Manila Standard - 2017 October 13 - Friday by Manila Standard

DU30 SLAMS EU, CRITICS: LEAVE PH ALONE By John Paolo Bencito and Sara Susanne D. Fabunan PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday dared his critics to push for the removal of the Philippines from the United Nations amid criticisms on the country’s human rights record—but not without threatening the envoys of the European Union to leave the country within 24 hours. “As a last word, maybe this will suf-

ﬁce for the stupid European Union guys … they threatened us, I said that they will have us expelled from the UN. My God, do it stupid. Do it now,” Duterte said. The President made the response in apparent reference to recent warnings by international rights group Human Rights Watch and the Philippine UPR Watch, calling for the expulsion of the Philippines from the UN Human Rights Council if unabated killings under the bloody drug war continues. Next page

VOL. XXXI • NO. 241 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

Sara calls 3 senators as opportunists By F. Pearl A. Gajunera

AVAO CITY—Mayor Sara Duterte on Thursday recounted the favors that some Liberal Party senators asked from her and her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, when he was still mayor of Davao City. She recounted instances when Senators Francis Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros and Antontio Trillanes IV went all the way to Davao City to ask

the help of the Dutertes to win votes in Davao. She recalled the words of Pangilinan when he asked for Duterte’s support for his presi-

dential ambitions. “Kiko Pangilinan, several years ago I saw you here in Davao at a golf club, and you went to my father,” she said in Filipino on her social media account. “You wanted to run for president. What did you say? ‘With Sharon’s endorsement and your [Duterte’s] endorsement, I’m sure I can make it.’ In the past you sought his endorsement, but now you do a Hunger Games salute.” She recalled that during the 2016 presidential election, Hon-

tiveros called her several times to ask for help for her vote in the Davao City. She also said that even from the start she never liked Trillanes and even declined the latter’s request to meet her in Davao City some years ago. She also recalled that he asked Duterte to help in his vice presidential campaign run. The Davao City mayor said somebody needed to speak out to let the people know the truth about the Liberal Party politicians. Next page

SPOT ON. In this file photo, Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte aims her pistol on target Thursday during the 2nd Mayors Cup Shooting Competition at Barangay Maa in the country’s southeastern coastal city. Lino Santos

Bautista unmoved by impeachment Senators fear By Vito Barcelo and Macon RamosAraneta COMMISSION on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista will not leave his post until Dec. 31, 2017 even after the House of Representatives impeached him, saying it is up to President Rodrigo Duterte to decide whether he will remain in his post. Bautista said he also

wants to give the President ample time to choose a new Comelec chairman. In an interview, Bautista said he will face the impeachment charges, adding his offer to resign by the end of the year is up to Duterte. “Out of respect for him, let’s give him the option and let him decide what’s best for the country,” he said. “I feel what I did is reasonable; it’s according to

best practices,” he said. The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) lauded Bautista’s move to resign. PPCRV Chairman Rene Sarmiento said Bautista’s act of courtesy to resign by the end of the year was “laudable and praiseworthy”. “For one, it will enable the Comelec to act as one and purposely fulﬁll its mandate Next page

PDEA vows ‘less bloody’ war on drugs By Rio N. Araja, John Paolo Bencito, Francisco Tuyay and Macon RamosAraneta ASEAN LINKS. Former President Fidel Ramos (left) and former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad exchange pleasantries Thursday during the Asean Leaders Forum at the Raffles Hotel in Makati City. Sonny Espiritu

‘Odette’ threatens N Luzon TROPICAL depression “Odette” on Thursday maintained its strength and threatened to pound Cagayan province. In its 5 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the center of “Odette” was estimated at 285 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan. Packing maximum winds of up to 55 kms per hour near the center and Next page

Aquino on Thursday assured the public that narcotics agents would respect human rights and would not violate the law, leading to a less bloody war on illegal drugs. PHILIPPINE Drug EnforceAquino offered these asment Agency chief Aaron surances after President Ro-

drigo Duterte said the PDEA would be the sole agency in charge of the war on drugs in view of public outrae over alleged police abuses. For greater transparency, he said, journalists would be Next page

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Bill, and House Bill 6215 per Senate Committee Report 167, or the 2018 General Appropriations Bill, will be the priority measures in the Senate when it resumes session on Nov. 13 following a one-month break that started on Oct. 12. Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said the two measures are currently pending on second reading. The TRAIN measure is being pushed by Malacañang to generate revenues for the government’s infrastructure program. Next page

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By Macon RamosAraneta SENATORS in the minority on Thursday raised concern over several hacking incidents in the email addresses of staff in the ofﬁces of Senators Francis Pangilinan and Bam Aquino. They claimed the hacking incidents were aimed at pinning the political opposition for imaginary destabilization attempts. The same day, the senators belonging to the minority bloc said ofﬁcial e-mail addresses for releasing the media statements of Pangilinan and the Liberal Party Next page were hacked.

Media, spin doctors told: Uphold truth

Slower chamber? Bills pile up at Senate—House THE House of Representatives continues to churn out bills but the proposed laws have remained unacted on by the Senate, which Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez called the “slow chamber.” “The congressmen are hardworking these days,” Alvarez said in a radio interview. “Our problem is that what we have transmitted to the slow chamber have yet to be acted on.” In other developments: • Senate Bill No. 1592, or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion

hacking’s link with destab

By John Paolo Bencito

HIGH DISCIPLINE. Japanese women bodybuilders, in this picture taken Oct. 9 but released only Oct. 12, pose during the Japan bodybuilding championships in Tokyo. Officials say the number of bodybuilders registered with the national federation has doubled over the past six years to around 3,000, with women making up 10 percent as part of a nationwide fitness boom. AFP

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PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday told members of the media to remain committed to the truth, and said he hoped the truth would soon surface about the allegations being raised against him and his family. “I call on our friends from the media to also remain committed to the truth at all times. Never, never lie because we are not up to it anyway,” the Next page

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Hazing suspect lied—senator By Macon Ramos-Araneta

ENATOR Juan Miguel Zubiri on Wednesday night warned the Senate will release the statements of hazing suspect John Paul Solano that were given to the senators in an executive session if he fails to submit a sworn afﬁdavit by Monday, Oct. 16. Solano, previously considered a “person of interest” in the case, is considered a principal suspect in the killing of hazing victim Horacio “Atio” Castillo III after discovering that he gave “false statements” to the police. He apologized for making the statements when

he surrendered last month. Castillo, 22, a freshman law student, did not return home after telling his parents he was attending an event being held by the Aegis Juris fraternity Saturday night. His body was brought by Solano to the Chinese General Hospital on Sun-

Rody: Blame US if I die suddenly By John Paolo Bencito AMERICANS—more precisely the US Central Intelligence Agency or its operatives— should be blamed if he faces an untimely death, President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday. Speaking at the relaunch of Malacañang’s new press briefing area, Duterte blamed the Virginia-based US civilian foreign intelligence service for the barrage of criticism surrounding his presidency, mainly brought about by the bloody war on illegal drugs that has seen thousands die since he took office. “One day, I will just drive you away. It’s either they—your cahoots here—will have to kill me, or you have to get out of my country. Choose,” Duterte said. “Basta ako sabihin ko sa Pilipino, ‘pag namatay ako, America na ‘yan. CIA na ‘yan (As for me, I’ll be telling Filipinos: if i die, it’s America [that’s behind it]. It’s the CIA),” he added. On a related topic, the President said those who aim to topple his administration—referring mostly to his political opponents—should join forces against him.

Slower... From A1 • With the filing of the TRAIN Bill that retained the current incentives, the IT-Business Process Association of the Philippines said investor perception on doing business in the country had been improving. Senator Sonny Angara, head of the Senate ways and means committee, said the IBPAP and IT-BPM investment had said the Philippines was now showing “signs of recovery.” “Thanks to the Senate version of the first tax reform package that retained the current incentives of the industry,” he said. At the end of the first regular session in July, Alvarez said the House had forwarded 110 bills approved on third and final reading, with 70 more transmitted from July to October. “I don’t have the list now, but we will publish it,” he said. Congress went on break on Oct. 11 and will resume session on Nov. 13. It will adjourn again on Dec. 16, 2017 up to Jan. 14, 2018. Among the key measures that the House approved on third and final reading and forwarded to the Senate are the restoration of the death penalty and the proposed 2018 budget. A number of senators are

‘Odette‘ ... From A1 gustiness of up to 65 kph, “Odette” was expected to make landfall Thursday night. It was forecast to move west at 30 kph. Tropical cyclone warning signal no. 1 was hoisted over Batanes, Cagayan, Babuyan group of islands, Isabela, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. Areas under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal #1 are: Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Group of Islands, Isabela, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur. Heavy rains which may cause flooding or landslides with gusty winds and possible scattered lightning can be ex-

“I would be happy really if they would start to merge into one command. Itong mga komunista at itong Liberal (These communists and Liberal Party members). At ito ‘yung iba na gustong paalisin ako. Mag-isa-isa na lang kayo, isang grupo [These others who want me out of office, should unite in one group],” Duterte said, responding to various criticisms concerning his and his family’s true state of wealth. “I think you share the same ideological whatever para hindi na masyadong mag-kalat ang ano (so things won’t get scattered)—we can focus on all of you,” the President said. Still, Duterte said he will not respond to various specific allegations being hurdled against him. “This is no threat. I said it is my mandated duty to keep this country safe and sound,” he added. Duterte reiterated his claim that some media organizations were being funded by the Americans to destabilize his government, including online news site Rappler—a claim the organization has repeatedly denied. against bringing back capital punishment. The House is also hearing the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and, on Wednesday, impeached Commission on Elections chairman Andres Bautista. An impeachment complaint is also poised against Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. Since July 25 this year, the House has been implementing a new rule, locking all doors to the session hall and opening these only after the roll call. The new rule is “in line with our efforts to facilitate our plenary deliberations and daily roll call,” according to a memorandum issued by Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas. “Except those who are deemed present under Section 71 of our Rules, all members are enjoined to be at the session hall before 4 p.m., as those appearing after the roll call shall be marked absent.” Earlier, Fariñas said the new rule was meant to encourage his colleagues to report to the session hall on time, so that they could be more productive in transacting business. The session is supposed to begin at 4 p.m., but the roll call is usually called an hour later to ensure there are enough members in the hall. Macon RamosAraneta pected in these areas. Cloudy skies with moderate to heavy rains with thunderstorms caused by “Odette” will prevail over Cental Luzon, the rest of Cagayan Valley, the Cordillera Administrative region, and Ilocos region. The rest of Luzon, Visayas, and Zamboanga will be affected by cloudy skies with light to moderate winds with thunderstorms due to a trough. Partly cloudy to cloudy skies apart from isolated rainshowers, caused by localized thunderstorms, will occur in the rest of Mindanao in the afternoon and evening of Thursday. Small seacraft and fishing vessels are advised to stay ashore over the northern and eastern seaboards of northern Luzon due to “the northeasterly surface windflow enhanced” by ‘Odette.’ Rio N. Araja

day morning. “He has until Monday to submit a sworn affidavit or else we will release the transcripts of his statements to us in executive session. It is under our rules. We allow it. He has not yet submitted [his affidavit],” Zubiri said. “We don’t want to be obstructionists of justice.” Zubiri said Solano lied to them when he said he was going to submit his sworn affidavit in the preliminary investigation. “He [Solano] promised us that he would file his affidavit immediately during the preliminary investigation and yet there have been two already,” Zubiri said.

“It seems he is giving the committee a run-around and under our rules, if we see fit that it is material in solving a case and assist in the speedy disposition of justice, then we can vote on it. We have and we will release it under the permission of all members duly adopted by the Senate.” Zubiri, a friend of Castillo’s father, is the author of the Senate resolution seeking an investigation into the death of the University of Santo Tomas law student. Voting unanimously, the Senate approved also on Wednesday night Senate Resolution 529 authorizing the heads of the Senate’s public order and justice committees

PDEA... From A1

war was chaotic and ordered the PDEA to lead efforts to bring order to the administration’s anti-drug efforts. In a memorandum he signed Oct. 10 (Tuesday) but made public Wednesday, Duterte ordered all concerned government agencies, including the PNP to immediately transfer all case files on the drug campaign to PDEA. The PDEA, created by virtue of Republic Act No. 9165, is mandated by law to undertake the enforcement of the provisions of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. While Duterte’s war on drugs had substantial public support, it came under fire from local and international human rights groups, who denounced the killing of more than 7,000 suspects, mostly poor drug users and pushers. Several high-profile deaths of minors in police operations sparked public outrage. Last year, the PNP’s campaign was put on hold after a South Korean businessman was kidnapped and later found dead—killed by police inside their headquarters in Camp Crame. Months after the hiatus, the PNP resumed its anti-drug operations with a promise to eliminate rogue cops under “Oplan Double Barrel, Reloaded” — which saw even more deaths, including those of teenagers. From July 1, 2016 to Sept. 15, 2017, a total of 3,850 drug suspects died in police operations. The police and administration officials insist that in each case, the suspects fought it out with the arresting officers, a claim that human rights groups question. The Palace on Thursday claimed success because the street distribution of illegal drugs has already been degraded. “The street distribution networks of drug lords has already degraded, so we now target higher echelons of the syndicates as well as their protectors in government,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said. He said another sign of success is that the price for illegal drugs has gone up, because they are harder to get. PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa said he was optimistic that PDEA, despite its limited manpower, can sustain the gains in the anti-drug war. “I have not hurt feelings, it’s just that I am frustrated that we cannot continue the gains we have achieved the past year,” Dela Rosa said as he urged Filipinos to unite in eradicating illegal drugs since the PNP is out of the game. “The vacuum the PNP will create in the drug war will serve as a challenge to the community, the local government units, the stakeholders. They must be encouraged to do their share,” he said. With Rio N. Araja

invited to join PDEA raids and all agents would be required to wear body cameras. “You are all welcome. In our operations, the media can join us. You are all welcome,” he added. According to the PDEA chief, only 28 drug suspects were killed during drug operations since July 1, 2016. “I can assure the public that these 28 were [all] legitimate operations,” he said. He acknowledged that from time to time, however, the PDEA might need help from the Philippine National Police because his agency did not have enough people. The agency has over 1,000 agents out of a workforce of 2,000. The PNP has 190,000 employees. “Under Republic Act 9165, PDEA can seek assistance from any law enforcement agencies in the conduct of illegal drugs,” Aquino said. “I know how difficult it is for us. There will be a lot of obstacles and challenges along the way. But I assure the public, we can do it although it would not be that easy.” PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon said they will abide by the rule of law, but will not hesitate to defend themselves when the need arises. “You cannot predict what will happen during operations, but of course, we will follow the marching orders of the President that the drug problem has to be stopped by all means that the law allows. The fight will be relentless and it will be sustained,” he told a television interview. Aquino vowed to go after high-value targets, particularly big-time drug syndicates and those on Duterte’s list of drug lords and narco-politicians. Jacqueline de Guia, spokesperson of the Commission on Human Rights, welcomed the President’s move to task PDEA in the anti-drug crackdown. Duterte on Thursday said he would wait and see how the PDEA performs. “Well, let’s see. It will be the PDEA only, nobody else [that will take over the war on drugs],” he said in Filipino as he visited Malacañang’s newly renovated press briefing room. The President said he is no longer interested in having other agencies, such as the PNP, handle his drug war. He said he thought it would be better for PDEA to handle the war on drugs, since the agency has had only two deaths recently. “So nobody will die… better for the bleeding hearts and the media. I hope I will satisfy you,” he said. On Wednesday, Duterte indirectly admitted that the administration’s bloody drug

Media,... From A1 President said in his speech at the newly renovated press briefing room in Malacañang. He also told the members of the fourth estate to guard against vested political interests, which might compromise their search for the truth. “Never confuse your search for answers with the need to engage the public through sensationalized news and overpublicized political propaganda,” Duterte added. The President also reminded government communicators to

“uphold the truth at all times.” “Never exaggerate, never misinterpret [and] never agitate as you communicate our platform of governance. In other words, do not be arrogant,” he told an audience that also included Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella and Communications Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson. The President, who is facing a barrage of criticism concerning the true state of his supposed wealth, said that he is confident that the truth will come out “at the appropriate time.”

to make Solano’s testimony public. The resolution authorized the heads of the two Senate committees conducting the probe into the fatal hazing to “make public” the testimony of Solano on Sept. 25. Senator Panfilo Lacson is the chairman of the committee on public order and dangerous drugs, while Senator Richard Gordon is the chairman of the committee on justice and human rights. “Mr. Solano, during the executive session and in the presence of counsel, divulged vital information that will help the authorities solve the case, prosecute the culprits and give justice to the

death of Atio Castillo,” the resolution says. “Despite the two preliminary investigations conducted by the prosecutors of the Department of Justice and since the Senate hearing on 25 September 2017, Mr. Solano has yet to execute a sworn statement and make public all personal knowledge he has on the death of Atio Castillo.” Zubiri earlier said Solano named at least seven people responsible for Castillo’s death. He said all 23 senators backed the resolution. According to Zubiri, senators Grace Poe and Leila de Lima were unable to sign but had expressed support for it.

Sara... From A1 Responding to Sara Duterte’s rant, Trillanes said he sought the help of her father because he did not know at the time he was a killer and a thief. “It’s different now. I already know the truth,” he said. But when Trillanes sought Duterte’s help in 2016, the mayor had already been investigated for alleged summary executions in Davao City. The investigation was led by detained Senator Leila de Lima, who was then chairman of the Commission on Human Rights. She continued the investigation even during her stint as Justice secretary under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III in 2010. But De Lima, currently detained at the PNP Custodian Center in Camp Crame, failed to file any charges against Duterte for murder. Reacting to Sara’s tirades posted on Facebook, Hontiveros said she is “saddened” especially since they have had “several friendly interactions” over the years. “I am grateful for her support during my election campaign and I have honored that support by defending women’s and gender rights, health, human rights, and our country’s democracy.” From the very beginning, Hontiveros said Sara knows where she stands on the issues of human rights and the extrajudicial killings that have been happening in the country. “I have been consistent in this regard. My stand on the war on drugs and my current criticisms of the administration should come as no surprise,” the senator said. “Dissent is healthy in a democracy. It serves a check and balance to abuse of power and a way to better governance. It should never be viewed as a hindrance,” Hontiveros added. “I harbor the Mayor no ill will and I wish her well. But this is not a question of loyalty. This is a matter of service, of consistency and of principle, and the defense of the rule of law and human rights. I am sure, as a fellow public servant, she understands that,” she added. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

Bautista... From A1 under the 1987 Constitution,” Sarmiento said. Bautista has come under heavy fire—and has been impeached—after his estranged wife Patricia alleged that he amassed nearly P1 billion in ill-gotten wealth that he did not report in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth. Bautista has denied her allegations. The Palace said Thursday it looks forward to a smooth transition in the leadership of the Comelec and preparations for barangay and SK elections next year. Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella added that it was up to Congress to decide its next course of action with his impeachment, in view of his resignation. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Bautista, overturning a justice committee resolution that earlier dismissed the complaint against him. Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon on Thursday warned the passage of major bills, which included the proposed 2018 national budget and the tax reform package could be delayed once the Senate commences the impeachment trial against Bautista. “The deliberations on the proposed 2018 national budget and the TRAIN [Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act] will have to take a backseat once the Senate begins

DU30... From A1 Duterte, however, erroneously attributed a call of a seven-member delegation of international parliamentarians for an end to the bloody war on drugs to the 28-member European Union. Making his usual tirades against the abuses of European colonizers, Duterte said that foreigners should never look at Filipinos as a “bunch of morons” who never learned how to read the UN charter. “You want to expel us? You try. Your $1,000 will earn P1 million from me if you can expel us

OICs man the fort at Health, ICT depts PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed officers-incharge for the Department of Health and the Department of Information and Communications Technology after the nonconfirmation and resignation of their respective heads. Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella on Thursday announced the appointment of Undersecretary Herminigildo Valle as officer-in-charge of the Department of Health after Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial was rejected by the Commission on Appointments on Tuesday. Undersecretary Eliseo Mijares Rio Jr., meanwhile, will serve as officer-in-charge of the Department of Information and Communications Technology after former secretary Rodolfo Salalima resigned from his post in September. Valle, originally from Davao City, leads the Health Department’s Office for Field Implementation and Management. He holds a medical degree from Far Eastern University in Manila and held residencies and internships in New York and in the Philippines. Rio was a former commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission. He is a registered Electronics and Communication engineer who landed in fourth place in the first ECE Board Exams in 1971. John Paolo Bencito

Senators... From A1

the impeachment trial against Chairman Andy Bautista,” Drilon said. But Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III guaranteed there will be no delay because they will hold the trial on days when they are off from legislative work. He added that the Senate is ready for any impeachment complaint that will be transmitted to them. Pimentel also said that there is no point in holding an impeachment trial if Bautista were to resign immediately. Congress is on a session break until Nov. 13, with two critical measures currently pending for the chamber’s approval. The proposed P3.77trillion 2018 national budget is in the period of interpellation, with many controversial items yet to be tackled. The proposed tax reform law, on the other hand, is in the period of amendments, Drilon noted. “Our calendar is too tight and the impeachment case will eat up a lot of our time when we resume session in November. Legislative work will be seriously affected and that is a matter that the leadership should highly consider,” Drilon said. Senator Francis Pangilinan shared a similar view, saying the issue is “moot” because Bautista is set to step down by end of December. “Well the penalty for a conviction in an impeachment trial is removal from office,” said Pangilinan. Since Bautista has said he will resign at the end of the year, an impeachment trial would be a waste of time, he added. With John Paolo Bencito

Aside from Pangilinan and Aquino, the other senators belonging to the minority bloc are Senate Minoriy Leader Frank Drilon and Senators Leila de Lima, Risa Hontiveros and Antonio Trillanes. They said the nature of the breach in all instances was the same: Unauthorized users sent e-mails using the staff and party addresses. “We have reported previous incidents to the National Bureau of Investigation and we await updates on the matter,” the senators said in a statement. “We seek the help of the Senate president and the Senate sergeant-at-arms to look into the matter and to secure the services of experts.” The senators raised their concern as Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre spearheaded the creation of the Citizen National Guard, which says dissent is destabilization. “Let us be clear. There is no destabilization plot. Dissent is not destabilization. Dissent is indispensable in a democracy,” the senators said. They said constitutional democracy protects the small voice, including the minority and the individual citizen, visa-vis the many and especially the all-powerful state. “Democracy ensures that the small voice is heard and not harassed to silence,” they said. Meanwhile, Pangilinan said he was saddened by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte’s accusations against him on social media. “Marunong din naman tayong tumanaw ng utang na loob sa mga tumulong sa atin sa halalan. Kasama na dito ang Davao City,” Pangilinan said. In fact, Pangilinan said, he had allocated some projects for Davao since 2001 until 2012 during his two terms as senator. “But our duty to our country and fellow Filipinos should be given more weight over friendship. A debt of gratitude has its own boundaries,” Pangilinan said.

from the UN. You think China and the rest of the countries in Asean will agree to that? Where will the crucial vote [come from]? The Security Council. And you think Russia and China will allow that?” he said. Duterte then turned his ire on EU diplomats, saying they were free to leave the Philippines within 24 hours. “The ambassadors of those countries are listening now. Tell me, because we can have the diplomatic channel cut tomorrow. You leave my country in 24 hours. All, all of you,” the President said. The President added that he will not allow anybody, not even the United States, “to dic-

tate on us.” “And I will tell it straight during the November... in the Asean,” he added, in apparent reference to the upcoming 31st Asean summit to be held in Manila from Nov. 13 to 14, where world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, are set to arrive. He shot back against those who called for an end to his bloody drug war, saying that as President, he is the sole person in control of the affairs of the government. The Palace blamed Duterte’s “expression of outrage” to “false calls” by a seven-member delegation of international parliamentarians to stop the drugrelated killings.

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Bangayan a no-show at DoJ By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

LLEGED rice smuggler Davidson Bangayan or popularly known as “David Tan” did not show up on Wednesday’s preliminary investigation at the Department of Justice on the charges ﬁled by the National Bureau of Investigation against him and several individuals for their alleged involvement in the monopoly of rice.

The respondents were of trade under Article 186 charged of monopolies and of the Revised Penal Code combinations in restraint (RPC); bid ﬁxing, as pe-

nalized under Section 65 of Republic Act No. 9184 (Government Procurement Act); using fictitious name or concealing true name, as penalized under Article 178 of the RPC; and violation of Commonwealth Act No. 142, as amended by RA No. 6085. The NBI filed the criminal charges upon the request of the Senate, through its Committee Report No. 763 (Committees on Agriculture and Food, Ways and Means, Trade and Commerce, and Accountability of Public Officers). In its complaint, the NBI accused the respondents

of allegedly conspiring to use rice farmers “for the purpose of acquiring substantial allocations on the PSF-TES importation program [of the National Food Authority] with the end goal of monopolizing the supply of rice.” “The aforementioned individuals conspired or agreed to organize the farmers cooperatives and organizations as well as other juridical personalities in order to monopolize the supply and distribution of rice through pre-arranged bidding and other false pretenses thereby preventing free competition in the market,”

the bureau stressed. “With the acts of subject Bangayan and company, the other capable individuals were denied of their share on the allocation of the rice importation,” it pointed out. According to the bureau, the scheme cornered government’s rice import allocations, through the National Food Authority, in 2012 using 25 farmers’ organizations and cooperatives, and single proprietors that did not have the necessary ﬁnancial and logistical capabilities as “dummies.” The NBI further alleged that the bidders for NFA rice allocations were ﬁnanced in

exchange for a small percentage per sack as “share.” Bangayan’s co-respondents in the ﬁrst charge are Judilyne Lim, David Lim, and Leah Echiveria of Cebu-based DGL Commodities; Elizabeth Faustino; and Eleanor Rodriguez. For the second charge, he has four fellow respondents—Judilyne Lim, Faustino, Rodriguez and Echiveria. The other respondents in the other charges are Eugene Pioquinto, Mary Joyce Lim, Jason Colocado, Michael Villanueva, Denis Gonzales, Willy Sy, Sandra Lim, Gil Calipayan and Inigo Espiritu.

Auto Expo showcases ‘beep to ride a jeep’scheme BEEP to ride a jeep. This is the idea behind the installation of a working beep card reader, a tap in-tap out scheme for several modern jeepney protoypes on display in the ongoing 1st Philippine Auto Parts Expo. AF Payments Inc., the Ayala-Metro Pacific consortium behind beep™ card, brought its automated fare collection system to the expo, allowing passengers to tap in upon riding, and tap out before alighting. The fare is calculated based on the distance traveled. This is the first ever automated fare collection solution made for jeepneys. The jeepney prototypes on exhibit are new models that already comply with the Department of Transportation’s jeepney modernization mandate. Peter Maher, president of AF Payments, said that ”we are ready to support the Department of Transportation’s PUJ modernization program. We have developed a beep card service that is affordable to jeepney operators and will surely be appreciated by commuters in Metro Manila who have already purchased 4 million beep cards.” PhilAPEX 2017 opened Thursday, Oct. 12 and ends Oct. 13 at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City. It was organized by the Department of Trade and Industry, Board of Investments, Department of Transportation, Philippine Parts Maker Association Inc., Mitsubishi Motors, Toyota, and the Automotive Body Manufacturers Association of the Philippines Inc. AF Payments Inc. is a consortium of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp. providing contactless payment solutions in the Philippines through its integrated product and service offerings, thereby enhancing the transaction experience of every Filipino.

MMDA clears Taft, Edsa to ease traffic THE Metro Manila Development Authority on Thursday resumed its road clearing operations, this time along Taft Avenue from Epifanio de los Santos Avenue to Baclaran, to ease road congestion and ensure public order in the area. MMDA chairman Danilo Lim led the operation removing illegal structures, mostly stalls of vendors and illegally parked vehicles such as pedicabs, tricycles and private cars. He said the state of congestion in the area has reached critical levels, with motorists and pedestrians finding it near impossible to get through. Lim said the implementation of the anti-obstruction campaign is in line with the thrust of President Rodrigo Duterte to improve the flow of traffic, prevent accidents and maintain public order and discipline. Joel E. Zurbano

Villar urges PCG to boost agri sector

DRIVER’S SEAT. Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chairman Martin Delgra III try the prototype jeep during the 1st Philapex which displays cars and eco-PUV prototypes presented by the PPMA with the support of the DTI-BoI, DoTR, MMPC and the Automotive Body Manufacturers Association of the Philippines Inc., with the theme ‘Gawang Pilipino, para sa Pilipino’ at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City. Lino Santos

Sereno tells trial judges: Stay focused on work CHIEF Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Thursday asked trial court judges to stay focused on their work as dispensers of truth and justice and not to be sidetracked by political noise meant to unseat her as the country’s top magistrate. Speaking at the gathering of the Philippine Trial Judges League Inc. during its 24th annual convention and biennal election held at The Oriental Hotel in Palo, Leyte, Sereno urged the members of the ju-

diciary to “stay true to their oaths” and stay out of politics. “I did not come here to, as some would advise, rally the troops and ask you to wear armbands or hold placards for me,” Sereno said. “I know that, ultimately, such political maneuverings can only erode our branch of government in the long term, however gratifying it may be at the moment. I have no interest in feeding my ego,” she added. It was Sereno’s ﬁrst public

appearance since the House Committee on Justice, voting 25-2, declared on Oct. 4 that there was sufﬁcient ground to proceed with the impeachment proceedings even without discussing each of the 27 allegations against her, some of which, lawyer Lorenzo Gadon conceded, may not be impeachable offenses at all. The country’s top magistrate told trial court judges that the “greatest demonstration of support” they can give her was to “work hard, work

with integrity, be honest in all your dealings, and defend the Constitution as we all swore to do.” “Remain steadfast in the conduct of your duties; zone out of politics, and decide on your cases with openness, sobriety, and fairness,” she said. In front of those she called as “frontliners of our courts,” Sereno reiterated that the impeachment process does not bother her because she knows that the truth was on her side. “To tell you the truth, I do

not feel as embattled as the news stories may portray me to be,” she said. “As one of my younger staff remarked, ‘Ang chill ni CJ, bagay ang pangalan—Sereno, as in serene… Kalmado.’” She continued: “I am like this because I know that the truth is on my side. And in a time of constant spin, when narratives are coopted to serve the personal agenda of a few, the truth is our bedrock.” Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

Lone suspect in Burgos’ disappearance absolved By Rio N. Araja FOR lack of merit, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court on Thursday absolved a lone suspect tagged in the abduction of peasant-activist Jonas Burgos, son of the late press freedom ﬁghter Joe Burgos. In a 10-page, Branch 216 Judge Alfonso Ruiz II said the allegations of arbi-

trary detention against Major Harry Baliaga Jr. were based on “hearsay.” He said the prosecution failed to present solid and even circumstantial evidence to prove Baliaga’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The witnesses also failed to establish that Baliaga was present at Ever-Gotesco Mall in Quezon City on

April 28, 2007, the court said. “Even if admitted, however, this circumstantial evidence standing alone will not reach the quantum of proof required to overcome the constitutional presumption of innocence,” the decision read. The court said in any criminal prosecution, “the identity of the offender

must be established.” “The only circumstantial evidence presented by the prosecution was the discovery that the vehicle, with plate no. TAB-194 was earlier apprehended and later impounded at the 5th Infantry Battalion located in San Mateo, Norzagaray, Bulacan, where the accused, Harry Baliaga Jr., was previously assigned,” the deci-

sion added. Six armed men and a woman met with Burgos at a restaurant at Ever-Gotesco Mall on April 28, 2007, and allegedly abducted him using a vehicle with plate number (TAB 194). The vehicle was later found in the custody of 56th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, where Baliaga was assigned.

SENATOR Cynthia A. Villar encouraged the Philippine Coast Guard to continue to help boost the country’s agricultural sector and help alleviate the lives of farmers and fisherfolks. Speaking during the launch of the PCG Auxiliary Eco Projects and Awarding of Fishery Livelihood Assistance in Subic Bay, Zambales, Villar acknowledged that the activities and projects of the group are in consonance with her advocacies and priorities. “Like what I said last year, when I was conferred the honorary rank of Commodore by the Philippine Coast Guard, I really feel a social kinship in our Coast Guard because your mandate is not only maritime security but also marine protection,” said Villar. As an environmentalist and chairman of the Senate committee on environment and natural resources, Villar said the protection of the environment is among those closest to her heart. Macon Araneta

Senate ratifies bicam report on GCs bill By Macon Araneta THE Senate on Wednesday ratiﬁed the bicameral conference committee report on a proposed bill prohibiting the expiry of gift checks. which should be treated as real money or cash, Senator Miguel Zubiri said. “GCs should be treated as real money or cash, so we ban putting an expiry date on gift checks, and, putting an expiry date on the unused value, credit or balance stored in the GC,” said Zubiri, author of the proposal. Earlier, Zubiri said that Congress will push for the approval of the law and its

corresponding Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) in time for Christmas. “Gift check, gift certiﬁcate, or gift card” refers to “an instrument issued to any person, natural or juridical, for monetary consideration, honored upon presentation at a single merchant or an afﬁliated group of merchants as payment for consumer goods or services.” “The instrument can be in the form of paper, card, code or other device and shall remain valid until the cessation of business of the issuer,” added the Mindanao lawmaker. Excluded from the cover-

age of the law are “GCs issued to consumers including but not limited to those under loyalty, rewards or promotional programs as determined by the Department of Trade and Industry [DTI].” According to the measure, the DTI shall have exclusive jurisdiction in the implementation of the GC law. The Implementing Rules and Regulations shall be promulgated by the DTI and other concerned agencies within 90 days from the effectivity of the GC law. “The issuer and its accredited merchant may refuse to honor gift checks/certiﬁcates/cards under the follow-

ing circumstances: (a) When the GC is lost due to no fault of the issuer; (b) When the GC is mutilated or defaced due to no fault of the issuer and such damage prevents the issuer from identifying the security and authenticity features thereof.” Violators of the proposed law shall be slapped with a fine of P500,000 to P1 million for the first offense. For the second offense, in addition to the fine, the issuance of GC by the offending issuer shall be suspended for 3 months; for the 3rd offense, in addition to the fine, the issuance of GC by the offending issuer shall be canceled.

CLEAN HANDS. Actor and television host Alden Richards (middle) mingle with Baseco Elementary School students and officials of Procter & Gamble Philippines Inc. during the Global Handwashing Day Celebration held at Baseco Compound in Tondo, Manila on Thursday. Lino Santos

Opinion

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Monorail

VERY bit of infrastructure that can ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila is always welcome. The project may not be the mega type that will cost several billions of pesos to build, but it can be enough to provide relief to workers commuting to one of the country’s main financial districts.

project that will connect the Fort Bonifacio financial district to the Guadalupe station of Metro Rail Transit Line 3 in Makati City. The conglomerate’s offer to build Skytrain is expected to benefit around 60,000 to 100,000 passengers daily. As in any rail or toll road undertaking, the Skytrain project, which will tap the so-called automated cable-propelled monorail technology, is expected to reduce travel time from the Fort to the MRT Guadalupe station to just five minAlliance Global Group Inc. utes. The current travel time to the of tycoon Andrew Tan has pro- short distance can go as long as posed a two-kilometer monorail one to two hours.

The Skytrain monorail project, which will take three years to construct, could be interconnected with the proposed subway system that will pass through Fort Bonifacio. Another monorail project connecting the Makati business district to Fort Bonifacio should be pursued. Conglomerate Ayala Corp. earlier proposed the project to decongest Ayala Avenue and other major road arteries in the financial district, where traffic could come to a standstill during rush hours or after a downpour. The proposed monorails will serve as the direct link of com-

muters to the main railway system and reduce the demand for buses and taxicabs that crowd major thoroughfares in Makati and Fort Bonifacio. Authorities, meanwhile, should act with urgency in approving the monorail projects proposed by the private sector. Commuters deserve a break from their daily struggle to commute. Mini infrastructure projects like the monorail, aside from easing traffic, will increase labor productivity. They provide a cheaper and more convenient mode of transportation, improve the city landscape and reduce carbon emissions. PENSEES FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO

Impeaching a resigning official CHAIRMAN Andy Bautista is a friend. He is a family friend, and I do not wish him to undergo the ordeal of a trial before the Senate. So all that I write here is a pure discussion of law. After Andy had announced that he was resigning effective December, he was impeached by the Lower House. Should the Senate still try him? The purpose of impeachment is the removal of the impeachable official from office. Had Andy’s resignation been effective immediately, then there would be no need to remove him by conviction following trial by impeachment, because he would then have already removed himself by voluntary resignation. I do

I hope this starts a robust discussion.

A deal with the devil LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES IT WOULD have been quietly resolved away from the public eye. But Congress probably forgot that it was dealing with someone who, while he claimed to be quitting his post to save his children, has not been providing financial support for them for nearly a year now. It turns out that Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista had really struck a deal with the House concerning the impeachment case filed against him: Bautista would resign, he would no longer be impeached and no one would be the wiser. There would be no messy impeachment trial and Bautista and the congressmen would not have to be confronted with uncomfortable

questions about the conduct of the elections last year. But it was not to be. Bautista, who was given up to 4 p.m. Wednesday to make good his promise to resign, welshed on the agreement. Instead, he sent a resignation letter to Malacañang declaring that he would stay on until the end of the year, allegedly to give President Rodrigo Duterte time to find a suitable replacement and to ensure a smooth transition process at the election agency. The House called an emergency caucus and retaliated by impeaching Bautista, rejecting the committee on justice report dismissing the complaint filed against him. Bautista’s plan to hang on for 10 more weeks—a timeframe crucial to the conduct of the next elections in 2019—was exposed. Deputy Speaker and

Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia, one of the endorsers of the impeachment complaint against Bautista, said the 137 congressmen who impeached the Comelec chairman saw through his ploy. Garcia went along

Let the truthtelling about Bautista’s—and Smartmatic’s —shenanigans begin.

with the dismissal by the House committee on justice—even if she still voted against it—upon being given the assurance by the House leadership that he would quit anyway.

But when Bautista reneged on the deal by “postdating” his resignation to the end of the year, according to Garcia, “the lonely two [endorsers who voted to impeach him] increased to 137.” “What if after his prayers and discernment he would say I will not resign [by yearend]?” she asked. “He thought he could take the congressmen for a ride with a very lame claim to resignation [but] the 137 saw through his game,” Garcia said. “Don’t mess with us; if you say something, do it.” Garcia’s fellow endorser, Kabayan Party-List Rep. Harry Roque, imputed malice on Bautista’s part when he postponed the effectivity of his leaving. “Resignation is always an option for him, but he should not determine when,” Roque said. Roque alleged that if the full House had upheld the committee report, Bautista would have become

immune from impeachment for a year. “And if he changes his mind [by yearend], he would be free to sign [new] contracts” with Comelec’s voting technology and services provider Smartmatic for the 2019 midterm elections. Roque added: “We don’t want to give him that chance again to sign contracts with Smartmatic.” The Venezuela-based technology provider has been repeatedly accused of rigging previous automated elections with the help of Comelec. But I guess Congress is also to blame for making a deal with Bautista and forgetting that the public demands explanations from him about how he supervised the last elections. Now it has no choice but to bring a case against Bautista before the Senate impeachment court, when it had really wanted him to just resign and fade into

obscurity, taking his secrets with him to the grave. Bautista can still resign immediately and attempt to go back to the original plan. But I think that glob of toothpaste can’t be brought back into the tube anymore. So no more deals with the devil. Let the truth-telling about Bautista’s—and Smartmatic’s—shenanigans begin. *** Moving forward, President Rodrigo Duterte would be able clean up the Augean stables of the Comelec if he appoints a replacement for Bautista who is unwaveringly committed to the job. To my mind, that replacement should be the longtime crusader against electoral fraud—lawyer, IT expert and former Biliran Rep. Glenn Chong. Since the start of this country’s experimentation with election automation,

not subscribe to the theory that an impeachable official who has resigned or whose term has ended may nevertheless still be tried by the Senate because of the accessory penalty of disqualification from public office. The same end can be achieved by filing the appropriate graft case against him. If the purpose of impeachment is the removal of the impeachable official from office, then clearly it is pointless to remove one who is no longer in office. The problem, however, in Chairman Andy’s case is that the resignation is prospective. In other words, he is still in office —and therefore may still be the subject of removal by trial following impeachment. One could claim that Senate should make a call as to whether a trial is worth its time, considering that Andy has announced his resignation

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Opinion

THERE is a new conglomerate in the making. In five years if not earlier, it could become larger than older and bigger companies like Megaworld and Robinsons Land. I am talking about DoubleDragon Properties Corp., the company founded by Edgar “Injap” Sia II who became the country’s youngest billionaire when he sold 70 percent of his Mang Inasal chain of restaurants to Jollibee Foods Corp. for a whopping P3 billion. In 2016, Injap sold his remaining 30 percent to Jollibee for P2 billion, making Mang Inasal 100-percent owned by JBC. Mang Inasal became the fastest growing fast food property of JFC. Mang Inasal is now the third largest restaurant chain of JFC, after Jollibee hamburger restaurant chain itself and ChowKing Chinese fast food. Today, DoubleDragon is the Philippines’ fastestgrowing property company—in revenues, profits, and acquisitions. In the past two years, it also has given investors the second best yield, among the property companies. DoubleDragon Properties Corp. is a narrative of unprecedented growth and sharp focus. And if you believe investors and analysts, it is the best company to invest in—today and in the coming years. Injap owns 37 percent of DoubleDragon. Jollibee founder Tony Tan Caktiong owns another 37 percent. The remaining 26 percent is in the hands of the public. DoubleDragon’s biggest subsidiary, CityMalls, is owned 34 percent by SM Investments Corp., the Philippines’ largest conglomerate whose owner, Henry Sy Sr., is the country’s richest individual. In capital gain yield to investors, DD is the second best after Henry Sy’s SM Prime. Barely eight years old, DD clearly now is in the Big League. It is disrupting businesses once dominated by the Big Boys—malls or retail leasing, office space leasing, hotels, and even a new area, the wholesale rental of factory buildings and warehouse sites. In 2014, net income was only P140 million. This rose last year to a whopping P1.4 billion. By 2020, profits will hit P5.5 billion. That’s an average growth in profits per year of a colossal 638 percent. In market value, between end-December 2015 and Oct. 9, this year, DoubleDragon has appreciated by a sterling 78.9 percent. Your P1,000 invested in December 2015 would be worth P1,789 today. Compare that capital gain to those of DoubleDragon’s bigger and older listed rivals during the same 21-month period— Henry Sy’s SM Prime 59.6 percent; the Zobel-Ayala family’s Ayala Land 24.5 percent, Andrew Tan’s Megaworld 24.23 percent, and John Gokongwei Jr.’s Robinsons Land, a measly five percent. DoubleDragon’s investors seem to be seeing something they don’t find in other once-venerated real estate companies, except SM Prime. They want to cash in on DoubleDragon’s enormous potential for phenomenal growth and the equally huge profits and market power that its progress will invariably trigger. In three years, DoubleDragon wants to be the leader or No. 1 in four major areas of real estate— community malls or retail leasing, office leasing, hotels, and industrial leasing. DoubleDragon wants to

be the Philippines’ largest mall developer and owner—100 in five years or until 2020. So far, the company has opened 23 malls and is building 37 more. It has bought the one-hectare chunks of land for 63 malls. The malls are located in what Injap calls Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, urban areas with a population of 50,000 to 500,000 which are ignored by the big mall developers but which are located along major roads and where purchasing power could be strong, thanks to P1.3 trillion in remittance money sent by 12 million overseas Filipinos. It takes only 18 months to build a one-hectare mall from construction permit to commercial operation. A CityMall covers 10,000 square meters or one hectare. About 30 percent of that is allotted for the SM Supermarket SaveMore. The remaining 70 percent is shared by Jollibee Food Corp.’s main fast food brands—Jollibee, Mang Inasal, Chowking, Greenwich Pizza and sometimes Highlands Coffee, Pho 24, Red Ribbon, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Burger King. Plus the brands of the SM group—BDO, China Bank Savings, Watsons Drug Store, SM Appliance, and Ace Hardware, along with outlets like Expressions bookstore. Such anchor tenants guarantee strong foot traffic and consumer spending by meeting the basic needs of the average Filipino family in a suburban community – money, food, medicines, appliances, home maintenance, and reading materials. Occupancy averages above 90 percent. In office rental business, DoubleDragon is offering for lease up to 1.2 million square meters by 2020. This early, DoubleDragon has lined up 327,000 square meters of space, under two major projects— the DD Meridian Park, and the Jollibee Tower. Owned 70 percent by DoubleDragon, DD Meridian will have 280,000 sqm of leasable space in the Manila Bay area, Pasay City. With 90 percent completion, the first phase will be completed in the fourth quarter 2017, the second phase in 2019. Half-finished Jollibee Tower is a Grade A 41-story commercial and office tower with 47,909 sqm of leasable space in the heart of bustling Ortigas central business district. Completion date for the joint venture between DD and Jollibee Foods Corp. is 2018. Meanwhile, DoubleDragon wants 5,000 rooms under management in three years. That will make the barely eight-year-old company one of the three largest hotel operators in the Philippines, in league with Andrew Tan’s group and that of taipan Henry Sy. Injap says all 5,000 rooms will be completed in three years; more than 800 are already operational. Tan’s Alliance Global wants to ramp up the number of its 12,000 hotel rooms by 2020, from 2,393 at present. The Ayala group operates 2,477 hotel rooms. SM Group has about 1,510 hotel rooms at present. Finally, DoubleDragon is creating an entirely new business—the leasing of space for factories, warehouses, commissaries, and logistics operations. The company has just acquired 6.2 hectares from Hacienda Luisita Industrial Park in Tarlac. Four other sites are being eyed—in rest of Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao. biznewsasia@gmail.com

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Comelec chief resigns, but…

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

The DoubleDragon story

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO IT WAS a day full of surprises. Just when the newsrooms of major media were all set to headline the resignation of Comelec chief Andres Bautista came the report from the House that 137 members voted to impeach him. Not only is Bautista the first Commission on Elections chairman to be impeached. The shocker was that the House voting in plenary overturned its own justice committee ruling on Sept. 30 to dismiss an earlier impeachment complaint against him. This, despite Bautista’s announcement earlier in the day to resign his post effective the end of the year. One third of the full House membership, voting 137 to 75, saw Bautista’s resignation as a ploy to avoid impeachment since his resignation letter to President Duterte was not immediate and irrevocable. What if President Duterte decided not to accept

it or appoint Bautista to another key position in the government? Majority of the congressmen including House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez considered the allegations against Bautista as serious offenses. These are misdeclaration of his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth and failure to address accusations his office did not do anything about Smartmatic’s faulty voting mechanism before the 2016 presidential elections. The House will transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate which will then convene itself into an impeachment court as it did in the case of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona . There are some senators, however, who expressed the view that since the primary intent of impeachment is the removal of an official of a constitutional body , the Senate would then only be wasting its time since Bautista has already announced his resignation. Bautista said he resigned because he did not want his personal problems to affect

the institution that is the Comelec. He was referring to his legal problems with estranged wife Patricia who exposed his alleged P1-billion hidden and unexplained wealth. He also said now is a good time to resign since the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections have been postponed. In his resignation letter to President Duterte , Bautista explained the time frame end of the year was to give enough time for his replacement and a transition team to take over the Comelec in a seamless manner. Foul language Internecine politics has produced an exchange of foul language among those who get enmeshed in it. In Washington, US President Donald Trump is not only on a firing binge of his own appointees but is engaging them in a word war which leads Americans to wonder who’s minding the store. Trump challenged his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to an IQ test after the latter reportedly called the president a moron. Trump at present is tak-

ing on Republican party mate Senator Bob Corker who remarked the president is running the government like a reality show and his policy on North Korea is “heading us toward World War III.” This, after Trump said there’s only way to deal with “little rocket man,” an allusion to Nokor leader Kim JongUn. Trump did not give specifics on what extreme measure he would employ against the North Korean leader. South Korea, meanwhile, claimed the North was able to hack into USROK war plans in the event hostilities break out in the Korean peninsula. If so, then Pyongyang’s cyber capability has reached a level of sophistication. Or is it Nokor ally China behind the cyber attack? China has been accused before by the US as behind the hacking of the Pentagon’s confidential documents. But let’s leave Washington politics as there’s enough vitriol going on here in our own backyard. A confidential assistant of sacked Customs Com-

missioner Nicanor Faeldon called Speaker of the House Pantaleon Alvarez an imbecile. Actress Agot Isidro described President Rodrigo Duterte as a psychopath. In her facebook remark that went viral, the actress said. “I know a psychiatrist who can have you checked. You are more than bipolar, you’re a psychopath.” Her words, not mine. Agot Isidro must have gotten inside Digong’s mind because it was not long afterwards that the President himself said he’s in the initial stage of insanity while arch critic Senator Antonio Trillanes was in stage 3. Was Digong’s admission of initial stage of insanity setting the stage for his defense of bizarre behavior in ranting and raving against perceived enemies? In his latest display of disparaging critics, he called Human Rights Commission chairman Chito Gascon as gay and a pedophile for criticizing alleged extrajudicial killing of young male suspects in the government’s bloody war on drugs.

He does listen FORMATION GARY OLIVAR MY READERS who still have their grandpas around, or at least remember what they were like, will know what the phrase “grumpy old man” means. If you were the first or second grandchild, you were probably fussed over to no end by a lolo who saw in you both intimations of his mortality and reassurance that his bloodline would carry on. As you grew older, though, you began to realize what an imposing and immovable person your lolo was. What kind of person could so easily command deference from your parents, who were the personification of absolute authority and wisdom to you? As the anchor that held in place not only your parents, but also various uncles, aunts and cousins, he was rooted in his opinions both by the sheer weight of years and the immutability of experience. *** Clearly, the well-meaning opposition figures who want to destabilize the President because they can’t budge him from positions they consider to be anathema, either never had grandfathers or have forgotten what they were like. These old men are like supertankers who simply

cannot turn on a dime, no matter how fast you turn the wheel. “Tatay Digong,” as he’s come to be called by his fans—although “Lolo Digong” would be more appropriate from this country’s youthful majority— has earned his reputation for stubbornness. It’s a virtue that served him well throughout his colorful career in the hinterlands of Davao, harried from every end by rebels, corrupt politicos, drug pushers, mediamen for sale, and all other sorts of rabble. The onset of age has put a biological imprimatur on Duterte’s stubbornness. And his unexpected victory in last year’s elections must only have confirmed in his mind what he always knew in his heart: At least in this country, it’s better to be wrong doing something, than to be right doing nothing. Of course, the moment you settle into what you think is comfortable wisdom, that’s precisely when life throws you a curve ball to wake you up, often very rudely. This must have been how the President felt when he woke up to the morning headlines announcing an 18-point drop in his net satisfaction ratings, together with a 15-point drop in his net trust ratings. Luckily for him, and for us, it’s not Duterte’s style to fall asleep at the bat, or to keep swinging wildly wherever the ball ain’t com-

ing from. Change has been coming very quickly indeed, as he promised during his campaign, and it looks like change indeed will be a major theme on his watch, no matter how grumpy and stubborn a grandfather he may be. *** For starters, the President kicked the PNP out of the driver’s seat in the war on drugs and entrusted it instead to the civilian Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, or PDEA, just months into the term of new PDEA head Aaron Aquino, a former PNP chief superintendent. This was of course in response to the growing outcry against so-called “extrajudicial killings” (a term that should be taken to refer to all killings committed by state actors outside the legal process, whether or not to silence political dissent). The mounting death toll in the war against drugs was cited by SWS chief Mahar Mangahas as perhaps the biggest reason for the drop in Duterte’s ratings. From now on, PDEA will take over all drug operations from other agencies—AFP, PNP, NBI, Customs, etc—as well as any ad hoc task forces also created for that purpose. The role of the police will be limited to securing areas where PDEA may be conducting anti-drug operations. This frees the PNP to focus on all the other crimes in the statute

A deal...

Impeaching...

Chong—who insists he was cheated out of his Congress post in 2010—has become the conscience of the poll body. His has been a mostly lonely battle against the evil syndicate that the poll agency and its automation provider Smartmatic have become. In every forum that will have him as speaker and at every opportunity online, Chong has railed against how automation has actually made election cheating a lot easier in this country, where elections have long been decided by who has the most money to buy not only voters but also election administrators. Chong’s experience as a congressman and as an advocate for clean automated elections makes him an even better choice than Gina Lopez was to head up the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. I’m sure that now, with Bautista’s ouster or resignation already a fait accompli, Duterte is looking for a suitable replacement who will bring change to Comelec. The President could do a lot worse than to pick Chong for the job that seems tailormade for him and that promises to permanently clean up the poll body.

in December. But that would presuppose that Senate has the discretion whether to proceed with trial or not, and I do not find that position textually supported by the Constitution. It seems to me rather that when the Lower House files the Articles of Impeachment, trial by the Senate follows as a matter of constitutional mandate. Tony La Vina, whose views I highly regard, suggests that the Senate prepare itself for trial once the articles of impeachment are filed but should not proceed until January. There is however the clause “and trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed.” I do not think then that it is within the power of the Senate to put off the trial of an impeached official, and still less to desist from trial. That would be defeating the bicameral structure of our Legislature. If the Senate commences trial in Janu-

From A4

books, as well as on the equally formidable task of cleaning up their own act. We’re assuming that PDEA, in its new leadership role, will also take the initiative in setting up a broad anti-drug coalition that could include local as well as national government officials, civil society, the Church, business, academe, even the media. These sectors could focus on pushing public education on drugs and rehabilitating drug offenders—tasks which are just as indispensable to the anti-drug campaign as the violent chores of law enforcement. At the same time, Duterte dismissed two police generals who had been included in his list of narco-politicians and narco-generals. People will be eagerly expecting more heads to roll, figuratively if not (yet) literally. *** Over at Customs, the new chief Isidro Lapena—who used to head PDEA—has sacked eight district collectors and 30 section chiefs, the biggest number since he took office. Based on his estimate that up to 90 percent of Customs examiners and other senior personnel should be dismissed, Lapena still has a long way to go, although this is a very good start. Elsewhere, there are other portents of major change brewing: • The Supreme Court allowed the case against

ary, it is my position that Andy would then be correct in asking that the case be dismissed because the constitutional purpose of a trial is the removal of an impeachable official from office and—to repeat—one cannot remove from office someone who is already out of it. This, of course, is a constitutional issue and again I maintain the position that the Supreme Court may very well pass upon it. One has only to remember the landmark case of Francisco v. House of Representatives—the case having to do with the attempt to unseat then Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. Then Senate President Nene Pimentel entered a “special appearance” to argue before the Supreme Court in favor of “judicial restraint”. He urged the Court to desist from taking cognizance of the case and to respect the provision of the Constitution that vested in the Senate exclusive competence to judge impeachment cases. In answer, Fr. Bernas,

alleged drug protector Senator Leila de Lima to continue, which means that she’ll get to experience her first-ever Christmas behind bars. • Embattled Comelec chairman Andy Bautista threw in the towel by resigning his position just hours before Congress voted to impeach him. • The House judiciary committee hearing the impeachment complaint brought against Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno by crusading lawyer Larry Gadon has allowed the impeachment process to move to its next stage: determination of probable cause. • The Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and her deputy, Arturo Carandang, are now feeling the heat for lying about receiving information from the anti-money laundering folks about Duterte’s bank accounts. All this frenzy of activity leaves me with just one item on my wish list for the President to wade into by the year-end: To rescue TRAIN, the first of five tax reform bills, from the clutches of the senators and thereby preserve the funding needed for infrastructure and growth. If the President keeps his eye on the ball and swings straight and true on this last item, that would be a great holiday gift indeed. Readers can write me at gbolivar1952@yahoo.com.

who was invited as amicus curiae, reminded the Court that it could not choose to be reticent in the face of a “duty”—or the power to resolve justiciable issues as well as to determine whether or not grave abuse of discretion lies is a duty! It was in that same case, where I was a petitioner in my own case— consolidated with all other petitions—and where I entered my appearance in my own behalf, that then Justice (now Ombudsman) Conchita Carpio-Morales brilliantly argued that the simple line that separated justiciable from non-justiciable questions can no longer be drawn using American precedents, such as Baker v. Carr. Rather, she wrote, “wherever there are constitutional standards, there judicial review will lie”. I hope this post starts a robust discussion. rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_ aquino@sanbeda. edu.ph rannie_aquino@outlook.com

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 A6 Standard TODAY Manila

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

No leaves for Immigration officers

IN BRIEF KAMANDAG exercise stresses close links

By Vito Barcelo

MARINES and sailors with the 3d Marine Expeditionary Brigade, with their Armed Forces of the Philippines counterparts, successfully concluded the inaugural exercise KAMANDAG on Thursday. KAMANDAG, which ran from Oct. 2 to 11, is an acronym for the Filipino phrase “Kaagapay Ng Mga Mandirigma Ng Dagat,” or “Cooperation of Warriors of the Sea.” The name emphasizes the close partnership between the Philippine and United States militaries. In preparation for KAMANDAG, the service members partnered to complete humanitarian and civic assistance projects. Members of the AFP, Japan Ground Self Defense Force, and US military renovated C.J. Torre Elementary School, Esperanza Elementary School, and Esperanza Daycare Center, in Casiguran. US military medical teams also taught basic lifesaving skills, first aid, disease prevention, and dental hygiene to children and teachers in Casiguran as part of a cooperative health engagement. Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

MMIGRATION Commissioner Jaime Morente ordered all immigration ofﬁcers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport not to go on leave starting Oct. 28, 2017 until Jan. 15, 2018. This would ensure enough manpower to serve the traveling public for critical events, like All Saints and all Souls day, the Asean Leaders’ Summit and related meetings

and the Christmas Season. Morente said the directive aimed to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of service by the bureau to passengers who would be traveling, entering and ex-

iting the country during the said holidays. “What we are trying to avoid here are those exhausting long queues that could inconvenience passengers while awaiting the conduct of immigration boarding formalities in our counters at the airports,” Morente said. The BI chief, however, stressed that long queues at Naia’s immigration counters should be expected starting November due to the anticipated increase in passenger volume that al-

ways occur before and during the Asean Summit and especially Yuletide. “But these long queues will move faster and won’t inconvenience passengers if the immigration officers manning our booths at the airports are in full attendance,” he said. Meanwhile, BI port operations division chief Marc Red Mariñas said the peak travel season appeared to have started at the NAIA as there had been a noticeable increase in passenger arriv-

als and departures in the past several days. “We have already warned our personnel who are always absent that they could be administratively charged for habitual absenteeism if they don’t mend their ways,” he said. He pointed out that under civil services, habitual absenteeism was a grave offense punishable with six-month suspension or dismissal from the service. Mariñas also disclosed he had instructed members of

More venues for libel case hearings pushed By Maricel V. Cruz A PANEL in the House of Representatives has approved a measure seeking to make the libel case hearings more accessible to community journalists and broadcasters. The House committee on public information, chaired by Bagong Henerasyon Party-List Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy, recommended for plenary approval House Bill 685 which provides the venue for the criminal and civil action in libel cases against community journalists, publications or broadcast stations. Herrera-Dy said the bill would be of great help to journalists by providing more accessible venue for libel hearings. The bill, authored by Rep. Raul del Mar of Cebu, provides the criminal or civil action against a community journalist, publication or broadcast station shall be filed in the Regional Trial Court of the province or city where the principal office or place of business of the said community journalist, publication or broadcast station is located. The bill also notes that the civil action shall be filed in the same court where the criminal action is lodged. The bill defines community journalist, publication, or broadcast station as “a journalist or news medium that operates within a limited area of circulation or broadcast in a city, province, or region, as defined by existing laws.” Del Mar said libel whether filed as a criminal or civil action was undeniably being

CEB Davao flight delayed 2 hours AIR travelers from Manila to Davao City faced a hard time Thursday morning when a Cebu Pacific Air flight was delayed by almost two hours due to a backpack left unattended on a vacant passenger seat. The passengers of CEB flight 5J 963 were also forced to deplane after the pilot announced there would be a security check due to “unidentified backpack” inside the aircraft. The plane was supposed to leave Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 8:30 a.m. but the flight encountered a delay when authorities made the security measure since no one among the passengers on board claimed owning the pink bag. But few minutes later, a lady passenger who was not able to make it to the boarding gate on time suddenly came and claimed she was the owner of the bag. Airport officials said a ground crew brought the bag inside the plane while its owner was still at the airline counter making some payments. Joel Zurbano

MICROCHIP LAUNCH. Makati City Mayor Abby Binay kicks off the formal launching Thursday of the city’s pet microchipping

program aimed at animal indentification, pet recovery, and rabies prevention. More than 30,000 cats and dogs from 27 barangays will be implanted with PET iCHIPs by representatives of the city’s Veterinary Services Office over the next few months. Manny Palmero

Erap: Unruly ‘bar ops’ volunteers risk jail By Bill Casas TO KEEP next month’s 2017 bar examinations at the University of Sto. Tomas peaceful and orderly, the Manila Police District will immediately arrest and imprison any individual doing bar operations that will become unruly or cause disruptions to the proceedings, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada warned. The Supreme Court, Es-

trada said, will set up a provisional court presided by a judge right at the UST campus during the examination days to instantly try and hear cases and slap punishments on troublemakers nabbed by the MPD . “They will be immediately put to prison. The court wants them arrested immediately,” Estrada warned, citing the new measure to be implemented by the SC in the No-

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Rating Factor (Hurdle Rate: 60)

III.

Applicable Experience of the Firm a. Years in the services industry b. Related (similar or relevant) experience/previous engagements Qualification of Individual Consultant or Firm-nominated consultant who may be assigned to the project a. Education b. Training c. Experience (i.e. previous engagements in similar and/or relevant contracts) Overall Work Commitments of Individual Consultant or Firm-Nominated Consultant

Total

Rating Factor (Hurdle Rate: 60%)

10 100

Issued on 05 October 2017

(MS-OCT. 13, 2017)

II.

100

10.

Request foR expRession of inteRest foR Consulting seRviCes on the CalabaRZon pRovinCial eConomiC aCCounts The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)intends to apply the sum of Nine Million Three Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 9,350,000.00), inclusive of all applicable government taxes and charges, professional fees, and other incidental and administrative costs, as the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the Contract for the subject consulting services. Proposals received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of the financial proposals. TheNEDA now calls for the submission ofEOI and eligibility documents for the estimation of the economic accounts of each province in Calabarzon.The contract shall be completed within eight months. EOI and eligibility submissions of interested consultants must be duly received by the NEDA Bids and Awards Committee for Consulting Services (NBAC-CS) on or before 27 October, 12 NNat the following address: Asst. Secretary Carlos Bernardo O. Abad Santos NBAC-CS Chairman Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning 5F NEDA-sa-Pasig Building 12 Saint JosemariaEscriva Drive Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1605 Applications for eligibility will be evaluated based on a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion. Interested Consultants may obtain further information from NEDA and acquire a complete set of Proposal/ Bidding Documents at the address given above from Mondays to Fridays, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, starting 06 October 2017upon payment of the applicable fee for the Proposal/Bidding Documents in the amount of Php 10,000.00. The Proposal/Bidding Documents may also be downloaded free of charge from the Philippine Government Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and NEDA websites, provided that consultants shall pay the applicable fee for the Proposal Documents not later than the submission of their proposals. A Pre-Proposal/Bid Conference will be held on 10November 2017, 1:30 PM at the DIOC Conference Room, G/F NEDA-sa-Pasig Building, #12 Saint JosemariaEscriva Drive, Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1605, and will be open only to Consultants who have paid the corresponding fee for the Bidding/Proposal Documents. Representative/s should bring a letter addressed to the NBAC-CS Chair certifying that the representative/s has/have authority to speak for and in behalf of the Consultant. Interested Consultants have to option to submit their Legal, Financial, and Class “B” Eligibility Documents (1 original and 4 copies), as applicable, in advance (on or before 19 October 2017, 5:00 PM) for preliminary evaluation by the NBAC-CS in terms of completeness/compliance. The NBAC-CS, however, shall only proceed with the preliminary evaluation upon payment of a participation fee of Php 2,000. Note that said amount shall cover the attendant administrative cost for eligibility check and shortlisting process and shall be deducted from the cost of the Proposal Documents. The NBAC-CS, after its preliminary evaluation if advance submissions, shall inform the participating Consultants of any deficiency in their respective submissions at least three (3) calendar days prior to the deadline for submission of Eligibility Documents set in this Request for EOI. The NBAC-CS shall draw up the short list of consultants from those who have submitted EOI, including the eligibility documents, and have been determined as eligible in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act (RA) No, 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act” (GPRA), and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). The short list shall consist of three (3) to seven (7) prospective Consultants who will be entitled to submit proposals. The criteria and rating system for short listing are as follows:

I. 80

Weight Individuals Firms 20

The selection process will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Revised IRR of RA 9184. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, cooperatives, and partnerships or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines Proposals shall be evaluated using the Quality-Cost Based Evaluation/Selection (QCBE/QCBS)procedure at a weight ratio of 70% for Technical Proposal and 30% for the Financial Proposal. The criteria and rating system for the evaluation of proposals shall be provided in the Instructions to Proponents/Bidders. NEDAreserves the right to reject any and all proposals, including that of a single eligible proponent, waive any minor deviation in the submitted documents which will not materially affect the substance of the proposal, annul the procurement/bidding process, or not award the contract without thereby incurring any liability to the affected participating Consultant/s. For further information, please contact the NBAC-CS Secretariat: 5th Floor, NEDA-sa-Pasig Building 12 Escriva Drive, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, 1605 Telephone: 6354829 / 6310945 to 56 loc 501

bulances to render emergency medical assistance during the four-Sunday examinations. “We won’t let any incident to happen again,” Estrada pointed out, citing the 2010 bar exam bombing that injured 47 people. Coronel said the new measure has been set by 2017 bar exams committee chairperson SC Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin in agreement with the university officials.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Request foR expRession of inteRest foR the Consulting seRviCes on the estimates of the pRovinCial inCome aCCounts of bohol, Cebu, siquijoR, and negRos oRiental The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)intends to apply the sum of Nine Million Three Hundred Fifty-Five Thousand Pesos (Php 9,355,000.00), inclusive of all applicable government taxes and charges, professional fees, and other incidental and administrative costs, as the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the Contract for the subject consulting services. Proposals received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of the financial proposals. 2. The NEDA now calls for the submission ofEOI and eligibility documents for the estimation of the provincial income accounts of Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor, and Negros Oriental. The contract shall be completed within twelve (12) months. EOI and eligibility documents of interested consultants must be duly received by the NEDA Bids and Awards Committee for Consulting Services (NBAC-CS) on or before 27 October, 12 NNat the following address: Asst. Secretary Carlos Bernardo O. Abad Santos NBAC-CS Chairman Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning 5F NEDA-sa-Pasig Building 12 Saint JosemariaEscriva Drive Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1605 Applications for eligibility will be evaluated based on a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion. 3. Interested Consultants may obtain further information from NEDA and acquire a complete set of Proposal/ Bidding Documents at the address given above from Mondays to Fridays, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, starting 06 October upon payment of the applicable fee for the Proposal/Bidding Documents in the amount of Php 10,000.00. The Proposal/Bidding Documents may also be downloaded free of charge from the Philippine Government Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and NEDA websites, provided that consultants shall pay the applicable fee for the Proposal Documents not later than the submission of their proposals. 4. A Pre-Proposal/Bid Conference will be held on 10 November 2017, 2:00 PM at the DIOC Conference Room, G/F NEDA-sa-Pasig Building, #12 Saint JosemariaEscriva Drive, Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1605, and will be open only to Consultants who have paid the corresponding fee for the Bidding/Proposal Documents. Representative/s should bring a letter addressed to the NBAC-CS Chair certifying that the representative/s has/ have authority to speak for and in behalf of the Consultant. 5. Interested Consultants have to option to submit their Legal, Financial, and Class “B” Eligibility Documents (1 original and 4 copies), as applicable, in advance (on or before 19 October 2017, 5:00 PM) for preliminary evaluation by the NBAC-CS in terms of completeness/compliance. The NBAC-CS, however, shall only proceed with the preliminary evaluation upon payment of a participation fee of Php 2,000. Note that said amount shall cover the attendant administrative cost for eligibility check and shortlisting process and shall be deducted from the cost of the Proposal Documents. The NBAC-CS, after its preliminary evaluation if advance submissions, shall inform the participating Consultants of any deficiency in their respective submissions at least three (3) calendar days prior to the deadline for submission of Eligibility Documents set in this Request for EOI. 6. The NBAC-CS shall draw up the short list of consultants from those who have submitted EOI, including the eligibility documents, and have been determined as eligible in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act (RA) No, 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act” (GPRA), and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). The short list shall consist up to seven (7) prospective Consultants who will be entitled to submit proposals. The criteria and rating system for short listing are as follows:

II.

vember bar exams. “So we hope this will serve [as] a warning to everyone,” Estrada said. Like last year, Estrada instructed MPD director Chief Supt. Joel Coronel to put up a tight security cordon around the UST campus where the examinations would be held. Estrada also ordered Manila’s rescue units to place on standby at the school grounds teams of paramedics and am-

used as a convenient legal tool to harass journalists, especially the community newspaper and broadcast practitioners. This is so because under the present rules, the complainant or offended party, if he is a public officer, can file the complaint in Manila if his office is in Manila or in the office outside Manila if his office is there. If the complainant is a private person, the venue is his place of residence at the time of commission of offense, del Mar said in his bill. “Thus, a newspaper or broadcast station for example in Aparri or Jolo, Cebu or Davao can be made to answer a complaint filed in Metro Manila where the complainant resides, although the subject, issue or the incident published—in law the cause of action—did not arise in Metro Manila,” said Del Mar. Del Mar said the prevailing rules on venue thus d community journalists and local broadcasters in a situation where they would have to answer complaints or charges filed, rightly or wrongly, in remote or distant places, deliberately filed far away from their place of work or business. “The element of oppression is there. The toll of inconvenience, financial or otherwise, is often more onerous and burdensome than the penalty or fine prescribed by the law. This may even lead to a miscarriage of justice in cases where the accused or defendant fails to appear because of the distance and travel constraints,” said Del Mar.

NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 1.

the BI’s border control and intelligence unit at the Naia and other airports to be on heightened alert as international terrorists and other undesirable aliens might take advantage of the Asean Summit meetings and the holidays to sneak into the country. He said the BCIU operatives were also directed to be vigilant in detecting and stopping attempts by human traffickers to spirit their victims o ut of the country.

III. Total

Weight Individuals forming a JV

Experience and Capability of the Firm a. Years in the consulting services industry b. Related (similar or relevant) experience/previous engagements Qualification of Consultants who may be assigned to the project a. Education b. Training c. Similar/Relevant Experience Job Capacity

Firms

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) intends to apply the sum of Seven Million Pesos (PhP7,000,000.00)inclusive of all applicable government taxes and charges, professional fees, and other incidental and administrative costs, as the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC), to payments under the Contract for the subject consulting services. Proposals received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of the Financial Proposals.

The NEDA now calls for the submission of EOI and eligibility requirements for the conduct of the survey research to estimate a Quality of Life Index (QLI) for the Philippines.The contract shall be completed within six (6) months spread over eight (8) months. EOI and eligibility submissions of interested Consultants must be duly received by the NEDA Bids and Awards Committee for Consulting Services (NBAC-CS) on or before 27 October 2017, 12:00 NN, at the following address:

20 100

10 100

The selection process will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Revised IRR of RA 9184. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, cooperatives, and partnerships or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines. 8. Proposals shall be evaluated using the Quality-Cost Based Evaluation/Selection (QCBE/QCBS)procedure at a weight ratio of 80% for Technical Proposal and 20% for the Financial Proposal.The criteria and rating system for the evaluation of proposals shall be provided in the Instructions to Proponents/Bidders. 9. NEDAreserves the right toreject any and all proposals, including that of a single eligible proponent, waive any minor deviation in the submitted documents which will not materially affect the substance of the proposal, annul the procurement/bidding process, or not award the contract without thereby incurring any liability to the affected participating Consultant/s. 10. For further information, please contact the NBAC-CS Secretariat: 5th Floor, NEDA-sa-Pasig Building 12 Escriva Drive, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, 1605 Telefax: (02) 6354829 / 6350945 – 56 local 501 Issued 05October 2017

Asst. Secretary Carlos Bernardo O. Abad Santos NBAC-CS Chairman 5/F NEDA-sa-Pasig Building, #12 Saint Josemaria Escriva Drive Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1605

Interested Consultants may obtain further information from NEDA and acquire a complete set of Bidding/Proposal Documents at the address given above from Mondays to Fridays, 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., starting 04 October 2017 upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding/ Proposal Documents in the amount of PhP10,000.00. The Bidding/Proposal Documents may also be downloaded free of charge from the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and NEDA websites, provided that Consultants shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding/Proposal Documents not later than the submission of their proposals.

A Pre-Proposal/Bid Conference will be held on 09 November 2017, 01:00PM at the G/F NEDAsa-Pasig Building, #12 Saint JosemariaEscriva Drive, OrtigasCenter, Pasig City 1605, and will be open only to Consultants who have paid the corresponding fee for the Bidding/Proposal Documents. Representative/s should bring a letter addressed to the NBAC-CS Chair certifying that the representative/s has/have authority to speak for and in behalf of the Consultant.

Interested Consultantshave the option to submit their Legal, Financial and Class “B” Eligibility Documents (1 original copy and 4 copies), as applicable, in advance (on or before 16 October 2017, 5:00 P.M.) for preliminary evaluation by the NBAC-CS in terms of completeness/ compliance. The NBAC-CS, however, shall only proceed with the preliminary evaluation upon payment of a participation fee of PhP2,000.00.Note that said amount shall cover the attendant administrative cost for the eligibility check and shortlisting process and shall be deducted from the cost of the Bidding/Proposal Documents. The NBAC-CS, after its preliminary evaluation of advance submissions, shall inform the participating Consultantsof any deficiency in their respective submissions at least three (3) calendar days prior to the deadline for submission of Eligibility Documents set in this Request for EOI.

The NBAC-CS shall draw up the short list of Consultants from those who have submitted EOI, including the Eligibility Documents, and have been determined as eligible in accordance with the relevant provisions of Republic Act (RA) No. 9184, or the Government Procurement Reform Act (GPRA), and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). The short list shall consist of three (3) to seven (7) prospective Consultants who will be entitled to submit proposals.

The selection process will be conducted through through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the IRR of RA 9184. This procurement activity is open to all interested Consultants subject to the conditions for eligibility provided in said Revised IRR.

Proposals shall be evaluated using the Quality-Cost Based Evaluation/Selection (QCBE/ QCBS) procedure at a weight ratio of 70% for the Technical Proposal and 30% for the Financial Proposal. The criteria and rating system for the evaluation of proposals shall be provided in the Instructions to Proponents/Bidders.

NEDA reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, including that of a single eligible proponent, waive any minor deviation in the submitted documents which will not materially affect the substance of the proposal, annul the procurement/bidding process, or not award the contract without thereby incurring any liability to the affected participating Consultant/s.

(signed) CARLOS BERNARDO O. ABAD SANTOS Assistant Secretary and Chairperson, NBAC-CS

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI) FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF CONSULTING SERVICES FORTHE CONDUCT OF SURVEY RESEARCH TO ESTIMATE A QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX (QLI) FOR THE PHILIPPINES

10.For further information, please contact the NBAC-CS Secretariat:

2/F NEDA-sa-Pasig Building #12 Saint JosemariaEscriva Drive, OrtigasCenter, Pasig City 1605 (02) 631-3754 / (02) 631-0960 to 65 local 207 Fax Nos. (02) 631-3736 Issued on 03 October 2017. (SGD) CARLOS BERNARDO O. ABAD SANTOS Assistant Secretary and Chairperson, NBAC-CS

(SGD) CARLOS BERNARDO O. ABAD SANTOS Assistant Secretary and Chairperson, NBAC-CS (MS-OCT. 13, 2017)

(MS-OCT. 13, 2017)

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Sharapova reaches Tianjin Open quarterfinals TIANJIN—Maria Sharapova surged into the Tianjin Open quarter-finals on Thursday as she pursues her first tournament victory since her return from a doping ban. The Russian former world number one defeated Magda Linette of Poland 7-5, 6-3 and will next play either Swiss qualifier Stefanie Voegele or fifth seed Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan. The 30-year-old Sharapova has been on the comeback trail since April after serving a 15-month suspension for taking the banned substance meldonium. Sharapova, a five-time major-winner, is now ranked a lowly 86 in the world and she needed a wildcard to enter the Tianjin tournament. She saw off 71st-ranked Linette in just over 98 minutes to reach only her second quarter-final since her return to action. Meanwhile, Juan Martin del Potro fought back from a set down to beat racquet-smashing rising star Alexander Zverev and reach the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals on Thursday. The seasoned Argentine recovered to win 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 in one hour, 55 minutes against the 20-year-old Zverev and will next play either Viktor Troicki or John Isner. AFP

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

ESPN 5 to serve PH sports fans A

FTER a three-year absence, ESPN is making a grand comeback on Philippine TV and across digital platforms.

TV5 Network Inc. and ESPN have announced on Thurday an agreement for a long-term collaboration to introduce a new brand that will super serve Filipino sports fans – ESPN 5. “ESPN’s focus around the world is simple: to serve sports fans. This long-term collaboration across television and digital allows us to jointly serve millions of sports fans in the Philippines

with exceptional content and coverage. We are very excited about the opportunities that lie ahead as we bring ESPN’s great content, and decades of experience in sports media together with a dynamic leader in Philippine sports broadcasting like TV5,” said Mike Morrison, vice president and general manager, ESPN APAC. Through this collabora-

tion, TV5’s “Sports 5” will be rebranded as “ESPN 5,” encompassing all sports coverage on TV5. In addition, ESPN will license to TV5 more than, 2,500 hours of additional programming per year from its portfolio of sports rights, original programming and studio programs. The companies will also join forces to produce a daily Philippine edition of the iconic SportsCenter to air on TV5. ESPN5 and the SportsCenter Philippine Edition will air on TV5’s free-to-air television channels—TV5 and

Aksyon 41. “Our partnership with ESPN, long recognized as the worldwide leader in sports, gives us tremendous upside in the quality of sports programming that we bring to the market,” said Vincent “Chot” Reyes, president of TV5. “ESPN strengthens our current position as the country’s sports authority. It is also a testament to our belief that the Filipino audience deserves the world’s best in sports content and programming,” Reyes added. The brand and content deal between ESPN and TV5 is part of TV5’s strategic ef-

fort to deliver the most comprehensive, wide-ranging sports coverage in the Philippine, with Filipino audiences benefitting from the combination of local and global sports coverage, exclusive, indutry-leading news and information programming from both ESPN and TV 5. ESPN 5 on TV On TV, the ESPN 5 lineup will consist of TV 5’s current sports rights portfolio, including the PBA, FIBA competitions, GILAS, UFC and the PSL, along with thousands of hours of new sports coverage and content from ESPN, which include

more than 70 NFL games per season. These include Monday Night, Sunday Night, and Thursday Night Football games, as well as the entire NFL Playoffs. The Super Bowl and Pro Bowl. Alongside the live games, ESPN 5 will be able to feature award-winning ESPN NFL studio programming such as NFL Live. Other ESPN programs include US College Basketball, X Games, IndyCar Racing, NCAA college sports championships and ESPN’s award-winning documentaries, including the 30 for 30 series.

PVL on Tour makes a stop in Batangas NATIONAL University will look to sweep Far Eastern University for the first Premier Volleyball League Collegiate Conference title this Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on S+A and S+A HD after subduing the Lady Tams last Wednesday in four sets. The NU Lady Bulldogs pounced on a Bernadeth Pons-less FEU Lady Tamaraws in four explosive sets, 25-22, 21-25, 25-18, 26-24, and move within a win of sweeping the entire conference in their title drive. Star Jaja Santiago pumped in 23 points on the strength of 15 kills to lead the Lady Bulldogs while Czarina Carandang bannered for the Lady Tams with 17 markers. Meanwhile, Arellano University blasted the Adamson University

in three sets, 25-23, 26-24, 25-14, to grab the opening win in their Battle for Third series. Jovielyn Prado led the way for the Lady Chiefs with 18 points on 11 kills while teammate Regine Arocha cashed in for 15 markers. Joy Dacoron was the top scorer for the Lady Falcons with nine. The second game of their own series will be at 4 pm also on Saturday (Oct. 14) with primetime at 8 p.m. on S+A and S+A HD. Both Finals’ Game 2 and the Battle for Third Game 2 will be live via multi-cam livestreaming on premiervolleyballleague.com Also catch the awarding ceremony live via livestreaming or after the telecast of Game 2 on S+A and S+A HD.

ARANETA PROPERTIES, INC. 21st FLOOR CITIBANK TOWER PASEO DE ROXAS, SALCEDO VILLAGE, MAKATI CITY PHILIPPINES 1200

PHONE : (632) 8481501 TO 04 FAX: (632) 848 -1495 EMAIL ara@info.co m.ph

TV5 president Vincent ‘Chot’ Reyes announces the return of ESPN during launching rites at the Sofitel

NOTICE

St. Clare captures 2nd straight Naascu cage title DEFENDING champion St. Clare College achieved another milestone by completing back-to-back men’s basketball championships in the National Athletic Association of Schools Colleges and Universities. Led by by the troika of Aris Dionisio, Junjie Hallare and Mohamed Pare, St. Clare defeated De Ocampo Memorial College, 98-83, to capture its third title before an overflow crowd at the San Andres Sports

Complex in Malate, Manila. The Saints defeated the Cobras for the second time in four days to complete a sweep of the scheduled best-of-three title series. Dionisio, who was also voted as back-to-back MVP, finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds for the Saints, who also defeated the Cobras, 101-79, in Game 1 last Monday. Mythical Team Member Hallare added 20 points, while “King

of the Boards” winner Pare contributed 19 points and a gamehigh 18 rebounds. “Thank You Lord. Salamat din asa lahat ng nagdasal at sumuporta. Inaalay ko po ang game na ito para sa inyong lahat. Congratulations players. Good job,” said st. Clare coach Jino Manansala after the game. NAASCU president Dr Ernesto Jay Adalem of St. Clare also personally congratulated the team.

Adalem was widely credited for St. Clare’s rise starting in 2012 when he brought in Manansala as Saints’ coach following the withdrawal of University of Manila. St. Clare bagged its first-ever NAASCU title by beating Centro Escolar University in a two-game sweep in 2012, finished runner-up to CEU from 2013-2015 and repeated as champion with a 2-1 series win over Our Lady of Fatima University last year.

LeBron in doubt for Cavs’ opener

Members of the St. Clare team are shown during the awarding ceremonies.

Highlands Ladies stakes Asian cruise A ROYAL Caribbean Asian cruise for two and a brand new Srixon set of men’s clubs will be among the loads of prizes staked for hole-in-one feats in the Highlands Ladies Cup which gets going Saturday at Tagaytay Midlands Golf and Country Club. The Srixon set and the Asian cruise will be up for grabs on Nos. 12 and 17, respectively, according to the organizing Tagaytay Highlands Ladies Chapter, which has tapped the adjacent Lucky 9 course as the other venue to accommodate the full-packed field of 200 players vying in the 12th staging of the annual tournament backed by Diamond sponsors Auto Nation Group, Inc., Pacific Online and W Group of Companies. Asiana Air is also putting up a three-day/two night stay in Seoul courtesy of Regent Travel for an ace on No. 3 while an original acrylic painting of Pebble Beach hole No. 7 will also be offered on No. 5. If no one scores an ace, the Asian cruise, the Korean trip and the acrylic painting will be raffled off during awards rites of the event supported by Platinum sponsors BDO, Leisure & Resorts World Corp., Powerball Gaming & Entertainment Corp., Royal Caribbean Corp., San Miguel Corp. and Security Bank. Other backers are (gold) Baron Travel Corp., Lucerne Philippines and Regent Travel; (silver)

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Kaiser Int’l Health Group, New Golden City Builders, Petron, Smart Communications and SM Prime; and (bronze) Ajisen Ramen, Alphatec Chemical Corp., Burlington Socks, Concrete Masters, Dickies, Doña Maria, Dunkin’ Donuts, EData Services Phils., Fitness First, H&E Mfg Corp, Holland Blooms, Honda Cavite, Hyundai Asia Resources Inc., IAJ Wellness Corp., International Marketing Corp., Kawsek & Co., Orocan, Parola Maritime Agency Corp., Peerless Products Mfg Corp. and Watsons.

WASHINGTON—Four-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James will not play in Cleveland’s last pre-season game and is questionable for Tuesday’s season opener against Boston, Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said on Wednesday. James awoke with a sore left ankle after scoring 17 points in his first pre-season appearance, a 108-94 loss to Chicago, and Lue declared he would not practice on Thursday or play on Friday in the exhibition against Orlando. The 32-year-old playmaker, who led the Cavs to their first NBA crown in 2016, missed most pre-season workouts and three pre-season contests with a left ankle sprain suffered on Sept. 27. Lue said: “(James is) pretty mad, pretty pissed off. But I mean, it is what it is.” James has not missed a season-opener in 14 NBA campaigns, but Lue hesitated when asked about his availability against Boston next week. AFP REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION

BRANCH 113, PASAY CITY GRAMERCY FERNANDEZNAGATA, Petitioner, -versusCIVIL CASE NO. R-PSY-17-27339-CV For: Declaration of Nullity of Marriage KAZUYUKI NAGATA Respondent, x---------------------------------------x

ORDER

LOTTO RESULTS

6/49 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 6/42 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 6 DIGITS 00-00-00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

A Motion with Leave of Court to Serve Summons by Publication was filed by the petitioner through counsel, copy of which was furnished to the Office of the Solicitor General, and the Trial Prosecutor. Allegedly service of summons to the respondent cannot be served personally for the reason that he is not residing /unknown at the given address. WHEREFORE, as prayed for, let the service of Summons in the above-entitled case be served through publication in a newspaper of general circulation at least, once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks. SO ORDERED. Pasay City, Metro October 3, 2017.

Manila,

(Sgd.) CARIDAD H. GRECIACUERDO JUDGE

SUMMONS KAZUYUKI NAGATA Blk-6 Lot-11 Coastalwood, Brgy. Ligas, Bacoor, Cavite AND Aichi-Ken Japan GREETINGS: You are hereby required within thirty (30) days after service of this Summons upon you, to file with this Court and serve on the plaintiff your Answer to the Complaint, copy of which is attached, together with the annexes and a Civil Case Information Statement. If you fail to answer within the time fixed, the plaintiff will take judgment by default and may be granted the relief applied for in the Complaint. Moreover, pursuant to the IBPOCA Memorandum on Policy guidelines dated March 12, 2002, you are expected not to file a Motion to Dismiss but instead, you are required to allege the grounds of such Motion as defenses in your answer. Likewise, you are expected to utilize the depositionrecovery measures under Rules 23, 25, 26, 27 & 28 of the Rules of Civil Procedure. Failure to resort to deposition by written interrogatories under Rule 25 and the request for admission of facts under Rule 27 may be prejudicial to your interest. WITNESS my hand under the seal of the Court this 3rd day of October, 2017.

(Sgd.) RENATO C. OCZON (OFFICER-IN-CHARGE/L.R.) (MS-Oct. 13 & 20, 2017)

In compliance with SEC Resolution No. 196 Series of 2015. we would like to inform all stockholders of record of Araneta Properties, lnc. ( the ‘Company”) that in relation to the Company’s Annual Stockholders’ Meeting (the “Meeting”), the 3rd quarter unaudited interim financial statements of the Company shall be made available upon request of stockholders of record at Ieast 5 days prior to the meeting and that such report can be viewed at the company’s official website. Please be guided accordingly. Thank you

GREGORIO MA. ARANETA III Chairman of the Board (MS-OCT. 13, 2017)

Republic of the Phillippines Department of Health National Capital Regional Office VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER BIDS AND AWARD COMMITTEE Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City Telefax No. 294-67 to 16, Telefax 291-4259 Email address valgen_hosp@yahoo.com InvItatIon to BId expansIon and renovatIon of vmc (Infra) cy

2017 pUBLIc BIddInG no. vmc-2017-022 1. The Valenzuela Medical Center (VMC), through the General Appropriations Act/ Income CY 2017, intends to apply the sum of Philippine Currency: Forty Nine Million Pesos Only (PhP 49,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments for the expansIon and renovatIon of vmc (Infra) cy 2017 under PB No. VMC-2017-022. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. 2. The VMC now invites sealed Bids from eligible Bidders for the procurement of the above-captioned package. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II, entitled “Instructions to Bidders”. 3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act” and is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or corporations with at least seventy-five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to Republic Act No. 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138. 4. Only Bids from Bidders who passed the eligibility check will be opened. The process for the eligibility check is described in Section II of the Bidding Documents entitled, “ITB”. The Bidder with the Lowest Calculated Bid (LCB) shall advance to the post-qualification stage in order to finally determine the responsiveness of the bid submission to the technical and financial requirements of the project. The contract shall then be awarded to the Lowest Calculated And Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during the post-qualification procedure. 5. Interested bidders may obtain further information from the VMC and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00am-11:00am and 2:00pm-4:00pm (Monday to Friday) starting October 12, 2017. 6. The VMC will hold a Pre-bid Conference for this bidding activity on October 25, 2017, 10:00am at the Valenzuela Medical Center, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City. Only those who have purchased the bidding documents shall be allowed to participate in the Pre-Bid Conference. Those who have not purchased the bidding documents may act as observers and submit written queries, subject to the guidelines as stated in the IRR of RA 9184. 7. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Pesos Only (P25,000.00). The method of payment will be in cash or manager’s check. The Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective bidder or his authorized representative. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity; Provided, that Bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids. 8. Bids and eligibility requirements must be delivered to the address below on or before November 7, 2017, 10:00am, at the VMC BAC Secretariats’ Office. 9. Bid Opening and Eligibility Check will be on November 7, 2017, 10:00am. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late submission of bids will not be entertained. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Security in the prescribed form, amount and validity period. 10. The Valenzuela Medical Center 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: BAC Secretariats’ Office, Valenzuela Medical Center, Annex Building, 2nd Floor, Padrigal St., Valenzuela City Telefax No. 294-4625 (SGD)JOSEPH T. NOCOM, MD, FPOA Chairperson Bids and Awards Committee

(MS-OCT. 13, 2017)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

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

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017

Ginebra, Meralco start title showdown By Jeric Lopez IT’S on. Hostilities begin as the brewing rivalry between the Meralco Bolts and Barangay Ginebra reached new heights with the two protagonists opening their best-of-seven titular showdown in the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup. The finals start today with Game 1 scheduled 7 p.m. at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena, Quezon as both teams feel each other out again. This will be a much anticipated rematch of last season’s classic finale where the Gin Kings ended their eight-year title drought with Justin Brownlee’s epic buzzerbeating three-pointer to win the series and top the Bolts in six games, 4-2. Both teams have been playing consistent basketball throughout the tournament while winning big games, paving the way to this inevitable rematch where Ginebra looks to remain in its throne while Meralco guns for revenge and redemption. The protagonists remain the same though both teams have retooled and strengthened their respective lineups. “Our core has improved and matured a lot plus we also added some key pieces as well. We’re hoping to finally win a championship for Meralco,” said Bolts coach Norman Black. The Bolts are in their second finals appearance and are still in search of their first title in their seventh season in the league. “This is going to be a great series again. We have the same players from last season but both teams have retooled,” said Gin Kings coach Tim Cone.

Blazers, Bullpups, Red Cubs prevail THE College of St. Benilde Blazers, the National University Bullpups and the San Beda-Rizal Red Cubs A got past their rivals over the weekend in the quarterfinal round of the 15th Fr. Martin Cup Division 2 basketball tournament. Justin Gutang showed the way with 21 points for the Blazers as they turned back the National University Bulldogs, 99-95, in the senior action at the St. Placid gymnasium inside San Beda-Manila campus in Mendiola. In the junior side, Thirdy Esmena shot 19 points and Gerry Abadiano banged in 13 points as the Bullpups demolished the San BedaManila B Red Kittens, 10559 in this cagefest which is supported by Slick Tight Hair Pomade. The Red Cubs drew nine point apiece from Basti Valencia and Joshua Lazaro in turning back the Letran Squires, 67-47. The semifinals will be held this Sunday. The Adamson Falcons will meet San Beda at 8 a.m., while the Blazers are set to meet the Ateneo Blue Eagles at 9:30 a.m. in the senior division.

Meralco Bolts import Allen Durham (5) drives strong to the hoop against Barangay Ginebra defenders Joe Devance (38) and Japeth Aguilar.

Chiefs keep Final Four hopes alive By Peter Atencio

HE Arellano University Chiefs bucked a slow start without injured point guard Kent Salado.

But with alternate Levi dela Cruz taking his place the Chiefs came to life in the third period and put away the University of Perpetual Help Altas, 62-52, yesterday at the Arena in San Juan. This kept the Chiefs in contention for a playoff spot in the semifinals of the 93rd National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s

basketball tournament. Lervin Flores showed the way with 19 points and eight rebounds for the Chiefs as they claimed their second consecutive win. Alcoriza tallied 16 points for the Chiefs, who went on to earn their eighth victory in 17 games with still one more match left in their schedule. For the Chiefs to make it to

the stepladder semis, they have to hurdle the Mapua Cardinals. The Letran Knights (8-9) and the San Sebastian Stags are also still in contention with their 8-8 and 7-9 cards. The Knights still have to face the defending champion San Beda Red Lions and the College of St. Benilde Blazers. The Stags have the Cardinals and Altas as their next opponents. The Chiefs, getting 12 points from Flores in the first 10 minutes, pulled away on a 6-0 run with Flores scoring on every chance in the last 7:31. But the Altas fought back

Games Today

(at the Arena in San Juan) 8 a.m.Malayan vs San Sebastian (jrs) 10 a.m. San Beda vs Letran (jrs) 12 nn Mapua vs San Sebastian (srs) 2 p.m. San Beda vs Letran (srs) 4 p.m. JRU vs Lyceum (srs) 6 p.m. JRU vs Lyceum (jrs)

behind Keith Pido’s penetrations to snatch the lead, 12-8. A counterattack by the Chiefs in the second period allowed them to regain the upper hand to move away on a 6-0 spurt and move in front off Levi de la Cruz’s penetration, 29-23, at halftime. A 7-0 blast touched off by

de la Cruz and Kraniel Viloria’s triple allowed the Chiefs to finally take charge, 36-23. “Ang laking change para sa kanila without Kent. Sinabi ko sa kanila na with or without Kent, we will play, we will do our best,” said coach Jerry Codiñera. Salado was ruled out for a month due to a right knee injury he suffered in their game with the College of St. Benilde Blazers. In the junior divison, Jielo Razon banged in 28 points as the University of Perpetual Help Junior Altas downed the Arellano Braves, 88-81.

Soriano recharged under celebrated new trainer IT was a bitter pill to swallow for a dedicated cage competitor like Burn “The Hitman” Soriano when he yielded to Malaysian sensation Saiful “The Vampire” Merican nearly ten months ago. The stoppage loss to Merican forced Soriano to reassess how he handles his training camp when he prepares for an upcoming bout. Soriano found much-needed help in George Castro, who is known as the man behind the renowned Alliance MMA’s strength and conditioning program. Castro recently relocated from Tucson, Arizona, hundreds of miles across the Pacific to Manila to help ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera set up the first Alliance MMA branch in the Philippines. Aside from training Vera, Castro has also worked extensively with several veterans of the sport, including Dominick Cruz, Ross Pearson, Jeremy Stephens and Chris Leben. “Right now, I have a tremendous support system in my training, espe-

cially with the help of my coach George Castro. He knows how to bring out the best in me. With him in my corner, it is always exciting to prepare for a bout,” Soriano said of Castro. The partnership between Soriano and Castro will be tested for the very first time as the Filipino combatant returns to action on November 3 to meet unbeaten Chinese prospect “Rock Man” Chen Lei. The two standouts are set to face each other on the undercard of ONE: Hero’s Dream, which takes place at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar. Soriano sees his upcoming threeround bantamweight encounter with Chen as an opportunity to bring back the glimmer of his professional career. “I want to win, so bad. I have dreams and aspirations as a competitor. In order to turn those into a reality, I have to win first. This is the first step,” he said. Although his professional record stands at 3-3, Soriano has become one of the most exciting mixed martial artists in ONE Championship.

Filipino Burn Soriano (left) squares off at the center of the ONE cage against Saiful Merican during their ONE Championship bout. Soriano hopes to bounce back with a victory in his next fight. ONE Championship

None of his matches, regardless For Soriano, it is crucial to be of sweet victory or disappointing an entertainer inside the cage and defeat, have ever gone to the three to put on a good show for fans all judges’ scorecards. across the globe.

2017 PNG preparations underway PREPARATIONS for the 2017 Philippine National Games are now under way. Cebu City, together with Cebu Province, will host the event when it is held from Dec. 10 to 17. Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Butch Ramirez said this yesterday while leading the PNG coordination meeting at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. Ramirez reiterated the agency’s commitment to supporting grassroots sports. The PSC chief, speaking to coaches and technical officials during the meeting said “deepening the hold of grassroots sports will pave the way for larger developments in the country’s push for sports development.” The agency is set to conduct different activities across the country like the upcoming Batang Pinoy in Vigan this October, Children’s Games and Indigenous Games. Cooperation with the Department of Education for a bigger and better Palarong Pambansa is also in the works. Next week, a conclave of collegiate sports stakeholders is set to convene in Pasig City with the prospect of forming a unified association for sports at the university level. “If we do something, let us do the best we could. Let us make a great edition of the PNG and discover the hidden gems in our youth,” said Ramirez. The PNG was last held in Pangasinan in March 2016. Peter Atencio

Lady Tams vow to bounce back against NU FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY Lady Tamaraws try to bounce back against the National University Lady Bulldogs in Game Two of the Premier Volleyball League Collegiate Conference Finals tomorrow (Saturday) in San Juan. But to do that the Lady Tams must be able to continue to buck the odds, overcome the pressure and minimize their miscues, particularly in the stretch. Game time is at 6:30 p.m. at the Filoil Flying V Center. FEU coach George FEU’s Heather Anne Guino-o (left), attacks the double block put up by NU’s Jasmine Nabor (4) and Risa Sato (5) during the title series opener. The Lady Tamaraws try to Pascua rued his wards’ rebound in Game 2 of the PVL Collegiate Conference Finals tomorrow. errors late in the match

that led to their 22-25, 2521, 18-25, 24-26 defeat to the powerhouse Lady Bulldogs late Wednesday night. Down 1-2 in the match and trailing 15-21 in the fourth frame, the Lady Tamaraws mounted a stirring fight back, drawing level twice down the stretch, the last on a Celine Domingo kill that saved the match point. But they faltered on a service error by Heather Guino-o and a mishit by Domingo in the next play, enabling the Lady Bulldogs to clinch the victory and move a win from completing their

Games tomorrow

11 a.m. – NU vs UST (men’s) Presentation of Awards 1 p.m. – Ateneo vs FEU (men’s) 4 p.m. – Adamson vs Arellano (women’s) Presentation of Awards 6:30 p.m. – NU vs FEU (women’s)

sweep of the crown in the season-ending conference organized by Sports Vision. “That crucial point which led to a service error should have been ours. I guess it’s the mindset. We collapsed in the end,” said Pascua, also noting how they succumbed to 35 errors in their 25-22, 2628, 27-29, 22-25 defeat to

the Lady Bulldogs in the group elims of the tournament backed by Mikasa and Asics. The Morayta-based spikers committed 27 miscues, four more than the Lady Bulldogs with two coming at endgame that ruined their comeback bid. Despite the Game One loss, Pascua remained satisfied with his wards’ performance, especially in the absence of their veteran leader and ace scorer Bernadeth Pons, who had to focus on her UAAP beach volleyball stint together with libero Kyla Atienza.

First Gen buys back old notes

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Thursday, October 12, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency Unit US Dollar Peso United States Dollar

1.000000

51.4670

Japan

Yen

0.008890

0.4575

Pound

1.322500

68.0651

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128084

6.5921

Switzerland

Franc

1.027432

52.8788

Canada

Dollar

0.802697

41.3124

Singapore

Dollar

0.738498

38.0083

Australia

Dollar

0.778700

40.0774

Bahrain

Dinar

2.654069

136.5970

Saudi Arabia Rial

0.266660

13.7242

0.735781

Brunei

Dollar

Indonesia

Rupiah 0.000074

0.0038

Thailand

Baht

1.5497

UAE

Dirham 0.272264

14.0126

Euro

1.186100

61.0450

Korea

Won

0.000883

0.0454

China

Yuan

0.151787

7.8120

India

Rupee

0.015349

Malaysia

Ringgit 0.236967

0.030111

New Zealand Dollar

0.708300

Taiwan

0.033098

Dollar

37.8684

0.7900 12.1960 36.4541 1.7035 Source: PDS Bridge

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017

FDIs seen to reach record $8b this year

CHINESE NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATION.

The Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. and the FilipinoChinese Association of the Philippines Foundation Inc. join China’s embassy in Manila in celebrating the 68th National Day of the People’s Republic of China. Shown during the ceremonial toast at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila are (from left) FFCCCII president Domingo Yap, FFCCCII chairman emeritus Dr. Lucio Tan, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jinhua and FFCAP chairman Peter Chua. Sonny Espiritu

Govt allots P2b for fuel marking T By Julito G. Rada

HE government is spending P2 billion next year for the fuel marking program in a bid to curb smuggling and misdeclaration of petroleum products, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said in a news brieﬁng Thursday.

“By spending P2 billion, which is one month’s collection, additional collection from the Bureau of Internal Revenue will probably yield between P25 billion and P40 billion,” Dominguez said. “So it is not only raising revenues through taxes but with actual implementation, and I tell you the implementation is getting serious,” Dominguez said.

Fuel marking is a system where the government will use chemicals and advance technology to track fuel products being imported into, processed, marketed and traded in the country to prevent smuggling, tax evasion or in some cases, subsidy abuse. Finance Undersecretary Karl Kendrick Chua earlier said under package one of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, the fuel marking plan would be implemented beginning next year by the Bureau of Customs with the assistance of the BIR. The procurement process for the service provider would be done through competitive bidding. The Finance Department expects to award the contract in the latter part of 2017 so that the successful bidder would have enough time to roll out the system by ‪Jan. 1, 2018, Chua said. Implementing a fuel marking system is among the provisions under the substitute House Bill No. 5636 which was approved on

May 3 by the House ways and means committee covering the first package of the CTRP. Chua said the project cost for a five-year implementation was expected to be fully recovered as early as the first year of implementation as the unit cost of fuel marking would be only 9 centavos per liter. The Finance Department estimates that revenue losses (VAT and excise taxes) from smuggled or misdeclared fuel reached P26.87 billion or $565.68 million in 2016 alone. The Asian Development Bank pegged the losses at a higher P37.5 billion while a study commissioned by the local oil industry put it at P43.8 billion per year. The Institute for Development and Econometric Analysis said that “smuggled gasoline accounts for an average of 23 percent of gasoline consumption from 2000 to 2006,” while “smuggled diesel accounts for an average of 6 percent.”

ICTSI’s Manila hub posts solid Q3 growth

Revenue collections from petroleum products amounted to P52.56 billion last year. Of this amount, the BIR collected P13.22 billion in the form of excise taxes and P2.11 billion in VAT. The BOC collected P10.92 billion in fuel excise taxes and P26.30 billion in VAT. The fuel marking and monitoring system was supported by various groups who accepted it as a way to prevent oil smuggling and complement efforts at improving the collection of fuel excise taxes. Ofﬁcials of Dow Chemical, SICPA-Global Fluids International, Authentix and United Color Manufacturing Inc., who attended one of the hearings of the House ways and means committee, said that a fuel marking system is an “economic, commercial, health, safety and environmental” concern that should be institutionalized by the government to complement its proposal to adjust fuel excise tax rates as part of the CTRP.

Dominguez pushing expanded US-PH ties

By Darwin G. Amojelar

PORT operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. said Thursday unit Manila International Container Terminal posted record productivity in August and September with equipment operators achieving monthly targets. ICTSI, a global company led by businessman Enrique Razon Jr., said MICT posted an increase in berth productivity of 22 percent and 13 percent in August and September, respectively. ICTSI senior vice president and MICT head Christian Gonzalez said one of the company’s core strengths was its highly capable manpower. “It’s really the key to the way we operate all of our terminal concessions worldwide. We start by bringing people in from our headquarters in Manila to jumpstart operations and train the locals who will eventually take over once everything is in place. But at the end, our goal is for each of our terminals to be run by 100 percent local manpower,” Gonzalez said. “Aside from the technical expertise that we pass on to our subsidiaries, we also teach them hard work and perseverance including leadership and self-improvement skills such as personal ﬁnancial management. We want our employees to be empowered. Having the right work attitude, combined with the technical knowhow, sets our employees apart from the rest of the industry,” he said. ICTSI, which operates 27 terminals across 17 countries, posted a net income of $103.6 million in the ﬁrst half, up 19 percent from $87.3 million a year ago.

CITADINES ORTIGAS OPENING. CDC Holdings president and chief executive Elsie Chua (left) and Ascott Ltd. Philippines and Thailand regional general manager Arthur Gindap lead the wine pouring ceremony Tuesday night during the grand launching of Citadines Millenium Ortigas Manila, a 32-story mixed-use tower along Meralco Ave. in Ortigas, Pasig City. Ey Acasio

Congressmen want more power plants built By Alena Mae S. Flores and Maricel V. Cruz CONGRESSMEN on Thursday cited the need to build more power plants on rising power demand amid the sustained economic growth. Rep. Lord Velasco of Marinduque, chairman of the House committee on energy said more power plants were needed as energy demand was rising 600 megawatts annually. “We cannot keep delaying these projects as we need stability of energy supply. If there are shutdowns by these old plants, that will mean a spike in prices. We need to stop pointing ﬁngers and putting malice, and already start these new projects,” Velasco said during a recent committee hearing. Velasco said the Philippines’ energy demand was growing 4.9 percent annually, or equivalent to 600 MW in additional capacity. Velasco said around 20 percent of the existing power plants were more than 30 years old. Power retailer Manila Electric Co. earlier expressed concern over the series of “yellow alerts” which showed the “vulnerability” of the Luzon grid. Meralco said that while over 1,000 MW of power output was added last year, “the rise in demand is soaking up new capacity.” House Minority leader and Quezon 3rd District Rep. Danilo Suarez said the entry of more power plants would help generate much-needed baseload in the country.

Suarez said the delays in the application process at the Energy Regulatory Commission could force investors to back out and the country could lose the opportunity to address its thin power reserves. Grid operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines declared five yellow alerts from August to September, reflecting the thin power reserves in Luzon. Suarez said there was a need to consider the time element in building power plants in the wake of the series of yellow alerts in Luzon. “Remember the dark days when we had to buy and commission gas-powered barges? It is crucial for the energy body to give the green light to applicants that complied with the regulatory requirements the authority to construct their power plants,” said Suarez. Suarez asked during the hearing why ERC was delaying the approval of power supply agreements, a regulatory requirement to construct power plants for generation companies. ERC earlier defended the delay, saying it was scrutinizing the power supply agreements in the wake of questions raised by various sectors. Suarez questioned why the regulator had not approved Atimonan One Energy’s coal-fired power plant in Atimonan, Quezon, which could have spurred economic activity in the said area. “We have to quickly resolve this and be considerate with investors. Time is cost if we continue to delay the approval process,” Suarez said.

FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the Philippines wants to expand development cooperation with longtime ally the United States as economic growth is poised to accelerate further in the coming years. Dominguez said in a speech before American businessmen at the New York leg of the Philippine Economic Brieﬁng the cooperation agreements between the two countries perfectly complemented the strategy for rapid and inclusive growth espoused by the Philippine government. “We are looking to both expand and deepen our development cooperation as our economy emerges more rapidly in the following years,” he said at Morgan Stanley Auditorium. “Our people fully appreciate the cooperation between our two countries. As the polls

show, the US remains the country Filipinos trust most. We are happy to welcome American investments that will assist us in providing quality jobs for our people,” Dominguez said. He said that over the years, the US supported the Philippines “not only in helping us build a credible defense capability but, more signiﬁcantly, in helping us build more effective institutions of governance.” The ﬁnance chief also cited the “accumulated numerous collaborative agreements” between the Philippines and the US, “the most prominent” of which were the “Mutual Defense Treaty that is the basis for regular inter-operability exercises between the armed forces of our two countries,” along with accords “for sharing of information in our common effort to combat terrorism and transnational crime.”

IN BRIEF PLDT opening new cable line

PLDT Inc. said Thursday it will open a new international submarine cable that will link the Philippines to three continents before the end of the year. PLDT invested an initial P500 million in the new AsiaAfrica-Europe 1 Submarine Cable System, a 25,000-kilometer international ﬁber optic submarine cable system linking Asia, Africa and Europe. “The AAE-1 cable system will further reinforce the resiliency of PLDT’s overseas links, expand the capacity and enhance the quality of our data and internet connections. This will enable us to deliver even higher quality service to our customers,” PLDT ﬁrst vice president and head of international and carrier business Kat Luna-Abelarde said. “It will further accelerate PLDT’s digital pivot and expansion, allowing it to serve more customers not only in the country but in the continents of Asia, Africa, and Europe, as well,” said Abelarde, who is also the president and chief executive of PLDT Global Corp. The AAE-1 cable system, in tandem with the other international cable systems that land in the Philippines, will connect the country to 19 international destinations including Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, India, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Yemen, Egypt, Greece, Italy and France. Darwin G. Amojelar

Mirage to hike local content

MITSUBISHI Motors Philippines Corp. said it expects to attain as much as 50-percent local content for the Mirage, its model entry into automotive incentives program, before the six-year program life expires. Mitsubishi executive vice president Dante Santos said the company would only need to import components such as engines and power trains which were not yet locally manufactured. “We are conﬁdent that we can achieve 50-percent local content. That much is very doable for us,” Santos said. The Cars program targets to generate 200,000 new jobs, bring in fresh investments worth $1.2 billion, stimulate local demand by increasing vehicle sales to $9.2 billion and effectively implement industry regulations that will revitalize the Philippine automotive industry. Mitsubishi is spending P4.3 billion for the production of the two variants of Mirage, the company’s ofﬁcial entry

Julito G. Rada

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Thursday it expects net inflows of foreign direct investments this year to match the record $8-billion level registered in 2016, downplaying concerns of some quarters that the country was losing its ability to attract foreign businessmen. The Bangko Sentral said in a statement the prospects for inward flows of FDIs into the country continued to be favorable as both “push” (subdued global economic growth) and “pull” (sustained robust macroeconomic performance and investment grade status) factors remained. “The BSP expects the Philippines to sustain FDI inflows this year, close to the $8 billion level in 2016. These prospective FDIs are expected to be channeled mainly to the manufacturing sector (electronics and motor parts), which can help create employment and more growth opportunities,” it said. “There is a huge potential in attracting further FDIs, which can put the country at par with the large levels of FDI seen in neighboring Asian countries. Such potential can be realized by reforming the rules on foreign ownership, addressing infrastructure gaps, and reducing the cost of doing business,” it said. National Economic and Development Authority director-general and Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, a member of the economic team, said Senator Franklin Drilon missed the facts on FDI when he “insisted” on his view about the status of foreign direct investments. Drilon at the Senate plenary last Friday expressed concern over what he called “a significant deceleration in the influx of new investments,” particularly in the first half. “Senator Drilon narrowly looks at so-called ‘new’ FDIs only. Fact it with reinvestments reckoned as well, drop in total FDIs was only 14 percent by the second quarter, not 90 percent. Reinvestments are just as good as expansion of operations does create employment multipliers too,” Pernia said. Julito G. Rada

model in the Cars program. Meanwhile, MMPC said it recently concluded the successful leg of Mivec Clean Diesel Advantage Test Drive Tour in several venues across Luzon and the Visayas. “With the great demand, MMPC is going to take its popular test drive tour to more cities in the Philippines for the following weekends,” the company said. Othel V. Campos

Lalamove raises $100m

LALAMOVE, a leading same-day delivery and logistics provider in Southeast Asia and China, with a strong presence in Manila, said it completed its latest $100-million Series C funding round. The latest investment comes as Lalamove Philippines gains a strong foothold in the Manila market. Lalamove provides on-demand delivery services that are highly essential for small to medium enterprises in the food and beverage, apparel and electronics industry. It also answers the call of e-commerce businesses as it covers Metro and Mega Manila with over 30,000 users to date. As of September 2017, there has been an upward trend in deliveries and the challenge is meeting the growing demand. Thousands of drivers took the challenge in becoming forbearers of on-demand delivery services. The round was led by ShunWei Capital, a venture capital ﬁrm that invests signiﬁcantly in growth stage startups.

40 European firms to visit PH

FORTY European companies are expected to visit the Philippines for business matching opportunities in energy efficiency and sustainability later this month. The investors are a part of the European Union Business Mission on Green Energy who are keen on creating business partnerships in the green energy sector in the country. “For years, the EU has been actively supporting the Philippines in engaging stakeholders towards creating and implementing policies and programs that provide increased efficiency in energy use and renewable energy development,” said European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines president Guenter Taus. The EU allocated 190 million euros from its cooperation budget of 325 million euros for job creation including renewable energy for 2014 to 2020. The EU launched the Access to Sustainable Energy Programme or ASEP in 2014 with a P3-billion grant to help the government achieve its electricity and energy efficiency goals. ASEP aims to assist the government to meet its rural electrification targets by means of renewable energy and promote energy efficiency. Alena Mae S. Flores

Business

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock index tops 8,400 points

TOCKS closed above the 8,400-point level for the ﬁrst time, boosted by another record performance on Wall Street with conﬁdence high heading into the earnings season.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, gained 44 points, or 0.5 percent, to settle at 8,402.81 Thursday, eclipsing the previous record of 8,398.04 which was registered two days earlier. The bellwether was also up 22.8 percent since the start of the year. The heavier index, representing all shares, also advanced 20 points, or 0.4 percent, to ﬁnish at 4,928.28, on a value turnover of P8.2 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 122 to 82, while 48 issues were unchanged. Eleven of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by oil explorer PXP Energy Corp. which jumped 5.6 percent to P9.25 and food manufacturer Universal

Robina Corp. which climbed 3.4 percent to P148.90. Property developer SM Prime Holdings Inc. rose 3 percent to P35.95, while conglomerate Ayala Corp. gained 2.4 percent to P1,077.00. Meanwhile, other Asian markets mostly rose Thursday. While US-North Korea tensions rumble on in the background, trading ﬂoors remain positive following a series of upbeat readings across global economies that have helped equities hit multi-year highs. In New York, all three main indexes chalked up yet more records following strong corporate reports, while analysts said the mood was also improved by the small number of ﬁrms warning they expected a negative impact from hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. The gains in New York provided a solid platform for Asian traders. Tokyo’s Nikkei closed up 0.4 percent to a fresh 21-year high, while Sydney

added 0.4 percent and Hong Kong was 0.2 percent higher in the afternoon. Singapore was up 0.7 percent. Seoul gained 0.7 percent, with Wellington, Taipei and Jakarta also well up. However, Shanghai finished down 0.1 percent. In early European trade London and Paris each lost 0.1 percent but Frankfurt added 0.1 percent. Shane Chanel, equities and derivatives adviser at ASR Wealth Advisers, said the recent passage of a US budget bill had left him confident that Donald Trump would be able to push through key tax and spending plans, which would give a further lift to markets. “The question is not if, but when,” he said in a note. “I believe that the tax reforms and planned infrastructure spend are going to be the biggest catalysts for inflation and jobs growth in the US.” On foreign exchanges, the euro built on gains after Catalan leader Carles

Puigdemont adopted a more conciliatory tone in a speech on independence. The unit was at $1.1873 Thursday, up from the low $1.17 mark seen last week, though well off the $1.2033 enjoyed in September. Later, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy gave him until next week to clarify whether he intends to push ahead with a breakaway, warning Madrid would suspend the region’s autonomy. “The market appears to have welcomed the decision... to give Carles Puigdemont, the president of the government of Catalonia, ﬁve days to clarify whether he has declared independence from Spain or not,” Rodrigo Catril, FX Strategist at National Australia Bank, said in a commentary. However, Stephen Innes, head of AsiaPaciﬁc trading at OANDA, warned that he still saw the single currency’s gains “as more of a relief rally as EU risk has tentatively settled”. With AFP, Bloomberg

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2017

NAME

OPEN

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 4.6 11,000 59.75 21,050 100 2,095,700 4 3,000 138.7 1,901,530 2.6 1,022,000 35.9 263,200 16.1 599,500 31.3 1,133,700 8.33 600 1.8 383,000 960 180 0.7 895,000 88.35 1,054,780 0.83 239,000 12.86 51,900 57.5 198,080 240 90 111 990 58 1,226,790 252 200,210 1,945 40 86.8 7,770 1.31 6,000

50,600 1,253,961 209,573,243.50 12,000 263,589,162 2,656,830 9,463,500 9,648,338 35,603,770 4,998 690,690 172,800 624,300 92,900,317.50 198,780 669,438 11,424,604.50 21,520 109,683 70,598,116 50,532,626 77,800 674,609.50 7,870

1,233,124 -89,476,846.50 -46,554,328 -57,200 2,394,770 -1,629,915 70,000 27,061,746.50 -9,755,323.50 -84,360 -12,892,822.50 29,330,680 -88,562.50 -

41.6 10.68 0.77 1.37 18.92 0.221 118 5.01 15.26 170.5 41.85 19.6 67.5 74.5 1.9 6.41 11.38 10.1 14.9 13.2 7.1 5.56 18.46 66.9 15 12.28 19.44 1.82 243.6 5.04 3.05 31.2 19.9 16.5 286.2 0.215 10.62 2.95 6.67 10.02 6 9.8 1.77 11.5 66.8 6 307 4.4 4.42 2.35 13.44 4.6 1.23 144.4 3.35 2.1

INDUSTRIAL 42.1 667,100 10.86 941,400 0.78 42,000 1.38 1,001,000 19.2 700 0.222 660,000 118 810 5.03 8,555,500 15.34 4,232,100 180.7 340 42.05 553,600 20.2 2,600 67.5 280 74.5 660 1.91 331,000 6.41 131,400 11.4 12,800 10.1 3,241,700 14.96 1,738,800 13.2 1,586,000 7.18 214,400 5.6 24,511,400 18.54 359,000 66.95 97,240 16.7 1,239,200 12.28 48,200 19.9 6,969,500 1.83 388,000 244.6 565,970 5.04 1,380,900 3.19 13,000 31.5 1,179,900 19.94 71,100 16.68 1,794,100 292 1,008,960 0.215 4,360,000 10.74 36,600 2.99 1,295,000 6.67 102,000 10.04 1,339,200 6 36,700 10 2,700 1.78 778,000 11.7 292,800 67 860,080 6.02 678,900 307 5,600 4.55 191,000 4.6 60,000 2.46 1,237,000 13.6 1,148,600 4.73 35,000 1.24 6,000 148.9 910,540 3.49 57,000 2.11 2,481,000

27,996,120 10,164,660 32,590 1,374,970 13,408 146,540 95,580 43,045,317 65,093,474 59,790 23,267,560 51,260 18,900 49,170 631,500 853,881 145,994 32,880,342 25,954,238 20,951,876 1,538,243 137,353,351 6,650,124 6,523,180 19,864,986 593,592 138,458,852 711,970 138,366,132 7,130,643 40,080 37,249,290 1,416,450 29,805,964 293,825,708 944,120 396,036 3,881,670 684,450 13,465,130 227,436 26,816 1,384,840 3,391,424 57,579,258 4,155,494 1,730,854 872,310 271,050 2,984,900 15,614,382 163,410 7,430 133,785,467 195,690 5,272,100

6,498,775 92,388 -31,801,246 14,074,576 618,970 9,550 -2,499,512 7,721,970 -539,968 289,360 -92,662,242 -53,528 -1,418,741.50 -49,750 3,628,370 -98,750 -17,480,038 26,892,915 -25,878 -1,213,380 111,236,044 207,020 2,793,842.00 8,219,545.50 544,371 -142,600 577,850 110,100 11,069,336 -12,283,676 -638,500

0.345 74.7 16.7 1.05 6.8 0.395 0.395 1,048 8.45 16.2 7.54 4.5 5.5 1,200 7.9 76.5 4.76 0.85 5.77 17.52 0.4 6.73 0.051 1.27 2.19 2.65 100.8 928 0.86 1.44 290 0.19 0.217

HOLDING FIRMS 0.35 1,240,000 74.8 547,860 16.78 3,094,100 1.05 5,000 6.8 6,700 0.395 36,170,000 0.4 11,030,000 1,077 1,065,680 8.46 7,642,500 16.28 5,679,800 7.7 3,800 4.9 220,200 5.7 7,600 1,205 63,270 7.98 90,100 77 555,040 4.76 1,000 0.86 148,000 5.83 1,180,000 17.68 269,200 0.4 190,000 6.76 34,092,800 0.051 41,550,000 1.28 278,000 2.19 305,000 2.71 34,000 101 498,300 942 351,350 0.86 2,000 1.44 643,000 298.4 7,660 0.19 410,000 0.217 180,000

429,600 41,093,958 51,995,534 5,250 46,220 14,622,000 4,464,050 1,143,844,115 64,659,203 92,796,762 28,748 1,088,412 42,320 76,239,475 718,560 42,789,490 4,760 126,290 6,911,126 4,766,634 76,000 230,397,016 2,174,250 361,360 670,560 90,160 50,327,158 331,201,875 1,720 932,560 2,279,906 77,950 39,530

15,698,317 3,683,488 -599,000 495,673,305 3,752,239 37,218,918 22,620 -43,802,145 -7,834,760.50 2,687,431 593,318 -85,876,012 1,049,845 -22,784,605 -327,506.00 -38,000 -

HIGH

LOW

AG FINANCE 4.6 ASIA UNITED 59.5 BANK PH ISLANDS 101.5 BDO LEASING 4 BDO UNIBANK 139.4 BRIGHT KINDLE 2.71 CHINABANK 36 COL FINANCIAL 15.9 EAST WEST BANK 31.7 FILIPINO FUND 8.33 IREMIT 1.79 MANULIFE 960 MEDCO HLDG 0.7 METROBANK 87.05 NTL REINSURANCE 0.83 PB BANK 12.9 PHIL NATL BANK 57.6 PHIL STOCK EXCH 239 PHILTRUST 111 RCBC 56.35 SECURITY BANK 252 SUN LIFE 1,945 UNION BANK 86.75 VANTAGE 1.32

4.6 59.75 101.7 4 139.5 2.71 36 16.14 31.7 8.33 1.84 960 0.71 88.4 0.84 12.9 58.6 240 111 58.55 254 1,945 86.9 1.32

4.6 59.1 99.35 4 137.6 2.52 35.9 15.9 31.25 8.33 1.71 960 0.69 86.95 0.83 12.86 57.5 239 110.1 55.15 251 1,945 86.75 1.31

ABOITIZ POWER 41.75 AGRINURTURE 10.92 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.79 ALSONS CONS 1.38 ASIABEST GROUP 19.38 BASIC ENERGY 0.221 BOGO MEDELLIN 118 CEMEX HLDG 5.05 CENTURY FOOD 15.48 CHEMPHIL 170.5 CIRTEK HLDG 42.6 CNTRL AZUCARERA19.6 CONCEPCION 67.5 CONCRETE A 74.5 CROWN ASIA 1.92 DAVINCI CAPITAL 6.5 DEL MONTE 11.38 DNL INDUS 10.18 EAGLE CEMENT 15 EEI CORP 13.4 EMPERADOR 7.2 ENERGY DEVT 5.64 FIRST GEN 18.62 FIRST PHIL HLDG 67.3 GINEBRA 15.1 HOLCIM 12.4 INTEGRATED MICR 19.7 IONICS 1.85 JOLLIBEE 244.6 LMG CHEMICALS 5.06 MABUHAY VINYL 3.19 MANILA WATER 31.25 MAXS GROUP 19.92 MEGAWIDE 16.72 MERALCO 286.2 MG HLDG 0.218 PANASONIC 10.9 PEPSI COLA 2.95 PETROENERGY 6.73 PETRON 10.04 PHIL H2O 6.2 PHINMA 9.9 PHINMA ENERGY 1.78 PHX PETROLEUM 11.54 PILIPINAS SHELL 67.95 PRYCE CORP 6.28 PUREFOODS 310 RFM CORP 4.69 ROXAS HLDG 4.42 SFA SEMICON 2.5 SHAKEYS PIZZA 13.6 SPC POWER 4.6 TKC METALS 1.23 UNIV ROBINA 145 VICTORIAS 3.35 VITARICH 2.12

42.1 10.94 0.79 1.38 19.38 0.225 118 5.09 15.5 180.7 42.6 20.2 67.5 74.5 1.92 6.6 11.42 10.26 15 13.48 7.2 5.65 18.62 67.3 16.7 12.4 20.2 1.85 247 5.31 3.2 31.7 19.98 16.72 294.6 0.229 10.96 3 6.78 10.1 6.3 10 1.79 11.7 67.95 6.44 310 4.69 4.6 2.5 13.62 4.74 1.24 148.9 3.49 2.14

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

0.355 75.75 16.92 1.05 6.9 0.415 0.415 1,079 8.48 16.48 7.7 5.3 5.7 1,213 8 78.2 4.76 0.87 5.97 18.2 0.4 6.85 0.055 1.42 2.23 2.71 102 950 0.86 1.46 298.8 0.191 0.22

0.35 75.5 16.8 1.05 6.9 0.4 0.405 1,051 8.46 16.46 7.54 5.06 5.5 1,209 8 77.7 4.76 0.86 5.84 17.52 0.4 6.78 0.053 1.42 2.23 2.65 102 930 0.86 1.44 290 0.191 0.22

8990 HLDG 4.95 A BROWN 1.06 ANCHOR LAND 8.74 ARANETA PROP 2.48 ARTHALAND CORP 1.05 AYALA LAND 42.5 BELLE CORP 3.76 CEB LANDMASTERS 5.05 CEBU HLDG 5.3 CEBU PROP A 5.81 CENTURY PROP 0.51 CITY AND LAND 1.3 CITYLAND DEVT 1.3 CROWN EQUITIES 0.23 CYBER BAY 0.48 DOUBLEDRAGON 41.6 EMPIRE EAST 0.68 EVER GOTESCO 0.144 FILINVEST LAND 2.05 GLOBAL ESTATE 1.61 IRC PROP 0.9 MEGAWORLD 5.39 MRC ALLIED 0.34 PHIL ESTATES 0.435 PHIL REALTY 0.475 PRIMEX CORP 7.01

4.95 1.09 8.74 2.49 1.08 43.15 3.85 5.12 5.3 5.81 0.52 1.3 1.3 0.23 0.48 42.95 0.7 0.144 2.07 1.64 0.91 5.44 0.34 0.44 0.49 7.08

4.92 1.05 8.53 2.38 1.03 42.35 3.76 5.04 5.25 5.81 0.51 1.28 1.22 0.221 0.47 41.5 0.68 0.143 2.05 1.59 0.9 5.32 0.325 0.42 0.47 6.4

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

26.9 1.83 3.15 34.9 1.05 6.85 0.9 6.08

27.4 1.83 3.19 35.95 1.06 7.44 0.9 6.15

26.7 1.81 3.15 34.75 1.04 6.85 0.87 6.04

26.75 1.81 3.19 35.95 1.05 7.44 0.87 6.15

2,149,100 266,000 7,000 12,008,600 1,150,000 1,700 51,000 1,513,800

58,028,825 484,910 22,270 424,382,050 1,213,960 11,823 44,400 9,244,241

15,827,025 227,050 -3,018,485 -700 43,500 -366,699

2GO GROUP 19.7 ABS CBN 40.25 ACESITE HOTEL 1.68 APC GROUP 0.56 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.055 ASIAN TERMINALS 11 BLOOMBERRY 10.28 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.072 CEBU AIR 110.9 CENTRO ESCOLAR 9 CHELSEA 9.56 DFNN INC 7.8 FAR EASTERN U 960 GLOBE TELECOM 2,118 GMA NETWORK 6.03 GOLDEN HAVEN 19.6 HARBOR STAR 2.54 IMPERIAL 2.85 INTL CONTAINER 105 IPEOPLE 11.86 IPM HLDG 8.4 ISLAND INFO 0.16 ISM COMM 1.35 JACKSTONES 3.22 LBC EXPRESS 15.96 LEISURE AND RES 4.09 LORENZO SHIPPNG 1.29 MACROASIA 17.1 MANILA BULLETIN 0.65 MANILA JOCKEY 2.9 MELCO RESORTS 7.52 METRO RETAIL 4.25 MLA BRDCASTING 17.02 NOW CORP 2.36 PACIFIC ONLINE 11.08 PAL HLDG 5.05 PHIL SEVEN CORP 170 PHILWEB 9.37 PLDT 1,690 PREMIUM LEISURE 1.5 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.395 PUREGOLD 53.8 ROBINSONS RTL 98 SBS PHIL CORP 6.14 SSI GROUP 4.11 STI HLDG 1.61 TRANSPACIFIC BR 2.18 TRAVELLERS 4.47 WATERFRONT 1.16 WILCON DEPOT 8.19

20.2 40.5 1.68 0.56 0.055 11 10.36 0.072 112.3 9 9.65 7.81 960 2,118 6.07 20 2.6 2.85 107 11.86 8.4 0.16 1.39 3.59 15.96 4.19 1.29 17.44 0.65 2.9 7.59 4.27 17.8 2.36 11.08 5.08 174 9.42 1,695 1.51 0.395 54.8 99 6.3 4.12 1.61 2.18 4.49 1.17 8.51

19.62 40.2 1.66 0.54 0.051 11 10.2 0.071 110.5 8.72 9.55 7.06 960 2,070 6.02 19 2.48 2.84 104 11.86 8.38 0.157 1.34 3.21 15.8 4.02 1.25 17 0.55 2.82 7.37 4.23 17 2.31 11.02 5.05 168 9.29 1,664 1.48 0.39 52.1 97.8 6.09 4.08 1.57 2.17 4.08 1.14 8.16

SERVICES 20.2 86,800 40.25 48,500 1.66 171,000 0.55 1,354,000 0.051 104,480,000 11 2,000 10.2 8,587,300 0.071 23,630,000 111.4 265,650 9 3,100 9.59 1,195,700 7.06 179,200 960 200 2,072 22,745 6.07 27,800 20 525,100 2.48 1,649,000 2.84 84,000 104.1 1,495,240 11.86 3,900 8.38 313,600 0.157 4,120,000 1.37 311,000 3.25 4,033,000 15.8 700 4.19 567,000 1.29 560,000 17.04 3,654,700 0.58 2,024,000 2.85 433,000 7.42 7,630,400 4.27 627,000 17.8 9,100 2.34 960,000 11.08 40,000 5.08 5,700 174 818,580 9.29 280,500 1,664 97,330 1.49 4,006,000 0.39 2,120,000 52.7 3,603,350 98 1,284,290 6.28 312,500 4.1 1,649,000 1.6 11,904,000 2.17 2,000 4.12 8,832,000 1.14 4,317,000 8.19 7,577,500

1,723,685 1,952,810 285,740 737,760 5,492,380 22,000 88,039,344 1,678,450 29,660,330 27,862 11,467,762 1,361,542 192,000 47,394,460 167,902 10,448,246 4,133,970 238,830 156,270,458 46,254 2,634,200 647,100 418,240 13,614,260 11,092 2,322,160 704,390 62,939,598 1,179,900 1,231,460 57,022,186 2,666,150 155,266 2,227,020 441,500 28,938 139,158,560 2,617,360 162,530,455 5,950,090 831,800 190,929,818.50 126,121,264.50 1,921,628 6,766,240 18,961,150 4,350 37,435,670 4,946,410 62,375,045

-113,560 30,240 -2,579,318 -81,650 11,719,388 151,823.00 303,000 -76,800 -1,773,950 -400,000 2,840 -2,107,383 -12,330 12,700 21,600.00 63,000 263,976.00 -56,570 24,167,883 -225,330 88,160 0 -71,998,690 1,489,460 -88,140,843 -18,715,843.50 1,817,828 4,279,030 1,158,790 6,636,050 249,010.00 8,765,007.00

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

0.0026 1.84 4.99 16.42 1.81 1.85 1.63 0.38 8.57 2.65 0.26 0.18 0.2 0.01 0.011 1.88 6.78 1.73 0.51 1.02 0.013 0.012 0.012 2.51 8.16 8.85 45 0.0079

0.0026 1.88 4.99 16.42 1.99 1.99 1.63 0.38 8.57 2.69 0.26 0.182 0.2 0.011 0.011 1.9 6.9 1.73 0.54 1.03 0.013 0.012 0.012 2.51 8.19 9.25 45.05 0.0079

0.0024 1.83 4.93 16.42 1.8 1.85 1.57 0.38 8.15 2.6 0.25 0.18 0.198 0.01 0.011 1.88 6.68 1.69 0.51 1.01 0.012 0.012 0.011 2.47 7.94 8.75 44 0.0079

MINING & OIL 0.0026 1,943,000,000 1.87 10,589,000 4.97 102,000 16.42 1,200 1.99 283,000 1.99 40,000 1.6 2,664,000 0.38 180,000 8.29 23,700 2.64 2,446,000 0.26 790,000 0.181 4,270,000 0.198 1,440,000 0.01 114,700,000 0.011 12,000,000 1.88 1,079,000 6.88 1,865,400 1.72 7,000 0.54 192,000 1.03 272,000 0.013 53,400,000 0.012 4,100,000 0.011 149,400,000 2.47 89,000 8 960,400 9.25 17,956,900 45 2,184,200 0.0079 1,000,000

4,861,300 19,706,250 506,140 19,704 513,540 77,920 4,250,290 68,400 194,816 6,425,960 197,700 772,700 286,000 1,149,600 132,000 2,042,220 12,683,332 11,900 103,190 277,370 692,100 49,200 1,647,700 222,530 7,677,465 163,189,293 97,174,565 7,900

-245,000 251,640 -4,930 61,980 1,410,810 286,000 288,800 2,825,970 2,060 -2,714,288 15,535,060.00 -20,975,955 -

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

39.9 539.5 525 106.3 105.1 115.4 541 5.74 1,040 1,030 1.06 1,065 1,147 105 1.96 75.95 81 76 80 81 79 79

40 539.5 530 106.3 107.8 115.4 541 5.74 1,040 1,030 1.06 1,065 1,147 105 1.96 76 81 76 80 81 79.5 79

39.2 539.5 519 105.5 105 115.3 540.5 5.73 1,040 1,030 1.06 1,065 1,146 105 1.96 75.95 81 76 78.1 81 79 79

PREFERRED 39.3 133,000 539.5 19,960 520 97,560 105.5 350 107.8 350 115.3 3,230 540.5 1,630 5.73 155,700 1,040 50 1,030 2,100 1.06 252,000 1,065 60 1,146 770 105 120 1.96 4,000 76 19,840 81 20,350 76 2,000 78.1 1,000 81 12,900 79.5 122,470 79 1,300

5,294,100 10,768,420 50,688,725 37,045 37,432 372,519 881,030 892,853 52,000 2,163,000 267,120 63,900 882,430 12,600 7,840 1,507,440 1,648,350 152,000 78,195 1,044,900 9,715,250 102,700

-238,475 -621,927 -

LR WARRANT

2.37

2.43

2.36

WARRANTS 2.43 154,000

366,550

5.3 4.74 5.68

5.01 4.6 5.51

SME 5.05 4.73 5.6

4,814,859 115,930 4,399,653

90,900 46,000 -2,155,516

127.2

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 126.6 127.1 5,070

643,928

NAME ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

PROPERTY 4.94 382,000 1.08 9,046,000 8.53 10,400 2.4 146,000 1.06 3,015,000 42.8 12,152,800 3.8 10,467,000 5.04 2,050,200 5.25 146,100 5.81 500 0.52 4,563,000 1.28 33,000 1.22 1,414,000 0.221 19,010,000 0.48 260,000 41.6 191,200 0.7 1,400,000 0.144 670,000 2.06 3,168,000 1.59 17,074,000 0.9 414,000 5.43 23,446,800 0.325 48,280,000 0.42 4,960,000 0.48 1,120,000 6.4 5,879,300

1,885,180 9,687,790 89,153 358,800 3,169,100 519,046,455 39,377,480 10,382,847 767,210 2,905 2,334,910 42,370 1,787,370 4,263,280 124,300 8,003,925 979,970 96,130 6,517,390 27,582,860 372,610 126,662,540 15,856,200 2,115,600 537,400 39,170,028

-1,392,930 54,000 -47,600 21,100 -100,126,565 37,348,910 -25,908 14,280 12,500 198,880 3,588,250 4,185,440 53,440 27,708,509 452,000 -43,000 1,255,625

ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

5.22 4.74 5.66

FIRST METRO ETF 127

TRADING SUMMARY

VALUE

FINANCIAL

11,984,923

834,869,692.10

INDUSTRIAL

85,601,669

1,373,570,808.11

152,525,831

2,950,842,182.06

HOLDING FIRMS PROPERTY

202,657,950

1,401,271,722.75

SERVICES

220,106,265

1,313,834,057.97

MINING & OIL

2,325,615,749

325,028,098.672

GRAND TOTAL

3,000,253,757

8,209,391,405.66

945,400 25,000 785,800

FINANCIAL 2,025.62 (down) 2.05 INDUSTRIAL 11,056.06 (up) 88.58 HOLDING FIRMS 8,637.95 (up) 50.80 PROPERTY 3,912.10 (up) 55.14 SERVICES 1,712.76 (down) 17.00 MINING & OIL 13,790.65 (up) 57.01 PSEI 8,402.81 (up) 44.34 All Shares Index 4,928.28 (up) 20.40 Gainers: 82; Losers: 122; Unchanged: 48; Total: 252

SEC issues advisory vs ad website By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday cautioned the public from investing in Pluggle Inc., an online advertising website that it said was not authorized to solicit investments. The SEC posted an advisory on its website that while Pluggle was registered with the commission, it was not authorized to solicit investments from the public, because it had not secured necessary license from the corporate regulator. The SEC also warned brokers, dealers and salesman of Pluggle who were enticing and convincing people to invest in the scheme that they would be prosecuted and held criminally liable under Section 28 of the Securities Regulation Code and penalized with maximum ﬁne of P5 million or a penalty of 21 years in prison. It said those who were inviting or recruiting other people to join or invest in the venture or offer investment contracts or securities to the public could be held criminally liable or accordingly sanctioned or penalized. Information obtained by the SEC showed that Pluggle required members to sign up to its website through a sponsored link and to purchase an activation code with P1,000 through their accounts using bit cons or through other legitimate members of Pluggle. Pluggle claims its members may earn in various ways. It primarily involves enticing other people to become downlines. The SEC said Pluggle on its Facebook account was promising a return of 30 percent up to 100 percent in 12 days for minimum investment.

First Gen buys back old notes By Alena Mae S. Flores FIRST Gen Corp. said Thursday it bought back some of its notes due 2023 which are listed at Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Ltd. from the market to reduce debt. “In connection with First Gen Corp.’s Reg S US$300 million, 6.5 percent fixed rate notes due to 2023 which are listed on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Ltd., please be advised that the company has decided to purchase some notes from the market,” First Gen said in a disclosure to the stock exchange. The company did not say how much it purchased from the market. First Gen raised $300 million through a 10-year, non-call senior unsecured bond in October 2013 that was listed at the Singapore Exchange, a move that reflected investor confidence in the company. “As part of FGen’s debt reduction plan, we purchased some of its US bonds listed in the Singapore Exchange,” First Gen chief finance officer Emmanuel Singson said. The power company is embarking on initiatives to deleverage and reduce foreign currency debt exposure. First Gen and subsidiary Northern Terracota Power Corp. earlier tendered their 992 million and 982 million shares respectively in Energy Development Corp. to Philippines Renewable Energy Holdings Corp. for P7.25 per share.

World

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

Pervasive abuse at US colleges CHICAGO—From sex abuse to sleep deprivation to unexpected deaths of very young men and women: hazing has become shockingly common for university students across the United States. By the time 19-year-old Timothy Piazza died of a ruptured spleen and internal bleeding, he had been injured for nearly 12 hours, authorities say. Piazza had become so drunk during initiation rituals at a Penn State University fraternity that he twice tumbled downstairs—with the violent impacts causing severe injuries. The hazing death shocked America’s higher education system, and has spurred reform efforts to address a problem American universities have been slow to tackle, according to experts. His slow death in February was captured on hours of surveillance camera footage from inside the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house. He writhed in pain and went in and out of consciousness, without anyone calling for help, prosecutors said. A survey by researchers at the University of Maine found a pervasive problem, with 55 percent of students involved in college organizations saying they had experienced hazing practices such as “alcohol consumption, humiliation, isolation, sleep-deprivation and sex acts.” AFP

23 perish in California wildfires SANTA ROSA―More than 200 fire engines and firefighting crews from around the country were being rushed to California on Wednesday to help battle the infernos that have left at least 23 people dead and thousands homeless. “This is a serious, critical, catastrophic event,” California fire chief Ken Pimlott told reporters. “We’re not going to be out of the woods for a great number of days to come.” Pimlott said that, after a respite on Tuesday, the winds kicked up again on Wednesday and the winds and the dry conditions were hampering the efforts to contain the blazes. “We are still impacted by five years of drought,” the director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said. “These fires were driven by the critically dry fuel bed,” he added. “We are literally looking at explosive vegetation.” Pimlott said the death toll from the fires, among the deadliest ever in California, could be expected to go up further. AFP

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Weinstein allegations swell as film industry faces scrutiny LOS ANGELES―The avalanche of assault accusations against Harvey Weinstein grew as more actresses came forward with explosive charges against the movie mogul, whose lurid behavior has opened a Pandora’s Box of Hollywood harassment and hypocrisy. The new claims landed as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as

well as the Cannes film festival organization declared the abusive behavior repugnant, but also as film figures warned that such actions had gone virtually unchecked in an industry that for years had seen itself in a progressive light. The Weinstein revelations were just “the tip of the iceberg,” comedy actor and director Rob Schneider told

TMZ. “There’s not one actress who doesn’t have a story,” he said, adding that he himself experienced sexual harassment by a male director when he was younger. Amid the gravity of the situation, the Academy, which has awarded 81 Oscars to Weinstein films produced by Miramax and then the Weinstein Com-

pany, announced it would convene a meeting on Saturday to “discuss the allegations against Weinstein and any actions warranted by the Academy.” Weinstein, 65, has denied all charges, according to a statement from his spokeswoman Sallie Hofmeister. On Wednesday she offered “no comment” when asked about reports Weinstein was

heading to Europe to enter a rehabilitation facility. His company, The Weinstein Company, has insisted it knew nothing of the mogul’s alleged misconduct. But the New York Times reported Wednesday night that it was in fact aware as far back as 2015 of the settlements paid to three or four women. The Times quoted a lawyer, David Boies, who

37 dead in ﬂoods in Vietnam H

ANOI―At least 37 people have died and another 40 are missing as floods and landslides ravage north and central Vietnam, destroying homes and leaving rescuers scrambling to find survivors, disaster officials said Thursday.

COMMEMORATION. Britain’s Prince Williaml, Duke of Cambridge, and Princess Astrid of Belgium attend a commemoration at the Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery for the centenary of Passchendaele, the third battle of Ypres on 30th and 31st July 2017, on October 12, 2017, in Passendale, Zonnebeke. New Zealand is commemorating on October 12 the centenary of the World War I Battle of Passchendaele. AFP

Pope to visit Myanmar as anti-Rohingya hatred seethes YANGON―Pope Francis will talk peace on his to visit Myanmar, a Catholic church representative said Thursday, a potentially highly charged trip during a refugee crisis that has seen 520,000 Rohingya Muslims pushed out of the country. The late November visit comes as western Rakhine state is devoured by communal violence that has sent

unprecedented numbers of Rohingya fleeing into neighboring Bangladesh. Myanmar’s army is accused of using a crackdown on militants to expel its Muslim Rohingya population―a persecuted minority the Pope has previously called “brothers and sisters”. Any comments seen to support the Rohingya could provoke a strong reaction from

hard-line Buddhist clerics and a Buddhist-majority public aggrieved at the global support for the Muslim group. Myanmar has a small roughly half a million Catholic population, mainly in the remote north. The same goes for Muslim-majority Bangladesh―where the Pope will travel on to. A spokesman for the Catholic Church in My-

anmar said it was unclear whether the Pope would address the Rakhine crisis during his November 27-30 trip. “We don’t know yet what will be his speech... but he is coming for the sake of the country and he will be talking about peace,” Father Mariano Soe Naing, a spokesman for the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Myanmar, told AFP. AFP

Tens of thousands were evacuated after heavy rain lashed swathes of the country this week, as forecasters warned of more bad weather to come. Northern Hoa Binh is the hardest hit with 11 dead and 21 missing, prompting a state of emergency to be declared. “We are mobilizing all forces to search for the missing,” a disaster official told AFP by phone, declining to be named. Rescue efforts were hampered as water and mud submerged roads in several areas, including in Hoa Binh where eight died in an overnight landslide. “People should be evacuated from dangerous areas, the safety of people and their belongings must be ensured,” deputy prime minister Trinh Dinh Dung said on state-run Vietnam television. A terrified resident described severe flooding in another part of the province. “The flash flood was terrible. Water poured down from the hill, like a surge three meters high. Traffic has been blocked because of the floods,” Phan Ba Dien told state-controlled VNExpress news site. A journalist from Vietnam News Agency reporting on the storm was swept away along with four other

Baby white rhino gallops into view at Singapore zoo SINGAPORE―A baby white rhino has made his first foray into the spotlight, galloping into a public enclosure at Singapore Zoo after being given a name―Oban, which means “King” in the African Yoruba language. The calf had spent the first few weeks of his life bonding with his mother in private, but when he reached one-month old, zookeepers decided it was time to introduce Oban to the public enclosure, home to another six white rhinos. After moving in early Wednesday morning, the curious youngster frolicked around and chased birds as he got know his new surroundings. His mother Donsa, who is 32-years-old and has had 11

hospital with dehydration and insect bites. NSW Ambulance Inspector Andrew Steenson said “it was really good to find them in such good physical shape”. “The search terrain was really quite hostile in some areas,” he told the Herald, adding that rescuers had been searching for the pair for four days after their car was sighted at the park’s car park on Monday. “There are some steep slopes and thick scrub, and it drops off by about 500 meters in some parts of the search

calves, kept a watchful eye. Initially he will spend just two hours a day in the public eye before his time in the spotlight is gradually increased. His name in the African language of Yoruba was chosen as a nod to the white rhino’s roots. White rhinos used to be critically endangered, but conservation efforts have had some success and they are now classified as “near threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. South Africa is home to around 20,000 white rhinos, about 80 percent of the worldwide population, but many have been lost to poaching in recent years. AFP

area.” He added that the mother and son had stayed alive by using leaves to collect water, removing ticks and leeches from each other, sharing one pair of shoes and tying grass around trees to mark where they were. Mount Royal National Park, part of Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage area, is described by the National Parks and Wildlife Service as having “challenging walking tracks” that take visitors to the summit of scenic rock features. AFP

people as an overflowing river demolished a bridge in northern Yen Bai province Wednesday. One survived and authorities were still looking for the other four on Thursday. Images on state media showed people wading through knee-deep waters and tracts of forests that had been wiped out by landslides. Road access was completely cut off in some areas. “Water was just rushing downstream... it’s been a long time since I witnessed that kind of flooding in mountainous areas. I didn’t feel safe driving at night, it was scary,” Hanoi resident Nguyen Vu Ngoc, who was traveling in the north on Wednesday, told AFP. The disaster has killed 37 people in six provinces, with more than 18,800 houses damaged or destroyed along with tens of thousands of hectares of farmland, Vietnam Disaster Management Authority said. Officials said they were focused on rescuing dozens of missing people Thursday as rain subsided in most areas. Residents desperately ferried furniture and other belongings over flooded roads in Son La province, where houses were demolished and electricity poles torn down. AFP

N. Korea says Trump lit fuse of war

They survived 10 days in Australian bush SYDNEY―A woman and her son, 9, survived a 10-day ordeal with no food in rough Australian bushland by using leaves to collect water and removing ticks and leeches from each other, reports and authorities said Thursday. The 40-year-old and the boy planned a two-hour walk in Mount Royal National Park in the Hunter region some 240 kilometers north of Sydney, but became disoriented, New South Wales state police told the Newcastle Herald. Police added in a statement that they were taken to a local

represented Weinstein when his contract was up for renewal in 2015. The Times also said that last week Weinstein sent members of the company board an email saying they knew about those payoffs. The paper quoted what it called people who spoke on condition of anonymity about the confidential communication. AFP

REVELATION. This file photo taken on May 20, 2006 shows French actress Florence Darel posing for photographs upon arriving at the Festival Palace for the premiere of French director Nicole Garcia’s film ‘Selon Charlie’ (Charlie Says) at the 59th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, Southern France. Darel on October 12, 2017, became the latest star to reveal that she was harassed by disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Darel, 49, who first came to notice in Eric Rohmer’s ‘A Tale of Springtime’ in 1990, told French media that Weinstein had promised to help make her big in America if she became his “part-time” mistress. AFP

MOSCOW―US President Donald Trump “lit the fuse of war” against North Korea with his provocative comments to the United Nations last month, North Korea’s foreign minister has told the Russian TASS news agency. Trump has engaged in an escalating war of words with North Korean strongman Kim Jong-un, trading insults amid rising the tensions between the two nuclear-armed rivals. “With his belligerent and mad address to the UN, it can be said that Trump has lit the fuse of war against us,” Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho told Russia’s state news agency during an interview in Pyongyang on Wednesday. “Our dear supreme leader Kim Jong-un had already sternly warned: the US must act in a reasonable manner and cease attacking us if it does not want to be humiliated in front of the whole world under the weight of our blows,” Ri added. The minister also lashed out at a tough new package of UN sanctions brought in last month. “The government of our republic has many times stated that any attempt to strangle us, to choke us in the guise of sanctions is equivalent to an act of war,” he said. AFP

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017

Dads push House for stiffer penalties on bad gun firing

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

PDP OATH TAKING. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre (second from left) flashes his fist together with (from left) Lucena City Mayor Roderick A. Alcala, Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, and Barangay Cotta, Lucena City Chairwoman Annalou Alcala during the Basic Membership Seminar and Oath Taking Ceremony of administration party PDP-Laban (as shown on banner, inset photo) at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena, Quezon. The event saw about 8,000 politicians from different towns of the province. Benjie A. Antioquia

THE 36-member Quezon City council wants to pass a resolution urging the House of Representatives to legislate stiffer penalties for indiscriminate gunfiring. District 2 Councilor Ranulfo Ludovica authored City Resolution 7165, in response to the death of 15-year-old Emilyn Villanueva Calano of Barangay San Agustin, Malabon City, who was hit by a stray bullet while watching fireworks on New Year’s Eve 2017, fell into a coma and died. “Despite a law and stern warning from the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines and other government officials, indiscriminate firing of guns remains and, in fact, continues to proliferate not only during holiday revelries but even in other occasions or festivities,” the resolution read. Several fatalities are recorded each year due to indiscriminate firing, police and hospital records show. In 2016, PNP has recorded a total of 23 indiscriminate firing incidents from December 16 to January 2. While latest reports on January 2017 show that the number increased to 41 cases. “Despite the stern warning from PNP, indiscriminate gun-firing still proliferates,” the measure cited. He said firing a gun in the air is merely considered a case of “alarm and scandal” punishable by one day to 30 days of imprisonment or a fine of P200 under Article 155 of the Revised Penal Code. Rio N. Araja

RFID for QC kids pushed By Rio N. Araja

UEZON City District 5 Councilor Allan Butch Francisco has introduced a measure to adopt a radio frequency identification or RFID tag to track of the movement of elementary and high school students in public schools in real time.

He authored Resolution an RFID card that automatiNo. SP-7179, urging Mayor cally sends text messages or Herbert Bautista to adopt casts alert to the students’

parents or registered guardians about the whereabouts of their children. Francisco said it is high time the city’s public schools must follow the suit of several private schools in Metro Manila implementing such student identification cards. “Whereas, aside from the safety concern of parents, the program may also help to combat the phenomenon of school drop-outs due to absences, cutting classes and tardiness because parents

will have the way to monitor the whereabouts of their children,” the resolution read. “The program is at no cost for the students and the parents,” Francisco told the Standard in an interview. “I am trying to negotiate with a network provider.” Under the system, a student must swipe his or her RFID card into a special machine to be located at the school gate. “During dismissal time, parents are also notified if

their children have already swiped out to leave the school premises. The system will also send a text message to the parents on the cancellation of classes and [about] important school announcements,” the measure said. According to Francisco, cellphones and other electronic gadgets for mobile communications have become a necessity, and that most people cannot live without a mobile phone. “In fact, almost half of

the cellphone users today carry with them a second or third phone for convenience,” he said, adding “therefore, we must take advantage of the technology to keep in touch with our children at school.” Meanwhile, Quezon City was named as an Outstanding Local Government Unit for National TB (tuberculosis) Program in the National Capital Region. The Department of Health-NCR said Quezon

IN BRIEF

Biz of Erap ‘sis-in-law’ shut down By Bill Casas WANTING to prove that no one is above the law, not even his relatives or family members, Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada on Thursday ordered the impounding of illegal tow trucks owned by a woman claiming to be his sister-in-law. Citing a report from the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau, Estrada said PMA Towing Services, Inc. has no permit to operate anywhere in the city. “Walang kaibi-kaibigan, walang kama-kamag-anak sa ‘kin (No favors for friends and family),” Estrada said after being briefed by MTPB

Alsons Power aids Marawi evacuees

director Dennis Alcoreza about the continued illegal operation of the erring towing firm, owned by a certain Alise Nogra. Estrada instructed Alcoreza to file the appropriate charges against the towing company and press on with their operations against “colorum” tow trucks victimizing motorists in Manila. In a series of operations in Quirino Avenue and Osmena Highway on Tuesday, MTPB operatives impounded three tow trucks belonging to PMA. One of the complainants claimed the towing personnel charged him P11,500 to claim his towed vehicle, according to Alcoreza.

THE Alsons Power Group, Mindanao’s first and most experienced independent power producer, recently donated hygiene kits and food items for residents affected by the ongoing conflict in Marawi City. The Mindanao-based power company, through its subsidiary the Mapalad Power Corp., which operates a 103-megawatt diesel power plant in Iligan City, put together hygiene kits containing bath soap, towel, toothbrush, toothpaste, and shampoo as well as food items such as biscuits, crackers, noodles, tuna flakes and chocolate milk drink for 200 families that have been forced to evacuate. The kits and food items were delivered to Inahan sa Kinabuhi Church in Iligan City which distributed the donations to the evacuees. MPC also provided financial support to the Iligan Bay Chamber of Industries for the purchase of hygiene kits and basic necessities that were later distributed to the students of Mindanao State University (MSU)-Marawi staying at the MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) gymnasium. Other evacuation centers also received some of the hygiene kits and basic relief items.

Effects of NV financial aid studied By Ben Moses Ebreo BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya― Provincial officials and technical working group will look into the economic effects of P8.7 million in livelihood funds previously given by the provincial government to 941 poor families from 2013 to 2016. “This is part of our evaluation and assessment if the recipients of livelihood assistance and incentives have been living up to the standards. Despite their being poor in their respective barangays, they were able to send their children to school,” said

Engineer Jonem Gacad, provincial livelihood program coordinator. Gacad spoke at the meeting of the Provincial Sub-Committee for the Welfare of Children at the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office function room here. Members of the PSCWC will supervise an evaluation and assessment of the livelihood assistance and incentives under the Search for the Most Child-Friendly Barangays and Idol Kong Entrepreneurs this month, as part of the activities linedup for the National Children’s Month celebration in the province.

City recorded a 91-percent TB treatment success rate and a 90 percent TB case detection rate. Quezon City eclipsed the cities of Manila and Caloocan in the above a million population category in 2016, said QC Health Department NTP coordinator Dr. Marizel B. Wong. The Quezon City government under the Bautista administration has undergone a massive improvement in health programs and services.

Bato at ‘graduation’ of 400 surrenderers

BRIGHT SMILES. Former Miss World Megan Young (left) and actress Aubrey

Miles (right) receive plaques of appreciation from Smile Train Philippines, the local arm of the world’s largest cleft-lip charity, as it celebrated World Smile Day at the I’M Hotel in Makati City. The event recognized Smile Train’s local partner hospitals, surgeons and volunteers, and organization partners who have helped give free cleft surgeries to close to 50,000 patients since 2001. Diana B. Noche

Village chief, 3 others perish

SWIM PROGRAM. Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili (standing center with checkered shirt) joins 81 children from indigent families and 10 children with disabilities in the city’s ‘Drown-Free Program’ at the Olympic-sized swimming pool in Barangay Trapiche. The program is accomplished through the City’s Sports Development Office, actor Enchong Dee (standing fifth from right), the Bert Lozada Swim School, and the Tanauan City Swim Club-Black Marlins. Roy Tomandao

A BARANGAY chairman and three other persons were killed during separate incidents on Wednesday in Manila. Arnel Parce, the chairman of Barangay 20, Parola, Tondo, was shot dead around 8 p.m. He was talking with a neighbor when two suspects on board a motorcycle stopped in front and shot him at close range.

Parce sustained multiple gunshot wounds in the head and face. Parce’s caretaker tried to fight the suspects, but was shot in the shoulder. Meanwhile, three suspected drug pushers were killed during a buy-bust operation in Tondo after they allegedly engaged the Manila District Police in a gunfight. Bill Casas

BIÑAN, Laguna―Philippine National Police Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa led the commencement exercises for over 400 drug surenderers from the Laguna PNP’s Simula ng Pag-Asa (or Sipag program, together with local government officials at Splash Island Southwoods in Barangay San Francisco here. Dela Rosa said a successful campaign against illegal drugs can be done with the help of local government units, as the PNP continues to support rehabilitation programs like Sipag alongside the religious and private sectors of society. Roy Tomandao

5 sanitary landfills in CAR by December BAGUIO CITY—Five sanitary landfills will be made operational across the Cordillera region to effectively and efficiently address the garbage disposal issues and concerns of local governments by the end of this year. Reynaldo S. Digamo, Director of the Cordillera office of the Environment Management Bureau, said four landfills are already operational and the fifth will start operating by December to help in improving the region’s garbage disposal efforts in compliance with Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. Dexter A. See

Life

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

CULTURE AND MEDIA

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017

inspired P

THE country’s premier ballet and contemporary dance company performs The Exemplars: Amada and Other Dances as internationally acclaimed classics take the stage from Oct. 20 to 22 at the CCP Main Theater and on Oct. 25 at the Globe Auditorium, Maybank Theater, BGC Arts Center. The Exemplars will showcase classic works that established the company’s signature style and identity such as Amada by National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes. As one of the first pieces ever performed by the company, it is based on Summer Solstice by National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin. Set in 19th century Manila, traditional male dominance is shaken by the Tadtarin or Tatarin, a native festival in which women suddenly reign supreme shattering the established Hispanic molds and patterns. Amada premiered in Manila in 1970, with Reyes herself in the titular role, and music composed by National Artist for Music Lucrecia Kasilag. It has since won critical acclaim in the Philippines and abroad, and represents the company’s work in Philippine material at its best. Another featured work is Valse Fantasy. A male dancer and three ballerinas dance in a ballet dotted with leaps, turns, beats, entrances and exits. Set to Glinka’s music, it is pure dancing tailored by the music’s breezy patterns and delightful rhythms. A neo-classical piece inspired by George Balanchine, it was especially staged for Ballet Philippines by Muñeca Aponte in 1974. This year, premier danseur Nonoy Froilan is restaging the ballet as he himself danced the male role in the 70s. Gener Caringal’s Ang Sultan is a heartbreaking story about star-crossed lovers separated by the eternal clash between classes. Set in the pre-colonial Filipino caste system, it tells the story of the consequences when a man from a lower caste falls in love with a princess— where revolt and an uprising ensue due to inequity and social injustice. Using Maguindanao/Muslim instrumentation, Kasilag also composed the music. Since its premiere in 1973, it has become one of the most performed pieces in the company’s repertoire. Norman Walker’s Songs of a Wayfarer is the story of unrequited love. We follow our hero, who is in deep sadness as his love is being wed to another, and trying to escape with everything reminding him of his love. This is a story of ultimately

'The Choices We Make' by Juan Ariel Comia Acrylic on canvas Inspired by Century Tuna

C&V Communications celebrated recently its 20 years in the advertising industry by hosting a party cum art show for clients, industry partners and friends at Whitespace Manila.

The agency, founded in 1997 by former members of J. Walter Thompson’s creative team, paid tribute to iconic brands it had handled in two decades by asking some of the country’s most promising young artists to render those products in art form. Channeling the famed American pop artist Andy Warhol, who turned canned soup, among other things, into a work of art, the young artists came up with their creative take on such products as Goldilocks Bakeshop’s Black Forest cake; CPFI’s Tuna 555, Argentina brand and Century Tuna; URC’s C2 Green Tea, SCP Asia-Pacific Inc.’s Perla laundry soap and CityMall Commercial Centers, Inc.

'Full Circle' by Juan Gabriel Mendoza Giclée print on canvas Inspired by Argentina brand

'Neil Heartstrong' by Glen Acero Giclée print on canvas Inspired by 555 Tuna

by brands

'Transfixed' by Janina Guerrero Giclée print on canvas Inspired by Goldilocks's Black Forest cake,

Ballet Philippines reintroduces classics

Candice Adea in Alice Reyes' Amada (photo by Jojo Mamangun) finding one’s self in the loneliness of life, even though surrounded by friends, there is a feeling of trying to find a purpose that fulfills the empty void. Critical and popular acclaim has made this work a piece de resistance in the company’s repertoire. Pauline Koner’s Concertino is considered a major landmark in modern dance. This classic tells the story about a lady of the court and her attendants who conduct themselves in various manners from the proper to the frolicsome. In the rigidity of the high life she feels caged and seeks liberation from the tedious life. This piece was choreographed in the earlier style of American Modern Dance that has become a challenge to all who attempts this stylistically difficult piece. For tickets, call Ballet Philippines at (632) 551-1003, the CCP Box Office at (632) 832-3704, or Ticketworld at (632) 891-9999 or Ticketworld.com.ph.

Ronelson Yadao as The Young Man in Songs of a Wayfarer Denise Parungao as the Bride in Songs of a Wayfarer

The 20 art pieces, representing every year of PC&V’s existence were auctioned off during the celebration. Proceeds of the silent auction would be donated by the agency to Friends of Hope, Inc., a pioneer in the social business space whose flagship program is to build much-needed public school classrooms across the Philippines. Juan Ariel Comia, PC&V president and COO, said, “All students around the country deserve access to better learning environments, a fighting chance for a better life through education. It is an honor for PC&V to be able to help such a worthy cause.”

'What Past and Future See' by Socorro Pitargue Giclée print on canvas Inspired by C2 Green Tea

'Red-to-Wear' by Socorro Fajardo Acrylic on canvas Inspired by CityMall Commercial Centers

Young Antiqueño wins Palanca at first try

TWENTY-year-old Leonard Francis M. Alcoran is one of the winners in the Regional Language Division of the 67th Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. This Palanca youngblood’s win is far from beginner’s luck. Rather, it’s a product of hard work, determination, and the willingness to learn. In this prestigious literary competition for Filipino writers, Alcoran bagged the third prize in the Hiligaynon short story category for his work, Ang itlog nga wala nagabalibad. The story is about an old shaman woman who uses an egg to find her missing grandson—only to find out that he has long been dead. “It’s a story of one’s quest for acceptance—how, at some point in your life, you have to acknowledge the fact that you’re inferior to yourself,” Alcoran explains. Such profound wisdom from a young man who admits it has only been a year since he started writing fiction seriously. Alcoran, a political science student at West Visayas State University, submitted the earlier cited work to a local writing workshop in Antique. But when he failed to meet its deadline, he opted to finish the story instead for other existing write shops. That was when he came across the writing workshop of 13-time Palanca winner, Dr. Leoncio Deriada at the University of the Philippines Visayas, and the 2017 San Agustin Writers’ Workshop—which Alcoran both earned a spot in. “Dr. Deriada encouraged me to pass my work to the Palanca, and so I did.” Alcoran narrates. This bold move catapulted his journey to the Palanca awards. Alcoran, along with his twin brother, Leynard grew up listening to the stories by her grandmother and the elders in their community. “Hearing their stories about the olden times, and the customs in our village somehow enhanced my imagination,” Alcoran explains. The value he placed on these stories further spurred him to develop and put them into writing. “To preserve the stories, it is

Palance winner Leonard Francis Alcoran important to pass them down to the next generation,” he says. Unbeknownst to Alcoran, his habits as a child would prepare him to become a storyteller. “I love reading books. I read stories by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, R.L. Stine. But growing up, I think I read more poetry than fiction, like the works of Pablo Neruda, Sylvia Plath, and Edith Tiempo,” he mentions. He remembers joining poetry contests occasionally as a young student. But if there was one person who actually influenced him to write, it was his twin brother who also enters his works to write shops. “My twin was also the very first person to read my work,” Alcoran reveals. Alcoran shares that anyone who wants to join the Palanca, or any writing stint for that matter, must be brave enough to show his work to others. “The defeated attitude will bring yourself down, so just go—write creatively and enter your stories to writing competitions.” What’s more for Alcoran? He’ll continue writing stories, and joining workshops. He believes these are the only way to learn and improve his craft.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 Isah V. Red, Editor • Nickie Wang, Writer

PEOPLE ...are not talking about

…are talking about Aga Muhlach In a recent interview, the former matinee idol revealed that it has been a struggle to lose weight that’s why he had to turn down a few ﬁlm projects. Not mincing his words, he admitted that it’s his problem and he feels he has a responsibility to look presentable before the camera. Yet, fans are still excited to see him in his comeback movie even if he’s not playing the lead because Aga, even at 48, can give any younger actor a run for his money with or without his bulging midsection. Aljur Abrenica Only a few stars at the same time, would “jump ship” he recognizes and yet still thankful Kapuso Network’s for the kind of support contribution in his still they got from their burgeoning television former management. career. Take Aljur for example. This gesture makes him an exceptional actor because while he’s grateful for being a busy Kapamilya,

Alisah Bonaobra Her X Factor UK journey continues as she secured a spot in the Six Chair Challenge in the Girls category to be mentored by judge Sharon Osbourne. In the nerve-wracking and vocal chord-shattering segment of the show, the 22-year-old amateur singer said she wanted the judges to see that she deserves a spot in the competition. And she just did what she had to do singing as if it’s her last performance. We just hope she still has left a few cards in her bag for the next challenges.

Last Night It’s easy to detect whether a film is trying to be bold and creative or it’s just pretending to be something it isn’t. Even average viewers would easily notice that. That’s why people would have appreciated if the writer and director of the film just ate humble pie and admitted that their film isn’t the kind of film that the audience can appreciate. Not only it failed to tackle a very sensitive issue, it also failed to make any couple in the mood for love. For consolation, a recent study in the UK says intelligent people enjoy trashy films. Joey de Leon It’s hard to believe that at 70, the comedian and TV host didn’t have a slight idea of what depression is and what possible danger it can cause to someone suffering from it. So, it came as no surprise that the entire Internet exploded with hate comments criticizing Joey for being ignorant. But amid all the brouhaha, we were amazed that he was man enough to admit his blunder. While many people thought his apology as insincere, we couldn’t think of anything possible for him to do but to say sorry. It takes a lot of courage to do so, especially at his age and in his stature in show business. Jake Zyrus Here comes a new singer, who’s an entirely different person but whose talent still lives in the shadow of his former self. While Charice was already hard to market during her time, Jake is even much harder to sell specially that his voice resembles that of a boy in his adolescence. And did we mention that his coming out concert flopped? Note, Music Museum only has 500 seating capacity, and there were lots of empty seats during the show. It seems nobody wanted to pay to hear her…rather him sing or even perform on stage. How do you solve a problem like Jake?

ABS-CBN and Hallo Hallo Entertainment want girl idol groups

From left: Jillmer Dy, Mercedita Gonzales, Paulo Kurosawa, Laurenti Dyogi, Yasunari Okada, Aldrin Cerrado and Macie Imperial

ABS-CBNa nd Hallo Hallo Entertainment are looking for 48 talented Filipinas who will become part of the next big all-girl idol group to be called MNL48. ABS-CBN TV Production Head Laurenti Dyogi, CFO Aldrin Cerrado, OIC for Integrated Acquisitions and International Sales and Distribution Cecilia “Macie” Imperial, Business Unit Head Mercedita Gonzales, Hallo Hallo Entertainment CEO Yasunari Okada, and President Paulo Kurosawa recently inked the partnership agreement in a ceremonial signing held at ABS-CBN’s ELJ Communications Center Building in Quezon City. “We are bringing the very popular idol group format from Japan to Manila. In Japan, it’s called AKB48. Here in Manila, we will be looking for young, talented Filipinos who will become part of MNL48. This will be one of our biggest talent searches on television for young girls,” said Dyogi. “This could be a new page for the Philippine showbiz industry because we have a new system for the selection process. It will be wonderful for Filipinos who will be joining,” added Kurosawa. “We are so happy to partner with ABS-CBN and spread Japan pop idol culture to the Philippines,” said Okada. MNL48 will be the Philippine counterpart of phenomenal Japanese girl group AKB48, which is one of the highest earning musical acts in the world with record sales of over $200 million in Japan. The search for the members of MNL48 will soon start in ABS-CBN. It will not only give Filipina girls the chance to be part of the next pop group phenomenon, but will also get to ﬂy to Japan to personally train and learn from the makers of AKB48.

SKY subscribers can enjoy Netflix original TV series and films SKY Cable Corporation has signed a partnership with Netflix, the world’s leading Internet entertainment service, to offer One Sky subscribers a variety of critically acclaimed Netflix original programs including House of Cards, Stranger Things, The Crown, and Okja for the whole family. Subscribers have already been enjoying Netflix through SKY’s fast, fiber-powered broadband service and now through the partnership, One Sky subscribers can pay their Netflix subscription via SKY, allowing qualified subscribers to seamlessly access and watch content on Netflix. Netflix subscriptions are offered at P370, P460, and P550 a month on top of the chosen One SKY Plan. The monthly subscription fee of the chosen plan will be reflected on the subscriber’s SKY bill. The partnership with Netflix now makes SKY a go-to Internet service

provider for a complete online entertainment experience as it currently exclusively offers HBO GO and SKY On Demand. “Our partnership with Netflix further strengthens our promise that everything that you and your family need is under One SKY. You can easily access enriching content on various platforms including cable, broadband, mobile internet, and video-on-demand,” said Jerome Almirante, SKY head of converged products and digital division. “Netflix offers something for everyone in the family, from drama to comedy series, from kids content, to stand- English actress Claire Foy as Princess Elizabeth in the new season of the biographical up specials, from documentaries to drama, “The Crown" films. We are thrilled to bring Netflix One SKY subscribers can look Indian director Ritesh Batra and top to One SKY subscribers and make it more convenient for them to watch the forward to highly anticipated Netflix billed by Robert Redford and Jane world’s favorite Netflix movies and originals including returning seasons Fonda and Bright, starring Will Smith TV shows anytime and anywhere,” said of Stranger Things, The Crown, and and Joel Edgerton. Netflix also offers a wide variety Tony Zameczkowski, vice president for Fuller House, as well as upcoming films Our Souls at Night from acclaimed of high quality programming for kids business development of Netflix Asia.

between the ages of 3-16, including interactive titles like The Adventures of Puss in Boots, and stop-motion show Buddy Thunderstruck. The Internet entertainment service has 104 million members in over 190 countries enjoying more than 125 million hours of TV shows and movies per day, including original series, documentaries and feature ﬁlms. One SKY, SKY Cable Corporation’s broadband, cable TV and mobile internet bundle, is only one of the digital initiatives of ABS-CBN, the Philippines’ leading media and entertainment organization, which is rapidly transitioning into an agile digital company with the biggest online presence among all media companies, and a growing list of digital properties. SKY Cable Corporation is the cable, direct-to-home, and broadband unit of ABS-CBN Corporation. For more information, visit mysky. com.ph/Netﬂix.

Motoring

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017

The forgotten Italian supercar

RIGINALLY conceived as a rival to the Chevrolet Corvette for the American market, Alejandro De Tomaso forged a partnership with Lee Iacocca, the most brilliant designer during those days, Tom Tjaarda and Henry Ford II. When it was introduced in the seventies and up to its demise in the early 1990’s, an estimated 7,260 Panteras were built in various conﬁgurations.

It took the American market by storm when it was introduced 1971, as the steel unibody design by Tjaarda of Design firm Ghia drew rave reviews from both the consumers and motoring journalists at that time. Ford began importing Panteras

for the American market to be sold through its Lincoln Mercury dealers in late 1971. The first 75 cars were simply European imports and are known for their “push-button” door handles and hand-built Carrozzeria Vignale bodies. A total of

1,007 Panteras reached the United States that first year. As with most Italian cars of the day, rust-proofing was minimal and the quality of fit and finish on these early models was poor with large amounts of body solder being used to cover body panel flaws. Subsequently, Ford increased their involvement in the production of the later cars with the introduction of precision stampings for body panels which resulted in improved overall quality. Several modifications were made for the 1972 model year Panteras. A new 4 Bolt Main Cleveland Engine, also 351 cu in, was used with lower compression ratio (from 11:1 to 8.6:1, chiefly to meet US emissions standards and run on lower octane standard fuel) but with the more aggressive “Cobra Jet”

camshaft (featuring the same lift and duration as the 428 Cobra Jet’s factory performance cam) in an effort to reclaim some of the power lost through the reduction in compression along with a dual point distributor. Many other engine changes were made, including the use of a factory exhaust header. The “Lusso” (luxury) Pantera L was also introduced, in August 1972 as a 1972½ model. For the US market it featured a large black single front bumper that incorporated a built-in airfoil to reduce front end lift at high speeds, rather than the separate bumperettes still used abroad, as well as a 266 Net hp (198 kW) Cleveland engine. The “L” model featured many factory upgrades and updates that fixed most of the problems and issues

the earlier cars experienced. It was so improved that the 1973 DeTomaso Pantera was Road Test Magazine’s Import car of the year beating out Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, and Porsche. During 1973 the dash was changed, going from two separate pods for the gauges to a unified unit with the dials angled towards the driver. The U.S. version 1974 Pantera GTS featured GTS badging but not the higher compression, solid lifter engine of its European GTS “cousin”. Gremlins found in early production cars were addressed in subsequent versions, but in 1975 Ford stopped importing them into the U.S. market. Enter Wisconsin businessman and quintessential car guy George Stauffer, who as-

sumed importation of the new Pantera GT5 in the early 1980s. The GT5 was the most aggressive-looking Pantera yet, with fiberglass fender extensions, spoilers and rear wing, all typical of FIA Group 5 practice, and vastly improved performance. In 1985 the GT5-S became the ultimate roadgoing Pantera, with all-steel flared fenders and a steel front spoiler. Although Ford had ceased U.S. production of the 351 Cleveland engine, Australian production continued, as did its use in the Pantera. Where the original Pantera used 8-inchwide front and 10-inch rear wheels, the GT5-S’s huge fender flares allowed 10inch and 13-inch Campagnolo magnesium wheels and proportionally wider tires, giving it the look of a full-

Suzuki Celerio, Alto safety features enhanced PIONEER compact car distributor Suzuki Philippines continues to build on its successes this year with feature upgrades for the Suzuki Celerio and Alto, a company statement said. These two well-known Suzuki subcompact cars are redefining comfortable and enjoyable driving by guaranteeing peace of mind with their new safety features. SPH General Manager for

Celerio: Compact but featurespacked

Celerio, the country’s most fuel-efficient car in the gasoline category according to the Department of Energy, ups the ante in terms of safety by combining it with comfort to guarantee worryfree driving. The latest updates to the Suzuki favorite aim to ensure a more peaceful drive

all fuel rating for gasoline category, based on the Fuel Economy Run organized by the Department of Energy (DOE) in partnership with Petron Corporation. Besides fuel efficiency, the Suzuki classic features enhanced entertainment capability, including a new 7-inch Multimedia Touchscreen Audio System for a more enjoyable ride. The model still features dual airbags both in the

zuki Alto 800 STD puts emphasis on greater safety, enabling drivers to focus on the road and maximize the driving experience. The features upgrades equip the Alto with an antilock brake system and dual airbags both in the driver and passenger seats. Like the upgraded Celerio, the Alto 800 STD also features Suzuki’s TECT, which improves collision safety.

Toyota unveils top -of -line compact MVP—Avanza Veloz THIS October, Toyota announced the introduction of its newest variant in the Avanza line up, the Avanza Veloz. Over the years, the success of the Avanza in the Philippines has grown selling over 80,000 units since its launch in 2006. Showcasing an image of comfort and functionality, the Avanza continues to be the leader in

Automobile Shuzo Hoshikura said, “We are delighted to share the upgrades for the Celerio and Alto compact cars. These upgrades are a testament to Suzuki’s commitment to continuously improve its product portfolio and ensure that new and existing customers get the best of the Suzuki Way of Life. We are very happy to be providing more features focused on safety and never short-changing our beloved patrons of their money’s value.”

through greater driver and passenger safety. The Celerio now features a reverse parking sensor, which promises easier reverse maneuverability. Celerio models also come with the Suzuki Total Effective Control Technology (TECT), which makes effective use of hightensile materials to achieve a high-rigidity, low-weight body for greater collision safety. The Celerio boasts a fuel economy rating of up to 29.14km/L, the best in over-

driver and passenger seats and anti-lock brake system (ABS), making driving a truly safe and comfortable experience. The upgraded Celerio is available locally in Pearl Snow White, Metallic Star Silver, Metallic Mineral Gray, Pearl Super Black, Pearl Ablaze Red, and Prime Cerulean Blue.

The upgraded Alto 800 STD is available in color options Superior White, Silky Silver Metallic, Brilliant Yellow, Granite Grey, Blazing Red, Prime Mojito Green and Cerulean Blue. Enjoying the new safety features of both the Celerio and Alto has never been easier with low down-payment terms. Bring home a Celerio 1.0 GL-MT variant Alto: Safe ride for as low as P58,000 and a Suzuki Alto 800 STD for with feature only P28,000 until October updates The newly upgraded Su- 31, 2017.

the compact MPV segment. In short, it is a vehicle that is fit for any family or business drive. As such, the Avanza brings opportunities for families and colleagues to be closer with moments shared inside this vehicle. With the NEW Avanza Veloz, it adds spice to the line-up boasting a tougher appearance on the road.

blown Le Mans racer. This 1987 DeTomaso Pantera GT5-S is a fine example of what many consider the best of the line. It is one of an estimated 187 built and one of 50 legally imported into the United States. It is remarkably fresh in its presentation, having been driven just 11,700 kilometers and maintained in a private collection from 1997 to 2015. The good-looking black paint is complemented with a luxurious and pristine tan leather interior trimmed with burled-wood inserts. Powered by the 351 Cleveland engine with a ZF 5-speed transaxle, it rides on Pirelli P7 tires on the original Campagnolo wheels and is offered with the original tool kit and a full set of aftermarket wheels and tires. Dino Ray V. Directo III

Adapting the robust design of its co-variants, the Veloz projects an image of comfort while distinctively having a sporty look into it. As seen in its exterior, one can immediately notice the new model’s sharp design as expressed by the bold aero grille, smoked chrome lamp garnish & back handle, and sport bumper. As the driver steps inside the vehicle, the top-of-theline Veloz shows off a beautiful black interior, creating a balance of sophistication and modern style. In addition, its display audio now promotes a user-friendly structure with a new navigation system helping the driver get him from where he is to where he wants to be at his convenience. The Avanza Veloz comes in four (4) exciting colors, Black Metallic, Silver Metallic, White, and its newest addition to the color line up, the Red Mica Metallic conveying a vibrant appearance and a more youthful look.

Aston Martin-Red Bull Racing in Formula One Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing have further strengthened their Innovation Partnership with the announcement that the Formula One team will compete as ‘Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’ from 2018. The successful partnership, that has already produced the sold-out Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar, will yield future products and an exciting new Advanced Performance Centre

that will open on the Red Bull Racing campus in Milton Keynes later this year. The British luxury carmaker will also evaluate the opportunity to be involved in the team’s power unit from 2021 after being asked by the FIA to join discussions on future engines for F1TM. Aston Martin President and CEO, Andy Palmer, said: “Title partnership is the next logical step for our Innovation Partnership with

Red Bull Racing. We are enjoying the global brand awareness that a revitalized Formula One provides. The power unit discussions are of interest to us but only if the circumstances are right. We are not about to enter an engine war with no restrictions in cost or dynamometer hours but we believe that if the FIA can create the right environment we would be interested in getting involved.”

Motoring

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Edi tor DIN O DIREC TO III A ss t . Edi tor

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017

VW unveils beefed-up

Golf GTi

The lifestyle event also brought in companies like Focal Ph, which showcased their line of high-end headphones

Text and photos by Dino Ray V. Directo III

S THE country prepares itself for a “Japanese invasion” of performance cars with Honda leading the way with the Type R and Subaru gearing up for the rollout of a more powerful Impreza STi, Volkswagen Ph is not about to take things sitting down without putting up a resistance.

Volkswagen Quezon Avenue executives (from left) ﬂank the Golf GTi (from left)Ned Goseco, COO Iconic Dealership Inc and Bob Palanca, GM of VW Quezon Ave.

FOILACAR Industries, the company which innovated car paint protection and preservation is set to carve inroads into the local market with its latest automotive protection system. Dubbed as FoilaPaint, this paint procedure is a total makeover of the car in any color in just six days. This is made possible by Foilacar’s GlossFx controlled environment paint system. The GlossFX is a big oven designed to dry out any foil on cars in 30 minutes. This procedure fast tracks car foiling technology, whose drying time usually takes a day to dry out. “This machine enables us to paint anything from the car exterior, down to interior pieces for our Foilainterior Division. The technology involves diesel combustion which is utilized for heating the oven in a safe and environment-

In an exclusive gathering of customers, would-be customers and select members of the motoring media, Volkswagen Ph presented an upgraded version of the Golf GTi. Dubbed as the “hottest hatch” in the Volkswagen line-up, the souped up GTi comes with a wraparound ABT Body Kit and a Power-Up module which are imported from Germany. “This GTi is a more aesthetically pleasing to the eye, more aerodynamic and packs more punch compared to the standard GTi,” adds Bob Palanca, GM of Volkswagen QC. ABT Sportsline is one of the World’s largest aftermarket tuners and has been VW’s exclusive partner for the past 120 years. “We are confident that this car can challenge the Civic Type R or the Impreza STi any day and any time,” says Palanca. Guests were treated to a test drive the German pocket rocket to experience and feel the Golf GTI’s 2.0-liter turbocharged stratified injection (TSI) engine mated to a 6-speed dual shift gear (DSG) transmission, generating 220 Ps of power and 350 Nm. The Golf GTI with ABT Power-Up Module goes for an even more exhilarating 32% increase in power and 20% increase in torque (290 Ps and 420 Nm, respectively). The occasion also marked the opening of Volkswagen Quezon Avenue’s Golf GTI Lifestyle Center, a first of its kind among Volkswagen dealerships in the Philippines. Guests were treated to video presentations, product highlight talks from Focal Audio of

Six-day makeover by Foilacar

France. “We are delighted that Focal was given this opportunity to showcase its products,” says Johann Tiu of Focal Ph. A byword in the home and automotive audio industry, Focal showcased the features of its latest line of audio systems staring with the Focal Sphear, Spirit One S, Spirit Classic and the Sound bar home audio system. Apart from thevarious Golf GTI units on display, the Golf GTI Lifestyle Center was also launched which offered model-specific accessories and lifestyle collection items such as shirts, jackets, collectible miniature cars, cups and mugs, bags, among others, which are for sale at special prices. Customers also found the financing deals hard to resist, as BPI Family Savings Bank offered the 0% interest, 20% downpayment at 12 monthly payments for purchases or reservations made during the occasion, or the option of getting the ABT Power-Up Module for free. These offers, were indeed, timely, especially with the impending imposition of the government excise tax come 2018. This special event organized by Volkswagen Quezon Avenue, in cooperation with Volkswagen Philippines, is among the many customer-centric events by the country’s leading European car brand to extend its world-class motoring lifestyle even closer to more Filipinos’ doorsteps. It’s more than just a weekend re-acquaintance with the Golf GTI. For Volkswagen, It’s More Than Just a Car.

friendly manner,” adds Jan Vincent Mercado, Chief Financial Officer of Foilacar Industries. This multi-million oven technology also enables us to finish more cars. Unlike before due to the drying time, our output is limited. Now with GlossFX, we can dry out five to eight cars a day,” explains Lester Codog, President of Foilacar Industries. As car guys, we all love the concept of temporarily changing the color of your car, wheels and other accessories. We did that with Foilacar, although when it came to wheels and other body panels like the grille of a car or SUV, the foil wrapping is a bit tedious and time consuming. We were searching for a technology that would provide ease of use and offer the same protection and visual appeal of the vinyl wrap,” adds Codog.