-Out ticket ticket is is characterized characterized by by aa single single unique unique bar bar code. code. The The player player must must not not allow allow any any form form of of duplication duplication of of this this ticket. ticket. 3. 3. Casino Casino Filipino Filipino shall shall be be discharged discharged from from any any and and all all liabilities liabilities upon upon payment payment of of any any claim claim arising arising from from the the redemption redemption of of the the first first ticket ticket with with valid valid bar bar code code presented presented by by the the player. player. 4. 4. Casino Casino Filipino Filipino shall shall not not be be held held responsible responsible for for the the issuance, issuance, validation validation or or payment payment of of lost, lost, stolen, stolen, counterfeit, counterfeit, duplicate duplicate tickets. tickets. 5. 5. Tickets Tickets are are void void ifif unreadable, unreadable, altered, altered, counterfeit, counterfeit, duplicate, duplicate, incomplete, incomplete, produced produced in in error, error, or or fail fail any any validation validation testing. testing. 6. 6. The The player player is is responsible responsible for for checking checking this this ticket ticket for for accuracy, accuracy, including including the the date date and and amounts amounts shown, shown, and and must must immediately immediately notify notify any any Casino Casino Filipino Filipino Slot Slot Machine Machine personnel personnel present present in in the the gaming gaming area area of of any any inaccuracy inaccuracy or or error error in in the the ticket. ticket. 7. 7. Casino Casino Filipino Filipino reserves reserves the the right right to to withhold withhold validation validation and and payment payment pending pending aa determination determination whether whether the the cash cash voucher voucher has has been been stolen stolen or or lost. lost. 8. 8. Keep Keep this this ticket ticket away away from from heat heat and and moisture. moisture.

Prospective Prospective bidders bidders should should have have completed, completed, within within ten ten (10) (10) years years from from the the date date of of submission submission and and receipt receipt of of bids, bids, aa contract contract similar similar to to the the projects. projects. The The Eligibility Eligibility Check/Screening Check/Screening as as well well as as the the Preliminary Preliminary Examination Examination of of Bids Bids shall shall use use non-discretionary non-discretionary “pass/fail” “pass/fail” criteria. criteria. Post-qualification Post-qualification of of the the lowest lowest calculated calculated bid bid shall shall be be conducted. conducted.

Completion of works

Jose Jose Emmanuel Emmanuel L. L. Carlos Carlos No. No. 80 80 M.H. M.H. Del Del Pilar Pilar St., St., Palasan, Palasan, Valenzuela Valenzuela City City

Advertising Department 832-5547

  To To print print the the following following (Font: (Font: Arial, Arial, Size Size 6.5) 6.5) with with PAGCOR PAGCOR Logo Logo on on the the left left side side (sample (sample attached): attached):

:: CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION OF OF 4-STOREY 4-STOREY CCJ CCJ BUILDING BUILDING :: COLLEGE COLLEGE OF OF CRIMINAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE, JUSTICE, CAVITE CAVITE STATE STATE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY, INDANG, INDANG, CAVITE CAVITE :: CONSTRUCTION OF 4-STOREY BUILDING CONSTRUCTION OF 4-STOREY BUILDING :: 240 240 CALENDAR CALENDAR DAYS DAYS

Schedule of Activities : Procurement Stage Issuance and Availability of Bidding Documents Pre Bid Conference

Jacinta Jacinta C. C. Maalihan Maalihan c/o c/o Cuevas Cuevas Bakery Bakery No. No. 16 16 McArthur McArthur Highway Highway Brgy. Brgy. Malanday, Malanday, Valenzuela Valenzuela City City

• • BACK: BACK: (Uncoated (Uncoated Side): Side):

The The CAVITE CAVITE STATE STATE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY, through through its its Bids Bids and and Award Award Committee Committee (BAC), (BAC), invites invites all all interested interested bidders/ bidders/ contractors contractors with with size size range range of of Medium Medium A A to to apply apply for for eligibility eligibility and and to to bid bid for for the the hereunder hereunder project: project:

Copy Copy furnished: furnished:

• • FRONT: FRONT: (Coated (Coated Side) Side) to to print print on on both both ends ends “INSERT “INSERT THIS THIS SIDE SIDE UP” UP” (sample (sample attached) attached)

INVITATION INVITATION TO TO APPLY APPLY FOR FOR ELIGIBILITY ELIGIBILITY AND AND TO TO BID BID (INFRASTRUCTURE/CIVIL (INFRASTRUCTURE/CIVIL WORKS) WORKS)

Name of Project

WARNING: WARNING: ItIt is is absolutely absolutely prohibited prohibited to to remove remove Deface, Deface, or or destroy destroy this this Notice Notice of of Sale Sale on on or or before before the the date date of of the the sale, sale, Under Under penalty penalty of of the the law. law.

For fast ad results, please call

IInvItatIon nvItatIon to to B BId Id for for S Supply upply and and d delIvery elIvery of of tIto tIto ttIcket Icket p paperS aperS under under ItB ItB n noo.. pB17-068cor-09 pB17-068cor-09

(CvSU) (CvSU) Don Don Severino Severino De De Alas Alas Campus Campus Cavite, Cavite, Philippines Philippines (046-4150010-012) (046-4150010-012) www.cvsu.edu.ph www.cvsu.edu.ph

P.O. P.O. Box Box 2926 2926 T. T. M. M. Kalaw Kalaw Street, Street, Ermita Ermita 1000 1000 Manila, Manila, Philippines Philippines

(Sgd.) (Sgd.) HERMINIO HERMINIO D. D. HAPATINGA HAPATINGA SHERIFF SHERIFF III III

ERRATUM ERRATUM In In September September 15 15 & & 18, 18, 2017 2017 issue, issue, City City & & Land Land Developers, Incorporated Developers, Incorporated applied amount for applied amount for registration is Php registration is Php 400,000,000.00 400,000,000.00 and and Atty. Atty. Sabino Sabino R. R. Padilla, Padilla, Jr. Jr. is is Director/Chairman Director/Chairman of of the the Board, Board, Melita Melita M. M. Revuelta Revuelta is is Vice Vice President/Alternate President/Alternate Compliance Compliance Officer, Officer, not not as as published. published.

The The Philippine Philippine Amusement Amusement and and Gaming Gaming Corporation Corporation (PAGCOR) (PAGCOR) is is inviting inviting all all interested interested bidders bidders in in its its forthcoming forthcoming public public bidding bidding for for the the Supply Supply and and Delivery Delivery of of TITO TITO Ticket Ticket Papers Papers under under ITB ITB No. No. PB17-068COR-09. PB17-068COR-09.

Republic Republic of of the the Philippines Philippines

(MS-SEPT. (MS-SEPT.25, 25,2017) 2017)

Rule Rule 39, 39, Sec. Sec. 19 19 of of the the Rules Rules of of Court, Court, the the undersigned undersigned Sheriff Sheriff hereby hereby gives gives notice notice to to all all interested interested parties parties and and to to the the public public in in general. general. That on November 10, 2017 at 10:00 That on November 10, 2017 at 10:00 o’clock o’clock in in the the morning morning at at Rm. Rm. 328, 328, 3rd 3rd Floor, Floor, Hall Hall of of Justice Justice Bldg., Bldg., Quezon Quezon City City will will sold sold at at PUBLIC PUBLIC AUCTION AUCTION to to the the highest highest bidder bidder for for cash cash the the described described properties properties to to satisfy satisfy the the said said execution execution and and sale. sale. Interested Interested parties parties are are hereby hereby enjoined enjoined to to investigate investigate for for themselves themselves the the title title to to the the said said property/ies property/ies and and the the encumbrances encumbrances thereon, thereon, ifif any any there there be. be. All All bidders bidders must must submit submit their their sealed sealed bids bids on on or or before before the the aboveabovementioned mentioned date date and and time time and and will will be be publicly publicly opened opened immediately immediately after after 10:00 10:00 o’clock. o’clock. In In the the event event that that public public auction auction should should not not take take place place on on said said date date due due to to fortuitous fortuitous event event of of ifif the the same same be be declared declared aa non-working non-working holiday, holiday, itit shall shall be be held held on on November November 17, 17, 2017 2017 at at the the same same time time and and place place without without further further notice. notice. Quezon Quezon City, City, Philippines, Philippines, Metro Metro Manila, Manila, September September 25, 25, 2017. 2017.

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CAVITE CAVITE STATE STATE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY

Name Name of of Project Project Location Location Brief Description Brief Description Contract Contract Duration Duration Approved Approved Budget Budget For For the the Contract Contract

mains a GOCC that must comply with the corporate governance requirements. But by the middle of September, the Supreme Court lifted the temporary restraining order it issued in 2015 that stalled the use of the P75-billion coconut levy fund.

Thirty-Seven Thirty-Seven Million Million Two Two Hundred Hundred Ninety-Six Ninety-Six Thousand Thousand Pesos Pesos (PhP (PhP 37,296,000.00), 37,296,000.00), VAT VAT Exclusive, Exclusive, Zero-Rated Zero-Rated Transaction. Transaction. Corporate Corporate Budget Budget for for CY2017 CY2017

Bidders Bidders should should have have completed, completed, within within the the last last three three (3) (3) years years before before the the date date of of submission submission and and receipt receipt of of bids, bids, aa contract contract similar similar to to the the Project. Project. The The description description of of an an eligible eligible bidder bidder is is contained contained in in the the Bidding Bidding Documents, Documents, particularly, particularly, in in Section Section II. II. Instructions Instructions to to Bidders. Bidders. Bidding Bidding will will be be conducted conducted through through open open competitive competitive bidding bidding procedures procedures using using aa non-discretionary non-discretionary “pass/fail” “pass/fail” criterion criterion as as specified specified in in the the Implementing Implementing Rules Rules and and Regulations Regulations (IRR) (IRR) of of Republic Republic Act Act (RA) (RA) 9184, 9184, otherwise otherwise known known as as the the “Government “Government Procurement Procurement Reform Reform Act”. Act”. Bidding Bidding is is restricted restricted to to Filipino Filipino citizens/sole citizens/sole proprietorships, proprietorships, partnerships, partnerships, or or organizations organizations with with at at least least sixty sixty percent percent (60%) (60%) interest interest or or outstanding outstanding capital capital stock stock belonging belonging to to citizens citizens of of the the Philippines, Philippines, and and to to citizens citizens or or organizations organizations of of aa country country the the laws laws or or regulations regulations of of which which grant grant similar similar rights rights or or privileges privileges to to Filipino Filipino citizens, citizens, pursuant pursuant to to RA RA 5183. 5183. PAGCOR PAGCOR will will hold hold aa Pre-Bid Pre-Bid Conference, Conference, which which shall shall be be open open to to prospective prospective bidders. bidders. All All particulars particulars relative relative to to Pre-Bid Pre-Bid Conference, Conference, Detailed Detailed Evaluation Evaluation of of Bids, Bids, Post-Qualification Post-Qualification and and Award Award of of Contract Contract shall shall be be governed governed by by the the pertinent pertinent provisions provisions of of RA RA 9184 9184 and and its its IRR. IRR. The The schedule schedule of of bidding bidding activities activities is is listed, listed, as as follows: follows: Activities Activities 1. 1. Issuance Issuance of of the the Bidding Bidding Documents Documents 2. Pre-Bid Conference 2. Pre-Bid Conference

Date, Date, Time Time and and Venue Venue September September 25, 25, 2017 2017 (Monday) (Monday) to to October October 17, 17, 2017 2017 (Tuesday) (Tuesday) October October 03, 03, 2017 2017 (Tuesday), (Tuesday), 2:00 2:00 p.m. p.m.

3. 3. Deadline Deadline for for the the Submission Submission and and Receipt Receipt of of Bids Bids 4. 4. Opening Opening and and Preliminary Preliminary Examination Examination of of Bids Bids

Venue: Venue: MEETING MEETING ROOM ROOM 1, 1, Fifth Fifth (5 (5thth)) Floor, Floor, PAGCOR PAGCOR House, House, 1330 1330 Roxas Roxas Blvd., Blvd., Ermita, Ermita, Manila Manila October October 17, 17, 2017 2017 (Tuesday), (Tuesday), 2:00 2:00 p.m. p.m. Venue: Venue: MEETING MEETING ROOM ROOM 1, 1, Fifth Fifth (5 (5thth)) Floor, Floor, PAGCOR PAGCOR House, House, 1330 1330 Roxas Roxas Blvd., Blvd., Ermita, Ermita, Manila Manila October October 17, 17, 2017 2017 (Tuesday), (Tuesday), 2:00 2:00 p.m. p.m. onwards onwards Venue: Venue: MEETING MEETING ROOM ROOM 1, 1, Fifth Fifth (5 (5thth)) Floor, Floor, PAGCOR PAGCOR House, House, 1330 1330 Roxas Roxas Blvd., Blvd., Ermita, Ermita, Manila Manila

Interested Interested bidders bidders may may obtain obtain further further information information from from the the Procurement Procurement Department Department (PD), (PD), acting acting as as the the BAC BAC Secretariat, Secretariat, of of PAGCOR PAGCOR and/or and/or inspect inspect the the Bidding Bidding Documents Documents at at Eight Eight (8 (8thth)) Floor, Floor, PAGCOR PAGCOR House House Annex, Annex, 1105 1105 United United Nations Nations Avenue Avenue cor. cor. Maria Maria Orosa Orosa Street, Street, Ermita, Ermita, Manila, Manila, during during office office hours hours of of PAGCOR PAGCOR from from 9:00 9:00 a.m. a.m. to to 6:00 6:00 p.m. p.m. A A complete complete set set of of Bidding Bidding Documents Documents may may be be acquired acquired by by interested interested Bidders Bidders upon upon payment payment of of the the applicable applicable fee fee for for the the Bidding Bidding Documents, Documents, pursuant pursuant to to the the latest latest Guidelines Guidelines issued issued by by the the GPPB, GPPB, in in the the total amount of Twenty-Five Thousand Pesos (PhP 25,000.00). total amount of Twenty-Five Thousand Pesos (PhP 25,000.00). Prospective Prospective bidders bidders may may also also download download the the Bidding Bidding Documents Documents free free of of charge charge from from the the following following websites: websites: www.pagcor.ph www.pagcor.ph and and www.philgeps.gov.ph www.philgeps.gov.ph and and may may be be allowed allowed to to submit submit bids bids provided provided that bidders shall pay the applicable fee of the Bidding Documents not later than the deadline that bidders shall pay the applicable fee of the Bidding Documents not later than the deadline for for the the submission submission and and receipt receipt of of bids. bids. Prospective Prospective bidders bidders should should present present to to PAGCOR’s PAGCOR’s Cashier Cashier located located at at the the Sixth Sixth (6 (6thth)) Floor, Floor, PAGCOR PAGCOR Corporate Corporate Office, Office, New New World World Manila Manila Bay Bay Hotel, Hotel, 1588 1588 M.H. M.H. del del Pilar Pilar Street Street corner corner Pedro Pedro Gil Gil Street, Street, Malate, Malate, Manila Manila either either the the Fee Fee Slip Slip which which may may be be secured secured from from PD PD or or aa copy copy of of this this ITB ITB in in effecting effecting payment payment for for the the Bidding Bidding Documents. Documents. Bidders Bidders shall shall bear bear all all costs costs associated associated with with the the preparation preparation and and submission submission of of his his bid, bid, and and PAGCOR PAGCOR will will in in no no case case be be responsible responsible or or liable liable for for those those costs, costs, regardless regardless of of the the conduct conduct or or outcome outcome of of the the bidding process. bidding process. All All Bids Bids must must be be accompanied accompanied by by aa bid bid security security in in any any of of the the acceptable acceptable forms forms and and in in the the amount amount stated stated in in ITB ITB Clause Clause 18. 18. Bids Bids will will be be opened opened in in the the presence presence of of the the bidders’ bidders’ representatives representatives who who choose choose to to attend attend at at the the venue venue of of the the bid bid opening. opening. Late Late bids bids shall shall not not be be accepted. accepted. PAGCOR PAGCOR assumes assumes no no responsibility responsibility whatsoever whatsoever to to compensate compensate or or indemnify indemnify bidders bidders for for any any expenses expenses incurred incurred in in the the preparation preparation of of their their bids. bids. In In accordance accordance with with Government Government Procurement Procurement Policy Policy Board Board (GPPB) (GPPB) Circular Circular 06-2005 06-2005 -- TieTieBreaking Breaking Method, Method, the the Bids Bids and and Awards Awards Committee Committee (BAC) (BAC) shall shall use use aa non-discretionary non-discretionary and and nonnondiscriminatory discriminatory measure measure based based on on sheer sheer luck luck or or chance, chance, which which is is “DRAW “DRAW LOTS,” LOTS,” in in the the event event that that two two or or more more bidders bidders have have been been post-qualified post-qualified and and determined determined as as the the bidder bidder having having the the Lowest Lowest Calculated Calculated Responsive Responsive Bid Bid (LCRB) (LCRB) to to determine determine the the final final bidder bidder having having the the LCRB, LCRB, based based on on the the following following procedures: procedures: a) a) In In alphabetical alphabetical order, order, the the bidders bidders shall shall pick pick one one rolled rolled paper. paper. b) b) The The lucky lucky bidder bidder who who would would pick pick the the paper paper with with aa “CONGRATULATIONS” “CONGRATULATIONS” remark remark shall shall be be declared as the final bidder having the LCRB and declared as the final bidder having the LCRB and recommended recommended for for award award of of the the contract. contract. PAGCOR PAGCOR reserves reserves the the right right to to accept accept or or reject reject any any bid, bid, to to annul annul the the bidding bidding process, process, and and to to reject reject all all bids bids at at any any time time prior prior to to contract contract award award in in accordance accordance with with Section Section 41 41 of of RA RA 9184 9184 and and its its IRR, IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. Please Please address address all all communications communications to to the the BAC BAC thru thru PD, PD, Eight Eight (8th) (8th) Floor, Floor, PAGCOR PAGCOR House House Annex, Annex, 1105 1105 United United Nations Nations Avenue Avenue cor. cor. Maria Maria Orosa Orosa Street, Street, Ermita, Ermita, Manila, Manila, Tel Tel No.: No.: (02) (02) 7087080307 (02) 623-0496. 0307 (02) 623-0496. (sgd.) (sgd.) ARNOLD ARNOLD FERDINAND FERDINAND C. C. SALVOSA SALVOSA Chairperson Chairperson B Bids ids and and a awards wards C Committee ommittee (BaC) (BaC) 44 (MS-SEPT. (MS-SEPT. 25, 25, 2017) 2017)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

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

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2017

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

OUT TO DRY. Fisherfolk arrange different kinds of fish for drying under the sun along the National Highway in Noveleta, Cavite on Sunday. Lino Santos

Capas aims to be Tarlac’s second component city By Romeo Dizon CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga—Capas town will be the second component city of Tarlac, Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan said Sunday. Catacutan said all the requirements of a component city, like population, income, and land area, are all present in the municipality. “We are very optimistic to become a component city because of the presence of Clark Green City, which is now called New Clark City that would surely generate more taxes for public services,” the mayor said in a media forum here. Catacutan said that he, the municipal council, and 3rd District Rep. Noel Villanueva are working closely to convert the first-class municipality into a component city, perhaps by 2018. Tarlac City was the first component city of Tarlac, doing so in 2009. Catacutan said Capas has a total income of more than P300 million, including its Internal Revenue Allotment, with a total population of over 157,000 based on the last census. This town is also the site of the Capas National Shrine that recognizes Filipino and American soldiers who died at Camp O’Donnell during the Death March in 1942. According to Catacutan, Capas’ land area is about 43,000 hectares, including 90 percent of the 9,500-hectare New Clark City. The freeport’s remaining 10 percent of land area belongs to Bamban town, which forms the boundary between Tarlac and Pampanga.

No ‘JE’ disease cases in Manila By Bill Casas

HERE have been no cases of Japanese encephalitis or JE in Manila or in any of the city’s public hospitals, the city government clarified Sunday. Dr. Regina Bagsic, overall coordinator of the six city-run hospitals, belied reports circulating in the social media that a patient recently died of the deadly mosquito-borne disease. The patient was a 9-yearold from Barangay Kasila-

wan in Makati City, who was admitted at the Sta. Ana Hospital on September 13 and who unfortunately died on September 16 due to “dengue shock syndrome,” Bagsic said in statement earlier posted on the Facebook community page of Ma-

IN BRIEF Legazpi celebrates 2017 Peace Month BINIBINING Pilipinas Grand International 2017 and National Peace Ambassadress Elizabeth Clenci has joined the Peace Buzz in Legazpi City, Albay as part of the peace caravan, which aims to deliver the message of peace across the country. The local government of Legazpi City welcomed the Peace Buzz with the “Albayanong Jovenes Kasaro Para sa Katoninongan” (Walk for Peace) around the city proper. Personnel from the different security groups and scholars of Daraga Community College joined the peace walk. During the opening activity held in the provincial capitol, Deputy Presidential Peace Adviser Undersecretary Nabil Tan underscored the significance of the Peace Buzz’s journey. “The Peace Buzz signifies our collective journey to peace. This journey is to bring the message of peace to all our countrymen. All of us must take part in bringing peace to our country. Every step is a step for peace). Peace won’t be achieved by the government alone but by all the stakeholders, the Filipino people,” Tan said. Police Chief Inspector and Chief of Police Community Relations Elvide Esparrago of the Albay Provincial Police encouraged all citizens of Albay and fellow Filipinos to become protectors of peace. “For several years, war and conflicts destroyed and claimed many precious lives of our fellow Filipinos in which both sides are losers, but still we don’t learn any lesson from it. So, this time we are calling Albayanos and all Filipino people to give peace a chance to reign in our hearts and in ourselves, and denounce armed conflicts, and become agents and protectors of peace even in its simplest ways,” he said. For her part, Clenci reminded the youth participants to always be informed and updated by the progress on the peace process in the country. Bill Casas

Catanduanes woman nabbed for vote-buying LEGAZPI CITY—The Provincial Prosecution Office has claimed its first victory in its campaign against vote-buying after the Regional Trial Court has found a woman from Bato town in Catanduanes province guilty of the act during the 2013 synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections. Election advocates led by Marcial Tuanqui, the former president of the Albay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, praised the decision and said it was one more reason to scrap the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, especially in Catanduanes where they said vote-buying and election fraud were rampant. RTC Branch 43 Presiding Judge Lelu P. Contreras declared Susan Traqueña Palomer guilty beyond reasonable doubt of vote-buying as defined under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code, and sentenced her to imprisonment from two to four years without probation. Manilyn B. Ugalde

nila Mayor Joseph Estrada, which is run by City Hall officials and supporters. “We wish to clarify reports in social media that a patient has died of Japanese encephalitis at Sta. Ana Hospital. The patient actually died of dengue,” the hospital official said, citing official medical records. To date, Bagsic said the City of Manila is safe from Japanese encephalitis infection. In a statement, the DOH said Japanese encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain that causes fever,

chills, headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, confusion, and in severe cases, neck stiffness, seizures, paralysis, and coma which may lead to death. Earlier, Estrada cautioned the public against the deadly JE disease gripping several provinces in Central Luzon. The mayor has alerted the Manila Health Department to start conducting an information drive in the communities to educate Manilenos about the disease and how it could be avoided.

“Knowledge is the best defense. People should be taught what to do and what to know to prevent the spread of mosquito-borne diseases such as this Japanese encephalitis,” Estrada said. He called on residents to keep their environment clean to eliminate potential breeding grounds of mosquitoes that carry deadly viruses not only Japanese encephalitis but also dengue, chikungunya, Zika fever, and yellow fever. The Department of Health’s Epidemiology Bureau has recorded 133 labo-

ratory-confirmed Japanese encephalitis cases all over the country from January to Aug. 26. Nine deaths have been recorded so far, with seven from Central Luzon, one each in Ilocos and Calabarzon. Citing reports from the DoH, Manila Health Department chief Dr. Benjamin Yson said Metro Manila remains safe from Japanese encephalitis as of now. “DoH is currently concentrating on Central Luzon provinces where there have been confirmed cases. Here in Manila, we contin-

ue to conduct information campaign through our 59 community health centers and six public hospitals,” he said. Yson pointed out the MHD is trying to make people aware of the differences of Japanese encephalitis to dengue and other “vector-borne” diseases. “If a patient has a fever that last for more than three days, we encourage them to seek medical help immediately. We then refer them to our city hospitals if their condition requires it,” he added.

Bautista challenges Quezon City barangays to improve services By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista is challenging the city’s 142 barangays not just to be content in meeting certain standards, but aim to exceed their targets or goals for the greater

benefit of the people, as he expressed his intention to increase the incentives to the winners of the barangay Seal of Good Housekeeping awards. Bautista said he is “ecstatic” to see the eagerness of many barangay officials

in improving the services and programs they offer to their communities. “Let us make the top prize P1 million per category. But wait, I think that is still quite small. Let us make it P2 million, while the next will get P1.5 mil-

lion, to be followed by the third at P1 million, to motivate all barangay officials to do more,” he said at the 22nd Barangay Day celebration. The event sees awards handed out to the winners of the Barangay Seal of

Good Housekeeping, an initiative of the Department of the Interior and Local Government that recognizes the contributions and efforts of the barangays in Quezon City in achieving good governance. “In the earlier years, we

New cops in Caloocan warned vs moonlighting By Jun David

POSITIVE CHANGE. Senator Cynthia A. Villar tells the students of the National College of Science and Technology Institute of Industrial Research and Training in Imus, Cavite they have the big potential to help in the country’s development. She reminded them the hash tag #changeishere in social media is not enough, and said #changemaker can also mark their lives. The senator was the guest speaker during the 20th Advancement Ceremony for the students under the Learn, Earn and Achieve Program or LEAP at the Imus Sports Complex. Lino Santos

Estrada gives out P2-m aid to Malate fire victims MANILA Mayor Joseph Estrada has consoled the families affected by a recent fire in Malate that killed two residents and destroyed more than P2 million worth of properties. Estrada visited Barangay 704, Zone 77 in Adriatico, District 5 on Friday to personally distribute construction materials to an initial

batch of 102 families who lost their homes in the August 18 fire. “No matter how busy I am running our city, you know that I’ll find time to be with you. I hope these building materials would help you repair or put up your dwellings,” Estrada told the affected residents who are staying at the Ba-

rangay Amadome covered court behind the San Andres Sports Complex. “We have a saying, ‘never mind being stolen from, just not get your house burned down,’ so I know what you’re going through,” he added. Each family received 30 pieces of assorted lumber, five pieces of plywood, 10

pieces of iron sheets, and assorted nails, all worth P10,000 and enough to rebuild their homes, City Engineer Rogelio Legazpi said. After talking to the residents, Estrada instructed barangay officials to ensure the fire victims will get all the assistance they need until they have recovered from the incident. Bill Casas

CALOOCAN City police commander Senior Supt. Jemar Modequillo warned the 300 new police personnel on Sunday that those found shortchanging their jobs will be sacked. Modequillo confronted the new staff of the station and asserted that he is angry with policemen who fake reporting to duty, “but the truth is they are somewhere else, doing moonlight jobs.” He said he will not recommend those caught cheating for suspension, but rather be permanently removed from the roster. The new assigned cops in Caloocan came from different stations in neighboring cities of Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela following the firing of the city’s entire police force for their apparent roles in the controversial deaths of minors Kian delos Santos, Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Reynaldo de Guzman.

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

FOOD

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2017

OWER couple Solenn Heussaff and Nico Bolzico takes #RelationshipGoals to a whole new level. The couple is the newest ambassadors of Kenny Rogers Roasters Philippines. They started off hot on digital with a steamy Solenn delectably eating a leg of roasted chicken, which caused a frenzy of views and shares online. A few days later a hilarious material of Nico teaching his wife “how to be a true endorser” followed this. Nico himself was the one who came up with the classic line “The chicken and you is one.” These were eventually revealed as teasers for the Kenny Rogers Roasters’ brand new offering, the Garlic Butter Roast. Sexy and funny has always been their trademark as a couple. From their pranks, to banters, photo shoots and interviews, there is no doubt that they excite everyone with their antics. This is what inspired Kenny Rogers Roasters to launch the Garlic Butter Roast through an exciting experience called The Awesome Sensession. The Awesome Sensession was held in Kenny Rogers Matalino Branch where guests were taken on a food journey by hearing, smelling, and tasting Garlic Butter Roast. All throughout the program, guests were guided by a voice that was reminiscent of Solenn’s French accent, the language of love and romance. Media guests were treated to a different sensorial experience which commenced with guests blindfolding themselves to lose their sense of sight and heighten their other senses. This was followed by sizzling sounds and the mouthwatering aroma of garlic and butter, exciting their palate before that delectable first bite of the Garlic Butter Roast. Finally, Solenn and Nico appeared once the blindfolds were removed as a surprise to the guests. As the photo op and media Q&A happened, guests were then served the delicious chicken complemented by some of Kenny’s wellloved sidings. “We wanted to take everyone through the sensory experience that our Garlic Butter Roast can bring. The homestyle goodness of garlic and butter can transform any dish into a tempting and savory meal. That’s why we created an awesome journey to savor this aromatic roasted chicken bit by bit,” said Leon-

Kenny Rogers Roasters’ newest offering Garlic Butter Roast, which features a mouthwatering aroma of garlic and butter, can be enjoyed as a Solo Plate, Group Meal and ala carte.

KENNY ROGERS’

AWESOME ‘SENSESSIONS’ with Solenn and Nico

ardo M. Berba, general manager of Kenny Rogers Roasters Philippines. Kenny Rogers Roasters is a popular rotisserie chicken restaurant in the Philippines. Since 1995, it has been serving its famous menu from its signature roasted chicken, muffins, and side dishes. Until today, it continues to ex-

pand its offerings by creating deliciously healthy choices. That’s what keeps Kenny’s deliciously awesome! For more information about the event, check out #sosychick and #GBR on Instagram or go to facebook.com/ KennyRogersPH. You can also check out their website kennys.com.ph.

Kenny Rogers Roasters’ newest ambassadors Solenn Heussaff and Nico Bolzico with (from second from left) Kenny Rogers Roasters’ Marketing Manager Mackis Tuazon, General Manager Leonardo Berba and Marketing Director Carlos Vergara

Super sandwiches, super easy

Rise Against Hunger teams up with foodpanda Philippines to pack meals for indigenous communities

foodpanda vows to fight hunger FILIPINOS, in general, love to eat. We have our meals three times a day, and sometimes even eat snacks in between. Our love for food requires easy access to our every craving to be a necessity. This makes foodpanda, the world’s leading online food ordering and delivery platform, a relevant mobile app for most of us today. Unfortunately, there’s still a fraction of our population who cannot even afford to have a decent meal once a day. According to the country’s National Report from UNICEF in 2010, we have the highest prevalence of food inadequacy among Asia’s ‘tiger cub economies’ from 2005 to 2012. Poverty has long been rampant in some parts of the country and is now also being considered to be the root of other major societal issues. This is what motivates the team behind the non-profit, multi-national organization, Rise Against Hunger, to team up with local groups and companies who view hunger the same way and aim to alleviate the Philippines of this crippling problem. RAH Executive Director Jomar Fleras said that their personal mission is to end hunger in our lifetime by providing food and life-saving aid to the world’s most vulnerable and by creating a global commitment to mobilize the neces-

sary resources. foodpanda Philippines shares the same aspiration and pledges to donate a portion of every order or total food bill to support the cause. The partnership between these two global organizations started in 2015 and has gone a long way ever since helping and feeding the chosen beneficiaries who are mostly indigenous families. Proceeds of the program are usually being spent to buy primary goods and necessities which are then being packed and delivered by volunteers to remote barangays and provinces nationwide. The meal packaging program has an assembly process involving the combination of rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables, and 23 essential vitamins and minerals into meal packets. Having a shelf life of two years, the food is stored easily and has to be transported quickly. This year’s meal packaging event is hosted by the Department of Health Manila Head Office and gathered almost 2,000 meal packs for the indigenous communities in Candelaria, Zambales. “We believe that there is no small or grand gesture when it comes to helping out the community. Our collective effort will definitely go a long way, creating ripples of change, and making a big impact,” says Iacopo Rovere, CEO of foodpanda Philippines.

NOWADAYS, everyone is always busy and on the go. The kids are rushing to school and playdates. Dads and Moms are always in a hurry to meetings for work and at the same time also rushing to complete all the family activities needed within the day. Because the family’s always in a rush, super Moms like you want to make sure you send them off with food that is satisfying and can be eaten on the go. And there’s no better food than a good and filling sandwich, especially one that’s made with NeuBake Super Slice. But since you’re also pressed for time, you want sandwiches that are easy to prepare. That’s why NeuBake is giving you some ideas on how to prepare super yummy sandwiches filled with simple ingredients or even your leftovers.

Chicken Adobo Flakes Sandwich

TUNA PINEAPPLE SANDWICH

1 can tuna 115 g pineapple tidbits 1 pc red onion, small 5 tsp mayonnaise 10 slices of NeuBake Super Slice 10 slices of NeuBake Super Slice Salt and pepper to taste Gather all the ingredients. Shred the left over adobo. Take Gather all the ingredients. Mix drained canned tuna, sliced one slice of Neubake Super Slice White Bread, spread 1 tsp pineapple tidbits and onion. Season with salt and pepper to of mayonnaise then fill with shredded adobo, cucumber and taste. Take one slice of Neubake Super Slice White Bread, lastly top with another slice of Neubake. fill with the tuna-pineapple mixture. Cover with another slice of Neubake. TORTA GINILING SANDWICH

CHICKEN ADOBO FLAKES SANDWICH

2 serving of left over adobo, shredded ¼ cup cucumber Tuna Pineapple Sandwich

1 serving of left over giniling 3 pcs egg 10 slices of NeuBake Super Slice Mix left over giniling and whole eggs, beat until just blended and pan fry until golden brown. Take one slice of Neubake Super Slice White Bread and fill in with torta giniling, spread ketchup on top. Cover with another slice of Neubake. These are just some ways you can do to prepare quick and delicious sandwiches for the family. Whatever sandwich you make, it’s sure to be super filling because of NeuBake. And the great news is that NeuBake Super Slice comes in a Super Tipid pack. For only P29, you get 10 super slices of this delicious white bread that’s perfect for sandwiches. You can make up to five sandwiches that your family will surely enjoy. NeuBake Super Slice is available in all leading supermarkets and stores nationwide. If you’re looking for more sandwich ideas and recipes of NeuBake Super, visit www.facebook.com/Neubakeph on Facebook.

Life

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

Flavors of Relearn Natural

ELVEDERE Vodka, the world’s first super premium vodka, invites you to embrace the flavors of nature and Relearn Natural. Come heed the call to immerse yourself with the natural essences of the Earth that only the Belvedere brand can bottle. Born of over 600 years of Polish Vodka making tradition, Belvedere Vodka is known for using only three perfect ingredients: Rye, Water, and Character. Made entirely from Polish Dankowskie Gold Rye and blended with water from its own pristine source, the spirit’s taste profile is distinctively soft with a subtle sweetness and smooth, clean finish. Belvedere’s distinctive character and uncompromising integrity are recognized internationally by discriminating vodka enthusiasts, who appreciate it’s all natural, additive free character in a martini, on the rocks or in a cocktail. Sharing Belvedere Vodka’s all natural ethos, Relearn Natural was launched with a wonderful celebration featuring prominent floral designer Thierry Boutemy, best known for his lush arrangements in Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette. Guests at the opening celebration in Milan were transported to a lush and fanciful garden, inspired by the raw and fresh ingredients in Belvedere Vodka. To echo the iconic branch design on the Belvedere Vodka bottles, Boutemy created arch-shaped structures guests meandered through while sipping on simple and refreshing Belvedere cocktails. For Thierry, the arches symbolize a passage to elsewhere, to a “protective universe” where all worries are left behind and people become one with nature. Indeed, it was a floral grotto unlike any other!

Belvedere Vodka Asia Pacific brand ambassador Marek Vojcarcik demonstrates how to make Belvedere’s signature cocktails

Relearn Natural was launched in the Philippines with mixologist and Asia Pacific Belvedere Brand Ambassador, Marek Vojcarcik. This mixology session delighted guests as they discovered the crisp taste of Belvedere Vodka at the hands of a master. Showcasing the campaign’s signature cocktail, Belvedere Spritz, guests were treated to refreshing cocktail creations that were made from only the most natural of ingredients. Concocted from the abundance of nature and completely free from additives, Belvedere Vodka’s Spritz cocktails are a refreshing tipple to tempt any discerning taste-bud. Infusing colorful fruit, select herbs, and fresh vegetables with the pureness of Belvedere Vodka, Relearn Natural truly celebrated what nature has to offer. More than being at helm in Belvedere Vodka’s Relearn Natural, brand ambassador Marek Vojcarcik has been a fixture in the bartending community for quite some time now. Marek has been honored as a judge for the “50 World’s & Asia’s Best Bars” in 2014 and has competed in several mixology challenges around the world. He has been interviewed by top industry publications, speaks at global conferences as an industry expert and is featured in the lifestyle documentary One Way or Another, making its debut in September 2015. This past year, Marek was select- Kong. Marek currently serves as the bar he leads the entire beverage program. around the world into his bartending ed as a global finalist for the Diplomati- and salon manager at two Michelin- With the love for the natural a passion, and cocktails, especially for his mixes co World Tournament on behalf of Hong starred Duddell’s in Hong Kong, where Marek incorporates influences from featuring Belvedere Vodka.

SIP

Marco Polo Ortigas Manila’s signature cocktail PLUNGE into the refreshing fusion The named after Marco Polo Ortigas MaSapphire nila’s locale, The Sapphire Road, the Road hotel’s signature cocktail that brings a cool tropical experience. As part of the cluster promotion together with Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, and Marco Polo Davao, the sister hotels have developed their respective signature cocktails that best represent each region, and to showcase each signature fruit. Being the capital of the tropical country, what a better fruit to represent Manila than the tropical fruit itself, pineapple. The juicy and vibrant fruit has continued to be a prominent one in the Philippines, with the country remaining the top exporter of these goods. With the balance of its sweet and tart taste, it surely brings the tropical experience to the center of the country. With a mixture of brandy, calamansi, mint leaves, Palawan honey, and beer, The Sapphire Road is strained into a very long “Drink Glass” filled with crushed ice and calamansi spiral. To top the experience, it is served in a local-inspired Coconut bowl, banana leaves, and dry ice, if available. The Sapphire Road is available at To know more about the hotel, visit Vu’s Sky Bar and Lounge. www.marcopolohotels.com.

Did you know that producing a bottle of Jose Cuervo Tequila can take a full decade, from planting to bottling?

Up close and personal with Jose Cuervo IN LIFE there are very few things as rewarding as watching a shot glass slowly fill up with tequila. But regardless of its status as one of the most celebrated drinks in the world, drinkers often forget the history, culture, and hard work involved in producing a single bottle of tequila. The history of tequila began with none other than Jose Cuervo. For over two centuries, they have produced the world’s most recognizable tequila, and it’s only fitting that its story begins with them. In 1758, Don Jose Antonio de Cuervo obtained the property title to cultivate and harvest the Blue Agave plant by King Ferdinand IV of Spain in the town of Tequila, Jalisco. In addition to acquiring the land, he was also named the mayor of the town. Four decades later, his son, Jose Maria Guadalupe de Cuervo was granted the first concession to produce tequila commercially by King Carlos IV. By 1812, Jose Cuervo opened La Rojeña, which now stands as the oldest active distillery in South America. Today, Jose Cuervo is controlled and operated by the Beckman family, direct descend-

ants of Jose Cuervo. Tequila is a form of Mezcal, an alcoholic beverage that can be produced from other varieties of the agave plant that is native to Mexico. However, unlike mezcal, tequila can only be made from the blue agave, which grows in only five states: Jalisco, Nayarit, Michoacan, Guanajuato, and Tamaulipas. These five states are the only areas in Mexico where tequila is legally produced. In order to preserve the integrity of tequila, the Mexican government regulates its production. Bottles of authentic Mexican tequila are labelled with a NOM (Norma Oficial Mexicana) number. Tequila production begins with the Blue Agave plant (Agave Azul Tequilana Weber). It can take the blue agave up to eight years to reach full maturity before the plant is ready for harvesting. Jimadores (Agave farmers) cut off the spiny leaves (pencas) of the plant to expose the heart of the Agave, (piña). Following the harvest, piñas are steamed in adobe ovens for 40 hours. The exposure to adobe imparts a special flavor to the piñas and is the

preferred method for producing highquality tequila. This process converts the starches into a fermentable sugar that is then pressed to release the natural juices known as Aguamiel (honey water). Yeast is then added to the aguamiel to begin fermentation. Once complete, the fermented liquid is distilled twice to ensure the highest quality tequila while preserving the distinct agave flavors. Following distillation, the tequila is placed in oak barrels for resting. The length of time and type of wood used can have a significant effect on the taste profiles and aroma of the tequila inside. Distillation is overseen by Master Distiller Don Luis Yerenas, who personally handcrafted and created Jose Cuervo Especial Reposado, the most iconic blend of tequila in the world. From planting to bottling, it can take a full decade to produce a single bottle of Jose Cuervo Tequila. Whether taken as a straight shot, enjoyed on the rocks, or paired with a chaser or a cocktail, every sip is a testament to the hard work and centuries-old tradition that has enabled the drink to become a cultural icon the world over.

An order of any of McDonald’s McSaver Meals comes with rice and regular drink

QUICK MEALS

Make your day better with McDonald’s McSaver Meals

LIFE is so much better with things made available and convenient for anyone, just like the McDonald’s McSaver Meals, affordable meals complete with rice and drink starting at just P55. Take it from the hilarious new TVC starring Alden Richards, who plays a prince and outwits a hungry, short-tempered giant with an offer of McSaver Meals. Choose from the golden Crispy Chicken Fillet Meal (P59), seasoned just right and served with gravy, the Chicken Fillet Ala King Meal (P59) served with a delicious, creamy sauce or the one-piece Mushroom

Pepper Steak Meal (P55) made with a meaty patty, in creamy mushroom sauce and button mushroom slices. Now life is so much easier with McSaver Meals whenever you dine in at any McDonald’s restaurant nationwide. You can also have it via Drive-Thru, Take Out, or McDelivery by dialing 862-36, visiting mcdelivery.com.ph, or the McDo PH app. Try them and share your favorites by posting your photos online at facebook. com/McDo.ph and tagging @McDo_ PH on Twitter or Instagram.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2017

‘THE PROMISE OF FOREVER’

instant hit nationwide

BUBBLING UP. The cast of ABS-CBN's latest afternoon drama, (from left) Paulo Avelino, Ritz Azul, and Ejay Falcon, captivates the heart of televiewers nationwide

on Sept. 11 posted a national TV rating of 18.4 percent versus Haplos’ 15.6 percent. More viewers also continued to tune in to the Kapamilya series the following day (18.1 percent), compared to rival program’s 16.7 percent. Netizens were also captivated by the series, which led the list of trending topics online and garnered thousands of tweets. The Promise of Forever introduced viewers to Lorenzo (Paulo Avelino), the elusive “immortal man” now known as Nicolas, and Sophia, (Ritz Azul) whose dream is to become a female crew member of a cruise ship to help her family. Destined to cross paths again, they board the same ship Kantar Media figures say the series’ pilot episode going to Europe.

ORE Filipinos nationwide instantly fell in love with the story of eternal life and love in The Promise of Forever. The Kapamilya series starring Ejay Falcon, Ritz Azul, and Paulo Avelino recorded high national TV ratings and beat its rival program.

City of Dreams’ October Beer Fest features TRUE FAITH, PAROKYA NI EDGAR, OTHERS IT’S all about overflowing beer, authentic German delicacies, rollicking fun with friends, and top OPM bands True Faith and Parokya ni Edgar, 7 to 11p.m. during the third annual October Beer Festival at the Grand Ballroom of luxury integrated resort City of Dreams Manila on Oct. 12 and 13. True Faith will feature classic 90’s hits on Oct. 12. Part 3 Band and Eye Candies will also perform Parokya ni Edgar together with Gloc 9 and Eye Candies will bring the house down on Oct. 13. Exciting rafﬂe prizes and beer drinking games complete the October beer fest experience. True Faith’s “Perfect,” “Paano Ka Magiging Akin,” “Dahil Ikaw” and “Huwag Nalang Kaya;” and Parokya ni Edgar’s “Harana,” “Para Sayo,” “Yes, Yes, Show” and “Silvertoes” are some of the highlyanticipated chart-topping songs to be performed live at the October Beer Festival. Guests can also indulge in a variety of beers such as Weihenstephaner from the oldest brewery in Germany and the world, Sapporo from Japan, Heineken from Netherlands and local beers San Miguel Pale Pilsen, San Miguel Light, and Pedro Brewcrafters. This wide array of beers complements the Bavarian buffet with carving stations of roasted suckling pig, German-style roast chicken, roast

Marian’s dream to be teacher realized in new series ACCORDING To Marian Rivera, becoming a teacher was one of her childhood dreams, the reason why her current prime time offering titled Super Ma’am is close to her heart. “As a kid, I always had high regards for our educators and had I not ventured into show business, I would’ve been one. As they say, teaching is the noblest job in the world,” she said. In spite of the fact that she became the popular actress that she is now, her respect for teachers remains intact. “That’s why I can really relate with my latest soap opera. In a major way, it’s a tribute to teachers. Outside the conﬁnes of our home, they are considered as our second parents. Considering their dedication and hard work, they deserve to be respected and treated with utmost dignity! “Even though the program has elements of fantasy and action, it imparts good values. Watching the show will make the audience realize how essential the roles teachers play in moulding the youth. They contribute a lot

in shaping the young people into responsible, reliable and good-natured adults.” In the series, Marian plays Minerva, a dedicated and loving teacher. “I love my role here in Super Ma’am. She is the type who never gives up on her students, no matter how hard headed they are. Teaching is her passion that’s why she will do everything for her students to learn. Even if confronted with challenges and difficulties, she remains steadfast.” This is another vehicle where Marian is also a superhero. “Minerva accidentally acquires super powers after being bitten by a monster called ‘Tamawo’ which is a menace in their town. These monsters victimize the students. I have many fight scenes here which I’m sure the fans will love.” Does it remind her of her “Darna” and “Super Inday” days? “Oh, most definitely!” states Marian. “Actually, I missed playing a superhero on screen

considering that it’s been quite some time since I did that. In fact, my training for the action routines is more complicated and intricate as compared to those times when I did Darna. We’re introducing new ﬁghting scenes techniques here in ‘Super Ma’am’ that’s why it’s harder.” She has a new leading man, Matthias Rhoads, the Filipino-American model who made waves after appearing in a popular burger chain advertisement. “He’s a nice guy. Would you believe, we have the same birthday? I think he’s one promising newbie.” What made her think that the handsome showbiz wannabe has a pretty good chance to make it big? “Well, for one, he doesn’t rely solely on good looks. He knows it’s no sure guarantee to stay long in the scene. I can see his dedication to improve specially with his Tagalog. He asks a lot and you can see his

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, September 25, 2017

ACROSS 1 Huh? 5 Tap one’s fingers 9 Indian potentate (var.) 13 Camel stops 15 Sub — (secretly) 16 Jeannie portrayer 17 Small broom 18 Noted 500 19 Wintry 20 New Mexico’s capital (2 wds.) 22 Genially 24 Sales rep’s dom. 26 Strides along 27 Waffled 31 Prima donna’s tune 33 Assumed name 34 Tried 39 Haulers 40 Web locales 41 Vindictive Greek goddess 42 Holds spellbound 44 Improvise (hyph.) 45 Cathedral part 46 Ushers’ beats 47 Mentally acute 50 Honey 52 Angels’ city

54 Was worth it (2 wds.) 59 Nod off 60 One, in Dresden 62 Low point 63 Linoleum measurement 64 Kind of gin 65 Small wood 66 Canasta play 67 Decades 68 Nesting place DOWN 1 Dazzles 2 Merry sound (hyph.) 3 A — — apple 4 Determine the proficiency of 5 Less moist 6 Guitarist — Wood 7 Farmer’s org. 8 Aquatic insects 9 Synopsize 10 Sun-dried brick made of clay and straw 11 Thickens 12 Griffith or Gibb 14 Enjoys the rink 21 Gave dinner 23 Pillow filler 25 Disconcerted 27 One of the well-

to-do 28 Dash or vivacity 29 Force 30 Bad cut 32 Country addrs. 34 Has the flu 35 Advanced degs. 36 Inform 37 Pennsylvania port 38 Applies gently 40 Most mawkish 43 One in a million 44 Being broadcast 46 Shoe width

47 Sleep noisily 48 Greenish-brown 49 In the lead 51 Fencing swords 52 Mr. Sandler 53 Treadmill unit 55 Blowgun projectile 56 Nose stimulus 57 Playing card 58 Unfasten 61 Montreal turndown

effort to learn,” ends Marian. ******** Joyce Ching is proud that she’ll soon get her diploma from her filmmaking course. “How time flies! I’m just so thankful that finally, I will graduate. After four years! Yes!” she says. Ching cannot describe her feeling with this development. “All I can say is that it’s fulfilling. When I started, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to finish my studies because I was also busy with my acting career. Imagine, on my freshman year, I did 15 TV shows, then on my sophomore year, six. As a junior, I starred in 14 programs and this year as a senior, five. It’s really no easy task and I’m proud of this achievement!” For Joyce, it’s worth all the sacrifices. “There were times in the past when I was so tired physically and mentally. Then there’s the stress both in your work and schooling. It’s not a bed of roses. But I just hung on and strived hard to balance everything. Now that I’m about to graduate, it’s simply amazing,” Joyce states.

pork knuckle and German meatloaf; a selection of grilled sausages, braised beef paired with a variety of breads and pretzels with butter; and desserts such as Bavarian crème, Bee Sting cake, Sacher cake, Linzer cake and apple strudel. City of D r e a m s Manila’s October Beer Festival at the Grand Ballroom is at P2,700 net per person. A discounted admission rate of P2,400 per person is offered as an early bird rate until Sept. 30. Guests can also have a rocking good time if they avail of the October Beer Fest staycation package at P12,800 net. This staycation package includes an overnight stay in a Nobu Deluxe room with breakfast for two and two October Beer Fest tickets to the Grand Ballroom on Oct. 12 or 13. City of Dreams Manila Rewards Club members may approach the Dream Rewards or Signature Club counter to avail of the October Beer Festival passes in exchange of required Dream Rewards points. For inquiries and reservations, please call + 63 2 800 8080, e-mail guestservices@ cod-manila.com or visit www. cityofdreamsmanila.com. Event tickets can also be purchased via SM ticket outlets and smtickets.com. Terms and conditions apply.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2017

CTOR Ian Veneracion was only a toddler when started in show business. In fact, he was only ﬁve years old.

Now, he is a handsome 42, and not a single woman, unless she’s got Alzheimer’s can ignore his looks. What’ s his secret in keeping himself the attractive man in this country’s competitive and fast-evolving entertainment landscape? To begin with, Veneracion took a long, circuitous route to leading man status. He started in the TV sitcom Joey and Son, headlined by funnyman Joey de Leon. After his stint in the longtime variety show That’s Entertainment, he began to tackle more mature roles and eventually transitioned from child actor to action star, becoming one of the most sought-after artists of his generation. Teaming up with Jodi Sta. Maria and Bea Alonzo in the hit ABS-CBN’s Pangako Sa ‘Yo and A Love to Last, his gorgeous good looks cranked up the kilig factor and before showbiz watchers knew it, Veneracion’s popularity was way above the charts. But what does it take to endure in an industry that is teeming with equally good-looking, younger, and more aggressive actors? How does one stay in the radar without being a scandal magnet? Without the slightest hesitation, Veneracion declares that he owes his longevity to hard work, kindness, and pakikisama with his colleagues and peers. “Kindness and pakikisama are the key. Starting as an outsider showbiz neophyte compelled me to be professional, to always come on time, to know my lines by heart, and to be kind to people,” says Veneracion, whose father Roy Veneracion is a painter. “I was forced to do the hard work and I would not have wanted it any other way,” he stresses. An excellent work ethic is just one of his assets. Veneracion also believes he owes it to his fans to constantly present his best self each time he faces the camera by maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. Behind the camera, Ian makes sure that he keeps a balanced diet and engages himself in regular exercise and physical activities like football, boxing, scuba diving, paragliding, and skydiving. On top of that, during the rainy season, he also takes all precautions to protect himself from respiratory ailments like cough so he can fulﬁll his work commitments. Fortunately, Veneracion has found a trusted ally in Ascof Lagundi (Vitex negundo L. Lagundi Leaf), the pioneering and innovative natural medicine for cough in the Philippines. Ascof Lagundi is made from 100 percent organically grown Lagundi leaves, making it a natural remedy for cough and bronchial asthma. “Balance is key to wellness. You need to work, but you also need to seek recreation. You need alone time, pero dapat may balance pa rin, so you need physical activities and spiritual interests,” Veneracion points out. “Try to get enough sleep and to eat foods that strengthen your immune system. Pero kapag tinamaan kayo ng cough, take

Ascof Lagundi.” Veneracion prefers using the variant Ascof Forte Menthol Syrup, which comes in sugar-free or regular, owing to its “hagod-menthol” soothing effect on his throat. “My personal habit is when I start to feel the onset of cough, umiinom na agad ako ng ASCOF Forte Menthol Sugar Free Syrup kasi natural s’ya and safe. Agad-agad kong nararamdaman ‘yung ginahawa sa lalamunan. Nakatutulong s’yang paginhawain ang aking ubo habang ito ay gumagaling,” he says. Veneracion relates that he t a k e s Ascof Lagundi with him even during tapings and shoots to ensure that when he starts feeling the early symptoms of cough, he can get instant relief from its cooling effect to the throat. “It’s something that I bring with me everyw h e r e . When my manager informed me that Ascof was signing me up as an endorser, I said, ‘Perfect, just last week I had Ascof Lagundi in my bag. I definitely believe in the product. Kasi safe and natural s’ya. During the shoot I actually drank it,’ ” Veneracion reveals. “You can trust Ascof Lagundi. Because it’s a natural remedy, you can take it even at the first signs or symptoms of cough. Hindi ka matatakot because it’s safe,” he adds. With his cherished values of professionalism, kindness, camaraderie and hard work, and with the aid of good health habits, Veneracion is set to keep his star shining and affirms his status as a respected name in the local entertainment industry. Pascual Laboratories, the manufacturer of Ascof Lagundi, has its own lagundi farm in Nueva Ecija that organically grows the plant and uses a GMP-certified production process. Ascof Lagundi Forte Menthol is a product of scientific research and clinical studies. For inquiries and more details about Ascof Lagundi Forte Menthol Syrup, visit their official Facebook page at www.facebook.com ASCOFLagundi or their official website at http://www.pascuallab. com/index.php/ascof. If symptoms persist, consult your doctor

KathNiel on SKY PPV STAR Cinema on SKY Pay-PerView (PPV) brings the latest “kilig” blockbuster movies to Filipino homes as it presents KathNiel’s Can’t Help Falling In Love and Gerald Anderson and Arci Muñoz’s Can We Still Be Friends until Oct 6. The P300 million global blockbuster features Kathryn as Gab, a goal-oriented career woman who has the perfect life and Daniel, as a free-spirited travel blogger and entrepreneur. Gab’s life is turned upside down when she ﬁnds out she is actually married to a stranger. She does everything to annul their marriage, but only ﬁnds herself falling for him. Meanwhile, in Can We Still Be Friends, Gerald Anderson and Arci Muñoz, known as #TeamLablab, play a couple coping with the loss of their relationship in an unusual way—by

staying friends with each other. This leads to a competition of who can move on ﬁrst, but brings to light the question; do they really want to move on from each other? Subscribe to Star Cinema on SKY PPV until Oct. 6 to be able to watch these movies. The offer is available to all One SKY, SKYcable, Destiny Cable, SKYdirect, and SKYbroadband subscribers via SKY On Demand for P199. SKYcable and Destiny Cable subscribers can call 418 0000 or their local SKY ofﬁce, text STARCINEMA PPV to 23662 or visit www.mysky. com.ph/starcinemappv to subscribe. SKYdirect Prepaid subscribers can also text PPV STARCINEMA <BOX ID> to 236667, while Postpaid subscribers can text SKY to 23668.

KILIG WEEK. On Sky PPV, fans can relive the romance in the blockbuster films "Can't Help Falling In Love," and "Can We Still Be Friends?"

At 42, Ian Veneracion is one of the most sought-after product ambassadors in town

IAN

VENERACION’s

best kept secret to showbiz longevity Captain Barbell, Darna, Lastikman’s comeback gets under way THE Kapamilya network brings to life well-loved characters in Philippine comics -- Darna, Captain Barbell and Lastikman -- through its partnership with several companies, its initial batch of licensees, for the new Ravelo Komiks Superheroes brand. ABS-CBN Chief Content Ofﬁcer Charo Santos-Concio, Retail, Licensing And Storefronts Head Lina Quiogue, Licensing Head Karen Coloma, and Licensing Cluster 1 Head Julie Ann Gutierrez led the contract signing ceremony held at the network’s compound. Fans can look forward to new toys and games, clothing, food and beverage, collectibles and novelty items carrying illustrations inspired by the characters created by the late Mars Ravelo during the Golden Age of Philippine comics. Must-have Darna, Captain Barbell, Lastikman and Valentina statues, 20-inch limited edition premium collectibles are

From left: ABS-CBN Licensing Cluster 1 Head Julie Ann Gutierrez, Licensing Head Karen Coloma, actress Isabelle Daza, Chief Content Officer Charo Santos, and TV host Kim Atienza

now available along with the coolest card game, “Darna At Ang Nawawalang Bato.” ABS-CBN’s latest offering also includes popular gifts and favorite souvenir picks like tumblers, keychains, magnets, pouches, bagtags and pillows. Captain Barbell and Lastikman toys, Darna dolls, and other Ravelo characterinspired toys will soon be created, as well as an exciting mobile Ravelo Komiks game

app to be released early next year. Also coming soon is an exciting array of products in the beauty, fashion and home category, as well as a superhero-themed gourmet popcorn. The new comics-inspired brand targets toy collectors, comics enthusiasts, children and families who are looking forward to the rebirth of these pop culture icons. Products will be available

in various distribution channels such as bookstores, department stores and toy stores nationwide. Aside from the consumer products carrying this latest offering, the popular Pinoy superhero characters will be seen in other ABS-CBN platforms – television, ﬁlm, various digital platforms, etc. -- in the next few years. For more information on ABS-CBN merchandise, visit www.abs-cbnstore.com.